Merry Christmas! Sorry it took so long to come out! I really ment to have
this chapter out soo long time ago...
~
Remus Lupin landed roughly on the snow covered ground. The fire faded and the red stars once again were gold. The swirling snow prevented him from seeing more then a few feet away but he somehow managed to get his bearings and sit down properly on the frosty ground. The clothing he wore was different then the other world's and more suited to the chilly weather.
The snow thinned after a few minutes of shivering in the freezing air and Remus was finally able to survey his surroundings. The large piles of snow warped what would have been a very familiar setting but he still somehow knew he had been here before.
A truck horn blared and Remus flung himself from the pathway (now correctly identified as a road) and the vehicle came barreling past. It shuddered to a stop only a few meters away and Remus slowly put his hand in his pocket to rest on the wand sitting inside.
A burly, mustached man climbed from the drivers seat of the truck. His grubby clothing and threadbare jacket stunk of spoiled beer and cigars even from such a distance away. He made his way to Remus - who sat unmoving on the sidewalk - and gave him a speculating look before glancing at the wizard's sleeve. Remus followed his example and was surprised to find a golden circle sewn into the rich material of his muggle cardigan.
The man chuckled. "So, a frogmaker. 'Nah wonder you decided to kip in the 'ighway! For a twinkling I thought 'yah were in trouble with the Mistress!" He spoke with a strong, kind accent, and reached down happily to bring the fallen wizard to his feet. "D'yah need a ride shomewhere? Us nonies and 'yahselves got tah' stick tah'gether nowadays. Things just ain't the same wit' dat Whoz-'Is-Name roamin' round, ain't they?" He was extremely friendly, speaking just fast enough to allow for none of Remus' speech attempts.
"Nonies?" Remus asked, thoroughly confused at the slang term. "Frogmaker? Who has been roaming around?"
The man chuckled again. "Nonies! 'Yah know," He gestured at the pink triangle sewn onto his sleeve. "Folk likes myself wit' no magick tah' speak 'a. I think 'yah lot call us moogles or shomething 'a that sort," He glanced around as if not wanting anyone to over hear the next bit. "An' don't tell me you ain't never 'eard 'a 'Voldemort'! The 'ole bloody 'world' is a'feared of 'im. Nonie and frogmaker alike!"
"You're a 'muggle'?" The realization hit Remus like a ton of bricks. He staggered backwards in disbelief. "But - but how do 'you' know about You- Know-Who?"
"'Ow could I not 'ear?" The trucker asked with another suspicious look towards Remus' coat sleeve. "Wit' ever'one gettin' all riled up 'bout 'im. The world's in a fright," He began to slowly back away, heading towards his car. He now seemed sure that Remus was up to no good, pretending not to know the Dark Lord.
Remus lifted a hand to reach out to the man, to reassure him that he was not evil. He was startled however and the man jumped into his truck, speeding away quickly, leaving Remus to stare hauntingly after it.
He stood in silence for a moment as the man's words registered in his brain. "Circe, I've gone and trashed the whole world," His words echoed in disbelief as he once again sunk to the ground. "Merlin, what have I done?"
~
Hours later Remus stood on the step of a large two-story house. It was a pale cream and had Christmas decorations hung on the walls and windows. It was inviting and yet he would not enter.
He had searched his pockets earlier that day, concluding that since this was a different world he would most likely live somewhere other then where he was familiar. The search was successful although he had found many duds. A small, used but empty envelope was tucked into the front pocket of his jacket. Luckily, he was the receiver as so quickly memorized the address written upon it. Try as he might the sender was unrecognizable.
The house lay in a small valley rather near, he remembered, Godric's Hollow. Where the Potter's had lived so long ago. A ring of keys was also included in his pockets but he could not bring himself to use them, he had no desire to know what lie behind the wreathed door.
He had barely decided to leave when a small face appeared at the window, peering straight into the eyes of the wizard. The door was flung open, leaving Remus to stare, shocked, into the eyes of a small, dark featured, 'very' angry girl.
