I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

Author's Note: I literally cannot believe that there are 114 of you keeping up with this story! It's so exciting! Thank you for the support and patience :D Please let me know what you think!

Also, we're officially settled in our new place, so the updates will be more regular :)


Chapter 9

Avalynn's hasty departure from the Gryffindor table caused Professor McGonagall to put a little pep in her step so she could catch up to her panicking niece. She could only imagine what the poor dear was going through and how difficult it must be for her to acclimate to her new surroundings and relationships. As McGonagall approached Ava, she mentally scoffed at the recollection that those imbecilic Marauders were to blame for the young girl's situation. Those boys didn't mean any harm, most of the time, but they're in seventh year for Merlin's sake!

"Avalynn," she said gently while placing her hand on Ava's shoulder to slow down her pace.

Ava flinched before realizing it was just her aunt touching her. She was afraid that James or Sirius would follow her, and she really didn't need their pestering questions right now. Ava could see the inquisitive look on the professor's face, but thankfully McGonagall only said, "Let's go get settled into my office with a cup of tea before we meet with the Potters." Realizing that Aunt Minerva wasn't going to demand anything from her, Ava let out a relieved breath and nodded in agreement, continuing towards the office, or at least the direction she remembered it being. Absentmindedly following the professor, Ava's mind began to race again. She was still reeling from the interaction with Remus since it was the strongest sensation she's experienced so far, and to make it worse, she wasn't entirely sure what it meant. She could barely handle the fact that magic and soulmates were real! Ava had no idea how to explain what was happening to her body around Remus to herself, let alone other people, so she definitely didn't need anyone asking questions. She wasn't sure if they would believe her anyway. It seemed like no one really knew anything about soulmates, but hopefully the professor would be able to glean something from the grimoire that the Potters were bringing. The two witches arrived in the office and McGonagall quickly put together some tea for Ava, hoping that it could calm her nerves.

After they had been sitting for a couple minutes, McGonagall cleared her throat, gaining Ava's attention. The young girl quickly looked at her aunt and immediately knew what was coming, forcing an exasperated sigh from her lips.

The professor shifted in her seat before saying, "Now, Ava. I know that you may not want to declare your feelings for all of the world to hear, my dear. But please do not be upset with me as I am merely concerned for you." Ava huffed in annoyance, but settled when she took in the older witch's saddened expression. McGonagall continued, "I want you to feel comfortable approaching me with any questions or concerns, Ava." The young girl remained tight lipped, but nodded to show she was listening. "That's all I ask. It'll be ten o'clock in just a minute and I expect the Potters will be on-time, as will the boys. Godric knows that's one thing I can count on from those two hellions." At Ava's curious look, she explained, "In all the years of meeting with the Potters, those boys have never been late, not wanting to disappoint their parents further."

Ava rolled her eyes and let out a little laugh. "How often does that work?" she asked.

Now it was the professor's turn to laugh. "Not once that I know of," she replied with a small smirk. McGonagall stood from her chair and told Ava, "You can answer the door for Mr. Potter and Mr. Black, and I'll greet the Potters at the Floo." As soon as the older witch had finished her sentence, Ava heard a hard knock at the door of the office while a green light began to appear in the professor's fireplace. She quickly leapt up from her seat and opened the door for James and Sirius. They both originally had what appeared to be serious expressions on their faces, which were replaced with worry and slight annoyance as soon as they realized it was Ava who answered the door.

"What the hell happened this morning at breakfast?" Sirius hurriedly whispered with furrowed brows. Both of the boys looked genuinely concerned, but Avalynn narrowed her eyes and shook her head. Turning away from the door and retreating back into the office, Ava sternly thought, I'm not telling them anything! Serves them right for causing this whole clusterfuck in the first place. She ignored the groan and sigh of frustration from behind her as she walked towards Professor McGonagall and who she assumed were the Potters. Both of the parents had jet black hair, but as soon as Mr. Potter turned towards Ava, she could immediately tell where James and Harry got their looks from.

The bespectacled man took a step towards Ava and reached out to shake her hand as he said, "Hello, I'm Charlus Potter. It's a pleasure to meet you Miss McGonagall. I only wish it was under better circumstances." He gave her an apologetic smile before turning to his wife and adding, "This is my wife, Dorea Potter."

