Disclaimer - You know the drill. You don't seriously think I created Harry Potter, do you? Give me a break, I'm not that smart. No, these characters are the sole property of J. Rowling and a number of publishing companies.
A/N - You made it! Un-freakin'-believable. Well, I promised a sequel, so here's the beginning of one. Let it never be said that I don't update when I say I will.
-Leaf
ANOTHER WORD FOR YOU
Remus Lupin sat nervously on the stone steps in front of Hogwarts castle, awaiting the arrival of his parents.
Having spent half his life in a center for orphaned or abandoned children, Remus had been stunned to learn his parents were searching for him. He'd met with Raymond and Cyrilia Lupin several times over the course of the past few months, but today he would go home with them for the Christmas holidays. Today he would be alone with his parents for the first time, away from the reassuring presence of his best friend, Sirius Black.
Across the courtyard, Sirius was pacing. Remus watched him, half amused at his friend's nervousness and half grateful. "Sirius?"
"They're late," Sirius bit out.
"They're two minutes late, Padfoot. Relax."
Sirius sighed. "Moony, are you sure this is what you want to do?"
"Of course I'm sure." They'd been over it a million times. "They're my parents, Sirius. I have to take the chance. I have to try for a family."
"Families suck," Sirius growled.
Remus smiled. "You mean your family sucks. Mine might be all right, you know."
"Yeah, only…Remy, you'll be there over a full moon, you know."
Remus had figured that out for himself. "They know I'm a werewolf."
Sirius faced him directly for the first time. "Knowing is a lot different from seeing, though. Wouldn't it be better to wait until some holiday when you don't have a transformation? So they can get to know you, and not have to…"
"Not have to deal with my condition?" Remus cut him off harshly.
Sirius flushed. "I wasn't going to say that…"
"Yeah, you were. Look, Sirius, you're my best friend, and you've made it clear you don't have a problem with me. I'm not going to pretend that's true of the rest of the world. I want my parents to be comfortable with who I am, and unfortunately, that includes lycanthropy."
"But…"
"Sirius, when do you think I should go? Cause over the summer I'll have transformations too. There's never going to be a holiday when I'm not a werewolf, it's part of who I am. Always."
Sirius looked down, scuffed a shoe on the ground. "I know, Moony. I'm sorry."
"Are we interrupting something?" Cyrilia entered the courtyard.
"Nothing…Mum." Using the title on this unfamiliar woman still felt wrong to Remus, but he tried for her sake. "Just saying goodbye to Sirius here."
"Ah, Mr. Black!" Sirius shook hands with Mrs. Lupin.
"Sirius stays at Hogwarts for the holidays," Remus explained. "Normally I do as well."
"Yeah, well." Sirius cuffed his friend on the shoulder. "I've still got Frank to hang around with." Remus snorted. Frank Longbottom, who was a year ahead of them, was notorious for spending holidays in school to use the library. Remus doubted Sirius even knew how to use a library.
"Ready to go, then?" Cyrilia asked.
"All set." Remus picked up his bags. He did not notice Sirius glaring daggers at the pair of them as they left the courtyard.
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Remus and Cyrilia took a portkey from a few miles outside Hogwarts to the Lupin cottage, which was isolated in a grove of peach trees. It was modest but charming, Remus thought, surveying the small white building. He turned to Cyrilia. "Is this…is this the same house where I grew up?"
She seemed to have anticipated the question. "No, I'm afraid not. After…the attack…we couldn't stay there any longer."
Remus nodded, knowing she was referring to the werewolf attack in which his brother had been killed and he, Remus, bitten. He didn't blame his parents for moving, having lost both their sons in one night to a werewolf.
His mother led him inside and down a hall. "This is your room. I hope it's all right; we hadn't much time to prepare."
The room wasn't large, but it was well equipped. There were shelves for Remus' possessions, a soft carpet, and dark green walls. The bed had a thick white comforter, and Remus felt an urge to run and jump on it.
"This is amazing," he turned to Cyrilia. "This is all mine?"
She seemed surprised. "Of course."
"Wow," he whispered. "Thank you so much, it's perfect. Maybe I could see the rest of the house?"
She nodded, and led him around the house. Remus was in awe as she showed him a spacious family room, a well-stocked kitchen, and an enormous backyard. Finally she stopped and looked at him expectantly.
"Um…" Remus tried to be tactful. "How about the basement, may I see it?"
"We haven't got a basement," she said calmly, as if such things were of no importance. Remus felt panicky.
"A toolshed, then?"
"No," she looked at him curiously.
Desperately, he asked "Has my bedroom got a lock on it?"
"Surely you can manage two weeks without one?" She asked sharply, as though she thought he were being ungrateful.
Remus sighed. He was going to have to be direct. "No, I can't manage. It's the full moon tomorrow night, and I'll need to lock myself in somewhere."
"Full moon…" She stared. "You mean…are you saying…."
The door banged open. "Cyrilia! Have you got him?"
