Fae made a mistake.

Of course Fae remembered that her parents were not originally written to survive the war, or even Harry's birth. She assumed an attack would kill Euphemia and Fleamont, hence why she helped the boys get stronger and nudged them to become Aurors in the past year. In return for information on werewolf packs, Moody had listened to her request for extra protections for her parents too. She had not anticipated a viral attack. Voldemort was violent, he liked big shows of force to cause maximum fear, he liked to have an audience. A targeted viral attack wasn't his style, it was too subtle and easy to be confused for just an unfortunate outbreak. Those in the Order and connected to the infected knew better.

It wasn't an attack, it was a warning. A warning, with some extra kills to his stupid name. A way to target recruits via fear and it was just a bonus that it managed to off some of his enemies at the same time.

There was obviously a cure for Dragon Pox, it had an 80% chance of survival. But being hospitalized was a scary thing and St. Mungo's saw a huge wave in infected children and teenagers, daughters and sons of supporters and dissenters alike. Apparently, Greyback and his pack were being saved to scare the real big families into obedience now. Cases popped up in seemingly random pockets all across the UK, and most survived, especially the young ones who'd never had it before.

But the thing about the Dragon Pox vaccine is that it gives you an 80% chance of survival only for the first time you contracted the disease. If you caught it again, your chances dropped to 20%. Less, if you were a 56-year-old witch, albeit extraordinary in every way.

And Fleamont refused the vaccine. He'd never had Dragon Pox and had better chances of surviving, but refused to live without his love anyways.

Fae begged her dad not to go. Pleaded and sobbed and begged him to take the vaccine, to try and stay with her and James and Sirius. But they both knew it was a cruel thing to ask.

"I can't let my darling girl go on alone."

"She could survive. Mom is the strongest witch alive. I know it's only a 20% chance, but she's beaten worse odds before. You could try. Please."

"I'm sorry. We both love you so much, Fae. The way you came into our lives was unexpected and scary, but you are without a doubt one of the most amazing things that has ever happened to us. We will always be with you."

They passed away, together, two days before Christmas, having held on long enough for Fae to come home so Euphemia and Fleamont could say goodbye to all their children, delirious and wheezing and green behind a glass barrier. Fae, James, and Sirius clung to the barrier and each other, not moving an inch until the very end. It wasn't long. By the time Fae got there, they'd been sick for two days and the disease took it's victims fast, faster when they were old, but still far too young.

Remus, Peter, and Lily herded the three Potters this way and that. Fae blinked dry, dead eyes and was standing between her brothers, all in black, at their parents' funeral. Sirius, the eldest, spoke first, trying to keep his voice strong and steady as he thanked them for everything. It wavered like a weak radio signal. James spoke through sobs, Lily rubbing his back and supporting him through his truly beautiful words of love and his wishes that they were in a happier place and would remain together forever after life, as they had in this life. When it was Fae's turn, she stepped up to the podium. Opened her mouth, looked down, and couldn't read the words on the card. Couldn't even remember writing them. Everything was blurry. She turned and ran.

In the woods, her woods, she sprinted and sobbed, chest heaving. She tripped and collapsed in a clearing. The clearing where she could smell her own blood from four years ago when she'd woken up in this stupid word. Fae laid there and cried. Then she screamed and ripped up the grass and threw the rocks that ripped her nails.

Why give her parents who loved her? Why bring her here and give her love and acceptance and happiness and then rip it away just as abruptly as she'd been ripped from her past life? It wasn't fair that her mind had to go through this twice. Nothing was fair. Nothing was right. Euphemia and Fleamont were gone and not coming back and she couldn't save them. Fae howled and the earth shook with her sorrow and rage. The frosted grass turned black, the trees lost whatever leaves they had left, the snow melted away, and Fae grieved.

She walked for days, numb and dazed and mindless. There were people looking for her, but she didn't let them find her. Time passed and she thought of everything. Of nothing at all. She remembered Euphemia's playful laugh and Fleamont's teasing with keen, burning, consuming stings. What she wouldn't give for one more day together, like that day last Christmas, altogether in the living room, happy, at peace, safe. Fae's fingers itched for a pen, longing to write it all down because she was already terrified that her traitorous mind would forget even one detail. And yet, she couldn't make herself go back.

