Disclaimer: Nope. Harry Potter ain't mine.

Hello friends, readers, Harry Potter lovers, or all of the above! It's fantastic to be back. I cannot believe that I've written this chapter. Noted, it took me a year to get back on track, but here I am! I'm back! Please don't be upset with me.

Now thank you to everyone who reviewed in the past year! I hope everyone's had an amazing one, and will continue the same way! Specifically, lovinxoxo, September And Summer, Ollivanders Shop, Eifie, DragonOwl, Daedalus13, Angelus Draco, megan Jensen, Anomaly, Lady Luna's Love, lol199, bady75010, fan2210, Fl0ra, pandamonster27, other Guests, favouriters, followers, etc! Your reviews have helped loads, and have encouraged me to write again! Stay awesome, woohoo!

Now… let's get on with the long-awaited chapter.

"How I wish, how I wish you were here. We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year, running over the same old ground." ~Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd)

Chapter 37

The two couples disapparated on the spot without exiting the Leaky Cauldron. After overcoming the feeling of wooziness, constipation and vertigo, the first sensation to strike them was the unexpected cold. It flooded them from all sides. Although everyone was wearing their thick winter cloaks, the frost managed to penetrate the thick layers of velvet and prickle at their skin.

Bloody hell. They were petrified. (Not only because of their frostbitten ankles, but because of the scenery around them as well.) Hermione's jaw unhinged as she marvelled in fascination, forgetting the cold wind biting at her skin. She was definitely prone to catching a cold, but she had a tremendously valid excuse to be in awe.

Before her stood Potter Manor, looking more like a mansion than a simple manor. Purebloods. She simplified, although a thought and memory struck her. She had the exact same size manor, if not larger. She lived the same life as James did. She shook her head of the idle thoughts. For a few brief, disorienting moments, she let Hermione Granger to take over her mind and inhibitions.

The quartet had landed a decent walking distance from the manor, which made Sirius smile sheepishly when Ginny scolded about trekking in the snow in her new heels, getting frostbite and dying.

To say that the manor was big was a lousy understatement. The manor was huge. Grandiose. Luxurious even. Lights twinkled in every one of the windows and along the pathway to the manor. She grinned like a maniac at the closest lamppost: she felt like Lucy re-finding Narnia... Or a more modern version of it at least. Sirius cast her a funny look, and pulled her closer towards him.

Hermione continued to stare open-mouthed at the sight before her. Though she could barely see the details of the manor, which was enveloped by the darkness, the exterior of the house radiated splendorous welcoming.

From where they were standing, it appeared that the manor had three floors. A couple of ancient towers rose above the main grounds. It seemed as if there was a winter garden surrounding the perimeter of the house. In the distance, trees were decorated with fairy lights, glowing from underneath the heavy snow. It looked like a winter wonderland.

Snow fluttered down lightly all around them, concealing their fresh footprints. It crunched underneath their feet. It was truly a perfect Christmas night.

Hermione gripped on tighter to Sirius' arm, already breaking out a sweat from all of the excitement. They sidestepped and found themselves wandering upon a cleaned trail, and her heels had taken the opportunity of unbreakable silence to click loudly.

"It's beautiful." A cloud of vapour escaped her lips. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Sirius admiring her from aside. She scowled at him, mentally hitting herself "Of course 'beautiful' seems like a first-year answer, but I really cannot come up with anymore words. It's like my vocabulary's completely disappeared." She shook her head, smiling, and looked away.

"You should see it in the summer." Sirius' eyes sparkled with memories. He tilted his head upwards and gestured with his hand to the side, where there seemed to be an open field and a few posts were barely visible. "Far over there, there is an incredible Quidditch pitch, excellently groomed. We barely find the strength to separate ourselves from the lovely place." He laughed, and Hermione smiled at his words. They marched silently closer and closer towards the Potter residence. "There's a skating rink too!" He added excitedly, "An outdoor one!"

"It seems as if James could live happily without leaving the area of their home." Ginny whispered from aside, and Remus nodded, suppressing a chuckle. His strong arm was delicately guiding Ginny's torso towards the house.

"Also, Mrs. Potter, or Momma P, as she likes us calling her," Sirius justified with a grin, "Tends the most beautiful garden. I'm not one for flowers, but when they bloom, even the lads can't stay away. Every room in the house holds a vase of different flowers."

"Each bouquet matching the design of the room." Remus added from the side, letting his mind work and skim the architecture of the house. "It really is incredible, Hermione. You two and Luna should see it. It's breathtaking, I must say."

"Yeah well Mr. Lupin over here was a little flower-freak before." Sirius teased nudging Remus in the side, who extracted a sigh.

"Flowers help me relief stress. Momma P really did appreciate my help, when you two loitered around and couldn't keep the Quaffle down." Remus rolled his eyes, causing the two girls to giggle. They could both definitely imagine him becoming a florist or herbologist. "See, these too boys cause me to stress out so much. I think I'm growing grey hairs!"

Ginny hugged Remus' leading arm and tilted her head to his chest, which didn't work out too well since they were walking, so she tiptoed and pecked his cheek. "These boys are a terrible influence on you, aren't they?" She pouted mockingly, as they stepped in unison.

"They would be if only they had a chance to manipulate me." Remus corrected her smartly, causing her to giggle once more. They were just approaching the entrance of the manor. The huge oak doors towered upon them, each decorated with Christmas wreaths. The two girls stepped upon the snow-covered steps and the heavy oak doors swung open before them.

"The definition of hospitality." Ginny snickered, pointing at the doors in front of them. They gracefully entered the Potter home, where a house elf collected their cloaks and ushered them towards another set of doors. Hermione thanked the house elf out of habit, and stepped forward, fiddling with her necklace.

She felt a warm presence comfort her from behind, and a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist. Sirius gently kissed Hermione's temple and let his head rest upon her shoulder. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes, cherishing the moment of warmth and safety, momentarily forgetting about the wretched corset suffocating her lungs. These were their last beating moments of peace before they would be pushed out and forced to socialize with bulging spectators.

"Don't be nervous, love." He purred tenderly into her ear, blowing one of her soft tendrils out of his face, and smoothly into Hermione's.

"Thanks, Sirius." She rolled her eyes, brushing the tendril out of her face, careful not to mess up any of Ginny's hard work. She then took to dress, which had gracefully fluttered upon the crimson carpet. Sirius maintained his hold on her waist, much to Hermione's liking.

