Remus Lupin's Dream
Summary: Songfic. Inspired by the song "Bob Dylan's Dream." Remus Lupin was fast asleep when Harry and his friends came into his compartment, and slept for almost the entire train ride to Hogwarts. What was he dreaming about that kept him sleeping so soundly? And what woke him up just in time to confront the dementor?
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or "Bob Dylan's Dream." Some of the lyrics I used were altered slightly to more accurately fit the story I wanted to tell.
A/N: I recommend listening to the original song while reading this. You can find it on YouTube.
Remus Lupin arrived at Platform 9 3/4 at 10:00 AM on September 1, 1993, an hour before the Hogwarts Express departure time. The full moon had been just the night before, so he was too wrung out by his transformation to Apparate. Having had such a hard time finding a job until Professor Dumbledore had offered him this teaching post for DADA, he didn't have the money to afford to buy Floo powder. So, he had chosen to take the train along with his new students.
Coming early meant he would have his pick of a compartment, so he could choose one that was out of the way, and guarantee some privacy while he rested on the journey. He chose the last compartment on the train, lifting his battered case into the luggage rack. After ensuring that the string holding it together was still secure, he slumped into the window seat below his case, leaning against the window.
While riding on the Hogwarts Express,
I fell asleep for to take my rest.
I dreamed a dream that made me sad,
Concerning myself and the best few friends I had.
Remus was so exhausted that it didn't take long for the werewolf to fall asleep as he waited for the children to arrive and the train to leave for Hogsmeade. The familiar smell of the magical platform at King's Cross was a strong reminder of his school days. He was soon dreaming of the Marauders and the adventures they had twenty years ago.
He recalled the Gryffindor Common Room, where he and his friends had spent so many hours joking and laughing. As soon as Remus was recovered from his monthly transformations, the four of them would be discussing the next month's plans. In addition, they would discuss the pranks they wanted to play in the meantime, usually on Severus Snape, whom Remus would now be working with as a colleague.
But the lonely man turned from the awful pranks James Potter and Sirius Black liked to play on the Slytherin. It had seemed so obvious at the time who was Dark and who was Light. So they had felt it incumbent upon them to punish those who were so obviously wrong because they were in the right. As embarrassed as he was that he'd done nothing to stop them, he usually preferred to remember the good times. His friends, including inept little Peter Pettigrew, learned how to become Animagi so they could accompany Remus during the full moon.
.
James, the majestic stag, they had nicknamed Prongs. Sirius, the gigantic black dog, was named Padfoot. Peter, the little rat, they called Wormtail. Prongs and Padfoot were easily able to control Remus, whom they called Moony, as a werewolf. Little Wormtail was able to turn off the Whomping Willow so the three Animagi could have some fun and slip into the Shrieking Shack through the hidden tunnel.
Even when they had near misses, which Moony still had difficulty recalling clearly, they always seemed to see themselves as invincible. The rush they felt being out after curfew had made them feel like they could do anything. And the near misses, frightening at the time they happened, had only proven to the four teens that while they were joking around they could get away with anything. After all, the werewolf had been prevented from actually biting anyone.
And yet, the Wizarding War had still hovered in the background in the world outside. The Death Eater wannabes, mostly from Slytherin, had been a constant reminder of what awaited them when they left school. Thinking they knew who to trust, James risked himself, Lily, and their baby, Harry, by putting his best friend in charge of the secret of where they had gone into hiding. Sirius had been so close to James, that Prongs had made Padfoot Harry's godfather.
None of them had ever thought Sirius capable of betraying James, and yet he had. And Peter had been the one to confront him over it. Peter, who had always had trouble with complex magic, and had needed help to become an Animagus, had gone to take Sirius in for betraying Lily and James to Voldemort. And Peter died as well, only a finger remaining of the poor young man for his mother to bury. The Marauders had been shattered and split.
How many a year has passed and gone?
The greatest gamble has been lost and won.
And as Life passed for all of my friends,
Each one, I've never seen again.
And yet, after all this time, a part of his past would finally be recovered. Yes, Sirius had escaped, but the Ministry was putting forth every effort to find him and recapture him. The important part of this was that he would be seeing little Harry, again. The boy Remus hadn't seen since his first birthday was at Hogwarts. He wished, he wished, he wished he could have seen little Harry before now, but because of wards to keep out things of "the Dark", he couldn't even SEE him. Further, all of his letters and cards to Harry kept being sent back unopened, due to mail wards. Regardless of all these wishes, now Prongs' son would be his student.
Remus vaguely pondered if the teen would like him. Would he be a double for James, still? Or would he have a little of Lily in him, in addition to his green eyes? What kind of person was Harry becoming? Kind and generous, like his mother? Protective and adventurous, like his father? A pleasant mix of the best characteristics of both of them? Or would he wind up the bully that James threatened to be during his school days?
While riding on the Hogwarts Express,
I fell asleep for to take my rest.
I dreamed a dream that made me sad...
Sad... And cold. Cold! That wasn't right! What was going on, here? Remus snapped awake. The compartment was dark, with a slight chill in the air that shouldn't exist at the tail-end of summer. Two girls were struggling near the door, each trying to find out who the other was.
In the midst of painful attempts to find a seat for the new arrival, Remus interrupted things. "Quiet." His voice, sleep-roughened, silenced the arguing students. After locating his wand in the darkness, he cast a heatless flame which he allowed to rest in his palm. Able to see again, he looked at his unexpected fellow passengers. One of the boys was Harry Potter, still looking like a near-twin of James at that age, except for Lily's eyes. The lack of recognition in the face of one of his best friends was almost painful. It emphasized, for him, the fact that James was gone forever. But, maybe, he could create a new bond with James's son.