Claire sat perched on the edge of the large arm chair in the corner of Rubeus Hagrid's hut on the edge of the school property, listening quietly. Hagrid was an old friend, but had kept closer with Remus in the years since they'd left school, but still dear to her. For him to have to be in such turmoil over one of his beloved magical beasts hurt Claire's heart. So she listened, taking a few notes, as Hagrid told his tale to her, and her boys both rolled around wrestling with Hagrid's dog, Fang.
"An', honestly, Claire, I really can't afford ye' council. But any advise ye might have?" He finished, and her eyes snapped up.
"I don't think we had brought up any cost, Hagrid. I'm going with you. I am your legal council, now. Nothing to worry about there. I can't very well allow you to go out there with Lucius Malfoy and his lot. They don't fight fair." She smiled gently. "Besides, Rem said you'd be willing to keep an eye on these two now and again. We could use that..." She nodded to the boys, who were giggling as they worked together to try and smooth Fang's many wrinkles.
"That's very kind of ye, Clariey, thanks." He grinned. "And I'd love to keep those pups anytime you be needin' me ta. I love 'em." He laughed as Caleb straddled on Fang's back like a horse and the dog stood, walking slowly over to Hagrid, who ruffled Caleb's hair with his much larger hand.
"What day did you say the hearing was? I want to make sure I have a statement prepared..." She trailed off. Hagrid answered and she heard enough to jot the date down, but he'd immediately noticed that Harry and his friends, Ron and Hermione were on their way down. Hagrid was no stranger to her situation, so he gave her a warning. She stood and called for her sons' attention. "Jamie! Caleb! Time to head back up to the castle, loves." She said firmly. The young wizards came over and stood before their mother and waited patiently while she packed her things away. She dusted their clothes off from where they'd gathered up dog dander.
"Can we come back soon, Mummy?" Jamie pleaded.
"Of course, darling. Anytime you'd like we can get daddy to ask Hagrid. Now- What do we say?" She crossed her arms.
"Thank you for having us!" They shouted in unison.
"A'Course, boys. Anytime ye want!" Hagrid smiled. Claire pulled the front door of the hut open to usher her children back to the castle and found herself face to face with what was undeniably the spitting image of her older brother, but a bit thinner and with shocking green eyes. It took her breath a bit, but she was used to hiding emotions in her line of work, and she simple gave a small, polite smile.
"Oh, sorry!" She said, stepping to the side. "We were just headed out."
"Right. Sorry." Hermione pushed ahead. "Mrs. Lupin, right?" She ask, bright eyed.
"Yeah?" Claire tiled her head, a bit curious.
"I've read a few of your transcripts and all about you in the Daily Prophet. You're one of my heroes!" The young witch gushed.
"Oh. Thank you. We were just down here speaking to Hagrid about-"
"Claire is gon'er help me an' Buckbeak out." Hagrid said, seeming to pick up on her discomfort. "But she was needing ta get the boys back up to the castle, eh?" He nodded. Claire gave him a grateful look and smiled again as she guided her sons outside and up the hill.
"Was that him, Mum?" Jamie ask, as they came back into the doors of the castle.
"Yeah, that was him." She confirmed, nodding sadly.
Back at Hagrid's, he had just started to pour Ron a cup of tea after filling Hermione's when Harry spoke up.
"So, that was the rest of Professor Lupin's family?" He ask. Hagrid cleared his throat, knowing he had a tendency to over-share.
"It was." He agreed. "The larger 'in was Jamie, and the smaller is Caleb. Adorable boys. Fang loves 'em." He nodded to the now very tired dog curled up in the corner of the kitchen.
"They look more like their dad." Harry observed. "And Ellie, obviously, more like her mother."
"Ye' I'd noticed that meself." He nodded. "She's a fine lawyer, Clairey. Her and Remus are good friends to me, help me when I need. She helped me with the mess last year, too. About Azkaban." He looked a bit embarrassed to speak about his false imprisonment from the previous year.
"Does she think she can help with Buckbeak, Hagrid?" Hermione ask. Hagrid sighed.
"She hopes ta, ye." He nodded. "But that ol' Malfoy..." He trailed off.
"It'll be okay, Hagrid!" Ron said, his voice chipper in an attempt to bring up Hagrid's spirits.
Sirius Black wandered through the edge of the Forbidden Forest, his canine form easily missed in the shadows the trees provided there. He was able to keep an eye on the grounds, and it gave him a good vantage point for watching anymore coming and going. He was not so surprised to see Claire headed up the old stone steps, two miniature versions of Remus in tote.
He felt a pang at his heart, but he shook it off, causing his long black ears to flop against his head as he did. He snorted at himself and stood up, moving closer to where the trees cleared behind Hagrid's hut. He knew the Weasley boy that was the guardian of the rat had gone in with Harry and another student. He was waiting to see if he could see or hear anything more.
