Emma had expected Remus to take her to one of the pubs to stay in, but they made their way to a guest house instead. She had no idea that a few houses in the village were designed for guests who didn't want to stay in the castle, but it made sense. It was tucked further into Hogsmeade, a little further away from the residents, and offered the perfect amount of privacy. For just a little while, they could all be a family again, and Emma was overjoyed. She was more than content with being close to Remus on the walk through the village, but she was overcome with joy when they stepped into the house.

The moment the front door of the house closed, Emma didn't bother to hold back her shriek of delight at the massive black dog bounding her way. She didn't even care that Padfoot knocked her over and onto the ground, taking Remus along with her as he failed miserably in catching her.

"'Lo, pumpkin!" Sirius said when he transformed back, pulling Emma into his arms and squeezing tightly. "Didn't mean to knock you over, love."

"Don't care," Emma muttered into Sirius's shoulder and giggling at Remus's sigh of exasperation just behind her. How could she care when she was so happy?

"You could have at least waited until she was somewhere softer, Pads," Remus sighed.

"I think it would take more than a fall on a wood floor to take our girl completely out of commission."

Emma pulled herself away from Sirius so quickly, going completely breathless.

"Elle," Emma half-whispered as she met Elara's soft brown eyes. She scrambled up quickly from the floor, practically launching herself into Elara's arms with a broken cry.

"Don't you dare cry on me, Emma Hope," Elara said softly, gently rocking Emma side to side in her arms. "I'm fine. We're all fine."

"I didn't think –"

"Shh, don't," Elara said gently. "I'm here." Elara pulled back, taking Emma's face between her hands. "Can't get rid of me that easily," she said with a wink. Elara brushed Emma's tears away with her thumbs with a soft laugh, and Emma couldn't stop her laugh in return.

"Good," Emma said, holding one of Elara's hands to her face, leaning happily into her touch. She needed this more than she thought; she needed to be reunited with her pack just to confirm they all existed. This was home – every single one of them. Emma had to bite back her sigh at Soleil's huffing in her mind. After weeks of Soleil longing to have everyone together, it felt strange that Soleil was complaining that Greyson wasn't with them, too. Emma had to admit with everyone under one roof once more, she felt he could fit in perfectly.

Emma only let go of Elara's hand and separated herself when Remus's hand came up to stroke the back of her head. She smiled up at Remus, happy to see his fond smile, and tucked herself under his arm, wrapping her arms around his waist. Her smile only grew when Sirius came over to join in their hug, crushing her between his body and Remus's with a laugh. Sirius only laughed more at Emma's growling stomach, and Remus made a noise of displeasure.

"Emma, did you not eat today?" Remus questioned, eyebrows raising at the sheepish grin that she gave him.

"I ate, er…a bit this morning," Emma said, giggling as Remus shook his head.

"Well, better than not at all," Remus replied. "Why don't I go get you something to eat then. I'm sure the family dog could use a walk, and I'm sure you want to catch up with Elara."

"You're not getting anything?" Emma questioned.

"We all ate before coming here," Elara said. "Desperately needed something other than the nonsense they try to feed you at the Ministry."

"You only got out today?"

"Yes, but we can talk about it after you've had something to eat," Elara said lightly, waving Remus and Sirius off. "Go get our girl some food so that we can have uninterrupted girl time. I'm sure we've got a lot to catch up on."

"I think we all do," Remus said pointedly when Emma giggled nervously.

"Yes, now go," Elara said, pulling Emma out from between Remus and Sirius just to tuck her under her arm instead. "Girl time. Leave us, men!"

"I think that's our cue, Pads," Remus muttered, meeting Sirius's glittering eyes. "Is there anything specific you'd like, love?" he asked Emma lightly.

"Anything," Emma said. "I'm starving."

"Right then," Remus said, "let's leave the ladies alone for a bit and get our daughter something to eat." Sirius transformed into Padfoot with a cheery bark and a swish of his tail, and Remus rolled his eyes. "We'll be back. Take care of her." Emma felt that Remus's words were as much for her as it was for Elara.

With both Remus and Padfoot out of the house, Elara sighed. She pulled Emma into the sitting room and sat her down. Elara looked as though she wasn't sure where to start their conversation, taking a moment to study Emma closely.

Emma finally took a moment to look around the house, curious to see what everything looked like. It was a simply furnished home, clearly designed for guest use. There were neutral colors everywhere and little touches of Hogwarts. There were the golden fixtures of Gryffindor, the ornate fireplace that was Slytherin-worthy, all of the warm woods of Hufflepuff, and the brilliant art of Ravenclaw. Emma wondered idly if the house looked at all like what her quarters with Remus looked like before the changes were made. It was a moderately sized two-story home, and Emma was curious to see what the view upstairs would offer. As interested as she was to see the rest of the house, Emma wanted to enjoy talking to Elara privately without her fathers around.

