It was late in the afternoon, and Remus was gardening. His hands were covered in dirt, and there was mud stuck under his nails. The last time he'd been gardening, it had been for the unmated werewolf settlement. He remembered feeling terribly lonely and unfulfilled there, and gardening had been a source of steady comfort. Now, his gardening served an entirely new purpose – providing for himself and his new wife.

Remus hardly believed it when he considered the last few weeks of his life, especially having been married to the woman of his dreams. Dora was his again. She was his wife. Remus was her husband. The reality was nearly absurd to him, having spent so many years in loneliness. He looked down at his wedding band, gifted to him by his Dora, which was caked in dirt from planting the garden. The gold glittered through the mud, and Remus smiled giddily each time he saw the band on his finger. It was a simple band, but the fact that it existed and was proof of his marriage to Dora made him grin each time he saw it.

He heard the familiar crack of Apparition, indicating someone had arrived. It could only be one of three people – the cottage was still under the Fidelius Charm – and only Dora, her parents, and Remus were privy to the knowledge of the cottage's location.

Remus looked up to see Dora walking tiredly towards him. Though she had morphed the dark circles away from her eyes, Remus could see in her gait that she was exhausted. He cast "Scourgify!" on his hands to clean off the dirt, and made his way towards her.

"Dora," he called softly. "You're home. Are you hungry?"

"Starving," she replied. "I didn't have time for lunch."

Remus' brow furrowed. "Why not? I can pack food for you tomorrow."

"It's not for a lack of food," she said with a yawn. "I'll tell you over dinner, if you've got something ready."

"Of course I do." Remus prided himself in being able to care for his wife in the only way he could – now that she was willing to have him again, he had doubled his efforts in ensuring she would be well cared for. He led her into the house and took her Auror robes off, careful to hang them on a hook. Remus looked her over and she did appear exhausted, which concerned him, and so he led her to their small dining table, where dinner was waiting for them.

"Steak and kidney pie tonight," Remus informed. "Chocolate cake for dessert."

"You spoil me," Dora said with a weak smile, as she sat down to eat. After several ravenous bites, Remus ventured to learn how her day was.

"Tell me about what happened today," Remus said softly. "You look upset."

"Umbridge," Dora scowled. Remus' heart began racing. If Umbridge was involved with Dora at all, it would not end well for the young Auror, now married to him, a werewolf.

"She's got this impossible task for me. I'm to get all the Muggleborn witches and wizards on a list and give it to her in two weeks," Dora said, stuffing another generous forkful of pie into her mouth. "I told her it was a near-impossible request. There've got to be hundreds, if not thousands, of Muggleborns, yeah? Two weeks isn't enough time."

"What did she tell you?" Remus asked nervously.

"The hag told me that being married to a werewolf has impacted my work ethic," Dora glowered.

"What?!" Remus yelped. "She didn't." Remus was horrified. He knew Umbridge was a terrible excuse for a human being, but to go so far as to insult his wife's work ethic because of him…that was preposterous.

"I told her it was none of her business," Dora said through another bite of dinner. "Then she told me I should just get our marriage annulled."

Remus' face drained of its color, and he was clenching his fists together.

"What have I done to you?" he whispered anxiously. Remus ran his fingers through his hair and stared up at Dora. "What have I done to you?" he repeated, more insistently. "I've ruined your life!"

"Remus, you haven't ruined my life."

"We've married and now you're working for Umbridge! Just by association with me…you'll be sacked!" he cried. "You had a wonderful career you so rightly earned, and I've ruined it for you!" Remus stood from his chair, yanking at tufts of his hair. "You'll lose the job you worked so hard to earn, all because of me!"

"REMUS!" Dora bellowed, snapping him out of his panic. "Not. Your. Fault." She pronounced each syllable emphatically, stomping her foot in the process.

"You did not ruin my life or my career, Remus," Dora said hotly. "Sit down and eat your cake while I tell you about the rest of my day."

Remus felt hot with shame, but sat down. He felt unable to eat, and so he twiddled his fingers together nervously while Dora continued.

