Cheating Death
Written by Christina Elizabeth Lupin
A/N: Oh wow… I am shocked that a lot of you were wondering what the Lupins did to the Dursleys, what they didn't say to their son. But I smiled and decided that I would tell the rest of the tale in this chapter to satisfy your curiosity. This also is the second to last chapter then I plan an epilogue. This has been a fun ride and I already have another story cooking within my mind. Anyway, here is chapter seven and please keep on reviewing! It makes my day.
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Cheating Death
Chapter Seven
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Lily found herself sitting in the bedroom she and James shared, with Tonks holding out a Pensieve Harry allowed her to use. Tonks told her that her and her husband had told James about what they had done to Harry's relatives and was now offering Lily to experience it. With a smile, Lily dipped her wand into the silvery material and vanished into the memory.
Remus pulled out his wand and smirked when he saw the fear intensify. It made his wolf happy and also himself. He would show these Muggles that you never mess with a werewolf, especially if you hurt a member of their pack. Unfortunately for them, Remus considered Harry his cub and therefore, their punishment would be harsh.
He whirled around and pointed his wand at Vernon, whose face purpled.
"Now, you listen sir," Vernon began, trying to regain what he could of his authority.
"No," Remus growled. "You listen. You should have never done what you did with Harry, you fast excuse for a Muggle." The werewolf waved it and spoke the incantation harshly.
Petunia screamed when her husband vanished and a couple of cow pies lay on her carpet. Tonks smiled and waved her wand over the cow pies, making it stink far worse than before. Remus and Tonks performed Bubble-Head charms on themselves so they didn't have to smell it. Petunia and Dudley choked, holding their noses and mouths closed.
"Fitting, really," Tonks said, twirling her wand between her fingers. She then waved her wand around the living room, sending all the portraits, glass figures, and other random objects to fly around and litter the floor. The living room was a mess once the spell was cancelled and Petunia whimpered at the mess. "Once we leave, you can have your son clean up," the Metamorphmagus said. "Lord knows that he could use the exercise." She then got an idea and snapped her fingers. "Hey, Remy love, what was that our dear Harry did to that woman who insulted his parents?"
Remus smirked. "I believe he inflated her. I heard that the Magic Reversal Squad found her far away from the house." He went over to her and kissed her. "You have a brilliant mind, Dora." Tonks beamed and Remus turned back to the remaining two Dursleys. He pointed his wand at Dudley and, his smirk growing wider, said the incantation for the spell. Instantly Dudley began to grow larger and the seams of his clothes strained against the added mass.
By the time Dudley was finished inflating, he had risen up to the ceiling and his eyes were wide in fear. His mother scooted so that she was away from the cow pies that was her husband and her large son that resembled a human balloon.
"Now, what should we do about her?" Remus asked, sounding bored.
"First, let's trash her house up," Tonks suggested. "Starting with that cupboard."
Remus and Tonks made their way into the entryway, glaring down at the small door that would reveal Harry's living quarters for ten miserable years. Remus unlocked the door and opened it, his temper flaring at the sight of the small space, which still had a moldy cot. He could also smell the faint scent of old blood, urine, and misery.
"Bastards," Tonks seethed, her eyes tearing up. She whispered a spell and the cupboard burst into flames. The two stood up and split up amongst the house, doing all they could to tear the house apart. Tonks, who had taken the upper floor, emptied what she could of what was left of the belongings Harry had forgotten in his old room before torching it too.
By the time the two were done and had met up in the living room, the entire house was a mess. The flames that had appeared in Harry's old rooms had died out and left burnt rooms behind.
"Remus, Harry had bars on his window in his bedroom and a cat-flap on the door," Tonks related, glaring down at the whimpering woman on the floor.
"I thought the Weasley twins had gotten rid of the bars?" Remus growled, his eyes flashing.
"Apparently they installed them again."
The infuriated werewolf turned to Petunia, his wand pointing at her, though it was shaking because of the rage he felt. "You are even worse than what your nephew told us. I can't understand why no one noticed it before, but at least now you are getting your comeuppance." He then smirked and pocketed his wand, making his girlfriend do the same. "You know what, I don't think you should be cursed. Someone needs to make sure that the house is clean, as your husband and son are unable to help. But remember this, Petunia. You should never have hurt Harry the way you did. If you come after him for any reason, we will not hesitate in cursing you next time."
With that said, Remus and Tonks left Privet Drive, feeling sated and satisfied that they made their point.
Lily emerged from the memory with her face stained in tears. Tonks put the Pensieve aside and pulled the older (though, technically, younger at the moment) woman into her arms. She rubbed her back as the other woman cried for the pain her son had gone through.
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Meanwhile, Teddy was playing a game of chess against James while Remus and Harry had gone into the kitchen to talk. So far, Teddy was winning, much to James' surprise. But as the game became intense, the older man knew that Remus' son was focused on something else and James suddenly remembered something he overheard. He had accidentally overheard the conversation Teddy had with Victorie, how he was torn between his godfather and father. James was also in the same situation, though the roles weren't exactly the same.
When James had come back, he was extremely happy that he would get to know his son, to be there for him. That is, until he saw the close relationship that his werewolf friend and his son had and he could feel his heart sink into his churning stomach. It had seemed that Harry had a father figure and wouldn't need James around. Sure, James was happy that his son had someone to look out for him but he wanted to be the one Harry would go to now. He wanted to be close to his son, even if his son was older than him.
"Mr. Potter? It's your turn," Teddy said, his voice breaking through James' thoughts.
James gave a smile. "Teddy, how many times do I have to tell you to call me James? I'm only twenty-one, you know."
Teddy blushed. "Sorry." Then he looked up at the other man. "What were you thinking about, anyway?"
