Author's Note: Hope this makes up for the cliffhanger! :P

Thank you SO very much to everyone that's been following this story! We're up to 650 now! WHAT?! It's amazing that there's so many of you lovely readers out there enjoying this story! :D

Thank you for all the favorites and reviews too!

Review shout-out: ColdOnePaul, til the end of the line, amk41196, convalla91, potterrs, I appreciate your feedback! Thanks! :D

P.S. This chapter goes back and forth between Ava and Remus's POVs. And remember that Lily and Peter aren't at Potter Manor anymore.

P.P.S. I updated chapters 1 and 2 to fix some bad formatting. Hopefully, it won't put off new readers now :)

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 51

The blood pounding in Avalynn's ears beat in time with the thumping of her heart. Voldemort. She stared into Lucius's gray eyes in a daze, limbs numb. Voldemort's here.

Someone jostled her, the accompanying voice sounding as though it were underwater.

I'm gonna die.

Lucius's lips moved but she couldn't make out the words. He frowned, reaching for her.

I'm totally gonna die.

The wizard's hand froze in midair, his eyes widening.

A sharp pinch to Ava's arm yanked her from the pessimistic haze that fell over her at Lucius's arrival. "Ow!"

"You are not going to die," Severus growled, pinching her once more.

"Son of a bitch!" she yelped, rubbing the spot vigorously. "Stop it." She hadn't mention to think aloud.

"Then get your shit together, Avalynn!" he snapped.

Regulus had closed in on her other side. "We'll take care of this. You go with Severus and get back to the Potters."

Take care of this? Of Voldemort? "What—what are you going to do?" Her eyes darted between Regulus and Lucius.

"We'll merely strike up a conversation and keep him preoccupied," Lucius said. He gestured behind her. "There's another staircase down the corridor. Use that to get up to the Floo. Severus, you—"

"I know the way."

Lucius nodded. "Good."

Rabastan cleared his throat. "What shall I do?"

The other three wizards looked to her.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Whatever would seem normal with the Dark Lord showing up."

He quirked a brow, seemingly at her use of the title.

There was no way she'd risk using the megalomaniac's name while in his presence. She doubted there was a Taboo or something similar set up because his name didn't hold quite so much power and fear at the time, but still.

"I'll find my father," Rabastan said. "If he hasn't spoken to the Dark Lord yet, he'll be keen to do so." The corner of his mouth lifted as he eyed Lucius and Regulus. "I think my father would be a better candidate for a genuine distraction."

The two wizards didn't appear to be offend by his implication. If anything, they looked relieved.

Ava wondered what their interactions with Voldemort had been like thus far. She shook her head. Now wasn't the time.

"Everyone understand what to do?" Severus asked.

The group nodded, about to disperse, but she blurted out a last minute concern. "Lucius, Rabastan, do you know Occlumency?"

The wizards halted their movement.

Lucius didn't look surprised. "Yes."

"Bloody hell, are you serious?" Rabastan hissed, his wide gaze flicking between Ava and the others. When no one spoke, his eyes landed back on her and his spine straightened. "I'll be fine."

"Be careful," she said to the boys willing to risk themselves for her safety.

Severus grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

Regulus gave a sharp nod. "Of course."

Rabastan and Lucius stared at her with unreadable expressions.

"Please," she added, unable to bare the thought of the wizards being hurt or caught in a scheme of her devising.

Their features morphed into something resembling shock. Likely taken aback by the desperation lacing her tone, awkwardly obvious to even her own ears.

Rabastan blinked rapidly and said, "We'll be careful."

Lucius smirked. "Certainly, little lion."

She narrowed her eyes, but before she could tell him off, Severus spoke.

"We don't have time for this. Let's move."

Without further conversation, their group split up. Severus turned, still holding her hand, and pulled her down the hall towards where she and Rabastan had just come from, leading her away from the party.

They had barely passed the restrooms when Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy rounded the corner at the end of the corridor.

In unison, she and Severus froze and spun on their heels.

"Shit," she whispered. "I just ran into them with Rabastan."

His brows shot up, but his next words presented a bigger problem. "They were likely alerted to his arrival, and Mr. Malfoy will want to take me with him to speak to the Dark Lord."

In Ava's panic, it had slipped her mind that her friends were still in the process of being recruited.

He frowned. "They'll probably want you to come along as well. I've never brought a guest before."

Her heart squeezed. "Isn't there another Floo we could use? This massive place only has one?"

Severus shook his head. "It's the only one for guests. The others I know about are all in private quarters."

Well, that was out of the question. She peeked over her shoulder. The Malfoys were drawing nearer.

She tugged on his hand, directing him down the hall, back to the ballroom. "We'll just have to go through the party."

He pressed his lips together, giving her the side-eye.

She knew that look. "I know it's not the best idea, but it's the only option right now."

"Fine. Keep your head down and do not leave my side."

"I won't." She laced their fingers together, wanting a firm grip on her best friend as they waded into the sea of guests.


Remus had read the same paragraph multiple times now. He couldn't stop thinking about the weird feeling in his chest from only a short while ago. It felt similar to when his magic and wolf were trying to persuade him to bond with Ava.

It hadn't been as insistent, but definitely struck his attention. It almost felt like his magic was recoiling, hurt by something.

His eyes drifted to James and Sirius across the living room, hunched over a Wizard's Chess board. They offered for him to play winner, but he knew his brain would be useless at the moment. It was hard to think strategy while his thoughts and wolf were laser focused on his soulmate.

Dorea and Charlus chatted amongst themselves as they finished up dessert, and he filled with gratitude knowing that his friends and the Potters understood enough about his feelings for Ava to leave him to his own devices for now.

He startled when his magic flared just as Moony whined in the back of his mind.

Fear streamed through his connection to Ava. Her fear.

