Lessons began to blur together. July slipped into August. Remus had sent fewer letters each week, until by second week of August, I hadn't heard from him in almost a month. Lily, on the other hand, sent so many letters so often that Soren couldn't keep up. A second owl, Eris, was employed by Lily to keep up the communication between us. We never seemed to run out of things to talk about, especially on Lily's end. Over the summer, she voiced her concerns about Petunia's gradual distancing and cold shouldering. She and I traded summer reading lists and opinions on boys. Remus's name frequently entered the letters, as well as Severus'. According to Lily, he didn't have a pleasant homelife and sent her more letters than I did.

His parents don't even realize what they're doing to him. She wrote one time, distraught. I can feel him changing. He's starting to branch out to some unsavory people. He told me the other day that he went to Knockturn Alley with Mulciber and Avery during the summer. It's such a dodgy place! Sev doesn't belong in a place like that, or in a group like them.

Even though I had told her there wasn't much she could do other than voice her concerns to him directly, Lily wasn't giving up. Her concern for Severus was stronger than mine was for Remus. Not only had the flow of his letters ebbed, but they had noticeably shortened and sounded colder. Like he was pushing me away.

I tried not to let it bother me too. After all, hadn't I had a rotten summer of my own last year when I'd lost Virginia?

The familiar pang of guilt twisted in my stomach, but I was learning to ignore it. After more than a year of living with her death, I was making room for my share of the blame. I refused to confide in anyone about what I had done. I didn't care what Remus had told me last year in the Shrieking Shack. Hagrid wouldn't have made up such a dark tale about a Whomping Willow. I knew the day Virginia died that it was my doing.

Stop. I thought crossly. This isn't getting you anywhere. Move on with your life.

How could I? Would I always carry this secret, this scarlet letter hidden underneath layers of denial and pretending?

August was winding down in a haze of warm sun and long days of working outside with the animals and crops. We had enough corn and pumpkins to get us through fall and even sell to make a profit. The last day of August, Mum told me it was time for an annual exursion into Diagon Alley to replenish my school supplies.

"I can go alone, you know." I told her over breakfast. I hardly touched the scrambled eggs and biscuits. "I don't need a babysitter. I'm thirteen now."

"Aye, but you've only been thirteen for ten days." Mum said from the kitchen, stacking clean dishes and plates into the cupboards. Her long brown hair hung free from its normal French braid. It was beautiful, dark, and wavy. I was jealous of it. My own long dark blonde hair looked more like a wild lion's mane than anything that belonged on a teenage girl's head.

I rolled my eyes. "I've gone alone, you know. Last year I did, and I was fine."

Mum put her plate down a little too roughly. The clanging noise echoed around the kitchen. She stared at me, her blue eyes huge.

"You did?" She said increduously.

Of course. She wouldn't have remembered. She had been cocooned in her bedroom, rendered useless by her grief.

I shrugged. "Yeah. And I was fine. Honestly, Mum, it's not a big deal. I'm a teenager now." I had been one for ten whole days, but I didn't feel any different. All I knew was that teenagers had fun. They could go out without their parents and go to dances. They wore make-up and cool outfits. Being a teenager was like being a millionaire or a movie star.

Mum let out a sigh. "Tell you what. If you let me and Naomi-"

"And Naomi?" I groaned.

"Yes." Mum swept on. "We can buy your birthday present."

I eyed my mother warily. "But I already got my gifts." My birthday, as usual, had been a quiet affair. Naomi had given me another painting. Dad had given me four Galleons in a check, to be deposited into my vault at Gringotts or spent at my leisure. Mum had given me a simple silver ring with two hands holding a heart. A Claddagh Ring.

"You don't think you'll need me to help you?"

"I don't know." I said evasively, already feeling lame as I thought of my hen-like mother and clingy sister tailing me through every store in Diagon Alley. "I'd really prefer to go alone."

Mum shrugged. "Alright. Well, I need to pick up a few books at Flourish and Botts. Light reading. So how about me and Naomi accompany you, but we promise not to embarrass you. Sound fair?"

I studied her face for a moment. A year after her favorite daughter's death, there wasn't a sign of grief or despair in her aged face. But, Virginia's pictures had also disappeared from the house. Mum was moving on by removing her from memory. Or so it seemed. Maybe Dad had done it himself and then cast a Memory Charm on her.

I shivered, trying to redirect my thoughts in a more positive direction. I offered Mum a half-smile. "Deal."

Mum came over and patted my hand. "Aye, that's my good girl." She turned and walked away, her heels clacking on the hardwood floors. "Naomi! Get your clothes on, love! We're going shopping in Diagon Alley."

There was a flurry of excited movement from upstairs. I rose from the table and brought my uneaten breakfast to the trash. Mum blocked my path, raising a brow. "Eat."

"Not hungry." I tried to brush past her.

Mum shook her head, hands on her hips. "Eat half, and you can go."

Rolling my eyes, I forced down one biscuit and a few forkfuls of lukewarm eggs. "Good?"

