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

Death

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Caelen was certain she'd read that phrase somewhere before and it seemed more than appropriate to her life at present. Good and bad seemed stacked evenly on some sort of enormous weighted scale. Tonks was everything she'd ever dreamed a mother could be. But, she desperately missed Sirius. Teddy was quite possibly the most amazing creature she'd ever known, as far as his enamored big sister was concerned at any rate. But, losing the grandfather she'd only just begun to know was a hard blow.

Remus sat beside the radio pensively, the stress pinching his expression only melting away when he'd glance toward his children.

"Remus, turn it off for a bit," Tonks prompted gently, setting aside the book she'd been reading to the rapt attention of her daughter, the little girl cradling her sleeping brother in her arms long past the moment her arms began to ache. She knew full well Caelen was capable of reading it on her own but loved these moments together. It wouldn't have occurred to her to even attempt if not for her habit of reading aloud under her breath. She'd glanced up one evening to see the girl leaning forward, eyes locked onto the book in her hands eagerly. After that it didn't matter that Caelen was able to read it herself, what mattered was the time together, knowing she was gifting her new daughter something she should've taken for granted from the start, something she adamantly swore Teddy would never know to appreciate.

"Come snuggle daddy, they've just started building a treehouse," the girl in question glanced toward her father eagerly, eyes alight with excitement over the Muggle storybook.

Remus smiled slightly and leaned forward to do as requested, only to freeze mid motion. The air seemed sucked from the room as the words repeated. "Lightning has struck."

Tonks paled ever so slightly and took a deep breath, "I'll floo mother," she stated and rushed from the room.

"Lightning is Harry," Caelen surmised quietly, pulling her brother closer. "Harry's appeared?"

"Cub," Remus began, expecting a fight.

"I know," the little girl interrupted with tears in her eyes. "It's important, you have to," she murmured as her voice wavered and lower lip trembled. "You'll come back, you promise?" Caelen pleaded as the first tear escaped to roll down her cheek.

Remus cringed and bit his lip, swallowing hard. He wrapped his children closer in his arms and cradled them for a time, longer than he truly had to spare. "I love you, more than anything in this life or the next."

A small broken sob escaped the little girl and she clung to him. This felt like goodbye, she knew he didn't feel he could make the promise to return, he wasn't even certain they'd win.

"Mums coming to watch the children," Tonks informed them as she blew back into the room, securing her robes around her as she went.

"You can't go," Remus replied instantly.

There seemed to be a slow, silent argument between the adults above their children's heads. Tonks glared belligerently, "you're my husband and this is as much my war as yours," she snarled.

"Our children need you, we discussed it."

"No you informed and I didn't bother correcting you."

"Dora, please," Remus sighed. He didn't wait for a response, assuming she'd stay, and vanished to the battle.

—

Tonks had stayed for a few hours before she'd entrusted their children to her mother and rushed off behind her husband.

Andromeda tried to draw Caelen from her worry with no success. She couldn't know, no one did, but the little necklace the girl wore had been stinging constantly since her father had left that morning. Remus was under the impression his pin was the only to warn of danger, that it was more for his peace of mind than that of his daughter and she'd known better than to correct him. He'd never have kept the pin on if he'd known she was aware when he was harmed or endanger.

She suppressed a flinch as her necklace warned her sharply of some danger and waited for it to pass as the other had. This shock grew into a steady, almost unbearable, burn until her eyes filled with tears and she was forced to pull the chain away from her body. She peeked into her brother's room where andromeda was trying to get him to sleep and tightened the cloak she'd wrapped around her shoulders before rushing on tip toes toward the fireplace.

Caelen tumbled from the floo into Dumbledore's office, the wards having failed long before. The girl rolled to her feet and sprinted out into the corridor. The air was thick with the sounds of battle, explosions and screams nearly overwhelming her as she squinted through dust and smoke. The burn from her necklace was as reassuring as it was painful, as long as he was in danger he was still alive. She repeated that thought desperately as she ran, the chain leaving a white pattern where she'd wrapped it around her hand.

Caelen skidded to a stop with a startled cry when the metal suddenly stopped warning her, the chain growing cool and lifeless in her palm. "No, NO!"

_____

Sirius dodged a hex and slammed into a small group of Weasleys. He glared at the boys, "eyes up lads, doesn't do to be caught unawares in battle," he huffed and brushed Rubble from his robes.

"Sorry Sirius," Fred replied quickly, echoing Percy's, "Sorry Mr. Black."

The man nodded and pulled both boys to their feet quickly, "constant vigilance," he mocked with a smirk.

"Aye that applies to you as well Black," Moody growled from around the corner.

Sirius was prepared to fire back a smart retort when a wailing scream, as if everything important had just been wrenched away from someone's grasp, echoed through the castle. The difference between this sound and all the others was his body's immediate reaction. One thing he'd learned since meeting his goddaughter was every parent knew their child's cry. It was a simple fact, one that sent icy terror through his veins. "Caelen," he whispered as he raced away.

Sirius took the stairs so quickly he was certain he'd slid down them more than he'd actually taken any steps. The man leapt over the final final five and sprinted off at full tilt. Had he not been in such a frantic rush he'd have noticed the odd chill before he reached them. As it was Sirius slammed into the remnants of the castle's stone wall.

Sirius slid to the floor as if he'd been struck and a small broken sob escaped his lips as his worst fears were confirmed true. The only reason for Caelen to have been here, the only possible cause for her distressed cry, Remus Lupin had fallen.

______

Manic evil laughter!!!!!!!

I love you don't hate me!