𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 -

❝ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴇʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴜʏꜱ
ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ❞

REMUS FREEZES - SO DOES SIRIUS AND PETER, hearing their conversation from sitting behind the two.

Magnolia scratched the side of her mouth as she tried reading him, but she couldn't find anything. Her anxiety only increased as he stared off utterly frozen after her words. She hadn't realized that Peter and Sirius had also heard as they stared with wide eyes from behind them.

Silently, Remus was weeping in his head. He knew this day was gonna come, but he wished it wasn't. As selfish as it is, he didn't want them to leave. He knew it was probably because he was gonna miss them and had grown attached - but it was also out of fear. He didn't want to screw anything up in the future, and it was somehow worse than before.

"Noon?" Remus finally asks in a whisper, catching Magnolia's nervous figure to quickly look at him urgently.

"Technically... Right after this class because we have to do it before noon, or else it could screw things up." She mutters, inhaling sharply and gulping thickly.

"Okay." He says, nodding his head as she furrows her eyebrows as he raises his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Lupin?"

"I'm not feeling so well. Can Magnolia take me to the hospital wing?"

"You two may go, don't leave your things." Professor McGonagall allowed, sending a small look towards Magnolia as she smiled. The young father and daughter quickly scramble to collect their things together.

"What's wrong?" James mouths to the two as Remus sends him a reassuring nod, and Magnolia forces a smile toward the others as they make it out of the classroom quickly.

Once they were completely out of the classroom and the door closed - Magnolia took a deep, shaky breath.

"Look, Remus-" She was immediately cut off by Remus crashing her into a bear hug.

"Oh - Oh, okay." She whispers with a smile spreading across her face as she wraps her arms around him. Not saying a word, his hold around her tightened, stuffing his face into her neck. She exhaled shakily, feeling tears start to form again in her eyes. Her remorseful feelings and emotions only made her cling to him as she heard him take a shaky breath.

"I'm gonna miss you." He murmurs, clenching his jaw to prevent himself from crying.

"I'm gonna miss you too." She whispered, laying her head on his shoulder. She was on her tippy toes to lay her head on his shoulder and had her arms fully around his neck.

"What if I don't turn out to be a good father?" He asks, immediately making Magnolia's heart drop and pull away from him.

"You don't actually believe that, do you?"

"But-"

"No, no buts." She demanded, her face hard and blue eyes staring at him directly.

"Remus, you were the best father in the world - I don't think there's any possible way you could be a bad one, even if things somehow change. No way - never gonna happen." She expressed seriously, stifling a laugh at how bizarre it sounds of him thinking he'll be a bad father. His brown eyes glossed with tears like her blue ones as he stared down at her. Even though tears were overpowering her vision, she didn't stop looking at Remus with a serious look.

"Magnolia, I'm just a guy-"

"Just a guy? Remus, I looked up to you when I was younger and even now! Y-You weren't just my father... You were..." Her voice disappeared, squeezing her eyes as her head started to pound.

