Hello readers! This is the beginning of an old story I dug up, and I wanted to post it and see what you all thought. So if you like it, please review, and if people think its good enough for me to post more and write more, I will:)

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the Motterly family.

The Leaky Cauldron was bustling as usual, and as Erin Motterly shuffled out of her room on a higher floor, she nearly tripped over a ginger cat as it chased down a rat. She shivered and pulled her robes around her tighter. It might have just been her, but the air seemed a little bit colder. She padded down the stairs and into the main hall, intending to buy a mug of warm tea.

"Erin!" An excited voice called from across the room. The red-haired woman blinked and turned towards it, a smile developing on her face when she saw her friend.

"Arthur." She smiled, hugging her friend. "It's good to see you."

"Our dad is hugging our teacher. Weird." Erin stood on her tippie toes to see the Weasley twins, raising an eyebrow at them.

"I trust you've been misbehaving."

They grinned. "All Summer."

Arthur pulled away and aimed a reproachful look at his sons, which lacked any real intensity. "Don't sound so happy about it." The boys just laughed. Arthur turned back to his friend, examining her closely. "How are you?" He whispered. "You look a bit pale. Molly is going to be all over you when she sees you."

Erin tried to smile. "I'm as good as can be expected. I-I'm a bit surprised I can walk, to be honest." She laughed shakily. Arthur gave her a strengthening smile and patted her shoulder.

"Hang in there. And if you need to talk to anyone, you know we're here." He spotted someone over her shoulder. "Oh! There's someone I need to talk to for a moment, If you'll excuse me."

"Of course." Erin looked to where he was heading and nearly froze. James was standing right there. Right in front of her! She blinked. But...that couldn't be...Prongs was dead. Of course, it was Harry. It was his son. She turned around shakily, heading towards the Weasleys. The twins exchanged worried glances at their teacher's look.

"Oh, Erin, dear! It's so good to see you!" Molly Weasley trotted over to the younger woman, crushing her in a hug. Taking in her expression, the mother pulled her aside. "Oh, dear. You look so peaky. How are you holding up?" Erin couldn't find her voice, so she just nodded. The older woman frowned and rubbed Erin's arms comfortingly. "I know you must be feeling so terrible and frightened." At this, Erin broke down completely, her face screwing up in pain.

"I just...this whole thing...it's just brought the pain back..."

"Don't think like that, dear. Everything will be alright. Hogwarts is a safer place than any."

Erin gave a watery smile and nodded. "You're right, you're right. I'm just being silly." She dabbed at her eyes.

Molly smiled.

"Mom!" Cried a voice.

Erin spun around, a smile plastered over her face. "Leona! I've missed you." She laughed as the girl jumped into her arms. Though now twelve, she never shied from her mother's affection, and Erin guessed that had something to do with the fact that she'd never got any fatherly affection, aside from stand-in figures like Arthur Weasley. "How was your visit to the Weasley's?" She asked, ruffling her long, shaggy, jet black hair.

She grinned. "Awesome! Fred and George showed me how to make dung bombs, and I practiced flying on a broom!" Mrs. Weasley frowned in the direction of her boys.

Erin rolled her eyes. "Wonderful. Well, if you use them, just don't get caught, alright? I hate getting called to the offices of my coworkers to discuss my daughter's prankster tendencies. Although, if you happen to drop one in Potions class...I would certainly understand..." She winked to Leona, who smirked.

Leona was naturally a prankster, but her inclination to get into all sorts of trouble had spiked when she had been scolded by Professor Snape. He had let slip that she was 'just like her father' in the way she couldn't keep her 'vast immaturity' in check. Ever since then, her prankfullness had sky rocketed. She had never known her father, and it was Erin's guess that she felt closest to him when she was breaking the rules.

"Oh, she shouldn't be using them at all!" Said Molly.

Erin took in her daughter, awkward in her lankyness, grinning and sly, looking remarkably like her father. "In my opinion, if she's clever enough to not get caught, she deserves to not get in trouble, hmmm? But that is in no way me telling you to set one off in Snape's classroom." She winked.

"Erin!" Gasped Molly, but there was a softness to her voice.

Mother and daughter laughed and walked out to the table, Leona sitting down next to Harry. She quickly struck up a conversation, despite the fact the two children had never properly met. The sight almost made Erin cry, her daughter and her friend's son, talking avidly, though having never known one another.

Like father, like daughter, they hit it off. Erin ordered some tea and sat with a content look on her face. Amid all the trouble, it might just be alright...

The train for Hogwarts had left, and Erin was sitting close to the front, in a compartment with three First Years, plus Leona. They latter three were asking her loads of questions about Hogwarts, and she answered them with a smile. In fact, she was grateful for the distraction.

"So, do you think I'll be in Gryfindor?" Asked a small boy.

Erin smiled. "Who knows? The Sorting Hat, I suppose. He always makes the best decisions. It's important, though, to realize that every house is good. There isn't one better than another."

A little girl from the window seat frowned. "But, what about me? My parents weren't magic."