"Remus, let me be perfectly clear," Dora said impatiently. "I chose to be with you and chose to marry you. I want to be with you, and if I lose my job, it won't be because I married you. Do you understand?"

Remus nodded weakly; while her words were probably true enough, Remus felt largely at fault for making Dora's life harder now that she reported to Umbridge.

"I'm sorry I overreacted," Remus said weakly. "I just don't want you losing everything you've worked for because of me."

"If I do, it wasn't worth it, anyway," Dora said flippantly. "Can I tell you more about my day, or should I start brewing Calming Draught?"

"Please, tell me," Remus asked earnestly. "I will…try to be calmer." Dora glanced at Remus warily, but continued.

"Umbridge also insisted on calling me Auror Lupin, even though I haven't changed my name," Dora said nonchalantly. "Now I want to change it, just to spite her, and show her we're not going splitting up."

"You shouldn't change your name unless you want to, Dora," Remus said through gritted teeth, forcing himself not to react any more strongly. "Not because that soulless woman threatened you."

"I think I like being Dora Lupin," she said with a smile, as she moved onto her chocolate cake. "I'm not getting our marriage annulled."

"I appreciate that, Dora, I do," Remus said shakily. "But your name is hardly what I'm concerned about at the moment. I really don't like that Umbridge already knows about this, or what she's having you do. I thought Robards was your boss now?"

"It's my desk work now," Dora said, placing a generous forkful of chocolate cake in her mouth. "He told me I'm to report to her for the next few weeks."

"Dora, if you need help finding Muggle-borns for this bloody list, I'll help you," Remus offered. "I hate the idea as much as you do, but I don't want you to lose your job over it…or me."

"I'll be fine, Remus," Dora said, with some finality, as she rolled her eyes. "It's boring, and frankly, insulting work, but it's not as if I can go chasing Dark wizards out in the open anymore."

"I do have some news for you," Remus said tentatively. "There's a task from the Order for us, if you'd like it."

"Please! I feel useless now!" Dora shouted.

"You've never been useless, Dora," Remus replied. "It concerns Harry. Since he's to turn seventeen at the end of the month, the Trace will break, and he'll need to be moved from his relatives' home. Kingsley is arranging for protection for his relatives, and Harry will be moved to the Burrow before they start at school in the fall."

"Do they know who the new Headmaster or Headmistress will be? I've always thought it would be McGonagall after Dumbledore."

"I hope it's McGonagall, but with the infiltration of the school last month…I don't have a good feeling about it," Remus admitted. "If Voldemort manages to infiltrate the Ministry and Hogwarts, we may as well lose all hope."

"Don't say that, Remus," Dora said somberly. "We have to hope for a better world, even if the Ministry and Hogwarts fall to Voldemort's hands."

"It's what we're trying for," Remus said slowly. "Would you like to help with moving Harry from his relatives' home to the Burrow? We're unsure what it will entail, but I'm certain it will require more than a few wands to get the work done."

"Yes! When are we doing it?" Dora asked excitedly.

"The next Order meeting is Thursday evening. We'll sort it out then."

"At least I'll have something to look forward to," Dora grumbled. She swallowed another bite of cake and looked down at her moonstone pendant. She then said, "Full moon is on Saturday. How are you feeling?"

"My joints and muscles are a bit sore, but it's to be expected. I'm more nervous that you'll be here for it, but the cellar's enchantments will hold, I'm sure of it."

"I'll see if I can brew you Wolfsbane for next month."

"You really don't have to, love," Remus said. "I think the wolf will be easier to manage now that I have you back."

"The wolf is rather considerate then," Dora smiled playfully. "But I feel better with you taking it, especially with the threat of war around us."

"We'll see how the first few cycles go." As much as Remus wanted the Wolfsbane Potion, as it would make his transformations nearly injury-free, the ingredients were outrageously expensive. With the looming war and the possibility of the Ministry falling – they would never be able to afford it. He would make do, as he always had, and hope that having Dora in his life would be enough to keep the wolf at bay.

