Hey! So thanks to JG-MoonShine-Kira and Rylee87 for reviewing! It makes me so happy to know people are excited for my story:) Here's the next chapter for you guys!

The weeks went by normally after that. Well, as normally as they could. The Quidditch teams were practicing, classes were being taught, and students were making fusses, most notably Malfoy in the whole 'Buckbeak Fiasco.' Leona was starting to be weaned from her mother's side like she had to be every year, and now she spent her time happily with her friends. Defense Against the Dark Arts was quickly becoming the most loved class, which made Erin happy. Her friend really was a great teacher. The first field trip to Hogsmead came around, and Erin politely declined going. She was one of the teachers who stayed.

She was walking along the corridor when she noticed two very red-haired twins setting something up down one of the restricted passageways. She rolled her eyes and padded towards them, tapping them on their shoulders. They twirled around, eyes wide.

"Woah, we didn't even hear you coming!" Cried Fred.

"Wicked." Murmured George.

Erin sighed, hands on her hips. "What are you two...No way..."

She spotted a particularly familiar piece of parchment in George's hand, and grabbed for it. "Is this what I think it is?" The twins shared a rather triumphant look-they had closed it, and she wouldn't be able to open it.

"It is!" She was grinning now, though, which made them slightly nervous. She looked up at them. "This is how you do it, huh? Get all over the place. I never thought I'd see it again." The twins now shared worried looks. She pulled out her wand, tapped the parchment and whispered, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The twins looked as if they were going to fall over with surprise. The map opened and she grinned. "Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present The Marauders Map!" She snickered. "Those gits left out Gingerbread. I'll always be mad about that." The twins had absolutely no idea what was happening, though they were very apprehensive. Once Professor Motterly told their mum about this..."I should confiscate this, you know..." She gave them quite a hard stare, which fell away into a knowing smile. "But, the pranks you two pull are always quite funny. Plus, they remind me of some old friends, SO..." She grinned. "Here you go." Their eyes lit up. "Just be careful with it, and don't let Snape get it, and don't tell anyone I gave it back, understood?"

They nodded quickly. "Thanks Professor!" They chimed together. "We wont forget this!"

"Yeah, yeah." She smiled. "Just don't ever prank me, or Molly will hear about this." The two exchanged glances, nodded to Erin, and bolted to the common room. Erin rolled her eyes again. "Happy Halloween!" She called out to them.

Erin was on her way to the feast, and she was late, having stopped by her room to change into her 'Halloween Robes.' She was just turning down a rather unused corridor when she heard a loud bang behind her. She frowned, thinking she had also heard footsteps of some kind. "Hello?" She called. No answer. "Fred and George, is that you?" She softly padded towards the noise, wand out, hand shaking slightly. "Remus?" she said, softer. She passed into a darker corridor, looking around for anyone. A wisp of sound came from behind and Erin twirled about, brandishing her wand at the thin air. She let out a breath, pressing a hand to her forehead. "Erin Motterly, you chicken." She started walking away, back down the way she had come, heading for the feast. As she did, bright, glowing eyes appeared behind her, getting higher and softer as if they were changing. A hand appeared out of the dark, reaching for her. Erin frowned, turning around suddenly. Nothing greeted her, except a wall of shadows. She narrowed her eyes, peering at it. "Am I going crazy?" She asked herself.

"MREEEEEOOOWW!" A blur of ginger shot towards her, and Erin shrieked, dropping her wand. She fell backwards, onto the ground. She regained her senses, glaring at the cat which was now licking it's paws casually.

"Crookshanks, you devil of a cat! What it Merlin's freaking beard was that for?" The cat just gave her a bored look. She stood up and grabbed her wand, fixing the cat with an accusatory glare. "You know, I should take points away from Gryfindor for this, but that wouldn't be quite fair, would it?" She shook her head, hands on her hips. "I suppose you're looking for that bloody rat again, weren't you? Well, try not to give anyone else a heart attack while you're doing it, you big ginger furball."

"Are you in need of assistance?" Said a monotone drawl to her right. "I heard a scream, Miss Motterly." Erin looked up at Snape, blushing at him seeing her scolding a cat.

"Um...um, no, Severus. I'm fine, thanks. I just was taken by surprise."

He raised an eyebrow, turned on his heel, and stalked away. With one last glance at the darkness, Erin strode off towards the feast, unaware of the sad eyes following her departure, and unaware of how close she had come to her dreams.

