Author's Note: These characters and their world belong to J.K.R.

Searching

in three movements

"Certain is it that there is no kind of affection so purely angelic as of a father to a daughter. In love to our wives, there is desire; to our sons, ambition; but to our daughters there is something which there are no words to express." -- Joseph Addison

Prelude

Adagietto

"Dear Mr. Lupin,

My name is Anna Pruitt and I have recently discovered that you were a friend of my mother's during the early 1980's. My mother, Daphne Summerset, has recently passed away, and I have lingering questions regarding the years before my birth that I am hoping you might be able to resolve. Would it be possible for you to meet me in London over the Easter holidays at the Earl Grey Tea Room in Chelsea?

If this is acceptable, please reply to…"

Remus neatly folded the letter and returned it to his coat pocket. The mysterious letter had arrived at Hogwarts during early February and into his possession via a snarling potions master a week later. Upon reading Anna Pruitt's request, he immediately responded through muggle post that he would be glad to meet with her during the holidays. He had received a final letter confirming that they would meet on a Thursday afternoon for tea and that she would be wearing a red coat.

Remus fingered his tea cup nervously. He was horrible with strangers, especially young women. He had decided to arrive a half hour early to give himself time to relax and reflect on Daphne, God rest her soul.

Daphne Summerset had been an assistant librarian at the City of London Public Library. And Remus? A poor, out-of-work wizard with a lot of time on his hands. Naturally, he spent many hours roaming the stacks of manuscripts and taking tea in the cafeteria next door, where they eventually met.

She was a beautiful young muggle woman taking pity on what she assumed was a restless, university student. They spent weeks sharing one another's company and, after a very brief affair, Remus ended everything by cutting up his library card and taking a teaching position in Spain.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Lupin?" questioned a soft female voice.

Remus shook away the shadows of those memories to find himself staring at a beautiful young woman in a red coat.

"Yes," he said, banging his knee against the table as he stood, then politely offering his hand. "Anna Pruitt?"

"Yes," she smiled, her grey eyes brightening to a soft blue. She was a tall, slender girl with a thin face and long, light brown hair. Something about her seemed so delicate yet, at the same time, she seemed like a woman who possessed a strong inner core. Lupin couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something uncanny about her.

Finally, he gave her a half smile and pulled out a chair for her. "Please, call me Remus. I was sorry to hear about your mother."

When she sat down, a curtain of long, light brown hair covered her face, her eyes darting away from his intense gaze. "I'm sorry, but I misinformed you. My mother is vacationing in France with her third…no, fourth husband."

Remus sat, his voice tense. "I'm not sure I understand what is going on here."

A blush crept into the girl's pale cheeks and trouble into her grey eyes, now locked directly with his when she said carefully, "You see Mr. Lupin; I am trying to locate my father."

"And you think I knew him?"

The girl took a deep breath. "No. I think you may be him."

It was as if the world stopped spinning and time stood still as he looked upon the young Anna Pruitt with new eyes, and very familiar grey eyes returned his unwavering gaze. In a quiet voice, he finally responded, "You think that I may be your…your father?"

Sadness lined her lips, and her earlier smile faded. "I am hoping that you might be." Then, looking away, "Perhaps this would be a good time to order tea."

"Yes, I believe so." If you're English, tea always makes things better.

After they had placed an order for tea and biscuits, Anna pulled out a large purse. "I want to show you something." Opening the bag, Remus couldn't but notice that it was cluttered with paper, a French dictionary, pink lip gloss, and a large bar of chocolate with a perfect bite mark on the upper corner.

Anna caught him looking at the candy bar and laughed slightly. "I got a bit nervous on the way over here and, well, chocolate always makes me feel better." Then looking down again into her bag, "Silly, I know."

Remus' stomach knotted. Besides the uncanny resemblance to himself - the grey eyes, the light brown hair, the lanky limbs - she also loved chocolate? Reaching in his breast pocket, he removed a handkerchief to wipe his brow, as if the gesture would rectify the troubled connection his mind had made.

"Ahh, here it is!" Anna handed him a dog-eared photograph.

It was a photo of him and Daphne snapped outside the London Zoo. The back of the picture read, "Remus Lupin of Yorkshire, 1981."

"That's how I was able to track you down. I went to Yorkshire, you see, and no one could place you until I went into this funny little bookstore." In the middle of pouring a cup of tea for him, she paused. "A very old and very odd man suggested that I try a school in Scotland called Hogwarts."

He gulped as he wondered what else the man, obviously a wizard, had told this young muggle woman. "I was teaching there for a time."

"On what subject?"

"Uhm…history," he answered quickly, lifting his cup to his lips and sipping the hot brew.

Anna took a long sip, as well, then returned the cup to her saucer with a slight rattle and forced out, "I do hate to pry, Mr. Lupin, but is it possible that you could be my father?"