I was surprised to see that Remus Lupin's home was the same as it was twelve years ago. The last time I had stood on his porch was about two weeks after Sirius left me because I refused to marry him. Sirius went to Remus because he couldn't go to James Potter, his best friend, who was in hiding. Although, all of that didn't seem to matter now; Sirius could have gone to the Potter's if he wished—he betrayed them a few months later anyways.

"Where are we?" Carrigan asked looking up at the worn old house with raised eyebrows.

"We are here to call on an old friend," I said. "His name is Remus, he and I went to school together."

"Says in his file he's been out of a job for awhile," Gabriel said. I nodded, not surprised by this fact. Remus had been a very smart caring man, but he was also a werewolf which held him back in our unequal world. The wizarding world had an uncanny way of not accepting people because of their differences, which is why I imaged my Father had grown as powerful as he had twelve years ago.

"Are you here for work?" Carrigan asked looking at Gabriel with wise eyes. He smiled at her.

"We just have to ask him a few questions about your Father," Gabriel said. "There is the possibility that he came here."

Gabriel marched up the gravel path to the old wood porch. Carrigan and I followed, holding each other's hands as he approached. We stopped at the bottom of the porch steps, looking up at the brown house's peeling paint. The shutters were broken, faded, or missing and the glass of the windows was dirty. Carrigan looked uneasy, but I gave her hand a squeeze and she forced a smile up at me. Gabriel banged on the door and I was surprised when it opened instantly.

Remus Lupin stood in the door frame with his wand tightly in his hand, down at his side. He was wearing brown pants and a green long sleeve shirt, with a worn brown leather cloak over it. His brown hair was messy and falling in front of his pale face. His cheeks looked hallow and his dark brown eyes had shadowy circles around them.

"Gabriel Quintin," Remus said. "I was wondering when I would find you on my doorstep."

"Hello Remus," Gabriel said softly. "I'm very sorry to call like this. Do you mind if I take a look around?"

"I understand. Please, go ahead, but he has not been here," Remus opened his door wider and bid Gabriel enter. Gabriel stepped into the house and looked back at Carrigan and I. We mounted the steps and made our way across the porch to the front door. "Merlin's beard," sighed Remus looking at me. "Cadence Coleman!"

He threw his arms out and I released Carrigan's hand to embrace my old friend tightly. Remus felt frail and thin in my arms, but he hugged me with incredible strength. He stepped back and held onto my arms, looking at me with a smile in his dark brown eyes.

"You have not changed a bit," he said looking me up and down.

"I've missed you Remus," I said squeezing his arm. "I'm sorry that I didn't not write or call on you...but Dumbledore thought it best that I disappear."

"Yes, of course. Please come in," Remus said motioning to the door that Gabriel had already entered. He had disappeared in the house to quickly look it over for Sirius. Remus paused and looked at Carrigan for a few moments. I knew he saw Sirius in her and I bit my bottom lip. He looked at me with raised eyebrows. "Surely she's not…"

"She is," I whispered.

Carrigan looked at us with a nervous smile. "I'm Carrigan," she said holding out her hand to Remus. He looked at her with a surprised smile and shook her hand. Even I was surprised by her outgoingness.

"She's my daughter," I said to Remus. He nodded and looked at me for a moment.

"I can see that," he said. "I can also see who her Father is."

I nodded my head and looked at the ground awkwardly.

"Right," Remus said patting Carrigan's shoulders. "A pleasure, Carrigan. Let's all go into the house. I'm assuming it will not take Gabriel very long to perform his search."

"I'm very sorry that we have to do this, Remus," I said as we entered the house. Carrigan crossed her arms over her chest and looked around the front hall we had just entered as Remus closed the door tightly behind us.

"I knew that the Ministry would be coming to see me sooner or later," Remus sighed. "Especially since this is where Gabriel caught him to begin with. Are you hungry or thirsty? I'll put on a pot of tea."

He made his way into the back of the house where the kitchen was. As we followed, Carrigan leaned close to me to whisper in my ear.

"Is he a werewolf Mom?" she asked a little uneasy.

"Yes," I nodded. "He has been since he was a child. He is one of the nicest men I have ever known, and if Gabriel hadn't been around he would have been your Godfather. Do not fear him, Carrigan. He's a good man."

"Do you both want tea?" Remus asked when we entered the kitchen.

"I would like some, thank you," Carrigan said as she sat down at the table.

