Finding a Father
Ch. 7
By: Waterlili
A/N: Wow…it's been awhile hasn't it. Ok Sorry for the wait. Summer camp was not as much fun as I had anticipated but it had some highlights. Ok I'll hush and let ya'll read now.
Previously on Finding a Father:
"You're …Sweet Merlin. Remus John Dulcis-Lupin…youngest Prince of Monera." Maddie said with amazement.
"Wait a minute….you're a prince." Ginny said shocked.
"That makes me……" Isabelle said in shock.
"A princess." Remus said.
On with the Show…
"She's a what?" Ginny and Maddie said together. Isabelle looked between Remus and Sirius in shock.
"A Princess" Sirius said. "The only daughter of Monera's youngest prince."
"Youngest?" Belle questioned. "As in more than one."
"Yes, I have a brother" Remus said.
"Hells Bells" Maddie explained.
"Wait!" Ginny said suddenly. "Aren't you the one the people refer to as the playboy prince?"
"Yes" said Remus sounding annoyed.
"Oh great" Isabelle muttered.
"I heard that" Remus said.
"I know" Isabelle snapped.
"Isabelle, please at least try to be civil" Sirius snapped.
"Why should I?" Isabelle said angrily. "The playboy prince over there left Mum and me. He didn't care then just because Mum died doesn't mean he cares now." When Isabelle finished she was nearly in tears.
"I didn't…You don't" Remus started but stopped when Isabelle left the room.
Ginny and Maddie looked at each other in shock. Remus ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Sirius looked at all of them and sighed as he followed Isabelle out of the drawing room. He found her sitting on the bottom of the stairs with her head resting on her knees.
"Isabelle" Sirius said softly as he dropped onto one knee in front of her.
"Go away Sirius."
"No." Sirius said as he sat Indian-style next to her. "Isabelle, I know all of this has been hard on you. But believe me it's been hard on Remus too."
"Hard on…Sirius. I don't care about him. I don't want to go live with him. He is not my father." Isabelle yelled.
"Isabelle Elizabeth Wood." Sirius said forcefully. "If you think you are the only person hurting because of your mother's death you are sorely mistaken." Sirius said sounding angry.
"But why should I care about someone who has never cared about me." Isabelle shouted.
"He didn't know." Sirius shouted.
"What?" Isabelle looked up at him confused
"Remus didn't know about you. He'd never even heard your name until your second year. And even after that he didn't know you were his child." Sirius said quietly.
"But how?" Belle said.
"My father." Remus interrupted as he came into the hall. "Had a Prime Minister who disliked my because of my…condition. When he found out your mum was pregnant with you he told her it might be in my best interest if she left." Remus finished sadly.
"It doesn't matter anymore." Isabelle said softly. "My mum is gone and I have to go with. That doesn't mean I have to like it." She finished defensively before turning and pounding up the stairs.
Isabelle awoke groggily the next morning. She sat up in bed and pushed her cinnamon colored hair put of her eyes. When she saw Ginny and Maddie both sleeping peacefully in their own beds she groaned and flopped back pulling her covers over her head.
"Stop making so much noise Belle. You'll wake them up" came a voice from the door.
"Harry?" Isabelle said sitting up again. She smiled slightly when she saw Harry standing in the doorway.
"Yeah it's me." Harry said genially. "Could I talk to you?"
"Sure" Isabelle said climbing slowly out of bed. She rubbed her eyes and followed him quietly down the hall to the library. She sat in a squashy armchair and picked at the hem of her black linen pajama pants.
"Isabelle?" Harry asked as he sat down across from her.
"Yeah"
"Why don't you want to go live with Remus?" The Boy Who Lived asked her.
"It's hard to explain" Isabelle sighed. "I just lost my whole world, Harry, I'm not ready to be thrust into a new one yet. A new family, new rules, a new country. How am I going to do all that and without Gin and Maddie no less."
"You don't have to do any of it alone." Harry said.
"How do you figure?" Isabelle asked not meeting his eyes.
"You've got Remus." Harry said logically.
"Yeah that helps." Isabelle muttered.
"What do you mean?"
"Where has he been all my life." Isabelle asked angrily. "Where was he when I was in St. Mungo's for a year. Where was he at the end of my third year when I was in the Hospital Wing for three weeks. Sirius seemed to be able to be there, and he was running from the ministry."
