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Chapter 2

The Voice of Reason

Lisa shivered a bit in her white summer dress (one of the few pieces of clothing that weren't as worn out as the rest of her wardrobe) despite the brown overcoat. Remus' hand was warm in hers as they walked down the street, and just thinking about it made her feel a little better. The minute they entered the Hopping Pot pub, they spotted Lily, James and Sirius at a booth in the corner, waving at them enthusiastically.

"I see you're not late for once, Padfoot." Remus smiled at his friend while Lily was suffocating Lisa in a tight hug.

Sirius smirked back. "I see you haven't lost your knack for quips every time you see me, Moony."

"Where's Peter?" Lisa asked as the two of them sat down next to Lily.

"Hasn't shown up yet. But we don't have to wait for him with dry throats," James replied and whistled to the waitress.

"Isn't it a bit cold for summer dresses, Fawley?" Sirius said to Lisa. "Not that I mind," he added, sweeping her with his eyes.

James laughed. "Careful, Padfoot, Moony looks like he's about ready to jinx you under the table."

"What'll it be?" a bored-looking young witch asked, coming to their table and holding up a quill and parchment.

"A bottle of your best Firewhisky!" James proclaimed loudly and Lily giggled.

"Do you have to make everything so dramatic?" the redhead asked with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm not being dramatic!" he exclaimed defensively, prompting a snicker from the others.

"Mate, you can make peeling potatoes dramatic," Sirius quipped.

"We're celebrating!" James insisted. "I'm allowed to be as theatrical as I please!"

"And what are we celebrating?" Remus asked. "That owl made it sound like you inherited a second fortune."

Lily and James exchanged mysterious looks and he smirked, but neither of them said anything.

"I think we should wait for Wormy," Lily suggested after a small pause. "I mean, so everyone's here. Does he still work at the Owl Post Office?" she turned to Lisa, whose previous job was located across the street.

"Um, I er... I haven't been over there in a while, but I suppose..." Lisa trailed off, her face turning pink. She hadn't even told Remus that she had been fired yet. "I think I need to use the loo. Lily?"

"What do you need her for, to hold up your skirt?" Sirius quipped, but got a swift kick to the shins from the redhead before she got up.

The two young women walked to the other side of the bar, then down a short red-painted corridor and through a door on the left marked 'WC'. Once inside, Lily closed the door and placed a muffling charm on it. Lisa had always made fun of the idea of girls going in groups to the toilet in school.

"Is something the matter?" Lily asked.

"Not really... I just wanted to... ask you a favor," Lisa said, looking away to the sinks. "You're still studying for a Healer, right?"

"... Yes?" Lily drawled.

"I just need... I would get them myself, but it's seventeen sickles a pound, those cheapskates..." Lisa mumbled under her breath. "I need Dittany. And powdered silver."

Lily gave her a bewildered look. "Medical supplies? Why?"

Lisa's face turned pink again. "Look, I really wouldn't ask if I had another way out, but... the full moon doesn't always go without hiccups for Remus now that we're out of Hogwarts, and the healing spells I know don't work on werewolf bites... and... he has enough scars already."

The room was quiet for a minute.

"Lisa... twenty sickles isn't that much. Are you guys... having trouble?"

The blonde witch took a while to answer. "I got fired three days ago. Remus keeps getting rejection letters..."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Lily exclaimed with concern. "All you had to do was ask, we have plenty—"

"Lily, please. We don't need charity. Just the Dittany," Lisa said, trying to retain some sort of poise.

Lily looked at her with her big almond-shaped eyes, begging, pleading. The pair of brown ones that stared back were hard as steel.

"Alright," the redhead consented. "I'll send them to you as soon as I can. But I still think... I know how hard it must be, going from being a rich pureblood to—"

"You think this is about pride?" Lisa hissed. "I don't give a toss about saving face!" She stopped to take a deep, sharp breath to get rid of the sudden irritation. "I don't want Remus to feel worse than he already does about this," Lisa said slowly. "Taking money from someone else means admitting that he can't give me everything I need. But he does. He really does. I just don't want him to think otherwise."

Lily studied her friend's expression for a whole minute, then reached out to caress her arm comfortingly, offering a small smile. "Alright. I suppose I get that."

Lisa sighed, but returned it. "Thanks. Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you. Don't tell James? He'll make a whole deal about it."

Lily's smile grew slightly. "Sure."

When they made it back to the table, Peter had already arrived.

"Wormy!" Lily exclaimed heartily, and the two women each gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Wormtail gets kisses, and all I get are kicks in the shins..." Sirius murmured under his breath, and the whole table laughed.

"How've you been, Pete? We haven't heard from you in two weeks," James asked, draping his arm around Lily's shoulders when she sat down.

