Wolfstar Family Snippets

The Talk

Feb 19, 1988

"Cathy, dear can you come down here?" Remus yells from the sitting room.

"Coming!" She yells back and comes bounding down the stairs. "Yes sir?"

"Come sit please, your dad and I need to have a chat with you." Sirius says patting the spot between him and Remus on the couch.

"Okay," she says skeptically sitting down on the couch in between them. "What is it?"

Remus clears his throat, "Well, now that you're turning eleven and will be going off to Hogwarts soon we figure it's time to have a conversation about puberty and where babies come from, all that good stuff."

Cathleen groans, "Do we have to have that conversation?"

"Yes," Remus says, "It's nothing to be embarrassed of, it's perfectly natural. Now to start of with puberty, the simpler topic, what all do you know?"

"I know that puberty makes boys voices deeper and that it makes girls grow big boobs."

Sirius nods, "Well that's part of it, you'll also get something called a period, it'll happen once a month-"

"I know about that to," Cathleen interrupts, "I saw pads in Aunt Andromeda's bathroom and asked her what they were. She briefly explained the basics. You bleed for about a week every month, she said it can give you bad stomach pain and that the pads soak up the blood. That was about it though."

"Right, thank Merlin you have some older female relatives," Remus smiles, "Anyways, most girls get their periods around eleven to twelve. If it happens at Hogwarts, you can go the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey keeps a huge supply of them, she could probably explain how they work better than we can. They're thin and cloth, you stick them on your panties, they soak up the blood and you toss them at the end of the day. They're enchanted so they stick the entire day and you won't leak."

"Is this all you wanted to tell me about?" Cathleen asks looking mortified.

"Nope," Sirius grins, "We haven't even told you where babies come from. Any idea?"

Cathleen smiles sadly, "I briefly remember my mum being pregnant with Ariella. But no, I don't really know much about how that came to be I guess, I used to assume it was magic but obviously muggles exist so I doubt that's it."

Sirius and Remus wrap their arms around her in a tight hug. A couple tears fall down her face, her dad wipes them away.

"I'm fine continue, I know it's not magic so what is it?"

Remus clears his throat again, "It's sex."

Cathleen's face goes red, Sirius gasps, "Young lady, am I to be under the impression you've heard of this before?"

Cathleen shakes her head, "I'm no tattle-tell."

"Bill, Charlie, or Tonks?" Remus asks.

Cathleen raises her eyebrows is question.

"Which one of them was talking about it? You're not really around any other teenagers. Unless your Aunt Andromeda decided to tell you about that too?"

"No, as it happens I overheard Charlie and Bill on Christmas break. Bill was encouraging Charlie to pursue a girl, one that seemed interested in Charlie, but Charlie said no, he wasn't interested in her, they're just friends and why would he pursue her if he wasn't interested. Bill proceeded to explain the wonders of sex to Charlie, who swore he didn't want that from that girl and no he's not gay, just not interested. Bill didn't buy it at first, said you can't knock it till you try it. But he let it go shortly, I think he was just looking to brag about his own experience, but I don't know."

It was Remus and Sirius' turn to look mortified.

"Well, you asked."

"Yeah, well since I don't really recommend you follow their advice Remus and I are going to explain it the grown up way, not the horny teenage boy way," Sirius says shaking his head to clear his thoughts.

"What's the difference?" Cathleen asks, eyebrows raised.

"The difference my dear is that sex should be had only with people who you care deeply about and people who respect you and respect your body. It also goes without saying that this is something that should happen when your older, usually people begin to experiment around Tonks or Charlie's age but it all has to do with when you're ready. It's very mature and intimate and private, you don't want it to happen too early and you don't want it to be with just anyone. It's meant to be special," Sirius says softly.

Remus continues where he left off, "And seeing as sex is how you get pregnant, in the event that you're going to have intercourse with a guy, you want to use the correct contraceptives, either potion or spell. Of course sex isn't just for getting pregnant, it's meant to be a pleasurable affair with someone you love, that could be a girl too. We just want you to be safe and aware."

Cathleen shakes her head, "Honestly, the whole idea of it seems off-putting, I understand, it's an intimate experience, to only be had with other people, my age, when I'm much older, you guys don't have to worry, I won't be doing anything like that in the foreseeable future."

Sirius nods, "It's more than fine to feel that way. But if that changes, you can tell us, we just want to make sure if you ever do want to, that's it's safe and consensual."

"I get the idea," she says smiling at them, "I appreciate this talk, really. I know it's awkward for you guys too. Is that all?"

Remus nods, "Yeah, you can leave, if you have any questions, we're always right here."

"I know," she gets up and heads back upstairs, hugging them both.

"That went pretty well," Remus says turning to smile at Sirius who grins back.

"Only three more kids to get through," he says making Remus go pale.