The fear and anxiety in the air had lessened somewhat by the next day, replaced with anticipation for the Halloween feast. Sirius tried to drum up the same kind of excitement that he usually approached Halloween with, but found himself unable to. Bloody hell, maybe I'm getting to old for this? He thought to himself. Either that, or the turmoil brewing outside of Hogwarts walls were having more of an effect on him than he wanted. After quiet whispers shared at the breakfast table, the Marauders decided that it would be inappropriate to plan any sort of prank now, and that they'd try again right before the holidays. Will there ever be a time for pranking again? Sirius thought darkly.
The sun was setting early now, and a sharp chill found its way into the castle. Sirius always hated winters in Scotland. It was always dark, and cold, and the clouds always put him in a foul mood. Mostly though, he just didn't feel up to it. Didn't feel like going down to the Great Hall and seeing Regulus' smug face peering at him from the Slytherin table. Trying to get a reaction out of him. The more anxious the rest of the student body became, the more smug and carefree Regulus, Snivellus and all their stupid friends seemed. It disgusted him, because he still remembers his baby Regulus who was always kind to house elves, and who once successfully hid a stray cat in the attic, and who was brave enough to face a second punishment just to let it go before their father could reach it. It was much easier to just hate Regulus, but Sirius was only able to do that if he didn't have to see him.
Still though, he went down to the feast, his rumbling stomach overpowering his emotions for the moment. His friends were already there, and immediately he felt better seeing Remus sitting there, giving him a small smile. A smile just for him.
"Oy Padfoot, feast is about to start!" Peter said, and Sirius winked at them. Peter looked suitably impressed, and James rolled his eyes. Let them think he was out wooing some woman. Below the table Remus knocked his knee with his own, and Sirius felt his smile grow wider.
The feast was lavish as usual. Sirius remembered when they were all first years, how impressed the other boys had been for the first few feasts. The food at Hogwarts, while rather more comforting, was positively plain compared to what he ate at home. He would follow along and ooh and ah over the self-filling trays of food, secretly thinking that his parents would probably call it peasant food.
"…What do you reckon, Sirius?" Peter said, and Sirius snapped his attention back to his friends. He hadn't been paying attention, and was just about to open his mouth to respond — not wanting his friends to know he hadn't heard them — when, for the second time that week, they were interrupted by owls.
This time it was a flurry of owls that all arrived in the Great Hall shrieking. Sirius covered his ears with his hands to drown out the sound. The owls all dropped their papers to various students and professors in the hall, and set off again.
That could only mean one thing. A special evening edition of the Daily Prophet. And that never meant good news. Thankful that James still subscribed to the paper, Sirius turned it over to the front page, and the boys huddled together, reading.
Back From the Dead Biting: Werewolf Fenrir Greyback Responsible for deadliest Werewolf Attack in a Century
Halloween eve turns deadly in the seaside town of Newcastle Upon Tyne. Notorious werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, previously thought to be dead, is spotted in the middle of the deadliest werewolf attack in England in a century. Greyback continues his pattern of targeting children, with this latest attack being his most deadly. No fewer than 15 children, among them 4 witches and wizards, were either killed, or bitten.
"I feel bad for the little buggers who survived. Fate worse than death, if you ask me" Comments Peredur Proustifus, famous werewolf hunter and researcher.
Greyback's last known attack was in 1965, where he attacked a five year old boy, the son of a ministry researcher, at their home. Greyback was pursued by Ministry employed werewolf hunters, and the public was led to believe that he was killed in pursuit. Exactly what happened that night so many years ago is unclear, as is the reason why Greyback has chosen to return to England. This is a developing story, and rest assured dear readers, the Daily Prophet will get ahead of it.
All around the Great Halls were whispers that grew louder as students passed the paper around to their classmates who did not have them. Sirius didn't want to risk anyone overhearing them, so he, James and Peter remained silent, though they couldn't help but stare at Remus. Sirius reached a hand under the table and squeezed Remus' knee reassuringly. Remus had never mentioned a Fenrir Greyback, but any news of this sort about werewolves were bound to make him sensitive.
