"Should have been killed, that one... He's a werewolf..."
"Poor Mrs. Lupin, First Auron, now her little Remus..."
"I hear that she's not going to send him away..."
It had been nearly a year after Zella-Marrie had pulled the mess of a boy from the tree at sun-up before he stepped outside into the sun again. Remus healed quickly after the attack, which was labeled as one of a werewolf, the same type of beast that had taken the life of Auron Lupin. Labeled as it was, he could never explain what had happened to him the night. His uncle had built a 'bomb-shelter' type shack below ground near the cabin the day they realized he had been poisoned by the beast's venom and saliva, cursing the young boy to transform each month into the massive, mindless beast of Darkness.
No one else was hurt that night, it was said that the beast was being hunted by werewolf poachers, which had followed it close to the Lupin home that very night. When they heard its howl, they went after it, distracting it with their wands and other means often used to capture such beasts. Thanks to those men, Remus Lupin remained alive, although tainted by the blood of the Moon-Creature. Remus Lupin was a werewolf.
After the attack, he became distant, shunned by other
families, who refused to allow their children to play with him, as well
as with his brother and sister. His sickly figure remained thin, though
each and every cut, scrape and even bug he caught faded almost too quickly;
he never even got sick. The attack had strengthened his immune system and
even made his stronger, keener in senses and sharper the closer he arrived
to the full moon. The one problem was, the day before the full moon, when
he was at his prime, he would change into the blood-thirsty beast. If he
harmed himself the first night, it was unknown, as he healed almost as
fast as when he pulled himself from the shelter every morning. The worst
night was the actual night of the moon; every time Zella-Marrie would open
the door, she would find her precious child in a heap with his hair, bloody
smears and deep gashes all over the walls. The third night each month,
the one after the moon, was the one he would wake up from looking like
Death: pale, thin and his healing down. Often, he would refuse to eat at
this time, wishing only to sleep and remain alone, away from the pitying
eyes of his family. Remus knew he was a beast.
~*~*
Golden, orb-like eyes caught the sun as the twelve-year-old gazed longingly down the paths of Diagon Alley, the enthralling city for only Wizards and Witches alike. It was late August, when many students were about readying themselves for school, be it their first, or even seventh year attending the infamous Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A long, slender neck craned lightly as booted feet rose on toes, lifting him a bit in attempt to peer over the head of his twin in order to look into the Quidditch Supply Shop.
"See all of it, Remmy!? Isn't it positively wicked!" Romulus flashed his a boyish grin before continuing to speak to his mother, whose hair had long since turned snowy from pain, sorrow and depression. Though she was a sad woman, her golden eyes gleamed with pride as she looked down to the twins before her, admiring them with nothing short of Love. " Can't me 'n' Remmy go in, Mum? We won't be long... We just wanna see the brooms!" His voice was as happy as it always was, ringing through the air as their mother pulled them to the tables before the Ice cream shop.
" Later, Romulus, we have to buy you your books, remember," she wiped dirt from his nose as Remus shifted in his chair, uneasy about the experience of going to school. Not a week before did letters come for himself and his brother, accepting them both to Hogwarts for the September term. While Romulus was too excited to sleep the past week, Remus and his mother had already met with Dumbledore, not for excitement, but due to his condition. The grey-haired Headmaster was so kind to them that Remus' mother left their meeting in tears, whispering praises to him as he smiled and patted the boy on the head. Everything was settled with his monthly issues. He would be escorted with the nurse to a tree planted for this purpose and he would travel through a tunnel to a shack within Hogsmeade, a town which many students visited a few times during the term. Teachers would know of his absences and he would have perfect privacy as needed.
Wands were not an issue, as Remus' uncle was more than happy to make two for the boys. Romulus' was a simple Oak wand of 13 inches made with a unicorn hair... Remus's, on the other hand, was a fine Willow wand of 15 inches which was made with the fang of the werewolf which left two canines in his thigh years before. Another wand was made with the other tooth, one Remus kept hidden in his small box of possessions. It seemed that the wand would gain power the closer it drew to the full moon; Remus liked it for some reason. It was not hard finding the books and supplies the twins needed, though Laney, now a fine Eleven-year-old, was quite annoying with her pleading to go along with the boys to school. "Next year," she was promised every few minutes.
