Epilogue:

"Here you go Mrs. Lupin," Torie Malaekey said, handing a letter over to the lady, "Shady just brought it."

Mrs. Lupin opened the letter and skimmed it. "Nothing new is going on at Hogwarts," She said, lying back into the bed. She had just gotten into an accident and needed to stay in bed for another week in a half. Of course, Torie jumped at the chance to help her.

"Is he coming home for Christmas?" Torie asked hopefully.

"Yes, he is. And he says he's bringing a friend. James or Sirius, most likely."

"Do you need anything else?" Torie asked.

"I need to get out of this bed, that's what."

"I can't do that for you. What else?"

"Just a glass of water, please."

"Of course." Torie left the elegantly decorated bedroom and headed down the stairs. Mrs. Lupin watched the girl leave, wondering why it didn't work out between Torie and her son, Remus. Ever since Torie had found out about magic (Which, incidently was the day after the couple broke up.), she treated Torie like the daughter she had never had but always wanted.

"Accio parchment. Accio quill." A piece of parchment and a quill flew to her from outside her room. She began writing her reply to Remus.

Dear Remus,

I'm glad that you're doing well. Keep up your schoolwork even with the holiday close by. Who is this friend that you are inviting? If it's Sirius or James, make sure you remind them that I'm unwell and they'll have to clean up their own messes.

I'm doing much better, thank-you. Torie is helping me out an awful lot though. It's nice to have a hand. Currently, I'm restricted to my bed. Healer Yates said that I'm not allowed to move for another ten days. Therefore, I won't be able to pick you up from King's Cross. Can you and your friend make it home on your own, or should I send someone there for you?

Have a good end of term and I don't want to receive anymore owls from Professor McGonagall about you misbehaving. Good luck on full moon, and don't forget to wash behind your ears.

Love,

Mum

She quickly folded it up and put it in an envelope. She tied it onto the owl's leg and it flew out the open window.

Torie came back in the room, and sat by Mrs. Lupin's bed, listening to stories about her old Hogwarts days.

Mum,

I'm bringing my girlfriend, Lindsey Voth, home. Could you please get an extra room done up for her? Maybe Dad can bring Ashley home from work to help him.

Sirius said he's coming here on Boxing Day and will stay over until the 29th. He is looking forward to see your-

The writing changed to the messy scrawl that belonged to Sirius.

Absolutely breathtaking face and beautiful, homey home. Get better soon! Love Sirius

The writing went back to Remus'.

Get better soon, and I don't know why McGonagall keeps sending you letters. I've been acting like the prefect that I am.

Love,

Remus

Torie sat in her bedroom looking out the window at the Lupin's house. She saw Remus apparate to the front of it, a girl right next to him. He held her hand and pointed things out to her.

"You miss him, don't you?" A voice asked from behind her. She spun around and found herself face to face with Sirius Black.

"Yeah," She sighed, "I do. I thought-I thought-"

"You thought you could get together this Christmas. He was moping for a whole month at the beginning of term. Then he met Lindsey while studying with Lily, and they became friends. They started dating about a month and a half ago. Don't try to mess it up though, Flame."

"I won't. I'll just watch from the side."

"If it makes you feel any better, he's not taking her swimming," Sirius said hopefully.

Torie laughed. "Oh, that makes me feel great."

"No, he's not taking her out there. He told me so himself." Sirius cleared his throat and did a bad imitation of Remus' voice. "That's mine and Torie's spot. No one else is going there." He changed his voice back again. "Er-I like your decorations."

"Oh, those are my brother's things."

"You share a room with your brother?"

"Only when he's home from school."

"I see."

"Hey Sirius?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to go downtown for lunch or something?"

"Sure. It's not like I'm doing anything anyway."

"What are you doing for your break?"

"Moving around to different people's homes." He shrugged, "I don't own my flat anymore-too expensive for no one to live there-so I'll be at the Potter's, the Lupin's, the Evans', and wherever else I feel like. I might stay at the Leaky Cauldron for a bit."

"Do you want to stay here? For a couple days, anyway?"

"Sure. If that's okay with your mother and everything."