Mrs. Potter shook Ava's hand as well and tried to offer reassurances. "I'm sure we'll get this all sorted out quickly and we'll leave you to the rest of you weekend, dear." Ava frowned slightly. Either the Potters didn't know all of the details of the spell that the boys cast, or they were the most super chill parents in the world. She tried to smile in return, but it probably came out more like a grimace. Deep down, there was that nagging voice that declared that there was no chance of her being able to return home, but Ava was trying to remain hopeful. She stepped towards the edge of the room, trying to give space for the Potters to greet their sons, and feeling quite a bit like an outsider. It was still incredibly surreal for Avalynn to see book characters alive and breathing, and her mind began to drift towards Remus once more when Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.

"Perhaps we should discuss the spell?" she asked firmly, gesturing towards the chairs in front of her desk. She quickly transfigured two more chairs in front of her desk for the Potters and an additional one behind her desk, then indicated that Avalynn should sit there.

With raised eyebrows, Ava hesitantly asked, "You want me to sit here?"

McGonagall smiled at the young girl and replied, "Of course, dear. I'm your guardian. Not only is it my duty, but I would be very pleased if you allowed me to show my support for you by taking the seat beside you."

Ava's eyes briefly widened as she let out a soft, "Oh." She quickly scrambled to her seat next to the professor and looked up to see two curious Potters and two smiling Marauders.

Charlus started the conversation with, "So James owled us about needing the family grimoire for some sort of spell that he found in it over the summer, and now he's managed to cause some trouble with it?"

The professor's eyebrows rose in disbelief as Avalynn's jaw dropped. "You mean to tell me that he didn't provide any specifics in his letter to explain himself?" McGonagall asked in a furious whisper. Her response surprised both of the Potters, and they looked to James for answers.

With all eyes on him, James' face reddened and he gulped before quietly stating, "Sirius and I may have used that old Potter marriage spell to help Remus find his soulmate."

Mrs. Potter reached over and smacked each of the boys on the back of their heads as Mr. Potter sternly asked, "Did I hear that right? You used the marriage spell for another person?" He briefly glanced around the room then added, "And where is Remus?"

Both James and Sirius were staring down at the carpet, and seemingly refusing to answer, so Ava huffed a sigh. "Remus doesn't know about the spell," she informed the Potters.

Charlus frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but Dorea cut him off. "You're his soulmate, dear, aren't you?" she asked softly. Ava couldn't read the woman's face, but it almost looked like she was excited by this fact. Ava silently nodded, so Charlus finally asked, "Why don't you want Remus to know, Miss McGonagall?"

Ava couldn't help the scoff that escaped her lips. "First of all, we don't know enough about the spell to know that Remus and I are truly soulmates." Ava could physically feel that lie settle in her chest like a weight. She took a quick breath and continued, "Second of all, let's say we are soulmates. I don't want the one person I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with to feel forced into a relationship with me. We should only be together if we want it, not just the magic behind the spell." She wanted to add the fact that she needed to return to her own world and life, but the Potters were under the impression that she was actually McGonagall's niece.

Both of the Potters looked contemplative for a moment before Charlus spoke up. "We may not use that spell anymore, but when it was popular, it worked out well for the married couple every time. Who's to say it won't do the same for you?" Ava could feel her face turning red in frustration. She was so over people trying to placate her feelings. She just wanted McGonagall to read over the spell so they could figure this all out and people could stop asking her how she feels or what's wrong. Maybe she could finally tell Remus about the spell too. That slightly painful feeling in her chest hadn't gone away yet, and Ava subconsciously rubbed at her sternum. The boys and their parents looked curiously at Ava, so McGonagall looked to her niece and tensed when she noticed that Ava was rubbing at her chest. The young girl made eye contact with the professor and slowly realized what she was doing before quickly placing her hands in her lap. McGonagall raised her eyebrows questioningly, but Ava just shook her head, trying to indicate that she was just fine. Avalynn took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down by remembering that there were more important things happening in the Wizarding World right now than her romantic life. Whatever the result of this spell, it'll be fine. It's just Remus, not Voldemort or something. Get a grip, Ava.

