The Scared and Scarless
A/N: I do not own anything from the world of Harry Potter.
This fic was written for the 'Bring your son to work day' competition on the HPFC forum. I chose the hard category, and as such my prompt was to write under 3000 words about Lyall and Remus Lupin. It is set a few days before Remus turns five where his life changes forever. This is my take on what happened at the Ministry, using the Potter wiki details for inspiration.
I would like to say a big thank you to Tarnished Libris for beta'ing this for me and for getting it done so quickly. Thank you!
Word count: 2973
"Oh honey, I'm so proud of you," Hope murmured, her face buried into his chest, "but do you have to take him with you? He's so young."
"Nonsense, it's about time he gets to see how respected I am now. Besides, it will be good for him to spend a bit more time in the magical world, and the Ministry too! Think how good that will be for him when he gets to Hogwarts- he'll be able to tell them all about it."
"Are you- are you sure he will get in? I mean, you know I'm not, well… are you sure it works that way?"
He felt his heart soften at the way his wife's bright blue eyes looked up at him imploringly. She had always been worried about whether or not her Muggle heritage would affect their son's magical ability, thinking that Remus would not be a wizard because she wasn't a witch. As always, he reassured her that they had nothing to worry about, pulling her closer to him.
"Of course he will. Really, do you really think anyone can stop him from going?" he smiled, turning to watch the small child playing in the next room.
Hope's gaze followed his and her own face lit up. The small four year old was sitting on the carpet, puffing his chubby cheeks out as he made train noises. His little fist was enclosed around a toy train, painted by Lyall to resemble the scarlet Hogwarts Express, as he wheeled it around in a circle. As the boy saw his parents watching, he beamed up at them.
"Ready to go, champ?"
Remus nodded eagerly, bouncing up on his feet and running past him to the front door. The handle was just a little too high for the boy to reach, and he stuck out a tongue in concentration as he tried to stand on his toes to touch it.
"Hold on a minute there, Remmie, aren't you forgetting something?" Hope was now standing in the hallway, leaning against the door-frame.
She held out the boy's brown coat, waving it in the air slightly.
"Oh," Remus waddled back to grab it. "Thanks Mummy."
"That's my boy, always so polite. Now you be a good boy and listen to your father, do as he tells you, alright?" Hope said, squatting down to her son's height.
Remus nodded emphatically.
"And make sure you stay by him, ok? I don't want you getting lost."
"Yes, mummy.″ Remus replied, slightly impatient.
"Lyall, I'm serious. Don't let him wander off when you're not looking." Hope said, rising back up to regard her husband.
Shrugging on his own patched brown robes, he strode up to his wife and kissed her on the cheek.
"Dear, everything will be fine, I promise. Now, we'd better go or we'll be late," Hoisting a laughing Remus onto his shoulders, he winked at his wife. "Wave bye to mummy, Remus."
"Bye mum!"
Before Hope could tell either of them to behave again, he ducked through their door and walked down the street. Remus continued to giggle, letting out a high pitched squeal of joy every so often as Lyall bounced his shoulders up and down a little. Remus' legs were curled snugly around his chest as he stared in wonder at the birds flying high above them.
It wasn't until they had reached the battered old post office that Remus sighed and tapped on his head.
"I wanna get down now, please."
"Why?"
In response, his son scrunched up his face. He pointed to a slightly older boy and girl standing at the shop's window, pressing their noses up against the glass window. Next to them, a harassed-looking woman tried to juggle paper bags overflowing with groceries as well as a squirming toddler.
"Big boys don't get piggy back rides!" It was said with such conviction as though it was perfectly obvious to anyone in the world.
"Ok, ok. Give me a second."
He bent down, allowing the boy to scramble down onto the pavement. His back cracked as he stood up again and he rubbed it soothingly, leaving ample time for Remus to run off through the post office's front door, a bell clanging noisily behind him. He sighed, trudging behind the boy. He had wanted to stop and help the poor lady with her heavy load, yet by the disapproving look she gave him, he decided it best to follow his son.
"Good morning, Mrs. Whethers. What a pleasant day it is," he gave a nod to the Squib behind the small counter, who stopped shuffling envelopes and peered at him through thick spectacles.
"Ah, Mr Lupin, good morning, good morning! Time for work again already? My, my, they do keep you busy."
"I'm afraid so. I have a new boss today, it seems."
The elderly woman instantly caught his meaning and her lips turned upwards in a knowing smile.
"Why yes, I did see a young Mr. Lupin pass by here, I wonder where he could've gone?"
Right on cue, a little bubble of laughter was heard, coming from the small room beyond the counter, hidden by a long, scarlet curtain. As he shifted a little to the side, he could see two small polished shoes poking out from beneath its velvety folds.
"Oh, I do hope I haven't lost him! What will I do if I can't find my boss?"
