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

All good things

Caelen found her most recent "Gena moment", as Sirius like to call them, harder to come back from. It wasn't really that it was particularly awful, comparatively that is, mostly the girl was frustrated. She spent the next several days quiet and thoughtful.

Nuntis had watched closely until finally deciding intervening was warranted. Tonks had just tumbled through the fireplace and was talking with Remus, for what purpose the woman wasn't certain, when Nuts went in search of the little girl.

Caelen was curled, as usual for the little bookworm, in her window seat surrounded by a tower of books, the aura book Nuntis had given Remus for Christmas lay open in her lap.

Nuts smiled softly, "What is it Tesoro?" She wrote in their little notebook, passing it under the child's nose.

Caelen startled in surprise, "I didn't hear you come in," she gasped before focusing on the page before her. "I just, I dunno..." she trailed away before reaching for her own quill. "I just hate feeling so weak. I don't want to be a victim, I don't want what I went through with Gena to define who I am forever. She tried to break me and for a while she maybe succeeded but I don't want her to always win. I don't want to be afraid. Andromeda was really nice and we had a great day and then suddenly it was like I had no control and I was back in the basement and I kept telling myself I was safe and to calm down but it just didn't help! I HATE not being in control of my emotions, I hate feeling powerless."

Nuntis sighed and pulled Caelen into her side, kissing the girl's head before attempting to respond. " il mio piccolo guerriero, my little warrior, have you ever heard of fight or flight? You have dealt with things many little ones your age have not had to face and emerged strong, kind, understanding, loving, and wise despite it. You're not weak, and you will never be broken but, things we go through leave scars," the woman tugged the collar of her dress lower revealing many raised and angry marks marring her otherwise porcelain skin. "Some scars are visible, as you and I both know. While other scars are inside, they dictate how we react to certain things around us, certain situations. It does not make us weak or broken, we're warriors, we have survived nightmarish situations and emerged stronger. If anything I'd say that makes us the victor, never the victim. You reacted in such a way because you have learned to do so, your internal scars, muggles refer to it as a fight or flight response. It's involuntary and completely uncontrollable and nothing you should ever be ashamed of. When something unexpectedly brings up memories that hurt or frighten you it's completely normal to be afraid, to react strongly. One thing no one can ever truthfully call you is weak or broken Tesoro. You're indeed il mio piccolo guerriero, and always will be."

Caelen starred at the words tracing the ones that jumped out at her, warrior, wise, the victor, as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Thank you Nuts," she whispered earnestly.

Nuntis pulled the girl into a tight hug, "lets grab your godfather and get out of here for a bit huh? How does a trip to diagon alley sound?"

Caelen cheered at the prospect and rushed off to locate Sirius.

_________

The trio wandered happily through diagon alley. "Can we go there?" Caelen asked pointing towards flourish and blots from her perch atop Sirius's shoulders. "And to the twins shop? Can we have ice cream?!"

Sirius glanced gratefully toward Nuntis, "I don't know what you did but thank you for doing it." He signed out of the girl's view.

Nuntis smiled softly and nodded, "ask her where she'd like to go first."

"Where to Pup?"

Caelen shifted her head side to side glancing up and down the street in excitement. Sirius was glad he'd opted to carry her on his shoulders, as excited as she was he was worried she'd get lost. "Books first!"