✧PARTING WORDS✧

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Regulus' only advice pertaining on how to deal with their mother's anger was to stay with him during the summer. And Romulus was surely tempted if it wasn't for the fact that he was going to be working in his mum's labs.

And another issue that would invoke his mind until the rest of the school year was his OWLS, and Cara offered her services in the sense of an apology for causing him so much stress. The benefit of it all was that Imara had been uplifted knowing that Buckbeak was with Sirius, and he would no doubt would be in good hands.

Anything was better than death in that regard.

However, when morning truly came, Cara had felt a massive amount of guilt in her heart. Especially when it was a daunting rumor, with that came public discrimination and ended in the form of being laid-off.

Cara had sat in front of the stairs of Lupin's office with a frown etched on her face, her hands fiddling with the small potion vials that she had crafted just an hour ago.

Professor Lupin hadn't been in the infirmary that morning and Cara didn't have the heart to face him in person.

However, the oncoming sound of a person coming caused Cara's eyes to turn up for the first time in a while. And Harry frowned to see his friend so upset.

"Are you alright?" She nodded, her thumb pressing the cork further into the bottle as she sighed.
"Did you hear what's happened?" Harry's face had said it all, and she shrugged her shoulders as she continued to sit idly by.

Potter had soon walked up the steps and placed his hand up to the wooden door to knock, but was suddenly stilled by Lupin's voice.

"Hello, Harry." The young Gryffindor couldn't understand how he had known it was him until his eyes connected to the map. "I saw you coming...Could you tell Cara to come in as well?" He backtracked down a few steps and aided Cara to her feet before they both stood awkwardly in front of Lupin.

The original Marauder's Map was opened wide on the bare desk, however, Cara's interest had returned to guilt as she stood shocked at Lupin's appearance.

"I've looked worse, believe me." He claimed, his eyes resting more so on Cara as Dumbledore had explained all that Romulus and Cara had done. Yet Harry's eyes were more focused on the open desk drawers and bare bookshelves.

"You've been sacked." The lad pointed out, and Cara turned to him in confusion. Perhaps he hadn't known as much as he claimed.

"Resigned, actually."

"Resigned! But why?!" Harry said, desperate for a proper answer and in the hope that he could be persuaded.

"It seems that someone has let slip the nature of my condition." Lupin had dwelled and Cara's face had fallen further, she realized that last night wasn't as quiet as she would've liked everything to turn out. But then again, she didn't realize how awful this would end up for her own mother.

"Snape." Harry's finger pointed, and it caused Remus to frown at the quick nature of placing the blame on one person to another.

"Whoever...It was bound to get out. This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving. Parents will not want a—someone like me—teaching their children." Cara sighed, it was an uncontrollable consequence. And worst of all, the backlash would be hard to reconcile regardless if Lupin resigned or had gotten fired.

"But Dumbledore—"

"—Has already risked enough on my behalf. Besides, people like me...Well, let's just say I'm used to this by now." He gestured to the better part of his face as well and Cara bit her lip. This conversation was much harsher towards the truth, even with all the aid the potion had created and funded for those inflicted with Lycanthropy, Lupin did not want anything to do with Aurora and thus made his life much more difficult than it needed to be.

"But before I go...Tell me about your Patrons." He indeed heard everything that Cara indulged in last night, and Harry had let his eyes flicker back and forth to relive the memory.

"Well. At first, I thought it was a horse, or sherpas a unicorn, but I think it was—

"A stag."
"Yes." Cara had smiled in delight, realizing that she had been right! She gripped Harry's cloak in pure excitement. "Prongs!" Harry had stared at her completely bewildered and Lupin merely chuckled.

"Your father used to transform into one. That's how he was able to keep me company when I became...sick. Same with your mother, Cara—They were great friends." Lupin had smiled wanly, lifting up his beaten suitcase but then halted.

