Chapter 4: Remus

It was my birthday. I was 16. Narcissa now was my girlfriend. She had sent an owl to her parents a week ago to tell them that she didn't want to marry Lucius Malfoy and was now waiting for an answer. 

I was sitting in the common room, reading, when James, Peter and Sirius came downstairs. 

"Happy birthday, Moony!" they said and I smiled. 

"Thanks guys."

"Come on, let's get some breakfast! Then we'll go out to Hogsmeade! I'll ask Lily out!" James said. 

"I'm sure she'll say no again," Peter whispered. 

"No! How dare you say that, Wormtail?" Sirius joked. 

"Are you going with Narcissa, Moony?" James asked. 

"I think so. Sirius is going with Marlene?"

"I hope so!" my friend replied and we laughed. 

"And you, Peter?" James asked. 

"I'll ask a Ravenclaw girl out."

"Ooh. Who's the lucky girl?" James teased. 

"Allena Osborne," he said. 

"Ooh. Beautiful name," Sirius said with a smirk.

We went to breakfast and were so deep in our conversation that I didn't see an owl landing in front of Narcissa and then the emotions on her face when she opened the letter.

Once we were done with breakfast, we got up and while Peter went to get Allena, James tried once more with Lily and Sirius went to get Marlene, I waited in the Entrance Hall for my girlfriend, not expecting her to get out from the Great Hall upset. 

She walked out, the letter in her hand, and hugged me tightly once she saw me. I stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. 

"I'm sorry.," she said, while whipping her tears away. "Happy birthday."

"Don't worry. What's the matter?"

"My mother answered."

"And?"

"She accepts to keep the 'Always Pure' policy, but because I'm not marrying a Pure-Blood and am having a kid out of wedlock, I'll still be disowned. And if the kid is a Pure-Blood, then he or she will have to marry a Pure-Blood."

"We'll see about that, okay? We're not even sure that she'll be able to see the kid get married."

"Yeah, right."

"You told her you wanted to finish your studies first?"

"Yes, but she doesn't care. She said that once I'm sixteen, I'll have to meet with Malfoy at the Leaky Cauldron and— you know."

"Yes. Well, come on, let's get outside and talk about something else, hmm?"

"Yes. Sorry for ruining your birthday."

"You didn't ruin it, love. You would never ruin it."

"Really?"

"Of course."

She smiled. "I love you."

I smiled back and kissed her. "I love you too."

I took her hand in mine and we went out. 

Once in Hogsmeade, we bought some candies and biscuits and talked about school and other stuff. 

We then went to the Three Broomsticks and ordered two Butterbeers. 

"Do you want kids?" she asked me.

"With you? Of course."

She smiled. "Me too."

"Do you want to get married?"

"Of course!" she said with a big smile, making me laugh.

"How many kids do you want?" I asked her.

"Three."

"Three? In addition or with Malfoy's?"

"I don't know, but we said we wouldn't talk about this!"

"I know. Sorry, love."

"It's okay."

I loved talking about what our life after Hogwarts would be like. 

"If the kids turn out to be like me—"

"They won't, Remus. Unless they are conceived during a full moon, they won't be like you. And if they are, then so be it. I'll still accept them."

"Really?"

"Of course, Remus!"

We finished our Butterbeers and went out of the pub. 

"What are you doing during the Easter holidays?" she asked while we were heading towards Hogwarts. 

"I'm going back home to check on my mother. My father will be there too. What about you?"

"Well— I'm technically disowned so I think I'll just stay here."

"For the holidays during which we get to eat tons of chocolate? No. You're coming home with me."

"Remus. I can't."

"Why not?"

"I can't meet your parents!"

"Yes you can! And you will!"

"No!"

"Please, Cissa!"

"No."

"You're going to come home and eat chocolate with me," I said, clearly not giving up.

"He's not giving up," Lily said from behind us. 

"No, I'm not," I said.

"Fine," she said, giving up. I smiled in triumph. 

"How was your date with James?" I asked Lily. 

"I didn't go with him. I hate him."

"Oh. Who did you go with, then?"

"Mary. Alice was with Frank."

"Oh. Okay. So— Hogsmeade between friends."

"Yes."

"Great!"

"Yeah. What about you two?"

"We went to Honeydukes, then to the Three Broomsticks."

"Great! And you're going at your place for Easter! I hope that your mother gets better," Lily said with a smile. I smiled back.

We were inside the castle. Lily bid us goodbye and walked towards our common room while I walked down the corridors with Narcissa. 

"I'll probably spend a day or two at my sister's," she said. 

"Andromeda?"

"Yes. You can come, if you want. She'd be happy to meet you."

"No, don't worry. Spend some time with your sister. I'll stay home with my father to make sure he's okay."

She nodded. "Sure. I understand."