2. A Castle In the Mountains (Remus)
Remus brought the glass to his mouth and took another sip of the tart orange juice. Students' cheerful voices and the clattering of cutlery filled the Great Hall. The bright sunlight that seeped through the tall, broad windows and coloured the room light yellow had a bracing effect on Remus' tired body.
"Sweeeeet," Sirius happy exclaimed, while eyeing the schedule Professor McGonagall had handed out a minute ago. "I start with a free period today."
The four of them, dressed in their black school robes, were sitting at the crammed Gryffindor table. Sirius, with his tangled black hair as a messy gloria around his head, still had his tie loosely hanging around his neck . Remus and Peter kept theirs nicely tied, while James seemed to have taken the middle ground between the two options. Chewing on a piece of toast, James leaned closer to Sirius to look at the schedule over his shoulder.
"Padfoot," he laughed. "That's not meant as free time. You're supposed to study hard." He grinned at Sirius.
"Well not today," Sirius insisted. "We haven't had a single lesson. I am officially homework free."
"Well I only have one lesson today," countered Peter. "So I win."
"But you take fewer subjects, so you don't count," teased Sirius. "Can I look at yours?" He reached over the table and grabbed Peter's schedule out of his hand. Peter let him take it and turned his attention back to the breakfast and the Daily Prophet he had been reading.
Remus took another look at his own schedule for today. Astronomy, Potions and Transfiguration.
"Look, Pete, we have Care of Magical Creatures tomorrow," Sirius continued eagerly, as he kept eying his schedule.
"It will be nice to get outside," said Peter, lowering The Daily Prophet, and glanced out the window in front of him on the other side of the table.
"What do you even plan to do with that class?" James asked skeptically. "Are you two planning a career in that field? Cause otherwise it's a waste of time."
Sirius shrugged. "It's fun. Besides, I got an Outstanding last year," he delightfully boasted, before reaching over the table and ruffling Remus' light-brown hair. "It's just because I've had so much practice."
Remus glared at him disapprovingly. "You're welcome."
James bursted into laughter, and Remus couldn't help but join in. Sirius smiled innocently.
Remus look bite out of his sandwich.
"Anything interesting, Peter?" James asked, glancing at The Prophet in Peter's hands.
"Nah, just more of the same. There's an article about remaining hopeful, and another one that predicts everything's gonna go to hell," said Peter, while flipping through the pages of the newspaper without looking at it. "Take your pick."
Remus, James and Sirius all laughed, and Peter smiled happily.
"I think we need to go," said Remus, before chugging the last of the juice from his glass. "Otherwise well be late to class."
James and Peter nodded and stood up.
Sirius gave a short, mocking laugh. "I'll just stay here then. Pete, could I have the paper?" Sirius held up his hand and Peter gave him the folded Daily Prophet.
Remus, James and Peter made their way through the busy hall, zigzagging past the flow of students on their way in or out through the door. The Astronomy lessons on Thursday mornings were not held in the Astronomy Tower. During Remus' five years at Hogwarts the lessons had always been once a week at midnight, where they sat and observed the stars. They would have those sessions this year as well, but the morning lesson was in a normal classroom.
"It's probably gonna be theoretical," said James, casually leaning against the thick stone wall in the corridor. They were waiting outside the locked classroom together with the other Gryffindors and Ravenclaws who attended the class. Remus and Peter stood really close to James as they tried to talk over the other students' loud chatting.
"Probably," Remus agreed. "If we're just made to memorize the names of a million stars I'm going to die."
James groaned in assent. "Yeah. Just promise to take me with you."
Remus smiled at him.
"It's probably not that bad," said Peter.
The Astronomy Professor walked down the corridor and greeted her students, before unlocking the door to let them in. The small classroom was cluttered with desks standing all over the place. Bookshelves crammed with books ran along three of the walls, giving the classroom an enclosed feeling. Remus and James choose a pair of desks at the very back of the room, and Peter seated himself right in front of them.
The lessons was, just as James predicted, theoretical. The Professor gave a brief introduction of what they were to expect from the class, before making them research different stars from the hundreds of books in her classroom. It was a mundane task, where all they did was copy the names of stars from the books to answer the short questions on the paper she had handed out.
