AN: There is some material in this chapter, implied or discussed briefly, that could be upsetting/offensive/socially unacceptable. So here's the warning:

WARNING: This chapter contains mention of two minors having sex. It also briefly discusses the IDEA of abortion, though not by name. If either of these things upsets or offends you, I'm sorry, but it's part of this story. You can skip the very last section if you like, but you might miss some important information.

OCs Mentioned (in this chapter):

Jessica Martini: friend of Lily & Marauders

Luna Dumbledore: friend of Lily & Marauders, daughter of Aberforth Dumbledore

Chapter 5: Love Story

"We were both young, when I first saw you

I close my eyes and the flashback starts—

I'm standing there, on a balcony in summer air."

-"Love Story" by Taylor Swift

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September 1, 1977: Remus noticed her right away; her bright red hair stood out over the muted blondes and browns of most of the other students. Her lively, vivacious personality drew in the other students like flies to honey. He was eleven, so he wouldn't say that he was smitten, but he was intrigued by this bright, colorful girl. He hadn't had much opportunity to interact with other children his own age before now, so he felt deeply out of his element. Jessica Martini, the Italian-English girl who had befriended him on the train (before winding up getting detention for setting off dungbombs in the corridor), was loud and fearless. She had seen her new friend's curious glances at the redhead and so seated herself near the girl at the Gryffindor table.

"The name's Jessi Martini," she introduced herself. "This is my friend Remus Lupin."

"I'm Lily Evans," said the redhead, smiling brightly. Her emerald eyes sparkled with joy. "Isn't this so exciting? I can't believe I'm actually here!"

"Muggleborn?" asked Jessi, smirking knowingly.

"Yes," said Lily, blushing scarlet. "Is it that obvious?"

"No," said Remus, surprising himself by speaking at all, "not at all."

"Thanks," said Lily, smiling brightly at him. "You're kind to say so."

XXXX

November 24, 1977: "You're leaving again tomorrow, aren't you?"

Remus stared in horror at the redhead wrapped in a spring green bathrobe. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," he protested, his voice shaking.

Lily's emerald gaze was steady. "I know your secret, Remus Lupin," she said, stepping closer to him. He was frozen in place; he couldn't move. He could barely breathe. This was it; he was done at Hogwarts and it hadn't even been a year. He closed his eyes tightly, a single tear slipping from beneath the lid.

Suddenly he was engulfed in a soft, warm hug. "I know you're a werewolf, Remus," Lily whispered in his ear, "and I don't care. You're still my friend. I will never hate you for something you can't control."

"Y-you don't hate me?" He hated how shaky his voice sounded.

"Of course not, silly," she said, her voice muffled from being buried against his pajama clad chest. "I could never hate you. You're the nicest, kindest, smartest boy I know and if other people can't see that then it's their loss."

"Y-you won't tell anyone, will you?"

"Of course not," promised Lily. "I would never betray you like that."

XXXX

October 22, 1979:"Remus?"

The sandy haired boy looked up from his book. "Yes Lily?"

The redhead was nervously twisting the gold ring she wore on the middle finger of her left hand. "Remus, there's something I've been meaning to say to you."

Remus put the book down (The Troublesome Terrors of Greater Britain by O. M. Gawde). "You have my undivided attention, Flower."

Lily let out a nervous giggle and plopped down ungracefully beside the tall teen. "I-it's kind of silly," she began, fixing her eyes on her knees as she spoke. "I-I already talked to Luna about it and she told me I was being ridiculous, worrying so, but…promise you won't laugh?"

"Cross my heart," said Remus, giving her a lopsided smile and crossing an X on his chest with his pointer finger.

Lily took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Rem, there's this guy that I like and I'm not really sure how to tell him." She continued to stare at her knees despite Remus' curious gaze. "I-I've liked him for a while, but I didn't realize how much until recently. We've been friends for a while and I don't want to jeopardize that, but I like him as more than just a friend. I like him like him, you know? Every time I'm around him, all I can think about is how gorgeous his eyes are and how much I just really want him to kiss me and—"

"I get it," said Remus, his voice cold and stony. "You should tell him. Any guy would be lucky to have your affection, Lily. You're an amazing girl; you deserve only the best."

