17 years later....
𝕾carlette raised her head when she heard a sigh and a body collapsed down on the carpeted rug in front of her, nostalgic warmth blooming in her chest when she spied the spindly limbs stretching out like a starfish on the floor.
Bringing her cup of tea up to her lips, she smirked behind the delicate rim, chocolate eyes twinkling, not taking her eyes off the Hufflepuff for a second, patiently waiting for her to explain what had compelled her to feel she needed to exaggeratedly dramatic. Patience wasn't a gift given to Scarlette freely, she'd learned it toughly and overtime through a friend. A sister.
"There's a pink haired witch flirting with my dad in the kitchen"
Maple wrinkled her nose up, suppressing a shudder at the scene she had just awkwardly walked in on when all she wanted was to ask her dad for some chocolate.
There was chocolate in the cupboard, and Harry had some too up in his bedroom, but that lacks the sunny feeling in her belly when her dad personally hands her his chocolate himself. It's probably stupid and foolish but it was very much true. She didn't get to ask, inspecting the scene quickly and fleeing to find her godmother instead.
"I believe that would be Nymphadora Tonks, metamorphmagus, Sirius and Regulus' cousin once removed. I'm probably related somehow too as will Harry, most purebloods are at some stage" Scarlette informed the veela mirthfully, studying the horror that widened her eyes when she bolted upwards, whipping her head around to the door of the kitchen, spluttering,
"She can't be more than — what twenty six?! No, hang on, she's twenty five, I feel it in my bones"
Scarlette nodded her head gently, heart swelling at the intuitiveness Maple seemed to have inherited from her mum — Maple's Mystic Makutu, they'd labelled it officially. And she was most certainly correct, Tonks was twenty five, just seven years older than Maple herself and thirteen years younger than the Marauder group themselves.
Maple returned her focus back on the brunette slytherin, eyebrows furrowing together until Scarlette reached out to smooth the pad of her thumb between them, insisting calmly, "Don't frown Mae baby, you'll get creases"
"How are you relaxed about this, Scar? She's flirting with him — my dad" Maple murmurs, not understanding this. From all she's heard and witnessed, Scarlette's the first to come to her mum's defended honour, fight for her, majority of her initial greetings over the years of their youth being, 'Alright, who hurt my badger?'. Now, she seems calm, relaxed and unbothered by what was happening in the kitchen.
"Oh trust me, ma petite feuille. Trust me" She hums, brushing her lips over the being's forehead, Maple melting into the affection, now settled on the floor between her legs, blinking wordlessly at her until she helps her up, declaring, "Let's go and get you, your chocolate"
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.
"Daddy's there, tiny cub"
Happily, Remus kneels down on the floor, ignoring the pops and cracks of his joints when the tiny veela rushed towards him with a smile that could make the devil beg for mercy, flinging herself onto her dad with a giggle. He nuzzles her head and kisses her button nose, listening when she gasps,
"Daddy, I got him, I got him, see. Puffles Niffleton Bellamy-Lupin!" Lennox manages to fumble out, pointing proudly to the niffler sniffing out of her pocket with his platypus beak, looking for something shiny to burrow. Remus quirks an eyebrow, arm banded around her as he looks up, repeating mirthfully,
"Puffles Niffleton Bellamy-Lupin?"
My cheeks warmed and my heart burned, shrugging my shoulders with a coy smile, swaying on my feet. Both Maple and Teddy chuckled at their little sister, joining their dad to kneel down and welcome the new addition to the family, the furry inky and white niffler contentedly purring whilst being handled carefully.
"She insisted on the Bellamy, I know It's not Coffee Cotton but it's certainly something" I claimed softly when Remus stood up, leaving the three and Harry to fondle the niffler, winding his arms around my waist to kiss my nose and lips, murmuring against them, "Yeah, Puffles Niffleton is much better than Coffee Cotton"
"Don't abandon our fantasy at fifteen, Re, the name was good in its prime" I declared, pressing my cheek against his chest, feeling the waves of his chuckle vibrate from my head to toe, planting a kiss in my hair as we watched the children and teenagers on the floor fondly.
