Author's Note: Ava finally gets to see her soulmate again! :D

So, I honestly hadn't intended to turn Ava, Severus, and Regulus into Animagi, but it popped into my head as I was writing out what McGonagall gave her for Christmas. I feel like a wolf would be too easy to choose for Ava, but I'd like to hear your thoughts. Let me know what animals you think would be a good fit for them! Feel free to suggest one for each of the three, but you could also just tell me about one or two of them if that's who stands out for you.

Once again, thank you for all of the favorites, follows, and reviews! They're like mana refueling my life force :D

Review shout-out: monkeybaby, ColdOnePaul, vanesaerrato, and WhiteAcrobaleno, thank you so much! :D

I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything else resembling what J.K Rowling introduced us all to. Just the plot and OC are mine.

Chapter 45

Avalynn stepped out of the massive fireplace, brushing residual Floo powder and soot from herself and her bag before setting it down on the carpeted floor. James, Sirius, and the Potters were all smiles, waiting for her in what appeared to be a sitting room. Two sofas and chairs surrounded a large coffee table in the center of the room and the walls were lined with portraits and expensive looking vases and art pieces.

Her eyebrows rose as the welcoming party approached. A house elf was standing at the edge of the group, wearing a buttoned vest and pants that looked as though they were made from mismatched swatches of fabric.

Beaming, James strode forward to give her a tight hug and muttered, "Don't stare. Bucky's rather proud of his uniform, and whatever you do, don't refer to it as clothing."

She huffed out a laugh. "Got it." Pulling back from him, she added, "It's good to see you. Merry Christmas."

He scrunched up his face. "I think you mean Happy Christmas."

Rolling her eyes, she turned to Sirius, who dropped to his knee in a dramatic flourish.

"My Lady Ava, it has been too long." He reached for her hand and stood, yanking her towards him for a crushing bear hug.

Her laugh was muffled against his chest as he squeezed her tight. "I missed you too, Padfoot," she whispered, keeping herself from jumping out of his arms as he sniffed her hair. Being mated to a werewolf meant that she was used to being scented, but this was the first time she could distinctly remember Sirius doing so.

He must've noticed her tense in his arms because he said, "Sorry, I know it really hasn't been that long, but it's sure felt like it, and I needed a good whiff." He pulled back and held her shoulders, revealing his gray eyes bright with happiness. "I think it's just my animal instincts settling around my packmate," he told her with a wide grin.

She smiled in return as her magic delicately hummed beneath her skin, delighted to be around her friends once more.

Glancing towards the Potters, Ava noticed that Bucky, as well as her bag, had disappeared. That's gonna take some getting used to. While Ava would occasionally call on Flopsy for snacks and whatnot, the house elf didn't wait on her hand and foot daily.

She moved from Sirius towards Mr. and Mrs. Potter, recalling Phineas's teachings. She looked to them both and gave a small curtsy. "Mr. Potter, Happy Christmas." She gave James a side-eyed look, causing his father's lips to twitch in amusement.

"Happy Christmas, Ava."

She approached Mrs. Potter for air-kisses on both cheeks, addressing her as well. "I appreciate the invitation. I'm really glad that I'll get to see the boys some outside of school. Also, I just want you to know that I'll be sure to conduct myself accordingly when in public and make sure that my attire and behavior is befitting those of a guest of the Potters."

The woman's face lit up in surprise that quickly morphed into a pleased smile. "Someone's been teaching you how to integrate into Pureblood society."

Ava ducked her head. "Just trying to be polite, Mrs. Potter." She ignored the boys snickering behind her. She may not always act with decorum, but it paid to understand societal expectations.

"Call me Dorea."

"And call me Charlus please, Ava. There's no need for the stuffy upper crust niceties with just us."

Sirius draped an arm over her shoulders. "My pompous brother must be rubbing off on you."

Mrs. Potter tsked.

Ava elbowed his ribs none too gently. "He isn't pompous Sirius. Besides, he's not the one who's been teaching me."

"Oh, yeah?" James asked, coming to stand on her other side, his arm brushing against hers.

Her magic tingled and warmed at the contact. You are happy to see them, aren't you? she mentally asked in amused exasperation. The depths to which she had missed the boys hadn't been obvious to her until that moment, and she was certainly glad to spend the next week with them.

"Are you hungry, dear? Why don't you tell us all about your tutor on our way to the dining room?" Dorea asked.

Ava nodded in acquiescence and allowed Sirius to herd her towards the door before he dropped his arm from her shoulders.

The wide, marble hallway was lit by ornate golden fixtures dotting along the walls between doors. Some of which were single, like the one they had just walked through, but others were double, indicating that the room on the other side was rather large. Her eyes widened upon realizing how huge the manor must actually be considering the size of the sitting room she had arrived in.

"So?" Sirius prompted.

She cleared her throat. "Well, I've actually struck a sort of…friendship with a portrait at Hogwarts."

