Moony

Lupin Cottage
Welsh Countryside, Near Crickhowell
12 December, 1964

Snow feel outside in a steady rhythm, and Remus shivered as he watched another breeze pick up the fine dusting on the ground and blow it up with the falling flakes. The fire in the sitting room was roaring with life and he had about four layers on to keep him warm.

Since winter blew in he had been feeling like a popsicle; doing whatever he could to stay warm. His mother's hot chocolate being one of the main things he had partaken in finding the sweet taste banished any ill feeling he was having.

He turned his head when his mother walked into the room; his father having left early for work today. The holiday season coming closer meant a little bit more hard work at the Ministry.

Hope smiled at her son, tightening the scarf around her neck.

"You want to take a trip to town and pick your Dad out a Christmas gift?"

Remus smiled and nodded, jumping off the couch. Any chance to get out of the house was a chance he would take; that and the off chance he would see Bart again.

He had only seen him twice since the meeting at Halloween, one time being in the grocery store when his mother went to go buy some more food, and the other being when he actually went over to Bart's house.

Turns out Bart was the youngest child in his home after his brother, actually only the age of five not six like Remus had guessed, and was part of the wizarding family of Schmidt; a high up German wizarding family that had a minor position in the Ministry.

His father didn't personally know them; and neither did Lyall know about his son going over and spending the day playing the cold air with Bart.

Remus shoved his boots on and pulled a thick coat on over his many layers of clothing. He smiled when his mother put a hat on his light brown hair and slipped gloves onto his hands.

"Off we go."

She took his hand and they left the house together.


Llanbedr Village
Northwest of Crickhowell

Remus wandered around the small shop with a bored expression on his young, scarred face. His feet stopping when he reached the back of the shop and came across the few books they had in the back.

Grabbing one, he flipped through frowning at the lack of pictures. They always made it more interesting to read, though he wondered if his mother would buy him a new book since the story book he was given on his birthday was practically memorized since his mother was using that to help him learn bigger words and reading comprehension.

Remus was too engrossed in trying to figure out a word in the book to realize a small figure was sneaking up behind him.

"Boo!"

Remus jumped and the book went flying and landed on the ground. He spun around fast and came face to face with a smiling, freckled face of Bart.

"You should have seen the look on your face, Rem!"

The older boy laughed, a twinkle lighting his brown eyes as he wrapped an arm around Remus' shoulder.

"Bart! That wasn't funny."

"Sorry, it was only a joke though, don't go whining about it."

Remus gave a little pout; he liked jokes but wasn't too big a fan of them getting aimed at him.

"So, what are you doing?"

Remus's face went from a pout to a smile in an instant.

"Looking for Christmas gift for my dad."

"Oh…any luck?"

The child only shook his head no in response to his friend's question. Putting the book that had fallen back on a shelf.

"When I can't think of what to get someone I usually draw something."

Remus only shrugged and looked around some more, Bart following behind him as they started to talk. The young wizards finding things funny like the Father Christmas figurines, or how their reflections looked in the reflective decorations on the Christmas trees that were scattered around the shop.

Hope came looking for her son a few moments later, having not found him in the book section where she left him she had panicked a little. Seeing the young cub with Bart she relaxed.

"There you are, Remus. Did you find anything for your father?"

Remus turned around from playing with the little toys that were placed around a small tree hearing his mother.

"No," he pouted, "And I tried really, REALLY hard to find something too."

Bart giggled.

"I tried helping."

Hope smiled at Bart before taking her son's hand and lifting him up off the floor easily.

"I'll help look then, with all three of us searching I am sure we can find something."

The three of them searched the store for a little while longer before running into Bart's parents. Hope and Mrs. Schmidt started talking about Christmas plans; Mrs. Schmidt trying to invite the Lupin's over for Boxing Day but Hope quickly declining with a hurried excuse about her mother coming over.

Remus frowned at the lie but said nothing; the nineteenth was the moon. His mother's calender said so since all the days were now marked in red. He wouldn't be well enough in time for a visit and in a few days he would be feeling the effects.