Lynx Sirius Black, the carbon copy of his dad, kneeled besides Teddy, a smirk twisting on his lips, nudging the Hufflepuff boy with a tease, "Oh, Niffly, look it's you"
Teddy scoffed with a scrunched up face, deeply appreciating the reminder he was named after the late infamous, niffler of his grandfather, mum and dad's to an extent. He nudged Lynx back playfully, keeping his honey eyes away from the silvered ones of his when he mutters, "Alright, Kitty, you can't say much"
Unbeknownst to each other, both boys had a light tint of pink to their cheeks and twitching lips.
"Bloody Blacks" Remus grunted irritably, scowling as Sirius headed in their direction with James, Regulus and Scarlette to see if Lennox had indeed picked up the niffler she'd been begging and persuading them for, for months having taken a trip with Newt down his suitcase.
"What have I done to you, Moony? You're the one that's been flirting with my cousin" Sirius barks out, my head raising up from his chest slowly with a raised eyebrow, his throat bobbing when he gulped, sending Sirius a deathly look.
Scarlette elbowed her husband harshly, tangling her hands in her son's hair absentmindedly as she defends, "Oh Wills, don't worry, it was one sided flirting on her half. He's much too enamoured with you to even really look at another girl"
"He really attracts the fluffy puffs, huh?" James jokes, pouting towards his husband when he'd swiftly snatched the golden snitch he and their daughter, Mia Willoette Potter-Black were competing for.
Both Potter-Black children played seeker for their house teams at Hogwarts, going against each other with James cheering on Mia for Gryffindor and Regulus cheering on Harry for Slytherin. Quidditch was big in the Potter-Black manor — debates and affairs often being having to be sorted on their personal quidditch pitch.
Remus presses a doting kiss to her mouth, still feeling the same kaleidoscope of butterflies and swell in his heart from those lemon and chocolate tasting lips — a taste of heaven. He gazes deeply into those different coloured eyes of hers, forever deciding the chocolate one his favourite, like everyone in the family they started and finished together — the Lupins forever.
"She only asked if I wanted to go to the Leaky Cauldron on Friday night, I was hardly going to say yes"
"But Friday night is 'Mummy, Daddy and Tiny Cub' night" Lennox huffs, now standing at their feet, glaring around to try and find the person trying to take her dad away, until she was lifted up off the floor and rested comfortably onto his hip, distracting her by peppering kisses all over her face.
I smiled lovingly, reaching to twirl her wavy pearly hair between my fingers, ensuring over her giggles, "Don't worry Lex, every Friday is still 'Mummy, Daddy and Tiny Cub night', always will be"
"How about 'Mummy, Daddy and Middle Cub Teddy Thursday?'
"Or 'Mummy, Daddy and Biggest Cub Maple Monday'"
"No, Monday's my day" Scarlette insists, shooting an apologetic towards Maple who leaned backwards into Harry's chest, tilting her head when he cranes around to kiss her neck, Lynx staring intently at Teddy now holding Puffles in his grip, chuckling tenderly when the Hufflepuff boy mumbles to the furry being,
"I hope Angel doesn't eat you, you know how to run from cats, don't you?"
Sirius snuck around the two eldest beings, hanging their arms around the both of them after booping Lennox's nose, saying amusedly, "Isn't it funny how we've managed to pair up two of the three Lupins with our little Marauder group. Too bad Mia's too old for Lex"
"Get away, Padfoot"
"Yes, Moony" Sirius salutes, backing away with a snicker and padding back over to his wife and James, grinning widely at the way his son looks towards Teddy. He'll be sure to teach him some flirting tips later, he's a charming Black with both his and Scarlette's looks after all — and it's quite obvious that Teddy is just as smitten, often sneaking glances over his books and whatnot.
It's truly laughable considering everyone used to joke about an alternate universe Sirius and Remus ended up together and Lynx and Teddy are just younger versions of them.
James mischievously nudges Sirius with a small prank idea in his mind, drifting his eyes from the Lupin family now being reeled in by Remus, nodding over to Harry sipping his chocolate milk, quizzing loudly,
"So, dear son did you manage to find the ring for Maple-leaf?"
Remus expression hardened, passing Lennox into my capable arms after hearing James' comment, Harry choking on his drink and trying to back away, Remus gripping on to Maple tightly as he orders, "You are not to give my daughter a ring at all until she's —- thirty eight!"
