Categories > Books > Harry Potter > The Boy, The Man, The Beast

The Miracle of Magic

by Moonshyne 0 reviews

Heather gives John a very special anniversary present. Can the miracle of magic help him keep it?

Category: Harry Potter - Rating: G - Genres: Angst,Drama - Characters: Lupin - Warnings: [!!] - Published: 2008-06-28 - Updated: 2008-06-28 - 3291 words

2Original
John and Heather‘s first year of marriage flew by. As their first anniversary approached Heather had not been feeling very well and was tired all the time. She seemed to be nauseas when she woke up but it subsided after she ate. Her breasts were swollen and hurt, and she was late. She wasn’t definite but felt pretty sure what was wrong with her or maybe what was right with her.

On their first year anniversary she had a doctor’s appointment to confirm her suspicions. She walked out of the office with a smile on her face. They never talked about children because they were just happy being together. When they first met John had just finished his Healer training and being low man on the totem pole, well his work schedule was tough. She just hoped that he would be as happy as she was. She ran into a jewelry shop and about half hour later came back out. She found a gift that would let him know. She took out a white box and inside was a cherry wood box with the very special gift. Heather wrapped it with appropriate wrapping paper, not that John would notice. Heather was a bit of a practical joker at heart so she had wrapped that box in several boxes each one larger then the next. There were six boxes in all, not including the white box that contained the cherry box. Each box was wrapped and had a beautiful big bow. He was going to have to work for this gift. Her official present, that she bought ages ago, was a first addition of a Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. John loved muggle books.

When John came home he showered, changed, then they went to dinner at the Chez Pierre. John rented the theatre again this time to show a movie of their wedding. She was touched when she saw that John eyes welled up when he saw her coming down the aisle. After the movie, he took her to the park and their bench. It was surrounded with a beautiful gazebo with two gifts waiting there. She felt so lucky that her husband was such a romantic. Heather brought her two gifts with her. He escorted her to the gazebo and smiled that she had brought two gifts too. One was rectangular, but the other was a huge box and John was very curious of its contents. John looked deep into her eyes.

“You know when we got married I never thought I could love you more than I did that day, and I could never be as happy as that day. I was wrong. I just find that I’m in love with you more each day.”

Heather smiled. “I feel the same exact way.”

After gazing into each others eyes for close to a minute, he pulled her close and kissed her. Heather was fighting a yawn as they were kissing, but it finally came through.

“Let’s exchange gifts then, I know how I’m boring you.” John mused. Heather gave a huge smirk like the Cheshire cat keeping a huge secret.

“Here you go.” She ripped through the wrapping paper, and in a beautiful box was two beautiful antique hand mirrors. “They’re beautiful. Why two?” John took one and said Heather and in Heather’s mirror appeared John. “I love you,” said John’s reflection in the mirror.

“It’s a magical mirror in which we can communicate at any time, any place.”

“I love it. Here is your first gift.” She gave him the book.

He delicately unwrapped the gift and it was a book he was dying to read, not only that, it was a rare first printing. He loved the fact that she gave so much thought to the gift and felt whatever was in the large box could never compare to this one.

“Thank you so much. This is more than enough I don’t even need to see the second gift. Here is yours.”

Heather unwrapped the second gift and it was a wedding album. She quickly looked at the pictures as they moved, and started to cry. How could one girl get so lucky? She hoped that her next gift would make him as happy as his gift has made her.

“I hope you like it.”

John started to unwrap the first box, then the second, then the third. Heather was hysterically laughing. John thought it was cute at first but by the time he got to the sixth he getting a little frustrated. The seventh box was white he lifted the cover and there was one more box made of cherry wood. He opened the box and in it was a silver rattle. Engraved on one end of the rattle was 20-04 on the other end was 1960. John looked at her and saw that even though she looked tired she had a glow.

“We’re having a baby?”

“It’s the only magic I can give you.”

“It’s the best magic of all. Let’s go home so I can start pampering you.”

John's face could not have looked any happier. The thought of a having a child just blew his mind and if they were lucky enough the child be going to Hogwarts. This was by far the best gift he ever received.

At her sixth month she sat John down.

"I think it’s time for names, and I’m going to name this one, and you can name the next one, then I’ll name the next one and so on.”

“And how many children do you plan having Mrs. Lupin?”

“Enough to fill this stodgy old house with laughter.”

“I thought we did that.” John fake pouted.

“We do to a point, but we can’t be on all the floors at the same time, with a bunch of children we can really fill the house with laughter cover all floors, maybe all the rooms.

“Are you trying to put me in the poor house?”

“Nah, just a happy house.”

“Anywhere with you and soon to be this little one, will be a happy house.”

”Speaking of this little one, I don’t want to go around calling them Baby Lupin, Child Lupin or Adult Lupin. Here’s my idea, since our surname is loosely based on the Latin word wolf, if it is a boy I would like to name him Remus. In Roman mythology he was one of two twins raised by a she wolf, which is me!!!”

John shook his head. “You’re a goof.”

