The Hulk and the Beast: Chapter Thirteen

January 15, 2014

Peter was right, Remus did have a lot of homework. It was an inordinate amount of homework. A veritable mountain of assignments. Seven seas worth of essays.

Remus loved it.

He always had something to do, an essay to write, assigned reading, even work packets, which Hogwarts didn't have. As an added bonus, it made it insanely easy to avoid having difficult conversations with people.

Mr. Stark tried to corner him several times, but Remus did not want to deal with Mr. Stark emotionally burning himself out again and brushing him off, so he'd just say, 'Sorry, homework!' and lock himself in his room.

He enjoyed French and Calculus the most. It made him feel closer to his parents and the sting of missing them hurt less. He was looking forward to next year, when he could take Discrete Mathematics and Intro to Computer Science. Computers had barely been a thing back home, but now he felt like he was living in a computer themed episode of Doctor Who. Everything was a computer, his phone, the elevator, the microwave, even the fridge and dishwasher.

Plus, he sort of wanted to make Mr. Stark proud of him and taking Comp Sci and Robotics would more than do that, so long as he did well. He wasn't super interested in Robotics, but when he said he was considering it, Mr. Stark got excited.

Midtown High offered college level STEM classes as well. Technically, he could get enough credits and high enough grades to go to Cornell or MIT by the time he was fifteen or sixteen, and a Masters by the time he was twenty, but when he mentioned that possibility, Mr. Stark had a conniption. 'Don't be like me!' he practically screamed. His voice broke and everything. Remus found the line and it was taking Robotics at a steady pace instead of at breakneck speeds like Mr. Stark had.

Remus was tempted to push it if he wasn't still weary that Mr. Stark could have some hidden temper. He probably did, knowing Remus' luck so far with father figures. He loved his Dad more than anything, but every time Dad got upset, Remus got hurt, even if it wasn't Remus that upset him.

Mr. Stark was legally his dad now, and Remus didn't want a repeat of walking on eggshells, wondering what would set off the next violent outburst, shouting match, and eventual reassurance that this time it really was the last time, promise. He wasn't exactly walking on eggshells with Mr. Stark or any of the other Avengers, but he still wondered what would set them off.

So far, Remus' strategy of staying in his room and keeping his head down was working.

Tony wasn't doing anything wrong. Nothing whatsoever was wrong with what was happening, and if there was something wrong – which there wasn't, thank you very much – Tony had nothing to do with it.

Well, there was one thing wrong. The serum that Red Skull put in Remus. Now that Tony had samples of Remus' blood pre- and post-serum, he could start determining what was the original lycanthropy and what was the enhanced lycanthropy. Tony was smart, but he wasn't a biologist, and mechanics was only getting him so far. The process of both learning the related fields while doing his research made it painstakingly slow by his standards. He had tried suggesting the idea of help around the Hulk, but he was brushed off and the Hulk remained green and angry, so he'd have to go it alone, no fun Science Bros team up.

At least it gave him something to do. If anyone tried to talk to him about something he didn't want to talk about, he could hole himself up in the lab, tell everyone he was working on helping Remus, and no one would bother him, least of all Remus himself.

It was working so far.

"How long is this going to go on?" Steve asked. Annoying, he didn't even knock.

"Why is it when there's something, it's you that confronts me?" Tony groaned. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he added hastily.

"Ever since we left you and Remus alone, the two of you have been avoiding each other like the plague. Whatever happened…"

"We're not avoiding each other."

"Every time the two of you are left alone in a room, you scatter."

"Not true."

"When was the last time you were alone with him, then?"

"I don't see why that matters. This is a crowded tower, anyway."

"Tony."

"Don't 'Tony' me, old man!"

"What happened to stepping up your game?"

"That was your idea, I never agreed to needing to in the first place. I'm not his dad, I don't need to do anything."

"Oh, no, you're not his dad," Steve agreed, but mockingly. "You just feed him, clothe him, put a roof over his head, pay his tuition, go to his PTA meetings, keep him out of harms way, make sure he's healthy…"

"I…"

"Yeah, I can see the confusion. Sorry I made assumptions, Tony. Won't happen again. I can't believe I…"

"I'm afraid of being Howard, okay!" Tony snapped. "I never got to see him, he was always in his lab or looking for you or… when I did get quality time with dear old Dad, it was because I'd done something wrong and he had to lecture me. We argued constantly and I was never good enough for him."

