Grrr, guess what?
I DON'T OWN IT!
Guess what else!
I NEVER WILL!
With that encouraging disclaimer, Here's Chapter 2-
Walk, Dreams and Arms
Mya knocked at the door to the Lupin residence and waited.
"Knock again Mommy!" Ria insisted not two seconds after the first knock, then resumed her bouncing.
"But I keep on thinking bout you! Sister golden hair surprise! And I just can't live with out you, can't you see it in my eyes. I've been one poor correspondent, I've been too-too hard to find. But that doesn't mean you ain't been one my mind!"
"Where did you hear that?"
Ria kept bouncing in time with the song.
"Aunt Ginny used to sing it to me!"
Leave it to Ginny to sing her daughter an American Muggle song from the 70's.
"Will you meet me in the middle, will you meet me in the air, will you love me just a little, just enough to show you care. Well I tried to fake it, I don't mind saying I just can't make it. Doo do whop do whop doo do whop do whop doo do whop do whop doo do whop do whop doo do whop do whop doo do whop do whop doo do whop do whop doo do whop doo whop."
She continued singing and dancing until her mother had no choice but singing along.
Then Ria changed her song.
"Well it's been building up in side of me for oh-I don't know how long, I don't know why but I keep thinking something's bound to go wrong. But she looks into my eyes and makes me realize that she said 'Don't worry baby, don't worry baby, everything will turn out, don't worry baby'."
Mya laughed, "BeeGees?"
Ria nodded and Mya looked at her daughter.
"Well, I know what to get you for your birthday, Ria." Mya said.
"Don't bother, I have most every well known CD from 1960 on. I can burn you some copies," a voice said from the doorway.
"How long have you been there?" Mya asked her friend Ginny with a huge smile on her face.
"Long enough to know that Mya Epanss knows every word from 'Sister Golden Hair'."
"Hey!" Mya cried out indignantly, "It's your fault!"
"I never knew you listened." Ginny said, pretending to be deep in thought.
"Ginerva Molly Weasley-Lupin, we both know that unless you were ranting about boys I listened to every word you said to me!"
"And could probably recount as many, Miss Photographic Memory!"
"Photographic Memories don't remember extraordinarily unless it's seen."
"You could pull it off," Ginny retorted with ease.
Mya stuck her tongue out at Ginny and Ginny grinned.
"Are you ladies going to stand in the doorway forever, or would you like to come in?"
"Remus!" Mya said with warmth hitting her heart.
"Hey, munchkin, how would you like to let Uncle Remus and Mommy get reacquainted and you hold Hermione?" Ginny asked quickly.
"Oh yes!" Ria shouted.
"Well, come on, sit down on the couch-"
"How are you doing Remus?"
"Better since the full-moon isn't for a while."
"How's Hermione-"
"Showing no signs, although Ginny did have a difficult birth, which is one of the indications."
Mya breathed out in relief.
Remus put his arm around Mya.
"How are you H-"
"Mommy!" a voice yelled from the living room, "I'm holding a baby!"
Mya had to laugh at that.
"I'm fine Remus, although not looking forward to the office party."
"Why not?"
"Blood is thicker then water. What if he recognizes," she nodded her head toward the living room door.
He shook his head, "Trust me, he won't. Lately, he hasn't seen two foot in front of his face. Not," he assured, seeing the look on Mya's face turn to concern, "From physical problems, but more from his living in the past." He gave Mya a pointed look.
"I was perfectly happy to risk my life for him. He's the one that pushed me away to 'protect me'."
"I know. He's buried himself in Order work."
"Who does that? Breaks someone's heart to 'Protect her'. My own thoughts could have beaten anything old Voldie threw at me any day."
Remus winced at the obvious indication of suicide and put the other arm on her chin, lifting it up to look in his eyes.
"You are worth more then 10 of him, don't let anyone tell you different."
"I wished I could believe you, Remus, but I would have given my life for him, and I still to this day hold him in a higher light then I hold myself. The only thing that could beat him out is sitting in the living room, screaming because she touched a baby."
Remus laughed.
"You still love him."
