Author's note: okay this chapter was more focused on Adhara and Sirius. We'll dive in more with Remus and the other on the next chapter. Promise. And for Anon, thanks for the comments! I'll try to write about his insecurities and his feelings of his lycanthropy.
and till the end you're my very best friend
"How did you pass this class in the last few years?" Professor Blackwood asked. Adhara knew that the woman was not looking for a reply so she stayed quiet. Her eyes trained on her wand. Her Defense Against Dark Arts Professor was pretty intimidating for such a beautiful woman. Her appearance was regal. With her high cheekbones, slender, tall figure, and white blonde hair. If the Pureblooded girl didn't know any better, she would have thought her teacher had Veela blood in her.
Blackwood stepped toward the young girl. Her stare never wavering. "Took you six tries to finally get rid of a boggart of all things," she said. Adhara didn't need her teacher spouting out her flaws and short-comings. Adhara loathed this woman and it takes a lot for her to feel that way about someone.
Professor Blackwood held out her hand. "May I see your wand?" it sounded more like a request than her asking. Adhara didn't dare deny the woman.
"Exquisite," she said as she observed the wand. "What kind is it?"
"Willow*, ma'am," Adhara answered. She is proud of her wand. It was beautiful and slender. A dark maroon-brown wand that was smooth to the touch.
"Ah," the woman looked disappointed. "Such a beautiful and powerful wand. Known for their healing power and advanced non-verbal magic." Blackwood's icy blue eyes glanced at the Hufflepuff. "Meant for those with the greatest potential to be great. And the core?"
"Unicorn," she said. "Eleven inches."
"Of course," Professor Blackwood sneered. "Next time doesn't have a man save you," she scolded her as she handed back the wand to Adhara. "See you next time."
Whoa, Remus works fast, Adhara thought as she noticed Sirius as soon as she left Blackwood's office. He was leaned against the wall next to the door. She nearly cast whatever disarming spell she could think of when she saw the shadow.
"Nearly scared the hairs off me," she shrieked at her brother. She grabbed hold to her chest trying to calm her heart down.
"That would have been a sight," he rolled his eyes at his sister's dramatics. "Stop exaggerating."
"Then stop sneaking," Adhara shot back at Sirius. "Now, not that I hate seeing your smug face but what do I owe the pleasure of you waiting for me?' she asked as they continued walking down the halls. Adhara knew that she had to play this cool. She decided to play stupid. But then again he saw right through her act.
"Come off it," he hip-checked her. "You know why I'm here. Hell, you sent Remus after me. Sneaky move, sis, sneaky move."
"Well?" she didn't bother stringing this along anymore. She was impatient and ready to explode with questions of what happened earlier in class.
"Just wait, okay?" he asked her. He didn't want to start addressing his feelings out in the open in the hall for everyone to hear. The last thing he needs is his reputation to plummet because he has dependency issues on his sister.
Adhara let him lead her to the Portrait Entrance of the Gryffindor common room. They didn't say a word until they were safe inside his room.
She was shocked to see the room was empty. Sirius must of read her mind since he said, "Remus is keeping James and Peter busy. So we got about ten minutes to ourselves."
"Okay then." Adhara thought the best thing for her to do is get him a bit of space when he is about to open up. She thought that Remus wouldn't mind if she sat on his bed that was next to Sirius'. Sirius sat on his bed.
"I don't even know how I'm supposed to start," he began.
"You have ten minutes," she reminded him.
It was about ten seconds before he blurted out, "I'm not scared of you."
Adhara couldn't help but laugh.
"I bloody hope not," Adhara said. "If anything I should be scared of you. You're frightening when you're mad and you're amazing at hexes."
"It's not like I would use it at you," he rolled his eyes. Adhara should know better to think that he would start hexing his sister. Well, he would if she hexed him first but only if they are both teasing. "Not without good reason," he adds.
Awkward silence continued afterward. Sirius was the one person besides Thomas who she thought she would never have trouble speaking to. Her twin. The boy she shared a womb with for merlin's sake!
Adhara thought it would be best to start with a different topic. Not a lighter topic but one that hasn't been dealt with properly.
"I'm sorry about jinxing you in the broom closet yesterday," she said. Sirius lifted his head. A confused expression he wore that made her smile. "Did you forget that we are in a row? It's only been one day. Well, two since you didn't apologize properly."
Sirius sighed. "Remus seemed to think there is a connection of our previous row and my boggart."
"I recall that our fight was about how cruddy I am in DADAs," Adhara reminded him.
"And you fancying Prewitt," Sirius didn't do much on trying to hide his dislike for the redhead.
"I thought it was about your hatred of Fabian," Adhara corrects him.
Well, that was something. She didn't deny fancying Fabian. If anything, she reacted just like he expected her too. Cheeks flushed pink and avoiding eye contact. Ugh, he liked it when other girls react that way to him but when his sister does it to some flirt, it bugs Sirius.
