Author's Note: I know the last chapter was shorter than usual, but I have a feeling that this one makes up for it :)
Thank you SO much for all of the favorites, follows, and reviews! :D Almost 100 reviews and 350 follows, that's crazy! Thank you! :D
Review shout-out: haleygur7, Menirx, and Big Tuna. Big Haircut!
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.
Chapter 26
Avalynn found the cool autumn air refreshing as she walked to Hogsmeade along with her fellow Gryffindors, and felt herself relaxing for probably the first time since arriving from her world. Her classes were going great and her Occlumency skills were developing nicely, according to Severus, and everything in her personal life seemed to turn around after the full moon. James and Sirius met with her in the Room of Requirement and once they heard what the night had been like for her, they confessed that Moony was more violent and restless than normal. The three of them agreed that during the next full moon they would all figure something out to make it easier on Ava and Remus. I've got a little less than a month to wear them down, she thought, glancing over to see James and Lily walking hand in hand and laughing at something Sirius said. I will be with Remus during the full moon.
Peter seemed to be attentively listening to Mary as they went up the path a little ahead of everyone else. Ava frowned to herself, not quite sure how to handle the fourth Marauder. She could admit that she had been avoiding him, and she knew that she needed to work on that if there was any chance of keeping him from turning to the Death Eaters. Ava was pulled from her thoughts as someone gently bumped her shoulder.
She automatically apologized and glanced up to see Remus grinning down at her.
"I was trying to get your attention", he said.
"Oh, sorry," she said, again, mentally rolling her eyes at herself. Ava could feel her cheeks turning red in embarrassment as she turned to look straight ahead.
"It's quite alright. I get lost in my thoughts sometimes too."
Risking another look at Remus, Ava could see that he was giving her a friendly smile and not mocking her. Heart racing, she nodded in response and continued following the group towards Hogsmeade. Think! What do I say? Oh good Lord, this is awful. He's going to think I'm an idiot!
Thankfully, the werewolf decided to speak up. "So, how are your classes going? Sirius told me that you're getting rather good at dueling."
She flashed him a grateful smile and quickly brought him up to speed with her mismatched level of subjects. Realizing that she had been speaking for several minutes, she grimaced and asked, "Am I boring you?"
Remus's eyes widened. "No, of course not."
"Okay, good. I'm sorry, I just noticed that I had been rambling for a while," she said, giving him a sheepish smile.
"I wouldn't have asked unless I cared, Avalynn."
Her magic swirled and fizzled in delight at hearing her name fall from his lips. She had to grip the inside of her jacket pockets to keep herself from reaching out to grab his hand. Calm down, you stupid magic. He only asked me about school. That doesn't mean he's in love with me for fuck's sake, she grumbled internally. However, Ava couldn't help but think about the fact that Remus had broken off his date with Allison Clover. Granted, he hadn't turned around and asked her instead, but according to James, the werewolf was adamant about her coming with them as a group.
She glanced at Remus with a smile and asked, "How are your classes going?" When he began talking, she tried to subtly take calming breaths in an attempt to settle her nerves. You can do this. You're the one who wanted to be friends first. It'll be fine, just be his friend. You're friends with plenty of guys, you can do this. Although Ava's mental pep talk might have allowed her to feel slightly less anxious about the task of befriending Remus, her hands remained clenched in the material of her jacket, hidden away.
Remus prattled on about his classes, trying to refrain from smiling at Ava's behavior. She was trying to hide her nervousness, but it was obvious to him and rather endearing. He firmly believed that she was one of strongest people he knew, being able to dive into the Wizarding World head-first just after losing a parent and tackling all of the challenges that came with learning magic so late in life. Both he and Moony were impressed with Ava's fortitude and dedication to her studies, and he couldn't help but admire her determination to keep up a brave front. Even if she falsely assumed that she needed it with him. He knew it was much too soon, but there was a major part of him that wanted to scoop Ava up in his arms and hold her tight, protecting her from any worries or fears.
Closing in on the small village, Lily took it upon herself to describe a handful of stores and restaurants to Ava. Watching his mate closely, he noticed the hidden excitement in her eyes at the idea of visiting Honeyduke's and Zonko's, so he made sure to loudly suggest that the group stop at those two stores after grabbing lunch at the Three Broomsticks.