As they strolled down the corridor, her eyes glanced this way and that, trying to take in all of the paintings hung on the walls, most of which seemed to be ancestors of both the Potters and Blacks. I forgot Dorea was a Black. She peered around excitedly, hoping to find a portrait of Phineas.

"Really?" Charlus asked, surprise clear in his tone.

Ava laughed lightly. "I know, it's a little weird, but I like him."

"Oh, a him, is it?" James teased with a waggle of his eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes. "As if. First of all, he's a painting. Second of all, I'm with Remus. And third of all—" she laughed "—it's Phineas."

"Phineas?" Dorea repeated as they turned a corner, appearing in another hallway, similarly decorated with ornate frames of portraits and landscapes.

"Yeah, the former Headmaster. Phineas—"

"Nigellus Black," she and Dorea finished together.

Sirius froze, causing the others to stop. "You're friends with that old bastard?" he asked incredulously.

Ava crossed her arms and glared. "Don't talk about him like that."

He and James reared back from her tone with wide eyes while Charlus's brows were furrowed in a thoughtful expression.

Dorea inspected her with shrewd eyes for a long moment. "You really don't care about a person's House and history, do you?" the woman asked, slight wonder leaking into her voice.

She shook her head. "No, not when their words and actions show me differently." She leveled a stern look and a threatening, pointed finger at the boys. "Phineas isn't what you think." She opened to mouth to continue the defense of her friend, but was interrupted by Dorea.

"Shall we carry on?" she asked, gesturing down the hall.

Ava reigned in her annoyance. "Yes, please. I'm actually rather hungry." She sniffed haughtily at James and Sirius and spun on her heel to follow their parents.

Just a little further down the corridor, Charlus opened a set of double doors that led into an extravagant dining room. The shiny, dark wooden table could seat about twenty people, and the decor around the room as well as the tableware were what Ava would classify as fancy schmancy. There was even a bar with various styled glasses and liquor bottles at the other end of room.

Her eyes darted to the boys, who were wearing just jeans and t-shirts. Now wearing witch's robes, her clothes were nicer than her pajamas, but even the Potters seemed to be dressed down, appearing more casual than their surroundings. Their attire gave Ava hope that she wouldn't have to utilize her Pureblood etiquette training just to eat, though in the back of her mind, she could hear Phineas berating her for choosing to pass up an opportunity to practice.

Dorea must've noticed her uncertain expression because she said, "Don't worry, dear. We Purebloods can let our hair down every once in a while."

She smiled but tried to keep her relief from being too obvious.

"Yeah, we're having Muggle food tonight," James told her cheerfully. "We've ordered a few different kinds of take-away."

She looked from him, to Dorea, and back. "Are you serious?" Before Sirius could even get out a word edgewise, she held up a hand. "Don't. This is no joking matter." She turned to the Potters. "You're not joking, are you? Because that would be exceptionally cruel."

Charlus let out a deep chuckle. "I take it you've missed Muggle food at Hogwarts?"

She groaned, closing her eyes. "Please tell me we're having pizza."

"Oh no," Sirius said in a regretful tone. "That's the one we must've forgotten about."

Her head whipped in his direction, eyes popping open in devastation.

His wide grin caused her to send a murderous glare his way. "You should've seen your face." He and James laughed, clearly amused by her emotional response to pizza. "I hate to be the one to break it to Remus that your first and foremost love is food, Ava."

She scoffed. "If he's got any sense at all, he'd know that already."

Dorea let out a surprised laugh before calling for Bucky and requesting that he bring out their dinner options.

They had only sat down for a few moments before food containers of different shapes and sizes suddenly appeared, startling Ava with their arrival. It turned out that over the summer Lily had introduced the Potters to Muggle take-away, and the Purebloods had found the meals quite delicious. She was treated to the options of pizza, Indian, and fish and chips.

Of course, Ava jumped for the pizza first, but decided to sample the others after a couple slices. She knew she was being spoiled and needed to take advantage of it before returning to Hogwarts.

"You know, you could probably just ask the elves in the Kitchens for Muggle food," Sirius said as they were finishing up the meal and conversation of Ava's academic progress.

She had been debating whether or not to tell the boys about how far along her dueling skills had come, but pushed that thought to the back of her mind at Sirius's offhanded revelation. "You really think so?"

"Even if they can't summon the food directly from Muggles, with discretion of course," Charlus said, "they should be able to recreate the recipes if you request it."

Her brows furrowed. "I wouldn't want to ask them to do that if they'd have to go through the trouble of making it themselves."

"Nah." Sirius waved her off. "Those little buggers would love it."

"Yeah, we've asked them to make special requests before," James said.

Dorea quirked a brow as she dabbed her lips with a cloth napkin. "Oh, have you?"

He gulped. "For, you know—" his eyes flicked to Sirius "—birthday cakes and stuff."

His father chuckled. "And this 'stuff' wouldn't happen to include any of your detention-earning pranks now, would it?"

