The Werewolf's Child

The Muggle Borns

"Right," said Remus. "I'll just get cleaned up, then, shall I?"

                                                                                  ********

They apparated to a dark alley next to the address Amanda had given them. Remus clutched tight to Amanda's arm, and Sev held Gavin, who was still crying, though he had quieted down to a kind of snuffling into Sev's collar. Amanda's eyes were wide as saucers after apparating.

"Do you know where his door is?" asked Remus gently and Amanda led them across the way and up the stone steps of a white row house that stood in a shabby line of similar buildings. They were all leaning slightly to the left. The front door was unlocked. Amanda led them through a poorly lit foyer that smelled of cats and up two flights of stairs. There were doors to two flats on the landing. Sev set Gavin down and he stood beside his sister in front of the doors. She knocked on the left hand one. It opened just a crack, and a gruff voice whispered, "Who's there?"

"Dad, it's us," Gavin said, in his high childish voice and the next second the door was flung open and a large red faced man was gathering Amanda and Gavin in his arms with obvious relief. It only took him a moment to notice Sev and Remus lurking in the shadows, however, and with a start he stood, placing the bulk of his frame between his children and the two strange men, a look of hostility on his face.

Remus took a deep breath, and dove in. He could tell winning the trust of this Muggle stranger was going to be a challenge.

"Hello," said Remus quietly. "I'm sorry, I don't know your name, and it's safer if we don't tell you ours, but I am here to tell that you and your children are in serious danger. We are here to offer you a safe place to hide."

"Are you.....police?" the man asked suspiciously.

"No."

"Kidnappers?" asked the man. "I've no money if that's what you're after."

"We rescued your children from the kidnappers."

"My ex is dead," the man said, eyeing them suspiciously. "And her husband. My kids have been missing for two days."

"I know," said Remus. "It's horrible. But I'm asking you to trust us. It could have been far worse, if we hadn't gotten to them when we did."

"Why should I trust you?" asked the man narrowly. "How do I know you're not one of the killers. You......haven't shown me a badge or anything."

"Ask them," said Remus, gesturing to Amanda and Gavin.

"Dad, they helped us," said Amanda, simply.

The man looked from Severus to Remus and back. Sev was still in his traveling cloak. With his pale face, lank hair and dark eyes he looked otherworldly in the low light of the landing. He still had a smudge of smoke from the explosion across his forehead. Remus had done what he could to make himself presentable from Sev's shabby collection of cast off Muggle clothing. He was in a black tee shirt, a tattered black jacket and faded jeans. Sev thought he looked rather handsome, then shook his head and tried to stay focused. Remus' Celtic spell was wearing off and his bones, no longer sparkling with magic, felt incredibly heavy and dense.

"That one," Gavin said, pointing at Sev, "Got us off the ceiling and that one," pointing at Remus, "Gave us hot chocolate."

The father looked both children in the face. "You're really all right then?" he asked hoarsely.

They both nodded solemnly.

"Best come in and explain, then," he said gruffly. He stood aside. Amanda, stepped forward, took Remus' hand, and led him inside. Severus followed.