Author's Note: It's still so incredible to me that there are people out there reading this story! People that enjoy my writing enough to keep coming back for more! And by people, I mean you, dear readers. Yes, you! You guys are AWESOME!

This chapter grew and grew, so I've cut it into two parts so that I could give you something to read now. The full moon will be in the next chapter, picking up right after this one. Warning: sexy times ahead ;)

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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 39

Avalynn stifled a yawn as she sat across from Dumbledore. It's inhumane to be up this early on a Saturday, she thought. The Headmaster had just offered her a lemon drop, which she politely declined as it made her oversensitive nose twitch in annoyance. The full moon was that night and she was rather miffed to find that having Remus claim her did absolutely nothing to suppress the wolfish tendencies that appeared close to her version of the transformation.

"Here is the list detailing the current members of the Order of the Phoenix, as you requested," Dumbledore said as he slid a piece of parchment towards Ava. "Despite your previous offer of destroying the information once you had a chance to peruse it, I thought it would better serve you if it were to be concealed in the charmed box that is in your possession."

She nodded in agreement. Since the paranoid wizard had wanted to keep the destroyed diadem, the box was currently sitting empty in her bedroom anyhow. "I'll spend some time going over these names and see what I can remember. I'm not sure how soon anything happens, but I know for a fact that over the next couple of years, as some of these people are labeled as blood traitors, they become targeted by the Death Eaters."

He steepled his fingers. "Yes, we must remain vigilant."

The corners of her mouth twitched. "Constant vigilance, I'd imagine."

Dumbledore let out a surprised chuckle. His blue eyes twinkled as he said, "I doubt the intrigue surrounding your arrival here will ever dim, Miss McGonagall. It's quite the incredible set of circumstances."

Ava shifted in her seat. "Yes, well, I'm just glad that I'll be able to help out." She kept her fingers crossed, hoping that the Headmaster wouldn't pry any further into the magic behind her appearance into their world considering that she withheld the fact that she was Remus's soulmate from the old wizard.

He nodded. "I thank you for your contribution to the Order, and when all this settles, I'm certain that you will have many thanks from others." He sat back in his ornate, chestnut chair and reached out to stroke Fawkes's vibrant feathers. "Now, what do you know of the remaining Horcruxes?"

She swallowed. "Voldemort has a thing for the founders of Hogwarts so another one of his Horcruxes is the Cup of Hufflepuff, which I'm pretty sure is being held in the Lestranges's vault at Gringotts."

Dumbledore's hand stilled over his familiar.

"But, I've got a few ideas on how we can get it out. And then there's his diary, which is actually his first Horcrux, and—"

"Tom made that while still at Hogwarts, didn't he?" Dumbledore asked with a sad frown.

"Yes, sir." And you should feel guilty. "The diary is probably at Malfoy Manor, and I've actually got a way to get that Horcrux too. Well, hopefully. It should work." She paused. "Yeah, it'll work." Ava glanced up to see him quirking a brow. "What?" she asked defensively. Without waiting for a response, she continued while leaning back in her seat, arms crossed. "We'll get it, for sure. Especially since I've got an invitation, and so do…my, uh…colleagues. So, yeah, we'll find the diary and then we'll focus on the cup." She threw Dumbledore a look that she hoped conveyed her determination but didn't reveal her concern for their foolhardy plans. It's not like there's a better way to go about tracking down Horcruxes anyhow.

Once again placing his wrinkled fingers under his chin, he said, "Miss McGonagall, while I commend your enthusiasm, you must realize that I don't expect you to acquire Tom's Horcruxes within an unreasonable time frame. Nor would I deny you any assistance if requested." He pressed his lips together in a firm line. "It doesn't sit well with me to burden mere children with this sort of responsibility."

Doesn't it? she thought sarcastically before reminding herself that it wasn't exactly fair of her to continue judging Dumbledore as if he were the same wizard that left an infant Harry Potter with the Dursleys while Sirius suffered in Azkaban. The same wizard that preyed on an orphan and groomed him for a battle that he likely wouldn't live through. Ava shook her head. Just don't forget—it wouldn't take a lot for him to turn into that much of an asshole.

