Author's Note: I'm sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. The holidays were hectic with flying back to the U.S. and visiting family in two different states. Yeesh :/ If you don't care for more personal notes from authors, feel free to skip ahead to the chapter, but if you don't mind, I have something I'd like to say to each and every one of you that's been keep up with this story. I'm not sure how many of you have taken a peek at my profile where I mentioned that I'm working on an original book series along with fan fiction. My long term goal over the next couple of years is to become a self-published author, and over the holidays, I got more skepticism than encouragement from family members, which is super disheartening. However, my experience with this story has been the opposite because of everyone that's left a review or decided to favorite or follow my story. That is so incredibly encouraging, and I would like to thank each of you for doing so because it helps keep me motivated and focused on my end goal. I'm sort of using my fan fiction as practice for developing my writing skills and it's wonderful to see that there are people out there who actually enjoy what I'm writing. So, thank you so very much, from the bottom of my heart :D
Also, how amazing is it that this has got 300+ followers now?! :D
Review shout-out to: Lyryenn, I'm. -derpina, the Guest, Evelanda, mchurch1992, Thetigerlovescats, infinityneverlasts, and haleygur7! Thank you for your thoughts!
I know this is a bit of a shorter chapter, but I didn't want anyone thinking that I've forgotten about the story, so here's a little bit to hold you over until this weekend, when I'll be posting another chapter.
Let me know what you think! :)
Chapter 20
Saturday found Avalynn and Professor McGonagall once again perusing the Hogwarts library for books related to soulmates. Ava followed her aunt reluctantly, feeling that it was of no use and a waste of their time. However, they managed to find a few more texts and retreated to McGonagall's office for a meeting with Madame Pomfrey and Mrs. Potter. As the professor explained it to Ava, the mother felt terrible about the trouble that her boys had gotten the young witch into and wanted to help in any way she could. According to McGonagall, Mrs. Potter believed that she was in possession of something that could prove useful. After receiving that news, Ava anxiously awaited the woman's arrival, barely able to focus on scanning the texts in front of her. With a huff, she closed and shoved away the last book that Hogwarts had to offer on soulmates. Everything mentioned was based on theory and conjecture.
"Don't be too discouraged, dear," McGonagall said while still reading her chosen book from the library.
Ava rolled her eyes, prompting Madame Pomfrey to repeat the older witch's sentiment. As the girl opened her mouth to retort, the Floo activated, revealing Mrs. Potter. After a brief greeting, the witches settled down in the comfy chairs a few steps away from professor's desk and in front of the crackling fire.
"Miss McGonagall, I'd like to apologize once again for my sons' behavior that has put you in this position," Mrs. Potter said. Reaching into her bag, she continued, "I've brought with me the Potter grimoire once again, in case one of you wanted to review the spellwork, but I've also brought what appears to be a diary kept by a Potter ancestor." The other three witches perked up at the news. "We have several journals kept by Potters over the years, but this was the only one that mentioned anything about the soulmate spell."
"Thank you so much," Ava told her, beaming.
"This was the least I could do, so please let me know if there's anything else I can do to help you."
Looking at Mrs. Potter's face, Ava could see the earnest expression was genuine, but not sure what to say, because Ava could definitely think of quite a few things she could use some help with, she merely nodded and reached out to take the smaller, leather bound book from the witch. The brown cover was blank except for the initials imprinted in neat cursive. She cast a glance at her aunt and gulped, trying to resist the hope bubbling up inside of her. This could be it, Ava thought as she peeled back the front cover. As she read through the first several pages of entries, she could feel the happy bubbles of hope disappearing, popping one by one, making way for desperation and then apathy to settle back in. Ava pressed her lips together and closed the journal, much to the surprise of the other witches, if their expressions were anything to go on. "Thank you," she told Mrs. Potter in a monotone voice while setting the book down on the table in the center of their seats.
"Ava, you should show a little more gratitude," Madame Pomfrey reprimanded as Professor McGonagall snatched up the diary and began reading it.