Remus shot to his feet, knocking his book to the floor with a thump. His fists were clenched and he breathed rapidly, as if he'd just run a marathon.

Distantly, he could hear the others talking, but he ignored them.

He knew her mission tonight was dangerous, but he hadn't actually expected anything to happen. Of course things would go wrong. Why wouldn't they? He had only just found his mate and now she was going to be taken from him.

But he didn't know that to be true at all. He was overreacting. For all he knew, Ava had just been forced out onto the dance floor.

He shook himself.

"What the hell, Moony?" James asked.

He bit his lip and he looked between his friends and their parents. "I don't know."

Dorea narrowed her eyes at him, setting down her plate. "You sound like you do know, Remus."

"Is it your bond with Ava?" Charlus asked.

His brows furrowed. "You know about that?"

The Potters shared a look.

Ava's worry and fear spiked, ripping a growl from him.

"Whoa, easy mate," Sirius said, as he and James now stood.

He curled his lip at them and spun away. He began to pace, trying to keep a hold on Moony.


Ava and Severus weaved through the crowd as quickly as they could without drawing attention to their pace, heading across to the staircase.

Peering through her lashes as they walked amongst the other attendees, she thought, These people have no idea. Everyone seemed blissfully unaware of the crazy ass dark wizard in their presence.

She shuddered.

"It'll be fine, Ava, I swear. I'll get you out of here," Severus whispered, tightening his fingers around hers.

She couldn't help herself and lifted her head to see if Lucius and Regulus had successfully intercepted Voldemort. She zeroed in on a flash of pale blond hair just around the curve of the dance floor, only off the side of their straight shot to the stairs by maybe thirty feet or so.

Spotting the backs of her Slytherin friends, she noticed they were speaking to a tall man with dark brown hair.

Her lips pursed of their own accord, uncomfortable with how handsome Tom Riddle appeared to be with his strong jaw and cheekbones. At least he doesn't look like a snake.

Not watching where she was going, she stumbled, bumping into an older witch. "Excuse me, I'm so sorry."

"That's quite alright, dearie. I've had a little too much champagne myself."

Ava gave her a tight smile while Severus offered another apology.

Her eyes darted back to where Regulus and Lucius were talking. They still had their backs to her. But she found the dark haired wizard watching her.

Fuck! Even knowing that Legilimency required a close distance, her magic crackled in anticipation of an attack.

The man rose a brow when she didn't look away.

She really wanted to, but it seemed her brain had stopped functioning properly upon realizing that she was in a staring contest with Voldemort. Her breath quickened and her fingers twitched for her wand.

"Let's go," Severus hissed, pulling on her hand.

Voldemort's gaze flicked over her shoulder.

Shit.

His eyes landed back on her and narrowed. He held up a hand to Regulus and Lucius, saying something that caused her friends to glance in their direction.

She would have to congratulate them later on their ability to mask their surprise and concern so quickly.

"Ava," Severus barked.

Without looking, she stepped towards him. "Wait," she said, needing to see what would happen. Her magic buzzed frantically.

Regulus seemed to recover first and he gestured towards her and Severus before all three wizards moved in their direction.

"Fucking motherfucker," she whispered, spinning to face her best friend. She clutched his hand. "Severus, he saw me. Saw you. I think he's coming over here to see us."

His mouth hung open.

"I don't know what to do," she whined, tears pricking at her eyes. She sucked in quick breaths, not getting enough air.


"Remus," Dorea called in a clipped tone. "What's the matter?"

He paused and glanced at her, fists clenched at his sides. How was he supposed to know if his mate was truly in danger or not?

"The truth, dear," she said, voice softer now. "We just want to make sure Ava's safe."

Moony whined in his head. "Something's wrong."

Charlus opened his mouth to speak, but the werewolf interrupted.

"I don't know what, I don't know why," he said, pacing once again.

"I can understand your concern, Remus. I had my own reservations about her attending the Ball, but we both know Ava had her reasons."

His gaze whipped to hers, mouth hanging open.

"Wait, what?" Sirius said, eyes darting between his friend and mother. "What the hell is going on?"

"Yeah," James said, crossing his arms. "Why's Ava really at Malfoy's? What's she doing?"

Remus didn't know what to say. He didn't want to lie, but he couldn't betray his mate's trust.

Thankfully, Dorea spoke up. "That's none of your concern, boys. If Ava wants to tell you, she will."

Sirius and James grumbled.

A dull ache prodded at his chest, and he rubbed the spot, the need to see his soulmate with his own eyes intensifying.

"What do you feel, Remus?" Charlus asked. "I think if you focus, you'll be able to glean more information from your bond."

He frowned and closed his eyes. C'mon, Moony. How's our mate?

Worry. Fear. Hopelessness. Worry. Confusion. Fear. Desperation. Fear.

His wolf howled as his chest tightened painfully.

"I can't get any details. All I know is that something's wrong and she's panicked and she's—," his words dropped to a whisper, "—she's scared."

The room was quiet for several long moments.

"Can you tell how afraid she is?" Dorea asked, her face pale.

Running a hand through his hair, it trembled, along with his voice. "She's fucking terrified."


Ava squeezed her best friend's hand, her palm clammy. "What do we do, Severus?" she asked breathlessly. Voldemort would likely meet them in the middle of the crowd any minute now.

His eyes darted over her face and his jaw snapped shut.

Then, a blanket of calm seemed to drop over him. He stood up straight and cleared his throat. "I apologize, but it's necessary."

Ava frowned, but her question was cut off when something shocked her, like static electricity. She jumped, creeping closer to Severus. "What the hell was that?" She looked around them and a wave of nausea rolled through her.

She pressed a hand to her head. "I don't feel so good."

"I know," he whispered. "It's only temporary. I'll perform the counter-curse as soon as we're out of here."

Understanding dawned on her, just as her stomach began to cramp.