It was late when she heard the news. Sirius Black had been inside Hogwarts, and he had attacked the painted lady. Everyone said he slashed it with knives, but she knew better. It was with claws. So close to her had been her lover, but he had clearly had malicious intent. Leona had found her, shaken, but still determined to be in the know, asking her mother all sorts of questions. Erin just told her daughter that the teachers were searching for Sirius Black and that everything would be fine, sending her off to look after Ginny. All night she had searched the castle for him, her attempts more motivated than any other. Remus had insisted to go everywhere with her, but even with their combined forces they didn't catch head or tail of Sirius. Sir Cadogan replaced the Lady as the common room keeper and the days tried to go on as normal.

The next night Erin tried to get some sleep, but it was not at all comforting.

Light danced off of the small gold ball as the two Seekers streaked after it. James Potter spared a glance at his friend, flying beside him, eyes locked on her target and flaming hair flapping behind. Erin felt his eyes on her. "Don't you dare go easy on me, Potter."

He grinned. "Wasn't planning on it." He shot ahead, and Erin scowled, pulling more out of herself than she could ever remember to catch up. "Nice job, Erin!" He called. She grinned back at her friend, but frowned as his face contorted with fear. "WATCH OUT!" He pulled up, as did Erin, but she was too late.

A bludger crashed into her chest, forcing the air out of her and knocking her off her broomstick. She could barely feel the fall for the pain in her side. Her limp form thudded to the ground.

James was the first one there, rolling her over with wide eyes, seeing the blood trickling out of her mouth. Her whole side was bloody. "HELP!" He screamed. "I NEED HELP!" Lupin and Sirius were next, followed by a panting and frightened Peter. Sirius and Remus helped James pick her up.

"James! James! We need to get her to a healer quick. Get her on the broom. We'll fly her there!" James nodded, and they sandwiched her on the broom, Sirius behind her. They shot off before the ref could get there.

"What's going on!"

"They're taking her to the healer." Supplied Peter with a squeak.

"She didn't look to good." Murmured Remus.

The ref stopped the game.

It was a long time later that Erin woke up, her hand in something bushy and soft. She blinked, looking down to see it in Sirius's hair. She smiled, also seeing a sleeping James by her side. Though in pain, and though having the Healer quietly tell her that she wasn't to play Quidditch again, Erin was content. She had her friends beside her. Her arrogant, lazy wonderful friends.

Erin found herself sub-consciously rubbing her side, where her scar was. She decided to get up early, decking out in Hufflepuff colors for the Quidditch game. She was one of the teachers who was assigned to stay behind, but she didn't much mind, and dressed for the occasion anyway. She sorted through paperwork in her office while she worried about Lupin. Tonight was the night after all. She had pondered staying with him, but Remus had been quite adamant that she didn't need to. He insisted he would just sleep the whole time anyway.

She glanced at the window at the stormy weather, remembering some games she had played that had been just as bad. It had never been fun to look for the snitch in that weather.

It turned out though, that Harry had the same propensity for getting injured that his father had. He had just barely been saved from a terrible fall by Dumbledore, and Erin had taken a trip down to the infirmary while he was sleeping to see if he was okay. Maybe it was just a habit, because she remembered all those times she had fretted over her friend James in the infirmary. After a long day of worrying and shaking her head at the state of Harry, she took a walk down by Hagrid's hut. She liked the gamekeeper. He was kind and steadfast, and always willing to listen. He was one of the only teachers she could talk to Sirius about.

They were currently laughing over a terrible joke they had once pulled on Professor Snape, both thinking it hilarious but feeling terrible about it at the same time.

"The look on his face!" Erin snorted. "It was hilarious! I felt so bad and I gave the boys a long scolding afterwards, but it was so funny!"

Hagrid was having trouble staying in his chair. "Yer always had a way with em, didn't yer? Keep em in place more than once I reckon?"

Erin nodded, smiling fondly at the memories. She had disapproved of their shenanigans, though finding them hilarious. They had even convinced her to take part once.

She departed from the Hut feeling a little better, falling asleep after the worrisome day, this time, with no dreams at all.

One day, Erin was dragged off to Hogsmede by Leona.

Erin trailed behind her daughter, who was pulling her by the hand through Hogsmede. "Really, dear, what's this about?"

Leona sighed. "Just, not here, okay? Just wait a second."

Erin rolled her eyes at her daughter's antics, something that reminded her of Sirius. There were two kinds of people, those who whispered, and those who dragged their conversation to secret areas.

After a while walking through Hogsmede like this, Erin giving awkward smiles at all the strange stares they got, Leona had led them to a quiet snowy clearing outside of town. Letting go of her mother's hand, the girl turned and stared at her, crossing her arms.

Erin crossed her arms too, amused. "Do you mind telling me what this is, dear?"

Leona bit her lip and fidgeted. Poking at some snow on the ground, she sighed. Looking at her mother after a moment of roaming eyes, she seemed to make up her mind to talk. "I know who my dad is."

