Bill sent Aberforth a Patronus to let him know that Adeline and Dobby were safe at Shell Cottage with him and Fleur. The pair planned on returning to Hog's Head at the end of Easter Break so they could be there for the Hogwarts students once more.
On their last day before leaving, Shell Cottage received an extra guest.
"Harry?" Remus Lupin called out as he walked up the beach. "Bill told the Order you were here!"
"Professor Lupin?" Harry responded as he exited the house.
"Harry! I have great news!" Remus beamed as he ran up to approach him.
"What did we get in an argument about two years ago?" Harry asked as he pulled out his wand.
"When the fuck did we get in an argument?" Remus asked genuinely confused.
"More of a tiff really." Harry conceded while keeping his wand pointed at Remus, "I was probably more angry than you."
"Oh, Adeline's birthday?" Remus suddenly remembered.
"Yes. You were being very annoying about that,"Harry said as he put the wand away, "Now what's the news?"
"I'm the proud father of a beautiful baby boy."
"No way!" Harry smiled as he wrapped his arms around him.
"Tonks gave birth two weeks ago. They're both doing great."
"What's his name?" Harry asked as he stepped back from the hug.
"Edward Remus Lupin after Tonks's father. We plan on just calling him Teddy."
"I can't believe you're a father." Harry said still smiling.
"I can't either. He's the most perfect thing I laid my eyes on. And the full Moon happened last week and he exhibited no werewolf traits."
"That's amazing! Is he a metamorphmagus like Tonks?"
"We're not sure if he'll be a full one yet, but his hair is changing color every minute."
"Taking after his mother then."
"Wouldn't want it any other way." Remus replied genuinely.
"You have to tell Adeline, she'll be ecstatic."
"I want to, but I can't risk her safety going to Hog's Head. If something were to happen..."
"Remus she's here." Harry interjected bluntly.
"What?" Remus' smile faltered.
"She's up in the cottage. Taking a nap." Harry said as if he was telling him the weather.
"You're joking." Remus couldn't believe it.
"I'm not." Harry replied in earnest.
Remus didn't say anything else to Harry, just ran past him up into the cottage. He entered through the door and looked around. He turned to Bill who sat at their kitchen island,"Where's Addy's room?"
"Second on the right." Bill replied without looking up from the book he'd been reading.
Remus ran down the hallway and swung the door open. There Adeline laid sprawled out on a cot, napping peacefully. Remus took in the state of her, he could tell she was thinner, having lost the weight she put back on after Azkaban. And even though she was sleeping, she still had dark circles under her eyes.
Yet Remus found her to be the most beautiful thing he'd ever laid eyes on. He bent down next to her and lightly shook her awake.
Adeline groaned and tried to roll over, but Remus caught her arm, "Wake up Addy."
Adeline would recognize that voice anywhere. Her eyes shot open and she stared at the man in front of her. "I'm still dreaming."
Remus reached out and pinched her arm. Adeline screamed and went to hold the spot he pinched, "You dick! I didn't ask you to do that."
"I did it anyways." Remus couldn't contain his smile that formed from seeing his love again.
"What are you doing here?" Adeline asked as she sat up on her cot and gave him room to sit in front of her.
"I came to deliver some happy news." Remus could barely sit still on the cot.
"Happy news? We don't get too much of that anymore."
"No we don't." Remus agreed then took a deep breath, "I'm a father Addy."
"Boy or girl?" Adeline replied as a smile broke out on her face.
"Boy. A beautiful, beautiful boy."
Adeline reached for him as he pulled her in for a hug. With her arms still around him, Adeline asked, "What's his name?"
"Edward Remus Lupin. Teddy for short."
"I'm surprised Tonks didn't use her own last name." Adeline teased as she pulled away from the hug and Remus' hand rested on her knee.
"I was shocked too. But I think it's just because it would be confusing to have two Tonks."
"True I'd for one get confused."
"That's because you're terrible with names." Remus said as he began to rub his thumb in circular motions on Adeline's knee.
"Says who?"
"Addy, you know you're absolute shite when it comes to remembering names."
"Yeah I know." Adeline admitted.
"Also, why are you here? And why didn't you tell me?"
"There's not an Order code name for me. We have our own Hogwarts ones but not an official Order one. So there was no safe way to tell you that I was here."
"And as to why you're here?"
