Disclaimer: Not mine.

His Calling

Chapter 22

An Apology and a Party

Remus grinned at his mother as she recounted the story of the wolf and the rat. He rubbed his arms feeling less pain, thinking it was better this time and wished he could remember what had happened. Peter had shown what he could do at the Potter's house and said he would come, only to find out he really did left Remus slightly in awe of having a real friend.

"I told him not to do it, but I am glad he did. Even if I don't remember it." Remus watched his Mum at the stove. "Can I have a cup of coffee instead of sweet tea?"

"Finish your juice first." She turned slightly and looked at him oddly. "I guess I could put a pot on."

"I got kind of used to it. John always let me have a cup with him."

"He did?"

"Yeah," he shrugged. "Is Moody coming out this summer?"

"Moody? I guess so. He usually drops by before you head back to Hogwarts. Why?"

"I want to make a map, you know like John was showing me how to do. I thought he could finish it up and show me the rest of it."

Rhea turned back to the stove. "I think you are old enough to use the floo by yourself. If you want to go see John, all you have to do is ask him. I am sure he would like to see you."

Remus snorted. "Yeah, right. Don't think so after what he did to you."

"Me?" She turned to him. "Remus, I told you. I jumped to the wrong conclusion. I was scared and thought … fuck..." She sat down heavily and hid her face in her hands. "I mucked it up."

"Mum?" Remus sat and stared at her.

"It was my fault. I told you, I went off the deep end and started yelling that he didn't know what it was like to … Remus, you understand I didn't mean it. I told him he didn't understand what it meant… or that … that he… "

"You told him he didn't want me? He didn't say it himself?"

"No, well… not exactly," she sighed. "I guess that's exactly what I did."

"I thought … I thought he hurt you."

"He did … he hurt my feelings. No, that's not even right. I just… I wanted you home and I was mad that he let you leave. I felt he had let me down by not dragging you home and keeping you…"

"So he didn't hit you?"

"Hit me? Where in the world did you ever get that idea?"

"You said you both overreacted, I figured you yelled at him until he …" Remus blanched and stood up. "I have to use the floo."

He hurried to the sitting room and looked at the empty spot where the box where the floo powder was kept. "Shite."

"Remus John Lupin, you watch your language."

"You just said the F word and I can't say shite?" he muttered as he dug in her desk drawer. "Mum, I really have to hurry."

"That's enough young man, what is the big…"

They both jumped and turned as the front door began to shake and then the pounding of a fist started.

"Shite! Mum, listen I thought… I mean I really thought he hit you."

Rhea grabbed her wand and ran to the door peeking out the window and saw John glaring back at her. "Let me in witch. I need to talk to that four legged thing you call son. If he can sit down when I leave I swear he'll be lucky!"

"Remus?" she turned and whispered. "What did you do now?"

"Umm, well, I was going to apologise, really I was Mum," he muttered, looking at her to the floo and back to the door. "How about if I run over to Peter's house? You know, give you time to talk."

"You will stay right where you are young man!" she hissed as she pulled the door open.

John pushed her out of his way and strode over to Remus, grabbed him by the collar and pushed him roughly onto the sofa. "You sit. You make one move out of this house and I will hunt you down. I will hunt you down and make sure you can never, do you hear me? Never use magic again." He yanked the floo powder box out of Remus' hands and rounded on Rhea.

"Do you know what he did? Do you have any idea?"

"Remus?" Rhea stepped around John to watch her son squirm as he tried to get comfortable.

"I was coming to tell you I didn't mean it. I meant it at the time, but not now." He swallowed hard watching his stepfather's face grow even harder, if that were possible.

"John?"

"A howler. He sent me a howler. I'm right there in the middle of the Leaky Cauldron, eating breakfast, and he sends me a howler!"

Rhea covered her mouth, her eyes large and ran into the kitchen. "There, see what you did to her, boy? You made her cry!"

Sounds of muffled laughter came from the kitchen. "Yes, sir," Remus looked right at him, locking his eyes on John's, ignoring the sounds his mother was making, knowing that they both heard them.

John swallowed, his eyes flicking toward the kitchen, the air leaving his lungs in a long drawn out sigh, and his hand going to the bridge of his nose. "Why? Just tell me why."

"Sir?" Remus squeaked.

"Why did you think I would hurt your mother?"

