Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, real life reeled me back in. This chapter is a bit longer though, so I hope that makes up for it :) And I'm already working on the next chapter!

Thank you very much for the follows and favorites! :D

Shout out to haleygur7, Sillybug, and Evalanda for the reviews! Each one made me smile :D Feedback is always welcome! I'm trying to pick up the pace of the story lines, dialing back the school stuff. Let me know what you think :) Also, I felt like there were a lot of line breaks in this chapter, but I also felt like they were necessary because of change in POV or day of the week.

Happy Thanksgiving to anyone who celebrates it!


Chapter 17

Remus Lupin ran a hand through his sandy hair as he glanced up from his breakfast to the doors of the Great Hall. James and Sirius told him and Peter that they would catch up since they were to escort "Queen Ava", as Sirius had dubbed the witch, that morning. He couldn't pinpoint why he felt so nervous. Moony was restless, pacing in the back of his mind, anxious for the confusing girl to appear. He supposed his nerves must've been because their last interaction had been far from friendly. He scoffed internally. Of course she wouldn't want a bloody werewolf to touch her, who would? I was just trying to be nice since she was panicking over Prongs and Padfoot not being there. I guess she doesn't even want to be friends, he thought as he returned his gaze to the plate in front of him and began to eat. But her skin was so soft and warm. And comforting. Wait, I was comforting her. He shook his head. There was something about holding her hand that just felt…right. The werewolf continued to eat, tuning out the conversations around him.

"Remus?" a soft voice asked. He didn't even need to look up from his meal to know it was Ava. Moony recognized her scent, along with Sirius and James. Finally, the wolf ceased his anxious movement and settled, satisfied with Ava's presence across the table. "Remus?" the witch called again, this time slightly louder. He looked up, and a fraction of his annoyance disappeared. Avalynn was frowning, glancing between himself and the others, and wringing her hands in front of her. "I'm sorry for the way I acted last week. I, um, just wasn't feeling well. It wasn't anything you did," she told him without maintaining eye contact for too long.

Remus winced and muttered, "Well, I won't touch you again if that helps." He immediately regretted his words when her entire body seemed to crumple in on itself. He didn't miss the glares that James and Sirius were sending his way. However, he couldn't help but remember the vehemence with which Ava told him not to touch her.

The witch shook her head slightly. "Anyway, is it alright if I eat with you again?"

Before this slip of a girl had walked up to their table, Remus would've said that he'd be fine never sitting near Ava again. However, taking in her sweet, familiar smell and hopeful expression, he couldn't stop himself from nodding in agreement. He mentally rolled his eyes at Moony's reaction. The wolf was beyond pleased that Ava had returned to their friend group for meals, and probably would've forced Remus to agree even if he hadn't wanted to. Based on his fellow Marauders' descriptions of his wolf, had he been transformed at that moment, his tail would've been wagging excessively.

Even though Ava spent the duration of the meal silent, unless answering direct questions, Remus couldn't take his eyes off of her. He kept catching himself observing the single hand that rested above the table, along with the skin exposed along her neck and clavicle. The teenager willed his cheeks not to redden when he recalled previously thinking of her skin as "delicious." Roving his eyes over Ava's face, taking in her freckles, blue eyes, and pouty lips, he came to the conclusion that despite the fact that the witch didn't want him touching her, he most definitely wanted his hands to explore her body. He could feel Moony purring in agreement. Mate. Startled, his eyes widened before he was able to school his features. What?! No. Moony grumbled disapprovingly. No, Remus thought firmly. I heard you loud and clear that time. She's not—Ava is NOT our mate.

"You okay Moony?" the werewolf heard Sirius ask.

Remus poked his head up to see everyone looking at him inquisitively. "Yeah," he breathed out. "I'm fine."

Sirius cracked a smile, but narrowed his gray eyes. "Might wanna ease up on your fork there tough guy."

The werewolf looked down to see his fist tightly wrapped around the utensil, his knuckles turning white. He instantly released the fork, letting it drop to the wooden table. The conversations around the table resumed a moment later and in no time at all, breakfast was ending. Avalynn hurried off to Charms, telling them with a smile to wish her good luck on her third-year Charms exam. As Remus watched her leave, he repeated his thought to Moony. Ava is not our mate. Then he clarified, We don't have a mate.


Ava breezed through her Charms exam and fared just as well on her second-year Defense exam. She was disheartened to leave little Benedict behind in her first-year Defense class earlier in the week, but she still had Potions to look forward to. Having successfully memorized all of the information that Slughorn was covering that period, Ava decided to write down the ingredients and uses for the ones that Severus had taught her. Most of them were beyond the first-year level, so the witch still felt as though she was being productive. She chuckled slightly after noticing that Benedict had copied down her ingredients notes without hesitation, thinking they were part of today's curriculum. Making a mental note to correct him after class, she slipped her parchment back towards the pouting Slytherin who just couldn't keep up with the professor.

After Potions, Avalynn headed to the library to meet with her aunt. The plan was to scour the books once more, including the Restricted Section, for any tomes that could provide assistance with Ava's situation, preferably a way home. After having a great day of classes, the witch could feel her enthusiasm waning as the clock ticked closer to dinner and they still hadn't uncovered any useful information. She glanced at the unread stack of texts, noticing there were only two left. Professor McGonagall huffed out a breath as she closed the book in her hands before reaching for another. Ava grumbled, but took the other, wanting to get the search over with. She couldn't see the point of it all. Her situation must be the first to have happened, so there wasn't any research that they were going to be able to find. After just a few minutes of scanning the pages most likely to contain answers, Ava slammed the book shut and slid it across the table in defeat.

