Chapter 7! So I'm working on redoing the title, obviously haven't gotten very far there since it hasn't been changed yet. There are some juicy bits in this chapter that I hope you enjoy!


The corridors were dark and eerily silent as we walked towards the Great Hall and I couldn't shake the feeling as if we were being watched. At one point I jumped at a sound behind us, grabbing Remus' hand, but it ended up just being one of the portraits on the wall moving in their sleep.

"Sorry," I nearly whispered after I realized I hadn't let go of his hand.

"Don't be," he said and we resumed walking in silence for a while, still holding hands. After a few hours, the sun began to rise and we made our way to the Great Hall, needing to be there as students began to wake up so we could make sure they got to the common room okay before breakfast. At some point in the night, Dumbledore repaired the portrait of the Fat Lady, but she refused to go back to it due to what happened to her, so instead Sir Cadogan took her place. He was the only one that was willing to do it, but he wasn't very good at the whole password thing, as time went on he would change at least once a week. As the students began to get up, we made all of the sleeping bags vanish and once the hall was cleared, put the house tables back in place for breakfast. Neither myself or Remus stayed for breakfast, instead I grabbed some toast and went back to my office so I could take a shower and finish up getting ready for the day. The day went by quickly and I was relieved when the Gryffindor students were able to sleep in their own beds that night. Later that evening I was grading some more essays, this time from my third year class, when there was a light knock on my open classroom door, Remus standing there when I looked up.

"Hey, come on in," I said with a smile and put my quill down.

"I was bored and figured I could come bother you for a little while," he said with a smirk, halfway sitting on my desk.

"I'm certainly not doing anything interesting. Just grading third year essays," I said, leaning back in my chair.

"So nothing too important," he teased with a small wink.

"Exactly. How are you feeling?" I asked him, knowing he could still feel the effects of the full moon for a couple of days afterwards.

"I've felt better, but nothing I can't handle," he said. "So there's another Hogsmeade trip this weekend, are you going?" He asked me after a beat of silence.

"Yes, actually I am. Why?" I said, thinking nothing of it.

"Oh, good. I'll be going too. Perhaps we could make our rounds together, or something," he said and I narrowed my eyes at him slightly.

"Remus Lupin, are you asking me out on a date?" I said, nearly unable to control the laughter that was threatening to come out of me.

"Well, um, I suppose so," he said, his face growing redder by the second. I tried my hardest to contain the laugh trying to escape, but couldn't help the grin on my face.

"Well, in that case, I suppose I could, Mr. Lupin," I said, crossing one knee over the other.

"I'm glad to hear that, Mrs. Lupin," he said and I stopped short. I hadn't been called by that last name in twelve years. There was a bit of an awkward silence between us, neither of us sure exactly what to say to one another.

"Um, I think I'm going to head to bed. Grading all these essays can be tiring," I eventually said awkwardly, standing up.

"Right, yeah. I should go. Um, see you in the morning," he said and I watched him walk out of my classroom, yearning for the relationship we used to have. I sighed and made my way to bed, wondering how that Hogsmeade weekend would go with actually having a "date" if you could even call it that between two professors. After that night I started to avoid Remus again, not wanting anymore awkward encounters again, but the weekend was quickly approaching and I knew I couldn't avoid him forever. Soon enough it was Friday and I was just finishing up getting ready for the day and there was a knock on my office door. I opened it cautiously, unsure who would be knocking on my door so early, hoping Lily was okay. When I opened the door I was surprised to see Remus standing there, looking as though he'd already been up for hours.

"Remus, what's wrong?" I asked him, opening the door all the way.

"What? Oh, I suppose it is a bit early, nothing is wrong, but I wanted to talk before breakfast," he said, standing there awkwardly. I wanted to know if our plans were still on for tomorrow?" he asked nervously, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"Oh right. Um, yeah, I don't see why not," I said, looking anywhere but at him.

"Great. Um, I'll see you at breakfast then," he said and turned to leave.

"Yeah," I mumbled, closing the door behind him and finished up getting ready before heading to the Great Hall for breakfast. He didn't try to talk to me again the rest of that day and I still kept my distance, unsure of what would happen the next day at Hogsmeade. Saturday morning got here quicker than I'd anticipated and it almost felt like our very first Hogsmeade date back in fifth year. I remembered that day very well and sometimes wished we could go back to that.

"Lily what am I supposed to wear on a date with one of the cutest boys in the whole school?" I said as I attempted to get ready for my date with Remus in Hogsmeade. I'd been anticipating this day for a week now and was honestly surprised when he asked me, but extremely happy he did.

"You're going to look great no matter what you wear. Here, sit down and I'll pick something out for you," she said, putting a pause on doing her hair to pick out an outfit for me. I had pulled out almost every piece of clothing I owned trying to find the perfect thing, but I trusted Lily to pick something that would look good. Eventually she handed me a burnt orange colored sweater, and pair of khaki pants, and my brown boots to wear.

"Lily Evans, you are the most perfect person ever," I said, giving her a quick hug before rushing to change into the clothes.

