This transformation was particularly painful for Remus to start.
Emeline first assumed it was his initial carelessness and time lapse with his dose of Wolfsbane that had him in such agony when the moon illuminated the room.
But, as she felt crushed under his weight of emotions, she knew it was his mental state that had him fighting worse with his wolf this month.
This moon was different; this moon she'd entered the old room at Grimmauld Place with him, ignoring the falling pit in her stomach, which she knew was his, as he watched her. His eyes didn't break her stare until she was fully transformed into her animagus.
"S-stay." He pushed out through gritted teeth, resting a hand on the wolf's head, begging her not to transform back unbeknownst to him.
Sirius stayed back in human form, promising to look out for them through the night on the other side of the door.
In obedience, the playful young wolf rested on her father's feet in comfort and closed her eyes, ears pinned back as he screamed in agony. He reached for her but his hands quickly turned to claws and she sunk flatter to the ground out of his grip. It only took moments before he kicked her involuntarily off his foot into the corner as she whimpered.
He responded immediately as his eyes locked on her and rushed over, leaning down to nudge her. She looked up at him and surveyed him fully transformed, for the first time this closely. Her sparkling blue eyes met his amber ones and she swayed her tail back and forth as he nudged her once more before crouching completely down next to her. She curled into his lap and their breathing synchronized.
He recognized her.
She stirred a few times through the night, and everytime she awoke, his eyes were fixated on her, watching her like a statue. She would nestle against him and drift off again each time, satisfied that he was safe and not harming himself.
The physical pain of the moon had melted away.
But even better still, so had the mental anguish they'd been in for days.
For the first time during a full moon, Remus felt complete peace and something in his heart shifted.
•
When morning came, Emeline yawned and opened her eyes slow. Her jeans and loose tee were on and a blanket was haphazardly thrown across her. She got up slowly, the only ache was at her side where she had been thrown by mistake when he first transformed.
She had been noticing some sore after- effects of the moons, but this morning felt calmer despite that bruise. She was certainly stiff, not to mention bloody exhausted, but her soul and body were in balance and void of emotional pain.
She stood and made her way downstairs, running a hand through her tangled hair to calm it. Her bare feet hit the smooth wooden floor and it creaked in response. At the bottom of the staircase, George popped his head out.
"Goodmorning, beautiful!" He chirped with a grin.
"Why, thank you, handsome!" Fred cut in on the other side.
Emeline squealed and bounded down the steps, jumping into his arms at the bottom.
In the dining room, Sirius laughed as Molly beamed affectionately at the display up the hallway.
"Someone's awake." Remus quipped, sipping his tea and sifting through the Daily Prophet.
Back at the bottom of the stairs, she pulled away and looked up at George.
"What are you doing here!"
"Let's get some breakfast and have a chat about that, shall we?" He asked, taking her hand.
A blush crept onto her cheeks as they entered the dining room, in front of their parents, George's siblings, and (to Emeline's surprise), Snape and Dumbledore sitting to Sirius' left.
"Even your father made it up before sunrise, Miss Lupin." Severus prodded. She could have sworn she saw a genuine small smirk.
As quickly as she saw it, it was gone.
She chose to ignore him for the most part, save a tight nod, before letting go of George's hand and hugging Molly who was bustling over to her.
"Goodmorning, dear! So sorry for the intrusion of everyone. No one was expecting this today." She grabbed her face between her hands. "You look exhausted. Go sit, I'll bring you a spot of tea."
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." She grinned.
"Molly, please dear!"
Emeline moved to take a seat next to her father, who kissed her forehead.
"Goodmorning, darling. Sleep well?" He asked, seemingly apt to keep the evening between them.
She nodded quickly as Molly handed her tea and Remus pushed over the sugar instinctively which she grinned at.
"Wonderful. You?"
"Like a dog. Lovely."
She snorted and held her mouth for the tea not to fall out.
Suddenly, there were more people bustling into the room. One responded to her immediately, a young woman with purple hair that Emeline was quickly envious of. She was beautiful with an infectious smile and grungy, metal band style robes. She looked like a total badass and Emeline made a mental note to grill her with hair questions later on.
"I can make that noise." She grinned, taking a clumsy seat next to Emeline as her face transformed into a pig snout.
Emeline laughed loudly.
"Ah, my dear niece!" Sirius shouted. "Everyone, this is Nymphadora Tonks."
Suddenly, her hair changed to a fiery red and her face went back to normal, save for the same red flush.
"Don't call me Nymphadora, Sirius! It's Tonks."
"Ah, my apologies."
"Lovely to meet you, Tonks." Emeline smiled. "This is my dad, he was a professor at Hogwarts." She grinned, pointing to her other side.
Tonks' eyes softened and Remus stopped for a moment too, smiling shyer than Emeline had ever seen.
"I believe we've met." Tonks said softly. "Though I was much younger."
Remus nodded. "Yes. I remember your exuberant charades during Black Family dinner."
"A right disaster of an evening!" Sirius groaned.
Emeline shot him a confused glance at Remus and Tonks interaction. Sirius shrugged and Emeline crossed her arms.
She sensed something.
Though she wasn't sure what, she made it her mission to find out.
Emeline looked up then to see who had walked in next and the blood drained from her face.
She stood quickly, nearly toppling backward, and Remus and Tonks sprung from their seats to grab her, throwing one another a second glance of something.
Remus grimaced at his stiff muscles as Tonks quirked an eyebrow over the entire situation.
"Darling, it's alright. This truly is-"
"-Alastor Moody. Mad eye. Lovely to meet you, Miss Lupin." He extended a hand.
Emeline stood rooted to her spot, hands trembling.
