The life of Master Remus J. Lupin - By Erin

Disclaimer: - I own nothing except Crystal Lake, Jenna Lake and Mrs. Rose Evans.

Chapter Two - Hearts shall break and money that is owed.

"Jesus Christ!" A startled voice echoed from the walls. A girl with long black hair and crystal blue eyes rushed up to Remus, her eyes widened in concern when she saw the damage to his face. He was almost unrecognisable; she was amazed that he was still standing.

"Oh Remus, what in the hell happened to you?" She asked gently touching his face, he winced in pain and shied away, she looked at him guiltily. "Your father again?" She asked quietly, he nodded blearily; she clutched his hand and led him over to the fire. She helped him sit down, and then she fetched a bowl. She rushed out onto the beach, and scooped up some seawater with the bowl. Then whilst rushing back she round some seaweed, she rinsed it off quickly in the sea and ran back.

"Christ your lucky, I'm the only one here tonight, Magda and Jermyn left earlier and Hailey, Peter, Kiera and Markus are working at the diner." She sighed, placing the bowl on a makeshift piece of iron in the fire to heat up. She searched in a box at the back of the room and found a small box of aspirin. Placing two in his hand she picked up her bottle of bacardi, and gave it to him. "I know you're not supposed to drink alcohol with aspirin but it'll help with your shock, and hopefully help numb the pain." He nodded and swallowed back the bacardi with the two small tablets.

"I can't go back." Remus said gruffly, "The bastards thrown me out this time for good." She stroked his hair gently. "Good, I'm glad, you should have left a long time ago."

He sighed, "Look Crystal, its not always that simple." He told her, "I mean, at least when I lived there I didn't have to pay rent, and I was only there for two months a year, but now I don't even know if I'll be able to afford to go back to school, not if I have to pay rent somewhere too." He told her dismayed, taking another sip of the bacardi and trying not to choke.

"Schools not everything, and didn't you say you had some money in a bank left from last year?" She asked gingerly. He sighed again deeply. "Yes a mere pittance, and you don't understand, education is everything, I have to go back." He told her, she looked at him.

"Yes Remus, education is everything but that doesn't mean that you have to go back to a prestigious boarding school for that. Do what we're all doing and join the tech." He tried not to laugh at her, knowing that the local college would not have courses in magic.

"No, I only have one more year and I'll be dammed if I don't go back to Hogwarts, I need to see my headmaster." He said wearily watching her take the bowl from the heat and let it cool. She picked up the seaweed. "Remus put this where it hurts the most, it should in theory help a little but I'm not so sure, those burn marks look positively vicious." He looked at the seaweed distastefully but complied, wincing when the salt made its way into his wounds.

"I think that you should really go to the hospital." She said softly, he smiled wryly but his eyes looked sad, "You know I can't, they'll only ask questions and if my father gets involved he'll kill me." They sat in silence listening at the waves crashing on the beach. After a while she began to clean his face with the cooled seawater, and he winced when the traces of salt stung, but knew that it would help in the long run.

"When will you see your headmaster?" She asked suddenly, he yawned, "Tomorrow, I have enough money for a bus ticket there." He answered; he looked at him in the eye. "Your in no condition to travel on your own, I'll come with you. Its in Scotland isn't it? It could be fun." Remus looked at her in horror. "You can't Crystal." She smiled at him bemused, "Oh yes and whys that?"

"Because… because you can't." He told her wearily. She stopped cleaning his face. "That's not much of an excuse Remus, why can't I? And why do I get the feeling that you've been lying to us about your life? These burns aren't normal, even I can see that, and you've been dodging something for two years now, so out with it, you know you can trust me with whatever it is… you've known me for two years now." She told him solemnly. Remus wished she'd leave him to sleep.

"You wouldn't believe me…" He told her sleepily. "Try me, I've never known you to lie before so why would you now?"

He nodded knowing that he had nothing left to lose, except the sleep he so desperately needed. "And you won't tell anyone? Not even Magda?" He asked, she nodded frowning. "Is it that bad?" She watched him smile wryly, "Depends on your reaction really." She looked into his honey coloured eyes and braced herself mentally. "Tell me." She commanded.

"Magic exists, I'm a wizard and I attend Hogwarts school of Witch Craft and Wizardry." He told her, waiting for her reaction, she beamed laughing happily. "Finally, you know I've known for quite a while now." He jumped visibly. "So it'll be Dumbledore we're off to see tomorrow? Jenna used to love him, she said that he's a brilliant man." Remus gaped at her openly, "How… do… do… you… know?" He asked stuttering.

"My sister was a witch, Muggle born, she loved Hogwarts. I'm not sure if you knew her… her name was Jenna Lake, she was a Ravenclaw. She died three years ago along with my parents, she was only twelve." Crystal said solemnly, "I wasn't in the house at the time but I know who killed them… a wizard named Voldermort. He completely destroyed the house, I don't know why he wanted to kill Jenna or my parents but he did." She looked away. Remus gripped her hand. "He doesn't have a reason except madness and hate… he believes all muggles should be killed, and that includes muggleborns. I'm so sorry Crystal… and I did know Jenna, it was stupid of me never to ask your surname. I tutored your sister in Defence against the dark arts. She was very talented at Herbology."