James and Sirius squirmed in their seats, clearly not wanting to admit it, but not wanting to outright lie about it either.

Ava tried to smother her laugh, but couldn't keep it contained when Sirius threw her an accusing glare and James pleaded with his eyes for her to change the subject. She glanced at the Potters. "You'll have to tell me about their exploits."

Both boys groaned. "Please, no," Sirius said. "That's defamation of character. They only know about the times we got caught."

"Excuse me?" Dorea asked primly, but Ava could see amusement shining in her eyes.

'Later' James mouthed to her from across the table.

She smiled and shook her head. Just wait until they see what I've got lined up for them. She was waiting for Remus to visit so she could have a lookout, but she had the hair removal potions all ready to go, having ordered them by owl before Christmas. Her soulmate had assured her that the boys would appreciate the chance to laugh and hoped that it would spark their imagination for the upcoming term. To be fair, she also purchased vials of hair growth potions so that James and Sirius wouldn't be bald forever.

Dorea stood. "Boys, why don't you go with your father and collect Ava's gifts?" She looked to the young witch. "Would you like a tour of the manor?"

Ava nodded quickly, not wanting to be rude. And hopefully she'd find some spots where she could hide away from the boys when she needed some quiet time. She had no intention of letting her studies backslide.

A tour of the manor only confirmed what Ava had suspected about the home shortly after her arrival. It was huge. Big enough that there were separate wings. You could probably go all day without seeing another person, she mused as they headed back towards her room.

Dorea had been a pleasant host and kept the conversation centered around lighter topics as they strolled through the manor. Once at the bedroom she would be spending the next several nights sleeping in, Ava strode to her bag placed atop a chaise lounge chair near the door and pulled out the presents she had brought with her. She kept them in their shrunken state and pocketed them in her robes.

Knowing she'd have plenty of time to scope out her room later that evening, and giddy with excitement to give the boys their gifts, she returned to the corridor where Dorea was patiently waiting. She did take a quick peek around the hallway, glancing towards the rooms that the older witch had told her that James and Sirius resided. She was curious to see what their personal spaces away from Hogwarts looked like.

Dorea led Ava back downstairs to a set of double doors that opened to reveal the boys and Mr. Potter seated in front of a massive Christmas tree. Her mouth dropped open as her eyes trailed the decorated branches up to the ceiling. "How tall is that thing?"

James laughed from his seat on a couch.

As she made her way over to the empty spot next to him, she continued to stare at the enormous tree. "The ceiling's got to be, what, fifteen feet? Sorry, uh, five meters?"

From an over-sized chair on her other side, Sirius said, "Actually, it's closer to six."

"Hot damn," she whispered in awe while settling on the sofa.

As Dorea asked for Bucky to bring them drinks and biscuits, Ava set her presents on the coffee table in front of her and enlarged them before handing them out to the recipients. The Potters appeared surprised but appreciative that they had gifts to open as well, though she assured them that one was strictly from her aunt.

Ava sipped her hot chocolate, anxiously waiting for the boys to peel off the wrapping as they opened theirs together.

"This is brilliant!" James exclaimed, turning the books over in his hands as he inspected the covers.

She beamed at him and looked to Sirius.

He wore a smirk and mischief glinted in his eyes. "You know us too well, Ava." He held his own set of books identical to James's.

"What are they about?" Charlus asked.

Both boys were too preoccupied, having already dove into the contents of their gifts, to answer their father.

"I gave each of them books on pranks, one Muggle, the other magical."

"Oh, dear," Dorea said, trying to keep a smile off her face. "Is your aunt aware of these?"

She froze for a moment before letting out a loud laugh. "No, not at all."

The mother clicked her tongue and shook her head. "I certainly won't be the one to tell her."

Charlus chuckled before looking back to Ava from his seat across the table from her. "Why don't you open our gift next?" With a fluid move, he levitated a rectangular package from beneath the tree and softly deposited it upon her lap.

With slight nervousness, she gently pried apart the paper. Even Sirius and James were watching her now. Upon realizing that it was a book, relief began to flood her body. She had been concerned that she'd have to play off a false love of the Potters' gift, but she'd love just about any book given to her.

However, as her eyes tracked over the title, anxiety pooled in her stomach once again. "Thank you. This is very thoughtful," she told the parents, flashing them a smile that she hoped didn't come off as stiff as it felt. 1,001 Careers for the Up and Coming Witch or Wizard. Great, she thought. Even more pressure to figure out my future.

Dorea leaned towards her with a bright grin. "We're determined to help you, Ava. Whatever path you choose, we'll help you secure an apprenticeship."

Charlus nodded. "We both have connections in a variety of fields, and we felt that it was partly—" he threw a look to the boys "—our responsibility to help you acclimate to our world. And having no contacts within the Wizarding World of your own, other than your aunt of course, we would like to offer our assistance however possible."