Erin's smile completely froze. Her body froze. Her eyes were panicked. How could she know? What had Erin done to let it slip that Sirius Black was her father?

Leona spotted her mother's deer in the headlights look and rushed to remedy the situation. "No, no, I'm completely okay with it!"

Erin blinked, confused. "You-you are?"

Leona smiled, nodding quickly. "Totally! I just don't know why you didn't tell me sooner."

Erin was rushing for something to say, or something to make sense of this. "Um, really? You don't know?"

Leona rolled her eyes, but smiled hugely. "Oh, well...I know..." She laughed. "But that's fine, you know, I just wanted you to tell me."

The mother closed her eyes, rubbed her temples, and took a deep breath. Either her daughter was completely insane, completely okay with having a so called murderer as her father, or thinking of something completely different. Opening her eyes, Erin was determined to find out which it was. "O-Okay. Just fill me in on how you found out."

Leona grinned, happy to show her genius. "It's obvious! I just had to look around, watch other people's reactions. I mean, you were a big clue, and so was Snape."

Erin frowned. "Snape?" A billion horrible things started erupting into her head. "Who exactly do you think is your father?"

Leona laughed. "No, not Snape, gees! I know about him and Lupin."

Erin was back in panic. Did she know about the werewolf thing too? "Y-You do?"

Leona sighed, waving her arms impatiently. "Yes. Mom, I know everything! I know you and Lupin had a thing, and he's my father, but you didn't want to say anything because him and Snape were together, and that's why Snape hates me so much now, and hates you, and Lupin, because you pulled them apart and I'm your guys' kid. It all makes so much sense!"

Erin literally could not move a muscle. Leona just looked so proud.

The black-haired girl was still smiling. "It's brilliant! And I don't blame you, I mean..." Leona frowned as her mother started crying. "Mom? Mom!" She hurried to her mother rubbing her back. "Mom, it's fine, really, it is!" Erin started sinking to the ground, with Leona trying to comfort her. That is, until Leona figured out that her mom wasn't crying, but laughing. "W-What's so funny?"

Erin gasped for breath, but just couldn't physically stop herself from laughing. She waved at her daughter, collapsing in a fit of giggles. Her daughter stood above her, confused. Eventually, a thin gasp of "Oh god, oh god..." could be hear repeating out of Erin's lips.

"What!" Leona grumbled. "What's 'oh god'? Why are you laughing?!"

With tremendous effort, Erin pulled herself up, grinning from ear to ear. "Oh, my darling! Remus and I didn't have 'a thing'! He's a very good friend from my past, who happened to know your father. And Snape hates Remus's guts for other reasons, pranks that used to be pulled." The woman wiped her eyes. "God, them together. Now that was a vision."

Leona looked lost. "B-But, no, that doesn't make sense." She looked up at her mother. "You were spending so much time together."

Erin's smile faded, and she looked down at her only child. She looked into her eyes, studied her face, and realized slowly that it wasn't Sirius standing in front of her. She always compared Sirius to Leona, so much that she constantly forgot that Leona was her own person. The hope that had been in her daughter's eyes faded away, and Erin saw the hurt take its place. Leona had been hoping that she had found her father, that she had a father, and now that hope had been crushed.

Erin sighed, placing her arms on her daughter's shoulders. "Sweetie, I spend so much time with Remus because he was friends with your father like I was. He's the only one here who understands how hard it is for me, the circumstances we are in are the same." Erin tried to smile. "Leona, we talk, talk about your father, talk about old times, and it helps me. He and I are just very good friends."

Leona nodded mutely, and Erin hugged her. "You know, I like this theory about Remus and Severus...maybe I could let it slip in the staff room..."

Leona pulled away, startled and smiling. "Mom! You wouldn't!"

Erin laughed and ruffled her daughter's hair like she hated. "No, I wouldn't. But the look on Snape's face would be priceless."

Leona fixed her hair and giggled. "Yeah, it'd be pretty funny."

Erin smiled, glad the crisis had been averted. She held out her hand for her daughter to take, and she did. They started walking away, back to Hogsmede. "Leo?"

"Yeah, mom?"

Erin looked at her daughter softly. "One day, when I know you're ready, I will tell you about your father. Who he is. What he meant to me. Everything."

Leona looked at her mother. "Promise?"

Erin nodded. "Super promise."

Leona grinned, then remembered she was twelve. "Super promise? That sounds stupid."

Erin rolled her eyes. "Butterbeer?"

Leona's eyes glowed. "Yes, please!"

The two ladies headed to the Three Broomsticks.

Ta Da! I'll try to post again soon:)