"Lupin?" All of them asked at once.
"Um, yeah. Why?" Serenity questioned.
"Your father is Remus Lupin?" Harry was anxious when he asked.
"Yes, how do you know him?" she asked suspiciously.
"Your dad's been gone a long time hasn't he?" Hermione asked the stranger warmly, ignoring the question.
"Listen, I'm not four. I can handle the truth. You're looking for my dad. Well I've got news for you; I've been looking for eleven years. You aren't going to find him." Serenity got up looking Harry in the eyes.
"Ever." She whispered.
"Here Serenity, have a glass of water." Harry offered her the glass.
She suddenly noticed her growing thirst.
"How could you look for him? After all, you are a mugg- seventeen. You're only a mugg-seventeen." Ron said, changing his words thanks to a sharp jab in the ribs.
"And how old are you three?" Serenity asked, her voice dangerously getting lower.
"Seventeen." They mumbled.
"I rest my case."
"Look Serenity, ignore Ronald." Hermione said to Serenity, Ron staring her down.
"How did you look for him?" Hermione was persistent yet kind.
"Well when I was about fourteen, I was starting to get fed up. No one would tell me anything about where my father was or how he left. I didn't even know if he was dead or alive. I turned to my last resource. The Internet. I looked him up. It took months to locate him, but I finally did. He was in Argentina. I managed to convince Rita that it was a school trip. I left within a week. Once I got there I searched about every city in Argentina, but nothing. I was there for three months, but I guess Rita didn't even notice I was gone. Sad, really." She took a long pause and sighed.
"Anyways, I couldn't find him anywhere. I checked online again, but nothing came up when I searched the name. It was like someone knew I was trying to find him. I went back home the day after. Never looked again. Wherever my dad is, he doesn't want to be found." Serenity clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. The three noticed the detail in her explanation.
Hermione sensed some things that she didn't want to be said. Hermione and Ron looked over at Harry.
"You didn't…" Ron started.
"He did." Hermione finished.
"Virataserum? Really Harry…" Ron commented.
"Virataserum? What? What did you do to me? I didn't want to tell you those things! But something made me…the water! What did you do?" Serenity was confused and felt dizzy.
"Who are you, really?" she whispered.
"I'm…I'm…I'm Harry Potter. That's all I am. That's all I ever will be." Harry whispered back.
"I need to talk to these two. Hang on one moment, Serenity." Hermione smiled, but it was retuned with a scowl.
"We need to tell her about us. She's Remus's daughter! Sirius is bound to be related somehow." Hermione sounded frantic.
Ron piped up finally and said, "Hermione, she may be his daughter, but she's not him. And…" but he stopped to look at Serenity, who was crying on the hospital bed. "…And we need to tell Sirius first." Said Ron breathlessly, seemingly changing his mind.
"Ron that may not be such a good idea. Serenity probably won't be as understanding as we think she'll be. She's grown up without hope. I think it'll be hard to trust anyone for a while." Harry sounded sad.
He spoke from experience, after all.
"Harry, we need to take the chance. Look at her." After Hermione said this, they knew that the conversation was over.
Though she managed to pull herself together, Serenity's face was blotchy and her eyes were red. She looked pitiful. They knew what had to be done.
"Serenity, I know you don't trust us, but you need to come with us. You're in danger. Serious danger." Ron said sternly.
"No, I can't trust you. Why on Earth would I want to come with you?" Serenity's voice cracked and Ron's voice softened.
"We know it will be hard to trust us for a while, but you have to. Your life may be threatened here. Besides, do you really want to walk miles and miles away from this place?"
"I'll come."
