Disclaimer: Not mine.

His Calling

Chapter 7

The End of Childhood

Remus woke, surprised to see the darkness out his window. He climbed out of bed and walked to the window, watching his father walk toward the barn, an old lantern swinging in his hand, lighting the dirt path in a perfect arc in front of him. He bit his lip and glanced back over his shoulder, making sure the door was still tightly closed, then lifting the sash he stepped out on to the sloping roof that extended over the kitchen on the lower floor. Sitting down, with his feet flat in front of him, knees up, he leaned back on his elbows and wiggled down to the edge. Getting to his knees, he crawled past the door and the back window, grabbed the eves and let his feet drop, holding on until he found his courage, then dropped to the ground in a whoosh as the air left his lungs.

He knew if he talked to Dad he could change his mind about making him go to his Grandmother's. He just knew he had to talk to him away from Mum, just between the men of the house. Sneaking around the corner of the barn, he looked up to see the full moon and grinned. He would be able to see the whole length of the barn, clear up to the door where a pool of yellow light would guide him the rest of the way. A shadow stalked across the barn's light and Remus hurried towards it. He knew the only reason Dad would be here at this time of night was to get something he had forgotten and once he had it, he would return inside to the warmth of the fire.

His father's angry voice came to him. He crouched down, not close enough to hear the words, hearing only the angry low timbre of his father's voice and a low snarl in return. Remus froze, and pressed his back to the barn's wall. He looked back at the house thinking surely it had never been so far before, or looked so lonely and small.

Something banged in the barn, sending vibrations down the wall that he felt in his back, he heard the ratchet of his father's Muggle rifle, and turned to stand up and peek in the window. He gave an empty milk can a shove and stood on it, gripping the sill and pulling up to see what was happening.

He saw his father's back, and saw him raise the rifle to his shoulder, saw him hold his breath, saw his arm tense as his finger wrapped around the trigger. Remus sucked in air too quickly, too quickly pulled his head back from the glass, his foot slipping out from under him as the can tipped and he landed on the ground. Pushing up onto his knees, Remus struggled to stand, hearing an explosion and a split second later his father's scream. He propelled himself to the barn's door, as his mother's voice screamed out to him from the house.

He stopped, unable to understand what he saw. He took a step forward looking at what was in front of him, wanting it gone, wanting it to stop, wanting to look away but not able to stop staring. The creature stood over a man, a man Remus did not know, did not recognize, did not want to acknowledge. A man his mind refused to let him see. Fangs dripped with blood as a massive head with snarling breath swung towards him.

Remus took a step back, his eyes searching for his father. He looked into the back corner of the barn and saw the side door left open. A thing his father would never do. Again, the thing in front of him snarled, then lifted its snout to the ceiling and howled.

Then, the creature left the thing that was on the ground and circled him, sniffing the air over his head as slowly the circles became smaller and smaller. As the wolf circled him, Remus could not take his eyes off the black pool of clothing and gore that laid on the floor. He stepped closer to it, feeling the wolf's breath on his neck, and still he stepped forward to look down praying not to see what his mind refused to let him fully accept was there.

"No!" Rhea screamed as she ran into the barn. She reached out her hand, grabbed the axe, held it in both hands like a club and swung it at the wolf as she made her way to Remus.

"You son of a bitch," her teeth were clenched as she swung every time she saw the wolf move. "Remus, the portkey, go."

He looked at her trying to hear her, to understand, but all he could do was point to the shape on the floor.

"I said go," she hissed. "NOW!"

Remus opened his mouth to say his secret word, swallowed and looked down again. Taking a step back and looking up at his mother, he saw two more wolves sitting on their haunches at the door.

They joined their pack leader in the slow dance, each circled, each dividing Rhea's attention, until they took up positions and stilled. One laid down with his head on his paws, watching with yellowed eyes, a low rumble coming his chest, as the other paced nervously by the door.

"Remus, listen to me," Rhea felt her arms getting weaker as the swung the axe again and again. "Use your portkey, then the floo. Go… just go…."

"I … Mum….I am scared… really ….scared Mum."

She looked at him from the corner of her eyes, not letting the wolves get closer as she stepped between them and her son. "I left my wand in the house. Too far for an Accio. Remus, the port key. Put the wand on my windowsill. Then floo to your Grandmothers."

"Dad had his other gun," he swallowed hard.

"Remus, no, just go. It will be light soon, if you go I'll hold them off, just please … do as you are told."

Remus turned and all but flew to the spot on the floor where his father's coat laid. It's not him, it's not him, he thought, as he found the pocket and reached in to grab the pistol.

