Disclaimer: We own nothing except for the original parts of the plot, our interpretations, and our original characters.
Author's Notes: Notes.
Chapter Ten: A Word of Caution
Sirius woke up unusually early the next morning. It couldn't be much later than dawn from the little sun he could see, but he was wide awake and sure that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. He stretched, yawning widely, and searched through his trunk for a clean shirt to wear to breakfast. Even if the Potters liked having a relaxed morning meal, they would expect him to be fully clothed. He was also pretty sure Bridget would either not notice or roll her eyes at him if he did go down without a shirt on, and Sirius couldn't handle the blow to his ego so early in the morning (or the probable hex from either James or Gumi).
He was starting to worry that he was getting in too deep. After all, he normally would've asked her out by now, and probably had a nice snogging session. He didn't even know why he hadn't done either and Sirius wasn't too keen on examining the subject. Something just felt…different.
He stopped at the door to the living room, gray eyes widening at the sight in front of him. He couldn't help it; as much as he wanted to do otherwise, the scene held all of his attention like a Wronski Feint gone wrong. James and Bridget were nestled together on the Potters' large couch and they looked quite comfortable.
James was sitting upright, but sprawled out with his head against the back of the couch. His mouth was open and he was snoring softly. It was a position the Marauders had caught him in more than once, usually when he got caught up plotting something and fell asleep in the Common Room. This time, there was something different, though. Normally, James didn't have anyone else with him, and he most certainly had never had a girl tucked under his arm, curled around him like a content cat. Sirius half expected to hear purring.
As if he sensed Sirius watching, James woke with a small groan. Automatically, his right hand twitched—after six years of morning wake-ups, Sirius knew he was going to rub the sleep out of his eyes—but the arm was supporting Bridget's head and he saw James give her a confused, startled glance. He tried to gently remove the arm, but she let out a small sound that Sirius wouldn't forget as long as he lived, and snuggled closer.
James flushed red, and, patiently this time, moved out from under the girl, substituting a large cushion for his body. The shift allowed her to stretch out and Bridget let out a soft, content sigh. Smiling, James straightened his glasses and, stretching out the kinks that were, without a doubt, in his back after the night spent on the couch, turned and caught sight of Sirius.
He walked over to his best friend, still looking half-asleep.
"G'morning, mate," he mumbled through another yawn.
"Morning," Sirius replied shortly.
James stopped his trek to the bathroom, examining Sirius with sharp hazel eyes. His hand, which had been embedded in his messier-than-usual hair, dropped to his side and he groaned. He glanced to see if Bridget had woken up before leaning in to speak to Sirius.
"Don't be ridiculous, Padfoot," he said, sounding a little surprised. "Nothing happened. I'm not entirely dimwitted, you know. I remember the night they got here."
"Right. I forgot: You're a pillar of righteousness, aren't you?"
"Because you're such a good example," James shot back. He seemed to visibly rein his temper in and let out a harsh breath before continuing in a calmer voice. "I know she's your girl, Sirius. No need to get territorial. I'm no more attracted to her than Moony."
After a second Sirius decided that he couldn't resist the temptation and cracked a smile. "Either you're blind or I have to warn Moony. I never knew you swung that way.
James grinned in response. "Didn't want to give you unfair hope. We really weren't doing much. Fell asleep plotting. Did you know Gumi's birthday's coming up?"
"Yeah, she mentioned something about it. Seemed quite traumatized, the poor thing." Sirius's smirk seemed to hold nothing but trouble for his newfound friend.
#
Remus had never been in a more ridiculous situation. Well, that was a bit of an overstatement. Being friends with Sirius Black and James Potter had provided him with more than his share of absurd predicaments, but this was definitely in the top ten. He'd come down for lunch only to find a most unexpected scene.
In addition to his mother, who was the only unsurprising aspect, Remus had walked in on James and Bridget Griffins. Griffins was assisting his mother in making the stew, simultaneously chatting with her in a startlingly cheerful voice and keeping the food from James's adept hands. His mother noticed him first, giving him one of her soft, tired smiles (Was he imagining it or did it seem more… relaxed than usual?) as she set the table.
"Good afternoon, dear," she said.
Brid—Griffins spun around, smiling brightly at him in a way that he was getting used to; he staunchly ignoring the lifting sensation deep in his chest. "Hello, Remus," she greeted happily, as if she was genuinely pleased to see him. "Your mum said that you were doing homework, so James and I helped with lunch."
She swatted James away without even looking. He rubbed his hand where she had hit him glumly, sliding into the nearest seat. It wasn't fair, he thought morosely, that both Bridget and Gumi had the unnerving ability to know exactly when he or the other Marauders were reaching for unfinished food.
"'Lo, Remus," he said as he eyed the pot impatiently.
It was because the stew smelled so good that he remained down there without checking for Imperius charms. Then he learned that the recipe wasn't one of his mother's, but Bridget's and stopped eating, worried about the two bowls he'd already consumed. At least she'd eaten it, too; the thought held a surprising amount of comfort, unless the girl was suicidal. That stray idea set him on edge again and he narrowed his golden eyes in her direction.
