Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is just a filler. I'm actually working out the rest of the story, which means lots of notes, research and bouncing ideas off my friends. I will tell you this, I did put in some hints of what's to come so read carefully. ;-)

First Times, Second Chances

Chapter Eleven: Sushi with a Werewolf

"But," said Harry, "just say - just say Dumbledore's wrong about Snape-"

(Lupin speaking) "People have said it, many times. It comes down to whether or not you trust Dumbledore's judgment. I do; therefore, I trust Severus."

-Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Chapter 16

Molly Weasley had been kind enough to provide some clothes for Meri the morning following the reunion bash. Meri hadn't even put any thought to where she would live now or the basic fact she was starting from scratch. The only difference this time was she had no one to help her. True, Arthur and Molly had opened their home till she organized things but when she had found herself in the other dimension, there was James, Remus, Sirius and Peter to take her in. James and Sirius were dead here, Peter was a traitor and Remus had his own family to look after now.

She had spent the morning verifying her existence with the Ministry of Magic (and stopped off for a quick check in at the Auror floor) as well as Gringotts Bank. Goblins were nasty little creatures. It took her over three hours to verify her identity before they unlocked her vault. When her parents died, they split the estate between her and James. She didn't have to work another day in her life but it just didn't feel right to not work. Now, she was thankful she had horded that gold and took out enough for a house in Godric's Hollow, some furniture, clothes and of course, lunch with her, Harry and Remus since last night had been a full moon.

Tonks was suppose to come with them but she met the pink haired Auror on her trip to the Ministry and found lively witch was bogged down with cases and couldn't get away. Meri told her she understood and asked if she wanted to reschedule. Tonks waved her off and told her to go enjoy herself and catch up with Remus. Meri left having a sneaking suspicion she was being set up for something. No sooner had she reached the Japanese restaurant in downtown London when her cell phone rang.

Still under the influence of learning to make do without magic, she had insisted she and Harry have cell phones to keep in contact. She highly doubted Voldemort and the Death Eaters were tracing cellular calls at the moment. Sure enough, when she answered it was her nephew, backing out of lunch because of something he, Ron and Hermione had to do. When she asked him if he had spoken to Tonks there just too long of a pause before he denied it. She had just warned him that she could read minds and to watch himself before she hung up and there was Remus standing in front of her.

He had aged more gracefully than his counterpart and it brought tears to her eyes to see the warmth in his blue eyes again. He was much grayer than she expected and he had that pale pallor that always came after a full moon but even that couldn't hide his happiness and excitement over the meeting. He didn't say anything, no greeting whatsoever, he just opened his arms and she fell into a familiar place after so many years of not having one.

It was overwhelming, more so than she expected. Everything was painfully well-known: the feel of his arms around her, his scent, even his frame hadn't changed at all. Just as she was beginning to relish the feeling of coming home, truly coming home this time, the voice in the back of her head kept whispering, he's no longer yours. But she refused to let tears of disappointment replace her ones of happiness. She pulled out of the hug reluctantly and wiped her eyes.

"I feel like I've done nothing but cry since I got here," she laughed.

"Well, sixteen years is a very long time to be away from friends. You're not the only one crying."

And it was true. Even though he wasn't technically crying, Meri could see his eyes were welled up with tears that hadn't yet fallen. It made her feel better about the emotions she was releasing. She had tried to hide her feelings once and the memory of the outcome of that time was still painful to remember. So she shoved it out of her mind and smiled. "I bet you're really hungry after last night."

They entered the restaurant and she found it to not have changed since the last time she had eaten here with Remus. For some reason, after a transformation there were times when Remus would want raw meat. James had stated it was just downright disturbing watching their friend tear into a raw steak so they opted for raw fish instead. It seemed to satisfy the wolf for the time being so the day after a full moon always because "sushi day" for the whole group.

"I'm surprised you even remember this place," he said as they were seated in a booth towards the back of the restaurant.

"This used to be a our local hang out...how could I forget."

"Where's Harry?"

"About that," Meri opened her menu with a forced angry snap, "I believe we've been had."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw Tonks this morning over at the Ministry and she told me she was too bogged down to come."

He nodded. "She told me this morning that might be a possibility."

"Then my dear nephew calls me right as I got here backing out as well."

"Coincidence?"

"I think not," Meri said seriously before they both starting laughing. It was an old joke that whenever a prank was pulled for whatever reason one of them, James usually would start with the "Coincidence?" and Sirius would finish it with "I think not." As quickly as the laughter came, it dissipated as the words hung between them representing all that had been lost. But it only last for the moment before Meri started asking questions about what she had missed.

He knew her well enough to know what details would be important to her: what happened to Peter and Sirius, where were the Chudley Cannons in the Quidditch standings, how was the Ministry handling the renewed threat of Voldemort and how was Hogwarts holding up. Those conversations took up most of the time of the meal. It wasn't until they were finishing off the tea that Meri brought up something that had been on her mind. She wasn't sure who else to talk to about her surprise visit from Snape last night and not be quick to judge the event.

"Moony, I have a question for you."

He took a sip of his tea and raised his eyebrows. "Shoot."

