Author's Note: I'm sorry about the delay in posting this chapter, but I should be keeping up with two chapters a week from now on. Hope you enjoy! :)

Thank you so much to everyone who has favorited or followed! :D I can feel the love from you guys, and it's awesome!

Review shout-out: Thank you to LeeForShort, Vienna22, hellodaydreamer, and Moo!

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 30

Avalynn sat in the Room of Requirement, tuning out the voices of Severus and Regulus, lost in her thoughts. She and Remus had spent the last week keeping their interactions intimate enough to satisfy their magic, but no where near what they personally wanted. The witch had to remind herself in moments of passion that delaying the physical aspect of their relationship was the best course of action until she broke the truth to Remus. And it needs to happen soon, she thought, considering that she was to spend the full moon with Remus and the Marauders that very night. Or at least part of it, she silently bemoaned. Professor McGonagall insisted that Ava stay in her care during the transformation should anything go wrong, so Sirius was staying behind to escort Ava down to the Shack after the transformation. The boys had been willing to compromise, hoping that Moony wouldn't be as aggressive with himself or his Animagus friends like last month if Ava was in his presence. Of course, no one was willing to let Ava be present during Remus's transformation as a precaution. This time anyway.

Hearing her name distantly repeated, Ava shook herself out of her contemplative daze and looked to the Slytherins sitting across the table from her in the Room of Requirement.

Severus had his lips pressed in a firm line before sighing. "Try to clear your mind using Occlumency, Ava. We need you to focus, so compartmentalize the distracting thoughts of your soulmate for now."

A look of understanding came over Regulus's face. "Ah, that's why your head is in the clouds. Day dreaming of a certain handsome wizard?" he teased.

Ava rolled her eyes, but followed the instruction from Severus. He's right. This is not the time to let my mind wander. Using her more recent training, Ava closed her eyes and visualized placing every thought of Remus within a small lake that she surrounded by thick pines, creating thick tree roots and a dense undergrowth to keep herself away. For now. Within moments, she opened her eyes and gave Severus a nod.

Regulus's eyes widened slightly. "That was quick."

Ava smiled. "I have a great teacher." Her happy expression faded. "But stopping Voldemort is also much more important than my romantic life."

"At least the pull isn't killing you any longer," Severus muttered under his breath.

She scoffed. "Yeah, but the transformations feel like I'm dying anyway."

Regulus frowned and locked eyes with Ava. "The connection was killing you?"

Nodding, she explained, "The spell has a rather intense physical component to it. My magic feels alive, almost like it's self-aware, and it basically hurt me until I got closer to Remus. But now we know that I also experience the werewolf transformation vicariously through Remus, even though I don't turn into one myself."

He winced. "I'm sorry."

After a moment, Ava narrowed her eyes at Regulus, realizing she had just let it slip that Remus was a werewolf. She hadn't mentioned that fact in her story a couple weeks ago when she explained everything to the younger Slytherin, but he wasn't freaking out over it.

Catching her expression, Regulus rolled his eyes. "Please, my brother and his friends think they're so clever, but with those nicknames and Lupin always seeming sick and then missing around the full moon, it wasn't difficult to figure it out."

Her entire body went rigid. What if other people know? What if they report him to the Ministry and he gets taken away? Her eyes darted between the wizards. "Do you think anyone else knows?"

Both wizards furrowed their brows for a few moments before Severus spoke, "I doubt it. It's unlikely at least, considering that Lupin is still here."

The room was silent for a little before Ava shook herself from morbid thoughts of losing Remus, focusing back on the task at hand. Horcruxes. Already having discussed the fact that Voldemort was using them to gain immortality and that it would be useless to fight him until they were destroyed, Regulus had asked if she knew any specific details about the Horcruxes. "So, anyway, I know the ones that he currently has, and I know of where at least some of them should be. One is the Gaunt family ring, which I know is in the Gaunt family home. I don't know where that is, but I know that it's got protective spells and stuff around it. And I'm sure that Dumbledore can take care of it once I'm inducted into the Order."

Regulus raised his brows. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Being in the Order?" He looked to Severus for support.

The older Slytherin sighed before saying, "I happen to agree with Regulus, Ava. I don't like the idea of you taking a more active role in defying the Dark Lord. You're already a target due to your knowledge. There's no reason to paint a bigger one on your back."

