Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything/anyone you can recognize.
Claimer: I do own everyone/everything that you cannot recognize.
Summary: It has been five years since the First War ended. The Potters, the Longbottoms, the Blacks and Remus decide to take a trip to Salem, Massachusetts. The whole trip was so Lily, Marlene and Alice could find their friend Christina Chambers. Instead they find out disturbing news. The vacation turns into a quest to find two children in a town that is known for hosting orphaned and abandoned children.
WARNING: Mild swearing, mentions of domestic violence, suggested adult themes
"Final Request,"
Chapter 2 "Boy with the Pail,"
Lily, Alice and Marlene had taken one day aside to go the spa. James and Sirius took off with their kids to a muggle water park. Frank decided he wanted to take Neville to the water park when Alice was with them. Remus really had no desire to go to a water park. Remus decided to hang out with Frank and Neville. The four of them decided to walk through muggle Salem.
"Remus, have you ever thought of dating again?" asked Frank. Remus frowned. "I know you loved Dorcas and your condition makes it difficult to date," added Frank.
"I know I need to try to move on," sighed Remus. He really tried to stay awake from any past feelings when it came to Dorcas or any woman he had loved.
"Alice is just worried about you. She told me Dorcas would have wanted you to be happy," said Frank. Neville was trying to walk on his shadow.
"You know how I said at her funeral that Dorcas was the first woman I ever loved?" asked Remus.
"I kind of remember it," replied Frank keeping a close on Neville who was a few paces ahead of them.
"That was a lie. She was the first woman I ever loved I went after," told Remus.
"I've been with my fair share of girls but I never really loved them. I never loved anyone before Alice," said Frank. The young Auror had found that Remus was the type of person you talked honestly to. Remus was not very open but always a good listener and gave great advice.
"Before I loved Dorcas, I loved Christiana. She disappeared off the face of the planet and I never went after her even though I had loved her since we were fourth years. That's my biggest regret," said Remus. He was sure he had loved Christina much longer but it wasn't until his fourth year he realized what love was.
"I'm guessing you know Chambers was not Christina's last name," stated Frank. Alice had tried to find Christina. Together they found out who Christina's parents really were. It was quite a shock.
"I've known since before Hogwarts. Her original surname was Fortier. Her parents wanted to separate themselves from the families' dark backgrounds so they came to United Kingdom," said Remus. "It didn't do them much good. They both died during the war. They defended my hometown along with my parents. Nearly the entire village was wiped out but let my house and hers were left untouched. It was by that time I realized that Christina had gotten herself into a lot of trouble.
"Albus wanted her to be a double agent for the Auror. She had just started when she vanished. I think she felt like it was a mistake and saw no other way out," said Frank.
Remus sighed. If he would have known he would have gone where she went. Remus had found the papers that Lily had gotten from the local library. It had him fell sick. It should have been her that she married and had kids with. "I saw the papers," added Remus.
"Oh," said Frank a loss for words. What could he tell Remus? They weren't going to find her alive. Odds just weren't on her side. That Bishop guy was a horrible man.
"I went to the library and went into the archives looking for any sort of certificate," told Remus adjusted his watch. Frank braced himself for the worst.
"She died six months ago. William killed her but she took him down with her. Two of her kids are still alive somewhere," said Remus. "We were six months too late," he sighed. Frank frowned, he felt guilty as well. He knew that Alice and he should have came sooner.
"We didn't know," mumbled Frank. If anyone had known they would have risked their lives to save Christina. Frank knew that it wouldn't have matter, if they had come to her aid the son-of-the-bitch would kill her right before their eyes. This Bishop guy was a pro-killer.
"I want to find these kids. I feel like I owe it to Christina to find them," told Remus.
"Than what are you doing here with me?" asked Frank.
"I checked the orphanage, no Bishop has ever be checked into the Salem Orphanage. So they have to be on the streets," said Remus "because there was no death certificate for a Felicity Bishop and an Anthony Bishop."
"How old would they be?" asked Frank. There had to be a lot of kids on the Salem streets. At least that's what the older boy made it sound like.
"Five and seven," replied Remus.
Frank looked around the muggle streets. That didn't narrow it down at all. There were tons of kids around that age in just muggle Salem. How do you even tell if they are a normal kid or a street kid anyways? "That sure narrows it down," sighed Frank.
