Remus took pride in keeping himself level-headed, but Emma always seemed to make that difficult for him. His nerves were completely shot from talking to Fenrir, but knowing his only child was half-way across the village with the werewolf was even worse. Remus worried about Emma constantly, but knowing he had to let her willingly be around Fenrir made him sick. He had hated himself the entirety of the previous year for every time he wasn't in the village to keep her safe. To be there and not be able to do a thing at all? It made him sick. If it weren't for Emma, he would have left the Three Broomsticks and made his way back to the Hog's Head just in case. Fenrir still terrified him, but he would do whatever he could to keep Emma safe.

But instead of protecting his daughter like he should, he was sitting and waiting to meet Fenrir's son. He had to love Emma more than anything to be doing what he was.

Remus wasn't entirely disillusioned that Fenrir didn't know that he had a son, but he didn't understand why Greyson wasn't a full werewolf. Knowing Fenrir the way he did, it didn't make sense, especially since his son was older than Emma. A child wasn't exactly something Fenrir would pass up, and Greyson would have been pulled into the pack by the time Emma was even born. Remus couldn't figure out a single logical reason why Fenrir wouldn't have pulled his son into the pack unless there was already a motive.

Being as pessimistic and cynical as he was, Remus was almost positive that Greyson's sudden appearance in Emma's life was set up. He worried over just how close Emma had gotten to Greyson, and his thoughts immediately began to spiral. He immediately went to the worst possible case scenario, that Greyson was meant to lure Emma so that Fenrir could get closer to her. Or worse, Greyson was very much like his father and realized she was a Black and would use that information to his advantage. It had been a long time since the magical community had seen a kidnapping, but if it would happen to anyone, Remus had no doubt it would be Emma. Again.

His mind had gone a million miles a minute, worry and fear plaguing him at every possible moment. Still, Elara tried to convince him otherwise.

Elara pointed out that no other werewolf seemed to know about Greyson. When Elara had reached out to the werewolves she knew just out of curiosity, they laughed. As far as anyone knew, Fenrir had no living biological children, only the werewolves he had made himself. There were rumors, of course, but no one had proof.

Greyson's entire existence was a mystery, and he was determined to figure out just how genuine he was. He wasn't about to let Emma get even more hurt when she was already in a perilous situation.

Remus's gaze lifted as the door to the Three Broomsticks opened, and he was met with a faintly familiar scent carrying on the breeze. He turned his head towards the door, following the scent, now curious. He could easily recognize Fenrir's scent, but it was light in the way that Emma's scent vaguely matched his. It was peculiar to scent it, and there was no doubt that any other werewolf would recognize it.

He allowed himself to take a good look at Greyson before he noticed him. He followed behind a group of giggling Ravenclaw girls. Remus was sure they were giggling over Greyson if the exasperated look on his face was anything to go by. He swore that he had worn a similar look for several months the previous year and almost felt bad for him.

Remus was surprised to find that Greyson looked much different in person than in Emma's photos. It was easy to see where Greyson looked like his father in pictures, but he looked completely different in person. Or at least Remus thought that until Greyson finally noticed him. Remus immediately understood why Emma had her hesitations. Greyson's eyes were very much his father's but didn't have the same predatory coldness. Knowing that Emma already had conflicting thoughts, he imagined it wasn't easy for his daughter to separate Greyson from his father. The fact that Emma had been able to do so made Remus wonder just what it was she saw in him.

Greyson was tall, which Remus expected, well-dressed, and held himself with an almost cocky confidence. He was well-groomed, his beard trimmed and hair neat. Remus cared little for fashion, having kept to the same signature staples for years. Still, he was amused to find Greyson dressed similarly to himself. Remus had to take a quick look down at himself and shake his head. While his daughter had unintentionally matched with Fenrir, Greyson had matched with him – a smart, knitted jumper layered over a button-down shirt and tie, trousers, oxfords, and an overcoat.

He found himself pleased to see that Greyson thought to pick up flowers for Emma. It was a small gesture, but it was a sweet one. Remus idly wondered if it meant he was a romantic or traditional, or both. All the same, he knew Emma would be tickled by it.

Greyson seemed to hesitate for only the smallest of moments before finally deciding to make his way over to the bar. The confidence he had appeared to melt away, and Remus hummed thoughtfully to himself – somewhere beneath his arrogant swagger was an unexpected uncertainty. This was something Remus was familiar with, having seen it multiple times in Sirius over the years. He was still wary of Greyson, but so far, his first impressions were in line with what Emma had told him.

Remus was surprised by just how nervous Greyson suddenly was when he made it over to the bar. Greyson was suddenly like a mix of a deer caught in headlights and a fish out of water, all wide eyes and mouth opening and closing. He was incredibly tense, holding himself very close together. It took Remus a few long seconds longer to realize that Greyson was scared of him, unsure of what to say. That was unexpected, and dear lord, he had to save the poor boy before he went into a panic.

"You brought me flowers?" Remus asked conversationally, looking down at the bouquet in Greyson's hand that was practically in a stranglehold. "You shouldn't have."

Greyson's brow furrowed in confusion. He looked down at the bouquet in his hand and then back up at Remus, relaxing slightly at the smile on Remus's face.

"I mean, they could be for you if you'd like," Greyson said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't see you for a flower type from what Emma's told me."

Remus was surprised at just how much Greyson sounded like Sirius. It was a very London accent, posh and proper.

