DISCLAIMER: I own very little, anything you recognize belongs to Ms. Rowling.
AN: In this chapter things pick up a bit, and a few more canon characters make their first appearances.
Reviewer Responses:
Lucidity: Glad you like my Snape, he is possibly my favorite character in all of canon and I wanted to do him justice. Thanks!
Alice Dodgson: Again, glad you like my Snape. He is an awesome character, and I might give him a larger role in this fic, if he cooperates. Thanks for your advice, I really appreciate it. I think (hope) I figured out a good direction to go in.
Thanks to all who've read, and please review!!! Now, onto the fic!
Remus awoke that morning to a loud crash followed by Mrs. Black's shrill voice screaming at whomever might be listening ("How dare you disturb this house! You filthy, ragged," and more insults along those lines.). Stumbling out of bed, Remus quickly put on a pair of robes, grabbed his wand, and apparated to the ground floor.
Upon reaching the doorway, Remus relaxed considerably as he saw it was only Tonks (still sporting shocking pink hair), who had apparently apparated onto the first step and the floor, lost her balance, and crashed into the accursed umbrella stand.
"Morning, Tonks," he said, calmly putting his wand in his pocket and offering the clumsy witch a hand.
"More like afternoon, Remus," Tonks smiled as she dusted herself off. Remus frowned and looked at his watch, grimacing at the fact that he had overslept and it was now nearly half past one.
"Rough night?" commented Tonks, eyeing Remus's disheveled hair and unshaven face.
"More like a rough week," said Remus, trying in vain to flatten his hair. "So what are you here for?"
"Isn't that a lovely welcome?" she said and Remus, realizing what he had said was quite rude, opened his mouth to apologize, but Tonks waved him off and smiled. "I was just teasing, Lupin. You really are wiped out, aren't you? Anyway, I'm just here to pick up some stuff for the new Order headquarters. There are still a few items we have stowed away here that need to be moved."
After the battle at the Department of Mysteries, Dumbledore had decided that Grimmauld Place was no longer secure enough to be used as the Order's headquarters. It was still one of the safest places in the Wizarding World, but they couldn't risk Bellatrix or Narcissa finding some way around the Secret Keeper spell given their knowledge of the place, so they had moved to a remote castle on an abandoned rock in the Faeroe Islands. Remus suspected the castle was owned by the Dumbledore family, but nothing official had ever been said.
As it was, there had been a flurry of activity at Grimmauld Place during the past week, whilst the Order moved various documents and magical objects to the new HQ. Apparently, there were still a few things left at Remus's new place and, in the infinite wisdom of the Order, Tonks had been sent to retrieve them.
"Well, what are you looking for and where are they?" asked Remus with a yawn.
"It's the case of maps of Little Hangleton with all the charms on them. I think they're under the sink."
Sure enough, the cabinet under the sink yielded a sealed grey box which proved to contain the maps (charmed to reveal a scaled, 3-D model of the town when a certain incantation was said) they were looking for. Before Tonks could say good bye, Remus, lonely in the silent and depressing house, asked her to stay for a bite to eat. Never one to refuse free food or the company of a good friend, Tonks accepted and promptly plopped herself down at the table, an expectant look on her face.
Remus had never been an exceptional cook, and since the Black house had evidently been relieved of most of its provisions along with the Order's materials, the pair only had toast and tea. Although the meal was sparse, it did not seem to dim Tonks's spirits, as she talked cheerfully about nothing in particular, trying to cheer the clearly dispirited Remus up. Eventually though, Tonks noticed that her usual good humor wasn't working, and asked the werewolf what was bothering him.
At first Remus tried to convince her that nothing was wrong, but he had always been a terrible liar, and he ultimately told Tonks about his sister and Nott. After the depressing explanation, the two sat in an uncomfortable silence for several minutes before Tonks responded.
"That's really heavy, Remus," she said, in typical Tonks fashion. "So this Nott kid, your nephew, he'll be staying with you all summer, right?"
"Yes, that's what I understand of it."
"Well that's great!" she exclaimed, smiling at a now confused Remus.
"Great? How is that great?"
"Think about it, Remus, you'll have somebody else here in this dusty old place to keep you busy all summer. He'll keep your mind off more serious stuff. It'll do you good, as Molly would say. You worry too much about the war and stuff; you're going to give yourself a heart attack if you keep on this way."
"And you think having a potentially hostile teenager in my care for nearly two months will help me relax?" said Remus, eying Tonks incredulously. "Have you ever actually come in contact with any teenager? Let alone a potentially hostile one?"
"Don't be so sarcastic. You sound like Snape."
"Ouch. That was harsh."
"No, it was completely appropriate. You sounded just like the git. You even had a sneer going."
"Really?"
