Page 4 of 4

Ch. 10

Erin turned the pages of the book in front of her. It was boring while their parents were in class. They could have gone with them, she supposed, but it had been History of Magic and no one in their right mind would sit through a class like that if they didn't have to. Sirius had been all for skiving off, but Xenia wouldn't let him. So, Erin and Harry were up in their dad's dormitory being bored.

Harry was sprawled out on Sirius' bed on his side watching her read. "Why don't you read aloud?" He asked.

Erin shrugged. "It's just Dad's History of Magic book that he forgot…" She said, but sighed and started reading. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was founded around 1000 AD by the most powerful witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. They built the school to bring young witches and wizards away from the world where they would be safe. Gryffindor chose those students that were courageous and true of heart, Ravenclaw, those of wisdom and wit, Slytherin those that possessed cunning and inventiveness and Hufflepuff kept the rest feeling that every child deserved the chance to learn and grow in the magical arts. For a number of years the co-founders of the school existed in harmony and companionship with each other, until a rift formed between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin felt that only those from all wizarding families could be trusted and that they should exclude those that were Muggle-born. The other founders disagreed; they felt that every child with the gift should be allowed to learn about their gifts and talents. Slytherin left the school, never to return, and after that the Slytherin House was ruled over by Harwood Nigellus, an ambitious young man from a all-wizard family."

"A stinking, conniving pustule on the butt of humanity." The two looked up to see Sirius, James and Remus enter the room, Peter still conspicuously absent. Sirius was scowling. "I'm descended from him and believe me I don't give that information out lightly."

"Sirius is mad because he just had a run-in with his brother." Remus explained.

"Oh?" Erin asked. "And how is Regulus doing?"

Sirius' scowl deepened even further. "Your uncle is all afire with news about me and some dark-haired beauty. Rumors going around that Xenia has some competition."

Erin smiled as her dad flopped on the bed next to her. She reached over a comforting arm to hug him. He looked a bit better. "Don't worry, everything will be fine. He's just blowing off steam and Mum knows the rumors aren't true…well, not really anyway." She laughed. "I mean I am not exactly a dark-haired beauty, dark-haired yeah, but—"

James and Remus were just gaping at her. Harry grinned a little. "She doesn't realize what she does to guys." He explained. "A lot of guys think she's the prettiest girl at Hogwarts and she thinks I'm just being biased and over exaggerating." He said from the look she was giving him. "It's true though, I always thought she was very good-looking and ever since she came to Hogwarts she was turning heads right and left. She was a little too hung up on me though to even allow anyone else close to her."

Erin rolled her eyes. "You guys can stop teasing me now." She said arching her back up and stretching like the wolf she ran around as. "I'm pretty, but that's it, there are so many girls' prettier than me. Mum and Lily are two that far surpass me."

"Yeah right." Xenia said entering the room with Lily behind her. Xenia came over and seated herself next to her daughter and future husband. "Erin, you are way too humble about yourself." Erin rolled her eyes again. "I'm serious!" She said. "Most girls would at least acknowledge that they have the good looks of both their families. But you were twice blessed. The Lyancomps are known for the soft, delicate beauty and proportions of royalty and the Blacks are known for the more dramatic effects…large eyes, full lips, thick black hair." Xenia took her daughters' long plait in her hands. "You have hair most women would kill for, sweetie, and looks that they would do more than kill for. You have my eyes, of course, but you look so much like the both of us at the same time, it's kind of freaky." She laughed. "One instant you'll have this look on your face and look just like me and the next instant a slow smile will creep up and Sirius' lazy look will be on your face." Sirius was grinning like a mooncalf now. He was so proud of Xenia talking to Erin like she did. She was part his after all and he was finding it the best adventure he ever had to have his daughter around. Xenia was also looking very happy and lovingly at the girl.

James and Lily weren't quite as enthused about it. Lily was very fond of Harry, but it was what was going on with James that held her back. And James was very uncertain of things, it wasn't that he didn't believe now…it was simply because he had no idea how to act or be open around these two new people.

