Lupin's Little Dark One
Disclaimer: Don't Own Harry Potter, Midsummer's Night Dream, or Canadian Hockey Teams.
A/N: The last one was like... WOW... long. Lol, I'll try to keep this one moderate.
I began HBP at 6pm on Sat, July 16, and I closed the book, meriting 8pm-11pm at a fireworks display, 11pm-1am computer time, finishing ch14 and beginning ch 15 of this, sleep from 4am to 2pm, and rather long 2pm-5pm of baby-sitting, at 11pm on Sunday, July 17. That is 11 hours of interrupted reading for that book, my record for reading Harry Potter, is a 3 hour, interrupted Sorcerer's Stone.
:Cries because of what happened:
I haven't decided if I will incorporate some events of HBP into this fic. Dunno if I could, I haven't the heart.
And I know a lot of people are OOC, I don't care about that either, I'm just writing. Some people enjoy it, some people don't I still write. I know I rant a lot, you're over it.
Love, Peace, Chicken Grease.
Last Time:
"I want to be with you more than ever Kieran." Ron said. "I want to be someone you can come to now when you have nightmares about it. When you're sad. When you get so hateful and resentful like this." He grabbed her arm to stop her and she stopped dead and looked up at him.
"I saw what you saw, and it wasn't the first time I've seen it over again." She hissed almost angrily. "I see it every time I close my eyes." She pulled away from him again and ran back up to the house as fast as she could.
Chapter Fifteen: Christmas with the Lupins
Kieran went the rest of the way up the stairs and started throwing anything she had left to pack into her suitcase, taking no care, and waking Ginny. Ginny slowly sat up and watched her, soon enough Ron was in the doorway. Ginny sighed, know something had happened and rubbed her eyes.
"Kieran don't be like this, please." Ron said. "Had I known you'd be forced to go through the memories too, I'd never have done it! I love you, don't do this."
"What's there to love Ron? A bitter, weak, numb little wretch? Sounds more like you pity me, and I don't need pity." Kieran retorted. Ron walked over to her and gripped her firmly by the shoulders, ignoring the fact that the whole family was outside that door.
"Listen to me. When I look at you I see this amazing girl, that's been hurt, and I want to help her more than anything. I want to love her, and keep her close to me, help her heal. I see inner beauty and a warm soul that's kept away by a layer of ice. But there's a little something on the inside, chipping away at the ice and it's made a little hole, and every time the hole gets big enough for the warmth to melt the ice, something bigger comes along and freezes it again. It hurts me to see that little thing struggle so hard, and I want to help him, because I know he's working so hard to let the beauty out. I see someone I could envision the rest of my life with, someone who when I talk with them about close things, I get all fuzzy inside, and they make me giddy, and I've done things I've never done before. But it's all wonderful Kieran, and I can't stop it, and I'm getting out my candle now and me and the little thing inside are bent on freeing the inner beauty." Ron's speech made Ginny and Mrs. Weasley come to tears. Kieran sobbed and sank into Ron, who hugged her tightly and kissed her head softly, tears of his own starting. Mr. Weasley waved his others sons and Harry back to bed and motioned for Ginny to go to stay with Percy, once things were calm he led his wife in and sat with her on the edge of Ginny's bed. Ron looked up.
"We need to talk, Ronald, Kieran." Mr. Weasley said calmly. Kieran looked up at him and pulled instantly away from Ron. Ron sighed and sat on Kieran's bed and motioned for Kieran to follow him. She nervously sat down by Ron and made no eye contact with anyone.
"Arthur, whatever happened seemed to have been settled right there." Molly said. "I think any other discussion should be left till Remus gets here in the morning. They should both go back to bed."
"In separate beds." Mr. Weasley defined. Kieran and Ron nodded and Molly led Arthur out to the door, where he paused, to assure that Ron took Ginny's now empty bed, and Kieran in her original. They left the door open and went down the stairs. Ron laid, now on his back, and listened to Kieran, who was calming herself and steadying her breath. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her sit up, and then stand and go back to her things on the floor. Ron slowly sat up and watched her.
