Silvia and the Rising Moon [EDITING]

3. Rise of a Monster

     Silvia had done something with her brother that she hadn't done in over three years; she took a walk with him.
     He was so tall and so handsome, Remus was. His childlike face had aged far too fast. His pale complexion was accompanied by dark, sad eyes, and deep scars marked by Fenrir Greyback many years ago. He had a mature look compared to Silvia. She was short for her age. Her eyes were too dark, too sad to make her look cute, like other six-year-olds. Remus had recently been making a point of parting his hair and slicking it in two sides every morning, just as his father did every day before leaving for work at the Ministry. Silvia, on the other hand, refused to even acknowledge a hairbrush, and her appearance let that fact be very well known.
     Silvia watched her brother's feet as they walked side by side. She had grown accustomed to the woods around their home. It was nice to be somewhat of a tour guide for Remus. She reached for Remus's hand. It was much larger than her own hand. He held it and glanced down at her.
     "Well, c'mon, Sil, spit it out. I can tell you want to say something," he said.
     Silvia finally spoke. "Remus, daddy doesn't think you're going to Hogwarts when you're a big kid. Why?"
     Remus's eyes flashed age-old grief and darkness. After a moment of silence, Remus stopped moving and said simply: "It's because I'm a monster. Mum and dad know it. If the headmaster at Hogwarts had any idea what I was, he'd never give me permission to attend school. My education wouldn't be worth the risk of putting the lives of hundreds of students in danger. That, Silvia, is why I will never attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
     A tear slid down Silvia's cheek. Remus carefully wiped it away. She squeezed his hand and the two continued their walk in silence.
     Remus had been consuming a wizarding herb nicknamed "Wolfsbeard" due to its wispy resemblance to the hair of a werewolf. Subsequently, this herb was also considered a possible temporary cure to lycanthropy. The Lupins had been hopeful for the past three days. The next full moon, which would occur in six days, should not put Remus under its curse should the herb work.
     The dirt path that they walked had once been a creek until it had dried. There was a small tunnel that their path crossed through. The two ducked and hurried under it to cool and protect their skin from the blazing sun. They each leaned against the tunnel walls, panting heavily. Silvia felt nothing but complete and total happiness seeing Remus out and about. Suddenly, his lips parted into a smile as he chuckled softly. He smiled. Her brother, Remus Lupin, actually smiled. She smiled back, suddenly surprised at how foreign the feeling felt on the muscles pulling her lips. The two stood together smiling in true bliss when suddenly, there came a voice.
     "Well, if it isn't Scarface Lupin and his little goblin sister! It's good to see the two of you out and about for once. What's the matter, Scarface? Can't go outside because your scars will burn in the sun?"
     The two turned to see him. The boy was from another wizarding family somewhere down the road. They had visited the Lupins once. That visit inspired the boy to formulate the harsh nicknames given to Remus and Silvia. His hair, practically white, was slicked back. He was at least six years older than Remus, which made the two perfect candidates and targets for his torment.
     Silvia had many run-ins with the boy prior to this moment. She was beyond prepared for whatever was about to be dished out.
     She quickly picked up a rock from the creek bed and held it up, ready to aim. "Don't call my brother that name, Malfoy."
     Lucius Malfoy laughed heartily. "Or what, pipsqueak? You'll throw a rock at me? Oh, my, I'm just shaking in my trousers."
     "Maybe I will, if you don't back off, then you'll really be shaking," Silvia replied, a slight tremble resonated in her voice as she spoke."
     Malfoy scoffed. He reached into his trousers pocket and retrieved a thin, black, ten-inch long stick. "Have you ever seen one of these before, Gremlin?" He asked her.
     Silvia rolled her eyes. "I'm not stupid, Malfoy. That's your wand. You and I both know you can't use magic outside of school, so back off." She crossed her arms defensively.
     "My father can give me a free pass from the ministry once he finds out how I destroyed a couple of muggle-loving half-bloods," Malfoy said confidently. He pointed his wand directly between Silvia's eyes. "Care to see what I can do?"
     She charged at him, reaching urgently for his wand. "Put your wand down this instant, Malfoy, you dirty little–"
     "Stupefy!"
     The curse forced her flying backwards like a ragdoll. She landed on her back at least three feet away.
     Remus was infuriated. "How dare you hurt my sister? Who do you think you are."
     "Obviously a more competent wizard than either you and your half-blood sister," Malfoy snarled and spat inches from where Silvia lied. "Freaks."
     Remus's blood boiled. A new, familiar wave of energy charged through his veins. This time, he did not fear or suppress it. He allowed the feeling to coarse through him until the point that his body was no longer his, but a foreign creature, a monster. A werewolf.
     Lucius screamed and ran just as he realized something bad was just about to happen. As he transformed, Remus had forgotten what it was that brought on this anger. Despite that, he growled with an immense rage. The sound he made caused Silvia to slip out of her stupefied state.
     Horrified, she scrambled away from the creature that stood before her and immediately began to sob out of pure fear and guilt. Everything that she had ever hoped for in her future with Remus was once again shattered. She only blamed herself for being so bold in front of Lucius Malfoy.
     The creature heard the sound of her sobbing and quickly turned to face her. It inched toward the small girl as she sat with her arms around her knees. It sniffed her, and she flinched and turned away, sobbing louder. She knew that whatever Remus was, there was nothing holding him back from killing her. However, the creature lingered for a moment before it growled softly and trotted away.
     Silvia exhaled slowly. She shook aggressively, practically petrified at what she had just witnessed. Then it dawned on her: Remus was out there on his own. Muggles might see him, or worse, he could kill someone.
     Then she ran. Her legs shook with such intensity that she tripped multiple times before leaving the tunnel. Then, she ran as fast as her tiny legs could travel.
     She ran until she reached Malfoy Manor.
     Silvia banged on the door with a shaky fist. She was greeted by a house elf.
     The elf had round eyes and delicate features. Her ears were short. She wore an old grey sack.
     "I cannot allow you in, Miss," the house elf spoke confidently. The Malfoys were bickering in another room.
     "Please," Silvia begged, "I need to talk to Lucius. It's important."
     "Master Lucius is in no state to be speaking with guests."
     "Oh, let me in," Silvia demanded, shoving the house elf out of her way. "Mr. Malfoy!" She called as she walked into the parlor. "Mr. Malfoy, I must talk to your son."
     Lucius hurried into the parlor. He towered above her as he spoke. "I just got a letter from Hogwarts threatening to expel me. What the bloody hell just happened to your brother, Gremlin?"
     Silvia pulled his face down to hers. "Now listen here, Malfoy. We'll make a deal. You say nothing about what happened to him today, and I'll testify to the ministry that what you did to me was an accident. You were studying your spells, and you hit me," she declared sternly.
     Lucius swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, anything. Now, get away from my house. Stay as far away from here as possible. You and your brother!" He was clearly shaken from what had happened. "Pomly, help see our guest out."
     "Gladly," Pomly, the house elf replied bitterly. She grabbed Silvia harshly by the wrist before dragging her outside to the front porch and pushing her down the stairs.
     It didn't take long until Remus was found. She found him sleeping in a bush near the entrance of the tunnel. It was clear that he had not made it very far in his creature-like state before he reformed into something much more recognizable, much more human. She placed a small hand upon his pale forehead. Remus shuttered and quickly grabbed it. He clenched his teeth together and inhaled sharply before letting out a series of silent sobs. Silvia sat with him, soothing him until he worked up the energy and motivation to stand up and walk home.