"I hope you do not intend to make a habit of leaving my classes child." Severus warned her.
"Well I hope you don't make a habit of exposing people's private secrets in class" Professor Severus." Rosie retaliated, crossing her arms.
"Potter... Rose. I did not expose any secrets, it is not my fault that you and your friend are much more perceptive than the rest of the students in your class."
"Severus Snape do not lie to me. It was rude and cruel and spiteful and it doesn't matter that you don't like Moony. I don't think Moony likes you much either but he's never told me anything about you."
From beside her, Moony raised his hands to his face to cover his expression and groaned.
Rosie patted his arm.
"Rose… it was necessary that you be made aware of Lupin's condition… Merlin knows he wasn't going to tell you himself."
Moony piped up from the couch. "I'm sorry, why was it necessary Severus?" He quizzed. Rosie nodded in agreement.
"Forgive me for not wanting to place you in the home of a dark creature without your full knowledge of the situation." Severus drawled, his tone was sarcastic.
"Place me in the home of…" Rosie trailed off, her eyes widened and she turned to stare at Moony. His expression was hard to read.
"You want Rose to live with me?" Moony asked incredulously.
"I do not have much of a say in the matter. Albus wants her to live with you."
Moony turned to Rosie, "Forgive me sweetheart, it's not that I don't want that, more that anything in the world, but Severus, you are fully aware that I am incapable of supporting even myself financially. I do not see how I could support myself along with a child."
"Luckily, the Potters had the good sense to leave a large inheritance for their only daughter as well as a fund for the child's continued care in the event of their death. The funds will be transferred to you as opposed to the Dursleys."
"Wait. The Dursleys were paid to care for me and they still…" Rosie started at the same time that Moony said, "I cannot accept money from James and Lily."
Severus held out his hand to silence Rose gently. "You are in the will Lupin, and because her previous godfather is no longer in the picture, it was Rose's parents wishes that she be cared for by yourself."
Rosie could tell that Moony had not been privy to any of these discussions.
"Where will she go on the full moon?" He asked slowly.
"For the time being, I will come to collect her and she will stay with me." Severus confirmed.
"Excuse me." Rosie piped up.
"That is of course, if Rose is comfortable with the arrangement." Severus turned to stare at her. "Yes, yes however you guys feel like tossing me around is fine. I have some questions though." She interjected, her voice strained.
"Go on…" Severus drawled.
"The Dursleys were paid to take care of me?"
"Yes." Her professor confirmed. "I can only assume from your level of surprise that the quality of care was not up to standard." He continued.
"That was not exactly the expression that I was going to use, but I guess you could say that." Rosie responded tersely.
"What is your other question Rosie dear?" Moony asked weakly from beside her. She was still on the floor next to him. Severus had come to sit on the arm of another couch in Moony's chambers
"Erm. yeah… who was my original godfather if it wasn't Moony?"
Both men were silent. That was all the answer that Rosie needed. "It was Sirius Black then?" She asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes." Replied Severus. "Ok, please, while we are all sharing, what the hell happened with Sirius Black?" Rosie sighed loudly.
"Watch your tone." Severus glared.
Rosie was frustrated now. She turned to Moony and demanded again, "Tell me, please Moony."
"Rose… when you parents found out that He-Who-Must-Not- Be-Named was coming after them, they decided to go into hiding." Moony started.
Severus appraised the other man coldly.
"They used a spell called the fidelius charm to hide their house in Godric's Hollow. However, this charm requires that a secret keeper is assigned. The secret keeper is the only person aware of the location of the house and the only person that can share that location, so, your parents chose somebody that they trusted infinitely."
"Sirius Black." Rosie answered.
"Yes, Sirius Black."
"and…" Rosie stared.
"Well, sweetheart, nobody was aware that Sirius had become a death eater. He was always so against dark magic." Moony cringed visibly.
"I'm sorry, but what on earth is a death eater?" Rosie asked. Moony did not answer, he just turned to stare at Severus.
"Severus, what is a death eater?" She directed her question to him now.
Her potions professor's eyes widened slightly.
"Death eater is the name that the Dark Lord used to refer to his followers." Severus' voice was cold as ice.
The atmosphere in the room became quite uncomfortable for a moment. Rosie wasn't sure why.
"Ok, got it. So, Sirius Black is the reason Voldemort found my parents then." Rosie stated blankly.
"Don't say his name." Severus sneered. Rosie put her hands up in surrender. She was grumpy.
"Perfect. So, to sum up this whole conversation, Moony is a werewolf…" he flinched beside her.
"Severus you hate Moony for some reason, so you decided to tell me through your passive aggressive defense lesson, Sirius Black is still after me, and he is the reason that my parents died, and the dark lord…" Rosie mocked Severus. "Picked the silliest name in the world for his followers."
"Rose." Severus warned.
"Ah, also, I get to live with you and Moony this summer. When I'm done being pissed off, I'm sure I'll be very happy about all of that." Rosie barked.
She got up, gave Moony a small kiss on the forehead and glared at Severus. She left through the door to the defense office, and into the hallway.
Rosie had a quidditch practice to attend.
Severus sighed.
"She's not a simple child, that's for sure," Lupin admitted, his voice still soft.
"Are you positive that you will be able to handle her… particular energy in your condition?" Severus sneered down at the wolf.
"I was not the one that she was cross with Severus. You know, there are many things that I could tell that girl… things that would make you feel the way that I do right now…" Lupin threatened. "But I wouldn't." The man added sincerely.
Severus glared back. The wolf spoke again. "I wouldn't because I trust that despite your past, you have her best interests at heart. I only wish that you had extended the same courtesy to me."
"Trust." Severus spat. "Blind trust is what made that girl an orphan in the first place Lupin. I will not make the same mistakes."
The wolf flinched, and Severus stood to take his leave. "I assume you will be well enough to teach your own classes tomorrow." He added. Lupin just nodded, and lay back on the sofa closing his eyes.
