"I'm going to have to tell Harry…" Hermione stated one afternoon, her hands on her hips as she stared at Remus.
"About what? The fact Sirius and I are alive, or the fact that my adopted daughter has climbed in to the chimney and gotten stuck?" Remus asked from his position on the floor, his face and hair was covered in soot and Hermione could tell his patience was running thin.
"Why is she even up there?" Hermione asked, but knowing Anne, she probably didn't even have a reason! "Remus please, we need to tell Harry, it's not fair that he doesn't know this! Voldemort has been dead for a year; I think Harry needs his family back!" She added, trying to ignore the muffled giggles coming from the chimney. "The death eaters are dead, no one can harm Sirius and you anymore…"
"Apart from my dad!" Came the muffled yell from the chimney. Everyone in the room fell silent as the sentence was spoken. No one dared speak it, no one dared believed that it was true, but it was. Grayback was back and on the hunt once more.
"He's not your father anymore sweet heart…" Remus said gently, trying once again to reach up and drag Anne out.
"Is that why she is up the chimney?" One of the other wolves asked, looking around at the others.
"No, she suddenly decided to be bloody Santa Clause!" Remus snapped, shooing everyone out of the room before blowing the chimney up and watching Anne fall to the ground, covered in cobwebs and soot. "Grounded." He stated simply, before following Hermione out of the room.
"I don't know how to tell him, Hermione. It is a huge thing to come to terms with… I mean… I'm still shocked you took it so well…" Remus rubbed his temples and sat down on the seat, glancing to make sure Teddy was still fast asleep.
"I think you and Sirius need to sit down and tell him what happened and why you had to pretend the way you did… And get ready to dodge a few hexes…" Hermione said, pushing a curl behind her ear and smiling at Remus. "Seriously, he needs to know. And this lie, it's only going to destroy you. Trust me, I see the haunted look in your eyes every time I have to take Teddy back to Hogwarts… This lie needs to end before it brings an end to you!"
"But the war!" Remus protested.
"Fuck the war!" Hermione snapped, her sympathy giving way to raw anger. "Fuck it! Send the petition in, get it passed by Kingsley and come be a family at Hogwarts again! Teach and raise your children! Find a woman who can have you…"
"What woman would want me?" Remus asked, looking down at the younger witch.
"I don't know, but that female werewolf seems to like you…" Hermione stated simply.
"Yeah, I'll get together with her, when you get together with my shadow." Remus said, poking his tongue out.
"Why are you so impossible?"
"Why is a raven like a writing desk?"
"UGH!" Hermione yelled, throwing her arms up in the air and standing up. "Next time I might join Anne up in the fricken chimney!" She added, pulling her school bag up over her shoulder.
"Please… Don't take him away again…" Remus begged, standing up and scooping up his sleeping son. "You've only been here for an hour!"
"And lunch ys over and my classes start again soon." Hermione said softly, gently taking Teddy out of his arms. "I'll come back again during the weekend, and I'll bring Harry with me so you can tell him the truth!" She added, staring in to Remus's eyes.
"Take good care of my baby boy…" Remus whispered, placing a kiss on Teddy's forehead and then a small kiss on Hermione's cheek.
Hermione was about to reply when they both heard evil laughter and someone climbing in to the roof.
"Take care of Anne." She whispered, kissing his cheek.
"For once that's not her… It's Anthony. He has issues." Remus mumbled, not wanting to let her go.
"Another adopted child…? My my Remus, you are getting quite the collection."
"No… He's a friend." He placed one more kiss on her forehead and let her go. He watched her leave from the passage way and sighed loudly. He had until the weekend to get the guts to tell Harry to truth.