"There are stories about him and your mother, you know. Some are even true. But I think it's safe to say, in the end, you'll know them best by getting to know yourself and those around you." It had been a small direction to speak with those like Cara, and perhaps extend further to what she was told or what others know.

And Cara smiled, thankful that she had managed to meet the Potters when she was all but a babe. Though it wasn't enough detail for Harry.
Her mother would surely answer any questions...Wouldn't she?
She has Romulus looking after the lad for the better part of his time in Hogwarts, surely that counted for something.

"Why do you look so miserable, Harry?" Lupin asked, his concern completely genuine and it caused Cara's own worries to erupt.

"None of it made any difference. Pettigrew escaped." Cara blinked for a moment and she shook her head. "Harry that's not at all true." She begged and Remus nodded to the young Lestrange's words.

"Didn't make any difference...? Harry, it made all the difference in the world. You helped uncover the truth, you saved an innocent man from a terrible fate. It made a great deal of difference." It took a moment for Harry to digest it all, but Lupin was in need of making the next train out of Hogsmead in order to return home.

So he took his travel bag and cane before heading towards the door.

"If I am proud of anything, it is of how much you learned this year...Now, since I am no longer your teacher. I feel no guilt whatsoever about giving this back to you. So now I'll say goodbye, Harry...I feel sure we'll meet again sometime." The silence had overtaken the room, and the looming departure was imminent once more.

"...Until then, Mischief managed." Lupin had waved his wand towards the parchment and it refolded and lost all of its ink before turning blank. But it was the small hum of approval that truly erupted Cara's heart.

How awful it must've been for Lupin to return to the castle, where he had the best and most likely easiest years of his life with a group of well and loyal friends.

Minus Peter of course.

Lupin had taken to look at his friend's son and exchanged the attention right down to his friend's daughter. "Cara, would be so kind as to walk me out?" She instantly nodded and took to following her profes—Her former professor.

Harry had been left to remain alone in the empty classroom, but clearly whatever was meant to be said now was for her ears alone.

"You are very much like your mother, kind and wanting to do good behind the eyes of others." Remus dwelled, peering down to look at the young Ravenclaw as she was still fiddling the potion. "I doubt you would be saying that if Dumbledore truly told you what happened—What I did."

"I never faulted anyone for doing what they must when I am like that, it was my mistake. And that mistake runs deeper than I would've imagined, do give your mother my sincerest apologies when you can?" Cara nodded, thankful that the halls were empty and void of students—Much less anyone else.

"You are a very good friend to Harry, Cara. It reminds me of your mother and James...He had taken to her as a sister, seeing as how he and Sirius were as close as brothers."
"Mum told me that...She also told me that she was Harry's unofficial godmother, is that true as well?" Remus nodded, his hand hanging low as he had almost forgotten that portion.

"It was different times, you must understand this Cara. It wasn't so simple for your mother to do what she wanted to."
"I understand, it's why we ended up in America after all." After having passed another classroom, Cara had decided that he deserved a bit of a pick-me-up.

"You really are the best Defense Against the Dark Arts professor yet, even Romulus said the same."
"And you were all very fine students, I was fortunate to have such a lively bunch. Granted, I should be owling your brother as well—He had spent his free time in brewing the potion for me, the very one I failed to take when it mattered."
"It's alright, honest. I have a feeling that he was meant to escape regardless. It's better that he did whilst a number know he's alive rather than he goes off completely undetected." Remus had to agree with the logic of the young Ravenclaw.

"I'm sorry to leave, but you must understand the situation I'm facing. It's rather—"
"I understand sir, the majority of it at least. But I've met a better part of those who took mum's kindness. Perhaps that's why we stayed away for as long as we did. The politics behind it all is rather darker here than there."

"Is that why you all stayed in America?" Cara nodded and bit her lip.

"That, and mum's boyfriend lived in America. Brilliant fellow, helped her create the potion itself." This was news to Remus indeed, and was it odd to learn it through his friend's daughter than straight through the source? Yes. And he should stop, but he felt so out of touch with everything he needed to know.