Her aunt tutted. "I understand your frustration dear, but that's no way to treat a book."

"Sorry."

Ava heard the professor clear her throat, wanting the girl's attention. Once she looked up, McGonagall said, "If it's alright with you, I can describe the basic details of the spell and situation and send out letters to former colleagues from my time studying abroad." Ava nodded. "I thought you might shy away from the idea because of your desire to not divulge the more…unusual details of your story, but I know someone who works in the Department of Mysteries." The young witch's eyes widened. "Precisely. If someone were to know something about this topic, I think it'd be her." She paused before hesitantly asking, "Are you positive that you don't want to consult the Headmaster on this matter, Ava? He may—"

Cutting her aunt off, Ava spoke up, with a fierce look in her eyes. "I have not changed my mind about that old coot, Aunt Minerva." Her guardian's eyebrows raised, causing Ava to sigh. "I just don't trust him entirely, and I'm not desperate enough to ask him yet." A figure behind the professor's shoulder caught Ava's gaze. Severus Snape was looking at her expectantly, so she mouthed, "What?" The dark haired wizard rolled his eyes hard and mimed drinking something. Understanding dawned on the girl and she stood from her chair abruptly. "Aunt Minerva, Severus is waiting for me. We're going to study," she said while gesturing towards the Slytherin.

McGonagall peered over her shoulder and nodded. "I'll return the books, and I expect you back at our quarters at a reasonable hour, young lady."

With a smile and a quick, "Yes ma'am," Ava rushed over to her friend. She couldn't help but reenact his potion mime, exaggerating his movements and facial expression.

"Ha, bloody, ha, McGonagall," Severus said, then turned and strode towards the exit without waiting for his test subject, and Ava jogged to catch up to him, laughing.

"So, what's going on?" she asked once her chuckles subsided.

"We're heading down to the Potions lab to gather you a dose of the potion we brewed since the rat hasn't expired or shown any other negative side effects."

"Sweet," Ava said cheerfully.

Severus raised an eyebrow at her before explaining, "Afterwards, we'll return to the library where I can monitor your health and we can study." Ava nodded, deferring to the future Potions Master.

Once the witch drank the experimental potion, the pair trekked back to the library, where the Slytherin had Ava review first-year Potions with a lightning round of questions. Pleased, he gave her a small smile before announcing that they would start brewing the next week during their tutoring sessions. Ava whooped and fist pumped, causing the subdued wizard to startle in his seat. Each student worked on their respective homework until it was time for dinner. With strict orders from the Slytherin, Ava promised to monitor herself all night and tomorrow until she reported back to him. If the Gryffindor felt ill at all, she was to go to the Hospital Wing and have Madame Pomfrey fetch him immediately.


The new witch found herself in an unfortunate situation the next morning, but considering who she managed to make friends with, it was unavoidable. Ava's eyes flickered back and forth between the bright green grass beneath her feet and James hovering on his broom, holding out his hand for her to take. "I don't know, James," she told him, trying to talk her way out of joining him on the enchanted cleaning supply.

Movement to James' right stole her attention as she watched Sirius approach them quickly and pull himself into a stop, hovering next to James. "C'mon, Ava. It's amazing. The wind in your hair, you can see the whole world up here."

From the stands behind them, Ava could hear Lily call out, "Maybe she doesn't need to see the whole world like you Quidditch crazy boys, Sirius."

Smiling, the witch turned to her red-headed friend. "Thanks, Lily!" she yelled. Along with Lily were Alice, Remus, and Peter. The audience of her stubborn refusal to fly. She had flat out told the boys that there was no way she'd get on a broom by herself when they first instructed her to hold a hand out over the broom and say "Up!" But the offer of James controlling the broom's movements didn't sound too bad. Ava just wasn't sure if she trusted the mischievous Marauder to not let her dangle upside down or attempt to scare her in any other way.

Sirius and James shared a look before the Black heir shouted, "I'm surprised you managed to end up in Gryffindor, Avalynn McGonagall."

With her eyes narrowed to slits, Ava placed her hands on her hips and turned to him. "Excuse me, Sirius Black?"

The Animagus' bravado nearly left him at her withering glare, but he pushed on. "Yeah. You won't even get on the broom and hover a little bit?" he taunted.

Peter, feeling up to teasing the new member of their group, added from the stands, "Yeah, I bet she couldn't even do a lap of the pitch." The fired up witch whipped around to face the cheeky boy, causing him to grimace and mutter out an disingenuous apology.

Grumbling under her breath about stupid boys trying to tell her what she can and can't do, Ava stomped her way over to James and gestured for him to come closer. He lowered the broom so that his feet were planted on the ground. "So, how exactly does this work?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

A soft smile graced James' face. "I won't let you get hurt, Ava. Not again, not ever."

Closing her eyes, Ava took a deep breath. "Promise?" the witch whispered as she stepped closer and reached out to grasp the broom with one hand.

