(Okay... I'm sorry for how long it's taken to update. I've been sick and then my son got sick. Bah. If you have kids you know how that is! Well, enjoy this chapter.)
Chapter 25
Summer was coming and going before the Lupins even had time to embrace and enjoy their vacation. Hermione had taken up a part-time job in Muggle London working as a cashier in a health food store, while Remus was doing yardwork all through the neighborhood. Severus was enjoying his babysitting pay, which was just enough for him to refurbish his home in Spinner's End as August hit.
Currently, the snarky Potions Master was bouncing six month old Isabelle on his knee, grinning at the giggling, drooling child. She was teething now, and the only thing that kept her from screaming was being bounced.
"Why does Belle drool?" Liam stared at the golden, curly-haired baby.
"She's teething," Severus answered simply.
"Why is she teething," he tilted his head to the side in curiosity.
"All babies teeth," Severus sighed.
"Why?" Liam sat down next to his babysitter.
"Haven't the foggiest," Severus rolled his eyes, hoping Liam would be quiet. He was going through the 'why' stage, asking questions when questions weren't even warranted.
"Okay," he shrugged and flicked on the television.
In walked Aariya, her darkening hair flowing down her back. Severus was nearly sure that it would be chocolate by the time she hit her first year. Hermione honestly couldn't explain where the color came from.
"When will Daddy be home?" Aariya poked Liam in the cheek.
"Stop it!" Liam squealed and slapped Aariya's hand.
"You stop it! He hit me, Severus!" Aariya screeched which scared Isabelle. She began to cry at a pitch only audible to dogs.
Severus winced, trying to keep calm as Aariya and Liam went into a slapping fight and Isabelle proceeded to mock them, her little hands smacking Severus in the face.
One, two, three-
"Hey!" Remus shut the front door, anger written all over his face, "Quit!"
All three children went silent, eyes flicking to their father. Aariya and Liam looked like they were about to cry, knowing they'd be punished for misbehaving.
"Aariya, to your room! Liam, to your room!" Remus boomed, watching as his son and daughter zipped off as fast as their little legs would carry them. Isabelle grinned at her father.
"Isabelle has been fine. She's just sore from teething," Severus handed the little girl off to her father, "If you don't mind, I'm going to head home."
Severus had been there since six that morning when the Lupins had gone to work. It was now six in the evening, and he felt he'd had enough of the children's antics for one day.
"Yeah. Go on. I'll have your money Monday morning," Remus smiled and shifted Isabelle to his hip as Severus exited, shutting the door hard.
BBBB
"I'm Potions Mistress this year, and it seems you've been moved to teaching Charms," Hermione smirked, flipping through the booklet she'd received by owl that evening.
Remus climbed into bed and rolled his eyes, "I rather enjoyed Care of Magical Creatures. I really don't care for Charms," he sighed and snuggled up to Hermione, peering over her shoulder to read.
"It seems they're taking children six years and older for pre-school classes," Hermione smiled, "We should be getting a letter for Aariya soon."
"It's only the third of August," Remus frowned, "They don't usually send letters until the end of the month."
"Hogwarts is changing, love," she leaned back to kiss him softly before tucking the booklet away in the bedside table drawer.
"So are we," he leaned in to kiss her deeply, his hand cupping her cheek. She sighed softly and returned the kiss.
Before either knew it they were undressed, Remus on top of his young wife. He kissed from her jawline down to her neck, hands roaming her slender body. She arched her back slightly and let out a low moan, eyes closing as he took one of her hardening peaks into his mouth.
The two rolled, Hermione now on top of her husband, their lips meeting once more. She lowered her hips slowly, sheathing herself onto him.
BBBB
The air was beginning to get unbearably thick with humidity and heat, forcing the witches and wizards as well as Muggles of London to stay indoors. The Lupins used their fans, cutting down on the cost of air conditioning. Yes, they could use a sustained cooling charm, but if they had used it, it might attract unwanted attention to their supposedly Muggle home.
Remus currently sat out in the flower bed, planting some sort of pink blooming bush that Hermione had never seen before. She watched him from the window, smirking as he wiped the sweat from his brow and continued on.
The phone rang somewhere in the background and she heard Aariya answer it before the little girl padded down the hallway to her mother, "Severus is on the phone."
Hermione smiled warmly and took it, "Thanks, love."
She watched as Aariya turned and jogged up the stairs toward her room, vanishing at the landing. Hermione lifted the wireless up to her ear.
"Severus, I was just about to-"
"I need your help," Severus panted, "Please. Come to my home now."
Hermione blinked and glanced out the window at Remus, "I'll gather Remus and we'll be there at once."
"No! Just you, Hermione," he warned before the phone gave a loud click. Hermione jerked the phone down from her ear to see that he'd disconnected the call.
Going at a jog, she headed for the garden, "Remus! I'll be back!" She called out the front door, noting the confused look on the wizard's face before she jumped in the fireplace and threw down powder, "Spinner's End!"
