Somebody You Loved

Chapter One ~ Falling Apart

The sun had just risen over the trees, making the sky deep shades of red and pink. The snow still hung tight to the grass, glistening in the sun's wake. It was a peaceful morning in Godric's Hollow, and on one of it's corners sat a quaint, little house perfect for the two that lived there.

Vega had been crying for a while, so Remus was rocking her slowly to help her fall asleep. As he did so, they gazed into one another's eyes, and for a moment, Remus forgot his doubts of being a good father.

"Dada," Vega said, grabbing at Remus's face.

"It is alright, my little cub. I will always be there to hold you when you need me," Remus told her, putting as much of his heart into that statement, hoping this moment would last forever. Little did they know how empty of a promise that was.

Just a few blocks away lived a boy, not much younger than Vega, that would be known for a great feat. He would destroy He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named that very night, changing the lives of many. But, change isn't always a good thing, as Vega and Remus would come to find out.

Several years had passed since Harry Potter had defeated Voldemort. Vega was now eleven. She was a skinny girl, with wavy, deep red hair and kind, black eyes. She wore a black shirt with paint-splattered denim overalls. Vega was a very creative person that drew and painted a lot. It was the only way she could express her feelings since her dad was always too busy to listen. After Lily and James were killed, Remus was never the same towards Vega. He would find different things to immerse himself in for a few days, then they would move on to the next hobby and the next house. He rarely gave his time and efforts to his daughter, never even considering how this lifestyle might take effect on Vega.

Vega tried so hard to keep all of the anger and resentment she had about her father inside. She didn't want to be a burden on him, since he already had to deal with the loss of his friends and his 'furry little problem'. But one day it became too much to bottle up, and Vega overflowed.

"Vega, have you packed your things? We will be leaving very soon," Remus called from downstairs.

They had been living in an abandoned home, perfect for staying hidden. Remus had been transforming into a werewolf the past few days, so they needed a place to lay low. But the full moon had just ended, so they were heading to a new house.

"Oh, is today really the day we leave? I thought it was tomorrow," Vega yelled back as she searched her room for her suitcase.

"Vega, when will you learn to listen to me and pack a day before you think we leave. I do not like to keep bothering my friend at the Ministry with the task of changing our portkey times." This had happened quite a few times and Remus was a bit fed up.

"I'm sorry, Dad. We just move around so often. It gets hard for me to remember what the date is half the time," Vega grumbled.

Remus had now gone upstairs and into Vega's room, "Well, would you rather I leave you here? Because as I see it, you either come with me and be provided with the necessary tools to survive, or go it alone and be scavenging for most of your life."

Now Vega was getting upset. She had tried to stay out of his way for eleven years, desperately trying to make him happy, and he still treated her like this, "No, I just wish we could settle down for a bit, take a break. I hate having to move around so much. Can't you see how it has divided us?" Vega was starting to tear up,"I just wish I had my dad back."

Remus sat down and gazed into his daughter's eyes. No matter how much he pushed her away, no matter how many times she made him angry, Remus could not help but think of the crying baby that once sat in his arms, so innocent and beautiful. He remembered the promise he made to her, so many years ago.

"The house we are staying at next is nice. How about we stay there for an extra week or two? We could even go through the town and have a nice meal," Remus tried, hoping this would calm Vega.

"Sure, Dad. If that's what you think sounds good, I guess I'll go along with it. Now, if you could please leave my room, I have to pack." Vega wiped her tears away and turned her back on Remus. She started packing, and started thinking of ways to have a better life for her than the one she was trying to live for her father.

Once both Vega and Remus had packed and made sure not to forget anything, they closed the rickety door, covered in ivy, and headed for the hill just a few minutes away. Vega made it her priority to try and avoid her dad. She distracted herself by building plans in her head of what art piece she would try next.

The portkey was a rusty, yellow bucket that sat at the very top of the hill. The sunrise was just visible behind it, blinding any who dare look at it. Vega made sure to remember this beautiful image as she sat down on the hillside. She had rushed to get everything packed, so they had arrived a half-an-hour early. She had also tried to prove to Remus that she could be responsible.

Remus sat next to Vega, eyeing the beautiful sky as well, "I think your mother would have liked it here."

Vega looked at her father in disbelief. She had never heard Remus speak of her mother, nor had she ever pressured him to. She was always too afraid of the consequences if she asked.

"Really?" Vega questioned hesitantly. She had always thought of all the questions she would ask about her mother, but that all seemed to have jumbled up in her brain.

Remus looked back at Vega with his gentle eyes,"She was always picking out the best details in everything. Always trying to find the beauty within."

Vega watched as he seemed to look through moments of his past, his grin becoming wider and wider.

"She was an awful lot like you, you know? She should have been the one to raise you, not me. She would've done it a whole lot better." His smile started to fade.

Vega sat, bewildered. She finally knew some small piece of information that she would carry with her forever. Vega continued to look at her father, endlessly searching for words to say, but none could form.

Remus took the liberty of continuing the conversation, "I've been thinking a lot about what you said, Vega. You do need to settle down for a bit. But, seeing as I can't provide such comfort, I think I have another solution." Remus stood, causing Vega to do the same,"I have asked Dumbledore if you could stay at Hogwarts for the rest of the summer. I figured you'll be starting school soon and I think it would be best if you had some time to settle down before then. Dumbledore has been kind enough to accept your stay, so we'll be heading to Hogwarts today."

"You're just leaving me like that?" Vega cried in disbelief, "You didn't even ask me if I wanted to do-"

"It's for the better, Vega. I can't take care of you, I'm just not fit for it."

"What would my mother think about this?" Vega argued before she could think about what she was saying. She was so overwhelmed with anger and sadness. Tears were fogging her vision as she looked at Remus, who was doing just the same.

"Your mother would have wanted you to be happy! Your mother would have wanted to be-"He stopped before he could finish, "Listen, Vega. That portkey is going to leave for Hogwarts in a few moments with me. I implore you to come along. I just want you to have a better chance than you would if you continued to live with me."

Vega wiped a tear away. She didn't have many options here. The only one that seemed right was to go with her father to Hogwarts, but that would mean she might never see him again. She also didn't want to give him the satisfaction of being right, because Remus was going to leave her there, at Hogwarts. In Vega's mind, that wasn't right at all.

She decided her best chances were to grab the portkey. She didn't look up when her father did the same. A few seconds later, Vega's air was sucked out of her, and she was traveling through a whirlpool of portals.

After what seemed like eternity, they landed just outside the Hogwarts grounds, where Remus and Vega walked on the cobblestone bridge to the enormous castle known as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Let me know what you think in the comments! I want to here your advice and suggestions.