It's Chapter 5!
Chp. 5: Cursed
"Impedimenta!"
Remus went flying down the steps down to the fourth floor. His bag ripped as his books went tumbling down the hard marble steps below. His knee throbbed and his pants were torn in several places. He heard laughter coming from the top of the stairs.
"Hey bookworm, that has to be the ugliest jacket I've ever seen!" came the unpleasant voice of an older girl.
His lip started to bleed as he turned and looked up at the gang of older students, mostly Slytherins, sneering down at him. One boy picked up his library book and looked at the cover.
"The Werewolf: Fact or Fiction! Lord, you are a freak!" the boy said with a snigger as he threw the book down the stairs, hitting Remus' shoulder and knocking him down three more steps.
Remus' jaw had been healed for a week, but it was still tender. As it hit the marble steps, Remus winched as the bullies laughed above him.
"Hey, leave him alone!"
At the foot of the stairs, Remus could make out the figures of James and Sirius, both looking furious. A tall black haired girl stepped away from the rest of the group and stood leering down at the two boys.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the little traitor, Sirius Black. I can't believe I'm related to you. You've shamed the whole family." she said with a scowl.
"I love you too, Bella. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe my friend is late for his next class." Sirius said, looking angrier by the minute as he and James started walking up the stairs and picking up Remus' things.
"Oh, I don't think he's going anywhere just yet. Stupefy!" she said, pointing her wand at Sirius and then James.
Remus watched his friends collapse on the steps below him. Turning, he looked at Bellatrix, feeling hatred like he had never known before coursing through his veins.
She just stood there laughing. Remus pointed his wand at her and, before she could get out of the way, yelled "Impedimenta!"
The spell hit her right in the stomach as she doubled over and slowly fainted. Another girl screamed. As the rest of the students attempted to lift Bellatrix onto their shoulders and carry her to the hospital wing, a dark looking boy with dirty hair turned to Remus and muttered "This is far from over, half-blood." before following the rest of the group.
Remus waited until they were out of sight, and then ran down the steps to his friends. Both were out cold, Sirius with a bump the size of a Sickle. Oh crap, how am I supposed to get both of them to the hospital wing AND not run into them again! Remus thought, trying not to panic.
Remus started half dragging; half carrying Sirius and James up the stairs, stopping every few feet to catch his breath.
"Oh my, what happened!"
Remus turned his head slightly and looked down. It was the redheaded girl had been sorted just before Remus. She stood there with wide green eyes, the color draining from her face.
"Please….you have to…help me…..get them to the….hospital wing." Remus said panting.
"Of course!" she said, dropping her bag and running up to help him.
"Here, take him, he's lighter." Remus said, catching his breath, and gesturing toward James.
"Ok." She grabbed James arm and started up the staircase.
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Remus didn't know how, but somehow they managed to get James and Sirius to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had a fit, talking disapprovingly about the Slytherins – "Always strutting about as if they owned the place, with no regard to anyone's safety" – and praising the two children.
As Madam Pomfrey helped Remus lift Sirius onto a bed, Sirius's eyelids fluttered and he mumbled something.
"Sirius?"
"Where am I? What happened?" he mumbled, ending with a groan.
"You're in the hospital wing. Bellatrix knocked you out." Remus said carefully.
"Oh. That's nice…" Sirius muttered before drifting into unconsciousness.
Remus turned to the redheaded girl, who was standing awkwardly by the door.
"Thank you for helping me." he said grinning.
"You're welcome." she said with a shy smile. "Lily Evans" she said sticking out her hand.
"Remus Lupin." he was about to shake her hand, until he saw her ring.
It was pure silver.
He quickly stuck his hand behind his back, blushing furiously. Madam Pomfrey came bustling over to the two and ushered Lily out before she could say anything more. She turned to Remus and applied some ointment to the bruise on his shoulder.
"Now, Mr. Lupin, if I were you, I would go straight to bed. You'll need all the rest you can get."
Remus' heart sank. How could he forget; tomorrow was the full moon.