"I assume by your aforementioned 'colleagues', you speak of classmates with connections to the dark side of this war? And you have the utmost trust in them?"

She nodded vehemently despite the fact that Dumbledore knew her Oath prevented her from speaking to anyone about things she learned at future Order meetings. "Of course. And despite our age, I think you'll be surprised by what we can accomplish."

"Of that, I have no doubt, my dear. I look forward to your reports as an active member of the Order," he told her with a small smile.

Her skin prickled while the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Something about the way Dumbledore said that rubbed Ava the wrong way.

"What of Tom's fourth Horcrux? The last one, correct?" he asked, dragging her attention away from his previous comment.

She nodded. "Yes, it's the Gaunt family ring and he's keeping it at the Gaunt shack. I don't have any specifics of the enchantments or curses that he's spelled the house with, but I know that you're able to bypass them." She wrung her fingers. "But there's one thing I need to warn you about."

He looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Yes?"

Ava gulped as she discreetly palmed her wand. "You might feel…inclined to wear the ring, but you shouldn't. You absolutely shouldn't," she told him firmly. "The ring is imbued with a deadly curse, and it will kill you if you put it on."

He nodded. "Thank y—"

"I mean it, Professor Dumbledore. Nothing is worth the risk of you putting that ring on. You'll die and then who would fight Voldemort?" She wanted to make sure that it really hit home.

His eyes narrowed. "Why are you so sure that I would wear a cursed piece of jewelry, Miss McGonagall?"

She steeled herself. "Because of the Hallows."

Dumbledore's lips parted as his eyes widened in shock.

"The Hallows are not worth your life when your death would likely be subjecting the Wizarding World to Voldemort's reign of terror."

Regardless of Ava's trepidation at revealing her knowledge of the Hallows and the old wizard's pursuit of them, she wanted to be upfront in hopes that he would heed her warning. However, her anxiety morphed into terror when his hard, blue eyes locked onto her gaze for a second too long.

No amount of practice with Severus would have prepared her for Dumbledore's onslaught. She rapidly reinforced her mental wall, thankfully having erected it before stepping foot into the Headmaster's Office, and focused most of her energy on keeping the shield from crumbling. The usual mountainous terrain of her mind burst into existence, but Ava could tell from the flicker of the trees and boulders that the landscape wasn't sturdy enough to withstand a direct attack.

Her heart raced as blood pounded in her ears. She flew across the expanse of her shield, attempting to locate Dumbledore, but his presence was a whisper, making him a menace to follow. Ava could hear her frustrated growl resound throughout her mind. He was like water that kept dribbling through the cracks between her fingers no matter how tightly she pressed her hands together. He weaved up and down her mental wall, looking for a weak spot, and upon finding none, he seemingly retreated. Not convinced, Ava maintained the barrier around her mind, and it was a good thing she did.

Sharp pain erupted in her skull when Dumbledore launched against her shield, hoping to blast his way through as if he were a battering ram. Shit! That hurts! SHIT! she cursed, trying her best to ignore the mounting pressure in her head and concentrate on keeping her mind from being invaded.

I can't do this forever. I should've brought Aunt Minerva. So stupid! Absolute idiot! That last thought sounded a bit like Severus. Fuck. What would he do? Probably not gotten himself into this situation in the first place. I need to break the connection.

Ava could hear herself cry out in pain as Dumbledore continued to pound against her mental wall. And how exactly do you propose to do that, Avalynn? Once more, her internal rant echoed her best friend. Thinking of Severus caused a light bulb to go off.

"Protego!" she screamed, unable to tell if she uttered the words aloud. But it was enough. The magic propelled the intruding presence out and her mind rushed forward, only to slam into what felt like a brick wall, and the screeching of a chair reverberated throughout the room.