How could she go back to that house, the cold, empty kitchen, the lifeless workshop, the living room that was far too sparse and had far more chairs than people in the house now.

The answer became clear when she heard the bell ringing. The bell Fleamont had hung up on the back porch to call her home for meals. The bell Euphemia rang whenever someone had good news and they happened to be on the porch. The bell Fleamont rang to signal ready, set, go on Easter. They were calling her home.

Her body was frozen and starving and numb. She couldn't run even if she tried, and she tried with everything she had. She hadn't even realized she'd stopped moving, standing frozen in the clearing and becoming a statue. One cut up, icy foot in front of the other, Fae walked home, stumbling just like the day she woke up.

She made it to the edge of the woods, guided by the bell relentlessly clanging the whole way. James and Sirius were waiting, James frantically ringing the bell and Sirius beside him, a hand on his shoulder. James and Sirius. Her brothers. They were grieving too, weren't they. They were worried about her. They needed her. When she emerged, the ringing stopped. She held open her arms and the two boys hurled themselves off the porch, racing into her arms with enough force that Fae nearly fell back. They were crying and unable to speak and Fae cried with them.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm here now. I'm home."

They needed her.

She herded them inside, past Lily, Peter, and Remus waiting and relieved on the porch. She commanded James and Sirius to help set her to rights. They had dark circles under their eyes and were as thin as she was, clearly not taking care of themselves despite their friends' efforts. They were not up to taking care of themselves just yet, and she could definitely relate. But she could tell them to take care of her and she would take care of them and they would make it through this.

That's how the remainder of that day went, Fae keeping them busy with cleaning the injuries on her feet, cuddling close to warm her up, washing her back in the bath, telling her stories about the stars, making a big pot of coffee, a bigger pot of tea, and the biggest pot of soup. Lily and Remus always tried to react first, but James and Sirius were faster. It was easier to do things. Easier than it was to talk about the last few days. Simple tasks were good.

While Sirius washed her hair, she told James to get her favorite pajamas and told him to get his as well because his nasty clothes smelled rank and were making her nauseous. Ditto for Sirius. When James got her clothes and blankets, she pulled him down beside her and commanded him to brush out her hair while Sirius fed her soup, and fed James some while he was at it. Then she pulled Sirius down onto the couch with them and turned out the lights, cast the fairy light charm on the ceiling, and challenged him to make new stories about these new stars. Fae stayed awake to keep the charm active, long after Sirius and James had fallen asleep. She gave them both a kiss, wrapped them up in her arms, held them close, and promised to protect what remained of her family.

The next day, Fae took charge. The house was cleaned and aired out, the boys were set to work putting the Christmas decorations away and setting up for New Years with the same commanding tone that Euphemia always used. Meanwhile, Fae had Peter guide Lily and Remus through cooking New Year's dinner. Fae herself cleaned the house, did the laundry, received condolences and gifts and sent out thank yous and let other people know what happened. And mostly, she did her best to wreak havoc and make her brothers smile.

At lunch, she made everybody take a break to eat together and served them tea from the kettle. They all looked at her shocked, because she didn't drink tea. But it looked like tea. And smelled like tea. Exactly like Euphemia's. And then Remus thanked her, took a sip, and spat it out.

"Coffee?!" he said, grimacing and then shooting Fae an absolutely appalled and betrayed look. She winked and shrugged. Lily giggled. Peter laughed, took a deep sip, and correctly identified her favorite blend. James snorted and Sirius' mouth twitched. It was a start.

She wrapped the spoons in the napkins and made them waltz with the forks to Euphemia's favorite songs instead of setting the table.

She cast Incarcerous on the ribbons which would usually hang over the doors, and wrapped Lily and James up beneath a sole surviving mistletoe.

She chased Sirius around the house with the creepy Santa ornaments, making them float and zoom and giggle evilly.