"Severus," she chided as another bought of nausea crashed through her body, forcing her to cling onto Severus in an effort to stay upright. "Nonverbal? Wandless? You've been holding out on me."

He shrugged, hiding a smirk. "I had to find something to do while you were with your precious Marauders."

Her abdomen clenched. Ava bent over herself in an effort to stave off the pain, feeling as though her stomach was being tied into knots. "Shit, Severus. Why'd you have to make it so bad?"

His smirk dropped. "It's a spell of my own making."

She glared up at him. "Let me guess. It's 'for enemies.'"

He returned her murderous stare, but scooped his arm under hers to support her weight. "I don't know any other spells to make you sick on command. We need a valid excuse to not speak to the Dark Lord."

Ava only grunted in response, gritting her teeth to smother a groan of pain as he led her once again towards the staircase that would take them up to the Floo—back to the Potters—back to Remus.

Her magic was pulling at their connection, adamant that she see him. I need Remus.

"Don't worry, I'll get you back to Lupin."

Whether she'd accidentally thought aloud again or if the Slytherin was just attuned enough to her that he sensed the need for her soulmate, she didn't know. But asking was out of the question.

Her mouth needed to stay shut. Ava had no faith in her queasy stomach at the moment.

Severus slowly pulled her through the clusters of people blocking their escape.

Chills rushed over her skin and she shivered as a feverish ache settled into her bones. Not exactly drunken symptoms, she lamented, hoping no one looked too closely.

The magic inside her swirled in agitation and a little pain flared in her chest, reminding her of the days before she sealed the bond with Remus. I know, I know.

She needed her soulmate. He would take care of her—protect her from danger the magic had sensed through her emotions.

Ava squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to clear her mind as she trudged along at her friend's guidance through the party.

Severus is just as capable of keeping me safe. Trust him.

She needed to settle her magic. Who knew if Voldemort would be able to feel how riled up it was in his presence?

Fuck. The Horcrux.

Her eyes shot open as her magic flared to life once again. But her heart stopped hammering in her chest when logic prevailed.

If the box wasn't charmed properly to contain the Horcrux, she'd be able to feel the dark magic. She hadn't felt even a smidgen since pulling it from the wall. Maybe it's because it's the diary. It's waiting to use someone.

Skin prickling from both fevered chills and her magic rushing to the surface, she attempted once more to calm herself. She gritted her teeth, knowing full well that it wasn't working.

But it was particularly easy for her magic to take the backseat when another round of nausea struck her, closely followed by jolts of pain from her insides seizing violently.

Her knees buckled and Severus's grip was the only thing keeping her standing.

"Nearly there," he whispered.

She wanted to growl at him to hurry up, now realizing that his spell was made to worsen over time. The last bit of pain had made her eyes water.

"Severus," a deep voice called.

Her friend tensed, but pivoted to face the wizard she was dreading to meet, spinning her along with him.

Dizziness washed over her and it took a moment for her vision to clear.

Voldemort stood before them, with Regulus and Lucius at his side, along with a witch she recognized as Narcissa Black.

The boys gave her intense stares, confirming that she looked as shitty as she felt.

The witch flashed her a polite smile.

She attempted one in return but was pretty sure it came out as a grimace. Leaning more on Severus, Ava straightened her spine, thinking she should at least try to look sober.

But the spell had other ideas. Her head became woozy and started throbbing. She had to bite back a groan when her stomach and ab muscles constricted.

"My Lord," he said, bowing his head.

Out of necessity, he shifted her weight in his arms, drawing Voldemort's gaze to her.

Unlike before, Ava averted her eyes. Not only because she didn't want any further attention from the dark wizard, but because she couldn't keep her head up. She let it slump against Severus's shoulder and closed her eyes, knowing that she'd just have to ride the waves of pain as they came.

Please don't sense the Horcrux, please don't.

"It looks like you've got your hands full."

Regulus tsked. "It's Miss McGonagall's first time imbibing, sir."

Her eyes popped open and she managed to level a glare at him.

Voldemort let out a throaty chuckle. "I'd say you'd have your hands full even if she wasn't intoxicated. McGonagall, you say?"

She pressed closer to Severus and ducked her head.

"Might I suggest we procure a Sober-Up Potion so this young lady and I can be properly introduced? I'm curious about the witch that snagged Severus's interest and treats the heir of the Black family so casually."

Her stomach roiled in protest, and Ava was unsure if the curse was entirely to blame. A Sober-Up Potion would negate her reason for fleeing.

Severus's fingers flexed around her and he shifted them slightly towards the staircase. "I apologize my Lord, but I think it might be best that I return her home. I don't wish to anger her guardian and I wouldn't want to impose upon the Malfoys."

A bit of saliva pooled in her mouth. Uh oh. The muscles in her abdomen clenched as nausea flooded her body. She lifted her head. "Sev—" she began, but clamped her mouth shut. Nope, not now. Not now.

Lucius and Regulus's gaze whipped to hers.

Regulus opened his mouth and nearly reached for her, but seemed to think better of it.

Though Voldemort seemed to have bought the excuse from Severus, he waved it off. "Nonsense, it wouldn't be an imposition for young Malfoy here to collect a common potion, now would it?" He looked to the wizard in question.

Lucius rid his eyes of concern before tearing them away from Ava. "Of course, my Lord."

Her thoughts spun, as the room began to do the same. Need to leave. Can't stay. It was bad enough standing in front of Voldemort like this, but things could get drastically worse if she was made to stick around. Especially with a piece of his soul sitting just inside Severus's robes.

She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision, as another surge of nausea swept through her. Heat crept up her spine and her face flushed.

Fever's getting worse, she thought absentmindedly.

Narcissa spoke up for the first time. "Oh, dear. I really do think she's going to be sick." She approached and gently placed a hand on Ava's shoulder.

She held steady as chills cascaded down her body. This wouldn't work if it became obvious she wasn't inebriated.

