"I'll be round once I'm finished with work," Helena said, giving Grace a small smile. Grace ignored her mother, and continued to glare at the ground with her arms crossed over her chest. She felt a gentle nudge on the back of her shoulder, and she turned to look at Remus, who gave her a small smile and nodded his chin to her mother.

"Bye," she muttered begrudgingly to her mother. Helena looked at Remus, who gave her a sympathetic shrug in return.

"Be good for Remus."

"Always am," she replied; besides the incident when she was 10, she always listened to Remus. She was on her best behavior, did everything he asked, not that he asked much of her. Of course she did the same for her Aunt Molly, if her aunt ever asked anything of her, but Grace tended to do whatever Ron did and sometimes that meant following the twins and earning a scolding from her aunt. Although, she was thankful that her aunt never told her mother about it.

"Thank you again for taking her, Remus."

"Of course, Lena. You know I'll never pass up the opportunity to be with Gracie," Remus replied, wrapping an arm around Grace's shoulder. She smiled and leaned into him. It didn't matter that he was her uncle in title only and not by blood or marriage, she loved him whole heartedly. He was the closest person to a father she's ever had. Around her old house, that now Remus lived in, there were so many photos of her smiling and showing things to a camera. There were some of Remus carrying her on his back, or lifting her up on his shoulders. One of her favorites was one of her in a pretty blue dress, and standing on Remus' feet as he danced around in a circle with her. She was five. "Now go before you're late," Remus shewed her. Helena looked at Grace one more time before nodding.

Crack.

She was gone.

"You can't stay mad at her forever," Remus told her softly.

"Yes I can," she replied with a huff.

"And here I thought you liked spending time with me."

"I do," she sighed. "But... I was actually having fun this summer."

"Oh yeah? Doing what?"

"Hanging out with Harry," Remus stood straighter and stiffened. "His birthday is next Saturday, and I really wanted to do something for him on Friday since he won't be able to leave because his aunt is visiting, but now I can't."

"Harry?" Remus asked, feigning confusion. "Harry who?"

"Harry Potter," She replied. "I've told you about my friend Harry before, Remus! He lives a couple streets down from me."

"That Harry Potter?"

"Yes, that Harry Potter."

"Well, you'll be able to do something for him this weekend, or the weekend after I'm sure," He assured her. "So, what would you like to do today?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Can I go flying?" She asked hopefully, giving him a pleading look.

"Sorry, your mother said no flying," he sighed and Grace's expression soured.

"Can I go and climb trees?"

"That's also been put on the no list of activities," he answered sullenly and Grace pouted. "We can play chess, or exploding snaps, or gob-"

"But I don't want to be inside!" She cut him off and pulled away from him. "I'm always cooped up inside! I want to be outside!" Remus studied her for a long moment and sighed.

"How about this," he started as he rubbed her shoulder. "We'll spend the morning inside, and after lunch, you and I can take a stroll through the forest. How does that sound?" Remus suggested, giving her a small smile. Grace pursed her lips and bit the inside of her cheek. "I'll even let you have chocolate ice cream before dinner," he bribed, and Grace felt her lips spread into a smile.

"Deal," she grinned, and Remus chuckled.

The two of them spent the morning playing wizards chest, which Grace was terrible at even with the pieces telling her what to play, a couple rounds of exploding snaps. Halfway through the fourth game, Remus noticed the lazy movements and the glossed over look in Grace's eyes: the tell-tale sign of boredom. "Why don't you play me something on the piano?" Remus suggested, nodding toward the old piano in the corner of the lounge. "Or do your teenage hormones make you think playing the piano is now 'stupid'?" he teased. Grace's cheeks flushed as she smiled at him.

"I'll never think playing music is stupid," she retorted playfully as she stood from the couch and made her way to the piano. Lifting the cover from the piano keys, Grace smiled as she lightly traced the ivory keys with her fingers. "What would you like to hear?"

"Surprise me," he smiled as he relaxed against the old couch. Grace only nodded as she began to play a soft, slow melody. "Which piece is this?"

"I don't know," she replied with a shrug. "It's just something that I have in my head."

"I didn't know you started writing music," he said, impressed. Grace only shrugged in reply.

"I don't... not really. I've just had this tune in my head for the past few days. I can't seem to get it out of my head."

"Does it have lyrics?"

"No, not yet."