"James," she said halfway through the meal as she handed the boy a roll he hadn't asked for, but still seemed to want, "I think we should get to the point now."
" 'Kay," he replied through his mouthful.
She waited while he took a few more bites; then gave him an exasperated look. "I meant for you to tell him, but I guess I'll do it." Bridget turned her sharp brown eyes (she was a lot smarter than they gave her credit for) on Remus and he resisted the urge to flinch away, although he wasn't quite sure why he wanted to. "James and I came up with an idea."
"No," he replied instantly. After years of Marauder-ship, Remus had learned that it was best to protest from the beginning. It was easier to backtrack from a refusal than an acceptance. Bridget didn't seem deterred.
"Gumi's birthday is coming up," she continued as if he hadn't said a thing, "and we thought it would be best to throw her a surprise party to help her take her mind off of things." Bridget shrugged, giving him a small smile. "She's taking our sudden displacement worse than I am."
"Oh, the poor thing," his mother said, taking a bite of her own stew at last.
Remus gave her a surprised look. She'd been almost as uncomfortable about the situation after retrieving him as he'd been. Bridget must be really good at putting people at ease if she'd gotten his mother's sympathy. His mother had, however, felt more worried about Kagumi Pheonix, who was a much more imposing person, with her cold eyes and guarded stances. Bridget had nearly broken her neck when she tripped on her way in the door and his accident-prone mother had always felt more kinship with clumsy people.
He wondered if they could've known that beforehand, then decided against it as unlikely. No one could pretend to be as clumsy as Bridget seemed to be consistently.
"Yes, it's quite terrible," Bridget said. "We've already, well, I've already spoken with Lily about it, and she said that we could use her house for the party. Sirius and Peter agreed to distract her and bring her to the thing, and Lily and I are making the food, but James needs help putting it all together." Her eyes were shrewd as they examined him, and her lips twitched up into an amused smirk. "I thought you'd prefer to help with decorating than distracting, give your dispositions towards each other."
His mouth said, "sure," before he realized she was finished speaking, and was left wondering why as she beamed approvingly at him.
#
Bridget woke up the morning of Gumi's party ready to go. She picked the remaining supplies from their hiding places (she had no reason to hide it, but that was the fun part) and stuffed it into her backpack. She made her way down the hall and knocked on Sirius's door. When he didn't answer, she walked across the hall to James's room and tried there.
Sirius opened the door with James peering over his shoulder. They were completely dressed for the day in nice trousers and button-up shirts, and Bridget briefly wondered if Gumi would notice the change in dress, but she'd only see Peter and Sirius, and thankfully, Sirius had a habit of dressing up randomly when the mood struck him. She smiled.
"There you are. Are you both ready?"
"Yeah," they replied in unison, giving her identical grins.
"Well, we should go then," she said cheerfully. "I still have to bake the cake, after all. These are your responsibility now, sweetheart." Bridget shoved the backpack into James's arms. "And do you know what you're doing, Sirius?"
He stepped out of James's room (James was still staring at the backpack in confusion) and put an arm around her shoulders, leading her towards the staircase. "Of course I do. You and Prongsy went ahead to help Lily with something—make it up if she asks what—and we have to wait for Peter, who won't arrive until five minutes before two."
"And what do you need to remember?"
"No explosions," Sirius replied confidently.
Bridget frowned. "Um, well, yes, that would be good. But, I was talking about not ruining the surprise."
"Oh, right," he drawled. "That too."
"Yes, Sirius, that, too, and don't explode anything."
#
Lily had been worried about having the Marauders in her house again, but it was a little less frightening with Bridget and Remus there to keep Potter on track, then Gumi and Peter when Black arrived. She had just finished washing the breakfast dishes when the doorbell rang. Then it rang again. And again.
She rushed to the door before it could happen a fourth time, wrenching it open and ready to scold Potter for being ridiculous, but Bridget was already doing so.
"They heard it after the first time, James," she was saying. "You don't need to keep on pushing the button. It's annoying."
"But, it tells them when we're outside. How'd a Muggle come up with this?"
"Magic," Bridget drawled.
He noticed Lily standing there and gave her a very familiar smirk, running a hand through his hair. "Hey, Evans," he said in a voice lower than usual; as usual, it only made her even more determined not to like him.
She sighed. "Potter."
"Hi, Lily, ready to go?" asked Bridget. "Remus and James are in charge of the decorations and they have strict instructions about what to do and what not to do. I thought it would be easier if we cooked."
"Do you know how to use Muggle appliances?" she asked, leading them towards her living room.
"Yes, of course. I will need help getting the food out of this backpack, though. I'm not sure how to reverse the spells Sirius used," Bridget responded easily. She gave Lily a sideways glance, a hesitant smile on her face. "We met Petunia outside."
Lily froze. That couldn't have been good; Petunia barely tolerated her own sister. "You did?"