"So your solution is to hole yourself up in your lab?"

"Yeah, and outside of the lab he's got six other Avengers to go to if he needs someone. I didn't… I only had Jarvis and when he… and then I was alone. He's got you. You're ten times the…"

"Tony," Steve didn't even let him finish that sentence. "You are every bit my equal and I won't stand for you or anyone else saying otherwise. You're his legal guardian. Everything I said, about what you do for him, if you're not also there for him, it's confusing."

"He's smart, he'll…"

"Understand why your lab is more important than him?"

"He's been avoiding me, too," Tony snapped. "The feeling is mutual, so I don't see anything wrong with just…"

"He's afraid of you."

"Bullshit."

"Terrified."

"What for?"

Steve gestured to the lines book sitting in the analyzer.

"I'm not…"

"What evidence does he have of that?"

"It's better than me giving concrete evidence that I'm a crap father figure and a crap mentor. You're right, I nearly got Spider-man killed with the Iron Spider suit. And Sam didn't tell his mom about us for months, like he was embarrassed and ashamed of me."

"No one's… everything turned out alright in the end, With Sam and with Spider-man. You're nothing like Howard. Take it from someone who knew him better than he knew himself. From someone who knows you."

"Anything that's not tech I ruin within the month."

"That's just not true. You made the Avengers…"

"And we're always one big fight away from breaking up again…"

"We're not. Yes, you and I don't always see eye to eye, none of us do, but when it comes down to it, we'll always have each other's backs. That's what it means to be an Avenger."

"I ruin everything I touch and he's already hurt enough as it is…"

"You are one of the best men I know, you care deeply for the people around you. Yeah, you don't always show it perfectly, but nobody's perfect, not even Iron Man. Accepting nothing less than absolute perfection isn't fair to yourself. You're a good man and Remus is lucky to have you. He looks up to you and I can see why. I'm proud to call you my friend."

"Whatever, fine," Tony grumble, trying his best not to blush, or worse, start tearing up. He knew he was failing miserably. Damn Cap and his pep talks, making Tony feel things. He discreetly wiped a tear from his eyes and squared his shoulders to appear more manly, "I'll go talk to him right now. It's compiling anyway, I was playing Galaga."

"It's nearly ten," Steve said.

"Well past his bedtime. JARVIS, is Remus awake?"

"He is doing homework and has asked not to be disturbed."

"He's always doing homework," Tony scoffed. "He can't possibly have more homework. It's his bedtime anyway."

Remus was elbow deep in Calculus II. Technically, he only had to do the odd numbers, and then only the first half. But where was the fun in that? Remus was halfway through doing evens and odds, so he'd technically done the assignment and was well on his way into extra credit, were his math teacher to grant extra credit, which she did not. That wasn't the point. The point was that he wasn't tired and Calculus was fun.

He was so focused on his differential equations, he just about jumped out of his skin when his phone alarm went off and his friends started shouting at him from across the room. Remus rushed to the dresser where he'd left the mirror. He had wondered that morning why he'd set an alarm for 10pm. For the first time in nearly eight years, he forgot it was the full moon.

"The swot, he's doing homework!" Sirius crowed.

"He is, he is! Moony, what is it!"

"Differential equations, be quiet someone will hear you," Remus hissed at them.

"What in the bloody hell is that, then?" James snickered.

"It's calculus, you buffoon," Lily said. "Oh, Remus, I do miss maths."

"You would, swot," Sirius gave her a playful push.

"Shove off, you twat!"

"We cut off last time," James continued. "Anyway, I'm sure we all know what you were going to say. 'Oh, don't become Animagi on my account, you'll die a horrible painful death, oh!'" James mock swooned.

"I don't sound like that."

"You do," Sirius protested, quiet gravely. "'Oh, bother, I must worry about everything!' That's spot on, that is."

"We haven't talked for an entire month, and already you're pestering me. Where's Peter?"

"We're… not friends with him anymore," Sirius said. "He ratted us out to McGonagall."

"Oh, thank Merlin," Remus sighed.

"Don't thank Merlin!" James shouted.

"We didn't actually get in trouble," Meriam corrected. "On account of we aren't doing the traditional Animagus transformation, so they couldn't catch us with any of the right potions ingredients."

"Potter's very upset that he was wrong about Pettigrew," Lily said.

"You were wrong about Snivellus!" James snapped.

