Lupin's True Love

December 8, 1973

Veronica trudged through the snow behind James, Peter, and Sirius. Remus was reading a book as he moved alongside the others. None of them noticed that she'd stopped and was making snowballs. She giggled slightly as she hurried to catch up to the group. She was taking aim carefully when a hand landed on her shoulder.

"Up to mischief, my dear?" Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled brightly.

Veronica dropped the snowballs. "It was only a bit of fun, sir."

Dumbledore scooped up the snowballs and handed two of them to Veronica. "I suggest you take, Messrs. Black and Potter while I take Messrs. Pettigrew and Lupin."

Veronica and Dumbledore took aim carefully and launched the snowballs. All four hit James and Sirius. Veronica turned to Dumbledore. "I thought you were going to get Remus and Peter." Veronica laughed as they watched James and Sirius brush at the snow that was around their collars.

"I thought it would be more fun if we both hit the same targets." Dumbledore's laughter echoed off the surrounding trees. "I just wanted to let you know that there are Aurors all around Hogsmeade. I hope the five of you will have a good time."

"Are Auror Rehnquist and Auror Dashi going to be there?" Veronica looked hopeful.

"I'm afraid not. They had business back in Japan to attend to." Dumbledore took in Veronica's sad look. "They said to wish you a Happy Christmas."

"Thanks, Headmaster." Remus slid his book into his pocket as Dumbledore went back toward the castle. "I think we should keep Veronica closer to us. You know, just in case she decides to throw more snowballs."

"Closer to us? Don't you mean closer to you?" James watched as Remus wrapped an arm around Veronica's waist. "Disgusting."

"You're just jealous because I have someone and you don't, Jamey-pooh." Veronica giggled slightly as Remus pulled her closer to his side. "Shall we go?"

They hurried along the path to Hogsmeade. Together they went to Zonko's joke shop. James picked up a box of Dungbombs while Veronica wandered around the shop. She never saw Sirius toss one of Dr. Fillibuster's Fireworks at Peter, who tossed it to James. James paid the clerk as waited until Veronica was walking several feet in front of them outside on the snow covered street. He tapped the firework with his wand and tossed it under Veronica's feet. She jumped at the popping sound and whirled around to face James and Sirius.

"You know, Sirius, Vee's right." James turned to Sirius. "Payback is fun."

Veronica glared at them. "I'm going to go and finish my Christmas shopping..."

"We'll come with you..." Remus took a step back at the glare Veronica was sending him.

"By myself." Veronica scooped up the spent firework. "Just remember, guys. Revenge comes when one least expects it." She threw the firework at James and watched it bounce off his head.

They watched her stalk off into the swirling snow. Sirius shook his head slightly before calling after her. "See you at the Three Broomsticks in two hours!"

"Not on your life, Black!" Veronica disappeared around a corner.

She stopped for a moment to look in the window of a bookstore. She never heard the footsteps coming up behind her. A hand fell on her shoulder. She grabbed the offending hand and flipped the person over her shoulder. She twisted the arm slightly to apply a bit of pressure to the person who had touched her.

"I give, Croft." Severus looked up from the snow bank that Veronica had tossed him into. His face was etched with pain.

"Oh, Severus." Veronica dropped his arm and helped up from the snow. "I'm so sorry. I thought you were Potter or Black."

"You've reverted to their last names so I assume they made you angry yet again." Severus brushed the snow from his clothes.

"I think they're a little upset because Dumbledore and I hit them with snowballs." Veronica shrugged slightly.

"A sight to behold I'm sure. Perhaps we could spend the day together? That is if you have no other plans?" Severus extended his arm.

"Of course, Severus." Veronica placed her hand on his arm. "Lead the way."

"I believe you were looking at that book." Severus motioned to the window.

"I guess I was just wishing." She smiled at Severus as James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus came around the corner.

"Oi! Snivellus! Get your hands off her!" James reached for his wand.

"I bid you good day." Severus dropped Veronica's hand and raced away from her.

