story8

Chapter 1

           "Are - are you sure, sir?" the woman asked again. He let out a sigh full of grief and regret. He took a deep breath and said reluctantly, "Yes."
           "Al - alright. Have a good night, sir," the woman said slowly turning to the door, straddling a wispy haired toddler over her shoulder, giving the worn and seemingly broken man a last glimpse of his only child. Sleeping, she was so lovely. Little rose bud mouth pursed in the shape of a small o.
           "Wait!" He almost shouted reaching out his arm in a final gesture of desperation and heartbreak. The woman turned.
           "Yes?"
           "May I see her?" The woman gave a gentle 'I understand' smile and said, "of course." She handed him the little girl. He held her tight then brought her close, and kissed her gently on the cheek.
           "Good Bye," he whispered. He closed his eyes tight, swallowed, took a deep breath, then opened his eyes again, and gave the sleeping baby back to the woman (rather reluctantly). "Will you give this to her when.." he said not finishing his sentence, and taking a purple beaded necklace shakily out of his pocket and handing it to the woman.
           "Of course, sir, goodnight," the woman said slowly taking the necklace and opening the door. As she walked out the door, the baby awoke and stared at him, wondering where this woman was taking her. He stared into her lovely eyes, so much like her mother's.
           "Goodnight," he said shakily. The door closed. The woman was gone. And so was his daughter. It was as though the snap of the door closing was the snap of his heart breaking in half. He then, fell to his knees, face in his hands, and sobbed. Longer and harder than he ever had in his whole life. His daughter was gone. And his heart now felt like it had been smashed into a thousand pieces, by a hammer made of grief, regret, and the torture of losing the jewel of his life, his daughter.
            At least, he thought, she'd be safe now... Bowing his head and body slumping with despair, he whispered in a voice almost too small to be heard, "from, me."

