CLAUDIA WAS IN the living room the next day, listening intently to the piano piece Sirius so effortlessly was playing on the piano that had previously collected dust until Sirius, who, thanks to being raised the way he was, had been forced to learn the instrument.

"You play?" Asked James, who was sitting next to her reading a book about quidditch.

"A little," Claudia said, still listening just as focused to the familiar piano piece that filled the room. "I had to learn, didn't I? Louisa wouldn't have gotten off my back if I didn't."

"She taught you?" Peter asked, shivering slightly at the thought of the cold woman who had once pushed his mum over for walking too slowly at the platform.

"Sure did," Claudia sighed. "It was definitely a few of the worst few weeks of my life."

"It only took a couple of weeks?" Sirius asked, having finished the piece.

"Well, I had to make her leave me alone somehow," Claudia shrugged. "I'm not that good, but I can read sheet music."

"Go on then," said Sirius almost challengingly. "Show us what you've got."

"No!" Claudia scoffed. "I haven't played in ages! She taught me when I was a kid-"

"Come on, Claudia!" Sirius urged despite her words, since he felt very keen on the idea of outshining her for once. "You can at least try!"

"Alright," Claudia sighed, moving over to the piano and sitting down on the bench that Sirius had just stood up from.

In front of her was a sheet of a simple classical piece she had heard a million times, but Claudia decided to play from memory instead.

She knew it like the back of her hand, that song. It was nostalgic, almost, and Claudia didn't even know if it was in a good way or not.

Nonetheless, her fingers softly played plainly out of muscle memory, and it fell together like a flowing river.

Claudia got completely lost for a moment there, so lost that she didn't think much of the small noises that could be heard out in the hallway.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Sirius muttered under his breath as he watched Claudia play. "Can't I for once be the most talented?!"

"At least you're the best at being a git," Peter comforted. "You've got the prize."

"That's so nice, Wormtail, I could almost hug you," Sirius said sarcastically.

"Don't worry, Pads," James grinned, patting him on the back. "You've got the best hair."

"I don't know, Claudia has pretty nice hair," Peter said absentmindedly, giving Sirius an innocent smile as he felt his eyes dig a hole into his skin. "I'm only joking, don't get all defensive, please-"

"I have the best hair in this bloody house, and you know it!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it-"

"You better not have-"

"Hey," James grinned, stopping the fight that was about to commence. "Look who's here."

Sirius and Peter turned their heads towards where James was nodding, only to find Remus standing there, leaning against the frame of the door as he watched Claudia play without acknowledging anyone's presence.

"Ah, boyfriend's back," Sirius said, jumping up and greeting Remus quietly, before saying a snarky comment, James and Peter following suit.

"She's probably never going to stop now that she's started," Remus said quietly, watching the girl continue to play loudly in the corner of the room. "She gets like that, you know. When she's really obsessed with something she can't stop."

"Like with you," James grinned. "Get it? She can't stop with you?"

"Of course he does, Prongs," Sirius smirked. "I bet Wormtail can confirm that."

"Nope, not doing this today," said Peter, getting very vivid flashbacks in his mind of the night where he simply just wanted to bring back Betty to the Ravenclaw tower safe and sound. "I'm gonna go. Think I heard my mum yell at me or something-"

"I think I heard that too," James grinned, heading off after Peter.

"Ah, me too," said Sirius, walking away as well, only to return and quietly speak to Remus. "She's missed you like crazy."

"Has she?"

"Oh, if she has," Sirius sighed. "An absolutely disgusting amount."

Remus chuckled slightly as Sirius trudged off to great Remus' parents in the moment that Claudia finished playing. Her hands left the keys as a content and slightly proud smile came over her face, causing her to turn around in order to boast to Sirius, who no longer sat in the coach behind her.

"Is there anything you're not good at?" Remus asked, surprising the brunette girl slightly, before a huge grin came over her face as she stood up from the bench.

"I'm absolutely terrible at a lot of things," she said, walking towards him and smiling brightly as he smiled back.

"Name one thing," Remus spoke as she stood in front of him.

"I can't think of anything right now," she confessed. "Which means that I'm incredibly terrible at thinking straight around you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she nodded, smirking slightly. "And I'm incredibly terrible at staying away from you."

"Then hug me already," Remus smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist and feeling her wrap hers around his neck. "Merlin, I've missed you."

"Me too. I mean, I've missed you like hell not me," Claudia said with a small giggle, leaning in and hugging him even closer, nuzzling her face into his chest.

"Kiss me," said Remus, breaking the hug slightly but still holding onto her waist as his thumb drew circles over her jumper.

The girl giggled foolishly again, leaning up and pecking him on the lips - only to break the kiss and nearly panic at the sight of a smirking Hope Lupin, who was standing right behind them.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Claudia exclaimed, backing off from Remus to create some distance, which only widened Hope's smirk. "That was completely in-"

"Claudia Maple," Hope said, a big smile on her face as she took in the girl her son had fallen head over heels for. "It's so lovely to meet you!"

The next thing Claudia knew, Hope had engulfed her into a tight hug. The girl stiffened at first, due to her not being that used to hugging strangers, but then something shifted as she saw the smile on Remus' face, cashing her to hug Hope back.

"Oh, I'm so excited to finally meet you!" The woman exclaimed, practically rocking Claudia back and forth as she hugged her. "Remus hasn't been able to shut up about you for almost a year and then I found out you were the girl on the platform!"

