Disclaimer: I don not own any of the characters or places, but I do own the plot.
The Werewolf's Code:
To fight my friends tooth and nail,
to shatter lives with much avail,
the code we live by
that only in death can we be free.
That is the werewolf's code.
Chapter One:
Mrs Lupin had one arm wrapped around her eleven-year-old son's shoulders as he pushed the trolley down platform ten. On Remus's right was his father. They were all nervous, to say the least. They were far more nervous than any parent would ever be about their only child going off to boarding school, but Remus was without a doubt no ordinary child. He was a wizard and, unfortunately, a werewolf. They found the barrier onto platform nine and three quarters easily since his parents were a wizard and witch. They checked very carefully for nosy muggles before they went onto th platform. By this time Mrs Lupin was in tears, but she wouldn't sob aloud. The platform was busy with life. Other parents were weepy eyed, but not nearly as much as Mrs Lupin. They let him find a compartment on his own. It only took him a few moments since they had arrived early and not many compartments were taken, but it seemed like an eternity.
"Are you alright, love?" whispered Mrs Lupin. "You don't have to go."
"Mom, you're crying." said Remus. "You promised me."
Even as he spoke his own eyes were stinging with tears that were itching to come out. He hadn't strayed far from his parents since he was bitten, but now he would be on the other side of the island. His father was standing in a grave silence, unable to believe that his son was going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, especially with his 'problem'. It had all been worked out though. He was safe.
"You'll write us once a week, at least." said Mrs Lupin. "And you'll talk with professor Dumbledore once a month as well. He's very concerned with your mental state after your transformations."
"I will, Mom." said Remus, wiping his nose on the back of his sleeve. "Now you're going to make me cry."
He stamped his foot on the ground in frustration. He seemed to get frustrated with his parents a lot lately.
"Now this is my chance to start over." he sniffled. "I'll be normal. No one knows about my 'problem' there. I want this."
"I know, Darling." said Mrs Lupin.
She looked up at her husband and stepped aside to let him speak to his son. He knelt down and stared Remus in the eyes. They were almost mirror images. They both had the same long pale brown hair, even if Mr Lupin's was beginning to gray. They both had the same pale gray eyes and fair skin. They even had the same glasses. They didn't really need them. They were just for seeing things that were far off.
"Now, son, I know how smart you are and how bright and talented you are, but they don't. Show them. Be yourself and don't be afraid of what they think." he said in his raspy voice. "Everyone makes friends at Hogwarts. You don't have to worry about that."
Remus smiled. More people were arriving now and Remus didn't want to lose his compartment.
"I'll see you soon." he called as he darted onto the train.
He leaned out the window briefly to kiss his parents goodbye. They were both in tears by now, but not a sound was heard out of them. His compartment was still empty when he found it again. He got one of his text books out of his trunk and began to read it. Once he started to read he was dead to the world. Armageddon could take place on that train and he wouldn't know it. The door slid open and two raven haired boys came in. One wore a pair of black glasses and tousled hair. The other had short bristly hair and they were both slightly taller than Remus.
"Can we sit here?" asked the one with the glasses.
Remus didn't look up.
"I don't think he can hear us." said the first boy to the second.
"No worries." said the second boy. "I have a cousin like him named Andromeda. She older than I am and when she's reading she doesn't notice a thing."
The boy went over and shook Remus gently by the shoulder. That got his attention well enough. He looked up at the boy in shock. He blinked at them from behind his glasses.
"Hello." he said politely. "Can I help you?"
"We were wondering if we could sit here." said the first boy.
"Of course." said Remus closing his book. "Go right ahead."
"James Potter." said the first boy as he put his trunk up in the luggage rack. "That git over there is Sirius Black."
"Remus." said the young werewolf. "Remus Lupin."
"Pleasure." said he boys in unison.
Remus put his book away carefully. He had always treated his books that way. Sirius and James were digging through their pockets and shoveling out wizards' cards on to the seat between them. Remus looked on curiously. He had never quite seen the fascination with these cards. He had collect them just so he had something to do in his spare time, but he had never been a fanatic. James, who seemed to be the long winded one, was babbling on about how rare his cards were.
"Do you collect cards?" asked Sirius abruptly cutting James off.
"Yes." said Remus. "I've got them all twice already."
James's eyes went wide behind his glasses.
"I don't even know anyone who's collected them all. Let alone twice." he breathed. "I'll trade you anything for one of your Merlins."
"I don't have them with me." said Remus. "I thought I'd start a new set."
James whistled. This was by far the strangest kid he'd ever met. Something whistled in the distance and the train suddenly lurched forward. They pulled out of the station and then they really built up speed. The compartment door slid open by the sheer force of the movement. A black cat slipped in and stalked right up to Remus. He sat down and stared up at him with wide golden eyes. Remus leaned over and picked it up and sat it on his lap.
"Hello there." he said in a soft voice. "What are you doing in here?"
As he finished this sentence a girl skidded to a halt in front of the door. She had dark red hair and almond shaped green eyes. She was slightly disheveled as if she had run the entire way there. She was panting as well. The three boys looked up and the cat mewed.
"Oh, you found him." she panted. "I've been looking everywhere for him."
"This is your cat?" said Remus.
"Yes." said the girl. "His name is Kaz. Can I have him back?"
Remus stood up, the cat in his arms, and crossed over to the girl. She took the cat from him and held it close to her chest.
"I'm Lily by the way." she said smiling at him. "Lily Evans."
"I'm Remus Lupin." replied Remus.
"Well, thank you, Remus." she said brightly. "I'll see you around."
Remus sat down as the girl walked away. His sharp ears catching her voice scolding the cat. James and Sirius had odd looks on their faces, like they were trying very hard not to laugh and were failing miserably. Suddenly, they couldn't hold it any longer and they burst into laughter. Remus was confused now. Why were they laughing?
"'I'll see you around'" said James in a high pitched voice.
He was mimicking Lily. Remus understood. They were teasing him, but not in a cruel way. It was all good. James batted his eyelashes a few times and Sirius went into hysterics. Tears were welling up in their eyes now. Remus even joined in. He was actually laughing and enjoying himself without the thought of the full moon in the forefront of his mind. Then the trolley came by.
It was pushed by a middle aged woman. She had long blonde hair that was tied up into a messy bun.
"Anything from the trolley, dears?" she asked in a pleasant voice.
Sirius and James dove into their trunks and pulled out their money. They turned expectantly towards Remus. He shrugged sadly.
"I haven't got any money." said Remus, embarrassed. "I'm broke."
"We'll take the lot." said James to the witch.
And they meant it. Sirius forked over at least half of his silver and gold as did James. Their arms were laden with food of all sorts: Licorice Wands, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, and loads more things.
"Well dig in." said Sirius pointing a licorice wand at the pile of food. "We bought half that stuff for you so you had better eat it."
"For me?" asked Remus in shock.
"Of course!" said James as he bit off the head of a chocolate frog. "What are friends for?"
"We're . . . friends?" said Remus incredulously. "We're really friends?"
"What'd you think we were?" said James.
"I guess I wasn't thinking." gasped Remus.
He reached over and took a cauldron cake. He unwrapped it and bit down into the soft bread, tasting the cream on the inside. He had friends. Remus John Lupin had two friends and he did not intend to lose them. Remus looked out the window at the country side, a grin resting on his face. It was his first genuine smile in a long time.