Her vision cleared to show Dumbledore panting, slumped in his seat, which appeared to have been forced back against the stone floor by a few feet.

A wave of dizziness crashed over Ava, and she was grateful to have remained in her seated position. She pressed a hand to her head, as if that could cease the throbbing of her skull cracking open, and glared at the wizard with all of her might. "Fuck you," she hissed, wiping sweat from her forehead.

His gray eyebrows twitched, but he seemed too busy trying to catch his breath to reprimand her language.

Her magic buzzed, urging her to take action. What do you want? she mentally groaned, once again dabbing at the sweat that beaded along her hairline. Her magic warmed in her chest and sparked into her limbs, almost angry. As if it were demanding retribution. What?! I'm not going to just attack him, she scolded. She could've sworn that a growl sounded in her head. Isn't it bad enough my senses are in overdrive? Now my magic has a mind of its own again?

Taking advantage of the old wizard's state, Ava wobbled to her feet and thrust a menacing finger at him. "This isn't over, asshole," she snapped, dragging her feet towards the door. When Dumbledore rasped out her name, she ignored him and stomped down the spiral staircase, gripping the wall with her fingertips in hopes of keeping herself upright.

As the dizziness and nausea subsided, she absentmindedly wiped her nose, a cool, prickling feeling causing her to think it was running for some reason. Pulling her hand away, she saw it was smeared crimson. Motherfucker made my nose bleed. Ava was too wrapped up in her daydream of strangling Dumbledore with her bare hands to watch where she was walking and managed to barrel right into someone at the foot of the stairs.

Despite the mental intrusion she had just escaped from, she could feel herself relaxing in the arms of the person who grasped her flailing body. She inhaled. Sirius. For a brief moment, she felt safe and relieved. Wait—Sirius!

"Slow down there, pretty lady," he said in a teasing lilt. "Moony wouldn't appreciate his mate hurting herself. Even if she's tripping over her own feet in a rush to be by his side. You heading to breakfast too? I just dropped off a late assignment to your dear Aunt Minnie."

Ava kept her head down. "Yeah. Thanks, Sirius," she mumbled. Her hopes of avoiding a confrontation were dashed when she heard him sniff.

His grip tightened around her shoulders. "Ava, why do I smell blood?" he asked in a low voice.

She grimaced, recognizing his tone. There's no way I'm getting out of this one.

The Animagus reached out and cupped her chin, gently pulling it up to meet her gaze. His gray eyes flashed in anger. "Who did this? What happened?" He peered up and down the corridor before looking back to her. His eyes darted over her shoulder, the direction she came from with the gargoyle statue guarding Dumbledore's office. "No," he breathed. "No way."

Sighing, Ava used her sleeve to blot at the blood she could feel still trickling from her nose. Irritated, she muttered under her breath, "Clearly, I underestimated Dumbledore when I didn't require his Oath to include not invading my mind. He's lucky I only called him an asshole."

Sirius looked at her with horrified, wide eyes for a long moment then tossed his head back, letting out a deep laugh. "Only you, Ava." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, steering her away from the Headmaster's office. "Only you would walk away from one of the most powerful wizards prying into your head and pout about not being strict enough when you brokered a magical Oath from the same wizard. Not to mention, the verbal lashing you gave him that surely followed." He gave her an affectionate squeeze while adding, "You've got quite the pair of bollocks on you, witch."

She cleared her throat. "Yes, well, someone has to put the old coot in his place."

Sirius chuckled.

Her head throbbed incessantly. "Laugh it up Black," she said in a more biting tone than usual.

He peered down at her with a raised brow.

Ava ducked her head sheepishly. "Sorry. My head hurts. But my, uh, furry traits seem to be in overdrive, so I'm a little touchy." She paused. "I suppose it could be because Remus officially claimed me as his mate. They haven't gotten any better, that's for sure."

"What do you mean 'officially'?"

Her gaze flicked to the ground as she mumbled, "We had sex."

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

She groaned, but then looked up to see his cheeky grin and smacked him on the arm.

