Forget Me Not

Maggie was in trouble this time, she knew it. But she was just so bored in the little white room. Madam Blassen simply didn’t have the right sense of humor. 

Maggie knew she shouldn’t have left the third ward, but she couldn’t help herself. She went all the way to the kitchen to get some food without anyone noticing, so she tested her luck to go to the main floor until some swot saw her and dragged her back to Madam Blassen. All she wanted was to see some snow. Maybe she started a snowball fight but, details.

There were few people who knew Maggie was living at St Mungos, apparently it would be bad press to have a werewolf roaming around a hospital full of children and families. That’s why they kept her in the lowest floors with nothing but fake widows to stare at. 

“Just take me away, I don’t want to spend another minute in this cell”, she was crying now but Healer Blassen wouldn’t hear of it.

“You are not in a cell dear”

“Feels like it”, Maggie was mumbling but Madam Blassen seemed to understand her just fine.

“I know dear, but you cannot just do as you please. Do I need to explain what will happen if you start causing trouble?”

Maggie was really over these threats, she doubted it could get much worse now.

“I don’t want to be here anymore, I don’t want to meet anyone new, I didn’t ask to be a monster, the least you can do is send me to be with others-“ Maggie was really crying now, but an unfamiliar heartbeat stopped her…someone was here.

A knock came at the door and Madam Blassen gave her a look that said ‘we’re not finished’ and went to answer the door. Maggie followed behind her, she wanted to know who would be trying to visit her.

A man with long black hair, high cheekbones, blue eyes and lots of tattoos was on the other side, holding two cups of tea. He seemed flustered and stared at Maggie. She was wearing short sleeves so you could see her fresh bandages and scars, the look the man gave her was different, he wasn’t scared, he wasn’t sad, there was no pity in his eyes, but he knew, he knew what she was. He looked as if he was looking down at a memory. But this man could not be what she was, he had no scars.

She stared right into his eyes daring him to say something. This snapped the man out of it and he shook his head. “Sorry I heard you in here and wanted to let you know Remus was awake, didn’t know you were busy”. This was the same voice she heard earlier. Remus must be the man who slipped. How could a man be so fragile?

The excuse was stupid too, if he heard Madam Blassen he definitely heard Maggie, she was practically shouting. The Healer didn’t seem to mind the flimsy excuse though and left with the man.

Maggie was interested, maybe the room he was in was close enough that she could hear him from this floor. Obviously he passed her room on the way to his, so there was a chance,it’s not like there was anything else to do.

The man did not head towards the elevator as she thought, but to another room father down the hallway. That was unexpected. In three months no one else has been admitted to the magical creatures unit. 

Madam Blassen walked with the man into the room but her attention was on a family walking towards her. There was a man with brown eyes and jet black hair holding hands with who must be his son, the small boy was a spitting image except for the eyes. There was also a woman with fiery red hair and green eyes, just like the boy. 

They must be one of those important families. Why else would they be on this floor? But they just waited outside of the room Madam Blassen walked into, sitting in the chairs that lined the hallways. The boy sat between his parents and looked around the empty hallway. He turned and saw Maggie. She heard him whisper “mom”. 

The woman turned and smiled at Maggie, her face was the same as the man’s was, like she knew. Maggie turned around and ran, she didn’t want to speak with these people, they would ask questions. Madam Blassen wouldn’t be happy she was spying on people either, she was already in trouble enough today.

Maggie locked the door in her room, which was completely redundant because everyone had the key and they could do magic, and she cried. Seeing a boy with parents was too much for her, he had everything that she wanted. Maggie curled in her little bed and begged the world to swallow her whole.

***

The cane was ugly. It was silver with a black handle and made Remus look old. The healers insisted that he needed it because of his hip. It bothered him for years, but it was a very dull inconvenience that Remus just ignored because it was nothing compared to all of the other pain he experienced every month. But Sirius wouldn’t let Remus leave it behind.

“Moony I hate seeing you in pain, the healers insisted that you need it or it can become displaced and they have to regrow it”

“It already moves every twenty-eight days, I’ll think it will be fine”, Sirius grabbed his shoulders and stared into his eyes, “Remus John Lupin, if you try leaving without that cane I will do some not very nice things with it when we get home”

Remus raised his eyebrows and smirked, “You make it seem like it wouldn’t bring me joy”

“I'm serious”

“I know”, Sirius gave him a rather pointed look and Remus relented, “alright alright, but im only using it for a few days.” He knew he was being stubborn, Sirius was only trying to help but Remus hated any reminder of his illness. A twenty-five year old should not have to spend a day in the hospital  and use a cane after a small fall.

Sirius linked his arm around Remus’s free arm and the two slowly made their way out of the room. Though he would never ever admit it, he was glad to have Sirius’s and the cane's support to walk. 

Remus expected to find an empty hallway, as the third ward usually was. They always insisted that he be placed in the dark creatures ward, which angered Sirius every time. 

But outside his room he saw a beautiful family of three sitting together, talking in hushed conversations. 

“What are you doing here?” Remus asked, he was certainly surprised.

“Sirius wrote a letter saying you were in the hospital, said you were really hurt”, James said, eyeing the cane. 

Remus turned to look at his husband, who was blushing, “you shouldn’t have owl’d them, im fine”

“You were unconscious for hours, I wouldn’t call that fine!” Sirius stated. Remus just shook his head.

“He was just trying to help, should have seen him he was frantic, we were all just worried about you” Lily said, holding Harry’s hand. Harry looked like he was about to run off any moment.  “Uncle Moony”, he asked, staring down the hallway.

“Yes Harry?”