She waved them off with her hand. "It'll be fine. It's not like I'll be on the front lines or whatever, and I'm not planning on meeting him in person." She shuddered. "No, thank you. I'll just be giving the Order information, but I've got to get more involved at some point, so you might as well get used to it now." Ava looked between the wizards, waiting for some sort of acknowledgment that they understood.

While neither one looked happy about it, both Regulus and Severus gave her sharp nods.

She let out a relieved breath. I wish James and Sirius would be that easy. "Anyway, Voldemort had a diary from when he was still going by the name Tom Riddle that he turned into a Horcrux. It should be at Malfoy Manor, and—"

Regulus interrupted. "Riddle? That's not a Pureblood name."

Ava shook her head. "Nope. He's a half-blood."

Severus sneered. "Figures."

Once he picked his jaw up from the floor, anger overtook Regulus's expression. "That lying sack of shit." He sat back in his chair. "What utter bullshit," he said, shaking his head. "That maniac is selling himself to everyone as the heir of Slytherin and they're all lapping it up."

"To be fair, he is the heir of Slytherin, but just happens to be a half-blood," she said with a shrug.

Regulus rolled his eyes. "That's even better since it goes against everything that he's built his platform on." After a moment, he huffed. "I apologize for my interruption, please continue."

Ava smiled at his manners. "So, that's two of the Horcruxes. Another one is the cup of Hufflepuff, which should be in the Lestranges's vault at Gringotts."

Both wizards spoke in unison.

"How exactly are we supposed to retrieve that?" Severus asked, exasperation lacing his tone.

"How in the name of Merlin did he get his hands on that?" Regulus asked.

"He's got some sort of fixation with the founders of Hogwarts, and he's very sneaky and motivated. I can't remember exactly how he got that one, but he's also using the diadem of Ravenclaw as a Horcrux and I know he essentially tricked a Ravenclaw ghost for that one," she said. Ava stayed silent, letting the information sink in, knowing that it would be quite a surprise.

"Are you positive that those items exist? Could the ones you know about be false, and he's actually chosen something else?" Regulus asked with a frown.

Ava shook her head. "I'm absolutely sure about this. Voldemort's obsessive about things. He'll definitely have used these."

"Forget about the items themselves. How in the hell are we supposed to access the Lestrange vault? Or Malfoy's Manor?" Severus asked.

Ava opened her mouth, planning on suggesting they worry about that another time, when Regulus spoke up.

"I might be able to help with Gringotts actually. And Severus, don't forget the New Year's Eve ball that the Malfoys host every year. A party that size would be quite the distraction and cover all at once, and we'll both be invited."

Ava raised a brow. "Well that makes it a lot easier to get the diary then. What about the bank vault?"

"Give me time to think of something," Regulus said.

She was about to continue through the list of Horcruxes, when a thought occurred to her. "You know, I haven't seen Bellatrix, Rodolphus, or Rabastan yet."

Regulus explained, "Well, Bella and Rodolphus already graduated two years ago, and Rabastan is actually in my year."

"Are you close with him?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Not really. Although, he's not close to anyone I'd wager, besides his brother that is. He seems to prefer acquaintances rather than friends, and made it clear during first year that he wasn't willing to talk about anything personal. He's a decent partner in class and doesn't tolerate stupidity. But I haven't seen him have any sort of altercations with anyone over the years, and he seemed pleasant enough at social events that our parents dragged us to. Why?"

"Hmm. Keep an eye on him. I don't know for sure what his allegiances are like, but if he's your age, then he was inducted at a young age as well. I remember him going to Azkaban."

"What?" Regulus asked, visibly startled.

"Yeah. That's why I want to look after him," she said. "And some others," she added, thinking about Barty. "I'm just not sure how some of the Death Eaters end up so insane and sadistic if they didn't show earlier signs of that behavior. You don't just become like that over night." Ava shook her head. "Anyway, the Ravenclaw diadem is here at Hogwarts and I know where it is. You guys can help me find it and destroy it once we've decided how we're going to do that. And then there's the locket of Slytherin, but I don't know if he has already created that one or not yet, but it would be happening soon, within the next two years or so." She looked to Regulus. "That's the one that Voldemort asks to use Kreacher for, in order to hide it." The wizard tensed, so she gently reminded him, "If he does ask for Kreacher, you've got to let Voldemort use him. Otherwise, he'll become suspicious and he may move the Horcrux elsewhere. Remember, he doesn't actually kill Kreacher."