Chapter 2

           15-year-old Kassandra Lupin gasped and sat bolt upright in bed. That man again! She thought running her hand through her brown hair (and a few streaks of gray), holding her, then kissing her gently on the cheek, and whispering, "good bye."
           It was a short dream, yes, but Kassy could still tell that the man's eyes were very gentle but still full of sadness and regret, but she didn't know why. Various times Kassandra had thought over and over that she had seen him somewhere before...but she couldn't put her finger on it. Lea Thompson, one of her best firends, suggested the man was an uncle, but... it didn't seem like an uncle, he seemed...like...a...father.... She picked up the purple beaded necklace that was from her dad.
            "Take good care of that necklace Kassandra, your father told me to give it to you, and a bond between a father and his daughter, even if he is not around, is still very strong," Madam Spencer had said. Kassandra remembered when she was eleven, Madam Spencer, her favorite teacher in the orphanage, gave her that necklace and said it was from her father.
             Madam Spencer was around 40, had blonde curly hair, which she was constantly rearranging in a vain attempt to maintain her mop of curls in some semblance of order. More often then not this left her face framed by a soft blonde wave of hair: very pretty actually. As a matter of fact more than one visitor to the orphanage had been caught looking twice at those rebellious curls. Whenever Kassy put on her necklace from her father, she felt comforted and fonder of Madam Spencer and her crazy curls. Kassy had always seemed to make friends with people who were different.
             Kassandra quietly got out of bed, put on the necklace, and sneaked by the 5 other beds that were in the room. This was not the orphanage; this was just a boarding House/Hotel thing. All the 15-year-old girls in the orphanage went on a "vacation" every summer to the 'Shakespearean Festival.' It was pretty fun. You could see different plays and stuff. But, if you were put in Madam Reichwort's (who's name, to Kassy and her friends' delight, rhymed quite nicely with witch wart!) group then, well...you'd go see all the boring plays (which she would pick), and you weren't aloud to talk at all. If you were in Madam Spencer's group, everyone would vote for the play they wanted to see and whichever play got the most votes, would be seen first, and the one that got the second most votes would be the next. Each group would get to see 2 plays.
             They were only staying for tonight, and tomorrow, they would pack up and then head back to the real orphanage. Kassy quietly walked out the door, and was about to turn the corner when a voice suddenly asked, "Where are you going?" Kassy froze, and turned around to see Lea. Lea had impossibly wavy blonde hair, which resisted all attempts to be tamed in any manny. (Reminds you of Harry, huh?) So it tumbled of it's own accord over her shoulders endings near the middle of her back. She had a broken a multitude of brushes trying to comb it.              "I...er...uh...I," Kassy studdered.
             "What are you doing?" She asked again.
             "Nothing," she said quickly. Lea, crossing her arms and drumming her fingers impatiently, she leaned against the doorway in a pose of obvious disbelief with both eyebrows raised, "look, if your gonna nick food from the kitchens, I won't tell. You can trust me, okay?" A man with brown hair and gray streaks was carrying a suitcase walked by, though they both didn't notice.
              "Yeah, I-I know," Kassy replied. 'Liar! You are not going to the kitchens!' said a voice in her head. A mischievous grin spread across Lea's face, "Bring me back something!"
              Kassy smiled, "I will." Kassy walked around the corner, and then peaked around it to make sure that Lea went back in the room. When the door closed, Kassandra continued to walk down the hall. The place where they were staying was all right; it had 3 floors, and served 3 meals a day. Kassandra continued to walk down the hall. The place where they were staying was all right; it had 3 floors, and served 3 meals a day. Kassandra had a sudden pang of guilt. She bit her lip. Kassy hadn't told Lea, or her other friend Anita Garcia about her certain secret...though...she just wanted this friendship to last. Kassy has never really had a stand-by-you-no-matter-what friend before, or, to be completely honest, any friends at all. And for once, Kassandra felt that she was actually....well...liked. She wasn't popular, but that wasn't what bothered her. She had two great friends. Her only fear was that, they would desert her if they found out...
             Kassandra shook her head going to a different thought. Anyway, Kassy wasn't going to the kitchens; she was going to- "Kassandra?" whispered a voice almost too small to be heard. Kassy's head jerked back involuntarily; someone was following her... But no one was following her... Well no one was behind her (or so she thought...). She squinted her eyes: no one. She turned back around and continued sneaking down to the 2nd floor. her group was on the top floor, so she glanced quickly over the balcony, which gave her an open view of the 2nd floor landing. Making sure that no one was downstairs; she crept to the end of the large staircase, which led into the middel of a cozy mezzaine featuring, couches, chairs, a currently blank tV, and a coffee maker. Behind the staircase was each of the numbered rooms where other guests, including some of the dreaded Reichwart girls, were sleeping. The rooms continued in a semi-circle creating a wide crescent behind and to the sides of the massive staircase. Tiptoeing across the braodest part of the circular room, Kassandra made her way to the final set of stairs leading to the main floor.
               As she approached the last banister, which would allow her to view the main lobby, she was again seized by that uncomfortable sensation that she was not alone. But Kassy attributed this to being the only person in an otherwise dark, deserted hallway. Although, come to think of it, when she experienced this in the past it had often led to the discovery that someone was indeed sneaking up on her, for instance to drop a well aimed water balloon on her head. Nevertheless, tonight she had more important things on her mind than her mischievous companions playing practical jokes.
               Kassandra had her eye on the windo just above the first floor staircase. By climbing on the banister, balancing precariously, she could easily make the jump to the closest wall, which was decorated with ascending plant shelves all the way up to the top floor. It was only about three feet across to the first plant shelve but it seemed to be much farther when she glanced down to the main floor. Nevertheless, Kassy wasn't afraid. She did this all the time, back at the orphanage. Heights were not even the least bit scary. she'd always climb some place high when she needed to sort out her thoughts.
               She leapt lightly to the shelf, crouching, (rather wolf-like) she climbed up to the next shelf, and so on, until she finally made it to the top window. Kassy froze, yet again, and slowly turned. No one was there. Kassy rolled her eyes, 'just ignore it' she thought. She swung one of her legs over the windowsill and starred out tthe window, leg dangling over the abyss.
               Then she saw it. The moon. Not full, about half. She starred at it sadly. 'Stupid...' she thought looking away, 'of all places to go, I go to a place where there is a totally clear view of it.' She looked at it again. Looking at it made her sad, why does she stare at it, if she hates it, and even probably fears it?? Probably because...she was half werewolf, she didn't know why. She was never bitten. She guessed that she must have inherited it from someone. Kassandra then found that she couldn't look away from it. Quickly, she snapped her head away, shutting her eyes tight. "I don't know why I came here," she whispered to herself. She quickly climbed back down. She walked up the stairs, "Kas-," a voice started, and then gasped. Kassy could hear feet running away. Kassandra hurried around a corner to come face to face, with a man, she gave a small gasped and was stunned to see that the main had brown hair and gray streaks.
               Something tickled at the back of her awareness....causing her whole body to shiver slightly, in recognition. It was the man from her dream! And then with a shudder she came back to herself, 'Get a grip on yourself. That's impossible! Dream men don't walk around hallways!' It looked like he was surprised too. It was probably just a coincidence, but at the exact moment her necklace fell off her neck and down to the floor. He bent forward as if to pick it up for her, but she was too quick for him. The man stared at it, seemingly astonished. His eyes were gray, kind and gentle...but...there was something else there...was it saddness?
               "Er...ex-excuse me!" She almost whispered, pausing for a moment then running around the man. The man turned as she ran, watching her wistfully as she slammed the door behind her.
               "Kassy! There you are!" Lea whispered as she ran into the room. "I was trying to meet you in the kitchens but I accidentally ran into some guy-." Lea stopped at the look on her face.
              "Lea, I saw him!" She exclaimed.
              "Who?"
              "The man in my dream!" Kassy whispered anxiously.
              "Ar-are you sure?" Lea asked.
              "Yes! His eyes...I would have recognized them anywhere! Gentle, but so sad! I'm positive!"