"Er, you know... the office keeps me busy..." Peter smiled awkwardly.

"So, now that we're all here, can we hear about this bloody important news? I've been on the edge for an hour!" Sirius whined. Lily and James exchanged another look and smiled at each other.

"Yes, it's about time we told you," James started. "Yesterday I—"

But before he could finish, a bulky owl pecked on the pub window. The bartender went over to open it, and the bird made its way to the Marauders' table, dropping a large red envelope in front of Lisa.

"Is that a Howler? What are you, twelve?" Sirius snorted.

Lisa stared at the letter, petrified, while Remus and Peter looked around in confusion. Lily and James, being the only ones who had previously seen the owl, gave her sympathetic looks. James quickly pointed his wand under the table and cast the Muffliato charm at the few other patrons of the wizarding pub.

"You should open it," Lily said gently. "You know it will be worse if you don't."

Lisa shot her a desperate look. Whatever her grandfather felt the need to send her, she did not want Remus to hear it.

"Who is it from?" Remus asked softly, almost making her jump. "This isn't your parents' owl. Who else would be sending you a Howler?"

Lisa turned to look at him and realization graced his eyes, just as the letter exploded and Hector Fawley's magically enhanced voice boomed from the envelope.

"A WEREWOLF!? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!? AS IF IT WAS NOT ENOUGH YOU DECIDED TO RUN OFF WITH A HALFBLOOD, HE'S A WEREWOLF TO BOOT! LISA FAWLEY, YOU HAVE DISGRACED OUR FAMILY NAME! DIDN'T YOU FOR A SECOND THINK HOW THIS WOULD AFFECT THE REST OF US? TO HAVE A DARK CREATURE ON THE FAMILY TREE, TO HEAR THE SNEERS AND ENDURE LETTERS OF CONDOLENCE FROM THE OTHER PUREBLOODS! DID YOU NOT THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCES THIS FLING OF YOURS WILL HAVE ON THE ENTIRE BLOODLINE!? I WAS WILLING TO HUMOR YOU, THINKING THE REBELLION OF YOUTH NEEDS TO RUN ITS COURSE, BUT THIS HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH! YOU WILL MARCH RIGHT BACK HOME AND YOU WILL END THIS NONSENSE, AND I NEVER WANT TO HEAR THE NAME 'LUPIN' SPOKEN AGAIN IN MY PRESENCE!"

The letter caught on fire and burned to ashes. The Marauders and Lily exchanged awkward and worries glances, as silence fell over the group. Remus was staring at the spot where the Howler used to be, before his gaze fell to the table. Next to him, Lisa was shaking with barely contained anger. Her fists were clenched and her nostrils were flaring. For a few seconds, no one did anything, then she stood up abruptly and stormed out the door. Lily and James exchanged a look and nodded at each other slightly, before he ran after Lisa, as the redhead laid her hand on Remus' forearm.

"Don't feel bad," Lily said softly when the werewolf silently buried his face in his hands. "Their generation is different than ours. He just doesn't understand..."

"B-but... how did he even find out...?" Peter asked uncertainly.

"Use your brain, Pete. Moony is required by law to tell his employers what he is. Word got out and some pureblooded arse wrote to the Fawleys to tell them. Those blighters all keep in touch, so it's easier to interbreed," Sirius said with disgust.

"It doesn't matter how they found out," came Remus' strangled voice. "They know. Everyday I get a different reminder in how many ways I've ruined Lisa's life."

"You haven't ruined anything..." Lily started.

"Haven't I?" he snapped, looking up from his palms. "Look at her, Lily. Because of me, she has scars on her face. Because of me, she had to sell a big chunk of her belongings, just so we can make the rent! Because of me she has to live in a run down one-bedroom flat in the slums of London, when just a few months ago she woke up every day in a big mansion where ten house elves looked to her every need! Look at what I've brought her down to!"

To his surprise, Lily only smiled kindly at him.

"You're looking at all the wrong places," she said. "When I look as Lisa, I don't see her scars or her clothes. I see her smile when she looks at you. I see her happiness when you wrap your arm around her. You know as well as I that she never cared about those robes she sold, or the trinkets her mother made her wear at parties. All she needs is you."

"This is her family we're talking about, Lily," Remus said quietly, looking down at the table again. "People she cares about, rejecting her because she chose a life with me. How am I supposed to look her in the eyes, knowing how much pain this is causing her?"

"She didn't seem in pain," Sirius scoffed. "Moony, I know this is what you do, but you're over thinking it. No one cares about what a bunch of stuck-up blood-purists have to say about your relationship."

"She cares!" Remus protested.

"Does she look like she cares!? Take it from someone who's heard this kind of shite straight from the cradle – if that's how they think, we're better off without them."

