Archive of Our Own

Work Text

five were trusted,

one betrayed.

one was murdered,

three remained.

two were lovers,

one was tamed.

one was wild,

one was framed.

two were left,

a decade gone.

worldly whispers,

he was wronged.

three again,

but not for long.

two were murdered,

a springtime song.

one remained,

alone at last.

gone is the present,

but not the past.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Friday, October 17th 1975
"Guys?"The four friends looked up from their seated positions in the common room. Two of them were seated on the sofa, looking over a piece of parchment, a quill in each of their right hands and a bottle of ink perched haphazardly in between the knees of the girl. Both of them were tucked under one blanket, the fire had long ago burned to embers.The other two friends had been busy with a very long running game of Exploding Snap. They sat on the floor at the feet of their friends, laughing and flinching with every small explosion. James had just started to wipe a smattering of soot off of his glasses when he heard a voice.A short, mousy-haired boy had walked down from the boys dormitories and now stood before them. He shuffled his weight nervously from foot-to-foot, his gaze not meeting theirs. His fingers twiddled themselves together and his left eye twitched ever so slightly."What's wrong, Pete?" Remus asked, his brows furrowed.But Peter said nothing and avoided his friend’s stares. Instead, he focused his attention on a hangnail on his middle finger, wincing slightly as he tore the skin away with the nails of his other hand.“Peter?” Remus asked again.Peter sighed and looked over at Remus, his face pained with anxiety. "Is’llow’dit,” the boy mumbled.“What was that?” Remus looked at the girl next time him, as if asking if she had understood Peter’s mumble. The girl shook her head and shrugged.“I’wa’loweddit,” he mumbled again.“Peter, mate, we can’t understand you.”“Just spit it out,” Sirius sighed. He tossed his cards down onto the floor causing a chain reaction of small explosions. “Gah!” he hissed and shook his hand in front of him, sucking on the finger that had been burned.Peter took a deep breath and looked down at the floor. “Well,” he said, his voice cracking. “I… I swallowed it.”The room was silent for a moment before James spoke. “Swallowed what exactly, Peter?”“It…” Peter said in a voice so small someone could have mistaken it for the wind outside. He took a deep breath and said, “I swallowed my leaf.”The common room was suddenly no longer silent, and was quickly filled with the yelling voices of his friends.“Quiet down! Do you want to wake the whole house?” Remus hushed them, looking over his shoulder towards the stairwells leading to the dormitories.“Quiet down? The bloody git’s messed it all up!” James said, though he did quiet his voice to a strained whisper. “Again!” "I didn't mean to! It was an accident, I swear!" said Peter, his face flushing.“Why’s it always you, huh?” Sirius said, glaring at the other boy. “Why are you the one that’s always messing stuff up?”“Sirius,” Nora called to him; her tone laced with disapproval. He turned around and looked at her, his features softening instantly. He turned back to look at Peter, shooting him one last glare, before allowing the girl to grab his wrist and pull him onto the small sofa beside her. It was a tight squeeze now with three of them seated together. The boys had grown a lot during the summer and Nora found herself pressed snugly against them both. Remus shimmied his arm out from underneath her back and instead placed it around the tops of her shoulders.“Peter,” Remus sighed and used his other hand to rub his eyes. “What happened?”“I don’t know!” Peter squeaked as he sat down on a chair next to the sofa. “I had been so careful! I had gone to take a nap and when I woke up – well, I think I had been dreaming about last night’s dinner, the potatoes were delicious, remember?” He looked at his friends, his face blushing a deep red. “When I woke up, it was gone. I guess… I guess I swallowed it in my sleep.”“Unbelievable,” James muttered, shaking his head. “How thick can you get?”“I’m sorry,” Peter mumbled.“Yeah, well sorry's not gonna change much, now, is it?” Sirius snapped.“I… just – just do it without me, then! I’m sure that’s what you lot want, anyways!” Peter said, raising his own voice.“We’re not going to do it without you,” James said quickly with a sigh. He then sat for a few moments silently staring at his lap before he reached inside of his mouth with two fingers and pulled out a shrivelled, dark green leaf. He slurped back some of the saliva that had dribbled past his lips, grimacing at the soggy leaf, and held it up to his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "We'll just start again at the next moon."“You mean in three days,” Nora grumbled.But she and Sirius mimicked James’s actions and pulled their saliva-soaked leaves out of their mouths, flicking them into a nearby wastepaper bin."Evanesco," James grumbled, pointing his wand at the basket. The basket and the leaves disappeared in a swirl on colour.“Or you could just not do it,” Remus suggested. “You don’t need to.” “Of course, we don’t need to,” Sirius scoffed and looked at Remus over Nora’s head. “By now you’d think you’d have gotten it through your head that we want to. After we do this, you won’t have to go at it alone,” he shrugged.“I hope you realize I wouldn’t hold a leaf in my mouth for a month for just anyone,” James smirked. “You don’t know how hard it is to drink your morning pumpkin juice with a bloody leaf in there! This past month was exhausting. I couldn’t wait for the full moon.”Remus sighed. “Yes, it must have been so very hard for you. I’m in awe of your strength.”“Oi!” James lightly punched Remus in the knee from his position on the floor and laughed. “I’m just saying, mate – we’re here for you.”Breaking the silence that once again had settled in the room like a thin film of dust, Nora nudged Remus with her elbow.“Your paper’s perfect,” she said handing him his parchment. “As usual.”He sat forward, removing his arm from Nora’s shoulders, and grabbed the parchment. His eyes reread the writing once more. “You think so?“Remus,” Sirius whined. “If you’re going to be that bookish, then you’re in the wrong tower. Give it a rest. It’s not even due for two days.”“And how do you reckon you’re going to manage writing twelve inches of parchment in two days?” Remus questioned. “You haven’t even started.”“Ah,” Sirius waved his hand and leaned back against the arm of the sofa, lifting his legs to rest them across Nora and Remus’s laps. “I’ll get it done. It’ll be easy,” he replied nonchalantly.Remus rolled his eyes and shoved Sirius’s legs off of his lap and back onto the floor.The group was quiet. The common room, having been long deserted of other students, seemed to loom largely around them. The few lanterns that were still alight allowed shadows to dance across the walls in rhythm with the low howling of the autumn wind against the window panes.Nora looked at Peter. The boy had been staring down at the floor, not paying attention to the previous conversation. Her emotions danced about inside of her, anger sparring with sympathy.Peeling her gaze from Peter, she looked at Remus and sighed. “I guess we’ll need more mandrake leaves, then,” she said to the group, breaking away from her thoughts.It had been her job to steal the four leaves from Slughorn’s stash last month, but it had proved to be a difficult task. Even with James’s cloak, her professor had been very close to catching her. If it had not been for her dormmate, Lily, waltzing into the office to ask Slughorn some questions about their lesson earlier that day, Nora knew she would have certainly been caught.“Don’t worry, Ross,” Sirius said, pulling her closer into his side. “I’ll do it tomorrow. Sprout’s been planting a bunch more with the second years, I’m sure she won’t notice if I nick a few leaves,” he grinned as Nora looked up and over her shoulder at him, playfully rolling her eyes.******
Saturday, October 18th 1975
Nora Ross had never thought of herself as pretty. Logically, she knew she wasn’t ugly, in fact, she knew that she was quite decent looking, especially from the right angle.However, she had always thought of herself as more handsome. She had a sharp jawline and protuberant cheekbones. She had a strong nose – the tip angled quite sharply – with a small bump that sat on the bridge, something she had inherited from her father. Her eyebrows were thick and bushy and usually required weekly taming. She used muggle methods of taming her eyebrows (along with a good glob of some Sleekeazy's – the hair potion worked wonderfully on unruly eyebrows) after she had accidentally removed them completely in her third year with a quick "Aufero Capillus" charm.She hadn't meant to, of course. However, she now found herself quite skilled at using the metal tweezers that Lily had told her about. They were a funny little muggle invention meant to literally pinch and pluck the unwanted hairs right out of one’s skin. It was quite painful at first, but eventually, she got used to it. She would often laugh remembering the time Sirius had watched over her shoulder yelling, 'She's torturing herself! Merlin, she's right torturing herself!' as she removed the hairs from her face, one-by-one.Nora may not have thought she was pretty, but people often would find themselves staring at her. She wasn’t very tanned, but she also wasn’t incredibly pale. She had very dark brown eyes and very dark brown hair that was often very frizzy. She was small, but fit from her years on the Quidditch team and she stood a good head and shoulders below that of her friends, except Peter, who stood a bit shorter than the other three boys.She stepped away from the floor length mirror and glanced around her dormitory. The other four girls were fast asleep, the curtains around their four-poster beds were drawn tightly; soft rhythmic breaths staggered one after another like a symphony of slumber.Nora had always gotten along well with her dormmates. She wasn’t friends with any of them, per say, but they never argued. She was able to chat and laugh with them and tell stories. Lily Evans was even nice to her, which was surprising considering the girl’s deep hatred for James.She didn’t have too much of a choice regarding her relationship with the boys, as James and Sirius had all but forced their friendship upon her during that first train ride from King’s Cross Station. Coming from pureblood families, the boys were very interested in Nora’s upbringing once she had told them that she was being raised by her Muggle father.Her mother had been a witch, but she died the day before Nora’s ninth birthday. Nora and her father lived in a small house in a small neighbourhood in a small town in the small county of Rutland, England. The neighbourhood was an even mixture of Muggles and wizards as her parents did not want her growing up solely in the Muggle world or solely in the Wizarding world. Though Nora often felt that she had been shielded from the Muggle world, even with her Muggle father. She did not know any of the Muggle children who ran up and down her street, and she did not know any of the Muggle women who pushed their prams on the sidewalk, and she did not know any of the Muggle men who talked loudly to one another in their drives.They lived close to a few other wizarding families who were always very keen to help her father when something went magically awry or to have them over for dinner, but it was lonely, as these families did not have any young witches or wizards of her own age. Nora missed her mother sorely; she was the type of person who used to sing in the kitchen as she cooked, who danced with you in the sitting room, who made silly jokes and laughed the loudest at them; her laugh was infectious. Nora had beautiful memories of her mother and father dancing and laughing late into the hours of the night. And so, after her death the house was a little quieter, a little darker, and just a little less magical.Her father worked a muggle job in order to maintain an income as her mother hadn’t been wealthy and wasn’t able to leave them much money behind. He would leave the house early in the morning in his old grey muggle car (an impeccably well-kept, 1955 Morris Minor, he would often like to say) and not return until long after dark. When she was little, Nora would spend the days at the Carrington’s house, one of the wizarding families who lived down the road.Mr. and Mrs. Carrington were elderly, their first child having graduated from Hogwarts nearly twenty-five years prior, but they enjoyed having Nora around. They were like her grandparents, she supposed. Her father’s parents had died before she was born in an automobile accident; she had met her mother’s parents only twice before, but they were purebloods, and had been nothing short of appalled when their daughter ran off to marry a muggle boy at eighteen. Nora used to receive yearly letters from them during the holidays, but those stopped after her mother’s death.Mrs. Carrington was a kind, matronly woman who would often request Nora’s help in the kitchen, sharing her recipes for various pies and sponges. Mr. Carrington, a brusque but well-meaning man, would show her pictures from his Quidditch years, explaining the game as they watched the players zoom around the photographs. He used to be a beater for the Falmouth Falcons, but a stray Bludger to the knee sent him into early retirement. It was in the Carrington household that Nora’s love of Quidditch was brewed. The old couple even bought the girl her first broom, much to her father’s dismay.Now that she was older, Nora spent the summer breaks and school holidays alone in her house or exploring the river in her backyard, waiting for her father to return from work. This last summer, however, she had spent one week visiting with the Potter’s and another one with the Lupin’s, both families always welcoming her into their homes as if she was their own daughter. She was especially glad for the summer visits with her friends this year, as they had made the weeks leading up to the anniversary of her mother's death a little bit easier. The two weeks with the Potter's and Lupin's were the happiest two weeks of summer that she had had in a long time.Shuffling from behind one of the four-poster’s curtains pulled Nora from her reverie. Quickly pulling on a pair of knitted socks and tucking her wand into her waistband, she walked out the door, pulling it closed very slowly behind her as to not make a sound. She turned and proceeded down into the common room, but stopped short on the very last step when she saw the figure of a boy sitting sideways in one of the squashy chairs. His legs were hanging over one of the arms of the chair and a steaming mug was sitting on his chest, his hands wrapped tightly around it. He stared out the window looking out over the grounds and forest.“Sirius?”She walked towards her friend. In her five years of knowing Sirius Black, she could potentially count on her fingers the number of times she had seen him willingly awake before noon on the weekend, let alone awake before the sun had risen, like today.“What are you doing up?”At the sound of her voice, he turned his head from the window, seemly snapping out of a trance. He stretched his limbs taut with a satisfied groan, one arm above his head and the other still holding the steaming mug.“Couldn’t sleep,” he shrugged, bringing his arm back down, a lazy smile on his lips.Nora sat down in the chair opposite him. His usually kempt hair painted a story of a sleepless night, his curls dishevelled and ruffled. Dark circles had formed his usually bright eyes, and he grunted slightly as he swung his legs around, sitting upright in the chair.“And what are you doing up?” He questioned, quirking an eyebrow.“Couldn’t sleep,” Nora mused. She herself, was also most definitely not a morning person. Going to sleep, Nora often thought, was one of the best parts of each day. “How long have you been up?”“A few hours,” he said softly, fingers taping gently against the mug. “Same for you?”Nora nodded and brought her legs up onto the chair, her chin coming to rest on top of her knees. There was a sharp chill in the air, the fire not yet relit. She shivered.“Coffee?” he asked as he held his steaming mug out towards her.Nora smiled as she took the half empty mug from his hands.“Sorry,” he said. “It’s not got any sugar in it. I know you like it a little sweeter.”“You went down to the kitchens?” She asked, taking a sip of the hot liquid. She savoured the way it seemed to instantly warm her, but shuddered at bitterness that left a lasting bite at the back of her tongue. Nevertheless, she took another sip and then held the mug back out for Sirius to take.“Yeah,” he said. He took the mug back from her and took a slow drink from it. He then held it back out to her. “Keep it, have the rest,” he said, waving his hand at her quiet protests. As she took the mug back, he said, “The elves were excited to have a visitor. I figured they’d be asleep, but they weren’t,” he shrugged.“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of them asleep. No matter what hour we’re down there they’re always awake,” she said.“Well, they’ve got to sleep,” Sirius huffed. “I know our elf back home sleeps. Little creep has even got his own bedroom,” he huffed and shook his head, eyes returning to the window.Nora thought of the decrepit old house elf that Sirius had once told her about. She had never met the elf, nor anyone of the Black family for that matter (besides his younger brother in passing during the school years, and his great-great grandfather through a portrait in Dumbledore’s office); Sirius refused to bring home any of his friends.He spoke very little about his mother. She knew that his home life was not very good. The two friends would often find themselves in a dark, comical banter of who had the worse mum between them – the dead mum or the evil mum – but Nora was well aware that Sirius had probably drawn the shorter stick between the two. She, Nora often thought, at least had good memories of her mother. Sirius did not have those.As Nora watched him stare out the window, she could see that his jaw was stiff, his eyes distant and cold. The sun was just starting to rise now, creeping up behind the trees; a sliver of its orange face was visible, forcing bouncing flashes of light into the common room. A ray fell upon his face illuminating the strip of skin where his eyes were settled, like a mask of sunshine. He turned to look at her, face scrunching in the blinding light. The grey of his eyes in the sunlight was reminiscent of pavement in the rain or the sky just before an afternoon storm. Nora laughed as he attempted to bring a hand up to his forehead to shield the glare. He laughed too; the darkness now gone from his face.For a moment, the two friends let the silence join them. The only sounds to be heard were birds chirping on a ledge not far from their window. The trees at the edge of the forest swayed softly in the breeze. Sirius looked down at his watch and then looked up at Nora.“Want to go for a walk?” He asked. “We can grab the mandrake leaves while we’re at it,” he suggested. Nora looked out the window and then back towards her friend and nodded. She picked up the mug and drank the rest of the coffee in one rather large gulp.After grabbing their shoes and coats, the two hurried out of the portrait hole and down the Grand Staircase. James's cloak was tucked into Sirius's back pocket. He grabbed her wrist as they rushed down the stairs and jumped over the trick step, being careful not fall into it. And they ran, the rubber soles of their shoes clapped against the stone floor, the noise echoing across the halls. They ran all the way to the courtyard and onto the grounds; they had made it just in time to watch the last half of the sunrise.Breathing heavily the two walked over to a nearby tree and sat down upon the great, thick roots, their backs flush with its trunk. Nora settled herself close against Sirius’s body. The grass at their feet was damp with melting frost and the slight October breeze was beginning chill her. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close, so that she was sitting slightly in front of him, leaning against his chest.They sat quietly, watching the sun float above the treetops. His hair was tickling her cheek and she could feel the warmth of the cadenced breaths coming out of his nose, concurrent with the rise and fall of his chest. She tucked her fingers up into her sleeves, balling her hands into fists, shielding them from the bitter air. She watched him cross his feet at the ankles, his worn black boots leaving impressions in the thawing grass, and she lifted her chin towards the sky willing the sun to warm her face.Suddenly, something caught Nora’s eye. She turned her head quickly towards the edge of forest and watched the large horse-like beasts scavenge among the grass. Their black skeletal bodies were moving gracefully along the grounds. One of them stretched its wings, flapping them wildly before settling them down again.“What’re you looking at?” Sirius asked softly. Nora could feel that he too had turned his head towards the forest.“Thestrals,” she replied thoughtfully. She felt Sirius shift slightly underneath her.“How many are there?”“Just two,” she said. She watched as the creatures dug at the ground with giant, sharpened hooves.Sirius tightened his hold around her shoulders as the two friends watched the forest’s edge; Nora, watching the thestrals galloping and prancing, and Sirius, watching the empty space where he assumed the creatures to be. And they stayed there like that, even after the sun had finished rising.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Sunday, October 19th 1975
The full moon was approaching at an alarming rate. But between the plethora of homework that had been assigned to the fifth years, and their twice weekly Quidditch practices in the evenings, Nora, James, and Sirius found themselves stretched quite thinly. The first match of the season, Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff, was only weeks away now, and Nora was finding it increasingly difficult to focus her mind on anything but the impending game.Last year, the Gryffindor team had been deadlocked with the Slytherins and tied for first place. But after a long and nasty final game they walked away empty handed without the Quidditch Cup, the final score 190 – 180. They had been in the lead for most of the game, James scoring fifteen of their eighteen goals, but in the end, the Slytherin seeker, Michael Scurgion, stole the snitch right out from under the Gryffindor seeker’s nose. James, in particular, had taken the loss rather hard. For months he sorely grumbled about the dirty tactics that the Slytherin team had used, how if he had only scored two more goals, how if the Gryffindor keeper had just tried a little bit harder, then they would have won. His fussing only stopped when Sirius had threatened to use a silencing charm on him.But now, the full moon was approaching. Tomorrow evening, their friend would spend another agonising night alone in the Shrieking Shack. His transformations had been getting more painful lately. In the mornings, when Madam Pomfrey would collect him from the entrance of the Whomping Willow, he would have another small assortment of self-inflicted scratches and bites to add to his collection. Though she could always stop the bleeding, Madam Pomfrey would be unable to heal the wounds leaving large scars in their wake.“Will you knock it off?” Remus snapped, whipping his head up to glare at James.The five friends were sitting in the library working on their assignment for Professor Binns that was due the next morning: a fourteen-inch parchment on the Giant War of 1856. Peter bent down and picked up the quill that he had dropped on the floor in his shock, smacking the back of his head on the table on the way back up.“What?” James asked slowly, stunned at Remus’s uncharacteristic outburst.“You’re shaking your leg. It’s jiggling the table. I can’t even write a straight line,” Remus retorted, his hardened and blazing stare not moving from James’s face.James looked down at his lap and stopped bouncing his knee. “Sorry, mate… I didn’t realize…” he said tentatively.The air was suddenly thick with unease. Sirius looked between James and Remus with widened eyes. But just as quickly as his anger had flared, it suddenly disappeared. Remus shook his head, his eyes softening and jaw slacking.“Sorry,” he muttered, looking down at his parchment. He absentmindedly spun his quill in between his thumb and forefinger.“Are you all right?” Peter asked, still clutching the back of his head.All eyes were on Remus now. Nora noticed that he had barely written a paragraph in the two hours that they had been working.“Yes,” Remus looked up, but did not meet anyone’s gaze. Instead, he concentrated on the space in between James and Sirius’s shoulders. It was a little while before he spoke again, hesitantly, as if he was drafting his words carefully. “I’ve just been more… angry… this time around. I think it’s affecting me more.” His face was now contorted in a slight grimace; he looked somewhat ashamed. “I’m sorry,” he added, meeting James’s concerned glance at last.“Hey, don’t worry about it,” James said quickly, his eyes focused on Remus’s face. “Just caught me off-guard, is all,” he smiled brightly, dissolving all of the tension in the air.Then, Sirius laughed loudly, earning him a stern glare from Madam Pince who was watching the chattering group from her desk across the library.“I forgot how scary you get when you’re angry!” he said grinning. “Thought for a second you were gonna go wolf on us there.”“You should have seen me this morning. I almost hexed a second year for walking too slowly in the hall,” said Remus with a face that was somewhere between smirk and a scowl.“And we are ever so proud of you for it,” said James with a hand against his heart.“You know, as a prefect I’m not supposed to condone your hexing behaviour,” Remus said.“What? Just because our friend’s a prefect means we’re supposed to stop having fun?” asked Sirius.As the boys continued to chat, Nora studied Remus. He had, she noticed, been looking more ill the past few days. His face was pale and gaunt. The single scar that crossed his lip and chin, in turn, stood out more; a pink, silvery tapered line, unmistakably drawn by something clawed. When he laughed, he clutched his quill with a shaking hand, his knuckles bone white. She suddenly felt guilty for not having noticed sooner.Remus had always been a quiet person (well, quieter than James and Sirius, that is), so it was not unlike him to keep his woes to himself. He was the type of friend who would have rather suffered in silence than potentially worry those around him.With the voices of her friends becoming a hum of background noise, Nora fondly remembered the little eleven-year-old who had so timidly asked her, James, and Sirius if he could sit in their train compartment. She had been immediately drawn to him; he had such a gentle nature and quick wit, it was captivating. Those seven hours on the train resulted in profound friendship between the four children. One that, they would later find, could withstand even the darkest of secrets.“What are you smirking at?”Nora brought her attention back to the group. James was staring at her smugly.“I wasn’t smirking. I was smiling,” she said.“Probably daydreaming about Middleton,” said Sirius in a dreamy tone. He put the back of his hand to his forehead and feigned a faint.“Shut it,” said Nora through gritted teeth, elbowing him in the ribs. “I was not thinking about Randall.”“Randall? On a first-name basis, huh?” said Remus teasingly as Sirius brought a hand to his ribcage, rubbing the sore spot.“Oh, I think Middleton would like to be on more than just a first-name basis,” said James, wiggling his eyebrows.Nora leaned forward past Sirius and turned to glare at James. “At least I’m on a first-name basis with him. How’s Evans doing?”“I’m working on it!” he said, defensively.“Oh, right,” she goaded with a smirk. “I forgot that she’s secretly madly in love with you. Besides Randall’s a seventh-year. He’ll probably want nothing to do with me after he graduates.” She sat back in her chair.Sirius scoffed. “Please! If Middleton had his way, you’d be doing more than just Hogsmeade dates, if you know what I mean – Ouch! Quit it, will ya?” Nora had elbowed him again.“You have always had a thing for older men,” added Peter with a grin, referencing their Defence Against the Dark Arts professor in their third year.“Will you guys stop bringing that up? It was a perfectly innocent crush. I was thirteen! Like you lot haven’t had crushes,” she said. “Do I even have to bring up Laura Miller?”“That was an entirely different situation!” Sirius said, his voice rising in volume, earning him yet another glare from Madam Pince, this time accompanied with a loud ‘shhhh’. “There wasn’t a boy at Hogwarts who wasn’t smitten with Miller.”“You’re right, it was different. You lot weren’t smitten, you were obsessed,” Nora laughed. “What did you think a sixth year would’ve wanted with a bunch of second years running around after her offering to carry her books between classes?”“Hey, at least we were able to form words when we were around Miller,” Sirius said with a smirk. “What was it you said to Middleton the other day when he asked you to Hogsmeade?”“She bloody rhymed!” James laughed loudly. “‘Er, yeah, how great. It’s a date!’” he said in a high-pitched voice as he exaggeratedly dropped his H's, elongating his vowels.Remus choked on his laughter. “He’s got your accent down, love.” He ducked quickly as a crumpled ball of parchment flew over his head from Nora’s direction.Suddenly, a shadow crossed their table, blocking the dim lantern light from reaching their parchments.“Miss Ross, if you and your friends are not going to study peacefully, then I must kindly request that you leave immediately!” Madam Pince had stormed over to their table with an irate, hawk-like glare upon her face. Nora knew that there was nothing kind about the way in which Madame Pince removed students from the library, having been kicked out with the boys more times than she could count.Suppressing their giggles as best as they could, the group nodded at the librarian, forcing apologies through strained faces. And then, as soon as she had walked away and turned the corner to chastise another group of chatty students, they burst into laughter that was muffled through hands and cloak sleeves. And for a moment, even Remus had light in his eyes.******Monday,  October 20th 1975The next morning, Nora met the boys in the common room. On most days they went down for an early breakfast together in the Great Hall before their morning classes. On Mondays the five friends had the same schedule save for Remus who had Ancient Runes while the other’s had Divination.Nora hadn’t a clue what she wanted to do as a career after Hogwarts. She was a talented artist, so for a while she thought about becoming a portrait maker. However she had heard rumours about wizard artists struggling to make ends meet, and considering she could barely afford her second-hand robes as it was, she decided against it. She also thought about a career as an auror for a brief moment, but then she remembered that she was rubbish at protective spells, so that was a no-go. James had once told her that she would make a good Healer, but after witnessing the effects of the Furnunculus jinx in her second year during a duel between some Slytherins and Gryffindors, she knew that option was also out of the picture as she would imagine that retching on patients would be frowned upon at St. Mungo’s.“Where’s Remus?” Nora asked, standing up from her seat by the fire as the three boys made their way over to her.“He’s sleeping. Was up all night, I reckon, by the looks of him,” James said as they walked toward the portrait hole. “Told him I’d come back here after breakfast to get him up before class.”Nora looked back towards the stairs leading to the boys’s dormitory with a frown. “He’s really ill this time, isn’t he?”“It’s gonna be a bad one tonight, that’s for sure,” James said quietly with a grimace as he pushed the portrait open and stepped through. “But best thing for him right now is sleep, I suppose.”Peter and Sirius stepped through the portrait after James, but Nora lingered, her eyes still on the stone staircase.“Come on,” Sirius said to her, placing his hand on her arm. “We can’t do anything for him right now.”She turned back with small nod and followed her friends through the portrait, stepping onto the first moving staircase. Full moons were always bad for Remus, that much was a given. His body was graffitied with puncture marks, gashes and gouges, and bites and scratches that were now silvery-pink welts on his skin.But bad moons were different. There were two other times during their friendship in which Remus had had a bad moon. The first was during their second year; Remus had returned from the Shack with four long, jagged gashes on the side of his ribcage, so deep, that Madam Pomfrey had debated on sending him out to St. Mungo’s for further care. He ended up missing four days of classes as he recovered.The second bad moon was last year; at first, when he had returned to the boys dormitory in the very early hours of the morning, the friends thought that the laceration across his chin and lip was the only harm he had done himself. It wasn’t until they saw his arm that they realized it had been a bad moon; it was held up in a sling with a bandage wrapped thickly around his hand, the soft, white material was spotted with red that was seeping out from under the layers. In his rage and desire for blood, Remus had spent the night chewing and mauling his own front paw. It was after that night that James, Sirius, and Nora knew they needed to start gathering ingredients for the potion.“Cheer up, buttercup,” Sirius said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they walked. “The day hasn’t even begun yet and you’re already mopey.”Nora lolled her head to the side, looking up at Sirius with a half-smile. “I’m not mopey,” she said. “Not any more mopey than usual.”“She’s always mopey, mate,” James added, turning around to look at them, walking backwards down the hall. “It’s part of her appeal.”“Oh, how charming of you,” said Nora, rolling her eyes. “No wonder Evans is wrapped around your finger, with charm like that.”“Oi! Take it easy, there,” said James, slapping a hand to his heart as they walked into the Great Hall. “I told you, I’m working on it.”They walked towards the Gryffindor table and found their usual seats, Peter sitting alone on one side next to the empty seat Remus typically occupied. Haphazard stacks of buttered toast sat in front of them, leaning as if about to fall. Great platters of eggs and bacon, dishes filled with beans, bowls of porridge, links of sausages, and large jugs of pumpkin juice all appeared as they sat down. The scents were intoxicating, and Nora’s mouth watered.“Better eat up,” said James. “This will be our last good breakfast before we try the leaves again.”Peter groaned but piled his plate full of food. “I think I’ll miss you the most,” he said looking down as his fork as he used it to stuff a large piece of bacon into his mouth.“Just don’t go dreaming about it,” said Sirius.Peter turned red, but continued eating, quietly.“Have you heard anything about the Hufflepuff team this year?” Nora asked James, leaning forward across Sirius to look at him.“Nah,” he replied, ripping off a bite of toast with his teeth. “Only that they got a decent seeker this year, so we gotta be quick,” he said through a mouth full of food. “That means you lot,” he pointed his fork at Sirius and Nora, “need to be quick. Gotta be able to keep Hopkins clear, too, so he can grab the snitch if the Huffs see it.”“We’re always quick, mate. You just worry about scoring; we’ll take care of the rest.” Sirius slung an arm around Nora’s shoulder again. “If you haven’t noticed, Ross and I make a superb team.”Nora rolled her eyes and shimmied out from under his arm. “We also have Quincy this year, so we’re bound to do okay. He was great at try-outs,” she said, cutting up a bite of sausage.“Yeah, Reynolds is pretty good for his age. Not as good as I was then, of course. Kids got a lot to learn,” James shrugged.“Oh, stuff it, he’s great,” said Nora. “He practically outscores you every practice!”“Does not!”“Does too,” Nora and Sirius said at the same time, both smirking.“Nuh-uh!”“Yeah-huh!”“No way!”“Uh, yes way!”James opened his mouth to retort, but Peter interjected. “Yes, yes, you’re all great Quidditch players. You’re gonna win the cup, blah, blah, blah,” he muttered, stabbing at his food moodily.“Buck up, Peter. Not everyone can be a star,” James said smirking, as he lifted his goblet to his mouth.“Oh, shut it, Potter. Your head gets any bigger and you won’t be able fly,” grumbled Nora. “Davies would have a right fit.”“Merlin! You are extra mopey today!” he replied with a mischievous grin. “Say… are you and Moony… synched again?” he said in a low, teasing voice as he leaned forward towards the group.“Watch it…” Nora warned.“Oi, you are, aren’t you!” Sirius exclaimed. “Boys, we better watch out. Last time this happened the two of them almost hexed me right out the dormitory window,” he laughed.“You deserved it!” said Nora“Synched?” Peter questioned, looking up from his plate, his brows furrowed. “I don’t get it.”“Their cycles… you know… they’re…” James leaned closer and whispered, “synched.”“Cycles?” Peter asked.“Well, don’t make him spell it out, Peter, you innocent, ickle thing. You’re worse than the first-years!” Sirius said.“Cycles…” Peter murmured, starring off behind them, thinking. Suddenly, he turned bright red and looked at Nora with wide eyes, “OH!” He looked back down at his plate, sputtering, earning great guffaws from the boys.“Don’t make fun of him!” Nora laughed. “It’s not his fault you lot are a pair of perverts.”“A pair of perverts?” Sirius guffawed again. “No, no, I’d rather like to think we’re a… a… dyad of deviants.”“A match of mavericks,” James added, his mouth still full.“A couple of comics!” Sirius said.“A couple of cuckoo’s, more like,” she said, wrapping up some slices of toast in a napkin. She swung her legs out from under the table and over the bench.“Where’re you going?” asked Sirius, disappointedly. “We were only having a laugh.”“I’m going to get Remus,” she said, standing. “I don’t think I’ll be able to make it through Binns all alone if you two are bickering all class.”“All alone? Well, what am I then?” Peter asked, scornfully.“Chopped liver, apparently,” Sirius said. “Sorry ‘bout that, mate,” he laughed.“I – oh, sorry, Pete,” Nora said as she shouldered her backpack, giving him an apologetic glance. “You knew what I meant, right? No hard feelings?” But she didn’t wait for an answer as she turned around and walked towards the Entrance Hall. As she left the table, she could just make out Peter’s voice mumbling, “Yeah, yeah. No hard feelings or whatever.”She felt a little guilty, but not guilty enough to turn around and talk to him. She shrugged it off as she jogged up the stairs, weaving in-and-out of the stream of students moving in the opposite direction.“Pickled newts,” she said as she reached the portrait. The Fat Lady swung open without opening her eyes.Nora stepped into the common room. It was nearly deserted now; most students were heading downstairs for a quick bite before their morning classes. She walked to the near identical staircases and went up the one on the left, the boys staircase, and paused before the 5th year dormitory. There was a new sign crudely spellotaped to the door that read, KEEP OUT, MISCHEIF IN PROGRESS… or… at least knock. She rolled her eyes and scoffed softly before knocking. Not hearing an objection, she opened the door.The room was dimly lit, the curtains had been drawn tightly over the windows. Each of the four beds illustrated a clear picture of their owners; James’s bed was barely made, his wrinkled duvet was pulled up over his pillow, but hung crookedly, half on the floor. Books and parchments littered the space beside the bed, but two small pictures sat on his bedside table, the occupants moving about and waving from within the frames. The first picture was of him and his parents on his fifth birthday; his parents smiled and laughed as James attempted to lick a gob of icing off of his nose. The second picture was of the five friends during the Halloween Feast in their second year. The five faces were young and bright and laughing. Peter, James, and Nora were sitting at the table, great plates of food piled in front of them. Remus and Sirius stood, crouched behind them. Remus was laughing at Sirius who was pulling a funny face, scrunching his nose and sticking out his tongue, both of his arms wrapped around Nora and James. Remus had one hand on Peter’s shoulder and the other hand was behind James’s head, giving him bunny ears.Peter’s bed was made much more neatly than James’s bed, and he had a great many pillows stacked atop it. His bedside table was piled with books and parchments, but also with some Honeydukes sweets; a couple of boxes of Chocolate Frogs and cartons of Fudge Flies laid about, half-opened.Sirius’s bed was not made at all. His duvet was crumpled into a ball at the foot of the bed, and his pyjamas were hanging off one of the wooden posts. His trunk sat on the floor, opened, with an inside out pair of trousers falling out of it; his leather jacket hung over on one of the sides. A large, red Gryffindor banner hung on the wall over his four-poster bed, slightly crooked.Remus’s quarter of the room was, by far, the cleanest. His books were organized by author and subject and stacked neatly on the floor beside his bed. His quills and parchments were tidy and his clothes were folded within his trunk. On his bedside table were three pictures. The first was of the five friends in the courtyard, all bundled in thick coats and scarves, noses pink with cold. The second was of his parents, young and in love, his father turning his head to kiss his mum’s cheek. The third picture was of him and Nora, both asleep on the sofa in the common room, his head in her lap, a book laid open, upside-down on his chest, rising and falling with his breaths.His bed, which was usually made with sharp, tight corners, held his sleeping form, lying on his side, bundled under his duvet. Nora could just make out the back of his head, his tawny hair crumpled and waving. Nora, still in the doorway, knocked again softly.“I told you, I’m not going,” he groaned. “Just leave me alone.”“It’s me,” she said quietly.He stirred, lifting his head slightly off the pillow to look at her over his shoulder, his eyes squinting open. “Oh,” he said. “Sorry, I thought you were James.” He laid his head back down on his pillow and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms.“I brought you some toast, if you’d like,” she said, crossing to his side of the room. She pulled out his trunk and closed the lid and sat on it.“‘m not hungry,” he mumbled.She placed the napkin of toast on his bedside table. He closed his eyes and stretched a little, wincing. His eyes were rimmed with a deep purple that was a stark contrast to his peaky complexion. His cheeks were so sunken, she thought that she could see shadows underneath them. She wished he would eat.“You should go to class,” he said.“Yeah, probably,” she said.“You’re not going though, are you?” Remus sighed.“No, probably not,” she shook her head. “The boys are being especially obnoxious today.”“What else is new?” he asked with a short laugh.She shrugged again.“So, what’d they do to be deemed especially obnoxious?” he asked, pulling his duvet tighter around his body.“They said I was being mopey.”“Are you mopey?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.“A bit,” she said lowly. “They were laughing because you and I are synched again.”Remus raised his eyebrows, but smiled softly. “Are we? Hmm,” he hummed thoughtfully before rolling onto his back and pulling his duvet open. He patted the space on the bed next to him, holding the duvet up. “Well, come here, then. Let’s be mopey together.”Nora stared at him, her head cocked to the side, a small smile on her lips. “You know as well as I do that if I get in that bed, I’m falling asleep.”“Is that such a bad thing?” he asked, still holding the duvet aloft.“We have class.”“You just said you weren’t going,” he countered.“Fine,” she said, slipping off her shoes, tie, and school robe. “You win.”“That was a pretty easy win,” he chuckled as she crawled into the bed next to him.“Yeah, well, I’m tired,” she said, laying down with his arm under her head. “And mopey.”Remus let the duvet fall over them and sighed contently. “I think it’s okay to be mopey every now and then.”“Yeah, I suppose so,” she said, shifting into a comfortable position. “Am I hurting you?”“Hurting me? You?” he asked, his chin pressed to his chest, looking down at the top of her head. “You’re about eight stone sopping wet.”“Just making sure,” she said through a yawn.“No,” he sighed. “Don’t worry, you’re not hurting me.”“But you are hurting,” she said, looking up at the ceiling.“Yeah, but not from you.”“Can I do anything?”“You being here is more than enough,” he said.“What should we do with our parchments for Binns?” she asked.“We’ll just slip them under his office door. He won’t know the difference,” he yawned.“Are you sure? You’re a prefect. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”“The man doesn’t even realize he’s dead half the time. I’m sure. Stay,” he mumbled as he wrapped his free arm tightly around her.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Where the bloody hell were you lot?”Nora heard Remus groan as the room filled with light. She peeled her eyes open, letting her vision adjust as dark spots danced across the room. Blindly groping about the bed, Nora clasped her hand around Remus’s wrist and pulled it into her view, looking at his watch. It was nine-thirty; they had slept through their entire first period.“I told you they’d be asleep! I told you,” James’s voice rang. “The minute she left breakfast, I told you they’d both be asleep when we came back here.”“And what are you doing back here?” Remus mumbled, pulling the duvet up tighter around them.“Well, considering you slept through first period, we have break now,” Sirius said, sitting down at the foot of Remus’s bed. “By the way, Binns was furious you two skived class.”“Right, ‘m sure he was,” said Remus, still half asleep.Nora slowly pushed herself up onto her elbows and looked around. James was tossing books out of his backpack and rummaging through his potion-making kit. Peter was on his bed, munching on one of the slices of toast that Nora had left for Remus earlier in the morning.“Come on,” Sirius intoned as he patted Nora’s leg through the duvet. “You lot can’t skive off old Sluggy, too. He’s not a ghost, he’d actually notice.”Through squinted eyes, Nora held her hand out for Sirius to grab and he pulled her up into a sitting position.“There we go,” he said. “Can’t go off to potions without my partner in crime.”For their first four years at Hogwarts, Nora had been partnered with Remus during Potions and James with Sirius. This year however, Nora had offered to switch partners with James as he wanted more than anything to be an Auror after graduation and would need top grades in his O.W.L.s.Sirius was easily able to get top grades, that was certainly not the problem. And Sirius and Nora weren’t bad at potions at all; they performed very well during examinations. It was during regular classes, however, they often found themselves goofing off and trying their hardest to make the most destructive and abominable sludge possible in the bottom of their cauldron. Last class, Slughorn had to clear and decontaminate the room when their potion suddenly sprouted six slimy arms and crawled out of their cauldron and onto the table, burning and charring everything in its path.“Has anyone seen my lacewing flies? I swear I just bought a new pack,” James said, still shuffling about in his kit.Nora and Sirius looked at each other and pulled identical faces, their eyes widening and lips pursing into tight, silly smiles. “Oops,” he mouthed at her. After all, it had been their potion that had creeped its way over to James’s lacewing flies and incinerated them, leaving behind nothing but a puff of orange smoke, something reminiscent of a belch.“Here,” Peter said after searching in his own kit and pulling out a small bag. “I have an extra.” He tossed it to James.“Ah, thanks, mate,” James said as he caught it and strapped it into an empty compartment.“Come on, Moony,” Sirius said, holding his hand out to Remus. “Up with you, too.”Remus sighed and grabbed his hand. Sirius pulled him up, gently, his other hand behind Remus’s back to guide him into a sitting position. Remus groaned, his faced scrunched into a grimace.“Bloody hell,” he said under his breath. He sat for a moment with his eyes closed, Sirius’s hand still behind his back, before quickly pushing himself off the bed. “Gonna be sick,” he mumbled, a hand against his mouth, rushing off for the toilet the four boys shared. The door slammed behind him.Sirius whipped around and glared at Peter.“What?” Peter asked. “What’d I do this time?”“If you didn’t swallow your bloody leaf –”“Oh, come on,” James groaned. “Not this again.”“I said I was sorry!” Peter yelled.“And I told you, sorry doesn’t do a damn thing!” Sirius yelled back.“You think I don’t feel bad? Like I like seeing him all ill and stuff?”“No, I just think you’re a right prat who isn’t held accountable for his actions!”“Held accountable for my actions?” Peter asked incredulously. “You’ve been down my throat over every little thing ever since we met!”Sirius sputtered. “Down your throat? Are you mad? I –”“Come on, knock it off, Sirius. He didn’t mean to do it,” James sighed.“How are you taking his side, here?” Sirius asked, his eyes wide. “You know, as well as I do, that he’s constantly bumbling about and screwing stuff up. I’m bloody sick of it!”“I’m not taking anyone’s side! I’m just sick of the constant arguing,” James said. “It’s bloody childish, both of you.”“Me? What am I doing that’s childish?” Peter retorted, his growing face red. “He’s the one insulting me, like a child!” he added, glaring at Sirius.“You’re arguing back, first of all!” James said, his voice rising.“I’m just supposed to let him walk all over me, then? Because I’ve done that for years and I’m tired of being treated like that!” yelled Peter.Nora groaned as the three continued to argue, their voices overlapping. “You’re all acting like children,” she said over the growing volume of their voices. “Fighting like Crups and Kneazles, like it’s going to change anything!”“Are you joking?” Sirius said, turning around to look at her. “I thought you wanted to help him – to help Remus!”“Of course, I want to help Remus, we all do!” she sighed with exasperation. “What the hell do you think we’re all doing?”“You’re all acting like a bunch of juvenile gits! That’s what you’re doing!” yelled Remus, leaning against the doorway of the lavatory, a toothbrush clutched in his hand. “Now shut it, please.” He put his hand to his forehead, massaging his temples. “Your bickering’s driving me mad.”Nora, James, Sirius and Peter were quiet, their heads hung. Finally, Peter broke the silence.“I’m going to class,” he muttered under his breath, grabbing his potion-making kit and textbook. He walked out of the dormitory, slamming the door behind him. Remus flinched and sighed.“You all right?” Sirius asked Remus in a low, quiet voice.“I’ll be fine,” he huffed. “Just stop picking on him so much, all right? He feels bad enough about it already.”“I know, I know,” Sirius grumbled. “Just… feels like he put us so far behind.”“Even if we had the leaves, we’d still have to make the rest of the potion,” James said, looking over from his bed.“And wait for an electrical storm,” Nora added. “There’re not too many of those this time of year, anyways.”Sirius turned around and looked at her for a moment before speaking. “I hate it when you’re right,” he said, the corners of his mouth pulling upwards ever so slightly.“Well, that’s just not true. You can’t hate me all the time,” she said with a grin. “I’m always right."“Oh, that’s rich!” James hooted. “You heard Moony, we’re all gits. If anyone’s always right, it’s him.”“Hardly,” Remus said, rolling his eyes with a smirk.They were quiet for a moment, still decompressing from the earlier fight.“Well, come on, then. Best not be late,” Remus said at last.As the three boys made their way towards the door, Nora paused, running her hands over her hair; it was frizzy from her nap.“Wait, hold on a sec,” she said as she knelt in front of Sirius’s trunk, rummaging through it, pulling out wrinkled t-shirts and ties, the occasional sock accompanying the latter.“Sure,” said Sirius sarcastically, “What’s mine is yours.”“Oh hush,” she said before pulling out a large purple butterfly-shaped hairclip. “I thought I left this in here!”“Do you lose stuff like this in your own dormitory or is it just in ours?” Sirius goaded as Nora used the clip to pin back some of her hair.“Just yours,” she said with a shrug. “It’s your fault, you know.”“My fault?”“Yeah,” she said as she walked with them through the common room. “That trunk is like Mary Poppins bag.”“Mary who?”“It’s a muggle movie,” said Remus as they exited the portrait hole. “Don’t worry about it.”“I don’t have to spend as much time there, you know,” she continued as they stepped onto the first of the moving staircases. “I could use my own dormitory.”“Maybe you should,” said Sirius, looking down at her with a cheeky smirk.“Maybe I will,” she said, pushing her shoulders back.“You two are full of it,” laughed Peter. “Like that’ll happen!”“Yeah,” agreed James with a scoff. “You’d both miss your little sleepovers too much. I’ve mastered silencing charms, you know, thanks to you two. Giggling and talking all night like the rest of us aren’t trying to sleep.”“Well, I’d much rather spend my time in your lots room than mine,” Nora shrugged. “Evans talks in her sleep.”“Really?” James asked, suddenly interested. “She, uh, she say anything about me?”Nora and Sirius took their seats at a table in the back of the potion’s classroom. Remus and James sat at a table directly in front of them, but sat backwards on their stools, facing their friends. Peter was sitting alone at a table at the other end of the classroom, staring ahead towards the front of the room where two small cauldrons sat bubbling away with their lids on.“He’ll come around,” Remus said as he caught Sirius looking over at Peter. “Just give him a chance to cool off.”“You reckon I still need to apologise, then?” Sirius asked, turning back towards the group.“Yes,” James and Nora said simultaneously, nodding their heads.“Absolutely,” Remus added, also nodding.“All right, all right,” he grumbled.As more students filtered into the classroom, Sirius and Nora began taking out their supplies. Placing their cauldron on the table, she turned to him. “Do you smell that?”He looked around, sniffing. “Smell what?”Nora sniffed the air again, but then shook her head. Whatever she had smelled was no longer detectable. “Nothing. I thought I smelled something… familiar.” She shrugged and bent down, rummaging in her bag for a quill.“I didn’t smell anything,” Sirius said.Finally, she found a quill in the mess of crumpled parchments and empty ink bottles at the bottom of her bag. As she moved to sit up, several things happened at once:The back leg of her stool was kicked with such a force that she fell forward and hit her face on the edge of the table. Behind her, she heard the unmistakable claps of two hands slapping against the floor as someone fell and the metallic clang of a cauldron ringing against stone. She gasped and brought a hand to her mouth as she tasted blood. Sirius’s hand quickly wrapped around her upper arm, steadying her before she was able to fall from the stool completely.“What the hell are you playing at, Snivellus?” Sirius growled as he stood.Nora ran her tongue over her teeth but did not feel that any were broken or missing. Her bottom lip was throbbing, pulsating, and as she gingerly moved her fingers over it, she could feel that the skin was split wide-open; blood trickled, warm and sticky, over her fingers and down her chin. She looked over her shoulder; Severus Snape was on his hands and knees, his head hung, his hair a dark curtain over his face. Sirius had his wand out, pointing at him.“It was an accident,” Snape hissed. “I tripped.”“Maybe if you’d wash your hair, you’d be able to see where you were going,” sneered James. He had stood and was now next to Nora, behind Snape. He, too, clutched his wand, aiming it at Snape’s back. “With all that grease in your eyes no wonder you can’t see.”Sirius laughed and then looked over at Nora, his eyes darkening as he spotted the blood. He spun around, glaring back at Snape. “You little –”“Stop it! He said it was an accident! Stop!” Lily Evans had run over and placed herself between Sirius’s wand and Snape. “Are you hurt, Sev?” she asked as she knelt beside him.Sirius and James both slowly lowered their wands with a grimace. Snape said nothing, his head still hung towards the floor, his shoulders moving up and down with each deep breath.“Well, he’s not the one bloodied up, is he?” said Sirius, his voice full of contempt.Lily looked up at Nora for the first time, her eyes widening as she saw the blood on her face and hand that was now falling in drops onto the white collar of her shirt. She opened her mouth and then closed it, looking back at Snape, her brows knitted together.“Are you all right?” she asked Nora hesitantly as she reached into her robe pocket and pulled out a light blue handkerchief, handing it to her.Nora took the handkerchief and pressed it to her lip, wincing as the material touched the opened wound. She looked at Snape, glaring for a moment, before turning her gaze back to Lily, and nodded.Lily gave her a small nod in return before looking back towards Snape. She spoke to him in hushed tones before standing, holding out her hand, and offering to pull him to his feet. Ignoring her hand, Snape looked up at Nora, staring for what felt like an eternity, his face inscrutable. His cold, black eyes bore deeply into her own, and for a moment, Nora found herself remembering eating breakfast with the boys earlier that morning, her nap with Remus, the fight in the dormitory, all in quick, vivid flashes. And then, there was nothing, and she was looking back into Snape’s dark eyes.What a creep, she thought to herself.“I’m fine,” he finally spoke to Lily, looking up at her. “Go sit down.”She looked at him, concern laced among her gentle features, but turned around to walk back towards her seat. Snape slowly pushed himself up off the floor and grabbed his cauldron that he had dropped in the fall. But as he took his first step away from the group, James whispered, “Locomotor Wibbly.”Immediately, Snape’s legs became unstable and crumbled beneath him, his body falling, his palms once again slapping against the stone, his cauldron ringing and skidding across the floor. He thrust his hand inside his robes to retrieve his wand, but before he could brandish it, Sirius had jumped up and stepped on it; the sole of his boot held Snape’s wand in place against the floor. Snickers and whispers could be heard from other students around the room.“Not so fast, Snivelly,” Sirius sneered down at him.At the sound of his fall, Lily had whipped around so quickly that her dark red hair spun about her neck. Her face was enraged, her eyes livid, and she glared at James with such a fury that Nora was relieved to see she wasn’t holding her wand for fear that if she was, they might have seen red sparks fly out of it.“Why did you do that?” yelled Lily. Nora had never seen her so angry; her bright green eyes were appearing to pop out of her head, her mouth set in a stern scowl.“You saw what he did!” said James incredulously, motioning towards Nora as he spoke.“And he told you that it was an accident!” countered Lily. “You knocked him down for no reason other than you find it amusing to pick on him!”“But, Evans, maybe mine was an accident, too. My wand, it must have just pointed itself,” James said, he and Sirius laughing. “It’s a smart wand, you see. Very moral. Dragon heartstring core, you know. They can be known to do that.”Lily paused, seeming to digest his words. “You think that this is a joke? You are nothing but an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter!” she spat. “You haven’t an ounce of morality! You wouldn’t know right from wrong if it slapped you across the face!” She looked back at Snape, who was picking himself up off the ground once more, Sirius having stepped off his wand. “Stay away from him,” she said lowly as she turned back towards James. “And from me!”“All right, all right, settle down now class. Let’s take our seats, now. Miss Evans, to your seat, if you please.” Professor Slughorn had walked into the room, closing the door with a wave of his wand. Oblivious of the scene before him, he waddled and shimmied his way between the tables and sat down in his chair at the front of the room with a great huff.Lily took one more look at James before turning to glare at Sirius, Remus, and Nora. Then, she pivoted on the spot and walked towards her table to sit with Mary Macdonald. Snape followed in suit, walking away, picking up his cauldron from the floor, and sitting down at a table with another fifth year Slytherin boy, Mulciber.James scoffed as he walked around the table to sit on his stool, facing backwards towards Nora and Sirius. “Why is she always defending him?”“They’ve been friends for a while,” Remus said quietly. “Before they came to Hogwarts, even.”“Doesn’t she see what a freak he is, though? That look on his face! Like he enjoyed seeing you hurt,” he added, looking at Nora. “You alright, by the way?” He asked, his brows furrowed.Nora removed the handkerchief from her lip looking down at the dark, gooey splotches on the blue fabric. She ran her tongue over the cut feeling the two jagged edges of skin and swollen flesh; a small dribble of blood leaked out, running down her chin and neck.“Is it bad?” she asked, looking up at the boys.“No…” Sirius said contemplatively, slowly, as he took the handkerchief from her hand and began gently dabbing at the cut. “It’s not that bad.”“Makes you look like a right badarse,” said James, smirking a bit. He seemed to have forgotten that Lily had just yelled at him in front of the whole class. Or else, Nora thought, she had yelled at him so many times prior that it had now become easy for him to brush it off.Nora had begun to laugh at James’s comment, but the sharp burning in her lip stopped her with a flinch.“Aw,” Sirius pouted, his lower lip jutting out as he wiped some of the blood from her chin.“Here,” Remus said, taking out his wand. “I can fix it, if you’d like.” He scooted his stool closer to their table and looked over his shoulder at Slughorn who had begun lecturing about the properties of the Draught of Peace. He turned back to Nora. “Might sting a little.”Sirius removed the handkerchief as Remus tilted Nora’s chin upwards with the tops of his fingers, holding his wand in his other hand, and pointing at her lip. “Episkey,” he whispered.Nora felt a quick knife-like jolt as her skin stitched itself back together, melding into a smooth surface once more. She brought her fingers to her lip, it was still a bit fat and tender, but the cut was no longer there. Still holding her chin up, Remus used his thumb to smudge away the rest of the blood that was left on her face, admiring his spell work with a small smile.“There,” he said. “Good as new.”“Thanks,” she said, slightly in awe, watching as Remus turned to place his wand on the table next to the cauldron he and James were sharing.“Where’d you learn that, Moony?” James asked, impressed.“Pomfrey taught me,” he said. “I haven’t gotten to use it too much. It doesn’t work on… creature… wounds – cursed wounds,” he furrowed his brows. “But it works wonderfully on broken fingers and toes. Noses too, I’d assume.”“Handy,” said Sirius, nodding.The rest of the period carried on without a disturbance, James and Remus working hard, bent over their cauldron, their potion a perfect white colour. Nora and Sirius, on the other hand sat giggling as their potion turned a bright yellow, bubbling like a thick stew on a cooktop. Professor Slughorn had told the class that they would be handing in vials of their Draughts of Peace for grading, being sure to catch Nora’s eye as he said spoke (“So Mr. Black, Miss Ross, please be sure to hand in something today. Something that won’t explode once it reaches my desk, please, if that’s not too much to ask.”), but Nora wasn’t very worried. Together they had produced a near perfect batch of the Draught of Peace. It wasn’t the pearly white sheen that Remus and James had achieved, but Slughorn had still seemed impressed (and quite relieved) when she had handed in their vials. They had used the rest of what was in the bottom of the cauldron to experiment, adding different ingredients like leech juice and powdered rat spleen; Sirius had even added a bit of his own hair at one point, and now their potion was smelling quite sour as it bubbled away.“Think we could bottle this up and slip it in Snivelly’s pumpkin juice?” Sirius whispered as he stirred, the potion sputtering and popping as he did so.“Absolutely not,” Remus said, turning around. “I refuse to let you two commit murder.”The day continued and remained uneventful. After Potions, Nora, James, Sirius, and Peter (who had accepted Sirius’s apology and was now as chipper as ever) sat through Divination while Remus went off to Ancient Runes. The four of them sat on fat little pouffes, attempting to interpret one another’s dreams. Peter had dreamt that he was swimming in the Black Lake when suddenly the Giant Squid challenged him to a duel in front of the whole school. The duel ended up being a dance battle however instead of a magic duel, and the Giant Squid ended up winning much to Peter’s dismay.“Er,” said Nora as she flipped through her textbook. “Well, swimming means you’re exploring your subconscious mind…” She flipped through a few more pages. “The Giant Squid apparently symbolises greed…” She turned the page. “Duelling can indicate apprehension,” she said not looking up from the book. “And dancing can mean you’re thinking about your relationships… So, I guess you could be exploring your subconscious feelings of greed in your relationships… and you’re apprehensive about it?” She looked up at him, meeting his distraught face.“I think you’re just afraid of the Giant Squid, mate,” said James, patting Peter on the back. “Or dancing, I suppose.”After descending the ladder from the Divination classroom and meeting Remus on the Grand Staircase, the five friends made their way towards the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom on the third floor.“What do you reckon Fulminare’s got in store for us today?” James asked as they walked into the room.The classroom had been cleared of all the desks and chairs. Instead, cushions and pillows were on the floor in their place spaced evenly apart.“Looks like we’re gonna be duelling,” said Sirius with a mischievous grin.They stood towards the back of the room, watching as the rest of the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws sauntered in. Lily Evans walked in speaking quietly with Mary Macdonald, Cecily Wood, and Sabine McLaggen, (Nora’s other dormmates) and didn’t so much as glance in the direction of Nora or James, even when Cecily greeted and waved at Nora.“Thank God it’s the full moon tonight,” Nora said quietly to James. “I have no desire to go back to my dormitory with her acting like that.”“I’ll trade with you. You take my dorm, I’ll take yours,” he smirked down at her.