While Avalynn was in her own thoughts, James apparently was given the grimoire and told to locate the page of the spell. Through her robes, she pinched herself on the arm, trying to make herself focus. James handed McGonagall the spell book, prompting Ava to lean over towards her aunt and attempt to read the information herself. Noting that it was in another language and had the wand movements next to certain groupings of words, Ava groaned and flopped heavily back in her chair. Once again, the Potters gave the young girl curious looks.

"Aren't you going to read over the spell, Miss McGonagall?" Charlus asked politely. James, Sirius, and the professor all looked to Ava quickly, realizing that they hadn't considered Ava's lack of magical education prior to the meeting.

Too irritated to think rationally, Ava sarcastically replied, "Oh, yeah. Because the girl who found out magic was real two days ago is definitely going to be able to decipher this old ass spell and figure out a way to get the hell out of here before the freakin' Wizarding War starts." The sound of a gasp grabbed Ava's attention, and she scrambled up in her seat to see what the professor had found in the grimoire. "What? What'd you find?" she asked rapidly. Realizing that her aunt wasn't speaking, she looked up to see the professor's eyes darting back and forth between herself and the Potters. Frowning in confusion, Ava considered what could make McGonagall look so shocked and concerned. The young girl's face paled as she recalled her words from a moment ago. Ava turned her head to face the others across the desk and grimaced to see their reactions to the fact that she was new to the magical world. James and Sirius were wearing expressions much like the professor's. Charlus merely looked confused, but Dorea was glaring at her.

"Who exactly are you, young lady?" the woman asked lowly as she cautiously slid her wand into her hand.

James saw what his mother was doing, so he threw his hands up and yelled, "Merlin, mum! She's fine, you're overreacting! Ava isn't dangerous or anything."

"Yeah, mum, James is right. It's our fault anyway," Sirius piped up, looking around James at their parents.

Dorea's gaze flitted between Ava, her boys, and the professor as Minerva spoke up, "Dorea, we've known each other a long time. I've adopted this young girl, and I would not have done so if I thought she was a threat to your sons or any other student at Hogwarts."

Charlus reached over and placed his hand atop of Dorea's that was still clutching her wand. "C'mon, dear. I agree that it's rather peculiar that this young lady wasn't aware of magic until two days ago—," Dorea raised one eyebrow, prompting Charlus to continue in a lower voice, "And yes, it is suspicious that she mentioned a war, given the uh, current political climate, but let's hear them out, shall we?"

The other four occupants in the office let out breaths of relief. "Avalynn comes from—," McGonagall began, but she was interrupted by Ava's hand on her arm.

Ava looked at her aunt with exasperation. "They are no different than Sirius or James or yourself, professor."

McGonagall pinched her lips together, but nodded. Ava turned to the Potters to explain when Sirius stated in a surprisingly stern tone, "Now, mum and dad, you should listen to Ava." He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, looked at the girl in question, and continued, "I didn't listen at first, but I should have."

Ava flashed him a quick smile that Sirius returned, and with his comment giving her confidence, she looked to the Potters once more and firmly said, "The information about myself and anything pertaining to this spell and how it affected me are confidential. Any information that I reveal is also not to be told to others. I promise you that I am not trying to be self-important here. I need a wand oath before I explain any further to make sure that you will not divulge any of this information without my knowledge or even on accident."

Dorea was scrutinizing the girl in front of her, who was appearing very serious and weary about this situation. Charlus gave Ava and Minerva an incredulous look before glancing at his wife, expecting to see the same expression upon her face. However, Mrs. Potter was slowly nodding her head. "Seriously, Dorea?" Charlus cried.

"Yes, dear. But first, I'd like an oath from Miss McGonagall here as well," Dorea reassured her husband.

Ava's eyes widened at first, but realizing that Mrs. Potter was probably just worried about her sons, she said, "Alright. What are your conditions?"

The professor and the boys were in various states of shock at Dorea and Ava's behavior, but they knew the two women were determined to get their oaths.

Dorea sat back in her seat and listed, "You will cause no harm to our sons, ourselves, and their friends."

