So, the last two chapters haven't had as many reviews as normal! I am hoping people are still enjoying the story! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter that takes a little twist and please refer to my authors note at the end of the chapter for any additional information!

Sorry about this chapter being a little slow going up! It's been a horrid week and I have been flat out reminding myself that I actually really do enjoy nursing….

March, 1989

"We should wake him up." Sirius spoke firmly.

Harry shook his head. "He will be mad."

Sirius scoffed. "Remus doesn't get mad. We woke you up."

"But it was only full moon three nights ago."

"True." Sirius frowned. "However, it is tradition, when it's someone's birthday, we wake them up."

Harry rolled his eyes. "." You didn't let us wake you up on your birthday!"

"Yes, this is true. I still vote we wake him up."

"We should let him sleep for a bit more."

"Nope! We are going to wake him!" Sirius lifted his wand. "Aug—"

"Don't even think about it." Remus' voice was muffled.

"Spoilsport." Sirius grumbled. "Wake up." He yanked the blankets off the werewolf and Remus groaned.

"Get out."

"No." Sirius waved his wand dangerously. "Up, or I will get you!"

Remus reluctantly sat up and mock glared at his friend. "Thank you for defending me, Cub."

Harry grinned and handed Remus his blue dressing gown. "We have presents." He informed his uncle. "And we are going to make you breakfast."

"Oh dear. Is that quite safe?"

"You insult me!" Sirius sounded aggrieved. "Come on! We want you to open your presents!"

Remus let Harry drag him from the room, smiling as Sirius transformed into Padfoot and began to run around them barking loudly. "Madhouse." He remarked to no one in particular as Sirius transformed again.

"Now, close your eyes." Sirius folded his hands over Remus' eyes and felt his friend stiffen. "Easy." He whispered. "It's only me."

"Watch the burn." Remus forced a light note into his voice and he felt the fingers on the left side of his face loosen.

"Now, open the door, Harry."

Harry was laughing uncontrollably as he pushed open the door.

"Now, walk, walk, walk and stop!"

Remus sighed loudly. "Are you two having fun?"

"Yes!" Harry sounded like he was having trouble breathing through his laughter.

"I am frightened."

"You should be. One, two, three." Sirius pulled his hands away and Remus' eyes widened before he began to laugh. The room was covered in streamers and balloons, Gryffindor colours, and a banner was hung across the wall. "Happy Birthday to Everyone's favourite Professor Moony!"

"I am impressed." He chuckled as he approached the desk he usually sat at during Harry's lessons. On top of the desk was a muggle version of a wizard's hat, bright purple and covered with stars. It looked like something Albus Dumbledore might wear. Beside it was an oversized mug with I love chocolate in bright red letters, a solar system, and instead of the sun being at the centre Sirius had charmed it to be the moon and above it, a small sign: "Our world revolve around you!"

Remus touched the sign gently and swallowed. His laughter soon returned as he lifted up a bright pink, lacy apron. "What is this?"

"Oh, you are the perfect housewife here!"

"You need to get married, Padfoot." Remus retorted.

"Why? You are a charming housewife. Now, Harry and I especially like this one." Sirius pointed to a small, toy parrot that was sitting on the desk beside the hat.

"Why?" Remus looked wary.

"Just tell him to 'Speak'."

"Speak." Remus intoned obediently.

"Severus Snape has a big nose! And is a sticky beak! And is a prat! Severus Snape has a big nose!"

"Sirius Orion Black!"

Harry collapsed on the floor laughing. "It's hilarious!"

"Professor Snape is your teacher." Remus was trying and failing to hide his smile.

"We have another surprise for you. A better one." Sirius promised. "But breakfast first. Oh, and on your chair is something you might like a little more."

Remus moved the books onto his desk with a graceful movement of his fingers. Harry applauded loudly. Unwrapping the simple paper his lips curled into a smile. Defensive Spells for the Wizard Who Enjoys a Challenge. And, Duelling, Strategy for Advanced Specialists.

"Where did you get these? They are…" He frowned.

"Exactly the sort of present I knew you would want. Now, breakfast. The best present is still coming. I will meet you in the kitchen."

"Do you like the books?"

"Oh yes, I do indeed."

"Will you teach me how to duel, Uncle Remus?" Harry was leaning against the desk beside the werewolf.

"When you are older I will. Right now need to concentrate on your usual lessons. And when you are supervised you can practice with my, or Uncle Sirius' wands."

Harry nodded slowly. "You promise to teach me one day?" He looked old suddenly and Remus felt his heart clench.

"I promise."

The floo in the kitchen roared to life and Sirius and Remus both turned, wands at the ready, only relaxing a little when Albus Dumbledore stepped from the green flames.

