✓ | Constellations; Fred Weasley [Book One]

Chapter 12

"Would you like some chocolate?" Venus nodded and as Lupin opened his drawers to take out some Chocolate Frogs for the both of them, the girl noticed that he had a rather big collection of chocolate.

"It's actually about my parents." Lupin froze when he heard Venus' words. He did not know that she was aware of who her parents were. After all, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall had agreed that by keeping that part of her life away from her knowledge, they would be keeping her safe. He should have known that Venus would have found out sooner or later. She was indeed the daughter of Sirius Black and Rose Potter but Professor Lupin stayed silent.

"You told Harry that you knew uncle James and my father. Then you must have known my mother too, and Peter Pettigrew," the girl said softly. Through Lupin's reaction to her words, it was clear that the man did not want to have this conversation. They were his friends and they are dead, apart from Sirius Black, who turned out to be a traitor. She knew that the subject was a touchy subject for him and yet, she wanted the answers to her questions so much that she was not ready to take no for an answer.

"Can you tell me more about them please? I need to know. I spent twelve years of my life oblivious to my parentage. Now that I finally find out, I'm told that my father is a mass murderer and a traitor and because of him, I lost my mother and Harry lost his parents."

"Take a seat Venus. Our story goes way back, when James, Rose, Sirius, Peter and I were only first years," a small smile had found its way onto Lupin's face as he talked about his best friends. "James, Rose and Sirius first met on the train and instantly clicked, as did Peter and I. The boys and I shared a dorm. That was basically how we became good friends overnight. Sirius was the first of his family to have been sorted in Gryffindor and Rose was the first of hers to have been sorted in Slytherin. Both Sirius and James loathed Slytherins, but of course, that did not apply to the older Potter twin. I still remember the way Rose ran over to the Gryffindor table on the very next day, crying because she had thought that everyone was going to hate her for being in Slytherin. As soon as she was reassured, she looked over to me and said 'whoah that's one cool scar'." Lupin chuckled at the memories before continuing.

"The five of us were almost always seen together, whether we were pranking others or simply hanging out. James fell in love with Lily in second year and pestered her until she finally agreed to go on a date with him in seventh year. Rose fell for Sirius in sixth year. It was really funny when she realised it. She came straight to me, the only one of the marauders who had never had any sort of romantic interaction, as if I'd be able to help sort out her feelings. Your father was already in love with her since fifth year. He too had come to me for advice," Lupin laughed, seemingly not having noticed his slip up. Venus, however, had been listening to him very attentively and had not missed a word of what he had said.

"Marauder?" She asked, "you were the Marauders? Blimey! You lot made the Marauder's Map! Merlin's beard. How did I not realise? You're Moony!" Professor Lupin was even more surprised.

"How do you know about the map?" He narrowed his eyes at her, but the small smile on his lips gave him away.

"We nicked it off Filch in our first year," Venus said straightforwardly. She was actually quite proud of that.

"I wouldn't have expected any less of you," the man chuckled, "how are you so sure that I am Moony, though?" He rose an eyebrow at her. He knew she was smart and would actually be surprised if she had not caught onto his condition earlier.

"You're a werewolf," she stated as if it was the most obvious fact in the world, "I've known for a while, if that's what you're wondering. Since Halloween, more precisely."

Professor Lupin and Venus talked for hours on end, both of them forgetting about the time. Lupin told her about the pranks they pulled off and Venus told him about the ones the twins and her did. The version of Sirius Black that Lupin remembered was a loyal, caring, loving, friendly and funny one, which was quite different from the man he seemed to have become now. It was already dark when the two realised the time. Dinner was about to start in the Great Hall.

"Professor, can I call you uncle Remus?" The question seemed to have slipped without Venus even thinking about it. It had caught Lupin off guard.

"Of course," the man smiled at her, his eyes slightly teary.

"I have a last question," the girl stated. When Remus nodded for her to go on, she continued, "Were you all or any of you Animagis?"

Remus froze. His face clearly showed his shock but most importantly, he was curious as to why the young girl might need that information.

"Why would you need to know that?"

"Oh nothing. Just the nicknames Prongs, Wormtail and Padfoot relate to animals. I supposed they were Animagis."

"It could be their Patronuses as well," the man cocked an eyebrow at her. Of course the girl had thought of that. While making the replica, the twins and she decided the nicknames based on their Patronuses. The twins' Patronuses being Magpie birds, went for Talons and Winged and Venus' Patronus being a fox went for Vixen, while Lee went for Plumes with his Patronus being a parrot. Venus thought it quite suited him. 

"Your face betrays you, uncle Remus," Venus gave him a triumphant smile before making her way to the Great Hall.