"No, I'm just giving you a hard time," Tonks grinned at him and he gave a small smile back. "Seriously, though, aren't you the least bit happy about this? I mean, you've found a long-lost relative, and maybe now, with his help, you'll be able get some closure for your sister."
"I've had closure for my sister for nearly seventeen years," replied Remus bitterly, closing his eyes and grimacing as if in pain. "I accepted my sister's death a long time ago. I've even got a headstone for her. I don't know if I want to find out what exactly happened to her, you know? I don't know if I want to know her son. This whole ordeal has just reopened a lot of old wounds."
"Oh, Remus," Tonks moved her hands to cover his, "I'm so sorry. I know this has to be hard on you, especially after what just happened with Sirius, but, for the kid's sake, try and be positive. And for your sake, as well. You can't go round moping and always looking on the dark side of things, you know? You'll end up a grumpy old man who shakes his cane at neighbor children by the time you're fifty."
"Thanks, Tonks, I'll remember that," said Remus grinning. The young Auror's words greatly reminded him of something Sirius would say. Why, just a few weeks ago, Sirius was teasing him about no, Remus stopped himself, even pleasant thoughts of his late friend were bound to lead the depressing memories of Sirius falling through that veil, and that was something he did not need to think about.
"You'll do well to," she tapped her wand absentmindedly against the case of maps, sending violent green sparks into the air around the table, upsetting Remus's teacup. "Oops, sorry about that Remus. Forgot about the sealing charms. I'll clean it up."
She raised her wand, intending to make the spilt tea vanish, but Remus quickly stopped her, "No, no, that's all right, I've got it," and, while Tonks faked an offended look, he cleaned the table with an expert spell.
"Really, Lupin, don't you trust me at all?"
"I trust you to disarm a Death Eater. Cleaning a kitchen table is a different story."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"I hadn't meant it otherwise."
"I'm sure. Anyway, Remus, I really have to be going. I'm supposed to pop over to the office today and help sort out some of the mess there, after I'm done at headquarters. On my day off, too," Tonks stood to leave, seizing the map case. "I'll see you later. Hopefully before the next Order meeting."
"Hopefully," replied Remus cordially as he escorted her up to the door.
"Floo when your nephew arrives," she said brightly when they reached the door. "I'll take you out to eat, seeing as there's nothing edible here."
"Good bye, Tonks," Remus sighed, smiling.
"Bye Remus," and with a loud crack she apparated away.
The noise of Tonks leaving roused Mrs. Black and she began cursing Remus and her gand-niece fluently. But even Sirius's mother's viciousness could not dull the good mood Tonks had put Remus in. She had brightened up what had become his normal routine since Sirius's death: moping and sulking about the dreary and lonesome house, perhaps reading some excessively boring and out-of-date academic periodical, and feeding Buckbeak dead rodents (the last bit being the highlight of Remus's day).
After he had silenced Mrs. Black, Remus decided to do something constructive for a change. He went up into the Black library, sat down at the ancient desk therein, and began writing a letter to Harry. Remus felt the need to be a bit more . . . familiar with the boy. While they had always been on friendly terms, Remus thought that they could be (and he probably should be, given his relationship with Lily and James), closer. His letter, while reminding Harry of the need to stay safe during the summer, was friendlier and, Remus hoped, would give Harry the impression that he could trust Remus in the same way he had trusted Sirius.
While Remus was chewing his quill and contemplating whether or not to tell Harry about Theodore, an owl appeared at the library window. It did not tap, but rather kept a safe distance from the warded window and eyed it warily. Laughing softly, Remus rose and opened the window, beckoning the owl to fly in safely. It timidly entered the library, landing gracefully on the desk and holding out its leg, offering Remus the letter attached to it.
Remus carefully detached the rolled parchment and nodded graciously to the owl as it flew away. He unrolled the letter and began to read:
Mr. Lupin,
This letter is to inform you that your nephew, Mr. Theodore Nott, has been located by members of the British Ministry Department Magical Law Enforcement: Missing Persons Division and the International Confederation of Wizards. He is currently at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries on the first floor in the Ketteridge Ward. Please, Floo or apparate this location as soon as possible to claim your nephew. If you do not wish to claim your nephew, please Floo or apparate to this location as soon as possible.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Mary G. Bekila
Assistant Undersecretary
International Confederation of Wizards (ICW)
Program for the Care and Protection of Magical Children (PCPMC)
At the bottom of the parchment there were the wax seals of the ICW and the PCPMC (often called P-MaC by newscasters and analysts on the WWN), the names of both bodies flashing magically every few seconds in different languages. Remus stared intensely at this seal for a few seconds as he pondered all the horrible reasons his sister's son might be in St. Mungo's and tried to remember the specific purpose of the Ketteridge Ward. When he couldn't recall that, he let the letter drop to and readied himself to apparate straight away to St. Mungo's.
