(Charlie Rowe is the faceclaim for Samson)
☽☽☽
"DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHERE HE LIVES?" Athena asked. Remus pondered to himself for a second before nodding. Personally she wasn't sure whether this was a good idea.
Samson and Remus had never gotten on and that was a known fact. However this was Remus' niece they were talking about. He definitely had a right to meet her even if Samson was stuck up enough to claim that he didn't.
"I know where he lives" Remus continued, ignoring the cooking breakfast (which Athena had to save) Remus began to pace around the room with a plan forming on his face.
"He won't want to see you" Athena pointed out,
"I'm past caring, he has no right to keep this from me or my parents, especially not my parents"
Athena nodded along with what he was saying as she placed the food onto plates,
"He always claimed that they looked over him for being a squib, that they chased him out of his own home but that's a lie. All my parents ever did was love and care from him. It was his resentment that drove him away"
"Well we should go then" Athena smiled,
"We?" Remus frowned, "I can't take you it isn't safe"
"It's safer than leaving me here" Athena pointed out, "on my own, you're supposed to be looking after me"
"That's true"
"Right so when do you want to go?" She asked, "obviously we can't tomorrow because it's Sunday but next weeks pretty clear"
"I'm going today" stated Remus simply.
"Today?" She gasped, "don't you want to let him know you're coming first?"
"If I do that he'll tell me I can't come, we need the element of surprise"
"By randomly showing up on his doorstep?" Athena laughed, "what if he's not in?"
"Then we wait"
"Isn't this all a bit sudden?" Athena sighed, "I know you want to meet her and I want you to but we need to do this right, he could get a restraining order or something"
"If he tried that I'd—"
"You wouldn't be able to do anything Remus because you wouldn't be allowed near him without him calling the police"
"Right right whatever" Remus nodded, "I'll not do anything stupid but I am going today"
Athena stared at Remus in exasperation for a moment before realising that there was no way to change his mind. Instead Athena just shrugged slightly unwillingly causing a smile to grow on his face.
"Great!" Remus beamed as he walked over to the plate of breakfast and began to eat it so quickly that Athena felt rather sick.
"So where does he live?" She asked tentatively,
"London" Remus replied, "outskirts"
"Like Kennedy and Sirius?" Athena asked,
"No they live in west London, Samson lives in the south"
"Is it any different?" Athena asked,
"Not sure but Samson lives somewhere posh I know that much"
"How does he afford it, housing in London's expensive right?"
"Yeah Sirius' flat cost a fortune, good thing he's rich" Remus nodded, "as for Sam, I presume his wife must be loaded"
"She was nice" Athena mused, "we met her, remember?"
"Yeah" he nodded, "that was the last time I saw him... god that was ages ago were we even together?"
"Nope" Athena shook her head.
"Mental" Remus replied, "since when we're you such a slow eater?"
"I'm taking my time" Athena rolled her eyes noticing that Remus was practically bouncing on his seat in anticipation.
"I've never seen you so excited to see your brother" Athena muttered,
"I'm not excited to see him" said Remus, "I want to meet my niece and I want to tell him that he's a fucking—"
"You can't burst into his house and insult him"
"Watch me" Remus replied simply,
"If you want to get us kicked out then go for it" Athena continued, "there's no point being horrible to him"
"He didn't even tell me—"
"I'm not saying you can't be annoyed with him" Athena sighed, "I'm just telling you not to show that to his face if you want to have any chance of knowing your niece"
Remus nodded slowly before seeing Athena place her cutlery down on the empty plate.
"Let's go" he jumped up immediately,
"Now?" Athena sighed, "do you not want to think this over?"
"Not particularly no"
"Right fine but I'm getting changed first and you should too" Athena muttered, eyeing the pyjama bottoms he was still sporting.
Remus couldn't get ready quick enough. Athena wished that he was like this every day, usually he would wrap his arms around her and try to pull her back to bed. Although she did definitely enjoy that.
She looked herself over in the mirror dressed in a simple casual dress with her hair tied in a bun.
"You look gorgeous Rena now can we go?" Remus smiled at her, sitting on the bottom of the bed like a child waiting to go to the park.
"Yes let's go" Athena rolled her eyes. Remus took her hand and turned on his heel pulling Athena through something she hadn't prepared herself for. They arrived in some back alley that (despite being a back alley) looked rather pleasant.
Athena was out of breath and clutched at a stitch in her side, glaring at Remus.
"Some warning would be nice" she hissed as Remus looked around, getting his bearings in order before he started to pace out of the alley.
She'd never been to this part of London before but the village resembled a small country town a lot more than she had expected. Remus' hand was in hers as they walked together in time.
"I would have arrived closer but I thought it best to go somewhere where no one would see, we're in muggle territory here"
"Smart plan" Athena replied as she looked around. She wished she had brought a coat as the late October air was rather icy against her thin jacket.
"This is it" Remus beamed. They rounded the corner and faced a small cottage with a large front garden sheltered by trees.
"This is beautiful" Athena gasped, striding down the small path that led to the painted front door.
"It's alright" Remus shrugged evidently not wanting to compliment anything that had to do with his brother.
