#so like step cousins that didn't meet until they were nearly grown

[jeanmoreausautismstickers]

The Boy in the Shop

Diagon Alley was brilliant to Remus Lupin. According to the 8-year-old, nowhere would ever be able to top it. He'd been coming with Minerva and Poppy for four years, and each time they went, he'd find another thing that amazed him.

"Minnie, may I please go to Flourish and Blotts?" Remus begged, trying his best to look sweet and innocent. He knew she'd probably say no, she was busy and she hated the crowds in the bookshop anyhow.

To his surprise, Minerva smiled down at him. "Do you think you're capable of going on your own?" Remus nodded quickly. "Then yes I suppose you may, but I expect you to be back by 14:30, we're meeting the Pettigrews for tea, alright?" "Thank you!" Remus hugged her quickly before sprinting across the street. A whole hour and a half, he thought to himself, feeling very grown up all of the sudden.

Remus spent the better part of his hour and a half looking through the Hogwarts books. He knew he didn't need them, and he wouldn't for another three years, but a part of him was hoping maybe he'd be able to get some advanced lessons from Minerva. She was a professor, after all, she'd know the basics. Then he could be top of his year, maybe he'd even get to skip some of the first-year lessons because of it. He hadn't noticed how long he'd been standing in front of the shelf until a severe-looking girl tapped his shoulder.

"Oh, er, sorry," he mumbled, looking down at his feet. He could feel his face flushing. "Then move, will you? I need a book," she responded. He flinched at the tone and shuffled out of her way. "Sorry about her, it's her second year. She thinks she's so cool now that she's in Hogwarts," another voice pipes up from next to Remus, making him jump. "I'm Sirius, that's my cousin, Narcissa." Remus looks up at the other boy, Sirius, and startles. "Like. Sirius Black?" he asks, incredulous. "The one and only," Sirius grins. "You are not. You're the third in our family," another boy, nearly identical to Sirius, pipes up. Remus hadn't noticed him. "Shut up, Reg. Sorry, I forgot to introduce him. This is my little brother, Reggie. Reggie, say hi." Sirius says, shoving the other boy forward.

The younger boy hunkers down a little, shaking his head. "My name is, um, Regulus. Not Reggie." Remus watches as Sirius' face flickers with worry before he wraps an arm around him. He murmurs something to Regulus before looking up and smiling at Remus. "Sorry for him, he's still a bit shy. What's your name?" he asks, ruffling his brother's hair as he subtly steps in front of him again.

Remus shrugs. "I'm Remus Lupin." Sirius snorts. "You know your name is Wolf Wolf, right?" he asks. Remus winces a bit. "Yeah." "Anyway, what were you looking at the Hogwarts books? You don't look old enough to go yet," Sirius asks. Remus shrugs. "I'm not, but I was hoping I might be able to get a head start," he explains. "My guardian teaches at Hogwarts, so I figured she might help."

Sirius snorts, giving him an odd look. "That's funny." Remus crosses his arms. "Why?" he asks. Sirius shrugs. "Your mum or dad can't be a Hogwarts professor. There wouldn't be anyone to care for you for ten months," Sirius explains. "It just isn't possible." He says it like it's obvious, which bothers Remus. "You're right. It's not my mum or dad. I'm cared for by Minerva McGonagall." he argues back, annoyance seeping into his voice. "Prove it then." Sirius challenges.

Remus rolls his eyes. "Come on then, she's in the shop across the street." Sirius hesitates, looking at his cousin. "Cissy?" "What?" she snaps, clearly not paying great attention. Sirius flinches a little, and Remus watches as Regulus' fingers wrapped around his brother's wrist. "Reg and I are going to go across the street for a moment," he says, standing a bit taller now that he's noticed Regulus' nervousness. "Whatever, Sirius," she responds, waving him away. "Don't get caught."

Sirius nods, taking Regulus' hand and following Remus. They jog over to Scribbulus, and Remus immediately spots Minerva. "Minnie!" he calls, pulling the Black brothers over to where she's standing. "Yes, Re- Oh, hello," she says, turning. "Hello! Are you really Lupin's mum?" Sirius asks her. Minerva chuckles. "No, I'm not his biological mother. I do take care of him all the time though, so I suppose I'm something akin to a mother. Why do you ask?"

