The Wolf and the Raven

Ch 17 - Rescue Mission

*Warning: loooooong chapter coming up. Hopefully it's worth it though.

I'm really enjoying writing the interactions of these boys and my OFC, and I hope you're enjoying reading them as well :)

The next moon, the last of the spring semester, carried on much like the ones before it. James and Sirius stayed beneath the Shack and helped their friend back to the hospital wing where Peter and Branwen waited with Madam Pomfrey.

School let out only a few days later and Remus had to be helped onto the Hogwarts Express. He spent most of the ride back to London sleeping or smiling weakly at his friends' jokes. Branwen kept him plied with tea and chocolate to make the ride more comfortable and the boys took some of their louder antics out into the corridor.

As they got closer to the capitol city though, it was Sirius' mood that became gloomier and gloomier. All the boys had written home during the semester to ask about staying with the Potters over the summer. Only the Blacks had refused.

The Potters' home was similar to the Blacks' in only one regard: from the street view, it was invisible to Muggles. When Lyall Lupin Apparated across the street holding the hands of his son and Peter Pettigrew, the building began to slide into view from between its neighbours, much like a pocket door. It was a large white Victorian nestled between two other period structures, complete with gingerbread accent and miniature turrets.

The three travellers crossed the road and knocked. The door was opened a few seconds later by a plump, wrinkled witch in pink robes covered by a stark white apron. "Good morning," her face creased into a smile. "You must be Mr. Lupin. Please, come in. The Potters are expecting you."

She stood aside and they entered a large foyer whose walls were cluttered in knick-knacks.

"Remus! Peter!" Branwen had been racing down a broad hallway on her broom with a butterfly net when she spotted them. Tumbling off the broom, which crashed into a suit of armour, she ran to the door. "It's okay, Cassie, I'll show them in."

"Very good, Miss Branwen," the witch nodded and retreated down the hall, restoring the armour with a flick of her wand.

Branwen threw her arms around Remus' waist, then gave Peter a peck on the cheek before smiling up at Lupin. "How do you do, Mr. Lupin? Please come in. My parents are the parlour."

They all made their way into the large, yet cosy room and Fleamont and Euphemia stood to welcome their guests. "Lupin, so nice to see you again," Fleamont extended his hand.

"And you, Potter. Hope wanted to make sure I thanked you again for taking Remus in this week. James and Branwen are nearly all he talks about in his letters."

Remus' scars lit up violently as his face turned a burning shade of red, but Branwen was beaming. She felt sure that her cheeks would hurt from grinning so hard.

"Well, I can assure you that the appreciation is mutual," Euphemia said. "You know, James and Branwen were gifts that came late in life to my husband and I. It will lovely to have the house filled with children. We only wish young Sirius Black had been able to make it as well."

"Yes," Lupin glanced away. Remus had only glowing things to say about Sirius in his letters, but the name of Black was associated with anything but good in Lupin's mind. He had attended Hogwarts at the same time as Walburga and her brothers, Alphard and Cygnus. The three of them had been a gang of terror who would have tormented Lupin endlessly if not for the watchful eye of Albus Dumbledore.