Lily let out a frustrated sigh and turned her piercing emerald gaze on her friend. "You really are completely clueless, you berk," she said. Then she did something that Remus did not expect. Swift as a doe, she threw her arms around the tall werewolf teen and pressed her lips to his, kissing him soundly. "It's you," she said softly as she pulled away. "You're the one that I want." Remus couldn't stop the dopey grin that spread across his face. The only other time he'd been this happy was when his friends had told him in second year that they didn't care that he was a werewolf.

XXXX

March 10, 1980: "Happy birthday, Remus," said Lily, giving her boyfriend a peck on the cheek.

Remus smiled brightly at her. "Thanks, Lil," he said, taking her hand and guiding her into the seat next to him on the worn, scarlet sofa. "So what's this grand birthday surprise you have for me?" he asked once she was seated next to him, his arm draped casually across her shoulders.

Lily sighed and relaxed into Remus' chest. "It's a shocker, Rem," she said nervously. "Are you sure you want it now? Wouldn't you rather wait til after you have your cake?"

Remus leaned his head on top of Lily's and kissed her red hair. "Well, is it a good shock or a bad shock?"

"Um…both? Either? I'm not really sure myself, actually."

"Hmm," Remus' voice vibrated through Lily's skull, tickling her skin. "I'll leave it up to you to decide, then."

Lily huffed moodily. "I was afraid you'd say that," she said. "I suppose if I tell you first, you always have the chocolate to look forward to if you take it badly." She took a deep breath, held it to the count of seven, and let it out. "Remus, do you remember that night we said we'd never speak of again?"

"If I say yes, doesn't it count as speaking of it?"

The-night-that-shall-never-be-spoken-of was in fact a hazy blur of sweat and passion to both teenagers. It had all begun with Sirius and Jessi, who claimed the fledgling couple was far too uptight and therefore spiked the punch at one of Gryffindor's infamous quidditch victory parties and made doubly sure that Lily and Remus were never wanting for drinks. They woke up the next morning in Remus' bed quite naked and very sore. Needless to say, the thirteen-year-olds were terrified and embarrassed and thus vowed never to speak of the night again (neither of them spoke to Jessi or Sirius for an entire two months after they found out their involvement, either). That had been back in December, before Christmas break.

"In this case, I think we need to make an exception," said Lily.

Remus pulled away so that he could look Lily in the eye. "Lils, what's wrong? You sound scared."

Lily let out a sob. "Oh God, Rem, I'm pregnant!" Tears fell from her eyes and she collapsed onto his thin chest. "I'm not ready to be a mother, Remus!" she said. "I'm only fourteen! I'm still a child; I can't have one of my own! What are we gonna do?"

Remus hugged Lily close and closed his amber eyes; he was terrified too, but he didn't let her know. Right now she needed someone to lean on and he'd be damned if he took that from her. "What do you want to do, Lily?" he asked softly.

Lily sniffed. "I can't keep it, Remus," she admitted sadly. "As much as I'd love to, I'm just not ready to be a mother. I'm pretty sure you're not ready to be a father, either."

"No, I'm not," he said.

"But I can't imagine just ending it," said Lily. "I just—I can't do that."

"And I will support that," said Remus. "I know it's not really my choice, but I wouldn't want you to."

"I went to Madam Pomfrey last week, when I was feeling ill," she admitted. "She suggested adoption. She has a friend who works at an agency in London and she said that she'd be happy to help me—us—get in contact with her."

"I-I think…I think that might be for the best. We're just too young, Lils."

"I know," she sniffed. "I just hope we don't end up regretting this someday."

"If we do," said Remus, "I promise to be by your side…even if we aren't together."

Lily narrowed her emerald eyes at him. "Remus John Lupin, are you breaking up with me?"

His amber eyes flew open wide. "Godric, Lils, of course I'm not. I would never—I like being with you, Lily," he said. "I'm just being realistic here, Lils. We're only fourteen; what are the chances we're going to be together for the rest of our lives?"

Lily sighed. "I see your point," she said. "Do you think we'll at least be friends say, ten years from now?"

"Lily, I can pretty much guarantee that we will be friends for the rest of our lives."

So there it is: how Oz came to be, as told by Remus Lupin. ;)

Next chapter we'll check back in on the father and son and see how things went.

Reviews are the lifeblood of my plot dragons, but flames are not welcome.