"Go back to sleep Ron." Kieran said quietly. Ron could only just hear her and sighed.
"What are you doing?" Ron asked her, getting up to help her.
"My father's going to be here in the morning, and you heard your parents, they want to discuss what happened, I intend to meet him at the door, ready to go, so you don't get into any trouble." Kieran said.
"I don't care if I get in trouble for trying to help and speaking my mind." Ron said. "I don't want him to keep you away from me."
"He will if he learns what happened. The less he knows the better." Kieran finished before they heard an apparition pop. Kieran groaned. "That would be him."
"Let's go down there."
"Let him come up here. So lay down and pretend you're asleep." Kieran said, she swiftly and silently got back in her bed, and Ron did the same. No sooner had he rolled over and shut his eyes, did Remus burst in.
"Kieran Marie, up, let's go!" Remus hissed, grabbing her by the arm. She pushed off of him and got up.
"I'm perfectly capable of getting up on my own." Kieran hissed. "Now keep quiet so you don't wake Ron."
"Too late." Ron whispered, sitting up. Kieran looked at him desperately, as if pleading him to lay back down and pretend he was dreaming.
"Good, I think your parents would like a word with you Ron. Kieran, are you done packing?" Remus growled angrily. The light in his eyes and the tone of his voice led Ron to believe it was close to the full moon. Kieran reached under her pillow and pulled out her wand and waved it silently. Any of her things still out made there way to her trunk, and with another wave, an assortment of gifts, one addressed to each Weasley and one to Harry were set upon her now made bed. "You're not going to impress your way out of this one Kieran Marie."
"I know that, Remus John, I'm not trying to! I simply wanted a quick and efficient way out before you blew up in front of a group of people who very much respect you. Who am I staying with tomorrow night?" Kieran changed the subject quickly, grabbing her trunk and heading out of the room, Remus and Ron behind her.
"Me, that's the whole point of me coming here." Remus said angrily.
"Yes, we're having a family Christmas, and then, tomorrow night, you're going to see the full moon and turn into a werewolf. I really would prefer not to be bitten." Kieran said. "I don't kid around in Astronomy, I memorized the Lunar Charts."
"I'll ship you off with Snape, he's got to bring my potion by anyway." Remus said hurriedly. The group went down the stairs. Molly and Arthur were waiting at the bottom.
"Did I hear correctly, is tomorrow the full moon already? Remus dear, you really mustn't send her with Severus, he's rather a grouch at Christmas." Molly said,
"Then it will be her punishment for causing distress in your household Molly." Remus said. "She can start on the rest of his homework for the term. She'll be taking a set of lessons with Firenze upon her returning to school. Not to mention she's promised me tutoring and paper grading during her free periods."
"But that's not right," Ron said. "When is she ever going to have time to relax?"
"When she is sleeping." Remus said. "Alone. In a bunk in my room." Remus shot her a nasty angry glare.
"Remus, I admit I was upset, but I think you are over-reacting." Arthur said.
"Arthur, you have raised your children brilliantly. My Marie failed such a feat with our daughter, so I have to be more strict with Kieran." Remus said calmly. "If she's snuck out of your house, with her boyfriend, and came back in hysterics, then I think, looking out on her past activities, I'm am reacting just fine."
"Do you always have to judge me on my past?" Kieran exclaimed.
"It's not her fault Lupin, I snuck her out, I was at her window with my broom, she didn't know about it, and I swear, on my whole family, that we didn't do anything like what you're thinking!" Ron said. "I looked up spell, sorta like a pensieve without the bowl, I got to see selected memories, only, I didn't know she'd see them to, and that's what upset her. The only reason I snuck her out was Harry in my room and Ginny in hers!" Remus, Molly, and Arthur exchanged shocked glances and Kieran looked at Ron with a soft, unnoticed smile. Remus glanced at Kieran.