As they were heading back to the common room, Sirius heard Lily arguing with some of the sixth year Gryffindor boys.
"Come off it Lily" one of them was saying, "I only said how sad it was that four little witches and wizards died."
"Yeah, and how about the other 11 children? Or were their deaths not as sad, because they were Muggles?" Lily looked just about ready to rip the other boy's head off.
"That's not what I said! You know me, I don't hate Muggles!" The boy was saying. Sirius thought he'd be better off staying quiet, and indeed Lily was revving up for a response. He was just thinking to intervene — if only because he had seen what Lily was capable off when truly mad — when James pushed past him.
"Think twice the next time you just say something, Rufus. People might get the wrong idea." James said, one arm around Lily.
Sirius was just about to ask Remus if he wouldn't mind checking something out in the library with him — code for finding an empty classroom and snogging — when he saw McGonagall approach them.
"Mr. Lupin you are report to the Headmaster right away." She said curtly, and left just as suddenly as she had arrived.
This was quickly shaping up to be the worst Halloween since starting at Hogwarts.
Remus sat and waited for the headmaster. He had been to Dumbledore's office numerous times throughout his Hogwarts career, and unlike other students, he felt at peace in the oddly decorated space. He had sat here in this very office as a child with his parents as Dumbledore explained to him that he was not a monster, merely unlucky, and that he deserved to go to school just like all the other children. For Remus, who since the bite had grown up in isolation from other children, and feeling like he had surely deserved to be bitten and turned into a monster, Dumbledore became a hero to him in that instant. As if the Headmaster hadn't done enough, there was also the second night of his first year, when Dumbledore summoned Remus to his office, just to check in on him, and to remind him to try and make friends. There were occasional check ups, and even a meeting last year to come up with a plan to try and get Remus a job.
Mostly, Remus felt safe in the confines of Dumbledore's office.
At the present moment, however, he couldn't help but feel a bit of annoyance at the old man. Why was he called here? Was Dumbledore just checking on him? Remus resented that, because he didn't want to be singled out every time there was news that involved werewolves.
Dumbledore entered the office, and Remus' annoyance melted away. He knew Dumbledore had his best interests at heart.
"Remus, my boy. Dreadful news. I've just spoken to the minister who has assured me that although they cannot presently locate Greyback, there is no indication he is heading this way. I wanted to assure you that you're safe, and check in with you. After all, I can't imagine how you must be feeling right now."
"Why would I be concerned about Greyback's whereabouts?" Remus replied, confused, "He's got nothing to do with me."
"Nothing to do with you?" Dumbledore replied, incredulous. Then the old man looked up from the letter he had been signing, and met Remus' eyes. His shockingly blue eyes widened slightly behind his his half-moon spectacles, and he rose, turning his back from Remus.
"Of course, of course." He continued airily, though Remus' eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Glad to see the action of one rotten apple hasn't affected your mood. Well, off you go!" Dumbledore said, motioning abruptly for Remus to exit the office.
Remus took the long way back to the dormitory, wanting to give himself time to think. Why had Dumbledore acted so strangely? Clearly the man was hiding something from him, and clearly he thought Remus was in some way connected with the Greyback monster.
Remus tried to think of a million different scenarios, but it all came back to one inky black line in the article that seemed to be slowly searing itself in his brain, "Greyback's last known attack was in 1965, where he attacked a five year old boy, the son of a ministry researcher, at their home."
1965. The year Remus was bit. Five years old, the age Remus had turned into a werewolf for the first time. His father, a ministry researcher at the time, telling him that some wild werewolf had accidentally bit him, and that they should pity the creature who probably hadn't meant to hurt him.
That had been Remus' truth for the past 12 years, and he had never had cause to doubt it.