Shout Out's:
paulaa90 - Thank you so, so much for the reviews! I'm so overjoyed that you are still loving the story and loved the Sirius chapter, shouldn't be too long before they're reunited. I look forward to your thoughts on this and the other chapters I plan to post soon.
Anon reviewer - That would be hilarious! Might do a crack or outtake fic/chapter for the hilarious ideas I've been getting. Thank you for loving the story, it is much appreciated!
NotTellingYou5334 - Thank you for following
FluffcakesandLemonade - Thank you for all your help and being a friend when I needed it, you're an amazing nerd and I love you!
HyoSonn - Thank you for loving the chapters! I miss you! Write things!
As always please enjoy, read, and review! Thank you!
Feeling at least a little better striding past the elder Malfoy with a grin on her face and bounce in her step that visibly irritated the white blonde wizard, only making her smile grow wider. No use showing the enemy how fragile she was, she could do that with Remus and Albus. After coming down the self-spiraling staircase the guilt of her words to Severus pounded around her making her feet heavy as she continued to the DADA classroom. The walk down the corridor felt twice as long as it had with Minerva, the denseness of her legs appeared more than she was able to carry trudging on. Finally reaching her destination the burden of her argument and new knowledge seemed to be conquering the air out of her chest, fumbling up the steps.
"Dahlia," Remus' shocked voice came from the door of his office dashing to her side, "what on earth happened?"
The long dried tears had found a new source of saline stinging the corners of her eyes as she looked at Lupin, "How much time do you have," she tried to make her voice sound jovial but failed as a choked sob leapt from her lips.
"For you my dear all the time you need, come inside, I'll get that tea for you." He nearly carried the slight girl into his office as the tears she so furiously tried to hold back disobeyed falling on her face.
Remus handed her a handkerchief before busying himself heating the kettle again and pulling the cinnamon tea from the cupboard. He remembered it was her favorite growing up and brought it for her. The lilac haired girl cried into the soft cloth trying to compose her feelings when the kettle pierced the silence of the office with a loud and high whistle. Dahlia jumped a bit and the shock of the sound seemed to stop her tears from flowing.
Remus handed her the steaming porcelain cup on a saucer, "Remus how will I ever face him again?"
He sat facing the distraught girl, "Face who?"
"Severus," she confessed sheepishly discarding the tea bag onto the saucer, not looking at his face placing two sugars in her cup.
"Ah," the clarification made him thoughtful, "I see." He sat back looking at her as the girl gazed into the rich brown liquid in her teacup. He let Dahlia gather her thoughts before prying further, Remus knew his assistant well enough to know the words would tumble out at a fevered pace soon enough. Her proclivity for fast speech made a generous smile cross his lips. She had gotten better but he remembered the dizzying conversations she had with Sirius that left his head spinning when she was excited. He laughed quietly at the memory. Studying her melancholic expression realizing just how much he missed seeing her happy. Sirius gave her that happiness; it pained the professor to think that he might never see it again. All he ever wanted for Dahlia was to grow up fulfilled and independent, it seemed that she indeed had however ghosts from her past kept haunting her ever footstep, him included.
The thoughts knitted his forehead pulling his kind eyes into a stern expression. His assistant looked up at the professor deep in thought, "Remus," she ventured softly.
"Now, now Dahlia, no changing the subject," he chuckled.
"If you insist Professor," a falsely agitated sigh left her mouth taking a sip of her tea causing Remus to laugh and in spite of it all Dahlia did as well.
"That's better," he smiled at her. Leaning forward his famous crooked smile gracing his mustached lips, "Now tell me what happened."
Blowing out a nervous breath Dahlia launched into quick speech, "Severus was leaving Albus' office just as I got there. I have been increasingly annoyed with him for the way he's been treating you and by proxy me. Not to mention insinuating that we're becoming romantically involved, git," she grumbled pulling another laugh from Lupin before she continued, "I wanted to apologize for not responding to everything he sent me over the summer begging for forgiveness for his mishap last year and asked why he was being so cold to you and me that only agitated him further, he became colder than a Dementor, almost hissing at me. I wasn't having it anymore and told him off right good," sitting back into the chair she rolled her eyes at her errant grammar letting out a sigh taking a sip of tea.
"You're a Dark Arts teacher, not an English teacher," Remus gave a hearty chuckle at her exasperation.
The lilac haired girl relented laughing it off, "Just an assistant at the moment Professor."
Lupin nodded, "But a very adept secondary if I do say so myself."
A flush of color flooded her cheeks, "Thank you my friend."
"That all that happened?" the wizard asked placing elbows on his knees leaning closer to her.
Dumbledore's niece shook her head, "I turned in a fit of rage from Severus to find Lucius Malfoy in Albus' office," an involuntary eye roll occurred as she continued "he said 'your niece has arrived,' and" she cast her eyes at him holding her breath, "that phrase, 'your niece'" her impression of Lucius was quite accurate, "struck a chord in me, I remembered something that I keep hearing over and over again." She placed the cup and saucer on the desk before leaning close to Remus whispering, "He was one of the Death Eaters that came to take me that night."
Lupin's green eyes got wide and a rage flamed in them, "Are you sure?" his usual voice lost all brevity at the thought of Malfoy loose and possibly after her again. He and Moody had barely made it to her in time.
"More than positive, I hear that voice in my head all the time, the smoothness mixed with cruelty, I should be moved out of Ravenclaw for not realizing it sooner," tears spilled out of her eyes again.
"Oh Dahlia," he pulled her into a strong and protective embrace, "I will never let that man even think of harming you, I swear it on my life. Did you alert Albus?"
"He knew something was wrong the minute I looked at Lucius and asked Malfoy to leave, I informed him of what I remembered." She looked at her friend, "Albus said he would have been punished for not retrieving me and that it had something to do with my father." Dahlia paused trying to put together the words she didn't want to say, "Remus," she whispered out in a frightened breath, "is my father a Death Eater?"
The identity of her father was not known to Lupin, only a few from the Order knew, he wasn't even sure if Sirius or Severus had known. The professor shook his head, "I'm sorry Dahlia for once I have no answer to give you," he pulled her in tighter.
"I had to ask Remus."
"I know," he told her softly looking at her pretty features contorted with anxiety, "if you need time away from assisting me just say the word."
Dahlia thought a moment, the notion of her bed seemed practically perfect, "I think retiring to my room might do me well after all my excitement today," she confessed.
"If you feel it is needed, go and rest, do not hesitate to ask me for anything," he pulled her in for another comforting embrace, "I will even cancel class, that is how important you are to me," he said with a smile.
"Thank you Remus, just promise you won't do anything exciting until I return."
"You have my word," he kissed her forehead, "would you like me to escort you to the tower?"
"If you wouldn't mind," she asked, embarrassment soaking her words once again.
"Dahlia Dumbledore," he softly scolded her, "there is nothing wrong with accepting help, finish your tea," he ordered her lightly.
Author's Note - I have three more chapters ready for upload and will be writing more, but I would love to know what you think and if I should keep going. I thrive off of words so anything you can tell me will make me write faster and do better to get a quality story up for you all!