"He's not a monster he's my daddy."
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Remus Lupin never thought this was how his life would go but life never goes according to plan. He was thirteen years old when he found out he was going to be...
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"I want Thalia to read me a story," Aliyah told her father as she took the book out of his hands, standing up from the couch and crossing her arms.
"I'm sure but Thalia has a life of her own," Remus tried to reason.
"She does fun voices and makes reading fun."
"I can make reading fun."
"No daddy, your boring when you read."
Remus put a hand to his heart, "I think you've wounded my soul."
"Sorry daddy but it's true," the little girl shrugged and turned to her uncles who were trying not to laugh at the scene n front of them, "can you go find her?"
"No little one, we have to listen to your dad," Lily answered.
Sirius got down on the floor and gestured the little girl over, "I say we make a plan."
"A plan to what?" Aliyah whispered but everyone heard.
"To get Thalia, duh." Sirius hit his head like the whole idea was obvious but something in him was a bit envious, a bit conflicted by the whole ordeal.
"YAY!"
Thirty minutes later they were walking into the great hall, Sirius and Aliyah in the front running inside and scanning the Hufflepuff table. Sirius smirked and bent down pointing out the Hufflepuff to Aliyah.
Aliyah's face lit up, her eyes glistening with mischief as she ran over to Thalia with her arms wide and a huge smile, "Thalia!"
Thalia looked over and spun around on the bench to look at the small child. Remus ran after her looking back at Sirius with an, 'I'll kill you latter look,' but Sirius just saw it as an, 'I'll thank you later look."
Aliyah had climbed onto the girls lap but faced Tahlia, immediately falling into a conversation, this confused many of the other students at the table. Remus felt his heart melt at the sight and a smile spread to his face but he tried to compress it — he didn't want to hurt again.
"I missed you," Aliyah whispered as her dad got close.
"I missed you too," Thalia whispered back to the little girl.
Remus finally made it to the two, "Come on Aliyah, let's not be a bother."
"This one, a bother? Never." Thalia smiled at the little girl who grinned back even brighter.
"Can she read me a story to sleep again, tonight," The little girl asked her father with the puppy dog eyes, Sirius showed her how to do.
"Sweetheart she has a life, she probably has plans, or things to do."
"I can read her a story . . . Only if it's okay with you, of course, I don't meant to impose."
Remus was taken aback by her words, "I mean only if you want to."
"I'd be honoured, but you should eat dinner first," Thalia stood up, following Remus as she carried the little girl over to the Gryffindor table. Aliyah climbed into her fathers lap as he prepared her dinner.
Lily talked to Thalia all of dinner, the two acting as if they had known each other their entire lives. Lily really needed a girl to talk to, a girl her age that is. She spends all her time with a bunch of boys and a small child, and as much as she loved them all dearly, she desperately wanted a girl friend to talk too.
They all ended up walking back to the common room and into the marauders bedroom. Remus stood up to get Aliya ready for bed but she pushed him to sit back down. "Can Thalia get me ready for bed?" Remus looked up at the girl and waited for her to say something.
"I would love to, if it's alright with your dad," Remus only nodded to answer.
The two girls walked into the bathroom after Aliyah picked out a nightgown to wear to bed, Thalia started the water and put a bath bomb in it, saying it made the bath better.
"It's colouring!" Aliyah had exclaimed.
Aliyah had a bath while Thalia read a story in all her different voices and character noises. She helped her dry off and put on the night gown, she brushed her tweety and hair, even put her hair in two French braids (just like her own) so tomorrow her hair would be curly.
"Thank you," Aliyah hugged Thalias leg before running off to get under the cover.
"Yeah, thank you," Remus smiled getting up from his spot at his desk, "can I walk you?"
Thalia nodded yes in response. They left the dorm room, climbing out the portrait hole and begun their walk to the dungeons while Remus began speaking.
"Thank you . . . For everything."
"It's my pleasure, really, I love kids, it reminds me of home." Thalia smiled.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm an orphan Remus, I live in an orphanage, I'm the oldest so I help take care of the younger ones, when I'm older I want to work with kids, it's just... kids are secretly smarter than adults, like they know more and their not afraid to just be themselves because the world hasn't brought them down yet. They're just happy and I'd rather spend all my time with your daughter than anyone from this school."
Remus smiled and it continued to get bigger as she continued to speak.
"And you too of course," Thalia smiled up at him, her eyes meeting his again. They continued to talk all the way down to the dungeons, Remus kept asking questions, wanting to know everything about her.
"I'll see you tomorrow Remus, have a good rest of your night," Thalia waved before making her way into the Hufflepuff dormitories.
Remus waved back and once the door closed he sported the goofiest smile, one that wouldn't fade away until he fell asleep. One that Sirius had seen and wished was directed at him.