"I don't know Isabelle." Harry offered. "Don't you think everyone deserves a second chance though?"
"It depends"
"On what?" Harry asked.
"I don't know."
"That doesn't seem fair." Harry said wisely.
"Is it fair that I grew up without a father? Is it fair that he left my mum when she needed him most?" Isabelle asked angrily.
"You aren't the only one who grew up without a father, Belle" Harry said sadly.
"Oh Merlin Harry. I'm so sorry." Isabelle said quietly. She covered her face with her hands and sighed.
"It's alright" Harry said quietly, moving so he was sitting on the arm of her chair. "I know you're going through a lot."
"You've been through a lot to Harry" Isabelle said looking up at him. "You don't act like a spoiled brat."
"Not everyone thinks that."
"Snape doesn't count" Isabelle said with a grin.
Harry laughed and rest his head on top of Isabelle's. They both sat quietly for awhile until the fire started popping and Remus and Sirius both came through. The four looked at each other without speaking for a long moment.
"Good Morning, Isabelle, Harry" Remus said stiffly.
"Morning oh young ones" Sirius said with a smirk. "Want breakfast?"
"Food" Harry said happily.
"Food is Good" Isabelle chimed in standing.
"What's for Food?" Ron asked entering the room.
"Pancakes?" Maddie asked coming in from the other side.
"No, Kippers and Eggs" Ginny said following Ron inside the room.
"Waffles" Hermione yawned as she came in.
"How can anyone eat at this time of the morning?" Adria said with a large sigh.
"Some of us are normal" Maddie snapped. Ginny and Belle nodded in agreement.
"Alright girls. That's enough." Sirius said standing with one arm around Maddie and one around Belle. "I say we all have whatever we want."
"Word" Ron said with an ecstatic grin.
The group all followed Sirius into the kitchen and sat around the large table. Adria and Harry were sitting alone at one end of the table talking in low harsh tones, while the rest of the group was chattering animatedly at the opposite end. Isabelle moved her food around on her plate but sighed glumly and pushed her plate around on her plate.
"You should eat. I have it on good authority you have to eat breakfast to play quidditch" a voice said in her ear. Turning to face the voice she squealed and through her arms around the young man standing behind her.
"Oliver" she said as she hugged him, "Merlin I've missed you."
"I've missed you too kid," Oliver said releasing her, "Is there somewhere we can talk?"
"Yeah." She lead him out into the backyard and sat on a nearby bench. "What's up?"
"I'm leaving," Oliver said quickly.
"Um…ok. Good-bye," she said confused.
"No Belle, I'm leaving England. I'm going to play Quidditch for the Italian National Team"
"What? Oliver….you cannot leave me. They're sending me to some strange country. You can't leave me."
"Isabelle, there is nothing left here for me. Even if I stay you still have to go with Remus."
"I know," she said sadly.
"I'll come visit you once you're at Hogwarts. I love you, little sister"
"I love you too, Orli." Isabelle nodded and hugged her cousin. She wiped her eyes as Oliver stood and took a few steps away. With a smile and a small wave Oliver disapparated. She sniffled and wiped her eyes before heading back into the house.
Everyone turned to look at her when she came into the room. Expressions ranged from concerned to questioning. Isabelle ignored all of them and headed back upstairs to her room.
Isabelle lay on her bed in the dim silence of her room. Sniffling and wiping her eyes as she burrowed herself beneath the heavy scarlet blankets. The door clicked open softly and Isabelle pulled her pillow more tightly over her head.
"Isabelle," Remus' voice came from the doorway.
"What?"
"Look at me when I'm speaking to you," he said sternly.
Groaning she rolled over and wiping her eyes one last time. "What?" She asked glaring at him.
"You need to get packed. We're leaving for Monera this afternoon," Remus said quietly.
"Ok," Isabelle said dully. Picking a single sweater ,which had been brought with the clothing that was kept at her Grandmère's, and tossing it into the open and half-empty trunk. "I'm packed."
"Belle," Remus started to say but stopped, "We're leaving in a few hours."
A/N: Ok…Ya'll know the deal. Click it and leave a review.