Here is the second installment of The Real World Universe! I really hope you enjoy this one. I do have another one or two (perhaps more) planned. The next will be called Family and be based around... family (who would've guessed??).
Anyhow, I would really like to thank dogstar-ebony, my beta, who helped me through a big slump of writers' block. Oh, and she actually beta-ed this long thing, too. Wow. Big job. She deserves a big round of applause. (every claps loudly. One person throws a boquet of flowers, which I do present to her). Anyhow, dogstar, just for you, I added more of your favorite part! I had fun with it, too. SO enjoy the unbeta-edness of it. It was your surprise. Jeez, I bet you anything I screwed up at least once and confused American and British English.
By the way, if anyone here is a General Hospital fan, let me know because my friend, Clauson4Lyfe (agreed!) and I are cowriting a fic.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter Universe that I am playing in. By the way, speaking of univereses, this is strongly AU. If you'd like to understand it better, you may want to check out Welcome to the Real World, the first fic in this oneshot series.
Home
Remus turned his key in the lock and twisted the doorknob eagerly, wanting nothing but to just get home for the night. It had been such a long day. Not only had he been screamed at for twenty minutes for accidentally dropping a stack of plates at work, but Lily had been waiting for him the moment his shift ended. She had dragged him to the ice cream shop, where she ditched him with his new-found siblings and parents for her boyfriend and his friends. In spite of all that Remus had heard about the three of them, he had never properly met them. Considering the fact that they had gotten thrown out of the shop for making two ice cream sundaes explode, he wasn't sure he wanted to.
It had been very awkward, speaking with his family. They wanted to know everything about him, but he felt there wasn't much to be told. He preferred to hear about them, about what he could have had, but they refused to talk about it. Remus figured they didn't want to make him feel bad. He had managed to get Nikki (she had yelled at him when he called her Nicole after the third time they had met up) to start talking, which cut out much of the necessity for his voice to be heard.
He groaned as the knob halted halfway in its circle. Not again!
"The power better be working," Remus muttered to himself. "This is so not worth it if I'm coming back to a powerless flat. Open, you worthless door!" He tugged uselessly on the knob, willing it to turn. It didn't budge. He kicked angrily at the wood, knowing that if anyone saw him, the landlord would have him kicked out in an instant. But he needed some way to get his frustration out, and unfortunately, getting inside quickly enough to punch a pillow was not likely. He gasped in pain and slumped against the door, clutching his foot in agony.
On the bright side, robbers would never get in. On the dull one, neither would he.
"Need help?" Remus jumped and spun on his heel, startled. Lily stood with her arms crossed, accompanied by James, Sirius, and Peter. They smiled uneasily. He returned the gesture.
"What're you doing here?" he asked Lily. She rolled her eyes.
"No hello?"
"Hello. Now, what are you doing here?"
She shrugged. "I followed you home. I've wanted to see your flat for ages, and you never let me bring you home. So, I decided to follow you."
Remus glared for a brief moment. "You can be arrested for stalking someone, you know that?"
Lily snorted. "Yeah, like the Aurors would believe you. And even if they did, Sirius and James have got my back. Right, guys?"
"Why did Sirius come first?" James teased, tugging her hair, but grinned widely.
"Anyway, you need help, right? And don't say you can do it, because you obviously can't."
"Why'd you bother asking, then?" Remus mumbled, voicing for the first time the question he had been wondering about ever since he had been thrown into the real world three months ago. Girls always asked questions they didn't want answered. It drove him nuts.
"It's a girl thing," Peter explained. "We don't get it, either."
Remus nodded, relieved that he wasn't the only one. The lock clicked and he snapped his head around to see Lily manipulating the door successfully.
"Got it," she stated proudly. "Well? Aren't you going to show us your flat?"
"Er…" Remus stalled for a moment. "No, thanks. Not today."
"Why not?"
"It's, erm… messy?"
Lily stared him down doubtfully with her emerald eyes. "You're never even in there. Come on, Remus. We won't judge – unless you've got dead bodies stored somewhere, of course."
"Ah, look at that, you have me all figured out. Look, I'll see you tomorrow or whenever you set me up with my family again." Remus shook his head, letting out a big breath. "By the way, thanks for that – I went through the third degree again."
"They're interested in you. They want to know about your life and everything!"
Remus shook his head, laughing. "I don't believe it. I can describe my life in about two sentences. It was the same every day! You expect me to elaborate on that?"
Lily smiled at him and turned the knob without another word. Remus lunged for the door, but it swung open, revealing his dinky little flat in the space of seconds. A red flush spread over Remus's face. He knew that James and Sirius were accustomed to large and fancy – they had both grown up in rich households. And he was sure that Lily and Peter hadn't had it too bad, either.
Lily glided into the flat quickly, followed by the boys, who stepped forward so quickly that Remus had jumped to the side to let them through, lest he be run over. He braced himself as he slid in behind them and shut the door quietly. All four stood in the small room barely large enough to contain them, their eyes wide.
The couch had blankets and a pillow strewn across it, since Remus had overslept and did not have enough time to put away his "bed". A tiny coffee table with the remnants of his breakfast (which was a napkin with crumbs from his sandwich) sat beside it. Underneath the table, Remus kept his trunk, which held pretty much everything he owned, from his shabby robes to his few books. To the side, the room split off into a bathroom which didn't seem like it could possibly have enough room for half a person, let alone a whole one. It rarely had hot water. The kitchen was non-existent – Remus had a cabinet in which he kept non-perishable food. Whenever he felt like he really needed something more than bread and crackers, he would have to buy it and eat it on the spot. In the corner, there was a lamp that only worked half the time.
"Oh my god," Lily breathed in shock, finally, after observing the room for a few moments. "You can't stay here anymore."
"What?" Remus's mouth dropped open at her decision. "Why not? And who are you to make that decision?"
"This place is horrible! That's why!" she exclaimed. "You can come stay with me and James, right?"
"Yeah, sure, whatever," James muttered, not really listening. He was too busy observing the room in the same horror that Lily was expressing in her shouts.
"And if I don't?"
"I'll get you moved back to the Facility." Now it was Remus's turn to go cold with horror. "I could do it, you know. I would if it would convince you to leave here."
"I'm not staying with you and James," Remus insisted, knowing that the fight was nowhere near over. Lily was too darn stubborn, and so was he.
"You can't stay here, though! You work all day, with practically no breaks, to earn enough to live in this… this…" Lily searched for words, dismayed. She couldn't even describe the flat accurately. "It looks like it was made for an animal or something!" she finally shrieked.
Remus stared back at her with dull eyes. "Perfect, then. Now, if you're so upset by this, why don't you go? I thought you would react like this, it's why I didn't want you to see it."
"Your parents would kill me if I let you stay here, Remus."
"And you sure don't seem like an animal," Sirius commented before diving into deep conversation with the other two.
"My parents don't care. And 'seeming' isn't the same as 'being'."
"Who told you all these lies?" Lily's fierce expression softened as she watched Remus in pity. He squirmed. He despised people looking at him like that, it just made everything worse. He preferred hate to pity. Beautifully done – very believable.
"They're not lies," he mumbled. "I transform into a vicious beast once a month. It qualifies as an animal."
Lily shook her head in aggravation, but let the matter go. She retreated to the couch, threw the dingy blankets to the ground, and plopped down unceremoniously.
