Chapter Text
Remus has lived an eventful life in just eleven years and he was about to embark-quite literally-on a new adventure on a steaming black train. His mother was hugging him close and his dad looking around worriedly but glances at him with a proud smile. It was still weird calling Lyall Lupin his dad. It was weird being a Lupin in general.
He has been a Lupin since he was nine, when his mother and his birth father’s most loyal vassal ran away from the forest he called home. The three of them had been secluded in a small muggle village in Wales, trying to distance themselves from the wizarding world as far as possible. He would still see his father, most often by the full moon, but his parentage is currently the most well kept secret among the werewolves. That’s adding to the fact that him being a werewolf is already a big kept secret.
He was born Remus Greyback, son and heir to the the Greyback pack. A born werewolf, like his mother. Among the werewolves, Remus is practically royalty from both side of his parents. His father, Fenrir Greyback was the strongest turned werewolf in the Greyback succession with the Greyback ruling countless magical forests north of the isle. Meanwhile, his mother, Hope MacTire was the daughter of a long bloodline of werewolf priests from Ossory. Remus would have stayed Remus Greyback if their home forest weren’t attacked by manic wizards trying to rid them from the face of the earth.
Remus and his mother had to run away in the dead of the night with the aid of Lyall Lupin and several other loyal vassals, as his father and the rest of the pack fought off the attackers. The attack turned into a bloodbath that lasted months. The werewolves had to go into hiding, dispersed throughout the isle, until they can lick their wounds and regroup. The Greyback pack had lost the battle, but they didn’t loose the war. Casualties on the wizarding side far outnumbered the werewolves, disallowing them from the prize of seizing the Greyback home forest. Since then Remus became Remus Lupin, living under the radar, as his father gather around support to maintain the pack and eventually return to their home forest.
So, when Dumbledore came knocking down their door two years later and offered up a generous offer for Remus to study at Hogwarts, it felt too generous of an offer. Both his father and Lyall was naturally apprehensive, but his mother, ever a calm and levelheaded she-wolf, said it was better for Remus to study in the wizarding world and be with other children. If worse comes to worst, they could always break Remus out, his father had said. If Remus was able to graduate, he would have more knowledge of their enemy, Lyall had conceded. In hindsight, Remus shouldn’t have been surprised that two of the most powerful werewolves he’d known would easily bow down at the words of his cunning mother.
“Write us, everyday if you can,” his mother was making a brave face. She had been the most collected among his three parents, but even she was now scared at the very real prospect of throwing her only son to the wolves—ha! Remus grabs his trunk and board on the train. He doesn’t look back because he knows if he does they’ll second guess this whole idea of Hogwarts and drag him back home to Wales.
Remus enter the farthest compartment at the back of the train, tucked his trunks and tries to not fiddle his fingers from the nerves. Not long after that the train starts moving. No turning back now.
Remus was in the middle of his breathing exercise when his compartment door flung open.
“Sorry, can we squeeze in with you? All the other compartments are full.” Said a boy with round glasses and the wildest hair Remus has ever seen.
“Sure,” Remus reluctantly said.
“Thanks, mate! My name’s James! This is Peter and Sirius.” James said as he gestured to the two boys that followed him into the compartment.
“Remus, nice to meet you all.”
The three boys made themselves comfortable with James looking like he was about to burst with excitement, Peter buzzing with nervous energy and Sirius looking… anxious. The unfairly attractive looking boy kept looking at the compartment door and the people inside, as if waiting for someone to burst inside and chastise him for being in there with them.
“So, what house you reckon you’d be?” James ask while bouncing in his seat.
“Honestly, not sure. Any house that’d take me would be good.” Remus answered a bit amused by the excess energy his new friend keeps emitting.
“I think Hufflepuff would be good,” Peter said as timid as a mouse. “Mum said they are really nice. Although I agree with Remus, any house that’d take me would be good.”
“Well I’ll be a Gryffindor for sure. It is the best house of the four!” James exclaimed proudly.
“Is it now? How so?” Remus teased.
“Well, us Potters are always in Gryffindor and bravery is the coolest trait to go by. Ergo, best house.” James answered with more gumption than Remus has expected. “How about you Sirius?” James asked again facing Sirius with hopeful eyes.
Sirius went panic for a second and murmurs, “I’m also not sure.”