Erin paused. "My dear, some of the brightest witches and wizards of history were born to muggle parents. Don't let anyone ever tell you you're lesser than them. It just isn't true. My brightest students are muggle-born. So am I."

The girl's eyes widened. "Really?"

Erin laughed. "Really."

Suddenly the train lurched, and the lights flickered out. The students gasped and huddled closer as the cold leeched into the compartment.

"What's happening?"

"Oh no!"

"We're broken down."

"Calm down, I'm sure everything is fine." Murmured Erin. Another shudder in the length of the train almost threw her from her seat. "I'm going to see what's..."

Before she could leave, she froze. The sight of a Dementor can do that. "Kids." She whispered, deathly serious. "Don't move. Don't say a word." She stepped back and put an arm around Leona, who had grown suddenly stiff. The spectral skeleton floated by, and after a long wait, the heat returned, the lights snapped back on, and the train began to move.

Erin let out a slow breath, trying to smile. "See? Everyone's fine." The children sure didn't look fine. "I'm going to check with someone, but I'll be right back." She slipped out of her Compartment, running straight into someone. "Oh, I'm sorry. Wasn't paying attention, I suppose." She glanced up at the man, smiling, but her smile abruptly faltered. "Moony?" She gasped.

"Gingerbread?" Erin was silent for a moment, not having been called that in a great while. She grinned and hugged him tight.

"Moony, I haven't seen you in ages! I mean I know you've had to stay away for a bit, but I've missed you!"

Lupin winced. "I meant to come back, I just..."

"I understand." She smiled. "Were you going to have a talk with the conductor?" He nodded. "I'll come with you."

The door behind them opened, Leona stepping out into the corridor too. "Hey mom, where are you going?"

Lupin was staring with wide eyes at the female version of his old friend, remembering seeing the girl when she was three. She had changed so much since then.

"I'm just going to have a little chat with the conductor." She glanced nervously at Lupin, and then down at her daughter.

They walked down the corridor, Lupin in front. "How has it been?" He started softly.

Erin smiled, though she knew he couldn't see her. "Oh, fine. Lonely, I mean, but...this whole thing..."

Lupin turned to her. "About that..." He paused. "Perhaps we should wait till later to discuss it, but I wanted to say that I...I'm sorry for what's going on. You must be worried."

Erin nodded. "I am, but I think Hogwarts will be safe enough. I'm just...a bit emotionally exhausted."

"I can believe it." He said, moving on towards the front. "I'm here for you, if you need it."

Erin smirked. "Just like old times Moony?"

He chuckled. "Only a bit reversed."

The Great Hall was bursting with life as the feast began. Erin was trying her best to be cheery, happy at Dumbledore's seating arrangements, as she got to sit next to Lupin. She waved as the First Years she had met got sorted, one in Gryfindor, one in Hufflepuff, and one in Ravenclaw. She only ate a little bit. Her stomach was doing flips. They finished dinner, and Lupin walked his friend to the Professor's dormitories.

Lupin looked thoughtful. "Erin, aren't you worried about what might happen? Sirius is out of Askaban and..."

"Lupin..." She sighed. "I just don't...are you sure that he killed him? Are you sure? The last time I saw him, he didn't...He looked so normal..." She shook her head. "He didn't look like a murderer."

Lupin took his friend by the shoulders. "Erin, the Prime Minister himself said he saw Sirius kill Peter."

The woman shook her head. "No, not kill him, just..."

"...laugh hysterically after Peter blew up?"

Erin put her head in her hands. "Why? Why can't I stop myself from hoping Remus? Hoping that he didn't kill them. Hoping that I wasn't so blind to see...why can't I stop hoping?"

Remus hugged his friend, rubbing her back comfortingly. "Because you're you. You always see the best in people. And you loved him. He loved you."

"Then why?" She sobbed. "Why did he do this to us?"

Remus sighed. "I don't know, Gingerbread. I don't know..."

"Hello." Said a smallish red-haired girl. "Mind If I sit here?"

A thin raggedy looking boy looked up quickly from a book. "Oh, no, I don't mind." The girl tentatively sat down. "My name's Remus."

"That's a nice name. Mine's Erin. Erin Motterly. Is this your first year?"

The boy nodded. "Yes."

"It's so exciting, isn't it? I didn't know I was a witch until a month ago. We couldn't believe it! And now I'm here. It's almost too much to take in."

Remus smiled. "So your parents are Muggles?"

Erin nodded. "Yup. My dad's a teacher and my mum paints pictures. I'm really nervous that I'll do bad though..."

"Nonsense." Said the boy. "You'll do fine."

She grinned. "Thanks. What house do you want to be in?"

"Hey, are you talking about houses?" Asked a boy with glasses. Behind him was another boy with long black hair. The compartment's occupants both nodded. "I want to be in Gryfindor." Supplied the boy. "I'm James by the way."

"I'm Sirius." Said the other boy. "And anything but Slytherin will do for me." They sat down in the compartment, James near Remus and Sirius near Erin.

"My name's Remus. I think I'd like Gryfindor or Ravenclaw." James nodded appreciatively.

"And you?" He asked Erin.

