To The Moon and Back | Remus Lupin's Daughter

22. Shadows of the past - Remus

September 1993

Making our way through platform nine and three quarters was bittersweet. Grasping onto Sirius hand as though it was a life line as we made our way onto the train. It felt wrong. Wrong to be here with James and Lily. It was unfair. They should have been here, sending Harry off to his third year at hogwarts.

Merlin, then there's Harry. Who we haven't seen since he was a toddler.

How would we react seeing him for the first time. Would he recognise us? Probably not, he was so young when he was taken to the Dursley's house and I doubt he remembered anything from his life before that cruel twist of faith that shifted our lives forever.

I should feel happy to be back? Hogwarts was always my home away from home. I was beginning my dream job. I'd the love of my life by my side again. My beautiful daughter coming to the school with us. Yet I couldn't help be anger at the universe. All of this felt like a cruel joke.

Perhaps  it was the lingering anger from what happened in the ministry yesterday. The bloody demon woman threatening my daughter in front of the ministry. The sly look of lucius malfoys face right up until the minister walked out of his office. It took hours for Sirius to calm me down after our meeting.

Not that our meeting went too well either. The minister tried to cover for Dresella stating she must have been stressed from her job and miss her daughter. Had the audacity to suggest I explore shared custody to appease the desperate witch, thankfully the Letovian Council shot that down immediately. Stating it was a matter out of Fudge's jurisdiction and hed do well to keep his nose out of our private matters. The arsehole completely washed over the treat on his daughter's life. I wanted to leave the meeting and be damned with the consequences whatever matters they'd to discuss could have waited for all I  cared. Astra had slept through the whole meeting, shaking the entire time from the stress and trauma of the situation.

I was revealed when Viktor suggested his pack would monitor the demented witch to ensure she stayed far away from Astra. Elladora and Anne had agreed it was the best precaution.

Much of yesterday's meeting was a blur to me, my mind was too distracted by the spectacle that had happened just before it. I of really remember the dissension not to have Astra be a full student of hogwarts she was far too young to be left in the dormitories with students far older than her instead she'd be a sort of part time student until she was a little older. Fudge and Albus completed a few academic tests to check her abilities she would have been well able for the course of any first year student in hogwarts but for her safety and keeping her identity a secret for as long as we could shed be attending only private lessons and have an escort around the castle at all times as a safety precaution, much to my relief.

The only good part of the meeting was seeing Sirius get his pardon papers the joy that filled his eyes knowing he was truly a free man and no one could take that away from him. only for the happiness to be cut sort when an auror came rushing into Fudge's office and whispered something to the minister, which shortly fallowed with an abrupt end to our meeting and a panicked look on the obnoxious man's face. 

"Moony? you okay?" Sirius asked as we sat down in the last compartment of the last carriage. I just looked into his concerned grey eyes with a sad smile. this place brought back too many memories. memories of simpler times, back when there were four instead of two mauraders. Countless journeys to the Scottish highlands planning out pranks and moonlit adventures. back when life was simpler before war tore us apart piece by piece, before we lost everything to a demented man's trust for power. 

the engraved initials on on the wood panelling under the window where are stark reminder of those carefree Hogwarts days. 

R. J. L.