If James hadn't been an Animagus, he wouldn't have heard Ava's quiet plea. His heart panged at the thought of letting down the girl whose life he and Sirius had upturned. "I solemnly swear it, milady." Seeing a smile break out on Ava's face, he proceeded to explain the easiest way for her to fly with him. James grasped Ava's left hand and held her steady as she threw her leg over the broom and settled herself in front of him. "Now, as to not make my Lily flower jealous, I won't be asking you to slide back any further," he joked.

Ava laughed, but then in a serious tone, asked, "Is it still safe?"

Now the wizard laughed, "Yes, Ava. Don't be so scared. We'll go slow and before you know it, you'll love flying. Ready?"

Ava's hands were shaking, but she couldn't tell if it was from fright or a consequence of too much pain potion. Either way, she wanted to hold on for dear life, so she gripped the broom handle tightly. "I'm ready," she muttered, not feeling ready at all.

Slowly, James lifted them from the ground and took them ten, twenty, thirty feet up before Ava asked, "James?" in a shaky voice.

"You're safe, Ava. Just don't let go, okay?"

Fat chance! she thought. Her entire body was rigid, afraid of moving even a millimeter. However, hearing cheers from Sirius, Lily, and Alice emboldened the witch. Taking a few slow, deep breaths, Ava tried to relax. "We can go higher," she told James after a couple of moments. Sure enough, he rose the broom thirty more feet in the air, causing Ava to suck in a breath.

"Try looking out in front of us, and not underneath us," her co-pilot suggested.

Looking up from her hands clenched around the broom handle, Ava immediately saw that they were nearing the lowest goal hoop of the Quidditch pitch. "Can we go through the hoop?" she asked, having a sudden desire to do so. "But slowly?"

James chuckled. "Of course." He flew them through the hoop, eliciting more yells of encouragement from their friends.

"Again, but faster," Ava demanded.

"Yes, ma'am!" Taking control of the broom, James steered them towards the hoop. "Trust me?" he asked.

Letting out a sigh, Ava said, "You better not make me regret this." Laughing, James scooted a little closer and wrapped an arm around Ava's waist. "James!" she exclaimed, startled. "What about Lily?"

"Ah, she'll be fine. She wouldn't want you to get hurt and she knows that she's the only witch for me." He paused. "Besides, you're gonna want me to hold onto you. Hang on tight." Without further warning, James soared up to the highest goal hoop, tearing a shriek from Ava's lips. He hovered level with the hoop for a few seconds, letting the witch adjust to the new height momentarily, before blasting through the hoop and flying across the pitch. They flew through the opposite goal hoop and twirled down to fly through the lowest hoop before rising back up to over one hundred feet from the ground.

Breathless, James asked, "You good?"

Giggling with delight, Ava exclaimed, "Yes!" Turning her head slightly, the witch caught James' eye and declared, "I want to do a lap around the pitch. And faster."

His eyes widened before he let out a loud laugh. "If that's what the Queen demands."

Ava smirked. "Oh, she does. And I'd like to teach Peter a lesson." She glanced down to see him still sitting alone in the row below Remus, but above Lily and Alice.

James returned her smirk, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Yes, your majesty." Ava faced forward once more and squeezed the broom as tightly as she could. "Lean forward some, yeah?" James pushed lightly on her back until she was nearly laying on the broom. The exhilaration of tearing through the air like lightning was intoxicating, and Ava couldn't stop herself as she demanded increasingly frightening stunts from her friend. "Ready?" James asked.

"Ready," the witch replied.

They set off around the edge of the pitch, zooming at a speed that Ava had yet to experience. At the end of the lap, James paused, allowing for Ava to yell out a whoop that was returned by her friends in the stands. "We're going in," James said before flying them around the pitch once more and gradually moving lower, towards the stands. Before she knew it, they dropped even lower as they approached the stands where their fellow Gryffindors were watching. Smiling widely, James directed the broom to buzz right over Peter's row, merely startling the girls and Remus, but causing the stout Animagus to squeak loudly as he attempted to duck under the stands. James, Sirius, and Avalynn were laughing uncontrollably as they slowly descended to the grass, seeing that their friends were climbing down from the stands.

Sirius hopped off his broom and walked over to James and Lily. "I knew you could do it," he told the witch.

Ava frowned, before sighing in realization. "I just hate being told I can't do something," she grumbled.

"Don't we all," Sirius said while holding out a hand for her to take. As Ava stepped down to the grass, she stumbled, nearly falling on her face. And she would have had Sirius not been there to throw out his arms and help steady her. "You alright?" he asked with a frown.

Ava merely nodded, but clutched onto Sirius. The dizzy spell that came on was stronger than what she had been experiencing the past few days. She sighed internally. I'll need to tell Severus. The Animagus narrowed his eyes at her, but released her arms nonetheless.


Remus was shocked by the turn of events. Ava appeared to love flying. He couldn't help but smile and laugh along with Lily and Alice as they cheered the witch on. He also couldn't help but notice how comfortable she looked in his best friend's arms. Moony bristled along with his human at the sight. Remus shook his head, trying to clear out those thoughts. It wasn't like he had any claim to Ava, despite how his wolf felt. He tuned into the conversation just in time to hear Lily offer for Ava to join them to study since James and Sirius would be starting actual Quidditch practice in a short while. He looked to the girl in question and felt his bubble of hope burst at the expression on her face.

