Hey ya everyone.
This chapter is the first of the memories to come from the magical gang. I was thinking of just doing all of the different memories within the next few chapters but that would probably be a little but too much for everyone to handle. So I've done Remus' memories and will have a break with the Cullen's thinking it over and then I will do Hermione and Ron but will leave doing Draco's and Harry's for a while as Harry's will be rather long and Draco's will be rather dark and he's not comfortable enough sharing at the moment.
So I hope that you all enjoy the chapter and I ask that you do not take my version of a younger Remus without asking permission. And some others parts that obviously weren't in the books or movies
Some parts have also been taken from the movies and a little from the books. Chap is over 7,500 words.
Without further a due please enjoy the chapter.
A young Remus ran around jovially after his father who was running from the child with said child's teddy bear in his grasp.
"Daddy give it back." Remus whined, a cute little pout on his face.
"You've got to catch me first little guy." Jonathon Lupin responded.
"Mummy." Remus called to Rebecca, who was sitting on the veranda knitting, "Daddy won't give Rusty back." He complained running over to her.
Rebecca laughed and smoothed down Remus' hair, "Daddy's only playing sweetie." She responded and tapped him on the bum, "Now you go show daddy who's boss and get back your bear." She told him and smiled as Remus bolted and landed on his dad in a flying tackle. Jonathon laughed and moved so that he ended up tickling his son earning squeals of laughter.
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"It's time for dinner." Rebecca called through the screen of the back door.
Jonathan and Remus looked up from where they were 'fishing' in the pond at the end of the back of the yard. Remus threw down the stick and string that he was using and jumped up on Jonathon's back and back to the house for dinner.
"So you think that you have the hang of it little man?" Jonathon asked.
Remus nodded, "Uh huh, I think so."
Jonathon chuckled, "Good. I'll take you out fishing with the boys this weekend then."
"Yay!" Remus cheered throwing his hands up in the air causing him to become unbalanced and nearly fall from his father's back. Jonathon tightened his hold on Remus so that he wouldn't fall.
Rebecca let out a horrified scream, pointing past the two males at the wolf that slinked out of the forest surrounding the home. It's muzzle and paws slick with blood and saliva, "RUN!" She cried out.
Jonathon moved Remus so that he was in front of him and started running for the house with a horrified child crying in his arms. The wolf howled and took off after them. Jonathon fell harshly as the wolf impacted him, Remus went flying from his arms, his throat was ripped out, blood gurgling and squirting from the wound. Remus started to scuttle back from the monster sobbing when the wolf lunged at him. The last thing he saw was the opened bloody maw of the beast.
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Remus squinted around the room, his eyes landing on the man sitting on his bed, "Who are you?" He asked hoarsely.
"I'm Dr. Cullen. Your mum called for me." Carlisle explained, "What do you remember?" He questioned softly.
Remus' face crumbled and he started to sob, "Daddy."
Carlisle's features softened and he got up and left the room calling for Rebecca so that she could come and comfort her son over the loss of his father.
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Remus clutched to his mother as she tried to leave the reinforced basement, "Please mummy, don't go." He begged, "I'm scared."
Rebecca put a hand softly on his head, "I know honey, so am I." She said softly, "But Dr. Cullen will be with you."
Remus sniffled, "I know." He threw his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly, "I love you mummy." He said, his voice muffled by the cloth of her dress.
Rebecca hugged her son tightly, "I love you too."
Carlisle walked into the room, ushering Rebecca out and had her make sure that the door was closed firmly behind her, he walked over to the child and sat down next to him, "I'm going to tell you now that the transformation is going to be extremely painful for you first time. You may not remember anything from your time as a werewolf." Carlisle paused and let out a very heavy, very human sigh, "There is also the possibility that you can die Remus." He told the child softly.
Remus looked up at the man, horrified and scared shitless, "No." He cried and threw himself at the man, "Please I don't wanna leave mummy."
Carlisle rubbed the child's back, "You will be fine Remus. You're a strong young man and nothing in this life will ever be able to hold you back." Just as this was said Remus' body stiffened and he let out a terrified, painful scream.
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Remus sobbed as Carlisle bandaged the child, his arms were ripped to shreds from the anger and pain of his first transformation. Carlisle gently eased the child back on to his bed and brought the comforter up and tucked it tightly around him.
"Will he be alright?" Rebecca questioned softly from the door way, holding a tray with a steaming bowl of broth and herbal tea.
"He will be fine." Carlisle responded cleaning up, "He survived his first transformation and that's the main thing. Usually the first transformation takes the life of the one going through it." He explained, "Remus is a strong child and must have strong magic to not succumb to death."
Rebecca smiled in relief, "Thank you so much for being here for him. I'm sorry to be taking you away from your family for something that nothing can be done about."
