They call me a criminal

Chapter 28

I had been so zoned out, I barely heard the voices drifting through the walls. It sounded like Snape, and the minister, maybe Dumbledore. I closed my eyes praying they'd go away.

"Clara?" I looked up and to my surprise Professor Lupin was with them as well. I stared up at the four of them, "what are you doing here?" The minister stared down at me, "should you be here?" I pushed myself up, "would you rather I go back to Azkaban for the summer?"

Snape scowled, "I thought you were to be staying with the Weasleys." Something about him standing in the exact spot he was in last year was making me extremely frustrated. "Get out of this house." I whispered. "You and you." I pointed at Snape and the minister. "Get out."

The minister nodded for Snape to follow him, and I sat back down staring ahead. "You go with them," Lupin insisted to Dumbledore, "I'm fine here."

Lupin sat down beside me, "you said you had a place to go this summer." I shrugged, "I do." He shook his head, "you're not staying here alone." I turned to look at him, "why are they here?" He sighed, "don't worry about that."

"This is where it happened." I whispered. He nodded, "I know." I bit my lip, "just took one night and everything was messed up." He put his arm around my shoulder, "I understand." I rested my chin on my knees.

"Sir, why haven't they sold the house?" He looked down at me, "I'm not your professor anymore, call me Remus. And I'm not sure." We sat there for a bit longer. "Is everything you need already packed?" I nodded. "Let's go then." I stood up hesitantly, "I don't want to stay with Weasleys, I'm fine here." He shook his head, "you can come stay with me, I have room for one more. Given you'd like that?"

I gave him a small smile, "I don't think that's something you'd like." He shrugged, "listen Clara, I never had children, but there's not a single part of me that wouldn't want you to stay with me. That's what Sirius would like, and I think that's what's best for you right now." I nodded, "are you sure?" He laughed, "if I wasn't sure about you would I have devoted my year to making sure you were alright." I smiled, "no probably not." He nodded, "exactly, I'll go speak with Dumbledore just wait here."

When he got back, he had my trunks from the front and held out his arm. "You ready?" I hesitantly looked around my house one last time, I closed my eyes seeing my father standing there in my head, I quickly grabbed onto his arm bracing myself to apparate.

When we landed I saw we were in a small but homey cottage. "Shall I gave you the professional tour?" I smiled nodding. We didn't have to go far for this tour. It consisted of a kitchen connected with a small dining table, and a sitting room. There was then a small bathroom, and one tiny room. It was big enough for a bed and a night table, and that's about all. "Do you like this room?" I nodded, "I love it, thank you." He smiled, "my rooms right across if you ever need anything."

I set my things down on the ground, "I can cook something if you're hungry, that's the least I could do." He shook his head, "you're not cooking for me, you're free to sit with me while I cook." I smiled, "stubborn."

I sat on the counter as Remus attempted grilled cheese. "I'm sure you know I'm a werewolf." I nodded, "I do." He got plates out, "every month I need to go away for a few days." I nodded, "alright." He handed me my plate and we sat down at the the table, "it would probably be best if you spent at least one night with Weasleys then. So you're not alone so long." I agreed, biting into my grilled cheese. "In a separate room from Fred of course." I rolled my eyes, "really?" He nodded, "ever heard of the maurderes map?" I thought for a moment, "Harry said something about that yes." Remus smiled, "well it shows where everyone is, and who they're with. To me it seems you and Fred spent a lot of time in one particular classroom."

My face immediately went red, "we just talked." He simply hummed a response obviously not convinced. "I can clean up." He shook his head, "no, you do not need to clean. Why don't you go pick out a game we can play?" I sat back, "don't you ever get bored here alone?" He nodded, "I'm not alone anymore, but yes I did." I sighed getting up, "I always felt lonely at my house, even though my family was there." Remus gave me a small smile, "Sirius' family was like that, after he got put in Gryffindor." I took the tea he passed me following him to the sitting room.