With her lips pressed together in a firm line, Ava looked at her friends before shaking her head. "I'm actually studying with Aunt Minerva this whole weekend." Remus' sensitive vision picked up on the slight movement of her hands twitching. "You know, to catch up on Transfiguration." Ava shifted from foot to foot before muttering a quick goodbye, informing them that she'd see them for dinner.

Watching Ava dash across the green pitch, Remus pondered over his conflicting feelings. The witch appeared to want nothing to do with him, but he couldn't stop thinking about her. His heart would race every time he saw her, and Moony kept whining for her attention. Remus didn't think he would feel so crushed at Ava brushing them off to study with Professor McGonagall, but he guessed it didn't sit well with him because it didn't seem like the witch was being truthful.


Ava power-walked like never before and climbed the stairs two at a time, rushing towards her quarters. She breathlessly said the password before slamming the door shut behind her, panting and leaning against the door with her eyes closed, paranoid that Lily or Remus or someone would follow her and find out she was lying about tutoring with her aunt all weekend. She didn't trust herself to be around Remus without James or Sirius to help ground her and keep her from acting on the bond. After catching her breath, Ava peeked her eyes open to see Professor McGonagall looking at her pointedly with her brows raised. Sighing, she moved over to the sofa, sitting down with her elbows on her knees. Without any preamble, the younger witch said, "I need you to pretend like we're studying Transfiguration together all weekend. Please?"

McGonagall looked at her niece with narrowed eyes. "And why would I say that when we are doing no such thing?"

"Because I'm purposefully avoiding Remus right now."

"I'll cover for you young lady, if you explain to me why you're being so stubborn about avoiding Mr. Lupin." The older witch joined Ava on the sofa.

Knowing that her guardian would become upset, the girl groaned while flopping back into the couch and wiping a hand down her face. "Fine. I suppose you ought to know. But you aren't going to like it."

"Avalynn," McGonagall said sternly.

"Alright!" she cried as she sat up straight. The younger witch fiddled with her fingers, saying, "The bond is becoming harder to resist."

"How so?"

"My magic seems to be taking, uh, control of my body if I get too close to Remus or if we touch." At the look the professor gave her, Ava shouted, "Not like that! He only touched my freaking hand and it's like I zone out and my magic forces me towards him. I almost kissed him at breakfast last week in the Great Hall. In front of everyone."

"Oh, dear. That is concerning. I can see why you're attempting to steer clear of the young man," her aunt murmured. "Is there anything else you'd like to share since it appears as though you've kept this quiet for a week now?"

Ava cringed, knowing that she'd have to fess up about the potions because she needed to ask for another batch. "Yeah," she started slowly. "I'm, um, well, I'm taking four pain potions pretty much every day now."

"Good Godric, dear child! I surely hope that you're exaggerating." Ava squeezed her eyes shut at McGonagall's outburst and shook her head. Hearing movement, the girl opened her eyes to see the professor grab a handful of Floo powder before tossing it into the fireplace and shouting out "Madame Pomfrey's Office." The matron must've answered because the professor shouted, "We need to talk Poppy! Now!" before pulling back from the fireplace. The older witch didn't reclaim her seat on the couch, but remained standing, pacing the room.

A moment later, the fireplace flashed with green flames and Madame Pomfrey appeared. "What seems to be the trouble? Ava's clearly not having another episode." She looked back and forth between McGonagall and her charge.

"Would you care to tell Madame Pomfrey, your healer, the information that you've withheld from us, Avalynn?" the professor asked. The girl gulped before turning to the matron and opening her mouth, but apparently McGonagall was too worked up because the older witch interrupted, shouting, "Ava's taking four pain potions a day, Poppy! Four extra strength pain potions! Merlin knows what kind of effect that has on a person!"

"Now, hold on, Minerva. I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation," Madame Pomfrey soothed. She looked at Ava expectantly.

The young witch cleared her throat and quietly said, "I didn't want to worry you," while staring at the floor. "You're already doing so much, taking me in, helping me figure out a way home, letting me learn magic, helping me cope with this soulmate bond bullshit…I didn't want to ask anything else of you." Ava could feel tears starting to form in her stinging eyes. Sensing the couch dip next to her, she looked up to see Professor McGonagall with tears in her eyes as well.

"Ava." Her aunt placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Dear, we can't help you if you don't let us."

Sniffling, Avalynn took a deep breath, realizing that she should share more of her secrets with the concerned witches and get it out in the open. "I'm actually getting some help from Severus," she said while ducking her head.

"Mr. Snape?" McGonagall and Pomfrey asked in unison.

The girl nodded. "I had him take the same oath as you two and the others so I could tell him the truth about me. He's still teaching me Potions, but we're working on creating a new one that'll help me better than the one I'm taking now. Well, it's really Severus running the show. I just help."

The older witches shared a surprised look before turning back to Ava. "Are you certain that Mr. Snape is who you should be seeking help from, Ava?" Madame Pomfrey asked. "Not a certified Healer from St. Mungo's? That's the hospital for witches and wizards."

Ava waved the matron off. "Yeah, I know about St. Mungo's, and no, I don't need someone else. I trust Severus and he's a genius when it comes to Potions."

McGonagall released an exasperated breath. "If you believe that his assistance is what's best for you, I suppose that we must accept your wishes."