"Seven years can't change anything Remus. Even with out him."
"Well, it sure as hell changed certain aspects of how you look. I almost didn't recognize you on the Wizell."
"Ditto. It seems that this baby has done you some good."
He nodded and held open the door, "Ginny! Mya and I are going to go for a walk." He called.
"Okay, just don't steal my husband Mya Epanss!" She yelled back.
"Bye Mommy!" Ria yelped before more jumping could be heard.
"Who has that much energy this early in the morning?" Remus asked Mya.
Mya gave Remus a bitter smile, "That, my dear werewolf, is the energy of a girl hidden far to long."
Remus nodded, "You were in hiding quite a time, my dear hideaway," he imitated her sarcastic term of endearment.
Mya laughed again.
"Remus, are you sure I'm not too recognizable?"
"Well, I would suggest putting a glamour charm on before heading to the party."
"It's my eyes, isn't it?" She asked him.
"It's just you Mya. You're recognizable in yourself. You're so pretty, but it's not makeup pretty. It's genuine pretty, the type that doesn't use your face as a kindergartener's finger painting canvas."
She gave a dry laugh there, "You'd be surprised what Ria can pull off."
He just rolled his eyes at that comment, "But you don't do it to look pretty, My. You have to realize the difference. You have a brain that could surpass any other."
"Remus, that's not who I am anymore… Maybe I was but…. I'm not myself anymore."
Remus shook his head. "You're in there somewhere My. I'm just not sure where. Everything changed so much after you left. I can't believe it's been seven years that you've been gone… And now Ria's five…. It just seemed to go by so quickly."
Mya gave a little smile, "Almost too quickly."
Remus nodded in agreement, then looked up and said, "Harry misses you, ya know."
"He misses someone I'm not."
"He'll be happy to see you back."
"I've told you, he won't see me back, no one will. I'm going to use a glamour."
"He deserves to know."
"But I can't tell him."
"He's not dumb. He'll figure it out eventually."
"He doesn't have time for me… He's busy saving the world. He doesn't care anymore."
Remus shook his head. "Mya, he's not too busy. He pretends to be because he's sad. He's sad Herm died. He's just…. Sad."
"Listen to me. He won't know. No one will. I'm going to use a glamour. Everything about me will be different. Not Harry or anyone else can tell me any different."
Remus sighed, but gave up. They walked back to the household in silence, Mya glancing at Remus quickly.
He had changed so much since she had last saw him. He looked more well rested, although with a different type of exhaustion about him, more then likely from the baby. His hair was still brown with the stray grays, but it was better taken care of. His eyes were the real change. They were happy. They had a sparkle to them that she hadn't seen. She was glad to see him so happy, but she was also jealous. She couldn't be happy. She couldn't make Ria's father love her anymore then she could make herself forget about him.
She was pathetic.
It had been so many years. Yet she couldn't let him go. He haunted her dreams. Apparently, he haunted Ria's as well, because many nights, after Mya would wake up from her nightmares, she would hear Ria howl, and she couldn't wake her up.
She hated him for that.
She hated him for leaving her alone, for making her leave. She hated that he made her cry before she could tell him, let him know what he had fathered… Who he had fathered. She wished she had stayed, just long enough to tell him, just long enough to make him see that she couldn't forget him, because he left a permanent place in her life, a permanent spot on her heart, life, body and eventually, place in society.
Children born out of wedlock were shunned in the magical world. It was alright to get divorced, but your parents had to have been married at least once.
She knew the life Ria was heading into.
She heaved a sigh.
Remus looked at her as they stood on the porch. She hadn't realized that she had walked so far without realizing.
"A knut for your thoughts?"
"Make it two and we'll talk."
He gave a fake groan. "So expensive. Sit." He gestured at the porch swing.
"It's just…. Ria's life could be ruined because I never told him about her. She doesn't have a father, he doesn't know about her. But she…. I think she knows something. She wakes up in the middle of the night, in a cold sweat, screaming 'Daddy!'. What am I supposed to think, that she doesn't have a clue?"
Remus nodded for her to go on.