"No, that would be…" Remus trailed off, suddenly unsure of what to say. He knew that Greyson knew about Sirius and had been very unamused to find out just how much information Emma divulged. He didn't like the idea of another person knowing about Sirius's whereabouts, but nothing terrible had happened. Remus planned to keep it that way. "That wouldn't be me," he finally settled on. He gestured to the seat next to him, and Greyson sat down, still tense.

"Thank you for, erm, taking the time to meet me, Mr. Lupin," Greyson said, holding his hand out. "I know we've written, but, hello – I'm Greyson Fenmore. Junior," he added with a slight wince.

"Oh, bloody hell, it was one thing to be called Mr. Lupin while I was teaching, but it makes me sound far too old," Remus said, shaking Greyson's hand. "Please, just call me Remus. Didn't realize it would make me sound like my father to be called Mr. Lupin outside of a classroom."

"I'm sorry," Greyson said, clearing his throat nervously. "I'm sure this is…very odd to you."

"Hmm, quite," Remus agreed. "Would you like a drink?"

"Ah, I suppose a Butterbeer would be more than all right, thank you," Greyson said. "I'm not really much of a drinker."

"Really?" Remus asked in surprise. He cast Greyson a side-long glance in curiosity, trying to decipher whether or not he only said it because of Emma. "Neither am I. Any particular reason why?"

"I got most of my drinking out of the way a few years ago," Greyson said quietly. "It's not very beneficial when working with potions. I prefer to keep a clear head. I'll have a pint or two when I'm out with my mates, but nothing too extreme."

Remus could respect that decision. The Marauders had been known for having lengthy, night-long parties with heavy drinking. Unfortunately, he didn't grow out of it until he had to so that he could take care of Emma. If things were different, he was still sure he would still be drinking excessively if he wasn't dead.

"For me, it's a personal choice," Remus said, quickly ordering two Butterbeer. "I'll have a glass of wine here and there, but I avoid anything strong. I was quite partial to rum and whiskey for some time."

"I think for me it was whatever I could get my hand on," Greyson admitted, taking his bottle of Butterbeer and opening it. "I'm not proud of it. Now I prefer a decent beer. Or Butterbeer like today."

"Respectable," Remus said. "Certainly can't complain about a good beer. So, why don't you tell me a little bit more about yourself? I know you mentioned that you lived with your aunt and uncle?"

"Lived with my aunt and uncle up until nearly two months ago. They raised me as their child, but I grew up with my cousins from my other uncle. There's four of us in total, and I think we're pretty close – might as well be siblings, honestly," Greyson said. "I'm obviously the only magical one, which is unfortunate. I've spent my time traveling after graduating to work on my Mastery."

"Where have you traveled to?"

"Oh, not too far at all. France, Norway, Italy, Spain…haven't had a chance to go far with work."

"We never did get around to discussing what you actually do outside of your Mastery work."

"I, er, well…" Greyson chuckled nervously. "I mostly stick to Muggle employment to avoid people knowing who I am. Coffee shops and the whatnot, although I enjoyed working in a library."

"I can…I can understand that," Remus said quietly. "I understand that all too well."

"It's just easier to hide sometimes."

"And you want to teach?"

"I'd love to teach. I enjoyed my time working on my requirements for my Mastery. It was a bit odd to try and work through each year and cater to different skill levels, but everyone brought their own challenges."

"Where would you like to teach?"

"I was looking at Castelobruxo, actually, but now I'm starting to think I'd rather be somewhere closer to home."

"Any particular reason why you'd pass up the opportunity to teach in Brazil? I would think that would be a much better use of your time than staying around here."

"I think you know the answer to that question, sir."

Remus hummed thoughtfully, taking a drink. "I'm sure that you can understand that I have my concerns," Remus said slowly.

"You're a father with a daughter. I wouldn't expect anything less," Greyson said. "And especially more so with me."

"For several reasons, yes," Remus said. "But the main reason probably isn't what you think."

"It's not because –"

"It's not because of your father, no. However, that is obviously a concern of mine," Remus admitted. "No, my issue is that you're older than her. She is mature for her age and is more than capable of making her own decisions, but I will not stand for you taking advantage of her."

"I would never, sir," Greyson said earnestly. "Emma and I have had several very long conversations. I was beyond horrified when she told me what she's gone through, and honestly, if I had known her, especially more recently, I would have done something. I don't know what I would have done, but all the same, I wouldn't dream of hurting her."

"Good," Remus said simply. "I'm sure you understand that if you were to ever hurt her, it wouldn't end well at all."

"I fear that Emma would be the one to hurt me and not the other way around," Greyson said quietly, almost nervously. "About broke my heart when she didn't let me interview for the tutoring position, but it made sense. Then she proceeded to truly break my heart by telling me she needed time and insisted that I did as well when I asked her to be my girlfriend."

"Well, that certainly does sound like something my daughter would do," Remus reluctantly admitted. He lifted his bottle of Butterbeer up to his lips and shook his head. "It really sounds like something she would do. But clearly she didn't break your heart enough to keep you away."

"I think it would take far worse than that to keep me from trying again," Greyson said quietly.

"Excellent, that means you'll be able to handle where this conversation heads next," Remus said brightly. "How many girlfriends have you had?"

Greyson looked slightly taken aback and cleared his throat. "Three," he said. "Two while in school, one when I graduated. Emma would be my fourth…er, if it was all right."

