Chapter 1
Moony-
Where are you? Padfoot says he owled you twice-and I witnessed the second one so
I know you know you're invited. Wormtail arrived just last week and the full
moon passed three days since. You've no more excuses. Either you arrive within
two days of this letter's arrival or we will come over and bring you to London
ourselves. Tube, floo powder, broomsticks or illegal apparition-we don't care
how you get here as long as you do.
(Signed)
Prongs (and Padfoot and Wormtail)
Remus was the last to arrive at Sirius' flat. He floo'd in to Sirius'
fireplace two days before the start of term. He hadn't really meant to put it
off so long but one thing led to another, which led to another. First the full
moon-he always felt poorly before it and after it, then his mother started to
fret. "How do we know you'll be safe? Up there in London?" She had asked him
when he had sat down to breakfast after the full moon.
"I'll be fine, Mum. James and Sirius and Peter will all be there.
"I know that. It's just that you're not indestructible no matter what you
lot think and there have been so many attacks lately."
Remus' father had nodded at this. "It is dangerous out there, Remus. Even
in London."
"Come on," he pleaded. "It's less than a week before term. Do you really
want them owling everyday wondering where I am? They agreed to wait until three
days after the full moon and now they've got to wait until this Dark Lord gets
tired of killing people?"
Mrs. Lupin shook her head. "No, it's just-I want you and your friends to
be careful. I can't remember the last time the Ministry set up precautions as
tight around it as they have now. And after what happened at school last year-"
Remus gave his mother a sharp look. "That won't happen again, I promise."
She hadn't finished though. "I know you won't but things are riskier
nowadays and I while both your father and I want you to spend time with your
friends, we want you to be careful. You can't trust everyone."
Remus opened his mouth to try and defend his friends but Mr. Lupin beat
him to it.
"We know-they've done well keeping your secret and you're always careful
but sometimes you're not as careful as you ought to be." He smiled. "I know-- I
was young once too." He set the newspaper aside. "You can go as soon as your
strength is back.
Maybe they had known that such a promise would only speed Remus' recovery
or maybe the full moon had been an easy one. In any case, he was better in
record time.
As soon as the spinning slowed down he pushed out his trunk and stumbled,
soot-covered, into a small room made even smaller by the presence of three
teenaged young men sprawled out on the floor and on top of the couch, all sound
asleep. Quickly, he caught his trunk so it wouldn't fall on someone and set it
in the closest empty space.
"That's it, Moony," spoke a sleepy voice, "block our only path to the loo.
We're not going anyway anywhere."
Remus raised his eyebrows at the figure on the couch. He glanced at Sirius
and Peter on the floor. "No, I guess not, James. How'd you manage to get the
couch?"
James smiled and tried to sit up. "Head Boy's privilege." He leaned over
and rummaged through a pile of things on the floor then threw something at
Remus. His letter and badge, Remus saw. "Ah, congratulations."
"Thanks. It's nice to hear somebody say it," James replied.
Peter protested from the floor, "I said congratulations."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Really it's Sirius who made all the fuss. Said he'd
never met a-"
"Single mischief maker who went on to become a head boy," Sirius filled
in, also sitting up. "If the truth must be told, I was rooting for you," he
pointed a shaky finger at Remus. "After all, head boy, prefect, they're all the
same, aren't they? He besides," he burped, "you're the same one."
Remus had no idea what he was talking about but decided to play along.
"Yes, absolutely."
"Just more proof Dumbledore must be off his rocker," James added. He got
up off the couch and wobbly walked over towards the kitchen. "Padfoot, I mean
it, you should really buy some food, mate. We can't all live on food from the
Leaky Cauldron and second rate muggle restaurants."
"What's so bad about them? They're good! As the sign said, 'more punch for
your pound. Pretty clever, eh? 'Pounds' are what they call their money," he
explained to the coffee table. "Besides, as I have clearly stated, the dining
room-area-place-thing is otherwise occupied."
Remus turned in the direction Sirius waved his arm and stared. He highly
doubted the dining room had seen much dining at all since Sirius had moved in.
All of it was covered with mechanical parts, a few books, tools, rusted bits,
and cans, all of it leading up to the cornucopia of-
He was speechless. As he stood there like a man suffering under a severe
silencing charm, Sirius appeared at his side. "Yes, that's her. Isn't she
lovely? I've already put a lot of work into her, as you can tell, but there's a
ways to go yet." Remus could only nod in agreement and wonder to himself what on
Earth Sirius saw. To him, it was a rusted combination of various rusty metal
parts on two flat tires-both of which had been removed so the whole mess was
lying on its side on top of the dining room table.