"Ooh, this is comfy!" she squealed in surprise. A smile flitted across Remus' face.
"See? Not everything in this place is horrible. That sofa is so worn out that it got soft over the years. I got it from a second hand shop, though I'm pretty sure it's been sold and sold back at least five times."
"Are you serious?" James asked in surprise, sitting down next to Lily and wrapping his arm around her gently. Sirius, not feeling in the mood to take the empty seat beside him, sat on his lap.
"No, I'm Sirius," he protested, just as James shoved him to the ground. Sirius fell with a thump, his head clunking the table loudly. "Ouch!"
Remus gasped and bit his lip, grimacing.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"He's fine," Peter insisted. "He's already been dropped on the head plenty of times, this is nothing new. There isn't much more brain damage possible."
"Shuddup," Sirius grumbled, sitting up and clutching his forehead. "I think I'm bleeding." He removed his hand from his head and glanced at it. A streak of bright blood went across his hand and head. "Yep, I'm bleeding."
Remus' stomach turned and he immediately ran for a towel.
"Here, take this." He practically shoved it into Sirius's hand. "I can't stand blood, it makes me sick," he moaned.
"Wow." Sirius wiped the blood and healed himself with his wand in a snap. "You're kind of queasy, huh?"
"Queasy?" Lily laughed. "This is the guy that tried to beat the pulp out of a kid last month!"
Remus flushed.
"I was provoked," he muttered. "And he barely got hurt. My blood doesn't bother me, it's others'."
"Why?" Peter strode over and took the seat next to James. Sirius lifted himself onto the table. "I thought werewolves were all for blood and stuff. I've heard of some that eat flesh when it's not full moon."
Remus winced. "That would be Greyback, and that would also be disgusting at any time of the month, let alone not full moon."
When they all looked at him questioningly, Remus shrugged. "All right, I'm not exactly a normal werewolf. But most would find the flesh bit revolting, either way. And we're not vampires."
"So you don't like blood? No werewolves do?"
Remus shook his head with a slight grin. "No, there's some that like it. But we're not like, 'I vant to suck your blood' and all that. It's more subtle, I guess. I'll be honest, I don't speak with other werewolves much. I'm a bit of an outcast at the Facility, not much liked."
"How come?" James was curious. Lily shushed him quickly, knowing that Remus wasn't too keen to talk about his past, but the boys prevailed.
"Yeah, why don't they like you?"
"I thought you guys were all together and stuff, with a pact or something."
"Did you have any friends there?"
"No," Remus interrupted, before the questions got worse. "I didn't have any friends. Actually, my dorm mates hated me rather passionately. I was weird, I didn't like to fight and stuff. I just liked to pick locks. I'm pretty good at that. They search me all the time at the Facility, for anything like a bobby pin or anything at all that could open a door."
Sirius snorted. "It didn't look like you were good at it before."
"That's different, I think. These locks are just crap."
An awkward silence filled the room and Remus' eyes darted around, looking for an escape, or at the very least, a chair. Of course, there was none. So, he gave in to the inner child in him.
He sat curled up on the floor.
Lily cleared her throat suddenly. "Erm… it's sort of late. I have work tomorrow, we ought to head home." She stood quickly, dragging James (and his arm, which was still around her shoulders) up with her. Peter and Sirius followed suit quickly, and Remus struggled to scramble to his feet.
"All right, then," he murmured, reaching out for the door. He didn't have to move at all. "Well, I guess I'll see you… whenever."
"Are you sure you don't want to at least spend the night with us?" James asked hesitantly.
"I have work tomorrow."
"Call in sick," Peter suggested. "You need a day off."
"I'll be fired. I have to use all my days off for full moons, they won't allow me more."
Lily grumbled. "Then bloody quit and find a new job! They treat you horribly there, anyhow."
Remus glared. "Actually, it's one of the better jobs a werewolf can get. I could easily be working on some construction site where heavy bricks could fall and crack my head open any second."
"I think your dad owns a shop. Can't he hire you?"
"He owns a bookshop."
"Right… anyhow, I'm not going to ask him for a job, that's just weird!"
"You're weird!"
"I'm weird? I'm not the one trying to convince you to lose your job to simply spend a night away from home!"
"This is home?"
Remus didn't respond. He couldn't possibly scrounge up enough words to explain his thoughts, even to himself. Lily stared at him with contempt.
A sharp rap on the door interrupted their impromptu staring contest. Remus flung open the door with a surly, "What?"
It was the landlord. Aw, crap, he thought. Perfect!
"What?" The landlord raised his eyebrows. "Don't they teach you werewolves manners at that place?"
"I'm sorry," Remus sighed. "Tensions are just a bit high right now. Is there a problem?"
"Yep. Complaints. Nobody wants to live with a werewolf in their complex."
"Then they can move."
"Or you could move. You're being evicted. Don't worry, I won't make you pay this week's rent, just get out. Better find somewhere to live, and soon." The landlord's eyes flashed menacingly. "'Cause if you're not gone by the end of this week, I'll call Control and have you shipped back to that Facility of yours."
Remus' muscles tensed. "Thank you for the notification," he hissed, before shutting the door with a slam.
A smile was playing at the corners of Lily's lips. "Guess you're moving in after all, huh?"
"Just shut up and help me get my stuff together."
"Here we are."
Remus felt sick. Side-Along Apparation was not fun, he had discovered. Sirius had suggested Floo, but Remus had watched people spin in and out of fireplaces and was not willing to give it a try.
James walked ahead of Lily and Remus with the cardboard box into which Remus' furniture had been shrunk and stored. He held his trunk, which he dragged behind him like a weight.
James' house was magnificent. Remus had been right in thinking that he would not be used to that hovel of a flat. This house had at least three stories, and was huge! It had a large backyard, and a luscious lawn in the front, along with a garden.
"Wow," Remus breathed. It was like nothing he had ever seen before.
"It's big, isn't it?" Lily whispered to him. "I was like that when I first moved in. James grew up here. His parents gave him the house. They're living in the beach house they have; Mr. and Mrs. Potter prefer the warmth now that they've retired. "
"I think I might get lost."
"We have maps," she said before skipping off to join her boyfriend. Yeah, like that was reassuring. Maps? For a house? Remus wasn't sure this was such a good idea.
Suddenly, Lily's words hit him completely.
"Wait – beach house?" he squeaked, the other two oblivious to his quiet realization. "He inherited this? Merlin, this was definitely not a good idea."
"Morning, Remus," Lily cried, rushing past in a red blur. James followed just as quickly, his black hair sticking everywhere. Remus smiled and flattened his own fringe self-consciously. He had just had the best night's sleep he had ever experienced, but that didn't stop him from feeling out of place in this lavish home.
"Good morning," he murmured as James stopped short in front of him, sliding on a shoe.
"Wow, you're already dressed?" he asked breathlessly. Remus nodded with a shrug. He didn't put much effort into his clothes, seeing as they were already ragged and frayed. "It takes Lily at least an hour to get ready for work… and my hair won't lay flat unless I work with it for ages."
Lily, even in her hurry, stopped quickly to muss his hair more and give him a peck on the cheek. "Sorry to break it to you, but no amount of time could get that mop flat." She disappeared down the hall again as Remus watched in wonder.
"Where is she going?"