Ava groaned internally. She would need to word the oath so that it wouldn't include Peter or anyone else that the Potters may consider friends. "Okay," she said slowly. She flicked her gaze to her aunt quickly, searching her face for any doubt that the oath would work. Ava knew that she must have some amount of magic to be able to see the castle and have a wand choose her, but she just couldn't fully accept it yet until she was bouncing around between classes and Wingardium Levi-o-sa-ing all over the school. Avalynn shook those thoughts from her head and quickly dismissed the discomfort growing in her chest as she concentrated on the wording of the oath. "I swear on my magic that I intend the Potters, their children, and their true friends no harm and will not purposefully cause them harm in any way," Ava stated firmly. She suddenly felt a sort of invisible tug in her gut towards the Potters, as well as James and Sirius. Must've been the magic, Ava thought curiously. She could tell that Mrs. Potter was mulling over her wording of the oath by the narrowed eyes pointed in her direction. Trying to keep everyone from reading into her particular wording any longer, the young girl cleared her throat and explained, "So your oath must include that you will not divulge any information about myself or anything that I may say without my express permission."

Both of the Potters nodded, then Dorea spoke, "I swear on my magic that I will not reveal any information about Miss Ava McGonagall, or any information that comes from her, without her permission to do so." Once his wife was finished, Charlus completed the oath as well and everyone sat around, tensely waiting for Avalynn to begin her story once more.

Ava opened her mouth to speak, but her aunt cut her off. "If I may? I believe that explaining how the spell works may provide details as to how Ava appeared to us in the first place," the professor offered hesitantly. Ava just shrugged, perfectly fine allowing someone else to do all of the explaining. "The grimoire states that the soulmates will be brought together during a great time of need." McGonagall paused, letting that sink in. She could tell when it did by the understanding looks that overcame the teenagers' faces. That little bit of information sent Ava's mind into overdrive once more. So Remus needs me during the full moon. Now I've gotta become an Animagus?! No, stupid. Moony liked me as a human. Okay, good. One less thing to worry about. And he shouldn't have a problem with me being in the Shack during a full moon because he won't even remember, she concluded brightly. Ava was once more subconsciously rubbing at her aching sternum, drawing the concerned attention of her guardian.

McGonagall reached out to grasp Ava's hand that was currently failing to rub away the pain and worriedly asked, "Are you sure you're alright, dear?"

If Ava didn't focus on the sensation, it wasn't too bad. But it was starting to get worse. Avalynn nodded and softly replied, "I'm okay for now. I'll need another in a little."

McGonagall pressed her lips together and looked as though she'd like to protest, but Ava raised her eyebrows expectantly for the professor to continue explaining the spell to everyone else in the room. The older witch huffed before resuming, "Now, Mr. Potter, am I correct to assume that your parents are aware of Mr. Lupin's…health condition?"

James and his parents all nodded in unison, and Ava noticed the pained expression that overcame Dorea's face. So maybe Remus is like a son to her too, she thought.

"Since the spell's intention was to bring together the soulmates in a time of need, Avalynn was brought to Mr. Lupin during his transformation," the professor continued. At the gasps from the Potters, McGonagall held up her hand. "She was not bitten by him. In fact, it appears that Mr. Lupin's wolf is rather…fond of Ava."

The boys chuckled as Ava smiled, recalling how Moony snuggled up to her. "It's true! Moony was almost like a puppy. He was actually a little protective of her," James said laughing. Both of the Potters were shocked beyond belief since they had never heard of a werewolf reacting in a nonviolent manner to a human.

Charlus then gave Ava a wide smile and commented, "Then you must be soulmates."

Ava shrugged and merely responded, "We'll see. Maybe we're just soulmates who are friends, and there's no romantic interest involved." As soon as the words left her lips, Ava let out a pained gasp, clutching her chest with one hand and the other gripping the arm of her chair tightly, causing her knuckles to whiten.

"Ava!" came the simultaneous shouts of concern from James, Sirius, and Professor McGonagall.

The sharp pain seemed to be passing, so Avalynn just waved them off. "I'm fine." She slowly lowered her hand from her chest and released her hold on the chair and seeing the tense expressions on everyone's faces, added, "Really, I'm all good. Can we just get on with the spell? Please?"

Something about the way Ava spoke, full of resignation, resonated with Mrs. Potter. "Of course, dear. Professor? If you will?" Dorea prompted McGonagall.

The professor gave her niece one last look-over before sighing in defeat and continuing with her findings. "Beyond bringing together the soulmates during a time of need, the spellwork also indicates that a bond is formed due to the use of blood." The older witch paused once more and looked pointedly at Ava. "It also seems that the spell will continue to draw the soulmates to one another until the bond is, well, completed," she finished cautiously. Ava drew her own conclusions about what that meant and her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, causing the boys to laugh at her expense.

