Enjoy everyone! This chapter, we see more back history. Yes, it's a history lesson time!

Don't confuse Dark Ages with Lost Ages. Lost Ages are the unknown time before the recorded wizardling time. So it's like way back in the BC era. It's the era where animals and gods ruled the world. Kind of fantasy really.

Dark Age will be explained in this chapter, but they are like the mild stone for bad events in wizardling history.

I dedicate this chapter to the reviewers. Also I am working on my own web site, so stay tune for that.

Jaderising

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Chapter 16: In the Name of the Father

Year 1980-1981

Remus Lupin:

I saw him again, exactly thirty days later. It was August 31st 1980.

I felt his presence before he even breathed in the same air. His face was as I've remembered, his strong eyes and firm lips, straight nose and dark hair. His hair was dark, not a single gray hair. He looked remarkably fit for his age. He had the presence of a general, the general who commanded one's respect and authority. It was not the face of mad power hungry man the Daily Prophet had portrayed him to be. He looked regal. He looked brave.

Even the air shifted, when he was present. That how I knew he was there. I could feel the power resonating from him. I dropped the paper I was working on to the table, and stood shakily, facing him. My left hand shook slightly, my wand hand.

I wasn't afraid of him.

I was afraid of myself. Of what I might do. Of my answer.

"Tell me your answer," he didn't make small talk or nice greeting. He cut into the business at hand. His eyes focused on me. His wand neatly tucked into his strap. I wasn't afraid of him, for I wasn't afraid of facing death. Remember, I had already face death and had survived. I had known the worst of pains since I was young, and I wasn't concern about the pain of death.

"Will you join your father?" he asked evenly, "Will you help me rebuild the paradise?"

Paradise. It was an ironic word choice for his regime of terror and death.

Yet…

The prosecution against so called dark beasts in history was terrible, horrible and deathly. So many innocent people, dubbed the lost children of New Dark Age, were killed and imprisoned under the Ministry Rules. Most muggles remember WWII with the horror of Holocaust. Most wizards remember our last wizardling war called New Dark Age with the horror of Lost Children. The terms, Dark Ages were marked to represent the period of wizardling wars or events that were not the best of our history. Many historians have argued over the recent years that the Lost Ages should be marked with their own events of Dark Ages. For example, the persecution of Green Goblin by the coming of age Wizards, or the so called the year de horribles, when the term werewolf was created. But that's the on going debate for the scholars.

Our last war, not counting the present one against the Death Eaters, was called the New Dark Age, which was in late 18th century. For many years, centuries in fact, the dark beasts were controlled strictly. However, the New Dark Age occurred, when the group of vampires were captured and burned to death by the local wizards in Transylvania, whom believed the death of their cows to be the fault of the vampires. In fact, it was proven much later that it was the fault of a plague that makes the victim look as if he was drained of blood. After their death, the other vampires killings increased almost four hundred times all over the world. The Ministry had feared that they were much more organized and deathly than they had previously thought.

The things escalated when a lone Giant in Spain was stoned to death in the charge that the she had killed their local man. The call for giant control was in rage, and it had alienated many giants who had feared for their lives. Only few days after the vampire incident, the giants struck and decimated a small village.

The fear called for violence, and the violence called for war. Many of innocent people died.

Many wizards called for the effective control over all the dark beasts, and they were all captured and brought to a make shift prison camp. Goblins, giants, vampires, werewolves, ghouls, you name it, they were there. Even the Fairies were accused of kidnapping children during the night, and they were not even considered dark beast before. The prisoners were called the Lost Children, because most of the them were children and young adults. They were turned in by their parents, families, friends, etc.

The New Dark Age ended with the victory for the Ministry after eleven years. Giants were all but disappeared into the deep mountains, and the vampires were all but gone. One historian argued that the modern vampires were created by a lone survivor, Marius, from that era. But that's again for the scholars to prove. Werewolves survived through hiding and running. The others, same story. And Fairies became a myth to tell children. Remember Tooth Fairies? Nobody has seen them in centuries. Now the parents are the one who takes the tooth away and leave the gold coin.

