Note: Only Crescent and her mentioned dead mother are my characters. The
rest all belong to J.K.
Hidden Secrets
Part 6
Crescent was pretty beaten up from the Whomping Willow by the time she managed to get out from under it.
Crookshanks had only led the tiny girl up to the door out, before running back down the stairs.
So she had had to find her own way out.
A scrape was on the side of her face, and her left arm was bloody. Bruises were beginning to form on her small face, as well, as Crescent made her way back to the school. She had a pretty good idea of what was taking Uncle Remus so long.
Crescent smiled and winced, for it hurt the gash on her face.
When she got to the school, she froze, for the Dementors were hovering there.
Crescent gulped and quickly made her way to the door.
She struggled to open the door with her right hand, as the Dementors surrounded her.
Crescent screamed as they drew closer.
Once more, terror and fear overtook her. She didn't know why the Dementors affected her so when they drew near.
She swayed and fell forward against the door.
It suddenly opened and Crescent fell directly into Severus Snape.
"Oh… That hurt…" Crescent said quietly, before she looked up and saw Professor Snape.
Fear jumped into her green eyes, as she stood, shaking, and backed away from him.
"And where have you been?" Severus Snape demanded haughtily.
Crescent trembled slightly. "S-Sirius Black dragged me out of the school," she stammered.
Snape frowned and grabbed a hold of Crescent's left arm.
She cried out in pain, so the Slytherin Head of House let go.
"Follow me," Snape said grimly, as he took her right arm in his firm grip, and led her away.
Crescent was just glad that he wasn't physically dragging her anywhere this time. She didn't protest at all as Snape took her to the hospital wing first.
The Headmaster was there, along with Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall.
"We must find the child," Albus told Minerva, "Before she is harmed."
"She's right here, Headmaster," Snape said, as he brought the shaking and pale child over to them. "I found
her at the school entrance. The Dementors were surrounding her." His voice was neutral.
Albus walked over to Crescent. He knelt down and inspected her, before he turned to Madam Pomfrey.
"She needs your assistance, Madam Pomfrey," he said.
Madam Pomfrey took the little girl over to an empty bed, and told her to sit on it.
Crescent did so, and Madam Pomfrey began using her healing magic on the cuts and bruises.
The cuts faded, but some of the bruises remained, making the child look even paler than her skin naturally was.
Albus questioned Crescent gently. "What happened to you, Crescent?"
Crescent took a deep breath. "I was in the Gryffindor Common Room alone when Sirius Black burst into the room. He approached me, and I… I fainted," she admitted. "When I opened my eyes, he was carrying me away from the school. But he didn't hurt me at all. He took me to some weird place, and asked me a few questions. Then he let me go and ran off. So I walked back to the school and ran into Professor Snape."
Crescent knew that it wasn't the truth, and part of her felt guilty for that. However, she was not going to risk her father going back to Azkaban because of her.
Albus nodded slowly. At least Sirius hadn't hurt his daughter.
"Did he ask you who you were?" Professor McGonagall asked.
Crescent nodded. "Yes. I had to tell him the truth. I was afraid…"
"So he knows who you are," Severus said thoughtfully. "I wonder if that will change anything."
Albus looked at Severus. "What are you implying, Severus?" His voice held a slight warning in it.
"Merely that Sirius Black will be reluctant to do anything that may incidentally harm his daughter," Severus said.
Crescent froze. "He wouldn't hurt me," she shouted.
Albus sighed. "Crescent, your father is a very dangerous man. Sirius Black has proven that he is capable of murder."
Tears shone in Crescent's eyes. She wanted to speak up on his behalf, but knew it would not be wise when hardly anyone (besides her) believed her father innocent.
Severus Snape looked at the child. She looked fragile and innocent suddenly, in her hopeless belief that her father would never hurt her.
He wondered if Remus Lupin had told her that. Severus still did not believe that Crescent should be raised by Remus Lupin, and not just because he was a werewolf. Severus knew very well that Sirius and Remus had been lovers for three months before Sirius was thrown in Azkaban.
In his opinion, Severus thought it was wise that Sirius's ex-girlfriend had hidden her three-month pregnancy until the day Black had been arrested. She'd broken down and confessed it to Albus Dumbledore after her parents had disowned her. And then the poor girl had died in childbirth, leaving behind a daughter who would never know anything but fear and loathing because of her father.
