A Werewolf's Prophecy
Epilogue:
April 14, 2003
Deep in thought, Remus Lupin did not hear the sound of someone else in the room. He was wearing a goofy smile and staring down at the book in his lap, which caused the figure hiding behind a box of wizard board games to giggle. Remus's smile grew from one of complete contentment to one of mischief as his eyes turned to look to his far right without turning his head. Quickly he snapped around and pointed at the box behind him and shouted, "Rictusempra!" The soft giggles turned into a fit a high-pitched laugher as Remus pushed the box aside to reveal his five year old son rolling on the floor, thoroughly enjoying the effect of the tickling charm.
"Do it again!"
Remus could not help but laugh audibly along with his son. "No, no, Perseus, ten times a day is quite enough I think."1.
The young boy looked up at him with his big brown eyes and sandy hair and Remus was caught up in emotion again as he thought back to his life before his wife and child. "Where's your Mum?"
"She napping again! Why does she sleep so much! And eat so much! She eats more than you before you become Wolfie!"
"That's what happens when Mommies are pregnant Perseus, they eat a lot, they sleep at lot, and sometimes they go from being extremely happy to crying about nothing in an instant. It's because their bodies are working double time with the babies in their bellies." He reached forward and wrapped his arms around his son and pulled him into his lap. "You should have seen her when she was pregnant with you…"
"And why's that?" said a voice in the doorway. Remus and his son turned to look at Tonks, eight months pregnant, leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed over her round stomach, with a stern smile on her face.
"Because you used to lash out at me for making even simplest mistakes like forgetting to wash out my mug after tea, as if you didn't do that all the time." He gave his wife a devilish grin, hoping it might win her over despite his teasing.
She stepped into the room and sat down on the brown leather chair next to them. "That's because pregnant women are forgetful too, we can't help it." Their eyes locked for a moment before Tonks's eyes wondered down to their son in his lap. "Besides, it was different then."
Remus eyes traveled down to look as the boy as well, understanding completely what she meant. He placed a light kiss on the back of the child's head as he thought back. Tonk's pregnancy with Perseus was not an easy one, as they were in the middle of a war and while they did live together, they were not allowed to marry until almost year after he was born. Plus, there was that little matter of hereditary lycanthropy, something that Tonks refused to make an issue, but plagued Remus the entire nine months. As it turned out he had reason to fear, their son was a werewolf. It was different now though, Wolfsbane Potion had greatly improved over the past few years and the laws had changed, giving hope that Perseus would not suffer the same discrimination that Remus and many others had before. Plus Voldemort and Greyback were no longer alive to torture their lives anymore.
Suddenly Remus was shaken from his thoughts by the movement of his son stretching his arms over his head and letting out a great yawn. "Looks like someone else needs a nap."
"No I don't!" Perseus looked up at his father with pleading eyes. "I'm awake, see," as he opened his eyes widely and stared defiantly at his father.
Remus smiled but stayed firm. "Come on, if you go lie down I'll show you this book I found, it has some pictures of some old friends and your Mum before you were born."
"Ok!" said the boy, as he shot up and ran out of the room and up the stairs.
Remus turned back to his wife and held up the book that he had been captivated by all afternoon. "Remember this?"
"Oh yeah, this is the one Sirius gave you." She took the thin book out of his hand and opened it, flipping through to the end. Her lips parted in a startled smile as she gazed upon the last image in the book. It was a color pencil drawing of two hands, their hands, meeting where her index finger lay within the grasp of his thin, course fingers.2. "This one is lovely," she said without looking up.
"It was that day, you know, such an awful, exhausting, wonderful day." He knelt down next to the chair and took her hand in his, bring it to his lips.
"It was." She smiled as she leaned back in the chair with a faraway stare. "So is your life all that you expected, Remus Lupin." She turned to her husband.
Remus chuckled, "Oh no!" He reached up and placed his hand over her belly. "Never in my life did I expect you, or him, or her," he said looking down at where his hand laid, "Not even after I was told it would happen."
Their eyes met and a wave of understanding, love, and contentment passed between them. "Well, you always were a complete prat." Their laughter filled the room as Remus helped his wife out of the chair and they headed out of the room together, up the stairs to meet their awaiting son.
1. Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danae in Greek mythology. It is my understanding that his birth and importance was foretold by an oracle. As an adult he brought down Medusa and fell in love with Andromeda.
2. The image described was inspired by the image at the top of the "Wolf and Lady" fanfic site: http/community. Awww, it's over. I hope you liked it. I have a few ideas for the next one, maybe what happens next or maybe going back to the beginning and telling the same story from Tonks's P.O.V. Who knows! Thanks to all the readers and for all the reviews!
A/n: Awww, it's over. I hope you liked it. I have a few ideas for the next one, maybe what happens next or maybe going back to the beginning and telling the same story from Tonks's P.O.V. Who knows! Thanks to all the readers and for all the reviews!
