Author: LupinLovesTonks
Rated: K+
Disclaimer: HP and all related characters are trademarks of JK Rowling. No animals were harmed in the writing of this fic. No profit is made from this fic and is intended strictly for entertainment purposes. Any similarities to actual people or events are strictly a coincidence.
Summary: He was shy but with an underlining confidence that shined from his amber eyes. Ever wonder why Remus isn't like the other werewolves?
Chapter One
Brie turned sharply, her wand stretched out. She barked out an order and her five-year-old son froze in mid-air. He just laughed as he floated in front of her.
"Remus John Lupin," Brie scolded. "Why are you jumping from the loft again?"
The child frowned and wrinkled his forehead in thought, then smiled. "I just wanted to see if I could bounce about like last time. It was funny! I was bouncing like Tigger! Mummy, does this mean I'll go to Sogwarts like you? Will I do magic like you do? When does daddy get home? When is dinner going to be done? Can I have a cookie? Will I be able to fly on a broom? Auntie says witches are evil, are you evil? Does that mean I'm evil too? Will Daddy read me another chapter about Frodo at bedtime?"
Brie walked over to her floating son and took him in her arms. "Yes you will go to Hogwarts, yes you will do magic. He'll be home in about ten minutes. It'll be done in five minutes. No you cannot have one until after dinner. Yes you will fly on a broom. I'm not evil, you're not evil, and your Auntie just doesn't understand us so she thinks we are. And of course Daddy will read more about Frodo. Any more questions my curious little son?"
"Nope," he piped hen hugged her around the neck. "Well, yes. Are Dad's work friends going to treat me like I'm little when we go camping this weekend?"
"Of course they are," Brie quipped. She pressed the tip of her finger to his nose. "But if you don't want them to give you sweets and bounce you on their knees, just be sure to tell them that you're a big boy and not to treat you like you're little."
Remus looked torn for a moment, then gave a heavy, annoyed groan. "I wish we could figure out if I'm a big boy or if I'm little! It makes me con-con-con --" another annoyed groan. "What was that word mum?"
"Confused? It makes you confused being both a big boy and little?" She slid him onto her hip and walked over to check their supper.
"Con-fu-sed," Remus whispered. "Means to not understand. And to be -- be -- mixed up?"
"Very good," Brie grinned.
Remus was a smart and quizative child of five. Currently, the child was being read a new book series at bedtime called Lord of the Rings. Anytime his father came across a word Remus did not know, he would prod and ask what it meant and his father would gladly supply his son with the information he was seeking.
He was adventurous and brave and studious. Brie had once found him following an ant at the park to "find where he lived." The act had led mother, father, and son on a park-wide adventure.
Even though Remus had caused both of his parents to spontaneously spout streaks of grey, they couldn't have wished for a better, smarter child. At five Remus was already reading things John hadn't read until he was in his sixth year of secondary school and he was already trying to learn how to pronounce some of the words in his mother's old Hogwarts books. He could easily count to a hundred and beyond, tie his shoes without any help.
In fact, the only thing they wished they could change about their son was the shyness he exhibited around other children his age. He was shy but with an underlining confidence that shined from his amber eyes. That made the other children long to play with him, but all the attention made him nervous and he would back away, afraid that he would somehow offend them with his untamed magic and logic far beyond their understanding.
"Mum," Remus chirped. "When can I have a sister? Or a brother? Can I have both? I like playing with babies, they're small."
"Perhaps once you start school darling. You're so much that mummy wouldn't want to take attention from you for one second. I would turn my back to check on a baby and turn around to see you bouncing around the living room. And we can't have that."
Both of their heads lifted when they heard a car outside the house. They looked at each other and grinned evilly.
"Want to go get Dad darling?" Brie asked her son. The little boy just nodded eagerly, never once loosing the wicked smile on his face.
When her husband came in the house, Remus dangling from the back of his coat, he looked somewhat grim.
"I apologize for being late, I had a visitor just as I was leaving." He shuttered slightly and lowered Remus' feet to the floor. "We'll talk after Remus goes to bed."
"And if we don't?" Brie asked quietly.
"Greyback made it very clear that he would be more than happy to make sure any future Lupin's would reclaim the glory of the former Lupin wizards."
"You mean he…" Brie swallowed hard. "He said he would kill Remus?"
John shook his head slightly. "No, he made it clear that he would bite Remus."
Brie blinked several times. "But John, no child Remus' age has lived past their first transformation. The pain of it literally kills them."
