Thanks to Bardlover my beta girl!

Chapter 4

Do you want to use the dashes, or quotes? Personally I think quotes are easier to read, but it's your choice.

Dumbledore opened the envelope and took out the picture that was in it. He did not make any expression.

After a few seconds Remus asked, "Who is it, Albus?"

"You're not going to believe this," Dumbledore looked straight at Remus, "it's you, Remus."

Lupin jumped of his chair; Tonks looked amazed; Snape's face was rather disgusted.

"I have a daughter?" He looked somewhere between confused, scared, and surprised.

"Apparently you do, and I dare to say there's a good chance she is yours, given her age and everything, it was the time you were still frequenting Isabella Barrios, and she is the girl in the picture." Dumbledore handed it to him.

It certainly was them, sitting down by the lake looking at the horizon, his arm around her shoulder. He could still remember the moment that picture was taken. Isabella had just found out about his secret, and contrary to what he feared she did not care at all. The only thing she said was that they couldn't have children just because it would be too dangerous. He had agreed, but he was young then, didn't think he'd ever long to hold a baby that was his in his arms. Lily had taken that picture, without telling them she was going to. They were quite amused when they both got a copy of the picture. It didn't move as most magical pictures did.

"There's enough magic in here without having the need to put a spell on it, don't you think?" She had said to them. And it was true. But one day Isabella disappeared from his life and he never heard about her anymore, He looked for her, but it seemed that she had been swallowed by the Thames River.

"Remus, Remus, earth to Remus," Tonks called.

"Oh yes, I'm sorry, I got caught up…"

"Well, what are you going to do with her?" asked Tonks

"I don't know. I don't think the Ministry is going to be ok with leaving a sixteen year old girl who has spent her entire life locked up in a house to live with a werewolf."

"But you're her father; that must have some weight," said Minerva

"I agree with Remus, the Ministry is not going to like this, besides the girl's step-father is a very powerful man in both the Argentinean and British Ministries."

"Would you shut up Snape? Nobody asked your greasy nosed opinion here!" Tonks stood up on her feet. "I think the Ministry might want to pay more attention to what that man has been doing to this girl and her mother for the past fourteen years than the fact that he's 'so powerful.'" The last two words she said them in a tone that was half mocking, half ironic.

"Do not talk to me like that! I'm older than you, and I deserve some respect!"

"No you don't! You bloody idiot! Can't you see that none of us trusts you? The only reason I haven't ripped your head off is because Dumbledore thinks you're important for the Order! But believe me, the second this war is over you will be running from the tip of my wand!" She seized him angrily; her eyes injected with so much anger that Snape took one step back.

"Now could you both just shut the hell up for a moment!" yelled Molly, looking at both of them. "You're behaving like two children, I expect more from you than this, Tonks." She lowered her voice "Now, if you haven't realized, there's something more important to discuss." She eyed Remus.

"There's nothing to discuss," he said, "if this girl is my daughter then I have to find somebody who's willing to take care of her and present that on the trial, otherwise she will just end up back with that man again."

"But Remus…" said Tonks.

"Arthur, Molly, I know it is too much to ask but perhaps…"

"I think you're getting ahead of things, Remus. You have a perfect record, you've never attacked anybody during your transformations, and as long you keep on taking the wolfsbane potion and she spends the full moon nights somewhere else, I do not see why you couldn't keep her," McGonagall interfered.

"I agree with Minerva," Dumbledore got up from his chair. "but the final decision is yours, Remus, and I'm sure Molly and Arthur wouldn't care to have her here once a month."

"Think about her too, Remus," Tonks eyes were sad. "She deserves to have a normal family."

"What kind of normal am I, Nymph?" He laughed sarcastically.

"The kind who could love their daughter as she deserves it! And that's enough!"