Mum nodded approvingly and took my dish. I glanced at her for a moment, wondering what she would think if she knew I was the reason why Virginia wasn't here anymore, and climbed up the stairs to the second floor landing. Photographs of my family smiled and waved at me as I passed, but I ignored them and headed directly into my bedroom. Soren was absent, probably delivering my current message to Lily that I had sent out last night around midnight. I scanned my desk for a sign of anything from Remus, but there was none. Disappointment stabbed me deep in the gut. Lily had sent me a birthday card and my first make-up kit, but Remus had only sent a letter without any fanfare that simply said Happy Birthday, Amber. Nothing else.

Charming Remus.

Sighing heavily, I changed into a pair of torn (but clean) blue jeans, a dark green flannel long-sleeve, and brown boots that came up to the midpoint of my shins. I hurried wove my lengthening hair into a fishtail braid and studied my reflection in the floor-length mirror. I bit my lip.

I looked like a hillbilly.

Shrugging, I tugged on my braid and walked down the stairs. Today, I did not care what people thought of me. That was the beauty of being a teenager. Only my opinion mattered. No one else's.

When Mum saw me (as she was dressed in cerulean-blue traveling robes), she raised her brows again. "Are you sure you want to go like that?" She said delicately.

"Yup." I said stoutly, blowing out a huge pink gum bubble and snapping it loudly.

Mum pursed her lips but didn't push it.

Naomi bounced down the stairs in a green jumper and her brown hair, matching Mum's exactly, half-up, half-down. She grinned when she saw me.

"Wow, Amber! You look like a Muggle!"

"That's the point." I said airily. Naomi looked at me with shining eyes, and I loved knowing it pleased her as much as it annoyed my mother.

"Right." Mum said after a moment. "Let's go. Floo Powder sounds good."

"No Portkey this time?" I asked as I took a handful of green soot from the jar, instantly remembering doing the very same thing in McGonagall's office just months before, disguised as Regulus Black.

"No. Floo Powder's not as… nauseating." Mum said as she copied me. Naomi took some of Mum's in her smaller hands.

I walked forward into the hearth and thought about thestrals and broomsticks. How much more exciting and beautiful it would have been to fly to London.

"Amber?" Mum said. "Are you going?"

I raised my brows. "Where's the fire?"

Naomi snorted.

I threw down my handful and said clearly, "Diagon Alley."

The rush of green flames licked harmlessly at my body. They obscured my vision and my living room. An instant later, they died down to feeble cinders, revealing the cobblestoned streets and high brick walls of Diagon Alley. I stepped out of the large public hearth, blinking in the harsh urban sun, dazzling with the city haze from London. Crowds of witches and wizards walked by, most of them deep in conversation, almost all of them wearing flowing cloaks or dark clothes that resembled lethifolds. Only I was dressed like a Muggle, starkly contrasting with the population of magical folk. Many of them gave me curious or annoyed looks as they passed. I snapped my gum loudly, my wand clearly visible from my belt to prove that I was a witch and not a wayward Muggle.

Mum and Naomi stumbled out behind me a moment later. They were squinting in the bright sunlight too. Naomi brushed soot from her robes.

"Well." Mum said matter-of-factly. "I knew you'd look silly."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't really care, Mum. If you hadn't noticed, I don't care what others think of me. Unlike some people." I eyed her for a moment longer than what was considered polite.

Mum put her hands on her hips.

"Sorry." I said, half-honest. "I'm going now. I'll meet you two for lunch in three hours at the Gold Fairy."

"Three hours!?" Naomi exclaimed.

"One hour." Mum revised.

"Two." I said, walking away.

"One and a half!" Mum snapped.

"Fine." I melted into the thickening crowd near the heart of the busy marketplace. Even though I was blatantly dressed as a Muggle, I drew only a few curious looks as I weaved my way through the heavy foot traffic. I spotted many familiar faces from Hogwarts. Students must have had the same idea of replenishing their supplies before term began again.

In my mind, I could see the list of supplies that Professor Flitwick had sent. Many of my books needed to be traded in and replaced with newer editions for my third year grade level. Mum had brought my books herself and would be exchanging them now. Debating only for a moment, I ducked inside of Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlor and hurried to the back of the line. A few people sat on the puffy chairs or at tables, talking animatedly while they enjoyed their frozen treats. I tapped my foot impatiently as I waited for the line to move faster. It didn't.

"...I wonder where your father's gone off to. Honestly, dear, I don't know why he had to go talk to Orion…"

"They're colleagues, Mum. They probably had important things to talk about."

I frowned, listening to the exchange of voices from the couple in front of me. One was a tall boy with a voice that cracked every few words, dropping his voice down to a deep bass. The other was a woman with long dark blonde, brownish hair that hung down to her back.

Why did he sound so familiar?

"What flavor do you want, dear?" the woman asked her taller son. "I'm thinking mint chip."

"Chocolate, obviously." The boy replied, and my mouth fell open.

"Remus?"

The boy and woman turned around. I stared up at Remus, every word in my mind scattered to the wind. How was it possible for a person to change so much over the course of a single summer?

