Chapter 2
“I know, I know. Just..” You looked at Harry and Lily slowly smiled. She looked at the rest of the group and nodded. Peter seemed startled as he just noticed your presence, James seemed surprised just like Sirius. Remus seemed in distress, rubbing his leg as the storm grew closer.
“We would love your help.”
~~~
If it was one thing you used to hate about kids, it was their volume. God, they were loud.
Hermione, however, had grown quieter the more weeks that passed. Just a month old and already she was already rather clever, or perhaps, it was your bias.
The nights waking up to crying became more rare, your routine of doting on her in the morning and going out at night was more calculated and confident, knowing she wouldn't attract too much attention to the abandoned farmhouse. That being said, her crying meant one of two things, real distress or physical harm.
You hated to hear that sound, but sometimes, times like now, it was music to your ears.
You had convinced Lily, Remus, and who you learned to be Peter, to come ahead with you. Leaving James and Sirius behind to pack up what they could. You had Remus by his shoulder, holding up his weight as he limped to keep up.
You learned that he had gotten his joint popped a few months ago, they did their best to salvage it, but it resulted in his limb being a permanent issue. It got worse with weather like this.
When you got to the field, you could hear her so very faint. Hermione, clearly distressed by the storm, crying from the bottom floor of the small cottage-like house. You quickened your step to make time with Peter and Lily.
Lily looked surprised at the sound, looking at you bewildered as you simply opened the door. Walking Remus to the living room as the cries began to grow louder, you plopped him on the couch and he muttered a grateful thank you.
You gestured around to the other two, as if to say 'this is it,’ before hurrying over to a makeshift fort in the corner. You don't have a cradle, so you put some boxes in the corner and leaned as many blankets and pillows against it to make a plush bedding for her. It was almost missed, hidden under a desk to keep her as protected as possible. You pulled her from the cocoon and leaned her against your chest. Wincing a bit as her cries seemed to stir Harry awake. Lily quickly took him back from Peter and hushed him, coddling the boy.
Learning to take care of an infant was quickly becoming like second nature to you. The practiced movements, of bundling her up and wrapping a sling around your chest to hold her up to give you back your arms, and the small coos in her ear until she settled down.
You finally looked up to Lilys burning eyes. She looked distraught, a million questions running past her eyes, but one was very clear. You cleared your throat and looked back down at Hermione.
“She's…” You whispered, trailing off, before you winced. Technically, she wasn't yours but how cruel would it be to say that? Her parents were long gone, she only had you. You weren't about to reject her.
“She's mine but she's not, mine.” You muttered and a look of relief rushed over Lily’s face. You had both survived in this hell scape for a year, you knew what dangers you faced in society as more feminine figures, seems she thought the same thing you did.
“You guys can get settled in here.” You finally broke the silence and Lily snapped out of her trance. Looking around the small living room and nodding.
“Thank you, again. You really are just total sweetness.” Lily gushed as Peter walked over to the couch to sit beside Remus. He was holding his gut and covering one of his arms. You watched him walk across the room, Lily's words falling on deaf ears for a moment as you observed the blonde. You didn't like him.
You had no reason for it, he didn't speak, he seemed a bit queasy, it wasn't hard to guess he was just unsettled with whatever injury he had gotten. You still didn't like it.
Turning back to Lily she was looking at you curiously before you shook her head. “Sorry, sorry. Uhm, let me get you guys settled before the other two return.”
You had made a space out of the living room, but even then you had to admit it was small. Peter had volunteered himself to sleep in the main room you had made somewhat of a nursery with the children. You didn't like that idea, he looked sick, and if Hermione got anything from him you would never forgive yourself.
Lily insisted he was fine, saying he just lost a lot of blood from his shredded wound. You finally gave in, allowing him to watch them, just for the night. You went to sleep in the closet sized second room, it took you a fair long while to finally sleep, staring at the rifle on your desk across from you, before turning your hand to grip the knife under your pillow at every creak the house made.