“Did you share a room with a girl?”
“No, why?”Remus was sure that he was the only one in the third ward.

Lily answered for him, “There was a little girl  walking over here, she ran away when Harry saw her though. I thought she was just lost, but she had all these bandages. Harry wanted to know who it is”

“Did she have wavy brown hair and green eyes?”Sirius asked, seriously (hahaha). 

“Yes. Why do you know about it, Sirius?”Lily asked.  

Remus looked towards his husband, he clearly looked troubled and was biting his lip. 

“Walked past her room on the way here, she was arguing with Madam Blassen. I interrupted them by accident so you could get looked after, she's the one who did the initial assessment.”

That doesn't explain why Sirius is so nervous. Madam Blassen was usually the one who looked after him if he ever had to go to St. Mungo’s for something. She was considered an expert in magical creatures and their injuries, especially Werewolves. 

Oh

Well shit. A girl on this floor had bandages and was being looked after by the magical creature expert. No it couldn’t be.

“I'm gonna be sick”, his head was spinning, it was like someone pumped all the air out of him, his legs were giving up. Sirius helped him onto a bench, supporting most of their weight, he never let Remus go. Remus started to get teary eyed and buried his head into Sirius’s shoulder. 

There was no doubt, this mystery girl was bitten, she was a werewolf. The fate that he tried to ignore, his life of pain, of monsters, of prejudice, has been given to a little girl. 

 Lily grabbed Harry’s hand and decided to take the two on a walk, leaving Remus, Sirius, and James alone. Remus looked up and his two best friends, “sorry i’m being silly”, Sirius pulled him into a hug.

“You could never act wrong, not to me.” Remus nodded and took a deep breath. James, as the most clear headed and mr do no wrong, sat up with an idea. 

“Why don’t I find Madam Blessen, she can probably explain everything”

Yes, that would probably be the best way to go about things and Sirius seemed to think so too. 

“Good thinking prongs, I’ll stay here with Moony and wait for the misses and bambi”

James walked down the hallway determined to find the healer; Remus stayed wrapped in Sirius’s arms. 

“I didn’t even know there was an attack” Remus whispered. 

“Me neither, probably kept it a secret could be ministry business”

“She’s all alone”

“She could have her parents”

“She wouldn’t be here if she had her parents”

Remus knew he was lucky, when he was bitten his parents looked after him and never abandoned him. His friends didn’t abandon him when they found out and everything turned out alright. But Remus knew in his gut that this girl was alone.

She doesn't have to be, a voice whispers in his mind. You could help her. Remus tried to push the thought, he made his choice, or it was made for him, he could not be a father. How do you explain that dad turns into a monster every month? A child shouldn't be afraid of their parents. 

“Mr. Black, Mr Lupin is everything alright?”. James returned with Madam Blassen following closely behind.

“Is there another patient in this ward?” Sirius asked. Remus was glad he took the initiative, he still couldn’t form a cohesive thought yet. Madam Blassen looked curiously at Remus and Sirius. 

“I’m afraid I can’t disclose that information” she stated. Sirius shifted his weight like he always did when he was about to explode and locked his jaw. The healer eyed Sirius and continued, “However, I can say there is a ward in our care who is in need of a guardian. A certain injury has made it quite hard”

“How long has she been here?”

“Four months, Early august”
“The first?”, the healer nodded, confirming everything Remus needed to know. The day after Harry’s birthday, the day after the full moon. Four months, that was three moons this girl faced alone with no one to tell her anything.

“I would like to meet her”. It took Remus a second to realize that it was him who suggested the idea, but the more he thought, the more he was sure.

 Who knows what this girl knows about her condition. Who knows what she’s been told. Who knows how she's been treated. Remus needed to tell her, to look after her. Maybe it was his pact instinct, but he could not leave her behind.

“Mr. Lupin are you sure, she hasn’t taken well to guests yet”

Was he sure? What was he even doing? Who knows if they are fit to take care of a little girl, sometimes they could hardly take care of themselves. What if she hates him for what he is? What if she sees him as another monster, like the one who bit her.

But then Sirius grabbed his hand with so much care. His eyes told a thousand words that all pointed to ‘yes’.

“I’m sure” Remus told the nurse.

“Very well, I’ll go speak with her”. 

James gave Remus and Sirius a hug filled with so much love. But that was just James Potter, the man always seemed to radiate love with every touch, thought, and gesture.

“You don’t think we are being crazy?” Remus asked while wiping tears from his eyes, “No”, James answered, “I think there is someone who needs you right now and you are too lovely of a person to turn them down”

“Aww look at us, acting like a bunch of girls”, Sirius said laughing

“Don’t let Lily hear you say that”, James warned. 

“Don’t let Lily hear what”, Lily demanded, emerging with a whole tray of tea. 

“Me and moony are adding to our pack”

Lily almost dropped the tray out of shock. She joined the group in another hug, pulling Harry in too before asking: “Is she…”, 

“Yes”, Sirius answered, “and it’s exactly why she needs us. I daresay i’m an expert in the matter”

“Really you’re the expert?”, Remus asked

“Of course I’m and expert in all things Moony” 

“Shut up”
“Make me”

Remus took that as a personal challenge and wrapped his hands through Sirius’s gorgeous hair and smashed their faces together.

Harry closed his eyes and James shoved the two, “Oi! Get a room”. Remus broke apart from the other man and smiled. Harry gave them a hug even though he had no idea what was actually going on because that is just who Harry is. He is James Potter’s son after all. 

Remus hugged his nephew back drinking in the feeling. The news was unexpected but comforting, he was going to be a father.