Everyone was jittering with excitement, except for Ginny who was cussing that her beautiful shoes were forever ruined. There were a few couples ahead of them, who cast the quarto interested glances, but didn't decide to approach the youngsters.

Couple by couple, they strode through the open doors, and walked down the stairs until they disappeared from view. From where Hermione was standing, all she could see was a glistening crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

It wasn't until that moment that she, Hermione White, realized that they were next to enter the glorious ballroom. The couple found themselves at the top of a tall staircase, overlooking a beautiful Christmas themed ballroom, clustered with beautiful ladies and striking gentlemen.

Sirius released his embrace around her waist and offered her his arm. As usual, she was graced by his overpowering aura of confidence and elegance. It was astounding to examine that Sirius' aristocratic behaviour remained, even though he was blasted off his family tree. He was a pureblood, and no one could change that.

Hermione was nearly blinded by the magnificent light of the room. Deep breaths, Mione. She attempted to calm herself. Try not to faint and take a tumble down the stairs. That would definitely not make a good impression on the upper class of the wizarding world. Just breathe, smile, shoulders back, and be calm.

She had not even noticed that one of the house elves announced their entrance. "Lady Hermione White the First, accompanied by Duke Sirius Orion Black the Third."

Keeping a vibrant smile upon her face, young couple strode elegantly down the flight of stairs. Her dress unfurled before her, creating the illusion of her floating on a cloud. His eyes skimmed the room politely. They looked perfect together. Each radiated power and confidence. By the time they were half way down the never-ending stairs, everyone had turned to admire them.

Soft music was strumming in the background, and Hermione's hold tightened around Sirius' arm. He smiled at her soothingly as they finally reached the bottom of the staircase. Around them, immediate chatter and hushed whispers broke out.

Never had the public been granted with such a gift of gossip – as to see the disowned Black accompany the orphaned Hermione White. It was quite the queer, yet marvellous sight it was.

Nevertheless both had their heads held high, as their aura pulsated not of mischief, but of the uppermost intellectual aristocracy. They glided through the hall, and were approached by the bravest of the couples, who chatted animatedly. Both Sirius and Hermione kept their answers short, polite, and sophisticated.

It was quite a show to see the two of them act that way, especially with the performance they had put on back at the inn, the contents of which were saved on Remus' camera. Gracious and courteous conversation shot back and forth, as Sirius managed to appropriately compliment everyone, starting from young girls to old hobbling ladies.

"It's a pleasure."

"A true honour."

"I am absolutely delighted."

"Of course, maybe we shall come over for tea."

"Indeed it is splendid."

"Never have I seen such a beautiful ball."

The compliments and small talk went on and on, back and forth. Hermione and Sirius seemed to be the talk of the evening, which was a delight for Remus, who found himself feeling worse with every tick of the clock, which warned him of his transformation.

Hermione was truly surprised that her facial muscles were still moving and her smile was still intact. She additionally managed to remain upright, although she was sure that half of her ribs were broken. Ruddy corsets.

Around her she heard all sorts of whispers. Sirius skillfully guided her through the crowd, since she herself was not capable of voluntary locomotion. It was ridiculous to admit, but she was extremely intimidated. It was her first proper private ball.

The young ladies cooed and blushed at Sirius' charm, and young men were fascinated, as Hermione seemed to allure them with her grace, intellect, and kind heart. The couple exhibited warmth and sophistication to all.

Finally, Sirius led her through the crowd to introduce her to his parents: Charlus and Dorea Potter. Hermione glided gracefully behind Sirius, patting her hair and checking that everything was still in place, especially her head. Padfoot confidently put his arm on her waist when they reached him.

Dorea was beautiful. She had pure snowy hair piled up in an elegant up-do, yet her face made her look no older than forty years old. It was radiating kindness. Her mysterious smile fascinated Hermione to such and degree, she nearly found herself speechless. Dorea's silvery dress emphasized her extremely plausible shape, as it fell smoothly to the ground, glittering merrily in the chandelier light.

On the other hand, Charlus possessed an extremely serious aura. His hair was only greying, but it helped Hermione understand who James inherited his messy hair from. The male line of Potters looked practically identical. Charlus was strong and tall, towering intimidatingly over most men. However, whenever Dorea looked or smiled at him, he seemed to soften up bit by bit.

The young girl couldn't help but smile. Love existed at an old age. It was beautiful when a couple was capable of experiencing love through the simplest words, touches, and exchanges.

Sirius cleared his throat and couldn't keep a childish smile off his face, "Momma P? Papa P?" They smiled at him encouragingly, as their eyes flickered from him to Hermione, to the arm settled on the small of her back, "This is my Hermione White. The one I have been talking about all this while." Her heart seemed to melt at his statement.

"Hermione, dear!" Dorea cooed. At this point the young witch had no idea what to do. Should she shake her hand? Should she curtsy? But Dorea immediately helped her rid herself of any tension and doubts, as she immediately embraced Hermione. What a tight grip did that woman have.

Releasing her from her strong embrace, Dorea beamed. "Our dear Sirius has told us so much about you!" She exclaimed, and looked at Charlus for marital support. He simply grunted a little and offered Hermione a smile, while pecking her hand. "He isn't much of a talker." Dorea supplied with a chuckle, nudging her husband playfully. "As you can see, James inherited his average looks, and my dazzling personality."

Nodding, Hermione laughed slightly, "It is quite a lovely personality indeed. He always has something to say, yet on occasion he does tend to be serious."

"But that's pretty rare." Sirius cut in, with an innocent smile on his face. "That's only when we're planning pranks or being utter gits." He winked mischievously, making Charlus shake his head, and mutter something under his breath.

Dorea simply laughed. "I hope they don't cause too much havoc around the school?" Her eyes twinkled merrily. "The last couple of years I had some of his professors write to me, and even floo me about their... incorrigible behaviour." Charlus snorted on the side.

"That would be a bit of an understatement." He argued playfully, as Dorea threw him a stern look. "His mother loves him." He stage-whispered to Hermione, leaning over a bit, "She thinks he's an angel. But I know his true character. I can see right through him." He winked, causing Hermione to instantly smile.

Now she really saw James as a perfect blend of his parents. Their personalities were flawless and fit each other like missing puzzle pieces. She could not imagine the two arguing, as they had a peaceful democratic air to them.

"Why must you speak of our son like that?" Dorea scolded her husband like a little child, "There are many children much worse than him. I believe I raised my son well." She stated proudly, tilting her chin up and puffing out her chest in a true motherly fashion.

