Love Makes One Do Stupid Things
Ch. #3: As If Things Couldn't Get Any Worse
By: Miyamashi
Author's Note: Many thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! It means a lot to me! This Chapter is almost completely devoid of Douglas Adams inspired humor, which sucks. I'll be sure to get back to that in the future. This chapter is also my least favorite so far, but that's just me.
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After the eardrums of everyone in the household had thoroughly burst, the portrait of Mrs. Black finally quieted down. To Ginny's and Tonks' dismay, Remus' ghost began to recede back through the ceiling. They yelled after him, trying to get him to stay, and finally managed to persuade him to follow them and tell everyone his situation.
When everyone had gathered around a fire in the messy sitting room, Remus slowly began his story.
"It…started when we were fighting the Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries. I knew that Lestrange hated Sirius. I should have figured that she'd go after him first…but I didn't…" the ghost paused and the flickering fire seemed to enhance the dismal look in his eyes. The others urged him to continue, and he did, although softer than before.
"Then he was gone, and I felt so alone. I knew that I still had all of you, but Sirius was…different. He was…no…I can't say it." He tried to change the subject, but Harry stopped him.
"Sirius was my only real family!" Harry shrieked vehemently. "I know he was your friend, but shouldn't it be worse for me? I'm only a kid, and I didn't go off and die!" This struck a chord with Remus, and he floated quickly over to Harry, fury taking over every part of his figure.
"You didn't know him like I did," Lupin hissed venomously, inches away from Harry's face. "When you met Sirius, you already had friends who didn't shun you for who you were…You…You weren't in love with him!"
At that, everyone froze in place. Harry stared. Had Lupin just said what he thought he had? Had his ex-teacher just clearly stated that he was in love with his godfather?
Noticing the way Harry's eyes had widened at his last statement, Remus' fury had abided and was replaced with fear. He quickly drifted backwards and surveyed the faces of the people around him. People were gawking at him. Severus Snape looked absolutely appalled. A few people had started to whisper amongst themselves.
Dumbledore, on the other hand, didn't look shocked at all. The headmaster of Hogwarts stood slowly and waved a silencing hand around the room. All conversation stopped.
"I believe that we should let Remus continue," Dumbledore stated calmly and simply. A murmur of agreement could be heard from around the room. The specter's account of what had happened met with varying responses, but nobody, save for Snape, seemed to take Lupin's statement of affection for his friend too badly, although there were lots of questions.
Remus was especially pleased to note that, once Harry had overcome his initial shock, the boy had been more curious than revolted. He had asked Harry why this was, and had eventually come to the conclusion that, because the Dursleys had openly disproved of homosexuality, Harry had felt compelled to back him up.
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The next few days passed in an almost normal fashion. Multiple people had assured Remus that they would figure out some way to help him, and this had brightened his mood by a surprising amount. As he drifted along the hallways, reliving happy moments that he had spent with Sirius, he felt almost alive again.
The only thing that really bothered him now was the fact that he couldn't eat anything. Of course, he still wanted to see Sirius, but he was feeling a great deal more hopeful about that than he had in a while.
It was that night when everyone else was enjoying their delicious dinner from Molly Weasley that something struck Remus.
The full moon would rise in any moment, and he had no idea if he'd still transform in his ghostly state.
Before he could say anything or ponder any longer, he felt a familiar sensation penetrating the man-made walls.
He could feel the lunar pull, and that could mean only one thing…
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Ron, who had been chatting animatedly with Lupin, stopped eating for a second as the ghost dropped into a sudden contemplative silence. Then, the silvery figure went rigid, and the redhead stood swiftly, knocking over his chair. The 'clunk' of the wooden chair was suddenly drowned out by a massive, echoing scream that could have put Mrs. Black to shame.
Those who had still been eating stopped, and forks and knives dropped to their plates. The ghost of Remus Lupin was lengthening and growing, and worse, becoming less ethereal by the second. His soft, silvery luminescence had subsided, and was replaced by a shocking, gleaming white. His figure had become more opaque and his eyes had darkened to a deep, wild, menacing amber.
Ron had only seen one other ghost that looked anything like the one that was growling at him only a foot away from his face. Peeves.
With horror, he realized that Remus Lupin, in his werewolf state, was a poltergeist.
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Lady Black's portrait began to scream, but nobody really cared, seeing as they were all much more intent on getting away from the massive, white wolf that had just started to demolish its surroundings.
Not good. Really, really bad, in fact.
Luckily for Ron, who had frozen in place, Harry grabbed him and pulled him out of the way as a bowl flew past his head and shattered on the wall. All living inhabitants of the house fled through the large double doors and bolted it shut behind them.
The Remus-wolf hurled itself at the door, causing it to splinter before realizing that poltergeists could go through walls.
Hermione was flung at the staircase, and she collided with the banister and collapsed, unconscious. A few people tried spells, but the wolf dodged them with ease, and continued to ravish the crowd.
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That night, three people, Hermione Granger, Fred Weasley, and Mundungus Fletcher, were carried to St. Mungo's to be treated for serious injuries. Hermione had three cracked ribs and a fairly minor concussion from where she'd collided with the banister. Fred's shins had both been snapped by a large marble statue that had been heaved toward him. Mundungus had a table leg through his left shoulder.
It was very lucky that nobody had died, but there wasn't a person in the household who hadn't been wounded in some way or another. The next morning, Remus regained his normal form, sickened by the damage that he had undoubtedly been responsible for.
It was obvious that something needed to be done before the next full moon, or the consequences would likely be fatal.
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Author's Note: Ack! Poor Remus! (And the three really hurt peoples) As if things weren't bad enough already! (They'll get better, though, I swear!) As par usual, read and review. If you wish to be notified of upcoming chapters (and you haven't already expressed that wish to me), just tell me, and I shall do so!
About the poltergeist thing. Yes, there's some sort of logic behind that. Poltergeists are supposedly formed when a spirit is particularly mischievous or cruel. Remus' werewolf side fits that description, so I figured that it'd make sense for him to become a poltergeist when he transforms.