“Perv,” she laughed with a roll of her eyes.After a few more moments of waiting, their professor strode into the room, his grey cloak billowing behind him, his wand brandishing the curtains away so that the late afternoon sun shone in through the windows. His black boots stopped just below his knees and clopped loudly against the floor with each purposeful step that he took. He paused as he reached the front of the room and spun around quickly, looking over his students with a heavy eye. Eventually, his upper lip curled revealing a small, silver tooth crammed next to his regular yellow ones. His receding grey hair was pulled back into a low, stringy ponytail, which fell down his back. He had dark, tanned skin which was wrinkled like old leather as if by years in the harsh sun, severe frown lines, and sunken dark eyes. He stood before them, tall and straight-backed, his silver tooth glinting in the sun.“Today,” Professor Fulminare said in a low, gravelly voice. “You will be practicing your defensive spells. Your shield charms. Your barriers. You will be doing this silently, however. No incantations. Strictly nonverbal spells, only.”Nora groaned. It was bad enough they were practicing shield charms, let alone nonverbal shield charms; she was exceptionally unskilled at both.“If you’re thinking,” Fulminare continued, pointing a long, crooked finger at a Ravenclaw boy who had raised his hand. “That this is advanced magic; that these nonverbal charms aren’t in your fifth-year text, then you are correct. But I don’t care. And You-Know-Who and his followers certainly won’t care either.”The Ravenclaw boy slowly put his hand down.“The world is changing. He’s growing stronger. Saying an incantation out loud makes you weak,” spat Fulminare as he paced the front of the classroom. “It gives your enemy a chance to think; a chance to react. You giving them that chance can be the difference between life and death.” He looked up at them with wild eyes.“But Professor Fulminare, how do we produce a silent shield charm? Do we just think the incantation?” asked the Ravenclaw boy.“Good,” Fulminare grunted, nodding at the Ravenclaw boy. “You think it, you feel it, you cast it. You must feel it, mostly. It’s reactionary. Eventually, as you get better and better, you won’t have to think the incantation at all. Your arm and wand will work as one. A good, silent Protego will come from the energy you feel as you cast it. It’ll feed off that energy, whether it’s fear, anger, joy… anything. You’ve got to feel it. If you don’t feel it, you might as well not try at all. And not trying means that your parents will be reading your name off the front of The Prophet.” He grimaced at them, his silver tooth gleaming.“He’s mad,” James whispered. “Brilliant, but mad.”“Old codger,” said Sirius, laughing under his breath.“Break off into pairs. I don’t expect anyone to get it the first time, some may not achieve it at all during this class, so make sure you all have a pillow behind you. I don’t need Madame Pomfrey on my case about bleeding heads,” said Fulminare. “Go on, into pairs, now. Take turns sending stunners or knockback jinxes and producing shields. And no, the stunners do not have to be silent. Today’s purpose is solely for practicing nonverbal protective spells.”The class began to move and separate into pairs. James and Sirius followed Nora and Remus as they positioned themselves in the back corner of the classroom. Peter found himself partnered with a quiet Ravenclaw girl and shot nervous glances at his friends as he moved his cushion into place.“You reckon you can produce a silent shield?” Nora asked Remus.“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “I’ve never tried one.”The classroom was suddenly filled with the noises of incantations and spells being cast. They echoed and rattled off the walls, cracking against stone and wood. A few students grunted as they were knocked backwards onto their cushions.Sirius laughed loudly as his spell hit James squarely in the chest sending him flying. “Come on, you can do better than that, James! You’ve got to feel it,” he mocked.“Trust me, I feel it,” James said, rubbing his chest with his hand as he struggled to his feet.Their lesson continued, and Remus and Nora began taking turns sending their own spells of bat-bogey hexes, jelly-legs jinxes and knockback jinxes at each other. Nora had fallen back on her bum so many times she was sure it would be bruised by the end of the class. It wasn’t long before there was a loud yell of triumph coming from Nora’s right. She looked over just in time to see James’s own spell rebounding off an invisible shield back towards him. James ducked just in time, the spell whizzing over his head, as Sirius thrust his fists in the air in excitement.“Blimey!” shouted James. “You bloody did it!”“Well done, Black,” growled Fulminare as he strode over towards the group. “Well done,” he said, roughly clapping Sirius on the back. “Who’s next?” he asked, turning back towards the class. “Keep going, come on now!”And the spells continued. By the time the class had ended, Lily, James, Remus, Sabine, and four Ravenclaws had managed to produce successful silent shields.“That was brilliant!” said James as the friends gathered their books and bags. “It was a rush!”“Gonna be bloody useful next time we duel the Slytherins,” said Sirius with a grin. “Imagine Snivelly’s own hex bouncing back at him! He won’t know what hit him.”Nora walked with them towards the door, rubbing her tail bone with her hand. She had not managed to produce a silent shield. She had tried muttering the incantation under her breath a few times, but even that did not work. She was sore and tired and felt quite useless. She was a witch, yet she couldn’t even produce one of the most basic protective spells. She was looking forward to going back to the boys dormitory and crawling into bed until the full moon.“Ross,” Fulminare’s voice called from behind her. “A word, please.”She looked at her friends with widened eyes and they looked back at her, their brows furrowed. They lingered in the doorway as she turned around. Fulminare was standing at his desk, rummaging through one of the drawers.“A private word,” he grunted.“Go on,” Nora whispered to her friends. “Go to dinner, I’ll meet you back at the common room.”They nodded, Sirius lingering the longest in the doorway, and retreated into the hallway, the door closing heavily behind them. Nora stood by the door, unsure of what to do. Was she in trouble? Had Fulminare heard her muttering the incantation?“You’re not in trouble,” he said, walking around to the front of his desk and leaning against it. He waved his wand, magicking one of the student desks and chairs into place in front of him. “Sit.”Nora walked over, hesitantly, and sat in the chair, placing her bag on the desk. She looked up at Fulminare, waiting for him to speak. She had never talked with her professor in private before. He was an intimidating man and Nora usually made it a habit to not be alone with him; yet here she was, alone in a classroom with him staring down at her with dark, contemplative eyes.“I noticed you were having trouble with the shield charm,” he said after a few moments.Nora paused and frowned. “Well, I wasn’t the only one. You said it was advanced magic. You said –”“I noticed you were having trouble with the verbal shield charm,” he corrected.Nora felt her stomach sink. She didn’t know what to say, her mouth was opening and closing on its own accord. “Well… yes –”“How long have you not been able to produce one?” he asked, sitting up on his desk and leaning towards her, his hands clasped on his lap.“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “I just have never really been able to –”“Have you ever produced a successful one?”“Yes,” she said as she felt the heat rise in her face. “Once or twice…”“And what were you doing at the times you produced them?”Nora looked down at her desk. “Just… duelling or something…” she mumbled.“Ah, yes,” he said, his lips curling into a smile. “Yes, you and your friends there are quite experienced duellers, I’ve heard.” He paused, staring at her, his smile slowly fading. “Where’s your wand?”Nora looked at him, perplexed, but patted the inside pocket of her robe where she kept her wand. Fulminare held out his hand, his palm up. He wiggled his fingers and raised his eyebrows, waiting. Slowly, Nora reached into her pocket and set her wand in his hand.“Blackthorn?” he hummed, looking down at it. He bounced his hand up and down, once or twice as felt the weight of the wand.“Yes,” said Nora.Fulminare grunted and turned the wand over, examining the carved symbols on the handle. “Supple,” he muttered. “About ten inches?”“Ten and a quarter,” she said.He nodded and turned over the wand once more. “And the core?”“It’s a phoenix feather,” she said, shrugging.“Phoenix?” he asked, looking up at her thoughtfully. “Is that so?”“Yes…” she said slowly. “Sir, what does my wand have to do with –”“And you got this wand from Ollivander?”“Yes,” she said sternly. “Sir, what does –”“What can you tell me about your wand?” he asked.“What? Well, it’s a blackthorn, you already said –”“No, no. I know that,” he grunted. “Nothing physical. What can you tell me about how your wand acts? How do you and your wand work? A wizard and their wand are a team. What is it about your wand? Why did it choose you?”Nora, again, did not know what to say. She stared back at her professor, speechless.Suddenly, Fulminare thrust her wand back into her hand and stood up. “You’re to write me a parchment. Research your wand. Tell me about its history,” he said as he walked back behind his desk and began rummaging through his drawer again. “You can’t expect to perform any exceptional magic, or in your case, any magic without having bonded with your wand.”Nora stood also, gripping her wand with white knuckles, her jaw set. “A parchment?”“Yes,” he said, looking up at her, his hands still inside the drawer, groping blindly. “An unbonded wand is about as useful to a wizard as it would be to a squib,” he grunted. Finally, he pulled out a small, worn book and handed it to her.“The Essential Defence Against the Dark Arts by Arsenius Jigger?” Nora asked as she read the cover. The book was very old, and the spine was cracked in several places; the edges of the pages were hued with green and the cover was torn and hanging on by only a few threads.“Use it to practice in the meantime,” he said. “It details many defensive spells, some of which you should already know, others you may not.” He walked towards the windows and peered out at the darkening grounds. The sun was beginning to sink towards the trees, the sky turning shades of purple and pink. “I will expect your parchment first thing after the holiday break.”Nora stared at his back, her chest tightening. “And how long should this parchment be, exactly? Sir?”“As long as it needs to be,” he said without turning around.Nora stood, watching him, gripping the book tightly.“You can go, now, Ross,” he said as he waved his wand behind him, opening the door.Thankful for the dismissal, Nora grabbed her bag, spun around quickly, and walked out into the hallway.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"He said what?" James asked as she sat down on his bed beside him. James reached into his bag and pulled out a sandwich wrapped in a napkin and handed it to her."Thanks," she said glumly as she unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite. "Said I'm not bonded with my wand," she said through her food, speaking of her professor. "Said I was about as good as a squib with my wand.""A squib?" Sirius asked, incredulously. "Bloody hell, Ross. You're not a squib."She shrugged. "He's just such an odd man. He kept interrogating me about my wand; he would barely let me finish a sentence! And then I asked him how long I should make the parchment and he said 'As long as it needs to be'" she imitated with a low, grunting voice. "What the hell is that about?""I would assume he's trying to prove a point," said Remus. "He probably figures that once you know what to write about, the essay will sort of... write itself.""That's the problem, though!" Nora groaned, tossing her half-eaten sandwich back down onto the napkin in her lap. "I have no idea what to write about. How am I supposed to research the history of my wand? I thought Ollivander makes them all unique!""You could try the library," Remus suggested. "I bet there's a book in there about wand cores.""Yeah, probably," Nora grumbled.She knew that there probably was a book in the library that could tell her about her wand; there were probably loads of books about wands. But she was still irritated that Fulminare had singled her out. That he had held her behind and assigned her an extra essay. And how could he know that she wasn't bonded with her wand? She had never thought that she and her wand weren't bonded. It had worked fine for her for the last five years, and she didn't struggle with any other kinds of magic.Nora sighed and laid back across James's bed, her feet dangling over the floor. "Are you guys bonded with your wands?" she asked, staring up at the canopy of the bed."I mean, I guess so," James said as he took his wand out of his pocket and looked at it, turning it over in his hand just as Fulminare had done with her own wand. "I mean, it does what I want it to. I like it a lot," he shrugged."But how do you know when you've bonded with a wand?" she asked, exasperated, as she sat up again. She moved the sandwich from her lap and hugged her knees to her chest, her chin resting on top of them. "It's not like the wand says, 'Oi, hey, we're mates now!'"Sirius laughed. "Well, no, not quite. But I don't know. I guess it's sorta like... I just trust my wand. I trust that it's gonna serve me and do what I ask; that it's gonna protect me," he shrugged."How do you feel about your wand, Nora?" Remus asked.Nora thought for a while, looking down at her wand. It was a handsome wand of a deep grey colour; the handle was carved into a plait and there were random symbols carved onto it. Some of the symbols looked like curved lines, others were odd geometric shapes.“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “It’s just my wand.”"Are you attached to it, though?" asked Sirius. "Like, if I snapped it in two, would you be upset?""Obviously, I would."“That’s a bit extreme,” Peter said.“Mate, anyone would be upset if you snapped their wand in two,” said James.“I was just asking!”“Guys,” she whined, “what do I do?”"Maybe researching it will help?" Peter asked delicately."Yeah, maybe," she said.The group was quiet as the sun finished setting outside. Sirius got up and lit the lanterns with the tip of his wand muttering "Incendio" under his breath. The room was basked in a soft orange glow, the red Gryffindor banner over Sirius's bed seemed to gleam in the lantern light.Remus pushed himself off his bed with a groan. "Well, I better get going. Madam Pomfrey's probably waiting for me," he said as he stretched his back."Please come back in one piece," Nora said, looking up at Remus."I'll try. Can't make any promises," he said with a small, crooked smile."Remus...""Sorry, sorry," he said, holding up his hands. "I'll be okay. Stay out of trouble, all right?" he said looking at her, James, and Sirius."I don’t even know what trouble means," said James. “We'll see you soon, yeah?""Yeah," Remus nodded. "See you soon."He walked out of the door, closing it behind him. They listened to his footsteps fade on the stairwell; the room was quiet once more."Well," Sirius said as he sat down next to Peter on his bed. "Should we get ready, then?"The rest of the night was spent in their usual fashion of talking, playing cards, and attempting to not procrastinate on their homework (that never worked, and it certainly didn't work this time). But finally, the full moon was about to rise.James walked over to his trunk and pulled out a small cloth bag. Loosening the drawstring, he opened the bag and stuck his fingers inside pulling out four large Mandrake leaves. He handed each of them a leaf and sat down on his bed, his eyes trained on his watch."All right, we have about forty seconds," he said.The timing had to be perfect. The very second that the moon officially rose, which James had looked up in an old book he found in the Astrology Tower, the friends would need to put their leaves in their mouths; not a second earlier; not a second later."Get ready," James said as he held up his wrist, his eyes glued to his watch. "Ten more seconds.""Five... four... three... two..." James counted. He gave them a thumbs up at the count of one and placed the leaf on his tongue.Nora, Sirius, and Peter did the same, sticking their leaves into their mouths. The familiar grassy bitterness washed over her tongue as Nora moved the leaf, pocketing it between her teeth and cheek. She shuddered as her saliva began to coat her throat."And now," Sirius said, thickly. "We wait."******Wednesday October 22nd 1975Two days had passed since the full moon and Remus Lupin was still in the hospital wing. He was sitting up in bed, propped high against a mountain of starchy, white pillows. His complexion was still pale, though the dark circles under his eyes had begun to fade. He had the blankets pulled up, tucked under his arms, and a large bandage was wrapped thickly around his bare shoulder and chest, his arm in a sling. Sirius sat on the foot of his bed, and Nora, James, and Peter sat in three chairs next to them. Thunder rumbled in the distance as rain pelted like stones against the windows; their Care of Magical Creatures class had been cancelled due to the storm, so they had a free period until dinner. Nora lazily thumbed through The Essential Defence Against the Dark Arts, carefully turning the weathered pages."You haven't missed much, really," said Sirius as he opened a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans. He poured a handful of beans into his hand and picked up a red one. "You reckon this one's cherry or earthworm?"Remus lifted his head from his pillows and peered over at the bean. "Let me smell it."Sirius put the bean under Remus's nose."Earthworm," said Remus, scrunching his face."I wish I could do that," said Peter as Sirius tossed the bean back into the box. "If I could smell like that, I'd never get another bogey flavoured bean again.""Yes, the heightened sense of smell is all right. It's the other symptoms that I'm not very fond of," said Remus. "So, what'd you lot do in Transfiguration?""Nothing much," said Nora, her eyes still skimming the pages of her book. "Just reviewed vanishing spells again, so no need to worry there.""Herbology was pretty good, though," said James as he grabbed the box of flavoured beans, pouring a couple into his own hand. "Sirius tried to feed a Liquorice Wand to our Chinese Chomping Cabbage and Sprout almost wet herself.""A Liquorice Wand?" Remus laughed."It would have eaten it, too, if Sprout hadn't seen me," said Sirius. "It's too bad, I think the little guy would've enjoyed it.""Out of all things, I can't believe you chose a Liquorice Wand," said Nora with a grimace."Hey, I like Liquorice Wands. Maybe little Cabby would've, too. He probably takes after his dad," said Sirius, shrugging."You're mental," said Remus with another laugh.As they continued to chat, Madam Pomfrey walked over, her healer kit swinging from her hand."Out of my way, Mr. Black," she said as she set her supplies down on the bedside table and shooed Sirius off the bed. "I have allowed you all to have quite a long visit but now you must go. Mr. Lupin needs his bandages changed and then he needs to rest.""Oh, come on, now, Madam Pomfrey," Sirius said as he stood next to James's chair, "When are you gonna let Remus break out of here? He's doing great, aren't you, Remus?"Remus nodded his head. "Yes, I'm feeling much better now," he said looking up at the matron. "And I would really prefer not to miss any more classes..."Madam Pomfrey looked down at Remus and sighed. "Oh, all right," she said, shaking her head. "I was going to keep you one more night, but I suppose if you tolerate your next potions, I can release you before dinner."Remus grinned as Sirius whooped."But," she said sharply, "I am trusting, Mr. Lupin, that you will come right back here if you experience any excess bleeding, or pain, or weakness. And no shenanigans!" she said, looking at James, Sirius and Nora as she said the last part. "You suffered a great deal of blood loss, and the Blood-Replenishing Potions will only help so long as you continue to rest.""Don't worry, Madam, we'll make sure he rests up," said James with a cheeky smile.Madam Pomfrey looked at James with dismay, sighed again and wiped her hands on her apron. "Very well, then. Now out, out!" she said opening the large wooden doors with her wand. "We don't need an audience.""Wait," Remus said suddenly as Sirius, James, Nora and Peter stood and began packing their sweets and books into their bags. "Can Nora stay?" He looked at Madam Pomfrey.She paused and then tutted. "Oh, all right. I don’t see why not.”Remus turned his head and looked at Nora. "Please?" he said quietly."Of course," said Nora quietly. She sat back down in her seat, smoothing her skirt across her lap with her palms. "I'll meet you later," she said to the other boys.As Sirius, James and Peter left the wing, Madam Pomfrey waved her wand at the privacy screen, pulling it across the floor, blocking the door and the other beds from sight."Drink this," she said to Remus as she handed him a goblet. "It will take the edge off."The matron helped Remus sit forward as he grabbed the goblet with his uninjured hand, and he tipped it back, gulping down the viscous liquid with a grimace. "There you go, every last drop," said Madam Pomfrey.Finishing the potion, Remus handed the goblet back to the matron which she vanished with her wand. He turned his head and looked at Nora as Madam Pomfrey tapped the sling and bandages with her wand; the sling untied itself, falling limp on his chest and the bandages began to unwrap. Remus winced, squeezing his eyes closed, wrinkles forming between his brows. Nora scooted her chair closer, grabbing his uninjured hand."Don't look," said Nora softly; she rubbed her thumb over the top of his hand as he took short, deep breaths, his ribs outlining clearly with each fill of his lungs."All right, Mr. Lupin, you know the drill," said Madam Pomfrey as the rest of the bandages unfurled and vanished into thin air with a subtle pop.Nora's stomach churned as Remus's wounds became visible. A large circular bite took up most of the space on his shoulder; the skin and fat were missing, the muscle clearly visible. It was a concave crater with evenly spaced pockmarks where his teeth had torn the flesh. New skin, shiny and red, was beginning to grow thanks to Madam Pomfrey's skin-growing potions; it ebbed along the edges of the injury, but blood still bubbled from the raw flesh, pooling in the small puddles along the base of the wound. Four long gashes were ripped into the skin starting at the base of his neck, near his collarbone, and travelled over his chest and onto his upper arm.Remus gripped Nora's hand with white knuckles as Madam Pomfrey began cleansing and disinfecting the wounds. She worked silently as she applied a mixture of powdered silver and dittany to the bite, further sealing the bleeding flesh. She reached into her kit and pulled out a small metal tin and opened the lid revealing a thick, green goo."Star Grass Salve," said Madam Pomfrey to Nora as she applied a thick layer to Remus' shoulder and chest. "Soothes even the most vicious of injuries."As the salve touched his skin, Remus's hand relaxed in Nora's, the wrinkles on his face melted away, and his eyes slowly fluttered open."Better?" Nora asked softly.Remus nodded as new bandages sprouted from the tip of Madam Pomfrey's wand and began wrapping around his shoulder and chest. The matron tied his sling into place, fluffed his pillows and helped him lay back against them."There we are," said Madam Pomfrey as she gathered her supplies. "I'm going to go mix up your last Blood-Replenishing Potion and then you are to rest until dinner. When I come back with his potion, I will expect you to be gone, Miss Ross.""Yes, Madam," said Nora as the matron walked away and into her office.Remus and Nora looked at one another, for how long, she didn't know."How are you so brave?" she finally asked.Remus gave a short laugh under his breath. "I am a Gryffindor, aren't I?""I think it's more than that," Nora said. "I don't think I'd be as brave as you."Remus looked at her, his brown eyes glowing in the lanternlight. "No," he said quietly, "I think you would be. You'd be surprised at how brave you can be when you don't have a choice."Nora jumped as thunder rang outside on the grounds, the stone walls shaking. The glass of water on Remus's bedside table trembled."Quite a storm," Remus said quietly."Yeah," Nora agreed, watching as rain blurred the windows. She squeezed his hand once more as she saw Madam Pomfrey move around inside her office. "I'd better get going before she hexes me out," she said with a small smile.Remus nodded and squeezed her hand back. "I'll see you at dinner?""Of course," she said as she stood, shouldering her bag. "Get some sleep, okay?"Remus nodded again. "Thank you," he said. "For staying.""Anytime," she said as Madam Pomfrey began to walk out of her office. She gave a quick wave to Remus and turned around, walking towards the large oak doors.Up in her dormitory, Nora stared out the window. She couldn't see much through the rain, just blurs of green and grey. She sighed and turned, looking around at the empty room. She did not know where her roommates were, perhaps they were studying somewhere else in the castle. Nora crossed the room and lit the lantern next to her bed. She reached into the pocket of her robes and pulled out the light blue handkerchief that was stained a rusty brown from days earlier."Tergeo," she said as she pointed her wand at the fabric in her hand. Immediately, the dark splotches were siphoned off leaving the fabric clean and solid blue once more. Folding it neatly into a triangle, she walked over and placed the handkerchief onto Lily's bedside table. She walked back to her bed and sat down, looking at her wand in her hand.She thought about her conversation with Fulminare from a few days ago.
An unbonded wand is about as useful to a wizard as it would be to a squib.
She laid back on her bed as she twisted her wand between her fingers, the engravings dancing across her skin. Her conversation with the boys floated its way into her mind.
I trust that it's gonna serve me and do what I ask; that it's gonna protect me.
Did she trust her wand? In a life-or-death situation, did she trust that her wand was going to protect her?Nora wasn't so sure. She wasn’t even sure if she could protect herself.She groaned and tossed her wand onto her bedside table, folding her arms behind her head, and stared at the canopy of her four-poster. She was a good witch, she thought. She excelled in Transfiguration, and she was always able to answer Kettleburn's questions in Care of Magical Creatures. Doesn't every witch or wizard have an area of magic in which they need more help? That's all she needed, she thought, more help. She wasn't a squib.The door opened."Oh, hello," said Lily as she paused in the doorway. "I didn't know you were in here.""Well, here I am," Nora said. She pushed herself up and sat on the edge of her bed, her feet brushing the floor."Potter's looking for you. He's in the common room," Lily said with an air of having just tasted something putrid. She walked into the room and closed the door behind her, setting the textbooks she had been carrying down on her bed."I haven't seen you in a few days," Lily said as she sat down on her own bed facing Nora.Nora nodded. "I was with the boys. I just got back from visiting Remus.""How is he doing?" Lily asked."Better," said Nora. "Madam Pomfrey is letting him leave before dinner tonight.""Good," Lily nodded. "That's good." She sighed and began organizing her pile of books. "Sirius ought to have been more careful."Nora cracked a smile, which unseen by Lily as her dormmate placed her Astrology textbook into her bag. "Yes, he probably should have," Nora said. In Remus's absence, the boys had decided to tell everyone that Sirius had accidentally hit Remus with a bludger while out practising."As if Remus needs anything else to worry about, being ill so frequently," Lily tutted. "And I heard his mum isn't doing well again, either. Poor boy.""Yes, well, he'll be okay, I'm sure," said Nora as she stood, eager to escape the conversation about Remus. "I better go and see what James wants.""He's sorry, you know," said Lily, suddenly. "Severus. About what happened in Potions on Monday."Nora turned around, her hand on the doorknob. Frankly, she tried not to think about the incident very much. "Oh, it's fine. Don't worry about it," she said. "I think Sirius was more upset than I was.""He's just bad at apologising," said Lily. "But he is sorry, deep down. Maybe really deep down... but he is.""You shouldn't have to apologise for him," Nora said."He never will if I don't."Nora nodded and paused, silence filling the room. The two girls looked at one another before Lily spoke again. "Well, go see what Potter wants, Merlin knows you don't want to keep him waiting.""True," Nora chuckled. "And thank you, Lily, for apologizing... for Snape – er Severus." But Lily was already organizing her books again, so Nora turned around, opened the door, and quickly walked down the stairs into the common room.James was sitting in one of the squashy chairs by the fire; he was chewing on the top of his quill as he stared down at an unrolled parchment laid across his lap."There you are!" he said as he looked up.Nora walked over and sat on the arm of his charm, looking down at the parchment on his lap. "What's this?" she asked.On the top of the parchment was scribbled, 'Supplies for Sirius's Birthday Surprise.' Further down, there was a list:- Frog Spawn Soap- Nose-Biting Teacups- Dungbombs (a lot)- Hiccough Sweets- Inflatable Tongues- Stink Pellets- Fanged Frisbees- Cauldron Cakes- Bertie Bott's- Liquorice Wands (x2)- Pumpkin Pasties- No-Melt Ice Cream"Stuff we need to get from Hogsmeade this weekend," James said. "This Saturday's the first trip," he said as he nodded his head towards the bulletin board. Nora peered over his shoulder and saw that, indeed, there was a paper pinned to the board stating that the 25th of October would be the first Hogsmeade trip of the year. Her stomach fluttered."You reckon we need anything else for his birthday? I want to go all out," he said still staring at the parchment."You'll need Filibuster's, then," said Nora as she looked at the parchment. "And some Luminous Balloons would be a nice touch."James turned and grinned up at her. "See, this is why I asked you."Nora laughed as he rushed to scribble the new items onto the bottom of the list. "Are we doing it that Monday, then? On his birthday?""Yeah," James nodded. "We can do it after dinner. Sirius said he ‘didn’t want a big party’" he said, making air-quotes with his fingers. "But we all know he doesn't really mean that. I figure we play along, give him a low-key birthday all day, then we bring him back to the common room and the whole house jumps out," he said. "That's what he'll really want for his birthday.""Sounds right up his alley. He really said he didn’t want a big party?""Yeah, but I think he's full of it," James said shaking his head. "He probably knows that by saying he wants a quiet birthday we're automatically gonna throw him a huge party.""I’m not surprised," said Nora with a smirk. "How much can I chip in? That's gonna cost a lot," she said looking back down at the list.James rolled his eyes. "How many times have I told you, Nora? Dad's positively rolling in Sleekeazy money. Don't worry 'bout it."Nora sighed, knowing he was right; she didn't have much money to spare, anyways.As the two of them walked to dinner they chatted about classes and Quidditch. James was getting more and more antsy about the upcoming match no matter how many times she told him that they would most likely win. The Hufflepuff team was decent, but the Gryffindor's had a strong team this year; she knew that the Hufflepuff's didn't stand much of a chance.They sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. Sirius and Peter were already seated, piling their plates with chicken, squash, and potatoes. Lily, Sabine, Mary and Cecily sat in the seats next to them and a few sixth and seventh years sat on their other sides."Hi, Nora," said Alice. She smiled as Nora took her seat."Oh, hi, how have you been? I feel like I haven't seen you much this year.""Been great, really! Sixth year is a piece of cake after fifth year. Poor Frank doesn't have it so easy, though. Already worrying about his N.E.W.T.s," she said as she looked at her boyfriend seated next to her."Already, Longbottom? Aren't the N.E.W.T.s in the spring?" asked Sirius as he took a large bite of his chicken leg."Yeah, but the Auror Office is already keeping an eye on me," said Frank. "Plus, in order to even get into the program, I'll need at least five N.E.W.T.s each with at least 'Exceeds Expectations,'" he sighed. "Between that, and Quidditch, and being Head Boy, I'm just knackered all the time."James shook his head. "I'm certainly not looking forward to that. At least I won’t have to worry about being Head Boy.""You just worry about your O.W.L.s this year," said Frank. "You've got plenty more time to worry about N.E.W.T.s.""Are the O.W.L.s terribly difficult?" Mary asked the sixth and seventh years. "The professors make them sound dreadful.""I heard some students last year needed Calming Droughts from Madam Pomfrey to get through them," said Peter with wide eyes."They aren't too bad, if you've studied enough," shrugged Johnny Jenkins, one of the seventh years."I dunno," said Thomas Hopkins, a sixth year. "Even after studying for months, I only managed one 'Exceeds Expectations,' one 'Acceptable' three 'Poor's,' and four 'Dreadful's,'" he shrugged nonchalantly."Hey, at least you managed to skim by without getting any Trolls," Frank choked through his laughter. Thomas flipped him the bird."But you don't really need O.W.L.s to be a professional Quidditch player, do you?" asked Sabine, fluttering her long, black eyelashes."Nah," said Thomas. "See, that's why I'm not worried.""Oi, there you are!" said Frank as Remus came and sat down next to Peter. He was wearing a large sweater which covered his bandages, though his arm was still in a sling. "How ya feeling, mate? Pomfrey fix you right up?"Remus nodded and flashed a quick smile as he attempted to pour himself a glass of pumpkin juice. "Yeah, feeling much better, thanks.""I've gotten caught by a Bludger a few times," Frank continued, "Not too fun, though I guess it's all part of the game.""Right," said Remus as he met Nora's eye, smirking. "I suppose that's why I'm not on the team. Next time you ask me to help you practice, it's gonna be a big, fat 'no' from me," he said looking at Sirius, the smirk still on his lips."I hit you with a bludger one time and you swear off all Quidditch for life," said Sirius as he took the jug of pumpkin juice from Remus and helped him pour it into the glass. "You've got a spare arm there!"The group laughed and continued to chat as they ate, Sirius piling Remus's plate with food and using Diffindo to cut it all into manageable pieces. Towards the end of the meal, as desserts appeared on the platters before them, Remus looked up, over Nora's shoulder, and smiled."Hey, Nora, a certain seventh year Ravenclaw's on his way over," he said meeting her eyes.With a fluttering heart, Nora looked over her shoulder and grinned as Randall Middleton stopped in front of her. She turned around in her seat and absentmindedly ran her hands over her hair in a futile attempt to calm some of the frizz."Hi, Nora," said Randall as he smiled, his teeth startlingly white, the corners of his eyes crinkling."Hi," she breathed. Over the thumping of her heart, she could hear Sirius wolf whistle behind her followed by an 'umph,' and Remus hissing, “knock it off!”"So, Hogsmeade is this weekend," said Randall, his dark eyes sparkling under the enchanted ceiling. Nora thought that his eyes very closely resembled the stars which shone brightly on the ceiling against the black sky, the storm having passed and cleared. "I was wondering if you would still like to go with me."Nora felt the air escape her lungs and she nodded fervently. "Yes – yeah, that's great! Yes – I'd love to," she rushed out. Being particularly careful to not say ‘It’s a date!’ She felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she heard Alice utter an 'Aww!' behind her.Randall smiled even wider and reached down to grab her hand. "Great," he said as he bent down and brought her hand to his lips, kissing the top of it gently. "Then it's a date."Nora smiled so widely that she felt like her lips were going to split in two. "It's a date," she echoed."I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall on Saturday, then?""Yes, yes that's perfect," she said."Good," he said as he placed her hand gently back in her lap. "I'll see you then, love." He turned around and walked back towards the Ravenclaw table. As he sat down, his friends clapped him on the back, laughing and chatting loudly.Nora lifted her hands to her cheeks, feeling the warmth radiating from them. Turning around back towards her friends, feeling incredibly warm and red, she bit the inside of her lip to keep from smiling."Don't you dare say anything," she said looking to her left at Sirius, still fighting the smile."When have I ever said anything?" he said.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Saturday, October 25th 1975
Nora woke with a jolt on Saturday morning. Ever since Randall had asked her to Hogsmeade, she had been extremely distracted and nervous. Every time she had thought about the date, her palms began to sweat, and her heart would bang around in her chest like a Cornish Pixie in a locked cage. She had spent many hours the previous night in the boys dormitory worrying about what to wear."Well, what would you want a girl to wear on a date?" she had asked them."Clothes?" Peter shrugged as Remus laughed."That's debatable," Sirius said."Why am I friends with you lot?" she asked as she threw a pillow at Sirius."Because you love us?" asked James."That's debatable," said Nora.After a long night, Nora decided that she should try and get some sleep. She knew she wouldn't have been able to get any in the boy’s room, so she made her way to her own dormitory. And that's where she was now.She looked around and saw that Lily and Mary's beds were empty, but Cecily and Sabine were sitting in Sabine's bed, giggling softly as they flipped through a copy of Witch Weekly. The sun was rising high, the sky a clear, crisp blue. Outside, the birds called to one another in song, harmonizing with the soft whistle of the autumn wind."Hey, sleepy head," Sabine said as Nora sat up. "Are you excited?" she asked, grinning."Terrified, actually," said Nora. She slipped out of her bed and rummaged through her trunk, grabbing a pair of thick stockings. She struggled to quickly pull them on, her toes curling on the icy floor."Randall is such a dream," said Cecily. "But no need to be nervous, Nora. You hang out with boys all the time!""Yeah," Nora laughed, "But I've never wanted to snog any of them.""Really?" asked Sabine as she raised her eyebrows. "Not even James Potter? Or Sirius Black?""Please," Nora scoffed. "I think the whole school knows that James only has eyes for Lily.""Poor boy should move on," said Cecily as she folded the magazine closed and placed it on the bedside table. "The day that Lily Evans dates James Potter is the same day that hell will freeze over.""You're telling me,” said Nora.She crossed the room to enter the bathroom. As she brushed her teeth, she studied her reflection, pinching her cheeks until they were pink and rosy. She rinsed her mouth and wet her hands under the tap, running her dampened fingers through her hair. Reaching onto the shelf, she grabbed her tin of Sleekeazy's and removed three liberal globs, scraping the bottom of the tin, taking the time to frame each curl of her hair around her finger so that they hung in spirals down her shoulders and back.Finally, she walked back towards her bed and pulled her stockings up and over her knees. She got dressed, slipping on a black pinafore dress over a blue roll-neck jumper, smoothing the dress over herself with her palms. Looking at herself in the mirror, she folded the neck of the jumper down once, so that it wouldn't dig into her chin, and ran her hands over the sides of her dress once more. Pulling on a pair of black boots and hanging a pair of large, yellow hoops in her ears, Nora turned around."Do I look okay?" Nora asked her dormmates."Totally groovy," said Cecily. "What?" she asked as Nora and Sabine stared at her; their eyebrows raised. "All of the Muggles are saying it."Nora shook her head with a small smile. Ever since she had known Cecily, she had always been intrigued by Muggle culture. She was always coming out with new phrases that the Muggles were saying, last week her favourite phrase was "far out."As Nora walked up the stairs to the boys dormitory, she shouldered her handbag and folded her coat over her arm. She reached their door, shouting, "It's me!" as she knocked.After a few moments, Sirius opened the door, rubbing his eyes with his fist. He his chest was bare, but he wore a plaid pair of pyjama bottoms."Woah," he said. "You look different.""Bad, different?" she asked as he stepped aside. She walked into the room and took a seat on his bed.Sirius looked at her, his head cocked to the side. "No, just your hair's all done up. It's different than usual.""Well, don't get used to it. It takes ages and I just about used up my entire tin of Sleekeazy's," she said."I've got another one in my trunk," said James as he slipped his Gryffindor jumper over his head. He reached into his trunk and pulled the new tin of the hair potion out and handed it to her. "Here.""You're a lifesaver," said Nora as she slipped the tin into her handbag. "I can't survive without this stuff.""Don't tell my dad that," James said. "You're already his favourite child.""Are you surprised? I'm pretty great.""And so very humble," Remus said as he walked out of the bathroom, already dressed in his own jumper and jeans, his right arm still strapped in the sling. "You look beautiful, Nora."Nora smiled at him, blushing, and tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "Thanks, Rem."Sirius sat down next to Nora and groaned. "Why are these Hogsmeade trips always so bloody early?""It's almost noon," said Peter."Exactly," said Sirius as he threw himself back onto his pillows, his legs crossing over on Nora's lap."Come on, get up and dressed," she said to Sirius as she rubbed a hand on his shin.Sirius grabbed his pillow and placed it over his face, groaning into it."I can't buy you a Butterbeer if you're stuck up here moaning about," said James. "Plus, I want to check out Spintwitches. Davies told me they just got a new shipment of Nimbus 1500's yesterday. They're supposed to be loads faster than the Nimbus 1001."Sirius moved the pillow so that only his eyes peeked out from behind it. "How's the handling?" he asked, his voice muffled."They say it's the best on the market right now," said James.Sirius was still for a moment before tossing the pillow on the floor and sitting up, making a great and dramatic huff as he did so. "Fine, I'll force myself to go."After Sirius and Peter were dressed, the five friends made their way down the stairs towards the Great Hall. Nora could feel her palms become slick as her heart thumped steadily in her chest. She hoped Randall wouldn't try to hold her hand."How are you feeling?" Remus asked her as they fell behind the other three on the Grand Staircase."Like I'm going to vomit," she said."Well, don't do that," he chuckled. "You'll be fine. Randall seems like a nice guy, I'm sure you'll have a good time."Nora nodded. "So, what are you boys going to be up to?""The usual, I think. Starting the day off with some Butterbeers. But then James has asked me to distract Sirius while he buys all the supplies for his party... so that will be a task," he said in a low voice so that Sirius would not hear him."Well, good luck with that," Nora laughed.As they made their way towards the last landing, Nora's heart skipped a beat. There, leaning against the banister with an air of casual elegance, was Randall Middleton. His blonde hair was effortlessly swooped across his forehead, his sparkling smile etched flawlessly into his features. She stopped before him, looking up into those perfect brown eyes, those eyes that were so much like the stars."Nora," he said as his eyes flitted across her face and over her hair. "You look great.”She felt her cheeks redden as she looked at the floor, scuffing the toe of her boot against the stone. "Thanks," she said with a small smile."Here, I have something for you," he said as he reached a hand inside of his jacket and pulled out a single red rose. Before her eyes, the rose transfigured in his hand into a necklace, the chain the same deep green that the stem of the rose had been and the charm a smaller version of the head of the flower, formed from silver. Small green leaves were woven throughout the chain, encased in the links. "May I?" he asked as he held the necklace up, undoing the clasp.Nora nodded quickly and turned around, lifting her hair from her neck with her hands. As Randall wrapped the necklace around her neck, she looked up at her friends who were standing a few meters away across the hall. Remus was smiling brightly at her, and James and Sirius wore matching smirks upon their faces. Peter looked rather glum, but Nora supposed that it was because he had missed breakfast, and this was cutting into his lunch time."There," said Randall softly as she turned, the necklace clasped.Nora reached up, feeling the charm with her fingers. "It's beautiful. Thank you."Sirius cleared his voice from behind her as he walked towards them, placing himself slightly in front of her. "Now, be sure to have her home before curfew," he said, deepening his voice, his hands on his hips. "And no funny business, or you'll have to answer to me."Nora groaned, but Randall laughed. "No worries, I'll be sure to have her home before dark."Sirius narrowed his eyes, but then grinned and stuck out his hand. "Good man," he said as he and Randall shook hands.As Remus dragged Sirius away, Nora could just make out Sirius say, "James, you could take some pointers from him. Lad's smooth as f-""Sorry about them," Nora sighed, her face still warm."Don't worry about it, I think they're funny. It's nice they care about you so much."They didn't talk much as Filch checked their permission forms and they began walking towards the village. Nora kept looking up at Randall, trying to think of some small talk, but unable to form any words."Er – the weather's nice," she said as they walked."Hmm? Oh, yes, it's lovely," he said with a small smile. Nora wondered if he was as nervous as she was. She doubted it, however, as her stomach continued to somersault within her.They slowed as they reached the edge of the village. "So, what do you want to –""Actually, I sort of have something planned, if that's all right with you. It's just over that way," he said pointing to the right of the village. "It's not far.""Oh," she said. "Sure, that's fine."Randall smiled and held out his hand for her to take. She hesitated for a moment, but placed her hand in his palm as he led her through the village. As they cut through a small alleyway, the butterflies in her stomach danced together. She was suddenly self-conscious of the callouses on her palms from her Beater's bat, but if Randall could feel them, or the thin layer of moisture on her skin, he didn't say."It's just through here," he said.Suddenly, the path widened, and they came upon a clearing. The field was lush and green and speckled with purple wildflowers. A few paces away, on the peak of the hill, was a large blanket. A picnic basket, a tea kettle with two teacups and saucers, some jars of blue flames, and two cushions sat on the blanket. Off to the side, a record player sat on the grass next to a small pile of records."Oh, Randall," Nora breathed. "How did you do this?"He led her over to the blanket and turned to look at her. "I had a few friends come out earlier and set it up... I don't know if you enjoy this sort of thing, but...""No, it's lovely!" She beamed up at him, the butterflies still dancing."Good," he said with a smile. "My friend lent me the records, it's all Muggle music. I know you mentioned once that your dad's a Muggle. I don't know if you know any of them though."She kneeled and sifted through the small pile of records. "Oh, this is my dad's favourite! It's so good!" she said as she held up The Rolling Stones album.They sat on the cushions as the music began to play. Nora looked around. It was a beautiful spot that overlooked the village on one side and the Hogwarts grounds on the other. Not far in the distance, she could spot the outline of the Shrieking Shack."Do you really think it's haunted?" Randall asked as he followed her gaze."Well, Dumbledore wouldn't say it's haunted if it wasn't, right?" she asked with a shrug.He nodded. "True, I suppose.” He paused and cleared this throat. “Would you like some tea? Or something to eat?"Nora nodded and Randall pointed his wand at the kettle, heating the water. He poured the tea into the cups and handed her one. Out of the basket he pulled two sandwiches, a tin of biscuits, and some sponge cakes. Absentmindedly, Nora ran her tongue along the edge of her Mandrake leaf, pushing it further into her cheek.As they ate their food and sipped their tea, Nora could feel herself relax. Talking to Randall was like talking to an old friend, and they joked and laughed as the sun ducked in and out of the sparse covering of clouds in the crisp sky."No, no way," Randall choked out between laughs. "You really did that?""I swear!" Nora laughed, crossing her heart with her finger. "The look on McGonagall's face... I thought she was going to curse us right then and there! I've never run faster in my life.""Blimey," he said, shaking his head with a grin.The album had played a couple of times through now as Randall had charmed the record to turn over by itself and the spindle to reset itself. As the first few lyrics of Honest I Do began to once more float out of the speakers, Randall stood up and held out his hand."May I have this dance?" he asked, his smile once again stretched across his face."Oh, I'm awful at dancing, Randall," she shook her head with a small laugh."Don't worry, so am I."Against every fibre that was screaming no, Nora grabbed his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. He led her to the grass beside the record player and took her other hand. The two really were awful at dancing, but Nora couldn't help but grin and laugh as they moved to the music, spinning about and twirling.As the music slowed, she moved closer and placed the side of her head against his chest, allowing him to move them in slow circles. She could hear the steady, rhythmic thump of his heart and she smiled to herself. As they turned, Nora thought, for a fleeting moment, that she saw a pair of grey trainers and a pair of worn, black boots not attached to any legs near the alleyway. But when they turned around again, the boots and trainers were gone. She laughed to herself and shook her head.How typical, she thought.As the sun began to float towards the trees and the autumn air began to crisp, the two decided that they would visit the village. Randall, who was incredibly skilled at Transfiguration, was able to transfigure their picnic into smaller items that he slipped into his pocket. They walked, hand-in-hand, throughout Hogsmeade, peering through shop windows, sometimes stopping to point at a particularly interesting item. The village was quieting down now, most students had probably decided to head back to the castle for dinner. In those moments, Nora felt like the village was just for them, like it was only her and Randall and the magical shops.But before long, they were standing outside the castle on the stone steps facing one another. The sky was dimming into a beautiful dusky grey, and the wind swirled around her, blowing pieces of her hair into her face.Randall smiled softly as he lifted a hand and tucked the stray strands of hair behind her ear. "I had a really lovely time today.""Me, too," she breathed.And the dancing butterflies in her stomach exploded into fireworks as their lips met together.Nora opened the door to the boys dormitory without knocking, something she rarely did (you never truly knew what you were going to walk into) and flopped herself face first beside James onto his bed. She groaned loudly as she pushed her face into his pillow, her arm dangling freely off the side of the bed."Well, hello to you too, love," James said."What's happened? What did he do?" she heard Sirius say along with the creak of mattress springs."Nothing! It was incredible. He's so lovely," she groaned into the pillow, her voice muffled."So... what's wrong, then?" she heard Remus ask.She sighed dramatically and groaned once more for good measure. "I really like him! Like, I really really like him," she said, her face still pressed against the pillow.James laughed as he rubbed her back comfortingly. "Yeah, we knew that sweetheart."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Friday, October 31st 1975
Nora sighed as she woke, stretching her back and neck with three satisfying pops of her joints. It was Friday and must have been close to noon as the Gryffindor Tower was eerily quiet. Fridays were a luxury in which the fifth-year Gryffindor's did not have any classes until two in the afternoon when they had a double period of Defence Against the Dark Arts."Five more minutes," Sirius mumbled into her shoulder, still asleep.She reached to move his arm which was draped heavily across her hips. The dormitory was empty, cold, and dark, and rain pattered against the window, the wind moaning into the stone and forcing its way through the cracks in the wooden sill. Slipping out of the bed and pulling on her school uniform, she grabbed one of James's old jumpers that he had left on the floor, brushed her teeth and freshened up in the lavatory before walking back towards Sirius and placing a hand on his shoulder."Hey," she said softly as she shook him. "I'm going down to the common room. James will want you down there soon.""I'll be down in a few," he mumbled, his eyes still closed."Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it," she laughed. "Come on, it's Halloween! We always pull a prank on Halloween. It's tradition," she sang as Sirius rolled over, turning away from her with a groan."But I'm so sleepy," he whined."A whole castle full of people is out there, right now, just waiting to be tricked.""What time is it?" Sirius sighed and rolled back over, facing her. He rubbed his eyes with his fists and groaned."No idea. At least past eleven, I think," she said as she sat next to him."James is gonna kill us," he said as he sat up, looking around at the empty room. "Any idea what he's planned?""None," Nora shook her head. "All he said this morning when he tried to get us up was that it was 'two hundred times better than last year,' which is saying something."Eventually, Sirius did get out of bed, and dressed in a wrinkled white button-down, his tie crooked and loose. He sighed as he shook his hair out with his hands, glancing in the mirror as he did so."Ah, look who finally decided to join us! Nice of you to grace us with your presence," James taunted as Sirius and Nora walked into the common room."Sod off," Sirius grumbled as he jumped over the back of the sofa and sat next to him. “It’s too early for… you.”“Yeah, yeah. Oi, is that my jumper?” James pointed at Nora.“Yep,” she yawned as she pulled the knit material over her head. She walked over to Remus, who was seated in one of the great squashy armchairs, and squeezed in next to him, her legs hanging over his lap."Hello," Remus smiled at her."Hi," she said with another yawn.Remus laughed. "It's half-past twelve, how are you still tired?""I'm always tired," she shrugged as she leaned her head against the front of his shoulder."I know," he said softly.Remus's bandages and sling had been removed by Madam Pomfrey the day prior, ten days after the bad moon, and he was very happy to have full use of both arms again. He wrapped his arms around Nora and rested his chin on the top of her head."Wait until you hear James's plan. It's fully mental this time. He's finally lost it," he said, his chin bouncing on her head."Moony, we all know that I lost it a long time ago. Now it's just about embracing it," said James as he brandished a quill and parchment from his bag."Well, there must have been something left in that head of yours before, because this proves that there's absolutely nothing there now," Remus said."I don't know," said Peter. "Are we sure there was ever anything in his head?"“There must have been something,” Sirius said, pretending to ponder.“I’m not convinced,” said Peter."Quiet, you. Don't distract the genius at work," James said as he pushed his glasses up with his finger and leaned in closer to the group. "Now, listen carefully..."******"Why did we get stuck with the rats?" Peter groaned as he and Nora walked through the hallway on the first floor, a shaking box held in his arms. "I hate rats.""Because you said you hate roaches and bats more," said Nora calmly as she peered around the corner of the wall. "Okay, come on, coast is clear.""But why did it have to be rats! Why couldn't we use puppies or Puffskeins?" he whined as the box rattled. "They're going nuts in here. It's making my skin crawl!""We can't use puppies, Peter. Puppies aren't scary.""Exactly!"Nora laughed as she walked quickly down the hall, Peter trotting behind her. "Do you want me to carry them?""No, I got it," he grumbled, jumping as the rats ran around inside the box, shaking it between his hands."Come on, then, James and Remus will be waiting for us," she said as she walked towards the northern side of the castle.They met James and Remus in the Entrance Hall, thunder rumbling in the distance as they walked. The torches and lanterns on the walls cast long shadows across the hall. A few students lingered, walking leisurely to their next classes, and great smells, sweet and savoury, wafted from the lower staircase where the feast was being prepared in the kitchens."You got the rats? No trouble, then?" James asked as she and Peter approached him."Yeah, it was pretty easy, actually. Just nicked a teacup from McGonagall's room and untransfigured it and then multiplied it. I'd reckon there's about fifteen or twenty in there. I lost count at some point," Nora said as Peter thrust the box into James's hands, cringing and shivering as he did."That'll be enough to start. Once they're transfigured into the gold we'll put the other multiplying charm on them," James said as he cracked open the lid of the box and peered inside. "Brilliant." He grinned."You remember the spell?" Nora asked."Geminio somethin' or other, right?" James looked up from the box.Nora nodded. "Geminio tactilus.""Geminio tactilus," he repeated, closing the lid of the box."Any word from Sirius?" Nora asked as she looked around."Yep, he says he's all set. He's already back from the kitchens and at the Owlery setting up. We're gonna meet him there.""Not that this is going to stop any of you, but I feel like I have to say it, as your prefect, but do you really think we should do this? Are the detentions really going to be worth it?" Remus asked as he looked at the box in James's arms."Alright, Mr. Prefect, now what do you say as our friend?" James asked, his eyebrows raised.Remus sighed heavily and looked at James. "As your friend, I say... let's do this." He shook his head, his mouth turning to a small smile."You heard the man, let's go, then," James grinned.