Timeless Halls
Chapter 1: Beginnings
It was a solemn house; a subtle and serene environment, that of which a little boy would be at ease to grow. The house itself, in a physical sense, was drafty and looked as if it would fall down should a large wind blow its way. The boards creaked and roof leaked, but the family that lived there seemed to be pleased with its subsistence. The family name was Lupin. The Lupin family in concert with its home was just as barren and remote, but filled with a certain meekness that concealed their physical "futility". The Lupin's were not at all conventional, in every sense of the word. Indeed this family was a congregation of a witch and three wizards. Amongst the complication of life and endurance one of the Lupin's appeared considerably oppressed. This was the youngest of the family, a boy by the name of Remus Jonathan Lupin. Remus was a particularly blissful child. He had short brown hair and his face was full of color and vivacity. He was a regular sized boy; he didn't appear to be very gangly or awkward but instead slightly diminutive and emaciated. Remus was now nearing his tenth year of age.
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Wiltshire, England Remus and his brother Edmund stepped out of their desolate home for a brisk walk on the forest path. They both laughed elatedly as they entered the forest that surrounded their home. It was a light forest filled with seemingly pleasant creatures, unlike the forbidden forest at Hogwarts which Edmund had informed him of; Remus's heart skipped a beat at the thought of what lurked in there. As they walked and played along the path Remus turned to his brother, "So, exactly where is this new place you've found Edmund; I'm simply dying to see it," said Remus in a playfully bored tone.
"Oh you just wait Remie, we'll be there soon, all in good time my brother, all in good time," Edmund said in a volatile manner. Edmund was much taller than Remus, as he was expected to be, being the older sibling. Edmund was a stout boy coming up on his second year at Hogwarts. He was a full year and twelve days older than Remus; who had this verity quoted to him consistently. Remus just smiled at Edmund as he trudged behind him grunting as he became more and more exhausted. The woods began to thicken as did Remus's anticipation.
"Wait till you see it Remie, its fantastic. It's the best place to have our new hideout. It's full of thickets and groves and lots of undergrowth. Loads of hiding places that you'll be happy with, I'm sure." After making his short oration on the guise of the area, Edmund continued to walk not speaking again; Remus expected that he was saving all his breath for the walk. After some time they began to stray from the path, veering in many different directions. A mess of branches and twigs began to scrape at their clothing as the sky became darker and more ominous, leaving them completely dependent on how proficient their eyes could see in the dark.
"Edmund, don't you think we should be on our way home. Supper should be ready soon", Remus muttered in a cynical tone. Edmund jumped at the sound of Remus's voice and turned as if terrified by something.
"Remie, I don't know the way home", he said holding back tears. Remus couldn't' believe what he was hearing. Why would you bring us out here then?
"Wha....what do you me....mean you don't know the way home?"
"I mean.....I've forgotten where we are. For the past couple of hours I've been trying to find the way home. I knew where we were going earlier, but it's too dark to tell now. I......I think we're lost Remus." Now Remus knew they were in somewhat of a dilemma. His brother never called him Remus, unless he was annoyed or frightened by something. Remus had already wiped a few tears from his face and had begun wiping more when he decided to speak again.