He had grown at least five inches, maybe more. His cheekbones were higher and his brow sloped forward more. His hair was a little longer, much messier, like he'd had a rough night's sleep and rolled around often. Remus's green eyes gazed down at me, wide with surprise.

"Amber." He said, his voice flat.

The woman beside him with green eyes - his eyes - and so many of his features, in feminine form, grinned at me. "So you're the infamous Amber."

I looked between the two, confused. "Infamous?"

Remus's face filled with color. "Mum."

The woman who could only be his mother laughed. It was a lovely, pealing sound that echoed across the parlor. "I'm Hope Lupin, Remus's mother. And you're Amber Harkstone. A Ravenclaw, yes? That's what he called you."

"Oh, my God." Remus moaned, looking at the ceiling.

"Don't mind him." I said to Hope, grinning and extending my hand to shake. "He'll grow on you."

"I hope so." Remus' mother joked. "I've been dealing with him for thirteen years now."

"Mum." Remus said.

We shook hands. She nodded approvingly. "Nice handshake! Wow. I wouldn't want to mess with you. I'm glad someone like you is keeping my boy in line."

Remus looked like he wanted to be anywhere else.

I smiled at both of them, feeling strangely high, like I was back on the broom, navigating my way down a mountain after my professor. My insides squirmed at the scent of Remus, a pleasant mixture of soap and sweat and something heavily sweet.

"Well, we're just getting ice cream." Hope went on, nodding encouragingly to Remus. "Can I buy you a cone?"

I grinned sheepishly. "Would you take pity on a poor Hogwarts student?"

"Of course!" Hope cried, suddenly drawing me into an embrace. I hugged back, taken aback. Hope drew back, smiling radiantly and glancing constantly at her son, who looked like a wet cat. "Oh, Remus, she is a doll. I'm so glad you have a female friend. I've heard quite a bit about those other boys. James and Sirius."

"And Peter." I threw in. "Lily's a friend of Remus's too. She's my best friend."

"Oh, how lovely!" Hope exclaimed, herding me to the counter with Remus. Her green eyes shone with excitement. "This is so wonderful. Lyall will be so sorry he missed this."

I glanced at the list of ice cream flavors, listening to Hope. "Where is he?"

"Oh, that silly man. He works for the Department of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. His co-worker, Orion Black, works at the Ministry, too."

I glanced at Remus with lightning-quick reflexes. He looked back, with a look that said Be quiet. Just a few months ago, I had disguised myself as Orion's youngest son and witnessed him speaking to Folsom (who turned out to be a vampire) and Fenrir Greyback (the werewolf who had attacked Remus). I tried not to let my alarm show.

"I didn't know." I lied. "I didn't know that he worked at the Ministry."

"Well," Hope said, taking her mint chip ice cream cone. "I don't get it too much, either."

"Mum's a Muggle." Remus said, taking a bite out of his chocolate ice cream.

"I had no idea!" I said honestly, impressed. Hope was gregarious enough to pass for a highly-educated witch. "And I'd like cookie dough, please."

The attendant handed me my ice cream. "One Galleon." He said.

Hope rummaged through her purse and pulled out a wallet, and shook her head. "Oh, wrong one." She fished out a second wallet and produced a single gold coin, handing it to the young man. "Two wallets for two different currencies. It's saved a lot of questions."

"I believe it." I said as the three of us exited the ice cream parlor and ended up on the streets of Diagon Alley. The crowd had thickened in the five minutes we had been inside. More people were disgorged from the public hearths. The flow of traffic kept us walking slowly in a congested throng of flowing cloaks. Hope had dressed in a skirt and pretty cerulean blouse, clearly marking her as a Muggle. Remus was wearing almost all black, I noticed. It was broken up only by his red and gold Gryffindor tie.

"Why are you wearing that?" I said as I licked my ice cream.

Remus shrugged. "I wanted to."

"It was the only thing that was clean." Hope corrected. "I'm washing everything else of his. He's even wearing his Superman boxers."

Remus turned the color of a tomato. "Mum."

I coughed, choking on my ice cream, trying not to picture Remus in just that. "I… um… thanks for sharing?"

Hope burst into laughter. Remus looked like he wanted to crawl under a rock and never come out.

I ate more of the ice cream, trying to use the coldness to extinguish the flames in my cheeks, when I spotted her. Willow Smith, my professor, striding through the crowd. She wore all black as usual. Her long scar cut across her once-lovely face, breaking up the loveliness.

I stared after her. Remus noticed and followed my gaze.

"Um, excuse me," I said apologetically. "But I need to talk to her. That witch."

"Oh, no worries, dear." Hope said enthusiastically. "If I don't see you again, it was lovely to meet you! Feel free to send an owl anytime."

"Let's go, please." Remus murmured to me, dragging me by the arm into the current of moving people. We quickly lost Hope as we were pulled along by the crowd.

"So," I said, grinning. "That was your mother."

Remus groaned. "And you said yours was bad."

I laughed. "She wasn't bad. She was just… friendly."

