I just did subscribe! You are really talented, just want you to know that! I have been thoroughly impressed...not to sound snooty, but it takes quite a bit to impress me! :glomp:

Thanks :blush: I'm glad you are enjoying it. There are lots of talented writers on here though.

Oh yes I know, I have been stalking the fan fics!! :lol: I just wanted to show you some love!! Keep up the good work!

Okay I got to Chapter Six, part four, Grey, and all I can say is WOW! I seriously love what you have going for this FF. Angsty Teddy is verrrrry cute (in a way XD). Sad that he is angsty, but the writing is beautiful.

That had to be one of my favorite parts. I love Sirius! And you made him sound soooo good. I see him saying something like that to Remus. That was brilliant.

Also, thank you for all the shout outs, and dedications. It makes me feel special. :loved:

I will read more when I can! But now I need some sleep. :P

-Steph

Thanks :)


Aww mate you're too good to me! The dedications are because you're the one who sits and talks to me on MSN when I can't sleep and doesn't mind spoilers when I want to try lines out or ask silly questions :) You is marvellous you is! :sunny: (I got 5 hours uninterrupted sleep this morning after I spoke to you! :woot:)

I love writing Sirius! I didn't realise it until I was actually writing him! I had loads of fun with that bit, I played around with it a lot.

Haha! I so see Tonks saying that! It made me laugh! :xd:

Awww. This was written so good. I was sitting on the edge of my seat!

One word: INTENSE!!

Oh and Hermia! I remember the night we all voted on a name. :lol:

I know this part was supposed to be serious, but it made me laugh. I love how Teddy is a Cub. :P

You are so sweet! :blush: I love talking to you over MSN and the spoilers are fun. :shifty: I am glad you got some well needed sleep last night! :glomp:

I'm going to start on Seven, part four, Red tomorrow. ^_^

Well, she's not going to put up with Nymphadora, is she? I wouldn't!:xd:


Exactly where I wanted you! ;)

I know! It feels more intense now then when I wrote it, some how. We did vote and no-one liked Hermia! I used it anyway and I think it suits her. It's the female version of Hermes, who was a messenger for Zeus and was associated with speed and good luck.

Actually, I'm glad you laughed. I do that all the time, drop jokes into serious bits. I normally edit them out, but I liked that one too much to cut it.


I'm glad you enjoy our chats and the spoilers! :glomp:


Folks, I'm sorry but my old laptop is showing some signs of age! The hinge has broken so it has to go and be mended. Thank heavens for repair policies! It's being picked up tomorrow morning and might be away for two weeks. I've nearly finished the next chapter, but since I'd rather that it was right than rushed, I'll probably update when it comes back. I'm not borrowing the scary laptop again though, so I won't be around much.

Aw! Poor laptop! Actually, poor you! Glad there's "repair policies"! Good on you for being able to go away for 2 weeks! Is it a holiday or are you just sick? If you're sick: hope you get better! Right is better than rushed! Haha! :lol: Scary laptop! Good thing you're not using it! See you when you get back! All the best of luck at whatever you're doing! :D
Kita

I missed an 'it' out! The laptop might be going on holiday for 2 weeks to be mended, not me! I wish I was going on holiday!

Well I finished this chapter and it doesn't feel rushed so here it is.

Eight, part three, Black

Teddy and Smith headed towards the lifts together. Smith was filling Teddy in on the information they had been given by Harry and what he felt was the best strategy for them to use.

“… and after we’ve been to Combe Down, we should go look in the Roman Baths. They could be disguising themselves as muggle tourists.”

“That makes no sense, why on earth would Agents who hate muggles dress up as them?”

“Perhaps they have more subtlety than you?” His chocolate brown eyes were full of contempt.

Teddy clenched his teeth, biting back the sarcastic remark that he was desperate to fling at Smith.

“Well, okay then, but I still think it’s worth having a look at the more magical places around the city.”

“Fine. Look at us, we’re compromising. Potter will be so pleased.”

Teddy fought the urge to transfigure Smith into a lemon. Instead he looked through the paperwork that Harry had given them.

