A/N: Here it is at long last. Sorry about the wait.
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.
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Clare quickly stepped back though and gasped in pain. Remus looked down at her leg. Her ankle was covered in blood. Remus quickly moved into action. He sat her in a chair and went into the cupboard where all the medical supplies were now lying on the ground. Remus scooped up what he needed and went back into the kitchen. There he sat down, bandaged his daughter's wound and talked with Clare for the rest of the afternoon.
Chapter 14 – Dinner and Introductions"Harry!"
"Yes, father?"
"Go find that wolf, it's almost dinner time."
Harry sighed and packed away his Quidditch kit and was about to lean his broom against the bedroom wall when he noticed Malfoy was sitting and saw that the other was looking intently over the book he was reading at the broom in Harry's hand. Harry, having second thoughts, put his broom and kit into his trunk and locking it so the other boy would not be able to get to it.
Harry reached the bottom of the stairs where Ives handed Harry a jacket to put on. Harry walked over to Severus.
"Where might I find Remus?"
Severus looked up from the potions book he was reading to where Harry was standing expectantly, but with a slightly irritated look.
"He's across the street at the other house." Severus answered, returning his attention to his book.
"If you knew where he is, then why didn't you go get him?" Asked Harry
"Because I asked you to do it."
Harry left mumbling under his breath. Severus watched his son walk out of the house; a small smile graced his lips before his mask fell back into place and his gaze returning to his book.
Harry walked the small distance that separated the two houses and knocked on the door. Remus opened it a second later.
"Dinner is ready," Harry said.
Remus glanced back into the house for a moment before answering Harry.
"I'll be over in a moment and tell them to add another place setting."
"…O…k…" Then Harry walked back across the street while wondering whom Remus was bringing with him.
Harry wasn't in the house a bare second before his father asked him where 'the wolf' was.
"You did go get him, didn't you, Harry?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes, I did. He said he would be over in a minute. He also said to set another plate."
Severus raised an eyebrow at that. "He did, did he?"
"Yes, sir."
Severus closed his book and set it to the side. "Go clean up for dinner."
Harry left to wash up while Severus made arrangements for another guest.
The boys were still upstairs getting ready. Every now and then you would hear them taunting each other, but not enough so that it would worry Severus. While waiting for Remus, Severus poured himself a wine, but as he raised it to his lips a surprising sight made him stop. Severus was suddenly glad that he had not taken a drink for it would have gone flying. Remus had just entered the room, but it was the girl behind him that drew Severus' notice. Just a moment of examining the young lady was all Severus needed to identify her.
"Lupin, you have got to be kidding."
Remus gave a smile and placed his hand on his daughter's back. "Severus, allow me to introduce my daughter, Clare. Clare, this is Severus Snape and resident potion professor."
Clare gave a meek smile towards the Potion Professor while Severus had only had time to nod his head in her direction before the boys came down the stairs.
"Is dinner ready yet?" Harry asked. Reaching the bottom step he started when he noticed Clare, but recovered quickly. "Oh, hi."
"Hello." Clare responded shyly.
Draco looked between the two and shook his head. "Really, Potter," Draco said only loud enough for Harry to hear, "close your mouth before you catch a fly."
Draco then walked up to Clare and picked up her hand. "I am Draco Malfoy." He then bowed over her hand, the straightened to ask. "And you are…?"
Clare blushed lightly at the formal introduction. "Clare MacLean."
"It is a pleasure to meet you."
Harry rolled his eyes and went over to Clare, knocking Draco out of the way while doing so, and shook her hand. "I'm Harry; it's nice to meet you. I'm his adopted son" Harry said pointing to Severus over his shoulder, who seemed to bristle at that introduction.
Clare smiled brightly and had laughter in her voice, "I'm Clare, and it is also nice to meet you. I'm his biological daughter." Clare said pointing to Remus and then letting out a full-bodied laugh at the looks on Harry's and Draco's faces.
Mali then came in and announced that dinner was ready.
Everyone sat down and started to eat. All through dinner questions were asked about Clare's history, but the most important one was the one Draco asked.
"How is it that…well…I thought that werewolves couldn't have kids unless conceived during the full moon with another werewolf?"
"Yes," Severus said, placing down his wineglass while looking directly at Remus, "that would be most interesting to know."
"Don't look at me like that, Severus, I didn't even know about Clare here until a week after her birth."
"Is this true, Clare?" Severus asked.
"Oh, yes. It was the very day mum and I moved here. Mum was getting some last minute things when she ran into dad. This is now the second time I've seen my dad."
Severus nodded. "Very, well. So how did your parents meet, Clare, and why is it that this is only the second time you have seen him?"
"Well, from what my mum has told me it seems they met in a pub somewhere. She was there to drink herself into oblivion because her love had married another that very day. I think it was an arrange marriage, anyway, dad had just come down for some dinner and a drink. He saw mum with several bottles scattered on her table and since he knew her from school he went over to find out what was wrong…"
"Forever the noble Gryffindor, I see." Severus interrupted. "Continue."
"Well, both of them got drunk together and one thing led to another. Mum says she remembers not much else, but in the morning she had a very big hangover. After Mum and Dad got over their hangovers they both realised what happened, but neither of them felt anything more the friendship towards each so the went on with their lives. Mum didn't know she was pregnant with me until she went into labour."
"Your mother was a flat stomach then?" Harry asked.
