The following may contain adult situations of every manor.
Don't pretend like you won't like it.
"With all the people we need to love and hate, We are the same blood.
Everybody makes the same mistakes.
Divided by these walls,
Together we are lost.
all of us. we are. we are
While half of us were lost,
The other half forgot."
SAME BLOOD- THE ACADEMY IS...
"Shut up." I whispered quietly. "Don't talk about it. I know where it will lead, so I will... Go."
They stared at me, like I was crazy, which is true. James, Sirius and Peter all gawking like I was an animal unheard of until this moment, a newly discovered creature with three heads. James stepped forward, his hand outreached towards me in a soft manor. Like the frightened animal I am, I backed away sharply by a single step.
"Remus." Sirius was the first to speak after their announcement. "You don't have to go."
"What." My tone was sharp, sharper than I wanted. I felt the desire to apologize immediately but the words just sat in the back of my throat and slowly fell back into my lungs.
"We'll help you, we'll do something to make your changes easier." Peter smiled in his childish way. He was so naive, they all were. "You're our best mate, and we aren't going to just drop you like that."
"I..." My voice was lost, and so was my standing position as I hit the floor hard.
Sirius ran over as quickly as his still functional legs could carry him, and he was looking into my face for any sign of life or acceptance or anything really. I just smiled, and that's all I needed. Things were better, and they will always be better with my friends. Friends. It was a new word, but I will enjoy to love it from now on.
"What now?" I asked as I looked at James, who had also decided to join in on the dorm-room-floor-powow.
"Now we try and help." Peter said, ever knowing what to say in a tense situation. "We can do this, we're the Marauders, and forever we will stick together." His words fit so well, perfectly charming with a tad of support and sprinkled with hope.
I looked around at them, and they looked at me. I wasn't talking, I was more pale than usual, and I had just been ousted about my lycanthropy at the tender age of twelve by the only people I'd ever been able to call friends, and things were great. Better than, even. So we stood, and all lay back on whomever's bed was behind immediately there. In order from the bottom of the bed was Peter, then Sirius, with me between him and James at the head of the bed. This lineup was similar to our group lineup. James was more or less the most prominent, followed by Sirius, then myself, and finally Peter.
"I'm going to bed." Peter mumbled as he got up from the bed. We were all laying there for hours, James and I fell asleep, and it was already almost eleven at night.
"Goodnight." We all whispered to him as his dark form was seen lumbering to his bed.
"I think I'm going to bed too." James sat up and picked his glasses from my bed. "G'night." He pat my shoulder.
As the bed became less crowded I rolled to spread out more, as did Sirius, and before I could even form a thought as to why Sirius hadn't gotten up as well I was already asleep. I woke the next morning by myself, and still in the same clothes as last night. It was midmorning, and the others were already awake and chattering about whatever, my legs were wobbly but I managed to step out of the shadow cast by my bed and into the light, and I also managed to stop all conversation.
"How are you?" James asked. It was a loaded question, to say the least.
"I'm ready." I looked at them. "It's a Saturday, yes, but I think if you all want to help me with my transformations then research should start as soon as possible." Silence. Oh god, they're mortified now that they know I will push the issue. Why would I suggest something like this? And on a Saturday? Oh god why-
"I agree." Sirius, the least likely to agree, pipped up. "I... Before we mentioned anything, I actually did some research. What about becoming animagi?" So it began.
The research took three long weeks in itself. With each type of animal came with different incantations and things to think while you're attempting to change. With Sirius' dog animagus form he would have to focus on loyalty and friendship, as well as constellation Canis Major, which holds the star of Sirius. James, who wanted to be a stag, would have to focus on honor and 'prancing like a ninny' as Peter teasingly said, who's animagus was going to be a rat, and would have to focus on self preservation and slyness. James' comments about Peter's choice were nothing short of tactful and quite mature, I assure you.
"When will this be done?" Sirius threw his head back and stared up at the massive clock hanging in the library. "It's almost ten o'clock, Remus." He sighed harshly, his breath showing in the air. It was already nearing the end of winter and they weren't past the research stage, perhaps this wouldn't work out.
"Fine, fine, we can head out." I rubbed my eyes, it was late, and we had an exam in potions the following day, so sleep was imperative.
It took even longer for them to master the animagus form, we practiced one final time before the end of the school year and Sirius was the only one capable to change into his form. It was different than what he originally wanted... He wanted to be some dangerous looking, like a German Shepard, or maybe a Pit Bull, instead he was a large shaggy dog, the breed of which I am not sure.
"Damn you Sirius!" James laughed, his ego was bruised, but it wouldn't last. He too mastered his form by the end of the summer, unlike Peter who took longer than the both combined to change. He had to concentrate extra hard on his form, due to the fact that he had to shrink so much and he was also the slowest learner of the group.
Leaving them that year was harder than the year prior, and harder than even going to school and talking to people. I didn't want them to go away, and I didn't want to come back over the summer and have them hate me for whatever reason. We all exchanged addresses and phone numbers, which made me happy. My parents would be so happy when I told them about my friends giving me their information (assuming it's real.)!
