Castles Crumbling

Prologue

"Well, Mr Lupin, now all the legal issues are out of the way, we can introduce you to some of the children." A woman with an incredibly wrinkly face stated, wearing a small smile.
"Thank you, Ms finch. I'm looking forward to it." Remus responded. His eyes began to search the room as they walked into a colourfully painted door.
"Please, call me Joy, dear." She glanced over her shoulder, "In here, the children will join us in a moment."

Remus stood against the wall, waiting patiently, until the noise of happy laughter filled the room. He looked up and saw around six babies ranging between the ages of a few months old to two years old.

"Most people who are looking to adopt typically prefer our youngest. So I figured, let's start there." Joy explained, gesturing to the cribs and play mats that now lined the room. "Please feel free to interact with them, most parents say they feel an instant connection with the child they wish to adopt but if it takes you some time don't be discouraged, it can be different for everyone."

Remus made his way around the room, playing and laughing with all the small children and while he could admit they were adorable, and felt terrible that they were stuck here, he couldn't imagine them making his family.

Just as he was about to give up and leave for the day, promising Joy he would return next week to meet some of the other children, they heard some commotion coming from down the hall.

Joy apologised and rushed down the hallway, Remus decided to follow, not being entirely sure of the route out of the orphanage. Rounding the corner all the yelling was coming from, Remus laid eyes on two toddlers. The children looked eerily familiar, but he couldn't quite place them.

"What have you two been up to now?" Joy shouted, loosing her calm demeanour.
The girl looked up and stuck her tongue out. Then, she pointed at the broken glass scattered across the floor and furrowed her eyebrows. "Carson smashed our clock, so I told Mrs White what he did and she didn't believe me! So, I broke his ornament." She said the last sentence so nonchalantly it reminded him of Sirius, and the way she positioned herself in front of the boy she stood with reminded him of James' protective nature. The boy was quiet but looked ready to defend the girl should she need it. He seemed more like Remus.

Remus' heart hurt as he pictured his friends smiling at him from above as he finally realised he deserved more in life than to be alone. 

"Well, I'm sure she had good reason to doubt your story, besides all the other trouble you two have caused. And anyway, there is no excuse for breaking another child's property!" Joy said sternly.

"He broke our thing! Why isn't he being yelled at?" The boy exploded, yep, definitely like Remus.

Joy glared his way, "Enough! Clean this up then go to the kitchen to complete the washing up." She turned to Remus, "sorry about that-"

"Can you ask them to wait?" Remus blurted without thinking. He didn't plan this, truthfully he expected to adopt one baby, not two toddlers. He didn't understand why, but a part of him simply knew these kids were what he needed, he knew he wanted them to complete his family. He definitely knew he did not want to leave them here to be yelled at for getting payback against a bully.

"Oh- uhm, yes of course. Children! Wait please!" She called after them and turned to Remus. "Why did you want them to come back?"

Remus ignored her and walked towards the children who had sat on a bench behind Joy. "What are your names?" He asked, voice soft with adoration.

The boy looked towards the girl who locked eyes with him for a second before returning her gaze to Remus. "I'm Sophia. This is my brother, Sebastian."

"Hello, how would you two like to come home with me?" Remus grabbed one of each of their hands.

Sebastian's face lit up as he squeezed Remus' hand. Sophia smiled and nodded, "We would like that very much, sir."

"Remus, call me Remus." He opened his arms and the kids leaned forward into his embrace.

Joy cleared her throat and said "Mr Lupin, are you sure about this? The Lestrange twins are quite the trouble makers and have ran off anyone who has tried to look after them previously."

Anger took hold of Remus at her words, he was certain, for reasons he couldn't explain, that it was not entirely their fault. Maybe they had been difficult- that he could believe, but difficult was no reason for someone to be 'ran off'.

Just as he was about to defend the twins a realisation dawned on him. The Lestrange twins. Belatrix Lestrange. Now he understood why they looked familiar, he had spent years of his life looking at a face that had shared DNA with Belatrix. These were his former best friend's relatives, their mother is a psychotic woman who has tortured and killed countless people. Almost their entire family were murderers and death eaters, including the man he thought he could trust. He had been warned they were troublesome, just like Sirius. He should run for the hills. He should take back his offer, leave them here and forget about them. But something inside him wouldn't allow it. The same part of him that had immediately connected with them was screaming at him to give the twins a chance, demanding he give them a home and raise them like they deserve. He wanted them to be his children. He wanted to love them.

So, with a slight tremble in his fingers, from anxiety and excitement, he turned to Joy, "Yes, I'm sure. I would like to adopt them."

Joy sighed, "Alright then, it will take a few weeks to complete the process once you've signed the paperwork, in which time you'll be expected to visit and form a significant relationship with them. Then, if all goes well, you may take them home."

Remus turned to Sophia and Sebastian and saw a smirk growing on Sophia's face. Sebastian was fighting a grin but Remus could see all he needed in the boys eyes. The twins were ecstatic, and Remus began to tear up looking at his future daughter and future son.

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The Prologue is complete!

This is how it all began, I am so excited for this story and I cannot believe I actually have the inspiration to write it.

Also I am aware this is terribly inaccurate to the way the actual adoption system works, but that's complicated and this isn't so I'm going with it.

Please let me know if you enjoyed and are excited for the first chapter!