Chapter 5

As the train docks, Alex and Justin stay seated as Hermione, Harry and Ron climb off. Staring out of the window, the young girl watches the three friends climb into a carriage to head up to the school.

Hearing the door slide open, Alex turns to see Lupin walking in before pulling down their trunks.

"Lets head on up, kids." Lupin smiles.

Wheeling their own trunks off the train, Lupin leads the siblings to their carriage. The carriage pulls up to the back entrance, where a tall man with black hair is waiting.

Walking over to the man, Lupin forces a smile.

"Hello, Severus. May we come in?" Lupin asks politely.

"Hello, Remus. You may." The man allows the Lupin family to pass before closing the door, "Just leave your trunks here and I will send them to your room. Lets head on out."

Following 'Severus' out through the other door, Lupin grabs their cloaks before passing Alex and Justin theirs. Slipping them on before leaving the room completely, Alex is surprised to find them standing in front of the talking students.

"Up here." Lupin whispers forcing Alex gently to her seat next to one of the teachers. Sitting in his seat between Alex and Justin, Lupin gently moves Alex's soaked hair from her face.

"Dad?" Alex whispers nervously.

"Yes?" Lupin leans over to hear his daughter better.

"Who was that?"

"Severus Snape. He teaches Potions." Letting Alex take his left hand, Alex shifts so she is closer to him and further from the teacher next to her.

"Who is the man next to me?" Alex whispers again.

"Rubeus Hagrid. He's the groundskeeper here. But he is teaching Care of Magical Creatures." Rubbing circles on the back of his daughter's hand, Lupin looks at his son to find him looking equally scared. Patting his son's knee to get his attention, Lupin smiles at Justin when he looks at him, "Everything is perfectly fine, Justin. No matter what house you are sorted in, I'm proud of you."

"Before we get sorted, I have a few announcements." Albus Dumbledore starts after making everyone go silent by standing up, "We have two knew staff members this year. Teaching Care of Magical Creatures, we have our very own, Rubeus Hagrid."

Alex looks at the man next to her, and jumps as the table scraps forward as Hagrid stands. Sitting back down, Hagrid moves the table back blushing.

"Our final new staff member teaches Defence Against the Dark Arts. Please welcome, Mr. Remus Lupin." Standing up Lupin nods to the crowd before sitting down once more.

"That's the man who saved us, and gave us the chocolate." Alex hears with her werewolf hearing. Looking to the voice, Alex spots the three people she met on the train.

"Now, let's get all of the first years sorted before feeding everyone."

Beginning the sorting, Alex and Justin stay seated not knowing if they are included or not. Watching the lady finish reading the list and placing the hat on people's heads, Dumbledore stands up once more.

"Let's eat." Clapping his hands, the food appears in front of everyone. Waiting for everyone to dig in, Alex looks at Lupin.

"I don't feel good, daddy." Alex whispers.

"It's just your nerves, honey. Could you eat a chicken leg, some potatoes and carrots?" Lupin reassures. When Alex is nervous, she can't hold anything down.

"No."

"Could you please try?"

"Okay." Letting her father place little food on her plate, Alex shyly picks up the fork, before stabbing a carrot. Eating the carrot slowly, Alex keeps her eyes down.

Watching his little sister struggle, Justin eats the same amount, nervous beyond imaginable. Cutting the meat off of the chicken leg, Justin takes a small bite.

Feeling his stomach turn, Justin swallows the little chicken in his mouth putting the fork and knife down.

"I can't dad." Justin looks at Lupin, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Justin. You tried. That's all I can ask for." Wrapping his right arm around Justin's shoulders, Justin rests his head on his father's shoulder. Eating his own chicken leg, Lupin keeps his eyes on his children. Surprised Alex ate a single carrot before gagging, Lupin smiles letting Alex hug him.

Jumping at the thunder booming outside, Alex slips under the table. Forcing herself under her father's chair, she hugs his legs terrified. Alex was born in a middle of a thunderstorm in a park, where her mother died a minute after holding her.