He smiled faintly at Dora, in all her thoughtfulness, and placed his hand on hers. As long as he had her, he thought, he would be just fine. If only he could say the same for her.

…

"We can't use the Floo, Portkeys, or Apparate," Mad-Eye said grumpily at the Order meeting at the Burrow. "Pius Thicknesse is out of his mind."

"Why not?" Arthur asked. "I can understand Harry being unable to Apparate due to his age, but Side-Along?"

"Someone has gotten to Thicknesse," Kingsley said darkly. "He's made it an imprisonable offense to connect the Dursley household to the Floo, provide a Portkey to or from their residence, or Apparate in or out of their residence."

"Why has he done that? Doesn't he realize how idiotic that is?" Dora asked impatiently.

"Thicknesse is under the impression that this is to be done for Harry's protection," Mad-Eye retorted. "His mother's blood protection charm already protects him."

"How are we going to get Harry away from his relatives, then?" Molly interjected. "All magical means are out of the question!"

"My new car—" Arthur began.

"—Certainly not," Molly snapped. "That car has no business going anywhere but your shed." Remus chuckled to himself; Arthur had acquired an old car to replace the Ford Anglia he'd been tinkering with years before, and Molly was clearly exasperated by the idea.

"We can't use Muggle means, either," Kingsley said. "With more Ministry workers falling, attacks on Muggles would be out in the open."

"So what does that leave us with?" Remus asked. "It would appear flying on broomsticks is our only option."

"Right you are, Lupin," Mad-Eye barked. "We'll have to fly."

"Who's we?" Dora asked. "How many of us are required? It would be mental to allow Harry to go on his own here."

"There will be more than one Harry," Mad-Eye said darkly, as gasps were heard around the room.

"Mundungus Fletcher had an unusually brilliant idea," Mad-Eye continued in his gruff voice. "We'll brew Polyjuice Potion, and as many of us will take it as possible. Each "Harry" will be accompanied by an Order member."

"Harry is going to hate the idea," Hermione said. "He's going to hate it."

"He won't have a choice," Mad-Eye retorted. "We can't have everyone going with him – we'll be ambushed and killed together. We'll have to split up."

"But what does it matter if we all travel to the Burrow?" Ron asked. "They'll know we're going here."

"That's the brilliant bit Mundungus came up with," Kingsley answered. "We will have as many safe houses as we can arrange for, under every enchantment we can think of. As many safe houses as we can get, this is how many Harrys we will have."

"The Burrow can be where everyone arrives after they split up," Molly declared. "I'll have dinner waiting for us." Remus smiled at Molly's offer. Ever the matron, she thought only of feeding everyone in the Order, especially after the arduous task ahead of them.

"We'll need volunteers, then, for Polyjuice," Mad-Eye barked. Several hands rose in the air, much to Molly's dismay. Over half of them were her own children.

"Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, Mundungus, as it was his idea," Mad-Eye counted. "Remus and Tonks will be protectors; Polyjuice won't work on a Metamorphmagus or a werewolf. Arthur, Kingsley, and I will be protectors as well, as we're better known."

"I'll protec' Harry," Hagrid offered in his booming voice. "I took him ter the Dursleys when he was just a baby, only proper I should see 'im off now." Hagrid's beard was now covered with giant tears.

"Fine," Moody said impatiently. "We'll need two more. Seven Harrys will be a good number."

"I shall take ze potion," Fleur said airily. "Bill will protect me."

"Fleur and Bill make the last pair, then," Kingsley said, writing all the names down. "Who can brew the potion?"

"I already have a brew ready," Hermione volunteered eagerly.

"That's a N.E.W.T. level potion!" Fred exclaimed in surprise.

"And why would you have that ready?" Molly asked suspiciously.

"I've done it before," Hermione said, growing pink. "It's a useful potion for these times, isn't it?" She looked guilty, while Ron looked at her knowingly.

"I can attest that Hermione can make this potion successfully," Remus spoke. "She's the brightest witch of her age, and she can be trusted with the task." Hermione beamed with the praise, and Kingsley wrote the information down as well.