"Darling, who was the one who managed to risk the beauty of our house for the last seventeen years?" Charlus rolled his eyes.

Hermione could see Sirius unable to contain his smile, and decided to add, "I do not know how James acted in previous years, but I must admit, it seems as if someone has finally tamed him." She giggled, exchanging a knowing smile with everyone in their small conversation.

"Oh Lily is such a wonderful girl. I am so happy they found each other." Dorea sighed lovingly, her eyes drifting over the crowd in attempt to find the couple.

"Momma P, I think you're missing the point." Sirius corrected smartly, fluttering his dark eyelashes. "They always found each other, Lily just didn't want to give in to that troublemaker." He joked, earning a chuckle out of Charlus.

"I'm surprised you settled yourself, son." He pressed on, giving Hermione an encouraging look. "I thought Sirius Orion Black would live till the end of his days making eyes at ladies and all. I never thought I'd live to see the day to see a young lady have him reined to herself." He looked at Sirius with appeasement, as Hermione's cheeks flushed crimson.

"Father, you did not have faith in me?" Sirius gasped, pretending to be mortified. Reluctantly, he shook his head, and pretended to wipe away a tear. "I will go cry to myself now, go sing with my jolly band of merry men, and be comforted by the only person who loves me." And the cheeky bastard quickly placed a kiss on Hermione's cheek.

She gasped in appal, touching the place he kissed. "Sirius!" She hissed, to the incredible amusement of both Dorea and Charlus.

"Sirius, darling!" Dorea chided, trying to conceal her laughter, "Hermione is proper lady, as we can see, and you should be a proper gentleman, just for the evening." She raised her eyebrows sternly, as Sirius pretended to cower.

"Then we will not be taking any of your time." Sirius nodded off-handedly, and swept Hermione away. "We shall be going to find your charming son and his beloved date. You still have to meet Remus and his bird!"

"Ladies are not birds, Sirius Black!" Dorea called after him, rebuking his improper language. And Hermione barely got the chance to say goodbye when Sirius dragged her away. She was also more than one hundred percent certain that she heard Dorea utter breathlessly to Charlus "They are so adorable".

Sirius serenely led her through the crowd. As they graciously passed, they earned some polite and on occasion jealous glances. No one could distinguish whether it was jealousy of Hermione or Sirius.

Once they trudged through the sea of lovely people, Sirius finally scouted Remus and Ginny, who seemingly were in deep conversation.

"Remus, my main man!" Sirius barked, grinned, and jumped on his friend. Remus closed his eyes and sighed, realizing that Sirius was oblivious every moment of his life, even when his friend was to transform into a horrendous beast that evening. Or he was simply being positive.

It was quite a common scenario for males to have short term memory loss. Especially those who were intrigued by the game of Quidditch. No wonder Madame Pomfrey was so persistent on checking them after every single game.

"Sirius, my true love! The answer to my heart's trembling desire!" Remus acted along, taking an opportunity to roll his eyes at their relationship. He looked over his friend's shoulder to notice Ginny whispering something to Hermione, who had a hard look on her face. Encouragingly, she seemed to whisper something back. Consecutively, smiles loomed upon both of their faces.

"Sirius, Remus, mate!" A voice cut its way through the crowd, and in a few shuffling steps James flew into the scene, grabbing his two friends and pulling them into a warm, friendly embrace. "I haven't seen you in ages!" He pretended to wipe tears from his eyes, "how long has it been? Half an hour?" He continued hugging them. The Marauders really did have an acting bone in their body.

"Girls, you really do look lovely." The gentle voice of Lily Evans sounded from behind them. Everyone turned to see Lily, dressed in an elaborate, yet elegant gown glide towards them.

Her silky jade dress fell smoothly to the ground, the soft velvet swishing back and forth, the music of fabric delightful to everyone's ear. She had the tiniest bit of makeup, although she did not need any. Her thick lashes and capturing emerald eyes could win over the heart of any man in the country, without her even having to bat or flutter them nonsensically.

Hermione's jaw dropped, and so did everyone else's. When she turned to examine James' expression, she witnessed him contently staring at her chest... Not directly, but at the necklace which was hanging upon it. Hermione recalled Lily telling her that she had received the beautiful piece of jewellery from her greatest secret admirer – James Potter.

"You actually showed up!" Hermione gapped at her friend. "Did you meet your in-laws yet?" She put her hands on her waist, and could once again feel Sirius tracing his calloused fingers over the small of her back. That boy just did not know how to keep his hands to himself. Not that Hermione minded, of course.

A laugh escaped Lily's plump lips, and a blush took over the surface area of her face. "Yes, I did meet them, Hermione. They are very kind people, not that I expected anything worse." She cast a loving glance at her James who didn't seem to be able to keep his eyes off of her. It was really a wonderful sight to see. "Although I was thinking of not coming, just to cause James to suffer." She teased, tugging at James' robes.

A grin was impossible to elevate from her face. Hermione took a moment to imagine how happy Charlus and Dorea must've been when meeting the Lily Evans, and seeing for themselves what a perfect angel she was.

"Woah Lily you look hot." The couple's staring moment was interrupted by a flushed Ginny, evidently from something Remus had said a few moments ago. "But not in a bad Cassie McKiddie type way. In an elegant and stylish way." She justified carefully, raising her hands in defense.

Sirius scowled, as Ginny threw him an innocent look. James threw his arms around the leftover two girls and crushed them too his chest, causing Sirius to growl even more. The young Potter boy threw him an amused look and let them go. Then he spun on his heel and looked at Lily suggestively.

"Exactly what I said." He tilted his head to the side mockingly, and wrapped his arm around his partner's waist. "I agree with Ms. Evergreen over there, dressed in Evergreen robes. Same as Ms. White, dressed in graceful ivory robes." He overlooked the brunette, who snorted in laughter. Sirius whooped at his best friend's revelation, which resembled his own.

"But you meant hot in a different way, not like Ginny." Lily disputed, cradling James' chin in the palm of her hand. She looked him deep in the eyes and for a moment everybody thought they were going to have a moment.

"Darling, who do you consider me to be? I am not some un-gentlemanly dunderhead, excuse me very much." He gushed, fluttering his eyelashes. His eyes flashed with raw amusement. "I was raised in a perfectly sophisticated family, and I know my manners very well. My behaviour is simply golden."