"Thank you, Aunt Minerva," the young witch said with a smile. "I know it can't be easy just trusting me when I haven't told you the complete truth of everything that I know."

Frowning, the professor said, "You do know that you can share that burden, Ava. You needn't carry it alone."

"I know. There's just a lot. I'll have to decide what's necessary and what's not," the girl replied, thinking of Peter and the devastation that the Marauders could be spared with no one but herself the wiser. "Just give me some time."

McGonagall's frown deepened and she opened her mouth to speak, but was startled into silence as Avalynn leapt up from the couch and rushed to the cabinet that held the pain potions. The witch quickly uncorked a vial and swallowed it down in one gulp. As she walked back to her seat, Ava attempted to bury her trembling hands in her robes unsuccessfully.

Madame Pomfrey promptly approached the girl and began running diagnostic spells, causing her brows to furrow. "You're showing early signs of malnourishment and organ failure. How has your sleep been recently?"

"Not great. Severus yelled at me when I told him that I was practicing a bunch of spells to make myself tired enough."

The matron scoffed. "And right he should. You need your magical core at its strongest if you're taking that number of pain potions a day, young lady. There are a couple of ingredients that become toxic to witches and wizards when consumed in large amounts."

"Well, like you said, Madame Pomfrey, I'm just showing early signs of it getting worse, and like I said, Severus is capable of helping me. We just need some time."

McGonagall tutted. "So, you're asking us to give you more time to slowly kill yourself, Ava?"

The young witch rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to die, Aunt Minerva. I'll just be a little shaky and tired for a few more weeks and it'll be fine. We've only made two potions and the second one is already working better than the original potion. It suppressed the pain and lasted about half a day longer." Ava's thoughts jumped to consider if the potion was designed to not suppress the pain from the physical manifestation of her soulmate bond, but the bond itself. If her connection to Remus was rendered inert by the potion, then she wouldn't need to worry about her magic pulling them together anymore. She made a mental note to ask Severus.

The professor pressed her lips together and sternly said, "If anything changes, anything, you tell myself and Madame Pomfrey immediately. Not the next day, not the next week, immediately. If we find out that you've kept more pertinent information from us, then we will escort you to St. Mungo's post haste, and I won't hesitate to discuss the situation with the Headmaster if necessary. Do you understand me, Avalynn?"

Ava's mouth was hanging slightly open. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so succinctly put in her place. But she had to admit, it felt a little nice to be mothered. Nodding, she said, "Yes, ma'am."

McGonagall accepted Ava's acknowledgment with a nod. "I'll owl the Potters about another meeting. I'd like to take a better look at that spell to see if there's any information that might have been missed. While Madame Pomfrey and myself haven't had close experiences with soulmates, I don't believe that the magic should be affecting you so negatively, Ava. Poppy?"

The healer nodded in agreement. "I would agree considering that your connection to Mr. Lupin is one of love and not malice in nature."

"I think it's because I'm not listening to my magic," Ava grumbled. After a moment of silence, she added, "Didn't the Potters use that spell for people who wanted the bond for their marriage?" Looking down at her chest, she said, "And don't even think about a wedding. That's nowhere near in the future for me. Stupid, stubborn magic."

The older witches shared an amused look and McGonagall spoke up. "Magic may be relatively sentient, Ava, and will occasionally impose its will upon others, but it's not much of a conversationalist." Ava merely sighed in response.

Hesitantly, Madame Pomfrey said, "If it were to assuage your pain at all, dear, then why not speak to Mr. Lupin?"

Looking quickly to the matron, Ava replied, "If I don't have to drag Remus into this, I won't. At least, not until we find out if I've got a way to get home or not. And besides, even if I can't return to my world, we've all got bigger problems to worry about than me getting a little fatigued over too many potions." Determination settled onto her face. "I can push through this," she said with her thoughts briefly drifting back to the upcoming war.

Soon after their conversation, Madame Pomfrey returned to the Hospital Wing and Professor McGonagall went about grading essays while Ava continued her magical studies. Considering that the young witch was learning fourth-year Charms and third-year Defense, Ava thought to propose a change in her tutors. McGonagall agreed with her idea of studying with Lily for Charms, but wanted her to continue working with Kingsley until she surpassed his abilities. Ava acquiesced to her aunt's wishes since she planned to practice dueling with Severus and Sirius anyway. After spending some time studying Charms, Defense, Potions, and second-year Transfiguration, the girl sighed but knew that she needed to dedicate the rest of the day to Astronomy and History of Magic.

Thankfully, time seemed to fly and before Ava knew it, dinner was upon her. The meal seemingly went off without a hitch. No temper tantrum from Ava's magic, and help from Sirius was keeping her grounded in reality. However, the witch didn't notice the narrowed eyes of the werewolf across the table tracking her every movement. Including the fact that her hand appeared to be latched onto Sirius' under the table.


