Disclaimer: Not mine.

His Calling

Chapter 18

Second Term

Remus saw his roommates sitting on top of their luggage as he and his mother ran to 9 ¾. There had been a thunderstorm, which had slowed their progress, and now they were running to make it on time.

Remus grinned. "See? What did I tell ya… you? Everyone is late, not just us."

"I remember missing the train once myself and had to take one of the regular ones, and then have someone collect me at the station." Rhea scowled. "We can't risk that."

"I'll be fine Mum."

She looked up at the three boys that had spotted him and were now running towards them. Stepping back she grinned at the awkward non-hug slaps on the shoulders, and arms draped around each other's shoulders wanting to embrace each other but knowing that big second years wouldn't do that. She caught her breath seeing Remus join in, no longer afraid to look into their eyes.

"Mrs. Lupin," the tallest of the boys stood twisting his hat in front of her. "I need to, ah... I just wanted to say… that I …umm."

"You are Sirius?"

"Yes Madam," he looked up at her face and grinned. "I talked to Mrs. Potter and I just wanted to tell you that I don't care if his Dad was just an ole Muggle."

"Just an old Muggle?" She lifted her eyebrow and smirked at him.

"Yeah, well… I guess that's all I had to say."

"Indeed." She looked at Remus over his head. "Tell me Sirius, did Remus tell you to talk to me?"

"No," he said, looking up at her shyly with the good grace to blush. "Yeah, but I mean it anyway."

"That's what I thought," she laughed and ruffled his hair. "Now you go on before I embarrass you with a kiss goodbye as well."

Sirius stepped up to her and kissed her on the cheek. Surprised, her hand flew to her cheek as she watched him blush a deeper red.

"My Mum don't come to see me off." He shrugged, and toed the wooden platform. "Wouldn't mind if she did though."

"Breaks your heart, it does." Mrs. Potter stood at her elbow as the boys ran off to get on the train.

"That was Sirius? I expected him … to be different."

"Cold, aloof, distant, evil, horns…"

"Stop," Rhea laughed. "The way every one warned me off I was just expecting someone… harder I guess."

"No, that's Sirius. Oh, don't get me wrong. He uses that sweet-little-me act to get exactly what he wants but sometimes, like now, you just see him for what he is."

"I can see how it would work," she laughed. "I can see Professor McGonagall with him, bet she gives him a run for his money."

"Oh, trust me, he or James can't get by her. Peter will stand up and argue, that's not Black, he will charm you to death."

"And James?"

"The clown. Like I told you, his father's son. He said his goal this year was to get … you will have to understand he was talking to Sirius and Peter at the time … his goal was to get the stick out of Remus' bum that his mother put up there."

"What?" Rhea looked at the train, getting ready to yank Remus back off.

"No, he meant it in a good way. Well, twelve-year-old-good. He wants Remus to have some fun, to stop being so quiet. It seems your little boy is picking up the reputation for being the serious one of the group."

"And that is a bad thing?"

"When you are twelve it is a fate worse than death," she laughed. "Well, I'm off. We will have to get together with the boys sometimes. Worries them when they know their mothers are comparing notes. Keeps them on their toes, and those four need to stay on their toes."

Rhea scowled as she watched the train pull away, beginning to resent the yearly chiding by Mrs. Potter. She glanced back at John, standing at the back, behind the rest of the parents, wearing his Aurors robes so as not to draw attention. She walked over to him and put her arm through his.

"Buy a lonely mother a cup of tea before she starts to cry?"

"I would rather take a lonely mother back to bed," he grinned. "He made me promise not to forget your birthday, remember that you liked raspberries with chocolate, white roses , not red, and you liked the stew at Tom's but didn't get to go there any more."

"I see, well… other than my birthday was last month, I'm allergic to roses, the raspberries and chocolate are his favourites. I do like the stew, even though we ate it twice last week when we were shopping for school supplies."

"I've been had."

"Like a whore when the fleet is in." She laughed at his face. "I could go for a bowl of that stew though Mr. Dawlish."

"Fine, Mrs. Dawlish." He looked back over his shoulder at the train that was almost out of sight. "I don't think he is going to be quite the same quiet little boy you know come the hols."

"He isn't the same little boy since he met up with you and your stories, so don't go blaming it on his roomies."

"What stories?" he said in mock horror.

"Moody and loosing body parts. Need I say more?"

"Boy talk. I will have you know he now knows how to burp at will and use his armpit to make farting sounds."

"What?" She stopped walking and looked at him horrified.

"Trust me, these are things every second year worth his salt knows." He frowned at her. "Rhea, you have protected him so well he doesn't know how to be a boy. Let him have some joy in the world."