Leaning over to Ginny, Remus muttered, out of earshot, "Contrary to popular belief, and years of strenuous observations." Ginny nearly choked, and decided to grip Remus' arm firmly and press up against his side affectionately.

"That is only when you're surrounded by elders in front of whom you have to look mature." Lily countered giggling, not giving her boyfriend a rest. She drew a hand over his gelled hair, which for once was not sticking up in different directions. "You really did spend time in front of the mirror today?" She asked innocently.

"Lily-flower, I must admit you are on the biting side tonight." James narrowed his eyes, looking at the crowd for support.

Hermione looked at Ginny who released Remus and was on the verge of a giggling spree, admiring the couple from the side. Turning back, she noticed that Remus and Sirius were lowly discussing one thing or another behind their backs. She couldn't help but admire the boys. They all looked so sharp, handsome and striking.

"Only for you Jamie-boy. You're my one and only." This comment withdrew an insanely pleased expression from James and caused faces to turn and look at her, as she swooned in the young Potter's arms. They even attracted the attention of Sirius and Remus who smirked from the side.

"You two seem to be getting along for once.' Remus commented amusedly, shoving one hand in his pocket, as the other rested on the small of Ginny's back. He towered over her, even though Ginny was taller than an average teenage girl and was sporting high heels. He made her look like the tiniest piece of creation. Like a precious porcelain doll.

"She just couldn't resist my charm." James stage whispered to his buddies eagerly, "She knows it."

"Too many years fighting back tears." Lily commented with a hearty sigh, quoting Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera. Her eyes widened at what followed.

Obviously, she should have expected it, but the Marauders were the most unexpected bunch of wankers to be born and raised in the United Kingdom. The crowd was already anticipating a performance, and they finally got what they wanted.

Hermione looked around, noticing Sirius' warm embrace leaving her, and a smile circling his face, showing off his dimples. A wicked mysterious look had arisen on his face, and Hermione couldn't help but drool mentally at how perfect his hair looked and how the magical snowflakes settled upon it.

The three boys each took a different note, Remus the deepest, James the highest, and Sirius the alto. Harmonizing, they strolled towards the center of the room, attracting curious glances, as chatter dropped to hushed whispers. It wasn't until the room was dead silent and the only sound resonating was their three-note harmony when they continued the song.

Why can't the past just die?

They each took a different position. James was in the center of the three, extending his arms to the beaming crowd, Remus was kneeling on one knee, with his eyes closed nailing the last note to perfection. Sirius, the little drama queen he was took to go on the floor on both knees and chorused to the sky.

Wishing you were somehow here again
Knowing we must say, "Goodbye"

The power of their voices was astounding. It seemed nearly impossible to fill the entire ballroom with singing, especially without any microphones or amplification. But their voices overflowed the area like a powerful wave. Hermione turned to see Lily and Ginny grinning and shaking their heads in approval, eyes glinting with pride.

Try to forgive, teach me to live
Give me the strength to try

Emotionally, they all rose to their feet and in sync sauntered by the lined up crowd, who made room for them. They all had their hands in their robe pockets, and were emotionally accentuating each note and syllable. It was really the best stand-up a cappella performance Hermione had ever seen.

No more memories, no more silent tears
No more gazing across the wasted years
Help me say, "Goodbye"
Help me say, "Goodbye"

And with the final note, the crowd roared in applause, hooting and clapping enthusiastically for the trio. Each seemed to be more proud of themselves than the other, and waved to the crowd. Sirius leaned over and whispered something to James who grinned, clapped his friend on the back with a vigorous smile and drew out his wand, as his beautiful mother approached.

Obviously. Hermione raised an eyebrow. She hoped that James wasn't planning on doing anything to embarrass his mother. An idea from Sirius never ended well.

"Now that is just a ritual my boys have," Momma Potter cooed, made her way over and stood at the center of the dance floor beside the trio of boys. She pinched each of their cheeks, when James revealed a bouquet of silver roses to his mother after simply swishing his wand. She rouged to the maximum extent and hugged her young boy. The crowd awed and cheered.

She laughed, shaking her head, as the boys chased each other off the center of the floor. Charlus joined his wife, narrowing his eyes and smirking at his son. "What a kind boy." She clucked proudly, following James with her eyes.

Then she turned to the crowd. "Thank you everybody for presenting yourselves to the annual Potter ball. I am hoping each and every one of you is having a lovely Christmas evening. Now as tradition is tradition, we are to officially open the ball with our Christmas dance. I shall invite my dear sons James and Sirius, along with their worthy companion Remus, accompanied by their beautiful partners to join myself and Charlus in a dance to open the night."

Everyone applauded, but Hermione heard nothing, but ringing in her ears. She looked from side to side, where guests already beamed at her and made a pathway towards the center of the ballroom. Ginny seemed to be as stunned, as her jaw unhinged. Lily simply blushed and took James' arm as they headed to their untimely deaths.

Cheeky Marauders didn't have the audacity to warn them.

Her young man gallantly headed towards her with a huge grin, which would've made her swoon at any moment but the present. His eyebrows rose expectantly. "Sirius' Hermione hissed urgently, as he tugged at her arm. A pathway had already formed for them, as guests had already parted, beaming expectantly at the young couple. "You didn't tell me about this!"

"I live on surprises." Sirius snorted, rolling his arms. He ran his free hand through his luscious hair. "I feed off of them. They are my blood.' He winked, adding in a Transylvanian accent.

"So I'm more of a boring professor. I live off of schedules and planning." She droned, wiping the cold sweat off her brow. Sirius didn't seem to care if she had cold hands which were sweating litres by the minute. Actually she didn't know whose sweat was whose. After such an intense performance, Sirius must've experience at least a slight bit of anxiety.

"You've been spending your time around McGonagall, haven't you?" Sirius flashed a smile at her, as they found a place on the dancefloor. She gulped nervously.

She glanced from side to side. Everyone seemed to be in ready positions. Anxiously, she mumbled, "Yes, we're in love and that's where I actually live. I dump Ginny and Luna in the Leaky Cauldron at night, and use my broom to fly to my only lover." She managed nervously. Her words didn't even make sense.

"I really hope not." Sirius snorted, sweeping her to the center of the ballroom. Perfect. "I didn't really pin you down for a desperate student. That's my job really."

In any other case, she would've laugh at Sirius' words, but he had taken her with such surprise that her heart was pounding and stomach was churning. And it was such a stupid little thing too. Sirius seemed to notice the impeccable look of worry in her eyes, as he took her hand in his own.