Yeah, well, I have no fucking clue what to do, or if I'll even live to see graduation, so how about we start there? With her impending meeting with Dumbledore the next morning, she couldn't help but wallow in the fact that the Headmaster was likely to use her in the war against Voldemort in a more active role than she intended. I shouldn't think like that. But what's the point? I've got enough shit stressing me out right now, I don't need any more.

Her internal struggle must've shown on her face because Charlus spoke up. "It's perfectly fine for you to not know what you want to do with your life yet, Ava."

"Of course," Dorea added. "It's always possible to switch careers as well if you change your mind."

She almost rolled her eyes at how simple they made it sound. But that wouldn't be fair. They weren't aware of the whole picture and why contemplating the future weighed so heavily on her. She forced a smile onto her face. "You're right, and this will help. Thank you so much."

Seeming to accept her thanks, the parents returned her smile and rested back in their seats as it was their turn to open gifts. Aunt Minerva had given them a bottle of Elven wine, making them chuckle, and Dorea seemed exceptionally pleased with Ava's present, a decorative wreath that automatically changed its appearance for each season.

The boys had put aside their prank books when it was her turn to unwrap the gifts from them. With trepidation, she carefully opened their first co-gift and let out an audible breath of relief when it didn't explode confetti or something to that effect.

Sirius laughed. "Merlin, Ava. You think we'd booby-trap your present?"

She eyed him with a quirked brow. "Are you telling me you've never done that before?"

"We wouldn't do that to you," James clarified.

She huffed out a laugh. "Thanks, I'm gonna hold you to it." As she pulled the paper away from what was clearly another book, a wide grin broke out on her face. "Obscure, but Useful Charms," she read aloud. She lifted her head to give the boys an appreciative look. "Thank you both."

James's cheeks turned slightly pink. "It's no problem. We know how much you like Charms."

Sirius smirked. "Bloody swot. You and Moony are clearly perfect for each other."

She held their gaze. "And I have you to thank for that too," she told them sincerely, still beaming.

Sirius rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I, uh—" he glanced at the Potters out of the corner of his eye "—you're welcome, I guess."

Though the boys' next gift was more of a joke, she loved it all the same. The plush wolf was adorable and she immediately hugged the stuffed animal to her chest, claiming his name to be Fluffy. Granted, it wasn't a Cerberus like Hagrid's pet, but she couldn't very well name it Moony, now could she? She nearly laughed aloud at the possible affronted look upon Remus's face at the little stuffed wolf being named after his very real, and certainly more manly, wolf.

The boys smiled but shook their heads at her clear love for the gag gift.

"Don't you judge me. He's quite soft," she said, stroking her inanimate pet.

Dorea vanished the remnants of wrapping paper and bows and the family settled in with Ava for a while longer, discussing everything from Quidditch to how Charlus and Dorea met to the upcoming visits from Remus, Lily, and Peter.

Her heart quickened at the prospect of seeing her soulmate once again tomorrow afternoon.

Soon enough, they all dispersed, heading up to their bedrooms for the night. The Potters split off from Ava and the boys, retreating down a different wing, and she followed James and Sirius back to their rooms. They called out their goodnights to each other before heading to their respective doors.

"Hey, guys," she called out.

The boys paused and looked to her from across the hall.

"Don't forget about the flying lesson."

They both groaned.

"Do we have to, Ava?" Sirius asked, leaning against his doorway.

She crossed her arms. "You both agreed, in writing, I may add, that you would do this for me as a Christmas present."

"And you're sure that snake is going to want a lesson from us?" James asked with narrowed eyes.

"Yes. For the last time, Benedict adores you guys. You're two of Hogwarts top players, and he's struggling a bit with flying." Her idea for the little Slytherin had been last minute, but she had already gone through this pleading and flattery with the boys once before. She may have used some mild threatening too, but that was neither here nor there. "You already told me you'd do it."

Sirius huffed in annoyance. "Fine. But remember, it's only one lesson. And that's it."

She squealed in happiness and bounced on her toes. "Thank you!" She looked to James and caught him trying not to smile. "Really though, guys. I seriously appreciate you doing this for me. I know you don't really like the Slytherins—" she ignored their scoffs "—but Benedict is just a kid, who happens to look up to you as talented players."

Their expressions softened. "Yeah, we know," Sirius said.

"Goodnight, boys," she said before closing the bedroom door behind her.

Ava got ready for bed in a bathroom that she would swear was bigger than her bedroom at Hogwarts. The shower and tub were big enough for more than just one person, and there was a walk-in closet that she could've only dreamed about.

Considering her short stay, it was nearly pointless to have the closet all to herself, but she unpacked her clothes nonetheless. She even used magic to do so. It was still a conscious effort on her part to remember to use magic when she could. Everything was so ingrained in her the Muggle way that she would have to stop herself mid-task and consider if she knew a way to accomplish it with magic.