******Nora sat next to Sirius and Remus as Professor Fulminare lectured, her head in her hand, her knee shaking under the desk. She doodled lazily in the margins of her parchment, looking at Remus every now and then for reference as she added shading to the small portrait. As she scratched at the parchment with her quill, adding small strokes of wavy hair, she sighed and looked up at the clock. It was only three-thirty, one and one-half hours until the feast. One and one-half hours until James's plan would be put into action. One and one-half hours until Halloween was to be unleashed upon the Great Hall."Inferi are reanimated corpses used as puppets to do a dark wizard's bidding. They are not alive, though they once were, as humans, wizard or not. An Inferius is reanimated through the magical branch of Dark Arts called Necromancy, or the art of raising the dead. You may think that a dead body cannot be dangerous, but you would be foolish to think so. Gellert Grindelwald wanted to create an army of Inferi and there are rumours that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is wanting to do the same."An Inferius is unfeeling and immune to harm and is very, very difficult to defeat. Without regard for its own safety, an Inferius will kill indiscriminately for its master. They are incredibly strong and quick; an army of them would be a death sentence for most wizards," Fulminare said as he paced the front of the room. "Who knows how to defeat an Inferius? Anyone?"A shiver went down Nora's spine as she pictured the reanimated corpses. She had never heard of magic so evil, so terrifying. As a girl, she had always wanted her mother to come back to life, to come back to her, but now she was picturing her mother's dead body, pale and decaying, and trying to kill her."Lupin," said Fulminare as Remus raised his hand."An Inferius fears warmth and light. It's enchanted to avoid flames; all flesh burns, even dead flesh," Remus said lowly with a grimace. "Spells that produce flames will be most effective against Inferi.""Good. Five points to Gryffindor," grunted Fulminare. "Open your books to page four hundred thirty-nine and read the passage about the spell, Firestorm. The headmaster has forbidden me to use it in the castle so I cannot show you an example even if this is a Defence Against the Dark Arts class," mumbled Fulminare. "So, you will have to be satisfied with the text's explanation. And I've also been told so stress to you that if you are to practice this spell, which to be clear, I am not telling you to practice it, do not do it indoors or around any living creatures.""Oi," Sirius nudged her. "Does Snivellus count as a living creature?""I mean, technically, I guess. But he is quite pale and creepy-like, so I may be wrong," whispered Nora.Sirius cackled under his breath as he opened his textbook and pretended to read the passage."God, he would light up like a bonfire with all that grease," James snickered."I'm surprised he can get close enough to his cauldron to make any potions without exploding into a ball of flames," said Sirius."Be nice," hissed Remus."Nice? To Snape?" Sirius whispered back, incredulously. He stuck his finger in his ear, wiggling it as if he had misheard. "Be nice to Snivellus Snape?"Remus sighed as he dipped his quill into his ink pot, tapping the excess ink off on the lip of the jar. "Fine. Be civil, at least."When the bell rang a little over an hour later, James, Sirius and Nora shot up from their seats, grabbed their bags, and ran quickly from the room, eager to join the crowd of students in the Entrance Hall. Remus and Peter joined them as they stood towards the back of the crowd, anxiously waiting for the doors of the Great Hall to open. Nora stood on her toes and looked around at the excited faces of the students, all of them impatient for the impending feast. She absentmindedly played with the rose charm around her neck."What are you looking for?" Peter asked as he, too, stood on his toes and followed her gaze."Randall," she said, turning around and looking towards the staircase. "I want to warn him.""Warn him? There's no warning when it comes to pranks, Ross. That defeats the whole purpose," Sirius scoffed as he grabbed her arm and turned her back around."Hey, if she gets to warn Middleton then I get to warn Evans," said James."Actually," pondered Nora, "That's a good idea... Oh, hell, she'd be cross with me if I didn't tell her." Suddenly, she spotted a tall head of blonde hair and blue robes standing with his friends near one of the suits of armour. "I'll see you lot in there," she said quickly as she shimmied out of Sirius's grasp and made her way through the crowd."Nora," Randall smiled as she approached him. "I was hoping I'd see you tonight."One of his friends, a tall blonde girl with piercing amber coloured eyes, winked and grabbed his other friends by the arms, leading them away so that Nora and Randall stood alone."Yeah, me too," said Nora. "I mean, you – I was hoping I'd see you, too. Not see me – that'd be odd–"Randall chuckled and raised his eyebrows, his mouth turned upwards in a smirk."Sorry," Nora breathed, the heat rising in her cheeks. "I sort of ramble when I'm nervous.""Don't be I think it's endearing," he said softly, gently grabbing her hand and holding it in his own.The butterflies were back in her stomach and dancing in full swing as he rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand, staring intently down into her face, his starry eyes tender. They had been on a few dates now. Just the other night he had taken her to the Astronomy Tower after dark, they sat on soft pillows, cuddled under a warm blanket as Nora pointed out her favourite constellations. Randall had looked at her with such genuine intrigue, such kindness and rapture, that Nora couldn’t help but continue to gush about him to her friends."What did you get up to today? I didn't hear any screams of terror or explosions from up in the Ravenclaw Tower. No mischief today?" he asked with another smirk, his eyebrow quirked."Oh! That reminds me," she said as the great oak doors of the hall opened. Students began filing into the Great Hall, and Nora could hear Sirius calling her name. "I've got to go... but – well," she paused and leaned closer to him. With a hand on his shoulder, she stood on her toes and got closer to his ear. "Don't touch the coins. Or the rats. Stand on the bench if you must," she spoke into his ear before coming back down on flat feet.Randall cocked his head to the side and looked at her with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "Rats?" he said in a quiet voice.She nodded as Sirius and James appeared at her side, Sirius's arm snaking around her shoulder. Randall looked across between the three faces and shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips."Anything else I should know?" he asked."Already know too much, I'd reckon, mate. We'd have to kill you if we said any more," said Sirius, his face now sincere."Well," Randall chuckled. "That would be unfortunate. I guess I'll see you later, then?"Nora nodded and smiled, tucking her hair behind her ears. She suddenly wished that Sirius and James weren't beside her as she looked up at Randall's soft, pink lips."Wait, you don't like pumpkin, correct?" she asked him, her eyes peeling away from his mouth."Pumpkin?" he asked, his brows furrowed. "No, it's good, I don't mind it."Nora shook her head. "Well, tonight you don't like it. You don't like pumpkin tonight, okay– ""All right, enough talk, now, Ross. We'll have to bloody kill him now!" Sirius said as he shook his head. "Sorry, mate," he shrugged at Randall before leading Nora away and towards the Great Hall, leaving Randall alone and looking quite perplexed."Warning people about pranks," Sirius muttered as he steered her towards the Gryffindor table. "What the hell am I gonna do with you two?""Oi, it was my plan anyways, I should get to warn whoever I want," said James as they took their seats. Remus and Peter were already at the table. Frank, Alice, Johnny, Thomas, and David Davies were next to them with Mary, Sabine, Cecily, and Lily a few seats down. Lily eyed Nora suspiciously as she sat."Yes, which I improved upon," Sirius said. "Your plan was rubbish before my brain contributed.""It wasn't rubbish! You said it was brilliant just this afternoon.""Brilliant rubbish. Which I made better; brillianter.""More brilliant," Remus corrected. "I still can't believe I let you idiots go through with it," he said quietly as Professor Dumbledore stepped down from his podium, Nora, Sirius and James having missed his annual Halloween greeting. "I'm a co-conspirator," he groaned, placing his head in his hands."Yeah, poor Minnie will have a stroke when she finds out her favourite student was really a dirty criminal the whole time," Sirius said sarcastically as the feast appeared on golden plates before their eyes.Large platters of roast beef, chicken, boiled and roasted potatoes, peas, carrots, and gravy filled the tables as black clouds of bats, at least one thousand of them, swooped low over their heads. Pumpkins large enough for three men to sit in had been carved into lanterns and their crooked faces flickered wildly as ghosts flew through tables and walls, the orange-coloured streamers moving as if blown by a breeze. The Enchanted Ceiling reflected the same stormy grey clouds that loomed outside, and lightening flashed as thunder boomed, the pumpkin juice quivering in their jugs."I think everyone knows that you're her favourite student, Sirius," Remus rolled his eyes."As they should!"A great flash of lightening lit the Hall, quickly echoed by the percussion of thunder."So much for no electrical storms this time of year, huh?" said Sirius to Nora as he stabbed a piece of beef with his fork and shook it off onto his plate."Well, there are usually not," she said looking at Peter warily. She didn't want there to be another fight between him and Sirius, not when they were supposed to be enjoying themselves and having fun. Peter lifted his face from his plate and stared at her with widened eyes but didn't say anything."I've read it's because of him," Remus said as he cut into his piece of chicken. "You-Know-Who," he supplied as Sirius, Peter and Nora looked at him in confusion."What, Voldemort's getting into meteorology, now, is he?" Sirius goaded.Peter flinched at the name and Remus shuddered and opened his mouth to reply, but James beat him to it."No, it's the Dementors," he said his face sullen, his voice low."The Dementors?" asked Peter, his eyes widening even more. His mouth hung partially opened on his chubby face and his fingers wrapped themselves tightly around his fork. "What do you mean, 'Dementors'?""My dad heard from one of his vendors in Diagon Alley that Voldemort was able to convince them to join his cause over the summer," said James."But – but what's he doing with Dementors?" Peter shivered."Well, it makes sense, doesn't it? Dementors feed off happiness and cause despair. You-Know-Who does the same, doesn't he?" said Remus."Dad said he was able to promise them plenty of fresh souls. I reckon it wasn't too hard to convince them," said James."Dementors," Sirius shook his head solemnly. "If I can live my life without ever crossing paths with one of them, I'll consider that a success."Nora stared up at the dark swirling clouds. "Do you mean that they've left Azkaban? The Dementors?""No, they're still there," Remus sighed. "For now, at least.""Why do you lot look so miserable?" Frank asked as he turned away from Thomas, David, and Johnny. "No big Halloween plans?""Don't underestimate us, Longbottom. The night's only just begun," Sirius smirked."Oh, Merlin," David groaned. "Well, if it's anything like last year, I guess it's safe to assume you three won't be at practise for the next week then?" He looked disapprovingly at Nora, Sirius and James."Most likely," shrugged Nora. "But I suppose it depends on how angry we're about to make McGonagall."David sighed and ran his hand over his brows, tugging on his cheeks as he slid it down his face. "Do you lot realise how hard it is to run practises with just about half your team missing? While you three are socializing in detention, we'll be holding a Seeker and Keeper practice because my star Chaser and both Beaters are missing!""Oi, Davies, first of all, don't tell Potter he's the star player. His head is already massive. Secondly, just calm down, mate. Get Jenkins here to fill in as a Beater. One Beater is better than none," said Sirius. "We can't really help when we get detention."David shook his head and sighed as Frank and Thomas laughed. "You're lucky that we're only playing Hufflepuff next week," he muttered and turned back towards Frank, Johnny, and Thomas, the four of them continuing to talk.Soon, as the last few students finished their dinners and the remnants of beef and chicken vanished from the tables, the desserts appeared. Pumpkin pasties, goblets of coloured sweets, carrot cake, caramel-coated apples, toffee puddings, and black cauldrons overfilled with lollies as big as one's head appeared on the tables in front of them. Nora, Sirius and James grinned at one another as the hall once again filled with excited chatter. Nora grabbed a lolly and began to lick at it, turning her head to watch the other students.Suddenly, a scream pierced the air from the Hufflepuff table. Nora sat up in her seat and looked towards the scream, her heart racing; she put her lolly down on her plate. The Hufflepuff girl was sobbing and waving her arms, a half-eaten pumpkin pasty in her hand, as three cockroaches scuttled out of the pasty and onto the table. She threw the pasty on the ground as she jumped up from her bench, her hands clawing at her tongue. More screams and shouts rang throughout the hall as students from all houses fell victim to the roach-filled pumpkin pasties."Phase one, complete," said James lowly with a laugh as Frank yelped and a wriggling cockroach fell onto his plate.Frank looked at his pasty with wide eyes, grimacing. "What the -?" He turned and looked at the five friends as Sirius guffawed. "This was you're doing, then? This was your big plan?""You know, Sirius, I've been expecting some mail this week. I do hope it comes soon," James said, ignoring Frank. Nora, James, Sirius, and Peter all laughed quite loudly, and even Remus cracked a smile.As if on cue, twenty owls burst through the opened windows of the Great Hall, shiny gold coins clutched in their beaks. The fog of owls, white, grey, and brown, soared over the tables, the swooshing of their flapping wings competing with the shouts of students."Owls? What are the owls doing in here at night?" a student yelled."What do they got in their beaks?" another student echoed."You reckon that's real gold?" another called out.In the next few minutes, many things happened at once. As the owls dropped their gold coins, and the coins fell downward towards the tables, bouncing off student’s heads and dinner plates, the gold coins that touched the students began to multiply. Some students picked up the coins with intrigue, stashing their new fortune, their pockets beginning to bulge. Others simply stared as coins began to pop and divide into more gold, clattering onto the floor with small pings. Students shouted and screamed, now with excitement and joy. Then, all the coins transfigured.The coins, which were once shiny and gold, were now large, grey, and whiskery. The rats scurried over the tables and onto the floors, their bald, worm-like tails snaking behind them. Nora watched in amazement, her eyes the size of saucers. School cloaks were suddenly hollowing and lying in piles on the benches as fat, grey rats ran in distress throughout the hall. The squeaking of the rodents was close to deafening as more and more students were suddenly transfigured; every single student who had touched or pocketed a coin, and subsequently, anyone who had touched a rat, was quite quickly sprouting a snout, tail and whiskers.Nora laughed as Sirius stood up on the bench and grabbed her hand, pulling her up to stand next to him, squealing as a rat ran its path over her shoe, even though she knew that the spell wouldn't affect her. From her new vantage point, Nora could see that nearly a quarter of the students had been transfigured into rodents. She looked over towards the Ravenclaw table and saw that Randall and a handful of other Ravenclaws were also standing on their benches. Randall laughed, grinning, and shook his head as he caught her eye. She waved over at him and shrugged as if to say, "Oops!""PHASE TWO, COMPLETE!" James yelled over the roaring commotion. He, Remus and Peter were also now standing on the bench.That was Sirius's cue. He grinned at Nora, his eyes glinting and sparkling with chaos, as he turned and pointed his wand towards the ceiling."Engorio Maxima!" he called, waving his wand at the black cloud of swooping bats.If the squeaks and screams were deafening before, Nora was sure now that the windows and glass goblets would shatter in the noise. The bats above their heads suddenly began to grow, swelling to the size of average pumpkins. They fell, hovering only a few meters above the heads of the non-transfigured students, their bloated, black bodies suddenly too heavy to fly as high as they once were; they bumped into one another, obstructing the view of the enchanting ceiling. Students shrieked as they covered their heads with their arms, ducking low, their backs hunched. Some students tried to run from the hall, but the floor was still a sea of scurrying rats, and the running students did not get very far before they were transfigured, their empty cloaks falling to the floor."PHASE THREE, COMP –"James was interrupted with three loud bangs and flashes.Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the Great Hall, her wand pointed high into the air, the tip of it smoking. She waved her wand in great swooping circles and suddenly every rat in the hall, both real and student, was hovering in the air."ENOUGH!" she bellowed; her face enraged. With the rats floating, pivoting and spinning as if in slow-motion, she stepped down from the elevated platform which housed the staff table, and surged forward towards the Gryffindor table. She didn't so much as faulter, she didn't even slow down, as she approached the five friends. All she said was, "My office. Now." before she was storming past them and out of the great oak doors.Nora, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter looked at one another warily, the hall now so quiet that one could have heard a pin drop, before they stepped down from the benches. Remus sighed, his head hung as Peter looked ahead towards the doors, terrified. As the five of them walked towards the door, the few students that were left met them with applause, woops, and hollers, a few students even stopping to clap one of the boys on the back. As Nora passed the Ravenclaw table, she looked up, meeting Randall's eye, blushing as he winked."Right on," Sirius said, his smile wide, as the five of them left the hall.******"Contaminating food – feeding students cockroaches. Engorging bats. Bribing school owls. Transfiguring students into rats," said Professor McGonagall as she paced behind her desk. "What were you thinking?"James, Sirius, Nora, Peter, and Remus were all crammed in front of her desk, Remus, James and Nora in the three seats, and Peter and Sirius standing behind them, the office too small to fit five chairs."You weren't thinking, of course," McGonagall answered herself. She stopped pacing and stared down at them, her eyes harshly flickering between the five faces, her lips pursed into a thin line. "If you had been thinking, you would have realized how foolish you were acting. Sixty-seven students turned into rats! Two faculty members!""Faculty members?" James looked up from his lap, his eyes wide, a slight smirk on his lips. "Who?"Professor McGonagall sighed and sat down in her chair, rubbing her temples with two fingers of each hand. "Professor Flitwick," she said, glaring at Sirius as he laughed. "And our Headmaster."Remus groaned, sinking down lower in his seat, his eyes closing as he grimaced."DUMBLEDORE!" Sirius guffawed from behind Nora, his hand gripping her shoulder, shaking her slightly. "We got Dumbledore?"“How hard was it to find Professor Flitwick?” James asked genuinely. “Was he a normal sized rat? Or was he tiny?”Nora bit her lip to keep from laughing, picturing one of the grey rats with a long white beard and half-moon spectacles. Remus winced as Sirius laughed again."Enough, Mr. Potter," McGonagall warned. "Who's idea was this? All five of yours? Mr. Lupin, need I remind you that you are a prefect?"Remus looked up at their professor and swallowed. "I'm sorry, Professor," he said quietly."No, it was my idea," said James. "Remus didn't have any part of it. He didn't help, he even tried to stop us.""And you know as well as I do, Minnie, that there's no stopping us once we get an idea in our heads," Sirius said. Nora could recognize from the tone of his voice that Sirius was smiling behind her.McGonagall sighed and shook her head. "Very well. You may go, Mr. Lupin."Remus opened his mouth, but no words came out. He closed his mouth and looked over at Nora, his eyes wide. "But – but I didn't stop them, Professor," he said finally, turning back towards McGonagall."But you attempted to?""Well... yes... I suppose so – just once, though.""That's more than the rest of them did," McGonagall said. "You're free to go, Mr. Lupin."Behind her, Nora could hear Peter’s heavy, anxious breathing and before she knew what she was doing, she found herself speaking."Peter didn't do anything either. I made him come with me, but he didn't want to. He shouldn't be punished either," Nora lied.Professor McGonagall, James, and Remus looked at her as she heard a small gasp from Peter. Sirius's grip on her shoulder tightened ever so slightly and McGonagall's eyes narrowed before she looked behind James towards Peter."Is that true, Mr. Pettigrew?""Yes," Peter squeaked without hesitation.Professor McGonagall sighed for the second time as she waved to the door. "You may go as well, then."Nora heard Peter scramble towards the door. Remus looked at Nora, his lips pursed. He placed a hand on her knee and shook his head slightly, before standing up and walking towards the door. Sirius sat down in the now unoccupied chair as the door sounded closed."Why is it when something happens it is always you three?" McGonagall looked between the three faces. Her eyes were steely, but Nora could have sworn she saw her lips twitch. "That was very... advanced magic. In any other circumstance, I might have even said that it was impressive magic.""You could say it in this circumstance, Minnie, your secret would be safe with us," Sirius said with grin."The tactile multiplying charm is not taught until your seventh year... who was responsible for that?" McGonagall asked, ignoring Sirius's comment.Nora paused, her heart thumping. She looked at James and Sirius before answering. "Me," she said quietly. "I might have borrowed Frank's textbook without permission... I gave it back right away though."Professor McGonagall's eyes flickered towards Nora, and this time, Nora was sure that she saw her professor's mouth flash into something reminiscent of a smile before her lips became the thin line once again. Her professor nodded quickly and sighed for the umpteenth time that evening."Very well," she said. "The three of you will be serving a total of six detentions with me, starting tonight. You will come back again on Monday evening at seven o’clock after dinner and return each day after that until your detentions are served.""Monday?" James whined. "But, Professor, Monday's Sirius's birthday!""I'll be sure to bring a cake, then," McGonagall said plainly. Then, she waved her wand, and three blank parchments and quills appeared in front of them each accompanied by pots of ink. "You will each write me one hundred lines before you leave tonight, copying down the sentences I have written at the top." She tapped her wand one time on each parchment, her tiny script etching itself onto the top of the parchments. "After you finish, you may leave."
I will not Engorgio bats. I will not feed my fellow students cockroaches. I will not steal teacups from my professors. I will not transfigure my fellow students into rats.
Nora's hand cramped as she quickly scrawled her lines, the sound of Sirius and James's quills scratching next to her. She looked up as she felt Sirius nudge her knee with his."Worth it?" he whispered to her."Worth it," she confirmed with a nod."Silence. No talking!" McGonagall chided.Nora continued her lines, biting her lip to stop herself from smirking.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Monday, November 3rd 1975
"Happy birthday, love," Nora said as Sirius shuffled awake, rubbing his eyes. Nora was sitting on his bed facing him, leaning against one of the posts, a piece of parchment against her knees; the wispy black ink marks dancing across the page, swirling together to make an image."Why do you always draw me when I'm asleep?" he scoffed and looked at her before sitting up and crawling towards her, peering his face over her knees to look at the parchment."'Cause that's the only time you're still enough to let me draw you," she said. "Encantar Desenho," she whispered, tapping the parchment with her wand, the black ink strokes moved and twisted; the Sirius in the portrait was now breathing, his chest slowly rising and falling, his hands above his head twitching ever so slightly, just as they had in real life only minutes before."How do you get it to look so much like me?" he asked, yawning, and gently picking up the portrait. He inspected it, his fingers gingerly tracing the ink strokes. "It looks just like me."Nora shrugged and peered over his shoulder, her chin brushing against his ear. "My mum liked to draw. Well, she was more of a painter, actually. But I 'spose I get it from her. Dad's rubbish with a paintbrush," she smiled fondly.Sirius turned to look at her, his nose centimetres from her own, his eyes crossing as he stared at her face. "See, that's one of the things I bloody love about you, Ross," he said as he sat back, running a hand through his hair. "Most girls, you compliment them, and they blush and try to deny it like 'oh, no I'm rubbish, boohoo,'" he said, his voice climbing a few octaves as he imitated. "But you, Ross, you accept it. You hold your head high and you say 'yes, I'm great and I'm good at that, you're right.' And I bloody love it."The corner of Nora's mouth turned upwards, "I've always been a bit worried that I'll come across as conceited," she confessed."Conceited? Nah," said Sirius as he kneeled on his bed, tacking the drawing up on his wall with his wand. He sat back and leaned against the other post, staring at her. "See, you don't just go around and tell people you're talented, you're not like Potter. You just don't try and deny it when other people tell you you're good at things. Which I think is brilliant; why bother denying it? People who do that are just big tossers, really."Nora chuckled as she laid back, her head in his lap, staring up into his stormy eyes."Happy birthday, Sirius.""Thanks, love."True to her word, there was a cake waiting for them when Nora, Sirius, and James walked into the Transfiguration classroom on Monday evening for their detention. Still sticking to the surprise party-plan, Nora and the boys had been very quiet regarding Sirius's birthday, much quieter than the years prior. And just like James had predicted, Sirius Black had been expecting a big party."Oh, Minnie!" Sirius said as they entered the room, dramatically placing a hand over his heart, stumbling as he walked to the front of the room. "Minnie's my new best friend, seeing as she actually remembered my birthday.""Oi, we remembered! We even sang 'Happy Birthday' at breakfast. We told you; Remus is finishing wrapping up your gifts and you can open them when we get back to the dorm," said James with a shake of his head. "Forget your birthday," he mumbled. "It'd be bleeding impossible to forget your birthday seeing as you mention it every five minutes.""I only mention it every five minutes because you've forgotten it!""We haven't forgotten it, you lunatic," said Nora with a roll of her eyes. "I was the first person to wish you a Happy Birthday, today. Why does Minnie get to be your best friend?""Because Minnie loves me and could never forget my birthday. Minnie didn't even need a reminder that it's my birthday. The day I was born. Otherwise known as the second most important day of the year.""What's the first?" James asked, his brow quirked."I don't know yet, I haven't decided. But I'm not completely selfish, I know there's gotta be a day out there somewhere that's more important than my birthday," Sirius shrugged. "Like Christmas... or perhaps Boxing Day.""We're just giving you what you wanted, mate," said James with a roll of his eyes. "What happened to wanting a quiet birthday?"Sirius paused and narrowed his eyes at James."All right, that is quite enough chatter, you three," said Professor McGonagall as she strode into the room. She walked towards them where they were huddled around her desk, peering at the white birthday cake with red letters spelling out 'Happy Birthday, Sirius' across the top in neat cursive. "This is still a detention, after all."With a wave of her wand, she set four small plates and forks in a row on her desk and began to cut the cake into slices. James, Sirius, and Nora sat in desks, McGonagall behind her own, as they ate their cakes and sipped on cups of tea."Hey, Minnie, when’s your birthday?" asked Sirius between mouthfuls of cake.McGonagall stared at him, her teacup held up in one hand, her eyebrows slightly raised."Oh, jeez, Min, I'm not trying to ask how old you are," Sirius laughed, his eyes widening. "I just wanted to know when we should get you a present, is all."Their professor’s mouth twitched, and she cleared her throat. "I'm afraid you'll have to wait until next year," she said, putting her teacup down onto her saucer. "The fourth of October.""WHAT?" he yelled, his fork clattering onto the wooden desk. "We missed it? We missed it and you didn't even tell us?""It's a shame you don't know your best friend's birthday, love," said Nora as she and James snickered."I know all my best mate’s birthdays," goaded James."As do I, James," said Nora."Minnie, I reckon you know all your best mate's birthdays, too, right?" laughed James as Sirius grabbed a handful of cake and attempted to smear it onto his face."Watch it!" James cried as he grabbed Sirius's wrist, trying to force his hand away. "Watch the glasses!""Not my fault you're a specky git!" Sirius guffawed, struggling against James's grasp.Nora licked the icing that clung to the back of her fork, sucking on the metal prongs as she silently watched the two wrestling boys, her eyebrows reaching towards her hairline.Professor McGonagall sighed, her elbow on her desk, her two fingers pressing against her lips. She and Nora looked at one another, Nora with her lips pursed to keep from laughing, and McGonagall slowing shaking her head, her eyes silently screaming a million words.Earlier that day, before they had gone down to their detention, Nora and James had gone over their plan for Sirius's party. Most of the Gryffindor house was to be upstairs and waiting in the common room for James (who at the end of detention was to run ahead of Nora and Sirius by using some of their secret passageways) to warn them that Sirius was coming. Nora, on the other hand, was tasked with trying to distract Sirius and make their commute from the first floor to the seventh floor long and leisurely to give James enough time to warn everyone to hide."But we'll need a way for you to tell me that everyone's ready," Nora had said to James as they sat in the boys dormitory. "You know Sirius – I don't know how long I'll be able to distract him.""True," said James as he chewed on his lower lip, something he often did when he was thinking. "I could set one of the Filibuster's off from the tower. Then, when you hear the boom, you'll know we're ready.""Yeah, and you'll alert Filch, the prefects, and every other person in the castle if you set off a Filibuster," Nora sighed."Well, do we have any other options? How else am I supposed to send you a signal?""You don't need to send off a firework to send a signal, James," said Remus as he sat forward in his bed and pulled his school bag towards him. He reached inside and pulled out a small, blank parchment. Smoothing it over his duvet, he touched the tip of his wand to the surface and said, "Geminae Chartum.""What's that do?" James asked, looking towards Remus with his eyebrows scrunched, the skin above his nose where the wire of his glasses rested was wrinkled."I came across the charm last year while reading. I didn't want to tell you lot about it because I figured it would make it much too easy for you to pass notes during classes – which you do enough of already," Remus said as he carefully folded the small parchment in half and began to tear it in two along the crease. He handed Nora and James each one half. "James, try writing something," suggested Remus as he sat back against his pillows, his knees bent upwards to support the book he had been reading.James, with his brows still furrowed, looked between Remus and Nora before fishing in his own bag for a quill and ink pot. Nora was watching as he scratched at the parchment when Remus cleared his throat and motioned for her to look down at her own parchment. There, she could see words in James's tiny, slanted hand appearing letter-by-letter on the parchment in her hand."James Potter, you have a filthy mouth!" she gasped, looking up at James as he stopped his writing. "I can see everything you've written."James's eyes widened as a grin stretched across his face. "Can you really?"Nora held up her parchment, the words etched across the page at an angle, the same angle in which James had written them on his own parchment."You're a genius, Moony!" said James as he scratched out the words on his parchment, the words on Nora's parchment becoming buried under a nest of black ink. "A bloody genius!""I wouldn't qualify reading for pleasure as being a quality of a genius," Remus rolled his eyes with a small smile. "Now, the spell is limited by distance, but so long as you both stay on the western side of the castle, it should still work. That way, James you can simply write on your parchment to tell Nora that you're ready. No combusting or fiery explosions necessary.""Brilliant," James said, his eyes swimming with mischief to match his large grin. ******It was late and well after curfew by the time Professor McGonagall had dismissed them from detention."I swear, I might just hex the next person I see that's chomping on some Drooble's," Sirius grumbled as the three of them walked out of the Transfiguration classroom, their wrists sore from spending the previous hours scraping chewing gum from the bottoms of the desks."Are you having a laugh? Half that gum was probably yours," said James. "Yeah, well, I'm never chewing it again," replied Sirius, walking ahead of Nora and James. James turned to Nora and raised his eyebrows, patting his robe pocket with his hand. "You got it?" he mouthed to her. She nodded and pulled up her left sleeve revealing the edge of the parchment Remus had enchanted. James nodded and winked. As the three began to walk up the Grand Staircase, Nora paused and stopped at the bottom step, her fingers drumming against the railing of the staircase."I have to use the loo," said Nora plainly. "Will you lot wait for me?" Sirius groaned and turned around. "Can't you just hold it until we're at the dorm?"Nora narrowed her eyes and set her jaw. "No, I can't 'just hold it.' So, will you wait for me or not?"Sirius paused and groaned again. "All right, fine," he sighed, making his way down the few stairs that separated them. "You coming, mate?" he asked James over his shoulder. James shook his head with a slight grimace. "I'm actually feeling a bit ill," he said, placing a hand on his stomach. "I'm gonna head back to lay down for a bit of a kip, if that's alright."Sirius looked crestfallen, his shoulders slumping, but he nodded. "Yeah, sure. Feel better.""I'll try," said James before turning around and making his way slowly up the staircase. Sirius turned around, his face set deeply in a scowl. "Come on," he said as he jumped off the last step and turned towards the direction of the lavatories. "Before Filch or that mangy cat finds us.Nora followed him silently, slipping past him through the door of the girl's lavatory when he stopped in front of it. "I'll be quick," she said."Doesn't matter," Sirius said as the door swung closed, separating them. "Don't have any plans tonight, anyways," his voice was now muffled.Nora sighed and walked towards the sinks, inspecting her reflection in the mirrors. Reaching into her robe sleeve, she pulled out the parchment that was still scribbled with James's crossed-out profanities, and turned it over, searching for any new writings. Not seeing any, she sat up on the lip of the sinks, turning over the parchment every now and then, swinging her feet freely above the tile floor.It was about ten minutes before the door opened and Sirius's head was sticking through the crack. Nora quickly shoved the parchment up her sleeve and stared at him with bulging eyes. "Nora, are – what are you doing?" He opened the door wider and stepped inside, his brows lowering over his eyes. "I thought you had to use the loo?""I – sorry. I think I'm feeling a bit off colour, too," she said quickly, hoping that he didn't see the parchment.His face relaxed a bit as he took a few tentative steps forward. "You all right?"Nora nodded, thinking fast. "Yeah, just feeling quite ill all of a sudden. I think I just need some fresh air. Can you open the window?"Sirius's eyes flitted over her, his face unreadable, but he walked forward and opened the window next to the sinks. He turned around, leaning against the wall, his feet crossing at the ankles, and stared at her. "Thanks," she said quietly."It's strange, you and James getting ill at the same time," he said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah," Nora nodded. "It is strange. Maybe it was the cake.""I feel fine," he said with a small shake of his head, his curly hair bouncing upon his shoulders, his eyes slightly narrowed. "Something must be going around the castle.""Yeah, that must be it," she said."Think you should go to Pomfrey?"Nora shook her head, her eyes widening slightly. "No, no. I'll be fine. Maybe, uh, maybe we can just head back to the dorm," she said, hoping that the walk from the first floor to the seventh floor would be enough time for James. Sirius looked at her for a moment before speaking. "Sure," he said finally. "If that's what you want." He pushed himself off the wall and walked towards her, his hand held out for her to grasp, his eyes pensive. She grabbed his hand, almost robotically, and let him help her off the sinks and lead her out of the bathroom, one of his hands placed gently on the small of her back. Hiding the parchment in the palm of her hand, she carefully peaked at it, sneakily turning it over. Come on, James, she thought to herself upon not seeing any new writings. She continued to take sly peaks at the parchment as they rode the staircases up towards the Gryffindor Tower, their wands illuminated in front of them, the torches on the walls having long been extinguished. "You sure you're all right?" Sirius asked quietly. "You really do seem a bit... off."Nora turned and looked up at him, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. "Yeah, just feel a bit ill, is all," she nodded. "Right," he said, looking at her with a mix of scepticism and concern. "Well, let's just get you to bed then." Nora didn't respond as she followed him up the stairs, but she continually checked the parchment, frantically turning it over as sneakily and quietly as she could manage. Maybe the parchment doesn't work, she thought to herself. Maybe James has been ready this whole time, but the parchment just doesn't work, and he has no way to tell you.Or maybe he's just not ready yet and you're about to ruin Sirius's party by letting him walk in there before everyone's ready. It was as they were riding the sixth staircase that these thoughts echoed through her head. The staircase was about to attach to the seventh-floor landing and Nora knew she needed to act fast. She needed to do something that would stop Sirius from walking down the hall and through the portrait hole. As the staircase clicked into place with the landing, Nora eyed the second step from the top with a grimace. Without thinking it through, she let herself fall a few paces behind Sirius who had just stepped onto the landing. And before he could notice anything, Nora quickly ran up the remaining stairs, putting her full weight on the second stair from the top as she climbed. Her leg fell through the trick step much faster than she had imagined it would and her wand clattered to the floor, the tip falling dark; she fell to the floor with a smack and a groan, tangled in her robes and head hung, her leg stuck halfway in the step so that everything below her knee was disappearing into the staircase. "Bloody hell, Ross!" Sirius cried as he whipped around and kneeled next to her. "What's the matter with you tonight? Been going to Hogwarts for five years now and you suddenly forget the trick steps?"The fall had hurt a bit more than she had intended it to and it took her a few moments to push through the fog that was hanging thickly in her head. Sirius peered into her face, his eyes searching hers. He tucked some of her hair behind her ears."Are you hurt?" he asked."Pull me out," Nora whimpered. Sirius placed one of Nora's arms around his shoulders and scooped his arms under her free leg. Then, as gently as he could, he pulled her up and out of the trick step, carrying her bridal-style."I need to sit," she said as she gripped the collar of his robes, the fabric spilling out between her fingers. Sirius walked over to one of the stone benches that lined the hallways of the castle and placed her down so that she was sitting sideways. He sat next to her; they were only a few meters away from the portrait hole. "Where're you hurt?" he asked as he lit the torch above them, his eyes scanning over her. Nora motioned to her leg that was up on the bench, the one that had been caught in the stair. "My ankle.""This one?" he asked softly as he gently placed his hand on the side of her foot. She nodded, pretending to wince as he braced his hand underneath her ankle and lifted it up, placing it on his lap. As he worked at the buckle of her shoe, Nora peaked at the parchment, but still saw no signal. She mentally cursed James as Sirius slipped off her shoe and rolled down her sock, rolling it extra carefully over her ankle, and then pulling it from her foot. She stared down at her foot, her toes bare, the skin puckered and indented from the ribs in her sock; the skin on her ankle and some spots on her shin were already pink, likely to bruise. "It's just a bit swollen," he said as he gingerly ran his fingers over her ankle and foot. "It's pretty red, though. Can you move it?"Nora nodded and flexed her ankle, pretending to grimace as she did. "Yeah, it's just sore I think," she said. "I - I don't know what happened."Sirius furrowed his brows and his eyes flashed up to meet hers. He leaned closer to her, holding out the back of his hand and placing it on her forehead. "You don't feel warm," he muttered, though his eyes were still heavy with concern. He chewed on his lip for a moment and looked around at the dark hall. "You sure you don't want to go to the Hospital Wing? Or I can go fetch Moony, he's much better at healing magic than I am."Nora shook her head wildly. "No, I'm sure!" she said too quickly. "I mean, I'm sure I'll be fine." She played with the hidden parchment nervously, twisting and wringing it in her hands. As Sirius looked down the hall again, she stole another glance at the paper, her heart skipping. Appearing letter-by-letter in James's script was one word:
Ready.
"Er- actually maybe you should go fetch Rem," she said as she slipped the parchment back into her sleeve. Sirius looked at her for a moment, before nodding. "All right, I'll be right back, then." He lifted her ankle carefully off his lap and set it on the bench before walking towards the portrait hole, his hands shoved deeply into the pockets of his robe. As he gave the Fat Lady the password, Nora grabbed her shoe and sock in her hand and jumped up from the bench, her ankle twinging a tiny bit. She ran after Sirius, her one foot still bare, and skidded to a halt beside him as the portrait swung open. "SURPRISE!""HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"Many voices rang out as the common room lit up, Gryffindor's jumping out from behind sofas and chairs, many piling down the staircases. Loud Muggle rock music bounced off the walls, playing at top volume from the record player. Gryffindor-red streamers hung from the ceiling, shimmying and waving next to non-explodable luminous balloons which glowed a brilliant gold colour. The two long tables which were usually used for homework were placed together under a red tablecloth, piled high with drinks, food and sweets. A large banner, one which Nora had decorated earlier that morning, hung above the mantle, the words "Happy Birthday, Sirius!" were written in the middle, swirling around a hand drawn beater's bat and a golden snitch.James ran towards the portrait hole with a large grin on his face as Sirius looked around, his eyes wide, a smile slowing growing. "You bloody bastard!" he said, punching James in the arm. "You really had me going there!" James laughed and shook his head. "Sorry we had to fib to you, mate. And trust me - oi, why're you only wearing one shoe?" he asked, suddenly looking down at Nora's feet. "'Cause you took so damn long!" she exclaimed, smacking James in the arm with her sock. "I had to throw myself into the trick step to stop him from coming in here. I almost broke my bloody ankle!James's eyebrows shot upwards on his forehead as he laughed, throwing his head back as he did."Glad you find it funny, Potter," she said as she nudged him with her elbow."And you!" Sirius said as he turned to face Nora, his smile devilish, his eyes sparkling with joy. "You were bloody brilliant! I was about to run you off to St. Mungos the way you were acting. You should get an award for that show you just did.""What did she do this time?" Remus asked as he and Peter approached them, having pushed their way through the crowd. As they stepped inside the common room, Sirius retold the story, laughing and exaggerating details, with Nora next to him, rolling her eyes. Partygoers would stop to wish Sirius a happy sixteenth birthday every so often, some coming up to him with a shot of Firewhisky, which he would gladly take, his smile growing wider with each one.Her throat burned as she tipped back another swig of Firewhisky, her body moving to the music, her hands shooting up in the air. She was on one of the tables with Alice and Frank, dancing alongside Sirius, a half empty bottle of whisky in her hand that was being shared between the two of them. She and Sirius had changed out of their uniforms.She laughed as James jumped up onto the table next to them, falling to his knees atop it, begging Lily Evans for a dance, his hands clasped in front of him."Just one, love?" he begged, slurring. "Please, just one time then - then I'll never ask again!"Lily looked at him with disdain as she rolled her eyes. "In your dreams, Potter," she said before crossing the room to go dance with Sabine and Mary. "HA!" Sirius barked. "Get it? Literally, in your dreams! 'Cause that's the only time you'll ever dance with Evans!" Sirius spun Nora around by the hand as James stuck up two fingers at him.The common room, which was mostly just filled with the older students, was a mess. Streamers were tangled in piles on the floor, empty bottles of Butterbeer and Firewhisky were strewn about along with used Zonko's items and pranks, many of which James had given Sirius as presents. The music was still loud, and it vibrated off the walls, buzzing in Nora's ears and jaw. It was as she was tossing back another swig of whisky that she saw a tall head of wavy, tawny hair slip out of the portrait hole. "I'll be right back!" she shouted over the music before shoving the bottle into Sirius's chest, clumsily kneeling on the table and then scooting off it. She stumbled as she found her balance, slipping in between crowds of students, passing by Peter who was asleep, curled into a ball on the sofa. She opened the portrait hole and stepped out into the dark hallway. "Lumos," she whispered as she took out her wand, the portrait closing behind her, completely sealing off all noise from the party within. The hall was eerily quiet, and though she could no longer see him, she knew where he would be. As quietly as she could manage, she turned and slipped down the hall, stopping at a large portrait of Balfour Blane. "Sneaking out again, Ms. Ross?" the portrait spoke to her, looking down at her, his dark eyebrows raised. The collar of his green shirt was stiff and popped up high over his neck. A long black beard curled down over his chest, blending into his locks of dark hair."I know, I know! Is he up there?"Balfour nodded and the portrait swung open like a door. Behind it was a steep, narrow and winding staircase. She began climbing the stairs, around and around, her hands bracing on either wall, her knees bumping against the next steps. Eventually, the stairs stopped and flattened into a landing. The wind howled through the columns, blowing her hair back, sending pinpricks against her nose and cheeks. Tucking her chin into the collar of her jumper, she walked around the small tower, her hand brushing against the icy railing, her fingers shooting pins and needles. Suddenly, Remus was there, his forearms leaning against the railing, his back arched and head up as he looked towards the night sky, the stars twinkling against the inky black canvas. "Hello," he said as she approached, looking down at her with a small, sad smile. "You snuck out," she said as she stood next to him, peering over the railing down at the grounds, her feet climbing onto the lower bar, her knees squeezing in between the columns.Remus nodded. "You know me, parties aren't quite my thing.""They used to not be my thing either, but then last year Thomas gave us some Firewhisky and then they were my thing," Nora shrugged. Remus chuckled softly and wrapped his arm around her as she shivered in the wind, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. "I know, I was there.""Oh, right," she nodded, her brows scrunched. "I forgot.""Yes, I'm sure you did," he said with another small chuckle. "Rem, can you fix bruises?" she asked, looking up at him with big eyes. "Bruises?""I bruised myself helping James and Sirius with the surprise!" she said as she sunk to the stone floor, lifting the hem of her jeans and pulling down her stocking. "See?" She motioned to her ankle and shin, the spots beginning to turn a lovely deep purple shade puckered with small red dots.Remus kneeled down next to her; his face quizzical. "Where are your shoes?"Nora put her foot down and pulled up the other leg of her jeans, staring at her stockinged feet. "Oh," she said, her brows scrunching again. "I'm not sure. I can't recall... but can you fix it?" She lifted her bruised leg up again.Remus laughed and gently pushed her leg back down. "I can't fix it, but I have some leftover Pine Salve that Madam Pomfrey gave me a few weeks ago. We can put it on when we go back to the dorms, alright?"Nora nodded and scooted closer to him. She placed her palms on either side of his cheeks, squeezing them slightly, staring at him intensely. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice slightly muffled. "You're just so cute, Rem," she said. "Very, very cute. Look at this face!""And you're very, very drunk," he said with a small smile, pulling her hands away from his face. "No," she sing-songed. "I'm not drunk, I'm happy. Just a wee bit happier than usual.""'Wee?'" Remus laughed. "So, you're Scottish, now?""Oui," she replied, a large grin on her face. "You're too much," he said with a shake of his head, a small smile on his face. "You didn't drink?""Nope.”"Why not? Maybe you'd like parties if you did."Remus sighed, looking at her face with his head cocked to the side. "Probably," he said. "So why don't you?"Remus paused before answering, his fingers tracing patterns in the stone floor. "I don't trust myself..." He lifted his head and looked up at her before turning his attention back to the stones. "If I were to get drunk, I'd be afraid I would tell someone about my, furry little problem, as James calls it." He stared off between the columns, watching the dark outline of the trees sway in the distance. "Are you afraid we'll tell?" Nora asked quietly. "When we're drunk?"Remus turned to look at her, his brows heavy, his lips slightly pursed. "Sometimes," he nodded. "Oh," she said, her mouth turning to a frown. "I'm sorry.""No, no, don't be," he said quickly, placing a hand on her knee. "Logically, I know you guys would never. But sometimes, you just get so...""Happy," Nora supplied with a nod."Yes," Remus chuckled. "Happy. You get so 'happy' that sometimes I'm afraid you'll say it and not mean to."Nora looked out at the grounds, her heart aching. "I would never," she said softly. "And you know Sirius and James wouldn't, either. And Peter doesn't actually drink because he hates the taste of alcohol, so you don't even have to worry about him." She sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I would never, Remus.""I know," he said, pulling her closer and wrapping his arms around her. They were silent for a while, watching the stars dance across the sky, listening to the leaves rustling far below on the grounds. Then, Nora stirred. "Rem, do you think I'm pretty?"Remus turned his head and stared down at her. "What?""Do you think that I'm pretty?" she asked again. "No one's ever called me pretty before. Not a boy, anyways.""Randall's not called you pretty?" he asked quietly. Nora shook her head. "No," she sighed. "He’s said other things. But he’s never said that I’m pretty. And - and I know how it sounds. It sounds silly. I'm not saying I think I'm ugly. I know I'm not. And I know I can be beautiful, especially when I wear nice clothes and do my hair nice but - but I look at Lily Evans and Sabine and even Cecily and Mary and they're just so pretty. Like, they're effortlessly pretty, Rem, aren't they? They just wake up in the mornings and their hair’s a mess and they're tired, but they're still so pretty. And people only say I'm nice looking when I try to look nice. I mean, I'm not that self-conscious... but I want to be pretty. I want to just wake up in the mornings and be pretty. I want to look like the girls in the magazines and on the telly, with their perfect hair and perfect bodies. I want to be them, Rem.""Nora," said Remus with a sigh. "And I don't want you to say it just because I just said all that," she said, wiping her nose on the back of her hand; it was dripping from the cold. "And I don't want it to seem like I'm just wanting compliments. 'Cause I'm not."Remus placed his hands on the sides of her arms and turned her so that she was facing him, looking up into his big, brown eyes. "Nora," he shook his head, his browns down turned, his eyes sad. "How can you not see it? Of course, you're pretty." He shook his head again and scoffed softly. "It kills me that you don't see it, that you can't see it; what we all see. You're as pretty outside as you are in, which, in case you don't know, is very pretty, because you are probably the most beautifully kind-hearted person that I know. And fiercely loyal," he added with a chuckle. " I wouldn't want to get on your bad side... But you can't compare yourself to other people, Nora. Especially those people in magazines and on Muggle telly. They're not real people, they're doctored up and edited. No one really looks like that.""Even - ""Yes, even Lily Evans and Sabine McLaggen," said Remus. "Trust me, Nora. You are very, very pretty." He stared at her, his face plain as his eyes danced across her face, his hands still on her arms. "My mum used to say I was the prettiest little witch she ever saw," said Nora. "That I was going to grow up and break hearts."Remus smiled sadly at her, his hands falling from her arms. "I don't doubt that is still true." "I think I miss her, Rem," she whispered. "I think I miss my mum."Remus took a deep breath and pulled her close, wrapping his arms tightly around her, rubbing small circles on her back. Nora didn't cry - she rarely cried - and she didn't hug back; she laid her head against his chest, her ear pressing against his collarbone. She listened to the thumping of his heart, thinking of her mum; of her beautiful face, her hands, and her voice which only came to her in dreams now.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Tuesday, November 4th 1975
The next day, Nora had never felt so ill. Her robes felt too hot and scratchy, and her head felt much too heavy upon her neck. She sat in the back of the Charms classroom, sandwiched in between Sirius and Remus, lazily moving her wand, producing a feeble Locomotion Charm upon the old stack of textbooks that they had been practicing on. The textbooks hovered over the desk, moving left and right, and Nora covered her eyes with her other hand, breathing through the nausea that was building in the back of her throat, her head pounding. She could feel the Mandrake leaf in the side of her mouth, worn down and wilted from the past two weeks. It was emitting a strong acidic flavour now, and coupled with her migraine, Nora was doing all that she could to not spit it out that very moment."Please, never let me drink again," she mumbled out loud to no one in particular.Sirius scoffed and rolled his eyes, a small smirk playing on his lips as he took over control of the stack of books, letting them soar through the air and around the desk in tight, neat circles. Sirius looked tired, more so than usual with the beginnings of some dark circles forming underneath his eyes, right in the hollows of his face. But he was otherwise fine, not acting any differently than usual."You say that after every time," said James from the table to their right. He was seated next to Peter, and was trying to help him with the charm, their own stack of books barely levitating off the desks as Peter sighed in frustration, his cheeks red."I mean it this time," said Nora as she laid her head upon her arms on the desk, welcoming the darkness."Sure, you do," Sirius said."I'm serious," she groaned. "I have a problem." She felt Remus's hand slip on to her back, rubbing gentle circles across her tensed muscles."And here, I thought all this time, I was Sirius!" Sirius laughed.Nora rolled her head over her arms, peering over at him, sending him a glare."Well, admitting you have a problem is the first step, love," he said with a smirk."Sod off," she groaned, resting her head sideways on her arms so that she could still see the boys. "Why are you fine? You and James never get like this."“We do a bit,” said James. “Not as bad as you, though,” he said as he looked her up and down."We’ve also got around two to three stone on you," said Sirius."And I think you drank more than me," James shrugged."No way," said Nora as she lifted her head from the table, staring at James. "I did not."James raised his eyebrows, a funny expression on his face. "But you did, love."Nora looked between him and Sirius, the latter who was biting his lip to stifle a laugh. She turned to Remus, who was looking down at her, his eyebrows raised, a mixture of concern and amusement playing on his features."I didn't really drink more than him, did I?" she asked.Remus paused and looked over his parchment in front of him, quickly jotting down a few notes. "Well," he said as he put his quill down. "It is quite impressive to witness how much whisky you can take down... I reckon you could give Hagrid a run for his money."Nora closed her eyes as the bell rang, the squeaking of wooden chairs against the stone floor and shuffling feet echoed in her head. She weakly pushed herself up from her chair, her hands bracing on the desk as her vision darkened slightly."Don't let me drink again," she grumbled as she packed her bag with one hand, her other hand rubbing the front of her chest as she tried to swallow back the bile that was climbing in her throat.As the lessons continued, Nora slowly began to feel her nausea fading away, especially after Remus poured her a cup of her favourite peppermint tea at lunch. The five friends now sat in a small circle on the grass of the castle grounds, sketchpads on their knees, a small Bowtruckle peering up at them from the branch it stood upon. The Bowtruckle hunched low, its arms held high in front of its face, its long, sharp fingers pinching the air.Nora tilted her head to the side, ignoring the ache in her temples, with a small smile on her lips as she watched the creature, adding small strokes to her paper; the fibres of the feather of her quill ruffled in the breeze. She looked around at the class, the students spread out among the field, each small group studying a Bowtruckle. The forest was darkening to their right, and to their left, Hagrid's hut billowed great pillars of smoke from the chimney, the hot air swirling beside it like sudden ripples in a still pond. Next to her, Remus began tearing his sketch out of his pad of paper."Are you done?" she asked him.Remus nodded and Nora stood up, grabbing both of their sketches. She stretched her arms, reaching towards the blue sky, her hands feeling for the warmth of the sun in the cold autumn afternoon. She walked towards their professor, stepping around the scattered groups of students."Professor Kettleburn," she said quietly, the man not yet noticing her presence, his eyes glued to the class textbook. "I've finished my sketch. And here's Remus’s, too." She held out the papers.Kettleburn looked up, his wide, eccentric eyes startled, but a smile slowly grew on his face. "Ah, Miss Ross," he said as he grabbed the parchments with his gnarled and weathered hands, the left hand missing two of its digits. "Let's see what you've produced today. Ah, yes! Wonderful, quite wonderful," he muttered with a smile. "Beautiful work as always, Miss Ross. Beautiful work."Nora smiled back and nodded. "Thank you, Professor.""Yes, yes," he nodded, looking up from her parchment. "And what did you think about the Bowtruckles? Interesting creatures, are they not?""I find them quite lovely," she said, her eyes watching the Bowtruckle that sat upon her professor's shoulder. "I'm usually not a fan of the more... insect-y looking creatures, but they have much more personality than I had assumed they would have."Kettleburn smiled at her and reached for the Bowtruckle on his shoulder, carrying the creature on two fingers, staring at it as he brought it level with his eyes. "Yes, yes, they are intelligent little things. I've been working with this group for a while now. It was difficult to gain their trust at first. I went through an entire crate of fairy eggs with them just last year!" He smiled as he placed the Bowtruckle back onto his shoulder, the creature quickly crawling up his jacket and burying itself into the thicket of the professor's wild, white hair.It was as she was walking back towards her friends, her shoes crunching against the frosted grass, her breath hanging in clouds in front of her face, that she felt an unusually strong gust of wind lift the back of her skirt, the cold air chilling her bottom and thighs. Eyes widening, her hand slapped down on the back of her skirt, pressing it against her tights and whipping her body around towards the sound of low snickers.Abram Avery, Dolion Mulciber, and Severus Snape sat behind her, lounging on the grass, Mulciber's wand held loosely in his hand, pointed directly at her skirt."Oops," Mulciber sneered, his lips curled up over his yellowing teeth. "What pretty pink knickers you got there, sweetheart."Nora glared at him as he and Avery laughed, her hand still flattening her skirt to her bottom. She breathed deeply, her face heating from anger and embarrassment, her jaw clenched. She tugged her jacket tighter around her body as she felt their eyes roam over her chest. Mulciber raised his wand."What the hell's going on here?" said James as he walked up next to her, his eyes flashing, his hand grasping his wand with whitened knuckles."Nothing," Mulciber shrugged innocently. "Strong wind today, eh sweetheart. You better be careful, wouldn't want to give anyone a show." He and Avery cackled lowly, the noise sending shivers down her arms."Fuck off," James spoke with a low voice. He glared at them, taking a step closer."Oh, language, Potter," Mulciber spat. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?”“Just yours,” he said quickly. “What did you just say, mudblood-lover?” Mulciber stood up, his wand pointing at James. “Fucking blood traitor, I’ll wash your mouth.” Avery stood as well, gripping his wand. Snape did not move."Scou-""Mimblewimble!" Nora shouted, ripping out her wand from within her jacket.Mulciber gagged, his hand scratching at his mouth as he stumbled backwards, falling back onto the ground, his eyes wide. Avery glared at her but didn't move towards her. Instead, he turned to Mulciber, trying to mutter the correct countercharm. As James grabbed her hand to lead her away, her eyes caught Snape's. They were cold and dark, matching his stoic, emotionless face; she felt his eyes following her as she walked across the grass, her feet tripping over one another in frustration. She gripped James's hand tightly as he led her away."What happened?" Sirius said as she and James sat back down. Sirius sat up straighter, peering towards the Slytherins. "What was that about?"Nora shook her head, unable to produce any words. All she could think about was the way in which Mulciber had called her sweetheart. The way the word left his lips. The way it made her feel so small and vulnerable. The way his eyes seemed drawn to her chest.She looked up at James, who now sat across from her, his eyes still blazing with anger. Nora gently shook her head, her chest shuddering, trying to push back the tears that were quickly forming in her eyes. James nodded, almost imperceptibly, so that only she saw."Nothing," he said, his eyes meeting hers.Nora swallowed and looked down at her skirt, fiddling with the thick fabric."Nothing," James said again, picking up his quill to continue to work on his sketch.Sirius furrowed his brows and looked between Nora and James, his eyes narrowing slightly, but he shook his head and looked back down at the Bowtruckle before them. Peter remained blissfully unaware, his hand moving quickly over his parchment, his quill shimmying back and forth. It was only Remus who still looked at Nora, his chin tilted upwards, his brows low over his eyes, his lips pursed.It was Remus who placed a hand on her back, jumping slightly when she flinched, but it was Remus who pulled her close, letting her tuck her head into chest. It was Remus who whispered that he was sorry, so softly so that the others couldn't hear.******
Saturday, November 8th 1975
The morning of the first Quidditch match of the season was bleak and bitter, and the raw air nipped at Nora's nose as she sat on the bench in the changing room, rubbing her hands together to bring back some feeling and warmth. She stared with bleary, unfocused eyes as David drew on the chalkboard, his arm moving in great circles. The sun had not risen yet, but the lights over the Quidditch pitch seeped in through the canvas walls."Oi, Davies," Sirius said through a yawn. "Tell me, why do you have us out here at the bloody arse-crack of dawn?"David sighed, his shoulders slumping, before turning around and wiping the chalk residue from his hands on his trousers. "I don't know, Black. Maybe it's because half my team was missing from practices this week?"Sirius groaned and laid back on the bench, his head in James’s lap, his knees bent.As David started explaining the different plays to the team, Nora looked down at her Beater's bat, turning it over in her hands. The small wooden bat was worn and had experienced its fair share of abuse over the last few years. It was a handsome bat carved from redwood with black metal bands reinforcing the middle, the area where the Bludger's were typically hit. It had been given to her in her third year as a gift from Mr. Carrington when she wrote home to tell of her making the team. Her father had been happy for her, but Mr. Carrington was ecstatic, quickly writing back to tell her that he was proud of her; the bat wrapped neatly in newsprint, clutched in the talons of a tawny owl."All right?" David said, finishing his explanation. "So, get out there and go warm up. I'll be out in a minute."Nora stood, strapping on her knee and elbow pads, wrapping her wrist guards around the base of her hands, and grabbed her broom. It was an old Nimbus 1001 that she had gotten second-hand, like most of her Quidditch supplies, but it was a sturdy and reliable broom. The one new Quidditch item that she had this year were her fingerless gloves. She had saved up her money all last year, and finally, at the beginning of the term, she put in her mail order.They were a dark, black leather, and they crinkled as she stretched her fingers; the scent of the new leather was intoxicating, one of her favourite scents. As she walked onto the pitch besides Sirius and James, she found herself breathing in deeply, her hands held to her face, her bat and broomstick under her arm. Her boots squelched in the mud, the ground slick from the fallen rain of the night before.The chill of the air stole the breath from her lungs as she soared upwards on her broom, sweeping high over the pitch. She could see the beginnings of a sunrise towards the east and the castle looming in the distance, a few windows lit, but most were still dark. She flew higher and higher, watching as the pitch grew smaller and the few teammates that lingered on the ground became tiny dots upon the green. Flying up high was like diving into a cold lake, invigorating, clearing her head like muddy hands under a tap. She took a deep breath, watching as clouds formed as she exhaled, hanging in front of her face before slowly disappearing.She leaned forward on her broom, flying back down towards the pitch, the world around her blurring. Her braided hair slapped against the back of her jumper as the ground cleared into her view, closer and closer, faster and faster, until she pulled up at the last minute, the toes of her boots just skimming the grass. She turned sharply, flying parallel to the ground, her bat clutched in her hand, piercing through the air as the wind whistled.While the Chaser's and Keeper practised scoring on the hoops and Thomas practised chasing the Snitch, Sirius and Nora warmed up, hitting a Bludger back and forth across the pitch. Sirius grunted as he swung his bat, connecting with the Bludger with a great crack, the Bludger speeding through the air far over Nora's head. She watched the Bludger, her eyes trained upon it, as she pushed her broom forward, gaining speed until she was in front of it. She spun around and swung her bat with all her might, shockwaves travelling up her arm and shoulder. And she watched as the Bludger soared back over the pitch.She was Hogwarts's first female Beater in over two decades and only the eleventh in the entire history of the school. James and Sirius had made the team in their second year; Nora had tried out but was cut quickly. David Davies became Captain in her third year and encouraged her to try out again. She hadn't necessarily tried out for the Beater position, but David had seen something in her, some potential, and worked with her and Sirius in private practices after she had made it on the team. David had explained that usually, Beaters were big and tough and burly, but that Nora's small stature and speed made her an asset. She had a strong arm and had no trouble whacking the Bludger into the other half of the pitch, but she was also quick and spry, and was able to dodge other players and Bludgers with astonishing accuracy, always moving at the last minute.As the team came together to practise, Nora felt herself physically warming up, thankful for the movement. They practised, the three Chasers – Quincy, Frank, and James – against the two Beaters and the Keeper. Nora watched as James swooped in and out, dodging the Bludgers that she and Sirius sent his way, before scoring on the outer right hoop. She watched as Quincy passed the Quaffle to Frank who passed it to James who then passed it back to Quincy; watching as Thomas flew high above their heads, his eyes scouring for a flash of gold. Watching as David zipped between the hoops, stopping the Quaffle from entering as Frank threw it. They practised the plays that David had taught them, working together, shouting out names and calling out directions. As the sun rose and the sky lightened into a dreary grey, David blew his whistle, calling the team in."I think we have a good shot, right?" said Quincy as the team walked across the castle grounds still darned in their Quidditch jumpers, their protective pads and brooms left behind in the changing room. "I mean, I think we're gonna win, right?""Obviously," Thomas snorted. "The Huff's literally have no chance. I can't believe how good our team is this year.""We're gonna send those Badger's home with their tails between their legs!" Sirius hooted as they climbed the stone steps of the castle."Do badgers have tails?" Frank asked. “I reckon they do,” said James, though he didn’t look quite sure. "Guys, focus here. Don't get too ahead of yourselves," warned David."Oh, come on, Davies. Just admit it. You think we're gonna win, too," Sirius goaded.David sighed and shook his head, a small smirk on his lips. "Go on. Go and eat a good breakfast and then meet back in the changing room at ten o'clock. Match starts at half-past ten. That's half-past ten, all right?"The team split up when they entered the Great Hall, Quincy going over to sit with his third-year friends, and Thomas, David, and Frank going to sit with the other upper-years. Nora, James, and Sirius walked to their usual seats and sat down, Remus and Peter already seated in front of them."Why the long face?" James asked as Remus looked up, watching them sit.Remus sighed and placed the Daily Profit he had been reading down on the table. Nora peered over and saw the front page adorned with a large picture of Harold Minchum. He was addressing a crowd, and the picture lit up with flashes as cameras snapped. The man's bushy beard and jowls shook as he nodded his head, uttering words of a speech unheard through the image."There's been another attack," Remus said."Anyone we know?" Nora asked.Remus shook his head, his face set in a frown. "Probably not," he said as he handed her the paper. "It was on Muggles, again."                 "Newly elected Minister of Magic, Harold Minchum, addresses the press after another brutal attack on a Muggle community in East London. Aurors and Muggle police forces were called late in the evening on 7 November 1975, after reports of four simultaneous explosions and house fires. Nine Muggles perished in the explosions. One survivor was seriously injured and remains in critical care at The Royal London Hospital. The remaining family and friends of the victims have been contacted. All Muggle witnesses had their memories altered and now believe that a gas leak was the cause of the explosions.