Carlisle chuckled, "I'm a doctor. I find that if I help as many people as I can with the life that I was born to. My father condemned people like you, witches and wizards, to death. I think that it was fate getting back at him and me for the offences my father did against your kind and those, now, of my kind."
"Perhaps it was fate that Remus was to become a werewolf." Rebecca mused as she put down the tray on the night stand, "Perhaps it is what will help him survive."
"Why do you say that?" Carlisle questioned.
Rebecca shook her head, "I don't know. Just a thought I had when you mentioned your thought of fate."
"Mummy, I'm hungry." Remus grumbled.
Rebecca brought up another pillow and put it behind Remus so that he was sitting up slightly and placed the tray on her lap and started to feed the broth to her son.
"I will see you tonight." Carlisle said softly and was swiftly gone from the room.
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Remus looked at the scarlet steam train, his stomach fluttering slightly with anticipation and fear at what the coming year would hold for him. Remus grabbed at his trunk and hoisted it up and walked onto the train and dumped his trunk in a spare compartment and slammed up the window and stuck his head out and waved over to his mother.
"Have fun at school sweetheart and don't forget that you need to see professor Dumbledore after the feast." Rebecca reminded her son.
"I know mama." Remus softly responded, "But what if I don't make any friends? What if they all find out what I am?" He questioned.
Rebecca put a hand on his cheek and soothed away the frown, "You'll make plenty of friends dear heart, and they will like you for who you are, not what you are." She responded just as the train's whistle blew and the train started to chug away, "I love you sweetheart."
"I love you too mum." Remus called out waving to her before he ducked back into his compartment.
Hours later while Remus was reading one of the books from his trunk when a teen suddenly stumbled into the room, falling flat on his back at Remus' feet. Remus' book tumbled from his hands and landed heavily on the teens head.
"Merlin almighty that's one fat book that you have there mate. That could be a hazard to one's health." He said sitting up, rubbing at his head, another teen stood in the doorway laughing his ass off at the situation.
"Hi. Sorry about that mate." The teen in the doorway said coming in to the compartment, "I'm Sirius Black, that guy there is James Potter."
Remus helped the other teen up from the floor and let him flop in the chair across from him, "I'm Remus Lupin it's nice to meet you." He responded, his voice soft.
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Remus looked at his friends in shock as each of them stood in front of him, each one in their Animagus forms. Remus could feel tears come to his eyes and he threw himself at his friends who swiftly turned back to catch him as he hugged them all tightly.
"Thank you so much." He said voice thick with suppressed emotion and tears.
"You're our friends Remmy. Of course we would do something to help you with your furry little problem." Sirius responded with a great big grin.
"Now we just need names to go with our new forms." James grinned as well, his smile nearly blinding.
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"How could you be so stupid?" Remus raged at Sirius, tears in his eyes at his friend's absolute stupidity at what he did.
"The git deserved it Moony." Sirius responded. If he was in his Animagus form his tail would be between his legs.
"I don't care whether he deserved it or not. What you did was unethical and reckless. I could have killed Severus or changed him." He growled, "I could have been put to death for your stupidity."
Sirius choked on a sob, "I'm sorry Remus." He whispered, "I'm so sorry."
"Well you should have thought about that before." Remus snapped and walked away from his friend.
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Remus beamed proudly from an equally proud Sirius as they watched their friends finally tie the knot. Lily's stomach round with child, glowing as James raised her veil and kissed his bride.
Every one cheered and wolf whistled as the kiss lasted a little longer before Sirius pounced on James' back causing him to break away from his now wife and throw the man off on him and tackled him into the Official causing the man to hurry out of the way before he was flattened.
Remus sighed as he watched his friends, Lily's arm slipped through his arm and rested gently on his elbow, "Perhaps we should run off together instead. These two are perfect for each other." He mused looking down on the red head fondly.
Lily giggled, "Wonderful, sounds like a great plan to me. You ready to run?" She asked.
"If you are." Remus responded and the two prepared to run when Lily was swept off of her feet and in to James' arms and Remus was pulled into a headlock.
"Not trying to sneak off with Lils are ya?" Sirius questioned rubbing his knuckles over Remus' head.
Remus sniffed and pulled himself out of Sirius' grasp, "Of course. Why wouldn't I? Lily is a fine woman indeed and I just don't understand what she saw in James." He said, nose turned up at the man though he threw a cheeky smile and wink at Lily.
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A haggard Remus looked down at the charred picture, one of the only ones left from what was once Godric's Hollow. His three best friends were gone and the other would be considered as good as dead for what he did.
Enraged Remus threw the mug with his cold chocolate at the wall, the force from the throw making the cup stick half out of the wall. He had lost his pack and there was nothing that he could do for his cub with is condition. The Ministry would never allow it.
