The next morning Hermione and I used the floo channel to arrive at the Weasley's home. It was busy, the wedding planner was running around with her wand, getting everything in place. The tables and chairs were being set up, followed by a black table cloth. Apparently, she decided on the theme colors being black and sky blue. I don't know how many times I have told her, that just because his name is Black, doesn't mean he likes the color. But I gave up, all I cared for was to get this over with. The sooner the better. The tent was lifted, covering all 100 tables. I was still confused as to why she was setting this all up, the wedding wasn't until the day after tomorrow. Waving it off, I followed Hermione into the house. To my surprise, Harry was there.

I waved. "Hey!"

"Athena, Hermione hey!" Harry jumped to his feet, giving each one a hug. "You are here early."

"Yeah, I need to speak with Molly." I grabbed my bag placing it behind the door. Molly walked in her hands full with a basket of black roses. "Here let me help you ma." Taking the basket and placing it on the table, I yelped at the sudden pull I got. Laughing as I was covered in kisses. "Good to see you too."

"I wasn't expecting you till tomorrow." She grinned, only to gasp. "Oh, dear! Ginny, can you prepare Athena's and Hermione's guest bedroom!"

"Yes, mum!"

"I am sorry ma, I should have sent an owl before dropping in." I took a seat at the table, watching her place the roses into vases of blue water. "Black roses?"

"Ms. Huffle insisted in black." Molly grumbled.

I chuckled, grabbing one. "I told her Sirius doesn't like the color black. He prefers Burgundy." With a smirk I turned the rose in my had red. Watching as the others did too, I handed her the rose. "They are to stay red." Seeing the others gathered in the living room, I chuckled as Ron once more beat Harry. "Ma."

"Yes, dear?"

"I-I am scare." I didn't see, but clearly heard her stop and I could feel her looking at me.

"Ronald!" Molly yelled.

"Yes, mum?"

She handed him two vases. "Take this outside, and come back for the others." She then gestured I follow her. I wasn't sure where we were going or how long we had walked, but the fresh air felt amazing. We were surrounded by tall grass, reaching past my waist. "Now tell me, why are you scared?"

I shrugged. "I can't explain it ma. It isn't marrying Sirius. It is the to come." Sitting on a rock, I stared down at my hands. "I am not ready to be married, but I will push through it. But the part in which I have to consume my marriage, it scares me. Having kids frightens me."

"Oh, sweetie." She sat beside me, pulling me into a tight hug. "I was too on my first night. young girls' first time should be special and unforgettable. Just because your engagement started off wrong, doesn't mean this has to. Speak with Sirius, explain to him you are not ready for that. He will wait."

Pulling back, I wiped the tears. "Does it hurt?" She nodded. "A lot?"

"It depends dear. Some say yes, others say no. Me personally, no, it did not hurt as much as I thought."

Taking a deep breath, I pulled her into a hug once more. "Thank you ma."

"I am here for you always." As we walked back she held my hand.

That was something that always gave me comfort. Although I loved my mother, and I know she loved me very much, she never showed me a lot of affection. Father didn't want me to become someone dependent on their mother. I was to learn how to clean and cook and care for children, then I was to marry and become a breeding cow. I could count the times mother hugged me, kissed me, or simply held my hand. Everything I have missed out from my mother, Molly had happily given it to me. Speaking with her was a breath of fresh air, it didn't take away all my fears, but it helped. As we approached the house, I was greeted by Gryffindor. I missed Slytherin and I would always miss him, he was the mischievous one. Gryffindor compared to him was a saint. Picking up a stick I threw it, laughing as he dashed away.

"Why don't you just enchant the stick?' Ron and the others walked out.

I shrugged. "I do it 'cause it's fun, plus it forms an even better bond between him and I." Grabbing the stick I handed it to Ron.

Ron dropped it as soon as he touched it. "Ugh! Drool!" the others snickered as he tried to wipe it off.

