Warnings: Could come across offensive, although it is certainly not intended to be.
Word count: 1763
The Wolves and The Moon
Lakeisha stood tall against the window frame, her strong hands gripped the windowsill, and her legs dangled in mid-air amongst the thick, ivy vines.
It had been a long trek. Her deep bronze skin wasn't susceptible to the sun's rays, especially in the middle of summer when the sun was strong and sweltering. It would have been reasonable to Apparate or Floo, but - mere months away from her seventeenth birthday - she wasn't legally of age as per the British wizarding law for Apparation, , and although Remus's house was connected to the Floo network, Lakeisha's house wasn't. In Africa flying carpets were the mode of transport and Lakeisha's family was met with great disappointment upon arriving in England and learning that magical carpets were banned.
The trek was exhausting, but it was all worth the trek, especially if it meant spending the night with her beloved Remus.
The moon stood to attention; its white gleam was at its fullest. The moon looked more magnificent against the stars fading into pinpricks in the midnight sky.
"Lake, you out there?" a gruff voice called from within the dimly lit bedroom.
"Definitely Moony, definitely. I wouldn't miss your transformation if it cost me my life." Lakeisha sighed tiredly, opening the window with her wand and hoisting her lanky figure through. She tumbled inside, her dark brown braids splaying around her head like a halo as she landed on the floor.
"You know it's dangerous to be around me, don't you?" Remus asked shakily as Lakeisha helped him sit up.
"Don't worry, my wolf Animagus is enough to keep your wolfish behaviour in check." Lakeisha snorted, wrapping a comforting arm around Remus's tense shoulders.
"An elephant would have been better." Remus chuckled as he drank the last of his Wolfsbane potion.
"Just because elephants are from Africa, doesn't mean my Animagus form has to be an elephant," she mumbled with a reluctant smile, pulling back her tattered clothes to examine her wounds.
"No, elephants are bigger which means they can keep better control of me."
"How about you turn on the wireless," suggested Lakeisha.
Remus moved to a wireless stereo, and turned it on. It had the typical old-fashioned design of most magical stereos. He fiddled with a few knobs till the sound of soft mellow rain and the rhythmic metallic sounds of drum beats wafted from it. He turned up the volume and backed soft sound of rain and the light patter on the roof gutters was accurately replicated. Lakeisha knew this by the sound of rainsticks and the jembe of her native land. The soft tones washed over Remus, soothing him and releasing the tension from his face and shoulders. Lakeisha was glad she had introduced this music to Remus, it had helped him calm down relatively well before his transformations over the past year and made the process more tolerable.
"You're so corny, Remus." Lakeisha rolled her eyes with a grin.
Remus barely had time to retort before the transformation seized him. Lakeisha looked away as Remus's cries of pain filled the room. The sound always made something pang in her heart to see and hear her lover in so much agony.
As Remus howled and writhed in pain, his body contorting into the cursed beast, Lakeisha quietly slipped into her small wolf form; her paws thumping gently on the floor in front of her. Lakeisha crept to the window and gazed at the magnificent night sky.
It had been a year now since her family had moved from Africa to England, and the night sky was a sure reminder of her childhood gazing up at stars and watching the storms roll in; fierce and savage after humid days and preceding star-lit nightscapes.
There was a forest that Lakeisha had begun to visit regularly, to be in her wolf form. Some nights, she would roam around the woods when she couldn't sleep. It was one of these nights, a particularly stormy one, that Lakeisha had met Remus. Drawn by the howls of pain, she had raced to investigate. She had found his whimpering and quivering form beneath a splintered tree. Transforming back into her human form, she had Levitated the tree off of him, and helped him to a safer clearing.
According to Remus, he had been expecting his family to visit, and knew all too well to keep his distance. Remus had stumbled into the forest, blindly waiting for his body to transform. Just as he felt his bones crack and elongate into the large, furry body of a werewolf, the tree had toppled on top of him and left him trapped, helpless, underneath it.
Ever since that day, Lakeisha had made it her job to keep Remus safe, even if that had meant travelling the couple of kilometres to get to him.
Remus nuzzled Lakeisha's side, taking her thoughts off the past and bringing her back to the present. He had transformed nicely, his fur flattened down and his coat gleaming a shade of light brown reflected by the luminescence of the full moon and the necklace he still wore.
Lakeisha had to snort. Remus still adorned the necklace she had given him months ago and was now batting it playfully with his large nose.
She tore her eyes away from the glittering sky and turned her back to the window as she headed back across the darkened room.
Remus stood beside her as she lazily lowered her body to the floor, batting at his larger paw and tugging him to the floor beside her. They lay there together, basking in each other's warmth as the chilly night air rattled the half-opened window.
Remus rested his large head on her side and curled up into a comforting ball, his tail curling around himself, and his large eyes closing as they both drifted off to sleep.
A year later
It was the final evening of the year, and the end of year feast was a cause to celebrate the seventh years graduation.
All years above fourth were invited to the feast and so were the seventh years' family and friends.
Remus had been considering hiding out in the library or the Shrieking Shack with a book, but Padfoot and Prongs insisted on him going, especially if his spunky and fun-loving girlfriend was allowed to join in.
