Thursday, February 23, 1978

The snow crunched under their feet as they trekked to the greenhouses. It was a bright, cold day, and Sirius squinted in the blinding sunlight. As he lit a cigarette and tossed the pack to Mary, he glanced over at James and frowned. James's usual cheerful grin has been replaced by a tight, worried expression.

"Prongs?"

"I think it's going to be a bad day for Moony," James said, emitting a soft sigh.

Sirius nodded. "Me too." He took a drag on his cigarette, then exhaled the smoke into the bitter air and grinned. "It's all your fault, you know. Why'd you have to go and get all cut up last month?"

James's face relaxed into a smile. "Sod you. I wouldn't have gotten cut up if you didn't go and land yourself in detention like a prat."

"Nah, pretty sure it's your fault. You think one of us should go?"

James ran a hand through his hair and frowned. "I'd say so, yeah. Is it your turn or mine?"

Sirius shrugged. "Fuck if I know." He raised his voice and called to Peter who was hurrying ahead with Lily and Mary to get out of the cold. "Wormtail! Whose turn is it to pull a sickie?"

Peter turned, then hurried back to join them. "I'll do it, if you want."

"No, you definitely did it last time," James said, shaking his head. "Besides, it's me and Pads who made last month such a disaster. It should be one of us."

"I honestly can't remember," Peter said, biting his lip. "Sorry."

"We'll figure it out," Sirius said. "Come on, let's pick up the pace before we freeze."

When they reached the greenhouses, Sirius tossed his cigarette onto the ground and slipped inside to join Mary and Lily.

"Macdonald, pick a number between one and ten," he said as James and Peter joined them, shivering and rubbing their numb hands together.

"Six."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "No, don't tell us, dumb dumb. We're meant to guess."

"Well, you didn't say that, arsehole," Mary said, chuckling. "Okay, I picked another number."

"I'm going with ten," Sirius said, narrowing his eyes.

"One," James said.

"What're we picking numbers for?" Lily asked, frowning.

Sirius made a dismissive hand gesture. "You don't need to pick a number. Just us. Macdonald, who was closest?"

She grinned. "James. I picked two."

"Fuck," Sirius said, scowling. "Bet you changed your number so I'd lose, didn't you?"

She put a hand on her chest and widened her eyes in indignation. "I'd never do that sort of thing!"

"Yeah, alright." He scanned the various plants that surrounded them and tapped his fingers against the table. "What can I get to bite or poison me?"

Lily stared at him. "Sorry?"

"Which of these plants will bite or poison me?" he repeated. "Only a temporary poisoning, mind you. I have to make a full recovery by dinner at the latest, so maybe a bite is preferable, actually."

"I'm going to bite you if you don't tell us what the fuck you're talking about," Mary snapped.

Sirius smirked and nudged her. "No, Macdonald, save that for later."

"Focus, Padfoot," James said.

"Right." Sirius's eyes fell on a bright green plant with purple flowers. "Venomous Tentacula? Will that work?"

"Are you mad?" Peter asked, casting a nervous glance at the plant. "A bad bite from that thing can kill you."

"Alright, I'll just let it do a little nibble, then." He turned to Mary and draped his arm around her. "Make sure you're watching, Macdonald, because this is going to make you want to tear my clothes off. Which you won't be able to do right away, unfortunately, seeing as I'll be in the hospital wing, but you can think back on it later."

He stood and strode over to the Venomous Tentacula, then gritted his teeth and gave one of its vines a prod. The head at the end whipped around and clamped onto his arm with tiny, needle teeth.

"Fucking hell!" he shouted, tearing his arm free. A throbbing pain emanated from the swollen puncture marks, and a greenish pus began to leak out.

"You alright over there, Black?" Professor Sprout called from the front of the greenhouse. "Is the Tentacula giving you trouble?"

"Afraid so, Professor." Sirius peeked at the bite again, then looked away, wrinkling his nose. "It got me. Not a full bite, just a nibble, but I think I'd better go to the hospital wing."

"Say nibble one more time," James muttered, grinning.

"Yes, you'd better," Sprout agreed, hurrying over to peer at his arm. "And be quick about it. That looks nasty."