"How are you?" Emma finally asked, needing to break up the silence. She glanced over towards the fireplace, and before Emma could mention the wireless radio, Elara was on her feet to turn it on. She fiddled for a moment to find a radio station that was more Muggle than wizarding just so that Emma had something more familiar to listen to.

"They took my wand," Elara said quietly with a slight shrug when Emma gave her a questioning look. She gave Emma a sad smile and shook her head at the expression that crossed Emma's face. "It's fine. I'll get a different one for the time being if Dumbledore can't retrieve mine and Sirius's wands," she said, sitting back down. "We'll talk more about it when your dads come back. But in the meantime, tell me all about Greyson."

"I don't even know what to say," Emma said with a blush.

"Tell me all the things you can't tell your dads – they're not around," Elara said with a wide grin. "When Remus brought him up during our wonderful stay for the full, I found myself very curious. You're going to have to explain everything else about him later, I'm sure, so I want the dirty details now."

"What makes you think there are dirty details?" Emma asked quickly, her face heating up.

"You are bright red, Emma Lupin. Spill."

"Oh, bloody hell," Emma muttered, covering her face with nervous giggles. She rubbed her cheeks as if that would calm the redness in her face. "I, erm, well…your birthday gift was quite useful." Elara's jaw dropped in surprise, and she burst into laughter.

"Well, that certainly wasn't who I had in mind when I sent that to you," Elara said, clutching hard at her stomach as she doubled over with laughter. "Oh my God, did you have sex with him?" Elara asked when her laughter calmed, her eyes growing wide and practically sparkling in curiosity.

"No," Emma said with an embarrassed flush, rubbing the back of her neck. "Nearly did about three separate times, though. Got too scared the first time, forget what happened the second, and er…last night, we decided that we didn't want our first time to be rushed. But now I'm worried that we won't even get the chance."

"And he stopped when you wanted him to stop, right? Didn't try to pressure you into doing more than what you wanted?" Elara asked, reaching up to push Emma's hair back from her face with a knowing smile.

"He stopped," Emma said. "And then I completely lost it because he stopped."

"Because you were afraid that he wouldn't."

"I was afraid he wouldn't," Emma sighed. "He's incredible. We did just about everything else that we could, and he kept checking that I felt comfortable with everything. If he felt that I wasn't entirely sure about something, he would stop, and we would talk about it. I was afraid of telling him everything that happened to me, but he was so gentle and careful. He made me feel treasured. Elle, I didn't know someone like him could even exist."

"I think I like him already," Elara said, taking Emma's hands in hers. "He sounds very respectful. I know that you were always worried about the idea of being intimate with a man for the first time."

"Yes, well, it's not as though I've had much luck in that department," Emma sighed. "I was obviously more than worried considering this summer…Well, that didn't matter too much once I could finally see Greyson as Greyson, and Greyson is amazing."

"When did you finally start seeing him differently?"

"The moment we finally stopped fighting with each other over everything," Emma laughed. "About a week and a half ago. I had to remind myself to stop comparing him and see him as him, and I realized how much I really loved just talking to him. It helps that he's incredibly handsome, too." Emma sighed, almost wistfully. "Elle, I fell in love with him, and I feel like that's absolutely mental, but I love him. And I know that I love him, and that's what makes things so hard for me. He's sweet, he's funny, he's kind, and we're so similar that it's scary. Elle, he reads poetry. Greyson doesn't just read, which is already very attractive, but he reads poetry, and he's so smart –"

"Shh, don't tell me any of that yet!" Elara giggled. "I want to know everything else. Like is he a good kisser?"

"The best," Emma said, unable to stop her sudden girly giggling. "He's quite skilled with his mouth," Emma said with a wide smile, her cheeks turning pink, "and just as skilled with his fingers." Elara's jaw dropped once more, a surprised smile crossing her face as Emma continued to blush.

"I want to know everything," Elara said, eyes glittering. "Don't skip out on any details."

Emma forgot just how nice it was to talk to another female, especially Elara, who was consistently open with her. Emma knew that she could talk to Remus when it came to vague scenarios about sex, but she could never speak this openly. She supposed she could talk to Sirius, but unless they were all together, it meant having to use the notebook, and Remus would still find out. Emma didn't think Remus would entirely appreciate the idea of knowing that she was fully prepared to share so much of herself with Greyson. With Elara, she could be completely honest about her feelings and not worry. Emma had been longing to have an open and candid conversation with someone she could trust, and Elara was perfect. Her secrets were safe.

"I didn't think I would regret not having sex with him," Emma sighed. "I know we did just about everything else except actually having sex, but…"

"You wanted to feel even closer to him," Elara said knowingly, pulling Emma into a gentle hug. "Oh, you really love him, then, don't you? You're so careful with that heart of yours that he must mean a lot to you."