The young girl sighed and looked to the matron. "I know," she said before turning to Mrs. Potter. "I appreciate you coming here today, and for bringing the books. I really am thankful, it's just—"
"We already know this," McGonagall interrupted.
"Pardon?" Mrs. Potter asked.
The professor gave Ava a sympathizing look before asking, "May I explain to Mrs. Potter in more detail?"
"I don't see why not," she said with a shrug.
Her aunt shared a look with Madame Pomfrey. "At least from what I've read so far, Mrs. Potter, this person is merely describing sensations that Ava has already experienced and is currently experiencing."
The other woman gasped. "You'll need to read the rest of it then."
"What? Why?" Ava demanded.
At Mrs. Potter's hesitation, McGonagall spoke up. "Dorea, please. Whether you tell us, or we read it, we still need to know."
She nodded. "Very well." She looked to Ava. "I took the liberty of reading the diary, cover to cover, before bringing it here."
"Dorea," McGonagall snapped.
Without pausing for breath, Mrs. Potter blurted, "Any physical pain, headaches, or what might feel more like heartache, right in your chest, or moments where you lose self-control will only worsen the longer you resist."
Ava laughed bitterly. "Well, duh." Drawing surprised looks from the older witches, she explained, "It has been getting worse. Think about all the pain potions I've had to take just to function normally."
"Miss McGonagall, Ava—I'm truly sorry, dear, but it sounds like you're only at the beginning."
Ava frowned. "What?"
Dorea looked at her apologetically. "The person who wrote these entries, he goes on to explain that because of these symptoms, he eventually pursues a relationship with his intended. While his story ends pleasantly, the reasoning behind his actions is alarming. He describes another Potter ancestor who came before him, who was driven near mad without her soulmate once the connection was established. She had apparently loathed the man prior to casting the spell and refused to give into her magic."
"Oh," Ava whispered, her eyes glazed over in thought. She snapped back to attention when Mrs. Potter continued a moment later.
"You wouldn't happen to have a diary that belonged to this witch, would you?" McGonagall asked.
Mrs. Potter shook her head.
"Just my luck." Ava sighed as she leaned back into the over-sized chair and closed her eyes.
A throat cleared and Mrs. Potter asked, "Would it really be so terrible to be in a romantic relationship with Remus, dear?"
Ava opened her eyes and looked at the witch. "Well, it sure would be easier if he wasn't interested in other girls." Without waiting for a response, she resumed her position from before and let her thoughts run loose. This is going nowhere. I can't just keeping pretending everything's fine if it's all going to get worse. It's hard enough as it is. Dimly, Ava could hear her aunt elaborating on the most recent events regarding Remus to Mrs. Potter. I can't just demand his attention suddenly. Especially when he just asked that Allison girl out. Not yet willing to face the facts, she kept her eyes shut and tried to focus instead on reviewing the material covered in her classes that week.
"Ava, come here please," a stern voice said. The girl peeked her eyes open and found Madame Pomfrey looking at her expectantly while Mrs. Potter and her aunt looked on with mild frowns on their faces.
"Poppy?" McGonagall asked.
"I'd just like to run some tests," the matron said as Ava stood and made her way over to the witch. She could see now that Madame Pomfrey had been reading through the Potter wizard's diary.
"Madame Pomfrey?" Ava asked warily. Instead of receiving a reassuring smile from the nurse, she caught a glimpse of worry, which most certainly did not make Ava feel any better.
"There are subtle indications in this young man's diary of his magical core being depleted by the spell, while he was resisting, at least."
Ava clenched her jaw and squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to halt any tears in their tracks. No, no, no, no. I just got my magic. How am I supposed to help change the time line without magic? She began breathing more rapidly in and out of her nose, with her fists balled at her sides. Feeling a hand wrap around each of her own, Ava opened her eyes, releasing the wetness she had been attempting to contain. McGonagall was holding one of Ava's hands tightly, with fierce determination etched on her face.