"Make sure you warn the rest of the students, Professor Sprout," Sirius called over his shoulder as he headed for the door. "I wouldn't want it to nibble on anyone else."

James's laughter followed him out into the chilly morning.

Fifteen minutes later, Madam Pomfrey had dumped copious amounts of potion onto his arm. The green pus was gone, although the swelling remained. After she bustled away, Sirius slid out of bed and pulled open the curtains that surrounded the bed beside him, revealing a pale, grumpy Remus.

"Hi, Moony," Sirius said, sitting down on the edge of Remus's bed. "Fancy meeting you here."

A wan smile flitted across Remus's face. "You know, the curtains are to keep people from bothering me."

"Well, they're not very effective, are they? They didn't manage to deter me at all." Sirius examined his arm, then held it out in front of Remus's face. "Sprout wasn't kidding when she said Venomous Tentacula can fuck you up. Look at this — and that was only a nibble!"

"I'm uncomfortable with your use of the word 'nibble,'" Remus said, jerking his head back. "And get your arm out of my face. It looks awful, and I've already puked twice this morning." His face softened as he added, "You didn't have to, you know."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "What, let the Venomous Tentacula nibble on my arm? You're right, I didn't have to, but it makes for a good story."

Remus rolled his eyes and lay back against his pillows. "You're an idiot. She's going to come tell you off for pestering me, you know."

"Pom Pom would never. She loves me too much." He swung his legs up onto the bed and studied Remus. "You know it's going to be fine, right?"

Remus sighed and rubbed his eyes. "What's going to be fine?"

"My Venomous Tentacula nibble, obviously."

"I'm going to push you off this fucking bed," Remus said.

Sirius laughed. "Well don't ask stupid questions, then. You know what I meant. Tonight's going to be fine. You are going to be fine. We're all going to be fine."

Remus shook his head, then grimaced. "You don't know that."

"It only went bad last time because I wasn't there," Sirius insisted. "I am essential. Without me, things fall apart. So as long as I'm there, nothing can go wrong."

"You're an idiot," Remus repeated. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, taking deep breaths as a wave of nausea or pain washed over him. When he opened his eyes, the faint smile returned. "Thanks, Padfoot."

Sirius grinned and lay back, folding his arms behind his head. "You're welcome."

Remus shifted his pillow and frowned at Sirius's feet. "Is it necessary for your feet to be on my bed? Haven't you heard of personal space?"

"I don't believe in it," Sirius said, pulling his feet back to give Remus more room.

"Clearly." His hands emerged from beneath the blankets, and he began to dig at the skin of his cuticle. "You won't let me do anything bad this time, will you?"

"Course not. I'll keep you in check. I told you, nothing can go wrong as long as I'm there."

Remus stopped staring at his cuticle and looked over at Sirius. "I do seem to listen to you more than the others. I can't imagine why."

"It's because I have a calming presence," Sirius said. "Or, Padfoot does, anyway. I'm not sure calming is the right word to describe the effect all of this has on others." He made a sweeping gesture that encompassed his whole body.

"I'm not feeling particularly calm at the moment, no," Remus said with a wry smile.

"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm really not." He drummed his fingers against the blanket. "You know worrying makes it worse, right?"

Remus sighed. "Don't tell me not to worry. It doesn't help."

Sirius held up a hand. "I'm not telling you not to worry. Worry to your heart's content. I'm just saying, I think it makes the furry little experience worse. You feel extra shitty today because you're driving yourself mad worrying that you're going to nibble on James again – which you're not, by the way."

"You're not allowed to say that word ever again," Remus said, covering his face with his hands.

"I'll try, but no promises." He nodded at the stack of books on Remus's bedside table. "Want me to read you The Hobbit?"

"No, thanks," Remus said with a tiny shake of his head.

"Want me to read you the Transfiguration chapter?"

Remus winced. "No, it'll just make my head hurt worse."

"So I don't suppose you want to play chess." He fell silent for a moment as he mulled the matter over. "Want me to shut the fuck up so you can rest for a bit?"