"Elle, I've never felt this way about anyone before," Emma said earnestly. "I thought it was just Soleil talking, but Soleil knew my feelings well before I did. I thought Greyson was a bit mental when he said he felt like he's known me his whole life, but the more time I spent with him, the more I realized the same. His very soul speaks to me." Emma's head whipped around at the sound of the front door opening, and she cast Elara a disappointed look.

"We can talk more later, kid," Elara said, pressing her forehead to Emma's. "You're with us all until Monday morning. We've got plenty of time. In the meantime, we'll keep our conversation between us girls."

"Excuse me, but what are you two keeping from me?" Remus asked, stepping into the living room. Padfoot stepped up beside him, a bag with a takeaway container held in his mouth, which made Emma giggle.

"Girl talk," Elara said, shaking her head at Padfoot's rapidly swishing tail. "Really, Sirius?" Padfoot ran into the room and dropped the bag on Emma's lap, and he transformed back in the blink of an eye.

"It was easier," Sirius said, scratching his head in a very dog-like fashion. "Plus, all the little old ladies thought it was cute."

"He just wanted people to scratch his back," Remus said, rolling his eyes. "He was grumpy that I refused."

"I was itchy!" Sirius insisted.

Emma folded her legs up in front of her, opening the takeaway container and being more than content that it was a burger and chips. She took a chip and popped it into her mouth appreciatively as everyone got themselves settled. Remus and Sirius took the loveseat, leaning against each other. Elara got herself more comfortable on the couch, pulling a leg underneath herself and propping her other leg up.

"So," Emma said slowly, taking a look at everyone, "what's going on?"

"Well, where do you want to start?" Remus asked. He let out a soft sigh as Emma's eyes immediately darted over to Elara, worry plastered on Emma's face. "Why am I not surprised that you want to start there? That's a…complicated issue."

"I'm being placed officially on house arrest on Monday afternoon," Elara said quietly. "I obviously lost my job at the hospital, but I can promise that if you have to go back for any reason, you're in good hands."

"But we're going to avoid any issues that need the hospital, yes?"

"Daddy, I don't go looking for trouble," Emma huffed, "trouble just seems to find me."

"All the same, I would like to avoid any major hospital visits," Remus said. "I'm not too sure I can handle much else in the foreseeable future."

"Yes, let's," Elara agreed. "For once, the Prophet article was fairly accurate. I didn't fight when they came to arrest me because I think I mentally prepared myself for the moment when I first took up my post at St. Mungo's. It really came down to when it would happen, and I'm just glad it took this long. Getting by with 12 years of employment was pretty impressive."

"And incredibly risky," Remus added.

"Risky, but look at what's come out of it," Elara said pointedly. "I don't regret any of it. I feel much better about everything knowing that someone like Emma exists in the world. She's the very thing I always hoped for – someone strong and confident enough to want to change things. That's all I've ever wanted."

"She certainly is, isn't she?" Sirius added, pulling a shy smile to Emma's face that she immediately hid in her food.

"Either way, I'm fine with the entire thing," Elara said.

"Why did they let you out?" Emma asked curiously.

"Well, would you believe it? Umbitch was actually good for something," Elara replied, leaning back into the couch cushions. "She said it wasn't worth 'wasting resources' on me, and with a sizable donation or two, they let me out until my trial. Sirius was a huge help with that and had it done in my name, and luckily no one questioned it."

Emma looked at Elara expectantly, wanting her to answer the question that she couldn't ask. Elara looked over at Remus and Sirius for a long moment before turning back to Emma with a sigh.

"The trial is still going to be for my execution," Elara said tightly, catching the takeaway container as it started to fall off Emma's lap. "But we don't want you to think about it. We don't even have a date for my trial yet, and we have…contingency plans."

"Meaning?" Emma asked.

"Elara," Remus said in a warning tone before Elara could speak.

"The point is that we're trying to figure things out," Sirius said quickly. "All of us."

"This is all Jude's fault…it's all my fault," Emma said quietly.

"That's the thing, Emma…It wasn't Jude," Elara said. "He never said a word."

"What?" Emma breathed out, her stomach sinking. "If it wasn't Jude, and no one else knew –"

"We only have speculations of who it could have been," Remus said. "It could have been someone who finally picked up on the patterns, someone who might have accidentally overheard. There are multiple possibilities of what might have happened."

Emma looked between everyone, chewing her food slowly. It didn't sit right with her that it couldn't have been Jude. The only likely person it would be was Jude, but was it? Her stomach sank even further as she thought about the moment she learned about Elara's arrest. Persephone had been so insistent that it wasn't Jude, but she had been so quick to defend him and deny that it was her. Emma tried to run through that moment, trying to figure out what she could have possibly missed. Jude had threatened to say something to the Ministry about Elara, and it didn't fit that it couldn't be him. She couldn't see it being Persephone, but there were those small moments of doubt she had and even Fenrir's thinly veiled reminders to be careful.