Arriving there with a crack, Remus ignored the welcome witch, who made a half-hearted attempt at preventing him from entering the hospital's halls. When he finally reached the doorway of the Ketteridge Ward (Muggle Maladies and Injuries for Magical Beings), two nurses promptly accosted him in a manner only nurses can achieve.
"Sir, you can't come in here," ordered one standing in front of Remus and physically prevented him from entering.
"But I need to - " he began but the other nurse cut him off.
"If you are in need of medical attention, sir, please return to the front desk and state your malady or injury and then we will be able to help you. If not, please leave, sir, as this hospital is currently restricted to patients and those with official passes, on order of the ICW, sir."
"You're not listening to me!" Remus raised his voice, his usually calm demeanor leaving him. "I need to see my nephew. I received a letter from someone with the ICW saying I needed to be here."
"Mr. Lupin?" A feminine voice with a slight accent interrupted them and the pair of nurses backed off, allowing Remus to finally see into the ward. The voice belonged to an African witch wearing professional-looking pink robes, an ICW badge (just like the seal on Remus's letter) flashing on her lapel.
"That's right," replied Remus, suddenly self-conscious of his appearance in front of this proper and attractive witch. He realized that, in his hurry to leave, he still looked as he had when he greeted Tonks his hair a mess, his face unshaven, his shabby robes wrinkled and ill- fitting, and generally looking like he didn't have a roof over his head. Remus felt the heat in his face rising as the woman came over and shook his hand.
"I'm Undersecretary Bekila," she said, smiling genially at Remus. "I've been assigned by the ICW to control the crisis of orphaned and abandoned magical children in Britain. This includes your nephew, Theodore Nott."
"Yes, what's happened to him?" Remus asked, nervously looking around the ward.
"Happened? I thought you knew?" replied undersecretary Bekila, frowning at him in a confused manner. "His father has been arrested and you are his closest living relative, therefore you now have custody of him. You do wish to have custody of him, do you not? Because if you don't-."
"No, no, I want him, of course. And I know all about that," interrupted Remus bristly. "I meant why's he in hospital. Is he badly hurt?"
"Hurt?" repeated the witch befuddledly. "No, no, he is unharmed."
"Then why's he here?"
"Oh, of course!" she exclaimed, finally realizing the source of Remus's worry and confusion, and explained the situation to him. "We are using the hospital for a place to house the children, as there is nowhere else. Do you know that Wizarding Britain has no orphanages or proper facilities for children? It's really a travesty. So we've had to put the children up here for now, until such a place is established. We have ten children here now, ages seven to sixteen."
"Where are they?" asked Remus as he looked about the ward, seeing only a few curtained-off beds and no sign of any children.
"Most of them are eating in the hospital's cafeteria now," explained Ms. Bekila, walking down the aisle between the beds. "But a few are still here, including your nephew."
She stopped in front of one of the beds and Remus realized that this was it: behind that white linen curtain was his sister's son, his only hope at finding out her fate. He took a deep breath to prepare himself.
"Mr. Nott," said Ms. Bekila, in a slightly louder voice, trying to get the boy's attention. She even raised her hand as if to knock on the curtains. "Your uncle is here now. Can we see you?"
"I suppose you will whether I like it or not," came a voice muffled from behind the curtains. Remus swallowed and shot a worried glance at Ms. Bekila, noticing that his nephew did not seem pleased to see him.
"Mr. Nott has not been one of our more agreeable wards," said the undersecretary pointedly to Remus as she quickly pulled back the curtain, though it was obvious she meant for Theodore to hear it as well.
Remus was not altogether sure what to think of the sight before him. He didn't know what he had expected, but it wasn't this. Theodore Nott was sitting on the bed with his knees drawn up, a book resting on them. He didn't look at either Remus or Ms. Bekila, instead keeping his head down, reading. His face was hidden by a mop of sleek, dark hair. All in all, he was a rather ordinary looking boy, a bit on the thin side, but nothing exceptional about him. There was nothing to say he was the son of a Death Eater or the nephew of a werewolf. It was no wonder that Remus didn't remember him from Hogwarts, he looked like dozens of other schoolchildren.
"Theodore," said the undersecretary kindly, "this is your uncle, Remus Lupin. He's here to take you home."
"Hello," Remus tried in a voice that was shakier than he would have liked. "Nice to finally meet you."
"I was your student for a year. You met me then," the teenager replied in a matter-of-fact way, making Remus a bit uncomfortable and ashamed for not remembering the boy. But, when he said that, Theodore finally did look up from his book and Remus got a good look at his nephew's face for the first time. He desperately searched the visage for any trace of his sister, but Remus recognized nothing at first. Then he got to the eyes, (which were examining him in a similar fashion); they were his sister's eyes the same light blue, the same roundish shape, the same intelligent look that he had seen in his sister's eyes for years stared back at Remus and from that moment on he was attached to the boy, and no one could convince him otherwise. This was definitely Bertie's son, and Remus was going to take care of him for her sake.
