Disclaimer: Still don't own Harry Potter, but you know what, I will persevere! I will survive! I will stop shouting like a moron!
A/N: Okay guys, I typed this up when I posted the Prologue so that the next update would come quicker! Unfortunately, then I was grounded and so you guys didn't get what I had originally planned. Sorry. I hope you liked it if you read and didn't review, and if you did, WHY DIDN'T YOU REVIEW!!! WAHHHHH!!! Okay, so, on with the story!
Chapter 1: Luggage and Reunions
"Uncle Remus!" I shouted as I ran into my new guardians arms for a hug. He was grinning broadly.
"Astrea! Oh my, you certainly are your parents' daughter," he said, looking me over. He was right of course, I had Dad's short, slightly wavy brown hair and grayish blue eyes, but my bone structure and shape I had inherited from my mom. "How was the flight?"
"Fine, but I can't wait to see my new home!" I said happily as we set off for the baggage claim. I saw my suitcases circling and ran forward to grab one. Uncle Remus got the other two before I could reach for them.
"Alright then, come on, I have a surprise for you, of epic proportions," he said, heading for an empty area of the airport. As soon as we were alone, I linked arms with him and we Disapparated. Then we were standing in front of his house. "It's not much, but it's home."
"Oh my gosh, I love it!" I exclaimed, running up onto the porch. It was an average sized cottage, much nicer than my old home, which had been huge and lonely. Even when I was home from school, I had rarely ever seen my grandmother, which might explain why I wasn't prostrate over her death. "It's perfect!"
He simply grinned and pulled out his key. Inside the house, I heard braking start and gasped. "You got a dog? Is that the surprise?" I asked eagerly.
I saw Uncle Remus shake his head, the grin still pasted on his face, as he pushed open the door. Next thing I knew, I was tackled to the floor by a huge black dog. It sniffed me, gave a bark and licked my face.
"Padfoot! Wait until we're inside!" Uncle Remus laughed and watched the dog bound back in the house. He helped me to my feet, grabbed my bags and shoed me into the house. I followed the excited dog into a small living room. There was a couch on the opposite side, under a large window, and two chairs on either side of the doorway. Uncle Remus set the bags down in the hallway then joined us. He laughed when he saw the puzzled look on the dog's face. "Yes, alright, go ahead!"
I watched as the dog transformed before my eyes into a tall man who was wearing clothes very similar to the ones Uncle Remus was wearing. His eyes were slightly sunken, but grayish blue, and his hair was matted a bit, but it was the same color and length as mine. Even though he was horribly thin, I still knew him form the photo that was always on my nightstand. My eyes welled up with tears.
"Dad?" I choked and I could see the tears in his eyes too.
"It's me, Attie," he rasped. I ran to him, throwing my arms around him as he did the same and held me tight. "Oh Attie, I've missed you so much."
"I missed you too Dad!" I cried. For some reason, the fact that his pet name for me was Attie had stuck in the back of my mind all these years. "How did you escape?" I asked as he pulled me over to the couch and sat us both down. I noticed that Uncle Remus had left to give us some privacy.
"I saw that Peter," he spat the name, "was still out here after all these years, after what he did, and decided that it was time for justice," he whispered, and I noticed the rage in his voice. "Oh Attie, when I heard about the attack, I wanted to see you so bad, but I just…"
"It's not your fault Dad, I know what happened. Grandma explained everything to me, how you weren't even given a chance to defend yourself," I said, taking his hand. "Besides, you're here now, that's what matters most."
He smiled as Uncle Remus came in with a tray for tea. "Well," Dad said, taking a cup and handing it to me, "you're starting at Hogwarts this year. Are you excited?"
"Of course! I can't wait to meet Harry! Oh wait; did you get to see him yet? Does he know that you're innocent?"
"Yeah, I got to see him real quick at the end of the last year, and he knows that I'm innocent. In fact, he and his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, got me out of a rough spot," he replied, rushing it a bit, hoping that I wouldn't catch the end, but I did.
"What sort of rough spot?" I asked slowly.
"Well, they saved me from a rather nasty encounter with some Dementors."
"Dementors?"
"They were going to suck out my soul," he rushed again, "but those three got me out in time and I'm fine!"
I was suddenly very cold, and my hand was shaking badly… Dad reached over and took the cup from my hand an placed it on the table. Then he pulled me over and hugged me.
"Dad, I've already lost Mom, I really can't stand to lose you too!"
"It's alright, I'm fine," he said, patting me on the back.
"Astrea, look at me." I obeyed and turned to Uncle Remus, who was now kneeling in front of the couch. "You're dad is a reckless moron a lot of the time…"
"Hey!"
"…but he's also one of the most talented and skilled morons of his generation. He knows what he's doing."
"But he almost got killed!"
"I'm fine, and I'm sitting right here!"
"But you almost got killed!" I exclaimed, glaring at him. "You had no wand and no way out! If it hadn't been for Harry and his friends…" I trailed off, trying to banish the thought from my mind.
"Attie, for the last time, I'm fine, and it was all worth it. Harry knows that I'm innocent now."
I sat there for a minute before nodding. We stayed silent for a little bit and then, before I could stop it, a huge yawn escaped from my mouth.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, it must be the jet lag!" I instantly apologized.
"No problem, we'll show you to your room," Dad said, and like a father who wanted to make up for lost years, he scooped me up in his arms and followed Uncle Remus upstairs, pointing out rooms along the way. "Remus' room," first door on the left, "my room," second door on the left, "and your room!" he exclaimed as Uncle Remus opened the door directly across the hall from Dad's room. The room was average sized and had only a bed, a dresser and a sitting chair in the corner. "There, you can decorate it however you want!"
Dad carried me over and lay me down on the bed. "Now, you get some sleep and we can talk more later."
He and Uncle Remus left, closing the door behind them. I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes. Finally, Dad and I were together, nothing could ruin this.
A/N: Sorry, this chapter was supposed to go a bit longer, but I have to get off fast, and I wanted you all to have something to go on til I can give you some more story, so I'll stop here. I still think that it's pretty good length, compared to some of my other chapter lengths, cough cough, prologue cough so yeah, please please please please please review! It will make me ever so happy!
