He didn't care that the wolf was across the desk from Aurora and clearly far enough back that he wouldn't be able to grab her. He also didn't care that she was now glaring murderously at him. He was protecting her. She'd see it his way eventually. After she realized she had been alone in a room with a dangerous monster who would have ripped her limb from limb in ten seconds flat had he not intervened.

"Are you barking mad, Severus?"

"No." He was perfectly sane. Aurora, on the other hand—no, she didn't know about Lupin's furry problem thanks to Dumbledore.

"Then lower your damn wand," she ordered, shaking her head before she turned back towards Lupin. "I apologize for him. He gets a little jealous and overprotective sometimes. As I was saying—"

Severus's fingers tightened around his wand briefly in response to her words. She didn't understand. Not like he did. She had never come face to face before with a werewolf, seen its teeth and claws. He'd forgive her for her innocence. She just didn't know the truth.

"Aurora, come here," Severus said as calmly as he could muster, never lowering his wand from Lupin. When he caught her glare, he added, "Please?" She'd understand the seriousness now. He rarely ever used the word 'Please' in that tone.

She paused for half a moment before she sighed heavily and took a step towards him and away from Lupin. It wasn't far enough in Severus's mind, but it was a start.

"What in the hell is going on?" she asked, clearly baffled by his behavior.

"It's my fault, I'm afraid," Lupin answered softly, looking like a kicked puppy.

"Why? We're just talking." She then turned back to Severus, her eyes hardening. "Or are you that cave man-like that I can't even talk with another male?"

Cave man? He was nothing like a cave man. If he were, he'd have beat Lupin already with the largest and spikiest club known to man. Actually, he thought he was being rather calm about this thing, considering she was standing near a man eater.

"He believes I may hurt you, Aurora."

"Hurt me?" she repeated. She then placed her hands on her hips. "Why on earth would you hurt me, Remus?" When he said nothing, she looked at Severus. "Why do you think he'd hurt me?"

"Because that's his nature, Aurora," Severus replied honestly.

"His nature?" She threw her hands up in the air then. "I give up." She then sighed heavily. "One of you better tell me what the hell is going on or else I'm hexing both of you."

Severus was wise enough not to point out that her magic hadn't returned to her yet.

"You didn't tell her?" Lupin asked surprised.

"I told no one, as I was sworn to secrecy," Severus replied, brushing off the murderous glare in his direction.

"Ah." Lupin then sighed, knitting his fingers together. "I'm a werewolf, Aurora."

"And I'm a vampire," she drawled, clearly not believing Lupin for an instant.

"Unfortunately, I'm serious, Aurora. I am a werewolf. Have been ever since I was very little."

"What?" She took half a step back. The fear Severus had felt eased a little bit more. She was almost within his arm length now. "You can't be." She then stepped back towards Lupin, causing Severus's fingers to curl even tighter around his wand. What on earth was she doing?

"Aurora," he warned quietly.

"It's fine, Severus," she replied dismissively.

Severus's heart thundered in his ears now as he watched in horror at her taking yet another step towards Lupin. She was going to get herself killed. It was then he noticed Lupin take a large step back from her. A part of him was grateful to the wolf for this action. Another part waited for Lupin to attack.

"No. He's right, Aurora. It's too dangerous to be around me. The full moon is just tomorrow."

"So? I mean, do you feel homicidal right now? Wanting to eat me or anything?"

Severus glanced at her and briefly considered if he had made a mistake in choosing her as his lover. How in the world could she be so trusting, so kind, so . . . Lily, he realized with a start. Lily, too, had been kind to Lupin, treating him as if he wasn't a murderous furry monster.

"No," Lupin said with a quiet laugh, the lines around his eyes smoothing just a bit. "But I think for Severus's sake you should stay back from me."

She turned to glance at Severus, her eyes narrowing on him briefly. "Are you afraid of him because he's a werewolf or because he's Remus Lupin?"