Remus had brought a big pile of dusty old books to his desk, and two of them were already lying open when a thick brown book, wittering of old age, titled The moon - mysteries and magic caught Remus interest, where it was lying at the top of the pile. He reached out his arm to grab it, and started flipped through the pages, reading a paragraph here and there. The book seemed to contain a lot of advice on how to use the moon to one's advantage. Allegedly, moonlight was good for treating flu, but could make the bones more fragile and increase the risk of breaking one. It sounded like nonsense to Remus, like the kind of ideas witches and wizards held in the past.
Remus found the spread about werewolves at the back of the book. After making sure no one saw what he was reading, he quickly skimmed through the pages. There was no information there that he didn't already know, only the deeply offensive wording.
Remus jerked his head up when he sensed someone behind him, looked around, and met James' gentle, brown gaze. James, who had leaned closer to Remus to read over his shoulder, immediately sat back in his seat with an apologetic look. Flustered, Remus closed the book and lay it aside.
"Sorry," said James quickly. "I didn't mean to prey. I was just wondering what you were reading."
Surely, James only found Remus' interest for werewolves natural, but Remus couldn't help to feel a little embarrassed. He had been a werewolf for 11 years, and maybe his friends though that it was time for him to get over himself. But Remus wanted to know as much as possible about his condition, and always found the subject of werewolves engaging, since lycanthropy was a considerable part of his life.
"It's fine," Remus awkwardly assured him.
Peter, who had heard them talking, turned around. Remus forced a smile, before hastily turning his gaze to one of the still open books on his desk. James started a whispering conversation with Peter, and Remus took up his quill and kept working on the assignment. After a while, Peter turned back to his desk, and the three of them spent the rest of the lesson in silence. Out of the corner of his eye Remus caught James glancing at him a couple of times.
A loud buzz filled the classroom when the professor announced that the class was over, and everyone gathered their belongings and made their way out in the corridor. Remus, James and Peter followed the stream of students down to the ground floor. Remus and James' next lesson was Potions. The parted ways with Peter, and just as the two of them started to climb the stairs to the dungeons, Sirius caught up with them. James complained about the boring Astronomy lesson as they made their way to the Potions Classroom.
The area outside the door was filled with students, alternately wearing red and green ties. Lily was standing among a group of friends to the right of the door. Her shiny, red hair, which reached down to the middle of her back, made her difficult to miss in the first place, and James jerking in a temporarily halt made it impossible.
"Hi Lily," James said flirtatiously. Lily instinctively turned her head, but her eyes narrowed when she lay eyes on James. Without answering she turned back to her friends and kept talking like no interruption had occured.
Trying to hide his disappointed look, James followed his friends to the back of the small space. Remus sank to the floor and leaned back against the wall. Sirius followed his example, while James sat down cross-legged opposite them.
From his place on the floor, Remus catched a glimpse of Snape. Earlier years Lily usually spent this class in his company, but now she seemed to be standing as far away from him as possible. Snape's straight black hair looked oily as usual. Why was that? Did he actually not wash it, as James and Sirius always mockingly suggested?
Suddenly, Snape turned his head and glared furiously in Remus, James and Sirius' direction. He must have noticed that Remus was looking at him, because all of a sudden his black eyes stared right into Remus'. Remus froze, and refused to look away. After a moment Snape averted his gaze and swept his narrowing eyes over Remus' body as he looked him up and down.
"Oi, Moony." Sirius snapped his fingers. "You with us?"
Remus teared away from Snape's strange looks and turned back to his friends. Sirius, however, wasn't looking at Remus. He must have realized what had taken up Remus' attention, and was now staring down Snape with a hostile expression in his face.
"What's his problem?" Sirius asked, irritated, while raising a pair of agitated eyebrows at Snape.
"He's mad about Lily," James concluded, while staring in Snape's direction as well. "Like it's our fault he's a rasict ashole."
"Don't mind him," Remus hurriedly advised them. James turned his head to look at Remus when he spoke, but then quickly continued to stare at Snape.
At that moment, Professor Slughorn opened the doors to the classroom. Snape, James and Sirius stopped their silent battle, as Snape followed his Slytherin friends through the doors. Remus, James, and Sirius stood up and made their way into the classroom as well. The three of them seated themselves at the back of the classroom, where they'd easier be able to get away with talking. The desks were put together four and four, forming a small square, and James and Sirius immediately sank down next to each other. Remus took one of the seats opposite them.
Professor Slughorn welcomed everyone to the class and started, just like the Astronomy Professor, explaining what they would cover this term. Remus wasn't exactly paying attention, where he sat leaned in over the table, quietly talking to James and Sirius. What was the point in going over what they would do in class? Like they wouldn't find out when they got there.