"When it does, will you sing it for me? You know how much I love hearing you sing," Remus asked smiling at her softly. He tried not to chuckle when he saw her cheeks start to turn red.

"You're not tired of my horrible voice?" she teased and Remus rolled his eyes.

"You do not have a horrible voice, Gracie. You have a beautiful one," he retorted. "I hear there is a choir at Hogwarts now. Have you joined it?" he asked and Grace shook her head. "And why not?"

"There weren't any spots available," she answered.

"Will there be spots available this term?" Remus asked but Grace shrugged her shoulders. "If there are, will you audition?" She shook her head. "And why not?"

"I wouldn't make the cut."

"And why do you think that?"

"There are loads more talented people than me at Hogwarts, some of which I'm sure have tried to audition more than once. I'd hate to take the spot from someone who has auditioned twice. It wouldn't seem fair."

"What if you're the better singer?" Remus countered and Grace paused.

"That's subjective."

"No, Gracie it's not," he started, his voice softening. "I may not know anything about music, but I do know that you are so full of talent. It would be a waste for you to not share it. Who told you that talent is subjective?" Grace froze and paused her playing. She didn't look at Remus, instead kept her eyes on the white and black piano keys. She didn't want to tell him... she knew he would be upset and she hated it when Remus was upset. "Gracie..."

"Mum," she confessed quietly under her breath. Remus stiffened and his heart fell to his stomach. "Mum said it doesn't matter if I can stay on key... I shouldn't get my hopes up because there is always someone better, and that those spots are for people who deserve it more because they work harder," she finished, her voice wavering.

It was silent, and Grace blinked away the tears that were starting to sting her eyes as she rested her hands on her lap. Then she felt Remus' arm wrap around her and pulled her into his side for a warm hug. "Grace... that isn't true. That is so far from the truth, please know that," he whispered softly. "I love your mother as a sister and I never want to overstep... but your mother iswrong.I never want to hear you doubting yourself because of something your mother said, alright?" Grace nodded her head but didn't say anything further. "I'm going to make us some lunch, and then we'll take a walk outside," he said and she nodded again. Remus stood from the seat and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

Grace had a love-hate relationship with summer holidays. While she enjoyed an extended break from school, she absolutely hated the season. Summer was horrendous. She hated the heat, the humidity, she hated sweating and being uncomfortable, but she loved being around nature. That particular July afternoon was very hot and she was glad she decided to wear shorts.

She loved the forest that surrounded her old home, she missed being there in autumn, and seeing the leaves change colors. She remembered the days when Remus would take her out and gathered all the leaves into a large pile with magic and let her run and jump in them. Each time she got out he'd magically put the leaves back in a pile and let her do it all over again until she was so exhausted she couldn't move. In the spring he used to take her out during twilight, right before sunrise and just after sunset, and they would walk around trying to find fairies. In the winter they would launch snowballs at each other and use the trees as cover. Her happiest memories were in this forest with Remus.

She froze when she saw her old treehouse. Snippets of that night three years ago came to mind. Howling, growling, screams and blood... "Gracia!" She blinked, and shook her head, snapping out of it and turned to Remus, who looked at her with concern. "Are you alright?" he asked gently, his gaze flickering to the treehouse then back at her. She hasn't seen or been in the treehouse in three years.

"I'm fine," she smiled at him, but he continued to look at her. "Really... I'm okay."

"Do you want to go up?" He asked carefully, nodding to the treehouse.

"Is it safe? I am bigger than I was when I was ten, and you're not small yourself," she teased and Remus huffed with a smile.

"I'm insulted!" He held his hand to his chest in mock offense. "I built that tree house!"

"And?" She asked, a grin spreading on her face and Remus glared at her playfully.

"I'll have you know, I charmed it so you'd never outgrow it," Grace smiled at him. She knew that, of course she knew that because everything Remus did for her he did it so thoughtfully. He built that treehouse for her when she was four, and while it was hidden in the forest, it was never too far from the house. Her mother knew about it, of course, but she didn't know the exact location of it. Remus had charmed it so only the two of them would know it's location, only they could see it. The treehouse was their secret spot.

"I haven't been up there since..." since that night three years ago.

"Are you still afraid of it?" he asked her carefully. She stared at it for a moment before shaking her head then made her way to it. Gripping the ladder tightly, she started to make her way up.