Remus rolled his eyes. "She practically married us. I'm sorry, Amber. She's… a handful."
"Well, I see where you get it from." I said as I took a half-bite of my ice cream. I could see Professor Smith's head from my vantage, but barely.

"Training went well for you?" Remus asked as we tailed her, trying and failing to get closer.

"I guess." I told him quickly how I had become very skilled at most Charms, except for the Patronus Charm, which I still couldn't conjure.

"I've conjured one." Remus informed me, but he didn't look happy about it.

I stared at him. "You have? A corporeal one?"

Remus looked uncomfortable. "Yes."

"That's great!" I hugged his arm with my free one, ice cream still in the other. "Can you show me?"

"I'd rather not." Remus said stiffly. "It's… embarrassing."

I frowned. "What, is it a sea sponge? Come on, Remus. Show me!"

But he was firm. He shook his head. "Not until you show me yours."

I rolled my eyes. "Meanie. You're no fun."

Remus smiled a bit, triumphant, and took another nip of his rapidly disappearing ice cream.

"So, how'd your parents meet?" I asked as we pushed closer to Professor Smith, still several yards away.

"Oh. That." Remus grimaced slightly. "My mum was in the woods and came across a Boggart. Dad saved her."

"But Boggarts can't actually hurt you." I countered.

Remus shrugged. "Fear defeats people without ever lifting a finger. That's why Boggarts are still dangerous, even if they're just an illusion."

"Yeah, yeah, okay." I grumbled, disliking his argument. "So then what? Did they kiss?"

"I don't know." Remus said, wrinkling his nose. "Dad turned the Boggart into a mushroom and escorted her home. A few months later, they got married. I was born a year later. That's pretty much it." He took another bite of his nearly-gone cone. "What about your family?"

The familiar pang of Virginia's loss twisted inside. I looked away and took a bite of ice cream, which suddenly didn't taste so great. "Well, my parents met at Hogwarts. They were both Hufflepuffs. I think they were Head Boy and Girl. I never really asked, and they don't talk about it much. They married young and had me, Virginia, and Naomi. Dad works for the Ministry of Magic. Mum stays at home to take care of us."

"I see." Remus said delicately, and didn't push the subject further. He was tactful enough to notice how uncomfortable it made me.

I glanced up at Professor Smith, who suddenly dovetailed and disappeared down an unseen passage between two shops. I frowned. It didn't lead anywhere, and it looked dark and gloomy. Not the kind of place a Hogwarts teacher should be going.

"I wonder what she's doing back there." I said.

"Come on." Remus said. "Let's go find out."

"What's wrong with this picture?" I teased as I dumped the rest of my half-eaten ice cream into a wastebin, which burped appreciatively. "Aren't I supposed to be the one who dragoons you into trouble?"

"Enjoy the change." Remus said as we pushed our way through the stagnant flow of pedestrians. The alley that Professor Smith had gone down was dark and gloomy. Overlapping roofs blocked out sunlight, casting deep, dusty shadows over the steps descending down and into near darkness.

We were frozen at the top of the stairs. Misgiving filled me. I glanced at Remus, who was now several inches higher than I was. He looked down uncertainly.

"Are you sure?" I said nervously, fingering my wand.

Remus shrugged. "I personally wouldn't mind finding out where she's gone to."

I took a deep breath to steady my accelerating heartbeat. My lungs filled with the mildewy, stale air. I wiped the sweat gathering on my palms on my torn jeans.

"Let's go." I said quietly, drawing out my wand. Remus kept even pace as we descended the broken and saggy steps, which looked ancient and tired. The air was much colder here, and intensified as we ventured deeper and deeper into the alley. The walls pushed closer together. An overhanging roof housed a dishelved man who was facing the wall, muttering loudly in a language I didn't understand. I pressed closer to Remus.

After a few minutes of blank, dust-gray brick walls, the alley opened up into a much smaller version of Diagon Alley. Watery, dull sunlight leaked through a few slats between roofs. The alley curved like a horseshoe around a collection of tall, dreary buildings that were startling similiar to 12 Grimmauld Place. I swallowed against the dryness in my throat and drew closer to Remus so that our sides brushed. He didn't pull away.

A handful of witches and wizards leered at us from underneath hoods or hats. A horribly scabbed witch shuffled closer, her hand extended. It was covered with warts and scars. Long, stringy hair hung in lank strands from underneath her dark hood. One eye bulged out, pale green and ghostly, while the other was much smaller and sank inwards. Her saggy green skin hung in loose folds from her bones. She smelled like an opened sewer.

She approached slowly, her mouth pulled back in what was an attempt at a smile. Every tooth was broken, missing, or yellow. The hairs on the back on my neck rose in warning. Remus stepped in front of me, towering over the hag.

"Can you spare any change for a poor witch?" She croaked, her voice cracked and high-pitched.

"No, we can't." Remus said coldly. "Sorry."

The hag nodded once, sniffling hard as a red ooze began to drip from her long hooked nose. I fought the strong urge to gag.

She peered around Remus, her mismatched eyes staring at me. She pointed one long, bony finger at me in an accusing way. "You. You have a destiny about you."

