Chapter 5
It had been two weeks since Meredith had come to live with him and Remus had to admit his attachment to the child was growing.
Everyday she amazed him more. He had begun to teach her the basics, reading writing and arithmatic. Everyday they followed a
schedule. Remus would get up roughly around seven, shower, dress and make breakfast. Meredith usually made her appearance around
eight, usually wearing mismatched clothes and shoes on the wrong feet. After breakfast they would have their reading lesson. Mostly he
read to her but every now and again Meredith would interject when she recognized a word. Meredith was quickly learning to love
reading. He watched her as he read to her and he could see the delight in her eyes. After reading they would take a walk around the
neighborhood. Muggles that passed them would smile and nod, assuming they were looking at a father and daughter out for a walk.
When they got home they would have lunch and then they would go over Meredith's numbers and printing for about two hours after
which he would let her play until dinner. After dinner he would give her her bath and tuck her into bed. He would read to her until her
eyes drooped closed and then he would gently kiss her cheek and turn out the light. As he sat watching her now as she quietly ate her
cereal, he felt a slight twinge that the comfortable existence they had gotten used to was about to be disrupted. The full moon was in a
few days. Snape had been here a few days ago to deliver the Wolfsbane potion. When Meredith had questioned him about the potions
he was taking he'd managed to convince her that it was just a potion to fight a nasty cough. Though she hadn't seemed to buy that
explanation she did not question him.
"We're going to go visit someone today," he told her as he sat down with his tea.
"Who?" she asked wiping milk off her chin.
"A friend," he said. Meredith asked no questions but she would not meet his eye. She was still timid around strangers. She was starting to
get used to Dumbledore though she still stayed close to him when the headmaster dropped by to visit. When Snape came to deliver the
Wolfsbane potion she had hid behind his legs. When Hagrid had dropped by to say hello she had hidden behind the sofa. It had taken a
long time to convince her that the giant would not hurt her. Remus smiled to himself as he remembered Hagrid telling Meredith that she
looked so much like her mother and then bursting into tears. The sight of the big man crying had eased her fear for she'd stepped up to
him and offered him her hankie. Today would be different though. Today he was taking her to meet Andromeda. It would be the first time
seeing his former friend's cousin since before the war. Andromeda and her husband Teddy had been supporters of Dumbledore and the
Order but they had not been a direct part of it. After they had eaten Remus helped Meredith dress. For this first meeting with her father's
cousin he wanted her to be wearing clothes that matched. After she was dressed she sat still while Remus brushed her hair. He'd been a
bit timid the first time he'd had to do this but now it was a task he rather enjoyed. He had not attempted to put her hair into the braids
she'd had at the orphanage and for that she was grateful. "Are we aprating?" she asked timidly. Even though she had now side along
apparated with him several times she still did not like the sensation.
"No, we'll be walking, it's only a few blocks from here. And it's getting cold, so hat, coat and gloves." Meredith grinned and scampered
off to get her coat. Once her coat was zipped and the cap and gloves he'd bought her last week tugged on they set off hand in hand.
"Remus," Meredith asked looking up at him.
"Yes love," he said.
"How come muggles can't know about us"
"Goodness, if everyone knew about our world they'd be beating down our doors demanding magical cures for all their problems. No,
we're best left alone"
"What happens when a witch or wizard is born into a muggle family"
"Well there's a special department at the Ministry of Magic that monitors magic. When they detect a muggle-born witch or wizard they
send someone to monitor the child until they are old enough to go to Hogwarts"
"Did they know when I made Chuck's house go kaboom?" she asked guiltily.
"Yes they did," Remus said. "That was when they decided that you should come live with me"
"So you could teach me not to make things go kaboom"
"Exactly." A few blocks later they came to the house. Remus took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The door opened to reveal a
smiling woman with shoulder length black curls.
"Remus," Andromeda said giving him a hug. "It's so good to see you"
"It's been too long Meda," Remus said.
"And who is this little one?" Andromeda said bending over to look at Meredith who was clinging to his leg.
"Meredith," Remus said gently touching Meredith's shoulder and turning her to look at her father's cousin.
"This is Mrs. Tonks. She was a friend of your mother." He caught the look that Andromeda sent him. No doubt she found it odd that he
was referring to her as a friend of her mother and not her father's cousin. Fortunately she kept silent about the issue.
"Hello Meredith," Andromeda said kindly. "Hello Mrs. Tonks," Meredith said shyly. Andromeda laughed.
"Oh there's no need to be so formal dear. You can call me Andromeda. Well, where are my thoughts. Both of you come in. It's freezing
out there." Remus stepped inside and helped Meredith get her winter things off. Andromeda went to the bottom of the stairs.