Severus couldn't help feeling a little pity for the girl. At least she didn't smart off to him like Potter and Weasley did.
Remus Lupin burst into the hospital wing. "There you are, Crescent! I've been searching for you everywhere!"
"Uncle Remus!" Crescent jumped off the bed and ran over to him. "I was so scared and I wished that you had been there."
Remus realized that Crescent must not have told them that he had found Sirius and her together. He played along, grateful that Crescent had come up with a story. He would learn what she had told them later. For now, he knelt, embraced the small girl, and lifted her in his arms.
"Everything will be all right, Crescent. You don't have to be frightened anymore," Remus murmured.
Crescent clung to her uncle, as he turned to the Headmaster.
"Where did you find her?" he asked mildly. "What has happened?"
"Severus found her. Crescent told us that Sirius took her after she fainted to an unknown location. He questioned her, and then let her go, before he disappeared again," Albus said quietly.
Remus nodded. "We can't permit something like this to happen again."
Inwardly, Remus knew that he would have to tell Crescent exactly why he was preventing her from seeing her father. But it would be when they were alone.
Crescent wound up falling asleep in Remus's arms, while the adults conversed, and they eventually agreed that a teacher would have to be present with Crescent whenever she was not in class.
Remus could feel the pull of the upcoming full moon on him. Crescent would not be safe with him for a few days, he knew.
"The full moon will be here within the next few days," Severus pointed out. "Who will watch her while Remus is in the Shrieking Shack?"
Albus sighed. "I have too much work to do, Severus. Why don't you watch her for the next week or so? You will be taking over Remus's Defense Against The Dark Arts class, after all."
Severus sighed and reluctantly agreed.
Remus looked at the Potions Master neutrally. "I need some more of the potion," he stated. "I am nearly out, and I dare not be anywhere near the students without it, being so close to the full moon."
"I shall make some more for you tomorrow. The child should be in bed, Remus, instead of sleeping on your shoulder," Severus muttered.
Remus reluctantly nodded. "I must take the rest of the potion now," he said softly. "Can you take Crescent up to where the rest of the students are sleeping, Severus?"
Pain flashed through Severus, as he took the sleeping Crescent in his arms. She stirred, and grabbed onto part of his robe.
Severus was highly embarrassed. "I am retiring to my room after I return the girl to her fellow students, unless you need me for anything else, Headmaster."
Albus shook his head. "Get some sleep, Severus. We all should."
Remus, Minerva, Poppy, and Albus headed off in a different direction from Severus.
He headed towards where the students were sleeping, carrying the weightless child in his arms.
Crescent truly did not look as if she had a dangerous murderer for a father, Severus decided.
Pain was in his heart, for the way Remus had spoken to him.
He had known that it would be difficult to work with Remus, but he hadn't imagined it would be this hard.
Their past prevented them from even being friends.
Severus entered the room where the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Slytherins, and Ravenclaws slept. He searched for Weasley, Granger, and Potter, for they were Crescent's closest friends, as far as he knew.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron were surprised when Professor Snape walked over to them, carrying a limp Crescent.
"We found her," Severus said quietly, not wanting to wake the girl. "Take her so I can go to bed."
Identical looks of confusion and shock appeared on the friends' faces, before Harry stretched out his arms.
The boy was greatly surprised when Snape placed the small girl in his arms gently, almost tenderly, before he straightened and quickly walked away.
"That was… surprising," Ron muttered.
Harry nodded. "Since when does Snape care about someone else?"
Hermione looked after Snape. "I've never seen him so nice." She then looked at Crescent. "Here, Harry. Lay her down next to me."
Harry did so, mindful not to wake her. "I'm betting Sirius Black took Crescent prisoner, at least for a while," he whispered. "See the bruises on her face?"
Ron swore under his breath. "Who could hurt Crescent? She's so… innocent," he finally said.
"Well, I hope the teachers won't allow something like this to happen again," Hermione said angrily.
The three friends watched Crescent sleeping, unaware of the secret she kept within her.
And Crescent dreamed that she and her father lived in a house with Uncle Remus.