"Shut. Up," she growled as she glared at them. Unfortunately, even the Potters were smiling at this point.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of Miss McGonagall," Dorea tried to reassured her, resulting in a condescending smile from Ava.

"Anything else, Aunt Minerva?" the young girl asked hesitantly. Dear God, I hope not, she added in her head. The dull, uncomfortable aching behind her ribs hadn't diminished, but thankfully Ava caught herself before she raised her hand to rub at her chest. Really don't need Aunt Minerva freaking out again. I just want this to be over with.

The professor cleared her throat and shifted in her seat slightly, as if she were unsettled. "Well, dear," she started.

Sirius spoke up, noticing Ava's increasing agitation. "Professor, I think it might be best to be straightforward when it comes to Ava," he interjected, nodding his head towards Ava's once again reddening face. He smiled and added, "We wouldn't want her to show the, uh, more colorful side of her personality in front of our rather respectable parents." All three of the teenagers couldn't help but chuckle at Sirius' observation. The professor had most definitely not forgotten the unique language that her niece possessed, and would rather avoid a scene if possible. Ava took a couple deep breaths, trying to keep herself calm, which McGonagall noticed.

"Brace yourself, dear," the older witch informed her niece. Ava's brows furrowed in worry as the boys and the Potters sat with their whole bodies at attention, all of them waiting in tense anticipation.

"Once the bond is established, the bond is eternal. It does not need to be fully completed for it to be so, however. Just the acknowledgment of the connection between the soulmates is enough to establish the bond," McGonagall explained. The others adopted somber expressions, confusing Ava, who didn't quite seem to grasp what the professor was implying.

"So what does that mean?" she asked impatiently, looking around the room for an answer from someone.

"Ava," McGonagall began softly. "If the connection between Remus and yourself is merely established, then you will be bound to one another. There are likely to be consequences if you were to do otherwise, which could be quite severe. This is blood magic after all."

"But, but, what if—" Ava sputtered before her aunt placed a hand gently on her arm.

"I think we both know what your behavior means about the connection, dear," the professor stated quietly.

Of course, James chose that moment to speak up. "What behavior?" he questioned without hesitation.

Ava practically snarled as she turned to glare at the Potter heir. "This is all your fault," she grounded out as her fiery gaze flashed between James and Sirius. Everyone in the room was startled by her reaction. Both of the boys raised their hands placatingly.

Sirius quickly said, "We didn't know Ava, we promise. We didn't mean for this all to happen. We just wanted to help Moony."

"Yeah, c'mon, Ava. We talked about this. We really are sorry, but it was for Remus," James defended. "We had no intention of hurting you," he added with a remorseful look.

Ava's glare softened at the sight of the boys' genuinely regretful faces. She tried to steady her breathing and collect her thoughts. Pushing herself up out of the chair, Ava began to pace back and forth in the office. "So, once the bond is established, then that's it? No other relationships for either of us?" she asked for clarification as she walked.

"Yes, but—" McGonagall replied, but was cut off as Ava continued to think aloud.

"Okay, so. We'll figure this out. Remus needs me and I'll be there," the young girl stated.

"Be where? The Shack?" Sirius asked.

Ava went on as though he hadn't spoken. "But he still doesn't need to know. I might've established the connection, but he hasn't. Maybe if he doesn't then he could be released from the bond eventually," she said hopefully.

Dorea quickly asked McGonagall, "What does she mean that she's 'established the connection'?" But the professor merely shook her head, knowing this moment was clearly not the time to discuss the bond.

James leaned over to Dorea and worriedly asked, "Mum, what exactly is going on with Ava?" The witch looked at both of her sons and glanced over to the struggling girl that was boring a hole into the carpet.

"Unfortunately, I don't exactly know, dear," she informed them. "However, she was right. This is your doing. The least you could do is keep an eye on the girl and help her befriend Remus, if that's what she wishes."

James and Sirius appeared affronted. "Of course we will, mum," Sirius said. Their attention was drawn back to Ava who began to sound more and more panicked.