"Everyone that I've spoken to has told me that Severus is the one who killed Dumbledore. Is it true?"

He sat back in the booth and stayed quiet for a long time before responding. "It is."

"He stopped by the Burrow last night and spoke with me."

"Dumbledore?"

"No, Severus."

Shock spread across Remus face. "Really? What did he say?"

"Well, after being his typically charming self, he told me some interesting things. But before I reveal any of them, I want your honest opinion of him. Who's side do you think he's on?"

Remus scratched the back of his neck. "I used to trust Dumbledore whole heartedly when he claimed Severus was on our side, that he had truly repented. But now, after he was the one that killed Dumbledore, I don't really know what to think."

"Do you think there could be a believable reason for his actions?"

"For killing Dumbledore?" Remus let out a humorless laugh. "Not unless Dumbledore himself told Severus to do it, I don't see…" And realization dawned on Remus' face. "That's why he told you he did it? Because Dumbledore asked him to kill him?"

Meri shrugged. "That was his main explanation. That Dumbledore was dying of a curse and Voldemort had set Draco up to fail in an assassination attempt to punish Lucius and Dumbledore didn't want blood on the boy's hands."

Remus stared ahead with a thoughtful look on his face and Meri took that time process everything all over again. When Remus spoke, it wasn't what she expected to hear.

"Why are you asking me my opinion of Severus?"

"Because you always gave him the benefit of the doubt. You picked out the good you saw in him, no matter how little it was."

"And you didn't? I remember many arguments you had with Sirius over Severus and the time you spent him."

Meri fiddled with the sugar packets in front of her. "I'm coming from a time where Severus Snape killed, maimed and poisoned anyone that got between him and Voldemort's side. You think this time's Severus is a nasty piece of work, let me tell you, the one I've been dealing with for these last sixteen years makes this one look like the Easter Bunny."

Remus smiled slightly. "So, why does my opinion count so much? You're the legilimens."

Meri rubbed her forehead. "He wouldn't let me in his mind. He had me completely blocked out and I don't know why."

"I have a question for you."

Meri nodded.

"Rumor was that Dumbledore had you look into his mind when he made his remorseful recant from the Death Eaters. Is that true?"

"Yes."

"Was it genuine?"

"At the time, I believed it to be."

"And the only thing that you has doubted what you saw is the fact that Dumbledore was killed by Snape's hand?"

"Yes."

Remus leaned back against the booth, weariness starting to show in his face. "I don't suppose you can tell me what it was that caused his change of heart?"

Meri thought about revealing it but she remembered Dumbledore insisting that she keep her silence on the matter. Did it really hold true now that Dumbledore was dead? Dumbledore may be dead, but Severus certainly wasn't. "No, I'm afraid I can't."

Remus leaned his head on his hand and smiled. "No wonder he sought you out last night. You were his most faithful friend, despite everything that happened. I think that was what I admired most in you…your unwavering loyalty."

Meri nodded and returned the smile. She may have been Severus most faithful friend back then but she knew she was just a fill in for who he really wanted.

After Remus left the restaurant, Meri got herself acclimated with London once again. Most things were the same from the other time but some things such as shops and the conditions of some neighborhoods were different. It wasn't long until she found herself strolling down a familiar street not realizing she had even been in the area. And yet here she stood in the middle of the unkempt square of Grimmauld Place.

It still held it's unfriendly air with it's run down buildings and rubbish strewn streets. It never ceased to amaze her that this was where Sirius had grown up. Granted she had only ever come here twice but it was enough to leave a lasting impression on her. If she remembered correctly, all she had to do was stand there and think of the address, 12 Grimmauld Place, London, and the house should appear. Why she wanted to go in there she didn't know but she ended up in front of the house for a reason.

True to her memory, the house squeezed itself between numbers 11 and 13 and she quickly headed up the steps and pushed the door open gently. For all she knew, someone still resided in the house though Remus had made no mention of it during their conversation about Sirius. Inside, it looked the same as she remembered it only with three inches of dust everywhere. She looked down at the floorboards and thought she saw footprints in the dust but before she could confirm that, there was a loud bang from up the stairs. Pulling out her wand, she noiselessly crept up the stairs to the second floor. Poking her head into all the rooms there, she found no one. Another noise came from overhead and Meri strained to hear it but couldn't quite make it out. If it wasn't for the fact that the house looked like it hadn't been lived in for months she would have turned around and gone back to the Burrow, but curiosity had gotten the better of her.

She climbed the stairs to the third floor and passed by Regulus' room which still had the plaque, though now tarnished, hanging on the door. But the sound didn't come from there either. As she approached Sirius' old bedroom she could distinguish the sound now…someone was crying. Her immediate thought was that it was Harry, come back to his godfather's house, awash with new grief now after having spent some time with him in the alternate time. Believing this was the case, she lowered her wand and opened the door.

"Hey, are you alri-" Meri stopped dead in her tracks at the scene before her. It wasn't Harry that was kneeling on the floor in front of her. It wasn't Harry who had been crying over a bit of parchment and a picture.

It was Severus Snape.