"Yeah. Remus seemed to make a good impression at first." Bridget's smile widened. "Then she realized we were your friends."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Gumi and I are both very used to irritable relatives. But let's get started, since we only have a few hours." Bridget opened the bag and she and Lily set about trying to reverse the spells Sirius had used. One of Bridget's books, (one she had borrowed from Kagumi) fell out of the bag last. Lily picked it up curiously. It was titled Moon Called, and was a Muggle fiction book about creepy crawlies in the night. Lily's eyebrows kept going up as she read the back of the book, and finally looked at Jet.
"You know, I heard about this anti-lycanthrope group not long ago," she said thoughtfully, with the air of wanting a second opinion. Jet's ears quirked and she turned around from slicing some vegetables.
"Really?" Jet asked, sounding only mildly interested, but Lily didn't know the girl well enough to tell whether she was putting on an act or not.
"Yeah. It's strange, though. There was a spot in the Prophet. Hang on, let me go get it." Lily nipped out of the kitchen and then came back, waving a newspaper clipping from the start of summer.
Turmoil Under the Full Moon!
How many of us are afraid of the monsters in the dark? asks promising Junior Reporter Rita Skeeter.
"I know I am," Lucius Malfoy, Hogwarts Governor, said. "The very thought of those horrid things is enough to make me nauseous."
Malfoy, who was married earlier this spring to long time sweetheart, Narcissa Black, confesses a deep seated fear of 'those things.' And what are those things? Why, werewolves and other lycanthropes, of course.
In fact, a new study, conducted of Ministry personnel, shows that 97% of Ministry workers, both civilian and DMLE, are terrified of werewolves. "I think we should simply eradicate them all," confided Dolores Umbridge, a hardworking member of the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.
Late last winter, after the shocking mauling of a young girl by one Fenrir Greyback, the new Lycanthrope Registry Program caused a lot of bustle in the public eye. Many violently protested ("Ha!" Lily burst angrily. "Yes, and Voldemort wanted a pony as a child." Jet looked askance at her before continuing to read.) to the new Registry, which forces any Lycanthrope emigrating to or born in the British Isles to complete a form stating that they are in fact a Were-creature of some sort.
Now, to add a bigger explosion to the cauldron, there's a new cloak-and-dagger routine, caused by an Anti-Lycanthrope movement. We don't know their names, we don't know their faces and we don't know what type of jam they like. What we DO know is that these people mean business. They mean to publicly and personally expose every Lycanthrope they come across and Merlin help whoever stands in their way.
These people are on the warpath, one that many consider to be the right path. As of now, the group (whose name has yet to be divulged) has been petitioning the Ministry of Magic, and the Minster for access to the Registration list, and have been denied that access to protect the rights of these "citizens." As of now, the Registration is anonymous, and is only revealed during a criminal trial. What about our rights to safety and protection against these creatures?
In addition to the AL groups, there are groups fighting for "Werewolf Rights," who say that just because they turn large and hairy doesn't mean that they're monsters. These activists claim that werewolves are "unjustly discriminated against," for something that is beyond their control. They say that werewolves are people "just like everyone else" most of the time. But, really, are they?
99% of all Lycanthropes are mentally ill, or else extraordinarily violent. Some even live in packs in the wilds, human in body only. A race for a cure or a control mechanism is under way, but so far it looks very grim.
"We're having problems getting volunteers," admits Tanaka Irokiss, the head Healer on the project. "Most Lycanthropes refuse to allow someone to witness their transformations, and nearly all of them have no sense of who they are. It's difficult to tell if our tests are accurate, or even if we're trying to identify the right sort of data. For now," the young Healer says, pushing his glasses up his nose, "All we can hope is that these poor mons - - I mean, victims are willing to come to us for help."
Still, the mysterious group has yet to deliver on their promises, and we have to wonder just how much they can really do.
Bridget folded the newspaper, postmarked about two days before she and Gumi had arrived, and shook her head disgustedly. "They talk about them like they aren't even human!"
"What are your views on it, Bridget?' Lily seemed truly interested.
"I think that they're as human as you or I. They have to suffer through all of this persecution and resentment for something that can't even be controlled, and a lot of the problems that occur with werewolves—lack of treatment, wolf packs, planned attacks—can be attributed to reactions to being told repeatedly that they're nothing more than animals that must be exterminated. I think the real monsters are the ones that hold the papers and try to tell someone that they're not human."
Once they had finished the food (apparently she was going to make some sort of Hawaiian meal Gumi enjoyed), and Bridget was busy decorating the over-sized cake she'd baked, Lily went to make sure Potter hadn't damaged anything irreparably. She didn't expect them to be having a serious discussion.
"I still don't trust them," Remus was saying as he handed the other boy some balloons.
"You seem to trust Bridget well enough."
"Well, she knows how to seem… innocent."
Potter gave Remus a level look. It wasn't as effective with red crepe paper in his hair (they seemed to have a Gryffindor theme for the birthday). "Moony, I'm pretty sure she is innocent. That girl has the purity of a child. You don't spend all day with them."
"Fine. But, what about Pheonix? She pulled a knife on you and Padfoot."
