Sharp.

Rough.

Fear.

Panting, rustling.

“Ripper! What have you got there? Found a rabbit have you then? Go on then, get it Ripper. Get it.”

Growling.

Fear, terror.

Scream.

“Oh it’s you boy. Ripper! Leave it! Leave it I said! I’ve warned you before boy. Ripper can bite right through a little arm or leg like yours. Get inside and stop causing trouble or I’ll have your Uncle lock you in the cupboard again.”

Pain.

Blood.

Sob.

“What is all that noise about boy? What are you doing? Oh, Ripper get you did he? Best give it a wash eh Pet what do you think?”

“Yes, I’ll deal with it Vernon, go and finish reading the paper. Come along boy! Stop that snivelling.”

Sniff.

Hurt.

“Give me your leg. Now boy! It will hurt more if you don’t do as I say. Dratted freaks! I don’t know why they couldn’t find somebody else to… Keep still boy. For goodness sake it’s only a bite.”

Sniff.

“There boy. It’s clean. Now go to your cupboard. You know what will happen if I hear any more of that grizzling.”

Sniff.

Nod.

Shuffle.

Slam! Click.

“I’ve given it a good scrub Vernon. Ripper didn’t get a proper hold. Only a couple of teeth went all the way in. Now what were you saying about that article? The banks are doing what?...”

Sniff.

Hiccup.

Sniff.

******************************

The boy sat in his cupboard on the same dusty blanket hugging the same tattered old teddy. His leg hurt. His trousers were ripped and there were holes in his leg. Blood trickled slowly from the wound. The boy knew Aunt Petunia would be cross if he got blood on anything important. Aunt Petunia didn’t like freaks getting blood all over the place. He mopped it up as best he could with the corner of his blanket. No one ever looked at his blanket so it wouldn’t matter if it was covered in blood.

The boy shuffled about, trying to find a comfortable position to rest in. He caught his leg on one of the boxes of junk stored in the cupboard and fought not to cry. The boy was to be good and to be quiet and to pretend he was not there. The boy was not to cry or to snivel or to wail. He was to be quiet. He was to be quiet. He was to be quiet or Aunt Petunia would take teddy away. He was to be quiet. The litany went round and round as he tried to suppress the sobs and tears. His breath hitched and tiny silvery tears leaked from his eyes and trickled down his baby soft cheeks. He brushed them away forcefully.

The boy would not make a noise. The boy would not cry. Please the boy would not cry; the boy would not lose teddy.

********************************

“If you think for one minute Remus John Lupin that I will consent to go on a date with you that includes visiting the home of Arabella Figg then you are very much mistaken! That woman has more cats than anyone has a right to. They are filthy and smelly and shed fur all over my robes.”

Remus chuckled. His youthful face breaking into a happy smile.

“Come on Sev. You promised me a date today. It’s my turn to choose. Last time you made me go to that Potion Master Convention and wouldn’t even let me hold your hand at the table!” Remus cajoled.

“It wasn’t my hand you were after and you know it! I may be one of the youngest Potion Masters ever to gain the title but that does not make me widely respected. Creating a spectacle of us will not help me gain the respect of the other masters.” Severus scowled darkly as he spoke. Remus took things far too lightly. It was good to see Remus starting to really enjoy life again after the trials and tribulations of the last few years but there was a limit.

Remus laughed again and slung an arm around Sev’s shoulder. He pulled the other man towards him, looking him in the eye.

“You can’t make them respect you Sev. You’ve got to be yourself. Your talents speak for themselves. You are amazing at potions; you always have been. Lighten up love. We’ll pay a quick visit to Arabella and then be off. She only has four cats you know. Not four hundred.’

Severus carefully removed the arm from around his shoulder and stepped away. “If you expect me to do this then there better damn well be something worth my while at the end of it!”

Severus stalked away towards the door muttering to himself all the while about bloody werewolves who didn’t know the meaning of a good date.

“Sev?”

“What?”

“I love you”

“Idiot!”

Remus chuckled again and began gathering the things he needed for their outing. The last time he had spoken to Arabella she had said that Harry seemed quiet but looked okay from what she saw of him. She had promised to try and get a couple of photos for him as soon as she could. He had promised to deliver some things she needed from Diagon Alley and hoped that she would have the photos ready.

He really missed Harry and his sparkling green eyes, his messy black hair and increasingly toothy grin. He missed James and Lily too. And Sirius… No he wouldn’t think about that today. Today he was going on a date with Sev and might get to see Harry, if only a photo, for the first time in over two years. He was going to see Harry!

“Hurry up Sev, I’m ready!”

“Bloody werewolf…”