The thing that he now knew was Greyback, snarled as the pistol flashed in Remus' hand, and as Remus reached to transfer the weapon from his now bloodied hand to his mother, Greyback leaped over her, taking down the boy and sinking his teeth into his shoulder.

"Noooooo," Rhea screamed as she arced the axe and buried it in the hind whither of the animal, rushing to Remus as it howled in pain and turned its snout to bite its own leg, trying to be rid of the pain.

She grabbed the rifle from the ground, wrapped her hands around the dirt and gore covered wood of the stock and pointed it at the next wolf that now crept closer.

"Accio wand!" She shouted and threw out more magic then she had ever done before, relieved as the wand came sailing through the back door to her free hand. Dropping the rifle, she spun as soon as the slap of wood told her it was time and yelled "Avada Kedava" as the bright flash of green erupted from her wand.

Dropping to the ground, she pulled Remus to her and pushed him flat. She then knelt on one knee, placing her son between her knee and her foot that still held her up, and pointed her wand at the third, that now came to it's feet. Leaning forward she grabbed the axe with her free hand.

"You want me you fucking coward? Come on, take me instead," she snarled. "You're not getting him. Not this one, he's mine."

She stood, Remus at her feet, and pointed the wand again just as the barn doors were blown off their hinges and three Aurors ran in.

She ignored them, sending her next "Avada Kedava" bringing the second one down. She spun to Greyback seeing him leap for the window, her third curse missed and struck the wall.

"Mrs. Lupin," a large burly Auror put his arm out to steady her.

"Fuck off." She slapped his arm away and ran for the door. "Get him to St. Mungo's."

A strong set of arms yanked her back. "Let us do that, you go with them." The older Auror nodded to where Remus was already being picked up and whisked out of sight.

Rhea pushed him back and spun to look across the lighting meadow, running after Greyback as fast as she could, her wand at the ready. She followed the trail of blood, after a few minutes realizing that the big burly Auror hunted with her. She squatted down to touch the blood, and found it cold and coagulating to the touch.

"Fuck," she hissed. "Quite down, listen."

He hunkered down with her and watched as she brought the bloodied hand to her nose. "He circled back."

She stood and started to head back to the barn when he grabbed her elbow.

"Sun's coming up, he'll be gone now." He nodded to the horizon. "How do you know he's headed back?"

"Clover, I could smell the clover that grows up the pass. He must have headed up there then circled back, trying to get behind us. I hope those arses you are with know how to fight." She suddenly felt weak and slumped to the ground.

"The boy's at St. Mungo's," he said softly.

"I have to get there," she nodded, swiped at her face with her sleeve, rose to her feet and started back to the barn.

"Mrs. Lupin, is there anyone we can floo for you? Any family?"

"My family is lying in the barn, and up at St. Mungo's." She pushed him aside, and continued on.

She got to the barn as the last wolf was taken away, leaving only her husband lying where he had fallen. Kneeling down she cleaned his face, letting her tears run free where they fell and mix with the blood that had already started to crust on his face.

"He wanted to get the fishing poles, you know, so they were ready when Remus woke," she explained, looking up at the scarred face looking down at her. "He was just gone for a moment ... and… he just wanted to get the fishing poles."

She leaned over and kissed his forehead as sobs ripped her chest. The Auror bent down and helped her up, turning her head from what was left of her husband.

"Your son is up at St. Mungo's. He's bad off, real bad."

She turned her head up, and looked around at the gore and blood covering the floor. "His parents live up at Godric's they need to know and I … I need to go."

"John! Godric's Hollow. The Lupins." He barked out orders to one of the newer Aurors that had just arrived.

She nodded and wiped her wand on her sleeve, tucking it back in her pocket. "I need help, I don't … I'll splinch … I don't think I can make it…"

"Do you want to say good-bye to him first? In a ... The Ministry requires this type of … listen, just…shite, we have to bury him right away. The Ministry's regulations you know. Whenever there is a Werewolf…"

"I know," she managed to choke out. "Just get me out of here, please."

He pulled her into his side and nodding to the last of the Aurors on the scene, left for St. Mungo's.

"Coming through, " he said briskly as he held her close to his side, his free hand holding her head down, away from the press that was already starting to arrive. "Out of the way you bloody fool! I see that camera again, you'll be picking it out of your arse. Damn paper, poking around. Gods damned Prophet."

He pushed and pulled her down the hallway, always keeping her close to the wall and keeping her face hidden. She tried to block out the calls and questions that they flung at her as she passed, but by the time she was in the elevator she was ready to pull her wand and blast her way to his room.