They kept putting away the tree-topping angel, but it just kept reappearing in random innocuous places, like sitting on the roast, drinking scotch in Fleamont's chair, taking a bath in the bathroom sink, playing quidditch with the decorative teddy bears.

And at dinner, dressed in their best without having to be told, Fae dumped fettuccine over her two brothers. They glared and Fae grinned, scooping a noodle off of James' glasses and slurping it down obnoxiously. Lily lost it laughing. Then James and Sirius shared a look, a grin, and the food fight was on.

After dinner, they sat down in the living room, altogether with treats and hot drinks and full bellies. And Fae talked about her memories. Of last New Years and the one before that and the one before that. Of Christmas' and birthdays and Easters and trials and tribulations and joys and triumphs with Euphemia and Fleamont Potter. Sirius stormed off at first, unable to handle it. James joined her in sharing memories, both of them laughing through their tears when Sirius stormed back in and shoved himself onto the couch between them, demanding they warm him up because it was cold as bollocks outside. They talked through the night, until the tears dried up and made them tired enough to sleep peacefully.

Days were better after that. There were things to do and Fae made sure they did them. And when it seemed like the to-do list was shrinking, Fae just came up with more things to do. Like shaving, or dusting, or ordering take-out, and checking in with work. And for one of them, work came to check in on them.

Sirius had gone to meet with his Auror mentor and Lily and James had gone grocery shopping, leaving Fae to watch tv and try not to overthink in the godforsaken empty house. It was Lori who came banging on the door and Fae actually kind of welcomed the noise. Remus must've anticipated it or smelled her grossly strong perfume or something, because he was first to the door. He opened it, shushed her, and corralled her onto the porch. However, determined woman that she was, Fae still heard her haul off and yell at Remus.

She was mad that she hadn't seen Remus in two weeks, mad that he never called or wrote or even told her he was taking vacation time, mad that he wasn't taking vacation time with her. Remus calmly, furiously, explained that Euphemia and Fleamont had died and he'd been helping the family through their fucking mourning, not to mention coming to terms with his own grief as well. But no, that wasn't good enough for Lorelei because then she became offended that she hadn't been invited to the funeral and that Remus hadn't wanted her around to support him and blah, blah, blah.

Fae almost laughed. She'd been watching a cheesy soap opera, the dramatic kind that Euphemia hated, but always played on tv because Fleamont secretly loved them. The two scenes were hilariously similar and it was such a funny coincidence. A little less funny when Lorelei concluded her tirade with telling Remus that if he couldn't commit to her, then he probably couldn't commit to his career and Locke & Key Publishers were better off without such a fickle employee. He need not bother coming back. Oh, and FYI? We're over! And she stomped off with a hissy huff.

Remus sighed deeply. Hung out on the porch for a bit. Then came in and sat down on a chair in the living room, apparently joining Fae in watching the soap. He didn't seem mad. At all. Or sad. Or even defeated. He summoned some tea from the kitchen and with it came the coffee pot to top off Fae's mug as well. She was stretched out on the couch, far too comfortable to move, and thanked him quietly. She lasted two awkward minutes before she just had to say something.

"Sorry." It seemed like a good start.

"For what?" he said easily. Fae scoffed and he shrugged with a small, teasing smile. "Oh that? Don't worry about it. It was a long time coming."

Which was a surprise to her. She thought things had been going well. That's what everyone had been telling her in their letters, him included. "I thought you loved…" she said, trailing off.

Remus shrugged again. "It was great, but I just had a feeling, you know. That it wasn't meant to last," he said.

"Ah."

Finally, he turned his gaze away from the tv and looked at her. Smiled softly. "It's like you've always said anyways - one door closes and two more open. There are plenty of options and opportunities for me to explore. No need to get caught up now," he said. Uncharacteristically positive and hopeful. She frowned at him in confusion, gaze searching. He laughed a little. "Besides, now my schedule is more flexible and I can be more helpful to the Order."

"Yeah," Fae said slowly. "That's a good way to look at it."

His smile grew bigger. "I'm back up to two hours again. And I didn't come out of transformation with so much as a scratch last time," he told her cheerfully. "Just like you asked."