Chapter 3

              "Alright, thank you sir. Your room is on the 3rd floor. Here's your key," said the desk clerk, handing him a medium sized key.
              "Thank you," Remus Lupin said taking the key and holding it in his hand. He walked up the two staircases up to the 3rd floor landing. Remus walked by two girls, aroudn 15, he thoughts, whispering in the middle of a doorway. He caught a few words:
              "You can trust me, okay?"
              "Yeah, I-I know."
              He walked around the corner, to his room. Remus unlocked the door, and walked in. The room was rather small, but this didn't matter, he was only staying one night anyway. The room had one window, a bed, a small table with two chairs, and a dresser with a television on top. He looked at the clock, 12:32. 'That bus ride must have taken longer then it seemed,' he thought as he put his suitcase on the bed. A gentle glow of moonlight was pouring through the window. Suddenly Remus broke out in a cold sweat, he ransacked his suitcase searching desperately for a vile filled with blue liquid; he feared that he might have left it on the bus.
              Remus gave a sigh of relief, as he found it, at the bottom of his suitcase. Disgusting as the potion was, it was still better than turning into a monster once a month. He rushed to the window apprehensively, feeling a mix of shame, and horror that he had not kept track of the most terrible force in his life. Unfortunately, his small window did now allow him to view his old nemesis: the moon. Running his fingers through his hair, and taking deep breaths to calm himself he quietly walked out of his room, and around the corner to the hall leading to the staircase that would take him down to the 2nd floor. With his mind on his only daughter and her possible where abouts, as well as the trouble he had catching the bus, he had forgotten to keep his eye on the phases of the moon.
              Suddenly he saw the same girl, who had been whispering with the other sneak down the hallway. She had brown hair in a lose ponytail. She looked very familiar...coud it be...?
              "Kassandra?" He whispered almost too soft to be heard. The girl's head jerked back involuntarily she had obviously heard. Remus put a hand over his mouth slightly embarrassed; he leaned against the wall, hidden in the dark shadows. The girl squinted her eyes, and then decided it must have been no one. She turned back around and continued down the hall. It could be any girl...but still...he was heading in the same direction, so...Remus followed the young girl. Every now and then, she would turn around, like she could tell someone was behind her...but just not sure where. Eventually, she must have decided to ignore it.
              Soon the girl was on the 2nd floor, and looking up at a large window above several plant shelves. Remus quietly crept down the stairs, careful not to make a sound incase she turned around and saw him. He was stunned at what she did. The young girl climbed onto the banister, jumped lightly to one of the plant shelves, and then crouching, (rather wolf like, he thought) she climbed up to the next shelf and so on until the girl reached the window. She sat down and flung one of her legs over the banister and looked up, outside the window.
              Remus, leaned against the wall hidden in the shadows again, and saw what the teenaged girl was looking at. His jaw dropped. It was the moon. It wasn't full, about half. But Remus was so astonished, that he didn't care. He stared at her...trying to see what she was feeling...and if...she....was... The girl, as though she could feel his eyes upon her, slowly turned. She rolled her eyes, like she was annoyed with herself for thinking someone was following her in the dead of night, then turned back to the window. The desperate man leaned forward to try and see her eyes... He saw them, beautiful eyes, the color of Amber...and yet...as she was looking at the moon, they were full of...well, no other word for it but sadness. Remus was strongly reminded of himself when he was 15 years old. He would always climb some place high when he needed to sort out his thoughts.
              Then, he noticed something. The girl was sort of mesmerized, staring up at the moon. Remus shivered slightly as memories of similar events in his own life, far too numerous and always regretted; were brought to mind. He remembered once, when he was at Hogwarts, he had been caught staring up at the moon by one of his school friends.
              "Hey Remus! Guess what? That snot Snape is standing out by the lake trying to catch us sneaking into the forest, and we can push him in!" Sirius said walking over to him.
              "Uh huh," Remus said looking out the window at the quarter moon that had just risen.
              "Opportunity calls!" Sirius said slapping him on the back, "let's go!" He grabbed Remus' arm and was going to drag him, but he didn't move. "Yoo hoo! Anyone in there?" Sirius said knocking on his head. "Oh c'mon! I know we'll get another detention, but it's worth it! Please Remmy?" Sirius waved his hand in front of Remus' face. He didn't blink. "Freaky," he muttered. He pushed him against the window. He didn't move. "This calls for drastic actions!" Sirius called out. He ran up to his dorm, grabbed a large water balloon (which he always kept handy), and then ran back down to the common room where Remus was. Sirius held it above his friends head. "3, 2, 1!" Sirius muttered then dropped the balloon on Remus' head.
             "Ack!" Remus sputtered jumping up. Sirius rolled around the floor laughing as Remus looked about wondering what happened.
             "You were...like...well mesmerized by that moon. What's up with that?" Sirius asked after he had laughed himself out.
             "Nothing," Remus said quickly, "I was just thinking."
             "Yeah but people who are thinking usually hmm, what's the word? BLINK!" Sirius said. Remus (out of habit) shook himself dry, very much like a dog would. Sirius raised an eyebrow questioningly, "see? This is what I'm talking about...you act like...a wolf or...something..."
             "You're just imagining it."
             "No I am not imagining it!" Sirius said angrily. "Remember when you thought Snape was a vampire? So you jinxed his dorm room so that whenever he walked out pounds of garlic would fall on him? And always jumping out at him holding a cross?" Remus reminded him as he climbed out of the portrait hole.
             "Yeah but...that was just...oh c'mon, Remus! You can trust me! I just know something's up with you! What is it?" Sirius asked following him into the corridor. "And by the way Remus, I didn't think that Snape was a vampire anyway!"
             "Ah, Mr. Black, there you are. I believe you have a detention with Professor Viper for placing garlic powder into Mr. Snape's potatoes and calling him a 'bloodthirsty vampire?' Ah yes, come with me." Said Professor Evanstan, head of Gryffindor house. "Yeah, sure Sirius. See you later," Remus said.