"And you returned because..."
"Father was released?... I'm sure you know more about more of that and the crimes to his name than me. Er—Can I call you Remus? I don't fancy that awful title the map has for you."
"Well, since I'm not exactly your professor anymore, I don't see why not. Do take care of yourself, Cara...And make sure your siblings and doing the same. The worst is yet to come." She hadn't realized that the entrance to Hogwarts was just upon them, and she struggled to offer up the potion.

"Romulus has all of mum's potion listings, it's fresh from this morning. Just a few dabs onto the cuts and it should be good as new. No scarring."
"Your mother's brilliance continues to surprise me, I don't doubt she's passed it on to you five as well." The compliment had caused her to shy away, or would've had she not recalled the small bag as well.

When she offered it up, Remus had narrowed his eyes towards it.

"What is this?"

"Chocolate, for the ride home...Thank you for everything, Remus." She said, wrapping her arms around his torso. He had barely gotten to return the hug before she pulled away. "If you need anything please owl, I'll be more than happy to brew it. And I won't tell mum." Cara's offered had stricken a cord, as had the weight of the goodies and paste to heal him in the following days.

Yet she remained standing and watching his figure depart from the castle's stone and off away. It was rather strange to feel so alone when she hadn't done much to get closer to her professor, but it gave her a similar comfort as her mother.

Remus had a similar aura indeed.

Making her way towards the grand hall, she ignored the commotion and nearly ignored her brother if he hadn't taken her arm and pulled it into his hooked one—Escorting her to lunch.

"You weren't at breakfast this morning." He deemed and it was clear that Romulus knew where she was upon looking at the map in worry. But he wanted her to tell him, regardless if he knew.

"I was in the labs...I made Remus a potion before he left, the one mum has in her boxes."
"Ah, that was a good idea. It's a shame though, that he's leaving—Worse that the OWLS are basically up in the air for the class now too." He grumbled, his eyes turning towards the commotion at the Gryffindor table, and grew rather impatient on how they were acting.

"It's too early in the day to be frowning, Romulus," Imara said as she settled over the bench right beside Cara. Yet now the youngest of the birds had turned over to see what her brother was glaring at.

"It's not early, 'mara, it's lunch already. And your lions are being rather loud, what's got them so rowdy?" Her blush crept up and Romulus' only response was to pinch the brink of his nose.

"I can't speak for the both of them, but I can probably assume the ladder for one." She claim, coolly avoiding the conversation at hand nor admitting to anything.
"This is the reason I can't change my hair back!" Romulus hisses, planting his head down onto the table and groaning. "It better be worth it."

"Oh yeah?... Like I don't see you taking extra time out of your busy schedule to talk to little Loveg—" The defensive glare of Romulus Lestrange had set out, and Imara threw her hands up in a sense of a white flag.
"Don't snap if you can't take it back." She reminded, and Cara simply laughed at the analogy. Completely oblivious to what Imara was holding over Romulus' head.

Instead, her attention had turned to Harry as she smiled a greeting towards him, and this time he responded with his own!

"Stand back, I said! I'll take it upstairs if you don't settle!" Ron's voice had caused a disruption through hers and Harry's eye contact.

"Harry! Wherever did you get it!

"Can I have a go, Harry? After you of course—

The combination of Neville and Seamus had only confused Harry further as he approached, now with complete caution.

"Quiet! Let the man through...I—I didn't mean to open it Harry, it was badly wrapped and they made me do it!" Ron was standing with the support of a crutch as he pointed off to his twin brothers, both looking equally as guilty as the other.

"Did not!" They said, though Fred had snuck in a small wink as both Imara and Cara were giving them their full attention. Harry had the help of the entire table as they unwrapped the paper, only to uncover a firebolt in perfect condition.

"For me...? Who sent it?"

"No one knows," Ron said, as there clearly wasn't any label or address written anywhere on the wrapping. Hermione had smiled off towards Cara as she offered up a feather.