Fae's eyebrows arched. "That's great. I'm happy for you," she said.

At her lackluster response, he seemed to deflate a little bit. And she felt bad. She wondered how he was doing in all of this. So caught up in her grief and her brother's, there hadn't really been room to consider anything else. All things said, he seemed to be doing well. Aside from getting dumped and fired, she supposed. He really could be dependable. When he wanted to be.

Fae sighed and heaved herself up with a languid stretch. "Wanna come along with me to get my new tattoo?" she asked.

His grin returned. "Love to."

The totem pole on her side grew. Two wolves at the base, then the stag with the rat in its antlers, the dog balancing above them. Now, just higher, her parents' patronuses. A grizzly bear with a necklace of lilacs. An owl on its back, leaned tenderly between the bear's ears, with hilarious, adorable and large, thick-framed glasses perched on its beak.

Saying goodbye to her brothers at Kings Cross was hard and full of crying, on all their parts. It was too soon. "Take care of yourselves," she told them. "And come visit me if you need me since you apparently have no trouble using McGonagall's floo."

Sirius laughed wetly. "What can I say? I was her favorite."

"No, I was!" James argued.

She hugged them hard, gave Lily a kiss on the cheek, and gave Remus and Peter quick slaps on the shoulder before spinning and sprinting away while her brothers continued bickering. If she didn't run, she'd stay.

Only 30 seconds away and already their cheerfulness and her purposefulness was slipping away. Intrusive thoughts pounded into her brain like bullets. You didn't change anything. You've been here for four years and you haven't changed a damn thing. They still died and you couldn't save them even though you knew. They could all still die even though you knew.

Fae feared worst of all that it was like Prisoner of Azkaban. That Harry and Hermione had gone back in time, knowing what would happen, and the things they had done hadn't really changed anything because it all happened all along anyways. Hermione threw the rock at Harry's head to get him and Hermione and Ron to leave Hagrid's hut. Harry cast a patronus charm to save himself and Sirius. There was no changing what happened. And Fae was scared shitless that she couldn't change anything. Her first chance to make a difference and her parents were dead.

She was so lost in thought. But when it rains, it pours, and her misfortune wasn't over yet.

The train was moving. Regulus and Romilly must've heard because they sat silently at her side in the compartment until she finally looked up and acknowledged them.

"Fae, I'm so sorry about your parents," Romilly said.

"Thank you. Me too," she answered hollowly. The words didn't taste or feel like anything anymore, not after having said them so often.

Romilly shoved Regulus, trying to prompt him to say something. The dark-haired boy stayed silent and extremely broody, staring at his hands. Eventually he said, "Guys, I need to tell you something." His voice was as hollow as Fae's was.

"What's up Regulus?" Romilly asked.

He took a deep breath. Looked up. Resolved. "We can't do this anymore."

"What do you mean?" Romilly demanded while Fae discovered she could in fact still feel ice cold despair, even as low as she already was.

"I can't associate with either of you anymore. It's time for me to stop pretending and to take my place as the proper and rightful heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black."

Fae's mind raced and the conclusion hit her like a brick. She gasped. "Regulus… your parents?"

"Are fine," he answered angrily. "But he went after them."

Because of course he did. Voldemort attacked his own supporters because they weren't supporting him enough.

Regulus shook his head. "Just my father. He recovered, but he's weak," he said, sorrowful. Then his gaze turned strong and resolute again. "I need to be ready to become the head of the family."

"I understand," Fae said after a minute of silence and stillness. Because she did understand. Regulus was completely sure and she couldn't blame him. If she'd had the chance to save her parents, she would've done anything. If she'd known better, then she might've saved them. She couldn't fault Regulus, no matter how much she hated this. No matter how long she'd known Regulus would eventually leave. How much her gut splintered just a little bit more.

Romilly stood up abruptly, turning to yell at both of them. "What? What are you talking about? I don't understand! What are you saying?"

Fae answered numbly and bluntly, not wanting to deal with outbursts and dramatics and hysterics. Or anything, really. "He's saying that he's chosen his side in this war. And it isn't with us."