“Given that we are going to search muggle areas, do you think wearing those robes is a good idea?”

Teddy looked down at his robes, which were blue with turquoise stars and moons on them.

“Good point,” he conceded grudgingly “D’you mind if we make a quick stop at my place so that I can change?”

“Not at all.” Smith stepped out of the lift ahead of Teddy, a twisted, satisfied smirk flashing across his face.


*****

Professor Boot called his second year potions class to order.

“I hope by now you have all got a sample of your Swelling Solution ready for me. Label them and then one person from each bench please bring them up to the front.”

“Ted, you’d best take these, I think I’ve done something to my cauldron” Keith looked miserable and he did indeed seem to have melted his cauldron. He quickly started to clear away the potion.

“Alright, pass it over.”

John Smith’s snide voice cut into the conversation. “I wouldn’t trust him Moore; he’ll probably fall over his own feet and smash your phial.”

“Oh what would you know pumpkin head?” Teddy was immediately defensive. No-one irritated him in quiet the same way as Smith.

“Don’t say you haven’t been warned.” Smith walked to the front of the class and placed the phials he was carrying into the rack.

“He really does think he knows it all.” Teddy’s lip curled in disgust.

“You’re right, he’s a git but just be careful yeah?” Keith looked at Teddy apprehensively.

“Oh do me a favour!” Teddy took two strides away from the desk when he felt something catch him by the ankles. With both hands full he couldn’t save himself. There was a nasty crunch of crystal as he hit the floor and both phials broke.

“Oh Lupin! Take a bit of care can’t you!” Professor Boot’s exasperated voice rang out through the dungeon. Teddy looked up furiously, pointing sausage sized fingers at Smith.

“It was him! He threatened me! He tripped me!”

“He’s on the other side of the room! He was no where near you.” Professor Boot looked at Teddy incredulously, not noticing the twisted, satisfied smirk on Smith face.

“Come here and get some Deflating Draught Lupin.”

Teddy tried to stand but his head was oddly heavy, given that his nose, cheeks and chin had swollen where they had been splashed with potion. Smith came over to him, ostensibly to help him up. He muttered “You should keep that face Lupin, it looks better than anything else I’ve seen you try.”

As Professor Boot Deflated him, Teddy seethed that Smith had managed to avoid trouble. After growing up around George Weasley, he knew what a Trip Jinx Felt like.

~

“Oh go on Mabel please; you know you want to really.”

“I’m sorry Teddy, really I am, but I’ve promised to go with someone else.”

“Well he can’t be as good as me.” Teddy flashed her a roguish grin and the young girl flushed pink with a mixture of embarrassment and pleasure.

“I just wish you’d asked me yesterday, I promised him this morning. He seemed very keen.”

“Well who is this new suitor? Who’s the competition for my fair lady’s hand?”

Teddy knew that he was getting to the sickly sweet stage of chatting Mabel up now but he also know that she loved it. He was proved right when she blushed again, turning from pink to red.

“John Smith.” The two words felt more like two sharp slaps to Teddy.

“Smith? Really? You’d rather go out with Smith than me?” All the flattery and sweetness in Teddy’s voice had vanished now, replaced with a harsh, stony quality.

Mabel Davies didn’t miss the change. “Don’t be upset Teddy; it’s not my fault you didn’t ask.” She turned on her heel and flounced away.

As he watch her rush away from him, long blonde curls bouncing as she went, Teddy heard someone sniggering behind him. He whipped around, wand out.

“Peeves? Show yourself!”

Smith stepped through a door that was pretending to be a wall.

“That was excellent Lupin! I know just how not to talk to her now. You never know what she’ll give me in return for my attentions. Let’s face it, she can’t have been having such a great time with you, or she would have said no to me.”

“You arrogant” Teddy felt his tongue suddenly become glued to the roof of his mouth.

“Now, now growler, no bad language from you. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about it, what she feels like when she’s really enjoying herself.”
Teddy tried to hex Smith but found that he couldn’t as his tongue was still glued to the roof of his mouth.

