First and foremost, I want to dedicate this chapter to a good friend of mine and her husband, it's their first Anniversary. "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY GUYS!!!"
I own nothing, absolutely nothing…I really am getting sick of writing these things sigh
Congratulations to Jo on her pregnancy.
Sorry this took a while guys, I had a little bit of writers block at some points. And other stuff has come up…those of you who know me will know what I'm talking about…the rest of you will when it's finished.
And now on to my lovely reviewers.
I Know You Know Me: Thanks for the review girl. Interesting choice in name I must say. Yeah, that's right, you loved it. Aren't you glad that I bitched at you till you read it? Well, here's that next chapter you asked…no… demanded. And next time…don't' mention the completion of my chapters; it could get me in trouble. And AU means Alternate Universe.
NorthDemonicAce: Thank you for the review. I'm glad that you liked it…and you're lucky, you reviewed when I was almost complete with this chapter so you didn't' have to wait to long. So here's that chapter so you can placate that need of yours to know what happens. Lol. I see you have a dirty mind…but then, you did ask the question with the whole nude bit didn't you. You'll find out grins And is the 1987 in your email your birth year? Cause if it is, you were born the same year that I was.
sunshine41: Thank you for the review my friend. So you're honoured to know me because I'm a good writer…blushes You were concerned about my OC's "psychopathing"? Thanks the best word ever. If you're talking about think OC's…that's one of my fanfiction pet-peeves, so I do try to avoid creating them myself. I heart you too Hun, and you're my hero too.
Blacksouledbutterfly: Thank you for your review. I loved what you said about Orion…wrapping their tongues around their heads. I laughed so hard. Yes, Sev is totally cool; I absolutely adore writing anything to do with him. And Yes, I adore Dallas as well; wait till you see what's up with him. And as to people ever stopping teasing Remus and Orion…where's the fun in that? Yeah, they should have remembered…at least Remus, but people forget things. And yes, that scene was so fun to write; I totally blazed right through it, and was sad once I was done. I'd been waiting to write that scene since like chapter two when it popped into my head.
HotVampireGal: Thanks for the reviews Hun…most people don't review every chapter when they start a new story, and because you did I totally adore you. Your fav list? Woot Woot blushes I'm sixteen. And as to my gender…I think that the 'princess' in the name is enough to answer that question. Your birthday was coming up? Happy (probably belated now) Birthday! How old are you? Yes, I assure you, I enjoy writing those embarrassing moments even more than you lot like reading them.
Atiannala: Thanks for another great review Hun. I do try for the original plot ideas (I've read too many that are so close to being the same story that it's sickening). I'm glad that you think Orion's a great character; I work really hard on my OC's. Oh yes, the 'wake up' scene was the most fun I've had writing in a long time. And yes, poor Remus. Poor Remus and those 'boy urges'. Lol. If you wanna see what people are doing with the HBP, check out these forums…I'm Ryuuhime.
h t t p : n e w c l u e s . m u g g l e n e t . c o m / i n d e x . p h p
Just remove the spaces.
Silver Moon Megami: Thanks for another review Hun. So how're things over the rest of Canada? I miss you!!! Come home now!!! I miss our crazy chats!!! Sorry about that outburst…no, wait, I'm not. roles eyes You and your chocolate. Bite me, I know what phosphorescence means, and no, I wasn't trying to confuse people. I just had a flow going on, and that odd (but oh so cool) word actually fit there. Oh, yes, Remus has a "bad mind" wriggles eyebrows…get your mind out of the gutter you dirty lil' girl. Or maybe you're not actually a wolf…looks at yearbook pic…you're definitely human. HEHEHE, the wolf needing therapy…that's the best. LOL. I know that you love Dallas.
Well, that's it for now folks (think bugs bunny). And now on to my chapter, enjoy…
Moonlight Sonata
Chapter Eight: Meetings
By: dragonsprincess
Orion, Dallas and Severus were sitting at the Slytherin table, eating a hearty breakfast, and talking between mouthfuls.
Now, it must be said that the two boys were rather surprised at the amount of food that Orion was packing away. Dallas and Severus, both completely clueless as to why their friend was eating so much…they'd known her for about a month, and neither of them had ever seen her eat like this.
"Umm, Orion?" Severus said hesitantly. "Are you ok? It's just that you're eating rather a lot."
