A tall, sandy haired young man, with his hand in his pockets and his
head hung low, starring at his feet shuffled slowly down Privet Drive. He
was handsome, tan and muscular. He would be considered quite good looking
on a normal day, not today though. He looked as if he hadn't slept in
weeks, never heard of a brush, and judging by his puffy red eyes, suffered
the greatest heartache one could ever feel. He was oblivious to the world
around him and completely unaware, that the young Mrs. Petunia Dursley was
peering out her blinds, focused on him. He spotted a small snowy owl
perched on the mailbox of house number 4.
"You just couldn't abandon him, huh? Obviously, I can't. I understand. Part of me wants to stay here and watch him. It is so easy to believe she's dead. But it is impossible, so I have to go. Elise is so little and her whole life depends on me finding her. Also I want to respect your wishes. So I am leaving now, and I guess I will see you in a few years. You have so much good in you Arabella; please stay that way." He said to the owl. Then he turned to walk away.
A baby cry could be heard coming from in the house. The man spun around on his heal, a look of terrified concern sweeping his tired face. He saw the blinds rustle. Lily's sister was watching him talk to the owl. Had he not been so sullen at the moment, the event would have been very comical. He had a hard time thinking anything would ever be funny again. He didn't want to live. It was a struggle to put one foot on front of the other. She was the only thing that kept him going. She was so tiny, and now that her parents were gone, she was his.
"Lily and James are gone. Sirius and Peter are gone. How could he have done it? I don't understand. Why didn't I know? They knew. Who are they? I can't think. How? Why? Why my friends? Lily and James have children to take care of? They did. Now I do. Well, one child." Tears were streaming down his face as he wondered out loud. H dropped to his knees in the middle of the road. "GOD, WHY??? Where is she? WHERE THE HELL IS ELISE?? If can't even find her, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE I RAISE HER?? This isn't fair." He shouted up to the sky.
Just then the owl glided over him and swooped down towards him, landing next to him. The owl grew upwards, transforming into and graceful young woman with waist length blonde hair. She kneeled beside him and stroked his arm consolingly.
"Bella." he whispered hoarsely. She draped her arms around his neck, hugging his body tightly to hers. He sobbed in to her shoulder, gasping for breath. He hated this. He didn't want to need comfort. But he did need it.
When he tears subsided Arabella pulled away. "I just wanted you to know that I will be staying with Harry indefinitely. Dumbledore asked me to watch him disguised an old muggle woman. I can't ever be seen in the wizarding again. I am scared, but I couldn't leave my best friend's child. Take care of yourself and Elise. I will see you around eventually. You will always have my love." She said to him, her voice strained and the tears the were welling up in her eyes, now poured out freely. She stood, took on her owl identity and ascended in to the sky.
The man raised to his feet, watched her fly away. He mumbled something and with a slight pop he disappeared and reappeared in an ally. He looked at his surroundings.
Diagon Alley. Why did I come here? I don't want to see anybody. He looked at the people starring at him, some whispering, others looked sympathetic. There are too many memories here. His mind was filled with images of the past. This is where we met Lily. And every summer after that we met her here. He remembered James dragging him and the traitor out here to look for and engagement ring. He chuckled slightly. Prongs, you were so excited; almost as excited as Lily when she came to look at the wedding robes. We watched her all day try them on just to decide she wanted the first one. Though nothing could match their joy when they told us Lily was pregnant. He smiled. Then he scowled as every single memory included the person who was responsibly for all of this. Suddenly the pain was overwhelming as he gazed at the people with their eyes fixed him. They all think I am crazy. He frowned. I probably am. His throat tightened.
He slipped into a small little corner behind a shop away form everyone. I should leave. I could go home and not have to hide. What is keeping me here? He leaned against the wall and breathed deeply. He kept seeing Elise's sweet face. I have to find her. She's out there alone and scared. If I go home I won't save her. But I can't take this. Maybe she is hidden at my house. They said I wouldn't really have to look. I leaving, this is too much. He couldn't seem to move though. He thought about it, but never physically could.
The tears began to run out his eyes again. He didn't wipe them away. It was too much effort. He slid down the wall, the whole time feeling very non masculine, but didn't really care. Everyone was gone. The only left was him. And Elise; wherever she was. He heard a cry that wasn't his own. Could it be.? Is that her behind the dumpster?
He stood up and started slowly to walk in the direction the cry came from. He began to jog and then sprint. He arrived at the other side of the dumpster. He looked down at a little girl about a year old, with little amounts of red hair, big green eyes and fair skin. Her fists were balled as she kicked and cried.
