Chapter Six: Godric's Hollow

March, 1981…Remus arrives in Godric's Hollow…

A screech scared Remus out of his wits, but before he could blink the soot from his eyes so as to find the source, he felt someone's hands on his upper arms, gripping tightly. He shook his head and his vision cleared, and standing before him was Ermengarde Switoviak.

"Remus!" she said hoarsely, staring at him as though sure he was a ghost. "You're here, you're really…but…I thought you wouldn't want to see me!"

Remus coughed, sure he'd swallowed a lot of soot, and smiled. "What are you talking about? Of course I want to see you."

"But you never wrote to me!" said Ermengarde, now sounding angry. "You never even tried to visit! It's been almost five months!"

"Here," came another voice quickly, and Remus saw Lily had just entered the room, looking ready to keep a row from occurring. "Let's sit and I'll make some tea or something."

Remus looked directly into Ermengarde's eyes, her astonishingly turquoise eyes, and held her gaze for a long moment. He then pulled her into the tightest hug he could, wishing so badly that things didn't have to be this way. He felt her start to cry into his shoulder as he squeezed his own eyes tight, not against tears, but just out of sheer relief of feeling her hug once more.

"I – I had the most – awful dream – last night," she said between gasps and hiccups.

"Sit down," said Remus, and they both sat on the couch. James quickly left the room to give them some privacy. "What happened?"

"Do you remember when we were in fifth year…it was just after I'd arrived…and I was up really early and someone slapped me?"

"Yes, of course I remember that. It was awful," said Remus.

"Well, that's how my dream started, with whoever it was hitting me. And then, just as you sat me into the armchair, you turned into something horrible," Ermengarde wept.

"What do you mean?" asked Remus apprehensively.

"You just…changed. You weren't you anymore. Your eyes looked red and your teeth were like fangs…and you were angry with me. You scratched me, and…oh, Remus! I'm so sorry! How could I ever think things like that?"

"Shh," said Remus as soothingly as he could manage, stroking her hair. "It was just a dream, a stupid dream. You must have dreamt of me when I transform. I have nightmares about it, for heaven's sake, so don't feel bad having one."

"N-no, you weren't transforming. It was you. But then as soon as I yelled your name, you shouted 'My name is Greyback!' and you attacked me, and then I woke up. It was just so terrifying…and here you are, and you're wonderful, and I can't believe how sick I am with myself for dreaming that!"

"Have some tea," said Lily, who had just appeared with a tray of tea and biscuits with James trailing slightly behind her. "Come on, Ermengarde, cheer up, love. You can't do this to yourself."

Ermengarde wiped her eyes and took the tea with a forced smile, sipping it slowly. Remus, too, took a cup and a few biscuits as well.

"James said you'll be staying for a few days? Maybe a week?" said Lily hopefully, eyeing Remus with a look that plainly said "you'd better".

Remus nodded. "That's the plan."

"Are you going to tell me more about what you've been doing? I've grown all suspicious cooped up here without you," said Ermengarde, her voice suddenly stronger. Remus supposed the tea had helped. "My theories on your work are probably a lot more far-fetched than the truth."

"I've been working in close contact with werewolves. Not ones like me, of course. With Greyback and the likes, I mean. I've been acting as a sort of spy for us about them," said Remus.

"How close of contact do you mean?" asked Ermengarde, her eyes wide.

"Well, I got a rather bad scratch the other day," said Remus as lightly as he could.

Ermengarde gave a little gasp. "But – but that's so –"

"I know," said Remus.

"You shouldn't have to do that! There are other ways we can spy on them, why do we have to send you?"

"It's dangerous, I won't lie," said Remus. "But I'm fine. Blood is thicker than water."

"And skulls are thicker than that," said Lily. "I'm with Ermengarde. I wish you'd consider getting away from Greyback."

"And who would we send in my place?" said Remus. "If there are any werewolves in the Order I'm not aware of, I would gladly trade."

"Don't be funny," snapped Lily.

"I wasn't trying to be," said Remus truthfully. "I'm serious. I don't like it any more than you do."

"You know, you could have told me about that," said Ermengarde somewhat grumpily. "Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do, but my thought was that if anything happened and they tried to get information out of you using Legilimency, they wouldn't be able to," said Remus.

"You do cover all angles, don't you?" said James, slightly in awe of his companion. "I'm impressed. I wouldn't have thought of that."

A cry from upstairs alerted Lily. "Back in a moment," she said. "Harry's awake."

She left, and as soon as her dark red hair had whipped out of sight, James snatched one of her biscuits.

"She'll notice," said Ermengarde.

"She won't," said James.

"She always does."

"Maybe this time she won't."

"You're not as lucky as you think you are."

Remus chuckled, forcibly reminded of those days when they would all sit together in the common room, cheerfully bickering about something or other. It was in this moment when he realised he couldn't love Ermengarde more. He reached over and took her hand. It had been months since he'd touched her hand, and he watched the firelight dancing off her ring for a few minutes, marvelling at how warm she was. He noticed James smiling at them in a proud sort of way.