"We received word late in the evening that this attack was the work of You-Know-Who and his followers," Minchum said. "This was not just an attack on Muggles. This was an attack on humanity and the Wizarding community as a whole. We must keep our heads high and our hearts strong. Look out for your Muggle neighbours; lend a helping hand. As these attacks get more frequent, I am afraid we may see more casualties, like this tragic one, if we do not stand together."

Minchum made no comment on the Ministry's plans for apprehending the wizards who carried out the attack and denied any accusations that the Ministry had knowledge of plans for the attack prior to the night of the seventh."
 Nora looked up as she finished reading the article aloud, her stomach churning, her palms moist."Well, that puts a damper on things, doesn't it?" said Peter, his hand twisting his fork above his plate."That's putting it lightly," said James lowly. "The Ministry's doing nothing." He shook his head. "All these Muggles and Muggle-borns are dying and they're not doing a damn thing.""I think the trouble is that we don't know what the Ministry is doing," Remus said, folding the newspaper in half. "If they're doing anything, that is," he added, meeting James's glance. "They never seem to tell us much of anything.""Stand together," Sirius scoffed. "Like that's going to stop Voldemort. Let's all just hold hands so Voldemort can't hurt us!"Nora took a small bite of her toast, chewing her food on the left side of her mouth as to not disturb the leaf that was still pocketed in her right cheek. She swallowed and reached out to pour herself some juice, her throat suddenly dry. Her hands shook as she poured from the jug.Sirius reached out and steadied her hands, taking the jug from her and filling the rest of her goblet. "He'll be okay, you know," he said quietly. "Your dad."Nora looked up at him, her face solemn. "I know," she nodded before bringing the goblet to her lips.As the five friends walked towards the Quidditch pitch Remus and Peter bid their goodbyes and good luck's as they walked towards the stands. Sirius, Nora and James headed for the changing room and once inside, they reapplied their protective gear and tugged on their Quidditch robes. Nora sat on the bench, her bat beside her and her broom between her knees. She could hear Sirius and James behind her, goofing off and laughing, but she stared down at her hand, a large and angry red blister was protruding from her palm. She ran her fingers over the blister, grimacing as the skin tore and clear liquid oozed from the opening."Merlin, that's a bad one," David whistled as he sat next to her. He reached into his bag and pulled out a roll of Broom Tape, tearing off a strip with his teeth. "Here," he said as he grabbed her hand and wrapped the tape around her palm."Thanks," said Nora as she flexed her fingers. She shimmied her hands into her gloves, revelling in the new leather scent, and stared at the chalk board."Something on your mind?" David asked. "I didn't think you were one for pre-match nerves."Nora shook her head. "No, not usually." She paused and leaned down to re-tie her boots; the laces caked with drying mud. "Just thinking about the attack last night."David nodded and muttered, "Awful." He stared at her for some time before speaking again. "I know how you feel. My mum's side are Muggles."Nora nodded but didn't respond."You can't let it control all your thoughts," he said with a sigh. "It's too easy to get distracted. You can't live your life worrying about something that might never happen. There are so many wonderful parts about life that deserve your attention."Nora looked up at him, her lips pursed. "I suppose that’s true," she said. She paused and looked over her shoulder; across the room, Sirius was jumping onto James's back, laughing as James stumbled. "Only one of my friends isn't a pure-blood. It's hard to talk about the fear sometimes. Not a lot of people understand," she said as she turned back around.David tilted his head to the side and shook his head. "I reckon a lot more people than you think would understand. There're a lot of half-bloods and Muggle-borns out there. You just have to a search a bit harder for them. Times are changing, though. Wizards marry Muggles a lot more now. Soon enough, even pure-blood families will have Muggle blood running through them."Outside the room, the noise of the murmuring crowd was getting louder, the hum of voices and shrieks of laughter echoed across the pitch. Madame Hooch's whistle pierced through the air, three sharp peeps, signalling the beginning of the game."All right, team," David said as he stood, buckling his helmet underneath his chin. "Time to head out. Oi, Potter, Black, stop messing about! Onto the pitch, let's go.”As she walked onto the pitch with James and Sirius by her sides, she scanned the crowd of spectators, smiling as she spotted Remus and Peter who were bundled in large coats and Gryffindor scarves, waving at them as she walked. She then looked towards the Ravenclaw’s, searching the sea of blue and bronze. She rested her bat against her shoulder as she walked, the breeze tickling her cheeks, the applause and cheers of the crowd ringing out, echoing in the large, open space.“There he is, love,” said James, pointing upwards towards the back of the stands.Nora followed his finger and smiled even brighter seeing Randall as he waved down at her, giving her a thumbs-up. She suddenly felt like there was nothing that could stop the Gryffindor’s from winning the match.She fell into place among her teammates, huddled together on their half of the pitch, David in the middle.“All right,” David said in a low voice, his arms wrapping around Sirius and Thomas’s shoulders. “Remember what we talked about. Black, Ross, you keep your eyes on Tom and keep him clear. Their Seeker is good this year and she’s flying a Nimbus 1500, so if she sees the Snitch first, we can’t have Tom held up by Bludgers. As for you three,” he continued, nodding towards the Chasers, “remember the plays. Keep passing the Quaffle. Don’t try and pull any fancy solo moves off. That means you, Potter. Utilize your teammates, okay? All right, on three.”The team put their hands into the centre of the huddle, counted to three, and cheered loudly, adrenaline pumping. They took their spots on the pitch, Sirius and Nora falling into place behind the Chasers, in front of the golden goalposts. David walked forward to shake hands with the Hufflepuff Captain. Then, Madame Hooch blew her whistle, the balls were released, and the game began.Nora soared upwards, her robes billowing behind her, a light sprinkling of rain smattered like mist against her face. She could hear the announcer’s booming voice, but her eyes were trained on the pitch, her bat clenched in her hand. Hufflepuff had possession of the Quaffle, passing it between their Chasers with ease until Sirius hit a well-trained Bludger allowing James to scoop up the ball. She looked up; Thomas was flying high above the goalposts, circling the pitch.“Potter’s got the Quaffle – passes it to Longbottom – Longbottom swerves by Scott and passes it to Reynolds and – oh, intercepted!” the announcer shouted. “Hufflepuff has possession! They’re advancing on the goalposts now. Black hits another Bludger clipping Herrera, but Herrera passes it to O’Connor just in the nick of time – good pass!”Nora zipped back towards the goal posts, her body low on her broom, parallel to the handle. She pivoted quickly, her braided hair falling over her shoulder, her robes twisting. The Hufflepuff Chasers were approaching, but so was a Bludger. The black ball hurtled towards her, whistling as it flew. She positioned herself, her arm and bat retracting backwards, and swung with all her might, aiming the Bludger towards the Hufflepuff with the Quaffle.“Ross aims a Bludger at Finch – Finch drops the Quaffle! Gryffindor is in possession! Third-year and Quidditch newbie Quincy Reynolds with the Quaffle, he’s scooting by Scott and Goodwin. Passes it to Potter. Just Potter and the Keeper now! Potter throws the Quaffle! Potter scores! Ten – nil, Gryffindor!”Nora beamed as James flew around the pitch, his fists held high in the air in victory, the sea of red hats, scarves, and banners cheering loudly. She and Sirius flew towards one another, their bats outstretched in front of them like pirate swords, and they tapped their bats together, once, twice, three times – something that they always did after Gryffindor scored.“Good hit with the Bludger, Ross!” Sirius called over his shoulder as he flew away, racing down the pitch after the black ball, his bat held horizontally, ready to swing. Nora looked up, Thomas was still circling the pitch, the golden ball nowhere in sight.The game continued, both teams scoring a handful of goals as the rain began to fall in plump, steady droplets. Her robes weighed heavily on her shoulders as they became saturated with water, her hair dripping in streams down her forehead. James had possession, the Quaffle tucked tightly under his arm, a Bludger soaring towards him, right on his tail.Nora leaned low on her broom, accelerating towards James, her bat ready to swing. “James!” she called out. “Behind you!”James looked over his shoulder and dipped his broom just in time, the Bludger zipping past his left ear as Nora hit it, aiming at the Hufflepuff Chaser who was advancing on him.“Good one!” James called back as he flew upwards, picking up speed.“Ross hits a Bludger at O’Connor – O’Connor stumbles. Potter passes the Quaffle to Reynolds. Abbott tries to intercept but Reynolds passes to Longbottom – Longbottom shoots! Longbottom scores! The match is all tied up now, sixty-sixty! No sign of the Snitch just yet!”The crowd was absolutely deafening. Nora always loved playing the first match of the season as the crowds and excitement were at their peak. She felt like she could taste the passion of the game, like she could snatch it right out of the air, just like a Snitch.But it wasn’t long before Hufflepuff scored two goals taking the lead by twenty points. Nora and Sirius zipped around, trading off positions, one flying with the Chasers to protect them and the other flying in front of the goalposts, lending a hand to David. Her right glove was soaked, whether from the burst blister on her palm or from the rain, Nora did not know. But she pushed it out of her mind, wiping the palm of her glove on her trousers, trying to get a better grip on her bat.As she blinked the rain out of her eyes, high above her, she saw the streak of a yellow robe whisk past her. The Hufflepuff Seeker, Gillian Montgomery, had seen the Snitch.Thomas was zipping through the air, gaining speed, closing the distance between him and Montgomery. She looked to see where Sirius was and quickly spotted him across the pitch, aiming a Bludger towards the Hufflepuff Chasers. Nora was much closer to the Seekers than he was.“GO!” Sirius called to her after hitting the Bludger. He waved his bat, pointing in the air towards the Seekers. “GO!”But Nora was already on it. She thrusted her broom upwards, flying at a steep incline towards Thomas. The Hufflepuff Beaters would be hitting a Bludger towards him at any moment.“Hopkins and Montgomery are closing in on the Snitch! It’s anyone’s game!” the announcer called, the hysteria climbing in his voice.Thomas had his hand outstretched, flying past Montgomery with ease, leaning out far over his broom handle, his fingers spanning the air. Crack! A Beater smacked a Bludger from down below, the black ball hurtling upwards, spinning as it flew straight towards Thomas.Nora was about five metres behind him, but the Bludger was fast. Her heart throbbed against her ribcage as she leaned low on her broom, almost lying flat against it, pushing its speed to the limit.“Sixth year Quidditch veteran, Thomas Hopkins, is after the Snitch, but a Bludger’s right after him! Ross is on his tail – it’s gonna be close!” the announcer yelled.Rain was pelting against her cheeks like tiny needles, the droplets blurring her vision, her bat slipping in her hand. The vibrations of her broom buzzed against her hands and chest as she approached Thomas, sticking out her bat, dipping just below him and putting herself in the path of the Bludger. She swung with every last bit of strength she had left.
Crack!
“Ross intercepts the Bludger! Hopkins almost has it, but Montgomery is catching up! Almost there –”Nora looked up, her palm on fire within her glove, and watched as Thomas closed his fist around the Snitch, its wings fluttering between his fingers. She thrust both her arms in the air, her joy escaping from her mouth with a yell of triumph before soaring towards the ground to meet her teammates.“GRYFFINDOR WINS!”She skidded to a halt, mud splashing against her trousers as her heels dug into the soft earth, before she was suddenly wrapped in the arms of her teammates, her broom and bat falling to the ground, not even having the time to put them down. All of them huddled together, jumping up and down and yelling with verve, Thomas still holding the Snitch high in the air for the crowd to see.Sirius ran to her, throwing his bat onto the ground, a radiant grin on his face; he picked her up as they collided, spinning her around in a strong hug, his boots slipping in the mud as he spun, their wet clothes clinging to one another. And they fell to the ground, laughing as Nora rolled off him, staring up at the grey mottled sky, relishing in the cheers and screams of applause from the crowd as the rain danced upon her face, intoxicated by the moment of bliss.Randall was waiting for her outside of the changing room, a black umbrella held over his head and a blue Ravenclaw scarf wrapped effortlessly around his neck cascading down his shoulder and back, reminiscent of a dark river against the deep black of his jacket. Nora always liked it when he wore that jacket. It reminded her of the jackets that the men wore in the old Muggle movies that she and her father would watch together. The jacket was crisp and pressed with many black buttons keeping it closed. He looked handsome, she thought.Randall’s small, sheepish smile turned into a grin as he spotted her, his arm opening and welcoming her into a hug. Nora pressed herself against him, breathing in the smell of his cologne.“You were wonderful,” he muttered into her hair, his hand bracing the back of her head.“Are you gonna say that when we beat Ravenclaw in May?” Nora teased as she pulled away.Randall laughed and shrugged. “Always so sure you’re going to win, huh? I hear we have a pretty good team this year, too.”“Oh, we are definitely going to win! Did you just see us out there?” she laughed as she adjusted her broom on her shoulder.“Hey, we’ll meet you in the dormitory, all right?” James said as he and Sirius exited the changing room, placing a hand on her arm. “Gonna be a hell of a party tonight.” Sirius grabbed her broom and swung her bag up on his shoulder.Nora nodded as they quickly walked away, ducking through the sheets of rain; the adrenaline from the win was still forcing its way through her veins and she felt like she could walk through fire, like there was absolutely nothing in the world that could stop her.And so, she grabbed the collar of Randall’s jacket, pulling him down meet to her as she stood on the toes of her boots, pressing her lips to his. He kissed back after a quick moment of hesitation and brought his hand to her hair, his fingers entangling in the wet locks.The wind swelled around them sending stray raindrops beneath the canopy of the umbrella, chilling her as they made contact with her skin. But Randall’s breath was warm against her face, so even as the umbrella dropped to the ground and his other hand slid to her waist, she wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled against his lips, welcoming the rain and the way it pattered on the ground, puddling on the earth.“I’ve always wanted to do that,” she breathed as they separated, their lips still close enough to touch. “Kiss in the rain, like in all the Muggle movies.”“Glad I could be of assistance,” Randall said and smiled against her as he pressed his mouth to hers once again.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Sunday, November 16th 1975
“‘A silver teaspoon of dew from a place that neither sunlight nor human feet have touched,’” James sighed as he read aloud from the textbook that he had stolen from the Restricted Section in the library last term. The book was titled All about the Animagus; How, Where, When, and Why, and was their main source of information.“What does that mean?” Peter asked, his voice full of doubt. “We have to find… dew…? Like… the little drops of water that’re on the grass in the morning?”“Dew that nobody’s stepped on,” Sirius supplied.“And that hasn’t seen the sun,” said Nora, who sat next to James on his bed.James sat with his legs crossed and folded beneath him, the book opened on his lap. He chewed on his lip and furrowed his brows, his eyes flicking over the text again.“Well, we’ll have to do it early, then. Before the sunrise,” he said.“But how do we know the dew hasn’t seen the sun?” Peter asked.“We can get it from the Forbidden Forest,” Sirius shrugged.Peter groaned.“We could probably also leave the phials there,” said Nora. “So that they ‘receive the pure rays of the moon,’” she said, reading over James’s shoulders. “I doubt anyone would come across them and move them.”“Except maybe the Centaurs,” Sirius snickered.Peter groaned again, covering his face with his hands.“The Centaurs are usually quite peaceful,” Remus said. “Territorial, yes, but they tend to stick to themselves.”“Won’t they get mad that we’re on their… territory, then?” Peter asked, his voice cracking.Remus shrugged. “Maybe. But if you’re quick, just in and out of the Forest, they probably won’t know.”“Centaurs read the bloody stars,” Sirius snorted as he dramatically waved his hand in the air, as if gesturing towards the night sky. “They probably predicted ten years ago that we’d be walking into that forest.”“I think the Centaurs are the least of your worries, Pete,” said Nora. “If we don’t get this potion right, we could end up as half-human half-animal abominations. That would be something to worry about.”Peter’s eyes widened as the colour drained from his face. “Does – does that happen often?”“Only if you’re not careful,” Sirius shrugged.“And we’ll be careful,” said James as he closed the book, stretching his legs out on the bed, leaning his back against Nora who was seated on the bed, her back against the wall.Peter began to fidget and bite at his nails, his eyes still wide.“You don’t have to do it, Pete,” Sirius goaded with a smirk. “If you’re too chicken.” “Yeah, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of fun here by yourself while the three of us are frolicking about during the full moon with a werewolf,” said James.Sirius and Nora snickered lightly as Remus eyed them warily.“I’m not chicken!” Peter declared defensively. “There’s – there’s just a lot that could go wrong, is all.”“Nothing will go wrong, Peter, for God’s sake,” Sirius rolled his eyes. “Minnie’s an Animagus and obviously nothing went wrong when she did it.”“I’ve heard she had Professor Dumbledore as a mentor when she went through her transformation,” said Remus.“You reckon Dumbledore’s an Animagus, then?” Nora asked.“Nah,” James shook his head. “I’ll bet if Dumbledore was an Animagus he would have registered and there were only six names on the registry in the last century. Dumbledore’s not on there.”Nora nodded and leaned back against James’s pillows. “I’ll bet if he was, he’d be a phoenix.”“Cause of Fawkes?” asked James.Nora nodded again. “I mean, probably. What else do you reckon he’d be?”James pondered, his fingers rubbing his chin. “Maybe a lion or something?”Remus shook his head. “I’ve read that your Animagus usually takes the same form as your Patronus. So, Dumbledore would most likely be a phoenix.”“What’s a Patronus?” Nora asked.“It’s this really powerful spell that takes on the form of an animal or creature and wards off Dementors and Lethifolds. It’s kind of like an Anti-Dementor; it acts as a shield,” Remus said.“I want to cast one,” Sirius said with a glint in his eyes.Remus shook his head. “It’s very advanced. Most adult wizards can’t produce a Patronus.”“I’ll bet I could. How do you cast it?” Sirius asked, brandishing his wand.“I don’t know,” Remus said. “I’ve only read about it.”Sirius sighed and pocketed his wand.“So, if we could cast a Patronus it would be the same form as our Animagi?” Nora asked, looking over at Remus who nodded.“Most likely,” Remus said.“So… once we know our Animagi forms, we’ll know what our Patronuses will be!” Peter said.Nora smiled lightly, her back sinking further into the pillows. “What do you reckon you guys will be? When we’re Animagi?”“I’ve no idea what I’ll be,” James grunted. “But you’ll probably be hamster or something.”“A hamster?” Nora guffawed. “Why am I a bloody hamster?”“Dunno,” James shrugged against her. “‘Cause you’re all small and stuff. Sometimes hyper. And you like carrots.”Nora rolled her eyes. “Hamsters don’t eat carrots.”“Sure, they do,” said James.“Nah, I reckon you’ll be a cat,” Sirius said as he lounged across his own bed. “Cats are moody and mean. They’re only nice when they want to be nice, just like you.”“McGonagall’s already a cat,” Nora said with another roll of her eyes.“Doesn’t mean you can’t be a cat,” Sirius said.“Yeah, well, you’ll probably be a toad or something. All warty and slimy,” she said.“I will not!” he scoffed. “I’ll probably be something majestic and regal… like a big stallion or something.”Now it was James’s turn to roll his eyes. “You’ll end up being a puppy who thinks it’s a stallion.”“You’ll be a donkey,” Sirius snickered. “Cause you’re a pain in the arse.”James ripped a pillow out from behind Nora and chucked it at Sirius, hitting him in the face.“Rude!” Sirius called out.“I agree,” Nora said as she sat up, having fallen back from having the pillow snatched out from beneath her.James shrugged and gave them a big grin, his eyes shining in the light of the lanterns.“Peter’s going to be an ostrich,” Sirius said after a short moment of silence. “So, when he’s scared, he can just stick his head in the ground.”James and Nora snickered again, and Remus cracked a smile as Peter pondered the thought.“Do you think I would lay eggs if I was an ostrich?” Peter asked.Sirius guffawed. “Only the girl ostriches lay eggs.”“Oh,” Peter said, his shoulders slumping, “Right.”The friends laughed and continued to banter throughout the night, calling out different ridiculous animals that they thought they would turn into, until there were three sharp taps on the window by Sirius’s bed.“Bloody hell!” Sirius yelped and jumped, falling halfway off the bed.“Is that an owl?” James asked, squinting his eyes and peering towards the darkened window.“Looks like it,” Remus said, his brows scrunched.“That’s Samuel!” Nora said excitedly as she pushed herself off James’s bed and rushed to the window, kneeling on Sirius’s bed.“Pardon?” Sirius said as he rubbed his elbow, having hit it on his bedside table during his fall.“The Carrington’s owl,” Nora said as she pulled the window open. “His name is Samuel.”Sirius grunted as the owl hopped onto his bed and stuck out its leg, a white envelope tied onto it with red twine. Nora untied the letter and sat back on his bed, turning it over in her hands.“I don’t have anything for you,” Sirius said to the expectant owl who was nipping at his shirt. “Now, git, go on! Go!” He shooed the owl towards the window as it hooted at him, quite disgruntled, and then flew away with a quick whoosh of its wings.Nora looked at the envelope and traced her fingers over her father’s handwriting. With a small smile upon her face, she tore the envelope and pulled out the letter, reading over his words.
15 November 1975

Sweetheart,

Congratulations on winning your first match!

I was so happy for you when you wrote. The Carrington’s send their congratulations, as well. Walter is very proud of you and so am I. When is the next match? How have your classes been going? How are the boys?

It’s been quiet here, but I’ve been working a lot in the shop. They’ve hired a couple of new lads, young guys around your age, maybe a little older, and I’ve been training them. I think Reggie wants to retire soon, so it will help having more technicians on hand. The most beautiful Aston Martin DB4 came in yesterday, a real nice one from ’58 in that silver colour you like. Sitting behind that wheel made me think of you and how much you would have loved to see it. Made me wish I could find that funny camera your mum had – the one where the pictures move – that way you could have seen it. I’ll bet Sirius would have loved it, too.

The Carrington’s told me more about that dark wizard – the one who’s been attacking the non-magical people – the one who you can’t say his name. Please be careful, Nora. I know you will be, and I know you’re smart and that you’re safer at school than you would be at home, but I worry. I don’t really understand what is happening, but I’ve never seen Walter Carrington afraid before, so I know it must be bad.

I miss you so much, and I cannot wait until you are home for holiday. Dorothea and Walter invited us both over for Christmas dinner, and as I’m not much of a cook, I said we’d be going. I hope that’s all right with you. Let me know if Remus or James want to come over during the holiday, you know they are always welcome here. Sirius, as well, if he needs to get away from his family.

Tell the boys I say hello and be sure to write.

Love,

Your old dad

P.S., I know it’s not much, and I also know you won’t want to accept it, but I had Dorothea exchange this for some of your wizarding money. You deserve it.
Taped to the back of the letter were two new, shiny galleons. Nora scoffed under her breath and shook her head, peeling the coins off the paper and holding them in her palm, the gold softly clinking together.“He’s almost sent me his whole weekly salary,” Nora said as she handed the letter to Sirius for him to read.“Your dad only makes two galleons a week?” Peter asked, his eyes wide.Nora looked up as Sirius sent a glare towards Peter who cowered backwards into his pillows.“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude,” he stammered.Nora shrugged and slipped the coins into her pocket. “No, it’s all right. You didn’t mean it.” She gave him a half-hearted smile.“It must be a pretty cool job,” James said. “Working on Muggle cars all day and whatnot. What do they call them again? The guys who fix the cars?”“Automobile technicians,” said Nora. “He started training when he was our age. That’s how he met my mum. In an act of rebellion against her parents she bought a Muggle car, but when it wouldn’t drive one day, she called the shop my dad worked at. He came out and looked at it and had to tell her that cars need petrol in them in order to drive.”Only she and Remus laughed; the others looked at her with various levels of confusion.“Petrol is the fuel that you put in cars,” Remus said to the others. “The motor in the car burns the petrol so it can move.”“How do you put the petrol in it?” Peter asked.“There’s a tank in the car and you go to a petrol station, and you just pump it into the car with a big hose. Then when the tank’s empty again, you just buy more petrol and fill it up,” Nora shrugged.“What?” Sirius exclaimed. “Muggles have to pay to put fuel in their cars so that they drive? You mean they don’t just drive themselves like –”“Like magic?” Remus smirked.“Well, no,” Sirius scoffed. “But it just seems absurd that Muggles pay to make their own cars move.”“We pay for a jar of floo powder,” said James.“Yeah, well, if I ever have a Muggle automobile, I’ll enchant it so that I’ll never have to buy fuel. Bloody waste of money, that is,” Sirius said as he leaned back on his bed, stretching his legs onto Nora’s lap. “Or I’ll make it so it can fly! Imagine that, a flying car! Like an aerial plane.”“It’s an aeroplane,” said Nora.“What did I say?” asked Sirius, his head tilted.“Aerial plane.”“Same difference.” “I don’t think the Ministry would allow that, Sirius. They have a whole new department dedicated to the misuse of Muggle items,” said Remus.Sirius shrugged. “What they won’t know won’t hurt ‘em.”“I’d reckon they would know if there was a car flying over London,” Nora teased.******
Monday, November 17th 1975