"Well.....why don't we ju.....just turn around and hea", but Remus's sentence was cut short by a howl; a howl that perforated the air around them as if popping a large balloon in their faces. Remus turned in the direction of the sound, as did his brother. Neither of them were prepared to cope with what they were about to meet. The color ran from Remus's face and for as long as he lived would never return; his entire physical manifestation yielded to the howl, not wanting to even catch a glimpse of what the howl belonged to. A dark shape moved quickly around them captivating their complete concentration. Panic began to swoop through their veins freezing them to the very foundation of their being; which now reflected the likeness of a living corpse. The two boys turned to each other with horrified expressions and then began to run. The darkness of the forest began to repudiate as they got closer and closer to what seemed to be a small clearing. Remus continued to run toward the clearing panting heavily the whole time. He looked behind him hearing the thump of the earth as the thing continued to pursue them. Edmund entered the clearing first, followed closely by Remus. The clearing was slightly dark, but nothing near that of the forest. Both of the boy's clothing was torn, nearly, to shreds. Blood percolated from a wound just below Edmunds eye, most likely caused by that of a stray branch. They slowed their pace not hearing the thing pursuing, or hunting, them into the clearing. Remus stopped short of his brother and fell to his knees, his eyes closed from the pain of his newly instituted scrapes and bruises. Neither spoke a word. They were both still shaken up by the event. Remus opened his eyes, but the clearing was now illuminated by the soft pale glow of a full moon. He came back to his feet looking around. At the frame of the forest he heard the same unsettling howl. He turned to his brother, but didn't move. The look in his brother's eyes told him that whatever it was they were going to meet it here and now; no more running. Edmund pulled his wand from the pocket of his day clothes. The shape moved from behind a tree and dashed in their direction. Remus's heart skipped a beat as he watched the approaching animal; for now he could tell it was not human. Edmund pointed his wand at the animal and looked to Remus.
"Stupefy!" he bellowed. The spell hit the animal but it continued racing forward. Edmund raised his wand to the animal again, but the thing had already reached them. Remus turned to run but was knocked to the ground by the animal's ferocity. He laid on the damp earth trying to move, but it felt as if he might have broken a rib. He looked up, his vision blurry and oblique, only to see his brother running away. Remus used his arms to push himself up before he felt the weight of a large paw push him back to the ground. The immensity of the paw took his breath away as the animal shifted it credence onto Remus's lower back. It was then that Remus felt an incalculable amount of pain. The creature bit in Remus's shoulder. The meat that covered the bone felt as if it were about to be torn from his body. His blood shot over the already moist grass. He cried out in agony, and looked into the sky. A prolific storm cloud moved over the moon, hiding its glow from the world. The pressure of the paw on his back lifted. The creature howled again, but the howl turned suddenly into what sounded like the sobbing of a man. The pain in Remus's shoulder was so abundant that it caused him to pass out. Remus would remember this day for the rest of his life, especially on a full moon.
Chapter 1: Beginnings
It was a solemn house; a subtle and serene environment, that of which a little boy would be at ease to grow. The house itself, in a physical sense, was drafty and looked as if it would fall down should a large wind blow its way. The boards creaked and roof leaked, but the family that lived there seemed to be pleased with its subsistence. The family name was Lupin. The Lupin family in concert with its home was just as barren and remote, but filled with a certain meekness that concealed their physical "futility". The Lupin's were not at all conventional, in every sense of the word. Indeed this family was a congregation of a witch and three wizards. Amongst the complication of life and endurance one of the Lupin's appeared considerably oppressed. This was the youngest of the family, a boy by the name of Remus Jonathan Lupin. Remus was a particularly blissful child. He had short brown hair and his face was full of color and vivacity. He was a regular sized boy; he didn't appear to be very gangly or awkward but instead slightly diminutive and emaciated. Remus was now nearing his tenth year of age.
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Wiltshire, England Remus and his brother Edmund stepped out of their desolate home for a brisk walk on the forest path. They both laughed elatedly as they entered the forest that surrounded their home. It was a light forest filled with seemingly pleasant creatures, unlike the forbidden forest at Hogwarts which Edmund had informed him of; Remus's heart skipped a beat at the thought of what lurked in there. As they walked and played along the path Remus turned to his brother, "So, exactly where is this new place you've found Edmund; I'm simply dying to see it," said Remus in a playfully bored tone.
"Oh you just wait Remie, we'll be there soon, all in good time my brother, all in good time," Edmund said in a volatile manner. Edmund was much taller than Remus, as he was expected to be, being the older sibling. Edmund was a stout boy coming up on his second year at Hogwarts. He was a full year and twelve days older than Remus; who had this verity quoted to him consistently. Remus just smiled at Edmund as he trudged behind him grunting as he became more and more exhausted. The woods began to thicken as did Remus's anticipation.
