Chapter 40

"I will punch you if you say sorry again," Nora huffed, glaring at the boy beside her, ready to lift her fist when his mouth parted, but soon did his shoulders slump and his glare return.

"I am sorry, though!"

"Remus!" Nora exclaimed, running a hand through her hair, "you have apologised countlessly, and I have forgiven you, and I'm not mad!"

"But-"

"But nothing," Nora laughed softly, shaking her head, "I'm fine, Remus, and I have forgiven you, just like Adria had and Lily, no one is mad at you!"

"Alright," he sighed, "I have something for you."

"You do?" she asked, her head titled, her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at her cousin, "what is it?"

"Two things, actually," Remus grinned, grabbing his bag and rummaging through his things, a laugh escaping his lips whilst Nora turned to him, watching him, seeing his evident excitement as he pulled out an envelope.

He opened it, pulling out something before turning suddenly to Nora, "close your eyes!"

"Alright, alright!" Nora giggled, a sigh tumbling from her lips as she pulled her legs into a basket, closing her eyes tightly and soon did she hide her face behind her hands, a grin taking over her lips, "What is it?"

"You'll see when I give you it," Remus chuckled, bringing out the picture from the envelope and finally did he place it in Nora's hands, speaking, "you can open your eyes now."

She nodded slightly, her eyes fluttering open and soon did she look down at her hand, seeing two children in the photograph, both maybe one years old, cheesy smiles wide on their lips as they hugged each other tightly, they were both clearly laughing, and both clearly loved each other.

They two where entirely similar as they smiled for the camera, clutching each other, and very evidently happy to be in each other's company, even at such a young age. Their hair, the sandy brown colour, their eyes bright as they stared back at the camera, their smiles where eerily similar, but whilst they were alike in many ways, it was very clear that they weren't related.

"And another," Remus spoke, his voice quiet as he handed her another photo, this one was a little torn around the edges but she couldn't help but smile as she stared at it.

There he stood between the two infants, his arms thrown around them and a cheesy grin wide on his lips as he looked right into the camera, his hands clasped around each baby's mouth, which allowed a laugh to escape Nora's lips as she stared down at Elijah, and herself, and who she now knew as Remus.

"You had these?" she asked, blinking away the tears as she stared at Remus.

"My mum did," he smiled softly, shaking his head with a soft laugh, "she told me that was the last time I ever saw you, they had a fallen out that day, your mother and mine, apparently you and I were making our teddies levitate, and seeing as it was very evidently obvious that we both where magic, my dad thought it wise to tell your mum about him, it wasn't so much a violation of secrecy seeing as she is family, but she took it the wrong way, said you had nothing to do with it, that it was this house, my house, and she'd never be back, mum never saw her again."

"Doesn't surprise me," Nora frowned, a sigh tumbling from her lips as she ran a hand through her hair, "she has a tendency to abandon those that have 'wronged' her."

Remus sighed as he patted her shoulder, sending her a sympathetic smile, "well in better news, I have something else for you."

"For me?"

"Yes, this is actually for you, I think you'll like it," Remus smiled widely, "close your eyes."

"oh alright," Nora chuckled, closing her eyes once again, she held out her hand, a smile on her lips as Remus placed the envelope in her hands.

"Now open your eyes," Remus grinned, watching her eyes flutter open for the second time, she looked at the envelope which read 'dear Nora' in handwriting unfamiliar to her, she looked to Remus, who gestured for her to open it.

Which she did.

Dear Nora,

You don't know me very well, actually you don't really know me at all, but I know you, I know your mother, too, because, well, she's my sister. I really can't believe that you and Remus found out, I'm shocked really, I didn't even know you went to Hogwarts, I had my suspicions but never did I ask Remus, I didn't want to alarm him.

I hope you understand that from the moment you left that day in the pictures I'm sure Remus has sent you, until now, I have missed you, I have thought of you, tried to find you. I hope you don't mind, but Remus told me of your situation, I'm terribly sorry about Elijah, he was such a lovely young boy, he really didn't deserve a fate like that, but please don't blame yourself for it, dear.

It would be lovely to meet my niece, to meet you, a dream, really to see you again, Remus tells me you have yourself a boyfriend, his best friend, no less!

James is rather lovely, a nice boy, I know my approval wouldn't mean anything, but I must say that I definitely do approve, you have found yourself a keeper!

I'm sorry that it has taken this long to find you, to reply to you, I was so shocked when Remus told me the news, I was hysterical, I was so happy, so happy that if you would like to, both Lyall and I, and of course Remus, would love for you to live with us.

Your mother treated me horribly, and to hear that she is doing the same to you breaks my heart, I know that you like to travel, which makes my heart swell, as I was a bit of a traveller myself when I was younger, I would love to tell you stories of my adventures if you wish too!

My home, our home, it's yours too, I don't want you thinking you are burdening us, you could never, and I know that you will be off traveling with James, Remus told me that was what you planned to do during summer, but when you come home, you will have one, a home, and we will love you, we already do.