“You’re stepping on me!”
“Get out from under my foot, then!”
“Quiet!”
“Sirius, you’re pulling my hair!”“Stop grabbing my arse, then!”“Hush, you lot, someone will hear!”“We shouldn’t be doing this.”“Man up, Peter, for Merlin’s sake!”James ripped off the cloak, the soft glow of the moonlight illuminating the four figures, the grass squelching beneath their trainers, the leaves crunching.“We’re getting much too big to all fit under there,” James said as he rubbed his side. “Sirius, you nearly took my eye out with those daggers you call elbows.”“Maybe you should get a bigger cloak,” Sirius grumbled as he smoothed down the static that was clinging to his hair.“Oh, yeah, I’ll get right on that,” James said as he rolled his eyes. “I’ll just send this one back to the Invisibility Cloak Emporium and ask for the next size up.”Sirius narrowed his eyes but smirked. “Good one, Potter.”“Lumos.” Nora said as she took out her wand, the tip illuminating. “It’s a wonder Filch didn’t hear us with all the racket we were making.”It was late into the Monday evening, the night before the full moon, and the four friends had left Remus in the dormitory to rest. The night air was clear and crisp, and ghosts of their breaths trailed from their mouths as they exhaled, the cool wind pricking their skin with goose pimples. They walked through the forest, their wands casting elongated shadows in their path, their eyes darting at every scuttle and scurry. Nora gripped her wand tightly, her jacket buttoned high against her neck, a woollen hat pulled low over her ears, her lips parted as she filled her lungs with deep breaths.“Is this where we left them?” Sirius whispered as the group stopped.Nora nodded and walked over to a large rock. Atop the rock, basking in the full light of the moon, sat four crystal phials. The edge of the lake was few paces away from the rock, the water gently lapping against the rocky shore, the moonlight glistening on the surface like glass.  The four friends squatted in front of the rock, peering with large eyes.“You think we can just Accio it?” Sirius spoke.“Maybe,” said Nora with a shrug.“Who wants to try it?” Asked James as he looked up.“I don’t think I should,” said Peter.“Oh, come on now, Pete. Don’t say that,” said James, throwing an arm around his shoulders.“Why don’t you give it a try,” Nora suggested to Peter, giving him a gentle smile.“Are you su-”“Yes, Sirius,” James said sternly, elbowing him in the side.“Go on, Pete,” Nora nodded.“Okay…” Peter said, his hand shaking as he pulled out his wand. He pointed his wand at the ground and took a deep breath. “Accio dew!”Slowly, before their eyes, tiny drops of water were pulled off the leaves and grass and sucked into the air. They floated above the ground in front of Peter’s wand before accumulating into one large blob of dew. It wiggled in shape in front of them.“Woah,” Sirius breathed. “Trippy.”“Here, into the jar, Peter,” Nora urged as she held the empty jar below the mass of dew, holding it steady as Peter moved his wand, carefully letting the dew fall into the jar, filling it to the brim.“Nice job, Pete!” said James as he thumped him on the back.“Th-thanks,” said Peter, his face in shock. “I can’t believe I did it.”“I can’t believe it actually worked,” Sirius snorted.“I hope it’s enough,” said Nora as she screwed the lid onto the jar and wrapped it in an old shirt, tucking it safely back into her bag along with the crystal phials.“It will be,” James said as he yawned, covering his mouth with his hand.As they walked back to the castle, groggy with lack of sleep, they stumbled through the wet grass, their shoes scuffing against the stone steps. They shimmed back underneath the Invisibility Cloak, their shins and feet in full view, and carefully began the climb to the seventh floor, too tired to argue as they bumped into one another.“Shit,” Sirius hissed under his breath as he stopped short, causing Nora to smack into his back, Peter into hers, and James into Peter.“Why’d you stop?” James hissed back.But Nora could see why Sirius had stopped.Floating a few inches above the ground before them were two yellow, lamp-like eyes. The eyes came closer, locking onto the group with an intensity that it sent a chill through Nora’s body.“Don’t – move –” Sirius whispered, pushing down on James’s and Peter’s shoulders so that they stood in a squat, the bottom of the cloak now brushing with the floor, covering their feet. They stood like statues; their breaths held.“She can see us,” Peter whimpered as Mrs. Norris sauntered forward, a guttural growl growing in her throat.“No…” Sirius breathed. “We’re invisible.”Mrs. Norris walked towards them, slinking lowly on the ground, only centimetres from their feet and hissed, her yellowed teeth baring.“Maybe she can smell us?” Nora whispered, her voice only a tremor.The cat growled again, the fur on the back of its neck raised, its spine arched.“No, I reckon she can see us,” James said lowly.There were only a few spare seconds before Argus Filch’s voice rang out across the corridor and a flash of light from a torch lit the space before them.“I know you’re out here!” Filch called as he appeared at the end of the hallway. “Hiding, are you? I’ll find you. Students out of bed – after hours!” He limped forward, wheezing as if he had just run all the way from his office.“What do we do?” Peter whined quietly.“Hush,” Sirius shushed him. “I’m thinking.”Peter whimpered again as Mrs. Norris sniffed the bottom of the cloak. The four friends took a tentative step backwards, the heels of their shoes pressing against the wall of the hallway. Mrs. Norris continued to walk forward after them.“What is it, my sweet?” Filch said as he approached them. “Do you see them? Those sneaking students, up to no good. Come out, come out, wherever you are,” he rasped.Filch stopped only a few paces in front of them. Nora put her hand over Peter’s mouth to try and mask the noise of his panicked breathing, her palm moistening from the sweat on his upper lip. She stared at Filch, her stomach summersaulting, as he seemed to look right through them. Slowly, he reached a hand out and grasped the air directly in front of them, the cloak shimmying slightly from the movement. She could feel his ragged breath hitting her face, the smell sour. Filch huffed defeatedly and looked slowly to his left and then to his right.“I know you’re out here,” he said lowly, his lips curling into a grimaced smile. “And when I find you, I’ll be hanging you by your ankles. Yes, that’s what I’ll do. Dumbledore can’t stop me.” He looked towards the Gryffindor portrait that was only a few meters away and took a few steps towards it. “Some naughty Gryffindor’s out of bed after curfew? I’ll bet it’s that no-good Sirius Black, isn’t it, my sweet? Him and his delinquent friends. Yes, it’s them for sure.”Mrs. Norris wrapped herself around his ankles, purring loudly. Nora turned and looked at Sirius as she felt him shift beside her. He slowly put his forefinger up to his mouth, his lips slightly curved behind it. Nora’s brows furrowed in confusion, her eyes narrowed, but they quickly widened as she saw Sirius slip the tip of his wand out from under the cloak. He pointed it at the suits of armour across the hall, his face set in determination.“Bombarda,” he whispered almost inaudibly.Suddenly, a deafening bang filled the hallway as the suits of armour were blasted apart in a fiery explosion, pieces of metal chest plates and helmets clanking to the ground in succession. Filch yelled as Mrs. Norris jumped and sprinted away down the hall, skidding as she turned the corner. Filch ran towards the armour, a small fire burning brightly at their silver feet (which was all that was left of them), the wall beside them blackened and tarred.“RUN!” Sirius yelled as he grabbed Nora’s hand and sprinted out from under the cloak and towards the portrait hole.It took a few seconds for Nora’s brain to process what had just happened, and her feet stumbled across the stone as she begged them to move. She could hear James and Peter behind her, James laughing wildly and Peter gasping for air.“BLACK!” Filch screamed as they approached the portrait hole, his shoes slapping against the stone after them.“Wallytoad!” Sirius yelled at the Fat Lady, and she swung open at once, her eyes wide as she watched the scene before her.Sirius pulled Nora inside, James and Peter stumbling in behind them. James closed the portrait, leaning against it, his chest heaving. They could hear Filch’s muffled voice arguing with the Fat Lady, begging her, to no avail, to let him in.“They were out of bed! They deserve to be punished!”“You are not allowed inside the common room! I will not have it!” The Fat Lady replied, her voice dripping with a dignity.Nora joined Sirius and James in laughter as the four friends attempted to catch their breath, tears forming in the corners of their eyes.“That was brilliant! You were brilliant,” she said to Sirius as she leaned against him, her heart beating rapidly within her chest.“Did you see his face?” James guffawed. “That was incredible!”“Do you reckon he’ll tell McGonagall?” Peter asked, breathing hard, his eyes wide.“The old wanker has no proof,” Sirius said, still laughing.They turned around as they heard a throat clear behind them. Remus was sitting on the sofa, a blanket atop his lap and a book held open in his hands; one eyebrow was raised high on his forehead.“Should I even ask?” Remus said as he looked at them, his face blank.“I reckon you wouldn’t want to know,” Sirius chuckled.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Tuesday, November 18th 1975
It was Tuesday morning – the day of the full moon – and Nora and Sirius were crouched at the base of the staircase in the dungeons, the invisibility cloak draped over their heads, their eyes trained on the locked door of the Potions Classroom.The very second that they had seen Professor Slughorn waddle into the Great Hall for breakfast, the two friends raced out of the hall, pausing only for a moment to grab the cloak that James was handing them underneath the table.“Remind me again why we left this one for the last minute?” Nora huffed as she brushed some hair out of her eyes. The cloak was making both her and Sirius’s hair stand up with static, and she bit her lip and laughed as she looked at him, his curly hair wild and bushy.“It’s the thrill of the chase, love,” he said with a smirk, his eyes glinting as he combed through his hair with his fingers.Nora rolled her eyes and returned the smirk as she nudged him with her elbow. The last ingredient that they needed for their potions was tucked away within the supply closet of the Potions Classroom. The chrysalis of the Death’s-head Hawkmoth was typically a quite rare potions’ ingredient, and so, Nora thought, it was rather unfortunate that she and Sirius would be needing to steal four of them. She hoped that Professor Slughorn had enough of the chrysalis’s that he wouldn’t notice that four had suddenly gone missing.“Come on,” Sirius said as he grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the classroom.They stopped in front of the door, Sirius slightly crouched so that his head was level with Nora’s, making sure that their shoes and ankles were covered by the cloak, and they paused, eyeing the large lock and engraved doorknob. Sirius jiggled the doorknob a few times, twisting it back and forth, before pulling out his wand and pointing it at the lock.“Alohomora.” His whispered charm was quickly followed by the distinguished click of a lock. Sirius shook his head. “Nutter,” he scoffed. “Think he’d put a little more protection on his door, wouldn’t you?” But after briefly looking of his shoulder, Sirius pushed the door open, ducked out from under the cloak, and slipped inside of the classroom.Nora stood outside of the room and pulled the door closed again, her eyes flitting across the dark, barren hall. Standing guard while Sirius searched the classroom had been Remus’s idea, but with the approaching full moon he was too tired and ill to carry it out himself. Peter was far too scared to even fathom the idea of standing guard, and Remus and Nora simply did not trust James and Sirius to complete the task without causing an utter assortment of chaos; and so, it was Nora who now stood outside of the Potions Classroom in the Dungeons, hidden underneath James’s invisibility cloak, standing still and watching the torches flicker on the stone walls, listening to the far off drip-drop of water falling into puddles on the floor. From beneath the cloak, she watched a few straggling students clad in green robes walk the halls, their textbooks clutched in their hands, their shoes scuffing along on the stone.“You’ve been avoiding me, Black.”Nora’s heart jolted as she looked around the hall, her eyes wide and wild. The low drawling voice was easily discernible as Severus Snape’s. Nora experienced only a mere second of confusion as to how and why Snape was talking to Sirius when she saw two figures walk around the corner of the hall and stop a few meters from where she was standing. And then, Nora realized that Snape was not talking to Sirius, but to his brother.Severus Snape and Regulus Black stood in a darkened alcove, shadows stretching across their faces. Regulus’s hands were plunged deeply into the pockets of his robe, a stance in which Nora had seen Sirius embody many times before. He looked much older than the last time Nora had seen him at the end of the spring term in June. His features were sharper and more angular; he looked less boyish. He looked just like Sirius.Snape stared at Regulus, his eyes intense and unblinking. His lips were pursed into a thin, unwavering line.“You’ve had enough time,” Snape drawled. “I can’t give you anymore.”Regulus slowly looked up at Snape, his face stoic and strong. “Who made you in charge?” He spat. “He certainly didn’t. I don’t answer to you.”Snape’s eyes flashed as his brow twitched. “You have a choice.”“I’ve made my choice, Severus. You know that.”Snape stared at Regulus, his jaw clenched, his body rigid before he finally spoke. “Fine. Don’t be late, He doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”He then turned on his heel, his cloak billowing behind him reminiscent of a bat in flight, and sped up the staircase, leaving Regulus in the alcove.Regulus scoffed under his breath as he shook his head before kicking at the stone floor with the toe of his shoe. He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the ends as his fingers combed through, pulling the curls straight before letting go and allowing the locks to spiral once again. He took one last deep breath before smoothing the front of his shirt with his hands and walking up the staircase.Nora stared at the spot where the two boys had stood, her mouth slightly parted as she felt the cloak pull away from her. She turned and looked up at Sirius as he lifted the cloak. His face was blank and unreadable, but his eyes were dark.“What do you reckon that was about?” he asked, his voice calm.Nora shook her head and looked towards the alcove once more before turning back to Sirius.“Not a clue.”Nora and Sirius did not speak about the conversation that they had overheard for the rest of the day. They attended their classes with James, Remus, and Peter and laughed and bantered as if it were any normal day. Though when the jokes stopped and the conversations lulled, Nora could tell that Sirius had something on his mind; his eyes would darken, and his smile would fade, and he would get an odd, far-off look upon his face. And then, he would glance up at Nora, meeting her stare, and smile brightly with a quick wink, as if nothing had happened.And Remus noticed, too.“What’s going on with him?” Remus asked as he and Nora rode the staircase up towards the dormitories, having decided to skip dinner after their last class of the day as Remus was feeling nauseated and Nora was feeling tired. Remus nodded his head backwards towards Sirius who was walking into the Great Hall with James and Peter.Nora sighed and looked back, watching as Sirius disappeared behind the entrance to the hall.“He didn’t seem like himself today,” he said matter-of-factly.  Nora nodded and turned back towards Remus. “Yeah. I reckon he didn’t feel much like himself today, either.”After a moment of hesitation, Nora began to tell Remus about what she and Sirius seen in the dungeons that morning. As she recounted the story, she eyed Remus’s face carefully, watching as his features flickered in concern.“That’s odd, right?” she asked as they walked towards the common room. “I mean, what would Regulus and Snape be doing together in the first place? I get that they’re in the same house, but… and talking about a He?” she added in a hushed voice. “It sounded bad, Rem. Really bad. Sirius always says that his family are fans of the Dark Arts… but you don’t think…?Remus nodded, his face contemplative. “What did Sirius say?”The Fat Lady swung open as Remus gave the password, and the two walked into the common room before slowly climbing the stairs to the boys’ dormitory; Remus’ joints were stiff with the impending moon.“He didn’t say anything,” Nora shrugged. “It’s like, we both acknowledged that it happened and that we saw it, but we didn’t talk about it at all.”Remus nodded again but didn’t speak. His brows furrowed low over his eyes.“And please, don’t mention to him that I told you. I reckon that when he’s ready he’ll tell you and James,” Nora said as she and Remus walked into the dormitory. “I mean, maybe it’s not as bad as it sounded. Maybe it’s just some secret Slytherin club or something.”Nora sat down next to Remus on his bed and played with the ribbing on her socks, picking at a loose thread, watching as the knitting of the fabric unravelled as she pulled. She looked up, meeting Remus’s unconvinced stare.“Maybe,” he said softly.While the others were downstairs eating dinner, Nora and Remus decided to take advantage of the quiet dormitory. The two friends laid in his bed propped up against some pillows, Nora leaning against Remus as he grabbed the Defence textbook that Professor Fulminare had given her, holding it up as he read aloud from it.“‘Wandlore is the ancient, complex, and mysterious branch of magic that deals with the actions, abilities, and complete history of wands as tools and partners to Wizardkind. This sacred branch of magic is carefully studied by wandmakers around the world, most notably by the renowned wandmakers Garrick Ollivander in England and Mykew Gregorovitch in Germany,’” Remus read.Nora sighed as she lolled her head backwards, pressing it against Remus’s shoulder.“I don’t think we study wandlore until next year,” he mumbled as he flipped through a few pages of the book, carefully turning them so as not to tear them. “In History of Magic.”Nora sighed again. “So then why is Fulminare having me do it now?”Remus closed the book, placing it on Nora’s lap. “He’s trying to help you. He is a professor, after all.”Nora stretched her arms taut and worked on the strain that was settling in her neck before scooting lower on the bed and lying on her side. “If he was really trying to help me, he would be more direct, not have me go through this wild-goose chase with the essay and textbook and –” she paused and groaned, rubbing her tired eyes with her palms. “I still don’t even know what I’m to be writing about. The library didn’t have anything specific about blackthorn wands or even anything more than about how wand wood is farmed. I’m so bloody sick of reading about Bowtruckles and wand trees and the difference between mundane trees and exceptional trees and where to find exceptional trees and how to not confuse them with mundane trees and what exactly makes a tree exceptional versus mundane and what would happen if you tried to make a wand out of a mundane tree and not an exceptional one and –”Remus laughed softly, interrupting her. He pressed his chin to his chest, looking down at her with one eyebrow quirked as she caught her breath from her long-run tangent. “They really call the non-magical trees ‘mundane’?”Nora nodded as a small smile broke out across her face. “I know. Imagine if we just called Muggles ‘mundane wizards.’”Remus laughed again. “I think I like that a bit more than ‘Muggle,’ to be quite honest. Imagine introducing someone to your family – ‘Ah, yes, this is my father, a wizard, and here is my mother, a mundane witch.’”Nora snorted as her nose scrunched. “My father? Oh, no, no, see he’s not a Muggle. He’s just a rather mundane wizard.”“I think it’s quite beautiful how mundane wizards are marrying normal wizards, nowadays,” Remus said.“Normal wizards?” Nora scoffed. “As if the group of people who wear long robes and pointy hats and make sparks come out of funny little wooden sticks are the normal ones in this situation.”“I suppose it depends on who you were raised by,” he said. “Whether you were raised by wizards or by Mug–”“Mundane wizards,” Nora corrected.The two laughed again as the sun began its descent towards the treeline, the sky darkening into a golden hue with swirls of smoky, purple clouds not far in the distance. It was one of the first days in a few weeks in which it had not stormed, but Nora found that she missed the rain.She had always identified deeply with the dark clouds and the rumbling of the thunder and the flashes of lightening as the sky cried out. When it stormed, the castle felt different; it felt as though everyone was just a little bit sadder, and Nora felt like she could finally keep up with everyone. But when it was bright and warm and sunny, she felt as if she had to put on a show to match all the other happy demeanours. It wasn’t that Nora felt as if she were depressed, but she had never been the bubbly, happy-go-lucky girl next-door. She learned from a young age that life was hard and unfair. There was a reason James and Sirius teased her about being mopey.She liked it when it rained because it felt like her outside world matched her inside, and Nora liked it when things matched.******“Wake up, sleepyhead, it’s time to make a potion!”Nora’s eyes fluttered as she heard Sirius’ voice ring out, accompanied by the slamming of the dormitory door. Slowly, she rubbed her eyes with her fingers, wiping the bits of dried crust from the corners, and sighed.“You couldn’t have let her sleep for five more minutes?” Remus asked.“Nope,” Sirius said, popping the ‘p’ at the end of his sentence. “Sorry love, but the art of the Animagi waits for no sleeping man! Or… sleeping woman, that is,” he said.“Are you quoting the textbook?” Nora asked, her eyes still closed.“He sure is,” she heard James say. “Except the part about sleeping women. The book definitely did not have any chapters on that.”Nora forced her eyes to open through the thick sheets of exhaustion and took in her surroundings with a quick glance. She was still lying on her side in Remus’s bed, cuddled close to his chest, his left arm wrapped around her and his right holding another book that he had been reading while she napped.Remus hummed to himself as he put his book down. “Sirius Black quoting a textbook. You don’t hear that every day.” “And you won’t hear it ever again if I mess my potion up and end up as a mutant, either,” Sirius said as he walked over to Nora and Remus, ignoring the nervous groan that emitted from deep within Peter’s chest. “Now, off with you,” he said to Remus as he handed him his bag. “We’ve got a potion to make, and I hear you have plans for tonight. I nicked you a sandwich and put it in there. Not sure if wolves like sandwiches, though, so maybe save it for later.”Nora rolled over and watched as Sirius helped Remus get up and don his coat. His movements were stiff and jerky as the moon threatened to rise in the dusk-laden sky.“Be safe, mate,” James said from his bed, lifting his head up from out of the textbook.Nora and Peter nodded in agreement. “Be careful,” she said as she looked up at him.Remus nodded and gave her a small, sad smile. “I will be.”Sirius and Remus walked to the door before Sirius clasped him in a hug, gently patting his back as he said, “You better come back in one piece, Moony.”“Don’t do anything stupid,” Remus countered. “That goes for all of you, but mostly you,” he said as he looked around the room before settling his glance once again on Sirius.“Eh,” Sirius shrugged and waved his hand. “Go on, don’t keep Pomfrey waiting,” he said.Remus nodded and shot them a quick, pursed-lip smile before walking out of the dormitory.“So… what exactly are we supposed to do?” Peter asked as James scribbled notes in the margins of the Animagus textbook.“You’re lucky Remus isn’t here to see you do that,” Sirius said.James shrugged. “It’s not like we were ever going to return it, anyways.” He put the book down on his lap and looked at his watch. “When the moon rises, we’ll each take one of the crystal phials and spit our leaf into it. Then, we’ll add a silver teaspoon of the dew and one of our own hairs. For the next seven days we need to add one teaspoon of the dew during the evenings. And then finally, after the seven days, we add the moth chrysalis. There’s a whole lot more steps after that, but we can worry about that when we get to it.”Nora shuddered and scrunched her nose up, a stark contrast in expression to Peter’s wide-eyed look of fear. “What’s that face for?” James asked Nora. “You look like you just saw your grandparents naked.”“I hate moths,” said Nora.“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that,” James laughed. “Remember when there was a moth in the dorm in second year?”“Yes, please don’t remind me,” said Nora.“What’s so bad about moths, anyways?” Sirius asked.Nora shrugged and grimaced. “They’re creepy. I don’t mind the tiny, little ones, but the big ones are just disturbing with their papery wings and little legs and giant bodies and buggy eyes,” she shuddered again. “And why are they so obsessed with lanterns and flames? If I had a sickle for the number of times that I’ve seen a moth incinerate itself in a torch, I’d be rich.”“Let’s just hope your Animagi form isn’t a moth, then.”Nora’s eyes widened. “Don’t even joke about that, Sirius. I swear to God, if I turn into a moth, you all have full permission to let me burn myself in a candle.”As the sky grew steadily darker, James dimmed the lanterns in the room so that only a soft orange glow nestled over them. Nora retrieved the phials and jar of dew from her bag as Sirius produced a silver teaspoon that he “borrowed” from the kitchens; Peter took to making four cups of tea (“To celebrate the leaves being gone!”) and the four friends settled themselves onto two of the beds, Nora and Sirius on one bed, and Peter and James on another.When the full moon finally rose late into the evening, they spit their soggy leaves into their phials, each grimacing at the strings of saliva that hung from their lips, hastily wiping their mouths on sleeves or hands and taking eager sips of the hot tea. Nora savoured her tea, swishing the scalding liquid around in her mouth, allowing it to erase the flavour of the Mandrake leaf. The inside of her cheek felt wrinkled and puckered from having housed the leaf there for the last month (two months if you count the first leaf), but Nora was just simply glad to have that horrid thing out of her mouth for good. She was already fantasizing about the next morning’s breakfast and all the food that she could now eat without having to worry about swallowing or chewing on her leaf.“Okay, we have to be careful with the dew, now. We’ll go one at a time,” James said as he picked up the silver teaspoon. “Who wants to go first?”After a short moment of quiet, Sirius spoke up.“I will,” he said as he grabbed the spoon from James.Sirius lowered the silver teaspoon into the jar of dew and withdrew a spoonful of the liquid. With his tongue clenched between his teeth, he began to carefully tip the dew into his crystal phial.“Don’t spill any,” said James.“What do you think I’m trying to do?” Sirius scoffed.After pouring in the dew, the leaf in his phial immediately began to sizzle and emit a thick wisp of dark, black smoke.“Is it supposed to do that?” Sirius asked with a grimace as he held his phial up to his eyes, warily looking at the smoking leaf.James consulted the textbook. “Yeah. Yeah, that’s normal, I guess. Says here that the leaf should smoke, but that the colour of the smoke is different person-to-person,” he shrugged. “Apparently the colour has to do with what your Animagus will be.”Sirius pondered as he looked at his phial and the tiny trail of inky smoke. Then, a smile slowly began to grow on his face. “I guess that means I’m gonna be a black stallion. Not as regal looking as a white stallion, mind you, but still impressive.”“You’d still be a black stallion even if you were white, mate. Because you’re already a Black. Get it? A Black stallion?” James joked.“Ah,” Sirius nodded. “Not you’re best work, James. Your puns are getting rusty,” Sirius said.“All right, I’ll stop horsing around,” James said.“There we go! That’s more like it!” exclaimed Sirius.Nora rolled her eyes and grabbed the spoon. After pouring her silver teaspoon of dew, her leaf began to sizzle, and some light grey and tan coloured smoke trailed out of the top of the phial.“Well, that’s a strange colour,” Nora observed.“Looks like dust,” James said.“Great,” Nora said. “Perhaps I’ll be a dust mite.”“If we’re lucky,” Sirius joked.As Nora flashed Sirius two fingers, Peter and James took turns spooning the dew into their own phials. Peter’s phial began to smoke a rather dull grey colour, and James’s smoke was a deep, reddish-brown.“Huh,” Sirius said as the four friends looked around at the four smoking crystal phials. “Those colours sure do narrow it down, huh? What do we have here? Black, grey, brown, and –” he paused and looked at Nora’s phial. “Whatever your colour is.”“It’s dust,” Nora shrugged.“All right. Black, grey, brown, and dust.”“Well, what did you expect? Neon pink? Aqua blue?” James asked.Sirius narrowed his eyes and stared at James, a small smirk on his lips. “You’re a feisty one tonight, Potter.”“Feisty?” asked James.“Yeah. Sassy. Feisty. Cheeky.”“I’m always cheeky.”“You wish. Besides, I just thought this would be a bit more exciting, is all,” said Sirius.“Well, we’re not done yet, we have to put the hairs in,” James said.Each of the four friends then reached up to their heads and plucked out a single strand of hair. Nora looked around at the boys, her fingers pinching the dark, curling strand of hair, before lowering the strand into her phial, the hair dissolving on contact with the liquid within.“All right,” James said as he put his cork back into the top of his phial. “Now we’re done.”“So, that’s it?” Peter asked as he, too, pushed his cork back into his phial.“That’s it,” said James. “For now, at least.”As the hours of the evening ticked by and early morning arrived, and as the friends slowly drifted off to sleep, one-by-one, Nora found herself wide awake, staring up at the canopy of Sirius’s bed, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing.The moon was ivory against the obsidian sky, reminiscent of a large porcelain dinner plate, and its coruscating light shined brightly against her face as it hung low in the sky, getting ready for its descent. Stealthily, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, crisscrossing her legs beneath her, and faced the window, basking in the rays of the moon.She thought of Remus.She wondered what he was doing and if he was hurt. She wondered if he was even aware of what was happening. He had mentioned to her once that he didn’t really remember his transformations and nights in the Shack, only dull and blurry flashes of memories.Nora wondered what the Shack looked like.Remus had refused to bring his friends to the Shack, even after Sirius had begged him to show them in their second year.“It’s too risky,” Remus had said. “I don’t have any control over myself when I’m transformed. I don’t want anyone knowing how to get into the Shack. I don’t want to hurt any of you.”That was his worst nightmare.He had told Nora that once; that his worst fear was hurting someone during a full moon, especially hurting someone he loved.But Nora knew that he really wasn’t truly worried about hurting one of them; he was worried about killing them.She looked across the room at Remus’s empty bed, the duvet and blankets were folded neatly, tight and pristine. Soft snores were coming from Peter’s bed, and she could just make out his tousled head of mousy hair in the moonlight, sandwiched between his many pillows. James was a mess, tangled in his blankets and sheets, lying on his stomach with one bare foot stuck out, hanging off his mattress. And she looked down at Sirius and smiled softly; he looked so peaceful when he slept, his face slack and mouth slightly parted with soft, warm breaths flowing in and out.Slowly, Nora scooted closer to the edge of the bed, placing her feet on the icy floor, cringing as the mattress creaked and groaned as she stood. She looked back at Sirius, but he didn’t seem to hear, he looked as peaceful as ever. She grabbed her wand from atop his bedside table and picked up his watch, holding it up to the light. It was four in the morning. Remus should be back soon.After replacing the watch on the table, she silently, she crept over to James’s opened trunk and grabbed one of his clean jumpers off the top of his pile, folding it over her arm. And then she snuck out of the room, inching the door closed behind her.“Lumos,” she whispered.Her wand lit the stairwell with a small orb of light as she descended the stone steps, pulling James’s jumper over her head as she walked. The common room was dark and empty and felt unusually cold as she crossed the room and knelt in front of the hearth. After lighting a fire with her wand, she sat back, her legs stretched straight out in front of her, her feet warming by the flames.She watched the fire dance and flicker, shimmying in time to the rhythmic crackling and occasional spitting of sparks. She leaned back, her head against the base of the sofa, staring up at the small clock that sat on the mantle, watching as the hour slowly began to tick by.She didn’t look away from the clock when she felt someone sit beside her. She could tell it was him just by the sound of his steps.“Sorry,” she said quietly. “Did I wake you when I left?”Sirius was quiet for a moment before he responded. “No,” he said, his voice groggy from the early morning hours. “I think I woke up when I noticed you weren’t there.”Nora nodded as her eyes flickered towards the portrait hole.“I’m sure he’ll be back soon,” Sirius said.“He’s usually back by now. He’s always back before the sun rises. Unless it was a bad moon.”Nora felt Sirius shift beside her, and she finally turned her head to look at him. And he looked back at her, his face downturned but his eyes up, looking at her from under his brows. But he didn’t speak; he didn’t lie tell her that everything would be okay or that Remus was safe. Sirius never simply told people what they wanted to hear, he spoke only the truth, whether it was painful or not.Instead, he leaned back against the base of the sofa, his knees bent upwards towards his chest, and he pulled Nora close to him, his hand bracing the side of her head.And Nora leaned into him, turning her head into his neck, his body warming her cheek, his hair tickling her face, and she closed her eyes. She breathed deeply, quelling her racing heart, focusing on the faint smell of peppermint toothpaste on his breath and Sleekeazy’s that was left in his hair from the day before.And they sat like that until the portrait hole opened an hour later and Remus stumbled inside, exhausted, but with minimal injuries. And the three friends squeezed into the sofa next to one another, just like they used to when they were younger, with Nora sandwiched in the middle, and they talked until Remus fell asleep, shortly followed by Sirius.And finally, Nora closed her eyes, her heart now calm, and sank into a deep, restful sleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Friday, December 5th 1975
Nora’s eyes flitted across the words of her book, her lips twitching with the forming of vowels, her toes wiggling in her stockings. She laid in her bed on her back, her head where her feet were meant to go, her legs straight in the air, resting against the wall, crossed at the ankles. She turned the pages of the book with zeal, her breaths hot and short as they flowed in and out of her parted lips. She was just about to turn the page again and start a new chapter when the door swung open and Sabine and Cecily walked in, accompanied by echoing shouts that floated up the stairwell from the common room.“Potter and Black are looking for you,” Sabine said as she tossed her bag down onto her bed. “Well, not looking, really, more like… demanding your presence.”Nora groaned and laid her book across her chest. “What time is it?”Sabine looked at her watch. “About fifteen minutes until five. Why?”Nora sat up and sighed, running a hand over her face as the yells from downstairs grew louder. “We’ve got plans,” she said as she jerked her thumb towards the door.“NORA MARGARET ROSS!” she heard Sirius’s voice.“Yeah, I could’ve guessed that,” Cecily said.Nora stood and stuck her head out of the door. “Quiet down!” she yelled. “I’ll be down in a minute!”“We don’t have a minute! It’s almost sunset!” Sirius yelled back. “Get your arse down here! You can sleep later!”“I wasn’t sleeping!” she yelled. “I was reading! I wouldn’t expect you to understand!”The yelling voices quieted for a few seconds, and Nora laughed to herself, imagining Sirius’s narrowed and squinting eyes as he processed the insult.“Accio Nora! ACCIO NORA!” Sirius’s voice once again filled the stairwell.“You can’t accio a person, mate,” she heard James say.“ACCIO NORA!”“You idiot!” Nora yelled down, groaning as she shoved her book and wand into her bag.She turned around, her face flushed, and shook her head at Sabine and Cecily’s laughing faces.“He’s an idiot,” she said.“At least he’s cute,” Cecily grinned.Nora paused and pondered, her head cocking to one side. “I think his idiocy cancels out the cuteness.”“Oh, I’m not so sure about that,” Cecily said with a smirk. “He’s a major hunk.”Nora raised her eyebrows as Sabine rolled her eyes. “Am I supposed to know what that means?”“Apparently, it just means a ‘hot guy,’” Sabine said. “Someone keeps forgetting that most of us don’t speak Muggle.”“Nora’s half-Muggle! She should know,” Cecily said.Nora shook her head. “I don’t reckon that’s how it works. Besides, I can guarantee you that my father has never said the word ‘hunk.’”Cecily sighed. “Well, are you going to be back here tonight or are you going to be with the boys? We’re having a study group for Transfiguration.”Nora shrugged. “I don’t know yet. If I am coming back here, it will be late, so don’t feel like you have to wait for me. Randall and I have a date tonight,” she said with a sheepish smile.“Speaking of hot guys!” Sabine laughed. “Well, have fun, then! And don’t let Black rope you into any of his crazy schemes.”“Oh, trust me,” Nora said as she walked towards the door. “He one hundred percent already has.”“Bloody, FINALLY!” Sirius exclaimed as Nora jumped from the last step, his hand already wrapping around her wrist as he pulled her towards the boys’ staircase.“Cutting it a little close, there, Nora,” James said, his eyebrows raised high on his forehead.“I was reading,” she huffed as they entered the boys’ dormitory. “Lost track of time,” she shrugged.“Well, get your wand out, come on, then!” Sirius said as he closed the door behind them, muttering a locking charm as he pointed his own wand at the door.Nora sat on James’s bed and fished around in her bag, her fingers wrapping around her wand. She pulled it out, placing the tip against her heart.“Ready?” James asked, his own wand resting against his chest, his eyes peeking out from the tops of his glasses.Peter, Sirius, and Nora nodded, and together, the four friends began to chant the incantation in which they had memorized over the last few weeks.“Amato, Amino, Animato, Animagus.”“Think Voldy will give us a nice electrical storm any time soon?” Sirius asked as he put his wand down and peered out the window.After adding the last seven teaspoons of dew and the moth chrysalis, the textbook instructed the four friends to leave their potion-filled phials undisturbed in a dark space until the next electrical storm; “Don’t check on your phial. Don’t look at your phial. Don’t even think about your phial,” the book had said. And so, the friends had unanimously decided that the four phials would be safest under Remus’s protection, locked away in the bottom of his trunk. In the meantime, every sunrise and sunset found the four friends together, reciting the incantation, their wands pressed against their hearts.“Hopefully,” said James as he sat next to Nora. “I don’t want to wait until the bloody summer.”“There’ve been storms practically every week,” said Nora. “I doubt we’ll have to wait very long.”“Well, there hasn’t been one for the last two weeks,” Sirius grumbled. “You have to be patient, Sirius.”“I don’t reckon Sirius knows what that means,” Peter said in a small voice.As the other friends laughed, Sirius smirked and shook his head, giving Peter a light shove on the arm. “Sod off, mate.”******“Promise not to let Sirius spy on me this time?” Nora asked with a small smile as she and Remus rode the staircase down to the first floor.Like always, they had fallen a few metres behind their friends, and Nora watched as Sirius and James laughed and pranced down the stairs leaving poor Peter behind and jogging to catch up with his friends.Remus stopped walking and looked down at Nora with widened eyes.“I can see your trainers under the cloak,” Nora explained.“Sorry,” Remus grimaced.Nora shrugged and continued walking. “It was cute the first couple of times, but…”“I reckon the tenth time isn’t so cute?”Nora nodded and chuckled. “Pretty much.”“He says that he just wants to make sure you’re okay,” he sighed. “And I don’t trust him enough to let him go alone. I wouldn’t put it past him to interfere if he saw something he didn’t like. At least I can stop him from doing something ridiculous.”Nora nodded. “Makes sense, I suppose.”“I’m sorry,” said Remus.Nora laughed and shook her head. “Just make sure I can’t see your trainers this time, then, yeah? If you’re gonna be there, I’d rather not know.”Over the last few months, Nora had spent as much time with Randall as she had with the boys. She still got butterflies whenever she saw him, but Nora enjoyed the time that she was spending with him. And it wasn’t all snogging. They talked about a lot of different things. They would sit together, cuddled close on a windowsill in an alcove of a tower, tucked under blankets and jumpers, and they would talk and laugh for hours.Nora talked about her dad and the boys; she talked about how winter was her favourite season, and she confided that she had no idea what she wanted to do after Hogwarts, but that Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures were her favourite subjects. Randall told Nora about his own family, and she learned that he had an older sister and a younger brother who would be starting at Hogwarts next year. He told her about how he had aunts and uncles in Italy, and how he would visit them during the summers. He talked about his N.E.W.T.s, and how he wanted to be a Mediwizard.Nora and Randall had not discussed their official status or relationship, but they would walk hand-in-hand through the halls and weren’t shy about occasional public displays of affection. One of the things that Nora loved most was that Randall had memorized her schedule, and that he would be waiting for her in the hall when she got out of a class, leaning against the wall with ease, his feet crossed at the ankles, his blonde hair effortlessly swooped to one side, a small smile upon his lips. And he would walk over to her, brushing the stray, frizzy hairs from                 her forehead while tilting her chin upwards and planting soft kisses on her lips. She wore the rose necklace that he had given her every day, finding comfort in the dark green chain and the way it stood out against her skin.That evening was no different. Nora met Randall in the Great Hall after dinner, and he led her up to one of their usual alcoves in a tower that overlooked the grounds. Sitting on the windowsill of the alcove were two blankets, some pillows, and a jar of blue flames that hovered in the air as they took their seats. The blankets were warm and toasty, having had a warming charm recently cast upon them, and Nora smiled to herself as she leaned against Randall’s chest, the blankets pulled up to her chin, staring out the window upon the darkened grounds. The outside air that seeped in through the cracks in the windowsill was chilly and nipped at her nose, but Nora had never felt more at ease.“What are your plans for holiday?” Randall asked as he rested his chin on her shoulder, absentmindedly playing with her fingers as he held her hands beneath the blankets.“Going home,” Nora said quietly. “My dad and I are going to be having Christmas dinner with our neighbours. I reckon I’ll be seeing James and Remus over break, and Sirius, too, if he is able to get away from his family.” She paused, listening to the whistling of the wind. “What about you? It will be strange not seeing you every day.”Randall hummed in agreeance. “I’d say we could meet up, but I’ll be visiting my sister in Iceland.”“Oh, well, that sounds like fun,” Nora said, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. “You said she’s a journalist, right? Is that why she’s in Iceland?”Randall nodded. “She’s been working on a story about You-Know-Who’s followers for the Prophet. She’s been following a lead in Iceland for a few months now.”“What would the Death Eaters be doing in Iceland?” Nora asked, turning her head slightly so that she could see Randall’s face.“Avoiding the Aurors,” he said with a sigh. “They technically only have jurisdiction in the United Kingdom. And avoiding Dumbledore, too, I’d assume, with his Order and all.”“Order?” Nora asked, turning around fully.Randall laughed under his breath and shook his head. “Probably shouldn’t have mentioned.”Nora raised her eyebrows, beckoning him to continue.“Dumbledore started a secret society a few years ago when You-Know-Who really started to get powerful. The members range from everyday witches and wizards to accomplished Aurors. They’re like… the anti-Death Eaters,” Randall shrugged. “They work with the Ministry. They call themselves the Order of the Phoenix.”“How do you join?” she asked, intrigued.Randall shook his head and frowned, squeezing her hand as he spoke. “You’re too young, Nora.”Nora scowled at him, her eyes narrowing, and she turned her head away from him, removing her hand from his grasp.“Oh, come on, love. You know I don’t mean it like it’s a bad thing, it’s just the truth. Dumbledore won’t even let me join until I’ve graduated. There’s no way McGonagall would let any of her kids join before they’re eighteen.”“I’m not a kid.”“That’s not what I meant.”Nora sighed and leaned back against his chest, pulling her knees upwards, staring out the window. She watched as the stars flickered against their ebony background, watching the shadows of trees sway in the distance, listening to the flute-like tunes of the wind.“I’m just sick of waiting around,” she finally said, her voice quiet. “I’m sick of waiting and reading the news and hearing about what’s happened. I want to help.”Randall was quiet for a moment before speaking. “And why is it you don’t want to be an Auror, again?”“Rubbish at protective charms, remember?” Nora said with a small laugh. “I reckon those are important for Aurors.”Randall hummed and chuckled softly, and the two were blanketed in silence, their chests rising and falling in sync. They watched the small sliver of the crescent moon sail across the sky and watched as the torches lining the halls of the tower slowly puttered out, and they watched as their bodies cast shadows on the stones as Randall walked her back to the Gryffindor common room.And they stood outside the portrait hole, their bodies close together, Nora’s ear pressed flat against his chest listening to the steady thump of his heart. Nora could tell that the Fat Lady was pretending to be asleep, as fake snores would accompany the occasional squint of her eyes as they opened, peaking at the two, young students, smiling softly and humming as Randall kissed Nora goodnight.And then she was climbing the stairs to the boys’ dormitory after quickly deciding that she did not want to deal with Cecily and Sabine’s knowing glances and questions. And because Nora was quite sure that Sirius and Remus had probably already seen a portion of her date from beneath the cloak, so they were not likely to have any questions, anyways.It was as she was settling herself in next to Remus, peering over his shoulder to see what he was reading, that she realised she had forgotten her own book on the windowsill in the tower.“Can’t you get it in the morning?” Sirius groaned as he shoved his bare feet into his shoes, tugging a t-shirt over his head.“No,” Nora said as she looked in her bag one last time. “My dad sent me that book and it’s really good and I need to know what happens next. And I can’t accio it because I don’t know exactly where it is.”Sirius looked at her, his brows raised, and shook his head. “Alright, come on then,” he said as he opened the door and held it for her, the invisibility cloak clutched in his other hand.Nora grinned and sped out the door, singing out a “Thank you!” as she passed him.She hummed to herself as they walked towards the tower, Sirius with his hands shoved deeply into his pockets, his shoes scuffing against the stone.“I like it when you wear your old-man shoes,” Nora said.Sirius scoffed. “They aren’t old-man shoes. They’re loafers. A perfectly respectable choice of footwear.”“For a ninety-year-old grandfather.”“Are not.”“Are too.”“You don’t even have a grandfather,” Sirius said. “How are you supposed to know?”“I do, too, have a grandfather. I’ve even met him twice,” Nora joked. “I don’t think he’s ninety, but I’ll bet he wears loafers.”Sirius sighed in response, but Nora could see the hint of a smirk on his lips.“Mr. Carrington wears loafers,” she continued. “He even has a special pair for just wearing around the house.”“Is that so?” Sirius asked, his voice monotonous.“Say, when did Dumbledore let you borrow his shoes? I’m a little disappointed he didn’t give you the matching robes, though.”“Are you done yet?”Nora paused and looked down at his shoes once more, her head tilting to the side.“I thought the generations-old Black family heirlooms had “B’s” engraved on them?” she looked up at him, making sure to keep her face neutral. “All right, now I’m done.”Sirius gave a short laugh under his breath, his head shaking. “Okay, that one was clever. I’ll give you that.”Nora grinned.They walked in silence for a few minutes, they wands glowing against the dark hall, Sirius clutching the cloak, ready to throw it over them at the first hint of Filch or Mrs. Norris.“I really do like them, by the way,” Nora said as they came to a stop, peering around the corner of a wall. She nudged his loafer with the toe of her trainer. “You somehow pull them off.”Sirius huffed. “Somehow?”They continued walking.“Well, yeah. Not everyone could wear those. Could you imagine James in a pair? Or Peter?” she laughed. “I mean –”But Nora didn’t get to finish her sentence.Immediately after they rounded the next corner, Sirius’s arm shot out, stopping her from walking any further. It reminded her of when she travelled by Muggle car with her father and they needed to stop short; her father’s arm would suddenly cross her chest, his elbow straight, as if protecting her from a potential harm.And so, Nora stopped short, Sirius’s arm against her chest.She looked up at the two figures standing a few metres away from them; with his blonde hair and bronze and blue jumper, it took Nora’s brain only a few seconds time to comprehend what she was seeing.Randall’s back was turned to them, his hands pressed against the wall over the head of the girl, and he leaned down, his face pressed against her neck, trailing kisses towards her mouth, until their lips met together. Nora could hear their short, quickened breaths and her stomach churned in protest. But she didn’t speak. She couldn’t speak. Her mouth was parted open, her eyes taking in the scene.And Sirius’s arm stayed up, pressing against her chest, but he, too, was silent. Out of the corner of her eye, Nora could see his grimace; his lips twitching, his brows turned downwards in anger, his chest heaving up and down. Nora recognized the girl as Randall’s friend; her pale blonde hair and tall, slender frame stood out in the darkened hall, and as her amber coloured eyes locked on Nora’s, she froze, the colour draining from her face, her hand grasping Randall’s upper arm.And Randall turned around, his face contorting into an expression Nora had never seen before. He did not look upset. He didn’t look embarrassed or ashamed. He didn’t look angry or surprised.He looked relieved.So, Nora turned around, pivoting on the spot, and began walking back down the hall.She didn’t turn back when she heard Randall call her name. She didn’t turn back when she heard Sirius fire a hex at the pair. She didn’t turn back when she realised that she had forgotten her book, again.She walked back through the castle towards Gryffindor Tower, Sirius trotting as her side, trying to keep up with her. Her mind was blank, and she found herself hyper-focusing on each step that she took, focusing on the way that her foot lifted off the ground and then touched back down, her heel first and then her toes. She focused on the scuffing noise that the soles of her trainers made as she walked, accompanied by the quiet clop that Sirius’s shoes made as he trotted next to her.“Nora…” Sirius called softly, his hand reaching for hers.But Nora shook her head and continued to walk, and Sirius was quiet once again.When they arrived at the portrait hole, Sirius gave the Fat Lady the password, his voice thick and gruff, and the two walked into the common room.It was late in the evening, the room was empty, and so Nora did not feel embarrassed when she paused in front of the twin staircases, unsure of which one she wanted to ascend.Truthfully, she wanted to lie in her own bed, her curtains drawn, her duvet pulled up over her head, but she did not want to deal with her dormmates and their questions. For the same reason, she didn’t want to go back up to the boys’ dormitory, as she was sure that her current state would only cause concern and inquiries from the other boys.So, she stood, still as ever, looking up at the two staircases, not moving towards either one. She was calm for a moment, her face stoic, her hands steady at her sides. But then her face began to crumple, her brows scrunching inwards, her lips quivering.And Nora began to cry.They stood there for a moment, Sirius by her side, as she cried, silently at first, but then her cries quickly became more audible, her voice breaking out in soft whimpers and whines.“I don’t know where to go,” she said finally, her voice shaky and high-pitched, her breaths staggering one after another. “I don’t know where to go.”The tears flowed harder as Sirius grasped her hand, gently leading her over to the sofa and softly pushing on her shoulders to sit her down. She felt the cushions sink and shift next to her as he sat. She pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin atop them, and pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes, trying to force the tears to stop.“I – hate – crying,” she groaned, her palms moistening. Her breathing was shaky as she gasped in her air, her chest quivering. She began to sob.She felt Sirius put his hand on her shoulder, his touch gentle but comforting.“I – feel – so – stupid,” she gasped, taking an involuntary breath between each word, dropping her hands from her face.Sirius looked down at her, his brows furrowed. “You’re not stupid,” he said quietly.“I’m an idiot, Sirius,” she said, meeting his eyes, her cheeks hot and wet from her tears. “I actually - thought someone like him - could like me,” she choked, her voice catching in her throat. “I thought he liked me,” she whispered.“He’s the idiot,” Sirius said quickly with a shake of his head. “I mean it,” he said as Nora rolled her eyes. “He had something so… good, so bloody good, and then he blew it. He’s a fucking idiot, Nora.”Nora felt her lips tremble again and she turned her head as the tears welled back up in her eyes, blurring her vision, threatening to spill. She gave a great sniffle as she wiped her dripping nose on the back of her hand.“Y-you hexed them,” she stuttered, her head still turned away. “I didn’t recognize the incantation.”She heard Sirius laugh and she turned her head to look at him. “I reckon he’ll be wearing a hat for a while.”Nora wrinkled her brows. “What was the spell, Sirius?”“Calvorio.”Nora shook her head. She had never heard of the spell.“Also called the Hair Loss Curse,” Sirius said, a small smirk upon his lips.Nora’s eyes widened. “Is it permanent?”“That was the first time I’ve used it,” he shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out in a few months.”Nora gave a small snort of laughter as her tears fell in streams down her cheeks. “I think he’s more obsessed with his hair than you and James combined.”Sirius whistled and raised his eyebrows. “That’s impressive.”“I hope he has no eyebrows, too,” Nora sniffed.“The book I found it in didn’t specify the location of the hair,” he explained as he grabbed the bottom hem of his t-shirt and pulled it up, exposing his stomach, using it to gently dry her cheeks. “But it’s hair loss. I’d reckon it’s all hair, not just… head hair.”Nora scrunched her face as Sirius wiped her nose with his shirt, pinching away the sticky mess that had begun to drip towards her lips.“Gross,” she said in a small voice, looking down at the crumpled hem of his shirt, shiny and wet.Sirius looked at his shirt and shrugged nonchalantly before lifting his head back up. “Not a big deal.”They were quiet for a moment, sitting side-by-side in the darkened room. Her head was leaning on his shoulder, their bodies beneath a blanket that had been draped over the back of the sofa. The only sounds present were the soft crackling of the fire in the hearth, Nora’s occasional groan, cry and sniffle, and the wind soughing outside against the stone walls.“My heart hurts,” she said finally, her voice low.She felt Sirius shift and look down at her, and she turned her head up, meeting his steely eyes.“Your eyes go dark when you’re upset,” she mumbled, looking at one of his eyes and then the other, admiring the long, dark lashes that outlined each eye.He didn’t speak, but his deep frown and darkened eyes told Nora everything that he wanted to say. So, she put her head back down on his shoulder, leaning into his side, and let him wrap his arm around her.“I forgot my book again,” she said.Sirius shook his head. “I grabbed it. It’s on the table. I put it down when we came in.”“Thank you,” she said quietly, her fingers playing with the chain of her necklace.She sat forward suddenly, her fingers clasping around the rose charm, and pulled, breaking the chain. She looked down at the crumpled necklace in her hand, the green and silver turning brown in the orange firelight.“Turn it back,” she said quietly, her voice croaky, her eyes stinging.Sirius looked at her and nodded softly. He pointed his wand at the jewellery in her palm.“Reparifarge,” he mumbled.She and Sirius watched as the necklace untransfigured back into a rose, the head a beautiful and vibrant red colour of fresh, soft petals, the verdant thorns biting into her skin.And she threw the rose into the fire, sitting back, her head against Sirius’s shoulder, watching as the petals curled inwards, blackening as they burned.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Wednesday, December 10th 1975
“All right, enough of this,” said Lily as she pulled back the curtain of Nora’s bed and sat down on the mattress. “You were in bed all weekend, you barely ate a thing, and you missed all of your classes yesterday and the day before. Remus won’t stop interrogating me about your wellbeing and Sirius Black has been camped out in the common room at the base of our staircase every moment he’s not in class. He keeps accidentally leaning against the last step and turning the whole thing into a slide – I had to calm down a pair of first years after they practically slid right across the room and into the hearth. Pettigrew’s been eating himself into a tizzy, and even Potter hasn’t been a total swine – he’s just been asking me about you. No snide remarks about Severus or unwanted flirtatious advances… Honestly, if I wasn’t enjoying the peace and quiet, I would say it’s a bit unnerving, really, but –” Lily looked down at Nora and sighed. “What’s going on?”Nora sat up, pulling her duvet up with her, tucking her chin under the cover. “I reckon you already know. Gossip travels fast at Hogwarts.”“Well, yes,” Lily agreed. “I just didn’t want to assume. I thought maybe you would want to tell me for yourself.”Nora shook her head. “It’s too embarrassing. I don’t even want to think about it.”Lily scoffed. “Well, you’re not doing a very good job at that, now are you? Moping about in bed; I’ll bet it’s all you’ve been thinking about.”Nora eyed her dormmate warily. “What are you doing?” she asked with slightly more menace than she had intended.But Lily did not faulter.“When you came up here four days ago, you asked us to leave you alone. And we did. But enough is enough. You can’t just not eat and not go to classes,” she clucked. “I know you and I aren’t really close, but,” she paused, her head shaking, her brows furrowed. “You spend all your time with those… boys, and I just reckon it’s about time you had another girl to take care of you.” Lily sat up straighter, her expression dignified. “A friend.”“A friend?” Nora echoed.“Yes, a friend.”“Okay,” Nora blinked and looked around the empty dormitory, her eyes squinting in the light. “Are you going to make me go to class, then?”“Yes,” Lily nodded and smiled lightly. “You’ve only got to get through the next few days and then it’s winter holiday. You can go home and get refreshed and try to forget about… what’s happened.”Nora gave a short, unenthusiastic laugh.Her eyes felt sore and dry, and the edges of her nostrils stung with chapped skin. Her head felt heavy on her neck and shoulders as she flexed it, stretching out her taut muscles. The only times in the last few days that she had gotten up was to use the toilet and to grab her wand and hold it to her chest, chanting the Animagus incantation at sunrise and sundown.Lily opened the top drawer on Nora’s bedside table and pulled out her hairbrush.“All right, now. Budge-up a bit. I’m making you go to class, but I’m not making you go like this.”Nora looked back at Lily, her face puzzled, as she scooted over on the mattress, her legs folded beneath her. Lily took the hairbrush and began to work out the knots in Nora’s hair.“Oh,” Nora said with surprise as she brought her hands up to her hair. “I can do that, don’t bother. There’s a spell –”“Hush,” Lily interrupted and pushed her hands away; she continued to detangle the knots.They sat in silence for a few moments, the only sound to be heard was the noise of the brush raking its way through the tangled nest of hair.“Oh my,” Lily muttered after a few minutes. “It really does just grow wider when you comb it,” she tutted. “I’ll admit, I don’t really know what to do with curly hair… I suppose I’ll just plait it, is that alright?”But Nora didn’t get a chance to answer as Lily was already separating her hair into three sections and beginning to tightly weave it into a single plait.“He’s bald, you know,” said Lily quietly after a few moments.The corners of Nora’s mouth twitched. “Completely?”“Completely,” Lily confirmed, a slight tone of amusement in her voice.Nora laughed under her breath and shook her head as Lily finished wrapping an elastic around the ends of her hair, her plait hanging down low on her back.“Potter tried to Leviosa his hat right off his head, but Professor McGonagall stopped him. We all thought she was going to chastise James until she turned around and told Middleton that hats are not a part of the school uniform. She made him take it off and give it to her,” Lily spoke matter-of-factly.Nora’s eyes widened as a smile slowly stretched across her face.“She didn’t,” she said in disbelief.“She did,” Lily confirmed with a soft smile, her eyes tracking across Nora’s face. “He has a very odd-shaped head without all of that hair.”This time, Nora laughed, a real laugh, as her hands ran over her plaited hair, her head shaking in awe.“Thank you,” she said after a few moments, motioning to her hair. “Of course. That’s what friends are for,” Lily nodded and smiled at her. “Now, go wash up and get changed. If you’re quick, we might even be able to make it to breakfast before Divination.”When Nora ascended the ladder into the Divination Classroom and sat down next to Lily, Sirius looked at her from across the room as if she had six legs and eight arms. He turned his head, looking back and forth between her usual, unoccupied seat next to him, and the seat she was currently sitting in, his expression nothing but pure bewilderment. James wore a similar expression, but Nora couldn’t tell if it was because she wasn’t sitting with them, or if it was because she was sitting with Lily. Peter was even looking at her with his head cocked to the side, his mouth slightly parted, and his brows furrowed.Though Nora felt quite odd as she sat next to Lily, Mary, Cecily and Sabine as the day continued. The girls were very nice and understanding and they always made sure to place Nora in the middle of their group as they walked from class-to-class, avoiding areas where Ravenclaw students frequently populated, trying their best to make sure that they wouldn’t run into Randall.And Nora appreciated it, much more than she would ever be able to express to them. But it was very different from hanging out with the boys. The girls were softer and quieter, and they giggled more often. The only one of the boys who ever giggled was Sirius, and that was only when he had too much Firewhisky. But even then, it wasn’t a real giggle, not like how the girls giggled. And the girls had all their own jokes which Nora didn’t understand, so they weren’t funny to her no matter how many times Mary tried to explain them.It was after their double period of Transfiguration and as the five girls were walking into the Great Hall, Nora’s eyes tracking the boys as they walked to go sit in their usual seats, that Lily spoke to her.“You can go sit with them, you know,” she laughed softly, her hand placed gently on Nora’s arm. “When I offered up my friendship this morning it wasn’t on the terms that you can’t still be friends with them. Just know that I’m always here if you ever need a fresh pair of eyes and ears. Especially a pair that aren’t raging with stinky, teenage boy hormones.”Nora laughed and tucked some stray strands of hair behind her ears as she tore her gaze away from the boys. “Thank you,” she said with a nod. “For everything. I suppose it is nice to have somebody else there and… if you ever need someone to talk to, I mean, I know you tell the other girls everything, but if you ever want to talk to someone else, I mean… I’m always here, too.”Lily smiled brightly at her, her emerald eyes sparkling as the sun shone down from the Enchanted Ceiling. “Of course,” she said. The Great Hall was decorated grandly for Christmas. The twelve towering trees that Hagrid had chopped down were placed evenly around the Hall, twinkling with bright, white lights and glowing with golden candles. Each tree was topped with a large glittering star and each branch was perfectly dusted with snow that never seemed to melt. Large, droopy, red bows were tacked to the walls along with the biggest, most green coloured wreaths that one would ever see. Great, fluffy snowflakes were falling from the Enchanted Ceiling, though they never met the heads or tongues of students, as the flakes disappeared long before anyone could get close enough to catch them.But Nora kept her head down as she walked towards her seat at the Gryffindor table, finding herself unable to face the Ravenclaws as she passed. She didn’t know if any of them were actually staring at her, but she felt like they were; she felt like she could feel their eyes on her, so she kept her head trained on her shoes. She only looked up when she set her bag down on the bench besides her usual seat, lifting her head and meeting the curious glances of her friends.They looked at her with varying degrees of widened eyes and raised brows, paused in motion and speech, as if she had just walked over to them mid-conversation. She lifted her head higher and rolled her shoulders back, taking a deep breath.“Hello,” she said as she sat down on the bench.The boys all spoke at the same time:“Hi,” said Remus, his lips turned in a small smile.“Hullo,” said Sirius.“Hi there,” said James.Peter gave her a small wave, his mouth too full of food to speak.Then they were silent, as if waiting for her to speak, and Nora looked at her hands, tracing the creases in her palms with her fingers.“I don’t want to talk about it,” she said as she finally looked up.Again, the boys stared at her with blank, expectant faces. It was James who spoke first, cutting through the thickened silence.“Okay,” he nodded. “We were all just placing bets on how many of those mini tarts we thought Pete could fit in his mouth at once. You want in?”“I’m already out,” Remus said with a shake of his head. “I guessed three.”“How many is he at now?” asked Nora, a grin growing on her face.“Five, right Pete?” asked Sirius, looking over at the mousy haired boy.Peter nodded fervently and held up five fingers.Nora hummed to herself as she looked at the platter of tarts in front of Peter.“I reckon he could fit at least two more in there,” she said, joining her friends in laughter as Peter attempted to squeeze another tart in his mouth, showering the table in crumbs.******“I want one,” said Nora as she and the boys trudged back up to the castle from the Care of Magical Creatures stables, their boots cutting paths through the shin-high blanket of snow.“Where would you keep it?” Remus laughed, his breath clouding in the air in front of him.“In my dorm,” she spoke as if the statement was obvious. “Or actually, maybe it’d feel more at home in your dormitory, considering they usually live in barns.”“Har har,” said Sirius with a roll of his eyes.“What do you even want a Porlock for, anyways?” James asked.“What do I even want a –” Nora repeated his question under her breath in disbelief. “They’re adorable,” she said. “They’re adorable and I want one.”“They smelled gross,” Sirius said.“They didn’t smell any worse than horses or regular old goats,” said Nora as they approached the courtyard, her mittened hands grasping the ends of her scarf, pulling it tighter around her neck.“What the bloody hell is a goat?” asked James.“It’s that Muggle game old geezers play where they have to get the little balls into holes,” Sirius said.Nora sighed and rolled her eyes. “That’s golf, you idiot.”“I saw a goat once! It was on a Muggle farm in Devon near my great-aunt Lulu. It nearly bit my finger right off! My mum said I was lucky and that goats are really dangerous,” said Peter, his eyes wide.Nora looked at Remus, her head shaking in disbelief.“Wizards,” Remus scoffed with a quirk of his brow.It was later that night as the five friends settled into the common room with a game of Wizard Chess between them, Nora sipping on her favourite variety of peppermint tea, the hot liquid warming her from the inside-out, that James sank next to her on the sofa with a soft grunt.Like the Great Hall, the Gryffindor common room was also decorated for the holidays; a large Christmas tree stood tall in the far-right side of the room, decorated with random, miscellaneous ornaments and a stuffed quilted star on top. Red and gold garland was haphazardly wrapped around it, tapering off as the tree thinned towards the top. It was an unofficial Gryffindor tradition that the seventh years and first years decorated the tree together, and this tree looked much homier than the regal looking trees of the Great Hall. It looked much more Gryffindor-esque.“You all right, kid?” he asked, his voice low enough so that only Nora could hear him.She paused, looking at the boys in front of her on the floor. Remus was grinning in excitement as his knight withdrew his sword from his sheath and swung it, shattering Peter’s rook into several small pieces. They had pulled the record player from the table it usually sat upon and placed it on the floor next to them, basking in the melodical tunes of Led Zeppelin, as chosen by Sirius, of course. And Sirius was laying on the floor beside the chess board, his left knee bent upwards, his right ankle resting on his left thigh, his head shaking to the music.“Yeah, I reckon I am now,” she said, turning her head to look at him.James smiled down at her and adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose with his forefinger.“Good,” he said. “It just didn’t feel right without you here the last few days.” He leaned back against the sofa. “I’m glad you’re okay.”******Saturday, December 13th 1975Sirius hummed, muttering lyrics under his breath as Nora watched him and James pack the items that they would need over break; Remus, Peter and Nora had all packed the night before. The December sky was a cool grey colour with small sputtering’s of tiny flakes of snow. She sat on Remus’s bed, her legs swinging freely above the floor, watching as Sirius picked a shirt up off the ground, smelled it, grimaced, and then shoved it into a small trunk in which he was packing.“You’re a monster,” said Remus, having also witnessed what Nora had just seen. “And that’s coming from a werewolf.”“I’ll just get the elf to wash it when I get home,” Sirius shrugged before continuing his humming.“No wonder he hates you,” said James.Sirius turned around, dancing on the spot as his humming turned into loud singing, and flashed James two fingers.“Well,” scoffed James. “That’s not very nice.”“And I love your dress. You’re a juvenile success. Because your face is a mess. So how could they know? I said, how could they know?” Sirius sang, waving his fingers at James, as if without a care in the world.“I mean, really, that’s a bit excessive, isn’t it mate?” James shook his head, a small smile on his face as he watched his best friend. “You’re gonna wake the entire castle. I reckon Dumbledore can hear you from here.”Nora laughed as Sirius danced around the room, pointing his wand at the record player that they had stolen from the common room the night before (as they frequently did), pausing in his singing only to mutter a charm and have it play the same song that he had been singing.“So, what you wanna know, calamity’s child, chi-chi, ch-ch. Where’d you wanna go?” he sang loudly with the record, his knees bent, body twisting side-to-side with the music. “What can I do for you? Looks like you’ve been there, too. ‘Cause you’ve torn your dress, and your face is a mess,” he sang to Nora, grabbing her hands in an attempt to pull her up to dance.“No way, Black. Not gonna happen,” said Nora as she shook her head, still laughing, her ears buzzing from the loud volume of the record player. She leaned back against his pull, staying firmly planted on the bed.“Ooh, your face is a mess!” he sang, his face expressing mock betrayal. “Ooh, ooh, so how could they know? Ah, ah, how could they know? Ah, ah!”“All right, Mr. Rebel, that’s enough,” James said with a laugh as he stopped the record player. “Finish packing, we’ve got places to be.”Sirius ceased dancing as soon as the music stopped and turned around to glare at James. “I can’t help it,” he said as he continued to pack, shoving more items of clothing (whether clean or dirty, no one was quite sure) into his trunk. “I’ve got to get all my musical cravings out before I go home to my loving and generous parents. My dear mother doesn’t believe in music.”“Doesn’t believe in music?” asked Peter. “What does that mean?”“Mother doesn’t believe in a lot of things. Namely, anything fun or cheerful,” said Sirius. “She’s a real gem.”James spoke with an exasperated sigh. “Why don’t you just come home with me? Spend the break at my place. You know my parents wouldn’t care – they already think of you as a second son. Or Nora’s place, I mean, you saw the letter from her dad, he wouldn’t mind, I’m sure.”Nora nodded in agreeance. “My dad is quite partial to you.”Sirius sighed as he flicked the latches of his trunk closed. “We’ve been over this, mates. As much as my parents hate me, they still force me to spend holiday at home. They probably don’t trust that I won’t go blabbing about their sick, blood-purity propaganda if they don’t have their eyes on me. Remember that time I went home with James in second year without telling them? They showed up on his porch within a day to take me back home – I thought they were gonna Avada Kedavra the Potter’s right then and there,” he said as he pulled the handle of his trunk and turned it on its side and letting it roll on its wheels. He grabbed his broom with his other hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Not a big deal.”Nora and Remus once again found themselves a few paces behind their friends as they rode the staircases down towards the Entrance Hall.The full moon was a little less than a week away and the physical effects were already becoming apparent in the way in which Remus carried himself. He walked with a subtle limp, only truly noticeable if you were looking for it, and his shoulders slouched ever-so-slightly.Occasionally, if the moon fell within a day or two of a holiday or break, Remus would spend the holiday at school, as he felt he was better secured in the Shack than at home. He also had Madam Pomfrey at school; now that his transformations were becoming more dangerous, each moon that Remus spent at home was a calculated risk.Remus had told his friends about how he handled his transformations at home shortly after they found out about his condition in their second year. He and his parents lived on a large, wooded property in the South of England. Far from the house on that property his father had magicked an underground bunker, its walls and door soundproof so that nothing from within could be heard. Remus had said that when he was younger, his family moved around a lot as neighbours became suspicious, but there was always a bunker or a basement or a shed. Each new property had some sort of secured prison in which Remus would spend the full moons.But as this coming moon was one full week before Christmas, Remus was going to spending it at home. Madam Pomfrey had provided him with a bag filled with all different kinds of emergency potions and salves, a premixed jar of powdered silver and dittany, and many rolls of bandages – anything that he might need if the moon were to go poorly.“You’ll owl if it doesn’t go well, right?” Nora asked, looking up to her right at him as they walked. “If you’re really hurt, you’ll owl me?”Remus chuckled and nodded. “Yes, yes. I’ll owl you.”Nora opened her mouth to speak, but Remus interjected.“I promise,” he spoke, knowing what she had been about to ask.Nora studied his face for a few moments, her eyes tracing the dark, hollows of his cheekbones and under eyes. Finally, she nodded, just once.“All right,” she said. “Good.”They walked in comfortable silence as they approached the Entrance Hall. Sirius, James and Peter were waiting for them at the bottom of the staircase.“Okay, let’s see here,” Sirius said as they approached. He was dressed in his usual attire of dark jeans, an old t-shirt, and his leather boots and leather jacket. His jacket had seen better days, as the elbows were worn through with holes and cracks, but Sirius refused to get rid of it or replace it.He pretended to count the heads of his friends, muttering under his breath. “One, two, Pettigrew, three, Potter, Ross… who are we missing? Ah, yes, Lupin, great. Okay, gangs all here. Come on or our compartment’s going to be filled with sticky little first years.”Sirius turned on his heel and began walking towards the great, oak doors, pausing only for a moment to toss his trunk and broom in the already accumulating pile of student luggage that grew like a mountain upon the floor of the Hall.“Wait – I thought we were going to get breakfast first,” Peter spoke, stopped in his tracks, his face riddled with disappointment.“Eat on the train!” Sirius called over his shoulder, still bounding towards the doors.“Come on, Pete,” said James as he wrapped his arm around Peter’s shoulders and began to lead him towards the doors after Sirius. “I’ll buy you something from the trolley.”Remus and Nora followed shortly behind them, also tossing their luggage into the pile on the floor. Nora wasn’t quite sure how the luggage made its way from the floor and onto to the train, but it was always there for them when they pulled into Kings Cross in London, so she didn’t worry about it. The only item she kept with her was a smaller bag that she could throw over her shoulder, in which she had packed a few books, some parchment and quills, and an extra jumper.As they walked out of the doors and towards the gates of Hogwarts, the cold and bitter air nipped at their noses and stung their cheeks, the small gusts of snowy wind lining their eyelashes with white speckles.“Merlin’s saggy left –”“Sirius,” Remus sighed, talking over him.“– it’s bloody cold out here!” Sirius finished, ignoring Remus.“Probably because your jacket’s full of holes,” said James as he used his wand to poke through the large hole in the elbow of Sirius’s leather jacket.“It’s called aesthetic, Potter,” Sirius said, shrugging his arm away from James’s wand and readjusting his jacket on his shoulders, using his hands to pop his collar.With mitten-clad hands, Nora pulled her hat down lower over her ears, tucking her chin into her scarf. She watched as James cast Glacius upon the pathway creating a thick layer of ice on the stone, laughing as he and Sirius ran and skid atop it, snickering as other students slipped and tumbled to the ground. Peter attempted to run after the two boys, though the slick surface of the ice caused him to jog in place for a few moments, his trainers unable to find traction, before falling face first into a particularly deep snowbank. Remus sighed and spoke an incantation, hot air suddenly blowing out of his pointed wand, the ice on the path melting just as quickly as it had formed.“Sorry,” Remus muttered to a girl on the ground as he and Nora rushed past her, her face set in a deep scowl.As they finally made it to the gate, Peter shivering as Remus used his wand to dry him off, the five friends found themselves standing in front of two of their professors: Professor McGonagall and Professor Fulminare. In her hands Professor McGonagall held a thick stack of white envelopes and Professor Fulminare held a long and curling parchment, his wand tapping the paper five times, magically crossing off the names of the five students before him.“Your return tickets,” Professor McGonagall said as she handed each of them an envelope. “As always, the train will leave at eleven o’clock sharp on Sunday morning the fourth of January. Do not be late.” Her eyes flickered between the five faces, her lips a thin line. “And I will not be having a repeat situation of last year.”“Oh, come on, Minnie. So, the train left an hour later than scheduled… big deal! We all got here eventually,” Sirius said, his lips turned in a smile.“And no one actually died or anything,” James added. “I’d say all-in-all, it was the best possible result considering the situation.”Remus shook his head and brought his hand to his forehead, rubbing his temples.“I mean, really, how were we supposed to know that putting a Filibuster under the train would set it off when the train started?” Sirius asked, casually leaning against the metal gate, his feet crossing at the ankles.“At least we know now,” James nodded. “For next time.”“There is not going to be a next time! Understand? No shenanigans!” Her voice was stern, but Nora could see her lips twitching, fighting to stay in the thin line they usually occupied when she was upset.Sirius laughed and nodded. “Yeah, all right, all right. Well, have a nice holiday, Minnie. We’ll see you next year!” He laughed wildly as he pushed through the gate and ran towards the awaiting carriages.Nora turned to follow him, glad that she had succeeded in getting out of there without talking to Fulminare. She had been avoiding him. Well, besides when she was forced to go to his class, but other than that, she had worked hard at avoiding any and all situations in which he could possibly talk to her and ask her about the parchment he had assigned to her.He had assigned it almost two months ago, but Nora had failed to start writing. She had started reading about wand production, but she was unable to find any truly useful information and she quickly fell bored of the subject, procrastinating the assignment until the last possible moment. It wasn’t due for a few more weeks, so Nora was sure that she had time. It was a rubbish assignment anyways, a complete waste of her time.“Ross,” she groaned internally as she heard her professor call out to her. She turned around as he continued to speak. “I’d recommend you start that parchment sooner rather than later.”Nora’s feet stopped moving as her stomach twisted within her. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Fulminare stared at her, his lips twitching into a stretched smile, his silver tooth shining brightly.“And I reckon you won’t feel it’s rubbish very soon,” he spoke, his voice gruff and deep. “Give it time.”Nora stared at him, her eyes widened in shock, her chest rising and falling in quickened, shallowed breaths, her brows furrowed low over her eyes.“Have a happy holiday,” Fulminare grunted, his eyes turning back towards the parchment in his hands. “Try not to let it waste any of your time.”Nora felt as if she were floating, gliding upon the ground, as she walked with her friends towards the carriages. Her mind was blank, but the panic in her chest was building; she imagined it like a dam, the anxiety was like the water, gaining pressure, pushing against the barrier, waiting to burst through.“What was that about?” James asked as he hoisted himself into the carriage, holding his hand down for Nora to grab.Shaken from her thoughts, she grabbed James’s hand and allowed him to pull her up and into the carriage.“I think he just bloody read my mind.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Legilimens are quite rare,” Remus mused as their carriage pulled away from the gates. “Though I suppose that would make a lot of sense, looking back. He does always seem to be one step ahead, so to speak.”“And you’re sure that’s what he did?” Sirius asked, his brow raised. “Read your mind?”“I’m positive,” Nora said, her eyes glued to the Thestral that was pulling their carriage, watching as its skeletal bones glided underneath the black, leathery skin. “I was thinking about how I hadn’t started his parchment yet and how the assignment was rubbish and a waste of my time… and then…”“And then he tells you it’s not rubbish or a waste of time,” James finished her sentence.Nora nodded, tearing her gaze away from the Thestral. “He used those exact words. The exact words that I had been thinking. He read my mind; I know he did.”Sirius sighed and rubbed the side of his face with his hand. “Well, the guy’s a nutter… not really surprising, is it?”“It’s a bit… invasive… though,” Peter spoke. “Reading students’s minds.”“It’s not the first time he’s done it either!” she exclaimed, suddenly remembering the evening in which he had first assigned her the parchment. “That’s how he must have known I couldn’t cast a verbal Protego. I had been thinking about it all class. I thought he was just really observant, but he hadn’t been watching me at all. He must have read my mind!”“You know, he does always seem to know when we’re not paying attention in class,” James added. “Even when his back is turned and he’s writing something on the board.”“Yeah!” said Sirius, his eyes lighting up. “It’s like he always knows before we even do. I barely even get a chance to start daydreaming before the arsehole’s slapping a hand on my desk.”“But if he can read minds, why does he always call on me when I don’t know the answer and ignore me when I do know the answer?” Peter asked.Sirius snorted, “He probably finds it as funny as we do, Pete. I mean, the guy teaches snotty-nosed kids all day. I suppose he’s got to find his entertainment somewhere.”Nora shook her head. “Peter’s right. It is invasive… I mean, I feel all weird knowing he was inside my head. And who knows how many other times he’s listened in? I mean –” Nora paused suddenly, her eyes growing wide, “What if he knows about the Animagus stuff?”“He can’t,” said James, though his brows did furrow. “He would have reported us.”“You sure?” asked Nora. “I mean, for all we know, he’s crazy.”“What if he knows about…” Sirius spoke lowly, his voice trailing off as he looked up at Remus, his face unreadable.Remus’s face paled.“Dumbledore hired Fulminare, so Dumbledore must trust him,” he swallowed, his voice small. “And I trust Dumbledore.”“You aren’t worried?” Peter asked.Remus laughed under his breath, his head shaking. “Of course, I am. I’m terrified. But I have to trust that Dumbledore knows what he’s doing. For all I know, Dumbledore could’ve already told him. I know he told McGonagall… and obviously Madam Pomfrey knows.” He took a deep breath and leaned back further into his seat, hugging his bag against his chest. “I trust Dumbledore,” he spoke with confidence.“Do you think Dumbledore knows that Fulminare can do that?” Peter asked. “That he can read minds?”James shrugged. “Who’s to say? Dumbledore seems to know everything, but…”“It’s kind of shoddy hiring a teacher who can eavesdrop right into your brain,” Sirius supplied.“Your thoughts are supposed to be private,” Nora murmured, her eyes once again trained on the black, skeletal horse. “And he’s listening in without any hesitation.”The five friends were silent for a few moments, swaying in their seats as the carriage bumped its way down the path and towards Hogsmeade station, sitting close together, fighting the brisk, cold air.“Oh, bloody hell,” James suddenly groaned, his hand coming up to slap his forehead.“What?” Nora asked, concerned.“Oh, god,” James groaned again, hanging his head in his hands.“Spit it out. What’s the matter with you, mate?” Sirius gave a small, short laugh, his brows scrunched together.“Lily!” James suddenly whined, sitting upright in his seat. “Lily sits diagonal and across from me in Defence!” He shook his head, his cheeks – already pink from cold – turning a deeper shade of red. “The number of times I’ve thought about her during that class… I…” He shook his head again as Sirius, Remus, Nora and Peter burst into fits of laughter, Sirius cackling the loudest.“Oi! It’s not funny!” James cried as he pushed Sirius’s shoulder, causing Sirius to fall over and into Nora’s lap, still laughing loudly, clutching at his belly with his hands.“You – you – he probably heard – oh GOD!” Sirius choked, wiping a tear that was leaking from the corner of his eye, his whole body shaking with each fit of laughter, vibrating in Nora’s lap.“Silencio!” James spoke as he pointed his wand at Sirius, his cheeks dark red.Sirius laughed even harder, though no noise came out. Instead, his body shook with more vigour, his head tilted backwards, hanging off of Nora’s lap, his mouth opened in a large grin as he wiped at more tears that leaked from his eyes, his arm hanging over his forehead.“Wanker,” James muttered, though his mouth, too, was twitching at the corners, fighting off a sheepish smile.*******“Scram!” Sirius called as he walked into their usual compartment, using his boot to slide the door open, stepping aside as a couple of first years ran out, their eyes wide.“All right, I’ll be back,” sighed Remus as the friends piled into compartment, settling themselves.“What? Where are you going?” Sirius asked as he lounged across the bench.“Prefect duties,” said Remus as he put his bag away on the overhead rack.“You still have to do those?” Sirius furrowed his brows, sitting up in his seat.“Yes,” Remus said. “It’s not just a onetime thing.” “Huh,” Sirius nodded. “Well, have fun, then I guess.”“Will do,” Remus said as he gave a small salute. He exited the compartment and slid the door closed behind him.“We need to talk,” James said to Peter, Nora and Sirius the moment that the door closed.“The moons are getting worse for him,” Nora said softly, staring out the window at the station.James nodded. “We have to come up with a plan about the potions. We’re all spread out across the country when we’re home. There could be an electrical storm happening at Peter’s house, for example, and there could be a blizzard at mine. We need to be able to meet up within a moment’s notice so that we can take the potions.”“So, we’ve got to keep an eye out for owls, then,” Nora stated.James nodded again. “Yeah. Keep an eye out for owls. If any of you can’t get an adult to Apparate you to one of our places, the Knight Bus is a good option. It’s quick and the fare’s pretty cheap.”“Did you lot know he still has to do prefect duties?” Sirius asked, looking around at the other three faces.“Sirius –” James sighed.“‘Cause I sure didn’t,” Sirius continued, shrugging as he laid back down across the bench, his black, leather boots resting against the window.“Sirius, focus,” James commanded.Sirius looked back up, his face blank. “What?” he asked innocently. “Did I miss something?”James shook his head and sighed before retelling his plan to Sirius.“Will your parents allow you to leave suddenly if you need to?” asked Nora.Sirius shrugged. “Probably not. But I’m not gonna let that stop me.”They sat in silence as the train lurched forward, the station blurring away from them.“But we’re all going to meet up over break, right?” Peter asked, his voice hopeful. “Even if there’s not a storm, we’ll meet up like we always do?”“We’ll try, Pete,” said James, giving the mousy-haired boy a small smile. “Now, come on, I promised you something from the trolley.”Peter scrambled after James, clearly excited at the promise of a treat, and the two boys exited the compartment and closed the door behind them.Nora stood up, finding her balance with the speeding train, and stretched, opening her bag to pull out her jumper and books. She stepped over to the bench that Sirius was occupying and stood before it.“Scoot,” she said, nudging his legs which were still resting against the window.Sirius lifted his legs in the air and from the window as Nora sat down. She always sat by the window, and the boys knew that, so Sirius didn’t so much as glance her way as she settled herself into the corner, wrapping her arms around herself.“I still can’t believe we’re in our fifth year,” Sirius said quietly as he placed his legs back down, now resting them upon Nora’s lap. “Feels like yesterday that we all met, right here.” He gestured to the tiny compartment.Nora smiled softly and nodded. “I know.”“I feel like so much has changed… but also that nothing’s changed.”Nora nodded again in agreeance. “I know,” she said, more quietly this time, her smile gone.She watched the scenery change through the window, the countryside blurring by in hues of greys and whites, the falling flakes thickening into fluffy, round spheres. The distant trees sagged under the weight of the snow upon their branches and the rolling hills looked velvety and supple, the white landscape pristine and unmarked by footprints.It was about an hour before Remus came back, sighing as he sat down, his hands bracing against his knees, a slight wince on his face.“Lily says hi,” Remus spoke to Nora.“Oh,” said Nora, her tone edging with surprise. “That’s kind of her.”Remus nodded and stretched back against the seat of the bench, flexing his neck and shoulders.“How’d your prefect duties go?” James asked, his eyes having lit up at the mention of Lily’s name.“Same as always, really,” Remus shrugged, giving a silent ‘thank you’ to Peter as the boy handed him a Chocolate Frog box. “We just went over our duties for next term.”James nodded, clearly uninterested in Remus’s prefect duties. “And Evans…”“Didn’t mention you, sorry, mate,” said Remus as he opened the chocolate box and handed Peter the card inside.“Drat,” James muttered.“Since when has Evans ever mentioned you, anyways?” Sirius goaded. “Well, besides when she’s calling you a pompous arsehole.”“You’re forgetting my favourite one,” Nora spoke imitating Lily, “an arrogant toerag!”James rolled his eyes.“Or what about a complete and utter swine!” Sirius said, also imitating Lily.“Or a bullying–”“All right! I get it,” James interrupted, his cheeks reddening as he turned towards Peter, grabbing the large stack of Chocolate Frog cards from his hands. “So, Pete, what cards have you got now?”The friends laughed at James’s poor attempt to change the subject.“Wait, wait!” Peter cried, snatching the cards back from James. “You’re messing up the order! Dumbledore goes on top, then Uric the Oddball.”Nora chuckled at her friend’s antics, her eyes trailing down towards her opened book, beginning to lose herself in the story, before she suddenly sat up, her book falling to the floor by her feet.“Dumbledore has an Order!” she said, her eyes widened.“Yes, I just said, he goes on top and then –” Peter began.“No, no, not your cards!” Nora bent down to pick up her book and sat upright, attempting to push her frizzing hair out of her face and mouth. “Dumbledore has an Order. A secret Order to fight You-Know-Who,” she spoke the last part of her sentence quietly, leaning towards her friends.“What?” Sirius hissed, swinging his legs off of Nora’s lap and sitting up, staring at her, his eyes large.“An Order?” James asked, sitting forward on his seat, Remus and Peter doing the same. “How do you know?”“Randall told me.” She looked down at her trainers. “I meant to tell you lot, but I guess I forgot. He told me the night he –” she paused, her brows furrowing before shaking her head and looking up again. “Doesn’t matter. I’m telling you now, that’s what matters.”Nora began to recount everything that Randall had told her about Dumbledore and his secret society, her eyes flickering towards the closed door of the compartment, her voice hushed.“The Order of the Phoenix,” James murmured once Nora had finished speaking.“It’s brilliant,” Remus said. “The one wizard that You-Know-Who fears starting a secret army… absolutely brilliant.”“You reckon Minnie will let us join early?” Sirius asked, a grin on his face, his eyes full of hope.“Not a chance,” Remus scoffed. “Especially you three,” he motioned towards Nora, Sirius and James.“Oi, I’ll have you know I’ve grown a lot during the past few years! I can’t speak for these two,” James jabbed his thumb in the direction of Nora and Sirius, “but I reckon I’ve matured a bit recently. Starting to get pretty responsible, I think.” He sat straight with his chest puffed out, his head held high.“Oh, that’s gold,” Sirius snorted.“I’m not referring to your level of matureness,” he shook his head. “I’m just saying that I think Professor McGonagall has a soft spot for all of us, but especially you three. She’s not going to let you run off at fifteen and sixteen years old to go and fight You-Know-Who.”“It sounds more like you don’t want to join,” Sirius mumbled, his eyes dark.“I do want to join, just not right now,” Remus spoke, his voice calm.“Why not right now? People are dying, right now. You don’t want to fight Voldemort? You just want him to continue killing people? He could kill anyone of us! You’re mum’s a bloody Muggle! He could kill her, for fuck’s sake! And you don’t want to try to stop him?” Sirius stood up suddenly, his eyes flashing.“Sirius, knock it off,” James snapped.“Of course, I don’t want him to keep killing people, don’t be an idiot!” Remus spoke sharply, his eyes steeling over. “But I’d rather live to grow up first. We’re kids, Sirius. You’re still a kid.”Sirius grumbled under his breath as he stood, sliding the compartment door and walking out, his boots clomping loudly against the floor as the door slammed closed.Remus watched him leave, his jaw tense, his brown eyes licked with an anger that Nora rarely saw. She looked at the empty seat beside her, the cushion of the bench still sagged with the imprint of Sirius’s body.“Don’t mind him, Moony,” James said with a sigh. “You know how he gets when he has to go home.”Remus nodded but did not speak, his eyes slowly softening.As the train rattled through the countryside, Nora and Remus settled into their books as Peter and James broke out a game of Exploding Snap, the tiny explosions pattering inside the compartment, the faint smell of burnt paper wafting through the air. But eventually, Nora grew bored of her book, and so she took out a blank piece of parchment, leaning it against her bent knees, balancing her inkpot on the bench besides her, sketching her friends as they immersed themselves in their respective activities.Though she soon grew bored of that, too. And so, she stood up, stretching her stiff limbs before excusing herself to the loo. It was as she was walking back from the bathroom that she saw the ajar door to the last train car, the wind whistling through it, a head of black, curly hair visible through the gap. She walked to the door, the icy air pricking her skin with goosepimples, and slid it open, stepping onto the platform beside Sirius.The wind whipped against her body, howling choruses of winter in her ears as flakes of snow danced around her shoulders. Below her feet on the metal platform, the ground blurred by and the train clattered against the railway sending vibrations up her legs. She leaned against the railing, her arms hanging over the side, her fingers going numb in the cold. She stared out at the landscape before them, watching as it sped away from them; trees grew smaller, villages shrank.Sirius didn’t say anything. Instead, he held out the cigarette that he had been smoking, offering it to Nora. He must have cast a spell upon it, as even in the strong wind, the end stayed lit. She took it, taking a long drag, allowing the smoke to fill her lungs before slowly breathing out, watching as the cloud immediately vanished in the wind.They stayed on the platform, their noses turning pink and teeth chattering, but not speaking, sharing smokes until Sirius’s box dwindled and was left empty. Nora knew better than to try to talk to him. Sure, Sirius was a talkative person – sometimes it was difficult to get him to stop talking. But talking about his feelings? Well, that was reserved only for special and rare occasions. Nora could tell that this was not one of them.Her body shivered and vibrated on its on accord, the cold sinking into her bones. Sirius shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders before flicking the last cigarette butt off of the platform, watching as it fell onto the tracks and quickly sped away; a small dot of red upon the coal coloured tracks.Nora breathed deeply, relishing in the scent of the old leather jacket. It smelled distinctly like Sirius, she thought; there was no other way to describe the slightly sweet yet musky scent. Without speaking, the two found their way back to their compartment, both heads of curly hair tangled and windblown, and they sat back down on their bench, facing their friends.Remus slowly looked up from his book as James and Peter carefully put down their cards. Sirius sighed and jammed his hand into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out a slightly wilted bar of chocolate.“I got this from the trolley,” he said lowly as he handed the bar to Remus.Hesitantly, Remus grabbed it.“Did you pay for it?” he asked, looking up at Sirius, his brows quirked.Sirius shrugged. “Sure,” he said. “If that means you’ll eat it…”Remus looked as if he was about to say something, argue even. But then he laughed and shook his head. “Apology accepted.”Sirius grinned.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Nora stood on Platform 9 and ¾ looking around, watching as students hugged their families, their luggage piled into carts. The chaos around her buzzed in her ears as she stood, clutching her bag and broomstick in her hands, watching as Peter ran off to go and hug his mum, a woman as short and as plump as her son.“Watch for our owls, Pete!” James called after him, politely waving to the boy’s mother.Peter nodded and flashed them a thumbs-up and a grin before his mother Disapparated them; the two Pettigrew’s disappeared in a twist and flash of colour, the loud crack echoing.Nora and Sirius stood on the platform, watching as James and Remus left and greeted their parents, James shying away from his mother’s kisses and Remus welcoming them from his own, hugging his mum tightly. Nora smiled and nodded as Mrs. Potter called out to her, inviting her for a cup of tea over the break; smiling as Mr. Lupin waved and told her to tell her father that he said hello. Smiling as Frank and Alice walked hand-in-hand through the metal barrier and into King’s Cross and smiling as Lily waved goodbye to her, flashing her a dazzling white grin.“Nora, darling!”A familiar voice broke Nora from her thoughts and she turned around, spotting Mrs. Carrington. Leaving her luggage and broom behind on the platform, Nora ran to her, letting the older woman envelop her in a tight, warming hug. Mrs. Carrington’s hand braced the back of her head and Nora breathed in the sweet smell of fresh biscuits and nutmeg. Nora pressed herself further into Mrs. Carrington’s softness, the embrace nothing but warmth and love.“Oh, love, you look wonderful!” said Mrs. Carrington with a smile as she pulled back, holding Nora at arm’s length. “You’ve stayed out of trouble this term, I hope?” she asked, her brow raised.“Depends on your definition of trouble, I suppose,” Nora mumbled with a sheepish smile.The older woman looked at her with a knowing glance and tutted, “Well, what your father won’t know won’t hurt him.” She paused, her gaze diverting from Nora before she spoke again. “Oh, Sirius – How are you? Growing like a weed, I see! But just as handsome as ever.”Sirius walked up carrying both his and Nora’s luggage and brooms, his face turning a bit pink at the remark.“Mrs. C,” he nodded, smiling gracefully at her. “I hope you’ve been well.”Nora laughed as Mrs. Carrington pulled him into a large hug, Sirius stiffening slightly as he patted her back. Embracing, especially from adults, was not something Sirius was used to. It certainly wasn’t something he was taught in the strict etiquette courses of his childhood.“Oh, look at you two!” she exclaimed, her eyes reminiscent. “I remember when you both were just little ones coming back from your first year!”Sirius looked at Nora, his eyes widening quickly, his brows flickering upwards on his forehead.“To be fair, Mrs. Carrington, you did just see us over the summer,” Nora said. “About three months ago.”“I know, I know,” the older woman said with a wave of her hand. “It just seems like you’re growing older every day!” She took a deep breath as she smoothed down the apron that she was wearing. “Sirius, sweety, you’ll be coming over for leftover roast after the holiday, I assume? I’m making your and Walter’s favourite – banoffee pie!”Sirius smiled. “As incredibly tempting as your banoffee pie is, Mrs. C, it all depends on whether my parents allow me, but I will try. I promise.”As if on cue, a soft and low voice spoke from behind him, a voice very similar to his own.“Sirius,” Regulus spoke, his voice dripping with dignity. “Mother is waiting.”Regulus turned and looked towards a woman far behind him. Nora, Sirius, and Mrs. Carrington followed his stare.Standing at the far edge of the platform was Sirius’s mother. A stern woman standing tall and adorned in an all-black dress with a black corset tightly cinching her thin waist. A black mesh veil hung from a black brimmed hat, the mesh falling low over her face. Her mouth was set in a deep scowl and her dark grey eyes bore through Nora’s own eyes with such a severity that it made her shiver.Those eyes were nothing like Sirius’s, she thought. Yes, they looked like his, but they were incredibly different. His mother’s eyes were piercing and unsettling.“I suppose I should go. Wouldn’t want to keep my lovely mother waiting,” Sirius said lowly as he put Nora’s luggage down on the platform by her feet, handing over her broom. “I’ll write you. It was lovely to see you, Mrs C.”Nora nodded, but Sirius was already gone, walking a few paces behind his brother towards the severe looking witch, his white t-shirt wrinkled from the leather jacket that was tied around his waist.Nora watched as he approached her, watched as he nodded stiffly, speaking words to the woman that Nora was unable to hear due to the distance. She watched as he turned around, flashing her a small, lacklustre smile before his mother tightly snatched his upper arm, his skin pinching between her fingers. He was unable to hide the small flinch of pain and Nora scowled as his mother gently took Regulus’s hand in her own before Disapparating on the spot, the family of three disappearing in a swirl of greys and blacks. **************Nora stepped through the Carrington’s floo, the fire licking her skin with a soft warmth, dusting her shoulders of the ash and soot that settled like flakes of snow upon her jumper. Mrs. Carrington followed closely behind, placing her hands on Nora’s shoulders and guiding her to a chair around the large table in the dining area.“Sit, sit,” she said. “Put your things down, we’ll deal with them later. Oh, you must be absolutely ravished! I remember how long and dreary those train rides always were. Here, sit and I’ll go warm up some turkey from a last night. Do you want potatoes with your turkey? Oh, never you mind, I’ll warm those up, too.” She was speaking to herself more than she was speaking to Nora, but Nora didn’t mind. She was used to the older woman’s fussing.“Walter!” Mrs. Carrington called up the staircase. “Walter! Nora’s home!”Nora was left on her own as Mrs. Carrington bustled away and into the kitchen, her wand held out in front of her sending pots and pans clanging and chiming.Nora picked at the small, knotted threads at the bottom of the red tablecloth, her eyes drifting to the mantle, watching as the Carrington family moved around, most of them smiling at her from within in their frames.The three Carrington children could not have been more different if they tried. William was the oldest, a true Gryffindor through and through. Although he had a young son and daughter of his own, Will was often wild and rambunctious – having fun, telling jokes, and laughing often. Sirius and James would frequently remind Nora that Will was their favourite of the three Carrington sons, and Nora found herself agreeing much of the time.Joseph was the middle child, a surprise sort into Hufflepuff considering there hadn’t been a Carrington sorted into Hufflepuff in decades. He was much calmer than his brother, even if he was only two years younger. He, too, had children of his own and was a patient and loving father, though he also sported a quite dry sense of humour. Joseph was often found in the kitchen during the holidays, helping his mother cook and clean.Nathan was the black sheep of the Carrington family. He was much younger than his brothers; they had long graduated from Hogwarts by the time he began his first year. Mr. Carrington would call him “unplanned.” Mrs. Carrington preferred to say that he was a “pleasant surprise.”Like his father, Nathan did not smile in the photographs. Instead, he stared coldly at the camera, his chin held high, his shoulders pushed back. Also like his father, Nathan had been sorted into Slytherin, but there was a stark difference between Nathan and his father.Mr. Carrington had many Slytherin characteristics, that was not a surprise to anyone, but Mr. Carrington was not dark, not like Nathan was.As a child, Nathan would practise his charms and dark magic on insects or small animals, watching as they suffered under his control. Mr. Carrington often said that Nathan spent more time locked away in his room reading about curses and dark spells than he ever spent in his lessons.“He was a… troubled child,” Mrs. Carrington would say, her voice shaking, her eyes flickering back and forth.“He was disturbed,” Mr. Carrington would gruffly reply.He never visited his family. He never wrote home. Nora had observed that, for the most part, the Carrington’s accepted this. They didn’t set a place for him at the table over the holidays. They cleaned out his old bedroom, tearing down the newsprint clippings about the rise of the Dark Lord and his countless drawings depicting his experiments on the insects and animals. They cleaned the house of every bit of his existence besides the family photographs from which he brooded within.Nora had vague memories of her mother sitting at the table in between a smiling Joseph and a brooding Nathan. William would run over to the table, sitting down with vigour on Joseph’s other side as Mrs. Carrington snapped photographs of the four of them.Mrs. Carrington always treated Nora’s mother like she was her own daughter and would proudly tell any passer-by that she had “one of each,” referring to the different Hogwarts houses in which each of her “children” had resided in. “One of each!” she would say as she made each of the four children wrap their house scarves around their necks.Nora stood up and walked to the mantle, her eyes trained on the photograph. William had his red scarf wrapped loosely and effortlessly around his neck, his arm weighing heavily on Joseph’s shoulders where a yellow and black scarf sat. Nora’s fingers gingerly traced the blue and bronze scarf that was cascading down her mother’s shoulders, mixing and intertwining with her dark curly hair, her eyes twinkling, and mouth etched in laughter. She looked at the stern young man sitting next to her mother, adorned in his green scarf that hung neatly from his body, his eyes darkened and cold.“That’s one of Dorothea’s favourites,” said a low voice from behind her.Nora turned around as she felt a firm hand place itself on her shoulder.Mr. Carrington stared down at her, his eyes pensive, but kind.“Nathan was in his last year of school here,” he said as he grabbed the photograph off of the mantle, holding it in his large, worn hands as he stared at it. “Last time he was home,” he muttered with a small nod. “Last time we saw him.”“I remember when it was taken,” said Nora quietly, her eyes flashing upwards to watch Mr. Carrington’s face. “I don’t remember much else about him, though.”Mr. Carrington nodded curtly and set the picture back on the mantle. “I wouldn’t expect you to,” he said as he stiffly limped back to the table, easing himself down with a long, drawn-out sigh. “You were young.”**************Nora waved goodbye to Mrs. Carrington before the older woman Disapparated leaving Nora alone, standing in the front garden of her house. She stared up at the fading blue shutters that hung by the windows. Ivy grew green and tall, winding its way up the siding of the house, ebbing along every nook and cranny.She walked to the front door and timidly looked behind her shoulder before taking her wand out. The wonderful thing about living in a community that had multiple wizarding families was that Nora could perform small acts of magic undetected by the ministry, even though she was now the only magical person in her family.The tracking capabilities of the Trace, from what Mr. Carrington had told Nora, were not exact and precise. If Nora wanted to perform simple and every-day spells, the Ministry would have a hard time deciphering whether it was Nora who had cast the spells or whether it was the family of wizards a few doors down. There were also rumours that the Ministry was unable to tell exactly which spell had been cast, only that magic had been performed. Nora hoped this was true, especially now, as she would still be needing to cast the Animagus spell at sunrise and sundown.So, with a whispered charm and small flick of her wand, the door unlocked, and Nora stepped into her house.The house was dark and dreary, but still decorated exactly as her mother had left it six years ago. The front room still had the small green sofa by the fireplace, the mantle decorated in trinkets and photographs. The same lamp stood tall on the floor, its shade hanging slightly crooked over the bulb. The small box television sat upon the yellow table, its antennas pointed in opposite directions, sitting next to a stack of faded Muggle magazines.Nora sighed as she pulled her jumper sleeves lower over her hands, walking to the windows to open the blinds, letting some of the grey daylight flood the chilly house. She walked past the kitchen, glancing in upon the small room; it looked as undisturbed as ever as her father rarely used it. She began to climb the creaking staircase, her broomstick clutched in her hands, her trunk gently bumping up the stairs as she climbed. At the top of the stairs, she stopped by the first room, using the toe of her trainers to nudge the door open.Her parents’s room was small and cramped, but it looked the same as she always remembered. The large bed that took up most of the room was piled with worn and soft pillows, the yellow duvet taking on a slightly greyed hue over the years. Nora pursed her lips as her eyes wandered to the right side of the bed, her mother’s side; it was untouched and pristine, a stark contrast to the obviously used and slept in left side.She walked down the hall to her own room and gingerly sat on the corner of her bed, pensively looking around at the small room. The walls, which were painted a light lilac colour, were graffitied with pictures of her and her friends, drawings she had done throughout the years, and many of her mother’s paintings. Most of them had been stuck to the wall using magic, though some of them had been adhered with Muggle methods, the clear pieces of tape now yellowing and peeling.The room was hers, but over the years it didn’t feel like hers anymore. She felt like an intruder in her childhood bedroom, even with the pictures and mementos and the large Gryffindor banner that was hung above the doorway. She wished the walls were grey, or maybe even black; she imagined she would feel better with walls that weren’t lilac in colour.She opened her trunk and dug through the piles of clothes and parchment, her hands finally wrapping around a small box that was wrapped neatly in thick layers of newsprint, the moving pictures of the Daily Profit dancing between the windows of her fingers. Carefully, she walked the box to her closet, setting it down in the back corner on the floor, piling blankets and jumpers over the top, further sealing any light from creeping down upon it.Within the box laid four four potions, each labelled with a single letter: N, P, S, and J. The four friends had agreed that the potions would be safest with Remus, but with the approaching full moon, they did not want to bother him with the task of guarding them. Nora, they had decided, was the next best option.She laid back on her bed, her legs dangling over the side, staring at the crinkled and peeling paint on her ceiling, looking at the patterns in the constellations that her mother had painted there long ago. The painted stars twinkled and shined, magically altered to glow even in the brightest of lights. Her eyes drifted past Orion and Lepus, slowly settling onto Canis Major and the brightest star, Sirius.She felt a sharp pang deep within her chest and frowned as she watched Sirius twinkle and shine, her insides twisting within her as the star twisted and flickered against the sky that was her ceiling.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Thursday, December 18th 1975
She sunk into the dampened earth with each step of her Wellington clad feet, the yellow boots climbing high upon her shins. She walked slowly, meandering down the path next to the small stream, the battery-operated metal torch in her hand sputtering and flickering before going out, enveloping her in the darkness of the night.Nora sighed and gave the torch a light smack with her hand. It flickered a few more times, shining intermittent light upon the ground, before turning off once again. Nora shook her head and pocketed the torch, taking her wand out instead."Muggles," she muttered with a small scoff, the toes of her boots scuffing against the earth. The trickling noise of the stream accompanied the orchestra of the night – crickets chirped, owls hooted, leaves scuffled. She held her wand in front of her, muttering the charm and allowing it to light her path.She continued walking.It was not incredibly late into the evening, the sun having recently set over the wooded neighbourhood, but Nora knew that her father would not be home for another hour. Over the last few days, she had taken to walking along the path of the stream in her back garden, stopping only when she came within view of the Baker's household, a family of wizard's whom she knew for a fact rarely left their house. They had told the Carrington's that they were too scared to leave now with You-Know-Who getting stronger.Twice a day, hidden within the shadows of the trees, squatting near the bank of the stream, Nora would speak the Animagus incantation with her wand pressed to her heart. At first, upon casting the spell during sunrise and sunset, Nora had half-expected a Ministry official to pop up out of thin air and arrest her on the spot for underage magic. But after she had cast the spell a few times without being spontaneously arrested, she felt more comfortable with the task.Casting the spell within the vicinity of another wizard was Remus's idea. He had written it to her in one of his letters earlier in the week, stating that if she cast the spell near another wizard, the Trace would be unable to tell that it was her who had cast it. It was a brilliant idea, but that was no surprise. Remus was usually quite brilliant.It was the night of the full moon, and though the moon was currently hidden behind puffy, grey clouds, Nora knew that it was out there. She could feel it in the stillness of the air.She and the boys had been in correspondence multiple times over the last few days since she had been home. Peter had written her talking about the fun that he had had sledging with his cousins, writing about how the wind had whipped through his hair and about the large mugs of hot chocolate that they had enjoyed afterwards.James had written her telling her all about the wonderful meal his mum had prepared for his homecoming. He wrote about the grand tree that his father had decorated with bright white lights and tinsel that shielded a small mountain of pristinely wrapped presents. And he wrote about how he had heard that Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour had a new holiday flavour in shop that he wanted to try – Fizzing Chocolate Frogs and Peppermint Imps.Sirius had written her a few times, each letter shorter than the last: "Mother and father are even more mental than I remember," he had written."I'm glad you got home safe. Tell Mrs. C that I'm sorry I won't be coming for leftover roast, but I don't want to push my luck right now. Father won't even look at me. Mother, on the other hand, has been screaming and yelling over every little thing. I try to avoid her at all costs, so I’ve been locking myself in my room most of the time. She sends the elf up with a plate of food twice a day. I don't mind it too much. I'd rather stay in my room.
What have you been up to? Did James tell you all about his grand homecoming, too? Bloody braggart. Moony hasn't written me yet, but I'd assume he's been in touch with you, yeah?