"Where 'have' you been?" The young girl trilled sharply knitting her brows. She vaguely reminded Remus of the mother he had known so long ago. "You were told to be home 'hours' ago!" She turned, yelling into the room beyond. "Mum! Daddy's home! You'd better get in here," The last comment was directed at Remus. "You know she doesn't like the cold and it costs enough to heat the house already."
The girl took his coat sleeve in her hand and pulled him into the adjoining kitchen. A small golden-skinned woman bustled from the pantry which she had been cleaning, taking a firm stance not two feet away from the - very surprised - Remus. Her dark eyes snapped angrily at her husband as she wiped her dainty hands pertly on her apron. The girl left, closing the door to the room tightly, somehow knowing what would follow and not wanting a part in it.
"Where have you been?" The woman asked in a voice as cold as frost. Remus winced, somehow knowing that yelling was to follow. "I told you to be here SIX BLOODY HOURS AGO! You have COMPLETELY RUINED OUR CHRISTMAS DINNER!"
She stopped, her breathing ragged. She shut her eyes and mouth tightly. It seemed to help vanquish her anger and she visibly calmed. "Remus we have a 'daughter'. She is twelve years old, if you don't begin taking an interest in her life she is going to go bad."
"But-" Remus, as confused as he was, began to explain that he didn't 'have' a daughter. He was quickly interrupted by the woman claiming to be his wife.
"No, you have to understand this! She isn't a dog who's head you can pat once a week! She is not going to be happy with that! I understand you, I know what I got myself into when I married you, for Merlin's sake I 'chose you'. Speranza did not choose you, she is here only because we decided to have a child."
"Wha-?" He once again tried before quickly being cut off.
"No, you just refuse to understand! You are never here. Did you know Speranza spent the entire night crying after you missed her birthday party? She was seven, Remus, she didn't understand that her daddy 'couldn't come home' from work that day. You're always either 'working late' or out with those idiotic friends of yours," She raised a hand to her eye, wiping away the beginnings of a tear. "She loves you. But she would love you even more if you could just once be on time for an appointment or remember to come to a piano recital. You're her hero but she thinks you don't like her. And you know what, it is very easy to think that when you 'forget' birthdays and special events."
She reached up again, wiping more tears from her face as Remus stood frozen. "I'm going to leave in a moment Remus. I'll be back later and I hope by the time I return you will have found what you've done wrong. But then, you never have before," She pulled the strings on her apron and turned to hang it on the stove. "And don't bother apologizing to me. It's your daughter who needs you."
The conversation seemed to be finished and the woman (who claimed to be his wife) left the house with the girl less then a minute later. She claimed that Remus 'needed time alone to think about what he had done'.
Remus was forced to sink into a chair in shock. This world was different, very different. He had a wife, a daughter, and an expensive house (which most likely meant a good job as well). The only things he lacked were what, in the other world, he held in abundance. Respect for others, love for family and a world safe from harm. Given the choice between worlds he would always choose the latter.
Always, except for the fact that in this world he had never been bitten.
~
He knew what he had to do.
If there was one person who could help him out and explain what had gone on in this life it was Sirius. Sirius had always been his best friend, James and Peter had been there as well but Sirius was the main guy. Hopefully he wasn't still in Azkaban.
His wallet held no address of his friend but Remus was sure that was because he knew it by heart anyway. Grabbing the muggle phone book he flipped to the B's. The lists seemed much shorter then he remembered but he put it down to migration.
There was only one Black, S. and ironically he lived only a few blocks from the house Remus stood in. He walked quickly to the door, grabbing a pair of keys laying on the kitchen table, assuming they would let him back in, and locked the house.
The walk between homes took longer then it seemed to need. Remus was stopped regularly by children and adults alike, begging the passerby for change. More people then he remembered roamed the streets, especially for a rural area.