His teasing expression morphed into one of concern as Ava felt more blood trickle from her nose.

She huffed in annoyance and used the sleeve of her robe to dab at the reminder that Dumbledore wasn't a wizard to be trifled with. He could've stopped her from leaving his office if he really wanted to. Maybe he realized that he went too far, she considered.

Sirius wanted to take her to the Hospital Wing, but she brushed it off and promised to stop at the girls' bathroom on their way to the Great Hall to clean up at least. Of course, her friend followed her in, claiming that he wasn't willing to risk leaving her alone if she passed out from blood loss. Ava laughed off his excuse when his curious eyes roved around the bathroom upon entering.

As Ava used a damp towel to clear the smeared blood from her face, Sirius peppered her with questions about why she was meeting with Dumbledore and why he would've pushed into her mind. She chose to ignore him at first, not in the mood to discuss secrets in the chilly, musty school restroom when her head felt like a nut someone had tried to smash open. Thankfully, her friend seemed to understand as he quieted for a minute or so, leaving her to rinse out the blood on her sleeve in peace.

Breaking the pleasant silence, Sirius hesitantly asked, "Did it have anything to do with the second Oath you made me take?" He lowered his voice while stepping closer to her. "The one about the prophecy?"

Ava's brows popped up in surprise as she gazed at him in the reflection of the mirror.

"I wanted to ask when you told us about your invitation to Malfoy Manor, but I knew I couldn't bring it up in front of James, and I figured that you wouldn't want Remus to know either."

The uncomfortable expression on his face reminded her of the guilt he likely carried. She turned to face him and grasped his hands in hers. "I understand why you hate lying to them and keeping secrets, but mentioning it in front of them would've been a mistake. I'm not willing to tell them yet, if ever, so thank you for thinking things through before acting on them." She cracked a smile. "Knowing you, that was a major feat."

He let out an exaggerated huff of annoyance.

"Just please remember that everything I do is because of what I told you that night. While I'm going to try my hardest to save as many people as possible and eliminate Voldemort and the Death Eaters, what we spoke of is a catalyst, a turning point, for the war to go sideways, and not in the direction we'd like it to. I'm desperately trying to avoid the worst parts of this war, I promise."

His face paled, likely caught up in the memory of the prophecy and their personal connection to it.

Tears pricked at Ava's eyes and she reached out, pulling him in for a hug. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to them."

He gripped her tightly in return, and she could feel him nodding against her shoulder. They clung to each other in silence, with the exception of the faucet dripping occasionally in the background. Ava closed her eyes and deeply breathed in his familiar scent and exhaled slowly, repeating the action several times. With each breath, she could feel her emotions and magic settling. Her mind drifted to Dumbledore's mental assault, and she didn't feel quite so murderous as she had in the minutes following his attack. Maybe I just needed to chill for a bit, she reasoned.

She opened her eyes, feeling much better and remembering their surroundings, she giggled. Pulling away from Sirius, she whispered, "What even is my life?"

Sirius's brows furrowed.

"Don't mind me. Just laughing over the fact that I'm hugging Sirius Black in a girls' bathroom at Hogwarts," she told him with a smile and shake of her head. Ava tugged on his hand and headed for the exit as he chuckled.

She shoved open the door and they spilled out into the corridor, but they weren't the only ones there. She spotted Remus standing about ten feet away, with his fists clenched at his sides, nostrils flared, and eyes shining amber.

Ava could feel his anger and jealousy sizzling through their bond. She knew that Moony was likely feeling possessive, especially with the full moon later that evening, but he should know better than to be worried about her with other guys. "Stop being ridiculous," she snapped at him.

Remus's hands clenched and he lashed out. "Is it ridiculous when your mate comes waltzing out of somewhere private with another male, holding hands and looking suspicious as hell?!"

Her mouth hung open in shock at the implication in his words. She was sure that the hurt she felt crossed their connection because his furious expression faltered momentarily.

Sirius tried to slip his hand out of hers "Mate—," he started.

