June 3, 1981
A knock on the door made them all jump. They weren't expecting anyone. Calandra passed Harry off to his mother and stood, drawing her wand. Sirius threw the invisibility cloak to Lily and stood next to James. James opened the door and Calandra saw his shoulders drop their taught tension.
"Moony!" he breathed. "What in Godric's balls are you doing here?"
Lily tore the cloak off Harry and set it aside, giving the baby back to Calandra as she rose to greet Remus. Sirius stood by the doorway and clapped a hand on Remus's shoulder, but offered no other greeting.
"I didn't know the next time I'd be able to come by. I couldn't let the month pass without some sort of celebration. The anniversary of when we joined the cause!" Remus said drawing a small parcel out of his pocket and tapping it with his wand. It grew to normal size and he sat the case of butterbeer on the table.
"The place was crawling with Death Eaters, but I managed to slip by them for this."
"Merlin's fucking beard, Remus." Calandra said, covering Harry's ears. "Death Eaters crawling about and you go for a butterbeer run. Are you mad?"
"I missed you, too." He said kissing her cheek.
She rolled her eyes and turned Harry to face Remus. The baby reached out a chubby hand and grasped Remus's finger, pulling and tugging. Remus laughed and scooped Harry up.
"Quite a grip you have there, mate." He said, chuckling.
Calandra looked up to find Lily and James whispering with Sirius. Lily peeled off from the two men and came over to where her friends sat. She watched Remus and Harry with a tired smile. Calandra got up and squeezed her arm.
"You two can visit. I'll go open the drinks and make sandwiches." Calandra said, walking towards the kitchen.
She busied herself in the kitchen, slicing roast beef and trying to hear James and Sirius's muted conversation. They seemed to be talking about some recent meeting. Something about hiding. Calandra rummaged through drawers for a bottle opener before she gave up and used her wand. She arranged food on plates and carried them back out to the others, levitating drinks to follow behind her.
Calandra sat the food and beverages down on the coffee table and sat in the armchair next to Remus. He was telling them something about the Prewett twins. They'd extended the shield charms some way. Fabian was engaged to Emmaline Vance now. Moody brought Fawley in for questioning, they were expecting him to give up the names of Death Eaters. Rhea had sent word to Emmaline that she was doing fine in America. Harry reached toward Calandra and she slid off her chair to sit in the floor at Remus's knee.
He bounced Harry and Calandra played pat-a-cake with him as everyone talked and visited with one another. Lily and Sirius got into some debate about Bubotuber Puss and whether its uses could be extended if mixed with dragon's blood. Calandra tuned them out as Remus slid down next to her when Harry reached for her.
The small boy fisted his hands in Calandra's hair and babbled with laughter. Calandra laughed and extricated his hands from her hair. Remus turned Harry to face him and wagged a finger in his face.
"Now, mate." He warned good naturedly. "That isn't any way to treat a lady."
Calandra laughed leant toward them.
"Uncle Moony's a good one to talk, Harry." She said, tickling the small boy. "He was horrid to Aunt Callie in school. He cast a spell on Aunt Callie that made her speak only in French for two whole days."
Remus threw his head back and laughed.
"You deserved it." He said with a smile. "You charmed all my schoolbooks to sing when I opened them. It took me a week to figure out the counter spell. I got two detentions that week and had to borrow books for days."
Calandra grinned and raised her eyebrows at the memory.
"Didn't do me any good to get you back, though." Remus said. "I forgot Pads knows French."
"Yeah." Calandra smiled and ruffled Harry's hair. "He never let you live it down afterwards."
Remus rolled his eyes and hoisted Harry above his head.
"You'll be much more well behaved, won't you?" he asked Harry.
Calandra snorted.
"Doubtful." She said, motioning to where James and Sirius had wrestled each other to the ground.
"No no no, Prongs." Sirius was saying as James tried to wrap his arm around Sirius's neck. "This won't do anything."
Sirius wriggled out from under James and slung his legs over him. He shook his hair back, put an elbow to James's throat, and smirked down at him.
"This is much more efficient." He said.
"Fuck off!" James said and flipped Sirius off to the side. "It didn't take anything to get your sorry arse off of me."
"Fascinating as this may be." Lily said, grabbing a sandwich and sitting on the couch. "I doubt the Death Eaters will resort to fisticuffs with you lot. Far too muggle for them."
James and Sirius looked at one another and pulled a face.
"Fair enough, Lilypad." Sirius said and turned to Harry.
"Oi! Prongslet!" he said. "Come over here to Padfoot. You haven't slobbered on me near enough. My collar's barely wet."
Harry turned to Sirius and squealed. He wriggled free of Remus's grasp and tottered over to Sirius, little hands reaching up. Sirius scooped him up and blew raspberries on his cheeks. Harry grabbed a handful of Sirius's hair and laughed. Calandra smiled at the picture they made. Sirius was always ecstatic to spend time with Harry.
"How long can you stay Moony?" James asked, taking a sip of butterbeer.
"Not very long." Remus frowned. "I've got to get back to the forest before long."
"How is everything going?" Lily asked.
"About as well as can be expected." Remus sighed. "The werewolves want change; he's promised it to them. Not many of them like what I'm having to say."