"She thought we were Death Eaters." James grunted again, standing on a small ladder to tape some crepe paper streamers to the ceiling.
"That's what she said."
"Don't be ridiculous, Moony," he sounded exasperated, like they'd had the discussion before. "Besides, you don't know anything about her but what you choose to see."
"How can we know she's not lying? And she didn't seem too upset about being here when I saw her."
"Maybe that was because you had her at wandpoint? She reminds me of you, actually," James grunted, wrestling with shimmering paper (Which seemed to be winning the fight), "very private and controlled. I don't think she'd ever admit it, at least to us. Jet has a better chance of knowing if she's upset than we do." His voice dropped so Lily could barely hear it. "I'm worried about Bridget just as much, honestly. I don't think any of this was planned. Bridget's been going to the same school for twelve years, and Gumi's always worried about her family, although I thought she was going to hit her brother when he came to drop her trunk off."
She decided that this was more than enough and stepped out just as Bridget left the kitchen. Lily was a little surprised how perceptive Potter was, and the two girls weren't even a part of his exclusive group. Maybe he wasn't as self-centered as she thought he was; that train of thought, however, led to uncertain places.
"Is everything ready?" she asked. "They should be here soon."
"Of course, my darling Lily-flower," Potter said in that same ridiculous voice he always used when talking to her. Lily heard Jet snicker behind her, and Remus rolled his eyes. "Missed me?"
He tried to lean on the ladder he had been using, and fell. Remus had already put it away; he shook his head sadly, and Bridget tried to stifle her laughter, ducking back into the kitchen in an attempt to avoid embarrassing her new friend further. Lily sighed as Potter hit the floor, hard, and sent his glasses flying. She tried not to laugh; she really did.
"Like I miss O.W.L.s."
#
Kagumi stumbled out of the Floo, sneezing madly. Sirius exited a moment behind her, and someone caught her arms before she fell to the floor. Eyes watering, she looked up into Peter's concerned face.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just the ashes irritated my allergies." She patted him on the head absently. Kagumi was mildly suspicious, having an idea about where this was going, but played along.
"The cars are outside, Kagumi. Come on," Sirius said, leading her outside while Peter followed. Kagumi waved over her head at Tom the Barkeep, and then let herself be steered out the door. Sirius's car, and it could be no one else's, was a bright scarlet color. In itself, the color wasn't too uncommon, but the gold trim certainly was.
"James has a dark blue, 1960 Bentley Continental, although he uses the '62 S2 Mulliner Drophead for discrete driving, too." Sirius shrugged. "I mean, everything except the '62 is technically his dad's and he likes Bentley cars and only buys British, but he has a Jaguar, a few Rolls, and an Aston Martin. Mine is a '62 Aston Martin DB4 Drophead Coupe."
Kagumi blinked at him, and Peter leaned over. "Don't worry about," he whispered, "Remus and I don't understand a word of their car-talk either. I just know that James drives faster and Sirius modifies his in ways that can't be completely legal. He keeps talking about getting a motorbike, too."
"Oh, it's not that. I can speak Car and Driver as well as anyone; I'm just impressed by the information. We'll have to mention it to Bridget; she loves cars, too. Her dad has a, um, '57 Chevy, but I can't remember what model."
"I changed the horn to the roar of a lion," Sirius finished, beaming proudly at them. She shook her head, smiling. It was certainly something Sirius would do.
"Just don't use it in the city, alright?" she asked. "We want to stay somewhat normal."
"We're Marauders, Kagumi," Sirius said, affronted. "We don't do normal."
#
Kagumi sat in the passenger set with Peter in the back and Sirius driving. She was still nervous about letting him drive, but it was his car and everything was backwards in England.
"Padfoot, you know the way to Lily's, right?
"Of course, Gumi, really, you should have more faith in us. We never disappoint," Sirius said, hands behind his head.
"Sirius!" Peter yelled, hurriedly fastening his seatbelt. "Put your hands on the wheel!"
"Why?" he inquired, looking curiously over the backseat.
"Uh, Padfoot, I really don't want to die today..." Kagumi said, her voice tight. "Don't you need to steer?"
"Nope. One of my better ideas: it steers itself."
"Oh... well..." Peter muttered in the back. Kagumi reached her hand behind her and patted his hand absently.
As the cars pulled down the long, twisted streets of London, Kagumi smiled. Even though clouds were rolling in, even though it was her birthday, even though she hated surprises and knew that something was going on, she was still happy. Being around the boys has really mellowed me, she mused. I'm not nearly as violent as usual...
After about an hour, part of which had been spent on winding country lanes, the cars came to a stop in a small neighborhood, about ten minutes from the London Exit. It was a white house, with a dark wooden door, and gardens out front. But the gardens weren't neat and tidy; weeds grew here and there, and climbing vines covered nearly one half of the house. Kagumi smiled; it was beautiful.
"Come on, love," Sirius opened her door for her, helping her out into the street as Peter swung his own door open. Walking up the path, the group got to the door when it swung open and Kagumi was pushed inside, into the dark living room. She heard the door close, and for one wild moment was terrified that she'd been kidnapped before the lights came back on and she laughed. "Happy Birthday!" chorused seven or eight voices.
