Silvia and the Rising Moon [EDITING]

2. A Walk in the Woods

     "Silvia," Hope told her daughter one day as she folded laundry. Your dad and I were talking last night. He suggested that it would be a good idea for you to take some walks during the day." She glanced at her daughter, who was staring back up at her with round, brown eyes. "I know you used to take walks with Remus at the old house." She paused for a moment. "We have some neighbors that you can meet. Maybe they'd like to take walks with you sometime."
     Silvia nodded and walked out of the room. It was her mother's sad attempt to lighten her daughter's spirits and take her mind off of Remus's affliction.
     So, Silvia left, taking a walk on a search for her neighbors. She walked for what felt like forever before she came upon a small, orange brick house in the woods. About two miles down the road lived a wizarding family named Clydesdale. The family had six children, one was a possible squib named Alexi. He and his twin brother, Arlin, were the youngest members of the Clydesdale family, and two months older than Silvia. The three eldest siblings, Alana, Armin, and Andrea, were all enjoying their summer holiday away from Hogwarts. Finally, Anastasia shared the same birthday as Remus.
     When Silvia had first witnessed the Clydesdale children playing in their front yard, she felt severely overcome with emotion.
     The twin boys were throwing a blue polka dot ball back and forth to each other. The older girls were sunbathing. Silvia watched as the boys laughed. The ball bounced off of one twin's hands and hit one of the older girls in the face. Silvia chuckled as the girl looked around, momentarily confused about what just happened.
     "Arlin and Alexi," she growled, rising from her towel and approaching the two boys. "Which one of you threw that ball at me?"
     "Oi, it wasn't me, Andrea. It was him," Arlin explained, pointing a stubby finger at Alexi.
     "What?" Alexi yelled. "No, he threw it! It bounced off of my hand and hit you!" He explained.
     "Aw, shove off, Alexi, we both know you threw the ball at Andrea.
     Andrea sighed. "Well whoever did it, don't do it again," she said before turning back to her other siblings.
     Silvia studied them all. The big children scared her, especially Alana, being the eldest child as well as a fifth-year student at Hogwarts. She also envied the bond the children shared. They didn't appear to be fearful or anxious. They smiled, and ran, tackled each other, and tickled each other. They laughed. They acted the way kids should act. She wanted to be their friend, but the thought of approaching them was terrifying.
     She wondered how the children could be so carefree, why they weren't like her and Remus. She thought for a long time as she sat in the bushes. Suddenly, it dawned on her. None of these children were like Remus. Not one of them had been afflicted. Their lives were normal, and hers was not.
     Anger and sadness filled her chest all at once upon this realization. She couldn't contain her emotions any longer.
     By the time Andrea, the first year who had previously been hit with a ball, noticed Silvia watching them play, her face had already become plastered in tears and snot. Andrea waved to her sister, Alana, and the two girls carefully approached the sobbing child.
     "Are you okay?" Andrea asked carefully.
     Silvia sniffed. "I wanna go home."
     "Where do you live, sweetie?" Alana asked.
     Silvia pointed east, down the road. "I want my mummy," she sobbed.
     At that point, more heads began to turn. Within seconds, Silvia had gained the attention of all of the Clydesdale children. Alana reached down to her, slowly and carefully, but Silvia only screamed harder. Alana pulled her hand away and called for her mother.
     Mrs. Clydesdale then bustled outside. She had a wide rump, and a puff of short hair, contained in a floral bonnet. "What's going on?" she called as she saw the sobbing child. "Oh, honey," she sang as she hurried to Silvia's side, "Come inside, darling. I'll telephone your mummy. You're Hope Lupin's daughter, right?"
     Silvia nodded, frantically wiping her tears.
     The kind lady held her hand and walked her inside. She warned her children not to follow her and bother the poor, crying girl while she calmed down.
     "Sit, sit," Mrs. Clydesdale encouraged as Silvia approached an enchanted armchair. Silvia glanced at it uncomfortably and continued to stand.
     Mrs. Clydesdale offered the girl a rag. Silvia stared at it in confusion.
     "Wipe your face, dear," she told Silvia, who complied. "I'll call your mum on the tele. I know she's a muggle. I'm sure she's not a fan of calling through the floo."
     Silvia nodded, unsure of what the woman was talking about.
     Within ten minutes, Hope Lupin appeared at the Clydesdale family's front door.
     Silvia was visibly overjoyed to see her mum's caring face and wide, sad eyes. She looked down, and to her disbelief, there stood Remus with his arms wrapped around his mother's leg.
She broke into tears of joy and ran to him. It was only on rare occasions that Remus was permitted outside of the home, and she knew why.
     She looked at him, hoping that her suspicions were true.
     Remus smiled. As if the two had a telepathic connection, he nodded back, confirming her theory.
     Her family had found a new way to suppress Remus's outbreaks.
     A cure for his illness.