Peter laughed nervously in the background then groaned in pain. "My head,
my head." Amongst the dirty rags and odds and ends were empty bottles of fire
whisky.
"Yes," Remus agreed, in a voice teaming with disbelief, "it has a lot of
potential."
James assured Remus that they hadn't really planned on sleeping all day.
"It's just that we stayed up a little too late last night-"
"Drank a bit more than we meant to last night," added Sirius.
"Urrggghh, the firewhisky," moaned Peter, "So much firewhisky."
Remus looked at his unusually pale, greenish tinted friend. "I thought you
didn't like firewhisky."
"I don't-not any more---not ever."
"Here, have some crackers," Sirius tossed him a box and Peter took one out
and nibbled on it nervously.
"If you'll believe it, Moony, those crackers make up the entire contents
of his pantry. Crackers." James opened a cabinet, shut it and moved on to
another, his stomach rumbling loudly. "I've been here two weeks and all I've
seen in this flat are crackers."
"And firewhisky," Sirius added, pulling a sweater over his head after
sniffing it carefully. "But I think we're out of that now too."
"What do you eat?" Remus had known Sirius and James long enough to know
that they had to have some sort of food supply.
"Out," Peter said, now sawing away at his third cracker.
"Everyday?"
"Not everyday. My mum sends me packages every once in a while," James
answered from the kitchen. "Been here about a month and you know how she
worries. Then again, she probably knows Sirius well enough by know to assume he
won't go grocery shopping."
"And let's face it: I'm the bad son she never had," Sirius said with a
smile. "She's probably thrilled I got my own flat so I don't come by corrupting
her baby."
James snorted. "Worried is more like it. You have no idea how much she
pestered me to talk you out of getting your own flat. 'It's too dangerous and
he's only barely reached his majority,' you know."
Remus nodded. "My parents said the same thing about me coming to stay here
for a few days before term."
"Is that why you're so late?"
He hesitated. That wasn't the only reason and neither was the full moon.
It was more the fact that it was Sirius' flat. He'd told his parents exactly
what had happened last year with Snape, Sirius and himself. To say they were
less than pleased would be a gross understatement. They weren't openly furious
about it either. The Lupins simply didn't get angry-at least not in front of
him. "At least," his father had said, "no one else will know. That's the
important thing: that you finish your education." Remus' eyes flickered briefly
over to where Sirius was casually vanishing firewhisky bottles. "Yeah, that and
other stuff," he answered finally. Their eyes met and then the both of them
quickly looked away.
"My mother was a bit worried about it, too," Peter spoke up, "but I told
her what you guys said-that if I wasn't safe in London with three of the best
students at Hogwarts, I wouldn't be safe at home either. That convinced her."
James smiled at Remus. "Yeah, even Wormtail had you beat this time, Remus.
He's been here two weeks. So," he clapped his hands together and stood up.
"Shall we get some breakfast then head to Diagon Alley?"
"Haven't you bought your school things yet?" Remus asked in surprise.
"Oh, James' mummy bought his already but Peter and I have been putting it
off. You know, maybe if we wait long enough there won't be any left."
"Wishful thinking, Padfoot."
"Perhaps, but that is not the only reason we're going there, eh, James?"
James' cheeks reddened a bit. "No," he replied casually, "someone needs to
look at books on motorcycles or at least that's what he said earlier."
"Hah!" Sirius laughed harshly. "And you haven't been casually wondering
what charming female student is head girl this year."
Remus smiled. "Lily seemed pretty confidant about her chances last year,"
he told James.
Sirius feigned puzzlement. "Who said anything about Lily?"
Peter frowned. "Isn't Lily the one James is all-?"
"Yes, Wormtail!" James cut him off.
"Prongs has become very sensitive about this issue in the past year,"
Sirius informed them.
"I have not." This denial did not stop him from quickly changing the
subject, however. "I agree with Padfoot though, it's surprising that you didn't
become Head Boy, Remus.
"No, not really."
"But you were a prefect."
He shrugged, noncommittally. "Sometimes prefects don't make good Head
Boys. People would get suspicious if the Head Boy disappeared once a month
whereas a prefect, well, there are more than enough of them to go around." Remus
could have said more but this was getting dangerously close to uncomfortable
territory. "So, are we going to Diagon Alley today or not?"
"Right, yes, Diagon Alley." Sirius stood up and ran his hand through his
hair. "Shall we floo or apparate to the Leaky Cauldron?"
"Floo," Peter responded glumly. "I haven't got my apparating license yet."