Adeline's face went red, "I was apart of a rescue mission."
"You? You, Adeline Presley Wilson, were apart of a rescue mission?" Remus couldn't contain his disbelief.
"Yes sir." Adeline beamed, "And a successful one at that."
"That's great!" Remus reached up and rested his hands on her jaw so he could talk directly to her. "I'm so bloody proud of you."
"It's not all good news though." Adeline said seriously as she stared into his eyes.
"What is it?" Remus' hands loosened their grip on her face as his face fell.
"Peter... Peter is gone." Adeline said softly.
Remus hands dropped to his side as he looked away from Adeline. "Oh."
"He did the right thing in the end. He has a metal hand, must've been enchanted by You Know Who. It began to strangle Harry, but he turned it on himself to let Harry live."
"He sacrificed himself for Harry?" Remus looked back up at her hopeful. Remus wanted nothing more than for his old friend to have some redemption.
"He did." Adeline confirmed.
"He died by his own hand." Remus realized as he felt a complex range of emotions. "Was it painful?"
"Well there was no way to get the hand off of him. When he first was strangling Harry I tried. I yanked at it and I punched him over and over again." Adeline said emotionless as she looked at her perfectly healed fist, free from the bruises and the blood that once painted it.
"That's a terrible way to go." Remus replied somberly.
"I didn't finish." Adeline said not looking Remus in the eye, "The hand couldn't be removed, but I-... I couldn't let him die that way, Remus." Adeline's voice cracked, "I wanted to. I wanted him to feel all the pain he deserved, but I just- I couldn't." Adeline was sobbing at this point as Remus stared at her in shock.
"You killed him?" He asked softly.
Adeline could only nod through her tears. She choked out, "Don't hate me Remus."
"Was it the Killing Curse?" He asked her.
Adeline nodded once more as she stared at the floor through her blurred vision.
Remus moved closer to her on the cot and pulled her into his lap so her back was to his front then held her tight, "I could never hate you Adeline. Thank you. I wouldn't want-," Remus' own voice cracked as he began to cry as well, "I wouldn't want him to suffer."
Adeline cried harder as she heard that Remus didn't resent her for her decision. "I can't forget the look on his face. All I could think about was the time he took the fall for a prank you pulled on me in fifth grade. I screamed at him and he had the exact same terrified yet accepting look. I've wanted to kill Peter Pettigrew since Halloween 1981. But I never wanted to kill Wormtail."
Remus sniffed as he let his head rest on her shoulder, "Did I ever tell you why we call him Wormtail?"
"If you did I don't remember." Adeline replied honestly.
"Terrible with names as always," Remus said lightly as he continued on with the story, "So when they first transformed in their Animagus form, Peter was obviously a rat, but those dumbasses didn't think to have a mirror or anything, so there was no way for the person who transformed to know exactly what they were. Poor Peter spotted his tail before checking his paws or body. He absolutely started bugging out because he thought he was a worm. He was freaking out so much that he forgot how to transform back into human and James had to cast the reversal spell on him. In human form he just started flipping out about being a worm and Sirius calmed him down by saying it was just a worm tail. The name stuck from there."
Adeline laughed softly at the story, "Poor Peter."
"Poor Peter." Remus agreed.
"Do you ever wonder why he did it?" Adeline asked cautiously.
"Everyday." Remus answered, "I know you've said you've forgiven me, but Addy again I am so sorry I believed it was you. A day doesn't go by where I don't kick myself over it."
"Remus, I know I make little jabs about it, but I truly do forgive you."
"You've always forgiven too easily, love."
Adeline shook her head in return, "Remus, if Dumbledore thought I was innocent, would you have too?"
Remus took a moment to think about his answer. While the question had been on Adeline's mind for awhile, Remus had never thought of it that way.
"I see why you hate him." Remus answered finally.
"No person should have such influence over another's opinions."
"No they shouldn't." Remus agreed. "He- he definitely had me in the palm of his hand."
"I know he did. He still would if he were alive."
"I'm sorry I let him manipulate me like that."
"It's not your fault. You know, sometimes I wonder if he knew Peter was traitor."
"I really don't think he did."
"I don't necessarily either. But there's still a small part of me that thinks he wanted Harry to suffer at the Dursley's. Sirius and I would've given him a good childhood, he would've grown up loved. But by suffering with his aunt and uncle his whole life, it was easier to manipulate him just like he did you."