"Theodore has been given a basic outline of events involving his mother," said Ms. Bekila, interrupting Remus's thoughts, "but he does not know the details. Your headmaster Dumbledore thought it best for the case."
Remus noticed that Theodore rolled his (sister's) eyes as the witch said this. He suspected that the boy disliked being spoken of as if he weren't sitting right there and Remus couldn't blame him. As a werewolf, Remus was accustomed to being ignored in such a manner, as if he weren't human and couldn't understand those around him. Now he found himself sympathizing with Theodore and wanting to tell Ms. Bekila how rude she had just been.
"Yes, of course," Remus said distractedly, not even bothering to look at the undersecretary as he spoke to her, instead gazing leave his nephew with a sort of disbelief. "So, can we go home now? Do I have to fill out any paperwork or anything?"
"You only need to sign this," a long piece of parchment appeared in her hand with a pop and she pulled a bright orange quill out of her front pocket. "It's a document saying you've accepted temporary custody of the boy, he is in good health, you take responsibility for his care and well- being, etc. Just sign at the bottom and then you may leave."
Remus took the quill and was about to sign the lengthy paper when Theodore interrupted them, "Don't I get any say in this?" His voice was not caustic as his words might suggest, but rather he seemed to be genuinely curious.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Nott," Ms. Bekila answered him, "but as you are a minor, your rights are rather limited. You will eventually get some say, as you will be assigned a caseworker and if you decide that you cannot stay with your uncle, you will tell them and they will be able to help you find a different home. But as for now, this situation is best and you will spend at least the summer with your uncle."
Theodore did not say anything in response, and Remus could not tell if the boy seemed upset about the arrangement or not. Forcing himself to look away, Remus signed the form, and it quickly vanished again with a pop.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Lupin," she said proudly. "You have done your family and all of society a great service and the International Confederation of Wizards commends you. Now, I will release Mr. Nott into your care. Raise your arm, Theodore."
When his nephew raised his arm reluctantly, Remus noticed that the boy had been restrained, his left wrist attached to the bedpost with a rope of white light. The undersecretary removed it with a quick incantation and Theodore merely lowered his arm casually and closed his book, as if the witch had simply cast a cooling charm on him.
"Why was he restrained?" asked Remus frowning, as his nephew slid off the bed.
"When Mr. Nott was found, he did not want to cooperate with the Ministry wizards and proceeded to hex them rather forcefully," Ms. Bekila explained, giving Theodore a look that reminded Remus uncannily of McGonagall. "Several were hospitalized, and Mr. Nott's wand has been confiscated by the Improper Use of Magic Office. Fortunately, he has not been expelled, but Ms. Hopkirk will be reviewing his case at the end of summer to determine if he should be allowed his wand back. For your information, Mr. Lupin, his is not to be allowed a wand for the duration of the summer."
"Oh," was all Remus could say. The professor side of him didn't think it boded well that his nephew was the type to curse Ministry officials, but then again the Marauder side of Remus was rejoicing in that the boy seemed to have a bit of spirit. "Well, let's get going then. Thank you, Ms. Bekila. Do you have everything, Theodore?"
His nephew seemed surprised at Remus's use of his given name, but he merely nodded as he took hold of his trunk.
"Good bye, Mr. Lupin, Theodore," Ms. Bekila waved and smiled widely as the pair left the ward.
Remus took out his wand and prepared himself to apparate away, when his nephew stopped him.
"Um, excuse me," he said quietly, "but I can't apparate."
Remus fought the urge to smack himself in the forehead. This was getting off swimmingly, he thought sarcastically. As he murmured an apology and walked to the Floo room, he realized that after today his life would change more than he had ever expected.
AN: Sorry the ending's kind of lame. I think this is my longest chapter yet. I also think I kind of rushed it, just to get Remus to finally meet Theodore (really, I could probably combine the first three chapters and call them 'prologue' or 'boring but necessary chapters that set up for later action'). I'm glad I've finally got the story off, so to speak, and hope that in my rush to get this out, it all makes sense (it does to me, but I'm the omnipotent author ;).
A few things: Mary Bekila's surname is taken from an accomplished Ethiopian track star, whom I found out about on the official Olympic website.
Ketteridge and Hopkirk are actual characters in the HP world and belong to JKR (one has a famous wizard's card, the other sends Harry letters regarding his [mis]use of magic outside of school; respectively).
Anyway, still beta-less, but apparently that's ok, as no one's reviewed saying 'you really should get someone to check over your grammar and spelling,' so I expect I'll just trudge along beta-less :). REVIEW!!! Thanks!