"Bathroom," James said with a sigh. "My dad is great, but when he planned this house, he didn't really think about the women living here. He put the bathrooms miles away from the bedrooms and therefore, the closets."
Remus pretended he understood and smiled as widely as he could. Granted, that was not much.
James stuck his hands in his pockets awkwardly and glanced around the basically empty house in desperation. "Erm… so, what do you like for breakfast? Tilly will make anything, really."
"Tilly?"
"Our house elf. She practically raised me," James laughed. "I remember her and Mum ganging up on me when they tried to teach me how to cook. It was a disaster, of course. And since neither Lily nor I can make anything edible, Mum and Dad insisted that Tilly move in with us so we don't starve or burn down the place."
Remus didn't laugh; he generally opposed the use of house elves. They were treated horribly, even worse than werewolves. He didn't think anyone deserved to be treated more harshly than him, no matter their race.
"James, is you being dressed?" A house elf suddenly popped up beside the pair.
"Arg!" Remus shouted in surprise, jumping in the air and hitting his head on the door frame. James snorted inconspicuously into his hand while Remus rubbed at his sore scalp.
"Tilly is being very sorry for starling you, Master…"
"Remus," Remus supplied quietly. "Just Remus, please."
"Tilly be remembering that." She turned back to James. "Your mother is not being happy with your hair like that."
"Tilly, it doesn't do anything else," James insisted, but she simply gave him a stern look. With a sigh, he knelt down to her height and allowed her to tug and pull at his locks. Within a moment, it was relatively flattened and neat.
"That be good. Tilly be making breakfast. Is you be liking chocolate chip muffins or pancakes this morning?"
"Either is fine, Tilly, whatever you'd like." A flash of inspiration crossed the house elf's face.
"Tilly be making chocolate chip pancakes!" She popped away with a snap. James sighed in content.
"Tilly makes the best food," James swore, but paused when he caught a look at Remus's expression. "Is everything all right?"
"Yeah, fine," he responded, snapping quickly out of his mood. "Thank you, really, for letting me stay here."
"It's not a problem. Any friend of Lily's is a friend of mine – unless it's Snivellus, of course." Remus crinkled his brow in confusion. "School rivalry. We hate each other. Say, when do you start work?"
Remus glanced at his worn watch. "About an hour. I ought to get going, or I'll be late. The owner will kill me if I'm late again." James frowned.
"Without breakfast?" Remus shrugged.
"I work in a restaurant. It's not so hard to snatch a piece of fruit when nobody's looking." A hard look crossed James' face.
"Don't mention that in front of my dad. He's a Werewolf Control retiree and he's a workaholic. Absolute fanatic about his work. You know that bill they're trying to pass about werewolves in public places? He tried to get that passed twenty years ago, but it never went through. He's ecstatic that it might work this time. Anyhow, he's always complaining about werewolves stealing and being violent and stuff."
Remus paled considerably and his shoulders tensed. "What?"
"I know, it's a shock that my dad worked there. He wouldn't usually seem like the type – not that you've met him, right?"
"No, no, not that. The bill…"
"Don't you know? It's all over the newspapers. And I figured that Lily would've mentioned it…"
Remus closed his eyes and thought back to the newspaper headings he had passed in Diagon Alley. He couldn't afford any of them, but he would occasionally sneak a peek at what was going on. All he could remember were a bunch of mysterious attacks and deaths, rumored to be caused by some sort of gang.
"What would I have mentioned?" Lily asked suddenly, her makeup and hair finally finished. She was standing beside James with a curious expression and her arms crossed.
"I don't remember seeing anything about that," Remus muttered to himself. Lily gasped.
"Oh no, James, you didn't!" She slapped him hard. "I wasn't going to tell him until last minute! I didn't want him to get freaked out! Oh, Remus, you're so pale just hearing about that law. I'm doing everything in my power to keep it from being passed, but…" She shrugged. "Something about jobs went through the other day, though."
"Yeah, I know about that one." Remus let out a huge breath. These laws were nothing new – he really shouldn't have been getting so upset over it. Still, he couldn't help feeling as if every bit of freedom he was given was being stripped away, bit by bit. "Luckily, we can still work in restaurants if the owner allows werewolves there."
"Unluckily, they're planning on banning werewolves from the restaurant you work at." Lily smiled regretfully at him. "I hear things when I wait for you. You ought to quit, you'll at least get one last paycheck then."
"I'm not taking that risk," Remus' gut twisted. He knew he could get fired any moment for any reason, whether it be because his shoe was untied or because the owner simply didn't like him. However, he wasn't willing to throw it all away himself. He needed to keep this job desperately – he needed the money.
Remus had barely slept the night before, despite the fact that he felt well rested when he woke. He hated feeling like he had to depend on others. He was independent, used to being alone. Moving in with Lily and James was like admitting defeat. He planned to go flat searching as soon as possible. But if he didn't have a job, he'd never be able to find an affordable one. Even more importantly, he'd be living financially off of them, too, something he was positive that Lily would insist on. Remus wasn't sure he could take that.
"Well…" Lily trailed off, trying to think of a new excuse. She was a good debater, Remus had learned quickly in their friendship. She would battle out any argument to the end. That's why she was good for her department – they were a whole bunch of arguing idiots (excluding Lily). They all liked to fight over werewolf rights. Roughly a quarter of them supported werewolves and did everything they could to help in their position, while the rest fought against them. In most cases, the majority wins. But here, it was whoever had the most feisty workers.
Remus grinned smugly, though. He could rarely win against Lily, but it seemed as if she was running out of ideas. He had spent his life trying to find loopholes and attempting to get out of trouble. He could squash almost any argument easily, especially when they were as weak as these.
"We'll Floo to Diagon Alley. I'll take you there," she offered. "Just grab something to eat on the way out, okay? That way, you'll have something to eat and you won't be late."
Remus nodded dejectedly. This was unfortunately a reasonable solution, no matter how much he dreaded using what he deemed as the "fireplace of doom." He'd have to deal.
"Well, I'll see you later." Lily hugged Remus right in the middle of the alley, in public. He was shocked, but grudgingly returned the gesture before pushing her away.
"You're ruining your reputation," he warned her for what he felt was the millionth time.
"I don't really care," she told him determinedly. "I'll be by tonight, after your shift ends. After all, you don't have a key, yet. And there's no way I'm going home alone to the nightmare."
"What do you mean?" Remus asked, confused. A nightmare wasn't something that could be alive, was it?
"My sister, Petunia," Lily groaned.
"Your sister is a dream?" Lily laughed at Remus' bewildered expression.
"No, no, we always argue. She's a Muggle. I told you, she isn't all that accepting of the Wizarding World. My mum and dad are okay with it now, but she thinks I'm a freak. They're coming over tonight, and they might stay the weekend. That is, if James and Tuney don't try tokill each other before I even get home."
Guilt filled Remus to the top.
"I'm taking up room in your house," he realized with a sinking feeling.
"Oh, gosh, Remus, only you would think about that! That's not a bad thing, you know. It's great, I'll have company while hiding. I'm afraid I may kill Petunia before she leaves if you don't keep me sane."
"But… why is she a nightmare?"
Lily shook her head, smiling faintly. "I'll explain another time. It's a figure of speech. Do you know any of them?"
"What do you mean? Figures of speech? I don't know."
She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Have you ever heard 'Home is where the heart is'?'"
