Chapter 2
Holly's world was dark and cold when she first woke up. Her head throbbed like a dull ache that wouldn't go away, and every breath seemed to send shockwaves through her chest. Slowly, the edges of her vision sharpened, and the blurry figure sitting by her bedside came into focus. It was Remus, but not the Remus she remembered. The man who had always been a steady presence in their lives, warm and kind, now looked like a ghost of his former self. His face was gaunt, his skin pale, and the dark circles under his eyes made him look as if he hadn't slept in days. The evidence of his pain was clear in the way his shoulders were hunched, as though the weight of the world was pressing down on him.
When Holly's eyes flickered open, Remus seemed to freeze for a moment. Holly's green eyes glowed eerily as they darted around the room looking for her brothers. She had to protect them.
Remus blanched. It was strange how truly pale he could turn. His eyes, usually so calm and wise, were wide with a mixture of surprise and overwhelming relief. She could see the tears that still clung to his lashes as he reached for her, his trembling hands brushing against her cheeks with the gentlest of touches. His voice was ragged when he spoke her name.
"Beira!" His tone cracked with emotion, and he rushed forward, engulfing her in his arms. His lips brushed over her forehead, her hair, as though he couldn't bear to let go of her. The frantic tenderness in his touch was enough to make her heart ache. "Thank you Hecate, you're awake. I— I thought I'd lost you, Holly. I thought you were gone..."
Holly's throat tightened at his words. Her body felt so weak, so small in his arms, and the world seemed to spin around her. She hadn't expected to wake up at all. She had been sure—so sure—that the curse had taken her. After all, she'd thrown herself in front of Harry, and then everything had gone dark. How could she still be alive?
She swallowed painfully, her voice hoarse as she rasped, "Harry? Nox?" Her gaze darted around the room frantically. The question felt like it was too big to ask, too painful to utter aloud. Her mind refused to make sense of the world around her. She needed to know where they were. They were the only family she had left, her brothers. She had to protect them. She had to make sure they were safe.
Remus's face shifted, and Holly saw it—the flicker of something in his eyes that immediately made her heart sink. He didn't say anything at first, just stared at her with a strange kind of hesitation, before glancing away as though searching for something, somewhere to answer her. He seemed to shrink under the weight of the question.
"Holly..." His voice was low, laden with sorrow, "Harry and Nox... had to go to your Aunt Petunia..."
Holly's heart dropped into her stomach. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. The words didn't make sense. Not Harry. Not Nox. Not after everything they had been through. They couldn't be gone.
"No..." She whimpered, shaking her head, her chest tightening painfully as panic seized her. Her vision blurred with the oncoming wave of tears. "No... No! NO!"
But her little body was too small for such big emotions. She was only three and her wording wasn't very good either. She was getting better of course but it was still stunted and lipsy.
"Holly!" Remus's voice broke through her hysteria, his hands desperately trying to calm her. But it was no use. The storm inside her had already broken loose, and she couldn't stop the flood of emotions that overwhelmed her. "Sweetheart, please... Please try to calm down."
But Holly couldn't calm down. She couldn't stop the flood of guilt and terror that poured from her. She had failed. She had failed them. She had promised herself that she would protect them. She had promised Harry that he wouldn't have to face the same fate as before, that she would keep him safe, that they would be a family—together. But now they were separated, her brothers taken from her, sent to the one place she never wanted them to go.
"They will be safer there..." Remus murmured, his voice low and pained. He gently petted her messy auburn hair, the touch soothing in its own way, but it didn't help the maelstrom of anguish swirling inside her. She could hardly make sense of his words, and even when she did, it wasn't enough to bring her any comfort. He kept speaking, though, trying to explain. "I didn't want to split you three up, Holly. I never wanted that. But when you get better... When you're healed, you'll go there too. It'll be better for you. Safer."
Holly's sobs echoed in the room, and her small body trembled with the weight of her emotions. The words were foreign to her. They didn't make sense. Why would Dumbledore—why would anyone—send them to the Dursleys? That place was a prison. A hell. Her heart broke just thinking about it. Harry was no longer the Chosen One, so why was he still going there? And Nox—her little brother—he was too young to face that kind of torment. He would never understand why they were sent away.
Minnie was her godmother for fucks sake!
"Why?" she demanded, her voice cracking. She looked up at him with those wide, tear-filled eyes. "Why did they have to go there?"
Remus hesitated, as though he were struggling to find the right words, and for a moment, he simply stared at her, pain evident in the lines of his face. Then he sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping with resignation.
"Dumbledore said it was for the best. For your safety. He... He thought it would keep you all protected."
Holly's small heart twisted at the mention of Dumbledore's name. She had never liked him. The man was always so distant, so full of cryptic answers and lofty ideals. He had never been kind to her. Never truly cared. She knew that he was powerful and wise, but she had always suspected that he saw people as tools, pawns in some grand scheme. Now, it seemed, her brothers were the ones being used. And she was powerless to stop it.