The room was done in red and gold crepe paper, reminding her of a circus tent with the way it billowed out in the middle. There was a snack platter with small finger-foods and fruits on it, as well as the meal Bridget had cooked. Turning to her friend, Kagumi said, "You remembered."
"Well, it was the only recipe you asked me for, figured that meant you liked it." The girl shrugged, pushing her friend forward. There was a small pile of presents waiting on a table, and a boombox pouring out 70s music from both Britain and America. Head bobbing a little to beat, Kagumi turned to the doorway and saw Lily Evans, standing there with her parents, clapping.
"Can we eat now?" Sirius stage-whispered to James, who smacked him lightly on the head.
"No. Gumi says when we eat."
"Oh, hell," Sirius sighed. "I'll never get to eat."
Gumi smiled, curtsying to Lily's parents, who were going to their backyard to give them some privacy while remaining in shouting range, and headed for the kitchen. Bridget and Lily followed her as she sat at the table, head in hands. "What's wrong?" Lily asked worriedly.
"Nothing, I just..." The girl's shoulders shook. "I just love you guys." She burst out laughing, amused at the whole situation. Bridget smiled and sat in one of the chairs, not at all surprised by the other girl's slightly insane reaction. Kagumi's eye was caught by a glint of silver on the table, and she grabbed for it. Her hand came back holding Moon Called. Seeking out Bridget's eyes, Kagumi looked at the book pointedly, hoping that Lily hadn't noticed the publication date.
"I forgot it was in my bag."
"So it's your book, Gumi?" Lily asked. "I've never seen it before."
"That's right." Kagumi's voice was cool, wary. "It must only have American publication."
"Bridget and I had a discussion earlier, you know, about our opinions on werewolves. Let me show you something." Lily grabbed the piece of parchment that held Skeeter's article, watching Kagumi's facial expressions; which went from blank, to shocked, and then infuriated as she read. Finally, she slapped the offending piece of parchment down on the table, knuckles white.
"How dare she?" the girl growled. Sirius and James, who'd been creeping towards the kitchen to find out what had happened to the girls, froze in place. One finger to his lips, James edged forward until he could see the three at the table.
"Gumi?" Bridget started. She didn't want this to get out of hand.
"That - - That - - OH!" Kagumi twisted her hands around themselves, one of the first Marauder signs she'd taught them. It meant extreme rage, or the wish to do violence.
"Are you alright?" Lily asked worriedly.
"No, I'm bloody well not alright!" Sirius winced; Gumi only swore when severely angry. "If I could get my hands on that little bug, I'd strangle her with own nonsense! Just because they suffer from a disease doesn't make them monsters!"
"So, I take it you think the same as we do?" Lily asked.
"Well, that depends. I'm all for werewolf rights. They should be treated the same as any other person, and I don't think the law is fair. The legal system certainly seems biased enough. I mean, it's not as if they walked up to the wolf and said, 'Mr. Wolf, I want to turn rabid and furry once a month, please oh please bite me so that I can live in downcast fear, without a real home or job and with idiots who don't understand me discriminating against me for THE REST OF MY LIFE!'" Kagumi's hands gripped the edge of the table. She took a deep, calming breath.
This is too good to be true, Sirius said with an evil glint in his eye.
Indeed. Now if we could just get them to stop fighting quite so much... James signed back. It's time for some Marauding... The two sneaked back towards Remus and Peter, who was poking at packages suspiciously. Remus looked up and caught the look the two friends shared, which automatically put him on the defensive.
"Whatever you're thinking about doing, don't."
In the kitchen, Kagumi took several steadying breaths, and looked at her friends, the red fading from her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Lily. This is supposed to be a party, right? I didn't mean to get that angry." The girl flushed a bit, unsure as to whether Lily's glance had something to do with her reaction, or to the fact that she'd just completely overreacted. I tend to do that...
"No, it's alright. I didn't realize that you felt so strongly about it," The girl said, rising from the table. Bridget followed and Kagumi deliberately put Moon Called over the article, lest she decide to rip it into tiny shreds. Standing up, she followed her friends to the party room in time to see Remus poke a curious finger in the direction of the longest package.
"Oy, stay away from the presents!" Sirius said, pelting the lanky boy with a piece of chocolate.
"Yeah," James contributed, throwing a piece of chocolate as well. "That's the present we got her!"
"Guys," Kagumi protested. "That's perfectly good chocolate wasted..."
The party went onwards, with the snacking and the dancing. One of the highlights of the day was when James and Sirius, switching the lead, did a ridiculously somber tango to the Jackson 5 song, "ABC," and on one of the turn outs, Sirius pulled in Lily as his partner, while James grabbed Kagumi. Bridget watched, eyes dancing with laughter as Sirius dipped Lily nearly to the floor. Kagumi then dipped James, and accidentally let him fall when she lost her footing. The sweep of her legs took out Sirius's left foot and the other two dancers came crashing down into a large pile of tangled limbs.