"Can you manage that?" Remus asked, sounding doubtful.

"I can try. Pass me one of those books, will you?" When Remus raised his eyebrows, he added, "I need something to keep me entertained so I don't annoy you."

Remus passed him The Hobbit and shook his head. "I give it ten minutes before you get bored and start poking me or using the word 'nibble.'"

"Well joke's on you, because I'm about to prove you wrong." Sirius opened the book and held it above his face as he began to read.

Remus lapsed into silence. Sirius was already absorbed in the first chapter of the book when he heard Remus's voice, hoarse and barely audible.

"Thanks, Padfoot."

"I know, I know, I'm a blessing and you're lucky to have me in your life." Sirius looked at Remus over the top of the book and grinned. "Now quit bothering me so I can read, you inconsiderate arsehole."

Friday, February 24, 1978

The common room fire had burned down to glowing coals when Lily woke up wedged in the armchair beside James. She extricated herself from his arms and stood up; he stirred but remained asleep. As she tiptoed across the room toward the stairs, she saw Remus's eyes flutter open. He raised his hand off the sofa to give a half-hearted wave, and she wandered over to join him.

"Did we all fall asleep down here?" he whispered.

Lily looked around at their sleeping friends and smiled. Sirius and Mary were curled up together on a blanket in front of the fire; it made her back ache just looking at them, but somehow neither of them seemed to mind sitting or sleeping on hard surfaces. Peter was slumped in his armchair snoring, and Seven lay across the sofa with her feet in Remus's lap.

"Apparently. Do you want help going up to bed?"

Remus's eyes drifted to the dormitory stairs. "Eventually."

He shifted his arm, then froze as Seven murmured in her sleep and rolled over. Several seconds passed as he watched her, affection lighting up his drawn face. When it seemed that she would stay asleep, he pulled his arm from the blanket and rubbed his eyes, then rested his hand on top of the blanket with slow, careful movements.

"I know it's an awful day for you," Lily said, sitting down cross-legged on the braided rug beside the sofa. "But it must be a relief to know you don't have to do it again for another month."

"It is." Remus leaned his head against the back of the sofa and closed his eyes. "This month especially. To be honest, I was sort of terrified after – well, after what happened last time." He picked up his head and looked at her, his eyes full of sadness. "You must have been, too."

"No more than last month," she lied. In truth she had been awake most of the night, hugging James's pillow and imagining the bright red blood that had bloomed from his wounds after the last full moon. "I know you lot know what you're doing, for the most part."

He shook his head and sighed. "Lily, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." Her eyes locked onto his, piercing through his haze of exhaustion and pain until he was forced to look away. "I mean it. He's fine. They're all fine."

"But what if it hadn't been fine?" In the dim light of the fire his face looked gaunt, haunted.

"But it was fine, so why torture yourself thinking about it?" She leaned forward and touched his hand. Yesterday his cuticles had been raw and bloody, but today they were smooth and unmarked.

He followed her gaze and smiled. "Pomfrey heals them when they're bad," he explained.

"Sirius told me his theory that you're sicker the day before if you're extra worried about it," she went on. "And I bet the same is true for after. So quit worrying. You're not doing yourself any favors."

"I know." He glanced over at James's sleeping form and sighed. "It's easier said than done."

Lily studied Remus, taking in the dark circles under his eyes, the fresh scratch across his cheek, the faint flecks of silver hair visible in the light of the fire. Her mind leaped to the page of muddled notes and the book stashed in Slughorn's workroom, and she considered revealing her project to Remus if only to banish the defeated look from his face. She couldn't bear to let him down, though, and all she had at the moment was a few scribbles and a lofty goal, so instead she stood and bent to kiss his forehead. A tuft of sandy hair tickled her chin as she pulled away.

"I love you, Remus Mortimer Lupin. We all do. Even Padfoot, who pretends he doesn't love anybody. Why else would he purposely get bitten by a Venomous Tentacula?"

"Because he's an idiot?" Remus suggested. His smile pulled at a cut on his lip, and a tiny bead of blood rolled down his chin to splash onto the blanket.