Remus was different all together, Erin was his goddaughter and he already loved her. She was warm, caring and offered hugs like they were going out of style, she was cuddly and best of all, she liked him. He sighed. "James, I have something to tell you…" He said a little hesitantly.

"What's that, Moony?" James asked as he set his books down on his bed and ran his hand through his hair to mess it up. He looked more like Harry, except Harry didn't need to mess his hair up to make it look like that. It just came naturally.

"Well, I am sure you have noticed that I disappear quite often…telling you that I'm going home to see my mum because she's sick and such and uh that different family members are dead…" Remus was trying to think of the best way to tell him and he just wasn't sure about it.

"What about it, mate?" James turned to his friend looking at him curiously. Remus was never this shy around him. Something had to be wrong if Remus was keeping something from him, right? "C'mon, Remus, whatever it is I'm not going to yell at you or anything. Just tell me."

"Well…you see Lily noticed that it was going on during the full moon…and well…" Remus tapered off. He had no idea what James would say and even though Erin and Harry had assured him that James would understand, he wasn't quite so sure.

"Full moon?" The young man asked quizzically. "Remus…are you trying to tell me that you're a…" His eyes went wide. "Why didn't you tell me, you idiot?" He suddenly yelled. "How long have they known?" His hand sweeping over to Sirius' bed, with Harry, Erin, Xenia, Sirius and Lily on it, and then wildly as he began gesticulating rapidly to his ranting, "How long, Remus?"

"Uh, Lily found out at the beginning of the year, she promised not to tell…Sirius found out the other night when he and Erin went running with me…Erin and Harry already knew and Xenia found out last night." He nudged the ground with his two looking very much like the confused puppy that he had been the other night as he stood there with his eyes downcast and waiting for the inevitable. He was positive James was going to denounce him and everything they had ever been to each other and he could feel the hot tears in his eyes.

"James!" Erin reprimanded getting up and putting her arms around her godfather. Remus buried his head in her shoulder and she comforted him. "Do you know how hard it was for him to tell you? You know as well as I do that werewolves aren't liked in the wizarding world. It took a lot of courage for him to tell you! Most people would just leave him and ridicule and treat him like garbage. You know what kind of life he's really going to have when others find out! He needs you to stay by him!"

"I never said I wasn't!" James yelled back at her arguing. "I never once said anything about leaving him to fend for himself." He looked insulted that she would even think about it of him. "I'm a pureblood, but that doesn't mean that I believe every taboo and stupid so-called unwritten rules of the wizarding world! I like to keep my opinions until I see for myself that something is the way people say it is! I have no time for bigots, hypocrites or popular opinionates. Remus, I am mad at you, but not because you're a werewolf," He said decisively and very reminiscent of Sirius, "Because you kept it from me for three years. Three years! We're supposed to be best friends, the three of us." He shot Sirius a glare. "The Marauders! Solemnly swearing that we are up to no good!"

Remus looked back up at him. "So you don't care that I'm a werewolf?"

"Of course not!" James sighed exasperatedly. "Remus, in case you haven't noticed there is more freaky stuff than you being a werewolf going on right now. My son and Sirius' daughter are sitting in front of us, because of a Time Turner gone awry and Xenia have visions of them and what they are doing here and the simple fact I have a son is enough to send me in a conniption fit! You, being a werewolf is very low on my list of things to worry about right now. And compared to what has been happening werewolf is practically normal. Oh, come here." He said sighing. Remus went over and James gathered him up in a bear hug. "C'mon, Moony, you're my best friend, did you really thing a little thing like your furry little problem was going to stop me being your friend? You have to have more faith in me, mate."

"Okay, Prongs." Remus said smiling as James let him go.

"Group hug!" Sirius said suddenly bounding up and throwing his arms around both of them. Remus and James laughed and in a moment the three of them were rolling around on the floor together happy as puppies.