The following morning Remus woke up earlier than he'd have liked to
the sound of an owl tapping on his window. Lupin un-characteristically
stumbled over to the window and opened it. Rem was already laying back down
as the letter was dropped unto his chest. To his annoyance, the bird landed
on his arm and started hooting urgently. Wondering what on Earth could be
so important, Moony finally opened his eyes. What he saw woke him in a
flash.
Perched on his arm was a beautiful large tawny owl. There was a neon ring around her left leg. The band was glowing a bright orange color. Any wizard could tell you that this message was important. An orange band means that the letter is to be read and answered ASAP.
Snapping to attention, Remus hurriedly opened the oddly un-marked letter. Even when alone, Lupin has a habit of keeping his facial expression neutral. So his eyes only widened slightly as he finished reading the note from Dumbledore. What a person could not tell from looking is that the ex- marauder's heart was beating at an alarming rate.
Despite this, Rem answered back surely and quickly with barely a moments thought - 'Of course, yes. I'll do it.' He sent the owl away with a treat and a pat on the head.
Suddenly unable to sleep, Moony went for a nice long shower to clear his head. He needed time to digest this news and figure out how to tell Sirius.
"Sirius." Rem thought. "Will he be angry about this? Will he object? No, he'll understand. I have to do this. And if he does get upset, Dumbledore gave me a week to prepare myself. Maybe in that time I can get him to see things my way."
His hair still dripping in coffee-colored strands around his head, Moony set to work cooking breakfast for Sirius and himself. After charming it to stay hot, Lupin settled himself back on the couch trying to catch his breath.
"I hope the effects of that spell wane soon." He thought to himself. Suddenly his eyelids were very heavy. He didn't even know he'd drifted off until Black tapped him on the shoulder.
"Hey, are you gonna eat or what?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, right."
Sirius just smiled and walked off towards the food. Lupin could smell the shampoo as his friend walked away. So he showered.
Moony swayed slightly as he stood too quickly. He was glad Padfoot hadn't noticed.
So the two ate together in semi-comfortable silence. Rem could tell something was on Sirius' mind by the way his foot was going a mile a minute.
"Something wrong?"
"Well, no. Not exactly."
"C'mon, what is it?"
Sirius sighed. "I was just wondering when you were going to drop your cloak of mystery, that's all."
"Come again?" Lupin played dumb.
"I've been staying here for how many days now? 5? 6? And you've hardly said a word to me this whole time. Our conversation last night was the most I've heard of your voice in over a decade!"
When Remus did not answer Siri continued. This time his voice was less harsh and almost sounded pleading.
"Why haven't you told me how you've been? What you've been up to?"
"Well, honestly, I don't know why I haven't been talking, Padfoot. Maybe I thought my past was unimportant considering everything else that's been going on as of late." Moony laughed softly. "I didn't even know you cared, really. But if you're really curious - " Black cut him off.
"Of course I'm curious!"
"Okay, okay. Let me think for a moment." After a pause and a sigh Rem spoke.
"First of all, I was always traveling, moving around to wherever work was available you know."
"Yeah, what kind of jobs did you hold?"
"Medi-wizard's assistant, private tutor, I wrote for the Daily Prophet shortly, Book keeper, Cauldron - bottom Inspector. "
Black exaggerated a yawn.
"Anything even remotely interesting?"
Rem smiled, mischief making his eyes glow.
"What? What are you hiding?" Sirius eyed his friend suspiciously.
"Well, there was this one job that might prove exciting even to you."
"Yes? Yes? What was it?"
"It was my longest lasting job, too, now that I think on it. Four years." Padfoot was practically having spasms in anticipation. He could tell by his friend's tone that this was gonna be good.
"The interview nearly killed me. literally." Moony continued, just as calm as could be. Right when Black looked as if he was going to burst, Rem put him out of his misery.
"I was an Exterminator."
Hell had indeed frozen over; Sirius Black was actually struck speechless.