Write back soon, I'm going mental in this place. You reckon this is what Azkaban is like?
Miss you,Sirius." Nora had written him back almost immediately, letting him know that Mrs. Carrington was sad that he wouldn't be joining them for leftover roast, but that she would be attempting to send him a plate of food with the family owl, Samuel. She also written to tell him that Remus had indeed been in contact with her and that he was alright and safe. She even had written him to tell him about the funny little toad she had found near the stream one evening. She had also, with great excitement, written him to tell him all about the fancy Muggle motorbike that her dad had taken her to see in his shop.And when she didn't hear back from him about the motorbike, she wrote again, asking if he was okay.And a few hours later, she received his shortest reply yet: "I'm okay. Can't write much. The Muggle motorbike sounds cool. You know I've always wanted one.Sirius." It wasn't much, but it was something, even if it made her stomach squirm with anxiety each time she read over his tiny, scrawled words.Remus's letters had also been dwindling in length and context as the week progressed. His last letter to her, while less worrisome than Sirius's had been, still made her throat feel tight and her stomach like lead. "Nora, please stop fretting – I'm okay. It's a strong moon, I can certainly feel it, but please don't worry about me. My mum is with me. I'll write you as soon as the sun rises.
With love,
Remus" And so, Nora continued the walk back to her house, her boots trudging along the earth, the cold air prickling her nose and fingers, her wand lighting the path in front of her."Nox," she whispered as she finally neared her house, her brows quirking upwards in surprise as her father's car came into view, sitting still in their drive."You're home early," she said as she walked through the front door, shrugging off her jacket and scarf. She looked over at her father as she stepped on the heels of her yellow boots, attempting to remove them from her legs and feet with a few small kicks."You could sit down, you know," her father said from his seat on the small green sofa. "Might make an easier job of it." He looked over at her with one eyebrow raised high upon his forehead as she reached out a hand to grasp the wall beside her, trying her best not to lose her balance."Overcomplicating things is my specialty," she said with a small grunt as she finally managed to step out of her boots. "You should know this by now.""I suppose that just means that you've been away for too long," her father said with a small smile as she approached him. "Your old man's forgotten."Nora rolled her eyes as she sat down on the sofa next to him. "If you keep calling yourself old, people are going to start to believe you.""Well, I certainly feel old," he said with a sigh.Nora looked up at her father's face. He wasn't actually very old at all. Underneath the scraggly, short whiskers, her father's face was that of a young man's. Despite the few grey hairs that mingled with his dark and curly brown ones and the deep-set wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, her father pretty much looked his age of thirty-six. His eyes were still bright and young, even with his crow's feet and speckled hair."You enjoy your walk?" he asked, glancing sideways at her before looking back at the Muggle television that sat before them.Nora nodded. "It's a bit chilly out, though.""Yes, I've heard that can happen during the winter months," her father said."Who do you tell your jokes to when I'm off at school?" asked Nora with a smirk."I jot them down on paper," he said, matching her smirk. "And save them until holiday when you're back.""Ah," Nora nodded. "I see.""I tried a couple of jokes out on Mr. Carrington a few times, but I don't reckon he's laughed in decades.""I doubt he's ever laughed," said Nora, her smile now wide."I'll bet you two pounds that I can make him crack a real smile over Christmas dinner."Nora looked at her father and her eyes narrowed; her mouth turned in a tiny smirk. She watched his features carefully before answering."Deal," she said as she shook his hand.*************
Friday, December 19th 1975
The next morning, Nora sat out on the front steps wrapped in her jacket and scarf, watching the sky lighten into a faded blue, scouring the air for any sign of an owl.She waited, watching as the sun kissed the horizon, watching as the few wispy clouds drifted by, her knee wildly bouncing with nerves as she sat. She waited as her fingers and toes turned numb and her heart pattered in her chest. She could feel the worry swirling around inside of her.Her father did not know about Remus's affliction. He did not know that she was anxiously waiting for the confirmation that her friend was okay and alive. All he knew was that she was waiting for a letter from a friend.Yet, her father brought her a cup of tea to warm her hands and wrapped a thick blanket around her back to warm her shoulders. And he planted a firm kiss upon the top of her head before he left for work, waving to her from the driver's seat of his car.And she felt the anxiety build inside of her, again pushing against her like water in a dam. She had half a mind to call the Knight Bus and take it all the way to the Lupin's, just to see for herself that Remus was okay. She thought about using the Muggle telephone that sat on a small table in the front room, but she didn't know the Lupin's telephone number. She even thought about flying there on her broomstick and was about to go back into her house, desperate for a distraction, when she heard a familiar screech.She recognized Rhea, the Lupin's large tawny owl, almost immediately, and she quickly looked around her street, her eyes scouring for any nosey Muggle neighbours, before allowing the owl to land upon her outstretched arm.Quickly grabbing the white envelope from Rhea's beak and hurrying into her house, Nora tore at the envelope with her teeth as she kicked the door closed, the owl hopping onto her shoulder as she unfolded the parchment.Relief doused her anxiety as her eyes met the familiar neat script that danced across the top of the page. Rhea nibbled the top of her ear, her sharp beak scratching at the soft skin as she read Remus's short, but reassuring letter: "Nora,
I'm okay. I'll see you soon.

Love,
Remus." Within minutes, Nora was back in her room writing Remus a reply; her quill danced across the piece of parchment on her desk as Rhea ruffled her feathers with her beak, perched upon the open windowsill, awaiting Nora's command to fly back to the Lupins.And in her reply, after writing her relief and gratitude that he was safe, Nora made sure to ask Remus what his telephone number was, scrawling her own number that the bottom of the parchment.*************“Mr. Carrington,” Nora began her question, her fingers playing with the metal fork that laid beside her empty plate. “What do you know about wands?”Mr. Carrington looked up at her and put down his napkin that he had been using to dab at his mouth. “Now that’s an odd question. Last time I checked you were a witch, were you not?”Nora took a deep breath. She could hear Mrs. Carrington puttering around in the kitchen, washing up dishes and pans from dinner.“Yes… I just mean, well, all wands are different, right? No one wand is the same. I was just wondering if you knew anything about that.” She looked down at her plate and used her fork to push around the stray bits of her meal. After a few moments, she peeked her head back up, meeting Mr. Carrington’s eyes.“Wandmakers craft each wand individually, so yes, it’s true no one wand is the same,” he paused and lifted his glass of whiskey to his lips, slowly drinking the amber liquid. “The wand chooses the wizard,” he said finally, his face void of any true emotion.“But what if the wand chose wrong?” she asked.The older man looked at her and for a brief moment, his face softened, his eyes losing their usually harsh light.“Wands don’t choose wrong, Nora. They can’t choose wrong,” he shook his head. “Now what’s this shit about?”And so, Nora took another deep breath before telling him all about Professor Fulminare and the parchment he had assigned to her. She told him about her wand and how she struggled to perform any kind of protective spell, whether they were verbal or nonverbal. She told him about how Professor Fulminare had said that she wasn’t bonded with her wand and how ever since then, she had wondered if he was right. The only thing that Nora didn’t tell Mr. Carrington was about how she and the boys had discovered that Professor Fulminare was a Legilimens. That piece of information, Nora thought, just wasn’t relevant at the moment, and for some reason, she felt it was best if she kept it to herself.“Anguis Fulminare’s teaching at Hogwarts?” Mr. Carrington asked, his eyes flashing once again.“You know him?” Nora asked, unable to hide the bewilderment in her tone.“Unfortunately,” he said lowly. “We’ve crossed paths.”“Unfortunately?”Mr. Carrington simply grunted in response, his head shaking.“Now, now, what’s all this groaning and grumbling about, Walter?” Mrs. Carrington asked as she walked into the room, wiping her hands dry on her apron. “I know for a fact it’s not about my cooking as you’ve just about licked your plate clean!” she said as she picked up his empty dinner plate. “It might as well be sparkling!”“Anguis Fulminare is teaching at Hogwarts,” Mr. Carrington grunted.The colour drained from Mrs. Carrington’s face, and she fumbled with the plate in her hands.“Oh,” she gasped before quickly regaining her composure, a forced smile upon her lips. “Well, that’s an odd choice, now, isn’t it?”“Why is he an odd choice?” Nora asked.“Defence Against the Dark Arts,” Mr. Carrington spoke slowly and carefully, looking up at his wife with intense and unfaltering eyes.“A very odd choice,” she said, the forced smile fading from her face.Nora looked back and forth between the couple, her eyebrows scrunching together in confusion. She felt as though she was intruding, as though this was a conversation that she should not have been a part of. Nevertheless, she was intrigued.“I don’t understand…” Nora said, her head shaking.“Dumbledore’s lost his mind,” Mr. Carrington said, ignoring Nora.“Dumbledore always knows what’s best,” Mrs. Carrington said quickly, her voice coming out as a soft hiss.Mr. Carrington glared back at his wife, “A man like that, walking around a school full of kids –”“Like what?” Nora asked, her voice strong and loud. “A man like what?”The couple looked at her as if they had just remembered she was there, seated in front of them at their dining table. Mrs. Carrington set down the plate she had been holding, the colour returning to her once white knuckles, and she sat down.“Anguis Fulminare is… a complicated man… with a complicated past,” she said carefully.Mr. Carrington scoffed.“He attended Durmstrang,” she said, glancing warily at her husband. “He taught there for quite some time.”“Durmstrang,” Nora muttered. “That school way up north?”Mrs. Carrington nodded.“Is that bad?” Nora asked. “Is Durmstrang bad?”“There’s not a witch or wizard who steps into that school who isn’t in some way connected to the Dark Lord,” Mr. Carrington spat. "If they weren't a Death Eater before they walked in, they sure as hell were when they walked out."“Walter!” Mrs. Carrington chided, her eyes wide. “You know that’s not true. Not all of them are like that.”"He's like that.""You don't know that for sure. You can't be spreading rumours like that!"“You’re defending him after all he did to us! To this family!” Mr. Carrington’s voice grew louder.“We don’t know what he did!” Mrs. Carrington said, her volume matching her husband’s.“We know enough!” the older man yelled.Mrs. Carrington stared at her husband, tears growing in her widened eyes.“I’m going to lay down,” she said after a few moments, her voice quiet.Nora stared at her empty plate, listening to the wooden chair scrape against the floor. Listening to the quiet footsteps creak along the stairs. Listening to the heavy closing of the bedroom door upstairs.“I’m sorry,” she said quietly, looking up at Mr. Carrington. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”Mr. Carrington tore his gaze from the staircase and looked at Nora. “No,” he sighed. “It wasn’t your fault.”Nora nodded slowly, her fingers playing with the tassels of the red tablecloth.“He was about your age when we found the letters,” Mr. Carrington said. “Maybe a little older than you. Nathan was.”Nora looked up at the older man but did not speak. She waited for him to continue.“We always knew he was a dark kid. Twisted in more ways than we could see. Dorothea doesn’t like talking about it, as you can tell,” he sighed and took another sip of his whisky. “But we found the letters. Correspondence between Nate and someone who sighed off as A.F.”“Professor Fulminare,” said Nora.Mr. Carrington nodded. “We didn’t learn that until years later. Not until after Nate had already left.”Nora nodded slowly, unsure of what to say.“It seemed like Nate was writing him, asking him for advice. Asking him about dark magic and Voldemort. Asking him how he could transfer to Durmstrang. And Fulminare was writing him back. We found stacks of letters from Fulminare. Almost all of them saying that Nate was doing the right thing. That he 'wouldn’t regret it.' That he 'would be on the right side of history' if he listened to him,” Mr. Carrington scoffed. “That’s what they all say, the Death Eaters. They love that phrase, 'the right side of history.' Fulminare was spotted with a group of well-known Death Eaters around that time. He’s never come clean about it, of course.“And Nathan grew more and more distant. He shut us out completely by his sixth year. He left home after graduation. Never wrote us. Never stopped by,” Mr. Carrington shook his head. He looked at Nora, his sagging blue eyes piercing her own. “We know what Nate is. We know what he’s doing. We’re not stupid. But we can’t – Dorothea can’t…” he took a deep breath. “Sometimes it’s just easier to pretend it’s not true.”He leaned back in his chair, his glass of whisky now empty.“We don’t like to think about it often. But with Voldemort gaining power, how can we not think about it?” he looked at Nora and shrugged before letting out a short huff of a laugh. They sat for a while, the silence enveloping them like a thick blanket before he slowly pushed himself up and out of his chair.“Well, let’s get you home then, yeah?”Mr. Carrington held her upper arm in a firm grip, and she steadied herself on the crisp grass as the tugging feeling of the Apparition slowly faded away.They stood at the end of her empty drive looking towards her distant house, the lights dark and curtains drawn, her father not yet home. With a small flick of his wand, Nora watched as Mr. Carrington turned the lights on in the house, the windows illuminating in the darkness.“So it’s not dark when you go in,” Mr. Carrington said.Nora nodded and smiled softly. “Thank you.”“Pay a visit to Ollivander,” Mr. Carrington said as he began to turn away. “He’ll be able to help you with your wand.”“Goodnight, Mr. Carrington,” she called after him.The old man walked a few paces away and nodded at her before he vanished with a loud crack, his body twisting and swirling into thin air.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Sunday, December 21st 1975
Nora laid on the small green sofa, her knees bent so that she fit comfortably, her head in her father’s lap, a blanket laid over both of them. They lazily watched the Muggle Christmas special as it played on the television before them. It’s a Wonderful Life was one of Nora and her father’s favourites and they made sure to watch it together every year.She watched the screen, the black and white pictures moving fluidly reminded her of the pictures in the Daily Prophet. Only the television had sound, and Nora enjoyed listening to the characters speak, listening to their funny American accents and the way just seemed to sound so old-fashioned.It was not yet noon and snow was falling in great fluffy flakes that was accumulating in pillows on the ground, hiding the frosted grass beneath. The sky was a whirlwind swirl of greys and whites, the clouds melding together to form a beautiful painting. Half-finished mugs of hot chocolate sat before them on the table and Nora could feel the residue of the chocolatey drink on the corners of her lips.Her father rested with his stockinged feet upon the table, his hand against her head, absentmindedly petting the frizzy curls that laid upon her shoulders. They were silent during the sombre moments and laughed during the funny ones as the final scenes played out.“Isn’t it wonderful? I’m going to jail!” they quoted together.As the credits rolled, her father sighed contently, shifting his body slightly against the sofa.“If only angels were real, huh?” he said softly.“Well, I don’t know about angels, but fairies are a bit of a pain. Very vain creatures, fairies are,” Nora mumbled, her eyes growing heavy with fatigue.Her father scoffed lightly. “Fairies,” he shook his head. “I still can’t believe fairies exist.”“And don’t even get me started on pixies,” she said as she closed her eyes. “We had a class in second year where we studied pixies and one bit Sirius on the nose.”“Why’d it bite him on the nose?”“He tried to put it in his pocket.”“Ah,” her father chuckled. “That sounds about right.”It was just as Nora was drifting off, her breathing slowing, her mind and body relaxing into a slow pace of sleep, when there were three sharp knocks on the door. Nora turned her head and opened one eye, looking up at her father. Her father looked down at her.“Do you want to get that or should I?” he asked, his brows raised.“You,” she mumbled before closing her eyes once more.She lifted her head off of her father’s lap as he stood up, laying her head back down on the sofa. She stretched her limbs taut with a satisfying pull before curling inwards once again, burying her face into the softness of the blanket. She listened as her father walked out of the room, listening to the door unlock and squeak open.“James!” her father said, his voice full of surprise. “I – well, how are you?”“Very well, thank you, sir,” Nora heard James’s voice and she opened one eye again, her brows scrunching together. “Sorry to pop in unexpected. Is this a bad time?”“Er – no, not really. Is your mum or dad around?”“Ah, no. See, I left them a note. Took the bus here.”“You took the bus all the way from Suffolk? That’s what, over one hundred fifty kilometres?”“Well, Godric’s Hollow, really, but yeah, it took about twenty minutes! A lot longer than usual, but there were a lot of people on the bus today. We even had to make a stop in Birmingham, which was completely out of the way, mind you. May I come in? It’s a bit nippy out.”“Oh, er, yes, of course, come in.”Nora could hear her father mumbling under his breath (“Twenty minutes? Twenty minutes from Suffolk?”) as footsteps sounded through the front door.“Is Nora in her room? Oh! There you are! Hello, love,” said James are he came around the corner, a warm grin upon his face.Nora looked at him through her one opened eye. He stood before her, his long black coat and knit cap were dusted with snow and a Gryffindor scarf was wrapped around his neck, the tails falling over his shoulders. He smiled at her and adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose.“What are you doing here?” Nora asked groggily as her father entered the room, standing behind James, his brows raised.“Well, now, it’s good to see you too,” said James.Nora stared at him, still laying on the sofa. She rubbed her eyes with her fingers and sighed before slowly sitting up. She looked at her father and shrugged before looking back at James.“I’ll, uh, I’ll put on some tea then, I suppose,” her father said before walking out of the room and into the kitchen.Nora looked at James again and laughed softly, shaking her head; she patted the space next to her on the sofa. “It is good to see you. But really, what are you doing here? And why are you so smiley?”“Well,” James said as he doffed his coat and scarf, hanging them both on the coat rack that stood against the far wall.He walked over to Nora and sat next to her, leaning towards her. Nora could see the tiny pinpoint freckles that danced across his nose and the flecks of gold in his hazel eyes. His glasses were smudged with fingerprints, and Nora wondered how he could see anything out of them.“Remus owled me,” he said lowly. “His mum said there’s going to be an electrical storm tomorrow night in Brighton.”******Nora’s father was fine with her going over to James’s house to sleepover for a few days, but only with the condition that an adult accompany them to his house in Godric’s Hollow. And so, they piled into her father’s Morris Minor, Nora in the passenger seat and James in the back and drove down the road to the Carrington’s house. The drive was only ten minutes long, but James sat facing the window, looking out on the neighbourhood with intrigue.“What are all those little boxes we keep passing on the side of the road? They all say “post” on them,” James said, using his finger to point out one of the boxes.“Well,” her father said, looking in the mirror back at James. “They’re post boxes. They’re for the post.”“Oh,” said James. “But how do the owls drop the letters in?”“Muggles don’t use owls, James, remember?” Nora laughed. “Haven’t you ever seen a post box before?”“We use postmen,” said her father.“Men? You have men doing the jobs of owls?” asked James incredulously.“You have owls doing the jobs of men,” her father retorted.James sat back in his seat, his face contemplative. “Touché,” he said after a few moments.After they arrived at the Carrington’s house Nora kissed and hugged her father goodbye, promising to be careful and to write him if anything happened. He hugged her tightly, his hand holding the back of her head, watching with sad eyes as she and James entered the house, Mrs. Carrington waving to him through the opened door.“I feel bad leaving him just a few days before Christmas,” Nora said quietly to James.James looked at her, his face empathetic. “I know… sorry about that. He’ll be alright, though. You’ll be back in plenty of time for Christmas morning. This might be our only chance for the potions.”“Right,” Nora nodded, watching through the front windows as her father got back in his car.Mrs. Carrington offered to Apparate Nora and James to his house, but with the box of potions stowed away in Nora’s backpack, James and Nora felt that it was best not to shake them up too much and decided on flooing instead. They didn’t tell Mrs. Carrington the real reason for them wanting to use the floo, of course, so James instead told her that Apparating made him a bit queasy.So, they entered the hearth, one-by-one, grabbing a handful of the silky green powder, and said clearly and loudly, “The Seven Swans, Godric’s Hollow.”Nora felt the warmth of the flames licking upwards towards her shoulders, and she watched as the Carrington’s sitting room blurred away from her. She loved to travel by floo. She loved watching the different hearths pass by, watching as little glimpses of homes and businesses whirled around her. She loved the slight feeling as if she was spinning like a top. But finally, she stopped.The inside of The Seven Swans pub appeared before her and she steadied herself on the stone floor as she stepped out of the hearth, almost colliding with the person in front of her. James reached out and grabbed her upper arms, smiling down at her.“Smooth, Ross,” he laughed as he dusted her shoulders of soot and debris.“Sod off, Potter,” she said with a roll of her eyes, her lips turned in an embarrassed smile.James simply laughed again as the flames roared behind them and Mrs. Carrington stepped out of the hearth. James reached into his pocket and dropped a few coins into the cup on the counter, paying for their floo fare. The man behind the counter nodded at them and tipped his hat before going back to drying a drinking glass with a rag.The walk to the Potter’s house was only a few short minutes and once they could see the manor house in the distance, Mrs. Carrington stopped.“I take it you two will be all right from here, yes? I’ve got a roast in the oven, and I don’t trust Walter not to burn it!” She paused only to wrap them both in large hugs. And then, she Disapparated, the crack echoing around the small village.Snow crunched beneath their boots as they walked towards his house and through the large iron gate, the chilled air nipping at their noses. James glasses were fogging, and Nora could see her breath floating in the air in front of her as she breathed.“Have you heard from Sirius?” Nora asked. “Are his parents going to let him go to Remus’s house?”James stopped walking as they stood before his front doors. He looked down at her, his face sombre.“Right,” he said, his voice low, his speech hesitant. “See, that’s also why I wanted you to come here… there’s been a bit of a development. I reckon Sirius’s parents won’t really be an issue from here on out.”They stood before James’s closed bedroom door, their voices quiet.“He got here last night. Showed up right on our doorstep with all his stuff,” James said with a small sigh. “I don’t know what they did to him, he won’t really say much. And of course, he just says he’s fine. But I don’t reckon he’s fine. That’s why we couldn’t use my floo; Dad blocked them up after he got here. Said he didn’t want any of them to follow him here.”Nora looked up at James, her eyebrows scrunched in concern, her lips turned in a small frown.“And before we go in there, just so you know, he’s uh – he’s a bit black-and-blue here,” James said softly, gesturing to his eye. “Just so you’re not caught off guard or anything.”Nora felt her chest ache. She took a deep breath as James knocked on his door. Slowly, he turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.James’s bedroom was dim and looked much different than Nora was used to seeing it. Usually it was bright, the beige walls decorated in red Gryffindor banners and Quidditch posters. Pictures of the five friends were haphazardly scattered and tacked to the walls. Usually, the room felt secure and soft, James’s large bed sat in the middle, his blankets and covers were usually laid on the bed in a perfectly inviting pile, just ready for one to lay upon them. Usually, the room felt happy and safe.But now the room was dark and dim, the curtains pulled low over the windows, blocking out any of the brightness of the day. Sirius sat on James’s bed, his back against the headboard, his knees bent upwards. The bed was made neatly with tight, pressed corners.“Oh, Sirius,” Nora said sadly upon seeing him.What James had referred to as “a bit black-and-blue” was really a dark purple and black bruise that lined the underside of his left eye with a deep angry red laceration that sat upon his cheekbone. The skin around his eye and cheek were puffy, tight and shiny and his eyelid was low upon his eye and swollen. He looked up at Nora as she warily walked over to him, sitting on the edge of the bed next to him.“It’s nothing,” Sirius said softly with a sad half-hearted smile.“You should be icing that,” she said.She took a handkerchief out of her pocket and retrieved her wand. “Aguamenti. Glacius,” she said, pointing her wand at the cloth, saturating it in water and then letting it freeze into a cold compress. She gingerly pressed it to his eye. Sirius flinched a little, but then relaxed. He brought his hand up to hold the handkerchief, his hand resting on top of Nora’s.“Better?” Nora asked.Sirius nodded and looked at Nora. The grey in his free eye was intense and stormy and Nora found herself staring at the silvery blue flecks that danced among the grey. They sat for a few moments in silence, their hands pressed on top of one another until James cleared his throat from behind them. Nora took her hand down, looking at her lap, letting Sirius press the frozen cloth onto his eye.“Mum tried some healing magic,” James spoke. “But it didn’t –”“It doesn’t work on dark magic,” said Sirius sharply.Nora could see James’s jaw tighten as he swallowed, his lips pursing, his hands tightening into fists for a brief moment before he spoke.“Mum reckons that whatever curse was used has a counter-curse. She just doesn’t know what it is,” said James, his voice low. “Course, she’d need to know what curse it was in the first place to help…”“I told you that I told her everything I know,” Sirius snapped, his head whipping up, the compress falling to his lap. His eyes were shooting daggers at James.“Maybe Remus will know a spell. Or maybe he’ll have something from Madam Pomfrey that will help,” said Nora, looking between James and Sirius.James looked down and shrugged, scuffing his trainer against his floorboard.“Maybe,” Sirius said.******The Potter’s loved to entertain. The entire Potter Manor was decorated for Christmas with large fluffy boughs of pine and deep green wreaths that contrasted beautifully with flowing red ribbons and golden lights that twinkled when you walked by. The Potter Manor was not your traditional manor. It was nothing like how Sirius described the Black Manor, all pristine with marble tiles and high ceilings and elaborate bannisters and balustrades that lined each winding staircase. No, while the Potter Manor was indeed very large (and though many rooms did have high, vaulted ceilings), Nora often thought that the Potter Manor resembled an overgrown cottage.Warm and welcoming wooden floors lined the rooms where marble should have sat. Simple light fixtures and candles with drippy wax lit each room instead of elaborate crystal chandeliers. The stairs always creaked, even after countless silencing charms were placed upon them. Paint was bubbling and peeling off the skirting boards, and the tables were never clothed in white. Instead, the aging wood was warped and marked with rings and chips from the many years of use.Holly and mistletoe hung beneath every arch and doorway, and James and Sirius laughed and cackled as they wrestled beneath each and every door; James attempting to hold Sirius beneath the red and green bushels to peck him on the cheek.“Piss off you big pansy!” Sirius guffawed as he dodged James’s puckered lips once more.“Language!” Mrs. Potter tutted as she appeared in the kitchen doorway, flicking her kitchen towel at Sirius’s bottom as he and James ran by.“Sorry, Mrs. P!”“Sorry, mum!”The boys chorused.Mrs. Potter sighed and shook her head with a small smile.“I suppose it’s naughty of me to wish they would stop growing up,” she said as she tucked her towel into the pocket of her apron. “To wish you’d all stop growing up.”Euphemia Potter was an older woman, much older than her other friends’s parents or Nora’s own father. But she was kind and gentle and gave very, very good hugs. She had used to work as a healer at St. Mungo’s before Mr. Potter’s hair potion business took off and was very skilled at healing and household magic.Nora often remembered the time in which she had visited the Potter’s over Christmas break in their second year. It was a wonderful memory, as Sirius, Remus and Peter were all able to come over for a short time before Sirius’s parents arrived unexpectedly to take him back to London. They had laughed and played and talked for hours and hours with not a worry in the world.One evening they had all been playing a haphazard game of Quidditch, and Nora, who was not yet very skilled at flying, had fallen off of her broom. She remembered the sharp, searing pain as her knee swelled up and the strangled cry that had escaped her as Mr. Potter carried her inside where his wife was waiting to mother her and make a big fuss.“It’s… broken?” Nora’s father had asked the next morning as he stood in the front room of the manor, watching as his daughter laughed and ran after her friends, skidding in stockinged feet around the corner of the hall and out of site.“It was broken, dear,” Mrs. Potter said with a warm smile, patting the younger man’s hand. “Nothing a little magic and a potion couldn’t fix. It’s as good as new.”Mrs. Potter wasn’t very tall herself, and James now crept a few good inches above his mother, causing her to have to reach up with her full height when she attempted to flatten the stray strands of hair that stuck up on the back of his head.Mr. Potter, on the other hand looked quite a lot like James. Though he too was much older, Fleamont Potter was tall and gangly with square spectacles and thinning grey and black hair that stuck up in the back, just like his sons. Mrs. Potter was often seen combing big globs of hair potion into the older man’s hair, flattening it and sweeping it backwards so that it looked more presentable.“You make the strongest hair potion on the market, for Godric’s sake, Monty,” the older woman would tut. “Use some of it!”But now Mrs. Potter was patting Nora’s arm and nodding. “Oh, never mind me, come along, dear. I believe Winny has just pulled some pudding from the oven. Let’s have a little taste, yes?”“Here we are,” Mrs. Potter said as she set three small plates of bread-and-butter pudding on the table with three cups of tea. “You, too, Winny. Off your feet, dear. Enjoy some of your hard work.”Nora sat down as two bat-like ears flopped up and down on the other side of the table. Winny the House-elf pulled herself up into a chair, an excited, child-like grin upon her face.“Oh, thank you, Mistress Mia! Thank you, thank you! Winny does love warm pudding, yes, pudding is Winny’s favourite!” the elf rambled with joy, bouncing up and down in her seat.“Well, you always outdo yourself with this pudding, dear,” Mrs. Potter smiled at the elf.“Oh! Miss Ross!” Winny gasped, her large eyes even wider than usual. “Winny is very glad to see you! Winny has been missing you!”Nora smiled at the little elf and made a great show of enjoying her pudding, groaning in satisfaction as the sweet and soft dessert melted on her tongue, much to Winny’s delight.Winny was a tiny little creature with large ears and even larger bright green eyes. She wore a faded floral-patterned sack that was knotted together on the shoulders to form arm holes and wore a matching floral hairband. Not that the elf had much hair, just one small tuft of fair blond hair stood straight upwards on her small, wrinkled head.“How’d you get it to wear that?” Sirius had asked as the five friends boarded the Hogwarts Express after Christmas break during their first year. He stared at the elf and her flowered dress through the window, his mouth turned in a sour grimace. “You didn’t give that to it, did you?”“Of course, we didn’t give it to her,” said James. “Don’t be daft. My mum simply told Winny that she was going to throw away some old pillowslips, but that if she wanted, she could keep them. Of course, no one told Winny that mum had just bought them and that they were brand new. Winny wouldn’t have taken them if she knew that.”“And it – er, she – made them herself?” Sirius asked.James nodded, almost proudly, “Winny’s very bright. And great at sewing. She can mend a pair of socks in just a few minutes.”To this day, Nora found that Sirius was still very awkward around the little elf. Nora, however, adored Winny, and always made sure to speak to the elf with respect and care.Later that evening, after freshening up in the bathroom, Nora found herself staring at her bed. Well, it wasn’t truly her bed, it was simply the bed in the room in which Nora always stayed in at the Potter’s. The manor had enough rooms for all five friends to stay in, plus a few spares. Of course, the Potter’s always referred to it as “Nora’s bedroom,” but Nora found this hard to accept as it made her feel strange inside.She was grateful, of course, but she had trouble getting past the feeling of shame. She would never be able to offer her friends a spare room, and the few times that her friends had visited her house, they were all crammed into her tiny bedroom. She could fit herself and another friend in her bed and two on an airbed set up on the floor. Peter had never slept over her house, but Nora supposed that if he wanted to, he would have to sleep on the sofa downstairs.But her bed at the Potter’s was lovely. It was large and soft, and the sheets were always toasty and warm, having permanent warming charms cast upon them. The bedside tables were even decorated in pictures of the five friends, and Nora often found herself staring at the five moving figures, remembering each memory in vivid detail. The large windows that overlooked the woods were draped in brilliant red curtains which blocked out the cold in the winter months, but could be tied back in the summer to let the light in.She was staring out at the night sky, the curtains falling heavily on her shoulders as she looked up at the waning moon, when she heard a soft knock on the door. She turned around, letting the curtains fall smoothly over the windows as the door opened, letting a soft stream of light enter the room.“Can I come in?” Sirius asked softly.“Course,” said Nora.Sirius let the door close behind him as the two friends sat on the bed, their legs folding beneath them. Nora pulled the warm covers up over their laps and stole a quick glance at Sirius. The room was dim, but Nora could just make out his swollen and bruised face. The swelling was getting worse, his eye now completely swollen shut. The deep cut on his cheek was shiny, and Nora realised that Mrs. Potter must have applied a salve to the laceration, hoping to aid in either healing or pain, or perhaps both.“James was snoring too loudly,” said Sirius. “I could hear him through the walls.”Nora laughed softly, though she knew that James didn’t snore. Peter snored. She had spent too many nights sleeping in their dormitory to know this.They were quiet for a few moments before Nora dared herself to speak, looking down at her lap.“Are you okay?”She felt Sirius shift beside her. She knew what he was going to say. He would tell her that he was fine, that he was okay. Or he would tell her that he didn’t want to talk about it, and they would lay back in silence, lost in their own thoughts. Sirius didn’t like talking about his feelings. He liked to stew with them instead. So, Nora was very surprised when he spoke again to answer her.“I don’t know,” he said very quietly.Nora looked at him. He was staring straight ahead into the darkened room.“I don’t think I am,” he spoke again after a long moment of silence.Nora felt a sharp pain in her chest. She had never heard him sound so sad, so broken. She had never heard him admit that he was not okay. She felt a deep swell of anger boiling within her, but she swallowed it back down and instead placed her hand on top of his.“That’s okay. You don’t have to be okay. No one’s expecting you to be okay.”“I don’t want anyone’s pity,” he spoke sharply and withdrew his hand from beneath hers.“No one here is pitying you,” she said sternly. “We’re caring for you. We care about you. There’s a difference, Sirius.”They sat in the silence for a few moments before she felt his posture soften as he shifted once again. He slowly laid back, his head resting on the pillows. Nora sat next to him, looking down at him.“I don’t think I can go back there.”“You don’t have to. We won’t let you. No one is going to make you go back there.”She saw him nod and she slowly laid next to him. They laid side by side, both staring up at the ceiling.“I thought she was going to kill me,” he whispered with a strained, numbed laugh. “I thought – it was stupid – but I thought that I would never see you lot again. I just thought about you and James and Remus… even bloody Pettigrew… I thought –”Nora felt her eyes itch as small tears formed within them. She quickly blinked them away, wiping at her eyes with her fingers. She turned towards Sirius, laying on her side.“Your mother did it?” she asked quietly, gingerly reaching her hand out, her fingers ghostly tracing against the swollen skin. His eye warm and tight, and her hand shook as she traced the darkened bruise.Sirius swallowed hard, staring at Nora with his head turned towards her. “Yes.”“You don’t know what it was?”Sirius shook his head as Nora dropped her hand from his face. “I don’t remember. I don’t think she even spoke an incantation; I think it was a silent curse. James’s mum asked me if I remembered what colour the flash was, but I don’t remember,” he said. “It could have been anything. And it wasn’t just my eye… it hurt… inside, too. I don’t even know how to describe it,” he scoffed lightly. “My parents… they just know so many curses.”“It hurt inside?”“Like, in my head. It hurt and… it made me see things.”“See things?” she repeated, her eyes searching his.“Bad things,” he hesitated. “It was like seeing – it was like… it was just bad, okay?” he whispered.“You reckon it’ll have to heal the Muggle way, then?” Nora asked, quickly changing the subject.Sirius nodded again. “That’s what Mrs. Potter thinks. She’s hoping that she can stop it from scarring, though.”They laid in silence, staring at one another, neither daring to speak again. Nora could hear the wind whistling outside as the old house creaked.“Does it hurt a lot?” she finally asked.Sirius paused before answering.“Not… a lot,” he finally spoke, though Nora knew he was lying. “Whatever Mrs. Potter put on it helped… and you were right, icing it did help.”Nora reached around and blindly felt for her wand and handkerchief on the bedside table. She quickly whispered the charms, letting the cloth freeze into a cold compress once again. She handed the frozen cloth to Sirius, but he didn’t reach for it. He spoke to her instead.“Can you hold it? It felt – I… I liked it when you held it.”Nora felt her throat tighten as she nodded, her insides squirming wildly. She carefully reached up and pressed the cloth to his eye, hoping that she wasn’t hurting him. Sirius’s other eye fluttered closed, as if in relief. He scooted himself down lower in the bed, curling into her, his head resting on her chest. Nora hesitated, but eventually snaked her other arm over him and around his shoulder, her fingers reaching up to tuck his curling hair behind his ear; her other hand still pressing the compress against his eye, her fingers beginning to tingle against the cold.“Is this okay?” she whispered, her chin pressing into his head, her lips brushing against his hair. She knew that he could hear the quickened and wild thumping of her heart as his ear pressed against her chest. The silence that followed was deafening.“It’s perfect,” he finally mumbled, his voice hoarse.“Okay,” she whispered back.She wasn’t sure how long they laid like that. She pretended not to feel his warm tears against her hand, leaving a wet mark against her t-shirt. She pretended to not feel the shake of his shoulders every now and then, or the quiet sniffle and quick wince as he scrunched his face. And he pretended not to notice her shallowed breathing and the way her hand twitched slightly against his hair.They had fallen asleep in each other’s arm’s countless times before over the years, but this time was different. This time, it felt different. Nora couldn’t ignore how it felt.It’s because he’s crying and he’s vulnerable, she told herself. It’s because he opened up to you, she said. It’s because he’s hurt. It’s because he’s hurting.She wanted to believe that.But Nora knew this was different. She knew it by the way her throat still felt stiff and tight. She knew it by the way her palms were moist and her fingers shaky. She knew it by the way her heartbeat pounded a fast and steady rhythm in her ears.She knew it by the way she carefully and lightly pressed her lips to the top of his head, breathing in the sweet smell of his hair, the strands tickling her nose, that this was different.She cherished the moment that his breathing slowed, the pace becoming even, his body becoming heavier against her chest. But she kept her lips against his head, burying her face in his hair.This was different.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Monday, December 22nd 1975
Sirius was gone by the time Nora had awoken the next morning. Though the sheets next to her were wrinkled and crumpled, the pillow indented, so she knew that he had been there. She knew that she hadn't dreamt it. She took a deep breath and brought her hands up to her face, groaning into them. She felt hungover. Not physically, but mentally. Mentally hungover. She found Sirius and the Potter's downstairs sitting around the table with a large assortment of breakfast foods in front of them. She quietly greeted them as she sat down, a bit more than half-asleep. Mr. and Mrs. Potter didn't seem to mind her lack of conversational skills in the mornings; they knew her well enough by now to not expect any thrilling conversation before she ate and had some tea. Sirius, it looked like, was nursing both a cup of tea and a large cup of coffee. James, however, was chatting away as always, laughing with his father as he talked about one of the pranks they had pulled earlier in the year, Mrs. Potter tutting into her cup of tea, though her eyes were full of adornment as she stared at her husband and son. Nora helped herself to some bacon and eggs, silently buttering a slice of toast. "What'd you spill on your shirt, Ross?" James inquired with a laugh.Nora looked up at him and followed his gaze to the stain on her t-shirt; it looked stiff and dry, starchy and salty with a slightly reddish-brown hue that marred the white fabric. It was where Sirius had laid only a few hours before, silently weeping onto her chest. Her stomach bubbled as she recognised the mixture as tears and blood.Nora looked up quickly. James and his father wore matching expressions, both light-hearted and amused. Both of their glasses sat slightly crooked on their noses, their eyes lively behind the lenses. Mrs. Potter watched her expectantly, her eyes warm and kind. Sirius, however, watched closely. Though his face was impassive, his stare was harsh. "Oh," she forced a small laugh. "I don't remember."James shook his head and smiled, turning back to his food. "Typical Nora.""You just leave that with us, dear. Winny will have that out in a jiffy," Mrs. Potter smiled at her. Nora nodded, tearing her gaze away from Sirius. "Right, yes. Thank you," she spoke. Breakfast carried on like usual, or at least it did from the Potter's perspective. Neither Nora nor Sirius were particularly gregarious in the mornings, and so, she supposed, nothing seemed quite out of the ordinary to them. His eye seemed to be worse than it was the day before. The dark purple and black bruising was beginning to ebb its way down his face, meeting up with the deep cut on his cheekbone. The cut, at its present state, showed little to no signs of healing. Only the very edges of the long laceration had begun to scab together leaving the middle gaping. The swelling seemed a little better, Nora thought, or maybe it was just that the severe bruising seemed to camouflage the puffy skin.******Later that morning, Nora found herself standing alone with Sirius, leaning against a brick wall in a small Muggle town outside of Godric's Hollow, having recently bade goodbye to James's parents. She leaned against the wall, her bag at her feet, staring ahead at the shops before them. Small flurries of snow fell from the sky, swirling together in a balletic dance with the wind. Sirius sat on the wall, swinging his feet, the heels of his black boots scuffing against the brick."Pete's gonna meet us there," he said, breaking the silence. "His mum's Apparating him. He doesn't have access to a floo and you know he hates the Knight Bus."Nora looked up at him, relieved at the start of a conversation. The two hadn't truly spoken since the night before, neither sure of what to say. "That's good," she nodded. "I was worried about him and how he'd get there.""Yeah," Sirius nodded. "Yeah, he'll be okay. He'll meet us there.""Good," she nodded again. "Yeah."Another long pause of silence fell upon them before they both started speaking at the same time. They froze."You first," Sirius shook his head. "No, you go," she waved him on, her face becoming a bit warm.Sirius looked at her and shrugged. "I was just gonna say that I don't want us to be weird... it feels a bit weird right now, right? It doesn't have to be... weird."Nora let out the breath she hadn't realised she had been holding. "Yes, it does feel a bit weird." She had that funny fluttering feeling in her stomach again and she chewed on her lip."It doesn't have to be," he said quickly"No, of course not!""I mean, just because you saw me... like that... last night. I dunno. I didn't know if that's what was making you seem a bit...""Weird," she supplied, her stomach dropping like lead. "Yeah, I guess that was why...""I mean, why else –?""No, no," she said quickly, swallowing hard. "That's why."Sirius nodded, his eyes focused on his jeans. "Sorry 'bout your shirt. I... I didn't mean to get like that... last night."Nora looked up at him quickly. "You know I don't care about that," she spoke as she looked at the shops again, her eyes scanning the small stone buildings. "You're allowed to have feelings. You're allowed to cry."She turned back in time to see Sirius cringe, though he didn't speak. She sighed again. "You can always turn to me, you know; this doesn't change anything. Sorry I was being a bit... weird. I didn't mean it. I was just..." she stopped and shook her head. "Don't take it personally. I was just worried about you, is all."Sirius stared at her for a while, his eyes flickering back and forth across her face, as if attempting to read her like a book. His head tilted ever so slightly to one side, his mouth a perfectly straight line. And then, he smiled at her, a large room-brightening grin, and threw an arm around her shoulders. "Good. 'Cause you're one of my best mates. I wouldn't want anything to change that."Good, she thought to herself. Right. Good.It was just then that James walked out of one of the shops. He crossed the street and stopped before them, reaching into the bag around his wrist and withdrawing a pair of large black aviator sunglasses. He held them out to Sirius."So, you can stop wearing your bloody hair in front of your eye," said James with a small, crooked grin. "You were starting to look a bit too much like Snivellus."Sirius scoffed and quickly grabbed the sunglasses, carefully sliding them onto his face. Nora and James couldn't miss the small flinch of pain as he settled them over his eyes, but they both pretended not to notice. The lenses weren't entirely opaque, but you could no longer see the harsh bruising when he wore them and they covered most of the laceration on his cheek. Sirius looked at them, his head tilting to the side, his hands and shoulders shrugging upwards. "Well?" he asked.Nora laughed as James shook his head, fighting a smile. With his long hair and leather jacket, the sunglasses only added to the nonchalant rock star aura that he often exuded. He looked effortless, Nora thought. "You look like a Muggle," James interrupted her reverie as Sirius hopped off of the wall and walked towards a nearby phone booth, his footsteps crunching in the snow. He stared in the glass at his reflection."A bloody cool Muggle," said Sirius as he turned back to them with a grin. "I look like Mick Jagger."******The journey to the Lupin's house was always a bit long and obscure. They had to floo to a neighbouring village and take the Knight Bus, getting as close as they could to the Lupin property. The last part of the journey was a lengthy walk on a dirt path through a thicket of wooded trees. There was no snow on the ground (it rarely snowed in Brighton) and the air was surprisingly heavy with a humid warmth. She could almost feel the electricity that was laced throughout the gentle breeze."I can't wait until we can Apparate," said Sirius as he dragged his heels, his jacket tied around his waist. "This walk is ridiculous." "Oh, come on," said James as he nudged Sirius's shoulder. "It's beautiful out here. At least it's not raining yet.""We wouldn't have been able to Apparate you any closer than the Knight Bus took us, anyways," said Nora as she adjusted her backpack on her shoulder. "Remus's house is unplottable and it's your first time here.""Stupid wolf," Sirius grumbled, swatting at a low-lying branch as it got caught in his hair. "They're just trying to protect him," said Nora."I know," said Sirius, his tone softening. "We're almost there," Nora reassured, again adjusting her backpack as it slid down her shoulders. James reached out and grabbed her pack off of her shoulders, putting it onto his own. He carried her heavy bag and his own shoulder bag effortlessly. It was about ten more minutes before the trees began to clear and the Lupin's house appeared into Nora's view.It was a modest two-storey house that was built with logs from the large sycamore trees that lined the woods. In the spring and summer, coloured flowers lined the front garden and bright yellow shutters framed each window. Hope Lupin loved to tend to her garden. She had told Nora once that she enjoyed it because she could see her hard work and labour come to life before her eyes."It's like magic," she had told Nora with a wink as she watered her plants with a small watering pot. Nora appreciated Mrs. Lupin's love of the simpler things in life. Being able to find "magic" in the Muggle world was a talent, she thought. Though Hope would often tell Nora that magic was all around them; in the trees and the blue skies, in the lilting tunes of the birds, in a warm hug from a friend, in her flowers that returned each spring to grow."Let's stop here," said James as he opened the front pocket of his bag. "So, it's here, then? Moony's house?" Sirius asked, his sunglasses perched on the top of his head. "What do you see, then?" Nora asked."Trees," Sirius shrugged, turning around in a circle. "The path stops and then there're just trees.""Here," said James as he retrieved a small folded piece of parchment from his bag. "Read this. Don't say it out loud, though." He handed the parchment to Sirius, glancing furtively behind his shoulder. Nora watched Sirius's eyes scan the parchment. He finished and looked up, his face breaking out into a small grin as he replaced his sunglasses over his eyes."You see it now?" asked James as he took the parchment back and carefully placed it into his pocket. "Yeah," he laughed. "That's Moony's house, all right."They walked to the front door, past a small crooked hanging sign that read "The Lupin's" and past a couple of stray chickens that pecked at the tall sparse grass. The henhouse was out back behind the cabin. Nora always liked carrying scraps of vegetables and seeds out to the birds, watching as they scrambled to get their share, watching as Remus reached his hand in to the wooden shack to collect the fresh eggs. They stood together as James knocked on the door, a hand brushing through his wild hair. Sirius had his hands in his pockets, and he looked down, his lips full and pouty, as he nudged a small pebble with the steel toe of his boot. Nora only realised that she was staring when she  heard the door unlock and open. Remus stood before them in the doorway, a small smile creeping on his face"Finally," he said, his hands resting on either side of the doorframe. "Took you lot long enough.""Hey, not our fault you live off in the middle of nowhere. Can't even floo here. Whose fault is that, now?" smiled James as he placed a heavy hand on Remus's shoulder, nodding at him. "All right, Moony?"Remus returned the smile and nodded. "Yeah, I'm all right."The moon, which was only four days prior, had once again left its mark on Remus. His hands were scarred and bruised, the skin on his knuckles broken and scabbed. Nora could see the tops of some new lacerations, long and maroon, that started at the base of his neck, high upon his chest; the three tapered claw marks peeked out of the stretched neckline of his old jumper. Yet his smile did not give way, even though his face was worn and bruised. The bruising was concentrated on his right cheekbone and the hollow of his eye, curving around to his temple in the shape of a C, connecting with his eyebrow where a deep cut ran through the dark hairs. "Oi, Lupin," said Sirius as he pulled down his sunglasses, a large grin upon his face as he pointed to his own eye, "We're twins now, mate."******Remus did in fact have a couple of potions and salves that he believed might help aid in the healing of Sirius's eye. And so, with Sirius and Nora sat upon Remus's bed and James sitting in the chair next to them, Remus rummaged through a black bag on his desk. Every now and then he would look towards Sirius with narrowed eyes, squinting at him and studying the wound on his face before turning back to the bag and withdrawing a few more tins and jars. “How tall are you?" asked Remus as he began to measure out a thick green potion into a clear drinking glass."I dunno," shrugged Sirius as he sat up straighter. "Five-seven... five-eight?"Remus stopped pouring the potion as he raised an eyebrow at Sirius. James sniggered lowly, his head turning to the side. "Five-six," Sirius mumbled. Remus poured some of the potion from the glass back into the vial. He handed Sirius the drinking glass, the couple sips of green potion glimmering."Drink this," he said, turning his attention back to his bag. Sirius swirled the glass, grimacing as the viscous liquid lapped up the sides of the drinkware. "What is it?"“It's for the pain," said Remus as he carried a couple of jars and tins over to the bed. "It's one of Pomfrey's, so it's a bit strong, I'm afraid.""I mean, it doesn't really hurt that –""Don't be stubborn," Remus scoffed. "Just drink it."Sirius glanced at the glass again and took a deep breath before tilting his head back and choking the potion down, sputtering as he finished. “Sorry, it's a bit rancid, I know," said Remus calmly as he thumped Sirius a couple of times on the back.James took the glass from Sirius's hands. He gave it a quick sniff and gagged almost immediately, setting the glass on the table next to him. Nora wrinkled her nose."That's vile," coughed Sirius."I didn't think you would take it if I told you beforehand what it tastes like," shrugged Remus as he handed Sirius another glass. Sirius looked down at the clear liquid in the new glass before looking back up, his eyes widened and apprehensive. "It's water," Remus laughed. "To get the taste out."Sirius sipped the water, swirling it around in his mouth before wiping his lips on the back of his hand. "Now, tilt your head back. This might still hurt a bit, but the potion helps," spoke Remus.Sirius tilted his head back and Remus began to dab some purple liquid on the laceration, the liquid hissing and smoking on contact with his skin. Sirius inhaled sharply, his face twitching in a slight wince. "Sorry, sorry," mumbled Remus. "Just trying to clean it."Nora watched as Remus worked, applying two different salves to Sirius's eye – one for bruising and one for swelling – watching as the ointments quickly sunk into his skin and disappeared. She watched as Remus stood before Sirius, a small glass jar in his hand. He stirred the substance in the jar with a cotton bud, scooping up some of the sticky tar-like goo. It was a dark black colour and Nora could smell it from her seat next to Sirius. It smelled burnt and sour."This won't feel pleasant," said Remus as he spun the cotton bud between his fingers. "And I don't know if it will work, but...""Go on, then," Sirius shrugged, turning his cheek towards Remus. Nora's stomach churned horribly as Remus applied a thick layer to Sirius's laceration, the black paste beginning to work immediately. As soon as it touched his face, the skin on his cheek began to bubble and boil, turning a dark angry shade of red. Nora could hear it hissing and sputtering. Sirius clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, his eyes pinched tightly shut. His head and shoulders were shaking as if he were fighting off a scream. His face was contorted into a pained grimace. James spoke as he sat forward, his voice doubtful. "Remus, maybe you should–"But everything happened very quickly.Very suddenly, Sirius let out a strained yell, scrambling backwards on the bed, his hands reaching up to hastily claw the paste from his cheek. He was breathing heavily, his hand still clutching his cheek, but he looked up slowly. "Jesus Christ, Lupin," he growled, his chest heaving, condemning Remus with a withering glare. He lifted his hand from his cheek and stared down at his fingers, his brows furrowed, as if he was expecting to see them dripping in carnage. But there was nothing there. Nora leaned forward, peering around to look at his face. She heard James let out a light scoff of a laugh. And Remus looked down at Sirius with a small half-smile, one corner of his mouth stretching upwards. He handed him a mirror. Sirius looked at his reflection, turning his face, examining his cheek and eye. "Jesus Christ, Lupin," Sirius repeated, though much less harshly than before. He shook his head and laughed shakily, still peering at his reflection. His eye had healed dramatically. The bruising, while still evident, looked as though it had begun healing days ago; the skin now flawed with light purples, greens, yellows and browns. The swelling was almost non-existent. And where the laceration had been carved deeply into his face only minutes before now sat a smooth red line, light in colour and flush with his skin. Nora could see that the line would fade in time, and perhaps, it would leave nothing but a very faint scar. “How's it feel?" Remus asked.Sirius shrugged, brushing off the question. "It's fine. Better than it did. Much better."Remus nodded and smiled again. "Looks better, too. It should stop stinging in a few hours. At least that's what Pomfrey says. That stuff never works on me.""You could be a Healer," said James, clearly awed."That was all Pomfrey's stuff, I didn't actually do anything," Remus scoffed. "Besides, I doubt a werewolf would make a very good Healer. Terrible bedside manner."Peter's mum was able to Apparate him right to the Lupin's front door as they had both been to the property before. As soon as they heard the loud crack, the four friends raced down the stairs, giddy with excitement. It had just started to rain, the sky darkening into deep greys and swirls of stormy clouds, the wind rustling stray leaves on the ground. Sirius, Nora and James lingered back as Remus opened the door. Peter and his mother stood hunched under a large yellow umbrella that floated unaided above them. Peter was shying away as his mother adjusted the collar of his shirt, groaning with a red face as she licked her fingers to smudge away a mark on his cheek. "Mum," Peter whined. After Mrs. Pettigrew left (not without embarrassing Peter further with many kisses and hugs), the five friends hurried back up to Remus's room, the low rumble of thunder far off in the distance fuelling their nervous grins."What happened to your eye?" Peter asked suddenly as they sat around Remus's room. He looked at Sirius, and then at Remus, as if looking at them for the first time. "Eyes...?""We got in a fight," said Remus dryly. Sirius nodded as Nora and James laughed. "Moony's got a nasty right hook," said Sirius plainly. "He's merciless, really.""Oh, stop your whinging. You got your shot in, yeah?" said Remus as he pointed to his own eye.Peter looked at them both, and then at Nora and James, clearly unsure of what to believe. "But –""Don't worry about it, Pete," said James with a small smirk, tousling the smaller boy's mousy hair. "You have your wand with you?"******Lyall Lupin had borrowed the camping tent from a colleague at the Ministry after Remus had told him that he and his friends wanted to camp out in the back garden. Nora had never seen a tent so grand. Granted, she hadn't been inside many tents before, only once whilst camping with her father, and that tent had been a Muggle tent and was nothing like this one. This tent was magical, which was very evident the moment you stepped inside. The tent appeared normal from the outside; a small green tent held up by a spindly mess of tiny poles and wires. It looked as though it would blow away in the strong wind of the storm. But it didn't, as along with being magic, Mr. Lupin had cast many spells upon it before the five friends ducked inside, sheltering themselves from the pelting raindrops. Inside, the tent was enormous. It was bigger than the dormitories at Hogwarts with a small kitchen, a spacious living area complete with windows and potted plants, and two sets of bunk beds, each bed adorned with large and heavy blankets and pillows. "Only four beds, I'm afraid," Mr. Lupin had said as he stepped inside with them. "But I'm sure we have an air mattress somewhere, or two of you can double up –""I'll bunk with James," Sirius had piped up quickly, avoiding Nora's eye. James stared at Sirius before looking at Nora, his mouth slightly parted, his brows furrowed. She and Sirius had always shared a bed when given the opportunity, even at Hogwarts, ever since their second year."Yeah, sure," James nodded, quickly regaining his composure. “Or Nora and I can share," Remus had said. "You two wouldn't have much room together in a bed that size. You've both grown a bit since you were eleven."Nora now stood in the entryway, looking in awe at the space as Sirius and James ran past her, laughing and tossing their bags up onto the two top bunks. Remus stood beside her. “I've never seen a tent with wooden floors before," said Nora. “First time for everything, I suppose," said Remus.They stood side by side for a moment, watching as Sirius attempted to climb the bunk, laughing like a little kid as James grabbed him by the back of his shirt, pulling him off of the ladder and climbing it himself instead. Peter was sitting on one of the bottom bunks, laughing at his friends, his bag at his feet, his eyes alight with joy. "You all right?" Remus asked softly, staring down at her."Hm?" Nora hummed, forcing her gaze away from Sirius. "You seem sad.""Oh," she said as she looked back at the boys. "Yeah, a bit.""Do you want to talk about it?""I don't know," Nora shrugged. "I don't know if there's very much to talk about."Remus looked at her for a moment before turning around and unzipping the flap of the tent. "Put your Wellies on," he said to her over his shoulder. "Come on."“What?" she laughed warily. "Let's go for a walk," he shrugged, grabbing the umbrella that his father had left by the entrance. She couldn't help but smile as she quickly slipped out of her muddy trainers and pulled on her yellow boots that she had stowed in her bag. "Where are you two going?" James called as she turned to duck out of the tent flap that Remus was holding up. "You can't leave now!"She turned back. James was staring at them, clearly bewildered. He and Sirius stood, frozen like statues, paused mid conversation. Even Peter looked towards Nora and Remus, his mouth slightly parted."I forgot some things back at the house," Remus called across the tent over the loud static of the rain. "Just running back to get them!"James looked at them, obviously conflicted, but quickly resigned. "Just be back soon!" he shouted. "It has to be during the first strikes of lightening.""We'll be quick!" Remus promised.She turned back towards the flap and exited. Remus pulled her into his side as he lifted the umbrella, his embrace strong despite his slight build. They stepped out into the heavy sheets of rain. They both glanced back in time to see Sirius staring at them as the wind pushed the flap of the tent open. His was face harsh and piercing, stony and cold. His eyes flickered to Remus's arm, tracing its length to where it rested on Nora's waist. He and Nora locked eyes briefly, but he said nothing. They saw James nudge him with his elbow, laughing, and Sirius slowly broke, his face splitting into a smirk and then a laugh, uttering words that Nora and Remus could not hear over the rain. Remus tightened his embrace as they stepped into the sodden earth.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Nora squinted as the rain found its way under the umbrella, pelting the bare skin on her neck and chest. She could feel her hair getting frizzier by the minute; humidity was never kind to her hair. It often made it so that the curls unravelled into a wide, fluffy mess. She could feel it sticking to her neck, getting caught under the collar of her shirt.She didn’t know where Remus was leading them. Her vision was limited by the edge of the umbrella that was tilted low, attempting to shield them from the weather.  They walked in a quick pace, something close to a jog. His arm was still wrapped around her, hugging her into his side, her head pressed against his shoulder. After a minute or so, they stopped in front of a familiar and worn red door.“Here. In here,” ushered Remus as he pushed the door opened, the wood greeting them with a creaking groan.They stepped inside, the straw flooring crunching under their feet. Nora scrunched her nose at the stale air and a couple of the chickens clucked at them, ruffling their feathers in a disgruntled manner.“Sorry,” breathed Remus as he shook the umbrella closed. “Didn’t realize how much the rain had started coming down.”Nora shook her head in response, too out of breath to make words. She looked around the dim room and wiped her wet palms on her jeans. She focused on a large wooden crate in the far corner. She remembered playing hide-and-seek years ago, crouched low against the ground, the rough straw making her knees itch.“Shhhh!” she had hissed at Remus, placing a hand over his mouth. “I can hear him coming!”
And the two hunkered lower, shimmying behind the crate, their hands clasped together, fingers intertwined. They breathed quiet, shallow breaths, tyring their hardest to not make a sound.