.

.

"I wish we could learn real duelling, like in the Muggle books." Peter lay on his stomach, resting his head on his hands. "That would be neat."

"I want to learn how that Accio one works. You know, so you don't have to get up and get something if you're lazy," Sirius chimed in. "I know the ones for calling quills and stuff, but not the real one, the one that can call everything, even your wand, but I can clean up without taking a shower."

Remus turned and looked at him strangely, "You know that's only for taking off the stuff you can see. It don't really clean you."

"Sure it does," Peter said. "My dad says it works just fine, it's only the witches that don't like it."

"Bet that the Slytherins don't use soap and water," James sat on Peter's bed and elbowed him in the ribs. "Maybe you should have been sorted down there, you'd fit right in."

"It isn't so bad down there. Lot warmer than up near all these windows in the winter time, and no place is as cool as potions class when it warms up," Peter pouted.

"Are they all rich?" Remus sat up from his prone position, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep anyway.

"Remember that kid Snape on the train with us?" Sirius answered. "He didn't look rich to me."

"No, but the rest do. That Malfoy, did you see his robes?" Peter nodded.

"My Mum don't even have robes that pretty," Remus laughed. "Sort of dressed up and sissy for school if you ask me."

"Lily says Snape is dirt poor." James added. "Lives down in something called council housing and his Dad is off work more than on."

James looked at Remus, losing any trace of humour on his face. "Don't go messing with Malfoy, squirt. He's bad news. Plus that, why is he even hanging around with Snape, no seventh year does that."

"And stay away from that Mulciber," Sirius turned to Peter. "I know his dad hangs around ours, but they aren't really friends. They've been working for that Tom Riddle guy."

"Sluggy never gives Snape detentions, or takes away points," James pouted. "Slytherins, or friends of Malfoy and Mulciber get treated special, you ever notice?"

"Could be because your potion turned green," Remus reminded James. "Should've been yellow."

"Your's was sort of yellow, and you only lost five points," James spat.

"Was not, it was green only not shiny." Remus argued back. "Anyway, Snape's was perfect, Sluggy even said so."

"That's because he hangs out with Malfoy and Mulciber during the summer," Sirius said knowingly. "They say he reads all the time, the books we aren't allowed here. I've seen a few of them, but … never mind. What you want to do tonight?"

Remus frowned and looked at Peter. "The only ones we can't read are in the restricted part, right?"

"My Mum says .."

"Shut up Peter," James rolled his eyes. "I need to get out of here."

"Remus, come on up to the tower. I want to show you what I can do, and Peter can grow whiskers. Bet we can get it right soon."

The four snuck up to the tower and compared their skills. Peter was by far the best. Twitching his whiskers he grinned and flipped a spell book open to show them what he was doing.

"That's not for a real Animagus." Sirius grabbed the book from him. "Peter, you're an idiot. You have spent the whole summer just transfiguring whiskers, not turning into anything."

"Better than what you can do," Peter pulled the book back sullenly. "I don't think hairy hands count for shite."

"Hey, want to see a neat spell my Dad showed me?" Remus got up to his knees and pointed his wand at the floor, incanting a complicated spell.

The other three crowed around and gasped when the tracks of an owl could be seen, appearing to walk along the floor.

"See," he looked up smugly. "Bet there is an owl on the ledge up here. He took me hunting, he did… and showed me this."

James looked at the edge of the platform and frowned. Soon all the boys were looking for it when Peter started laughing. "It's on the roof."

"How'd you do that?" Sirius squatted down, a smirk across his face. "Can you do it for people?"

"We used it for hide and seek too," Remus nodded. "It's really neat. My new dad showed me."

Sirius studied Remus, then dropped his head down and looked at the tracks still showing on the ground. "Your Mum got married?"

"Yeah," Remus shrugged.

"How's he … you know… with you?"

"Okay I guess." Remus looked up. "It's not like having my Dad back for real, but its okay."

"Sometimes having your real Dad around ...," he paused and looked over to Peter that was still trying to coax the owl off the roof. "Sometimes it's better not to. Does he yell at you and stuff?"

"Sometimes." Remus said. "Like when I snuck out my window to go swimming in the creek."

"Does he…"

"Gentlemen, I assume you have a good reason for being out of your room after hours?" Professor McGonagall stood at the top of the stairs.

"Good one," Sirius hissed at Remus, kicking the owl tracks with his foot. "Next time I don't care where the stupid owl is, it's her we got to watch."