Sunday followed much like the day before, without the exhilaration of flying. Avalynn realized how far behind she felt in her first-year classes and chose to spend more time studying. Sirius may have dramatically lamented the loss of her company for the day at breakfast that morning, but his antics weren't enough to sway the witch. Granted, History of Magic and Astronomy didn't seem to be the most crucial magical subjects, but Ava didn't want to discount any information that could potentially help her in the future. I need all the help I can get, she thought, joining Severus Snape at their usual study table in the library. After giving the Slytherin time to get to a decent stopping point in writing his essay, Ava gave him an update about her health and potion intake over the past two days. It seemed that their second attempt at a new potion worked well since it allowed for Ava to take only two other pain potions within a twenty-four hour time span, helping her decrease the amount of potions she was consuming by one, regardless of the fact that it made her a little bit more dizzy. Without any indication of celebration, like the smile that Ava was sporting, Severus proclaimed that he would continue to brew that same potion to give her body some relief from the toxic ingredients in the extra strength pain potion, but he would continue working towards a real solution.

Ava rolled her eyes at the lack of pride Severus showed with creating a semi-useful potion and voice her idea from the day before. "Do you think it'd be possible to make a potion that would suppress the bond itself, and not just the pain it's causing?"

Severus' hand stilled and he looked up from his parchment. "I don't advise that route." Without waiting for a response, he returned to his essay.

Crossing her arms, Ava asked, "And why not?"

The Slytherin sighed and placed down his quill. "McGonagall, look, I may not know everything there is to know about your…connection, but it's safe to say that it would be intertwined with your magical core if it is indeed a true bond." Ava raised her brows expectantly, causing him to add, "If the potion were designed to suppress the connection, which is essentially attached to your magical core, then the potion would also affect your core directly, which is never a good idea. It could potentially dampen your actual magic too."

"Oh," Ava said as her hopes for escaping the soulmate bond with Remus diminished. The subject wasn't broached again for the remainder of the day as the studious pair worked.


At the end of Transfiguration class the next day, Professor McGonagall asked Ava to stay for a moment. She approached the teacher's desk in confusion, not sure what the older witch would want to discuss.

"Yes, Aunt Minerva?"

McGonagall pressed her lips together and let out a breath through her nose. "Now, I don't want you to get discouraged, but one of the letters that I sent out asking for advice pertaining to your situation returned with no useful suggestions. There are still five other people whom I've owled, which we have yet to hear from."

Even with the professor's attempt to reassure her, Ava couldn't help but feel a wave of defeat wash over her. In a quiet voice, she replied, "Oh, okay," while nodding absentmindedly. Without another word, she turned and left the classroom. The feeling of hopelessness persisted throughout the day while Ava attended her History of Magic and Astronomy classes. When she arrived to dinner, James and Sirius seemed to know that something was bothering her because they were being obvious in their attempts to cheer her up. Ava tried to flash the boys and the other Gryffindors genuine looking smiles so that they wouldn't pester her about the topic of her gloomy thoughts.

Reflexively squeezing Sirius' hand when making eye contact with Remus, the witch felt relief at the fact that her magic settled whenever it flared up to make its wishes known since the Animagus was helping ground her in reality. But a frown formed on Ava's face as she realized that she was becoming used to eating with one hand. Frustration flooded through her at the acknowledgment of her dependence on Sirius and James. She hated relying on others for help and it was bad enough as it was that she had to include so many people in the truth about her. Ava's attention was pulled from stabbing the pieces of roasted turkey on her plate when James tapped her shoulder. He was pointing out an owl that appeared to be delivering a letter to Professor McGonagall at the Head Table.

Receiving mail this late in the day was a tad unusual, but not unheard of. Curious, Ava looked on as her aunt lifted the letter in the air slightly with a smile and raised brows. Must be another letter about finding a way home for me, the young witch thought. However, as McGonagall's eyes scanned the letter, her face dropped further and further before she finally looked up at Ava with her lips pressed together and minutely shook her head.

The displaced girl felt her hope deflate like a balloon and slumped in her seat. The others seemed to notice, and just as Lily opened her mouth, presumably to ask Ava what was wrong, the upset witch stood and left without a word, desperate to escape their probing questions. As Ava walked to the library in a daze, she considered her bleak future, the one in which she wasn't able to return home. Never to see my family or friends again, she thought morosely. Just as Ava neared the entrance to the library, something brushed against her arm, causing her to startle.

The Slytherin at her side smirked. "You need to be more aware of your surroundings McGonagall," Severus stated.

Rolling her eyes, Ava smacked him lightly on the arm, assuming that it was the offending appendage that had caused her fright. "Whatever, man. I was a little wrapped up in my thoughts, so sue me." Her brows furrowed before asking, "Were you following me?"

Severus looked at her with a blank face and merely shrugged his shoulders. "I may have noticed your hasty departure, but only because I wanted to inquire as to whether or not you would be joining me in the Potions lab tonight."

Trying to keep from smiling, Ava said, "Of course I will. Thanks for checking on me, I appreciate it."

A pleased look flashed across Severus' face, indicating that he understood that Ava was thanking him for more than just making sure she was going to the Potions lab. Even though she may be a Gryffindor, Ava was astutely aware that Severus wasn't one to voice his true emotions freely. Without another word, the pair headed towards the dungeons in amiable silence. Remembering that the Slytherin intended to brew two potions that night, and hoping she could help, Ava attempted to steady her nerves, but to no avail. It seemed that the more she concentrated on keeping her fingers still, the more they trembled. As Severus quizzed her on the ingredients from their second experimental potion, he handed her the glass jars containing the various plant and animal specimens that were necessary for the brew. Unable to calm her quivering hands, Ava grimaced when her partner quickly looked to her at the sound of glass clanking together. With narrowed eyes, Severus swiped the ingredients from her hands and scolded her for not being upfront with him about the state of her hands. Ava mumbled an apology and continued to soak up the Potions knowledge she could while the wizard gathered ingredients for their third attempt at a new pain potion. Regardless of the fact that the potion materials were above first-year level, Severus expected Ava to remember those that they would use for their third shot at a functional and nontoxic potion, so she tried her best to remain focused.