~~~
You were startled awake by what you could only assume was the sound of someone falling out of bed in the room next to you. You stayed quiet, staring at the wall of the room, holding your breath as you waited for any other sound that would indicate anything.
Then, there was a sound you had never heard before. It was blood curdling, Hermione was screaming, not crying, screaming. Maybe she sounded the same as she always did when she cried. Maybe you were just wound up. Maybe you were growing paranoid with Peter in the room with her, you didn't like him one bit, but they trusted him with little Harry so he couldn't be horrible with kids.
You waited a few more seconds, your body filled with adrenaline and practically vibrating in anticipation for you to just get up and check on her. You were being paranoid.
Then, Harry began to scream too.
You jumped up from your bed in seconds, scrambling out of the room and down the hall. You heard what sounded like a few people running behind you but you didn't check.
You went straight to the door next to yours, throwing it open and taking in the horrific scene.
Peter was hunched over the makeshift cribs you made for the two babies, he was letting out a barely audible snarl, one you knew very well. When he snapped his head back to you and you saw his milky eyes, you knew what had happened. He turned. He had been bit and insisted on staying in the room with your fucking child.
No wonder his wound was shredded. Your eyes slowly widened as it clicked. He was covering up a bite.
You glanced back at the kids and saw that the fort you had made them had claw and bite marks, but the damn creature couldn't figure out how to get to them. You didn't get a chance to think longer on it, before Peter charged you. You held your knife up but greatly underestimated his strength. He flew both of you against the wall, pure animalistic strength knocking the wind out of you.
He began to snap his jaws getting closer to your face, you put your forearm into his neck to keep him away, but he was starting to weigh heavy against your body, forcing you lower. Threatening to make you slip.
Suddenly, there was a gunshot and the infants screamed louder. Your eyes were closed tight but the second the pressure stopped you fell to the ground, hard.
Groaning, you opened your eyes to see Peter, laying limp on the ground, eyes locked on yours. You were breathing heavily, still panicked. You snapped your head over to where the shot had rung out, and you locked eyes with James.
He was still holding the gun, breath heavy as he clenched the handle with both of his hands tight. You were stunned for a moment, waiting for his next move. His friendly and soft expression was turned hard and disjointed. He looked terrifying like this.
If he had this gun the whole time, why did he give in so easily when you met him?
You felt like you knew the answer.
Once the adrenaline died down, Lily reached her hand out and slowly lowered his gun. He seemed to snap out of his angry fixed gaze and looked down at Peter with a watery laugh.
“I fucking knew it!” Sirius gave a bitter laugh from behind James and his words sunk in fully. You were seeing red.
“Sirius-” Lily started and Sirius shouted over her.
“No, I knew he was bloody bit! I told you guys he was being suspicious! I told you we couldn't come here with him! And I told you to stop leaving Harry with him!” Sirius ranted on as you tried to focus on his words.
“We had no way of knowing-!” James started.
“You knew!?” You screamed out, stumbling to your feet. Sirius looked at you and flinched heavily. Your throat was closing up and your eyes were growing watery. “You fucking knew!? And you let us leave the babies in there with him!”
Sirius slowly shrunk in on himself and you scoffed. “You fucking..” You quickly shook your head and looked over your arms and body for any blood or open wounds. When you were satisfied with what you found, you looked at the three with pure anger running threw you.
“This isn't over.” You snapped at them, eyes trailing to Remus who seemed to have managed to pull himself up. You walked into the room and went to slam the door, but Lily was close behind you. You paused at the door before you huffed and let her in, walking over to the cribs and lifting the fort. Staring down at the delirious and red faced tots. You leaned down and lifted Hermione in your arms, turning to set the knife down on the bedside table and sitting down on the love seat in the corner.
You didn't say anything to Lily, she didn't try to speak to you. You both sat in silence, Lily on edge as she fussed over Harry, pacing the room to try and get him to calm down. You were holding Hermione and looking out the window. Rethinking your trust in the current group dynamic.