When Slughorn explained the names and usages of important potion ingredients, however, Remus stopped talking, leaned back in his seat, and took careful notes. James and Sirius kept whispering to each other, and Slughorn had to stop talking twice to tell them off.
Potions was followed by lunch. Peter joined them, and the four of them spent the hour leaned in close together at the Gryffindor table, discussing Snape. James was undoubtedly right when he promoted that Snape would attack them at some point. During the ongoing feud between Snape and James and Sirius, both parties took every opportunity to mock, humiliate or assault their opponent. And after what happened last year, Snape must be out for revenge.
But Remus wasn't sure he could hold it against Snape. Despite the mutual dispute Remus still felt Snape was being bullied. He was more vulnerable - being less talented than James and Sirius, and, since he didn't always had help from his friends, usually outnumbered. James and Sirius, on the other hand, had the crowd on their side, who considered that Snape, the odd Slytherin, deserved it. And on top of that James and Sirius were the ones who started it all. Snape's first attack had been out of vengeance. James and Sirius' had been unprovoked.
"We can't attack him 'just in case'!" Remus exclaimed frustrated, when Sirius suggested just that. "That is stupid on so many levels."
"Well you agreed he's going to come after us -"
"And how do you think going after him is going to stop him? You'll just make him angrier!" Remus said between gritted teeth.
With raised eyebrows Sirius held up his hands in defeat. "Okay, okay." He was silent for a moment. "But have fun looking over your shoulder, Moony," he then said with a little flick of his head. "Maybe you'll regret it when you're lying in the Hospital Wing."
"He's not going to send us to the Hospital Wing!"
"I wouldn't be so sure," said James seriously. When Remus heard James subdued tone he realized he and Sirius had started to raise their voices. "Snape's probably furious," James continued. "And he is very fond of the Dark Arts."
"But that's a little extreme," said Remus with uncertainty, now in a hushed voice.
James shrugged. "You saw the way he looked at us."
Actually, Remus was certain that Snape had been looking specifically at him. A hint of fear flashed through him when he realized he believed James. Snape probably was capable of doing something that bad, and it seemed like Remus was the target.
They were quiet for a moment. Peter slurped another spoon of his tomato soup. He had intensely listened to the conversation with worried eyes.
"Well it doesn't matter anyway," said Remus quietly, shifting position in his seat. "Attacking him beforehand won't change anything. It's not like it'll scare him off."
"No," James agreed. "We'll just have to be on guard."
After lunch Remus, James and Sirius left Peter, and went up the marble staircase to the first floor, where their Transfiguration class would take place. Once Professor McGonagall arrived and let them into the classroom, James, who kept a close eye on Lily, picked the seat right behind her. Remus sighed inawards as he followed him, with Sirius close behind. Sirius, looking quite amused, lay an arm around Remus shoulders as they sat down together behind James.
"You wanna bet she'll slap him at some point," he jokingly whispered in Remus ear.
They both glanced at James, who unsuccessfully attempted to start up a conversation with Lily.
Remus smiled. "And what do you bet on?"
With a widened smile, Sirius removed his arm and leaned back to be able to look at Remus. "She's totally going to take a swing at him." He paused for a moment. " You in?"
Remus considered what event was most likely to go down between James and Lily. Lily was a kind and non violent witch. Even last year, when she'd been the only person standing up for Snape, she had not raised her wand once. She didn't seem like the person who'd solve problems with violence in the first place.
"Sure," Remus smirked.
Sirius seemed to have put less thought and more hope into his decision.
"One galleon."
"Sure."
"Quiet please!" Professor McGonagall called out, where she was standing behind her desk, dressed in her usual emerald-green robes, and with the black hair tied up in a bun.
The class immediately stopped talking and turned their attention to her. Remus leaned in, supported his elbows on the table and rested his head in his hands. Professor McGonagall welcomed everyone, and congratulated them for gaining such a high grade at their O.W.L:s (since Professor McGonagall only accept students into her N.E.W.T classes that had achieved a Exceeds Expectations or higher). After that, she quickly put the class to work.
They were supposed to practice the charm for multiplying an object, which was extremely challenging. It felt like a typical McGonagall-like way to welcome her students back from summer break. Remus concentrated hard, mimicked the wand movement from the book, and spoke in a clear voice, but to no result. After a while he started to loose focus. Sirius, clearly more interested in chatting than the lesson, kept talking to him, and since Remus attempts to master the charm had been unsuccessful, he started to give in.
