Mandatory Disclaimer: The universe belongs to JK Rowling
Revera Lupin always appeared to dance rather than walk. With her golden curls and bright blue eyes, she was as unlike her borther as starlight and sunlight. Many had found it difficult to believe tha the cool-self-contained Remus was related to the little witch who radiates so much warmth and joy.
"Why, she looks like an Enid Blyton elf, " Lily Evans had remarked the first time she saw Remus' sister. James, hovering nearby, as usual, looked up.
"Who's Enid Blyton?" he asked, interested.
" A Muggle writer," Lily explained, being on rare civil terms with James then. " I used to read her books when I was small. She wrote that witches come out at thirteen o' clock, elves live under mushrooms and dance with goblins…"
She got no further because James had fallen off his chair, laughing at the idea of Gringotts goblins dancing under mushrooms.
Like everyone else, however, he agreed that Revera did look like a fairy. Waltzing down the corridor past the Charms classroom, she gave her brother a quick surprise hug from behind. The two were very close; their affection withstood the ribbing overt shows of affection always brought on. Remus would have preferred less public displays, though.
"Hello, Sunny," Sirius grinned wickedly. The nickname – a counterpoint to Moony- was personally coined. He enjoyed word-plays even though most of his friends persisted in groaning at his expressions. "Do I get a hug too?"
Revera merely laughed softly and let her brother go, cheeks pink. Remus sighed inwardly. Sirius was one of only two people who ever made his sister feel shy. Girls fell all over Sirius whenever he flipped his dark hair and smiled. He devoutly hoped his younger sister would not be one of them.
"Don't you have Quidditch practice, now?" he asked. Revera played Seeker for Ravenclaw.
"In 20 minutes, " she said. "I just wanted to tell you, Mum's getting worried. She said you haven't replied to her last 3 owls."
"I know, " Remus said. Revera waited for more and realised that it was not forthcoming.
"So….," she began.
"So, I am not sure how to say no," he said. " And its still no, I am not joining Grandma in publishing and no, I am not changing my mind about my summer plans."
A worried frown creased her forehead, dimming the innate glow. "He wouldn't want to see you. He doesn't want anything to do with us. Not ever."
Sirius pretended to be fascinated by the statue of the gargoyle he was leaning against.
"Doesn't matter," Remus said firmly. "Its just something I need to do before…" he trailed off uncomfortably. Revera bit her lip, a plea in her big blue eyes, but Remus did not continue.
Sirius broke into the long silence between brother and sister.
"Right," he said briskly. " I am tired of pretending I am not here. Let's head down to the lake where someone can either fill me in on the Lupin family mystery or get thrown in to the giant squid." He shoved Remus out of his train of thoughts and grabbed a startled Revera's hand. "Let's go."
Near the lake, Lily Evans sat against a tree, wiggling her toes in the afternoon sun while her boyfriend of 6 months curled up in the shade, his head on her lap. There had been a point in time, she remembered amusedly, when she would have preferred punish such liberties by decapitating him with a curse. Or put a Shaving Spell on his hair. James would find that infinitely more painful. He was very proud of his dark, messy hair – rumpling it more whenever he was out to impress anyone. Annoying habits died hard.
But there was a real person behind the caricature of arrogant cool, she knew.
" A Knut for your thoughts.." James mumbled sleepily, unclosing one eye.
" I was thinking of cutting off your hair, " Lily answered inaccurately.
Horrified, James' hand immediately jumped to his hair. Then he relaxed. "Bad joke, Lily-flower."
" D'you know, I might have gone out with you sooner if you had neat slicked back hair."
" You wouldn't have gone out with me if I had been bald, a year ago." The focus returned to his eyes. He sat up. "Accio, glasses. I always meant to ask – what did I do this year to make you change your mind?"
During their first train ride to Hogwarts, James had been the first to smile and say something to her. Stuck in a compartment with seventh-years looking disdainfully at her, a sick feeling of being new in her stomach, she had half fallen in love with the first friendly face.
Until she saw him hex a greasy-haired boy who got in his way.
"Its hard to say..," she wondered if she could explain.
As Head Boy and Head Girl, they both had to help new first-years settle in. The way James took the time to talk to them and guide them round the castle reminded her of the boy she had met. Then he had looked at her and smiled.
And this time didn't hex anyone.
Lily would not have believed that a moment could have forged an irrevocable bond.
" Alright," James looked slightly put out at the long silence. " Don't have to tell me."
"You never told me why you kept on after me even when I was quite rude," she countered.
"Hah," James snorted. "Its always been you for me and you knew it."
"I didn't," she said honestly. "Anyway, its not always been me..remember Lindsay Miller. Or that Slytherin Beater …what's her name Helena something ..oh and that Prefect who used to like Remus…"
" Ok..ok..stop that, right now. Of course I needed some practice dates."
" You had legendary practice snogging marathons, for crying out loud."
" How did you --- eep!" An owl had swopped down towards them a dropped a letter on his head.
"Ruddy owl," he muttered, rubbing his hazel eyes. "Who's that for?"
"Its mine, " Lily replied wonderingly. She blinked, unsure whether to trust her eyes. "From Petunia."
Lily had never received even one letter from her sister, Her magical abilities had driven a wedge in a relationship that had once been close. Petunia, younger by only a year, had played house and climbed trees with her. Not that she would have admitted to ever climbing trees. Petunia had become hopelessly proper. School and adolescence had changed them both to the point where they could no longer find each other.
And yet, here was a letter in Petunia's handwriting. Lily blinked again.
"Is that a new way of reading a letter without opening it?" James teased, watching his girlfriend blink dazedly at the letter. She wrinkled her nose absently at him and tore the envelope open.
'Dear Lily-'
Lily's eyes smarted suddenly. How long has it been since they had any affectionate word for each other ..
'- I suppose you might be surprised to hear from me but Mum thinks I should be the one to tell you. I am not engaged to Vernon Dursley..'
(Vernon who?)
',,in case, you don't remember he was the blond engineering student who came last Christmas .."
('The Muggliest of Muggles, Lily groaned inwardly)
'…We are to marry as soon as he graduates.
I hope, perhaps, you will be happy for me.
( Were things so bad that she had to ask.)
'..By the way, Mum is quite curious about that boy you are seeing. I don't know how your lot does things –
(Amazing how scorn can come across in black ink)
'.. would he like to come for a visit in the summer? Tell me if he agrees and I'll tell Vernon to stay away because the family has measles.
Your sister,
Petunia
p.s Does giving this to any owl work?'
Lily chuckled softly as she read this epistle. Her parents, proud as they were of her magic, had never asked to see her friends. The gesture – and Petunia's first letter – gave her hope that perhaps, her two worlds can become one. She turned a delighted face to James.
"So," she said. "How would you like to meet my parents this summer?"