CURSES AND CANDIES - REMUS LUPIN

𝑓𝑖𝑓𝑡𝑦 𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑒.

Things were only getting better.

June had been one of the roughest months of Hollis's life, apart from the past few year's Decembers when she went home for Christmas break that always ended in violence. The difference, between those two though, was that Hollis wasn't alone anymore. She now had people to help her through the horrible things that had happened to her, no longer being forced to be alone except for a few days when Regulus might come to Rosier Manor.

In mid July, the cut on Hollis's arm had been reduced to a remarkably fast healed scar from both Euphemia's help and the healing knowledge the Rosier had retained and held onto during her time at St. Mungo's. All of her other, more minor but still painful injuries had been fully healed.

Both of them were learning a great deal from one another, both about healing and more broad subjects in their lives.

The three most sane people in the very packed Lupin Cottage were currently sitting around the circular oak table, eating blueberry pancakes Lyall and Fleamont had just made for them.

"..carrys the snitch around with him everywhere, I swear."

"Actually, my husband and I are pretty sure that we could be highly responsible for that," Euphemia said with a grin as she sipped a tall glass of orange juice. "Ever since James was around four months old, we would bring him to quidditch matches."

Hollis smiled warmly at this as she set the little porcelain pitcher of syrup back down on the table with a tiny clink.

"That's amazing," she replied, thinking of how her childhood had been isolated in Rosier Manor except for the occasional visit of the Blacks of some uptight ball.

"Yea, he really enjoyed them," Euphemia with a continued with happy eyes as she thought back. "He was the chubbiest little kid, you know."

Hollis could easily picture that.

"Do you want to hear how James made the entire match stop one time?" Mia asked with mischief in her smile that her son must have gotten from her.

Hope leaned in eagerly, as well as Hollis.

"Of course."

"So, I believe he was four at the time, and we had managed to get very low down seats so we could see everything above us," she started, and the other two nodded for her to continue. "James's favorite team, Puddlemere United, was playing."

Hearing the story as he was washing the dishes, Fleamont cut into the story.

"So, he decides that he wants to meet their head chaser as proceeds to somehow jump out of Mia's arms and starting sprinting with his little legs onto the pitch."

Hollis's eyes widened with both shocked and amusement. She could easily picture James doing this, he probably would now if someone dared him to.

"Really?" Hope asked with a chuckle, and when Euphemia nodded, Hollis just laughed again.

"Okay, my turn," Mrs. Lupin said. "When Remus was about five or six-"

"No!" Remus shouted, running into the kitchen from where they had been eavesdropping as Sirius dragged in a humiliated James behind him. "No, it was funny when Mia did it to James, but not me!"

"I don't like how close you three are getting," James pouted, trying to suppress a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Soon Hollis is going to know every embarrassing story you know about the three of us."

"I simply fail to see how that is an issue," Hollis said, setting down her fork and tilting her head to the side. "Unless there's something you really don't want me to know."