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Chapter Text

"Ugh!" Pandora grunted as she stabbed a Hollow through the skull with her knife. It was a scavenged hunting knife they'd found on their journey.

It had been three days since they left Dorcas, Regulus' brother Sirius, and Sirius' friends near Edinburgh in Scotland. They had been driving James' Subaru constantly, only stopping for gas and at night to sleep. Which was why they were stopped now.

It was mid-morning, after they had set up camp for the night in a forest in Sweden. They had pitched the tent James had given them, just as they had done the last two nights. And they all slept in it, just managing to fit the four of them. Now they were packing up again to leave.

When they had crossed the Swedish border after passing through an infested and ruined London, they had picked up a map of Sweden at a rest stop. Regulus was the designated navigator. They still had some food left that they'd gotten from James' group as well. And they had the large water cooler bottle, that Regulus and Evan were currently refilling at a nearby river. They would have to boil the water before they could drink it, but at least they had water.

"Woah, woah!" Barty came rushing over to her with his butcher knife. He had just been packing the tent bag back into the Subaru trunk after dismantling the tent itself. "Are you alright?" He asked frantically, looking over her for wounds and checking to make sure the Hollow was really dead -dead.

Pandora sighed irritably. "I'm fine, Barty. Promise. It was only one Hollow and I'm not entirely useless, you know."

Pandora had taken to calling the undead James' group's term Hollow, as she thought her own group's term Flesh-Eater was quite grotesque and had been consistently telling the boys that the last three days they had been on the road.

And the boys had slowly started to follow her wishes.

Barty tilted his head emphatically at her. "I know that, Panda… But you're still hurt--" He gestured at her leg. "--and you were unconscious a week ago, so forgive me for being concerned." He retorted.

"Besides, Barty, I'm immune, remember?" Pandora pointed out hopefully.

"Immune from turning maybe, but you're not immune from being eaten." Barty corrected, a bit harshly.

"I can help!" Pandora insisted.

"Pandora, you still walk with a limp." Barty said carefully. "I get that you want to help, but…" He sighed heavily. "Listen, Panda, we're gonna get to that lab today and then you'll be helping the whole world with figuring out how to cure this virus."

Pandora pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not useless." She repeated.

"Pandora Lovegood, you could never be useless." Barty told her honestly, smiling.

"I'm not useless out here. " She rephrased.

Barty's smile weakened slightly. "Of course not, Pandora, you're just… too good for all this. You don't deserve it."

Pandora frowned, starting to lower her arms. "Neither do you…"

Barty shrugged. "I'm no saint and we both know it."

"Barty--" Pandora started pleadingly.

"Barty! Pandora!"

It was Regulus who had shouted to them. They both turned to look at where it had come from. And there was Regulus, dragging a slumped over Evan through the trees into the clearing that was their campsite. Regulus had a bloody butcher knife in each hand, one his and one Evan's. Evan was leaning heavily on Regulus for support, as he staggered his feet as best he could, his hand pressed to his stomach. And his shirt was soaked in blood, Evan was groaning in pain.

Barty gasped. "Evan!" He ran over to them.

"Oh my god!" Pandora shrieked, limping as fast as her injured leg would let her toward them.

"Hollow's. Dozens. Evan fell on his knife." Regulus grunted out, exhausted from carrying Evan's weight all the way from the river. "They're following us. Still a lot of 'em. Not far back."

"Shit!" Barty muttered, panicked, as he wrapped an arm around Evan's waist to help Regulus carry him. "Pandora! Get the back car door open!"

Pandora had only made it halfway to them, now changing direction toward the Subaru. She quickly limped there, her limp not too severe anyway. She pulled open the backseat right side door, just as Regulus and Barty got Evan there, who was still groaning and swearing in pain.

Suddenly, there was a very different kind of groaning audible to them. Hollow's. Dozens of Hollow's, just as Regulus had said, came stumbling into the clearing toward them from the direction Regulus and Evan had come from.

"Everyone in the car!" Barty commanded.

After Evan was inside the car, Barty quickly got in the driverseat. Pandora hurried around the car and into the passenger seat. Regulus got Evan fully into the backseat, before slipping in next to him and shutting the car door.

Bart turned the key, already in the ignition, starting the car and driving out of the clearing, away from the Hollow's slowly following after them.

"Where am I going, Reg?!" Barty demanded frantically as he drove out of the forest and onto the main highway.

"We're not far from the lab." Regulus replied, as he hastily dropped both butcher knives into the center console between the two front seats and reached for the folded map tucked in the cup holder.

"Where the fuck am I going?!" Barty screamed, tears pricking his eyes.

"Hang on." Regulus unfolded the map with bloody hands, staining the paper red. "Take the next left."

Barty turned the steering wheel fast and hard, jerkily swinging the car as it turned left.

"You said he fell on his knife…" Pandora said quietly, staring down at the two bloody knives in the center console. "Isn't there a rule about not removing something when stabbed with it?"

"Yeah, he pulled it out." Regulus muttered absently, eyes on the map as he leaned forward between the front seats.

"Fuck, Ev…" Barty breathed.

"Sorry…" Evan whined quietly. He was slumped down in the backseat next to Regulus, hand still pressed firmly over his rapidly bleeding wound.

Barty glanced up in the rearview mirror to see Evan. "You're an idiot, you know that." He said fondly, very nearly crying.

"But you love me anyway…" Evan retorted shakily, before groaning out in pain when the car hit a bump.

"Fuck!" Barty swore at himself. "Yes, I fucking love you! Don't make me hurt you for dying on me!"

Evan coughed. "I'll try my best." He coughed again, blood dripping down his chin. He was coughing up blood.

Barty saw in the rearview mirror, before moving his eyes determinedly back to the road. "Reg, how long?! How long?! "

"About twenty minutes out." Regulus said. He turned to look at Evan. "Keep pressure on that." He insisted.

"Uh-huh." Evan nodded weakly, head lolling against the window. He pressed harder on his wound, groaning in pain and coughing up more blood.

Pandora whimpered fearfully in the front seat, fully turned around to watch Evan.

Regulus continued to give Barty directions from the map, as Barty aggressively drove for roughly the next fifteen minutes.

"I don't see anything. Are you sure this is the right way?! There's nothing here but fucking trees." Barty rambled frantically.

"Yes, it's just straight up here." Regulus insisted, looking back down at the map and the area he'd circled in pen two days earlier, which was roughly the location of the address Sirius had given him. It really was in the middle of nowhere.

"We're almost there, Ev, hold on." Barty said, trying to sound comforting. "Evan?" He asked when he didn't get a reply.

Regulus looked away from the map and over at Evan when he hadn't responded to Barty. Evan was unconscious, head leaning on the window and hands laying limp on his lap, blood pouring down his shirt from his wound on his abdomen.

"Shit!" Regulus dropped the map, instantly pressing his hands firmly against Evan's bleeding wound.

Barty was trying to look over his shoulder at them, panicking. "Regulus, what's happening? Regulus?!"

"Just drive, Barty, drive!" Regulus yelled, still doing his best to stop Evan's bleeding.

Barty slammed his foot on the gas pedal, speeding down the dirt road further into the woods.

Pandora was looking back into the backseat again, her eyes wide and teary as she met Regulus' stricken eyes.

Within about a minute, they came upon a tall metallic building with lots of windows. It looked well-built and strong, as if it would withstand the worst of storms. It was something out of a sci-fi movie. Or it looked military, maybe, with the chain link fence with barbed wire surrounding the property.

"Is that it?!" Barty asked.

Regulus quickly looked up. "It has to be."

Barty pulled up to the gate and quickly jumped out of the car, unhooking the chain link gate and pushing it open, dodging a Hollow as he got back in the car and drove through the gate. He drove onto the pavement lot, speeding across the lot to the big steel doors of the building. Barty stopped the car again, getting out to look for a way in.

Pandora climbed out of the car, helping Regulus with Evan, despite her own weak leg. They got Evan out of the back of the car--not worrying about shutting the doors--and between the two of them they were able to drag Evan's limp body to the big steel doors, where Barty was trying to pry them open.

Barty started banging on the doors with his fist. "HEY! WE NEED HELP!" He shouted.

The Hollow that Barty had dodged at the gate had followed them through the gate and was stumbling across the pavement lot toward them. Pandora looked over and saw it.

"Look!" Pandora pointed at the Hollow.

Regulus glanced up, as he and Pandora were still holding Evan up, Regulus pressing on Evan's wound as much as he could. "I see it. It's not here yet."

Barty was still banging on the doors. "LET US IN! PLEASE, WE NEED HELP! HE'S HURT, HE'S GONNA DIE! OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR!"

The banging and yelling was attracting more Hollow's from the surrounding woods, all staggering toward the open gate. The one Hollow inside the fence with them was getting increasingly closer, snarling loudly.

"I'll do it." Pandora said. "You got him?"

"Pandora--" Regulus began.

" I'll do it. " Pandora insisted, pulling out her knife and stepping away from holding Evan. "You're a little busy keeping our best friend alive."

Regulus conceded, nodding. Not that Pandora was waiting for his approval.

Pandora limped about five feet in front of her friends, then positioned her knife in her hands and waited for the Hollow to come to her.

When the Hollow approached, arms stretched out to claw at her and groaning madly-- Pandora raised her arms over her head, knife held tightly in both her hands, and she swung her knife down hard into the Hollow's head.

It fell to the pavement and Pandora struggled for a moment to pull the blade from its skull. She yanked it out, stumbling a bit before righting herself. She quickly limped back over to help Regulus hold up Evan.

As more Hollow's started to stagger in through the gate.

Barty had been shouting and banging on the doors the whole while. "YOU'VE GOTTA OPEN THE DOOR, FOR GOD'S SAKE, HE'S DYING! PLEASE! DON'T LET HIM DIE! PLEASE, I'M FUCKING BEGGING HERE! YOU CAN'T LET HIM DIE!"

And then…

The steel doors hissed loudly and slowly slid open to the sides.

"Get in here!" A gruff older man ordered them. He was wearing black clothing under a bulletproof vest with the word SECURITY printed on it in white.

Gasping with relief, Barty moved to help Regulus and Pandora get Evan in through the now open doorway.

"Shacklebolt, get the gate!" The same man commanded another man.

The second man--Shacklebolt--was younger than the first man and was dressed the same, but there wasn't enough time to analyze him, as he ran out into the lot, killing Hollow's as he ran towards the gate to presumably close it.

There were two other people in the entrance. Two women. One was wearing a pristine white lab coat over a silky navy blouse and grey dress pants. The other was wearing nurses scrubs and was standing next to a gurney.

"Stop right there!" The gruff security guard had a gun pointed at them. The two women and the gurney were behind the man.

They froze.

"Hand over your weapons!"

Only Barty and Pandora had weapons on them. Both Regulus' and Evan's knives were in the Subaru outside.

Pandora hastily tossed her knife to the side, it landed on the floor with a clunk. Barty pulled his butcher knife out of his belt, also tossing it to the side.

"That's it." Regulus said, as the three of them made to move Evan toward the gurney.

"Not so fast." The security guard stopped them, gun still pointed at them. "The pistol." He jerked the handgun at the pistol sticking out of Barty's back pocket.

"It's not loaded!" Barty informed them frantically, worried about Evan.

"Then you should have no problem handing it over." The security guard said pointedly.

Barty pulled out the pistol, looking at it in his hand, as if considering whether or not he should hand it over. He looked down at Evan anxiously, terrified. Then he gripped the barrel and held the pistol out to the security guard.

The security guard took the pistol, shoving his own handgun into its holster on his hip. The security guard nodded at the woman in scrubs.

"Here, get him on this." She said hurriedly, wheeling the gurney closer to them.

Barty and Regulus lifted Evan up onto the gurney.

"Keep hard pressure on that wound." She nodded at Regulus' hands that were still pressed to Evan's bleeding abdomen. "Come on, keep up, we're moving." She started rolling the gurney in through another doorway, Regulus walking quickly next to the gurney to keep his hands pressed to the wound, Pandora and Barty hurrying after them. "How long has he been unconscious?"

The other woman followed them out, but stayed silent.

"Ten-- ten minutes, maybe?" Regulus replied.

"And the big one-- is it a bite?" The woman's voice had no emotion either way.

"No!" Barty insisted fiercely, offended.

"Knife wound. It was an accident." Regulus clarified swiftly.

No one said anything as the five of them and the gurney holding Evan squeezed into an elevator and the woman in scrubs hit a button, taking them up two floors.

The elevator doors opened and Scrubs wheeled the gurney out, Regulus still applying pressure and the others blindly following. The other woman silently walking with them.

The corridor they were in was lined with clear glass instead of solid walls, clearly showcasing the rooms behind the glass. But neither of them bothered to look, focusing solely on Evan.

At the end of the corridor, they were led into a large room with several single beds lined up against the walls, large windows, and medical supplies on every surface.

"I need to take him into surgery. It's just that room there--" Scrubs gestured to a door on the opposite wall. "--but it's a sterile environment, none of you can come in."

"Absolutely not!" Barty snapped.

"Barty, if she has to-- she has to. " Regulus told him.

"I won't leave him!" Barty whined.

"If you want him to live, you'll let her do her job." The other woman in the lab coat finally spoke.

Barty hesitantly glanced from Lab Coat to Evan. "Fine. Do it." He gritted out. "But if he dies--"

"Barty!" Pandora scolded him before he could even make his threat.

"I'll do my best." Scrubs promised. "You can let go now, I'll take it from here."

Scrubs quickly replaced Regulus' hands as he removed them from Evan's wound, and Scrubs wheeled Evan into the other room and shut the door.

And Regulus, Barty, and Pandora were left alone with Lab Coat.

Lab Coat was likely in her early forties. She had shoulder-length dirty blonde hair, styled in a wavy bob. She looked very proper. And from the only sentence she had spoken so far, it was clear that she was British.

"Dr. Hestia Jones." She introduced herself. "I have four PHDs in Microbiology, Biology, Biophysics, and Biomedical Sciences. I have completed my doctorate. I own this lab." She paused. "The woman treating your friend is Dr. Pomfrey. She is what most average people--not that there are many left of them--would consider an actual doctor. The medical sort. Dr. Pomfrey runs our infirmary." Once again, she paused. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"My boyfriend is hurt! " Barty snapped at her.

"And it's lucky you're here so Dr. Pomfrey can try to save him." Hestia remarked airily. "But don't tell me you just happened to stumble upon my lab, it's far too remote for that. So, what are you doing here?"

"We heard you were searching for a cure to the virus." Regulus said.

Hestia's eyes flicked to him. "How did you find out about this place?"

"Some friends of ours were tavelling with some people named Frank and Alice Longbottom-- they told our friends about it and our friends told us." Regulus explained.

Hestia narrowed her eyes, suspicious. "Where are your friends now?"

"They were travelling in a different direction, it didn't make sense for them to come to Sweden with us." Regulus told her.

"And Alice and Frank?"

"Uh… I was told they… didn't make it. I'm sorry." Regulus said.

"Oh…" Hestia looked sad for a moment, before shaking her head to bring herself back to the moment. "So… what are you doing here? Just because we may be searching for a cure, does not mean we take in strays."

Regulus, Barty, and Pandora shared looks back and forth.

"We think we can help with the cure." Barty said shortly.

Hestia raised her eyebrows, clearly not believing them. "How exactly?"

Pandora took a breath. "I'm immune."

"That's not possible." Hestia said seriously.

"I was bit and I never turned." Pandora explained.

Hestia's eyes widened a fraction, likely at the fact that someone who was bit was inside her lab. "How long ago?"

"About six days ago." Regulus replied.

Hestia stared hard at Pandora. "How are you alive…" She muttered to herself.

"That's what we're here to find out." Barty said irritably.

"Where were you bit?" Hestia asked Pandora.

"My left shoulder." Pandora said, touching the exact shoulder.

Hestia walked over to a counter with a sink off to the side. She opened a drawer to reveal a box of blue latex gloves, pulling out a pair and slipping them onto her hands.

Hestia walked up to Pandora. "Do you mind?" She gestured at Pandora's shoulder.

Pandora shook her head.

Hestia gently pulled down the collar to look at Pandora's shoulder. She looked over the completely healed bite-- now just jagged raised skin, a white scar in the shape of a jaw of teeth. Hestia touched the scar lightly in a few places with her gloved finger, before covering it back up with the shirt and walking away to toss the gloves in the trash can next to the counter.

Hestia turned back to face them and nodded. "That is a bite." She acknowledged. "I take it I don't have to warn you that if this is a joke, a bite from a normal person… it would be an incredible waste of time and a waste of people's lives. People could die if we get distracted with a trick." She said sharply.

"It's not a trick, it's a Hollow bite." Pandora insisted.

Hestia looked confused for a second at the term Hollow, but then seemed to understand and nodded. "So, who are you?"

"Pandora Lovegood." She smiled brightly.

Hestia looked over at the boys. "And you?"

"Barty Crouch Jr, and my boyfriend is Evan Rosier." Barty stared worriedly at the door to the surgical room. He had been anxious this whole time, fidgeting and glancing to the door when he wasn't speaking.

"I'm Regulus… Black." He had paused, worried for a moment that the Black family reputation might proceed itself and get them kicked out.

Hestia's eyes did widen at that. "Your brother was Sirius Black, wasn't he?"

"Yes…" Regulus said warily.

"Talented young man, he was, best in his class in London. We tried to find him when the virus broke out, could've used his skills and creative thinking. He wasn't home though, when we flew out and checked. We're incredibly sorry for your loss, Mr. Black."

"He's not dead. Or at least, he wasn't three days ago the last I saw him. He was travelling across Scotland with a group of friends just fine. We ran into him, some of my group joined his." Regulus explained.

Hestia perked up. "Do you happen to know where your brother was headed? Do you have a  location?"

"I might… why?" Regulus asked cautiously.

"We will send someone for him. We could still use him here." Hestia smiled.

"Alright…" Regulus agreed. "He was at a motel just outside Edinburgh in Scotland."

Hestia nodded. "I'll send someone tomorrow." She said airily. "And what did each of you do before this?"

"Before?" Barty questioned.

"Before the apocalypse." Hestia clarified, perhaps a bit irritated.

"We were in high school." Regulus said.

"Together?" Hestia pressed.

Regulus nodded.

"And what sort of classes did you take? What did you excel at?" Hestia questioned seriously.

"I was top in Science and Math…" Regulus said slowly, confused.

"I liked Art and English, though I suppose I was best at Science. Not as good as Reg, but good." Pandora added cheerily.

"I took Mechanics, I was good at that. I liked Gym…" Barty swallowed thickly and looked at the surgical room door nervously. "Evan liked Gym too… He was good at History…"

"And we all, aside from Pandora, played rugby. We were all good players." Regulus said.

Hestia nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, thank you."

"Dr. Jones."

The three teens looked to the doorway to see the older, gruff looking security guard from earlier.

He looked older than Hestia, but not by much. He had shaggy blondish-greying hair and an eyepatch covering his right eye. He had scary-looking scars across his face. And he definitely looked to have fought in a war at some point-- he looked as if he'd seen things.

"Yes, Alastor?" Hestia said.

"I just wanted to inform you that the gate has been closed and padlocked, so no more uninvited guests can wander in." The security guard shot them a cold look. "The lot has been cleared of any H.N.Z's. And the doors have been secured. We're safe now. And I also searched the kids' vehicle, confiscated the rest of their weapons."

"You searched our car?!" Barty snapped.

" Barty. " Regulus hissed.

"Thank you, Alastor." Hestia turned back to the teens. "This is Alastor Moody. He's my head of security."

"Would you like me to escort them out, Dr. Jones?" Moody asked.

"No, they're actually going to be staying with us." Hestia replied simply.

Moody scoffed at that. "I'll be on my rounds with Shacklebolt, if you need me, Dr. Jones." And the security guard left.

"Don't mind him." Hestia smiled. "Alastor can be a real grouch, but he's a real softy at heart. He's just doing what it takes to protect us, which we're lucky to have these days." She paused, then said, "Anyway, you can stay in the infirmary tonight. Dr. Pomfrey will talk to you about your friend when she's finished. And someone--if not me--will be by in the morning to get you settled in." She turned to Pandora. "We're going to figure this out, Ms. Lovegood. Until then, you have room and board. Have a good night." And with that, Hestia left the infirmary.

About an hour later, Evan was wheeled out on the gurney and set up next to one of the single beds. He was unconscious, but alive. Dr. Pomfrey covered Evan in one of the white blankets from the beds and put a pillow under his head to keep him comfortable. She set him up with an IV and pain meds.

Dr. Pomfrey introduced herself as Poppy Pomfrey. She looked to be in her mid-thirties. She had mousy brown hair pulled back into a low bun and a warm smile.

She had explained that Evan was going to be alright and would wake in a couple hours. Then she retreated into her office.

Regulus, Barty, and Pandora spent the rest of the day sitting around Evan's bedside. Dr. Pomfrey checked on Evan every few hours and brought them all something to eat around dinner time. Chicken, veggies, and mashed potatoes. More than they had had in a long while.

Evan grunted, eyes slowly blinking open as the others were eating their dinner and having a quiet conversation.

"Evan!" Barty gasped, putting down his plate on a nightstand and rushing to Evan.

"Barty?"

"I'm here, Ev." Barty promised softly, running his fingers through Evan's blonde hair.

"We all are." Pandora said sweetly, as she and Regulus moved into Evan's view.

Evan cleared his throat. "Where are we?" He asked groggily, glancing around the infirmary.

"We're at the lab." Regulus told him.

"We made it?"

"We made it." Regulus affirmed.

" You made it." Barty added, smiling widely with teary eyes.

"Did I?" Evan questioned wryly, forcing a grin.

Barty chuckled wetly. "Yeah, you did."

"Here, have some food." Regulus said, grabbing the plate meant for Evan from a nightstand and bringing it over to him. It was still warm.

Barty gently helped Evan sit up a little so he could take the plate from Regulus. Evan grunted from the little pain he still felt with the pain meds as he moved.

"I'm going to go tell Dr. Pomfrey that you're awake." Regulus said, walking over to the doctor's closed office door.

"Dr. Pomfrey?" Evan asked, confused.

"She saved your life." Barty explained, unable to stop smiling at the fact that his boyfriend was awake and well.

Evan nodded, looking down at the plate of food in his lap. "This looks good." He rasped, then cleared his throat again. "Uh, water?"

"I'll get it." Pandora stood from where she was seated on the edge of the single bed next to Evan's gurney.

Pandora limped across the room to the sink, taking a cup from a stack of little plastic cups and filling it with water. She started to limp back just as Dr. Pomfrey came out of her office.

Regulus returned to his seat, as Dr. Pomfrey approached Evan's bedside.

"Welcome back, Mr. Rosier." Dr. Pomfrey said, not unkindly. She seemed to notice Pandora limping just then, as Pandora got to the gurney and handed Evan his water cup. "Ms. Lovegood, are you hurt as well? You never said anything." She frowned, concerned.

"Oh, no. I mean, I was. But I'm alright now." Pandora insisted.

Dr. Pomfrey hummed. "Why don't you let me take a look, just let me check out Mr. Rosier?"

"Sure." Pandora agreed.

Dr. Pomfrey did a routine check-up, making sure Evan still had feeling in all his limbs and didn't suffer from too much blood loss. She made sure the wound wasn't getting infected, then she let Evan eat his dinner.

"Can you sit on the end of this bed for me, dear?" Dr. Pomfrey asked Pandora.

Pandora scooted across the single bed, to sit on the edge of the foot.

Dr. Pomfrey shut the white curtains around the bed, so only her and Pandora could see what was going on. "Do you mind taking those off?" She gestured at Pandora's jeans, as she pulled on a pair of blue latex gloves.

Pandora struggled off her jeans, leaving on her underwear.

Dr. Pomfrey looked over Pandora's thigh, brow furrowing as she took in the stitches and almost entirely healed wound. "When did this happen?"

"Over two weeks ago now, I think." Pandora replied simply.

"Did you do the stitching? It looks professional. And it's a miracle this isn't infected, if you've been travelling this whole time."

"I did have an infection. A blood infection." Pandora told her. "We met a friend. Marlene. She was studying medicine. She stitched it up. We had managed to get into an abandoned hospital in Edinburgh, where she did the stitches and gave me antibiotics. She saved my life."

"I'm impressed. Where's Marlene now?" Dr. Pomfrey asked her.

"Gone. If she and the others got lucky." Pandora smiled at the thought.

Dr. Pomfrey nodded slowly. "Well, I'm going to take these stitches out. It's time. It healed really nicely, your friend Marlene is quite gifted."

Dr. Pomfrey easily removed Pandora's stitches, then took off her gloves and threw them and the stitching in the trash. "You can put your jeans back on now."

Pandora pulled her jeans back on and buttoned them.

Dr. Pomfrey opened the curtains around the bed, allowing her to be able to see the boys again-- who were busy paying attention to Evan.

"Put this on the area twice a day and make sure to come back to see me if anything becomes wrong or if the limp persists past next week." Dr. Pomfrey insisted, handing Pandora a tube of ointment.

Pandora nodded, taking the tube and limping back over to Evan and the other two boys.

The five teens spent the night in the infirmary, sleeping on the single beds and Evan on the gurney.

--

In the morning, they were woken to bright light shining in through the windows and a very cheery young woman at the door.

" Knock, knock! " The girl said in a sing-song voice, as she actually knocked on the door before walking into the infirmary. She had a clipboard in her hands and was wearing a white lab coat.

The girl was in her late twenties at most. Also British. She had long chestnut brown hair and milky white skin. The sort of blue eyes that got attention. She was truly very pretty and not what you would have expected to see in a science lab, not the type of girl expected to be smart enough to work there.

Regulus, Barty, and Pandora sat up in their single beds, Evan in his gurney, all blinking tiredly in the morning light. It had been their first night in a bed in weeks.

"My name is Dr. Emmaline Vance. You can call me Emmeline." She introduced herself. "But just so you know, I am a doctor. I have a PHD in Chemistry. I've worked here for three years, since I first got my PHD." She tapped her nails on her clipboard, thinking. "What else…? Oh! I'm originally from England, but I lived in France since I was sixteen, before moving here to work for Hestia and her husband. I was here when… everything happened." She paused, smiling weakly. "I'm here to give you the tour and assign you your jobs. Can I get your names?"

"Jobs?" Pandora questioned. She was sitting on the edge of her bed now, legs dangling off the side.

Emmaline nodded empathetically. "Yeah, so unfortunately we're all still working away here. We get paid in safety and three meals a day now, instead of money. Now that you four are here, you gotta work too for the food and safety." She glanced down at her clipboard. "You must be… Pandora?" She looked up at her.

Pandora nodded.

"So, lucky for you. You don't actually have a job, not really anyway. Hestia wants your sole focus to be on the tests we're going to be running on you. Not to worry, it won't be anything too scary and it shouldn't be painful at all. You're actually going to have your first test this afternoon, I'll be taking you there myself." Emmeline looked back down at her clipboard. "Now, which of you is Barty and Evan?"

"I'm Barty, this is Evan." Barty gestured between the two of them. He had been sleeping in the bed closest to Evan, their hands intertwined as they fell asleep. But now he was standing next to Evan's gurney.

Emmaline smiled kindly at them. "Great. So, you two are actually going to be together on the Run Team. The Run Team is really rag-tag right now, nothing super professional. Don't worry, you'll fit right in. You may actually know more than us, seeing as you've actually been out there. Right now it consists of one of the security guards and two of the lab tech boys. So, you would just be going out on runs to pick up supplies and food. It's been safe so far, no one's gotten hurt. And of course, Evan, you won't have to go anywhere until Dr. Pomfrey gives you a clean bill of health and clears you for work."

Barty and Evan shared amused looks at Emmeline's peppy attitude.

Emmeline glanced down again at her clipboard. "Which must make you Regulus." She pointed at him. "So, here's the deal for you. Hestia wants to make you, like, a junior lab tech. Sort of like an apprentice or an intern. So, you're going to do a rotation with all the lab techs, learn all you can. But you probably won't be responsible for anything too serious, since you don't have the proper schooling. It'll be lots of paperwork and lab clean-up and results fetching. Okay?"

Regulus nodded once to show he understood. Whatever it took to let them stay.

"Okay! Let me just check with Dr. Pomfrey, see if we can get Evan on some crutches for the tour. Is she in her office?" Emmeline said rapidly, walking over to Dr. Pomfrey's office door and knocking.

Evan ended up in a wheelchair that was pulled out from the infirmary's storage closet and unfolded. Barty was pushing him around, while Regulus walked and Pandora limped.