"I wouldn't mind a cup Remus," I nodded. I looked around the small kitchen and felt a little uneasy. This is where Sirius had lived for three months before he was caught…I shook my head and forced a smile at Remus as he brought the cups of tea to the table.

"How have you been holding up?" I asked once we all had a steaming up of tea in our hands.

"Just fine," Remus said with a slow nod. "Dumbledore has offered me a position at Hogwarts."

"Really?" I said with a smile. "That's good, Remus. What position?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," Remus smiled.

"Oh, Remus, that's perfect," I said squeezing his arm. "You'll be an amazing teacher."

"You're going to be one of my Professors?" Carrigan asked with surprise.

"Yes," Remus nodded. "How old are you?"

"Eleven," Carrigan responded, then took a sip of tea.

"Oh, you're first year," Remus said. "I imagine your Mother is thrilled to send you off."

"I can't wait to get her out of the house," I joked. Carrigan glared at me, with a look so similar to my own and I couldn't help but smile. I winked at her and she smiled. "Carrigan is going to be taking second year courses; Dumbledore believes that she is a very gifted student."

"Like you, no doubt," Remus said.

"Gabriel says I'm stronger then Mom," Carrigan said. I stuck my tongue out at her and she laughed.

"Gabriel…" Remus nodded glancing up stairs, where Gabriel was no doubt looking around. "You and him are together?"

I coughed and shook my head. "No. He is Carrigan's Godfather."

"Ah," Remus said. "I'm sure Sirius will love that when he finds out."

"He's not going to find out until I want him to, Remus," I said quickly. "The Ministry and Dumbledore think that if he knew of Carrigan she would also be in danger."

"Well, of course. You didn't tell him you were pregnant…I'm sure both of you would be in danger."

"I didn't know until after he was caught," I said shaking my head. Remus patted my arm.

"I didn't mean to upset you," he whispered.

"Alright," said Gabriel entering the room. "Remus, Cadence, can we speak in private?"

"Yes," Remus said. "We can go into the study, right down here." He motioned to a basement door. He opened it and descended the stairs first, Gabriel followed.

"You'll be okay up here?" I asked Carrigan.

"Yea," she nodded looking around. I saw the temptation in her eyes to go snooping through the house.

"Don't be rude," I said to her. She frowned at me and nodded her head.

"Alright," she sighed.

When I descended the staircase I saw Gabriel standing tall in the center of the room as Remus paced about, clearly frustrated. I had closed the basement door behind me so Carrigan could not over hear our conversation. The basement study was cozy and small, with all of the walls lined with books, a small desk with a candle on it and a large arm chair in the corner.

"He hasn't been here?" Gabriel asked.

"You looked through the house yourself," Remus responded placing his tea on the desk. "Look, Gabriel, I was interviewed after you caught him twelve years ago and it was concluded that I had no involvement then—why would you think I was involved now?"

"We're just covering the basis, Remus," I said softly. "We don't mean to offend you, and I'll be the first to admit that I believe you. I know you weren't involved. We just want to know if you know anything."

"Well I don't," he said perturbed. "I was expecting you, but that doesn't mean I'm not offended by what you're suggesting."

"Remus," Gabriel said. "We know you're not involved."

Remus stopped pacing and put his hands on his hips. "Alright," he said. "Then what do you want?"

I approached Remus slowly. "Do you have any idea what he will go after?"

"I would imagine Harry," said Remus. "But at this point I don't know. I thought I knew him…I thought he was my best mate, Cadence…I don't know what I know about him anymore."

"I know," I whispered sadly.

"It doesn't make any sense at all," Remus said. "The Sirius we knew wouldn't have given up James and Lily like that. There is no way he would have."

"The Sirius we knew was a lie," I frowned.

"But when did he change sides?" Remus asked. "You mean to tell me that the entire friendship was a lie?"

"No," Gabriel interjected. "No. He probably doubted our side for a moment, but that moment was enough for Voldemort to pounce on him. Or he was black mailed into helping Voldemort. Something happened that we don't know about, but that doesn't change what he did. Even if he was blackmailed to be a Death Eater, Sirius still gave up the Potters and he has to take responsibilities for those actions—"

"Of course he does!" Remus said. "But it just doesn't make sense." He looked at me and I frowned deeply. "He just cracked when you said no to him."

"You're blaming this on me?" I questioned quickly. "Because I told him I didn't want to marry him?"