"Whatever the result of Poppy's diagnostics, we will be here for you, Ava," her aunt reassured as she wiped away the stray tears on the young girl's face.
Ava nodded once and turned, expecting to find Madame Pomfrey latched onto her other hand. She let out a soft gasp at finding Mrs. Potter to be the one clasping her hand so firmly.
Dorea said, "We can never reverse what has happened to you, child. But Charlus and myself, as well as James and Sirius, will be here for you. For whatever you may need, regardless of the outcome between yourself and Remus." She then turned to Madame Pomfrey and added, "Poppy, you know that I used to be a Head Healer at St. Mungo's. Let me help. Please."
Ava was taken aback by the amount of desperation behind Mrs. Potter's words, but had little time to ponder over it as the matron must've given the other witch the go ahead and both witches began casting spells simultaneously. Ava could feel magic falling over her for the next couple of minutes. Some spells felt heavy, like a thick, wool blanket covering her, while others caused her to feel a chill sweep down her body, resulting in goosebumps. Ava tried to maintain a hopeful face for her aunt, but she couldn't maintain eye contact after the first few spells. Both of the healers appeared unnerved by what they found, and trying to keep herself from falling into a black hole of despair, Ava directed her gaze towards the ground and refused to look up until the witches were finished.
A throat was cleared and Ava looked up to see all three of the witches watching her, with various degrees of worry on their faces. She began to wring her hands as she asked, "So?"
Mrs. Potter and Madame Pomfrey cast a quick glance at one another before the matron spoke. "Ava, your health is deteriorating. The results of our spells show that you're running yourself into the ground, draining too much of your magical core."
Ava frowned. "Yeah, but I already kinda knew that." While McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey sported furrowed brows, Mrs. Potter narrowed her eyes. "I mean, Severus told me that I was draining my magic, but I've stopped practicing late at night. And it takes time to get better, right?"
The professor opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Mrs. Potter. "Severus? Do you mean Severus Snape?"
"Yeah," Ava said warily with her arms crossed, expecting a parental speech about associating with Death Eaters.
Mrs. Potter's eyebrows raised. "Interesting," was all she said. This time, Ava narrowed her eyes at the woman.
"Ava, your magic doesn't seem to be healing itself," Madame Pomfrey said, breaking the staring contest between the student and mother.
She whipped her head to the matron. "What? What do you mean? Will I lose my magic?" she asked. When the two healers hesitated, Ava snapped, "Just tell me!"
Mrs. Potter looked to Madame Pomfrey, who slowly said, "If your magical core continues down the path it is currently on, you will deplete your core."
"Argh! Can't anything be easy in this world?!" Ava yelled before dropping herself into the chair. She rested her head in her hands, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. After several moments of silence, she lifted her head and said, "Well, I lived twenty-seven years as a Muggle, I can do so again." She frowned, palming her wand and held it up, rotating it slowly as if she was taking in one last look. "I suppose I'll need a lot more help than before." Not hearing any response, she glanced up at the other witches to see pity in their expressions. "What now?" she asked. Her aunt stepped forward and placed a hand on Ava's shoulder. Now that the witch was closer, she could see the unshed tears in the professor's eyes. "Aunt Minerva?" she asked in a small voice.
"Dear girl, when a witch or wizard loses their magical core, they don't simply become a Muggle." The older witch sat down in the chair beside Ava's. "Magic is sentient, remember? As a magical core is depleted, the magic lashes out, attempting to stay alive and present in the witch or wizard to whom they belong." She took a deep breath. "People usually end up being hurt as innocent bystanders, but ultimately, the process of magic separating from its witch or wizard is deadliest for the hosts themselves. If your magical core is depleted, Ava, you'll die."
Tears pricked behind Ava's eyes once more. "But—but—but I'm a Muggle," she stuttered out.
McGonagall shook her head slowly. "You were in your world, but not here. You have magic, here, Ava, and that's not going to change."