"You're wrong. You're wrong! Don't let them scare you! We can-"

Regulus stood up too, getting in Romilly's face and cutting her off. "What?! You can, what? You can't do anything!"

And Fae almost started crying again. It's not like he could have possibly known she was questioning her ability to do just that. Romilly's mouth dropped, not knowing what to say.

"You don't understand," he said. "This is my life. My family. My destiny. This is how it has to be." And the way he said it was different than last time. This time, he'd already convinced himself and wasn't trying to convince them. He was telling them.

"I do," Fae rasped. "It was my family too. I understand."

"But-"

"Then you know I can't run away anymore. This is the end of the road for us."

"If that's what you really believe."

Romilly cried out in agitation and frustration. "No! It's not what he believes, and you know it Fae! He belongs with us! He's ours, remember!"

Fae gave her a weak, pathetic excuse for a smile. "He is, Romilly. And he'll always have a place with us. You know that, right Regulus?"

The tall boy didn't answer and instead, turned and opened the compartment door. "I hope that we don't cross paths in this war. Goodbye."

"I hope we don't either," Fae said as he left. "Goodbye and stay safe."

The door closed with a solemn click and there was all of ten seconds before Romilly turned on Fae, red and upset and screaming.

"What the hell was that? Why did you just let him go?!"

"Romilly, he'd made up his mind," Fae said tiredly. "Nothing we could've said would have convinced him."

"You don't know that. You didn't even try," Romilly argued, voice becoming high and screechy on that last word.

"What was I supposed to do?" Fae demanded.

"Don't let him go! Kidnap him if you have to!"

"And let his family be slaughtered in retaliation? He'd never forgive me!"

Romilly was yelling like her life depended on it. "But he'd be alive! He'd be alive and safe with us!"

"How do you know he won't be? How do you know he won't come back?" Fae argued.

"How do you know he will? You act like you know everything, but you don't!"

And at that point, Fae stood up too. That was her biggest fucking fear that everything she knew was useless and that she'd just make things worse by trying to use that information. "I know that! But there is nothing I can do for him now!" she said, trying to convince herself more than her blonde best friend.

Romilly was not having it. "Maybe there was! But you just sat there and let him go! And you were mad at Remus for not trying. You're a hypocrite and a liar and a fake. We were there for you through every ugly mess you got yourself into and for what? When we really need you, it turns out you're useless and all talk. You're not the strong, invincible, badass you think you are. You're just a coward."

When the last word exited into empty air, Fae turned and left the compartment calmly. She walked to the back of the express, stepped out onto the back platform, leaned back against the wall and slid all the way down. She laughed bitterly. Her feet still didn't come close to the edge. The land was beautiful, covered in snow and flying by. Days were easier once and she felt like Sirius must've then. Like jumping, and without the fanfare of a backflip.

School resumed and it was a quiet, empty existence without her best friends. At least, she didn't let herself fall into a catatonic daze this time, although it was a near thing. But no, Romilly had been right and now, Fae needed to step up her game more than ever. The upside of losing her best friends meant that she had all the time in the world to research so that's what she did. Dark, destructive spells that could potentially wreck a parseltongue guarded gateway as well as a Horcrux.

She practically lived in the library, flitting in and out of the restricted section, simultaneously undetected and like she owned the place. She didn't bother to narrow her search. With an entire term alone stretched out before her, she had plenty of time to read every book. It wasn't like she was sleeping much anyway. For the first time alone, Fae climbed up into the hidden window den. Books were piled high and the blankets were useless for someone perpetually cold so she cheerfully hooked them on the piles and made forts.

Because she promised, Fae kept going to classes. She got her food directly from the kitchens and spent a lot of time circling the sink in Myrtle's bathroom, casting little spells at it and checking for weaknesses or changes. Nothing. So then she cast stronger, darker spells. For her efforts, she was flung through four bathroom stalls and got to spend the evening picking splinters out of her skin while Myrtle shrieked with laughter. As soon as the splinters were out, she cast a barrier between herself and the stalls, and tried again, but with more feeling.