"I though we weren't playing Twister until later?" Peter said jokingly, causing everyone to laugh.
"That's a good idea," Lily said, extracting herself from the pile of now wrestling friends. She got the game box and put the mat down on the cleanest bit of floor. "Who's going to spin?" Bridget's hand shot up immediately, followed shortly by Remus's. He shot her a look of aggravation and lowered his arm. "You're the spinner, Bridget?"
"Yep," the girl replied, muffled by the fact that her head was currently buried in a medium sized black bag. She raised up, pulling out a tripod and camcorder; the boys stared at it uncomprehendingly.
"What in the name of Dumbledore's grey beard is that?" James asked.
"It records movies. And yes, Lily, I should be the spinner, because we've all seen my coordination skills. I have trouble with flat, stable surfaces, let alone trying to do yoga with six other people. I'd kill us all," she added brightly. Kagumi nodded fervently and Jet threw a wad of crepe paper at her, laughing as she set up the recorder. Within a few moments, she announced the starting position as blue.
"Left hand, red." The first few movements were essentially easy, until the game got about halfway done. At that point ("Left foot, green.") Kagumi had to slide the lower half of her body underneath Sirius and Remus, which led to some interesting looks all around. Switching to a crab-walk position brought Kagumi nearly nose to nose with Remus, and both blushed; Sirius caught James and Peter's eye, quite a feat, seeing as James was on the other side of the mat, and smiled broadly.
"Left hand, yellow!" Bridget called out, sounding terribly amused. Kagumi looked and saw that the closest yellow was located right near Sirius's head; it also happened to be right under Remus's arm. Inching carefully, she got her fingers onto it when James's foot slipped on the mat, knocking Remus's leg down...and right on top of Kagumi. Reflexively, his arms went up to land right by her shoulders.
"Oof!" he grunted. Kagumi lay still from shock, her face slowly turning crimson as Remus's nose was buried right against the hollow of her throat. Her eyes closed and for a moment, just one moment, the heat of his body felt natural. Bridget giggled, and watched as Sirius secretly high-fived James when neither teen made any move to try and get up. Oh, my, Kagumi thought, as Remus shifted his head up a little, sending shivers cascading down her back.
"Uh, Lupin?" Please get up before I have to snog you... she pleaded, trying to wriggle out from under him and only succeeding in gluing their bodies together even more.
"Don't say anything," he gritted through his teeth. "I'll get up as soon as Peter gets off of my leg." Slowly, Sirius and James each grabbed one of Peter's hands and lifted the stammering boy up from the sexually tensed catastrophe he'd created, with a little help from the two of them.
Kagumi didn't meet anyone's eyes as she muttered, "Seems to be my day to be clumsy."
"Well," Lily said, eyes dancing, "that was fun."
"Speak for yourself," Remus grumbled, dusting his shirt off, still blushing.
"But now," she continued, ignoring the boy's sour looks, "we should eat."
Kagumi walked by Bridget as the group filed into the kitchen, taking the camera off of its tripod and carrying it with them into the other room. "If I ever see that video, I will destroy it," she warned cheerfully.
"I know," Bridget replied just as cheerfully, "That's why you will never see it."
#
Kagumi's eyes avoided Remus for over an hour as she picked at the large slice of birthday cake (done in red and gold, of course). Sirius and James then carried her (literally) into the living room and set her in front of the presents, forcing a red-and-gold crown made of leftover wrapping paper onto her head. The rest trickled back in there as well, and Sirius sanctimoniously handed the first, which turned out to be from Bridget.
"God, it's heavy," Kagumi said, hefting the square package. Opening the paper revealed a large book, with a bright grey cover. "Why You Don't Beat Bludgers On Tuesdays: Wizarding Traditions of the Modern Era. Hm, thanks Jet!" Kagumi smiled at her friend, oblivious to the way the boys were slowly turning pink.
A few minutes later, there was a tap at the window. Bridget looked up from the recorder and did a double take. "Is that Pueo?" Kagumi turned to look.
"Sure looks like her."
James got up to let the irritated owl in. "Looks like she's carrying a package too," he said, taking it from her; Gumi offered the owl a drink of her tea, smiling when the bird settled on her shoulder and preened a strand of her hair before flitting over to Bridget and doing the same.
"I wonder what's in here..." Kagumi said, turning over the card, which was simply signed, "The Irritating Cousin and Marvelous Brother." She opened the box, which turned out to be a shoebox, and her eyes got wide. "I'm gonna kill them," she said in a somewhat strangled whisper.
"What's wrong, Gumi?" Bridget peeked her head inside the box as well, and one eyebrow shot skywards. Without warning, the girl started laughing so hard she was bent over, clutching her stomach and gasping for breath. Everyone ignored her, instead watching as Kagumi pulled out a largish circular thing with what looked like headphones, only Lily had never seen them that small, and a couple of strange, rectangular boxes with wires.
"I can't believe them..."
"What is that?" Sirius asked, craning his neck to look at the thing in her hand.
