Hi everyone! I know this looks like its going to be a Mary Sue at first,
but I promise its not. Its planned to be a full on Harry/Draco slash. So,
of course, if you don't like slash, don't read this. Okay, here's my
disclaimer: I obviously don't own any of the characters here (except for
Shashi), because if I did, the books would be really different than they
are! Hope you like my little tale.
Chapter One
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were walking out to the entrance hall to Hogwarts, on their way to see Hagrid. Harry stopped abruptly as they reached the hall. A girl he had never seen stood just inside the door.
"Wow." Ron said. "She must be new. I would have remembered someone that gorgeous going to school with us." Harry looked the girl over. He supposed she was pretty. She was tall and willowy, with dark hair and eyes. But at the moment what she really looked was lost. He approached her cautiously. She also looked rather wild.
"Are you lost?" He asked. She whipped around, apparently startled by someone talking to her. She was shaking. She stared at Harry and then, after a moment, spoke.
"Father, father, find a father. Know my father?" She rocked herself back and forth as she spoke, almost imperceptibly so. Harry wasn't sure what she was saying, but decided to take a guess.
"You're looking for your father?"
"Know my father?" She repeated, hope in her eyes.
"No." He said slowly. "No, I don't. But maybe someone I know does."
He turned to Ron and Hermione, who had come up behind him. "I think she's lost."
"So what do we do?" Hermione asked, staring at the girl a little rudely.
"I'm going to take her to Dumbledore. Maybe he can help her."
He turned back to the girl, who was now staring at him with more interest. She reached out and brushed back his bangs, exposing his scar.
"Know you, know you, everyone knows you. Harry Potter, potter Harry. Scar on the head, Voldemort's dead!" She was lightly running her fingers over Harry's scar, in a way no one had ever been bold enough to do before.
Ron laughed. "I rather like that. Catchy little rhyme."
Hermione just glared at him. "Are you taking her to Dumbledore or not?" She asked Harry crossly. Apparently she disliked the girl already. Harry, on the other hand, found her strangely charming.
"Come on." He said, taking the girl's hand away from his head. "I'm going to take you to someone who may know about your father."
"Find my father!" The girl replied cheerfully. But she held on to Harry's hand. He just shrugged at Hermione and Ron when they noticed this. He gently steered the girl down the hall, talking to her softly as if she was a small child. Which was sort of how she was behaving. Hermione and Ron followed silently behind.
They were almost to Dumbledore's office having had no incidents, when they ran into Malfoy. He took one look at Harry and the girl clinging to his hand, and couldn't resist the temptation.
"Finally got a girlfriend, Potter?" He sneered nastily. The girl cocked her head and looked at him. And then, before Harry could stop her, reached out and placed her hand on his cheek.
"Pretty, pretty, oh so pretty." Malfoy's eyes widened and he jerked back.
"Come on." Harry said quietly into the girl's ear. Malfoy was so startled that he let them pass without another comment.
Finally they arrived at the gargoyle that marked the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Harry said the password, gumballs, and then stepped back to let it open. The girl barely blinked at the turning and twisting statue. 'Yet she just has to comment on Malfoy's looks." Harry thought to himself. He led her up the stairs, and then knocked on the partially open door before him.
"Dumbledore, sir? May I have a word?"
"Harry!" Dumbledore's voice called out to him. "Come in!" He led the girl into the room and then stopped in front of the headmaster's desk.
"Well, what do we have here?" Dumbledore asked, taking the girl in.
"I found her in the front hall, sir. She seemed lost and kind of confused. I think she's looking for her father. So I brought her to you."
"Right thing to do, of course. Have a seat, both of you." Dumbledore said, looking at the girl with more concern.
"You think I should stay?" Harry asked, surprised. Dumbledore smiled, glancing down at their intertwined hands.
"Do you think she'd let you do anything else?" Harry blushed, but sat.
"Now, my dear girl. What's your name?" She started rocking again and raised her free hand to her mouth.
"Bala, bala. Shashibala. Mother said, yes she did. Find my father, mother said." She was gnawing at her nails.
