A/N: --UPDATED-- Things get straightened out a bit in this chapter, and we get an insight into Evan Rivera's life.

- Cellie

Note: It is advised that you read I Never Knew before trying to tackle this piece.

Disclaimer: Cellie Rivera, James Metz, and Cassie Woods (No relation to Mother's Curse) are all mine. The plot, however odd, is mine. The Potters, and anyone else I may mention are property to J.K Rowling, and her alone—Remus is STILL a prat—Shut up, Cassie. Annie (Andromeda) Black is loosely based on a character created by the great and mighty fanfiction writer Kaydi. Read her stuff, it's quite good.

Chapter Eleven
Family Ties

The Present: August 2nd, 1995

Remus was in a blind rage as he signed several release forms quickly, wanting more than anything to get off the dammed isle. He figured that the sooner he got away from the wretched place, the sooner he could forget Cassie. However, as the small boat he sat in slowly delivered itself back to the mainland, he found that his thoughts of the raven haired woman intensified.

Remus asked himself in a low undertone, Must I always fall for the ones I can never have? He ran his fingers through his unkempt hair, and began to feel the familiar nauseating sensation running throughout his body. Not for the first time, he began to curse the wolf. This time, however, Albus Dumbledore was also associated. What right did the man have to tease him—Remus Lupin—with possibly the only woman who shared his secret, and liked him for himself—and then yank her away?

Sirius's grandmother. Go figure. He muttered, and put away the knife he had been using to carve something into the wand she had given him. He would've normally just used a charm, but somehow, remembering faintly Cassie's warning about carving charms, he decided to do it the old fashioned way.

He fingered the wand gently, feeling the rough wooden grooves. It seemed to pulse with energy as he touched it, and energized his tired form. Remus shook his head, and slid the wand into what he thought was his belt; it felt hard enough.

I'm an idiot. Severus is a happy little house-elf compared to me. He muttered, as the boat continued rocking along.



It was a day that would be filled with many Memory Charms, Arabella had concluded. Needless to say, after charming the Dursleys many times over, and anyone else in the neighborhood who had happened to see sparks of light going off, the curses of annoyance and frustration began. Not your ordinary wand curses. Straight, flat out muggle curses. Even Dumbledore was joining in on the fray.

Arabella, however, declined to participate in the mass swearing, and refocused herself on Harry... and Sirius.

I'll owl you, He had said. Arabella even seemed to remember a look of mass regret upon his face. She frowned. Why would a mass murderer say something like that, then take her niece—and Harry—away? Arabella also had to wonder about the other man on the broomstick. She hadn't seen much of him, but the Hogwarts robes he wore were terribly out of fashion—from her school year, at least. And his hair.. Arabella shook off this thought, scolding herself. Classmates did not appear from the dead.

All her train of thought was suddenly broken off by a hand on her shoulder. She whirled around, to find Albus Dumbledore looking distressed.

Arabella, my dear.. He trailed off, frowning.

I know, Headmaster. She replied softly. Professor Dumbledore looked up at Arabella, suddenly.

Arabella, did you happen to see who was it taking Harry and your niece? He asked, hopefully. She bit her lip. To tell him, or not? Sirius didn't really seem like a murderer when he spoke to her—but, then again, Sirius never had sounded like one. And her suspicion of Peter.. well, that had killed the poor boy. And yet.. Arabella decided then that she would attempt something very, very stupid. She would wait for Sirius's owl.

He had.. uhm.. blond, receding hair, Headmaster.. Blue eyes.. She said, unknowingly describing Peter. Dumbledore's face melted into one of horror.

Th—Thank you, Arabella. He said, rushing off. Under his breath, Arabella thought she heard him say something else. But she brushed it off.




Twenty minutes later, Harry was still amazed at what had happened. He would turn around, under the guise of checking for any Aurors trailing them, just to make sure that it really was his father—his FATHER—behind him. What made the ride even better was the fact that his godfather was on the broomstick as well... Yet, something didn't click. Wasn't Sirius still supposed to be in Muggle London? He turned around, keeping a hand on his broom.

He yelled back. His godfather nodded.

I thought you were in London! Sirius smiled sheepishly.

On.. Ry.. He yelled back.