"He didn't believe me when I said you and Poppy take care of me! He said Hogwarts professors can't be parents," Remus explains. "I had to prove him wrong." Minerva nods, smiling. "I suppose it can be a bit difficult occasionally. It isn't impossible though. . ." she trails off. "Sirius!" Sirius tells her, and she nods. "Right. Not impossible in the slightest, Sirius." She gives him a kind smile, right as Regulus gasps and yanks on his brother's sleeve. "Sirius! Sirius, mother's coming," he says, panic evident in his voice. Sirius' eyes grow wide and he turns, just as Walburga walks into the shop, pulling a very nervous Narcissa behind her.

"Walburga! Lovely to see you again." Minerva says. Remus can hear the disdain dripping in her town. Walburga doesn't pay her any mind. "Sirius Orion Black!" she shrieks, grabbing her son by the ear. Remus and Minerva watch as she wrenches her elder son out of the shop, the younger trailing behind anxiously as their mother spits threats at the two.

When the family's gone, Remus turns to Minerva. "She seems rather. Unpleasant," he tells her, and Minerva laughs. "Her son, Sirius, is nice. Regulus is very quiet though, they don't seem very similar." Remus continues, trailing behind Minerva as she pays for her things. "I'm sure you and Sirius will be great friends when you're in Hogwarts. Come along now. We've got to pick up Poppy before we go to tea."

Remus grins, following her from the shop. Maybe they will be good friends.

[sidecharacter-purgatory]

anyone else ship the junior quartet as a polycule or am I in a glass case of emotions all by myself??

[dorotheajanegilmore]

Closer to you - Chris Evans

CHAPTER ONE

Throwing my small brown faux leather bag over my shoulder, I raced down the cold metal staircase at the back of my apartment building. The elevator had broken down throwing a wrench into the works of my morning and now I was breaking a sweat to get myself back on track.

Finally the rusted blue door of an exit was in site. Just outside were the freezing cold streets of Manhattan.

My palms met the blue metal and my arms pushed until my elbows were flat. The door pushed through the snow leaving a semi-circle of wet pavement exposed beneath. 

I ran through the frosty street, passing a few strangers. As I came to the end of the street where the quiet road merged with the busy road, a familiar white Toyota came purring around the corner. 

My best friend Holly pulled up at the girl and she leaned across the pull the hand. "Quickly, get in!" She yelled as I hurried across the icy road.

I practically threw myself into the passenger seat and as soon as my door closed Holly sped off. "Let's go girls." 

I looked back at my friends in the back seat. "Morning."

Teegan gave a small wave and Chloe nodded, both of them struggling to keep their eyes open.

I let out a sigh as I took my phone out of my bag, knowing I would have a series of unanswered messages from my mother. "Listen to this." I started, glancing at my friends to get their attention. "Good morning sweetie, have you left yet? Lessi ? You awake? Darling? Have you left the city yet? Where are you? Do you want me to send dad to come and get you? Are you even awake? Oh child of mine do you see the morning light? Hurry up and get here before dinner gets cold. Granddads not getting any younger." My friends were sent into fits of laughter at my mother's lunacy.

“Your mother is the greatest." Teegan mumbled, nearly asleep.

"Agreed. Tracey's the queen of sarcasm." Holly added as she drove onto the highway.

We had a twenty minute bout of silence as we all broke free from the morning anger, apart from Holly who seemed to be too chill for someone with dangerous road rage.

We stopped at McDonald's for some breakfast before hitting the road again. About fifteen minutes into the resumes drive Holly glances at me. "So, does your Mom know about Simon?"

"Alvin And Theodore? Yeah she knows the chipmunks." I bite my lip and look out the window, trying to dodge the question and giving my answer.

Holly rolled her eyes, there was no way she was letting this go. She briefly lifted her hand from the gear stick to hit me on the knee. "Answer me."