"So!" Emmeline started the second they walked out the infirmary door into the corridor. "This laboratory has a total of four floors, plus the underground parking garage. The first floor is the main lobby, offices, and conference rooms, where potential business partners or current clientele would come for meetings. That's also where we did hiring interviews. There's also a containment unit with airlocks, for incoming or outgoing infectious medical transport. We don't use that floor so much anymore, but it's there. The second floor is the cafeteria, where we eat all our main meals; breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Not a main requirement if you want to skip it and eat a snack in your room, but as a 'doctor' I don't condone skipping meals." She quipped, giggling. "Second floor also has an exercise gym--just a small one--and the laundry facilities, which is do-it-yourself. Now, this floor is the third floor. The labs."

The corridor they had barely bothered to pay attention to as they rushed Evan to the infirmary was sprawled out before them. The clear glass walls caging them in, allowing them to see directly into the rooms beyond. Each lab was well lit with large windows on the outer walls as well as bright overhead lights. There was different types of science equipment in each lab, along with people that were fully visible in their white lab coats from where the four teens stood in the corridor.

"And, of course, the infirmary, which you've seen." Emmeline gestured back the way they came. "This first lab here is actually mine." She pressed her hand to a rectangular shaped handprint scanner next to the clear glass door. The scanner lit up in the shape of her handprint and the door beeped , sliding open automatically to the left. "This is Dr. Edgar Bones and Dr. Bertha Jorkins. My lab partners." Emmeline said as she stepped into the lab, letting the teens follow her in.

"Hello!" Pandora said cheerily.

Edgar was likely in his late thirties. Bertha was older than anyone else they'd met at the lab so far, likely in her late fifties to early sixties. Both wearing white lab coats that matched Emmeline's. They were sitting at their respective desks, working on science of some sort.

"Edgar has PHDs in Epidemiology and--" Emmeline snorted. "-- Botany. "

"Botany is a real science, Emme!" Edgar looked up from his microscope, feigning annoyance.

" Right. " Emmeline rolled her eyes fondly. "And Bertha has PHDs in Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, and Environmental Sciences."

"Don't forget Psychology." The older woman--Bertha Jorkins--chimed in.

Emmeline nodded. "And Psychology, but Bertha doesn't really do that here."

"Not since Hestia hired me, at least." Bertha chuckled warmly. "And that was… oh, at least ten years ago now. I was the first hired here. Me and Dumbledore, the rest of our first team has moved on. And now we got all these youngin's here. Nice change, nice to look at." She pointedly eyed Edgar.

"Bertha!" Emmeline scolded, though slightly amused.

Edgar was chuckling. "Good to know I'm still considered young."

Bertha shrugged, turning back to her work. "Emmeline, honey, could you pass me that empty sample disk?"

Emmeline picked up a sample disk and handed it to Bertha, then reached to the wall-mounted hand-sanitizer pump and cleansed her hands.

"Anyway! Bertha, Edgar, these lads and girl here are moving into the empty apartments. They're staying. This is Regulus, Barty, Evan, and Pandora. She's our new test subject." Emmeline told them.

"You mean…?" Edgar's eyes widened interestedly.

"Oh, let the girl be, Edgar! She's already going to be feeling enough like a lab rat, you don't need to gawk at her too." Bertha chided.

Edgar raised his gloved-palms up to plead innocence, smiling.

"Well, I have a tour to finish." Emmeline said, turning to leave. Regulus, Pandora, and Barty made to follow her-- Barty pushing Evan's wheelchair.

"Yeah, stop distracting us, Emme!" Edgar called teasingly after her.

Emmeline shook her head with joke-disapproval at him through the glass wall, as she pressed her hand to the handprint scanner to close the door.

They approached the next lab, this one was filled with computer screens and keyboards and lots of technology, that they could see through the glass walls.

Emmeline pressed her hand to the handprint scanner next to the door again, beeping as the door slid open to the left.

"This is the Computer Science Lab, and these are Benjy Fenwick and Caradoc Dearborn, our resident tech genius'." Emmeline grinned. "They both have PHDs in Computer Science."

"Yo! Emmeline!" Benjy greeted cheerfully, leaning back in his desk chair.

"Hiya, Emme!" Caradoc added, just as enthusiastic.

Both Benjy and Caradoc appeared to be in their early twenties. Both with the energy of university frat boys. Benjy, though, had an American accent, while Caradoc's was cockney English.

"Benjy and Caradoc have both only worked here for about a year, give or take." Emmeline explained, making a face at their lack of experience-- though she did it fondly. "They're both fresh out of uni, little babies."

"Oi!" Caradoc complained.

"Hey!" Benjy added, American lilt piercing the room shockingly every time he spoke. "You're not that much older than us, Emme!"

"And I worked here for nearly four months before Benjy got here." Caradoc said seriously.

"And you've been inseparable ever since." Emmeline cooed, hand on her chest.

"That's 'cause we're stuck in the same room!" Benjy retorted, sounding a bit annoyed.

"Oh, shove off!" Caradoc scoffed, smacking Benjy's arm playfully.

Benjy smacked him back, just as playfully.

They got into a little fight, all laughing and smacking each other's arms back and forth comically.

"If you're finished, I have to introduce you to the kids who are moving in." Emmeline deadpanned.

"Sup!" Benjy saluted to them.

"Wotcher!" Caradoc grinned.

Emmeline sighed fondly. "This is Regulus, Barty, Evan and Pandora."

"Hello!" Pandora beamed.

Evan waved a hand, while Barty nodded at them in greeting and Regulus said nothing.

"Wait, y'all survived out there?" Benjy questioned. "What's it like? Did you have to kill any H.N.Z's?"

"We heard someone was bit, what's the bite look like? Bet it's wicked." Caradoc added eagerly.

"Shut it, both of you!" Emmeline snapped. "That's incredibly inappropriate."

"No, it's alright." Barty interjected. "We've killed Hollow's. We've been almost murdered by people and we fought back. We won." He said darkly.

"Barty." Evan murmured.

Barty shrugged. "They asked."

"We survived, that's all that matters." Regulus said solemnly.

"And as for the bite…" Pandora added bravely, if not a little nervous. "It healed, it's just a scar now."

Benjy and Caradoc were staring at them as if they hadn't expected them to be that haunted.

Benjy nodded, a bit awkwardly. "Cool."

"Yeah, cheers." Caradoc mumbled.

"Right, well, we have to go. Maybe we'll come back when Tweedle Dee and Dum have grown hearts as well as brains." Emmeline quipped sharply, leading the teens out of the Computer Science Lab.

Emmeline used the handprint scanner to close the door, then ushered them to the next lab. She used that handprint scanner to let them in. There was only one old man in this lab. He too was wearing a white lab coat.

"Dumbledore!" Emmeline said in what sounded like faux-cheer. "This is Dr. Albus Dumbledore. He was a Neurologist, but he's here now. Has been since Hestia first started up, as Bertha said."

"Dr. Vance, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Dumbledore grumbled.

"Hestia's having me introduce the kids who are moving in to everyone." Emmeline explained quickly.

"Since when does Dr. Jones lend a helping hand to those in need?" Dumbledore asked as he sifted through a file cabinet.

"Since one may have the answers we're looking for for the cure." Emmeline said.

Dumbledore's eyes lit up at that. " The cure?"

"Yes, but we still have to run some tests. If Hestia needs a Neuro consult, I'm sure she'll call you." Emmeline rushed out. "Anyway, we have to get going. Lots to see--"

"And lots of time, now." Dumbledore interrupted her. "Which of them is it? Who knows what we need for the cure?" His eyes flicked over each of the teens.

Emmeline sighed. "Pandora. But she doesn't know anything. As I said, we still need to run tests."

Dumbledore stared at Pandora for a long moment.

"We have to go." Emmeline said, already leading the teens out the door. "We have somewhere to be."

Emmeline used the handprint scanner to close the door, before continuing to lead them down the corridor.

"Sorry about him. Dumbledore is… odd. He works alone, as you saw. He's brilliant, but strange. He gets obsessed and he's been fixated on this virus and the cure. I was required to introduce you, but I don't expect any of you will have to work with him. Hestia was about to send him off to retirement when everything happened." Emmeline had them stop outside the next lab. "Anyway, this is Hestia and William's lab-- Hestia's. I meant Hestia's lab… William was her husband. He died almost a month ago now. He had the virus… that's why Hestia is so invested in the cure… why she's letting you stay." Emmeline awkwardly cleared her throat. "Anyway, to the elevator. We're going upstairs." She gestured to the elevator off to the right.

The teens glanced at each other, sharing cautious looks.

Just as they approached the elevator, it dinged and the doors opened. The two security guards from the day before walked out onto the floor.

"Oh! Perfect timing." Emmeline remarked. "I'm sure you remember these security fellows from yesterday? Their names are Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt. They are the only security we have now, since… well…"

"It's hard to forget someone who pointed a gun at you." Barty snarked.

"They were just doing their job." Emmeline assured him.

"We are sorry about that, eh Moody?" Shacklebolt chuckled awkwardly when Moody didn't reply.

Kingsley Shacklebolt was much younger than Moody. He had dark skin and shaved short hair on his head. He also seemed to be much friendlier.

"Uh, you kids can call me Kinglsey. Almost everyone does."

"You call me Moody or nothing at all, understood?" Moody grumbled.

The four teens nodded, a bit intimidated.

"Oh, here are the keys to your vehicle." Kingsley pulled the keys to the Subaru out of his pocket and held them out. Regulus took them. "It's been moved to the underground parking garage. You can check it out anytime you want, whenever you want to go out. As for your gear and food, it's been put in your assigned apartments. And your weapons are down in the security office, you can check them out with us when you want them. Your stuff is still yours."

"Thank you." Regulus said.

"Shacklebolt, rounds." Moody ordered.

Kingsley sighed. "We have to get back to it. See you kids around. See you, Emmeline." And he and Moody marched off down the corridor.

"Bye." Emmeline said. "Shall we?" She pressed the elevator button and the doors opened.

The five of them piled into the elevator, Barty maneuvering Evan's wheelchair to face the right direction.

The elevator went up one floor and the doors opened, letting them out.

"This is the fourth floor, the very top." Emmeline said as they walked out. "It is entirely apartments, all of the staff live up here. And now you. This lab was sort of a live-in situation, since it's so far from everything. And Hestia tended to hire the best-of-the-best from around the world. Like me from France, Benjy from America. You get the picture. So, Hestia had to provide accommodations. Lucky for you, we had more apartments than employee's."

Suddenly a door to an apartment opened, three people walking out and shutting the door again. A man and woman in their mid-thirties, and a little girl. Both the woman and the girl had shiny blonde hair, while the man was a redhead.

"Ah! The Weasley bunch!" Emmeline grinned at them. "Headed down to breakfast?"

The man nodded, chuckling. "Oh yes."

"This is Bill and Fleur Weasley." Emmeline then crouched down to the little girl's level. "And this is little Victoire!" She cooed.

"I'm not zo little." Victoire said seriously, hands on her hips. "I am neuf! "

" Nine, Victoire." Fleur corrected her daughter. "In English."

Bill was British, while both Fleur and Victoire had French accents.

"Nine!" Victoire held up nine fingers.

Emmeline giggled, standing back up. "Bill worked in the Financial Department."

"We're still trying to find me a new task." Bill added.

"And me." Fleur said.

"Fleur and Victoire just got here. Only Bill worked with us on a temporary contract before. " Emmeline explained.

"And I only just started too." Bill huffed a laugh.

"We are lucky to be here, zo." Fleur smiled.

"That we are." Bill agreed. "So, who are these lot?"

"This is Regulus, Barty, Evan, and Pandora." Emmeline said for what felt like the thousandth time. "They're moving into some spare apartments."

"Oh, well, welcome." Bill grinned.

"Welcome." Fleur added, smiling at them.

"Bienvenue." Victoire said.

"Alright, you three head to breakfast. I gotta get them settled." Emmeline waved the Weasley family off.

And the three Weasley's disappeared into the elevator.

"Okay, not too overwhelmed yet?" Emmeline teased.

The teens shook their heads.

"Great. So, these two apartments are yours." Emmeline pointed between two doors across the hall from each other. "There are two bedrooms in each, all with a double bed. You can arrange yourselves wherever you like. If you only end up using one apartment, that's fine too. We just weren't totally sure about which of you were couples and who would be comfortable sharing beds." She paused, handing them keycards to unlock the apartments, from in her lab coat pocket. "I'm going to let you settle in, but I'll be back soon to take Pandora to her appointment for her first test. Enjoy!"

Emmeline left down the corridor and into the elevator, leaving them alone to explore their new apartments.

"Should we check it out?" Evan asked from where he sat in his wheelchair.

"Might as well." Regulus said, scanning his keycard on the lock-scanner of the door on the left.

The door beeped quietly and the lock turned.

Regulus turned the handle and pushed open the door, hesitant and wary. He walked in, Barty pushing Evan's wheelchair in after, followed finally by Pandora.

There was light filtering in through the windows on the far wall, but Regulus flicked the lightswitch on the wall anyway to turn on the overhead lights.

The room they were standing in was open floor-plan and square, the size being averagely medium. It was a kitchen and living room space; the kitchen having a full-sized fridge, counter space and cabinets, dishes and cookware, a stove, microwave, sink, and small table and chairs set. There was a few boxes on the counter filled with the food and gear they had in the Subaru, brought in by Moody and Kingsley. The living room space had a two-seater sofa, an armchair, coffee table, and a small flat-screen TV.

There was a short hallway with three more doors; two bedrooms and a bathroom. The bedrooms were small, barely fitting the double bed, bedside table, and tiny closet. The bathroom was even smaller, cramping together the toilet, sink, and stand-up shower.

The other apartment across the hall was identical.

"This is nice." Pandora remarked.

"It's a shoebox, Panda." Barty retorted.

"It's better than out there. " Regulus said solemnly. "Electricity, water, medical care-- " He gestured at Evan. "--we're not going to find that anywhere else."

"We're pretty lucky to be here… I'm lucky to be here." Evan added softly.

"We're here because Dr. Hestia Jones is hellbent on honouring her husband's memory. On using Pandora to do it. You heard Emmeline." Barty ranted. "I know that's what we wanted, what I wanted… but…"

"It feels conditional." Regulus finished for him.

"Exactly." Barty agreed.

"What? No, Dr. Pomfrey started helping Evan before anyone knew about me." Pandora pointed out.

"But they weren't gonna let us stay." Barty said.

"Why would they? They had no reason to keep us here, so why would they waste resources on us." Evan said.

"It doesn't matter why their doing it, as long as their doing it." Regulus insisted. "Pandora helps them create the cure and save the world, saving the world. And we get a safe place to live with food and water until this is over."

"And if we're useful, then we might become more than unwanted tenants." Evan added.

"And don't forget, I might quite literally save the world!" Pandora grinned excitedly.

Barty sighed exhaustedly. "You're right. The point is that we're here, we're safe, and they can test Pandora to figure out how to fix this shit. As long as they don't hurt her to do it, we can put up with the shoebox. "

Pandora squealed. "Now the only question is, who wants which apartment?"

Regulus snorted. "I'm almost certain the lovebirds will want to be alone."

"Oi!"

"Oi!"

Pandora giggled. "Almost forgot about that with the four-of-us-sharing-a-tent and all."

"Not much time or room to shag during an apocalypse." Regulus quipped.

"Fuck off!" Barty huffed.

Evan's face was hidden behind his hands in embarrassment. 

"Suppose this means Reg and I should move in across the corridor." Pandora smirked.

"If you would be so kind." Barty muttered.

"Barty!" Evan groaned, humiliated.

"As if we don't already know, Evan." Regulus said wryly. "I've had to share a dorm with the two of you. I've heard and seen things I wish I didn't."

"For fuck sakes, Regulus!" Evan emerged from behind his hands, face red. "It's not as if we can do anything while I have a gaping wound in my stomach anyway, so you two are more than welcome to share the second bedroom."

"It isn't gaping any longer, nor is it in your actual stomach." Regulus corrected, monotone.

"Jesus, Reg." Evan sighed irritably.

"Alright, stop getting him all worked up. It can't be good for the gaping wound. " Barty half-joked.

"Thank you!" Evan said.

"Now, we currently have access to two showers for the first time since Hogwarts." Barty paused meaningfully. "Believe or not, but I want to take a fucking shower."

"You're right. I don't believe it." Regulus deadpanned.

"Neither do I." Pandora laughed.

"You know what, I don't either." Evan fought back a grin.

Barty crossed his arms over his chest. "Ev, if you make them leave, I'll help you wash."

Evan gulped, face blooming bright red once again. "Get out." He choked out.

Regulus smirked. "What was that?"

"You fucking heard me!" Evan snapped, face-planting into his palms in pure embarrassment.

Pandora rolled her eyes fondly. "Come on, Reg, let's let them be. There's a shower in our new apartment, I'll let you go first."

And Pandora started limping toward the door, grabbing hold of Regulus' shirt as she passed and dragging him with her.

--

A few hours later, after all four teens were showered and changed into fresh clothes provided by the lab tech's willingly donating some of their wardrobes, they were sitting together in the living room of Barty and Evan's new apartment, eating some soup actually heated up on a stove for once.

Then suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Barty put his bowl of soup down on the coffee table, with confused glances between each of them, and stood up to go answer the door.

It was Emmeline.

"Hiya! Is Pandora in? It's just about time for her appointment." Emmeline said cheerily.

"I'm here!" Pandora responded, putting down her bowl of soup. She got up from the sofa and limped toward the door.

"Where's her appointment?" Regulus asked, putting aside his own soup and joining Pandora and Barty at the door.

"Just downstairs in Hestia's lab." Emmeline replied. "You're welcome to come. All of you."

Barty looked over at Regulus, hesitant. "I should probably stay here with Evan… he needs to rest and I don't wanna leave him…"

"Barty, it's fine. I'll be fine." Evan said gently from the sofa.

Barty looked back at Evan, considering, chewing worriedly on his bottom lip.

"No, stay." Regulus insisted. "I'll go with Pandora."

"You sure?" Barty checked.

"Yes."

"Perfect. If you're ready, we can head down." Emmeline said.

Regulus and Pandora followed Emmeline out of the apartment and down in the elevator to the third floor, to Hestia's lab.

Through the clear glass door and walls, they could see a young man they hadn't met yet inside the lab doing busy work.

Emmeline knocked on the glass to get his attention. "I don't have access to Hestia's lab, no one does. Only Hestia." She explained.

The young man looked up, seeing them he came over to the door and pressed his hand to the inside handprint scanner to let them in. The door slid open.

"And he does?" Regulus questioned curiously, as they walked inside the lab.

Emmeline chuckled. "Regulus, Pandora, meet Xenophilius. Or Xeno. He's Hestia's lab assistant. So, yes, I suppose he does have access."

Xenophilius had shoulder-length, straight white blonde hair. He had skin nearly paler than his hair and his eyes were the brightest blue that it was almost unsettling. And he smiled, a bright amazing thing that fit his face just right.

"Doctor…?" Pandora trailed off questioningly.

"Not a doctor." Xenophilius corrected easily. "I was in my Fourth Year of my Biophysics PHD, working here under Dr. Jones bi-weekly for my Co-op hours. Biophysics is Dr. Jones' specialty, she's the best. And I wanted to be next, but… the apocalypse happened and I never graduated. So, not a doctor."

" Yet. " Emmeline insisted. "We're going to solve this and you'll finish your PHD, be a doctor like the rest of us. And Pandora might just be our salvation." She grinned.

"Emmeline, ever the optimist." Xenophilius said wryly, turning to face Pandora for the first time. He froze, eyes locked on Pandora's, a soft smile settling onto his features. "Pandora."

Pandora bit back a smile and glanced at Regulus. " Xeno. "

Xenophilius chuckled breathily and nodded, almost as if he was giving her permission to call him that. "Take a seat, Pandora, and we'll get started. Dr. Jones will be here in just a moment." He turned away, grabbing a pair of blue latex gloves from a box on one of the desks.

Pandora looked around the room for a place to sit. There were two stools on the far side of the lab, tucked under the respective desks, but she would have to slip (limp) past Xenophilius and pull them out to sit there. So, instead, she simply placed her hands on the counter behind her and pushed herself up to sit on the countertop.

"Oh my god." Regulus murmured under his breath, shooting her a look.

Pandora smiled at him innocently.

Xenophilius turned back around, gloves on his hands, coming face-to-face with Pandora sitting on the counter-- her head now level with his. He pressed his lips together, hiding a smirk. "Pandora, if you could roll up the sleeve of your left arm?"

Emmeline grinned knowingly, sharing a quick look with Regulus. "Alright, you're both in good hands. I have some work to complete, so I'll leave you to it. You know the way back to your apartments now." She pressed her hand to the inside handprint scanner to open the door.

"Thank you!" Pandora said to her genuinely.

"Thanks." Regulus added.

"See you around, Emme!" Xenophilius called to her as she left, the door sliding closed after her.

Xenophilius drew a few vials of blood from Pandora's wrist, storing them in a small fridge, all the while sending each other flirtatious looks. While Regulus sent Pandora cold looks and tried not to vomit.

Pandora had never had a serious crush before, but she couldn't deny that Xenophilius was attractive, and that he seemed to think the same about her. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy. Or maybe that was just the blood loss.

Hestia came in a few minutes later, greeting them pleasantly.

"Mr. Black, I sent out a helicopter this morning in search of your brother." Hestia began solemnly. "We were unable to locate him in that location, I'm truly sorry."

Regulus frowned. "Oh…"

"Did you find anyone out there alive?" Pandora asked.

Hestia hummed lightly but didn't reply.

Hestia proceeded to give Pandora pain meds from the infirmary before performing a bit more invasive tests than what Xenophilius did. She pulled outer tissue samples from Pandora's bite location in a few different sections of the jaw-shaped scar. Hestia bandaged up the area where there was a little bit of external blood. Then swabbed her mouth and nose. Then finally sent Pandora and Regulus on their way, promising to share the test results when she finished analyzing the samples, as well for Pandora to eat something and head to the infirmary if she felt ill.

When Pandora and Regulus exited the elevator on the fourth floor, returning to their apartments, another door in the corridor opened just as they were passing by it.

They glanced at the woman standing there, and Regulus froze.

The woman was gorgeous. In her early forties, with long pitch black hair and skin as pale as snow. And she looked extremely familiar to Regulus.

"Sorry." Regulus muttered, turning away and starting to walk. Pandora going with him,

The woman's eyes bounced from Pandora to Regulus. "My, my… English, dark hair, porcelain skin, grey eyes, cheekbones sharper than glass… you would have to be a Black with looks like that." She remarked airily, causing both Regulus and Pandora to stop. "The only question left would be: are you Sirius or Regulus?" She paused. "I did keep in touch with Cissy for a time, before she married and cut contact with me. I was informed of two little baby boy cousins being born roughly within a few years of each other." She admitted. "So which is it?"

"Regulus." He said, suspicious of her.

"It's good to meet you, Regulus. I'm Andromeda."

Regulus' jaw dropped, gaping at her. He'd heard the stories, the disdain both his parents and hers had for her.

His older cousin.

This was going to be one hell of a new place to live.

Chapter Text

"Why are so many people still here in the lab?" Pandora had asked, on their first date. It wasn't much of a date, he had just cooked spaghetti for her in his apartment-- which he didn't share with a roommate. He was still boiling the pasta when she asked.

"It's the same story for all of us. We were just here when it happened." Xenophilius told her, leaning back against the kitchen counter to fondly watch her.

Pandora was wandering around his apartment, looking at and lightly touching all the little things that he had decorating his apartment. All the little things that were so very him.

5 Years Later…

Pandora was gently brought out of her memory by a mug of steaming coffee appearing under her nose. She took it, smiling gratefully at Xenophilius for bringing it to her.

Pandora sipped her coffee, turning away from the window she'd been day-dreamingly staring out of. It was raining outside. Inside, she was in the very same apartment she had been in her memory. Only now it wasn't just Xenophilius' apartment, it was hers too. They lived there together. Pandora had moved in about a year after she'd gotten to the lab. She and Xenophilius were officially dating and had been since before she moved in.

Pandora was twenty-two now, Xenophilius twenty-seven. And they were in love. She was still whole-heartedly her eccentric self, if not slightly more mature, and he adored her for it. He was still the attractive, brilliant lab assistant he was when they met, and she loved him with her whole being.

Xenophilius dropped a kiss to the top of her head. "Love you. Have a good day. You have an appointment with Hestia at noon, don't forget." He told her as he walked backward to the front door.

Even after five years, Pandora was still being tested. Hestia and her team still hadn't figured out what made Pandora immune to the virus. Pandora’s blood was tested a thousand times over and continued to be tested weekly to monitor any changes. Both Hestia and Dr. Pomfrey had done non-invasive exploratory procedures and surgery on Pandora, and every single time they found nothing. They didn't have a clue as to why Pandora never turned after being bitten, why she never got sick.

And so, they continued to regularly test her blood.

"I won't. Who has her today? Who's free?" Pandora asked, holding her mug as she stood in front of the window.

"Uh… I think the Tonks', but if Andi's busy, try the Weasley's." Xenophilius said as he reached the door, turning to leave.

"Xeno?"

"Yeah?" He turned back around, expecting to be told he forgot something.

Pandora launched at him--coffee mug already strategically placed on the kitchen table in preparation--and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you!" She said sweetly, pecking him on the lips.

Xenophilius chuckled breathily. "I love you too, Pan…" He mumbled into another kiss.

Pandora backed away and playfully smacked him on the chest. "Get to work before Hestia makes Reg her new lab assistant."

Xenophilius pecked her once more on the lips before leaving the apartment.

--

Regulus stopped in the short hallway in his shared apartment with Barty and Evan--he had moved into their spare bedroom when Pandora moved into Xenophilius' apartment--when he heard the sounds of giggling and groaning from inside Barty and Evan's bedroom.

"Don't you two have a Run today?" Regulus questioned loudly, irritated.

Silence.

"Don't you have paperwork to do?!" Barty retorted sharply.

"My shift doesn't start for another hour." Regulus replied, monotone.

"Fuck you!" Barty snapped. "A little privacy would be appreciated."

"Barty!" Evan hissed.

And Regulus couldn't see them, but he had no doubt that Evan was turning red with embarrassment.

And Barty and Evan continued to have a murmured argument in the bedroom, as Regulus walked away and into the kitchen. Mission accomplished.

Barty and Evan came out of the bedroom a few minutes later, Evan going directly into the bathroom and Barty into the kitchen to join Regulus.

"If you interrupt my morning sex one more time, Regulus, I will push you outside the doors." Barty threatened.

"How terrifying." Regulus remarked airily. "You go outside the doors almost everyday and you're still fine. Mostly."

Barty glared at him.

Evan came into the kitchen, a mild shade of pink. Five years later and he was still embarrassed about sex.

Regulus, Barty, and Evan were all twenty-two now and not different in the slightest. They looked exactly the same and acted exactly the same. Like seventeen-year-old children.

"Your boyfriend has threatened my life over your morning sex." Regulus promptly informed Evan.

Evan turned bright red, burying his head in his hands. " Barty! "

"Aw, I'm sorry, Ev." Barty wrapped his arms around Evan's shoulders and kissed him on the side of his head. "But Regulus needs to learn--"

Evan groaned into his hands, effectively cutting Barty off.

Barty planted another kiss above Evan's ear in apology, then let him go.

Regulus had turned to pour coffee for himself from the pot-- Barty and Evan had found it on a Run roughly four years ago.

"You're going into the city today?" Regulus asked, as he stepped aside with his mug to let them get their own coffee.

"Yeah, just a day trip. You need anything?" Barty asked casually, pouring a mug for himself and Evan. He handed Evan his, who had finally emerged from his hiding place.

"No, just be careful." Regulus murmured quietly into his mug.

"Regulus Black wanting us to be careful?" Evan smirked wryly, before taking a sip of coffee.

"He does care! " Barty cooed.

"Shut up." Regulus muttered.

Barty and Evan chuckled to themselves.

Evan took pity on him. "We always are careful." He promised Regulus.

Regulus nodded, but said nothing more about it.

Barty gulped down the rest of his coffee, putting his mug in the sink before turning to Evan. "We better get ready and go if we wanna see Panda before we have to meet Moody."

Evan nodded, tipping his mug to drink the last of his own coffee. "Yeah, let's go."

--

After seeing Pandora for a few minutes in her apartment, Barty and Evan met up with Moody, Benjy, and Edgar on the first floor by the big steel exit doors.

Barty had his pistol, loaded with bullets they'd found on a previous Run. Both Barty and Evan now had hunting knives, as did Benjy, Edgar, and Moody, also found on a Run. And Moody had his handgun holstered to his hip. 