"We'll need seven safe houses, then," Mad-Eye said. "My house, Kingsley's house…any others?"

"Our cottage, Shell Cottage," Bill volunteered. "Fleur and I will fly there together."

"That leaves us with four more," Kingsley said, with a furrowed brow. "Any ideas?"

"We can ask Auntie Muriel," Arthur said. "That makes four."

"I'll ask my mum and dad," Dora said. "That makes five."

"My flat," Charlie Weasley volunteered. "It's not as well protected, but it'll do."

"That's six, so we'll need one more," Mad-Eye said.

"Why not Grimmauld Place?" Remus suggested. "Even if Snape has shared the location, it might be an obvious location for us to take Harry to."

Mad-Eye grunted in assent. "That makes seven. Which one do you think is the least likely Harry will be discovered at?"

"My parents'," Dora said quickly. "They've never even met Harry, and I'm confident my parents will be delighted to meet him and help."

"Your aunt won't target them?" Kingsley asked sharply.

"She'll target me," Dora said forcefully. "If I'm not the one going there, Bellatrix's attention will be placed elsewhere." Remus grew hot and uncomfortable at the idea that Dora would be flying as well, but it was likely that as Voldemort did not know the day they were traveling, Bellatrix would be unlikely to attend.

"It's not as if the Death Eaters are expected to hang around us all night, is it?" Dora asked. "They don't know when we're moving Harry!"

"We're attempting to lay a false trail to say we'll be moving him on 30th July, the day before he turns seventeen," Kingsley answered. "We've been monitoring Little Whinging and have seen a few suspicious characters around, but with luck, there will be few Death Eaters around the night of the 26th or 27th."

"We'll reconvene Friday next to finalize the plan," Mad-Eye said. "Meeting dismissed." The mood in the room was somber as they realized the task ahead. Remus grew anxious of the idea of so many people at risk, especially Dora. But, as her work as an Auror had fewer risks as of late, Dora would be pleased with the outing. He sighed, hoping that the false trail they planted would work in their favor.

….

Remus woke from the full moon in the damp, cool cellar. He scanned himself for injuries, per usual. He smelled the metallic tang of blood in the air, and winced when he inhaled deeply. He must have hurt something around his ribs or abdomen. His body was sore and weak; he attempted to sit up, but a throbbing in his side prevented him. He heard a click at the top of the stairs; that must be Dora on her way downstairs.

"Wotcher, Remus," Dora said softly. "Give me a few minutes and I'll get the worst of the injuries out of the way." Remus nodded weakly as Dora began her ministrations. He hissed slightly when she repaired the broken ribs, but otherwise, she was merely applying Dittany to the worst of the wounds and charming several of his smaller gashes closed.

"Other than the broken ribs, you're in good shape, Remus," Dora said quietly. "I've brought your clothes. Do you need help getting them on?"

"No," Remus said hoarsely. He felt bad enough that his lycanthropy made him weak enough that Dora had to see him in this state once a month, but he was grateful for her presence as he recovered from another full moon.

Wincing and frowning, Remus sat up to see Dora holding out boxers, flannel trousers, and a white undershirt. He staggered forward trying to get the boxers from her, and she gently helped him put them on, followed by the trousers and the undershirt.

"There's no need to be embarrassed, Remus," Dora said softly. "I like helping you as much as you like helping me." She smiled at him, and despite the pain in his throbbing side, he smiled at her too.

"Do you think you can walk up the stairs okay?"

Remus nodded, but held onto Dora for support as he ascended the steps and up to the cottage.

"Did you hear anything last night?" Remus croaked.

"From you? Nope. Whatever enchantments you have on that cellar, it's as if it didn't exist at the full moon." Remus sighed gratefully.

"Do you think you'll be well enough to go to my parents' for tea this afternoon?"

"I might sleep till then, if that's alright," Remus said hoarsely. "I want to be there to ask them about being a safe house."

"You don't have to be, if you're not feeling well."

"I want to be," Remus insisted, although his body begged for rest.

"As you say, then," Dora sighed. "Get to bed. I'll wake you when we're ready to go."

…..