Lakeisha remembered back to when she met Padfoot and Prongs. It had been the middle of winter two Christmases ago when Remus had invited them over. Remus, being stressed out over his upcoming exams and school year, had forgotten to tell Lakeisha about the boys. Lakeisha had climbed up the wall just before sundown and had been mildly surprised to see a big, black, shaggy dog and a majestic black stag. Lakeisha had accidentally let go of the wall and came crashing painfully into the neatly pruned rose bushes. Sirius and James had changed back into their human forms and snickered down at her small, lanky figure.
"Hello down there, Safari Queen! You need Tarzan to teach you to climb?" James chuckled, leaning out of the window and waving his arms around.
"I think you deserve to be pushed out that window for that." Lakeisha rolled her eyes. "Where's Remus?" she asked, pulling herself back onto her feet and climbing back up the wall.
"I'm here," Remus groaned from the corner of the room as Sirius and James pulled her through the window.
"Who are you and what do you want with my boyfriend?" Lakeisha huffed defensively.
"Oooh, tough Safari Queen! Imma James, or Prongs and this is my doggy boy, Sirius Black. Oh, Padfoot, don't give me that look, you're an awesome man's best friend." James chortled, patting his friend on the shoulder.
"Oh, that actually reminds me, Lake's Animagusgus too, she's a little wolf like me. Apparently becoming Animagi is on the curriculum at the African wizarding school for fourth and fifth year. They're very focused on self-transfiguration." Remus had laughed, pulling Lakeisha to his side.
Now, as she made her way nervously across the magnificent grounds of Hogwarts she realised, with a pang of embarrassment, that she was not prepared to walk into this life changing event. Although she had discussed the idea of getting married with James and Sirius, she had not asked Remus yet. James had reassured her kindly, that the ceremony that was being held would be the best place to propose.
Lakeisha had been worried that Remus wouldn't accept her proposal, but Sirius had pointed out the fact that "If Remus didn't like you, he would make your life hell in the sneakiest way possible."
Lakeisha sighed, pulled up her skirts and climbed the steps to the doors of the castle.
On this particular evening, Lakeisha walked through the doors of the Hogwarts castle wearing her magnificent silk Gomesi, the long skirt tickling her dainty ankles while the sleeves were short, puffed, and embroidered with rainbow jewels. Around her waist she wore a blue sash that glittered when it caught the light; around her ankles, wrists, and neck she wore glittery gold chains that brought the golden sparkle out of her bright brown eyes; and on her feet were small, black, studded heels which made her figure more bold and empowered. If only she felt how she looked, the world's possibilities would be endless.
She entered the Great Hall to hushed whispers. Those who glanced at the doors were caught by surprise as they saw her and immediately nudged their friends and neighbours. Soon she had gained the attention of the entire hall. The Slytherins snickered as she walked briskly past.
"Hello, Miss Safari Girl!" James Potter chuckled, flicking Lakeisha's glittery earrings.
"James, stop being a rude git!" Lily scalded lightly.
"It's okay, Lily, it's all meant in good fun." Lake chuckled, taking a seat beside her boyfriend.
"Did you bring it?" Remus hissed to her.
In response, Lakeisha brought out a thin dog chain out of a pocket and hooked it around his neck, gently securing the other end around her waist.
"Taming the wolf on a full moon, I see." James smiled, fondly patting Remus on the shoulder.
Sure enough, after taking the Wolfsbane potion, the wolf within her boyfriend began to stir, and the hall fell silent, all eyes falling upon the couple once more.
Remus's shrieks of pain turned into howls as his charming figure turned once more into the beast they all feared.
Climbing deftly onto the table, Lakeisha knelt on all fours as Remus fully transformed, his big paws landing on the bench in front of her, his face turning into a hungry grin.
"Remus, sit!" Lake yelled over the crowd's chaos.
With an annoyed growl, Remus sat back on his haunches, his large paws crossed in front of him, the chain pulled tight around Lakeisha's waist.
Lakeisha relaxed a little bit as the werewolf stopped moving and gave her his full attention.
As she knelt on one knee, she pulled out an ornate ivory box and held it out to the werewolf.
"Will you," Lake began, "Remus John Lupin, marry me and do the honour of being my beloved husband?"
The werewolf stared incredulously at her, but at last gave his shaggy head an almighty nod, sending Lake flying onto the marble floor.
"About time!" Sirius whooped, helping Lakeisha back onto her feet.
Iniko pulls Lake by her hand, his small, bony one slipping methodically into hers as he tugs his Mother towards the window.
Although Remus had begun to become much healthier and less dangerous during the full moon, thanks to his 3 year old son, Lake had decided that she would take Iniko some place special.
This particular place was an old wooden hut, set safely amongst the rocks of a savanna, back in Lake's home town.
Even though Lake missed Remus, it was better too watch the full moon and the magnificent sparkling stars from a safer location than the "Wolf den" Remus had called it.
Lake sighed, picked up Iniko and placed him on her hip, walking tiredly towards the open window.
As Lake and Iniko looked up at the beautiful night sky, the same melodic noises of the bongo drums and rain sticks hummed through the nights air as the tribesmen carried out their ceremonial night event
"Mamma, butifool sownd." Iniko yawned happily into Lake's shoulder as the music hushed him off to sleep.
Lake smiled, she was so glad for climbing up that ivy coated wall all those years ago.
She would never change a thing, even that wolf-like beast she called a husband.
