Chapter 2: September 1st DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or Twilight. Any and all recognized characters and or components are owned by the authors themselves. This is a AU canon convergence fic for BOTH verses. Some canon elements have been changed/removed to suit the storyline. *Also this my first crossover fic. Please be kind* *Indicates Moony speaking* 'Indicates Remus' thoughts ~Remus POV~ The morning of September 1st dawned just like any other day. Little did Remus Lupin know his life would soon begin to change. Arriving at Platform 9 ¾ early, he chose the familiar compartment near the back of the train. Sitting in the Marauders old compartment aboard the Hogwarts Express, he wondered what this year would bring. Why had Albus offered him the Defense Against the Dark Arts position? Would he finally get to see Harry again? What would Harry think of the tired old werewolf who used to be his father's best friend? Would Harry even want anything to do with him, or was he a reminder of all Harry had lost? These were just some of the questions, intermingling with the memories of his time at Hogwarts. With the full moon having been the previous night, Remus was exhausted and sore. Laying his head against the window, he covered himself with his threadbare blazer. Somewhere between sleep and awake Remus heard the voices of two young boys. Peeking thru barely open eyes, he saw a red headed boy, and a messy black haired boy. A familiar scent invaded his nose. However before he could look for the source of the smell, the black hair boy turned and looked at Remus with bright green eyes. 'Harry!' Remus thought excitedly. As the boys talked about what they could expect this year at Hogwarts, Remus drifted back off to sleep with the memories of The Marauders playing in his head. He vividly remembered meeting James and Sirius in this very compartment. He had been sitting alone. Scared others would find out his secret and hate him too. The compartment door had burst open and two boys came in laughing about a prank they had pulled. They introduced themselves as James Potter and Sirius Black. That was the beginning of the Marauders, of his pack, his family. Leaning against the window, Remus began to dream. He dreamed of his all but blood brother Prongs, his handsome mate Padfoot and even the traitor Pettigrew. He refused to call him by the nickname bestowed by the other Marauders. Remus dreamed of James, Lily and sweet baby Harry. James and Lily were dancing around the kitchen to a song only they could hear. Sirius held his godson while sitting next to Remus.
"You know Remy, one day maybe we will have a cub of our own," Sirius said as he smiled lovingly at his mate.
Moony had claimed Padfoot soon after their first moon together. Memories mixed with dreams of what would never come true now. James, Lily dead, at Voldemort's hand. Sirius in Azkaban for the murder of Pettigrew and 12 muggles. Remus was knew in his heart that Sirius had to be innocent. But there was so much proof against him. He knew Sirius would never betray James and Lily. He knew the rat had been made the secret keeper instead of Sirius. But, had Sirius in a fit of grief and rage killed Pettigrew and accidentally gotten the muggles as well? Remus wished he had the answers to these questions. His sleep was once more interrupted when the compartment door opened and a sweet voice reached his ears, the same time the scent of vanilla, the forest and rain reached his nose. The wolf within was instantly alert.
*Cub!* Moony cried.
'Cub?' Remus thought.
He felt an undeniable pull towards the new occupant of the compartment. He was confused as to why he felt this pull. He already had a mate. Wolves mate for life. So what was going on with this young girl? Why was Moony calling her Cub? While he tried to clear the confusion from his mind, the door slid open and in came a slightly chubby boy, a blond girl with radish earrings, and a red headed girl.
*Cub! Protect Cub*
'Protect the Cub from what?' No sooner did he think what he was supposed to protect the Cub from, when an unbearable cold crept into the compartment and all his happy thoughts fled.
'Dementor!'
Without hesitating, Remus leapt to his feet, wand flying to his hand. Darkness filled the compartment and chaos ensued. Wand in hand, Remus stood facing the compartment doors. The doors began to ice over, and the lights flickered. In the brief moment of light he spared a glance at the other occupants. Red haired children who looked like Arthur Weasley, a chubby boy looking so much like Frank and Alice Longbottom were huddled together with a small blond girl who seemed oblivious to the world around her. The other side showed Harry curled up in a ball, hands squeezed tightly to his ears. Remus' gaze was drawn to a bushy haired girl clung tightly to Harry. She lifted frightened eyes to Remus. Tears ran from her caramel colored eyes.
*Cub! Pack! Protect!* Moony cried out in Remus' mind.
The compartment door slid open and Harry started screaming. Forcing himself to look away from the girl Moony called Cub, he immediately placed himself between the children and the door. He knew the dementor was looking for Sirius since his escape from Azkaban.
"None of us are hiding Sirius Black here! Be gone!" a silvery light shot from his wand and nonverbally cast his patronus.