"Oh," Claudia chuckled slightly, warming up more to the woman by the second. She liked Hope already, she really did - but she was still nervous like hell to meet Remus' mum.

"I've got to steal you away for a while later, alright?" Hope said, breaking the hug and smiling like an idiot. "I want to get to know this wonderful girl who makes my son so happy!"

"That sounds good," Claudia smiled nervously.

"Oh, no need to be nervous, dear, I don't bite!" Hope laughed. "I'm sorry if I'm a bit straight forward but I already adore you completely and you seem like a very nice girl and I'd quite like to get to know you-"

"It's fine," Claudia smiled. "I'd quite like to get to you know you too, of course."

"Oh my goodness, how about you and me go shopping tomorrow? And Mia and Peter's mum as well! We could have a great day and maybe we could go to Muggle London even and I'll show you around!"

"That sounds perfect," said Claudia. "I'd like that."

"Great!" Hope smiled. "Come on now, you've got to meet Lyall too. He doesn't bite either, so don't worry."

"Good," said Claudia as Hope took her hand and led her all the way to Lyall.

"Hello, you must be Claudia!" The man said happily, holding out his hand for her to shake.

"That's me. It's very nice to meet you. Both of you," she said, turning to Hope as well.

"We can do nothing but agree," Lyall smiled, letting go of Claudia's hand and leaning in to quietly speak. "She's a bit insane sometimes, but don't let that scare you off. She's just very fond of you already."

Claudia laughed slightly at that, nodding intently and then the entire house sat down for dinner around the large dining table in the dining room.

Claudia was sat next to Hope and Remus, holding Remus' hand under the table - something that most certainly didn't get past a giddy Hope.

The woman was happy to see her son so happy, especially after everything he had been through ever since he was a child.

It had pained her so much to witness all the pain Remus had to endure - and it pained her even more to know that he was sometimes alone when he had to face it. But, with Claudia, it suddenly felt like Remus had a new light. He was happier, plainly and simply.

And so was Claudia.

"So, Claudia," Lyall said, quite sternly to freak her out a little bit. "Surely you know that we have to question you a bit?"

"Uh..." the girl said nervously. "I-I don't-"

"He's messing with you," Hope said, drinking from her wine glass. "But, we do have to question you."

"Mum, dad," Remus said awkwardly. "Don't go all Sherlock on her-"

"What's a Sherlock?" Lyall questioned, feeling rather confused at the eye roll Hope gave him. "I just want to get to know my future daughter-in-law!"

Claudia choked slightly on her drink at those words, causing Remus to glare at his dad as he patted her comfortingly in the back, entertaining all the other people seated around the table.

"I'm sorry!" Lyall exclaimed. "Maybe that was a bit straight forward..."

"Maybe," said Fleamont with a grin.

"If it makes you feel better, Lyall, you're definitely right about that," Euphemia said quietly so that Claudia and Remus, who were too busy laughing at her situation, wouldn't hear. "I have a feeling you're right."

"Well, anyways," Hope said, clearing her throat. "What my dear husband means is that we all just want to get to know you a bit, you know? Since you're so close with our boys now. And in our case, very close with our son."

"Yes, very close indeed," Sirius snorted, looking right at Peter, who had definitely had enough of being reminded of the vivid picture of Remus between Claudia's legs. "Right, Pete?"

"Kill me," he muttered, confusing his mum, who was sitting next to him, incredibly.

"Um, what do you want to know?" Claudia said, rather nervously.

She had, after all, the most confusing life ever.

"You're Anne's daughter, right?" Asked Lyall, revering a nod in response. "I knew her."

"You did?"

"Yes. She was a few years younger than me, but we went to Hogwarts together. A very social girl, hard worker too. Everyone loved her."

"Sounds like mum," Claudia said. "Maybe...maybe you could tell me more about her later if you'd like Mr. Lupin?"

"Of course," he smiled. "And call me Lyall."

Claudia nodded, "So, yes, my mum's name was Anne. She passed away a few years ago and so did my aunt. I live with my father now."

"Your father?"

"Yeah. With him, his wife Louisa and her two sons Nolan and Nicolas. Oh! And my grandmother. She moved in this summer. I think she's getting old or something, I don't know."

"Oh, she works at the ministry, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, she does," Claudia nodded. "She's worked there ever since she was very young. Though, she did take a break when..."

"When?"

"Oh, when my uncle passed," Claudia said. "She took it quite hard. I don't really think she's recovered yet. She probably never will."

"You had an uncle?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, but I never met him," Claudia shrugged. "He died before I was born. Him and his wife and their unborn son. In a fire."

"That's horrible," Euphemia said.

"Yeah, it is," Claudia said. "Merlin, this is getting dark! I didn't intend for that to happen-"

"Don't worry dear," Hope said comfortingly. "Let's talk about something else, yeah?"

"Sounds good. So, uh...how did you two meet?" She asked Hope and Lyall.

Remus groaned, "You'll never heard the end of that story."

"Remus!"

"I'd quite like to hear it," Claudia spoke softly, taking his hand again. "I like stories."

And so, the entire party of people continued to chat and speak all night as they told stories and spoke about everything good - everything that wasn't about the war or Claudia's horrible life story.

And, as the night crept up on all of them, all of them sat around the fire, drinking hot chocolates and chatting, and that's when Remus came up to Claudia - who was playing chess with Fleamont - and whispered in her ear.

"I've got a surprise for you."

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