The Marauders Year Five Part 2 #Wattys2017

A Space Odyssey

A Space Odyssey

"They'll be alright, won't they?" Tina asked nervously, her palm pressed to the wide windows of the observation room in Newt Scamander's suitcase. Inside, Remus and Bradley were sitting on the floor. Bradley was playing a memory card game, flipping cards over and remembering where their matches were while Remus watched, his energy waning from the rise of the moon. His hands shook as he pulled his Gryffindor sweater tighter 'round himself.

Beside Tina, Newt nodded, "Yes, they should be just - just fine."

Tina tilted her head, "Even when they change? It's just that he's so tiny... our little pup..." she looked at Newt, her eyebrow gathered.

Newt nodded, "Yes, even then. The werewolf - rec-recognizes it's own kind. Responds to it's own kind."

"They fight though, werewolves," Tina said lowly, "They kill each other."

"When they're - they're older and territorial," Newt said. "Remus has no claim over this place and - and Bradley's too young to be territorial just yet."

Tina was hugging the little blue blanket they'd wrapped Bradley in the month before when he changed, little grey furs stuck all over the blanket. She looked at Newt. "You're sure? He won't be hurt?"

Newt nodded. "Abso-absolutely." And suddenly there came the sound of the moon calves singing from their sanctuary behind them and Tina steeled herself as Newt looked over his shoulder to see the calves come hopping over their rocky habitat home. He bit his lower lip, then looked back to the observation room. "It's - it's time," he said apologetically.

Tina nodded.

In the room, on the floor, the memory cards were scattered as they fell from Bradley's palm... his back arching, great tufts of hair poking out from his skin as he bent forward, his little button nose elongating... Remus stared up at him, his own change taking over him, "Don't be scared," he said, "It'll be over soo--"

But the last word was lost in a long howl as he lost himself to the wolf within himself. Bradley looked at him with wide eyes and an itty bitty howl burst out of him.

Tina's hand clutched Newt's as they watched.

"Lillith Barbara Evans!" Sirius called, "There will be absolutely no peeking. No peeking of any kind. You're not peeking are you?"

It was an hour after the fireworks in the woods, and they'd run back through the trees to the Shack. They'd discussed it earlier that day and decided that spending the whole night in the woods would be stupid - especially now that Lily Evans was coming - for both the fear of the Dementors attacking them like last time and also because of the cold and the overcast look the sky had had all day. Sure enough, it had begun snowing a little bit by the time they arrived back to the Shack and Lily was shivery and cold. James had given her his extra jumper and she'd pulled it 'round herself, despite having her own extra jumpers in her bag, because his was warm and smelled like him and, as much as she hated to admit it, the smell of James Potter was rather wonderful. Plus the jumper was worn in and soft and big enough that it hung past her thighs and over her hands.

Now the boys were leading her to what they were heralding as a huge surprise.

"It's Lily. Not short for anything. And my middle name is Jane. And I'm not peeking!" Lily said, stumbling on the carpet in the upstairs hallway of the Shrieking Shack. "I don't even know how I would peek with you covering my eyes like this!" Sirius snickered, his hands clapped over Lily's eyes as he duck-walked behind her along the carpet, grinning like a buffoon.