"Peter says his dad always hit his mum when they argued, and Sirius said it's what wizards…"

"You idiot! You think I …. Have you ever seen me ….? Just once have I …? Rhea, get out here!" he thundered.

John turned and stomped into the kitchen where he found Rhea sitting at the table, her hands clasped over her mouth, still trying to stifle her laughter.

"I'm sorry, John," she chortled, "but your face. Oh, my gods, in the Leaky Cauldron? Was it crowded?"

"Good Merlin, witch," he stammered. "You accuse me of being a bad father because I didn't beat him and he accuses me of beating you. What is wrong with the pair of you?"

"I did not, I … I just…" she looked up at him from her seat at the table, trying to sober.

"Say it," he lifted up her chin. "You have to tell him and hear it yourself. If you are ever to move on you have to acknowledge this."

"I don't want to lose him," she sighed. "Marcus was only two years older when he… "

John pulled her up from the chair and into his arms. "He is going to grow up no matter what you do. No matter how hard you hold onto him he is going to grow up, Rhea. He is not Marcus. He is not his brother, but he will grow up and leave. He will leave home and he will be on his own in a world that does not want him. He knows that, and you know that."

She saw Remus standing in the doorway watching them and pulled away from John's chest. "Remus, this has nothing to do with you. I never should have brought you into it."

"Did you … I mean the howler, did you… you know, the whole thing?" Remus toed the carpet, as his face grew redder.

"Yes, me and the whole breakfast crowd at the Cauldron heard it," he said flatly. "We need to have a talk about your language. As creative as you were with the possible uses of my wand, they were most inappropriate in a public place."

"Oh," Remus looked at his mother's face and saw her lip start to twitch again.

"Rhea, it is not funny. The language alone …"

"I'm sorry John… Dad?" Remus' voice started to crack. "I thought you had left, and …" he finished with a shrug.

"What the hell do you think boy?" John raged. "Do you think this is just something you turn on and off? Do you think when I married your mother it was only for a little while until we got bored with it or you started acting like an arse?"

"John!"

"Rhea, he did act like one, bloody hell woman all teenage boys do. I just hoped it wouldn't start yet, that we still had a couple of years. Now get your robes."

Remus snapped his head up, knowing what was coming next. "I ate already."

"Then eat again, if I have to show my face in the Cauldron so do you. Now get moving before I make you move, boy. And expect Tom to let you know how old lady Longbottom nearly had a heart attack."

"Frank's mother," Rhea giggled. "I've heard things from her mouth that…"

"No, his grandmother, picture that, his grandmother hearing what I should do with my wand." John glared. "Now get in that floo, Remus. I think you deserve to go first and let everyone see you. Your mother and I will join you later."

Remus walked to the floo, turned back and opened his mouth to protest, but the look on John's face told him just to shut up and do as he had been told. He shuffled into the floo not understanding how Sirius seemed to get away with things, and he always seemed to get caught.

.

.

John came back home later that day, Rhea had not only completely forgiven him but admitted there was nothing to forgive, that she had stopped thinking in her fear and anger. She talked to John and agreed to make a concerted effort to let go of Remus and give him more freedom. She knew it would be hard. Hard to let go of her last son, her last connection with Anthony and the life they had shared. Unable to tell John why she felt so strongly, she had reluctantly watched as they took the fishing poles and walked down the path toward the stream. Until she could see John as his father, how could she expect it of Remus?

John waited until they were sitting at the stream, dropping their baited hooks into the water before he broached the topic he needed to talk to Remus about. He started by telling him a story about the Muggle world and the great war it had seen fifteen years before he was born. He told him of eleven million people killed because of their race, religion, or just because they were different. He spoke of how this world of magic could also be at risk if people became complacent and allowed talk of racial supremacy to become more than just talk. Remus listened, but felt that John was not really saying what he wanted.

Adults spoke in circles, saying one thing when they wanted to say another. He thought of the Headmaster and his mealtime talks that the older students would listen to closely as the younger ignored and fidgeted, wanting nothing more than to eat. The Headmaster took on the same tone that John did now, talking of bad times ahead but not putting a name to them.

"I know," Remus rolled his eyes. "Headmaster keeps saying the houses have to learn to get along. But, it's summer can't we just fish? I don't fight, and it doesn't matter to me how they got sorted."

"If it were that simple there wouldn't be a problem," John sighed and leaned back on his elbows, looking at the stream. "Water is way down."

