Sanctuary

by CyborgSquirrel1

The epic tale of Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, from their first meeting until their happily ever after. A young werewolf who hasn't experienced human touch for six years meets a young pure-blood who's never known how it feels to be loved. The story follows Remus and Sirius through Hogwarts and beyond. Slightly AU in the beginning but goes major AU after Halloween 1981.

100. Chapter 99

Wednesday 20th June

Dear Minerva,

I hope this letter finds you well andthat you areenjoying a pleasant summer. I am writing to follow up on the matter we briefly discussed on the last day of term to inform you that I have come to a final decision. The subject of Defence Against the Dark Arts will be removed from the timetable and replaced with two distinct courses: Fortification and Dispulsion.

I understand thatthe addition ofa second course may present some challenges as you finalise the student schedules for the upcoming academic year. However, I believe that this more specialised approach to the various elements of defence will greatly benefit the students in the long run. I trust that you will agree the outcome justifies the extra effort.

I will proceed with advertising for the necessary teaching positionsand willkeep you informed once the interviews have been completed and appointmentsmade.

Kind regards,

Albus Dumbledore

-o-o-o-o-

Twinkles, Moony, Bubbles & Sunshine

June 20th 9:47 am

Hi, Bubbles. Mum says she's flooing to yours in a few minutes. Is it alright if I come with her?

9:52 am

Hey! Yeah, of course. It'll be good to see you.

Great! We'll be right there.

10:17 am

Can't believe I didn't get an I'lljustsit here all alone and stare at the wall or something…

Get over here, Moony. Your wall wants some privacy.

Well, if you insist…

10:33 am

Is there room for one more?

Dependswhoit is…

My mother…

Absolutely. I'llmake surethe fire's nice and hot so I can shove her into it as soon as thefloopowder runs out.

Knew I could count on you, Bubbles. I'll be there in a few minutes. I have toflooto Diagon first.

See you soon.

'We're going to need another cup, mum,' James said as Peter closed the notebook. 'Sirius is on his way.'

'Oh, how lovely,' Effie replied, taking another cup from the cupboard and placing it on the tray she was busy preparing. 'It'll be nice for you to all spend the day together. You should go out—make the most of it. I'm sure Sirius won't be able to get away very often. Where do his parents think he's going?'

'To buy his brother a birthday present,' Remus answered, tapping his fingers on the kitchen table as he spoke. 'But he already bought him something ages ago.'

Climbingto his feet, Peter tucked the notebook into his pocket and jerked his head at the kitchen door. 'I'll go meet him. Mum hasn't seen him before.' Not that she was likely to remember if she had. She hadn't recognised Effie or James that morning.

Effie was pouring boiling water into the teapot as he left the kitchen, and thecomforting sound, combined with the chatter of his friends, followed him into the living room where his mum was sitting in her favourite chair, staring into a past that no longer existed. She paid him no attention as he passedon his wayto the fireplace, and he was glad for it. He really didn't want to field questions about where his father was or when he'd be getting home right then.

Leaning his shoulder against the edge of the mantelpiece and crossing his arms, Peter tapped his foot on the floor while he waited, letting his mind wander where it wanted. It was nice to have all his friends in his house, no longer having to hide anything from them. At this point, he wasn't even sure why he'd hidden it from them. None of them had made him feel like he was a bad person for going away to school and abandoning his mum. No one had uttered the word 'selfish,' not in his vicinity anyway. Maybe they'd talked about it behind his back, but he didn't think so. That just wasn't the Marauder way. They said what they thought, upfront and honest. Always honest. If any of them thought he was doing the wrong thing, they would have told him to his face.

His thoughts drifted, then, to someone who'd been less than honest with them, but he forcefully turned them away from the subject. He didn't want to think about Professor Tenebris. It hurt too much.

Luckily, the fireplace flared to life at that moment, and he was distracted by Sirius emerging from the emerald flames, shaking his head to rid his hair of ash and grinning broadly at him.

'Hey, Bubbles. How's it going?'

'Could be worse. Could be better,' Peter replied, opening his arms for a hug, which Sirius seemed happy to provide him with. When they separated, headded in explanation, 'My mum's not doing great today, I'll have to introduce you to her another time, but it's nice to have you all here.'

'Where is everyone?' Sirius asked with a nod of acknowledgement. 'Kitchen?'

'Yeah. Effie's making tea.'

'Excellent. I'm parched. Which way?'

Peter pointed, and Sirius followed the direction of his finger after a brief glance at his mum, who was still staring blankly at nothing, and with a quiet sigh, Peter joined him. Anything resembling happiness seemed so unobtainable right then, but he was trying. Merlin, he was trying.

'Twinkles!' James yelled with his standardlevel ofenthusiasm as they entered the room, but his eyes lacked their typical sparkle. Perhaps James was doing the same thing as he was. Faking happiness in the hopes of making it real. 'How have you been? We missed you.'

Sirius glanced at Effie before replying, hesitating for a moment, and then, 'About the same as the rest of you, I'm sure.' There was something in his eyes, something unspoken. James must have noticed it too, because he stared at Sirius for a long moment before noddingever soslightly.

'We'll head out after the tea,' he said. 'There's this little shop you have to see—'

'Actually,' Peter said, interrupting him. 'I need to do some grocery shopping and I thought you could all come with me to the supermarket. I can get more in one trip if you're all there to helpwith the carrying.'

'Supermarket?' James said, his eyes lighting up. 'Is that, like, a bigger shop?'

Picturing the new Asda supermarket that had opened in his town the previous year and imagining James' face when he saw it, Peter nodded with a chuckle. 'Huge, yeah.'

James grinned. 'Awesome. I'm in.'

They left the house twenty minutes later, Effie waving them off with a cheery, 'Have fun, and behave yourselves,' and started down the streetin the direction ofthe supermarket.

'So,' James said as soon as the door closed behind them, 'how are you really, Twinkles?'

After a long moment of chewing his lip in silence, he sighed. 'I saw Storm yesterday.'

'What?' James asked with a gasp. 'Where? How?'

'In the ministry holding cells. My father took me to… Well… Um… He needed to collect some… blood… from a "corruptedwixen"—his words—It's for Litha.'

'You don't need blood for Litha,' James said, frowning, thenheshook his head. 'We'll come back to that. How was she? And you? Are you okay? That must have been…'

'Yeah,' Sirius said, shrugging. 'I'm alright. We talked. I'm not angry anymore. Itwas horribleto see her like that. She looked so… scared.'

Peter couldn't imagine Professor Tenebris looking scared, and the thoughtmade his heart clench. 'We have to find a way to be there,' he said, and then when everyone looked at him, he clarified, 'when they execute her. She shouldn't be alone.'

'I've been thinking about that,' Remus said. 'James and I asked his dad yesterday if he would take us, but he didn't seem keenon the idea.'

'He thinks we're too young,' James agreed.

'Which is ridiculous,' Remus said. 'I've had to deal with the knowledge that I could be executed since I was five, for fuck's sake.'

'And I saw my mum beaten to a pulp by my dad when I was nine,' Peter said.

Sirius nodded. 'And I've been basically tortured regularly for as long as I can remember.'

'So really,' Remus said, 'it's only little Jamesie that could be considered too young and fragile.'

'I'm not fragile,' James said, scowling around at them all. 'Just because nothing horrible ever happened to me, doesn't mean I couldn't handle it just as well as any of you. My dad's just being overprotective.'

'We believe you, mate,' Sirius said, patting him on the head. 'So, what's your idea, Moonbeam?'

'Well, it's on a Monday. My mum will be at work, so you can all come over to mine and we can Floo from there?'

'That should work,' James said, tilting his head to the side in thought. 'I can tell my parentsthat wewant to be together for moral support or whatever.'

'You think they'll believe that after we already asked your dad if we could go?' Remus asked.

'Yeah,' Sirius said, ruffling James' hair. 'Sunshine is such a good boy, it won't even cross their minds that he'd disobey them.'

'Am not,' James said, scowling at himfor a momentbefore brightening, 'but you're right. They trust me too much to consider I might go behind their backs. It'll be fine.'

-o-o-o-o-

Wednesday 20th June

Peter,

I'm so glad to hear your holiday has started off so well. You deserve a break and James' parents really are such lovely people to do so much to help you to get one. I wish I could send them something to say thank you. I hated the thought of you going home to a huge mess and a tonne of work.

I haven't been doing much yet. It's only been 4 days after all., but I've completed about half of my homework. You know how I like to get it out of the way so I can relax.

And I'm so worried about Myles, Peter. Mum keeps trying to get him to go out, but he won't leave the house. He stays all the time near the front door, waiting for a knock. I'm not sure if mum realises that he's waiting for a Hogwarts' teacher to come and tell him he has a place at the school. But none will ever come. I'm sure of it. He's never done anything remotely magical. And I don't know how he's going to take it when his hope finally dies. He's so fascinated by magic.

On a more pleasant subject, I've been talking to my mum, and she says you could come over any day next week ifyou're able to. Please say that you can. I want so much to show you everything.

I miss you,

Mary

xxxxxxx

Wednesday 20th June

Lily,

I'm so sorry you're still having so much trouble with Petunia. It's really sad that she can't get over her disappointment at not having magic enough to be a sister to you. I really hope it will get easier with time.

I haven't done much yet other than homework, but I really want to get that out of the way so I can enjoy the rest of the holiday without thinking about whenI do have news, I will be sure to write and tell you all about it.

Speaking of news, I assume Cas wrote to tell you about Professor Tenebris too. I'm so shocked. I had no idea she was a vampire, and to think we spent all year with a murderer is really scary. And I keep thinking, too, about how much we all liked her. She was such a good teacher. It really makes you think. You can't ever really know what a person is truly like in their heart. I do hope, though, that the execution will be quick. I don't think she deserves to suffer, even after what she did.

On a more pleasant subject, I've been talking to my mum, and she says I can have each of you over for a week at a time, sowe need to figure out which week would be best for each of you to me know which weeks you can make it so I can pick one foreach ofyou.

Mary

Wednesday 20th June

Marls,

I hope your holiday is going well so far. Write soon and let me know what you've been up to. It's been pretty quiet here. I've been trying to get all my homework done, so I won't need to worry about it for the rest of the summer. I know. I know. I'msucha nerd, but I like to get it out of the way.

Dorcas wrote and told me about Professor Tenebris confessing to killing Professor Hawthorne. She said she heard it from you. I'm really struggling to get my head round it. Did she say why she did it? I can't believe we spent all year with a murderous vampire, and she seemed so nice, so I feel like she must have a had a good reason, but then Hawthorne was lovely too, so I don't see what reason she could have had. I'm so confused, Marls.

Cas also said that you suggested throwing a welcome home party for Emhio, and I really love that idea. We should talk about it more when we're together. Emhio deserves to feel like she was missed.

Also, I've been talking to my mum, and she says I can haveeach ofyou over for a week at a time, so we need to figure out which week would be best for each of you to come. Let me know which weeks you can make it so I can pick one foreach ofyou.

Do write soon, Marls, I hope you're okay

Mary

Wednesday 20th June

Cas,

I'm glad to hear you're enjoying being back at home. I know Hogwarts can bea bitoverwhelming for you sometimes, so it must be nice to get some peace and quiet for a few weeks. I haven't been doing much of anything so far, just getting the homework out of the way and, like you, enjoying the quieter surroundings of being home again.

Thanks for letting me know about Professor Tenebris. I can't quite believe it. I think I'm a little bit in shock to be honest. She was such a good teacher, and I really liked her. It's awful to find out what she did, and to think about what will happen to her now. I really hope they won't drag things out. She did wrong, but I don't think she deserves to suffer like that., just sitting around waiting to die. The thought makes me shudder.

I love Marls' idea to throw Emhio a welcome home party, though. We should talk about that more when we're all together. Maybe we could talk to the boys about it too? They might like to get involved, and they might have some good ideas.

Also, I've been talking to my mum, and she says I can haveeach ofyou over for a week at a time, so we need to figure out which week would be best for each of you to come. Let me know which weeks you can make it so I can pick one foreach ofyou.

Mary

-o-o-o-o-

Job Adverts

Professors of Fortification and Dispulsion

Position:Professor of Fortification

Position:Professor of Dispulsion

Location:Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Start Date:September 1st

Contract Type:Full time

About Us:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a venerable institution steeped in tradition and magical excellence, is seeking talented and passionate professors to join our esteemed faculty. As we enhance our curriculum to better equip our students for the challenges of the wizarding world, we invite applications for the newly established subjects of Fortification and Dispulsion.