Holly never liked Dumbledore. He was such a dick.
She looked up at Remus with large watery eyes. He tried not to flinch at how her eyes were so different now. They resembled the killing curse no longer were they the forest green of Lily's eyes.
Remus's gaze faltered as he looked into her eyes, clearly struggling to hold back his own tears. He reached out and kissed her forehead, his lips trembling against her skin. "I'm so sorry, Holly. I know it's not fair. I know it's hard. But... but you're strong. You'll understand when you're older. I promise. We'll get through this."
But Holly didn't know if she could. She wasn't strong. She had failed them all. She had failed her mum, she had failed Padfoot, and now her brothers were being torn away from her. She couldn't keep them safe if they were so far away. She was just a little girl, a child who hadn't even had the chance to live, to grow up. And now everything she had ever known was falling apart around her.
"Where's Paddy?" she managed to whisper between her sobs, her breath ragged and uneven. She had to know. If there was anything left of the world she had once known, it was Padfoot—Sirius.
Remus froze at the mention of his name, his whole body going rigid. For a moment, he couldn't speak. When he finally did, his voice was thick, barely audible.
"Padfoot... Padfoot had to go away."
Holly's chest tightened. She already knew what that meant.
Sirius was in Azkaban. He was trapped in that horrible prison, doomed to rot for twelve long years. And she... she had failed him. She had failed them all.
The tears came harder now, hot and relentless. She buried her face in Remus's chest, sobbing uncontrollably. The world felt so unfair. She had started out in this new life with love and joy, surrounded by the warmth of family. But now everything had been torn away. Her parents were gone. Her brothers were far away. And Padfoot—her beloved Dogfather—was locked away in a dark, dank cell, suffering. All because of Voldemort, because of the twisted fate that had been thrust upon them.
She had wanted to be a hero. She had wanted to be the one to save everyone. But instead, she was just a child who couldn't do anything. And that thought was more unbearable than anything else.
For three more days, Holly remained in Saint Mungo's, the healers keeping her there to make sure her concussion healed properly. They praised her, of course, for protecting her brothers, for being brave enough to shield them from the rubble that had nearly killed her. She had saved Lennox's life by taking the pain of the rubble. If she hadn't the large piece of wood that had hit her could have killed him on impact.
Remus had been there with her every step of the way, showering her with affection and promises of a new plushie to cheer her up when she was strong enough to leave for being such a brave little girl.
But none of it mattered.
None of it changed the fact that she had taken the killing curse for Harry.
And no one would ever believe her. Because Harry was the prophecized child. He was the one who had been chosen. Not her.
🥀
Petunia stood in the doorway, her eyes narrowing as she watched Hollyn cradle the two-month-old Nox in her arms. The sight struck her with an unsettling force—there was something unnatural about the girl. The girl was so small, no older than four, yet so capable with her siblings. Her movements were efficient, careful, but there was an intensity to her gaze that made Petunia uncomfortable. The brightness of those eyes, almost too bright for a child, burned into her thoughts. They were the same eyes that had haunted her. They were like Lily's but brighter. Eyes that held too much wisdom, too much knowledge, for someone so young.
Hollyn's wild, curly hair, so much like Lily's, had some darker strands interspersed within it. It was as if even her appearance was a patchwork of the unnatural, something from beyond the normal. Petunia's stomach twisted at the sight of the girl's dark red hair, her strange, piercing gaze, and the way she had so easily settled into a motherly role with her brothers. She didn't know if it was instinct or a result of magical blood, but Hollyn acted as though she had been born to care for them. To Petunia, that only made it all the more disturbing.
When Remus Lupin had arrived at the doorstep with Hollyn, Petunia had barely been able to contain herself. She had screamed at him—told him to leave, told him that he was a monster. She couldn't stand the sight of him. She didn't care what he had done for the children in the past; she had heard the rumors, read the stories about werewolves, and seen the traces of the monster in his features when he stood at her door.
His eyes had held such sadness, such guilt as he attempted to speak to her, but Petunia wasn't having any of it. Hollyn had tried to cling to his leg, her small hands desperate as Petunia had to pry her off, his face etched in heartache. The girl's cries had been a dull echo in her ears, almost like the final act of a tragedy she couldn't turn away from, but she knew that the children had to be kept safe. They were her responsibility now, no matter how much it hurt.
After Remus had left, Petunia had slammed the door shut, her heart hammering in her chest. She had held her breath until the sound of his footsteps faded into the distance. The moment she released the little girl from her grasp, Hollyn immediately sought comfort in Harry and Nox. It made Petunia sick to her stomach.
"Strange, unnatural children," she muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing as she watched them, "Just like their parents."
Petunia may know how freakish they were. But no child should be around such a monster as that man... Lily hadn't been very secretive with her journals... Which is why Petunia even knew what Remus Lupin was.
A monstrous beast.
She was protecting the children.