Remus let out a howl as the moon began her pull and the wolf emerged, howling at the moon, heartbroken and angry all at once.
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Remus looked up tiredly as an owl flew in through the open window letting the spring air blow through. He untied the letter from the owl and let it have a drink and nibble at the perch he kept there specifically for messenger owls.
Reading over the letter Remus seemed to brighten and rushed into his study to pen a reply and send the response back off with the awaiting owl. Seconds later a second owl came in and dropped off the Daily Prophet, dropping a Sickle in the pouch on the claw the owl swiftly disappeared. Remus went white with shock at the article flashing on the front page of the Prophet.
Escape from Azkaban: Sirius Black breaks out of unbreakable Azkaban.
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Remus looked at the three teens through the slits of his eyes as they settled in the compartment with him. He knew Harry as soon as he saw him and it took everything he had not to do or say something. The wolf in him seemed to be immensely pleased at having his cub back in his life.
He watched as the window and water began to ice and the room fell cold. He watched as the door slid open and a Dementor floated in. It headed straight for Harry as the teen passed out, Remus reacted swiftly, pulling his wand from his sleeve and drove the Dementor back from the compartment.
Remus stood at the doorway, wand still at the ready as Ron and Hermione fussed over the teen, making sure that he was alright. Remus pulled out a chocolate frog from his robes and passed it over to the teen.
"Eat it. You'll feel better." He explained as Harry cautiously took the chocolate.
"What was that thing?" Harry asked.
"Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, and they drain peace, hope and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling; every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself…soul-less and evil. You will be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life." Remus explained and watched as the teens shuddered at the end of the explanation, "Eat." He said pointing at the chocolate starting to melt in Harry's hand and left them in the compartment, closing the door firmly behind him as he went to talk with the conductor.
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Harry and Remus walked around the shore of the Black Lake. Harry having been just released by Madame Pomfrey from the injuries sustained from the result of Dementors entering the grounds of Hogwarts.
"I'm sorry about you broom Harry." Remus spoke up, "Is there no chance to fix it?" He asked.
Harry shook his head and raised his arm so that Hedwig could take off into the air, Harry and Remus watch her fly away from the lakes edge, "Why do they affect me so much Professor? I mean, more than everyone else?" He questioned.
"The Dementors affect you the most, because there are true horrors in your past. Horrors your classmates can scarcely imagine. You have nothing to be ashamed of." Remus told the teen.
"I'm scared, Professor." Harry stated softly.
"I'd consider you a fool if you weren't." Remus responded just as softly.
"I need to learn how to fight them. You could teach me, Professor. You made the Dementor on the train go away…"
"There was only one that night…" Remus stated.
"But you made it go away."
Remus sighed, "I don't pretend to be an expert, Harry. But yes, I can teach you. Perhaps after the holidays. For now though, I need to rest. I'm feeling… tired."
Harry turns to Remus, looking at the haggard face of his professor, Hedwig flying by in his irises. Harry looks up and watches Hedwig pinwheel through the blue past the clock tower and out of sight.
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The dying sun streams through the high windows, painting Harry's face a fierce amber-red as he stands opposite Remus. Ancient charts drape the walls while gleaming spheres of spun glass orbit one another silently. Remus paces before the large trunk housing a Boggart.
"Are you sure about this Harry? This is very advanced magic. Well beyond Ordinary Wizard Level." Remus explained.
"If Black can fight the Dementors, I need to know how too." Harry responded resolute in his decision.
"Very well. The spell I'm going to teach you is called the Patronus Charm." He explained, "Ever heard of it?" Harry shook his head, "A Patronus is a kind of positive force. For the wizard who can conjure one, the Patronus works something like a shield. The Dementor feeds on it instead of him." The trunk rattles violently and Harry's eyes wander, Remus snaps his fingers drawing the teens attention back to him, "But in order for it to work, you must think of a memory. And not just any. This memory needs to be a very happy one. And powerful." Remus watches Harry for a few seconds and the teen nods, "Got something? Good. Let it fill you up. Lose yourself in it then speak the incantation: Expecto Patronum. Without your wand."
"Expecto Patronum." Harry repeats.
Remus nods, "Right then, shall we?" he asked, Harry nodded, gripped his wand and raised it. Remus, watching the teen closely reaches over and grips the lip of the trunk and started to pull it open, "Concentrate, Harry. Concentrate." He said and threw the trunk open.
The Boggart emerges in the form of the Dementor, Harry opens his eyes and in the sun's blood red light, looks positively horrific as it advances on Harry.
