Privilege and Deprivation

Chapter 3

"Dad, what did you want talk about?" asked Max Lupin, snapping Remus Lupin out of his thoughts.

Remus looked around Max's room as he and his son were seated on recliners that were facing each other. Max's room was the definition of neat. His bed was made, his books were neatly arranged on the bookshelf, nothing was scattered on his study desk and not a single thing looked out of place in the room. Max had a book in his hand that he was reading prior to Remus entering the room. He desired to come clean to Max about his condition, but he was increasingly getting cold feet. He was constantly troubled by how his son would react.

"Dad?"

Remus drew a deep breath before hesitantly beginning. He had to get it over with.

"Son ... I have a condition," he said.

"A condition? Dad, you're not sick are you?" asked Max, worried.

"No, no. I ... there's no easier way to say it ... but I'm ... I'm a ... werewolf," Remus finally confessed.

It took a few moments for this to register into Max as he stared disbelievingly at Remus as if he had just made a joke. After some time, in sunk in to him that his father was being serious.

"You're a werewolf?" he asked with a combination of confusion and shock.

"When I was a child, your grandfather offended a werewolf named Fenrir Greyback and he bit me as revenge. I was five when I received my bite," said Remus.

He continued explaining how Dumbledore had kindly arranged for him to attend Hogwarts and built the Shrieking Shack for his sake and how his three best friends became illegal animagi to be with him during his transformation instead of shunning him. When he was done, he searched Max's face carefully. Max's had an almost blank expression with a hint of looking stunned.

"So, every time you were sick or away on business, it was during the full moon and your transformation?" asked Max who finally spoke up as Remus nodded.

"Did mum know?" he asked.

"Of course. Your mother was an exceptionally kind woman who looked past my condition. I was reluctant to get in a relationship with you mother at first, but she insisted that she loved me regardless and that I wasn't any harm to her," said Remus who ended with a sad note as he reminisced about his wife.

"Max, I'm sorry that I never told you about my condition. Your mother and I always wanted to wait till you were the right age. But I promise you that I'm perfectly normal except during the fullmoon when I'm usually kept confined and with a Wolfsbane potion that keeps me a harmless wolf," Remus continued.

Remus felt a lurch in his stomach as Max continued processing the information.

"Max, I understand if my condition is a problem for you," said Remus cautiously.

"Dad, I'm sorry that you have to go through that every month. It must be awful for you," Max said sympathetically as he hugged Remus.

The muscles in Remus' stomach relaxed as breathed a sigh of relieve. Max didn't seem to love him any less.

"Your grandparents sent a court notice for your custody," said Remus after they pulled away. "If you're more comfortable living with them, I'd understand,"

"Of course not. I can't believe how unreasonable grandpa and grandma are. I've been perfectly safe with you so far and I've always been safe at Uncle James' or Uncle Sirius' home during your transformation," said Max.

"I was afraid you'd think less of me when you found out," Remus confessed.

"Dad, that's absurd. You didn't do anything wrong for me to think less of you. I still love you the same," said Max.