"Lyall? Lyall Lupin, right?" Emeline asked cautiously as she stepped closer.

The older man eyed her with an interested smile and the healer crinkled her eyebrows in confusion.

"Who are you, dear? I've never seen another visitor aside from-"

"-my dad? His son?" The healer nodded and her mouth opened in understanding.

"Ahh, yes. I thought I heard once something about a grandchild. I thought Lyall had mistaken that bit of information." She smiled warmly and Emeline's heart pounded in her chest.

"No, he was very much correct." She nodded, their gaze on one another unwavering as she zoned out.

Lyall was a shorter man, now, but she could tell that without his slight bend forward, he would have been just as tall as his son.

His face was careworn but his eyes still sparkled with kindness; the kind of sparkle that she was sure was oftentimes mischievous in his day, like Remus.

He had a great deal of wrinkles: worry lines, laugh lines and generally aging skin. His hair was pure white and he was a slender man concealed under an oversized, comfortable cardigan.

It looked simply as though Emeline was viewing her father decades into the future.

However, something was stumping her that she couldn't place.

Though so alike, there was one drastic difference.

"Emeline?" She spun on her heel at her father's voice. She couldn't place his tone.

When she faced him, her lips pulled into a comforted smile.

That was it.

No scars.

"My dear boy!" Lyall rushed forward as the healer tried to hold onto him, but he couldn't contain his excitement at seeing Remus.

Her father looked dumbfounded for a moment, as did she, not having known that Lyall was lucid in this moment.

Her face softened as she watched them embrace one another tightly, Remus' face melting into joy as he held his father.

"Dad," Remus pulled back and held his shoulders lovingly. "I see you've met your granddaughter."

Lyall's eyes widened and tears sprung forward in them as he turned back to Emeline.

"Oh, I knew it! Sweet girl." Before she knew it, Emeline was being pulled in for a similiar hug.

Remus chuckled as the thought flashed across her mind: how the hell was he so strong?

When he pulled away, he surveyed her intently and she remained silent, unsure of what to say and feeling fairly uncomfortable at the idea of being assessed.

When he seemed content, he nodded softly and reached out a hand to squeeze her shoulder. He brushed his thumb along the top of her deep scar and nodded once more, this time to Remus.

He knows?

Remus nodded very slightly to Emeline, but his smile did not fade.

"I can take him back to his room, Opal. Thank you."

The healer smiled kindly in response.

"Absolutely, Mr. Lupin. I'll see you in the morning, Lyall."

Remus and Emeline each took one of Lyall's arms and he linked his with theirs quickly, his smile never fading.

As they walked the long hall, Emeline felt a peace deep in her soul that was undeniable.

Tonks?

She's going to be just fine

Remus glanced over and physically saw the relief wash over Emeline, who couldn't stop the joyful tears streaming down her cheeks.

She'll be here for a few days. She's still unconscious, but they say rest is good for this curse.

Emeline nodded silently and their quiet communication was broken completely when Lyall turned his head to her.

"Born or bitten?" He asked boldly, chuckling as Emeline's eyes widened.

She thought he'd known she was not born a wolf, but she didn't stay hung on the comment long.

"I, uh… well, neither."

Lyall looked confused for a moment, sure he knew what he was talking about, before his eyes softened into understanding.

Now, he turned to his son.

"Blood magic?" He whispered the question.

Remus nodded curtly.

"Merlin, I'd fancy hearing all about it!" He replied cheerfully as they stepped into his room.

"Perhaps another visit, dad. It's a long story and it's well past midnight."

"Oh, nonsense! I don't have my wits about me often - tell me a good bedtime story, won't you?"

He looked to Emeline once he was lying in bed and she grinned.

"Well, if you insist," she answered, taking the seat by his bed. Remus stood warily at the foot of the bed before Lyall motioned for him to sit down. "If you get too frightened you better tell me to quit." She warned jokingly, which awarded her a jovial laugh from her grandfather.

They spent many hours rehashing the last two years to Lyall, who listened enthusiastically the entire time without so much as a yawn.

Emeline could tell he was on the edge of his seat and desperately wished he'd been right in the thick of everything.

When their story finally concluded, Lyall quirked an eyebrow.

"What is it?" She asked kindly, reaching for his hand out of habit for her own father.

To her relief, he took it immediately.

"It just occurred to me to ask why you lot are traipsing around the hospital so late."

Emeline laughed. "Ah, we may have left something minor out of the details." She shot her father her own mischievous smile.

"Emeline Mara." Remus warned, rubbing his temples.

Lyall gave him a playful kick in the leg.

"Go on, dear!"

"Well, dad's girlfriend is in."

Lyall's face broadened into a smile that Emeline couldn't believe. She could hardly see his eyes with how wide his grin was.

"About bloody time, Remus! Who is the lucky gal?" Emeline laughed and turned to her father who was holding his hands together nervously.

Lyall's voice was comforting; he sounded almost like Remus but he was gruffer and a bit more Scottish. His inflection made her chuckle most times when he spoke.

"She's an auror!" Emeline took over, seeing that her father was not going to reply.

"Well, I'll be damned. Good for you, son. I'm sure she's a gem." Lyall offered Emeline a wink and Remus groaned before finally mustering a soft smile.

"Thanks, dad. She's lovely and she's going to be just fine."

Finally, Lyall yawned.

"I'm happy to hear it, son."

He slid his hand out of Emeline's and reached for Remus, who grabbed it eagerly.

"Get some rest, dad."

"Only if you both promise to come back soon?" It was the first time Emeline heard vulnerability in his voice.

"Ofcourse we will." She answered quickly.

"Wonderful. And maybe next time you can call me granddad, mm?"

"If that's what you want." She said quietly, standing with her father.

Remus bent down to place a kiss on his forehead and Emeline grabbed his hand as they left, both looking at one another with misty eyes.