"However, speaking of Jude, it was good that you were checked by Madam Pomfrey, at least," Sirius said quietly when Emma didn't immediately say anything. "Pomfrey making the report was helpful. Since the Cruciatus was outlawed after the war, it has put a bit of a damper on Jude's case."

"But he's also angry," Remus added. "And, unfortunately, is not being sent to Azkaban for it."

"Which means I need to worry about him even more," Emma said with a frown. "Why isn't he being put in Azkaban, though?"

"Backlog of other cases, questions on legalities of using the curse on half-breeds…"

"So you're saying that Fenrir was essentially right to not bother."

Remus gave a small nod, and Emma found herself losing her appetite. She had known that there was a possibility that it didn't matter if the report was made because of what she was. It was a complicated card for her to play, and while it still worked, it didn't work entirely. Emma wondered if Moody knew it wasn't going to have the desired results.

"Which brings us to the next topic of conversation," Elara said, eyes darting over to Remus. "Have your plans still changed when it comes to Fenrir?"

"I don't know," Emma said softly. She stared at her half-eaten dinner in the box on her lap and closed the box with a sigh, setting it aside. "Three weeks ago, I knew exactly what I wanted to do, but now I don't know."

Remus, Sirius, and Elara all looked at each other in surprise. They clearly weren't expecting that to be Emma's response.

"What happened?" Elara asked.

"Greyson happened," Emma said after a long pause. She rubbed a hand over her forehead, focusing on everything else in the room. "Can we talk about this all tomorrow? I think I'd like to have an early night…haven't gone to bed at a normal hour in weeks."

Remus opened his mouth to question what Emma was talking about, but Elara quickly shook her head. Sirius took a quick look around and was on his feet.

"Come on, sweetheart," Sirius said, tugging Emma up from the couch. "Let's go head up to your room."

Elara waited until Emma and Sirius had made it upstairs, and the door closed. She stood up and sat down next to Remus with a scowl on her face.

"Remus, I swear if you mess things up for Emma –"

"I didn't even do anything," Remus said, holding his hands up. "I just wanted to know why she was – oh." Remus clamped his mouth shut, his lips pressing into a thin line. "I'm an idiot."

"Yes, you are," Elara huffed. "Why else would she tell you she's going to bed and then still be up? She wanted to spend time with Greyson without having to worry."

"Well, perhaps she should be with someone she doesn't have to sneak around to be with."

"Remus, she is in love with Greyson," Elara said sharply. "You can't ignore that. And quite honestly, from what she told me, I think he might love her, too."

"He's Greyback's son –"

"The son that he doesn't even know that he has. You're judging the poor boy for something he can't control, the very thing that Emma said he worries about. If he was any other boy, you would be fine with it."

"But he's not just any other boy. And I still wouldn't be fine with it."

Sirius stepped off the stairs looking between Remus and Elara, crossing his arms. He frowned slightly, leaning against the wall, giving Remus a pointed look.

"Is she asleep already?" Remus asked, his eyes following Elara as she got up to put away Emma's leftovers.

"Washed her face, got into her pajamas, and the moment her head hit the pillow, she was out," Sirius said.

"It's been a while since she's fallen asleep before nine," Remus said, peering down at his watch. "Probably not since earlier this year."

"You know, when you think about it, it's not too much different than us," Sirius said softly. "Emma and Greyson, I mean. I said that last week when you were annoyed that she wasn't saying anything. Two unlikely people finding each other and falling in love."

"Doesn't change that he's still older than her."

"Five years is nothing," Elara said, stretching herself out on the couch. "Especially by pure-blood standards – which you still need to talk to her about. He's still technically a student if he's getting his Mastery, and she might be younger, but she's smart."

"She's not pure-blood, and neither is he."

"She's still a Black," Sirius pointed out. "Pure-blood or not, she's a Black."

"And what if that's exactly why he wanted to get close to her?" Remus questioned. "We know nothing about him."

"Then we ask her. Minnie said –"

"I can't believe that you, of all people, feel like it's okay," Remus said, shooting Sirius a glare.

"When was the last time you saw Emma so happy, Remus?" Elara asked sharply. "That spark is back in her eyes, and I'm disappointed that you're willing to ignore that. She's happy, and Emma has been a damn good judge of character. If she trusts Greyson, then we should, too. I think if you listen to what she has to say, you'll understand."

"She doesn't need a boy to be happy."

"No, she doesn't. She said that herself while you two were out. Even if Greyson winds up breaking her heart later on, does it matter? Do you want her to go through life not understanding what it means to be loved by someone?"

"She knows what it means to be loved."

"Remus," Elara said dryly. "You know what I mean. There are three of us who can help her figure this out, and I would much rather her realize that her life doesn't have to go the way she thinks it does. If it's Greyson who shows her that, then I think it's worth you at least hearing what she has to say."