Refusing to give up on that particular dark spell, she went to the Room of Requirement and wandered and wandered until she found the Diadem. Rowena Ravenclaw's tainted Diadem. Fae stared at it and circled it intently like she had the sinks. Soaking up the dark feeling, the subtle smell of stale air and death. Until she could identify it and find it blind. She stared at it. Wanted so badly to destroy it with Fiendfyre. She'd found the spell. Hadn't practiced it yet. Almost didn't care. The Diadem could burn and she could burn with it. Voldemort deserved it.

No. No. No no no. He deserved worse. He deserved so much worse. She couldn't act yet. Euphemia and Fleamont would be avenged. Properly. Fae would wreck him. Dismantle his forces. Turn his supporters against him. Destroy his morale. Shred his credibility. Drive him mad. Force him reckless. Bring him to his knees. Make him suffer and scream. Kill him slowly.

She laughed maniacally. Like Janis Ian teaching Cady Heron how to take down Regina George. Take out her resources. Her army of skanks. Her hot body. Her eye candy boyfriend.

Romilly found her a week later, lying on her back in the cold, wet, dead grass. Six days had gone by and Fae had nearly bitten someone when she realized her mind and body were going mad from all the stationary reading. She hadn't run in weeks. Since the funeral. So she went running and fell because her legs were weak, her body underfed, and her reflexes gone with her sanity.

Felias, one of the nicer centaurs, had escorted Romilly to her and then left, wisely washing his hands of strange humans. The tall blonde girl towered over Fae's deflated body, looking down at her blankly. And then she sighed deeply and laid down in the slushy grass beside her.

"I'm sorry for the things I said."

Fae laughed wetly. "S'okay, I deserved it." If Romilly knew how much of a coward she really was? Letting Regulus go to avoid changing the future so much she didn't know what would happen? Couldn't twist it to her advantage?

Romilly sighed. "No, you didn't. What Regulus does is Regulus' choice and nobody else's. It's not your fault that he chose Voldemort. It's not your fault that he left."

Fae mulled it over and then shrugged. "It kind of is, though. Do you think he would've had more time if it weren't for us? Do you think he could've at least finished his last term at Hogwarts and been a teenager for a little while longer, if it weren't for me?"

"Maybe," Romilly said. "I don't know. And that's the thing I can't stand the most - not knowing."

Well, she'd drink to that.

She exhaled deeply. "It made me angry, that you just knew he'd come back. That you just knew he'd survive. How can you know that? How can you not be afraid?"

Fae turned over abruptly, pushing up onto her elbow and leaning frantically over the other girl. "I am! I'm terrified Romilly," she said, voice going high-pitched and wobbly. "I don't know what's going to happen and I'm terrified for him and for my brothers and for everybody in this stupid war. But I guess I just fake it til I make it. Lie to myself so much that I start to believe it's true. I have to believe that there's going to be a happy ending."

It all came out in a mad, angry, depressed, anxious, wet, miserable rush. It's what she always did. Lie. Especially to herself. She'd learned that being a waitress. Smiling at customers even if she was pissed or breaking down inside. There was only so much smiling and playing around and joking and laughing she could do before some of it actually became real. When she'd been sixteen, she discovered that sometimes you could force yourself to do things and lie about it so much that it became real.

"Life isn't all happy endings Fae."

"I know that!" Fae shrieked, crying and screaming and crying some more. "Sometimes bad things happen and there's nothing we can do to stop it. I tried! I tried and it wasn't enough and maybe nothing I do will ever be enough. Maybe there isn't a point to my being here, maybe I can't change anything!" Because Euphemia and Fleamont were still dead and one day, Regulus would die alone, Remus would probably marry Nymphadora Tonks only to die soon after, and her brothers would be dead, and her nephew would grow up as a pawn and sacrifice of war.

"Fae.."

"But I can't give up! I can't sit and watch it all happen. I'm going to try everything I can anyways. I won't give up. I won't stop until I'm dead." At this point, she was just babbling, letting everything go. It was too hard to lie when she wanted to be loved so badly. Wanted to be understood. Wanted to understand herself.

"What are you saying?" Romilly asked, sitting up on her elbows and staring at Fae in fear and confusion, likely frightened by her hysterical behavior.

