AN: Don't own. Never have never will. This will only be one or two chapters long, not quite sure yet. Enjoy!
1: A Child's Dream...
Mrs Ylva Lupin gave the creamy sauce in her fry ban one final stir before ladelling it onto each of the three plates before her. The food smelled delicious, and she was surprised her boys hadn't come running for it already.
"Remus! Connor! Dinner's on!" She called cheerily, as she carried the three plates over to the dining table. The two larger ones were in her hands, while Remus' smaller plate was balanced in the crook of her elbow. She set the laden crockery down carefully and went back for cutlery. She scooped up three knives and forks, not caring that the cutlery was mismatched, and set them about the table. She then turned and poked her head into the lounge, calling again.
A stampede erupted from the upper level of the house as she sat down. That would be Remus. She had half a mind to call out for him not to trip on the stairs, but restrained herself, a smile tugging at her lips. He would only run faster if she called.
Sure enough, seconds later he burst into the room, and tumbled into his chair at the table. He wriggled on his little cushion, placed specially so that he could cut his food comfortably. He had recently taken an independent streak where he had refused to have his food cut for him. He would do it himself or eat it whole, and there was no arguing.
He sniffed loudly. Ylva restrained her smile.
"Don't sniff Remus. If you have to, get a handkerchief," she admonished.
"But it smells so good! Do we have to wait for Daddy? He'll be ages! He always is."
"Yes Remus, we'll wait for Daddy. He'd wait for you." She had to restrain her smile again as Remus pouted. That was not the sort of behaviour to encourage. Patience was a virtue, and she wanted her only son to possess all the virtue she could give him.
Remus shivered, "But it's cold out here Mommy. I want to go back in the lounge where the fire is lit!" Ylva smiled again.
"Well, while we're waiting for Daddy, you run outside and get some wood. We'll put it on the stove here and make this room warm too," he was up like a shot and heading for the door. Quickly, Ylva spoke again, "Don't carry too much mind! I don't want you to hurt yourself. And remember to take it from the top! We don't want it all falling down around you again!" He flashed a smile at her over his shoulder, before slamming the door shut. She heard his slippered feet slapping on the paved path, fading as he headed to the woodstack round the side of the house.
Ylva sat in the silence that followed and heaved a sigh. Connor worked so hard. Even now he was probably reading or engrossed in some knew experimental charm. He was brilliant, undoubtedly. People had often referred to him as a genius. But like so many others who were brilliant, he was also slightly eccentric. Ylva liked his odd habits and behaviours, but other's didn't. So while the family were well respected, they had few friends, and were by no means rich. Ylva sometimes wondered, when she was in town, whether it would make a difference not living on the very edge of a forest, but in a city like London. But Connor liked the space of a country property, and so they stayed put.
She glanced out the window, and noticed the clouds massing in the sky. It would be first snow fall soon. No wonder Remus had been cold. Perhaps she shouldn't have let him out in nothing but his pajamas. Well, at least he'd be back quickly if it was very cold. The clouds were getting so think, Ylva could barely make out the outline of a full moon in the sky. It's light was weak, casting the outside world into black and white hues. She shivered, and cast her eyes back to the internal warmth of the dining room.
Feet on the stairs. Connor was coming. Ylva set her hands on her knife and fork, anticipating Remus' return at any moment. Her husband appeared, and shivered as soon as he entered the dining room.
"Merlin it's cold out here," He was reading as he walked. Ylva smiled, "Where's Remus got to then?" He set the book down and glanced around, as though he expected his son to be hiding in a cabinet.
"He's gone to get firewood. He said he was cold, which is fair enough I suppose. He'll be back any moment, but we'd better wait for him. I wouldn't let him start without you on the grounds that you'd wait for him." She flashed a smile at him, and he returned it. He did not pick up his book, for which she was grateful. Meal times were often the best time for discussion with Connor, as he was not immersed in his work.
They waited for perhaps five minutes, chatting casually. Connor asked about her day, for although they had both been in the house, he had been locked in his study. She asked if he had made any breakthroughs, and he responded he hadn't, but was very close. It was time filling talk, and when it was finished, Remus had still not returned.
"Where has that boy got to?" Connor asked at last.
"Perhaps he's tried to bring too much wood," Ylva answered, "Or maybe the stack's fallen again and he's trying to pick it up. I did tell him to take wood from the top, but if he couldn't reach he might have climbed on it, and it's not that stable."
"I'll go and help him, I think," Connor answered, "It'll be faster, and we can carry more wood that way. I don't want that gravy to go cold." He stood and headed for the door.
As he reached it, a scream rent the night air, high pitched, blood curdling and afraid. Ylva's hands clenched around her cutlery as she recognised it, and her blood ran cold. Without realising it, she was on her feet, cutlery still in hand. She did not pause to put it down, but threw herself toward the door. It still swung from Connor's wrenching it open, and as Ylva ran after her husband to see what dared frighten her son, a haunting howl floated across the night air. Ylva doubled her pace.
To be continued...