Arty's POV.

I did exactly what Mary suggested. Visited Bubbles and picked myself up a few fake potions and decided to head back to the muggle bookshop. I wanted to grab myself another storybook, this time with a pretty cover, and go read in a park somewhere. I was finding enjoyment out of solitude instead of having to cope within it.

The fake potions were interesting. Looking identical to ones you'd buy or brew, but bigger portions- like an actual bottle size. I almost felt hesitant buying the fake love potion, I didn't want to mess with a real one. A love potion was an ethical and legal grey area- the affects only last so long before they fade away and is easily cured with a special tonic, but it has always felt a little suspicious to me that the potion is easily accessible to anyone who wants to use it. Nonetheless, I was assured they were fake and created with fun in mind and was given an ingredients list to go through to calm my suspicions.

With my bag stocked full of nice, cool looking drinks. I headed back to the muggle bookshop I had wished to buy a book from yesterday but didn't have enough of the correct currency to check off my list.

As I was looking through the old, dusty wooden shelves, I came across a lovely deep purple leatherback cover. Alice in Wonderland. I remembered the title from the Halloween party in Hogwarts. I dressed as Alice, though I've never read the book. It was one of his favourites, I remember James telling me. I picked it up and quickly flicked through it and as I did the older man who approached me last time started huffing down the aisle.

"I'm buying it this time!" I threw my hands up in sarcastic surrender. I wasn't being told off for checking through the book. What if someone had damaged some of the pages and I didn't know, I wasn't paying almost twenty muggle pounds for a leatherback book and it not be worth it. I'd just go back to that huge muggle shop and buy a less charming version again for much much cheaper if that was the case.

I went up to pay and left. Heading to a nearby park to relax and read. Being independent has been heavenly so far, but i slight worry did creep into my mind about whether I was just enjoying it because I could actually spend time in the sunshine. What will my days look like when I couldn't escape outdoors without getting soggy? The anxious thought was pushed aside. A worry for a different day. This week was about easing into things and not planning a cemented routine, I reminded myself.

Remus' POV.

I wandered back to the leaky cauldron after a lazy morning of flicking through a rubbish quidditch magazine and cooking Peter and I a big English breakfast. I didn't work weekends and so tried to take advantage of the time I could have in bed and just relax as much as I could, especially if I had stayed up late the night before like I did last night.

I'm pretty sure I left my ID at the pub last night as it's nowhere to be seen though, which is why I forced myself into productivity and walked back to the pub.

I pushed open the door to the leaky cauldron and saw that Mary had given up on her shift already and was skimming through a paper that was probably disregarding by someone else. She wasn't a big reader despite being put into Ravenclaw. She was more creative than academic.

She saw me and her eyes lit up and she jumped to attention.

"It's like I manifested you!" She said excitedly and beckoned me over.

"Aw you think of me when you're bored?" I fake gushed.

"Sure if that makes you feel good about yourself. I've actually got something really exciting to tell you!" She demanded I took a seat at the bar and started to pour me out a drink, sneakily on the house. I never refused a free drink though I wasn't in the mood for one.

"So guess who I met today?"

My mind instantly went to Arty but I knew I had to stop assuming everything I was going to be told in the foreseeable future was going to be an update about possible sightings of her, as if she was a rare bird.

Peter also claimed to have exciting news when he woke up this morning and I succumbed to the overwhelming urge to ask and assume it was about Arty and in in actual fact he was excited he had found the second sock he had lost from a pair I bought him for Christmas.

I knew I should probably calm down the interrogating in regards to the whole situation after that.

I shrugged my shoulders, attempting to not bring her up into conversation and at least pretend to be a stable person. Although yesterday still has me snapping my head in every direction just in case she walks into a shop on the opposite side of the street or something ridiculous.

"Artemis Black." She revealed dramatically.

I paused. Now was I hearing things because I'm actively trying not to ask or think about her, so my brain is trying to screw me over and embarrass me ...or did I just hear her correctly?

"You did?" felt like a safe reply just in case.

She looked confused as to why I wasn't more reactive.

"Yanno the cute brunette. Light eyes. Kind of has a whole 'I don't need to try and be pretty because I'm interesting to look at' weird girl vibe?" Mary described.

"Oh you're being serious?" I said hopeful. Mary didn't remember her last night when we spoke and had just described her...

