Chapter 5: Magic and muggles

'Cub, look how old you are! I can remember when I first saw you! You were so young and small! Then when you came to live with me, I was over the moon! I love you cub!' Remus told Charlie with a beaming smile. Charlie had donned James' messy hair but in Remus' hair colour today along with his blue eyes, it seemed like a blend between the two of them- quite strange really. Ever since Charlie had seen the pic of James and properly realised who it was he had become obsessed with looking like him and Remus combined, every day a new blend occasionally with more abstract characteristics such as blue hair or red hair but always predominantly like James. Remus wasn't sure whether to be proud or slightly disheartened that Charlie wanted to look like James but that thought was quickly expelled when he realised he was being stupid- of course Charlie wanted to look like both his dads!

'What happened before I lived with you daddy? Why did I go somewhere else? Why were you not always my daddy?' Charlie asked

'Charlie, you see... Here's the thing... I'm not your real daddy. I am your daddy now because I've adopted you by blood and such. But I'm not your real daddy... I'm sorry. I still love you though cub! So much!' Remus told Charlie slowly and with more confidence as he saw Charlie's confusion become more understanding.

'I'm still Charlie Lupin though? Aren't I?'

'Yes. Yes you are.'

'Cool. Well I love you too... So much!' Charlie stretched his arms out wide and Remus sighed in relief that Charlie didn't seem to mind.

'Daddy, who is my real daddy?'

'Your other daddy was a really cool man called James Potter and your mum was Lily Potter.' Remus explained.

'Where are they? Why are you my daddy if they are?'

'Because Charlie... They're dead.'

A long, heavy pause filled the room.

'A bad man called voldemort came and killed them with-'

'Green light.' Charlie interrupted.

'You shouldn't have had to see that Charlie, if only I could change it, it shouldn't have been like this,' Remus said sadly, ruffling Charlie's hair.

'I know Daddy, I know,'

Later that day:

That day they played in the garden on the tyre swing Remus had made last summer and in the paddling pool. Remus looked around the garden happily, three years ago he would have never even had the idea of having a family. Small though it may be. After spinning on the swing for what seemed like forever, Charlie ran over and dumped himself on Remus' lap with an 'oof'. Remus looked down in amusement at his son's actions and sighed happily as Charlie began to sway side to side whislt humming Babbity Rabbit's cackling stump. Remus shook his head and closed his eyes at his son's antics, he was awoken by a sudden strong breeze whacking him in the face along with what seemed like rain, he opened his eyes and became rigid in shock as he took in his surroundings: their was rain, wind and stars in the air focused around him and Charlie as Charlie reached the part about a rabbit stuck in a storm in the song.

'Charlie!' Remus exclaimed.

'Yes, what daddy?' the wind stopped but some sparks hung in the air.

'Are you doing that?'

'The wind and stars? Yes daddy, why?'

'You've got magic cub!'

'Magic? Like you?'

'YES! My son had magic! He's a WIZARD!' Remus picked Charlie up and swung him around in the air and then pulled him in for a hug.

'I'm a wizard? Do I get a wand like you daddy?'

'Yes! When you turn eleven... Promise me one thing Charlie.' Remus crouched down 'Don't tell any muggles!'

'Ok daddy, why? Are they bad?'

'No, muggles just would want to have solutions to their problems... We're best left alone.' Remus explained.

'Cool! Can't catch me!' Charlie ran around the garden, Remus got up and followed him.

'Daddy, when can I have magic lessons like you had at Hogwarts?' Charlie asked out of the blue, Remus stared at him before looking towards the book shelf of reference and text books. Should he teach Charlie magic? He certainly showed a certain aptitude for magic unlike the second youngest Weasley that apparently was thought to be a squib according to the Diggorys.

'Yes, but first you need to learn to be better at writing so you can write some notes and such? I know they're boring but you can make your own spell book! I had one when I was younger and it had all the spells I had learnt about and pictures of Goblin Wars!' I said, trying to make the prospect sound better. Charlie looked at me doubtfully.

'Alright,' he said shrewdly, 'if I can do writing properly for you, can I start?'

'Yes.'

