A Nightmare to Remember

Title: A NIGHTMARE TO REMEMBER

Summary: What if Remus's father had saved him on that fateful night? Would his life at Hogwarts be any easier being the son of a known werewolf? Can a werewolf keep custody of his only child? Can Remus help his father stay one step ahead of his mother and the Werewolf Registry?

Disclaimer: Not mine. Characters and settings excluding OCs are not mine. The plot isn't exactly mine either. It came from a plot bunny adoption forum on FictionAlley and I just had to snatch it. The resulting story, I am proud to say, is indeed mine.

Prologue- A Nightmare to Remember

The small child sat on the floor, happily playing with energetic half-grown Border Collie, completely oblivious to his parents' argument in the other room. He giggled as the dog playfully jumped on top of him, virtually flattening him on the floor. Outside, the clouds shifted, revealing an enchanting moon.

"Remus! Bedtime!"

The boy pouted. "Five more minutes, Daddy?" he asked.

His father scowled and folded his arms across his chest. "Bed!" he snapped.

"Pleeaase? I promise I won't ask again tonight!"

Remus smiled a charming smile and cocked his head to one side, his big blue eyes wide and innocent. It was a look that he knew could win anybody over, even his grouchy old grandmother. Sure enough-

"Oh, Max, five minutes won't hurt," his mother said softly.

Staring at his small four-year-old son, Maximus Lupin's expression softened and he sighed. "Five minutes only," he said trying-and failing- to look stern. "Not another word on the matter or it won't happen again."

Remus grinned happily and wrapped his little arms around his father's leg in a brief hug. Then he bounced down the hall in search of his playmate. A loud bark and a sudden shriek of surprised laughter told the parents that his quarry found him instead.

"We'll ward the house and lock it down," Max said gravely.

"Wards work against those creatures?" his wife questioned.

"They have to," Max replied.

Both parents jumped when they heard a loud crash. Suddenly the dog came running into the room and hid behind the couch, and a sheepish four-year-old shuffled into the room, his eyes on his feet. "It was an accident, Mummy, I promise!" he said, his voice shrill in panic. "I fell, and it fell, and Lucas fell, and then Lucas ran and I couldn't find him,and-"

Max bent down and scooped the boy into his arms, effectively shutting the child up. "What was that noise?" he asked sternly.

"Mummy's statue," Remus whispered, his eyes round in fear. "It's okay but the head fell off. You can fix it with your wand, can't you?"

Max shot a smirk at his wife. "Oh dear," he said, shaking his head. "Lisette, I am afraid your poor statue is done for."

"Maximus Lupin, if you don't fix it-" Lisette shrieked

"Shh," Max hissed as Remus buried his head in his shoulder. "Let's put this little imp to bed, shall we?"

Lisette nodded and called softly, "Lucas!"

The dog bounded out from behind the couch and followed them into Remus's bedroom. Ten minutes later, Remus had gone to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, gotten a drink of water, and was finally tucked into bed. The dog, Lucas, curled up at the child's feet.

"Are you mad at me, Mummy?" Remus asked timidly.

Lisette smiled and shook her head. "I know it was an accident, sweetie," she said, brushing stray curls out of his eyes. "And Daddy will fix it in a moment since Mummy is hopeless at Charms."

Remus smiled sleepily as she kissed his little forehead. "Can you open the window?" he asked. "It's hot in here."

"NO!" both parents shouted, and Remus flinched.

"Sorry, pumpkin, but we can't," Max said in a softer tone as Remus stared at them with wide eyes. "It isn't safe to leave the window open at night."

"Are you mad at me?" Remus asked again.

"No, no, baby, we didn't mean to yell," Lisette laughed.

"Can I have another drink?" asked Remus.

Max sighed and reached for the glass on the bedside table. He pointed his wand at it and filled it with water. Remus gulped down the water as if his life depended on it. Then he held out the glass to his father. "More, please?"

Max refilled the glass and said, "Slow down before you-"

"Oops."

"-spill it," Max finished with a sigh. He shook his head and fixed the mess with a quick Drying Charm.

Remus wriggled underneath the blankets. "I have to go," he announced to his dismayed parents.

So Max took the child to the bathroom a second time, and the parents went through the process of tucking him in again.

"Can you read me a story?" Remus asked hopefully.

"Not tonight," said Max.

Remus bit his bottom lip, and tears filled his eyes. "You said you weren't mad at me," he protested.

"What story do you want?" Lisette asked indulgently.

"The Velveteen Rabbit," Remus said instantly, all traces of tears completely vanished from his face.

Max walked over to the bookshelf and returned to the bed with the requested book. Without a word, he handed the book to Lisette. Then he stood in the doorway and listened quietly to Lisette's soft voice as she read their son's favorite story. Before she had reached the end, however, they realized the child was fast asleep.

Lisette planted another kiss on the sleeping boy's forehead and set the book on the nightstand. Then she crossed the room to the window and gazed outside. Max joined her and together they stared, mesmerized, at the full moon. Lisette started as Max abruptly shut the curtains. "Go to bed," he said quietly. "I'll join you after I make sure all the wards are up."

It was just past midnight when Remus stirred. He sat up, wondering what woke him up. Then he noticed that Lucas was growling softly. The dog jumped off the bed and he faced the window, his growls growing louder.

"Be quiet, Lucas!" Remus hissed.

But Lucas did not listen. He continued growling threateningly at the window.

"Lucas, there is nothing out there," Remus said. He frowned. He did not like his dog ignoring him.

Remus slid off the bed and walked to the window. He fumbled with the curtains and tugged them open with some difficulty.

His eyes widened and he fell on his backside in terror. There, outside his window, was a huge, snarling animal. Its grey fur bristled, and saliva dripped from enormous, sharp teeth. What scared Remus the most, though, was the glaring yellow eyes that would forever be engraved in his memory. Remus recoiled as the beast threw itself forcefully at the window, causing a large crack to appear in the window. Remus frantically tried to get to his feet, his feet constantly slipping in his panic. The boy screamed as the beast flung itself at the window again, this time shattering the window. Lucas leaped in the monster's path as it lunged at Remus, and the boy screamed again as the animal flung the dog aside.

The bedroom door crashed open and Max jumped in front of his son, wand out. Lisette grabbed the hysterical child and the last thing Remus heard as she Apparated them both out of the room was his father's screams.