"I don't know what you're worried about." He cradled her hand gently, placing his other hand on her waist.

"What if I mess up?" she bit her lip uneasily, risking a glance into his silvery grey eyes, which were comforting her in every way possible.

"You won't." He stated simply, shaking his head. His thumb was drawing small, comforting circles on her back. "Because you have an excellent, professional partner. The best in the county I must say." he whispered cockily, even risking a wink.

Hermione raised a brow, placing shuddering hand on his shoulder. Her anxiety seemed to wash away slowly, "Oh really?" She sighed gently.

The first note of the waltz strummed gently, and the couples were soon to fall into motion.

She could hear vibrations coming from Sirius' chest, as he was humming to the song. Soon enough they swirled into motion, and Hermione was feeling a much greater relief swishing upon her. The frosty breeze blew through her hair, and for a moment she even took the opportunity to smile.

"Lovely performance by the way." She complimented, looking over Sirius' shoulder to see James twirl Lily elegantly. The man really did know how to dance. "How many recitals did you have?" She questioned, leaving Sirius with a grim look on his face.

"I am not like James, m'dear. I would not spill a Marauder's secret, simply to give away information to some scarlet woman." He bit jokingly, and Hermione would've kicked him for his sarcasm. It was as if he sensed the blow coming that he took the opportunity to dip her, receiving awing and cooing on the sides. This time he managed to save his privates.

She rolled her eyes at the viewing ladies, who fluttered and chatted about something excitedly. Gritting her teeth, she muttered, "Twat."

But on a serious note, Hermione would have done anything possible to avoid public humiliation and embarrassment. Thankfully, Sirius did know what he was doing. He was a fantastic partner, who was not capable of letting her make a mistake. Oh how the tables turned.

"Although we did take some dancing lessons with each other." Sirius continued following his train of thought, his glance following the musicians on their instruments. "It was quite amusing to see Wormtail dancing the female part with Prongs to the salsa." He barked at the memory and Hermione sprouted in giggles imagining the scene.

"That must've been a sight to see." Hermione hummed, observing Sirius' cleanly shaved face. His thoughtful, fathomless grey eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Indeed. We were actually planning to rehearse in the Great Hall, but he decided to spare ourselves the work. We would have had to be experts to perform that stunt." He shrugged nonchalantly, and Hermione's jaw dropped. They were swinging and swishing around so elegantly, she nearly forgot that they were dancing.

She was so amazed to have such a great partner, leading her in unfamiliar steps. He kept a strong resistance, and managed to keep them up to beat. This was definitely something to check off on her Bucket List.

That was when an extremely familiar voice broke their idealized concentration.

"I see that in addition to my unbelievable good looks, you inherited by exceptional taste in ladies, dear nephew." A voice chuckled from aside, a smirk nearly evidence in every juicy word. Hermione gasped at the voice. "You know, Hermione, when I said get acquainted with my nephew, I most definitely not intend for you to snatch him up like the lioness you are."

Uncle Alphard was looking as pleased as ever, as he straightened his expensive looking robes. Yelping in excitement, Hermione detached herself from Sirius' strong, protective grip and threw herself on her Uncle. She knew that he was secretly pleased that she and Sirius had miraculously found a common language.

"Mind if I cut in?" He winked cheekily.

"Uncle Alphie!" The young girl exclaimed, not paying a bit of attention at how unimpressed Sirius seemed with his Uncle.

Being a man of boundless humour, Alphard mimicked her, "My dearest Hermione!" He threw a glance at Sirius, who was purposely pouting and sticking out his lower lip. Rolling his eyes, Alphard exhaled, "Don't try that on me Sirius. It's gotten you plenty of females in your lifetime, but you can't try that trick on me."

After a few seconds of serious silence, the younger Black's face broke into a grin, and pulled his old man into a hug. "Good to see you again, Master Alphard." He bowed, a wicked smile still playing on his face.

Amused, Alphard nudged Hermione, "Did he just call me Master Alphard? This is…" His face encompassed absolute misunderstanding, "blasphemous… C'est incroyable!" He cried in French, drawing the amused attention of a handful of couples. Thankfully they had stopped at the edge of the dancefloor, and had not interfered with the heated foxtrot which began immediately after the waltz.

For a moment, detaching herself from the conversation, Hermione looked over to see James spinning Lily around in circles. The poor girl turned scarlet, and Hermione was certain that if she had the chance, she would've hysterically been covering her face in embarrassment. Chuckling at the young Potter's antics, Hermione turned to rejoin the conversation.

It seemed as if she had missed a lot, as when she spun back around, she noticed her partner and his uncle engaging in what seemed like a dissing rap battle. Amazed, the brunette widened her eyes at Sirius' childishness and covered her mouth in befuddlement.

"But you're too old for all the ladies, you're an aging old man, and I'm way hotter than Hades, so get in line with my fans." Sirius finished contently, welcoming Alphard Black with a challenging gleam in his eyes. Boys would remain boys. Even if they were entirely grown men. It was impossible to chide them, because it would only provoke them, especially if they were a bunch like the Marauders.

Alphard smirked, "Ouh, Sirius m'boy. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

"Thankfully, I have not in a while." Padfoot ran a hand through his hair cheekily, winking to his Uncle. "I could've sworn that old bat tried to poison me once when I was at school. I don't doubt that she would reward anyone who'd bring my head on a silver platter." He added nonchalantly, lacing his fingers with his Hermione's.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she did." Alphard agreed, noticing the interaction between his nephew and Hermione, and grinning with a delicate yet fully satisfied smile.

"That," Sirius motioned with his available hand, "Is why I do a poison check before every meal. Just in case my dearest mother decides to drug me. Or in case someone else tries to. Love potions have become very popular lately, if you know what I mean."

Hermione rolled her eyes, while unconsciously rubbing the pads of her fingers on Sirius' knuckles, "That is, unless he's drinking with the boys. Sirius, I've noticed that might as well be one of your flaws."

"My dove," Sirius turned around, furrowing his eyebrows. Hermione had to restrain herself from laughing at the incredulous pet name, "You're saying that as if I have few flaws. Because when I'm around you, I feel like the most flawed man on earth. You are an angel, the only being on earth able to sustain my wretched soul, and I am absolutely undeserving of you. I would do anything, only for you to call me yours."

She was then intimidated by Sirius' absolutely adorable puppy dog eyes. Just as Hermione was about to answer, Uncle Alphard leaned over and whispered cheekily, "I'd recommend to keep him. He's useful. Rubbish at cooking, but he's a handy man – excellent with his hands."