Madame Pomfrey cleared her throat. "But what can change is you. You simply cannot continue to resist the soulmate spell and attempt to master magic so quickly. You will die, Avalynn McGonagall," the matron stated in a tone that brokered no argument.
Ava pressed her lips together while wiping away her tears, trying to think quickly, before any of the witches had bright ideas about setting her and Remus up or changing her class schedule. "Alright," she said, standing up and pacing. "I'll spend more time around Remus, letting my magic mooch off of him. That should keep the edge off. And I'll dial it back in my classes." She sniffled and looked at Professor McGonagall. "I won't change my classes, but I'll work through the material a bit slower until my core is back to normal." Turning to Madame Pomfrey, "When will I know if it's back to normal?"
"I'll be able to tell you almost as soon as it happens because you'll be coming to the Hospital Wing for a daily check-up, young lady."
Ava scoffed. "That's a bit dramatic, don't you think?"
Mrs. Potter let out a small noise of amusement, gaining everyone's attention. "Ava, you are quite literally killing yourself at this rate. I think that warrants drastic measures to ensure your health."
The girl turned to the matron and her aunt to see looks of agreement. "Fine," she muttered and looked back to see the corners of Mrs. Potter's mouth twitching, reminding Ava of Severus. Damn, she thought. Nearly forgot that Dorea Potter was a Slytherin. Huh. That must be why she was so interested in my friendship with Severus earlier. Ava mentally rolled her eyes. Ridiculous house rivalries. Although, she supposed that a lecture wouldn't be necessary with Mrs. Potter, considering she married a Gryffindor.
A comment from Madame Pomfrey pulled Ava from her thoughts. "Ava, what physical or mental symptoms are you currently experiencing? We should keep track to be more thorough with documenting your recovery."
"Oh, good Lord. You make it sound so—" she said while gesticulating wildly with her hands.
"Ava. Hush with your nonsense and answer Madame Pomfrey," McGonagall snapped, reminding Ava that she was very much indeed a teacher.
The girl sighed. "Well, you know about the dizzy spells and the tremors I get in my hands, but that's from the pain potions, not the connection with Remus."
The matron and professor looked relieved that Ava wasn't displaying any other negative side affects from the potions or the spell, but Mrs. Potter spoke up. "Surely, you don't typically have such dark circles under your eyes. And you seem a bit paler since we last met."
"It's not like I spend much time outside getting a tan," Ava grumbled. But Mrs. Potter's words caused the other two witches to look over Ava once more and they seemed to agree.
"She's right, Ava. I guess we didn't notice, being around you as much, but you do look worn out," her aunt said.
Ava rolled her eyes. "Well, thanks. But like we all agreed to, I'll come in for check-ups every day. It'll be fine."
After several moments of silence, Mrs. Potter took the opportunity to say what the other witches were thinking. "Ava, surely you can see the merits of being in a romantic relationship with Remus. If you were to explain the situation to him, I'm positive that he'd be pleased to help you. He's a lovely boy."
Typically, Ava would've snapped at the woman or perhaps sighed in frustration, but after the revelation that she could die, telling Remus the truth sounded much more appealing. However, Mrs. Potter's wording gave her pause. "That's the problem though, isn't it? He's a genuinely nice person, so of course he'd want to help." She looked at each of the witches while saying, "I want Remus to be with me because he has true feelings for me. Not because he feels some sort of obligation to me. Because of the way the magic works, how else am I suppose to know that he really wants to be with me, for me? I'll be second guessing our relationship for the rest of our lives. And I don't want him to worry about the same thing from me either."
McGonagall and Pomfrey looked at Ava with pride, while Mrs. Potter flashed her an appreciative look before storming up to her and wrapping the young girl in a tight hug. "Just so you know, dear. I approve," she whispered in Ava's ear. She took a step back and held Ava at arms' length. "Remus is a delightful boy, and deserves someone wonderful. Even though it seems that you are meant to be together because of the spell, I'm certain he'll have no trouble at all falling for you. I hope you can find your happiness with him."