"Y-You didn't just display yourself as my father - you were so great that I felt like I didn't wish I had a mother. Not just that but a maid, teacher, storyteller, moon-catcher, sauce artist, superhero... It was only you I had for years, and you were everything I could have asked for..."

~~~

Meanwhile, Sirius was in the classroom - tapping his finger obnoxiously on the wooden desk. Peter was tapping his foot silently on the ground as he waited for the clock to strike the end of class like Sirius and everyone else. Maybe a little more than others for particular reasons.

Harry was doodling all over his piece of parchment on his desk, wanting to desperately go find Maggie and see if she was okay. But he knew she needed to talk to Remus alone, and their real reason for leaving the classroom was just in need of that and not needing the hospital wing at all.

"Hey, is everything okay with Mags?" James whispers to Harry, leaning forward as he merely forces a reassuring grin.

"I'm sure she's fine..." Harry said, contemplating if he should just come out and say the terrible news. Maybe if he tells James during a class session, he won't make a big dramatic scene like always...

But that's where Harry thought wrong - he didn't exactly know that James was just as childish and dramatic as him. He's not even afraid to cause a scene in front of anyone during any situation.

"I actually have to tell you something-"

"Class, now you may start writing a draft essay about the origins of turning into Animagus form and why it's illegal today," Minerva instructed, forcing all the students to go into silent working mode.

"What's wrong?" James asks, putting down his quill with furrowed eyebrows. Harry took a deep breath before something behind them made a loud banging noise.

They quickly looked behind them to see Sirius slam his hand on the table and quickly covered his nose before loudly and - dramatically, clumsily rising out of his seat. It catches everyone's quick attention, including McGonagall's. Sirius sent a smirk to Harry and James as they stared at him confused before Sirius quickly pulled up Peter with him from his desk.

"Sirius, what-"

"Minnie, Merlin - I accidentally hit my nose on the table, I need to go to the hospital wing!" He exclaims, covering his hand over his nose.

"Sirius, I don't think-" Minerva began but was immediately cut off by the wailing Sirius.

"Professor - I am bleeding through my nostrils because my face - SOMEHOW - hit the desk! We need to fix these desks! This is a hazard! What will happen if kids keep smacking their faces into these desks -" Minerva rolled her eyes as Peter snorted while Harry and James tried holding in their laughter.

"Oh - Oh, bloody hell -" A dark red liquid started falling down his upper lip, making James stifle a laugh, and Harry looked at him with disgust.

"Look at this. Professor, I-I need to go... With Peter -" He says, slowly walking away, dragging a nervously grinning Peter.

"Sirius, I don't think you need to go." The professor remarks, knowing this was just another little prank since they've used this excuse to get out of class before. And she knows the difference between real and fake blood.

"But Minnie, I could most likely die if I don't get this checked out - and for moral support... I think Harry and James should come-"

"That's not very necessary-" She demands as Harry and James quickly pack their things as Sirius slowly backs out of the room.

"Come on, hurry!" He whisper-shouts as the two clumsily sprint out of the room beside Peter.

"Farewell, my classmates, wish me good luck!" Sirius exclaims, throwing his arms out to reveal his palm with red dye and quickly wiping the fake blood off his nose before darting out of the class with the others.

"Boys!"

~~~

"You are so gonna make my four detentions turn into five-"

"New record?" Harry asks, making Sirius scoff at James.

"Last year, we had gotten detention every single day for two whole months, I'm sure it was Minnie's worst 60 days of her life."

"Oh, it was - I think I heard her yelling at Dumbledore for making her spectate it all." Peter snorted before Harry let out a sigh as they entered through the entrance of the Gryffindor common room.

"I have to tell you guys something." Sirius and Peter quickly froze up and gulped, giving each other a certain look since they already knew as James looked at Harry confused.

"What is it, Harry?"

"When me and Magnolia were in Dumbledore's office... They told us we could go home and gave us a time turner to go back." James furrowed their eyebrows at him before his face slowly relaxed with anxiety on realization.

"Oh..." James whispers, letting his shoulders drop, and the realization hits him hard against the head as suddenly he lacks movement or words.

"I'm sorry-" Harry mutters, biting the inside of his cheek as his heart is quickened by pace.

"No, please don't be sorry." Sirius immediately whispers, pulling Harry into a warm hug.

Harry immediately complied and wrapped his arms back around Sirius as he tightened his hold around him to keep tears from flowing. Peter was speechless, tears prickling his eyes as he sniffled before joining in on the hug. James pressed his hand to his chest, gulping down his anxiety and tears before giving in and wrapping his arms around the boys.

Harry was so touch-starved. He craved it so much, especially with Magnolia. Ever since they got together, he needed skin-to-skin contact at all times. Holding hands, pinky holding, hand on neck or thigh, or even head in lap. He craved it - he only now realizes the pain of his childhood and not getting a lot of physical affection. He must think of himself as annoying if he were Maggie because of how clingy he was.

He only now realizes this because of how badly he doesn't want to let Sirius, James - and surprisingly, Peter go. It was weird thinking the first time he came here, he wanted to kill Peter for what his future self did. But now, he's hugging him to death like they're best friends leaving one another forever.

"I guess this is it, huh?" A voice says, causing the four of them to pull away from one another.

Harry looks over his shoulder as the boys look behind him to see Remus and Magnolia. The father and daughter's eyes were stained with tears, their eyes slightly red, and cheeks flushed.

"Oh, Maggie, I'm gonna miss you too!" Sirius cooed, his face scrunching as small tears began to turn into sobs.