"No. What does it mean? That wherever your heart is, is where your home is? That's sort of stupid. I mean, my heart is thankfully in my chest right now."
"No, no, it means that wherever there are people who love you is where you are at home. The place that you are comfortable and welcomed and loved is home," Lily explained softly.
"Lupin! Oi, werewolf! C'mon, you're late!" the owner shouted from the door of restaurant.
"I'll be right there!" Remus called to him and turned back to Lily. "I'll see you later. Thanks. For the Floo and for letting me stay the night and everything."
"You don't need to thank me for it, Remus. I'll come later," she repeated. "We'll go home together."
Remus scanned the crowd anxiously, looking for Lily with an odd amount of eagerness. He needed to find her and get her back to the house before she figured out the truth. He was sure that if he didn't, she would absolutely blow up.
"Lily!" he cried in relief as he saw her red mane from down the street. Remus rushed up to her, not willing to let her come even a few yards near the restaurant.
"Remus, I thought your shift didn't end for another half hour," Lily commented, but looked pleased to see him. This is the best part of having friends, Remus thought to himself. Having them happy to see you… "Is everything all right?" And the worst part is drawing closer every second…
"Yeah, erm, I got relieved of my shift early," Remus excused quickly. Not technically a lie.
"Oh, well then, I suppose we ought to get home. Poor James is dealing with my family right now. Petunia despises him! Plus, it sounded like there was bad news… I hope everything is okay." Lily looked regretful at the notion of returning to the house, though Remus suspected that on a normal day she would have been ecstatic. "Apparation?"
Remus forced himself to smile. "Do I have much of a choice?"
"No, not really." Lily grabbed hold of his arm and with a pop! they reappeared on the Potters' front lawn. They could already hear the shrieks that were no doubt her sister's. The yelling was apparently a hereditary trait.
"You – you – you – you freaks!" Petunia shouted angrily. Lily's green orbs went wide. The first thing Remus figured was that the Evans would definitely not be staying the weekend. The second thing was that if Petunia was anything like her sister, James would be in a million pieces by now.
"Oh no," Lily breathed and ran to break through the door. More shouts and greetings followed as Remus made his way slowly to the noise. They were in the kitchen, which he knew may involve a mess. The last time he had heard such screaming in a kitchen had been when he had started a food fight at the Facility. He had been seventeen, and that was that last time he had even been allowed to step foot in the mess hall. They had delivered his meals to his room, where he was permanently grounded. If he didn't like it, he starved.
He figured that the only consequences this time would be a whack in the head with kitchen supplies, so he bravely stepped forward.
Sure enough, a tall, blonde woman with an abnormally long neck stood, brandishing a spatula at James as if it were a sword. He merely flicked his wand and sent it flying across the room. She groped behind her on the counter for a new weapon, coming across a large steak knife.
"No, Tuney, put that down!" Lily jumped in between her sister and her boyfriend. "James, pocket it, or I'll pocket it for you!"
"She called me a freak! She called me a drunken, unemployed freak!" James protested. Lily withdrew her wand, and suddenly had James' in her hand.
"I don't care. Petunia, James is unarmed. If this was a duel, you would have won. Now put it down." With a scowl, Petunia placed the knife on the table.
"He is one, though. He was the drunkest one at your graduation party that Mum and Dad let you have for all of you freaks!"
Lily sighed. "For one, that was Sirius. James was actually the only one sober –"
"Because he spiked the drinks!"
"For another, James is not unemployed. He is working for a good cause that I am working towards, too! And finally, he is not a freak. He is a wizard. Get over it."
"He doesn't get paid for the work, does he? No, he doesn't! You're supporting the both of you!"
"Actually," James cut in. "I have enough money in my family to never have to work a day in my life. And wizards live longer that Muggles, I'll have you know. Lily doesn't have to work, but she wants to. Who am I to stop her? She has a cause to support, and she does it well."
"I'd do my job whether I got paid for it or not, Tuney."
Guilt pounded Remus viciously. Sure, James may have had enough money to support the two of them, but now him as well? The situation wouldn't have been nearly as bad if things had went well at work today.
"Who's that?" Petunia suddenly snapped, pointing her long, threatening, painted fingernail at Remus. He froze up instantly. He had forgotten that they would question. And what if they knew?
"Oh, thank Merlin!" James cried. "I didn't realize you were here. Someone to share the shame of being a, uh, what did you call me? Oh, yes, a 'freak'."
"I think I may be more of a freak than you," Remus muttered, but didn't argue.
"Mum, Dad, Petunia," Lily said icily, warning lacing her words. "This is my friend, Remus. He moved in with us the other day." It was quite plain that what she dearly wanted to say was, Be nice or you die.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Remus." Mrs. Evans smiled at him warmly while Mr. Evans nodded in agreement.
"Always nice to meet some of Lily's friends."
"It's nice to meet you, too." Remus' voice cracked slightly as he responded.
"Well, then," Lily said after a long silence. "How about we get dinner on the table?"
"Excellent idea, dear," Mrs. Evans gushed and proceeded to shoo Remus, James, and Mr. Evans out of the kitchen. They seated themselves awkwardly on the sofas, not quite sure what to do or say. Mr. Evans and James apparently got on well, but mostly with Lily there to ease the tension.
"James?" Remus suddenly spoke up, nervous about how he could possibly word this news. "Do you mind not telling Lily what I'm about to say?"
"Keeping secrets, eh?" Mr. Evans laughed and winked at them. Remus shifted away automatically. "Go on, I won't tell, either."
"Go ahead. What, are you leaving? She'll be pissed if you are, you know."
"I know," Remus mumbled. "And if she finds out about this, she won't let me go. Not like I have anywhere I can stay, anyhow. I got fired."
"Because of that law?" James asked unsurely. Remus nodded reluctantly. "That sucks. Hey, maybe you can join the Order. How much magic do you know?"
"None. I'm not… you see, I don't…" Remus sighed, giving up. "I'm not a wizard."
"But your folks are. Are you really a Squib?"
"No, no, it's just that when I got bit, my magic sort of went away. I used to be a wizard, but not anymore. No one at the Facility has magic."
"I know of werewolves that can do magic," James insisted. "Here, take my wand, just see if you can do something." Remus blushed crimson.
"No, no, I can't, truly. I haven't done accidental magic since I was five. Something about the atmosphere just crushes our magic. By the time we're eleven, it's gone, usually."
"You're a werewolf?" Mr. Evans said in disbelief and shook his head, smiling much to Remus's shock. "This world gets crazier and crazier… so does this house. So, James, do you have any friends that are vampires?"
"Nope, never met a vampire," James joked. "Remus?"
"I've met some, but they didn't like me much. I was a little kid. I have some weird attraction for Dark creatures." Remus laughed, thinking of the few stories he had managed to pull out of his parents. "Apparently, before I was bit, I had come in contact with a Lethifold, a boggart, a kappa, a grindylow – almost got drowned by that one, by the way – and of course, the vampire."
"Bloody hell, Remus," James breathed. "Weren't you four when you got bit? What, did your family have a Dark creature zoo in your backyard?"
"Sort of. My dad used to write articles for the Prophet. He liked to observe whatever he wrote about for a while, and I liked to explore the cages. The vampires just came for tea one day, while my dad interviewed them. They were scary… had red eyes, sharp teeth, you know. I was supposed to be in bed when they came, but I was eavesdropping. One of them found me, he looked like he was going to murder me."
