Sign it [Lupin's Daughter]

Chapter 10

Remus wasn't too thrilled when he heard of Maddy's attitude towards Severus Snape, but reasoned that he couldn't expect any less from his daughter.

The next morning he was still sore, but made it a point to get up in time for the quidditch game. He never played himself, but when your best friend is James Potter, you know a thing or two about the sport. That and the fact that Remus read countless books on the strategy of the game for his friends.

Maddy sat on her bed on her knees. She was bouncing slightly in her spot, and her huge grin opposed the torrential downpour outside.

She was excited to watch her first quidditch game. She'd read Quidditch Through the Ages no less than ten times cover to cover, and knew almost every move inside out. Her dream was to play herself, but she had never flown before, and she had no clue as to how far theory will get her.

She was ready long before Remus told her to be, so they went down to breakfast. Maddy noted that many of the people on the two quidditch teams playing (Gryffindor and Hufflepuff) were barely touching their plates of food. Maddy, herself, ate much more than usual.

After the meal, Remus grabbed Maddy by her hand, and took her to the pitch. She put on an oversized raincoat, with a matching hat, and a pair of wellies. She seemed to be the only one prepared for the weather, as she saw many people running to take cover. She, however, took her time getting there. Happily skipping through the wet grass, and jumping in every other puddle until Remus told her to hurry up.

Despite her having fun in the rain, she could barely see in front of her, and quite a few times Remus had to grab the sides of her coat to make sure she didn't blow away.

Remus and Maddy climbed into the almost empty bleachers, and Remus couldn't let go of Maddy's wrist without fear of her flying away. He tried to ask her if she was alright, but the howl of the wind, and the crack of thunder made it impossible for her to hear him.

Maddy squinted and could make out the scarlet and canary-yellow robes of the people far below. A whistle made a piercing sound, followed by a crack of thunder. The blobs flew into the air.

Maddy couldn't hear the commentary, only see and even that was hindered by the battering rain. Still, she watched in amazing as Gryffindor scored, followed by one from Hufflepuff.

Remus could tell that despite the nasty storm, Maddy was one of the happiest he had seen her in a long time. He watched the game, vaguely remembering a time when there was a game with similar conditions, and James still scored. He couldn't tell what the score was, but he knew Maddy knew. She had a look of amazement in her eyes, and her tongue was sticking slightly out in concentration.

Madam Hooch's whistle blew for a time out, and Remus noticed how Maddy shut her eyes for a minute. Her rain hat was sticking to her face, and her pigtails could ring out a litre of water. Yet she still had a huge smile on her face.

As efficiently as he could, Remus moved his hand from her wrist to the side of her coat. He tapped Maddy lightly with his opposite hand, and she looked up at him, water rushing around her green eyes causing her to blink.

"Enjoying yourself?" asked Remus softly. Maddy seemed to have to think about what he said, but nodded after a while. "What's the score?"

Maddy seemed to have trouble raising her arms against the pounding rain, and had to sign above her head, so the sleeves rolled down her arm, Ninety to forty. Gryffindor's up by fifty.

The whistle blew again, and Maddy's head snapped back towards the game, and yet again she became engrossed in it.

Maddy could barely feel the intense rain and wind battering against her small frame. That was, until she felt a familiar sense of coldness fall upon her. She turned quickly, her eyes falling on at least one hundred dementors gliding towards the pitch. Maddy tugged at her father's sleeve until he was giving her his undivided attention. Maddy pointed nervously towards the dementors, fear slowly etching itself into her countenance. Remus's eyes widened and he let go of Maddy's raincoat for the first time, and made his way to the pitch in haste.