"Expecto… Patronum…" Harry stutters out. The torches flicker as a chill emitted by the Dementors fills the room. A scream echoes dimly. Harry's hand starts to tremble and his eyes begin to roll up… "Expecto… Expecto…"
"Here!" Remus cried out turning the Boggarts attention to him, the Boggart swiftly turned into a silver orb, "Riddikulus!" He cries out pushing the Boggart back into the trunk and hurriedly slammed the lid closed.
Harry stands there, dazed staring at the trunk blindly. Remus pulls a chocolate frog from his robes and hands it to the dazed teen.
"Hurry." He said pointing to the frog.
Harry studies it for a moment before unwrapping it an shoving it whole into his mouth and chewed slowly, "That's one nasty Dementor." He says weakly.
"Boggart, Harry. The real thing would be much worse. Just out of interest, what were you thinking of? What memory did you choose?" Remus asked.
"The first time I rode a broom." Harry responded.
"That's not good enough, Harry. Not nearly." Remus responded.
Harry looks over at the window at the bloody setting sun, "There is another, it's not happy exactly. I mean, it is. It's the happiest I've ever felt. But it's… complicated." Harry responded.
"Is it strong?" Remus questioned, Harry nodded, "Then let's try it." He said softly at the emotion in the teens eyes.
Harry takes a breath and tosses the frog to the side and readies himself, "Think Harry, think."
"Just do it." Harry responds firmly.
Stunned at the quiet fierceness from the teen opens the case and instantly the Dementor appears and lunges for Harry. Harry sets his jaw, "Expecto Patronum!" Harry's hand trembles, his whole body trembling but he holds his ground against the Boggart Dementor and a silver shadow bursts from the end of his wand, hovering between him and the Dementor. The Dementor falters and Harry's leg feel like water.
"Riddikulus!" Remus cries out and the Dementor vanishes and Harry's hand dropped to his side, slack with exhaustion. Remus eyes Harry with a kind of silent awe, his voice barely a whisper, "Well done."
"I think that I've had enough for today." Harry responds tiredly.
Remus nods and watches Harry head for the door, "So you know, Harry: You'd have given your father a run for his money. And believe me, that's saying something."
Harry pauses at the door, thinking, "I was thinking of him. And mum. Seeing their faces. They're just talking to me. Just… talking. That was the memory I chose. I don't even know if it's real…" He explains, gripping the door and moves past it, "But it's the best I have."
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Remus hastened to the Whomping Willow, immobilising it and hurried down through the hole that was revealed at the bottom. His robe whipped around him as he run, his worn robe catching on some rocks and twigs as he pushed opened the trap door and into the Shrieking Shack.
"Are you going to kill me Harry?" A muffled voice asked through a worn door.
"Yes." He heard the response and hastened to burst though the door.
"Professor Lupin." Ron, Hermione and Harry call out in shock.
Remus looks over at the haggard man in the corner of the room, "Looking a bit ragged, aren't we Sirius? Finally the skin reflects the madness within."
"You'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you, Remus?" Sirius redirected.
The two of them stared at each other, the moment taunt with tension, then Remus steps forward and embraces Sirius like a brother.
"No! I trusted you!" Hermione cried out, aghast, "I covered up for you. And all this time you've been his friend!" She pointed her hand at the werewolf, "He's a werewolf! That's why he's been missing classes!" She informs Ron and Harry.
"How long have you known?" Remus questioned Hermione.
Hermione raised her chin stubbornly, "Since Professor Snape set the essay."
"You're the brightest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione." Remus responded with a slight smile.
"Yes, you glow like the sun. And you howl at the moon. Enough talk! He dies. Now. If you won't do it with me, Remus, I'll do it alone." Sirius warned him.
"Wait, Sirius…"
"I did my waiting." Sirius suddenly yelled at the man, "Twelve years of it! In Azkaban! Trust me, you wouldn't have lasted a week!"
Remus nodded his head, "All right then. As you wish…"
"No!" Harry cries out and raises his wand when Remus wheels around and with a flick of his own wand disarms him. Furious, Harry eyes Sirius murderously. "You betrayed my parents! You sold them to Voldemort!"
"It's a lie! I would have never betrayed James and Lily!" Sirius responded with conviction.
"Harry! You've got to listen…" Remus tried.
"DID HE LISTEN! WHEN MY MOTHER WAS DYING! DID HE HEAR HER SCREAMING!" Harry yelled.
"No!" Sirius said furiously, "I wasn't there! And I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
"Someone else betrayed your parents, Harry." Remus spoke up softly, "Someone in this room right now. Someone who, until quite recently, I believed to be dead."
"He's as good as dead." Sirius said bitterly.
"What are you talking about? There's nobody here." Harry responded, confused.
"Oh yes there is…" Sirius said turning to Rona and croons in a cruel sing song, "Come out, come out, Peter. Come out, come out and play…"
Ron draws back the best he can with a broken leg, "You're mad…"
Harry's eyes shift from Ron's face to his hands where Scabbers was twisting violently. A curious expression befalls Harry's face. Remus and Sirius raise their wands when the door slams open violently.