Severus blinked at her. Had she truly just asked that? He didn't even know how to respond to that. While Lupin had revealed now to her that he was a werewolf, that didn't necessarily mean that Dumbledore's swearing him to secrecy was over.

"He saw me once after I had transformed into the werewolf," Lupin somberly explained. "Sirius had tricked him into heading down the long passage that led to the Shrieking Shack."

Her mouth dropped as she stared at Severus. "That's why I'm seeing that. It's your memory."

He didn't reply. Instead, he found himself thinking of possible reasons why she would be recalling that memory of his. While he'd admit that he had been recalling that memory numerously the past few months, he hadn't thought he had transferred it to her.

She then stepped all the way back to stand beside Severus before she glanced back at Lupin.

"You couldn't control it, Remus. No one can. We all know the old 'A werewolf would kill his best friend if given the chance' line. I'm certain Severus doesn't blame you deep down."

Well, wasn't that presumptive of her? He kept his mouth firmly shut, though, lowering his wand. After all, she'd likely punch him if he told her that she was wrong and that he did too blame Lupin. No. He'd remain quiet and be grateful that she had stood beside him finally.

"Not when the blame rests solely on Black," she stated a moment later.

Severus found himself somewhat stunned to hear that admission from her. Everyone had always doted on Black and Potter. Lily certainly had. He groaned inwardly and closed his eyes. Why was he thinking about her again?

"He should have been placed in Azkaban solely for that. Conspiracy to commit murder and a slew of other crimes on top of that. Hell, you were there, Remus. The crap James and he pulled—they'd have been expelled long ago if it had happened nowadays."

"I fear you'd be right, Aurora," Lupin said softly, glancing towards Severus apologetically.

"Which brings us back to why I'm here to speak with you in the first place," Aurora said with a sigh. "Did you see Black that night, Remus? The night Pettigrew was murdered?"

"No, but I wouldn't have," Lupin replied with a shrug. "Professor Dumbledore had me doing some business up in the north for him."

She turned towards Severus with a faint smile. "See? It doesn't make sense. A whole day goes by after James and Lily were killed, and Sirius only goes after Pettigrew, not Remus?"

"As I said earlier, who knows what was going through his mind at the point?" Severus then sighed quietly. "Not to mention, Lupin just admitted he was away on business. Perhaps Black couldn't find him."

"Or perhaps Black went after Pettigrew for a different reason entirely. I mean, let's be honest, shall we? Black and James were inseparable, brothers practically. Why would you want to aid in the killing of a man you considered to be your brother?"

"He's a Black, Aurora."

"I'm well aware of that, thank you, considering I have some of that blood in my family as well," she replied rather annoyed. "But it doesn't make sense. Why Pettigrew? What was it about him? Unless there's more to the story."

"What are you saying?" Lupin inquired with a frown.

"What if he killed Pettigrew because Pettigrew was the one who betrayed James and Lily, not Sirius? I mean, for years, we all have believed it was the other way around, because Sirius was the obvious choice for Secret Keeper. What if they chose Pettigrew instead? Lily, after all, changed Harry's godparents from Sirius to the Dursleys."

Severus stared at her for a few moments, his mind reeling with her scenario. What if she was right? Not that it mattered of course. Black was still a wretched waste of space in his mind. But what if she was right? Then all these years he had thought he'd had his revenge were for nothing.

"A question I've asked myself many nights as well, Aurora, but we may never know why. At least not until he resurfaces again."

An hour later, Severus and Aurora were back in their rooms. She had been extremely quiet since they had returned, he noticed. However, every time he had pointed it out, she stated nothing was wrong, but it was obvious that something was.

"Are you feeling ill?" he finally asked with a frown when the silence had become too much.

"What?"

"Are you feeling ill? Do you need me to brew a potion for you perhaps?"

"No."

"Then why are you so quiet?"

"Everything's fine, Severus."

"Forgive me, but that's a load of Thestral crap," he replied gruffly, crossing his arms at her. "Are you still trying to figure out Black's motives?"

"I was," she admitted with a shrug, "but I've moved on to if we should get a dog or not."