Since the day she was born, Alex has been terrified of thunderstorms, many times, Alex swears she sees people in black cloaks standing right outside the windows but disappears when lightning flashes too brightly for their taste.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Alex trembles rapidly squeezing the life out of Lupin's legs.

Reaching under his father's chair, Justin rubs Alex's bent legs until she takes his hand into a death grip.

As the thunder continues, Lupin reaches down to pull Alex through his legs and lets her sit between them. Playing with her hair as she holds her brother's hand and hides her face in his knee, Lupin knows she is calming down.

As dinner comes to a close, Dumbledore sends the students to bed as Lupin pulls Alex out from under the table and sits her down on his lap.

Letting her hide in his arms, Lupin kisses her hair over and over.

"Ready to be sorted?" Jumping at the voice, Alex looks up fearful to see Dumbledore and McGonagall standing behind them. Burying her face into Lupin's neck, Lupin strokes her hair soothingly.

"Could you sort Justin first?" Lupin asks.

"Of course." Passing Justin the hat, McGonagall tells him to place it on his head.

Doing what he is told, Justin stares at Alex who is peeking out looking at him.

"Wow, you have your mother's smarts and some of your father's braveness. It's nice to finally see Annabella Stonely and Remus Lupin's son. You are too good for Slytherin, Mr. Justin Lupin. Hufflepuff isn't for you. Hmm, Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. You are made for both. On top of that, it's the two houses your parents were in. Better be… Ravenclaw."

Taking off the hat, Justin gently pulls Alex back so he can slip the hat onto her head.

"Hmm, the child who killed the famous Annabella Stonely." The hat starts. Feeling her face get warm and wet, Alex looks Lupin in the eye. Seeing her falling tears, Lupin rips the hat off of her head and hides her face in his neck.

"I'm going to do something we all will regret if the hat says one more nasty thing to hurt my baby girl." Lupin growls glaring at Dumbledore.

Nodding Dumbledore picks up the hat as McGonagall silently leaves while praying Alex would be in any house but Slytherin. She knows Annabella's brother, who was sorted into Slytherin, is the cause of Annabella's death.

Calming his little sister down, Justin slips the hat back on her head while holding her hand.

"Huh, you have your mother's courage and honesty. While having your father's troublemaking skills and amusement. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are out. Hmm, Slytherin or Gryffindor. Slytherin or Gryffindor. Better be… Gryffindor."

Relieved that the trouble with the hat is over, Lupin takes it off his daughter's head before handing it to the headmaster.

"Where is our compartment?" Lupin asks standing up with Alex still in his arms. Letting her cry while holding her has always been comforting for her.

"Fourth floor, turn left and the only door on the right." Dumbledore answers, "I'm deeply sorry for what happened."

"Don't apologize to me or Justin. We are furious. It's Alex who got the blow of it."

"I'm sorry, Alex." Dumbledore sighs looking at the young girl sadly, "Ignore what the sorting hat has said. You are not at all at fault. I was at your mom's work the day she got ill before you came into the world."

Sniffling, Alex nods in Lupin's neck listening.

"Your mother's brother, he was sorted into Slytherin, was the cause. He purposely made the potion go haywire and knew she would try to get it under control before anyone could get hurt or killed. It didn't work and the poison in the potion went into her body, quickly killing her. It's a miracle you survived."

Hearing the story a second time in the last three years, Alex looks at Dumbledore while wiping her eyes.

"Thank you." Alex whispers exhausted, hungry and upset.

"I'm being honest, Alex. None of this is your fault." Nodding, Alex watches Dumbledore leave.

Leaving the Great Hall, Lupin carries his daughter as Justin walks next to them. The family talks about what the next day will hold, but happy that the first day is almost over.

Dumbledore watches from the shadows as Alex laughs at something Justin said, "You are the child that lived through one of the attacks from Voldemort's followers."

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