A Marauders' Daughter

24

Wearing my snow boots, a winter coat, scarf and hat, I made my way towards the train station with my friends. The snow and the wind were heavy today, making it difficult to see the students in front of us. Angelina had her arm locked with mine as we walked through the deep snow, with our heads bent low. Once we reached the train, we stopped underneath the overhang of the station. Shaking my head to shake off the snow, I looked to the others who did the same.

"I'm going to miss you," I said as I hugged Angelina. "All of you." I looked over her shoulder to the twins, Lee and even Alicia.

"Are you sure you don't want to come over for Christmas?" Angelina asked again.

"I'm sure, I always celebrate it alone with my uncle." I smiled and went to hug Lee. The twins were waiting expectantly when Lee joined his girlfriend and Alicia. I went to hug George, but they both enveloped me in a tight twin hug, lifting me from the ground. "You two are crushing me." I grunted in their shoulders. They both put me down gently, a silly grin on their faces.

"Sorry." They said, each holding my hand. They gave it a squeeze before letting go. "We're going to miss you."

"On one hand, I'm going to miss you too. On the other hand, I'll finally have some peace and quiet." I grinned up at them. The twins clutched their hearts, gasping slightly. I stood on my toes and kissed their cheeks. "Now off you go, before the train leaves." The twins looked at me with a goofy grin, before they simultaneously winked. They waved at me as they stepped on the train one by one, the twins the last to board. They looked at me like they didn't want to leave me behind. I waved to them once more before they headed inside. Once the train was fully out of sight, I turned into Loki and trotted back to the castle, almost invisible in the snow.

"Hey, Crooks. How did you get in here?" I asked as Crookshanks leapt up on my lap purring. I was sitting with my back against the couch in front of the fire in our private chambers. The cat, of course, didn't answer and just curled into a ball on my lap. "Uncle Moony?"

"Yes, cub?" He looked up from his desk.

"Do you think he knows that I'm an Animagus?" I asked looking away from the ginger to the werewolf.

"I don't know." He frowned. "Why do you think that? And who's cat is that?"

"It's Hermione Granger's cat. She says no one can pet him except her, and well... me. And the way he looks at me." I looked back at the cat and cocked my head to examine him. "It seems like he wants to tell me something."

"Hm." I heard him shift from his seat and the next moment he was sitting down next to me in the ground. He hesitated as he lifted his hand towards the cat. Crookshanks lifted his head and looked to Moony with his large red-yellow eyes. The two of them had a little stare-off before the cat nudged his flat snout to his hand. I grinned when I saw his shoulders relax and petted the cat's head softly. "He is peculiar." He mused. "There is something about him that I can't put my finger on." He said as he took a sniff.

"Does he smell like something more than a cat?" I asked as I sniffed the air myself. "Hermione already tested him on being an Animagus."

"No, it's not that." He shook his head. "But there is something familiar."

"Maybe it's just me." I shrugged as I petted the cat.

"Maybe." He mumbled, but I knew that wasn't what he was thinking.

In my Loki form, I trotted around the empty castle. Exploring every crook and cranny I passed. It was fun exploring the castle when there was almost no one around, and no chance of getting caught. I was just heading down the stairs after spending the night in the tower with Harry, Hermione and Ron when I saw Crookshanks again.