He let out a little yelp of joy as he bent to the child. "Elise, Elise." He wept as her small body conformed to his. He rocked her back and forth, finally she stopped fussing and lay still in his arms. He prepared to apparate home, start the beginning of his new life raising Lily and James' only daughter. The thought scared him. Who would have thought, he, Remus Lupin would be the sole guardian of a precious one year child. He definitely didn't. But time changes everything.
"You just couldn't abandon him, huh? Obviously, I can't. I understand. Part of me wants to stay here and watch him. It is so easy to believe she's dead. But it is impossible, so I have to go. Elise is so little and her whole life depends on me finding her. Also I want to respect your wishes. So I am leaving now, and I guess I will see you in a few years. You have so much good in you Arabella; please stay that way." He said to the owl. Then he turned to walk away.
A baby cry could be heard coming from in the house. The man spun around on his heal, a look of terrified concern sweeping his tired face. He saw the blinds rustle. Lily's sister was watching him talk to the owl. Had he not been so sullen at the moment, the event would have been very comical. He had a hard time thinking anything would ever be funny again. He didn't want to live. It was a struggle to put one foot on front of the other. She was the only thing that kept him going. She was so tiny, and now that her parents were gone, she was his.
"Lily and James are gone. Sirius and Peter are gone. How could he have done it? I don't understand. Why didn't I know? They knew. Who are they? I can't think. How? Why? Why my friends? Lily and James have children to take care of? They did. Now I do. Well, one child." Tears were streaming down his face as he wondered out loud. H dropped to his knees in the middle of the road. "GOD, WHY??? Where is she? WHERE THE HELL IS ELISE?? If can't even find her, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE I RAISE HER?? This isn't fair." He shouted up to the sky.
Just then the owl glided over him and swooped down towards him, landing next to him. The owl grew upwards, transforming into and graceful young woman with waist length blonde hair. She kneeled beside him and stroked his arm consolingly.
"Bella." he whispered hoarsely. She draped her arms around his neck, hugging his body tightly to hers. He sobbed in to her shoulder, gasping for breath. He hated this. He didn't want to need comfort. But he did need it.
When he tears subsided Arabella pulled away. "I just wanted you to know that I will be staying with Harry indefinitely. Dumbledore asked me to watch him disguised an old muggle woman. I can't ever be seen in the wizarding again. I am scared, but I couldn't leave my best friend's child. Take care of yourself and Elise. I will see you around eventually. You will always have my love." She said to him, her voice strained and the tears the were welling up in her eyes, now poured out freely. She stood, took on her owl identity and ascended in to the sky.
The man raised to his feet, watched her fly away. He mumbled something and with a slight pop he disappeared and reappeared in an ally. He looked at his surroundings.
Diagon Alley. Why did I come here? I don't want to see anybody. He looked at the people starring at him, some whispering, others looked sympathetic. There are too many memories here. His mind was filled with images of the past. This is where we met Lily. And every summer after that we met her here. He remembered James dragging him and the traitor out here to look for and engagement ring. He chuckled slightly. Prongs, you were so excited; almost as excited as Lily when she came to look at the wedding robes. We watched her all day try them on just to decide she wanted the first one. Though nothing could match their joy when they told us Lily was pregnant. He smiled. Then he scowled as every single memory included the person who was responsibly for all of this. Suddenly the pain was overwhelming as he gazed at the people with their eyes fixed him. They all think I am crazy. He frowned. I probably am. His throat tightened.
He slipped into a small little corner behind a shop away form everyone. I should leave. I could go home and not have to hide. What is keeping me here? He leaned against the wall and breathed deeply. He kept seeing Elise's sweet face. I have to find her. She's out there alone and scared. If I go home I won't save her. But I can't take this. Maybe she is hidden at my house. They said I wouldn't really have to look. I leaving, this is too much. He couldn't seem to move though. He thought about it, but never physically could.
The tears began to run out his eyes again. He didn't wipe them away. It was too much effort. He slid down the wall, the whole time feeling very non masculine, but didn't really care. Everyone was gone. The only left was him. And Elise; wherever she was. He heard a cry that wasn't his own. Could it be.? Is that her behind the dumpster?
He stood up and started slowly to walk in the direction the cry came from. He began to jog and then sprint. He arrived at the other side of the dumpster. He looked down at a little girl about a year old, with little amounts of red hair, big green eyes and fair skin. Her fists were balled as she kicked and cried.
He let out a little yelp of joy as he bent to the child. "Elise, Elise." He wept as her small body conformed to his. He rocked her back and forth, finally she stopped fussing and lay still in his arms. He prepared to apparate home, start the beginning of his new life raising Lily and James' only daughter. The thought scared him. Who would have thought, he, Remus Lupin would be the sole guardian of a precious one year child. He definitely didn't. But time changes everything.