"And why the bloody hell do you have so many blokes as mates?" Sirius asked out of nowhere. He watched as she gaped like a fish trying to figure out what to say back.
"W-where is this coming from?" she chucked one of Remus' pillows at her brother which he easily dodged.
"I'm telling you the reasons behind my boggart according to my—no—our friend, Remus," Sirius said. "I ask again, why do you have so many blokes as mates? Not that I mind the Saint Remus Lupin being your mate but still."
"I don't know," she groaned. "It just sorta happened. Now tell me what our dear friend, Remus said about your boggart."
Sirius hesitated before answering. "He thinks that I don't like sharing you." He gave her some time to think.
"You were never good at sharing," she said after a beat. "So that's the problem? You love me too much?" she asked. If it wasn't for her sincere tone, Sirius would have thought she was teasing.
Sirius shrugged. "Maybe," he mumbled.
"Doesn't explain the boggart?"
Sirius couldn't sit still. He started to the pace the messy room. Walking on top of dirty clothes, robes, and boxers that laid across the floor. Adhara hated it when Sirius was nervous. It was like seeing the moon die out or no stars in the sky (she hates being this corny but it is true!). It was a paradox.
"My boggart was Father," she stated. That made Sirius almost trip over his quidditch helmet. He whipped around and stared wide-eyed at his sister.
"You're joking?" this was unbelievable. Sirius didn't even think about what his sister's boggart could be. But their Father would be the last on his list to be his sister's boggart. Their mother, yes, but Father? But then again, he didn't expect Adhara to be his boggart so who was he to judge?
"Oh, I'm serious—no wait, you're serious?" she teased. Sirius rolled his eyes at his sister's corny puns. She never gets tired using that joke.
"Father?" he asked again. "Did he say anything?"
"Yeah," Adhara said. "Then a few seconds later the whole family appeared. Mum, Reg, Narcissa and Bella—
"—don't blame ya. I would be afraid of her and that horrid laugh," Sirius interrupts. "What did they say?"
"They called me 'blood-traitor'," she confessed. "Remus had to save me from their wrath."
Sirius stood there in silence. He was dumbfounded at first but the more he thought about it the more it made sense. Sirius did not give a crap what his family thought about him excluding Addie. And Addie cared about what the whole family thought of her. Well, at least what her father and mum thought. Mum would always try to ingrain in her children's head on how they are perceived by other people. It was all about appearances in Pureblood families.
"Your turn," she said, waving her hand signaling him to begin.
Sirius inhaled deeply then exhaled. "It's always been you and me," he explained. "Yeah, Reg was there but it's different with us. I don't know what I was expecting when we first enrolled in Hogwarts. I thought we would both be in Slytherin where most of us belong and connected by the hip."
Adhara understood. She thought the same thing. She wasn't an expert at making friends like Sirius was. While she was shy and quiet, Sirius was charismatic and a magnetic at pulling people. Adhara thought she would have to depend on her brother to make new friends—it was true, with James and Remus but she made some on her own Severus, Lily, and Teddy.
"Things changed drastically," he continued. "We split up but I wasn't going to let you get away from me. I dragged you to my table most of the time. I only wanted you to be friends with my friends. I remember when we were younger you would just go along with pretty much everything I said. If I said strawberries are disgusting, you stopped eating it, too—
"—Merlin, and I love strawberries," Adhara groaned.
"I guess seeing you still be friends with snakes—with people I have no problem telling you who I hate…." Sirius struggled with his words. Adhara was leaned in, waiting for his confession. "It scares me," he finally admits.
"Scares you?" she repeated.
"Yeah," he said. "I liked it when you use to hold my hand all the time to make sure I don't get too far." Sirius avoided eye contact. The last thing he needs his sister's puppy eyes.
Adhara also thought it was a good idea to avoid looking at him too. So she decided to make herself at home on Remus' bed (she forgot it was his bed for a moment since she hugged one of his larger pillows). Her back turned to him.
"So…," Adhara trailed off. She tried to wrap her head around this. It sounded like Sirius said a lot but then nothing at the same time. He was hoping for her to read between the lines and figure it out herself. Because their twins, they are supposed to read each other mind so they don't have to deal with the emotional stuff.
"You think I don't want—no—need you anymore," she finally asked.
Sirius stopped pacing. He made his way to Remus' bed and laid beside her. Adhara turned around to face him. Their noses barely touching. Grey eyes staring into gray eyes.
"You can be an idiot sometimes," Adhara teased, nudging him with her forehead.
"You're an idiot," he mumbled.
"You're my big brother," she said like it was answer enough. "I'm going need you now, in five years, merlin, when I'm married with kids. You're babysitting them. They are going to need you—
"—okay, Addie, we're thirteen. Why are you thinking about my future nephews?" he shoved her back lightly.
"The point is even when I want to make new friends, no one comes before you," Adhara said voice firm.
"Not even Prewitt?"
