The Werewolf's Child

Oakley

"Oakley Romulus Lupin-Snape," corrected Remus.

"That's a big name for such a little handful."

"He can manage it," said Remus. "He's going to be a strong person."

"How do you know?" asked Sev.

"I can feel it," said Remus. "Can't you? Besides, he's going to have to be," he added. "Growing up in this family."

********

Sev would never have believed that he could be perfectly happy doing nothing for hours but staring at a newborn human baby but apparently he had been wrong. He wanted nothing but this; Remus, safe beside him, Oakley dozing and waking and nursing and dozing again. Any other concern seemed extremely far off and irrelevant. Any other concern would surely distract him from this, right here, right now, which was all that really mattered.

Eventually they fell asleep, and when Oakley's restive crying woke them again it was late afternoon. This time he didn't settle after he nursed, and his thin cries became increasingly louder. Sev picked him up and walked him back and forth in the cave but his wailing just grew more frustrated.

"Here Lupin - you try," Sev said desperately, handing the baby to Remus. That aggravated, needy cry filled the whole cave, filled the whole world, filled Sev's brain until he couldn't think, couldn't focus on anything except wanting to do something, anything, to make it stop. He felt completely helpless and ineffectual. In what mad dream had he ever imagined he could actually be a father?

"He's wet," Remus said, over the wails of the baby.

"We have to change his nappy," said Sev. Of course. He knew this about babies. They had to be changed. Why hadn't he thought of that? He was obviously going to be terrible at this.

"How?" said Remus. They looked at each other, completely helplessly.

"Don't you know?" said Sev, and there was a sharp edge to his voice. Oakley continued to howl. "I thought you would know. You're the birth parent." Then he was horrified to see tears spring to Remus' brown eyes. Oh fuck! Now they were both crying. This just would not do.

With a panicky sense that he had to do something before the world spun completely out of control Sev reached for the baby. "Give him here," he said in a gruff voice.

"What are you going to do?" asked Remus warily, clasping Oakley tightly, which made the baby wail louder.

"If I can brew a potion I can change a nappy," Sev said grimly. Remus wiped the tears out of his eyes furiously with the back of his hand, still clinging to the baby.

Sev took a deep breath. "Come on," he said, more gently. He took his thumb and wiped a tear from Remus' cheek. "I won't hurt him. They left some supplies for us over in the corner. All right?"

Remus nodded and handed Oakley over. Sev took him gently. "It's okay, little mite," he said with more conviction than he felt. He put the baby up against his shoulder. Oakley seemed to respond to his show of confidence and his wails quieted to a disconsolate snuffling.

There was a stone shelf towards the back of the cave. The midwives had spread a blanket over it. There were baskets with sphagnum moss and soft cloths, and more blankets.

Sev laid Oakley down gently and unwrapped his blanket. The baby gave a few last hiccuping sobs and lay still, staring at Sev with that open newborn gaze. Remus got out of bed and stood behind Sev, looking over his shoulder.

Sev unwrapped Oakley gingerly and studied the way the midwives had fixed him up. He was naked under the blanket, except for the diaper that was made from a tightly tied cloth, stuffed with sphagnum moss. Sev studied the arrangement of knots for a long time. At last he undid the knots and pulled away the soiled, wet moss. Oakley waved his tiny fists and cooed. Remus put a hand on Sev's back.