As she organized her things and tucked herself into bed, her thoughts drifted. A thrill of excitement raced through her, and her magic warmed in agreement, at the thought of seeing Remus the next day. She made the decision to share some hard truths with him as he requested, which would be difficult, but she still couldn't help the effervescent happiness that came to life inside of her with the anticipation of being with her soulmate again.

A sudden realization overcame Ava as she laid in the large, comfy bed. Sirius and James hadn't bombarded her with questions, and shouting, about the Order. I guess Dorea and Charlus hadn't mentioned seeing me at the meeting. There's no way the boys would let it go if they found out I was already a part of the Order. She sighed, pushing thoughts of that confrontation to the back of her mind.

Even though the bed and duvet were so soft and comfortable, she couldn't seem to fall asleep. Her mind swirled with thoughts of her mom and dog, wondering what they were doing for Christmas. She assumed that by now, her mother would've reported her missing and taken in Moose as her own considering she loved the oaf just as much as Ava did.

Tears sprung to her eyes at the thought of her mother potentially spending Christmas alone since it had always been the two of them. But no—no doubt one of her mother's friends would've invited her to spend the day with another family. That wouldn't make it any easier for her though.

As Ava considered her closest friends and what they were up to, she hoped that they, along with her mother, weren't too worried about her. A deep sadness rose in her chest, making it hard to breathe. Her lower lip trembled as she tried to stifle the oncoming sobs.

But she reminded herself that she needed to let herself grieve. With an audible cry, she released the hold on her emotions, letting her tears run freely. She wasn't aware of how long she had been crying when the door to her bedroom opened.

She pushed herself up on her elbow and looked over with blurry vision, still able to spot Sirius and James standing there with pained expressions.

James's heart ached at the sight Ava made, and he was sure Pads felt the same. He couldn't help but feel everything she experienced was his fault. In the back of his mind, he knew that included her relationship with Remus, but he struggled to not focus on the negative consequences of the spell he and Sirius had cast.

"Ava, are you okay?" he asked hesitantly. He and Sirius had popped their heads out of their rooms at the same time and shared a look, knowing that they wouldn't be leaving Ava to fend off her sadness alone.

She sniffled and wiped her nose. "Yeah, I'm—I'm f—fine," she claimed between gasps of air.

Without hesitation, Sirius strode across the room and sat on her bed. "You're clearly not okay, but we're here for you."

James followed and climbed up onto the bed before wrapping Ava up in a brief hug and settling in next to her atop the covers. It physically pained him to see her so upset and he silently vowed to do whatever he could to cheer her up.

She let out a shuddered breath and made room for Sirius on the other side of her and scooted closer to James.

He reached for her hand. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked gently.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "You know you can talk to us about anything."

Ava bit her lip and nodded. "I know. I just don't really wanna talk about it."

James squeezed her hand. "Of course, that's perfectly fine. Whatever you want."

Her eyes darted to Sirius and she ducked her head.

If he wasn't an Animagus, James wasn't sure he would've heard her whispered question.

"Could you be Padfoot, Sirius?"

The boys looked at each other and a shadow of a smile passed over Sirius's face. "Sure thing, Ava," he said before standing up and transforming into a large black dog. He jumped back onto the bed and laid down against her legs.

Immediately, she reached out to pet him. "Thank you. I hope this is okay." She sniffled and wiped her eyes and nose. "I miss Moose so much."

Padfoot whimpered and nuzzled her hand before giving it a quick lick.

Her lips twitched at the wet sign of affection and she resumed stroking his fur.

James squeezed his fingers around her other hand. "I wish my animal was more cuddly."

Ava looked to him with watery smile and raised brows. "James Potter, are you seriously pouting right now?"

He grumbled out a noise of discontent. Obviously, his annoyance had leaked through his voice. "I just wish I could comfort you like Pads is. Antlers aren't exactly soft, you know."

She gently squeezed his hand. "I do know that. I also know that you're an amazing, caring friend who doesn't need to be able to turn into a dog. You're perfect just the way you are, James." She held up their intertwined fingers. "This is plenty enough. You're here for me, and that's all I could ask for."

He beamed and leaned back against the headboard, letting her settle their hands as she laid back down to sleep with a jaw cracking yawn.

He repeated the motion and slid down the bed so his head was resting on a pillow. "Goodnight, guys."

His friends returned the statement as he placed his glasses on the nightstand. James soon fell asleep, his heart brimming with love for his friends and content in the fact that he helped Ava feel better.

Ava groaned and rolled over in bed, stretching out her arms and legs. Her leg pressed up against a large body and she peeked her eyes open to see Padfoot laying there with his intelligent gaze fixed on her.

"Morning, Sirius," she said with a soft smile, appreciative of her friends caring for her the night before.

The black dog stood on the bed and crept closer, nuzzling her cheek and giving it a quick lick.