"Right" Athena turned to him as they stood outside the front door, "remember what I told you, don't lash out at him ok?"
"I'll be very respectful" Remus nodded in reply. Athena wished she could believe him as she moved the golden knocker and wrapped three times.
The woman who opened the door had gorgeous long blonde hair and a beaming smile. She was a muggle but Athena thought that if she was a witch everything would believe she were a veela.
"Heather" Athena smiled, "we've met before, Christmas two years ago I think?"
"Athena" Heather nodded, "it's lovely to see you and um... Remus"
Heather had that after motherly glow. Her skin was fresh, her eyes bright and she carried herself well.
"Sorry to intrude" Remus smiled politely, "I know, I know he doesn't want to see me and I know he doesn't want me to see—"
"Your parents told you, didn't they?" Heather sighed,
"Yes" Remus nodded.
"For the record I told Samson it was a bad idea to keep it from you but you know what he's like, very stubborn"
"I know" Remus continued, "and I don't want to force myself in somewhere I'm not wanted but, well she's my niece"
"She is" Heather nodded, "are you two um–"
The blonde stared at their entwined hands and smiled brighter than ever,
"You two are just darlings" she gushed, "you make such a cute couple"
"Thanks" Athena murmured feeling as though she was a child by the tone Heather used on her. Suddenly her eyes caught a glimpse of another figure pushing into the porch.
Samson looked the same as he had done last time they saw him, arguably he seemed older. His hair was longer and the curls had dropped out because of this. He'd grown more facial hair and had more stress lines over his skin (probably came with being a father).
"Heather go check on Elle" he told her simply. Heather smiled at the two of them again before she hurried inside.
"Elle" Remus muttered, "that's beautiful"
"Apparently Eleanor means bright or shining" Samson replied, "suits her"
"I know we've never seen eye to eye" Remus began,
"That's easy to say coming from you" Samson interrupted, "being the favourite and all"
"Sam—"
"Save it" Samson shook his head, "I told mum and dad not to tell you but I guessed that they might"
"I have a right to meet her, I have a right to be in her life"
"Not if I say you don't" Samson barked.
"Please" Athena held onto Remus' arm to stop him from yelling. Samson turned to Athena curiously,
"You're together now?" Samson raised his eyebrows, "you can do better than him"
Remus opened his mouth to snap at his brother but Athena tightened her grip on his arm.
"We don't mean any harm by coming here, obviously we know that Eleanor is your daughter and nothing will change that, we would be here on your terms. All we want is to meet her, Remus is her uncle whether you like it or not"
Samson paused for a moment, running his hand over his hair.
"Right" he nodded, "you're right"
Remus squeezed her hand and Athena noticed a smile creep over his face which made everything she'd just said ten times more satisfying.
"Right you can meet her, I can't stop you from doing that after all you're my brother" said Samson.
He beckoned them inside and Athena was hit by the smell of lavender and fresh baking as she entered.
Their house was like a fairytale dream. Imagine a cottage, the most beautiful, whimsical cottage from a book. This was their home. It was beautifully picturesque with plants and art littering the walls.
The stairs were wooden and curved but not spiral. There were mirrors dotted around and small trinkets taking up many of the surfaces.
"Do you want some tea?" Samson asked, "or coffee"
"I'll have a tea please" Athena smiled.
"Yeah me too" Remus nodded,
"Milk? Sugar?"
"Just milk please" Athena smiled,
"Just one sugar" Remus added,
"No milk?" Samson frowned, "god I forgot how weird you are"
Remus scoffed but didn't say anything as Samson prepared the tea.
"She's upstairs" he continued, "you can just go up now, Heather will be up there"
Athena nodded and pulled Remus out of the room. He seemed to be frozen with nerves as though this first impression was going to mean everything. Truthfully as Elle grew up she would grow to forget this encounter yet to Remus it meant the world.
Athena could hear Heather signing softly from one of the rooms as they made it up the wooden staircase. Elle's room was directly to the right. They pushed open the door to see it had been decorated like a fairy's grotto. Heather was definitely good at interior design (Athena presumed it was Athena's work as Samson didn't seem the type).
Eleanor herself just looked like an average baby, yet a very cute one. She had large eyes that were a chestnut brown and small wisps of strawberry blonde hair over her head.
She smiled up at them as they entered and Athena was sure that her heart melted.
"He said yes then?" Heather smiled, "I'm glad, do you want to hold her?"
Remus nodded but didn't say a word as though there was nothing he could say to comprehend how he felt. Heather lifted the baby up and Remus scooped her into her arms so gently as though she were made of glass.
"Hi" he whispered, "Hi Elle"
Elle just made a small gurgling noise and lifted her arm into the air.
"She's beautiful" Athena cooed.
"I know" Heather nodded, "she's surprisingly calm, barely cried"
"She's sixth months, right?" Athena asked and Heather nodded,
"Born on the fifteenth of April" Heather smiled.
"Eleanor Grace" Athena murmured as she reached her hand towards the baby. Elle reached up and closed her tiny fingers around one of Athena's. Athena swore she could have cried with joy as the big brown eyes blinked up at her.