There he was, half of his leg completely shredded, and his face bloodied. Hermione swallowed hard, willing herself not to vomit as she raced toward the Potions Master and knelt beside him, jerking her beaded back out of her pocket.
"Engorgio," she murmured and watched as the bag grew to its normal size. Digging through it frantically, the witch found the potions and salve she sought. The acrid smell of feces hit her nostrils as she leaned over the man to pour healing potions down his throat.
"I'm sorry," he gasped after swallowing hard.
"Shh.. Scourgify," she muttered, watching as the dirt, blood, and excrement vanished from Severus' broken body.
"I tried... Tried to reason, but I couldn't-"
"Hush!" Hermione scolded him and tore her wand from her pocket, running it from his head to his toes. Immediately the leg repaired itself, only leaving black bruises over the normally pale flesh. The rest of him returned to normal although he had lost a lot of blood and was therefore half-conscious. Hermione poured a blood replenishing potion down his throat.
"Thank you," he murmured before closing his eyes, trying to relax as the potions worked their magic.
At least half an hour went by before Severus was sitting on the couch with a cup of hot tea in his hand. Hermione had taken a seat across from him, waiting for him to decide to speak. She wanted to know what had happened but didn't have the guts to press him.
Finally the Potions Master spoke, "Werewolves."
"Werewolves?" Hermione gasped.
"Yes. In the Forbidden Forest. They seek Remus," Severus scowled, his eyes flickering from his tea to her shocked face.
"For what? Remus isn't in contact with any other wolves. He takes his wolfsbane religiously to keep from turning," she protested this information.
"They want to know how he produced children without the curse," he informed her, a sober expression on his pale face.
"The.. The curse? What?" Hermione was lost now. What the bloody hell was Severus talking about?
"Listen, witch!" He growled, slamming the tea cup down with such force that it shattered. "The curse! The reason he would normal turn with each full moon! They call this 'the curse'!"
Hermione jumped at his sudden angry reaction to her poor knowledge. Usually she knew everything, "I didn't know."
"In any case," he began, calming slightly, "these wolves want to know how he has produced normal, magical children."
"We.. We had sex?" Hermione frowned, knowing there wasn't anything more to it, "I got pregnant and they were simply born that way."
"Yes, Hermione, but the fact still remains that normally, each child born from a wolf will become a wolf once they near puberty. Is it not true that most young women go through puberty at ten to twelve years of age?" He waited for Hermione to nod, "Aariya is seven years old and has not yet had any signs of the wolf. She does not wake up to nightsweats, growl in her sleep, her eyes do not shift colors during a full moon. Neither to the other two of your progeny."
Hermione considered this, "Yes, but she's still years away from puberty. We won't know if she is a wolf until then."
"For now, it does not appear that she is. This confuses the others," Severus scowled, "Her spirit. It is made up of strengths that repel the wolf."
"Oh, not this rubbish again!" Hermione returned Severus' scowl. She remembered Remus talking to her about spirit recycling on the train.
"It is not rubbish," Severus sighed, "If you were a Muggle and I told you I could perform magic would you not tell me I was spouting rubbish? You would. This is of the same example," he quirked a brow at her, watching her hesitate while considering him. She nodded, signaling him to continue, "Hermione, your children are very powerful."
BBBB
"Mother, I swear!" Hermione rolled her eyes, gesturing toward the telephone in her hand as Remus quirked his brow. "Yes! They are fine! Growing like weeds... Yes... Mmhhmm... Yes, Mother. Mum, we'll be there. Okay. Okay! Okay," she slammed the phone on the receiver and pulled at her hair in frustration.
"Mum, I presume?" Remus smirked.
"No shit," Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Are we going to see Nana?" Aariya slipped into the kitchen, beaming.
"Yes," Hermione sighed.
"Yay! Liam! We're going to see Nana!" Aariya went running from the room, feet pounding on the stairs as she sought her brother.
"I wish I could be that excited," Hermione smirked and kissed Remus softly.
The drive to her parents' home was long and tiring. Remus had insisted they travel this way considering Isabelle would be coming along and couldn't use the floo. It also startled Mr. Granger every time they simply popped out of the fireplace. Mrs. Granger had gotten used to it but the sight still alarmed her if she wasn't prepared.
Remus pulled into the driveway of the little frilly house at about noon. Hermione hopped out of the car as soon as it was parked and helped the children toward the house. Remus steeled himself for the affection he'd receive as soon as they walked in the house. And affection they did get.
"Remus! Hermione! Liam! Aariya! Isabelle! My loves!" Mrs. Granger cried, sweeping the little family into the home with welcoming arms.
"Hi, Mum," Hermione smiled warmly, accepting her mother's affection.
"It took you a long time to get here," Mrs. Granger commented with a frown as she ushered the group into the living room where they all took their seats.
"Where's Dad?" Hermione inquired.
"Well..." Mrs. Granger went red, "Dad's in the hospital."
(That ends the 25th chapter. Sorry for the cliff hanger. I'm still not doing too well. Working on getting better, though. Please review! Make me feel better :) thanks)