Voldemort glared at Lucius. "Are you going to get a potion for your guest, or not?"

His flash of temper prompted the blonde wizard into action, and Lucius stepped to the side and called for a house elf.

The brief glimpse of fear in her friend's gray eyes was what did Ava in. Thus far, she had been able to control her body, but that hold slipped at the thought of spending more time with Voldemort and putting her friends in even more danger.

Her abdomen seized and more saliva gathered in her mouth. Oh, fuck. She jerked forward, emptying the contents of her stomach on the floor.

Exclamations of shock and disgust rang out.

Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, Ava braced herself on her knees, insides twisting painfully. One would usually feel better after throwing up, but considering she was cursed with magic at the moment, she should've known better.

She peeked around without raising her head.

Regulus must've been keeping a close watch on her because he had the wherewithal to jump back when she retched in the middle of their group. Since Severus and Narcissa were at her sides, and Lucius had moved away, they were mostly out of the splash zone as well.

But another pair of dress shoes, now covered in vomit, stood still just a few feet in front of her.

Holy fuck. NO. Her leg muscles trembled, nearly giving out.

Severus yanked her back to him just as the mess of her sick vanished. Thank God for magic.

"Get her out of my sight," Voldemort growled.

Ava didn't know what compelled her, but she met his gaze.

His dark eyes were blazing with fury.

"For what it's worth," she said, grimacing as the pounding in her head spiked. "It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Asshole, she added mentally.

Voldemort stared at her, nostrils flaring.

She looked away, leaning heavily into Severus.

A tense silence hung in the air for a long moment.

Then, all at once, Lucius, Regulus, and Severus began apologizing on her behalf, throwing out excuses about her inexperience with Pureblood events and drinking magical alcohol, but maintaining that her manners usually weren't so atrocious.

It wasn't until then that she realized her behavior might get them in trouble with the crazed leader.

"Just get her out of here." His tone brokered no argument, though it wasn't inflected with the same amount of venom from before.

Hopefully, he'd just think she was a drunk teenager and forget about the whole thing.

Severus hesitantly grasped her shoulders and turned her towards the staircase, offering another apology.

As he led Ava away, she caught Voldemort saying, "I don't understand how proper young wizards like yourselves made the acquaintance of someone so uncouth."

She breathed out a sigh of relief, knowing that he laid the blame at her feet rather than the boys'. Swallowing the brief glimpse of success, she knew it would be a bad idea to let her guard down until she got back to the Potters, getting herself and the Horcrux away from Voldemort.

The crowd parted with murmurs, and she felt her face flush anew, stumbling alongside her best friend.

Sweat broke out on her warm forehead and a groan slipped out as dizziness overwhelmed her. Ava swayed before hands caught either side of her.

"Easy there, McGonagall," a female voice said.

Her head swiveled to the side to find Narcissa standing there, tilting slightly as the rest of the room did the same.

Ava's confusion must've shown on her face because the Slytherin witch gave her a smile. "It wouldn't be proper for Severus to escort you alone in this state. Us witches have got to stick together, yes?"

"I suppose." It was all she could muster at the moment as the wide staircase came into view. "Shit." Her depth perception was way off.

Narcissa made a noise of agreement, but didn't slow her feet. "Up you go," she said in a prim tone, dragging Ava up along with her.

She looked to Severus, who merely shrugged.

At least we'll get there faster.


Remus had briskly walked the length of the living room for the past few minutes, taking deep breaths and mentally reassuring himself and Moony that Ava would be fine.

Snape is with her. Regulus is with her.

We protect our mate, his wolf growled at him.

His magic swirled in agreement.

She trusts them to protect her. Trust Ava—trust our mate.

Moony whined, but relented and settled for pacing rather than forcing his control.

The wolf was half the battle, so despite feeling a little silly, he spoke to his magic like he did with Moony. She'll be okay. Ava's smart and she's prepared.

The roiling magic began to soften.

But all of Remus's attempts flew out the window the moment he sensed that Ava was hurt.

He released a snarl and whirled towards the door, causing even James and Sirius to jump in fright.

Find her, Moony insisted and his magic churned.

"I'm getting my mate," he told them in a low voice before sprinting out and down the corridor to the sitting room where the Floo was located.

Find mate. Protect mate, repeated in his mind as portraits in the hall blurred passed him.

It didn't happen often, but in this instance, Remus and Moony were of the same mind. They needed to get to Ava.

He had barely crossed the threshold of the sitting room when he was tackled from behind.

"Remus!"

Sirius. He growled and clawed at the floor in an attempt to turn over. Another weight slammed against him, knocking him back to the ground.

The second attacker merely grunted, but Remus could scent that it was James.

"Get. Off. Me!" he ground out through clenched teeth, trying to buck off the wizards keeping him from Ava.

"No," Sirius huffed out. "Not until you calm down."

He snarled and thrashed, but his friends had secure grips on his arms, pinning them behind his back.

"He's so touchy, Padfoot. Reminds me of when you ate his last piece of chocolate right before the full moon that time in fifth year."

He stilled beneath them and let out a long, low growl.

This was nothing like that. His mate was hurt. She needed him.

"Uh, Prongs? Don't really think now's the time."

Give me control. We can overpower them. Easily, Moony told him.

Remus was close to letting his wolf take the reins.

"Moony," Sirius said, still holding his arms hostage. "You know you can't just show up at Malfoy's uninvited."

Wizard customs are meaningless, Moony growled, losing patience.

He shifted slightly, testing their grasps on his body.

Their grips increased.

"Easy, Remus," James said. "Just wait for Mum and Dad."

"Yeah, Moony. They'll know what to do."

They actually might, he told his wolf in resignation.

Moony and his magic calmed to a simmer beneath his skin as he lay there silently, chest heaving.