He shrugged, maybe something was happening here today.
Remus glanced down at the ragged slip of paper, clutched in a tightly closed fist. 17 Knight Haven Boulevard. He was at number 12, only five more to go. He shivered and nervousness swept through him, although he couldn't figure why. Sirius would be there, wouldn't he? How many S. Black's could there be?
He stopped a moment later, finally finding where he was suppose to be.
The house was marked with brass numbers, standing out nicely against the brown paint. A glossy black motorbike stood in the driveway. Remus smiled, Sirius never had been able to keep his hands off those things. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, before trudging determinedly up the driveway, past the motorbike and onto the stone steps. The door was adorned with mistletoe and a large decorative wreath. It looked a bit too family-like for Sirius, but then, you never knew with him. Remus raised a shaking hand to grip the knocker and almost laughed at the absurdity of the entire feeling.
Sirius was one of his oldest friends! Why should he be afraid to face him? Sure this was a different world. It didn't mean that much had changed, the only difference should have been that he wasn't a werewolf.
Remus frowned suddenly. But he had wife and child as well, why should he be married if all that had changed was that he didn't run away as a child? Sirius would still be his friend... right?
Before he could knock the door was flung open. A man stood, turned around, chatting happily with someone in the next room. His black hair was irregularly short and his clothing was different then Remus remembered but it was definitely Sirius. He had not yet noticed his old friend at the door, and kept on with his conversation.
"I told him it was a bad idea, but what kind of kid listens to his dad? We taking the bike? We'd better hurry," He turned towards the door. "Poor guy probably has five-" He stopped, noticing Remus. He cocked an eyebrow.
"Five what, Sirius?" A chuckling male voice came from the other room. "And you did 'not' warn him that those products would go off by themselves. It would serve you right if he had been setting them up in a muggle area."
Remus blinked, that voice was awfully familiar.
"Hold on a second," Sirius said, holding up his index finger and yelling into the other room. "Oi, James, get in here."
He blinked again. 'James'? It couldn't be...
"Hmm?" The other man came barreling into the entry, rummaging absentmindedly through his jacket pockets. "What'da need Sirius?" He looked up and Remus was shocked to see that it was in fact, James Potter. The same James that was suppose to be dead.
"Well," Began James. "You've got a lot of nerve coming round here."
"Now James, be nice," Sirius scolded, meanly. "Maybe he needs help with something and finally came to apologize."
"So?" James went on when Remus didn't speak. "What is it? What could you want from little old us?"
"James?" Remus finally whispered in an awestruck voice. "Wha-? How-?"
Remus realized that the two were not going to speak. They stared at him with eyes full of hatred. What had happened between them to make them feel as such?
"What's wrong?" He asked. "Can I come in? Something really strange just happened and since you two are my best friends I thought-"
"Best friends?" He was interrupted by a harsh laugh. The men exchanged a glance before turning with a cruel smile back to Remus. "You must be joking."
Sirius reached out to close the door but Remus flung out a desperate hand to stop him.
"Don't you remember?" He asked pleadingly. "We were all in Hogwarts together, Gryffindors, animagi, Marauders. What's wrong with you?"
"Sorry, Lupin but we were never friends with you." The door was forced shut against Remus' will. He could hear the two laughing behind it. A voice rose up and he was able to hear the last few words over his desperation.
"Doesn't he remember? He was a Slytherin."
~
Hmm, so, James and Sirius were never Remus' friends, he has a wife and daughter that for some reason aren't too fond of him and the muggles know about Voldie... Dun dun dun.
Did I lose anyone? I hope it doesn't seem too choppy. Lol, I re-read the part where Anne (Remus' wife) was yelling at him and was surprised to find how much it's like that scene in the movie 'Jack Frost'. I haven't seen that in years but somehow the part of my brain that writes stories remembered it... I had a great monolouge for her but I left the computer for a while and my dad accidently deleted it without saving. Grrr. Oh well. Thanks to my reviewers!