Several hours later, Dora was shaking Remus awake. He winced, but he wanted to be certain that he wanted to be at the Tonkses' home before asking them to help with a potentially dangerous Order mission. Once he dressed himself more appropriately, the two of them Apparated to Dora's childhood home.

"Mum and dad, would you be willing to do a favor for us?" Dora asked, as soon as they were seated in the parlor.

"You and Remus?" Andromeda asked curiously.

"Sort of," Dora said. "It's for the Order."

"What do you need from us?" Ted asked warily. "We're not in the position to fight."

"Nothing of the sort," Remus croaked. "It's for Harry Potter."

"Save your voice, love," Dora said, placing her hand on his. He felt slightly embarrassed by her command. He felt it was slightly foolish for having visited her parents the day after the full moon, but the mission was important enough to him that he didn't want it to stop him from helping in any way he could.

"We've got a plan to move Harry from his relatives' home to a safe house," Dora began. "But in order to throw Death Eaters off the trail – they don't know we're moving him, anyway, so we think the risk is quite low – there are going to be seven Harrys, under Polyjuice Potion, flying through the sky to get to temporary safe houses before he's transported to the Burrow, where the Weasleys live. We were hoping we could use this house as a temporary safe house before Harry arrives at the Burrow."

"Which one of the Harrys should we expect?" Andromeda asked curiously.

"The real one," Remus rasped. Dora shot him a reproachful glance, and fixed him a cup of tea that was more honey than tea. Remus rolled his eyes at her in exasperation.

"As Remus said, you're to receive the one and only Harry Potter. He'll be arriving with Hagrid," Dora explained. "I'm not sure if they'll be on broomsticks, but we think that as neither of you have met Harry before, this house will be less likely to receive him."

"Enchantments," Remus sighed, gesturing to Dora.

"Oh, right," Dora said, putting her palm to her forehead. "The Order and the Ministry will be giving you every enchantment and protection possible. All the safe houses will have it, so they should hold, even if Death Eaters do catch us."

"Us?" Andromeda asked sternly.

"Remus and I are helping," Dora said resolutely. "You can't talk us out of this."

"'Dromeda, our Dora's an Auror, and she knows what she's doing," Ted said. "Remus will keep her safe."

"Err," Remus stammered.

"We won't be going together," Dora said quickly. "Polyjuice Potion doesn't work on Metamorphmagi or werewolves, so we'll be assigned as protectors."

"Can't you morph to look like Harry, then?" Andromeda demanded.

"Mum, I should be one of the protectors," Dora said hotly. "I've been assigned with Ron Weasley. You think he and one of his brothers stand a chance on their own? They're kids!"

"Remus?" Andromeda asked sharply. "What do you say to all of this?"

"It's what Dora wants," he said lamely. "We need everyone's help," he rasped.

"'Dromeda, our girl can handle herself," Ted reassured. "They've laid a false trail, and they're going in seven separate directions. Besides, we'll get the real Harry and we'll get a chance to meet the lad."

Dora beamed at her father. "I knew I could count on you," she squealed, getting up from her chair and hugging Ted tightly.

"You are certain the enchantments will hold?" Andromeda asked anxiously.

"The best there is," Remus said hoarsely. "We'll see to it."

"With the Ministry and the Order behind you, I don't think we'll fail," Dora said enthusiastically. Remus still felt anxious, but now that Andromeda and Ted had agreed to the arrangement, there was one less task to worry about for the next week.

…..

It was finally Saturday morning. That evening, come nightfall, Dora, Remus, and the rest of the Order members would be collecting Harry from 4 Privet Drive and reconvening at the Burrow. Remus felt far more anxious than he expected to feel. He was in bed with Dora that morning, and something felt different than the night before. He had an insatiable urge to protect…no, claim…no, possess? Her – it was an exceedingly peculiar feeling. Despite the many dangerous tasks Dora had undertaken either as an Order member or as an Auror, today's task felt especially threatening.