He crept closer, noticing the large orange half-kneazle he'd spoken to before had hopped up on the back window sill, which was propped open to allow a breeze into the hut. Sirius gave another canine 'snort' to get the feline's attention. He looked over to the large black dog in an almost bored expression, gave his head one shake, and then went about licking at his paws. Sirius growled slightly, annoyed, but he huffed an animal 'thanks anyway' as he trotted away. It was far too dangerous to stay this close to the grounds for too long.
He made his way deeper into the forest and transformed back into a wizard, propping himself against a tree. He leaned heavily on the old bark, which sat rough on his protruding spine but gave him somewhere to brace as he took the sandwich he'd scavenged from a student's sack out of his pocket and unwrapped it.
The sandwich was the first food he'd eaten in years with any consideration to flavor. He took small bites, savoring each taste as it burst in his mouth. It was almost as if he'd never had a pastrami sandwich before, and he was delighted by it.
The nourishment did little to distract him from what he'd seen this evening while watching for the traitor rat, though. He'd known, of course, that Claire would marry Remus. It was his biggest point in asking the courts for a divorce when he was sent to Azkaban himself. But there was something about seeing her with those boys who looked so very much like his old friend that made his chest feel tight. He knew those young boys where his child's brothers. They were a family- Who most likely knew nothing of him.
And that hurt him more than he expected. To think of his child, and knowing he'd never get to know her. Even if he succeeded in proving himself innocent and he was released from Azkaban, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to meet his daughter. Or even if Claire and Remus allowed it, if she would want to meet him.
He sighed, head swimming with all the thoughts he'd found himself lost in, and exhaustion overtook him. Despite the cold that came as night fell, Sirius nodded off, snoring in his place against the base of the old tree, memories coming to him as he dreamed.
Flashback/ Dream/ Memory
Sirius had been in the cell for... Well, he was no longer sure. There was very little light, and it was hard to keep up with day and night. There was only cold, dark and damp to be found in Azkaban. But he was surprised when the Ministry sent an official to get him from his cell and bring him up into one of the few prison offices. 'Got a visitor.' They'd said. 'Special access.'
He'd never had anyone try to come. Not even his mother, who had seemed to be 'happy' that he was found to be 'on Voldemort's side', the vile woman. He tried not to think too far into it. He simply allowed them to pull his arms and legs behind him and levitate him up the stairs and into the sterile white office. He was taken to a table, chained to a solid steel ring in the center of the table, which was bolted to the floor. The Auror and Ministry officials then stepped back and the door on the far side opened.
"Moony?" Sirius rasped. He'd not bothered to use his voice in quite some time, and it was almost as if you could hear the rust of disuse as he tried.
"Remus is fine." Remus replied, sitting down at the table.
"Did it go alright?" He ask, not meeting his old friend's eyes. He knew he wouldn't have to specify what.
"The baby is healthy. Claire is physically fine. Her mind... She's very depressed. She worries about being a good mother." Remus sighed. "But delivery was fine. Just over two weeks ago."
"What did you name her?" Sirius ask quietly.
"I don't think Claire would want me to tell, sorry." He replied quickly. "She doesn't know I'm here."
"So why are you here?" Sirius ask. "To rub stealing my family in my face?"
"I've done nothing of the sort, and you know that." Remus spat back. "She and I are not together."
"So my daughter isn't a Lupin?" Sirius scoffed. Remus crossed his arms over his chest and sat back.
"Of course she is. Didn't expect her to go through life with a convicted Death Eater's name tacked on, could you? Besides, you made sure she and Claire had nothing. I took her away. Somewhere safe and away from people who know what you put her through." Remus growled.
"Why are you here?" Sirius repeated, his tired grey eyes finally looking toward Remus though his fallen, dirty locks.
"I came to ask you 'why?', Sirius". Remus answered.
"Why what?" Sirius spat.
"Why did you do it?" He shouted. Sirius didn't flinch.
"You wouldn't believe me." Sirius said. "You've wasted a trip."
"Did you really believe the things you said?" Remus demanded. "The horrible things you said about poor Claire!"
"Of course not!" Sirius shouted back. "I love her! But she loves you. And I-"
"Cheated, lied and then killed her brother?" Remus filled in.
"Even if I gave you the full story, you would never believe it." Sirius said, his voice quiet once more.
"No. Why would I?" Remus snorted.
"Thank you for at least telling me they're okay." Sirius said. He looked over his shoulder to the auror who had the keys. "I'm ready to go back."
"I get no answers?" Remus growled, angry.
"I don't have the answers you'll want, mate. Go home. Take care of m- your daughter." He looked down again, and Remus stood and backed away from the table, angry and dissatisfied with his conversation.
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