MysticWood
~
Remus Lupin landed roughly on the snow covered ground. The fire faded and the red stars once again were gold. The swirling snow prevented him from seeing more then a few feet away but he somehow managed to get his bearings and sit down properly on the frosty ground. The clothing he wore was different then the other world's and more suited to the chilly weather.
The snow thinned after a few minutes of shivering in the freezing air and Remus was finally able to survey his surroundings. The large piles of snow warped what would have been a very familiar setting but he still somehow knew he had been here before.
A truck horn blared and Remus flung himself from the pathway (now correctly identified as a road) and the vehicle came barreling past. It shuddered to a stop only a few meters away and Remus slowly put his hand in his pocket to rest on the wand sitting inside.
A burly, mustached man climbed from the drivers seat of the truck. His grubby clothing and threadbare jacket stunk of spoiled beer and cigars even from such a distance away. He made his way to Remus - who sat unmoving on the sidewalk - and gave him a speculating look before glancing at the wizard's sleeve. Remus followed his example and was surprised to find a golden circle sewn into the rich material of his muggle cardigan.
The man chuckled. "So, a frogmaker. 'Nah wonder you decided to kip in the 'ighway! For a twinkling I thought 'yah were in trouble with the Mistress!" He spoke with a strong, kind accent, and reached down happily to bring the fallen wizard to his feet. "D'yah need a ride shomewhere? Us nonies and 'yahselves got tah' stick tah'gether nowadays. Things just ain't the same wit' dat Whoz-'Is-Name roamin' round, ain't they?" He was extremely friendly, speaking just fast enough to allow for none of Remus' speech attempts.
"Nonies?" Remus asked, thoroughly confused at the slang term. "Frogmaker? Who has been roaming around?"
The man chuckled again. "Nonies! 'Yah know," He gestured at the pink triangle sewn onto his sleeve. "Folk likes myself wit' no magick tah' speak 'a. I think 'yah lot call us moogles or shomething 'a that sort," He glanced around as if not wanting anyone to over hear the next bit. "An' don't tell me you ain't never 'eard 'a 'Voldemort'! The 'ole bloody 'world' is a'feared of 'im. Nonie and frogmaker alike!"
"You're a 'muggle'?" The realization hit Remus like a ton of bricks. He staggered backwards in disbelief. "But - but how do 'you' know about You- Know-Who?"
"'Ow could I not 'ear?" The trucker asked with another suspicious look towards Remus' coat sleeve. "Wit' ever'one gettin' all riled up 'bout 'im. The world's in a fright," He began to slowly back away, heading towards his car. He now seemed sure that Remus was up to no good, pretending not to know the Dark Lord.
Remus lifted a hand to reach out to the man, to reassure him that he was not evil. He was startled however and the man jumped into his truck, speeding away quickly, leaving Remus to stare hauntingly after it.
He stood in silence for a moment as the man's words registered in his brain. "Circe, I've gone and trashed the whole world," His words echoed in disbelief as he once again sunk to the ground. "Merlin, what have I done?"
~
Hours later Remus stood on the step of a large two-story house. It was a pale cream and had Christmas decorations hung on the walls and windows. It was inviting and yet he would not enter.
He had searched his pockets earlier that day, concluding that since this was a different world he would most likely live somewhere other then where he was familiar. The search was successful although he had found many duds. A small, used but empty envelope was tucked into the front pocket of his jacket. Luckily, he was the receiver as so quickly memorized the address written upon it. Try as he might the sender was unrecognizable.
The house lay in a small valley rather near, he remembered, Godric's Hollow. Where the Potter's had lived so long ago. A ring of keys was also included in his pockets but he could not bring himself to use them, he had no desire to know what lie behind the wreathed door.
He had barely decided to leave when a small face appeared at the window, peering straight into the eyes of the wizard. The door was flung open, leaving Remus to stare, shocked, into the eyes of a small, dark featured, 'very' angry girl.
