Different

safe house

The silence was overwhelming. Claire was used to silence, but this was different. It made the air feel different, like something was just over her shoulder, waiting to pounce. Her throat was sore and it was hard to breathe, almost like she wasn't meant to be breathing. 

"Sweetie? Are you waking up?"

Claire fluttered her eyes open at the voice, blinking at a worried-looking Sirius a few times. A relieved smile broke out on his face and tears filled his eyes, making him blink them back. Luna the cat let out a happy sound and rubbed against Claire, a slight limp showing that she had been hurt. 

"What happened?" Claire croaked out, accepting Sirius' help as she sat up, gladly drinking from the cup of water next to her. Sirius blinked and cleared his throat a few times before sniffling and replying. 

"Your mother...she attacked you and your dad. Remus...he-he..."

"He attacked me," Claire finished the sentence.

"Do you remember anything?" Sirius questioned. Claire tried to remember what happened, but she couldn't. "It's okay if you don't remember anything. It was just yesterday night, and you lost a lot of oxygen."

"I saw it in a dream a long time ago," Claire explained. Sirius looked even sadder at that, although he didn't respond. "Where is he? Is he okay?"

"Remus? He's...not hurt. Emaline set off an alarm when she came into the house, so Charlie, Tonks, and Mad-Eye came not too long after...they came before anything worse happened," Sirius replied, sounding a little awkward. "Emaline got away, but she broke off her control of Remus before she left. We just thought it might be better if I was with you when you woke up. They brought you two and Luna the cat to a safe house and called me back. "

"What about your mission?" Claire asked, furrowing her eyebrows. She couldn't look at the man anymore, not able to stand the sad look in his eyes.

"Some things are more important," Sirius explained, his voice soft. A knock on the door made them look up. Remus slowly opened the door, a worried look on his face. His eyes were bloodshot like he had been crying and hadn't slept. He tried to smile at Claire, but she looked at her lap, the feeling of his hands around her throat coming back. 

"How are you?" Remus asked, sitting in a chair next to Sirius. He crossed his hands in his lap but then shoved them under his legs when he saw Claire continue to glance at them. 

"I'm okay. Dadfoot has been explaining everything," Claire replied. 

"Dadfoot?" Sirius chuckled. Claire grinned sheepishly at the man. 

"I meant to say Padfoot, but that slipped out."

"I like it," Sirius nodded, sharing a look with Remus before smiling at the girl. 

"Have you guys found Leo? He looked hurt last night," Claire gasped, her eyes wide as she looked at the men. As usual, the men shared a sad look before turning their attention back to her. Claire sipped on her water and stared at Sirius, urging him to answer.

"Claire, he gave your position away. He's the reason Emaline found you," Remus explained when Sirius didn't answer. Claire tried to look at her dad, but the feeling came back and she looked away. 

"He didn't. I know he didn't. He tried to warn me." Claire whispered. Her mind was racing and she tried to call for Leo, but it was like he wasn't there. And knowing Emaline, he might not be and that thought scared her more than she knew. 

"Don't worry about that now," Sirius said softly. "Let's just go get some food."

"Can you get us something please, my love? I think we need to talk," Remus said quietly. Sirius nodded and gave Claire's forehead a kiss, squeezing Remus' shoulder before he left. Claire couldn't look at her father, instead focusing on the cat. Luna was obviously hurt, but she was trying to comfort her owner anyways. "I guess that cat isn't that bad."