"Everybody got their masks?" Moody demanded. He had his own heavy duty mask meant for radiation and poisonous airborne molds that the lab had had on hand for working with dangerous substances.

The four men nodded or held up their masks as proof, bored with the repetitive routine.

"Alright. We go out, we get what we need, and we come back. No unnecessary risks. And constant vigilance! You all know the drill, we leave the H.N.Z's alone, unless they're in the way or they're Freshers." Moody listed out his usual commands. "Understood? Now, masks on. Secured!" He pulled his own mask on over his head, tightly securing the straps at the back, his face now half obscured by the large oxygen filters. Or more like three-quarters obscured, including the mask and his eyepatch.

Barty and Evan pulled on their masks and secured them, just as Benjy and Edgar did the same.

"Secured!"

"Secured!"

"Secured!"

"Secured!"

They all called out through their thick masks, voices muffled by the large oxygen filters, as per Moody's protocol.

"Understood!" Moody nodded sharply. "The inner airlock door is secured! Opening the main doors now!" He reached over to the wall and pulled down a large lever, followed by pressing a large black button labeled AUTOMATIC DOORS OPEN/CLOSE.

The steel doors hissed loudly and slowly slid open to the sides.

And Moody, Barty, Evan, Benjy, and Edgar ran out into the lot to head down to the underground parking garage to get a car and start their Run.

--

Regulus had walked out of the cafeteria after eating his dinner alone and hit the elevator button, waiting for the elevator to bring him up to the fourth floor to return to his apartment. He had been working with Caradoc that day in the Computer Science Lab, since Benjy was out on the Run. Though, Regulus supposed that the Run Team was likely back by now or would be soon. The elevator dinged and the doors opened, Regulus stepped inside and hit the button for the fourth floor.

But instead of going up, the elevator went down.

The elevator dinged again and the doors opened on the first floor. The main lobby, offices, conference rooms, and containment unit.

Andromeda was standing there, apparently waiting for the elevator.

“Going up?” Regulus asked simply.

Regulus and Andromeda were fairly close now. They had tea together every week in her apartment when neither of them were busy. They bonded over both growing up in the Black households, and Andromeda shared the story of how she ran away to be with her now-husband Ted Tonks. And everything that led up to her and Ted both becoming live-in employees of Dr. Hestia Jones and Dr. William Jones. Both Andromeda and Ted worked in the Research department.

And Hestia still had them doing research.

Andromeda smiled with what looked like relief. “Regulus! You have no idea how happy I am to see you!” She was speaking rapidly. “I'm in a terrible rush, I have to get back to work, I think Ted and I might be onto something, but I'm supposed to bring this file to Hestia's lab.”

Regulus noticed then that she was holding a cream-coloured file folder in her hands. “Hestia's lab?”

Andromeda nodded quickly. “Uh-huh. Could you take it?”

“Andi--”

The elevator doors started to close and Andromeda reached out an arm, forcing the doors to stop and open back up.

“Please, Regulus, I'll owe you. I just really have to get back to my office.” She looked at him pleadingly.

Regulus sighed, nodding reluctantly. “Give it here, Andi.” He held out a hand.

“Thank you!” Andromeda shoved the thick file folder into his grasp. “ Hestia's lab. I have to run, but I owe you a favour!” She called to him as she hurried away from the elevator back toward her office on the first floor, high heels clicking quickly against the tile flooring.

The elevator doors slid closed, Regulus hit the button for the third floor, and the elevator finally started to rise.

There was the familiar ding and the doors opened on the third floor.

Regulus exited the elevator, finding himself standing in front of Hestia's lab, seeing directly inside through the clear glass walls and door.

Xenophilius was inside, bustling around doing his lab assistant duties.

Regulus knocked on the glass, as still only Hestia and Xenophilius had access.

Xenophilius looked up and saw him, moving to press his hand to the inside handprint scanner. The glass door slid open to the left and Regulus stepped inside.

Regulus held up the file folder. “Andi asked me to drop it off for her.”

“You can put it on the desk.” Xenophilius replied with a quick smile.

Before Regulus could move, Xenophilius’ pager beeped .

Xenophilius checked it, taking the device out of his lab coat pocket. “I… have to go grab something for Emmeline. I'll be right back.”

“I'm only leaving this--” Regulus said, but Xenophilius had already walked out of the lab. The clear glass door slid shut after him, sound-proofing the room and making it impossible for anyone outside the lab to hear him. And Regulus watched through the glass wall as Xenophilius kept walking down the corridor to complete his task, having not heard Regulus.

Regulus sighed, turning back to the lab he was in. He tossed the file folder onto the nearest desk and turned around to let himself out.

Then…

There was ringing.

Like a phone was ringing.

Regulus slowly turned back around, frowning in confusion. He looked around the room, his eyes landing on an old landline phone with a curly cord and everything, mounted on the far wall next to the window. Still ringing.

Regulus crossed the lab to the phone and stood there for a moment, just staring at it. He wasn't aware there was a phone even in that lab, nor that a landline phone could still work.

Although a landline wouldn't need cell-service to function, Regulus thought, all it would need would be electricity… and the lab has plenty of that.

Hesitantly, Regulus reached forward and picked the handset up off the base, effectively answering the phone. He pressed the phone to his ear and just listened.

“ Hello? Hello? ” It was a little staticky, but clear enough for Regulus to make out.

Regulus tilted the phone so that the bottom was closer to his mouth. “Hello.” He breathed into the phone, a bit uncertain of what he was even doing.

“ Hi! Hello. ” The staticky voice responded almost instantly.

“Uh, who's calling?” Regulus asked, which he felt was an odd sentence to say since he hadn't needed to say it in over five years.

“ --what-- ” staticky, unclear words. “ --you're br--ing up-- ” Was all Regulus was barely able to make out.

“Who is this?” Regulus repeated.

“ My name-- ” Nothing but very staticy indecipherable words. “ --who are you? ”

Regulus hesitated, then said, “Regulus.”

Static. “ --listen--hear me--trying to contact--lab--Sweden. It was--five years--the outbreak--met a couple call--Longbott--phone--had--friends go there--made it… ” Which was followed by staticky silence. The person wasn't speaking anymore.

“I'm not sure I got all that, but this is a lab in Sweden, if that's what you--”

“ You're in a lab in Sweden? ” The eager voice cut Regulus off, it was almost perfectly clear.

“Yes.” Regulus replied, confused and nervous.

“ Is there a chance I could get the address from you? ” It was still staticky, but clear enough to guess the words that weren't quite coming through fully.

“This is a secure facility, I can't just tell strangers where we are. I'm sorry.” Regulus said seriously.

“ None-- ” Static. “ --infected, I swear-- ” More static.

Regulus stayed quiet, he even considered hanging up the phone.

“ Please--bunker--Northern Ireland--running out--oxygen and--generators’ busted--can make it--Sweden--to your lab--friends could be with you for all we know-- ” The voice sounded desperate.

Regulus froze. A bunker in Northern Ireland was where Sirius was, or at least was headed to five years ago. Five. And Sirius had a SAT phone and would know about the lab in Sweden, as they had been the ones to send Regulus and his friends there. Friends. Staticky-Phone-Voice also mentioned friends that might be at the lab.

What if this is Sirius? If he's running out of oxygen in the bunker, then he's looking for a safe haven. And the only other safe place Sirius would know of would be the lab, Regulus thought anxiously.

“I can give you the coordinates.” Regulus said hastily.

Static. “ --anything, please-- ” Static.

Regulus turned to Hestia's desk, pushing papers around until he found what he was looking for. The map with the path the Run Team was taking to the city that day marked out, that Hestia would have had to approve before they left. Her copy of the map, so if they had to send people after the Run Team, they would know where to look.

Regulus calculated the coordinates in his head using the latitude and longitude measurements on the sides of the map--it had been awhile since he'd taken Geography, but he did fairly well in the class when he did--and then recited those coordinates a few times to make sure the person understood and the voice repeated them back to double check.

“ Thank you so much! ” Followed by heavy static.

“I hope you make it alive.” Regulus said sincerely.

Staticky words. “ --r--st--there--thin--few--weeks-- ”

Regulus understood that to be a timeframe in which they'd be travelling. “I'll be waiting to see you.”

“ W--s--that-- ”

“Sorry? I didn't get that.” Regulus frowned, trying to listen carefully.

A short unclear word.

“What?” Regulus asked.

An almost identical sounding short unclear word.

“Hello--” Regulus began again.

Beep-beep, beep-beep, beep-beep, beep-beep…

The line had gone dead. The other phone had hung up or lost signal.

“What are you doing?”

Regulus whirled around to see Hestia standing in the open doorway, her hand still firmly pressed to the outside handprint scanner.

“I-- there was a call. The phone rang. ” Regulus stammered.

Hestia removed her hand from the scanner and walked into the room, the glass door silently sliding shut behind her. She took the phone from Regulus’ hand and held it to her own ear, listening. When she heard the beeping, she hooked the phone back onto the base on the wall.

“Did you talk to someone? What are you even doing in my lab-- how did you get in here?!” Hestia demanded.

“Xeno was here, he… left. I was just dropping off a file from Andi.” Regulus explained slowly, gesturing to the file folder he'd put on the desk.

Hestia looked over at the folder, her eyes then drifting to the map Regulus had unfolded on the desk. “Did you do this?” Her eyes snapped back to Regulus. “What did you do?!”

“I was…” Regulus trailed off, he knew he was in trouble.

Hestia wasn't stupid. Her extensive resume suggested that much. “Did you tell someone how to get here?! Black! Answer me!”

Regulus’ jaw tightened. “Yes, alright! I gave coordinates to the person on the phone.”

Hestia scoffed. “And why on earth would you be compelled to do that?!”

Regulus met her eyes for the first time since she walked in. “I think it was my brother… or at least, one of his friends…”

“Why would your brother or his friends have this number? Hm? How?!”

“They had Frank and Alice's SAT phone!” Regulus snapped back. “Or they did, five years ago…”

Hestia blinked, clearly taken aback. “…And how exactly do you know it was him, on the phone? Did he say his name?”

Regulus sighed. “No, I didn't catch a name. The call was too unsteady.”

The anger returned in Hestia's eyes. “So you have no idea who you talked to. No idea who you gave our coordinates to!”

“You don't understand. It had to have been him, they mentioned Norther--”

“ Enough! ” Hestia yelled. “God, you are still the child you were when you got here. Clueless, absolutely clueless. You're incredibly clever--one might say a genius --but you haven't learned a thing! You better hope they don't find this place. Because if they do, they'll kill us for what we have.” She exclaimed sharply. “Get out.”

Regulus left the lab. He didn't need to be told twice.

He got into the elevator and took it up to the fourth floor, getting out and heading directly to Pandora and Xenophilus’ apartment. He knew Xenophilius would still be working, but that Pandora should be home.

Regulus knocked.

“ Come in! ” He heard Pandora’s airy voice sing-song from inside.

Regulus pushed the door open, walking inside. “You really shouldn't just tell people knocking on your door to come in.”

Pandora was sitting on her sofa, legs tucked up underneath herself and smiling sweetly at him. “But we know everyone in this lab, we're practically all family!”

Regulus sighed heavily, sitting down on the sofa beside her. “Yeah, family…” He muttered.

Pandora frowned. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh, no. I know a Regulus-sad-face when I see one.” Pandora pressed. “What's wrong?”

Regulus sighed once again. “Hestia just bit my head off.”

Pandora dropped her head onto Regulus' shoulder, then blew her hair out of her face. “What did you do?”

Regulus glanced at her, wary. “I… answered a phone call.”

Pandora’s face scrunched in confusion, but she didn't move from his shoulder. “Huh? You had a working phone?”

“Yeah, actually. Hestia has a landline in her lab. Did you know that?”

Pandora nodded jerkily against him. “I've seen it.”

“I never did.” Regulus mumbled, maybe a bit annoyed.

“I spend a lot of time in there.” Pandora explained, almost whining.

“True.” Regulus acknowledged. “Anyway… Hestia saw… and got angry. She yelled.”

“I've never seen Hestia yell.” Pandora whispered loudly, as if it was a secret, her eyes wide.

“She did.” Regulus said.

Pandora tilted her head to look up at him. “You're not saying everything.”

Regulus rolled his eyes. “I think it was Sirius.”

“That Hestia was angry? I'd think so, if she yelled at you.” Pandora’s face was scrunched again, still looking up at him.

“No, not ‘serious.’ Sirius , my brother.” Regulus clarified. “Are you alright? You look odd.” He looked over her face curiously.

“I'm fine.” Pandora sat up, looking directly at him now. “You said Sirius. Your brother. What do you mean you think it was him? ”

“On the phone. I think it was him or one of the others, like Potter maybe, on the phone.”

Pandora shook her head, as if trying to organize her thoughts. “Why do you think it was one of them?”

“Just… some things they said. Are you sure you're alright?”

“Yes. Stay focused.” Pandora insisted. “Was it him? Sirius or James?”

Regulus shrugged. “Well, I don't know for sure… which is why Hestia got upset… because I gave our location to a relative stranger.”

Pandora squinted at him. “You… what?”

Regulus sighed. Again. “I told the person on the phone the coordinates to the lab.” He explained.

“Oh…”

“Yeah, oh… ”

“Well… maybe you're right, maybe it was Sirius.” Pandora said. “I mean, it could've been, right? Just… be positive. Hopefully it was him and not someone else.”

Regulus groaned, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. “But what if it was someone else? ”

“Then we've saved another person… that's gotta count for something.”

“Yeah, if Hestia lets them in.” Regulus grumbled.

“Think positive, Reg.” Pandora reiterated, snuggling back into his side. “Hope it was Sirius. If it was, then he and the others are gonna need hope to get here. So hope. ”

“Right…” Regulus said, still very confused. He took a breath. “So, where's Luna tonight?” He asked, looking around the apartment for signs of a three year girl.

Pandora hummed. “Victoire’s babysitting.”

“Didn’t send her over to the Crouch-Rosier’s. ” Regulus mocked.

“They're having a date night since they knew you'd be working late.” Pandora explained dreamily. “Xeno’s working too and I had a test done, I got some drugs-- I feel like I'm high.” She giggled. “So, I figured someone sober should be watching Luna. Hence, Victoire.”

Regulus nodded, more to himself. “That explains how you're acting. Good plan, with the babysitter.” Then, he frowned. “I'm not working late…”

“No?”

“No.” Regulus said, annoyance creeping into his voice.

Pandora giggled again. “Better not go back home too soon then.”

“Ugh!” Regulus groaned loudly.

“You can stay here until they’re… finished. ” Pandora snorted. “I borrowed a French film from Fleur, wanna watch it? You can translate it for me.”

Regulus huffed a laugh. “Sure.”

Pandora squealed. “Goody.”

Chapter Text

It had been a little over a week since Regulus had answered the phone in Hestia's lab, telling possible strangers the coordinates to their location. Two days earlier, Hestia had informed him that her phone rang again when she was in her lab. She said that she didn't answer and let it ring. And then she said that she picked up the phone and hit redial, but got an automatic message saying the number was not in service. Meaning the phone used to call the lab was dead or broken. Which would have had to have happened fast, between them calling the lab and Hestia calling back.

Regulus was working with Hestia that day. Xenophilius wasn't on shift, but he had been in the lab. He was there with Pandora while she was getting her weekly blood withdrawal. Luna was there too, held tightly in Xenophilius’ arms so that she didn't mess with any dangerous lab equipment. Once Pandora was finished with the routine procedure, she was allowed to leave-- Xenophilius walking Pandora back up to their apartment, where they would spend the rest of the afternoon with Luna, as a happy little family.

Regulus was doing the lab assistant duties of labelling Pandora's vials of blood and storing them in the small medical fridge. Hestia was filling out a medical chart for Pandora, with all the notes of that week's symptoms, tests, and any relevant medical information that could be used in future studies on the virus. If they ever managed to cure it, that is.

When suddenly, Hestia's pager beeped.

Hestia reached into her lab coat pocket and pulled out her pager, checking it. Then she put the clipboard with the medical chart attached down on her desk. “Regulus, come with me for a moment.” She didn't trust him alone in her lab anymore, she hadn’t explicitly said it but it was obvious.

Regulus followed her out of the lab, the door silently sliding shut behind them. He followed her to doors down to the Computer Science Lab. Hestia pressed her hand to the handprint scanner and the door opened, they both stepped inside and the door slid shut after them.

“What is it? Code Blue? This lab doesn't have toxic waste.” Hestia said, confused.

“Nah, but it's got toxic people. Outside.” Benjy clarified, nodding at his computer screen.

“What?” Hestia frowned, leaning closer to get a look at the screen.

“Showed up about ten minutes ago. Been looking lost ever since.” Caradoc added. His wheely-chair was rolled over next to Benjy’s to be able to look at Benjy's computer, as opposed to at his own desk on the opposite side of the room.

Regulus took a step closer to stand in line with Hestia, to get a better look at what they were looking at.

It was a series of small boxes lined up and stacked evenly across the screen. Glancing at a few of them told Regulus that they were security cameras; there was one in each lab and in the corridors, in the main lobby, containment unit, conference rooms, in the elevator, the cafeteria, gym and laundry room, and a few outside angles showing the perimeter of the property.

It was one of the outside cameras that Benjy and Caradoc were referring to, showing the locked gate that entered the lot. Regulus squinted, seeing tiny people moving around outside the gate but unable to make out any features, aside from a bright flash of red on one person's head. And there was also a vehicle behind them that was the blurry shape of a truck in pale blue.

“Can you make that bigger?” Regulus asked urgently.

“Uh, yeah.” Benjy said, tapping his mouse a few times.

Hestia glanced at Regulus, curious.

The screen opened up, showing that camera's security footage larger on the whole computer screen instead of just the tiny box.

Now that it was bigger, it was clear as day that it was a pale blue truck. A very familiar pale blue truck, to Regulus. The tiny people's faces were still hard to make out, but it was obvious who they were. Messy dark hair and glasses, long bright red hair, shoulder-length black hair the same shade as Regulus', tall and lanky, a dark girl with braids, a blonde with a baseball bat, and another darker girl wearing pink. There was also another person Regulus didn't recognize, but it didn't matter. It was Sirius and the others.

“It's them…” Regulus breathed.

Hestia looked at him warily. “Who?”

“My brother.”

“How do you know that?” Hestia asked shortly.

“Because I'd know him anywhere.” Regulus retorted. “And those are his friends, I recognize them. Now let them in.”

“Yo, they're not wearing masks.” Benjy leaned closer to his screen. “All eight of ‘em are bare-faced.”

“I'm sorry, Regulus, it will contaminate the entire first floor.” Hestia said sternly. “I can't do that.”

“Then evacuate the first floor!” Regulus snapped.

Hestia pressed her lips together, staring firmly at Regulus.

“We do have the containment unit.” Caradoc suggested lazily, tipping his chair back casually.

Hestia whipped her head to look at him.

“Please, Hestia… that's my brother out there. My family. ” Regulus pleaded.

“Oh, hey, we got H.N.Z’s.” Benjy interjected, eyes on his screen. “I'm seeing a couple dozen Freshers, coming in hot.”

Regulus turned back to the screen. “Freshers?”

There were roughly twenty Hollow’s slowly stumbling toward Sirius and his friends from all sides, coming out of the forest. They hadn't seen that many Freshers in over two years. This was bad.

“Hestia!” Regulus snapped at her.

Hestia was staring at the screen too, eyes widening in mild panic. “Fine.” She gritted out.

Hestia stepped over to the glass wall that viewed the lab next-door; Emmeline, Bertha, and Edgar’s lab. They were all in there. Hestia knocked on the glass to get their attention, then waved at them to come over.

All three lab techs stopped what they were doing, quickly put away anything that had to be put away, removed gloves and sanitized their hands. They left their lab, rounding to the next one, Emmeline pressing her hand to the handprint scanner to let them in.

“Yes, Hestia?” Emmeline said as she walked in.

“What's going on?” Edgar added.

Hestia gestured to Benjy's computer screen.

“Well, that's not good for them. ” Edgar remarked.

“Who is it?” Bertha asked.

“Regulus’ brother and his friends. We're letting them in.” Hestia said tiredly.

“What?” Emmeline gasped. “They're not wearing masks. Hestia…”

Hestia glanced at Regulus. “I know…” She took a breath. “Fenwick, unlock the doors remotely from here. Dr. Vance and Dr. Bones, go let them in. Put them in the containment unit and use the airlocks, we don't need to contaminate the whole floor.”

“On it.” Benjy said, typing away at his keyboard.

Emmeline blinked, nodding hesitantly. “Sure…”

“Thank you, Hestia…” Regulus said sincerely.

Hestia nodded once, not meeting his eyes.

Emmeline and Edgar turned to leave the lab.

“Emmeline, honey, use a mask.” Bertha told her gently.

Emmeline nodded her agreement as she and Edgar passed Bertha and left.

Chapter Text

They had been waiting outside a locked gate that was outside what they were sure had to be the lab for at least fifteen minutes. Harry was in the truck, to keep him safe. They were waving their arms and trying to somehow get anyone inside's attention. They were starting to think there was no one in there, or at least no one who knew them. Or maybe it was that anyone in there, whether they were known to them or not, were no longer alive.

And then the Hollow’s came.

It wasn't so many that they couldn't take them, they had taken out that many together before. But not recently. They had only been on the road from Northern Ireland for about a week and a half, and the world was very different than when they left it. There were Hollow’s, just not usually ones that walked. Typically they were on the ground, rolling around and stretching their arms up and snapping their severely decayed jaws. Too decomposed to stand, Sirius had guessed when they first left the bunker.

But James still had his rifle slung over his shoulder. They all had their own handguns and hunting knives, including Teddy. And Marlene had her metal baseball bat.

“Someone’s coming!” Marlene shouted as she whacked another Hollow head with her baseball bat.

James stabbed the Hollow he was struggling with through the temple, shoving it to the ground. He took the moment of reprieve to look in the direction of the lab.

Marlene was right. There was a man running across the lot toward the gate. And he was wearing a heavy duty mask on the lower half of his face that had large oxygen filters. The mask hid his face, so they were unable to see what the man looked like.

“What's he wearing?” Remus questioned as he stabbed a Hollow in the head, near James.

“That's a respirator gas mask. ” Sirius replied, confused, as he too watched the masked-man run toward the gate.

Hollow’s surrounded the three of them again and they got back to stabbing.

Lily, Marlene, Dorcas, Mary, and Teddy were busy fighting off Hollow’s too.

The masked-man arrived at the gate with a key, fumbling with the padlock to get it open. “Get in your truck and get ready to drive!” He shouted at them, voice muffled from the mask.

After killing or pushing away the closest Hollow’s, James, Lily, Mary, and Teddy got the truck doors open and climbed inside, while Marlene, Dorcas, Sirius, and Remus hopped up onto the truck bed, still stabbing Hollow heads to keep them away from the edges of the truck.

The masked-man got the gate unlocked and swung it open wide enough for the truck to drive through.

James slammed the gas pedal and drove into the fenced-in lot, directly toward the large open steel doors at the base of the futuristic-looking building. Hearing gunshots, James glanced in the rearview mirror to see the masked-man shooting down the rest of the Hollow’s so that he could close up and lock the gate.

James pulled the truck up to the open doors, parking the truck and cutting the engine. He opened the driverside door and stepped out, as Lily climbed out on her side, and Mary and Teddy getting out of the backseat and helping Harry out, passing Harry into Lily's arms. Marlene, Dorcas, Sirius, and Remus hopped down from the truck bed. All of this done a lot more calmly, since they were safe in the lot now.

Carefully approaching the open doors, they saw a woman inside. She was wearing a white lab coat and also had on a respirator gas mask, obscuring the bottom part of her face. She had long chestnut brown hair and her eyes at least were very pretty.

“Hurry, inside!” She called to them, waving them in. Her voice also muffled from the mask.

They quickly walked in through the doors, getting closer to her.

“Faster! In through there!” She shouted frantically, pointing to a set of clear glass doors on the far wall.

Concerned at her panicking--and a bit perhaps by the masks--they hurriedly ran in through the glass doors.

James came to an abrupt halt before he nearly ran straight into a clear glass wall. Mary stumbled into his back, as the others forced themselves to stop just as suddenly. James whipped around, the others looking around too, wildly scanning the area. They were in some sort of clear glass box, large enough to fit them all.

Turning back to the door they just came in from, watching just as the woman wearing the mask smacked a big red button on the wall and the clear glass doors slid shut, hissing loudly.

“What the fuck?!” Marlene yelled, running at the door just as it closed. She hit her fist on the glass, hard.

Marlene backed up a few steps, raising her baseball bat over her shoulder and swinging it at the glass. The metal bat made contact with glass with a thunk! but ultimately nothing happened. Marlene raised the bat again.

“It's bullet-proof glass.” The masked-woman said, almost sounding sympathetic. “It won't break.”

Marlene launched herself at the glass doors. “YOU LET US OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW, YOU FUCKING BITCH!”

“McKinnon! McKinnon-- Marlene! ” Sirius shouted, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her back from the glass. “We're in a containment unit…”

Marlene was breathing heavily from her outburst, looking at Sirius’ face with sudden understanding.

“What does that mean?” Mary asked, scared.

Sirius looked back at the others. “They probably think one of us has the virus.”

“But we don't.” Lily said, confused.

“They don't know that.” Teddy pointed out.

“So let’s fucking tell them!” Dorcas snapped. “They can’t keep us in fucking box!”

“Mummy!” Harry whined, afraid. He burrowed further into Lily's neck. She held him tighter, unsure of what was happening.

“It's alright, Harry.” James said soothingly to him, running a gentle hand through his son's hair.

Suddenly, Remus started coughing into his elbow.

Chapter Text

Edgar and Emmeline returned to the Computer Science Lab on the third floor after they finished their tasks assigned by Hestia.

After Edgar locked up the gate, he and Emmeline closed the main steel doors. They hit the button for decontamination to purify the air in the entrance area between the three sets of airlock doors, and took off their masks.

Hestia, Regulus, Benjy, Caradoc, and Bertha were still in the Computer Science Lab, though now joined by Moody and Kingsley.

“You hired me to protect this lab, I can't do that if you make calls without consulting me!” Moody was growling at Hestia.

“It is my lab.” Hestia retorted.

“It may not be for much longer.” Moody scoffed. “We don't know who these people are!”

“It's my BROTHER and his friends, my--” Regulus started.

“Well, maybe we shouldn't have let you in here either.” Moody grumbled.

“Alastor!” Hestia scolded.

“And you! ” Moody jabbed a finger at Benjy.

“Hey, man, don't look at me, I was just doing what I was told.” Benjy had his palms raised to plead innocence.

“This is a serious security breach.” Kingsley said, much more gently. “But what's done is done. No use arguing about it. Moody and I will handle it from here.”

“Not much left for you to do.” Edgar interjected. “Me and Emmeline locked them in the containment unit. They’re detained, the floor is secure, air is decontaminated beyond the airlocks, and we followed the protocols. Really all that's left is to wait for… well… you know.” He shrugged.

“That's another thing!” Moody rounded on Edgar and Emmeline. “You two know better than to open the doors without security present! What if the lot was compromised-- Bones might be fine, but Vance would flounder out there!” He gestured angrily between the two of them.

“You leave the poor girl alone, you old codger!” Bertha chided, moving to place her hands on Emmeline’s shoulders protectively.

Emmeline held her head high. “We are employed under Hestia, not you.”

“Dr. Vance.” Hestia said calmly, holding up a hand to quiet her. “I hired you, Alastor, to keep us safe, not to berate my doctors. I understand you're angry, it was reckless, I am aware. But you are way out of line here, Alastor.” She took a deep breath and turned back to the returning lab techs. “Please tell me you’re both alright?”

Emmeline nodded.

“We are.” Edgar added.

“Good. Dr. Vance, Regulus, come with me. Everyone else, get back to work.” Hestia said, before heading to the door of the lab and pressing the inside hand scanner to let them out.

Regulus and Emmeline followed Hestia out. She led them to the elevator, where they rode down to the first floor and approached a set of airlock doors, next to the doors (also an airlock) that led into the entrance area. Except these doors had windows to see in, made of the same glass the labs and containment unit were made out of. Hestia pressed her hand to the handprint scanner beside the airlock doors, and the doors hissed loudly as they slid open to the sides. These doors stayed open after they walked in.

The room wasn't very big, only wide and tall enough to hold the clear glass containment unit; which was basically a rectangular-shaped box, with a sealed airlock door facing them and another sealed airlock door on the left wall of the containment unit that led out into the entrance area.

And trapped inside was exactly who Regulus thought they were.

Sirius gasped upon spotting him. “Regulus!” He stepped right up to the glass, palm pressed to the surface. “You did make it here…”

“Holy fuck, Reg! Tell them to let us out, why don’t you!” Dorcas sounded relieved.

