THE BEST OF ME

Chapter 4: UNLIKELY BONDINGS

Previously:

It had been a week since he had been in Hogwarts, and everything seems to be great—despite the stares he gets, but still, the school life was great and he means it. He had managed to befriend his roommates from Gryffindor at least. Although, in terms of befriend in his dictionary, he ment acquaintances.

"..."

He sighed, looking up to the Slytherins that consist of two first years and three second years.

Raising an eyebrow, he recognize those first year who stood behind the bigger kids. There name is Ferrer and Ceasar, bunch of first years in his class that likes to mess with him. Although, it looks like these two boys decided to have back up.

"..."

The cries led him to a bundle of acacia trees that was a good meter away from Hagrid's house, but far away from the Forbidden Forest. Nearing one of the trees, he saw a shadow of a girl and slowly he quietly crept towards the tree she was leaning on. Now, perfectly hiding behind her, he smelled a familiar scent.

Don't tell me it's her...

With his head out, he looks down to see a familiar girl curled up in a sitting position with her head placed on her knees and hiding inside her wrapped arms (the hood did a great job to hid her face). The sight of her made him feel uncomfortable, he wasn't sure how to handle the situation.

"..."

"Weasely, would you kindly do me a favor please."

The redhead seated in front of him, chewed his sandwich slowly, as his eyes enlarge comically. After swallowing, the boy seems to have regained his focus. "Uh sure, mate, what do you need?" He questioned and Remus couldn't help but grin when he opened his mouth.

"Can you help me steal some ingredients during our potion class."

"..."

Oh! There they come and when all of them are under the potions, he released the spell with the wave of his wand. Bloody, the scene in front of him was reached. There was a crash and all of them are now soaking wet, good thing he enchanted the glass flask and beakers to be like rubber.

All of them begun screaming, as their hair begun to stand and change to different colors. Yellow for Ferrer, magneta for Gust, green for Alexander and gray for Ceasar. He laughed quietly and he noticed that his stunt had gathered a crowd, and in it was Tonks looking amused.

"..."

Opening his eyes, he let out a large yawn and when he stretched his arm, he felt a soft object brushing his hand. Fully awake, he looked down to see a blanket.

How did this get here?' Turning his head, he looks around to see anybody else, but there was none. 'I wonder.'

"..."

"What a mystery you are, Tonks."

Days turned to weeks, and it had been almost half a month since he had gotten to Hogwarts. Remus Lupin had already gotten used to the rhythm of a Hogwarts student, and he soon discovered that he wasn't such a bad student. He wasn't the first of his year, but he was among the top ones, and that gave him a small pinch of pride.

"Although, your social skill is bad, lil' brother..." His brother would always say when he tend to avoid other kids.

His social skill hadn't been improved as easily. After a long (and a little short time) living among them he was finally comfortable enough to chat with the other Gryffindor boys, however his chat would consist of borrowing, favors and assignments. Also, he doesn't hang out with them, but Bill Weasely proves to be a hindrance.

The boy would stick to his side, striking up conversation with him and he would sometimes ask him to join him with the other Gryffindors. He thought redheads are the hotheaded ones, but the guy can be classified as persistent and stubborn.

Speaking of stubborn people...he lifted up his head to see the young hufflepuff, happily discussing about the little prank she pulled on their proferssor Serverus Snape.

"You should have seen how tiny he became when I slip in some shrinking potions in his shoes." She told him with a laugh and Remus shook his head at the young girl.

In a stern tone, he spoke, "That would have landed you in detention, Nymphadora."

As expected the girl glared at her, making him grin and he surpassed it. "Don't call me, Nymphadora!" She bellowed and the result of her outburst was a lot of 'SHHHH!' from the others around them.

She paid them no mind, her glare was still pointed at him and he snorted. "Besides..." She slowly begun, her face changing back to a troublemaker look. "Escaping out of trouble is a good point for a prankster, so mr. Lupin, detention will not wait for me yet."