"Fuck." Remus said as he thought her theory over, "I can't wait for this goddamn war to be over. Our whole lives have been trying to figure out who to trust and whose manipulating who and I just want a normal ass life."
Adeline gave a wry laugh, "Well I want a house. A real house. I had the one near the Dursley's but I didn't even like it, it was just the only one for sale. I just want to buy a house and decorate it and for Merlin's sake I want a garden. I haven't gotten to garden in so long and I miss it."
"I want to go to a restaurant." Remus confessed, "Or a park. I'm always on lockdown at some house. I just want my freedom back to go and do whatever I please whenever I please."
"I lost my twenties. I never got to do the fun parts of leaving Hogwarts and finding myself. I want to do that. I want to be messy and not have responsibilities."
"I want to go to Paris with you."
"Let's go to Paris." Adeline turned around in Remus lap so she was facing him and her legs were wrapped around his waist.
"After the War." Remus nodded as his eyes flickered down to her lips.
"After the War." Adeline agreed with a half smile. "I'm leaving tomorrow to go back to Hog's Head."
"I'm leaving tonight to go back to the Tonks." Remus replied disappointed.
"Think we'll see each other again anytime soon?" Adeline asked sadly as her own eyes kept glancing down to Remus' lips.
"Merlin I hope so." Remus took a deep breath, "But we probably won't. I have a kid to take care of now."
"I have like forty." Adeline replied with a small laugh.
"They need you. I'm sure they do. I mean I know I do."
"You're going to be a great father Remus. Even if he's a werewolf."
"He isn't. At least we don't think so yet."
"Even if he were, he would be so loved and he would be the furthest thing from a monster."
"I love you Addy. I love you so bloody much."
"I love you too Remus." Adeline reached up and held onto his face, "Every part of you. Even the parts that are so fucking annoying I want to beat you."
"Like what?" Remus asked softly, still mesmerized by how close she was to him.
"You're pretty whiney sometimes." Adeline teased.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Well you swear way too much."
"Do not."
"Yes you fucking do." Remus said with a laugh, "You also have this habit of making it impossible for me to take my eyes off of you anytime we're in a room together. Pretty annoying."
"Oh really?"
"Yes really." Remus took a moment to stare at the girl in front of him, "Addy can we try this again. For real. Not this limbo we're stuck in right now. I want you. All of you. I want to cook and bake with you everyday. I want to tell you about the books I read even if you find it boring and geeky. I want to sit and just watch you brew potions. I want it all. I want to kiss you whenever the fuck I feel like it and I want you to be in Teddy's life. Adeline Presley Wilson I want to get back together with you. And I know that you're scared about the War-,."
"-Okay." Adeline answered quietly.
Remus stared at her for a moment. "Okay?" he asked shocked at her answer.
"Remus you are the only person I've ever wanted. And I don't think I'll ever want someone else."
"I-I really wasn't expecting that answer." Remus said as a smile broke out on his face.
"Will you just fucking kiss me Lupin?" Adeline said with a laugh.
Remus didn't have to reply. He immediately closed the small gap between them. Even after eighteen years they still fit together perfectly. Adeline's hand found its place in his hair as Remus' pulled her by the waist to be even closer.
Remus quickly pulled back, "So you're my girlfriend again eh?"
"Yes Remus now shut the fuck up." Adeline went back in for a kiss as Remus stopped her.
"A little desperate baby."
"We don't have much time together baby, so excuse me if I want to make out with my boyfriend."
"So you just want me for my body not my enlightening conversation!"
"Oh absolutely."
"And you call me the whore."
"Mhm, the fact that you're one of three people I've had sex with makes me the whore."
"Mmkay you're annoying me now so kiss me again."
"I'm annoying you? Woww-," Adeline was cut off by Remus kissing her once more.
It felt right. That night Adeline and Remus parted once more, but this time with an even greater determination to get back to each other.
//an
i started this chapter last night and just now finished it. i mentioned before i'm with my sister this week so my typical writing schedule got messed up. usually i write at night but now i have my afternoon's free instead.
they be back together officially teehee
title description: one of my all time favorite songs, and it fits them perfectly. they bicker and have fights but at the end of the day they are in love and have that passion for each other.
luv ya <3