"Sirius, you don't understand." Remus sighed tiredly. "Her family is not like yours. They just want what's best for her."

"If that were true, they'd see you are what's best for her, and they'd leave her alone," Sirius snapped. "This is about prejudice, pure and simple. They want her on the arm of some stick-in-the-arse pureblood like my brother or my brain-dead cousins."

"She rejected that life, and she made her own choice," Lily added. "Just be glad for it and ignore what everyone else says."

Remus looked at each of his friends in turn, and then leaned back with a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair.

"I know how you feel," Lily continued, rubbing his upper arm comfortingly. "It's not easy when you're not accepted by the family of the person you love. The Potters were very nice people, but if they were still alive I think they would have had... reservations about me."

"Puh-lease." Sirius said and rolled his eyes. "Like there's a person on this planet that hasn't instantly fallen inlove with Miss Perfect Prefect Evans."

"Miss Perfect Head Girl Evans, thank you very much!" Lily said jokingly and slapped his shoulder playfully.

Then, suddenly, Remus' hand shot out and grabbed her wrist firmly. "... Not a Miss Evans for much longer, it seems." He grinned, as all three men stared at the glinting piece of jewelry on her finger.

Lily blushed, but gave them all a radiant smile.

oOo

"Lisa, wait!" James called after the fuming blonde but she didn't even slow down, her angry steps echoing against the cobbled street. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to the bloody Owl Post and sending my grandfather a Howler so loud it'll break his windows!"

"It's 10 o'clock on a Saturday, the Post Office is closed!" he shouted after her.

Lisa stopped and whirled around to glare at him. "Then I'm going to apparate straight to Low Row and howl in person!" she snapped and made to spin on her heel, but James caught her arm and held her firmly in place.

"And what would that accomplish? You think your grandfather will come around after you yell his ears off?"

"I can't just go back in there and do nothing, James!" Lisa shouted. "I hate this! I hate how capable and qualified Remus is, yet people keep rejecting him! I hate how our last landlord gave him this dirty look when he finally figured out where he goes at the full moon! I hate how helpless I feel, because I can't just hex anyone who opens their mouth about it! I hate seeing him smile and nod as they insult him and spit at his feet! I hate that he has to face all of this adversity for something completely out of his control, and here's my own family, calling him a Dark Creature! A creature, James!"

"You think you're the only one that feels that way?!" he snapped, making her shut up and look at him. "You think the Marauders like it any more than you do? I get where you're coming from, we all feel the same, but throwing tantrums and yelling won't fix anything. You think Moony will be happy about you getting into another argument for his sake?"

Lisa's anger wavered, then slowly subsided. Her balled up fists fell to her side. "This isn't fair. He's amazing, but no one will even give him a chance," she said bitterly, looking down at the ground.

"Life isn't fair, and neither is war," James said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Just look around you. Muggles are dying left and right without even knowing why. Muggle-borns are being treated like cockroaches simply because their parents are not magical. Your sister was murdered just because she happened to be in the way. The werewolf hate is at least partly justified. You've seen up close how savage they can be." His eyes slid down the claw marks on the right side of her face.

"If wizards didn't treat them this way, they wouldn't have to resort to joining Voldemort," Lisa countered.

"Their reasons don't matter. Most are on his side, and people are naturally scared. I don't like that Remus is taking the fall for that, but while the war is still going, you won't have much luck preaching for werewolf rights. Right now, he needs you to be there to support him, not to shout in his name."

Lisa looked into her friend's hazel eyes and wondered how the arrogant brat, who three years ago bewitched dusty chalkboard erasers to follow the Slytherins around and hit every part of them they could reach, was now a responsible and levelheaded adult. James Potter, an adult. The concept alone was a bit laughable.

"Since when are you the voice of reason?" she said with a small smile.

James gave her a lopsided grin, but before he could answer, a loud yell came from inside the pub and Sirius bolted out the door, tackling him to the ground.

"Why didn't you tell us, you git!" Sirius shouted from the floor, as Lily, Peter and Remus followed him outside.

"I was waiting for everyone to be here, you big oaf! Get off me!" James yelled in return.

Lisa watched the two former Gryffindors pick themselves up, her eyes darting between the others questioningly.

"James... asked me to marry him last night!" Lily explained happily, holding out her hand.

Lisa gasped and brought it up to her eyes to inspect the diamond on it, then gave out a girly high-pitched squeal, drawing the redhead into a tight hug. "That's amazing! Congratulations!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around James' neck next. "Why didn't you tell us you were planning on popping the question?"

"Oh, he did," Remus chimed in from the side, wearing a broad smile. "He's been going on about it for weeks. Sorry I didn't tell you, he swore me to secrecy."