"That's enough." Remus snapped, his voice deep and impressive. "Go away, or I'll hex you."

I noticed other witches and wizards glancing at us with keen interest from the narrow alley. Goosebumps raced across my skin in alarm. "Let's go." I whispered to Remus.

The hag narrowed her eyes at Remus. "You are not what you seem, werewolf."

Remus opened his mouth in shock, and then drew his wand. The hag backed up quickly, nearly tripping over her ragged cloak.

"We're looking for someone." Remus said quietly. "A witch with a long scar across her face. Where is she? Which store did she go into?"

The hag nodded slowly, twisting a bony finger around a worn, ugly ring on her other hand. "Borgin and Burkes." She squinted eerily at me again, and I felt a stab of cold fear in my stomach.

"Care for a spell, my pretty? I can give you an incantation for whatever you'd like… Happiness, money, or…" she glanced at Remus, her ugly face pulling into a horrible smirk. "Love?"

I realized that I was dressed like a Muggle. This hag probably thought that Remus had taken me here for a field trip and gotten lost. I swallowed hard, unsure of what to do.

"She doesn't need your help." Remus snapped. "Come on."

The hag shuffled closer, her rank odor making my hair stand on end again. "All I need is a lock of your pretty hair. Such lovely locks. Is that your natural color, my sweet?"

"Goodbye." Remus snarled, and grabbed my hand with his. His fingers slipped into the spaces of mine, driving away all other thoughts. Heat rushed into my cheeks. I had never held hands with a guy before, not like this, and it made me feel dizzy and warm. His hand was big and strong, but it held mine like it was made to match, like a puzzle piece. Part of me knew Remus had only done it as a protective gesture, but another part wondered why he hadn't just looped his arm through mine. Holding hands was a completely different thing.

Remus led me away quickly. I kept pace, feeling oddly light-headed. The stench of the hag drifted away and was replaced by another smell. This time, it smelled like dirt, sweat, and blood.

"Oh no." I whispered in horror.

Remus had stiffened. Clearly, he recognized the odor too. Fenrir Greyback smelled exactly like it.

"This way." Remus said quietly, leading me into a small alcove in the alley, next to a dilapidated, ancient building with a dusty window revealing the inside of the dimly-lit shop. An old wooden sign creaked in the faint breeze. It read BORGIN & BURKES in chipped gold paint.

"Should we go inside?" I muttered to Remus, who still hadn't let go of my hand.

"No." Remus replied. "Let's just wait here for a minute."

I looked over my shoulder. A black ladder wound its way up and over the side of the building to the roof. I pulled my hand free, making it feel oddly cold and empty, and started climbing.

"Amber!" Remus hissed, but followed me quickly when it was clear I wasn't coming down. I reached the top in a matter of seconds. It was a landing on the roofs of the buildings. I crept between a fat chimney slowly issuing black smoke that smelled like burning meat and pressed against a glass ceiling. It was so grimy that I could hardly peer below. I pointed my wand at a patch of grime and whispered, "Scourgify." A palm-sized spot of clear glass appeared, clean.

"What are you doing?" Remus demanded in a low voice. "We should leave. Now."

"This was your idea, remember?" I hissed as I squatted before the small circle of visibility. Below, shelves of odd objects were on display. Only two people wandered in the store. One was an old, grizzled man with balding hair, and the other was Professor Smith.

In spite of myself, I drew in a scandalized breath. Professor Smith had been my summer tutor and would be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher. Her teaching methods were unconventional and a little scary, but she had no business being in a place that housed creatures like hags.

"What is she doing?" I muttered as Professor Smith walked between spaces between the shelves. I could make out a shriveled black hand and a jar of eyeballs. I shivered. This kind of evil merchandise would never be sold or found in Diagon Alley.

"Looks like she's shopping." Remus replied.

It sure seemed that way. Professor Smith perused the store for almost five minutes before she finally stopped at the corner of the store, directly below us. My legs were cramping from sitting so long.

"What's she looking at?" I asked Remus quietly. "Can you see it?"

Remus peered down, his green eyes narrowed to slits. "No, I can't…"

He swore and pulled me back suddenly. I lost my balance and fell back on my butt, small rocks digging painfully into my palms. I shot him a furious look.

"What was that for?" I hissed.

Remus shook his head, holding a finger up for silence. A thrill of horror ran down my spine. What if Professor Smith had seen us? Or heard us?

Heart pounding, I stared at Remus, waiting for him to give the signal that it was okay to move again. Because of his lycanthropy, he had enhanced senses, especially hearing. Remus was paused, craning his neck to listen. After an agonizing five minutes, he finally nodded. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding in relief. I peeked over the glass again, but now the shop was deserted.

"Great." I muttered. "Now she's gone. What was she doing in there? What could she have bought?"

"I don't know." Remus said quietly. "My dad says that only dark and dangerous people come here. We must be in Knockturn Alley."

A second chill of horror shot through my veins. I shivered. My own parents had warned me several times to never, ever come down to this part of town. Not for anything.

