You never know what may lie ahead in life -- Fall 1999

My dad reached out to me and said that my son reached out to him.  So I was meeting Dad at a little shop in the heart of London.  I had a mug of coffee in my hands and I saw my dad come in looking very awkward in Muggle attire as we were not at a Wizarding place.  I was so used to it while having been a part of it for years.  And I never really truly left it, either.  I smiled at him and waved him over, standing up to embrace him.  You-Know-Who was gone and he was done living in fear. 

"Dad," I said to him as I got him comfortable with something to eat and drink, "what's going on?  How did he find you?" I was definitely confused.

After Mia had been attacked by Death Eaters, she and I had been on good terms.  I had actually nursed her back to health.  Tried to help her find her son she had lost.  I smiled at her and shook my head.  "He apparently had some sort of paperwork and documentation saying that his mother's last name was Slughorn... and he asked me if you were my relative.  That's the easiest way to explain it, I guess," I explained to my little girl.

I stared at my father.  "How long have you known about him?" I asked.  My dad had seemed odd for a little while... and now I had a feeling I was figuring out why.

I looked at MIa.  "I'm sorry, Mia," I siad to her gently.  "I've been speaking with him for a few months now... I just needed to make sure about him before telling you about anything.  I wanted to be sure..."

That made sense, even though it hurt.  I nodded at him.  "Yes, of course," I agreed.  "There was no reason to get my hopes up if it wasn't him... but it really is?  You've seen my boy?"

I gave my daughter a smile and nodded.  "Yes, I believe it really is him... and I have seen him," I said, though my voice was slightly depressed.  I knew Matthews' story before he came to me -- us teachers had been privy to certain information that was not supposed to be discussed with anyone else about some of the students.  "Mia... he's had a hard life.  A life that no one would want for their child..."

My hesitant smile faltered.  "Oh?" I questioned, wondering if it was really as bad as where my mind jumped to.  But what if it was worse?  My son grew up without me... but by his last name, I had a feeling that Riley had taken him.  I hoped that being his father there was some hope, however, it no longer seemed like that were true.

I took a deep breath.  "You are aware of who his father was married to," I said to her quietly.  "You know what the Carrows are capable of..."  I hoped I would not have to go into any more detail than that.

Of course I knew who Riley was married to; I had no idea why he ended up with Genevieve.  It was a way for him to have a status to protect himself I guessed.  Until he had to come after me to prove a point.  I knew it was his mercy that ended up saving my life and Lincoln's life in the long run.  I looked at my dad.  "What did she do to him?" I questioned quietly.

I could not look my daughter in the eyes.  "He was sabused," I said to her honestly.  "For quite some time, actually.  By the whole family it sounds like... until he was adopted by the Lupins."

I could not believe my ears.  "Genevieve did it... it had to be mainly her.  Riley would not have done such a thing," I said, instantly defending the man I had loved for awhile.

I did not want to look my daughter in her eyes, but I also knew I must not look away. "Mia... you do know that Riley was murdered?" I asked to clarify. It was so hard keeping things straight with what she knew and what she did not know. I was sure that she already knew and also that Genevieve Carrow was in Azkaban for doing so, but she sometimes had memory problems after everything she had gone through.

I swallowed hard and nodded. "I remember, Dad," I said to him. "But that doesn't mean that Genevieve didn't do anything to my son before she was sent to Azkaban."