The prisoners?

All the prisoners were killed, or controlled as one textbook stated. They were called the Lost Children, because no prisoners lived. Their stories were hidden until this century. Unlike muggles, the wizards live long, hence the horrible events were in the dark for so long as well. After the death of Minister of History, the hidden documents were revealed. Their names, ages and species. And their dates of death.

It was a big scandal to horrors of many.

Of course, the Ministry has changed their policies over time since then, but did they really? There is no vampire relief organization to provide blood daily for the vampires. Nothing for the giant either. There is no dark beast work organization.

Of course there is a law that states the discriminating against anyone because of his/her affliction is morally and ethically banned. But no one takes the law seriously. It's hard to prove one's case against the court for the dark beast discrimination, when the person wants to keep his/her affliction quiet and in secret.

Will I join the one who will bring the system down? Will I join my kind?

It was no secret that many werewolves were joining the underground resistance against the Ministry. They believed in the new world, the paradise, where they no long had to hide in fear.

Yet…

What of muggles? What of half breeds? Wouldn't the new world be same, cruel and unjust as this one is to our kind?

It was a cycle. Going around and around. Hate calling for hate. Violence answered by violence. Revenge upon revenge.

"The answer," I told him, "The answer is…" I was losing my conviction. My voice trembled as my hands began to shake again. It was a hard decision. I wanted to believe what I was doing was right. What I had stood for was right, but there was truth to what Voldemort said about the Ministry of Magic. It was not as perfect as I said it was.

It never was.

But Mr. Stafford told me long ago that a man has to keep his promise to be a man. It is his choice to make or break. I had made my choice what seems like a life time ago, when I returned to Hogwarts, to Sirius from San.

My beautiful San, my kind. I had made my choice to be a man. I was not a beast. I am a man. And I need to help the others see that, without violence, without blood shed. My friends did. They saw me as a man. And I believe the others could too, if they had only know more. The ignorance and fear drives the hate. If the others can only see that we do not mean harm, that we are not a dark beast… I had made my promise to the Ministry: To protect and serve until my dying day.

And I will.

"The answer is no." He visually flinched at my word. "The Ministry will change. The people will change. I-I cannot join you, for you also stand for what was wrong with the current system." I took a deep breath. "You will persecute so many other helpless creatures in the names of reform and revenge. What of muggles? What would you do to them? Don't you see? It will be an endless unrest and war-"

"But when the system is over thrown, there won't be any unrest or the war."

"Because you would have eliminated the problems? No muggles, no Ministry, no more revenge? You won't be satisfied. Your thirst for revenge won't be either. You won't bring her back. The revenge won't bring all those years back. She's gone. Don't you see?"

I knew that he didn't. But I had to try to convince him.

"Hate will never win, father."

Lord Voldemort:

My heart constricted at his word. My anger and frustration melted away for a second. He had called me father. I had waited sixteen years to hear him say that to me again.

His young voice used to ask me, "Father, father. Did you really talk to a snake?" His eyes eager and his little mouth open with glee. And usually, his mother would say, "Don't scare him with tall tales. He might even try to find a snake on his own. Don't give him ideas, Tom. I mean it. You know he loves animals." And I would usually wink and with hushed voice told him anyway. And Beatrice was right. He did love animals. He told me he had a friend on the moon. A bunny rabbit, he said. And it was on the bunny night that a beast bit my son.

Remus Jeremiah Riddle.

My son. He had gone out, alone. Soviet Union was a cold country. Colder than when it was called Russia and now back again. His mother and I knew he was smart the moment he was born. The old midwife had cried in Russian with glee when she held my son. "Look," she said, "Look at your son."

"Why? Is something wrong with him?" I had asked anxiously, not really listening, but frantically checking his fingers and toes. "What's wrong with him, woman?"

"No, no." She cried and muttered, "Stupid English man. Does every man go stupid, when woman gives birth? Look at his eyes. They are open."