"After him!" James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus raced after Severus.

"Leave him alone, guys!" Veronica followed after them. "James! Stop! Don't hurt him, Sirius!"

"I'm not going to hurt him, Vee! His death is going to be quick and painless!" Sirius rounded some trees.

Tears clouded Veronica's vision so that she didn't see the crowd of students following them. Dorian Knight, a Slytherin Sixth Year, led the crowd back toward Hogwarts. They barely passed the gated of the school when James pulled out his wand.

"Expelliarmus!" Severus's wand flew into James's hand. "You were warned to stay away from Vee. Now you're going to pay for it."

Severus tried to shove his way past the gathering crowd to escape his tormentors. "I was only escorting her, Potter, since the four of you have seen fit to torment her."

James gaped slightly as Veronica shoved her way through the crowd and placed herself between him and his quarry. "Get out of the way, Vee."

Veronica pulled out her own wand and pointed it at James and Sirius. "Severus is my friend, James Potter!"

"He was touching you." Sirius took a cautious step forward.

Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as Veronica turned slightly to face him. "He had my permission, Sirius. You guys say that I'm a sister to you but yet you teach me like a child."

"But..." Sirius and James both gaped as Veronica lowered her wand.

"No buts. I'm a young lady and I can say who has the right to touch me and who doesn't."

Dorian stepped forward slightly. "Do I have permission to touch you?"

"Back off, Knight." James whipped his wand around to point at Dorian.

"I was just wondering if she'd let me touch her." Dorian shrugged slightly. "Not that I would want to touch a Mudblood."

"Don't call her that!" James and Sirius both stepped forward.

Severus stepped around Veronica making James and Sirius whirl around to face him again. "I'm the one that touched her. So keep your focus on me."

"No, Severus." Veronica watched helplessly as James and Sirius both jumped on the Slytherin and started to beat the tar out of him the Muggle way. "Stop it, James!"

Dorian came up behind Veronica and whirled her away from the fight. "Care to give me a taste of what Severus has been getting?"

"Let me go, Dorian." Veronica's voice came out in a low growl.

"Not a chance."

"You asked for it." Veronica placed a hand on his shoulder. "Petrificus Totalus." Dorian's arms snapped to his sides effectively causing James and Sirius to stop beating Severus. Several of the Slytherins started to pull their wands from their pockets as Veronica whirled around to face them. "Don't even think about it, morons."

"What did he do, Vee?" Sirius stared down at the glaring Slytherin.

"You don't want to know, Sirius." Lily pushed her way through the crowd to stare at the frozen Slytherin.

"He insulted me, Sirius." Veronica's grey eyes had changed to violet as the wind snapped her cloak around her. "I suggest you let Severus go before I get really angry." She held out her left hand. "And hand over your wands."

James and Sirius let Severus drop to the ground. They placed their wands into Veronica's outstretched hand. She slid them into her pocket as she glared at them.

"What are you going to do to us, Vee?" James took half a step toward Veronica.

"Nothing. I just want your word that you won't do anything like this to Severus again. Dorian and any other Slytherins I don't care about but you are to leave Severus alone."

"We'll agree to it as long as you're not around, Vee." Sirius chanced a look at James who was nodding slightly.

James rolled his eyes as he nodded. Veronica held out her hand a second time. "Now give me Severus's wand."

James took the wand from his pocket and placed it in Veronica's hand. He watched helplessly as Veronica knelt next to Severus and handed him his wand. She pulled out her handkerchief and dabbed at the blood escaping from his cut lip. She climbed to her feet and turned to look down at Dorian Knight.

"What are you going to do with him, Vee?" Sirius stepped up to her side.

"I was thinking about leaving him here but I don't think the wild animals would like that too much." Veronica knelt next to Dorian and slid his wand from his pocket before climbing to her feet.

James watched for a moment before stepping up behind Veronica. "Perhaps we can have our wands back now, Vee?"