Hestia glanced at Regulus, then looked back to the group locked in the containment unit. “We can't do that.”

“Who the fuck are you?!” Marlene demanded.

“Dr. Hestia Jones." She introduced herself, exactly how she did the day Regulus and his friends first arrived. "I have four PHDs in Microbiology, Biology, Biophysics, and Biomedical Sciences. I have completed my doctorate. I own this lab.”

“You're Alice's cousin…” James said in realization. His eyes flicked to an empty corner of the containment unit for a second, before moving back to Hestia.

Hestia swallowed thickly, looking down for a moment. “And that would make you the last people who saw her and her husband alive. According to Regulus.”

“We are.” Mary breathed. “We knew them.”

“It's a shame…” Hestia nodded, more to herself. “And this is Dr. Vance, and of course, Regulus.” She gestured to them.

“Emmeline… it's Emmeline.” She corrected, her features practically oozing empathy.

“We're incredibly sorry for your loss, Dr. Jones…” Lily spoke up. Regulus noticed then that she was holding a small child. Her child. “But is there any way you could let us out now, now that you know we know Regulus…?”

The rest of James’ group waited anxiously for the response.

Hestia cleared her throat and turned to Regulus. “Why don't you go get your friends.” She suggested.

“Hestia--” Regulus began.

“Now, Regulus.” Hestia cut him off sternly.

“I can get them.” Emmeline offered.

“No, I need you.” Hestia replied.

Emmeline sent Regulus a weak smile, as he walked out of the room through the open airlock.

“Reggie, wait!” Sirius called after him, but Regulus was already gone.

After a few moments of silence, Hestia took a deep breath. “I'm afraid I can't let you out…”

“Why not?” James asked hesitantly.

“The virus is airborne, the air outside is toxic. You've all been infected.” Hestia replied shortly.

Chapter Text

“What do you mean the virus is airborne?!” Sirius demanded. “The infection is spread via bite. ”

“That's true.” Hestia nodded. “Though, about two years ago our sensors detected infectious particles in the outside oxygen. The lab has always had oxygen filters, so we were safe from it. That was right about the time the H.N.Z’s dropped to the ground and never came back up. We figure it's the leftover corpses, the decaying flesh… Well, the virus is airborne now. Anyone who did not hunker down somewhere with air-tight seals on the doors and windows, are dead. Haven't seen or heard of any people around in a long time, but if enough people turn this way-- it would be enough to start this whole thing all over again.”

Each member of James’ group stood in that containment unit, jaws gaping, eyes tearing, all in utter shock at the news. They were infected. They were going to die.

“That-- that can't be right.” Marlene stammered. “We were out there for over a week, none of us got ill.”

“I can't change the facts.” Hestia said. “I truly am sorry.”

“So… what now?” Remus asked reluctantly.

“Now we wait.” Hestia replied softly. “And if you'll consent to it, we'd like to run some tests. Any and all collected data could be important to the cure.”

“You haven't found it, the cure?” Dorcas asked, her voice thick with emotion. “I thought… Pandora is here, isn't she?”

“She's here, but we're still running tests on her too…” Hestia told her. “We don't have the cure yet.”

“You don't know why she's immune?” Marlene asked quietly.

“No, not yet.” Hestia responded sadly.

Sirius took a deep breath and met James’ eyes, asking the silent question. James nodded. Sirius looked back to Hestia. “You can test us. Whatever you need.”

“Well, if we’re dying anyway!” Mary muttered, teary eyed and angry.

“Oh, James!” Lily whined, tears rolling down her cheeks as she buried her face in his chest, his arms wrapping around her, and Harry tucked in between them. Harry didn't really know what was going on, but he knew everyone was sad.

“ No! God, no!” Teddy sobbed, turning around pressing his face against the back wall of the containment unit and wrapping his arms around his head so no one could see him crying.

Remus and Sirius both hurried to Teddy’s sides to comfort him, but he pushed them away.

Harry was crying now, loud and heart-shattering in the way only little kids and babies could cry.

--

When the members of James’ group managed to compose themselves, Hestia and Emmeline began taking their information. Hestia asking questions and Emmeline writing down notes on a clipboard.

“Let's start with your names and relation to one another.” Hestia said decisively when they began the conversation.

“Is that really important? How we know each other? ” Mary questioned bitterly.

“It might be.” Hestia said sincerely. “Your names, please?”

When no one spoke right away, James eventually looked up from the cried-out-sleeping-Harry that he was now holding, to give Lily a break. “James Potter.”

Hestia nodded, glancing to Emmeline at her side-- who started to write James’ name on the notepad clipped to her clipboard.

The chain reaction followed;

“Lily Potter.”

“Sirius Black.”

“Marlene McKinnon.”

“Dorcas Meadowes.”

“Mary Macdonald.”

“Remus Lupin.”

“And the children? You?” Hestia nodded directly at Teddy.

Teddy looked to Remus, as if for permission.

Remus nodded. “It's okay, tell them your name.”

“Theodore, but everyone calls me Teddy.”

Emmeline continued to jot down all the names in her notes.

“Last name?” Hestia prompted.

“ Lupin. ” Remus spoke for Teddy.

Hestia frowned. “Is he yours? You look a little young to have a child his age.”

“We found him on the road, in the beginning of everything. He's not biologically mine, but he's mine.” Remus explained defiantly.

Hestia nodded, turning to Emmeline. “Write that down.”

Emmeline flipped the page on the clipboard and scribbled something down.

Remus narrowed his eyes, confused at the significance of that.

Hestia turned back to the containment unit. “And the younger one?”

“This is Harry.” Lily told her, looking down fondly at her son in James’ arms. “He's mine. Biologically. And James’.”

“He was born after the outbreak?” Hestia asked her, curious.

Lily nodded. “Yes, but he's been in a bunker since the day he was born. He's never even been exposed to it. Or at least, he wasn't until we left just over a week ago to come here. He was never even outside before that…”

Hestia turned to look at Emmeline beside her and nodded to her.

Emmeline watched Hestia, her face inscrutable, then looked back down at her notes and started writing.

“What is that? What are you writing there?” Lily questioned nervously.

“Nevermind.” Hestia said swiftly. “You two are married, yes?” She pointed back and forth between James and Lily.

James hesitantly nodded. “Not legally. We said our vows in an underground bunker after the world ended. But we're married in our hearts and that's all that matters.”

Emmeline glanced up from her note-taking and showed a small smile, finding the story sweet.

Hestia nodded, considering something. “You've mentioned a bunker a few times. Is that where you've been all this time, since the start?”

“Not since the start. In the start we were in London, most of us.” Sirius explained tiredly, leaning back against the left side glass wall of the containment unit. “ University students. ” He chuckled wryly, teary-eyed.

“They found me in Scotland with Regulus, Barty, Evan, and Pandora.” Dorcas added. “I stayed with them and my friends kept going, coming here. Because of… Pandora…”

“Then we found Teddy in a town in Scotland.” Remus said robotically.

Teddy was wiping tears from under his eyes again.

“And then we travelled to the bunker from there. To Ballycastle in Northern Ireland.” Marlene continued, just as emotionless.

“We were there for five years, we didn't know…” Mary choked on a sob. “We didn't know the virus was airborne now.”

Hestia nodded slowly, eyes on the floor. “Thank you, that's all for now.”

Emmeline finished off writing her notes, flipping the pages back over the clipboard to lay flat. “All of this could help.” She promised softly.

“Yeah, I hope it does.” James muttered, his eyes glassy and red-rimmed.

“Holy shit!”

Regulus was walking back into the room, Barty, Evan, and Pandora behind him. It was Barty who swore when he saw who was in the containment unit.

“Oh my god!” Pandora shrieked.

“No fucking way.” Evan chuckled.

Hestia gave a weak smile. “Well, I'll leave you to your reunion. I will send a lab tech down to draw vials of their blood for testing. Dr. Vance, don't let anything become hazardous.”

“Understood.” Emmeline agreed quietly.

And with that, Hestia left the room through the open airlock doors.

“Testing for what?” Pandora frowned. “Why are they in there?”

“Pandora… your friends weren't wearing masks while they were outside…” Emmeline replied hesitantly.

“But that means…” Pandora trailed off in realization, looking at them in the containment unit. “No…”

“Fuck…” Barty muttered.

Evan simply sighed sadly.

“Reggie…?” Sirius called out weakly.

“I'm sorry, Sirius.” Regulus said solemnly.

Sirius shook his head, confused. “How did this happen? I don't understand…”

“What do you mean?” Regulus asked him.

“The virus didn't present this way… it was transferred by bite, it… What happened, Reggie? What happened while we were in the bunker?” Sirius questioned.

“We're still trying to figure that out.” Regulus replied somberly.

“Who's we? ” Marlene asked seriously.

“We are a specialized team of PHD graduates, all top of our classes or world-renowned for our skills.” Emmeline interjected, explaining. “Hired privately by Hestia to work for the clientele she had using our services before the End. It was private-contract only and the government had no control of what we studied or experimented with here. Our clientele came here because we were the best… and because no one else could find out.”

“Find out what?” James asked suspiciously.

“Let's just say we saw our fair share of political ballers.” Emmeline said. “You'd be surprised who wanted DNA tests or paternity tests. Who wanted to weaponize diseases, or who wanted serious doses of poison analyzed for timeline effects. If people could pay for it, they could have it.”

“You never mentioned that before.” Regulus pointed out, frowning.

“It never came up.” Emmeline told him.

“Are you saying you've seen viruses like this before?” Marlene asked.

“Of course. Occasionally people came to buy deathly creations, but Hestia didn't sell.” Emmeline told them. “But that doesn't mean that other labs like ours didn't take the cash and agree. We were in the business, we got news from the sketchier side. Sometimes, deals were made.”

“You think someone did this on purpose?” Barty said incredulously.

“Hestia has her theories, so do the rest of us.” Emmeline said.

“Then what about me? ” Pandora asked.

“Yeah, why would Pandora be immune if this was on purpose?” Evan added, confused.

Emmeline shrugged. “Mistakes get made, things get missed. There are such things as genetic anomalies. Your DNA might counteract the virus, or it could be too similar to the virus’ genome itself. There's a hundred reasons, Pandora, and so far we haven't got a clue why you're alive.”

“Could the virus have been created from her DNA…?” Sirius remarked thoughtfully. “A genetic relation, maybe?”

Emmeline considered it for a moment. “I suppose it's possible, but we've tested her DNA against a DNA sample we have from an H.N.Z. It wasn't a match. But then again, maybe we'd need the original virus to tell if they're compatible. The H.N.Z’s DNA we have could be clouded by the DNA of the person they were before contracting the virus.” She sighed. “In that case, we'd never know for sure.”

Sirius groaned, letting his head fall back against the glass wall. “It could be anything…” He muttered.

“Welcome to the dilemma we've been facing for five years.” Emmeline quipped.

“None of that will help us anyway, will it?” Remus grumbled.

“No… it won't.” Emmeline confirmed quietly.

“How long?” James asked suddenly. “How long until we…”

“…It's hard to say.” Emmeline replied slowly. “You were out there for about a week and are all still relatively healthy, considering the conditions of your journey. We've also never seen it happen due to infected oxygen inhalation. I'm sorry…”

Lily nodded, eyes tearing up once again. “Thank you.”

“Is there nothing we can do?” Pandora asked Emmeline desperately. “Nothing I can do? I'm supposed to be the cure, I'm--”

“ Panda… don't do that. It's not your fault.” Dorcas stopped her.

“But…” Pandora protested weakly.

“Pandora.” Regulus stepped closer to her.

Pandora looked at him, but Regulus didn't know what to say to her.

“Panda.” Barty shook his head lightly in response to her questions.

Pandora sighed in defeat, shutting her eyes for a moment.

“So, are we just supposed to wait to die in here?” Mary asked, voice raw from earlier crying.

“Can we please stop talking about how we're going to die?!” Teddy grumbled. He was sitting on the floor, his knees bent and his arms folded on his knees.

Remus turned to go comfort Teddy.

“Teds--” Sirius started, concern lacing his voice.

“Don't.” Teddy cut him off.

Remus didn't move any more and Sirius stopped talking.

Emmeline opened her mouth to speak, but Regulus held out a hand to stop her.

“You'll be fed and kept comfortable. We’ll come see you everyday until…” Regulus sighed. “But yes, we can't let out or we’ll risk infecting everyone in the lab.”

“ Waiting to die. ” Mary repeated darkly.

The gloomy silence was pierced by the sound of a cheerful giggle echoing through the corridor just beyond the open doors. The giggle of a little girl.

And suddenly, a barely three-foot-tall girl with platinum blonde hair came running into the room.

“Mummy!” The little girl ran right into Pandora’s arms, as Pandora scooped her up.

“Luna, you cannot be in here, this is a containment unit.” Pandora gently scolded her.

“Luna!” Xenophillius hurried in through the doorway, looking like he'd been chasing her. “Oh, hey! Sorry, love, I just lost my grip on her.”

Pandora handed Luna over to him, Xenophilius adjusting the wriggling Luna in his arms.

Dorcas walked up to the glass wall that separated her from her old friends. “You have a child.” She said, in awe.

Pandora looked over at her and smiled. “I do. Luna, darling, can you say hello to Auntie Cas, on the other side of the glass.” She leaned in close to Luna to get her attention and pointed to Dorcas so that Luna could spot her.

Luna waved a little hand at Dorcas, smiling widely. “Hello, Auntie Cas!” She cheered.

Dorcas almost started crying again, this time from utter joy. “She knows me?”

“Of course she does.” Pandora said earnestly. “She knows everything about you. And she knows what I could tell her about the rest of you, since I didn't really know you lot long.”

“Congratulations, Pandora.” Lily smiled genuinely. “It's quite something, isn't it? Being a parent.” She ran her fingers through sleeping-Harry’s messy hair, still nestled in James’ arms.

“Oh, Lily!” Pandora smiled sadly. “I'm sorry, I didn't even say that to you and I knew you were pregnant back then too. Congratulations! What's his name?”

“Harry.” Lily replied softly.

Barty snorted. “Did Potter pick it?”

Evan smacked Barty’s arm. “Don't start.”

“ Barty… ” Regulus sighed tiredly.

“Barty!” Pandora chided.

“Fine, sorry.” Barty said, actually looking guilty.

“It's alright.” James said. “We chose it together.”

“There weren't really any baby name books in the bunker.” Lily quipped. “So we had to go with a basic.”

“We had a little advantage, considering both our names are unorthodox.” Xenophilius chuckled, bouncing Luna a bit.

“This is my boyfriend and Luna's father. Xeno.” Pandora introduced him.

“Xeno?” Dorcas questioned.

“ Xenophilius, but everyone calls me Xeno, as I'm sure you can guess why.” He smirked.

“He's a doctor.” Pandora said excitedly.

“Lab assistant.” Xenophilius corrected her.

Pandora waved a hand. “Same difference.”

Dorcas chuckled wetly. “Look at you, the world ended and you still managed to find a happy ending. You fell in love! ”

“Oi! So did you.” Marlene interjected.

Dorcas fondly rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I suppose I did.”

Pandora sniffed as if to hold in tears. “You did? Oh, I'm so glad!”

“Yeah, well, none of you start.” Dorcas shot glares at Regulus, Barty, and Evan.

“We wouldn't.” Evan promised, shaking his head.

“Not like this.” Regulus added.

“Not now.” Barty said.

Dorcas closed her eyes at the reminder. “This sucks.” She let her head fall forward, lightly smacking against the glass wall.

Xenophilius sighed. “I should take Luna back. It's nearly her bedtime.”

“I'll be there to tuck you in.” Pandora promised her daughter, kissing the toddler's forehead.

“If you'd rather stay to talk to your friends, we can manage alone for one night.” Xenophilius offered.

Pandora bit her lip, hesitating. “We’ll see.”

Xenophilius nodded. “Luna, say goodnight to your uncles.”

“Night, Uncle Weg! Night, Uncle Batty! Night, Uncle Eban!” Luna shouted at them in her toddler babble.

Regulus, Barty, and Evan all said some variation of goodnight, Luna.

“Don't forget to tell Auntie Cas and her friends goodnight.” Pandora insisted.

“G’night, Auntie Cas and Auntie Cas’ fwiends!” Luna giggled, waving to the people behind the glass.

“Goodnight, Luna.” Dorcas said, smiling sadly at the little girl.

“It was lovely to meet you all.” Xenophilius said to them, before leaving the room with Luna still wiggling in his arms.

They all stood in silence for a few moments, once again drowned in their reality.

Regulus took a deep breath. “Sirius, I--”

“Hey, I'm here to draw some blood, if that's alright?” Edgar said as he walked into the room through the open doorway. He was dressed head-to-toe in a hazmat suit with a built-in respirator mask.

Regulus closed his mouth, changing his mind about speaking. He didn't even know what he was going to say anyway.

“Yeah, we already agreed.” James said.

“Right then.” Edgar said, noticing the grim mood. “Emme, you wanna throw on a suit and help me out?”

“Sure.” Emmeline spoke for the first time in a while, turning to leave to retrieve another hazmat suit for herself. “I'll be right back.”

“So, unfortunately, you four have to go. You know how this works.” Edgar sympathetically told Regulus, Barty, Evan, and Pandora.

“You open the airlock on the containment unit and the virus comes out.” Regulus said solemnly.

“You got it.” Edgar confirmed. “And none of you are properly trained to be trusted in here wearing suits. It's for your safety.”

“We understand.” Evan said.

“We’ll come back in the morning.” Pandora promised James’ group.

“Yeah, we'll be back. See you!” Barty said.

“Bye, Sirius.” Regulus said.

Regulus, Barty, Evan, and Pandora walked out the door, passing Emmeline on her way back inside wearing a hazmat suit.

Emmeline shut the doors to the room and sealed the airlock. No one would be coming back out or going in until decontamination was complete after Edgar and Emmeline drew enough blood from each of them.

Chapter Text

After the airlock doors on the containment unit were sealed again--a vial of blood taken from each member of James’ group--Edgar hit the button for decontamination to purify the air in the room outside the containment unit.

“And we're clear.” Edgar remarked to no one in particular. “You lot have a goodnight. I'm sorry again. Emme, you coming?” He said as he was heading to the door, a small cooler filled with vials of blood tucked under his right arm. He was still wearing the hazmat suit.

“Uh, no… Hestia wanted me to interview them a bit more.” Emmeline claimed, taking the head of her hazmat suit off.

“Alright, I'll see you back at the apartment.” Edgar replied as he pulled off his glove and pressed his hand to the handprint scanner to open the airlock doors and leave. And then he was gone.

Emmeline stayed quiet, wanting to wait until Edgar was surely gone before speaking.

“Haven't we answered enough of your questions?” Teddy scoffed. “We're dying. We gave you our blood. You have enough.”

“Teddy.” Remus scolded weakly, tiredly.

“They're only trying to help.” Lily said to Teddy.

“A lot of good that will do us. ” Teddy mocked.

“Teddy!” Sirius reprimanded.

“What?!” Teddy retorted.

“Teddy’s right, we're already dying. We don't need to be treated like zoo animals… even if we feel like ones.” Dorcas muttered, eyeing the glass cage they were trapped in.

“Don't say that, Cas, they're doctors.” Marlene mumbled, exhausted.

“Meaning what? ” Dorcas demanded. “That they'd even have let us in if we weren't infected, if they couldn't experiment on our blood?!”

“We were let in because Reggie’s here.” Sirius said firmly.

“Hey!” James whisper-yelled, to avoid waking the sleeping-Harry in his lap. James was sitting on the floor now, back leaning against a glass wall. “Yes! We're dying! We don't need to turn on each other too.”

“We should all just shut up.” Mary muttered, rubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands. “If I'm going to die, I'd like it to be in peace.”

“Mary…” Lily breathed, surprised.

“ Actually, Hestia-- Dr. Jones, she didn't ask me to interview you any more…” Emmeline interrupted.

“Then what are you still doing here?” Dorcas questioned bitterly.

“ I wanted to ask you more about yourselves… for the records about the infected test patients, for future reference on this period in time and who took part in the research for the cure. For future high school history lessons, I suppose…” Emmeline explained, desperate for them to understand.

“Why?” Remus asked her.

“You deserve not to be forgotten.” Emmeline replied.

Lily sighed. “Yes, please ask.”

Emmeline nodded, hastily scrambling out of her hazmat suit and leaving it in a pile on the floor. She retrieved her clipboard notepad from a nearby wall-hook and flipped the pages until she found a plain one.

“So, tell me… who were you, before this?” Emmeline asked, pen poised and ready to write.

And they told her.

James, Lily, Sirius, and Dorcas talked about Hogwarts. Remus, Marlene, and Mary talked about their high school in London. Remus talked about Wales. Teddy talked about the very little he remembered of the world and his life. They talked about university and who they wanted to grow up to be, before the apocalypse got in the way.

“Baseball,” James had said.

“Baseball,” Sirius had said.

“Baseball,” Marlene had said.

“Then a sports broadcaster,” James added.

“Then a sports medic,” Marlene added. “I took Nursing too.”

“Microbiologist,” Sirius added. “At the same time.”

“English teacher,” Remus had said.

“Fashion designer,” Mary had said.

“Artist,” Dorcas had said.

“Crime journalist,” Lily had said.

“If I could have afforded to finish uni,” Remus added.

“The dream was to be one of the biggest names in Paris,” Mary added. “I'd never even been to Paris…”

“Though, I never made it out of high school,” Dorcas added.

“I took Criminology and Journalism Literature in uni. I also took electives in Calculus and an Intro To Law just for fun,” Lily added.

When Emmeline was finished asking questions, she flipped her notepad pages back over to lay flat. “I think that's everything I wanted. Thanks…”

“No problem.” James replied wearily. “Now, if it's all the same to you, I think we'd all like to rest.”

“Of course.” And Emmeline left.

--

Hestia was in her lab analyzing the blood samples that Edgar had brought her. The vials were organized in the mini cooler alphabetically by last name, so Hestia started with Sirius Black’s vial of blood.

She used a glass dropper to extract some blood from the vial, squeezing out a singular crimson drop onto a microscope slide. She pressed the two rectangular glass slides together and slipped it underneath her microscope.

Hestia leaned forward, looking into the eyepiece as she adjusted the visual. She frowned, confused, as she analyzed the blood sample.

Hestia moved back, putting Sirius’ blood sample aside. She moved onto Remus Lupin’s vial, using the dropper to extract a minimal amount of blood to transfer to the slide. Hestia put the fully prepared blood slide underneath her microscope and leaned to look into the eyepiece. Again, Hestia frowned, just as confused as before.

Hestia put aside Remus’s sample. Moving a little quicker now, she created a sample slide of Theodore Lupin’s blood. She put the slide under her microscope and looked into the eyepiece. Teddy’s DNA clearly didn't match Remus’, Hestia knew it wouldn't since they weren’t biologically related, but that wasn't what she was looking for.

Hestia exhaled shakily. She was moving faster now. She put aside Teddy’s sample, then put together a slide using Mary Macdonald’s blood. Hestia slid the slide under her microscope and looked into the eyepiece.

Again, Hestia removed Mary’s slide and quickly made another slide of blood from Dorcas Meadowes’ vial. Hestia put the slide under the microscope and looked into the eyepiece.

Hestia changed slides again, creating a slide of Marlene McKinnon’s blood and analyzing it under her microscope.

Hestia switched out the slides, this time using Harry Potter’s blood.

Then James Potter’s.

And finally, Lily Potter’s.

Checking them all underneath the microscope.

Hestia lifted her head away from the eyepiece, face contorted in absolute perplexity. “They've been travelling in the thick of it for weeks… How is this possible?” She muttered to herself.

The glass door to her lab slid open and Benjy stepped inside.

“Hestia?”

Hestia shook her head to bring herself back to the moment. “Yes, Fenwick?”

“Me and Caradoc checked the scanners and tested the current infectious particle rate in the outdoor oxygen, like you asked, and it came up clean.” Benjy informed her.

Hestia’s eyes snapped to him, now in laser-focus. “What?”

“Air’s breathable.” Benjy clarified in simple terms.

“That's not possible.” Hestia insisted. “Run the tests again.”

“I did. I recalibrated the scanners six times and forced eight retests.” Benjy said. “It's clean.”

“What are we missing? When did the toxins in the air fade below infectious amounts? Why didn't we catch this?” Hestia stood from her chair, muttering. “ Airborne, contagious, viral particles. Enough to be detected on the outer oxygen and environmental scanners, suddenly dispelling after only a short infectious term?” She looked over at Benjy. “What the hell is going on out there?! What kind of virus is this?!”

Benjy shrugged. “Beats me. I'm just the tech guy.”

“Every single one of their blood samples came up clean too.” Hestia said seriously. “Go tell Regulus.”

“On it.” Benjy turned around and left the lab.

Hestia left her lab too and got in the elevator. She went down to the first floor, crossing through the lobby to the set of airlock doors that led into the room with the containment unit.

Hestia pressed her hand to the handprint scanner and the airlock disengaged, the doors sliding open to sides and hissing loudly.

Inside that room, beyond the containment unit glass wall and airlock sealed door; James, Lily, Harry, Sirius, Remus, Teddy, Marlene, Dorcas, and Mary were all still locked in. Tired and waiting patiently for their deaths. They were all lazily seated on the floor around the edges of the glass box, leaning against the walls. Harry was in James’ lap. They were sleeping, or resting as well as they could given the circumstances. Although, they all stirred when the doors to the room opened as loud as they did.

The members of James’ group groggily watched as Hestia walked into the room outside the containment unit.

Hestia approached the wall next to the doorway and hit the big red button on the wall.

The glass door on the containment unit slowly and silently slid open.

Confused and unsure, they all hesitantly got to their feet--James adjusting to hold Harry against his shoulder--and slowly neared the now open door of the containment unit. None of them willing to step out just yet.

“I don't know how, but none of you are infected.” Hestia told them.

Chapter Text

“What?” James questioned, confused and blinking tiredly. They were all together in a cluster just outside the open containment unit airlock door, Hestia still across the room.

“Two years ago, our scanners did detect infectious particles in the outside oxygen… but according to recent tests, the air is safe to breathe.” Hestia explained solemnly. “We've been taking precautions ever since. Minimal exposure to the outside and constant use of effective PPE. We never thought to retest the outer oxygen until you got here.” She paused. “And your blood samples are clean, I analyzed them myself. As I said, I have no idea what happened or how, but you're not infected.”

Sirius shook his head, as if trying to focus. “You… the virus is changing its method of exposure?”

“Rapidly and frequently.” Hestia nodded.

“That…” Sirius trailed off, confused.

“Has never been seen.” Hestia finished for him.

“But we’re all safe, we're not…” Marlene took a deep breath. “We’re not dying?”

“You're not dying.” Hestia confirmed.

There were several gasps of relief and tears of joy.

“So, what now?” Lily asked breathlessly.

“Now you put your weapons on the floor… and join us here calmly and respectfully.” Hestia replied.

“Join you?” Dorcas repeated, almost in disbelief.

“Weapons on the floor, I won't ask again.” Hestia insisted seriously.

The eight of them glanced at each other warily.

James nodded, crouching down--careful not to jostle the sleeping-Harry tucked under his arm--and, holding the barrel, gently placed his rifle on the floor.

The others followed suit, unholstering their handguns and unsheathing their knives, placing each weapon on the floor. Teddy seemed a little hesitant and irritated at the easy surrender, but put down his weapons nonetheless.

Hestia nodded her thanks. “They will be put in the security office. Once you're settled, you can check them out when you leave the property.”

James frowned. “Leave?”

Loud footfalls echoed down the corridor, followed by Regulus abruptly running into the room.

“I just heard!” Regulus said, out of breath from running.

Sirius immediately rushed up to Regulus and threw his arms around him in a tight hug.

Regulus awkwardly pressed his hands to Sirius' back.

“Perfect timing, Regulus.” Hestia announced. “Why don't you take your brother and his friends to apartments 9, 10, and 11. Those can be theirs. And you can give them the tour in the morning. It's late; I'll touch base with Dr. Vance, we'll go over her notes and get back to them tomorrow on what they can do to earn their keep.”

Sirius released Regulus and Regulus nodded to Hestia in agreement.

“Thank you…” Lily expressed softly.

Hestia smiled at her. “Of course. I'll leave you to it.” And she walked out of the room.

Regulus avoided meeting Sirius’ eyes. “Right… so, this way.” He turned around and led them out into the main lobby, over to the elevator.

“Reggie?” Sirius said.

“It's late, Sirius… we'll talk in the morning.” Regulus replied, hitting the button for the elevator.