"What," Orion said, sounding outraged. "Can't a girl eat as much as a guy can?"
"No, no," Dallas said, hoping to save the situation. "Of course they can. The two of us have just noticed that you're eating a bit more than usual, that's all."
Orion looked from Dallas to Severus with an odd look. "Right," she said, then returned to her breakfast.
But the three were soon to be interrupted again, however, by an owl flying down and knocking over Orion's plate and drink. Swearing, she glared at the bird as it happily took some of her bacon rinds.
Orion was about ready to thump the owl when it held out its leg for her so that she could see a small note attached to it. Her anger evaporating slightly, Orion unfastened the parchment, then watched as it took off again.
She quickly unrolled the letter, the very short letter.
'Orion,
Meet me in the library ASAP. We need to talk, now.
RL'
Not quite sure what to make of Remus' short letter, Orion got up and started running out of the hall. In her haste not noticing that Dallas had read it over her shoulder.
He watched as Orion sprinted out of the room…Dallas recognized that hand writing and signature. So Orion had a secret friend…interesting. But, there was currently a more pressing matter at hand…namely, the man sitting next to him.
After Orion had left the Hall, Dallas clunked Severus on the head with his fist. "You idiot," he said. "You never ask a girl why she's eating a lot, NEVER! She'll think you're calling her fat. Don't you know anything about women?"
"All right Dal," Severus replied, massaging his skull. "I get the point. But do keep in mind that not every guy has dated half the girls in the school," here he paused for effect. "Or, does your understanding stem from the hour you spend in the bathroom every morning?"
Dallas glared at Severus, then punched him in the arm.
"Fuck, Dal," Severus said, rubbing his offended limb. "When the hell did you learn to hit so hard?"
"I didn't."
Orion sprinted through the Entrance Hall and up to the fourth floor, why had Remus sent her a letter already? He'd told her that he'd probably spend half the day sleeping (an activity Orion would have gladly entered into had her room mates not been bloody clods).
She looked at the letter again, noting that Remus' hand was a little sloppy...especially for him. Why had the note been written so quickly? This and other such questions plagued Orion's mind as she pushed open the heavy oak door and walked into the Hogwarts library.
The Slytherin grinned as she noticed that Madam Pince had looked up from her desk to glare at the student who had just entered her domain, the student that might just harm one of her precious books. Orion cringed as she remembered a comment Dallas had made earlier in the week as her, Dallas, Severus and Andromeda had been studying for a test in Charms. Dallas had been irked at the fact that the Librarian had walked by the quartet four times after only twenty minutes of them having been in room…
Flashback
The four fifth year Slytherins were sitting at a large table, located in the center of the Charms section, all of them disgusted at the fact that the usually lenient Charms teacher, Professor Flitwick had scheduled an exam after only three weeks of school, he usually waited at least six weeks before putting his students through such torture; and when Rabastan had asked the tiny professor just why he'd scheduled one already, Flitwick had replied with a slightly irritated, "Because you have your O.W.L's this year, Mr Lestrange. That's why."
Unfortunately, the other teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Flitwick…although, the other teachers so far seemed content just to pile on more homework, and have more quizzes. Not that this placated the students…the quizzes weren't too horrible, they were short, and they wouldn't determine any of their grades this year…but the homework meant many long hours spent in the common room and library, looking up dates and other obscure facts that none of the students really saw the advantage of, like who really cared if the Confundus Charm was invented by Agatha Flemming?
Orion was talking to Severus about Permanent Sticking Charms, seeing if he understood them any better than she did, when Madam Pince had walked by for the fourth time.
Dallas had taken to glaring at the "nosy librarian" when she'd passed by them about five minutes ago. He followed her progress as she walked by, his grey eyes egging her to continue on her way back to her desk.
"What the hell does that overgrown vulture think she's doing anyway, besides annoying the hell out of us?" he growled after Madam Pince had left again. "I mean, what are we gonna do, bend a page? Gods forbid that happen to a totally ancient and outdated book."
Now Severus joined in, turning a page in the tome he was reading. "Too true…and she's probably hexed the books to attack anyone who does bend a page. And if you tear one…run for you're fucking life."
"I know! Like really, Pince adores these books way too much…she's gotta have a fetish with the bloody things-"
Severus suddenly dropped the book, a look of horror on his pale face. "What the hell, Dal? Don't say that when I'm reading one…Erg! The images now burned into my brain."
