Chapter 1
Child Age 6
"I'm sorry Remus. I know you hate the constant moving but we need to keep you safe." His mum explained as she pulled him into a tight embrace
"I understand," he responded, we need to keep other kids safe from me, you mean. "I'm going down to the stream we passed earlier, is that alright?" he asked.
"Of course, love, your father and I'll just be here finishing up moving everything. I'll call you when lunch is ready." She smiled happily, silently praying they could stay here a while longer than the last.
Remus was already an old man trapped in a child's body. He felt decades older than he should due to the constant wear and tear on himself, mentally and physically. The monthly terrors were nightmares embodied. Stories of children getting frightened by monsters meant to keep them on good behaviour, were meaningless when you were the monster.
His morbid thoughts were interrupted as he made his way down the slight incline, leading to the stream. Picking up a nearby stick, the boy began to doodle along the banks of the water. Pictures of kids playing together at school, of families having picnics in the park and of little boys who were happy.
"You're really good at drawing!" a voice called from over his shoulder.
With a jolt, the brown-haired boy dropped his stick and jumped forward, landing in the water. Remus John Lupin was not a fan of surprises and the unexpected. There before was a girl, who looked a few years younger than himself. Her black hair was tied into a ponytail high atop her head and bangs fell just above two amused brown eyes.
"Sorry, I didn't mean for you to fall in, but you were in my spot." She apologized.
"N-no. It's alright, I'm sorry I was in your spot. I just moved here today. I really didn't know." He stammered as he climbed out of the water.
Letting out a giggle she replied "well as long as you're sorry, I guess I don't mind you sharing this spot as well. It is a very nice spot."
Joining in on her laughter, Remus felt lighter for the first time in a long time. Giving the still unknown girl a big grin, he introduced "I'm Remus Lupin. I just turned 6 a month ago."
"Oh phooey! Mum would yell if she knew I forgot my manners again. I'm Mirabeth Knight, 5 ¾ years old. It's nice to meet you Remy!" She smiled.
"You're 5?" Remus remarked, shocked. She was tiny for 5-year-old. Now standing beside her, she fell just below his shoulder and had to tip her head all the way back to look at him.
"AND 3 quarters! Almost 6 myself." She pouted at her new friend.
"Oh no, I didn't mean – I wasn't – that's to say- "Remy sputtered.
"You're very serious, aren't you Remy?" Mirabeth interrupted his blubbering. "Aster, my cousin, is 10 and you act even more serious than him."
"Sorry – "he began once again.
"Stop, stop, stop!" she shouted jumping up to cover his mouth with her hands. "No more sorrys. Since we're friends now, you can save your sorry for when they're needed and I'm telling you that they aren't needed now!"
"Are we friends Mirabeth?" he wondered how he made a friend so quickly.
"Of course! And as your new best friend you have to call me Bethy, just like I call you Remy! No one else is allowed to call you that except me." Mira – Bethy proclaimed.
"Why not?" Remy questioned.
Letting out an overdramatic sigh and eyeroll, "BECAUSE, Remy, I'm your best friend!" as if that was all the explanation needed.
"Oh, alright then, Bethy." He acquitted.
"Good, now what were you drawing earlier before you decided to go for a swim?" she asked.
Remus had forgotten that his pants had soaked through in the rush of gaining a new friend. His parents usually chose houses that were a distance away from neighbours and towns as an extra precaution. He hadn't been alone with anyone, especially a child, since before he was bitten. He found he didn't mind getting in trouble later with his mum, if it meant he had a friend.
"I wasn't planning on going for a swim, it's a bit nippy out. I was just doodling a bit, I like drawing." He explained.
"That's amazing Remy! I'm absolutely rubbish with pictures, I get it from my mum." She responded.
"I could teach you if you like?" the boy offered.
"Hmm, I don't want to waste your time on a lost cause, as my dad would say. He said Knights weren't meant to draw but to tell stories instead."
"Then you can tell me a story and I'll draw it for you."
"I'd love that Remy. I think you're going to be the bestest best friend a girl could have!" she grinned.
Remus responded in like as the two kids ran further along the stream to find a new patch of dirt to draw in. Before long, a woman's call could be heard from above the hill that shielded the stream.
"That must be my mum." Remus explained. "She said she would call when lunch is ready."
"Oh okay. Well, will you be back tomorrow?" She asked kicking at the ground looking down.
"Of course! I'll be here waiting. I mean, we do need to finish our story book." Remus assured.
With a wide smile on both their faces, the two said their goodbyes before they returned home, happy to have made their first friend in a long time.
~Time skip 2 months~
Remy and Bethy grew closer and closer with each meeting at what was deemed their spot. They met as often as they could by the stream to continue tales of knights and dragons and fairies and goblins that were accompanied by drawings of castles and caves and forests and gems. The best friends would be out the door as breakfast finished and back in time for lunch each day. It was a nice summer afternoon in July as the two continued from where they last left off.
