Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Six
Happiest Loser
And I'm all mixed up, feeling cornered and rushed
They say it's my fault but I want her so much
Wanna fly her away where the sun and rain
Come in over my face, wash away all the shame
When they stop and stare - don't worry me
'Cause I'm feeling for her what she's feeling for me
I can try to pretend, I can try to forget
But it's driving me mad, going out of my head
(All the Things She Said - Tatu)October 6th, 1998The full moon was spent in the basement of number twelve alongside Padfoot and
the little fox, who was now being called Vixen. Despite being able to avoid the nickname
for years among the Marauders, Ginny and Tonks thought it was adorable, and they were
not nearly as afraid of Mia as Sirius and Remus had been as teenagers.
With his head between his paws, Moony's attention flickering back and forth across
the basement, while Padfoot and Vixen battled for dominance. For as much dancing
around one another as the pair had been doing since her return—and, according to Mia,
that included in the bedroom—their Animagi sides gave them each a bit of a reprieve from
whatever issues Sirius was dealing with. Padfoot, desperate to play, did just that while
Vixen, a little more pent-up than usual, bit and scratched and quite viciously attacked him
in return.
Moony pretended to be bored, too mature for their antics, but in reality, it was the
best full moon he'd had in nineteen years.
When Dora came to collect Remus the following morning, she found him sitting
up in the corner of the room, a blanket wrapped around his body. He felt healthier than
ever—despite the pain of his transformation the night before—and there was not a single
scratch or bruise on his body.
Sirius and Mia, however, were curled around one another on the floor, exhausted
from not sleeping a wink during the night; both were covered in bites, scrapes, and other
abrasions.