"No," Remus shook his head. "No of course not. Sirius made his own decisions. But something happened to him after you turned him down. That is when he changed."

I sighed and turned away from Remus, rubbing my face in my hands. "So you are blaming this on me."

"No, Cadence," Remus sighed loudly with frustration. "I don't know what happened to him, but I can't believe that Sirius Black would turn his back on his friends—"

"He did Remus," I snapped viciously, my frustration getting the best of me. "He left us. He lied to us. He said he didn't want to be the Potters' secret keeper and yet he still did it! He was a Death Eater, manipulation was his specialty." I sighed and turned away looking up at the stairs. Carrigan was sitting upstairs waiting for us to return. I bit my bottom lip and looked at Remus. "We're sorry for calling without warning. Come on Gabriel, there is nothing here for us."

I mounted the stairs and walked away, hearing Gabriel say something else to Remus. I sighed as I opened the basement door, and tried to relax. I didn't want Carrigan to think anything was wrong. But of course, as soon as she saw me she knew something was wrong. She frowned and stood up.

"Ready?" I asked. She nodded but didn't say anything. Gabriel came upstairs a few seconds behind me, and as I ushered Carrigan to the front door. I paused for a moment in the front hall of the small house. When Remus and Gabriel reached us, I went to Remus and hugged him.

"I'm sorry," I whispered in his ear. He held me tightly and patted my back.

"I know," he said stepping back and pinching my cheek. "It's okay. This is a very stressful time." He took my hands and squeezed them. "We have to stay together though."

"I know," I nodded my head. "I'm just so afraid, Remus. I thought I could trust Sirius with my life—if I couldn't trust him, who can I trust?"

Remus nodded his head. "I understand. But we can trust each other."

"Thank you," I said. "I'll see you around. Have a safe trip to Hogwarts in September."

"Thank you," he said. He bid good bye to Gabriel and said he'd see Carrigan at Hogwarts. She was polite and thanked him for the tea. When all good byes were said we Apparated back to the house. Gabriel opened the front door for us and Carrigan bounded in, heading upstairs to her room.

Gabriel touched my arms as I stood in the front room, gripping the back of an arm chair and biting my lip, praying for patients. He kissed the back of my neck to get my attention and I turned to him, annoyed. How dare he kiss me now?

He frowned at the dark glare I was giving him and stroked my cheek. I made to smack his hand away and he grabbed my wrist, making me glare at him more.

"I'll stay here with Carrigan," he said calmly. "You go check on the Potter boy."

I sighed and nodded my head. "There is no point in changing her name," I whispered sadly. Gabriel looked at me confused, stilling holding my wrist. "Remus knew who she was the moment he saw her. She looks just like me but has his eyes…there's no way to stop that."

"But maybe changing her name will protect her from your Father's legacy," Gabriel said. "We both know he is going to come back eventually, Cadence, might as well be prepared for it. If your Father gets wind that he has a granddaughter…I don't want to imagine what kind of danger Carrigan will be in."

"She'll be in the same kind of danger as I was," I responded leaning against Gabriel's firm chest. "And you know she won't want to shed her name. She's very proud of where she comes from, despite it being a horrible mess of dark magic genes. We are both daughters of dark magic…"

"You both love your name because you defy the stigmatism that follows it. Being a Coleman, assumed to be bad, but really being good gives you a thrill, just like it will give Carrigan one."

I sighed and stood up straight, knowing that Gabriel was right. I had to speak to Carrigan about changing her name and see if we could come to a reasonable solution. I had my doubts that changing her name would keep her safe, but every little bit helped…and I'd rather be safe then sorry when it came to my daughter.

"She's going to beg you to train her."

"We'll just work on Legilimency," he shrugged. "She may be good at penetrating people's mind with out them realizing but she is horrible at blocking them."

"Reminds me of someone we both know," I said with a faint smile.

"Are you going to let me kiss you now?" Gabriel asked leaning in close to me. "Since I know you so well?"

I smiled and pushed him away. "No," I said crossly. Gabriel grabbed my arm as I pushed him away and twisted them, forcing me to turn. He pushed me against the arm chair and I sighed as he leaned against me. His breath was hot on my ear as he spoke.

"Brings back memories," he whispered.

