A/N – Here's my update! Thanks for bearing with me. Did you see PoA? (well, of course you did, what was I thinking?) Did anybody get some slashy vibes when Remus and Sirius hugged? Heheheheheh... And did anyone other than me think that Seamus was a total hottie along with Malfoy and Harry? -swoons- KT SHY, aww! We all luff Remus and his kitten! =D. Sade, heh, Remus has to hate SOME subjects. XD Thanks to all my other reviewers. I love reading your entertaining reviews! Review more! XD
Anyway, I saw some fics where Lucius Malfoy is older than the Marauders and calculating it, they're right. I could've changed it, but Lucius plays an important role in this fic. Whoops... -covers mouth- Did I just give it away?
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Title – Inspire Me
Author – Kawaii Kinomoto
Genre – General, Romance, Angst (this is a bit further chapters, though)
Rating – PG-13 (for now)
Spoilers – Almost everything about the Marauders and the history of Hogwarts.
Warnings – Slash, Language
Main Pairings – Sirius/Remus, James/Lily
Disclaimer – I do NOT own the entire cast of HP. They are owned by Joanne Kathleen Rowling. Names, places, or settings that are not mentioned in the books are entirely mine. -shifty look- You hear me?! MINE!!!
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Inspire Me
Revival
"Urrrghh..."
What happened?
"Oh, you're awake. How're you feeling, dear? Don't get up, silly boy! You need rest!"
Remus leaned back against his pillows in the Infirmary. He looked expectantly at the kind, plump lady in front of him.
"Madame Florence. Call me Matron if you like. Feeling okay? Here, have a good cup of hot chocolate. Go on, now! It's not poisoned!"
He tentatively lifted his mug towards his lips and felt the milky chocolate go down his throat. Matron fussily twaddled around him, patting the bed sheets.
"Your friends brought you here after your nasty shock. Dear 'Lawney is here too," she said, motioning towards the person beside his bed. He didn't even notice the frizzy-haired girl at first. She was pale and ghost-like and her lips were slightly tinted with blue.
"'Lawney?"
"Sybil Trelawney, dear. Small one, she is. People find her just a tad weird though, what with her... abilities,"
Remus perked up at that. "Abilities? What abilities?" he asked. But Matron only absently fiddled with Remus's blanket, not answering. Remus pressed on, eager for more information. "What abilities? I would like to know. I won't tell anybody!"
Matron looked up, her kindly face showing a sad smile. "I've said too much, dearie. Don't worry yourself about it. Please call me when she wakes up, alright? I'll be whipping up some healing balms," she said. She then said something else, so soft, that nobody human could hear. But Remus wasn't human, well, not entirely. So he heard it anyway.
"You're not the only one with dark secrets, Remus Lupin."
Remus could only stare at her retreating form.
---
It was official. The Fates were out to get him. First day in Hogwarts and already in the Infirmary? Just his luck. Remus sank down on his pillows, bored to death. He carelessly threw the book he was reading aside. Who cared about pixies anyway? He studied his pale, alabaster hands, lightly running his fingers over the smooth skin. It was just about the only place where there weren't any scars left from his transformation.
He looked back at the girl next to him. She didn't move an inch. What could be wrong with her? She looks perfectly normal. Well, as normal as a fainting corpse could ever look like...
"Argh..." he said softly. He wanted out of this place, NOW! This small sound attracted Matron again.
"Bored again, love? My dear, that's the twelfth book you've thrown away so far! Be a bit more grateful, why don't you? I'm the one who has to take regular trips to the Library to get them for you. My feet can't take it anymore!" she exclaimed, but not before giving Remus a quick smile to show that she was joking. Remus gave her his patented 'Piteous Puppy' look. Matron only groaned, "Do stop that. It's not going to work on me! You'll be staying until tomorrow at dawn. It's only a night here! You might as well sleep now. It's nearly nine..."
"Pfftt... Which idiot sleeps at nine?"
Matron and Remus looked towards the door. Sirius and James were leaning against it, arms folded. Both trying to look intimidating, but failing terribly. Matron rolled her eyes. "Not you two monsters again? I've just about had it with the both of you. Remember last term? What with you and your new and improved Deadly Dungbombs? This infirmary was full with students, all out of it."
The two boys sat on Remus's bed and Sirius grinned, "Well, all of them were Slytherins, Matron. And we all know about your deep fetish with the Slytherin lads, eh? It was your birthday present!" He wriggled his eyebrows.