He snorted again and there was a gleam in her eyes that he can't decipher. "Yeah, yeah." He waves her off, which resulted him a playful smack in the shoulders.

Rolling his eyes, Remus stared at her with peak fondness and mix with a little of melancholy in his eyes. The girl had attached to him, and he admits that he was attached to her too. Tonks wasn't the only stubborn one here, because he too has that trait.

Hardheaded he is, Remus will not easily accepted it...her friendship.

Just being with her was risky, because if she ever found out his dirty secret, what would she think of him now? Being her friend wasn't option right now, he had his own problems to deal with and he wouldn't want her to get involve in his affairs.

However, the girl really proves to be the most pigheaded person he knew. How hard he tries to avoid her, she would just boldly come up to him again. That girl has some iron-willed in her, if only it was silver; then, he could he easily not get involve with her.

That made him curious, the reason why this girl wants to give her a friendship that he doesn't deserved at all.

His head went out from the clouds when the girl spoke up, "Hey, Remus, you should read this good muggle novel." Tonks chirped with glee and this made him interested. He loves books and the Hufflepuff girl always has great novel suggestions, that's why he was getting a little excited.

His excitement must have been obvious since the girl started chuckling. Rolling his eyes and the mature person he is, Remus stuck out his tongue at her direction.

Tonks shook her head first before pulling out a book from her satchel. "Animal Farm." He reads out loud, raising both his eyebrows in question and the girl in front of him, happily explained the summary of the story.

"Animal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell, first published in England on 17 August 1945. The book tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy." She explained and Remus winced at the part of equal, free and happy.

He sadly thought, 'Wish the same thing can be said to creatures like me.'

He sighed, happily taking the book from her hands with a contorted smile. 'Hope, she doesn't notice.' He broods to himself once again and he brushed the tittle of the book with the pad of his right thumb.

"I'll read it." He grins at her, "And maybe you could read the novel 'The Diary Of Anne Frank' that I had."

Tonks is the one who had snorted this time, "I prefer fiction than history, but if you suggested it; then, I'm happy to read it."

Both of them laugh and a lot of 'SHHHH!' came in their way. Even if he doesn't deserve to be her friend, Remus will cherish this little moments he has with her.

He was strolling around near Hagrid's hut when his ears picked up sounds of screeching. Intrigued, he decided to investigate and the scene in front of him was worth it—curiosity had never killed the cat, but laughter did.

Some fifth year Ravenclaws and Slytherins students were being chased by a group of fairies. The professor, Silvanus Kettleburn, was trying to calm both the students and creatures down, while Hagrid stood at a spot that was a feet near the poor professor, shaking his head in disappointment before helping out.

With his keen hearing, Remus could loudly hear the loud tingling of the fairies. 'They seem mad.' He raised an eyebrow at the lil' creatures and it raised higher when a Slytherin student came running towards him followed by two fairies.

The tall blonde girl wearing the official green house robes ran passed him and his eyes went back to the two fairies. They stopped chasing the girl and was staring at him. Thanks to his good eyesight, he saw fear etched on the lil' creatures face before flying the opposite way.

Great, even fairies fear him! Is it because of the scars or they sense that he was a predator?

Shaking his head, looks like the class had settle down and the professor was leading them back to the castle, leaving Hagrid rounding up the fairies.

He too was about to leave when a gruff voice called his name, "Remus!"

Looking over his shoulders, he saw the large man waving at him. Deciding, he had nothing more to do and it was his free time, he decided to talk to the kind giant.

"Hello, Hagrid." Remus greeted politely with a nod, "How are you?"

The man smiled, "I'm great m' boy, got m' self a new critter, noth' much." He exclaimed and Remus hums, getting interested at the older man's new creature. "Great, how is it?" He questions, making the man look up with a smile. "Lil thing, burnt m' favourite books, so he's gettin' a good lecture when I get back." Hagrid answers him, as Remus drops his mouth in realization.