"Ah, excellent, I was hoping you would be in here." He spoke calmly. "Remus, happy birthday, you will forgive me for interrupting your day."

"Of course."

"Excellent. You will be pleased to know that all the werewolves have been removed from the compound. I do have a rather strange question for you. Do you remember a couple named Adam and Rose Branstone?"

Remus nodded slowly. "Why?"

"Well, I am afraid they were killed two years ago." Dumbledore looked mournful. "They were former pupils of mine, a few years ahead of you. As Remus knows, they were attacked by Greyback; Rose was pregnant at the time. She had a little girl in the camp."

Sirius frowned. "Did the child survive?"

"Yes." It was Remus who answered. "At least, she was still alive when you rescued me."

"She is, she is almost five; her birthday is in August."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Remus, she is alone. The women in the camp had been looking after her but she needs stability, a proper family to grow up in."

"With all due respect, Headmaster, she has grown up with these women, surely they are wanting to take her with them."

"No. After Rose died two years ago, one of the women, Luanne Peterson, took Eleanor under her wing."

"Was she bitten?" Sirius' elbows rested on the table.

Albus hesitated for a moment before sighing. "She was born a werewolf." He admitted. "It is rather incredible she survived really. Rose was pregnant when Greyback bit her, she would have been four or five months along. It is remarkable that she didn't lose the child. But, as a result, Eleanor is a werewolf."

"How did she survive her first transformations?" Sirius demanded.

"We believe that it is because she built up strength whilst in her mother's womb. Luanne wants the best for the child, and after speaking with her she requested I talk to you about this."

Remus was pale. His eyes flickered to Sirius briefly. "I already live on charity here, sir." His voice was curt. "I have no way of supporting myself let alone a child."

"There is plenty of money in the Black family vault and James and Lily left you a small fortune."

"Which I cannot use because of what I am."

"Remus." Sirius frowned. "If you do want the child then know that I will not hold you back. Having a girl around would be good for Harry."

Remus nodded slowly. "I want to meet with Luanne." He said finally. The way he said her name made Sirius glance sharply at him. "And discuss Eleanor."

"Of course. Shall we meet at Hogwarts?"

"Would she be granted entrance to Hogwarts?" Remus spoke, a fine edge to his voice that had been absent through the entire conversation. "If she is magical, will you give her the opportunities you gave me?"

Albus nodded slowly. "If I am still Headmaster then yes, she will attend Hogwarts."

Remus nodded, pushed back his chair and rose. "If you will excuse me, I have a great many things to think about." He strode from the room and Harry, who had remained silent, almost forgotten jumped to his feet.

"Harry! Let him alone for a while." Sirius spoke quickly. "Give him an hour before you go upstairs, Remus just needs a little time."

"I am going for a walk." Remus spoke softly and Sirius and Harry looked up quickly from their game of exploding snap.

"Can I come?" Harry pleaded as he dashed to Remus' side.
"Not this time, Cub." Remus pulled the boy close against him. He looked above Harry to Sirius. "I might be a while, I will stay in the grounds so don't worry."

Sirius nodded. "Are you all right?"

"We will talk tonight. Go pound Uncle Sirius, Harry. I will be back later and we can…" He trailed off.

Harry hugged him tightly, the boy sensing only part of Remus' distress. "Can you read to me tonight?"

"Of course." Remus pressed a kiss gently on top of the messy hair.

"Don't forget a robe, it is cold outside today."

Remus nodded and quickly left the room.

"Doesn't Uncle Remus want to take the little girl?"

"I think he does, Harry, but he is frightened."

"Why?"

Sirius smiled ruefully. "I have no idea."

"You never ended up getting the rest of your birthday present." Harry mumbled sleepily as Remus tucked the blankets tightly around him.

"You can give it to me tomorrow." Remus soothed. "You go to sleep, Harry. I love you."

Harry mumbled something that may have been 'Love you too' and Remus crept from the room.

"Library?" Sirius was waiting for him outside Harry's room and Remus nodded once. They walked side by side down to the library where Sirius had already placed a decanter of firewhiskey on the desk.

"Right. Talk." Sirius poured a tumbler of the bronze liquid and handed it to his friend.

Remus half smiled. His eyes were pained. "Would you mind?"

"Eleanor coming to live here? Of course not, Moony! I think it would be excellent, Harry would have the opportunity to be a big brother."

"She will be like Harry was when he first came, if not worse." He hesitated. "She will… She will be frightened and that will take a long time to break down, she will be separated from people who, in a fashion, love her."

"You know this Luanne, don't you?"

A faint shudder. "Yes." Remus downed the firewhiskey and rose to pour himself more. "She was one of those people who knew how to manipulate people in favour for herself. She was very… pretty… and used her beauty to her advantage. The gaurds did not touch her. She did not like me, however."

