Messalina was riding the train home with the twins since it was their last trip and she would be seeing the Marauders at the party the next day. The four boys had been sure to get their normal compartment four away from the Prewetts'. Murphy Callaghan was sitting with them at the moment, seeming unsure of which group he would be more welcomed into.
"You're fine here Murph, the twins had a special surprise for Lina or something." James stated as he lifted his trunk up onto the rack above their heads.
"Speaking of Lucien, how are things with her Moony?" Murphy looked confused and Sirius made a mental note not to mention their special nicknames in front of him again. He often forgot that the quiet boy wasn't one of the few who knew of Remus' condition.
"Fine, why do you ask?" The werewolf asked warily. When Sirius delved into his social life bad things tended to happen.
"Just wondering how many times you've snogged in a broom closet. I haven't seen it on the map yet." Sirius waggled his eyebrows and Remus rolled his eyes.
"And trust me, he's been looking out for it." James pointed out nudging Sirius and grinning.
"That is none of your business Sirius." He stated firmly, looking out the window to hide the faint blush on his cheeks.
"You know what that means Sirius?" James asked grinning. "They haven't even kissed yet."
"Remus that can't be-" There was a loud shriek from a compartment that seemed to belong to the Prewetts.
"YOU GOT ME A WHAT?" Messalina was yelling and Sirius turned to Murphy who seemed rather uncomfortable with where the conversation was going.
"Go see what's going on would ya Murph?" The first year nodded happy to be able to leave the compartment and opened the door. Remus stood as well but James and Sirius put their feet up to stop his progress.
"Not you Moony, not yet." James said with a grin and Remus sank down into the chair a feeling a dread coming over him.
Murphy made his way to the Prewett's compartment where Messalina's eyes were widened in excitement.
"Murph! Thank Merlin you're here! They," She pointed to the snickering twins. "Said they bought me something to keep me company once they leave home for their apartment. What kind of animal could keep me company? A cat? An owl? Merlin please tell me not a rat or toad."
"Those are worthless animals Lina, you're not thinking outside the box." She shook her head at Fabian's teasing and looked to Murphy pleadingly.
"I dunno, I've got a dog back home." He offered, sitting down glad to be out of the compartment full of testosterone at least this one had a girl in it.
"Ooh a dog, did you get me one of those?" She asked, trying not to get her hopes up. For all she knew they had just gotten her a goldfish or something.
"A dog?" They asked in unison before looking at each other and snickering.
"Okay then, not a dog."
They spent the next twenty minutes debating what kind of animal they could have gotten her before the conversation turned to summer plans.
"I'm going to Ireland for a month to visit my cousins. It'll be dreadful." His face fell and Gideon's eyebrows furrowed.
"Why's that?"
"My cousins are all able to apparate so they do it all the time just to bother me."
"How do you think I feel all summer?" Lina asked with a smile. "They've been doing it ever since they got their apparition licenses."
xXxXxXxXxXx
"Lina!" Messalina turned to see James' head sticking inside the compartment. "Your formal invitation."
She took the rolled up parchment, pulling on the big red bow until it fell off.
Miss Messalina Lucien,
You are cordially invited to attend our End of the School Year Party.
It will occur on June 15th at two-thirty in the afternoon until midnight,
All being free to leave at their leisure.
Supper shall be served to those who are in attendance at six-thirty.
Please dress formally but casual enough to dance.
Please owl us back with your response,
Charlus, Dorea and James Potter
"Is Sirius going?" Messalina asked lifting her head to look at James.
"He's going to sneak out so yeah," James said looking slightly put out. "If he can."
"I'm sure he'll find a way, this is Sirius we're talking about." She tried to reassure him. James looked awkwardly at the other people in the compartment but they were playing an epic game of Exploding Snap in the confined area. "Hey guys, I'm going to James' compartment for a minute okay?"
The twins nodded distractedly and it made her grin as she slipped out the door. "They don't mind that you're leaving them tomorrow?"
"Their training starts tomorrow." She said forlornly to the bespectacled boy she was following.
"What are they going to be?"
"Aurors, the pair of them couldn't do anything the other wasn't going to do."
"Why do you say it like that?"
"I just feel left out sometimes but it doesn't matter, they are real brothers after all."
"I think they'll do a good job." James supplied as they reached the compartment.
"I'm afraid they'll be too good," She murmured as they sat down.
"I'm afraid my parents are going to be there James." Remus said looking gloomy. "They'll ruin all the dancing and fun."
"They can't be that bad Rem." Messalina soothed.
"Trust me they are. And Lina I meant to tell you, my parents said you can sleep over. We've got plenty of room and they're all sleeping over if they can." James said looking over at where Sirius was staring out the window.
"What should I wear?" Messalina asked as silence fell on them.
"I did like the dress from the Halloween Ball in fourth year," Remus replied blushing slightly at being the first to say something.
"Oh yeah, you looked hot." Sirius added licking his lips resulting in Messalina rolling her eyes as Remus and James kicked and hit him at the same time. "Ow! Just saying, Merlin can't a man say anything anymore?"
"A man could." Messalina teased grinning at the black haired boy who was rubbing the side of his head.
"Hey! The ladies dig me you know."
"Yeah sure they do. How many notches have you gotten?" She snorted as Remus put his arm around her shoulders.
"Sixteen." Messalina who had figured he wouldn't answer stared at him with wide eyes.
"It was a rhetorical question!"