"If you know what he means." The younger Black purred into her ear, causing her to flush red all over, and pull away from him in embarrassment. This only succeeded in Sirius protectively pulling her closer to him and wrapping his other hand around her waist.

Resting his head on her shoulder, he continued, "But yes, to be absolutely honest, even if I were poisoned by a firewhiskey, I would die in absolute peace and accept death as an endless and unstoppable slumber."

At that exact moment, the incredibly loud and excited voice of James Potter was heard above the crowd. Sirius' ear perked like a dog's and he lifted his head off of Hermione's shoulder. He squinted in Prongs' direction, as the other boy fervently motioned for him to get to the center or the ballroom, which clearing for yet another Marauder performance.

Hermione sighed, tenderly stroking her arms, which came to suddenly lack Padfoot's warm embrace. She watched the two Marauders whispering to one another, nodding and pointing towards the exit. At that moment she felt Uncle Alphie move a little closer to her.

"I'm guessing you're enjoying your first private ball, Mione?"

"I am actually surprised, but I love it." Hermione admitted truthfully. She looked over at the older Black and saw a smile twitch on his face. "How could I not, when I have such a dashing partner?" She asked, gazing towards the dancefloor, where Sirius stood ruffling his hair and grinning in her direction. "Oh Uncle Alphard it's great to see you again!"

Grinning, he hugged her with one arm affectionately. "You too, kitten." She took his hand in hers and smiled back to her fatherly figure. After a moment's pause, it became obvious that Alphard was observing her fingers, "I see that you're wearing the ring I returned to you."

"Of course. It is a family heirloom. Not all that perishes is lost right?" She said with a sad smile. "It helps me remember my family. It's a talisman even." She added smartly, examining the white gem and family motto.

Uncle Alphard peered at her curiously, "Did you know that the gem on your ring is one of the rarest minerals in the world? It's called Jeremejevite," he clarified, delicately feeling it, "and it is a very powerful gem. Particularly, it is known the physical and emotional healing it bestows on the wearer? In addition, it's a very beautiful gem. Only the line of White is allowed to wear it."

Intrigued, Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Really? I did not know that every family had their own specific gem. I didn't think that the rules were that strict."

Obviously, seeming to know a lot on the topic, Alphard nodded his head, "Oh yes, my dear. Every stone is specific to the bloodline. A member of another family may only wear the gem after a deliberate and mutual soul bonding."

"Soul bonding?"

"Yes. There is a whole study related to this; it is extremely interesting." He paused for a few moments, reading Hermione's facial expression, attempting to figure out whether or not she wanted to hear more. Knowing Hermione, her face was dressed with an excited smile, as she prepared to learn more about an unknown topic.

"Once a young man decides that it is time for his to settle down, he will pass his own ring to his significant other. It is not considered an engagement, but a fully-pledged promise. When he passes his ring to another, he whole-heartedly declares that he hopes and wishes to be united with that one individual for the rest of time."

Hermione gapped. She never thought that family heirlooms carried such a great importance, and were even bound with deeper and older magic. It was something she had surprisingly never read of before.

"That is awfully romantic." She admitted, fiddling thoughtfully with the ring on her finger.

Alphard nodded in agreement, "Definitely. It is also extremely powerful. It is an unwieldable magic, which is nearly as serious as the Unbreakable Vow."

Before Hermione could utter another word, she was pushed towards the edge of the dancefloor by Ginny, who 'accidentally' stepped on Alphard's toes, causing him curse under his breath. Laughing, she ran a hand atop her tamed red hair, proudly admiring her own work.

Little did she know that at that moment she was being watched by a solemn pair of amber eyes.

Lily halted by Hermione's other side and exchanged a look of amusement, admiring the overall splendor. The entire female population present at the ball was intrigued with what the two cheeky lads were about to do.

At that moment, the audience's volume diminuendo'd to a pianissimo. The boys had begun to move once again. This time, only James and Sirius engaged in a duet. As if on cue, the small band, stationed near the grand staircase struck their first chords.

Lily grabbed Hermione's hand anxiously. James and Sirius had begun singing Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli. The boys alternated, and sang in unison only for the chorus. With every lyric, Hermione felt her heart vibrating ecstatically inside of her chest. The look in Sirius' eyes was absolutely enamoured. True to his song, he could not take his eyes off of Hermione. Like a mirror image, James was serenading Lily, making her turn beet red.

It was obvious that the two boys were smitten. The guests were cooing and quietly chattering, shushing one another and observing the couple of boys slowly inching towards their dates. During the musical intermission, Sirius even took the opportunity to snap and engage in his suave and sexy dancing. Hermione couldn't help but burst out in laughter.

Eventually the two boys had reached their destination, they fell to their knees and sang the final words of the song. The two girls looked at each other and shook their heads in satisfied exasperation.

~OoOoO~

It was a fantastic night.

When the show was finally over, and everyone had decided to take a seat and have dinner, Ginny suddenly realized that Remus was nowhere to be found.

That was when Hermione realized something. The Marauders' performance had been simply to distract the crowd from Remus Lupin fleeing the scene. Hermione donned Ginny an upset look, which encompassed regret for falling under the Marauders' charms and letting him slip away.

But Ginevra Evergreen was not planning on letting her man get away. She had sworn to stay by his side no matter what. He had opened up particularly to her, and she was not going to let him suffer all alone. Not even realizing what she was doing, music ringing in her ears, Ginny hiked up the stairs.

Before exiting, her eyes met with Hermione's, who nodded understandingly. In a true Ginny fashion, she thoroughly admired her friend's makeup, dress, hair, and attire, before retreating. She knew that it would be a long while until she saw one of her best friends pampered and beautified to look like a Disney princess.

She sprinted to the entrance hall, in hopes that the lycan was still in vicinity. Otherwise, it would be absolutely impossible to find him that night. And Remus Lupin would spend Christmas alone. That thought alone made Ginny tremble with anger, because a more terrible fate was impossible to imagine.

Anger was never the answer to delicate situations, but in this case, Ginny was mad at Mr. Moony and upset with herself. How could she let him slip away? She had been by his side the entire evening!

That was when she saw him. He had his cloak on, and it seemed as if he was getting ready to apparate. He was in perfect stance, and just as he was about to spin, Ginny leaped towards him and firmly grabbed onto his arm.

