Chapter 5-
The Three Broomsticks
Hogsmeade, England
I was waiting, looking at the Gryffindor picture section. Pictures of their little gang.
Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs.
I just kept staring. When Lupin managed to be brave enough to stay in a picture- he must have been camera shy- he looked so familiar. Not just because I knew him when he was older. I mean, as a child, when he was fifteen like me, he looked like someone I knew. But who?
Potter looked like Potter. Black actually was quite handsome, and I realized the startling change in his appearance was one reason never to go to Azkaban. Pettigrew looked a little out of place, with his decent looks compared to, as my mother had said, school picks. But he was laughing with the others- obviously he didn't care.
When Lupin walked in, twenty years later and thirty-five instead of fifteen, I decided to compare them.
Still kind of handsome. I'm not into guys, but he was still a good pick like Mum said. His hair was shorter, although a bit longer now than when he'd taught. It was a little gray, too, which was like two years ago but kind of strange for a man in his thirties. He was taller, of course, but probably not much. Five eleven or so. And he was still skinny. He probably didn't eat right- that added to the werewolf's metabolism would make him very thin. And he could still use better robes- they were still pretty torn up. They'd been torn up in his yearbook, too.
Was he just used to having lesser quality, I wonder? Because his Hogwarts salary could have certainly gotten him at least one set or decent clothes, and two years doesn't cause clothes to be this shoddy even after constant wear. Put the book aside. Wave at him.
He saw me, smiled, and walked over. He'd brought the dog, a big black one.
The dog growled when it saw me.
"Hush, Padfoot."
"Padfoot? Is that the original, I wonder? From 'Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs'?"
Both dog and man snapped up. "How did you know-?"
"That is Sirius Black, isn't it?"
He paled. "W-Why would I have a criminal-?"
"Because he's an old friend. Because you think he's innocent. But he's not- Or maybe he is? Tell me which."
Sirius- Padfoot- growled again, snapping his jaws. I held out my wand.
"Tell me, or chose. Avada Kedarva or exposing him to the public?"
"Let's- let's go to my house, shall we? What time are you expected back home?"
"Before school. I go at my leisure during summer. Now, answer the question. Is this the real Padfoot?"
He gulped. ".Yes."
Padfoot looked at him. I could almost hear his whine- "Moooony."
"Why do you think he's innocent?"
"Can we talk at my house?"
"No." I jabbed the wand closer to Padfoot.
".Because. The man who killed those Muggles is still alive."
"Yes. Black."
"No. Not him. And that's all I can say in public."
I lowered my wand. "Good enough. For now. Let's go to your place and finish this discussion. But first, one last thing." I showed him the Arithmancy picture.
"Narcissa? It is! You know her?"
"She's blonde. And Slytherin. This was faked."
"No, not Narcissa Morgan. Ravenclaw. I should know, we were partners. The only two Arithmancy majors of our year. But I always wanted to be a teacher, so I studied education, too, and DADA. For obvious reasons I was exceptionally good at it."
"Indeed." Stop scowling at me, damn you. And your dog, too.
"Still. I can't believe you know Narcissa. Have you seen her recently? How's she been?"
"Saw her this morning. Her husband treats her like shit, she's not allowed to love her son-"
"She had children?"
"Just the one. He really loves her, but his father."
Lupin smiled. Glare at him. "What?"
"Nothing, it's just. you say it like you're talking about your own father."
"She married Lucius Malfoy."
What shock value those simple words held. Lupin practically leapt out of his seat. Never before had I seen a dog so bewildered, either.
"Never!" Lupin declared.
Glare. "Then you tell me who carried me."
"But. she hated him. and he was gay."
"Oh?" And you would know this how?
Padfoot growled. "Yes, he was. Not like it was uncommon- Our year was ripe with young men who were same-sex oriented. A few exceptions here and there. But most were quite willing to be with men- I'd say most of the male population of our school was at least bisexual. Slytherin. Well, not Snape. Most of the Ravenclaw guys. All the Hufflepuffs. And Gryffindor."
He lowered his eyes, but Padfoot stared right at me and growled again.
".Just one."
Hmm? "One of four's not low."
"Just. Just me," he admitted.
Well. Damn.
Padfoot licked his hand, and Lupin scratched behind his ears. Panting happily, Padfoot lowered his head on Lupin's leg and rubbed against him lovingly. Lupin smiled.
"No, you weren't. Not really, Paddy. Never gave you the chance."
Fuck. What was that about?