"Well obviously, Potter." Draco sneered. "Otherwise she would have known about the pregnancy, Scar head."
"Git."
"Enough!" Severus said in a deadly voice. "Continue, Clare."
Clare was slightly uncertain about continuing, but did so when Professor Snape gave her a small smile.
"Well, what is not commonly know is that any child conceived by a werewolf can be taken away and destroyed in it's first year of life if the Ministry in England finds out about the child and if the Ministry finds out about the child after the said year the parent can be taken away to Azkaban or sued for all they have. The child is then taken away and put into a secure location, but if the parents have hid the child away till its 11th birthday both the parent and the child are safe.
So you can see why my parents decided to what they did. Australian laws are gentler towards werewolves and dark creatures in general. Mum brought me here for my protection. You see, if you were born from a werewolf here and told the ministry of it, the ministry would bend over backwards to try and help the parents and child the best way they can."
Severus took a sip of his wine while dinner was cleared. He noticed that Harry had a shocked expression on his face, which soon turned to anger; Draco had a disgusted look in his eyes and Remus just looked sad. Severus had to put his glass back down on the table for he feared that if he held it any longer he would break it in his hand.
Severus cleared his throat and was about to say something, but he was interrupted before he could.
"That's horrible!" Harry cried out.
"But it is also understandable, Harry." Remus said sadly. "When that law was written centuries ago there was a large number of werewolves in the United Kingdom or so the history books have said, but the truth is someone in the ministry thought he was seeing werewolves everywhere and kept reporting it, which was scaring everyone. Anyway, at the time Wolfsbane Potion had not been invented yet and people were too scared to try and help werewolves or were prejudice against them. So you can understand why that law was made and the Ministry has more important matters to deal with then to change the outdated law.
"It's still not right." Harry grumbled.
"As interesting as this is, it still does not explain why you never spoke of your daughter, Lupin."
"You have to understand, Severus, when Clare here was born it was the first reign of Vo…Voldemort and if I told anyone that someone could have slipped and said something. Then there was a spy in the order so it was not a good idea to say anything to my friends and, well, after he was gone there wasn't any of my friends left to tell about Clare. So I just didn't say anything to anyone else."
"And what about when the mutt was back, why didn't you tell him then or anyone else for that matter?" Severus asked candidly.
Harry looked sharply from his father to Remus, wanting to know that answer himself.
"So many things were happening, it just never came up"
All conversation stopped when dessert arrived and everyone was lost in his or her thoughts. When the bowls were cleared they all made light conversation when Clare noticed the time and stood.
"I have to go. I should have been home ten minutes ago."
"Very well." Remus said rising from his chair to embrace his daughter.
Once out of her father's arms her hand was took up by Severus and shook lightly.
"We expect you here tomorrow for dinner and bring your mother with you."
Clare blushed lightly. "Thank you, Professor; you shall expect us tomorrow then."
Draco bowed slightly. "It was nice to meet you. I take pleasure in seeing you tomorrow."
If Clare was flushed before it was nothing compared to her rosie red cheeks, Harry thought, thinking that her blush could rival a Weasley's. "I'll walk you to the gate, if you like."
"Thank you, Harry." Clare waved to the others before she and Harry walked out of the door.
"Harry."
"Yes, Clare." Harry turned to look at her.
"Who was you father referring to before, the one he called 'the mutt'?"
Harry gave a small sad smile. "That would be my godfather. He and father never liked each other. He died not that long ago."
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring up sad memories, I…"
"Don't worry about. The pang still there, but it's getting better."
"What was his name? I think it would have been a handsome one I would think"
Harry gave a small laugh. "Yeah, I suppose it was 'handsome'. His name was Sirius Black. I think you would have liked him."
"I already know him." As soon as it was out of her mouth Clare slapped a hand over it, looking like a deer caught in headlights. Harry's head whipped around and stared at her in shock.
Before Harry could say anything, Clare said she had go. She bolted out the gate and out of sight. The only clear thought Harry had been that for a girl of that build she certainly was fast. Harry turned back to the house and went to find Remus.
Clare closed the door to her bedroom and flopped down onto her bed. For once she was glad her mum was working late.
Clare kicked her bed in frustration. "How could I be so stupid and let that slip?"
"Hay Clare?" A voice called from outside.
Clare got off of (from) her bed and opened the window, taking a seat on the cushioned window alcove. Across from her was a similar window on the other house. There sat her neighbour and friend.
"Hay, Sarha"
"Hay, Sarha? Is that all you have to say to your friend that has been gone all holiday long." Sarha said in mock outrage.
Clare laughed, "I'm glad your back. There is so much to tell you." She then proceeded to tell her friend all that has happened then visa versa. Before long both girls were getting tired and proceeded to tell each other their customary goodnights.
"Goodnight, Lady Clare Nicole Lupin-MacLean." Sarha said giving a curtsy to Clare.
Clare curtsy back. "And you Lady Sarha Libra Masters."
Both girls laughed as they closed their windows because of how childish their antics were.
Once Clare had settled down in bed her bedroom door open and up jumped a large black dog that looked very much like a grim. Both owner and dog settled down for sleep.
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I'll try and update sooner this time but you never know what life throws at you.
By the way (little secret here) Clare and Sarha have roles to play during the story so I will not be dropping them but Harry will still have the main focus in the story.
Hope you liked it.