AN: In this chapter things pick up a bit, and a few more canon characters make their first appearances.
Reviewer Responses:
Lucidity: Glad you like my Snape, he is possibly my favorite character in all of canon and I wanted to do him justice. Thanks!
Alice Dodgson: Again, glad you like my Snape. He is an awesome character, and I might give him a larger role in this fic, if he cooperates. Thanks for your advice, I really appreciate it. I think (hope) I figured out a good direction to go in.
Thanks to all who've read, and please review!!! Now, onto the fic!
Remus awoke that morning to a loud crash followed by Mrs. Black's shrill voice screaming at whomever might be listening ("How dare you disturb this house! You filthy, ragged," and more insults along those lines.). Stumbling out of bed, Remus quickly put on a pair of robes, grabbed his wand, and apparated to the ground floor.
Upon reaching the doorway, Remus relaxed considerably as he saw it was only Tonks (still sporting shocking pink hair), who had apparently apparated onto the first step and the floor, lost her balance, and crashed into the accursed umbrella stand.
"Morning, Tonks," he said, calmly putting his wand in his pocket and offering the clumsy witch a hand.
"More like afternoon, Remus," Tonks smiled as she dusted herself off. Remus frowned and looked at his watch, grimacing at the fact that he had overslept and it was now nearly half past one.
"Rough night?" commented Tonks, eyeing Remus's disheveled hair and unshaven face.
"More like a rough week," said Remus, trying in vain to flatten his hair. "So what are you here for?"
"Isn't that a lovely welcome?" she said and Remus, realizing what he had said was quite rude, opened his mouth to apologize, but Tonks waved him off and smiled. "I was just teasing, Lupin. You really are wiped out, aren't you? Anyway, I'm just here to pick up some stuff for the new Order headquarters. There are still a few items we have stowed away here that need to be moved."
After the battle at the Department of Mysteries, Dumbledore had decided that Grimmauld Place was no longer secure enough to be used as the Order's headquarters. It was still one of the safest places in the Wizarding World, but they couldn't risk Bellatrix or Narcissa finding some way around the Secret Keeper spell given their knowledge of the place, so they had moved to a remote castle on an abandoned rock in the Faeroe Islands. Remus suspected the castle was owned by the Dumbledore family, but nothing official had ever been said.
As it was, there had been a flurry of activity at Grimmauld Place during the past week, whilst the Order moved various documents and magical objects to the new HQ. Apparently, there were still a few things left at Remus's new place and, in the infinite wisdom of the Order, Tonks had been sent to retrieve them.
"Well, what are you looking for and where are they?" asked Remus with a yawn.
"It's the case of maps of Little Hangleton with all the charms on them. I think they're under the sink."
Sure enough, the cabinet under the sink yielded a sealed grey box which proved to contain the maps (charmed to reveal a scaled, 3-D model of the town when a certain incantation was said) they were looking for. Before Tonks could say good bye, Remus, lonely in the silent and depressing house, asked her to stay for a bite to eat. Never one to refuse free food or the company of a good friend, Tonks accepted and promptly plopped herself down at the table, an expectant look on her face.
Remus had never been an exceptional cook, and since the Black house had evidently been relieved of most of its provisions along with the Order's materials, the pair only had toast and tea. Although the meal was sparse, it did not seem to dim Tonks's spirits, as she talked cheerfully about nothing in particular, trying to cheer the clearly dispirited Remus up. Eventually though, Tonks noticed that her usual good humor wasn't working, and asked the werewolf what was bothering him.
At first Remus tried to convince her that nothing was wrong, but he had always been a terrible liar, and he ultimately told Tonks about his sister and Nott. After the depressing explanation, the two sat in an uncomfortable silence for several minutes before Tonks responded.
"That's really heavy, Remus," she said, in typical Tonks fashion. "So this Nott kid, your nephew, he'll be staying with you all summer, right?"
"Yes, that's what I understand of it."
"Well that's great!" she exclaimed, smiling at a now confused Remus.
"Great? How is that great?"
"Think about it, Remus, you'll have somebody else here in this dusty old place to keep you busy all summer. He'll keep your mind off more serious stuff. It'll do you good, as Molly would say. You worry too much about the war and stuff; you're going to give yourself a heart attack if you keep on this way."
"And you think having a potentially hostile teenager in my care for nearly two months will help me relax?" said Remus, eying Tonks incredulously. "Have you ever actually come in contact with any teenager? Let alone a potentially hostile one?"
"Don't be so sarcastic. You sound like Snape."
"Ouch. That was harsh."
"No, it was completely appropriate. You sounded just like the git. You even had a sneer going."
"Really?"