And so he had. A new born baby and he was already taking in his surroundings and studying them. "He has your eyes, Thomas," Beatrice said faintly, exhausted smile on her face. "Isn't he beautiful?"

Yes, he was. He was beautiful like his mother. His bone was delicately lined, his hair was baby blonde, which I was sure would darken with age. However when I met his eyes, they were my eyes, they were my mother's eyes. "Hello," I whispered, giving my finger for him to hold on to. "Hello, Remus. I am your father." He had acknowledged me, because he started to cry. Again after another frantic scolding from the midwife, I was able to calm down enough to see it was natural.

Remus was smart. His magic, strong. He could make things, sounds, when he was still a baby. And when he was four years old, he was smart enough to dress warm before going outside in the freezing temperature of the full moon night. His layers of clothes had been the only thing that had saved him from death.

That and his scream.

The ghost of his scream could still be heard in my mind. That and his mother's dying wish.

I knew I should have gotten him out of that school when I had the chance, and now he is far too brainwashed with the system and people. I hoped to he would see the light of my effort. I had gotten him to acknowledge his identity. I know that I was getting to his layered resistance, build up by his years living with the enemies. All I needed was a little more time, and he would understand, he will know and he will support my new world.

All he needed was a little push.

I said, "Imperio."

Lily Evans:

One by one, the member of the Order of Phoenix fell. Their bodies mangled without recognition, drowned with their bodies burnt, survived without their minds. It was terrible. The joy of Harry's birth lasted only a week. The month of August was the most horrible of all the months we had suffered.

My own father passed away with sudden heart failure, followed closely by my sweet mother, who never woke up from the shock. Yes, the month of August was dark. I hated the sun, for how strong it shown brightly, when the life was so dark and utterly hopeless. I didn't notice any changes in Remus, for I was preoccupied by the new addition to our small family.

The year 1981 came by so quickly. The world that we had grown up was falling apart. James was always away, as did Sirius and Peter. I wished I could say I saw Remus, but he was gone too. When I did see him, he seemed troubled. If I had the mind to think properly, I would have known instantly that something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Peter Pettigrew:

The rumor had it, the dark lord had a werewolf for a spy in England. I am not sure if it was a made up propaganda for the other werewolves to feel important or was true. Dark lord had many safe houses around the world and many more spies, which means not even a top ranking death eater like me would know the truth from the rumor.

As an auror, I was assigned with Daniel Jones in Ireland. Close to James and Sirius, but not too close. We would see each other time to time at the local pub like we used to, and drink butter beers to remember the better days. Only missing member of the marauders was Remus the Red face Lupin, but Daniel Jones was there, and that was that.

Beside, Sirius was not too keen on talking about Remus, judged by his mood whenever his name was mentioned. I do believe Sirius is thinking of spies. He told me so himself one night after drinking too much. Who would have thought, he of all people would think Remus was a spy?

Remus, the honest to Merlin, Lupin? A spy? It's laughable. Remus would rather die than hurt any of us, that I know, for I have spied on Remus many times. If Dark Lord was interested in our dear werewolf friend, I would have known it first.

Sirius Black:

"Will you stop pacing? You are making me dizzy trying to see you properly." James grumbled, yet had a time to make funny faces toward his baby son, Harry.

"I can't help it. He should have been back by yesterday for sure. He promised me to be back to transform here by full moon. Where could he be? Russia? Switzerland? America? I don't even fucking know where he is!"

I kept on pacing to and fro in front of James. "What if he had never came home to transform for all these months? I had not had a chance to check on him since he decided to continue his obsession! He's looking for people, who might, I have to say might know about his past and might know about his parents. It's waste of time, James. It's only going to make him suffer more. Why can't he accept his life as it is now? What good would it do to find his parents, when they had obviously had given up on him themselves? Why does he have to do this now? He could wait until things get better, and then I could come with him."

"Now, are you listening to yourself? You can't be with his side whenever he goes out. He knows how to take care of himself, you know? Besides you have said you were fine with it. It's been what? Four months?"

