Two Lonely Monsters (Marauders fanfic) Book 2

1- New Recruits

When the Marauders joined the Order of the Phoenix, they thought it was going to be all fun and games, and hadn't realised that there would be real work involved. It wasn't all fighting Death Eaters.
But being a part of the Order, had enabled them to make new friends, who were also hoping to bring down Voldemort.
However, Sara tried to distance herself from the other members, as she couldn't risk anyone else finding out that she was a Maledictus.
That knowledge was only allowed to her best friends, and old room mates. Though Dumbledore also knew of her secret, but he had promised not to tell anyone else.
The Marauders had also kept their illegal Animagus abilities, a secret from everyone, including Dumbledore.

Sara missed Hogwarts, though she was enjoying her new found freedom, and not needing to study for exams anymore. She had moved into a house with 3 of her old room mates from school; Marlene McKinnon, Dorcas Meadows, and Mary MacDonald.
All of them, apart from Mary, were in the Order, as were their other room mates Lily and Alice, who had moved straight in, with their boyfriends after school.
Despite being madly in love with Remus, him and Sara had decided not to buy a house together when they left Hogwarts. They both felt like they needed some time apart, before they made the choice to move in together.

"There you are. I was beginning to think something bad had happened to you all" admitted Mary, when Sara and the others arrived home late one night.
Sara collapsed down into a seat at their kitchen table, and sighed.
"Sorry Mary. Benjy Fenwick wanted to give us some long boring talk about something, before he would let us all leave" explained Sara, as her friends sat down in the seats beside her.
"Something? That's very vague" stated Mary.
"Well you're not in the Order Mary, you know we can't reveal specific details to you"
"I know. I was just being curious".
"What's for dinner Mary? It smells delicious" complimented Dorcas.
"Just cottage pie" answered Mary, as she began opening the oven and dishing out the dinner.

They were just about to tuck in, when the doorbell suddenly went off.
Sara groaned, and got up, grasping her wand tightly, in case the ringer was not friendly.
"I'll go" she muttered, as she passed her friends on the way to the front door.
She peered through the small window in the door, to see who was outside, before opening it.
"Remus" gasped Sara, as she threw herself into her boyfriends arms.
He kissed her quick, before letting her go, and taking a step back.
"I'm dissappointed Sara. Weren't you listening to anything Benjy was saying, about making sure you identify your friends and family, before trusting them, and letting them into your home?" Remus asked.
"I was listening. But he said a lot of things. Besides, I know you Remus. I know how you stand and what little gestures you do while you are waiting for something. So I was pretty sure it was you... What are you doing here" she asked.

"I was wondering if I could stay the night. I didn't want to ask you earlier in front of everyone, and you left before I had a chance to ask you in private" admitted Remus.
"Of course you can. Me and the girls were just about to have dinner, and Mary always makes too much, so I'm sure there's enough for you" replied Sara.
"I don't want to intrude on your dinner"
"Don't be daft. You are always welcome here. Besides, the girls like it when you're round, because you are their friend as well".
Remus smiled and followed Sara inside and towards the kitchen.
"Look who it is girls" announced Sara, as they stepped inside the kitchen.
"Hello Remus. Are you staying for dinner?" Asked Mary.
"If that's O.K" replied Remus.
"Of course it is. Let me get you a plate"
"Thank you".

"Didn't feel like going home then, after the meeting?" Quizzed Marlene, as Remus and Sara took their seats at the table.
"Well, it would just be me, by myself. So I decided to go where the company is better" answered Remus.
Sara put on a smile, as she tried not to think about Remus's parents, who had died two weeks before. They had been so kind to Sara over the years, and though their deaths had not been a shock, due to their poor health, it had still been hard on both her and Remus.
"I think Sirius just invited himself to James's for dinner tonight" revealed Sara, trying to change the subject.
Remus smiled.
"Sounds like the kind of thing Sirius would do, third wheel with James anf Lily, purposely getting in the way of their alone time".
"Has he really gone and got himself a Muggle motorcycle?" Asked Dorcas.

Sara nodded, and began to make her way through her cottage pie.
"Yeah. He's been driving it around like a maniac ever since. I've surprised the Muggle's haven't arrested him yet".
"He also plans on trying to make it fly, by the end of the year" added Remus.
"Isn't that illegal?" Asked Marlene.
"Quite possibly. But I don't think Sirius cares about things like that" admitted Sara.
"Always the reckless one in the group. I used to think it was James, but I reckon it's Sirius right now" commented Mary.
Remus and Sara grinned, as the girls in front of them, had no idea about all the mischievious things, they used to do at night. Particularly on a full moon.

Once they had all eaten, Remus and Sara retired to her room, on the top floor. When they were finally alone, they snuggled up together on Sara's bed.
It was one of the only times that she felt safe, in her day to day life. When she was in her room, with Remus's arm around her, protecting her from harm.
"Oh, I almost forgot. I picked this up for you earlier" revealed Remus, as he removed a silver vial from his pocket.
Sara quickly took it from his grasp, and placed it into her own pocket.
"Thanks. Was it hard getting it out of St Mungo's?" She asked.
"No, not too bad. A lot of people are suffering at the moment, so they don't care how much pain relief they give away" replied Remus.
"So the Healers just gave it to you?"
"Yes, pretty much. I told them I needed it to make my transformations easier, since most of them already know about me anyway".

"Some of them do know about me. I just don't want them to realise how much I rely on it, to get through my day" admitted Sara.
"Does it really hurt that much at the moment?" Asked Remus, who was unable to hide the concern from his voice.
"It's not all the time. But at least once a day, at the moment, I get the urge to transform. And when I don't, I am in severe pain. Which is why I have began relying on pain killers... The worse thing is, I know this is only the beginning. One day I will be in pain all the time, and not be able to transform back into a human ever again-"
"The Healers will find a way to help you, I'm sure of it"
"They're no closer to curing my blood curse, than they are your Lycanthropy... We just have to accept, that this is my new reality".