Ava could feel her cheeks reddening and nodded. It was rather embarrassing for the adults to speak so resolutely about her potential relationship with Remus considering the bond would be fully formed once they had sex. But she did enjoy the rush of warmth throughout her body, indicating that her magic approved of her line of thinking. Now released from Mrs. Potter's grasp, Ava told them, "Alright. I'll spend more time around Remus, like I said, but as a friend. I have no intentions of sweeping him off his feet. For crying out loud, he's got a date with another girl this upcoming weekend."
"That may be true," Dorea admitted with a frown, "But he'll come around. Think about the way your magic is reacting. He's got to be experiencing something similar. Didn't the boys tell you that while Remus was transformed he enjoyed your company?"
"That doesn't necessarily mean anything," Ava dismissed. "But I don't think I can be around him by myself just yet. I'll work on my self-control with James and Sirius helping me first," she told the room. Thinking to herself, Ava considered that Occlumency would probably help with her control as well. And apparently she needed to learn spells to cover up her pale skin and baggy eyes since they were dead giveaways to her deteriorating health.
Over the next half hour or so, the three older witches caught up on the latest news and gossip while Ava completed her homework. When lunchtime rolled around, Mrs. Potter and Madame Pomfrey bid their goodbyes and Ava headed out to the Great Hall with her aunt. They were nearly to the dining room when Ava spotted James and Sirius, thankfully without Remus. "I'll see you after lunch Aunt Minerva," she said before dashing over to the boys.
She popped up between James and Sirius and attempted to wrap her arms around their shoulders, despite their height differences. "Well, hello boys," she said with a grin.
"Ava!" James greeted happily.
"What are you smiling about?" Sirius asked.
"I've got something to tell you," Ava announced as she tried to steer the boys to the edge of the corridor. She eyed the last groups of students entering the Great Hall and then whispered to the boys, "I want to date Remus." Wide grins overcame both of their faces, and as Sirius opened his mouth to speak, Ava held up a finger. "However, I'm going to be his friend first and foremost. I'm going to get to know him better, and I want him to get to know me better too, and we'll see where it goes from there." The boys' faces morphed into confusion.
"What about his date with Allison?" James asked.
Ava shrugged and looked to the ground. "What about it?" she replied in a small voice.
A hand reached out, gently cupped Ava's chin and lifted her head. "Ava, you shouldn't have to put up with that bullshit from him. And you don't have to. We can take care of it for you," James told her gently as he released her chin.
Ava smiled. "As much as I appreciate the sentiment guys, I'd rather our relationship be natural, not a product of Marauder schemes." Catching the pouts from the pranksters in front of her, Ava added, "Unless they're preapproved, of course."
"I knew you'd come around to our ingenious methods one day," Sirius said as he wrapped an arm around Ava's shoulder, leading her towards the Great Hall.
Ava reached out to grip James's arm, tugging him along. "In all seriousness though, I'm going to really need your help around Remus. At least for a bit. I need to gain enough self-control around him first, and then I'll be able to be alone with him."
"Ooooo, hear that Padfoot?" James asked with a waggle of his eyebrows. "She wants to get our Moony all alone. Who knows what she wants to do to him?"
"Shut up," Ava grumbled as she smacked James on the arm.
"Poor bloke, Moony. Doesn't even know what he's getting himself into. Feisty, physical abuser," Sirius joked.
Ava rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah. Like I actually hit you hard enough to make it hurt."
Sirius halted in his steps, causing James and Ava to stop and look back at him. Sirius was holding his hand over his heart and dramatically said, "Maybe not, but this is where it hurts the most, Ava dearest."
