It was very early. Early enough that the moon had set, but the sun had not yet risen. Not that Remus would have known, being asleep on the hard ground of the cellar beneath his family home where there were no windows. A cool breeze wafted through and caused Remus to shiver and he woke up, startled.

There were no windows…

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he pushed himself up onto his elbows with some difficulty and looked around the dark, empty space. Something didn't feel right. He felt like he was being watched, but it was too early for his parents to come down to get him. His heart leaped into his throat as his eyes came to rest on the heavy iron cellar door that led to the backyard. They were wide open.

Had he somehow managed to open them himself during the night?

Did he get out?

Had he done something terrible?

A million horrified thoughts raced through Remus' head as he tried to recall anything from the previous night's transformation. Gathering his strength, he made a move to stand up.

"Ah ah ah... careful, little one," a low, grumbling voice made Remus freeze mid-motion. He felt goosebumps rise over his skin and his heart sped up.

"Who's there?" He asked, wishing his voice didn't sound so hoarse and weak. His wand was way across the room, locked away so that Moony wouldn't decide to use it as a chew toy during the night.

A dark figure emerged from the shadows. All Remus could see was a silhouette and two glowing yellow eyes moving towards him. He opened his mouth to yell for his parents.

"Shhh…" The shadowy figure hushed. "It wouldn't do to scream, little one. Soundproof down here, isn't it? I imagine Lyall would take every possible precaution to make sure no one ever heard a whimper or howl from his pup."

"Who are you?" Remus asked again, this time with a growl of his own. "What are you doing here?"

Whoever it was clicked their tongue in disappointment. "Remus, I'm surprised at you. I'd have thought Lyall would have taught you better manners. This is no way for you to greet your father."

Father?

"Although, I suppose it's not all that surprising. Wolves aren't meant to be raised by humans, are they?"

Remus barely saw the figure move before suddenly he was there, right in front of him, so close their noses were almost touching. He was a man, but like no other Remus had ever seen. He was dark and filthy with a gash cutting clean across his face and he smelled so strongly of blood it made Remus feel dizzy. Clearly a werewolf, the man looked as if he were more animal than human. As if his wolf traits had begun to mesh with his human ones almost seamlessly. A whimper escaped Remus' throat and the man chuckled.

"Don't be scared, little one." He grinned widely and Remus could see that even his teeth were sharp and wolf-like, regardless of the moon's absence in the sky. "I only came to see my son. Check on you. Make sure Lyall hasn't had you put down like the animal his world thinks you are."

"I'm not your son," Remus said, trying to keep his voice from shaking.

The man laughed darkly and Remus couldn't help the shiver that crept through his body. "Oh, but you are, little one." He took a step back and his wild eyes slowly took Remus in, making him recoil slightly. "I'll be seeing you again, Remus Lupin." And just as quickly as he had appeared in front of him, he turned and fled, leaving Remus confused and alone in the dark basement with the cellar door still wide open.

—-

Remus was silent as he sat beside his father who was tending to his latest injuries. A million questions that he had never thought to ask before were flooding his mind. He had never bothered to wonder about the circumstances of his condition, believing it to be a freak incident. A rogue werewolf had broken in through his window as a child and attacked without motive. Werewolves, he knew from experience, had no control over themselves during the full moon, so they couldn't possibly target a specific victim of their own free will, could they? And if they somehow could, why would one of them hunt down an innocent five-year-old child? Why would someone have wanted to hurt him that way? Clearly, the werewolf who had come to him last night knew who he was and knew his father.

"Dad?"

"Hmm?" His father didn't look up from where he had tapped his wand on Remus' arm, healing a moderately deep scratch that would definitely leave a new scar. "Are you alright? You didn't break anything-"

"No." Remus shook his head. "I just…" he trailed off, eyes wandering back to the now closed and locked door that had been opened when he woke up. "What… what happened?"

Lyall frowned, confusion etching his tired face as he looked questioningly at his son.

Remus licked his lips nervously. "The night I was… the night I was bitten. What happened? Why did… why me?" He hated himself for sounding so small, and even more so when the look on his father's face flashed with fear.

"R-Remus, I- why? Why would you think-? It was just-"

"I wasn't roaming around the woods at night and stumbled upon some monster, Dad. I was asleep in my bed. Werewolves don't just appear in a child's bedroom, I-" He sighed, running his free hand through his hair. "I don't know. It seems… what happened to me? You know. I know you do."

"You don't know what you're asking Remus. What happened happened, the reason behind it is unimportant-"

"Unimportant?" Remus repeated incredulously, pulling his now healed arm away and staring at his father in shock. "It's my life! My entire life, who I am, what I am!"

"You don't understand-"

"No, you don't understand!" Remus shouted back. Ignoring the ache in his limbs, he stood up, wrapping the battered blanket around himself. "I'm seventeen. It's my life and I deserve to know the truth. I'm not a child anymore; I don't need you to protect me."

"I'm always going to want to protect you, Remus," Lyall said quietly. "You're my son."

"Am I!?" Remus asked bitterly, remembering what the man had said to him earlier. "I am a werewolf. Wolves aren't meant to be raised by humans. Hell, most of the Wizarding World would have me put down, wouldn't they?"

Lyall flinched and looked at him with a painful expression. "Remus, why would you say something like that?"

"Because it's true, isn't it? That's what people think about…about dark creatures like me. Wouldn't you think that way too? If I wasn't your son, if I hadn't been cursed this way, what would you think of something like me?" The silence that followed was louder than any noise Remus could remember hearing in his life, and that was the only answer he needed. "I… I'm going to stay at James'. Tell mum I'm sorry. I just need to get out of here."

"Remus, wait!" His father called after him, but he didn't look back and he made his way up the stairs to his bedroom despite his body's protests.

Freaking love angry Remus.

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