"How did we miss the sign?" I moaned. "There's supposed to be a sign at the beginning of the entrance to let shoppers know that they're heading here."

"Someone must have taken it down." Remus answered.

I thought instantly of several Slytherin boys, in addition to a fully-grown vampire. "I can think of a few, now that you mention it." I said dryly.

"We should get out of here." Remus said. "I have a bad feeling about this place."

"No kidding." I snapped. "Come on. Let's climb down."

But halfway down the ladder, Remus froze. I halted behind him, palms slick with sweat again. "What?"

His nostrils flared. "There it is again. That smell." His eyes shuttered. "It's Greyback."

I swallowed hard. "Here?"

Remus nodded tersely. "Go back up."

I obeyed, nearly tripping over my feet in my haste. I paced on the roof nervously as Remus rejoined me. He looked grim.

"I don't think we should try going down there again." I said nervously.

Remus shook his head. "I have an idea."

"Oh, goody." I cracked my knuckles, a bad habit I developed in the face of stress. "What, should we both run over the roofs and then fly down?"

"Flying is involved." Remus said, ignoring my sarcasm. "How good is your Flying Charm?"

I looked at him, confused. "Not that good." I admitted.

Remus shrugged. "That's fine. Mine's good enough." He drew his willow wand and pointed it directly at me. "Volante!"

I felt strangely light-headed again and weightless. Remus grabbed my hand again. I was about to ask him what his problem was when I realized that I was taller than him. I looked around in alarm, and saw that I was floating several inches off the ground.

I stifled a small scream of fear. Remus squeezed my hand reassuringly.

"It's just a simple Flying Charm." He soothed. "It'll keep you like this for about five minutes. Maybe less. I hope it lasts for five. I'm going to charm myself and we'll fly together back to Diagon Alley."

"How do you know we won't drift away into the sky?" I said quickly, trying not to panic.

"Just trust me." Remus said, smiling wolfishly. He charmed himself and slowly left the ground. I wanted to scream again. My palms were slicker than ever with sweat.

"Relax." Remus murmured. "Focus on your breathing and staying close to the ground. I won't let go of you."

Reeling, I gripped his hand so tightly I could feel his bones shifting around, but he didn't complain once. Slowly, we drifted over the roofs of the buildings, slower than walking, but still moving. My heart pounding in my ears as I pictured my body spiraling up into the air, out of control, destined for the planets…

"Easy, Amber." Remus murmured, pulling me back down to reality. "I'm not letting go."

"Sorry." I said breathlessly. "Sorry. This is so much easier on a broom. Sorry."

"It's alright." Remus said again, never losing patience.

Agonizingly slowly, we glided over the tops of the buildings, never more than five feet above. At last, I hear the cheerful babble of shoppers from Diagon Alley.

"Oh, thank God." I gushed, relieved. Remus chuckled. He guided us to the top of a building near the edge of Diagon Alley. There was an oval-shaped door not far, leading into another taller building. "This way." Remus said, and led me to it. "Alohamora." He said, and the door opened.

We walked quickly and quietly down the spiraling staircase. It deposited us onto a vacant landing. I pointed to another staircase, which we took. Voices floated up through the space.

"Almost there." Remus promised. A moment later, bright, warm lights nearly scalded my retinas as we descended into a cheerful shop filled with people. No one noticed us come down.

"Where are we now?" I asked as Remus pulled me through the crowd.

"Quality Quidditch Supplies." He replied. I noticed, for the first time, the jerseys and cloaks framed in glass over the walls, the newspaper and magazine articles beside them, and the stacks of what could only be Quidditch paraphenalia. I halted, admiring the rows of dark wood that housed shirts, jerseys, and other sundries.

"Earth to Amber?" Remus joked. "I thought we were escaping."

But even though the fear had vanished, the adrenaline remained from my short flight with Remus. It brought back memories of flying over the summer with (well, without) Professor Smith, and of the disaster that had been Quidditch tryouts last year.

I suddenly realized what I wanted for my birthday.

"I want to buy a broom." I announced, leading Remus to the counter.

The young attendant noticed us coming and grinned. "Well, hello! Looking to buy your first broom?"

"Yes, please." I said. Remus was in stunned silence.

The salesperson appraised Remus. "How about a nice Cleansweep Six for you, young man? Baron Musgraves claims to have flown to the Moon with this very model!"

"No, thanks." Remus said politely. "I don't fly."

"Well." The twenty-something man turned to grin at me. His teeth were white, but his nose was crooked, as if a Bludger had once broken it. "How about you, little lady?" He presented a slim, delicate white broomstick. "This classic Moontrimmer is made of pure ash. It's very quick and perfect for stylish witches."

I frowned. "What's it good for?"

The salesman smiled, but it looked more like a smirk to me. "Well, it was a very popular Quidditch broom at one point. But nowadays, they're more popular for transportation than rough play. Very chic and stylish."

I studied the delicate broom. "No, thanks. Um, can I see a more athletic broom? Something sturdy."

The attendant laughed. "Are you sure? You don't look like the kind to be playing such a rowdy game."