He chose not to meet her eyes, it just hurt too much. He thought for a few moments. Remembering Isabella, her sweet voice, and her soft kisses, the way she could ease his pain away with just a smile. Maybe he did owe it to her. It was partially his fault she had ended up with that rat on the first place. Perhaps if he would just have given her the chance, but no, he had always remarked he did not wanted kids, although he thought she did not want them either. She wanted to travel around the world, see things, and fight vampires and giants. He laughed. But something pulled him away from his memories.

"What does it say, Albus?"

"I've explained the situation to the Minister, he says he'll inform Briseida's step-father and will let me now when we can pick her things up. It will probably be before tonight. Until then, she's to stay at the Burrow."

"When is the hearing?" Arthur asked.

"In a two weeks."

"That gives me some time, right?" Remus sounded nervous. "I mean, to tell her the truth?"

"I think the sooner the better."

"Yes, you're right Arthur, but how should I tell her?"

"There's no need for that," a voice replied as somebody stepped into the kitchen.

"How long have you been standing there?" Tonks asked.

"Long enough," she answered, looking down. "You see, it wasn't my intentions to hear behind the door, but it started raining, a few minutes ago and you were still talking so..."

"Oh my goodness! My dear you're soaking wet, come in, let's get you dry and give you something warm before you catch a cold!" Molly ran to the where the blonde girl was standing and led her to the table. With one move of her wand, she was dry, and with another there was a cup of tea sitting in front of her. "Come on, dear. Drink it."

She sat down and took a sip, and her face turned into a disgusted grimace.

"What is it, dear?"

"I'm not very fond of tea," she replied.

"Oh my goodness! Here then." The tea turned into coffee.

"Thanks," she said drinking it down.

"Now I think we should go find the kids." Everybody stepped out the door, leaving Remus and Briseida all alone.

"Have you read the letter?"

"What?"

"Have you read the letter? You know, the one my mother left for you," she asked, pointing to the envelope.

"Oh no," he answered. "No, I'm afraid I haven't."

"Well then, I believe you should sir. She asked me to give it to you the moment I found you."

"There's no need to call me sir…" But he didn't finish his phrase; rather, he took the letter and read it carefully.

Dear Remus,

If you receive this, it is because I've not been able to find you before my death. I must apologize to you for disappearing, but you see, I had no choice. I knew how you felt about children, and I thought I felt the same, but when I found out I was pregnant with the beautiful girl whose is probably standing in front of you, with her mousy blond her and her brown eyes, I couldn't conceive the idea of not keeping her. I do regret about lying to you, but I do not regret her for a second, and I hope now you do not regret it either.

I'm now too weak to move, and I probably won't stick around for long. I've been dying for such a long time now. I've lived a painful life for, as you've most likely found out, the man I married wasn't who I believed. That's why I beg you to protect my child, our child. You do not know what that man is capable of doing, and neither does Briseida, but I will not detail it here. I cannot relive it. It's just too excruciating.

Please do not blame yourself for what has happened to me, but as I know you so well and as I know you're going to, there's one thing you can do to set things straight with me. Watch over her, love her, as she was yours, for she is, protect her from that monster I wasn't able to protect her from. Make sure she's cared and provided for. That way you can be sure I've fulfilled my purpose on this earth.

Now remember, Remus that I've loved you since the first time I saw you that day at Hogsmeade. Remember those times? You were in your seventh year, and I was in my fourth. Who would have thought that seven years later we would have conceived this beautiful creature?

I love you Remus, always have and always will. But as I do, I have but one more thing to ask you. Be Happy! Do not get stuck in time, live your life, and if one day you find someone you think you want to spend your life with, do not let the memory of this woman stoop you from it. In fact, I beg you to move one. Remember me always, yes, but do not try to live me for as that would just cause you an unbelievable pain.

Love, Isabella

A tear escaped from his eyes. He wiped it off, then stood up and walked towards his beautiful daughter. He sat down beside her, then he passed his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer. Briseida burst into tears. He kissed her forehead.

"It's going to be okay, I promise it will."