"I am going to look for my father this summer," Remus began reluctantly as the trio settled down by the lake. March sunlight glinted off Revera's curls as she sat, leaning against her brother, who, by contrast, looked rather wan and tired. Full moon was approaching.
"Look for him?" Sirius echoed. "Where did he go?"
Revera's eyes widened. "You never told your friends?" Remus shrugged.
"Our father," she turned to Sirius, a seldom-heard bitterness in her voice, " left six years ago and went off to live with a Muggle. We haven't had a word from him in years."
Sirius gaped at them, evidently having had assumed that the Lupins were as happy and close-knit as the Potters.
"You don't hold a monopoly on dysfunctional families, y'know," Remus said lightly.
" What do you want to find him for, anyway?" Sirius asked. " Sounds like your sister hates the idea, your mother obviously disapproves and your father is unlikely to welcome you with open arms."
"If I am gunning for family approval, I would head straight home after graduation and take the place Grandma kept for me at her publishing firm," Remus said meditatively. " Nice and safe, maybe as the head of the Quibbler one day."
Revera giggled. "Might be quite exciting looking for unlikely conspiracy theories and mythical Crumple-horned Snorkacks."
" See? That's what everyone in my family wants."
" I am trying to understand, " Revera said gently. " Its just that everyone loves you and the world won't be ..nice to someone like you."
"Sorry," Remus subsided. "I know."
"Hey, mate, I am not exactly an advocate for family conformity," Sirius grinned. "Go for it, whatever it is you want, assuming you know what you want.?"
"I think I do," muttered Remus.
"And that's..?" Sirius inquired after waiting in vain for him to continue. Getting Remus to talk about himself can be as easy as trying to see a Boggart's true shape. One flash and the conversation takes a different direction.
"Something you would never want to do," twinkled Revera, exchanging amused looks with her brothers. "What are your graduation plans, Sirius?"
" Nothing serious," Sirius said. Remus groaned at the pun. " I was thinking of training as an Auror but that means more boring classes. And serving under the Ministry!" He made a face. "Red tape, bureaucratic maneuvering and more idiots than I can tolerate."
"So, that's out," he continued. "Maybe James and I can set up our own Defense against the Dark Arts League, chase down Voldemort to his own turf, defeat him and earn the undying gratitude of the Ministry. How does that sound?"
"Very laudable."
"I can then spend the rest of my days on a basking in the South of France," finished Sirius. "With very little on."
Revera laughed softly. "Looks like the last part is coming true already." Sirius' robes were slowly unravelling at the seams.
He swore and hastily sat up. " How did that happen?"
"Free show, cousin?" Bellatrix Black asked sweetly behind him. Sirius whipped around, instinctively reaching for his wand.
" I suppose that's your idea of a friendly greeting?" Sirius kept his wand trained on his cousin heedless of the shreds pooling at his feet. Remus sighed internally, recognising the pallid greasy-haired boy with her. He didn't feel liek witnessing yet another exchange of curses.
"She was doing you a favour, Black," Severus Snape sneered. "Another chance to show off."
" Bugger off. At least I wash my underpants, Snivellus."
Severus turned even paler. He hated any reminders of one particular incident in his fifth year.
"Tarantellegra!" he yelled at the same time as Sirius shouted "Protego!" The spell bounced harmlessly off the protective shield Sirius erected.
"Are you turning pacifist, now?" Bellatrix's upper lip curled. "You never use the Shield Charm."
" I am not bored enough for a fight. What do you want?"
There was a closed expression in Bellatrix's heavy lidded eyes.
" My aunt wishes me to inform you that if you do not return home apologizing on your knees this summer, she will blast you off the family tapestry," she said, smirking.
"Is that all?" Sirius snorted. "Reggie already told me something of that kind, " referring to his younger brother whom he was decidedly not close to. " I don't give a toss what she does. I am never coming back to Grimmauld Place."
"Let's not be too hasty," Bellatrix sounded disbelieving. "You might think you have a taste for slumming with the Mudbloods now," Revera gasped at the rude expression while Sirius' face grew still darker. " but you and I both know purity of blood matters to you ultimately."
"How do you reckon that?" Sirius' voice was dangerously soft.