"Gods, why do they allow those people in here?"

"Big news when someone lives through a bite."

"No, I got him before that, it… he was clawed, badly, but it is a clawing." She spat at him. "You'll see. He'll be just … just fine."

Remus looked so small on the bed, so white, so weak. Rhea stalled at the door as her heart stopped and tried to explode out of the chest. Marcus had been bitten, but not like this, not in the shoulder so close to the neck, not with flesh ripped and hanging open, exposing muscle and sinew.

Rhea made it to the bed and reached out, stroking his head. She looked up at the medi-witch in tears.

"How is he doing? What did the healer say?"

"Healer?" She looked at Rhea nervously. "I'll make him as comfortable as I can, but there is nothing a healer will do for him."

"Get a fucking healer in here and do it now," she seethed. "I have my wand, and if you don't want it shoved up your arse you will get him in here and do it now. Am I clear? Yes? Then move!"

"Moody, you talk to her," the medi-witch hissed on her way out. "Make her understand what is happening here."

"Nope," he growled. "That's a boy lying in there. He never asked for this, now you go get that healer before I ask that witch if she still wants one. Oh, and tell the Healer she already took down two of those bastards tonight, don't think one more will matter to her."

Waiting less than three minutes, she pushed Moody aside and went out to the hallway, then looked both ways, not knowing where to go. Hearing voices coming from the next room, she kicked open the door and pulled her wand.

"Who here is a Healer?" she demanded, seeing one hand start to move only to drop back down. "If you don't want more work tonight I suggest you get your arse in there and look at my son."

He patted the medi-witch, who was cowering next to him on the arm, telling her to sit and wait for him and stepped outside with Rhea, eyeing her wand nervously.

"In here," she said, indicating Remus' room.

"Mrs. Lupin, I am the Wizarding Registrar on this ward, and I can assure you there is nothing to be done."

"Heal him. You haven't even…"

"My dearest Mrs. Lupin, John, John Dawlish has just been to see me. I thought I may be of assistance." Albus Dumbledore swept into the room amid a swirl of yellow robes and blue stars. "He was one of the Aurors that tried to help you this evening."

"Headmaster?" Rhea ran to him and grabbed his arm. "They won't treat him, they are letting him die. Please, do something, anything, but don't let him die… he, it's Remus, Marcus' little brother. Please. Greyback pushed him down, that all, just his shoulder."

Albus patted her arm and joined the Healer at the bed. Pulling his own wand, he began to heal the wound. The Healer Accio-ed blood potions and a bright yellow potion Rhea recognized for infection. She stepped closer and watched, as the ragged ends of flesh were pulled taunt and stretched together. She heard the healer curse, and saw him look up at her from under his brows, then lower back down to his work.

"It's going to scar. We can't…" he looked at Albus before continuing, "we can't replace the tissue, not on this kind of wound. The tendons are all repaired, and it seems to have missed the larger muscle, but don't expect much. Even if he lives, I doubt he will ever have full range of movement."

Someone guided Rhea to a chair that was set up near the wall and gently lowered her on to it, guiding a potion to her mouth. She tried to clamp her mouth shut, but felt a firm hand on her forehead, holding her still and another set of hands forcing a metal tube between her clenched teeth, and the potion, cool and sweet as it ran down the back of her throat. She gave up the fight, and with Anthony's name on her lips, fell forward.

"Alastor, put her over there." Albus pointed to the second bed in the room. "Now, tell me what happened."

"Greyback. Not much more to tell. The Lupin's have collected their son. He is being buried up at Godric's with the rest of the family. The Ministry will deny it of course, but we know Greyback has a pack now. He did this, and your poor, sweet little Mrs Lupin over there killed two on her own."

"You are sure? You witnessed the removal?"

"Yup, heads burnt, bodies buried. Those two won't be back. Only problem is, did it before the sun was full up so we don't know who they were."

"Perhaps that is a blessing, if the families can be spared the pain of being identified. Perhaps knowing would be worse."

"How's the little one?"

"Waste of time," the Healer spat at the two wizards. "If he makes it through the night we are sure to have a nasty infection on our hands, and he only has a month to heal before the transformations start. If his mind can take it, his body won't. In any event he will never use that arm. He's worse than no good to anyone."

"Heard the same thing myself, when I almost lost this." Alastor slammed his leg on the floor, pulled up his pant leg to show the metal straps, and glared at the healer. "Now, I think I'll wait right here until you fix that boy up, and I suggest you do the best you can on that arm. He has a lot to do with it yet, and with that one for a mother he's going to make it just fine."