"That remains to be seen. Why exactly do you want to date my daughter?" Remus asked. "Surely there are other witches your age that you would be interested in."

"There was until I met Emma," Greyson said quietly. "And Emma knows that I was talking to someone, but it was nothing serious. We were just getting to know each other. If I have to wait to be with Emma, then I'll wait as long as I have to. She managed to captivate me in a way I didn't think possible. I was fascinated with her after reading the articles in the Prophet. I was fascinated, but I was angry with her, and I didn't even know her. Those articles painted her as…as the exact opposite of what she really is. They vilified her all because of her connection to my father, and I thought she would be exactly like him. The same with you, really. When they reported she was attacked…" Greyson trailed off, staring down at his bottle of Butterbeer just to find something to focus on. His voice was much softer when he spoke, "I wasn't sure what I would do if I ever ran into her, but I didn't think it would happen given how large the community is. Imagine my surprise when I ran into her in Flourish and Blotts but then proceeded to make an absolute arse of myself. I still regret what I said."

"I do recall Emma mentioning something about Flourish and Blotts," Remus said.

"And I'm sure she had nothing kind to say about me then."

"Oh, definitely not," Remus admitted, remembering the very long night of reading what Emma had to write to him.

"I don't blame her," Greyson said, huffing out a laugh and taking a swig of Butterbeer. He was quiet for a long moment, running through his thoughts, fingers drumming on the bar top. "I know I certainly didn't have anything nice to say about myself after that. I knew I was terrible, reaching for whatever I could just to keep her away. I was scared. The look she gave me still haunts me, so accusatory and like I was…like I was my father. Up until that point, I thought I had escaped the possibility of having to witness someone looking at me with fear. And to make it worse, and I know it sounds terribly cliché, but before we actually looked at each other, I felt like I had known her my whole life. The moment her hand was in mine, I felt excited by the idea of a future with this still faceless, tiny, and shy young woman. Then it all fell apart in seconds because why would she ever want to be with me? So, I decided to be an absolute knobhead and try and make it so that I would never have to worry about it."

"You went on the defensive," Remus said in understanding.

"Very much," Greyson said, paling slightly. "And then Persephone explained everything to me and –"

"Persephone?" Remus questioned. "Surely you don't mean Persephone Moon?"

"The same," Greyson said slowly. "I'm sure that you're well-versed in knowing all about Slytherin loyalty from Emma? That it doesn't matter what year another Slytherin is, we're all meant to take care of each other?"

"I am," Remus said. "Not just from Emma, of course. But it seems curious that you would be friends with a first year while in your seventh. It's not out of the realm of possibility, but it's surprising to me."

"Well, I never would have been normally," Greyson admitted. "But she came to me and was…well, she was quite forward in telling me that she knew exactly who I was the first week of term. Said that her family was very familiar with my father, but she wouldn't say a word. We've had a friendship of sorts over the years, but I can't say that we've ever been truly close. I've been fortunate with having very few people know the truth about who my father is. I've had people ask me, and normally I outright deny it, but Persephone made it difficult."

Remus fell silent, setting his bottle of Butterbeer down. That was unexpected information to hear, and he wasn't entirely sure of what to think of it. Remus knew that Persephone knew of Greyson because Emma told him, but it seemed like their friendship went further than even Emma realized. It seemed odd the Persephone would go up to Greyson to tell him such a thing, and it was bizarre that she felt the need. Remus wasn't sure if he thought it was done as some form of blackmail or the incredible lack of tact from an eleven-year-old. He was starting to feel as though Fenrir already knew about his son, but that still raised more questions. Was Greyson being set up in the same way Emma was? But that didn't explain why Emma didn't know about Greyson her first year and –

"I'm sorry," Greyson said quietly, breaking through Remus's thoughts. "Did I…did just I say something wrong?"

"No," Remus said, shaking his head. "I apologize. I didn't realize that you had a friendship with Persephone at all."

"It's been on and off over the years, nothing consistent except in the past year."

"I'd still like to know why exactly you want to date my daughter, but you've piqued my interest. Did Persephone tell you to be in Diagon Alley the day you met Emma?"

"No, absolutely not. I was, admittedly, very late in picking up the books I needed to continue my Mastery. I normally don't wait last minute, but it felt like every time I went to make the trip out, it wasn't possible – something always happened. A few mates of mine got a flat in London a few weeks prior and wanted me to move in with them and kept trying to get me out to look. So I thought I might as well make the trip out when I did and stop in Diagon Alley. Wound up moving in with them a few days later, but that's beside the point. It almost felt like we were meant to be in the same place at the same time."

Remus nodded slowly, wondering just how much possible truth there could possibly be. He wanted to believe that it was just left to chance, but he was worried. There were suddenly more questions that Remus needed answers to, and he wasn't sure what to do about it just yet.

"But I believe you wanted to know why I want to date your daughter?" Greyson said, pulling Remus back out of his thoughts. Remus was surprised to see an almost shy smile on Greyson's face and gestured for him to continue. Greyson huffed out a laugh, taking a look around the pub before speaking again. "It's hard for me to find something that I don't adore about her. For two weeks, I got to witness her strength in person. Everything that was thrown her way she took and pretended that it didn't bother her, and she only truly broke one time; she broke when she was worried about her family. I don't know how she does it. Her intelligence is incredible. She's funny, and I can't figure out if it's her laugh or her smile or both that can light up a room. I have honestly never met someone like her. And she's so giving and loving and caring and –"

"It's hard to imagine that someone like her exists in such a small body because you don't know where she keeps everything," Remus finished.

