Okay guys, I know it's been a while, but I'm back and I bring good tidings. lol. I like this chapter, and I hope you enjoy it too!
Chapter 4: The Secret of Remus Lupin
Harry awoke the next morning feeling extremely refreshed. He felt as if he had gotten more sleep in one night then the rest of the summer. He sat up and streched briefly before heading to the kitchen for breakfast. He was radiating happiness, and couldn't help it. Mrs. Weasley asked if he felt all right, and then took his temperature. Hermione and Ron continually eyed him as if he was about to go off, like a bomb. His mood seemed to make Sirius's mood lighter as well.
After lunch, Remus cornered him and asked him why he was in such a good mood. "Well, I didn't have a single nightmare last night. For the first time this summer I've gotten a full night's sleep. And Sirius is in a good mood."
Remus gave him a questioning look, "Is there any particular reason you didn't have nightmares?"
Harry thought about his answer carefully. He didn't need anyone catching on to what he was doing. "Not really. I've been reading this book and I was thinking about the plot before I went to sleep."
"What book?"
"Oh, just, um one of the ones we found in the Black Library."
Remus gave him a look that said everything Harry was trying to avoid. Lupin thought he was up to something. "Really? That's interesting," he looked at his watch, " Well, I must be on my way. I'll see you in a couple of days."
"Bye professor!"
"Please, call me Remus. After all, you don't call Sirius Mr. Black, now do you?"
"Right, I'll see you when you get back then... Remus."
Lupin smiled, "Good-bye Harry." Harry watched his old professor leave before hurrying to the library. Now he had to find a book to keep up his facade.
After spending most of the day in the Black Library, Harry headed down to the kitchen for dinner. Everyone still seemed to be in a good mood. All through supper, Sirius joked and laughed without the slightest hint of sulking.
Seeing Sirius this way reminded Harry of the much younger Sirius he saw in the pensive. Much to his enjoyment, Harry was able to hear Sirius plotting with the Weasley twins. Evidently, Fred and George needed some help from a legend.
As usual, all good things must come to an end. Mrs. Weasley sent all of the "children" up to bed at eleven sharp. After making sure she was finished checking in on them, Harry and Ron talked a while about nothing particular. Not minutes later, light snoring could be heard coming form Ron's bed.
Harry watched the clock, waiting for the numbers to read one o'clock. At about twelve-thirty he heard the door open, and quickly feigned sleep. Gentle footsteps approached his bed. Harry felt the bed sink as someone sat down upon it, and began petting his hair.
"You know Harry, " Sirius's voice whispered, "Today was wonderful. I haven't felt this happy in ages. I'm assuming that this is how your parents would be. Your happiness would make them happy, as it does me. I will miss you terribly when you go back to Hogwarts. Just remember I'm here waiting for your letters. I want to here about everything you do, or whatever is happening in you life."
"Sirius?" another voice was at the door.
"Yes Molly?"
"You should wait until he's awake to tell him. It doesn't do much good when he's sleeping."
"I know, but it's hard to say to him when he's listening."
"I'm sure he wouldn't think so. He looks at you as he would James. Hearing any part of that would make him terribly happy. Good night Sirius."
"Good night Molly." Sirius was quiet for a few moments. "Sweet dreams Harry." The bed raised slightly, and a few seconds later the door closed softly.
Harry pondered over everything he had heard, and his chest swelled with emotion. He had never felt as loved as he did in that moment. Forcing himself to get up, Harry listened to make sure all was quiet.
He made his way to Regulus's room, feeling slightly guilty, but knowing he couldn't turn away. Harry made sure to close the door back behind him, and headed to the closet. He dove into the pensive, waiting for the scenery to appear in front of him.
This time he was in the Gryffindor common room. Sirius, James, and Peter all sat in a corner with their school books spread all over the place. All three looked up when Remus appeared on the stairs leading to the boys dormitories. They watched as he headed towards the portrait hole.
"Where're ya goin' Rem?" Sirius called across the room.
"Oh, uh, my mum's illness has had another flare up and my dad needs some help," Remus replied rather quickly.
"How long are you gonna be gone?" Peter asked.
Remus shuffled nervously and glanced at the window, "Just a couple days. She's never ill for very long."
"Well, we'll see ya then! Hurry back!" James waved. Remus gave a half wave back and half ran out of the room.
Sirius and Peter went back to their various assignments, but James stared after Remus.
Sirius looked up to ask James a question, and found him staring with his face all scrunched up from thinking. Sirius followed his friends gaze, but couldn't find what was so interesting. "James? Mate, are you all right?"
James jumped in surprise, "Oh, yeah." He looked at the portrait hole, shook his head and went back to work. Sirius looked over James for a few minutes before going back to work.
After a while, Sirius closed his book, through with his homework for the night. He looked to see how much James had left, and found his friend staring at his parchment with his quill stopped in mid-sentence. "James!" At his name, the boy jumped about a foot in the air before glaring at Sirius. "What the hell's up with you mate?" James shrugged and went back to his homework. "Don't you shrug at me! Something's up and I wanna know what it is!"
James looked, once again, at the portrait hole then back to Sirius, "Well, I was just thinking about how Remus is gone a lot."