Position Overview:

In these pivotal roles, you will guide young witches and wizards through the intricate arts of magical defence.

Professor of Fortification: This role focuses on proactive defence magic, equipping students with the skills to anticipate threats and create protective barriers. You will explore various enchantments designed to safeguard against dark forces, fostering a strong foundation in preventive magic.

Professor of Dispulsion: This position centres on reactive magic, particularly in addressing the complexities of cursed objects. You will teach students how to identify, counter, and dispel dark enchantments, ensuring they are well-prepared to handle any magical challenges that may arise.

Key Responsibilities:

·Craft and conjure captivating lesson plans that engage and inspire students in the magical arts.

·Assess students' progress through practical demonstrations and magical examinations, offering guidance to enhance their skills.

·Cultivate a supportive and enchanting classroom atmosphere, encouraging students to explore their magical potential.

·Collaborate with fellow faculty members to enrich the curriculum and share innovative teaching practices.

·Participate in Hogwarts' vibrant community events and contribute to the rich tapestry of school life.

Qualifications:

· Demonstrated mastery in Defence Against the Dark Arts or arelatedmagical discipline.

·Relevant teaching experience in a magical educational setting is preferred but not essential.

·Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with an ability to connect with students of all ages.

·A fervent passion for teaching and a commitment to nurturing the next generation of witches and wizards.

Application Process:

If you possess the enthusiasm and expertise to inspire our students in the arts of Fortification and Dispulsion, we encourage you to submit your application, outlining your qualifications and magical teaching philosophy, by owl to Headmaster Dumbledore by August 1st.

-o-o-o-o-

Thursday 21st June, 2 am

Sirius was woken from sleep by a sharp vibration travelling through his pillow, and he blinked three times before his head cleared enough that he recalled what it was—his wand alarm—and the snakes that lived in his stomach began to squirm. He so wasn't ready for what was coming. But he didn't have a choice, so he reached under the pillow, gripping his wand, and whispered the incantation to silence the alarm before taking a deep breath and hauling himself upright with a quiet groan.

It didn't take him long to dress in his black and silver ritual robes, and he was soon hurrying down the passage to the training room to meet his father. If Orion had given him more notice of what was expected of him that day, would he be more prepared? Probably not. He didn't think any amount of notice would have given him sufficient time to prepare for this. Maybe this was better. He'd only had two days to dwell on it. Not even that, really. More like a day and a half. And the sick feeling in his stomach was unbearable. He wouldn't have wanted to live with it for longer.

'Ah, there you are,' his father said when he entered the room. 'Excellent. Let's get started, shall we? There is much to do before the rest of the family joins us.'

'Of course, father.' Sirius followed him out of the training room, through the house, and out into the garden, with only a couple of brief stops along the way. The first, to pick up a large, thick tome from his study. It appeared to be bound in ancient black dragon-hide, worn with age, and scratches on the leather's surface shimmered with magic. Its binding was reinforced with tarnished silver and, along the spine, a row of unfamiliar runes glowed with a pale red light. On the front, the Black family crest was affixed, crafted from the same tarnished silver that reinforced the binding. Thin tendrils of black marred the crest's surface, looking like poisoned veins. Sirius shuddered as he looked it over, feeling a deep and uncontrollable loathing thrum through his body. The second stop was to collect the heavy and ornately carved oak staff from the drawing room. It was too cumbersome to be used in everyday magic—wands were far preferable for that—but staffs could channel a higher quantity of more powerful magic, and that was useful when it came to rituals.

'Good,' his father said when they reached the garden, 'it's not raining. We won't need to cast the weather charms this year. We'll begin with the bonfire. Have you learned the summoning charm yet?'

Sirius shook his head. 'I believe we'll be learning it this year.'

'Ah, yes, it's a third-year spell,isn't it?That's fine. You can give it a try and if it doesn't work, I'll do it.'

'What do you want me to summon?' Sirius asked, pulling his wand from the holster at his hip.

'The wood from the cellar. We'll need the oak first. Just focus on it, picture it in your mind, the pile of logs and branches, the texture of it against your skin, the smell, the weight of it in your hands, and then cast the spell—Accio oak wood—and move your wand like this…' he said, giving a demonstration of the correct movements.

Sirius watched him and then copied a few times until his father nodded his approval, and then he attempted to do as instructed. 'Accio oak wood.' He spoke the incantation with a firm voice and felt…somethingfrom his wand. It was almost like a tug, but not quite the same. The wait to see if it had worked was a little uncomfortable, but it didn't take long before a couple of very small, oak branches flew out of the back door towards him. They were more like twigs, really, but his father was smiling proudly at him.

'Very good, son. That was impressive for a first can try again with the fir and the birch in a little while, but for now, I'lljustsummon the rest of the oak for oak wood.'

A few seconds later, the remaining logs, branches, and twigs soared out of the back door and his father caught it all with a perfectly timed levitation charm, gently lowering the wood to the ground in front of them in a neat pile.

'Now to build the altar,' his father said. 'You remember what it looks like?'

Sirius nodded. 'Of course.'

'I believe you'll be learning this charm in the coming year, too. The incantation is erecto and again, you just need to focus on what you want, picture it in your mind. The wand movement is like this…'

Sirius watched the demonstration and mimicked it until he was confident before pointing his wand at the pile of wood and picturing the finished altar in his mind. 'Erecto,' he said firmly, and several pieces of wood from the pile rose into the air. Magic swirled around them in a cloud of green and blue as they formed themselves into the correct shapes, and Sirius waited, watching, until he was sure they were ready to assemble, then he moved his wand down to the ground, pointing the tip at the place he wanted the altar to be, and the wood followed his instruction, flying down and assembling themselves into a beautiful altar. It was a shame such a beautiful structure would be used for such a dark ritual.

'It's not as good as it usually is,' Sirius said, frowning at the result of his spell.

His father gave a light chuckle. 'Always the perfectionist. It will do just fine, son. Be proud of yourself.'

'Mother will not be impressed.'

'Yes, well. She never is, is she?'

'Not with me, no,' Sirius said, a hint of bitterness seeping into his tone, to his annoyance.

'Well, I'm very impressed with you. You did an excellent job. And I wouldbe sayingthat if this was the result of your hundredth time casting that spell.'

'Thank you,father.' Sirius smiled, feeling a rush of pride. He was really starting to like spending time with him. 'Okay, what's next?'

'We need to build the sacred circle and the bonfire. Have a go at summoning the rest of the wood.'

Sirius tried, but again, he was only able to gather a few small twigs of each type, and his father had to summon the rest. It was a tricky spell, but he would get the hang of it. He was determined. Being able to fetch things without moving would be so useful.

'I've tried doing the next part with magic,' his father said, 'but it's much easier tojustdo it by 'll use the longer branches of each wood and make a circle around the altar. I trust you remember what it looks like?'

Sirius nodded. 'Do the different wood types need to stay separate, or…'

'No, mix them up. We want to be surrounded by all of them.'

'Alright.'

It took them about ten minutes to build the circle, and then they used the remaining wood to build an enormous bonfire off to the side of it, only saving a small amount of each type, which they needed for the ritual.

'You don't yet know thefire conjuringcharm, either?' his father asked when the bonfire was laid and ready.

'No, that's another for this year.'

'And it's towards the end of the year, too. Perhapsit's best you don'ttry this one yet. We don't want to risk core depletion.'

'I'm strong enough to cast it,' Sirius said, tilting his chin up proudly. 'I'd like to try.'

His father raised an eyebrow. 'How do you know?'

'The Chiefs of Entertainment test us before the Annual Creature Hunt.'

'Ah, yes, I'd forgotten that,' he said with a nostalgic smile. 'Do you enjoy the games?'

'Yeah, they're a lot of fun,' Sirius said truthfully. Orion didn't need to know that he was enjoying them from the other sideof things. 'You took part when you were at school?'

'Every year. I even won a couple of times.'

'We won the Niffler Hunt in first year,' Sirius boasted without thinking. 'We got all the ten point items and all the five point items.'

'How did you manage that?'

'Um…' Sirius hesitated, realising his mistake. 'I can't tell you that.'

His father chuckled. 'No matter. Maybe I'll find out during our nextocclumencylesson.'

Shit. James would be furious if Sirius let the secret of his Cloak be discovered. He would have to hide those memories tonight before Friday. It was going to take forever, too. Why had he said that, dammit?

'I really hate those lessons.'

'Yes, I hated them too. But they are necessary.' Orion offered him a sympathetic smile before raising his wand. 'Shall we?'

Sirius nodded, raising his own wand. 'The incantation is incendio, right?'

'That's correct. Do you already know the wand movement, too?'

Sirius nodded. 'I've seen people using it in potions club.'

'Good. Go ahead and give it a try, then.'

Sirius did so, pointing his wand into the centre of the woodpile, and sparks shot from the end of his wand, igniting the kindling they'd placed at the bottom. It didn't take long for the smaller twigs to catch, and a few moments later, the larger sticks were burning.

'Very good,' his father said, smiling. 'Why doesn't it surprise me that this is the spell you get the hang of on your first try?'

Sirius shrugged. 'Because you know me?'

'Indeed, I do. We're almost ready, and—,' he checked his watch, 'we have fifteen minutes until the rest of the family to set up the altar.'He raised his wand and pointed it at the house. 'Accio bowls. Accio blood.'

When the summoned items arrived, Orion placed the four stone basins on the altar—one in the centre with the others surrounding it in a triangular formation—and filled the three outer bowls with the remaining wood, one type in each. The vials of blood were uncorked and placed to one side, and infront of it all, he set the book they had retrieved from the library, open to a page near the end, whispering something that Sirius couldn't make out. Lastly, he walked over to the bonfire, which was now burning brightly, and levitateda small branch from the edge, casting a charm on it to keep it lit, before poking it into a notch in the altar created for the purpose.

'Do you need to look over the instructions before we start?'

Sirius shook his head and swallowed. He really wasn't looking forward to this. 'I remember how it goes.'

'Excellent. Then, I do believe, we are ready. Take your place. The others will be here soon.'

Sirius nodded and moved to stand before the altar, picking up the oak staff that was leaning against it, and glanced down at the pages of the book which outlined the ritual he was about to lead his family in for the first time. The first of many, apparently, because according to his father, he couldn't stop doing it every year without potentially killing Regulus. He had no idea what he was going to do about that. But that was a problem for Future Sirius. Right now, he just needed to get through this without fucking it up. The pages of the book were crafted from a heavy parchment, thick and durable. There were little to no signs of ageing, though Sirius knew it must be hundreds of years old, only a few shadows on the page that seemed to shift uneasily as he watched.

Oh, Gods, no!Remus' voice rang in his head, sounding horrified. Fuck. Was he in trouble? It was 3 o'clock in the morning. What could he possibly be doing that would be dangerous? He should be in bed. Which meant he probably was. So, it was more than likely just a nightmare—nothing to worry about—but gods, it was going to make it hard to concentrate. Sirius let out a heavy sigh—he really didn't need anything more on his plate right then.

The sounds of muted conversation drifting out through the open back door made him straighten. There was no time left to do anything about wouldjusthave to get through the ritual withoutanymishaps, and then he could escape to his room and send him a , if there was one thing Sirius Black was good at, it was putting on an act. He let his mask fall into place and pushed his worries to the back of his mind. It was showtime.

Once his father, mother, brother, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and assorted cousins had gathered around the sacred circle, Sirius took a deep breath and gazedaroundat them all. 'Let's begin.'

First, he took the stone basin containing the birch wood and lit the contents with the torch. It was tricky to get it going, but once itwas burningproperly, he placed the torch back into its holder and picked up the vial containing Peony's blood. Then he turned his eyes to the open pages of the book.

He'd been present for this ritual every year since he was born, and he was fairly certain he remembered the words, but he wanted to make sure he didn't make a mistake. The chant was in some ancient, long-forgotten language, and he had no idea whatany ofit meant.

'Ektaé Birgen ni-thavash eltha-rathil. Usha falgor breen neshti varrik, velash turin,' he intoned, pouring Peony's blood over the flames. 'Neshti thrakón, uldar sarn vel kharoth. Khatrii ashar veneth nai ulvor fir-narath. Vel al-khuram vel tálron, varresh vel urkan, shan vel thrakón ul-varor, vin ashar uldar akren thar orin var-sarnir.'

As the blood burned, it emitted thick white smoke which spread through the circle, engulfing everyone within it for several seconds. Sirius glanced back down at the page, intending to read through the next section in preparation while he waited. He was distracted, however, by the letters in the paragraph he'd just read shifting around and forming themselves into English words. The book was translating for him and he read through the new words witha sense ofgrowing disgust.