Now that goal number one was accomplished and Remus Lupin was found, she was praying to Merlin that she would not get splinched and become an amputee for the rest of her life.

A familiar, uncomfortable feeling of being forced into a wormhole ensued, as Ginny closed her eyes. When they finally slammed onto the cold hard ground, Ginny was ready to topple on the floor. Fortunately, her companion had heightened wolfish instincts. He caught her before she managed to earn herself another concussion.

"Ginny!" He exclaimed, spinning her around to face him. The redhead squinted and wiggled her fingers, making sure that no body part had been mutilated, or left accidentally in Potter Manor. What a relief. She could still play Quidditch.

"Remus!" She cleared her throat, batting her eyelashes quickly, regaining her composure. "Well isn't it just a pleasure to see you. Really, I didn't know who I was jumping on, I just got really tired and decided that I want to go on a wild adventure, not gobble delicious steaks and satisfying desserts." She mischievously winked at him.

Instantaneously, Remus' face morphed from happiness, to confusion, to concern. A cold gust of wind helped him snap back to reality. Ginny didn't even have a chance to look around, because she was trying to settle the uneasy feeling in her stomach. Thoughts of steaks and pies sent a certain hunger to her belly… Now steak pie… That was just a killer thought.

Looking around, Ginny noticed that they were in the middle of the woods, nearly knee-deep in snow. Biting her lip carefully, she exhaled deeply, watching her breath evaporate in front of her. "You know, it is extremely rude to leave your date at a party without saying goodbye, Remus Lupin." She raised an eyebrow critically at him. "I am flabbergasted."

At that moment Remus did not answer to criticisms. "Ginny." He grit his teeth, and glared at her seriously. "You cannot be here." He grabbed her arm. "I need to apparate you back. I'm a monster, I will turn in any second and you cannot be in any vicinity of me because—"

His breath caught in his throat. Ginny looked at him with a concerned look on her face.

"Because I will tear you to shreds." His eyes were empty and solemn. He went through every memory in his mind, and recalled all that he had been through. The wolf would be back soon. And he would simply be the lone audience member in his mind, watching the wolf take over and demolish everything in its path.

"Remus." Ginny answered equally as sternly, unwinding their arms and instead tenderly caressing his face. "I haven't been entirely honest. But now that you've told me the truth, I can tell you. This may be hard to believe, so I hope you're planted firmly on the ground."

She took a deep breath, "I'm an animagus. We are animagi. We were out with you the first night of the year, and although you didn't recognize us, we always knew. I take the shape of a fox, Hermione is a collie and Luna, that special doll, is a Pegasus. But most importantly, I will stay by your side no matter what."

She could've sworn that Remus' eyes were filling with tears. He instantaneously wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his warm chest for a hug.

Ginny was rewarding herself mentally and noted that she had scored three-way: (a) she found a perfect moment to reveal her identity, (b) she found a plausible, and extremely comfortable source of heat, and (c) she realized how tall Remus was, and eventually how tall their children would be… If she remained fertile from standing in the cold for such a ruddy long time.

Ron's phrase was legitimately applicable here:

Bloody hell.

Although it took Remus a moment to recover, he managed. "Thank you." Those two words meant everything in the world at that moment. Ginny unravelled her arms from around the lycan, immediately regretting her decision, as his lanky body was a literal heater. But that action was required to emit a genuine smile.

"Also… I wasn't sure how to entirely bring this up, but you have heard that they've been working on a certain Wolfsbane potion right?" Ginny added cautiously, hoping not to scare Remus away. It was true that the potion was a fairly new, and fairly expensive as well. Not many were fortunate enough to get their hands on it. "You know, it works like opera music for the Hulk?"

"I do know of it. I also know that it is extremely rare to possess." Remus looked at her suspiciously, knitting his eyebrows together. "Ginny… why are you talking about it?"

"Well, believe it or not," the redhead grinned sassily, putting her hands on her hips, "Mr. and Mrs. Thorn participated in the invention of the Wolfsbane Potion. I am quite the devious lady, who likes to be prepared for any type of situation. So I brought some out tonight, because I have a feeling that you will wear me out."

A silence ensued.

"I mean physically running. Not any other promiscuous activities." Ginny winked at her friend, attempting with all of her might to ease the tension, because sexual jokes always brought a smile on peoples' faces. But there stood Remus Lupin – absolutely dumbfounded.

He simply gapped at her.

"You cannot be serious."

"Fortunately, I am."

"This is a joke."

"Hey!" She cried, thoroughly offended. "I can't believe you think that. That would be a bloody terrible joke. What am I to you, some low-living cow who feeds on the suffering of others? No, Remus that would be a dementor."

Remus shook his head in disbelief. His arms fell by his sides, and he was incapable of any form of locomotion. He simply stared her down. "Ginny, I cannot believe you're doing this for me."

Poor boy. Ginny smiled warmly, and put both hands on her hips for a moment feeling like her true biological mother. "Remus, I've told you already. I would do anything for you."

"But I'm not deserving of this."

That one comment made Ginny snap, "If anything, out of everyone in the world, you are the most deserving of receiving this potion." She challenged him with her sky-blue eyes, "It is absolutely unfair that a righteous young man like yourself fell victim to this terrible… illness, and I want to help. I want to make it right. So tonight, Remus, you're not going to be a wolf in a wolf's body. You'll be yourself."

Once again, a bone crushing hug ensued. For the long-lasting moments, Ginny once more cherished the warmth, as she could nearly feel her ankles begin to numb. She was sure that she would soon turn into a human Popsicle.

"Here, take it." Ginny suddenly remember, and reached under her skirt, initially shocking Remus. She showed him her holster demonstratively, and he nodded in understanding. Undoing a button, she presented him a small vial with a glowing white potion. With a kind smile, she handed it to Moony. "Bottoms up." She winked, as he downed the potion.

Ginny's heart began to melt, because a spark was reborn in Remus' eyes. It seemed as though he received the newest edition of his Arithmancy textbook. "Let's do it, Ginevra. But we need to hurry, because the moon should be rising very soon." He grabbed her hand and tugged, before the redhead could even say a word.

Needless to say, Mr. Moony was ecstatically ready for this new experience. "I've never done this before, but I have heard absolutely fascinating things about the potion." He grinned. Noticing that his beautiful supporter was shivering like a leaf, he detached his Gryffindor scarf from his neck and wrapped it around hers. "We need to get to that hut – over there."

