Robin Ridgeway
That was the best moment in my god-damned life. The first kiss…
~----~
Dear Remus,
Yes, if I am not out of hiding by the end of the year, you will come here with me. I am currently living with the Walkers, if you want to know more ask Dumbledore. He knows where I am probably better than I do! I was going to come back to the school in a few weeks but I am beginning to think not… a death eater walked by this house yesterday. I knew it was one. I feel I won't be returning to the school this year. You only have a week or two left anyway. What is it … 3 weeks? Yes… I will still be in hiding. I will see you then.
~ R
P.s. Don't put my name on any letters in case these letters get intercepted. Just call me "R".
Remus sighed and turned to James, Sirius, and Peter.
"He's not coming back this year."
Peter groaned aloud. James scowled. Sirius just swore.
"Well, Only three weeks anyway."
Those three weeks went by fast. At the kings cross station, kids huddled around Robin asking him if he'll be there next year and that they hated the replacement teacher. He just pushed past them to Remus and quickly led him to the house.
"Damn muggle cars… I nearly got hit by one a few days ago!"
"I think they're pretty neat…"
"Oh no not you too! Those things are scary!"
Remus laughed. "Scary? Your afraid of muggle cars?"
Robin shrugged
Remus continued laughing till they reached the house, where he reduced it to a small grin.
The door opened to a curly auburn haired woman in her forties. Remus put out a hand, which the woman shook.
"And you must be Remus! Nice to meet you! Would you like something to eat?"
"Yes please!" Remus exclaimed. He had been complaining since they left kings cross that he was hungry. Robin shook his head.
Robin made his way inside behind Remus. Remus looked curiously at all the muggle gadgets and fiddled with them. Celeste peered out from the other room but pulled away when Robin saw her.
"Celeste? Don't you want to meet Remus?"
There was a small 'no' from the other room. Remus raised a brow and looked at Robin. He mouthed 'shy'.
Remus caught a glimpse of a muggle thing in the corner of the room.
"A telephone! I used one of those before! I called James!"
"James. Figures he has a telephone. His father's a little obsessed don't you think?"
"Yeah!"
"Do you know James' number?"
"I think I do…"
"Try it!"
"What if its wrong?"
"Say 'sorry I must have the wrong number!' It happens all the time!"
"ok…"
Remus picked up the phone and dialed the number. He was very releived when James answered.
"Potter residence."
"James!"
"Remus?"
"Haha! Yeah!"
"Are you at that 'Walker' place?"
"Yeah! They have muggle stuff all over so, there's a telephone too!"
"I'm glad I taught you how to use it… does it have a hands-free button?"
Remus looked at the phone. "Yes… what does that do?"
Robin walked over—after seeing Remus look at the hands-free button. He pressed it and hung up the phone.
"Hello, James. I pressed the button for him."
"Hey! Prof--- uhhh… Robin!"
Robin sighed. "I should have never spoken that day…"
"Hey, Remus, do they have a TV?"
"Ummm…"
"Yes they do James, Remus hasn't had the chance to look around."
"Cool! My dad had a TV but I got really mad at it and blew it up…"
Robin laughed hard at that. "Why did you blow it up?"
"Too many comercials…"
Robin broke down in laughter. Celeste peered in again, wondering whats so funny. Suddenly she was thrown into the room as Dieter slammed into her from behind.
"AAACK! Dieter you loser! I'm going to wring your neck---,"
"I'm guessing that's Celeste…" James said. Celeste seemed to have just noticed it was on speaker phone and let out a strangled cry.
"Haha! Celeste we have witnesses! You threatened me! I'm reporting you!"
"Hey Dieter!" James said on the phone.
"Yo James! What's up?"
"Nothing much. How about you?"
"Ah, nada as usual. Robbie's being his boring old self… actually he's gotten more boreing than usual but he did go to the strip club with me last night…"
"Strip club?" James said desparatly trying to hold back laughter.
Remus looked at Robin, a totally amused look on his face.
"I only went cause I was bored…"
"Nice place to go when your bored… I have to admit I was surprised when you took that girls number though…"
Robin didn't answer that. He just flushed red and spoke out of the corner of his mouth.
"Shut your hole before I get mad—not a pretty sight…"
"Who-ho-who! That was a pure straight out threat! Just like you did to Mcgonagall I've heard? Very big of you. Too bad I don't believe a word of it."
Robin's eyes flashed dangerously and an evil smile played at his lips. "You sure you don't believe it?"
"ok…ok… I believe it!" He said, afraid after seeing Robin's dangerous look. James broke out into laughter.
"Remus does Robin have an evil look on his face?"
"Yes." Remus said… he was getting very uncomfortable with Robin's quick mood changes. He knew it was because the full moon was in a few days. Remus wasn't feeling good either.
"Well, I have to be forceful with poor ickle Dieter because his brains to small to understand two simple words."