"I'm going to end this war and bring him home, okay? I'm going to save him. I'm going to save him. I'm going to save all of them. I'll save him."

"Okay. I believe you."

"I have to get stronger and I can't do it alone. Please, don't go away again. Please don't leave me," Fae begged.

"I won't," Romilly said, resting a hand on Fae's cheek, meeting eyes and shushing to calm her down. Like she'd do with spooked thestrals.

Fae gasped and sobbed, falling into Romilly's chest.

"I'm so lonely and scared without them."

Romilly sighed deeply. "I'm here, Fae. You're not alone."

Here's the good thing and the annoying thing about life. The world keeps spinning and things are okay. Things stabilize and work themselves out, kicking and screaming, whether you like it or not. When things should be anything but normal, that's when they feel the most mundane. And life goes on.

Fae continued training destructive spells and attacking the Chamber of Secrets all spring to no avail and to Myrtle's amusement. She began practicing Fiendfyre, carefully. At the very least, she would make big boom. And she had a very lovely, cruel, painful arsenal of spells to make Voldemort's pets hurt.

On James' 19th birthday, he proposed to Lily. They had come out stronger through his grief and through the worsening of the war. Lily said yes and Fae was all too gleeful to agree to be a bridesmaid. And she would rock that peach dress, as agreed.

Sirius graduated training - the fastest anybody ever has, in 3 months less than the required 18 months. He wore his Auror robes proudly and Fae let him strut around Hogsmeade when she treated him to a grand feast, a magnificent flower crown of poinsettias and sunflowers. As a more suitable gift, she and the boys went in on a motorbike. Sirius nearly shit himself and absolutely cried.

Remus returned to job hunting, skimming the papers and drinking far too much tea every day at Lucrecia's. He had always been the best type of customer, the type that stacked the plates at the end of the table and tipped appropriately and never left a mess and called the servers by first name with all the politeness in the world. It didn't surprise Fae when Lucrecia hired him to help out at the cafe a few days a week. It surprised her a little, she would admit, that Lucrecia had known about their lycanthropic conditions for ages and simply didn't give a fuck. Then again, Remus' and Fae's superior sense of smell had led her to many a successful pastry idea and their large appetites had funded Lucrecia's love of house plants for years.

Things got even better for Remus too, wonderfully enough. One of the authors that Remus had edited for back at Locke & Key wandered into the cafe a few days into April. He had recognized Remus, commended him for his keen eye and useful suggestions, and then offered Remus a freelance job. Fae wrote her werewolves quickly and did the research and confirmed it. She was all too happy to tell Remus to take it - freelance jobs did not trigger the magical impulse of their identifying tattoo to inform their employer about their lycanthropy. Basically, freelance jobs were fair game. And between the two jobs, Remus discovered he was a stress baker and magnificent at managing his time wisely and altogether a decent writer. He had two more authors asking for his services by the end of spring.

Peter, James, and Lily were thrilled with Remus' new talent and obsession for baking his worries away or baking through his considerations of whatever document he was editing. Hands down, his coffee cake was the best, apparently. Fae, healing, couldn't wait to go home and try it.

And then things only got busier for Remus, although that was partially Fae's fault. Her correspondence finally yielded results in May and she reported them dutifully to Moody, with the promise that he not fuck up the lives of her friends. Three werewolf packs were confirmed. A decent-sized, roaming community in the north, a slightly bigger forest-bound community along the shores in the west, and a vague reference to a third one about three hours out of Wiltshire. Where the Malfoy family lived.

So Remus took on his first official solo mission - seeking, locating, and observing the three packs. No contact to be made, do not alert them of his presence, just find and confirm. That was it. Fae was a nervous wreck and also jealous that he got to travel and make use of her hard-earned information. Moody just had to be hasty and couldn't wait two months for her to graduate. Honestly.

Remus returned safely three weeks later with confirmations on two out of the three, the missing one being the Wiltshire group, no surprise. Still, Fae was so glad he was okay and so proud of him. Even better, Remus was proud of Remus. Lucrecia welcomed him back just in time for the summer rush to start up.

