Remus stood stiffly in the shadows thinking vaguely that he might be mad, perhaps the whole world was mad, or just the war or wizards or magic itself everything was mad but especially, intrinsically so, was Remus John Lupin. Perhaps so, perhaps he had always been so and just hadn't realized until this moment or perhaps simple desperation had turned him mad but whatever the reason, the origin, whatever the case may be he was certain in that moment that he was in fact entirely bonkers, he and this mad plot he'd dreamt up.

In his youth he'd fancied himself intelligent, rather brilliant at times, but at the very least sane. The months living with the werewolves had worn him down physically, mentally, and emotionally until only one thing mattered, only one thought could be heard through the desperation and pain and hunger that had pervaded his mind the last months, Caelen. It was this thought, this desperation to get back to his daughter, that had inspired the scheme he was currently regretting. Here we come back to the original thought, Remus had surely gone mad.

He shifted along the edge of the room careful not to draw attention to his presence. Some of the young werewolves were meeting some death eaters tonight and if all went well the outcome would show the truth like his lecturing never could have.

Remus froze as four black cloaked figures slipped silently into the dark dusty factory they were meeting in. The masks seemed to sneer at the three young werewolves standing nervously, false bravado covering their young faces. "We want to join the Dark Lord." Malcolm, the oldest boy stated.

He was tall probably six and a half feet or so with blonde hair that stood in tufts as if he ran his hands through it often. The girl beside him, Izzy, was nearly a foot shorter thick wavy brown hair tumbling down her shoulders and a fearful uncertain look crossing her face. Given the choice she'd have stayed home, Izzy really didn't understand why they needed to choose a side in the first place.

Jacob, on the other side of Malcolm was only an inch or two taller than Izzy. He didn't stand as straight or confidently as Malcolm but something about him bespoke a quiet strength, a silent fury, that in other circumstances worked to keep others from tangling with his boisterous, overconfident cousin. That's what they were, Jacob and Malcolm, cousins. Jake's parents had been mauled, ripped apart the night he was infected, leaving the boy without parents, without home. Malcolm had stepped in, he was seven years older than Jake, seventeen himself at the time.

That was six years ago, it had been alright at first. They'd lived in small flat not too far from where they were now actually. That had change though, they'd been late one night, just one, late to lock him away for a full moon. Once he'd infected Malcolm he'd retreated in on himself, the last vestiges of carefree boyhood vanishing in his guilt.

For his part Malcolm had never held it against him. The taller blonde had joked, actually laughed about that being what he gets for not being faster with the locks. Jacob, frankly, didn't buy it he was sure way deep down that Malcolm resented him, wished he'd killed him rather than taking him in at all.

These thoughts and the guilt behind them were why Jake was there. While he did think they needed to choose a side, he didn't think this was probably the one that needed choosing. His parents had spoken frequently about hatred and blood status being a useless and closed minded concept. Really, he was nearly certain their strong stance against such beliefs was why they were gone now.

Remus watched the three, Izzy shifting nervously, Malcolm with his false bravado, and Jake, his expression quiet and calculating. "What do you three think you can bring our Lord." The middle figure all but hissed.

"We want to join you," Malcolm answered easily as if he didn't notice the tone of the man's voice, "we're tired of hiding from our fellow wizards for something we can't control. We wanna show them what it's like, what it feels like to be looked down on and rejected.

"Ah but not all of you feel that way do you," a woman's voice stated as she, the smallest of the four death eaters, began circling Izzy. "What's wrong deary, not sure you have it in you? Don't have it in you to put others in their proper place" She ran her hand down the young girl's jaw shoving her backwards when she reached her chin, "I would expect no less from a half breed!"

"Hey!" Malcolm snapped moving to stand between Izzy and the woman still eyeing her predatorily.

Jake grabbed his arm quickly holding him back. His dark brown eyes darting between his cousin and the death eaters who's wands were now aimed at their small group. "We don't want trouble, you don't want our help we'll just be on our way." He stated quietly reaching around, making to drag the other two towards the door.

The taller of the death eaters took half a step forward his wand held out, "Oh I don't know that that's possible now. You should be careful who you consort with half breed, some of us don't take to your kind." He laughed then a hysterical demented laugh that sent chills down the boy's spine. "I mean really your worse than them aren't you? You're not pureblood, or maybe you were at one point but it's not like it matters now, you're not blood traitors, you're not even mud bloods! No, you're something worse, something even they don't want around."

Izzy was sniffling quietly now, plastered between the two boys her wide blue eyes racing around in terror. "We heard you wanted help, that you'd help the werewolves?" She whispered through her tears.

"Oh we said that sure," the woman replied still pacing around the group. Her body seemed to sway like a cobra's head moves before it strikes. "It's not that we really want you, we certainly don't want to help you! No we just want to use who, or what, we can. You three however, you're useless. You don't have it in you to maim, kill, torture! No, you're just children. Simple little children who want someone to show the playground bullies who's boss."