Next year... Remus thought soundlessly as he licked, completely not hungry, at his peanut butter ice cream cone that the nice man inside had given to him and his siblings, free of charge; Remus vowed to learn his name sooner or later. Upon finishing the vow, the young werewolf suddenly stopped, a feint scent of vanilla and peaches drifting into his heightened senses. "Mm..." He purred out through his pale lips as his golden eyes followed, rolling along for the source of the smell.
"Oh..." A gasp fell from his throat as he witnessed the maker of the lovely flavour which was more enticing than his melting ice cream. The girl was beautiful, even to a Twelve-year-old boy who was not at all interested in the opposing sex. Scarlet hair tumbled down along ivory cheeks, which were blushed pink from running around with apparently Muggle-Born Parents. Eyes of liquid emerald met his, but only for a moment as a blush darkened on her cheeks, fingers wiggling in a shy wave. Remus turned scarlet and quickly jerked his gaze away, looking down just as the glob of ice cream flopped onto his bare hand, then onto the table with a messy flop. By the time his mother had scolded, cleaned and tended him, the girl was gone into the crowds once more, still, to the young werewolf, her scent lingered along his tongue.
"Remmy? 'Cha lookin' for?" Romulus perked a brow to him, poking lightly under his ribs and thus pulling the young boy from his thoughts of the red-haired girl. Maybe she goes to my school... Remus thought giddily, though when he looked to the glass window of the Quidditch Supply shop, allowing him to see the difference between himself and his identical twin, his shoulders fell. She would never like the werewolf. Those both boys were the same height, Remus remained thin, almost femine in figure and his hair always needed cut after the full moon as it grew Presently, it was to his shoulder in silken gold-brown tresses which curled slightly at the ends. Romulus' remained only at his chin, but also curled a bit, though it was thicker and a bit darker in tone. Remus' ears also drew into a slight point at the end, though it could easily be shrugged off as something from birth. Speaking of points, however, his canines held a natural point, which, although odd, could also be called 'normal'.
"Nothing. Just looking around," came his idle reply to his twin, who snickered a bit and tossed a playful punch to his shoulder, chipping it lightly in his boyish fun. Remus, however, was still enchanted by a scent lingering in the air of Diagon Alley on the late August day. He knew, at that moment, he loved that pretty smelling red-haired girl. He had to see her again.
***
The next few days went by quickly for Remus as everyone was busying themselves with getting the twins ready for their trip to Hogwarts ( as well as trying to nurse a crying and jealous Laney and convincing her that next year she would be attending the school as well.) Time passed with their mother barking orders to them and fussing over their hand-me-down robes and many hand-me-down books which Auron had from his teaching at the schools years before.
"Come on, now, Remus... You can come home for Christmas, I promise..." His mother assured him as she gently pried him from her waist, him nearly ripping her robes as lucid tears slid from his glowing golden eyes, emotion stirring the beast within his very soul.
"Don't make me go, Mum... I can't..." He pleaded softly through his tears. Romulus had already hugged the woman and disappeared onto the train moments before, but Remus was too afraid, too... Scared... to go onto the train; to go into the world of Hogwarts without his mother.
"Shh, now, love... You'll write me and your sister'll write with me, as well... We'll see you in December, but sweetie... you have to go..." She said softly, running her fingers through his long hair, pushing it back from his pink cheeks as the whistle split the air. Remus could only close his tear-rimmed orbs and flow with the crowds. Luckily enough, he found a compartment alone where he could curl up in the corner and cry without any new students making fun of him.
Hiccuping softly, Remus managed to change into his
Hogwarts robes, though his eyes lingered as he changed his torn trousers
into tended ones. Along his thighs rested those obvious scars of the attack
years before, the claws and the massive fangs which tainted his youthful,
should-be figure. Just more things Remus knew he had to hide. Dressing
quickly, the boy went back to coiling himself on the seat, looking down
the window through scarlet-rimmed golden eyes, which glittered, glowing
with inhuman enchantment against the reflection of the window. A sudden
pause, and a sniff... The girl was on the train, he told himself,
scrubbing his nose to clear it, allowing him to bask in the beautiful odour
of the red-headed witch.