Nosey Business (Elijah's POV)
“I’m sorry, Mum, but I don’t think we all should go.” Elijah heard his mother talking in the kitchen as he and Remus walked into the house. “There’s still so much to do, with Remus being unwell so late this month, I haven’t even gone shopping.”
“You can still do all that. We’ll be right outside Paris.”
“But-” Victoria stopped talking when she saw Elijah. “Hi, honey. How was school?”
“Why can I talk to snakes?” Elijah blurted out, sitting at the table.
Victoria and Aurora shared a look. “Mon Dieu, Tori.” His grandmother closed her eyes for a second. “Because, Loup, your grandfather could. There’s nothing wrong with the gift-”
“How in the world did you even figure this out?” Remus sat next to his son.
“Dumbledore started this dueling club and Malfoy shot a snake at Potter, which tried to attack my friend, Justin. Everyone thinks that he told the snake to attack but he told it to leave him alone, and apparently I’m the only one who understood what he said.”
Remus frowned. “Harry shouldn’t be a-”
“It’s not a bad thing, Eli.” Victoria interrupted. “I can too.”
Elijah smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Mum.”
“Now, did Ryan say if she was coming over?”
“She said she’d write me to let me know for sure, but Oz should be here after the holiday.”
“See, Tori, perfect.” Aurora smiled broadly. “So we can go.”
“Mum, we are not going to Tante Josephine’s funeral.” Victoria snapped. “I don’t want to go to Versailles. I want to spend a quiet Christmas here.”
“Fine, don’t go.” Aurora snapped back. “I thought you’d like to show Elijah where you spent most of your summers.”
“Oh, the fun summers of being stuck in France when you’d run off to track down my deadbeat father-”
“He always provided for you.” Aurora interjected, getting agitated.
“He was never there.” Victoria pointed out. “At least Remus does everything he can to show up for Eli-”
“Yes, yes, how wonderful he’s raising his son in his condition.” Aurora spat. “It’s a good thing your father disappeared before he found out you let a-” She stopped, suddenly looking guilty. Elijah glanced at his dad. Remus was staring into the living room, expressionless. “I should go.”
“Yes, thank you, Mother.” Victoria retorted. “Come back with an apology or don’t come back at all.” When Aurora Disapparated, Victoria sank into the chair on the other side of Remus. “I don’t think she meant it.”
“She’s right.” He said quietly. “I can’t provide financially for him. Or you.” Elijah went toward his room, pausing at the hallway, out of view of his parents. “It’s a wonder I haven’t attacked either of you or that Eli’s not like me.”
“Don’t think like that. You’re one of my favorite people. Always have been.” Victoria kissed his forehead. “Mum’s just being an arse. Ignore her. Also, he is like you. In all the best ways.”
“Yeah, but he could still become a werewolf too. And I couldn’t live with myself, knowing I did that to him.”
“He’s not going to. St Mungo’s said if he’s not transforming by the time he turned five, the risk is minimal. You were there.”
Elijah ran back in there, hugging his dad tightly. “You’re the best dad I could’ve asked for, werewolf or not. Please don’t leave.”
Remus hugged him back just as tight. “Eavesdropping, Eli?” He joked.
“I kind of figured it out at school.” He said quietly. “We had to do a report on Lockhart’s book because I told him I’d rather drink firewhiskey than be in his class.”
Remus snorted. “Gilderoy Lockhart is your new DADA professor? Merlin, Eli. I hope you can pass your exams.”
“Oh, I will. Just because he’s an idiot doesn’t mean I am.”
The next couple days passed relatively fast and Elijah spent most of the days playing wizard’s chess with Remus and letting Frankie hop about the house. An owl came through the window one morning while the three were eating breakfast, dropping a wrapped box off before leaving. “It’s for you.” Victoria passed the present to her son.
He ripped it open, finding a box of chocolates with a short note. Happy Christmas, Eli! He rolled his eyes at the messy handwriting, recognizing it immediately. “It’s from Ryan.” He said to the questioning looks. “I guess we’re actually friends now.”
“That was very sweet of her.”
“Oh, man, I have to get her something now.”
“We were planning on going Christmas shopping soon, anyways.” Victoria said as the doorbell rang. She excused herself, coming back with her sheepish looking mother behind her.
“Remus, I owe you an apology for the other night.” Aurora began. “You didn’t deserve my misplaced frustration, and I’m sorry.”
“It happens all the time, Aurora.” Remus stated. “But, I appreciate the effort. Apology accepted.”
“Well, it shouldn’t.” She said simply. “Xan and I are going to the estate for the funeral today, and we won’t be back for the holiday. I’ll send my presents, though.”
After breakfast, Elijah curled up by the fireplace, watching the snow fall. “Hot chocolate?” Remus asked, handing him a mug.
“Thanks, Dad.”
“You want to go to London with me? I’ve got to get your mum’s present.”
“Sounds fun.” Elijah quickly drank the cocoa, feeling the warmth spread from inside, and he quickly dressed. “Like Muggle London or Diagon Alley?”
“Muggle London.”
Elijah perked up. “I’m ready, Dad!”
They left, using the Floo network to get to Diagon Alley and then exited, quickly navigating the large crowd. Remus kept a hand on Elijah’s shoulder as they walked down the sidewalk. Elijah kept looking into all the shop windows and as they passed a bakery, he saw Ryan inside. “Oh, Dad, there’s Ryan!”
“Oh? Let’s go say hi.”
They went inside, following the aroma of freshly baked bread. Ryan immediately spotted Elijah and jumped up, running up to him. “Hi! What’re you doing here?”
“Um, shopping for my mum’s Christmas present. Oh, this is my dad.”
“Hi!” Ryan smiled sweetly at Remus. “It’s nice to meet you. My godfather’s over there. Come on, we’ve got room at our table.” Elijah followed her to the table, seeing a blonde man sitting with his back to them until he heard Ryan talking. “James, look! I found Elijah.”
Elijah waved, but James was looking past him at his dad. And Remus was staring back, mouth slightly open. “Holy-”
“Ryan, can I trust you to stay here?” James asked, eyes not leaving Remus.
“Yeah.”
“Stay.” Remus said and Elijah sat down, both preteens watching as the men walked outside the bakery.
“What is going on?” Elijah asked.
“Wanna go eavesdrop?” Ryan’s eyes twinkled. “I want to know what’s being said.”
“Dad told me to stay.” Elijah said hesitantly.
“Come on, Eli. Where’s your sense of adventure?”
“Fine. Let’s go. But you take the blame when we get in trouble.” He hissed.
They carefully walked through the doors, pausing at the mouth of the alleyway the two were standing in. Ryan tiptoed closer and Elijah reluctantly followed. “-believe this.” Remus said, shaking his head. “Your disguise is ridiculous.”
“Well, shit, Moony, I wasn’t expecting to run into anyone who could actually tell it was me.”
“So you don’t remember anything?”
James leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. “I remember some stuff. Like yelling to Lily to get Harry and go, trying to hold him off, um, but I think my memories are scrambled on purpose.”
“What? Why? You think Voldemort did it?”
“No.” James sighed. “Look, this is crazy, and I know how it sounds, but Dumbledore came to Paris when I first remembered who I was. He made me vow to not try and find Harry for some stupid reasoning about Lily’s sacrifice, and I think he fucked my brain up.”
“I’m sure he has his reasons, James.”
“Yeah, maybe. But…” His voice trailed off.
Remus’ voice hardened. “How do you deal with it? She looks just like him.”
“She also looks just like someone else.” James said quietly. “And that, I can handle.”