James didn't seem to be paying attention either. At first, he tried to talk to Lily, but when that didn't work he sat back in his seat, seemingly to practice the spell, but Remus could see that he repeatedly glanced at Lily.
At the end of the lesson, no one in the whole class had manage to conjure a replica of the button Professor McGonagall had handed out to each them.
"On Monday I want everyone to be able to use the spell on an item that small," Professor McGonagall told them. The whole class sighed when handed their first homework in months. "And if you haven't practiced, I will know." She sternly looked out over the class, who mumbling assured her that they would do it.
The scratching sound of everyones' chairs moving across the floor broke the silence when Professor McGonagall declared the lesson to be over. Remus was on his way out of the classroom along with James and Sirius when Professor McGonagall called him out.
"Mr Lupin! Could I speak with you for a moment?"
Remus strongly suspected what she wanted to talk about. There was only one subject brought up every time Professor McGonagall had a private conversation with him.
"I'll be right back," he mumbled to his friends.
James and Sirius, both with pretty blank expressions, gave a quick nod of understanding. Lily, among some other students, eyed Remus curiously when he turned around and walked back inside the classroom. Remus made sure to close the door behind him, since this was a conversation his classmates must not hear.
There were moments when Remus was happy Professor McGonagall knew about his condition. As his Head of House, her knowing facilitated him. He didn't have to sneak around in the same way. She was kind and understanding, and under her authority he was allowed to skip class around the full moon, if he felt it to be needed. Additionally, it was reassuring every time Remus found someone who didn't dismiss him because of what he was.
Remus felt fine with his friends knowing he was a werewolf. They didn't find it disgusting or humiliating. On the contrary, they had viewed it as rather cool, and treated the subject as something normal, which made him feel like less of a freak.
But it was different with Professor McGonagall. It was just so… so… awkward. His body literally turned into a wolf every month. He wasn't quite comfortable with her beholding that image in her brain. Remus didn't know how she really felt about the whole affair. He was sure she didn't think less of him because of it, but it might still make her feel uneasy. Remus had a very serious view of his lycanthropy, but sometime the realisation that it was simply a really weird condition hit him. Being a werewolf caused him a lot of pain, but it was embarrassing as well.
Standing behind her desk, McGonagall was fiddling with some papers as Remus walked up to her. She put them down and looked up when he stopped on the other side off the desk.
"How was your summer?" she asked in a restrained voice, as her green eyes swept over him.
It felt like an attempt to a subtle medical examination.
"Great." Remus forced a smile, wishing they could skip the pleasantries.
Professor McGonagall seemed to sense he wasn't up for small talk. "I just want to go over some new procedures we've put in place, since the new safety rules affect how we handle your transformations," she said, calmly looking at Remus.
Remus shifted the weight from one foot to the other.
"Yeah?"
"Neither Dumbledore nor I wanted to let you stay so far away from the school, but unfortunately, we don't have a better option."
Remus couldn't fight a small smile. "I don't think I'll be in any danger."
"Werewolves aren't invulnerable," said Professor McGonagall seriously.
Remus jerked involuntary when she bluntly uttered the word.
"People would think twice before attempting to harm one," she continued, thankfully without acknowledging his reaction. "But I still feel uncomfortable leaving you unprotected."
Professor McGonagall was worrying about Death Eaters, but Remus had always been in some degree of danger, since werewolves could be a target for almost any witch or wizard. There were many who, upon encountering a werewolf in wolf form, would attempt to kill it.
"Our solution," Professor McGonagall continued. "Is to cast strong protective magic around the Shrieking Shack, beyond the usual spells. I will accompany you along with Madam Pomfrey every month, to assure you get there safely, and to perform the protective charms. Any questions?"
Remus shook his head.
"You will come to my office every evening of the full moon, and we will walk together from there," Professor McGonagall added. "I hardly need to remind you to be in time?"
"No," said Remus, repressing an ironic smile.
Professor McGonagall stood a little straighter. "Then that will be all. Please close the door on your way out."
Remus gave a quick nod, turned around and walked out of the classroom, before closing the door. The now almost deserted corridor only contained three other people, besides Remus. James, Sirius and Peter, who must have joined them after the lesson ended, stood by the window opposite of the classroom door. They stopped talking and looked up when Remus stepped out in the corridor.
"Werewolf stuff?" Sirius asked, with a hint of humor, when Remus approached them.