He held out a parchment and a quill and started to write,

'My name is Charlie James Remus Lupin,'

He showed me the parchment proudly, I stared at it, shocked, then I turned to Charlie who was looking at me expectantly, when he saw my jaw drop, he looked crestfallen and started to tear up. I clamped my jaw shut and ruffled his hair,

'It's fantastic-' I said whispered proudly to him.

He looked at me in an evaluating sort of way, 'You mean it!' he said.

'Yes, why wouldn't I?' I said, confused by his look and his phrasing.

'Because I thought you thought it wasn't very good. You looked- shocked! So I had to see if you were lying, I knew you don't lie, but I didn't fully understand your look and stuff.' He said simply, I stared at him again, how did he-? That was not normal for a five year old! That wasn't childlike behaviour, was it? He was different. More mature. Maybe I should talk to Molly Weasley, she has older children, she would know, maybe Charlie could 'hang out' with some of her children, the twins perhaps?

'Oh right, very astute of you.' He looked at me quizzically then his expression cleared,

'Thanks,' he said softly, before walking over to the book shelf, picking up 'Little spells for little people,' and placing it softly on the table, he looked at me as if he was searching for permission, when I didn't object he opened the cover:

'When you learn a new spell, be sure to have adult supervision to prevent you being seriously injured, however do not let this deter you in your quest for knowledge. Spell One: Lumos It is a flick of the wrist that ignites the end of your training wand, be sure not to jab the wand as it may cause flames. To extinguish the flame repeat the action and say 'Nox'

He looked up after reading the explanation, I held out my wand to him and he held it cautiously, he looked at the spell again, said 'Lumos' under his breath to practice pronunciation and then practised the wand movement. He let out a calming breath and then put the two together, 'Lumos!' he said clearly with a flick of his wrist, the end of his wand glowed with a brilliant white light, the ball of light pulsed and grew before flicking his wrist again and saying 'Nox'. His eyes were full of excitement and yearning, longing to do more magic.

'Cub, that was brilliant, absolutely super! Do it ten times in a row and we'll move on to the next spell or you can write this in your spell book?' I said, congratulating him. He looked at the wand, the book and then his empty spell book.

'I want to do more, but I want to make sure I put the spell in too,' he said quietly, tilting his head from side to side, his palms weighing up imaginary weights.

'Well, why don't we put the spell in your book first, then move on?'

'Ok, that's a good idea,' He picked up his colouring pens from the pen draw and started to write LUMOS in big letters on the parchment, only stopping to change colours.

Dumbledore's office:

(A/N: Dumbledore has had his memory obliviated by Remus:)

Albus Dumbledore sat wearily in his large maroon chair, it was his last testament to his old life as Transfiguration professor, a life he missed dearly. In that life, he had no need to worry about dark lords as there were none, he had defeated them all, he didn't have to worry about the knowledge of Harry Potter's whereabouts, he knew he was real and alive, but he had no memory of what had happened next, all he knew was that he was safe. He remembered fractions of conversations long gone,

'You know this Dumbledore!'

'The worst sort!-'

'The minister is greedy-'

'I can't!- But you must!'

It left him rather confused. And that was something that he didn't like.

He sat in the growing darkness twiddling his bony thumbs, he knew he shouldn't know where he was, that it was for the eluding boy's safety, but he couldn't help but feel that something had changed, something deep and dark. Something- dangerous.

'Albus, you must stop this groping at ONCE! The staff are growing worried at your constant looming and gloom! It is quite detrimental to the general atmosphere of the school! Even the Mandrakes are quiet! And you know that they are- noisy to say the least!' ranted Minerva McGonagall, she was current Transfiguration professor and her Scottish brogue had grown quite strong her nag.

'Yes, I'm sorry about it, but I just can't help but feel that something has changed.'

'Yes, well that's perfectly alright isn't it? Just leave the staff to do everything. Things change all the time Albus, for example, yesterday I ate some eggs that chicks hatched out of and started squawking 'EAT MORE BEEF!' that changed my whole perspective on eggs, I'll tell you that!'

'I suppose you are right as usual Minerva, just be aware, as Alastor would say: 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' ' she just smirked, well he assumed it was a smirk as her lips became thinner and the ends of her lips tilted upwards slightly, you could never be sure.

A/N: READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!