"What are best friends for?" she said with a laugh, following me into the bathroom to finish getting ready herself.

"Okay, do I look okay?" I asked her once we were both ready, having twisted my side bangs and pinned them down, keeping the rest of my hair hanging around my shoulders.

"You look perfect," she said with a smile.

"Why am I so nervous?" I asked her as we descended the stairs of the girls dormitories.

"Don't be. You've been friends with Remus for five years now and you've had a crush on him for two. I'm just glad he finally asked you out, I don't know how much longer I could take it between you gushing about him every night and him asking me everything about you on prefect rounds," she said with a smirk.

"I do not gush about him!" I said, feigning shock.

"Right," she said sarcastically and by then we'd made it into the common room. I smiled when I saw Remus, he looked nice in his jeans and burgundy sweater.

"Ready?" I said nervously after I walked up to him, sticking my hands in my back pockets.

"Ready when you are," he said with a smile and we walked to Hogsmeade together. That whole day was one of the best days of my life so far and I was happy as can be to finally be dating Remus.

I walked to the Great Hall for breakfast, hearing the low din of excitement before I entered the doors. I decided to try something different that morning and sat with Lily to eat. Her friends hadn't made their way down from the common room yet, so she was sitting by herself. It wasn't long until everyone was making their way to Hogsmeade. Before leaving I made sure to find Remus, feeling nervous like I had on that first date all those years ago.

"There you are," he said with a smile as he walked up to me in the castle courtyard.

"I want to apologize for pretty much avoiding you all week," I said, hoping he wouldn't be angry with me about it.

"It's okay, no hard feelings," he said as we began the walk to Hogsmeade.

"I just got thrown off with the whole 'Mrs. Lupin' thing. It's been twelve years since I've used that name," I said, shoving my hands in the front pockets of my pants and looking at the ground.

"I know, I'm sorry, it just slipped out," he said.

"You don't need to apologize, trust me. Technically that is still my name, even if I don't use it," I said with a shrug and he nodded in understanding. We had just entered Hogsmeade and I was feeling more nervous than I had at the castle.

"So, where to first?" he said, voicing exactly what I was thinking.

"Hmmmm, Honeyduke's?" I said, knowing he couldn't resist their chocolate.

"Sounds like a plan," he said with a smile and I followed him to Honeyduke's, again glad we went there first while there weren't many students to try and work our way around. I again stocked up on sugar quills and bars of chocolate (my snack of choice when grading papers) and also picked up some peppermint toads, Drooble's best blowing gum, and some cauldron cakes. Once we were finished at Honeydukes we walked the streets for a while, making sure no students went into any places they weren't supposed to, and lastly, we went to The Three Broomsticks for a late lunch, finding a nice cozy booth to sit in.

"I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed this little village," Remus said as we waited for our butterbeers, looking around the pub with a nostalgic look on his face.

"My parents moved here when Lily was three so they could keep her during the school year for me and I wasn't so far away from her. I used to come every weekend to check up on the three of them," I said, taking a sip of our newly delivered butterbeer.

"That must have been nice. Though, of course, now you see her every day. What about during holidays? Where did you go then?" he asked.

"Home. Um, our house," I said, looking into my drink.

"You still have the house?" he said in mild shock.

"Of course I do. I put up strong protection spells on it while we're away and we always go back for Christmas and summer," I said with a shrug.

"I just didn't expect you to want to stay there," he said quietly, making me think back to living there with him.

"Why wouldn't I want to stay there? We made a home there, Remus, I wasn't willing to leave it," I said just as quietly, still looking into my drink.

"Hey, look at me," he said and I looked up over my glass. "I'm glad you kept the house. Because you're right, we did make a home there, and if you'll have me, once we get all this mess figured out, I would love to make it home with you again," he continued, putting his hand over mine and I gave him a small smile.

"Of course. You know, you could come stay with us for Christmas. We have that extra bedroom you can stay in if we haven't quite gotten around to telling Lily about everything," I said, looking into my drink again.

"That would be lovely," he said with the most heart melting smile.

"I'm sure mum and dad would love to see you again, they usually come around on Christmas day," I said, looking up to gauge his reaction.

"You know I've always liked your parents, I'd like to see them again," he said, taking a sip of his drink.

"Well it's settled then, you'll come with us for Christmas. And I'm sure Lily will be just fine with it, too, aside from me you're her favorite professor so far," I said and he looked a little surprised.

"Then I'm looking forward to it," he said with a small wink. Soon enough we made our way back to the castle and Lily came running up to me in the Entrance Hall as soon as we walked back into the castle.

"Mum, there you are," she said, hugging me.

"What's up, Lily?" I asked, concerned.

"More students are making rumors about you two and I want to know why," she said, walking with me and Remus towards our classrooms.

"Well, what are they saying?" I said, smoothing her hair down.

"Well, Ron Weasley told me that he saw you at The Three Broomsticks and overheard you talking about our house and that you've invited Professor Lupin to come stay with us for Christmas even though it's only the first of November and that there's something you have to tell me," she said quickly and all in one breath. I sighed, wondering if now was the best time to tell her everything.

