THE BOY WHO LIVED- AND LIED:
Harry Potter, Or Harry Lupin?
Long known to the wizarding world as the boy who defeated You-Know-Who in infancy, now known to spread lies meant to undermine the Ministry in Dumbledore's favor- had shocked the world with the new revelation of true parentage- and Lycanthropy...
The article continued, but Remus had already balled his fists up in anger, crumpling the latest edition of the wizarding newspaper 'The Daily Prophet', in his grip. He saw red, tasted blood where he was biting the inside of his cheek. It was the very thing he had spent well over a decade trying to prevent- His son's name being dragged through the dirt. Association with a werewolf was bad enough- but to be the child of someone who is infected- it was almost a social death sentence.
Remus was thankful he was the first one awake, and had grabbed the copy of the paper off of Grimauld's front step before anyone else had even woken up. He felt as if he was shaking with his rage, and his mind began to race in hundreds of different directions. He wondered if he should take his son and run, or perhaps home school him, or transfer him to Beauxbatons, though the news would probably follow him there. There was always Castelobruxo in Brazil, but there was the issue of language barrier... Then there was always Ilvermorny, which Remus had actually visited before in his early twenties. Americans did not really care about Lycanthropy, or fame, for that matter. Remus shook his head. Running was not the answer, he knew this.
Remus flopped himself down heavily into one of the creaky old chairs in the kitchen and pressed his fingers into his temples, making an attempt to calm his nerves and gather his thoughts. He was so lost in thought that he jumped when there was a knock at the doorway. "Alright, dear?" Molly Weasley called, entering the room cautiously.
"Hmm." Remus grunted. "Not especially." He said, tossing the wad of newspaper over toward the older witch. Molly furrowed her brow and smoothed the pages out, then took a seat next to Remus.
"Oh." She said quietly. "Well- I guess we knew it was coming." She said, in an attempt to give some sort of comfort. Remus nodded slightly, he had to give her that point. They all knew that when he went to the Ministry to change Harry's custodial situation that word would spread. Harry felt that leaving his name as-is would be best, simply because he was more used to it and know by it, and Remus was fine with the decision. He was mostly just grateful to have this relationship budding.
"I can't imagine how much the others at Hogwarts will be after him thanks to that..." He said, nodding toward the paper, gathering his thoughts. "Especially the Slytherins. They can be so merciless." He sighed.
"It cannot be worse than the time they all thought I was the heir of Slytherin and wanted to murder them..." Harry said, coming into the kitchen and taking the seat between Remus and Molly.
"Harry." Remus sighed again, closing his eyes. Harry and Molly both couldn't help but note how much in pain he looked.
"Dad?" Harry answered sincerely. Remus couldn't help the small smile that broke through just hearing his son address him as such after so many years, but it did not ease his mind.
"I'm-" He paused, then opened his eyes and looked over his son, who's hair had lightened to be almost the exact shade of his own, his face a bit longer and jaw more square. He still looked a bit like himself, but it was obvious there had been some changes. He still bore Lily's brilliant, glowing green eyes. Remus swallowed his emotions and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry."
"For?" Harry wondered.
"Everything." Remus snorted, knowing that Harry was still hurting, but had made a resolution to try and have a regular relationship with his father. "For this. For the torture that is coming from your classmates this year. For putting you through so much, and for letting you be alone for so much..."
"I could say something along the lines of 'its alright' but I think we both know better than that. It is what it is, and we can only go forward. I forgive what was done, because I now have a better understanding of why." Harry said. Molly looked as if she might tear up, and she fanned her eyes a bit.
"Oh, Harry, dear," She cooed, "That was so well said."
"So you're not worried about going to school?" Remus questioned.
"Well-"
"I mean, I can transfer you. Or Molly and I could give you a right decent home schooling between the two of us, if you'd rather." He offered, but Harry simply shook his head.
"Its best just to face the music. I mean- Let's see..."Harry paused, then help up a finger, "I was famous for simply being at school, 'Boy-Who-Lived' and all that, then there was 'Oh, Harry is the heir of Slytherin', then there was 'Oh, Sirius Black wants to kills us all to get to Harry', then came 'Harry is the fourth champion in a contest written for three, he must have cheated' and that had so much with it..." He continued, holding up another finger as he spoke about his school years. "So far this summer its just been 'Harry Potter- The boy who lies', and I think I rather like this new one." He smiled slightly. "I saw the paper. Hermione has a subscription. Came directly to her bedroom window via owl." He explained.
"If you're sure." Remus agreed. "But know that the offer stands."