Flashback Ends
Orion quickly headed to the back of the library to a secluded table that Remus and herself had chosen for meetings such as this at the beginning of the year. As she rounded the last set of bookcase, she caught sight of her fellow Lycanthrope leaning against the table, his foot tapping rapidly on the ground.
The Slytherin stopped for a second and observed her friend; something in the way he was carrying himself told her that he was nervous. Orion had never seen Remus act like this before. What had happened? What was wrong with him?
Tossing some of her long black hair behind her back, Orion continued towards to table, eager to find out what was wrong with Remus. Maybe she'd be able to make him feel better.
Remus looked up the moment that he heard Orion's footsteps…it sure hadn't taken her long, he'd only been waiting a few minutes. But now that she was here, Remus wasn't quite sure just what he was going to say to Orion, or just how he was going to say it to her.
Orion walked towards Remus, and sat down on the table. "So," she said, hoping that her nonchalant demeanor would calm her friend's nerves a little. "What did you want to talk to me about that was so urgent?"
To her surprise, however, Remus started to fidget even more than before. What was wrong with him?
In a desperate attempt to get Remus to calm down, Orion grabbed him by his arm, and forced him so site on the bench, where she started to massage his shoulders.
Remus soon calmed down a bit and leaned back in relaxation.
A few minutes later, Orion again asked Remus why he had called her to the library.
This time Remus shifted to see her, he'd have to tell her eventually anyway. Right? Perhaps he should see if he could become invisible…stupid James' Invisibility Cloak for being in the dorm. Oh well, best get on with it.
"Orion," Remus said in a shaky voice, "you remember when I told you that James, Sirius and Peter have known that I was a werewolf since second year?"
The Slytherin nodded slowly, just what was Remus getting at?
"Well…ahh. Apparently they decided to become Animagi in order to keep me company on the full moons…"
Orion suddenly didn't like where this was going. Coupling what Remus had just said with the way he was acting, she knew where this was going.
"Well," Remus continued shakily. "They, ah…never told me about it. They wanted to surprise me -"
Orion definitely knew where this was going now…and she really didn't like it.
"- Well, they came to the Shrieking Shack last night. And they saw the both of us. They've been pestering me all morning about who you are. But I kept telling them that is wasn't my secret to tell…
Can we tell them? I hate keeping things from my friends…especially since they know I am."
Orion looked at the pleading look in the Gryffindor's eyes…damn the puppy dog look…why did Remus have to be so cute anyway?
The Slytherin sighed. "Fine, alright, we'll tell them. I'll go the Astronomy tower after dinner tonight. Take them up after I leave, then we'll tell them."
"Thank you, Orion," Remus said, enveloping her in a crushing hug. "Thank you! Thank you!"
Orion smiled, she loved it when Remus was happy like this.
Orion sat alone at one of the corner tables in the common room doing her Transfiguration homework; although that currently wasn't what was on her mind. What was on her mind was what, exactly; she was going to say tonight when see met with Remus' friends.
The situation made her really uncomfortable, she hardly knew the other Marauders at all, and now they were going to know that she was a werewolf. In fact, the only dealings she'd had so far with Potter, Black and Pettigrew was with them bullying Severus…in which case she'd slapped James and threatened to hex them into next week. As much as she adored Remus…to her, Potter and Black were enemies…but she was willing to become friends with them for Remus' sake. But if they continued treating Severus the way that they did…she wouldn't be responsible for her actions.
Orion looked up when she heard the other chair at the little table slide across the stone floor. She mentally cringed when she saw who'd decided to join her…
Lucius Malfoy.
As much as she liked Dallas, Lucius made her skin crawl. Not to mention that her wolf's instincts would put her en guard any time that he was around, and today was no different.
"Hello, Malfoy," she said in a neutral sort of way. Orion knew that Lucius would understand her tone as "I hate your guts and wish you'd crawl into a hole somewhere. But since you have more authority that I do, I'll be nice".
Lucius smirked a smirk that told her he'd understood her loud and clear.
"So," he said in a low voice. "What have you been up to lately, Kamaria?"
Orion raised an eyebrow at the head boy, what was he up too? Best to play dumb until she knew for sure. "I'm doing my homework, Lucius," she said, gesturing to the books and parchment on the table before her. "No mystery there."
