Disclaimer: See Chapter One!
Uploaded: 2nd January 2005
"Black Light"
By Dante Lewis
Chapter Four: Murky Waters Ahead
Remus pushed open the door to the nursery wearily. The cataclysmic events of the day only beginning to hit him full force. James and Lily… dead. Voldemort… gone. Peter… killed by Sirius who had betrayed them all and was now on his way to Azkaban. Caught red-handed laughing insanely, the people in the hall had said. Nothing like the caring father-to-be everyone had been fooled into seeing. Then there's Selina. Shaking his head forlornly, Remus mused. 'It was probably for the best. Knowing what Sirius did would have broken her heart anyway.'
Walking up to the lone crib in the centre of the room, Remus leaned over and nestled the battered toy dog against the infant's lithe body before subconsciously stroking the dark fuzz on the baby's head; mirroring his ministrations to its mother just moments earlier. The child stopped screaming and focused herslightly greying eyes on her attendant.
Sirius' eyes. Remus thought with a start."Now that I have your attention, young lady" Remus admonished, in his best authoritative tone. Then, adding more for himself. "What to do with you?"
"I believe that is none of your concern, Mr Lupin." A voice interjected from the doorway. "The child is now a ward of the Ministry."
Remus spun around, protectively standing between the baby's crib and the intruder. He could smell ill intent. "Who are you, and what do you want?" He growled, his baser pack instincts overcoming his sensibilities.
The smug looking man approached with an air of false confidence, a stubby hand outstretched. "Cornelius Fudge. Minister for Family Services."
Briskly shaking Remus' hand like it was a dangerous contagion, Fudge smiled falsely and moved to look at the baby.
"The Ministry appreciates your concern, but as I was saying, under Decree 214 of the Family Services Act, all children of incarcerated criminals without suitable law-abiding next of kin to accept guardianship of them shall be relinquished to the custody of the Azkaban Asylum for Children until they come of age or a suitable relative be found."
Remus' jaw dropped open. The Azkaban Asylum for Children was a matter of much consternation within concerned humanitarians in the Wizarding Society. Rumours of what went on there told of horrific misdoings. The shadowed, inhumane activities that went on said to be an emotional deterrent for the criminally inclined parents of the world to abide by the law. However, as all children of Azkaban inmates have, to date, had 'suitable' upstanding relatives or Godparents located within a very short period of time, no move had been made to amend the Decree, or put a stop to the atrocities that went on with the cold dank walls of the Asylum.
Families who have taken in a former resident of the Asylum remain tight lipped as to the institution's lasting effects. The children were often sheltered from the community and purportedly home schooled. Activists even went so far as to question if the 'released' children even existed at all, or if the Dementors descended from the neighbouring prison and gave them the kiss upon arrival. Speculation is that all the children are still in there, having gone as mad as their parents, and thus left to rot in 'mini Azkaban' for our safety.
Never in history has a newborn been subjected to within even a kilometre of Azkaban Island or the abominations that feed on the souls there. Surely they could make an exception in this case and keep the baby out. Remus was hopeful that the Healers would see fit to retain the child for observation for a couple of days… buy some time until Dumbledore could exonerate the child's Uncle – who he had just been informed was a spy – and have him released. Remus was just about to voice his objections when the pug-faced Minister continued with contentious self-satisfaction.
"Surely Mr Lupin, you can't actually care for this child? What, with all the dark blood that runs through her veins! I couldn't think of a place better to place this child! I'll see to it that my department deploy a Mediwitch to escort this infant to the infirmary at the Asylum expediently. No need to waste the valuable resources of this fine institution and deprive the other patients of quality care!" The pompous fool ranted, oblivious to Remus' increasing rage.
"How dare you dishonour the dead?" Remus said softly, each word accented carefully in his efforts to contain his rage and prevent himself from wielding his wand and hexing the man six ways to Sunday.
Cornelius Fudge took a step back from the fiery look in Lupin's eye and uttered his commiserations. "Yes, yes, poor child. I do wish it could be different, but it's the law." He reasoned, clamouring for favour.
It wasn't coming.
Crestfallen, the spineless whelp of a Ministry lackey stuttered. "Well I'll leave you to fulfil your Godfather duties to the best of your ability given your… condition. I have an important celebration to attend in commemoration of the fall of the Dark Lord. Glorious day for history this has been indeed!" The man said proudly, recovering some of his composure before stalking out of the nursery, leaving a stunned Remus Lupin in his wake.
Godfather? Remus wondered, his eyes trailing the path to where Fudge's had been fixed. At the end of the baby's crib hovered the child's self-updating medical chart.
Patient: Baby Black (unnamed)
Parents: Selina Black (mother – deceased)
Sirius Black (Father – unavailable)
D.O.B:31 October 1981
Time:11: 13pm
Gender: Female
Eyes: Blue/grey
Hair: Black
Weight:7lbs, 5oz
Length: 52cm
Status: Healthy
Next of Kin: Severus Snape (Maternal Uncle, unavailable)
Godparents: Lily Potter (Deceased)
Remus Lupin (See note)
Special Note:Due to the laws concerning lycanthropy sufferers and the protection of minor children, refer case to Ministry for Family Services to locate suitable guardian. Probable candidature of Decree 214
Remus sighed, a creeping feeling of foreboding eating away at his insides. What good was he as a Godfather if he couldn't protect his cub? He was a Godfather in ceremony only, and that fact alone had him stumped. Had Selina and Sirius overlooked the paperwork they had filled out for the hospital nine months ago or did they really not suspect him to be an agent of Voldemort? So many unanswerable questions swirled in his confused mind; he didn't even hear the Mediwitch's stealthy approach.
"So, have you decided upon a name?" The woman asked briskly.
Remus stared at the woman blankly. She expects me to name Sirius and Selina's baby? Remus mentally slapped himself, 'Well who else is going to do it you great oaf?'
"Um, err…" Remus' voice trailed off as he racked his mind to the nights spent several months previously discussing names with the expectant parents. "I didn't really see much of the family in the last few months, I – I – I – don't know if they changed their mind or not." He stammered, referring not just to a tentative name they had come up with six months ago, but also the couple's apparent decision to retain him as Godfather.
"Well with all due respects Mr Lupin, the child's parents aren't here to confirm a name, and so whatever you can offer the child will have to suffice." The woman said, trying to be sympathetic.
"Estella. Estella Michelle Lily Selina Black." Remus declared shakily after some thought. His lips rolling over the name, trying the name out, having attempted to anticipate as many of his friend's preferences as possible. 'Missy for short' He added to himself, paying homage to Sirius' name for the unborn foetus and saying a silent prayer that all concerned would have approved.
"A wonderful choice." The Mediwitch responded, in a somewhat automated way, as the medical chart changed to accommodate the child's… Estella's… name.
'No going back now' Remus mused, nodding.
"Oh and Mr Lupin?" The retreating Mediwitch said, giving Remus a pointed look. "That medical chart is self-updating."
Realisation coursed through him like a reassuring jolt. He was her Godfather.
End Chapter: Murky Waters Ahead