And then Fae's time at Hogwarts came to an end.

It was with a bittersweetness and excitement and wistfulness that Fae slowly retrieved all of her things from the common room and the bathroom and scattered all over her and Romilly's shared, giant dorm room.

"So what's lined up for your summer?" Fae asked, casually.

Romilly paused for a bit before answering, "My uncle is finally coming through."

"Oh?" Fae said excitedly. "You mean-"

"Yeah. The plan is to go to Romania and then the US for a family reunion in the Grand Canyon and then to Mexico."

Good fucking Gods she was so jealous, that sounded amazing.

"That's great! You have to take a million photos and tell me everything! Check out Vegas and the plains and see a Thunderbird and-"

"I don't know if I'm going," Romilly said thoughtfully, cutting her off.

"What?" Fae nearly shrieked. "Why wouldn't you? You've been dreaming of this trip as long as I've met you!"

"I promised I wouldn't leave you."

And Fae melted. "Oh Romilly, I fucking love you," she cried, rushing forward to sweep her beautiful, lovely, wonderful best friend into her crushing arms.

"Mmph."

And then Fae smacked her. "You aren't leaving me. You're living your life the way you've always wanted and the way I want you to. You aren't leaving me because I know without a doubt that you'll be there the second I need you, and vice versa."

Romilly rubbed her cheek and then nodded dumbly, before a slow, sweet smile spread over her sharp mouth.

Fae grinned. "Like seriously, if you need anything while you're in the US, or anywhere else of course, but if you're in the US and miss me, just set up a portkey, I'll pay for it express and I'll be there in a flash."

The blonde girl laughed, gave her a fond grin. And then nodded. "What about you? And the war?"

"I'll be okay. The war won't know what hit it."

"But I want to help you." Because despite her aversion to anything that wasn't a creature, Romilly was the kindest, most caring person. Actually, Fae was a creature wasn't she? So it all made sense.

"And you can," Fae promised. "You think I left you out of my plans?"

"Plans?" Romilly questioned, eyebrows arching over glasses. Then she sighed and grinned. "Of course. Typical for you."

"You don't have to do anything if you don't want to. Knowing you are alive and safe will be more than enough to keep me going through the war," Fae told her, giving her an out one more time at least.

"Cute," she scoffed. "Now tell me. What do you need me to do and how are we going to save Regulus?"

So Fae told her. And Romilly took it all in with a hugely skeptical face. But agreed and promised. Perfect, wonderful, magnificent girl.

They finished packing their trunks and took one last look around their dorm room. "Ready to get out of here?"

"Yeah," Fae said.

"So what have you got planned?"

"I have no idea what you mean," the werewolf hummed.

"Please - you couldn't just leave Hogwarts without one last big bang."

Well.

Fae left with a bang - and help from the Klein Brothers. Dumbledore always ended the final breakfast of the year with a commencement speech. It was standard stuff, wishing the 7th years well with their future endeavors, who would then walk out of Hogwarts and down to the boats, cheered on by the younger years. At the end of his speech, Fae pulled an encore and brought a rain down from the charmed ceiling - this time balloons and chocolates and confetti. And flowers. All of the flowers.

The flowers hit the ground, attached themselves to students and tables alike, grew, and started singing Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac as she strutted out the doors.

She led the 7th years out and across the lake in the first boat, standing tall on the bow with a magnificent dress and crown made of flowers. Romilly sat demurely in the back, saying her goodbyes to the giant squid and the merpeople who leapt along their boat. All the boats were similarly covered in flora and ribbons. Fireworks shot out of the Klein Brothers' boat and Fae saluted them. It was a gorgeous and unforgettable send off and somehow, Fae felt ready.

A/N: Alright, should I be concerned that ya'll want Remus to suffer so badly? He fucked up, but damn.

Again, thank you so much for caring about Fae, she's my girl. And rest assured, this isn't over. Fae is just a bit of a coward who has a lot of other important things to focus on and is probably taking the distractions a little too eagerly. Because we all know suppressing emotions works out really well.

Thank you for reading!