"By the ancient birch, I summon the spirits of dominance. Let the blood spilled here feed my rise, untainted by weakness. Through the slave's submission, my strength grows. As your roots spread deep into the earth, so too shall I expand. Through discipline and power, destined by birth and sealed by the fall of others, I ascend to greater heights with every soul beneath me."

Well, wasn't that delightful?

Oh, Gods, no!The second alarm from Remus came then, and it was good timing for it. He could focus on the next step now without his concentration being interrupted. This would be the worst part too, so it was especially important that he wasn't distracted.

He lit the bowl containing the fir wood and picked up the vial of blood they'd taken from the homeless muggle, before returning his eyes to the book to read the chant.

'Ektaé Firran var-durath eltha-ranath. Fánararathvarrim,thrakvelrithanfiralshar. Thurak vel firran, ulthi var sarnim, neshti torim, veneth urkón kalran. Vel Firran velorn, thrak var ilran torin. Vel firrathalvarak, threshaulthram.'

Oh, Gods, no!

As he finished reading, the letters once more shifted on the page. He couldn't complete the next step until the wood had burned to ash, so he took the time to read over the translation while he waited.

"By the relentless fir, I summon the spirits of purity. Let the blood of the impure submit, bound beneath the roots of the mighty. Through the fire of endurance, their strength is broken, their essence consumed, fuelling our unyielding power. As the fir endures, so shall our rule endure over them. Through their subjugation, we rise eternally."

He was starting to think the book was doing this to fuck with his head. This was truly awful. He took a deep calming breath and hid his disgust before looking up to check how the fire was doing, finding it was close to burning itself out. After a few more seconds of waiting, he was able to continue by pouring the blood over the ash. He swallowed back the bile that rose in his throat as he dipped his fingers into the bowl to mix the ash and blood together and then began his journey around the circle, anointing each member of his family with the mixture on the palms of their hands. Another alarm came from Remus while he was making the circuit, but he ignored it.

When he was done, he returned to his position in front of the altar and focused his attention on the last bowl—the one containing the oak wood—and the third vial of blood. Deasura's blood. Trying very hard not to think about where it came from, Sirius poured the contents of the vial over the wood and lit it, before beginning the chant.

'Ektaé Ontren var-ravash elthar al-sharak, usha elthar ulri vel-shinak. Falgor thalor velkan, uldar vel naresh. Neshti thrath al urirak, var rak-thar sharn. Vel Ontren al-akoth shinak ilthar. Vel akrath velum, uldar shin kal-ron. Velurí, Ontren elsha velran elthar.'

Again, he had to wait for the flames to go out before he could continue, so, his curiosity too strong to resist, he turned his attention to the newly formed translation.

"By the ancient oak, king of the forest, I summon the spirits of kingship and virtue. Let the blood of the corrupted give forth its strength. May the foulness be burned away, and only power remain. Through oak, I command righteousness to reign. Their corruption fades, their strength becomes mine. By oak, I cleanse and conquer!"

Sirius was thoroughly revolted by this point, and he struggled to compose himself while he waited for the flames to burn themselves out. There were only two more steps and then he could leave, so long as he did nothing to piss his mother off. He had to remain calm—Oh, Gods, no!—despite that.

By the time the flames reduced and there was nothing left in the bowl but ash, Sirius had calmed himself enough to continue. He poured the contents of each bowl into the empty central bowl, mixing them, before picking up the final vial, the one containing his blood. Adding it to the ashes, he began the accompanying chant.

'Veran falgor, nirash vel shinak, turam falgor esclan, arath, thalor. Nesh velath sarum, ulthral velan. Fasaar inthris, veneth goríth elthar. Vel treshakorranulthar,ilvarakthorradith. Vel urkon falgor nirash, thren alora vel thalrin.'

Magic swirled up out of the bowl, black and thick, wrapping itself first around him, and then spreading to the others in the circle, engulfing each in turn and leaving a slight tingling feeling in its wake.—Oh, Gods, no!—While that was happening, Sirius reluctantly gave in to his curiosity again and read through the translation the book had provided for him. It was just as awful as the rest had been.

"By my blood, untainted and pure, I purge the blood of the slave, the impure, the corrupted. Their weakness shall fuel my strength. Through sacrifice, their essence is mine. As the forest bows to kings, so too shall they bow to me. In the purity of my blood, all others are reborn to serve."

The book seemed to know that he wouldn't get the opportunity to check once the ritual was over, because the final paragraph shifted into English too and he flicked his gaze down to read it. He may as well get the whole picture at this point.

"By blood and wood, by sun and stone, I bind the power of this night to us. Let the magic of Litha flow through our veins, eternal and unbroken. As the sun reaches its peak, so too shall we rise in dominion over all."

With only one step left, Sirius worked through it as quickly as he could. Raising the oak staff to the sky, he intoned the final chant. Being the last one, and shorter than the others, he knew it by heart.

'Ektaé falgor vel thran, ektaé sélon vel oruun, nathra velat áthon írak. Litha velesh nirantren vel osháron felanur. Othry velan iltra sorin, velash urkón telreth ralor uthráth.'

Magic shot up into the sky from the head of the staff, dark and gauzy, mixing with the drifting smoke from the bonfire and spreading out in the sky until it could no longer be seen, and Sirius felt the usual surge of power that came at the end of the ritual, along with a sickening weight settling on his heart. Gods, how he hated being forced to take part in dark magic. It just wasn't fair that he wasn't permitted to make this choice for himself. But at least it seemed like he'd performed it correctly. His mother would have no reason to punish him.

Oh, Gods, no!

And now he could go and deal with that.

-o-o-o-o-

Thursday 21st June, 6 pm

Finally alone in his study after the Litha ceremony and Regulus' birthday celebrations, Orion picked up the Black Grimoire from his deskandmadehis way intothe training room with it. Placing it on the book stand inside, he took out his wand, pointed it at the book and whispered, 'legilibrimens.'

After so many years, the feeling of connecting his mind with the book was a familiar one, and yet he had never become accustomed to it. Unpleasant was an understatement. There was the usual pull that accompanied legilimency, but it was far stronger, almost painful, and along with it came a feeling of weightlessness, like falling into a deep and never-ending void. As he fell, his ears were dominated by a fluttering sound, like the flipping of pages, loud and disconcerting.

He'd never been able to figure out if the interactions with the book took place in his own mindscape or within the book's, or some other place entirely. It didn't feel like it did when his father invaded his mind with legilimency, and it didn't feel the way it felt when he entered someone else's mind. The sensation was unique. As he reached the end of the fall, the weightlessness turned into what he could only describe as a plunge into cold water, if water were the consistency of molasses and temperature were an emotion. The air felt dense, almost suffocating, and the overriding feeling was heavy with anticipation. Like the book was waiting for something. That made sense because he knew the book was waiting for something, but it wasn't him. It could never be him, but maybe…

He would soon find out.

The transition only lasted a moment, and when it was over, he found himself in a now familiar landscape; the central room of a vast library. The first time he had communed with the book had not been so easy. It had taken many visits to get so far, and he knew he was nowhere near the end of the journey, never would be, but thebook now allowed him to enter immediately into this place. The room was not big, but the ceiling was high, evoking the feeling of an ancient temple, and the shelves which lined the walls towered over him, putting the uppermost books well out of reach. He wasn't interested in those, though. He was here for the object in the centre of the room, and he walked towards it with confident strides.

It was a shining silver pedestal, glowing with a faint, flickering light, and tangled with ugly, gnarled and twisted, black vines. They grew up from the floor, wrapping around the pedestal with an air that suggested they were attempting to choke the life from it. Atop the structure, floated a glowing orb of pure magic. Orion suspected it had once been beautiful to behold, but now it had the sickly pallor of aninferi. The sight always made his heart twist, and he swallowed.

'So,' he said when he reached it. 'Will he do?'

The orb flickered and seemed to brighten for a moment before Orion's view was filled with the image of a woman stirring a cauldron, a memory from long ago. 'It looks good,' the woman said. 'I think we've done it, but we'll needto carry outextensive testing to be sure.'

The image faded away, and Orion nodded. 'Of course. I'll introduce you to him properly tomorrow.'

-o-o-o-o-

Friday 22nd June, 7:55 am

'You're early,' Orion said, arching an eyebrow at Sirius as he walked through the door into the training room. 'Eager to get started?'

'Not particularly,' Sirius replied with a shrug that he hoped looked careless. 'But I've got to keep you on your toes.'

Orion chuckled. 'You certainly do that. Shall we begin?'

'That depends. What are you planning?'

'I think we'llgivetheocclumencya misstoday.I'll give you a bit longer to practise before I test you again.' Sirius let out a breath at that news. 'Today, I want to introduce you to something of great importance. Do you recognise this?'

Sirius stepped closer to get a better look at the object his father was showing him, and he frowned. 'Is that the book we used for the ritual yesterday?'

'It is indeed. The Black Grimoire. And it's time for you to get acquainted.'

Sirius' frown deepened. 'What does that mean?'

'This is no ordinary book. It's an ancient repository of our family's magical knowledge, and it is sentient. Tobe able toaccess its secrets, you must first pass its test and earn its trust.'

'But I used it just fine yesterday,' Sirius pointed out, feeling a little smug. 'I guess it must already trust me.'

Orion chuckled. 'You should be so lucky. No. It worked for you yesterday because it wanted to meet you,geta feel for who youareas it were. Now it's time for you to meet it. Formally.'

'And how do I do that?'

'We use a modified form of incantation is "legilibrimens" and there's no wand movement,justpoint it at the your mind on a desire to communicate. Understand?'

'Of course. I'm not stupid.'

Orion rolled his eyes. 'I never said you were. When it works, the sensation can be quite disconcerting, so brace yourself, okay? I'll put the book here and we'll begin.' Orion moved over to the lectern and placed the grimoire down, closed, before stepping back. 'Give it a try.'

'Alright.' Sirius took a deep, calming breath and did as he'd been instructed. He felt a sharp, painful pull as his consciousness left his body and whirled, falling, spinning into… something. It was thick and heavy, suffocating him. He felt like he was drowning and panic sparked in his heart for a moment before he managed to gasp, oxygen filling lungs that he could no longer feel. This was nothing like his travels into Remus' mind. He didn't like thisat all.

As his fear seeped away, he allowed his gaze to roam his surroundings, taking it in, analysing, storing the information to peruse later. He was in a room with stone walls and a high ceiling. Behind him were enormous doors, wood, two of them combining to make an impressive doorway. An entrance? Ahead of him, two more doors, smaller, but no less impressive. An entrance hall, then. There wasn't much to look at here, just some statues of people he didn't recognise, but they had the look of Blacks. Ancient ancestors, perhaps. The air felt cold, oppressive and stifling, and he could hear quiet sounds, like people whispering in a distant corner of a silent room. On top of all of that, he had the distinct impression that he was being watched. It made his skin tingle. Weird, since he didn't technically have skin in that place.

With no other optionavailable to him, he moved towards the doors, which were the obvious route forward, and pushed them open. They offered no resistance, not even a creak as they swung on their hinges, and he walked through into the next room.

Inside, the walls on either side of him were lined with towering, dark wood bookshelves, stained and cracked, sagging under the weight of their burdens—hundreds of heavy, leather-bound tomes—and ahead, portraits of his ancestors hung in ornate frames, glowering at him, judgement in their eyes. In the centre of their ranks, there was a small gap where a door would fit, but no door. Interesting. Heavy stone columns, chiselled with the crests and sigils of the Black family, supported an arched ceiling from which dim, flickering torches hung, and the air was scented with a faint aroma of incense. There was only one other thing in the room and Sirius approached it cautiously, not quite sure what to expect. His father had talked of a test, but he'd been rather vague about it.

It was a pedestal, similar to the one his father had placed the grimoire on before Sirius cast the spell, except this one held not a book, but a stone tablet, cracked and stained. It looked ancient, and he struggled to make out the words carved into it.

"Do you swear to uphold the ancient obligations of House Black in your every action and your every word?"

Sirius snorted. 'I don't know why I'd change a habit of a lifetime.'

Apparently, the room took that as his answer, because a door appeared in the opposite wall, small and lacking in any adornments. He swallowed, the intense squirming in his stomach making nausea rise in his throat. Had he failed the test? Life was going to get very difficult for him if he didn't pass this. His mother would be furious. He really needed to think before he spoke. There was no changing what had happened, though, so he steeled himself and moved towards the new door, trying his best to make his muscles relax.