"About how similar our situations are, no matter how different. You are stuck between your father and godfather and I am stuck between letting your father be close once again to my son and me being close to Harry." James smiled wistfully. "You have no idea how I wanted to be the one in Remus' shoes, to be the one who Harry trusts and loves without a doubt, though I don't doubt why he trusts Remus. Even though when I was alive Remus was younger than me, now Remus is much older than I am, as he was only thirty-eight when he died and I was twenty-one. He has had more experience than I have and, therefore, someone who would be the better choice to trust and look for guidance."
"But you're his father," Teddy said, their chess game forgotten.
"Just because I was the one who helped created him doesn't mean anything. I am sure that Harry wants to be close to me, but I am too young. I died while I was still young and I am not as sensible as your father is."
Teddy scrunched his face up. "Dad would only be seven years older than Harry is, if you think about it."
James chuckled and reached out to touch his son's godson's shoulder. "Kinda funny when you think about it, really. Harry is exactly ten years older than Lily and I and we are the ones who gave birth to him! If we hadn't died, Lily and I would be fifty-one years old." The stag Animagus shuddered. "But, Teddy, it is up to you whether you want to be with your father or godfather. You have grown up thinking of your godfather as your father, and Harry treasures your relationship with him, but it's up to you. Personally, I would have gone with Remy and Tonks, to get to know them, but that's just me."
"Thanks, James," Teddy said sincerely.
"No problem, kid."
"Look who's talking."
James grabbed a pillow off the couch and threw it at him. Teddy laughed and threw the pillow back at him.
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Remus and Harry were going through several newspapers to see what kind of houses were up for sale. Lily and James had decided to take one of the Potter estates in Ireland and it was up to the Lupins to find a place to stay.
"What about this one?" Harry asked, pointing to a ranch-like house with three bedrooms. "I have a funny feeling that you will be having more kids so you could raise one."
Remus chuckled, giving Harry a naughty look. "Who said that we would?"
"Oh, come on Remy. If I know you and Tonks, you will want to have another one. But if you plan on having more than one, I think a four or five bedroom house would work best."
"Have you heard of magic, Pronglet?" the older man asked cheekily. "I could always add more rooms. How do you think the Burrow started out?"
Harry made an 'o' with his mouth, sending the werewolf into hysterics. He gripped the table as he laughed, wondering just how little Harry knew of the wizarding world.
"You have a point there," Harry mumbled. "But, otherwise, the house is near a forest so you can use it for your transformations. And it's in Scotland, should you decide to take up a position at Hogwarts."
Remus looked puzzled, his laughter dying down. "But I wouldn't let you give up your job for me…"
Harry looked amused. "Hagrid is going to retire from his job as the Care of Magical Creatures position and I heard a rumor that Minerva is going to ask Binns to leave the History of Magic position. There's also Potions, as Horace is thinking of leaving soon."
"I'm horrible at Potions, Harry. Why do you think I let Severus do the Wolfsbane for me, other than the fact that I am highly allergic to some of its ingredients? That's the only class that I didn't do so well in."
"Something else we have in common, then," Harry said jokingly, returning to the paper.
The werewolf gazed at Harry, thinking about what he had said. In many ways, the two were the same. Both had been shunned for something, both had been alone for several years. It was scary.
"Harry?" Remus asked, feeling his heart pound in his chest as he began to think. He lifted his golden eyes to meet the sparkling emerald of his cub. "I have been noticing lately that you have been spending more time with me. Not that I am not grateful or the least bit unhappy about it," he added at Harry's look. "I just thought that…"
"That I would spend time with my dad?" Harry finished. "I mean, I really do want to get to know him but…" He seemed to struggle with finding the right word but Remus understood perfectly.
"But he's still too young and you aren't as comfortable around him as you are around me," he concluded with a smile.
"Exactly. He may be my father but I've gone so long without having a father that I don't see him as a father. I only see him as a friend, or like a brother, I guess."
"He also wasn't there when you needed him the most." Remus pulled his cub against his side and wrapped an arm around him. "I understand, cub. I really do. Most of the time when you needed to talk to someone, you usually talked to either me or Padfoot, when he was alive."
"Yeah." Harry's head leaned against Remus', loving how he felt safe in the man's embrace. He wished he could have had that with his father but knew there was no way that would happen. Over the years that Remus and Harry grew close, Harry saw Remus as his father and Remus had seen Harry as his son, just as Sirius had. "I miss him still. I wish that he could have come back like you did."
"But he wasn't hit by the Killing Curse like we were," Remus said, briefly inhaling Harry's scent.
Harry wasn't sure why but he began to tell Remus what happened during the battle against Voldemort, how he had found out before that he was the last Horcrux and that he had to die in order to kill Voldemort. Even though he should have expected it, Remus wrapped his other arm around Harry and pulled him closer, his face burying itself into Harry's hair.
"It's like you're there one second, then you feel this pain and you see nothing," Harry said, his voice muffled by Remus' shirt.
"You shouldn't have had to experience that," Remus' voice sounded choked up and Harry swore he could feel his hair becoming a little damp.
"There's a lot of things that shouldn't have happened to me, Remy," Harry said softly. "But I'm alive now and that's what counts. I lived to see another day and I kept my promise by raising Teddy the way you would have done."
"I am really grateful that you did, cub. I couldn't have asked for a better father figure for my son." The werewolf made a noise, as if he was going to say something but decided not to. The older man continued to hold Harry close, trying to forget that his cub had died, if only for a minute.
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End of chapter
A/N: That was kind of an emotional chapter, wasn't it? (author grumbles) But anyway, I hope you guys liked it, even if it was chock full of angst and drama. Next chapter is the last chapter before the epilogue. This story will end with 9 chapters and nothing more. Stay tuned for the final chapter of Cheating Death!