"Be careful." Remus warned. "She's a lot tougher than she looks."

The salesman sniggered. "Spoken from experience, eh? Alright." He turned and pulled a long, silver-colored broomstick with a distinctive black tail. A beautiful silver ribbon wrapped in two tendrils around the neck of the tail.

"This is a Silver Arrow." The wizard said. "It's quicker than a Moontrimmer or an Oakshaft 79, but the Cleansweeps are more popular. These have been around for twenty years or so. Still, this one is in excellent condition. I can get you a Cleansweep, instead, if you'd like."

"No," I declined, entranced by the silver length of the broom. "I want this one. How much is it?"

"It's more of a man's broom." The attendant hedged.

"Then I should have no problem." I said coolly. "Considering I used to be one."

There was a stunned silence. Then Remus burst into laughter. The attendant was thunderstruck.

"Y-yes." He stammered. "Alright. That'll be five thousand Galleons."

"Five thousand?" A voice demanded. "That's highway robbery!"

I turned and found myself face to face with Professor Smith. Her severe face was pulled back into an outraged expression. The attendant looked terrified. The stark scar didn't lessen her intimidating presence.

"Uh… um… well, that is what the Quidditch Blue Book states… it's really in great condition and…" he faltered at the withering look on Professor Smith's face.

"That broom was made in 1961, maybe earlier." Professor Smith snapped. "It's worth half of that listing price. Look at the scratches and dings. This is a second hand broom, hardly worth more than a thousand Galleons."

The attendant's jaw dropped. "Blasphemy!" He cried.

Professor Smith drew herself up. "Are you questioning my authority, Dennis?"

I stared, awed, as the young man quailed, "Professor Smith?"

"Yes." She said loftily. "You were always bad at lying, Dennis, but this is really gone too far." Professor Smith narrowed her eyes at Dennis, who cowered. "Adjust the price. I still know your mother's address, and I wouldn't mind sending her an owl the very moment I leave this shop."

I watched in utter amazement as Dennis, who looked like he was choking back tears, scratched out the price tag's listing and rewrote it to match her verdict. "My boss is going to kill me." Dennis moaned.

Professor Smith brushed off her hands. "That shouldn't be too much of an issue, since I own this shop."

Dennis's eyes bugged out. So did mine. "You do?" I gaped.

She nodded. "I've owned it for about ten years. Dennis's boss is the manager. I, however, own the place from the top down." I could have imagined it, but Professor Smith winked at me from the corner of her eye.

Dennis was trembling from head to foot. "One th-thousand Galleons, ma'am." He said, not looking at me.

I dug around in my pocket with my free hand. I placed my money on the counter. Professor Smith added a sack of gold coins. I stared at her.

"These are from your mother, Lena." Professor Smith explained. "I bumped into her in Flourish and Blotts. She meant to give you your money to purchase your birthday gift, but you left too quickly."

I felt a twinge of shame, especially as I studied the small sack of gold coins. "Oh."

Professor Smith gave Dennis a firm stare as he accepted the payment with shaking hands. "Do you want this wrapped?" He asked me timidly.

"I think I can handle it." I said. "Well… actually, if you do have a bag…"

Professor Smith pointed to a small paper bag. "That has an Extension Charm. The entire broom can fit inside."

I watched, enraptured, as Dennis placed the Silver Arrow inside of the bag, which swallowed it whole. He handed me the small brown bag, which I took with two hands. My hand left Remus's again. I hadn't realized I had been holding it again, and I felt a blush creep into my face. Once again, my hand felt lonely and cold without his. I glanced at Remus, but he was examining the different styles of broomsticks for sale on the wall.

"Well." Professor Smith said matter-of-factly. "I will see you two tomorrow at school, yes?"

I nodded, trying to figure out how a respectable, intimating witch like Professor Smith could have been shopping in a horrible place like Knockturn Alley. "Yeah. We'll be there."

"Excellent." She gave Remus a faint smile. "Have you told Amber how you can conjure a Patronus, Remus?"

Remus shuffled his feet. "I can, but I haven't shown her."

"He wants me to conjure one first, before he shows me what his form takes." I complained.

Professor Smith chuckled good-naturedly. "Good motivation. Who knows, Remus. You may make a fine Defense Against the Dark Arts professor one day yourself."

Remus itched the back of his neck. "Maybe."

Professor Smith turned to leave. "Take care, you two. I expect much of you both this coming school year." She eyed me imploringly. "And please try to stay out of trouble this year. You've got enough on your plate without getting in over your head."

My conscious thrust the recent trip to Knockturn Alley into my mind, filling me with shame and indignation. But Professor Smith and my conscious had a point…

If a hag and Fenrir Greyback were both in Knockturn Alley, that meant that Folsom could have been there to.

I shivered. I didn't want to think about what could have happened to Remus and I if we hadn't gotten out.

"No promises." I replied, grinning.

Professor Smith sighed. "For a Ravenclaw, you can be a slow learner, Amber."

I laughed, but her words held a bit of sting.