"I see," he said, not even bothering a glance at the book laden table. "That much was obvious…but evidently something's on your mind. You haven't written anything in twenty minutes -"
Orion's eyes widened for a second…why had Lucius been watching her?
"- and you've been staring off into space. Not the actions of someone who is absorbed in their homework."
Here Lucius smirked again…though this time it was a vicious one, one of a predator. "I've been talking to Jaclyn and Melody, and they told me that you didn't sleep in your dorm last night, and that you claimed to have been ill and in the hospital wing…
For someone who was so ill that she had to stay overnight, you seem surprisingly fine to me. A little pale, but other than that just fine."
Orion mentally screamed, why did these things always happened to her? First this morning with her room mates, and now with Malfoy! She felt like ripping out her hair!
"Why do you care?" she asked. As far as she was concerned, this situation couldn't end soon enough.
"Because," Lucius said in a soft voice that would give the impression that he actually did, "as both head boy and an older member of this house it is my responsibility to take care of the students of this school and my fellow Slytherins."
Orion actually snorted at this. "What a load of crap, Malfoy. The first thing you ever said to me was asking me if you could get under my skirt. So why don't you just shove that caring, paternal façade up your ass and go bother someone who cares. Either that, or help me with my Transfiguration homework."
Lucius looked at Orion with the most amused look on his aristocratic face (Orion just couldn't get over how much him and Dallas were alike in the looks department).
"Don't forget too much, do you, Kamaria?" he asked after a while.
"No, I really don't.
So what is it going to be, Lucius? Are you going to sod off, or make yourself useful?"
Lucius raised an eyebrow, took the parchment that Orion had been working on, then started reading it…
"That's wrong," Lucius said, indicating a place on the parchment with his finger. "So it that…that one's wrong too…and so is this one…Gods, Kamaria. Did you even read the textbook?"
"I'll give you the textbook," Orion growled, snatching her homework out of the older student's hands. Then grabbing said textbook, aiming a swing at his head, which he ducked.
Orion sat on the wall, her long legs hanging over the edge. She was currently waiting atop the Astronomy tower for the Marauders, so she and Remus could tell Potter, Black, and Pettigrew that she was the other werewolf.
Her long black hair was dangling around her fingers that were clutching the cold stone of the turrets. She wasn't doing this because she was afraid of falling, if that were the case, Orion wouldn't have been sitting where she was. Nope, her problem was that she didn't really want to be telling three boys that she didn't know (two of which she didn't like at all) her biggest secret. But, as she kept on reminding herself, she was doing it for Remus…she knew he'd do it for her. Defend her, help her in anyway possible. Orion didn't know just how, in one month her and Remus had gotten so close…it must have been the feral bond that they shared.
When Orion thought back to her first day at Hogwarts, during the Sorting, she'd just picked Remus out of the crowd, it was as though he was the only person in the room, she'd felt like she knew him. And Remus had told her that he'd felt a sense of recognition then too, as well as when he'd seen her on the train. The two had done a little research, and discovered that werewolves had an uncanny ability to know each other for what they were the moment they saw each other. But since werewolves were rare, and meetings between two individuals were even rarer, this was a "highly undocumented phenomena". Both her and Remus had gotten a chuckle out of that. So they were "phenomena" were they? Then why did the Wizarding World treat their kind with distrust and animosity?
Orion sighed as a gust of wind whipped her hair around her head, and sent her cloak billowing around her body.
The Slytherin turned as she heard the door to the ancient battlement open, and the sound of male voices break the stillness that had been wrapped around her like a blanket. In the forefront, she heard Remus' voice over those of the others. She wasn't sure if it was because he was talking louder that they were, or whether it was because her ears had attuned themselves to his soft, tenor voice.
"Guys, wait here for a little bit. I'm not sure how she wants this to be done, and this is her secret after all."
Orion had already turned back to her earlier position of looking over the grounds and the still surface of the lake when she heard the door close again, and then solitary footsteps come towards her.
"Orion?" Remus said in a quiet voice.
She turned to face Remus, whose boyish grin immediately turned into a look of concern. Obviously some of the fear and unease she was feeling at the moment had found its way on to her face.
Remus walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her for the second time that day, though this time it was a very different kind of embrace
Orion felt Remus' arms snake around her in a gentle, comforting sort of way, also noticing as he rested his chin on her shoulder. Then he gave her a reassuring squeeze.