They all rode the elevator up to the top floor, Regulus showing them down the corridor to their apartments.

“So, as Hestia said, apartments 9, 10, and 11 are yours. They should be unlocked.” Regulus explained, gesturing to each door. “Barty, Evan, and I are in apartment 8--just across the hall--and Pandora’s in 6 with Xeno and Luna. If you need anything, you can knock.”

“Thanks, Reg.” Dorcas said.

“Yeah, thanks, Regulus.” James added.

Regulus nodded once. “Of course. There's two bedrooms in each, so divide yourselves up.” He paused. “And I'll be back in the morning to give you the tour.”

And without another word, Regulus retreated into his shared apartment with Barty and Evan, leaving James’ group alone in the corridor.

“Well, that was a warm welcome.” Sirius muttered.

“I'm sure he's happy you're here, love…” Remus comforted him. “He probably just needs some space to decide to let you back in.”

“He's had five years of space.” Sirius grumbled, opening the door to the closest apartment. Number 9.

“I guess we're taking 9, then.” Remus said to the others. “Teddy, come on. See you lot tomorrow.”

“Night, Remus.”

“Night, lads.”

“Night.”

“Goodnight, Teddy, Remus.”

“G’night.”

And Remus and Teddy went into apartment 9 and shut the door.

“I suppose James, Harry, and I can take 10?” Lily suggested. “You three in 11?”

Marlene nodded. “Sounds good.”

“Yeah.” Dorcas agreed.

“See you all in the morning.” Mary added.

And James and Lily took Harry into apartment 10, while Marlene, Dorcas, and Mary entered apartment 11.

After all, it had been a very long night. And for most of it, they thought they were dying. So, they deserved a decent night's rest.

Chapter Text

In the morning, Regulus knocked on each of their doors to get them out for the tour of the lab. Barty, Evan, and Pandora were with him. And Pandora had Luna.

Luna hadn't quite noticed Harry walking on the floor, but Harry had noticed her and often looked to see what she was doing.

“The lab has four floors, an underground parking garage, and a helipad. The first floor is the main lobby, offices, conference rooms, and the… containment unit… We won't be going down there.” Regulus explained as they walked toward the elevator. “This is the fourth floor. It's all apartments, everyone who was here when the world ended, lives up here.” They piled into the elevator, going down. “The second floor is the cafeteria, gym, and the laundry facilities. Well go down there after, but first…” The elevator dinged and the doors opened, letting them off on the third floor. “I have to take you to Hestia to get your job assignments. So, this floor is the third floor. It's all labs. And the infirmary. We're going to Hestia’s lab.”

“Dr. Jones, right?” James double checked.

“Yeah.” Evan replied.

“So, Hestia’s lab is this first one here.” Regulus said.

Regulus walked forward and knocked on the clear glass door to get Hestia’s attention.

Both Hestia and Xenophilius were inside the lab.

Hestia pressed her hand to the inside handprint scanner, the door silently sliding open.

“Good morning.” Hestia greeted them.

“Good morning, Dr. Jones.” Lily replied politely. Harry was walking beside her, she was holding his little hand to keep him from running off.

“Daddy!” Luna--who was in Pandora’s arms, wiggling a bit as she wanted to get loose--reached for Xenophilius.

“Hi, darling.” Xenophilius smiled at Luna.

“Daddy's working.” Pandora told her daughter sweetly, adjusting her grip on Luna so she didn't jump out of her arms.

“How's the tour going?” Hestia asked.

“This is only our first stop.” Regulus informed her.

Hestia nodded. “You'll introduce your friends to everyone?”

“‘Course, Hestia.” Barty agreed.

“Alright.” Hestia moved over to her desk, lifting up a clipboard and flipping through the pages. “Let's see… James Potter?”

“That's me.” James said.

“You're going to join our Run Team.” Hestia told him. “Barty and Evan are both on the Team, so they'll catch you up on the protocols and everything.”

“Nice, mate.” Barty said to James.

“Welcome to the club.” Evan added.

Hestia looked back down at her clipboard. “Lily Potter?”

“Yes?” Lily said.

“So, you're going to be on the Run Team as well. Same for you, just let Barty and Evan help you out.” Hestia explained.

“Sorry, what about Harry?” James interjected. “We can't leave him alone and I don't exactly fancy taking him on Runs. They can probably get pretty dangerous, right?” He looked to Barty and Evan for confirmation.

Barty shrugged. “They can, but nothing we don't know how to handle.”

“And you definitely can't bring the kid.” Evan said.

James and Lily looked at Hestia questioningly.

“Yes, so we have a sort of school program here. It runs when the ‘teachers’, so to speak, are available.” Hestia explained. “Harry is welcome to join. But if classes aren't in session, then you can ask any number of the other residents who aren't on shift to babysit.”

“Luna starts lessons soon.” Pandora said, smiling fondly at her daughter. “She's only three, but she's so very gifted, so we're letting her start early. We just have to get the courage to drop her off, it feels a little heartbreaking to let her grow up like that.”

Xenophilius chuckled, watching Luna in Pandora's arms adoringly. “In the meantime, everyone has been so helpful with watching her when we're both busy, though.”

“Yes, they have.” Pandora agreed happily.

Lily and James were both nodding in rapt acknowledgement.

“Right, that's settled.” Hestia glanced at her clipboard. “You both are familiar with dealing with H.N.Z’s, yes? It will be a big part of your Runs. ”

“ H.N.Z’s ?” James questioned. “Is that… uh, the Hollow’s?”

Hestia lowered the clipboard, gently pressing the bottom edge into her hips with her hands gripped around the top edge. “H.N.Z-- it stands for Homo Necrosis Zombifis. Which is the scientific definition of what the diseased presents to be. H.N.Z is the acronym we've picked up.” She continued. “There are currently two H.N.Z subtypes we know of. Freshers, which are the freshly infected, the ones that can still walk. We don't see too many of those anymore, but you were attacked by a surprising fair few yesterday when you got here. And the second is Groundlings, the ones that have fallen to the ground and can no longer stand. From what we've seen, H.N.Z’s start falling to the ground as early as two days after turning.”

There was a long moment of silence, as Hestia let that information sink in.

“So you're both familiar with the H.N.Z’s, yes?” Hestia repeated her earlier question.

“Uh, yeah.” James confirmed distractedly.

“Oh yes, we've dealt with both sorts recently. And we dealt with plenty of the, uh, Freshers five years ago, before the bunker.” Lily stammered.

“And were both good shots, and pretty good with our knives.” James added.

“Good.” Hestia gave them a strained smile, lifting her clipboard. “Remus Lupin?”

“Yeah, I'm Remus.”

“So, I heard you wanted to be an English teacher?” Hestia asked him seriously.

“I did, yeah… before.” Remus said slowly.

“Think you still got the stuff?” Hestia quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Uh… yeah. Yeah, I was teaching Teddy and Harry in the bunker.” Remus told her.

“Right then. Remus, you are our new English professor.” Hestia said simply. “You'll be teaching all the children here at their respective levels… which, adding Teddy and Harry, makes four children total.”

Remus chuckled breathily, gleeful. “Thank you.”

“ Teddy Lupin, you are just going to be a student. Easy enough, right.” Hestia smiled at him.

“I can do more than that.” Teddy protested. “I can be on the Run Team too, provide for us.”

“Teddy.” Remus said sternly. “You're not going out anymore if you don't have to. That's final.”

“But Dad--” Teddy started.

“Teds, your dad’s right.” Sirius cut him off. “You're gonna go to lessons with Harry and be thankful you're still alive. Got it?”

Teddy huffed, but didn't say anything else.

Hestia cleared her throat, effectively redirecting the attention to herself. “Mary Macdonald?”

“That's me.” Mary raised a hand.

“You're on Patching with Fleur.” Hestia told her. “Regulus will introduce you to her and she can show you what to do. Basically, you'll just be sewing rips and patching holes in clothing.”

Mary nodded.

“Dorcas Meadowes?”

“Yeah?” Dorcas nodded to Hestia.

“Like Remus, you're going to join our teaching staff. How does teaching Art sound?” Hestia asked her.

Dorcas grinned, just as thrilled as Remus had been. “Sounds brilliant.”

“Good, the children should love it and if any of the adults want to take lessons after their shifts, maybe…” Hestia shrugged. “You'll get a schedule once everyone has decided whether or not they're interested.”

“Sure, thanks.” Dorcas said, pleased.

Hestia scanned her clipboard, then looked back up at them. “Marlene McKinnon, I take it?” She was looking directly at Marlene.

Marlene nodded. “Yeah.”

“Marlene, you have been selected by Dr. Pomfrey to be her apprentice. Lucky you.” Hestia smirked at her.

Marlene frowned. “Dr. Pomfrey?”

“Dr. Pomfrey runs the infirmary here.” Hestia explained. “Since we're so remote, if something were to happen it would take hours for an ambulance to arrive, let alone drive to the hospital ourselves, so we had to have our own infirmary. Turned out quite well for us, considering everything.”

“So… I'm working with a doctor? A real doctor?” Marlene questioned eagerly.

“I should take offense to that.” Hestia said sharply. “But yes, you're working with a medical doctor.”

Marlene huffed a laugh. “I'll take it!”

“Considering you don't have a choice, you probably should.” Barty muttered under his breath.

“Shove off, Crouch.” Marlene glared at him.

Dorcas snorted.

“Oi, you watch out, Cas, you're not dying anymore.” Barty playfully threatened her.

Dorcas stuck her tongue out at him.

“Aw, we missed you too, Cas!” Evan cooed.

Pandora was giggling, so of course Luna was giggling just because her mother was.

Dorcas rolled her eyes at them, waving them off. “Forget it.”

“You started it, Dorcas, I don't know why you're complaining.” Regulus said, monotone.

Hestia heaved a long suffering sigh. “This is what I get for allowing uneducated children into my lab.”

Dorcas’ eyes flicked back to Hestia. “Sorry.”

“May I continue?” Hestia asked seriously.

“Yes, Hestia.” Regulus said.

Hestia looked back down at her clipboard one last time. “Sirius Black. You were taking your PHD in Microbiology, yes?”

Sirius nodded. “Yeah, but I was only in my First Year.”

“That's fine.” Hestia assured him. “You made waves nonetheless. I heard about you all the way here in Sweden. Horace Slughorn thought you were a right talent.”

“I mean, he did put me in his Slug Club…” Sirius told her. “You knew him?”

“I did. We studied our Microbiology PHDs together. He already had another PHD, it was my first.” Hestia replied. “Anyway, Sirius, I'd like to make you an offer. Would you be interested in joining my team of lab techs? The things I heard about you… well, we might need you to find this virus’ cure. God sure knows we haven't gotten very far on our own.”

Sirius gaped at her. “Are you being serious?”

Hestia nodded once. “Very much so.”

“Well, I mean-- yeah, of course!” Sirius was laughing in disbelief.

“Perfect.” Hestia smiled. “Why don't you all finish the tour and meet everyone, and you can all start your first shifts tomorrow.”

Each member of James’ group reiterated their thanks quickly as they turned around to leave Hestia’s lab.

“Say goodbye to Daddy.” Pandora told Luna.

Luna waved her little hand wildly at Xenophilius.

“Bye, Luna!” Xenophilius said to his daughter. “Bye, love.” He added to Pandora.

“Oh, Dr. Jones?” Lily stopped just before she left the lab.

“Yes?”

“Do you by chance know what the date is?” Lily asked her.

Hestia nodded lightly. “It's the 2nd of November 2028.”

They both stared at one another a second longer, sad and knowing. The apocalypse had started in early November 2023.

“Thank you.” And Lily too left the lab.

“Right this way, we'll just stop in the Computer Science Lab first.” Regulus said, beginning to lead them down the corridor with the clear glass walls that viewed into each lab.

“Well, what's this one?” Dorcas pointed at the dark lab next to Hestia’s. No one was in there.

“That would be Dr. Dumbledore's lab. He's the Neurologist here.” Regulus replied, monotone, continuing to walk past that lab to the next one.

“Dumbledore’s a recluse, we never see him.” Evan elaborated “He's either stowed away in his lab, doing god knows what. Or he's in his apartment.”

“Also doing god knows what. ” Barty added.

“ Bertha would know, she's his roommate.” Pandora said thoughtfully, voice light and airy.

They arrived outside the Computer Science Lab and Regulus pressed his hand to the handprint scanner. He had access to all the labs, aside from Hestia’s, these days. “Benjy, Caradoc, I'm here to introduce you to my brother and his friends.”

Benjy rolled his chair to angle it toward the door to face them. “Sup!”

Caradoc looked over at them, sliding the big headphones on his ears down around his neck. “Hiya, lads, ladies.”

“Hi there.” Mary was the first to speak, slipping in between Sirius and James to stand at the front of the little crowd.

Caradoc rolled his chair further away from his desk, eyes locked on Mary with an intense gaze. “I'm Caradoc, love. You are?”

Mary giggled. “I'm Mary.”

Marlene groaned quietly beside Remus, and the two shared a look.

“Pretty.” Benjy purred, eyes flicking up and down Mary’s physique. “I'm Benjy. I'm from America.”

“I can tell.” Mary laughed. “Accent’s hard to miss.”

“Well, then hopefully you won't forget about me.” Benjy smirked.

Caradoc elbowed him in the arm.

Benjy shoved Caradoc’s shoulder, causing Caradoc in his wheely chair to roll back over to his desk.

Caradoc scrambled forward, chair rolling a bit, to playfully slap Benjy on the back of the head.

Benjy tried to wave him away.

Mary hummed. “Interesting.”

Both boys froze, ceasing their attacks, and turned to face Mary as the picture of innocence.

“What is?” Caradoc grinned lazily at her, leaning back in his chair.

“Oh, nothing.” Mary shrugged innocently.

“Christ, Mary.” Sirius muttered. “Reggie, can we move on?”

“You read my mind.” Regulus agreed. He looked back to Benjy and Caradoc. “I'd tell you both to be friendly, but I'd say you're already overdoing it.”

“Ha!” Caradoc barked a laugh.

Benjy rolled his eyes. “Whatever, Reg.”

“Do not call me that.”

Benjy raised his hands to plead innocence, eyes wide in slight annoyance.

Regulus turned around, moving through the small crowd to the inside handprint scanner. “Let's go.” He pressed his hand to the scanner to let them out.

“Bye, boys!” Pandora called cheerily as she followed Regulus out.

“See you, Pan!” Caradoc said.

“Later!” Benjy added.

“Bye bye!” Luna waved a hand at them over Pandora’s shoulder.

“Bye bye, Luna!” Benjy waved back.

“See ya, Luna!” Caradoc added.

James, Lily, Harry, Sirius, Remus, Teddy, Marlene, Dorcas, and Mary followed Barty and Evan out of the lab.

Regulus and Pandora waited for them in the corridor, then started to lead them to the next lab. Regulus used the handprint scanner to let them in.

“Oh, you're out! How exciting!” Emmeline squealed the second the glass door slid open and they were no longer separated by a soundproof barrier.

Emmeline, Edgar, and Bertha were all inside, all in their signature white lab coats, each at their respective desks doing individual science tests and experiments.

“We got out late last night.” Lily informed her, smiling somewhat fondly. “Managed to get some sleep in our assigned apartments.”

“Hey, I'm happy for you lot.” Edgar grinned.

“We're happy for ourselves.” Remus laughed. He had to clear his throat a bit when laughing caused a bit of a cough.

Sirius patted his back comfortingly.

“Yeah, no kidding.” Edgar agreed.

“So, you all remember Emmeline and Edgar, I'm sure.” Regulus said swiftly. “This is Dr. Bertha Jorkins.”

There was an exchange of greeting smiles and hello ’s.

“So you kids are here to stay then?” Bertha asked curiously, her voice creaky and sweet in the way you would expect a grandmother to be.

Marlene huffed a laugh through her nose. “Haven't felt like kids in awhile, have we?” She mumbled, amused, only loud enough for Dorcas and Mary on her sides to hear.

“That's the idea.” James replied, friendly.

“Oh, good!” Bertha beamed crinkly at them. “We could always use more fit youngin’s here to do the heavy lifting.”

Edgar laughed. “What about me?”

“You're getting old, Edgar, haven't you heard.” Emmeline teased him.

Edgar waved her off. “Oi! You're not too far behind me, Emme!”

Emmeline rolled her eyes fondly. “Ugh, don't remind me.”

“Oh, you're both still young and pretty.” Bertha insisted.

“Aw, thanks, Bertha.” Edgar smiled at the old woman.

James’ group exchanged amused glances.

“They never change.” Evan told James’ group. “Been like this since we got here and had our tour.”

“Why should they? They are so very lovely!” Pandora said cheerily.

“You are lovely as well, Pandora.” Emmeline smiled sweetly.

“And is that little Luna I see?” Bertha cooed, waving at the toddler.

“I'm Luna!” Luna cheered, wriggling in Pandora’s arms.

Pandora giggled, stepping forward to give the lab techs a better look at her daughter.

“‘Course you are!” Edgar chuckled. “We'd never mistake you.”

“I swear you get cuter every day, Sweetie.” Emmeline told Luna fondly.

“Aww, what do we say, Luna?” Pandora prompted her.

“Thank you, Emmy!” Luna shrieked happily.

“ Adorable! ” Emmeline pretended to sob over it.

“We sure do think so.” Barty said teasingly.

“Hush, Barty, everyone knows you love Luna.” Regulus retorted.

“Didn't say I didn't.” Barty stated seriously.

“Ooh, well, in that case-- you're turn!” Pandora grinned, handing the wiggling Luna over to Barty.

“Love to! Come here, Luna…” Barty willingly took Luna from Pandora’s arms.

“Uncle Batty!”

“Hey there.” Barty bounced her a bit and Luna giggled loudly.

“Careful, Evan, looks like Barty is one step away from talking you into getting one.” Dorcas cackled.

Evan rolled his eyes. “Not happening.”

“We already have Luna at ours enough for it to be considered joint-custody.” Regulus pointed out wryly.

“Okay, just finish introducing them so we can leave and stop talking about me and Barty having children.” Evan muttered.

“Not possible anyway.” Barty mumbled grumpily, pressing a kiss to the top of Luna’s head.

Regulus sighed, turning back to the lab techs. “Well, these are my brother and his friends. Try to make them feel welcome. If you feel like it. Though, I'm not responsible for either your behaviour or theirs, so… do as you please.” He shrugged.

“Really, Reggie?” Sirius questioned.

“I don't get paid enough for this.” Regulus replied simply.

“You don't get paid at all.” Barty retorted, still bouncing Luna in his arms.

“That's not true!” Emmeline interjected. “We are all paid in lodgings and meals.”

“Oh but I do miss cash.” Edgar smirked.

“Don't we all!” Bertha added.

They all laughed.

Goodbyes were spoken and Regulus, Pandora, Barty, and Evan led James’ group out of that lab and to the final door in the corridor, one not made of glass and without glass walls. The infirmary.

“Hello, Dr. Pomfrey!” Pandora greeted cheerily when they walked in.

Poppy Pomfrey had been doing some inventory on the cabinet of medications to give the Run Team a list of what she might need the next time they went on a Run.

“Oh, hello, dears.” Dr. Pomfrey smiled at them. “Who’s all this?”

“This is my brother and his friends.” Regulus told her.

“Well, welcome.” Dr. Pomfrey said. “Is my new apprentice with you?”

Marlene stepped forward. “Uh, yeah, that would be me, Dr. Pomfrey.”

Dr. Pomfrey put down the notepad she had been listing needed medications on. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. McKinnon. I heard good things about you from your friends, Pandora especially. You did miraculous work on her leg wound five years ago.”

Marlene blinked, shocked. “Thank you, Doctor.”

“I expect you here, in the infirmary, at 8AM tomorrow.” Dr. Pomfrey told her strictly.

“Uh, yes, of course.” Marlene stammered excitedly.

Dr. Pomfrey smiled at the group. “I'm sure I'll meet all of you officially soon enough, but I expect you all have some settling in to do.”

The large group turned to leave, heading for the door.

Remus felt another tickle in his throat, clearing it lightly. A cough forced its way out of his lungs and he had to stop walking to deal with his coughing fit for a moment. It wasn't anything too serious, just a difficulty to get enough oxygen for about ten seconds.

Sirius had instantly started patting Remus’ back.

The others stopped in solidarity and understanding.

“Well, that doesn't sound good.” Dr. Pomfrey remarked, concerned. “Coughing isn't a symptom of the virus. Why don't you come over here and I will give you a quick checkup?”

“Oh, there's no need.” Remus waved her off, choking out his words roughly after the harsh few coughs. “I have asthma, it's acting up from the journey.”

Dr. Pomfrey frowned. “Sorry, Mr…? ”

“Lupin. Remus Lupin.”

“Mr. Lupin, let me look anyway, yes?” Dr. Pomfrey insisted. “I can give you something for it.”

“Uh, alright…” Remus nodded reluctantly, walking over to her.

“Just sit here on this bed, Mr. Lupin, and I'll just take a quick listen to your lungs.” Dr. Pomfrey gestured to the nearby bed wrapped in white linens, as she pulled her stethoscope out of her lab coat pocket.

Remus sat and Dr. Pomfrey pressed her stethoscope to a few places on his chest and back, asking him to breathe deeply a few times, listening with the ear tips.

“Alright, I can agree that it's very likely to be a symptom of aggravated asthma.” Dr. Pomfrey confirmed. “Let me grab you an inhaler set and then you can be on your way.”

Dr. Pomfrey searched her cabinet for a moment, before taking out a brand new package of two inhalers; one for short term relief and one for long term. She handed the package to Remus, giving him verbal instructions of use that he knew very well, due to having asthma for most of his life.

And then the group left the infirmary.

“How about we all go down to breakfast together?” Pandora suggested as they left the infirmary, taking Luna back from Barty. “We have to show them the cafeteria anyway.”

“Sure.” James agreed.

“Breakfast sounds nice. I think Harry’s getting hungry.” Lily added.

“Yes!” Harry stated very seriously, tugging eagerly on her arm, though he had no idea where he was going.

Walking all the way down the corridor back to the elevator and taking the elevator down to the second floor, they exited.

“Down that way are the laundry facilities and the gym.” Regulus gestured to the left, down another long corridor. “This is the cafeteria.” He started walking toward an open set of double doors on the right by the elevator.

Just as they were about to walk into the cafeteria, two men wearing SECURITY uniforms walked out.

“Moody, Kingsley, how ya doing?” Barty greeted them teasingly.

“Mind yourself, Crouch.” Moody grumbled.

Kingsley awkwardly side-glanced at Moody. “ I'm well. And you lot?”

“Just splendid.” Evan said wryly.

Kingsley chuckled. “We heard your friends weren't infected after all. Congrats, everyone.”

“Thanks.” James said easily.

“These are the lab's security guards, Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt.” Regulus introduced them.

“Kingsley’s fine.” He assured them, smiling genuinely. “Although, while we have you here, we have a few things to note. Your truck is still parked outside the entrance doors, does someone have the keys for that?”

“Oh, yeah, I do. Sorry.” James replied.

“No worries.” Kingsley said.

“It does cause issues accessing the doorway with other vehicles, which we may need to accomplish at some point regardless of your joining us.” Moody muttered sharply.

“Uh… yeah, so if you could just move it to the underground parking garage as soon as possible, that would really be appreciated. Either Barty or Evan could show it to you.” Kingsley suggested.

“Yeah, of course.” James readily agreed.

“Perfect.” Kingsley remarked.

Moody pointedly cleared his throat.

“Right.” Kingsley said. “We are about to go clear the dead H.N.Z bodies outside the gate, leftover from your arrival yesterday. It was nice meeting you all, though.”

Lily was nodding. “Yes, thank you.”

“Crouch, Rosier.” Moody commanded. “Today's Run was rescheduled for tomorrow. Have the new recruits prepared and ready to leave at the usual departure time. I don't have the time or patience to waste on it.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Yes, sir.”

And then Moody stalked off toward the elevator without another word.

“Um… see you all around.” Kingsley chuckled awkwardly, as he moved to join Moody on the elevator.

“Uh, is he… always like that?” James questioned hesitantly after the elevator closed.

“Don't worry about Moody, he'll come around. Sorta.” Barty said airily.

The group continued into the cafeteria.

The room was large and square-shaped. It had four long tables with chairs for eating. And there was an industrial kitchen off to one side where the meals were cooked and served on a buffet style table. There were several people scattered about at the tables eating their breakfasts.

A woman got up from a table nearby, looking to be heading over to the buffet table. The woman was in her mid-to-late forties, with long pitch black hair and skin as pale as snow.

Teddy pushed past Sirius and the others to the front of the group. He narrowed his eyes at the woman for a long moment, then he gasped. “Grandma!” And he ran toward her.

“Teddy, wait, slow down!” Remus called after him.

“Did he just say…?” Sirius trailed off when he spotted Andromeda.

It had been years since Sirius had seen any pictures of the woman. And even then, she was much older now. But Sirius recognized her. And it helped that she looked so like her sisters.

It was long before the apocalypse, before Sirius ran away and moved in with the Potters, that he'd seen a photo of her. And it had been even longer, before Sirius was ever born, when she had last had her photo taken with, let alone stepped foot in a household of the name Black. But she was one, a Black that is. Or at least had been at one time, many years ago. Sirius had never met her, only heard the tales of how she'd run away--just as Sirius had--and married a man her parents hadn't approved of.

This was Andromeda…

Teddy had run up to her, throwing his arms around her in a hug.

Andromeda gave a startled chuckle, wrapping her arms around the boy in turn. She had a look of awe on her face, as if she couldn't believe this boy was real… or alive. “Teddy…?”

Remus and Sirius were watching the scene, confused and concerned. They were maybe even a little afraid that the child that they had raised for the last five years was about to be taken from them.

Andromeda looked up from Teddy and met Sirius' eyes. “Well, you're a Black if I've ever seen one. You must be Sirius.” She smiled at him warmly. “I'm--”

“Andromeda…” Sirius finished for her.

Her smile weakened. “Call me Andi. It seems we have a lot to discuss.” She said, glancing back down at Teddy.

Chapter Text

“Maybe I should have mentioned this…” Regulus admitted from beside Sirius.

They were still all standing in the cafeteria, watching as Teddy hugged Andromeda as if his life depended on it.

Sirius scoffed. “ You think?! ”

“To be fair, I wasn't aware you had adopted a young boy, let alone that that boy would know Andi.” Regulus remarked seriously.

“Shall we sit?” Andromeda gestured back to the table that she had been sitting at with her husband, her other arm still tightly secured around Teddy’s shoulders.

“Mate, you don't have to do this. If you're not ready…” James whispered to Sirius, trailing off.

“She's got her arms around our son, James.” Sirius gritted out. “I don't think we have a choice.”

“Sirius, I thought you liked Andromeda, she was your favourite cousin?” Remus pointed out desperately, eyes never leaving Teddy.

Sirius shrugged. “I do, I mean… it's complicated, I've never even met her.”

“Why don't we go with you, for moral support?” Lily offered quietly, Harry clearly getting antsy as he was forced to hold her hand.

“All thirteen of us?” Sirius said wryly.

“Here's an obviously better idea-- Sirius and I will go over with Andi and the kid. The rest of you can grab some breakfast from the buffet and sit at the farthest table.” Regulus suggested matter-of-factly.

“And Remus.” Sirius added pointedly.

“What?” Regulus asked.

“I share Teddy with Remus, he is mostly Remus’ son to be perfectly honest.” Sirius explained. “Remus should be going over there with us.”

“You couldn't stop me from going if you tried.” Remus added fiercely.

Regulus blinked, slightly irritated. “Fine. Let's go.”

James nodded. “We'll be just over there if you need us, mates.” He said gently, pointing to the long table furthest away from the one Andromeda and her husband were seated at.

James, Lily, Harry, Marlene, Dorcas, Mary, Barty, Evan, Pandora, and Luna walked away (or were carried), some going directly to the table while the rest went to the buffet to get some food.

And Regulus led Sirius and Remus over to Andromeda and Teddy, and together they all sat down with Andromeda’s husband at their table.

“I suppose some introductions are in order.” Andromeda spoke first. “You know who I am evidently, but… this is my husband Ted.”

“Ted Tonks.” He reached a hand across the table for Sirius to shake. Sirius did. “You must be Regulus’ brother, it's nice to meet you. Both Andi and Regulus have told me so much about you. And you are?” He turned to Remus, hand extended to shake.

“Remus Lupin.” He shook Ted’s hand.

“Nice to meet you as well.” Ted said warmly, beaming at them from across the table.

“Right, let's get to the point.” Sirius interjected. “I've heard plenty about you, Andromeda, and you were like my role-model all through my teen years, but-- how do you know Teddy? ”

“Sirius!” Regulus hissed.