"No, please stop, if you start crying, I will - AGAIN!" She demands, trying to purse her lips to not cry hard like he was. But as soon as they looked at one another - they both burst into hard tears and wrapped their arms around each other.

"Why is this so much more painful than how I played it out in my head?" Peter stuttered, quickly wiping his eyes as James puckered his lips to not let his dramatic side take over.

"Guys - I have to go on a date with Lily this weekend - this is NOT OKAY!" James shouts, making Harry stifle a laugh as Magnolia and Sirius hold each other in their weeping arms.

"Goddammit!" James exclaims, kicking the common couch before howling in pain. The dramatic action made everyone crack a smile, and Maggie pulled away from the weeping Sirius and went to James.

"Y-You're such a cool daughter-in-law!" James exclaims, not meaning to shout, but he's trying so desperately hard to keep in his tears from turning into sobs. But that didn't happen as Magnolia hollowed her cheeks with air to try not to combust in an uncontrollable sob fest.... But that uncontrollable sob fest breaks from its cage as soon as she opens her mouth.

"And you're a really cool father-in-law-"

"Oh, bloody hell, Magnolia, darling!" He cried out, pulling her in a tight hug as tears fell fast down his cheeks.

"Come on, guys." Remus murmurs, leaning down to wipe his tears as Sirius practically throws himself onto Remus as he continues to weep.

"How is it possible you two twats made awesome kids - it doesn't make sense. It must be mostly from their mother's, I swear!" Sirius retorts with a laugh through his tears.

"What was your mother's name again?" James asks urgently, holding her forearms as they pull away. Magnolia furrows her eyebrows and thinks hard, her mouth opening but nothing seeming to come out.

"Evangeline Taurus - she's Lily's best friend from Beauxbatons," Remus replies, making James and Magnolia quirk a grin.

"Of course - brilliant!" James exclaims, making Mags snort a laugh before he kisses her forehead hard, letting the firmness slightly linger.

They fully pull away, allowing Magnolia to wipe her tears and rub her red cheeks on her pale face. As soon as she and James pull away, James quickly slams Harry into another hug - making the boy almost fall over by his sobbing teen father. Magnolia watches all of them, wrapping her arms around herself as tears continue to fall. She looked at Peter, who stood off to the side with welled-up tears.

"Dark and difficult times are gonna come soon..." Magnolia whispers, coming towards Peter with a small smile and sniffle. He nods, keeping his head down but she doesn't allow it for long as she picks his head back up with a finger. She met his eyes in full seriousness but with tears prickling her eyes.

"Soon... We're all gonna face the choice between, what is right... And what is easy." She tells him, fixing his collar as his eyes read her sorrowful features.

"It's so scary..." He whispers, already having an idea of what she's saying as she suckles in a breath.

"I know. I know more than lots... But trust me, you're not alone - You have your best mates..." She whispers, her blue eyes glossing with tears as his eyes turn a slight red. "You'll always have them."

"And you?" He asks with a sort of certain hopefulness in his eyes. But she only softly smiled at him, smoothing his shoulders and meeting his eyes.

"You don't have to worry about me, Peter - I'm from a future that no longer exists..." She admitted, trying to hide her nervousness as she smiled at him before being pulled into a hug by him.

"Worry about the now, Peter. And don't forget - you are loved. No matter what happens, remember you are always loved and wanted. Don't let anyone think otherwise." By her words, his grip around her tightened as his thoughts hung on her words. She hugged him comfortingly, his head resting on her shoulder as he sniffled quietly.

"Thanks, Mags."

"No problem, Peter." As they pulled away, he wiped away leftover tears as they both cracked a soft laugh.

There was no doubt that Peter Pettigrew wasn't going to miss Magnolia Lupin and Harry Potter.

"I'm gonna miss you, Har," Remus mutters, hugging Harry tightly, and making Maggie smile. Sirius patted his shoulder, his emotions finally concealed. James had his arms crossed over his chest in a composed posture as Peter came beside him.

Harry and Remus pulled away with a grin before all the boy's eyes trained on Magnolia. She played with her hands nervously, picking her skin as she and Harry locked eyes.

And with just a nod, they knew - it was time.

authors note !!!

one more chapter :(