"If you're not ready to do this, we can do it another time. If you want me too, I'll go over there and tell them that we won't be telling them tonight."
A solitary tear escaped Orion's eyes as she felt the care and understanding in Remus' soft voice. A sob wracked her frame as she wrapped her arms around Remus' and rested her head against his. She almost started to all out bawl when Remus embraced her even tighter.
After a few minutes, Orion loosened Remus' arms, then swung her legs back over the turrets, and got to her feet. She found that she was no longer afraid of what James, Sirius and Peter could do with the information of her lycanthropy; Orion knew that Remus wouldn't let them use it against her.
"Let's do this," Orion said. And she couldn't help but grin at the elated look that suddenly graced Remus' face. She gasped when he grabbed her face and kissed her on the forehead.
"You ok there, mate? Or should I be taking your temperature?" she laughed, praying to any deity that she wasn't blushing…why was it always the little things with her?
"Ready?" he asked.
Orion nodded. "Ready as I'll ever be."
The two walked over to the door. Remus opened it while Orion leaned against the wall. As much as she was going to do this…she didn't want them to come barging in on her so to speak.
And that's pretty much what they did once Remus opened the door, piled onto the roof. Impatient boys.
"Oi," Sirius said. "Remus! Where are they…there's nobody here?"
"Of course, they couldn't be standing behind you, could they Black?"
The three boys whirled around to look at Orion.
"Kamaria!" James shouted. "You can't be serious?"
Orion chanced a look at Remus, and smirked when she saw the look on his face. The Gryffindor looked like he was about ready to burst out laughing.
"Well, Potter; we are serious. I'm a werewolf. Got bitten this summer, Cackles couldn't keep me, and Dumbledore offered to take me here…"
The five teens sat in the cool night air for a long time, doing little more than talking. Orion had soon grown accustom to the other Marauders, she'd even taken to calling them by their first names.
They'd had a good laugh when James had suddenly burst out, "Holy shit, Orion. You slapped me two weeks ago!!!"
Actually, Orion and Remus had had a good laugh, Sirius and Peter had suddenly gone wide eyed.
James had only calmed down after Remus had given him a good clunk on the head and reminded him that a) a werewolf could only make another werewolf during a full moon; and b) that even if in some miraculous twist James had turned…last night would have been his first full moon. Sirius and Peter had then joined in the laugh as well.
"So," Sirius said after a while. "You want to see our Animagus forms?"
"Sure," Orion said.
James, Sirius and Peter all got to their feet, grins plastering their faces. The Slytherin watched in awe as the three boys before her changed gracefully into a stag, a rat, and the biggest dog Orion had ever seen in her life.
Then she watched again as they changed back into themselves. "Wicked," she said. "I can't believe that you three managed to become Animagi at fifteen. It's amazing really."
"Thanks," James said. "So, we can come to the Shrieking Shack on the full moons, right?"
Remus and Orion exchanged looks, both suddenly remembering this morning.
"Umm," Orion said. "Well, as long as you come after the moon's risen, and leave before dawn-"
"Yeah," Remus said. "Becoming a werewolf isn't the most pleasant thing on the planet, and we'd rather spare you guys the trouble of seeing us change."
"Okay…" James and Sirius said in unison.
"Hey!" Peter said suddenly. "Remus, isn't the reason that you summon robes out of the dorm, because you wake up nude? I remember you telling us…"
Peter stopped at the complete and utter redness that had erupted on the two lycanthrope's faces. Both Remus and Orion were embarrassed beyond belief, and were doing fish interpretations.
"Oh. My. Gods!" James yelled. "Did you two-"
"Wake up naked together this morning?" Sirius finished.
Orion and Remus sat dumbstruck, each second their faces getting redder and redder.
"You know what?" Orion said, suddenly getting to her feet and heading to the tower door. "If I don't get back to my dorm soon, my room mates will wonder where I am. See you later."
"Orion," Remus yelled. "You can't just leave me to deal with this!!!"
"I can, and I am. Besides…they're your friends."
"Orion!!!" Remus bellowed as she closed the door, and sprinted down the stairs. He was going to pay her back for that, and she knew it. But she could deal with Remus…it was the others that she still wasn't sure of.
Well guys, there it is. Another chapter. I really like this one…especially that sweet scene between Remus and Orion near the end.
Well, see you lot next time.
dragonsprincess