"Daddy, that boy looks like the girl from the dinner," said Neville pointing out a boy getting paid for cleaning shop windows. Frank and Remus looked at the boy Neville pointed out. The rebalance was uncanny.
Remus and Frank made a beeline for the boy. Neville had to run to keep up with the adult men whom were stronger, faster and had bigger step strides.
"Vous connaissez la jeune fille à la cape rouge?" asked Remus.
"Oui, c'est ma sœur. Si votre hébergement ces salauds qui errent dans les rues de harcèlement des jeunes filles restent loin de ma petite sœur! Je vous jure que je vais vous tuer!" snapped the boy. Remus was surprised to hear such vial language from a seven year old. But then again this seven-year-old was living on the streets.
"Non, nous ne sommes pas ce type d'hommes. nous faisions partie du groupe qui lui a donné un repas il y a quelques jours," replied Remus calmly. Clearly this boy was protective of his sister since he had just threated to kill Remus and Frank
"Than thank you," said the boy picking up his pail of water. He put the money into his pocket
"You speak English?" said Frank in surprise. He had just assumed he only spoke French like his sister.
"Yes. My sister can too but she doesn't," replied the boy.
Neville was still huffing from the random sprint. Frank patted Neville's head. "Sorry about that Neville," mumbled Frank. Neville looked up at his father with a forgiving smile.
"How is she doing?" asked Remus.
"Why do you ask?" questioned the boy.
"Just concerned," replied Remus. Frank was impressed with Remus ability to stay calm. The boy was a spitfire.
"If you must know she's sick. Hence why I am here trying to make money. Donny tells me that it's curable with a potion but the potion is expensive," said the boy.
"Who's Donny?" asked Frank.
"He's a tall half-Hispanic kid that hangs around with us street kids. He has a family though, poor family but still a family," replied the boy.
"You met Nathan. He lives with us. Nathan thinks if we put our earnings together we can pay to help her," added the boy.
Neville didn't really understand why the boy's parents didn't pay for it. He understood that the boy had someone who needed something to help them feel better. He would want someone to help him if he was sick. So he offered a few extra coins he had from when his mother got him gum.
The boy gave Neville a funny look but could see that it wasn't meant to be insulting. He had been on the streets long enough to know when someone was giving money honestly or out of pity. The boy only took the money because Neville was being honest.
"What is the potion?" asked Remus.
"It's two potions really. One is essentially the other is not. She needs Antidote to Uncommon Poisons and should have Dr. Ubbly's Oblivious Unction," stated the boy. He really wanted to help his little sister. "It's hard because Nathan needs his potion too," clarified the boy.
"Frank how are you at potions?" asked Remus.
"I'm okay at it. I can make the Antidote to Uncommon Poisons but the Dr. Ubbly's Oblivious Unction is much harder," said Frank.
"If you come with us you don't have to work anymore today. We will make the one potion for you and we'll find a way to get you the second one," offered Remus.
The boy looked down at his bucket in deep thought. He had never been offered such a deal. He was certain none of the other kids had been offered it either. But his sister needed it. He agreed to it.
"Okay but if I'm not back by five for at least a check in the older kids will go out looking for me," told the boy "and most of them have wands."
Frank chuckled to himself. These kids seemed to take care of each other. Sure their situation wasn't good but they seemed to handle it very well. "We won't keep you that long," said Frank.
Frank lugged his cauldron into Remus's room. This was why they travelled by portkey. Alice always packed everything. If he would have let her she'd pack the whole kitchen into a suitcase. The scary part if she'd find a way to do just that.
"I don't even want to know why you brought a cauldron," said Remus. The boy acted as if he was afraid to sit on anything, as if he was going to break it. Neville made himself right at home.
"Do you have a name?" asked Remus.
"I do but I'm not going to tell you," said the boy.
Remus didn't say anything more for a moment. He did look a lot like his sister but it was all in the eyes. After that they didn't really look that alike. He had straight dark brown hair while she had curly blond hair. He's nose was bigger and his teeth were completely perfect. Remus began to wonder if they came from a pureblood family fi they had favour the boy over the girl.