LONG STORY! Sirius finished.

James cringed.

Hey, Harry, you mind not yelling? It's a bit loud.. He said to him. Harry nodded, and grinned.

Say, where are we going?

Remus's place, I think. James answered.

Professor Lupin? Harry asked. James suddenly went under the guise of a coughing fit that sounded quite like laughter, and almost fell off the broom. It took both Sirius and Harry to pull him back up.

Harry asked. What's so funny? James flashed a grin at Harry.

Remus.. A Professor.. I should've known. He said, still laughing.



Awhile later, Harry was shaken from the concentration mode he was using on his broom by Sirius's voice.

HEY, HARRY? Sirius yelled up.



SET DOWN HERE! Harry went into a dive, pushing James, Sirius, and Cellie up, their weight against the fifteen year old. Harry gave a shout of surprise and pulled up slightly, sending everyone falling back. Cellie flipped over with a yelp and just managed to catch the tail. Sirius offered her a hand back up as Harry brought the broom down, his balance reachieved. They landed in what looked to be Remus's backyard. Plants of all sorts grew around the garden, and in a couple pools surrounded by invisible barriers were signs. Cellie got off the broom curiously and read the sign nearest to her.

Grindylows - Fierce water creatures. She read, amazed. She heard a voice on her right side.

I'd stay away from them if I were you. Bloody hard grip, they have. Cellie flicked a glance sideways, and she saw Harry standing there.

Harry, nice to meet you at last. She said, a grin on her face. Harry looked confused.

Er.. You aren't going to ask for an interview, are you? Cellie chuckled, and shook her head.

Nah. George told me you were tormented enough by that last year. Harry grinned.

Oh, so you're Cellie. He replied. She bowed.

The one and only. She said with a smirk.

So, why're you over in England? He asked. Cellie pointed to James.

He used to be my Physics teacher. I'm not quite sure how, but apparently he got himself duplicated in Seventh year by a Time Turner and so he went off to California and Past James went onto marry your mum and is your father. Cellie explained in a rush. Harry blinked three times, then stared her straight in the eye.

You're nutters. Completely and absolutely. Cellie grinned.

For everything else, yeah. But I solemnly swear I am telling the truth on this one. Besides, it makes sense, doesn't it? How else could James Potter mysteriously raise from the dead? Harry glanced at Cellie skeptically.

He could be a Death Eater. Cellie snorted.

Harry, he's no more a Death Eater than I am a witch. He raised an eyebrow.

I thought you were a witch.

Sort of. I have the powers and all, but I doubt I'll ever get any training. Harry grinned.

Go to Hogwarts, then! Dumbledore accepts just about anyone. Cellie laughed pitifully.

My aunt would pull me out of there faster than you could say She said, sighing.

I doubt Dumbledore would let your aunt.

I doubt my aunt will let Dumbledore keep me here, Cellie stated. Really, it's a nice idea, but impossible. Harry shrugged.

Pretty much anything is possible. Look at him for example, Harry gestured to James, who was in deep conversation with Sirius. If he is who you say he is, that was pretty impossible.. and hey, look now. He's.. Harry trailed off, the impact finally hitting the fifteen year old. Cellie smiled.

He's.. He's actually alive. My dad's actually alive. Harry said very slowly, a big grin coming to his face.

Cellie said. As much as she was happy for Harry, a sinking feeling in her stomach told her that she would be very, very dead when she arrived back home.



SHE DID WHAT?! Evan Rivera exploded, his telephone taking the full brute force of his yell. On the other side of the conversation, Arabella held the phone away from her ear. Even 6,000 miles away, a mad Evan Rivera was a loud Evan Rivera.

Evan, please, calm down—

I WILL NOT CALM DOWN! FIRST, YOU TELL ME THAT SHE'S FOUND OUT ABOUT THE MAGICAL WORLD, THE WORLD I'VE WORKED SO HARD TO KEEP HER OUT OF, AND NOW I FIND OUT THAT SHE'S GONE OFF WITH THAT DAMN FOOL MURDERER ON A BROOMSTICK?! Evan yelled.

Evan, shut your trap about Sirius. You still married his sister, so you need to be a bit cordial—

ANNIE DOES NOT EXIST IN MY WORLD ANY MORE, DAMMIT! Evan yelled, with a bit too much passion.

