AN: As promised, a much more exciting chapter!!!

Life couldn't have been better. My father had his dream job as an Auror, while my mother was rising quickly through the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in the Ministry. She was tipped as becoming the youngest ever Head of her department after the current Head retired.

We lived in the town that my mother grew up in, close to my aunts and uncle and grandmother, and right beside a forest, where Rebecca and I climbed trees and played for hours.

Yes, life was great, until that day…

"Catch me if you can!!" yelled a seven year old Rebecca Lupin to her five-year old brother Remus. He ran after her, willing his short little legs to go faster, but she was simply too quick for him with her lanky limbs. Rebecca giggled and trotted just out of his reach. Tired and annoyed, Remus started to whine. "Becky!! That's not fair! You got a head start!" Becky stuck out her tongue and laughed at his cross face. "Come on slow-poke," she taunted and ducked into the trees. Remus followed. He tried in vain to catch her over and over again, but to no avail. After about an hour, Remus realised that it was getting dark. Then he grew worried. They weren't supposed to go into the forest after the sun set. "Becky," he called, "we have to go home! Mammy will be angry if it's dark and we're not home." Becky snorted. "You're just scared of the dark! Baby baby!!" she taunted. "Am not!!," Remus yelled. Becky grinned, having gotten the reaction she wanted from him. " Then prove it!" And with that, she disappeared into the trees. Remus ran after her, following the sound of her muffled giggles. The sky grew darker still, and stars began to appear. Remus knew that his mother would be angry, and that he probably wouldn't get any dessert because of his lateness, but he couldn't let Becky think that he was scared of the dark. The truth was that he was scared of it, scared of the fact that you could never know what was lurking in the darkness, what was watching you.

The sky was very dark now, and the only light was that from the moon overhead. Remus could no longer hear Becky's giggles, and didn't recognise his surroundings. He was lost. Somewhere in the forest an owl hooted, startling him. The trees looked dark and menacing, shadows seemed to follow his every move, and the hairs on the back of his neck prickled. Remus started to sob, wishing more than anything that he was tucked up in bed, with his mammy kissing him on the forehead and his dad ruffling his hair. Even if it meant that he had to listen to Becky's taunts and not get any dessert.

Remus began to sob even harder. "Mommy!" he called through the trees, "Daddy!" He knew very well that his parents couldn't hear him, but he hoped that maybe they were in the forest somewhere, looking for him. He didn't care how angry they were, he just wanted them to give him a hug and take him home. "Mammy," he screamed again, "Mammy I want to go home!!"

Suddenly he heard a rustling in the trees behind him. He turned sharply, fully expecting to see his parents running towards him with their arms outstretched… But nothing happened. Maybe they couldn't find him. "Mammy! Daddy! I'm over here!!!"

But still no-one came. Remus felt desperate at this stage. He even would have liked the cranky old lady from down the road to come out from behind the trees! But no-one came.

Suddenly, he heard something behind him. He turned again, and could have sworn that a black figure darted across the forest path and into the trees on the other side. Remus was terrified. Then, a thought occurred to him; it was Becky! She was playing a trick on him, trying to see how scared he would get. Well, he wasn't going to fall for it!

"Becky!" he called into the trees, "I know it's you!" He waited for her to emerge from the trees, a big scowl on her face that she'd been rumbled, but she didn't appear. No-one did. The rustling in the trees continued. "Becky," Remus called again, "this isn't funny!" She was just being silly now!

The light of the moon illuminated the patch of trees where the rustling was coming from. Suddenly, through a gap in the trees, Remus saw a pair of eyes watching him. A pair of luminous yellow eyes! And a pair of razor sharp teeth that were bared in an awful grin! Remus screamed and ran through the trees on the other side of him. He didn't care how much noise he made, or how many cuts and scraps he got from the trees and bushes. He only cared about getting away from that creature.

Behind him, he heard an awful, spine-chilling howl. Remus ran faster, still sobbing his heart out. He could hear the beast following him, hear it snarling and spitting.

Remus ran for what seemed for hours, but still the beast didn't catch him. Then an awful thought formed in Remus' mind; maybe the beast was just playing with him, trying to tire him out before it caught him and… Remus gulped and kept running, a large stitch digging into his side. He did not want to think about the monster eating him. His mammy had always told him that there were no such things as monsters…so maybe this was all a dream. But the snarling and howling of the beast behind him reminded Remus that this was all too real.

Suddenly, ahead of him, he thought that he heard his name being called. He shook his head. Maybe the monster could talk and was trying to fool him…His father's voice was calling him…Maybe the monster could sound like his father…The voice was getting louder…Maybe the monster was catching up with him!

Just then, on the forest path ahead, Remus caught sight of his father, still in his work clothes, sprinting towards him. Something exploded in Remus' stomach and he forgot how exhausted he was. "Daddy," he squealed, and he sped up. Daddy was going to save him. "Remus, keep your voice down!" his father called, looking petrified. But Remus didn't listen to him, and kept squealing his name. Suddenly, something grabbed Remus from behind and started to pull him back into the trees…something with large yellow eyes… The monster had decided to stop playing games. It's razor sharp teeth dug into Remus' arm and pulled him backwards, back into the forest. Remus screamed in pain and fear. "DADDY!!!" Behind them, Remus could hear his father thundering along the path, screaming his name, but the sound was growing faint. The monster was faster than his dad was. Then, without warning, the monster flung Remus onto the forest floor and began to rip at him with its claws. Remus screamed and screamed, but the monster wouldn't stop. It bit him again in the side, and Remus felt blood run down his tummy. He was going to die, his daddy couldn't save him…

Suddenly, the beast let out a roar and jumped off of Remus. The little boy looked up…it was Daddy and Mammy, both of them!! His dad was holding a large branch that was on fire, and he was waving it at the monster, forcing it backwards into the trees. His mammy rushed to his side and lifted him up, cradling him against her. With a final screech, the monster bolted back into the trees.

John ran to his wife's side and looked at his son, his face colourless, and his breathing laboured. Remus felt himself drifting in and out of consciousness, but distinctly heard his father say, "What have I done…" before the darkness consumed him.

AN: Please review!!!