Ava tightened her hold on his hand. "No," she interrupted, voice stern. If Remus wasn't going to take her feelings into consideration, then he didn't get to be so demanding. "Sirius and I are friends, Remus. We aren't doing anything wrong."

"Ava," Sirius whispered, trying to free himself from her grip. "Bloody hell, witch, you're strong."

The intense glow of amber in Remus's eyes flared and he stormed over to the pair. He wrapped his fingers around Ava's arm tightly and yanked her away from Sirius, growling, "Mine."

She squeaked in surprise as Sirius started yelling. "Let her go, Moony! Don't grab her like that!"

She let out an indignant scoff. "Could you dial back the alpha male vibe? Of course, I'm yours."

Her werewolf's features and hold softened as he registered her words. But then he inhaled deeply and looked at her with concern flashing across his face. Wrapping both his hands around her arms as he held her in place, he asked, "What happened? Where are you hurt?"

She frowned to herself when her magic thrummed in delight at his fussing. Stop it. I can take care of myself. Out of the corner of her eye, Ava spotted Sirius discreetly inching his way closer to them.

Remus glanced away from her and snarled at his friend, baring his teeth in a clear warning. His fingers strengthened their hold on her. "Mine," he said, voice rumbling like thunder.

She had barely moved to peek at Sirius, just to let him know she was fine, only annoyed, when Remus shoved her behind him with another growl. She tried not to whimper in pain, knowing that she'd have bruises later from where Remus held her. "You're hurting me, Moony," she said, assuming that was who she needed to reason with in this moment.

Ava was becoming truly worried since she hadn't seen Remus so angry before. Possessive, sure, but he hadn't ever jerked her around like a rag doll. Her elbow twinged in pain as he jostled her once more. Her patience had been wearing thin already, but her magic caused the reminder to disappear as it swarmed inside her with a growl, protesting against Remus's actions. "Let. Me. Go!" she snapped at him, wriggling herself out of his grasp. She darted around him, back towards Sirius.

Sirius approached her side, angling himself in front of her. "Easy, Moony. You don't want to hurt her."

"You can't just manhandle me like that, Remus!" she yelled, glaring at her mate as she rubbed her elbow.

He snarled as his amber eyes darted between her and Sirius.

Ava could still feel his anger, but now doubt and sadness permeated their connection. After a moment, she realized that it might not be just Moony that was feeling possessive of his mate. She took a deep breath to quiet her temper and magic. "Remus, you know I love you," she said softly, taking a step towards him and nudging Sirius out of the way. "And I love you too, Moony."

His eyes flickered green for a moment.

Maybe I just need to remind him. "I have no interest in Sirius, or any other man, besides friendship," she said, closing the distance between them, only stopping once they were chest to chest. She titled back her head to look directly in his eyes that were now wavering between amber and green. "Sometimes friends hold hands or hug. You know this. Just like you know that I'm in love with you."

The werewolf let out a pleased rumble.

She could hear a similar sound reverberate through her mind in response as her magic eased back. Worry about that later, she thought dismissively. She bared her neck to him and pulled aside her robe and collar, exposing the bite mark he left behind when claiming her. "I'm your mate."

Remus whined and ducked his head, burying his nose in her loose hair and inhaling deeply while his strong arms kept her pressed tight against his chest. "Mate. Mine," he said in a gravelly voice.

Sirius crept behind Remus, keeping his distance, and locked eyes with her over the werewolf's bent form, shooting her a questioning look.

She gave him a thumbs up, signaling that she could handle everything from there, and returned her arms to Remus as his nose and mouth continued their inspection of her skin and hair, as if making sure she was truly in his arms. Their magic intertwined, soothing each other, and she willed her werewolf to see the truth.

Her Animagus friend reflected her thumbs up and turned his back, disappearing down the corridor, towards the Great Hall.

Speaking of which, I'm starving. She moved to untangle herself from her werewolf, but his arms were like steel. She huffed out a laugh and pat his back. "Remus," she called.

