Remus' Furry Little Problem

A/N: I realize that some of the details are not correct, such as extra siblings etc... but this is my own twist on how things played out. This is my first time publishing anything on this site so helpful criticism will be appreciated, but please no flames. Thank-you. -Kittykat987

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the Marauders. They are fictional characters that belong to JK Rowling, who is an amazing author and an inspiration.

Summary: The marauders find out about Remus' "Condition" during their second year and confront him.

Xxxxx

"Remus, we know what you are?" These six little words spoken by one of his best friends, James Potter, caused Remus to freeze in terror.

Remus had been trying so hard to make sure that his friends, the first ones he had ever had, would never find out about what he was. A monster. He was sure they would abandon him if they knew, everyone did in the end. Even his parents who claimed to love him so much would give him looks of disgust after the full moon was over.

"H-how...how did you find out?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know, they would undoubtedly want him removed from their dorm and maybe even have him kicked out of Hogwarts- the only place he had ever truly felt at home.

Sirius ran a hand through his dark hair, the only indication that he was nervous. He would never otherwise, Remus knew, mess up his 'perfect' hair. "We haven't known since first year if that's what you mean, but we're not idiots Remus, we figured out that you left around the same time every month, and… well, you're not exactly the best liar."

"There's only so many times that your aunt can die or get sick before it becomes a little suspicious. By the way, do you even have an aunt?" Peter started rambling about how they didn't think that his 'aunt' was able to die and come back to life that often. Remus ignored him, still in shock.

"I'll leave if you want, just….please, don't tell anyone. My home- ... Hogwarts is the only place I've ever felt at home. Please, i'll do anything, just don't tell anyone." Remus tried to ignore how his voice was shaking as he pleaded with the people he had called friends to keep his secret.

James and Sirius shared a meaningful glance as though telling the other to do something. Peter was quiet, letting them take the lead.

"Remus, we're your friends we won't tell anyone, we just want to know the story." James was in mother-hen mode, and Remus knew that they would keep pushing until they had answers. What he didn't understand was why they weren't kicking him out, why would they want to be with a monster.

"You're crazy, you know what I am. Why would you want to be friends with me, I'm a monster." Remus clutched his pillow tightly to his chest- trying to take deep breaths and calm down, he had known his friends were crazy but this was a whole new level.

"Remus John Lupin, you are not a monster! If I ever hear you say that again... I-I will hex you! You're not a monster, you're a friend, and a brother." The boys all sat on Sirius's bed across from him, waiting for him to tell his story.

"Yes, I am. You don't know me, so don't pretend to understand what I go though!" Remus was struggling to keep his voice even, if they were going to just kick him out anyway why would then want to know about his past?

This time it was Sirius who spoke, barely able to contain his frustration. "Then just tell us, help us to understand! We're just trying to help you Remus, we don't think you're a monster. Y-"

"That doesn't mean I'm not one!" Remus knew he shouldn't have yelled but he couldn't help it. All he could see and feel was the faces, the blood, and the pain. His breath was coming in quick pants as he tried to get enough air and not have a panic attack. Breathe in. Breathe out. Deep breaths. After a few minutes remus was able to catch his breath and continued. He might as well tell them now.

"I was five years old when it happened. My father declared publicly his desire for Fenrir Greyback's death or imprisonment, and …..well, he didn't take that well." The boys were hanging onto his every word, pity evident in their eyes. Remus ignored them trying not to bring up old memories. The break in….the fighting….the pain that would last the rest of his life. "He.. uh… he broke into our house one night, and bit me. Payback, I guess."

Remus pulled his shirt up to show them a terrible scar that was one his side, a bite mark. "My….my parents tried to ignore it you know. They… uh….. they didn't take proper precautions. They didn't chain me up properly the first time. I got out. My dad was at Saint Mungo's receiving treatment for a few wounds he had gotten, and... um… my mom's a muggle." Remus broke off as he began crying silently, tears running down his face.

Sirius got off his bed and sat next to him, he tried to put an arm around him to comfort him but Remus flinched and he left him be. "What happened, Remus?" James voice was low and comforting but he could detect the shaking and the fear in it. Great. Even his friends feared him, just like he knew they would.

"I got out of the cellar, and...um.. I made it into my brother's room." If it wasn't such a serious subject, Remus would have found his friend's reactions quite funny. All of them had wide eyes and their mouths hung open in shock. Remus had never spoken of a sibling, so they had all believed him to be an only child.

"You have a brother?" James spoke gently not wanting to frighten his friend, but still afraid of the answer they might receive.

"Had. I had a brother." Remus put his head in his hands, trying to soften the sound of his sobbing. Flashes of what happened raced through his mind, even as he tried to stop it. The blood. The scent of fear. The screaming. He would never be able to remember…... but, he would also never forget. "I got into his room, I….I ripped him apart. Merlin! My mum tried to stop me, but I didn't even try to kill her. She was just knocked out, and I- I went straight for him. I woke up the next morning and couldn't remember anything, I….I was bathed in a pool of his own blood. He was only two years old! He was only two …..and I ...k-killed him!"

Remus couldn't breathe now. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't get enough air to his lungs, and everything was starting to blur. He heard someone yell and a second later a potion was being shoved down his throat. His head began to clear as he felt himself calm down. The boys were sitting around him on the bed, varying looks of shock and sadness on their faces. All of them had tears in their eyes.

"Why…..why didn't you ever tell us?" It was Sirius who had gathered up the courage to ask him.

Remus just laughed mockingly. How could he have? "What was I supposed to say, Sirius? Hey, guys did I ever tell you that I'm a monster, and I killed my own brother when I was a child? No. I'm used to rejection, I just couldn't face it from you guys."

"Were not going to reject you, Remus. You are our friend, and that is never going to change." Surprisingly enough, it was Peter who spoke now in a voice that was soft and comforting.

"Yeah, just because you have a past that you don't like to talk about, and a little furry problem every month doesn't mean that we're going to abandon you." James spoke forcefully trying to drill this into him.

"I don't have a little furry problem James, I'm a monster! Don't give me that look, you don't know what it's like! Every month I have to lock myself away, and every single bone in my body breaks and reforms until i'm something else….something inhuman. It doesn't stop there though, I crave blood, James, that's what it's like to be a werewolf. I can't have that of course…. so, I hurt myself."

Remus pulled his shirt over his head, and took off his necklace. Instantly long jagged scars that covered almost every visible part of his skin were revealed. "Don't tell me I'm not a monster. Don't try to treat this like a little cold. I'm not a good person, and every night I have nightmares full of pain and blood! Every night I have to relieve the death of my own brother, and I can't forget! No matter how badly I want to…."

They were silent and Remus took this as a dismissal. Pulling his shirt and necklace on, Remus scrambled for the door, frantically trying to wipe his tears away. Trying to force the memories to leave him.

"Remus." He halted, his hand inches away from the door as Sirius called out his name. Turning around he saw him standing a few feet away from him, James and Peter not far behind him. "You're not a bad person, Remus. You're a very good person, who bad things have happened too. Besides, the world isn't split into good people and evil people. We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we chose to act on. That's who we are."

Sirius grabbed him by the shoulders, trying to get him to understand. "You, Remus Lupin, are a good person, and you may be many things but you're not a monster."

Peter stood next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "You're a friend."

James spoke up next. "You're a brother. You can't get rid of us now Remus, you're family."

Remus was frozen in shock. After everything he had told them they should have been shocked, disgusted, and afraid. But they weren't. They had accepted him and he finally had a family. "You're crazy... but, thank you..." He may not be able to change who he was, but he knew that he wouldn't have to pretend again, at least not around his brothers.