"No, I'm just giving you a hard time," Tonks grinned at him and he gave a small smile back. "Seriously, though, aren't you the least bit happy about this? I mean, you've found a long-lost relative, and maybe now, with his help, you'll be able get some closure for your sister."
"I've had closure for my sister for nearly seventeen years," replied Remus bitterly, closing his eyes and grimacing as if in pain. "I accepted my sister's death a long time ago. I've even got a headstone for her. I don't know if I want to find out what exactly happened to her, you know? I don't know if I want to know her son. This whole ordeal has just reopened a lot of old wounds."
"Oh, Remus," Tonks moved her hands to cover his, "I'm so sorry. I know this has to be hard on you, especially after what just happened with Sirius, but, for the kid's sake, try and be positive. And for your sake, as well. You can't go round moping and always looking on the dark side of things, you know? You'll end up a grumpy old man who shakes his cane at neighbor children by the time you're fifty."
"Thanks, Tonks, I'll remember that," said Remus grinning. The young Auror's words greatly reminded him of something Sirius would say. Why, just a few weeks ago, Sirius was teasing him about no, Remus stopped himself, even pleasant thoughts of his late friend were bound to lead the depressing memories of Sirius falling through that veil, and that was something he did not need to think about.
"You'll do well to," she tapped her wand absentmindedly against the case of maps, sending violent green sparks into the air around the table, upsetting Remus's teacup. "Oops, sorry about that Remus. Forgot about the sealing charms. I'll clean it up."
She raised her wand, intending to make the spilt tea vanish, but Remus quickly stopped her, "No, no, that's all right, I've got it," and, while Tonks faked an offended look, he cleaned the table with an expert spell.
"Really, Lupin, don't you trust me at all?"
"I trust you to disarm a Death Eater. Cleaning a kitchen table is a different story."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"I hadn't meant it otherwise."
"I'm sure. Anyway, Remus, I really have to be going. I'm supposed to pop over to the office today and help sort out some of the mess there, after I'm done at headquarters. On my day off, too," Tonks stood to leave, seizing the map case. "I'll see you later. Hopefully before the next Order meeting."
"Hopefully," replied Remus cordially as he escorted her up to the door.
"Floo when your nephew arrives," she said brightly when they reached the door. "I'll take you out to eat, seeing as there's nothing edible here."
"Good bye, Tonks," Remus sighed, smiling.
"Bye Remus," and with a loud crack she apparated away.
The noise of Tonks leaving roused Mrs. Black and she began cursing Remus and her gand-niece fluently. But even Sirius's mother's viciousness could not dull the good mood Tonks had put Remus in. She had brightened up what had become his normal routine since Sirius's death: moping and sulking about the dreary and lonesome house, perhaps reading some excessively boring and out-of-date academic periodical, and feeding Buckbeak dead rodents (the last bit being the highlight of Remus's day).
After he had silenced Mrs. Black, Remus decided to do something constructive for a change. He went up into the Black library, sat down at the ancient desk therein, and began writing a letter to Harry. Remus felt the need to be a bit more . . . familiar with the boy. While they had always been on friendly terms, Remus thought that they could be (and he probably should be, given his relationship with Lily and James), closer. His letter, while reminding Harry of the need to stay safe during the summer, was friendlier and, Remus hoped, would give Harry the impression that he could trust Remus in the same way he had trusted Sirius.
While Remus was chewing his quill and contemplating whether or not to tell Harry about Theodore, an owl appeared at the library window. It did not tap, but rather kept a safe distance from the warded window and eyed it warily. Laughing softly, Remus rose and opened the window, beckoning the owl to fly in safely. It timidly entered the library, landing gracefully on the desk and holding out its leg, offering Remus the letter attached to it.
Remus carefully detached the rolled parchment and nodded graciously to the owl as it flew away. He unrolled the letter and began to read:
Mr. Lupin,
This letter is to inform you that your nephew, Mr. Theodore Nott, has been located by members of the British Ministry Department Magical Law Enforcement: Missing Persons Division and the International Confederation of Wizards. He is currently at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries on the first floor in the Ketteridge Ward. Please, Floo or apparate this location as soon as possible to claim your nephew. If you do not wish to claim your nephew, please Floo or apparate to this location as soon as possible.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Mary G. Bekila
Assistant Undersecretary
International Confederation of Wizards (ICW)
Program for the Care and Protection of Magical Children (PCPMC)
At the bottom of the parchment there were the wax seals of the ICW and the PCPMC (often called P-MaC by newscasters and analysts on the WWN), the names of both bodies flashing magically every few seconds in different languages. Remus stared intensely at this seal for a few seconds as he pondered all the horrible reasons his sister's son might be in St. Mungo's and tried to remember the specific purpose of the Ketteridge Ward. When he couldn't recall that, he let the letter drop to and readied himself to apparate straight away to St. Mungo's.
