Laughing like it works, bleeding like it don't hurt -- Summer 1987

It was a really hot summer day that had hardly cooled into night.  Yes, it was dark outside.  But no, it did not cool off at all.  Even though Dad normally insisted that we have our windows closed on full moon nights -- just in case with Remus and Will up the lane -- but even tonight he let us keep all windows open and had done something with magic to help circulate the air and make it cooler.  I loved magic for that reason.

I was sprawled in my bed just wearing shorts because I still felt sticky.  I was supposed to be asleep, but how could I when I was sweating?  This was why I liked fall and winter.  No sweating.  I turned my head and read that it was a little after one in the morning.  Everyone was asleep -- except Remus and Will.  I swore I could hear howling.  It almost sounded as though there was scratching outside of my bedroom window.

I sat up and went over to it, but saw nothing.  I backed away and opened my bedroom door to go down the hall towards Mum and Dad's room to see if they were still awake as Dad always had a hard time sleeping during full moons.  I did not see any light coming from their room and so I went to the study.  There was a soft glow coming from beneath that door.  I opened it up and saw Dad.  "Dad... I think I heard something," I said to him, feeling bad that I made him jump.

I had my son with me -- the good son.  I had positioned both of us for his first hunt.  Jonathan Lupin had another son.  I was going to continue this punishment and humiliation on the Lupin name.  It was going to be so much fun.

I looked up and saw Nate walking into the room quietly.  "Ah, Nate, it was probably just the wind," I said, though there was one reason I always stayed up late on full moon nights.  Especially since I let the family have windows open.  I got up and took my son's hand.  "I'm going to close your window anyways, just on the safe side, okay?"  I just wanted to be on the safe side.

"Okay," I said, though it was going to be super hot.  "Is ther eany way to cool it down?"

I had my boy - Nolan - with me.  He would do the attacking.  I would try to make sure that this time, Jonathan Lupin might not be able to fend both of us off.

I took Nate back to bed and got him situated.  I waved my wand to magically cool his covers and his pillows for him.  "there, that should help," I said to him.  I gave him a kiss on the forehead.  "Now try to get some sleep, okay?"  I looked out the window and towards the house up the lane.  I knew that Remus and Will were suffering through their transfomation... it was hard for them to get Wolfsbane potion when they were not at Hogwarts with Dumbledore's help.  I knew he would make sure he could get some for my son, but Remus did not want to burden him.  So he would go without sometimes during the school year so Will would have it during the summer, too.  I wished I could help, but it was so expensive to buy already brewed and it was hard to get some of the ingredients as well.

i turned to look at Nate and saw that he had already drifted off.  I smiled and shut his bedroom door until there was only a crack.  Then I plodded back to the bedroom that I shared with Cathie.

I sprawled out in bed and closed my eyes, falling back to sleep easily.

I looked down at Nolan, who I had brought along to teach a few things.  He was merely six, but being a werewolf as well, I wanted hiim to be as dark as what I was.  Just because the Dark Lord had fallen did not mean that darkness was not still out there.  The full moon would be rising shortly and I knew that this was goign to be the sweetest taste of revenge against John Lupin I had concocted.  He thought he was in the clear... I would remind him that a Greyback never forgot.