"She won't care. She'll love to have a son around. Jared's not coming home this year. You can stay in here. But, for now, let's get something to eat, I'm starving."

Torie and Sirius were sitting on the patio of a small restaurant in the heart of Big Whinging. "Hey handsome, do I know you?" A girl asked them, "And why is someone like you sitting with her?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow, while Torie said, "Lila, what do you want?"

"Lila? Isn't that your friend that saw us last summer in London?" Sirius asked her quietly.

"Yeah, though we're not friends anymore," Torie said.

"I can show you the way to go," Lila said seductively, "A real girl, that is. Not riff raff like that."

"Are you hitting on me?" Sirius asked her pompously, "Look, guys with faces like mine don't talk to girls with asses like yours." Lila stared at him, dumb-struck. Then, she flipped her hair behind her and walked away in a huff. Torie and Sirius burst out laughing. "What's wrong with her anyway? Are you guys not friends anymore?"

Torie's laughter took an abrupt stop, and she said, "After everyone found out I stood up for Remus and was dating him, they turned their backs on me, Lila in the lead. Now, I pretty well have no friends, but I help out a lot at kid's day cares and elderly homes. And, Mrs. Lupin is always fun to talk to."

Sirius looked at her sadly. "That's a shame, Flame. You are such a wonderful person and the nicest."

"But, nice isn't cool. Nice is what threw me off the boat." She took a sip of her milkshake. "Sometimes, I wish that I had never met him, you know. He never moved here."

"But then, you wouldn't have met me!" Sirius cried, "And what a shame that would have been!"

Torie laughed and rolled her eyes. "I'm sure our paths would have crossed once or twice." Sirius laughed along with her.

"Thanks for letting me stay with you Mrs. Malaekey, Julie," Sirius said politely.

"It was a pleasure to have you, Sirius," Mrs. Malaekey said, "You can come anytime you want."

"I'll make sure you to take you up on that offer," He said, grinning, "I'll be at the Lupin's right after Christmas, and I'll stop in, don't worry."

Torie walked to the door. "We have to go to the station," She muttered to him, "Neither of them know about magic."

"Okay, that's fine by me."

They took the short walk to the train station, and stood behind it. "Thanks for keeping me company, Sirius, it was good to see you."

"The pleasure was all mine, Flame." He leant down and kissed her cheek. "Don't let those snobs get you down. Just hold your head up high and smile your beautiful smile, and you'll do fine." She smiled and nodded. "And don't let Moony get you down either. Just ignore him."

"Okay, I will. Bye-Padfoot."

"See you Flame."

He disapparated with a small pop. She leaned against the wall of the train station and let her tears fall, once again.

As all Christmases do, this one came and went. The only thing remotely interesting was Sirius' second visit to the Malaekey household, complaining about what a suck-up to Mrs. Lupin Lindsey was acting like. This made Torie happy.

When Torie went over to visit Mrs. Lupin, she was pleased to walk in on Mrs. Lupin making tea and muttering about how much better of a daughter-in-law Torie would have been. "At least she can work. This one was worried about breaking a nail. What is my son doing with her?"

It wasn't until April when Torie finally received a letter from Remus-the only type of contact that she had from him since their break-up.

Dear Torie,

Hey, this is Remus. I was writing to apologize for my actions at the end of the summer. I acted irrationally. I heard from a mangy mutt that you saw me with Lindsey. If it makes you feel any better, we broke up. She's too much of a girly girl, like those other friends of yours-Lila, George, and Jaime, I think.

But, I hope there aren't any hard feelings between us. I know I acted like a jerk and an idiot…maybe there are only the two different groups that you told me about, you think? Anyway, I hope that when I come back after school that we can get together as friends and hang out. Sirius told me that you aren't having the best social status ever, and I want to apologize for that.

Please, if you've even read this far, write back to me. Shady (The owl.) will be glad to be our middle man (Or bird?) for our correspondence. I just want to make sure that you know that I'm extremely sorry for every bit of negative feelings I've caused for you.

Love from,
Remus

Torie did reply to the letter, and throughout the rest of the year, they sent letters back and forth to each other, as friends.