Remus glanced at the moonstone hanging on her necklace. It had only been a week since the full moon, and his possessiveness of her had not waned with the days following the moon. Rather, his possessiveness had only felt stronger, and today, it was at a burning high. He intensely desired to keep her attached to him, to keep her out of harm's way. It was a stronger possessive or protective urge than he'd ever felt for her. Something was just different.

He involuntarily sniffed at her hair and neck, and even her body smelled different than it usually did. Dora's scent had always been attractive – intoxicating, even – but now, there was something to it that drew him in with a fierce urge to claim or mark her as his own. He realized, in the moment, that he was gripping onto Dora's hips tightly, holding her snug against his body.

"Good morning, Remus," Dora said sleepily. "I can feel you, you know."

Remus looked down at this throbbing erection pressing urgently into Dora's back. He felt slightly embarrassed; while waking up with an erection was usual for him, this morning's felt painfully stubborn.

"I don't mind, actually," Dora said playfully, turning around to face Remus. "I'm in the mood for it." Remus began kissing her immediately, and before long, they were panting one another's names as Remus thrust in and out of her. Unlike the previous times they'd had sex in their relationship or marriage, this time was burning…almost animalistic, if Remus were honest with himself. It was urgent, frantic, and visceral in nature. Remus felt no shame in pumping in and out of her hard, until they were both crying out in pleasure.

"Wow, Remus," Dora panted. "You really outdid yourself there."

"As did you, love," Remus breathed. "I don't know what it is, but you smell even more incredible than I ever remember."

"I was going to say," Dora exhaled heavily. "Something felt, or feels, different about that. I just wanted to…claim you? Does that sound normal?"

"I had the same feeling when I woke up this morning," Remus said, his breathing still erratic, but settling down. "I had a…need to have you. A possessiveness." His mind was still reeling from the post-coital bliss of releasing himself into her.

"Funny, I had the same feeling," Dora said softly. "Just an overwhelming desire for you, for us…I don't know how to explain it."

"Is it a good feeling?" asked Remus, now feeling slightly dizzy.

"A really good feeling," Dora said with a smile. "Just, unusual. I've never felt this way before with you – or anyone, really. It's like something changed. I can't place it. If you'll have me again, I'm ready to jump you."

"Don't mind if I do, then," Remus said huskily, and he began placing soft kisses on her face. It wasn't long until, again, they were crying out each other's names and trembling around one another in pleasure.

"I'm not going mad, am I?" Dora asked, breathing heavily. "This is better than it usually is."

"You're not mad, no," Remus said, his own breathing ragged and heavy. "This is different too, but a very good different. I feel different today."

"Good different," Dora murmured. "I wonder what it means?"

"No idea," Remus said curiously. "I'm also a lot more anxious about you than I usually am. I've been thinking about tonight and the dangers ahead…I'm more worried than I care to admit."

"Remus and worry?" Dora teased. "What a surprise."

"You don't feel it?" Remus asked anxiously.

"The worry? Maybe a bit, but only in the way I usually am before a big mission."

"Do you want to back out? I'm sure we can find someone else," Remus offered.

"Merlin, no," Dora said forcefully. "We're going."

There was something in Dora's tone of voice – her command – that put Remus out slightly, but he wasn't sure why.

"We'll go, then," Remus sighed. "Stay out of danger as well as you can, please."

"I always do, love."

Remus lay, stroking Dora's spine with his fingers, as he inhaled her intoxicating, newer scent. It was still familiar – his Dora – and it was intermingled with his own in a way that pleased him deeply. As he sniffed her again, involuntarily, there was something new about the scent. Remus' eyes suddenly grew wide.

"Dora," he said urgently.

"Yes, love?"

"When was the last time you took your potion?"

"Which one?"

"The contraceptive one," Remus replied, his heart now beating erratically and painfully in his chest.

"I take it the last day of each month…so, the 30th of June…" Dora sat up suddenly. "No."

"Dora, what?" Remus sat up next to Dora, his heart rate quickening.

"Remus, wasn't the 30th the day of the battle at the Astronomy Tower? The day that Dumbledore died?" Dora asked nervously.

"Yes," Remus croaked.

