Laurel: A Very Long and Very Unusual Second Life

Part One: Renascentia [Rebirth]

Epilogue: Familia [Family]

1 November 1981. 3:17pm

Remus Lupin sat across from Albus Dumbledore, eyes closed tightly in upset. Dumbledore looked at him from behind his desk, sympathetic to the young man, who now looked even more haggard than he had in all of his schooling. Dark circles lined his eyes, grey was sprinkled throughout tawny brown hair, and he was slumped over the tiny, sleeping girl in his arms.

"Harry is—" Remus startled with a soft, hoarse voice.

"With his aunt and uncle." Dumbledore repeated firmly, soft blue eyes losing their ordinary twinkle at the bare signs of resistance from Remus.

"But—"

"Where he will be safe." Dumbledore had almost forgotten himself, strong voice dissipating into his usual, calming tone. Remus looked up at him with helplessness, arms tightening around Laurel and bringing her closer to his chest.

"And Laurel?" Remus said weakly, feeling that he already knew what Dumbledore had planned for her.

"As her godfather…you were to have legal guardianship in the event that James and Lily pass." Dumbledore sounded reluctant, lips pursing almost imperceptivity. Remus' head nodded down, asking Dumbledore to continue. "And I see no reason to contradict this."

Remus took a sharp breath, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes in relief, slightly shaking fingers moving soothingly across Laurel's back which rose and fell softly in her slumber. He bent down and pressed his lips against Laurel's soft hair for a second, then leaned back to stare into Dumbledore's serious eyes once more, smoothing Laurel's hair from her face.

"I'll keep her?" Remus asked to confirm, Dumbledore simply nodding in return and giving a reluctantly fond smile towards the pair.

"Of course, there will have to be certain measures…the Fidelius Charm, etcetera…" Dumbledore sighed and looked down, one mangled hand running its fingers through his long, white beard. He paused and his hand stuttered in thought, then he looked back at the saddened Remus, giving a soft smile and continuing, "But there will be time for that later. You should, return home with your new charge. Get some rest."

Remus nodded slightly, and stood with Dumbledore. He maneuvered around the room with the sniffling Laurel in his arms, taking the preferred Floo Powder and approaching the ornate fireplace. Remus ducked his head under the sweeping, gold-laced trim, and turned in place. He raised his arm in preparation for the throw, adjusting Laurel one more time to hold her tightly, and threw the powder down, firmly saying "Moony's Flat."

1 November 1981. 3:42pm

Remus appeared in the fireplace of his flat, stepped out. Ashy smudges from his shoes tracked their way to Remus' bedroom, where he laid the sleeping Laurel under the covers. Her nose scrunched in upset, fingers twisting nervously in the duvet. Remus shushed her and tucked the blankets firmly around her, after she settled he left the room and shut the door quietly behind him.

Ambling over to the kitchen, Remus looked around the bare room and his eyes landed on the kettle. His shoulders gave a slight shrug and he reached over and clicked the kettle on; when in doubt, make tea.

Around a minute later, Remus was sitting deflated in his armchair, hot cup of tea in hand. He stared tiredly at nothing, hand coming up incrementally to take a sip.

Never, since his first day at Hogwarts, had Remus felt so alone. It had always felt depressing inevitable to Remus that this would happen, that he would lose the people that he had come to love. Yet it was still a shock. That he had lost James, Lily, Peter…Sirius. Remus could only that whatever higher power that would listen for Laurel remaining. If he had lost his goddaughter…but, he did not want to think of that.

Remus set his half-full teacup on the table next to him, and placed his head in his hands, fingers scrunched tight in his greying hair. A sharp inhale escaped him, and his head turned to the side with eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Moony?" His head snapped up at the quiet voice, breath catching on the start of a sob.

"Laurel!" Remus managed a half-smile around the choked exclamation, holding out a beckoning hand. Laurel stood still for a second, staring at him with eyes that he suddenly decided were much too old for her, his teeth clenched to subdue any probable outburst. She returned his smile with a small one of her own, and slowly walked until she fell into his arms, and he brought her up to cuddle on his lap. "Alright there?" He asked quietly, looking down at her troubled face. Her eyes looked down and her brow furrowed deeply.

"I'm sorry." Laurel managed, burrowing her head into Remus' side. He brought his hand to her head and rested it against the back of it. Remus looked down at her with tired confusion.

"What're you talking about, Laur?"

"S'my faul'." Laurel mumbled into Remus' sweater. His brow furrowed further and his eyes hardened with regret for what she had been through. Remus did not know why the three-year-old in his arms would think that she had anything to do with what happened to her parents, but at the same time he knew that she meant nothing else. He tilted her back so that she looked up at him, her eyes blinking away tears.

"Don't you say that, 'bug. Course it wasn't your fault." Remus' heart clenched in his chest and he took a shaky breath. Laurel looked up at him with such resolve, and in that moment he wanted nothing more than to take that thought away from her. To make it so she never blamed herself for something so impossibly out of her hands. "You just go to sleep. I'm here." Remus soothed a hand over her back and Laurel relented, closing tired eyes and sinking into him from exhaustion.

Remus looked down at the tiny, sleeping girl in his arms, at her downy, black hair and ruddy, upset cheeks. His goddaughter, his family. Remus had lost his best friends, his…Sirius. There was one thing that Remus knew absolutely about his future, that he would protect and love this girl with all that he had.

**Thanks so much for reading :)) dw story will continue next week with part two in next chap