"It's..." Kagumi looked helplessly at Bridget.
"It's something my nutty cousin invented a while ago." Bridget shrugged at Gumi. After all, they couldn't very well say that it was something from the future.
"Well, he had help from my brother. They've been friends a long time. It plays music."
"But the titles they sent are just..."
Jet shook her head, trying not to laugh again. Kagumi moved some of the CDs around, grimacing with every title she saw. Backstreet Boys, N*SYNC, Britney Spears... they must've lost their minds...
"C'mon, Gumi," Bridget teased, "you must've owned at least one of these when we were but small middle-schoolers. It was all the rage."
"I never owned a bubble-gum pop CD, thank you very much, and I wouldn't admit it if I did. Why, did you?"
"Hell no, of course not, but I hung out with the boys, so that might have something to do with it. I'm still pretty sure I know all their big songs. Um, let's see… 'Backstreet's Back', 'Dirty Pop', 'Oops, I Did It Again', 'Come on Over'," Bridget grinned. "I can go on. I think we should listen to it. See what you remember…"
"No. Besides, don't you want to hide your sordid past?"
"No… not when it's more amusing to see you squirm. My friends would sing these silly songs all the time and I picked it up from there. I think I may or may not know the dances, too."
"No."
"But, it'll be fun."
"Moving on," Kagumi firmly shut the box, setting it far out of Bridget's reach, and moved onto the next package. Only Bridget caught the half-signed comment: Let's see how the boys react first.
"And Peter got me...Oh!" Kagumi's eyes sparkled as she pulled out a small thin box. "It's a locket!" she said, slipping the long golden chain over her head. It rested perfectly in the hollow of her throat and she hugged Peter, who flushed slowly at Sirius and Remus' glares, albeit for different reasons.
Lily ended up getting her a wand-caring kit, which was a nice gesture, and when Remus's present found its way onto her lap she looked at him. "A cookbook?"
He shrugged. "I knew you liked to cook."
"Right. Thanks." her voice was less than enthusiastic, which wasn't because Remus got her a cookbook, it was because of the title: 101 of the Simplest Meals on Earth: a Step by Step Guide. I wonder if he's trying to make her mad, Sirius wondered idly, watching as she carefully set the book aside. I'll talk to him later.
But Kagumi's favorite present was the one Sirius and James plunked on her lap. It was wrapped in red and gold, with little lions that actually roared when she moved the package. Amazed, because there was no way this could be what she thought it was, she opened the ribbon, and the seams on the package fell apart. Kagumi gasped.
"James...Sirius..." she breathed, tears actually standing in her eyes. Bridget smiled, knowing it was the perfect present for Kagumi. The girl's hands trembled as she stroked the gleaming wood of her first broomstick. "I love it." Broom in one hand, she grabbed James and hugged him first, hard. And then she grabbed Sirius around the neck; Lily only watched as she was swung around by the laughing boy.
"They're close, aren't they?" she asked Bridget.
"Strangely. I think it's the Quidditch," Jet said as Kagumi was dizzily set on her feet. "Or it could be the matching brain damage."
"I heard that!" Kagumi yelled, still weaving slightly. Bridget flashed her a cheeky wave and dodged a wad of wrapping paper that, quite literally, roared past her.
"It's only a Nimbus 1001," James warned, when she'd sat back down amid much laughter. "We tried to find you a Silver Arrow, but we couldn't find at such quick notice."
"James, I love it! How could I not?" Kagumi cheeks were flushed with happiness, and Bridget smiled; Gumi was as Quidditch-mad as any wizard. With a sigh, Kagumi propped the broomstick against the wall, she helped clean up the paper mess ("No, Sirius, we are not using Scourgify. We don't want to get Lily in trouble") and do the dishes. Lily stammered a thank you, drying while Kagumi washed.
"Many happy returns, by the way," Lily said, toweling off the last plate.
"Thank you, Lily. This means a lot to me."
"I know." There was a pause as she placed the last glass in the cupboard, and then she said, "So will you be playing for your House?"
"I hope so. I mean, I'm a little scared that I'll be Sorted into Slytherin, but I think a lot of what I've heard is just House Prejudices. I mean, they can't all be bad." Kagumi drained the water, wiping out sink as it cleared.
"A lot of them are," Lily admitted, "but I've had friends there. They're not all terrible."
"Really?" Kagumi asked. "That's good to know. Although, I really hope I get the chance to play for Gryffindor. Sirius and I partnered well the last time we played pick-up Quidditch." Absently, Kagumi scratched at the paper crown, which seemed to be wilting from the dish spray.
"Interesting..." Lily murmured. "He's never worked very well with his other partners, except for James, of course, and they usually play different positions."
"Oh, it's 'James' now, not 'Potter?'" Kagumi teased.
"...Shut up." Lily splashed the girl with her wet fingers, laughing.
#
After the things put away, and the girls had gotten back to the Potter Manor, Remus started to walk quietly out the door. A thin, short body in his way stopped him. "Where're you going?" Kagumi asked in a soft voice.
"Home," he said shortly.
