CW: FYI, chapter contains a racially insensitive joke.

Monday July 13th, 1992

Melissa arrived at Harry's apartment bright and early for the day's lessons. So early, in fact, that Harry and Sirius were still having breakfast when she arrived.

"Morning Harry, morning Sirius!" She paused once the door closed, prodding at the enchantment so it could give her her wand back.

"Morning Melly!" Harry greeted her.

Once the door burped out her wand, she joined them at the kitchen table. Sirius gave her a quick wave as she sat down. "How's my favourite little snake doing?"

Melissa gave a comical scoff at the line. "I'm fine, thanks. Don't let Andromeda hear that line from you, though."

Sirius waved the comment off. "Bah, she's a far larger snake than you are. It counts so long as you don't grow up."

Already, never, and inevitable. She snickered at the thought, but merely commented with a quick "Point taken. So, are you ready for another week of dodging curses?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Harry answered vaguely. "We have an idea we're going to ask Mister Salvatore about."

"Oh?"

"Have a look at this. It's a letter from Hermione." He passed a muggle-posted envelope to Melissa and she began to read the contents.

Dear Harry,

I hope this letter reaches you. I've been trying to owl you all week and I'm absolutely terrified the Ministry is blocking my letters! Please let me know if this reaches you. I can't bear it if it means what I think it means!

I should start from the beginning. On Monday I was baking with my mum and accidentally levitated the mixing bowl when it slipped out of her hand so that it wouldn't make a mess. Yes, I know that I'm not supposed to use magic outside of Hogwarts, but I spent so much of the year practicing wandless levitation that it happened completely by reflex. I can't believe I did something so foolish! Though the worst part has been the waiting. I spent the first two days terrified that the Ministry will send someone to snap my wand, but no one has come. Then I realized that the letters I wrote to you must have not reached you, and now I'm even more worried that I'm being forced away from the magical world. I do hope it isn't true!

Please, Harry, please let me know the moment you get this letter! I need to stay in the magical world, I can't bear the thought!

In earnest,

Hermione

Melissa looked up to him in alarm. "She can't be serious, can she?"

"Don't worry, I got to a phone and called her as soon as I got it on Saturday." He assured her. "Hermione isn't going to get expelled. Actually, it's even better than we had hoped. She hadn't broken the rules, she found a loophole!"

"Come again?"

Harry's smile grew mischievous. "Wandless magic gets marked as accidental magic."

Melissa's jaw dropped. "You're kidding me?"

"No, he's right." Sirius added, his own smile equal in its mischief. "We even tested it, just to be sure. Harry received no letter from the ministry. Though I did have to spend a good deal of time on the telephone assuring his friend that she wasn't in any trouble, the poor thing."

Melissa reeled at the discovery. "You mean we could have been doing magic this whole time and no one bothered to tell us?!"

"To be fair, little snake, wandless magic isn't something people can do easily. It takes a lot of training to perform wandless magic."

The witch blinked at the wizard without saying a word. She then turned to her friend with a raised brow, and was given a mirthful look in return. Then, continuing to not say a word, she looked back at the adult wizard and traced her hand into the air in front of him. With a start, Sirius leapt from his seat, his legs jittering and twisting in random motions.

"What the bloody hell!"

Harry burst out laughing as his godfather danced a jig around the kitchen. Melissa, meanwhile, tried to school her expression. Though the facade did manage to crack into a tight smile.

"This is ridiculous!" Sirius cried, managing to pull out his wand. "Finite incantatem!" Finally, his legs managed to relax. His body panted heavily as he regained his bearings. "What was that?"

"The dancing feet spell." She answered innocently.

"You cast it nonverbally and without a wand? How?"

"I had some spare time this past year." She answered with a shrug. "I don't know why you're so surprised. Harry's been using an OWL level spell since before Hogwarts."

"He's- but that's-"

At his loss for words, Melissa turned to Harry with a teasing smile. "Why are people always surprised?"

"I suppose we're just that incredible." He answered in jest.

"I suppose we are!"

A loud belch echoed through the flat, alerting them that someone was at the door. "That'll be Marcello." Sirius muttered. He looked at them both with a shake of his head. "You ought to try that on him next. That'll be something!" Whether it was meant as a dare or an exhibition, Melissa couldn't decide. Instead she shrugged quietly as the man walked over to the hallway. Before making it there, he jolted with a sudden thought. "Before I forget, can Harry stay with your family for a couple nights? I have to… work on a project with Remus."

"Sure? ...That's fine." Catching his visible sigh of relief, it took her about a second to realize the point of the question. Then he left their sight, off to the door to talk with Marcello. After a blink, the girl dropped her head towards Harry with a deadpan expression. "Subtle."

Harry snickered at the line. "To be fair, if you didn't already know about Uncle Remus-"

"Then odds are they'd be shagging or doing pub crawls to find women to shag; but it's a full moon tomorrow night so, again, subtle."

The comment seemed to make Harry choke on air. "Come on, Melly, they're my uncles!"