"Expelliarmus!" Snape cries out as he enters the room. The wands fly from their hands and they, as one, turn to see Snape standing in the doorway with a triumphant expression on his shallow face. He eyed Sirius smugly, " Ah, vengeance is sweet. How I hoped I'd be the one to catch you."
"Severus…" Remus tried.
"I told Dumbledore that you were helping your old friends into the castle. And here's the proof." Snape said smugly.
Sirius snorted, "Brilliant! And as usual dead wrong. Now give us our wands back. Remus and I have a bit of unfinished business to tend to." He said approaching Snape, Snape responds by digging his wand into Sirius' neck.
"Give me a reason. I beg you."
"Don't be a fool, Severus!" Remus snaps.
"He can't help it." Sirius responded, "It's habit by now."
"Quiet, Sirius!" Remus snapped at the man.
Snape clucked his tongue, "Listen to you two. Quarrelling like an old married couple. The creature and the criminal." He sneered.
"Piss off." Sirius snapped.
"Witty as ever I see. Tell me, will you be so irreverent when I turn you over to the Dementors?" Snape teased the man, "Do I detect a flicker of fear? One can only imagine what it must be like to endure the Dementor's Kiss. It's said to be unbearable to witness. But I'll do my best." He says, his eyes hard and gestures to the door, "After you."
As they all head to the door, Harry sees his wand sitting on the table where Remus had left it. In a flash it's in his hand, "Expelliarmus!" He cried out with force. The spell hits Snape and he soars into the air, hitting the wall with a sickening thud and slides down in, unconscious. Ron and Hermione stared at him in shock.
"You attacked a teacher." Hermione said aghast at the action of her friend.
Harry himself was in shock but shook himself out of it and turned back on Sirius and Remus, "You said Peter before. Peter who?" He questioned them.
"Pettigrew. He was at school with us. We thought he was a friend." Remus explained.
"No. Pettigrew's dead." Harry responded and pointed at Sirius, "He killed him."
"I though so, too. Until you mentioned seeing Pettigrew on the Map." Remus explained.
"The Map was lying then…" Harry shot back.
"The Map never lies. Pettigrew's alive. And he's right there." Sirius said furiously, pointing at Ron.
Ron goes white with fear, "M-me?... It's lunatic…"
"Not you, you idiot. Your rat."
"Scabbers? Scabbers has been in my family for…"
"Twelve years." Sirius said bitterly, "A curiously long time for a common garden rat. He's missing a toe, isn't he?" He asked revealing a dog-eared clipping from the Daily Prophet showing Ron in Egypt with his family.
"So what?" Ron questioned.
"All they could find of Pettigrew was his…" Harry trailed off.
"Finger." Sirius finished for him, "Dirty coward cut it off so everyone would think he was dead. Then he transformed into a rat."
Harry stared into Sirius' sunken eyes, wanting to believe. Desperate to believe, he glances over at Ron, "Show me."
Remus and Sirius turned on Ron who holds Scabbers protectively to him, "What are you going to do to him?"
Remus and Sirius exchanged a glance and turned back to Ron, "Together." Sirius said Remus pulled his wand and the pair shot a blue-white light at the rat. Scabbers twists in madly in midair, and in a flash transforms into a very short man with thinning hair and grubby hands.
"S-Sirius… R-Remus. My old friends." He stutters, when neither speaks, Peter's small watery eyes dart toward the windows and door. Suddenly he makes a break for it but Sirius merely shoves him back. Pettigrew's nose twitched and he turned on Harry, his hand flittering nervously revealing a missing index finger, "Harry! Look at you! Y-you look just like your father. Like James. We were best of friends he and I…"
"Shut up!" Sirius says firmly.
Pettigrew flinched, "I didn't mean to! The Dark Lord, you have no idea the weapons he possesses! Ask yourself what you would have done, Sirius. What would you have done!"
"Died!" Sirius responded harshly, "Died rather than betray my friends! And you should have realised, Peter, if Voldemort didn't kill you…"
"We would." Remus finished.
"No… Please… you can't." Pettigrew responded, his eyes darting around the room, "Ron! Haven't I been a good friend? A good pet? You won't let them kill me, will you? I was your rat…" Ron draws back from him in disgust, Pettigrew turned to Hermione, "Sweet girl. Clever girl. Surely you won't let them…"
Remus and Sirius raise their wands and point them directly into Pettigrew's face. Pettigrew flinches back, trembling, eyes closed in fear.
"No." Harry spoke up. Pettigrew's eyes snapped open and Sirius and Remus turned on the teen, shocked.
