JAMES WAS RUNNING UP the stairs. This was something that was normal, because every time James Potter took the stairs he ran. However, this time around, there was an unusual nervous pit in his stomach as an unexpected visitor stood by the front door and waited for James to come back with the person that he was searching for.

And that person was Claudia.

James didn't even go to Claudia's room first, even though she had said to Remus that she would be sleeping in there as revenge for him cheating on their race.

James knew that she was with Remus anyway.

So, he knocked loudly three times, covered his eyes and entered Remus' room.

"James?" Remus questioned as he entered the room, covering Claudia's bare legs with the comforter. "What're you doing here this early?"

"Claudia, come down," James said quickly, throwing one of Remus' sweaters her way. "You have to pack."

"What's going on?" The girl questioned, pulling the jumper over her immediately since she was cold anyways.

"Nicolas is here," James answered quickly. "Your father knows that you're not at Hogwarts."

"What?!" Claudia yelled, getting out of the bed quickly and not even caring that she was just in her underwear as she ran down to her room and picked up some pants, only to start packing like crazy as James and Remus helped.

"How did he find out?!" Claudia asked, her heart racing and her palms sweating as she packed down her Christmas gifts.

"I don't know, he didn't tell me," said James. "Peter and Lily are with him now. He said that you need to hurry."

"So he's helping you?" Remus asked, throwing her the pair of heels that he had brought down from his room.

"Hopefully," Claudia said nervously.

"Do you trust him?"

"Honestly? I have no idea."

But she was pretty much convinced that she did.

At least for now.

"Well, it's no use to ignore the only chance of solving this," said James. "Got everything?"

"I think so," Claudia nodded. "You'll just have to bring it with you if I forget anything."

"And I'll take care of River, alright?" Remus said, smiling assuringly at her. "You'll be fine."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Claudia mumbled, taking the handle of her trunk, only for Remus to take it for her instead.

"Let's go."

The three descended down the staircase, finding Nicolas standing there with the very familiar permanent frown on his face.

However, something was different about him. Claudia couldn't quite put a finger on it. Maybe it was the messy clothes that he wore because he had gotten dressed as soon as he had heard of her father's suspicions at breakfast, or maybe it was the dark circles under his eyes that the boy normally didn't sport quite so much as now.

"Claudia," he nodded.

"What the hell happened?" She asked, a perplexed look on her face. "How did he find out?"

"I'm not sure if he really knows," said Nicolas. "But he sent a letter to you. Or, my mother did. And since you didn't respond he got suspicious so he sent Zooby to Hogwarts and since he didn't find you either he's going himself today. Along with your grandmother."

"You have to get there before he does. Which is why I'm here to apparate you to Hogsmeade, since I'm 17."

"But how will I get inside Hogwarts?"

"Ingannamorte," he said. "She knows you're here."

"Who told her that?"

"Uh, I did," said Remus from behind her. "I'm sorry, but I thought maybe somebody needed to know incase your father would come looking for you. And I know you don't trust Dumbledore so I thought Ingannamorte would be a good choice."

Like I trust her arse, Claudia thought, an opinion she had for obvious now.

Which was also an opinion she had at least for now.

"And you were right," Nicolas nodded. "Good thinking, Lupin."

"Thanks."

"So, what? You're going to apparate me to Hogsmeade and Ingannamorte will get me inside? Isn't she suspicious at all to why this is so secret?"

"Maybe," said Nicolas, weighing over the chance of that. "However, I doubt she cares."

She really didn't care. Because Fayola Igannamorte knew just who Charles Maple was - and she knew that if someone needed to be saved from him she would do anything it took to be their saviour.

"What's going on?" The voice of Fleamont questioned, alongside pretty much every single inhabitant of the house from that night as they all appeared by the door. "Who's this?"

"Nicolas Clarke, sir," said Nicolas, being polite but also not reaching out his hand so that Fleamont could shake it.

But he was getting there.

"I'm Fleamont Potter," said the man. "But who are you exactly and why are you here?"

"I'm Claudia's stepbrother," he said. "And I've come to get her."

"Why?" Inez asked, not even attempting to hide the glare that she was sending his way. "You don't get to come and just take her!"

"It's fine, Inez," Claudia assured, smiling slightly. "I have to go back."

