I respectfully disagree -- 1966

I woke up in a bed at St. Mungo's.  I remembered in an instant that Dad had to bring me in after this last full moon.  I hurt myself and nearly him -- again -- this time around.  I rolled onto my side, but then I heard my dad and one of the Healers arguing quietly outside of my hospital room.  I gingerly got out of bed and crept quietly to the door to listen to what they were saying.

"We informed you, Mr. Lupin, that this would not work.  You can no longer have him at home when he changes!  We are trying to help you in every way in keeping the boy having a normal life, but as you can see, it just cannot be," the Healer snapped at my dad.  "We cannot have a werewolf running rampant in the Wizarding or Muggle world!  It's dangerous!  Your son has a disease... and we do not want it to spread!"

I felt my stomach drop when I heard one of my Healers say that.  But they were right.  I was diseased.  I turned into an animal once a month... it was horrible.  I was horrible.  I already did terrible things... what would Healer Smith say if he knew what I ha done last month?  Would I end up in Azkaban?

I wanted to slap the Healer.  "Smith, my son is cursed.  It will not spread.  I have faith in my son," I said to him darkly.  I had never been this upset before.  "Just because he got injured this time around worse than any other time does not mean that being at home is causing it.  You are just living in fear!"

I ran a hand through my graying hair.  People knew who I was, I did well in the Wizaring world with knowing quite a lot and being practically famous for knowing all there was to know about Non-Human Spiritous Apparitions.  I could not believe the disrespect I was getting.  But then again, that was what happened when a werewolf was involved.  How could I have been so ignorant?  It was my fault Remus was in this situation.

A different Healer spoke up from behind us, "Healer Smith, that is quite enough."  Her soft voice made me turn and smile at her.  It was Healer Marie -- she had a soft spot for Remus.  In fact, if I was correct, I had a feeling that she fancied me.  I no longer wore the wedding band even though the divorce was not final.  "I do believe that your son is awake and this is not the time to discuss any of this.  If you excuse me, gentlemen, I will tend to the boy's injuries without interruption from either one of you."  

I was shocked at the way she was staring at me as well as Smith.  I was not the one in the wrong here; I was trying to protect my son.  I turned and looked towards the room in which Remus was sleeping and realized that he was at the door.  Though he was trying to be strong, I could see the hurt and dismay in his eyes as he had heard at least part of the argument I was having with the other healer.

I backed away from the door when Healer Marie came in.  I smiled at her and walked gingerly back to the bed.  "Ma'am, can I as you a question?" I said to her quietly.  She was fixing my medications and stirring them into a little bit of another potion -- it helped wiht the taste a little bit.  I wanted to make them think they were helping, but they really were not.  Nothing really helped with my pain -- mental or physical.  I just did not want to upset my parents any more than they already were every full moon.  And this was a small way to help them.

When Healer Marie smiled at me and nodded, I continued.  "Are you scared of me?" I asked.  She stood up straight and turned around, her smile still on her face.  

"Oh, Remus, you may be a bit scary once a month, you are a very sweet boy," she said to me gently.  "Only a fool would be scared of you as a boy."  I noticed that she said as a boy I was not scary.  I guess that was all I could ask for.

I put a hand on John's shoulder while he ranted at the doctor -- it was ahrd for me to call them Healers when they were always known to me as doctors in the Muggle world.  The other doctor went into Remus's room and I could hear their conversation through the cracked door.  I sighed.  I walked away from my husband and walked into the room with my son.  "I think that is enough talk about whether or not you are scary, Remus.  What's frightening is the way this hospital treats its patients," I added, giving the doctor a pointed look.  "My son needs care, not discrimination."

I stopped my ranting when my wife put a hand on my shoulder.  I sighed heavily, but continued to glare at the healer in front of me.  I heard my wife's voice towards the Healer inside the room and a smirk made its way onto my lips.  I walked away and into my son's room.  "Remus, how are you feeling?" I asked him while his mother got him settled in the bed again.

Healer Marie had apologized to my mother; she was one of the only ones who was somewhat completely unjudgemental of my disease.  I looked at my parents.  "I'm fine," I lied easily, taking my potion from the healer and forcing it down.  They always tasted horrid.

I sat down and wished that I could do more for my son.  Being supportive was better than nothing else.  I took a deep breath and cringed with Remus when he drank the potions he had to drink.  They did a small amount to help him feel better, but it was better than nothing else.  Besides, John tried experimental potions to help Remus that only St. Mungo's could get ingredients for... and that was what some of these were.  I reached out and put a hand on Remus's arm when he set the cup down.  "You are such a strong boy," I said to him.

I thanked Healer Marie as she left the room with the empty cups floating in front of her as she wrote on the parchment in front of her about Remus's treatments.  I sat down in the vacant chair and looked at Remus.  "Are any of these potions helping you?" I questioned.  They were experimental and I wanted to keep track myself of how my son was feeling in case the healers missed something; also, it helped with my research on finding other things to help him.

I knew how much my dad wanted them to work.  I did not have the heart to tell him no, so I merely shrugged.  "I'll be alright," I said, knowing that they both would be able to see right through that.

I could tell that Remus was being strong just for his father's sake.  I put my hand on his arm.  "I think it's time to just rest," I said to him, hoping that John would not end up pushing the issue fo the potions.

I knew what was happening at the moment.  "We can do just that," I agreed.  "Then I can get us all some ice cream or somemthing?"  I always tried to make these moments better.

I looked over at my dad.  "This ice cream or Fortescue's ice cream?" I asked, hoping that he would say the second choice.  I would love that ice cream... the ice cream at St. Mungo's was not the best.

I chuckled at Remus.  "I'm pretty sure you know which ice cream we're talking about," I assured him, smiling and glad to see that Remus seemed to light up a little bit at the mention of ice cream.

I was glad that we were able to brighten Remus's spirits a little bit, even if it was not much.  "As much as I know the Healers try, they just can't convince me that this ice cream is better than Fortescue's."

I attempted to chuckle.  "There is no way," I assured my parents.  "I swear he has a secret ingredient or something that he puts into his ice cream that makes it rather addictive."