Greyson nodded. "I feel like I need to protect her, even though it's obvious that she doesn't need my help. At all. But I want to be there for her if she needs it," Greyson said, taking a long drink and shaking his head. "Quite honestly, I've been sorely tempted to go to the other side of the village just to make sure she's all right. A part of me doesn't even care if my father knows if I exist, all I care about is that she's safe."

Remus had to admit he found Greyson's answers impressive, especially with how honest he had been so far. There were no signs that Greyson was telling him exactly what he wanted to hear and wore an almost wistful smile on his face talking about his daughter. He didn't wear the love-sick expression he thought Greyson would have but looked incredibly fond, his tone full of adoration as he spoke. Greyson's feelings seemed to run a little deeper than just a quick fling, and perhaps he was a little more genuine than Remus thought. Remus wasn't expecting it in the least, but it was refreshing.

"You and me both," Remus agreed with a sigh. "You've truly never seen your father before?"

"I've seen him once in person," Greyson said quietly. "Last year, actually. He was leaving Scrivenshaft's just as I was leaving Honeydukes. I didn't realize who he was at first, but I recognized him from photos. I had to immediately go back inside. I wasn't sure what to do because I never expected him to be there."

Remus looked at Greyson curiously. "Was it around Christmas last year?"

"Er, yes."

"He was buying a quill for Emma – the iridescent one she uses all the time," Remus said in explanation, crossing his arms. He stared at his bottle of Butterbeer with a frown. "But this makes things a bit more complicated."

"How so?"

"Do you want the honest answer?"

"I'd prefer it."

"That means he absolutely knows about you, then," Remus sighed, looking over at Greyson. Greyson took a deep breath and nodded, his lips pressing into a thin line. "As Emma's started to educate you on…our kind…I'll be blunt – he would recognize your scent right away. It's faint, but it's similar enough to his that he would pick it up quickly. It's so similar that I'm wondering if you've done a good job of hiding yourself or if your secret has just been that well hidden. Or not at all, but you've made allies that you don't even know about."

"I wondered about that," Greyson said quietly. "Last year, in Hogsmeade…he practically froze the very moment I walked out of Honeydukes, so I'm sure he knows. But he's never…he's never been around that I know of. Part of me wanted to confront him, but…"

"You made the smart move," Remus said, rubbing his jaw. "From your letters, it sounds as though you don't want anything to do with him?"

"How could I when I know what he did to my mother?" Greyson asked, his brows knitting together. "But there's always that part of me that wonders why he did what he did."

"I think we all have the same question for different reasons," Remus said. "And you understand what exactly it is Emma is doing today?"

"Unfortunately," Greyson said with a sad smile. "I don't like the idea of it at all, but…like I said earlier, it would take her doing far more to keep me away."

"Well, there's a lot more to it than you think, and I'm sure Emma will explain it more," Remus replied. He took a look at his watch and frowned at the time, not sure that he was reading it correctly. He sat up straight with his sudden panic. "And Emma is very late. She should have been here nearly forty-five minutes ago, and I'm meant to be meeting someone in fifteen."

"She was supposed to be back already?" Greyson asked, sitting up straighter.

"Shit. Yes," Remus said, standing up quickly. "I don't know why she's not here yet, but I'm trying to ignore the possibility of what could have happened. If you don't think that you can handle whatever her decision may be, then I suggest leaving right now. Otherwise, I recommend finding a table and waiting."

"I could go with you," Greyson said quickly.

"It's best you don't," Remus said grimly. "I don't…I'll be back with her," he said with finality. "I'm still not sure what to think, but I'll leave this first decision up to you. If you're still here, then Emma holds the final decision on what she wants to do. If you're not here when we get back, then I'll just tell her you never showed up and leave it at that, but don't you ever dare contact her again."

Greyson looked as though he wanted to say something but nodded instead. Remus gave Greyson one final look before quickly throwing several coins down to pay for their Butterbeers and rushing out. He had a feeling Greyson would still be there when he returned, but he wasn't sure.

It was very unlike Emma to not be on time, especially when she had been excited over the idea of seeing Greyson. She was nervous, he knew that, but Remus feared the worst. Emma not being where she was meant to be was always anxiety-inducing by itself, but the addition of Fenrir put Remus severely on edge. He didn't feel like there was anything off, but that meant nothing, and Remus nearly broke out into a sprint towards the Hog's Head.

Every terrible thought ran through his head as he made his way towards the other pub. He was running on pure adrenaline, his body running hot and cold at the same time. Remus knew he should have been close by, and he was cursing himself repeatedly. He wouldn't be okay until he knew that Emma was all right.

It felt like ages before he turned the corner of the street the Hog's Head was down, and he finally ran. His heart just about stopped when he spotted Emma's boots sticking out from behind a stack of boxes against a building further down the street. Nothing made him move faster than that.

Remus skidded to a halt and thought he might weep from sheer relief. He doubled over, panting hard with his hands on his knees. He took a close look at Emma, who was staring at him with very round eyes. There were dried tear tracks on her face, and Remus suddenly felt incredibly guilty. How long had she sat on the ground by herself?