"You know, Lupin, I don't know what you have against me, but I wish you'd give me a chance. I'm not that bad." With her lips drawn tight, she hurried back to the foyer, where James was busy playing a strangely exciting game of chess with Bridget. Remus told himself that there was no reason to watch the girl's retreat, even if he felt a little twinge of guilt. She does seem... all right. Not what I expected, at any rate. Remus started once again to go through the door when he heard a deliberate scuffing sound. Trying to ignore the way that Kagumi's lingering perfume made his vision swim, he turned.
"Moony." Sirius voice cut through the night air with ease; he'd heard that tone of voice before, and it was never good. Once upon a time, it had been one of the voices that had set Remus' heart pounding. "A word of caution, my good friend." Sirius' voice was falsely jovial.
"Yes, Sirius?" Remus said politely, trying to censer his thoughts from the last time he'd heard Sirius use that voice.
"I don't know why you insist on thinking the worst of her, but I'm going to say this now: I'm tired of it." There was no need to define who 'her' was. Sirius's gray eyes were narrowed, his arms folded as he stepped in Remus's way. Remus sighed irritably, and went to brush past him when Sirius grabbed his arm.
"That girl is one of the nicest people I've ever met, Remus." The use of his first name wasn't lost on the other boy. "I'm tired of you treating her like a criminal."
"I don't know any other way to treat people, Sirius." Remus's golden eyes flashed in the rising moonlight, only a few days away from being full; he wasn't feeling his best. "Not everyone is as accepting as you."
Sirius got very close, and Remus shivered; he could feel the other's boy's body heat and he broke out into a light sweat. Eyes half-closed, he listened to the cadence of Sirius's voice.
"I'm not going to choose between you two, and neither will James." Remus could feel the boy's breath on his cheek. "I mean it, either give her a break, or I'll break you. You might be surprised what you learn about them."
Releasing his arm, Sirius strode away, back into the house, where Kagumi's silvery voice could be heard laughing at something James had said.
Embarrassed and angry with himself, Remus Apparated to his front door. Lost in thought, he didn't notice the smell of strangers until it was too late. The last thing he saw, as he took out his wand to undo the wards on his house, was a flash of painfully red light shooting towards him.
#
"Wakey, wakey, little wolfie." The mocking voice was accompanied by a hand that grabbed his hair painfully. Wrenching his eyes open, Remus first impression was a lot of black. As his blurry vision sharpened, though, he could make out individual shapes. There were three black-robes figures in white masks, one of which was holding his hair, twisting his head back into an almost painful position. Growling softly, Remus pulled his head away, not caring about the handful of hair the man still held.
"Hm, this one still has some spirit." The tallest of the three leaned down close to Remus' face, and slapped something on his wrists. A shock of pain, and the faint smell of burning flesh told Remus that whatever was on his wrists was made of silver. Shit... There are times that I wish I wasn't more allergic to silver than other werewolves. Since he'd been small, silver had affected him worse than it had any werewolf he'd ever heard of.
"You've gotten complacent, Lupin..."
"Wha'?" he asked foggily, the silver already getting into his bloodstream.
"You thought you were just like the rest of us, didn't you? You thought you could have friends, an education, even a real home." The first man grabbed the back of Remus's shirt collar, ripping it a bit, and dragged him to a tiny little cell at the end of a hallway. "Now, you'll be revealed for the animal you really are."
Even to Remus's blurry eyes, the paint sparkled unnaturally, and it smelled bad in here. It reeked of sweat, death and fear. Lots of fear. Shivering slightly, Remus heard a woman arguing with the men, something about the full moon. There was a resounding smacking sound, and the protests stopped.
It's ironic, he thought, that the thing I feared most about people knowing is the only thing that could possibly save me... He shook his head. Castles in the sky, Lupin; no one's coming for you...With that sad thought running through his head, Remus Lupin slipped away to a place where he could barely feel the silver slowing his heart.
#
Albus Dumbledore hummed softly on his way up the path to the Lupins's house. Veronica had invited him for tea that morning, and he fully intended to take advantage of her wonderful homemade scones as well as the chocolate always present in the home. With that happy thought, he turned about to knock on the door when he stepped on something cylindrical. Looking down curiously, he saw what looked like a wand. Not only was it without an owner, but it was slightly askew, suggesting that it had been dropped in a hurry. He picked it up, and quickly identified it as the one Remus Lupin had carried since his first year at Hogwarts.
"Oh, dear..."
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Author's End Notes: Sorry for the cliffie, but updates should be a tad more common. We've pretty much gotten the next few chapters shaped, but no guarantees; it could change in the blink of an eye. And in any case, you know our rule: If you Read, you must Review. Let us know how we're doing, give us ideas, tell us to bugger off, any kind of feedback.
I've got to go to work now, but maybe I can has reviews when I get it? -hopeful look-
And yes, I know that Kagumi was unusually clumsy today. There's a reason for that.
Oh! -snaps fingers- That's right, I meant to mention...No need to glare at me, Jet...We're posting longer chapters to make up for our ungodly hiatus length.