Full House
FIVE children sat on the steps of Twelve Grimmuald Place. The poor children looked scared except for the eldest one. He looked mad, almost angry that this was happening to them.
“So, what are your names?” you smiled trying your best to welcome the children into your home. Harry had been dropped off on the porch of your sister's home, just like these children. You wanted to give these children a chance at a loving and caring family. You wanted to make up for the mistakes your sister made even if these children had nothing to do with her.
A small girl with cherry red hair that reminded you a lot of Lily’s smiled back at you, “my name is Rose and I’m six years old.”
Another girl that looked similar to Rose began to speak, “and I’m Viola and Rose is my twin sister.” Viola smiled back at you. Both of her front teeth were gone.
“And what's this little guy's name?” Sirius crouched down next to a basket containing a small baby that was no older than a year old. The baby was sound asleep despite all the talking that was happening around him.
“Don’t touch him!” the eldest shouted. Sirius stood back at his full height and gulped down some cuss words that were about to escape his mouth. There were young children in the house.
“Elias, stop yelling. They aren’t going to hurt us,” Viola told the eldest one.
“The five of you have nothing to worry about. Like Viola said we aren’t going to hurt you. We want to help you,” Remus said as he looked into the eyes of Elias.
Elias crossed his arms, “how do we know that you aren’t just going to throw us onto the curb like the last people.”
“They aren’t like the last people,” the second eldest said, “I can sense it.” The second eldest one looked incredibly familiar to you. He might have been one of your students. He probably was a third-year.
“Wyatt, save your magic stuff for that fancy school you go to.” Elias huffed. Come to think of it. You’ve never seen Elias at Hogwarts. That means if Wyatt was the only one to attend Hogwarts when Elias was obviously older then he was probably a squib.
“Elias, pardon me for asking but, are you a squib?” you asked.
A look of complete shock washed over his face as the rest of the children looked at their feet. “We don’t use that word. Mom used to say that it hurt his feelings,” Rose smiled sadly at you.
“Well, mum is dead now, isn’t she? So is dad. They aren’t here anymore because of that stupid magic school and this stupid magic world.” Elias got up from the stairs and stomped his way over to the door. He slammed the door behind him which caused the entire house to shake.
Wyatt shrugged his shoulders, “he’s taken mum's death harder than the rest of us. I think it’s because he feels like since he’s the oldest we are his responsibility.”
“I’ll go after him,” Remus said. When his mom died he took it as badly or even worse than Elias. His mom was his world for so long and then suddenly she was gone. It took him years to accept that fact and he’s still never fully recovered from his mother's death.
The door closed less violently this time.
“Elias is sixteen and I’m thirteen. Keenen, the baby, is one year old.” Wyatt nodded his head towards Keenen who was still sound asleep.
“Thank you for telling me that, Wyatt. Now, let's show you to your rooms,” you clapped your hands and the children stood up from the stairs. Sirius took hold of the basket containing Keenen and followed after you and the children.
Outside, Remus silently sat next to Elias. He was sitting on the stairs of the porch with his head in his hands. The poor boy was sobbing uncontrollably.
“You know, when my mother died I thought my world was over. My father couldn’t stand to look at me, my wife was mourning the loss of her twin sister and my hus-best friend was in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. But then I realized that my mother would always be with me. In here,” Remus motioned to the center of his chest.
“Why are you telling me this?” Elias sniffled. His eyes were puffy and red.
“Because I want you to know that there’s still hope,” Remus nodded. “That was my mother's name, Hope Lupin.”
“That’s a nice name. My mother's name was Esperanza which means hope,” Elias whispered.
“Tell me more about her and your dad.”
Elias sighed, “my mom was a beautiful woman. She fought for what was right and supported Potter right until the end. My dad on the other hand was a prick. He was a pureblood and my mom was a muggle-born. The first time I remember them fighting was when I didn’t show any signs of magic when I was little. My dad said I was a disgrace but my mom defended me.” Remus felt like Elias was just retelling the story of his own childhood. There were too many similarities between the stories.
Elias continued, “the second time was when I was eleven and didn’t receive a letter to Hogwarts. He tried to take his anger out on me. My mom took the hit for me. Wyatt was eight years old and Rose and Viola were two years old at the time. My mother was a strong woman. She stayed with my dad for us. She died fighting for what’s right and I hate her but love her for it.”
Remus took a second to take everything in. Elias was so vulnerable and Remus felt like he could share his story with the young boy. “When I was five, I got bitten by a werewolf. It was payback for some things that my father said against werewolves. My father couldn’t stand to look at me because it reminded him too much of that night. My mother was the one that cared for me. My mother was the one that stuck by my side and I still miss her every single day. But do you want to know what?”
“What?” Elias sniffled.
“I have a wife and hus-I mean best friend that cares for me. And you have siblings that care for you. They need you right now.”
“You know you don’t have to call Sirius your best friend. Rita Skeeter covered your wedding in the prophet. We all know about the arrangement.” Elias chuckled a bit. “Anyways, thank you.”
Remus smiled at Elias and clapped him on the back. “Why don’t we go back inside and see what everyone else is up to?” Remus held out his hand for Elias to take.
“Elias, I’m so sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to offend you,” you whispered as you bounced Keenen in your arms.
Elias's heart warmed at the sight of how sincere you were. The last foster parents never talked to them more than necessary and they never apologized for their mistakes. Elias truly did believe the three of you were good people but you would never replace his mother. If he could choose any foster parents for his siblings then it would have been the Evans-Lupin-Blacks.
Elias shrugged, “I’m used to it. It’s not easy being the only squib in a family of wizards and witches.”
Keenen began to stir in your arms and you quickly began to shush the baby. You were already attached to the little babe and you never wanted to let him go. You would have to talk with Remus and Sirius but you were seriously considering adopting the children.
It would mean that you would have to resign from your position at Hogwarts but you wanted to give these children another chance at a better life. This is the kind of domestic life you wanted. Surrounded by children and your husbands in a home that was already paid for. This is why you fought in the war. So that the future generation of young witches and wizards didn’t have to live in fear.