Veronica pulled their wands out and gave them to James and Sirius. "Let him up after I leave. If you let him up before that, I just might hurt him." Veronica started toward the castle with Remus hot on her heels. "What do you want?"

"I..." Remus stopped for a moment when Veronica whirled around to face him. Neither of them noticed Dumbledore standing behind the front door.

"You could have stopped them. You know that Severus is my friend and you did nothing." She whirled around on her heel and stomped up the stairs.

"Veronica!" Remus was left standing in the falling snow.

"Love is a mysterious thing." Dumbledore came down the steps.

"I've got to go after her, sir." Remus started to run up the steps but Dumbledore stopped him.

"I believe you should let her calm down first. Perhaps you should go and wait in your common room."

"Yes, sir." Remus hung his head slightly as he climbed the stairs to the common room.

Veronica took the stairs two at a time until she was in the Transfiguration corridor. Professor McGonagall saw the crying girl and approached her.

"Is there something I can help you with, Miss Croft?" Professor McGonagall laid a gentle hand on Veronica's shoulder.

"Not unless you can help the guys keep their emotions in check." Veronica swiped at the tears falling down her cheeks.

"What did Messrs. Potter and Black do this time?" Professor McGonagall led Veronica to her office.

"They attacked Severus because he was touching me."

"Just for touching you?"

"Yes, ma'am. He offered to escort me around Hogsmeade because the guys were being morons again."

"I did hear about you and Dumbledore throwing those snowballs at them."

Veronica ducked her head slightly to hide the blush rising on her cheeks. "We sure did. But I'm not really mad at James and Sirius anymore."

"Who are you upset with?"

"Remus. He could have stopped the whole thing but he just stood there as if he didn't want to."

"I see." Professor McGonagall turned from her desk and reached for a green tartan tin. "Snap?"

"Thank you, Professor." Veronica took one of the offered ginger snaps and took a bite.

"Was there anything else, dear?"

Veronica swallowed the bit of cookie as she nodded. "I was wondering if we could step up the Animagus training."
"May I ask why?"

"I was hoping to accomplish it before my birthday. That is if it's possible."

Professor McGonagall reached for a calendar and flipped it open. "If you were to be here Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I think we just might manage it. You'll perfect your first form but you will have to keep the others a secret until you deem it is time to reveal them."

Veronica jumped to her feet and flung her arms around Professor McGonagall. "Thank you so much, Professor."

"Now I believe you should go and talk with Mr. Lupin."

Veronica nodded as she turned to leave the office. She stopped at the door and turned to look at her Professor lowering herself into her desk chair. "Thanks for being there for me, Professor."

"Any time, dear. Any time." Professor McGonagall watched Veronica step from her office.

Veronica hurried up the stairs and to the portrait of the Fat Lady. She didn't even wait for the prompt from the portrait. "Patience is a Virtue." The portrait swung open and she stepped into the common room. Normally the sight of the overstuffed couches and warm fire would give Veronica a little thrill to be home but today it did nothing for her.

Remus sat on one of the couches before the fire with his face buried in his hands. Veronica watched him for a minute and saw the tears leaking between his fingers. She slowly made her way across the room, ignoring anyone else that spoke to her. Remus's head jerked up as he picked up the scent of her perfume.

"Hello, Veronica." Remus turned his gaze back to the roaring fire.

"Remus." Veronica moved toward the sofa and sank onto one of the arms. "Could we go somewhere to talk?"

"I believe you said what you wanted outside."

"Remus, I'd rather not have an audience witnessing our talk."

Remus looked around the room. "Who's here to witness this? Most of them are still in Hogsmeade."

Veronica looked around at the First and Second years scattered around the common room. She noticed that they were watching them rather closely. "I'd rather the younger students don't hear this. It might put them off about dating."

Remus climbed to his feet. "Where did you want to go and talk at?"

"Is the owlery okay with you?" Veronica swept her hand down the front of her robes.

"Fine." Remus allowed Veronica to step out the portrait hole first before following her.

