Knowing

Euphemia got to the Lupin cottage exactly at dawn. Monty had set up the floo connection and she spent the entire month reading on werewolves and how to treat them. She bought many potions and ointments and practiced her spells to make sure she could do everything possible to help this little boy. 

There was a woman waiting for her. She had tears down her face, she was almost shaking. 

“Good morning Mrs. Lupin,” Euphemia made her way to the woman and smiled. She wishes she had known her more, to give her more support. Although, she supposes, she will get to know this woman very quickly. 

“Please… call me Hope.” Her voice was shaky and tired and she tried to smile but more tears fell. 

“Ok Hope, let’s go take care of you son yeah?” She gave Hope a comforting squeeze to her shoulder. 

“Of- of course. He’s in the basement, Lyall did many um magic things to keep him.. to keep..” Hope walked her to the basement as she spoke. As she began crying. Euphemia couldn’t hold back any more. She let go of her medical bag to let it hover in place as she hugged the broken mother in front of her. She whispered little calming words and rubbed the woman’s back until Hope’s sobs seemed to lessen. 

“I’m terribly sorry. My son went through hell and here I am crying-“ 

“No… no… everything you are feeling is perfectly normal for the situation you are in. This is an impossible situation and you are doing incredible by still be upright this second. You have nothing to be sorry for.” 

Hope sniffed then smiled softly. She wiped her eyes. 

“Thank you…”

“Euphemia.” 

“Thank you Euphemia.” 

“Of course.” 

-

Hope led her down to the basement where Lyall was holding their baby boy. Poor little Remus Lupin was screaming his head off. He was crying and bleeding and trying to thrash but it seemed too painful. Euphemia got to work right away. There were four scratches on his arms and a bite mark to his right leg that were all bleeding out. 

“Good morning, darling boy.” She took out her wand and created bubbles by the boys face. His crying slowed. Tears still streamed down his tiny face, but his screaming had stopped. Euphemia started cleaning the wounds firstly with water and a clean rag. Werewolf scars were permanent to wizards who were scratched, but when werewolves scar themselves it will eventually go away. She slowly and carefully started to apply dittany to each wound. 

Remus started to wince as she worked on his arms. 

“You are a very strong boy, Remus, very strong.” She spoke to him to distract him. He looked up at her as if he had just noticed she was there. “My own son, James, fell off his broom and almost broke his nose. Blood was dripping out of his nose and James had cried and cried even after his nose had stopped bleeding. James is a bit of a drama queen, but don’t tell him I said that.” She smiled and tickled Remus side so hear him giggle. 

“James is very dramatic, but you are strong. Very strong.” The dittany had closed most of the wounds by now, so she started applying a lotion that removes the changes of bruising. Remus was calming in his father’s hold. His mother had grabbed onto his hand by now too. She was rubbing his arm while making sure to avoid the now scarred scratches. 

Once the lotion was on, she started bandaging each wound. 

“Technically, he doesn’t need the bandages, but normally for younger patients we keep any scars bandaged so they don’t pick at them.” 

Hope and Lyall nodded a bit absentmindedly, but Euphemia didn’t blame them. 

“Now, my darling,” She spoke to Remus, “These bandages may be itchy so if you want, mummy or daddy can take them off, but you need to promise not to pick with what’s underneath, ok?” 

Remus nodded, smart boy. She smiled. 

Euphemia turned her attention back to the parents. 

“I brought a weeks supply of the sleeping draught. It will prevent him from struggling to sleep or having any nightmares. I give some to James whenever he has a nightmare.” She explained mainly for Hope. Monty had told her she is a muggle, so this must be even more stressful for her. 

“Please, this is too much. We can’t-“ Lyall tried to refuse, but Euphemia put her hand up to stop him. 

“My husband invents potions for a living, if anything you are doing me a favor removing supplies from my house. Before James was born, my entire kitchen was covered in beetle heads and giant eyes.” She smiled at them and they smiled too. “If you need calming draughts, we have plenty. He’ll most likely be pretty tired today and tomorrow, and he may not eat much, but he is physically healthy.” 