“Not able to do non-verbal magic then Lupin? And your parents were an Auror and a Professor? Well they can’t have been any good.” Smith flicked his wand again and Teddy’s arms snapped to his sides, his legs snapped together, he became as rigid as a board and fell over backwards.

~

“Lupin collect the homework essays please”

“Yes, Professor Vector.”

The Arithmancy homework had been particularly difficult and Teddy was glad to be handing it in. As he walked around the room and beautiful idea struck him. He could get revenge for both him and Mabel, who was the subject of some very nasty rumours that had been spread by Smith after their Hogsmeade visit. Words like ‘tart’ and ‘easy’ seemed to follow the poor girl around the place like doxies feasting on fairy eggs. He took Smith’s two rolls of parchment and turned his back. He slipped his wand out of his pocket and under the cover of taking Keith’s essay from him, he whispered “Evanesco”. Smith’s homework Vanished.

At the end of the next lesson, Professor Vector could be heard lecturing Smith about the importance of handing in homework in his OWL year, deaf to his protests that he had handed his homework in, that he’d spent hours researching it in the library.

~

Teddy ambled down to dinner, after spending an afternoon cosseted in the library, realising that he only had fifteen minutes left in which to get something to eat. He knew that preparing for his NEWTs should be stressful, but he was sort of enjoying the challenge. Hermione had predicted that he would feel that way. He was very glad however that the honour of Head Boy had fallen to someone else. Being a prefect was enough extra work. As he neared the bottom of the marble staircase, he mulled over the idea of visiting Amelia Richards at Christmas and he couldn’t help grinning widely. He saw Victoire rushing through the doors and into the entrance hall and his grin faded. Rather than her usual picture of elegance, she was a mess. She was holding her robes together at one shoulder, her hair was ruffled and she kept glancing backwards, as though she expected someone to be following her. She ran straight into Teddy and screamed.

“Hey! It’s me, it’s Ted, calm down! What’s wrong?”

“I… He… and I didn’t…” she gabbled, making no sense whatsoever. Tears streamed down her face.

“Vic, calm down and tell me what happened.” They were attracting a crowd now; people were goggling at the two of them as they left the dinner hall. Victoire collapsed against his chest, sobbing. He pulled her into a firm hug and she winced and pulled away. He looked closely at her face and realised that someone must have hit her, her eye was swelling rapidly.

“Vic, who -”

He swallowed the rest of his question. John Smith strode into the entrance hall wearing his twisted self-satisfied smirk.

“You! What have you done to her?”

Smith sneered at Teddy. “Me? Nothing. I wouldn’t touch that dirty Gryffindor tart with yours.”

“Shut you filthy mouth!” Teddy flicked his wand trying to silence Smith, but Smith deflected the spell easily, laughing coldly.

“You’ll have to do better than that.”

The crowd had pulled back getting out of the firing line. Both Teddy and Smith had drawn their wands and were holding them in a combat stance. Teddy was both hugging Victoire and attempting to shield her. A long tense silence stretched between them.

“Ted what’s going on?” Keith’s soft whisper in Teddy’s ear almost made him jump.

“Look after Vic. Take her to the hospital wing.” Victoire seemed to want to stay with Teddy, but he could hear Keith coaxing her gently out of Teddy’s arms and into his own.

“You’re going to pay for that Smith.”

“Oh Lupin, I could destroy you with my wand hand tied behind my back.”

“Ever the arrogant Claw! You really need to get over yourself!” Teddy flicked his wand again and again Smith deflected the spell.

“Such a predictable little Gryff aren’t you? Chivalry wins the day!” Smith arched one eyebrow and Teddy realised that he had targeted Victoire to provoke a fight. Teddy was so angry that he could feel the adrenaline pulsing through him. He slashed the air with his wand and this time Smith did not manage to deflect the spell. He was blasted off his feet and as he hit the ground he began to sprout a fine pair of antlers. The crowd began to laugh, and Smith twisted on the ground, trying to stand. Teddy was ready for him and tried to disarm him, but Smith deflected the spell, shooting arrows from his wand at Teddy. The crowd around them scattered, some of them screaming. Teddy vanished the arrows and tried again to disarm Smith, who deflected the spell once more. Teddy felt something whip his arm. He felt blood running down his sleeve and made a move to try and disarm Smith again when he heard someone bellow at the top of their voice:

“LUPIN! SMITH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Professor Longbottom was running down the stairs towards them, swiftly followed by Professor Boot. Teddy took his eyes off Smith and Smith used the opportunity to hit Teddy again in the leg. Blood splattered on the floor and Teddy buckled to his knees as the Professors disarmed them both.

