Disclaimer: None of this is mine. I wish it were but its not. Now if JK wants to give it to me for Christmas I would be perfectly fine with it.
Notes: I am back, hopefully for good this time. I used to go by MalfoysGurl2004 but no longer. I hope that you enjoy this series of stories as much as I enjoy writing them. I will attempt to get them up as fast as humanly possible, but I cannot promise miracles. I did have a soundtrack for this story but I have gone and lost it. I will try and post it with the next chapter/ story. I have no beta; anyone who wishes to beta for me is welcome to send me a review or such communicational thing to let me know. Thank you.
Becoming Moony: Bitten
It was a warm August night, with the bugs chirping all around, and the sounds of a small creek trickling by. The full moon shone down upon a small boy waking in a field.
Remus Lupin was a delicate five-year-old, small and golden. He was also being very naughty. His mama had told him not to go outside at night, but how could he, how could anyone, ignore such a warm and wonderful night like this? So Remus, being as quiet as he could, snuck out of his bed, stole down the stairs and out the back door. Now he wandered as freely as a bird, exploring his surroundings with the curiosity of a weasel.
The sudden snapping of a twig brought Remus's attention to a small alcove created by bushes. A pair of yellow eyes gleamed out from the darkness. Remus was not frightened, however, as it was, quite obviously, a dog of some sort and Remus loved dogs of all shapes and sizes. He approached the mass slowly, not wanting to scare the canine into running away.
"Here doggy, doggy. Come ere, I won't hurt you." cajoled Remus, putting his hand out towards the animal.
As the lumbering mass came stumbling towards him, Remus realized his mistake. This was no ordinary dog. In fact, Remus didn't even think it was a dog anymore. As the canine moved into the moonlight, Remus choked out a startled scream. It was no dog, it was a wolf. A giant, salivating werewolf!
Remus started to stumble away, another scream stuck in his throat. As the grey wolf lunged at him, the scream that stuck stubbornly to him came bubbling up and out of his mouth. As the moon began to set, Remus Lupin's tortured screams echoed into the night.
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"Get out of my way! Get out of my way!" cried John Lupin, as he burst into the brightly lit reception area of St. Mungo's.
"Sir? What can I- sweet Merlin!" gasped the welcoming witch as she caught sight of the bloody body in John's arms.
"First floor. Dai Llewellyn ward." she managed to gasp out before the distraught father took off. All that remained behind him was a chattering crowd, a stunned receptionist, and a small puddle of blood that had seeped out of the large bite mark in Remus's side.
/PAGE BREAK/
"Mr. Lupin. Please be reasonable, you know what your son has become. There is no cure. Trust me, it will be much better for all parties involved if we-uh-euthanize him." stated Healer Goodwin, hoping to Merlin that his suggestion wouldn't get him slaughtered.
"How DARE you suggest such a thing! This is my son you're talking about. A beautiful, innocent child! How can you sat that wit a straight face? You disgust me." yelled the normally passive and non-confrontational father.
"All I'm saying Mr. Lupin, is that your son's life would be much easier if he wasn't a werewolf."
"What life? You're telling me to put him down like he was a rabid dog! There is no life in that. I'd rather live a thousand lies than spend one day without my son, knowing that I was the reason he was gone."
"Mr. Lupin-"
"No! Not another word, Healer Goodwin. As soon as he's well, I'm taking my baby boy home to where people give a damn to what happens to him."
Healer Goodwin sighed, "You'll need to register him. I'll have the Ministry send you the paperwork."
"Thank you." said John, his blue eyes colder than Antarctica.
/PAGE BREAK/
"My poor little baby. My poor little Remus. Don't you worry sweetheart, we'll take care of you." whispered Helena Lupin, kissing Remus's forehead.
"I love you mama." said Remus, blinking his, once pale green, now gold eyes up at her.
"I love you to my sweet baby."
Remus smiled and turned to his father, holding his bandaged arms out to him. John bent down to pick his child up. Looking into those loving, adoring eyes, John wondered how people could even suggest things like euthanization and not hate themselves.
"It'll be alright baby, you'll see."
Remus put his head on his father's shoulder and sighed. He hurt, but he had been a bad boy, he deserved it. He shouldn't have been outside at night. He shouldn't have gone near a strange animal. He shouldn't-.
"Remi, baby, you okay?"
No mama, I'm not okay. Not even a little bit. I'm sore and I don't feel well. I'm not okay at all. Remus's mind answered, even as he nodded at his mother.
"I'm okay mama. Tired."
"Of course you are sweetie. Terrible place hospitals don't know how anyone sleeps. Go and put him to bed John."
"Come on Rem. Naptime." said John, carrying Remus to his little room at the top of the stairs. As Remus lay in bed, he thought. His last thought as he succumbed to the Sandman's ministrations was that he was a monster and didn't deserve to live.
As the tear tracks dried on his face, a whisper sounded throughout the room.
"I'm a monster, mama."