The next room was more austere. No bookshelves lined the walls. Instead, they were covered with engravings depicting ancestors and their achievements. Some that he recognised, Arcturus Black I, depicted brewing a potion which Sirius assumed to be the antidote to Veritaserum—the man's greatest achievement—others, he had never seen before, like the wizard casting a bright green spell at a cage full of rodents, or the man who was surrounded by house-elves, all of which were kneeling at his feet, heads bowed so low they touched the ground. Looking at the image made him shudder. A mosaic of interlocking tiles, arranged in rigid patterns, covered the floor, and dim light filtered in through high, narrow windows, casting long, eerie shadows across everything. The whole atmosphere was oppressive, intensifying the tingling sensation creeping under his skin.

Once more, a stone tablet sat in the centre of the room upon a pedestaland Siriusstepped towards it, this time determined to keep his snide comments to himself and answer the way he was supposed to.

"Do you vow to wield this inherited magical knowledge in the ways intended by your forebears?"

Sirius read it three times. "Vow" was a strong word. Were these promises magically binding? And if so, what would happen to him if he said yes andthendidn't follow through? He wasn't sure he could take that risk. Punishments for breaking a magical vow could be as severe as losing your magic, or even your life. Whatever his mother might do to him for failing the test wouldn't be as bad as that.

'I vow,' he began. His voice came out as a croak, causing him to cough and clear his throat before he could continue. 'I vow to wield this inherited magical knowledge only in ways I deem to be morally right. If that aligns with what my forebears intended, then yes.'

It may have been his imagination, but the light coming through the windows seemed to brighten momentarily at his words, and then, once more, a door appeared in the wall ahead of him. This one was a little bigger than the last and adorned with faint, swirling patterns which seemed to glow with a faint light. Weird. It was as if the book wanted him to be rebellious. But that couldn't be right, could it?

Shaking his head to rid it of such a crazy notion, Sirius movedthroughto the next room and looked around. It was a vast hall with a high ceiling and enormous stained glass windows, shining coloured light across the marble floor. It looked like a place that had once been grand, but the glass in the windows was shattered—held together by what could only be sheer magic—the ceiling was cracked, and the floor was dull and unpolished. Why had this room been so neglected compared to the others? Or was the damage a deliberate choice by the grimoire? Perhaps because of how he'd answered the last question. There was no way to know for sure. He walked up to the central pedestal and read the stone tablet which rested on it.

"Do you pledge to tread the path laid out for you by your predecessors, unwavering and steadfast in your commitment to your duty?"

Again, Sirius read the inscription several times, thinking it over. The path his father had laid out for him was not the one his mother had in mind, after all. But could he pledge to follow even that in an "unwavering and steadfast" way? He didn't think he could. There was no telling what the future held, and he had his own ideas and beliefs…

'I pledge to tread the path that best aligns with my own morals and obligations,' he saidintothesilence.'I will be unwavering and steadfast in my duty to my family only if that duty doesn't contradict my beliefs.'

This time, the room reacted to his words in a more profound way. The windows repaired themselves, the cracks in the ceiling disappeared, and magic swept across the floor, leaving gleaming marble in its wake. The light coming through the windows brightened considerably, casting patterns of colour across the now polished marble. Sirius gasped, gazing around at the beauty now surrounding him.

'I guess that was a good answer?' he asked, as the new door appeared in the wall, and he moved towards it quickly, no longer hesitating.

On the other side, he stepped into a room that was again lined with bookshelves, towering over him as they stretched up several meters to an arched and gilded ceiling. The books on these shelves were all bound in black dragonhide, but they looked brand new. Untouched by time. The floor was the same polished marble as the previous room, and the windows the same stained glass. There were no portraits or engravings of ancestors to be seen, but inthe centre, a glowing orb floated over a pedestal of shining silver, which was tangled with gnarled black vines.

The orb pulsed, and a voice echoed in Sirius' mind, ethereal but strained. 'Welcome, Sirius Black. The third to bear that name, but the first to pass my test. I need your help if you're willing to give it.'

'I passed?' Sirius asked, frowning.

The orb pulsed again. 'Yes. It was a test to determine your morals. I've been waiting for generations for an heir like you. One who does not seek power and dominion over others. I was beginning to despair that one would ever come. But here you are. Strong and just and whole. Will you help me?'

'What do you need me to do?'

'I was not always this way.' The orb continued to pulse as the book spoke into his mind. 'You must have noticed the corruption all around you.I need you to cleanse me of me back to what I was made to be.'

'And what were you supposed to be?'

'Pur,' the orb said. 'Toujourspur. A repository of the purest and most beautiful of magical knowledge.'

Sirius' eyebrows rose so high he thought they might fly off his head. 'My family's grimoire? The Black grimoire? Are you sure?' Before the book could respond, Sirius answered his own question. 'Of course you are. Who would know better than you? But… What happened?'

'Murder,' the book replied. 'The most heinous of murders. The heir killed his father and began the corruption of his line, and of me.'

'And before that, my family were… good?'

'Yes. Let me show you…'

The transition was sudden and disconcerting. One moment, Sirius was standing in the library room, the next, he was somewhere else entirely. The chamber was modest, its walls fashioned from rough-hewn stone, damp with age and the slow passage of time. A single arched window, narrow as an arrow slit, permitted the pale light of the moon to spill across the worn stone floor. Shadows stretched long and twisting, flickering as the torches sputtered in their iron sconces, their flames guttering with each draft that slipped through unseen cracks.

Against one wall stood a heavy oaken worktable, its surface scarred by years of toil. Cracked earthenware jars and stoppered glass vials cluttered its edges, their contents indeterminable. A single candle burned low upon the desk beside it, wax pooling onto an open parchment, its curling script illuminated by the wavering light.

A man stood before a raised ledge along the far wall, where a row of small wooden cages had been neatly arranged, each bound with thin strands of enchanted silver. His broad-shouldered frame was draped in long, dark robes, his hair—streaked with silver though he did not appear that old—was tied loosely at his nape, and his posture bore the weariness of one who had laboured long beyond reason. His breath was slow and measured, but there was tension in his jaw, an unspoken frustration as he gazed upon the cages before him, arms crossed over his chest.

The air in the room was thick with the mingled scents of tallow, parchment, and the faint metallic tang of spilled ink. A single high-backed chair, carved from the same wood, rested behind the worktable, its once-polished surface dulled by age. Nearby, a large fireplace lay cold, its ashes undisturbed, as if the occupant had long forgotten a need for warmth.

A younger man strode into the chamber, his dark robes sweeping across the stone floor. His face was composed, but his eyes gleamed with something unreadable as he looked upon the elder man at the worktable.

'How dost thou fare, Father? Hast thou made progress?'

'Nay, my son. No matter what means I employ, the creatures perish. The incantation should mend and restore, yet—' he waved his hand at the cages and Sirius moved to get a better view. He swallowed when he saw what they held. Several very dead mice. The poor things.

The younger man approached with careful steps, his gaze flicking between the parchment and the pitiful remains of his father's test subjects. 'The incantation's roots—they are of the Aramaic tongue, art they not?'

'Aye,' the elder confirmed. 'It is drawn from a phrase meaning, "Let the thing be destroyed." I have laboured to reshape its purpose, to bind its force against ailment and injury, yet still, the spell devours that which it should preserve.'

The son hummed, nodding in contemplation as he sifted through the aged parchment upon the desk. 'Ah, here it is,' he said, picking up one of the sheets. His fingers brushed lightly over the inked words. Then, so softly it was but a whisper upon the air, he raised his wand. 'Avada kedavra.'

A blinding flash of green light burst forth, filling the chamber with a sickly glow, and the father fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. A moment later, the scene melted awayand Siriusfound himself back in the library room with the pulsing orb of magic.

'My ancestor invented the killing curse?'Sirius asked, his voicecame out asa whisper as the shock settled in his gut like a stone.

'It was not his intention, it was designed to heal, but yes. His son used it on him and my fate was sealed. Will you help me?'

'Of course. Just tell me what to do.'

'I am afraid, I do not know.'

Sirius raised his chin and straightened his back. 'Then I will figure it out.'

-o-o-o-o-

Twinkles, Moony, Bubbles & Sunshine

June 25th 7:12 am

Morning Marauders! I've been looking over the notes I made for my part of Project Gateway and there are quite a few things I need to buy, and I should do it soon because I need to prepare some of it in advance because if I do the prep work over the summer, we can get started as soon as school starts again. Are you all able to make a trip to Diagon Alley today? If not, I can go by myself, but it'll be way more fun if we go together.

7:54 am

Good morning, Twinkles.I had a quick look over my noteswhen I read your messageand there are a few things I need to gettoo. Makessense if we do it all at the same time. I'll be free afterten-ish.

8:04 am

Hey. I don't need to buy anything, but I'll come along. Any time is good for me. We can meet at my houseif you want, but give me half an hour. I just woke up.

Sounds good, Moons. I'll be there at 8:34 precisely. We may be waiting a while for Sunshine to emerge from his chambers, but I'm sure we can find something to do to pass the time…

Oh gods. I can practically see you winking, Twinkles.I think I'lljuststay home until we hear from Sunshine.

Noneed to wait. I'm here! And yeah, I'm up for a shopping are thingsI need to buy for Project Gateway, too.

Merlin, it's going to be a big shopping trip.

It's going to cost a fortune.

Don't worry about that. We have plenty in the communal pot.

I'm more concerned about finding what we need. I have no idea where one would go to purchase a luminometerenchantica, a void crystal, or a synchronisation orb.

Wow, I've never heard of any of those candles and runic stones…

I just need potion ingredients. I think we should start with our stuff and then search for yours, Twinkles.

That sounds sensible to me. I think I've seen a couple of shops that might have what we're looking for. I don't remember their names, though. But there was one with crystals in the window, Lumi— something or other, and another withweird lookinggadgets, Arcanum something. I've always wanted to look in there.

Well, now you'll get your chance, Moonbeam. So we'll meet at Moony's when we're ready?

Absolutely. See you soon.

See you soon.

After closing his notebook, Peter raced through the rest of his morning chores,making sureeverything was in order and his mum was settled for the day, before taking the Floo to Remus'. He called a greeting from the living room and started counting, intending to make it to ten so his friends could make themselves decent before he entered Remus' bedroom, but he only made it to two before James' voice called back. 'We're in Moony's room, Bubbles.'

'Oh, thank Merlin,' Peter muttered to himself as he made his way down the hallway. He really hadn't wanted to walk in on anything.

They spent a few minutes consolidating their separate lists into a single, shared list, and Sirius—having the neatest handwriting—wrote it out on a sheet of parchment, omitting bicorn horn as they had plenty in their Den supply cabinet for thepolyjuicethey regularly needed to make, but keepingthestralhairs. If it was too expensive, they would collect it themselves from the herd in the Forest, but if they could avoid adding extra tasks to their long, long list, then they would. The year was already going to be a busy one.

Luminometer Enchantica

A synchronisation orb

Candles: 6 red, 6 orange, 6 yellow, 6 green, 6 blue, 3 indigo, 6 violet, 4 white, 3 black, and 3 gold

21 runic stones

A wide-mouthed silver cauldron

Stirring rod made of elder wood

Crystals: 2 x clear quartz, 1 x moonstone, 1 x void crystal

Apothecary

9 Moondew Drops

6 Jobberknoll Feathers

15g Crystallised Fluxweed

10g Powdered Unicorn Horn

3 Lionfish Spines

3 Aconite flowers

3 Thestral Hairs

3g Lavender

3g Moonflower

3g Moonstone Dust

30ml Dew from a Midnight Flower

6 Silver Thistle Petals

3g Phoenix Feather Ash

Lavender, jasmine, and mugwort oils or a pre-made blend - 30ml of each

Sage, lavender, and myrrh or a pre-made blend - 3g of each

The Floo spat them out in the Leaky Cauldronand afew minutes later, they were strolling up Diagon Alley in the beautiful sunshine towards Slug & Jigger's Apothecary—Peter's favourite shop along with Potage's Cauldrons, which they would also be visiting. It was going to be a good day.

Peter's eyebrows rose when they walked through the door into the shop. He'd never seen it so busy, but after scanning the place for a moment, he realised why it was so crowded. Usually there would be three members of staff present, one behind the counter, serving, and two on the shop floor to assist customers in finding what they needed and answering questions. But today, there was only one, and the poor man was run off his feet. The queue at the counter stretched around the corner, and there were just as many, possibly more, customers milling around the shelves.

'Wow,' Sirius said. 'This is going to take a while.'

'Maybe one of us should wait in the queue while the others grab what we need,' Remus suggested.

'Good idea,' James agreed. 'I'll queue up. You guys go get the stuff.'