"This is awful. No one should have their free will taken from them," she continued to rant. She paused to look at the others. "Why does magic like this even exist?" At the baffled expressions reflected back to her, Ava rolled her eyes. "Neither Remus or I signed up for this, you know. I was perfectly fine where I was in my own world, and Remus would've been just dandy without me." The pain in her chest flared at that last bit, so she resumed her pacing to distract herself. Finally losing her temper, Ava shouted, "Fuck this shit! Seriously!" The adults gasped as the boys began to chuckle. However, a quick glare from Ava shut them up real fast.

"Colorful, indeed," Mr. Potter whispered to his wife.

"There are more important things we all need to worry about right now," Ava went on. "Like Mr. Potter said, 'the political climate.' That's what we'll do. You all will keep quiet about this whole soulmates nonsense and I'll ignore Remus as much as possible so that he doesn't get dragged into this too." Once again, Ava released a pained gasp and halted in her steps at the intense sensation in her chest.

McGonagall stood quickly and grasped the young girl by her shoulders. "Avalynn, I really think you should sit down," she said, her voice laced with concern and a bit of desperation.

But Ava wasn't listening. She couldn't help but notice that the feeling tended to happen when she mentioned Remus. What!? Now my body reacts to being around Remus, but also just talking about him?!

When Ava made no move to sit down, James spoke up and added, "Yeah, Ava, maybe you wanna sit down, or something?"

She looked at the boys and then shrugged herself out of the professor's hold. "No!" she shouted. "I refuse to let this-this bullshit affect me." She gestured around the room wildly with her hands. "Because that's exactly what this whole shit storm is. Bullshit. Remus and I are not soulmates." Suddenly, Ava fell to her knees with a cry of pain as the discomfort in her chest increased and began to throb with the beat of her heart.

At this point, everyone was out of their seats, and the professor and boys attempted to help Ava up from the floor and into a chair. Stubbornly, she brushed them off and gritted out between clenched teeth, "No. I'm fine." She attempted to stand on her own, but the pain behind her ribs struck acutely once more. Ava whimpered and collapsed to the floor, curling in on herself, and taking McGonagall down with her.

"Professor! What's wrong with her?" Sirius cried, his gray eyes wide with panic. The professor ignored him in favor of attempting to soothe her niece.

"Minerva, I know some basic healing and diagnostic spells. I can help," Dorea offered. But the older witch gave her a pained look and shook her head. McGonagall then summoned her Patronus to fetch Madame Pomfrey, urging her to use the Floo instead of walking to the office. James and Sirius looked at each other with understanding once they connected the appearance of McGonagall's Patronus to Ava's unusual behavior. Whatever was happening, it had happened before, and they were determined to get to the bottom of it.

To Ava, it was an eternity of suffering until Madame Pomfrey showed up. She couldn't help but release occasional cries of agony since it felt as if her chest was going to burst open. The only coherent thought Ava had the entire time was that she needed to see Remus. Even within the cloud of pain, she could understand that this was the magic's way of pushing her to be with her soulmate. Ava couldn't recall Madame Pomfrey's appearance or even the pain potion being forced into her mouth. As she awoke on the couch in McGonagall's quarters, she only remembered desperately wanting Remus and wishing the pressure behind her ribs would end.

Noticing that Ava was waking up, Sirius jumped up from his chair and crouched down on the floor in front of the sofa. "Ava?" he asked softly. He reached out to hold her hand and added, "How do you feel?"

The young girl let out a huff of annoyance. She felt like this was her life now. Explain yourself. Explain your feelings. Pain. Explain your feelings. Pain. She was so tired of it all, and it had been only a couple of days. Slowly sitting up, Ava could see that James, Professor McGonagall, the Potters, and Madame Pomfrey were all looking at her expectantly. "Well, come on then Madame Pomfrey. What's the prognosis? Am I dying?" Ava asked lightly as she righted her robes and braid.

"Avalynn, do not makes such jokes," her aunt admonished her.

Ava met her eyes and felt her anger deflate. Screw it, she thought. "Fine. Everyone wants to know what's going on? Everyone will," Ava announced. When no one made a move she grumbled, "C'mon, just take a seat already." Spurred on by her comment, the boys and the adults all found a comfortable position and settled in, hoping to glean some insight from the girl's explanation.