"Shashibala." Dumbledore repeated. "Moon girl."
"Sir?" Harry asked, surprised that the headmaster was now starting to sound like the girl at his side.
"Its Indian. Shashibala means 'moon girl'." "Oh."
"So. Shashibala. Where is your mother?"
"Mother gone. Long ago. All alone. Find my father. Not alone." Harry looked at the girl in surprise. She shouldn't be left alone! How had she managed to even get here, in her state?
"How long has your mother been gone?" Dumbledore asked quietly. Harry had a feeling he was thinking the exact same thing that Harry was.
"Small, small, mother gone. All alone. Sixty moons and mother gone." She was rocking harder now, so Harry reached over to try and soothe her.
"Sixty moons. That's five years." Dumbledore said slowly. "All alone at five! How awful!" Harry agreed. What child could care for themselves at that age? "Now, my dear. I don't think you're father is here. This is a school. But I'll certainly help you look for him."
"Not here? Not here. The wolves said, they told me, they never lie, wolves don't lie. Father is here, they told me! Smell him here. So close, keep missing him. The wolves said!" She seemed quite distraught.
"Wolves?" Dumbledore exclaimed, shooting a look at Harry. Harry knew what he was thinking. Lupin. Professor Lupin had come back to Hogwarts this year. "Harry, could you go get Professor Lupin? Tell him I need to see him immediately."
"Yes, sir." Harry stood to leave, but Shashibala yelped when he tried to remove his hand from hers.
"He'll be back. He's just helping find your father." Dumbledore said gently, leaning across his desk to aid Harry. "Better come back with him." He said to Harry as he managed to free his hand.
"Yes, sir." Harry felt like he was being dragged into other people's business, but he would come back if Dumbledore thought he should.
He hurried out of the office, and found Hermione and Ron still waiting for him outside. He sighed. It seemed his afternoon plans had been changed.
"You guys better just go on without me. I have to go back up."
"You're not done?" Hermione asked.
"No. I just have to run and get Professor Lupin. Shashibala won't let go of me for more than a minute."
"Shashibala?" Hermione asked, eyebrow raised.
"That's her name." Harry sighed. He didn't have time for questioning.
"So it looks like you found a girlfriend after all." Ron said with a laugh.
"She's all yours, mate. I don't go for the crazy, muttering types."
"And you think I do?" Ron asked, pretending to be offended.
"You go for any type that's female and breathing." Hermione said. Now Ron really did look offended.
"Look guys. This is fascinating, but I have to go. And you should just go see Hagrid without me. I don't know how long this is going to take."
"Fine, whatever." Ron said dismissively as he turned on Hermione. "What was that supposed to mean?" Harry heard her respond in a sarcastic tone as he hurried down the hall.
When he reached Professor Lupin's office he knocked nervously. He usually wasn't nervous going to see his favorite professor, but he usually wasn't bringing tidings of a long lost daughter.
"Yes?" The professor's voice floated out to him.
"Hi, Professor." Harry said, poking his head in the door. "Um, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you right away." Lupin looked up, concerned. "Is everything alright?"
"I think so." Harry said, avoiding looking directly at him. How much was he supposed to reveal?
"Well, lets go then." Lupin said, getting up and arranging a few papers before joining Harry in the hall. "Are you coming back with me?"
"Um, yes. Dumbledore wanted me to." Harry replied as they set off.
"Then you must know what this is about."
"Not really. There was this girl."
"A girl."
"Yes. Um, an orphan, sort of. Looking for her father." He shot a curious glance at Lupin, but the professor seemed unfazed.
"Poor girl. I hope I'll be able to help." Harry was surprised. He assumed Lupin must have known about the child he left behind, if Shashibala was, indeed, his. But he seemed to have no idea. 'Poor Lupin. Is he in for a shock!' Harry thought.
They entered Dumbledore's office, Harry in the lead, butterflies in his stomach. He really didn't think this was a family reunion he needed to be a part of .