"Those two things aren't mutually exclusive," she said, returning his smile. "Now come on, let's go upstairs. You need sleep."

She returned to the fire to wake James, comforted by the slightly cheered expression now brightening Remus's face.

Monday, February 27, 1978

The wind whipped at James's robes and tugged at his hair as he jerked his broom upward to dodge a Bludger and sent the Quaffle soaring into the middle goal hoop. The usual rush of satisfaction was diminished by the Keeper's complete lack of attention. She hovered by the left goal post, and the faraway look on her face suggested she had no idea he had just scored.

Swearing under his breath, he blew his whistle and flew down to land below the goal posts, then waited for the rest of the team to join him.

"Sunshine, what are you doing?" he demanded when she landed next to him and dismounted. "That's the third goal you've let in without even trying to stop it. Not sure if I've mentioned it lately, but we have a fucking match coming up, and your lack of focus concerns me."

"I know, I'm sorry," she stammered. "I just…" Her face crumpled and her shoulders shook with sobs.

"Oh, shit." He held his hands up in a helpless gesture as Bubbles put an arm around the distraught Keeper. "Don't cry. You know I don't know what to do with crying. You're okay, just concentrate a bit more, alright?"

"It's not you," Seven whispered, her face creased with worry. "That witch who worked for the Muggle Liaison office, the one they just found dead? She was Sunshine's aunt."

"Oh, shit," James repeated, raking a hand through his hair. "Sorry, Sunshine. I didn't know."

She wiped tears from her eyes and shook her head. "It's okay. How would you know? We don't have the same surname and I've hardly told anyone." She glanced at Seven and tilted her head in bewilderment. "I don't know how Seven found out, to be honest."

James shrugged. "Seven's good at finding out all sorts of things she's not supposed to know." He put a hand on her shoulder. "If you need to take the night off from practice, that's okay."

"I thought the only acceptable reasons to miss practice were my own death or dismemberment?" she asked, a faint smile spreading across her tear stained face.

"Yeah, well, I'll make an exception. I seem to remember that I missed practice last month, and I don't want anyone to call me a hypocrite." He grinned and added, "Bloody hell, I've been called enough other names as it is."

"Like arrogant toerag?" Seven suggested.

"Or a bloody madman who makes us practice in a blizzard?" Sunshine said.

"Or Lily Evans's bitch?" Bubbles said, smirking.

"Who have you heard calling me that?"

Bubbles clapped him on the back. "Just me, I think. But am I wrong?"

"You're not wrong," Sunshine said, flashing James an apologetic smile. "I'm honestly fine, I think. I just needed a minute."

"Alright, if you're sure." James ran a finger along the whistle around his neck, tracing the words Lily had engraved there: Never fucking give up, his number one Quidditch rule. How many times had he shouted those words at his team after a grueling practice or to hype them up before a tough match? Now the tiny letters gave him the encouragement he needed to find the right words for his teammate.

"Sunshine, did your aunt like Quidditch?" Please don't say she supported the bloody Cannons.

Sunshine chuckled. "No, she thought it was dead boring."

James's eyes widened in indignation.

"I know," she said, grinning when she saw his face. "I don't understand it either. It didn't matter, though, because she always supported me anyway. She came to all my matches when I was younger, and she sent me a bunch of sweets when I made it onto the team last year."

"It sounds like she was really proud of you," James said, still clutching the whistle. "And of course she was. You're a brilliant Keeper, even if you do agree with Bubbles when he insults me. So I think you should just keep making her proud by playing your best and not letting any of this bullshit keep you down. That's all you can do, really."

She nodded. "You're right. Thanks, James."

"Don't mention it. Now, let's get back to it, and make sure you guard that middle hoop this time."

He blew his whistle, running his fingers over the engraved phrase one more time before kicking off from the ground and flying up to join his team.

The cauldron emitted warm, shimmery steam as Lily stood beside it, watching the shade shift from a pale blue to a deep navy. When she was satisfied with its progress, she reached under the table to retrieve her books and the notes pressed between its pages. She spread out her quill and ink on the table, then sat down and opened the book.