"Hey, you never know, they're adults with needs and…" She blinked at the boy's obvious disgust, "...and you're eleven. Right, you won't even be interested in that kind of stuff until your ballsMOVING ON! " She clapped her hands once, as if that act would dispel the awkwardness of the topic change. "So… finish up your waffles. I'll go get ready in the other room."

"Ugh, no thanks." Harry pushed his plate back. "I think I've lost my appetite."

"Oh, don't be such a drama queen!" She rolled her eyes. "Besides, you already know it's just a transformation night. Nothing gross about it. I mean, aside from the twisting bones, and fur, and rearranging internal organs, and -oh, forget it! Just eat your breakfast. You'll need all the fuel you can get before Salvatore makes us burn it all off. I'll see you in the other room."

"Gah, fine!" Harry grumbled. Though now his mind was twisting between thoughts of his uncles being "adults with needs" and thoughts of however a werewolf transformation must look like from the outside. His eyes drifted to the whipped cream decorating his breakfast, its sugary goodness now suddenly seemed like too much to handle at the moment. Though thinking of that, those thoughts, and the warning caused his eyes to pop as an epiphany came to mind. "Hey! Before we get started-"

The Next Day, 5:00pm

"Here we are, The Golden Palace!" Harry announced as his uncles walked through the door of the downtown restaurant.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea, Harry." Remus muttered quietly. "I'm sure the place is nice and all, but I have less than three hours until I…"

"I know, Uncle Remus. Trust me, this will help." He then turned to the greeter as she welcomed them to the restaurant. "Hello. We have a reservation for six under Sirius Black."

"Yes, your other half is already seated." The woman nodded. "Right this way." She gestured the three of them further into the restaurant, where they found the London Bennetts waiting for them at the table.

They greeted each other merrily, though Harry noticed the hesitancy in his lupine uncle's eyes. He then met with Melly, finding her to be full of impish glee. "This is the best plan ever! I can't believe no one ever thought of this."

"They could have." Harry offered with consideration. "Technically we don't actually know if it will help."

The girl shrugged casually. "Well, win or lose, we get a feast. Operation: Full Moony is a go!"

Suddenly, Remus' voice cut in. "Excuse me, operation what now? "

Harry flinched suddenly, as he met Remus' eye. Though he was surprised when Melly confidently answered him. "Operation: Full Moony. As in, we are going to stuff you like a balloon since you're practically skin and bones."

His eyes narrowed suspiciously at the two of them. "I certainly am not."

"Sure you aren't." The girl mused. "And Harry, here, has been the pinnacle of health his whole life. Honestly, some food will do you good."

"That's hardly comparable-"

"Ep! Ep! No arguing!" She lectured. "No one in this family is allowed to starve. Now get your butt over to the buffet table. You're not allowed to leave until you've had at least four plates, including dessert!" The girl grabbed the man's arm and practically marched him over to the buffet line, flashing Harry a wink as she walked away.

Around him, the other adults mused aloud. "I just had the most alarming image of that girl as a mother."

"I'm not sure if I should be proud or terrified at the thought." Jake commented.

"Maybe we'll be lucky and she'll only be like that around meals." Sirius replied.

Or just around werewolves. Harry thought with a smile.

The early dinner was a long and friendly affair. If someone wasn't eating, they were filling the table with conversation. Talks of work, vacation plans, and such filled the table as often as it filled plates. The only real kink in dinner was Remus constantly checking his watch with a worried expression. It became a more vocal concern as they finished the second round of plates and Melly adamantly insisted Remus join her for a third.

"I really shouldn't." The man insisted. "I'm far too stuffed."

"Come on. Live a little!" She grinned. "How often do you get a buffet? Besides, there's always room in the dessert stomach, and they have great ice cream here!"

Sirius laughed at her insistence. "Ha! A dessert stomach, eh?"

"Yep. It's a proven fact." She grinned. The adults within earshot snorted at that one.

"I'll bet." Sirius smiled. "Though I think we ought to head out soon."

"You still have time!" Harry argued.

"Agreed!" Melly joined forces, her chopsticks pointing at Sirius. "You're trapped here now, Padfoot. Try to escape, and we'll throw you on the wok."

"The what?"

"The cooking pot."

Sirius matched her challenge with a glint of amusement. "I daresay, I never expected a snake to be into cannibalism, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"Oh, I'm not talking about cannibalism. I did specify that I'd cook you as Padfoot, not Sirius."

At the comment, Mary choked on her drink. "Melissa!" Her scolding was muffled by a combination of laughter and coughing.

"What?" She whined. "I mean, that is the stereotype isn't it? We can whip up a nice dish of peking pup for everyone."

At this point both Mary and Remus had their heads in their hands. Sirius, on the other hand, nearly fell out of his chair in laughter. "So that's what this meal is all about! But you'll never take me alive, Bennett! En garde!" He produced a chopstick from his plate and pointed it menacingly at the young muggleborn. "I warn you, I'm an expert duellist!"

