Chapter 8

Sitting on the outside bench a couple of hours after the rain finished with Justin, Alex fiddles with her fingers nervously.

"Take a deep breath." Justin advises, "Even if something bad happens, we can tell dad."

"I know. But I'm scared." Alex whispers.

"What are you scared of?"

"What if Hermione puts the pieces together then tells the school? Or she doesn't want to be our friend."

"We will never know until whatever happens, happens." Alex groans annoyed.

"I hate the not knowing."

"I know. I hate it too."

Hearing footsteps, the fifteen and eleven-year-olds look up to find Hermione walking across the courtyard towards them.

"Sorry I'm late." Hermione apologizes.

"That's okay. Have a seat." Sitting down next to the siblings, Hermione quickly notices Alex's pale, terrified face.

"Alex, you have nothing to fear. I'm not going to hurt you."

"I know. May we walk so there is no one to overhear?"

"Of course."

~A&H~

Walking around the castle in silence, Hermione starts.

"Well, there are two things I would like to get a better understanding of, if it's okay with you."

"Sure, what is it?" Justin answers. Hearing leaves crackle behind them, Alex stops and turns to find no one.

"Well, the first one is, is your father's name Remus Lupin?"

"Yes."

"Does that make your mother, Annabella Stonely?"

"How did you know that?"

"So Alexandra, is Alex. And your last name is Lupin?"

"Hermione, how do you know this?"

Hearing nothing besides Hermione's and Justin's voices, Alex turns back to find her brother and Hermione already up at the top of the hill. Jogging after them, Alex feels her eyesight change. Because of the setting sun, Alex's nighttime vision is starting to come into focus.

"It's in one of the school books. Justin, please tell me. Are you and Alex the children of Annabella Stonely and Remus Lupin that the book mentions?"

"I don't know the book, but I do know that it's only Alex and I. So yes." Hearing his sister's feet on the fallen leaves, Justin comes to a stop to let her catch up.

"What's topic number two?" Alex questions still feet away from them, out of hearing distance.

Surprised, Hermione stutters.

"H… how can you h… hear us from t… there?"

"You know the answer, Hermione. That's a given." Alex answers simply.

"Hermione, the reason Alex and I agreed to meet you is because we trust you. Yes, Alex's trust with you is shaky, but she trusts you. When I met Alex after class, Alex and I both said you would be the first and only person we would tell our secrets to, aside from each other and our dad, and dad's best friend, who is our babysitter and friend." Justin admits as Alex stops next to them.

"We may rarely talk, but I do trust you, Hermione." Alex smiles softly, "Now, may we go over there by the greenhouse?"

Pointing to the greenhouse, Hermione turns to find nothing.

"There's nothing there, Alex."

"Yes there is. The greenhouse is right there. But then again, it could be just me and Justin."

Confused, Hermione agrees to go over as long as they lead her. Because the sun is almost completely down, Alex takes Hermione's hand and removes her sunglasses. Putting them on top of her head, Alex stops Hermione before getting her onto her back. Scared of hurting the younger girl, Alex just laughs it off before getting Justin to help her. Once Hermione is on Alex's back, Alex races Justin to the greenhouse.

~H&A~

Under the invisibility cloak, Ron and Harry watches in shock at the Lupin siblings' purple glowing eyes. Surprised that Alex could hear Hermione and Justin talk, along with her hearing their footsteps, the two boys don't know what to think.

Watching the siblings race and with Hermione on Alex's back, the boys are stunned with their speed. It's faster than any human and almost as fast as a dog, cat, wolf or a bear.

"What the bloody hell are they?" Ron whispers once their best friend and the weird siblings have disappeared into the night.

"I don't know. But we know one thing. They aren't human exactly." Harry whispers in return.

~A&H~

At the greenhouse, Alex and Justin are sitting on the grass with Hermione in front of them.

"So, your father was bitten by a werewolf while he was a Hogwarts student?" Hermione repeats.

"Yes. And the werewolf gene runs in our family now. Because our mom was a witch, we are seventy-five percent wizard and witch, and twenty-five percent werewolf." Justin clears up.

"The only difference between Justin and I to regular werewolves, is on a full moon, for three or so days, our eyes stay purple, our fangs aren't fully grown in, and our senses are more powerful." Alex smiles.

"So that is why you could hear Justin and I talk when you are out of hearing distance." Hermione smiles understanding.

"Exactly."

"So what happens if one of you get hurt during a full moon?"

"Dad gets pissed and good chances are, you get attacked. In the end, you could either, get killed or get bitten." Alex smirks, "Justin and I get paralysing pain when we aren't near dad during a full moon. We are like wounded dogs that are suffering."

"What are your changes like?"

"Painful." Justin quickly answers, "We lose our ability to speak. We can see in the dark. Just like werewolves, we lose control of our bodies and minds, but not completely. We are aware of what's going on, but we can't control it. Every full moon our hair grows faster, which is why dad always has to cut our hair. Being part werewolf is not all fun and games. It's painful and scary. That's why Professor Dumbledore made sure that we are in dad's apartment instead of in our houses."

"If you're dad won't teach next year, what will happen?"

"No clue. But dad will think of something. He always does."

"Justin, why didn't you come to Hogwarts sooner? Didn't you get your Hogwarts letter?"

"I did." Justin nods, "Dad immediately turned it down. I guess it could have been because of the full moons or because he figured that Alex and I would be fearing over each other's well-being."

"So, Hermione? Are you okay with this? Do you promise not to say a word?" Alex whispers.

"I promise." Hermione smiles, "You both are still the siblings I met on the train, and still the same people. Nothing has changed."

~H&A~

Walking into the apartment, Alex's nose scrunches up at an awful smell.

"What stinks, dad? It smells worse than a dog getting sprayed by a skunk." Alex gags walking to Lupin who is talking to Snape on the couch, "Oh, hello Professor Snape."

"Ms. Lupin." Snape nods, "And this." Alex looks at the smoking three cups on the coffee table, "Is the potion you three will drink for every full moon. It will help dull the pain. For your father's it can stop the transformation."

"How can we know which ones are mine and Justin's apart from dad's?" Alex questions raising an eyebrow.

"His has his name tag. Which means you have to read for once, Ms. Lupin."

Snarling at her teacher, Lupin wraps his arms around his daughter, pulling her onto his lap before she could attack.

"Severus, I advise you to leave before Alex attacks you. But thank you for making the potion and the future potions."

"Whatever, Remus. I'm only doing it because Albus asked me to." Leaving the apartment, Alex continues to snarl.

Knowing it's part of the change, Lupin grabs the cup without a name tag, and passes it to Justin before grabbing Alex's. Chugging his own down, Lupin pulls Alex into the room Dumbledore made for full moons.

Locking the door behind him, Lupin looks at his children who are already play fighting and growling and playfully snapping at each other.

Howling followed by growling, everything goes black. Before his hearing goes he hears Alex's whimpers and Justin's yelps in pain.

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