"Why you!" Matron gave a tug of Sirius's ear, making him whimper in pain.
"She's still konked, is she?" James nodded over to Trelawney. Sirius snorted, "Great observation there, brainiac,"
"What are you both doing here? Where're the others?" asked Remus non- commitedly, smoothening out his bed sheets. He couldn't stand the way they folded under the weight of the three of them. James and Sirius smirked at the neat freak. Both subtlely shuffled their positions, causing more creases around the bed.
"You didn't think that we'd let you stay here all alone with Miss Frightful Face and Madame Kinky, now, eh?" This earned another playful cuff on Sirius's ear. "All of the others are slogging through their homework," continued James.
"Homework! I'll be late!"
"No you won't. I've excused you from your homework today, so remember to ask for a slip tomorrow before breakfast," said Matron, before making her way to the other side of the room.
"I say you must be bloody unlucky. First day in here and all," said Sirius, sympathetically. James slapped Sirius on the back. "No worries about THAT! We can compensate it with our immensely good luck, can't we, Siri?"
Matron came back with a hot cup of chrysanthemum tea. "Drink it, it'll do you good," she said. Remus took a sip and blanched. "Urgh..."
James grabbed the mug and sniffed it. "What ELSE have you got in this thing?" he asked, screwing his nose to detect any unfamiliar whiff. Matron only shrugged childishly. "I grounded the leaves and the stem along with it," she said, "It's supposed to be good for you, child! Drink!"
"Don't drink it, Remus. She's out to get you! She's taken to you, I can tell. It's probably some weirdo drug like that witch gave to that 'Snow Purple' or 'Snow Green' or something! It'll make you pass out faster than the train headed for those two puppies in 'Lady and the Chump'!" yabbered Sirius. This time, Matron dragged Sirius to the door by the ear, making him yelp softly all the way.
"Hey, I thought it was 'Lady and the Trump Card'? And was it the first movie or the second, cause I don't remember..." said James thoughtfully. Matron gave a meaningful glare to James, obviously saying 'Get out NOW'. Needing no more prompting, James practically flew out the door, grabbing Sirius by the hand.
"DDOONN'TT DRRRRIIIINKKKK IIIITTTTT!!!" Sirius yelled dramatically as he left. Matron shook her head. "Honestly, Black couldn't be quiet if he tried. Those two would be the death of me, I tell you," she said.
Remus could only grin at the stupidity of the two boys and went back to smoothening his sheets, wondering why there seemed to have an amazing amount of creases since James and Sirius came.
"Go to sleep now, dear. It's nearly ten," came the lilting voice of Matron. Remus nodded obediently before lying back and closed his eyes to sleep.
---
"My dear, wake up now. It's almost time for breakfast. Go wash up, I've got your clothes here already."
Remus peeked from under his blankets and sleepily rubbed his eyes before walking like a zombie to the bathroom. He noticed that Sybil Trelawney was up, with a blank look on her face. He didn't bother about her but took a nice warm bath.
After changing (and making sure everything was in place) and combing his hair (making sure, of course, that there was no strand poking out strangely), he stepped out of the bathroom.
"My goodness, it does take you long in the bathroom, doesn't it?" came an unfamiliar voice. He looked at Trelawney and felt a bit miffed. Her voice was vague and soft, you had to strain to hear it, most unlike the way she lost control last night.
"You're the newbie, aren't you?" she asked. Remus nodded, not wanting to exchange more talk with this apparent dreamer.
"You have a secret too, don't you? Something dark and terrible that you try to hide, but you want to know something? Someone's going to find out anyway. It's in your Fate..."
Remus stopped in his tracks. How did she know? She didn't know the exact thing, but she still struck a nerve nonetheless. He quickly walked to the end of the room towards Matron. He quickly walked to the end of the room, towards Matron.
"Do you have my permission slip, Matron?" he asked, rather rushed. Matron looked up from her desk. "Oh yes, dearie. Just let me find it first... hmm... eh... oooh... Oh, here you go. Now take care okay? Won't want anything more to happen to you," she said, smiling. Remus thanked her and left the Infirmary, the pink paper in hand. It was a few corridors before he stopped. He hadn't come this way before. He didn't even know where the Great Hall was from the Infirmary.
