In The Shadows [Book Two]

Chapter Eighteen:

Chapter Eighteen: 

I wanted to be able to get a little bit of something for everyone at the Weasley home. I'd come to this ramshackle house atop a hill, expecting to be disgusted, maybe even to hate having to stay with blood traitors.

But that wasn't necessarily the case.

What I hated was having to put up with the Weasley twins' pranks and flirting, Harry constantly talking about Draco Malfoy being a death eater, and Ron complaining about having a girlfriend who dotes on him too much. The poor boy.

Remus Lupin, my second year Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had come around early in the morning, it seemed he and Harry had a lot to talk about but every once in a while I noticed he would stop what he was doing and just smile at me. It wasn't until late on Christmas Eve night, after Harry, Ron, Ginny and the Twins had gone to bed that I finally figured out exactly why he was staring.

All the kids had gone to their rooms, but I was thirsty and ventured down to get a glass of water. Mr and Mrs Weasley, as was as Lupin and another woman were sat at the kitchen table, speaking quietly to each other. The moment my presence was noticed, the talk died down rather quickly.

"No no, don't mind me, keep your plotting. I'm just grabbing something to drink."

"Nonsense, Amy, we were just talking about you," Mrs. Weasley smiled, her eyes lighting up and making her seem ten years younger. "Remus was just telling us how you look just like your mother."

Almost immediately, my attention was caught.

"You knew my parents?"

"Yes, I did. Your father was my best friend, and I was one of his." Lupin said, his sad eyes staring me down like he could look at me and see his own friends inside of me. "I loved your parents very much, I'm your godfather, you know."

My mind blanked, and I stared at him without really seeing him for several moments before I finally snapped out of it. "But.. I thought Sirius wa-"

"Sirius was Harry's godfather."

I risked my life, my identity as a Death Eater, for someone who wasn't even my godfather? For someone who wasn't my family, he was Harry's family, Harry's hope.. but the man standing before me.. he was mine.

"Oh."

"You have your fathers hair, his eyes.. but everything else about you is purely Lily Evans."

"Okay."

I felt like I was in shock, hearing all of this and knowing what I suddenly knew after so long of thinking that I was alone. Harry was blood related but he didn't act like family.. he'd abandoned me with abusive people twice now, just left me without a word.. and I knew it was because the people here, in this house, they were his family.

I wasn't part of it, not truly. Just like he wasn't part of my family, the Malfoy's were.

I suppose that even Lupin could be considered family, now at least.. but if he knew he was my godfather.. why would he just leave me with horrible people? He had to have wondered how I was doing, if I was being taken care of or not, right?

"You're a bad godfather, Professor Lupin."

"I know."

"No, you don't know. The Dursley's, sure Petunia was my mum's sister, but she hated us; both Harry and I. She despised us, she locked us up in a tiny little cupboard under her staircase, she used us as her personal slaves and let her husband and son use me as their personal punching bags, and Harry, Harry used to protect me from it until he abandoned me with them to go to Hogwarts.