Regulus's lips were pursed, but he nodded.

"So, Ava, how exactly do you plan on having us destroy the pieces of a dark wizard's soul?" Severus asked. "Shouldn't we let Dumbledore or the Order take care of that?"

"I've thought about that. But I think I need to go Dumbledore with proof that I'm capable of following through with my information and that it's factual before he'll trust me enough to really listen. Without reading my mind." She huffed out a breath, slouching in her seat. "I haven't even thought about how I'm going to get around the fact that I'm from another world."

"Why are you so hesitant to tell the Headmaster the truth?" Regulus asked.

She sighed. "He can be quite manipulative. I don't trust him to know that about me."

"But you trust us?" Severus asked incredulously.

Ava smiled. "Of course."

Regulus returned her smile, but Severus shook his head. "You're too trusting, witch."

She waved him off, mumbling something about the Oaths, and shifted the conversation to how they planned to destroy the Horcruxes. For several minutes, they debated the merits of basilisk venom and Fiendfyre before the venom won out because at least they wouldn't have to worry about losing control of it.

"I can procure the venom through Slughorn, claiming it as a necessary ingredient for a Potions experiment, but it's quite expensive," Severus said.

Regulus seemed to nod to himself before saying, "I can cover the cost."

"Thank God. I was a little worried we'd have to kill the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets," Ava said, silently thanking whatever deity was listening.

Both wizards chuckled, but their expressions dropped as Ava didn't join in on their laughter.

"You're serious, aren't you?" Regulus asked, his complexion ashen.

Severus had a disturbed look about his face as he asked, "Shouldn't we tell someone?"

She shrugged. "Nah, it should be fine. It's difficult to gain access to anyway. Plus, you need to be able to speak Parseltongue."

Regulus looked at her with wide eyes.

Severus shook his head, saying, "I'm rather glad that you're on the side of the light and not the Dark Lord's."

For a brief moment, Ava considered what that alternative universe might look like. She could be the Dark Lady to a psychopathic snake-faced monster. She scrunched up her face. Not worth all the immortality and power in the world, she thought.

"We've got to head down for dinner," Regulus reminded them.

"Right. So, any thoughts or questions so far?" Ava asked. "I know this is a lot to take in, and I don't expect us to accomplish anything too quickly, so just think about it for now, alright?"

Both wizards nodded.

"I'll find a way for us to get into the Lestrange vault," Regulus reassured them as they gathered their belongings.

"And I'll go ahead and order basilisk venom," Severus added.

Ava walked to the door. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Looks of confusion overtook their faces before Severus realized and muttered, "The full moon is tonight, isn't it?"

She nodded with a grimace.

"Good luck," he said, concerning lacing his tone.

"Yeah, good luck," Regulus repeated.

She gave them a small smile before leaving the Room, heading to her quarters for a quick meal before moonrise. As she made the trek back to her rooms, Ava considered how they were too afraid to use Fiendfyre. I know it's hard to control, but we can't be too scared to use powerful magic. She began to rethink her plans for eliminating Voldemort and the Death Eaters. I need to have an edge over anyone who's willing to use dark magic against me or my friends. Approaching the door to her quarters, Ava concluded that she would need to do more research to see what useful spells she could find.


Sirius sat on the couch in Professor McGonagall's quarters, watching her ward Ava's bedroom door. Just in case the last full moon was a fluke, Ava had told him. He despised lying to Remus, but did so once again because no one was willing to explain the entire truth to him around a full moon. So, according to the werewolf, Sirius was currently serving detention, but would be joining his friends in the Shack later. Which he would, but with Ava in tow. Bloody good thing too, he thought. The last full moon hadn't been exactly fun for the Animagi, trying to distract Moony from heaving himself against the door with a sickening crunch over and over again. The werewolf hadn't been easily deterred and took out his frustration on his friends. Sirius was especially worried about Moony's behavior that night because of how possessive Remus had been of Ava over the past couple of days. He had practically demanded that she sit next to him at every meal, as evidenced by his audible growls when she placed herself anywhere else, and kept one of her hands fully preoccupied by grasping it in his own, unwilling to release her until they were forced to part for classes.

