Silvia and the Rising Moon [EDITING]

Potters in America

Great Auntie Donora Potter had made her wealth as an auror in the United States. She owned a large beach house, made even larger by expansion charms. It resigned on the Georgia shore, on a strip of land made invisible to muggles. The sands were white. Purple and orange shreds of light filled the house as the sun rose.
Today was the day.
Donora Potter, a classic closeted lesbian, extended her home every summer to her only surviving nephew, Fleamont Potter, as well as his wife, Euphemia, and their son, James. James wouldn't know this fact about her lifestyle until years after her death.
The Potters were reaching their sixties when James left for Hogwarts. They were thrilled to hear that their son had become friends with Remus, the son of their longtime friend, Lyall Lupin.
It was for that reason that they decided to bring the Lupin family along for their summer vacation. With the Lupins, as well as Peter, Sirius, and Sienna, Fleamont and Euphemia made the decision to include Andromeda Tonks and her young baby, Nymphadora. The Potters had grown close to Andromeda and Ted after the Black family had disowned her. It was when Ted had to make an emergency trip to Laos with his family that the Potters decided to bring Andromeda.
"We can't leave you alone, Andromeda. We can't risk your family finding you here."
Everyone had agreed to come, however, the Lupins were on the fence. Dumbledore, upon hearing James and Remus talking about the trip in the halls, decided to supply Remus with three months worth of wolfsbane, the most powerful suppressant for lycanthropy. The family was on board.
They surrounded the port key, an old tire, and prepared to leave for the new world.
Together, they landed on the white shores of Georgia. Aunt Donora sat on the porch of a house as old as the state of Georgia itself. Magically protected, it was neither seen nor touched when Sherman and his men made their way past it.
Silvia continued to grip Remus's hand as they walked toward the house. Despite knowing that he was safe, Silvia feared Tom Riddle's growing power. If she let him go, she could lose him. Remus pulled free, throwing her hand aside as he raced his friends to the porch. Aunt Donora, practically ninety, was light on her feet, and tackled her great nephew on on the first opportunity she had.
Sienna stayed behind with Silvia and Andromeda, who's baby was wailing. They all knew that it wasn't particularly safe for babies to travel via port key, but it was the only way. Sienna reached up, taking baby Nymphadora from her mother's arms. Within seconds, the crying subsided.
Andromeda looked down at Sienna with dark, sleepless eyes as she took Nymphadora back into her arms. "Thank you. How did you do that?"
"I have two-year-old twin brothers," Sienna explained. "You learn a thing or two."
"Incredible," Andromeda said in awe. "You know, I've always thought muggle borns to be the smartest, most fascinating wizards of all time. They're the link between the muggle and wizard world. I tell Ted that all the time. He's excellent at everything he does."
Sienna smiled. "It would be nice if everyone were to think that way."