She was still a mother and mothers could not in good conscience let werewolves raise children. He could maw them and eat them! It was disgusting to think about. Lily surely would have wanted her to keep him away from them. Like she wanted her to keep Harry and Nox safe.
It wasn't that she didn't care for them. In a way, Petunia did. The children were family, after all, and family meant responsibility. But they were different. She couldn't ignore it. Their presence in her house was like a constant reminder of Lily—the magical world that she had never wanted anything to do with—and of the choices she had made that led to this mess. And as much as she despised them, she had a duty to her sister's children. She had to protect them from the dangers that lurked outside this house. Even if that meant keeping them under lock and key, even if it meant subjecting them to the way things were at Privet Drive.
She wasn't sure how much more she could take of it.
When Vernon came home that evening, the sight of Hollyn feeding Nox in a quiet, patient manner made his blood boil. The little girl didn't seem to notice him at all, so absorbed in her task of bottle-feeding her brother. And Nox, that stupid little baby, seemed perfectly content, staring up at her with wide, trusting eyes. That little black haired freak, sitting cross-legged beside her, was absorbed in his own world, eyes glistening with curiosity as he watched his brother's feeding. It was all so abnormal.
"What the ruddy hell is this, Petunia?" Vernon's voice boomed from the doorway, his face already flushed with anger. His eyes flicked between Hollyn, Harry, and Nox, before resting on his wife.
Petunia felt a chill run down her spine at his words. She wrung her hands nervously, biting her lip as she hesitated to answer. She had known this moment would come, but she hadn't expected Vernon to be so angry, so outright furious. His veins bulged in his neck as he advanced into the room, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"Hollyn..." Petunia spoke slowly, trying to calm him down. "She's my sister's oldest child."
Vernon's face turned a deeper shade of red, the vein in his forehead pulsing with fury. He let out an enraged snort, followed by a long, drawn-out yell that rattled the windows. "THAT BITCH'S SPAWNS WILL NOT STAY HERE! Infecting our Dudley with their freakishness!"
Petunia winced, shrinking back at his outburst. She knew Vernon's temper, but it seemed as though today was a breaking point. She glanced nervously at the children, unsure if they were hearing his words. Harry and Nox were oblivious, but Hollyn's eyes never left her uncle. There was something in her gaze—something sharp and knowing—that sent a chill through Petunia's spine.
Vernon, now visibly shaking with rage, stormed up the stairs, his heavy boots pounding the floorboards. Petunia held her breath until the sounds of him yanking down the attic ladder echoed down the hall. The noise of things being tossed around, of Vernon's angry mutterings, carried down to her.
Petunia wrung her hands nervously where she was standing at the base of the staircase while also keeping an eye on the children. She watched as Dudley continued to stuff baby puffs into his mouth while staring at the television. He paid no attention to the chaos around him, blissfully ignorant of the situation at hand. Petunia couldn't help but glance at her son, wondering if he would be safe from all of this madness. She couldn't help but feel guilt tug at her heartstrings. Dudley was her own flesh and blood, and the last thing she wanted was for him to be dragged into the mess that her sister's children had brought with them.
She noticed that neither of the other three children found any interest in the TV.
When Vernon finally returned downstairs, he had two milk crates in his hands. The look in his eyes was one of pure vindication, as though he had made up his mind. "Come Sunday, when everyone's off for church..." he started, voice full of grim finality, "They are going to the orphanage! I don't care what that crackpot old fool has asked of you. I don't want any of them here!"
Petunia took a shuddering breath, her heart tightening in her chest. She hadn't wanted to do it, but it was what had to be done. Her mind raced with thoughts of how she could make things right. She didn't love her sister's children, but perhaps there was a way she could make the situation more bearable. Maybe they weren't even magical. Maybe they were squibs. She had heard about squibs—the ones born with no magic—and if that was the case, perhaps the children weren't so dangerous after all. She could beat the freakishness out of them. She could show them what a normal life looked like.
Still, a part of her—a small, reluctant part—knew that none of this was normal. She wasn't equipped to raise these children. Hollyn was too smart for her age, and Harry and Nox... they had so much potential for magic. It made Petunia uncomfortable just thinking about it.
In the end, Petunia had been able to make Vernon's change his mind, but she knew there would be no going back. The children would have to stay. But if she could force Hollyn to care for her brothers, maybe, just maybe, it would give her the time she needed to work out a plan. She had no idea how long they would stay, but Petunia had no intention of keeping them for long.
When the children were locked in the cupboard later that evening, Petunia couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Hollyn, so small and young, was left to care for her brothers in the dark, cramped space. But what other choice did she have?
Petunia just had to assure Vernon the children wouldn't be a hindrance.
Holly on the other hand had hoped Vernon was serious about sending them to the Orphange. Petunia had run Remus off so the Orphanage was a better option for them than staying here. But the power of the plot... Ruined that because Petunia did convince Vernon to let them stay on the account that Holly would do all the work in caring for her runt brothers.