Sirius and James hadn't yet told Ava about letting the fact that she's Moony's mate slip out in front of Peter. Technically, they hadn't done anything wrong because it was something they had learned from Remus, so it didn't fall under the Wizard's Oath that Ava had required of them. After giving Peter the bare minimum of details, knowing that Ava would be pissed either way, he and James explained why they thought she should be in the Shack with them during the full moon. Considering that Moony had a terrible habit of chasing Wormtail around, more like a cat than a wolf, Peter overcame his surprise and readily agreed, hoping that Ava would be able to keep the werewolf tame for the night.

His attention was drawn to McGonagall when she said, "Mr. Black, you might prefer to wait outside until she's ready." Her face was etched in a mixture of concern and sadness.

Sirius tilted his head in confusion.

"I'm not willing to put up silencing wards in case Ava needs my assistance, so we'll be able to hear her during the transformation."

He thought back to their conversation the day after the last full moon. Ava had only mentioned that she could feel the transformation through her connection, but hadn't been very forthcoming on the particulars. Brows furrowed, he opened his mouth to ask the professor to explain when his keen sense of hearing picked up a sound coming from inside Ava's bedroom. Was that a whimper? He listened closely, hearing the same noise just a few moments later. That was definitely a whimper. He sat up straight in his seat, gazing flicking from McGonagall to the door that his friend was being contained behind. "Ava told us it was painful, but didn't give us any details, professor. How bad does it get?"

McGonagall eyed him with her lips pressed in a thin line before turning her attention back to Ava's bedroom.

Sirius was about to repeat his question when a scream tore through the air. He startled, bolting from the sofa, moving closer to Ava's room. "Professor! We have to do something! What's wrong with her?"

The professor shook her head as tears gathered in her eyes. "There's nothing we can do, dear boy. We tried giving her a pain potion beforehand, hoping it would ease the pain, but it appears to not have any effect."

Another high-pitched yell pierced their ears.

Merlin, it sounds like she's being tortured. Moony doesn't even sound like that, he thought, gazing at the bedroom door with worried eyes. He turned back to McGonagall. "But she's not a werewolf. This—" his words were cut off by another pitiful scream from Ava. "This shouldn't be happening! She's not a werewolf!" he yelled with wide eyes, pleading the professor to do something. Anything.

"No, she isn't. But her magic and soul are bound to someone who is," she said.

Sirius gaped at McGonagall before charging over to the warded door. Ava was still yelling out in pain, but he had to do something. His throat tightened, but he managed to say, "I'm right here, Ava. You're going to be alright, you'll get through it. You've done it before. You can do it." He flinched when Ava released another ear-splitting scream and could feel tears welling in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Ava, but I'm here. I'm right here. Just outside the door."

The yells of intense pains had turned into groans and whimpers, and he could just make out the rustling of clothing. Inhaling deeply, he turned to McGonagall. "You can drop the wards, I can smell that she's still human and she's bleeding."

"Oh, dear," the professor breathed out as she rapidly raised her wand and began to take down the enchantments around the door.

As soon as the door could be opened, Sirius rushed into the room, finding Ava dragging herself towards the entrance, blood staining her face. He sucked in a breath, not having seen someone look so awful unless they had been in a fist fight. He bent down and gently touched her shoulder. "Hey."

She seemed to grimace before stopping her slow crawl and let out a soft grunt as she turned herself onto her back.

McGonagall crouched down. "Let me get a clear look at you," she said before clearing the blood away from Ava's face and casting a quick diagnostic spell. "You've got a small head wound, a cut on your lip, and a bloody nose. I'm going to go ahead and heal you right now, dear. Ready?"

The young witch merely groaned in response while Sirius looked on, impatiently waiting for his friend to be healed.

The professor hastily cast a couple healing spells, closing up the wounds on Ava's head and lip. As her nose was realigned, she let out a whimper, causing both Sirius and McGonagall to wince in sympathy. "What happened?" the older witch asked.

Sirius huffed. "Bloody hell, Ava. You were in here by yourself. How'd you get hurt?"

Still lying on the stone floor, she said, "One of the waves of pain jolted my body hard enough that it knocked me to the ground and I literally fell on my face." Seemingly not wanting to waste any more time, the girl began to pull herself up into a sitting position.