As the day went on, the sun grew hotter, and everyone decided it was right to take advantage of the beaches before them.
Silvia threw on a green and yellow striped one piece swimsuit. It was the only swimsuit she had. She got it as a gift for her tenth birthday. It was stretched and faded but still fit well despite everything.
She stepped out of the water closet to see James and Sirius standing in short swim trunks showing off their muscles to each other.
"Oh, man, Lily is so going to regret not wanting to come here," James said, flexing his juvenile abs. "Silvia, care to feel?" He said as he flexed his arm. A laughable lump appeared on his bicep.
"Not particularly," she said as she began to walk past them.
"How about me?" Sirius gloated, showing off his less than impressive biceps.
"Oh, wow, Sirius. You're so strong," she said sarcastically.
Remus emerged from a nearby room in his trunks. He stood at least three inches taller than the other boys. "Oi, what's going on out here?"
"We're showing off the guns," James flexed again. "Not that you would know, noodle boy." He and Sirius laughed together.
Remus rolled his eyes. "You guys are ridiculous. I have about as much muscle as you."
"We're not noodles."
Remus grabbed James's thin arm. "Yes, as a matter of fact, you are."
As they argued, Sienna slipped up from behind Silvia and placed her hands over her friend's eyes. "Guess who?" She asked.
"Better not be Blaire," Sienna jokingly guessed.
"You're in luck. It's just me." Sienna put an arm around Silvia's shoulders. Silvia was surprised to see Sienna wearing a two piece. "What are these ogres arguing about?"
James turned to look at her. "Did you just call us ogres?"
Sienna giggled. "Well, you and Sirius. I like Remus."
Their faces turned red hot. "You've just declared war, Rispoli. Girls against boys."
Remus spoke up. "But, she said she likes-"
"Girls against boys, Remus. You're our friend," Sirius reminded him. "Us four against those two and the baby."
"No fair!" Silvia cried. "Nymphadora can hardly walk."
"All's fair in love and war," James said. Peter emerged wearing trunks and a swim shirt. A cookie dangled from his mouth. "We're at war, Pettigrew!" James threw the cookie aside. "You're in my army now. This army starves! Understand, Private?"
"Sir, yes, sir!" Peter cried.
"Excellent. Men, move out!"
They marched like ants out of the house. Sienna and Silvia rolled their eyes at each other before following them.
The warm waters embraced Sienna and Silvia as they waded into the water. They splashed each other, laughing at each move they made.
"Fools," James Potter declared as he watched them through binoculars. "They aren't even preparing. We have the advantage. Keep digging, boys!" A mound of sand had accumulated from the trench that Sirius and Remus had been instructed to dig. Peter returned to safety carrying a bucket of water. "Prepare the wet sand, Private. Your life depends on it!"
"Sir, yes, sir!" They yelled simultaneously.
Saltwater dripped from Silvia's hair as the girls moved out further on their search for mermaids. Sienna turned to face the beach, where she caught sight of the mound. "Look, Silvia." She pointed. "Do you think they're building a sandcastle?"
Silvia shrugged. They watched together.
"Also," Sienna began. "Why does James have his binoculars pointed right at us?" They shared a glance before moving toward the shore.
James let his binoculars fall. "Merlin's beard! They've spotted us. Dig like hell, boys!" He fell into the shallow trench and dug with his soldiers. "They've made it to the shore," he announced. Waves crashed at Silvia's feet as she approached. "Take cover!" They ducked behind the mound. "Mobilize!" sand balls were passed to each soldier. "Take aim!" Their heads bobbed up and down from behind the mound as they scoped out their targets. "Fire!"
Sand balls pelted down like a hailstorm. The first ball, thrown by Sirius, caught Sienna in the right leg. The second, thrown by James, it Sienna's right shoulder. She stopped in her tracks just as Remus's sand ball grazed her left arm and Silvia's right arm. The fourth ball, thrown by Peter, flew about foot to the left of Silvia. He received a face full of wet sand for his action.
As the boys prepared their next round, Sienna bent down, pulling out a fistful of wet sand from the earth. As James rose, preparing to strike, he was met with enemy sand to the face.
"My eyes!" he screamed, clawing at his face. Sirius stopped his arm in mid swing to turn to him. He was met with a mound of sand to the chest. Peter, terrified, ran from the trench. He was met with three sand balls to various parts of his body before he fell, screaming, "man down!"
The girls hurried to the trench and reached down for the bucket of wet sand. Remus, the last man standing, now crouched in the trench, raised his arms in utter defeat. As he did so, the entirety of the bucket's contents were rained down upon him. The world moved in slow motion as Sirius reached out for his friend, who was now being met with hell-fire.
When the sand was completely released, Remus sat, hands by his sides, resembling a sand sculpture.
"You win!" Sirius cried out of horror, pulling James and Remus out of the trenches.
Peter cowered as Silvia reached down to help him out. "You boys have a lot of training to do," she said.