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~
A/N - This chapter was going to be a lot longer but I thought I'd be nice and update much earlier than planned. Plus I thought that was a good way to end. R/R please! Thanks to all who've reviewed already! You all rock! ^_^
Next Chapter - What is an Exterminator anyway? And maybe some good old -fashioned angst with an explanation about that strange letter.emphasis on the word 'maybe'.
Perched on his arm was a beautiful large tawny owl. There was a neon ring around her left leg. The band was glowing a bright orange color. Any wizard could tell you that this message was important. An orange band means that the letter is to be read and answered ASAP.
Snapping to attention, Remus hurriedly opened the oddly un-marked letter. Even when alone, Lupin has a habit of keeping his facial expression neutral. So his eyes only widened slightly as he finished reading the note from Dumbledore. What a person could not tell from looking is that the ex- marauder's heart was beating at an alarming rate.
Despite this, Rem answered back surely and quickly with barely a moments thought - 'Of course, yes. I'll do it.' He sent the owl away with a treat and a pat on the head.
Suddenly unable to sleep, Moony went for a nice long shower to clear his head. He needed time to digest this news and figure out how to tell Sirius.
"Sirius." Rem thought. "Will he be angry about this? Will he object? No, he'll understand. I have to do this. And if he does get upset, Dumbledore gave me a week to prepare myself. Maybe in that time I can get him to see things my way."
His hair still dripping in coffee-colored strands around his head, Moony set to work cooking breakfast for Sirius and himself. After charming it to stay hot, Lupin settled himself back on the couch trying to catch his breath.
"I hope the effects of that spell wane soon." He thought to himself. Suddenly his eyelids were very heavy. He didn't even know he'd drifted off until Black tapped him on the shoulder.
"Hey, are you gonna eat or what?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, right."
Sirius just smiled and walked off towards the food. Lupin could smell the shampoo as his friend walked away. So he showered.
Moony swayed slightly as he stood too quickly. He was glad Padfoot hadn't noticed.
So the two ate together in semi-comfortable silence. Rem could tell something was on Sirius' mind by the way his foot was going a mile a minute.
"Something wrong?"
"Well, no. Not exactly."
"C'mon, what is it?"
Sirius sighed. "I was just wondering when you were going to drop your cloak of mystery, that's all."
"Come again?" Lupin played dumb.
"I've been staying here for how many days now? 5? 6? And you've hardly said a word to me this whole time. Our conversation last night was the most I've heard of your voice in over a decade!"
When Remus did not answer Siri continued. This time his voice was less harsh and almost sounded pleading.
"Why haven't you told me how you've been? What you've been up to?"
"Well, honestly, I don't know why I haven't been talking, Padfoot. Maybe I thought my past was unimportant considering everything else that's been going on as of late." Moony laughed softly. "I didn't even know you cared, really. But if you're really curious - " Black cut him off.
"Of course I'm curious!"
"Okay, okay. Let me think for a moment." After a pause and a sigh Rem spoke.
"First of all, I was always traveling, moving around to wherever work was available you know."
"Yeah, what kind of jobs did you hold?"
"Medi-wizard's assistant, private tutor, I wrote for the Daily Prophet shortly, Book keeper, Cauldron - bottom Inspector. "
Black exaggerated a yawn.
"Anything even remotely interesting?"
Rem smiled, mischief making his eyes glow.
"What? What are you hiding?" Sirius eyed his friend suspiciously.
"Well, there was this one job that might prove exciting even to you."
"Yes? Yes? What was it?"
"It was my longest lasting job, too, now that I think on it. Four years." Padfoot was practically having spasms in anticipation. He could tell by his friend's tone that this was gonna be good.
"The interview nearly killed me. literally." Moony continued, just as calm as could be. Right when Black looked as if he was going to burst, Rem put him out of his misery.
"I was an Exterminator."
Hell had indeed frozen over; Sirius Black was actually struck speechless.
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~
A/N - This chapter was going to be a lot longer but I thought I'd be nice and update much earlier than planned. Plus I thought that was a good way to end. R/R please! Thanks to all who've reviewed already! You all rock! ^_^
Next Chapter - What is an Exterminator anyway? And maybe some good old -fashioned angst with an explanation about that strange letter.emphasis on the word 'maybe'.