"I'm reading a book, and it says sometimes logs and stuff can build up, make a … jam … it's called. The water gets held back until there is enough to push them out of the way, but by that time, so much water has built up it floods everything down stream."

"Remus, I want you to be careful around Sirius' family. Do you ever see them?"

"No, well … he has a brother that tags around sometimes. Regulus, he'll be a firstie this year."

"Does he know about you?"

"Nah, only Peter, James and Sirius. Regulus is …" Remus looked up at John and shrugged. "He's not like Sirius. He's no fun."

"Well, I don't want him to know, at least not for a while. The Blacks … they think about things differently than we do."

"Headmaster keeps saying things like … Dark times are before us. Dark times that will test our resolve … and stuff like that."

"And you don't pay attention?" John smirked. "Really, Remus, you fought to get into that school at least you could pay attention."

"I do. I got the highest score in History, and Herbology this year, and I am second in…"

"I know, and your mother and I are proud of you, but there is more. Remus, remember what we just talked about? The Muggle war? That will happen here. Maybe not eleven million, because there aren't that many of us, but enough to make sure you or I are not here when it is over. Do you understand?"

"My Mum, she is a pureblood. Will she be safe?"

"No, she married a Muggle, has a werewolf for a son and is now married to a blood traitor. I would say she ranks right up there," he said harshly. "So, I take it some of what the Headmaster says has sunk in."

Remus sat up and hugged his legs, rested his head on his knees and watched his fishing line that lay still in the water. "We talk about it, the four of us. Sirius says all his parents talk about is Riddle, about how he is going to stop people like Lily … Do you know Lily? Lily Evans?"

"No, is she in your house?"

"Yeah, she is Muggle born, and really nice. Sometimes we eat breakfast together on the weekends, cuz James sleeps late. She doesn't like him."

"Because, not cuz. Anyway, what does Sirius say about Lily Evans?"

"He doesn't say it, his parents do. They think she should go back where she came from, but some of the others they say are okay. Like Severus Snape. His mother was a witch, but his father was a Muggle, like mine, only he got in Slytherin and the Blacks like him just fine."

"His mother was related." John sighed. "It's hard to explain, but Riddle himself is a half-blood."

"See? That's what Sirius says too, but if he is a half-blood why wouldn't he like all half bloods?"

"He thinks, wrongly so, that it is the Muggle born that are corrupting our world. A half-blood at least has one foot in our world, where as a Muggle born is here by accident. He teaches that the Muggle born will just take what they want and leave, whereas a half blood is here to stay."

"Like Lily. She is an accident, but Snape is here because he belongs?"

"Yes, but if the half-blood does not … Remus, you are here because of your mother, and Riddle would think that in itself is okay, but if you see the world as your father did, then you will not be welcomed either. Do you understand?"

"He must be crazy, because James says his parents are as pure as the Blacks, but plan to fight against him if it comes to that." He turned to look at John. "Peter says his Gramms isn't saying anything about it, but he thinks it's because his father says Riddle is great and his Gramms can't stand him."

"What about his mother?"

"John…Dad? Sometimes … you're an Auror right? And Aurors are keeping track of who is on which side. Right?"

"If you are uncomfortable talking let's go find that river jam," John stood up and brushed off his trousers. "I wasn't getting information, Remus. I was making sure you knew what was going on and making sure you understand it."

"Bet the block is at the ford. It gets so shallow in the summer there isn't enough current to keep things moving."

"Hey, Remus… up here!" Remus looked up and saw Sirius swoop low overhead.

"Hello, Mr. Dawlish," he grinned sliding into a smooth stop, inches from the Auror, not the least bit concerned to be using underaged magic. "My Aunt is having a naming party. We're going and want Remus to go with us."

John snorted and shook his head. "I hardly think that is wise."

"No, the other Aunt, the one you know. Andromeda, her and Uncle Ted had a baby and today is the naming."

"What did your parents say?"

"I don't care. This is my Aunt Meda I'm talking about, and if she says I can come over, I'm going," Sirius grinned. "She's okay, Remus, and Uncle Ted is Muggle born. You'll like him."

"Dad?"

John ran his hand through his hair and nodded. "Yeah, but go change into your good robes, and tell your Mum you need to take something, it's rude to go empty handed."

"Sir?" Sirius said. "Can we all meet here and use your floo? You are sort of in the middle, and Mrs. Potter says it is too far to fly."

"Too far, Mr. Black? As our farm is not anywhere near the middle I am sure there is more to this story."

