Chapter 24

"Is this really a good idea?" asked Bea as she pulled over the dress she was going to wear for the first Saturday back at Hogwarts. Violet was lying on the girl's bed, flipping through a book that she was currently enjoying and waiting for Bea to finally get dressed for their day of fun, "I mean- it's Remus, he's suspicious when he doesn't even need to be!"

"I know, I know," Violet sighed, shaking her head whilst Bea turned to glance in the mirror, gripping pieces of fabric in order for the dress to fall into place, "it'll be fine. I think! I mean it can't be that bad it's just a trip to Hogsmeade!"

"With our boyfriends. Your boyfriend being my brother and mine being his best friend - not to mention that said brother of mine doesn't know that his best friend is dating his little sister, and there's also that tiny factor of him being the most over-protective brother in the whole of the world!" Bea groaned, falling onto the bed beside Violet who couldn't help but laugh quietly. Violet was silent as she lay on Bea's bed, staring at her best friend who she had missed terribly, "you alright?"

"Wha- hmm, yeah," Violet nodded, patting Bea's arm with a small smile, "It'll be fine Bea I promise. You and James are great together and it's clear you are friends too so regardless of what Remus says, nothing can come in between you two!"

"I suppose." Bea nodded. She moved her arm, fixing the hairs fallen within Violet's short hair whilst the girl smiled, lifting herself up as the Hufflepuff did the same, "you have no idea how happy I am that I have you back, Vi. I missed you far too bloody much so if we ever fall out we're sorting it a second later."

"Deal." Violet nodded, her eyes trailing after Bea as she pushed herself up, rummaging around her dorm room and grabbing her bag and wand in the process, "also I have a pretty good idea of how happy you are because I can guarantee that I'm happier."

Bea grinned, wrapping her arm around Violet and pulling her out of the dorms in the process. The first Saturday back from Christmas was always sure to have Hogsmeade packed with students, which made Bea and Violet have a good idea to get a head start, making sure to skip breakfast as well as making sure James and Remus knew to be awake early in order to meet them in the courtyard.

"I was talking to Bertie," Bea spoke, rummaging through the pocket of her cardigan to find the jelly slugs she had left, "and he said that after summer, in fifth year, we should make a study group...y'know because O.W.Ls and I thought it would be a really good idea- I mean, we have plenty of time to think about it but a study group would be nice. We could all exchange notes and maybe Remus will keep his notes from this year and lend them to us!"

"Oh yeah." Violet nodded, "that'd be good, I mean we could invite other people who want to join but I think you would be the best to form it. Bloody hell Bea you know almost everyone in our year, and other years too I wouldn't be surprised if half the school showed up to study with us."

Bea let out a laugh, shaking her head, "I don't know everyone you headcase! I know a few people, I suppose, but not everyone!"

"Mhmm. Whatever you say, Bea," Violet nodded, nudging her friend when the two boys came into view. James' hair looked messier than usual and the shirt that Remus wore under his jumper wasn't even buttoned properly.

"Now don't you two look simply dashing!" Violet teased, pulling on her boyfriend's jumper and fixing the buttons of his shirt whilst Bea made sure to smile at James. He had to catch himself from kissing her, instead subtly squeezing her hand when Remus had turned the other way, and in turn earned a smile from the younger Lupin.

"Can I ask we're up so bloody early?" James grumbled, fixing his hair seeing as Bea couldn't do it for him and trailing behind the couple with his girlfriend beside him.

"Because it means when we go to Honeydukes and Zonko's we can skip the students that'll be down later. Also! We'll get a good seat in the three broomsticks because when we go there, everyone else will be in Honeydukes and such!" Bea grinned up at him, her stare lingering for just a few moments before she averted her eyes in order to not seem too suspicious.

Of course, Remus had been suspicious since he was sure he had caught hers and James' hands brushing together.

"So, Bea," Violet asked, turning her head to look at the girl and wiggling her eyebrows, "that's a lovely necklace you have there."

Bea looked down at the necklace she was absentmindedly twiddling in her hands, her cheeks heating a dark shade of red and any words she seemed to spoke ending up muffled or stuttered, "...th- oh uh, thanks, Vi!" she whispered, not entirely sure what the girl was playing at but letting it slide anyway.

"Where did you get it?"

"I got it for Christmas," she merely shrugged, watching Remus turn around, "I think maybe Bertie got me it."

She hated lying about the fact that it was actually James but she really didn't want a fight to ensue because of some annoying over protectiveness.

"I really want sugar quills," Bea spoke, quickly changing the subject and pulling on James' arm, "we should go to Honeydukes first!"

"Alright, alright!" the boy laughed, quickly holding the door open for their group as Bea dashed around the shop. She had piled her arms with sugar quills, jelly slugs, fudge flies, chocoballs and cauldron cakes - specifically for James - all in the time that it took for Remus to pull a few sugar quills off the shelf for himself.