Neville passed the time by giving the boy question after question. The boy glared at Neville after a while. Remus got a pizza from the pool area of lunch. The boy clearly knew what a pizza was.
"How many of you live together?" asked Remus.
"Twenty on a slow day," gasped the boy between engulfing pizza slices.
"Why don't you guys stay in the orphanage?" asked Remus.
"Not enough room. Most of the kids on the street are the weird ones, the ones the orphanage turn away because they won't get adopted," said the boy taking a sip of a Coke can.
"That's not very nice," said Neville. Frank couldn't help but smiling at Neville. He acted so much like his mum sometimes.
"No it's not. It could always be worst. The older kids say the bigger cities are worse guess here is better," said the boy.
Frank was deep into concentration on the potion. Remus had gone to the bathroom. The boy was staring intently at something. Neville was playing with a flying toy of sorts. The wind picked up and caught the toy sending it out the window. It caught the corner of the ledge of a flowerpot that was hanging on the ledge. Neville leaned over to reach the toy. It only took a small slip of the foot.
"Frank!" yelled Remus. The boy and Frank broke their train of thought. Frank couldn't drop his stirring spoon fast enough. Remus wouldn't make it to the window in time.
It was the boy who reacted first. He pulled out a wand, a real wand not a training wand. He somehow conjured a trampoline that broke Neville's fall. Frank darted out the door and was flying down the staircase. Apparition was too dangerous in muggle Salem though the random trampoline was going to need the American Oblivators to handle that.
Remus was left staring at a little boy using a wand and actual able to control his magic to conjured up something. Something was up. A little boy so young shouldn't be able to control magic like that.
Remus was walking down the stairs with the little boy. When he heard yelling. Only one person in the world could yell that high pitch. Alice. He felt bad for Frank, it was just as much his fault as Frank's.
"OUR SON NEARLY JUST DIED!" yelled Alice. Her face was tomato red. Her ears were even red. So much for her realizing day.
"I KNOW!" yelled Frank back. Frank had picked Neville up who was crying form the pure shock of falling from a third story room. How Frank was able to still pick up Neville at six-years-old, Remus had no idea.
"What happened?" asked Lily. Her flaming red hair still wet from the spa. Marlene was a bit shocked by the whole thing.
"That flying thing went out the window and he tried to get it," said the boy. Lily and Marlene looked at the boy in confusion.
"He's the girl from the dinner's brother. We found him on the streets. He said his sister needed potions so Frank was making one of them," said Remus loud enough Alice could hear.
"REMUS! HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN! WHERE WERE YOU?" boomed Alice. Remus didn't even flinch, he had been yelled at enough as a child it didn't even phase him.
"I was in the bathroom. I yelled at Frank but it was too late," said Remus "I don't have super speed."
"Alice breathe, Neville's fine. The trampoline broke his fall," told Marlene in the most tactful way she could. She knew Alice casted nasty hexes, Alice was an Auror after all.
"Who's idea what the trampoline?" questioned Lily in a scolding tone.
"I conjured it," piped up the boy. He wasn't bothered at by the yelling or even the fact he just saved a boy's life.
"What?" said Alice baffled. A little boy just saved her son's life. It was outrageous that a small child just saved another child's life.
"Where did you learn that?" asked Lily.
"My sister loves transfiguration and when my mom was still alive she would create random things with transfiguration to entertain my sister when she wouldn't stop crying," said the boy.
"Whose wand is that?" asked Marlene as the American magical government burst into the hotel.
"It was my father's. I took it from him when he died," said the boy. The boy was intelligent enough to know that he would need a wand. The people here had no idea there was a lot more to his boy than they wanted to know.
"Who conjured that?" bellowed an American Oblivator.
"I did," told the boy.
"It's you again! We told you to stay away from normals!" yelled an older American official. From the badge on his chest the American version of an Auror.
The boy took off. "Richard, Daniels the boy with the pail is going out the back. Catch the rascal, he's caused enough trouble. I'm sick of this kid," snapped the Auror into a watch.
"Americans have weird words," said Neville. Alice's temper faded that instant and a slight smile came across her face.
"Hold up, we're English wizards and witches," said Lily before the oblivator could react.