"Nymphadora!" she yelled. "Get down here"
"Mother," an indignant sounding voice said from the top of the stairs. "I have asked you not to call me that. It's Dora or Tonks"
"There is nothing wrong with your name young lady, now get your arse down her here and don't make me hex you!" A loud grumble was
heard above and a few minutes later a young girl about nine or ten years old with bright pink hair appeared.
"Oh for heaven sakes Nymphadora," Andromeda said covering her eyes. "Does it always have to be pink"
"I like pink," Nymphadora said indignantly.
"Dora, please, we have company." It was then that Nymphadora noticed the man and little girl in the foyer.
"Oh hello," Nymphadora said. Remus smiled as her hair changed from pink to brown, which he imagined was her natural hair color.
"Wow," Meredith said beside him.
"Wotcher kid," Nymphadora said to the younger girl holding our her hand. After a moment of trepidation Meredith shook Nymphadora's
hand.
"Dora, this is Mr. Remus Lupin and this is Meredith. This as you may have guessed is my daughter Nymphadora Tonks"
"Nice ta meet ya," Nymphadora said.
"Why don't you take Meredith up to your room while Remus and I have a chat?" Andromeda said.
"Sure," Nymphadora said. Meredith looked up to Remus seeking approval. Remus nodded and gave her a little push. After the two girls
disappeared Andromeda sighed.
"She has his eyes," she said. "But all the rest is Angela"
"Thank Merlin," Remus said. Andromeda smiled sadly.
"Tea?" she asked. He nodded.
"So," she said once the tea was brewed and they were seated at the table. "How has it been going so far"
"Better than I expected," Remus said taking a sip of tea. "It's so hard to look at her sometimes and see Angela staring back at me. But
then she'll say something or do something and I just melt"
"She seems very sweet," Andromeda said. "Hopefully she and Dora will get to be friends. It will make the full moon easier on her if she
has a place to go where she feels welcome"
"Yes," Remus agreed. "I probably should have brought her here sooner but"
"You liked having her to yourself," Andromeda finished for him. Remus grinned.
"How do you know these things?" he wondered.
"Intuition honey," she said. Andromeda carefully put her teacup down and folded her arms.
"You haven't told her about your condition have you?" Remus shook her head.
"It's too soon. She just barely trusts me now, I don't want to frighten her after all she's already been through"
"How bad was it?" Andromeda asked leaning in close.
"Bad," Remus said. "God, Meda I can't imagine being a child in that place. Especially a magical child"
"Good lord," Andromeda said. "I don't even want to think about it"
"She's still adjusting to new people. I'm trying not to push her into trusting people"
"That's very wise. You can't force something like that on a child. She has to trust people in her own time. What about her parents. Are
you going to tell her anything about them"
"I've told her a little about Angela. She hasn't really asked about Sirius"
"Are you going to tell her anything about him"
"Am I going to tell a five year old child that her father is in Azkaban for murdering thirteen people including one of his best friends. That he
aided the most evil wizard in history in the death of the parents of his godson. Yes, Meda I planned on squeezing it in right between
where babies come from and the effects of the Cruciatus curse"
"You really think he would betray James and Lily"
"Meda, he was their secret keeper. There's no one else that could have told Voldemort, oh get a grip will you, where the Potters were"
"I just can't believe it," Andromeda said. "Of all the people to turn to the dark side, Sirius is the last person I would have expected. After
all those fights he had with his parents. I just can't believe it"
"You think I want to believe it? We were the Mauraders! James and Sirius and Peter were like my brothers. And now they're all gone.
Meredith is all I have left of Angela. I will do what I must to protect her from the truth"
"For her sake or for your own"
"What are you talking about"
"Perhaps you don't want to tell Meredith that Sirius is her father because you would have to admit to yourself that you're not"
"You're not making any sense"
"You were in love with Angela." Remus's eyes widened.
"I was not," he denied.
"Yes you were. I saw the way you looked at her. So did she"
"Wait," Remus said holding up his hands. "You're telling me she knew how I felt"
"Oh please Remus," Andromeda said. "Anyone with more than two brain cells knew how you felt. Including Sirius I might add"
"What!" Remus growled. "He knew I was in love with her and made a move on her"
"Only because he knew you never would. He waited six years before he asked her out." Remus shook his head. He'd never been able to
keep his feelings to himself. To think he'd tried so hard to keep his feelings for his friend's girl a secret to keep from hurting him, and all
the time Sirius had already known.
"Maybe that's why Angela gave you her daughter. Because she knew that you would love her like your own"
"I wish she was my own," Remus said. "Sirius doesn't deserve her." Andromeda grinned.
"That's the wolf in you coming out. Wolves always protect their pack."