“Right, hospital wing, both of you! You are both in serious trouble!” Professor Longbottom’s voice was strong and commanding. Teddy tried to stand but couldn’t, his arm and leg were bleeding copiously. Professor Boot healed Teddy’s wounds, whispering a song-like incantation as his wand sealed the wounds. The expression on his face was a mixture of shock and anger.

*****

Amelia left the Ministry and apparated across London to the quiet backstreet where the offices of the Daily Prophet were to be found. She hurried towards the entrance to the alleyway, realising that she was already five minutes late. Suddenly, something hit her. She gave a small “Oh!” of surprise as she fell to the ground. A burly masked man in black robes appeared as if from nowhere. He lifted Amelia off the ground, turned and disappeared again.

~

“Right then, cheeky monkeys! Cosmo and Caitlin first with Hermia and Remus, you can go on your own afterwards.” Remus beamed up at Ginny, clearly feeling proud that she thought he was old enough to Floo on his own. Hermia lifted a sleepy Caitlin on to her hip and took Cosmo’s hand. Remus threw a handful of powder into the flames and Hermia stepped inside with the twins.

“Lupin Cottage!” Cosmo shouted gleefully.

They stepped out of the fireplace in the kitchen of Lupin Cottage. Hermia saw straight away that something was very wrong.

“Go back Remus, go back!”

Before he could get back into the flames, a pair of strong hands lifted him into the air. He wriggled and kicked against the person who was holding him, but the hands gripped him tightly. The twins huddled behind Hermia. She stared at the two figures slumped at the kitchen table. Both Teddy and Amelia seemed to be lifeless, both showing evidence of having been attacked. Blood dripped from Teddy’s nose onto the table, pooling there, joined by the blood that was flowing from the corner of Amelia’s mouth.

Hermia summoned all her courage. “Who are you and what have you done to my parents?”

“Oh, come now Hermia, they’re not your parents.”

John Smith strolled into the kitchen as though he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Mr Smith, what’s going on? Who is this man?” She pointed to the burly masked stranger who was still holding Remus high off the ground.

“His name isn’t important but I want you to know my name.” He sounded amused, as if this was some kind of April Fool’s joke.

“I know your name,” she replied cautiously, “you’re John Smith.”

“My real name.” He grinned at her and she felt a cold shiver run through her, as though she had just jumped into a cold plunge pool. Caitlin had started to cry quietly. Hermia took her hand to try and reassure her.

“What’s your real name then?”

“Alberich.”

Hermia’s grip on Caitlin’s hand tightened as her chocolate brown eyes widened with fear.

“No, you… you can’t be! That’s a lie! He went missing years ago. You can’t be!” she spluttered; panic really beginning to set in.

“I can assure you that I am Alberich. You have a birthmark on your stomach, on the left hand side. How would I know that if I unless I am Alberich?”
She realised that it was true. There was only one word that she could think to say at that moment, despite the fear that was making her heart pound so loudly in her ears.

“Daddy?”


As a person who can't cope with cliffhangers very well, I appologise for the wait you'll have for the next chapter.

Bravo!!

