maple syrup | remus lupin [1]

114. a family visit

AT THE SIGHT OF her father, Claudia's breath hitched in her throat. It was a moment of pure terror, not forgetting the way her hands immediately started shaking and the way her body stiffened.

Whenever she went back to the manor she was prepared to face him. This time she was not. And neither were anyone else.

So, she had no time to bottle up the fear.

And the fact that the boys all stood around her made for nothing but panic. Because what if something went wrong?

However, as three out of four Marauders and Claudia stood frozen, Remus was quick to act.

It was as if he had practiced it a million times before, the way he took Claudia out of James and Sirius' hold and dragged her to hide behind a wall as he told Peter to make sure that her father and grandmother couldn't see them.

"Oh my god," the girl said in a hushed tone, before breaking into her panicked ramble. "Remus, what do I do?! I can't- No, I don't want to! I can't see him right now- I don't want to-"

"Hey," Remus said, taking her face in his hands. "You're okay. You're gonna be just fine, love, don't worry. Just fine, okay?"

"Remus, I don't want to-"

"I know, I know," he said. "But you're going to be just fine. He can't hurt you here, alright? He can't even lay a finger on you. I won't let him."

"You have to stay away from me," Claudia urged, trying to push him away.

But he was stronger and he wouldn't fold.

"No," he said, not even backing off despite the pushes Claudia was giving him . "I'm not going anywhere. We're going up to my dorm, okay? Before he sees-"

"What are you all up to?" The voice of Slughorn questioned as he found the five teenagers standing hidden behind a wall. "Go inside, apparently Dumbledore wants everyone to be in the hall right now."

"I'm sorry, professor, but Claudia's not feeling well," said Remus. "I think it would be best if I bring her back to her dorm so that she can rest."

"Alright," Slughorn sighed. "But I do think that you should go inside and greet your father and grandmother first if you haven't already, Ms. Maple. Your grandmother misses you dearly."

If it would have been any other moment Claudia would've snorted at the mention of her grandmother missing her. But, it wasn't exactly the right moment to do so as Slughorn urged for Claudia to go inside and see her grandmother and father.

"Oh, does she really?" Claudia asked, acting out a smile.

"Yes, she said so herself," he smiled. "Come on then!"

"Professor, I'm really not-"

"They're right in here," he said, causing panic on everyone as he placed a hand on Claudia's shoulder and led her towards the entrance before she even got the chance to move.