"Why?"

"She was a year above us at Hogwarts, she couldn't believe that I was a werewolf at school, that I was friends with Lily and James and she assisted in the rumours that I was involved in their… Their deaths. She was bitten during the war, she was Slytherin."

"Ah, enough said." Sirius frowned. "But surely she would have not wanted to make enemies?"

"Everyone knew I was bitten by Greyback, it was not hard for the gaurds to spread that I was biting people. It was also not hard to scorn me, I was branded the day I entered there." He motioned to his cheek. "Once the others realised that the gaurds hated me, then it was easy for them to take their own anger out on me."

"She was the worst?"

"She was not pleasant." He admitted softly. "Rose helped me just once… I was bleeding after a particularly bad beating and she bound my wounds. She was kind, despite what Greyback took from her, she was gentle to me."

"What happened?"

"They told her I was responsible for James and Lily, that I deserved everything I got and that I… I was in league with Greyback. The gaurds told her that if she ever helped me again they would kill her child."

"Merlin."

"If Eleanor is to come here she would have to sever all ties with the people in the commune. Luanne was not a good person, she had bitten people, she felt that she could help Voldemort with her new found power, she was dangerous."

"Poor little Eleanor." Sirius studied Remus' face. "This has brought back bad memories hasn't it?"

"It is my dementor."

"Why can't I come?" Harry looked annoyed. "I want to come to Professor Dumbledore's office! I don't want to stay with Mrs Weasley! I miss out on all the fun."

"Harry." Sirius frowned. "You like playing with Ron! It will be fun, Mrs Weasley has your favourite cake and I know that you are going to be allowed to fly! It will be much more fun than a boring old meeting."

"But Uncle Remus is sad! I should be there to cheer him up." Harry pleaded.

Remus glanced over and his lips curved into a small smile. "Harry, I don't want you to meet the person that Uncle Sirius and I are seeing." He explained gently. "She isn't very nice."

Harry sighed. "Why are you seeing her then?"

"Because we have to see her to find out if Eleanor wants to come to live with us."

"I hope she does." Harry sounded wistful. "I want a little sister."

Sirius and Remus exchanged looks, Harry had eavesdropped on one too many conversations.

"We will discuss this when we get home. Go and play with Ron!"

Harry nodded obediently and scampered off to where Ron was waiting for him impatiently.

Molly motioned for Sirius to follow her to the kitchen.

"Is Remus all right?" She demanded. "He looked so distracted and his eyes are…"

"Haunted." Sirius sighed. "We are meeting with someone he knew from the commune, someone who he didn't particularly like, but there is a child involved, a little girl of four and her life has been miserable, Remus and I both want to help her, to take her in and give her a family, but first we have to meet with this… person…. It is bringing back too many bad memories."

Molly nodded. "You should stay for dinner tonight, it will save Remus worrying about cooking and Harry will be too distracted to ask questions."

Sirius smiled. "You are a lifesaver, Molly Weasley. Thank you."

Minerva placed a gentle hand on Remus' shoulder. Her eyes were compassionate. "Albus and I will be in the next room if you need us, Remus."

The werewolf nodded, glanced at sideways at Sirius and then pushed open the door to the headmaster's office.

The first impression Sirius had of Luanne was that she was a thin woman, a permanent sneer fixed on her angular face, her hair was black, her eyes were black, she looked evil.

"Lupin." Her voice was cold.

"Madam." Remus nodded once. His blue eyes flickered to the little girl seated on Luanne's lap and his face softened.

Sirius settled into the chair beside Remus, his eyes were locked on his friend's face. Remus was ashen.

"Disgusting! You were let into the hearts of people who you then killed! It is hilarious if you ask me, the best friend of James and Lily, the most sought after enemies of My Lord and you betrayed them! And the best thing is! They knew!" Luanne's voice was pitched with mocking laughter. "They knew what you were! And now look, wouldn't they be thrilled to realise that they have revenge! You are a branded monster!" She scooped up a broken bottle and flung it at the huddled figure that lay, defeated. The jagged edges sliced into the skin of his arm and blood flowed.

"And now you lie, pitiful. They are dead! And it is because of you!"

The man raised himself shakily. He held his right arm protectively, it had evidently been broken recently. His face, raw from where the silver urn had been thrown at him, the silver keeping the wound open, still seeped blood. His blue eyes locked on hers.

"I did not kill them." His voice was barely a whisper.

"Oh but you did! Everyone here knows you did and do you know what, I think you deserve to die!" Luanne smiled viciously. "You killed your friends and, even that poor ittie, bitie baby, little Harry Potter. He was tortured and killed. He died screaming!"