Without fail, Ava turned to him with narrowed eyes, but instead of avoiding her gaze like he might have before, he locked eyes with her and smiled. Her expression didn't change as she walked around him to follow the others into the warm restaurant, causing him to roll his eyes. She is stubborn, he thought, recalling the amount of times that James or Sirius had complained about that trait of hers. He wondered how long it would take for her to fully acknowledge how comfortable she felt around him, and when she would be ready to admit it to him. After waking up with Ava asleep at his bedside, it was obvious that she could at least accept her feelings for him in private, but how much longer until she was willing to be upfront with him about it? However long it takes, Moony commented from the back of his mind. Remus found himself absentmindedly nodding along with his wolf. He would give Ava whatever amount of time and space she needed to come to grips with being his mate.
He immediately frowned, recalling the hushed conversation in the Hospital Wing he overheard after the full moon between Ava, McGonagall, and Pomfrey. He wasn't opposed to allowing Ava time to come to accept with her feelings for him and their shared connection, but he didn't know how much longer he could stay in the dark about what was happening to her. Both he and Moony pondered over the idea of Ava's magic acting instinctively so that she could get to him after the transformation. Moony was pleased with this discovery, but Remus hesitated to celebrate. Even if she might be safe around him during a full moon because of their magic and connection, he didn't want to risk the chance of biting her and infecting her with his curse. Moony snarled in protest. Not a curse. Would never hurt our mate.
Remus approached the tables that his friends had pushed together and took the only empty seat left. He could feel Ava stiffen when he first sat down, but she eventually relaxed. The most pressing concern for Remus from his eavesdropping in the Hospital Wing was that Ava experienced some sort of "ordeal" and he had no idea what it was. Even though James and Sirius were tight lipped about the whole thing, he was determined to find out. To that thought, Moony let out a low grumble, indicating his agreement.
The group of Gryffindors enjoyed a lunch and several rounds of butterbeer, revealing a more open and giggly side of Ava that Remus had yet to see. Every time she laughed real hard, her whole body would react, moving uncontrollably with her laughter. She'd lean over and bump shoulders with himself or Sirius, who sat on her other side, sometimes ducking her head into their shoulders when the story was particularly embarrassing. With some distance from the full moon, Remus was able to curb Moony's blatant disapproval when Ava would lean into Sirius rather than himself, keeping any growls internal. However, he couldn't stop his own jealousy from rearing its ugly head. Feeling the green monster creeping into his mind, he shook his head, trying to dispel those thoughts. As much as Sirius liked to flirt with girls, Remus knew that he wouldn't pursue Ava. His Animagus friend might be a little promiscuous, but he would never jeopardize a friendship over a girl. Not to mention, Sirius already saw Ava as a friend and not a potential conquest. When another funny anecdote caused Ava to veer towards his friend, Remus had to consciously remind himself that Sirius had also been scheming this entire time to get him and Ava together—ever since Moony showed a preference at her arrival.
His eyes roved over Ava, taking in her wide grin and watery eyes as she clutched onto Sirius's arm. Glancing up to his friend's face, Remus saw the apologetic look that Sirius was shooting his way. The werewolf gave him a small smile and a subtle shrug, knowing that he had nothing to worry about when it came to Sirius and his mate.
A few minutes later, the group left the Three Broomsticks and parted their separate ways, with the Marauders and Lily showing Ava the rest of the village. Remus couldn't tear his eyes away from Ava's face the entire outing. He loved watching her reaction to everything, her expression bright with excitement and a childlike wonder while they explored the various Wizarding shops. Ava's mood seemed to be infectious as Remus noticed himself feeling light and carefree around her. Mate, Moony reminded him, causing Remus's thoughts to falter. Being friends with Ava felt natural and easy, which isn't what he expected with having a mate. He worried that the magic would fabricate their feelings, but everything felt so real with her. His magic came alive at her touch and his heart soared when she would grace him with a smile. It felt like a burden had been lifted from his chest. Our feelings are real, he concluded with a smile just as someone bumped his shoulder.
Frowning, with an apology on his lips, he glanced down to see Ava grinning at him.
"I guess you do get lost in your thoughts too, huh?"
"Occasionally," he replied with a small smile.
"Well, Lily just suggested that we go into Honeyduke's, and I was asking if you wanted to come with."
