Promised [F.W.]

Chapter 39

Living with Lupin

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"Lupin," Aster smiled as she ran towards the man on the platform. He smiled and hugged her back, looking down at the dark haired girl. She parted from the hug and looked at the red-haired parents who were hugging their children and Harry. As Mrs Weasley turned she hugged Aster, "Hello Molly."

"Oh, I guess I'm going to miss you," she gushed as she squeezed her, "have a fun time, but visit as well, I'm sure Fred would miss you."

"Of course I'll visit," Aster assured her, "I promise."

"Come on, we'll be taking the knight bus," Lupin smiled, waving goodbye to the family.

"Okay," she smiled, looking at Tonks who was saying goodbye to Ginny. Her eyes lingered to her hand and saw a band on her left hand, "Lupin, you asked her?" His eyes furrowed before he had a soft smile. "My godfather, the man who can woo women into marrying him."

"Yeah, come on, I'm excited to show you the house," Lupin ushered the two girls with an excited smile.

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"Wow," Aster gasped as she saw the white little cottage by the water.

"It's really not much," Lupin told her but she seemed to argue.

"It's wonderful," she smiled as they began walking towards the small house. She noticed the lake behind it and the small bench that looked out to it. They reached the red door and Aster smiled with excitement.

"Welcome," Lupin said as he opened the door and showed her the welcoming cosy house. Two couches sat by the fireplace, tables next to the couch with books on it. "We get a few creatures roaming about on certain days," he told her once she entered the house and looked around. "I'll show you your room."

Up the narrow staircase, Aster followed the man with Tonks behind her. They talked about the various animals that visited and told her a few stray kneazles seemed to find their way inside on cold nights and look for food. Once up the stairs, Lupin opened a door to their left and revealed a small bedroom with a bed, desk and bookcase with a few books already on it.

"We didn't use this room that much," Lupin spoke, "and you saying you'd live with us, I was excited to decorate it for you, but didn't realize I don't know how to decorate a room."

"He tried a few times, but it ended up horrible," Tonks added making the girl laugh, "so we decided we'd bring you somewhere to get a few things to decorate it."

"It's lovely," Aster smiled before hugging them.

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A few days later, Aster left to the joke shop saying goodbye to the two before leaving.

She appeared in front of the joke shop and took a second to admire the shop before entering it. Inside it was full of young kids and people laughing, Aster had to forcefully push through the crowd to find one of the twins.

"George," Aster beamed as she approached one of them. "I see that the shop is doing well," she laughed looking around.

"And you seem to be doing well," he smiled back before remembering something, "I heard what happened after we left, you alright?"

"Yeah," Aster nodded, "just something stupid people get worked up so easily."

"I'm sorry," he looked at the shorter girl before smiling. "I'm sure Fred would like to see you," he told her, leading her up the stairs. "He's up here, he's been working on a new product, he said it has to do with you as well."

"Really," Aster grinned foolishly causing George to laugh as they entered an office which held the man who they were talking about. "Fred," she beamed happier.

"Aster?" He asked turning around with a smile, then jumped up to hug her. "I had to make sure you were actually you," he laughed, "I've been working on a few products," he explained, leading the two to the desk. "You see, this vial is full of a liquid I call Dizzy Dream," he proudly showed them a vial of red whispy liquid. "It's supposed to show you your biggest dream or what you most want in life," he told them, holding out another vial to Aster, "it shows up as your favourite colour, example, to me it's a dark reddish brown colour," he told them, looking at Aster's hair as she blushed. "Try it out," he said handing her the bottle.

Aster took it and stared at the bottle before taking a shot of the liquid, feeling a fuzzy feeling in her chest. She looked up at Fred and saw him smiling down at her, then from behind him she saw Sirius and Harry, Lupin and Tonks smile warmly at her. Aster looked down at Fred's hand and saw a band around his finger, one that wasn't there before.

"Aster?" Fred caught her attention with a worried look, "you alright?"

"Yeah," she smiled with a nod, "wonderful, I think it works," she assured him, he gives a wide smile before looking at his brother.

"The other one I made," Fred turned back to his desk excitedly. Aster looked up at George who had an amused smile. "It's a hair dye that changes colour when the person is lying," he said, covering a part of his hair it. "It's not permanent," he told them when he saw Aster's eyes widen. "Okay, ask me a question."

"Favourite musician?" Aster asked.

"Weird Sisters," Fred said looking at the piece of hair in front of his eyes turning a blue colour. "It comes out after about ten minutes," he told them as the strand became the normal colour.

"Fred you're a genius," Aster laughed, "how did you make them?"

After helping a few customers in the shop and looking around, seeing her product as well, Aster found Lupin and Tonks walking into the shop. Aster greeted them wit ha smile, "what are you doing here?"

"Well, I wanted to see you and Fred," Lupin smiled. "Seems like the business is going well."

"Yeah, I'm really proud of them," she smiled, "I'll show you around."

"This place really is successful," Tonks looked around and saw the puppet of Umbridge.

"Your father, Sirius, and James would have loved this place," Lupin smiled lightly a bit of sadness in his smile.

"My father liked pranks?" Aster chuckled as she leads him around.

"Secretly helped us with them," Lupin laughed, "took the fall for us as well when, you know, when we were trying to get out of the castle."

"Weasleys," Aster growled as she picked up an Extendable Ear and it's string. "These men always so messy," she muttered causing Lupin and Tonks to chuckle as they looked at the items on the shelves. Lupin picked up a ball of ink and inspected it, "oh, I made that one, it changes colour and disappears and reappears when you throw it at someone." She took one off the shelf and looked around seeing Fred. "Watch," she tossed the ball and hit him on the back. He didn't realize what happened until a few people laughed at him.

Turning around, he sees the three chuckling at him, he muttered something to himself before walking towards them. "Welcome," he greeted the couple with a smile, "enjoying it?"

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After they closed the store, the group of them went upstairs to have a cup of tea. They sat around the table and discussed a few things about what was happening with the Order and everything else in general. Then the subject of Lupin's 'furry problem' came up.

"Lupin, isn't it almost time?" Aster asked, "where do you go?"

"Well," he hesitated to tell her. "I go into the wood by the house," he sighed, "it's very dangerous, so when it does happen you have to stay inside, okay?"

"Yeah," she sighed sadly. She didn't want to stay inside if she was honest, she wanted to be out there and help him as his friends had when he was in school. "How do you think Harry and the others have been doing? He hasn't answered any of my letters."

"Not sure, but I'm sure he's fine," George assured her.

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