"And, Moony, I believe that we both want what's best for our daughter, yes?" Sirius said, sitting down next to Remus and taking one of his hands.

"Now is not the time to give Emma a reason to feel as though she can't talk to you, Remus," Elara said pointedly. "She wants to talk to you, but she's scared."

"Why is she scared?" Remus asked, his brow furrowing in annoyance. "There's no reason for her to be scared."

Elara sighed, meeting Sirius's gaze.

"Remus, please – when she finds it in herself to talk to you, just listen to her," Elara said gently. "I think you'll be very surprised." The look on Remus's face said that he wasn't prepared to be convinced, but Elara changed the subject. There were plenty more things for them to worry about.

Emma felt funny waking up in yet another bed that wasn't actually hers. She let out a soft sigh as she took a look around the blue-flame lit room. It seemed funny that she didn't need the blue flames with Greyson, but she needed them again the moment she was away. The sky was still dark outside her window, and Emma searched for a clock. It wasn't too long past midnight, and Emma wondered if anyone was up,

She sat up, stretching her arms over her head. If she knew her father well, Remus would still be up, and Sirius and Elara would most likely be asleep. Though Remus didn't suffer from insomnia, he did keep a terrible sleep schedule. As quietly as she could, Emma slipped out of bed and out into the hallway, smiling when she noticed a light still on from downstairs.

Even out in the village, Emma loved that she could find the familiarity in routine. Three weeks total with her father the entire summer was not enough time, and she missed quiet moments with Remus. Having Sirius around for most of that time was nice, but for the longest time, it was just her and Remus. She missed those days.

Emma tip-toed down the stairs into the sitting room and peered around the corner, grinning when she spotted who she hoped to find.

Remus's smile was knowing as he glanced up at her from his book. He was occupying the armchair still, reading his book in the light of the fireplace. His expression softened, and he shifted himself so that Emma could come over to drop her head on his shoulder. Emma smiled back at Remus, padding across the room and doing precisely that. She wished that the chair wasn't so high so that she could wrap her arms around his shoulders, but just being close would do. Like clockwork, Remus's hand came up to run through her hair, his fingers massaging her scalp as he continued to read. This would always be home for her.

Emma lifted herself on her tippy toes and turned her head to kiss Remus's cheek, nuzzling her cheek against his stubble.

"I missed you," she said quietly, smiling a little more when he set his book aside.

"I missed you more," Remus said, turning his head to kiss the tip of Emma's nose. "But you know I always miss you."

"I think it's impossible for you to miss me more than I miss you," Emma said, closing her eyes and enjoying her head being massaged. She was undeniably and without a doubt happier than she had been in months, perhaps even happier than she had ever been in her life. Her chest still ached with the twinges of what she felt she could be losing, but she was happy. Everyone she cared about most was under one roof, and it felt like a sanctuary. She didn't have to worry with everyone all together as if nothing was wrong. The only person missing was Greyson…

"How are you feeling?" Remus asked Emma softly. Emma opened her eyes slowly, taking in the concerned look in Remus's eyes. It bothered her for a moment, but she smiled.

"I'm happy," she said quietly. She felt tears spring to her eyes, but she blinked them away quickly, looking elsewhere in the room. "But it feels like last summer when I was afraid to come back here. I'm scared of losing my happiness again. I forgot what it was like to feel like I was actually living, but then I realized I don't know that I ever really was."

"What do you mean?"

"I did something for myself for once, and I didn't care about the consequences. And then I was stupid and fell in love when I didn't mean to…"

Remus paused what he was doing, a frown crossing his face. He thought he knew how Emma fell in love, but this was something entirely different. It had been such a long time since Remus had seen Emma's eyes hold a semblance of its old sparkle. He had seen small snippets of it, but not like this. This was something more profound, more reaching than Remus had ever seen in his daughter.

She was calm, her thoughts seemingly silent for the first time. Whatever worries and fears she had were brought to rest, and Remus wasn't sure he could allow that to slip away. It was all he ever wanted for Emma; to find a sense of peace within herself and the willpower to chase happiness for herself. Perhaps Elara had a point.

Remus cleared his throat, resuming his gentle massaging of Emma's scalp.

"Why didn't you tell me about Greyson?" he asked, feeling guilty by the worried expression on her face. Her green eyes turned to meet his, and Remus thought that he was suddenly looking into a mirror. Every ounce of self-doubt he ever had about himself was reflected in Emma's face, and he hated it.

"I didn't want you to worry," Emma said quietly, voice wavering with her uncertainty of where the conversation would go. "How did you actually know?"

"I had my suspicions, but Minerva was the one who confirmed them for me," Remus replied, brushing his knuckles against Emma's cheek. Emma's frown deepened, and Remus sighed. "It took me longer than it should've to piece things together. You absolutely despised Greyson when you wrote and told me about him. Then you seemed even more aggravated on your birthday. I believed it to be because of what the day brought, but you seemed to be holding back on what actually happened.