"As long as you didn't get bit because he was researching werewolves…"
"Oh, no, that was before my bite. The reason, actually. Greyback was pissed. You never want to get Greyback pissed, let me tell you that." James glanced down at Remus's security bracelet warily. Remus's playful grin faded.
"Nope," James agreed softly. "We could use a spy for Greyback, you know. Would he…"
"Catch the spy? Most definitely."
James shook his head. "No, no. I was going to ask if there's a slight chance that he would take you into his pack. Even if you can't do magic, you could be an excellent spy. We need to keep track of the werewolves. We think that they're siding with Voldemort."
"Who's Voldemort?" Remus asked, feeling quite ignorant.
"Evil Wizard trying to rule the world," James explained simply. "We have a Death Eater spy – his followers, if you didn't know. But the werewolves are unattached for now."
"Sounds…" Remus contemplated this for a moment. "Dangerous. Do you have any idea how much acting and lying and risks would be involved? If I was caught, he'd… well, he'd hopefully only slit my throat. Chances are, it would be worse. And if I'm not at the Facility during full moon, they'll come after me."
James bit his lip. "Damn. Not possible, then. Because if they come after you, they come after us, and then we're in a whole lot of legal trouble that we don't need."
"Exactly." Remus sat back, his stomach twisted. Spy on Greyback? James must be insane. But helping out in this Order did sound interesting. "Is there anything else I can do?"
James shrugged. "Attend a meeting. You can meet Dumbledore, at the very least. He could help you with whatever."
"We'll see," Remus finally answered.
"Boys!" Mrs. Evans called. "Dinner!"
"Wonderful," Remus muttered sarcastically.
James and Mr. Evans exchanged a grin.
"Don't knock Mrs. Evans's cooking until you've tried it," James whispered. "Come on, it's worth Petunia."
"Bye, Mum! Bye, Dad! Bye, Tuney!" Lily called as her family left the house. She shut the door with an exhausted sigh. "Finally."
She came over to the sofa, where James and Remus were currently sitting, looking over Quidditch magazines, and plopped down.
"Remus had something to tell you, Lils," James muttered distractedly and suddenly. Remus's eyes widened – no wonder he had been so quiet at dinner! James had been planning this! Ugh… "He might join the Order."
"Really? That's cool," Lily commented. "But don't you have work?"
Remus shrugged, reddening. "I, uh… well, James wasn't supposed to let you know quite yet, but… you see… I sort of got fired today." By the time he finished his statement, Remus's voice was barely a whisper. Lily's face became sympathetic as she walked over and hugged him tightly. He squirmed away from the affection, confused.
"Oh, Remus," she said. "I'm sorry. That's horrible."
"Aren't… aren't you mad?" Lily's green orbs questioned him. "I need to find somewhere else to live. I can't just mooch off you two."
"Of course not. It's not your fault, Remus. It's the stupid people in my department who can't see past the stereotypes and get to know the real people." She laid a hand gently on his arm. Remus closed his eyes, trying to get her pitying expression out of his head. "Look. We'll find you a new job. And until then, you can just stay with us. This'll be your home."
This'll be your home. The sentence rang in his head and Remus' eyes snapped open in shock. Instinctively, he backed away from Lily's touch, his throat dry and aching, his stomach twisting, his palms sweating.
They had said that to him at the Facility, too.
Flashback
Young Remus followed the woman in the dark robes quietly. He was frightened, unsure of what was going on. The walls were high and gray and there was an eerie silence settled over the place.
"Where are my mummy and daddy" he asked in a small voice. The woman looked back with unkind eyes. He scratched innocently on his band aid, unperturbed by her hostility, by everyone's hostility. Nothing had been the same since the big dog-man had taken him from his home. The girl that had been with him – she was a big girl, ten years old, she said – told him that the man's name was Greyback and that he was a werewolf.
Remus had heard of werewolves. They were all very bad people, he knew, and once you were bit by one, you became one.
Remus began to cry loudly that this thought. He didn't want to be a bad person.
"Calm down, were- Remus," the woman tried to say comfortingly, but snapped instead. "Your mother and father are unable to care for you any longer, so you'll be staying here, at the Werewolf Facility with us. This'll be your home." She smiled grimly. "You're our youngest resident ever."
"What's a resident?"
"It means that you're the youngest person to ever live here."
"Oh." Remus fell silent, wiping the tears. He thought of the girl and boy who had sat with him for all those days before the moon got big and roundish and the man turned into a dog. He groped his mind for their names. "Where are Johnny and Suzie?"
"Johnny and Suzie?" The woman was confused. "Oh, you mean the other children?" Remus nodded. "Their bodies were never recovered. Perhaps you remember something? Maybe the way they were killed? Or why you had their blood under your fingernails?" He didn't respond. She smiled cruelly. "You know, you can be put to death for killing someone. And the evidence all lays that way…"
Remus's heart stopped as he tried to remember their fates. The dirt on his hands, the blood that seeped across the three blankets onto his… The tormenting screams that gave him nightmares every night. As he opened his mouth to answer, he was interrupted by a hoarse voice.
"Priscilla Pettigrew!" A man with a crazy eye stepped in front of them.
"Auror Moody," she greeted coldly.
"What're you doing, scaring the kid to death? He'll be questioned about the others once he's settled in." He narrowed his eye. "Say, don't you have a son about his age? I don't suppose that you'd like it if someone frightened your son like that."
Pricilla's mood didn't change. "Unlike this boy, Peter is not a monster."
Moody shook his head slowly. "You know, I'm here to check up on all the people in Ward B, but I have no trouble making sure that you all in Ward A are doing your jobs."
"I've been told to bring this child to his dormitory. Nothing else. If I feel the need to speak to him, I will speak to him in whatever way I want to. Besides, he asked a question."
"Good. Young boys should be inquisitive." Priscilla rolled her eyes at Moody's comment. "Now, go bring him to his new home."
Flashback End
"Remus?" Lily's quiet whisper brought him back to reality. "Remus, are you okay?"
"Fine," he said quickly. "Fine, really. I'm sorry, I just…" He couldn't explain himself.
"Remus, you can stay here as long as you want," James assured him. Remus shook his head repeatedly.
"Not now. Please. Let's not ruin a good evening even more."
Lily sighed and for once, let the topic drop. "Let's go to bed," she suggested. And so they did.
The next morning at breakfast was tense. Lily had decided to become angry over night, so the boys were at their wits ends trying to appease her.
"Do you want a muffin?" James offered, holding out a charred lump. It had been Tilly's day off.
"Coffee?" Remus suggested, taking a sip of his own cup, which he promptly spit out. "Maybe not coffee…"
"I'm fine," she said tersely. "Just nervous." James rolled his eyes, realizing her worries.
"What?" Remus asked.
"She has a big meeting today at work," James explained. "She'll be fine, she's just overreacting."
"I am not!" Lily replied indignantly and pushed herself away from table abruptly. "I should go, I'm going to be late."
"Lily, it's six o'clock in the –" She popped away before Remus could finish his sentence.
"Morning." James patted him on the shoulder sympathetically.
"Don't worry, she does this all the time. Now," he steered the werewolf back towards the stove. "You say you worked at a restaurant?"