“Oh am I? Well I’m your goof. What does that say about you?”

“I have impeccable taste. How about girl’s names?”

“If it’s a girl then I like Minerva, protector of beasts. That’s what wolves are.”

John thought to himself, not all.

“I want to keep a muggle tradition and have his middle name be John and hers to be Joan. Remus John or Minerva Joan Lupin."

“They both have a nice ring to them.”

“Which do you prefer?”

“Either is good as long as the baby is healthy.”

“John Lupin that is such a cop out and you know it.”

“I like Remus.”

“The first will be a boy and rest will be girls.”

“Oh no, no, no. The last one will be a girl, and she’ll have all her big brothers to protect her.”

“You’re so bad.”

“Thank you."

“For what?”

He rubbed her belly and felt the baby kick. “For this. For your sense of adventure and thoughtfulness at choosing these names. I want to get a townhouse in London, closer to St. Mungos.”

On March 5th they started to move into their new house. John and Florry moved and decorated all the rooms except for one, the baby’s nursery, Heather wanted to do it by herself. The bassinet arrived on March 7th. It was brass with a hook at the head, for a gathered curtain. The bedding she decorated the bassinet with was cream lace. She put nappies in the changing table and worked endlessly trying to get it ready. She did have plenty of time but she wanted it done. On March 9th she gathered all the clothes and blankets she received from her baby shower and started to do the laundry. Normally Florry would do this but she had to go back to their other house to get a few things, so Heather was by herself. She washed all the baby things and hung them to dry. At about three o’clock she was not feeling well and decided to take a nap. John came home around six o’clock and Florry was making supper. He went into the bedroom and found Heather sleeping, she looked very pale. He went into the nursery and saw that it was completely decorated. Poor thing had been working so hard for the past three days trying to get it ready. Heather finally woke up around eight o’clock and had something to eat and about an hour later she got violently ill. She laid back down and fell asleep again. John at this point was very concerned. At around eleven o’clock Heather woke up in agonizing pain. That was it; John was taking her to St. Mungo’s. He had Florry call a taxi and take them to Purge and Dowse department store. The driver was reluctant to leave the in pain Heather there when there was a hospital only two blocks away. The cab finally left, and they ducked into the store.

“Healer Lupin, what a pleasure.”

“I think my wife is in labor.”

They took her to upstairs. Seamus came up as soon as he heard.

“How is she?”

Healer Aberforth approached John and Seamus “I think she needs to go to a muggle hospital, she is starting to bleed a little. Since she is a muggle they might be able to do more for her there.”

They gave her a potion that would calm down the pain, and then transported her to St. James. At the hospital, they rushed her into an operating room as she was now bleeding heavily. At twelve fifteen Remus John Lupin came into the world. A nurse came out and tried to put on a brave face but they could tell there was something wrong.

“It’s a boy. However, we are performing surgery to try to stop the bleeding, she will no longer be able to have any children.”

John turned to the nurse “Will she be alright?”

“We believe so, but she has lost a lot of blood. We’ll let you know when she is out of surgery.”

“When can I see my son?”

“Someone will be out to talk to you.”

She went back into the operating room. John and Seamus looked at each other knowing that those words were never good, having delivered them all too often.

A man walked up to them, “Mr. Lupin, I’m Dr. Johnson. I’m in charge of your son’s case. We are holding him in that special nursery. I need to tell you that the prognosis is not good. He’s very small even for a child born this premature, his lungs are underdeveloped and his breathing is shallow. We have him in an incubator pumping oxygen in to it to help him breathe. We have given him a steroid to help strengthen his lungs. However, in cases like this, that I have seen, the child’s odds of survival is less then ten percent. He will most likely pass away within the next twenty four to forty eight hours. We’ll do all we can to save him but if you are a religious man I suggest that you contact a clergy man to baptize and administer last rites.”

“Thank you.” Dr. Johnson left. John turned to Seamus and started to cry. What happened? This morning everything was perfect they moved to their new house, the nursery was almost ready, life was perfect. Now both his wife and his child are fighting for their lives and his life will never be the same if he lost either one. John went to the window of the special nursery as they were putting his child in there. “I can’t lose them.”

Finally the nurse from surgery came out. “Mr. Lupin, the surgery is over and your wife is resting in recovery. She should be awake in about another hour. Do you want us to tell her about your son or do you want to.”

“I will, thank you.”

John conjured the most beautiful bouquet of white lilies and white roses, and was about to do the hardest thing in his life. Tell his wife that their only child might not last the night.

“Mr. Lupin your wife is in her room, you can see her now.”

John walked in the room, Heather looked groggy.

“Hey beautiful.”

She smiled at John, "Well is it Remus or Minerva?”

John swallowed hard. “Remus, sweetheart. It’s a boy.” John closed his eyes and the tears came down rolling down his face.

“Are those tears of joy?”

John lost it. “No sweetheart he’s too little. His lungs are underdeveloped and needs help breathing. Heather, Remus probably will not make it through the night.”