I hope to hear from you soon, Nora, I truly can't wait to meet you!

Love, Hope!

"Oh merlin," Nora whispered, the letter falling onto her lap as she wiped away her tears, a soft laugh tumbling from her lips as she lifted her eyes to Remus, "did you- have you read the letter?"

"I have," Remus smiled softly, nodding his head, "so what do you say, Nora, I'm sure you need a real place to go after your adventures, why doesn't it be home, with me, with mum and dad, it'll be so fun, what do you say?!"

She laughed softly, nodding her head furiously, a grin widening on her lips, she spoke, "I say yes!"

-

"Can we talk about summer?" asked James, running his fingers through Nora's hair as she lay her head on his chest, one leg draped around his hips as she pushed herself closer to him on his bed, snuggling closer to the warmth that he emitted, a soft sigh of content leaving her lips as she traced her fingers over the bare skin of his chest, occasionally did she move her head to press soft kisses to his skin, something that she just couldn't seem to help.

"Sure," she whispered, moving her head to stare at him, a wide smile taking over her features as she caught sight of him staring at her, his arm soon moving to her waist, holding her tightly, capturing her lips in his quickly whilst her laugh floated around the room, a reason as to why he kissed her in the first place, her laugh was simply melodic, a melody he would never get sick of, lovely, enchanting, he loved it so much. He moved his other hand that previously tangled in her hair, tracing her face with his fingertips that danced over the skin, watching with a smile as she closed her eyes, her smile widening if that was even possible, "what do you want to talk about, specifically, I mean."

"Paris," he mumbled, a smile attacking his own lips at the thought of the two of them together during summer, he couldn't get it out of his mind, he wished that the days would go by quicker, but then, he didn't mind much, because she was by her side nonetheless, and really, having her by her side was a gift in itself, "I want to talk about what we'll do there."

"Sight see," she giggled, moving herself closer to him, climbing on top of him, and between his legs, her head resting on his chest, her arms moving to lean on him whilst his laugh rang through the dormitory, "we can see the Eiffel tower," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his stomach as she sat up, "and the Notre Dame," she trailed her lips up his chest, a smirk on her lips when he threw his head back, "and the Arc de Triomphe," she kissed his neck as she reached it, straddling his hips as he gripped her thighs, his eyes fluttering open to see her eyes, bright, and amused as he bit his lips.

"Will you be this much of a tease in Paris?" he asked, his eyebrow raised as her laughs tumbled from her lips, leaning his head up to meet her lips with his own, a smile capturing his lips as he trailed his hand up her back, pulling her closer with the back of her neck as she leaned her hands on his chest, her lips parting when he bit her lip, allowing his tongue to slip into her mouth, their tongues fighting for dominance that she overruled.

"Will there be this much kissing in Paris?" she asked, her eyes innocent as she trailed them down her body, her head titled, and a smile wide on her lips as James shook his head with a laugh, quickly turning them over so that he hovered over her, his lips attacking hers again, but quickly did he pull apart, trailing them down her jaw, softly, brushing the skin whilst a gasp left her lips and her legs wrapped around him, begging for him closer to her, he moved to her neck, pushing his lips more forcefully onto her skin, parting them, sucking on the exposed skin near the bottom of her neck whilst a moan bubbled from her lips.

"Oh god, make it stop!" Adria exclaimed as she entered the dormitory with Sirius' hand clutched in her own, and Remus and Peter trailing in behind them, she watched with a laugh as James pushed himself off of Nora, a glare narrowed at his best friend as she plopped herself down on Sirius' bed, pulling her legs into a basket and facing the couple, a grin wide on her lips as she spoke, "did I just witness you two almost making my godchild?"

"You'll be witnessing a murder if any more people interrupt us," James grumbled, a huff falling from his lips as he pulled Nora onto his lap, watching the laugh fall from her lips as she threw one of her arms around him.

"I'm sorry I interrupted the baby making, but is that not a tad inappropriate for school?" Adria teased, "geez, James, keep it in your pants!"

Nora covered her mouth to stop her giggles, "we weren't baby making, we were talking about Paris!"

"Makes sense," Sirius piped in as he threw himself on his bed next to Adria, pulling the girl so that she would lie with him, and soon did he wiggle his eyebrows, speaking, "it is the city of love, after all."

"I am so uncomfortable right now," Remus commented, shaking his head furiously, his face scrunched in disgust.

"Poor Remmy," Adria sighed, "how do you feel that we interrupted Nora and James baby making?"

"There was no baby making!" James and Nora spoke in unison, and soon did Nora pick up a pillow, throwing it at Adria who couldn't help but laugh.

"That was so uncalled for!" Adria huffed, glaring at a grinning Nora.

"It was very called for, actually," James piped in, his head resting on Nora's shoulder, who lifted her hand to high five him.