"She…. She's definitely strong. She can read my mind. I know that much, and I can't do a damn thing to stop her. My fake memories, my blocks, she gets through them all without a second thought. She's been summoning things to her since she was two months, before I owled Ginny. She hears more then she should, smells at a farther distance. She's extremely gifted on a broom, even though she picked one up for the first time yesterday. It… it scares me Remus. I can't do magic, and my daughter will surpass me soon. I may not be able to control her."
Remus put his arm around the shaking girl.
"Gin and I will always be here."
"But I can't live off you forever. It's unfair to you, to Gin, to Hermione. Hermione deserves to have her time as an only child. I can't cramp you guys like that."
"You've been gone so long that it would only be fair to let us see you twenty-four hours a day for a while to make up for that."
Mya sighed, "But-"
"But nothing. Mya, until you get on your feet, if you try to move out, I'll get Ginny on you."
Mya glared at him half-heartedly. She was suddenly exhausted.
"Fine."
Remus smiled a smile that reached past his eyes and put his hand on her back, gently pushing her inside.
Harry Potter, Ron Weasley Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, Hagrid, and Colin Creevy all were in the Headmaster's quarters, and the younger 7 were waiting for him to speak.
Finally, Harry broke the uncomfortable silence. "Professor, what happened?"
Dumbledore sighed and sat down at his desk, his eyes devoid of their usual twinkling state.
"There's been another attack… in Diagon Ally. 16 deaths, 20 critical injuries and hundreds of minor injuries."
Draco looked up in surprise. "Who?"
"There were 6 of them. Your father, Bellatrix, Nott Sr., Goyle Sr. and Jr., and Crabbe Jr."
Neville swore loudly at the mention of Bellatrix's name.
Colin meekly looked at the headmaster.
"Why?"
"Well, I can't be sure, but I suspect they've found the prophecy."
"Didn't they already know about it?" Harry asked.
"There's another, a newer one."
Ron stared at the older man.
"What does it say?"
Dumbledore sat back in his chair, eyes closed.
"'Mother's pride, father's wish, she lives to aid the battle. Named in remembrance of a lost loved one, she brings about the means for destruction. Led by those older then she, her brilliance radiates to all. With one last look upon the scene, the Dark Lord, to them, will fall.'"
Harry looked confused, but said nothing.
Ron, however, wasn't as silent. "'Named in remembrance of a lost loved one?' Who is it Professor?"
Draco looked directly at Ron. "What's the name of your sister's daughter?"
Ron looked like he was about to puke. "Oh Merlin." He said before hurrying out of the room.
Mya watched her daughter sleep on the couch, dark, messy hair pointing every which way on the pillow, with frizzed roots sticking up. Her skin was pale, and she had a single freckle on her right cheekbone. She was about 3' 5", and couldn't weigh more then 30 pounds. She was tiny, no matter how healthy she ate. Mya had always given her the full-fat milks, let her eat French-fries, even given her cookies at all hours of the day, trying to get her to gain weight. But she didn't.
Mya felt herself drift off to sleep, dreaming of a dark-haired man holding her, telling her it was all right. Then, her dreams turned for the worse.
Mya opened her mouth to speak, but only hissing noises would come out.
Turning her head a little, she saw a circle of masked men, clad in dark, flowing robes all looking toward her. No, not toward her, past her. She turned to see what they were looking at, and had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming.
There, in a high, stone chair, sat a bald man with long, skinny fingers tapping against the arm. His features were misshapen, and he was in long, dark robes, but that was not what made her heart speed up. It was his eyes.
They were blood red, and the look in them was malice, evil. He glared out at the circle of men, and his eyes paused at a gap between a small, frail figure and a tall, beefy man.
"Wormtail!" He barked in a high-pitched voice that sent shivers down her spine, or lack thereof.
"Y-yes M-master?" the pathetic blob that was Wormtail asked.
"Why is there a gap?"
"H-he must be b-back w-with the o-old f-f-fool, M-master."
"The information he provides better be good."
"Y-yes M-master, t-the b-b-b-best!"
"Get out of my sight Wormtail, your face is making me sick."
