❁ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀᴄᴜᴘ - ʀ.ᴊ.ʟ❁

ᴇᴘɪʟᴏɢᴜᴇ

Entering the kitchen, there was a generous number of red heads and younger witches and wizards, the number multiplying outside too all here for the party the Potter-Blacks were hosting. Scarlette redirected her goddaughter in the gaze from the giggly witch and her politely smiling dad, to her boyfriend when he excused himself from Ron and Hermione, eyeing her empty hands and questioning confusedly,

"Where's your chocolate?"

Maple grumbled loudly, beginning to melt onto the floor to starfish out again when Harry scooped her back up, shaking his head fondly and pressing a chaste kiss to her cheek instead. He sways them gently with his arms around her waist, inhaling chocolate, toasted marshmallows and violets that seems to linger on her glowing skin naturally, Scarlette glancing around then inquiring,

"Have you seen my children?"

"You only have one child— oh you mean Uncle Padfoot too? I think he's with my dads in the garden, I have no idea where Lynx is, though I do have a guess" Harry replies, remembering the wagers he and his Maple were making the previous night together. Not many will bet against her because of how intuitive she is, so he does happily, to make her happy.

Scarlette nodded her head, shooting a warning glance towards Remus when he helplessly looked over, before making her way outside, leaving Harry and Maple alone. The bespectacled boy's lip tugged upwards into a smirk, sliding his palms into the back pockets of her jeans and squeezing, eyes heavy with love when an airy laugh escaped her, pressing a friendly kiss to his jaw.

"Harry James Potter-Black, get your hands off my daughter's arse!"

They both flinch, like the rest of the gathered group in the kitchen from the volume level of Remus' shouts, not sparing a dumbfounded Tonks another look before charging over towards the young couple, heart strings tugging in his chest protectively, banding his arms around his cub's into him instead, a glare fixated on Harry.

The Slytherin boy merely winked at the sandy and silver haired wizard, nodding towards his girlfriend slyly, "There you go, my love. He's free"

"Right! Yes, that's why I love you!" Maple grins, understanding what he'd done to allow her to spin around in her dad's hold, smile up at him sweetly with fluttering eyelids, asking, "Please may I have some of your chocolate, dad?"

Remus wrinkles his nose up at how easy it is for her to persuade him to give him something, it seemed to be weakness for him with his cubs. He nodded his head, fighting back his loving smile when she cheered and nuzzled her head against his, kissing his nose when he handed her his chocolate bar.

He's actually rather pleased if he admitted it truthfully, now he's out of that sticky situation Tonks had cornered him with, asking if he's free on Friday to go out for drinks. She was pretty, kind and confident, but the wrong Hufflepuff for him.

"Dad? When does mum get here?"

Blinking rapidly, he looks to his fourteen year old son, Teddy Remus Lupin, Maple listening when he glances towards the magical clock ticking on the wall, about to answer when his heart beat trips over itself and his skin tingles with magic. A magic that only his Willow Lupin can make him feel.

"Now" He breathes dreamily, fixating his gaze on his veela when she enters the house slowly, still sparkling with the youth their children were now glowing radiantly with. In front of her, she guides their youngest daughter through the crowds, the baby niffler they had gone to pick up today peeping it's head out of the front pocket of her little overalls, ready to make some mischief with her.

Luck.

Remus would definitely say they had more than a little bit of luck on their side, they've faced death one too many times, managing to dodge green curses only when they have one another's backs. Luck when they managed to destroy all horcruxes and traces of Voldemort with his remaining death eaters locked up securely in Azkaban. Luck when they managed to complete their family of five when they'd welcomed Lennox Ayla Lupin, sassy and mischievous, four years ago after a few tough years of trying and longing for a third cub.