“Your hand’s sweaty,” Remus whispered as he moved his head, pulling his face away from her hand with a grimace.

“Your face is sweaty,” she retorted.

“No, it’s definitely your hand.”

“Hush.”

She could hear his footsteps outside, crunching against the pebbles on the dirt path.  She could tell it was him from the sound of his shuffled gait; he had a bad habit of not picking up his feet all the way when he walked.

“Hey,” Remus whispered in her ear, a goofy grin etched upon his face.

She turned towards him, an eyebrow raised.

“We’re laying on chicken poop,” he said.

Nora snorted loudly, a laugh escaping from deep within her throat. Her eyes widened as Remus clasped a hand over her lips. A young hen clucked loudly from within her nesting box.

Light suddenly flooded the henhouse, the wooden door banging opened on its hinges.

“Found you!” Peter yelled in triumph, his arm outstretched, his finger pointing towards them. “Found you!” He danced from foot to foot, his chubby jowls bouncing upon his face. “Come help me find James! I think I saw him in a tree early.”

Remus groaned as Nora giggled, the sound muffled by his hand that was still clamped against her mouth. She tried to shrug away, but Remus moved with her, purposefully keeping his hand firmly pressed to her face with a mischievous smirk.

Nora turned her head quickly towards him, pressing her face harder into his hand, and licked his palm, tasting the dirt and salt that was caked into his skin.

“Eugh!” Remus groaned as he snatched his hand away, his face contorted in offense.

Nora simply smiled sweetly at him, giggling again as he wiped his palm on her shoulder of her shirt, his lips curled.

“You’re disgusting,” he said, though a small smile was budding against his lips.

“Oh, shut it, you love me.”
Remus stepped forward, looking around the henhouse, his hands in his pockets. His hair was dripping and dark with waving strands that were falling into his eyes. A single raindrop was beginning to drip off of the tip of his nose and he quickly wiped it on the shoulder of his jacket.“Lot of memories in here,” he said softly.“Don’t get all sentimental on me, now,” said Nora.“Can’t help it,” Remus shrugged, his lips turned. “Everything’s changing,” he said more quietly, any trace of a smile quickly fading from his face.Nora shrugged.“You want to talk about it?” asked Remus.She paused and then shook her head. “I just needed to get out of there for a minute.”Remus nodded. He walked over to the crate and sat down, bracing his hands on his knees. He looked stiff and painful, and the new scars and bruises on his hands and face reminded her that the moon was only a few days ago. She frowned.“Are you nervous?”“Nervous?”“For tonight,” he clarified.“No,” she said after some thought. “Maybe a little. I’m curious, mostly. Excited, somewhat. I just hope I don’t turn into something rotten.”Remus smiled and patted the space next to him. She walked over and sat down. The ends of her hair were dripping, leaving two large wet splotches on her shirt.“I doubt you will. A rotten creature’s not in your nature.”“As far as you know.”He looked at her, his brow quirked. “What, have you got some deep dark secrets, now? You about to tell me about your nightly murder sprees?”“No,” Nora rolled her eyes with a small smile. “But… what if I turn into some kind of monstrous creature? What will that say about me?”Remus shrugged. “We could start a club. It would be very exclusive.”“You’re not a monster,” she said sternly, holding his stare. “You have no control over that.”“It happens all the same.”They both stared at the floor and were quiet for a few moments before she spoke again, listening to the rain rap sharply against the tin roof.“Sirius and I are… we’re being weird right now.”Remus turned and looked at her, his face impartial, but he gave a slight nod. “I noticed that.”“We talked about it – he and I – a little bit, and I thought we were okay. I don’t think we are though.”Remus took a deep breath. “He’s been through a lot the past few days.”“He said I was one of his best mates.”“Aren’t you?”The question was innocent enough, but as Nora looked at his face, really looked at him, she could just barely see the knowing look that was imperceptible among his features. His face was calm and smooth, but his eyes had a hint of what she could only describe as pity.Nora felt herself blush and she quickly looked away.Remus laid a hand on her knee and gave out a small, gentle sigh, rubbing his hand back and forth. He didn’t need to speak.A loud burst of thunder suddenly echoed outside, shaking the ground and rumbling the wooden walls. The chickens clucked and squawked. Nora stood at once, her eyes wide.“We need to get back,” she said. “James is probably going mental.”“Right,” said Remus as he, too, quickly rose from his seat. He then paused and turned, pointing his wand at the far wall.“Accio radio!” he called over the static of the storm.A small 1950s era radio flew towards him; he caught it, slipping it under his jacket before turning back.“What’s that?” Nora asked.“I told them I had forgotten something and that’s why we had to leave,” he shrugged. “We can’t go back empty handed.”“Right,” said Nora, still confused. “But why is that in here?” she asked, looking around at the chickens that were settled in their nesting boxes.Remus chuckled. “My mum thinks that music helps the chickens lay. She says that the eggs that had Guy Mitchell playing are the freshest.”Nora shook her head in disbelief. “I love your mum.”“Yeah,” Remus smiled back. “She’s pretty gr-”Another angry clap of thunder pierced the air.The two scrambled for the door as they struggled to refasten their jackets and open the still dripping umbrella. Nora forced the wooden door open, wrestling against the strong wind. She slipped outside, the rain quickly resoaking her hair and face.“Let’s go!” he yelled, and the two took off at a run.Her vision was marred and blurred by the rain and her Wellington’s were slipping and sliding against the muddy path. Twice, she had almost slipped to the ground, and would have fallen hard, had it not been for Remus’s strong hold on her arm.The tent was getting closer and closer. She could see James holding the flap open, his arm waving towards them, beckoning them in. She could just barely make out his yells to them, telling them to hurry.And then they were skidding through the flap and into the tent, standing on the wooden floors; two dripping, sopping messes. They were laughing, breathing heavily as they attempted to calm the flames within their lungs. James held Nora at arm’s length, and she let him hold her upright, too exhausted and cold to stand on her own. Remus was doubled over, his hands against his knees. She watched as he reached into his jacket and removed the radio, shoving it into Sirius’s hands. Sirius looked taken aback and very confused, but the corners of his lips were beginning to turn upwards, a smirk forming on his face.“This is what you forgot?” he scoffed, his head shaking as he looked down at the small radio and then back up at Remus’s soaked clothes and dripping hair. “You absolute, fucking git.”“No lightening?” breathed Nora as she unfastened her jacket, slipping out of the sodden material.James shook his head as he summoned two blankets, tossing one to Remus. He looked towards the window where Peter was standing, the blonde boys eyes were trained upon the sky. “Not yet anyways. Soon though, I reckon.”Nora nodded as James wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. She hadn’t realised that she had been shivering, but once the blanket met her skin, she melted into it, relishing in the warmth. James chuckled, his head shaking, as he rubbed his hands over the blanket, up and down her arms, further warming her chilled body.“You two are unbelievable,” he muttered with a small scoff.They didn’t have to wait very long. After taking turns watching out of the window or out of the tent flap, eventually, a great and powerful clap of thunder shook the tent, flickering the lights and shaking the floors. The sudden flash of light from outside seemed to briefly highlight the dim tent. The five friends looked up, each face grim with anticipation, before Peter turned around and yelped.“Lightening!” yelled Peter as he scrambled away from the window, his face pale and stricken. “Lightening!”James spun around, his wand clutched in his hand. “Get the potions!”Nora nodded and ran to the box on the table, tearing wildly at the newsprint wrappings. Torn pictures of the Daily Profit fell to the floor, the images severed yet still moving; halved images of Aurors and Minister Harold Minchum littered her feet.As quickly as her shaking hands allowed her to move, she lifted the lid of the box. She could feel Sirius at her side, his shoulder briefly brushing against her own before he took a sharp step to the left, ensuring that there was space between them. The distance was small, perhaps only a few inches, but it felt never-ending. Her heart ached.However, she was not allowed to dwell on it. Her vision was tunnelled as she stared down at the four crystal phials. Each phial held but a mouthful of a deep and dark bloodred potion. She looked up at James, at his bottom lip that was clenched between his teeth, and watched as he reached out and grabbed the phial labelled J. She watched as Sirius retrieved the phial labelled S, his eyes bright and without a hint of fear. She watched as he smiled softly to himself, his long and slender fingers wrapping around the crystal. And she looked away quickly as their eyes met and his smile faltered ever so slightly.She reached into the box and picked up her own potion, running her fingers over the initial written in black ink.
N.
She watched as Peter reached for the last phial, his sweaty hands smudging the initial that had been so carefully drawn on weeks before. The once legible P was now smeared and blurred.The phial was heavy even though it was filled with only a sip of potion. She could feel the warmth radiating through the crystal, making her palm tingle with pins and needles.She could hear Peter’s quickened and shallow breathing as she uncorked her phial, peering into the tiny neck of the bottle at the deep and shimmering potion within. Remus stood back, and Nora turned, looking up at him behind her shoulder. His face was burdened with apprehension, the scar that crossed his lip and chin seemed to glow against the sallow complexion of his worry.“Together,” said James, his own chest rising and falling rapidly. “On three.”Together, the four friends counted.Together, they recited the incantation that they had grown so familiar with over the last few months, the tips of their wands pressed against their hearts.Together, they each lifted their phials to their lips.And together, they swallowed their potions.The potion was bitter and burned with more heat than any Firewhisky she had ever let pass her lips. It stung the back of her throat and pain seared through her neck as she clutched her hand to her chest, pulling at the front of her shirt with stiff knuckles. She gagged and coughed as she felt the phial slip from her fingers, barely registering as it shattered against the floor. Her heart began to beat rapidly. Faster and faster, thumping loudly in her ears.Faster and faster and faster and faster.She heard James’s phial fall to the floor, or perhaps it was Peter’s, the unmistakable sound of glass shattering seemed to echo inside the tent.And then another phial cracked against the wood.And another.
Faster and faster and faster and faster and faster.
She felt dizzy. She felt like her heart was ripping in two. A blistering, white-hot pain was scorching its way through her chest, burning her from the inside out. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think. She reached out and grasped Sirius’s hand in her own as she closed her eyes, pinching them shut as the pain saturated her body, flooding its way from her head to her toes. Sirius squeezed her hand back.In the darkest corner of her mind, she found herself staring at a large animal, its bright golden eyes were slanted, the vertical pupils were the deepest of blacks. The creature stared back at her, its golden eyes penetrating her own. And then those golden eyes blinked, slowly, purposefully.And the pain vanished.******She opened her eyes to find that the tent had grown, exponentially so. It was large before, but now it was even larger. The sofa was taller than she was.That’s not right, she thought.But it wasn’t so much of a thought as it was an idea. The individual words weren’t echoing in her head. In fact, there were no words echoing in her head. It was as if her entire internal monologue had been muted.The idea was translated into one feeling:Wrong.The tent had not grown. Nora, as a matter of fact, had shrunk.Small.She turned her head quickly. Everything was louder and sharper. Smells of all sorts assaulted her nose. She could hear the rain and the thunder rumble miles and miles away in the distance. She could hear a mouse or rat squeaking rather close by, and she could hear panting. She could smell the chickens far off in the henhouse. She could smell the wet, earthy ground. She could smell Remus. Oh, yes, she could smell Remus. And James and Peter and Sirius.She heard a bark. There was a black dog, a big black dog, bigger than any dog she had ever seen, and a deer. No, a stag. A black dog and a stag in a tent. The stag dropped its head, its great antlers grazing ceiling.The squeaking was getting louder. She turned her head again. She felt a growl escape from deep within her chest as she easily spotted the rat. It was shaking, crouched by the far wall, its bald tail curling around its fat, grey body.Suddenly, she was running at the rat, her feet light and silent, getting ready to pounce. The rat grew louder, the squeaking gnawing at her ears. It shook and trembled. She could smell it, musty and stale. She could taste it, if she opened her mouth; she could taste the smell on the tip of her tongue. And she was tasting the scent as she pounced, her body elongating, her claws outstretched, her teeth bared. And then –“Nora, stop!”A loud voice rang out and as she collided with a pair of long, thin legs. She quickly sat back, hunching lowly, belly to the ground as she watched Remus pick up the rat, glancing behind him, directly at Nora.“This is Peter! You can’t eat him,” said Remus. “You can’t eat Peter.”She felt another growl escape her as she watched the rat slither into Remus’s pocket with only its bald tail peeking out. Her eyes flashed towards Remus’s face as she focused on him, her neck craned upwards. Remus was tall. Very tall. Much taller than before.The low growl vibrated in her throat, its pitch climbing, before it transformed into a harsh, spitting hiss.“Oi!” Remus scoffed, his brows furrowed. “Don’t you hiss at me!”Another bark and more panting. The big black dog was trotting towards them. She hissed again, her back arching. She could feel her fur standing upwards on the back of her shoulders. The dog was getting bigger and bigger as it got closer. It was shaggy and almost wolflike, its eyes a deep, stormy grey. But suddenly, the dog was a boy. And the boy was laughing, resting an arm on Remus’s shoulder. And Nora felt calmer.“I knew she’d be a cat!” Sirius laughed, his head shaking as he stared down at her.Sirius.And then the stag was gone, and James was standing next to Remus and Sirius. And Remus’s pocket was still shivering and trembling. Peter, the rat, was still bundled within the fabric.“Nah, she’s not a cat, mate,” said James with a grin. “She’s a lynx.”She was faster than the rat. And she was faster than the dog and the deer. She ran circles around them as they played and yelped and barked and squeaked. The dog made most of the noise save for the sharp squeals that came from the rat. The stag was mostly silent, but it would occasionally chuff and snort and bleat, as if in excitement.The night had fallen heavily, and the rain was still coming down in thick sheets, but she could see everything. She could hear everything, and she could smell everything. She savoured the sound of the stag’s hooves against the leaves and the dog’s padded feet against the mud. She savoured the sound of the boy laughing as he stood near the tent, the wind howling against the umbrella that was clutched in his hands.And she ran and ran, further and further, until the trees grew heavy and green. She weaved expertly in and out of the trunks, speedily slinking over roots and fallen branches. She ran until it was just her and the dog, running without a care in the world. Just her and the dog, eight padded feet against the earth. She could hear it barking behind her and she would slow down, letting it catch up, swiping with a great tan paw as it nipped at her bobbed tail, before taking off again, leaving the dog to sprint after her.And as they ran and played, she had but one thought, just one emotion that reverberated throughout her body.Happy.She turned around, watching the black dog run to her, galloping as its tongue splayed out of its mouth.
Happy.

Happy.