“No, John. No he’ll make it you’ll see.” Heather said defiantly.

“The doctor said we need to call a clergyman for baptismal and last rites.”

“It can’t be. I want to see him.”

“Heather you’re weak and just had surgery.”

“Fix me.”

“I don’t like mixing muggle medicine and magical medicine.”

“I want to see my son. Fix me. John please.”

“I’ll have to go to St. Mungo’s.”

“Hurry back.”

John walked out of Heather’s room, and went directly to Seamus. “Heather wants me too heal her wounds she wants to see Remus.”

“We can use some of the healing potions we use for the really bad cuts, and I’ll get her a pain elixir. She needs you here.”

He went back to the room. “Seamus is getting what we need.”

Seamus came back and they applied the potion on her wounds and gave her something to drink for her pain. John insisted that she use a wheelchair as to not raise any suspicions. He wheeled her to the window of the special nursery. “There’s Remus,” pointing to the smaller of the two babies in there. She wanted to hold him so badly, but it looked like you’d break him.

“I’ll have my father contact the priest as a precaution. I would feel bad if something happened and well you know.”

Heather called her father, told him the situation and asked if he could contact Father Flanagan to perform the rituals that need to be done.

Dr. Johnson walked to where John and Heather were looking in the nursery. “Hello Mrs. Lupin I’m Dr. Johnson, I’m handling your sons case. Did your husband tell you the situation?”

“Yes he did.”

“I can’t say I have any better news, his breathing has gotten shallower as the hours progressed and he hasn’t cried since he was born, I hope you have made arrangements?”

Heather took a deep breath, “Yes. When can I hold my son?”

“Why don’t we wait until the clergy get here? Again I’m sorry Mr. and Mrs. Lupin.”

Dr. Johnson left amazed at how well Mrs. Lupin looked so soon after surgery. Like by magic she was in no more pain.

About an hour later Bill and Ann Barnes came with Father Flanagan. They showed him where Remus was being kept. They introduced the party to Dr. Johnson who allowed everyone in the special nursery. They took Remus out of the incubator and he just laid still as Heather held him. Seamus was Remus’ godfather, and thought it to be ironic that he was both the mother and the son’s godfather. Father Flanagan performed the necessary rituals as Heather held her son, tears in her eyes. After the Father Flanagan was done, John asked Heather if he could hold him. She reluctantly handed him over. John held Remus whispering “I wish I knew a healing spell that would make your lungs stronger, or let you know how loved you are and would be for the rest of your life.” Then John leaned in and kissed his forehead. No one knows exactly what happened after that, but John handed him to Heather and for the first time since he was born, Remus cried and then started to wiggle a little. Dr. Johnson looked up from his other patient and saw that Remus was crying. He quickly finished with his patient and went over to the Lupins. He examined Remus and his breathing wasn’t as shallow as it was and a good cry meant his lungs were getting stronger. Maybe he was reacting to the steroids given to him to strengthen his lungs. This was such a miracle.

“God works in mysterious ways indeed,” said Father Flanagan.
Dr. Johnson made everyone leave as he examined Remus. Remus was getting better; if he kept progressing maybe later that day he’ll let Mrs. Lupin attempt to feed him.

Father Flanagan was asked to administer last rites to another patient elsewhere in the hospital since he was there.

“Okay John what did you do?” asked Bill when they got back to Heather’s room.

“Nothing, I just wished that there was something that I could do to make him stronger or to let him know how much he is loved.”

Seamus smiled. “Ah, ancient magic. When a witch or wizard makes a wish and there is so much love behind the wish, it sometimes comes true, a very special kind of magic.”

“I never heard of it.”

“It’s not taught at Hogwarts though I’m sure there is a book in the restricted area regarding ancient magic.”

Heather looked disappointed, again magic that she couldn’t do played such an important role in her life.

Seamus, knowing his goddaughter all too well, could see that she was disappointed and knew why.

“Heather dear, it was John’s wish, but it was both of your love that made it come true. Even muggles have some magic in them.”

She smile and looked at John who smiled at her and his eyes started to well with tears.

“Tears of joy, sweetheart?”

“Better, tears of love.”

At that instant, hundreds of miles away in a hidden castle, in a special book, the name of Remus John Lupin appeared under the heading "1st Years 1971".

Three weeks later Remus was home and was looking healthier. John and Heather thanked their lucky stars.

Remus grew into a typical toddler, making all expectations and beyond, though he was still very scrawny and somewhat sickly. John was now only slightly disappointed that he would not be going to Hogwarts, but at least he was alive and healthy.

Well typical 2 year olds have temper tantrums and Remus was no exception. He had his first when his mother took away his favorite stuffed dragon. She was going to wash it when all of the sudden it flew out of her hands and into Remus' hands. John and Heather stood there and stared at each other and then at Remus. They jumped for joy Remus had performed his first piece of magic but definitely not his last. They were also excited because at least now they knew he was going to Hogwarts!!!
Sign up to rate and review this story