Nodding, probably a little too enthusiastically, if Ava's chuckle was anything to go by, he said, "Of course."
Spotting that their friends had already entered the candy shop, Remus strode ahead to open the door for Ava.
Her cheeks were tinted pink as she said, "What a perfect gentleman," while patting his arm and brushing past him to get inside the shop.
Even though her body was only pressed against his for a moment as she squeezed through the narrow entry way, Remus's magic flared in pleasure. Before he could stop himself, he reached out and grasped Ava's arm.
She tensed and looked back at him with wide eyes. "Remus?"
What the hell are you doing?! he snapped at himself. You can't just go around grabbing witches like that. Say something! He cleared his throat, willing an explanation to come to him. Noticing Ava's expression morphing from surprise to concern, he blurted, "Let me show you around," hoping to avoid any prying questions.
Her body relaxed. "Sure." She stepped to the side, making room for him to join her inside the busy candy shop. People were barely able to shuffle around each other between the massive columns of different candies that stretched from the floor to ceiling.
His gaze flicked to Ava's face, making sure that he hadn't scared her.
Her eyes were wide once again, but he had a sense it was in anticipation and not fright this time. "There's so much to choose from. It all looks so good," she moaned.
Her words sent a pleasant shiver through his body, and he tried to subtly adjust his trousers. Calm the fuck down. Now is not the time, he reprimanded both himself and Moony, who immediately perked up at Ava's arousing tone. Merlin, it's like I'm thirteen again. Get it together Remus!
Ava turned towards him, and he quickly grabbed her shoulders, steering her through the aisles, facing away from him. After finding out that Ava preferred chocolate, peanut butter, and sour candies, he took the time to show her the different products that he thought she'd enjoy. After a short while, her arms were full of candy, piled high with different kinds of goodies, but primarily chocolate he noticed. He helped her carry it all to the counter, where she surprised him by purchasing a few pieces of fudge as well. After that addition, he couldn't help but let out a loud, full belly laugh.
Her head whipped around and she pierced him with narrowed eyes. "What?"
He raised his hands in surrender, laughter still subsiding, as he said between breaths, "I just think that's the most amount of candy I've ever seen someone purchase, and I'm friends with Sirius and Peter, so that's saying something."
If anything, her eyes narrowed further. "Are you implying that I'm fat, Remus Lupin?" she asked in a low voice while placing her hands on her hips.
His jaw dropped. That had not been his intention at all. He floundered over an apology for a few moments before Ava bursted out laughing.
"I'm joking," she said with a wide grin, patting him gently on the arm. "You should've seen your face!" She continued laughing at him and shaking her head as she turned back to the cashier.
That cheeky witch, he thought with a small smile.
He absentmindedly followed Ava out of the shop as she left the front counter. The cool air pulled the werewolf from his thoughts, and he looked down to see her holding a single Honeyduke's shopping bag while unwrapping a lollipop. "I really was just joking, Remus."
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I'm still sorry about that. You're free to buy as much candy as you want."
She smiled at him around the lollipop in her mouth. "You're damn right I am."
He shook his head. She doesn't seem to take shit from anyone. She'll certainly keep me on my toes, he contemplated, thinking of a future with the witch in front of him.
"I don't see anyone else yet. Maybe they're still inside?" she asked, scanning the street for their friends.
Remus didn't reply, as he was too distracted by the candy occupying Ava's mouth, or rather, too busy wishing he could take place of the lollipop. Just watching her lips caress the little piece of sugar was causing wild thoughts to run through his head. Slamming his lips onto hers, threading his fingers through her hair, gently pulling back her head to expose her delicious neck, licking his way down to where her shoulder and neck met, allowing him to sink his teeth into her, marking her as his for everyone to know. A throat being loudly cleared brought him back to reality.
Ava was staring at him with her eyebrows raised and a smile playing about her lips as she held the lollipop away from her mouth. He couldn't help but notice the perfect blush that was spread across her cheeks, seeming to slowly spread over the rest of her face, and down to her neck and chest.
She cleared her throat once more. "Remus," she whispered. "You're staring."
His eyes flashed up to hers, realizing that he had made her uncomfortable. He cleared his throat, feeling his own cheeks burn in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, Ava. That was completely inappropriate of me."
