"He's asleep" whispered Marcellus Lyon, quietly closing his son's bedroom door.

His wife made no reply. She stood staring at a photo on the mantlepiece of the four of them, smiling, happy. She had not spoken since they brought Remus home from the Ministry, bandaged and wrapped in a blanket. Not since he told her that he had lost his job.

"Syl?" He moved to touch her arm. She flinched away. Marcellus let his hands fall to his sides, as useless as the rest of him.

"I never asked for any of it to be real." Her voice was quiet, toneless. "Wizards. Magic. Werewolves. I just wanted a normal life. To marry someone I loved. To have healthy children. To watch them grow. That was magic enough for me."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"You're a wizard, Marc," she spat the accusation. "You should have been able to protect him. You couldn't save your own son -"

"I did save him. If I hadn't cast the Patronus charm, Remus would be dead."

"Well, he's not dead. He's this," she waved a hand at the Ministry pamphlets lying on the coffee table. "Can you fix him, Marc? Can magic make our son better?"

"No."

"You should've told me. If I'd known we were in danger -" Her voice broke.

"There's nothing you could have done, Syl," he said gently.

"I could have taken them away. Somewhere he couldn't find them. France. Or America."

"I did tell you Greyback was dangerous," said Marcellus. "That he threatened me." Sylvia had not taken the threats seriously, though, and Marcellus had not pressed the point. She only half-believed in the magical world.

His wife remained silent, contemptuous.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "I didn't want you to be afraid."

"I'm not afraid," she snapped. "I'm furious. My son is a werewolf. The way those fools at that hospital and your Ministry treated him - they hate him! He's six, Marc. He's only a little boy. He doesn't understand what's happening to him. I don't understand it."

Tears spilled down her cheeks. Marcellus blinked back his own. He wanted to take her in his arms - to console her - to feel a moment's comfort.

"We'll manage, Syl. We'll make it work."

"How? You couldn't save him, and now you don't even have a job! How will we manage?"

"I'll get another job." He spoke with more conviction than he felt. His only decent OWLs had been in Care of Magical Creatures and Charms, and now he was barred from working at the Ministry. A "conflict of interests", they called it.

"What if he comes back?" she demanded. "Greyback? What if it's Natalie next time?"

"I don't think he will."

Disbelief twisted her mouth. "Thinking isn't good enough. I want to take them away. Somewhere safe."

"Where?"

She looked away. "Maybe it's better if you don't know."

Another crack rent his already-shattered heart. "You're leaving me?"

Sylvia hugged herself. "Don't make this harder than it has to be."

"You can't -"

The look she gave him was so sharp he winced.

Marcellus closed his eyes. He was so very tired. "I meant - I don't blame you for wanting to go - to take Natalie. But, Syl, you can't take Remus with you. You won't be able to manage his condition alone. What if he harms you? Or Nat?"

She hesitated.

"Please, Syl," he begged, tears spilling over. "I'll do anything. We'll move. Change our names. Live like Muggles. He'll never find us. Remus needs both of us now. I can't do this without you."

Sylvia bit her lip. "I have to get Natalie from the neighbours."

When she was gone, Marcellus collapsed onto the sofa, shaking. His wife might leave him, but she would never leave Remus. For their son, she would stay. Perhaps someday she might even forgive him for what had happened, though Marcellus knew he would never forgive himself.