James and Sirius didn't let up on him though, they kept him pinned to the floor, and continued to do so even as Dorea and Charlus came rushing into the room.


Between the nausea, stomach cramps, and chills that wracked her body, Ava's climb was slow going, even with assistance from Severus and Narcissa.

Until Ava sensed herself taking a turn for worse again. Bile rose in her throat and she threw herself forward, scrambling up the stairs.

She only hoped that she could keep back her vomit until she made it to the landing. It was embarrassing enough as it was to get sick in front of the entire party once, she didn't need to do it again.

Her abdominal muscles clenched just as she reached the top of the stairs and she frantically looked for a corner or something. Anything that wouldn't be ruined.

"Here," Narcissa said brusquely.

A bucket was shoved into her chest. Just in time.

"Sweet Salazar, that's disgusting," Severus muttered.

Through the pain rolling around her stomach and sweat dripping into her eyes, she lifted her head to glare at him. You literally did this to me.

His face softened as he Vanished the messy bucket, but he wrapped an arm around her, keeping her moving towards the Floo.

She hadn't even moved two steps before her leg muscles began to twitch again. This time, searing pain ripped down her body.

Ava dropped to her knees with a gasp.

"Merlin!" Narcissa cried, reaching out to help lift her from the ground. "I think she needs to go to St. Mungo's, Severus."

The impact jarred her head and she clutched it, letting out a low moan.

"She'll be fine," he ground out, taking on more more Ava's weight, practically dragging her down the corridor.

"Are you sure? She might have alcohol poisoning."

"I'm fine," Ava huffed out, using all of her energy to force her feet forward.

It helped that she knew Severus could perform the counter-curse as soon as they were left alone. Not to mention, Remus was on the other side of the Floo.

Even the house elves appeared startled by her state of well-being. They squeaked and ushered them towards the fireplace.


Running a hand through his hair, Remus stalked back and forth in front of the Potters' fireplace.

The adults had managed to talk him down and he agreed to wait a little longer before Dorea would Floo to the New Year's Eve Ball to ask after her guest. They were lucky that Ava's fear had disappeared for the most part, but she was still hurting.

And that's what made him regret not going to her immediately.

"If she's not here in the next five minutes, I'm Flooing to the Malfoys' myself."

"Remus—" Charlus started.

He whirled and sliced his hand through the air. "No! You don't understand. She needs me."

"Dear—" Dorea tried this time.

"No!" He looked at the parents, letting his wolf through. "You won't keep me from my mate."

His last words took on a growl from Moony's influence and were just as harsh as they sounded to him, based on the expressions the others wore.

Good. He wouldn't apologize for that.

"Four more minutes," he grumbled, resuming his pacing. "Then I'm going."


Severus and Narcissa slowed to a stop in front of the Floo. The blonde witch slipped out from under Ava.

"Are you sure I can't convince you to go to St. Mungo's?" she asked, wringing her hands. "I could even Floo call my family's healer. He can be discreet."

Ava would've answered her, but her muscles were spasming once more and now she knew what was coming next.

She clamped her jaw shut and fisted her hands, nails digging into her skin, desperately trying to bite back a whimper as flares of pain lit her nerves on fire up and down her body.

Severus scooped up a handful of green powder, shuffling them into the fireplace. "She merely had too much to drink and needs to lie down."

Narcissa narrowed her eyes at him, but then looked to Ava.

She managed to nod. "It was just my first time—," she paused to let out a harsh breath, some jabs of pain still lingering, "—drinking firewhisky. I'll be okay."

The witch nodded and stepped back, but didn't move to leave the room.

Shit.

Severus's worried gaze met her own, his lips pressed together tightly.

Ava's insides seized, nausea sweeping through her once again. She clutched his robes between her fingers. Saliva pooled in her mouth and her eyes shot wide.

Just as he shouted out, "Potter Manor!", the tell-tale tremble started in her muscles.

We're going to be making quite the entrance, she thought as green flames burst around them.

Travel through the Floo Network certainly didn't do her stomach any favors.

As soon as she was able, Ava released her hold on Severus and lurched out of the fireplace, vomiting and falling to the floor on her hands and knees.

She didn't have time to recover or wipe her wet eyes before pain pierced her entire body.

With her insides tearing themselves apart, she let out a cry, and was thankful to be back at the Potters where she didn't have to pretend any longer.

"Fuck, Ava!" Severus yelled, crouching down beside her and grasping her shoulders. "This is worse than I thought, you didn't let me see how much the curse had accelerated."

Though she was busy writhing on the floor, she could detect a faint trace of respect in his tone. "Love you too, Severus."

"Damn it, witch," he cursed, pulling out his wand.

Noises erupted from all around them, making Ava think they were under attack. In her current state, her reflexes were too slow to draw her wand.

Severus was suddenly shoved away from her.

She pushed through the shock and exhaustion and propped herself up on her elbows.

Remus was snarling at her best friend to stay away from her. Then, he scrambled across the short space between them, scooped her up and pulled her into his lap.

Before she could even say 'hello', she saw Sirius jerk Severus off the ground by the front of his dress robes.

He shoved the Slytherin against the wall and jabbed a wand under his throat.

James was also holding his wand and screaming threats at Severus.

Her eyes then drifted to Charlus and Dorea who were yelling at the boys to calm down.

Severus was trying to shout his defense, but all their voices just drown each other out.

"Stop it," Ava whispered, voice cracking. She swallowed and cleared her throat, trying to sit up, using Remus's shoulder for leverage.

"What's wrong, love? Tell me what's wrong. I'll fix it."

"I need—," she started, but her words were cut off when the curse struck again. She let out an anguished cry as her intestines continued to shred themselves into pieces.

"Ava," Remus breathed out.

When all she could do was groan in response, he whimpered and held her closer to his chest.

Dorea rushed to them, drawing her wand.