"Emma, what are you doing?" he asked, dropping down on his knees next to her. He took another good look at her, brows raising in surprise. She was no longer wearing Fenrir's ring, and she wasn't wearing the necklace Fenrir had given her, but she wasn't wearing her other necklaces either. She didn't appear hurt, but she was still tense.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, tears springing up in her eyes. She lifted her hand up to show him the broken chains of her necklaces. "I…he got angry with me just before he left. I told him I didn't want to wear his ring or the necklace anymore after everything was done. He told me I wasn't worthy of wearing the ones from you and Papa…I feel like he's right."

"Oh, sweetheart," Remus murmured, pulling Emma into his arms as a dry sob overtook her. "You know that's not true. That would never be true."

"But I…he didn't give me a choice," Emma cried, clutching hard to him. "H-he would have k-killed me if I said no. And t-then I thought he was going to a-anyway."

Remus had expected that Fenrir would make it difficult for Emma to give him any other answer, but he didn't expect the threat of death. Fenrir's interests in Emma were very singular, but for him to go so far to threaten to kill her – again – led Remus to wonder why. As much as he wanted to know exactly what happened, it could wait. He was just grateful that she was alive and relatively unharmed. Broken necklaces meant nothing when they could easily be fixed or replaced.

"I'm so sorry," she said brokenly. "I didn't mean to make you scared. I just…I couldn't."

"Don't apologize," Remus said gently, holding Emma a little tighter. "We'll figure things out. You didn't agree to anything else, did you? Did he hurt you?"

"No," Emma sniffled. "No, I'm fine. Fenrir just acted like Fenrir. He said we would discuss things next time he visits because he didn't have time to get that far today."

"Okay, then everything is fine," Remus sighed. "This is fine."

"It doesn't feel like it," Emma muttered.

Remus stayed precisely where he was for a few minutes, just letting Emma soak in all the comfort she needed. He would've stayed longer, but Emma started to shiver, and he realized just how cold she must be. Charmed coat or not, there was a definite chill in the air, and Emma was very much in a dress.

"Come on, let's get you to the Three Broomsticks and get you warm," Remus said, pulling himself away and helping Emma off the ground. He brushed her off and leaned down to kiss her forehead, and she frowned at him as if remembering something. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked.

"Fenrir tried to kiss me," Emma said, her face twisting in disgust. "And then he got mad at me again when I didn't let him, but then he found it funny."

Remus was entirely disturbed by the thought, and it made him sick. He shouldn't have been surprised, but he was. A burning hot rage started to simmer underneath his skin, but he tamped it down as quickly as it came. Now was not the time to get angry when Fenrir had long since left the village.

"Oh, you poor thing," Remus said when he found his voice again. "All right, come on. It won't do you any good standing out here and catching a cold."

Emma nodded, allowing herself to be pulled into Remus's side. Just like when she was younger, she held tightly to the back of his coat, leaning heavily against him for support. She seemed more than content to just walk in silence next to him, closing her eyes and letting him take the lead. Remus only cared that she was safe and wasn't harmed. Things could have gone far worse than they did from the very little he knew. He knew that she would need a little extra love, but she was strong. He was just surprised that Emma didn't bring up Greyson.

She was quiet all the way until they made it to the Three Broomsticks, and panic suddenly took over. Emma's eyes shot open as he opened the door, and her anxious gaze found his when they stepped into the warmth of the building. Remus knew the look in her eyes too well - she had completely forgotten. He did a quick scan of the room to see if he could see if Greyson had stayed, and he was surprised to find that he had. Greyson had found a table tucked in the back of the room, choosing to take the seat facing away from them. It was close enough to the bar but far enough to offer a semblance of privacy in the crowded building.

"He showed up just as I said he would," Remus said gently, pointing out where Greyson was sitting, and Emma held on tighter to his coat.

"I look terrible," Emma said, looking down at herself. "I can't…but I want to."

"You look beautiful," Remus said. "Here." Remus motioned for Emma to take off her coat as he removed his. He held his jacket out for Emma to take, and she looked at him curiously.

"Thought you might be more comfortable with mine," he said in explanation. Emma nodded, pulling her arms through the sleeves after handing her coat to Remus. Though it was still big, it fit her much better. She thought about something for a moment and held out the necklaces still held in her other hand.

"Could you?" she asked, her voice quiet. "I don't think I can handle fixing them myself right now. I'm too –"

"No explanation is needed, fy nghariad," Remus said, taking the necklaces from Emma. He pulled out his wand and muttered a quiet "Reparo" to fix the chains. He gestured for Emma to turn around, and he clasped each necklace back around her neck. She let out a soft breath of relief, touching each pendant in turn as the chains were fastened.

"Do you…what do you think of him?" Emma asked quietly, fidgeting with the necklaces.

"I think that what I feel doesn't matter right now," Remus responded carefully. "He said a few things that I was happy to hear, but it will come down to how he treats you." He looked up at the bar to find who he was looking for and gave a small wave to Elara, who was looking at him in fascination. "If you don't want to see him, then I'll tell him to leave before I go sit with Elara. You can walk out, and he'll never know. You can do whatever it is you want for the rest of the day instead."

"Elle?" Emma questioned, glancing up at him. She took a look around and let out a breath when she spotted Elara at the bar.

"Got special permission for the day. Your grandfather's position was reinstated at the Ministry a few days ago, so we're taking advantage where we can," Remus said gently, watching as recognition crossed Emma's face. "Thought I might need some reinforcements, just in case. Now, go on, you can talk to her later. You've been waiting for today."