Happy.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Wednesday December 24th 1975
The streets of London were grey and busy on the morning of Christmas Eve. People of all sorts bustled across the slushy pavements, the snow stained with mud and debris. Her footsteps crunched with icy strides under her boots as she and Remus walked, gazing into shop windows and watching as last-minute shoppers completed their lists.The two chatted as they walked, bundled under thick coats and scarves, with hats pulled low over their ears, their noses pink and breaths cloudy. They soon found themselves wandering into a small bookshop, gladly taking refuge from the cold. The bell above the door chimed as they entered, and they stomped their feet on the mat by the door, kicking the caked snow off of their boots.It was a quaint little shop with rows and rows of shelves, each lined with books of all kinds, leatherbound and hardcover, small paperbacks, tiny leaflets of poetry. The air was thick with the smell of aging paper, and Nora watched as Remus browsed, his fingers tracing over the spines as he walked. The shop was almost empty save for a few patrons, each browsing the aisles, some with their noses deep in the pages of thick, old books.She sidestepped past Remus and walked towards a small table. On it laid handbound leather journals, fancy fountain pens, and intricate pairs of bookends and décor. What caught her eye, however, was a small snow globe, no bigger than the palm of her hand. The base was plainly carved and painted a faded gold, but inside stood three figures, all holding hands. There was a man, a woman, and a young girl. Nora reached out and picked it up, gently shaking it and watching as the snow danced around the small family in a swirl of white, feeling the heavy weight of the globe in her hand.“That’s nice,” said Remus as he stood beside her, a gentle smile on his lips.“My dad would like it. It’s a bit cheesy, but he’d like it, I think. I haven’t gotten him anything yet,” she said as she turned it over, looking at the price tag stuck to the bottom.Her stomach dropped as she read the handwritten price. £5.00. She felt her face become warm. She suddenly felt silly thinking about the new art supplies that she had bought with the two galleons that her father had sent her in November. She should have saved them. She could have used them to buy gifts.She chewed on her lip and carefully placed the globe back on the table.“Maybe next year,” she said quietly.She felt her face burn as Remus picked up the snow globe and turned it over, his face remaining perfectly neutral. She watched as he reached his hand into his pocket and retrieved his wallet.“Remus, no,” she sighed. “You already paid for my tube fare. It’s not worth it.”“‘Course it is,” he shrugged, staring at her. “It’s Christmas.”Thanks to Lyall’s position at the Ministry, the Lupin family was just about middleclass. They weren’t nearly as poor at Nora and her father, but they were nowhere near as wealthy as the Potter’s or Black’s. Remus lived a reasonably comfortable lifestyle. It wasn’t lavish by any means, but he always had neat and pressed school robes and new books every term, which Nora was glad for; Remus had enough to worry about without having to stress over money.And so, Nora only felt moderately guilty as Remus walked them to the front of the shop to pay for the snow globe. She continued to chew on her lip as she slid her own sixty pence over the counter, the two coins gently clinking together, and watched as Remus supplied the rest, smiling and chatting with the old woman behind the counter. Nora watched as the woman’s knobby, gnarled fingers wrapped the globe in thick sheets of paper before slipping it into a small bag and bidding them a “Happy Christmas”.They walked in comfortable silence back to the Tube station, the small bag gently swinging from her hand. And they sat close together on the train, watching as passengers boarded and left, watching as a young family pushed their way through the crowd with their pram, the small child within happily babbling at them as they passed.When they arrived on Charing Cross Road, it was easy to see that they were quite near to Diagon Alley, as there were many men and women adorned in long and lavish coloured robes. And the robes only grew more numerous as they entered the Leaky Cauldron. Wizards and witches sat at the crowded tables, talking loudly over their breakfasts. The man behind the bar nodded to them as they passed, and Nora immediately felt more at home. She could feel the magic around them; it was thick in its presence and the air smelled strongly of pine and malt.But they passed through the pub quickly, emerging onto the old and cobbled streets of Diagon Alley. Christmas was all around them. The shops were draped in boughs of pine and red ribbons, and the snow, unlike the tainted grey snow of Muggle London, was fresh and pillowy, falling in picturesque dunes on the rooftops. “I never get tired of this place,” she breathed as they walked, slower now, taking in the magic around them.“Neither do I,” Remus said with a small smile as he looked down at her.They stopped in front of the small shop, the old hanging sign swinging gently in the breeze above them, creaking in harmony with the dissonance of chatter that danced along the street. This was the reason for which they had travelled to Diagon Alley, but now that they were there, standing in front of the shop, Nora’s stomach clenched within her and her chest felt tight.“Want me to go in with you?” asked Remus, gently.Nora nodded quickly, not quite sure as to why she was so nervous.She had tried to start her essay for Fulminare, but each time she touched her quill to her parchment, she was met with startling feelings of anger towards her professor. She would think of the words Fulminare had said to her, utterings ofsquib and unbonded flittering through her brain. She would think of the Carrington’s and of Nathan, and of everything that they had told her about the man. She had yet to tell her friends about that night. She wanted to, but the timing was never quite right. So much had happened over the last week and a half, between the full moon and Sirius and his parents… it just didn’t feel right to bring it up.And so, she would try to write, forcing herself to sit down, begging her mind to focus. Yet, her bedroom desk was littered with crumpled parchments, each with a few sentences that were crossed out and scribbled. She still did not know where to start. And so, following Mr. Carrington’s advice, Remus and Nora entered Ollivanders Wand Shop.The shop was entirely empty, and was very dimly lit; it took Nora’s eyes a few moments to adjust to the dull casts of light being emitted from the small glass lanterns on the walls, each housing a drippy wax candle. Her eyes were drawn to the haphazard stacks of wand boxes, piled high and far beyond her vision, indiscriminate and leaning, as if a single strong sneeze could knock them over.They stood by the door, the floorboards creaking as they shifted their weight, listening to the silence.“Maybe he’s not here,” she whispered. “Maybe he’s off for Christmas.”“The sign says he’s open,” shrugged Remus nonchalantly.“Indeed,” rasped a soft voice from the darkness. “Just a moment, Miss Ross.”She turned and stole a glance at Remus. He shrugged again; one eyebrow quirked high on his face.“Indeed,” Mr. Ollivander said again as he emerged from the back room, “Anguis did tell me that a student of his may be stopping by for a visit, but I have to say, I did not think it would be you, Miss Ross.”Garrick Ollivander was an older man with wiry grey hair that seemed to quickly be turning white, matching the unruly eyebrows that sat like fat caterpillars upon his forehead. His pale blue eyes were almost silver, and shone wet and bright through the dim shop.“Who did you think it was going to be?” asked Remus. “Just out of curiosity…”Mr. Ollivander looked at Remus as if he had just noticed he was there.“Well, most certainly not you, Mr. Lupin,” he said airily with a growing smile. “No, no, most certainly not you. Cypress, 10 ¼ inch, unicorn hair core, pliable,” he said with a nod. “I remember every wand I’ve ever sold. Talented wizard and a strong wand to match!”Remus nodded, a subtle blush dusting his cheeks.“Cypress wands are, in the simplest sense, associated with nobility. It is an honour to match a cypress wand,” Mr. Ollivander continued, smiling at Remus as he spoke. “The brave, the bold, and the self-sacrificing; those who succumb to greatly heroic deaths, that is who the cypress wand partners with.”Remus and Nora stared at the old man, who still smiled airily at them.“Great,” Remus finally spoke. “Er, thank you."“Yes, yes,” he said softly, “But we are not here for you, Mr. Lupin, are we? What can I do for you Miss Ross?” his attention turned to Nora, his pale eyes looking into her own. “Or perhaps, this is a more private matter.” He glanced at Remus and then back at Nora. “Yes, yes. Private. Come now,” he rasped as he walked towards the back of the shop, his shoulders hunched, his spine arched.Nora glanced at Remus, who shrugged once more, before both followed the older man.In the back of the shop, nestled among stacks of wand boxes and papers, sat four faded armchairs and a small table that was buried under wands and boxes and quills with little pots of ink; a small silver kettle sat on the corner.Mr. Ollivander gestured to the chairs still smiling at them. Nora and Remus took their seats.“Tea?” asked Ollivander as he pointed his wand at the kettle.“No, thank you,” Nora replied quickly with a small shake of her head. Her knee bounced as she fiddled with a loose thread on the armchair. “Mr. Ollivander, I wanted to ask-”“About your wand,” he smiled at her.“Yes,” she nodded.“Easy guess,” he said.Remus chuckled.Nora didn’t reply.“Well,” said Mr. Ollivander as he finally sat in the chair across from her, a saucer and cup of tea chattering in his hands. “You see, Blackthorn is a fickle wood. I often hesitate to sell blackthorn wands.”“Why is that?” asked Nora, feeling the weight of his words deep inside of her chest.Mr. Ollivander sighed before saying, “Blackthorn wands are held by some of the most accomplished Aurors, but also by the most wicked and vile of wizards. It is… a favourable wand among the Death Eaters.” He spoke the last part quietly in a weak hushed voice.“Oh,” said Nora after a few paces of silence. She felt Remus shift beside her.“It is curious,” he continued, “that the wickedly thorned blackthorn bush produces its sweetest berries only after the hardest frosts.” With withered, shaking hands, he sipped his tea.“You are at a disadvantage, of course. Because it is only after you and your wand pass through great danger or hardship, that you may be truly bonded.”“Great danger… or hardship,” Nora repeated, staring at the older man.He hummed. “Yes, however you may still produce great magic, but you will have to work much, much harder than those around you until you have bonded. If you bond at all.”“Why did you give me this wand?” she asked quietly, her head shaking softly.Mr. Ollivander set his saucer onto the cluttered table, pushing an ink pot out of the way to make space and looked up at her, his eyes were suddenly piercing and intensely blue. They studied her, as if memorizing every freckle on her nose.“The wand chooses the wizard, Miss Ross,” he spoke almost in a whisper, his voice low and strained. “You may not realise it now, but you are perfectly suited for your wand.”It was very late in the evening when Nora arrived back at her house. Her father was asleep on the sofa, and not wanting to wake him, Nora tiptoed through the sitting room and up the stairs, closing her door softly behind her. She sat at her desk, brushing aside balls of crumpled parchment, fished a quill from her drawer, and began to write.******
Monday December 29th 1975
“Just calm down, Pete,” said James with an exasperated sigh as he looked up from his Quidditch magazine. “You can’t change back if you’re all wound up.”It was a few days after Christmas and the four friends were lounging in James’s room. Nora was sitting with Remus on the sofa, her head against his chest as she read from The Essential Defence Against the Dark Arts, cringing as the weathered page tore slightly as she turned it. James was sat on his bed, his back against the headboard, and Sirius was peering over his shoulder, looking at the magazine with a rather bored stare.Peter was with them, too, of course. However, he was in his Animagus form, and was squeaking quite loudly, his fat, grey body quivering against James’s quilt.“We can’t keep changing you back, mate,” said Sirius haughtily. “You’ll never learn to do it yourself if we keep doing it.”The rat squealed louder.James sighed and folded his magazine closed. He looked at Sirius over the tops of his glasses.“Let’s just change him back. He looks like he’s about to piss himself and I’d rather he not do that on my bed.”Sirius shrugged, but pulled his wand out from behind his ear, a superior smirk on his lips. He was enjoying this, Nora could tell.“Fine by me,” said Sirius. “His tail’s freaking me out, anyways.”The boys pointed their wands at the rat and Sirius cleared his throat.Together, they chanted, “Homorphus!”Suddenly, the rat began to grow, melding into the shape of a rather pudgy young boy. And then, Peter was there, curled at the end of James’s bed, his nose twitching and eyes closed.“I can’t do it!” he cried out. “I tried so hard this time! I just can’t do it.”“You’ve got to relax,” said James calmly. “Just picture your human self. That’s all I do.”“Easy for you to say,” Peter grumbled as he sat up, pulling the sleeves of his jumper over his fingers. “You’re great at Transfiguration. All of you are. I’ll be lucky if I can get an Acceptable in my O.W.L.s.”“You’ll be fine,” said Remus. “We’ll help you revise.”Peter looked uncertain.“I thought you finished your parchment for Fulminare,” James said, nodding his head at Nora’s book.“I did,” she said. “There’s just a lot of interesting stuff in here, actually.”“See?” Remus intoned. “He was just trying to help you.”“Yeah, if he’s not a fucking Death Eater,” spat Sirius.“He can’t be. Dumbledore would never hire a Death Eater, you know that,” said Remus.“He might not know,” said James. “He’s hired some real headcases before.”“Remember Professor Inkwood?” Peter asked quietly.They paused, each face grimacing. Remus shuddered.“All right,” he sighed. “But there is no way Professor Dumbledore knew about that when he hired her.”“Why not?” Sirius snapped as he sat up straighter. “He should have sacked her when he had the chance!”“It wasn’t his fault,” Remus said firmly.Nora glanced up from her book. She could hear Remus’s heart thumping. She looked at Sirius, looking at his dark eyes, and he met her gaze, just briefly, before snapping his eyes back to Remus.“Why are you fighting this?” Sirius asked, exasperated, his voice growing in volume. “We have evidence,” he gestured towards Nora. “Why can’t you just admit that Dumbledore doesn’t know everything, that he’s not the be-all end-all of magic; that maybe, just maybe he’s just not as great as you think he is.”Remus was quiet for a moment, looking down at his lap, his lips pursed. When he did speak, his voice was steady.“Because Dumbledore gave me a chance,” he said, not looking up. “He gave me the hope of a future. Kids like me don’t get to have a future, let alone go to a school like Hogwarts. Or any school for that matter.”Sirius stared as James looked up. Peter fumbled with his hands, wringing them in his lap. Nora gently closed her book, listening as Remus’s voice echoed in his chest, his heart beating wildly.“I know you lot can’t understand, but most people would be disgusted if they knew what I was,” he spoke softly now. “They’d be afraid to go near me, afraid to touch me, afraid that I’ll infect them just by looking at them.” He paused, letting out a semi-hysterical laugh, lifting his head to look at Sirius. “I’ll never be able to marry or have a family. I never thought it was possible for me to make friends. Nothing about my life will ever be normal. Dumbledore gave me a chance for just a little sliver of normalcy. By letting me go to school, he’s let me have this one normal thing that I can hold onto. That’s why I trust Dumbledore, okay?”For a moment, Sirius looked as if he was going to fight back. He looked as if he was going to storm out of the room, his expression of rage deeply engraved in his features. But eventually, his shoulders relaxed, his expression melting. And eventually, he spoke.“All right,” he said softly, nodding his head as he looked at Remus. “All right.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Thursday, January 15th 1976
“All right, Wormtail,” said James, clearly eager to use the new nickname. “What do you want to do for your birthday?”The five friends were in the common room, Nora and Remus sharing a seat, her legs crossing over his, both of their skinny bodies fitting in the squashy chair. Sirius, James and Peter were seated on a larger sofa next to them. The fire flickered before them, their shadows dancing on the walls, warming their hands and feet as they stuck them towards the flames. It was well after curfew, and they snuggled under thick, soft blankets and old woollen jumpers.“Oh, I don’t know, Prongs,” Peter grinned. “It’ll be fun enough for it to be the first moon as Animagi!”It was mid-January, and it just so happened that the first full moon of 1976 was to fall on Peter’s sixteenth birthday.“Well then, I think,” Sirius said as he wrapped an arm around Peter’s shoulders, “that we start the day with a feast.”Peter’s smile grew wider. “A feast?”“Right in the dorm!”“Right here?” Peter asked.“Right here, Wormy.”“Write that down,” James said to Remus. “We’ll stop by the kitchen’s tomorrow and let the elves know.”Remus obliged and wrote down DORM FEAST on the blank parchment balanced on his and Nora’s knees.“Then, perhaps, a Gobstone tournament?” spoke Nora, smiling at Peter.Peter gasped. “Can we?”“Sure thing,” said James, looking at Remus, gesturing towards the parchment. “Good one, Mittens.”Nora groaned. “You are not calling me Mittens.”James waved his hand. “It’s a work in progress.”Beneath DORM FEAST, Remus wrote GOBSTONES TOURNEY.“Then, what do you say we break out the old cloak and spend the afternoon in Hogsmeade?” James smirked, reaching up to mess with his hair.“Wow,” Peter spoke dreamily, looking at James with awe. “That sounds amazing!”“We can take the One-Eyed Witch route,” said Nora.“Righto, Whiskers,” nodded James.Nora rolled her eyes.Beneath GOBSTONES TOURNEY, Remus wrote SNEAK INTO HOGSMEADE. And then he paused and looked up.“Then I guess it’s the full moon,” he said softly.“Yeah,” James nodded slowly.Beneath SNEAK INTO HOGSMEADE, Remus wrote, hesitantly at first, MOON.******
Saturday, January 17th 1976
“I can’t believe Wormtail beat you,” sniggered James as they packed their bags.“I let him win,” Sirius said arrogantly.James rolled his eyes. “Sure, you did, mate.”“I won fair and square! I was in the Gobstone’s Club for two years,” Peter retorted. “Say, Moony, what are we supposed to be packing?” asked Peter, looking up from the bag on his bed.“Well,” Remus paused and then shrugged lightly. “I pack… well, medical supplies.”Nora and James looked up at Remus, Peter quickly looked at the floor, and Sirius had an odd, far-off look upon his face.“Right,” James nodded slowly, chewing on his bottom lip. “Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to pack a jumper.”With the Invisibility Cloak draped over their heads, Nora, James, Peter and Sirius soundlessly followed Remus down the stairs and through the halls to the Hospital Wing.“Once you know how to get into the Shack, I reckon we won’t have to do it this way,” Remus had said earlier in the evening. “I just can’t risk going out there and showing you now. It’s not worth someone seeing me.”So, they followed Remus at a short distance into the Hospital Wing where Madam Pomfrey was waiting for him. The room was almost entirely empty save for one student who seemed to be sleeping soundly, an empty goblet on their bedside table. The moon was just beginning to peak out along the horizon, and it lit up the Hospital Wing in long, thin angles, shining through the great glass windows, illuminating Remus and the matron as she fussed over him. She placed her hand against his forehead, tutting as she felt the fever. She looked at the pocket watch that hung from her robes.“We should leave,” she spoke softly, so softly that Nora had to strain to hear her from their position across the room. “You may have a few hours before the transformation, but let’s get you in there so you’re nice and safe, yes?” She had a smile upon her face, but Nora thought that it looked like the saddest smile she had ever seen.Remus was a head taller than the matron, and his eyes fluttered closed as she reached up to brush some hair out of his eyes. He swallowed.“You’ll be all right,” she said firmly, nodding at him. “Now, let us go.”Quickly looking over her shoulder at the sleeping student, Madam Pomfrey tapped her wand on Remus’s head and then her own, and suddenly, the pair vanished. The Disillusionment Charm did not make them entirely invisible, it was not like the cloak, but Remus and the matron seemed to blend in with the walls and hospital beds. Up close, it was still easy enough to see them, but from a far, Nora thought, it would be difficult to tell the difference between them and their surroundings.They followed them through the halls and out of the castle and onto the grounds. The four friends were packed together very tightly under the cloak. James and Nora were in front with Sirius behind her and Peter behind James. Every now and then she could feel Sirius brush against her back, and she would force her feet to continue walking.Their shoes crunched against the icy layer of snow that caked the grass; Nora’s hands felt like ice lollies, quickly turning numb in the frigid January air. They walked across the grounds, Sirius with his wand pointed behind him, vanishing their footprints. They walked past the path that led to the Owlery and past the training grounds and the North Tower, until finally, they stopped in front of the Whomping Willow.Nora heard Sirius scoff under his breath, and she heard James take a deep breath, watching as the matron effortlessly levitated a nearby stick, weaving it in and out of the swinging, thrashing branches, and used it to poke an inconspicuous knot at the base of the tree. Immediately, the branches seized all movement, drooping downwards, snow and icicles falling onto the ground, and a passage opened, a small one; it was just large enough that Remus fit into it if he ducked his head.Sirius nudged James and Nora forward, and the friends followed Remus and the matron inside, the two no longer Disillusioned, following the glow of the matron’s wand. They walked for what seemed like hours, though it couldn't have been more than thirty minutes. The tunnel ceiling stooped, and the walls curved; even Nora found herself having to duck at times. But eventually, the tunnel began sloping upwards and after they rounded a tight turn, the tunnel stopped, and in front of them was a large, worn wooden door dressed in many old, large locks.“In you go, dear,” said Madam Pomfrey as she opened the door with a flick of her wand.Remus stood in the doorway and took a slow, deep breath. Then, he turned around looking down the tunnel, his eyes seeing right through the four friends. Very subtly he nodded his head towards the door and the friends under the cloak moved quickly, surreptitiously towards the door, stepping past Remus and the matron.They tiptoed into the room, not yet taking in their surroundings, and crouched in the far corner, dust and debris clinging to their clothes. The room was dark, but through the cloak Nora could just make out Remus and the matron; the limp from Remus’s bad hip was more evident than ever. He sat on an old, dusty bed in the opposite corner of the room as Madam Pomfrey withdrew a vial from her robes, magicked a goblet, and poured the viscous blue liquid into it, handing the potion to Remus. He took the goblet, his hands shaking so terribly that the potion threatened to lap over the top of it. The matron reached out, steadying his hands and helped him tip the liquid back, Remus coughing as he drank.“There you are,” she said. “That’s it. Good job.” She vanished the goblet and laid a gentle hand on his back, rubbing small circles. “I’ll be back first thing in the morning, all right? I hope it’s a gentle one tonight.”Remus nodded, leaning forward with a soft groan, his head between his knees. Madam Pomfrey tutted and knelt down, peering up at his face.“I’ll be back before you know it,” she said softly before standing. She took one last glance at Remus over her shoulder before exiting the room through the large wooden door. Nora could hear the locks clicking and securing themselves, and then it was silent.“You can come out now,” Remus said, slowly lifting his head from his knees, his hands clasping his stomach.And slowly, hesitantly, James lifted the cloak from their heads. Nora could feel the static clinging to her hair, and she stole a glance back at Sirius who was smoothing down his own frizz. Tentatively, they stood. Peter looked at Remus and then up at James, gnawing on his fingernails. James approached him first and then Sirius and then Peter. James laid a soft hand on Remus’s shoulder before speaking to him in soft, hushed tones.“You all right?”It was a little while before Remus spoke. Purple rings lined his eyes, and his face was ghostly white, his pale lips twisted in an unsettling grimace.“The transformations are painful,” he said. “It might not be… easy to watch.”“We’ll manage,” Peter spoke with a nod.Nora watched from across the room. She watched as James hesitantly sat next to Remus, rubbing his back just as Madam Pomfrey had moments before, Remus groaning, his head falling between his knees once more. She watched as Peter sat at his feet, his head down, fiddling with the hem of his trousers. She watched as Sirius walked, his boots thumping hollowly against the floorboards, running his fingers against the deep, jagged scratches in the walls.“Are these from you?” Sirius questioned, his voice low, his eyes a stormy grey.Remus lifted his head slightly. “Yeah,” he laughed weakly. “I’m not much of an interior designer, I’m afraid.”Sirius nodded, dropping his hand from the wall. Nora watched as he looked towards the windows that were haphazardly boarded with thick planks of wood. Bright moon light filtered through the cracks in the boards and the floor creaked ominously as he walked.Nora stepped forward and sat next to Peter on the floor, her legs crisscrossing beneath her. Sirius sat next to her, his body in the same position, and their knees touched briefly before he scooted himself just slightly to the left. Her throat ached.But she looked up at the top of Remus’s head and sighed, her eyes tracing the blonde strands of hair that mixed with the tawny brown ones.“What can we do for you, Remus?” she asked softly.He breathed deeply and slowly, achingly slow and with a deep wince of pain, he sat up.“I don’t know,” he rasped, his chest gently heaving. “No one’s ever been with me before.”Nora looked into his eyes, his deep brown, black coffee eyes, and nodded.“What was the potion she gave you?” James’s voice was quiet and low.“It’s for nausea. It doesn’t work well on bad moons,” he said shakily, his face contorting into a grimaced smile.As the hour continued and the moon rose higher, they sat with Remus. At first, he was cold, so cold that he was trembling, his lips turning blue. And they had wrapped him in Sirius’s jacket, bundling him under the covers and blankets from the bed. And then he was hot, so hot that his skin had a slick layer of moisture sitting upon it; so hot that he was rolling his head upon his shoulders, pulling at the collar of his jumper, writhing in his seat. And they helped him shrug off the jacket and pull off his jumper and t-shirt, sitting with him as he panted.He was restless, sitting on the floor and then back on the bed, laying down and then sitting up, groaning in pain as he dug his fingernails into his flesh. His chest was bony and bare, scarred and mutilated, and it heaved with his breathing.“Trousers,” he croaked, pulling at his jeans. “They’ll rip.”Without hesitation, James helped him stand and step out of them, Nora untying his shoes.“What about your… pants?” Sirius asked uncertainly.“Yeah, right – Black,” Remus panted, attempting to smile. “In – your – dreams.”“Har, har,” Sirius huffed.It wasn’t long before Remus began trembling again, his eyes squeezed tight.“Change,” he said in nothing more than a whisper. “Change.”Peter yelped and quickly transformed into his rat form, scurrying into the darkened far corner of the room.Remus reached out and grasped James’s forearm, his voice hoarse. “If I – go – after you –”“We’ll be fine, Remus,” James said, staring into Remus’s trembling face.“Promise you’ll stop me.”“I can’t promise –”“Promise,” he whimpered.“I promise.”Remus let out a strangled cry as he stumbled to the floor, his legs elongating, his body sprouting thick dark grey fur. James took a step back and transformed into the stag. Nora watched as Remus’s face contorted, stretching and melding into something unfamiliar, his teeth curving into canines. She couldn’t look away. His fingers extended, growing long, razor-sharp claws before his hands became enormous, deadly grey paws; his body twisting, transforming. A large, tufted tail began to sprout from the bottom of his spine.“Nora,” someone called to her. The rat was squeaking wildly, the stag snorting.She turned, looking back at Sirius. And he swallowed, his eyes searching hers for the first time in weeks.“Change,” he pleaded.******The lynx watched the wolf, watching as it sniffed the ground and scraped its great paw against the floorboards, its sharp claws leaving deep scratches in the wood, watching as it let out a loud, pitiful whine. The wolf lifted its head and stared at Nora.It had human eyes; deep, dark brown human eyes.They were Remus’s eyes.The wolf blinked and stared and slowly took a step towards the lynx, its eyes trained upon hers, walking until their noses were almost touching. The black dog stepped forward, growly a deep, guttural warning. The wolf stopped and looked at the dog. The wolf was slightly bigger than the dog, it was almost as big as the stag, but it turned and walked away. It began pacing, panting as it trotted across the dusty, creaky floor.Sometimes it would pause, standing on its powerful hind legs, and scratch at the walls, chewing on the wood that boarded the windows. And the black dog would bark, just once, and the wolf would stop, come back down on four legs, and stare at the four animals briefly before turning and pacing again. Thrice the wolf had stopped and sat, whining and panting before turning its head towards the ceiling and letting out haunting, heart-breaking howl.The lynx jumped in fright as the wolf began to run, throwing itself against the door. The rat squealed and ran towards the stag, climbing its long legs and settling itself in between the animal’s shoulders, its fat grey body trembling. Despite the dog’s barking, the wolf continued to run, its right-side colliding with the door rattling the wood on its hinges, over and over and over again. Nora hunkered back against the wall, crouching, low growls forcing their way out from deep within her throat. The dog stepped in front of her, blocking her view of the wolf, continuing to bark.She heard hooves clop against the floor and suddenly there was a loud commotion, shuffling and thudding. She could just see the tops of the stag’s antlers over the dog’s head. The stag was bleating, the wolf snapping and growling. And then there was a sudden snarl and a loud whimper, and the lynx peeked out from behind the dog and watched as the wolf limped away on three legs, the hurt one held curled and limp in the air in front of it. She watched as the fur on its left shoulder became matted with a deep, oozing maroon. The wolf whimpered as it laid down, turning its head to lick at the blood. The dog barked once more, and the wolf stopped and stared and then laid its great head upon the floor.  She laid down, belly to the floor, and tucked her face into her chest, her thick fur warming her nose. And the stag laid down at well, the rat climbing up his muscular neck and scurrying onto his head, laying down in between his antlers and nestling himself into the red-brown fur.And then the shaggy black dog sauntered over to her, his head hung low. He eased himself down, curling around the lynx’s body, pressing himself into her thick, dense coat, watching the wolf as he laid his head on top of the lynx’s.Nora woke just as the dog pulled the bed covers over the boy on the floor. Sirius transformed from the dog as Remus stirred.“Easy,” Sirius said as Remus groaned. “You’re hurt.”Nora transformed, watching as Sirius helped Remus sit. She scooted so that her back was resting against the wall, her knees to her chest, her heart thumping steadily.“Ow,” Remus winced as he grabbed his arm holding it close to his side. He turned his neck, glancing at the bite that had jaggedly ripped through the flesh on the back of his left shoulder. He took short, sharp deep breaths, as if the act of breathing itself was painful.“I – I tried to stop you, mate,” James apologised as he stepped forward, Peter not far behind. “But I –”“Is this all?” Remus asked, his eyes scanning his chest and hands, turning them over. He lifted the blanket, staring down as his bare legs and feet. “Is this all I did?” He looked between the three boys, a smile slowly growing on his face.“Yeah,” James nodded, laughing slightly, the visible tension in his neck and shoulders dissolving.“That’s brilliant,” Remus breathed, looking back at his shoulder, grinning through a great wince of pain. “You’re all brilliant.”“How’s that for a birthday, Pete?” Sirius grinned up at the boy, still holding Remus steady.“It was… brilliant,” Peter beamed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Thursday, February 12th 1976
“I think we’ve got to break you out of the Shack for this next moon,” James said as he levitated a paper aeroplane with his wand, letting it zoom around the dormitory, swooping over their heads.Remus paused and looked up from the opened bag on his bed.“No,” he said sternly as he shook his head. “No.” His eyebrows raised.“Come on, Moony,” James whined, letting the aeroplane fall to the floor in a steep nosedive. “You were itching to get out of that place!”Remus blinked at him. “Are you mad? Have you gone absolutely mental?” he sputtered, horrified.“Mate, it’s –”“I try to get out of there because I want to eat people. I’m dangerous, James. The Shack is too close to Hogsmeade. No, you’re not letting me out. Absolutely not.” Remus shook his head again, looking back down and continuing to exchange textbooks out of his bag. “I can’t believe you would even suggest something like that,” he snapped.“You broke three fucking ribs throwing yourself at the door! And when I tried to make you stop you almost bit your arm off!”Remus glared at him as he swung his bag over his shoulder and walked towards the door. “That’s kind of just how it works, James,” he spat angrily.“It doesn’t have to!” James called after him, his voice rising as he threw his hands in the air.They followed Remus out the door and through the common room. As he stomped towards the portrait, he spun around quickly making James stop short.“Yes, it does,” Remus said sternly. “There are no alternatives, James! You can’t fix everything!”“Remus –”“I’m done talking about this,” he said as he shook his head.James let out a resigned sigh and followed Remus out of the portrait hole, holding the painting open for Nora; Sirius and Peter were following close behind her.“It’s the moon talking, mate,” Sirius whispered. “He’ll come around.”“I can hear you!” Remus shouted back to them, continuing to march down the hallway.“Bloody wolf hearing,” muttered Sirius.They continued walking, following Remus down the stairs and through the halls. Eventually, on the fifth floor Remus stopped in front of a statue of a large, warty toad. He tapped his wand twice on the toad’s head and muttered an incantation. A doorway opened behind the toad and the five friends walked inside.“You know,” said Sirius as they walked through the secret passage, “we really should make that map we talked about in third year. I bet we could figure out the spells for it now.”“I reckon if we can become Animagi we can do anything,” Peter spoke.“You might have a point there, Wormtail,” said James contemplatively. “You still up for drawing it, Ross?”Nora shrugged. “If we can figure out the spells for it, then yeah, I’ll do it.”“Brilliant,” grinned James.“Why are Ross and I the only ones who don’t have nicknames yet?” Sirius grumbled.“Calm down, Fido,” said James, rolling his eyes. “The perfect name takes time. They have to speak to me.”Sirius scoffed as they rounded a corner, stopping in front of a small wooden door. Remus quickly flicked his wrist, his wand opening the door with a whoosh, the wood banging on its hinges, smacking against the wall with a loud echoing crack.“Jesus, Moony,” Sirius huffed as they stepped into a back hallway of the dungeons, the air musty and cool. “Easy there, mate.”“Moon magic,” James mouthed to Nora, and she laughed softly, nodding her head. The full moon was only days away now, and as it grew closer, Remus’s magic, as it often did, grew stronger with his anger.It was as they rounded a corner that James stopped and grinned. “Perfect timing,” he said lowly with a laugh. “Oi, Snivellus.”Severus Snape stopped in his tracks, his back to the group, before quickly plunging his hand into his robes and spinning around.“Expelliarmus!” Sirius called, brandishing his own wand, watching as Snape’s wand flew from his hand and clattered to the floor near James’s feet.“Colloshoo,” James called.Severus threw out his arms, waving them as he tried to find his balance, his textbooks falling to the floor in a mess of loose papers and parchments. He attempted to take a step forward towards his wand but found that his shoes were stuck to the floor. He tried pulling on his leg, bracing his hands underneath his knee and yanking, but it was no use. He was stuck.“My, my,” James sneered as he walked towards Snape, “what do we have here?”“Don’t know, but he’s gonna leave grease stains on the stone, stuck there like that,” snickered Sirius darkly as he followed James, stopping in front of Snape.“Well, Sirius, you know what we have to do to slimy little maggots like him, don’t you?”Nora watched as Snape spat hitting James in the cheek. She watched as James’s smirk turned into a look of rage, watching as he wiped his face with the sleeve of his robe.“Aguamenti maxima!” shouted James as a powerful jet of water burst from the tip of his wand, soaking Severus and leaving his robes dripping, his hair stringy and wet; the force of the water threatening to tip him over.Sirius snickered as he lazily pointed his wand. “Pluma tormento,” he yawned.Fluffy white feathers erupted from his wand, shooting themselves, at an astonishing force, towards Snape. They stuck to his wet robes and hair, one gluing itself to his chin. Snape let out an anguished, angry snarl, his chest heaving as he swung his arms, reaching towards James and Sirius who were just out of his reach.“Oh, Sirius, you beauty!” hooted James as he grinned.“Better get going, Snivelly,” Sirius sneered as he stepped past Snape, “wouldn’t want you to be late to your beloved Potions class.”James turned around and kicked Snape’s wand further down the hall, watching with a smirk as it skidded across the stone floor. He turned again and followed Sirius.Nora looked down as she passed Snape. Remus walked beside her, shaking his head silently as she looked up at him.“Snape’s done worse,” she said to Remus.“I know,” he said quietly.The five friends walked into the Potions classroom, Sirius, James and Peter still snickering, their laughs getting louder as they looked at Snape’s usual empty seat.“I wonder who’s going to find him,” laughed Sirius as he sat in his seat next to Nora.“Or if anyone’s going to find him!” Peter spoke, looking up at James for approval.As Professor Slughorn entered and began his awkward waddle to the front of the room, Lily turned around looking at the empty chair next to Mulciber. She turned again and stared at James, her eyes narrowing. James winked at her, grinning, and Lily rolled her eyes, spinning in her seat towards the front of the room with a scoff.“She loves it,” James shrugged.“You gonna ask her to Hogsmeade, then?” Sirius goaded in a quiet voice. “I’m sure she’d love to be your valentine, Prongs.”“He already has,” Peter snorted.“Oh, shove it,” James muttered. “She’s only said no once. I’ve got to ask her at least one more time for it to be final.”“So, you think she’s changed her mind since yesterday?” Remus asked with a single quirked brow.“You never know!” James said in a hushed voice.“I think we all know,” said Nora.“Face it, mate,” said Sirius with a grin, chomping on his latest piece of Drooble’s gum, “you might as well go stag.”James rolled his eyes as Remus groaned.“Yeah, like you aren’t?” hissed James.Sirius paused and then smirked, a superior glint in his eyes.“As a matter of fact, Prongsy, I’m not,” he said as he sat up straighter in his seat, his lips turned.Nora snapped her head up, her stomach sinking like lead. She glanced at Sirius, their eyes meeting briefly, but she quickly looked down, wringing her hands in her lap.Peter gasped as James spoke.“What! Who?”Sirius chuckled, chewing his gum slowly, his smirk turning into a small, mischievous grin. And then he shrugged, nonchalantly, raising his eyebrows as he feigned a sigh. “McKinnon.”Peter gasped again. “McKinnon?!”“An older woman!” James crowed.“She’s only five months older,” countered Sirius, still grinning that stupid, haughty grin. “She doesn’t turn seventeen until June.”Marlene McKinnon. Of course. Of course, it was Marlene McKinnon. Of course, Sirius Black would ask out Marlene McKinnon. There was nothing wrong with Marlene, of course. But she was beautiful with silky, straight blonde hair and tall with icy, fair skin. All things that Nora was not. She was in her sixth year and was a skilled Chaser on the Ravenclaw team. She was popular and funny, easy going and intelligent. And she was incredibly kind.Of course, it was Marlene McKinnon.“Nora,” someone sung, and Nora looked up as their professor began his introduction to the lesson.“Hmm?”“I asked if you were going with anyone. Petey here’s gone and asked Imogen,” said James with a small laugh.“Cooper?” asked Nora, thinking of the small, timid Hufflepuff. “And she said yes?”“Yes, she said ‘yes’,” Peter said indignantly.“That’s great.” Nora forced a small smile, even though it felt so wrong upon her face.“So,” James intoned, “Are you going with anyone?”Nora felt her face heat as she attempted to laugh. “Oh, I don’t know, I –” she stuttered.“I thought you were going with me?” Remus spoke, his face perfectly neutral.Nora paused and then laughed, a real laugh this time, and nodded. “Right, yeah, I’m going with Remus.” She smiled, glancing at Remus, who nodded gently.“Moony? You and Moony?” James asked as Peter gasped once more. “Is that why you two have been so chummy lately?”“We’re always chummy,” said Remus with a shake of his head.“Yeah, but you two have been extra chummy lately. Ever since we –” James turned to look over his shoulder at Slughorn as the professor wrote on the board, “drank the potions,” he whispered.“Yeah!” Peter exclaimed a little too loudly. James shushed him. “You’re always sleeping together now!” he said in a corrected whisper.James snorted.“Oh, no I mean, you share a bed. I don’t mean… well – unless you are, I mean –”“Shut up, Pettigrew,” Sirius snapped.Nora glanced at him, watching as he gripped his quill within his tight fist, but then quickly looked away.“We’re going as friends,” she said.“Just friends,” added Remus.“Sure,” said James with a wink. “Friends, yeah?”It was only moments later that Slughorn had cleared his throat and called for “the Gryffindor’s in the back” to “please pay attention” as “this is a very important and exciting lesson!” and the five friends faced forwards.“Now,” Slughorn continued, “I want everyone to come to the front of the room here, gently now, Mr. Mulciber, no shoving!”She walked with Remus towards the front of the room, lingering behind the rest of the class.“Sorry about that,” he whispered to her. “I should have known James was going to be like that,” he huffed. “I was just trying to save you there, I guess. You don’t actually have to go with me.”“Don’t stupid,” she smiled. “We’re going.”They stopped at the front of the room, standing next to the other three friends, Nora still smiling brightly up at Remus, and he smiling softly down at her.  “Friends, huh?” laughed James with a sly grin as he nudged Sirius in the side.Sirius did not budge, nor did he laugh. Instead, he stared at Remus and Nora as one of them rolled their eyes, the other shaking their head. Her smile faltered further as she caught Sirius’s eye, his glare bitter and cold, his eyes so dark that they almost looked black in the dim light of the classroom. Sirius looked away.“Gather round, now, gather round. We’ll all fit,” their professor said as the class squeezed into a tight circle around two small cauldrons that sat upon Slughorn’s desk. The cauldrons were steaming and bubbling, their lids sitting askew. “Now, who can tell me what this potion is?” he asked as he brandished his wand, lifting the lids off of the cauldrons. Steam from each cauldron began to rise, swirling in beautiful, neat spirals; the scent that followed was familiar. It was intoxicating. Nora found herself leaning forwards towards the cauldrons.“That’s Amortentia,” breathed Lily. She was uncharacteristically dazed, and she too was leaning towards the potion.“Yes,” Slughorn nodded with an excited grin. “And Miss Evans, what is Amortentia?”Lily blushed a deep burgundy and took a small step backwards. “It’s a love potion,” she spoke to the ground.Beside her, Nora heard a scoff.“Yes, Mr. Black? Something to share?”Sirius sighed, looking rather bored yet he had an air of pompousness about him, the last of the Black Family nobility that was forever unable to be stamped out.“I just think that calling it a ‘love potion’ is misleading,” Sirius said.“And why is that young man?” asked Slughorn, clearly pleased by Sirius statement.It was as Sirius opened his mouth to reply that a very damp, very angry looking boy walked into the classroom, his eyes scanning the room and only stopping when he spotted Sirius and James.“Severus!” Slughorn exclaimed, surprised. “I am sure that you know by now that my class starts at nine o’clock sharp. I do hope that you have a good excuse for your absence?”Snape dropped his books and papers, limp from the Aguamenti charm, onto the table near his usual seat. He looked up at Slughorn. He was free of feathers, though his hair was still stringy and sodden “I don’t,” he said slowly, his lips fighting to curl into a sneer.Slughorn paused before nodding his head. “Very well then. It’s rather unfortunate, but twenty points from Slytherin. I do not tolerate lateness, Severus, especially from my own house. Now, come round and join us. Mr. Black was just about to tell us something you might find most fascinating about Amortentia.”Sirius’s ears pricked, just as if he was in his Animagus form, and a slow, callous grin etched itself across his features.“Yes, Severus,” Sirius said, “you might just find this… ever so interesting.” He cleared his throat. “As I was saying, Professor Slughorn, I find it misleading to call Amortentia a ‘love potion’, as nothing, a spell nor a potion, can create love. Instead, Amortentia creates,” he paused and looked at Snape, his lips curled in a sneer, “obsession, infatuation. It doesn’t create real love. Just a few drops of the potion would completely derail the drinker’s entire life. They wouldn’t be able to think of anything other than the one they are now infatuated with. They would forget their friends and family and work and schooling. They would want nothing more than the person who gave them the potion.” Sirius let out a short, cruel laugh, and as Snape walked past him to go stand next to Lily, Sirius stopped him, grabbing him by the arm.“Sound fascinating, Snivellus?” Sirius hissed quietly. “Might want to use it. No one will ever be able to love your greasy, snotty little –”“Well done, Mr. Black!” said Slughorn as Snape shook his arm free and hurried towards Lily. “Well done! Ten points to Gryffindor! Yes, yes, now, everyone get a whiff here,” he continued on, clearly not having heard Sirius’s remark to Snape. “It will smell different to all of you, of course.”James thumped Sirius on the back, his own grin stretching his face. “Did you see Snivelly’s face?! It was brilliant. Also, where’d you learn all that? I didn’t know any of it!”Sirius shrugged nonchalantly, “My family tried to give it to Andromeda after she ran off with Ted. They lost their shit when she ran off with a Muggle.”Nora breathed deeply. The potion was heavy in the air, seductive and warm. She smelled whiffs of pine and something smoky and salty, a beach bonfire. She smelled unlit cigarettes and stiff, new leather, like her quidditch gloves. Or maybe it was…“What do you smell, Moony?” James smirked. “Anything to do with our little lynx here?”Remus chuckled, “Afraid not.”“Oh, come on, Moony, tell us!” whined Peter.“You lot know my biggest secret,” Remus shook his head. “I’ve got to keep some things to myself. What do you smell?”“I smell,” James paused and breathed deeply, “broom polish. Ha! Get a load of that! Also grass and my Quidditch kit and something sweet and… flowery.” He shrugged.“Your head really is massive, isn’t it Prongs,” sighed Sirius.“Yeah? And what do you smell then?”Sirius shrugged and leaned towards the cauldrons. The five friends were the only students left at the front of the room, the rest of the class having exited for their mid-lesson break.“I dunno,” he said, shrugging again. “It’s lemony. And there’s…” he faltered slightly, “peppermint. And vanilla. And… I think I smell –” he leaned closer, his brows furrowed, “Sleakeazy’s.”“Sleakeazy’s!?” James laughed.“You sure you aren’t just smelling your own hair?” asked Peter.“Yes, I’m sure,” scoffed Sirius.“You better not have a thing for my dad,” said James with a smirk.Sirius laughed lightly and shook his head. “Listen mate, your dad is great and all, but Pete’s right… I’m probably just smelling it ‘cause I use it.”James and Peter laughed, but Sirius did not join them. As the rest of the class filtered back into the room, and the five friends made their way back to their seats, Nora couldn’t help but notice that Sirius did not share their jovial expressions. Instead, he looked distant, cold and anxious. He caught Nora’s glance and stared at her for a moment before shaking his head, very slightly, and turning to face the front of the room.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Saturday, September 23rd 1972
Nora had awoken with a jolt, her heart racing, her palms sweaty and slick. She had dreamt of her mother again. Of the day she died. She had tried to calm her panicked mind on her own. After all, this was not the first time she had had a bad dream whilst at Hogwarts. Last year she had a couple and was able to deal with them on her own. This one was sticking with her, though. It was warping her mind and her thoughts, creeping around her brain, echoing her mother’s voice so clearly in her head.

And so, she stood on the landing outside of their dormitory, her wand lit and shaking in her grasp. She needed to see Remus. Remus could help her. He would know what to do. She reached out and jiggled the doorknob. It was locked. She whispered an unlocking charm and dimmed her wand so that only a dull light emitted from it. And she entered, tiptoeing past James and Sirius’s beds, and she stared at Remus’s bed. It was empty and made up. She stood for a minute, unmoving. She heard the creak of mattress springs and then a voice.

“Bloody hell, Ross,” Sirius scoffed from behind her, sitting up on his elbows, drawing back one curtain of his bed. “Scared the shit outta me.”

“Sorry,” she winced as she turned around.

“What are you doing in here? It’s…” he groaned as he squinted at the pocket watch he kept on his bedside table, “two o’clock. Go back to your room.”

“I was looking for Remus,” she whispered.

“Hospital Wing.”

“Again?”

Sirius sighed. “Nora, please just go to sleep. It’s too early for this.”

She stood frozen, her eyes glued to him. “I can’t. I had a nightmare.”

It was silent for a moment before Sirius sighed and spoke again.

“Put your light out and come here, then.”

Nora looked up as Sirius scooted over in his bed.

“Are you sure?” she hesitated.

“Just get over here,” he yawned.

She sat on the edge of his bed and quickly slunk under the covers, staring at the canopy, making sure there were a few good inches between her and Sirius.

“I get them too,” he whispered, almost inaudibly. “It’s okay.”

And so, it was Sirius she then turned to when the nightmares got bad, sharing the small bed, him holding her hand when the memories were too sharp, too painful. And eventually, they shared even when she didn’t have nightmares, both of them feeling strange and oddly empty when they slept alone. They had grown used to each other.

******

Saturday, 14th February 1976
Nora woke with a start, sitting bolt upright, grasping her heaving chest with her hand. Remus stirred. She was actually awake this time. She knew it because she couldn’t breathe. She was gasping and choking, straining to fill her lungs, unable to ignore the hot, wet tears that were streaming down her cheeks. She flinched as she felt a hand on her back.“Nora, it’s okay,” Remus soothed. “It was a bad dream. It’s okay, you’re safe, I promise.”Though well-meaning, his words did nothing. She continued to struggle, unable to catch her breath. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t speak. She couldn’t feel anything except the invisible force deep within her chest that was tearing her in two. James was awake now and kneeling beside the bed, his hand on her knee. Peter was awake as well, peering over from his own bed, his face scrunched in concern.James was now speaking to her. Remus was rubbing her back. Peter was handing her a glass of water. But it was too much, she couldn’t focus on James’s words. She couldn’t reach out for the glass. She wanted Remus to stop touching her. She needed air. She needed someone to shake her, to knock the panic from her lungs. She felt ill, though there was nothing in her stomach to expel.Remus, James and Peter were talking to each other now, finally realising that they would be unable to calm her. She heard broken pieces of their conversation. “McGonagall…Hospital Wing… Pomfrey…” She didn’t care what they did. She needed it to stop. She needed to breathe.Suddenly, the curtains around Sirius’s bed were wrenched apart and he stood with a huff, opening the drawer on his bedside table and withdrawing a large, half-empty bottle of a turquoise-blue potion. He grabbed the glass off of his table and began to measure out the liquid as he walked.“She needs this,” he said gruffly, his voice thick from sleep. He pushed past James and held the glass up to her lips, helping to tilt her head back. “Here,” he muttered to her softly.She drank the potion. The tangy, sour taste had grown familiar to her over the years. Her breathing slowed as she felt her body grow heavy. She watched as Sirius shoved the bottle into Remus’s hands.“She can have another dose in thirty minutes if she needs it,” he muttered before turning around, pushing past James once more, climbing back into his bed and drawing the curtains closed.She felt Remus lay her back as she swayed. She didn’t remember falling asleep.******When she next woke, Remus was sitting next to her, leaning back on some pillows, his History of Magic textbook balanced on his bent knees. The other three beds were empty and early afternoon sunlight filtered into the room, highlighting the dust particles that floated through the air. She rolled over to face him. Her eyes felt heavy, her joints loose and warm. “Hi,” he said as he closed the book.“Hi.”“How are you feeling?” he asked quietly.“Peachy,” she huffed and then paused, resigning. “Tired.”Remus nodded. “You can sleep more, if you’d like.”Nora shook her head and pushed herself up. “I won’t sleep tonight if I do.”Remus nodded again and sat forward.“I don’t want to go to Hogsmeade.”“We don’t have to.”“I can’t see him with her,” she said quietly.“We won’t go then,” Remus said solemnly.“I’m sorry.”“Don’t be.”“For last night, too.”“Don’t be,” he shook his head, his brow furrowed. “There’s nothing to be sorry for.”Nora was silent for a moment; she fiddled with the hem of the duvet, her teeth sinking into the inside of her cheek.“He barely looks at me anymore,” she said.“He’s being difficult,” sighed Remus.“Quidditch practises have been awful. Davies complained that he and I are ‘out of synch.’ He’s making us do a private practise with him on Thursday.”“Do you want to talk about any of it?” Remus asked gently.She took a moment before speaking, shaking her head. “No, not really.”“I don’t think he knows, if that’s what you’re worried about,” he said softly. “Thanks to James I’d say that half the Gryffindor house thinks we’re dating.”“I suppose there are worse rumours that could be going around,” she said with a half-hearted smile.“There are certainly worse rumours,” he nodded with a small smile, his eyes wide.Eventually, they walked down to the Great Hall, both of them distractedly picking at their late lunches, dodging the occasional paper Cupid that someone charmed to fly around and shoot little, tiny paper arrows at students as they walked by. As the afternoon continued, Remus began to look more pale, his under eyes growing darker, his limp becoming more pronounced. The full moon was tomorrow evening, and he was growing tired and irritable, uncomfortable in his skin. Nora had left him in the dormitory to rest.Sometimes, she found herself lost without the boys. It was rare that she wasn’t with them for at least some of the day. She was almost always with them. Even now that she had a scarce moment alone, she found herself thinking of them as she pulled the large, blank parchment from her bag. She was beginning on the first floor; that seemed to be the most logical way to start.She started with the Entrance Hall, roughly sketching out the borders with James’s self-inking quill (she would use a charm later to neaten up the lines) and worked her way forward, continuing with the Great Hall and then Filch’s office and The Quad and The Grand Staircase and then ending with The Clock Tower. By the time she had finished this, the sky was a deep grey blue, the air much cooler than it had been previously, the sun having set not long ago. Dinner was soon to be arriving in the Great Hall, but she wasn’t feeling very hungry. She had a tin of biscuits from the Carrington’s in her room that she wouldn’t mind nibbling on.As she walked up the stairs towards the common room, she paused every now and then to sketch. It was obvious that the map was going to take weeks, or possibly months, to complete, but she was actually looking forward to it. At this point, the project was hers and only hers. Sure, she would take pointers and advice from the boys when she finally showed them the finished product, but as of right now, she was the one in control.It wasn’t as if she felt that the boys didn’t let her contribute to the frequent secret plans and pranks; she was often very involved, hence the multitude of detentions she had etched onto her school records. But there were always so many brains contributing to their plans; even Remus had been known to join in (however less so now that he was a prefect), but this was Nora’s right now. And she felt rather proud to be the only one drawing the map.Back in her dormitory, Nora sat on her bed listening to the howling wind and low rumble of thunder far off in the distance. The room was empty, and Nora munched on her biscuits as she traced her wand over her wonky, inky outlines she had made on the map, straightening and boldening the lines. It didn’t take very long and eventually she tucked the map away safely into her trunk. She pulled out a book, but she couldn’t focus on the words, and she found herself rereading the same paragraph five times before she snapped it shut, tossing it onto her bedside table. She was staring upwards, lying flat on her bed when the door opened.“Nora!” Mary exclaimed as she and Lily walked in. It was often Lily and Mary paired together and then Sabine and Cecily. Sure, all of the four girls were great friends, but Lily and Mary were best friends, the same with Cecily and Sabine. “I thought you’d be with Remus. Did it go poorly today?” she asked.“What?” Nora asked, her brows scrunched. “Oh. No, we didn’t end up going to Hogsmeade. We just stayed here,” she said. “And we’re not dating, by the way.”“That’s not what Potter says,” Mary sung with a bouncy shrug as she sat on her own bed.“Yeah, well Potter can be as thick custard sometimes.”Lily snorted.“Well, if you were dating,” Mary said with an exaggerated wink, “you would make a good couple.”“Well, we’re not,” Nora shrugged.“No, really. It’d be perfect!” she continued. “It would be you and Remus, Black and McKinnon, Peter and that little Hufflepuff he’s been chasing, and then Lily and Potter once she gets over herself and agrees that he’s actually gorgeous.”“Blegh,” Lily shivered with a frown. “Never.”“So, you saw Sirius today, then?” Nora asked, forcing her voice and face to remain neutral.“Oh yeah,” Mary laughed as she reapplied a dark red lip colour with a compact mirror. “I think everyone saw them. I don’t know if there was moment where their faces weren’t smashed together. I didn’t even see them come up for air,” she said, smacking her lips together. The red looked beautiful against her dark skin, and she pouted into the mirror before pocketing it. “But anyways, I’ve got to go. I’ve been invited to Hopkins’s room tonight. He paid his dormmates five sickles each to stay out for the night,” she smirked as she waltzed towards the door. “See you in the morning,” she called before exiting.Lily tutted and shook her head. “I just don’t know what to do with that girl sometimes.”Nora forced a small laugh, but Mary’s words echoed in her head. Her chest felt like it was going to cave in on itself. She wanted to crawl under the covers and never come out. She wanted to run away, far from the castle and far from Sirius Black. She wanted to forget about school and exams and pranks and friends.“Are you okay?” Lily asked. She was sitting on her own bed, facing Nora. “You look down.”Nora looked up. “Yeah. I’m… fine. Just tired.”“You’ve got something on your mind.”“There’s always something on my mind,” Nora muttered with a sigh.“Care to share?” asked Lily, her face as calm and gentle as her voice.  Nora shook her head. “Not really.”“All right,” Lily nodded. “Well, let me know if you do want to talk. I’m all ears, if so.”Nora nodded softly and chewed on her lip, her eyes tracing patterns in the knots of wood in the floorboards. She sat for a while just staring down, her brain unable to stop flooding pictures of him into her mind. It was as Lily was coming out of the bathroom, her hair dark and wet from the shower, that Nora finally spoke.“Was he really all over her?”Lily paused, her head cocking to the side as she used her towel to squeeze the ends of her dripping locks. “Who? Sirius?” she huffed. “Yeah, it wasn’t quite as bad as Mary said, but –” Lily stopped and straightened, her hands dropping to her sides. “Oh,” she said with a sudden look of surprise and understanding. “Oh,” she said again.Nora closed her eyes. “Please don’t say anything to anyone.”“I won’t,” said Lily. She heard her pad across the room and heard the groan of her mattress springs. Nora opened her eyes.“No one knows. Except Remus.”Lily nodded. “I won’t say anything,” she promised. And then after a moment, she spoke again. “How long?”“Not very. Just right before Christmas.” She paused and sighed. “When he was home… something happened. And he’s been… different since then. Not really with the others. Just with me,” she said quietly. “I comforted him that night. It was… different than usual. But he’s been off since then. He cried.”Lily was silent for a moment. “Well, even I know that his family is full of cruel wizards. You can read any book on the history of wizardkind and there’s sure to be some mention of the Blacks,” said Lily. “Maybe he’s just processing what happened. Maybe it’s because you were there.”Nora shrugged. “Maybe,” she sighed again and stood, slowly. “I’ve got to go meet Remus.”“Okay,” she nodded and stood, too. “Try not to think about that boy too much. He’s just a boy, after all. It will all be okay,” she smiled softly.Nora smiled back and nodded, thanking Lily. But as she walked up the stairs to the boy’s dormitory and sat on the bed next to Remus, she couldn’t help but stare at Sirius’s empty bed. Was he with her now? What were they doing? Were they kissing – or worse? She laid back after pulling the bed curtains shut, and Remus, without opening his eyes, pulled her closer. She was wide awake, her mind reeling. The boys filtered in one by one, and she listened as James goaded Sirius, and Sirius acquiesced, telling him and Peter all about his Hogsmeade date. About how many times he snogged McKinnon, about how soft her lips were, about how she let him feel her breasts.It was as he talked that Remus sat up and blearily reached for the turquoise potion, pouring Nora a dose and watching as she eagerly gulped it down. And then they laid back together and Nora fell asleep, dreaming of a boy with long black curls and stormy grey eyes.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Monday, February 16th 1976
The second full moon as Animagi happened much like the first, however this time James Potter found himself injured as well. Nora and Peter were kneeling on either side of Remus as he struggled to sit up, wheezing, his hand clutching the side of his ribcage that was already beginning to bruise. Nora tried to block his view, but he spotted James immediately.“Moony – it’s fine,” James started, one hand clutching his jumper to his nose, the other held out in front of him as if to stop Remus from getting up. As if Remus could get up. Blood was soaking through the jumper and dripping onto the floor, his hands were smeared with it.The little colour that Remus had drained from his face. “Did I bite you?! Did I –”“No, no,” James said calmy, his voice muffled and stuffy. Sirius was standing at his side, a firm hand holding James’s elbow. “We knocked heads. It’s broken, that’s all. No bites, see?” He removed the jumper from his nose, blood suddenly gushing, the bridge was crooked and misshapen. He pinched it again as he stumbled.“Oh, God,” Remus moaned, his head hung.“He’ll be fine, Moony. It was an accident, we all saw,” said Peter, gripping Remus’s shoulder.“You should go,” he said quietly. “All of you.”James started forward. “But Moony –”“Go.”“Remus,” said Nora softly, resting her hand on his arm. But Remus shook his head, refusing to look up at her. And so, she stood and followed the boys to the door, looking back only once.Up in the dormitory James laid back on his bed. The bleeding had finally stopped, and Peter had run down to the kitchens to grab a bag of ice which now was perched on his face. They had wanted to take him to the Hospital Wing, but James had refused.“She should see Remus first.” He had said.“What about Episkey?” Sirius had asked. “Moony said it could fix noses.”“As much as I trust you all with my life, I don’t want any of you pointing your wands at my face right now.”He was right, of course. None of them had ever performed the spell, and tension was high; their nerves were too raw. At fifteen and sixteen, their magic still had the tendency to react badly to strong emotions. James would have to wait. Nora was sitting on Remus’s bed, Sirius and Peter were on their own. They were quiet. It was Monday morning and they had classes starting in four hours.“Oi, Potter. Stop falling asleep,” Sirius grunted.James stirred. “’m not sleeping. I’m resting my eyes.”They were trying to keep James awake; he had hit his head pretty hard. Though none of them could sleep anyways, they were all too anxious.Eventually, after enough time had passed and they figured it was safe to bring James to Madam Pomfrey, they ventured out of their room. They ran into Lily in the common room, who looked at James with widened eyes.“What happened to you, Potter?”James shrugged and removed the bag of ice from his face. “Fell off my broom.”Lily narrowed her eyes. “Fine, don’t tell me. I suppose it happened while you lot were off marauding about the castle, yes?”James shrugged again. “You don’t have to believe me,” he said tiredly.Lily paused and faltered, surprise creeping up on her face. “Oh. Well – it looks awful. You’re going to see Madam Pomfrey?”“That’s where we’re headed.”Lily nodded, studying James’s face. “All right, good.”And as they walked to the Hospital Wing, it seemed that Sirius couldn’t help but grin, his eyes sparkling.“Marauding about the castle, eh?” he laughed.“She always knows just what to say, doesn’t she?” sighed James.“I like it,” Sirius smiled.“It makes us sound cool,” said Peter with a small grin.“We are cool, Petey boy.”And it was from that day on that they called themselves the Marauders.******“Well done on your essay, Ross.”Nora looked up as she packed her bag. Professor Fulminare was standing in front of her, his face emotionless.“Thank you, Professor,” she said, trying to keep her mind blank. He was a Legilimens, after all.He stared at her. “I do hope it served its purpose,” he said in his low, gravelly voice.Nora stared back at him. She wasn’t sure what ‘purpose’ Fulminare was referring to. The essay had raised more questions than answers; questions that she didn’t even know she had had. Her mind wandered against her will, thinking about what Ollivander had told her. About how she might never bond with her wand. About how her wand was popular among the Death Eaters. What did that say about her? About her magic? About her character?“Your OWLs will be here before you know it,” he continued. “You should expect to see some basic defensive spells on them.”Nora nodded as she closed her bag. “I figured as much,” she said as she stared at her professor, watching his eyes flicker and his lip twitch. He walked to his desk and pulled out a small stack of parchment, handing it to her. It was an extra set of their homework.“For Mr. Lupin,” he explained. “You better run along. I do believe your friends are waiting for you just outside the door.”But Nora, Sirius, James and Peter were stopped outside of the Hospital Wing by Madam Pomfrey. “No visitors today, I’m afraid. He was very clear that he just wants to rest,” she said as she wiped her hands on her apron. “Which I believe is what I told you to do, Mr. Potter. That concussion isn’t going to heal itself,” she tutted. While she was strict about not letting them in to visit, she did accept the stack of homework assignments they had collected for Remus, promising them that he was all right, just tired.They walked silently back to the common room, none of them seemingly in the mood to talk. For once, they immediately settled themselves into their studies, revising texts and scratching their notes onto loose parchments. But Nora couldn’t focus. Remus always let them visit after a moon. Always.“You don’t think he thinks it’s his fault, right?” Peter finally spoke, raising his head from his Charms textbook.Sirius scoffed. “It’s Remus. Of course, he thinks it’s his fault.”“It’s my fault,” said James as he rubbed his temples. “I shouldn’t have gotten so close to him while he was thrashing about.”“It’s no one’s fault,” said Nora as she put her quill down. “It was just a freak accident. You’ve gotten worse injuries during quidditch.”“Doesn’t matter,” said Sirius. “He won’t care about that. All he’ll care about is that he injured one of us.”“I know,” mumbled Nora.They were quiet again, though none of them were studying anymore. Peter was chewing on his quill. James was still rubbing his temples, his head obviously bothering him. And Sirius was staring over Nora’s shoulder, deep in thought.“We have to get him out of the Shack,” said Sirius quietly. “It’s the only way it’s going to work.”James sighed. “You heard him earlier, he’ll never let us.”“Then we won’t tell him.”******
Friday, March 5th 1976
The rest of February passed in a blur and March roared to life with dark, slushy storms. Professor Fulminare was right, of course, their OWLs were just around the corner. The rest of the professors began to pile assignment after assignment onto the students, supposedly preparing them for their exams. But Nora was quickly finding that she just barely had time for her studies. There was certainly no time for pranks or mischief. She would wake up, eat breakfast, study, attend lessons, eat dinner, go to quidditch practice, study, sleep and repeat the next day. The other Marauders were all as busy as she was. Remus especially so as he also had his prefect duties, spending every other night patrolling the halls after curfew.Sirius was spending more and more time with Marlene and Nora was keen to avoid them at all costs. But it was getting more difficult. Marlene would join them at the Gryffindor table for meals and tag along to the library to help them study. So, Nora focused what little free time she had on adding to the map. She was almost done with the entire second floor and was soon to start sketching in the third floor. She wanted to get the basic outline of the castle completed before the end of the year, that way she and the boys could work on the tracking spells over the summer.James was spending every waking moment (when he wasn’t studying or in lessons) on the quidditch pitch, racing and dipping and diving on his broom. Nora could tell that he and Sirius were stressed. They were hexing anyone who crossed them – in the halls, during meals, before lessons started – and they were racking up detention after detention. Peter was worse off than all of them. He spent all of his time with his nose in a textbook, muttering incantations under his breath. He would tug at the ends of his hair, his robes dishevelled and wrinkled, his tie loose around his neck from him fiddling with it. He was still having trouble vanishing snails, which was much easier than vanishing mice (which McGonagall had promised would be on their OWLs); his last try left the poor snail but had vanished its shell. Between lessons and studying, Peter was also trying to spend time with his new girlfriend. After taking her to Hogsmeade, much to the surprise of the other Marauders, Peter found himself with another handful of dates planned. Nora thought that they were a good match for each other. Imogen was quiet and timid, though she did have a funny and dry sense of humour which paired well with Peter’s anxious quips.The Slytherins were stressed as well. Sneers of “mudblood” and dark, complex hexes were echoing through the halls. Half-bloods and Muggle-borns bared the brunt of it, though the occasional “blood traitor” also accompanied the mix. It was as she was walking back from the library that she was stopped, her textbooks were heavy in her arms.“Oi, mudblood!” someone shouted.She was a half-blood, but that didn’t matter to the Slytherins. Dirty blood was dirty blood. Nora turned around. In front of her was Mulciber accompanied by Avery and Snape and a couple of younger Slytherins that she didn’t bother to learn the names of. Except Regulus. Regulus was there.She stood her ground. Her wand was tucked away within her robes, but she didn’t dare reach for it. They would hex her faster than a Hippogriff if she moved her arm so much as an inch.“Still trying to learn magic, are you?” Mulciber sneered. “Don’t know why you Muggle-lovers even bother.”“I could say the same to you,” she said calmly. “Expecting a couple of Trolls on your OWLs, yeah? I’m sure mummy and daddy won’t be very proud. If you still talk to them, that is. I hear they’re quite… busy these days.”Mulciber narrowed his eyes, his hand that was gripping his wand twitched. “Be careful what you say, sweetheart. Hogwarts isn’t as safe as it used to be. Especially for lowly scum like you.” He took a step forward. The other Slytherins laughed.“No thanks to you.”“Is that a compliment?”“Wouldn’t you like to know,” she said, her voice steady. “You can’t get much through that thick head of yours now, can you?”Avery began to raise his wand, but Mulciber stopped him. “She’s mine,” he said darkly as he rolled his neck on his shoulders. Nora could hear the cracks of his joints from where she stood a few paces away.“I’m not scared of you,” she said even as her heart pattered away within her chest. She quickly looked at Snape; his face was blank, but his eyes were cold. Regulus stared at her with a strained expression upon his face.“You should be,” Mulciber snarled as he rose his wand.“You’re scared.” She couldn’t stop herself from speaking, her nerves getting the best of her. She willed herself to just shut up but found that she couldn’t. For better or for worse, she had learned from James and Sirius that sometimes words were your best weapons. She stared at the wand tip that was pointed at her. “Your entire world is changing. You’re expected to join Him, right? I can’t imagine anyone would take it lightly if you refused. You have no choice –”“I’d stop talking if I were you.”“– you’re being forced to join –”“Don’t you DARE say his name –” he roared.“Voldemort.”Suddenly, Mulciber was right in front of her, and his wand was pressed against her neck. Nora couldn’t help but gulp, her face turned away from his wand as much as she could. The force of it against her was quickly making her skin sore.“Let’s get one thing straight, sweetheart. I joined Him because of dirty freaks like you who don’t know their place,” he hissed, his eyes enraged.“We’re not scared of you,” she spoke quickly, wincing as he tightened the grip on his wand. “You don’t scare any of –” her books fell from her hands, falling to the floor with a loud, echoing clunk.There was an audible click inside of her head and suddenly, she couldn’t speak. She opened her mouth once and then twice, but no sound came out. She looked at Mulciber, her eyes wide, her chest heaving.“You all should be scared,” he breathed, his face inching closer to hers until she could feel his hot, stale breath against her ear. “And I’ll show you just how scared you should be.”The tip of his wand grew hot, white-hot against her. She could feel the pain spreading, burning in lacey patterns against her skin. She tried to pull away, but Mulciber had a grip on her hair, pushing her against his wand. She squeezed her eyes shut, biting the inside of her lip.“Hey!” a voice yelled.And suddenly Frank Longbottom was pushing his way in between her and Mulciber. Nora stumbled back, her hand clasping against her neck. She scrambled to pick up her dropped books.“Three weeks of detention, ALL of you,” he said to the Slytherins. “Mulciber, don’t you dare move. You and I are going to be taking a trip to see the headmaster.” He then turned to Nora. “Are you all right?”She nodded quickly, avoiding his eyes, dropping her hand from her neck as she struggled with her heavy books.“Go back to the tower. Quickly,” he added as he placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll check on you when I get back, all right?”Nora nodded again and spun around, walking as quickly as she could. She could feel her skin throb as the collar of her robes rubbed against it. She felt nauseous. And small. It was when she stopped in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady that she realised there would be a problem. She tried to speak the password, but nothing came out. She tried again, but still nothing.The Fat Lady looked down at her with a cavalier stare, her eyebrows raising. “No password, no entry.”Nora stamped her foot against the stone as her arm reached inside of her robes, brandishing her wand at the portrait, who gasped dramatically.“Why, I’ve never!” the Lady shouted.“Nora!”She heard James’s voice behind her, and she closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She lowered her wand.“Nora!” he said again, his voice growing louder. “You forget the password or something?” he laughed. But as Nora turned around, and James saw the angry tears that were threatening to spill, he paused.“Let’s go in,” he said simply. And then he gave the Fat Lady the password – who humphed as she turned her nose in the air – and the portrait opened. And before Nora knew it, James was carrying her books up the staircase with her in tow, her hand against the side of her neck.The dormitory was empty; it was just the two of them. And Nora stood by the door as James dropped her books on his bed. She blinked away the tears and tried to force the grimace from her face. James turned around, his face long and frowning.“What happened?” he asked sombrely.Nora shrugged and looked down at the wooden floors. It felt as if the skin on her neck was melting, charring away with each turn of her head.“Are you gonna talk to me?” he asked as he pulled her over to sit next to him on his bed.Nora shrugged again and glanced up at him.“Are you…” James paused. “Are you silenced?” he asked softly.Nora nodded.James sighed before waving his wand at her and muttering, “Finite.” Nora felt another click. “You gonna show me what they did?” He nodded towards her, his eyes focusing on her hand that was still clasped against her neck.Nora took a deep breath and dropped her hand, turning her body towards James so that he could see. “It’s just a stinging curse,” she said. “It’s nothing.”James gasped. “What the fuck,” he breathed as he used his fingers to gently turn her more towards him. “That’s not a bloody stinging curse. It’s a burn. They fucking branded you.”Nora shrugged and turned away.“Merlin, Ross,” said James as he shook his head. “You need to see Pomfrey.”“No,” she said sternly.“Fine, then McGonagall, or somebody,” he said, exasperated. “This is more than just a house rivalry. This is… this is dark.”Nora didn’t respond. She ran her fingers over the burn realising that James was right. The lacey, loopy pattern felt like a small, cursive script. She closed her eyes as she sat next to him, feeling his arm brush against hers.“Nora…”“Frank is telling Dumbledore,” she spoke.“Oh, okay. Good. That’s good,” he said.She nodded. She was quickly realising how exhausted she was, and eventually, against all odds, she fell into a fitful sleep, tucked into herself on James’s bed. At some point he must have moved her and draped the covers over her, because she felt warm and safe. She didn’t hear the other boys walk in, and she only woke when she heard low murmurs by her head. Someone lifted her hair from her neck, but she kept her eyes closed, biting the inside of her lip to keep from wincing.“Fucking hell,” she heard Sirius.“She wouldn’t say who did it,” she heard James. “I can’t tell what it says.”There was a moment of silence. She felt one of them tuck her hair behind her ears. She could feel warm breath on her neck.“It’s Latin,” said Sirius, his voice low. “Impuro sanguine,” he said, his accent perfect and neat.She heard Sirius scoff, and she felt the bed covers pull over her chin. She tried to keep her breathing even, she tried to force her face to remain peaceful and neutral. She felt someone pet her head, their hand trailing down and bracing against her cheek.“It means impure blood,” he said. “Dirty blood.”Nora’s heart sank.