The Marauders
Chapter One
The Hearing"Does the subject, Mr R J Lupin have any further comments upon this topic?" Came the low, cursing voice of the Minister of Magic. He spoke as if the boy was a science experiment, and for that, he hated him.
Remus John Lupin was the 'subjects' real name, and the Minister was the one thing he had been dreading mainly from the beginning of this hearing.
Remus's eyes had turned a dank, gloomy grey since the previous day, then, they had been an inhuman hazel. His hair was a light brown that came down to the foot of his neck and tied into a ponytail. At that moment, it was fairly untidy, seen, as the ludicrous time for the hearing was in the early hours of the dawn.
The boy looked on with a pale white face, and appeared ill, for that matter; the full moon played appalling tricks on him and entirely changed the way he thought, and that was the reason why he was isolated so. That was the foolish reason, why he was in this foul situation, in being judged by the Ministry.
"N – no, sir" Remus answered. He had absolutely no idea what to say, they had already proven him guilty, even if the proof was slightly off. He felt as if he were about to faint, the day before had pretty much killed him, and he was absolutely exhausted. That motive, was quite simple really, but crude and evil. Remus John Lupin was a werewolf.
The grey-eyed boy had often thought over this topic, and why it had to be his life washed away at the hand of a twisted, uncontrolled creature, but he couldn't call them that now, because he was one of them…
What's that sound? Remus thought, trying to hide his fear.
Crack!
The night was dark and the forest cast shadows from all directions. The moon lit the path heavenly, but it wasn't enough to secure his way home. Was it left? Right?
He'd been chased with all effort into the dank, damp woods of the countryside. He had no thought of what it was, just that what ever it was it was after him.
Time had all of a sudden slowed, as sweat rolled down his face and worry crept up inside him. This wasn't exactly the holiday he'd been wishing for: lost in the woods and no way home.
Snap!
He'd heard enough, he cried out for help, and ran with complete motivation, he didn't care where his feet led his, the best thing now for him, was to find his way out and work on from there.
He felt a tug at his leg and the world toppled upside down, his head came crashing into the slushy mud and he skidded through it sloppily. He turned onto his back, after he heard the growling, as a dark, dog-shaped figure launched out of the darkness and landed fully on top of him.
He yelled and screamed as it tore away at his clothes. Remus tried to hide his face from the fearsome creature, but it held his arms down firmly. He wriggled about, trying to set loose, but all was a miss.
Its snapping jaws cutting at his limbs and it's hazel eyes gawking bloodthirsty down at him.
"Help! Arghhh!" he howled.
The figure, he'd found was a wolf, as the moons light rid it of its dark nature. It snapped once more, again and again, fiercely. Remus brought up his legs and kicked it square in the face. It fell back, but recoiled quickly, and knocked him down yet again.
Lupin jostled it hard and belted it as well as he could, but there were no definite effects on the monster. As smart as Lupin was, he couldn't think straight under the enormous weight and the uncomfortable stance of the creature.
One final, noxious blow from the wolf: it bit him painfully in the arm and scurried off, howling overjoyed.
Remus rolled around in agony, the nights atmosphere blurring and his awareness fading, his body numbing … then … darkness …
He remembered it all too well, he'd of tried to fend it off, but he didn't have the right equipment. That was when he had the answer.
"Because of the slight agreement in this – I address Mr R J Lupin, g—"
"Wait! I have one last thing to say, sir … why am I noted as guilty, if it was not my fault I was bitten?" Remus asked, now removing his quiet, shy side and filling it with courage, "I was chased into the forest, I didn't wander on alone, and want to become this…" he looked down at himself and held out his arms, then dropped them lazily.
For a moment, he thought his words were strong, and were etching into people's minds that he truly was not guilty of an offence, but a man on the opposite side of the courtroom stood, and his hopes fell, for or against? He wondered.
"I decline with Mr R J Lupin's speech. What was he doing all alone outside in the first place? May I ask?"