To be continued
Hidden Secrets
Part 6
Crescent was pretty beaten up from the Whomping Willow by the time she managed to get out from under it.
Crookshanks had only led the tiny girl up to the door out, before running back down the stairs.
So she had had to find her own way out.
A scrape was on the side of her face, and her left arm was bloody. Bruises were beginning to form on her small face, as well, as Crescent made her way back to the school. She had a pretty good idea of what was taking Uncle Remus so long.
Crescent smiled and winced, for it hurt the gash on her face.
When she got to the school, she froze, for the Dementors were hovering there.
Crescent gulped and quickly made her way to the door.
She struggled to open the door with her right hand, as the Dementors surrounded her.
Crescent screamed as they drew closer.
Once more, terror and fear overtook her. She didn't know why the Dementors affected her so when they drew near.
She swayed and fell forward against the door.
It suddenly opened and Crescent fell directly into Severus Snape.
"Oh… That hurt…" Crescent said quietly, before she looked up and saw Professor Snape.
Fear jumped into her green eyes, as she stood, shaking, and backed away from him.
"And where have you been?" Severus Snape demanded haughtily.
Crescent trembled slightly. "S-Sirius Black dragged me out of the school," she stammered.
Snape frowned and grabbed a hold of Crescent's left arm.
She cried out in pain, so the Slytherin Head of House let go.
"Follow me," Snape said grimly, as he took her right arm in his firm grip, and led her away.
Crescent was just glad that he wasn't physically dragging her anywhere this time. She didn't protest at all as Snape took her to the hospital wing first.
The Headmaster was there, along with Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall.
"We must find the child," Albus told Minerva, "Before she is harmed."
"She's right here, Headmaster," Snape said, as he brought the shaking and pale child over to them. "I found
her at the school entrance. The Dementors were surrounding her." His voice was neutral.
Albus walked over to Crescent. He knelt down and inspected her, before he turned to Madam Pomfrey.
"She needs your assistance, Madam Pomfrey," he said.
Madam Pomfrey took the little girl over to an empty bed, and told her to sit on it.
Crescent did so, and Madam Pomfrey began using her healing magic on the cuts and bruises.
The cuts faded, but some of the bruises remained, making the child look even paler than her skin naturally was.
Albus questioned Crescent gently. "What happened to you, Crescent?"
Crescent took a deep breath. "I was in the Gryffindor Common Room alone when Sirius Black burst into the room. He approached me, and I… I fainted," she admitted. "When I opened my eyes, he was carrying me away from the school. But he didn't hurt me at all. He took me to some weird place, and asked me a few questions. Then he let me go and ran off. So I walked back to the school and ran into Professor Snape."
Crescent knew that it wasn't the truth, and part of her felt guilty for that. However, she was not going to risk her father going back to Azkaban because of her.
Albus nodded slowly. At least Sirius hadn't hurt his daughter.
"Did he ask you who you were?" Professor McGonagall asked.
Crescent nodded. "Yes. I had to tell him the truth. I was afraid…"
"So he knows who you are," Severus said thoughtfully. "I wonder if that will change anything."
Albus looked at Severus. "What are you implying, Severus?" His voice held a slight warning in it.
"Merely that Sirius Black will be reluctant to do anything that may incidentally harm his daughter," Severus said.
Crescent froze. "He wouldn't hurt me," she shouted.
Albus sighed. "Crescent, your father is a very dangerous man. Sirius Black has proven that he is capable of murder."
Tears shone in Crescent's eyes. She wanted to speak up on his behalf, but knew it would not be wise when hardly anyone (besides her) believed her father innocent.
Severus Snape looked at the child. She looked fragile and innocent suddenly, in her hopeless belief that her father would never hurt her.
He wondered if Remus Lupin had told her that. Severus still did not believe that Crescent should be raised by Remus Lupin, and not just because he was a werewolf. Severus knew very well that Sirius and Remus had been lovers for three months before Sirius was thrown in Azkaban.
In his opinion, Severus thought it was wise that Sirius's ex-girlfriend had hidden her three-month pregnancy until the day Black had been arrested. She'd broken down and confessed it to Albus Dumbledore after her parents had disowned her. And then the poor girl had died in childbirth, leaving behind a daughter who would never know anything but fear and loathing because of her father.