"Weird girl vibe is a bit mean though?" I frowned at her. Though I wasn't going to shoot her down. Information was information.

"You know exactly what I mean. She's got that energy that you can't read very well. But, like, you can still tell she's interesting. She knows stuff. She's probably cool but definitely weird. In a good way."

I guess she had a point.

"Anyway, you'll never guess what!" Mary fell back into her dramatic stance.

"She said something weird to you in a weird girl way? Come on just tell me." I rolled my eyes.

"No and don't be sarcastic. She's staying here. You did see her last night, she just went to her room." She revealed, not even attempting to hide her excitement.

I knew it. I knew I wasn't hallucinating her after letting her slip away from the bookshop. I started tapping the bar side in thought. Pouting and squinting up at Mary.

"So if I come back tonight?" I thought out loud.

"You'll probably see her again, yeah!" She said matter-of-factly.

"I'll save you her table. Apparently she sits in the same spot every time, I asked and that means you're guaranteed to grab her attention." She spoke out as if she had created a whole plan in her head.

I took a few seconds to think. Did I want to force it or did I want it to happen naturally?

If I pretend I accidentally bumped into her though, I get to be prepared and make a good impression instead of messing up.

"Fuck this is actually happening isn't it? That'll work right?" I smiled nervously.

"I don't think I have ever seen Remus Lupin looking this anxious." She said.

I laughed almost too violently.

"Yeah alright, nice one!" I laughed.

"No I'm not joking! It's quite refreshing from your aloof behaviour."

Arty's POV.

It was starting to approach seven which meant it was almost time for the flat viewing and it was also beginning to get a bit chilly without a jacket and I hadn't folded one up in my bag.

I unfolded the piece of paper that the nice bartender had given me, with the address scribbled down and went on my way to find the street. Asking people for directions as it was in muggle territory. Only outside the borders of the Wizarding world though, so not too intimidatingly away from everything. Actually ending up quite close to the entrance between both worlds.

The street was a little beaten up but nice, most people hanging flowers outside their windows or washing to dry. Not as fancy as Grimmald place. Which I didn't mind at all. I didn't want to live somewhere that reminded me of home. My old home now I suppose.

The street was charming rather than elegant.

I could see someone sitting on a step outside of a red door, which should be the place I'm looking for. He was crouched down and seemed to be rolling a cigarette between his fingers.

He must be waiting for the flat viewing too. How do you small talk with muggles?

As I walked closer, the boy started staring in my direction a smile growing on his face. The blurriness from our distance cleared the closer I stepped.

My breath hitched in my throat with surprise, but I felt a smile tugging at the sides of my mouth too at the boy smiling in my direction.

"Artemis Black. I didn't believe Mary when she said to expect you."

Sonny Wildwood.

My mouth formed in too many shapes, attempting to create sound but I was rendered speechless.

"Your hair!" is all that came out.

He had shaved it all off, sporting a buzzcut now. He looked so grownup and effortlessly cool. He still had the same cheeky smile and energy about him, but his features had matured.

He was a man now, not a teenage boy. Which was bizarre to suddenly see.

"Your hair!" He mimicked and I reached up to make sure it wasn't static feeling conscious he was observing the fact that I had cut mine off too.

We laughed at each other, taking in the situation. My hand didn't go back down from when it smoothed my hair out, instead lingering around my mouth in a shocked gesture. I just couldn't believe it. The idea of seeing Sonny today, especially in this moment never crossed my mind. Not even by my intrusive thoughts.

He tucked the rolled-up cigarette behind his ear and leant in for a hug. I hugged him back still trying to find my words. It was nice to feel a brief moment of intimacy with someone.

"How you been girly?" He looked at me amused because the shock was still registering on my face.

"Good!" I had been this week, so it wasn't really a lie as such.

"What about you? What are you doing here?" I rushed out; I was still softly laughing to myself not coming down from the high of being around him.

"You're coming to view my flat right?" He smiled and proceeded to unlock the door and wave me inside.

"I didn't know it was going to be yours!"

"My dad owns the entire building. Sort of trying out this whole integrating Wizards into the muggle world through living in their area thing. It's nice actually, feels cool to have a secret." He laughed. I had missed his lighthearted, carefree energy.

"So, Mary told you I was coming?" I asked as we started walking up a flight of stairs.