It wasn't until she added a new notation to the parchment that she spotted a sentence written in the margins in handwriting that was not her own. Her heart pounded as she peered closer to the parchment to decipher the cramped scrawl.

If you're trying to create a way to kill werewolves, you're wasting your time. Avada kedavra does the job just fine.

Hot fury ripped through her, paralyzing her as the taunting words rang in her head in Snape's sneering voice. It was a full minute before her anger subsided enough for her to form a response. Her hand shook, spattering ink across the parchment as she scribbled a response: Fuck you.

Later as she lay in bed with James's arm draped over her waist, Snape's words came back to her. The rage washed over her again, and she balled her hands into fists, wishing she could look Snape in his stupid greasy face and tell him what she thought of his advice. She took deep breaths, willing herself to calm down, when something in her head clicked. If you're trying to create a way to kill werewolves… It was mad, absolutely insane, and there wasn't a single shred of evidence that it could actually work – never mind that she had no idea how she would go about testing it if she somehow did figure it out. Still, it was the only idea she had, and she owed it to Remus to try.

She almost woke James to tell him her idea. Of course he would have full faith in her ability to pull it off somehow, even if she herself had no idea where to even begin. She could already picture the look of excitement and pride shining on his face. Her hand was on his arm, ready to shake him awake, but she pulled away. It was his complete faith in her that made her pause, because it wasn't fair to get his hopes up only to dash them when her idea proved to be no more than a wild theory.

Sighing, she pressed herself against him and drew his arm tighter around her. Just before she drifted to sleep, her mind returned to Snape's note, and she found herself smiling. Thanks, Severus.

Thursday, March 4, 1978

"Hey, where are you sneaking off to?"

Remus turned just before he reached the portrait hole and saw Seven standing there with her arms crossed, a stubborn look on her delicate features. Ahead of him, the others stepped out into the corridor, heading to the unused classroom to practice dueling. He swallowed and toyed with the sleeve of his jumper, then sighed.

"You're going to tell me off again for keeping secrets, aren't you?"

The ghost of a smile flitted across her face. "It depends if you're going to tell me what you're up to, or if you're going to give me some rubbish excuse."

He looked at her, taking in the stubborn set of her jaw and the surprising force of her glare, and a smile replaced his apprehensive frown.

"Come on," he said, taking her hand and leading her through the portrait hole and out into the corridor. "I'll explain on the way."

When they reached the unused classroom, Seven stood on tiptoe to kiss Remus, then murmured as she pulled away, "I want to duel you."

He tilted his head and stared at her, taken aback. "Are you sure? You wouldn't rather go against one of the others?"

She grinned and toyed with the end of her braid. "You don't think I'm good enough to duel you."

"No, of course I don't think that," he said, reaching for her hand. Her fingers were cool and delicate in his grip. "I'm just, well, I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't want to hurt you either, but I know you're stronger than you look. And so am I." She kissed him again, and as her hand slid around his waist to rest on his back, his worry slipped away.

"Quit snogging and show Seven how sexy you look dueling!" Sirius called from across the room.

Remus responded with a two finger salute, then looked at Seven with eyebrows raised.

"I dunno how sexy I look dueling, but I guess you can be the judge of that," he said, drawing his wand.

She drew her own wand and grinned. "I dunno how sexy anyone can look when I've disarmed them so hard they fall on their arse, but I guess I'll be the judge of that."

He laughed. "Are you threatening me, Beth Bobbin?"

Her eyes widened in astonishment. "Did you really just call me Beth? Now you're just begging to be hexed."

They faced off against each other, and Remus studied the look of intense concentration on Seven's face as she raised her wand. It was not unlike the way she played Quidditch, he mused. Her hand gripped the wand with precision, her eyes fixed on him, and her body was poised in a straight, graceful stance. She raised her chin and widened her eyes, a hint of defiance in her gaze. He hoped he was not in fact about to get knocked in his arse, although he decided if he had to get knocked on his arse, he didn't much mind Seven being the one to do it. Smiling, he raised his wand and focused his mind on the task at hand.

