Silverbell

Seven years, he couldn't believe it, in two months Bell would be seven years old! Had it really been three years already? And what a three years, holes kicked in walls, the start of school, and after that fateful Christmas she threatened and then attempted to runaway. She had made to the other side of the block but got stuck when she remembered that she wasn't allowed to cross the street on her own. A fretful Remus found her moments later. She then began asking for her father less after that and stopped mentioning him all together just after her fifth birthday.

Wiping the sweat from his brow Remus closed the oven. "Should be done by eight." He said glancing at his watch. 12:23p.m. "Hm." He said rubbing his temples, he'd been getting headaches lately, but this one was bad. "Got to get Bell in two hours." He said to himself as he got comfortable on the sofa. Closing his eyes tightly he rubbed his forehead in short circular motions.

Sitting on the grass Remus flipped the page of his book. 'The fire raged on flickering red and orange against the black velvet cloth covered in diamonds that was the sky as it leapt from building to building threatening to engulf the small village of Rai-' snap! The book closed forcefully on one of his fingers. "Ow, Sirius, damn it! That hurt!" "Sorry love!" Sirius said cheekily, which made Remus' heart speed up. "Hm, looks like rain." Sirius said falling backwards into the grass.

"Yep." Remus replied pushing his book away and slowly laying back too. He jerked up once he realized his head was resting in the other boy's lap. "You're fine!" Sirius laughed pushing Remus back down. His heart was hammering so loudly he almost didn't hear Sirius say, "So, do you want some Berine Botts Every Flavor Beans?" "Sure!" Remus said sitting up and holding out his hand. Suddenly Sirius' face became hollow and dirty, snarling as him viciously.

Remus gasped as he fell to the floor. Shaking Remus looked around him, "A dream, it was just a dream..." He said to himself. "Oh, God!" He shouted glancing at the wall clock. 4:08p.m. "I'm so late!" He said pulling out his wand. In a split second he was running up the steps of Peterson Elementary. Running straight into the principle's office. "Re-Remus Lupin, he-here to pick up Silverbell Black!" He stammered to the woman at the desk. "Uncle Remus!" Bell shouted wrapping him in a vice like grip.

"Uh, not so fast!" Came a sharp voice from an adjoining room. "I'd like to see you in my office, right, now!" "Ah-oh Uncle Remus, you're in trouble! That's Principle Grear!" Bell said looking up at him warningly. "I know..." He said. "Now!" Came the cold woman's voice. "Ma'am?" Remus said sheepishly as he sat in a small plastic yellow chair. "I-I-I'm so sorry Ma'am, I-I don't know what happened, I-" "Stop." The red headed woman said holding up a hand. "I don't know many married couples that care about or do so much for their children as you do for your niece." She said walking around the desk and sitting atop it. "I'm just worried, not that you're doing anything wrong I mean you come to open houses, bake sales, field trips, but she doesn't mention her father. I think she may have abandonment issues and when you didn't arrive for some time she became very anxious."

"It must be so stressful caring for a child with emotional problems all alone," She said crossing and uncrossing her very long legs under her very short skirt. "And yet you miss nothing!" She said placing a hand on his knee. Remus smiled uncomfortably. "Let me know if you need anything," She said slightly digging her long red nails into his pant leg. "I will." He said trying to get up. "I mean," she said a bit forcefully. "From one single parent to another," She leaned foreword until their lips were almost touching. "Anything..." "I-I will!" He said quickly standing as she slid her number into his pocket, his pants pocket. "Thank you for taking care of Bell until I got here!" he said with a nod before ducking out.

"Gee, Uncle Remus I hope you don't get detention!" Bell said as they walked out of the building. "Me too!" He replied.

After wracking his brain for half an hour Remus was finished helping Bell with her home work, his head hurting all the worse for it. "Why do kids even need to know what a similes is?" He thought pulling the roast out. He was suddenly hit with a wave of nausea. "Bell," He called leaning on the stove. "Wash up." Turning to get the plates he stumbled to the other counter, he felt as though he were going to vomit. His head pounded and felt like it would explode! The world around was a mass of color and noise!

"Oh, God no..." He said as he caught a glimpse of the moon, round and fat. "Bell get up to your room, now!" He shouted as he heard the patter of her feet on the stairwell. "But-" "Now!" His mind was becoming a jumble of thoughts and emotion as he ripped through the cabinets, only one thing was clear in his mind, he had forgotten to take his potion! His blood was blazing by the time he was running up the stairs! He tore open the bathroom medicine cabinet, it was then that he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. It was too late, that was the last human thought that ran through his mind before he let out an agonizing scream.

Sight, sound, smell, taste, touch all his senses seemed to collide into one, his body was being ripped apart and he could taste it! Suddenly a movement caught his eyes a small morsel standing at the end of the hall trembling, "Bell run!" The human in him thought before being completely devoured by the beast...