Both he and McGonagall immediately reached out to help Ava, but she pulled away from them.

"No!" she snapped. "I'm doing this on my own," she grit out as she turned over onto her hands and knees. "Next time, I'm laying down right from the start and demanding the softest cushions magic can make."

Sirius couldn't help but hold his hands out in the air, ready to catch Ava if she lost her balance.

She took a few deep breaths, seeming to hesitate before trying to stand. She shook her head. "Fuck it," she whispered. "Help me up. I need to see Remus."

Without waiting for assistance from McGonagall, Sirius reached out and grasped Ava's arms, yanking her up from the floor, causing a groan of pain to fall from her lips.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"No worries, I'm fine," she said, before leaning onto him for more support.

The pair slowly but surely made their way to the front door under the watchful eye of Professor McGonagall. Just as they were about to step out into the corridor, she said, "Promise me you'll be careful, Ava."

Sirius could see Ava roll her eyes, but she looked over her shoulder and said, "I will, Aunt Minerva," before tugging on him to continue on their way.

Once out in the corridor, they tried to look as inconspicuous as possible in case they came across any students. Sirius had his arm wrapped around Ava, feeling her body sag against his more and more as they made their way out of the castle. "I'm sorry you have to go through that. Moony's transformation isn't even that bad."

Ava sighed. "It's whatever. Remus is probably just used to it."

He shook his head. "You don't need to keep up the tough act around me. You're allowed to feel pain, Ava."

She laughed lightly. "I don't have time to be worried about my own pain when I can feel Remus's so acutely." She stumbled over a rock on the path out towards the Whomping Willow, but he held onto her tightly. "I just need to get there, and he'll be fine. I can feel it."

They only walked about another twenty feet or so when one of Ava's legs gave out, causing Sirius to let out a frustrated huff of air. "Just let me carry you," he said.

"I'm fine," Ava ground out around her clenched jaw.

He stopped walking. "C'mon, we'll get there faster if you let me carry you."

Ava groaned and looked at him warily. "Are you sure?"

Sirius roved his eyes over her face. Her cheeks were flushed from exertion and a sheen of sweat coated her skin. This is all my fault. Mine and James. She shouldn't have to go through this. "Please," he whispered, unable to stop the desperation leaking into his tone. "Please let me help you. It's the least I can do."

"Okay," she mumbled, and the fight seemed to leave her body as her shoulders slumped.

"Thank Merlin," he said as he held onto Ava's shoulders and scooped his other arm behind her knees, lifting her from the ground. She settled into his arms and let her head rest against his chest. "See? Not so bad, is it?" he asked with a smile.

"I suppose not," she said, rolling her eyes. "Can you hurry it up? I want to see Remus."

"Yes, Lady Ava. To your knight we shall go," he announced in a deep voice, marching towards the hill just before the Whomping Willow and entrance to the Shrieking Shack.

Ava giggled. "Thank you, Sirius."

"Of course," he said, his previous guilt returning full force, weighing down his shoulders. "Whatever you need."


Ava stood at the top of the stairs in the Shack, in front of the door that would lead her to Moony, Prongs, and Wormtail. Her magic was insistently pushing her towards the bedroom that contained the werewolf and Animagi. She glanced down at Sirius, now transformed into a fluffy, black dog, and quickly ran through the comments that he had made in the tunnel leading to the dilapidated house. I need to be calm. Submissive, she thought with a pout forming on her face. Moony will likely want to rub his scent all over me, especially because I smell like Sirius now. She nodded to Padfoot and looked at the door separating her from her soulmate. I can do this. Moony's already met me and liked me. It'll be fine. I'll just—. Her thoughts were silenced when a howl reverberated through the house, settling in her bones. Remus. The sudden noise from the werewolf hadn't frightened her, but spurred her on. The call from the wolf was beautiful, but tinged with sadness. He needs me, Ava thought just as her magic flared behind her ribs, desperate to reconnect with her soulmate.

With a bark and nudge from Padfoot, she reached out and grasped the door handle as quietly as she could. They didn't want to risk Moony hearing her and possibly ambushing them and propelling himself out of the room. With a last look at the large dog by her side, Ava barreled through the door and slammed it shut behind her as soon as Padfoot was clear.