"But!" Ava said loudly while pointing a finger in the air. "I don't want any complaints about not being able to talk about it with anyone else. Obviously, you can speak to one another, but that means no furry friends, no matter how involved they are in this," she said, giving Sirius and James a pointed look. The boys shared a look then nodded in unison. They wanted to be able to understand and help Ava, even if it meant they couldn't share with Moony what was happening. Especially considering they already couldn't share much anyhow.

"So, as of now, not one of you knows the full situation as it stands, with the exception of Aunt Minerva." Ava flashed her a quick smile and continued, "But I didn't tell her about the latest development. However, let's start at the beginning for the Potters and Madame Pomfrey." The matron gave her a confused look before looking to Minerva for answers. Ava explained, "I'm sorry, but I only gave her permission to speak to you about things related to my health and the soulmate bond. Anyway, for those of you who are unaware, I'm not from this world. I was pulled from it and dropped here because of the spell and my connection with Remus. My world didn't have magic." She could tell that the Potters and Madame Pomfrey were skeptical. "I know it sounds ridiculously impossible, but you have to believe me. In my world, magic isn't real and this world—," Ava gestured all around the room. "Hogwarts, the Ministry of Magic, the Potters…Voldemort." The eyebrows of the Potters and the matron disappeared into their hairlines. "All of those are familiar to me through a book series. A fictional book series." Ava cringed at the argument she could see building behind Charlus' eyes and put her hands up. "I know, I know. I sound crazy, right? But I'm not. I must come from an alternate universe or reality or something. I thought I was dreaming at first. To me, magic isn't real. You all aren't real, you're just characters in a book. But obviously, that isn't true. This world is real, and I'm in it. So, while I am here, I'm going to try and make a difference." Dorea opened her mouth to speak, but Ava cut her off. "I've already had this talk with Aunt Minerva and the boys, but since the events that have yet to come were explained in the book series that I've read, multiple times, I might add, I have a pretty good idea of when certain things will happen. Or when uh, certain, um, dark wizards will be doing…things." Ava crossed her arms and leaned back into the couch. "Questions?"

"How can we possibly know that you are who you say you are?" Charlus inquired. "How are we supposed to believe you, or trust you for that matter?"

Professor McGonagall looked slightly disgruntled, probably because Mr. Potter had inadvertently called into question her own opinion and thoughts of Avalynn, but her niece spoke up for her.

"You mean besides the fact that the Hogwarts Deputy Headmistress believes me? Besides the fact that this stupid soulmate spell works?" the young girl asked snidely.

"Hey now," Sirius piped up with a bright smile. "You're coming around to being with Remus?"

Ava rolled her eyes. "Well, now that's another thing we can discuss. Clearly, you all can see that something was going on with me just now." The various scoffs and indignant huffs that were produced around the room were enough for Ava to continue. "So, um—," she began to explain softly as she wrung her hands together. "Well, our connection, or whatever, is at least a bit, um, established on my side."

"That was the spell?" Dorea asked sharply, causing Ava to glance up to her eyes. She was pleasantly surprised to see true concern etched onto her face. It's probably just for Remus, Ava realized belatedly.

She nodded and replied, "The magic really doesn't like it when I'm away from Remus for too long. I've had to take a couple pain potions because of that, but apparently it really, really doesn't like it when I speak about not, um, being with Remus." She rubbed at her sternum at a slight twinge of pain accompanying that statement. "But I noticed this morning, at breakfast, that uh, well, I felt a sort of warm, tingly feeling—," she paused to glare at the boys when they couldn't hold in their chuckles. Continuing with a huff, "Like I was saying, I felt a rush of what I'm assuming is magic when I shook Remus' hand. So clearly, the magic really is pulling us together, trying to persuade me at least to be close to him." She was definitely not going to mention the fact that she could barely control herself and let go of the poor boy's hand.

Charlus had been quietly reading over the grimoire until that moment. "There are absolutely no notes in here about the side effects experienced by the pair matched with the spell. None at all!"

Ava chuckled a little and said, "That's probably because they grew up around magic and the idea of soulmates didn't seem so far-fetched to them, so no one resisted the spell." She shrugged, then added, "Not to mention the whole idea of arranged marriages being normal back then too."

Dorea chuckled this time. "They still are, dear."

Ava paled and turned to her aunt with a pointed finger. "Don't you go betrothing me to anyone!" Her body deflated a little as she murmured, "I'd also still like to see if I can find a way home."

"Yeah, about that," Charlus spoke. "Again, how can we believe or trust you?"