"Where 'have' you been?" The young girl trilled sharply knitting her brows. She vaguely reminded Remus of the mother he had known so long ago. "You were told to be home 'hours' ago!" She turned, yelling into the room beyond. "Mum! Daddy's home! You'd better get in here," The last comment was directed at Remus. "You know she doesn't like the cold and it costs enough to heat the house already."
The girl took his coat sleeve in her hand and pulled him into the adjoining kitchen. A small golden-skinned woman bustled from the pantry which she had been cleaning, taking a firm stance not two feet away from the - very surprised - Remus. Her dark eyes snapped angrily at her husband as she wiped her dainty hands pertly on her apron. The girl left, closing the door to the room tightly, somehow knowing what would follow and not wanting a part in it.
"Where have you been?" The woman asked in a voice as cold as frost. Remus winced, somehow knowing that yelling was to follow. "I told you to be here SIX BLOODY HOURS AGO! You have COMPLETELY RUINED OUR CHRISTMAS DINNER!"
She stopped, her breathing ragged. She shut her eyes and mouth tightly. It seemed to help vanquish her anger and she visibly calmed. "Remus we have a 'daughter'. She is twelve years old, if you don't begin taking an interest in her life she is going to go bad."
"But-" Remus, as confused as he was, began to explain that he didn't 'have' a daughter. He was quickly interrupted by the woman claiming to be his wife.
"No, you have to understand this! She isn't a dog who's head you can pat once a week! She is not going to be happy with that! I understand you, I know what I got myself into when I married you, for Merlin's sake I 'chose you'. Speranza did not choose you, she is here only because we decided to have a child."
"Wha-?" He once again tried before quickly being cut off.
"No, you just refuse to understand! You are never here. Did you know Speranza spent the entire night crying after you missed her birthday party? She was seven, Remus, she didn't understand that her daddy 'couldn't come home' from work that day. You're always either 'working late' or out with those idiotic friends of yours," She raised a hand to her eye, wiping away the beginnings of a tear. "She loves you. But she would love you even more if you could just once be on time for an appointment or remember to come to a piano recital. You're her hero but she thinks you don't like her. And you know what, it is very easy to think that when you 'forget' birthdays and special events."
She reached up again, wiping more tears from her face as Remus stood frozen. "I'm going to leave in a moment Remus. I'll be back later and I hope by the time I return you will have found what you've done wrong. But then, you never have before," She pulled the strings on her apron and turned to hang it on the stove. "And don't bother apologizing to me. It's your daughter who needs you."
The conversation seemed to be finished and the woman (who claimed to be his wife) left the house with the girl less then a minute later. She claimed that Remus 'needed time alone to think about what he had done'.
Remus was forced to sink into a chair in shock. This world was different, very different. He had a wife, a daughter, and an expensive house (which most likely meant a good job as well). The only things he lacked were what, in the other world, he held in abundance. Respect for others, love for family and a world safe from harm. Given the choice between worlds he would always choose the latter.
Always, except for the fact that in this world he had never been bitten.
~
He knew what he had to do.
If there was one person who could help him out and explain what had gone on in this life it was Sirius. Sirius had always been his best friend, James and Peter had been there as well but Sirius was the main guy. Hopefully he wasn't still in Azkaban.
His wallet held no address of his friend but Remus was sure that was because he knew it by heart anyway. Grabbing the muggle phone book he flipped to the B's. The lists seemed much shorter then he remembered but he put it down to migration.
There was only one Black, S. and ironically he lived only a few blocks from the house Remus stood in. He walked quickly to the door, grabbing a pair of keys laying on the kitchen table, assuming they would let him back in, and locked the house.
The walk between homes took longer then it seemed to need. Remus was stopped regularly by children and adults alike, begging the passerby for change. More people then he remembered roamed the streets, especially for a rural area.
He shrugged, maybe something was happening here today.