"Lost, are you?" came a loud, jaunty voice. Remus jumped and looked around. A portrait of a man in his twenties was beside him.
Remus didn't feel like going back to the Infirmary and make a fool out of himself in front of Trelawney again. "Yes, I am, actually. Would you by chance have any idea where the Great Hall is?" asked Remus. The man concentrated before yelling a response.
"Yes, I do! Go straight, then down the stairs to the left. It'll lead you to the north wing, where the main hall is. Then I'm sure you know where to go from there."
Remus gave a small 'thank you' before hurrying off. If he had been paying more attention, he would have noticed the portrait's name, 'The Lost Wanderer', engraved on the gold plaque.
---
"Sirius, you must be bloody nuts to think of annoying Peeves," panted James. Sirius could only laugh breathlessly in reply. Both boys were running like the wind, both being chased by an irritated Peeves with his enchanted tomatoes.
"ACK!"
Sploosh...
Splat...
Squish...
"Remus, what are you doing here?"
Remus, Sirius and James were on the floor, having collided only seconds earlier. Also, all dripping in tomato goop. Sirius couldn't help laughing inside. The boy looked so muddled and adorably lost that it was quite hard not to get up and give him a big hug. Peeves chortled and glided away, hooting, obviously satisfied.
"Isn't this the way to the Great Hall?" came the innocent reply. The other two boys stared.
"That's all the way in the other wing..."
...
"Oh..."
---
After having cleaned up, the three boys went for their first class, not having enough time to have breakfast. Frustrated and hungry, they trodded off to the Quidditch Pitch.
Remus couldn't help feeling a bit apprehensive as they were given an obstacle course to pass through. He never liked heights, ever since his sister nearly fell from a twelve story building. He had NO intention of falling fifteen feet from the in the air.
"Lupin, what are you doing!? Get on a broom, now!" screamed Madam Wu. She was a stern domineering woman with muscles the size of Quaffles. But then again, Remus had no intention of having a death wish so early as well.
"Err..." Seeing the look on Madam Wu's face, he snatched a broom from the stands and hopped onto it with a sickly feeling.
The broom lifted him easily, making him clutch at it even harder. He wasn't even sure how to make this infernal piece of wood move. He tried leaning forward.
"Hey, what're you trying to do, Loopy? Rape the broom or something?" came the nasally voice. Looking up, he saw Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy giving him bad-ass smirks from the other side of the Pitch. Remus felt himself flush maddeningly. They always made him feel uncomfortable. A rush of wind came up beside him.
"I suppose you could do better, Snappers!? I highly doubt it, seeing that someone as stupid as you wouldn't be able to count from ten backwards!" shouted Frank Longbottom, nearly deafening poor Remus beside. Frank had the LOUDEST voice in the whole second year altogether. It was practically a sonic boom.
"Dear, dear. Do keep your voice down, Longbottom. I can't help thinking you're a bit... uncultured to be screaming like that," chided Malfoy mockingly.
"BOYS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? IT'S WARMING UP! SO?! WARM UP!!!"
All four boys scooted away from the raging coach, who was now shaking her Bludger-like fist at a group of girls chattering on their brooms.
"You there! Quit talking and START WARMING UP!!! GOGOGOGOGOGO!!!"
Needless to say, she wouldn't have caught those girls yapping during this class anymore.
---
Lance, James and Remus made their way back to the castle, both trudging sloggily through the mildly wet grass.
"Blimey, I think Wuffers was seriously unloved when she was a child. I forgot how slave-driving she could be," sighed James, wiping sweat off his brow.
"I'm so tired, I could just fall asleep right here. To make matters worse, this is our first class of the day..." grouched Lance.
"Urrghh..."
James patted both of them on the back. "Well, at least we aren't having detention with her this evening," he said. All of them cheered up visibly after hearing that. Sirius had made the ultimate mistake of trying to get out of the obstacle course.
"Madam? I don't think I could fly anymore. You see, I have a weak heart, and I can't take—"
"WEAK HEART!? WEAK HEART!?!? AFTER BOTH YOU AND POTTER WERE CHASING EACH OTHER AROUND THE PLACE LIKE DERANGED MONKEYS!? I'LL SHOW YOU WEAK HEART! OOHHHH, YES I WILL!! YOU'LL HAVE ONE AFTER DETENTION, FIVE O' CLOCK TODAY!!!"