Emma hesitated, and it was so unlike her that it gave Remus pause. He was beginning to wonder if Emma was about to change her mind. She stood rooted to the spot looking incredibly torn, and then she turned back to look at him. In the blink of an eye, she threw her arms back around him tightly.

"Thank you," she said, her voice barely higher than the noise surrounding them. Emma leaned back to look at him, still looking worried. "Are you sure I look all right?"

"Sweetheart, I swear – you look absolutely beautiful," Remus said lightly.

Emma still looked uncertain, but she nodded. She took a deep breath and turned back around to look at where Greyson was. Emma took a few tentative steps forward, cast Remus one final nervous look, and continued on her way.

Remus sighed, watching her closely as he made his way to the bar for the second time that day. He swore to himself that he wouldn't watch them together and would allow them a moment of privacy, but he couldn't look away. It had been a very long time since Remus had seen Emma acting so shy that he forgot what her genuine shyness looked like. Emma very nervously tapped Greyson's shoulder, a blush creeping across her cheeks when he looked at her. Remus worried when it looked like she had frozen up, but the sweetest smile he had ever seen slowly crossed her face. Her face grew even redder when she looked in his direction as Greyson stood to greet her.

Her embarrassment evaporated quickly as Greyson pulled her attention once more as he held his arms open for her. It took a moment for her to decide what to do, but she leaned into his embrace, a shy smile still on her face as she hugged him. Remus could see her visibly relax, eyes closing as Greyson held her. As Greyson leaned back to hold her face between his hands, Remus understood what she liked about him.

Greyson treated her how she should be treated – with a tenderness that she more than deserved. The way he brushed his thumbs against her cheeks was a decidedly safe and comfortable gesture for her, and he held her delicately. Emma wouldn't dare give just anyone the smile that she gave Greyson. Just for that alone, Remus could possibly approve.

"She looks comfortable," Elara said. "What do you think of him?"

"I'm not sure yet," Remus admitted, finally sitting down. "I think that this all adds another layer of issues I wasn't anticipating. Emma can be quick to warm up to people, but not like that."

"Wouldn't it be an absolute slap in the face to Fenrir if they truly wound up together?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, did she join Fenrir today?"

"It's not as though he gave her much of a choice, but I think we all knew that was already a possibility."

"Then that means that a good thing has happened for our kind for the first time in a very long time," Elara said earnestly. She took in Remus's confused expression and pat his arm. "Send them a round of Butterbeer, and let's leave them alone. I'm sure they've got a lot to talk about, as do we. Tell me more about him."

Emma forgot just how much she missed Greyson until she was in his arms. She knew that she missed him, but it was so much different being there in person with him. She missed the way he smelled, missed how he enveloped her in his embrace, and she missed his touch. If they weren't surrounded by so many people, and especially her father, she might have even kissed him.

"I missed you," Greyson said softly.

"I missed you, too," Emma replied back, very slowly pulling away. She took a look around the room to make sure that no one was paying attention to them. A hug between friends would be expected, but anything more, anything lingering…Greyson seemed to pick up on her thoughts and took a step back, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I, uhm, I brought you flowers," Greyson said, reaching down to the table and lifting the bouquet of brightly colored flowers. "They're also –"

"Potions ingredients?" Emma finished in question as she took the bouquet with a knowing smile. "How romantic. I love a man who can take a romantic gesture and make it practical," she teased. She had forgotten just how easy it was to be around Greyson, and her face flushed with embarrassment at what she said. Did Greyson pick up the underlying meaning of her words? It wasn't as though she could take them back – she knew that a part of her started to love him. But daring to admit that to him in any degree was dangerous; she was dangerous, and her nerves were beginning to come back.

"Well, there's nothing like having a good set of potion ingredients," Greyson said after a long pause. "It's even better when they can serve as decoration before you can dry them.

"I didn't think you would actually come," Emma admitted, running her fingers over the petals of a stalk of lavender.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked, genuinely looking confused by Emma saying such a thing.

Emma had no idea how to answer that question cohesively. Her thoughts were moving too fast, and though she was excited to see him, she was absolutely terrified. It suddenly seemed stupid to her that Greyson was even there, knowing full well what she had to do that day. Panic flared up with such an intensity that it nearly made her knees buckle. Emma met Greyson's gaze, taking in the way he was searching her eyes, trying to understand the sudden change, and her heart started to break. She couldn't bring Greyson down with her.

"Greyson, I'm sorry," Emma said, putting the bouquet down on the table. "This is stupid, and I'm just wasting your time. You don't need to be caught up in this. I'll go so we can just pretend that nothing ever happened."

Greyson's hand wrapped around her wrist just as she turned around, not giving her the opportunity to leave. Emma turned back to look at him, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. She forgot how his touch always felt like fire against her bare skin, the heat pleasant and sending a fluttering feeling to her stomach.

"Why would I want to pretend that nothing ever happened?" Greyson asked.

"Because of what I did, Greyson," Emma replied. "You don't need to be caught up in it. I think it would be better off if we just…if all of this just stopped."

"And did you want to?"

"What?"

"Did you want to do what you did? Or were you forced into it?" Greyson asked, looking at her pointedly. Emma opened her mouth and closed it quickly, and Greyson sighed. "Emma, I wouldn't be here if I didn't think that that you were worth it. I wouldn't have bothered coming to meet your father if I didn't. I know you're scared, and I would be a liar if I said I wasn't scared too. Will you at least sit down with me and talk? If you truly feel that you need to leave, then I'll let you go, but I'd really rather not if I don't have to."