Melly drew her own chopstick. "Ah, expert you may be, but you fail to realize that I am no ordinary opponent! For I am the Great Glutton of Great Britain. Tasked with only one goal: to force all to gorge their gullets until their guts explode!"

Melly and Sirius duelled their chopsticks/wands/swords with all the grace of squabbling toddlers. Their antics met with cheers and derision alike.

"Children, enough." Remus commented with lethargic instruction.

"Never!" Melly jabbed once again. "The Great Glutton does not surrender. Either her victim grabs another plate, or they fight to the death!"

Remus rolled his eyes at the statement. He turned to Harry for help, but the boy merely shrugged with an innocent smile. "Fine!" He sighed, getting up from the table. "I'll take another serving. Now will you two stop?"

Near-instantly, Melissa ceased her side of the fight, resulting in Sirius knocking her chopstick from her grasp. Rather than complain, the girl beamed in a smile. "Sure! I won anyway."

"You lost your wand." Sirius commented.

"Nu-uh. I said I win when Remus goes for another plate. So I won."

"Technically you didn't specify Remus, you just said your victim..."

Remus walked away from the two bickering children. Harry followed after him for a plate of dessert. Seeing his uncle fill half a plate with food, he smiled, hoping that the plan would work.

When Thursday arrived, both Harry and Melly woke slowly, hoping to squeeze in as much rest as possible.

"God, why is everything so sore!" Melly muttered, her face half-hidden by a pillow.

Harry couldn't help but scoff. "Just be happy you're in a proper bed."

A loose hand emerged from under the blanket. "Hey, you didn't have to use the cot. Your fault for not taking the guest room."

"I was too tired to think. Didn't think Mister Salvatore would apparate us to an auror training field."

"Well now we know!" She muttered.

The conversation cut short as the door rang. A minute later, Mrs. Bennett called them, saying that Sirius was here. Both children groaned in unison.

"I'm not getting up!"

"It's too early!"

"Agreed!"

The room went silent again. Brains rolling between the borders of awareness and sleep. Barely conscious, Harry was only vaguely aware of a weight draped over his body and hot, damp air on his face. He cracked one eye open, finding himself nose to nose with a large, black dog. "G'morning, Padfoot." He smiled lightly as his eyes fluttered closed. Then he found himself mildly overwhelmed by the sensation of Padfoot's tongue licking his cheek and brow. "Mm-enough!" He tried to protest, though the action elicited a bout of tired laughter. Instead he pushed the dog's head away and lightly scratched him behind the ear. The action placated the animagus, giving Harry precious moments to keep himself in bed.

After half a minute passed, the dog wriggled under his grip and pushed off of the cot. Then Harry heard a change in the air like the rustle of fabric. He opened his eyes again, finding his uncle sitting cross-legged on the floor. "So…" A yawn escaped out of Harry. "How did it go?"

"It went better than I thought." Sirius replied, though his voice was at a near whisper. "The first night he was able to keep mostly calm. Wouldn't even run around as much. In the morning he said the urge to hunt was almost nonexistent. Wasn't even all that hungry when he changed back. He still has a lot of pain, though, but I convinced him to go back to that restaurant again last night just to be safe. "

Harry smiled warmly at the news. "That's great! I'm glad it was able to help."

"More than you know." Sirius beamed. "I wish we had known about it before. How did you come up with the idea?"

"Protein bars." Harry answered easily. "Back in Surrey Uncle John had me hide protein bars in the cupboard to keep me from going hungry. He taught me a bit about calories and why it's important to have a lot of them when you're growing. I figured the same idea would work for werewolf transformations."

In spite of the good news, the explanation dimmed the smile on Sirius' face. "Harry… if I had known how bad it was-"

"It's not your fault. Dumbledore had me hidden and you were in Azkaban. You couldn't have known."

"Even still, I'm your godfather. I should have been there for you."

"What should have or could have doesn't matter. That's in the past. We have to move forward now, right?" Harry argued.

His uncle's lips parted slightly. His expression was incredulous. "Did you just quote Marshhaven at me?"

Harry smirked mischievously. "Well she is the expert on this stuff, right?"

The answer had them both chuckling. When they finished, Sirius gave his prone form a once over. "So, any chance you'll be getting up today, or will I have to carry you back home?"

"If you're offering-arg, hey! " He shouted, his head suddenly ruffled by his godfather.

"Come on, rise and shine pup! You, too, snakelet! Wake up!"

From the bed came a twist as Melly cocooned herself in her blankets. "Too early. Let me sleep!"

"It's half past eleven, you lazy gits!" Sirius laughed. Finding both children stubbornly unmoved, he grinned and pulled out his wand. "Alright, then, guess I'll have to do this the hard way. Or should I say the Marauder Way."

Both kids had their eyes open wide at the proclamation. "Wait, what does that-?"

They were upside down in the air before the question could be asked.

A/N: At the time I wrote this I wasn't sure if Wolfstar would be a thing, so I left it ambiguous. Not gonna queerbait, so I'm going to say right now that off-screen they have flings, but the pairing doesn't last.