Being Minnie's Daughter

Chapter 68

Mackenzie's POV

    "Are you sure you are okay with me leaving to go to the Potters?" I ask again, nervous that Marlene doesn't want me to leave.

    She looks up at me and smiles. "Don't be silly, Mack. Your mum left to go back to Hogwarts two days ago and she wants you to go with the Potters to Kings Cross in 2 days. I will be absolutely fine." She looks over at her family house elf sitting next to her on the couch. "Merry and I will be fine together."

    I reach over and give her a hug. "I'm so glad mum was able to pull strings to keep everything in the estate for you."

    She smiles. "Me too, the best birthday present I could receive."

    I reach out and hold her hand, "And since the trace is gone, it is even better for you."

    "Exactly," Marlene taps the back of my hand a few times before letting go. "Now get going, I will be seeing you soon anyways. It won't be much longer until I will complete the Animagus training."

    "See you soon Marlene, I love you."

    "I love you too Mackenzie, give Sirius a big hug for me," she says softly, a tear falling out of her eye. "Now go, you are already late!"

    I step out into the fireplace.

    "Potter Manor."

I jump out of the Potter fireplace and immediately get pulled away by Remus. "Woah, where are we going?"

"I'm taking you on a date."

"Right now? But I just got here. I want to say hi to everyone."

"No can do love." He pulls me up the staircase until we stop outside a shut white door.

"Why are we outside of my room?" I ask.

Remus shakes his head. "This is my room, love. You just stayed here because I wasn't here. You'll be bunking with Lily tonight."

"Lily's here?"

"You didn't know?" He says surprised. "She's been here for like 2 weeks. Her parents and the potters decided it would be best for her to live here after Marlene was killed."

My mouth gapes. "Oh."

"They apparently tried to get into contact with your mum but she wouldn't answer."

I nod. "It's been crazy at my house. You have no idea." Literally, I tell myself. You have no idea how crazy it's been with a supposedly dead best friend living in our spare bedroom and teaching her to be an animagus. Not that I could ever tell him that.

"Today's her birthday," Remus says softly. "Sirius has been a mess and locked himself in his room. Lily took James to see her parents to try and distract herself. So I'm taking you on a date."

"Shouldn't we be here in case Sirius need us?"

"Euphemia and Fleamont have that covered, I already asked."

All out of excuses, I shake my head. "Okay, then where are we going?"

"I'm glad you asked," he smiles, his hazel eyes practically glowing. "A picnic." He holds out his hand. "Do you trust me?"

I grab his hand and smile.

"Hold tight, love."

We disappearate and reappear in the middle of the woods. I look around with wide eyes at the tall trees with a bubbling stream cutting through next to us. Unlike the Forbidden Forest, this place is bright with lively colors and tons of sunlight.

"Welcome to the Forest of Dean, love."

I turn around to see him standing near the bank. I walk closer and see a red and gold patched blanket with a large wicker basket sitting on top.

"I made us a picnic, is that okay?"

I look up at him and grin. "It's wonderful." I sit down and grab his hand to tug him next to me.

"How did you find this place?"

My grandparents brought me here when I was a child," He pauses, "before I was afflicted." Remus says quietly. He leans back onto his arms. "It's exactly how I remembered it."

I tilt my head to the side and look at him. "Remus, how old were you?"

"When I came here?"

I shake my head, not realizing he isn't looking at me.

After a moment of silence Remus looks away from the stream and figures out what I mean. "Oh, that." He takes a deep breath. "I don't exactly remember, either four or five. I can't remember if it happened before or after my birthday but it was somewhere around then. My memories are a bit fuzzy of those first few years of transforming." He sways to the side and bumps, "I think we met when you were four when we first met."

I nodded. "Yes," I smiled. "I was healed just in time for my birthday."

Remus smiles, "Are you excited for your 17th birthday?"

I look at him and smirk. "Of course. I will finally be able to magic legally."

"Oh, that's rubbish and you know it. You've been able to do magic legally for years."

I smile, "I suppose being homeschooled did have its benefits.

"As well as having McGonagall as your mother."

I laugh, "Yes that helps a bunch."

Remus shakes his head and leans forward onto his knees. "So how are do you want to celebrate your birthday?"

"I don't have much of an option." I look out at the creek. "We will be on the train to Hogwarts all day."

"I guess we will have to bribe Lily and James to get along for the whole ride."

I roll my eyes. "That's practically impossible."

"You haven't seen them the past few weeks," Remus says with a smirk. He reaches into the basket and pulls out a large bowl of fruit. "Rumor is they told each other they know."

"No way!" I shake my head as I pop a strawberry into my mouth. "She would've sent me an owl immediately."

Remus raises his eye brows at me. "You haven't seen what I've seen Mac and Cheese."

I turn and lean forward. "Tell me everything!"

He reaches out and pushes my shoulder, "How about you open your birthday present first?"

He digs into the basket and pulls out a small package wrapped in shimmering paper.

"You didn't have to Remus," I say softly, lifting the present out of his hands. He gives me that smirk. I carefully undo the spellotape on the edges and pull off the wrappings. I rub my hand across the soft leather binding.

"I figured you could use a new journal," Remus says with a small smile. "I noticed your old one was full."

"Thank you," I smile, still staring down at the moving gold lines across the cover that look like spell sparks.

"I charmed it with Mrs. Potter's help. Everything you write will disappear into the book so anyone other than yourself can't read it."

I look up, "The same charm we used on the Marauder's Map?"

He nods, "Almost. It turned out much stronger this time. I wrote your name on the inside cover and it immediately went away, even I can't see what you write even if I use the password."

"What's the password?"

"Mac and Cheese."

I laugh, "Of course you made it that."

He smirks again, "Of course, I know how much you love that nickname."

"You know I hate it," I groan.

"Oh, there's also a charm so you can't run out of paper in the journal," Remus adds. "Mrs. Potter added that charm."

I lunge forward and wrap my arms around Remus' neck. "Thanks Rem."

"No problem, love."