Moony-
Where are you? Padfoot says he owled you twice-and I witnessed the second one so
I know you know you're invited. Wormtail arrived just last week and the full
moon passed three days since. You've no more excuses. Either you arrive within
two days of this letter's arrival or we will come over and bring you to London
ourselves. Tube, floo powder, broomsticks or illegal apparition-we don't care
how you get here as long as you do.
(Signed)
Prongs (and Padfoot and Wormtail)
Remus was the last to arrive at Sirius' flat. He floo'd in to Sirius'
fireplace two days before the start of term. He hadn't really meant to put it
off so long but one thing led to another, which led to another. First the full
moon-he always felt poorly before it and after it, then his mother started to
fret. "How do we know you'll be safe? Up there in London?" She had asked him
when he had sat down to breakfast after the full moon.
"I'll be fine, Mum. James and Sirius and Peter will all be there.
"I know that. It's just that you're not indestructible no matter what you
lot think and there have been so many attacks lately."
Remus' father had nodded at this. "It is dangerous out there, Remus. Even
in London."
"Come on," he pleaded. "It's less than a week before term. Do you really
want them owling everyday wondering where I am? They agreed to wait until three
days after the full moon and now they've got to wait until this Dark Lord gets
tired of killing people?"
Mrs. Lupin shook her head. "No, it's just-I want you and your friends to
be careful. I can't remember the last time the Ministry set up precautions as
tight around it as they have now. And after what happened at school last year-"
Remus gave his mother a sharp look. "That won't happen again, I promise."
She hadn't finished though. "I know you won't but things are riskier
nowadays and I while both your father and I want you to spend time with your
friends, we want you to be careful. You can't trust everyone."
Remus opened his mouth to try and defend his friends but Mr. Lupin beat
him to it.
"We know-they've done well keeping your secret and you're always careful
but sometimes you're not as careful as you ought to be." He smiled. "I know-- I
was young once too." He set the newspaper aside. "You can go as soon as your
strength is back.
Maybe they had known that such a promise would only speed Remus' recovery
or maybe the full moon had been an easy one. In any case, he was better in
record time.
As soon as the spinning slowed down he pushed out his trunk and stumbled,
soot-covered, into a small room made even smaller by the presence of three
teenaged young men sprawled out on the floor and on top of the couch, all sound
asleep. Quickly, he caught his trunk so it wouldn't fall on someone and set it
in the closest empty space.
"That's it, Moony," spoke a sleepy voice, "block our only path to the loo.
We're not going anyway anywhere."
Remus raised his eyebrows at the figure on the couch. He glanced at Sirius
and Peter on the floor. "No, I guess not, James. How'd you manage to get the
couch?"
James smiled and tried to sit up. "Head Boy's privilege." He leaned over
and rummaged through a pile of things on the floor then threw something at
Remus. His letter and badge, Remus saw. "Ah, congratulations."
"Thanks. It's nice to hear somebody say it," James replied.
Peter protested from the floor, "I said congratulations."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Really it's Sirius who made all the fuss. Said he'd
never met a-"
"Single mischief maker who went on to become a head boy," Sirius filled
in, also sitting up. "If the truth must be told, I was rooting for you," he
pointed a shaky finger at Remus. "After all, head boy, prefect, they're all the
same, aren't they? He besides," he burped, "you're the same one."
Remus had no idea what he was talking about but decided to play along.
"Yes, absolutely."
"Just more proof Dumbledore must be off his rocker," James added. He got
up off the couch and wobbly walked over towards the kitchen. "Padfoot, I mean
it, you should really buy some food, mate. We can't all live on food from the
Leaky Cauldron and second rate muggle restaurants."
"What's so bad about them? They're good! As the sign said, 'more punch for
your pound. Pretty clever, eh? 'Pounds' are what they call their money," he
explained to the coffee table. "Besides, as I have clearly stated, the dining
room-area-place-thing is otherwise occupied."
Remus turned in the direction Sirius waved his arm and stared. He highly
doubted the dining room had seen much dining at all since Sirius had moved in.
All of it was covered with mechanical parts, a few books, tools, rusted bits,
and cans, all of it leading up to the cornucopia of-
He was speechless. As he stood there like a man suffering under a severe
silencing charm, Sirius appeared at his side. "Yes, that's her. Isn't she
lovely? I've already put a lot of work into her, as you can tell, but there's a
ways to go yet." Remus could only nod in agreement and wonder to himself what on
Earth Sirius saw. To him, it was a rusted combination of various rusty metal
parts on two flat tires-both of which had been removed so the whole mess was
lying on its side on top of the dining room table.