Mrs. Schmidt didn't pick up on anything odd and got into a talk about just having to have Remus over again. Hope brightened at that topic and agreed, both mother's hurrying to try and plan a date and a time for their little boys.

Remus looked over at Bart with a bored expression on his face, and both of them gave silent nods to each other before slipping out of their mother's holds and walking away. Mr. Schmidt winking at them bother as reassurance that what they were doing was fine.

Bart and Remus went back to playing with the toys, waiting a full twenty minutes before the women came and collected their boys.

"Come along, Bart, you will see Remus next month don't worry."

"But Mum-"

"No buts, young man."

Bart sighed and waved good bye to Remus.

"See you, Lupin."

"Okay, see you, Bart!" Remus smiled at Bart before looking up at his mother.

"I'm hungry."


Lupin Cottage

When the two of them got home it was about three in the afternoon; the snow had stopped falling and what they had managed to buy would last them a good small bit.

Remus skipped out into the snow, two bags in hand as he helped his mother carry the groceries inside. Most of the bags containing wrapping paper, decorations, and ingredients for treats. His bags contained a little bag and the gift for his father his mother helped him pick out; a nice, simple, pocket watch.

The young werewolf cub felt a little proud at picking out the little copper item, though in reality it was fully his mom's choice but he claimed it all for himself.

Halfway through carrying in the bags his mother had chased him off saying he couldn't be peaking at the rest.

That made Remus smile because he knew what was in them; and he knew where his presents were hidden. Later that night he was going to make it his personal mission to go find them.

His father came home around six, dinner in the process of finishing and looking tired as ever.

"Daddy!"

Lyall stopped and put down his brief case just in time to catch the little bullet of his son in a hug.

"Hey short stuff, how are you today?"

"Good, mummy and I went to the store and I looked for a gift for you, and I talked with a boy I met at Halloween, and now we are ready for Christmas…"

Remus was picked up and sat on a chair at the table. His father only picking up on a few words that he four year old was saying.

"…and me and Bart are going to see each other next month maybe, and I bought you a present and…"

Lyall gave a little frown at the mention of this new friend; his paranoia kicking in about people discovering his son was a werewolf kicking in. It was no secret that Remus was sometimes just talked without thinking, even if he quieted down since the bite when it came to people he knew he could tell them a whole tale in under a minute.

Hope came in a few seconds into the story about Remus' gift searching adventure and kissed his husband's cheek.

"Alright time for dinner, you can finish telling him the story later."

They all sat down and held hands, letting Remus say the small prayer before they dug into their food. Lyall giving his wife a look that just said they needed to talk later.


"He can't go see that boy, Hope. What are you thinking!?"

The words echoed up the stairs long passed ten when Remus was supposed to be sleeping. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to ignore what he was hearing.

"I am thinking that we can't keep him separated from the world like this just because of something that happens once a month, Lyall."

"You don't understand, you can't possibly understand what it means to be what he is!"

"Why because I am a stupid 'muggle' that doesn't understand the magic world like you do? Well guess what I do understand being a mother and I am not letting my baby live alone and in fear of himself forever. He needs friends."

He heard his father huff and his feet start to pace.

"That isn't the reason, the reason is when they find out what he is they will chase us out and he will be scarred more than just the one's he already has. Hope, they will fear him and they will hurt him if they find out."

"If, he doesn't have to tell and he can still live a normal life."

"We both know Remus, it will slip out eventually and soon word will spread through the village that a werewolf is nearby. We will have to flee in the dead of night, and then Remus would really, and truly be hidden from the world."

Remus pulled the pillow over his head and tried to block out what his mother and father were saying. That wouldn't happen, Bart was his friend he would never be scared of him.

But if his mother and father didn't want him to tell, then he wouldn't. He would just be Remus Lupin, four year old wizard nothing more.

A tear slipped down his face as the door to his room closed fully without him doing anything.

Maybe it would have been best if he just went to sleep when he should have instead of listening in on his parent's conversation.