"Yeah she knows." I mumbled quietly, just loud enough for my girls to hear. Even though we were secure in the four walls of Holly's car, I still felt like I should be secretive about the subject of Simon.

Simon Holdsworth was my boyfriend for four years before dumping me. Me! After I found him cheating on me in MY bed with some NYU art student who stole my jewellery and the batteries from my tv remote. Ok maybe she didn't take my batteries but I have no other explanation for that so she's getting the blame.

"His mother called my mom and yelled at her because I was a apparently a bitch to Simon. She said I didn't allow him creative freedom to express himself with other women." I rolled my eyes and cursed under my breath.

"Hippies." Chloe shook her head as she picked her nails, remembering when she first met Simon's mother. When Simon first moved in with me we had a house warming party on the roof of our apartment building. Simon's mother, Nora, brought two bags of weed and brownies and set up camp in my living room. Nora also brought various scarfs and blankets that she draped over my living. She also replaced the coasters that my mother bought me for ounces made from tree bark that had been carved into peace signs. Chloe threw them in her log burner as soon as Simon moved out.

"What did Tracey say?" Teegan asked. All of my friend were on first name basis with the fantastic woman that birthed me. Not only were we best friends, we were raised together. We were all born in the same hospital, in the same city. We were raised in the same town, same schools, same university. Plus Teegan is my second cousin so.

"She laughed, told her to piss off and put the phone down."

"Yes Tracey." They all cheered her on.

"It's a pity you can't do the same thing." Holly replied with a serious tone, raising a brow at me.

"Hey, you know I'm strong-willed when it comes to people screwing me over. I just like to argue with him, he tried to get to me. He purposely likes to call and harass to upset me, he wants me to break. He would love nothing more than to see me cry. But he won't win, he won't." I shook my head, feeling the anger curse through me again. "He thrives on hurting people. But he won't hurt me, I won't let him."

"Good on you." Chloe nodded, putting a supportive hand on my shoulder.

Holly nodded in approval. "That's our girl."

\|\|\|\|\

It took three hours and forty minutes to get form Manhattan to the little town of Fairfield, Massachusetts. Soon enough we were surrounded by familiar buildings that had now been covered in a blanket of snow and driving through streets we used to run drunkenly through as we disobeyed our parents (and the law.)

First Holly dropped Chloe to her folks house, then Teegan to hers and finally I was looking at my parents house. I looked back at Holly with a puppy dog look and asked "Can I come to your house for thanksgiving?"

"Of course you can." Holly out a sympathetic hand on my shoulder. "Next year." She then have me a playful shove and I opened the door.

"Thanks for the lift. See you later yeah?" I asked, knowing I'd be needing a drink after an hour with this crazy lot.

"Sure, I'll text you." She nodded.

I grabbed my suitcase from the trunk and headed to the pavement. I gave Holly a wave and she watched me walk up to the driveway. She waited until I knocked and somebody answered before she drove away, always one for safety.

My little brother Alex opened the door. "Shit, when did you get so tall?" I cursed looking up at the nineteen year old.

He chuckled deeply and stepped back for me to go in. "You mean since I saw you two years ago? Yes I've grown. When did you get so short?"

"It's all the coffee." I shrugged as I left my suitcase in the downstairs cupboard and headed into the living room, at least I thought it was the living room. It was in the same place and it was the same shape, however it was all so different.

The red poppy wallpaper above the grey stone fireplace had been taken down and replaced with a cream paper with turquoise flowers, it also had an overspray if light silver glitter that matched the silver chandelier and doorhandles. The normally dark doors had been replaced with white ones and the rest of the walls painted white as well. My sweet childhood cottage had been replaced with a modern townhouse.

The burgundy couches had been replaced with chocolate colours leather and my dad's favourite recliner was nowhere is sight.

Moving further throughout the house i couldn't see any of my relatives. I looked back at Alex and asked "So, where is everyone?"

"Dad's in the garage working on the car and Mom, Nana and Lucy are in the garden with Joe and Leo." I nodded and walked through the kitchen to get to the back door.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw that there was now an orangery that had been extended into the back of our house, I glanced back at Alex to see him shrug at me.