"Ah, Professor Lupin. How good of you to join us. Please, have a seat." Dumbledore said as they walked in. Harry's eyes, however, were fixed on Shashibala. She seemed very interested in Lupin's presence, and kept sniffing deeply.
"I hear we have a lost girl on our hands." Lupin said, looking at Shashibala with interest.
"Ah. Yes. This is Shashibala. And she comes to our institution seeking her father. She seems to be under the impression that he's here."
"Is he?" Lupin asked, eyebrows raised. He would certainly be interested in what faculty member had just left a child lying around.
"Perhaps, perhaps. Isn't Shashibala and interesting name?" Dumbledore said, appearing to be lost in thought. Harry had long ago learned that even when Dumbledore seemed to have gotten off track, he knew exactly what he was doing. And this time, Harry could follow. Dumbledore wanted Lupin to realize his part in all this on his own.
"Yes. Very unusual. Even around here." Lupin replied with a laugh.
"Mmm. Its Indian. Translates to 'moon girl'."
"That's pretty." Lupin replied easily. He, too, knew to just let Dumbledore make his point in his own time.
"Another interesting this about Shashi here. She said the wolves told her that her father was here. They smelled him." Lupin's eyes widened. He had finally caught on.
"The wolves said. Oh, my." "Is it true?" Dumbledore asked him gently.
"I'm not sure. I wouldn't have thought so. But." He turned to Shashi suddenly. "How old are you?"
Shashi looked surprised. It was the first time she had been included in the conversation. She had just been sitting quietly, sniffing at Lupin and holding on to Harry's hand.
"Old, how old, old how?" She narrowed her eyes in concentration, clearly trying to come up with an answer even though she didn't know what he was asking. Lupin turned to Dumbledore, horrified.
"She. hmmm." The headmaster was clearly trying to come up with a polite way to tell Lupin his daughter was off her rocker. "She's been alone since she was five. Looking for you, apparently. If you are." He trailed off. "Hmm. Shashi, dear?" The girl turned to him, worry in her eyes. She could tell that Lupin was upset. "How many moons are you? Your whole life?" He tried to phrase the question in a way she would understand.
"Moons, moons, how many am I?" she began rocking, biting her lip. Harry couldn't stand it.
"Its okay. Shhh, its okay. Just think about the moons. Just think it over" He whispered in her ear, stroking her hair. She stopped rocking and looked up at him.
"Harry Potter." She said, her first concise statement. She brushed at his scar, and then smiled at him. 'Ron was right' Harry thought, surprised. She is gorgeous. "Moons, moons, many moons." She bit her lip again. "194." She finally said, astounding everyone in the room. Lupin turned to Dumbledore helplessly.
"Sixteen and two months." Dumbledore translated for them.
"Sixteen years. And you said her name was Indian?" Lupin asked.
"Yes."
"Oh, god." He buried his face in his hands. "I was in India sixteen years ago. England was a scary place to be for a werewolf, what with You-Know- Who. I was hiding out. I met a girl. Oh, god." He raised his head. "I had no idea! If I had known, I never would have left her!" He turned to Shashi with renewed horror. His daughter.
Shashi could tell he was upset, and began to get upset herself. "shhh," Harry told her. "Its okay. Its okay." He looked at Lupin. "I don't think you should show your emotions quite so much, Professor."
"Right. Of course." Lupin replied, straightening, and visibly trying to calm himself.
"Shashi, dear. I think we have accomplished out goal. This is Remus. Your father." Dumbledore told her with an extravagant gesture towards Lupin. Shashi's eyes widened.
"Father, father, found my father?" She asked.
"Yes, you have. I'm your father." Lupin said gently, taking the hand that Harry wasn't holding.
"Found my father!" She exclaimed and burst into tears. She released Harry's hand and threw herself at Lupin. "Finally!" she breathed. Harry was once again startled by a normal word coming out of her mouth. He looked to Dumbledore, mouthing, 'should I go?'
"I think we both should." Dumbledore said, standing. Lupin looked up at him. "Take your time. We'll see you both at dinner if you're up to it." The headmaster assured him. He then led Harry out of the room.
