The Sun, Moon & Stars

6. Dumbledore's Return

The mail came on a Sunday, the last one in July; delivered by a brown and white owl, who carried the weekly Daily Prophet - and a letter. An acceptance letter.

Remus beamed when he spotted the familar red seal, and the cursive writing of Professor McGonagall on the front of the letter, and he eagerly grabbed it to see the name 'Miss. Ophelia. L. Lupin'

He smiled, ghosting his fingertips over the wax seal and remembering the excitment that had rushed through him when Albus Dumbledore personally handed him his acceptance letter, exactly twenty years ago this day.

He found her in the study, standing on the ladder he had made for her when she was smaller - which rolled around the room so she could reach books on the highest shelves. She turned to face him when the door burst open unexpectedly, almost falling off the ladder entirely, but regaining her balance when Remus quickly cast a spell to stop her from falling.

'Okay Dad, serious question, Little Women or Lord of the Flies? Two classics but I can't decide which one to re-read.' Ophelia frowned, holding up both of the books for him to choose from as she stood on her tip toes on the ladder.

'Either. Doesn't matter.' Remus answered quickly.

Ophelia frowned. 'Okay, since when do you not have an opinion on books? Something wrong, Dad?'

'I have something for you.' He smiled.

'Well, get on with it then.' She laughed, and pushed the bookshelf so the ladder rolled over in front of him and she hopped off, placed the two books on the desk, and he replaced the emptiness in her hands with the letter.

'No.' She said in disbelief.

'Yes!'

She squealed with excitment as she tore it open, and read the letter as quickly as humanly possible. 'I'M GOING TO HOGWARTS!' She screamed excitedly, and she jumped up to fling herself around Remus' arms, who was luckily strong enough to catch her and he spun the two of them around excitedly.

'I know!'

'GINGER!' Ophelia yelled.

The house-elf appeared within a split second, and Remus let Ophelia down so she could run and hug the elf, who was surprised but not disapointed; she adored Ophelia. 'Ginger I'm going to Hogwarts this September!'

The elf started bouncing around the room in excitment. 'I am so happy for Miss Ophelia!' She smiled as she jumped up to hug Ophelia by the neck, as she was still just as tiny as she was ten years ago.

'Thanks, Ging.' Ophelia smiled and put Ginger back on the ground.

'We must celebrate! Ginger will make a cake!' Ginger announced, and she ran out of the room, supposedly to go to the kitchen to start making the cake. Remus smiled, and pulled Ophelia in for another hug.

'I'm proud of you.' He mumbled into her curly hair.

'I didn't really do anything except exist, Dad.' Ophelia laughed. 'I mean, I was bound to get my letter. I can already do magic without a wand if I concentrate hard enough.'

'Still proud.' Remus retorted, and Ophelia laughed.

'I can be like those Marauders in the stories you used to tell me!' Ophelia exclaimed.

'Well, I don't know if you want to be exactly like them...they got into a lot of no good.' Remus chuckled.

'Hm. I'll see.' Ophelia laughed. 'I'll write every week! No, twice a week! And you and Ginger have to write me back.' She smiled.