Emma looked just past Greyson towards her father. He wasn't directly facing them, but she could see that he was poised to get up and intervene if he needed. She sighed when she noticed Greyson's hopeful expression – she owed him an explanation at the very least.

"All right," Emma agreed, making her way to the seat opposite of where he sat when he let go of her wrist. Though Greyson still looked hopeful, he also looked worried, and Emma frowned at the expression on his face. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Emma, yes, I'm sure," Greyson said with a huffed-out laugh. He opened his mouth to ask her something, but two Butterbeer bottles were placed down on the table. "Well, that answered the question I had next. I'm assuming your father had these sent over."

Emma looked over at Remus, who was still trying to pretend he wasn't paying attention to what was going on. She shook her head in amusement and picked up a bottle. "I think you would be right," Emma said quietly, taking a drink. She didn't want another Butterbeer, but it was better than nothing. If she was correct, her father would definitely pay attention to their conversation, and she sighed. "I suppose I should start at the beginning…"

It became evident to Emma that Remus and Elara were listening to what she had to say when Elara straightened up. They weren't talking to each other, each nursing their drinks slowly as they listened. Emma didn't even want to know how complicated it would be for them to listen in with so much noise in the pub. Elara's head turned slightly in their direction, intrigued by what she was saying. She hesitated for a moment as she went over everything that had happened with Fenrir, glancing back over at Remus and Elara. When Emma didn't continue her story, Remus gave the slightest of nods in confirmation that she should keep talking.

"He, uhm…he sees me as a threat, and for the first time in my life, I believe I might genuinely be," Emma said, flinching slightly as both Elara and Remus turned to look at her. Remus looked concerned, and Elara looked fascinated. Greyson just looked horrified, and she hadn't even gotten to the worst of it yet.

"You know how we talked about how your father enjoys divination?" Emma asked Greyson.

"Yes," he said slowly.

"Well, I didn't realize just how much. Your father and I talked about it, of course, but it goes much deeper than I thought. When I was eleven, just before the Hogwarts letters went out, actually, I was with your father, and I managed to scrape my knee. He, er, took some of my blood and apparently used it to do a reading," Emma said, glancing up at Remus, who wasn't bothering to hide he was listening. "I don't have the specifics, but whatever that particular reading involved told him that I could be a problem for him…if he didn't do something about it first. In some ways, he made it sound like certain parts of my life were always meant to come true – namely me becoming a werewolf at some point…but also gaining power."

Remus and Elara immediately looked at each other, this time both with alarm.

"He wants to kill me, but he wants power, so he won't. Or at least he's trying to avoid it right now if he can. I'm not stupid enough to believe that he won't kill me if he really feels the need to," Emma continued. She worried her lip between her teeth, unsure of whether to bring up her thoughts. Emma sighed when she noticed that everyone seemed to want her to continue. "But he had me do a tea leaf reading before he told me that information. And that was partially why I said yes to joining him, but I don't know how to explain this without sounding mental because I'm not fond of divination. He's said that werewolves are supposedly more aligned to the art, especially with earth-related scrying, but I don't know how true that is. I can't wrap my mind around it."

"Then just try and explain it," Greyson said. "I doubt it'll sound any more mental than everything else."

"But that's the thing," Emma replied. "It will sound mental…Just – listen - I've had similar readings in my cup before that I just laughed at, but it changed today. And I worry about telling you because I know it's only going to make you want to stay…"

"I wasn't planning on going anywhere unless you were insistent on me leaving," Greyson said with a chuckle. "Whatever you tell me isn't going to change my mind when my mind was already made up."

Emma couldn't help but snort as she laughed. Clearly, the Fenmore men were incredibly persistent.

"Well, what is it, then? What would make me insist on staying?" Greyson asked lightly, trying to add a touch of teasing in his tone.

"All right," Emma said with a sigh. "My readings generally have some symbol of power – a crown, a laurel, anything that would imply me being more than what I think I am. It's everything that everyone else tells me, but I didn't believe it until now. I don't like the idea of divination, but I think I have to change my thinking now that I know blood magic was involved. Blood magic is potent as it is, and when done by a werewolf, well…it's hard to argue against a magical creature. I still have my doubts, but if we're leaving my fate up to fortune-telling, I'm meant to have some sort of rise to power. That part I sort of knew, but like I said, it changed. For the first time ever, I had the sign for Gemini in my cup. That was an odd inclusion in itself, but…"

"But what?"

"There was also a ring…"

Greyson was silent for a long moment as he let that sink in. "There were letters then?" he asked, swallowing hard.

"Just like in that stupid book you asked me about in Flourish and Blotts," Emma said quietly.

"And it was…"

"A letter G and a letter F in that exact order," Emma said quietly. She pulled her lip between her teeth and watched Greyson anxiously, worried at how he might react. "And with Gemini…"

The air that settled between them was heavy as she let her words sink in. Emma knew that it was a lot to take in and had spent nearly the entirety of her time by herself thinking about it. It was hard to argue the truth when blood magic was involved, but who was right? Was she the one who had it correct and Fenrir was wrong? Or was Fenrir reading everything correctly, and she was missing something? She was still processing things herself, and she had pulled in several others at the same time.

The first person to piece together what Emma had said was Elara, and she looked between Emma and Greyson in awe. A slow smile crossed her face, and she turned to Remus with an almost smug smile. He looked at Elara, trying to put it together, and then turned his attention back to Emma with wide eyes when he understood.

