Potter Spawn

Chapter 11

Harry dragged Remus all the way to Gryffindor tower and through the portrait hole, all while managing to talk his ear off. Harry's monologue involved his friends, quidditch, the subjects he was most excited for and more that Remus couldn't understand- Christ, the boy obviously took after his father. Remus didn't know whether to smile or dread the ultimate doom of his ears and sanity.

The good thing was he might manage to talk Sirius out of killing him if the two ever met. Or just ramble on until the death eater and ex-marauder dropped dead from brain damage.

"Ron! Mione! Nev! Look who's here! It's uncle Moony!"

Remus found himself wrapped up in the comforting warmth and the familiar red and gold shades of the common room. It had not changed- only the people inside it were different. Lounging on a sofa, there was a tall, lanky eleven-year-old with a face full of freckles, pale but sparkling blue eyes and a long nose. He did not have the classical handsome looks, but Remus found he had a relaxed, laid-back air about him that, paired with his goofy smile and mischievous expression, gave him a unique charm. He had his feet tucked into a plump boy's side. His friend was much smaller, with a round face, red-apple cheeks, a stub nose and round, naïve eyes. They were a warm brown, just slightly darker than his thick, neat hair. He reminded Remus quite a lot of Peter- of Peter in a time when his friend had still been the innocent boy they had loved so tenderly. Before war, death, blood and corpses had swept his innocence away and left a dread-filled, shivering man to hide behind them and be blasted to pieces when one of them turned. This Peter - lookalike was licking a gerbera pink lollipop. Finally, there was a petite girl curled up in an armchair with a book on her lap, and despite her feet being on the padding, she appeared very proper. While her wild, curly hair was a mess, her school uniform was pin-neat. Her chocolate eyes scanned the words of her novel eagerly and when she looked up, Remus found her quite pleasant looking with her triangle-shaped face, her small nose and big, long-lashed doe eyes. There were only a few older students at the other end of the common room, otherwise it appeared empty. Of course, Remus did not notice the big black dog pressed against the floor under Ron's and Neville's sofa.

"Uncle Moony, that's Ron over there- with the red hair- he's my best friend- that's Neville- he's incredibly nice but he's a little shy- and that's Hermione, she's rather like you- she's super smart, absolutely brilliant- Ron, Nev, Mione, this is my uncle Remus! He has a nickname, it's Moony, I'm sure you can call him that- we're not blood related, he's one of my dad's best friends."

The three children smiled at Remus, who couldn't help but smile back. They reminded him too much of the marauders.

Ron, who had jumped up immediately, was the first to greet him.

"Hello, Harry's uncle Moony! It's spiffing to meet you. I'm Ron Weasley!"

The first grader shook Remus' hand with gusto and beamed at him with such a mischievous smile the marauder took an instant liking to him.

"Spiffing to meet you too, Ron."

Mischief sparkled in his eyes as Remus grinned at Sirius' successor- not that he knew of that title.

Hermione approached him quite differently. She was a polite young girl and came up to him with a kind smile, an outstretched hand and a friendly welcome.

"Pleased to meet you, Professor Lupin. My name is Hermione Granger, I'm a friend of Harry's. It's wonderful to get to know you in person- he did tell us about you!"

She reminded him of Lily in a way, with her kindness and politeness, even though she spoke much differently. More like a mix of himself and Sirius, Remus pondered. Oh well, if they knew about him, he might as well act as the marauder he was.

"Enchanté", Moony winked while bowing deeply and pulling an invisible top hat.

His newly proclaimed niece stifled a laugh and tried to conceal it as a snort.

"But please, call me Remus or Moony", he added when he had straightened up again, pretending to righten the ringmaster top hat on his head.

"Now, you must be Neville, correct? Alice's and Frank's son? You are quite like them, I hear."

Neville, who had been shuffling around in the background, came forward to greet their new uncle figure at Hogwarts.

"Yes, sir", he nodded shily.

"That's me. But I'm not that much like my parents, sir."

Remus smiled.

"You needn't call me Sir, Neville. Just Remus or Moony is fine. And Harry told me you have Alice's fascination for plants and her shyness, and Frank's clumsiness. Also, you look a lot like them, so I think you rather are."

Neville finally smiled back, losing a bit of his shyness. Remus was easy to be around, at least most of the time.

"Pleased to meet you", he muttered.

"As am I", Remus grinned.

"I am glad Harry has found such wonderful friends."

"Yes! I can't wait for all our adventures! Uncle Moony, you absolutely must tell us about all your pranks. I can only remember some things from when I was a baby."

Harry dragged Remus to the sofa and forced him down with him. Neville squeezed in next to the boy while Ron sat on the marauder's other side, conveniently trapping him. Hermione, shaking her head at the boys, went back to her armchair and cuddled into the cushions, settling for a long story.

Remus sighed, but there was a small smile gracing his lips. This was not how he had imagined his first night back at Hogwarts to go, he still had unpacking to do, and he really, really shouldn't encourage any mischief- but, in truth, he would have it no other way.

Of course, he was unaware of the dog pressed against the floor below him, ears pricked, drinking in his every word and the sound of his voice. He was just as unaware of the painful, electrified thrumming of Sirius' heart against his ribs, or his boyfriend's downright painful longing to hold him in his arms and never let go.

Neither of them were aware of two other presences, perched on an empty sofa.

"He shouldn't encourage them as much", Lily said, shaking her head and smiling.

"Of course he should. That's his duty as his uncle", James argued, confident in his belief.

"And you wouldn't have it any other way, would you?" He cocked his head and smirked at her mischievously, seeing right through her.

Well, she was slightly transparent, but more solid than ghosts to him, and to others no more than air.

"No, I wouldn't. I really wouldn't." She hesitated for a moment, her nostalgic smile fading a little. "Do you think Sirius will be all right? Will both of them be all right?"

"They will", James stated confidently. "Moony will find out Sirius is innocent, one way or the other- or he'll see Sirius, or be told by Harry. But they will find each other again. They did it the first time, didn't they? And they were both terrified their feelings for each other would muck up their friendship and therefore our group, but we just got stronger. They can do it again, and they will."