After she did knock him on his arse, they sat side-by-side at the edge of the room, their backs leaning against the wall as they watched Lily and Mary hurl spells back and forth. Seven rested her head on his shoulder, and he kissed the top of her head. Her hair was damp, and Remus realized he must be a bit sweaty, too, but for once he wasn't self-conscious.

"You know, you promised you'd teach me the Patronus Charm," she said, picking up her head to flash him a teasing smile. "And I feel like now would be a perfect opportunity."

He sighed. "I dunno, Seven…"

"You don't have to show me your Patronus again. You can just walk me through how to do it and coach me if I need help." She reached up to push a lock of hair off his forehead. "Please?"

"What's that?" James said, sitting down next to Seven. "Moony's finally going to show us his Patronus?"

"That's not what I said," Remus snapped.

Sirius plopped down beside Remus and grinned. "Uh-oh, better look out, Prongs. Those desks will be flying through the air any minute."

"Sod both of you," Remus grumbled.

"Oh, come on," Sirius said, giving his shoulder a gentle shove. "Enough time has passed that we should be able to take the piss."

"I don't see what's so funny about it."

"You don't see what's so funny?" Sirius repeated, straightfaced. "Really?" When Remus remained silent, Sirius went on, "There's nothing funny about you having a wolf Patronus when your name is literally 'Wolfy McWolferson–"

"Hey, that's Mr. Wolfy McWolferson to you," James interrupted, grinning.

Remus heard a peal of laughter and looked over to find Seven doubled over, her shoulders shaking.

"I'm sorry," she said, pressing a hand to her mouth to suppress her laughter. "I don't mean to laugh. It's just, well, Wolfy McWolferson has such a nice ring to it." She hesitated, still giggling, then added, "Can I call you that?"

"No," Remus said, scowling.

"Absolutely call him that," James said.

"Especially in bed," Sirius added. He looked at Seven for a moment, frowning, then asked, "Does he pull on that braid? In bed, I mean."

"Fuck off, Padfoot!" Remus put a hand on Seven's shoulder. "You don't have to answer that."

Sirius held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Calm down, Wolfy."

"Are we going again, or heading back to the common room?" Peter asked, ambling over to stand beside them. Lily came to stand next to him, while Mary sat cross-legged on the ground across from Sirius. "Moony, why are you glaring at Padfoot like that?"

"Because I've just discovered that he's also into hair-pulling, and he's angry that I've revealed his dirty little secret." He ignored Remus's furious glare and continued. "Now be quiet. He's about to teach Seven how to produce a Patronus."

Remus glowered at Sirius, desiring nothing more than to stalk off and forget the entire ridiculous conversation, but Seven's expression of eager anticipation eased the tight knot of irritation in his chest. He sighed, then nodded and reached for his wand.

"Right, well, I expect you already know a lot of the theory, because you're the sort of weirdo like me who reads Defense books for fun." He glanced sideways at her, and they exchanged a smile. "So what you really need to focus on is coming up with your happy memory. It has to be strong, otherwise it won't work…"

Later as they walked back to the common room together, Seven slipped her hand into his. The rest of them had walked ahead, and snatches of their laughter and conversation drifted back to reach Remus's ears. His muscles ached and his eyes were heavy, but it was a happy, satisfying sort of exhaustion.

"Thanks for teaching me the Patronus Charm," Seven said, giving his hand a light squeeze. "I'm really excited about it."

"You're welcome." Remus smiled as he remembered the look of complete happiness and disbelief on Seven's face when the silvery owl had burst from her wand. Of course her Patronus is a bird, he had thought. She's quick and agile and more fierce than you'd expect — it's perfect. Even better was the way she had let him guide her when he stood behind her and showed her how to do the wand movement. She was a natural, and he had barely needed to teach her, but he still took pride in being the person to help her learn such advanced magic.

"And I'm sorry I asked if I could call you Wolfy McWolferson," she continued with a rueful smile. "I promise I won't actually call you that, as long as you promise not to pull on my braid." She lowered her voice and added, "You know, in bed."

Remus grinned. "Deal. Come on, let's hurry before Sirius raids my trunk and eats all the best chocolate bars."

They hurried to catch up with the others, laughing as they jogged hand-in-hand down the corridor.