"You asked mum to marry you when she was seventeen, married by eighten and pregnant with me at nineteen" Maple reminded nonchalantly, absolutely knowing she was in no way ready for any of that, especially with having lived with a baby and toddler Lennox for the past couple of years. She'd happily stay a Lupin for a long time.
Harry looked towards his dad helplessly, Mia sniggering and giving him a high five, Regulus rolling his eyes and swatting the back of his head much to Remus' delight. Sirius laughed heartily, kissing Scarlette's temple lovingly and suggesting, "Why don't we go outside? It's getting crowded in here"
The teenagers eagerly took away Lennox and Puffles with them outdoors, re grouping with their friends from Hogwarts. Marlene, Dorcas, Mary and Lily went over to see the furry creature for themselves, remembering the chaos and mischief Teddy used to get up to when he'd managed to sneak on to the train and got to stay for the year.
We walked outside into the sunshine, Mia's flowers and rose bushes as fresh and lively as always, the way she always kept them despite James and Monty's habit of wrecking thins. Remus' hand found mine, twining our fingers together and swinging them slowly, our gazes locked on our three babies, happy, healthy and full of life and love.
Remus sighs, dipping his head to examine the way the sun kisses his Willow's skin the way it did when they were just teenagers in love, pearly locks braided into french plaits and secured with ribbon bows. Yellow. Their yellow that's still as comforting and soothing around their Moontree cottage, never fading or losing its joy. He likes to think it's because she's around, yellow is always there when she's around.
Her hands glide upwards from his to his forearms underneath the sleeves of his sweater, ghosting over the buttercups on his arms, laughing softly when he desperately leans his forehead against hers, glad. Glad that she's by his side, glad that as beings they stick together, glad that he'd accidentally bumped into her and knocked her over on the train that day for their fate to destine. Just glad.
"Oh, Re, I wish we could stay forever" I murmured, smoothing my thumbs against his forearm, blinking bashfully with a thumping heart when he lets out a sort of giggled hum, pushing us impossibly closer, returning boyishly, "Then let's stay as long as we want"
"I hardly think we can stay here forever" I whispered, lips parted as he covered them warmly with his, nudging our noses together affectionately. For knowing what his next words were going to be, I didn't need my Weird Witchcraft or spooky intuition, because this was ours, ours for as long as we're being. Remus and Willow. Willow and Remus.
He breathes her sunshine in, those lemons, jasmines and chocolate that linger around her, mixed with the hints of each of their cubs individually. Beyond perfect. Indescribably beautiful. He didn't need to ask the question anymore, how she could be indescribably beautiful — it was just because it's her, in and out, thorough. She's Willow.
With the laughter and chatter of our family ringing melodically in our eyes, he flickers his amber eyes between both of mine, keeping our noses grazing and our foreheads connected he finally whispers those sacred words,
"If you want forever, darling, i'll give you forever"
Helga, it feels just as real as it did all those years ago in the greenhouses, both smitten and very much ready to lean out for the love we sensed within the magic of one another. Goosebumps rise on my skin, closing my eyes blissfully by being in his capable, protective arms, "Okay. Forever it is, my Casanova"
"Forever it is...." He begins, holding on for just a moment so both of their cheeks ache from their toothy smiles, aware of their tiny cub running their way clumsily, his heart finding a peaceful rhythm with hers as he lays one more kiss to her nose in their language of love, finishing just audibly for her to hear,
"My Buttercup"
❀The End❀
•2966 words•
Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god — I HAVE NOT JUST ENDED THIS BOOK!
To tell you I feel physically sick that i've just written the epilogue for this is an understatement. Character Aesthetics for the next generation Marauder group will be up shortly!
Willow and Remus just hold this place in my heart that i'll never be able to replace, along with their story. I really hope you have enjoyed reading this story as much as I have writing it, and I want to say a massive thank you for those that have followed me from the beginning or caught up at whatever chapter I was up to — or if you're reading it now completed!
I would not be able to complete and finish books like this without all of you kind support! It means the absolute world to me, I hope you know just how much!
I'll definitely be coming back to write One Shots for this — I don't think i'll be able to stay away, I love it far too much <333
Thank you once again, I love you all endlessy💛🌼🌙