She scooted up to John's side and put her arms around him. "Don't worry John. No matter what happens, Remus will be fine. We will all be fine."
The people in the camping group knew that Brie was a witch and liked seeing the magic that she was none-to-shy about showing. As the sun began to set, the men started returning to the camp and making fires to warm up by and give light.
The sky was clear that night, a chill rested in he air, and the moon was a full round orb hanging in the sky. All through the night, Brie kept Remus close to her side and warned the other parents to do the same with their children.
"So werewolves are real then?" one of the wives asked.
"Oh yes, there's an entire division that helps keep track of them so that they're less of a danger to both magical and Muggle society," Brie explained. "I've never met a nice one, personally, but I knew the people beforehand and they were not very lovely before being bitten either."
John put a protective arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze.
"It's him, I know it is," he whispered.
Everyone in the camp jumped as a long howl sounded in the distance. They jumped again when a howl sounded not very far from their camp then another on the other side of the camp. From what she could tell, the howls were obviously werewolves and not regular old wolves.
"They're all around us," she whispered.
Brie reached into her pocket and tossed a powder into the flames, making it glow green.
"Everyone, gather about the fires. They are afraid of fire, won't go near it unless they're just that insane… Ministry of Magic Department of the regulation of dark creatures." She pointed her wand at each of the small fires and made them flare up. A face loomed in the fire, a gentleman that looked fairly tired and annoyed by the fact she was contacting him. "Locke, we need help. My family and some friends are on a camping trip… we're surrounded by a pack of werewolves. I think Fenrir is in the lead of them. I've stoked up the camp fires but I'm not sure how much longer they'll stay that way."
She looked around. Remus was fighting with his father, not wanting to go closer to the fires. She could see the yellow pairs of eyes just at the edge of the light. "Remus! Stay with your father!" she turned back to the fire. "Please, send some help… there are about ten Muggles here. Hello?"
The face had disappeared from the fire and it was slowly fading from green and back to its normal colour.
"Please tell me that is not the equivalent of them hanging up on you," one of the women whined.
Brie got up and turned toward them. "Alright, I won't then."
She re-stoked the fires. An annoyed growl sounded as the creatures sank away from the light.
Brie racked her brain and did her best to think of whom she could get to come help. She wasn't too sure about The Knight Bus' policy on Muggles. She tried to contact several people, but each thought perhaps she was trying to have a laugh. Finally, as a last resort, she contacted Dumbledore. Before she could get the word "werewolves" out of her mouth he had apparated. She ran over and grabbed Remus' arm and started dragging him over to the forming crowd around Dumbledore.
Even in the midst of danger, the professors and their families marvelled at her old Head of House as he handed them small items that snatched them away in an instant.
"Mum, that hurts!" Remus pouted, trying to snatch his arm away. "Why are we running away?"
"There's werewolves Remus," she said shortly. "Go on with that group John. Dumbledore, myself and Remus will be there shortly."
Her husband looked at her as if she had lost her mind. "But --"
"Go!" Brie ordered.
During the conflict, her grip loosened on her son's arm and he snatched away then staggered back several paces. Brie ran to snatch him out of dangers way as one of the vile wolves made a lunge for him. Remus gave a scream of shock and surprise as she raced over to the last item Dumbledore had.
Their group had been port-keyed into a large room. Brie carried Remus over to a window and gazed out over Diagon Alley. Remus pouted about being cold so John gave him his coat to cover up with.
"Is everyone alright?" Dumbledore asked.
There was a muttered response from each of the people. Dumbledore turned toward Brie; only he seemed to be looking past her. She turned to see the Remus was gazing blankly out the window, up at the sky. He had his father's coat pulled around him and was steadily rocking back and forth with his eyes locked on the moon.
She slowly approached her son and gently coaxed the coat off his shoulders. Between Remus' elbow and wrist there was a mark.
A mark where sharp teeth had gashed the skin when she had yanked him from the ground
She met Dumbledore's eyes. He gave a faint frown.
"I do believe this could be a bit of a problem," he said.
Brie shivered. "No. No. Perhaps he just… I don't know. Maybe he cut himself on a tree limb or something. Perhaps I grabbed him too hard or --"
Dumbledore shook his head. "It would prove unwise to be in denial about this Mrs. Lupin. He's already shivering from being cold. Steady gaze on the moon. This time next month, your son will be going through a dreadful change."