A WEEK HAD GONE by since Margaret and Charles had visited Hogwarts. During that time, Claudia had barely been able to forget about the two, considering the mess they had left behind and the butterbeers she was supposed to get with them and the rest of the family to celebrate both her and her father's birthdays that landed pretty nearly to one another; Charles' on the 21st and Claudia's one the 30th.

So, let's just state the obvious. Claudia was having a shitty start to the day before her seventeenth birthday, also known as Saturday the 29th of January.

As she rolled out of bed, doing so with a groan of dissatisfaction, Claudia couldn't think about anything but the visit she was going to be making to Hogsmeade in a few hours time - where she would be reunited with every arse that had caused her so much suffering and trouble.

And, as she headed down to breakfast and reluctantly served herself some pancakes and fruit - a meal she missed despite its strange connections - she still felt like shit.

However, that changed quickly the moment she felt someone kiss her on the cheek and sit down next to her.

"Hello, birthday girl," said Remus, smiling foolishly and practically swooning her despite just how long she had watched that smile on his face before.

"My birthday's tomorrow," the girl said matter-of-factly, but despite that a smile was quick to arrive on her face.

"Oh, but it's been your birthday week all week long, my love," said Remus, smiling like an idiot. "It's a special week. And I intend to continue to make this special week special for my most special girl."

"Your most special girl?" Claudia asked with a raise of her eyebrows. "How many girls have you got?"

"Two," he smiled, causing Claudia to gasp.

"Are you cheating on me, ballerina?!"

"No, no," Remus chuckled. "I've got two special girls in my life. You and my mum."

Claudia smiled brightly, "God, I miss her. I might just go get her some day soon."

"You're gonna steal my mum?!"

"Maybe," she shrugged, returning her attention to the pancakes and fruit, only to sigh as Remus quickly took a few grapes off of her plate. "What're you doing?"

"Eating your food," he said, popping one into his mouth with a grin as Claudia shook her head amusedly and stole a muffin from his plate. "Now what're you doing?"

"Eating your food," she shrugged, and so, naturally, the two entered a stage of eating breakfast off of each other's plates, all their friends arriving and watching them in disgust as they continued to act like the starter pack of a couple in their honeymoon.

However, the times of distraction had to come to an end eventually as Claudia found herself realising that she needed to get going soon or she would be late.

She was grateful to know that it wasn't one of those weekends were a Hogsmeade visit was scheduled for the school, because then she'd at least be able to go see her family without Remus and the rest watching them and risking everything. Not that they would do something as risky as that again after the proper scolding Claudia had given them after they had spoken those words to her father.

Well, they at least wouldn't be doing it anytime soon.

However, despite her being in a public place with her family and doing so to celebrate her seventeenth birthday - which hopefully involved them being sort of nice for once - Claudia was stressed as she realised that she needed to go.

And, the stress definitely didn't disappear as she spotted Evan walking towards the Ravenclaw table where she was sitting with all her friends.

"Sorry, Lupin, but I've got to steal my fiancée for a little while," he said with a tone of disgust. "Actually, come to think of it, I've got to bring her back."

Everyone stared at the boy as if he was mental.

"You've got to what your what?" Inez asked. "Since when did Claudia say yes to you proposing?"

"Since her father decided it," Evan shrugged.

"Oh, come off it Evan!" Claudia snapped before Remus got the chance to protect his girl. "It's not official official. I won't be marrying you! Not anytime soon, not ever! And I am not your fiancée until I say so myself! So for fuck's sake, let me be!"

"Well, it will be a bit hard to let you be if I'm invited to your birthday party now is it?"

"How did he kn-"

"You're coming?" Claudia sighed. "Merlin, who even invited you?!"

"Your father himself," he grinned.

Shit.

"So, I suggest you come along with me now," Evan said, grabbing her arm only for Remus to pull her back so that she ended up in his lap.

"No," he said, wrapping his arms protectingly around her waist. "You're not going anywhere with her alone. And don't you dare touch her."

"Oh, isn't pretty little Lupin in a protective boyfriend mode today?" Evan teased. "Well, let me tell you something. Enjoy having her whilst it lasts."

"Oh, for fuck's sake-"

"Hey," someone said, awkwardly clearing their throat. "How about we go, Claudia?"

"Uh-"

"Nicolas," said Evan with a nod, a look of disgust hidden somewhere in his eyes.

"You're coming too I see," Nicolas noted.

"Indeed, I am," Evan said, looking at Claudia again with a look that only caused Remus to tighten his hold around her waist and try to stop himself from giving him a piece of his mind.

"Well then, how about you go and wait for me and Claudia by the entrance? I've got some private matters to discuss with her."

"In front of him?" Evan questioned, crinkling his nose slightly.

"As I said, leave," Nicolas spoke, feeling extremely uncomfortable as all of Claudia's friends stared at him.

And so, Evan left, leaving behind a nervous Nicolas and Remus, who both calmed down as Claudia smiled faintly and whispered something reassuring in Remus' ear, causing him to let go of her waist and allow her to leave his lap.

"I'll make sure she'll be fine," said Nicolas to Remus.