"Narcissa and Lucius had a kid, huh? You have a lot of her in you, actually."
"Good. I can't stand the other one."
"Nor I."
Padfoot barked, a harsh snap. "Well, that's all of us, then," Lupin joked.
I laugh. Lupin's actually funny. I always kinda liked him, but a Malfoy likes no one. Despite how much I like being a Malfoy, it's the best way to avoid Dad's wraith. I hate Dad's wraith. More than I hate house elves. More than I hate Mudbloods.
Like myself. Gah! It's all so confusing!
Lupin's smiling again. Why?
"What?"
"Well, for one thing- I'm shocked Lucius and Narcissa procreated. And you're fifteen, right?"
"Since March 23rd."
He looked confused. With his head tilted like that, he looked very lupine. "Really? Huh. Who else was that. Aw, never mind. Still, that would mean you were conceived in July of 1980, right?"
I did not need to be reminded that my parents had been together, and I told him this. He laughed, but then he grew somber and looked me in the eye.
"Actually. I was his bitch back then. Until October of 1980, actually. I ran away again after that."
Padfoot snarled and growled a lot. I just shuddered.
"Eww."
"Don't remind me. Worst five years of my life."
Five years? It must have shown up on my face.
"It's a long story. And I don't want to relive it. Tell you what- I'll let you read my journals. Have you seen wizard's journals?"
"Yes."
"I can give you my Hogwarts journals, then. 1971-1978."
"How about 1980?"
"Fine- But not '81."
"No thanks. I don't want to live through your memories of the Potters' dying. Last thing I need is moaning and bitching over the dead, who are dead forever."
Padfoot tried to bite me. Down boy.
"Padfoot was. Rather defensive of James and Lily. And he thought of Harry as his own."
"No offense meant. It's just you can't cure the dead."
"I know. But Padfoot's a bit impulsive. Always has been. He never liked logic."
Pause. "Should we go get them, Mr. Malfoy?"
"You can say Draco, Professor."
He laughed again. He pulled on the leash, and Padfoot stood up, growling as I did the same. "Bad dog. No biscuit."
He bit me, so I smacked him. Lupin was laughing hysterically now.
I'd never seen him laugh so hard. Or at all before today.
His smile, his laugh.
Why were they so familiar?
The Three Broomsticks
Hogsmeade, England
I was waiting, looking at the Gryffindor picture section. Pictures of their little gang.
Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs.
I just kept staring. When Lupin managed to be brave enough to stay in a picture- he must have been camera shy- he looked so familiar. Not just because I knew him when he was older. I mean, as a child, when he was fifteen like me, he looked like someone I knew. But who?
Potter looked like Potter. Black actually was quite handsome, and I realized the startling change in his appearance was one reason never to go to Azkaban. Pettigrew looked a little out of place, with his decent looks compared to, as my mother had said, school picks. But he was laughing with the others- obviously he didn't care.
When Lupin walked in, twenty years later and thirty-five instead of fifteen, I decided to compare them.
Still kind of handsome. I'm not into guys, but he was still a good pick like Mum said. His hair was shorter, although a bit longer now than when he'd taught. It was a little gray, too, which was like two years ago but kind of strange for a man in his thirties. He was taller, of course, but probably not much. Five eleven or so. And he was still skinny. He probably didn't eat right- that added to the werewolf's metabolism would make him very thin. And he could still use better robes- they were still pretty torn up. They'd been torn up in his yearbook, too.
Was he just used to having lesser quality, I wonder? Because his Hogwarts salary could have certainly gotten him at least one set or decent clothes, and two years doesn't cause clothes to be this shoddy even after constant wear. Put the book aside. Wave at him.
He saw me, smiled, and walked over. He'd brought the dog, a big black one.
The dog growled when it saw me.
"Hush, Padfoot."
"Padfoot? Is that the original, I wonder? From 'Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs'?"
Both dog and man snapped up. "How did you know-?"
"That is Sirius Black, isn't it?"
He paled. "W-Why would I have a criminal-?"
"Because he's an old friend. Because you think he's innocent. But he's not- Or maybe he is? Tell me which."
Sirius- Padfoot- growled again, snapping his jaws. I held out my wand.
"Tell me, or chose. Avada Kedarva or exposing him to the public?"
"Let's- let's go to my house, shall we? What time are you expected back home?"
"Before school. I go at my leisure during summer. Now, answer the question. Is this the real Padfoot?"
He gulped. ".Yes."
Padfoot looked at him. I could almost hear his whine- "Moooony."