In the main corridor Harry was surprised to find Dumbledore wiping at his eyes.
"So heartwarming." He explained. "A family reunited." Harry had to agree. It was a nice sight.
Chapter One
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were walking out to the entrance hall to Hogwarts, on their way to see Hagrid. Harry stopped abruptly as they reached the hall. A girl he had never seen stood just inside the door.
"Wow." Ron said. "She must be new. I would have remembered someone that gorgeous going to school with us." Harry looked the girl over. He supposed she was pretty. She was tall and willowy, with dark hair and eyes. But at the moment what she really looked was lost. He approached her cautiously. She also looked rather wild.
"Are you lost?" He asked. She whipped around, apparently startled by someone talking to her. She was shaking. She stared at Harry and then, after a moment, spoke.
"Father, father, find a father. Know my father?" She rocked herself back and forth as she spoke, almost imperceptibly so. Harry wasn't sure what she was saying, but decided to take a guess.
"You're looking for your father?"
"Know my father?" She repeated, hope in her eyes.
"No." He said slowly. "No, I don't. But maybe someone I know does."
He turned to Ron and Hermione, who had come up behind him. "I think she's lost."
"So what do we do?" Hermione asked, staring at the girl a little rudely.
"I'm going to take her to Dumbledore. Maybe he can help her."
He turned back to the girl, who was now staring at him with more interest. She reached out and brushed back his bangs, exposing his scar.
"Know you, know you, everyone knows you. Harry Potter, potter Harry. Scar on the head, Voldemort's dead!" She was lightly running her fingers over Harry's scar, in a way no one had ever been bold enough to do before.
Ron laughed. "I rather like that. Catchy little rhyme."
Hermione just glared at him. "Are you taking her to Dumbledore or not?" She asked Harry crossly. Apparently she disliked the girl already. Harry, on the other hand, found her strangely charming.
"Come on." He said, taking the girl's hand away from his head. "I'm going to take you to someone who may know about your father."
"Find my father!" The girl replied cheerfully. But she held on to Harry's hand. He just shrugged at Hermione and Ron when they noticed this. He gently steered the girl down the hall, talking to her softly as if she was a small child. Which was sort of how she was behaving. Hermione and Ron followed silently behind.
They were almost to Dumbledore's office having had no incidents, when they ran into Malfoy. He took one look at Harry and the girl clinging to his hand, and couldn't resist the temptation.
"Finally got a girlfriend, Potter?" He sneered nastily. The girl cocked her head and looked at him. And then, before Harry could stop her, reached out and placed her hand on his cheek.
"Pretty, pretty, oh so pretty." Malfoy's eyes widened and he jerked back.
"Come on." Harry said quietly into the girl's ear. Malfoy was so startled that he let them pass without another comment.
Finally they arrived at the gargoyle that marked the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Harry said the password, gumballs, and then stepped back to let it open. The girl barely blinked at the turning and twisting statue. 'Yet she just has to comment on Malfoy's looks." Harry thought to himself. He led her up the stairs, and then knocked on the partially open door before him.
"Dumbledore, sir? May I have a word?"
"Harry!" Dumbledore's voice called out to him. "Come in!" He led the girl into the room and then stopped in front of the headmaster's desk.
"Well, what do we have here?" Dumbledore asked, taking the girl in.
"I found her in the front hall, sir. She seemed lost and kind of confused. I think she's looking for her father. So I brought her to you."
"Right thing to do, of course. Have a seat, both of you." Dumbledore said, looking at the girl with more concern.
"You think I should stay?" Harry asked, surprised. Dumbledore smiled, glancing down at their intertwined hands.
"Do you think she'd let you do anything else?" Harry blushed, but sat.
"Now, my dear girl. What's your name?" She started rocking again and raised her free hand to her mouth.
"Bala, bala. Shashibala. Mother said, yes she did. Find my father, mother said." She was gnawing at her nails.
"Shashibala." Dumbledore repeated. "Moon girl."
"Sir?" Harry asked, surprised that the headmaster was now starting to sound like the girl at his side.