James nodded gravely and hopped up. He held a hand out to Remus.
"I've got something to show you, Moony. Come with me for a bit."
James led him down the hall and Lily got up to follow them. Calandra got up and perched on the chair arm beside Sirius. She waved her wand and made small clouds shaped like different animals emerge from the end of it for Harry.
"Ahh, mate." Sirius said, nuzzling Harry's head. "Uncle Padfoot's going to have to go home soon. Wish you could come with us."
Calandra ran her hand down Sirius's hair.
"Why don't you stay with James tonight?" she asked. "Play with Harry, annoy Lily, duel with James. You'll be in heaven."
"Not tonight." Sirius shook his head. "I've got an early morning tomorrow. Maybe Friday or next week."
Lily came back into the room and Sirius tossed Harry over to her.
"I guess I'll give him up, Red." He said. "We've got to hit the road."
Lily nodded and gave them both a hug. They were kissing Harry's cheeks when James and Remus came back down the hallway. James clapped Remus on the back.
"You're all more than welcome to stay." He said.
Sirius nodded and ruffled James's hair.
"Can't tonight, but stock the cupboards with Caramel Cobwebs. I'll be back round Friday." Sirius said.
Remus hugged Lily and tickled Harry's chin. Calandra looped her arm in his and reached for the bags they'd brought.
"I'll walk with you. I hardly ever see you anymore." She said.
Sirius swung his knapsack over his shoulder and gave the Potters a salute as he shut their door. They walked down the steps and headed toward the apparition point. Remus asked Calandra questions about the research she'd been doing; about the new books she'd read and if she thought about checking with the ministry about blood ties her father. Sirius seemed to grow more upset the longer they walked.
"Why are you asking so many questions, Moony?" Sirius said, walking down the lane.
Remus shot him a look. Calandra dropped Remus's arm and stared at the two of them. What was going on?
"I'm trying to stay one step ahead of them, just like you." Remus replied evenly.
"Mmmhmm." Sirius murmured, noncommittally.
"Well," Remus said, turning back to Calandra. "As, I was saying, I think it could boil down to just blood."
Sirius scoffed, but Remus continued.
"Ancient magic recognizes blood bonds in ways we don't really know about. It could be that."
"You think we haven't already thought of that?" Sirius said. "Why is it just her? My family can't trace me through blood bonds, and Godric knows they want to. It has to be something more."
"I'm just trying to help." Remus said, holding his hands up.
"Yeah, mate?" Sirius barked, turning on him. "You want to know how you can help? Start by telling us who your contact was for the information on the attack on the Howards."
"Sirius." Calandra warned.
Remus glared at him.
"Or how about telling us where you were last week? Why you missed the meeting." Sirius went on.
"You know I can't tell yo-" Remus said, his voice full of anger.
"Like hell you can't!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Sirius!" Calandra spoke up sharply.
"I could ask you some of the same question, Pads." Remus said Sirius's nickname like a slur.
"Where have you gone for days at a time, not telling anyone; even Calandra?" Remus practically snarled. "How do you know your family can't trace you through blood bonds? Been having little reunions, have we?"
"Remus!" Calandra expostulated.
Remus turned to Calandra and his eyes softened. She drew herself up and stood, toe to toe, with him. She poked a finger in his chest and watched the shadows dance over the scars on his face.
"You're just being cruel, and it stops now!" Calandra bit out.
Remus looked contrite and drew a deep breath.
"Being cruel comes quite naturally to him, didn't you know love?" Sirius said.
Remus's eyes flicked up to Sirius and she saw rage simmering beneath the surface. He looked back down at her and bit out a goodbye before turning and stalking off.
"You insolent prat!" Calandra hit Sirius's arm. "That was uncalled for! Go apologize."
"What?" Sirius rounded on her.
"You heard me! He knew he took it too far. He was going to apologize." Sirius shook his head, but she carried on. "I know you were talking about his condition and he does, too. Go! Now!"
Sirius shook his head and followed Remus's retreating figure. Calandra gathered the things she'd dropped and walked down the lane. She heard murmured voices, then shouting. She picked her pace up when she saw flashes of light. She ran upon the two of them just as Remus was turning on his heel to dissaparate. He was gone with a pop, and Calandra turned to Sirius.
"What happened?" she asked.
"What do you know," Sirius said, running a hand along his jaw. "Moony has a mean right hook."
"He hit you?" Calandra breathed.
Sirius just reached for the packages dangling from Calandra's wrists.
"I can carry these." He said.
"No." she dropped everything and grabbed his hands. "What's going on between you two?"
She looked down and saw that Sirius's knuckles were bruising. She ran a thumb across the back of his hand and stared at the purple splotch slowly spreading across his cheek. His eyes were dead when he spoke.
"I don't know. But he's hiding something."
She thought back to how secretive Remus had been for the past few months. How he'd skirt around questions and gloss over concerns in letters.
"Maybe it's for Dumbledore." Calandra said, hopefully.
"Maybe." Sirius said, then followed with a whisper. "Or maybe not."
Calandra stared up at him. He smiled down at her and ran his thumb across her cheek. Sirius leant forward and kissed her forehead, then leant down to grab the bags and packages.
"Come on, love. Let's go home."