Bellatrix waved an impatient hand. "Don't pretend with me, Sirius. Look at all your closest friends. James Potter, pure blood Head Boy. Peter Pettigrew, weak, talentless but definitely pure, " she smiled maliciously at Lupin. " And sickly boy over there might look like he will faint any minute but there's nothing wrong with his blood."
The irony of this last assertion made Remus smile. There was quite a lot wrong with his blood, although of course, she couldn't have known.
"As you can see," she continued, " you are no different from the rest of us."
Sirius narrowed his eyes. " I am nothing like you."
"Don't !" screamed Revera, catching a swift movement of Snape's wand arm. She moved towards Sirius, putting herself straight in the line of the spell. Blood blossomed at the side of her white shirt. Snape almost dropped his wand in consternation.
"Amphibius!" shouted Remus who had his wand out before he realised what he was doing. The spell hit Snape directly in the chest. Remus caught a glimpse of his wide-eyed shock before a slimy newt wriggled in his place.
"He didn't mean it," gasped a horrified white faced Revera. "Change him back!"
"Blast it," muttered Remus as he struggled to aim his wand at the new-Snape who had scuttled away towards Bellatrix. "Catch him! Don't you wnat him back?"
"Not particularly," her lips twitched in amusement. Sirius lunged for the newt but ended up tripping over the robes at his feet. Bellatrix laughed aloud.
"What is going on here?" a new voice boomed behind them. Professor Kettleburn took in the scene before him and reached his own conclusions. "A spot of N.E.W.T practice?" he said sarcastically. The inadvertent joke made Bellatrix laugh even harder.
Professor Kettleburn glared. With a wave of his wand, Sirius' robes flew back on him and Revera's bleeding stopped.
" Take the child to Madam Pomfrey at once, " he said sternly to Remus. His one remaining arm gestured to Bellatrix. " Seventh years and you still haven't outgrown this kind of behaviour. Any more duelling and the Headmaster shall hear of it. He has bigger matters to deal with than dealing out suspensions to recalcitrant students." Bellatrix could not seem to stop laughing." Stop that cackling, Miss Black and come with me. I want a word in private."
" We are lucky he missed the newt, " Sirius said. as soon as they were out of earshot. "Are you alright, Sunny?"
"Yes, certainly, I 'm fine," replied Revera, distracted. "Where's Severus?"
Remus still looked concerned. "I'll take you to the hospital wing, justtobe sure."
"Really, I am alright, " she insisted. "Oh, there he is." Teh newt was heading away from them towards an approaching James and Lily.
"Prongs!" yelled Sirius. "Catch that thing!" pointing to the newt-Snape.
"What d'you want this for?" James asked, the wriggling Snape in his hand. "OW! He bit me."
"Don't drop it," Remus warned. "That's Snape."
"Really?" James grin widened. "I must say I have never seen him look so good. What d'you say we..." Lily glared at him, sure that the suggestion he had in mind would not improve Snape's looks further. "Alright, sweetheart, I won't do anything."
Remus hurriedly muttered the counter curse before James changed his mind. Snape fell to the ground with a thud. He glowered at Remus, who stared back with cool gray eyes.
"You will pay for that, wer-..Lupin," he spat.
"Hurt my sister again and you won't have a chance to try," Remus said.
Snape glanced at Revera. "You ok?" The three marauders looked taken aback by the note of genuine concern in his voice. Revera wasn't.
" Of course I am," she assured him.
"I didn't mean it," he said. "It wasn't for you."
"We'll never know, won't we? Can't read your mind." Remus said.
Snape backed up and summoned his wand. "But I can," he said. "Legilimens."
The force of the spell caught Remus unprepared. His memories and thoughts swirled to the surface – his father Disapparating on his weeping wife, his summer plan of action, the Whomping Willow, a bearlike dog, a stag and a rat...no...he must not see...
He almost dropped to his knees, clutching his head as Snape whisked off his wand.
"Just to show you I can," he smirked and sped off before anyone could retaliate.
"What was that all about??" Sirius asked. He bent over a shaking Remus. " Moony, you don't look too good, mate."
" I don't know how much he saw.."said Remus trying to clear his head, Revera patting his back. "If he saw all of you.."
"Saw you doing what?" Lily asked.
"Let him go, that greasy git," James sidestepped the question. "No one would believe him if even if he did."
p.s Thanks to my two reviewers :) The summary refers to the story as a whole so all will be clear in time. Thanks and hope you enjoy the story!