Crystal laughed, tears shining in her eyes. "I'm glad she was happy Remus." He gently thumbed the tears away from her cheeks when they started to fall. "So am I." He kissed her gently, her lips parted to allow him entrance. Despite his wounds Remus felt happy for the first time in a while.

They both woke up to the sun streaming in through the entrance. Remus smiled contently, he got up from the sandy floor wincing slightly. He looked at the angel that lay next to him. She was brilliant in his eyes, but he knew he had to let her go, it wasn't fair to ask her to be involved with him… not with what he was.

She stirred and looked up at him smiling, "You look a little better today Remus." Then she noticed the frown on his face and her smile fell. "What's wrong?" She asked softly. He smiled at her sadly, "You can't come with me Crystal." She glared at him. "We've already had this talk, why can't I come now?" She asked impatiently.

"Because Voldermort's still very much alive and if he realises that he didn't kill your entire family he won't rest until your dead, he doesn't like to leave unfinished business." He told her softly, she stood up angrily. "Then I believe it's my business and my right to decide what I wish to do, not yours!" She snapped, he smiled sadly. "Yes it is but I won't let you, and without my help you'll never find Hogwarts… or anything to do with magic, they have spells to conceal its very existence from muggles. Let it be, this could very well be our last meeting for quite a while, lets say goodbye on amiable terms."

"No, you're not going in your own Remus because I won't let you leave me too… I love you." She told him passionately, he smiled sadly. "You can't love me Crystal, no one can."

"My love is mine to give, and I give it to you freely!" She said defiantly, he looked at her mournfully, "Yes perhaps, but not to me. Do you want to know why these wounds… these burns don't look normal? Its because they were marked with Silver, not fire, Silver. My fathers silver boot clasping and his rings." She looked at him in horror. "No." She gasped softly; he nodded hating himself for the hundredth time.

"I am a werewolf Crystal, and no one in their right mind would love my kind. Not even my parents loved me when I was bitten, I can't ask that of you… or anyone." Tears fell freely down her pale cheeks, Remus wanted to wipe them away but he made himself stand still, his hands clasped behind his back, his nails dug into his warm fleshy hands painfully.

She ran blindly from the cove, and Remus wondered if she would ever look back.

"It was awful mum, you should have seen the way that his father treated him, and he stood there and took the abuse, and he didn't even flinch except when he saw us sitting there." Lily ranted to an older woman; the older woman looked at her with warm green eyes and patted her shoulder.

"Everything will work out for the best pumpkin, sometimes you can't help your friends, even if you want to. Remus will have to deal with this himself; he's much too proud a boy to let his friends deal with his problems." The old woman smiled at her daughter softly, "But I agree, it is disturbing… what did you say his father called him?"

Lily sobbed, "Oh mum he called him a lazy half breed, and then his mum came into the kitchen and stated to hit him in the chest telling him that it was all his fault his brother died, then she said she wished it would have been Remus that died instead and Remus agreed with her."

Tears streamed down her face, and she shook with suppressed emotion. Mrs. Rose Evans stared at her daughter; hurting internally because she knew her youngest daughters heart was close to breaking. Grabbing her in a hug she stroked her hair softly, "But you did tell him that he is always welcome here?" She asked, Lily nodded and Rose sighed, "I think the rest is up to him my child… now tell me about this argument you had with James."

Remus walked into Gringotts wizarding bank knowing that his father would shut off his access to their vault soon enough, Remus planned to be one step ahead of the bastard.

He walked up to one of the goblins and gave him his vault key, "I would like to make a withdrawal." He said firmly hoping that his father had not closed it off yesterday. The Goblin looked at him with greedy eyes, "Certainly Mr. Lupin, Griphook will escort you."

While Remus stepped onto the cart he felt the awful sensation of being watched, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up on end. Ignoring this, he climbed into the cart and began the journey down the long twisting tunnels. Once they reached the designated vault he gave the goblin his fathers key and stepped inside.

Laughing inwardly Remus surveyed the pittance of money before him. This was the Lupin family vault, and Remus had cunningly managed to swipe the key from his father's robes yesterday, he figured it was the least his father owed him.

He looked around the vault, and found the parchment that recorded all transactions, of the flow of the gold. In total the vault held, five hundred galleons, his father had squandered the rest on firewhisky and tobacco. Remus piled some money into his weightless money pouch, he reckoned two hundred and fifty galleons would cover the damage and humiliation he had suffered from his father's hand.

He pulled out a piece of parchment he had written for when his father discovered the loss of his money, he skimmed it briefly to make sure he was satisfied with the contents.