/PAGE BREAK/
September's full moon loomed upon the Lupin family. It was to be Remus's first full moon as a werewolf. They had been preparing for days. A steel and silver studded cage had been installed in the shed out back. A bowl of food and water accompanied the blankets tat waited outside the cage door. Iron locks insured that intruders stayed out.
As the moon approached, sweet little Remus became crabbier and crabbier. Demanding raw meat, throwing things at his father, and yelling at his mother became his forte. Sweet and quiet Remus morphed into a temper tantrum throwing heathen, a thing that closely resembled the furry creature he held inside him.
At sunset Remus was placed into the cage. His clothes were taken, and several warm blankets were wrapped around him. Remus glared around at his meager surroundings. However, as his parents left with a sad look upon their faces, Remus's fear returned with a vengeance.
"Mama! Don't leave me. Mama!" cried Remus, trying to get out, but the silver in the bars kept him from getting to close. Outside he could hear Helena crying.
"MAMA! Mama! Papa! Don't leave me! I don't want to be by myself! Mama! Papa! Papa!" cried Remus, as the moon rose and the change began.
"PAPA!"
The cries of his only child tore at John's heartstrings but, as he held Helena back, he knew that they could not go to him. They could not risk Remus getting out. But how John wished he could take his son into his arms and tell him that it would be all right and over soon.
"Let's go back to the house. Helena, move, now. This will only cause more pain." said John, tugging on his wife's arms to get her to move.
"John, I can't just leave him. He's so little, he'll get hurt."
"Helena. You can do nothing to help him at this point. He has already changed." said John. It was true, a canine whimpering echoed in the elder Lupin's heads and hearts.
The Lupins retreated as far as the back porch before the cries of their canine son forced them to stay. They spent their night on the porch, waiting for the first moment of sunlight when they could wrap their arms around Remus again.
/PAGE BREAK/
Remus coughed weakly as he struggled to his knees. Where were his parents? He wanted them next to him. He wanted to know that they loved him and still wanted him. Remus felt dirty and most of it wasn't physical.
"Mama? Papa?" called Remus, his voice hoarse and scratchy.
"Remi? Remi! Hold on darling, we're coming! John, open the door, hurry."
Helena was in the door and opening the cage before John could even get one foot inside the shed.
"Helena, wait, he may be hurt. The healer said it was possible."
"Oh! Are you hurt Remi?"
"My leg hurts." said Remus, glancing down at the gash on his left leg.
"My poor baby. We have to get this bandaged right away. John!"
"I've got him Lena. Go get his bed ready." John said, kneeling to pick his baby up off of the unforgiving concrete floor.
"My poor Rem."
"Papa," said Remus, leaning forward to kiss his father's cheek. "Love you."
"Love you too Remi. I'm so sorry this happened to you."
" 'S not your fault papa."
"I should have protected you better."
" 'S okay papa. I love you." stated Remus, patting John's cheek with his tiny hand, prompting a smile from his forlorn father. John hugged Remus's small, battered body to him.
Helena met them at the entrance of Remus's room. She had fresh towels, antiseptic, bandages, and Remus's pajamas waiting. Also, accompanying her was a needle and some thread.
"Do you really think that's necessary? It's not a gaping wound."
"No chances John. I don't want these injuries becoming infected." said Helena, indignant that someone would suggest that she was going too far in the care of her baby.
"All right Lena, whatever you think is best." sighed John, rolling his eyes at Remus. Remus giggled and pulled the pajama to that his mama handed him on.
Helena snorted and narrowed her mint green eyes at her husband.
"Are you sassing me John William?"
John shook his head, "No ma'am, would I do that?"
"Yes you would papa." said Remus, trying to duck out of his father's arms.
"You would betray me like that? How horrible, I'm so wounded." cried John, flopping onto Remus's bed, cradling Remus against him so as not to hurt him worse.
"Papa!" squealed Remus, trying to get away from John's tickling fingers, "Save me, mama! Save me!"
"Always baby. Always." said Helena, before laughing and joining the happy fray.
As the small family settled down, they tried to ignore the reality of their situation, the hardships and struggles that loomed in front of their faces.
As Helena started bandaging Remus's leg, John sighed. He didn't wan to disturb what little peace the family had gained back. However, the illusion that they were a perfect, unsuspecting and innocent, family had been shattered. It had been shattered like the porcelain dish that the wolf had pulverized with a malicious intent last night. John was very conflicted, he didn't know what to do with the tiny boy that, now, lay asleep in his arms. Society pushed to shun werewolves, but his heart and mind told him that shunning a little boy, who had no control over the situation, was a stupid and idiotic thing to do. Still, John wondered what life would bring for his precious child.
"Papa?" mumbled Remus sleepily.
"Yes?"
"Love you."
"Love you too baby."
Remus fell asleep with fresh bandages and a smile on his face. And John thought that, just maybe, things weren't as bad as they seemed.
Notes: Well there you have it. Review if you like, thanks if you do, your loss if you don't. If you flame me I will use this as family dinner fodder, and will laugh hysterically at you and your pathetic-ness. Thank you.