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

The perfect gifts

The weeks flew by in a blur and before anyone quite knew what had hit them it was Christmas. Caelen had been saving everything she had, Lupin having been able to give her a decent allowance with his continued work at Hogwarts, and this year was planning to buy her father a present. Problem was, how to get to a store without breaking any rules or going with Remus himself?

The girl had spent weeks pondering this question and finally had a solution. It was evening now, they'd been back from supper for about an hour during which time Remus had been grading papers and preparing for his next class. "Daddy?" She whispered nervously, climbing up into his lap.

Remus smiled down at his little girl, "yes cub?"

"Well...I was wondering," she paused obviously nervous, "couldIgowithFredandGeorgetoHogsmeadtogetyouachristmaspresent!?" She requested in one large breath afraid of his response.

Remus couldn't hold back his chuckle, "slower cub."

She breathed in deeply tucking her head under her father's chin, "can I go with Fred and George to Hogsmead to buy Christmas presents?"

Her father paused thinking of all the things Fred and George got up to and the trouble they could get his cub into. These thoughts nearly had a resounding no echoing from his lips before he glanced down into Caelen's hopeful brown eyes. He sighed knowing he'd lost the moment she'd turned those chocolate orbs his way, "let me talk to the boys first alright?"

Caelen squealed throwing her arms around Remus' neck, "thank you!"

__________________________

She was bored again, Remus' painting class was more interesting than the abhorsen classes but even that got old eventually. It probably would have been more interesting if she were able to join in but painting the magical portraits required magic and she still wasn't old enough to do it.

After getting permission from her father, which she'd been sure to do since their argument, she hurried off down the hall her tiny feet padding quietly along the cold stone. It was hard for her to push the heavy wooden door open but she managed grunting slightly as she did so. "Professor Snape? Are you here?" She called into the seemingly empty room.

A black head of hair peeked out from the supply room, the tiniest ghost of a smile crossing his face, "good morning Caelen, bored of your father's class already?"

Severus nearly laughed as the little girl's expression changed to a pout. "I can't make the paintings yet cuz I don't have a wand," she mumbled dejectedly.

"Well there is one kind of magic you can do without your own wand," he told the girl, crouching down in front of her. "Would you like to make a potion Caelen?"

The little girl nodded eagerly following behind the stern professor like a duckling. He smirked slightly noticing her attempts to imitate his walk. "Let's brew the forgetfulness potion shall we? It's fairly simple."

He was rewarded with an eager grin and a nod, "will it make us forgetful? Cuz daddy says I'm very forgetful! He's going to get me a notebook I think, so I can write stuff down."

"Only if we drink it," Snape replied ignoring her chatter. Normally such behavior annoyed him, Caelen had wriggled her way deep into his heart by this time though, and instead he found her chatter endearing. To be honest that thought annoyed him, he didn't let little girls into his life, never, little girls run in terror from Severus Snape! He couldn't hold back from rolling his eyes when he took in the adoring expression on Caelen's face as she waited for him to set out what they'd need for their potion. Oh yes you're terrifying, he growled in his head. "Must be losing my touch," he mumbled causing the child to tilt her head puzzled.