Chapter 16 : In the Wake of the Wolf

Remus blinked in the dim light, but no matter how many times he blinked, everything was blurry…

Remus tried to move, but the agonizing pain sent an ache down his body. He wanted to wail aloud but the dryness of his throat prevented him from doing so.

For a second, Remus forgot where he was, in fact, he had forgotten what had just happened, but then it occurred to him. It had been a full moon, and a really bad one for that matter.

Remus was acutely aware of two shapes standing over his body, murmuring quietly, and their gazes darting every few seconds.

"You're okay dear," Remus heard a soothing voice say gently, and he could now make out the shape of his mother. She was brushing the blood stained hair from his eyes and murmuring in soothing tones.

"The blood isn't stopping…" another voice sounded, and Remus made out the shape of his father, his wand working away while he stared at his wife.

"It has too…" Remus' mother said, and she began pressing on Remus' leg. He had to clench his teeth to stop him from wailing aloud.

"Come on, we have to take him to Saint Mungo's…" Remus' father insisted, and Remus felt himself being slowly lifted up from the cold, bloodied floor.

"No…" he whispered, "Please don't take me there…" he pleaded, though his father carried him into the living room, and Remus was too weak to protest. Remus had visited Saint Mungos when his injuries were too severe for his parents to handle. Remus never liked him there. The way they treated him too, the way people stared in the waiting room…

"Here's the flu powder…" Remus' Mom told her husband, handing him a handful of grainy stuff. Remus' father stepped into the fireplace, crouching down a bit to avoid hitting his head, and suddenly Remus was greeting with a dizzying sensation, and Remus tried hard not to puke.

Finally, the sensation ceased, and Remus was well aware of the busy chatter of Saint Mungos as people came in and out, for all sorts of different injuries and ailments.

"Wait here," Remus' father said, and Remus felt his mother's arms wrap around him as his father went to chat with some woman in the front.

Occasionally, people walking by would cast curious or disgusted glances in Remus' direction, but he honestly didn't care, he was far too tired and weak to do anything about it…

"You're okay dear…" Remus' mother soothed, brushing the hair away from his eyes, "We'll get a room and you'll be fixed up in no time…"

After a few minutes, Remus' father took him into his arms and followed as a tall woman led the way into a dark room. Remus wanted to cling to his father, and not let go, it felt as though he were going down to the basement, to endure the transformation all over again.

"You're okay," Remus' mother told him gently, which reassured him.

Remus was set down onto a cold, metal table, he had to curl up into a wolf-like curl to try and preserve heat, but his efforts did nothing.

Suddenly, footsteps got louder as two people entered the rooms. One of them eyed Remus through the corner of his eye in something that looked like hatred.

That's what I get for being a werewolf, Remus thought sadly. He winced as the stockier of the two began fumbling for something at a table.

"What if he bites," the younger man whispered to the other one, but Remus still heard.

"That's why we have the gloves idiot," the other one responded, shoving a pair of gloves into the younger man's chest.

Remus' mother was sitting next to him, occasionally reassuringly touching him on his shoulders and on his head.

"Stay still for this and it'll be quick," one of the men growled quietly near Remus' ear, "move, and it'll take longer."

The younger man rolled up one of Remus' pant legs, and began applying something roughly into Remus' wound, a scowl on his face the entire time.

Suddenly, an excruciating pain shot through Remus' leg, and he yelped in alarm, which earned a disapproving look from the doctors.

The way they treated his wounds was nothing like how it was in the gentle hands of Madame Pomfrey. She'd always tell Remus what she would do before she did it, and she'd not heal all wounds at once to not put stress on Remus' body.

According to the doctors, Remus had broken a rib, fractured his ankle, gotten a terrible wound on his leg that would result in a scar, and many other deep cuts.

His parents were told that Remus would have to stay the night, which didn't appeal to Remus, but there was no way to get out of it.

Remus was placed in a bed in a dusty room which made Remus' throat itch, but he didn't complain, at least he had a bed…

Remus fell asleep quickly that night, his mother was seated on a chair next to his bed, her eyes tired and weary, though she stayed awake until Remus drifted off to sleep…

Remus awoke early in the morning, accompanied by an excruciating headache, and a dull ache where his leg had been fixed yesterday.

He looked to the side, but the chair that had once been occupied by his loving mother was now empty, and there was no sign that she had been there any time soon…

Suddenly, a plump woman walked into the room, walking straight past Remus and straight for a closet where she grabbed a large box.

Remus suddenly noticed how very dry his throat was, and he craved for the feeling of cold fluid soaking his parched throat.

"Excuse me," he croaked, and the plump woman turned to him, a look of annoyance on her face, "Could I have some water please?"

She grumbled, half to herself, and adjusted her grip on the box, "If you want water, you'll have to wait, someone might bring some… Eventually…"

Remus sighed, and noticed from the corner of his eye that a young man - nineteen or twenty - was peering through a peak in the door.

Suddenly, the plump woman grunted angrily, storming off towards the door and throwing it open, staring at the man.

"Honestly! Stop peering, go make yourself useful!" she shouting, walking off with the heavy box.

A few seconds later, the man slowly walked into the room, greeting Remus with a nervous nod.

"Do you want anything? Water? Something to eat?" he asked, his gaze occasionally darting to the half opened door.

"Water's fine… I'm not very hungry…" Remus said quietly, and the young man nodded, and quickly exited the room.

A couple of seconds later, he reappeared holding a clear glass of water, which he gave to Remus.

He took in gratefully, drinking it greedily in a few thirsty sips which did a good job in soothing his parched throat.

"Better?" The doctor asked, taking the cup from Remus and he nodded.

"I'm Moore by the way," the doctor introduced himself, and Remus couldn't help but be

Soothed by his calm demeanor.

"I'm Remus," Remus stated, and Moore smiled. Suddenly, Remus realized he could ask the kind doctor where his mother might be. "Have you perhaps seen my mother anywhere? She was here recently…"

"I might have," Moore said, "I believe she went down to get coffee or something, I reckon she'll be back quite soon, don't worry."

And just like that Remus' mother burst into the room, smiling at Remus, "I'm back dear," she said, settling back down onto the seat.

"Well, better go," Moore said, and he nodded politely at Remus and his mother before quickly exiting the room.

Remus' mother sat a tray of food in front of Remus and smiled, "I thought you might be hungry."

Below him was a small slab of toast with a pathetically small egg on it, some steamed asparagus, and a small meat bun. Remus' stomach revolted and he tried hard not to gag.

"I'm not very hungry," Remus confessed.

"Just eat a bit, you'll need your strength," Remus' mother said, taking a sip of coffee she had brought with her.

"Where is father?" Remus questioned and his mother shook her head.

"He left in the night, he's probably at work, but he'll come visit you at some point." she said as though she were trying to reassure herself.

Remus just nodded and began nibbling on the meat pie. Bile rose in his throat but he knew he had to eat, to please his mother. She's always been so good to me, Remus thought guiltily, the least I can do is try to get better…

Remus ended up finishing half of the meat pie, a tiny bit of the asparagus, and a bite of toast. Though it seemed to satisfy his mother.

After that Remus drifted into sleep, he longed to be at Hogwarts with his friends, and his classes, and everything else. If I want to keep all of that my friends must never find out my secret, Remus thought, and the task suddenly seemed quite daunting…