She laughed and swiped at him, but he jumped off the bed in time to dodge her hand. She pushed back the covers and scooted to the edge of the bed before casting a glance over to Sirius, who was now a wizard once again.

"James woke up a while ago and went to get dressed," Sirius said, still sporting his pajamas. His voice lowered. "I didn't want you waking up alone."

Ava could've sworn she actually felt her heart melt into a puddle at the soft expression of worry on his face. "Thanks."

He nodded. "Do you want me to wait for you? I'll show you where we're eating breakfast."

Her brows furrowed. "Is it not in the same dining room as dinner last night?"

With a smile, he said, "Nope."

She rolled her eyes as she stood from the bed. "Of course it isn't. Yeah, please wait for me then. I'll be quick."

Sure enough, once they were dressed, Sirius led Ava to a cute breakfast nook that was apparently closer to the kitchen. It had larger windows to let in sunlight, which was Mrs. Potter's excuse for using the space first thing in the morning. When they showed up, the Potters were all sat down, nibbling on their meals.

After breakfast, Ava encouraged Sirius and James to go outside and play around on their brooms without her, as she needed to make a quick trip back to Hogwarts for some stuff. Charlus and Dorea knew she was meeting with Dumbledore, but thankfully picked up on the fact that she wasn't going to tell the boys that.

Sirius narrowed his eyes at her announcement of Flooing back to the castle. "What stuff? You were just there yesterday."

"Feminine things," she said without hesitation.

His cheeks turned a little pink, which Ava found adorable because Sirius wasn't easily embarrassed. She wasn't sure she had ever seen him blush before.

James, on the other hand, handled her answer rather well and clapped Sirius on the shoulder. "Come on Pads."

She chuckled when Sirius merely nodded and allowed James to direct him towards the French doors that led into the back yard. She could hear James telling Sirius that he'd have to get over that kind of stuff if he ever wanted a girlfriend.

Shaking her head with a smile, she turned to the Potters. "Thank you for letting me use your Floo."

"It's not a problem," Charlus said.

She stood from her chair. "I should be back in thirty minutes or so," she said over her shoulder on her way out. Ava had nearly made it to the sitting room she'd arrived in when Dorea caught up to her.

"Half an hour is awfully quick. Will you be spending any time with your aunt?"

She nearly faltered in her steps. No, actually. She doesn't even know I'll be in the castle. She picked up speed as she moved towards the entrance to the sitting room. "I'm just visiting with the Headmaster, so no, I won't be seeing Aunt Minerva."

Dorea followed her into the room and right up to the fireplace. "Ava."

She froze, hand full of Floo powder and turned to the older witch. "Yes?"

"If there's anything, anything at all, that you ever feel the need to speak to me about, I want you to know that I'm a willing ear." She gave Ava a pointed look. "I'm rather good at keeping secrets too."

She sighed and felt her shoulders slump. "I'll keep that in mind." I'm going to end up losing track of who knows what if I keep telling everyone different secrets, she thought before stepping into the fireplace and shouting out her destination.

Ava could feel a migraine coming on from keeping her Occlumency shields in place so tightly, but she wasn't willing to take any risks with Dumbledore. Of course, the wizard wanted her to train with Moody in preparation for a more active role in the Order.

She gulped, not quite ready to have heard the Headmaster say so aloud. "If you remember, I had only planned on helping the Order by providing information. I'm supposed to take a more backseat position." While Ava didn't think she could negotiate her way out of this twist in Dumbledore's plans, she at least had to try.

He peered at her over his half-moon spectacles. "And I'll remind you that was before you became so proficient in magic. Why else would you spend time learning to duel so efficiently?"

As a precaution, asshole. She opened her mouth to tell him just that, but the Headmaster interrupted her.

"You swore an Oath, Miss McGonagall. Not the one to the Order, but the one to me."

She squirmed in her seat, temper and magic flaring in irritation. "I suppose I did swear that I would do anything," she ground out between clenched teeth.

"That you did."

Not seeing a way out of following his demand, she sighed and slumped back in her seat. "So what exactly is it that you want me to train for? What missions?"

He steepled his wrinkled hands. "That remains to be seen, Miss McGonagall. I would also ask that you keep your sessions with Alastor to yourself for now."

Ava rolled her eyes. "Great. I'll just be your super secret child soldier waiting in the wings until you call me forth. Anything else, master?"

His expression turned stormy and he leaned forward in his chair. "As you've said so yourself, you are no longer a child, Avalynn, so stop acting like one."

Her fingers turned white from gripping the armrests to keep herself from slapping the shit out of the old man. Beneath her skin, her magic buzzed in agitation.

His blue eyes pierced hers. "You came to me with the offer to help, did you not? I'm merely directing your skills and knowledge where I think they would be best suited."

The fire to fight left her body in one fell swoop. He's right. You asked for this. And you can make a difference. She groaned and held her face in her hands. "You're right, I'm sorry."

Dumbledore stayed silent, no doubt letting her wallow in her frustration and embarrassment for snapping at him.