He took her hand in his and together they made their way to the owlery, just as they had that fateful day over a year ago. Remus opened the owlery door and made his way over to one of the windows as Lacewing fluttered down to him. Remus stroked his owl's feathers as Veronica closed the door most of the way. She left it cracked open so that she would hear anyone coming up the stone stairs.

"Remus, I'm sorry for what I said today."

"You were right. I didn't do anything to help you stop James and Sirius. I should have told them to back off."

"Remus, I know that you and Severus don't get along and James and Sirius are just as bad but I had no right to yell at you like that."

"Yes you did." Remus reached for Veronica. "I'm sorry for behaving like that."

"You're forgiven if you forgive me too." Veronica draped her arms over his shoulders.

"You're forgiven, luv." Remus pulled her close and placed a soft kiss one her lips.

"I want to let you know something, Remus."

"What?"

"I love you."

"Huh?" Remus pulled away slightly. "How can you be sure of that?"

"Because I fell for you the day you came to my rescue at the train station last year. You've always been there for me. No matter what happened."

"What about James and Sirius?"

"They're more like brothers to me. They tease me, make me angry, and help me smile."

"And Peter?"

"Peter...Peter scares me. There's something about him that scares me. I wish I knew what it was." Veronica buried her face into Remus's shoulder.

Remus tilted her face toward his and placed a soft kiss on her lips. His tongue darted out to gently tease her lips. She gasped as Remus laid soft kisses along her throat. He stopped were her neck and shoulder joined and kissed her racing pulse several times. He slowly made his way up her neck to her ear and nipped it gently. Veronica turned her head slightly and pulled him back to her lips. She let out a soft moan and Remus slid his tongue over her lower lip. Neither of them heard the owlery door slowly creak open nor did they hear the crunch of straw under two sets of shoes.

"Perhaps we should go and get a pitcher of cold water to dump over the lovebirds." James's voice penetrated the fog around the kissing teens.

Remus and Veronica jumped apart. "I'm going to kill them, Remus."

"You won't have to because they'll already be dead." Remus wrapped his arms tighter around Veronica's waist. "Don't the two of you know how to knock?"

"It's a public place. Besides Dad's recruited me." James crossed his arms.

"To do what?" Veronica glared at him.

"Keep Remus a safe distance from you." James started to back toward the door.

"You'd better run. Because when I catch you, Mom will have to bury you." Veronica watched James bolt out the door. She looked at Sirius and Remus, who still had his arms wrapped around her. "I'm going to make him suffer for a while. Come on. I want to finish my shopping."

"Like we're going to be let back out to Hogsmeade." Sirius followed Veronica out of the owlery.

"If we have an adult with us, we'll be allowed to go. And I know who to ask." Veronica took a left instead of a right.

"Why are we heading to Dumbledore's office?" Remus stared at the gargoyle before them.

"He's who we're going to ask." Veronica straightened slightly. "Tootsie Rolls."

Sirius's mouth dropped open as the gargoyle jumped to the side. "How did you know...?"

"Easy. Dumbledore told me after the last attack." Veronica started up the spiraling stairs. "Coming?"

Remus and Sirius jogged up the stairs after her and watched as she knocked on the door. The door swung open and she disappeared into the room beyond the doorway. Remus and Sirius looked at each other before following. Dumbledore was seated behind his desk.

"I believe the three of you have a question to ask." Dumbledore leaned back slightly.

"Yes, sir. Our trip was interrupted by a fight and we were wondering if you or Professor McGonagall would escort us back so that we may finish our shopping?" Veronica stood with her hands behind her back and her fingers crossed.

Dumbledore looked between the three teens. "I believe something can be arranged. Mr. Potter was on duty in Hogsmeade, therefore he will be your chaperone."

Veronica grinned. "Thank you, sir." She turned back to Remus and Sirius. "Come on. Let's not keep Dad waiting."

"He will be at the gates when you get there. You have two hours to complete your shopping and return to your common room. Please don't be late." Dumbledore watched the three teens run out of his office and down the stairs. "Thomas is going to have his hands full those three."