"I'll be fine. This is nothing, comparatively. Technically speaking, it isn't even my scandal. It's yours." He joked, and laughed.
"Boy has you there, Remus." Molly agreed. "I'll leave you boys to talk. Everyone else will be up soon, and they'll be hungry..."
As she exited the room, Remus tried to think of what was left to say. There was so much brewing in his mind he desperately wanted Harry to know, and no way as of yet that he had found which allowed him to make sense of it all enough to share. Harry, however, seemed to be in grasp of his situation.
"Dad?" He said quietly, almost shyly.
"Hmm." Remus hummed, blinking a few times so he could clear his mind and give his total attention to the teen.
"Its just another one of those things." He said sincerely. Remus smiled.
"How'd you get so smart?" He ask, fondly chuckling to himself.
The knock on the door made Remus jump. Very few people knew where this flat even was, and even fewer ever came to visit. He did not move at first, given the state of the world, and the state of the community in which he lived. He waited a moment, listening, perfectly still. The knocking only became more urgent; but then, a voice.
'Come on, Rem. Open up. I know you're home.'
Lily. It was only Lily.
Remus let out the breath he'd be holding and crossed the distance between what could half way be called a kitchen to the front door of his small, warn down flat. Hand on the door, he peaked out the peephole, and saw the redheaded witch on the other side looked distressed.
'Password?' he questioned.
'Peppermint Pipe Tobacco.' she replied with a roll of her bright green eyes, which he noticed where a bit red around the outside and swollen, too. He quickly opened the door and closed it just as fast once she was inside.
'Are you okay?' he ask, looking her over. She stood just inside the doorway, eyes on the floor, arms crossed across her chest tightly, almost as if she were cold.
'I think, maybe, I will be.' She answered honestly.'Eventually, anyway.'
'What's wrong?' Remus ask, hesitating to touch her. He'd refrained from any sort of physical contact with her since she started her relationship with James, even the friendliest of gestures. He found it to be too painful, but as she was doing what truly was best for her to be with him, and he could give her so much more than Remus, he smiled, kept his friendships. He longed to comfort her, but he simply gestured over to the couch by the window, where she sat down and curled her arms around her abdomen, still not looking up.
'I have some things to tell you.' Lily blurted all at once. Remus took a seat beside her- keeping his distance. He was quiet, waiting, he could tell she was scared.
'Okay?' He all but whispered, not sure how to handle her in how she was acting.
'Rem-' She looked up and closed her eyes tightly, a tear sliding down her cheek. She wiped her face clear with her left hand and Remus saw the large diamond on her finger.
'Congratulations, Lily.' Remus said softly, trying very hard to sound excited for her.
'Its more complicated than that, Remus.' She snapped at him, and he scooted slightly farther away from her.
'Sorry?' He tried to apologize.
'I'm pregnant.' She said all at once, very matter-of-factually. She sounded neither happy nor upset by this statement, it was almost as if she were reporting the weather.
'Oh. Cong-' He started to say again, but she spoke over him.
'Its not James' baby.' She said, finally meeting his eyes. Remus felt sick. It was as if a large stone hit in the pit of his gut, and dizziness set in. He gripped the arm of the couch so hard his knuckles began to turn white.
Silence fell, so thick that it was almost suffocating. But Lily had been friends with Remus for nearly a decade now, and she knew sometimes he needed a few moments to process when news was give to him.
'Does he know-' Remus tried to ask, but again, Lily cut him off.
'Of course he does. I'm farther along than it is possible to be his.' She answered.
'Doesn't seem like he minds...' Remus said, nodding to her new engagement ring.
'No.' She nodded.
'So why even tell me at all?' Remus ask. He felt his ears growing hot from the anger rising in his chest. He fought with all his might not to show the pain or the fury he was feeling.
'Its your baby. I thought you might want some sort of... I don't know? Input?" She replied harshly.
'Alright. It very well may be a little beast and you put your life at risk by keeping it, if it this is what you intend to do. Which it seems as if it is, just putting together the pieces. I can't really tell you either way.' Remus spoke then pulled a bit of his cheek in between his teeth and bit on it.
'Remus, you know there is no documented case of-' Lily tried to remind him, where they had learned in care for magical creatures class that no known full werewolves had ever been born, only bitten. Though many children had symptoms and a few even grew up with the ability to shift into a wolf at will, like an animagus.
'Then what of the Ministry?' Remus ask, his voice raising now.
'That's where this came in...' She answered.
'Why are you here, Lily? Do you want, what? My permission? Blessing?'