"Is it really necessary to arrest a little boy?" asked Alice. The boy had saved her Neville. She felt bad for the little boy. It didn't seem fair he got arrested just trying to help out.
"He's been harassing normals for the past three months. I don't care what they do in Haven Street but I don't want them in normal Salem," enlightened the officer. He was a stalky man with a cigar in his mouth. A digesting habit if you asked any of the woman. "I've warned him several times. It's illegal for any magical American folk to beg on muggle streets," added the officer.
"If you had enough room for all the children in the orphanage than you wouldn't have a problem," told Remus. Everyone was surprised to see Remus back talk the officer.
"I suppose you haven't been inside there. The lucky ones are on the street. You have no idea how many times I've been called to the orphanage on a suspicious death," said the officer.
"The boy said the orphanage turned down 'strange' ones. What does that mean?" asked Frank putting Neville down. Neville ran to his mom.
"That is true. The only want kids that are ease to place or the kids that won't be powerful enough to fight back," told the officer "I would know I somehow survived that hell of a place."
Everyone went silent. The man before them clearly had come a long way from the orphanage. This type of stuff would never happen in the United Kingdom. They got rid of magical orphanages years ago for that very reason.
"We'll keep the kid for the night than we let him go," said the officer.
"He said he needed the Antidote to Uncommon Poisons for his sister. That's why we brought him here. We were making it when the whole kid falling on the trampoline thing happened," said Remus. He didn't want that little girl to die because her brother didn't come home. He'd never forgive himself.
"He shouldn't need that, probably going to sell it for money. We go to the abandoned building those kids live in to make sure there is no sick or dead in there. We do try to help the poor kids," said the officer "but we can only do so much on our budget."
"We got him, sir" told a voice from the watch. "Good work Richards and Daniels I owe you two coffee," told the officer.
"Chief, we have an issue over in Haven Street," came a female voice through the watch.
"Go ahead Harris," said the Chief.
"We have a young girl, around five maybe six, looks to be poison and a possible curse," said Harris.
"Curse? That makes no sense, we should have been alerted," said the Chief in a concerned tone. He was worried he had a serial attacker on the loose.
"Chief we gave the girl a meal a few days ago let us help. Both my wife and I are Aurors," told Frank. He felt guilty for not protecting the girl. It was his job to protect the innocent and defenceless.
"Both of our husbands are Aurors too," added Lily. The pain in Lily's eyes was clear as day. Everyone had the same feelings about the girl.
"I'll give the Ministry of Magic a call. Unless anyone of you are nurses or doctors I can't let you do it until the Ministry of Magic clears it," told the Chief. He could see the honesty in their eyes. He was amazed that a group of tourists cared so much for a local girl.
"I'm a healer," stated Lily "and potioneer."
"Just send an owl to Amelia Bones, she's our superior," said Alice. Amelia got the job because she earned it and James, Sirius nor Frank wanted the job. The loved being aurors.
Lily left with Chief after she quickly as possible went into her room changed and grabbed her medical kit. Everyone else could only hope for the best for the girl.
"Go do something with Neville you too. Redeem yourselves," scolded Alice. Remus and Frank didn't question that. They decided to take Neville to a muggle ice cream shop they saw down the street a way.
"What do we do now?" asked Marlene. The whole point of the spa day was to do it with all three of them. Now Lily had ran off to go help a little girl, which Marlene held nothing against her for doing.
"Let's go see a muggle movie. I heard there is this movie called 'Pretty in Pink' airing," said Alice.
"Sounds great. I'm going to the movies later with Sirius but whatever," said Marlene. She loved muggle movies. Muggles were so creative.
"What is it called?" asked Alice. She was curious. She thought about trying to get Frank to take her to see a movie but she had no idea what to go see. She hated those action movies Frank watched.
"Labyrinth, it's an adventure fantasy movie. I personally think it sounds too much like a kid movie from what Sirius was saying about it but I owe it to him after yelling at him for no reason yesterday," sighed Marlene.
"Why did you have Sirius take the baby to a waterpark?" asked Alice. She had wanted to ask earlier but didn't want to ruin their spa day. It was already ruined now so what did it matter.
"He wanted an excuse to make James go on the big rides with the older kids," smirked Marlene. Alice shook her head. Poor James, he was going on all these rides with four kids.