She smiled and started collecting her potions to put them back into her bag, as well as take out the dreamless draughts for the Lupins. 

“Thank you so much Euphemia. I don’t… I don’t know what we would’ve done..” Hope seemed close to tears again, so Euphemia gave her shoulder a warm squeeze. 

“I am happy to do it. Retirement gets boring.” She smiled, then brushed Remus’s hair out of his face. 

“Thank you.” The tiny voice of Remus Lupin spoke for the first time. 

“My, my, what good manners. You should play with my James and teach him your politeness.” Euphemia got the boy to smile, so she did too. 

Hope and Lyall thanked her profusely and she refused anything they tried to give her in return. She just smiled and told them she’ll return in a month. Which she did. And the next month. And the next. And on the fifth month, things were a bit different once she stepped out of the floo. 

“Hi!” James smiled and waved from in front of his mother. He probably would be running around if Euphemia didn’t keep a good grasp on his hand. Hope looked… shocked. 

“I apologize, but Monty had to run to the ministry early and I don’t like leaving him with the house elf, it’s too stressful on her.” Euphemia explained. James was bouncing on his feet and smiling. James was always smiling. Some days it seemed like even the sight of the sun made him happy. Monty believes he’ll be a Hufflepuff, but Euphemia has seen the courage and bravery in her son. She knows his house and that house is not Hufflepuff. “I have brought his toys though, and he will stay up here the entire time to play, right James?” She turned her gaze to her son. 

“Yes mama!” James almost cheered, “Mama takes me to work with her!” James told Hope. 

“That’s very exciting James.” Hope turned her attention to Euphemia, “He should be fine up here.” She smiled. 

Euphemia set James up on their couch and gave him his toy quidditch set and his stuffies. Then she followed Hope to the basement. 

She healed Remus as she normally does. She used bubbles and soundless sparks to distract the boy as she closed the wounds. Euphemia was always so impressed with how brave this little boy was. How strong he was each and every month. He barely understands what’s happening, but he is so very brave every time she sees him. 

Euphemia kept the boy shirtless, but Hope did put some loose pants on him. Lyall carried him up the stairs as the two women followed. James ran to Euphemia the second he laid eyes on her. 

“Mama!” He hugged her as if he thought he would see her again. Only after he had fulfilled his desire to attach himself to his mother, did the boy notice Remus. “Hi friend!” James adjusted his glasses so that they were actually over his eyes (Euphemia does not understand her sons obsession with blurry vision, but more often that not his glasses are on his forehead than his eyes).  

Remus was not as enthused to see James as James was to see Remus. Remus buried his head into his father’s chest. James looked down at the stuffy in his hand, (it was some deer or moose or animal with antlers, Euphemia didn’t know) then lifted it up to Remus. He lightly pushed the stuffy against Remus’s thigh.

The parents watched as Remus reluctantly removed himself from his father and looked down at James. He leaned and reached for the toy. Lyall bent down so Remus could reach and grab the stuffy. Remus then promptly returned to shoving himself into his father, but this time he hugged the stuffy. Poor boy was too tired for a friend right now. 

“How about you flop to our house next Saturday, so the boys can play. Or we could come here, whatever is easier.” Euphemia suggested. James seemed thrilled by this. Hope seemed, well.. hopeful, Remus didn’t budge, and Lyall seemed confused. 

“You would let your son play with him? Even though you know of his… condition?” Lyall questioned her. He was of wizarding world just like Euphemia. They both knew the prejudice and hate toward werewolves.

“Your son is no danger to mine. He may loose control one night a month, but he is a very sweet and polite boy. My son could not find a better friend.” She smiled, she was sure of this. She had spent the last five full moons getting to know the young Remus Lupin, and he was nicer than even some adult wizards she knew. She saw Lyall and Hope smile, even little Remus curved his lips upwards. It was the greatest full moon yet.