It took Greyson several moments longer to put things together, and he leaned back in his chair, staring hard at Emma. Emma knew that Greyson had taken Divination as a subject himself, wanting a third class to take with Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. She knew that he was running through every single possibility of what she had said.

"You think he's been reading everything wrong?" Greyson asked. "Everything my father's been seeing…it's not supposed to be him."

"I don't believe that it's meant to be him," Emma said nervously.

"You think it's meant to be me?" Greyson asked, running his hands through his hair when Emma nodded. "Gemini only showed up in your cup after meeting me?" Emma nodded again, and Greyson took in a deep breath.

"I don't understand it. I-I don't understand, a-and it's dangerous, and there's literally no reason why you need to be caught up in this," Emma said quickly, words nearly blending together with how quickly she was speaking. "It's stupid fortune-telling, and there are no guarantees any of it is even right. Y-you can get up and leave right now, and it would be really hard to get over, but I would respect your decision. I know it's mental –"

"You're right. It is mental," Greyson said sharply, cutting Emma off before she could continue her rambling. Emma's lips parted with her surprise, and she cocked her head to the side as she looked at Greyson. "What's mental…is that you've just sat and told me all of this and think I would ever consider leaving. You just told me that – through a ritual done with blood magic, might I add – that there is a strong possibility that you are meant to be my wife, and you think I would walk away? You don't just walk away from that, Emma."

Emma was at a loss for words, no longer able to direct her attention to Remus or Elara because she was confused. Greyson reached out to take her hands in his.

"Emma, I know this is quite a novel idea, but I am an adult, and I can make my own choices," Greyson teased lightly. "I'm aware that my father is dangerous. I have an idea of what I would be getting myself into, and I won't lie and say that doesn't scare me, but…Emma, you would really give up on the idea of us before we even tried?" Greyson asked. "And don't you dare look over at your father because I know you're about to," Greyson added with a pointed look. Emma's face grew hot, and she gave Greyson a sheepish grin as she was about to do precisely that.

"I know you value his opinion more than anything, but I want to ask you something. I need you to look me in the eyes and answer this question for me – honestly. I don't want the answer I know you would give me automatically because you're scared," Greyson said, waiting for Emma to look at him fully. "If things were different, and there was nothing to worry about, if I asked you to be my girlfriend again, what would your answer be?"

Emma stared at Greyson, desperately wanting to look away and over at Remus and Elara for some sort of guidance. Somehow Greyson's gaze felt even more intense than Fenrir's but less terrifying, and Emma frowned slightly. She knew what her answer would be because she knew what her answer was when Greyson asked her the first time.

"It would be yes," Emma said quietly. "The answer was always yes…"

"And what did we promise to each other?"

"That we would figure things out," Emma replied with a heavy sigh. "But Greyson –"

"Emma, listen to me," Greyson said earnestly, squeezing Emma's hands to silence her once more. "I am going to ask you one more time, and I want your honest answer. If you want me to leave, I shall leave, but I want you to think about what you want. So, Emma, what do you say that we start our beginning officially and you be my girlfriend?" A very knowing smile crossed Greyson's face, and Emma raised an eyebrow.

"You can look over at your father now," he said, shaking his head with a fond smile. "I know that this won't work if we don't have help...and you technically already gave me the answer I was hoping for."

Emma barked out a laugh of complete disbelief, and she couldn't stop her smile. Despite not knowing Fenrir, Greyson could be terribly like his father. The difference was Greyson used his cunning for good and not evil. At least this was a decision that she wanted to genuinely say yes to, but she was scared. Shaking her head, she looked past Greyson to find Remus and Elara once more.

Remus still looked uncertain, and he looked over at Elara as she said something to him. He was listening very carefully to what Elara said, his expression unreadable. Elara gave a slight shrug when she finished talking and looked back at Emma with a smile. Remus looked to be lost in thought for a long moment, mulling over what Elara must have said. When Remus's gaze lifted to meet Emma's stare, he raised an eyebrow at her in question. He wanted to know if it was what she wanted. Emma stared back, hoping that he understood what she was trying to convey, and her smile grew when he gave a small nod. He did always understand her best.

"So?" Greyson asked with a lopsided smile on his face. "Will that be a yes?"

"As if I had any other answer."

Hi everyone! Longer to update than usual and I apologize. Life more or less slapped me in the face out of nowhere, so updates might be a little slower. There's a lot going on, a lot of soul searching and the whatnot, but this story is NOT abandoned. I'm not about to write a novel on what's going on, but you can always find me on Discord to find out. (Link in bio!)

That being said - YAY UPDATE. Also, this chapter is a lot. It's not my favorite, but it serves it's purpose. Also, today, February 16th, is Baby Grey's birthday so it feels fitting?

I don't know! All the same~

To all of my late night readers, please go to bed! I love you and good night! :D For all of my other times of day readers - I love you too. :)

Maricate - because Fenrir is multifaceted and he's not fun when he's one-dimension (and he always gets waht he wants). Hahaha, thank you! I've been distracted with a lot of things. The trilogy? Hehehehe, WELL…that'll be a secret for now, especially since I've added an 8th sort of main-line book? I definitely have everything that far planned! Plus more, if I feel like it. It's scary and amazing.

Shard - we giggled over this repeatedly, but it's a mood. Hehehehe

Starsinthesky - ahh thank you! I listened to that song and it's been on repeat! I love it!