"This came with it." She claimed, and Harry took hold of the obvious Hippogriff feather and smirked down, how Sirius had managed to do this was beyond him. But he and the rest of the Gryffindor house couldn't possibly wait or hold themselves back as they all made their way towards the courtyard for Harry to test it.

Though Harry didn't do anything until he had given Cara the feather, perhaps he had felt guilty that Cara hadn't gotten anything from her uncle?

Whatever the purpose, Cara truly didn't need to see the firebolt in action. Not when she herself and the rest of her siblings have something similar.

However, there had been a small roll of parchment at the end of the feather. And as she unrolled it she smiled.

I, Sirius Black, give permission to one Harry James Potter to attend Hogsmead weekends.

"What is it?" Romulus questioned and she handed it off towards her brother and he nodded.
"Well, at least there's permission on this front. Better pick up a few extra practices now that Potter's going to be quicker than the wind."
"Oh please, a broom doesn't make the Quidditch player." Imara snickered alongside Romulus, and the three had nearly missed the warning of a screeching owl.

One that had dropped a package right before Cara, right in the chip bowl before the three Lestranges. Romulus had narrowed his eyes down to the bird that took to his side.

"Yes, he would spend the given galleons on pointless—" Romulus had been interrupted by Cara's squeal as she began to tear at the packaging.

Cara,

I want to thank you for being there last night, I've only seen you and your siblings from afar. Know that I am safe and secure with Buckbeak. I'm not sure when I can contact you the next time or if I plan to move locations, but I'll do my best to keep an updated.

I feel guilty to ask this of you, but Harry is in desperate need of allies—Allies like you and your siblings.

I'm unsure of how much you know or how much your mother has told you. But wait until the summer to share the truth about Wormtail, perhaps she will have more luck tracking him down than myself. As for now, it's better to keep low and I'm sure Rory has many contacts.

Know that I'm thinking of you, my sweet little Carebear.

And tell Rommy to stop worrying, he'll grow worts by the time he's my age.

Please give Ronan and Halsey my best.

And yes, I plan to take good care of this Hippogriff, though I do wish I listened in Care of Magical creatures more.

Please tell Ron that since his rat will be dead in the future, he can have the owl—He's missing a pet after all.

Take care of yourself darling and I hope to see you soon,

-Padfoot

Cara found herself nearly in tears over her uncle's thoughtful words, and while Imara had thought it was endearing—She was reminded that Sirius hadn't known she changed to her middle name. Nor did he mention Lorelei anywhere.

"We can't fault him, he's been off and away for so long."

"Just like we can't blame father for the same? Rather hypocritical, Romulus." Imara pointed out, still unnerved by her first name. Thankfully it was changed easily in the system, but Romulus was not about to take the blame.

"Oh really?...Funny how you acted the same way, Imara. I wasn't the only one. So who's being hypocritical now?" He said without hesitation and Imara gritted her teeth.

"Honestly, I think I reacted the worst...But the difference is that either father and Uncle were on different sides of the war. Regardless, they were both punished, though neither were really innocent—Not for the crime they were charged with at least."

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Date Posted: 09/18/2021

Time: 10:50

Words: 3324

Author's Note:

What is something you wished happened in the books that appeared in the movies?

For me, I really wished Peeves was featured, or that we could have met Tonk's mother, Andromeda.

Better yet, see more of Sirius' and Remus' struggle, especially further into the series. I always thought that was such an interesting dynamic that the movies almost forgot to portrayal them as depressed and battle-hungry to get their revenge.

Also! I started another story (I know, I should be focusing on one at a time but I can't help it). It's an Alphard Black fic that pairs with an OC Lestrange, sister to Rabastan and Rodolphous!

It's called 'Undoubtedly yours,' it's about twenty-two chapters in so far! I'd love it if you could check it out!

Alright, enough from me--Have a good weekend!