The juries' heads turned to face the hazel haired boy with well-why-were-you-all-alone expressions. Remus knew this, but didn't know how to put it into words; however he said things, they turned it around and nailed it against him. He could feel his eyes aching with sleep, but nevertheless, he protested on with his case. His dad stood behind him, but didn't seem to want to take part in any of these judgements, almost as if he wanted to fine his son, or even lock him up.
If only I had my friends to turn to at these sorts of situations … I hardly see them anyway… he thought.
"I – it – I was on holiday, and wanted to explore the sights, so I walked about … can't you see how normal that is?" said Remus, hanging his arm from the back of his neck. There was one thing for sure; it wasn't easy convincing the Ministry he was innocent.
The man sat down; with a slightly disheartened look on his features, but almost instantly, a plump, stumpy woman stood. It hardly made a difference in height if she stood or sat. A certain glimmer of mischief arose in her eyes, and Remus knew already, that she was about to change the subject entirely just to satisfy the jury.
"Mr J R Lupin, where were you on the night of the full moon – August 19th? And were you really on holiday? If so, where are your parents to prove this? If you cannot answer any of these enquires, then you are stated, guilty…"
He didn't know full well where he was on the full moon, the shock had jagged his memory, and his head hitting the hard floor dazed him vaguely. He thought for a while, and then a voice interrupted his thinking session, "my son, wife and I were on holiday in Dover … icy night – slight traces of rain … and I am his father. Mr Mortimer Lupin.
Remus had agreed with his dad on various occasions that his name did not suit him, but nevertheless, he didn't change it; it reminded him too much of his dad, and liberating it would just be plain disrespectful … or so Mortimer used to say.
"Very well, but where is your wife? Has she been bitten by any chance? Letting a creature like … this filth … roam your house? How come you did not report this, Mr M Lupin?"
'This filth'? Are the ministry actually allowed to offend their lawbreakers? He thought, shooting a dark look across the courtroom at the woman. Who is she, and where are her manors?
"My wife is at home, if you must know, someone had to stay home and look after our other son … and no, she has not been bitten … we have this case under control already, and may I have you know, you do NOT speak about my son like that …" Remus's father answered, except the most important question … the query Remus had waited for so he could knock it off his shoulders.
"Do not raise your voice to me Mr M Lupin. Now, if you will so kindly answer my last question?"
"What question … I answered them all fully!" his dad called.
Remus's father had dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. Unlike his son, Mortimer Lupin was not smart and was a lot more casual. However, the crowd probably couldn't tell the difference from them. Like father like son, at least, that was what people thought.
"How come you did not report this Mr M Lupin?" the plump woman repeated, her eyes shining down upon Remus. He could feel his insides twisting and turning. He felt as if a dagger had stabbed him open in the heart.
"I did not report my son, because I thought this had absolutely nothing to do with the Ministry, Maura" his father answered once more, the sides of his mouth were twitching and worry lines were appearing besides his nose.
Is her name Maura? Well she definitely needs to shut up and let someone else sort this… Remus thought darkly.
"Ahh, you're right Mortimer. Perhaps the boy is innocent, perhaps he is not—"
"Excuse me…" almost everyone at that second shot their gazes left ways to the middle of the court. The Minister of Magic had finally decided to step in, Lupin's hopes were simply that he was kinder than the last few judges, "But may I ask, how do you keep your son under control?"
"We have a metal cage, it's enough to keep him in until the moon passes"
"Very well" the minister continued, "I assume that he hasn't done a thing near reckless?"
"Correct" the boy's father responded at once.
"But I must ask you … has the boy received his letter for … you know what?"
"Yes … three days ago… is it possible for him to attend Hogwarts?" his father asked.
"We have to confirm that with Dumbledore first … whether he has something to keep the boy captive until the full moon passes…" said the Minister "other than that, there is no further need for this enquiry to go on … I state that R J Lupin is innocent, and shall leave this court without punishment…"
Yet again, the woman seated herself, but didn't make one variation, as Remus and his father turned and walked hastily past the benches, in which the crowd sat on, and swiftly through the grand, high doors of the hearing room.
"Thanks" Remus muttered.
"All that matters, is that you're proven innocent … at least now we can go home …"