"Oh." She blinked. "Well, I'm just happy to be here! I guess I'll be happy anywhere I'll be, as long as I have friends. And my name's Erin."

"Well, you don't want Slytherin. They're bad to the bone."

"Really?" Asked Erin, eyes wide. "Why?"

"They think that if you're parents are muggles you shouldn't be allowed at Hogwarts. They think every wizard should be pure bloods, otherwise they aren't worth anything." He growled bitterly. "Which is nonsense." He added on. "My whole family's in it, but I would give anything to be in another house."

"I see." Said the girl slowly. "Well, I hope you get your wish. I suppose if you hate the ideals so much you won't get in."

He shrugged. "We'll see."

"Well, in any case, I think being a wizard is amazing, no matter what happens." Smiled Erin.

"Are you muggle-born?" Asked James bluntly.

She nodded. "Yes. That's not a problem, is it?"

"Or course not!" Said all three boys at once. They all looked at each other and laughed.

"No matter what house we get sorted in, I think we're all going to be great friends." Said James, not knowing how true it was.

"Black, Sirius!" Sirius smiled and jumped up to the Sorting Hat. After a long moment of deliberation, it bellowed, "GRYFINDOR!" A large wave of murmurs rumbled across the hall as the boy took a seat at the Gryfindor Table triumphantly. A few more children were sorted. "Lupin, Remus!" Remus shyly went up to the stool, but it was only a short moment before he was sorted into Gryfindor as well. Erin was happy as her friends got their wishes.

"Motterly, Erin!" Erin bit her lip as she stumbled up to the stool. She sat down and gripped the stool. The hat fell onto her head, covering her eyes. To her great surprise, it started to talk in her ear! "Ah, yes, yes...you have a good mind, though you're not so academically interested to be in Ravenclaw...hmmm, definitely not Slytherin...kind and courageous yes...but extremely loyal and hardworking...where to put you?" Erin bit her lip, nervous at how long it was taking. "You could be great in Gryfindor, but your patience and determination suggest Hufflepuff..." A wave of sadness overtook Erin. "Not Hufflepuff, eh? Why not? They're hardy, loyal, dependable..."

"My friends are in Gryfindor..." She thought back. "But if I'm really supposed to be in Hufflepuff, then I want to be there."

"If you're sure...HUFFLEPUFF!" The table on the right burst forth in cheers, and Erin smiled and skipped over to it. She gave a wave to her disappointed friends in Gryfindor, but was nonetheless happy to be so accepted.

When the first years were being guided to their common rooms, Sirius slipped from his line and tapped Erin on the shoulder. She turned around quickly. "Sirius?"

He grinned. "Congrats on making Hufflepuff! I guess we'll see you around, huh?"

Erin looked over his shoulder to see James, Remus, and another boy waving, then she looked back to Sirius. "You bet."

Erin woke up with a start, blinking furiously. She had been dreaming about when she had gotten sorted. She smiled when she remembered meeting Sirius, but then frowned when she remembered everything that had happened. She sighed, sinking back into her covers, wanting more than anything to disappear into his arms.

The next few days were fairly normal. Erin taught her class, Muggle Studies which was almost always empty besides the one starter class all students had to take at least once. Lupin was quite busy with his classes, and they therefore didn't have much time to talk.

One day, before dinner, the two did have a chance to slip away, and they walked over to the long bridge.

"Remus.?" Started Erin, her nose red from the cold.

"Yes?" He asked.

"What was the last thing you remember Sirius saying to you?"

The man winced. "Now, Erin, you know we fell out before..."

"I know. I just want to know what he said."

He sighed, looking out into the mist. "All right." He squinted his eyes, as if trying to read his answer from the low lying clouds. "He said that there were more and more people falling into Voldemort's control, and that he couldn't trust everyone anymore. He couldn't trust me. That was the last I heard of him."

Erin blinked, looking into the fog herself, her ginger hair whipping around her face. She was silent for a long while. "The last thing he said to me was that he'd made some mistakes. He said he'd been overconfident, overtrusting, and that he might've just made the worst decision of his life." She closed her eyes. "After James and Lily were killed, I wanted to distance myself from you, and I'm sorry, but it hurt too much."

Remus nodded. "I understand. Believe me, I'm used to it."

Erin seemed to flinch. "Moony, I don't mean...it's just...I was so lost for a time." She shook her head. "Do you forgive me?"

"Of course. It's rather easy to forgive when you were never angry in the first place." She smiled again, though her eyes gathered tears.

"That wasn't the very very last thing he said to me."

Remus looked over to his friend, noting the demure tone to her voice. "What was the very last thing?"

She didn't blink as she stared out over the expanse. "He asked me to marry him." She pulled out a ring which dangled on a chain previously hidden under her robes. "He asked me to be his wife, and I said yes." She slipped the necklace back under her clothes. "Then he said he had something to do, and that he was going to find me afterwards, take me out to dinner, bring me home, and make love to me."

Remus smiled. "Yes, that sounds like Sirius."

Erin nodded. The two friends stood together on the bridge, not saying a word more, and not needing to.

That's it for now, if you really liked it and want to read more, tell me so in the reviews please:)