OMG DUN DUNN DUNN!
major cliff hanger, and ooohhh .. daddy :O NO WAY!!??
i loved the flashbacks and i laughed soo much at sum of the them :lol: , hold on i'll quote :)
i know that was a little evil (o.k very evil ;) but loved it so yay)
that made me laugh so much, and i couldn't help but think of shrek, oooh loved it :D
Also, how you included Neville as a teacher was good, but :O fighting like that at hogwarts! tut tut tut ;) but poor Teddy bleeding like that :(
but cliff hanger!! ooohh and i wouldn't use the scary zappy laptop either :P well now i so wanna know wat happens next!! :xd: excited much ;)
can't wait, and that was a huge chapter :woot: and i 4got the letter thingy i made up.. :S *scrols back up* hhmm not on this page kk a new one is neccesary :xd:
LTCAEFTN- Loved This Chapter And Excited For The Next :xd: much love, great chpater :glomp: i love this story! :xd:

Woah! Talk about a meanie! Can i fling a remark at him? *takes out wand and prepares for a fight*

Haha! :lol: I want to transfigure him into something! Hmm... Hard. Lemon or pig? Maybe a donkey?

Ooh! Cute robes! I like the sound of them! Reminds me of Dumbledore for some reason! Good choice Teddy!

I don't like the way he's smirking! There's something wrong! *stalks them*

Does he really like being mean or something?! I think there's something wrong with him! Teddy's a nice person, you know! No-one irritates me quite so much as this guy (apart from my maths teacher :blush:). Go Teddy! That line was funny! *thinks about transfiguring him into a pumpkin*

Ok. Now there's something wrong! Wow! I bet it was Smith! I bet he had a hand in it.

*gasps* I knew it! Evil little bugger! I can't believe he used a Trip Jinx! Honestly! Silly little boy! I can't believe he didn't even get into trouble! That's so sad on poor Teddy!

OMG! That guy is seriously evil! You can't take a girl Teddy likes like that! I bet he doesn't even like her! Smith i mean. I bet he's only doing that to get at Teddy! That's so sad! Poor Teddy! It's ok Teddy, it's ok!

Why would you do that?! Teddy is just as good as his parents! And his parents were good people! Very good people! You can't insult them like that, Smith! *glares at him*

Haha! :lol: That was so funny! Go Teddy for coming up with such a good plan! Well done! Ha! How does he like that? I'm so glad he got a telling off! Those rumors were nasty! How dare he?! I'm glad Teddy got his own back!

Yeah! What have you done to her, Smith?! If we find out you've done something to her...*stands next to Teddy to fight* Be prepared!

Woah! Fight, fight, fight! *joins in to help Teddy* Wow! Is Smith really good at duelling or something? Don't hurt Teddy like that! You meanie! Wow! Go Neville for controlling things! Well done! Wow! So many injuries! Tut, tut, tut!

What?! What happened to her?! Right. Who did this?! Wonder who that man is? So many questions. *sighs* Hope Amelia is ok!

What?! What on earth happened?! They took Teddy as well?! Why?! I think i know who it is. But if it's who i think it is, then woah! Can't believe they both got attacked! I want to know why! Hope they're ok! *crosses fingers*

OMG! OMG! OMG! I knew it! This guy is a double agent! Good on Harry to warn Teddy - sort of! I bet he doesn't have a care in the world! Silly boy! Now i seriously hate him!

Alberich? I bet you got that from somewhere didn't you? Can't believe his real name is Alberich! Wow! Has he been having a different identity all this time? From when he was small?

:faint: OMG! OMG! OMG! He's Hermia's dad?! Since when?! Why wasn't he there for her?! OMG! I just realised Morgana (was that her name?)! She was Hermia's mother! And now Hermia's got a really evil father! Poor Hermia! That's so sad! Wow! She's got a birthmark on her stomach! Wow! Sorry i am a bit too enthusiastic! I just got a bit melodramatic (with the help of coffee:blush:). I posted another long comment because i like your story so much! :glomp: Great post! Loved it! Can't wait for more!
Kita

Ahhhhhhhhhhh!
Cliffhangers, no! Then again, I leave some pretty gnarly ones myself. :P
Anyways, loved it like always. Especially the Hogwarts flashbacks. :Dc

Ahhhh no cliffies!! great chapter! post more soon!! PAMS
*Sammy*

New reader!

PAMS!

Hello all you lovely people! I'm back!

Have you checked out the Teddy Lupin Fan Club? If not, why not?

We have two competitions - a short fiction comp and a graphics comp and we need YOU to enter! I'm hosting the short fiction comp, so I'm not entering.