"Nope," she answered easily. "But just because you don't like them doesn't mean I'm going to dump them because you said so."
"Ugh," he groaned. "Fine, but I draw a line at Snivellus."
"You're such a—
"—I'm back," both twins jumped at the sound of their mutual friend, James. "And I want to jump in the pile," he whined before leaping on the two. Adhara shrieked in pain when his elbow dug into her side. Both arms wrapped around the twins. "You forgive me, too, Addie? Sirius, here, does."
Adhara didn't stand a chance against James' puppy brown eyes. "Ugh, fine."
"When did my bed become the lover's pile?" Remus mused.
"Come and join us!" You spread out your free arm to the werewolf.
"You, too, Petey!" James demanded.
Peter hurried to his own bed but Remus was too late in avoiding Sirius' long arms. He pulled the taller boy into the 'lovers' pile'. He landed right on top of James, adding weight on top of the twins.
"Ack! Too heavy. Way too heavy," Adhara slapped Remus' back; trying wiggle free.
"Sorry," Remus chuckled. He rolled over, half of his body was still on the Hufflepuff.
"Now we're a sandwich," she said. Remus then realized how close the two of them were. If he turned, his nose would brush against hers. and he was not ready to deal with that. "Hello, friend," she nudged him with her forehead.
"Hey, friend."
It has been two days since the 'Boggart Issue'. Things were going back to normal. The boys were getting detention. Pranking. The boys being boys. And another common occurrence?
Remus was sick. Again.
James was thinking nothing of it. It was the usual. James, Peter, and Sirius would take turns taking notes but now that Adhara has been added to the mix, it made things a bit easier for the Gryffindors.
"Don't you think it's strange that Remus is sick every month," Sirius said as soon as he entered their room. He just came from visiting Remus in the infirmary and as usual, his friend looked like the walking dead.
"Doesn't he just have a weak immune system?" Peter shrugged.
"B-but I just realized how often this happened and that it only lasts for a certain amount of time," Sirius continued.
James seemed to get it. "His boggart was a werewolf," he recalled.
"Werewolf? So, you think that Remus is a werewolf?" Peter said with disbelief.
Both of the other boys looked at Peter. Neither one suggested it but now that Peter said it out loud they couldn't deny it. "We've known him since their first year and he didn't say anything," Sirius finally said.
Sirius had to sit down. This was too much for him. Werewolf? The kindest yet funniest and smartest bloke he knows could be one of them. He's never met any but what he's heard from his family, werewolves were almost as low as muggles. And Remus was nowhere near that. Remus is his best friend and that was all that matters.
"It makes sense," James said. "He's always sick. Scratches all over him. He is always moody—
"—you would think he was on his cycle," Sirius joked.
"Oh, we are so going to tell him that," James cackles.
For the first time in a while, Remus was in a good mood after the full moon. Yeah, his body was full of aches but it didn't hurt as much. Madame Pomfrey noted that he had fewer scratches and he was starting to have some color back in his cheeks. It took about two days for him to even have an appetite but now he just wanted to stuff his mouth full of chocolate cauldron cakes.
Remus tried to think of what made this full moon better than the others in the past. Thinking of what happened in the last few days to make him…in a good mood for the first time after a full moon.
"Morning, Remus," he flinched at the sudden chipper voice. He glanced toward the door to see Adhara with two plates in her hand. She was struggling to hold his breakfast and her leather bag.
"Uh, good morning," Remus was expecting his roommates instead of Adhara to visit first. He tried to lift himself up but groaned when he felt his back pop. Adhara rushed in.
"You don't have to get up," she said quickly. "I just came to bring these in for you before class starts."
"Um, thanks."
"Are you okay? Should I even be this close?" she asked taking a cautious step.
"I'm fine," he said.
"Okay, well it's good to see that you're better."
"Yeah, I was just a bit—
"—Addie, what are you doing here?" Adhara nearly dropped the plates at the sound of James' voice. Adhara looked down at the plates she was holding. One was full of scones while the other one had bacon, eggs, and sausages on it.
"I brought Remus some breakfast and to see if he got better," she replied.
"Well, thank you for taking care of our friend," Sirius came up from behind James. "But ya need to scram. We gotta talk to Remus."
"Yeah, us men need to talk," Peter piped in.
"Yeah, men," Adhara rolled her eyes at the chubby boy. "Fine, I'm gone. See ya in class."
The boys waited until Adhara was gone to drop their act. Remus frowned at their demeanor change. The three boys surrounded his bed.
"We need to have a talk," James said.
"Okay…"
Sirius glanced at the nurse. "I bet she know so we don't have to whisper," Sirius said to James and Peter.
"So, you're a werewolf?"
From Pottermore:
Ideal owners of Willow wands have some insecurity but try to hide it.
Willow wood has powers of protection, especially against natural disasters. Willow people are strong and flexible; they recover quickly from the unexpected. Willow people should face new challenges confident that each encounter only makes them stronger.