"I wouldn't worry, I'm sure that boy is all grown up now, big enough to be by himself."
The giggle came again and the curtains swayed slightly. Pressing a finger to his lips, he quietly tip-toed to the spot, waving his hand at the woman in farewell.
"Oh well, I guess I'll just have to leave and hope he appears."
He stopped in front of the curtain, barely hiding the grin on his face. Immediately, it flew open, and Remus ran straight into his legs. Shaking his head slightly, he looked up into Lyall's face with wide eyes.
"I'm here, I'm here! Don't leave yet!"
He felt his eyebrows rise in mock surprise, continuing to bite his lip to keep the smirk from showing on his face. Placing a hand over his open mouth, he looked down.
"Oh, there you are! Well, Mr. Boss, we should get going, don't you think?"
The boy nodded eagerly, refusing to release his arms around his father's legs until he took a few steps forward. Taking a hand in his, he guided them through to the small room's stone fireplace.
The room served as the local Wizarding Floo point, allowing the town's wizarding families to travel around Britain freely. The walls were wooden, allowing stacks of brown boxes to lean precariously against them. An old sofa was pushed against one end of the room and a solitary lamp allowed a soft glow to lighten up the otherwise dark area. Had any Muggles entered the room, they would simply gain the impression that it was no more than an unused storage room and the fireplace merely reminiscent of the building's former use as a house during the Great War.
As he reached up to the small crystal jar on the mantel and scooped up a generous amount of glittering powder, he turned to Remus.
"Now Remus, the place where we are going is very busy. There will be a lot of people walking all over the place, so I want you to keep a hold of my hand, alright? Keep close and I can show you my new office, that'll be fun right? Good boy, stay still now."
Pulling him gently into the hearth with him, he cleared his throat and called out. ″Ministry of Magic!″ Remus gave a surprised yelp beside him, but didn't squirm as they spun and twisted their way to Lyall's workplace.
"Are you alright?" As they stepped into the Atrium of the Ministry, he reached out a hand to steady Remus.
"Uh huh," the boy replied, losing his balance but grinning, too excited by the owls whooshing above them.
He shrunk back as one of the birds let go of a white bomb, wrinkling his nose in disgust as the clumpy substance splattered everywhere- they really needed to do something about their office messaging system. Ideas of how to do so flew through Lyall's head, but as Remus gave an impatient tug on his wrist, he realized they had better get moving.
It was quite the journey through the bustling crowds and he was more than glad when they had finally reached his office. Not only had the lifts all been taken, mainly by Aurors who had barked at everyone to get out of the way, but Remus had a penchant for stopping and staring at every little detail of the magical world. It had made him proud though that his son had also chosen to goggle at the shiny metal plaque on his door, his lips murmuring as he tried to read its message: 'Lyall Lupin- Head Authority- Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures'.
His pride had further swelled as Remus continued to gawk at everything in his new office. Whilst Lyall busied himself getting ready for the workday, his son ran from side to side. Shiny new golden gadgets had caught his attention, his little fingers probing anything he could reach. The boy's enthusiasm reminded him of his own when he had first gained his new title, and the excitement he had felt at finally being able to afford decent equipment for his research.
A poster affixed to one wall had caught the little tyke's attention, and he continued to watch in amusement as Remus traced his finger along the picture on it. Prior to their arrival, Lyall had thought he should've removed it, thinking the diagram of the werewolf, including a depiction of sharp white teeth, would have scared Remus. However, Remus seemed more intrigued than frightened, a small smile on his face as he looked into the fierce golden eyes the beast had.
"I see he has the same fascination with creatures as his father," his colleague, Henry Goldsmith, peered into the room, smiling jovially.
"He knows they're just beasts. Morning Henry, this is my son Remus. Remus, say hello."
Remus turned to the man, his head tilted to the side. He must have noticed Henry's bushy grey beard and hazel eyes, for he suddenly blinked and said, "Are you a werewolf, sir? Your teeth are awfully sharp looking."
He felt the urge to shake Remus slightly for his rudeness, a blush instantly inflaming his cheeks. However, the awful thought dissipated as quickly as it came upon hearing Henry's rumbling laughter. Stroking his beard, the man looked at the boy thoughtfully.
"I suppose I am…" Remus continued to stare unblinkingly, but jumped as Henry continued with a loud, "Rah!"
The man charged at the little boy, picked him up and swung him about the office, causing Remus to once again squeal in laughter. His short legs kicked out as he was tickled, almost knocking some things off the walls. It was only once another colleague came in, sneering at their antics and demanding their presence at the courtrooms, that the fun stopped.
He hoped Remus did not hear the man's muttered comments of "A fool just like his father" as the man swept out of the room, black cloak billowing behind him. With a sigh, he grabbed up the parchment and his folder, cursing under his breath as he realized just how late for the trial they were.
"Tell us again, Mr Greyback, how you came to be in the company of these… men."