"Well, he did have the stick in his mouth, Ron." Tossing it once more, I took a seat on the ground.

"What's on your mind?" Harry asked, taking a seat beside me. Hermione and Ron followed. The twins had decided to play a while with Gryffindor.

I shrugged. "A lot of things really. School, life, you guys, and what's to come." Lifting my hand, I gently touched the rings. "You do realize that this will make us family."

Harry smiled. "I already considered all of us family."

"Yeah, but this will make it even more official." I wrapped an arm over Hermione and Harry. "And nothing nor no one will ever separate us."

"That is a promise." Hermione growled.

The next two days went by pretty calmly. In the morning's before the adults would wake up, we'd go to a small cave we found and practice our magic. We had pretty much mastered all of the defensive spells when Harry asked something that stunned us all.

"Show us."

I man pretty sure I got whiplash at how quickly I turned to him, cringing as Ron fell to the ground due to my lack of focus. "Sorry, Ron."

He groaned, sucking in the breath knocked out of him. "I'm okay."

I turned my attention back to Harry. "What?"

"Show us."

I quickly shook my head. "No."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want any of you using it. Not now." Seeing the anger behind his eyes, I pushed him to the side. "Confringo!" A hole was made into the cave wall, pieces of derby falling everywhere. "That may just be an explosive spell, but do you have any idea the damage it could cause someone? Harry in a moment of anger you don't think or even really pay attention to what you are doing, you simply do it. If I show you the ones I know, you must promise, that unless there is no other way out, you will not use them."

He stared at me, before giving me a nod. "I promise."

"That goes to everyone in here." They each agreed. I knew I was making a mistake, but I also knew that one of these could just save their lives. "Alright, Confringo is the same as Expulso, the only difference is that one uses pressure and the other on fire. Either one could cause major damage to someone, killing them instantly." I pulled out a piece of paper and pen, writing the names of each. "Most of these I cannot show you, I can tell you, but not show. They are too dangerous and the last thing I want is someone getting hurt. This one is called Obliviate, also known as the memory charm."

"I remember that one, Lockhart tried to hex us with it, but it backfired." Ron said.

"This charm will not physically hurt some, but it will mentally screw you up. Many do not recover from it. It will erase all memory." Lockhart was proof of that, the poor man was never able to rejoin the human race. I mean he made his bed now he best lay in it. "These other ones, like I, said I would be needing a volunteer to show, but I doubt any of you would want that. You all know Curcio, Imperio, and of course Avada Kedavra. Snape taught me this one, Legilimens it allows-"

"You to probe into the minds of others, unlimited access to every memory and emotion." Harry said, earning looks from all of us. "Snape's lessons."

"Oh right, sorry." I continued to write them down. "Now this last one is one I don't enjoy at all, to me this one should be along with the other three. It is call sep-"

"Ron! Harry!" Molly's shouts echoed into the cave. "Girls!" We quickly placed everything away in a small safe. One we made in the wall of the cave. Rushing out, we stopped before bumping into Molly. "Where on earth have you all been?" She demanded.

"Uhh, exploring?" Ron shrugged.

I was so close to head-slapping that boy.

Of course, ma didn't believe us, but instead, she waved it off. "Girls come with me. You boys go on and find dad." We followed her into the living room, where three boxes delicately tied with black ribbons sat. "The dresses have arrived."

I jumped at the squeal both Ginny and Hermione gave. I smiled as they cheerfully pulled out their dresses. Luckily they weren't black, but red, long-one shoulders with waves of ruffles, that fall from the one-shoulder neckline to the floor. It zipped from the back. Upon Molly's request the girls wouldn't be showing a lot of skin, but that didn't mean they couldn't look good. The dress was made specifically for each one. It was charmed to make them attach to their figure. It brought out the sexiness in the woman.

"Oh, it's lovely." Ginny gasped happily.

Hermione nodded in agreement, as she placed hers against her body. "Yes, they are." She then tossed me a look. "Well! Let's see it!"