"It started to feel like you were trying to hide something when you brought up having a student-teacher but refused to give me a name. You continued to change the subject every time, and that's when I realized something was up. Remember, I practically invented the art of evading conversations." Remus gave Emma a pointed look, and a shy smile crossed her face. His avoidance of conversations had been a point of argument between them many times. Emma remained quiet, waiting for him to continue.

"Now, imagine my surprise when Minerva Floo-called me the day Elara was arrested asking where one would find you," Remus said slowly, almost carefully. "I expected you to run, just to feel more in control, but I didn't expect you to disappear for quite so long, and I started to worry. Imagine my further surprise when Minerva called again to tell me that you were found and that you were safe, but it was Greyson who asked for the information."

"She told me that she wouldn't tell you about Greyson unless I did," Emma said quietly.

"And I told her to tell you that in the hopes that you would say something to me, but you never did," Remus said. Emma's face fell, guilt replacing her uncertainty. Remus sighed, kissing Emma's cheek. "Remember, I already had my suspicions, love. Minerva seemed to feel as though you and Greyson would be good friends and tried to prepare me for the possibility. I don't think any of us quite expected you to fall in love with him."

"I know I certainly didn't," Emma said quietly. "I was scared to tell you about him in the first place, and then I was beyond petrified to tell you about him. I didn't know how to tell you when it just…it happened. I just don't want to feel like I rely on you for absolutely everything that goes wrong. And I've really wanted to talk to you about things, too."

"Sweetheart, that's what I'm here for," Remus said gently. "I'm here to help and try and take the burden of things off of you."

Emma shook her head and let out a soft sigh.

"I didn't need you to," she said. "I wanted your help, especially in the beginning, but realistically, what could you have done? He still had to be there to work on his Mastery."

"I could have requested he be moved to the other fourth year class."

"Yes, but then I wouldn't have realized that he would be interviewing to be my tutor."

"Until he canceled…very last minute, might I add."

"Because I told him to," Emma replied quietly. Remus met Emma's uncertain gaze, his forehead wrinkling.

"Why?"

Emma hesitated and turned her face away when she felt the quiver of her chin, a sure sign she would start to cry.

"I don't want him to get hurt," she muttered, whimpering softly as Remus gently turned her face to look at him. He searched her eyes for a long moment, his brows knitting close together.

"You really love him, don't you?"

"Yes," Emma whispered. "But it doesn't matter."

"Why doesn't it matter?"

"Because I don't want it to bother you…"

"Forgot about me for a minute," Remus said. "I know you don't want things to bother me, but that's not entirely it, is it?"

"I don't want Fenrir to know," Emma whispered after a long moment, closing her eyes as Remus kissed her cheek. "I don't…I don't want to be the reason Greyson gets hurt for whatever reason. I can't think of how it would work, even if…"

"Even if what?"

"It doesn't matter," Emma repeated sadly.

Remus sighed, reaching back to pull Emma around the chair to sit on his lap. She curled up against him, her head resting on his shoulder, resigned to what she had already decided. He wrapped one arm around her and held her head to his shoulder, pressing a kiss to her hair.

"Baby, talk to me," Remus said gently.

"About what?"

"You know I love you, yes?"

"I know."

"All right, and you know I would do anything to make sure that you stay happy?" Emma lifted her head to look at Remus curiously, her expression hopeful and skeptical. Remus couldn't entirely believe what he was about to say, but the hopeful look in her eyes convinced him that he had to give things a try. "Write to him. Tell him that I want to talk to him. I can't guarantee that I'll like him, but he clearly makes you happy. We can try and figure this out."

"Really?"

"Really."

The smile that crossed Emma's face was brilliant, but it fell quickly.

"But I'm afraid if I write to him, my letter won't actually go to him now," Emma said quietly. "I know that sounds stupid…"

"I don't think it sounds stupid," Remus said. "But I think Fenrir's gone as Fenrir for so long that you don't need to worry."

"But what if the owl gets confused? I don't…if Fenrir finds out –"

"We won't let him find out."

Emma still looked unsure, but she looked hopeful. She worried her lip between her teeth, staring into the fire for a long moment.

"I've got, erm, I've got photos," Emma said quietly. "If you want to see them."

"You have photos, and you had them developed already?"

"I wanted Greyson to have copies, too…just in case," Emma replied. "After Colin showed me how to develop photos last year, it was just easier to do it myself. I don't plan to leave them in a place anyone could find them or anything. I just…I don't want to forget things again. I could show you and tell you more about him."