Between the sharp ruptures of pain, she noticed that her magic had receded to the background, content with being in her soulmate's arms. Which was fine and dandy, but that wouldn't do anything about the curse.

Ava recognized the diagnostic healing spells that the mother cast.

"This can't be right. I don't understand," Dorea murmured.

Charlus joined them, though he kept his eyes trained on the boys, who were still laying into Severus with threats because of her supposed treatment at the hands of himself and fellow Slytherins.

"What is it?" Remus asked, his fingers squeezing around her.

"Need Severus." Her voice was so weak, she wasn't sure they heard her.

"Her organs are failing."

At Dorea's words, Charlus's head whipped down at them, eyes wide. Glancing up again, he roared out, "Enough!"

The following silence surprised her and she shifted her head to look at the boys.

Sirius and James' mouths were hanging open and their wands hung slack in their hands.

Remus growled, drawing her attention. His eyes flashed amber and his gaze darted between herself and Severus. "What. Happened?" he snapped.

Nausea rolled through her and bile forced it's way up her throat. She twisted to the side, spilling out her stomach away from Remus.

Her muscles quivered from fatigue but she managed to lift her gaze to Severus. She opened her mouth but all that came out was a sob of pain as agony tore through her, ripping her nerves to tatters.

Severus jerked towards her, but the boys held him in place. "Let me go, I need to perform the counter-curse. She doesn't have much time," he rushed out, tone pleading.

She'd never heard him so worried before. Maybe I'll die after all. She let out a shuddered breath, ready to collapse.

Just as her elbows buckled, Remus lifted her into his arms once again.

"Then just tell us what she was cursed with," James said, the sneer evident in his voice.

"Let him," Ava whispered breathlessly. "Please."

"You don't know the counter-curse," Severus insisted. "Please, let me go to her."

Sirius let out a bitter laugh. "Because we're not intelligent enough? Is that it Snape?"

She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping it would dial back the nausea that reared its ugly head again.

"Boys!" Dorea snapped. "Severus, dear, please. I'm sure we'll be familiar with the spell. What was she cursed with?"

Ava knew why her best friend was so hesitant to admit the curse was of his own making. As soon as the explanation left his lips, they'd never let him anywhere near her.

She took a deep breath and knew she didn't have much time before the next massive shock of pain.

Placing her hands on Remus's chest, she summoned all of her strength. "Fuck. This." She shoved off him, flopping her body to the floor towards Severus.

She could hear everyone's surprised voices, but couldn't distinguish actual words. All she could focus on was forcing her body to crawl and close the distance between herself and her best friend.

She peered up at him and saw determination etched onto his face.

He took advantage of James and Sirius's shock at her actions and wrenched himself free before falling to his knees at her side. "Ava, I'm so sorry." He drew his wand.

The shouting resumed, but Severus only paused his movements when Remus released a low growl.

"Lupin, I can save her." His chest was rising and falling rapidly. "Let me save her."

She tried to look at her soulmate, but her head wouldn't listen. She tried to reach out to him, but her limbs were too heavy to move.

Her eyes fluttered shut and her head drooped.

"Shit," Severus muttered, shuffling closer.

Then she heard a melodic sort of spell casting. I wonder if it's Vulnera Sanentur.

Either way, she was grateful for the cool relief that swept across her skin. The soothing magic draped over her body and for a few moments, she could've sworn she was wrapped up in a soft comforter. The pain in her head and stomach receded, and her muscles relaxed, no longer clenching.

She let out a deep breath and she heard Severus do the same.

"Ava? Are you alright?" Remus asked, cradling her to his chest.

She wasn't sure how she got there, but she didn't mind. "Yeah," she said, reaching out to cup his cheek. "Because you listened to Severus."

Her mate lifted his head. "Thank you, Snape."

She wasn't surprised at the Slytherin's silence. She tried to sit up on her own but found that her muscles weren't cooperating.

"Let me carry you, love," Remus said before scooping his arms underneath her.

"Just this once." She wrapped her hands around his neck.

He stood and carried her to the couch. Instead of just depositing her, he kept her in his embrace.

She rested in his lap, legs draped over his, and she laid her head against his chest. Her eyes felt heavy, but she needed to see Severus.

Glancing around, Ava found her best friend hovering just behind the couch while the Potters and the boys had taken seats across from them on the other sofa and chairs.

Severus seemed to be hesitating walking around the couch. "C'mere," she said.

Remus tilted his head back.

They must've shared some sort of look because next thing she knew, Severus was in front of her, wand still drawn.

She grasped his hand. "Thank you."

"Shush, witch." He pulled away and cast his own diagnostic healing spells, solely focused on her as he performed the magic.

Everyone stared at him, but her attention shifted back to the Slytherin when he grunted at the results of the spells.

She smiled when he pulled out a few potion vials from his dress robes.

"Pain relief first. All of it." He held out the glass bottle.

She gulped it down without delay and handed it back in exchange for a shockingly royal blue potion. She quirked a brow.

"Muscle relaxant, so you don't strain anything. I'm sure you'll be a little sore tomorrow. But just two small sips."

Carefully, she tilted the liquid into her mouth.

"Small ones," he snapped, yanking back the vial from her lips and corking it.

She just smiled, secretly enjoying how he fussed over her.

A quick peek at Remus revealed that the wolf was trying to hide his own smile.

Huh. Guess he's okay with Severus and all his fretting. She hadn't been sure how here werewolf would handle the attention she was receiving from her best friend.

Severus held out another bottle. "Pepper-Up Potion. About half should be good. You don't want to be up all night."

"Yes, Healer Snape," she chirped before drinking the prescribed amount.

He gave her a mild sneer, causing Remus to chuckle.

Severus's eyes darted to the werewolf and his face shuttered.

She frowned and then realized that the room was entirely too silent and had been since she recovered. He would be embarrassed by his actions, especially with the particular audience they had.