Ava tilted her head in thought. "Well, I guess I could tell you some stuff to prove myself, but I don't know if that'll make you trust me." She raised her brows at the Potters. "I did already make a wand oath."

Dorea and Charlus shared a look and nodded. Mrs. Potter looked to the adults when she asked, "How do we know that she won't go to the other side with the information she has?"

Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey looked taken aback at the suggestion and Ava cleared her throat. "Mrs. Potter, I've already told Aunt Minerva that I'd like to be a part of the Order."

"Not without us, you don't," Sirius announced at the same time both Potters nonchalantly asked, "What Order?"

Ava smiled and shook her head slightly. "The Order of the Phoenix."

"See?" the professor asked. "The lass knows things and it's why we all took a wand oath."

"Even Madame Pomfrey?" James inquired curiously.

The matron and Ava smiled at each other and Madame Pomfrey merely said, "Healer-patient confidentiality."

The young girl turned back to the Potters and her expression sobered. "Look, you may not trust me now, but you will," she spoke sternly. "I don't care if I'm dreaming or not, I'm not going let events unfold as they did before. It wouldn't be fair."

"What exactly do you mean, child?" Dorea questioned.

Ava shook her head. "I can't tell you everything, but I can tell you for certain that you'll be able to save lives if you let me help," she informed her without breaking eye contact, urging the woman to give her a sliver of trust, just for now.

Mrs. Potter nodded and appeared to relax back into her seat before placing her hand upon her husband's.

"Any more questions?" Ava asked the room.

Simply curious, Mr. Potter spoke up. "If you're so new to magic, will you be attending classes here?"

Ava made to respond, but Professor McGonagall replied first. "I will be conducting a diagnostic test with Ava later this afternoon to determine her abilities, but yes, Mr. Potter, she will be enrolled here at Hogwarts."

Charlus nodded and looked at his wife. He must've seen something in her eyes because he turned back to the professor and stated, "If you need any assistance in caring for your niece Minerva, financial or otherwise, we are here to help."

The older witch's jaw dropped, but she collected herself quickly and thanked the Potters for the offer. A second later the parents were standing to leave and Dorea approached Ava. In a gentle tone she said, "I hope you will give Remus a chance, dear. He's a wonderful boy."

Feeling defeated by the magic binding her and Remus together, Ava replied with a sigh, "Yeah, yeah, I know." Seeing that Dorea didn't appreciate her response, Ava straighted up in her seat and said, "Really, Mrs. Potter. I know he's a great guy. Studious and kind, and I obviously know that he's a werewolf and that honestly doesn't bother me one bit." Upon hearing Ava's words about her second adopted son, Mrs. Potter broke into a wide grin as she said her goodbyes.

Once the Potters were gone, Professor McGonagall shooed the boys away as quickly as possible before they could start pestering Ava with more questions. James and Sirius only relented and agreed to leave as long as they would be allowed to come by the witches' quarters before dinner and pick Ava up on the way. The teenage girl rolled her eyes, knowing that they planned to interrogate her then, but she acquiesced and sent them on their way. Madame Pomfrey and the professor shared a concerned look before turning to Ava.

The matron spoke first, "Ava, I'm leaving some pain potions with your aunt and I want you to be completely honest with her about the amount of pain you feel. I do not want to be summoned here once again to find you huddled on the floor in such pain, young lady." Feeling admonished, Ava simply nodded. "Good. Now, I'm going to start brewing some stronger pain potions in case you have any severe episodes. Both of you please let me know if you need anything else." She turned to Ava before adding, "Or if you just want to talk."

Ava smiled at the kindness that Madame Pomfrey was showing to her. She was honestly surprised at how nice everyone had been so far. Based on the look upon the professor's face once she turned around from parting with the matron, Ava braced for a lecture. However, her aunt merely said, "You better be more prompt with taking those pain potions, lass. My old heart can't take many more scares like that."

Feeling quite guilty, Ava nodded. "I will, I promise," she reassured the professor as she was handed a cup of tea. Probably trying to keep me calm after all that, Ava thought.

"Good, once you feel up for it, I'd like to get started," McGonagall replied.

Ava frowned in confusion. "With what?" she questioned.

The professor smiled at the young girl from behind her tea cup. "Are you ready to see just how much magic you can do?"