Remus,

I'd love to come to your graduation; although I'd need your mother to help me get there. Not much has been happening here-except for our grad. Of course, that won't be any fun. It's after you come home from school (I'm assuming you leave Hogwarts the day after your grad) and I hope you can come, maybe brighten it up for me.

My mum isn't doing well though. The cancer has come back, and she's currently in the hospital in London. Auntie Kathy is there with her, and Jared is taking care of me and Jules. I think Auntie Kathy could use a few laughs, compliments of the Marauders, as she looks terrible. She has been ever since Grandma and Granddad died. If Mum dies too, I don't know what she'll do.

Missing you as always,

Love from,

Torie-aka Flame

Remus came home with Torie and lived with his mother, waiting for her graduation. "The others, Lily, James, and Sirius, are coming too," He told her, "James and Sirius say that they're here to raise your morale, but Lily and I don't think that's true. She promised me that she'd keep them in line though. And, I've had to remind them constantly to not use magic."

"When will they get here?"

"I don't know-most likely right before the ceremony. The guys will be running late."

Torie laughed.

She was waiting in line between Lila and Tim Lonesta when she saw her three magical friends enter. Lily and James waved to her with the hand that wasn't holding the other's, then went to make sure the three of them had spots to sit with Remus, while Sirius headed over to her. "Bet 'cha didn't think we'd show, eh Flame?"

"I knew you'd come. Plus Remus told me that you'd be running late. But, what took so long, Padfoot?"

"I had to get looking beautiful to dance with such a lovely fire." Torie laughed and rolled her eyes. "Anyway, good luck out there-try to do what I did."

She grinned as she remembered Sirius setting off a pile of sparks when he was at the front of the school. "I'm not quite sure I can do that."

"Do you want fireworks then?"

She looked thoughtful, then said, "As long as you say that it's compliments of the Marauders."

"We always sign our names on our pranks."

"And-" She leaned in and whispered in his ear, "Do something to Lila. She deserves something for being the queen witch here."

"No, that's Lily," Sirius said, grinning, "But I'll see what I can do." He gave her a quick hug and said, "Go light them on fire, Flame."

"I will." She grinned and watched as he marched through the crowd to sit with the others.

Torie sat in a hard chair, holding onto Remus for her life. Both of them had tears rolling down their faces. "I can't believe that they're gone," She whispered, "Gone forever."

"I can't believe that Sirius betrayed them," Remus said angrily.

"He didn't!" Torie shrieked, pulling away from him. People nearby stared at her.

"Yes he did, Torie! And you know it!"

"He didn't!"

"Where's your proof?" Torie was silently contemplating what she should do. She had promised Sirius she wouldn't tell anyone-especially Remus-about the switch. He himself, wasn't allowed to, but it tumbled out one day. "That's what I thought," He growled, "You just don't want to blame your precious Black. The one who called you Flame. Just get out of my sight Torie. I don't want to see you ever again."

Torie stared at him, then dashed away, crying.

Fifteen years later, Remus sat at an over-scrubbed, yet still dirty, table, his hands shaking as he held an envelope. He recognized the writing on the front of the envelope from a distant memory, and was terrified to open it up. He was just amazed that it was addressed to 'Padfoot'.

Gathering up all his courage, he ripped the envelope and pulled out the letter.

July, 1996

Padfoot,

I hope that your mum and her pet/servant isn't getting you down too bad. Don't worry, your time for action will come out soon.

During the next Bird-Watcher's meeting, make sure you tell the old man that the 'situation here is good'. He'll know what I'm talking about, yet again.

Katie is calling me to help her with her History of Magic homework. I remember Remus telling me about how boring Binns was. I thought he was exaggerating. But, Katie has the same story, so I guess it's true.

Love from,

Flame

Closing his eyes and willing to erase every memory of her away, Remus gulped. He opened his eyes and he still had the memories, and the letters.

Making a decision, he apparated away, with only Torie in his mind. When he landed, he was standing right in front of her. He took a deep breath, and told her all about Sirius' recent fall.

She cried into his chest, yet again.