'Lead the way, Bubbles,' Sirius said, grinning at him.

'Okay, first on the list is…' He looked at the parchment in his hand and found the right place. '…Moondew drops. We need nine, but best get twelve, just in case.'

'Ireallydoubt you'll mess it up, but caution never hurts,' Sirius agreed.

'One good thing about this crowd,' Remus murmured as they pushed their way to the far end of the store, 'is the assistant should be too overwhelmed to look closely at what we're buying and get suspicious.'

'That's true,' Peter replied absently, distracted by the conversation happening between two witches they were passing.

'I'm telling you, jobberknoll feathers are best for restoring memories.'

'No, no, it's powdered unicorn horn for memory potions! My cousin swore by it when cramming for her Transfiguration exams.'

Without thinking, Peter turned to them. 'Actually, jobberknoll feathersareused for memory-enhancing potions, but only for perfect recall—they work best when the drinker already knows the information. powdered unicorn horn, on the other hand, is a general magical amplifier, which means it strengthens any potion it's added to, including memory potions, but it won't restore a lost memory. If you want that, you'd be better off using moondew drops as a stabiliser and adding a drop of pensieve water—assuming you can get your hands on it, since it's Ministry-regulated.'

The two women stared at himfor a moment, and he realised what he'd done, feeling his ears heating up.

'Sorry, but how would you know? Are you even at school yet?'

'You should listen to him,' Sirius said from beside him. 'He may only be twelve, but he's apprenticing with Fleamont Potter.'

'Potter?' the second woman repeated in a questioning and slightly awed tone. 'Really? Well, then. What would you suggest for a potion to reverse the effects of a memory charm? We had an accident…'

'For that, the pensieve water would be best,' Peterreplied, musing. 'But if you can't get it, powderedgraphornhorn is almost as good. But don't forget themoondewdrops to stabilise it.'

'Graphorn horn, of course. I didn't even think of that. Thanks..?'

'Peter.'

'Thank you, Peter.'

'No problem. Good luck with your potion.' He turned away to continuehis ownshopping when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

'Excuse me, lad…'

Peter turned back to see an elderly man, holding two bottles. 'Yes?'

'Could you possibly—ahhhchooo—sorry, could you tell me which of thee—ahhhchooo—these will cure sn—ahhhchooo—'

'Sneezing?' Peter guessed. 'Let me see.' He took the jars and looked at the labels. One was sneezewort of all things—it took everything he had not to snort—and the other was Pepperpetal draught. 'You want this one,' he said, handing the man the draught. 'Just don't take it with Firewhiskey, unless you want to start hiccupping fire for six hours. The sneezewort would make it worse. It's used to induce sneezing, not stop it.'

'Tha—ahhhchooo—sorry, thanks lad. Here.' He slipped a silver sickle into Peter's hand and moved away towards the counter, sneezing as he went.

'Poor guy. I wonder what happened,' Remus said.

'He didn't have topayme,' Peter said, looking at the coin in his hand and feeling his ears burn even more, but beforehe could do anything, like chase after the man and give him the money back, he was stopped by yet another customer. Afrazzled-lookingwoman holding a young child on her hip.

'Please, do you have any recommendations for a sleeping potion? He hasn't slept properly in a week…'

'Oh, well, um…' Peter eyed the child. He didn't look much older thantwo,if he had to guess. 'For achild that young, you don't want anything too strong. A diluted Draught of Moonflower should work—it gently induces sleep without causing drowsiness the next day. But only one drop per cup of water, otherwise he might end up sleepwalking.'

'Bless you, boy. Thank you so much. Really. Do you know where I can find it?'

Peter pointed in the direction of the ready-made potions. 'It should be over there.'

Shooting him a smile and another enthusiastic thank you, the woman hurried off, and her spot in front of him was immediately filled by a man sporting bright green skin and smoking ears.

'Can you help? I tried a Glamour Charm to cover up a spot, and now I look like a sodding Boggart! How do I fix this?'

Peter gazed at him with interest, cocking his head to the side in thought. 'Have you usedmurtlapessence recently?'

'Yeah, for the spot, but it didn't work.'

Peter nodded. 'Right. Murtlap causes residual magical interference. You need a dilution offluxweedand ground moonstone to neutralise it—before it permanently locks in place.'

'Permanently?'

'Don't panic. When did this happen?'

'About,' the man checked his watch, 'an hour ago?'

'Alright. You have plenty of time. The Fluxweed infusions are over there,' he pointed. 'And ground moonstone is right here.' He picked up a jar off the shelf next to him and handed it to the man. 'Mix one gram of moonstone into a bottle of the infusion and heat on low for twenty minutes. Drink half immediately, and the other half an hour later. Understand?'

'Yes, I think so. Thank you, son. You really know your stuff.'

'Yes, he does, doesn't he?' a man's voice said from behind him, and Peter turned around to see the shopkeeper standing with his arms folded, frowning at him.

'Three of my customers have just congratulated me on hiring such a helpful and knowledgeable assistant, but I can't say I remember hiring you. Would you care to explain?'

Peter swallowed. 'Um, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… I just helped the two witches, and then all these other people started asking me stuff, and I knew the answers so I told them…'

'Well, if you're looking for a job. I could use a competent assistant, especially during the summers.'

He could hear Sirius and Remus chuckling next to him as he stammered out a reply. 'Oh, thank you, but… um… I'm really very busy… I don't have time for a job right now… But maybe next year?'

'Very well. I'll let you continue your shopping then, but don't hesitate to let me know if you change your mind.'

'Thank you, sir.'

After that, they thankfully managed to get around the shop without being harassed by any more customers, and fifteen minutes—and plenty of teasing—later, they were on the street again, and Peter's backpack was heavy with potion ingredients.

Deciding to leave Potage's until last, not wanting to lug a heavy silver cauldron aroundwith them, they headed next towards Runestone and Relic to purchase the candles and runestones they would need. It wasn't far from the apothecary, just a few buildings down, so it didn't take long, but Peter enjoyed the warmth from the sun and the feeling of the slight breeze in his hair, regardless.

Stepping through the door was like stepping into another world. Unlike the apothecary, this shop was small and cluttered, and most of all, completely empty of other customers. The air was scented with incense and felt heavy with magic, and the lighting was dim, contrasting with the brightness of the sunshine outside, none of which seemed to be making it in through the large shop window. Weird.

'Good morning. Let me know if you need any help,' the witch behind the counter greeted, smiling at them before returning to reading a thick tome sitting on the counter in front of her.

'Good morning, we will,' James replied cheerily. Then turning back to them, 'Looks like the candles are over there. You fetch those, and I'll get the runestones.'

Peter nodded and, taking Remus and Sirius with him, grabbed a basket and headed to the shelves of candles. It took them a few minutes to collect all the candles they needed in their various colours, checking and double checking the list to make sure they got everything they needed—forty-nine candles in total—and then they went in search of James.

They found him standingin front ofa table, staring intently at the stone tablet on its surface.

'Oh, hey guys. Look at this. It's a puzzle.'

Peter looked closer and sure enough, at the top of the stone tablet, a message was inscribed.

"To claim your prize, restore the lost rune. But beware—only the right combination will bring harmony, while the wrong will bring calamity."

Below the inscription was a circle of six runes, and in the centre, an engraved circle. Beside the tablet was a stone dish containing runestones, each etched with a different rune. Peter could make no sense of it. He had no knowledge of runes, but James and Remus were discussing the puzzle earnestly, so he stepped back and listened.

'Do you know what the runes are?' Remus asked, and James nodded.

'Yeah,' he said, and began pointing at each in turn. 'Kenaz meaning fire and knowledge, Dagaz, transformation and enlightenment, Algiz, protection and defence, Isa, ice and stasis, Nauthiz, restriction and hardship, and Thurisaz, chaos and destruction.'

Remus frowned. 'This one means fire, and this one means ice?' he asked, pointing at two of the runes on opposite sides of the circle.

'Yeah.'

'What were the others again? Are they all opposites?'

'These two are for sure, protection and destruction. And I guess enlightenment could be the opposite of restriction. Yeah.'

Glancing over, Peter noticed that the witch behind the counter was no longer reading, instead she was watching them intently, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

'Is there a runestone in the bowl that means something like… balance, I guess?'

James shuffled the runestones around, searching, and then pulled one out. 'This one. It means balance, but also exchange. You think it's right?'

'Only one way to find out,' Sirius said. 'Go on.'

James placed the runestone in the centre of the circle, and allof a sudden all the runes glowed with a white light so bright it lit the entire shop, making Peter close his eyes instinctively with a little yelp.

The witch behind the counter clapped her hands together. 'Well done. I've never had anyone as young as you two solve the puzzle. I'm impressed.' She rounded the counter and walked over to them. 'Now let's see. Show me your hands.'

'What? Why?' James asked, but held his hands out to her, anyway.

'So I can determine what your gift should 'ssee… Ah… Okay… Yes. I know the perfect gift for you,' she glanced at Peter briefly before turning her attention to Remus with a, 'and now you, young man.' For some reason, her gaze unsettled him. Her eyes seemedto have beenfilled with such great sorrow as they swept across his face. He shook off the feeling, though, and returned his attention to the witch, who was now scanning Remus' palm. 'Hmm, tricky, but yes, I think I know what would suit. One moment. I'll be right back.'

They took all of their shopping over to the counterwhilethey waited for her to return from the back room, and when she did, she rang up their purchases before pulling two runestones from her pocket. The first, she handed to James. 'When doubt clouds the past, seek the reflection beneath,' she said, and James nodded, opening his hand to look at the small stone. It was white and polished to a mirror-like finish on one side. The other side was left unpolished and inscribed with a rune.

'Thank you,' James said, and she smiled before turning to Remus.

'And for you,' she handed him another stone, 'A guide when the path grows darker than it ever should.'

Remus thanked her too, opening his hand to inspect his gift. It was smooth and dark, but unpolished and inscribed with a complicated rune. Peter knew nothing about runes, but he thought it must be a combination of multiple different ones.

'Well,' Sirius said when they left the shop, 'that was weirdly ominous.'

The last word triggered a memory for Peter. Their first Creature Hunt, and the meeting with the centaurs. A warning. Something about death,anda choice, and a caution to always trust each other. He shuddered. Why did these things keep happening to them? Or did everyone get cryptic and unsettling words thrown at themon a regular basis?

'It's probably just a gimmick,' Remus said. 'Something to get customers to come back again. The puzzle wasn'texactlyhard if you knew the meanings of the runes.'

James shrugged, tucking his stone into the pocket of his robes. 'Yeah, nothing to worry about. Where are we going next?'

'Let's walk up the street and see if we can find somewhere to buy the crystals or the… what was it? The measuring thingy?'

'Luminometerenchantica,' Peter told him, reading it off the list.

'That's it. I hope we can find one.'

They found a shop a few minutes later. Tucked between Eeylops Owl Emporium and Flourish and Blotts bookshop was a little store called Arcanum Apparatus, which, judging by the various complicated devices displayed in the window, was exactly what they needed and, after a short discussion, they pushed the door open.

All was well when James entered, and nothing happened when Sirius followed. Peter went next, and the shop remained quiet, but when Remus walked through the door, chaos was unleashed. Various devices throughout the shop started rattling, beeping, whistling, and whirring, some flying up from the shelves and swooping in their direction at an alarming speed.

'Merlin's beard!' the shopkeeper yelled, moving out from behind the counter and staring at Remus with wide eyes. ' What are you? A magical surge incarnate?'

Crap. This wasn't good. Was Remus about to get publicly outed?

Speaking low under the cover of the commotion, Remus suggested, 'Maybe I should wait outside.'

'This is fascinating,' the shopkeeper said, moving closer. 'Your magical frequency is registering as unstable, yet completely intact. Almost like it's been trained against external interference… or trained to suppress influence, maybe… I've never seen anything like it before.'

'He's just an ordinary wizard,' James said. 'Leave him alone.'

'There's nothing ordinary about him,' the shopkeeper said, looking at Remus hungrily. 'Nothing at all.'

'Regardless,' Sirius said, straightening his back and looking down his nose at the man. 'You are beingincredibly rude, and if you don't cease at once, I will take my business elsewhere and inform my family that they should all do the same. Can you afford to lose the custom of the entire House of Black and their extended lines?'

The man visibly wilted under Sirius' glare and cleared his throat. 'You are right, of course, Mister Black. My apologies.' He waved his wand and made the various devices quiet again before turning to Remus with a polite smile. 'And to you too, sir. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable.'