"Hagrid, you own a dragon!" He shouted with shock etched on his face.

The older man panicked, his head darting everywhere before turning back to him. "Wha', I don't own two d'agons! Where did you get that idea from?" He glowered, but his denial and lie didn't work on Remus. Then, he realized something—"You own two dragons!?" He asked loudly, as worried came over him, "Hagrid, you'll get arrested if somebody knows about this."

Hagrid sighed, running his hand trough his long curly and messy hair. "S've the' lecture for later, Remus." He groaned, "Just help m' find the dragon please."

Remus contemplated the situation for a moment, his eyes looking up at the older man's pleading look. "Fine." He finally decided and a cheerful look appeared on Hagrid's face, "However, tell me first, what kind of dragon it is?"

The man in front of him look sheepish for a moment before he finally opened his mouth, "A hu..." Hagrid muttered so quietly, that even his ears can't pick up what he said. "Come again?" Remus asked and finally the giant had said it out loud.

"It's a Hungarian Horntail!" He fretted, boldly chuckling while nervously fiddling his thumbs.

"Wha—what?" Remus stuttered, staring up at him, if he was kidding, but the critter lover isn't kidding.

An Hungarian Horntail, one of the most dangerous breeds of dragons. How did Hagrid let that dragon escape? Let's rephrase that, how did Hagrid found a Hungarian Horntail here in Scotland?

He heard him speak again and he snapped out of his thoughts, "Before you can panick—" Hagrid begun, raising his hands in a reassuring manner. "The lil' dragon stil' a babe, about a weak old."

That didn't reassured the young werewolf at all, "Just help m' look for him Remus." he heard him plead again and he couldn't hold back a groan. Smacking his face with his hands, he gulped, his eyes peeking trough the gaps in his fingers.

"Fine."

"..."

Oh, why did the dragon's scent lead here? He looked up, nervous at the thick dark forest in front of him. He'll get expelled for this, but they wouldn't find out right? Gathering his courage, he ventured into the Forbidden Forest.

...the forest was to quiet for his liking.

His ears hadn't picked up anything yet, but his nose twitched, turning to the right, as he picks up a trail. Then, he stopped, the silence of the forest ceased when his ears picked up the sound of something running and judging by the footsteps, it sounds like galloping horses.

Thinking quickly, Remus clasped a low branch of a tree and pulled himself up. He begun climbing and he hid himself at the part of the tree were most leaves are. Scanning his surroundings, his eyes stared down when he heard them stopped under him. He held his breath, seeing a part horse and human creature below him.

'A centaur?' He thought, his eyes landing on the largest one who is at the front, 'That must be the leader.'

He waited for them to leave and at the same time his ears picks up what their conversation is all about.

"I thought, I smelled a werewolf—"

Remus flinched at that, he used all his will power to stay quiet.

"Are you sure, maybe you had smelled a baloney sandwich again?"

He raised an eyebrow at that, raising his arm to his nose and he took a sniff on his smell. 'Hey, I don't smell like that!' He glared at the centaurs with a frown.

"Pretty sure, sir."

Oh Merlin, hope they don't find him.

"Alan, I had enough of you—"

"But, sir—"

"No, Alan, there is no werewolf. End of discussion."

Remus sighed in relief; however, he groaned in frustration at the leader centaur's next statement.

"However, I smelled a dragon."

Oh, he needs to find that dragon soon.

"..."

Looks like he's in a different part of the Forbidden Forest...or not.

He was near a river, when his ears picked up a screech. 'Can that be the dragon?' He recalled any other information about the Hungarian Horntail and he wasn't quite sure.

Then, there it was again, and his nose had picked up the dragon's scent. He was close. Oh, he had to thank Hagrid for making him memorise that dragon's smell, or he wouldn't have found him at all.

However, he stopped when he spotted at a hectare away, the group of centaurs he saw earlier, surrounding something and that something is the baby Hungarian Horntail!