He stepped around me and walked through the orangery into the open backyard. I followed slowly, taking in the new changes. I quickly glanced back at the kitchen. Huh, no changes their. The grey slate and white marble must've been modern enough for Mom.

I stepped out into the yard to see my mother, sister and grandmother gathered at the fence talking to our neighbours. Joe and Leo were over at the trampoline, at least there was one piece of my childhood left.

Leo gave me a wave and I waved back, this must've caught my nephew's attention as he stopped jumping, letting gravity drop him on his ass so he could jump from the trampoline and sprint across the yard.

As he ran at me I saw him lift his arms and I knew exactly what he was gonna do. He jumped as high as he could, I reached forward and caught him at the torso and he wrapped his arms around my neck.

"Auntie Alessia!" He yelled as he hugged me tightly. His shouting caused my family to turn their attention to me. I hugged Joe back before setting him down on the soft grass and kneeling down to talk to him.

"Hi bud! How are you?" I asked as I held his hand.

He beamed brightly and showed me his teeth. One of his front teeth had fallen out. "Look, I'm a big boy now." He pointed excitedly at his mouth.

"Wow!"

"My mommy said that if I put my tooth under my pillow the tooth fairy will come and she will take it and leave me a dollar! A whole dollar!"

"Well let's not encourage selling our body parts. Here." I reached into my back pocket and took out my change from earlier. "Here's five bucks, give your tooth to your dad."

He nodded and looked at me like I was crazy. "Thank you auntie Lessia!" He hugged me again before running back to Leo and the trampoline.

I stood up and headed over to my mother. As I approached the fence I saw she was talking to a woman I had never seen before. Where's Cheryl? I wondered.

"Oh Alessia, darling. Come meet our new neighbours." My mother wrapped her hand around my arm and practically yanked me over to the fence.

"Hi." I waved politely to the kind woman staring back at me with a warm smile.

"Hello there, Alessia. My name's Lisa. You're mother ya spoken so highly of you, it's so nice to put a face to the name." She said sweetly.

"It's nice to meet you too. Are you new to the area?" I inquired, wondering where our old neighbours had got too.

"Oh gosh no. We moved a few blocks away as my mother passed recently and she left us the house."

"Cheryl? Oh god I'm so sorry. She was the nicest woman, salt of the earth. I'm sorry for your loss." I felt real sadness as I spoke, not believing that sweet old Cheryl had passed on.

"You knew my grandmother?" A deep male voice said from my left. I looked in the direction of the person speaking and nearly had to do a double take. Standing beside Lisa was a very handsome brunette man with striking blue eyes and full beard. He was about 6 foot tall, with muscles and wide shoulders. He was wearing a deep maroon tight long sleeve and navy patriots cap.

"Hi." I breathed out, staring at this specimen in disbelief. How can one person be so unbelievably attractive? "Yes I did. Uh, I grew up doing chores for her. I kept her company on Wednesday's when Arthur would be at darts. She taught me how to bake and knit." I giggled lightly at the memories.

The man gave me a soft smile while Lisa smiled at me. "I'm sure she loved every minute of your company." Lisa nodded at me. "She actually left me a box of things labelled with your name. I'll have to have Chris dig it out and bring it over to you sometime."

"That would be lovely, thank you." I smiled, wondering how I had missed so much.

I could feel her son's eyes on me as I stepped down from the gathering or grass to allow my mom to finish her conversation.

"Hey." My sister Lucy said as she wrapped her arms around me to give me a hug. "I've missed you sister sister."

"Missed you too." I mumbled into her shoulder as she crushed me. She pulled back and placed a hand on her stomach before putting her pinger finger to her lips.

"It's a secret." She whispered and I nodded with wide eyes. Shit. She's pregnant again.

"Congratulations!" I whisper yelled at her and she widened her eyes at me and looked back at my mom and grandmother to see if they noticed. They hadn't, they were busy gossiping with Lisa.

Chapter two