"Dad was right" Remus smiled, "she does have my mother's eyes"
Samson walked into the room holding two mugs of tea and Remus had to pass Elle back to Heather so he could take his own.
"She's adorable" Remus told his brother. Samson nodded and he couldn't even hide his happiness as he looked at his own daughter.
"She is, isn't she" he grinned, "apparently babies don't say their first words until about twelve months but I'm already betting she'll say dad"
"She'll say mummy" Heather shook her head,
"She's her fathers daughter" Samson replied,
"Let's hope not" Remus whispered so quietly that only Athena could here.
"We're you ever going to tell me?" Remus asked, trying to sound as polite as possible.
"Probably" he nodded, "it's not that I want to keep you out but... well let's be honest Remus our lives don't exactly mix"
"She'll probably be magic" Remus frowned and Athena nearly spat out her tea at his abruptness.
Samson's face hardened as he turned to the two of them. Athena was wide eyes and wished she could telepathically tell Remus to shut up.
"She'll be normal, like us" Samson replied,
"Actually" Remus continued, "she'll be half blood, it's rare that the magic gene would skip two generations, obviously it didn't properly skip you which means it will have been passed onto her"
"She's not one of your lot" Samson snapped, "she's my daughter"
"If you're going to argue don't do it in front of her" Heather warned, holding Elle close to her chest.
"Do you agree with this?" Remus asked, turning to Heather "or has he imposed his opinions onto you?"
"Remus" Samson muttered, "don't go there"
"I don't want her to be magic" Heather replied, "I'm not, how am I supposed to care for a child that I know nothing about?"
"You can't choose whether she's magic or not" Remus continued, "she will be, it's almost inevitable"
"She won't be" Samson shook his head,
"You can't live in denial about this" Remus sighed, "sooner or later you're not going to be able to hide the truth"
"I'll be able to"
"You're going to keep this from her forever?" Remus gasped, "you're not even going to tell her that magic exists"
"No" Samson snapped, "and she'll live a better life because of it"
"Actually" Athena stepped in, "when a child's magic is suppressed or ignored it can have devastating consequences"
"Shut up this has nothing to do with you" Samson yelled,
"Don't talk to her like that!"
"Please not in front of Elle" Heather repeated. Athena turned to the baby who wasn't crying yet didn't have the same smile she once had.
"You're leaving" Samson continued, "both of you"
"You can't do that" Remus cried as his bother ushered him out of the room,
"I'm not having you telling me how to raise my own child"
"I'm warning you that if you don't accept she's a witch her life could be—"
"Elle will be fine, Heather is an amazing mother"
"It's not a question of how good a mother she is, it's the fact that the both of you are being ignorant to the truth".
Athena and Remus were being hurried down the stairs now, cups of tea still in hand. Athena placed her mug on a side table as she turned to the brothers.
"What happens when her Hogwarts letter comes?" Remus asked, "she's going to find
out eventually"
"No she won't" Samson shook his head, "not if I have anything to do with it, she'll not be getting any letter"
"She's a Lupin!"
"She's my daughter!",
"You can't lie to her" Remus protested, "I'll not let you"
"You are going to have no part in her life" Samson snapped, "I don't want you having anything to do with it"
"You can't stop me!" Remus yelled, "I'll come back"
"Don't even think about it" Samson snapped, "you'll not be getting through the front door, this is why I didn't tell you! I knew that you'd think that you knew best, you always do but this is my life and my daughter and if I say that I don't want you to have any part of it then you won't have any part in it"
By now Samson had backed them to the front door. Athena stumbled out into the fresh air and watched as Remus went to argue back however before he could the front door was slammed in their faces.
Remus was still holding his cup of tea rather stupidly but his hands were shaking meaning the liquid inside was trickling over the edge. Athena took it from him and placed it by the front door.
"They're not going to let me see her" Remus murmured, "they're going to ruin her life, if they contain her magic... that does awful things... they're going to lie to her... she's not going to know who I am"
"Hey it's ok" Athena sighed as she walked towards him and wrapped her arms around him. He burrowed his head into her shoulder and she heard the faint sobs as she placed her head against his chest.
"They don't understand" Athena rubbed his arm comfortingly, "they think they're doing the best thing, they don't realise what... containing magic does"
"I've seen things like this before... with muggleborns when their parents refuse to accept... this can't happen to her"
"They're not going to let you back" Athena muttered and regretted to hear Remus cry more.
"She's my niece" Remus mumbled, "what about my parents? Surely they said this"
"I'm not sure Remus" said Athena, "come on we need to get home"
Remus nodded as he moved away from her, his cheeks stained in tears and his eyes red.
"She was so beautiful" Remus sniffed, "and she'll never know who I am"
"They might come around, when Elle starts showing signs of magic they surely can't ignore it"
"They will" Remus shook his head, "Heather said it herself, Samson's always been stubborn, even if that means putting his own daughter in danger"
Athena reached out for his hand and he held it tightly as they apperated away feeling both regret and sadness.
☽☽☽
A/n
Words - 3100
Published - 27th February 2021
I'm re writing
Cinnamon dreams and
It's a lot harder than
I thought it would be
because there's so
many little things I want
to change