After several moments, she lifted her head. "I don't like being ordered around."

He gave her a kind smile. "Not many of us do, dear."

Ava fumed as she stomped her way through Potter Manor. The asshat of a leader left her with the responsibility of figuring out how to get around Aunt Minerva knowing about her training sessions with Moody. She grumbled under her breath and pushed open the back doors that James and Sirius had disappeared through after breakfast.

Before joining them, she stopped in her room and snagged the Christmas present from her aunt, intending on reading while the boys played around on their brooms.

"Ava!" James called from high above her as he floated in place above the spacious back lawn.

"Hey," she called out. You could have a football game out here, she thought, spotting Sirius further out, holding what she thought was a quaffle.

"I can summon you a broom if you want."

She waved him off. "No thanks, I'm good." She held up her book. As much fun as she thought it would be to fly again, she was more interested in learning to become an Animagus.

"If you say so," he said with a teasing lilt.

She watched him zoom off towards Sirius and shivered. Ava wasn't sure how long she actually wanted to be outside in the dreary, cold weather, but settled in nonetheless. Using the blanket Bucky had handed her before stepping out of the manor, she laid down in the grass, cast a Warming Charm over the fabric and herself, and dove right into the book.

A while later, James and Sirius landed and plopped down on the large blanket, with their hair wind whipped and cheeks reddened.

"What have you got there?" Sirius asked.

She silently held up the front cover.

He grinned and gently nudged her with his elbow. "Is someone feeling left out?"

Ava rolled her eyes while James joined in on his friend's laughter. "Not in the slightest," she said primly, dropping the book back into reading position and seemingly ignoring them. "Aunt Minerva offered to teach me."

"What?" both boys sputtered out in shock.

She pressed her lips together to keep from smiling and kept her eyes fixed on the page in front of her.

James groaned. "C'mon, Ava. Don't leave us hanging like that."

Placing her bookmark in between pages, she set down her reading. Upon hearing the explanation of the gift, the boys' mouths hung open.

Sirius broke the silence first. "I can't believe McGonagall is willing to teach Snape and Regulus too."

Ava smirked. "Well, I guess the Slytherins can't be so bad if Aunt Minerva is willing to teach them such complicated magic."

"Why even bother teaching them?" James asked with a frown.

She leveled a glare at him. "Because she understands how important they are to me and wants them to have an advantage if anything happens."

The boys shared a look. James ran a hand through his messy black hair and sighed. "Yeah, alright."

Sirius turned to her with furrowed brows. "Does that mean she isn't going to make you register?"

"That would defeat the purpose of it being an advantage wouldn't it?" she asked dryly. Before the boys could explode over that new piece of information, she added, "We will once Voldemort's gone. I don't want any of us being registered with the Ministry while that psychopath is running around."

James snorted. "You make it sound like he's just one of those Muggle axe murderers."

She sighed. "No, he's much more subtle than that. He'll take over the Ministry before anyone even realizes he has people in position there. But once that happens, it's free game on Mudbloods and blood traitors."

James sucked in a breath.

"Merlin, Ava! You can't just—just say that," Sirius scolded her.

She raised a brow, pretending to not understand. "Say what?" They're acting like a bunch of scandalized old ladies from the South. 'Why, I do declare, James'. She had to keep in a giggle at the image that thought brought to mind.

Both boys sputtered.

"What?" she asked. "Mudblood?"

Their mouths hung open as their faces shifted between confusion and outrage.

She rolled her eyes. "Mudblood, mudblood, mudblood. See? Nothing happened. I didn't spontaneously combust. It's just a word. Yes, it's rude, but it's doesn't even make sense. My genetics are certainly healthier than any of the Purebloods, especially the Sacred Twenty-Eight." They stared at her, speechless. "No offense," she added quickly.

It was silent for another moment before Sirius bursted out laughing and James soon followed.

She couldn't hold back a smile as they clutched their stomachs and wiped tears from their eyes. "What?"

"No one's ever put it like that before," Sirius managed to get out.

She huffed a laugh. "Yeah, well, they ought to branch out the family tree or soon they'll all be infertile idiots." She stood and brushed herself off. "Let's go back inside. I'm tired of recasting the Warming Charm and you two desperately need a shower."

Her magic tingled pleasantly, causing her to frown. Are you that excited to get back inside to the warmth? she internally asked.

The boys stood and glanced over her shoulder before breaking into wide grins.

She spun around to see what made them light up and her heart stuttered. Her soulmate was standing just outside the back doors. "Remus," she breathed out.

She tried to keep herself standing still but lost her resolve as her magic flared up and prodded her to go to him. She absentmindedly pushed her book and the blanket into James's hands and took off. She sprinted across the lawn as Remus started walking towards her, beaming, eyes flicking between amber and green.

They collided with a shared, "Ooph."

