The weeks flew by in a blur and before anyone quite knew what had hit them it was Christmas. Caelen had been saving everything she had, Lupin having been able to give her a decent allowance with his continued work at Hogwarts, and this year was planning to buy her father a present. Problem was, how to get to a store without breaking any rules or going with Remus himself?

The girl had spent weeks pondering this question and finally had a solution. It was evening now, they'd been back from supper for about an hour during which time Remus had been grading papers and preparing for his next class. "Daddy?" She whispered nervously, climbing up into his lap.

Remus smiled down at his little girl, "yes cub?"

"Well...I was wondering," she paused obviously nervous, "couldIgowithFredandGeorgetoHogsmeadtogetyouachristmaspresent!?" She requested in one large breath afraid of his response.

Remus couldn't hold back his chuckle, "slower cub."

She breathed in deeply tucking her head under her father's chin, "can I go with Fred and George to Hogsmead to buy Christmas presents?"

Her father paused thinking of all the things Fred and George got up to and the trouble they could get his cub into. These thoughts nearly had a resounding no echoing from his lips before he glanced down into Caelen's hopeful brown eyes. He sighed knowing he'd lost the moment she'd turned those chocolate orbs his way, "let me talk to the boys first alright?"

Caelen squealed throwing her arms around Remus' neck, "thank you!"

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She was bored again, Remus' painting class was more interesting than the abhorsen classes but even that got old eventually. It probably would have been more interesting if she were able to join in but painting the magical portraits required magic and she still wasn't old enough to do it.

After getting permission from her father, which she'd been sure to do since their argument, she hurried off down the hall her tiny feet padding quietly along the cold stone. It was hard for her to push the heavy wooden door open but she managed grunting slightly as she did so. "Professor Snape? Are you here?" She called into the seemingly empty room.

A black head of hair peeked out from the supply room, the tiniest ghost of a smile crossing his face, "good morning Caelen, bored of your father's class already?"

Severus nearly laughed as the little girl's expression changed to a pout. "I can't make the paintings yet cuz I don't have a wand," she mumbled dejectedly.

"Well there is one kind of magic you can do without your own wand," he told the girl, crouching down in front of her. "Would you like to make a potion Caelen?"

The little girl nodded eagerly following behind the stern professor like a duckling. He smirked slightly noticing her attempts to imitate his walk. "Let's brew the forgetfulness potion shall we? It's fairly simple."

He was rewarded with an eager grin and a nod, "will it make us forgetful? Cuz daddy says I'm very forgetful! He's going to get me a notebook I think, so I can write stuff down."

"Only if we drink it," Snape replied ignoring her chatter. Normally such behavior annoyed him, Caelen had wriggled her way deep into his heart by this time though, and instead he found her chatter endearing. To be honest that thought annoyed him, he didn't let little girls into his life, never, little girls run in terror from Severus Snape! He couldn't hold back from rolling his eyes when he took in the adoring expression on Caelen's face as she waited for him to set out what they'd need for their potion. Oh yes you're terrifying, he growled in his head. "Must be losing my touch," he mumbled causing the child to tilt her head puzzled.

The pair worked in silence for a time easily finishing the forgetfulness potion and moving on to another, "why would you need a forgetfulness potion? Couldn't you just obliviate someone?"

Snape smiled down at Caelen's question, "well obliviate works well yes, but the forgetfulness potion has a smaller effect. Obliviate can cause someone to forget everything, even who they are, it happened two years ago to the defense professor at the time, though he didn't know much to begin with in my opinion."

Caelen giggled at professor Snape's opinion of Lockhart, "yes I heard about him he tried to obliviate Harry, and Ron but used Ron's broken wand and got himself instead. Fred and George say he was a twat with no idea which end of the wand to use or what incantation to say. My daddy was by far the best!"

Severus bit his tongue, holding in the smart remark about a werewolf being ideal for teaching against the dark arts since he in fact was one of those creatures. The comment didn't feel right at this point, he'd tried to convince himself Caelen didn't count as a werewolf since she kept her mind, it was more like being an animagus right? But deep down he knew better, his hatred of Remus had nothing to do with the man's lycanthropy, he'd simply used it as an excuse. He glanced at the little girl beside him, busily crushing potion ingredients as he'd instructed. A part of him hadn't been shocked when she'd changed into a werewolf, her father was one after all, another part of him had been upset. How could he bring a child into that Now Snape couldn't believe he'd ever thought such a thing, unwilling to consider Caelen not existing. "You're doing well Caelen." He whispered instead ruffling her brown hair gently. She grinned up at him before focusing once more on her task.

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Remus walked briskly through the halls to retrieve his child from her daily visit with the potions master, he still didn't understand the draw but was trying valiantly to ignore his irritation. As he turned a corner he stumbled upon a pair of laughing, redheaded twins. "Good evening boys, behaving I hope?"

"Course professor"

"Always professor." The twins responded in unison identical grins crossing their faces.

Remus knew better, anyone who'd spent any time at all with the pair would have known better, but he chose to ignore it. "I actually had a question for you two," the boys eyed him questioningly, "Caelen wants to go to hogsmead for Christmas shopping but doesn't want me along."

"Oh sure professor-"

"-we'll look out for the little Lupin." The twins replied finishing the sentence together.

Remus still couldn't differentiate between them and really he'd quit trying. "No tricks boys ok? I know you three enjoy playing jokes but she's just little, promise you'll stay out of trouble while Caelen's with you?"