"Sorry," he mumbled sheepishly, leaning away from her and revealing his usual green eyes. "I was just worried about you. I felt your panic and rage a little while ago and ran to find you."

Ava's heart melted as her magic tingled with happiness, seemingly ecstatic that her mate cared for her. Of course he does, she reasoned with herself.

"Why can I smell blood on you?" he asked with furrowed brows.

She shrugged. "It was just a little nose bleed. But Sirius was paranoid that I was going to pass out or something, which is why he was in the bathroom with me. We were only in there for me to clean up."

Remus dropped his gaze, tucking his chin to his chest.

She rolled her eyes with a sign. "Look, it's fine. I know you can get…protective around the full moon. I've been a little short lately too, so it's alright. Just don't get physically aggressive with me like that again." While her tone may have been light, she maintained a stone faced expression so that he would know she wasn't going to take any shit from him in the future.

His eyes sparked amber for a second and he ducked his head, pressing his lips against hers.

Apparently, he was apologizing with his body. Not that Ava minded. Not one bit. He kissed her quite thoroughly because she managed to forget where they were until a throat cleared.

The couple broke apart but continued holding hands, and looked over to see who caused the interruption. Heat flushed across Ava's face. "Aunt Minerva," she greeted in a squeaky voice.

The professor looked at them in silence with a quirked brow, raised high over the rim of her glasses.

Remus cleared his throat. "Good morning, Professor."

The older witch pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. "I expect to see you both in the Great Hall promptly." She threw Ava a discreet smirk as she swiveled and retreated down the corridor towards the dining hall.

The couple held their breath until the professor turned the corner and then dissolved into giggles. "God, that was embarrassing."

"I felt like a little boy caught with my hand in the cookie jar," Remus muttered while rubbing the back of his neck.

Ava shot him a heated look. "Yeah?"

He gently tugged her hand, steering her towards the Great Hall, with an exaggerated groan. "Don't tempt me, mate."

She followed him and bit her bottom lip. "Maybe I want you to be tempted."

They continued to tease each other as they walked to breakfast and all throughout the meal, amping up their need until they felt ready to explode from desire. Ava scarfed down her food, solely focused on getting her mate into a room alone as soon as possible. Once again she ignored the presence of her magic—making itself known and very willing to have Remus in a bed, naked and ready for her. She assumed that it was only crackling to life because she was so incredibly turned on.


The door to the Room of Requirement slammed closed behind Remus as Ava shoved him back against it, pressing her body to his and devouring his mouth.

They had finished breakfast and immediately set off for somewhere private, telling their friends that they would see them later at the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Ava hadn't been following the first couple of matches since her house hadn't been playing, but she couldn't exactly get out of going when two of her closest friends would be playing. Besides, she was extremely curious to see a match in person.

The pleased growl that rumbled from Remus's chest proved that Moony was close to the surface, which didn't surprise Ava with the full moon being that night. What shocked her was her own desperation and need for him.

They tore each other's clothes off, leaving a trail behind them as they moved back towards the bed. Remus seemed to tremble, his movements controlled, but their fully formed bond allowed Ava to feel the endless desire and lust that he was keeping bottled up.

She pushed him back onto the bed, forcing a surprised grunt from her werewolf. She climbed onto his lap, straddling his hips, but kept herself hovering, not allowing their most intimate areas to touch yet.

Chest heaving, he looked at her with dilated pupils and grabbed her hips, pressing her already wet heat against his hard length.

They both released a groan of pleasure, the skin on skin contact sending a tingling rush of magic throughout their bodies. Even though their bond was completed, the magic connecting them hadn't dissipated, but seemed to remain dormant most of the time.

Ava was determined to see her mate let go. She'd tease him until his control would break. For a split second, she felt a little too needy, but she refused to apologize for the primal urge to be taken by her mate.

Lifting herself off Remus's lap, she leaned forward and nipped his earlobe, earning a low moan from his parted lips. She trailed down to the juncture of his neck and shoulder, and bit down, mirroring the spot he had claimed her.

