AN- I am overlapping challenge fics here. Mistress Vamp requested a Bill/Remus fic, and LibbyLooLynne requested a crippled Harry/ Severus fic (Once Upon A Broke Heart will be posted soon). I am going to stay fairly close to HPB, but there may be my own twists here and there. The entire story is based around this quote:
"It hurts when the full moon arrives. He doesn't change, he doesn't become another, yet he feels it deep within his veins. Blood becomes warm. Chest starts to tighten. Throat closes in and his eyes turn dark. It only took one time. They all left. He was alone. Except for one.
One man knows what it's like to have the demon inside. To have the wolf howling for release, clawing to get free. He knows what it was to fight. To lose. He never accepted, yet he understood. He was his rock. His world. He was his one true protector."
From the challenge by Mistress Vamp.
Prisoners of the Moon
Prologue
"You are drunk," Fleur said huffily as she stared down at the disheveled form of her soon-to-be-ex-husband. Bill stunk of something foul, and didn't seem to care enough change his vomit-stained shirt. Two years ago, she would have been sympathetic, but now… "Von't you even get up to tell me goodbye?"
His large blue eyes locked on her with absolute hatred. "Why should I? You left a long time ago?"
"Did I? Eet waz my feeling zat you left me!" she bit back.
Bill laughed darkly, and stood up shakily. He pulled a stack of photographs from the drawer. For a moment, he just stared at them. "Courtesy of our favorite spy."
The blonde woman's hands shook as she reached out for them. They were all of her and Ettiene, a wizard that she had been sleeping with for several months. Some of them, in fact, were rather graphic. Her breath caught. "I did not vant to hurt you," she said softly as the tears feel.
"Well, darling, you certainly are beautiful enough for both of us, and there isn't a man alive who doesn't see it," he told her with a laugh. What was he laughing at? Himself? Fleur? The world? It didn't matter anymore, as he sank back to the floor and picked up his bottle. They could all go to hell.
"Au revoir, Bill." The door shut behind her.
Chapter 1: Tea for Two
Remus Lupin stared out his window at the rain pouring down. Diagon Alley was practically a canal by this point. A few witches and wizards braved the weather with umbrellas and ever-dry charms, but not many. "Another slow day," he muttered to the black cat sitting on the windowsill. The feline appeared to enjoy that fact thoroughly. "That means you can pet me more," she seemed to say as she rubbed against his leg. He scooped the cat up, and idly scratched her ears. After a while, he fell into a sort of daydream.
Suddenly, the bell sounded at the shop door, and a soaking wet witch stepped in. Remy jumped to his feet sending the cat scurrying away. "Welcome to Lupin's Rare Books."
A girlish giggle came from under the clock, as it fell to reveal long red hair and a stunningly beautiful face. "Such service," Ginny Weasley said with a smile. "How are you Remus?"
"Ginny, it's been such a long time. I've been well, and you….Mrs. Longbottom?" He asked. It was so strange that little Ginny was married. He rarely thought of her like that.
In reply, she gave him an impish half-grin, and swept away the bottom half of her cloak. She was already quite large. "We're doing very well."
He sighed. "Children having children. The world has gone mad."
Her hands fell naturally to her hips, and she was the younger, slimmer version of her mother. "I am no child. I'm a married woman of twenty-one."
"Well, my aged Mrs. Longbottom, what can I do for you?" he asked with a smile.
All of the mirth drained from her face. "I have a favor to ask."
"Ginny, you know I will do whatever I can to help. What's wrong?" He put his hands on her shoulders gently. It was such a fatherly gesture that it only made her cry.
"I…I…It's Bill, really," she answered finally. "He hasn't been well for some time now."
Remus bowed his head. "I did hear that he and Fleur split….what a year ago?"
Ginny nodded. "But things started long before that. May I sit down?"
"Oh, forgive me. My manners aren't what they used to be," he apologized. "There is a sitting room in the back."
He led her into the tiny room behind one of the bookcases. Though small, it was a comfortable parlor. The fire was roaring, and there were two overstuffed armchairs and a little table. Remus took Ginny's cloak, and flicked his wand making tea and biscuits appear on a try. "Thank you," Ginny said taking a cup.
"I did fear that Bill was taking things a bit TOO well during the war," he commented as he sat down.