Based upon Ava's shaky hands while holding the potion ingredients temporarily, Severus didn't bother asking her to try and keep a knife steady in order to practice preparing the ingredients. When they returned to the work table, he ordered the Gryffindor to sit by the cauldron and tried to keep his tone clinical as he questioned Ava about her symptoms. She can't keep this up much longer, he thought as he observed the witch subtly from behind a curtain of his dark hair. She revealed the diagnosis from Madame Pomfrey, and he had to agree with the matron. The tremor in his friend's hand was decidedly worse than it was a few days before, causing a rare flicker of worry to develop in the back of his mind. Severus pushed the thought away, concentrating on the potion in front of him. Even if Avalynn hadn't endeared herself to him, the Slytherin's compulsion to help her would've been great considering the valuable information of the future she knew.

Taking another glance at the slip of a girl that wanted to challenge the Dark Lord, Severus couldn't help the shiver than ran down his spine at the notion of his potential master gaining knowledge that could help him overcome every obstacle that stood in his way of ultimate power. The wizard felt a scowl form on his face at his own foolishness for pursuing a position within the ranks of the Death Eaters. With Lily no longer his friend, he felt drawn to the people that valued his abilities, and the Dark Lord's offer of a fully paid Potions apprenticeship was rather enticing. He had ignored the prejudices and dark tendencies of his fellow followers, clinging to the small sense of belonging that came with his particular circle of friends. Too late now, he scolded himself, even though Avalynn was determined to not let him be marked. He briefly thought of his friends, Regulus Black and Lucius Malfoy, who were to also be branded once they graduated. Trying to focus on the potion in front of him and his own impending doom, Severus shook his head.

"You alright?" Ava asked him with a frown.

He nodded silently, then cast a protection spell over the two cauldrons. "Ready to practice?" he asked.

"Practice what?"

The wizard rolled his eyes. "Dueling, McGonagall."

"I'm really not in the mood," she muttered.

Severus lifted an eyebrow at her excuse and said, "Oh, well pardon me. Let me know when you're 'in the mood' to prepare yourself for taking down the Dark Lord. It should be fairly easy after all."

Ava pouted for a moment then let out a frustrated groan as she pulled herself off the stool and took a dueling stance across the room from the Slytherin after stomping her way over there. Despite her clear annoyance, Severus was quite pleased that Ava was willing to listen to him. For the next two hours, the pair fired spells at each other, breaking periodically for water before the future Potions Master's wand let loose an alarm, signaling that their experiments were finished brewing. When Severus walked back into the lab with the test rat, he couldn't help but laugh at Ava's guilt ridden expression as she asked how many rats he believed they would need to use for the experimental potion.

"It's the same rat as the very first test, McGonagall. Nothing's been drastically wrong with the potions, they just aren't effective enough for your needs."

Ava rolled her eyes, and sarcastically said, "Yeah, my needs." Picking at her robes, she rambled on, "What I need is to be better at magic faster. I need to make sure I don't fuck up the time line, but there's just so much information swirling around my brain, it's overwhelming."

Now it was the Slytherin's turn to roll his eyes. "May I suggest that you write down your scheming details, organizing them in a discreet manner?" Without warning, Severus found himself stumbling backwards from the impact of a solid object against his chest. Looking down at the sentimental Gryffindor with her arms wrapped around him, he grumbled, "Must you, witch?"

"Yep!" Ava exclaimed. "I absolutely must, Severus. You're a genius." She retracted from his arms and collected her belongings while clarifying that they were indeed finished for the night. He quickly bottled some of the second potion for Ava to take with her, which she snatched from his hand on her way out the door. Yelling over her shoulder, Ava said that she would see him tomorrow.

The dark haired wizard shook his head and mumbled, "What have I gotten myself into with that girl?"


Out of breath from running through the corridors and up the many flights of stairs, Avalynn stood in front of the Fat Lady's portrait, chest heaving, rapidly losing her patience. "Look. I might not know the password, but I'm obviously a Gryffindor," she said slowly, gesturing at her school tie and the lion emblem on her uniform.

"That doesn't mean a thing, young lady. You could've transfigured your robes or taken Polyjuice Potion for all I know," the large, haughty woman replied, eyeing Ava up and down.

Letting out a growl of frustration, the witch flung her arms into the air, shouting, "For crying out loud, I'm McGonagall's niece! Just let. Me. In." Ava stood there with her hands on her hips, waiting for the common room door to open. When the Fat Lady did nothing but turn up her nose at Ava, the girl had had enough. She charged the portrait and proceeded to bang on the painting, causing the occupant to shriek. "Hey, open up!" Avalynn yelled, hoping that someone, anyone, inside Gryffindor Tower would hear her.