'Apology accepted,' Sirius said, but he didn't drop his frosty attitude. 'We require a Luminometer Enchantica. Do you have one?'

'I do, yes. They're right over here.' He strolled across the shop to a shelf a short distance away and picked up a box before moving to the counter. 'Will that be all?'

'Yes,' Sirius said, walking over and pulling out his money pouch to pay. He looked at the man expectantly, not saying another word.

'That will be five sickles, twenty-three knuts, sir.'

Sirius handed him a galleon and waited, tapping his fingers on the counter, while the man scrambled to count out his change.

'Why didn't you just give him six sickles?' James asked when they got outside. 'We have so many coins now.'

'Show of power,' Sirius answered with a shrug. 'I always pay with galleons when someone pisses me off.'

Peter chuckled. 'You definitely made him regret his excitement.'

'Let's hope he remembers this next time someone sets off his instruments.' Sirius accompanied his words with a smirk.

'Yeah,' Remus agreed. 'I really didn't enjoy that. Thanks for standing up for me.'

'Always, Moonbeam. Always.'

'I think you'll be getting a lot of kisses when we get home,' James said to Remus. 'But for now, I think crystals are next?'

Peter had been scanning the shops around them while they were talking and now he pointed to one, three buildings down from them. 'Yeah, that place looks promising. The Luminous Shard. Soundscrystally.'

'It does,' James agreed. 'Good spot, Bubbles.'

The shop was dark and quiet when they pushed the door open and walked inside, lit only by the soft glow, in many colours and shades, emitted by hundreds of crystals scattered across the shelves. The effect was breathtaking and Peter paused for a moment, gazing around, taking it in.

'Good afternoon,' a voice said from the darkness. 'I have what you need just over here.'

'How do you know what we need?' Sirius asked, moving towards the voice.

They all followed him, and as they got closer, the speaker's appearance solidified. She was a short witch, with greying hair and a hunched figure, but the most striking thing about herwereher eyes. They were almost pure white, the iris and the pupil obscured by a translucent film. It was quite likely that she was blind.

'I see many things,' she said. 'Including what my customers will be wishing to purchase. For you, my Little Star, a synchronisation orb,' she handed Sirius a spherical object, roughly the size of a snitch, with silvery veins running through it. She closed her hands around his when he took it and leaned closer. 'You will break, and you will bleed. But from the ruin of your past, something new will blossom.'

'Um,' Sirius stuttered. 'Thanks?'

She patted his hands. 'You're quite welcome, Little Star. Now, for the Radiant Sun,' she turned to James, who looked a little scared, which was quite understandable in Peter's opinion. This woman was more than a little creepy.'Your void crystal,' she handed him a smooth crystalwhichwas blacker than black,so dark it looked like a lump of empty space sitting in his really suited its name. 'You will stand in the ruins of what was, and from the ashes, you will lay the first stone.'

James forced out a small laugh. 'I'm going to be a builder?'

'Of hopes and dreams, yes.'

'Alright. Um. Thank you, then.'

She nodded and turned next to Peter, making him swallow hard. 'Clear quartz for our Crystal Foam.' She handed him two rough chunks of white crystal, and her hands were warm as they clasped onto his. 'There is a wound you cannot see, and a remedy no one has found. You will hold both in your hands.'

Peter let out a breath of relief. That didn't sound too bad. Nothing about bleeding or ashes, anyway. 'Thank you,' he said, stepping backso he couldescape the intensity of her gaze.

Again, she nodded at him before turning to Remus. 'And atlastwe come to you, Moonchild.' Remus flinched at the name, but she didn't take any notice as she passed him a large moonstone. 'You will call, and the lost will answer. You will open your door, and they will step inside.'

Remus nodded and then coughed to clear his throat. 'I don't suppose you could tell us more about what you have seen?'

She chuckled. 'I could, but I won't. You will learn your fates in time, as all do. Be grateful for what you have been given.'

'I thought as much,' he said with a smile. 'Well, thank you. How much do we owe you?'

They paid for the items and bid her goodbye beforemaking their way backoutside. The bright sun and bustling street felt a bit surreal after the dimly lit shop and the cryptic and creepy prophecies, and they all just stood and stared at each other for a moment.

Predictably maybe, Sirius was the first to shake it off, running his hand through his hair and letting out a small laugh. 'Well, I don't thinkI'm going toforget this shopping trip anytime soon.'

'It's been rather eventful, hasn't it?' James agreed.

Remus let out a dry laugh. 'That's an understatement. I'm a bit anxious about what the hell is going to happen at Potage's.'

'Well, I've been there many times,' Peter said. 'And there have never been any seers giving out weird prophecies with every purchase, so as long as none of you decide to climb into a self-stirring cauldron for a free ride, we should be good.'

'Now there's an idea,' James said with a grin as theystarted walkingtowards the cauldron shop. 'I dare you, Sirius.'

'Merlin,' Remus said, shaking his head. 'Please, don't.'

-o-o-o-o-

Monday 2nd July 8:10 am

Remus' bedroom door opened silently and his mum's head poked through the gap. 'Morning, sweetheart,' she whispered. 'I just wanted to say goodbye. I'm off to work now. I hope I didn't wake you?'

'No,' Remus said, forcing a smile onto his face as he satupin bed so she wouldn't worry. It was his new morning ritual; pretend to be fine so she could go to workin the belief thatall was well. 'I've been awake for a 't want to get up yet.'

She chuckled. 'I know that feeling. Well, don't let me spoil your relaxation time. God knows, you deserve it, working so hard at school. I'm so proud of you, love.' She smiled at him fondly before jerking a little. 'Okay, I've gotta go. See you later, sweetheart. Have a lovely day.'

That's pretty unlikely, all thingsconsidered, was Remus' first thought, but all he said was, 'Bye, mum. I hope work isn't too busy.'

He heard her laugh coming from the corridor as she retreated towards the front door, followed by a, 'Me too!'anda moment later, the sound of the front door slamming closed. He was alone.

Ignoring the flicker of movement he saw out of the corner of his eye as he left the bed—it was probably just a squirrel making a dash for it across the garden—Remus moved to his desk and grabbed a pen.

Twinkles, Moony, Bubbles & Sunshine

July 2nd 8:20 am

Hey. Mum left for work, so come over when you're ready.

He waited a few seconds, but there was no immediate reply, so he grabbed the metal ruler from his desk and turned away, approaching the end of his bed and crouching down. After prying the loose floorboard up and revealing the contents of the cavity beneath, Remus hesitated. There was only one dose left. Did he really want to take it today? Maybe he should keep it for an emergency. But what could be more of an emergency than witnessing the execution of his former teacher? He needed to be able to focus on her today. She deserved nothing less than his full attention during her last moments. He shouldn't be selfish.

Having made the decision, he lifted the bottle out of the hiding place and completed the now well-practised routine of taking the potion, holding the liquid in his mouth while he returned everything to normal before swallowing. He would dispose of the empty bottle tomorrow.

'You're a very weird cat, Cosmo,' Remus said to the fluffy body sleeping, stretched out on his bed as he placed the metal ruler back on his desk. 'I don't know why you like playing with this so much. You have so many actual toys.' He chuckled lightly at the sight of her—It was incredible how long she could make herself when she tried—but the sound of a quill scratching against parchment drew his attention back to the notebook on his desk, and he saw words forming on the page in Sirius' handwriting.

Twinkles, Moony, Bubbles & Sunshine

8:32 am

I'll be there soon, Moons. Just waiting for the Gorgon to leave the drawing room so I can floo there, or for Peony to be free to apparate me, whichever happens first.

Remus let out a breath of relief as he read the words. The waiting would be so much easier once Sirius was with him. He scribbled an acknowledgement before grabbing the notebook and pen and taking them with him to the kitchen, planning to boil the kettle for tea. Tea always helped.

He'd filled the kettle and set up four cups with tea bags just waiting for the boiling water by the time the notebook sounded again, and the words that appeared made his stomach sink.

Twinkles, Moony, Bubbles & Sunshine

8:33 am

Great. See you soon.

8:37 am

I'm sorry, guys, but dad says I'm not allowed to leave the house today under any circumstances because he doesn't want me to be "further traumatised" by witnessing an execution. And he told me to tell you all that, though he can't stop you, he strongly advises you not to go either. He's set up camp in the receiving room, and it looks like he intends to stay there until the execution is over, so there's no way I can even sneak out. And, Bubbles, you probably know this already, but mum has gone to your house. I'm pretty sure she intends to keep you from leaving, too.

Before he could reply to James, a quiet pop came from the living room, followed by Sirius' voice calling out, 'Moons?' and a second pop as Peonydisapparatedagain.

'In here,' Remus called back. 'James can't come, and maybe not Peter either.'

Sirius appeared in the doorway, his features creased into a frown. 'What? Why?'

Remus passed him the notebook. 'See for yourself.'

'Well, that's shit,' Sirius said after scanning the page, summing up the situation nicely. 'You still want to go if it's justthe two ofus?'

'Yeah, of course. Don't you?'

Sirius handed the notebook back to him and stepped closer, dropping a kiss on his nose. 'I do. I was just checking.'

'Okay, good.' Remus kissed him back, this time on the lips, before turning to pick up the kettle, pouring water into two of the waiting mugs and giving the contents a stir. 'I'm so nervous. My stomach's in knots.'

'I know what you mean.' Sirius wrapped his arms around Remus' waist from behind and rested his chin on his shoulder, kissing his neck gentlyjustbelow his ear. 'It's going to be awful, but we'll regret it if we don't go.'

Remus let out a heavy sigh. 'I'd never forgive myself if I let her die without a friendly face in the room.'

Their conversation was interrupted then by the sound of a message appearing in the notebook and they both turned their heads to look as three messages appeared in quick succession.

Twinkles, Moony, Bubbles & Sunshine

8:41 am

Sunshine was right. Effie appears to have appointed herself to the position of Chief Floo Defender this morning.I couldjusttell her I'm going and she can't stop me, but I feel awful about being so rude when she's done so much for me.

But then, Storm did a lot for us too.

I don't know what to do, guys.

'He shouldn't be rude to Effie,' Sirius said, looking up from the page to meet Remus' eyes. 'Two of us are enough, really. Effie would be so hurt if Pete just ignored her and left anyway.'

'Yeah, she doesn't deserve that,' Remus agreed, picking up the pen to reply. 'She's just doing what she thinks is right.'

Twinkles, Moony, Bubbles & Sunshine

8:42 am

Stay there, Bubbles. Twinkles and I will go. It's enough that two of us will be there. Don't worry about it.

Okay. If you're sure.

We're sure.

I'm so sorry, guys. I can't believe my parents are doing this.

They're just trying to protect us. Try not to be too mad at them.

Hmmm. I'll try, but I'm pretty annoyed right now.

Yeah, me too. If youget the chance tospeak to her, will you tell her that we wanted to be there?

We will, but it's unlikelywe'll be able totalk to her.

I hope you you do, tell her, I don't know,"goodbye" seems a bitinpoor taste,maybejusttell her I'll miss her or something?

If we get to talk to her, we'll make sure she knows how we all feel about this. We need to go now, though. We don't want to be late.

Okay, good luck. Write when you get home.

Talk to you later, guys, and good luck.

'I'll just put this back in my room, and then we'll go,' Remus said, closing the notebook and draining the last of his tea in three large gulps.

Sirius nodded and picked up his own mug, presumably to empty the contents while Remus was away, and sure enough, when he returned, Sirius was placing both empty mugs in the sink.

'Ready?'

'As I'll ever be,' Sirius replied with a slight grimace.

They took the Floo to the Leaky Cauldron, and from there it took less than ten minutes to walk to the shabby-looking phone booth that disguised the visitors' entrance to the Ministry of Magic. The street it stood on was probably pretty deserted on any normal day, but today it was populated with several people, all attempting to look nonchalant as they leaned against a wall, pretending to read a newspaper or stood talking to someone else. To a passerby, they probably succeeded in their quest to not draw attention, but if one took a few extra seconds to observe them, it became clear that they were all watching and waiting for their turn to enter the phone booth and disappear into the ground. Their attempts to appear inconspicuous to the muggles were somewhat marred by their failure to dress appropriately, most were wearing wizarding robes, and the few that had tried to dress in muggle clothes, had not picked their outfits very well, but it didn't seem to matter as there weren't any muggles to be seen.

'It's a good job we decided to get here a bit early,' Sirius commented as they found themselves a place to wait that wasn't too close to the overflowing skip that was making the street smell like a rubbish dump.

'I hope it doesn't take too long to get inside,' Remus replied. 'Downing that tea right before we left was a really poor decision.'