"You should have known better, Kieran." Remus said.
"Ron, we're surprised at you, you're not of age yet!" Molly scolded. "I think, we'll hold off your apparition test for a while, as well as your ability to use magic this coming summer."
"Please, Mrs. Weasley, he was just trying to help. I would rather I be punished for agreeing to go than he be punished for thinking of it. It was truly a brilliant idea, for him to learn my past better at least. My father has no doubt told you that I am a psychic. Ron was only trying to get as much knowledge about me, as I have of him. I reacted poorly." Arthur looked at Kieran carefully, both of Ron's parents were shocked that she chose to take the blame for what had happened. "Don't punish him because of my past."
"No matter the consequences of his actions, Kieran, yours haven't changed, say goodbye." Remus said bitterly. "I'll meet you at the entrance to 42 Wallace Boulevard, London. If you're not there within fifteen minutes, I will be contacting Ministry officials." With that he took her things from her and disapparated. Kieran sighed.
"Goodbye Mr. And Mrs. Weasley, Ron, do tell the others I said goodbye, it was pleasure meeting all of you, I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused." Kieran turned and walked outside silently. She was just about to disapparate when Ron ran outside.
"Don't go." Ron pleaded, grabbing her hands.
"It's best if I do, your parents are upset, I think Dad might kill me when we get there, I'll see you back at school." Kieran smiled softly and kissed his cheek. "I love you Ron, thanks for everything." Without time for Ron to reply, she vanished.
"I love you too," he whispered, turning back inside.
Kieran arrived quickly and efficiently at her destination, Remus was there waiting. She gave him a quick, forced smile and he led her through the door. She looked around with expecting eyes, but there's no sign of Christmas in the house.
"You certainly go all out for the holidays, don't you?" Kieran said sarcastically. Remus turned around and stared at her.
"Go to your room." Remus muttered. He threw her stuff to the floor and slumped into a chair holding his head. Kieran grabbed her bass guitar and obeyed him. She sat in her room and strummed at it, waiting for him to come up to talk to her, but he never did. She fell asleep holding her guitar.
Kieran woke up in the morning and threw her guitar to the floor she stumbled down to her trunk, took out the present she got for her father and threw it at him. She glared at him angrily, still observing no Christmas spirit and sighed.
"Merry Flipping Christmas Father, I'll be in my room." She was very bitter this morning, but she didn't know why. Then it hit her. It was her first Christmas without her mother, after what happened. She shuddered as a cold feeling lodged inside her and she went back up to her room and crawled back into bed and cried.
"Kieran?" Remus called from outside the door. "Come out now."
"No, make me, nasty git!" Kieran snapped. Remus came in and sat at the foot of the bed.
"I was hoping we could get a Christmas Tree or something." Remus said softly. "I mean, I have some decorations, and since you can do magic."
"I thought I was in trouble." Kieran said bitterly, sitting up and glaring at him. "I thought that because of what happened last night, I was going to do everything I didn't want to do."
"I was very much over-reacting, I don't want to ruin Christmas over it." Remus said. "We'll talk more after the full moon."
"Yes, the full moon, am I still going with Professor Snape?" Kieran asked.
"Yes, you are, only because I asked him while I was still angry and he accepted." Remus told her.
"He actually accepted a whole night of me?" Kieran asked in shock.
"He said he could use someone with a brain to help him brew some more complicated potions and he couldn't get a hold of Draco, so this was prime timing." Remus said shrugging. "Just be careful, keep your wand on you. I know that Dumbledore trusts him, but I don't, especially not with you." Kieran nodded and gave him a forced smile. Remus smiled at her. "Come now, get dressed and come downstairs, I'll conjure up a tree." He patted her shoulder and went out and down the stairs. Kieran shook her head.