"Do you..." Sirius cleared his throat, his voice was starting to crack and his pitch changed erratically. "Do you want me to come over for any changes this summer?" I hadn't even thought about that, really.
"I... I don't think that's a good idea, you're still new at it and under pressure it may not work as well. You... You can come over other times though, if you want? I don't want you not to come over, if that's what you think I'm insinuation. It's not like I don't trust you I just-"
"Remus." Sirius stopped my rambling, after a good long minute of reiterating my point. "Okay, I won't. I understand, I'll just send you an owl whenever, yeah?" Sirius smiled brightly at me.
The food cart was coming around at this time, so we were all distracted by our chocolate frogs and fizzing wizzbies and whipping licorice and candied corn. The ride home was longer than the ride there, I didn't have any books with me this time, so we talked mostly and joked around. James brought up, for about the billionth time about some Lily Evans girl who he was absolutely in love with and that was final, and I sat quietly, then Peter began with his desired conquests with the females of the school, and I sat quietly, finally Sirius laughed and said he didn't care about girls and his true love was quidditch, and I perked up with the comment of my true love being chocolate.
"So books are nothing to you?" Peter joked.
"The books are my mistresses. Shakespeare being my most beloved extramarital affair." I smiled widly and laughed. This was the most fun I've had in a while, and it was ending in less than half an hour. How cruel timing is to me.
We grabbed our things and exited the train, just like this time last year, and I immediately saw my mother and father standing together under one of the many arches in the sea of students and welcoming families.
"Oh Remus, how we've missed you!" My mother grabbed my face and kissed it uncomfortably for public.
"How was school this year?" My father asked as he picked up my trunk and began to carry it from the station and through the wall. "Did you make more friends?"
"My year was fantastic, but I didn't make anymore friends... The ones from last year stuck around. Speaking of which, can I go to James' in July? They're going to the beach. Also, my friend Sirius would like to come over, if that's okay?" I looked timidly up to my parents. Of course they would say yes, it's my first chance at normalcy since I was attacked at the tender age of eight.
"Of course Remus! You can have you're friends over whenever you wish, and of course, when it is safe." My mother smiled sadly.
"Great!" I smiled and put my small bag into the boot along with my trunk.
The ride home was a short twenty minutes. I immediately went into my room to unpack and hang up pictures and posters and whatever else I've accumulated over the year. Whilst unpacking I came across an envelope within my folded clothes. It was a muggle envelope, not stamped with wax, and so I picked it up. On the front it had my name in slightly curved lettering... Remus Lupin. Within the envelope was a letter, and it read:
This past year for you must have been one of the most difficult, but also the most rewarding I am sure. Your friends, James, Sirius and Peter care for you very much, and what they plan on doing for you is beyond what could have been expected. Your friends love you dearly, and I just kindly suggest that you are careful about what you are doing. Things that require such expertise under normal pressure tend to go awry, so please be careful, it is all that I ask.
Have a good summer, Remus.
Your Headmaster,
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
"Oh merlin..." How did he find out? Could I even ask him? 'Oh, hello headmaster who is sticking his neck out so that I can even go here, how did you find out that my friends are becoming illegal and unregistered animagi in order to chill with me on the nights where I become a massively dangerous dark creature, called a werewolf?' Oh, yes, that would go well.
I folded the letter and tucked it away, it would have to be dealt with when I can talk with my friends, this didn't seem all too important since Dumbledore wasn't mad either. He seemed accepting of it, perhaps he assumed that they just figured it out and I wasn't just telling people like Snivelly about my furry little problem.
"Remus! Dinner!" My mother called up the stairs to me.
It was meatloaf and green beans, which is my favorite meal, and they make it before I leave for school and the day I come back. I love the school's food, but their meatloaf and green beans do not compare to my mother's fantastic cooking. If I could cook half as well as she could I would quit wizardry and become a chef.
"So. Tell us about these friends you'll be seeing." My father's slim face turned to face me as he chewed.
"Well... James is going to the beach, and invited me to go along, Peter is going as well. Sirius wants to come over here." Nothing else of importance, really, right? Wrong.
"Sirius... What is the boy's last name?" My father picked at his meat on the plate.
"B-Black. His father is Orion." I muttered, barely opening my mouth.
"I see." My father scowled slightly. He didn't bring it up, but I knew what he was thinking. His family was part of the reason Fenrir targeted me. My father worked for the ministry, and the Blacks were prominent figures in the Dark Creatures division, and when my father defied them, thus defying Greyback, I was attacked as compensation for what my father cost both the noble family as well as Fenrir. Having the child bore the debt is the ultimate payment, and the ultimate revenge.
I finished my dinner and head back upstairs. I looked out my window... I had about a week until the full moon, and due to that I was on edge and could barely sleep. My eyes were drawn to the orb in the sky, and I couldn't force myself away until after the light had begun to return to the sky. One week until my friends could come over, one week until my life went back to normalcy for at least a little while.
A/N
…...This is just the beginning, my children. By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes! Open locks, whoever knocks!
…...A.