Remus started. Raymond had arrived, and judging by the smell, he was in no state to entertain. Remus wondered if Ray had just been nervous, or if he habitually came home drunk, but he didn't want to ask.
"In here, Ray." Cyrilia looked terrified and had put several feet between Remus and herself. "Ray…did you know it's the full moon tomorrow night?"
Raymond looked from his son to his wife and back. "You mean…is he gonna turn into some werewolf?"
Remus stepped forward. "Tomorrow night I need to lock myself in somewhere during my transformation," he said calmly. "I usually use a basement or shed or something. If you know of one, I could take a portkey to get there and…"
"I'm not having a werewolf in this house…" Raymond advanced on Cyrilia, who whimpered. Remus stared. Was this the same man who'd apologized to him in Dumbledore's office? Could this madman be the person who'd claimed responsibility for Remus' lycanthropy, saying he'd caused the boy to run out of the house in fear?
Yes, Remus realized, he could easily believe that of this man.
Raymond raised a hand as if to hit Cyrilia. Horrified, Remus sprang to protect her, but Raymond backhanded him hard. Remus felt himself skid across the room and slam hard into the wall. Cyrilia cried out. Dizzily, Remus struggled to his feet.
Raymond grabbed his upper arm and socked him squarely in the jaw. Remus moaned, falling to his knees in time to receive a blow to the stomach. "Bloody…werewolves…" Raymond grunted, bringing his knee up hard into Remus' chest. Remus felt a sharp pain as the blow lifted him to his feet again, and Raymond dragged him down the hall to his beautiful new room. Distantly he heard Cyrilia sobbing.
Maybe he passed out for a few moments, he wasn't sure. The next thing he was aware of was cold steel on his wrists and ankles. Raymond had chained him face-down on the floor. "Sodding wolf…" he stomped out of the room.
Remus sobbed quietly into the rug. A moment later he felt a hand on his back. Cyrilia was bending over him.
"Remus…why didn't you tell me it would be the full moon?" She choked on a sob. "I wouldn't have brought you here…"
Remus tried to answer, to tell her he hadn't realized they wouldn't know, but he couldn't form coherent words. He guessed his jaw was broken.
Cyrilia shook her head. "Ever since your brother was killed…he hates werewolves, do you see? I had him convinced you'd be just like any other person, but you won't be, will you? It had to be the full moon." She sighed. "I can't stay, Remus, if I stay too long he'll come find me.
Remus whimpered. She looked wretched. "I'll try to bring you some bread…or something…later."
Cyrilia hurried out of the room, and Remus was alone. Tears filled his eyes and he pressed his face down into the carpet. Sirius, I should have listened…I'm sorry…
A/N - You made it! Un-freakin'-believable. Well, I promised a sequel, so here's the beginning of one. Let it never be said that I don't update when I say I will.
-Leaf
ANOTHER WORD FOR YOU
Remus Lupin sat nervously on the stone steps in front of Hogwarts castle, awaiting the arrival of his parents.
Having spent half his life in a center for orphaned or abandoned children, Remus had been stunned to learn his parents were searching for him. He'd met with Raymond and Cyrilia Lupin several times over the course of the past few months, but today he would go home with them for the Christmas holidays. Today he would be alone with his parents for the first time, away from the reassuring presence of his best friend, Sirius Black.
Across the courtyard, Sirius was pacing. Remus watched him, half amused at his friend's nervousness and half grateful. "Sirius?"
"They're late," Sirius bit out.
"They're two minutes late, Padfoot. Relax."
Sirius sighed. "Moony, are you sure this is what you want to do?"
"Of course I'm sure." They'd been over it a million times. "They're my parents, Sirius. I have to take the chance. I have to try for a family."
"Families suck," Sirius growled.
Remus smiled. "You mean your family sucks. Mine might be all right, you know."
"Yeah, only…Remy, you'll be there over a full moon, you know."
Remus had figured that out for himself. "They know I'm a werewolf."
Sirius faced him directly for the first time. "Knowing is a lot different from seeing, though. Wouldn't it be better to wait until some holiday when you don't have a transformation? So they can get to know you, and not have to…"
"Not have to deal with my condition?" Remus cut him off harshly.
Sirius flushed. "I wasn't going to say that…"
"Yeah, you were. Look, Sirius, you're my best friend, and you've made it clear you don't have a problem with me. I'm not going to pretend that's true of the rest of the world. I want my parents to be comfortable with who I am, and unfortunately, that includes lycanthropy."
"But…"
"Sirius, when do you think I should go? Cause over the summer I'll have transformations too. There's never going to be a holiday when I'm not a werewolf, it's part of who I am. Always."
Sirius looked down, scuffed a shoe on the ground. "I know, Moony. I'm sorry."
"Are we interrupting something?" Cyrilia entered the courtyard.
"Nothing…Mum." Using the title on this unfamiliar woman still felt wrong to Remus, but he tried for her sake. "Just saying goodbye to Sirius here."
"Ah, Mr. Black!" Sirius shook hands with Mrs. Lupin.