"Oh, yes," Meriam added. "When McGonagall didn't actually get us in trouble, on account of us doing nothing wrong that she could find, Peter went to Snape, thinking he'd know how to convince the teachers we were doing something wrong."

"I mean, I admit he was doing it because he says we could die, but it wasn't on," Sirius said.

"Severus and I aren't friends anymore, either. He said some nasty things that he regrets, but he's not getting another chance. That was his final chance."

"He's said stuff like that before!?" James gasped.

"Not about me, just… other Muggleborns. Then he'd say, 'Oh, Lily, not you, you're one of the good ones'."

"What a slimily… sniveling…"

"Stay on topic, James," Remus said. "What method are you using?"

"So you know that book Sirius and Meriam found in the restricted section? We found it in there."

"Oh, at least it's from a book and not some website you found online."

"What?"

"Never mind, I'm acclimating. What's the book?"

"The Grimoire of the Cosmic Wolves," James said, lifting a big, heavy book up. It was probably the most reading James had ever done, if he'd read the book and not had Sirius or Meriam read it to him. "It's great. It even had the ritual in it to find you."

"It's got a way to connect with your inner animal," Sirius said. "Lots of meditation out in the wilderness and stuff. We practically live in the Forbidden Forest now."

"If this way is easier and safer than the normal way, why doesn't anyone else use it?" Remus asked. He'd heard about that book before, but he couldn't recall from where or why.

"As far as we can tell, it's actually more powerful than the Animagus transformation. It's got some mythical components," James said. "If you're not completely dedicated to the process, the book will pass judgement. But we don't have to worry about that, because we are completely dedicated to this."

"Does it have a mind of its own?" Remus said, very worried. It had to be in the restricted section for a reason.

"Yeah, but all the good books in the restricted section do," Sirius answered. "Besides, it likes us."

"One of my locator spells led us to it," Meriam said. "It highjacked it, I think. It wants us to get to you."

"I vetted it with every dark magic locator I could find," Lily assured him. "It's really a very helpful book. It genuinely wants to help."

"It did zap Peter when he tried stealing it to bring it to McGonagall…" Sirius said.

"It what?"

"And it can definitely read our minds," Sirius added.

"Oh, yeah, that…" James nodded

"James…"

"So, how have you been?"

"Don't change the subject!"

Someone knocked on the door.

"Shite, guys be quiet."

Sirius looked like he was gearing up to start screaming, just to be contrary. Remus shot him a look that shut him up, even through the mirror and several dimensions.

"Hey, kiddo, bed time, pack up the math and brush your teeth," Mr. Stark said.

"I already brushed!" Remus squawked. Mr. Stark never came to check on him. Well, he did, but he never said anything. Not since Billy Joel. He would hover outside for a few minutes and then walk away.

"Who're you talking to in there?"

"Friends from school. It's… uh… study group."

"Oh, cool, is Peter on the phone?"

"Nope, other friends. It's actually a study group, honest," Remus said.

The Avengers wanted him to make friends with the other 'Super Kids' at Midtown, as Remus was calling them. Either they wanted Remus to be more comfortable with the idea of becoming a hero or they'd feel better knowing he was surrounded by partially trained SHIELD agents. Remus was positive that for Mr. Stark is was the second option. Mr. Stark was as thrilled about the idea of Remus in the field as Remus was.

"Well, it's your bed time, so you'd better hang up."

"I… already did…"

Sirius opened his mouth once more, but Meriam put a hand over it. Remus could tell he was licking her, but with James for a twin, that would never deter her. She had an acquired immunity to boy cooties.

It was a long shot, Remus realized, but he had heard of that book before. And looking at the cover, old, leatherbound, with Celtic Knots and Nordic Runes, it was incredibly familiar. Even through the dimensions, he could feel it's magic pulsing through his veins.

"Um, Mr. Stark," Remus said. "Do you know about a book called the Grimoire of the Cosmic Wolves?"

There was a pause. Mr. Stark opened the door and Remus panicked a little before he managed to slip the mirror under his text book. Mr. Stark looked haggard. He usually looked like that, stretched a bit thin, but this time there was a dark shadow over his face. He even smelled tired.

"How did you hear about that book?"

"Um… I don't remember," Remus admitted. It wasn't a lie. He really didn't know how he knew about the book. Yes, his friends just told him about it, but it was as achingly familiar to him as his father's textbooks and his mother's copy of The Hobbit.

"Don't go looking for it, it's dangerous."