Thanks!

yes way!
I'm glad that you laughed! :) I love writing flashbacks that include cannon characters. Did you work out who the Potions Proffessor is? (Clue, a ravenclaw DA member).

LTCAEFTN! the next chapter is HUGE! I can't find a place to split it into two smaller chapters. Glad you liked it, you might have to wait a bit longer for the next one, sorry!


Thanks Shell, that's really lovely! *passes Shell a box of tissues for the next chapter*


You can fling whatever you like at him my lovely, he's an evil git.

Donkey!:lol: I thought lemon 'cos he's clearly bitter about something!



Well he's a colourful person, I couldn't have him in dull robes :)

Watch out Smith, Kita's onto you!

Wow, your maths teacher must be horrible!

Proffessor Boot has underestimated Smith, he thinks that Smith wouldn't be able to perform a Trip Jinx at the age of 12.

Is it? Hmmmm

Watch out Smith, she's coming to get you!

I doubt that was the only trick that Teddy played on Smith.

He was fairly horrible to her, let's put it that way.

Well, Smith does seem to be very powerful, doesn't he? :shifty:

No Comment :shifty:

We all hate him!

You know I love naming my Bad Guys! All my names are researched (apart from Amelia and Keith who were named by Lupinfangirlx and Paintbrush).

Hermia knew her dad's name, but not who he was. He wasn't there for her because... I can't tell you. Poor Hermia indeed. Thankfully she's got Teddy and Amelia :) She's got a birth mark on her stomach because I have and I was running out of imagination ;)

You can't be too enthusiastic! Pass me some coffee though, I've got lots of typing to do. :glomp: I'm glad you like the story, I like your comments

Thanks but you can't tell me off for Cliffies! Yours are far more nail biting than mine! ;)

Thanks Sammy but you might have to wait a little while longer.

:woot: A new reader! Welcome Welcome!


Well folks, I've written the next chapter out long hand but I'm not happy with the end. You may end up voting on what kind of end you want!

Will I need tissues??

Shell

I really can't comment any further :shifty:

i have come to the conclusion since you siad Boot...
is it - Terry Boot.. DA member and fought in the battle of Hogwarts.. ;)
i like your choice ..teeheee
and i don't mind waiting :xd:
butt ooohhh when i read that next chapter ooohh the comment i shall leave...the word epic comes to mind ;) yay :D
a tiussue >_< what you got planned..hhhhhhmmmm *gives a thoughtful pose* we shall see ;) :xd:

I'll have some beside me just in case!

It is Terry Boot, well spotted :lol: Epic is the word, I just wish I could decide how to end it!

I think that's a splendid idea!

Well, I found a way to split the epicness that this part had turned into so that it's more manageable.

Eight, part four, Black.

“Daddy?”

“That’s right.”

Cosmo could hear the grown-ups talking. Hermia had just called the man in the doorway daddy, but that couldn’t be right because his daddy was Hermia’s daddy. Maybe this was all a game and that was why his mummy and daddy were covered in ketchup, pretending to be asleep. He didn’t understand why Caitlin was crying if this was a game.

He looked up at Remus. The man with the funny grey mask on was holding him high up in the air. Cosmo could tell that Remus didn’t like it, but Remus was a bad loser. He always sulked when anyone beat him at a game. Remus was kicking at the man and wriggling like a worm. Remus kicked the man again and again. The man muttered something and Remus kicked hard with both feet, hitting the man at the top of his legs. The man threw Remus to the floor and shouted some words that Cosmo had never heard before, bending over. He pulled his wand out and pointed it at Remus, who was lying on the floor where he had landed, looking very scared. Remus started to scream.

~

“Daddy?”

“That’s right.”

