Chapter 4: The Werewolf who came to Tea and never left.
Sirius started to gather evidence more specifically to see if Delaney had inherited Remus' 'furry little problem.' That's the thing that Remus would be most worried about.
August 1984
One day when Delaney had just turned four all the kids were playing but Delaney was reading a book or at least looking at the pictures. He decided to go sit by her casually or at least as causally as he could.
"What you reading there?" He asked.
"A book." Delaney said cutely.
Sirius smirked and laughed to himself at the scene. This is so Remus.
It was a few days after the incident and Sirius was pacing again waiting for Remus.
"What's going on?" Remus asked.
"Sit, Moony." Sirius said.
He sat down on the couch.
"You know the little girl that Molly took in almost a year ago?"
"I've heard Alice and Frank talk about her a little, why?" Remus questioned.
Sirius nodded and said, "I suspect that she's your daughter."
You're kidding."
"I'm not, look at this picture of her I took," Sirius said handing his best friend the moving picture.
Remus glanced at the little girl in the photo and said. "So, I suppose she's the product of one the last times Caroline and I made love."
"You don't suppose Caroline broke up with you because she found out she was pregnant with Delaney?"
Remus was silent. He sure hoped Delaney wasn't the reason even though he knows he would've stayed with Caroline and helped raise their daughter. That is if she accepted the fact that he was a wizard and werewolf which he doubted especially the werewolf part. So she would've ended up living with her mum anyway and maybe he would've been able to visit her."
"And before you ask she didn't inherit your 'furry little problem'."
"How do you know you've never seen her on a full moon?" Remus asked tersely.
"Actually, I have for my research I stayed over a night at the Weasleys on a full moon and she was fine." Sirius said
Remus sighed in relief.
Remus was going over to the Weasleys for the first time since Molly had took Delaney in.
"Remus, it's so nice to see you."
"Hi Molly."
"Come on in."
Remus walked in.
"Want some tea or something?" Molly asked.
"Tea would be nice thanks." Remus said looking around casually.
"Mum, Delaney and I are hungry." Ron said walking in with Delaney following him.
"That's mostly you, Ron." Delaney giggled.
"I'll make you two some lunch in a second."
"Okay." Delaney said.
She still didn't know what to call Molly despite living with her for just over a year.
"Delaney this is Remus Lupin, another one of our friends." Molly introduced the little girl as she picked her up.
Remus and Delaney looked at each other.
Much to Molly's surprise Delaney reached out for Remus. He hesitantly took her and she instantly settled into his lap.
"She's usually a very shy girl. It took her a few days to warm up to Arthur and me. And she wouldn't go to Sirius the first time she met him either. Though she's rather fond of Charlie and he's quite fond of her as you'll see. Thanks to his gentle coaxing she was brought out of her shell.
Remus looked at the little girl on his lap. She had his exact eyes. Molly set down Remus' tea, Delaney and Ron's sandwiches. Ron dove hungrily into his sandwich. Delaney on the other hand munched quietly on her sandwich.
After the two four-year-olds finished their lunch Ron ran off to play but Delaney stayed attached to Remus until Charlie walked down the stairs. Delaney jumped down from Remus' lap and ran over to Charlie.
"Hey Peri," he greeted happily picking her up.
She cuddled into his shoulder.
Molly smiled and asked."Sweetie, you remember Remus Lupin. Don't you?"
Charlie turned to look at the older man and said. "Yes."
"He's my new friend." Delaney smiled at Remus shyly.
Remus recognized that smile in an instant. That was Caroline's smile he still remembered it vividly. There was an awkward silence between the second eldest redhead and the older man. For the rest of the day Remus and Charlie competed for Delaney's attention. It was a fierce competition since they were both Gryffindors.
"Well, it looks like Delaney's asleep." Remus said softly noting that she had fallen asleep strewn across their laps.
Charlie smiled down at his surrogate sister fast asleep and said."I'll put her to bed like always."
"Why don't you let Remus put her to bed for a change?" Molly asked.
Charlie looked offended for a second and said, "I've always put her to bed, mum."
"We can both put her to bed."
Charlie nodded, walked up the stairs and laid Delaney in her bed once he untangled her hands from his shirt. They watched her sleep for a few minutes. She looked so peaceful.
Remus started spending a lot of time over the Weasleys. He loved watching his daughter with her friends. She got along with Harry through a little coaxing but this time from Neville. Hermione was coincidentally Harry's muggle friend.
But Hermione's parents couldn't help but suspicious why Remus was always around their niece.