'I just- Needed you to know, I guess...' She looked as if she were about to burst into sobs, and Remus felt his own hot tears rolling down his face. 'James thought it would be better if you knew, too.'
'Okay. Now I know.' He spat back.
'Rem, please.' She reached for him and he recoiled, standing and pacing a bit away.
'How do you plan to hide it?' He ask, his back to the witch.
'Blood magic.' She answered.
'You've really thought this through. How long have you known?' He questioned. He tilted his head up, letting tears fall, but keeping his back to her.
'A little over a week. I'm nearly to the second trimester now...'
'Explains why you two have such an elaborate plan.' He moved suddenly, making Lily jump at how quickly he moved. He opened a cabinet in his kitchenette, taking out a small potion vial and knife. He sliced his palm with a small hiss of pain, and dripped his dark maroon blood into it, then sealed the wound with his wand. He corked the vial and put it in her hands.
'You'll need this, then.' He said, moving to open his front door.
'Remus, please.' Lily whimpered, crying. 'I didn't want this to hurt you.'
'No real way for it not to, is there?' He said sadly, but gave a small smile, gesturing her out of his home.
'I'll see you later, though?' She ask. Remus nodded and accepted the small hug she gave him. 'James thought it would be best if I told you alone, but we have a lot to talk about.'
'Right. I'll see you both soon.' He said, closing the door behind her. He waited, watching first out the peephole then his window until she disappeared around the street corner, before he broke down. He picked up a vase that had dead, dried flowers in it he'd simply neglected to change, and slung it as hard as he could against the wall, sending shards of glass shattering. He followed this by flipping the small table it had sat on. Then a chair. Then he punched at the wall and slid down it, choking on tears, gasping from the pain of what had just happened.
Remus gasp as he felt himself be gently shaken awake. He flailed and recoiled away from the hand on his shoulder, blinking into the very dimly lit room.
"Oi. Just me." He hear a voice call, and he rubbed his eyes to adjust them to the light, feeling they were wet with tears.
"Tonks?" He ask, feeling a bit self-conscious that she was in his room, where he was sleeping only in his pants.
"Indeed. You alright?" She ask softly, handing him a cold, damp cloth she had in her hand.
"Uh, yeah, why?" He asked, more harshly than he meant to in his state of waking. He took the cloth and wiped his face, then the back of his neck.
"You were having a nightmare, I think." She answered, still being more gentle and calm than he was used to seeing the colorful metamorphmagus. "I just got in, and I could hear you as I went down the hall. Shouting, crying." She accepted the cloth as he handed it back to her. "Want me to re-wet it or?" But Remus shook his head.
"Shouting?" He ask, embarrassed.
"Just. Like crying out. Not words, really. Just... Pain." She looked hurt for him, and she sat gingerly down on the very edge of his bed.
"Sorry." He mumbled.
"Why be sorry?" She asked, confused. He nodded to the clock.
"Because you should be sleeping. Its near three in the morning, and you've worked." He answered, pinching the bridge of his nose. His head was pounding.
"So was it?" She ask, tilting her head.
"Hmm?" He grunted.
"A bad dream." She answered, clarifying her own question.
"Bad memory." He answered, shortly. He hoped she didn't ask much more. He found her eyes searching him, and even hovering over the scarred bite that had infected him as a child, which was at the top of his left arm. "No, not that one. That stopped scarring me years ago." He answered her question before she could ask, and she looked away, her cheeks pink.
"Can I do anything else for you?" Tonks ask, "Tea? Warm milk?"
"No." He shook his head. "I'm okay. I've some dreamless sleep potion in my bathroom. Thank you." He said, pausing awkwardly.
"Well," She replied with a small, gentle smile, "I'm just down the hall, if there is something you can think of." She hesitated for a moment, then stood and walked out, clicking the door closed with a small 'good night'.
Remus flopped down into the pillows with a groan. He felt mortified that Tonks had heard his dreaming, and his chest still felt tight from reliving the memory of Lily, a dream he had a few times a year. He dug the heels of his hands into his eyes until he saw spots, then forced himself up. He walked over to the en-suite bathroom and turned on the sink, filling his hands with water. he splashed his face this way a few times, taking slow deep breaths, trying to calm down. Then, true to his word, he took a small vial of the dreamless sleep from the cabinet and downed it in one swallow before falling heavily back in bed.
As he drifted off, he couldn't help how his mind kept thinking of Tonks, her gentle but cautious touch, and her kindness. He slipped off to sleep with a smile.
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