Just a moment later, the tall frame detached from the wall, revealing a small first-year that Ava recognized from her Transfiguration class. "Hello, I'm looking for Sirius Black and James Potter," she said politely. The tiny kid opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a voice that Ava could identify anywhere. She sucked in a breath as she glanced over the young student's shoulder and locked eyes with Remus. "I need to talk to James and Sirius," she repeated, a little louder, hoping that the boys would hear her, but not taking her gaze off the sandy haired wizard in front of her. The first-year's eyes bounced back and forth between the new girl and the werewolf before he huffed out a breath, rolled his eyes, and walked off.

"Want to come in?" Remus asked.

Ava clenched her fists and quickly said, "No, I need to talk to them in private." Pressing her nails into the palms of her hand, Ava was finally able to break away from the werewolf's entrancing green eyes, missing them flash amber.


Remus was working on his homework for Ancient Runes when he felt Moony stir at a scent in the air. Taking a curious sniff, he immediately recognized that it belonged to Ava. Before he knew it, he had followed the smell to the entrance of the common room and discovered that Ava was indeed there, trying to gain access. Stepping into sight, Remus said, "Hey, Ava," and he could hear the small intake of breath from the witch in front of him. She probably still doesn't feel comfortable around me, the werewolf assumed with a tinge of hurt. "Want to come in?" he asked, hoping his tone was friendly.

Ava seemed to stiffen before saying, "No, I need to talk to them in private."

At her comment, Moony growled and Remus had to press his lips together in an attempt to keep himself from doing the same. What could she need to talk to them about that I can't hear too? Maybe this is my chance to get to know her better. Over his shoulder, he yelled out to his friends who were busying goofing off, procrastinating doing their homework. Remus could hear James and Sirius approach, so he looked for Peter, spotting him still getting help from Lily. His Animagus friend looked torn, but stayed put, knowing that if he deserted his work in the middle of study help from the redhead, he'd never hear the end of it.

"Can I come too?" Remus asked Ava cautiously. He was tired of being pushed to the side by the witch and was rather curious about her since he couldn't quite figure her out. He was also trying to appease Moony, whose high-pitched whining was driving him bonkers. Even though Ava was frowning and avoiding his gaze, she nodded, indicating that he could go with them. Sirius and James had joined them at the entrance and Ava beckoned for them to follow her out into the corridor.

As the portrait closed behind them, the Fat Lady reprimanded Ava, claiming that her behavior wasn't befitting that of a young lady. Instead of voicing a reply, she sneered at the painting, causing Remus and his friends to stop in their tracks. He could only assume that James and Sirius were startled for the same reason he was.

"What?" Ava asked with a tilt of her head.

"Blimey, Ava. You looked just like Snape for a moment there," James informed her, as the other Animagus and the werewolf nodded in agreement.

The girl laughed and said, "Good. Maybe she'll listen to me in the future then." The boys shook their heads at her before raising their brows expectantly.

"So, what's up with the late night social call?" Sirius asked with a grin. "Planning a bit of mischief?"

Ava returned his smile and said, "No, but I do need your Marauder expertise. I need to know how to charm a piece of parchment to hide the contents from everyone but myself. Or anyone else with the password."

In unison, all three boys asked, "Like the map?", earning a wide grin from the witch, dazzling Remus. He felt a little giddy and his thoughts were fuzzy as he took in Ava's joyful expression.

"Exactly like the map. It's ingenious really. I figured who else would be better to teach me something like that other than you talented boys?"

Remus could feel Moony preening at her praise. We impress our mate, the wolf communicated to his human. The wizard was too distracted to correct that statement as his eyes continued to linger on the witch while James reassured her that they would walk through the spells step by step with her in person.

Ava shook her head and her voice took on a tone of warning, pulling Remus from his thoughts. "I don't need you to do it with me. I just need to know how to do it, and then I'll perform the spells myself." Sirius and James persisted, demanding to know what exactly Ava wanted to charm. She seemed to loose her patience and blurted out, "It's for a diary."

Regardless of how convincing the witch must've thought she sounded, the werewolf could tell that her explanation wasn't the entire truth. However, she let him attend her secretive meeting with his friends and he wanted to remain in her good graces. So, when Sirius stated that he wanted to know the real reason Ava needed the spells in return for helping her, Remus rolled his eyes and offered his help. He could sense his friends gaping at him, and when he didn't give James and Sirius the attention they sought, they both began dramatically groaning about Moony spilling their secrets willy-nilly.

"Oh, come off it," he said, turning to the two Animagi. "You know just as well as I do that she's a stubborn witch." He looked back to Ava. "She knows what she wants, and she goes for it," he said, looking directly into her eyes. He couldn't help but notice Ava's pupils dilating for a second before she shook her head and muttered a breathy thanks. She appeared to be fidgety, even though Remus couldn't think of a good reason why. Ava glanced at Sirius with her cheeks flushed and it made sense. She had a crush on Sirius. It was obvious, especially when he considered the fact that they held hands at meal times. Of course she likes him, why wouldn't she? he thought dejectedly. The werewolf turned to leave, but someone grabbed his wrist, keeping him in place. The touch warmed him inside and outside and he glanced back to see that Ava was the one grasping so tightly onto him.

"Thank you, Remus," she said breathlessly, with dilated eyes, before looking away and slowly peeling her fingers from around his wrist. He stood there in a daze, feeling colder with every step she took down the corridor, walking away from him.