Three hours, five attempted breakfasts, and a final triumph which resulted in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that took twenty minutes and three band aides to make, the men were fed. The kitchen, however, was an absolute disaster area.
"Next time Tilly has the day off," James decided as he scrubbed eggs off the wall, "We're ordering or going out."
Remus nodded, grinning ear to ear as he tried to scrape blackened something off the stove. "Good idea." Truth be told, he couldn't remember a more fun day. James and he had fought with the flour, exploded pancakes, and then charred the ones that they forgot about while tossing ingredients at one another. Remus ran his hand through his eggy hair. He was a mess.
James scooped up the various condiments and walked across the kitchen to replace them in the refrigerator – not that there was much to replace. Most of it had ended up on the floor, on the table, or burnt. He opened the fridge and cussed loudly enough to make Remus look up in alarm.
"Lily forgot her lunch," he muttered. "And I've got to clean up for an Order meeting. They'll be here in an hour, shit!"
"I'm not in the Order," Remus said, straightening up. "You can clean up, and I'll bring the food. She skipped breakfast, she's sure to be a grouch right now."
James began to shake his head, but a spark lit up in his eyes. "Yeah…" he said slowly. "Yeah, go ahead. Here," he handed Remus the bag. "Go to the Floo and just go to the Ministry. You'll find your way. I'll just clear this all up."
James practically pushed Remus into the fireplace, where he promptly yelled, "The Ministry!" before James had to do it for him. He tumbled out into a large lobby, where he realized, to his dismay, that he was still covered in ingredients.
"This is turning out to be a wonderful week," Remus muttered to himself. "Get evicted, get fired, show up in the middle of a public place covered in raw eggs and flour…"
"Hello, sir?" A man with flaming red hair stood above him. "Are you all right?" Remus started at being called 'sir' but attempted to regain his composure quickly, jumping to his feet.
"Yes, thank you. I'm, er, not very good at Floo." The man laughed.
"I can see. Is that… ketchup in your hair? Or is it blood?"
Remus shook his head, turning red. "Ketchup, probably." He ran his hand through his head carefully, and examined what covered it afterwards. "Yep, ketchup."
"Good," the man said, and began to offer a hand, before pulling it back. Remus's stomach fluttered. Had he seen his security bracelet? Was he going to scream bloody murder simply because Remus was a werewolf? The man reached into his pocket and withdrew a handkerchief, which he handed to Remus.
Remus stood slowly and wiped off his hand quickly. People were beginning to stare.
"I'm Arthur," the man said. "Arthur Weasley. I don't believe I've seen you around here. Are you new?"
Remus shook his head in a hurry. "No, I, um, I'm just bringing my friend lunch." He gestured to the brown paper bag. "She forgot it." Arthur smiled warmly.
"Ah, I see. Where does she work?"
"Control of Magical Creatures," Remus said shortly. Arthur's eyes turned stormy and his smile faded a bit.
"Terrible things," he commented.
Remus didn't make any response, besides stiffening involuntarily. "W-what? The creatures?" Remus noticed that his voice cracked.
"No, no, the things the department is doing! They're voting today on whether werewolves should be allowed in public or not."
"Oh." Remus paused and squirmed uncomfortably. "I should probably get this to her."
Arthur nodded and pointed the direction. Remus grinned in thanks. "Oh, one more thing," Arthur said before he turned to the fireplace. "Scourgify!" Remus looked down in shock. His clothes, his hands, and he quickly realized, his hair, was clean.
"Thanks!" Remus marveled at the effects of the magic. Arthur winked and left the Ministry in a matter of seconds.
It took Remus ages to find the correct department. Even as he spotted Lily's flaming hair in a large room, where several people were chatting (and some arguing), he was uncertain that he was correct. He had never been in a building so big before, excluding the Facility.
Eventually, he managed to muster up the courage to shove open the door and make his way through the crowd to Lily. Every time he brushed skin with another, he would cringe, sure that any second, someone would scream "Werewolf!"
He tapped Lily lightly on the shoulder. She turned around, grinning broadly with bright eyes. It was obvious that she loved her job. She was so passionate about it, the spark in her eyes so shining.
She gasped when she caught sight of Remus, and her eyes went dull a little bit. "Remus!" she hissed. "What's going on? Is everything all right?"
Remus nodded quickly and handed her the bag. "James said you forgot your lunch. He practically made me bring it to you."
Lily scowled. "I can buy lunch here if I forget. I do it all the time," Lily told him, exasperated when Remus became confused. "James shouldn't have told you to come."
"But… why not? I mean, I know you don't need it, but why is it such a big deal?" Lily's eyes flashed.
"Because right now, you are standing in a room filled to the brim with werewolf haters!" Remus fell silent, subconsciously tugging on his sleeve, trying to hide his bracelet.
Finally, he managed to find his voice. "How is this different from anywhere else I go?" Lily didn't respond. "I hate to break it to you, but you can't keep me cooped up inside the house for the rest of my life."
"Yet, the Werewolf Facility can practically keep you in a box." She sounded cold and distant.
"It's different. It's… it's all I know. It's home to me, and I hate it."
"Then it's obviously not home," Lily snapped, but kept her voice in a low whisper. "Home is where you're loved and cared for!"
"In that case," Remus tried to stay calm. "I have no home. Then again, why should I? I'm a werewolf. We don't get that stuff."
Lily's eyes flashed dangerously. "Your home is with me and James. At least, I thought it was… If you disagree, then you can leave. Now."
Remus swallowed angrily and stepped back. "Fine. Don't expect me to be there tonight, then. See you, Lils." He turned on his heel and stormed out the room. Whispers reach his ears too quickly to be possible, as Lily tried to fight them off.
"Who was that?"
"Lily, what did that guy want?"
"I think I've seen him before… does he work at the Werewolf Facility?"
Remus's blood burned. Who was she to tell him what to do and where to live? She was no better than anyone else, if that was so! Perhaps she had good intentions, but she failed constantly in letting him have his happiness. He preferred to be left alone to fend for himself.
Without even noticing it, Remus had made it to the lobby, near the fireplaces. The red haired man, Arthur, emerged from one, smiling slightly at him. Remus took the fireplace instantly and Floo-ed back to the Potters'.
"Hey, Remus," James greeted, clearing a table. "Order just left. They're interested in you joining. Want to come to the next meeting?"
Remus ignored him and stomped up the stairs, trying desperately to remember the way to the correct guest room. He threw his few things into his ratty bag messily. Where to go? The streets couldn't be too bad, could they? Only for a day or so, until he got the courage to face his family. Or perhaps the Facility would be sufficient. It was the only place where he'd always belong.
James had followed him. "Where are you going? What are you doing?"
"I'm going back to the Facility," Remus replied in a clipped voice. James' face softened.
"Oh, Merlin… did you meet any of Lily's coworkers?"
"No."
"Then… what's wrong?" James approached Remus quickly, but tensely. Remus stiffened even more. People, even people who allegedly cared about him, wouldn't be near.
"Lily and I fought. End of story. I can't stay here." Remus took a breath. This wasn't James' fault. "Look. I'm sorry. You're not to blame at all. I really appreciate you letting me stay here, but I can't intrude on your house any longer."
"This is your house, too, now," James insisted. "Your home."