It explained how relaxed his reaction to me was and how he was finding my shock amusing rather than reciprocating it. I wondered how long he was sat outside the door waiting to greet me. If you're prepared to bump into someone from your past, I'd imagine it would be easy to come across as calm and collected like he was. Knowing me though I still wouldn't be able to nail the attitude that Sonny made seem so easy. He acted like we hadn't seen each other in weeks instead of years.

"She definitely didn't know we were friends. Just mentioned she had given the address to someone from school, and I asked who." He explained finally approaching a door with '2B' on it. Unlocking it and holding it open for me.

"What did you think when you found out it was me?" I asked curiously smiling at him.

I didn't even quickly glance around the room I had just walked into. I no longer cared about viewing a flat, I was too distracted by the man who stood in front of me, who I kind of recognised and was also kind of being introduced to.

"I obviously thought she was fucking with me." He lightly huffed out a laugh.

"And then I was excited to see you but still a bit ... yanno." He stiffened his body comically, showing off an emotion he couldn't find a word to.

"And now I'm hoping you take the flat." He gestured to the place.

He showed me around. It was plenty of space for one person. A small kitchen attached to a living area. A little bathroom and an alright sized bedroom, only a little bit smaller than the room I was currently staying in and a small bedroom didn't bother me. It was bright and light and well kept.

"Why do you hope I take it? I heard you have others viewing too." I asked but knowing this was definitely a solid option, once I find out how much it is.

"So, we can be neighbours, duh!" He smirked. I looked at him confused.

"I'm literally just moving upstairs, into a bigger place. This flat is great for one person but I'm moving in with my girl."

I smiled big at him sincerely.

"Your girl?" I asked and he looked pretty chuffed with himself.

"Yeah. I told her you were coming to view the flat when I found out, actually. She always thought you seemed sweet and we're both on board with the idea of you moving here." He said, leaning against the kitchen worktop.

"I know her?" I asked. I felt so happy for him, my cheeks were beginning to ache with joy.

I couldn't stop smiling and felt maybe I was being weird until I realised, he hadn't stopped either (though a smaller smile than me).

I hadn't anticipated to see Sonny, at least for a very long time and to see that he was thriving and had grown up so nicely was...so weirdly wonderful. Unexpected.

"Well he was friends with Elliot, you remember? My Hufflepuff mate, I cant remember if you guys ever met but they all saw you when we began hanging out. But he wasn't in your year." Sonny began to explain.

"Dorian Meadowes? Ring a bell?" He asked and I shook my head, not remembering anyone by that name and also wondering why he wasn't telling me about his girlfriend though I just asked.

"Oh, well... Dorian is Dorcas now. She's gorgeous. Really sweet. I met her again a couple of months after finishing school and was so, uh I don't know, amazed? She had changed so much and grown into the person she wanted to be. We hit it off right away and we've been together ever since. I'm quite lucky I think." He gushed. A slight pink appearing in his cheeks.

"I'm really happy for you." I said, feeling a bit emotional. I'm so glad he was able to grow and live his life past the incident and develop such a wonderful new relationship.

"What about you?" He asked.

I didn't have the same opportunity to grow and live my life past the incident. The only new people I have met since has been the ones this week and those were people in passing and nothing proving deep connection, like him finding someone to love. It was too inappropriate to reveal I hadn't left the house alone for years until very recently. I didn't want to destroy the happy atmosphere. My situation was a peculiar one to be in, I'm sure and this one was a situation to be present and happy in.

"No. Not yet." I shrugged, asking as if it was nothing.

He looked at me for a moment, just appreciating the moment it seemed and snapped himself out of thought by slapping the kitchen surface.

"As my family owns the building, I'm sure we can negotiate a rent that works for you. I mean, I have cancelled the other viewings, so I am kind of praying to merlin you say yes to being my neighbour? It would be inconsiderate if you said no." He cheekily grinned at me.

I nodded slowly, biting my lip with excitement. It was happening. I was forming my own life. I was about to have my own place. My own home and somewhere so close to someone who maybe I could call a friend again.

"How do you feel about going out for dinner? We have a few years to catch up on, don't we?" He said, guiding the way.

"I'd love that."

"I can't believe its you! The world works in weird ways." He laughed as we walked down the stairs.

(Also yes in this fic Dorcas is a trans queen because we hate terfs)