Remus saw what was coming moments before it happened. Jake, hot head that he was, shoved his friends to the floor at the same moment that he aimed his wand at the death eaters before him. "Petrificus Totalus Tria!" He shouted aiming to the furthest three.

Remus didn't wait to see if the curse had worked he rushed from the shadows pushing the younger werewolves towards the door. Izzy vanished quickly aparating away in terror. Malcolm was next taking Jacob along with him. That and a flash of red was the last Remus saw before the world went dark.

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Caelen crept through the darkened hall towards her godfather's room. He had given her a birthday, it was a beautiful birthday really. There's been cake and presents and he'd tried, he really had tried, to make up for the absence of her father.

Caelen had tried too, she'd tried to be grateful, tried to appreciate all the work he and Mrs Weasley had put into a party for her. She did really, deep down she really did appreciate it, more than they'd ever be able to know. When the presents had come though, she'd burst into tears rushing back up to her bedroom and away from the party.

They were still there, the presents, five days later. Caelen hadn't been down from her room. It wasn't that she was sulking, not really. The reality was the little girl was heartbroken she missed her daddy. She didn't want to hurt anyone, especially not uncle Sirius, but she just hadn't known how to express her emotions otherwise.

So here she stood eight years and five, nearly six now, days old, shifting from door to door outside her uncle's silent room. She mustered her courage and slowly eased open the door. She patterned across the wooden floors to stand beside the large bed.

Sirius lay snoring, the blanket scattered half hazardly across him, his arm hanging off the edge of the bed.

"Uncle Sirius," Caelen whispered tapping his arm lightly.

Sirius grunted swatting unconsciously at the source of the tapping. "Go way."

"Uncle Sirius please?" The girl pleaded tugging on his arm.

"Hmmmm what is it?" He grunted rubbing his hand across his face as he sat up groggily. "What's wrong puppy, you ok?"

Caelen shook her head, tears filling her eyes. "Uncle Sirius I'm sorry!" She began to cry then tears streaming down her cheeks and dripping off her quivering chin. "I'm really sorry, I don't want you to go away and I'm thankful for my party I just..." She trailed off her tears swallowing up anything else she might of said.

Sirius sighed pulling the, once again, sobbing girl into his arms, "oh pup, I know it's ok I understand." He rocked her gently whispering reassurances. "He'll be back little one, I promise he'll be back."

"But what if he's not?" She sobbed sitting back to stare into his face desperately. "What happens if daddy doesn't make it?"

"I promise puppy it's gonna be ok." Sirius replied quietly kissing her hair, "it's gonna be fine I gotcha." He rocked her quietly until her breathing slowed and her sobs quieted as sleep finally took her. "I swear if she loses her dad because Dumbledore got it in his head we needed the werewolves' help I'll strangle that man."

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They were sitting down to breakfast, Caelen between the twins, smiling for the first time in over a week, when something crashed in the hall. "That'll be Tonks then," Ron stated with a laugh.

Sirius met Molly's eyes thoughtfully before walking out into the hall. "Oh bloody..Molly!!" He shouted rushing towards the door.

Caelen was the first to the door, much to the adults' horror. The little girl screamed rushing forward, "daddy!?"

Remus leaned heavily against Tonks. His clothes were tattered and dirty and a myriad of cuts and bruises littered his exposed skin. "Caelen go back to the twins," he rasped out coughing as he went.

"Tonks what happened?!" Sirius snapped taking his best friend off her hands.

"I don't know, a couple of werewolves brought him to me at our usual meeting point. Apparently genius here followed some kids to a meeting with some death eaters!"

"Had to," Remus defended himself in a choked breathless voice, "only way to show them."

Sirius was furious, "You fool you could have been killed, or worse what if they'd captured you!?"

Molly had arrived by then and was leading the group briskly towards a sofa. "Not now Sirius," she snapped, "lay him here, that's right. Remus do you know what they cursed you with?"

"Sorry Molly." Remus coughed in reply. His voice sounded ragged and exhausted.

"No matter," she responded. She began waving her wand checking the damage done, clucking her tongue like the mother hen she was. "Tonks we're going to need more than I'm capable of run and fetch Snape."

The woman scowled opening her mouth to argue.

"Now is really not the time Tonks!" Mrs Weasley interrupted before she could begin. "If you care about Remus at all go get Snape now!"

Caelen, unnoticed by the adults, crept further into the room. She took in the sight of her father fearfully. He was bleeding across his chest and face, a large gash trailing down one arm.

Remus' eyes wandered to the corner and his, clearly terrified, child. "Serious?" He grunted nodding his head towards the girl. "It's ok cub I'll be ok." He attempted to reassure as Sirius carried her, struggling, from the room.

"No daddy!" She wailed beating against her godfather, "daddy!' No I want to help my daddy!!"

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Well it took me most of the day but yay new chapter!!! Hope you like it I have plans for Malcolm Izzy and Jacob so stay tuned for that. Anywho hope you enjoyed it love comments and will see you again very soon! Later