"No! It's not! It's yours and Lily's, not mine," Remus groaned. "Why don't you humans understand? Or is it only you and Lily that can't comprehend things?"
Horror filled him as he registered that comment. Humans… wasn't he one as well? But, no. It was what he had been told for years. He was not human. He was a werewolf. It hurt to realize that. He wanted to be human. He felt human. An animal surely couldn't be filled with such anger or sadness.
James halted in his action. He had been about to pat Remus gently on the back, but froze at hearing his words, and withdrew himself. "Humans?" he spat. "Like you aren't one?"
"I'm not," Remus said quietly. "I wish I was. I really do. But I don't belong here, with you."
James observed him quickly. "Perhaps you don't." He paused. "And for the record, it's said that werewolves are the stupid ones, not humans… werewolf."
"At least I'm not stupid enough to fight in a war that's never going to bloody happen!"
"What do you know about the war efforts? What do you even know about the war itself? You didn't even know there was a war going on until I told you last night!" James shoved Remus hard, purposely creating a distance between them. He wiped his hands on his pants afterwards, as if disgusted to even brush skin with clothing. "You're pathetic and you're lucky I don't go to work. You should be damn happy that I only work for the Order, because otherwise, I'd be working for the family business – capturing and killing things like you. And I'd make sure that the public law gets passed. No doubt about it."
Remus growled and shoved James back. "Is it my fault for what I am? Is it? Have I ever done anything wrong except exist? I didn't ask for this life, James! I never wanted to be a werewolf! I've prayed my entire life for a cure and they're actually making progress. More progress than your 'war effort' is at least."
James rolled his eyes. "Progress?" he laughed cruelly. "Progress? You're kidding, right? There will never be a cure. Get that straight. As for what you've done wrong, do you really want me to tell you this?" Remus scowled, but made no other response. James grinned maliciously. "First you were bitten. Do you know how much of our taxes go towards that stupid Werewolf Facility that lets you live? A lot of them. There used to be a time when werewolves were just exterminated off the bat and expenses were just so much lower…"
"And your point?" Remus spat. "I didn't exactly want to be there. It's my family that ditched me in that place."
"My point? My point is that perhaps that was the better way to do things. Would you like me to go on? You befriend my girlfriend, occupy her time and mind, get her to start pitying you –"
"I hate it!" Remus interrupted suddenly. "I hate it, I hate the pity, I hate her worry! Don't you get it? I just want to be left alone! Pity is the last thing I want in this world. I'd much prefer Lily start beating me up and ragging on me for being scum than her trying to convince me to come live with you because she feels bad. I hate it!"
"You hurt her feelings by refusing to accept help! Another thing you've done! It hurts her and it hurts you! Bring yourself down, I don't care, but when you start dragging Lily down with you –"
Before either man could really register it, Remus's fist was being held in mid air and James was staggering back, hand clutched over his bleeding cheek.
"Monster," he hissed as he spat out blood. "Freak!"
Remus blinked back stinging tears and withdrew his hand in surprise. He hadn't meant to punch James. He had just gotten… so out of control. He was a monster. He was a freak. "You're right. May I use your Floo?"
"Anything to get you out quicker," James growled.
Remus pushed past James, a lump growing in his throat steadily. He had to get out of there before he burst again. A pop from outside indicated the arrival of Lily. He pushed himself towards the fireplace more quickly.
"James!" she shouted. "Is Remus gone yet? Oh, please tell me he's not!"
"Let him go," James told her. "Let him leave behind the only future he possibly has. It's his own fault."
"James, no!" Lily rushed through the door just as Remus stepped into the Floo and yelled "Werewolf Facility!"
He tumbled out onto a fireplace in the supervisors' office. The supervisor looked up in alarm, but her eyes narrowed as soon as she saw him. Her name plate read Priscilla Pettigrew. She walked over primly and yanked his arm out from under him, causing him to fall over, arm raised painfully. She studied his security bracelet for a moment, a ghost of a cruel smile gracing her lips.
"Lupin," she sighed, the syllables rolling off her tongue like acid that burned through him. "Little bratty Lupin… Now, now, now, what trouble have we gotten into this time?"
Remus didn't respond, only looked at the floor in shame. He was a bloody coward. She yanked his wrist again, forcing him to stand. His gaze stayed on the ground.
"Look at me," she ordered. He refused. Cupping her long, sharp fingernails under his chin, cutting into his skin, she jerked his neck up so their eyes met. She laughed blithely. "You've been naughty, now, haven't you? Innocent werewolves don't just come tumbling from fireplaces. I see it in your eyes… you feel quite guilty of something. I expect you won't say?" Remus tried to swallow with his dry throat. This had been a terrible mistake. Lily's wrath would have been better than this. James's scathing comments and criticisms would have been less humiliating. "I suppose we'll have to scare it out of you, then. Come on."
Handcuffs emerged from her desk drawer and relocated themselves around his wrists. They were cold and confining. Remus stumbled as she shoved him out of the offices, through the familiar hallways. Jeers from his former dorm mates and other residents followed them as they retreated further and further into the building, coming to an area that Remus had only visited once in his entire life.
Solitary confinement cells. The metal door creaked ominously as Priscilla grinned even wider. Fear twisted Remus's stomach in a million ways. As he was thrown unceremoniously to the ground of the small, dank, dim room, Lily's face, filled with shame, filled his head. He really had gotten himself into a mess.
"Welcome to your new home, Werewolf… what was it? Oh, yes. Werewolf 73687. Home sweet home." The door slammed shut and Remus was enveloped with darkness.
Remus couldn't breathe. The lights had been put on, so that his surroundings were flooded with the bright, blinding light, but it only made it worse. Every nook and cranny of the space was exposed. It was not a large space. The walls felt like they were closing in on him, tighter and tighter. Remus couldn't curl properly into a ball – he was still handcuffed. So, he settled on his side and drew his knees as close as he could, trying to count his deep breaths carefully.
One. He breathed in. Two. He exhaled. Three. He inhaled. Four. He exhaled. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine –
"What do you mean, you've got Lupin in there? He's not even in the Facility anymore!" A loud male voice boomed through the solid door.
"And you don't even work here! You retired three years ago, for Merlin's sake!" It was Priscilla. Goosebumps rose on Remus' skin.
"I like to stop in and make sure that everything is running right." The man sounded defensive. "And finding out that a werewolf is being held against his will in solitary confinement for no concrete reason is not right!"
"I have this under control." The voices stopped in front of the door. Remus closed his eyes, trying to figure out what he should do when they stormed in. Cooperate? But with who? Fight them? No, no, he would get in more trouble. Beg to speak to Lily and James?
With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he realized that Lily and James would probably never want speak to him again.
"What did he do?"
"I don't know yet!" Priscilla sneered. "I'm coming here to find out! But don't you think that when a werewolf comes falling out of your fireplace, flustered and out of breath, that he's done something wrong? He's guilty of something."
"Priscilla, I don't –"
"Listen to me, Potter." The man fell silent and his name registered in Remus's mind. Potter… possibly related to James? Maybe I can get some help… "Werewolves are a problem in this world. We both know that. What if he did do something? I was asking around, there were sightings of him in the Ministry! What if he was trying to assassinate someone? He was in the Control of Magical Creatures Department! He wandered around for ages, apparently lost. I bet you that he wasn't lost at all."
"Priscilla –"
"You have a son, do you not, Potter?"