"Wait till you see it Remie, its fantastic. It's the best place to have our new hideout. It's full of thickets and groves and lots of undergrowth. Loads of hiding places that you'll be happy with, I'm sure." After making his short oration on the guise of the area, Edmund continued to walk not speaking again; Remus expected that he was saving all his breath for the walk. After some time they began to stray from the path, veering in many different directions. A mess of branches and twigs began to scrape at their clothing as the sky became darker and more ominous, leaving them completely dependent on how proficient their eyes could see in the dark.
"Edmund, don't you think we should be on our way home. Supper should be ready soon", Remus muttered in a cynical tone. Edmund jumped at the sound of Remus's voice and turned as if terrified by something.
"Remie, I don't know the way home", he said holding back tears. Remus couldn't' believe what he was hearing. Why would you bring us out here then?
"Wha....what do you me....mean you don't know the way home?"
"I mean.....I've forgotten where we are. For the past couple of hours I've been trying to find the way home. I knew where we were going earlier, but it's too dark to tell now. I......I think we're lost Remus." Now Remus knew they were in somewhat of a dilemma. His brother never called him Remus, unless he was annoyed or frightened by something. Remus had already wiped a few tears from his face and had begun wiping more when he decided to speak again.
"Well.....why don't we ju.....just turn around and hea", but Remus's sentence was cut short by a howl; a howl that perforated the air around them as if popping a large balloon in their faces. Remus turned in the direction of the sound, as did his brother. Neither of them were prepared to cope with what they were about to meet. The color ran from Remus's face and for as long as he lived would never return; his entire physical manifestation yielded to the howl, not wanting to even catch a glimpse of what the howl belonged to. A dark shape moved quickly around them captivating their complete concentration. Panic began to swoop through their veins freezing them to the very foundation of their being; which now reflected the likeness of a living corpse. The two boys turned to each other with horrified expressions and then began to run. The darkness of the forest began to repudiate as they got closer and closer to what seemed to be a small clearing. Remus continued to run toward the clearing panting heavily the whole time. He looked behind him hearing the thump of the earth as the thing continued to pursue them. Edmund entered the clearing first, followed closely by Remus. The clearing was slightly dark, but nothing near that of the forest. Both of the boy's clothing was torn, nearly, to shreds. Blood percolated from a wound just below Edmunds eye, most likely caused by that of a stray branch. They slowed their pace not hearing the thing pursuing, or hunting, them into the clearing. Remus stopped short of his brother and fell to his knees, his eyes closed from the pain of his newly instituted scrapes and bruises. Neither spoke a word. They were both still shaken up by the event. Remus opened his eyes, but the clearing was now illuminated by the soft pale glow of a full moon. He came back to his feet looking around. At the frame of the forest he heard the same unsettling howl. He turned to his brother, but didn't move. The look in his brother's eyes told him that whatever it was they were going to meet it here and now; no more running. Edmund pulled his wand from the pocket of his day clothes. The shape moved from behind a tree and dashed in their direction. Remus's heart skipped a beat as he watched the approaching animal; for now he could tell it was not human. Edmund pointed his wand at the animal and looked to Remus.
"Stupefy!" he bellowed. The spell hit the animal but it continued racing forward. Edmund raised his wand to the animal again, but the thing had already reached them. Remus turned to run but was knocked to the ground by the animal's ferocity. He laid on the damp earth trying to move, but it felt as if he might have broken a rib. He looked up, his vision blurry and oblique, only to see his brother running away. Remus used his arms to push himself up before he felt the weight of a large paw push him back to the ground. The immensity of the paw took his breath away as the animal shifted it credence onto Remus's lower back. It was then that Remus felt an incalculable amount of pain. The creature bit in Remus's shoulder. The meat that covered the bone felt as if it were about to be torn from his body. His blood shot over the already moist grass. He cried out in agony, and looked into the sky. A prolific storm cloud moved over the moon, hiding its glow from the world. The pressure of the paw on his back lifted. The creature howled again, but the howl turned suddenly into what sounded like the sobbing of a man. The pain in Remus's shoulder was so abundant that it caused him to pass out. Remus would remember this day for the rest of his life, especially on a full moon.