Evan, it wasn't your fault, about Annie.

It was, He said, his voice dropping down into its normal range. It was my fault. She couldn't protect herself. HE.. He struck her down, just because she was a squib. Mercilessly... Evan trailed off.

Evan, you must realize that if you continue to shield Cellie from the magical world, and if Voldemort does come after her, she will be defenseless—

Which, Arabella, is WHY I moved over here. If Cellie doesn't KNOW of the Magical world, then she can't get hurt.

It's in her BLOOD, Evan! She has very powerful untrained powers! She could kill herself by accident if she never gets these trained!

Then I will SEE that she does not, Arabella. But first, I want my daughter back.

Evan, we can't stop her if she goes to Hogwarts. Dumbledore's word is law there.

Then I'll just make sure that I get her back before she sets her foot on the soil of that ruddy school. Evan slammed the phone down, and sat down to face the prototype Macintosh Power PC he had acquired from his teaching job. A knock on the wall sent him spinning around in his chair to face his wife, Wendy.

Evan, what were you yelling about? She asked, tenderly. Evan sighed. Wendy had been his second wife, after.. after Annie. She was Arabella's half-sister, a muggle. He had married her when Cellie was two on the east coast of the US, and then they moved back to California, where Evan's grandparents had lived. Wendy had dyed her bright blonde hair auburn to look like Cellie's. The little girl had never known that Wendy wasn't her real mother. When Cellie was 3, they had a baby girl, which Wendy named Venna, who had the blond hair of her mother. Evan always brushed that point off with Cellie, telling her that the blond came from his childhood, and that Venna would outgrow it like he had. He had expected then that they could live a normal life.. in peace. And now, like always, the boat tipped and threw everyone off course.

Ah, it's.. it's nothing, Wendy. Cellie biked over to James's without telling me. They're going on a camping trip with his folks and Jessie. Evan hated lying to his wife about the magical world, but there was no other choice. He refused to tell her about something that was in the past.

Oh. Okay. She replied. I'll go get Venna up for ice skating practice, then. And she left. Evan sighed, and turned back to the computer. It wasn't fair that his fool daughter had to get involved in the last place he ever wanted to be. Sighing, Evan opened his internet browser and began searching for a place to buy plane tickets. He didn't know how he was ever going to explain this to Wendy.



I think we should tell Dumbledore that we took Harry. James said to Sirius.

And have him tell a bunch of Aurors that his dead father came and picked him up? Nah. That won't really work, James.

Dumbledore will think of something. He's a smart man. James replied. Sirius sighed.

You sure? He asked. James nodded.

Unless he's somehow ceased to be the greatest wizard in the world. He joked. Sirius grinned, and looked over to where Cellie was talking to Harry.

Well, will you look at that. Even if her prat of a father did raise her, she seems to've done pretty well. James rolled his eyes.

I doubt Evan raised a finger. It was probably all Annie. Sirius's face turned to stone. James frowned.

Padfoot? What? What is it? What did I say? He asked, concerned. Sirius stared straight ahead, his haunted eyes flickering with sadness.

Annie's dead, James.


A/N: Yet another cliffhanger. Though this one isn't that mean.


Bess: They renewed GG, but FOX canceled Dark Angel.. I'm extremely mad about that. Maybe you can show me how this Chinese Water Torture thing works..

Phoenix SilverWind: Dumbledore didn't really realize that Cassie was who she was until later.. I don't think he did it intentionally, but that doesn't mean that Remus won't think he did. :p

Almah: ROFL, Fishing? That'd be interesting to see..

Jelli Bean: Remus and Cassie will have quite a few more speedbumps—alright, more like speedmountains—to go over in this fic.

ra-chan: I know how life can do that, believe me. Remus ponders over that very same question in this chapter.. And I have read your fic, and it's REALLY good. I ask that you continue.

Tarawen: As I told Jelli Bean, this relationship will be topsy turvy till the end. And to answer your question, Cassie will come back into the story. I'm not just planning to leave her in Azkaban forever..

Weasley, Weasley, and Jordan: Yesh, lots and lots of angst in that chapter.. Go figure. :p