"Good Lord!" Ava yelled as she threw her arms up in the air. She took several steps back, retreating to the dining hall. James and Sirius seemed to look over her shoulder before glancing at one another briefly, and threw smirks in Ava's direction. "What?" she called, taking another step backwards. Not getting a response from either of them, and hungry for lunch, Ava continued to back up blindly towards the Great Hall. She could've sworn that the smirks on James's and Sirius's faces grew, if at all possible. "You're ridiculous," she told both boys before turning on her heel, intending to enter the dining hall. However, that's not what happened. Ava instantly collided with someone, causing her to lose balance. That's odd, she thought while watching the stone floor approach her face rapidly. She was contemplating the spark of warmth and comfort that ignited within her at the touch of the other person when she was suddenly halted in place. Strong hands were wrapped around her, pulling her upright, close to a pleasantly warm body. Ava closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to gather her wits. Oh boy, this guy smells amazing, she thought, assuming that whoever scooped her up so quickly had to be of the male persuasion, especially with that intoxicating scent. Wonder what cologne he uses. Without a second thought, Ava leaned back in towards the hard chest of her rescuer, gripping his robes tightly within her hands, and took another whiff of the tantalizing aroma. Somewhere within the recesses of her mind, Ava could tell that people were calling her name and trying to get her attention, but she didn't care. She just wanted to stay and bask in the warm solace she had found in this person's embrace.
Unfortunately, that decision wasn't entirely up to Ava. Hands began to pry her away from the person, forcing an unconscious, disappointed whine from the back of her throat as she scrambled to hold on to his robes. At Ava's noise of protest, her rescuer gripped her tightly once more, but the subsequent rumbling growl that emanated from his chest caused Ava's eyes to flicker open in alarm. Remus, she thought briefly before pushing herself away from the delicious smelling body she had snuggled up to. She quickly stepped away from him, and stared resolutely at the ground, afraid to see his expression. Way to go, Ava. Clinging to someone like that is creepy as all hell, and of course it had to be Remus. She began to nudge around him, trying to escape into the Great Hall, but a firm hand on her shoulder stopped her.
"Ava?" Remus asked gruffly.
Reluctantly, she turned and slowly lifted her head to see him looking over her face in concern. "Remus?" she asked in a small voice, afraid to make matters worse. His eyes kept flashing between green and amber, causing Ava to feel a little uneasy. She wasn't sure how long she could maintain her composure.
Remus slid his hand down Ava's arm to grasp her hand, sending a wave of heat throughout her body. He shook his head minutely and leaned closer to her, with entrancing green eyes, and whispered, "Whatever that was, whatever just happened, we don't need to talk about it. It's okay, alright?" Ava's eyes widened in surprise and she nodded dumbly with her mouth hanging open. "We're still friends, right?" he asked, with a trace of worry.
"Of—of course," Ava replied. Seeing that her response caused Remus to smile, she couldn't help but grin in return, thankful that they were able to put this whole interaction behind them and forget about it. It took all of her self-control to step away from him. "I'll see you in there," she told him before looking pointedly at James and Sirius, who were standing silently behind Remus. Without waiting for a response, she turned and finally headed into lunch.
Remus had sat down for lunch in the Great Hall and filled up his plate as Peter did the same. He glanced around the room and the entrance, looking for James and Sirius. Those two troublemakers had been right behind him just a few minutes ago. With a sigh, he stood and retraced his steps in search of his friends. Not surprisingly, he found them talking with Ava right outside the Great Hall. He opened his mouth to speak, but then noticed the smirks that graced James's and Sirius's faces at the sight of him. What're they looking so smug about, he thought with a frown. Since he was focused on his fellow Marauders' expressions, Remus didn't see that Ava was faced away from him, and therefore had no idea that he was standing right behind her.
As soon as she tumbled into him, Remus had reflectively reached out towards her, but within no time at all, her smell was overwhelming his senses. I absolutely adore her scent, he mentally admitted while breathing in the air around Ava and holding her close. He intended to merely let her regain her balance, but he was finding it rather difficult to let go of the witch when she burrowed her face into his chest and released a happy sigh. Although he was surprised by her reaction, Remus could feel himself, and Moony, responding to Ava's proximity. Feeling a tug, he looked up to see that James and Sirius were calling her name, trying to separate them. Oh, Merlin, he thought. I don't know if I can. I certainly don't want to. His thoughts caused a pleasant warmth to race throughout his body. Hearing a desperate whimper from Ava as Sirius attempted to pull her away solidified his thoughts. He didn't want to let go. Ava's mine, he thought, punctuated by a growl.
