Lupin's True Love

August 21, 1973

Remus looked over at Veronica and smiled. She returned the grin as she helped the women set the food on the table.

"Don't they just disgust you?" James turned to Sirius and Peter.

Sirius nodded. "At least we're going to get even with them for everything tonight."

"Peter, have you caught the frogs and toads yet?" James looked over at their small friend.

"I'm going to do that this afternoon." Peter looked around slightly. "Are you guys sure we're going to be able to get into their tent tonight? Mr. Moody's been watching their tent fairly closely."

"We're going to get him in on it as well." Sirius smiled broadly giving himself a Jack-O-Lantern look. "In fact I'm going to talk to him right now."

James, Remus, and Peter watched as Sirius walked over to the Auror. They saw him nod his head several times and shake Sirius' hand. They started grinning even more except Remus. He knew that if Veronica found out that he was in on this prank he was going to be a dead man.

"Um, guys?" Remus scratched the back of his neck where a mosquito had bit him.

"What, Remus?" James looked over at his nervous friend.

"I...uh...really don't want in...um...on this prank." Remus bit his lip hard enough to make it start bleeding.

"What?" Sirius' eyes bugged out. "Why don't you want in on it?"

"Well, you see. If Veronica finds out that I helped with this prank she'd going to kill me."

"Well, don't tell her." James crossed his arms angrily. "We've planned this prank through to the time we want them to wake up and feel the frogs and toads. You can't back out now."

"I'm not backing out. I just don't want her to think that I'm in on the prank." Remus nibbled along his lip trying to make it quit bleeding.

"Come on, Remus. The prank won't be the same without you in on it." Sirius almost dropped to his knees but James kept him standing up. "Thanks, James."

"You're welcome. We can't push him. I mean you saw how miserable he was the last few days without her." James jerked his thumb over at Veronica laughing with Lily and Patricia. "Besides if we drag him into it we're the ones that are going to be hexed to death."

Sirius pretended to think about it for a minute. "You're right, James. I guess we'll have to leave him out for the night."

Remus stopped nibbling his lip as Molly placed the last platter on the table. "Breakfast is ready, boys."

The four boys hurried over to the table. Veronica smiled softly as Remus sat beside her on the bench. Patricia pretended to gag into her oatmeal making James laugh at her. Lily rolled her eyes slightly as Sirius tried to get her attention. Peter just started eating as Veronica placed a piece of toast on Remus' plate.

"Will the two of you knock it off? You're making me sick." Petunia glared at the loving couple.

"Petunia, when you get a boyfriend that loves you so much that he's willing to keep people from calling you a freak, then we'll talk. Until then, shut up!" Veronica glared right back at the blonde girl.

"You are a freak and so is he." Petunia slapped her plate away from her making her scrambled eggs land in Veronica's lap.

Veronica brushed the eggs toward the ground but before they hit the dry dirt they disappeared. Remus patted her arm slightly when she gasped. Evelyn just shrugged as she took the now empty plate from the table and hurried over to the sink. Rose bit the inside of her lip when Veronica climbed to her feet. Petunia had already left to head down to the beach. Thomas watched silently as Veronica went down the opposite path.

"I thought for sure she was going to go after Pets and hex her." Lily placed her napkin beside her plate as Melissa raced from the table following after Veronica.

Veronica was staring out over the small freshwater pond when she heard Melissa approaching her. "What do you want, 'Lissa?"

Melissa stopped short when Veronica didn't even turn around. "How did you know it was me?"

"You made as much noise as a stampeding hippogriff." Veronica picked up a small smooth rock and slung it out across the pond. "Besides I've learned how to identify footsteps."

"'Roni, what's wrong?" Melissa sank onto the slightly submerged log that was along the edge of the pond.

"Petunia..." Veronica tried to turn away from Melissa

"That's not it. Now tell me." Melissa grabbed her hand. "Do you think I won't understand of the magical world?"

Veronica sighed. "That's not it. 'Lissa. I've just got to figure out some stuff on my own."

"Like the dream last night?"

"What dream?"

"Don't deny it. I heard you screaming for someone named Godric."

"Godric? I don't know any Godric." Veronica turned her gaze back to the lake.

"Will you bloody tell me what the hell's going on, 'Roni? I'm your best friend. You know I won't tell anyone."

"Oh, hell." Veronica turned back to her best friend sitting on the log. "You may as well move over. This is going to take a while."

Melissa scooted over and dipped her toes into the cool pond water. "So who's Godric? I thought you had a thing for Remus."

"I do." Veronica picked at one of the dead branches. "Godric is, or was, Godric Gryffindor. He was one of the Founders of Hogwarts, where I go to school."

"Why are you having dreams about him?"

"I'm not sure. I've been combing every book I can find but have turned up with nothing. Not to mention every time I see a portrait of him I ask him why I would have dreams about him."

Melissa giggled at the thought of Veronica talking to portraits. Everyone knows portraits can't talk, can they? "What does he say?"

"He doesn't know. No one knows." Veronica shoved her hand through her hair. "It's starting to get very frustrating. I feel like I'm seeing someone else's memories."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like I'm seeing the scene from inside my own head. I mean I am able to turn around and see behind me and everything. It's seems so weird."

"No. What's weird is my best friend telling me that she's a witch but I'm handling it." Melissa hugged Veronica. "I think you need to tell the others about the dreams."

"They'll just think I'm crazy."

"Crazier than talking to a portrait."

Veronica smiled as she watched the tadpoles swimming around their toes. "I guess I forgot to tell you. Portraits in the Magical World can move and speak."

"Okay. So I'm going to end up being nuts before you graduate from school." Melissa smiled when she heard Veronica's ringing laughter. "Now that's what I've been missing. My best friend's laughter."

Veronica just smiled softly as Melissa scrambled from the log and hurried back to camp. Veronica snapped a half rotted limb from the log and began dragging it through the water. Thomas watched her for a moment before coming up behind her.

"Hey, honey. What are you doing way out here when everyone else is at the beach?" Thomas sat on the log.

"Nothing, Dad. I just need to be alone." Veronica watched the tadpoles chase the stick through the water.

"I wanted to ask you something." Thomas folded his hands into his lap.

"What?" Veronica went on the defensive as soon as the words had left his mouth. She thought she knew what he was going to ask.

"How would you like some help in learning how to control your wandless magic?"

"Huh?" That's not what I thought he was going to say.

"How would you like to learn how to control your wandless magic?" Thomas smiled at the confused look on his young daughter's face.

Veronica nibbled along her lip as Thomas watched her face go from confusion to thinking to understanding. He smiled when she finally nodded. Veronica leaned into his embrace when he hugged her tightly.

Veronica spoke so softly that Thomas almost missed her words. "I love you, Daddy. I wish you were my real dad."

Thomas' hazel eyes filled with tears. I'm your father. How can I tell her that Evelyn and I sent her to her aunt and uncle who made her life a living hell?

Veronica climbed to her feet and wandered back into the camp while Thomas tried to figure out a way to let his little girl know how much he loved her.