The two nodded solemnly, "promise sir-"

"-yeah professor you have our word."

"Thanks boys, I'll let Caelen know." He continued on then, to professor Snape's room. Remus hesitated at the door hearing giggles from inside.

"He really blew up his caldron!?" His little girl's sweet voice giggled from inside the classroom.

He almost didn't recognize the light, amused voice that responded having never heard a happy sound come from Severus. "He did, I warned the little twit to watch what he was doing but some just can't be taught. I suspect you won't be one of them though, you've nearly mastered this potion."

They were making potions? Remus hadn't even realized Caelen liked potion making, of course she had said she'd helped make that euphoria potion for Christmas last year. It suddenly occurred to Remus he'd had his little girl for over a year now, his smile widened at the thought punctuated by more giggles from inside.

He eased the door open taking in the scene before him. Caelen stood on a desk looking into a caldron, Snape's hands hovered near her waist prepared to catch her if she tumbled. It occurred to Remus that maybe Caelen had been right all along, maybe he and his friend's cruelty and obnoxious jokes, when they were in school, had lost them a great friendship. "Hello Severus," he greeted quietly as he stepped further into the room, "you ready to go Caelen?"

The potions master lifted Caelen down from the desk, patting her shoulder awkwardly when she spun around and hugged his legs, "thank you professor Snape!" She thanked him before scurrying to her father's side and grabbing his hand.

The pair walked towards the great hall and supper, Caelen swinging their joined hands happily between them. "I made potions today daddy! Professor Snape says I'm very good, he says I could even be better than him some day, maybe!"

Remus smiled as the girl rambled on happily, "really? Well that's impressive cub well done! Professor Snape wouldn't tell you that if it wasn't earned, I'm proud of you!"

He was shocked when his little girl's eyes filled with tears, "you are? Really?" She whispered as if his answer were vital.

"Very much cub," Remus replied scooping her up into his arms, "I'm so very proud of you. I'm so glad you are here with me."

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Caelen walked slowly down the path between her redheaded babysitters. She was bundled up tightly, warm black boots lined with a fuzzy fur type material covered her tiny feet, blue mittens wrapped her hands in warmth. Her cloak was the same as last year, black with a blue and green patterned lining, it was getting a bit small now but still kept her plenty warm. The ensemble didn't seem to be enough for the twins though, as they kept fussing over her. Fred wrapping his own scarf around her neck, ignoring the fact that is was much too large and hung down by her knees. George kept rubbing her hands in his worried her fingers would freeze.

When the group came across a large snowdrift the boys abandoned all pretense and lifted her to sit on their combined shoulders, carrying her the rest of the way to town. Caelen didn't really mind, she'd spent the first six years of her life neglected and alone, she'd happily soak up any affection she was given. They carried her wherever she wanted to go grumbling just a bit at her insurance they visit the bookstore.

Caelen wandered through the shop her eyes wide in excitement as her tiny hands brushed against the books. It didn't take long for her to find a book for her father, she was relatively certain she'd never seen the advanced defensive spells book in his collection. Although, knowing her father it was entirely possible he had a copy somewhere.

She wandered into the next shop finding a wide range of things, a small necklace and matching pin caught her eye. She approached the objects hesitantly, they were almost too perfect. The pin was a full moon, the necklace pendant a crescent, she reached forward her fingers brushing the blueish stone crescent.

"You've a good eye little one," a women's voice called from behind the counter.

Caelen flinched back, she didn't trust women much. The people who'd been nicest to her, besides Molly and Minerva, were men.

The woman didn't seem to notice her reaction continued speaking, "this is an old set, the pin go's on a lapel, together they connect if they're on a pair of people who care deeply for each other the magic begins. When the pair is together it's like a mood reader, the colors glow as the feelings change. When the pair are separate it lets the wearers know if the other is in danger or needs them."

Caelen hesitated as the woman held the necklace out to her, "is it like a couples thing? Or can you give it to anyone?"

"Oh no there're no rules really," the woman chuckled placing the necklace around Caelen's neck, "the only requirement is that you love the person you give it to. There's more than one sort of love little one."

Caelen smiled paying the woman for the set before browsing a bit more. A small silver stone on a black chain seemed to glow as she neared it, "what's that?" She whispered pointing towards the strange necklace.

"That's a mystery really," the woman began lifting the necklace carefully in her hands, "this is one of the oldest objects I have in the shop. No one really knows what it does, it's rumored to have an extremely powerful protective charm, or very dark magic, or some say it's just a necklace. Either way it's interesting yes?"

Caelen nodded her eyes never leaving the silver stone, "I'll take it too please."

The woman nodded wrapping up her latest purchase and passing the girl the bag.

By the evening Caelen was exhausted, she swatted weakly at George's hand as he tried to peek into the bags. "No peeking!" She murmured tucking her head into Fred's shoulder with a yawn.

The twins smiled ruffling her long brown hair in turn, "we promise Caelen," they whispered but it was too late, the girl was sound asleep.

"I hope wearing her out to the point of exhaustion doesn't count as trouble," George laughed watching the girl snooze against his brother.

Fred chuckled along with his twin, "course not George we did the man a favor, he won't hear a peep out of her till morning!"

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Ok I had a bit of trouble knowing where to go there for a bit but think I've got that all ironed out now. Should update again very soon I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I always love comments, really they make me happy comment please. What does everyone think of a Snape love story with very slight ties to the mauraders era? Nothing to do with Caelen obviously but I've got a new idea swimming around lol. Ok I'm off to write more later guys