Wormtail ran backward so fast he tripped over his own feet and fell on his pathetic arse.
The Death Eaters nervously shifted in fear and anticipation, and in Bellatrix's case, excitement.
"Trix!" The Dark Lord barked.
"Yes Master?" A eager and confident voice responded from behind one of the masks.
"Come forward."
A skinny figure with a confident air about it stepped forward toward the snake-like man and bowed deeply before him.
"Yes Master, what do you desire?"
"I grow bored. Torture one of the worthless ones until he comes."
"Yes Master, with pleasure."
And with that, the shape named Bellatrix grabbed one of the wizards from the back and pointed her wand on him.
"P-please no!" He yelled.
"It is for your master!" She screeched.
He fell to his knees, already in pain. She was casting spells on him without even saying them out loud.
He began to writhe. He screamed out, before muttering intelligible words under his breath.
Suddenly, he went silent and slumped to the ground.
Bellatrix lowered her wand and turned back to the Dark Lord and bowed deeply again. Then she retreated back to her place in the circle.
There was a crack through the air as the final dark-robed figure appeared. He was tall and lean, and he fell to the ground in respect before the Dark Lord.
"Master, I apologize. The old coot found out about the attack and I had to listen to his rants for hours."
"What news do you bring?"
"They know about the prophecy as well, Master, but they don't know who we're after, nor who would fulfill the prophecy."
"Maybe they didn't care for the girl as much as we thought. Do you think that the mudblood was cared for?"
The dark figure shuttered. "Yes, Master. She was Potter's best friend. The Mudblood was practically his life. He's fallen into a depression since her death."
"That only makes it easier to fight him."
"Yes, Master. He has lost so much he should be a cinch to kill."
"And once he is dead, you will get a king's reward."
"You are too kind, Master. It is far more then I deserve just to be in your presence."
"Get to your spot before I decide to take back my decision not to punish you for your lateness."
"Yes Master."
"Now, we need to find that girl! If she has the power to help Potter defeat me, then she has the power to help me defeat Potter. I want her found! And DO NOT HARM HER!" He screeched.
Every single Death Eater jumped at his loud tone.
"She is very important to our cause. And be careful. Timing is everything. With a father like hers, wrong timing could cause a terrible problem for who ever goes to retrieve her."
A snicker echoed off the walls of the cave, probably coming from Bellatrix.
"She may be named for a Mudblood, but the girl is crucial to this battle. You each heard the prophecy. 'With one last look around the scene, to them, the Dark Lord will fall.' We cannot let this happen. With out Potter and Dumbledore's guidance, she is bound to be as dark as any of us. We need her mindset to be focused on killing Potter. Are we clear?"
There were murmurs of consent around the room.
"Trix and Malfoy, you two will go to the Lupin residence and get her. Tomorrow night. Be careful of the Squib's daughter. She may be a child, but I hear she is quite a loud child."
And with that, the scene around Mya began to fade.
Mya's eyes snapped open and she surveyed the room around her. She was covered by a blanket and the door was drawn shut, and the lights were off.
Mya had barely two seconds to relax before a scream resounded from in front of her, a squeal of pain.
Ron looked at Dumbledore.
"They've put a thousand curses on her to protect her, but I don't think it's going to be enough. None of us are trained in dark magic, so we don't know how to protect her against those curses."
Dumbledore nodded and looked out the window.
"We'll get those up too."
The wail continued. Mya placed her hands on her daughter's forehead. Remus and Ginny hurried in.
"What's going on?" Remus asked.
"I don't know! I woke up and she started screaming."
Suddenly, Victoria's eyes ripped open.
"Arm! Burning! Stop!" she screamed, clutching her arm in fear.
A/N- Would this be considered a cliffy?
10 million points to anyone who can tell me who was put under wards!
Grins
Sorry it took so long to get this up, end-of-the-year testing has started early, and I've had no time. Thank God It's over soon and I get to graduate and never go back to that school again!
Milk, cookies and cheese to everyone that reviewed!
The duckies ask you nicely to review to this one. Smiles so nicely