She was always very excited when it came to sweets and when she piled them onto the counter with James beside her, she barely had time to open her bag in order to get her money when James paid for her.

"James Potter I swear to Merlin if you do that again!" she exclaimed, thinking back to the many other times that he liked to pay for her, rambling on about how she deserved it whilst she merely glared at him, "I can pay for my sweets myself!"

"Well too bad cause I've already paid!" he grinned, patting her head whilst she frowned, "come on, love, it wasn't much!"

"James, I could barely carry it all. I have enough money, y'know. I'm not completely poor, I can pay for a few sweets!" she exclaimed, thanking the worker who handed her the bag with a smile.

"Consider it a late Christmas present!" he teased, both of them walking towards the door to wait on Remus and Violet.

"James this necklace was enough on its own, never mind anything else to go with it!" she huffed. She didn't even realise her mistake until Remus' head snapped around to face her with a look on it that made her realise what she did almost instantly. Her mouth snap shut and a sheepish smile fell onto her lips whilst her brother moved to look at her.

"What did you say?" he asked, looking down at the necklace and fully taking in just how expensive it looked. He knew that James would've paid a lot for it, but the thought as to why he would pay so much for someone who was just his friend was what was really swirling in his mind.

"I said he didn't need to buy me sweets." She merely shrugged. Regardless of how she felt, knowing that he was completely overreacting, she didn't want him to blow up, especially when she was just trying to have a good day.

"No. No, you said that the necklace was enough on its own. So are you saying that Bertie didn't get you the necklace?" he asked, his eyebrow raised.

"No, he didn't. But what is the big issue with James getting it and not Bertie?!" she asked, she was getting defence though she wasn't exactly meaning to. She was getting sick of the many moods that Remus was finding himself in, all she wanted was her big brother back.

She missed the Remus she knew.

"The issue...there's no-" he cut himself off, taking a deep breath. But slowly, very slowly, it seemed as though it was all fitting into place. The forehead kiss in the hospital, the fact that neither of them had left each other's side the full-time they had been together, the necklace, "oh my - are you two, are you together?!"

"Wha- Remus!" Bea exclaimed, sharing a frantic look with James, "that- that's crazy!"

"No, it's true," James spoke up, wrapping his arm around Bea whilst her eyes widened, "and we didn't tell you because we knew this was how you would react. It's the reason Bea and Vi fell out. The reason that Bea had lost her best friend because she was happy and you could accept that, Moony.

We're together and we have been for a while and it's bloody great and regardless of her being your sister, she's the best bloody thing in this world and I know you hate the thought of it and I know why you don't want us together but I can't help how I feel and neither can she. You're with Violet, bloody hell it's not different!"

"James," Bea whispered, "I don't really think now is the time for a muggle movie dramatic speech."

James bit his lip, knowing Bea was trying to lighten the tension and soon did he lean down, "I know. I mean it was true but I bloody regret it."

Remus clenched and unclenched his jaw, his hands curling into fists, "she's my sister, prongs."

"Moon-"

"Remus!" Bea screeched, wide-eyed when she watched Remus' fist collide with James' cheek. She pulled on her brother's arm roughly, shoving him out of Honeydukes whilst Violet took to helping James up, "for fuck's sake Remus can you for once in your life stop think about yourself and actually realise that you aren't helping me, you're bloody hurting me!

There was no fucking need for that and you know it! he isn't doing anything wrong, just because he likes me and I like him doesn't mean that you have to be so fucking hostile. I don't know what's going on with you right now, I don't. it's not just to do with James and I because it's more than protective.

I suggest you sort yourself out, I suggest you come to your fucking senses and realise what you have to!" Bea was fuming, livid, pushing on Remus' chest as she screamed at him, her cheeks hot with anger and rage boiling inside of her, "you are not the boss of me! I can date whoever the fuck I want and you know what you should just be happy that I've found someone like James who cares about me as much as he does!

Because I could've ended up with some asshole and you still wouldn't have been able to do anything about it! sort yourself out Remus and get a fucking grip!"

She turned away from him, storming over to James and pulling on his hand, leaving Violet to deal with her boyfriend whilst she hurried James over to a snow-covered bench.

"I can't believe him," she choked out, kneeling in front of James and holding his head in her hands. She pushed herself up, pressing the softest kiss to the cut on his cheek, whilst he merely shook his head.

"I expected it," he grumbled.

"Well, you shouldn't have to!" Bea exclaimed, finally running her fingers through his hair, "just because we're dating does not give him any right to hurt you! he had absolutely no right in doing that!"

"Yes, well you certainly gave him an earful," James chuckled, guiding her onto the bench. She moved so that his head rested on her chest, a sigh falling from her lips whilst he whispered about everything being alright soon.

"Him finding out about us wasn't supposed to happen like that," she whispered, trying to ignore the evident sound of arguing not far from them which was clearly Violet and Remus, "but I guess now he knows."