Chapter 36

19/05/1971

Dear Professor Estrella,

This is now my seventh letter to you and I haven't heard back from you. It is totally unfair that you are being convicted for being a hero. I want to help in any way possible. I am traveling to the ministry tomorrow to watch the trial with my father. He apparently was able to assign a very good lawyer, named Nancy Telle, to your case. Also he's working with the ministry to defend you further. I will see you in two days. Please write back to me.

-Remus.

Remus folded the sloppily written letter and attached it to Vladimir's tallon. Vladimir disappeared into the night sky.

"Hey, Remus, you've been writing a lot of letters ever since that meeting with Dumbledore, is everything alright?" Sirius asked. The three marauders were sitting in the Gryffindor boys dorm, staring at Remus. It looked as if he had not slept in days.

"Yeah, everything's fine." Remus said shortly.

"No. Obviously something isn't fine." James said.

"What are you talking about? I'm fine." Remus said as he laid down in his bed.

"Is this about what happened with Professor Estrella? You were his favorite student and very close to him." Sirius said. Remus remained silent.

"Remus, you shouldn't be worrying about him. They can't convict him of being a hero." James said.

"Yeah, he single handedly took down a serial killer." Peter said.

"They should be handing him an award, not handcuffs!" Sirius snipped.

"Besides, there's nothing we can do about it now." James added.

"Honestly, I'm fine." Remus said

"It's funny hearing you saying honestly." James mumbled.

"And why's that?" Remus asked.

"This entire year you've been so secretive." James said strongly.

"We mean we have shared everything with you, but it still seems we know about the same as the first day. When will you open up to us?" Sirius asked frustrated.

"I don't have any secrets." Remus said.

"We don't even know your favorite color! Not to mention your fears, dreams, and other aspects about your personal life." James said steaming.

"It's green." Remus said, hoping to help.

"That's not good enough, Remus Lupin. You go away to these secretive doctor appointments every month and you come back scarred and bruised. And I looked up the hospital you told us you go to. It's not even real!" James yelled.

Remus sat in silence. What do I tell them? Should I tell them the truth.

"So, for the first time in our friendship, be honest. What are you doing every month?" Sirius asked.

Shit. What do I say?

"My mother is the one who's ill, not me." Remus lied.

"What?" James asked.

"She has stage two breast cancer, and I go home and visit her every month." Remus said.

"Oh my god, Remus, I'm so sorry." James said and he sat down.

"Me too." Sirius said.

"And me as well. But why didn't you tell us the truth?" Peter asked.

"It brings me great pain mentioning it." Remus said.

"But why do you have symptoms of a migraine every month?" James asked.

"It's not a migraine, it's a panic attack." Remus said.

"And the scars and bruises?" Peter asked. Remus sat in silence, unable to think of a good answer.

"Does your dad take his frustrations out on you as well?" Sirius asked as he held out his forearm revealing cigarette burns.

Remus nodded. He felt bad making his dad sound horrible.

"Thank you, Remus for telling us the truth." James said.

Remus nodded again. I'm such a liar.

"If you ever need anything, just let us know." Sirius said.

"Thanks." Remus said shortly. "I'm going to the trial tomorrow with my dad. Could one of you take quality notes for me?"

"Sure. I guess." James said.

"Quality." Remus repeated.

"They'll be the best notes ever!" James said enthusiastically and sarcastically.

"They better be." Remus said. "Goodnight, everyone." Remus said as he turned his back to them.

"Goodnight." They said.

Moonlight was already snuggled up between his knees like usual, her soft purrs meditating Remus's anxiety.

Remus Lupin and his father sat in the audience of the courtroom, awaiting the start of the trial. Remus thought back to the day he and his father watched Fenrir's trial. It seemed so long ago. Today, the courtroom was just as packed with reporters and spectators.

The judge and jury entered, followed by the prosecution team, and finally the defense. Remus looked to a very exhausted looking professor. He was in very fancy purple robes and looked very respectable.

"Opening statements!" The judge ordered.

"Witches and Wizards. Take one look at the man in front of you, he single handedly stopped the terrible serial killer, Frederick Greyback. He's a hero. By the end of this trial, I know you will all see that he used that curse as an automatic self defense mechanism to save his own life. Men like him do not belong in Azkaban. They belong with the award of the Order of Merlin!" the lawyer, Nancy Telle, said confidently. The jury looked impressed and the prosecution took the stand.

"Yes, he did stop a serial killing werewolf, but how? He defied our laws - the laws that hold this fragile community together. He used an unforgivable curse - no - the most unforgivable curse. Witches and Wizards, he used the killing curse." The sharp nosed prosecution lawyer said. There was a small gasp from the jury. "If we begin letting just anyone use the unforgivable curses for "self-defense", our entire society will fall to mayhem." He paused and looked to the jury. "And, respectful gentlemen such as yourselves should be aware of the whole truth of this case. I don't believe Mr. Estrella used that terrible unforgivable curse solely as a self defence weapon. No, I believe that the whole story is hidden. You see, I did some investigating. I found not only was Frederick Greyback indeed a werewolf, no. The muggle who was found at the scene was also a werewolf."

There were murmurs and Remus gulped.

"Not only the muggle. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Esteban Estrella is a werewolf." the lawyer shouted as he pointed to Estrella. The audience gasped and Estrella's face went white as he sunk in his chair.

"I object!" Nancy Telle screamed.

"Sustained." The judge said. "Continue, Mr. Goyal."

"Not only is he a werewolf, he was turned only 2 months ago by Mr. Frederick Greyback. So, it is in my belief that on the Friday last, Mr. Estrella confronted his alpha, Mr. Greyback, and murdered him so he would become alpha in their pack. If you are unaware, that is how werewolves live. They live in packs and one must always be the alpha."

"I object! This is false information. It was proven that werewolves do not have a pack mentality decades ago." Nancy Telle yelled.

"Sustained again. We will let the jury decide what to believe, Mrs. Telle. Now sit down!" The judge snipped back.

Oh no, this trial is going to go horribly. Remus thought.

Remus Lupin's predictions were correct because by the end of the short trial, Esteban Estrella was convicted of using an unforgivable curse and was sentenced to 10 years in Azkaban. Remus looked to Estrella and he looked as if all the hope and happiness had been ripped away from him. Remus watched as an auror waved his wand at Estrella and his respectable purple robes changed into grey and black striped prison wear. He handed the auror his wand and the auror snapped it in half. That wand was the only thing Estrella had left of his family. He held out his hands and they were magically bound together. The auror put his hand on his shoulder and the pair apparated away to Azkaban.

This is all my fault. He came to Frederick because I asked him to. If it weren't for me, he could be in Rio with his husband, happy.

Remus and his dad left the courtroom in silence, shocked at what had happened.