This was the Emma that Remus loved dearly, so excited that she would start to babble about whatever it was she was happy about. She was practically holding her breath, not sure if he was serious or not. Remus pulled her face close to kiss her cheek and nodded, and Emma jumped off his lap to run back upstairs. She returned to the living room just as quick, tongue sticking out between her teeth as she flipped through the pile in her hand. With an almost nervous giggle, she pulled a few photos out of the pile, separating them from the rest, and hid them behind her back. She thrust the presumably safe stack in her hand out towards Remus.

"What's wrong with those photos?" Remus questioned.

"I need to make sure you don't have a heart attack with those photos first," Emma said, her brows knit together, feet shuffling anxiously. "Most of those are just with Greyson. It's a bit…It's startling the first time you look at Greyson until you can start to pick out the features that make him, well, Greyson."

"It can't be –" Remus's words died out the moment he looked down at the first photo on the pile. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he immediately understood why Emma worried. It took Remus a moment to put together that he wasn't looking at a photo of a younger Fenrir; Fenrir would never be caught dead wearing a flower crown and a lopsided smile. It took Remus a few moments longer to start to flip through the photos understanding Emma's hesitation more and more. At certain angles, he looked like Fenrir at first glance, but in others, he looked completely different. Startling wasn't exactly the word he would have used.

"I told you," Emma said, watching him nervously, "but the longer you look, the less he looks like Fenrir."

"His eyes –"

"Are exactly the same, I know. It threw me off for a while, but then I realized those are different, too. Greyson's are kind, not the creepy predatory cold like Fenrir's are. They're like us, almost," Emma said with a shrug when Remus looked up at her. "I'm just making the point that there's no doubt that he's Fenrir's son in the same way there's no doubt I'm your daughter. But he's nothing like Fenrir at all. He's…a lot like you, actually." Remus looked back up at Emma, an eyebrow raising slightly at the comment, and Emma let out an exasperated sigh.

"He's kind, and he's gentle," Emma said quietly. "He's an absolute pain in the arse, but he's not mean. Well, he was…but I wasn't any better. We were both mean to each other, but we were both scared. Easier to hurt someone first before they get the chance to hurt you back, you know."

Remus did know that basic need all too well, and he pulled Emma close as she climbed back onto his lap with the rest of the photos. A blush crossed her face as she held out another photo, this one with the two of them together. Like the other photos, it appeared to be taken around the same time as the others, if not the same day. The sky was just beginning to darken if the shadows were of any indication. They were out by the lake, he could recognize the tree in the corner, but the photo she showed him wasn't one Emma took herself, but one Greyson took.

She was reading a book and would look up just before being pulled back to lay on the grass and pulled into Greyson's side as she laughed. Remus could practically hear Emma's laugh in the photo, bright and twinkling and genuine.

The next picture was clearly the aftermath of that moment, the hint of Emma's laughter still in her eyes. It was a quiet moment for the two of them, shy smiles and an expression Remus wasn't at all expecting to see on Greyson's face. He had never seen someone else look at his daughter with such gentle fondness that it took him off guard. Even stranger to him was the way he seemed to search her face before leaning over to kiss her cheek. The next few photos were almost the same – the same shy looks, the way Greyson approached everything he did with care. He was gentle with Emma in a way that Remus knew she needed. Emma was watching Remus closely, expectantly as if she feared the worst.

"You know what, tell me all about him," Remus finally said, smiling at the way Emma's face lit up. He found himself watching Emma more than paying attention to the photos she tried to tell him about in between telling him about Greyson. Remus didn't want to find a reason to like Greyson but seeing Emma so happy made it difficult not to. Even worse for Remus was the more Emma spoke about Greyson, the more he sounded like what he wanted for her.

Remus wasn't sure if he was happy for her or if it was a complete nightmare. Out of every possible person in the world, his daughter fell for the son of someone determined to make her life difficult. Then again, it seemed like exactly the sort of thing Emma would do, but he was worried. Emma continued to talk about Greyson excitedly, photos long since abandoned, even as she started to yawn around her words.

"Sweetheart," Remus said gently, trying to pull Emma out of her endless rambling when he found that she was fighting a losing battle. She stopped mid-sentence, blinking at him blearily, and Remus chuckled softly, kissing her forehead. "You know that you're not heading back tomorrow, yes? We've got all day tomorrow and early Monday morning?"

"I know," Emma said, snaking her arms around Remus's body to hug him. "I've just been wanting to tell you about him. I really do think you'd like him." Remus hummed quietly, pressing another kiss to Emma's forehead.

"Well, I'll be the judge of that," Remus said, taking the photos slipping off Emma's lap and setting them to the side. "You should get some more rest. You've got sleepy eyes."

"I don't know if I can make it back upstairs," Emma said sleepily.

"All right, then," Remus chuckled. "Just sleep on me for now. I'll bring you back upstairs in a bit." Emma nodded, getting herself comfortable and relaxing into Remus's embrace. Remus had to admit that he missed the quiet moments with Emma where he could hold her. He frequently worried that there would be a time where she wouldn't want to be held, but that day hadn't come yet. Rather than dwell on it, Remus rested his cheek on top of Emma's head and closed his eyes, focusing on keeping her comfortable.