I kept on pacing the room as if I did not hear his remark.

"He has every right to search for his past, Padfoot. He was taken away from them for bitten by a werewolf. His parents did not give up on him, the Ministry took him away from loving family. I don't know what I would do if Harry was ever taken away from Lily and I." James bounced Harry to air, making Harry to laugh out in delight. "And besides, you are too bloody busy to be with him now let alone do anything else."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I stopped pacing and stood still. After Harry was borned, I was always there for Remus, it was him, who never seemed to be there. Last year, I had been assigned to Ireland for extensive period of time. I was gone until the year had passed, and Remus decided to begin his dangerous search.

"You know exactly what I mean." James stared right back at me.

Frustrated, I took Harry from James, and started to make faces at him. "I don't know what's going on with Remus anymore, James." I paused as I looked back at, "He used to send me owls every week, but now I hardly get to see him, let alone hear from him."

"But you are the one who's too busy to go visit him for past months, whenever he is home. Be reasonable, Sirius."

I sighed heavily, "It's not like I wanted to stay away from him. You know how important my…"

"Yes, yes, your work. I know all about your work. It's mine too, but I find the time to stay with Lily and Harry, don't I? Did Remus say anything about it? Wait, forget it."

I suddenly stopped the pacing, and sat down next to them. My voice suddenly urgent and dark. "Yesterday I found something…something regarding Remus." My voice got James's attention.

"What is it?"

"There is a spy among us as Dumbledore said. Somebody close. Too bloody close in fact. And I can't help feeling that it could be someone we all love and trust."

Neither of us said anything. There were only sounds of Harry's baby coos. I slowly faced James to see his reaction.

"You can't mean…y-y-you aren't serious about…" When James started to stutter, it meant he was angry. But I was brooding; my face was hooded in dark. "I found letters, documents, and all the things I don't really understand, because they are in some foreign language. But I can read names, James. The names. They were hidden under Moony's old school trunk."

James stared at me with no emotion showing in his face. "I don't know if he really is going to places he really says he is going to. And you do know the risk he is taking. Everywhere he goes alone, he increases his chance for his encounters with death eaters. I know Moony. When he focuses on something, he doesn't see the negative effects. How can you be sure that he is not one of them? Imperius curse doesn't discriminate. Willingly or not, if he is…you…you can't risk that."

"I can't believe what you are saying about Remus. He's your…"

"I know what he is to me, but I am not so sure what I am to him. Or what you are to him. Or Lily, or Harry."

James took Harry back to his arms, cradling him gently. "I think you are paranoid and stressed out. I suggest you get some sleep. Other wise you will start accusing Peter of being one of them." James put Harry to his cradle, his voice disgusted. Caressing his son's messy hair, he said softly, "I know Remus. He would never, ever do anything to hurt anyone. You should know that, Sirius." James smiled bitterly, "If I fail to trust my best friends, then I should be as good as dead anyway."

He turned around to see me with my coat, readied to leave. "Get some rest, Padfoot. It's nearly Halloween; we should enjoy some autumn weather with clear minds. And don't you dare tell this to Lily. She would have your head for ever thinking that. Oh, and don't try to come trick or treating at my house. I know you wouldn't be able to find it. If the charm works and all."

"It will work. And Prongs," I said as I opened the door, "You give bad candies. Have you heard of name brand?" With that I left the house.

"Only to you." James muttered with a grin.

Remus Lupin:

I feel strange. But I don't know why.

I feel content to just sit here, but I don't see why.

It feels like a dream, but it's not.

I need to wake up.

I don't know where I am, but I am not missing.

No one's looking for me.

But someone's watching.

My father.

I need to wake up.

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tbc....

review! review! review!

Rena: I like the idea that Voldie is Remy's dear old dad too. I hope Voldie is more likeable after this chapter.

sugahcat: Really? everyone's in character? I am glad you think so! Too bad no Dumbledore or Snape's view on this chapter. I shall bring them back for next chapter.