It hasn't changed at all. It seemed a little bigger than she remembered, but the walls were still a soft pink with floating lights twinkling all around. There was a little fireplace that was charmed to always be lit, but only emit heat when it was cold. She smiled at the little kitchen that had a sink and a pantry for snacks, there was nothing in them of course since it's been so long. Her eyes spotted the bookshelf that had copies of all her favorite books, some of them are new additions which she presumed Remus had put there.

"It's just as I remember it," she sighed happily, turning to Remus who leaned against the tree trunk that was in the middle of the little house. There were some decorations on the wall, some were old photographs of her and Remus, and some of them were of her and her cousins at the Burrow. The new decorations though, were Gryffindor decorations, and there were a few empty frames that were for pictures of her and her friends at Hogwarts. "I like the new additions," she added. "Nicely done."

"Why thank you," Remus smiled, doing a little bow. "How about some ice lollies?" he suggested and she grinned with a nod. With a flick of his wand, it only took seconds for two ice lollies to appear from the door. He handed her the red one, and she grinned before taking a seat on the sofa in the center of the room.

"Can I ask you something?" Grace asked after finishing her ice lolly. "And will you be honest?"
"You know I'll never lie to you," he responded and that's all that she needed.

"You knew my dad, right?" she asked nervously. Remus nodded stiffly. "Is Sirius Black my father?" she asked carefully. He looked at her, brows frowning in concern.

"Why do you think that?"

"Well... we have the last name so I thought..."

"Gracie, Black isn't an uncommon name..."

"But it isn't common for wizards is it?" She asked, frowning. "There is no one else at Hogwarts with the last name Black... it's just me."

"Blackisa common name amongst muggles," he told her and she nodded slowly.

"That doesn't answer my question though..." she sighed as she brought her knees to her chest, resting her chin on top of them.

"Besides your last name,whydo you ask if he's your father?" Remus asked her slowly. Grace looked at him, and there was no judgement in his eyes. There was only timid love and care mixed with warmth.

"Our foreheads are the same," Grace started in a whisper. "We have the same chin, the same cheekbones, our face shape is the same. Our hair is both the same kind of curly, and our hair parts in the same spot and curls in the same direction and lays the same... and..." she paused, taking a deep breath. "Our eyes...our eyes are the same..."

"The photos are black and white, Gracie, there is no way you're able to see-"

"I don't mean the color," she cut him off while shaking her head. "Our eyes are just... the same. They sit the same, they're the same shape, they're both a little hooded... and...and the look in his eyes, they're-"

"Not the same," Remus whispered. "You couldneverhave eyes like his Gracie. You've got such a big heart and you wouldneverhurt some-"

"Expressive," she cut him off. "There's just so many similarities that I just can't help but wonder... is he my father, Remus?" she asked him again, staring at him. The two looked at each other for a while before Remus sighed.

"I think this is a conversation you should have with your mother, Grace."

Grace rolled her eyes. "She'd never talk about it... any time I bring up my dad she changes the subject. If she would just tell me about him then I would stop being curious..."

"Why does it this matter so much to you?" Remus asked timidly, and Grace shrugged.

"I don't know... I just... I just want to knowsomethingabout him... mostly why he left..." she whispered and Remus's heart broke a little in his chest. "I'm just hoping that if I knowsomethingthen... then this empty part of me will disappear..." she confessed.

"Oh, Gracie," he whispered.

"Why couldn't you be my dad?" She asked in a small voice as she looked at him. "Why couldn't you and mum get married and then adopt me and be my dad?"

"Your mother doesn't love me Gracie," Remus answered in a broken whisper. "Not in that way..."

"But-"

"And even if she did, I couldn't give her...or you the life you deserve."

"You already have..." she whispered, blinking away the tears. Remus smiled softly at her.

"No matter what, my little niffler, I love you as if you were my own daughter. I love you so much."

"I know," she nodded, with a small smile as she sniffled. "I love you too."

"Now come here," he smiled, opening his arms wide for her. Grace's smile widened and she moved to wrap her arms around him and lean against his chest. Remus wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed the top of her head.

"I wish youweremy dad," she whispered as she buried her face into his neck. Remus didn't say anything in reply, instead he gave her a gentle squeeze.

It didn't go unnoticed to Grace that Remus never answered her question on if Sirius Black was her father or not.