July 1964,

Two small boys ran through the backyard of a country home in Devon, chasing each other in circles.

"Romulus!" a man called from the window, drowning out the giggles of the boys "Your mother's here."

The taller of the two sandy haired boys turned sadly, not wanting to leave his playmate.

"Comin dad" he called before turning to the other boy. "Race you."

The children were picked up one at a time as they came crashing through the backdoor and into the house. The motion was well practiced after a few too many things had been sent spiralling towards the floor by speeding children. Convinced that they had calmed down enough to be released, Lyall Lupin set his sons down on the kitchen floor.

"Come on Rom, we have to go home now." Aster Betts stood by the door, her long brown hair tied up in a bun and her jacket around her waist as the rain from earlier had stopped.

Romulus looked at the floor, his hair falling into his crystal blue eyes.

"Ok mom" he turned to his brother for a hug "Bye Remus. I'll come back to play soon" The last sentence was directed hopefully at his parents.

"Bye Rom. Hope so too."

"No problem kiddo. Now let's get home." Aster bent to pick up her son and his bag, then began the long walk down the lane.

"Remus, what do you say to helping me get dinner on before your mother gets home?"

"Depens'. What we makin'?" Lyall ruffled his hair and lifted him onto a stool.

"Depends. What do you want to make?"

Remus went to bed shortly after Hope had returned from her class's field trip, the afternoon having tied him out. He fell asleep to the chirping of crickets and the soft hooting of owls.

Remus woke suddenly several hours later. He lay in the still moonlight, trying to figure out what had woken him. He would remember a nightmare, and he couldn't hear any noises that would wake him up, come to think of it, he couldn't really hear any noises but the soft rustle of leaves that was the gentle wind providing his room with a breeze.

Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, a soft thump came from outside. Then a scratch at the wall outside his window. Then a scream. Remus couldn't tell where the scream was coming from because he was more concerned about the silver-furred, golden-eyed beast that had leapt into his room and whose fangs were sunk into his shoulder.

Crashes and thuds sounded from down the hall. The bedroom door was slammed open and there was a BANG and a flash. And then nothing.

When Remus woke days later, he was blinded by pain and bright lights in his eyes. People were talking everywhere, carts with rattling wheels came and went, and the smell! The antiseptic was overwhelming.

Remus woke again a few hours later. The sounds and smells were still there, just damper.

"Remus? Remus?" his eyes went from fluttering to wide open at the sound of his mother's voice."Remus! Oh, I'm so glad to see you awake! Your father just popped out for a doctor. He should be back any minute now." Remus' s mind was scrambling. Where am i? Why is mom crying? Why does it hurt so much-

"Remus, can you hear me?" a middle-aged gentleman with greying black hair and glasses was looking down at him. "can you hear me?" Remus tried to speak, but nothing came out. He tried to nod but found that he could not move his head and when he tried pain went ripping through his body. "I want you to blink once for yes and twice for no, can you do that?" Remus closed his eyes then opened them. "Good. I'm healer Bentley, but once you get your voice back you can call me Cole. Now, do you recognize this person?" asked Healer Bentley, pointing towards his mother. Remus blinked.

It was several more days before the young Lupin returned home with the understanding that he was sick. "Can Romulus come over soon daddy?" Lyall looked down at his son's hopeful now-amber eyes, then he looked at his wife's green ones, a pained expression on his face. Hope knelt down and looked into the eyes that no longer resembled her own. "Aster and Rom moved away honey. He won't be able to come play anymore."

Remus's features drooped. "why? Where did they go? Aster said he could come over!" tears welled up in green and amber eyes.

"I know sweetie. But they had to move across the ocean. It all came up really fast and there wasn't time to say goodbye." Remus's dam broke. His best friend and brother were gone.