To his surprise, her expression turned thoughtful as she tilted her head. Still maintaining eye contact, she asked, "Why are you apologizing for being attracted to me?"
He blanched. Oh Godric. I didn't realize I had been that obvious. "Well, I—I. Uh, you see—" He stopped speaking as Ava took a step closer to him, invading his senses with her wondrous scent.
"Remus," she began softly. "Please don't ever feel bad for liking what you see." Her eyes roved over his face and she bit her lip.
His heart was pounding as if it would beat right out of his chest. He moved closer to Ava and his hands slowly crept up, intent on cupping her face.
"Oi, Ava! Remus!"
Startled, Ava pulled away and put some distance between them. He looked towards the shout and saw the other three Marauders and Lily coming their way, and let out a low growl. Feeling a smack on his arm, he turned to see that Ava had her arm cocked, ready to hit him again. Huh, he thought. Maybe she'll feel more comfortable with me sooner than I thought. Other than James, Sirius, and Peter, no one had ever picked up on his wolfy vocalizations. He couldn't have stopped the grin from forming on his face, even if he wanted to. The elation that Remus felt at someone accepting him for who he is was too much to contain. Without thinking, he reached out and jerked Ava towards him, wrapping her up in a hug. He shuddered in delight, feeling their magic racing along their bodies, brushing up against each other.
"Remus," Ava said, sounding out of breath.
Pulling back from her in concern, he looked down to see her pupils blown wide and her chest rising and falling rapidly. She licked her lips, and inched towards him, causing him to step back in alarm. He knew she wouldn't be pleased making a scene in front of everyone, especially if her magic was persuading her a little, like he felt his do sometimes in her presence.
The arrival of their friends seemed to shake Ava from her daze. She put on a smile for them and described the mountains of candy and fudge that she bought, promising to share some. At the mention of free chocolate, Remus and Moony both perked up and found Ava looking at him with a knowing smile. Geez, he thought. I guess I must've been obvious about that too.
They made their way over to Zonko's, where they were supposed to meet up with the rest of the seventh-year Gryffindors before heading back to the castle. On the walk over to the joke shop, Remus kept close to Ava, wanting to make it clear that he wasn't going anywhere. Hearing soft intakes of breath, as though Ava was about to speak, several times, Remus finally asked, "Want to tell me what's on your mind?"
She huffed. "Well, I was just wondering if Madame Pomfrey had spoken to you about something that I had mentioned to her earlier this week."
"What was it?" he asked, trying to seem as nonchalant as possible, while bursting with desire to know more about her predicament.
"There's a Muggle medicine that I think might help you," she blurted.
Remus felt his hopes drop. "Oh, okay."
She lowered her voice, leaning closer to him as they followed their friends through the village. "There's an ointment that might help your scars heal."
His eyebrows shot up in a show of surprise. Of course, he had heard that part of her conversation in the Hospital Wing, but he wasn't about to admit that.
Ava suddenly paled and began to speak rapidly, "I'm sorry! I mean, not that your scars need to be healed, or anything. I think they're just fine. Well, 'just fine' doesn't sound much better does it? I'm sorry. I don't think you need to hide them, I just figured—Well, you might like to see if they would go away with Muggle medicine. Not that I think you need them to go away. If anything, I'd say you don't need to get rid of them at all. They make you look handsome. In a rugged, sort of way." Her eyes widened as her face flushed. She looked away from him. "I don't know! Forget about it," she added before hastily walking ahead of him.
"Wait!" Remus quickly jumped at Ava, grasping her hand to keep her from storming off in embarrassment.
She didn't pull her hand from his, but she was staring resolutely at the ground, seemingly afraid that she had offended him.
Checking to make sure their friends hadn't noticed, Remus tugged her to a stop and slowly reached out under Ava's chin and lifted her head. "Hey, you didn't hurt my feelings or whatever you think you've done. I appreciate that you thought about me. I like that. I also like that you were brave enough to say it to my face. Don't ever be afraid to tell me something, okay?"
Ava's body seemed to crumple, and he could've sworn that guilt flashed across her face for a split second. "Okay," she murmured.
"Besides, it's not every day a beautiful witch calls me ruggedly handsome," he said with a smile.
She blushed once more and let out an annoyed huff. "We need to catch up to everyone else."