“…I was going to ask you the same thing.” Andromeda replied simply.

“They're my grandma and grandpa.” Teddy answered their shared question, confused as to what was going on between his guardians and his grandparents.

“Sorry, but… how?” Remus asked awkwardly.

“Teddy’s mother is our daughter.” Ted told them.

Sirius frowned, confused. “You… have a daughter?”

“Sirius, why did you think I ran away?” Andromeda questioned.

“To be with your boyfriend--husband now--who Uncle Cygnus and Aunt Druella didn't approve of…” Sirius replied honestly.

Andromeda nodded slowly. “And while that is true, there was a little more to it than that.”

“What? You were pregnant? ” Sirius questioned.

Andromeda nodded.

“I was surprised too.” Regulus admitted.

Sirius gaped at her. “You were only, like, eighteen.”

“Actually, I was sixteen.” Andromeda corrected him. “And while I was frightened, I was more afraid of what parents would do when they found out. So, I left.”

“And we went as far as we thought was necessary.” Ted added.

“Sweden.” Sirius filled in the blank.

“That's right.” Andromeda affirmed. “The Black’s had no connections to Sweden. I had my daughter in a Swedish hospital when I was seventeen. We called her Nymphadora. It's a silly Black tradition, I know, but it was one thing I didn't want to give up. She went by Nym anyway.” Andromeda shrugged fondly. “We bounced around a bit from job to job, and changed where we were living frequently. Until eventually we met Hestia and William at a science conference in Stockholm. They were just opening their lab here and were in the market for some bright minds. I was working as a high school science teacher’s assistant at the time, I was at the conference with the class on a field trip. And Ted was interning with a pharmaceutical brand, he came with me on the trip as a personal project to spend time with me. Hestia and William hired us for their Research Department on the spot and we've been the whole department ever since. Our daughter was about fourteen at the time, so she came here with us. Nym went to school in the city, it was a long drive there and back everyday. And then, like mother like daughter, I suppose…” Andromeda smiled down at Teddy beside her. “She got pregnant with you when she was sixteen. She moved out to London on her own once she turned eighteen, but Teddy was born here.”

Teddy was staring at his grandmother, eyes wide and teary.

“Speaking of which, is she with you? Our daughter?” Ted asked them.

“Oh, um…” Remus opened his mouth to speak.

“Mum didn't make it…” Teddy informed them sadly. “It was right at the start, she… she was protecting me.” A tear rolled down Teddy’s cheek. He hadn't really thought about his mother in a long time.

The moment shattered. Andromeda and Ted may have just reunited with their grandson, but they had just lost their daughter too.

Andromeda wrapped her arms around Teddy, pressing her teary eyes to his hair. “Oh, Teddy…”

Ted put his face in his hands, a long broken sigh escaping his mouth.

Sirius hesitated. “I-- I'm so sorry, Andi…”

Regulus sat beside Sirius, his lips pressed together in a stoic manner.

Remus was on Sirius’ other side, opening and closing his mouth, unsure what to say.

Andromeda sniffed, raising her hair to face them and wiping the tears from under her eyes. “Don't apologise, Sirius… what matters here is that you've brought Teddy back to us.”

Remus’ heart skipped a beat. Did that mean away from Remus and Sirius?

Sirius shook his head. “No, we didn't even know he knew you. I didn't know you'd be here.”

Andromeda frowned curiously. “You didn't meet Nym? She didn't tell you this is where she had been headed? We spoke to her at the beginning, she was trying to bring Teddy and herself back here.”

“No, we met Hestia’s cousin Alice. ” Sirius corrected her. “She and her husband were coming here too.”

“Remember when I told you why we brought Pandora here, Andi?” Regulus interjected. “It was Sirius and his friends who gave us the address, from Alice and Frank.”

“That's right, you did mention that when you arrived…” Andromeda said quietly.

“So then where did you meet Teddy?” Ted asked, confused, as he lifted his head from his hand, tear tracks on his face.

“We, uh, we found him in a town near Edinburgh. Alone.” Remus replied sadly.

“That's where Mum left me when… when it happened. I was there for a while, I can't remember how long now… but then they found me.” Teddy added in explanation, emotional and crying a little.

“And you took him in, how kind of you.” Andromeda smiled through her tears. “And you didn't even know you were related to him, Sirius.”

“Well, we weren't about to leave him there.” Sirius insisted. “We wouldn't have left anyone.”

“How admirable.” Ted gave a watery smile.

“So…” Andromeda sniffled, trying to stifle her tears. “Sorry. Where have you been this entire time? The outside air was toxic, I mean, we heard that there was a group of infected-non-infected people in the containment unit, but we hadn't heard that it was friends of Regulus.”

“One of the Black bunkers, the one in Northern Ireland.” Sirius told her. “It was only built just before the start, so you probably don't know of it.”

Andromeda shook her head. “I don't.”

“That's where we were for the last five years.” Sirius explained. “Teddy too.”

Andromeda nodded seriously. “That's good. I'm glad.”

“And now? Are you planning to stay?” Ted asked.

“We are.” Sirius said.

“Dr. Jones has given us all jobs.” Remus added. “And apartments.”

“Oh!” Andromeda said eagerly. “Your mum's old bedroom is still exactly as she had it as a teen, would you like to see it, Teddy? You could even have it, stay there. With us.”

Teddy gasped excitedly, as he turned to look at Sirius and Remus across the table. “Can I?!”

Remus hesitantly nodded. “You can have a look…”

“Only a look?” Ted chuckled, not unkindly.

Remus and Sirius shared a look.

“I think that's fair.” Sirius said in agreement with Remus. “Teddy already has a bedroom in our apartment.”

“With nothing in it.” Andromeda pointed out gently, if not a little confused. “Nym’s room has his mum's things.”

“And we are his parents.” Remus nearly growled. “Now, if he wants to visit his mothers room sometimes to get to know her better, that's fine. But I think it would be best if he stayed with us, who raised him.”

Both Andromeda and Ted looked surprised at Remus’ outburst.

“…I think our daughter raised him, for nine years before you came along.” Andromeda said calmly, kindly. She was not angry in any way.

“And it's terrible what happened to her, Andi, but… Teddy has been ours for the last five years…” Sirius explained slowly.

“ Yours? ” Ted questioned, confused.

Andromeda blinked rapidly, looking beside her at her grandson. “Teddy?”

Teddy hesitated, chewing his bottom lip nervously. “They're my parents, Grandma…” He shrugged, as if he didn't know any other way he could put it. “Dad and Sirius.”

“Andi…” Sirius began cautiously.

“I'm not going to fault you for taking care of a lost young boy, Sirius.” Andromeda cut him off. “That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.”

“The intention was never to hurt anyone.” Sirius insisted gently.

Ted nodded slowly. “We know that… it's just… hard, to wrap our minds around.”

“It's not that I don't want to see you guys, Grandpa.” Teddy pleaded. “I do! I missed you!”

Andromeda smiled weakly. “We missed you too, Teddy.” She took a deep breath, turning back to Sirius and Remus. “But we can't take what is no longer ours to take. Especially if Teddy doesn’t want that. Teddy has parents, even if one isn't our daughter anymore. Though, we still have some rights here, Sirius, Remus. He is our grandson, we want to spend time with him.”

“Of course.” Sirius said quickly. “Teddy clearly wants to. And we'd never stop him from seeing you.”

“We just want to make sure that you know that Teddy is our son too. We love him. He is our family, as much as he is yours.” Remus added.

“Good.” Ted said warmly. “Then we are in agreement.”

Regulus cleared his throat. “You could come up with a schedule of sorts. You know, when Teddy is allowed to spend time with Andi and Ted, when he could spend a night there. It doesn't have to be a fight.” He suggested. “And we could even have one of the lab techs run a DNA test on Teddy, if for some reason anyone is unsure about his relation to the Tonks’.”

“That is a wonderful idea, Regulus!” Andromeda grinned. “We can discuss the details later. Right now I'd like to have breakfast with Teddy and get to know the young man he's become. Uh, if that is alright with you both?” She looked over at Sirius and Remus, a little nervous.

“Sure, I think that's fine.” Sirius agreed.

Remus nodded. “Yeah, I don't see why not.”

“Thanks, Dad, Sirius!” Teddy beamed at them.

“Oh, and please stay!” Andromeda added happily. “I'd love to get to know you, Sirius. And Remus, of course, considering everything.”

“Yes, as would I.” Ted grinned.

“I'll leave you to it.” Regulus stood up to leave.

“Reggie, don't go.” Sirius tried.

“I wouldn't want to infringe on this new lovely little family unit.” Regulus muttered sarcastically.

“Oh, come on, Regulus, you could never.” Ted insisted.

“Sit down, Regulus, you know how much I love your company.” Andromeda pointed to the bench Regulus had just vacated, and he reluctantly sat back down. “Regulus and I have tea together all the time, Sirius, you should join us.”

“ Lovely. ” Regulus grumbled under his breath.

Sirius chuckled. “Sure, sounds fun.”

--

James, Lily, Harry, Marlene, Dorcas, Mary, Evan, Barty, Pandora, and Luna were seated at another table across the cafeteria, each with a plate from the breakfast buffet.

After a little while, a small family came into the cafeteria and sat down at the end of their table. The man was a redhead, while both the woman and teenage daughter were both blonde.

“Vitor!” Luna squealed excitedly.

The blonde teen scooted closer to the toddler. “‘Ello, Luna.” Her French accent was broken, likely from being surrounded by so many native English speakers for so many years, but she still sounded French.

“I has pancakes!” Luna dutifully informed her.

“I can see that.” The older girl smiled fondly. She glanced up at the others. “‘Ello, Pandora, Barty, Evan.” She still rolled her r ’s.

“Morning, Victoire!” Pandora replied cheerily. “And good morning, Fleur, Bill.”

“Morning.” Fleur smiled kindly, her French accent stronger than her daughter's and she too rolled her r ’s.

“Morning, you lot.” Bill added happily. “I suppose this is the group we've been hearing so many romours about? Not infected then, apparently.”

“Nah, they're not.” Barty clarified casually.

“It iz very good.” Fleur nodded approvingly.

“Yeah, we're pretty happy about it.” James said. “It's nice to meet you. I'm James, this is my wife Lily and our son Harry--” Harry tucked himself into Lily’s side, suddenly shy. “And this is Marlene, Dorcas, and Mary. Our other group members, Sirius, Remus, and Teddy, are eating over there with Regulus and some of yours. Sirius is Regulus’ brother.” James gestured at the other table where their friends were sitting.

The family of three glanced over to where James had pointed to, Victoire doing a double take.

“Maman! C'est un garçon de mon âge!” Victoire spoke in rapid French, seeming surprised.

“Oui, je peux le voir. Parler anglais pour les nouveaux arrivants, Victoire. In English.” Fleur responded to her daughter.

“Pardonne-moi.” Victoire said to her mother, then turned to James’ group. “Sorry. I sometimes slip into… um, ma première langue? Language, uh… ” She held up one finger.

“Ah, first language.” Bill corrected his daughter.

“Yes, first language. ” Victoire repeated.

Luna giggled, and so did Pandora.

“It's quite alright, Victoire, we adore you anyhow.” Pandora promised.

“Were you talking about the boy over there just now, darling?” Bill asked Victoire.

“She vas.” Fleur said teasingly.

“ Maman! Ce n'est pas comme ça. I have not had a real friend in ages, nothing more.” Victoire insisted.

“I'm your fwend!” Luna shrieked, very seriously.

“Of course, Luna.” Victoire smiled fondly at the little girl. “But you are my only friend…”

“Well, you're more than welcome to introduce yourself to Teddy-- the boy.” Lily suggested. “Though, maybe after he's done there. It's sort of important.”

“And me?” Harry whispered to his mother.

Lily chuckled. “Yes, Harry, you could be Victoire’s friend too.”

“But maybe you better stick to getting to know Luna and let Victoire hang out with Teddy.” Dorcas interjected knowingly.

Marlene snorted, while Mary rolled her eyes.

“Why, Cassie?” Harry questioned curiously.

“Luna’s more your own age, kiddo.” James told his son.

“Victoire makes a brilliant babysitter, though.” Pandora beamed.

“Oi! What about us?” Barty said in mock offence.

“Yeah, what about us?” Evan added.

“You're Uncles, it's different.” Pandora replied simply.

Barty shrugged. “I'll take it.”

Evan nodded along.

“Is Victoire in that school program we heard about?” Lily asked Bill and Fleur.

“Yeah, but it's not much right now.” Bill said.

“Lots of science.” Victoire muttered.

“Oh, well, our friend Remus is going to start teaching English, if that's any more interesting to you.” Lily offered.

“And I'll be teaching some Art.” Dorcas added.

Victoire hummed. “Perhaps.”

“Sorry, Fleur, was it?” Mary asked her.

Fleur nodded.

“I'm Mary. I'm supposed to meet you, I'll be joining your job. Patching?”

“Oh! Good, good. I vill show you after breakfast.” Fleur smiled kindly.

“Great, thanks.” Mary said.

“What do you do, Bill?” James asked.

“I worked in the finance department. I was privately recruited by Hestia and William not long before the End. I used to work at the Bank Of England, then transferred to the Bank Of France when I married Fleur… this was only supposed to be a short sabbatical, one year.” Bill chuckled awkwardly. “These days, though, I do general inventory.”

“Don't mind my husband.” Fleur interjected sweetly. “He likes to talk about his old job just a little too much. ”

Bill laughed fondly. “It's true.”

“But you and him, vere you teachers before, or…? Vhat did you do before?” Fleur added curiously, to Dorcas, gesturing toward Remus across the cafeteria.

“Oh, no, I was in high school with Regulus, Barty, Evan, and Pandora.” Dorcas replied. “I just really liked art. Still do.”

“And Remus was in uni with the rest of us.” Lily added.

“Oh, what uni?” Bill asked conversationally.

“Uni of London.” James replied.

Bill's eyes widened.

Fleur looked to her husband, as if she knew why he was so shocked.

“I had two uncles who went there.” Bill said. “I know it's a big school, but my mothers brothers would be about your age. Twins. Gideon and Fabian Prewett, did you know them?”

James and Marlene shared an intense look.

James slowly turned back to Bill. “Yeah, they were on our baseball team…”

“I don't know about Gideon, but… Fabian turned… I had to kill him.” Marlene added hesitantly. “I'm sorry.”

James looked at Marlene again, surprised. He hadn't known that.

Bill swallowed hard. “No, I… thank you… for telling me.” He nodded to himself. “It is what it is. They were younger than me, I didn't know them very well anyway.”

Fleur was rubbing a comforting hand on her husband's shoulder.

“Je suis désolé, Papa. I'm sorry.” Victoire whispered.

Bill shrugged. “My mother never got to say goodbye.” He murmured.

“But you did, to her.” Fleur insisted strongly. “And maybe you vill be able to tell her, one day.”

“Where is she? Your mother?” Lily asked softly. “I'm sure James and Marlene would love to meet her, the sister of their teammates. We all would.”

“Uh… five years ago, at the start, we spoke on the phone. She and my father were taking the rest of my younger brothers--they're all still pretty little--to a place she'd heard about. A quarantine zone, or something. She had heard it was supposed to be better there. We haven't heard from them since, but, uh… I like to think they made it.”

“I hope they did.” James said honestly.

Chapter Text

After breakfast, Barty showed James to the underground parking garage. It unfortunately had no access directly from the building, so they had to go outside through the main doors—wearing respirator masks, just in case—and go through the lab’s parking lot.

James followed Barty outside, the large steel door holding open for them, though the inner airlock door was shut and secured to protect the lab regardless of the current outdoor oxygen safety levels. The pale blue truck was parked exactly where James had left it, haphazardly stopped on an imprecise angle a few feet from the entrance.

James dug the keys out of his pocket to unlock the truck, letting his gaze wander over to the padlocked gate he and his group had been on the other side of just twenty-four hours before. There were no longer any Hollow bodies lying about, James already knew that Kingsley and Moody had taken care of that. Though, it was the desolate-ness that had caught James’ eye. There was nothing but forest for kilometers, the only sound was the cool wind rustling through the trees. Barely a Hollow to be seen on the journey to the lab that wasn't bound to the ground, aside from the Fresher’s —as the lab team had been calling them—that had attacked them outside the gate yesterday morning. Which, according to Hestia, was quite unusual for the area. And James believed it, there currently wasn't a Hollow in sight surrounding the fenced-in property, Fresher or otherwise.

“Potter?” Barty interrupted his thoughts. His voice muffled through the mask.

James shook his head, sticking the key into the driverside door’s lock. “Sorry.”

James climbed into the front seat and reached over to unlock the passenger side door, Barty hopping inside.

Barty directed James as he drove the truck through the lot, around the building to a garage-door-type opening on the side of the building. Driving inside, it led downward on slanted concrete to a good couple dozen feet below ground-level.

The parking garage wasn't huge, it could probably only fit about fifty vehicles or less. And there had only been roughly twelve cars parked there, dust-cloaked and rusting.

And as James pulled the truck up past all the filled up parking spaces, toward the clear ones nearer the back of the garage, a familiar vehicle came into view that had been previously hidden behind all the others. It, too, was dust-cloaked and a little banged up, but still in one glorious piece.

“Is that…” James scoffed in disbelief. “That's my Subaru!”

Barty only glanced at it, chuckling. “Yeah, Regulus insisted we take great care of it for you.”

“Really?” James asked eagerly.

“Nah.” Barty shook his head. “He did insist we take care of it, but I think that was more about needing it to get here.”

James shrugged understandingly, pulling the truck into the parking space beside the Subaru. “I'm a bit surprised it made it all the way here to be honest. She still runs?”

Barty nodded. “Last we checked. We used it for a Run, maybe six months ago.”

James put the truck in park and cut the engine, removing the keys from the ignition. He shook his head in amazement, eyes locked on his Subaru through the not-entirely-clean truck windows. “Ugh! It was my first car! Bought it myself and everything with all my savings when I turned eighteen!” He groaned, full of nostalgia.

Barty raised a wry eyebrow. “Thought your parents were loaded? They didn't buy you a lambo at sixteen?” He teased.

James huffed a laugh. “No, I wish. They insisted I earn my own way. Mostly. They did pay my uni expenses, but my car and mine and Lily’s flat was all me and her.”

“How domestic.” Barty stated. “Gross. Let's go.” And he abruptly threw open the passenger door and got out of the truck. 

And after a few more minutes of James eyeing his own long lost Subaru and peeking through the windows to get a look inside— after wiping off some grim with his hand. James then did let Barty lead him back out to the parking lot and around the building to the entrance.

They went inside through the open door, Barty pulling the lever and hitting all the right buttons to have the steel door slide down to close and for the air decontamination, allowing them to remove their masks.

Precautions. The virus was still unpredictable after all.

--

Teddy stood in his mothers teenage bedroom, feeling very small and unimportant in comparison.

The walls were a sage green colour. The bedspread a mix of pink and purple in some ombre design. The curtains were a matching shade of purple. The furniture was simple, reddish-brown wood that was likely the standard furniture in every apartment that Hestia and William Jones provided. There were teen magazines sprawled across the desk, some makeup and nail polish bottles that looked dried up and ancient. Opened and half-used bottles of colourful hair dyes stacked on bookshelves—which was something Teddy knew about his mother, she was always box-dying her hair crazy colours—, next to high school textbooks and fiction books alike. She had print-out pictures pinned to the walls in some places, of her and friends, of Andi and Ted. Some photos tucked into the edges of a standing full-body mirror in the corner. The closet only had a few clothing pieces in it, sweaters with school logos and uniform skirts. The inside of the closet door plastered with posters of old bands she must have liked as a teenager.

This was a version of his mother he never knew. A version he would never fully understand, as she wasn't around to explain it to him.

This version of his mother went to a high school in the city near(ish)by, back when cities still existed. Or at least functioned the way they were meant to. Teddy couldn't really remember what it was like to be in a bustling city now, even though the years he could sort of remember were of him growing up in London.

And this version of his mother was involved enough with a boy in order to get pregnant with Teddy. A father Teddy never knew, never even heard a word about. A father who was likely dead, who his mother clearly hadn't wanted in Teddy’s life. Teddy would never know if his mother loved the man… the teenager. If he had loved her, if it was a mistake.

There were things this room couldn't tell him.

But seeing it was enough, to know this little bit of his mother’s life. How she organized her shelves and the boy band posters on the closet door. Those things would have to be enough.

Besides, Teddy already had two fathers who he knew loved him. Teddy never had to question that. And now he had his grandparents back.

That was enough too.

“What do you think?” Andromeda asked softly from the doorway, leaning against the doorframe. Her eyes looked misty at the sight of Teddy in Nymphadora's bedroom.

“It's very… her.” Teddy replied quietly. He shrugged. “From what I can remember anyway.”

“It is, isn't it?” Andromeda’s eyes swept the room for probably the millionth time.

“I don't think I could sleep in here though, Grandma… sorry.” Teddy added hesitantly. “Not all the time anyway.”

“No, it's not very you, is it?” Andromeda allowed a small, fond yet sad smile to tug at her lips.

Teddy gently shook his head. “No, it isn't.” He agreed.

Andromeda pulled away from leaning on the doorframe. “Well, you're welcome to come visit it anytime.”

“I'd like that.”

“Come on, let's have some tea.” Andromeda said as she turned to leave. “Your fathers and Ted are probably getting terribly bored out in the living room without us.” She wore the tiniest smirk.

Teddy followed her out of his mother’s old bedroom, feeling incredibly warm and happy for a reason he wasn't sure he could describe. His family had gotten a little bit bigger.

--

The rest of the day was spent leisurely.

Harry played with Luna in the Potter’s new apartment, watched over by James and Lily, while Xenophilius was working.

Pandora and Dorcas caught up, sitting together on the sofa in Dorcas’ new shared apartment with Marlene and Mary. Marlene joined them after a bit, Pandora very happy to see her again and get to know her as Dorcas’ girlfriend.

Mary spent the day with Fleur talking fashion and asking all about Paris. And Mary may have popped into the Computer Science Lab again to say hello to Benjy and Caradoc.

Regulus had some lab assistant duties to complete for Hestia, though was later dragged to the Tonks’ to spend time with them, but especially Sirius.

And Barty and Evan made use of the empty apartment.

--

That night, after all the children were put to sleep; James and Lily putting Harry to bed, Sirius and Remus saying to goodnight to Teddy and leaving him in their apartment, and Pandora helping Xenophilius put Luna to bed and leaving Xenophilius to watch over their daughter while Pandora went off to spend more time with her friends.

In the Potter’s apartment; James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, Marlene, Dorcas, Mary, Regulus, Barty, Evan, and Pandora all gathered together in the living room, seated on the sofa, armchair, or floor to all finally catch up.

They all had drinks, alcohol that Regulus, Barty, Evan, and Pandora each had saved up from their shares of what was brought back on Runs over the years.

Marlene took a sip of her drink, roughly clearing her throat a bit at the burning sensation. “God, I missed booze!”

The entire group broke out into giggles, and they were not even drunk yet.

“We ran out of the Black’s bunker stash after about two-and-a-half years.” Remus supplied, informing the younger ones who had not been with them the last five years.

“We drank alot. ” Mary chimed in. “In the beginning at least.”

“Some of us had a harder time adjusting…” Dorcas added slowly.

“ Some of us couldn't drink at all, for the first little while.” Lily reminded them pointedly.

Pandora nodded along. “Dark times, for me too.” She quipped. “But in the end it was worth it.” She thought fondly of her daughter.

“Of course it was.” Lily agreed, her own thoughts straying to Harry.

“We were just drinking to take the edge off, it wasn't that serious.” James elaborated. “ And then the alcohol ran out and we just had to keep going on.”

“Probably better that way, to be honest.” Lily admitted, sipping her own drink. “Could've been worse.” She acknowledged.

“Finding decent booze is a limited commodity these days, so we tend to savour it.” Barty explained into a sip from his glass.

“And tonight is the perfect opportunity to break it open.” Evan added, grinning.

“As long as the Potters do well to help find more on Runs with you two.” Regulus retorted, referring to Barty and Evan.

James and Lily laughed.

“We will do our best, Regulus.” Lily smiled lightly.

“Scouts honour.” James added.

Regulus narrowed his eyes at James.

“He was never a scout.” Sirius stage-whispered to Regulus, before taking a large gulp of his drink.

“ Oh, thanks, mate. ” James said sarcastically.

“I figured.” Regulus said solemnly.

Sirius was laughing loudly.

“Shove off.” James muttered to Sirius.

Sirius quieted down, his laughter tapering off, though his shoulders still shook with mirth.

“ So, tell us!” Mary interjected eagerly. “I want to know everything! Any juicy gossip from the last five years. You know, who broke the rules. We got any… drug smugglers in the team of lab techs? Would love a good dealer.” She was joking, exaggerating. Though, also maybe not. “Or say… perhaps… who's dating who, who’s fucking who… Just so we know what toes we can and can't step on.” She grinned innocently.

“Wow, Mary, subtle much.” Marlene raised her eyebrows at her wryly, then took a sip of her drink.

Mary shrugged, unbothered.

Pandora was giggling, while Regulus, Barty, and Evan found it to be less amusing.

“Two guesses who Mary wants to get with.” Remus said through a fake-cough.

Sirius chuckled, playfully swatting Remus’ arm in encouragement.

“Fuck off, Remus!” Mary hissed, though she was smirking.

Remus shook his head, lips pressed together in a tight grin. “No, I don't think I will.”

“Go on, Mary, tell us.” Dorcas said casually. “We want to know everything! ” She teased, partially quoting Mary herself.

“Yeah, let's hear about Mary’s soon-to-be whirlwind romance! ” Sirius quipped, grinning mischievously, and also referring back to something Mary had said to Teddy back in the bunker.

“You're all awful.” Mary pouted.

“Hey, the rest of us had to deal with your jokes for five years. ” Marlene emphasized.

“Yeah, it's our turn, Mary, so do tell!” James grinned excitedly.

“James.” Lily scolded her husband lightly. “But really, Mary, which bloke is it?” She looked at Mary, just as eager as everyone else.

Mary groaned, frustrated but yet also fond of her friends. “I'm not telling anything. Just yet. ”

“Just yet?” Remus questioned, amused.

“If something happens… you'll know. Probably. Most likely.” Mary said simply. “As Marls said, I'm not subtle.”

The entire group laughed at that, Mary giggling too.

“Well, alright.” Pandora began as the laughter faded out. “Let's see… I dont think anyones technically dating anyone, aside from the already married couples. And I don't think anyone is… sleeping together, again aside from the married couples. Though, I suppose if anyone was and they were keeping it quiet, we wouldn't know, would we? Boys, anything to add?” She looked over to Regulus, Barty, and Evan.

“Aside from myself and Evan, I don't think anyone who isn't married is fucking, no.” Barty stated plainly.

“ Barty! ” Evan groaned, shoving his face in his hands as his cheeks turned pink.

Barty smiled, snuggling closer to Evan on the floor where they sat, wrapping an arm around his lover's shoulders.

Regulus rolled his eyes. “This is their… thing. Ignore it.”

Everyone chuckled a bit at that, though that might have been because at this point they were all at least a little bit tipsy.

“Will do.” Marlene readily agreed, sipping from her glass.

“I remember.” Dorcas smirked, bringing her own glass to her lips.

Evan peeked at Dorcas from between his fingers, glaring at her. “I hate you.”

“You love me. You missed me. You'll get over it.” Dorcas teased.

Evan groaned again, but lowered his hands from his face, his cheeks returning to normal colour.

“So, was that no on the drug dealer thing?” Sirius interrupted, referring back to Mary’s segway questions.

“Sirius.” Remus scolded him.

“Right, sorry, nevermind.” Sirius swiftly moved on. “Was only kidding anyway…”

“Although, speaking of relationships. You and Xeno seem sweet together.” Lily said to Pandora. “How did that start?”

Barty and Evan made short protests, though they seemed actually rather content to hear Pandora talk about it. Even Regulus perked up slightly, barely noticeable. They truly were happy that Pandora found someone to love.

Pandora was smiling giddily, just thinking about Xenophilius. “Well… we met obviously when the boys and I first got to the lab. Evan was in rough shape, but he’d pulled through, and so when I had my first appointment with Hestia to discuss my immunity, only Reg came with me. Barty stayed with Evan. Xeno was in Hestia’s lab, as he is her assistant. She wasn't there yet. And we just got along… right from the start. We bonded.”

“They flirted. ” Regulus corrected, mild disgust crossing his features. “There's a difference. Pandora was all ‘lost in his smile’ or whatever, and sensually sitting on countertops. And Xeno was attracted to a pretty seventeen year old girl. A little creepy, to be honest. Though, it is what it is.”