"But what do you know about it?" Remus asked.

"I will buy you literally any other book. First edition, signed, the works. I'll even track down a manuscript if you want it. That one's dangerous, it's got to be."

Remus hated being right. But there was more to this, he knew it. There was something else about the book, he just had to figure it out. Mr. Stark knew about it so…

"Don't ask JARVIS about it. JARVIS," Mr. Stark turned to the nearest microphone. "Restrict Remus' access."

"You have already set up child safety checks," JARVIS answered.

"I'm not a child," Remus grumbled. "I don't want the book I just… I need to know what it does."

"Nothing good. Did Skull tell you about it?"

"He knows about it?"

"It's his number one most wanted occult artifact. A man like that wants something that badly, it can't be good."

"He wants me," Remus said. "He wants Captain Rogers."

Mr. Stark sighed. He grumbled something about this was why he hated talking to children. Remus wasn't supposed to hear that bit, Mr. Stark forgot about the enhanced hearing again. It still stung.

"Look, kid," Mr. Stark fumbled over his words. "He wants it because apparently it holds secrets of the universe no one is supposed to know, alright? It's not a toy, it's a weapon. It's dangerous on a whole different level. It's not just on HYDRA's radar, either. SHIELD has an entire file on the thing and the Entity that made it, containment plans and everything."

"Entity, like… Cosmic Entity?" Remus paled.

"What do you think Cosmic Wolves means? That's what made it. Something… something about Wild Magic. Very dangerous and very under studied. You don't have the clearance to read those files."

"Doubt you do," Remus snapped. He was feeling particularly tetchy.

"That's not the point. Just… go to bed. You brushed?"

"Yes, I brushed my teeth after dinner, I'm not an animal!" Remus winced. He hated that phrase, but it slipped out anyway.

"Of course," Mr. Stark nodded. Somehow it stung more that Mr. Stark didn't hit him for that slip up. Dad would have. "Don't go poking that sensitive nose into things that could get you hurt. I'll never forgive myself." Mr. Stark wasn't even phased.

"Goodnight, Mr. Stark."

"Yeah. Night, kiddo," Mr. Stark paused for a moment at the doorway before leaving, the door clicking shut behind him.

This was bad. Unusually bad for one of James' shenanigans. Remus paced his room, forgetting the mirror was under the text book entirely until Sirius pipped up, asking if Mr. Stark was gone.

"Untold mysteries of the universe!" Remus whisper-cried. "You found a book that has secrets of the universe in it and you're using it!"

"Don't panic, Remy," James said in his infuriatingly calm voice.

"Do you even know what a Cosmic Entity is!?" Remus panicked. "Notable Entities include Eternity, Infinity, and, oh, Death! It's only Death, James, that can't hurt you…"

"Well, technically what caused the death is what hurts…" Sirius said.

"That's not the point!"

"Wait, so… they're real?" Lily asked.

"They're real here," Remus pulled the mirror out. He wanted to see his friends one last time before they were consumed by a book made by the same kind of things that made the universe. They taught them casually in history class, togue in cheek in physics, but Peter said he'd met a few. "You're in over your heads, please, please don't do this."

"Rem, it's too late," James said. "We're doing it and if we stop…"

"The Book will snuff us, I bet," Sirius said. "Joking! I'm joking! It'll only take our magic."

"Oh, only take what makes you… you!" Remus whimpered.

"We are not our magic," Lily snapped. "We are more than what we can do with a silly stick or an ancient book."

"And we want to do this," Meriam said. "We want to be able to do something more. Something that will help you."

"You four not dying will help me," Remus said.

"Then we won't die," James said.

"Easy-peasy," Sirius agreed.

"We're your friends, Remus."

"But why?" Remus whined. "Why are you risking so much for me?"

"Because it sounds fun," James said jovially. "And you're worth the risk," he added earnestly.

"We want out, and what better way to run away from something than to run towards something better," Sirius agreed with one of those smiles that made Remus feel special and a bit weak in the knees.

Remus cried for half an hour while his friends continued to talk, regaling him once more with a month's worth of stories and the backlog of stories they hadn't had time for last time. Remus had a few of his own, but life for him in New York was mundane compared to the tomfoolery they got into at Hogwarts. He didn't miss Hogwarts, only the people in it.

Whatever was going on with the book, with Red Skull, with Mr. Stark and the Avengers, it didn't matter. Not as much as the smiling faces of his friends.

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