Professor Smith gave Dennis a final glare, and swept out of the store. I couldn't help staring after her as she left the store (her store) and disappeared into the crowd of shoppers.

Remus and I followed, the bell clanging on the door. I glanced down the cobblestone street, toward where the Gold Fairy cafe was.

"I should go soon." I said, thinking of holding hands with Remus, and wondering why I felt so shy. "My mum wants to meet for lunch in a bit."

Remus nodded. "Do you want to check out a few more shops first? The Magical Menagerie looks interesting."

I thought of being alone with Remus again. The possibility of holding hands again sprang to mind, along with a weird lurch in my guts. I wanted to be around him, but at the same time, I didn't. These new feelings scared me.

"Well, actually, I really should get going." I said. "Mum will be upset if I'm late."

Remus's eyes flickered, but he didn't argue. "Alright. Want me to walk you?"

I shook my head. "That's alright. I can handle it."

Now he looked stony. Hurt? No. But he definitely looked unhappy. Did I do something wrong?

I swallowed against the dryness in my throat. I really did need something to drink. I craved a tall glass of iced tea, or butterbeer. Something cold to dull this new, confusing heat in my head.

"Alright." Remus repeated. "I guess I'll see you on the train."

Without another word, he turned and walked away. In a matter of seconds, he was swallowed up by the passing crowd. I stared after him, filled with a mix of dismay and relief.

What had happened to Remus? What had happened between us in just an hour? We were still friends. But something had definitely changed. I could feel it in my face and my shaky legs.

I shut my eyes. He's just a friend. I'm too young to feel like this. Don't overthink this. Don't ruin what you have.

But Remus was all I could think about, in spite of Knockturn Alley and my new, used Silver Arrow and the promise of returning to Hogwarts the next morning. What was the matter with me? I shook my head, trying to clear it, but to no avail.

A few moments later, I entered the Gold Fairy and ordered the largest size of iced tea that they offered. "No sugar or lemon, please." I told the woman at the counter. I sat outside on the patio at an empty iron-wrought table, watching the procession of shoppers drift by. The flow of traffic hadn't lessened. As the day wore on, more and more patrons decided to finally tackle their school shopping. I saw countless students from Hogwarts, but strangely, no one I was friends with. Maybe Lily and Angelina had already come and gone.

"There you are." Mum said, Naomi bouncing at her side. She frowned down at me. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." I said immediately, defensive. "I'm just thirsty and tired."

"Mum says you're a shopaholic." Naomi chirped as she plopped down beside me. Her green eyes - Dad's eyes - were huge with excitement. "We went to Ollivanders. Remember him? That creepy old man?"

"He's not creepy." Mum interjected.

"I remember." I said.

Naomi could hardly contain her excitement. "Well, he told me that I only have to wait until I'm eleven to get my wand! He said that's only four more years!"

"Because four years is such a short amount of time." I joked, sipping my iced tea.

"It'll go faster than you think." Mum warned. "You're already going into your third year of schooling, Amber."

I ignored her words, because they resonated with the truth and made me uncomfortable. I was almost halfway through my education at Hogwarts. The thought was both daunting and pleasing.

"What's in the bag?" Mum asked as she ordered a peach milkshake for Naomi from a passing staff member.

"A Silver Arrow." I announced. Naomi gasped. Mum raised a brow.

"It's used." I added. "It only cost a thousand Galleons."

"A thousand Galleons!" Naomi exclaimed. "Can I see?"

"Sure." I pulled out the silvery broom, glinting impressively in the afternoon sun. Naomi gasped.

Mum looked impassive. "It's… nice." She said finally.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Sorry, I forgot that unless it's something Virginia did, it's not good enough."

I regretted the words the moment they came out of my mouth. I had no idea where they had come from. My mind scrambled madly for an excuse. Her old attitude and condescending, critiquing tone had brought back old memories? The way she looked down at my new broom made me defensive? But there was nothing, nothing good enough I could think of for slapping her in the face with the memory of my dead sister and her dead daughter. I could feel the blood drain from my face and hands grow cold. Naomi let out a small whimper. She clapped her hand over her mouth, staring at Mum and I with horror.

I waited for the blow to fall.

But Mum merely gazed at me with her blue eyes - Virginia's eyes - for a long moment. It dragged on and on. I felt sick with dread. Maybe she would make me resell the broomstick for penance.

"There's a reason why you weren't good enough for Hufflepuff." Mum said in a calm, calculated voice.

I swallowed against the urge to fire back a retort. We held gazes for another long, tense moment, before we were snapped back to reality by the waitress.

"Here's your peach milkshake!" A young woman trilled, placing the frosty pink beverage for Naomi. She immediately started sucking it down with her red straw.

"That'll be seven Sickles." She added, looking at Mum expectantly.

I reached into my pocket, feeling for the last bits of my money. Seven sickles and fifteen Knuts. I hastily dropped them on the table. "Here." I rose quickly and stowed the Silver Arrow back into its bag without looking at anyone. "My treat."

I left before I could say anything else that would further strain the already-breaking relationship between my Mum and I.