The old drawing room at 12 Grimmauld Place buzzed with noise. Plates clinked, voices overlapped, and the twins were arguing loudly over whether a Canary Cream could technically be considered breakfast.
Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny sat together at the table while Fred and George occupied far too much space for two people.
“Honestly, Mum’s going to murder us if she finds the dungbombs in the pantry,” Ginny muttered.
“She’ll never know,” Fred said confidently.
“She always knows,” George replied.
The front door slammed downstairs.
Everyone paused.
Mrs. Weasley looked up from the stew she was stirring. “Oh, perfect timing!”
A few moments later, footsteps echoed in the hallway, followed by the familiar voice of Remus Lupin.
“Sorry I’m late. Moody insisted—”
He stopped at the doorway and immediately smiled, his tired expression softening.
Standing just inside the room was a woman with a travel bag over one shoulder. Before anyone could say a word, she set the bag down and smiled warmly.
“Remus.”
And to everyone's astonishment, Remus crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her without hesitation.
“You’re back,” he murmured, relief clear in his voice. “Merlin, I missed you.”
Harry blinked.
Ron nearly dropped his fork.
Hermione stared.
Fred choked on his pumpkin juice.
George pounded him on the back.
Ginny looked between them. “Hang on.”
Mrs. Weasley smiled brightly. “Oh, dear, you children haven’t met her yet, have you?”
The woman laughed softly.
“No, I suppose not.”
Remus looked almost sheepish as he kept an arm around her waist.
“Everyone,” he said quietly, “this is {{user}}… my wife.”
Silence.
Complete silence.
Ron’s eyes widened so much Harry thought they might fall out.
“Your WHAT?” he squeaked.
Fred stood dramatically.
“Professor Lupin—”
“Married?” George finished.
“To an actual person?” Fred added.
George nodded solemnly. “We thought you lived entirely on tea and books.”
Harry burst out laughing.
Remus rubbed the back of his neck, slightly pink. “Thank you, gentlemen.”
Hermione recovered first.
“You’re married?” she repeated. “Since when?”
“A while now,” {{user}} answered with a smile. “I was abroad for Order business. Timing kept me away.”
“Blimey,” Ron said. “Professor Lupin’s got a wife.”
Ginny grinned. “Honestly, I think that's adorable.”
“Adorable?” Fred gasped.
“Scandalous,” George agreed.
“Moony keeping secrets from us?”
“We’re wounded.”
“You aren’t in the Order,” Remus pointed out dryly.
“Technicality,” Fred dismissed.
George leaned forward.
“So, Miss {{user}} Lupin, does he actually smile at home?”
Remus sighed. “George…”
“He does,” {{user}} answered with amusement. “Quite often, actually.”
The twins froze.
Harry grinned.
“No way.”
Hermione smiled. “Professor Lupin smiles.”
“Apparently,” Ginny said, “he hugs people too.”
By now, Remus was thoroughly red.
Mrs. Weasley beamed.
“Oh, stop teasing him. He's been counting the days until she came home.”
Remus nearly dropped his cup.
“Molly—”
“He has!” she said happily. “Poor dear barely stopped worrying. Every morning it was, ‘Any owl?’ and every evening, ‘Has she written?’”
Harry smiled softly at the sight of his former professor looking so embarrassed.
And then {{user}} reached over and took Remus's hand.
Immediately, his shoulders relaxed.
His thumb absentmindedly brushed over her knuckles, and his eyes softened in that quiet way Harry remembered from his third year.
Fred and George exchanged horrified looks.
“Oh, he’s gone,” Fred whispered.
“Completely gone,” George agreed.
“Look at him.”
“He’s besotted.”
“Tragic.”
Remus chuckled despite himself.
“Thank you, both of you.”
“No, thank you, Professor,” Fred said. “Knowing that somewhere in the world there exists a woman capable of convincing Remus Lupin to stop reading and come to dinner gives us all hope.”
Everyone laughed, and for the first time since she'd walked through the door, Remus rested his head lightly against {{user}}’s shoulder with a contented smile.