"I told you I- ahem, I am just a simple Muggle as ye say, a tramp really. These boys came to the alley I was in, dinnut they? And they took me in like I were their brother."
Lyall felt himself shake in anger; every word the man said was a lie. He was a werewolf through and through, and no matter how hard he tried to disguise the scars aligning his back with scraps of tatty material, he could not fool him. Apparently, he could fool the idiots on the Wizengamot though, their heads bobbing in acceptance of the beast's tall tales.
"I had nuthin to do with what those young boys got."
He grimaced at Greyback's appalling grammar, scratching out more notes on the pad of crisp white parchment perched on his lap. So far, he had managed to record his skin's unhealthy pallor, noticing that it looked sickly with a yellow tinge, most likely because of the approaching full moon. He had also written notes on the man's failure to cover his scars with a mixture of powdered silver and dittany, wondering why he didn't- either he was as stupid as he sounded in not knowing its soothing effects, or more likely, he was proud of his new ability to transform and bore the markings as a sign of dominance in his pack. He had pointed out these findings to the court not ten minutes before, only to be told rather harshly to sit down or risk being thrown out of the room.
Remus had looked up from his own parchment with wide eyes at all the shouting that had occurred, and it was only his look of fear at his father being in trouble that now held him in his seat. If only the Chief Warlock, Albus Dumbledore, was present, then he could easily prove the man guilty.
"Elder Ogden, what is your verdict?"
"Although this man before us appears to show little sorrow for the murder of the two Muggle boys, we do not believe he is in league with the pack of werewolves held responsible. As such, we find the story that Fenrir Greyback is a simple Muggle accept-"
"You have got to be joking!"
He couldn't help himself and without thinking, stood up once more. As he had been studying Greyback, the man had smirked, his dark eyes twinkling with mirth as he realized he would be free to wreak more havoc.
"That man is nothing but a werewolf! He shows all the classic characteristics of lycanthropy-"
"Mr Lupin, sit down!"
Laughter ran around the room, echoing off the walls as his colleagues ridiculed him.
"I won't, I know what werewolves are like- am I not a renowned authority on Non-Humans, Spirits and Apparitions? Have I not studied unique and exotic creatures for over thirty years? This man is a werewolf, and if we keep him here overnight, I can guarantee you that he will transform into the beast that he is."
"I order you to sit down!"
"Not until you listen," he seethed.
Mumbled insults rumbled through the court like the rising sound of humming cicadas, but he ignored them. He was vaguely aware of Remus looking up at him, his mouth parted slightly, but the overwhelming need to shout sense into the Wizengamot made him continue. His voice rose as Remus flinched slightly, not having heard his father yell before.
"That man there-" he spat at Greyback, who now glared at him with steely eyes, a low growl emanating from his throat, "- is nothing but a monster! Werewolves like him are soulless, evil creatures, and deserve no mercy from us. They are vile and cruel, and their only purpose is to kill innocent beings. He and the rest of his pack deserve nothing but death from us!"
"Aurors, take him away."
His heart thrummed wildly in his chest, threatening to burst out as hot rage consumed him. Rough hands clasped under his arms, pinning them to his sides as he continued to shout for justice. The man himself lifted a gnarled finger across his throat, mimicking a knife, but the wand now pressed to his back caused Lyall to continue out the door.
It was only when the guards had dragged him down a few corridors and shoved him to the wall that their tight hold was finally released. Although the men had nothing to do with the verdict, he felt the need to punch each of them and vent his frustrations. Unfortunately, a small wail stopped him from leaping into a brawl.
Remus was being hauled in front of a burly Auror, his pale body trembling as he tried to free himself. The wizard was holding him by the scruff of his collar, almost as though he feared the kid would bite his hand off. Upon seeing that Lyall was close, he thrust the boy onto the ground before him, dusting off his hands in contempt.
"I believe this belongs to you," he sniffed, turning on his heel and storming away.
He was tempted to tear off after the man and give him a piece of his mind, however Remus barreled into his arms, sobbing a little. His heart broke at the sight, and he guilty placed his arms around the boy in a warm embrace. He murmured comforting words until Remus drew back and looked at him, grey eyes swimming with unshed tears.
"Daddy, why don't they like you?"
The confusion in Remus' voice made his own eyes tears up, but he leveled his gaze.
"Remus, listen to me, Daddy was just sticking up for his beliefs today, ok? And that's important, even if other people don't listen. Promise me you will always stick to what you believe in."
Remus sniffled, rubbing his sleeve across his running nose. "Ok."
"Promise me."
"Ok, daddy, I promise."
"That's a lad. Now, how about we go and do something fun?" He felt around in his back pocket before his hand enclosed on some chocolate, "Here, have this, it'll make you feel better."
The boy grinned up at him, accepting the reward. Together, their hands clasped, they exited the building.