"Yep."
"Anything major?" James wondered, when Remus didn't elaborate.
Remus explained what Professor McGonagall had said.
"We want to head down to the lake," Sirius smiled when Remus was done, gesturing at the beautiful sunny day outside the window.
"No, I need to do our Transfiguration homework first," said Remus.
Sirius sighed, annoyed. "C'mon. It's not due until Monday."
"Sirius -", said James reproachfully, but Remus cut him off.
"I am going to be out almost all of next week," he said sharply. "So I'd like to learn the spell while I still can."
Being a werewolf didn't mean Remus only lost one night a month to the savage create inside him. His transformation were always preceded and succeeded by a couple of days of exhaustion. Tired and on edge, he couldn't pay attention in class properly around that time, and he'd never been able to do much but lie in bed the very day after he'd turned. This resulted in Remus systematically getting behind in his school work.
Unprepared for Remus' outburst, Sirius looked a little startled. "Sorry," he apologised, sounding guilty.
"It's okay," said Remus quickly, regretting that he'd snapped at him.
Peter looked between the two of them with concerned eyes.
"Why don't you do your homework first, and then we'll go to the lake?" James suggested.
That sounded like a good compromise. And Remus did want to go outside, he just felt he didn't really have the time.
They all went to the Gryffindor common room, where Remus settled himself in one of the soft armchairs, trying hard to get the spell right. James, Sirius and Peter started playing a round of cards on the floor. The common room was pretty empty, since it was only early afternoon, and many students still had class. And those who'd finished their last lesson of the day chose to spend time outside.
Remus had put a little button on the small, round table standing next to the armchair. At first he continuously uttered the spell, his wand firmly pointing at the small item, but eventually Sirius groaned that he he was being annoying. After that, Remus sat with the Transfiguration book in his hands, rereading the instructions and tips on how to perform the charm. Once in a while he dared to try to cast it, and every time he failed.
When James, Sirius and Peter had finished their third round, Sirius stood up and launched himself at the red sofa standing on Remus' left.
"Please tell me you are done soon," he begged, where he was laying on his side, looking up at Remus.
James now standing, took a hesitant step in their direction. Peter, who still sat on the floor, had started to build a card house.
"I honestly haven't gotten anywhere," Remus frustratedly explained. He put the book down on the table with a little slam, and shifted around in his seat.
Sirius sighed and rolled over on his back.
"But I might as well stop now," said Remus in dejection.
Sirius lifted his head and gave Remus a happily smile, where he was looking at him upside down. "Really?"
"Yes."
Delighted, Sirius jumped up.
After putting away the book and the deck of cards, and retrieving their swimming gears, the four of them left the Gryffindor tower and made their way outside one of the castle's side entrances. They walked over the quaint little courtyard, crossed the beautiful but rickety-looking bridge, and strolled down the long slope which lead to the lake.
The bright sunshine and hot temperature gave an impression of a summer day, even though they were in Scotland and it was in the beginning of September. There wind was still, and Remus felt uncomfortably warm in his black robes. It certainly didn't look like authom either. Remus couldn't detect a single hint of yellow or red on the trees as they walked along the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Exited shrieks carried their way from the water. The lake was filled with swimming students, and over the grass-covered bank sat groups of friends, lively talking to each other. Sirius lead Remus, James and Peter to a spot near the edge of the lake, where he started to remove his robes. James and Peter immediately followed his lead, while Remus sank down on the ground. Sitting cross-legged, he closed his eyes and turned his head up against the warm sun.
"You're not going swimming?" Sirius asked in an energetic voice somewhere above Remus.
Remus opened his eyes again and looked up at Sirius. "I think I'll pass."
Sirius looked at him dejectedly, but seemed to decide not to push it.
"Have fun," said Remus lightly. He shut his eyes again, putting the short exchange to an end.
James, Sirius and Peter's cheerful voices became distant as they left for the lake, and soon thereafter there was a sound of splashing water nearby.
Remus would have liked to join them, but during his five years at Hogwarts he'd never set foot in the lake (well, at least figuratively speaking, since he had walked barefoot in the shallow water many times before). But going swimming meant exposing most of his skin, and he didn't exactly feel like sharing more of his scares with the world.
Remus had two scars he couldn't hide with his everyday clothing: the three, light-red scratches which ran along the left side of his neck, and a single thin, white line across his nose and cheek. He was lucky, really, that the damage was so mild. Month after month, his claws kept missing the eyes. Remus was terrified that one day they wouldn't. But maybe the wolf in him partly knew what he was doing. Even though the wolf couldn't control himself enough to not cause any harm, he might intentionally avoid such a valuable possession as eyes.