"Well, that and James busted up his broom again." Sirius grinned. "It was wicked, right smack dab into the bridge. Told him it was too low."

"Yes, I think it wise that you four use the floo," John smirked.

"Thanks." Sirius put his leg over his broom and pushed up, hovering in the air. "We'll be back about three."

Remus grinned watching him fly away. "I've never been to a party. What's a naming party like?"

John chuckled and started up the path to the house with Remus beside him. "Witches ohh and ahh, and say the baby looks just like someone it doesn't. Most are ugly wrinkly things, the rest just spit up all the time. Then the wizards will go outside and drink a lot. Sirius wants to go because I imagine Andromeda will pile enough food on your plates to make you sick for a week."

Rhea pulled out his dress robes and made sure all the wrinkles were smoothed before she let him dress, then took one look at his trainers and scowled. His dress shoes were too small, his boots not right for a summer party. Rhea frowned and tried to transfigure his trainers into suitable footwear unable to get the spell right.

"Here," John tossed Remus his own dress shoes. "Your almost as tall as me now, may as well try them on."

Remus grinned and pulled them on, nodding to his mother and standing up to walk around the room, suddenly feeling grown up and going to a real party. Rhea made him listen to her instructions and again gave him a lecture on being polite before she deemed him ready. With only a few minutes to spare, he went down to the sitting area to wait for his friends.

"Mum? Dad said I had to take something."

"Oh, my god," she ran into the kitchen. "I almost forgot. Come here and help. I can do the spells but you have to help, I can't think of a thing."

She grabbed a glass from the top shelf, one of her best crystal goblets and set it upside down on the table, transfiguring it into a globe, one side left flat to keep it stable. "Now, all you have to do is decide what you want to put in it."

"Like what?" he swallowed and looked at the empty ball of glass.

"Remember when we used to go into London and look at the Christmas decorations? Remember the window at Harrod's with all the little snow globes? Well, it's something like that, but it should carry a … gift, maybe a dream or a nice thought for the baby, something pretty for it to look at. Is it a boy or girl?"

"I don't know, but that's dumb." He pointed to the globe.

"Remus," she pressed her lips together and looked over his shoulder at John. "Four kids going to a Naming, that's what's dumb."

"Andromeda has been cut off from her family, Rhea. Her husband is a good man, but a Muggle." He leaned against the doorframe frowning. "How did you feel?"

Rhea looked up at him and nodded, remembering the sting at Marcus' Naming when only three people showed up. She had been so upset that when Remus was born she had not even had the traditional party. "Okay, Remus, It's dumb. But you still have to do it."

"Like what?"

"Well, you could fill it with miniature roses, and I can put a charm on it so that they never die, but we don't know if it's a girl."

"How about just snow?" He stood looking down at the object as if it was a foreign object, that at anytime would burst into flame.

"Rhea," John said from the doorway. "It's three."

"You said she is a Black?" She grinned and waved her wand, creating a small universe with stars floating in the air. "They are all named for stars, either way this should do."

"Wow," Remus grinned. "Dad? If I could use magic, I know how to make it light up in the dark. Moody showed me, he did it to my water glass when I … I was just a kid and scared of the dark."

John handed him is wand and nodded. "Use this, no one will know."

Remus completed the spell as the sounds of running feet came up the porch and Peter's timid knock started.

"I swear, that Pettigrew kid is the only one with manners," Rhea ginned and opened the door.

Peter pushed past her and ran for Remus. Holding up a globe not unlike the one Remus held, his filled with fireworks, shooting rockets and emitting loud pops. Shoving the simple globe with stars that would glow at night in his pocket, he looked up at Rhea sheepishly. Thinking any kid would rather have fireworks.

"Blacks just give gold," Sirius laughed. "Should of heard my dad when Regulus told him I had already transferred some of my money."

James held a package wrapped with pink bows. "Don't ask me. Mum just said to take it." He scowled at the ribbons, embarrassed to be carrying such a sissy thing.

"Time," John stood by the fireplace holding the box of powder. "Two at a time, Sirius, you first so your Aunt knows who is coming through."

Peter stepped up and rushed in with Sirius, anxious to get rid of the offending object in his hand. As soon as they were gone, James and Remus stepped into the floo.

Rhea smiled watching Remus as he looked at her when the green flash of fire covered him. She had never seen him so happy, so accepted, so full of joy.

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