He cleared his throat. "If I may—," he started, looking between Remus and her, and then swiveling to the Potters, "—I'd like to stay for a little while longer to observe Ava. To confirm that she's recovered."

The boys opened their mouths, but Dorea quickly said, "Certainly. Please, take a seat. I'm sure we'd all like to hear what happened."

"You got that right," Sirius grumbled, crossing his arms.

Severus eyed the remaining seats and moved to sit behind Ava on the couch, as Remus had plopped them in the middle.

She frowned and her hand shot out to grab his wrist. "Can you, uh, sit on the other side of Remus?" she asked, indicating the seat directly in her line of sight.

He rose a brow but did as she asked.

Remus shook slightly, with an obvious grin as he tried not to laugh.

"What?" she whispered.

But he merely shook his head.

A throat cleared.

She looked to the rest of the room.

"Care to tell us about what occurred at the Malfoys' that would've caused you to return in such a state?" Charlus asked.

Severus glanced at her.

"Well," she said, "I think you or Dorea could actually tell the boys about why I went tonight."

Remus held her a little tighter and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling deeply.

Dore patted her husband's knee. "I'll explain, dear."

Sitting through yet another detailed explanation of Horcruxes and their role in the upcoming war against Voldemort and the Death Eaters was tiresome and Ava was more than willing to let Dorea handle it.

Afterwords, James and Sirius were visibly shaken and rightfully so, she thought.

Sirius turned to Severus. "And you helped her get this—" he gulped, "—Horcrux from the Malfoys tonight?"

The Slytherin nodded. "As did Regulus."

Sirius's eyes bugged out. "Reggie? He helped you?"

Severus pressed his lips together, so Ava spoke up.

"Yes, he helped. As did Rabastan."

Speaking of which. She leaned close to Remus's ear. "We need to talk later."

He pulled away with a frown.

She shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. "It's really nothing." At least she hoped it wasn't.

Knowing it was time, she cleared her throat and peered at the others before launching into a rehash of the night, including when Voldemort showed up.

Remus clung to her. "I knew something was wrong. I could feel how scared you were," he whispered, pulling her tight against his chest. He nuzzled the juncture of her shoulder and neck.

"But I'm here now, and everything's fine," she said, running her fingers through his hair. "I'm safe."

She rushed through the rest of the details, really not wanting to linger over her encounter with Voldemort or Severus's homemade curse. They glossed right over the fact that the "super rare" curse was so obscure because literally no one else knew about it.

The Slytherin only mentioned he found it in the Malfoys' library, which she took to mean that he merely found the inspiration for his creation there. No wonder it's 'for enemies.'

When her recounting got to the part when she and Severus arrived back at the Potters, they all sat in silence for a long moment.

Ava's thoughts flicked back to her first impression with Voldemort. She couldn't say that it went well. It was doubtful that vomiting on someone ingratiated you to them. Not that she particularly cared, but it was best to not upset a dark wizard.

I threw up on Voldemort. The Dark Lord. A giggle bubbled out of her. I spewed all over his shoes. Her laughter grew until she was clutching at her stomach, muscles still tender.

She wiped tears from her eyes to find everyone staring at her in apparent bewilderment. "I threw up on Voldemort." She continued laughing, gasping out breaths.

No one else seemed to be in the mood.

"You almost died in the process," Dorea said primly.

"Pfft, I'm fine," she said, waving her off.

No one laughed.

"Come on, that's hilarious."

She locked gazes with Severus and the corners of his mouth twitched.

"I threw up on Voldemort," she repeated. "The Dark Lord. How many other people can say that? I threw up on Voldemort and lived. I could make a souvenir t-shirt."

Sirius was the first to crack, then James, and even Charlus and Severus let out a few chuckles. But Dorea and Remus didn't find her observation humorous, and the laughter died out.

She sighed and laid her head on Remus's shoulder, letting him get a good sniff in again. She knew it helped reassure him that she was alright, but it also seemed to be helping her settle too.

The heavy tension from before returned in full force.

Severus cleared his throat and stood to leave.

Without thinking, Ava scrambled off her mate's lap and clung to Severus. "Where are you going?" she rushed out, despite knowing the answer.

He looked just as startled as she felt, eyes wide, brows raised, unsure why she reacted so viscerally to the thought of him returning to Hogwarts.

A throat cleared.

She glanced at Remus, who was beaming.

Her eyes narrowed. "What?"

He beckoned her closer.

Not releasing her grip on Severus, she leaned towards the werewolf.

Still grinning, he whispered, "He's part of your pack."

Stunned at the implication, she slowly straightened. She looked at the others and saw that only the Animagi had overheard Remus.

James glared at Severus, face flushed with what she assumed was anger. But Sirius looked almost…thoughtful.

She shook herself and tugged on her friend's arm, walking him towards the Floo even though she didn't really want him to leave. Her magic hummed in agreement.

After she completed the soulmate bond with Remus and transformed into her own wolf, the traits and side-effects hadn't surprised her. But this emotional possessiveness did. I don't have a wolf like Moony.

She frowned. I guess I might. Her stomach dropped. Severus won't like that. How could he? He wouldn't be comfortable with a werewolf-esque witch laying claim to him, even as a friend.

"So," the Slytherin dragged out. "What was that about?"

They stood in front of the fireplace, and she had to forcefully peel her fingers off his arm.

She couldn't meet his eyes and stared at the floor. Rip off the band-aid.

"I guess I've got enough wolf in me that my magic, or wolf, I guess—" she shook her head "—or whatever, thinks of you as part of my pack."

Her words were met with silence and she didn't dare look up from the ground.

"I just, you know, feel safe with you. And I want you to be safe, I want to protect you." She shifted on her feet. "And I like having you around and you get my lame jokes about Potions and—and you're my best friend, Severus." Her eyes burned with tears, but she blinked them away. "Please don't hate me."