"Of what?" I snipped forcing all of my weight back against him. He released my arm, allowing me to turn and I swung a punch at him—he blocked it and bent down, grabbing my leg and pulling it out from under me. I fell to the ground with a yell of frustration, which Carrigan heard because she appeared at the bottom of the stairs. She knew Gabriel and I were just messing around, letting out our frustration, but that didn't stop her from joining in. She jumped onto Gabriel's back and wrapped her arms around his neck. I smiled and stood up as he groped at her arms, trying to find a place to break free. I made to kick his stomach but he grabbed my ankle and flipped me onto the ground again. He then bent down and pulled Carrigan over his back, flipping her onto the couch.

"Ha!" he said. "That will teach you two to team up on me!"

I grabbed his ankles and knocked his feet out from under him, pulling harshly. Gabriel toppled over onto the floor next to me. Carrigan took full advantage of this and jumped on top of him, pinning his arms down with her knees and putting her hands to his throat.

"I would hold a knife to you, if I knew how to conjure things," she said giving me a glance.

I smiled and grabbed her, pulling her off of Gabriel and tickling her stomach. "You're too young for that!"

"Mom!" she groaned trying to break free.

Gabriel laughed which light a fire in Carrigan because she broke free from my tickling hands and tackled him again, tickling him viciously. Gabriel pleaded for her to stop tickling him as he tried to grab at her little wrist, but she was too fast for him.

"Say that I kicked your ass," she said.

"Carrigan!"

"Butt," she said quickly as she stopped tickling Gabriel. "I meant butt."

I smiled and shook my head as I stood up. "The range of your vocabulary always surprises me," I muttered.

"Fine," Gabriel sighed out of breath. "You kicked my butt, Carri."

"Good," she jumped up and held out her hand, he took it and she pulled him up to the best of her abilities. "You're making dinner then."

Gabriel laughed and shook his head as Carrigan walked out of the sitting room and headed back upstairs. "You're just like your Mother!" he yelled after her.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," I sighed pushing my messy brown hair out of my face. Gabriel grabbed me and pulled me against him. I couldn't help but smile at him as my chest heaved up and down against his.

"It's not," he said softly holding me close, with his hands in the back pockets of my black pants. "She fights like you, and has your cheek."

"She's stronger then me," I whispered. "She catches on faster."

"I agree with that," he said smiling. I gave him a nasty glare and pulled out of his arms with a slight frown. I wished so many times that I wouldn't be so proud and just give into him…I also wished that he wouldn't tease or tempt me so much. He wasn't making this easy at all. It was easier when I lived in America, and he came by a few times a month when he could get off work. Now that I was back in England, and Gabriel was my partner again, it was harder to ignore the temptation…and I could see in his eyes that it was harder for him to not act on his impulses. Sirius had been the X factor that prevented Gabriel and I from being together, now the only thing that kept us apart was my pride—which was a lot easier to change then Sirius. Now there wasn't a good reason to not be with Gabriel…I was just a fool.

"Always have been," Gabriel said kissing my cheek quickly. I shoved him away from me as he laughed lightly. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest even more frustrated with him. He took off his coat and threw it on the arm chair behind me and then walked by some of the boxes that remained from the move. He looked at a few of them and picked up one that was labeled kitchen. I watched as he disappeared with it. As if it wasn't enough that he helped raise my daughter, now he was going to unpack my belongings to make my house into a home. I sighed and rubbed my face as I tried to focus on what I had to do that evening.

I walked to the stairs and went up them easily, then walked all the way down the long hallway to the last room on the right. I opened the door to my private study and looked around the messy room full of boxes and unorganized furniture. I frowned slightly. I really needed to unpack around the entire house. I moved the desk back into the corner with my mind and then pulled up my desk chair. I took a seat as I snapped my fingers, making the file folder from the office appear on my desk. I opened it and looked at the sheets of paper in it closely.

The folder was a file on Harry Potter. It held papers concerning his current residents, his Muggle family, and private information like birth certificate, parental information and guardianship. There was also a copy of James and Lily's last will and testament. Obviously, they had left everything they had to Harry. The top piece of parchment was blue and had black ink on it. It was orders from Scrimgeour. I was to go check on the boy and bring him to Hogwarts before term started. The Minister did not want Harry Potter sitting in a Muggle home unprotected for the last few weeks of summer. At the bottom the note said, "Protect with any means." I frowned slightly. This meant if Sirius Black found us somehow I had the Ministry's permission to kill him. I sighed loudly and closed the folder. With a snap of my fingers it disappeared from the desk. It was going to be an interesting night.