Lily felt sick the second she stepped inside that abandoned building. It was the most dingy building Lily had ever been in. She shrieked when a rat ran out from some unseen place.
"Over here Chief!" called Harris.
"What happened to her?" asked the older boy with shaggy brown hair, Lily recognized him from the other day.
"How do you know her?" asked the Chief.
"We all know each other. She's one of the younger kids here. Everyone watches over the younger ones specially if their girls," said the older boy.
"Anyone gone missing lately?" asked Chief.
"No, the last new arrivals were her and her brother. The only one that comes and goes is Donny and he wouldn't hurt a fly," said the older boy.
"And boy keep her brother away from the normals," said the Chief.
"I wish I could sir. He doesn't listen," said the older boy.
"You could say that," chuckled the Chief.
"Who was the last person with her?" asked the Chief.
Lily luckily had an advanced antidote to poisons in her beg. She poured a small amount down the girl's throat. She looked at the other injuries. This wasn't good.
"Do you guys know about the Unforgiveable Curses?" asked Lily.
"Isn't it a thing you guys in Europe are dealing with?" asked the Chief.
"Yes. Have you ever had anyone be killed using them here yet?" asked Lily.
"No, we've been watching it," said the Chief "I'm briefed monthly on it."
"Well, I can tell you one was used on her," said Lily.
"Who was last with her boy?" asked the Chief his voice becoming much deeper.
"I left earlier this morning. She was still asleep. Most likely it was her brother," said the boy.
"Names?" asked the Chief.
"They won't tell us. All I know is that her mother is from somewhere in Europe," said the boy.
"How do you know that?" asked the Chief.
"She told me," said the boy gesturing to the girl.
"When?" asked the Chief. Chances were whatever happened to her mother was no accident and someone tried to get rid of the girl.
"She talks in her sleep," said the boy.
"Thank you. We'll take good care of her. We'll make sure she gets back here. We have her brother in town. He's going to spend the night with us," said the Chief.
"Don't hurt him, his just grieving," said the boy.
"I wouldn't hurt him boy or should I say poolie," said the Chief.
"Please don't tell her. She hates violence. She hates it even when anyone even argues," pleaded the boy.
"Don't worry, I won't," said the Chief.
Lily stayed with the girl until she got to the hospital. She explained to the doctors and nurses what they could do, not very much. The only thing the will wake her would be herself. Odds weren't in the girl's favour. She was the youngest case Lily had ever seen. She told the main doctor to get hold of St. Mungo's, it was the best way to assured way the little girl would live.
It was late by the time Lily got back to the hotel. She sighed as she opened her room door. She was attacked by two young children. Lily nearly fell backwards.
"Where were you mummy?" asked Roselyn.
"You said you'd be here when we got back," whined Harry.
Lily walked farther into the room with one child on each leg. She didn't want to tell them what had gone on. She didn't even want to think about it herself. She hadn't even processed it all. Who would use the Cruciatus Curse on a little girl? How did James handle cases like this?
"Come on kids, your mum just had to go out for a bit," said James twisting his wedding ring.
Lily just looked at James. His eyes told her everything. Frank and Remus had filled him in. She didn't say a single word. She didn't need to.
"Hey, kids go visit Uncle Remus," said James. The kids happily let go of their mother and raced down the hallway.
"So?" asked James.
"She was poisoned and the Cruciatus Curse was used on her. I gave the doctors and nurses what I could. Told them to contact St. Mungo's," said Lily her eyes teary up. An innocent little girl. What was the world coming to?
"Lily, there are sick people out there. Someone wants her dead. Once Amelia gives Frank, Sirius and I the clear I'll find out who. I promise," said James hugging Lily. Lily didn't stop her tears. She couldn't believe the weight that was coming off her shoulders.
"I hate people," whispered Lily. She kept imagine the little girl being Roselyn. It made her sick to her stomach. It was the worst feeling she had felt in a long time.
"That's why you're a healer not an Auror," whispered James. He had come across a few murdered children during the war and even after really. It never got better. He just told himself that he would never let that happen to his kids. He'd die protecting them if he had to.
Please review, thank you for reading. I still haven't gotten any guesses let. Don't be shy, just give it an guess.