Suddenly, Ava was ripped from his grasp, and he glanced around, determined to assert his dominance. No one takes our mate, he heard Moony clearly state in the back of his mind. But upon finding that Ava had released herself from his grasp, Remus warred with Moony, trying to regain control. While her gaze was directed downward, he could tell from the way she seemed to fold in on herself and refused to look at him, that Ava felt ashamed. He immediately felt guilty. She doesn't know that it's the pull of being my mate that's affecting her. Remus quickly thought over his interactions with the new Gryffindor, which only strengthened his conclusion. Yeah, that's got to be it. I can't let her walk away like this. Not wanting to ruin whatever potential future he had with Ava, he reached out and stopped her as she attempted to storm past him into the Great Hall.
"Ava?" he asked, hoping that she wouldn't leave without hearing him out.
She raised her blue eyes to his and Remus nearly lost all of his resolve then and there. "Remus?" she asked in a soft, sweet voice. But her tone had an edge of worry to it, and he wanted to reassure her. Dropping his hand from her shoulder, he lightly trailed down her arm and wrapped her hand up in his. Ava seemed to shudder slightly at the sensation. I wonder if that's an affect of being my mate. As soon as Remus completed that thought, he could feel his magic come to life. It seemed to swirl happily around his chest and torso before shooting out into his extremities, leaving a warm, tingly feeling behind. Maybe this is right if my magic agrees, he contemplated. He shook his head slightly, trying to clear his thoughts. Wanting to convey the truth behind his words, Remus leaned closer to Ava, maintaining eye contact. "Whatever that was, whatever just happened, we don't need to talk about it. It's okay, alright?" he said. I don't want to freak her out and avoid me again. He felt needy asking, "We're still friends, right?", but he desperately wanted Ava to feel comfortable around him.
"Of—of course," she told him, looking a little confused. But once Remus flashed her a smile, Ava returned it, letting him feel at peace again. Thankful that he wouldn't need to fret over Ava's avoidance of him, the smile stayed on his face as he watched her walk away.
For a few moments it was silent, then James crept up behind the werewolf and clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm glad you finally came around, Moony," James said. "I was beginning to think I'd have to threaten to leave Prongs at home this full moon if you didn't change your mind about Ava."
Remus startled and looked like a deer in headlights for a split second before he groaned and ran a hand down his face. "Did that really just happen with Ava?" he asked sheepishly. He could remember every moment, every detail, but it was almost like some other version of himself had been controlling his body.
Sirius's expression turned stormy. "Yes, it did, Remus. You can't keep changing your mind about her like that."
James frowned and glanced at Sirius. "What do you mean, changing his mind?" He looked back at Remus, who was now sporting a guilty expression.
"Look, guys, I don't know if that's what's best for Ava, you know?" the werewolf said while rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well, you'll be friends at least, right?" James clarified, his face revealing thoughts of meddling.
"Yeah."
"And you'll tell Allison that you can't go on the date with her?" Sirius added, with his arms crossed.
"Well-" Remus started, prompting Sirius to stomp off without waiting for him to finish. He sighed and looked at James. "It's just, well, how am I supposed to know if Ava's really my mate if I don't try with someone else? If I can be with someone else, maybe she can too. She wouldn't have to be tied down to me." Remus could feel his heart tug at the thought, painfully reminding him that Ava was supposed to be his mate.
The conflict and worry clouding his thoughts must've been obvious because James sighed deeply. "Look, mate. Do whatever you have to do to figure out your feelings, but try not to hurt Ava in the process, yeah?" James offered before leaving Remus standing in the entrance, alone with his thoughts and unable to forget about what he just experienced with Ava.