"Yeah, his mum's sick," Peter stated.
"Every month?"
"I guess, I don't know all that much about terminal illnesses," Sirius stated.
"Sirius, take a look at your astrology chart. What happens tonight, that happens once every month?"
Sirius gave James an odd look, but pulled out the chart. "Nothing, well a full moo-" Sirius's mouth gaped open as he stared at James, who nodded.
Peter looked back and forth between them. What was he missing?
"James! That's insane! There's no way, not Rem!"
"But look at all the evidence!"
"I don't ever pay attention, so how do we know it's the same time every month?"
"Well, it has been for the last two months."
"What do we do if it's true?"
"If what's true?" Peter asked, but was ignored.
"Nothing, he's still the same person, right?"
"Well, yeah, but are we gonna let him know that we know?"
"That we know what?" Peter was entirely lost.
"I guess. If he freaks out we'll know for sure."
"Let's wait a month. That way we can plan it a little better. We wouldn't want to make him mad if he is."
"If he is WHAT??" Peter said loudly. He was about to lose it if they didn't tell him.
"That's true."
"WHAT'S TRUE?"
James looked at Peter like he was an alien from a distant planet. "That Remus is a werewolf," he whispered. Peter gasped and let out a little squeak that sounded like "oh".
"Oh, is right, but let's not rush to any conclusions just yet. We'll give it a month." All three boys jumped when a wolf howled in the forbidden forest.
The pensive skipped ahead to the next month's full moon. James, Sirius and Peter were once again in their corner working. This time, however, when Remus came down they let him slip out unnoticed. James looked at Sirius the minute the portrait swung shut.
"Okay, so it's a full moon again, and Rem's gone. What next?" Sirius asked.
"I donno. I guess we ask him about it," James replied.
Sirius nodded, "But how is the question."
"We could just say 'Hey, we know your secret'," Peter suggested.
"No, he'd probably get upset," Sirius stated.
"Yeah. We could just ask him where he really was. Say that we sent him a letter and his parents said he wasn't home, " James tried.
"Nah, that's too mean."
The three boys spent several hours planning, but none of the ideas went over very well with Sirius. And seeing as Sirius was closest to Remus, the other two listened to him. James was getting ready to give up when Sirius got a very devious grin on his face. "I have it! It's absolutely perfect! And there is no way he could get mad!"
"Then enlighten us, oh great one!" James smiled. Sirius motioned them closer and looked around. He whispered quickly to his two comrades. "Sirius! You're brilliant mate!" Sirius smiled smugly.
Harry waited impatiently as the scene dissolved from the common room to the boys dorm. According to the calendar and clock next to James's bed, it was three days later at five in the morning. The trio sat on Peter's bed making last minute preparations and changes to their plan. James and Peter seemed a little nervous, but Sirius was radiating confidence. Nothing was going to screw this up for him. Not even Remus Lupin would disagree when it was all over.
At about a quarter after six, Remus entered the dorm. He looked extremely pale and tired, but in a good mood. "You three are up early. Is something wrong?" Remus pretended, very poorly, to be scared.
"Well actually, yes. Why didn't you tell us you were a werewolf?" Sirius asked.
Without missing a beat, James added, "Yeah? I mean, that's pretty much the coolest thing...ever! And you kept it from us!"
"I kind of understand with all the prejudices and everything," Peter stated.
"But you should have known we wouldn't care. You're still the same Remus." Sirius ended.
Remus looked as if his whole world had just come crashing down. "Ho-how d-did you f-find out?" he stuttered. The werewolf's entire body was shaking violently.
"Well, James sorta figured it out and asked us what we thought. At first I was like 'no way' but the more I thought about it, it makes sense. So, we decided to see if it was really tire. And it is! Why didn't you tell us?" Sirius explained.
"I-I was af-fraid. Y-you haven't t-told anyone have you?" Remus was still trembling.
"No mate, why would we tell anyone? It doesn't make any difference to us, but it might to other people," James tried to reassure the poor boy.
"Why are you shaking," Peter asked.
"Because I've just been found out and I'm scared! Do you realize that by you knowing, it jeopardizes my entire life? If anyone finds out you know, or if you slip up and tell someone with a family member in the ministry I won't be able to stay at Hogwarts! I'll be put in a cage in the ministry and treated like a blood thirsty beast!"
"Rem! No one knows anything. We haven't told anyone anything, and we're not going to. Your secret is safe with us!" Sirius stated.
"Yeah!" James agreed happily.
Remus shook his head wearily.
"Remus, we're the marauders! You being a werewolf doesn't change anything. Besides, I've got a few questions if you don't mind answering them."
"What?" the boy had finally quit shaking.
"How long have you been one?"
"Since I was six."
Harry listened intently as the boys bombarded Remus with questions. He hadn't realized just how much Remus had to deal with. No one should have to live all their life with those cruelties. Especially not as a six year old kid. He defiantly had a new found respect for his once professor.
The pensive decided that he had seen enough and threw him out. He just hoped that he would be able to sleep with all of this new information on his brain. He would defiantly be interrogating Remus with a few questions of his own.
