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Chapter 10
It had been two years since Meredith came to live with Remus. She'd known nothing short of happiness for the last two years. There
were times when she was afraid that at any minute she would wake up and find that it had all been a dream and that she was still in the
orphanage a bowl of cold watery porridge waiting for her at breakfast. That first Christmas had been so unbelievably wonderful. A tree,
decorations, a huge dinner, hot chocolate and cookies, so many presents. Remus had loved the scarf she had given him. He had given her
so many presents that Christmas. A new winter hat, and mittens, several books, and even a toy broom that only lifted about a foot off the
ground. But it wasn't the presents that made it special. It was the wonderful feeling of having someone there who truly cared about her.
She still spent one night a month with the Tonkses. The last few months had been tough since Dora had left for Hogwarts. Even though
Andromeda and Ted tried to make it nice she missed Dora terribly. Dora sent her lots of letters telling her about her classes and her
teachers and the new friends she had made. Meredith's printing was good enough now that she could write back.
"Auntie Andromeda?" Meredith asked from the kitchen table where she sat writing a letter to Dora.
"Yes, poppet," Andromeda said not looking up from the potion she stirred in her cauldron.
"Where does Remus go once a month?" she asked. Ted looked up from where he was reading the Daily Prophet and exchanged a glance
with his wife.
"Well," Andromeda said slowly. "He has something very important to do."
"Does Remus have a girlfriend?" Ted grinned as Andromeda's face turned red. The tapping of a brown owl at the window saved
Andromeda from having to answer. Meredith hurried over to the window and opened it. Hercules, the owl that had been a gift to Dora
from her parents upon recieving her Hogwarts letter, fluttered over to the table and dropped a letter on the table. Meredith picked up the
letter.
"It's addressed to all three of us," she said. "Dora knew I would be here."
"Read it out loud," Ted said. Meredith opened the letter and grinned as she saw the untidy scrawl she'd come to recognize as Dora's and
the ink stains where Dora obviosly knocked over her ink bottle. Her friend was a bit clumsy.
"Dear Mum, Dad, and Wotcher Meredith for I know you're at my house right now.
Well I lost another ten points from Gryffindor today in potions. Just because I dropped too much asphodel into my cauldron. I didn't hear Snape tell us that we only needed a pinch because Viana Thripple was making fun of my hair. Fortunately I gained the ten back when I turned my possum into a pin cushion in Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall says I have a real knack for the subject. Not so much in Charms though. Keep getting the incantations wrong. Professor Flitwick's eyebrows should grow back in a week or so. We had our first flying lesson yesterday. It was so great! There's no feeling in the world like being on a broom. Charlie's better than I am though. He says he's going to be Keeper on the Gryffindor team next year. He's all talk if you ask me. I miss you guys even though I love it here at Hogwarts. I'll definitely be home for Christmas. I hope you're not missing me too much Meredith. Before you know it you'll be here too and we'll have a great time giving McGonagall gray hairs. Hang in there kiddo and say hi to Remus for me. Wotcher Tonks"
"Why does she insist on going by her surname?" Ted asked.
"It's one of those young child things," Andromeda shook her head.
"Auntie Andromeda?" Meredith said. "Is Remus a spy?"
"Remus you have to tell her," Andromeda said to him as she chopped up some wormwood. Remus sighed. He glanced out at the
backyard where Meredith was flying around on her toy broom.
"I can't tell her Meda," Remus said. "She's still too young."
"Remus she asks me where you go everytime. I can't keep making up answers." Remus sighed. He knew it would come to this someday.
Meredith was a naturally curious child. She couldn't help it it was who she was. He knew that he'd have to tell her about his condition
eventually. But dammit he wasn't ready yet. Meredith was still so young. She was only seven. Still so innocent. How could he burden her
with this?
"Think about this Remus," Andromeda said. "Before you know it Meredith is going to be going to Hogwarts. She's smart Remus. You
think she won't figure it out?"
"They don't teach werewolves till third year," Remus said weakly.
"Maybe not the basics. But the prejudices, Remus, what she'll hear from other kids. Who would you rather she learn about werewolves
from, them or you?" Remus knew that Andromeda was right. He would much rather Meredith learn about his condition from him while
she was young enough not to be prejudiced against him. He went out to the backyard where she was still flying around on her broom.
"Meredith," he called. "Will you come here a moment?" Meredith brought her broom to a sudden stop and tumbled off the side. Remus
winced. She always did have a little trouble landing. Hopefully Madam Hooch would teach her how not to fall off on the landing. She
jumped up from the ground, brushed herself off and came over to where he sat on the porch.
"What's up Remus?" she said.
"Come here," he said patting the seat next to him. She climbed up onto the couch next to him.
"There's something I need to talk to you about," he said. Meredith looked up at him with wide eyes.
"I told you when you came to live with me that I had to leave you with Andromeda and Ted every once in awhile. Well, I know you've
been wondering why I have to do this and I've decided that you have the right to know. Meredith, I'm a werewolf." It came out all in one breath. Meredith looked confused.
"What's a werewolf?" she said. Remus sighed with relief. This would make things much easier.
"You know what a wolf is?" Meredith nodded.
"A werewolf is a person who becomes a wolf whenever the moon is full. A person becomes a werewolf by being bitten by another
werewolf. I was bitten when I was about your age. There's no cure for it. Every month on the full moon I turn into a monster." Meredith
took his hand in both of her smaller ones.
"You're not a monster Remus," she said softly. Remus smiled. The innocence of childhood.
"I'm glad to hear you say that love, but their are many out there who disagree with you. Werewolves are not liked by many in the
wizarding community because of the danger they pose to society. When a man, or woman, turns into the wolf they have no sense of
themselves. They would kill their best friend if they crossed their path. Fortunately, there is a potion, it was only recently discovered, that
I take every month. I take it before the full moon and it helps me to keep my mind when i transform. It makes me safe. I curl up in the
basement and wait for the sun to come up."
"The cough medicine," Meredith said, "that's the potion you take is what keeps you safe."
"Very good, Meredith," Remus said ruffling her hair. "Yes, it's called the wolfsbane potion."
"Remus," Meredith said scooting closer to him and laying her head on his shoulder. "If the potion makes you safe, why do I have to stay
with Auntie Andromeda and Uncle Teddy? Why can't I stay here?"
Remus sighed.
"Because I want to be absolutely certain that you are safe. I refuse to take chances with your safety. So that is why you will spend the
night of the full moon with Andromeda and Ted." Meredith opened her mouth to protest but shut it again.
"Okay," she said.
"Good," Remus said. "That's settled then. Let's go in and have dinner." Though she obediently took his hand and said nothing further
about it he had a strange feeling that this was far from over.