"Why?" Asked Hope sadly.

"Uh, my father knows that I'm here and he wants me to come home," she shrugged. "He just doesn't like me staying with strangers, is all."

"Oh," said Hope, the worry clear on her face. "Are you sure that you have to go?"

"I'm sure," Claudia nodded, smiling sadly. "I must."

"But maybe we could just speak to your dad?" Said Euphemia encouragingly. "Then we won't be strangers anymore."

"I'm sorry, but I don't think that's going to work."

"But-"

"Mum," James warned. "She has to go."

"Then she has to come and hug me goodbye," Euphemia smiled. "Now."

Claudia turned to Nicolas, "Do I have time to say goodbye?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Ingannamorte won't be there quite yet so it should be fine."

Claudia nodded, and then she went ahead and hugged all the parents, thanking them like crazy and promising that she'd come back.

Which I probably won't, Claudia thought.

However, when she finally got to Hope, there was suddenly a pit in her stomach at the sight of the woman she had learned to trust so easily.

A woman who had become a mother figure in the time when Claudia truly needed it.

"I'll miss you," Claudia confessed as she hugged her.

"Oh, sweetie, I'll miss you more," Hope smiled sadly. "But I'll write, okay? I'm quite adjusted to using owls at this point. And you must come visit sometime soon! To our house!"

"Of course," Claudia smiled, breaking the hug. "Thank you for everything."

"I must say the same," Hope smiled.

"Claudia?" Nicolas questioned.

"Mhm?"

"Hurry up."

"Yeah," she said, letting go of Hope and moving to her boys, hugging James, Sirius and Peter all at the same time.

"Thank you guys for the best Christmas ever," she smiled. "All of you."

And then, after hugging all the others, she only had Remus left.

And he noticed that her hands were shaking like crazy; because she was terrified.

"You'll be fine," he whispered as they hugged. "It's only a few days. And I'm positive you'll come back safe."

"I hope so," Claudia said breathlessly, breaking the hug. "Only a few days."

"Only a few days," Remus repeated with a smile, taking her trembling hands in his.

"Merlin, I can't stop shaking."

"That's okay," said Remus. "Mine do too all the time."

"And mine as well," said Inez comfortingly, patting her on the shoulder as Peter did the same on the other side, all the parents watching with frowns because Claudia's fear was suddenly so clear.

"I think it's time we have that talk with them," Hope whispered to Euphemia as Inez brushed some hair from Claudia's face and Remus continued to talk to her.

"All of them?"

"All of them."

"I think so too," Euphemia nodded as Claudia finally let go and moved her way over to Nicolas.

"Thank you all, so much," Claudia said, the sadness clear in her voice. "It was the best Christmas I could've wished for. Thank you."

"Of course, darling," Euphemia smiled, and then Claudia smiled back, moving towards the stairs and heading out.

"Oh, and Claudia?" Hope asked right before they headed off.

"Yeah?"

"We'll see you soon, alright?"

"Alright," Claudia smiled, and then she suddenly felt the world press against her.

And then she was in Hogsmeade again.

"She said she'd meet us by Zonko's," Nicolas said, surprising Claudia by taking her trunk.

"Why Zonko's?"

"Well, if your father shows up here he's not very likely to go nearby a joke shop, is he?" Nicolas joked.

Like, actually joked.

"I guess not," Claudia chuckled, following the route to where they ended up in an alleyway next to Zonko's Joke Shop.

"So...how was Christmas?" Claudia asked awkwardly.

"The usual," Nicolas shrugged.

"Mhm," Claudia nodded.

"How was yours?"

"Good."

"Good."

"Yeah," Claudia nodded. "Merlin, it's freezing. When exactly will she be here?"

Nicolas reached up his arm and pulled down his sleeve slightly to look at his clock.

Only to realise that he wasn't wearing a clock, that he had pulled his sleeve down and that Claudia had watched him do so.

"What the fuck is that?!" Claudia asked loudly, staring at the space on Nicolas' forearm that the boy had quickly covered with the sleeve of his coat. "What is that, Nicolas?!"

But Claudia didn't really need an answer.

Because on his forearm was the Dark Mark.

Voldemort's mark.

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a/n: two updates in one day because i feel stuck with maple syrup and i need interesting things to happen so i don't give up lmao