Since Remus couldn't hide the scars on his face and neck, all his classmates and everyone who passed him in the hallway noticed them. Some asked questions (which Remus untruthfully answered) and some just stared. His classmates had eventually gotten used to how he looked, but if Remus were to reveal his ragged body they'd have a lot of questions. It would not only make Remus flustered, but actually put him at risk. Not that anyone immediately would come to the conclusion that he was a werewolf, since the idea that such a foul creature attended Hogwarts would be so far-fetched it would not even be considered. But perceiving a person with that many scars would make them understand that something was wrong, and if they started digging they might stumble upon the truth.
And yeah, sure, Remus could avoid the problem by going out in the water with his clothes on. But then that would make him weird on a whole other level.
Remus opened his eyes and looked out over the bewitching sight in front of him. The enormous grey mountains loomed over the giant, glittering body of water right below them. Since the mountains were so close, located around the very edge of the lake, it looked as though they were creeping up on him. On Remus left, the Hogwarts Castle towered over him from its place on the high, steep, mountain-like hill, which jutted out into the lake. The scenery emanated a threatening, powerful feeling that fascinated him. Maybe because it was what made the view so majestic and grand.
James, Sirius and Peter got out of the water. Standing by the edge of the lake Sirius started shaking his head back and forth to get the water out of his hair. Together, the three of them then walked back to Remus.
"Hi!" Sirius damp swimming shorts made a squelching sound when he dropped down on the grass next to Remus.
James bent down and dug out his wand from the messy pile of his robes lying on the ground. With a quick spell he dried his own and Peter's shorts, before they sat down as well.
Remus was reminded of Sirius' new tattoo when he lay eyes on it again. It was a paw print made out of black inc, about half a decimeter in size. Located beneath his right collarbone, the skin around it was still soft pink.
"Little obvious maybe," said Remus with raised eyebrows, nodding his head at Sirius while eying the tattoo.
Sirius had clearly got the tattoo as a symbol of his new status as an animagus. Not that anyone would see it and connect Sirius to the large, black dog that sometimes ran around at Hogwarts. At least Remus hoped they wouldn't. Professor McGonagall sure could be observant.
Sirius met Remus' gaze before looking down at the black paw print himself. He smiled. "Thought my animal side needed some representation."
"Creative," said Remus wryly.
"Fuck you, Lupin," Sirius countered, but he couldn't fight a smile.
"I think it looks good," said Peter.
"See, Peter knows what he's talking about!" Sirius jokingly exclaimed. It looked like he was about to say something more, but he seemed to change his mind, and instead turned to James. "You ever thought of getting one, James?"
James, who had been looking out over the area, turned his head to Sirius while he changed his seating position in the grass. "Nope. I might, some day."
They started to discussing tattoos. Remus didn't exactly considered getting one himself, but it was fun to speculate. And maybe Sirius would be able to convince either James or Peter to do it. Wizarding tattoos offered so many more possibilities than muggle ones. They could change colour or shape, and move around. Although having tattoos constantly changing could probably be quite annoying.
A soft wind swept past Remus, and rippled the surface of the water. With a soft sound of flapping wings, a stare of owls flew over them, soon leaving the school grounds behind. They were unmistakably on their way to deliver students' letters to family and friends. The lake steadily emptied as more and more student grew tired of swimming.
"Look, you can see the moon," said Peter suddenly.
Peter had been leaning back, steadying himself with his hands behind his back, staring up at the blue arch above. Now he shuffled his weight to one hand and lifted the other upwards, lasily pointing at the sky. Remus followed his gaze, and after a second he lay his eyes on the almost indistinguishable circular shape.
Where it was, hanging over the beautiful scene below, the pale, grey moon looked completely harmless.
Author's note
Hi!
I didn't mange to figure out how to put an author's note on the first chapter, so now I'm just adding one at the end of this document.
That was the second chapter! I hope you liked it! Feel free to let me know what you think :)
I really struggled with writing the Hogwarts grounds. I want this story to be in line with the original Harry Potter books, and wasn't sure how the castle and grounds officially looked. Had to spend some time studying an animation and several pictures of Hogwarts on Pottermore before I (hopefully) got it right. I'm really happy the castle from the movies is cannon, because it looks amazing! ^_^