"Alright. Let's go," he said, pulling her along by the hand. Remus deliberately continued to hold onto Ava's hand, refusing to let go unless she wanted to. And until that time, he wanted to relish the feeling of her small hand in his, and the way their magic sought each other out, mingling and intertwining.
Ava's cheeks hurt from smiling so much. I can't believe I'm holding hands with Remus, she squealed internally, following her friends into Zonko's.
Once inside the joke shop, Remus kept his warm hand wrapped around hers and gave her a tour of the Marauders' favorite products. Ava rolled her eyes at most, but there were a few that seemed fairly interesting. She couldn't help but compare everything she saw to what she knew the Weasley twins would create some day. After a moment, she recalled that they were only able to open their shop using Harry's winnings from the Triwizard Tournament, but she had no intentions of letting that idiotic competition drag Harry Potter into danger. Maybe Fred and George should receive an anonymous donation before graduating, she thought, hoping that she'd still be alive then.
Remus squeezed Ava's hand, keeping her thoughts from falling down the dark tunnel of "What ifs" that she always tried desperately to avoid. "Hey, are you alright?" he asked with a slight frown.
She forced a smile onto her face. "Yeah, I'm fine. I think I'll go wait outside until everyone's done. It's a little crowded in here." It may have been an excuse, but it was at least true. It felt like every student had decided to shop at Zonko's right when they showed up.
He didn't look pleased, but he released her hand. "I'll be out right after you. I'm going to find James or someone and let them know we'll be outside."
"Thanks, Remus."
He nodded and turned from her, getting swept up in the crowd of customers.
Pushing her way to the front of the store, apologizing profusely as she squeezed between people, Ava felt like she could truly breathe again once she stepped outside. Letting out a relieved sigh, she tucked her hands into her jacket and moved to the side of the entrance. She had barely any time to get lost in her thoughts once more before she heard someone drawl, "Hello, Miss McGonagall."
Ava turned her gaze towards the voice and found Lucius Malfoy standing a few feet away from her, along with some of his Death Eater buddies. "Gentlemen," she replied with a nod of her head. Though she knew the true allegiance of these men, they hadn't given her reason to act hostile towards them as of yet. Plus, she was hoping to convert some of the Dark Lord's followers and it wouldn't be wise for her to be rude to them.
Malfoy gave Ava what she thought to be a false smile. "How are you enjoying your first time in Hogsmeade?"
"It's amazing," she said, probably showing too much enthusiasm if the Slytherins' startled faces were anything to go by.
"Better than any Muggle community, I'm sure," Avery said with a snort.
She hesitated with her response, not wanting to unnecessarily alienate a future ally. Ava studied their reactions as she said, "I suppose, but since Muggles don't have magic, they have to compensate for that, and they've been able to invent some rather useful things."
Avery and McNair were turning red in anger, while Malfoy and Nott sneered at her implication that Muggles had at least a modicum of intelligence.
Behind the group of Death Eaters in front of her, Ava could see Severus and Regulus approaching. Feeling emboldened by her friends' presence, she took a risk and chuckled lightly. "C'mon, you can't tell me that you don't find telephones or roller coasters fascinating."
"What are you on about?" McNair asked, taking a step forward and pointing his finger at Ava's face. "Are you saying Muggles are just as powerful as wizards?"
She could hear Malfoy whispering harshly, calling McNair's name, which the angry wizard seemed intent on ignoring. Trying to diffuse the situation, she raised her hands in surrender. "Hey, Muggles may be magically inferior to wizards, but that doesn't mean they lack intellect or the ability to think creatively."
All of the Slytherins, including Regulus and Severus, who were now standing with the others, had various looks of bewilderment upon their faces.
Ava had to keep herself from laughing. Her wording probably confused them—calling Muggles inferior but then defending them in the same sentence. With the exception of Severus and Regulus, and possibly Malfoy, it appeared that the Slytherins' might just explode from trying to wrap their heads around her comment. Avery and Nott kept opening and closing their mouths, as if they weren't sure what to say, and McNair was still red-faced but looked confused more than anything.
"Oi! Get away from her!"
Ava rolled her eyes. Great, Sirius to the rescue.
"Back off, you slimy snakes!"
She sighed. And there's James. Without fail, she was surrounded by Gryffindors within seconds. Someone grabbed her hand tightly, and she didn't need to look to know it was Remus. She could feel her magic fluttering in delight, reveling in their skin touching.