Wrapped up in his arms, she muttered into his neck, "I can't believe I just did that. Running to you like we're some couple reuniting in a movie or something." She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of her mate.

His chest rumbled with laughter. "I'm glad you ran to me. Otherwise, I would've been the one looking silly." He squeezed her tight. "I've missed you, mate."

She pulled back and lifted up onto her tiptoes. Latching her lips onto his with a fierce desperation, she proceeded to kiss the daylights out of him.

He returned the kiss with fervor, and pulled her body against his, lighting her desire.

She let out an unbidden whimper when he ground his hips into her and she could feel how hard he was beneath his jeans.

Sirius wolf whistled in the background, snapping Ava out of her lust-filled daze.

Remus slowly pulled away before giving her another peck on the lips. He locked eyes with her, fully amber. "We'll finish this tonight, mate," he told her in a low voice, sending shivers of anticipation down her spine.

Once the friends greeted each other, the boys went to go shower off. Remus and Ava headed to the living room with the Christmas tree, waiting for James and Sirius. Apparently, her soulmate wanted to wait until later when he could give her his present in private.

Her eyebrows rose, but she didn't ask any questions since he was seeming nervous about it.

Soon enough, the boys were dressed and joined them. They caught up on their holidays and talked about Ava slowly starting to join the seventh years classes. The boys and Remus were interested to see how her time at Hogwarts was while most of her friends were away. Thankfully, they must've been paying attention to her wishes for once because none of them, even James, insinuated that Severus was up to no good.

Away from the parents, Ava asked the boys to share some of their more ingenious pranks from over the years. The group of friends spent the next couple of hours regaling her with the stuff of legends and they all laughed until their stomachs ached.

While cuddled together on the sofa, Ava could feel her magic pushing her to physically bond with Remus again, but she kept herself restrained. It wasn't until dinner later that evening that her self-control was being pushed to the limit. She had resisted him nearly all day and it was beginning to take a toll.

They kept sharing heated glances across the table, and Remus's eyes were occasionally turning amber, only fueling her need to reclaim his body.

She peered around the table, hoping that no one else had noticed the looks between them.

However, that hope was dashed when Sirius said, "Merlin, Ava. You look like you need me to hold your hand."

James choked on his food and thumped his chest, while Dorea and Charlus looked on in a mix of concern and confusion.

She blushed and Remus's narrowed eyes flicked between her and Sirius. She tilted her head towards her obnoxious friend and hissed, "Sirius Orion Black. Shut. Up."

Dorea's eyebrows skyrocketed.

"What does he mean, Ava?" Remus asked with furrowed brows.

Her cheeks reddened by the second and she glanced around the table to find everyone waiting on pins and needles for her response.

"I, uh—" she began, before pausing to clear her throat. "Well, I—I, um,—" she looked to Sirius for some help considering he was the one who started this mess. How the fuck can I explain this without sounding crazy?

Remus leaned forward in his seat, eyes flashing amber before fixing his gaze on Sirius. "You know, I never did ask either of you about all that hand holding when Ava first got here. Why were you always holding her hand at meals?"

She should've found her words sooner because the next thing she knew Sirius blurted out, "I had to keep her from shagging you right there on the table in front of the whole school, mate."

Silverware clattered to the table, and this time, Charlus choked on his bite of food.

Ava's mouth dropped open and she whipped her head to stare at Sirius with wide eyes. Did he actually just say that? Aloud? With the Potters sitting right there?

Seeming to realize the awkward silence, Sirius lifted his head and looked around the table, finally landing on her. He gave her a sheepish smile and seemed to shrink in on himself. "Suppose I could've said that a bit more delicately."

"You think?" she practically shrieked, eyes darting to each of the table's occupants in mortification.

Dorea cleared her throat. "Ava, dear, it's quite alright to have…urges. You're a growing woman—"

Ava held up her hand. "I'm gonna stop you right there." She cut a glance to Sirius. "What this idiot failed to mention was that I was experiencing a very strong magical pull to Remus because of our bond." She let out a huff of exasperation. "I can control myself, thank you very much."

"Wouldn't have had to hold your hand if that were the case," Sirius muttered under his breath.

"That's it," she snapped, standing abruptly from her chair. With a flick of her wrist, her wand descended into her hand as she turned to face her friend.

"Bloody hell, Ava," Sirius yelped, getting to his feet.

She raised her wand, several choice spells coming to mind, but before she could utter a word, her wand was torn from her grasp and landed in Dorea's hand.

Mrs. Potter had a brow quirked and looked pointedly between the two of them. "Sirius, Ava, apologize to each other."

They both grumbled out reluctant apologies and sat back down.

Everyone resumed eating, but apparently Remus couldn't help himself. "Am I really that irresistible?" he asked, flashing Ava a smile.

She tried to hide her grin but couldn't stop it. A giggle slipped loose and soon enough, all of them were laughing.

Author Note:

Don't worry, Ava and her mate have their real reunion next chapter! ;D