LUNAR (A Harry Potter Universe Fanfiction)

Forty Two. Flower Moon.

"Are you going to see Marlowe tonight?" Amelia asked. They were walking to charms after lunch, and it was just the two of them, which was rare. Amelia had pulled back from being close with Miriam, but hadn't necessarily stopped spending time with her, especially when Lila and Sophie were around. The four of them had always traveled around school in a pack.

"Yeah," said Caiti. "Last time before summer."

"Wow," breathed Amelia. "It just keeps hitting me that it's that close. I keep forgetting."

"I know," said Caiti. She was still torn between feeling relieved it was almost over and feeling like she could cry at any minute just thinking about it not coming back next fall. Every time she thought about it she got a little wobbly and simultaneously excited. It was a very strange way to be feeling all the time.

"Is your research stuff going to be like... your whole job?" Amelia asked. "Or are you going to work, too?"

"I don't know," Caiti said. "I guess for now that's it, but I'll probably have to get a job at some point. The grant isn't for me to live off of."

"You know, I was thinking you should look into mandrakes," said Amelia. "I was studying the other day and I was just thinking how the mandrake restorative draught is always described like... 'restores petrified people to their original state' and I just thought... original state. That's like what Caiti's trying to do."

This comment blew Caiti away for several reasons. First, because she had never discussed her research in any great depth with Amelia and she seemed to have really listened to her presentation when she'd practiced in front of the school. Second, because this suggestion was actually very smart.

Caiti hadn't forgotten about mandrakes exactly. They'd made their way onto a list of potential ingredients at some point, but she'd never really considered them because they seemed to have such a specific use. She didn't know of a single potion they were used in other than the mandrake restorative draught.

"Yeah," Caiti said softly. "I'll think about that."

—-

As soon as Caiti arrived, Marlowe heaved himself up off the couch and kissed her. Caiti looked a little startled, though not displeased. "Hi," she laughed, and she held out his potion to him.

"Had to get one in before I've got the taste of this concoction in my mouth," said Marlowe, already wrinkling his nose. He braced himself, drank the potion in one go, as always, and then reached immediately for his water.

"Do me a favor," he said, "and try and do something about the taste in your improvements."

Caiti laughed again. "I'll do my best," she said. "But I'm not making any promises."

Marlowe sank back onto the couch and Cait sat beside him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her face into the crook of his neck. Marlowe worked his arm around her waist and pulled her in close.

"I'm so ready for you to be home," he said. Her hair smelled sweet and her eyelashes tickled his skin and he could almost forget how achey he felt with her so close.

Caiti lifted her head and looked at him. "Three weeks," she said, like she couldn't quite believe it.

"Three weeks," Marlowe agreed, smile growing. "Are you ready for N.E.W.T.s?"

"No," said Caiti. "I feel like I didn't learn anything all year. I've been a little wrapped up in everything else."

"You'll do fine," Marlowe said. "I made out okay and I missed a whole month of school."