Withering to Death

Chapter 5

"You know he's afraid you won't love him, Lupin."

Remus blanched, amber eyes going wide. He never thought that Harry would believe something so false.

"Why would he think something like that? I can't even believe that I allowed myself to forget my son. Or my husband." his voice filled with sorrow at the thought of all he'd lost.

His son's first steps. His first words.
Tom's eyes narrowed.

"Those monsters he's been forced to live with beat him and starved him. That headmaster you loved to much made him mute. He feels that anyone who mildly loves him will either turn on him or die. I'm amazed that he's allowed himself to get so close to his mates."

Remus didn't know how to react. Or better yet what to react to first. The fact that his baby cub had been abused or the fact that his son had mates already. He decided that the issue of mates could be handled later.

"What?! I'll rip out their hearts! How bad was he?" he demanded, baring his teeth in anger.

Tom sighed. He really didn't want an angry wolf sitting down for dinner. But. Oh well.

"He...when Severus and Draco found him, he was stuffed in a corner of a cupboard under the stairs, bleeding from a head wound. His throat cut by a dark magic curse that I, myself, created and only Dumbledore knew about. When I was cleaning him up with Narcissa, I noticed that he had many glamours up on his body. He probably looks far worse than we've seen so far."

Remus whined and put his head in his hands. His anger was still there but his sorrow over ran whatever rage he had.

"How could I have trusted that man? Oh my cub! I failed him so much!"

Tom looked away from the mourning wolf, uncomfortable. He was ok with comforting Harry. But this wolf's sadness brought back all the pain he tried to bottle up. He'd only allowed Harry to see his pain. He didn't feel like sharing it again.

"Your son will forgive you. Thanks to your mate's last letter, your son knows to blame Dumbledore. He is safe here. But even though he has his mates, he still wants you there. He, however, is terrified you will reject him. Because of his deformities and the fact that he has two mates. I'm sure even the fact that he is a Brood bothers him slightly because if his fear that you will stop loving him."

Remus wiped at his eyes and laughed wetly.

"How could I hate him for being a Brood? I'm one. It was one thing I really wanted to pass down to my son. Having a child is so special. As for him having two mates? I'm not that surprised. He's strong.and he's a half breed. Come his first full moon he'll need them. And the scars just prove to me how strong my baby boy is. That he can pull through no matter what." Remus locked eyes with Tom and the Dark Lord sighed in relief. Harry would still be loved. Good. "now. That dark curse that made him mute. Can it be reversed?"

Tom pondered the question for a few minutes. Finally he nodded.

"I'll definitely see what I can do." as he replied the door opened and in walked Severus, Harry and Draco all holding hands.

Tom and Remus weren't noticed right away as the three were conversing (how Harry was, was beyond the two adults at the table), but as soon as they were flush with the table Harry stopped and the dominates paused to look at what had distracted their sub.
Harry's silver-green orbs drank in his mother's astonished expression. At Severus's and Draco's requests he'd removed all of his glamours. He now sported a very visible scar across his throat and one over the bridge of his nose that stretched from one eye to the other.

::Tom? He looks like he's been crying. Is he alright?:: Harry asked in Parsel, turning his attention to the Dark Lord.

Remus stiffened in shock when he heard the snake language. He watched as Voldemort rubbed at his temples.