Disclaimer: Harry Potter and anything else you recognize are not mine.


Chapter 2: Morning After

Remus awoke to an insistent tapping on his window. He opened a bleary eye and found two bright yellow ones glaring right back at him through the window pane. The tawny owl gave a disgruntled hoot in hopes of hurrying Remus up.

Remus only groaned and turned over, pulling the blanket over his head, hoping to hide from the world for just a bit longer. After a round of drinks the night before, Remus couldn't remember much of what happened, but it didn't alarm him much. He'd woken in a similar fashion after every full moon and night at a pub, bar, or whichever establishment it was that sold alcoholic beverages. His eyes settled back on the box of flyers and groaned. It definitely seemed more embarrassing in the morning, now that he thought about it. Oh well. So long as no one else saw, he would be happy to hide it away and dispose of it slowly so as to avoid hurting his friends' feelings.

The insistent tapping started again and, after a few more minutes, there was a smash as a rock flew into the room, causing Remus to bold upright. The owl hooted in alarm, this time accompanied by a disgruntled neighbor yelling at the owl to knock it off.

He grabbed his wand from under his pillow and muttered, "Reparo," at the broken window. He watched satisfactorily as the glass pieces picked themselves up, rearranged and sealed themselves back into place. With a sigh, he finally got out of bed, and opened the window to let the owl in. Two more joined the first and all three bore letters with his name in what appeared to be the same handwriting, but under different degrees of duress. He opened the most anxious looking letter first. All it said was, "Please hurry!" Which was not enlightening at all.

Shrugging, he decided to start on the next most frenetic looking letter. He could barely make out the illegible handwriting, through which he could make out vague explanations about a boggart infestation and terrified children...and what appeared to be a mention of some sort of advertisement. Remus could almost feel the question mark growing on his face. Advertisement?

Ah-hah! The metaphorical light bulb flashed over his head. It must be James or Sirius's idea for a prank. He should have known their gift to him would come with strings attached - they usually did and had been done so once literally (Remus found himself chasing a sugar mouse around their dorm room in their second year). Well, if that was the case, Remus thought to himself as he got ready for the day, they've got another thing coming to them.

After breakfast, Remus Apparated to the Potter mansion. Once he bypassed the wards and entered the mansion proper, he called out, "James? Lily? Anyone here?"

"I'm in the kitchen, Remus," came Lily's reply.

He headed towards to back of the mansion, walking through the dining room, before arriving at the kitchen. He knocked lightly on the open door.

"What are you up to, Lily?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing much," she replied. With a final stir, she stood back from the cauldron and admired her handiwork. "Just finished this batch of Tolfenamic Potion. Goodness knows those two will need it after last night. What brings you here, Remus?"

"Are you talking about the hangover potion?" Uncertainty crept into his mind for the first time that morning and his hand made its way to one of the pockets of his robes. "You mean they haven't been up yet since last night?"

"Yes, the hangover potion and, no, they're still in bed." With a swish of her wand, Lily sent the potion into two awaiting glasses. "Let me tell you this: the next time we have a party, I'm hiding all the alcohol and you're going to help me. Sirius challenged James to a bit of drinking after you and Peter left and you know what they're like. It took me ages to get the vomit out of the late Mrs. Potter's rug." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder to the parlor through which Remus had first entered and where said Mrs. Potter's portrait sniffed indignantly while the late Mr. Potter surreptitiously chuckled at the recollection of last night's event.

Remus was having a hard time wrapping his brain around the situation. If James and Sirius were still in bed...was it possible for them to send those owls? Maybe Lily was in on it? No, he thought, that wasn't possible. If he had discovered anything while performing his Prefect duties with her, it was that she was incapable of hiding mischief for any period of time, which was why she found James so irritating at times.

Remus pulled out one of the three letters and finally opened the original letter.

Dear Mr. Lupin,

I am writing regarding your recent advertisement. I have had a boggart infestation for some time now and it appears to have taken a turn for the worst. The children cannot sleep at night and no one would dare set foot in Torthorwald Manor. If you would be so kind as to respond as soon as possible, it would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Matilda Torthorwald

Boggarts? Remus thought to himself. How bad could it be? Then he shook his head. He was no exterminator. He didn't even have any advertisement space anywhere. He'll just have to explain that to her. It was all just a misunderstanding. Yes, that's right. It's all just a misunderstanding. If that doesn't work, I'll just tell her to move out.

"Lily, can I use your Floo?"

"Sure."

Remus dashed over to the parlor's fireplace and threw a handful of Floo Powder into the fire.

He knelt before the fire and stuck his head in, shouting, "Torthorwald Manor!"

As the spinning stopped, he could make out the clean and well ordered kitchen where a woman sat huddled with three young children. The oldest child looked no more than ten, the middle child looked about seven, the youngest looked to be about five, and all four inhabitants appeared to be in desperate need of sleep. "Mrs. Torthorwald?"

"Mr. Lupin?" The woman looked up at him and came over to the fireplace.

"Yes, Mrs. Torthorwald, I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding. I'm not actually -"

"Please, Mr. Lupin, I need help. Practically every other exterminator has told me to move out already."

Remus grimaced inwardly and pressed on. "But you don't understand, Mrs. Torthorwald. I don't know how you got a hold of me, but I really don't think this would be bes-"

"Here's 50 galleons deposit." She shoved the pouch of coins in his direction, forcing him to catch it before it could fall on his face.

Remus was ashamed to admit to himself that the first thing to go through his head was the sound of the coins dropping into his near empty vault. Reluctantly, he said, "Give me a minute and I'll be right over."