Pandora rolled her eyes fondly. “It wasn't like that. It was a bigger thing, you know. The universe or something. We were meant to be.” She insisted. “Anyway, a few weeks after moving into the lab, Xeno asked me on a date. We ate dinner in his apartment and talked. Nothing more. He was a gentleman and I was falling for him. And him for me. We started officially dating not long after that. I still lived with Regulus for about the first year, then moved into Xeno’s apartment. We felt it was the right time.”

“ Coincidentally, that's when Luna happened.” Barty smirked teasingly.

Pandora glared playfully at Barty. “Okay, so yes, I got pregnant with Luna shortly after moving in with Xeno. That's not a secret.” She paused, turning back to the group to continue the story. “It was a happy accident. And I had my lovely Luna nearly two years after we got here. Of course, I was scared and Dr. Pomfrey was worried how pregnancy would affect my immunity. Then Hestia suggested I go through with it, only if I wanted to. She was very good about that. Hestia said that if I was immune, my child could be the cure, and promised to be safe when testing her. But it turns out, Luna is not the cure. We don't even know if she's immune and we don't plan on testing it.”

After a short hesitation, James said, “That's understandable.” He was likely imagining if it was Harry in that situation.

“What sort of tests did Dr. Jones run on Luna?” Sirius asked curious, his scientific interest winning out.

“The same sort of blood tests she runs on me. Nothing invasive.” Pandora explained. “Her blood shows no abnormalities. Though, technically, neither does mine.”

“So… if the immunity really doesn't show up in the blood… then Luna could be immune too, just with no possible way of knowing without risking a Hollow bite. Which no one would ever let happen.” Sirius rationalized.

Pandora smiled weakly, nodding. “Exactly.”

“So it's back to square one, even after a look at ‘chance immunity in procreation.’” Sirius muttered to himself. “No solid results in the most promising form, immune system accustomization.”

Pandora frowned. “Hestia said the same thing, after she first tested Pandora. About the immune system and the most promising… stuff.”

Sirius met her eyes and shrugged. “Well, immune systems becoming accustomed to things, like a new generation already having been pre-exposed to something, typically is the most promising way to cure something without an actual cure.”

“So… if I'm immune, but my own child isn't… what would that mean?” Pandora asked worriedly.

Sirius averted his eyes and sighed sadly.

Marlene understood first. “Fuck…” She muttered.

Pandora’s eyes darted to her. “What?”

Regulus caught on a moment after, his years working with scientists benefiting him. He sighed. “It would mean that it's extremely unlikely that humanity would ever naturally adapt to become immune to the virus.”

“So, what? We would… die out?” Lily asked, a hint of fear in her voice.

“Yes.” Sirius confirmed darkly.

Each of them felt the weight of that statement.

Chapter Text

8AM - Nov 3rd 2028 - James and Lily

James and Lily walked Harry down to the first floor, to the conference room which Hestia had informed them that the makeshift school program was held in the mornings. The current “teachers” had been on a rotation between Emmeline, Edgar, and Bill. And they taught mostly Science and Math.

That morning, it was Emmeline in the conference room to teach the children some basic chemistry.

Thus far, it had been only Victoire in lessons and the lessons had only lasted an hour or two. Which would be changing, in both new additions to the group and extended lessons to include a new variety of classes. Remus would be teaching English and Dorcas would teach Art.

Victoire was sitting alone at the long conference table, Emmeline standing next to her pointing something out to her in a textbook that must have been picked up on a Run at some point, and gesturing to Victoire’s notebook.

The windowless room itself looked perfectly prepared for a board meeting, as opposed to an abandoned office in an apocalypse— though, the lab did appear to be the only exception to the disaster that was the outside world, with the working power, water, and societal system. The whiteboard on the wall was clearly used constantly, currently having some complex science information scrawled across it.

“Oh, hello!” Emmeline greeted them cheerfully. “We just started working on some formulas— high school level stuff, but I'll give Harry something easier.”

Lily pressed a hand to her mouth, smiling despite the joyful tears that were threatening to pour. “Oh, this is… this is so wonderful! ”

James, too, was a little teary-eyed. He huffed a laugh, nodding. “This is good. This will work.”

“We try, anyway.” Emmeline said, smiling kindly. “It's not like what we had in school, but…” She trailed off, a bit sadly.

“It's perfect.” Lily insisted softly.

There was a light knock on the door. “Can we join you?”  Pandora was standing in the doorway, her hand clasped tightly around three-year-old Luna's hand.

Luna looked so excited to be there. “Emmy!”

Emmeline chuckled. “Hi, Luna, come on in!”

Pandora let the little girl's hand go and the toddler hurried into the conference room, jumping into Emmeline’s arms to give her a hug.

Then Luna scrambled to climb up on Victoire’s lap, who was still sitting in a chair at the table.

“Vitor! Vitor! I start school wif you!”

Victoire laughed. “Are you, Luna? How very fun!”

“Harry is starting school today too, Luna.” Pandora prompted, walking over to them. “Say hello to Harry.”

Luna’s little blonde head whipped to look at Harry still standing on the floor, tucked between James and Lily. Her eyes went wide. “Hello, Harry!”

Harry hesitated. “…hi.” He said shyly.

“Oh, kiddo, you can do better than that.” James grinned, lightly nudging Harry forward.

Harry took a deep, nervous breath. “Hello…”

Luna smiled brightly at him, still seated on Victoire’s lap. “You look very wise.” She said seriously, childlike pronunciation surrounding every syllable.

The adults—aside from Pandora—and Victoire looked down at the little girl, amused.

Then suddenly Harry smiled widely at Luna. “You're weird. I like you!”

“Harry.” Lily scolded lightly. “We cannot call our potential friends weird. ”

But Luna was just nodding along, very prideful, thanking Harry.

Pandora giggled. “It really is a complement.” Her voice was sweet and airy.

“Got room for another?”

Remus was standing in the open doorway, Sirius just behind him— though Sirius was looking off down the hallway, a little sternly.

Teddy walked into view, arms crossed, sulking as it appeared like Sirius was forcing Teddy into the room with only his eyes.

“Of course!” Emmeline grinned. “Hey there, Teddy.”

Teddy glared at his parents, as if silently asking them if he had to.

“Come on, Teds, it's not gonna be much different than the lessons in the bunker.” Sirius insisted, following Remus and the grouchy-Teddy into the conference room.

“Is it, though?” Teddy muttered grumpily, finally looking away from his parents and into the room beyond.

Teddy’ eyes scanned the room, looking at each person, then his eyes landed on Victoire sitting at the table with Luna in her lap.

Teddy dropped his arms, demeanor changing instantly to casual.

“It'll be fun, Teddy, you'll be with Harry.” Lily tried.

“That's right, Teddy. And you'll be expected to watch out for him.” Remus added firmly.

“Harry's fine, he's already made a friend.” James waved off Remus’ remark.

“One step ahead of you, Teds.” Sirius quipped.

“ Sirius. ” Teddy whined, almost sounding embarrassed.

“What?” Sirius asked, confused.

Teddy cleared his throat. “Uh, hi… I'm Teddy.” He waved, a bit awkwardly, at Victoire.

Victoire laughed breathily in disbelief. “Victoire.”

“ Oh. ” Sirius said in realization.

Teddy glanced nervously over his shoulder at Sirius, but ignored him and took a step closer to Victoire. “I'm new. I'm, uh… going to start lessons.” He gave her an easy smile.

“I'm Luna!” The little girl squealed from Victoire’s lap.

Teddy chuckled. “Hey, Luna.” He met Victoire’s eyes once again. “She your sister? Harry’s like my little brother. Sort of.” He gestured at the little boy.

Harry frowned at Teddy taking the attention of his new friends.

Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus looked at each other, amused and knowing.

“Oh, no, I've just known Luna all her life.” Victoire replied simply.

“Luna’s mine.” Pandora chimed in. “Victoire is Bill and Fleur’s daughter.”

Teddy nodded, barely paying attention, eyes on Victoire.

Lily clapped her hands together. “Well, I think that's our cue.”

“Yeah, uh— we'll pick you up later, Harry. Love you.” James added.

“I love you, Harry.” Lily said.

“I love you too… bye…” Harry mumbled, a bit unsure.

“I should go too. Oh it's so hard to leave them, isn't it? ” Pandora whined guiltily. “Have a good day, Luna darling.”

“Bye, Mummy!” Luna called sweetly.

Pandora bent down and kissed Luna’s forehead.

“Yeah, I gotta go too. I'm running late to meet Dr. Jones.” Sirius claimed. “I love you, Teds. Learn lots.”

Teddy groaned, glaring daggers at Sirius once again.

All the adults giggled a bit at that.

Sirius, though, just raised his hands in defense. “Sorry. My bad.” He scoffed lightly. “Bloody apocalypse and teenagers are still the same.” He muttered fondly.

The adults chuckled again at that.

“Uh, Emmeline! When should I teach the kids English?” Remus asked quickly.

“Give me an hour, then they're all yours.” Emmeline said cheerily.

“Sounds good.” Remus agreed. “I'll see you in an hour, Teddy.”

Teddy did not look any happier about that than when Sirius told him he loved him.

“Right…” Remus muttered. “Thanks, Emmeline. See you in a bit.”

Emmeline nodded, smiling. “All your children are in good hands, do not fret.”

“We're trusting you.” James said teasingly.

“Thank you, Emmeline, really.” Lily added honestly.

And James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, and Pandora left the conference room.

--

8AM - Nov 3rd 2028 - Marlene

Marlene entered the infirmary at the requested time that morning, to meet Dr. Pomfrey.

“Welcome back, Ms. McKinnon.” Dr. Pomfrey greeted her.

“Good morning, Dr. Pomfrey.”

“I hope you're adequately prepared.” Dr. Pomfrey said, unprompted. “We can pick up your training right where you left off, Ms. McKinnon.”

Marlene nodded eagerly. “Brilliant. I'm happy to hear that.”

“Where exactly did you leave off?”

“Um, my first semester of general nursing, but I majored in Sports Medicine.”

Dr. Pomfrey hummed, considering. “Well, there won't be much Sports Medicine here, I'm afraid. Not very much nursing either, not unless an experiment goes wrong or someone gets hurt on a Run. Almost no one ever gets hurt and experiments never go wrong. So, Ms. McKinnon, get used to idle work.” Then she offered Marlene a small smile. “And my company. You have a lot to learn. This world will need doctors when this is over. And the ones with medical degrees likely won't be around to see that when it comes about.”

Marlene nodded once, understanding.

“Hey, Dr. Pomfrey, I'm here for the list.” Benjy Fenwick, the American, stepped into the infirmary.

“Just a moment, Benjy.” Dr. Pomfrey told him, before disappearing into her office. She returned with a folded piece of paper, handing it to Benjy. “That's everything I need restocking and some extras, just in case you see any. It would be good to have some of those things here.”

Benjy nodded. “We'll get what we can.”

“Of course. Be safe out there.” Dr. Pomfrey insisted.

“Always are.” Benjy grinned, walking backward out of the infirmary.

“I do not want to be treating you in my infirmary after this Run, Mr. Fenwick!” Dr. Pomfrey called after him, almost maternally. “Or any of the others!”

“No promises!” Benjy shouted back cheerfully from the corridor.

“That boy, I swear.” Dr. Pomfrey muttered. “Alright, Ms. McKinnon, why don't you start by changing out the bedclothes on each patient bed. I change them every week to keep them from getting musty. This infirmary must always be kept as close to sterile as it can be.”

“What?” Marlene asked, confused.

“The bedclothes. The blankets, sheets, pillow cases. They need changing out.” Dr. Pomfrey clarified.

“I heard you, but… Dr. Pomfrey, I already know how to change a set of sheets.” Marlene pointed out. “I thought I was continuing my nursing training. I mean, aren't you going to teach me about medicine? About surgery?”

“Ms. McKinnon, you have barely a First Year Nursing education, so you will be working on First Year Nursing tasks.” Dr. Pomfrey told her firmly. “When you progress to the next phase of learning, I will teach it to you. Should we need to perform an emergency surgery, I will no doubt need your assistance. But Ms. McKinnon, a good doctor or nurse does not wish for illnesses or injuries to occur. So, for now, you will start with the bedclothes.”

Marlene gaped at the woman. “Dr. Pomfrey, I have treated patients. I know there aren't any patients now and I'm not saying that I want someone to get hurt so I can treat them. But I have already saved both Pandora and Remus’ lives! And that was with what little I learned from uni lessons and textbooks. I'm ready to learn more about saving lives. And like you said, this world needs that.”

Dr. Pomfrey sighed tiredly, a bit sadly. “Yes, Marlene, I know that… You did remarkably well with Pandora, at least. Your friend Remus also seemed well when I met him. You have talent, that much is clear, I don't discredit that.”

“Thank you…” Marlene said gently. “All I'm asking, Doctor… is that I'm respected. I did save lives. And I was out there, with this virus. Yes, I want to learn all I can about treating injuries and illnesses, but can we not ignore the bloody elephant in the room?! You are a doctor, a real doctor… I want to, I don't know, discuss medicine with you. Talk about this virus. Your medical knowledge and my experience out in the world—with my own understanding of medicine and anatomy—could be enough to at least start a conversation that has potential to maybe fix things…” Marlene took a deep, exhausted breath. “I'm worth more than laundry, Dr. Pomfrey.”

Dr. Pomfrey was quiet for a long moment, then she said, “The laundry still needs doing.” She paused. “Though, what did you have in mind about this virus?” Dr. Pomfrey allowed a small smile. “I can't promise anything. I don't know much and neither do the scientists here. But a conversation? Yes, a conversation we can have.”

Marlene nodded, sighing a relieved breath. “I have a theory as to why Pandora never turned.”

Dr. Pomfrey’s smile faded, her eyebrows raising in curiosity and slight amusement. She scoffed lightly. “Go on.”

“The day she was bit, in the parking garage below the hospital. It was mere minutes before I started treating her for her blood infection.” Marlene explained eagerly. “I gave her antibiotics. Piperacillin-tazobactam, to be specific. IV injected.”

Dr. Pomfrey nodded. “Typically used to treat blood infections. Clever, remembering that.”

“Right.” Marlene said. “Anyway, if an antibiotic used to treat blood infections was administered quick enough, say within an hour after infection from the virus, and it worked… that could mean that this virus infects the bloodstream, at least at first. Before the brain, anyway. And at least Piperacillin-tazobactam might be able to cure the virus, if given quick enough and injected directly into the bloodstream, like with an IV. I'm seriously wondering if it was the antibiotics that did it.” Marlene stared at the doctor, hopeful and expectant.

Dr. Pomfrey sighed, looking away from Marlene. “…No, it can't have been. That's not it.”

Marlene balked. “Why the fuck not?!”

Dr. Pomfrey’s eyes snapped back to her, scolding yet sympathetic. “The antibiotics didn't kill the virus, doctors tried that in the beginning. Hell, Hesita tried it. On her husband. William. Good man, good scientist.” She tutted, tilting her head. “Not good enough…” She sighed. “So, no, the antibiotics are not what saved Pandora. It's an understandable theory, I mean, most qualified doctors thought it five years ago at the Start. It didn't work on a single patient. And it didn't work on William.” She smiled sadly. “For Pandora, it was something else. We just don't know what. Her immunity might forever be a mystery.”

--

8AM - Nov 3rd 2028 - Mary

Mary met Fleur in the Weasley’s apartment.

Bill was gone, to attend to his own duties. And Victoire was at lessons. So, it was only Mary and Fleur.

Fleur was roughly a decade-and-a-half older than Mary, but they got along well regardless.

Fleur showed Mary the box of clothing that typically sat outside the Weasley’s apartment front door, where the other residents of the lab could drop off their damaged clothing from constant re-wearing. Fleur taught Mary how patches were sewed on different clothing items and other types of stitches, though Mary caught on quickly as she used to sew all the time— even if she was a tad rusty.

And Fleur explained how usually about a week after a clothing piece was dropped off in the box, the owner would usually come knocking on her door to see if it was fixed yet. And usually it was, as Fleur was quite efficient at her job. And Fleur was quite pleased to have some help now after so long of doing it on her own.

And Mary and Fleur spent a lot of time laughing and gossiping about the others who lived in the lab. And maybe sipping a little from Fleur’s wine stash too.

--

8AM - Nov 3rd 2028 - Sirius

It was Sirius’ twenty-fifth birthday.

“Black, you're late.” Hestia said simply, after Xenophilius had pressed the inner handprint scanner to let Sirius into Hestia’s lab. Regulus was there as well. Hestia was looking at a sample through her microscope.

“I was dropping Teddy off at his first lesson, with Emmeline.” Sirius explained slowly.

Hestia lifted her head from the microscope, standing yet not looking at him. “I can let that slide this morning, but in future I figure that your boy is old enough to walk himself to lessons, yes?”

Sirius nodded. “Yeah, he just… well, you know, teenagers. He hates school.” Sirius shrugged. “Or he thinks he hates school. He's never really been…”

Hestia finally turned to look at him, her stare unreadable. “Tell me, Black, what do you know about this virus?”

Sirius hesitated, though only a second. “It originated in France. Spread to the U.K in a matter of days. The world… not long after, I suppose. By then almost all forms of communication were rendered useless, so it's hard to say. Uh… it causes the body to die, but clearly the brain stem is still in function— evident by the walking. ” He shook his head, thinking, considering. “The infection is spread via bite, probably the infected saliva leaking into the broken skin and into the bloodstream… later by airborne contact. But only briefly, as we recently learned. And you said that as early as two days after turning, that they start to decay beyond the point of being able to stand, let alone walk. Though…” Sirius frowned, calculating. “The decay must begin on the inside, as they don't look much different than they did alive only two days after death.”

Hestia nodded as she listened. “Good. Xenophilius, Regulus— gather some samples for Sirius to examine, and all of the files. He's going to need to know everything we have on this virus.”

Regulus started to pull out sample disks from inside the small fridge on the desk.

Xenophilius grabbed a stack of file folders from a desk drawer, emptying the drawer completely, and dropping the pile on the desk. Then he left the lab, no doubt to get more files from elsewhere.

Hestia picked up the first file folder from the stack and handed it to Sirius. “Let's figure out how to cure this thing, shall we?”

--

9AM - Nov 3rd 2028 - James and Lily + Barty and Evan

“We wear respirator masks, just in case.” Evan was telling James and Lily, as he handed them masks and then took one for himself.

Barty, Benjy, and Edgar were also in the entrance area with them, grabbing on their own respirator masks.

Barty and Evan had already taken James and Lily by the security office on the first floor to check out their knives, Lily's handgun, and James’ rifle, as well as plenty of ammo for all of them. James had his rifle slung over one shoulder, while Lily had her handgun holstered to her hip, and they both had their knives sheathed to their waistbands.

Barty had his pistol and they all had their knives.

“Runs are easy enough, just follow Moody's orders.” Barty added casually. “He'll make the same speech he always does before we head out, then we put on our masks and let him know it's on right by saying ‘secured’, got it?”

James and Lily both nodded.

“Got it.” James said.

A throat was cleared and they all turned to see Moody standing in the doorway. He walked into the entrance. “Alright, lads… and lady.” He acknowledged Lily, half-heartedly gesturing at her. “Today we're on the hunt for meds to restock the infirmary and any food we can find that's still up to scratch. You got the list, Fenwick?”

“Yes, sir.” Benjy replied, pulling a folded piece of paper from his pocket and holding it up for Moody to see.

“Hang onto that.” Moody muttered. “Now remember, we take no unnecessary risks. We leave the H.N.Z's alone, unless they're in the way or they're Freshers. And most importantly, constant vigilance! ” He took a step closer to James and Lily. “Potters. Here.” He handed them each a walkie-talkie.

“Oh, thank you, sir.” Lily said, surprise evident in her tone.

“Thanks.” James added, while his tone was curious

“These are already set up to the same frequency as the rest of ours. They're security grade. Each of us has one to communicate with each other if we get separated. You can keep yours.” Moody explained gruffly. “Try not to lose ‘em, though we have plenty more in the security office if you do. We picked ‘em up on a Run ‘bout three years ago. Sure as hell makes things easier.”

Knowing this, James and Lily could now easily spot the walkie-talkies attached on the belts of Moody, Barty, Evan, Benjy, and Edgar.

James and Lily nodded, before hooking their new walkie-talkies on their own waistbands.

“Now!” Moody continued, speaking to everyone. “Masks on!” He commanded, grabbing a mask for himself and pulling it on. “Secured!” His voice now muffled through the mask.

Barty, Evan, Benjy, and Edgar were pulling on their own masks.

“Secured!”

“Secured!”

“Secured!”

“Secured!”

James and Lily quickly fumbled with their own masks, attaching them tightly to their faces to seal them air-tight.

“Secured!”

“Secured!”

James and Lily both called out upon securing their masks, their own voices muffled by the large oxygen filters.

“Understood!” Moody shouted. He then hit some buttons on the wall, followed by the door heading inside sliding shut. “The inner airlock door is secured! Opening the main doors now!” He reached over to the wall and pulled down a large lever, followed by pressing a large black button labeled AUTOMATIC DOORS OPEN/CLOSE.

The steel doors hissed loudly and slowly slid open to the sides.

“To the parking garage! Move out!” Moody ordered.

And James, Lily, Barty, Evan, Benjy, and Edgar followed Moody outside.

--

10AM - Nov 3rd 2028 - Remus

Remus Lupin finally felt like a real professor.

He had given Harry and Luna the task of writing all the letters in the alphabet that they knew, followed by attempting to teach them the ABC song. And while the toddlers giggled and sang together merrily, they hadn't really learned anything new. Remus knew he'd have to come up with a better lesson plan for them, and make sure that James and Lily and Pandora and Xenophilius worked with their own child at home as well.

As for Teddy and Victoire, Remus gave them something a little more at their level. He had taught Teddy quite decently while in the bunker and therefore Teddy was able to continue some interpretive writing work he had been doing on a Shakespeare text that Remus had him read back when they were still in the bunker.

While Remus figured that it would likely be easier to give Victoire words in French–of which he had picked up from Sirius over the years–to translate to English, and Remus could double check her English spelling and pronunciation.

Remus made a mental note to ask the Run Team to stop by a bookstore or library on their next Run, to pick up classic novels for Teddy and Victoire to read and for them to write essays on. As well as children's books to entertain Harry and Luna and help them learn to read.

But all in all, Remus’ first lesson for more than just one child went so well and he was quite proud of himself.

--

10AM - Nov 3rd 2028 - Teddy

Just after ten o'clock, Remus let Teddy and Victoire go, while Pandora had come by to pick up Luna and Remus had taken Harry back to Remus, Sirius, and Teddy’s apartment to watch over him until James and Lily came back from the Run.

Teddy had tried so hard to talk with Victoire during the Science and English lessons, even if it had been under his fathers gaze for the last hour. He had tried to help her a bit with her assignment, though it seemed she knew quite well what she was doing. And in the end, he had only managed to embarrass himself slightly on his little knowledge of French that Sirius had taught him over the years.

Though, even still, Victoire seemed to like Teddy anyhow. She laughed at his jokes… more or less laughed at him, but she still laughed. And she didn't seem too bothered that Teddy kept talking to her either.

“Hey, Victoire, wait up!” Teddy caught up with her in the corridor outside the conference rooms, as they were both heading for the elevator near the entrance.

Victoire glanced over her shoulder at him, slowing only slightly to let him fall into step beside her. She said nothing, though looked at him questioningly.

“I was just wondering if… you know, if you wanted to keep hanging out?”

Victoire raised a wry—perfectly shaped blonde—eyebrow at him. “I wasn't aware we were hanging out before. I thought we were attending the forced lessons.”

“Oh, right, yeah… well, then maybe you'd like to hang out now? If you're free?” Teddy asked her, undeterred.

“I've been locked inside a laboratory since I was nine because of a world-ending virus.” Victoire deadpanned. “I have nothing but time.”

“Okay… great!” Teddy chuckled, a bit self-consciously. “Wait, you've been here since you were nine? I was nine, too, when this all started.”

Victoire allowed a small smile directed at him as they kept walking.

“So…” Teddy continued. “What do you do for fun around here?”

Victoire spared him a glance. “ Fun? Non. No. ” She shrugged. “There isn't really any fun to be had here.”

Teddy frowned. “What? Why not?”

Victoire sighed sadly. “Because, Teddy, this is not a playground. And we are not children.”

Teddy shook his head, confused. “But none of that means we can't have fun.” He pointed out hopefully.

“Well, when you find something fun to do, you let me know.” Victoire said lightly. It wasn't cold or cruel, just kindly stated.

Victoire walked on ahead.

“Hey, Victoire?”

She slowly turned around to face him. “Yes, Teddy?”

“When was the last time you went outside?” Teddy asked her simply.

Victoire scoffed. “ What?! ”

Teddy shrugged, as if it was nothing. “Outside. When was the last time you, I don't know, went for a walk in the sun? Admired the leaves changing colours— it's Autumn, you know.”

Victoire gaped at him. “Teddy, you've seen the outside, yes?”

“Well, yeah.”

“So then you know what is out there.” Victoire said pointedly.

Teddy, again, frowned. “What? The Hollow’s?”

“The H.N.Z’s. ” Victoire corrected his terminology.

Teddy huffed a laugh. “So? They're not that scary.” He said dismissively.

Victoire scoffed once again. “Well, even so, what about the toxic oxygen?”

“Not toxic, apparently.” Teddy retorted, smirking. “But we can wear those mask things, just to be safe.”

Victoire’s eyes widened as she stared at him, her mouth falling open. She looked nervous.

“Wait… have you really not been outside since you were nine?” Teddy asked in disbelief. “I mean, I was locked in a bunker, I had an excuse… but you could have walked out those doors any day of the week.” He started to grin, amused.

Victoire crossed her arms over her chest, looking adorably pouty. “We got here before the airports closed, we caught a plane and everything. I've never even seen an H.N.Z.”

“Would you like to?” Teddy offered, genuine.

Victoire hesitated a moment, letting her arms fall and her eyes dropped to stare pointedly at a spot on the floor. “I won't get infected?” She asked seriously, her voice wavering slightly.

“No.” Teddy replied firmly. “I'll make sure. I promise.”

Victoire swallowed and met his eyes. “Alright.” She agreed.

The next few minutes had them scurrying in a completely different direction on the first floor. Toward the security office.

Once they got there, they had to quickly duck back against the hallway wall beside the door, so that Kingsley inside didn't see them. They crouched down to the floor.

Teddy peeked inside the office. There were two cluttered desks in opposite corners and a large storage locker up against the back wall. Kingsley was seated at his desk in the far left corner of the room, reclined comfortably in his chair as he filled out a crossword on an old folded newspaper.

Teddy looked at Victoire beside him and motioned for her to stay quiet with a finger to his lips.

Then Teddy turned back with a quick glance at Kingsley to make sure he was still focused on his crossword, and he crawled ever so slowly into the office, keeping low to the carpeted floor.

Moody’s desk was closer to the door, facing the wall to the left. Teddy was able to crawl straight behind it from the door in about five seconds, allowing himself to be hidden behind the desk and go unseen by Kingsley.

The drawers were on Teddy’s side, so he started pulling the drawers open as silently as possible in search of what he needed.

Teddy was looking for the key to the padlock on the gate outside. He knew Moody would have one on him and so would Kingsley, but Teddy was hoping to find a spare lying around somewhere.

After opening and closing several drawers, barely making a sound, and finding nothing, Teddy noticed Victoire peeking in the doorway to watch him. Her nervous eyes constantly flitting back and forth from Teddy to Kingsley. Then Victoire’s eyes locked on Teddy’s and she carefully pointed toward Kingsley.

Getting the hint, Teddy cautiously raised himself up to the edge of the desk to look over the top of it at Kingsley across the small room. And he saw what Victoire meant.

Kingsley had a set of keys sitting on top his own desk.

And Teddy had to admit that those keys were likely the only other set in the entire lab that potentially had a key to the gate. There probably wasn't a spare key at all. And even if there was, Teddy had no clue where Moody would keep it.

And so, Teddy took a near silent breath and lowered himself back down to the musty carpet, very carefully crawling out from behind Moody’s desk and toward Kingsley’s— hoping to god that the newspaper in front of Kingsley’s face would be enough to conceal Teddy from him.

When Teddy reached the edge of Kingsley’s desk, he ever so slowly reached up and felt softly across the surface of the desk for the keys. His fingertips brushed the cool, jagged metal of the scattered connected keys.

And Kingsley adjusted in his chair.

Teddy froze, fearing he'd been caught.

