𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 \\ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝐿.

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𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙮

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REMUS SMILED WHEN Harry, Caroline and Hermione stepped out of the fireplace in that order, dropping their belongings to the ground. He had been notified of the events that had occured the previous night. "Are you lot alright?" Remus asked as Hermione fixed her hair and Caroline let Marie and Penny crawl out of her bag.

      "Oh, yeah. We're doing incredible." Caroline said, picking up her bag and walking off to her bedroom, Hermione awkwardly following her. Caroline was exhausted from the lack of sleep she had been getting, and it was heavily affecting her.

      Caroline threw her bag on her bed and dumped out her books, replacing them with others she owned. Hermione settled herself on Caroline's bed, treading lightly with her words. "Carol, I know how upset you've been, but Remus didn't do anything wrong. You shouldn't be angry with him."

      Slamming one of her drawers shut, Caroline inhaled sharply. "I get to be angry, Hermione! I am angry because my parents died, and because my dad is missing and my mum doesn't care care about me. I am angry because my brother is dead, and Umbridge is abusing me. I am angry because Remus made me go back to school, and I am angry that Voldemort exists!" Caroline shouted, now turned to her best friend.

      Hermione frowned, unaware of how many emotions Caroline was holding in. Harry walked into Caroline's room, almost smiling. "Are you already mad?" he asked, leaning against the wall.

      Caroline inhaled again, closing her eyes and turning to Harry. "Why do you ask?" she questioned with gritted teeth and her hands resting on her hips.

      Harry smirked. Caroline always helped him forget whatever he was going through. "Because Remus wants you to visit Eloise." he said, watching as Caroline began to combust.

      "I'm sorry for shouting at you, Hermione." Caroline said as she took a deep breath.

      "That's okay." Hermione said, waiting with bated breath for Caroline to do something.

      Caroline nodded and walked out of her room, her harsh footsteps echoing as she stomped down the stairs and towards the kitchen. "I am not under any circumstances going to see my mother." Caroline said, slamming her hands on the counter.

      Remus sighed, rubbing his face. "She's sick, Caroline. She's really, really sick. Your grandmother is staying with her now, but I think you should go see her." Caroline's face dropped, and she sunk onto her elbows on the counter, her head dipped low.

      "Have you heard anything about Dad?" Caroline asked quietly, wiping her eyes quickly.

      Shaking his head, Remus frowned. "No, I'm so sorry, Carol. It was Death Eaters, that much is certain." Remus said, and Caroline absentmindely played with some of her curls.

      Breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep, breathe out. Caroline repeated the process numerous times, lost in the labryinth of her own mind. She didn't know who to trust anymore, and everyone was slowly leaving her. Caroline quickly realized that she would be getting over Jacob her whole life, that the pain would never fully go away, despite what she told herself.

      And Caroline was falling in love. She couldn't deny it anymore. She was falling in love with Harry Potter.

      Break up, break free, break through, break down. Caroline didn't know how much she could take anymore. Everyone expected her to bounce back, to heal, and Caroline hated it. Life wasn't that simple, and Caroline's life was growing too complicated to bear. She was a child, and she was dealing with things no adult should ever have to.

      Caroline looked up at Remus, tears clouding her vision. "I don't think I can. I can't do it again." Caroline's voice cracked, and more tears fell from her eyes. Remus nodded, wanting nothing more than to hug his beloved goddaughter and comfort her, but he couldn't. Harry had told him that he was the only one Caroline let touch her, and Remus smiled. They were so in love.

      "You don't have to, okay? If you don't want to, we won't go." Remus promised, and Caroline nodded, sinking into a chair at the table, wiping her tears. Remus made her a cup of tea, brining it over to her. Minerva had sent him both calming and sleeping draughts for Caroline, and he put a vial of the calming draught in Caroline's tea upon her request.

      Harry and Hermione came downstairs a few moments later, Hermione holding Caroline's newly packed bag. The distant look in Caroline's eyes was enough to tell them that they would be going straight to Grimmauld Place. Caroline looked over to her friends as they joined her and Remus at the table. She reached for a vial of calming draught. "Harry," she said, and Harry looked over at her. "Catch."

      Caroline tossed the vial to Harry, and the boy caught it skeptically. "What is this?" he questioned as Remus poured both him and Hermione cups of tea.

      "Drink." Caroline said simply, sipping from her mug. She swatted some of her curls away from her face.

      Harry's eyes held immense confusion, and Remus told him that Caroline had given him calming draught, because of the events the night before. They had been quietly drinking their tea for a few moments before Caroline spoke again. "Is it my grandmother from Bristol that's with Mum?" she asked Remus.

      Remus nodded. "When I spoke to her, she was complaining that she never got to see you." the man said, and Caroline almost smiled. Her grandmother was a tiny woman who lived in Bristol, England, where Eloise grew up.

      "Do you see her often?" Hermione questioned to make conversation, holding her warm mug in her hands. Penny was asleep on the sofa, but Marie was in Harry's arms.

      Caroline shrugged. "She's mean. Jacob hates—hated her." she said, stopping momentarily to correct herself. She extended her fingertips out to Marie, stroking her soft head as Harry cradled their cat. It calmed them both.

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