He let out his signature exasperated sigh and his arms wrapped tightly around her. "I could never. You'll always be my best friend, Ava."

"Always?" she whispered.

He nodded against her hair. "Always."

"Good," she said, voice muffled against his dress robes. She inhaled and immediately stilled. Oops.

"Did you just sniff me?" He used his tone reserved for dunderheads.

"No," she blurted.

"In that case, I think I'll be going," he said, beginning to pull away.

Her magic fluttered nervously and she snatched him back to her. "Fine," she snapped. "I smelled you, okay? You happy now? I find your scent soothing, jackass."

His chest rumbled with a chuckle and he hugged her once more. "I'm glad tonight was successful."

Inhaling deeply, she made a noise of agreement. Her magic settled, feeling more calm than it had all night.

She leaned away from him. "We'll take care of that thing together. Don't do it by yourself, Severus."

He paled and swallowed. "Of course not."

For a brief moment, they both seemed to be lost in the memory of destroying the diadem.

Severus took a step back and grabbed some Floo powder.

"I'll see you soon," she said, feeling uneasy about their parting.

He smirked. "I'll miss you too." Throwing down the powder, he shouted, "McGonagall's Office, Hogwarts."

The green flames engulfed her best friend and her magic felt a little fidgety. She took a deep breath and spun on her heel.

After rejoining her soulmate on the couch, they all sat in a contemplative silence for a while. At least, it was contemplative for Ava. She needed to get her thoughts in order after everything that had happened at the party and then revealing the existence of Horcruxes to James and Sirius. She also needed to prepare for going back to Hogwarts and they now had the diary to destroy.

At some point, the Potters had said goodnight and left the teenagers in the sitting room.

Ava was content just sitting there with her mate and recovering from the whole ordeal.

James and Sirius were having a hushed conversation across the room, but she didn't bother trying to listen in. She had enough to worry about without hearing their conspiracy theories about her Slytherin friends. At least, she assumed that's what they were whispering about.

Sirius's voice startled her from her thoughts. "Hey, Ava.

She glanced at him.

"Why would you think Snape would hate you for your little bit of wolf considering him pack?"

Remus tensed besides her.

Ava turned to her soulmate and gave his thigh a gentle squeeze, along with what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

Looking back to the Animagus, she quirked a brow. "Are you serious right now?" She pressed her lips together as she waited for an answer.

He grinned, glancing at James and Remus. "I'm always Sirius."

Her stony expression wasn't moved by his attempt at humor.

"What?" he asked, head tilted.

The longer it took for Sirius to realize why Severus would be concerned about his best friend being a werewolf or something close to it, the more pissed off Ava became.

She stood, her fists clenched. "You don't have any clue?" she asked in a falsely polite tone.

At his silence, her eyes narrowed and she took a step closer to the Animagus. "No idea?"

His jaw dropped. "What—what do you mean?"

"Hmm," she said, propping a hand under chin and pretending to think. "I dunno," she began in a sweet, high voice. "Could it be because of something traumatic that he experienced?"

Keeping her gaze locked with Sirius's wide eyes, she stalked the length of the couch towards his chair.

"Ava, I—"

"Could it be because you thought it was a brilliant idea to trick him into following a werewolf on a full moon?"

His mouth bobbed up and down, no words coming out.

She pointed at him. "You're so lucky, Sirius Orion Black." She said his name like a curse. "You're lucky that James was thinking straight and that Severus doesn't hold a grudge against me for being friends with the asshole that almost got him killed."

Her words had risen to a shout and her chest heaved with each breath.

Sirius seemed too shocked to speak, which was good because she had more to say.

"And you better thank God every fucking day that nothing did happen. Did you even think about that?"

Her hands clenched at her sides.

"What do you think would've happened to Remus if he had actually hurt someone? And I'm not just talking about going to Azkaban. How do you think he would've coped with the fact that he had either passed on his lycanthropy or killed someone?"

The back of her throat burned and she blinked away the wetness in her eyes that threatened to spill over.

Sirius's face crumpled, appearing utterly destroyed, and his eyes keep darting between her and Remus.

Without waiting for a response from him, she turned and crossed back to her soulmate.

She straddled his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and snuggled against his chest, taking in a big whiff of his scent.

After a moment, his arms wrapped around her, pulling her even closer.

Tucking her head under his chin, Ava turned away from Sirius and James. She didn't want them to see the unbidden tears leaking from her eyes.

Remus shifted forward slightly.

She ignored the fact that he was probably trying to see her face.

His chest heaved from underneath her as he let loose a deep sigh. He wiped away the drops of tears and whispered, "I'm so sorry, love."

Her head popped off his chest so fast, her vision spun. She grabbed his cheeks and stared into his green eyes that had a bit of amber leaking through.

"It's one hundred percent, absolutely not your fault, Remus John Lupin. You're an incredibly gentle, caring man and wolf. I don't want to hear anything different. I love you."

Ava pressed her lips to his and tried to convey all her adoration for him through that singular touch.

When his mouth moved against hers, she let out a pleased noise. And when she felt him smile, she thought, Mission accomplished.

"Take me to bed, Moony?"

A low rumble emanated from his chest. Remus held her legs wrapped around his waist before standing from the couch.

She laid her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, basking in the comfort of her soulmate and letting the gentle sway of his steps rock her to sleep.


Author's Note:

I hope the POV switches weren't too much. I thought it'd be better to show Ava and Remus's feelings and reactions in real time compared to one another rather than all of Remus's after the fact.

Let me know what you think! :D

Yet another P.S.—I'm participating in a HP writing challenge, so I'll be posting short stories every two weeks in the HP universe, with different prompts each time. It's my first time doing a challenge and I'm looking forward to it! Also, I'll be maintaining updates for this story every two-three weeks so the challenge won't take away from this, don't worry!