ROTRUFIN

CHAPTER TEN-SUSPICIONS ARISE

Once Potions was over, Remus grabbed his things and left the classroom in a hurry.

"What happened?" Lily asked coming over.

I raised my eyes to hers and told her what happened.

"Bloody hell," James said whistling low. "That does not sound like Moony."

"I know," I said sadly. "Something is wrong."

We headed to Transfiguration next.

Professor McGonagall looked up when we entered.

"How are you feeling, Miss Gibson?" she asked softly.

"Fine," I muttered.

We took our seats and I was sitting with Lily now. James and Sirius were sitting behind us.

Remus entered the classroom late.

"Mr. Lupin? Why are you late?" Professor McGonagall asked frowning.

"Dunno," Remus said in a carefree tone. "And I don't really care."

Lily and I looked at each other shocked.

"In that case, detention after class," Professor McGonagall said firmly.

Remus just shrugged and flopped down in a seat in front of Lily and I. He sat sideways and put his feet on the seat next to him. He turned and looked at us.

Professor McGonagall continued the lesson.

"Why the long faces girls?" Remus asked curiously. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," I said forcing my voice to be cheerful and calm.

He grinned.

There was something about his grin that didn't sit right…something about it seemed…off and not him.

Remus turned his eyes onto Lily.

"So," Remus asked his voice dropping to a whisper. "Did you and James decide to have sex yet?"

Lily's eyes almost bugged out of her head.

"Excuse me?" she asked, her voice coming out in several pitches higher.

I glared at Remus in shock and surprise. He never, ever, talked like that in all the years we've known him. He was rather shy and gentle natured…now it seemed like he was blunt and rough.

"I see the way you two act," Remus said simply. "It's only natural that you'd want to take the next step…no? So, tell me did you have plans to do it yet?"

Lily looked at me. I could see she was shocked and outraged.

"I'm not telling you anything, Moony," Lily said in a voice of forced calmness. "It's really none of your business."

Remus smirked.

"That's fine," he said and turned away from us.

Lily was still in shock over what he said.

I heard Sirius and James whispering behind us. I strained to listen.

"Is he right?" Sirius whispered to James.

"Well, yeah, but not until we're married," James whispered back.

I breathed a sigh of relief. At least he's got morals and I knew Lily did as well.

I returned my attention back to Professor McGonagall.

Remus took no notes during the lesson nor volunteered any information when she asked us about Bendel's, an animal much like a beaver and a wolverine that can shape shift easily.

Normally, he always volunteered information during lessons. He loved school work.

Now it was like he could care less.

He excused himself from class stating that he had to use the bathroom. He didn't return.

When class was over, Professor McGonagall pulled Lily, James, Sirius and I aside.

"What is going on with Mr. Lupin? He's acting very oddly," she said looking concerned.

"We know," Sirius said. "It seems he hasn't been the same since he came back."

"I've noticed that as well," McGonagall said quietly. "All the same keep an eye on him. He still has detention."

Nodding, we left the classroom.

I told Lily that I needed to go to the library. I walked into the library and decided to take a book out on werewolves. I found one called "LYCANS AND WOLVES…KNOW THE DIFFERENCE."

I leaned against the bookshelf and flipped through the pages. I was so engrossed in the book that I didn't see Remus leaning against the bookshelf in front of me with an arm on the shelf.

"Doing some light reading?" he asked.

I jumped from being startled.

"You scared me!" I cried feeling my heart pounding in my chest. "And yes."

Remus tilted the book cover back so he could read it.

"Werewolves huh?" he asked. "Why on earth would you be reading about them?"

I shrugged.

"Just curious,"

"Really?" he purred inching closer. "Well, I am one you know. You can most certainly ask me anything you want about them. I'd be happy to tell you."

I slammed the book shut.

"No thanks," I said and went to step around him but he grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him.

"Emma, I like you…okay? I've always liked you," Remus said. "Why don't you do me a favor and go out with me?"

I couldn't believe the emotion I was starting to feel toward him. It could only be described as disgust. I'd never thought I'd feel disgusted toward him…but here I was. But I also knew that this wasn't him. I was going to have to see what happens unfortunately. It was him, and yet it wasn't. What happened to him out there?

"Sorry," I said. "I must be going. Lily's waiting for me."

With that, I shoved the book onto a shelf and stalked from the library.

I entered the common room. Sirius and James were already sitting there. They looked up when I entered and saw my expression.

"What happened now?" James demanded.

I told him what Remus did to me in the library.

"He's definitely smoking some of that wolfsbane," Sirius said deadpan.

"Try not to piss him off or anything," James said. "We don't know what he's capable of yet and I'm sure it's anything."

"I just want the old Remus back," I said biting my bottom lip.

"We all do," Sirius said. "But if he's sick, we've got to help him."

We nodded, agreeing.

I went to check on Ellie in the hospital wing later on that evening. Sirius decided to come with me.

Remus entered the hospital wing as well.

I held Ellie tightly against me.

The minute she saw Remus she started crying.

"What is with that kid?" Remus asked frowning.

"Maybe she doesn't like you," Sirius said eyeing Remus' reaction.

"Maybe she doesn't like you," Remus said mocking back to Sirius.

Ellie continued to cry.

"Can't you shut her up or something?" Remus asked, irritated now.

"She's probably scared or something," I said defensively. "She doesn't mean it. Maybe if you left…"

"Maybe if you'd shut her up already it would be quieter," Remus shot back. "Maybe it's not me she doesn't like."

He glared at Sirius. Sirius looked like he'd like to punch Remus, but made no movements.

I tried to soothe Ellie, but she wasn't calming down.

"SHUT HER UP!" Remus yelled.

"I'M TRYING!" I yelled back.