"Why do you think he's innocent?"
"Can we talk at my house?"
"No." I jabbed the wand closer to Padfoot.
".Because. The man who killed those Muggles is still alive."
"Yes. Black."
"No. Not him. And that's all I can say in public."
I lowered my wand. "Good enough. For now. Let's go to your place and finish this discussion. But first, one last thing." I showed him the Arithmancy picture.
"Narcissa? It is! You know her?"
"She's blonde. And Slytherin. This was faked."
"No, not Narcissa Morgan. Ravenclaw. I should know, we were partners. The only two Arithmancy majors of our year. But I always wanted to be a teacher, so I studied education, too, and DADA. For obvious reasons I was exceptionally good at it."
"Indeed." Stop scowling at me, damn you. And your dog, too.
"Still. I can't believe you know Narcissa. Have you seen her recently? How's she been?"
"Saw her this morning. Her husband treats her like shit, she's not allowed to love her son-"
"She had children?"
"Just the one. He really loves her, but his father."
Lupin smiled. Glare at him. "What?"
"Nothing, it's just. you say it like you're talking about your own father."
"She married Lucius Malfoy."
What shock value those simple words held. Lupin practically leapt out of his seat. Never before had I seen a dog so bewildered, either.
"Never!" Lupin declared.
Glare. "Then you tell me who carried me."
"But. she hated him. and he was gay."
"Oh?" And you would know this how?
Padfoot growled. "Yes, he was. Not like it was uncommon- Our year was ripe with young men who were same-sex oriented. A few exceptions here and there. But most were quite willing to be with men- I'd say most of the male population of our school was at least bisexual. Slytherin. Well, not Snape. Most of the Ravenclaw guys. All the Hufflepuffs. And Gryffindor."
He lowered his eyes, but Padfoot stared right at me and growled again.
".Just one."
Hmm? "One of four's not low."
"Just. Just me," he admitted.
Well. Damn.
Padfoot licked his hand, and Lupin scratched behind his ears. Panting happily, Padfoot lowered his head on Lupin's leg and rubbed against him lovingly. Lupin smiled.
"No, you weren't. Not really, Paddy. Never gave you the chance."
Fuck. What was that about?
"Narcissa and Lucius had a kid, huh? You have a lot of her in you, actually."
"Good. I can't stand the other one."
"Nor I."
Padfoot barked, a harsh snap. "Well, that's all of us, then," Lupin joked.
I laugh. Lupin's actually funny. I always kinda liked him, but a Malfoy likes no one. Despite how much I like being a Malfoy, it's the best way to avoid Dad's wraith. I hate Dad's wraith. More than I hate house elves. More than I hate Mudbloods.
Like myself. Gah! It's all so confusing!
Lupin's smiling again. Why?
"What?"
"Well, for one thing- I'm shocked Lucius and Narcissa procreated. And you're fifteen, right?"
"Since March 23rd."
He looked confused. With his head tilted like that, he looked very lupine. "Really? Huh. Who else was that. Aw, never mind. Still, that would mean you were conceived in July of 1980, right?"
I did not need to be reminded that my parents had been together, and I told him this. He laughed, but then he grew somber and looked me in the eye.
"Actually. I was his bitch back then. Until October of 1980, actually. I ran away again after that."
Padfoot snarled and growled a lot. I just shuddered.
"Eww."
"Don't remind me. Worst five years of my life."
Five years? It must have shown up on my face.
"It's a long story. And I don't want to relive it. Tell you what- I'll let you read my journals. Have you seen wizard's journals?"
"Yes."
"I can give you my Hogwarts journals, then. 1971-1978."
"How about 1980?"
"Fine- But not '81."
"No thanks. I don't want to live through your memories of the Potters' dying. Last thing I need is moaning and bitching over the dead, who are dead forever."
Padfoot tried to bite me. Down boy.
"Padfoot was. Rather defensive of James and Lily. And he thought of Harry as his own."
"No offense meant. It's just you can't cure the dead."
"I know. But Padfoot's a bit impulsive. Always has been. He never liked logic."
Pause. "Should we go get them, Mr. Malfoy?"
"You can say Draco, Professor."
He laughed again. He pulled on the leash, and Padfoot stood up, growling as I did the same. "Bad dog. No biscuit."
He bit me, so I smacked him. Lupin was laughing hysterically now.
I'd never seen him laugh so hard. Or at all before today.
His smile, his laugh.
Why were they so familiar?