Arriving there with a crack, Remus ignored the welcome witch, who made a half-hearted attempt at preventing him from entering the hospital's halls. When he finally reached the doorway of the Ketteridge Ward (Muggle Maladies and Injuries for Magical Beings), two nurses promptly accosted him in a manner only nurses can achieve.
"Sir, you can't come in here," ordered one standing in front of Remus and physically prevented him from entering.
"But I need to - " he began but the other nurse cut him off.
"If you are in need of medical attention, sir, please return to the front desk and state your malady or injury and then we will be able to help you. If not, please leave, sir, as this hospital is currently restricted to patients and those with official passes, on order of the ICW, sir."
"You're not listening to me!" Remus raised his voice, his usually calm demeanor leaving him. "I need to see my nephew. I received a letter from someone with the ICW saying I needed to be here."
"Mr. Lupin?" A feminine voice with a slight accent interrupted them and the pair of nurses backed off, allowing Remus to finally see into the ward. The voice belonged to an African witch wearing professional-looking pink robes, an ICW badge (just like the seal on Remus's letter) flashing on her lapel.
"That's right," replied Remus, suddenly self-conscious of his appearance in front of this proper and attractive witch. He realized that, in his hurry to leave, he still looked as he had when he greeted Tonks his hair a mess, his face unshaven, his shabby robes wrinkled and ill- fitting, and generally looking like he didn't have a roof over his head. Remus felt the heat in his face rising as the woman came over and shook his hand.
"I'm Undersecretary Bekila," she said, smiling genially at Remus. "I've been assigned by the ICW to control the crisis of orphaned and abandoned magical children in Britain. This includes your nephew, Theodore Nott."
"Yes, what's happened to him?" Remus asked, nervously looking around the ward.
"Happened? I thought you knew?" replied undersecretary Bekila, frowning at him in a confused manner. "His father has been arrested and you are his closest living relative, therefore you now have custody of him. You do wish to have custody of him, do you not? Because if you don't-."
"No, no, I want him, of course. And I know all about that," interrupted Remus bristly. "I meant why's he in hospital. Is he badly hurt?"
"Hurt?" repeated the witch befuddledly. "No, no, he is unharmed."
"Then why's he here?"
"Oh, of course!" she exclaimed, finally realizing the source of Remus's worry and confusion, and explained the situation to him. "We are using the hospital for a place to house the children, as there is nowhere else. Do you know that Wizarding Britain has no orphanages or proper facilities for children? It's really a travesty. So we've had to put the children up here for now, until such a place is established. We have ten children here now, ages seven to sixteen."
"Where are they?" asked Remus as he looked about the ward, seeing only a few curtained-off beds and no sign of any children.
"Most of them are eating in the hospital's cafeteria now," explained Ms. Bekila, walking down the aisle between the beds. "But a few are still here, including your nephew."
She stopped in front of one of the beds and Remus realized that this was it: behind that white linen curtain was his sister's son, his only hope at finding out her fate. He took a deep breath to prepare himself.
"Mr. Nott," said Ms. Bekila, in a slightly louder voice, trying to get the boy's attention. She even raised her hand as if to knock on the curtains. "Your uncle is here now. Can we see you?"
"I suppose you will whether I like it or not," came a voice muffled from behind the curtains. Remus swallowed and shot a worried glance at Ms. Bekila, noticing that his nephew did not seem pleased to see him.
"Mr. Nott has not been one of our more agreeable wards," said the undersecretary pointedly to Remus as she quickly pulled back the curtain, though it was obvious she meant for Theodore to hear it as well.
Remus was not altogether sure what to think of the sight before him. He didn't know what he had expected, but it wasn't this. Theodore Nott was sitting on the bed with his knees drawn up, a book resting on them. He didn't look at either Remus or Ms. Bekila, instead keeping his head down, reading. His face was hidden by a mop of sleek, dark hair. All in all, he was a rather ordinary looking boy, a bit on the thin side, but nothing exceptional about him. There was nothing to say he was the son of a Death Eater or the nephew of a werewolf. It was no wonder that Remus didn't remember him from Hogwarts, he looked like dozens of other schoolchildren.
"Theodore," said the undersecretary kindly, "this is your uncle, Remus Lupin. He's here to take you home."
"Hello," Remus tried in a voice that was shakier than he would have liked. "Nice to finally meet you."
"I was your student for a year. You met me then," the teenager replied in a matter-of-fact way, making Remus a bit uncomfortable and ashamed for not remembering the boy. But, when he said that, Theodore finally did look up from his book and Remus got a good look at his nephew's face for the first time. He desperately searched the visage for any trace of his sister, but Remus recognized nothing at first. Then he got to the eyes, (which were examining him in a similar fashion); they were his sister's eyes the same light blue, the same roundish shape, the same intelligent look that he had seen in his sister's eyes for years stared back at Remus and from that moment on he was attached to the boy, and no one could convince him otherwise. This was definitely Bertie's son, and Remus was going to take care of him for her sake.