Hermia was squeezing Caitlin’s hand and it hurt. Caitlin didn’t like the man in the doorway, she wasn’t sure why but his smile was all wrong. She hid behind Hermia; she didn’t want the man to look at her. She could hear Remus struggling against the big man who was holding him. Apart from Hagrid, he was the biggest man Caitlin had ever seen. There was a nasty thud and Hermia let go of her hand. Remus was lying on the floor, not moving and the big man was shouting at him. The big man twitched his wand and Remus started to scream. Caitlin looked away; she didn’t want to see Remus hurting. She saw a pretty pink light glowing in the fireplace and it gave her an idea. She grabbed Cosmo’s arm and pulled him back towards the fire. Everyone else was looking at Remus. Caitlin could see that her mummy’s eyes were open but she looked strange, as if she felt sick. Caitlin lifted up the seat of the bench in the inglenook and they climbed inside. Through the knot holes they could see Remus curled up on the floor.

~

“Daddy?”

“That’s right.”

Amelia could hear the sound of people talking. Her head throbbed painfully. She opened one eye experimentally. Her vision was blurred but she thought that she could see John Smith standing in her kitchen doorway.

I must have hit my head really hard, she thought vaguely as she closed her eye. Maybe I need some sleep. She began to loose consciousness again.

There was a nasty thud, shouting and a child started to scream.

Amelia’s eyes snapped open.

~

“Daddy?”

“That’s right.”

Teddy could feel blood dripping out of his nose. Without opening his eyes he tried to assess the situation. He could smell blood and Amelia’s hair. His hands were tied to the chair behind him. He could hear Smith and Hermia talking, what sounded like someone struggling to get away and someone else laughing. His pulse began to race when he realised that somewhere close a child was crying. The sound of flesh hitting a stone floor forced Teddy to concentrate harder. Was that one of his children? He could no longer hear crying and wondered what had happened to the child. He didn’t risk opening his eyes to check. He gripped the poles that formed the back of the chair and pulled. As they came free of the seat, someone started to scream.

*****

Remus felt slightly uncomfortable in the muggle nightclub, mainly because he felt so old compared to almost everyone else who was there. On stage the angular singer was playing up to the crowd, strutting around and dancing in a strange, jerky fashion.

Are you trying to put me on? I turned around and it was gone.
Did I leave it in your car? On a table in a bar?
Or in your bed between the sheets? The places where we used to meet.
Wherever love has gone I need to know.
'Cos she's a woman,
Oh yeah, she's a woman.
Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma she's a lady.
And I just love the way she moves, the way she moves, Watch her.
When you left I didn't know how I was going to forget you.
I was hanging by a thread and then I met her…

Remus watched Tonks as she danced around, her hips swaying in time to the music. He was just beginning to think that she was quite a good dancer when she became entangled with another girl and started to fall. He managed to catch her before she hit the floor.

“It’s the whisky.” She blushed furiously.

“Of course it is.”

“You’re such a gentleman Remus.” She smiled up at him softly “Most other men would have just let me fall.”

“I’ll never let you fall Dora.” The words had escaped his heart before he could hold them back. It was his turn to blush. She looked surprised but pleased.

“Another drink?” He tried to cover his embarrassment at dropping his guard.

“Let’s risk it.”

*****

“Daddy?”

“That’s right.”

The man who was holding Remus was squeezing his arms really tightly. Remus wriggled and kicked, trying to get away from the man, trying to make him let go. He could see his parents at the table. They looked very hurt. He could see Hermia, standing in front of Cosmo and Caitlin. Caitlin was crying but Cosmo didn’t look scared. Remus hoped that his brother would be able to get back to the fire and go for help. He kicked the man again, aiming towards his belly.

“I’m going to kill your mother.” The man snarled in his ear.

Anger flashed through Remus and he kicked at the man with every bit of strength he had. Both his feet connected with the man’s groin and he threw Remus to the floor. He tried to move but he couldn’t, his ribs hurt too much. He tried to take a deep breath but he couldn’t and he started to panic. The man was swearing at him now. A satisfied smile flickered across Remus’ face; he’d managed to hurt the man. A warm, comforting presence spread around his chest and Remus felt protected. He looked down and saw something blue surrounding him. He looked up and saw the masked man draw his wand and then he felt fire burning in every fibre of his body. He screamed out as his eyes rolled back in his head.



Let me know what you think of the multiple point of view thing. Some of you may notice that I have referenced a drabble in the flashback (yet again). The angular singer is Jarvis Cocker of Pulp and the song is She's A Lady.

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