"Harry this man…" Remus started.
"I know what he is. But we'll take him to the castle." Harry explained.
"Bless you boy, bless you." Pettigrew simpered grabbing at the teens hands.
Harry threw him off, "Get off! I said that we'd take you to the castle. After that, the Dementors can have you." He explained and flicked his wand at Pettigrew to hold him.
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The group emerges from the still immobile willow. Harry looks to see Sirius staring in wonder at the castle, shining radiantly under the brightness of the night sky. A wistful look on his haggard face.
"Harry…" Hermione spoke up, he turned to her and saw her staring at the full moon. His eyes shifter over to where Remus was standing, his body rigid, fingers twitching.
"Remus, old friend… did you take your potion tonight?" Sirius questioned.
Remus twitched and shook his head. Pettigrew's eyes darted, taking in the situation that was unveiling it's self then he slowly shifts toward the wand trembling in Remus' fist.
"Run. All of you. Now." Sirius told them.
None of them moved, transfixed as bristles broke through Remus' skin. Sirius steps forward and wraps his arms around his friend and presses his mouth to his ear. "You know the man that you truly are, Remus. This flesh is only flesh." He said pounding on the man's chest, "This heart is where you truly live. This heart! Here!"
The wand in Remus' hand drops to the ground and Pettigrew darts for it. "NO!" Harry cries out, "Expelliarmus!" Remus' wand flies from the man's grasp and he freezes and turns on Harry, a hideous grin on his face and he transforms. Stunned, Harry watches as the rat disappears into the night.
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Remus looked up from packing his suit case when Harry walked into his office. Without turning he speaks, "Hello Harry." Harry jumps and Remus turns and smiles at the teen through haggard eyes, "Saw you coming." He said in way of explanation pointing at the open Marauder's map. Harry is unable to disguise his shock at Remus' appearance he waved it off, "I've looked worse, believe me."
"You've been sacked." Harry muttered.
"Resigned actually." Remus responded tiredly.
"Resigned! But why?" Harry questioned, startled.
"It seems that someone has let slip the nature of my condition." Remus explained.
"Snape." Harry sneered.
"Whoever. It was bound to get out. This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving. Parents will not want a-someone like me- teaching their children." Remus told him.
"But Dumbledore…"
Remus cut the teen off with a raised hand, "Has already risked enough on my behalf. Besides, people like me, well… let's just say I'm used to this by now. But before I go, tell me about your Patronus." He requested.
"Well at first I thought it was a horse, or perhaps a unicorn, but I think it was…" Harry trailed off, unsure on how to explain.
"A stag." Remus finished.
"Yes." Harry nodded.
"Your father used to transform into one. That's how he was able to keep me company when I became… sick. He was a great friend James." He said smiling wanly and lifts his sorry suitcase, "There are stories about him and your mother, you know. Some are even true. But I think it's safe to say, in the end, you'll know them best by getting to know yourself." He told the teen, and with a wicked twinkle in his eyes, raised his wand, "Mischief managed."
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"Sirius would you please calm down. Harry is fine, he will be fine." Remus said, exasperated at his friends constant pacing.
"I can't Moony. All I can think about is how the Tournament ended." Sirius responded and flopped ungracefully into an arm chair.
Remus sighed and put aside his book, "I know Sirius." Remus responded.
"Come on Remus we've gotta go." Tonks said tumbling into the study.
"Why? What's wrong?" Sirius asked jumping up from his seat.
"Ah, nothing." Tonks mumbled, backing out of the room.
Remus sighed and stood, pushing Sirius back down in to his chair as he went by him, "Sit. Everything will be fine." He said and followed Tonks out of the room, "So what's going on?" He asked Tonks as they left the house.
"Harry cast a Patronus spell and got an alert from the Ministry." Tonks explained and disapperated.
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Remus raced through the atrium of the Ministry in panic. He was terrified that we would arrive too late to help his friends, his family, his pack. Remus raced down to the Department of Mysteries cursing the day the Sirius had become an Animagus and shot off ahead of him to get to Harry. Pulling his magic to him he disapperated from the atrium and reappeared in the Department of Mysteries just in time to see Bellatrix send a spell at Sirius and watched him fall backwards into the giant oppressing veil and disappeared.
"SIRIUS, NO!" Harry cried out and Remus just managed to get to him and grab him before Harry went through the veil as well.
"Harry stop, there is nothing you can do." Remus said through the tears that were trailing down his cheeks. Harry stopped fighting and Remus set him down, he could feel the angry aura coming off of the teen and watched him take off after the still cackling Bellatrix.
Remus sent one last pained look at the veil before moving off to help everyone else with the Death Eaters and to check on the teens that had come with Harry to the Ministry.