When they reached the platform a half hour later, the twins had already shrunk their and Messalina's trunks to fit in their pockets and came to sit in the compartment with them and Murphy.
"My parents want to meet you." Murphy said gloomily.
"What? Why?" Fabian asked as he stood up.
"I wrote home about how much I hated it here but then once I met you guys it was so much better." Messalina smiled and nodded at the boy.
"I'd be delighted to meet your parents Murph, right Rem?" Everyone else pitched in about how they would like to see who the first years parents including Sirius despite being gloomy about returning home.
They exited the train as a large group, girls fawning at them from every direction. It would be the last time many of them would see Fabian and Gideon ever and it would be a long summer for the Marauder's fan club. Some girls even dared to glare at Messalina but she stuck her tongue out at them.
"There they are!" James cried and walked over to where an older couple was chatting with a younger couple and Mr. and Mrs. Prewett.
"It seems our parents are enjoying themselves." Remus leaned down to whisper in her ear and Messalina smiled up at him. The woman who had to be Remus' mother looked over at where the pair were holding hands and whispered something into Mrs. Prewett's ear who grinned.
"Oh Merlin no!" Lina groaned and Mrs. Prewett pulled her away from Remus to hug her tightly.
"I've missed you so much Lina! Are you okay? Last time I saw you you hadn't recovered one bit and I just worry that-"
"Mum P, I'm fine really." She cut off the woman's hurried rambling.
"You must be Remus then!" Mrs. Prewett hugged him as well to Fabian's annoyance.
"What are we? The next door neighbors?" He murmured and Gideon nudged him with a look of exasperation.
"Yes Mrs. Prewett, its nice to finally put a face to the familiar name." Mrs. Prewett blushed slightly and released him.
"The same for you, Remus." Mr. Prewett broke in, shaking the taller man's hand. "Lyall boasts of you often at work."
Mr. Lupin smiled sheepishly at his son and turned his attention to Messalina. "So Messalina what are your career aspirations?"
"Lyall! Hello dear I'm Hope, Remus' mother." She smiled warmly at the other brunette and hugged her briefly.
"It's so nice to see you both again." Messalina beamed, remembering Remus telling her that she had met his parents at her adopted father's work's Christmas Party.
"Messalina you look even more beautiful than I last saw you!" Hope stated as they pulled apart. "Remus did right in going out with you!"
Lina blushed and Remus looked exasperated at his mother.
"-And she won't be sleeping in the same hall as them." Mrs. Potter was telling the Prewetts who nodded reluctantly.
"Alright Lina you can sleep over there." Mr. Prewett said with a smirk and a wink that made her roll her eyes.
"Thank you!" Messalina smiled when Murphy pulled on her shirt. She looked down to see him pointing to where two out of place blondes were looking uncomfortably around. "Please excuse me I have to go see Murphy's parents."
Messalina, the twins and the Marauders made their way over to the couple who looked happy to see the blonde walking towards them but confused by the fact that such a group of older children were walking towards them.
"Mum, Dad this is Messalina, Remus, Peter, James, Sirius, Fabian and Gideon." He gestured to each person as he said their names and Messalina stepped forward shaking both of the blonde Callaghan's hands.
"Pleasure to meet you."
xXxXxXxXx
"Hey we'll pick you up at two-thirty okay Lina?" Messalina nodded looking up at Remus.
"Alright see you then." She hugged him briefly before following after her family that was making their way to the exit. She missed the look Fabian shot Remus who missed it also as he turned around to walk back to his family.
Molly had brought the children over to the Prewett house, and they were all waiting patiently for their return from the train station. In usual fashion there were four loud pops from the back garden followed by loud voices laughing.
The back door opened, Samuel and Gwen entering first shaking their heads. "I do worry about you three you know."
"This is my companion? Molly?" Messalina asked scoffing at the twins.
"Hey Charlie, you can come in now!" Molly called, the kitchen door opening slowly to reveal the young boy and a massive mutt followed him. It had long grey hair, and was tall and lean.
"You said it wasn't a dog!" Lina cried as she bent down to pet the friendly dog.
"False Lina, we laughed when you guessed it was a dog." Gideon began smirking at her.
"Besides he looks more like a bear than a dog!" Fabian stated high-fiving his brother.
"It was Mum and Dad's idea." Gideon said looking over to the smiling couple.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She threw her arms around the brothers before hugging her adopted parents.
"No need to thank us dear, Charlie picked him out." Messalina scooped the four year old and swinging him around in the air.
"You did good Charles, you did good! What's his name?" She asked letting the boy stand on his own to pet the dog.
"Bwear!" Charlie cried as he patted the dog on the head.
"Bear huh?" The name fit the dog and Lina smiled at her godson.
"'Cause 'e looks like a bwear!"
"Yes he does, Charlie." She smiled at the boy sitting down to pet the dog.
"So Lina what's this I hear about a boyfriend?" Molly asked smiling down at the brunette who nearly groaned making the older woman laugh.
"You can see him tomorrow Molly, him and his parents are coming to take Lina to a party."
"A party?" Molly asked as Charlie sat in Messalina's lap.
"Yes at the Potter boy's house."
"House? You mean mansion?" Fabian asked as he and Gideon walked into the kitchen to get food.
"Gideon!" Mrs. Prewett hissed only to hear groans from her three youngest children.
"That was Fabe." Lina murmured amongst the yells of protest coming from the kitchen.