Harry Potter and the Were-Squid

Epilogue

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has followed this story. This ends the tales of Larry Lupin. I really do appreciate all your support for a character that I developed as kind of a joke for a role play that grew into the most awesome OC I have ever created.

Larry Lupin sat, on the banks the lake, completely still. He was being stalked. He could sense the eyes watching him, waiting to pounce.

Suddenly the hunter burst from the bushes streaking across the open ground in a flash slamming into Larry's midsection.

"I got you, Daddy!" The small child squealed squirming under Larry tickles. "Did you know I was there?"

"Yes I did," Larry answered his 6 year old daughter with a matter of fact tone. The child's face fell. Larry picked up his daughter and stroked her long blonde hair with a tentacle.

"Do you know why?"

The little girl's freckled face furrowed with concentration. Larry could see she was struggling with the answer.

"What's the first rule of tracking?" He asked her placing her back on the ground and crouching to meet her gaze.

"Always have the wind in your face," The child recited automatically smiling.

"Exactly," Larry smiled back roughing the girl's hair. The little girl ran off to chase a frog she found interesting. Larry stared across the lake at the castle which now served as not only his place of employment but as his home.

Larry suddenly felt a presence in his mind. "Tell the children lunch in ready," Phoebe's voice echoed in his head.

"Will do, pet," Larry answered sending his thoughts of love with his answer. The soul-bond he now shared with Phoebe was a final gift from Gaia.

"Bwyell, Dyri!" Larry called out to the lake "Lunch!"

Two forms broke the surface and swam with incredible speed towards the shore.

"I beat you the ten year old girl exclaimed," vaulting to the shore.

"Only cause I let you," her nine year old bother sniffed.

"Did not," the girl growled and punched her brother in the arm.

"Stop it," the boy growled back swinging at his sister.

"Knock it off," Larry snapped separating the two.

"She started it," the boy whined.

"You know what Bwyell?" Larry's voice grew cold. "I don't know who started it, but you can be sure I know who's gonna finish it," Larry scooped up his younger daughter and put her on his shoulders.

"Why does Gwanwyn get to ride?" the older girl asked.

"Yeah, why?" her brother echoed.

"Because she wasn't fighting with her sibling, that's why," Larry growled, his tone showing the conversation was over.

The two children fell silent and marched behind Larry towards the cottage set off a ways from the lakeshore. Phoebe met the children and her husband at the door.

"What's with them?" she asked her husband, kissing him and taking her daughter off his shoulders. "They look pitiful."

Larry shook his head. "They were fighting again."

Phoebe looked at her two older children sternly. "For that I think they need to set the table."

The boy started to protest but his sister clamped her hand over his mouth. "Yes mama," she said knowing if they complained it would be worse.

Larry started to sit down when he heard crying coming from a back room.

Phoebe sighed heavily "I just got them down."

She started down the hall. Larry jumped up and headed her off.

"I'll take care of them. You fix lunch."

Phoebe smiled and kissed Larry's cheek. Larry slid into the room and looked in the cradle.

"Hey you two," he purred. "You're supposed to be sleeping." Larry slid a tentacle around each child, checked diapers and pulled the children into his chest. Larry reached another tentacle into the shadows and removed a guitar. He started strumming the guitar while rocking the children in his tentacles. Larry reached out with his thoughts touching the mind of his wife.

"Sing with me?" he asked.

Phoebe answered Larry's thoughts singing along with his playing. Larry let his mind wander while his playing calmed his children. He thought about the trials and wars of his past. He marveled at the two small forms in his arms that had made the sixth and seventh members of his family.

"Seven," Larry thought. "That's a good number."

Phoebe smiled thinking about her mother and her love of arithmancy .

"Yes," she replied. "A very good number."