a\n: to make this work there are a few adjustments to J.K.'s plot. One) this is set 18 years after the battle, which would mean Teddy is 18 with his 16 year old sister. Another, is obviously, that Remus is alive and well. Two) Tonks died somewhere other than the battle. Don't worry! All these questions and more, will be explained as time progresses! Please continue to read and review!

Italics: first section is a flashback, second is a letter. Bold: A\n (; and Mella's thoughts.

God Bless!-

thegoodgirldoll

It was inevitable that they'd have to walk these halls many times, but they had yet to cease giving Remus the chills when walking down them. He wondered how his daughter could remain so calm. He supposed twas because she looked at these people like they would help her...and he looked at them with fear. Remus remembered teaching Harry to fear nothing but fear itself, but there he was: a picture of horrified wonder, and fearful thoughts. Remus was emotionally strained; mentally burnt out.

Mella was physically mutilated, and Remus wondered how his family had become so broken up. Mella had gotten sick just a few months after Teddy had left to study in America. His aspiration was to become a doctor who could find a cure for diseases of the cells that resembled lycanthrope, but in a muggle setting; an aspiration, that had almost failed, when he told his dad that he would be returning to England to help care for his little sister. Remus had quickly shot down this idea, though. His son had waited an immensely long time for this opportunity, and he was eager to encourage him to embrace it. Remus had always been very proud o his son: lycanthrope free, studious and smart, stunningly handsome, and a solid head on his shoulder. Remus couldn't have been more relieved than when he found out his son hadn't contracted the disease Remus carried all his life. On a different note, he had been crushed when his baby girl had been born on a full moon, pushing his wife into death when she birthed not a child, but a wolf. The strain of hardship had been keen to target their family since then, and Remus supposed it was because, unlike his optimistic, beautiful wife, he viewed the 'glass' as half empty, while she always made it completely full.

Before Remus knew it, he was sitting beside his daughter glancing at white wall...to white wall...to white wall. There was no color, it was cold, and it smelled like anti-bacterial hand-soap mixed whit whatever lunch the healer's had eaten today. Mella swung her feet against the floor, back and forth, as they waited for the healer to enter. Unlike the first time they were here, her eyes were now sunken, and she seemed hesitant to receive another diagnoses; how far it had progressed or (God willing), not this time.

He smirked; it had been quite a long time since they all had a family dinner together, and now that Teddy was coming home for a few days, Remus was eager to get them into a small restaurant, and enjoy someone else cooking for them instead of him. Mella smiled over at him.

"We have so much planning to do for Teddy coming home. What restaurant, cleaning the house...I wish you would have let me stay home. It's a common cold, and now we have already wasted an hour here."

Remus sighed. "Just necessary, fatherly precaution, darling. You are my pride and joy, and it's in your best interest to make sure everything is going smoothly with your human, and wolf side."

Mella simply nodded, and as if on cue, the healer had walked in then. He seemed grim, and all of a sudden, Remus was second-guessing bringing her to St. Mungos. The wait had been for something quite important...her test results had been less than satisfactory to him...and the diagnoses he handed down to Remus, was utterly un-acceptable.

Remus's heart had plunged to a bottom-less part of his stomach he was unaware he had. His thoughts were hazy, and his grief seemed to plunge him into a deep bed of no return. His little girl? Sick? With...this? They had to have come to the wrong room; there had to be something wrong with their machines.

Remus had cried for the first time since his wife's death that night.

Reliving the memory of that first visit was all to painful for Remus, so he pulled himself out of his thoughts then. Glancing at his daughter, he saw her head rested against the wall, and her eyes closed. Her breathing was even, angelic. He had taken to seeing his daughter breathing; it gave him peace. After a few more minutes of sighs, and closing their weary eyelids, the healer knocked on the door, then stepped into the room. He set his report down and shut the door before leaning against it and smiling amiably.

"How are we doing, Melanie?"

Her eyes opened and she sat up straight. "I'm doing well. More tired than usual, but what's so bad about sleep?" she joked quietly. The healer smiled and nodded, opening his report on her.

"Dad, how are you? Anything new with her?"

"As well as can be...The only thing I've noticed is her headaches: they come more frequently, and she has been complaining of back-aches."

"I see, and the good news for that is: both are un-related to the cancer. Chemo treatments throw our body out of wack, as it were, so aches and pains are expected. As for the actual illness, though it hasn't caused much of a, stir, it spread immensely since your last visit. 65% on your lung is being attacked, as apposed to last time's visit of around 23%. my suggestion would be to up the chemo; come three times a week instead of twice. Extra dosages of Wolfsbane during full moon would be a necessary precaution as well. Your lungs being stretched and condensed so much during those times, is what put you here in the first place. It is easier for the cancer to spread when you are at a weak point: the full moon is your weak point, and I suggest two and a half vials of Wolfsbane instead of one. The potion is a strong one, and it will help a great deal just to up that to one and a half more of a vial. The only other thing I really want to touch on is school, you will be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year?"

"Yes, she's attending. I have also regained my teaching position there, and will keep as close an eye on her as possible."

The healer nodded, seemingly satisfied with Remus's answer. "That's wonderful. Now, I know you play Quidditch, and,"

No...not Quidditch...not Quidditch.

"my suggestion would be for you to not play this year."

Suggestion...Okay, cool.

"In fact, I am highly persuading you against it. I really believe it should be forbidden."

Did I just hear him right? The one thing I enjoy...is forbidden now?

I couldn't pull myself out of my thoughts, and when I finally had, my dad was begging me to talk to him. We were walking downtown...I had been that deep in thought for that long?

"Mella, I know this is going to be hard but-"

"-No, Dad, you don't know. It's going to be more than hard! Quidditch is the only thing I enjoy!"

Remus nodded sadly, and Mella slumped back into not speaking. Remus could see how depressed she was becoming, and he knew he couldn't break through to her. Remus had never played Quidditch, and didn't enjoy watching much either; he had no room to speak. Now, if she had been forbidden from reading, he would be right here for support. Remus knew he was slowly losing his ability to comfort her, and he just couldn't do this alone anymore. He was losing the battle; she was losing the battle. Every second he had with her, was a blessing anymore...he could lose her at any moment, and Teddy deserved to know. Remus decided then, it would be in the best interest of his small family to write his son.

Remus sat at his desk quietly. Mella was tucked in to bed for the night, and he had free time to write his son a thought out letter about his sister's health; one that wouldn't make him want to rush home and give up his studying. Remus knew deep down, though, that he would. There was nothing Remus could do to stop him, and with Mella's health declining, he had to admit there was nothing he really wanted to do to stop that. He decided not to beat around the bush...this wasn't a Christmas card...it was a, 'your family needs you' letter.

Son,

Mella had a doctor's appointment today, and from what the healer can see, the cancer is spreading. Quickly. Myriad. He told her today that Quidditch wouldn't be in her best interest this year, and I think this is all finally beating her down. She has barely mentioned a word to me, and I don't know what to do. I don't want you to leave your studies...but if there's anyway way you could get home, I'd appreciate it. I'm not your mother, Teddy...I can't pretend to be positive anymore. We need to be logical; the one thing I'm good at...which would mean, us spending as much time as we can with Mel...I'm not sure how long it will take for that time to run out.

I love you, Teddy.

-Dad.

The second Teddy received the letter from his father, he was calling his professor, and arranging a time he could spend at home alone to apparate to his dad's house with no one knowing. He was in such a rush, knowing that his father would never request he leave his studies if it wasn't something life-threatening...

And this was.