"Its Indian. Shashibala means 'moon girl'." "Oh."
"So. Shashibala. Where is your mother?"
"Mother gone. Long ago. All alone. Find my father. Not alone." Harry looked at the girl in surprise. She shouldn't be left alone! How had she managed to even get here, in her state?
"How long has your mother been gone?" Dumbledore asked quietly. Harry had a feeling he was thinking the exact same thing that Harry was.
"Small, small, mother gone. All alone. Sixty moons and mother gone." She was rocking harder now, so Harry reached over to try and soothe her.
"Sixty moons. That's five years." Dumbledore said slowly. "All alone at five! How awful!" Harry agreed. What child could care for themselves at that age? "Now, my dear. I don't think you're father is here. This is a school. But I'll certainly help you look for him."
"Not here? Not here. The wolves said, they told me, they never lie, wolves don't lie. Father is here, they told me! Smell him here. So close, keep missing him. The wolves said!" She seemed quite distraught.
"Wolves?" Dumbledore exclaimed, shooting a look at Harry. Harry knew what he was thinking. Lupin. Professor Lupin had come back to Hogwarts this year. "Harry, could you go get Professor Lupin? Tell him I need to see him immediately."
"Yes, sir." Harry stood to leave, but Shashibala yelped when he tried to remove his hand from hers.
"He'll be back. He's just helping find your father." Dumbledore said gently, leaning across his desk to aid Harry. "Better come back with him." He said to Harry as he managed to free his hand.
"Yes, sir." Harry felt like he was being dragged into other people's business, but he would come back if Dumbledore thought he should.
He hurried out of the office, and found Hermione and Ron still waiting for him outside. He sighed. It seemed his afternoon plans had been changed.
"You guys better just go on without me. I have to go back up."
"You're not done?" Hermione asked.
"No. I just have to run and get Professor Lupin. Shashibala won't let go of me for more than a minute."
"Shashibala?" Hermione asked, eyebrow raised.
"That's her name." Harry sighed. He didn't have time for questioning.
"So it looks like you found a girlfriend after all." Ron said with a laugh.
"She's all yours, mate. I don't go for the crazy, muttering types."
"And you think I do?" Ron asked, pretending to be offended.
"You go for any type that's female and breathing." Hermione said. Now Ron really did look offended.
"Look guys. This is fascinating, but I have to go. And you should just go see Hagrid without me. I don't know how long this is going to take."
"Fine, whatever." Ron said dismissively as he turned on Hermione. "What was that supposed to mean?" Harry heard her respond in a sarcastic tone as he hurried down the hall.
When he reached Professor Lupin's office he knocked nervously. He usually wasn't nervous going to see his favorite professor, but he usually wasn't bringing tidings of a long lost daughter.
"Yes?" The professor's voice floated out to him.
"Hi, Professor." Harry said, poking his head in the door. "Um, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you right away." Lupin looked up, concerned. "Is everything alright?"
"I think so." Harry said, avoiding looking directly at him. How much was he supposed to reveal?
"Well, lets go then." Lupin said, getting up and arranging a few papers before joining Harry in the hall. "Are you coming back with me?"
"Um, yes. Dumbledore wanted me to." Harry replied as they set off.
"Then you must know what this is about."
"Not really. There was this girl."
"A girl."
"Yes. Um, an orphan, sort of. Looking for her father." He shot a curious glance at Lupin, but the professor seemed unfazed.
"Poor girl. I hope I'll be able to help." Harry was surprised. He assumed Lupin must have known about the child he left behind, if Shashibala was, indeed, his. But he seemed to have no idea. 'Poor Lupin. Is he in for a shock!' Harry thought.
They entered Dumbledore's office, Harry in the lead, butterflies in his stomach. He really didn't think this was a family reunion he needed to be a part of .
"Ah, Professor Lupin. How good of you to join us. Please, have a seat." Dumbledore said as they walked in. Harry's eyes, however, were fixed on Shashibala. She seemed very interested in Lupin's presence, and kept sniffing deeply.
