Prologue
So am expanding into a new ship for me, Remus/OC. This is labelled as Remus/Hermione but it is purely a platonic relationship.
He was happy for once in his life, and a law ruined it. He lost everything he held dear, within the space of a year, and its time for him to gradually reclaim it.
'Thia,' he urged. 'Walk a bit faster would you? You don't know who's following us. We must be quick.'
'What you ask of me my love is not simple,' she said softly in response to his tone of urgency, clutching the bundle to her chest. 'She's sleeping.'
'I'm sorry,' he said with a weary smile, turning to look over his shoulder at her beautiful face and teary blue eyes.
'I don't want to do it,' she sniffed, pulling the bundle closer to her and keeping her eyes fixed there, away from his.
'I know you don't my love,' he said solemnly, following her gaze down to the bundle. 'But we can't give her a future, not with things the way they are.'
'The ministry have deserted us Remus!' she sobbed. 'I sense his hand in this Remus! I know because of your condition you were a social outcast, but to prevent you by law having children on pain of death, that is disgusting! She was born under the full moon and she is fine, why have they done this to us?'
'Hush Orinthia,' he said with a frown. 'I cannot explain why they have done this, but I can only assume Lord Voldemort to have a hand in this. You know he has his spies within the ministry, and since I denied joining the cause, things have not been safe!'
'Don't you think I know that?' she spat with contempt. 'They attacked the house in the dead of night during the full moon, when you were powerless to protect us. Thank Merlin I was not showing then, otherwise this option would also have been exhausted!'
'I know,' he replied, emotions running high as he saw the multitude of emotions coarsing through the eyes of his beloved. 'This is for the best Orinthia, surely you can understand it.'
'Of course I understand it Remus, it doesn't mean I have to like it!' she said, prompting the child in her arms to wail.
'Oh my darling I am sorry,' she said soothingly, rocking the child. 'What of her magic Remus? We are powerful, the signs will begin to show early if our childhood's are anything to go by.'
'Lily prepared for that,' he said softly. 'She performed a charm on the baby so that her magical abilities would not come to light until she was 10. It has been arranged with Dumbledore so that when she is accepted to Hogwarts, she will be under her adopted name, not the one we gave her. Just to be safe, I don't want her to fall prey to any errant Death Eaters. I don't know how long this war will go on for Orinthia, but we have to be prepared for the fact that we may never see her again.'
Turning to her now cooing child, Orinthia held her close in the blanket that sheltered her and said tenderly, 'My baby, I pray we will meet again someday if fate allows it. You have an important role to play in this fight, I can sense it. But it is important that you grow up in a safe and certain environment. I am so sorry that your father and I cannot give it to you. So always be strong and true to yourself, regardless of what others think. I love you so much. Our little Ophelia Phoebe Averill-Lupin.'
Straightening her posture and transfiguring her travelling cloak into a shabby but warm jacket, she said, 'Well then, are you ready to play the part of a desperate homeless muggle that can't afford to keep their child?'
Following her lead, he transfigured his clothes into shabby muggles ones and said, 'It's the role we have to play to ensure her safety.'
Pulling his fiancee towards him and planting a kiss to her temple, he said, 'Ophelia, sweet baby Ophelia, this is goodbye. For your mother and I too.'
'Remus, what do you mean?' she asked in quiet alarm.
'I can't ask you to stay by my side when there is so much danger. Go and stay with your mother in the States, it is the wisest option for the foreseeable future. She saw this war coming Thia, you will be safer with her. I'm a marked man, I don't want to take you down with me.'
'So this is goodbye?' she sobbed.
'For now,' he said gently. 'But my prayers will be filled with the hope that we will one day be together again, as a family.'