Severus couldn't help feeling a little pity for the girl. At least she didn't smart off to him like Potter and Weasley did.
Remus Lupin burst into the hospital wing. "There you are, Crescent! I've been searching for you everywhere!"
"Uncle Remus!" Crescent jumped off the bed and ran over to him. "I was so scared and I wished that you had been there."
Remus realized that Crescent must not have told them that he had found Sirius and her together. He played along, grateful that Crescent had come up with a story. He would learn what she had told them later. For now, he knelt, embraced the small girl, and lifted her in his arms.
"Everything will be all right, Crescent. You don't have to be frightened anymore," Remus murmured.
Crescent clung to her uncle, as he turned to the Headmaster.
"Where did you find her?" he asked mildly. "What has happened?"
"Severus found her. Crescent told us that Sirius took her after she fainted to an unknown location. He questioned her, and then let her go, before he disappeared again," Albus said quietly.
Remus nodded. "We can't permit something like this to happen again."
Inwardly, Remus knew that he would have to tell Crescent exactly why he was preventing her from seeing her father. But it would be when they were alone.
Crescent wound up falling asleep in Remus's arms, while the adults conversed, and they eventually agreed that a teacher would have to be present with Crescent whenever she was not in class.
Remus could feel the pull of the upcoming full moon on him. Crescent would not be safe with him for a few days, he knew.
"The full moon will be here within the next few days," Severus pointed out. "Who will watch her while Remus is in the Shrieking Shack?"
Albus sighed. "I have too much work to do, Severus. Why don't you watch her for the next week or so? You will be taking over Remus's Defense Against The Dark Arts class, after all."
Severus sighed and reluctantly agreed.
Remus looked at the Potions Master neutrally. "I need some more of the potion," he stated. "I am nearly out, and I dare not be anywhere near the students without it, being so close to the full moon."
"I shall make some more for you tomorrow. The child should be in bed, Remus, instead of sleeping on your shoulder," Severus muttered.
Remus reluctantly nodded. "I must take the rest of the potion now," he said softly. "Can you take Crescent up to where the rest of the students are sleeping, Severus?"
Pain flashed through Severus, as he took the sleeping Crescent in his arms. She stirred, and grabbed onto part of his robe.
Severus was highly embarrassed. "I am retiring to my room after I return the girl to her fellow students, unless you need me for anything else, Headmaster."
Albus shook his head. "Get some sleep, Severus. We all should."
Remus, Minerva, Poppy, and Albus headed off in a different direction from Severus.
He headed towards where the students were sleeping, carrying the weightless child in his arms.
Crescent truly did not look as if she had a dangerous murderer for a father, Severus decided.
Pain was in his heart, for the way Remus had spoken to him.
He had known that it would be difficult to work with Remus, but he hadn't imagined it would be this hard.
Their past prevented them from even being friends.
Severus entered the room where the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Slytherins, and Ravenclaws slept. He searched for Weasley, Granger, and Potter, for they were Crescent's closest friends, as far as he knew.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron were surprised when Professor Snape walked over to them, carrying a limp Crescent.
"We found her," Severus said quietly, not wanting to wake the girl. "Take her so I can go to bed."
Identical looks of confusion and shock appeared on the friends' faces, before Harry stretched out his arms.
The boy was greatly surprised when Snape placed the small girl in his arms gently, almost tenderly, before he straightened and quickly walked away.
"That was… surprising," Ron muttered.
Harry nodded. "Since when does Snape care about someone else?"
Hermione looked after Snape. "I've never seen him so nice." She then looked at Crescent. "Here, Harry. Lay her down next to me."
Harry did so, mindful not to wake her. "I'm betting Sirius Black took Crescent prisoner, at least for a while," he whispered. "See the bruises on her face?"
Ron swore under his breath. "Who could hurt Crescent? She's so… innocent," he finally said.
"Well, I hope the teachers won't allow something like this to happen again," Hermione said angrily.
The three friends watched Crescent sleeping, unaware of the secret she kept within her.
And Crescent dreamed that she and her father lived in a house with Uncle Remus.
To be continued