fox - r.lupin

- c h a p t e r - s e v e n t y -

edited.

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November 27th

Remus stared down at Violet's still body–her lips tinged blue and eyes shut. Her skin was already greying–the blood on her clothes was darkening and drying as her head was laid against his chest.

Remus could hear Gemma screaming downstairs–probably very unhappy that he had left her in the bouncer, but he couldn't even think straight at the moment–not comprehending the desperation in her cry.

He heard the door of the house open, and he heard someone calling his name.

But he just sat there–covered in Violet's blood and holding her as tightly as he could.

It wasn't until a hand gently clasped his shoulder that he looked into the face of Dumbledore–the old wizard's face pale and mortified at the sight of the couple.

"Mr. Lupin, what has–"

"Lucius..." Remus cut him off–his voice coming out in a choking noise. "I found part of the cane he carries downstairs. It must have broken when..." His throat seemed to tighten. "When..."

"Do not speak, my boy," Dumbledore shook his head–his pale eyes on Violet's still body. There was an inhuman amount of guilt in his gaze. "There is no need for that tonight..."

Gemma had silenced downstairs as Remus blankly looked at his old professor, "Gem..."

"Minerva has her."

Remus just nodded, turning his eyes to his wife, "She looks like she's sleeping..." He looked up at the professor again, "She didn't say it hurt when I–I got here. She didn't even cry when I hugged or picked her up. She didn't–she didn't. " His mind swam with hundreds of questions, but he asked one–his voice tiny, "Do you think it hurt? Her dying?"

Dumbledore sat beside him–his arm around Remus's shoulders as he whispered, "I think Violet went as painless as the stars could grant her."

"Do you think it was peaceful?"

"I could imagine so. The stars would not allow one of their own fade away by herself."

Remus swallowed thickly and whispered, "I could have...I could have saved her."

"Mr. Lupin, you mustn't carry that with you. Violet wouldn't want that for you."

"But I could have."

He could feel Dumbledore staring at him as the wizard's hand gently squeezed his shoulder before whispering, "We must get you all to a safe place."

"Dumbledore," The grating voice of Snape found Remus's ears–making his head snap up. "We have found a secure location for Mr. Lupin and his child."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Remus growled at the bully.

Snape tensed up at the anger in the man's voice, but he murmured, "Righting a wrong."

"Get out."

"Mr. Lupin, Mr. Snape is here under my–"

"I said get out."

Remus bore holes in Snape's face with his gaze–his jade eyes on fire as he glowered up at the Slytherin.

He had no right being here–in Remus's house, helping a woman whom he almost killed multiple times since adolescence.