But Kingsley hadn’t lowered the paper at all, still intently focused on the crosswords, his chair still tilted back comfortably. Kingsley continued to adjust, clearing his throat a bit as he did.

And Teddy quickly and quietly swiped the keys off the desk, careful not to let them jangle.

Getting back down to the carpeted floor, keys gripped tightly in his fist so as to keep them from moving at all and making a sound, he crawled swiftly back across the small office to behind Moody’s desk. Teddy looked over at Victoire and saw her quite literally sag in relief.

Teddy lifted his hand, showing the keys to her— perhaps in a juvenile attempt at impressing her.

Victoire smiled at him, looking excited. Teddy thought she looked lovely.

“ Jones Lab, this is Run Team One, come in. Over. ” The crackle of Kingsley’s walkie-talkie shrieked suddenly, staticky words coming through.

Teddy jolted, the keys dropping from his fingers.

Teddy snatched hurriedly at the keys, managing to catch them before they hit the floor, though there was a slight jingle as his hand re-grasped around them.

Teddy waited with bated breath to know if he'd been caught. He couldn't see Victoire in the doorway anymore.

“Affirmative. This is Jones Lab. Over.” Kingsley spoke, apparently replying to the walkie-talkie.

He didn't know Teddy was there yet.

“ Run Team One has reached location. Will check in if any issues arise. Over. ”

“Copy that, Run Team One. Be safe out there. Over.” Kingsley replied.

“ Roger that. Over and out. ”

There was some rustling and Teddy risked peeking around the side of the desk.

Kingsley had put his newspaper down and stood up, he was checking his wristwatch. Then Kingsley started walking toward the door, passing by Moody’s desk and none the wiser of Teddy hiding behind it.

Teddy shuffled on his knees, turning to watch Kingsley leave from the other side of the desk.

Victoire.

Teddy had come face to face with Victoire. She was suddenly crouched beside him behind Moody’s desk, she must have crawled into the room when Teddy’s back was turned away from the door yet before Kingsley was finished with his newspaper and walkie-talkie conversation.

Before Teddy could breathe in a loud, shocked breath, Victoire covered his mouth with her hand.

And now all Teddy could think about was how soft her skin was and that she smelled sort of sweet. They were only inches from each other's faces.

Kingsley was gone, but they could still hear his footsteps in the corridor outside.

Eventually the footsteps faded and Victoire—regretfully, according to Teddy—lowered her hand from his mouth.

Victoire started giggling and Teddy was laughing too. They were crouched together behind a desk, just the two of them, quietly laughing and feeling the joy together.

“Do you think we're okay now?” Victoire whispered, a pretty little smile tugging at her lips.

Teddy nodded dumbly.

Victoire stood up then, shattering the moment. If there had even been one.

Teddy stood too.

“Let's go.” Victoire said, turning toward the door.

“Just wait, there's something else we need.” Teddy started flipping through the keys on the chain, looking for the right one.

Victoire looked at him curiously.

Teddy approached the large storage locker. “Now I'm guessing…” He mumbled, pushing the matching key into the lock and turning it. “That this is the only thing big enough in here to store all of the weapons.” And Teddy pulled open the storage locker doors, revealing several guns, boxes of ammo, and knives.

“Teddy?” Victoire asked hesitantly.

Teddy grabbed his own handgun from the lot and checked to see if it was loaded. It was, but he still grabbed a box of ammo and tucked it into his pocket. Then he grabbed his knife, the one his mother had given him—it belonged to him anyway—and attached the sheath to his waistband.

Then Teddy grabbed an unremarkable knife and turned around, holding it out to Victoire.

Victoire rapidly shook her head. “I've never used a knife before.”

Teddy grabbed Victoire’s hand and pressed the hunting knife into her palm. “You're gonna need it.”

And just when Teddy thought she was going to chuck the knife across the room or shove it back at him, Victoire gripped the handle. Not too tight, not too loose. And she smiled brightly, excitedly, giddily.

Teddy thought she was effortlessly beautiful.

After that, it hadn't taken them long to rush through the corridors of the first floor, trying to stifle their laughing-fits yet not exactly succeeding, and careful to avoid any other residents of the lab. They got to the entrance, taking down two of the respirator masks off the wall that hadn't been taken on the Run with the Run Team, both pulling the masks snugly onto their faces.

And proceeded to have another laughing-fit over how silly they both looked, leading into another one when they realized that they sounded even sillier.

And while neither teen was exactly well versed on the technology involving the labs entrance-exit doors, they did manage to find the lever that caused the heavy steel doors to slide open to the sides with a hiss— even if they hadn't known to or how to pressurize to airlocks in the entrance to avoid contamination.

Teddy and Victoire were out into the pavement lot in seconds, the steel doors sliding shut behind them. They still had Kingsley’s keys, so they would be able to get back in easily.

Victoire was running toward the center of the lot, staring up at the bright blue sky with a matching bright smile, her arms thrown up high, laughing and shrieking with glee. “I'm outside, I cannot believe it!”

“Woah, Victoire, you wanna lead every Fresher within a kilometer straight to us?” Teddy remarked, amused yet still cautious.

Victoire turned around to face him, confusion evident in her eyes above the mask. “What do you mean?”

“Sound attracts them.” Teddy said seriously, as if it was obvious. Because to him, it was.

Victoire’s eyes widened a fraction. “Oh. Oops.”

Teddy waved her off. “We'll be fine, it's mostly Groundlings these days.”

“Right, of course.” Victoire shook her head a little, trying to gather her bearings.

Teddy gestured for them to continue onward to the gate and he and Victoire started to walk over.

Teddy tried a few different keys on Kingsley’s keychain before finding the right one and unlocking the padlock on the gate. He and Victoire stepped through the gate, now on the outside of the fenced-in lot, and Teddy locked the gate back up again.

Then Teddy and Victoire walked, side-by-side, into the forest beyond.

It wasn't long until they found a Hollow. A Groundling.

It was, of course, bound to the ground– it was splayed across the dying grass in the clearing surrounded by trees, its legs too weak to move even a bit, though its upper body lifted itself at–what would have been–an uncomfortable arc for the spine, trying to reach up at them with its rotting arms, clawing at thin air with broken and jagged fingernails. The Hollow's skin was mostly decayed, its hair having fallen out and left bald patches, its clothing torn and dirty. It had clearly been there for a while at that point. It was almost impossible to tell the gender of what was once the human being.

Victoire and Teddy stood no less than a foot out of the Hollow’s reach. It couldn't have grabbed them in its state. They stared down at it.

“It's… dead.” Victoire murmured quietly.

Teddy narrowed his eyes at her, amused. “Yeah, what did you expect?”

Victoire shrugged. “Something more, I suppose…”

Teddy watched her curiously, as she continued to stare down at the Hollow on the ground. “Like what?”

“I don't know. Something bigger, something… monstrous.”

“It is a Monster.” Teddy frowned. “But there are worse things in this world than them. Worse people.” He nearly shuttered at the memory. The vague flashes that he still sometimes saw in his dreams. The feeling of sharp cold metal pressed to his throat, of the loud bangs that rang out and hurt his ears, of his family screaming.

Victoire looked up at him then, pensive, but only for a moment before her gaze returned to the Hollow. “How is it that this… thing… is what destroyed the world?”

“You didn't see it, but… it was everywhere. Fast. There were so many Hollow’s. And when they bit people, those people turned. Sometimes it was hours later, sometimes it was days… Then there were even more Hollow's. It didn't take very long to bring down whole cities. And you know, people tried. The military, whatever. The Hollow's were stronger, because they just didn't die. They don't die. Not really anyway. And when there's a big group of them, it's even harder to fight them off. I mean, there aren't too many that walk now, but still. It was everyone for themselves.”

“You survived out there.” Victoire stated simply.

Teddy nodded slowly. “Yeah… I did.”

Victoire looked at him. “How?”

Teddy took a deep breath. “I had to learn to be tough.”

“You? Tough? ” Victoire teased lightly.

“Out here, it's kill or be killed.” Teddy said.

“You've killed one?” Victoire raised a wry eyebrow at him, pointing at the Hollow on the ground– still groaning and reaching for them.

“Alot more than just one, Victoire.”

Victoire let out a somewhat nervous huff, a small smile playing at her lips. “Isn't it dead?”

Victoire crouched down to get a closer look at the decaying body, the grimy nails only inches from scratching at her face yet she was still out of reach.

“Victoire.” Teddy said, gently placing a hand on her shoulder to hold her back a bit. “Don't get too close. It may be stuck down there, but it will still rip you apart if you give it the chance.”

To her credit, Victoire’s eyes widened a little and she did look more afraid and now cautious of the Hollow.

Victoire slowly stood back up. “It just seems so… harmless… down there, like that.”

“Yeah, well, it's not.” Teddy told her. “And I promised you that I wouldn't let you get infected, so…”

Victoire nodded once. “Right.”

Victoire took another moment to stare down at the Hollow in amazement.

Teddy watched Victoire, just as interested.

“So… what are you thinking now?” Teddy asked her suddenly.

“I'm thinking… that for so long, I didn't know what exactly I was afraid of. And now that I see it, what changed the world– what ended it… I'm not sure if we were meant to survive it, the End.”

“What do you mean?” Teddy frowned, confused.

“It was only the people who got infected.” Victoire pointed out, explaining. “Maybe there was a reason.”

Teddy thought about it for a moment. “Then there's gotta be a reason some of us are still here.”

Victoire looked away then, her eyes trailing back to the Hollow, emotionless. “Perhaps.”

Teddy sighed. “Well, the only thing I really know for sure, is that there is only one way to outlive the Hollow’s. The reason I survived, the reason my family survived.” He paused. “Kill it.”

Victoire hummed her acknowledgement, her gaze still transfixed on the Hollow below them.

Teddy stared at her.

Victoire glanced at him, then turned fully to look at him. “You mean now? You mean me? ”

Teddy cracked a small grin under his mask. “You have a knife.”

Victoire rolled her eyes light-heartedly, but then she was tying her long blonde hair up in a high ponytail and she slipped the knife from her back jeans pocket.

Victoire gripped the knife and hesitantly started to bring it closer to the Hollow, clearly unsure where to stab it.

“Here.” Teddy stepped closer to her and re-adjusted her grip on the knife so that she'd have better leverage and strength in her movements. “Just like that. And you have to stab the head, its damage to the brain that kills them. If you go in from the side, like into the temple or under the ear–”

Victoire slammed the knife down into the Hollow’s temple, effectively both killing the Hollow and cutting off Teddy’s tangent.

The Hollow fell limp against the ground.

“Okay. Yeah… you got it. Good job.” Teddy muttered, a little stunned.

Victoire gasped. “I did it!” She shrieked cheerfully.

Teddy smiled fondly at her giddiness. “You did.”

“I actually did it!” Victoire kept rambling, loudly and excitedly. “I killed an H.N.Z! That was so thrilling!” She was jumping up and down, so very adorably. Her French–albeit broken–accent made it all sound so much more elegant and interesting, though the mask did muffle her a bit. Not enough, though, for she was too excited to keep quiet. “I can be tough too, Teddy Lupin!” She laughed brightly.

Teddy shook his head fondly at her antics. “Yeah, yeah, Victoire a un victoire.”

Victoire stopped laughing. “You did not just say that!”

“Did I say it wrong?”

“Only grammatically!”

“ Well… ”

“Si tu prononces mon nom comme pour dire victoire ‘victory’, alors je t'appellerai Ours-En-Peluche. Casse-toi, Monsieur Loup!”

Teddy gaped at her, though she couldn't quite see it behind his mask. “Okay, ‘Mr. Wolf’, not very creative, I know that Lup– wait! Did you just call me a teddy bear?!”

“Un peu lent…” Victoire muttered teasingly.

“And you've called me slow–”

Suddenly there was rustling coming from the bushes to the right, beyond the trees.

Teddy snapped his head to look in the direction of the sound.

“Tu ne peux pas te plaindre de ce qui est vrai, Ours-En–”

“Shut up.” Teddy hissed, eyes trained on the bushes.

Victoire glared at him. “Teddy, what the–”

“Shh!”

A second later, a Hollow came stumbling out from the trees.

It was a Fresher. Walking. Coming straight toward them, growling and ready to feast.

Victoire screamed.

Teddy had his knife out of its sheath in a second.

The Hollow was already right in front of him, Teddy shoved it hard on the shoulders, sending it staggering back a few feet– which gave him enough time to properly grip his knife and put himself in between the Hollow and Victoire.

Teddy marched up to the Hollow now that he was ready with his knife, grabbing the Hollow firmly around the neck to keep control of it and jabbed his knife into its temple.

The Hollow fell. Dead.

Teddy had pulled his knife from the skull effortlessly as the body fell. He knelt down and wiped the dark Hollow-blood on the ragged clothes of the Hollow. Then turned back around to face Victoire.

Victoire was standing there, eyes wide. Terrified.

Teddy gave her a sympathetic look. He walked over to the dead Groundling, bending down and yanking Victoire’s knife out of that Hollow’s skull where she had left it. Teddy wiped off the blood and held the knife out to her.

Victoire glanced at the knife, then snatched it from Teddy’s hand. “Thank you…”

“We were being too loud, sound attracts them.” Teddy said solemnly.

Victoire nodded, eyes teary. “…That one was a Fresher…”

Teddy didn't even spare the Hollow body a glance. He shrugged. “He was bit recently. It happens. People get bit, Victoire. People get eaten.”

Victoire visibly swallowed. “I see…” She wouldn't look at Teddy. Or either dead-Hollow.

Teddy sighed, feeling guilty and sorry for her. “Victoire…”

Branches snapped in the distance. Bushes rustled nearby.

Victoire did look panicked that time.

One Hollow, then two, then five, then a dozen.

All wandering out of the forest surrounding them, all Freshers and all snarling and snapping their teeth madly at the two teens. Closing in on them.

“Teddy?!” Victoire screamed.

“Run, Victoire, run!” Teddy shouted at her.

Victoire turned and ran back toward the lab, dodging Hollow’s as best she could as she scrambled out of the clearing.

Teddy started shoving the Hollow’s back, managing to stab two in the head and killing them before chasing after Victoire to get away too.

Teddy caught up with her very quickly, he grabbed her hand and they just kept running.

They weaved through the mess of Hollow's, Teddy pushing Hollow’s aggressively aside and stabbing another one before they got far enough ahead to just focus on running.

The Hollow’s persisted, stumbling after them in an attempt to catch their meal.

Teddy and Victoire made it out of the woods and to the gate outside the lab’s lot, Teddy fumbling with the keys to get the padlock open. They were inside the gate, slamming it closed and locking it back up just as the remaining Hollow’s started pressing themselves up against the chainlink and rattling the fence, groaning.

But Teddy and Victoire were safe.

And somehow they ended up laughing again, leaning against each other with relief. They giggled all the way across the lot.

Once inside the entrance, the large steel doors shut once again, they took off their respiratory masks and hung them back on the wall.

Teddy turned to Victoire. Her face looked serious, contrasting drastically to the laughing-fit they had only just finished. “Victoire? Are you alright?” He asked her, suddenly worried.

Victoire shook her head slowly. “It doesn't make sense. There are not supposed to be that many Freshers! There isn't even enough people anymore in groups to turn all together like this, most of everyone was thought to be dead…”

Teddy frowned, considering it. “Well, me and my family survived. It's not unbelievable that others could've too, while the air was still toxic… and now maybe they're coming back out, if they've also discovered it's safe. And if what Dr. Jones said was true and the virus keeps changing… then it's possible that the Hollow’s don't fall to the ground anymore as quickly as they have been doing.”

Victoire looked thoughtful. “I suppose…” She trailed off, uncertain.

“The main thing is that we're alright.” Teddy insisted. “Come on, we should get back before someone realizes we were gone.”

Teddy and Victoire continued through the second set of airlock doors, into the first floor of the lab. They waited at the elevator, getting inside when it arrived.

“I had fun today.” Victoire abruptly admitted.

“Did you now?” Teddy smirked teasingly, triumphantly.

“Well, I was also almost eaten by the H.N.Z’s, which is your fault, so really it wasn't all that great.”

“No, you said you had fun!” Teddy grinned. “ And I had your back out there. I promised you that you wouldn't be infected, didn't I? I kept my promise.”

Victoire huffed, feigning annoyance. Though, Teddy could see the smile sneaking onto her face.

Then Victoire hurriedly leaned over and pressed a chaste kiss to Teddy’s cheek.

“I will see you at lessons tomorrow.” And Victoire was stepping out of the elevator, the doors having opened to the fourth floor.

Stunned, Teddy stood there as the elevator doors closed. He could still feel the soft press of her lips on his cheek. He lightly touched his fingertips to the place where her lips had brushed.

Teddy might have been in love.

--

12PM - Nov 3rd 2028 - Lily and James + Barty and Evan

Moody had just gotten off the walkie-talkie, checking in with Kingsley back at the lab.

The Run destination was a large chain shopping center, with a grocery, pharmacy, and a clothing department. The place looked looted and dark, windows smashed. Though, apparently the Run Team had been there several times. In-and-out, easy.

“Keep a watchful eye.” Moody warned. “Weapons ready. We only take what we came for. We go in and only kill H.N.Z’s if we must. If they aren't gonna hurt you, you leave ‘em be. Understood?”

The group chorused their agreement in nods or a murmured yes.

“Fenwick, what are we here for?” Moody asked Benjy seriously.

Benjy pulled the folded paper list from his pocket, unfolding it to read. “Uh… a list of antibiotics and ointments. Some other medical stuff…” He hummed, scanning the list. “Food, obviously. And Fleur did ask me for fabric for patching, some new clothes maybe, if we had time.”

Moody nodded importantly. “Fenwick, Crouch, scrounge up as much edible food as you can find. There might not be much left, but really look, alright?” He ordered them. “Bones, Rosier, head over to the clothing department and see what you can pick up in terms of clothing for Weasley's wife. It's not a necessity, so don't bother if it's too risky. And Potters, take the meds list from Fenwick and grab what's there in the pharmacy. You think you can handle that?”

More nods were exchanged after receiving directions, Benjy handed James the list.

“I'll take point here at the doors and watch the vehicles.” Moody declared. “Give me a shout on the walkies if any of you need backup.”

And the six of them cautiously entered the shopping center, separating toward their assigned departments.

James and Lily followed the old, dusty signs haphazardly hanging from the ceiling, directing them toward the pharmacy.

James held his rifle low, but ready. Lily had her knife out, though her handgun was on her hip with the safety off just in case.

They had made it to the pharmacy with no issues and absolutely no signs of Hollow's, Groundlings or otherwise. James and Lily had to hop the counter to get back into the area of the pharmacy where prescription meds were kept under lock and key. Most locks had been broken off and boxes and bottles of pills were scattered everywhere across the shelves and floor, cloaked in dust. That shopping center may have been looted back when everything started, but clearly the only people who had been there since then was the lab's Run Team.

It was mostly dark back there, being so far from the entrance and their only light source, though James and Lily were given little flashlights for exactly that purpose.

They each took an aisle behind the counter, scanning the shelves with the flashlights for the meds on the list.

They found a lot of what they had been searching for, shoving it all into a backpack they were given. James and Lily's first Run with the Team was looking to be a success.

Lily wandered to the next aisle over, further away from James in his own aisle, looking for one last medication that Dr. Pomfrey had requested. It hadn't been a mandatory one, though Lily figured that they were making good time and were in a relatively risk-free zone.

Lily started to search the shelves, trailing the light from her flashlight over the meds labels in the otherwise pitch black aisle.

And that's when she heard it.

Groans.

The distinct groans of several Hollow's. Close.

Lily frowned, turning and shining her flashlight into the open aisle. Nothing. The aisle was empty aside from herself and the scattered meds packages on the floor.

Slowly, Lily unsheathed her knife and walked to the end of the aisle. The groans and moans got louder as she turned the corner into the next aisle over– now three whole aisles from where she left James.

Lily shined her flashlight into the aisle.

It was a small camp. Sleeping bags splayed across the tiled flooring, a small two-person tent set up at the other end of the aisle, other gear scattered about.

And the whole group was dead. Hollow's.

There were Hollow’s wrapped snugly in the sleeping bags, wriggling widely to escape and get to Lily. At least two or more Hollow's inside the tent, zipped shut yet the Hollow’s were still attacking the tent fabric walls aggressively to get out. And two Hollow’s sprawled on the floor, one so torn apart and covered in its own blood that it could hardly move– clearly having been attacked and bit and mostly eaten by another Hollow. And a Hollow–a Fresher–that had been wandering aimlessly around that very aisle– at least until Lily showed up and attracted its attention.

Lily's eyes widened and she audibly gasped.

Lily moved to step backward and run, but something caught her ankle and she came crashing down to the floor. Hard. She had dropped her flashlight and her knife. Her head smashed forward against the tiles and her respirator mask cracked.

A second to realize what happened and Lily could already feel the air seeping in through the crack in her mask. It was no longer air-tight or protecting her.

Lily could still feel something tugging on her ankle. She scrambled around against the pulling. Her flashlight had rolled off to the side, shining just enough for her to see the floor area of the aisle; the sleeping bag wrapped Hollow’s and what had her ankle trapped.

It was another Hollow. A Groundling, or perhaps just too damaged to stand. Lily had missed it entirely, right at the end of the aisle she had been standing at, right by her feet. The Hollow had a skeletal hand grasped tightly around her right ankle, yanking it toward its snapping jaw and severely decayed face.

Lily whimpered. She didn't have her knife, since she'd dropped it. Her handgun was trapped underneath her in its holster. She raised her left leg and kicked down hard at the Hollow’s head, bashing its skull with her foot. She had to smash her boot into its head three times before it gave way, splattering thick dark blood across the tiles and its hand releasing her right foot. The Hollow wasn't dead yet, though its skull had cracked open, its brain was still intact.

Lily scrambled across the tile floor away from the Hollow that had grabbed her. She could see in the low-level beam of light from the flashlight, the legs of the Fresher slowly but surely limping toward her. It had made it more than halfway down the aisle already.

Crawling around, Lily saw the glint of her knife in the flashlight light. She hurriedly snatched the knife from the floor, whipping around and slamming it into the bashed-in skull of the Hollow on the floor, right through to the brain. It went limp.

A cold, decaying hand landed on Lily's shoulder. The Fresher.

She screamed.

Bang!

The Fresher fell to the floor next to her.

Lily breathed shakily, looking behind her to find James standing there with his rifle raised.

“You alright?” James asked her worriedly, crouching down to her.

Lily nodded, blinking away tears.

“Are you sure? You're not bit or scratched or anything?” James looked her over as best as he could in the near darkness.

“I'm alright.” Lily assured him.

James nodded, helping her up and then handing her her flashlight. He gestured for her to point the light toward the small camp in the aisle, so he could see as he walked over and stabbed his knife into the heads of each Hollow in the sleeping bags and the one on the floor too torn up to move.

The Hollow’s in the tent were going wild, but James left them trapped in there.

Loud footsteps thudded over and someone hopped over the pharmacy counter, then appeared at the end of their aisle.

James raised his rifle, but lowered it when he saw who it was.

“You guys good?” It was Benjy and Barty, Benjy having spoken first.

“We heard a scream.” Barty added.

“Woah…” Benjy uttered when he finally spotted the camp and all the Hollow's, his own flashlight and Barty's adding more light to the scene.

“Everyone okay?” Evan asked as he and Edgar appeared. “Shit…” He said when he, too, saw it.

Edgar gave a low whistle. “You kill them all yourself?”

James stared at him. “Yeah.”

“Nice.” Edgar said. “We called for Moody on the walkie, by the way, when we heard the scream.”

“Oh, that was me.” Lily said. “This one caught me off guard.” She shined her light on the Hollow that had grabbed her ankle. “And this one was coming right for me at the same time–”

“You did that to its head?!” Benjy questioned, giddy and intrigued. “ So cool! ”

“You act as if you've never seen one before.” Lily stated, a little harshly.

“Well, the ones we deal with are usually too weak to move–” Benjy cut himself off when he looked up at Lily. “Your mask. It's cracked.”

“Oh.” Lily reached a hand up to run a finger along the cracked plastic. “Yes, it happened when I fell.”

“Fuck…” Barty muttered. Him and the other three team members looked just as panicked.

“What?” James demanded. “I thought the masks were just a precaution.”

“They are… now.” Evan replied weakly. “But it wasn't that long ago where we wore masks because we had to.”

“Okay…?” Lily said slowly.

“So, what are you saying?” James asked seriously. “She could be… infected? Because of a crack in her mask?”

“If the air is toxic again, she could be.” Edgar confirmed. “We would have no way of knowing until we get back to the lab, though.”

“Okay, then what are the chances the air is toxic again?” James stressed. “Since the last time it was checked at the lab and now, could it have changed again?” He looked between Benjy and Edgar.

“Hey, I don't have a clue.” Benjy raised his palms to plead innocence. “I just know how to run the tests on the tech.”

James looked at Edgar.

Edgar sighed. “Listen… it's not my specialty, but from what I do know…the chances are pretty low.”

James nodded, determined. “Then she'll wear mine.” He slung his rifle over his shoulder, sheathed his knife, and reached up to detach his respirator mask.

“James!” Lily protested.

“Woah! Woah!” Edgar called out to stop him.

“Bad move, man.” Benjy warned.

“If the air is toxic again, then she's probably already infected. No point in infecting yourself as well!” Edgar explained urgently.

Lily shook her head rapidly. “James, it's not worth it.”

“ Probably? ” James repeated back to Edgar.

“What?” Edgar asked, confused and frantic.

“You said probably. She might not be infected yet.” James pointed out desperately.

“Hey, wait, mate, listen to the scientist.” Barty tried to intervene.

“Yeah, think about your kid.” Evan added.

“Harry needs his mother.” James insisted.

“He needs his father. ” Lily retorted.

“Lily, you might not be infected yet.” James explained importantly. “But the longer you're exposed to the outside air, you could be soon. If we switch masks now, you could be fine. ”

“And what about you?” Lily whined tearfully

“The air might not even be toxic, I might be fine too.” James said. “But I have an opportunity to save you, Lily, and I'm not going to waste it.”

“James…”

“And then we'll go back to the lab together and figure the rest out… I promise. We're going back together, Lily.”

“James–”

But James was already pulling off his respirator mask.

“James, no!” Lily cried in last effort to stop what was already done.

“Hold your breath, Lils.” James said as he freed his head fully from the mask.

With no other option, Lily held her breath and pulled off her own cracked mask.

“WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” Moody shouted at them from just outside the pharmacy, on the other side of the counter.

They ignored Moody, Lily letting James secure his mask onto her.

And just as she held her breath, she held her tears.

“Okay, you can breathe now.” James murmured softly when the respirator mask was on right.

Lily let out a shaky breath, for far different reasons than the last time her breath was unsteady just a few moments ago.

James held the sides of her head, hands pressed to the edges of the mask. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Lily smiled weakly at him, though the mask covered the bottom half of her face from view.

“You could have just infected yourself, Potter!” Moody snarled.

“I had to.” James confessed, his eyes never leaving Lily. “Her mask was cracked. If it's her or me, I will always choose her.”

“What is this, a bloody romance novel?!” Moody glared at James. “For all we know, you're both dead now.” Moody paused, breathing angrily as he took in the scene– his own and everyone else's flashlights lighting up the space sufficiently. “What in the hell happened here?”

“What do you mean?” Lily asked, turning away from James and forcing herself back into the moment.

“It wasn't like this before…” Evan said gently, staring off at all the dead Hollow's in the makeshift camp– the only Hollow’s still kicking up a fuss were the ones trapped inside the tent.

“When was the last time you were here?” James asked, frowning curiously.

Barty shrugged. “A couple months ago, maybe.”

“Well, this happens.” James said, as if it was obvious. And to him, it was. “The Hollow's swarm up and get stuck inside, or a group hunkered down– one bit, turned. Killed the others, they turned. Yeah, that's what this looks like. A fallen group that seeked shelter. We've seen it loads of times on the road.”

“But they're all so decayed.” Benjy pointed out, flicking his flashlight over the corpses. The bodies had obvious bite marks, or were clearly feasted on quite a bit after death.

“Yeah, they all turned a while ago.” Edgar added, leaning down to get a closer look at the Hollow that had been walking before James shot it. “You said this one was walking?”

“So?” James questioned.

“Freshers– walking ones, they're not supposed to last long. They never do.” Moody interjected solemnly, explaining what the others were getting at.

“Well, these ones did.” James said simply. “What matters is that we got most of them down and we're all fine.”

“And Dr. Jones said the virus changes. This could be that.” Lily suggested.

Edgar tilted his head as if considering it.

Moody grunted. “Come on! Grab the stuff and let's get out of here and back to the lab, before you two turn. ”