"What?"

"A dog, Severus. I think it'd be good for Harry."

"And just who is supposed to take care of said dog exactly?"

"Well, Harry can when he's down here, and I can take care of it at night."

"You want a dog?" he repeated, staring at her in confusion.

"No. I don't want a dog. I just think we should get one. You know, as a family. Unless you don't think we've reached that step?"

He frowned. Getting a dog together was a step? Lucius had never said anything about that.

"Why a dog?"

"Because none of us have had one before."

He opened his mouth to correct her before he promptly closed it once more. He actually had quite a few dogs growing up. Strays, of course, but he had considered them his own for a bit.

"Then, we'll get a dog."

"Excellent." She clapped her hands together and grinned. "Because I have the perfect one picked out already."

"You do?" He tried to keep the horror from reaching his face.

"I do. Hagrid is with him now actually."

Hagrid? Oh Merlin. He could only imagine what this so-called dog was.

"We're going to give him a bath, though."

"Hagrid?" he choked out.

"No," she laughed. "The dog, silly."

"Ah." He forced his smile even more. This had disaster all over it. But she seemed so happy now that he didn't have the heart to tell her no. "And where did you find this dog?" He caught her uneasiness at once, feeling his dread increase. "Aurora, where did you find the dog?"

"Actually, you know, it's a funny story."

"Aurora." He wasn't laughing.

"The Forbidden Forest."

His eyes widened. "The Forbidden Forest? What on earth were you doing anywhere near there?"

"I went for a walk," she shrugged.

"You went for a walk?" he repeated, staring at her horrified. "Do you have any idea what sorts of dangers there are in the bloody damn forest, witch? You could have been killed!"

"By what, a centaur?"

He glared at her. He wasn't certain if it'd be Harry or her that'd drive him to the grave sooner. Absolute zero regard for their safety. Naïve to the point of stupidity both of them. Was he the only one who thought of the bloody damn consequences? Of what could happen to idiots like them gallivanting about the forest with no care in the world?

"You worry too much."

"And you don't worry enough, woman," he grumbled.

"The dog was right there beside me the entire time. I was fine."

"Yes, because dogs are well known for fighting off a fully-grown werewolf."

"This one seemed to be," she said with a shrug.

"Aurora," he growled, glaring at her. "I nearly lost you twice now. Do you understand that, witch? So, for my sake, please, I beg of you, knock it off and start thinking. I won't always be there to save you." He watched her face morph into pure fury.

"Excuse me?"

Perhaps on second thought he shouldn't have said that.

"Save me?" she snarled back. "I'm not some pathetic little witch who needs a man to save her. I can protect myself. I was fine out there in the forest. I watched for movement. I had my wand with me."

"And what good would that do when you can't—" The words died on his lips instantly as he caught the jet of light hurled near him. He stood corrected. He felt the castle shake the moment her hex hit the glass window behind him.

"When I can't do magic? Is that what you were about to say?" she snapped, glaring at him.

"I apologize," he offered with a grimace before he turned back to glance at the now cracked window. For now, the shield around Hogwarts was holding back Black Lake. "I was not aware that your magic had returned." Or that it had become stronger either for that matter.

"Yeah, well, apology not accepted, Severus," she shouted back. "I'm not Lily for Circe's sake! I am perfectly capable of protecting myself. I've done it all my life."

"I wasn't comparing you to her." At least not in that instance.

"Then why did you say, 'I won't always be there to save you,' Severus?" She shook her head and scoffed. "You know what? Never mind. I don't want to hear it. Because nothing you could say right now would make me believe you after the way you acted. I'm not Lily. I'm not going to discard you like yesterday's trash for Black or, hell, Lupin. And I sure as hell don't need you swooping in and saving me like her either. I can protect myself. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that. So, don't insult me and treat me like you'd treat her." She then flicked her wrist towards the window, the cracks quickly sealing as a result. "I'm not her, Severus. I won't ever be her. I thought you understood that." She then left.