"He doesn't know that the whole part of Christmas is opening gifts in you pajamas!" Kieran muttered to herself and got up and got dressed in jeans and a Canadian hockey jersey. She grumbled down the stairs to find Remus with boxes of Christmas decorations and a tree, freshly put up. She took out her wand. With each of them working, it took not even fifteen minutes for the Lupin home to become filled with Christmas Cheer. Remus smiled softly at their work.
"Looks nice." Remus commented, "ready for presents?" Kieran shrugged. Remus handed her a large box that was making a sort of motor-like noise and had a few large holes in it, she opened it.
"Oh Daddy!" she squeaked, pulling out a very small all white kitten. "It's adorable!" She held it delicately on her lap and stroked it with a warm smile.
"The woman working at the pet shop said it's a She." Remus said softly. "But she doesn't have a name yet."
"I'm thinking," Kieran said quietly, picking up the kitten and looking in it's eyes. "Titania, queen of the Fairies."
"What's that from?" Remus asked uneasily.
"A Midsummer's Night Dream." Kieran replied. Remus smiled. "Now open yours Dad!" Remus smiled and gently opened the package Kieran had thrown at him. It appeared to be just a simple wrist watch. But when Remus put it on he saw his fear, the full moon.
"What does it do?" Remus asked, staring at the orb above the regular face.
"You always tend to forget when the full moon is, and Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore, or I always have to remind you, so I figured, I could charm the watch so that you know the phase of the moon, and I put an Unbreakable charm on it, so when you transform, it won't bust, it'll just fall off." Kieran said. "I dare say that you could use a watch anyway." Kieran smiled at him.
"It's a brilliant idea Kieran. You're absolutely right." Remus told her, liking the watch more and more. He examined it carefully and realized that it came from a rather fancy shop in Muggle London, just a ways from the Leaky Cauldron. She must have gotten it before school. He smiled even more. "Happy Christmas Kieran."
"Merry Christmas Dad." Kieran said. She sat there petting Titania for a moment when a string of knocks fell upon the door. Remus exchanged a surprised look with Kieran and opened it.
"Nymphadora! Kingsley! Alastor! Albus? Severus? Minerva? What's going on?" Remus's tone had changed from surprised to worried.
"Remus, death eater are in central London as we speak. They're making their way here. We need to evacuate Kieran now." Albus said quickly. "She and Harry must return to Hogwarts."
"What?" Kieran said. "Hell No, I'm not leaving."
"Kieran, if Professor Dumbledore says you need to go, you're going." Remus said firmly. "Come, we're go pack the rest of the things in the house, there's not that much. I'm still half-packed."
"Brilliant Remus, then they'll think they were mistaken. This will appear as an abandoned house." Tonks exclaimed, shooting a rather friendly smile at him. Kieran shot her down coldly.
"They're not idiots, they know what they're looking for, they know we have spies on the inside. They know everything." Kieran snapped. "It won't work, I don't see why you even try."
"To protect you." Snape sneered. "A feat unnecessary, as you claim, but according to what Arthur Weasley said this morning, you cannot protect yourself from something as simple as memory. Come along Miss Lupin."
"Severus, a dare say, if Miss Lupins looks could kill, you'd be twitching on the floor about now." Alastor said with a laugh.
"Take me away then Professor Snape. I'm sure the death eaters will love your excuse this time." Kieran warned.
"How, Remus did you?" Minerva asked wildly.
"You seem to forget your own rules Professor Snape, always where gloves when brewing potions." Kieran said. Dumbledore smiled in satisfaction. "I may have issues with memory, but you have issues with human rights." Snape sneered at her again.
"I'll escort Miss Lupin to my residence, then I will make an appearance at the rally. Molly has already dropped Potter and her children there." Snape said quickly. He grabbed her arm. "Have you done side by side apparition before?"
"Yes, I have a license in all forms Professor." Kieran said. He took her firmly by the arm and they disappeared. The appeared in a war sitting room, where Harry, Ron, and Ginny were. Ron got up and ran over to Kieran.
"Kieran, thank Merlin." Ron exclaimed, hugging her.