The baby dragon was hissing at them and the horse men slowly approached it with weapons raised. The bronze spikes in every part of the black dragon's body raised up and it reminded Remus of a cat—anyway, he needs to save that dragon.

Then, he remembered something, the Hungarian Horntail eats humans. However, it was still a baby, so it might not have eaten a human yet and also, he's a werewolf.

When the centaurs were a feet away from the baby dragon, he quickly ran and he made his way trough the horse men. Once the dragon was in his sight, he quickly scoop it up and it was a really bad idea since the dragon's quills were still spiked up, indicating the dragon was still agitated. Atleast, on the bright side, the dragon hasn't bit him yet, despite the dragon's sharp spikes piercing his skin.

He already smelled his blood, seeping trough his blouse and vest.

Remus gave a hiss of pain, but his hold on the prickly dragon didn't falter. What's the reason he was doing this again...oh because he wanted to help Hagrid.

Running like a rugbee player, he tore his way trough the forest, trying to escape the horse men stampede. Despite his furry side giving him a boost, he knew that those horses would catch up to him soon.

Speaking of horses...he also red about another horse type creature that resides in the east part of the globe. He didn't remembered the name of the creature, but the appearance is the same with the centaur. Human with a body of a horse; however, instead of having a human upper body, this creature has a head of a horse and the back legs of a horse, while the only human part of the creature is the middle upper body, excluding the head—

"Rem, quit being a nerd, the centaurs are still right behind you!" He heard his brother's voice yelling at him and he was snapped out of his thoughts.

'Merlin!' He cursed, scanning his surroundings, as he passed by them in a blur. 'Is there anywhere, he can hide?'

That's why he saw it, a small pit and without thinking, he jumped and when he landed on the tip of his toe, he used the momentum to roll and it was a bad idea. He felt the spikes pierce his skin a little bit deeper and he winced when it pulled out.

His eyes scanned the inside of the pit and he hid himself at a small cave that he found. With no second thought, he sprinted towards it and sighed in relief when you sat down. But, it wasn't over yet.

Remus still heard the sounds of running hooves stopping and after a second, they scurried of to another direction until the sounds of clapping hooves on the ground ceased.

'Good there gone...' He grins, but frowns. 'And looks like, I'll be late for Charms.'

He heard a small purr—wait there's a cat? Looking down, he saw the baby Hungarian Horntail, staring at him with curious eyes. "Well little guy or girl, looks like we'll be stuck here for a while." He grins at the dragon and it gave a small screech.

Seeing that the lil' creature was still in his arms, he let go and he didn't hide the relief look on his face. Remus watches the dragon jump down and stumbled a little bit, as it looks back at him. He remembered that this dragon was a dangerous breed, but this creature in front of him was...cute.

When he tried to pet it, the creature growled a little bit and took a step back. That's when he noticed it, a long gash on the baby dragon's leg. Feeling bad, he pulled out his wand, but first—

He need to make the baby dragon relaxed first.

"Shhhh, it's fine." He said in a gentle voice, raising his hands to show as an act of surrender. "See, I'm not gonna harm you, lil' fella, I just wanted to help you."

The baby dragon tilted its head, it's vertical pupil staring at him; then, to his still bleeding cuts. At the dragon's little action, Remus felt a light bulb flick open in his head. "It's okay, how about a demonstration." He pointed his wand at the dragon's wound before to his own and his smile widened when the dragon's head craned a little closer.

Removing his vest and opening the buttons of his blouse, Remus revealed his bare chest and the bleeding cuts that he had received from carrying a prickled dragon. "Episeky." He said and a green light emitted from his wand, as it envelopes his wounds.

The spell is supposed to be thought in second year, but professor Flitwick made him an excuse. 'Well, this spell only helps on the minor cuts.' He thought, smiling and he watch as the light dim and the cuts on his chest and stomach stopped bleeding. Looks like it intrigued the baby dragon and he does it again on his arms.