"I'll meet you at the front doors."
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"You seem real quiet today, Remus."
Remus jumped, sending seeds across the greenhouse floor, several of which burst into bloom immediately. A Chinese Chomping Cabbage hopped quickly over and began eating them.
"What!" he said, heart racing.
"I said you seemed real quiet today." said Peter, looking very alarmed by Remus's outburst.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I'm just nervous today. My…er, mother is sick and I have to go see her tonight. Could you tell James and Sirius for me?" he asked hopefully.
"Sure. I doubt Sirius is awake though, last time I talked to him, he thought I was a giant marshmallow…."
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Remus walked down the dirt tunnel with Madam Pomfrey.
"Now, the shack is protected by enchantments, so you won't be able to get out. When you're done, I'll come and help you get back." She said sadly, giving him a look of pity as they ascended a flight of stairs carved into the hard earth. Madam Pomfrey put her hand on the ceiling and pushed, opening a trapdoor and sending dirt falling into Remus's face.
The place beyond the door looked incredibly old. Madam Pomfrey led him slowly up a pair of rickety stairs to a small bedroom. Inside was a chair and an old bed. Madam Pomfrey gave him one last look of sympathy before whispering, "Good luck." and disappearing out the door, locking it closed behind her.
Remus sat down on the bed, awaiting the pain that would be coming within the hour.
Will this ever end? he thought, will I ever be normal?
He waited, thinking of his family. At least they don't have to deal with me anymore.
Suddenly, his whole body erupted with pain, starting at his shoulder where he had been bitten and spreading like a deadly virus to every part of his body. He doubled over and fell onto the hard wood floor.
He screamed as his skin started to prickle and his ears started to lengthen. The bones in his face stretched and started reassembling themselves, growing more snout like. He watched as his fingers started growing shorter and his nails going black and hard, turning into deadly weapons of devastation.
The pain was unbelievable. His knees popped from their sockets and turned inward before inserting themselves back in. His tail was growing longer and longer. Fur began to sprout as his vision faded to black and white. Fangs grew in as his body began to lengthen.
Last to go was his mind. The human mentality fought with the werewolf's, never winning, always giving way. Remus fought for a moment before surrendering completely to the beast, his common sense and memories replaced with instincts and the history of nature.
He had become the monster.
The werewolf howled in frustration. He looked around. He had to get out, had to find his prey. He threw himself against the wall as one of the houses enchantments kicked in, reflecting his blow and sending him to the other side of the room. He threw himself at each side in turn before giving up. He howled again. There was no prey. He bit himself in aggravation and howled at the pain. He had to get out.
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"Did you hear that!"
"What do you reckon it is?"
"Beats me"
The two men sat outside the Three Broomsticks, drinking butterbeer when the howls started. They had come in the direction of an old house to the north of the town, a place that had been abandoned for years. The scream came again, this time with more anger and rage.
"I think it's haunted! I'm sorry, Stubbs, but I'm not listening to any more of that!" The older man put some money on the table and began to walk away after lifting a hand in parting to the other man.
Stubbs sat there in silence. What in the world could it be? There was another shriek. He got up stiffly and followed his friend, leaving his empty bottle behind.
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Remus Lupin lay quietly in the dark, whimpering and clutching his leg. It had been cut at the ankle and rose up beyond his knee cap. It was over, not to come for another month. He had tried to bandage his leg with a spare shirt that had been hidden in the rafters, but the blood seeped though just the same. It was getting colder; he wished Madam Pomfrey would hurry. He had never had a full moon without his mother comforting him afterwards. He felt even worse at this memory. Remus leaned against the wall as he slowly lost consciousness and fell into a heavy, troubled sleep.
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:sob: I'm sorry everybody but I had to write it! I wish I could change it but I can't; it is the curse of the moon and our kind cannot stop it.
Thanks to Kika the Vouge, SiriusAllPunked, Lethal's Rabbit, and vixenkitsune for reviewing.
Once again, I NEED prank ideas!
I also like reviews: grin :