"Go ahead into my office, I'll be right there," I said, unsure of what I would say to her.

"Avery, I think it may be time to tell her. If she heard all of that just from one student, imagine what others might have heard," Remus said once Lily was out of earshot.

"Do you think we should? Or do you think it would be best if it was just me?" I asked, pacing the width of the corridor.

"If you are comfortable with me being there, to fill in gaps or what have you, then I think it would be good for us both to tell her," he said, taking me by the shoulders so I'd stop pacing.

"Okay. Okay," I sighed, running my hands over my face.

"Everything will be fine, I promise," he said and pulled me into him and I let him hold me there for a few moments before we went to my office where Lily was sitting in front of the fireplace.

"Lily, my sweet, sweet Lily," I said as I crouched in front of her, Remus sitting on the couch next to her. "What we are about to tell you is going to drastically change your life, do you think you're ready for that?" I asked her, taking her hands and looking her in the eye and she just nodded fervently. "Okay. You know I've always told you that your dad left before you were born, for yours and my safety?" I asked her.

"Yes. And you always said you were sure he was still alive, even if he never came back to us," she said, glancing at Remus.

"Yes, I did. And he is alive, dear. Alive and well," I said, not totally sure how I was going to tell her Remus was her father, but she kept glancing at him as if she was already putting it together in her head. "Lilly, when this year started, I never expected that I would be able to tell you who your father is, I never thought I would be able to say these words to you. But, sweetheart, Professor Lupin, Remus, he is your father," I said and paused to see what her reaction would be. She turned to look at him full on, just staring for a moment and I could tell it was making him a little bit uncomfortable.

"Okay, but what about your relationship? I don't understand," she said, furrowing her brow.

"Well, our last name isn't actually Stroupe, it's Lupin. Me and Remus got married six months after we left Hogwarts, we were barely even eighteen. And our house we go to at Christmas and for summer? That was our house together," I said, giving her another moment to take everything in.

"So you're my dad?" she asked Remus, turning towards him again.

"Yes, I am," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

"But why did you leave?" she asked him, a confused look on her face.

"All I can tell you about that is that I left to protect you and your mother. I regret it every day," he said simply, a mix of emotions playing across his face. Lily got up and went to my window, looking out over the grounds. I looked at Remus from where I was still crouching in front of the couch, complete silence enveloping the room. I knew what we had just told Lily would be huge for her and I was unsure how she was going to take it.

"I'm going to go. I need to think," she said, turning around to face us.

"Okay, sweetie. You know where to find us when you're ready," I said, standing up and she came over to hug me. She hugged me extra tight that time and I kissed the top of her head. Once she left my office, I sighed and began pacing in front of the fireplace. The silence in the room was heavy until Remus finally said something.

"What do you think she'll do?" he asked me.

"Well, right now she's probably going to her dormitory and will sit on her bed with her curtains closed for the rest of the day, trying to decipher everything we just told her," I said, knowing she was just like me when she had something big to think about.

"She seemed to take it fairly well," he said, leaning his elbows on his knees.

"Yes, and that's the problem. She may look just like you, Remus, but she is very much like me in the way she absorbs information," I said and sat on the couch next to him.

"Well, we'll just have to see how she takes it," he said, taking my hand.

"I suppose Dumbledore should know what we've just told her. Or Minerva at the very least," I said, standing up again. There was a knock on my office door and I wasn't sure who would be visiting on a Saturday. "Come in," I called and was surprised to see Professor McGonagall walk in.

"Oh, good, the both of you are here. Your daughter has just come to me with some information you have just told her," she said, pursing her lips.

"Yes, we told her that Remus is her father," I said, wondering why she had gone to Minerva about it.

"I suppose you have a reason for this?" she asked, looking at us both pointedly.

"Of course. Our relationship is getting harder and harder to hide and we were overheard talking in Hogsmeade today. She came to us with questions and we felt it was the right time to tell her," Remus said before I could even open my mouth to say something.

"This is a lot for her to take in, I hope you understand," she said to us and I suddenly felt like a student being reprimanded again.

"Of course. She's a strong and smart girl, she just needs some time to think," I said and Minerva pursing her lips even further.

"As I do not have children of my own, I am trusting you have made the right decision for your family. I suppose you would like to officially change your and your daughter's names officially here?" she asked me and I hadn't even thought of that yet.

"No, not yet, I still want to wait a bit for that. Just so she has time to adjust to the information she was just given," I said and Minerva nodding in understanding.

"Well, when you are ready for that step, you know where to find me," she said and left my office without another word. I wasn't sure what Lily would do with the information we had just given her, but I hoped she would be able to adjust to how different things would be. I knew it was a lot to throw on her all at once, but I also knew she was tough and could handle anything we threw at her.


Doozy of a chapter if I do say so myself! Thank you all for reading and I would LOVE to know what you think so far (in form of a review of course)!