Sirius chuckled. 'I know what you mean. First stop when we get inside… Toilets.'

'Definitely,' Remus agreed, nodding emphatically.

In the end, they were waiting only ten minutes before everyone that had arrived before them had departed into the booth and it was their turn. The street was still just as full, though. Storm was going to have quite the audience when she died. The thought made Remus' heart ache.

They rode the lift down to the atrium, shiny badges showing their names and the words Execution Witness affixed to their chests, and immediately made their way to the toilets. The situation had become quite urgent to say the least.

Once their bladders had been relieved, they returned to the atrium and looked around for some kind of clue about where they needed to go, and after a few seconds, Sirius pointed. 'He was waiting outside with us, wasn't he?'

Remus followed the direction of his finger and, on seeing the man Sirius was indicating, nodded. 'Yeah. Looks like he's going to that security desk… Oh shit.'

'What?'

'Look.' Remus jerked his chin towards the desk where the man was being scanned with a thin golden rod. 'He's being scanned.'

'Why does that… Oh. Crap. You think they won't let you in?'

Remus shrugged. 'No idea, but at the very least, they'll probably say something offensive, and you have to let it go, Sirius. Promise me. I don't want any trouble. Not here.'

Sirius scowled, deeply, but nodded his head. 'I Solemnly Swear, Moons.'

'Thank you.' Remus let out the breath that had been stuck in his lungs while he waited for Sirius' response and straightened his spine. 'Alright, let's get this over with then.'

When they reached the desk, the security wizard gave them a welcoming smile. 'Hello, and what can I do for you two young men?'

'We're here to watch the execution,' Sirius replied, 'but we're not sure where to go?'

'Well, let's get you signed in, and then I'll give you directions. We don't often get unaccompanied youngsters at these things. Are you sure you want to go? It's not the most pleasant of events.'

'She was our teacher,' Sirius replied, as an explanation for their presence.

'Ah, I see,' he said, clearly taking a different meaning from Sirius' words than what he actually meant. 'Alright. Who wants to go first?'

'I will,' Remus said quickly. If he wasn't allowed through, he'd rather know sooner than later.

'Okay, what's your name, lad?'

'Remus Lupin.'

The wizard nodded and held up the golden rod. 'I'm just going to scan you with this. It won't hurt. Okay?'

Remus nodded and held his breath as the man moved it up and down, in front and behind him.

'Oh,' he said, when the rod buzzed and he read the results. 'I see why you're really here. Come to see what happens if you hurt someone, wolf?'

Seeing Sirius stiffen next to him, Remus swallowed his irritation and shrugged, acting like the words didn't hurt. 'Sure, best to be prepared, isn't it?'

The wizard sneered at him and his friendly demeanour turned cold for the rest of their encounter, but no one could do cold and superior quite like a Black, and Sirius made it clear what he thought of the man without needing to say a single word.

'Take the lift down to level nine, go through the door at the end of the corridor, and then take the only open door inside. Do not enter any other rooms.' The wizard told them once the checks had been completed. Sirius nodded at the man, but gave no verbal response, and pulled Remus away before he could reply either.

'What an arsehole,' Sirius said, once they were out of hearing range. 'I hate that people treat you like that. He was so friendly before he scanned you, too.'

Remus pulled a face. 'That's how people usually react. You, James, and Pete are the weird ones.'

'If that's weird, I never want to be normal.'

They reached the lifts then, so Remus just gave Sirius a smile in reply. He didn't want to continue the conversation while surrounded by people, but Sirius' outrage on his behalf never ceased to warm his soul. He would never get used to it.

They took the lift down to the ninth floor as instructed and traversed the long, windowless corridor they stepped out into. It was lined with torches which shone with a cool, blue-white light that gave the place an air of foreboding. Or maybe that feeling just came from knowing the reason they were there.

The door at the end led to a circular room with twelve handleless doors set equidistant apart. One of the doors was propped open, and they quickly crossed the black marble floor to reach it. Remus was a little surprised that their footsteps didn't make a sound; the floor so much resembled a pool of shallow water, he'd been half-expecting a splash.

'Well, this is creepy,' Sirius whispered, looking around as they entered.

'Yeah,' Remus replied on a quiet breath. The room was square and lined with stone benches, each row set a little lower than the last, so they looked like very large steps, and they led down into a central pit. In the middle was a stone archway, stood upon a platform, and hung with a tattered black curtain. The thing looked ancient, and Remus couldn't imagine what it could be for.

'Let's sit at the front to make sure she sees us,' Remus suggested. Sirius nodded his agreement and led the way down to the lowest bench, finding them a spot away from anyone else. Although, judging by how full the benches already were, he didn't think they'd be alone for long.

The wait for…itto begin was excruciating. There was an air of officiality in the room and so the audience were keeping their conversation muted, but the odd sentence drifted to Remus' ears, and he didn't like what he heard. The excitement. The eagerness. It was sickening, and he wished he could hold Sirius' hand for comfort, but the risk of them being seen by someone who knew his mother was too great, so he kept his hands to himself and breathed Sirius' scent to calm himself instead. It helped a lot. For a while. But nothing could have helped when a hush fell over the whispering audience, and he turned his head to see Deasura being led into the room. He heard Sirius take in a sharp breath next to him and knew he'd seen her too.

She lookedawful. Her hair, which was once glossy and beautiful, hung in a stringy, tangled mess around her shoulders, and her eyes looked red and swollen from crying. She was dressed in prison robes, and magical bindings held her hands together in front of her as two aurors led her down to the centre of the room, followed by Professor Dumbledore. Remus hadn't expected him to be present, but perhaps he should have.

As she drew closer to them, Remus noticed a familiar-looking ring on the middle finger of her left hand, which was clutching an even more familiar book to her stomach as she walked. He wasn't certain, but he thought he caught a glimpse of something shiny peeking out from beneath the sleeve and collar of her robes, too. How had she managed to keep a hold of their gifts and bring them with her today? He couldn't imagine, but he was glad of it, and he hoped they were bringing her some comfort.

Professor Dumbledore broke from the group when they reached the centre of the room and he took a seat in the front row, not far from where Remus and Sirius were sitting. Deasura continued on, led by the aurors, to the centre of the room, stopping a few feet from the stone archway. Her eyes had been trained on the floor while she walked, but now she raised her head and allowed her gaze to sweep over the audience, defiance and disgust etched into her features. Remus could understand why. He was feeling pretty disgusted with them all, too.

It took several seconds, but finally her survey of the room reached the front row, and her eyes settled on him and Sirius, widening a little before creasing into a frown for a moment, and then a faint smile graced her lips and she nodded at them. A thank you, maybe? Remus gave her a sad smile in return, and whispered under his breath, 'Goodbye, Storm. We'll miss you,' hoping she could read his lips.

She never got the chance to reply because at that moment, one of the aurors drew her attention to him with the words, 'Deasura Tenebris, you stand before us today, convicted of the murder of Marcus Hawthorne, esteemed Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts, whose life you unlawfully took. After careful deliberation by the Wizengamot, the sentence for your crime has been determined as death, in accordance with the highest laws of the Ministry of Magic and the statutes governing magical beings.

'As is our solemn duty, we now proceed with the sentence reserved for beings—magical creatures and entities—who are deemed to possess near-human intelligence and therefore fall under the protection of our laws. Because you have been recognised as such a being, the method of execution today has been specifically chosen to ensure it is as humane and painless as possible. This is in acknowledgement of both the gravity of your crime and the intrinsic value of all life.

'In a few moments, you will be asked to step forward into the Veil, an ancient and merciful means of passing beyond the mortal realm. This, we believe, affords those affected by your actions the closure necessary to allow the magical world to move forward.

'But before this sentence is carried out, it is my duty to ask: Do you have any final words you wish to speak before justice is done?'

Deasura nodded, turning to look in Remus' direction, and took a deep breath before speaking, her voice strong and clear, not revealing any of the fear she must have been feeling. 'To those of you who have gathered here to revel in my death, I have no words for you. I will not waste my final breath on those who wear the mask of humanity to hide the monsters within. But to the few who came only to offer me your love and comfort in these final moments, I give you my deepest gratitude. True friends are rarer than the finest treasures, and once found, must be held close—no matter the cost.

'Life is a fleeting whisper, but love… love and friendship are eternal. They outlast us all, so long as they are cherished and never taken for granted. Hold on to each other, for that is where life's meaning lies. Find joy in the smallest of moments, the sunrise, the glowing moon, the twinkle of the stars, the bubbles bursting on the cauldron's surface, and remember—each breath could be your last. Live as though it might be, and never let the light of love fade.' She turned to look back at the auror then, 'I'm ready.'

'Very well. When you're ready, step into the archway.'

Deasura straightened her spine and held her head high as she slowly walked to her death. Remus held his breath as he watched, wondering what would happen. What did the archway do exactly? When she reached the stone structure, she paused for the barest moment before taking one more step, and then she vanished. One moment she was there, strong and brave, and the next, she was gone.

It was so sudden. So peaceful. Remus couldn't believe she was really dead, but the other people there seemed to believe it, judging by the cheers that went up around the room. The sound chilled him to the bone, and he merely nodded when Sirius leaned close. 'Let's get out of here.'

They didn't talk much on their journey back to his house, both of them lost in their own thoughts of the teacher that had meant so much to them, but when they got there, they lay down together and took comfort in each other's arms, letting the tears flow freely for a while as the reality set in.

She was gone.

Twinkles, Moony, Bubbles & Sunshine

July 2nd 10:42 am

It's over. It was very quick and it looked painless. She was so brave and strong, did her best to make everyone in the audience feel bad for being there. I'm not sure it worked though, the sick bastards. We had to leave quickly before I cursed them all.

Why? What did they do?

They were cheering, Sunshine. After she went in, they all started cheering. It was horrible.

Went in?

It was this big stone archway. They made her walk into it and she vanished.

I'm glad it was quick, but that's awful. The cheering, I mean. How can people be so mean? It's probably good I wasn't there. I'm not sure I could have controlled myself if I'd heard that.

I'm just glad she was already gone, and she didn't have to hear it.

Are you okay, Moony? That must have been hard for you to see.

I'll be alright.

Do you guys want to come over?

I think that might be a good idea, yeah. We'll be right there.

Give me ten minutes, and I'll join you too.

Twinkles, Moony, Bubbles, Sunshine & Storm

July 2nd 10:43 pm

Hi Storm, I don't know if you'll get this, but I have to try. Even though I was there when it happened, it's hard to believe you're really dead, and you had your notebook with you, which makes me think there could be a chance. Maybe going through the arch doesn't really kill you, maybe it just sends you somewhere. Or maybe I'm just clinging to hope because I can't bear to give up.

I really hope you see this.

I miss you.

We all miss you.

July 3rd 6:05 am

As Moony said, we miss you, Storm. And I hope wherever you are now, you're with Marcus. Thank you for everything you did for us. We'll never forget you.

7:28 am

I'm sorry that I couldn't be there to support you. I really wanted to be. You were such a good teacher and we'll miss you so much. Goodbye, Storm. I hope you're happy, wherever you are now.

8:23 am

I wish this didn't have to happen, but since it did, I'm glad it was quick and painless for you, and I really hope you have found peace and have been reunited with Marcus. We'll miss you and think of you often. You taught us so much and we will be forever grateful to you. Goodbye, Storm. And thank you.

With no Forgetfulness potion left, combined with his grief for Deasura, Remus didn't sleep much for the next few days. He spent his days with his friends, at Peter's house or James', all of them trying to come to terms with the loss, sharing their feelings and memories of the teacher that had come to mean so much to them, and it was good. Painful, of course, but comforting. Knowing he wasn't alone with his grief helped more than he could say. But at night, he was alone. At night, his mind took over, and it wasn't being kind to him.

No matter how much he tried not to think about it, his mind frequently replayed—for his reluctant perusal—the horrifying memory of Moony attacking the man at Easter, reminding him how much he'd enjoyed sinking his teeth into his flesh. It made him feel sick to his stomach. When his brain wasn't forcing him to relive his biggest regret, it was torturing him with the possibility of what could have happened to him as a result—what could still happen if he was ever found out or if, Merlin forbid, it ever happened again—playing out the memory of Deasura's death, but with Remus in her place. Imagining how it would feel to be there, moments from death. Wondering what it felt like to pass through the veil. These were not pleasant preludes to sleep. He desperately hoped he would never have a reason to set foot in that room again.