"What are those two little words, oh respectful Professor Ridgeway?"
"I like that title--- The two words are SHUT UP!"
James began laughing at that. "Maybe you guys could sneak me into that strip club sometime… I'd love it!"
Robin's mood quickly diminished at that. He stormed over to the phone and hung it up. He then took Remus' stuff and led him up to the room he'd be staying in.
Remus followed. Robin left everyone downstairs in silence. When Amanda reentered she followed everyone's gaze at the stairs and guessed what had happened. She walked up the stairs with some food for Remus.
That night Remus went into Robin's room. He couldn't sleep and heard Robin get up. He found Robin climbing back in from the roof.
Robin stopped and looked at him. His nose twitched.
"Whats up?" He said as he perched himself in the window frame.
Remus shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. Heard you moving around. Decided I'd come in here."
Robin nodded. He turned himself around and looked out the window. His eyes scanned the sky, but froze on the nearly full moon. He heard Remus say something but he sounded so far away—he couldn't make out any words.
Finally he felt someone shaking him. Robin realized he was on the floor now—on his knees. The moon is too close to being full… I mustn't look at it.
He realized that Celeste was there now. She had been shaking him. Remus looked startled and avoided looking out the window.
Celeste backed away. HE didn't know what he had done but he figured it wasn't good. He quickly moved away from the window, to the other corner of the room. HE felt very cold suddenly… he knew the feeling well. He looked to Remus who was staring at him wide-eyed.
The both moved to the window and looked down… sure enough there was a man standing there, the hood he wore covered his face. He was talking to another man, who also had his hood covereing his face.
Robin swore loudly. He knew what he had done when the moon mesmerized him. He had started yelling. Yelling words that werewolves knew by heart—the words they were raised by.
The death eaters now knew where to find their Parof… the knew how to get him too.
Celeste broke the silence. She had noticed the death eaters also.
"Why do they want you Robin?" Her voice shook with freight.
"For a potion. A deadly potion."
"Why you? Why not someone else?"
"I'm the only Parof around. They need the blood of newly rested Parof."
"Newly rested?" Remus asked not understanding what that meant.
"fresh killed." He said simply.
"They want to kill you?"
Robin nodded. "If I hadnt looked at the moon they wouldn't have known I was here…"
Remus stared at him, as though thinking of something. Celeste clutched the doorway frame for support.
Robin turned and walked across the room to a calander.
Tomorrow night was a full moon.
He glanced at Remus.
"You might want to get some sleep. A pretty bad moon is coming around."
"Why is it pretty bad?"
"I don't know—cant you sense it? I can…"
Remus shrugged then nodded. "Ok… I'm feeling kind of tired now anyway." He walked out of the room and closed the door of his room behind him.
Right when he left the room, Celeste threw herself at Robin, hugging him as hard as she could; tears streaming down her face.
"They know you're here now! They'll get you!"
"No. They wont. I'll have to leave. Dumbledore solved the last part of the statuette. He is to perform a spell tomorrow to stop many deaths that would occur in a few days. I must leave here for that. Then, when I get back, I will leave. I'm going back home. With Dieter; To America.
She sobbed loudly. "no! You cant leave!"
"I have to. I'm putting everyone in danger by just being here."
"What about Remus? He's only been with you for a day and your ditching him?"
"I'm not ditching him. He'll stay with a good family… you and your mom. I will keep in touch. But I am not leaving for a few weeks… and then I will return when the danger has passed."
She nodded and buried her face in his shirt. He stroked her hair soothingly, till the sun began to rise and she headed back to her bedroom.
The next morning Celeste and Remus were unusually quiet. Robin acted as if nothing happened—as usual. Remus had noticed that after bad things he always managed to hide what he was feeling.
"Odolff you need a life." Robin said. When they joked they often used last names for a better affect.
"Well, Ridgeway, you don't need a life! Damn that wasn't right…" Amanda snorted with laughter. She often just listened to their antics. They were quite funny.
Robin smirked and picked up his plastic spoon. He scooped up some oatmeal from Celeste's dish and flung it at Dieter. Celeste had to laugh with her mother… Dieter looked quite funny. Even Remus managed a small smile.
Celeste looked to Robin. Their eyes met for a second then Robin continued play-fighting with Dieter. Remus noticed this exchange and raised a brow.
---- flash to the future ----
"Potter? Can I speak to you?" Ridgeway asked, as Harry got up to leave the room.
"Yes?"
"Who was the DADA teacher for your… third year?" He had heard some people talking of a professor…
"Remus Lupin… why?"
A smile went across Ridgeway's face. "Ah, Remus… Potte- Harry… do you know where I could perhalps find him?"
"No… I suppose Dumbledore would know…"
"Already asked… What about Mr. Black. I hear he's hiding but I don't know exactly where…"
Harry looked startled at first… He took out a piece of paper… on it read
Dear Harry,
I'm back to the cave in Hogsmede, don't worry Dumbledore told me to.