Since then, the boys didn't dare take them on. Now, they waged war on seagulls.
July had just begun, meaning they had made it one month into their trip.
Lyall and Hope had taken their son into the woods, hoping that his nightly doses of wolfsbane had done its job. Of course they had. Dumbledore had assured them so.
It was early in July that the woods had become a place of fear for all.
They loved campfires. Nymphadora would sleep in her mother's arms as the fire crackled. The kids liked to roast marshmallows. Remus liked his golden, Silvia liked hers blackened and burnt. It was a topic that everyone would often argue over.
As they argued, Remus heard a rustling in the woods. Sirius noticed as Remus stood up and stepped toward the noise. He stood as well and began to follow. "Remus, where are you-"
Within seconds, cloaked arms, shrouded in the darkness of the trees, reached out for Remus and began to ran, dragging his feet as it struggled to pull his weight.
Remus let out a scream. Sirius bolted after him. The group turned to watch in horror as Lyall ran after him, calling out for his son. "Lumos," he whispered as he ran. He saw Sirius up ahead in the light cast, wand at the ready, despite not being permitted to use magic out of school. His son continued to scream out for help until Lyall had finally tracked down the cloaked figure, desperately trying to disapparate while struggling to hold on to the squirming boy.
"Hold still!" The shrill voice screamed. It was young, inexperienced.
Lyall tackled the figure as Sirius pulled Remus free. He whipped the hood off of the mysterious kidnapper and held his wand to her face to reveal a laughing woman.
"Merlin's beard," Lyall breathed. "Bellatrix?"
Bellatrix Black- now Lestrange- laughed harder in his face. "One day, we'll have your boy. You'll regret this, Lupin," she declared as she finally disapparated.
The others emerged from the trees. "Remus? Lyall?" Hope cried. She ran toward Remus, who sat idly in the grass beside Sirius. "What happened she demanded."
Lyall stood. "Your sister," he pointed to Andromeda. "Bellatrix. She's working for Riddle."
Andromeda gasped, holding her baby closer. "I always knew she fancied him. I'd always thought that her forced marriage to Rodolphus Lestrange would pull her away from dark magic."
"You were wrong," Lyall explained. "The Lestranges are all now very close to Riddle, even the old ones. They all follow his politics."
"What did she want with Remus?" Euphemia Potter asked.
"I don't know," Lyall lied. "Perhaps the Lestranges are angry with me and my work at the Ministry. Perhaps Bellatrix is upset with Andromeda.
As they were discussing, Sirius turned, pale faced, to his friend. He quickly threw his arms around the shell shocked boy. "Remus," he breathed. "You're one of my best friends. I don't know what I would have done if she would have taken you." He buried his head in Remus's shoulder.
Remus put an arm around him, surprised at this sudden act of affection.
Peter and James kneeled by the two, unsure of what to do. "We're glad you're okay," James said, patting Remus on the back.

The house was magically protected by multiple wizards to keep invaders like Bellatrix out. They decided to move the fire to the beach. It was far too early for sleeping. Everyone was too shaken to relax in their beds anyhow. Remus lied in the sand alone. Everyone had decided it would be best to give him space after what happened. However, it was Sirius who had finally moved toward his friend. He lied down next to him, sand warming his legs. The two sat silently for a minute, watching the stars.
"That ones Sirius, right there," he pointed to a constellation. "It's the only one I know, besides the Big Dipper."
Remus smiled. "You really don't pay attention in class, don't you?"
"Not really," he admitted as he moved closer. They continued to watch the sky. "Crescent moon," Sirius commented. "I know that, and full moon. Full moon's obvious."
"Yeah," Remus replied. "I'd recognize full moon any day." He laughed, suddenly making light of his situation.
Sirius reached down, taking Remus's hand in his own. "I hope you don't mind," he said awkwardly after a minute of silence. "I'm just scared she'll come back. I don't want her to take you again. If I had been holding on before, I don't think she would have made it as far carrying both of us."
"I understand," Remus said thoughtfully. "Silvia thinks the same way."
Sirius rested his head against Remus's shoulder. "I'm tired," he said.
"I'm kind of tired myself."
"No, I mean... I'm tired of this whole dark wizard thing. We're too young for all of this. We should be living out our lives like normal kids. Sienna doesn't have to deal with this with her muggle parents at home. She doesn't worry about marrying purebloods or fighting muggle borns. She just lives like a kid should.
Remus sighed. He had never been a normal kid, even before the rise of Tom Riddle. His family knew that. He suddenly felt guilty upon the realization that Silvia had never been a normal kid before. He had ruined her chances. She had spent weeks on end had Grandma Howell's growing up, as well as months at Aunt Lita's when she was seven. Remus believed the time she spent away was reparations for being what he was.
"Sirius," he said softly. "If I told you a secret about myself, would you promise not to tell a soul?"
"Of course," Sirius replied.
Silence filled the space between them. Remus took a deep breath. "I'm not sure if I'm ready to tell anyone yet," he admitted, letting the dark and salty air embrace him as the stars leaned down to kiss the two boys goodnight.