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"Come on Remus, please." Tonks begged chasing, clumsily after the werewolf, "Why won't you give me a chance?" She questioned.
Remus stopped, his shoulders hunched as he turned on her, "It cannot happen Tonks. So please stop asking." He all but begged the younger woman.
"Please Remus." She asked softly, her hair turning to a soft, depressed blue.
"Just look at Bill." Remus snapped, "It wasn't even the full moon and look at what Greyback did to him."
Tonks shook her head, "I don't care Remus, and you shouldn't care either." She yelled, "I love you and that's all that should matter." She said taking Remus' hand in hers, "With the war going as it is, wouldn't it be better to take whatever we could have before everything goes to hell?" She asked.
Remus squeezed her hand tightly in his, "All right." He whispered, "We'll give it a try." He said smiling shyly at her.
Tonks beamed, her hair turning to a bright fluoro yellow as she threw herself at the werewolf and engaged the man in a deep passionate kiss.
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Remus beamed down at the squirming bundle in his arms, his son, Theodore Remus Lupin. Tonks laid on the bed tired and panting with exhaustion after the birth of their son. He watched as Teddy's hair turned from black to a slight red.
"I must go and tell Harry." He crowed, "I must tell the others." He said placing Teddy in Tonks' arms so that she could feed him and hurried out of the room with Tonks laughing behind him.
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Remus hurried up the path to Shell Cottage, his robe whipping around him with the force of the wind and knocked hurriedly and harshly on the door.
"Who is it?"
"It is I. Remus John Lupin!" He called through the door, "I am a werewolf, married to Nymphadora Tonks, and you, the Secret Keeper of Shell Cottage, told me the address and bade me come in an emergency."
The door was wrenched opened and Remus tumbled into the Cottage, he was white faced and hair windswept. He straightened up and looked around the room at all the faces gathered, "It's a boy!" He cried out, "We've named him Ted, after Dora's father!"
Hermione shrieked, "Wha- Tonks- Tonks has had the baby?"
"Yes, yes she's had the baby." He crowed.
Cheers erupted from all around, along with sighs of relief. Hermione and Fleur squealed and jumped around in delight.
"Congratulations!" Ron said, "Blimey, a baby!"
"Yes- yes- a boy." Remus said again with a big cheesy smile. He strode around the table and pulled Harry into a hug, "You'll be Godfather?" He asked releasing Harry.
"M-me?" Harry stammered.
"You, yes of course- Dora quite agrees, no one better."
"I-yeah- blimey-" Harry managed feeling overwhelmed, astonished and delighted.
"I can't stay long." Remus spoke up as Bill grabbed a bottle of wine, "I must get back." Bill handed him a goblet of wine, "Thank you, thank you Bill."
Bill had soon filled all of the goblets and handed them out and they raised their goblets high, "To Teddy Remus Lupin." Remus said, "A great wizard in the making!"
"'Oo does 'e look like?" Fleur enquired.
"I think that he looks like Dora, but she thinks that he is like me. Not much hair. It looked black when he was born, but I swear it's turned to ginger in the hour since. Probably be blonde by the time I get back." Remus explained proudly, "Andromeda says Tonks's hair started changing colour the day that she was born." He drained his goblet, "Oh go on then, just one more." He added, beaming, as Bill made to fill his goblet again.
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Remus raced through the grounds of Hogwarts towards the castle, Tonks had run off after her cousin. His heart raced as he tried to catch up to his wife before anything befell her but the feeling in his heart told him that he was going to be too late to help her.
"Avada Kedavra." He heard Bellatrix shout and watched as the green flash snuffed out the life of his wife.
Remus watched Tonks fall to the floor in slow motion, he let out a roar and flung himself at Bellatrix, sending a slashing hex at the woman, shocking her out of her insane cackle at taking down her cousin.
"Aw, poor little wolfie." Bella crooned recovering from the suddenness of the spell coming from the man.
"You have taken enough from people Bellatrix." Remus snarled, "Confringo." He said throwing the blasting hex at the madwoman.
Bella countered, "Incendio."
Remus darted out of the way and threw himself at the woman, shocking her at his move to a physical attack and brought his hand up and punched her square in the face, breaking her nose. Causing the woman to let out a screech of pain and dropped her wand, seeing his chance while she was clutching her nose in pain he brought his wand up, "Avada Kedavra." He hissed snuffing the life out of the woman.
Remus looked down on the woman at his feet, his eyes void, no remorse at killing the woman that had taken the life of his wife and the lives of others. Remus turned and walked over to where his wife laid and brought her up into his arms, his tears dripping onto her dead cheeks, "I'm so sorry Dora." He whispered kissing her cheek and put her back down and threw himself back into the battle.