"I…you…that's the day I fell into bed and thought you were a hallucination," Dora said slowly, her eyes growing wide as well. "I should've taken the potion before bed. I…I don't think I did, Remus."

"But…no. It – it couldn't be, Dora…" Remus rasped. "Did-did we?"

"Would that explain…?" Dora's voice trailed off as she gestured wildly between the two of them.

"Yes," Remus breathed. "But that would mean…" He stood up from the bed and began pacing rapidly, still naked, from one end of the bedroom to the other. His eyes darted from himself, to Dora, and back he began tugging at his hair.

"Remus."

He looked back at Dora, who was staring at him. "Do you think we, err, mated? The mate mating?" she asked tentatively, looking down at her flat abdomen.

"It-it would explain the changes," Remus whispered. He snapped his head up to look at Dora.

"You're not going tonight," he decided firmly. "You can't. You must stay here, Dora."

To Remus' surprise, Dora burst into tears. He was bewildered at the reaction.

"Dora, what's wrong?" he asked anxiously. "What's happened?"

"I can't go," Dora said. "You told me I can't go."

"You want to go?" Remus asked, in confusion. "Surely you would rather stay here?"

"I wanted to go, Remus, and now you're telling me I can't," Dora cried.

"Dora, when I told you that you couldn't go," Remus swallowed hard, "did you think that was an order you had to follow?"

"Yes."

"Even if you disagreed with it?"

"Yes."

"What have I done?!" Remus cried. "Forgive me, Dora, please, please forgive me."

Dora was still crying, but she looked at Remus, bleary eyed and confused.

"Dora, we should both go tonight, even if I don't want you to," Remus relented. "Please, we are both going. We've mated – there's no other explanation. If you're taking an order from me…Good Godric, what have I done?!" Remus rejoined Dora on the bed and held her tightly as he wept.

"Remus, why are you crying?" Dora asked, still confused.

"Dora, we have mated, there's no other way to explain your compulsion to take an order from me," Remus wailed. "I've absolutely ruined you."

"No, no, you haven't," Dora soothed. "We don't know for certain. I'll ask my mum for the charm to detect…pregnancy…tomorrow."

"There's no other explanation, Dora," Remus sobbed. "I've ruined you forever. And-and-the child! It will be like me, I just know it! I've condemned another soul to this wretchedness!" Remus wept violently into Dora's side.

"Remus, please, please, we don't know for certain," Dora pleaded. "Let's get dressed. We can have my mum check today, if you'd like. But please, Remus, we can't panic until we know for certain."

Remus looked at Dora's tear-stained face, now dry, and he felt terrified, ashamed, humiliated at what they'd managed to accomplish. He had sworn to himself to never, ever mate. He had sworn he would never have that kind of control over his mate or child. The child! Would it survive? Had he doomed Dora to a pregnancy that would end, or kill her, should the child have lycanthropy? His imagination was running wild with images of Dora being ripped from the inside out from a tiny lycanthrope, unable to contain its bloodthirst.

He was still cradled in the fetal position on the bed when Dora brought clothes to him.

"We should get dressed, sweetheart," Dora said softly. "For tonight."

"Forgive me, Dora," Remus begged.

"There's no need to forgive you, Remus," Dora sighed. "We aren't the first people to have this kind of…surprise, even if it's more unusual than most. If you'll allow it—"

"—please don't say it that way," Remus groaned. "I don't want to control you."

"Alright – if you're comfortable with it – I wanted to stop by my parents' to talk with my mum about this and see if she knows what to do," Dora said gently. "Would that be alright? Do you want to come with me?"

"Yes, I'll go with you," Remus sat up suddenly. "I-I'll stay with your father, while you take care of the…pregnancy charm." Remus winced visibly upon speaking the last two words.

"Okay, Remus," Dora murmured. "I've laid out your clothes here. We'll get dressed and go, sweetheart."

"Thank you," Remus said faintly. He put on his clothes mechanically, all the while bitterly pondering the new catastrophe he'd brought upon himself and his wife. Dora, her parents – everyone – they would never forgive him. He would never forgive himself.