"Are you okay?" he asked in a low voice, nearly growling.
Frowning, she glanced up at him. "I'm perfectly fine."
"Why don't you lot crawl back to your dungeon and leave her alone?" Sirius yelled.
Ava cleared her throat, taking a step in front of the Gryffindors, turning her backs on the Slytherins. "We were merely engaging in a lively debate, that's all," she told her friends, eyeing the wands already drawn in James' and Sirius' hands. She faltered a little when she spotted Remus holding his wand as well. "Isn't that right gentlemen?" she asked with a smile, turning to the Slytherins.
Thankfully, one of them had some active brain cells, and Malfoy spoke up. "Miss McGonagall is right. We were only having a friendly discussion, but now we must be on our way."
Severus and Regulus had kept silent the entire time, but made eye contact with Ava now. Severus had his lips pressed together and gave her a look that she knew well. She sighed, knowing that he would lecture her later on her behavior. Regulus, however, was smirking at her and nodded before turning to follow Malfoy back towards the castle.
McNair seemed rooted to the spot, debating whether or not he wanted to retreat like the others. Thankfully, Nott and Avery pulled on his arm and shoulder, herding him in the direction of the path back to the castle. However, before he fully turned to follow his friends, McNair sneered in their direction. "Filthy blood traitors!" he snarled.
Sirius and Ava both shouted back in anger at the same time.
"Shut up, you bloody tosser!"
"For being a supposed Pureblood gentleman, you're certainly lacking your manners, McNair!"
Hearing a commotion behind her, Ava swiveled back to her friends and realized that Lily was busy reprimanding her and Sirius for stooping down to the Slytherins' level, while James and Peter were defending their actions, claiming it was important to "put those assholes in their place." Alice and Frank were silent, but seemed to be siding with Lily. Mary and Marlene appeared scandalized, whispering to each other and peering around the group to make sure no one else witnessed the exchange between the Gryffindors and Slytherins.
Remus was the one she was really looking for though. Ava was surprised that he wasn't already standing with her. Taking in his stony expression and fists clenched at his sides, she hesitantly called, "Remus?"
His gaze narrowed in on Ava, and he took the few steps forward to stand toe to toe with her. His jaw was clearly clenched in anger, and he had yet to speak.
"Remus?" she asked softly, slowly reaching out for his hand.
He pulled away, as if he had been burned. "Don't," he said in a low voice.
Ava frowned. "What's wrong?"
"I can't believe you did that."
"What? Yelled at McNair?" She scoffed. "It's fine, he's—"
"Dangerous. He's dangerous, Ava." He glared at her with eyes that flickered between green and amber. "You cannot—you will not put yourself in that position again. Do you understand me?"
"Excuse me?" she asked with her eyebrows raised, taking a couple steps back from him and crossing her arms.
"You heard me clearly, Ava. Don't put yourself in danger again. Tell me you won't," he said firmly.
It didn't matter that Moony might've been affecting Remus's actions or words. All Ava could see was someone trying to control her, with no good reason.
The others had noticed the tension between them, and Sirius slowly walked over. "Moony, it's fine. She's not hurt," he said, gesturing towards Ava.
Ava could feel her anger dissipating at the realization that Remus and Moony were scared for her and worried about her safety, but it came flooding back like a tidal wave at Remus's next comment.
"This doesn't concern you Sirius, she's mine," Remus snapped, piercing his friend with an amber glare. He turned back to Ava and took a step towards her. "You will not put yourself in danger, and that is final."
Ava's mouth dropped open, shocked at the sheer possessiveness that he was displaying. Who does this werewolf think he is? After a moment she collected herself. "Absolutely not, Remus Lupin." He started to growl, and she stomped her foot while pointing a finger at him threateningly. "No! You listen to me. I'll do whatever I please, as you are currently not in a position to be making demands of me, and until then, you can suck it up and deal with it." Knowing she couldn't escape dangerous situations in the future just because he might ask her, she added, "Life is dangerous, get used to it." As the last word left her lips, she turned on her heel and sprinted down the path heading back to Hogwarts.