Once again, Ava faced the enormous sandy werewolf, but this time she wasn't afraid. Her magic settled instantly upon seeing her mate and she smiled, thankful to be in his presence.

Moony greeted Padfoot amicably at first, but then must have scented her out because he turned to growl at the smaller canine, herding him away from where Ava was standing, still pressed up against the wooden door. The massive wolf turned his flashing amber eyes on Ava, causing her to suck in a breath. He's gorgeous, she thought, mesmerized by his gleaming eyes and smooth coat. I don't think I noticed before. Moony stalked towards her, smelling the air furiously. He blew out a breath through his nose, then pulled his lips back and growled in Sirius's direction.

Not wanting to let the situation get out of hand, Ava spoke quickly. "He helped me."

The werewolf peered at her curiously, taking another few steps forward.

She smiled. "Hey there, Moony." Hearing his name, the wolf's ears perked up. "Padfoot was only helping me get to you, so be nice," she said in a stern voice.

He tilted his head, then glanced at the Animagus before turning back to Ava. He closed the distance between them without hesitation.

A little startled by his quick movements, she slowly held out a hand, but Moony brushed right past it and nuzzled into her side. His wet nose trailed over her face and neck, causing her to giggle. "Your nose is cold," she admonished as she buried her hands in his soft fur, petting him gently. Her magic thrummed in delight, grateful to be in such close proximity. She stumbled slightly on her feet as Moony pressed himself against her body, seemingly wanting to cover her in his scent. After dragging himself along Ava's front, the werewolf wedged his face between her body and the door, pushing her away and rubbing his giant body across her back. Laughing softly, she said, "I agree. You must be thorough when marking myself as yours."

A noise of what Ava could only interpret as agreement rumbled from the wolf's chest.

Now that Moony wasn't blocking her sight of the room, she saw James and Peter in their Animagus forms standing with Padfoot on the other side of the moonlit room. She offered them a smile. "Hey Prongs, Wormtail, thanks for letting me come."

The rat squeaked while the stag seemed to nod as he pawed the ground once.

Still smiling, Ava said, "I'll take that as a 'you're welcome'."

Feeling Moony cease his movement, she looked to the side. Once he noticed her attention, he bumped his head against her arm, tail wagging. She couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not sure how I can play with you Moony, you're kinda big," Ava said, quickly scanning the room, seeing the pile of blankets and cushions from before. She pet the top of the werewolf's head and walked over to the comfortable looking corner of the room before picking up a small pillow. "Wanna play fetch?" she asked in a high voice, trying to entice the sandy wolf. Movement caught her eye, and she saw that Padfoot had perked up too, so she grabbed another pillow with a huff of laughter. Ava guessed that the room was somewhere between twenty and thirty feet wide. Just small enough for her to throw the pillows across it and just big enough for the canines to scamper over to them, expending some of their energy. Prongs and Wormtail acted as spectators for the most part, but were occasional obstacles to the pillows as well, not wanting to miss out on the fun. Eventually, she stopped, letting the slobbery cushions rest where Moony and Padfoot dropped them in front of her. "My arms are tired, boys. But I'm sure your friends want to play," she said, pointing at the stag with a rat sitting atop his antlers.

Immediately, Moony bounded over to his Animagi friends and Padfoot followed along. They all played together for a while, chasing one another around the room, sometimes using Ava as a shield, before Moony decided to settle down. He padded over to where she had made herself at home amongst the cushions and cuddled up next to her after turning in a circle. As she repeatedly threaded her fingers through his fur, Ava could feel their magic mingling, causing a pleasant tingle to start in her fingers and branch out through her body.

Padfoot hesitantly made his way over to Ava and attempted to discreetly snuggle up against her other side, but Moony was vigilant and reached his head across her lap, baring his teeth and letting out a low warning growl.

She chuckled. "Sorry, Padfoot," she told the retreating Animagus as he looked for another sleeping spot. She looked down at Moony, who left his heavy head resting atop her thighs. "You should learn to share. He's my friend too," she scolded the werewolf. Ava felt slightly guilty when his ears fell back, but he perked right back up when she continued to stroke his fur. "Goodnight guys," she said while burrowing herself deeper into Moony's side and the surrounding cushions. Within a few minutes, the whole group was fast asleep.