"Five points each will be deducted. Mr. Pettigrew release that owl at once," she scowled at him. "The four of you will report to my office first thing in the morning. Yes, Mr. Potter, that means before the morning meal, which the four of you will be missing."

"You can't do that," Peter pouted.

"Oh, Mr. Pettigrew, I assure you I can do that, and much more."

"Professor?" Sirius stood up and looked at her innocently. "We were helping Remus here with his astronomy homework. He is having a hard time of it."

"Really, Mr. Black? Which part would that be?" She folded her arms waiting for him to formulate an answer.

"He is having a hard time with the phases of the moons. We thought it would be beneficial for him to see for himself."

Minerva fought the twitch she felt curling up her lip as she turned to Remus. He stood still, staring at her, his eyes large and round.

"Well, Mr. Lupin." She scowled down at him. "Am I to believe this?"

"Yes?" he squeaked, blanching under her stare.

"Mr. Lupin you will serve a further detention in my office after lunch tomorrow since you have forgotten what every first year should know. Perhaps an hour of study will refresh your memory."

"Yes, Professor," he sighed in relief.

"Now what are you still standing here for? Off with you," she shooed them off the tower, watching them run down the steep steps and smiling to herself. The phases of the moon indeed.

Minerva picked up her long skirt and carefully picked her way down the steep steps contemplating the coming detention. Images of the boy's sorting came back to her and she pressed his lips together making a mental note to have Albus ask the blasted thing what it was thinking, or if it had been thinking at all. No four boys in the entire school were more unlikely to have become friends, yet here they were, gallivanting round the school and protecting each other's lies. The phases of the moon indeed, she chuckled remembering the look on Remus' face.

Poor Peter, she thought. He would be spending the holidays in residence this year. He would wake up alone in a cold stone castle devoid of friends, only staff to keep him company. She hoped his family at least thought to send a gift to lay at the foot of his bed, but guessing even that would go forgotten she had two in her cupboard she would sneak in herself. She would not send an owl to his parents about this latest infraction. They did not need one more excuse to berate him, or one more reason to punish him with sending him off to see the other parent as an excuse to be rid of him.

Nor she thought, could she draw the Black's attention to the fact that their son had made friends with a Lupin, or a Potter. Potter's parents were quite vocal in their opposition to the political party of the Black's and Sirius had been instructed, in no uncertain terms, to stay clear of him. No, she thought she would not contact the parents this time. Rhea would fly into a rage of fear, and Potter's mother would just chuckle and claim that boys would be boys.

"That was close," Peter whispered loudly over his shoulder as they climbed through the opening behind the picture of the Fat Lady. "Could've gone a lot worse."

"Worse?" Sirius grinned and smacked the back of his head. "We got caught idiot. Detention."

"She isn't sending home notes," Potter said breathlessly bringing up the rear. "She'd say if she was."

"Mum's going to kill me." Remus punched Sirius in the arm. "You should have picked on James, or Peter. She knows I'm good in Astronomy."

"We have to find someplace else to go, that's for damned sure." Potter flopped on his bed, lying on his back with his arms folded under his head.

"No one goes to the Shrieking Shack."Peter's voice muffled as he was pulling his jumper over his head.

"Yeah," James sat up.

"It's getting kind'a cold out. Maybe just someplace in the castle would be better." Remus turned and began to unbutton his shirt to get into his nightclothes.

"Remus is right," Sirius pulled down his jeans. "Plus the tracks when it starts snowing will be a give away."

"I forgot my spell book," Peter jumped up and ran to the door, almost knocking down Remus.

"Leave it, we'll get it before detention in the morning," Sirius called him back.

"Yeah," Peter turned back into the room, his eyes falling on Remus' shoulder. "Wow, it hasn't gone away yet?"

Remus' turned away from Peter and struggled to get his nightshirt on, dropping it in the process and only taking longer.

"What's that from?" James said softly, in awe of the sight.

"His dad died, right Remus? They both fell off the loft, but his dad died and that's what he got."

"That's no scar from a fall." Sirius looked at Remus' shoulder and frowned.

James reached out a finger to touch it only to have Remus slap him away and turn to glare at Peter. "It wasn't the fall. I hit some stuff when I fell. I told you that."

"You don't have to get all mad about it," James pouted and sat back on his bed. "Anyway, it's not so bad. I've seen worse."

Remus pulled on his nightshirt and climbed into bed. He pulled the curtains closed and turned his back toward his roommates that were whispering and laughing. He wanted to bury his face in his pillow and cry. It was coming apart. The tower, the wanting to learn spells to change into an animal, the shrieking shack, and now they had seen his scars. He bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut and sobbed aloud when he could no longer remember his father's face.