"Will you really?" Remus asked, trying his hardest to not look at the spot on his forearm where the Dark Mark apparently was according to Claudia.

"I will," Nicolas nodded. "I promise. Try to relax, Lupin."

"I'll try," said the boy, watching his girl and Nicolas head out of the Great Hall.

•••

It had been a long time since Claudia had last seen Louisa and Nolan.

But, as she saw the woman who had caused her so many nights of pain and the boy who had ruined her start at Hogwarts, it felt like yesterday.

"And there's my sister," said Nolan, awkwardly hugging the girl who didn't hug him back, simply just to make her uncomfortable.

Nolan had, of course, lured his way into the ministry as of recently. What he did, Claudia didn't know. She didn't even know if he had an actual job. But boy was he becoming who he always wanted to be with more than a stubble on his chin and a Dark Mark on his forearm.

"My goodness, you need to eat less," was the first thing Louisa said to her as they all sat down, Claudia ending up next to Evan and Nicolas.

And so, after receiving all their butterbeers, a birthday celebration from hell commenced.

Claudia didn't really listen at all as the family discussed Charles' and Nolan's new work, Louisa's planning for Easter, and Evan's plans for...continuing his daily routine of being a dick.

She pretty much just spent her time being watched by her grandmother, trying her hardest to get some butterbeer in her despite just how close Evan sat to her.

She had felt so safe for so long in the loving arms of Remus that she had nearly forgotten what it felt like to have Evan lean towards her and sometimes place his hand on her knee.

And it made her feel weaker than ever before when she couldn't tell him to let go as his hand rested there.

So, she resorted to thinking about the boy who could always make her feel better.

And, as she did so, it surprised her that his name was suddenly mentioned.

"Tell me, you three, who is Remus Lupin?" Charles asked Claudia, Nicolas and Evan. "One of the boys who interrupted me when I was at Hogwarts last week. I know very well who Potter and Black are of course, so I simply had to ask."

"He's nobody," Claudia mumbled, her eyes stuck on Evan's hand on her knee.

"A boy in Gryffindor," Nicolas continued. "He's friends with Potter and Black. A rather...nice lad."

"Well, he wasn't so nice to me now, was he?" Charles chuckled.

"I guess not," Nicolas shrugged. "But he was probably just feeling pressured since Potter and Black talked back to you. A bit of a pushover, that one."

Claudia winced slightly as Evan went on, "He's honestly quite full of himself just like his friends. Wouldn't you say so, Claudia?"

The girl shrugged, "I don't know him, so I wouldn't know."

"What's his bloodstatus?" Louisa asked curiously.

"No idea," the girl shrugged, hating herself for taking Evan's wrist and letting him go further up her leg so that he wouldn't tell him that Remus was in fact a halfblood.

"I don't know either," Evan grinned. "But he's a nobody. However, come to think of it, haven't you got an agreement with-"

"Yes, she has," Nicolas interrupted.

"Has what?" Charles asked, feeling completely bewildered.

"She's got an agreement with, uh...with Lupin."

"Remus Lupin?"

"Yes," Nicolas nodded, feeling the weary eyes of Claudia on him. "They switch prefect duties sometimes because Claudia has a lot of work to do, is all. He's nice for helping her out, was all I meant."

"That's good," Charles nodded. "But he's not any trouble, is he, Claudia?"

"No, no," the girl shook her head. "He's nice. But I barely know him at all. Like Nicolas said, he's only helped me with my schedule a few times. He's nice but...a bit full of himself."

"It's good that you think so," Louisa nodded. "Wouldn't want him to do anything inappropriate to you, now, would we?"

"Of course not," Claudia nodded, feeling the way Evan was slowly drawing his hand further up her leg.

"Yes, you wouldn't want a romance with Lupin," Evan whispered to her as the conversation took a different route and his hand was officially on her upper thigh. "That'll only cause trouble. Tell me, Claudia, I thought your father knew about your little Romeo?"

"He doesn't," she answered. "But he's said that I can date whoever I want. So that's what I've done. He doesn't care as long as I marry you."

"And will you?"

She gulped nervously, "I guess so."

"Good girl," he grinned, leaning back, squeezing her thigh and then finally letting go as soon as Nicolas took notice of the situation.

"You're fine," he whispered to a panicking Claudia as Evan entered back into the conversation. "Don't worry."

"H-he-"

"I know," Nicolas nodded. "I'll keep an eye on him from now on, okay?"

"Okay," Claudia nodded.

"Will you do anything about those Gryffindor boys?" Evan asked Charles hopefully.

"No," the man chuckled, forcing Claudia to hold back a breath of relief. "They aren't worthy of my time. And you mustn't speak so loud in public spaces, Mr. Rosier! It never ends well."

"Yes, sir," Evan nodded, and then Nolan announced that he and Louisa had some errands to run.

And so, the entire so-called family left the Three Broomsticks, only for Claudia to feel someone tap her on the shoulder as everyone started to walk off.

Her grandmother.

"What? Is something wrong?"

"I'd quite like a butterbeer," said Margaret.

"But you just had one?"

"I'd quite like another one," she said with a slightly mischievous smile. "Would you care to join me?"

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