              He shook his head, returning from his reverie; she couldn't be staring at the moon. It must...be something....else...because...the only way someone could be mesmerized by that would be a... Remus never finished that thought. He quickly but quietly went back up the stairs. Remus had decided that he was going to help that girl come out of it...his daughter or not. Remus hurried around a corner, when he heard movement back down the stairs. He peeked around the corner to see that the girl was quickly climbing back down to the floor.
               'She came out of it by...herself?' Remus thought. Just then, he heard someone walk up behind him. "Kas-?" whispered a voice. Remus turned around to see another young girl, who seemed to be searching for the same person he was. She gasped blushing slightly, then turned around and ran away. A door slammed, and then the child he had been watching, hoping...suddenly she was there skidding to a stop inches in front of him.
                 She gave a small gasp. Her eyes grew wide, she looked at Remus, first in surprise, and then slowly; as if trying to catch hold of some piece of a lost or forgotten dream. Did she recognize him? He couldn't be sure. Before he could speak, there was a small clank as something hit the floor. He looked down and was going to pick up whatever it was, when the girl quickly snatched it up in her hand. Remus was truly astonished: the girl had a purple beaded necklace!
               "Er...ex-excuse me!" the girl said softly, her eyes cast downward. She hesitated, then ran around him. Another door slammed behind her. Remus was rooted to the spot. That was her. It had to be. He slowly turned around and walked into his room; lost in thought. Remus sat down on the bed, cradling his forehead in one hand, and running his fingers through his hair. It had indeed been his daughter...he just knew it. Remus Lupin and Kassandra Lupin were soon to be reunited...Father and Daughter.