Remus was mildly amused at the petrified look on Sirius's face. But he still felt sympathetic at the same time. Detention with Wu could mean suicide.
---
Next was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Remus was fascinated by the dull lanterns that were filled with Firepox pixies and the spacious peaceful atmosphere. In the middle of the room was a small cage, and inside the small cage was a...
"Eww! What IS that thing?" yelped Gwendoline Minx, shrinking back in disgust. The door opened again and a small lady walked in.
"That is a X'dion. Don't go near it, Mr. Cummings, yes? I can assure you that it will probably chew off your head if you goad him. It doesn't like to be provoked, yes? Get to your seats, class. It's time to start the lesson," said Professor Bonnet, waving her hands around.
Just then, Sirius barged in through the door with a bang. Bonnet smiled evilly. "Late again, yes, Mr. Black? I have half a mind—"
James smiled playfully at that. "So true..."
"—to take away any marks, yes? Well then, you can thank Mr. Black for the loss of 10 marks, yes?" she simpered. Lance silently mimicked her behind her back, making Remus snigger in spite of himself. Sirius nodded at the professor and then sat beside James, the bespectacled boy sighing. He could hear Sirius apologizing profusely in response.
Lance sat next to Remus, having an intense staring competition with the wall in front of the class. Remus studied the X'dion. It was obviously very young, as it was only about the size of a cat. A rather mean cat, he corrected himself. The X'dion was growling and snarling, throwing itself against the metal bars every few seconds. Despite it's size, it had fangs the length of five inches long.
"So yes, can anybody tell me something about the X'dion?"
"Apart from the fact that it's totally ugly?"
"Yes, Ms. Abbot, besides that..."
"And that it seems to smell?"
"That too, Mr. Harrison, yes..."
...
"No one?" asked Bonnet, fake surprise on her face. All she got were blank stares and a muffled yawn from Peter. She huffed, "And to think, yes, that I had actually expected this class to be somewhat smarter than last year's. Very well, yes? The X'dion, as ugly and smelly you all think they are, feast on human flesh. No other. It prefers it's meat to be alive and fresh," (groans and 'ick's came from all over the class).
"and does have quite an appetite. I caught this X'dion wandering in the Forbidden Forest, far from it's nest. It had nearly devoured my hand in the process," (everybody peeked and nearly fainted when they saw the bloody mess she called her hand) "this one is around three months old and is a she. Females tend to be more aggressive than males," (Sirius whispered "They all are," and earned a whap upside the head from Lily).
"they are even more protective when they are with child," ("It's a scary thought when you find out that someone as violent as Lily gets worse when she's pregnant," Sirius continued. Lily's friends had to restrain her from killing Sirius outright).
"Whenever you encounter a X'dion, try using a stunning spell to stop it's movements and then finishing it off by crippling it's hind legs then uttering a simple monster death charm. It's legs are extremely powerful as it can leap from one place to another in a flash."
"Excuse me, professor... Isn't it mean to hurt the X'dion?" asked a girl. Bonnet gave a long, exaggerated sigh. She had obviously encountered many tree-huggers like this one before.
"Ms. Bones, better to cripple another than to BE crippled. X'dion's legs regenerate every couple of weeks, so it shouldn't give them much pain. Since all of you are so interested in them, I would like a four-foot paper on how X'dions capture, torture then eat their victims. IN DETAIL..."
Every student's face had taken on a strange hue of queasy green. Bonnet only smiled sweetly at them. James was gaping, along with Wanda, mouth wide open. Even Lance was paying attention, shocked out of his reverie.
"Professor? Why do we need to know that? It's going to be no use later on, right?" asked James hopefully. Bonnet squinted an eye and peered closely at James, who shifted uncomfortably.
"Why do you think that? You'll need to know how to escape it while you can. Besides, you might at least KNOW how they tortur you, yes? So when they're tearing your limbs apart," ("urgh...") "you'll remember your essay so you can escape, yes? Besides, it may come out in you O.W.Ls. Written, mind you..."
A big collected sigh of relief echoed around the room.
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A/N – Here's my latest update. =D I hope you're happy with it. I hated typing it out (as usual). This author's engine runs on reviews. Submit review fuel to keep me running. Pretty please?
-orders Sirius to run around with a jar of cookies-
A cookie if you review! Please tell me how I'm going so far. I love reading your feedback!
Kawaii Kinomoto