Remus glanced down at the ragged slip of paper, clutched in a tightly closed fist. 17 Knight Haven Boulevard. He was at number 12, only five more to go. He shivered and nervousness swept through him, although he couldn't figure why. Sirius would be there, wouldn't he? How many S. Black's could there be?
He stopped a moment later, finally finding where he was suppose to be.
The house was marked with brass numbers, standing out nicely against the brown paint. A glossy black motorbike stood in the driveway. Remus smiled, Sirius never had been able to keep his hands off those things. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, before trudging determinedly up the driveway, past the motorbike and onto the stone steps. The door was adorned with mistletoe and a large decorative wreath. It looked a bit too family-like for Sirius, but then, you never knew with him. Remus raised a shaking hand to grip the knocker and almost laughed at the absurdity of the entire feeling.
Sirius was one of his oldest friends! Why should he be afraid to face him? Sure this was a different world. It didn't mean that much had changed, the only difference should have been that he wasn't a werewolf.
Remus frowned suddenly. But he had wife and child as well, why should he be married if all that had changed was that he didn't run away as a child? Sirius would still be his friend... right?
Before he could knock the door was flung open. A man stood, turned around, chatting happily with someone in the next room. His black hair was irregularly short and his clothing was different then Remus remembered but it was definitely Sirius. He had not yet noticed his old friend at the door, and kept on with his conversation.
"I told him it was a bad idea, but what kind of kid listens to his dad? We taking the bike? We'd better hurry," He turned towards the door. "Poor guy probably has five-" He stopped, noticing Remus. He cocked an eyebrow.
"Five what, Sirius?" A chuckling male voice came from the other room. "And you did 'not' warn him that those products would go off by themselves. It would serve you right if he had been setting them up in a muggle area."
Remus blinked, that voice was awfully familiar.
"Hold on a second," Sirius said, holding up his index finger and yelling into the other room. "Oi, James, get in here."
He blinked again. 'James'? It couldn't be...
"Hmm?" The other man came barreling into the entry, rummaging absentmindedly through his jacket pockets. "What'da need Sirius?" He looked up and Remus was shocked to see that it was in fact, James Potter. The same James that was suppose to be dead.
"Well," Began James. "You've got a lot of nerve coming round here."
"Now James, be nice," Sirius scolded, meanly. "Maybe he needs help with something and finally came to apologize."
"So?" James went on when Remus didn't speak. "What is it? What could you want from little old us?"
"James?" Remus finally whispered in an awestruck voice. "Wha-? How-?"
Remus realized that the two were not going to speak. They stared at him with eyes full of hatred. What had happened between them to make them feel as such?
"What's wrong?" He asked. "Can I come in? Something really strange just happened and since you two are my best friends I thought-"
"Best friends?" He was interrupted by a harsh laugh. The men exchanged a glance before turning with a cruel smile back to Remus. "You must be joking."
Sirius reached out to close the door but Remus flung out a desperate hand to stop him.
"Don't you remember?" He asked pleadingly. "We were all in Hogwarts together, Gryffindors, animagi, Marauders. What's wrong with you?"
"Sorry, Lupin but we were never friends with you." The door was forced shut against Remus' will. He could hear the two laughing behind it. A voice rose up and he was able to hear the last few words over his desperation.
"Doesn't he remember? He was a Slytherin."
~
Hmm, so, James and Sirius were never Remus' friends, he has a wife and daughter that for some reason aren't too fond of him and the muggles know about Voldie... Dun dun dun.
Did I lose anyone? I hope it doesn't seem too choppy. Lol, I re-read the part where Anne (Remus' wife) was yelling at him and was surprised to find how much it's like that scene in the movie 'Jack Frost'. I haven't seen that in years but somehow the part of my brain that writes stories remembered it... I had a great monolouge for her but I left the computer for a while and my dad accidently deleted it without saving. Grrr. Oh well. Thanks to my reviewers!
MysticWood