Hey, Remus!

Maria sat on the worn-out sofa in Grimmauld Place, idly tracing patterns on the fabric as she watched Remus pace the room. His brows were drawn together in thought, a familiar sight whenever something weighed on him.
"I need to get a job," she said suddenly, breaking the silence.
Remus stopped mid-step and turned to her, his expression softening.
"Mary..."
"No, no, Remus, stop," she said, sitting up straighter. "I can't just sit around all day while everyone else is fighting a war. I need to do something. And besides, I'd like to actually earn some money instead of feeling like I'm living off stolen time with the rest of the Galleons Dumbledore gave me when I first arrived here."
He sighed and sat down beside her, rubbing the back of his neck.
"It's not that simple."
"It is that simple." She turned to face him fully. "Fred and George are doing well for themselves. Their shop is thriving, and they're probably overwhelmed. I could ask them if they need help."
Remus quirked an eyebrow.
"You think Fred and George Weasley, who make a living off of prank products, would be the responsible employers you need?"
Maria smirked.
"No. But they would be employers who don't care that I don't legally exist in this reality."
Remus exhaled through his nose, shaking his head.
"That much is true."
Maria studied him, narrowing her eyes.
"Wait. You're not telling me not to do it."
"I suppose I'm not." He gave her a sideways look, lips twitching slightly. "I'd imagine the twins wouldn't just hire you but also create a completely absurd, probably magical, definitely illegal documentation for you."
She laughed.
"They would, wouldn't they?"
"Oh, absolutely." His voice was dry, but his eyes glinted with amusement. "And given their particular talents, it would probably work, despite being entirely nonsensical."
Maria tilted her head at him.
"You're awfully supportive of fraud for someone who's usually the voice of reason."
Remus leaned back against the sofa, looking at her with quiet amusement.
"Mary, I was a Marauder."
She blinked.
"You were."
"Yes," he said, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Contrary to what many people may believe, I wasn't always the responsible, rule-abiding man you know today."
She crossed her arms, pretending to scrutinize him.
"So what you're saying is... you would have been the mastermind behind forging documents back in the day?"
Remus gave an exaggerated sigh.
"No, that would have been Sirius. James would've come up with the idea purely to see if he could get away with it, and Peter... well, Peter would've gone along with whatever they wanted."
"And you?"
"I would have protested," he admitted, then smirked again. "At first."
Maria laughed, nudging his knee with hers.
"You really are a bad influence."
"Oh, undoubtedly."
She shook her head, still grinning. "Well, I'm talking to Fred and George. If they need help, I'm taking the job."
Remus sighed but nodded.
"I won't stop you. But..." he leveled a knowing look at her "...just try not to encourage them too much."
Maria smirked.
"No promises."
She hesitated for a moment, then took a breath.
"There's... something else I've been thinking about," she said carefully. "You know, if the joke shop is not an option."
Remus, who had just picked up his book again, looked at her with a curious tilt of his head.
"Oh?"
Maria hesitated for only a second before pressing on.
"I could offer my help to Dumbledore. At the Ministry."
The way Remus's expression immediately darkened told her everything she needed to know about how he felt about that idea.
"No."
Maria's brows shot up.
"You didn't even let me finish."
"Because I already know what you're going to say, and the answer is no." He set his book down and turned to fully face her. "Mary, you of all people know how dangerous the Ministry is right now. The entire institution is riddled with spies. The Minister himself is under Voldemort's thumb, even if he's too much of a coward to admit it. That is not where you should be."
She crossed her arms, meeting his gaze head-on.
"So what, I should just sit around and do nothing?"
"You wouldn't be doing nothing," he countered. "You'd be working at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, where it's safe."
Maria let out a sharp breath, shaking her head.
"Remus, be serious..."
"I am being serious," he snapped, running a hand through his graying hair. "Mary, spying at the Ministry? Do you even know what would happen if they found out what you were really doing?"
She frowned.
"Yes. I do."
Remus exhaled through his nose, jaw tight.
"No, I don't think you do," he said, his voice quieter now, but no less intense. "Because if you did, you wouldn't even be considering it."
Maria softened slightly, reaching for his hand. He let her take it, but his grip was tense.
"I know it's dangerous," she admitted. "And I know you want to protect me. But I do need to do something, Remus. I'm in the Order, just like you. And I know I still don't have magic strong enough to duel Death Eaters, but this? This is something I can do."
He was silent for a long moment. Then, finally, he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, looking as though he was physically restraining himself from arguing further.
"And where, exactly, do you plan to work?"
"The Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee, maybe," she said. "They cover up magical incidents in the Muggle world. Or the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office. Arthur works there, so I'd at least have someone I trust nearby."
Remus let out a short, humorless laugh.
"Arthur isn't exactly in a position to protect you if something goes wrong."
Maria's stomach twisted.
"I know that," she said quietly. "I know I'd still be at risk."
Remus dragged a hand down his face.
"Maria, you don't have an identity in this world. You have no records, no family history, nothing. That might make it easier to hide, but it also makes it easier for you to just... disappear. No one at the Ministry would even question it if you suddenly went missing. Because to them, you don't exist."
Maria swallowed hard. She hated when he made points she couldn't refute.
"Dumbledore would make sure I was safe," she tried.
Remus let out another sharp laugh, but this one was more bitter.
"Dumbledore would make sure you were useful," he corrected. "That's not the same thing."
Maria stared at him.
"I thought you trusted Dumbledore."
"I do trust him," Remus said, his voice quieter now. "But I also know him."
That was... fair. She knew Dumbledore was a good man, but he was also a strategist above all else. He played a long game. And she wasn't sure whether he saw her as a person, or just another piece on his chessboard.
Still, she couldn't just do nothing.
"Remus," she murmured, squeezing his fingers. "I understand why you're worried. But we're all at risk, you especially."
His brow furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
She exhaled.
"Remus, you're a werewolf. That alone puts a target on your back. The Ministry's already enforcing anti-werewolf legislation, Voldemort is actively recruiting werewolves to fight for him, and people are afraid of you just because of what you are." Her voice softened. "If anyone's at risk, it's you."
Something flickered across Remus's face, and for a moment, he looked away. Maria squeezed his hand tighter.
"And yet, I know you're going to keep fighting anyway."
His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.
"That's... different."
"Not really," she countered. "You fight because it's the right thing to do. So do I."
Remus let out a long breath and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.
"You're not going to let this go, are you?" he murmured.
"Nope," she said, giving him a small, hopeful smile.
His lips twitched, but his eyes were still shadowed with worry.
"I hate this," he muttered.
"I know. I don't love it either."
"You really won't just stay at the joke shop?"
Maria smirked.
"Oh, I will be at the joke shop. But if the twins don't need me, I'll have to have a second option, don't I?"
Remus groaned, tilting his head back against the chair.
"You are going to be the death of me."
She grinned and reached up to run her fingers through his prematurely graying hair.
"Well," she teased, "at least your hair is already prepared for that."
Remus gave her an unamused look, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
Maria softened, her smile fading slightly.
"Remus... I promise I'll be careful. And I'll only talk to Dumbledore about that if Fred and George don't need me. I'm not that brave, you know?"
He let out a long breath and cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin.
"Just don't make me regret not chaining you to this house," he murmured.
Maria smirked.
"Kinky."
Remus groaned.
"Why do I even bother?"
Maria laughed, leaning up to kiss his cheek.
"Because you love me."
Remus sighed, shaking his head with a small, reluctant smile.
"I do. Merlin help me, I do."