Tonks had heard of what happened at Hogwarts and placed a reassuring hand on her back.
"Emeline?" She broke her reverie and looked over to her. "I trust Mad Eye. I was just on a mission with him. We've been on many together. You should meet the real one."
She nodded and held out her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Professor, er- Mad Eye."
As she slunk back into her seat, heart racing, Remus silently placed his palm on his own chest.
Breathe.
Severus observed them curiously.
I can't.
You can, pup.
She grabbed at her own heart and swallowed thickly, toying with her star necklace and calming herself as she felt her father breathing in tune with her, still eyeing the Daily Prophet so as not to embarrass her further by coddling her out loud.
Everyone took a seat at the table then and George smiled at her from across the way with an assuring nod.
She mustered a smile back and continued sipping at her tea, unsure of how to ask what the bloody hell was happening.
"Thank you for graciously opening your home, Sirius. I have enchanted it with the Fidelius Charm so we are safely nestled away." Dumbledore began. "Sirius has bestowed the position of Secret Keeper upon me, which I take with all severity and stride. I will make it my mission to keep this home and inhabitants safe."
At the mention of secret keeper, Sirius and Remus looked sadly to one another.
When Emeline looked over at Sirius, he returned to his playfulness and winked.
I'm so sorry
I'm alright, pup
"In light of recent events, we have come to the agreement that the re-establishment of the Order of the Phoenix is necessary. We will form the largest alliance against Lord Voldemort that we can possibly create and zero in on each other's individual abilities that will aid in what could be a war on our hands."
Emeline's eyes grew darker than the circles she already had under them as she realized how serious this was. George shot her another encouraging glance, but she didn't see it.
"Our largest concern is Harry for obvious reason. Voldemort naturally has a vendetta and he is the link in his eyes. It started with Harry and, I fear, Voldemort will want to end it with him." Dumbledore continued. "However, we have a second danger presenting. Remus, a recent discovery I have discussed with Severus has me torn between whether this is an aid or a hindrance."
Emeline's face went white. Surely he was not addressing this in front of everyone, including George right now.
Damnit
She felt her father's stress rising. At least she knew he was not in on this. She shot a glare to Severus.
"I'm not sure this is the time or place, Albus." Remus ventured.
"It's why Severus is here." He replied curtly. "And the Order needs to be aware of every threat."
"My daughter isn't a threat!" Remus stood angrily. Emeline and Tonks' mouths both fell open slightly.
"E?" George asked, confused.
Emeline's throat felt tight. She looked from George to her father and then to Severus somewhat frantically.
"Professor Snape?" She asked lamely, hopeful he would take over.
Begrudgingly, he stepped in front of Albus and addressed the table.
"As I'm sure you are all aware, our beloved Lupin is a werewolf. Furthermore, his daughter has inherited a trait specific to those afflicted by lycanthropy who bear children: mirror-ing. Not only are they somewhat telepathically joined, but the fact that other wolves and Emeline can easily sense one another could pose a problem since Lupin has shunned that community for lack of a better word."
Emeline was staring down at a small tear in her jeans, picking at it absentmindedly. Tonks watched her sadly and her heart broke as she realized that Remus, too, had his eyes only fixated on his daughter. He looked so distraught, but his gaze was loving.
"The most disheartening of this entire thing is that a child of a lycanthrope with mirror-ing capabilities will follow them in death. Part of her soul is entwined with lycanthropy, despite not being a werewolf. Which means if the alpha dies, so does she."
She wanted to sink into the floor at the gasps coming from around the table. Embarrassment and anger at the pity rose up inside of her.
"How do you severe the tie?" She was surprised to hear George's voice, but she still could not look up.
"It cannot be severed, Mr. Weasley. However, she can separate herself to some degree and retain these qualities specifically to her, thus having no need for an alpha to keep her alive, were she a werewolf herself."
The room was quiet.
Emeline had never felt this level of panic before. If anyone had begun to speak, she couldn't hear it. The room was spinning and her thoughts her blurring together. Her eyes stung though she couldn't cry.
Even her connection with her father was muffled, she felt his voice but could not focus on it.
She stood of her body's own accord.
She could make out everyone talking; arguing? But no words made sense.
Grasping chairs along the way clumsily, she barely made it to the stairs, frantic for air. She felt a hand steady her back that wasn't her father, but his shouting in the dining room was beginning to pour into her ears.
"Emeline, let's get you to your room, hmm?"
She turned to Tonks and nodded slowly.
•
"That must be incredibly scary." Tonks said sympathetically. "I'm sorry Dumbledore didn't ask you first."
"Me too. I didn't even get to tell George myself." Emeline picked at her fingernails in anxiety.
The edges were bleeding.
"George? One of the twins, right?"
"Yes. He was across from us. Maroon shirt."
"He's handsome." She responded playfully.
That's when the feeling clicked all of a sudden; what she couldn't place between Tonks and her father earlier.
Attraction
"Emeline?" Tonks asked, studying her face. She broke out of her train of thought and smiled assuringly.
"Right, sorry. He is. Yeah." She picked at her nails once again and Tonks put a reassuring hand on her knee.
"I'm sure he will understand. You'll need some time to yourselves to mull it over."
Emeline nodded. "I'll let him come to me. I haven't the first clue how to begin this conversation."
"I'm sure it will pan out alright." She stood and headed for the door, her hair a somewhat sad blue. "And Emeline?"
"Yeah?" She glanced up.
"Whatever choice you make will be the right one. You have so much support surrounding you. Your father seems like a kind man and he's… familiar with the condition. He will guide you."
Emeline smiled and swore she saw Tonks' hair begin changing again before she shook it quickly to remain light blue.