"I hear we have a lost girl on our hands." Lupin said, looking at Shashibala with interest.
"Ah. Yes. This is Shashibala. And she comes to our institution seeking her father. She seems to be under the impression that he's here."
"Is he?" Lupin asked, eyebrows raised. He would certainly be interested in what faculty member had just left a child lying around.
"Perhaps, perhaps. Isn't Shashibala and interesting name?" Dumbledore said, appearing to be lost in thought. Harry had long ago learned that even when Dumbledore seemed to have gotten off track, he knew exactly what he was doing. And this time, Harry could follow. Dumbledore wanted Lupin to realize his part in all this on his own.
"Yes. Very unusual. Even around here." Lupin replied with a laugh.
"Mmm. Its Indian. Translates to 'moon girl'."
"That's pretty." Lupin replied easily. He, too, knew to just let Dumbledore make his point in his own time.
"Another interesting this about Shashi here. She said the wolves told her that her father was here. They smelled him." Lupin's eyes widened. He had finally caught on.
"The wolves said. Oh, my." "Is it true?" Dumbledore asked him gently.
"I'm not sure. I wouldn't have thought so. But." He turned to Shashi suddenly. "How old are you?"
Shashi looked surprised. It was the first time she had been included in the conversation. She had just been sitting quietly, sniffing at Lupin and holding on to Harry's hand.
"Old, how old, old how?" She narrowed her eyes in concentration, clearly trying to come up with an answer even though she didn't know what he was asking. Lupin turned to Dumbledore, horrified.
"She. hmmm." The headmaster was clearly trying to come up with a polite way to tell Lupin his daughter was off her rocker. "She's been alone since she was five. Looking for you, apparently. If you are." He trailed off. "Hmm. Shashi, dear?" The girl turned to him, worry in her eyes. She could tell that Lupin was upset. "How many moons are you? Your whole life?" He tried to phrase the question in a way she would understand.
"Moons, moons, how many am I?" she began rocking, biting her lip. Harry couldn't stand it.
"Its okay. Shhh, its okay. Just think about the moons. Just think it over" He whispered in her ear, stroking her hair. She stopped rocking and looked up at him.
"Harry Potter." She said, her first concise statement. She brushed at his scar, and then smiled at him. 'Ron was right' Harry thought, surprised. She is gorgeous. "Moons, moons, many moons." She bit her lip again. "194." She finally said, astounding everyone in the room. Lupin turned to Dumbledore helplessly.
"Sixteen and two months." Dumbledore translated for them.
"Sixteen years. And you said her name was Indian?" Lupin asked.
"Yes."
"Oh, god." He buried his face in his hands. "I was in India sixteen years ago. England was a scary place to be for a werewolf, what with You-Know- Who. I was hiding out. I met a girl. Oh, god." He raised his head. "I had no idea! If I had known, I never would have left her!" He turned to Shashi with renewed horror. His daughter.
Shashi could tell he was upset, and began to get upset herself. "shhh," Harry told her. "Its okay. Its okay." He looked at Lupin. "I don't think you should show your emotions quite so much, Professor."
"Right. Of course." Lupin replied, straightening, and visibly trying to calm himself.
"Shashi, dear. I think we have accomplished out goal. This is Remus. Your father." Dumbledore told her with an extravagant gesture towards Lupin. Shashi's eyes widened.
"Father, father, found my father?" She asked.
"Yes, you have. I'm your father." Lupin said gently, taking the hand that Harry wasn't holding.
"Found my father!" She exclaimed and burst into tears. She released Harry's hand and threw herself at Lupin. "Finally!" she breathed. Harry was once again startled by a normal word coming out of her mouth. He looked to Dumbledore, mouthing, 'should I go?'
"I think we both should." Dumbledore said, standing. Lupin looked up at him. "Take your time. We'll see you both at dinner if you're up to it." The headmaster assured him. He then led Harry out of the room.
In the main corridor Harry was surprised to find Dumbledore wiping at his eyes.
"So heartwarming." He explained. "A family reunited." Harry had to agree. It was a nice sight.