The great hall was packed, excited chatter filled it to a roar as the students waited anxiously for the goblet to choose the champions. Caelen crawled up into her father's lap, the chaos in the room making her nervous.

A hush fell over the room as Dumbledore made his way towards the goblet. The goblet hissed and spluttered a fire roared from it causing a hush to fall over the room as it spit out the first name. Professor Dumbledore reached out his hand to catch the fluttering scrap of paper as it fell into his hand, "the Durmstrang champion is, Victor Krum."

A cheer went up from the crowd, Caelen buried her head into her father's shoulder attempting to drown out the noise.

A hush announced the appearance of he second champion's paper, "the Beauxbatons champion is, Fleur Delacour." There wasn't much time to cheer before the next paper appeared. Dumbledore smiled reaching out for what he knew would be the name of his schools champion, "and the champion for Hogwarts is, Cedric Diggory, you have your champions for the tri-wizard tourn-" Dumbledore was cut off as the cup sizzled a fourth time. The room stared in shock there was only meant to be three, why was it releasing a fourth name?

Dumbledore reached out grasping the unexpected fourth slip of paper from the air, "Harry Potter?" He called in a slightly questioning tone.

Caelen gasped looking up at her father, "I thought Harry was too young to enter?" She whispered puzzled.

"He is cub," Remus responded patting her back subconsciously, "he shouldn't have been able to enter." Remus sat her down on the ground, "go stay with Fred and George while I go with the others to see what's happened ok?"

Caelen nodded her head obediently, "yes daddy."

She watched as Dumbledore dismissed the students before he and most of the other professor walked away into the trophy room, "what do you think is going on?" She whispered to Fred, who had scooped her up the moment she'd neared him.

Fred navigated the halls, carrying his honorary sister, up to Gryffindor tower, "I dunno but I wish I knew how he did it!"

"You and me both brother," his twin agreed next to them.

"You really think he managed to get his name in the goblet past Dumbledore's age line?" Caelen questioned in disbelief.

The twins shrugged in unison, "don't know we'll have to wait and ask him."

<--->

Caelen was sound asleep between the redheaded twins by the time her father came to collect her from the tower. He smiled at the site, the resident jokesters sitting protectively near his little girl. Her tiny feet lay on Fred's knees her head resting against George, "thanks for looking out for her fellas," he whispered walking towards the boys.

"No worries professor," one of the boys, Remus couldn't tell which, responded.

The other nodded his agreement, "she's practically our sister at this point," he added patting the girl's shoulder gently.

Remus smiled lifting her gently into his arms, "see you boys tomorrow," he stated before climbing through the portrait and disappearing down the hall.

Casting a quick spell Caelen's clothes switched to her pajamas without stirring the sleeping child.  Remus brushed her hair from her face gently, kissing her forehead, "goodnight cub, daddy loves you," he whispered. His heart swelled with love as his little girl rolled, snuggling into her pillow a gentle sigh passing her lips. He chuckled lightly as he headed to his desk in the adjoining office.

Dear Sirius,
How're you? Hopefully Well, I don't know if this letter will reach you? Or perhaps Harry will owl you himself. I suspect someone's after the boy again, his name was chosen out of the goblet of fire this evening. Harry swears he had nothing to do with it and frankly I believe him. I wish you were able to be here old friend, I worry I won't be able to protect him and Caelen on my own. Snape is his usual surly self, for some unknown reason my cub has taken a liking to him. I've decided to let it go, she opens up to so few people as it is, but I can't say I'm thrilled. Write when possible, I worry about you.

                   Sincerely, Remus (moony)

Remus sat back eyeing his letter. He grinned realizing if Sirius was able to respond he would mock him for the sentiment contained in the note. After checking once more on his sleeping child, Remus hurried off to the owlery.

He patted a brown barn owl gently, "can you find Sirius for me little one?"

The owl hooted, holding out his leg to receive the parchment.

Remus tied the note to his leg, handed him a treat, and carried him carefully to the window, "take it to Sirius but be careful." He ordered.

The owl launched into the night sky disappearing quickly into the darkness.

"Writing to your dog are we Lupin?" Severus Snape hissed out behind him.

Remus sighed wishing to avoid a confrontation, "I don't believe Severus that who I write to should be of any concern to you..."

"Perhaps not," Severus snapped, his nearly black eyes glaring into the other professor, "your willingness to leave your child unprotected to do so concerns me greatly though. What would happen if someone were to enter your quarters while you're out prancing through the castle?"

Remus advanced before he'd quite realized he'd done so, his eyes narrowing angrily, "you can be quite sure I have not left my child unprotected." He growled out angrily, "for some unknown reason my daughter has taken to you, much to my displeasure, but that won't keep me from hexing you should you appear to be a threat."