Peter laughed nervously in the background then groaned in pain. "My head,
my head." Amongst the dirty rags and odds and ends were empty bottles of fire
whisky.
"Yes," Remus agreed, in a voice teaming with disbelief, "it has a lot of
potential."
James assured Remus that they hadn't really planned on sleeping all day.
"It's just that we stayed up a little too late last night-"
"Drank a bit more than we meant to last night," added Sirius.
"Urrggghh, the firewhisky," moaned Peter, "So much firewhisky."
Remus looked at his unusually pale, greenish tinted friend. "I thought you
didn't like firewhisky."
"I don't-not any more---not ever."
"Here, have some crackers," Sirius tossed him a box and Peter took one out
and nibbled on it nervously.
"If you'll believe it, Moony, those crackers make up the entire contents
of his pantry. Crackers." James opened a cabinet, shut it and moved on to
another, his stomach rumbling loudly. "I've been here two weeks and all I've
seen in this flat are crackers."
"And firewhisky," Sirius added, pulling a sweater over his head after
sniffing it carefully. "But I think we're out of that now too."
"What do you eat?" Remus had known Sirius and James long enough to know
that they had to have some sort of food supply.
"Out," Peter said, now sawing away at his third cracker.
"Everyday?"
"Not everyday. My mum sends me packages every once in a while," James
answered from the kitchen. "Been here about a month and you know how she
worries. Then again, she probably knows Sirius well enough by know to assume he
won't go grocery shopping."
"And let's face it: I'm the bad son she never had," Sirius said with a
smile. "She's probably thrilled I got my own flat so I don't come by corrupting
her baby."
James snorted. "Worried is more like it. You have no idea how much she
pestered me to talk you out of getting your own flat. 'It's too dangerous and
he's only barely reached his majority,' you know."
Remus nodded. "My parents said the same thing about me coming to stay here
for a few days before term."
"Is that why you're so late?"
He hesitated. That wasn't the only reason and neither was the full moon.
It was more the fact that it was Sirius' flat. He'd told his parents exactly
what had happened last year with Snape, Sirius and himself. To say they were
less than pleased would be a gross understatement. They weren't openly furious
about it either. The Lupins simply didn't get angry-at least not in front of
him. "At least," his father had said, "no one else will know. That's the
important thing: that you finish your education." Remus' eyes flickered briefly
over to where Sirius was casually vanishing firewhisky bottles. "Yeah, that and
other stuff," he answered finally. Their eyes met and then the both of them
quickly looked away.
"My mother was a bit worried about it, too," Peter spoke up, "but I told
her what you guys said-that if I wasn't safe in London with three of the best
students at Hogwarts, I wouldn't be safe at home either. That convinced her."
James smiled at Remus. "Yeah, even Wormtail had you beat this time, Remus.
He's been here two weeks. So," he clapped his hands together and stood up.
"Shall we get some breakfast then head to Diagon Alley?"
"Haven't you bought your school things yet?" Remus asked in surprise.
"Oh, James' mummy bought his already but Peter and I have been putting it
off. You know, maybe if we wait long enough there won't be any left."
"Wishful thinking, Padfoot."
"Perhaps, but that is not the only reason we're going there, eh, James?"
James' cheeks reddened a bit. "No," he replied casually, "someone needs to
look at books on motorcycles or at least that's what he said earlier."
"Hah!" Sirius laughed harshly. "And you haven't been casually wondering
what charming female student is head girl this year."
Remus smiled. "Lily seemed pretty confidant about her chances last year,"
he told James.
Sirius feigned puzzlement. "Who said anything about Lily?"
Peter frowned. "Isn't Lily the one James is all-?"
"Yes, Wormtail!" James cut him off.
"Prongs has become very sensitive about this issue in the past year,"
Sirius informed them.
"I have not." This denial did not stop him from quickly changing the
subject, however. "I agree with Padfoot though, it's surprising that you didn't
become Head Boy, Remus.
"No, not really."
"But you were a prefect."
He shrugged, noncommittally. "Sometimes prefects don't make good Head
Boys. People would get suspicious if the Head Boy disappeared once a month
whereas a prefect, well, there are more than enough of them to go around." Remus
could have said more but this was getting dangerously close to uncomfortable
territory. "So, are we going to Diagon Alley today or not?"
"Right, yes, Diagon Alley." Sirius stood up and ran his hand through his
hair. "Shall we floo or apparate to the Leaky Cauldron?"
"Floo," Peter responded glumly. "I haven't got my apparating license yet."