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Remus let out a sigh as he looked over the battlefield. It was done, Harry had done it, he had saved them all from Voldemort. He wearily headed over to where he had left Tonks's body and gently picked up his wife, but not before sending, 'Incendio' at the corpse of Bellatrix. Remus trudged through the countless bodies of both light and dark, young and old, toward the castle to deliver Tonks's body to the infirmary and get in contact with Andromeda.
"Oh Remus." Poppy said softly as the werewolf walked blindly into the hospital wing and placed his wife on one of the many beds.
"Can I borrow your floo?" He asked softly.
"Of course dear. Powder is on the mantle." She said and went about cleaning up Tonks for her mother's visit.
Remus walked into Poppy's office and grabbed a fistful of floo powder and threw it into the dying fire, "Andromeda's Dreamscape." He called the destination.
"Remus, Remus is everything alright?" She questioned him when he didn't answer straight away.
"I'm sorry Andromeda, I was too late. Bellatrix got to her before I could." He explained, tears streaming down his cheeks, suppressed sobs shaking his frame.
"No. Oh Merlin no." Andromeda whispered, a hand covering her mouth.
"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry." Remus cried, rocking on his knees and seconds later felt arms wrap around him as Andromeda came through the floo, Teddy in her arms, being squash between the two.
Andromeda handed Teddy to his father, "I have to go and see." She whispered and stood on shaking legs, "Wha- what about Bellatrix?" She asked.
"I killed her." Remus snarled, his teeth bared.
"Good." Andromeda said and walked out of Poppy's office.
Remus held his son tightly to his chest, "I'm sorry my little Teddy-bear. You'll never get to know your mum but I will always tell you about her. She will be remembered by me and you." He said kissing the baby fine hair and he slumped, exhausted against Poppy's desk.
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The images flickered and died leaving the Cullen's living room void of sound. Remus, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco wiped the tears from their eyes at the last memory. The pain from the final battle still lingered within all of them.
"Would you like something to drink?" Esme spoke up, her voice soft as she tried to still the shaking her body was going through from the tears that wouldn't come and disappeared into the kitchen to get refreshments even though none were ever agreed upon.
"Perhaps we should leave the rest of the memories for another day." Carlisle spoke up, "It is quite late at the moment and I'm sure that you are all exhausted."
Remus looked over at the man in relief, "Yes, I think that would be best. Ron and Hermione's aren't anywhere near as exhausting emotionally." He explained, "Where as Harry and Draco's are full of emotional turmoil."
"You remembered how we met." Carlisle said looking curiously at Remus.
Remus chuckled and reached down into the baby bag at his feet and pulled out a bottle for Teddy and with a quick charm warmed up the milk, "Oh, can I please feed him?" Alice asked bouncing in her seat.
"Of course." Remus said getting up and handing her Teddy, the bottle and a towel to put over her shoulder for burping, "Yes I remembered, but I didn't want to say anything when we were all so new to each other." He explained.
Carlisle chuckled, "I understand. I was going to see if we could have met sometime this week and talk." He said, "I found one of my journals from the time in England when I treated you."
"I do have to wonder though, werewolves and vampires are natural enemies. So how come Remus didn't try and rip you apart?" Hermione questioned.
"I think that it's because the wolf recognised Carlisle as the man that saved his vessel from perishing, therefore giving Carlisle a free pass so to speak." Remus responded with the only explanation that he could come up with as to why his wolf didn't try to rip Carlisle apart when he transformed. Remus turned to Carlisle and held out his hand, "I never did thank you for all that you did for me in those few months. It was because of you that I was able to get through the transformations after you had left. So thank you." He said sincerely, Carlisle stood and took the hand held out to him and gave it a firm shake.
"You were a child thrown into an unfair and unchangeable arrangement. I wouldn't change what I did for the world, I am pleased to have met you and to see what kind of man that you have become." Carlisle responded with a bright smile.
"Thank you Mrs Esme." Draco's soft voice flittered through the room as Esme put down a tray of drinks and some sandwiches.
"That's quite all right dear." Esme responded, "And it's Esme." She scolded gently.
The group each pulled a cuppa tea and sandwich and snacked down on them while thinking about the memories. The vampires stood up from their seats, Emmett gently putting Harry down on the couch and Alice passing him a now fed and content Teddy.
"We're going to go and get something to eat. We'll be back soon." Alice explained and they all disappeared from sight in the blink of an eye had cleared out of the house.
"I think we scared them off." Harry chuckled weakly.
"Don't worry Harry. They'll be back." Hermione said confidently.
"Yeah mate. Emmett is more than happy to keep a hold of ya." Ron spoke up his cheeks puffed with food so it didn't much sound like it.
Harry nodded and slid so that he laying down on the couch, Teddy cocooned in the crook of his elbow, "I know." He said and looked down at Teddy who was playing with his bootie covered feet.