"Believe me Lupin if I had any ill intentions for the child I could have easily carried them out before now," Severus snapped in return inching closer to the other man. The anger in the room was tangible, the air seemed to sizzle with the animosity emitting from the two professors, neither man seeming to realize they were fighting out of a shared concern for the child in question.

Remus was the first to real in his anger eyeing Severus with mistrust, "well you've made one valid point tonight Severus," he growled walking briskly towards the tower's door, "my child might need me."

Severus stared after Lupin anger and hatred burning in his eyes. He hadn't meant his admonition to come across as a threat, Snape knew he'd never harm that girl, but the fact that Lupin had left her alone to mail a letter to that stupid mutt infuriated him.

__________________________

Caelen awoke with a start, her heart was racing and a cold sheen of sweat covered her body. She shivered trying to calm her ragged breathing before succumbing to the sobs that shook her tiny shoulders. Tiptoeing quietly across the hall separating her room from her father's she inched his door open peeking her head inside.

A sob tore from her throat as she raced across the dark room crawling under her father's outstretched arm and hiding her tear streaked face in his chest.

Remus awoke with a grunt when his daughter's tiny body barreled into him. He instantly wrapped his arms around the shaking girl holding her close, "hey, hey cub what is it what's wrong?" He questioned, his voice slightly groggy from sleep.

Caelen's only response was to cling to him, sobs shaking her small frame.

Remus sat up his child's tears erasing whatever exhaustion had been clouding his mind, "Caelen, baby, what's wrong what is it cub? Did you have another nightmare?"

His heart broke when she sobbed out desperately, "don't leave me daddy please, don't let her get me again!"

Remus held her close rocking her gently in his arms as if she were a baby, "I will never, ever leave you!" He swore fiercely holding her as if it was the most vital thing he'd ever do, "And she'll never touch you again!"

He continued to cradle her gently against him until her sobs subsided, "wanna tell me about it?"

"N-not really," she mumbled twisting her fingers into his shaggy brown hair.

"It could help cub..." Remus encouraged quietly.

"I was back with m-mother," she mumbled shuddering, "she was m-mad I s-spilled her wine. She s-said I was c-clumsy and u-useless. I-I-I-I-I d-didn't m-mean to s-spill b-but her f-friend scared me and I was hurrying s-so I could go b-back to the b-basement!"

Remus didn't really want to hear more, his heart ached just imagining what she'd tell him next, but he knew she'd feel better once she got it out, "what did she do?" He questioned quietly bracing himself for the response.

His little girl sat back wrapping her arms tightly around her knees, "she k-kicked me away, st-started shouting that I was st-stupid and u-useless she threw the glasses at me, I tried to run but she grabbed my h-hair and pulled me u-up the stairs. Sh-she said on-only bad girls spill wine on themselves and that I'd have to be cl-cleaned."

Remus wasn't certain why a bath would evoke so much terror but he stayed silent waiting for her to elaborate.

"She t-turned the water on and t-took my shirt then sh-she threw me in. It was s-so hot it b-burned me and I screamed, that just made her m-more angry and sh-she pushed me under th-the water."

It took every ounce of self control Remus possessed to keep himself from shaking in fury, instead he ran his hand soothingly through his shaking child's hair. "Caelen," he began quietly, "was this a nightmare or a memory?"

"A memory," the girl mumbled sadly.

He gritted his teeth painfully, "what brought this up now cub? You haven't had a nightmare in months." His heart stuttered at her guilty expression.

"I have," she whispered eyeing her hands in her lap, "I just didn't want to b-bother you. But then wh-when Harry's name was called I started to worry he might get h-hurt, th-then I thought you'd protect him, but you could get hurt doing that. Y-you c-can't leave m-me!" She nearly wailed the last bit throwing her arms desperately around her father's neck, "I love you."

Remus sighed cradling her in his arms once more, "I'm not going anywhere cub, not ever. Don't ever hesitate to come to me when you're frightened, I don't care what's happening. I'm here for you little one, always. So next nightmare I expect you to come straight to me got it? You're safe now I promise, I love you too."

Caelen nodded snuggling into her daddy once more. She sniffled a few minutes longer before her tense shoulders loosened and her breathing grew soft and even.

Remus slid her gently into the covers snuggling her against him. He kissed her hair before settling down himself, "goodnight cub sleep well."

__________________________

Hello lovelies it's me again 🙃 I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it's hard to read these things, poor Caelen, but trauma like that doesn't just go away over night no matter how much love is showered on you and I wanted to show that. Also I absolutely adore Severus Sirius and Lupin so the mutt comment doesn't reflect on my own feelings for Sirius in the slightest lol.

Ok that's all I'm off to write some more. I love this story but I'm dreaming up a couple new ones and can't wait to get started on them!!!! Ahhhhh if only j had nothing else to do with my life than to read and write!!!!! As always comments make me happy so comment away pretty pretty please ok laters