Disclaimer (haven't done one in a while so I thought I should): I own nothing related to Harry Potter. I own the characters of Cassius Malfoy, Tabby, Stevens and Aspasia and Gandalf Godwin. I also made up the traits of the werewolf mating as it is described in this story. Anne Perry is an actual author who writes really cool mysteries. I recommend her! :-)

Chapter 12 Untitled (I can't think of anything!)

"Remus, I was thinking." Cassius crawled into bed next to his mate, he'd just been through the house checking all the wards to make sure everything was safe and secure. He did it every night that he was home.

"About what?" Remus looked up from his book, he was reading a mystery by the muggle author Anne Perry.

"Could I get a magic eye, like Moody has?" Cassius looked like a child asking his parent if he could have a puppy.

"What? No!" Remus was stunned by the request.

"Why not?"

"Because! Because…both your eyes are fine."

"But a magic eye would be better!"

"No!"

"Come on!" Cassius wheedled, batting his eyelashes for good measure.

"No! Absolutely not!" Remus shook his head.

"You're so mean." Cassius pouted. "Think of how it would help me at work. Especially now that we know Voldemort is still kicking around somewhere."

Remus thought about that. It was true, Voldemort had revealed himself to Harry Potter just a week ago. He had been seeking the Philosopher's Stone to return him to his former strength. Apparently, as much as they'd all hoped, he hadn't been killed ten years ago. Moody had never thought he had been, but Remus had hoped it was so. He had heard from Dumbledore that Harry Potter had defeated Voldemort again, keeping him from the stone. Lily and James would be so proud of their son. When they had all graduated, they had joined the Order, fighting against Voldemort. He remembered those dark days, after all the fun they had had at Hogwarts.

Remus shuddered as he thought of Quirrell, a fellow student, who had been possessed by Voldemort. At least he was at peace now, free of Voldemort's control. Remus looked over at Cassius who was looking at him expectantly. He realized his mind had been wandering. "You don't need one. You're already the best auror in the department."

"But I could be better."

"Moody only got his because a dark witch damaged his eye, ask him if he would have gotten one voluntarily."

"I did and he said he would have."

Damn Moody – of course, he would have. "No." Remus repeated for the fourth time.

"For my birthday? Please?" Cassius' fingers trailed down Remus' arm.

"Your birthday isn't for 8 months." Remus stalled while trying to think of another reason that Cassius couldn't get a magic eye.

"But they need a lot of lead time to get the eye ready."

"No."

"Please?" Cassius pleaded and slipped his hand under the waistline of Remus' pants. Remus gasped as Cassius' fingers enclosed him. Sometimes, Remus thought, Cassius didn't play fair. He tried to keep focused on the conversation in spite of the feelings Cassius' fingers were drawing out of him.

"No. I love your eyes, I don't want you to get a magic one, you don't need it. I love you just the way you are." He said, a bit breathlessly.

"What if something happened to one of my eyes, would you still love me then?" Cassius asked quickly.

Remus sighed as Cassius' fingers tightened a little around him. "Of course, I would, just…oh…mmm…Moody's eye always creeps me out a little." Remus said hurriedly before he could lose his thought.

"Oh…" Cassius' hand stilled. "Like, creeps you out in a bad way?"

"Yes." Remus said emphatically.

"Then I won't get one." Cassius replied seriously.

"Good." Remus put his bookmark in place and set his book on his bedside table. "I'm glad." He put his arms around Cassius.

"Finally, you're home!" Tabby turned around from where she was standing at the kitchen counter. She scowled at Cassius.

"I always get home around now." Cassius brushed the soot off his coat before taking it off. He'd had a long day at the Ministry, there'd been a department meeting all morning, then he'd had to teach some auror training classes while the usual trainer recovered from a hex performed by a novice auror.

"No, you don't. You're an hour late."

"Am I?" Cassius looked over at the clock on the wall. It was 7 o'clock, time for dinner.

"We're eating in the dining room." Tabby informed him curtly. Remus walked into the kitchen a moment later.

"You're home!" He rushed over and threw his arms around his mate.

"Have I been gone a week and forgotten about it? You're never this happy to see me." Cassius nuzzled at Remus' neck. Remus smelled like lavender, Cassius took a deep breath, feeling a rush of love for his mate. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to have found Remus.

"I…I'm always happy to see you." Remus laughed. "Just today…it's been an exciting day."

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you over dinner." Remus smiled.

"Why are we eating in the dining room?" Cassius asked as Remus dragged him out of the kitchen.

"It's…because it's the Summer Solstice." Remus wouldn't meet his gaze as they sat down.