"Sirius stays at Hogwarts for the holidays," Remus explained. "Normally I do as well."
"Yeah, well." Sirius cuffed his friend on the shoulder. "I've still got Frank to hang around with." Remus snorted. Frank Longbottom, who was a year ahead of them, was notorious for spending holidays in school to use the library. Remus doubted Sirius even knew how to use a library.
"Ready to go, then?" Cyrilia asked.
"All set." Remus picked up his bags. He did not notice Sirius glaring daggers at the pair of them as they left the courtyard.
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Remus and Cyrilia took a portkey from a few miles outside Hogwarts to the Lupin cottage, which was isolated in a grove of peach trees. It was modest but charming, Remus thought, surveying the small white building. He turned to Cyrilia. "Is this…is this the same house where I grew up?"
She seemed to have anticipated the question. "No, I'm afraid not. After…the attack…we couldn't stay there any longer."
Remus nodded, knowing she was referring to the werewolf attack in which his brother had been killed and he, Remus, bitten. He didn't blame his parents for moving, having lost both their sons in one night to a werewolf.
His mother led him inside and down a hall. "This is your room. I hope it's all right; we hadn't much time to prepare."
The room wasn't large, but it was well equipped. There were shelves for Remus' possessions, a soft carpet, and dark green walls. The bed had a thick white comforter, and Remus felt an urge to run and jump on it.
"This is amazing," he turned to Cyrilia. "This is all mine?"
She seemed surprised. "Of course."
"Wow," he whispered. "Thank you so much, it's perfect. Maybe I could see the rest of the house?"
She nodded, and led him around the house. Remus was in awe as she showed him a spacious family room, a well-stocked kitchen, and an enormous backyard. Finally she stopped and looked at him expectantly.
"Um…" Remus tried to be tactful. "How about the basement, may I see it?"
"We haven't got a basement," she said calmly, as if such things were of no importance. Remus felt panicky.
"A toolshed, then?"
"No," she looked at him curiously.
Desperately, he asked "Has my bedroom got a lock on it?"
"Surely you can manage two weeks without one?" She asked sharply, as though she thought he were being ungrateful.
Remus sighed. He was going to have to be direct. "No, I can't manage. It's the full moon tomorrow night, and I'll need to lock myself in somewhere."
"Full moon…" She stared. "You mean…are you saying…."
The door banged open. "Cyrilia! Have you got him?"
Remus started. Raymond had arrived, and judging by the smell, he was in no state to entertain. Remus wondered if Ray had just been nervous, or if he habitually came home drunk, but he didn't want to ask.
"In here, Ray." Cyrilia looked terrified and had put several feet between Remus and herself. "Ray…did you know it's the full moon tomorrow night?"
Raymond looked from his son to his wife and back. "You mean…is he gonna turn into some werewolf?"
Remus stepped forward. "Tomorrow night I need to lock myself in somewhere during my transformation," he said calmly. "I usually use a basement or shed or something. If you know of one, I could take a portkey to get there and…"
"I'm not having a werewolf in this house…" Raymond advanced on Cyrilia, who whimpered. Remus stared. Was this the same man who'd apologized to him in Dumbledore's office? Could this madman be the person who'd claimed responsibility for Remus' lycanthropy, saying he'd caused the boy to run out of the house in fear?
Yes, Remus realized, he could easily believe that of this man.
Raymond raised a hand as if to hit Cyrilia. Horrified, Remus sprang to protect her, but Raymond backhanded him hard. Remus felt himself skid across the room and slam hard into the wall. Cyrilia cried out. Dizzily, Remus struggled to his feet.
Raymond grabbed his upper arm and socked him squarely in the jaw. Remus moaned, falling to his knees in time to receive a blow to the stomach. "Bloody…werewolves…" Raymond grunted, bringing his knee up hard into Remus' chest. Remus felt a sharp pain as the blow lifted him to his feet again, and Raymond dragged him down the hall to his beautiful new room. Distantly he heard Cyrilia sobbing.
Maybe he passed out for a few moments, he wasn't sure. The next thing he was aware of was cold steel on his wrists and ankles. Raymond had chained him face-down on the floor. "Sodding wolf…" he stomped out of the room.
Remus sobbed quietly into the rug. A moment later he felt a hand on his back. Cyrilia was bending over him.
"Remus…why didn't you tell me it would be the full moon?" She choked on a sob. "I wouldn't have brought you here…"
Remus tried to answer, to tell her he hadn't realized they wouldn't know, but he couldn't form coherent words. He guessed his jaw was broken.
Cyrilia shook her head. "Ever since your brother was killed…he hates werewolves, do you see? I had him convinced you'd be just like any other person, but you won't be, will you? It had to be the full moon." She sighed. "I can't stay, Remus, if I stay too long he'll come find me.
Remus whimpered. She looked wretched. "I'll try to bring you some bread…or something…later."
Cyrilia hurried out of the room, and Remus was alone. Tears filled his eyes and he pressed his face down into the carpet. Sirius, I should have listened…I'm sorry…