The Half Blood Princess

Chapter 13 - Shrieking Shack

As Talia made her way down to the Whomping Willow she made sure she wasn't being followed. "Ladybug" Remus smiled as he saw her approach. "What's so urgent that it couldn't wait Uncle?" Talia questioned a puzzled look on her face. "I'm afraid you'll have to wait for that answer, Ladybug" Remus sighed as he led her through the secret passageway to the Shrieking Shack. "So I know you, dad & Uncle James are three of the names on the Marauders Map that Harry has but who's the fourth?" Talia quizzed as she tried to fill the silence. "The fourth was Peter Pettigrew whom we haven't seen for years. Not since your Uncle James and Aunt Lily's passing." Remus explained as he stopped her just inside the tunnel to raise his wand. "Lumos" they both whispered at the same time so that they could see where they were going more clearly. "Uncle Remmy, you know I don't like surprises" Talia sighed as she stepped ahead of him. "I'm sorry for this Lia, I really am but he wanted to see you." Remus sighed as he pushed open the door to the Shrieking Shack. "Ah there's my baby girl!" Sirius exclaimed as he turned around, his arms open wide expecting her to embrace him. "I am not your babygirl. You couldn't even be bothered to come and see me after you escaped from Azkaban! Instead you choose to run off and help Harry sneak into the ministry!" Talia yelled, causing Sirius to drop his arms and step back slightly in shock. "He needed me Talia, I was the only one who knew where the prophecy orbs were hidden" Sirius tried to explain as he once again tried embracing Talia. "I needed you! I needed you the whole time I was growing up but where were you? Serving a life sentence in Azkaban for the murder of Aunt Lily and Uncle James! You're lucky it was Isabelle that had gone with Harry and pulled you out of the way of the vail when Bellatrix and the other death eaters attacked because if it were me I might have left you too the vail." Talia roared, her face red with anger and her breathing heavy from the pent up emotions she associated with Sirius. "You can't talk to me like that! I am your father!" Sirius squeaked in retaliation, he had not expected Talia to respond in such a way. "No, you were just the sperm donor! The one person that's been there from day one is Uncle Remus! You were off who knows where, who knows what, far too busy to be a father!" Talia yelled, her voice breaking towards the end as she turned away from Sirius and marched back down through the passageway. "I did warn you, Sirius." Remus sighed as he took off after Talia. Once Remus caught up to Talia and immediately wrapped her into a hug where Talia instantly brokedown in floods of tears. "I'm sorry, Ladybug. I tried telling him that you wouldn't see him but he wasn't having it" Remus whispered into her hair as he kissed her forehead. "I have to get back, I'm meeting Professor Snape for a dance lesson" Talia sighed after a few minutes of relaxing into the hug. "Run that by me again?" Remus questioned with an eyebrow raised. "I'll fill you in later" Talia chuckled as she wiped away the remaining tears from her eyes. "Just be careful, Ladybug. Severus can be unpredictable" Remus warned as she headed out the door back to the courtyard.