Beneath her, she could feel his erected shaft straining up to meet her wet pussy. Ever so slowly, she lowered herself against his hard cock and ground her hips, titling to increase the pressure on her clit.

He moaned and gripped one hip and her back tightly, leaning up to suck one of her nipples into his mouth.

"Do you like it when I pleasure myself on your cock, mate?" she asked, breathlessly.

In response, he bit her nipple and reached up to pinch the other one between his fingers.

A moan slipped from her lips. Ava had been prepared to spend quite some time bringing her werewolf to brink of insanity, willing his control to snap, but with her resulting moan of pleasant delight, it appeared that he was already losing his composure.


His mate was more seductive and intoxicating than he ever could've imagined. For the majority of his life, Remus kept a tight leash on his wolf, always fearful of losing control. But Avalynn made it near impossible. Her body, words, and magic urged him to let go.

As he feasted on her nipples and listened to her pretty moans, he felt his reserve crumbling. He gripped her waist, lifting her off of him and turned, putting her on the bed in front of him on her hands and knees.

She let out a breathy groan and swayed her ass, encouraging the route he was heading down.

He reached out to cup her cheeks and gave her a little spank, and he nearly staggered from the wave of arousal that crashed through their bond. He scoot himself on his back underneath her and pulled her glistening lips towards his face.

Ava gasped in pleasure as he spread her open and devoured her with his tongue and teeth. He continued his assault until her legs were quivering, ready to buckle from a mere swipe of his tongue across her clit. He purposefully brought her to the brink of her orgasm and crawled out from under her body.

"Remus," she whined, desperation coloring her tone.

He chuckled. "Be patient, mate." He ran his hands over her perfect ass cheeks and placed a good, hard spank. He ignored her surprised squeal. "Scoot up," he commanded.

She compiled without hesitation, pleasing both himself and Moony immensely.

The compulsion to reclaim his mate mounted as he placed himself at her slick entrance.

"Please, Remus," Ava begged breathlessly.

Her insistence and desire seeping through their bond shred the last piece of control that was holding him back. He plunged into her, both of them groaning from the sensation. Remus pumped into her at a steady pace as he reached around and stroked her swollen clit.

"Fuck, yes!"

His fingers clenched the bed-sheet in an effort to steady himself. "So tight, Ava," he was able to ground out as her walls squeezed his cock.

Ava's moans and cries increased once more, letting him know that she was nearing her orgasm. But he wanted them to come together. So, he withdrew his fingers and leaned back on his knees, gripping her hips on either side.

"Remus," she whined.

"Soon, love," he promised, pounding into her backside rapidly.

When Ava started to protest, he grunted and spanked her ass. "You'll come when I say you can."

"Oh, fuck," she moaned to the sound of skin slapping skin. "God, Remus." She turned her head to the side and peeked at him from over her shoulder.

The glimpse of his mate's face, bottom lip being bitten in pure ecstasy, fueled his thrusts. Her body was absolute heaven. He trailed a hand down her spine and squeezed her ass cheek.

"Fuck, Remus. Please. I wanna come."

A loud groan slipped from his lips. "You beg so prettily, mate." His pace slowed as he leaned forward, placing his mouth next to her ear. He reached around to cup her breast. "Are you sure you're ready to come?" he teased while pinching her nipple.

"Yes! Yes, Remus, for fuck's sake!" she yelled, and he could see her hands twisting anxiously in the bed-sheet.

He tugged on her nipple once more before releasing it and sitting back on his knees.

As he thrust into her harder, Ava moaned.

"That's it, mate. Take my cock deep inside you. I can feel your pussy begging for more." Remus had never spoken such filthy words aloud before, but he had also never felt compelled to. Something about rutting his mate called to his baser instincts.

And there was clearly something to talking dirty during sex because Ava's pussy fluttered around him in response.

"Yes," he grunted, his breathing turned ragged. Only a couple more pumps and his orgasm hit like a tidal wave. "Ava!" he cried, pulling her hips to him in an effort to keep his throbbing cock plunged inside her for all eternity.