The dementor fled the compartment as the lights were restored brightly. The Weasley boy (for he assumed they were part of the brood), the Longbottom boy, and the blond appeared fine. The Weasley girl was crying and shaken up, but otherwise ok. Turning around, Remus found Harry had passed out. His head currently cradled in the bushy haired girls lap. The urge to go to the girl and comfort her was strong. Remus couldn't help himself from walking towards her. ~Hermione POV~ Finally it was the start of a new school year! Hermione always looked forward to this day. She would be going back to Hogwarts, there would be new lessons to learn. She had already read all of her new school books, as she wanted to be prepared. After the events of the last two years, she was ready for a quiet one, filled with lots of studying and trips to the library. She said good bye to her parents and crossed the barrier onto Platform 9 ¾. She was running late and had just caught the Hogwarts Express. Dragging her trunk behind her she set off to find Harry and Ron, her two best friends. She located them in the back of the train in a compartment with Neville, Ginny, Luna, and a sleeping man. Hermione wondered who he was. If he was the new DADA teacher, why was he on the train when most professors were already at the school? As she examined him, she felt an odd sensation rushing through her. She felt like she did when she was coming home, at the end of the school year. The excited feeling she got when she saw her parents again, and the rush of love as her father swept her into a large hug. So who was this R.J. Lupin (for that Is who his briefcase said he was), and why did she feel this strange sensation? The sensation was urging her to be as close to R.J. Lupin as she possibly could. She was still trying to sort out these feelings when the train began to slow down and then stop.
"Why are we stopping?" asked Ron.
"Dunno." Said Harry.
"Maybe we have broken down?" Hermione suggested.
An unbearable cold swept thru the compartment, the doors iced over, and it felt like all happiness and joy were being sucked out. Before they could figure out what was happening, the compartment door slid open, and there was something, that was the only way to describe the thing in a cloak; at the door. It was floating off the ground and it stretched out a pale bone like hand towards them. Hermione was frozen in fear, tears streaming down her cheeks. The next thing she knew, the sleeping man was no longer sleeping. He had leapt to his feet and his wand seemed to fly into his hand. Then the lights went out and the train was plunged into darkness. In the chaos that followed, Hermione found herself feeling the need to stick close to the man. Harry let out a scream and then fainted.
"No one is hiding Sirius Black here! Be gone!" the man yelled.
Tear filled eyes watched as the man pointed his wand at the thing and saw a blinding silvery light come from it and push the thing back. As the lights were restored, Hermione quickly kneeled by Harry. She cradled his head in her lap as her mind raced with questions. What was that spell? Had he really done that non verbally? What was wrong with Harry? Cradling Harry's head in her lap, she stroked his hair crying and begging him to wake up. Suddenly the man was squatting beside her. As he placed a hand on her shoulder, a jolt shot thru her. If she could have named it, she would have called it belonging. It made absolutely no sense at all. Trying to puzzle it out she almost missed him telling her that Harry would be fine seconds before he ennervated him. Harry woke and looked up at Hermione confused. She looked startled as the man, R.J Lupin handed them all a chunk of chocolate and urged them all to eat it. As a child of two Dentists, she was not allowed many sweets. She was also confused as to how chocolate would fix anything. She looked at the others closely as they ate. Ginny had quit crying and looked much better. The color had returned to Harry's face and he seemed to make a full recovery from his fainting spell. Gathering her courage, she took a bite. Ignoring the little voice in her head that told her how bad sweets were for her teeth, she concentrated on how it made her feel. It was like it had warmed her up, the same way a warm sweater on a chilly day would. She was no longer sad, and her tears dried up. Maybe chocolate wasn't such a bad thing, no matter what her parents said. She vowed to research it. The man, Professor Lupin, wouldn't have said it helped if it wasn't true. He was a teacher for Merlin's sake. Hermione looked up and found the man studying her intently. He seemed confused about something, and looked away as he met her gaze. He quickly explained the creature was a Dementor, a guardian of Azkaban. Then he muttered something about needing to speak to the driver and left the compartment. As soon as the door closed behind him she felt a sense of yearning. To be near him, close to him. What was that all about? Was it because he had saved them? What was the deal with the chocolate cure? After he left they discussed the incident further. As the talk turned to to other subjects, her mind began to wonder. Making a mental note of all the questions she needed answers to, she wished for more chocolate. ~Remus POV~ "Harry, Harry please wake up!" the girl cried.
Squatting down to her side, Remus placed a hand on her shoulder. A jolt shot thru his hand.
'Curious' he thought.
"He will be fine. Don't worry."
He proceeded to ennervate Harry.
"You are ok, I have just the thing to help."
Going to his briefcase he retrieves a chocolate bar.
"Here, it helps."
He handed each child a chunk of chocolate before excusing himself from the compartment. Pausing at the door he said,
"I will see you at the castle." Arriving at Hogwarts, Remus briefly debating informing Dumbledore of Moony's claim on the young girl. Quickly deciding to keep it to himself for a bit, after all it was probably nothing to worry anyone about. Instead, he informed the headmaster of everything else that had happened on the train. At the feast, he asked Minerva who the children were sitting with Harry. Sure enough, there was Neville Longbottom, Ron and Ginny Weasley, and Hermione Granger.
'So that was the girl's name.'
*Amaris, my Mari, Cub* Moony stated.
Remus pondered the name Moony had ūgiven the girl. What could that possibly mean. He sat as Minerva told him of Hermione's intelligence and ease with magic, and Moony rumbled with delight at his cub.