"Remmikins," Ginny called, as realization finally hit her, "Where exactly are we? You see, I wasn't really planning on asking you, but now that I'm really realizing that I did the impossible, a.k.a. apparated without getting splinched, so where exactly are we?" She rambled, longingly looking around the forest.

Tall pines, dressed in heavy mounds of snow, loomed above them. It was practically impossible to see the sky as a whole. It wasn't until that moment that she realized how absolutely quiet it was. The forest was at their disposal. They were alone.

"We are in the northern part of Scotland at the moment." Remus stated knowingly, as they approached the entrance of the ancient-looking hut. "I've scouted this area before. The forest continuous for miles. There are no humans whatsoever. But even if there are, it won't matter this time around, will it?" He threw Ginny a Mrs. Weasley-worthy beam.

Gin thoroughly approved. He's a keeper.

The hut was absolutely dark with one small window, and only slightly spacious. It reminded the redhead a little bit of Hagrid's gamekeeper hut. Only this one was entirely deserted. Muttering Lumos, she heard Remus clear his throat.

"I—er… I kind of need to—" from what the animagus could see, Remus' face flushed and turned the colour of a ripe tomato.

"You need to…?" She tiled her head to the side, not entirely comprehending what the boy was attempting to say.

That was when she became aware of how self-conscious her lanky friend. He awkwardly stood in front of her, unbuttoning his robes. That's when it hit her.

"Ohh. You need to de-clothe. That's absolutely understandable." She added calmly, sitting down on a broken stool she found in the corner, and gracefully plopping her heels in front of her. What a relief. Thankfully, one leg was only partially snapped; therefore, she still maintained her balance.

Remus, on the other hand, wore an incredulous look on his face. If he looked embarrassed before, he looked absolutely mortified as if that moment. Understanding that Ginny was not planning on turning around, or leaving, he reversed his actions, and began buttoning his shirt back up.

"Oh stop blushing, Mr. Lupin." Ginny groaned at the shy boy. She shook her head, offering him an encouraging smile. "I don't want you to ruin those robes. Plus, it's not like I haven't seen a starkers man before…"

"What!?" A coughing fit from a thoroughly confused and flabbergasted Remus Lupin began.

"You don't have to be afraid of me." Ginny assured him, getting up from the stool, accidentally tripping over her own heels. "If you want, I can strip too, so we're even." She waggled her eyebrows at him suggestively, causing him to divert his attention to an extremely interesting black ceiling.

"Come on Gin—"

"I'll race you!" She challenged him cheerfully, eyes glinting with competition. In a split second, she was already detaching her scarf and reaching to unclip her earrings. "Remus Lupin, I have a fantastic idea!" She exclaimed, as the shy lycan finally began to unbutton his robes once more.

"And what would that be, Ginevra, mistress of fantastic ideas?" He rolled his eyes, as the redhead delicately fluttered her eyelashes.

"We should start a cross-dressing team at Hogwarts!" She cried with amusement, causing Remus to guffaw and cover his eyes at the image. Both were sent into a fit of uncontrollable chuckles. In a minute, both Remus Lupin and Ginevra Evergreen were sitting on broken stools in the middle of the room, in nothing but undergarments, discussing strategies for their cross-dressing competition.

Remus stroked his chin thoughtfully, as any embarrassment or humiliation, which was present before, evaporated into thin air. "But out of the entire school," he pondered out loud, "I think that Sirius would be our biggest competition."

Scoffing, Ginny propped her head on her hand, "Please, Remus, they wouldn't allow Sirius in because he would find some way to bend the rules."

"He always does."

"I guess that's why he's a Marauder."

"That is the number one requirement of entering the Marauder clan."

"Really? Is it possible to join now?"

"Sorry, Gin, admissions are all male and were over in the month of September 1971. We regret to inform you that your application has been rejected." He mocked her in a posh professional tone, worthy of Professor Umbridge at the Ministry.

"That's sexist!" She cried incredulously, throwing her arms into the air and shaking her head.

"That's reality." He corrected her smartly. "Although… we have a compromise. Since you were not admitted, you could always join via second hand experience… By dating a Marauder." A fascinating smile crossed his face suggestively.

"You know, that'd be a good idea." Ginny nodded her head, sarcastically looking to the ceiling. "What have I been doing the last couple of months with my life. Geez. I guess I have to dump that poor ponce." She snapped her fingers, and offered Remus a cheeky grin.

He immediately raised his eyebrows, and leaned forward. "Did someone catch your eye out of them?"

Ginny smirked like a fox, "You know it… Peter is one damn charming lad."

"Oh really?" Remus challenged mockingly, interlacing their fingers. "I bet he—"

Suddenly, he was silenced. Ginny was holding his hand, as she suddenly felt it trembling. It was beginning. Through the small broken window, she saw a few lone moonbeams break through the surface of the dense pine forest. Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream filled Remus' lungs.

His transformation was taking place. Ginny turned away, because she couldn't bear the pain her usually calm and composed friend was undergoing at that moment. His face was distorted, as he dropped to his knees. Moony kept growing in size, until not a single human feature remained.

Ginny immediately headed for the door, leaving it open, and quickly shrunk into Reddie, staring expectantly. Moony howled in agony, but then he stopped dropping to his front paws. His grunting and heavy breathing immediately reminded Reddie of how she was attacked previously, causing her to flinch.

The wolf scrambled on its feet, and inched towards her, slowly gaining balance and getting accustomed to his form. Reddie was shaking like a leaf, because she knew that if the Wolfsbane potion did not prove to be effective, she would have no friends to defend her this time.

But that's when she noticed something.

His eyes.

They weren't ghastly yellow. They were amber.

It worked. It was Remus. Remus had taken over.

Wooohoooooo! Remus has taken control over his wolf! I am actually so excited to post this chapter, it's unbelievable. I've missed this feeling.

How did everyone like the ball? Sirius and Hermione's aristocratic behaviour? But what about Charlus and Dorea Potter. Man they'd seem like fantastic parents. I feel like it would get awfully lonely in that big house though.

Alphie made a reappearance :D And Lily's finally beginning to legitimately warm up to James! Doesn't that simply satisfy your soul? Did you all like the scene with Remus and Ginny? (For all of you Luna and Severus lovers, they will make an appearance next time!)

Please review. It means a lot to listen to all of your opinions, encouragements and criticisms. Say hello if you must! I will cherish it with the deepest love I can find in my young heart. Maybe I'll answer some questions next time (:

Thank you so much for reading. I love all of you xxx

GirlxMarauder