"Theodore has been given a basic outline of events involving his mother," said Ms. Bekila, interrupting Remus's thoughts, "but he does not know the details. Your headmaster Dumbledore thought it best for the case."
Remus noticed that Theodore rolled his (sister's) eyes as the witch said this. He suspected that the boy disliked being spoken of as if he weren't sitting right there and Remus couldn't blame him. As a werewolf, Remus was accustomed to being ignored in such a manner, as if he weren't human and couldn't understand those around him. Now he found himself sympathizing with Theodore and wanting to tell Ms. Bekila how rude she had just been.
"Yes, of course," Remus said distractedly, not even bothering to look at the undersecretary as he spoke to her, instead gazing leave his nephew with a sort of disbelief. "So, can we go home now? Do I have to fill out any paperwork or anything?"
"You only need to sign this," a long piece of parchment appeared in her hand with a pop and she pulled a bright orange quill out of her front pocket. "It's a document saying you've accepted temporary custody of the boy, he is in good health, you take responsibility for his care and well- being, etc. Just sign at the bottom and then you may leave."
Remus took the quill and was about to sign the lengthy paper when Theodore interrupted them, "Don't I get any say in this?" His voice was not caustic as his words might suggest, but rather he seemed to be genuinely curious.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Nott," Ms. Bekila answered him, "but as you are a minor, your rights are rather limited. You will eventually get some say, as you will be assigned a caseworker and if you decide that you cannot stay with your uncle, you will tell them and they will be able to help you find a different home. But as for now, this situation is best and you will spend at least the summer with your uncle."
Theodore did not say anything in response, and Remus could not tell if the boy seemed upset about the arrangement or not. Forcing himself to look away, Remus signed the form, and it quickly vanished again with a pop.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Lupin," she said proudly. "You have done your family and all of society a great service and the International Confederation of Wizards commends you. Now, I will release Mr. Nott into your care. Raise your arm, Theodore."
When his nephew raised his arm reluctantly, Remus noticed that the boy had been restrained, his left wrist attached to the bedpost with a rope of white light. The undersecretary removed it with a quick incantation and Theodore merely lowered his arm casually and closed his book, as if the witch had simply cast a cooling charm on him.
"Why was he restrained?" asked Remus frowning, as his nephew slid off the bed.
"When Mr. Nott was found, he did not want to cooperate with the Ministry wizards and proceeded to hex them rather forcefully," Ms. Bekila explained, giving Theodore a look that reminded Remus uncannily of McGonagall. "Several were hospitalized, and Mr. Nott's wand has been confiscated by the Improper Use of Magic Office. Fortunately, he has not been expelled, but Ms. Hopkirk will be reviewing his case at the end of summer to determine if he should be allowed his wand back. For your information, Mr. Lupin, his is not to be allowed a wand for the duration of the summer."
"Oh," was all Remus could say. The professor side of him didn't think it boded well that his nephew was the type to curse Ministry officials, but then again the Marauder side of Remus was rejoicing in that the boy seemed to have a bit of spirit. "Well, let's get going then. Thank you, Ms. Bekila. Do you have everything, Theodore?"
His nephew seemed surprised at Remus's use of his given name, but he merely nodded as he took hold of his trunk.
"Good bye, Mr. Lupin, Theodore," Ms. Bekila waved and smiled widely as the pair left the ward.
Remus took out his wand and prepared himself to apparate away, when his nephew stopped him.
"Um, excuse me," he said quietly, "but I can't apparate."
Remus fought the urge to smack himself in the forehead. This was getting off swimmingly, he thought sarcastically. As he murmured an apology and walked to the Floo room, he realized that after today his life would change more than he had ever expected.
AN: Sorry the ending's kind of lame. I think this is my longest chapter yet. I also think I kind of rushed it, just to get Remus to finally meet Theodore (really, I could probably combine the first three chapters and call them 'prologue' or 'boring but necessary chapters that set up for later action'). I'm glad I've finally got the story off, so to speak, and hope that in my rush to get this out, it all makes sense (it does to me, but I'm the omnipotent author ;).
A few things: Mary Bekila's surname is taken from an accomplished Ethiopian track star, whom I found out about on the official Olympic website.
Ketteridge and Hopkirk are actual characters in the HP world and belong to JKR (one has a famous wizard's card, the other sends Harry letters regarding his [mis]use of magic outside of school; respectively).
Anyway, still beta-less, but apparently that's ok, as no one's reviewed saying 'you really should get someone to check over your grammar and spelling,' so I expect I'll just trudge along beta-less :). REVIEW!!! Thanks!