As the sun fell to the familiar spot behind the tree and shouts for lunch could be heard, they brushed the mud and dirt from their bodies. "I wish we could finish the story after lunch today but I'm going into town with mum and dad after." Beth complained.
"That' alright, we'll always have tomorrow. I'll see you then Bethy!" The brown-haired boy waved.
"Oh wait!" the girl called as she grabbed onto his arm. "My birthday is next week, my folks wanted to talk to yours to see if you could come over to play."
Oh no. How would he explain to her that she nor her parents could meet his anytime soon. If his mum or dad found out he had been playing alone with a kid, a muggle no less, they would move again in a second.
"- Remy, Remy are you okay?" Bethy's voice pierced through his worries. "I asked if my mum could come over after lunch to talk with your mum."
"NO! no, she can't." Remus protested.
"Well, why not?" she asked, a little hurt as the strong rejection. "Do you not want to come over? I'm sorry that I have to go into town today, if I could choose I would be here instead!"
"You don't have to say sorry. I should be saying sorry. It's just, my mum doesn't know about you and doesn't like strangers." He lied. It wasn't as though he could tell her that he was a werewolf that could turn her into one easily and that any sign of people interested in the Lupin family meant another move.
"Silly Remy! You don't have to be sorry either, and I'm sure she'll come to like me and mum. We may be strangers now, but I promise we'll be on our best behaviour and I'll even remember my manners this time." She stuck out her pinky.
"Just no! you and your mum can't come over and I won't be able to come to your house!" He began before adding "But we can always play here on your birthday instead." After he saw the disappointed look on her face.
"Okay, I just wanted my family to meet you. They all think you're not real and that there's no way I could've made a friend…" she trailed off. "Never mind then! We'll just have a great time here then." She said with a fake smile on her face. "I guess, I should get going lunch is starting."
With a quick wave, she ran up the other side of hill and disappeared. With a frown and heavy heart, Remus trudged home. He really wanted to meet her family to prove he was real, but he couldn't. he would be selfish this time to hold onto the one friend in his life.
That night a knock broke up the quiet dinner at the Lupin household. With wide eyes, his mum glanced over at her son before slowly rising to answer the door. A feeling of dread filled his stomach as he had a feeling who was waiting on the other side.
Lo and behold there stood a small black-haired girl with a woman who could only be her mum standing beside her. A quiet conversation was held between the two mums before the visitors waved goodbye. She returned to her seat at the dinner table before she turned to her husband and said, "we'll have to start packing tonight." Not another word was spoken for the rest of night, as Remus locked himself into his room. Pulling out the familiar cardboard boxes he began to pack away his books and toys.
The next morning Remus awoke to pots and pans floating and packing themselves away into boxes as his parents discussed the next place for the family of three. Somewhere smaller, more remote, and no little children in sight.
Remus knew this would be his last day in the house by the hill, across from the little girl with big brown eyes. If nothing else, he wanted to say goodbye to his first and best friend. He stole away, out the front door before bolting to the stream.
He knew his mum would notice him missing soon, so he hoped and prayed Bethy would be waiting at their spot already. Relief filled inside him when he saw a girl with black hair doodling away in the mud.
"BETHY!" he yelled as he ran down the hill.
She whipped her head towards the voice and jumped up from where she was crouched. "REMY! I'm sorry, but mum wouldn't change her mind about going over!" she cried as she hugged the boy.
"No, it's alright. It's not your fault. I know mum would've figured it out soon enough anyway." He comforted.
"You-you're not mad at me?" she sniffled.
"No, not mad. How could I be mad at you?" He questioned.
A relived giggle found its way out of her as she finally released her best friend. "That's good. I was really worried that you wouldn't want to play with me or want to be my best friend anymore."
"Ah. Actually, I ran here because I have to say goodbye before I go." He explained.
"Go? Where are you going?" She asked worriedly.
"We're moving again. I had a lot of fun playing together and I'll miss you. Thank you for being my best friend and always telling me your stories." He said with a sad smile.
"You're moving, is it because of me?" She whispered as her eyes began to water.
"No, my dad's job has us moving often and I just found out." He lied.
She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt, but the tears wouldn't stop. "B-but we're supposed to be best friends. You can't leave me, who'll draw with me in the mud and go stomping in the stream and rolling down the hill and – and..." She blubbered.
He pulled her into another hug as the two kids cried. Remy upset that his condition indirectly caused her so much pain and Bethy distraught that she couldn't stop her mum's visit to the Lupin's. "J-just because w-we don't see each other everyday doesn't mean you won't be my b-best friend anymore." He whimpered.
"R-right! Don't you g-go and find a new b-best friend and n-no one can call you Remy except me remember!"
"Uh-huh and no one can you Bethy except me!"
"Pinky promise, you won't forget me?" She asked as she retreated from the hug to stick her pinky out.
"Pinky promise." He said joining their fingers with a wet grin.