Tears streamed down Ava's face as she ran, hopping over rocks and tree roots. After a couple minutes, she took a blurry glance over her shoulder, and slowed to a walk since no one was following her. She wiped her nose and eyes, nearing the castle. Her magic protested at the fact that she consciously chose to leave her soulmate, but her heart ached from the nagging thoughts of the future. Of course, she was going to be in dangerous situations. Her mere existence was perilous. This isn't going to work, she lamented. Ava squeezed her eyes shut and let out a frustrated scream. No, no, no, no. I'm not letting this become a problem too, she thought with a massive sigh. I'll talk with him, and he'll understand. But maybe he won't. Maybe he won't want to be with me if I'm constantly in danger. No, that's stupid. But I'll have to tell him the whole truth for him to really understand. Ava gulped, knowing that wouldn't be a fun conversation.
She ran through various scenarios in her head of how to tell Remus as she walked through the gates and entered the castle. Each one seemed more ridiculous than the last. Vowing to continue thinking on it later, Ava shook her head and grabbed her schoolbag from her quarters. She climbed up to the seventh floor and sought refuge in the Room of Requirement, hoping to get at least some of her homework finished before dinner. Once inside the Room, Ava realized that it had created a dueling course for her, erecting targets and dummies along the back wall.
She huffed out a laugh. "Thank you," she said aloud.
Unleashing her anger and anxiety on the inanimate objects seemed to help Ava settle her emotions and about twenty minutes later, sweaty and out of breath, she finally sat down to complete her class assignments. When dinner time rolled around, Ava chose to stay in the Room and eat alone, not feeling up for seeing Remus or her friends right now. God only knows what they think about our shouting match, she thought. After finishing her meal, Ava realized it was nearly time for Severus to meet her for dueling and Occlumency practice anyhow, so she stayed put and continued working on her homework.
When the door to the Room banged open, she startled, standing and drawing her wand, before seeing that it was only Severus. His face was set in determination and as he opened his mouth, most likely to scold her, Ava held up her hand while resuming her seat. "I'm really not in the mood for it, Severus. I had a fight with Remus right after you guys left, so I don't need someone else telling me how reckless my behavior might've been or how I shouldn't be putting myself in danger."
He closed his mouth and approached her silently. Once standing near the table, he shifted on his feet uncomfortably and quietly asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
Ava looked at him in surprise. "You want to talk about my boy problems?"
He rolled his eyes. "Not particularly. But I suppose that's what friends do." He pulled out the chair next to Ava and sat down.
She flashed him a quick smile before repeating her argument with Remus and then explaining why his behavior worried her so much. When she finished, she sighed and asked, "Do you have any advice?"
The Slytherin's eyes bugged out. "Me?" He shook his head. "No, Ava. This is all you."
She huffed. "But what do you think? Am I being crazy? Is Remus right?"
Almost a minute passed before he spoke. "I think both sides have merit."
Ava chuckled. "Oh, yeah?"
He sat up straight in his seat and explained, "Of course, there will be times when you are unable to escape a dangerous situation. However, you should not run head-first into unknown situations, which is exactly what you would've been doing had McNair decided to retaliate."
Ava sighed. "Alright, alright. I get it, I guess. I mean, all I did was yell back at him after he insulted us."
Severus closed his eyes and tilted his head back, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This is precisely why you're a Gryffindor, Ava."
"Well, excuse me."
He opened his eyes and looked at her. "It's a precarious thing, insulting one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. You must tread lightly around them and try not to draw any unnecessary attention towards yourself."
"I know. I really do. Their attitude just gets on my nerves, you know?"
He raised one brow.
She reached out and patted his hand. "I'm sorry, Severus. Of course you know. Do they make a big deal out of you being a half-blood?"
"Occasionally. It used to be worse, but I seemed to have proven my worth over the last couple of years."
Ava thought for a few moments. "Speaking of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, I think we should start bringing Regulus into the fold."
"You're sure?"
She nodded. "We'll start small. He's already tutoring me, but let's invite him to our study group. Then we can ask if he wants to join us practicing here." She gestured to the dueling section of the Room. "Ask him if he wants to study with us tomorrow in the library."
Severus nodded.
After a minute of collecting their thoughts, the pair began dueling and then training Ava further in Occlumency. Seeing how exhausted Ava was after a couple of hours, Severus suggested they turn in for the night, and escorted her back to her quarters before going to bed himself.
