Disclaimer: All characters accept Kate, Abby, and Riana are the property of J.K. Rowling. She created this wonderful tale in which I only get to play; I take no credit for her work.

Chapter 4: Revelation and a New Goal

Kate arrived at King's Cross to pick Riana up that year. When Riana saw her mother, she knew something was wrong. Kate usually met her at the airport in Grand Rapids. She ran to Kate and threw her arms around her mother.

"Sweetheart, I need to talk to you. I need to tell you about your father."

Riana's heart sank. She knew exactly what was coming. Deciding to save her mother the pain of actually telling her, she said, "Sirius was my Dad, wasn't he?"

Kate nodded, unable to speak. She just held her daughter close to her and they both cried. A few minutes later, Kate pulled slightly away from Riana so she could look her in the eyes.

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner. If I had, you could have gotten to know him."

Riana started shaking as she continued to cry and rested her head on her mother's shoulder. "I love you, Mom," was all she could think to say.

"I love you too, sweetheart," Kate answered, hugging Riana tighter. "There's something else I need to tell you, and it's not going to be easy for you to hear either."

Riana nodded and tried to stop the tears.

Kate slowly pulled away so she was holding Riana at arm's length. Then, looking into Riana's gray eyes, Sirius' eyes, she continued, "The man who framed your father, Peter, he knows who I am. He knows that I'm living in the States. Voldemort was after me, that's why I moved back to the U.S., to hide from him. Now that Voldemort is back and Peter is with him, it is no longer safe for me. I have to go into hiding again."

"Peter knows about me too, he was in Gryffindor Tower for a while my first year. He's bound to know that you're my Mom."

"I know that, but Remus Lupin, your first DADA teacher, and Professor Dumbledore have promised to keep you safe. During the summer, starting today, you'll be living with Remus. He'll take good care of you. Since he's a werewolf," she said. That explains a lot, Riana thought but said nothing. Kate continued, "The plan is that when the full moon is near, you'll go live with another family, the Weasley's. Be brave, Riana. Everything will be alright."

Riana started crying again. I just find out that my father died and now my mother is leaving me? It's just not fair. "Okay but promise me that you'll be careful."

"I will. Don't worry about me, baby." Hugging Riana tightly and crying together, they said goodbye.

Remus took Riana by the hand as they exited the train station. I feel so weak, Riana thought. Like I've been punched in the gut, my whole life is crashing down around me. Just then, she tripped and nearly fell to the ground. Remus' hand pulled her back up, but it seemed as though her legs were made of jelly. She could no longer stand on her own. Seeing a bench close by, Remus gently picked Riana up and carried her over to it.

"I'm sorry..." Riana began.

"Shhh..." Remus interrupted, kneeling down in front of her so his eyes were level with hers. "It's alright," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder and rubbing it. "You've had a bad day. The truth can hurt sometimes. You haven't done anything wrong. Relax; take as much time as you need."

Riana took a deep breath, trying to regain control of herself. "Where are we going to go anyway?" she asked him.

"I've rented a room for us at the Leaky Calderon tonight. We can decide where we want to go from there."

"Okay," she said, taking another breath, "I think I'm feeling well enough to walk now."

"Alright, but tell me if you need to rest, we've got all day to get there."

He took her hand again, helped her to her feet, and they started walking toward their destination.

A few hours later, they were sitting next to each other in the dining room at the Leaky Cauldron. Riana was slowly coming to grips with all that had been revealed to her that day.

"Um... Professor..." she began.

"Call me Remus, Riana. I'm not your teacher anymore."

"Okay, Remus. I was just wondering..." she trailed off, her throat closing up on her again. She felt her eyes fill with tears. Get a grip, Riana! She mentally scolded herself. "You knew my father really well, right?"

Remus nodded. "He obviously didn't know I existed, I mean, my Mom never told him she was pregnant..." she stammered. Come on, it's not that hard to ask, is it? Spit it out! "I was wondering... do you think he would have... you know?"

"Loved you?" Remus finished for her, raising an eyebrow. Riana nodded, tears rolling freely down her cheeks. "Of course he would have loved you," Remus continued, pulling Riana into a hug. He brushed some of her tears away with his right hand, "Your Dad would have loved you with all of his heart. And he would have been so proud of you. I'm sure he's smiling down on you right now."

Leaning her head on her former teacher's shoulder and feeling his arms tighten around her once more, "Thanks," Riana whispered, "I needed that."

"Riana," Remus said one week after Kate had entrusted him to care for her daughter. "There's something I want to show you. Get your shoes; we're going on a walk."

"Where are we going?" she asked, looking up from the book she was reading.

"I want it to be a surprise. Come on, let's go," he instructed.

Neither of them spoke as he led her toward Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Remus had decided to take Riana to her father's old home; there, he hoped, she could feel closer to Sirius.

"Where are we?" Riana asked as Remus opened the door.

"This," he answered, "is where your father grew up."

He quickly ushered her through the hallway, past her grandmother's portrait, and up the stairs. I don't want her to have to hear the screams of that old witch just yet, he thought.

Riana's lips curled up in disgust. "Really? It doesn't look like a loving home."

"You're more right than you know," he stated. "Your Dad was the only decent member of his family. He was the only one who wasn't obsessed with being a 'pure blood'..." Remus told her. "And he ran away from home while he was still at Hogwarts."

"Oh, then why bring me here?"

They continued up the stairs and Remus stopped them outside of Sirius' bedroom. "Since your Dad owned the place after his parents and brother died, he lent it to the Order of the Phoenix..."

"The what?"

"Oh, sorry... After Voldemort's powers began to grow again, Professor Dumbledore called on the people he most trusted to combat the Dark Side because the Ministry was pretending that nothing was going on. That group of witches and wizards is known as the Order of the Phoenix, just as we were when Voldemort was in power before," Remus explained.

"And my parents and you were part of the Order then, along with Harry's parents, weren't you? That's why my Mom has to go into hiding," Riana stated more than asked, knowing in her heart that this was the truth.

"Yep. Your father was one of my best friends; he helped me through a tough period in my life while at school and I wish I could repay him for that. Anyway, I brought you here because, for the last year of his life, your Dad was confined to this house. Least the Ministry should find him and kill him for a crime he didn't commit. I want you to be able to go through his things, to get to know the true person he was," Remus said, watching her closely. She was on the verge of tears again, but this was definitely something she needed. Placing a hand on her shoulder, Remus continued, "This door leads to your Dad's room, we haven't opened it since he died. I think it only fitting that you should be the first one to enter it."

Riana took a deep breath and nodded. "I'll be downstairs in the kitchen if you need me," Remus said as Riana opened the door and stepped inside her father's world.

After a few hours passed and Riana hadn't come downstairs or called him, Remus slowly crept up the stairs. He peered inside the open door to his friend's old room and found Riana curled up on Sirius' bed, sound asleep. She looked so peaceful, more at ease than he had seen her in days.

A few minutes later, Riana woke up. She stared at him, but said nothing. Then she grabbed the picture she had been looking at when she had fallen asleep. "That's my Dad, that's you, that's Harry's Dad, so that makes this," she said, pointing to the small rather plump boy in the picture.

"Peter," Remus stated; his disgust was clear in his voice. Riana nodded.

"I've made up my mind," Riana stated. "I'm going to catch him some day."

"Catch him?" Remus asked, looking her in the eyes.

"Yeah, just catch. After everything he's done, he does deserve to die. And I do want to kill him, but well... that wouldn't prove anything, would it? No, I'm going to make sure he will be able to stand trial, something my Dad never had. From this day on my new goal in life is to clear my father's name."