"Oh, right." Carefully pulling the ribbon off, I pulled out a beautiful white ball gown dress with an intricate open back. Diamante bedding covering the bodice and straps, while an intricate beaded pattern over illusion tulle covering the open back. The sparkling jewels creating a delicate and dazzling pattern that catches the eye. The skirt is made of layers of unicorn horsehair hemline tulle that gives a look of billowy and romance. It flows down from the open back and waist, creating the ball gown silhouette. Lace was lined with the same intricate beadwork as the back and embellished with careful attention to detail. I was in awe with the dress. It was gorgeous.

"Wow."

"Wow, more like bloody hell." Ginny gasped.

Folding it carefully and placing it back in the box, I gestured the girls to do the same. "I suppose the boys got their tux's?"

Molly nodded. "Yes, they should be trying them on now."

Taking a seat on the couch, I felt my shoulders heavy. Something I always get when stressed or bored. "Anything I can help in? I mean everyone is doing something, while me the bride just sits on her butt. I don't like feeling useless ma."

"Nonsense child." She grabbed my box, before heading upstairs. "Tomorrow is going to be a busy and wonderful day."

I could hear the tension in her voice. She still hasn't been able to digest this whole thing. Neither have I, but I have come to terms with some. I was getting married to Sirius Black no matter what. That is if I want both of us to keep our magic and not get wed off to Lucius Malfoy. I had gone over this so many times in the past three months. I knew my marriage wouldn't be like that of my parents. Mother was scared of my father. I on the other hand am not. I find his presence comforting and safe. Sirius had sent a few letters in the three months, always asking how I was and that he couldn't wait to see me. I had actually gotten better at writing back. He was actually very sweet and easy to talk with. There were a few times he'd pop up in the fireplace, simply to check up on me. Still, even though these...sweet moments I feared something was coming.

Voldemort's army was getting bigger every day, while the ministry ignored to accept the fact that he was back. Instead, he turned the public's anger and confusion to Sirius. Even now as a free man, he had to be careful. People's fear always made them do stupid things, I just hope he isn't on the receiving end of one of them. We still had a lot more to practice before we would consider ourselves ready. These followers of Voldemort are not some school children just learning defensive spells. We were already outnumbered and under experience.

I stepped outside, taking a seat a few feet away from the house. Pulling out my wand, I gave it a small wave. "Expecto partronom." A partronom of a shepherd flowed out. When I first saw it, I had believed it to be a German shepherd, but once I was able to turn, I found out it was not. In fact, I had the partronom of a Shiloh Shepherd. Not must of a difference really, but it explained a lot. Watching the figure prance around and chase nothing, gave me a sense of ease. I then realized it had been a while since I have changed. Cutting the connection I focused that same energy, into myself. Allowing all my good memories to fill me up, light breaking through the darkness.

Opening my eyes I found myself lower to the ground. Glancing down, I spotted my arms were now legs and paws. My body was covered in long woolly fur. Trotting to the near river, I looked myself over. I laughed at the irony, all my life I had wolves in my life. Mother said I had the traits of a wolf, never knew what that meant really. My fiancé was a dog, sort of speaking. And here I was a dog that looked like a wolf. My color resembled that of a timber wolf, leaning more black than grey. My face was a black mask, going halfway over the top of my neck. White and gray mixed in throughout my body. My fur was long, keeping the cold wind away. With a small bark, I leaped over the small river and took off into the long grass. Nothing holding me back as I ran in freedom, the grass parting as I flew by. Stopping I took a good whiff of the air around me. I could smell the home cook meal Molly was preparing. The fresh air coming from the trees. It was a welcoming change.

"What are you doing here?" My ears perked up at hearing Molly, so angry. "You have no business here." Taking a whiff once more, I growled at the smell of a rat.

"I have simply come to give the future Ms. Black my Congratulations."

Lucius.