Remus cracked open an eye when he heard the creak of the stairs – lighter steps, which meant it was Elara. Sirius's steps were much heavier and with purpose. Elara stopped at the bottom of the stairs with a soft smile on her face, and Remus sat up a little straighter, cocking his head to the side.

"She fell asleep pretty quickly," Elara said quietly. "I was listening at the top of the stairs to hear what she had to say. It was nice to hear her talk about something so excitedly again."

"I just wish it was a something and not a someone," Remus sighed, peering down at Emma, still fast asleep in his arms. He nodded his head towards the photos sitting on the arm of the chair. "I imagine you came down because you were curious about the photos."

"Caught me," Elara said, picking up the pile of photos and leaning against the chair. She flipped through the photos with a huffed out laugh. "No wonder she fell for him. He's sweet, and he's handsome. They look really good together, too; very cute."

"When she asked me the type of person I hoped she wound wind up with before school started, he certainly wasn't what I expected," Remus sighed, rubbing his jaw.

"Would anyone ever be what you expected, Remus?" Elara asked pointedly, grinning at the way Remus rolled his eyes.

"She's my little girl. No one will ever be good enough."

"Well, if he's genuine, then you're going to have to get used to him. Look at how he looks at her," Elara said softly, lifting one of the photos up to look at it closer. "This is why she fell in love with him. He looks at her like she's the last sunrise he'll ever see, and you, of all people, should know that feeling. She might very well have just met the love of her life."

"I know," Remus said with a groan. "And I hate it, but I can't be so cruel that I can't at least try and look past my feelings for her. She's happy, and I would be the worst father in the world if I took that away. Like she said, he's not Fenrir, but why did it have to be his son? And how am I supposed to try and help keep Fenrir from knowing?"

"Because our girl has a heart of gold," Elara said, setting the photos down. "As for keeping them a secret? Well, I think two werewolves familiar with Fenrir and an escaped Azkaban fugitive can figure this out. Do this one thing for her, and she'll never forget it. You're a wonderful father, Remus, just like I said you would be. Don't ever forget it."


a/n: Ahhh this little chapter was a much needed little break. Kinda miss Greyson, kinda missing Fenrir still (why though?), but happy to bring everyone else together again for a moment. Lots of questions answered, and I think I answered some of the bigger ones...emphasis on the I think part, though. Even more questions exist though - namely, how are things going to work? The world may never know. Just kidding, I totally have an idea of what's going on. I have had to change so much, but it's fine. Emma needs a little bit of happiness and fun after the summer she had.

Poor Remus, though. He's feeling some type of way over everything.

Also, I'm an idiot, but I need to thank Shard for 100% helping me come up with the potion's kit idea. We've been talking about Greyson for at least a month and we were having a good time with it.

GreysonxEmma (Gremma) one shots are coming at some point, I swear. I'm struggling to figure out how to format everything, but I've been having fun trying to build a Spotify playlist for them in the meantime.

Anyway, late night readers - please go to sleep and get some rest. I love you and good night!

Definitely come and join us on Discord. We're an interesting bunch, and I swear we're friendly. Just jump right in and you will be 100% brought into the fold.

discord . gg / 9gXkaaq2qJ

Shard - I feel like you have been anxiously awaiting this chapter. God, remember talking about the potion's kit? Such cute, such happy, why the fuck do I love them together so much? I was super sad to have Greyson go, BUT HE'S NOT LEAVING HEHEHEHEHE. Yes - FREE ELLE!

notthatchhavi - Honestly, I feel like most people's minds went that direction. I would be a liar if I didn't say that my mind didn't go that direction when I first wrote it. Thank you!

Lu - Yes! It's so difficult for those two, but it's okay. All will work out~. Can you believe that we're at chapter 42 and things are still at the beginning? Eeep! Moving further along in the school year yay!

Maricate - Honestly, I laughed so hard when I got the email for your review. Please, feel free to curse me out because I know people were waiting for it. I promised myself that I would avoid certain situations, but now I'm like, "Oh, well. Let's have fun." Also I'm trying to imagine Greyson full on punching George and I keep giggling over it. He's a sweet little thing, but he would totally do it. As for Remus - I hope this chapter answered that question. He knew of Greyson back in chapter...35? but in typical Remus fashion he tried to ignore it. Seriously, sometimes I'm just like, "How much time has passed?" and I'm like, "Oh, good...we're still at this point and haven't moved." I'm just delighted I can finally move into October at this point. And absolutely feel free to use some of my ideas! Just let me know when you update and I'll take a peek. I did a little looky loo just to see, and I know nothing about Merlin, but it seems like a cool crossover! When I have a bit more time I'll definitely sit and read. :D