"No! No!" Remus felt a blow to the base of his back and he crumpled, curling instinctively as a booted foot connected with his ribs.

He could hear her voice mocking him. "You killed Harry Potter!"

"Remus!" Sirius shook his friends shoulder.

Remus blinked, and inhaled deeply. "You wished to meet with me?"

Luanne nodded once. "You escaped and you look much better than when I last saw you."

"Food and care will do that." Remus spoke calmly.

"You are still marked and crippled." There was a slight mocking note in her voice and Sirius half rose.

"Don't." Remus murmured. "Yes, but you would know, of course, that silver spreads unless otherwise treated."

"Indeed. They mixed our registration tattoos with ink, it stopped the spread."

"So I was targeted." Remus didn't sound surprised. "Perhaps you could introduce us?"

"Eleanor, this is Mr. Lupin and Mr. Black. This is Eleanor."

"How do you do." Remus smiled very carefully.

The little girl's dark blue eyes widened and she twisted to hide her face in Luanne's neck.

"She is shy."

"Strangers do not mean good." Remus shrugged. "I can't blame her."

Luanne nodded. "You have made a family for yourself. You have Harry Potter?"

"Yes." It was Sirius who spoke.

"I want her to have the things she won't have with any of us. We cannot provide for her like you could." Her eyes flickered to Sirius. "You are wealthy, Mr Black, Eleanor could have anything she wanted."

"Do you want me or Mr. Black to adopt her." Remus' tone was acerbic.

"You." Luanne shrugged. "You know what it is like, you can relate to her, he can't."

"If she were to come with us she would have nothing more to do with you ever again."

The woman swallowed and nodded slowly. "I understand."

"You would have to sign papers to this effect." Sirius spoke firmly. "And we would take her immediately."

"Sirius, a minute." Remus rose and walked slowly to Luanne. He knelt beside the woman he had no affection for. "Eleanor? My name is Remus, and I know you must be very frightened. But, I promise we will not hurt you. My face is a little scary isn't it? When the compound first opened someone threw a vase at me and it was made of silver, it hurt me and because it's silver it won't heal."

Blue eyes were peaking at Remus from behind her light brown hair.

"Sirius and I have a little lad at home called Harry. He is eight and very much wants to meet you. Would you like to come and live with me? You will have your own room, and some new clothes and toys."

"Luanne come?"

"No, Eleanor. You have to go with this man. Your mummy wanted you too."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Don't want to go. Stay with Lu?"

"No." Luanne pushed the little girl off her knee and rose. Her face was pale. "You can't stay with me. I don't want you." Her eyes locked in Remus'. "Do not hate her because of me." She nodded once and stalked from the room.

Eleanor's eyes widened and a shiver ran through her body. Remus reached out a hand to her. "Don't be frightened. Would you like to see your new home?"

"Lu?"

"Moony? Do you want to take her to the Weasley's?"

"No." Remus kept his eyes on the child. "No. You go fetch Harry and explain, I will take Eleanor home and show her the house."

Sirius nodded. He rose, looked sadly at the little girl and quickly left the room. It would be like when Harry first came, they had to start all over again.

"What is she like?" Molly demanded as she rummaged through the attic in search of clothes from when Ginny had been smaller.

"She is so tiny, Molly! She is the size of a two year old, not a four year old! She is in desperate need of a bath, her clothes are rags and Merlin knows she probably hasn't had a proper meal in her life."

"Poor little mite. Here." She handed him a pile of clothes. "Use these, no need to give them back. And if you need anything else feel free to let me know. You will need to tell Harry to be gentle, I think he will, but she is damaged."

Sirius nodded. "We are good with damaged." His voice was grim.

"How did Remus take it all?"

"I thought he was going to collapse when he first saw Luanne, there are bad memories there, Molly, things I will probably never hear about. It shook him up."

"Poor boy." Molly shook her head. "You floo us if you need anything, Sirius! And here, I have a chicken pie and chocolate cake for you to take home. You best talk to Harry."

"So she was hurt?"

"She hasn't had a very nice life, so she will probably be very scared of all of us because we are strangers. We have to be very nice to her and gentle and she might not want to play at first."

Harry frowned. "Is it because she was at the place that hurt Uncle Remus?"

"Yes."

"Did they hurt her too?"

"Not as much as they hurt Uncle Remus. But her parents were killed in there."

Harry looked up. "Like my parents?"

Sirius winced. "Not really. But close enough. So we have to make sure we are very nice and gentle with her."

Harry nodded. "She can play with me toys." He offered generously. "Can we go now? I want to meet her."

Note: Eleanor Branstone is not an OC she is Goblet of Fire. And now she is in here! I hope people are very nice to her cause she is a sweet little Munchkin that will turn into a lovely young lady!