Lupin's cub (Remus Lupin's Unknown daughter)

Old friends and the full moon

Caelen sprinted out of the castle as fast as her little legs could carry her. The night was cool and cloudy and she shivered nervously watching the sky for signs of the dreaded dementors. Finally stumbling upon the whomping willow the child paused watching the tree warily. She circled it avoiding the waving branches in search of an opening. Upon discovering the small dark mouth of the tunnel she knew must be hidden there the girl took a deep breath as if she were about to dive into a pond and raced forward.

A branch nicked her cheek causing her to wince but the child ignored the pain eyes locked onto her target, the tunnel mouth. She leapt in sliding down into the darkness and away from the swinging branches. For a moment, in the suffocating darkness, her nerve left her. The young child whimpered slightly, glancing around fearfully as if monsters lurked just out of sight.

Thoughts of her father forced her little feet on and she stumbled along through the dark tunnel. Caelen sighed in relief when she saw a dim light shining up ahead. Following the light and sounds of voices the young Lupin climbed the stairs in the run down old shack.

Ron lay on the ground holding his rat desperately in his hands. Harry stood to the side his wand aimed at the adults in the room, "tell me about Peter Petigrew," he snapped his wand switching between Remus and Sirius.

Hermione held a similar position fury evident in her eyes. Snape lay on the ground unconscious.

Remus sighed the years of loneliness and heartbreak suddenly apparent in his face and voice, "he was at school with us we thought he was our friend!"

Caelen peeked through the crack in the old door taking in the scene, she hoped professor Snape wasn't hurt badly. Then her eyes fell on her father and she found herself rushing to him, "daddy!"

Remus felt his heart leap he didn't want Caelen around this, he hadn't thought to entrust her to another teacher when he'd rushed off in pursuit of Harry and his old friends but now he desperately wished he'd taken the time, "Caelen go back to the castle cub." He ordered the girl quickly nudging her back towards the door.

"No Petigrew's dead," Harry argued confusion entering his voice, "you killed him!" He snapped aiming his wand at Sirius.

Remus moved between his student and his friend, "no he didn't, I thought so too until you mentioned seeing Petigrew on the map!"

"The map lied," Harry argued simply.

Sirius eyed the child his expression softening for a moment before his task took his focus once more, "the map never lies! Petigrew's alive, and he's right there!"

"Daddy?" Caelen questioned nervously her big brown eyes looking from the crazed looking man and back to her father.

Remus sighed realizing she'd never leave him if she thought he was in danger and picked her up holding her with one arm.

Ron eyed the pair nervously, "who me you've gone mental!" He squealed out in his usual terrified tone.

"No not you your rat!" Black replied in agitation.

Ron pet the rat desperately, Caelen couldn't understand why he'd put up such a fight over the ugly little rodent, "but scabbers has been in my family for-"

"Twelve years!?" Sirius interrupted advancing on the pair, "that's a curiously long life span for a common garden rat! He's missing a toe isn't he!?"

"So what?"

Harry's eyes flashed with realization, "all they could find of Petigrew was his-