Father,
It will undoubtedly be a surprise for you to read this letter but by that time I will have obeyed your last command and you will never have to lay eyes upon me again, your last remaining son, your disgraced heir of the Lupin family.
I have taken a sum of money from the family vault, I conclude that it will be enough to sustain me for a while and it will see me through my last year at Hogwarts. This money you owe me, for all of the beatings and humiliation you inflicted upon me. For years I allowed myself to suffer from your hand, but no longer, this money I am owed, and today I collect it.
You are no father; I despise everything you believe in. I may not be the son you had in Romulus, and I may be as you call me 'a filthy half-breed' but the bigger part of me is still human. I am still your child and no matter how much you'll try to hide from it, you still raised your hand in anger to a helpless child many times.
I shall enlighten you for the benefit of your humble existence. I am what I am because of you. It was you who insisted that I went out into the forest to collect firewood that night, telling me to 'be a man,' and to conquer the fear I had of darkness. I was only five years old, and unknowingly you sent me out to what could have been my death… you and I have no one to blame but yourself, your foolhardy rationalisations do not cut the mustard father, own up to your actions and for once be a man yourself.
The last and most heartbreaking topic I have to lay at rest was your actions on the day my brother died, a year ago today in fact, he was only nineteen years old. Romulus was always a carbon copy of you until the day he died; of course he wasn't really nearly as bad as yourself. He didn't have the strength in him to be a mean, bigoted bastard like you wanted him to be, no matter how much he wanted to impress you. That day, we both know very well, I believe that it will always be imprinted upon my memory until the day I die. You however have probably forced yourself long and hard to forget its contents, like the miserable and cold-hearted person I know you to be.
I remember that day painstakingly clearly, mother was out collecting flowers in the grove and I had been left to do the never-ending chores you always expected of me. I was just finishing polishing the awards in the cabinet when you and Romulus came in startling me, I broke your order of Merlin third class, the one that we both know you paid to get. Predictably you began your tirade of harsh words and the rain of blows upon my person was dished out as expected.
Although that day you went too far, I remember you pulling out the gun on me, and at sixteen I must say it didn't much surprise me, I had long wondered when you would gather up the meagre pieces of courage you own and decide to kill me. I remember you telling me that the gun contained one single silver bullet, I remember you telling me why it was that you were going to be my executioner. I can remember feeling the relief of escaping this cruel and world and your never ending punishments, but something happened that neither of us expected.
Whatever hold you had on Romulus broke, and he jumped in front of the bullet that was meant for me, he was my saviour and I am forever indebted to my deceased brother. As you ran away in horror he died in my arms father, his last word were "Show the bastard what your made of, your meant for more than this." And to this day I hold his word true and one day I will show you, I will show everyone.
Never forget Father, it was your hand that killed him, not mine, and if you dare come after the money I've taken you, you should be aware that the headmaster of Hogwarts will be receiving a copy of this letter to be opened in the event of my incarceration or death. I will tell you again; this money is rightfully mine, this money you owe me.

Until next time,
Remus J. Lupin

Remus quickly duplicated the letter using a spell; he placed the copy onto the pile of remaining galleons, and tucked the original back into his pocket. He also placed the vault key with the letter smiling wryly, his father would have a hard time getting a new one, and it should buy him a few days until he had seen Dumbledore.

He strode from the vault, a small self-satisfied smile gracing his lips, finally he had one up on the old man, Griphook smirked knowingly, and as they clambered into the cart, the goblin faced him, "Are you not forgetting the vault key, Mr. Lupin? Or was that a deliberate act of defiance?" Remus smiled widely, "Lets just say that it's a service rendered."

They sat in silence of the tip back up to the main floor, and as Remus was about to walk from the building a hand clasped his shoulder, "Whatever has happened to you Mr. Lupin?" A female voice asked, Remus turned his head and looked at the woman. Minerva McGonagall stared back at him, concern etched across her face, he smiled wryly, "It looks worse that it actually is Professor, I am sure I will survive, I've had worse." She looked at him slightly confused.

"I'll help you home Mr. Lupin." She offered kindly, his smile evaporated and he looked at her sadly, "That's not possible, you see I've been disgraced. My father has disowned me." He told her gently, she frowned, "Then… I think that perhaps you ought to accompany me to Hogwarts." He smiled softly, "Actually professor that was my next stop, you see I will need a secure place to stay tonight." She nodded, knowingly and they left.

As Remus drew up into Hogsmead on the Day bus he felt the familiar pull of excitement, he was nearly home. They both walked up the hill without speaking, McGonagall looked like she wanted to press him for answers but she held back, her lips thinned in anticipation.

Once they reached the step she turned to him, "I think that perhaps you should allow Poppy to tend to your wounds before you see the headmaster." She told him, frowning, he was still hardly recognisable, except for the hair and the manner in which he held himself.

"No, I thank you professor but I assure you that I am alright for now. I've taken some muggle aspirin, so I do not feel any pain, and I assure you once again it looks worse that it actually is." He tried to reassure her but she swept a penetrating glance swiftly over his injuries again. "I highly doubt that, but if you are sure." She said gently, he smiled, "I am."

They continued their journey up to the headmasters office in silence, Remus tried to forget his meeting with Crystal, she was much better off in the long run, even if it had hurt to watch her run away.

-End of Ch2-

Authors Notes: -

What will Dumbledore say? Has Crystal really turned her back on Remus? Why is Lily so upset? Find out soon. Thank you all for your wonderful reviews and depending on the response I get from you all, I may update again tonight… so all of you please Read and Review! Tell me what you think!

Erin