Finished, he turn back to the baby dragon, "How about, I fixed that nasty gash?" He indicated to the baby dragon's wound, and the Hungarian Horntail paused for a second before nodding—wait did he imagined that last part.

Shaking his head, he cast 'Episkey' on the dragon's wound and it closed.

He watched the dragon, hesitating for a moment, its bad leg before testingly trying its leg and when it didn't flinched. The dragon gave a happy croon before it begins jumping. Remus could only watched amused, "You like to skip a lot, ay..." He chuckled and didn't expect the next words that came out of his mouth, "Maybe, I can call you Skips?"

His eyes widened, 'Why did you gave the dragon a name, the lil' creature will gonna be attached to him now.'

However, he was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt something rough and scaly brushed his right hand. Looking down, he saw the baby dragon's snout rubbing on his hand while giving a gleeful croon.

His eyes softened and he laughed, "Two dangerous beast, getting on friendly terms." He smiled when the dragon gave another croon when he scratched its chin. "That's unlikely..."

"..."

He made his way to Hagrid's hut, carrying the baby dragon in his blouse and vest. Well, he doesn't want to get pricked again, so this is a good idea.

When he finally found Hagrid, the giant immediately greeted him with open arms.

"Remus, you found him!" Oh, so it was a he.

Rolling his eyes, Remus gave the giant a smile. "Well it wasn't hard." He laughed, hoping that the centaurs won't chased him when he transformed. However, he didn't expected the surprise look of the giant, "Looks like, you b'came friends with the lil' fella." He praised, slapping his back and Remus almost double over.

"Where could, I put the lil' guy?" Remus aksed and the giant invited him to his hut.

Hagrid pointed to a large basket with a red pillow and next to it was another basket with the same pillow and in it was a green baby dragon. "You can put him there, wee' lad—" The older man instructed and his eyes stared at his bare chest, "And let's get you ban'age up."

Remus looked down and saw small scratches on his chest, 'Looks like I hugged Skips, a lil closer.' He mused, shaking his head and placing the baby dragon on his bed.

He was about to pull his school's blouse and vest back when Skips gave a small cry. He heard a laugh behind him, "Looks like the lil' dragon, thinks your clothes are treasure." Hagrid howled and Remus glared at him before turning back to Skips. "Skips, do you want me to go back to the castle, half-naked." He stated sternly, but the baby dragon innocently tilted his head.

He was about to say more when Hagrid called him, "S'op yappin and let me treat your wounds, Remus!"

Sighing, he gave the dragon a playful smile and scratched the side of its head.

Remus sitted himself on a chair and Hagrid came to him with bandages and alcohol in his arms. "Hagrid, seriously, would you want me to walk back in the castle without a shirt?" He asked and the older man chuckled when he poured the a alcohol in his wounds, as he starts to clean it.

The young werewolf didn't hissed at the sting, he was too distracted looking at Skips who was sleeping, his nose buried on his blouse. He felt Hagrid tied the bandages around him in a knot and the giant steps back, "You name him Skips?"

Remus grins, "Funny name right." He laughed. "I think it suits him, lil' fella loves to skip."

Hagrid laughed too, walking away to place the materials back on his deck and reaching something on his cupboards. Remus watched him pulled out a white blouse, "It can be a lil' big on you, but it's all I can do." The large man stated and the young boy gave him a greatful smile.

"I appreciated the kind gesture, Hagrid." He said to him, taking the large blouse and quickly slipping it on. "Thankyou."

The man laughed, making Remus stop midway at buttoning the blouse. "It should be I, who should thank you, Remus Lupin." Hagrid stated and the werewolf gave him a smile. Standing up, he went to Skips first and gave him a gentle pat on his head before walking to the door.

He bid Hagrid goodbye, and with that he exits the house. However when he was a feet away from Hagrid's hut, the man called out to him, "Don't worry about missin' class, Remus, I had talk to Prof. Dumbledore about it!"

Remus could only smile, "Thanks, Hagrid." He shouted back before resuming his walk back towards Hogwarts.