"It was all a farce. He wasn't fine, he was simply putting all of his hate and anger into the fight. When it was over, well, there was nowhere left for it to go. He began drinking about three years ago, and hasn't stopped since. It's like he's changed entirely. Bill was always so kind and fun-loving, but he's become bitter and mean. I'd almost rather deal with Snape….ALMOST. And then there's the pain. You can't imagine how much he hurts!" Instantly, Ginny seemed to realize what she had said. "Oh, Remus, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…"
He nodded with a sad smile. "It's quite alright."
"I just want to see him happy again," Ginny said with new tears brimming in her eyes.
Remus bit his lip. He guessed that something like this would happen. It wasn't easy to go from being a handsome, normal wizard to being a scarred demi-werewolf. People shied away from him now. Though the ministry had been somewhat more sympathetic to lycanthropes these days, it was still an up hill battle to be accepted. The greatest difficulty, of course, was the way one viewed himself in this situation, and he couldn't see Fleur being much of a help adjusting, either. Yes, Remus was very empathetic to Bill's plight. "You think I can help him come to terms with everything?"
"I can't think of anyone else who might be able to do it. Will you? Will you please help my brother?"
"Of course, I will. I'll do anything I can. Though, I will warn you—I'm not sure I can do much. Most of it is up to Bill," Remus said solemnly. "I can't make him change his mind."
Ginny nodded sadly. "All I ask is that you try."
The clock on the mantle chimed, and Ginny excused herself leaving Remus with nothing but the empty teapot for company. His throat felt painfully tight. Poor Bill Weasley, he thought, what an awful way to go about your life. True, Remus was no stranger to the pain the moon brought, but at least he was able to fully change. Bill didn't even have that. His hands tightened in determination. He would help Bill.
But where should he start? It wasn't as if he had ever been the best of friends with Bill to begin with. They had been comrades in the Order, and Remus had loved his parents, but that didn't warrant a random appearance. If he told Bill that he had spoken to Ginny, he would likely shut him out. This was quite the predicament. Aside from Ginny, the only connection he had to the rest of the Weasley siblings was Harry Potter. Now, that was an idea with some merit!
He decided to place a firecall to Snape Manor. With a pop, the disembodied head of Severus Snape appeared. "What the devil do you want, Lupin?" the former potions professor asked.
Remus was used to this kind of thing from Severus, and bore it with a grin. "I was hoping Harry might be around."
"Bloody hell, Lupin, you have the worst timing of any man I know! I will get him," Snape complied with a scowl. Remus didn't want to know what he had interrupted. When it had been revealed that Snape had killed Dumbledore according the headmaster's own plan, it had taken everyone a very long time to trust him again. It had been something of a shock—to put it lightly—when Harry announced his love for the spy.
After a few minutes, Harry's head now appeared in the fireplace. "Remus! It's wonderful to see you! I was wondering where you've been," Harry chided him with a smile.
"I've been a slave to my store, Harry," he lied. It wouldn't do to tell Harry how jealous Remus was of what the couple had. "Ginny Weasley was just in this afternoon."
Harry's eyebrows shot up. "Oh?"
"She was telling me some rather unfortunate news about Bill, and I was wondering if you knew anything about it?"
"I do," Harry told him sadly. "Recently, I've been making it a habit to go see him every so often. I know all too well what it's like to have your life changed drastically."
A lump raised in Remus' throat. He guessed Harry did. The Boy Who Lived had not escaped Voldemort's wrath unscathed. It had taken months of therapy and hospital stays to get Harry back on his feet again, and even now the young man had a heavy limp and carried a cane. "If only we all were as strong as you are, Harry."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Would you like to come with me? He's not the best of company, but he didn't throw me out last time."
"Last time? You mean he's tossed you out before?" Remus asked in shock. Never would he imagine that Bill Weasley would do such a thing.
"He didn't exactly "throw" me out, he more pointedly told me to get out. Last time, though, I stayed for almost an hour. I think he was in a better mood."
Remus had a sinking feeling in his stomach. This was not going to be an easy task. Now, he wondered if he would even be able to help at all. When Sirius was in his funk….no, he wouldn't think about Sirius. He snapped himself back to reality. "When are you going?"
"Well," Harry said thoughtfully, "I don't think I am doing anything tomorrow. Would that suit you? I normally don't call or anything, because he won't answer firecalls or open his owls."
"Tomorrow is fine. I have help during the afternoon."
"Alright then, why don't we meet for lunch and then go over?"
It was settled, but Remus still didn't feel any better about this. I have to be positive, he reminded himself. For the sake of Bill Weasley, he had to come through.