"Do we always eat in the dining room on solstices?" Cassius didn't remember solstices being a big deal…other than the winter solstice which was also their anniversary.

"No." Remus said, smiling shyly. Cassius suddenly got the urge to kiss him, but Tabby stopped him as she walked into the room with the pan of lasagna. She placed it on the table and quickly served them each a large piece.

"So…why are we eating in the dining room and having Remus' favorite meal?" Cassius asked. "What happened?"

"I…well…I wanted to wait until we had dessert." Remus stuttered, his face turning pink. "So…how was your day?"

"Fudge called a meeting of all the aurors. Our top priority now is finding Voldemort, but I don't know…a lot of the senior aurors have always thought he was alive and have been looking for him and they hadn't found him all those years…I don't think we'll find him now." Cassius shook his head.

"What does Moody think?" Remus asked, knowing that Moody would already know of the meeting and what happened.

"I don't know…I had to take over training after Smythe got hexed accidentally so I couldn't have lunch with Moody."

"Smythe still runs training sessions?" Tabby asked, she had known Smythe when she had been an auror.

"He was planning on retiring this year. I think he might decide to retire now." Cassius smiled. Smythe was a small, elderly wizard who had been an auror for 80 years. He was still very powerful, but a little batty in Cassius' opinion. The rest of dinner passed with Tabby and Cassius telling Remus stories about Smythe.

"Now…is it time for dessert?" Cassius asked, wanting to know what the news was that would be revealed.

"Yes." Tabby stood and waved her wand. A cake appeared on the table. On top of the cake were the words 'Congratulations, Remus.'

"I got a job!" Remus blurted out, a grin brightening up his thin face.

"What? Where? You didn't tell me you'd applied for a job?" Cassius was surprised and excited for Remus, he knew that Remus wanted a job so he felt he was making a difference.

"In the Ludicrous Patents Office at the Ministry! The department head knows I'm a werewolf but she's willing to overlook it as long as I'm able to do the job." Remus said happily.

"Who's the department head?" Cassius asked curiously, he didn't really know anything about the Ludicrous Patents Office.

"Aspasia Godwin."

"Aspasia? She's nice." Cassius had met her a few times.

"You know her?" Remus looked surprised.

"Gandalf Godwin is a Senior Auror, he's been in the department thirty years, used to be Moody's partner." Cassius explained. "Aspasia has come to some of the department get-togethers. Tabby knows them too, don't you?"

Tabby nodded. Once again, Cassius noticed that Tabby hardly ever talked about when she was an auror. He knew she had worked with Moody and Godwin, but she would get snappish when those times were brought up. He knew she had turned her back on being an auror, and often chose to not use magic when cooking or traveling.

"Do you think Moody had anything to do with me getting the job?" Remus asked Cassius.

"Does it matter?" Cassius shrugged as Tabby handed him a piece of cake.

"No, I wouldn't care if Moody slept with her if it meant I have steady work." Remus smiled as Cassius made a face at the image he conjured up. Tabby made a strangled cough that turned into a laugh as soon as she had swallowed her blackberry juice. "I haven't had that for ages."

"You haven't needed steady work." Cassius said calmly.

"I know – I know, but I don't want you to have to support me." Remus said quickly, a bit defensively, as he picked his fork up and took a bite of his cake.

"Remus…" Cassius tried to interrupt.

"I know you have the money, I just…it means a lot to me to be able to contribute to our life." Remus looked down at his cake. "It's important to me." He said quietly.

"I know it is." Cassius smiled. "So, now you're working, I could take early retirement."

"Don't joke." Remus glared at him.

"I'm not joking. Sweetheart, I am really happy for you, that you have a job, that you can make money that is yours. But, don't for a moment think I resent the fact that you haven't had a job for a while."

"For practically the whole time we've been married." Remus tried to keep the sullen note from his voice. He tried to find a steady job since his graduation from Hogwarts but after a while, they would figure out he was a werewolf, or tell him he had used too many sick days, and fire him. Moody's research projects only happened occasionally and lasted just a few weeks at a time.

"Whatever." Cassius waved his hand dismissively. "I don't care, we've been able to afford it, haven't we?"

"Yes." Cassius had inherited a large fortune when he turned 18. The Malfoys were one of the richest wizarding families.

"When do you start?" Cassius tried to change the topic.

"Tomorrow." Remus answered. "I'm a little nervous…"

"You'll be fine." Tabby said soothingly since Cassius' mouth was full. "So, you'll need your rest tonight for your big first day." Tabby looked pointedly at Cassius.

"That's right. We better go to bed now." Cassius smiled slyly at Remus who blushed.