Ridgeway stopped reading.
"The cave! Sirius got in big trouble as a boy when he went into that cave."
"Why do you want to find Remus?"
"He's my nephew."
Harry looked shocked for a moment then shook his head.
"er… ok… well I got to go to potions…"
"I bet you a lot that Snape hasn't washed his hair since he was a baby…"
Harry laughed and walked out of the room.
Ridgeway stood up. He looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was streaked with gray… I'm only 37! Couldn't you lay off till I'm 40… or 50?
HE thought with a slight chuckle. Remus is… what… 33? Yes… Last time I saw him he was… it was at his Hogwarts graduation… Then I went into hiding again…
He walked out the door and off of the hogwarts grounds. He disapperated and apperated by the cave in hogsmede.
He peered in the cave. He smelt Sirius in his dog form and heard a slight whimper… he sees me. Ridgeway walked in and grinned at the stunned dog.
"Don't worry. I know the truth." The dog released a breath and – very hesitantly – transformed. He looked a mess but was better than his Azkaban pictures. It looked like he had cut his hair but it had grown out since then.
"Sirius. Good to see you again…"
"R-Robin! What are you doing here? I-I thought you went into hiding…"
"I'm teaching at Hogwarts again. I'm sick of hiding. Those death eaters are weaker than before. They wont be able to harm me."
"How did you know I was here?"
"Harry."
"Harry told you I was here??"
"Yes. After a bit of persuading. Looks remarkably like James did doesn't he?"
Sirius nodded still staring at him. Ridgeway had barely changed exept for the bags under his eyes were more noticable and the grey streaks through his hair.
He also looked very tired. Very weak. And the full moon had already passed.
"Why are you here?"
"Well, I wanted to see you, and I wanted to know of Remus… Nobody seems to know where he is."
"oh… he moved into his parents old house…"
"Really now? Ah! I wanted to see that place too… unfortunatly I have no idea where it is…"
"Here…" Sirius said reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a small map.
"I got it so I would know where I was when I travelled… cant really ask directions in a dogs body… the red dot there is Remus' place… that yellow dot is Hogwarts. Hope you find it ok…"
Ridgeway nodded. Then smiled. "Thank you Sirius… I hope you know I've been trying to track down Peter for years… I knew you were innocent from the start… the stars told me…"
Sirius blinked. "The stars?"
"Yes… werewolf gift I suppose… Centaurs take years into learning about stars… werewolves get it naturally."
"No wonder Remus always did so well in Astronomy…"
Ridgeway laughed and walked out of the cave, calling good-bye behind him.
Ridgeway glanced at the map. This is the place…
Ridgeway looked up into the window on the top floor—something caught his eye. A small ornemant… a wolf…
Ridgeway felt a jolt of pain in his head. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial of blood-red potion. He drank it in one gulp.
He noticed a blind from the inside move… a familiar gray eye peered out at Ridgeway. Robin smiled. The eye widened with surprise then suddenly Remus burst out the front door. He smiled and ran over to him. They hugged quickly and Remus shook his head as if not believing it.
"God… It cant be you… you should be hiding…"
"If it isnt me then what are you doing out here talking to me you nut! Of course I ain't hiding… You know I hate listening to Mcgonagall!"
Robin said as he put the empty vial back in his pocket.
Remus laughed and invited him in.
"Good if you didn't invite me in I'd have to wring your neck."
"You still are coming up with threatening jokes I see. Where is Dieter? In the States still?"
"Yeah, he didn't want to come."
Remus began to make some coffee for Robin--- he didn't like tea.
While he did that Robin amused himself with a muggle-made bouncy ball.
("It bounces!" "That's why its called a bouncy ball!" "Remus don't be smart." "Who's being smart? That was just a stupid thing to say…")
For hours they just talked about what had been going on. Robin grinned and cheerily went through all the bad stuff in his life.
"And the moon before last was totally horrible! I was in the hospital for two weeks!"
Remus looked barely surprised. "two weeks? And….?"
"Damn your too smart. Yeah I was in the hospital for two weeks and then I had to stay in bed for another week till I was even able to stand up. By that time the next moon came but that one wasn't bad cause the wolf was too weak."
Remus nodded. "I've been through a living hell of being alone…"
"Welcome to the club!"
"and I nearly killed myself numerous times—,"
"—Its called the werewolf club! We all have sucky lives!"
"Do you ever shut up?"
"Do you want to join?" He said with a stupid grin.
Remus buried his face in his hands and shook his head.
"Right."
There was a loud clatter from the kitchen. Robin fell off of his chair and hurled himself into a corner of the room; shaking and curled in a ball with fear…
Remus looked at him oddly… He knew it hurt him with the loud noise but that reaction was unexpected… Remus realized how hard the past years must've been for him.
The cat darted out of the kitchen covered in food which came from the plates he had just knocked over.
~-------~