He sighed. "Yes. He's grown now. He's friends with Peter, you know that."
"And you had him late in life, correct?"
"Yes," he admitted, defeated.
"But you had a child before that, did you not? What happened?" Priscilla's words showed no mercy or sympathy. Remus's throat felt dryer than before. Where was this conversation going?
Potter finally responded in a cracked, pained voice. "Jessie was killed when she was seven by a werewolf."
Priscilla didn't say anything in the satisfied silence. "We all have a reason we work here. We all have a reason we keep these… monsters confined. We've both had people taken from us. If we can get the necessary information out of this one, we can save that from happening to other families and then lock it up for good!"
"All right." Potter was resigned. "I give up. Go ahead. I… I'll come." The door creaked open and Remus shut his eyes even more tightly in anticipation as he heard their footsteps echo off the concrete.
"Get up, Lupin," Priscilla ordered roughly.
"Relax, he's asleep," Potter laughed. "Wonder how he can sleep in this place, though."
"He can't." Remus gasped and his eyes flew open as a heeled toe jabbed him harshly in the side. "He's faking it. Up with you, now!" She pulled him up roughly by his ear. Remus yelped in pain and surprise. It was not the most pleasant feeling.
Though Remus had been nowhere near sleep, he felt completely disoriented. The room was too bright and his head pounded. Priscilla and Potter sneered. Remus realized with horror that Potter looked almost exactly like James, excepting the grey streaks in his hair. It couldn't possibly be anyone other than his father.
How could James even look at him, in that case? How could he have had a sister who was murdered by a werewolf, yet invite him to live in his house?
"Werewolf 73987, what business did you have concerning the Ministry of Magic this morning?" Priscilla questioned. Potter rolled his eyes.
"Honestly, Priscilla, in my time, they had names, not numbers. Lupin, right?"
Remus nodded.
"Well, what where you doing this morning?"
Remus thought for a moment. He couldn't risk giving the wrong answer. "My friend and I made a big mess in the kitchen making breakfast."
"Making breakfast?" Priscilla sounded critical. "Of what, human flesh?"
"Well, we tried to make just about everything in the kitchen except that. We, uh, didn't do so well. The place was a mess by the end." Priscilla looked unconvinced. Potter kept on moving forward with the questions. He was grinning good naturedly and even laughing at Remus's uncertainty.
"Then what?"
"My other friend forgot her lunch, so I was sort of shoo-ed out of the house to deliver it. She works in Control of Magical Creatures. I couldn't find my way, so I wound up wandering! When I found her, we sort of had a fight and she told me to leave. So, I did! When I got home, I had a fight with our other friend and I decided to leave."
"Control of Magical Creatures?" Priscilla snorted. "A werewolf couldn't possibly have a friend there!"
Potter shook his head. "We'll have to check out this story."
"Potter, you don't even work here!" Priscilla whined. "This is my job now!" Potter glared. She quieted.
"And I'm thinking of taking it back, because you obviously don't know how to properly work this place. Lupin, what is your friend's name?"
"Lily," Remus said quickly. "Lily Evans."
Potter's eyebrows rose and Remus blanched. He knew Lily. Of course… she was James's girlfriend, after all. "Lily Evans?" Remus nodded. "I'm guessing your other friend is James Potter?" Remus swallowed and found it in him to nod. Mr. Potter shut his eyes slowly. "I think I need to speak with my son."
"See? I said he was up to no good!" Priscilla accused. Mr. Potter's good nature disappeared and he looked as cold and uncaring as Priscilla did. Remus's stomach clenched. He was in a lot of trouble.
Voices came from all the way down the hall. "James, I still can't believe you didn't stop him!"
"I was angry, he was angry, what was I supposed to do?" James defended. Remus had to suppress the urge to grin. He sounded exactly like his father when he was speaking like that.
"He's in solitary confinement!" Lily screeched. Remus winced. He was so going to get it. Yet, his heart lifted. Oh, thank Merlin, he was saved! "How do you get into solitary confinement in an hour and a half?"
"Who knows? He's Remus, he's bound to get into trouble." The pounding footsteps stopped from one person, then the other. Only one rhythmic, walking sound kept going. It sounded as if they were actually catching up. "What?"
"You've known him for three days, James."
"So?"
"Remus is the nicest person I know. He never makes trouble."
James's sigh could be heard from even a distance. "Look, let's just go get him out."
"All right, all right." A third voice joined the conversation.
"They're in the room with the open door," he informed the couple, who rushed ahead. They appeared at the entrance, flushed and worried, with a guard on their tail. Remus grinned sheepishly while Lily shoved her way through and threw her arms around his neck.
"Are you okay?" She held him at arms length. "I shouldn't have told you to leave, I'm sorry, really!" Remus squirmed away.
"S'kay," he muttered. "It's my fault. I was being stupid."
"No, it's mostly mine. I… I shouldn't have been trying to tell you what to do all the time. I know you can take care of yourself, it's just that I worry."
Remus took a breath. "Look, the only place we're getting is blaming ourselves over and over. Let's just drop it and –"
"No, let's not drop it! It'll build up until something worse happens next time!"
Remus pursed his lips, waiting for her to finish. "What I was going to say was drop it and finish later. Once I'm not handcuffed."
"Oh." Lily began to step back but decided better of it. She squeezed him tightly instead.
"Oi!" James yelled, grinning and stepping past his father, who watched in wonder. "My girlfriend, Lupin. Remember that."
"I will. Lily, get off of me, I'm gonna lose my balance." Lily stepped towards James, giggling. Remus looked up. Brown eyes met hazel, and both averted their gaze instantly. "I didn't mean any of it," Remus managed to say quietly. "And I'm sorry about…" He did an odd sort of head jerk towards the bandage across James's face. "I didn't mean to lose control like that."
"Neither did I. I think we both know that you're just as human as I am." He paused. "Actually, you're probably more. At least you can properly use a knife to spread peanut butter."
Remus chuckled. "Yeah. The knife isn't supposed to go through the bread, let alone through the counter."
"I'll keep that in mind. Friends?" Remus nodded in agreement.
"Hold up here!" Priscilla yelled, stepping between the friends. "You three are friends?" They all nodded. She narrowed her eyes at Remus. "Have you met my son?"
Remus swallowed.
"Mrs. Pettigrew, we all met him the other night," James answered for him. Priscilla's face grew red.
"Peter is not allowed at your house while this beast is there!" she screamed, finally storming out of the room. The Potters, Lily, and Remus watched as she went.
"Does that mean she believes us and Remus is free to go?" James asked. Mr. Potter swept a strand of messy hair out his eyes and frowned.
"I'm not sure how many rules have changed, but as far as I know, Remus is stuck until after full moon, since he came with less than twenty five days until the next."
That could not be good.
AN: Feedback would be great! I'm so glad you read and (hopefully) enjoyed. If there is anything you'd like to see in future installments, let me know, and I'll see what I can do!
I don't usually resort to bribes, but... Reviewers/Readers (which you all are if you finished this) get hugs from Remus, Sirius, James, Lily, Nikki (who will be explored next time as well as her brother, Ryan), and/or Snape (will he be coming in? I am not sure... Lily may or may not still be friends with him. He is referenced, but I'm not sure if I'm keeping that bit canon. James and his friends WERE still jerks in school, though).