"What?" said Ermengarde, finally cracking a smile.

"You two make me happy," said James simply. "It's nice."

Lily came back into the room, holding a bundle of blankets and black hair. James stood up and took his son from her arms as she sat back down, eyeing her plate.

"James, you took my biscuit," she said, pointing.

Ermengarde said nothing, but took a triumphant sip of tea. James grinned sheepishly while Harry let out a sort of "nana" sound.

"He's grown so much," said Remus, looking at Harry with a grin.

"Well, children tend to do that," said Lily. "You haven't seen him in months, of course, so I guess it's more surprising for you, isn't it?"

"A bit, yes," said Remus.

"He's cute, isn't he?" said James, bouncing the baby lightly on his knee. Harry smiled with delight.

"He's adorable," said Ermengarde.

"You know, when first I saw him, I expected him to look like you, Lily," said Remus musingly. "But now I can see he's got a lot of James in him. Especially that mop of hair."

James ran a hand through his own messy, jet-black hair and laughed.

"I think he might get my eyes, though," said Lily. "They're turning greener, have you seen?"

Leaning forward, Remus could indeed see that Harry's eyes, that had been bright blue when he was born, now held an emerald tint to them.

"I couldn't care less who he looks like, as long as he can play Quidditch," said James.

"He will," said Ermengarde matter-of-factly. Everyone looked at her.

"I swear, Ermengarde," said Lily, shaking her head and laughing a bit. "If I didn't believe you, I wouldn't believe you."

"Statement of the century, Lily, brilliant. Well done," said James. Lily gave him a playful smack upside the head.

"You know what I mean," said Lily.

"Well, he will," said Ermengarde again. "And he's cracking good at it, too."

James shook his head this time, but it was a very different shake than his wife had given. Remus knew that James had never totally believed Ermengarde's story about being transported back in time twenty years, even though she knew an alarming amount about their lives, both present and future. Remus did believe her, though occasionally forgot about it, and it was moments like these that reminded him where his fiancée had come from. Lily, too, had accepted Ermengarde's story without question when she heard it two years ago. Remus wished James would believe her, but knew there was no way to totally convince him.

A rapping noise made all of them jump, and Remus saw what it was first. Right in his line of vision stood the front door, and through the small window, he could just make out a person peering in. He leapt up, wand out, and headed straight for the door, Ermengarde at his heels. As he reached the door, the face became slightly clearer, though the window still caused something of a distortion…

"Aberforth?" said Remus in disbelief, opening the door but keeping his wand at the ready.

"The one and only," said Aberforth cheerfully. He stepped inside and tipped his nest-like hat to Ermengarde. "Milady."

Ermengarde raised an eyebrow to Remus, but gave a sort of curtsy back. Remus poked his head out the door and glanced around before closing it to be sure they were alone. Aberforth sighed as though suddenly weary and patted his stomach.

"Everything all right, Aberforth?" asked Ermengarde.

"Well, now that you mention it, I am a bit unnerved," said Aberforth.

"Why don't you come in and sit down?" said Remus.

Aberforth followed them to the living room, where he took a seat and sighed deeply, then looked up and jumped at the sight of Harry.

"Tiny thing, him!" he said in surprise.

"Yes, he's our son, Harry," said Lily.

"They're getting smaller every day," said Aberforth. "I've seen the runts they send to my brother's school and they are small. I'm head and shoulders over them. But my height's not very interesting. How are you?"

Lily and James exchanged a look that Ermengarde seemed to be fighting not to join in, since she seemed to be having trouble keeping her face straight.

"We're doing quite well," said James. "What's troubling you?"

"Troubling me?" said Aberforth, confused. "Oh, yes, right, the trouble. Well, you're in the biggest. I haven't the foggiest why they sent me over to tell you this and not Albus or someone who knows what the blazes they're talking about…but from what I understand, You-Know-Who's gone and said he's going to kill you."

Lily and James exchanged another look.

"Yes, well, no offence, Aberforth, but we know he's not exactly fond of us…" said James.

"No, no, you misunderstand me. He wants to kill you," said Aberforth, as though that made everything make sense.

"Oh, yes, I see now. Thank you for clearing that up, Aberforth, you'd had me confused," said Lily without a trace of sarcasm. "So…what should we do about it?"

But Aberforth wasn't really listening. He had discovered the biscuits and was now breaking one apart, popping the separate pieces into his mouth while looking thoughtfully into the fire.

"Aberforth?" said Ermengarde gently.

Aberforth snapped to his senses and tilted his hat to her once more, and this time Remus was sure he was not imagining it: there was definitely a chirping noise issuing from it.

"Sorry, love," he said heavily. "All this business…well, I'm sure you'll think of something, you're clever ones. But now I've got to go, there's another order for essence of goat to fill…"

And with that, Aberforth stood up, cracked his neck, and Apparated away with an odd double-pop noise. The silence that followed was one filled partially with amusement, partially with bewilderment, and partially with utter terror. Aberforth certainly knew how to unnerve someone in a friendly way.