Lisa laughed lightheartedly and gave him a hug too. The Howler was instantly forgotten, and the group of friends walked back inside, happily chatting about venues and guest lists, and listening to James re-tell the proposal story with great enthusiasm.

Nearly six hours and four bottles of Firewhisky later, James and Lily had to take the incoherently hammered Sirius home, and Peter hiccuped once or twice and mumbled something about his mother killing him for staying out this late, before waving to his friends and disaparating. Lisa hadn't exactly had only one drink, but Remus still remembered the hangover from the last time he got drunk, so he nursed the same glass all night. She stumbled into him and giggled uncontrollably as he caught on to her tightly and apparated.

Lisa blinked up at the street lamp, and slowly registered they were not standing in front of their apartment building. The smell of garbage was missing.

"Where are we?" she asked dazedly, looking around.

"Twenty minutes from home," Remus answered, placing her hand on his arm and slowly pulling her down the street. "I thought the fresh air might do you some good before we got back."

Lisa laughed and leaned on his shoulder. "Oh yes, let us walk through the most dangerous part of London while I'm too pissed to even point my wand. Great plan."

"There is nothing to be worried about. The scariest thing around here is me," he quipped, sending her into another fit of giggles.

"So we're not counting the muggle criminals?"

"I'd like to think I can handle a muggle robber."

"My hero."

Remus chuckled, and she hugged his arm and nuzzled her face into his jacket as they walked. Why was the smell of him so wonderful?

They continued down the street in silence for a few minutes, and out in the chilly November night, away from more pleasant distractions, his mind wandered back to the red envelope.

"Lisa?"

"Mmm?"

"... Are you happy?"

"Right now? Immensely." She grinned and lifted her head to look at him. He couldn't help but return it.

"I meant the last couple of months."

"What's not to be happy about? Falling asleep in your arms? Check. Waking up to tea and breakfast each morning? Check. Getting to look at you reading the morning paper? Double check."

"What does me reading the paper have to do with anything?" he asked amusedly.

She screwed her face up in thought. "I'm not really sure. It just gives me this warm, fuzzy feeling."

Remus shook his head. Lisa always found the strangest things about him attractive.

"Aren't you sick of eating stale food?" he asked.

Lisa shrugged indifferently. "Food is food. It doesn't bother me. And it's not always stale."

"How about the constant moving? And the clothes you had to sell?"

"Pft, those fancy robes, you mean?" She waved dismissively. "You know I'd never wear them anyway; they were only taking up space."

"Still—"

"Taking up space! Why are you making me talk about this, it's giving me a headache."

Remus fell silent. But it didn't last long.

"What about during the day?" he said.

"Huh?" Lisa looked up at him questioningly.

"Are you only happy at night?"

"Well, I don't get to see you during the day. How do you expect me to be happy without you?" she said cheekily.

Remus once again felt a small smirk bloom on his face. "I just wanted to make sure you don't have regrets about this."

"Oh, I have regrets alright," Lisa grumbled. "I regret not destroying that Howler the second it arrived. That's what brought this on, isn't it?"

He sighed. She could always read him like an open book.

"I'm afraid I've... ruined your life," he admitted quietly.

"The only thing you're ruining right now is my buzz. If I didn't want to be here, I'd leave. So relax."

Despite logic, Remus felt his heart sink. He didn't even want to imagine her leaving.

"Don't," he uttered softly.

"Don't what?"

"Don't leave."

Lisa made him stop, and was not at all surprised to see his eyes full of guilt. She chuckled and coiled her arms around his neck. "Changed our tune, have we? What happened to the 'I'm too dangerous' routine?"

"It got replaced."

"Replaced by what?"

He pulled her into a tight embrace and buried his face in her shoulder. "By 'I'm not strong enough'. Not strong enough to face it all without you. There's so much discrimination of werewolves in wizarding society... some days it feels as if the whole world is against me. People can't even look me in the eyes once they find out what I am. Sometimes I feel like giving up, moving to a place where no one knows and living like a muggle... but then I remember about the war and the Order, and I know I can't. I have to buckle down, grow up and face all of it head on. And I'm giving it my best, I really am, but sometimes the only thing that gets me through the day is knowing I get to come back home to you."

"You can be so dramatic," Lisa mumbled and shifted her head to kiss his neck. "Let's get something straight, then. I am not leaving, and you really need to stop feeling guilty about it. I'm not an idiot, and I know what the consequences are. You didn't put a wand to my head and force me into anything, and if my family or anyone else has a problem with it – tough, because I'm not about to let anyone tell me how to live my life. Now take me home, before I've passed out."

Remus pulled back to look at her face and leaned down to kiss her. She tasted strongly of Firewhisky.