"Leave, pal," Sirius said and grabbed Remus by the arm and went to pull him from the hospital wing, but Remus pulled back his arm and punched Sirius in the face.

"Don't touch me," Remus snapped.

Sirius staggered for a moment. His lower lip was cut and bleeding. He went to retaliate to hit Remus.

Both of them got into a HUGE fight. Sirius was cursing at him and punching him and so was Remus.

I left the hospital wing still holding Ellie in my arms. Luckily, Madam Elkin and Professor Gray were coming up the corridor.

"Stop them!" I cried. "They're fighting in there!"

Madam Elkin and Professor Gray rushed into the wing.

They pulled Remus and Sirius apart. Both had black and blues on their faces and had cuts on their lips which bled.

Sirius was doubled over gasping for breath. Remus oddly looked non-plussed nor badly injured as much as Sirius was.

"What on earth is going on here?" Madam Elkin cried angrily.

"He started it," Sirius wheezed pointing to Remus. "He punched me."

"Because he grabbed me," Remus retorted.

Professor Dumbledore was called.

Immediately when Ellie saw Dumbledore, she quieted down and broke into a grin.

I told him what had happened.

"Most odd," he whispered to me but then his tone hardened at Remus and Sirius. "For now, Mr. Lupin, you will receive two days detention. Please go back to your common room."

Remus muttered something and yanked his arm from Professor Gray's grasp. He left the hospital wing without even getting checked over by Madam Elkin.

"He's not acting normally," Sirius said as Madam Elkin began helping him with mending his wounds.

"No he's not," Dumbledore said sighing. "Does Ellie only cry when he's around like that?"

Sirius and I nodded.

"Hmm," Dumbledore mused. "It might be best to continue to keep her away from him. I know this isn't your fault because he came into the wing voluntarily. But he might do something more rash that beat up Sirius."

I clutched Ellie tightly.

"You don't think he'd try and…hurt her do you?" I asked frightened.

"After the way he acted now, I seriously don't know," Dumbledore said.

"He looked like he wanted to kill him," Professor Gray chimed in looking pale. "I've never seen him act or look like that. It was a bit scary."

"I think Mr. Lupin is sick," Madam Elkin said. "We must find out what's causing it so we can help him."

"Do you think he will be okay?" I asked in a small voice.

"I hope so," Madam Elkin said as she gently took Ellie from me and put her in her crib. "I've put a special charm on the crib so I'd know if anyone went near her during the night. I've been sleeping here in the wing to keep an eye on her."

"Thanks," I said gratefully.

Once Sirius was mended, we headed back to the common room. Lily and James looked up from kissing on the couch.

Without even asking, they just shook their head. I guess they figured out what happened without even asking. I was grateful toward them for not asking because I couldn't tell them if I wanted to. I was too choked up right now.

I climbed into bed and dozed off. I was too upset and exhausted to stay up past nine o'clock.

The following morning, Remus ate his breakfast with us, but said not one word. Sirius was warned not to say anything either…it might set Remus off again and we didn't want that.

That night would be a full moon. Lily was terrified that whatever attacked her was a werewolf.

James tried to calm her down.

"Calm down!" James said as Lily paced the common room for the 10th time. "It might've just been a regular dog or wolf."

Lily kept her arms folded against her chest tightly and kept her lips pursed.

Remus said that he was going to the Shrieking Shack. James and Sirius looked at each other and followed to keep peace. Sirius asked me if I would be able to handle Lily.

"Sure," I said brightly. "She'll be fine."

Sirius nodded and the three of them left the common room.

I looked out the window. A clear full moon hung in the midnight blue sky. Lily was still fine and pacing the common room.

"See?" I said cheerfully. "Nothing!"

One AM rolled around. Lily was still fine.

She flopped down on the couch looking relieved.

"Yeah it must've been just a regular wolf," she agreed happily. "But it was huge. It looked like it weighed almost 300 pounds or so."

"Maybe it was like a rogue wolf or something?" I suggested.

There was no way I would be able to sleep now at this point.

"Listen, do you want to come with me to check on Ellie?"

"Sure," Lily said. "But what if Madam Elkin sees us? Isn't she sleeping in the hospital wing?"

"Yeah," I said. "But I think she'll understand why we're checking on Ellie."

We left the common room and walked down the corridor. Cold air blew in making us shiver under our robes.

"God I can't wait till summer," Lily muttered hugging her robe tightly against her body.

"I know," I said, neither can I.

We reached the hospital wing. A sudden feeling came over me. Something was wrong.

"Something's wrong," I whispered holding an arm out in front of her to stop her.

"What?" Lily asked looking concerned.

"Not sure,"

We slowly entered the hospital wing.

The cots were topsy-turvy and sheets were scattered around on the floor. I saw that Ellie was sound asleep in her crib, which thankfully was untouched.

"Madam Elkin?" I called clearing my throat. "Is everything okay?"

No answer.

We stepped forward more into the wing. Lily and I scanned the cots. No sign of Madam Elkin.

I reached into the crib and gently but urgently picked up Ellie. She still stayed asleep with her head on my shoulder. Suddenly, I felt Lily's fingers digging into my arm.

"Oh. My. God," I said when I followed her gaze.

A gray wolf was standing over Madam Elkin and his jaws had been clamped around her throat. He released her throat and raised his head toward us. Blood stained his muzzle. It was Remus.

"Remus," I whispered horrified.

I clutched Ellie against me and Lily and I began slowly backing out of the hospital wing.

The gray wolf's amber eyes tracked our every movement. Then, it flattened its ears out sideways and retracted its upper lip, exposing blood stained canines and incisors. It snarled at us and stepped slowly over Madam Elkins body.

"Run!" Lily whispered.

We turned and ran from the wing, with Remus on our heels and snarling.