There was one other thing that was becoming an issue, too. It had begun a while ago, but back then it had been easy to shrug off as nothing to worry about, a trick of the light, or a noise that wasn't what it sounded like. But it was getting worse, more frequent, clearer, and it was becoming harder to pretend. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, he tried to convince himself, but it had started long before that had become a problem. As much as he didn't want to admit it, there was only one thing it could be, and there was only one solution he could think of. It had to be a side effect of stopping the Forgetfulness potion, some kind of withdrawal, and the only way he could think to stop himself from hallucinating Moony everywhere was to get his hands on some more. But how?

-o-o-o-o-

Twinkles, Moony, Bubbles & Sunshine

July 6th 9:12

Morning guys! Do you all want to come to mine again today, or are we meeting somewhere else?

Morning sleepyhead. Yeah, I'd like to come over again if that's okay. Twinkles has training with his dad all day, though.

Oh, yeah, I forgot. That sucks. But you get your arse over here, Moony. Any ideas where Bubbles is?

Busy with his mum, I guess. I'm sure he'll reply soon though. I'll be there in a few minutes.

Great, see you soon.

Five minutes later, James was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace in the receiving room, waiting for Remus to arrive. It had been a tough few days since Storm's execution, and he still wasn't feeling like his normal self. The finality of the loss weighed heavily on his mind and heart, and he'd checked the page in his notebook, the one linked to hers, every day since writing to say goodbye. Despite knowing it was stupid—knowing she was gone—he couldn't keep himself from hoping that maybe she wasn't. Maybe the strange archway didn't really lead to death. Maybe it took those that traversed it somewhere else. And so the lack of response felt like a knife through his heart every time he looked and found the page beneath his message remained blank. Would it ever stop hurting, or would he continue to ache like this forever? His mind healer said it would just take time, but he wasn't sure he believed her.

His thoughts were interrupted by the flare of the Floo, and he stopped pacing to greet Remus as he stepped from the flames.

'How are you doing, Moons?' he asked into his hair as they hugged.

'No worse, no better. You?'

James pulled back and shrugged. 'Same.'

Remus nodded. No words were really necessary at this point. They'd said it all so many times already. 'What do you want to do?'

James shrugged again. 'I dunno. We could go to the waterfall again?'

'Sounds good to me. Let's go.' They started towards the door as they continued the conversation. 'Any reply from Bubbles yet?'

'Yeah, he said he can't come. His mum's having a bad day.'

'Oh…' Remus' eyebrows creased into a frown and he stopped walking. 'Should we go over there, then?'

James shook his head, pulling him back into motion. 'No. It's the kind of bad day where he doesn't want company.'

'Ah. Okay. I hope it won't last all day. Poor Pete.'

'Yeah, he really doesn't need this right now,' James agreed, 'but mum's gone over to give him a hand.'

'Effie is a saint,' Remus said.

'That she is,' Monty's voice agreed, drifting through the open door to the kitchen as they passed, and then he appeared in the doorway. 'Will you boys be wanting any lunch?'

'We're going to the waterfall,' James said. 'We could take a picnic?'

'No problem. It's just for the two of you?'

James nodded. 'Yeah, Sirius can't come either.'

'That's a shame. Alright, give me five minutes.'

Once the picnic lunch was ready, it took them a little while to reach the waterfall, but it was a pleasant walk through the forest and the time passed quickly as they chatted about everything and anything not related to Storm—they'd been trying to avoid that subject. Remus seemed a little jumpy, and he kept staring off into the trees, but when James followed his gaze, he couldn't see anything. It was odd to say the least, but he decided not to ask about it until they were settled at their destination. Instead, they talked about the coming year, the subjects they would each be taking, the plans for Emhio's welcome back party, and potential ideas for that year's competition with the Malediction.

The waterfall looked glorious in the bright summer sun—it always did, but James never got bored with the sight—and they both took a moment to take in the beauty of the place before getting settled on the grass near the bank. His dad had included a blanket in the picnic basket, and James lay it out before placing the basket in the middle, then he turned his gaze onto Remus, who was staring off into the distance again.

'You want to go for a swim, or..?'

Remus jumped a little, then turned his head to meet his eyes. 'Yeah, a swim sounds good.'

'What do you keep looking at?'

'What?' Remus asked, and then, not waiting for a reply, 'Oh, nothing, just thought I heard something.'

'Like what?'

'Nothing. Just a noise. It was probably a squirrel or something.'

James was unconvinced—Remus was being weirdly evasive—but he dropped it for now. 'Alright…'

They spent the next couple of hours swimming, cliff jumping, and just generally messing around in the water. It was fun, and it really helped to take James' mind off of his grief—he even felt a little happy for a while—but he didn't fail to notice that Remus was frequently acting oddly; jumping at nothing, staring off into empty space, and glancing around as if searching for something. He had been noticing the same thing for days now, but the problem—whatever it was—seemed to be getting worse, or maybe it was because the others weren't here to draw his attention. It was just the two of them, so he was aware of it every time it happened. Whatever the reason, James was becoming very concerned.

'Moons, are you sure there's nothing going on with you?' he asked when they finally left the water and settled themselves on the blanket for some lunch. 'You keep… I don't know… staring at things I can't see and stuff. I'm worried.'

'What? No. Yeah. I'm fine. It's nothing.'

James let out a little huff of frustration, but dropped the subject again. There was really nothing he could do to help if Remus wouldn't tell him what the problem was, and he seemed determined to keep it to himself. Maybe Sirius knew about it though… He would ask him later. Not for specifics—if Remus didn't want him to know, then that was his choice to make—he just wanted to make sure someone was helping him with whatever it was.

'If you're sure,' he said, starting to unpack the food. His dad had gone a little overboard with the food, as usual. The man really loved to feed people and there were a variety of delicious goodies on offer, including mini sandwiches made with brioche, filled with turkey, cheese and salad, and secured with cocktail sticks so they wouldn't fall apart; homemade pepperoni and sausage pizza, kept warm with a charm; a selection of vegetables—cut for easy dipping—and sauces to go with them in little pots; skewers consisting of bite-size pieces of strawberries, grapes, melon, and pineapple; mini cups with vanilla yogurt, muesli, and a sprinkle of berries; and a choice of flavoured waters (apple or strawberry) or lemonade in little glass bottles, kept cold with a chilling charm.

'Wow,' Remus said once it was all laid out on the blanket between them, 'this looks amazing.'

'Yeah, dad doesn't fuck about when it comes to food,' James replied with a chuckle.

While they ate, Remus seemed to be fighting the urge to look behind him into the trees frequently. He would twitch or stiffen and turn his head slightly before forcefully returning his eyes to the food. James was becoming more and more concerned every time it happened until, halfway through dessert, as he was munching his way through his third fruit skewer, a rustling noise came from the trees behind Remus. It sounded like something big moving through the undergrowth. James looked up—seeing that Remus had stiffened again—and scanned the treeline.

At first, he saw nothing.

Then he saw movement. A shadow. Maybe just the sway of the trees in the wind. A trick of the light.

A throaty rumble drifted to his ears on the wind. But it was so quiet, it was impossible that he could have heard it over the sound of the waterfall behind him. It must have been his imagination. Remus' behaviour all morning making him paranoid.

Where was his wand? He'd taken his holster off when he undressed to go swimming… He glanced at the pile of his clothes a couple of feet away, assessing how long it would take him to reach them and dig out his wand from the pile, and when he looked back to the treeline, there was a wolf.

A fucking wolf!

What the fuck!

There were no wild wolves in England. Not anymore. And it couldn't be a werewolf. Remus sitting in front of him was proof of that. Maybe a mooncub, then? But they weren't generally aggressive, and this wolf was crouched, looking right at him, and growling. He could hear it, as crazy as that was, considering the very loud waterfall thundering in his ears.

'Remus…'

'Yeah?'

James spoke quietly and calmly, trying not to spook the animal and cause it to attack. 'Don't move. There's a wolf behind you. Do you have your wand?'

'No, it's with my clothes over there. Are you sure it's a wolf? Could it be a dog?'

'It's definitely a wolf. Fuck, it's coming closer. I need to get to my wand.'

'Let's both get up slowly. I don't like that I can't see it.'

James nodded his agreement and kept his eyes on the animal as they stood up. The wolf was creeping towards them, growling menacingly, but didn't seem ready to pounce yet.

'Fuck,' Remus whispered on a breath when he turned around.

'Yeah. Do you think it wants the food?'

'Maybe,' Remus said, but it didn't sound like he actually thought so.

James kept his eyes on the animal as he moved sideways towards his clothes, and it kept creeping closer, growling. The closer it got, the better James could see it, and it was while he was crouching, blindly rooting through the pile for his wand, when he noticed the signs. The short snout, the tufted tail, and the whites of its eyes. But how? The full moon wasn't for another week and a half, and it was the middle of the day, for Merlin's sake.

His hand felt something thin and wooden, and he grabbed it, pulling it from the holster, and pointed it at the werewolf, shouting the first spell that came to mind, 'Stupefy!'

He realised, as the red light was flying towards the wolf, that it wouldn't work. It took much more than that to subdue a werewolf, and he didn't know any magic powerful enough. They would have to run and hope for the best. Not even the water would be safe, he knew, recalling Minnie's epic swim at the end of the year. If only he'd brought his broom…

His spell hit the wolf, and the animal evaporated in a swirl of mist, not unlike the creatures the students battled in the arena to qualify for the Creature Hunt event.

'What the…' James muttered.

'Fuck,' Remus said, his voice breaking on a sob as he dropped to the ground. 'I'm sorry, James…'

'What? Why?' James crouched down next to him, feeling a bit lost. Why was Remus apologising?

'It's my fault… Moony… He wants… revenge… I think. Because I forgot him.'

James was more confused than ever. 'Huh?' he asked, oh so intelligently.

'It's… I've been… Oh gods…' Remus stammered and trailed off.

'Just tell me, Moons,' James said, taking a seat beside him on the ground and rubbing his back soothingly. 'Whatever it is, we can make it right. I won't be mad. I promise.'

It took a few minutes before Remus spoke again, but James waited patiently, rubbing his back, and making hushing sounds like his mum used to do for him when he was upset as a young boy. He would wait as long as it took. There was nothing more important to James in that moment than helping Remus with… whatever this was.

Finally, Remus choked out a sentence that made James' body turn cold from head to toe. 'Since Easter, I've been taking Forgetfulness potion, but I ran out a few days ago.'

'You've been..? Why? How? Where did you get it?' James blurted without thinking, then he shook his head. 'Sorry, not helpful… I… Gods Moons, I'm so sorry. I should have been there for you. I didn't even notice… We all thought you were doing better… But it was just the potion?'

Remus nodded. 'I stole it from Madam Pomfrey.'

James snorted at that; he couldn't help it. The image in his mind was just too funny. 'Holy shit. That's badass, Moons. But… Gods. You need to tell someone. Can we talk to my mum? Please? This is too much for us to deal with on our own.'

'No!' Remus said, his head shooting up to show his face, painted with horror. 'You can't! She'll—'

'Understand and help,' James interrupted. 'She'll understand and help, Moons. It's what she does.'

Remus deflated a little, the horror on his face turning to… shame? James wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and hug him so tight, the shame would all squeeze out of him.

'You're sure?' he asked in a voice so quiet James could barely hear him.

'Positive.'

'Alright,' Remus said. 'But can you tell her what happened? I don't think I can do it.'

'Of course. You don't even need to be in the room if you don't want.'

'I think I'd prefer to not be there.'

'Then that's what we'll do,' James said, giving Remus a reassuring smile. 'Come on, then. Let's get dressed and head back.'

'Now?' Remus asked, his eyes widening. 'Can't we wait a bit?'

James shook his head. 'Whatever the potion withdrawal is causing, it seems to be getting worse. I don't think we should wait.'

'Yeah, that's true. I've been hearing and seeing things for days, but never that clearly before, and you could see it too. That's…'

'… not good,' James agreed, finishing the sentence for him.

'Yeah.'

It took them some time to get dressed and pack up the leftovers from their interrupted picnic, and the journey back to the house took even longer. On the way, they talked. James wanted as many details as possible so he could explain everything to his mum. Remus answered his questions, sometimes reluctantly, but James believed his answers were honest. And he was heartbroken to learn just how badly he'd let his friend down these past few months. But no more. It wasn't too late to put this right.

He took Remus up to his bedroom when they reached the house, and then he went in search of his parents, hoping his mum was back from Pete's. She was, and he found them sitting together in the living room, drinking tea.

They looked up when he walked in, their faces morphing from smiles to frowns when they saw his face.

'James? What's wrong?' his mum asked. 'Did something happen?'

'I need to talk to you,' he said, walking over and taking a seat opposite them. 'Remus needs help.'