As his orgasm continued to wash over him, he leaned forward, his chest to her back. He wrapped an arm around her, snaking it down to her clit.

A mere second later, her pussy clenched and she screamed his name as continued his ministrations while she rode her orgasm.

As he slowly circled her delectable nub with his fingers, unbidden words fell from his lips. "Fuck. You feel so good. Merlin, Ava. I can't believe your my mate. I could do this forever."

Her body twitched as she grew more sensitive. "Do what?"

His eyes had fallen closed while pressed against her back, and lost in the haze of post-orgasm bliss, he spoke without reserve. "Just be with you. Make love to you and fuck you. Put my cubs in you."

Her body tensed beneath his and in realization, his eyes flicked open. Even without their bond, her anxiety was obvious. His hand found hers atop the bed and he threaded their fingers. "Is that not what you want?"

"Well—," she started and then huffed out a laugh. "Could we do this face to face?"

His lips twitched as he pushed himself upright, and both of them let out a small hiss as he slipped out of her. As Ava dropped onto her back, and he collapsed next to her.

Propping herself up on one elbow, she looked down at him with furrowed brows, but reached out to hold his hand.

"I want that future with you, Remus," she said slowly. "But, we're so young and there's a lot up in the air right now."

He blew out a breath. Thank Merlin. She isn't dumping me. Mentioning kids this early? What were you thinking, Remus? And you too, Moony. His wolf snuffled in the back of his mind, as if he did nothing wrong and was insulted at the implication. "I'm sorry if I'm being a bit—"

"Honest?" she asked with a smile.

He chuckled. "I suppose that's one way of looking at it."

She gave his fingers a small squeeze. "We promised to be honest about our relationship, right?"

He nodded.

"So, here goes nothing," she mumbled, eyes darting away from him. "I feel the same. At least, that is if you feel the same way that I do. I love being with you. Physically and emotionally. In a few years time, I can see us—," her gaze flicked back to his, "getting married and having a family."

He beamed. Love rushed through their connection in time with his heartbeat.

"But, who knows what'll happen between now and then?" She gnawed at her bottom lip. "I don't plan on going anywhere, but the Wizarding World is on the brink of a war."

Remus pulled her close and she rested her cheek against his chest as he gently played with her hair. "But you're working on that, right? With Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore? And the Order?"

She nodded and silence permeated the Room for several moments before he heard a quiet sniffle.

He looked down at her with wide eyes. "Ava? Are you okay, love?"

She lifted her head and looked at him with tears streaming down her face. "What if it's not enough? What if I'm not enough to change anything?"

The storm of doubt and worry swirling inside his mate made his heart crack into pieces. He cupped her cheek and wiped away her tears. "You'll always be enough. Never doubt that."

She gave him a watery smile, but he could feel her dark thoughts still lingering.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I think you put too much pressure on yourself. While I might not know the exact circumstances of what's supposed to happen, I can guarantee that you've already changes the lives of plenty of people."

His mate frowned in confusion.

He chuckled lightly with a shake of his head. "Me, Ava. You're my mate and that's incredibly special. You know how special it is, it's difficult to put into words. The friendships you've formed with James and Sirius, and even Snape and Regulus, I'm sure, have helped them grow. Helped them become more compassionate and understanding. More open-minded. Sirius has actually started to think before he speaks or jinxes someone in the hallway."

She laughed. "I know."

He stroked her cheek. "And I'm sure McGonagall would be a lot more lonely without you. It's obvious she adores you. So don't ever think that you aren't enough for all of us. No matter what happens in the future, you've already done enough good to last a lifetime."

Ava beamed at him as love and appreciation surged across their bond. She leaned up and kissed him deeply. "Thank you, Remus."

"It's no problem, my mate."

She pecked another kiss against his lips and then laid her head on his chest, curling into his side.

Yeah, Remus thought, wrapping an arm around Ava. I could definitely get used to this.