“I heard the Blacks are always in Slytherin?” James pried, not realizing the discomfort in Sirius’s face.
“What are you guys most excited about Hogwarts? I’m curious about the hall having sky for ceiling.” Remus said lightly, hoping it would change the topic.
James took the bait and prattle on about quidditch, while Peter gave his input here and there. Sirius eventually joins in the conversation, telling the funny stories his cousins had told him.
The four of them talk throughout the train journey, almost forgetting to change into their school robes. Remus muses at how of all the new students entering Hogwarts, he met a Potter and a Black together. His father, being very meticulous, had Remus read up on every pure and influential families. He said it will help Remus navigate his social circle.
The Potters are pure blood elites but liberal, runs on merit, although can be a bit self righteous. So, good as an ally, nightmare as an enemy. The Blacks, on the other hand, hold the belief that nothing is above breeding in their small elite circle. A class snob at its finest, but has the political power to back up crucial policies like muggle born rights, and creature assimilation. By the books, Remus should be cautious of Sirius, but the boy was not what he had expected. Meeting Sirius felt…odd.
Due to his werwolf senses, although his father and Lyall were convinced it was strictly a Remus and Hope thing, he was able gauge a person’s threat level at a glance. It mostly falls into three simple categories: harmless, dangerous, and worth further observation. It can change as time passes, but for the most part his first impression was never wrong. So it surprised him when seeing Sirius triggered him into seeing him as family. That was only reserved for his three parents and some of the loyal extended pack members. And when he says some, it was barely ten people. That category didn’t even extend to all six of his grandparents.
He observes his other friends. James was harmless right of the bat, while Remus can’t get a clear read on Peter, despite his timidness. Sirius was family to Remus, and the more nervous he is on the discussion on houses when the topic was accidentally breached here and there, the more Remus wants to comfort him and stick with him like a brother would. Which is very odd. Remus did grew up with younger werewolves back in forest, but never would he sees any of them as siblings. His meeting with Sirius might be odd, but he can't help but be curious with the boy.
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“SLYTHERIN!”
The sorting house shouted on top of Sirius’s head. There was a subdued round of applause from the Slytherin table, where the students had either bored or cordial faces. Meanwhile, Sirius’s face was contorted in sadness and panic meeting the eyes of Remus, James, and Peter. James gave a disappointed face, but held out a thumbs up, with Peter still skittish and followed suit with two thumbs up to Sirius. Remus chuckles and gave a small smile instead.
Alphabetically Remus was next to be called, after the professor calls him twice, mind you. He still needs to remind himself that he is a Lupin not a Greyback. So when he sat on the stool and have the hat over his head, it spoke and spook him.
Curious, I haven’t the pleasure of sorting your kind in centuries. Wonder where to place you, little pup?
You know I’m a werewolf? Remus replied, but was more alarmed with the words the hat implies. Wait, Hogwarts used to admit werewolves?
Well, yes. Interesting characters you lot are. Noble and boisterous, loyal and true, inquisitive and wise, but above all proud and cunning. You possess all of the traits your predecessors have, but this loyalty and righteous rigor, shall I place you in the lions’ den or the badgers’ burrow.
Remus looks back at James and Peter then turns his face to look at Sirius who has a face of indifference that was not masking his hopeful longing well enough. How about the snake pit, a wolf in the snake pit?
You wouldn’t be the first, and wouldn’t be the last. Although, the lions’ den can serve you well, young pup. You can have great allies of noble deeds.
Yeah, but I can still make ally with them from the outside, I need to be on the inside to gain the trust of Slytherins.
If the hat can sigh, Remus felt the hat sighs. You do possess the cunning and pride for the snake pit, I concur.
“SLYTHERIN!”
There was a pause, followed by some surprised faces. The subdued applause followed and accompanied Remus as he walks towards the Slytherin table. Remus couldn’t find a space beside Sirius but he was able to see the boy donning a small smile, the first genuine expression the boy had since Remus met him. Remus stole a glance back at James and Peter, where James was a bit disappointed while Peter still looking skittish. By the end of the sorting, there was no surprise when James was sorted to Gryffindor, but Peter following him was. After that the feast started and once it was all finished, the first year students were led by the prefects to their new dorm.
Remus looked around at his new housemates. Almost all of them wore pristine robes, indicating their pure blood lineage, which includes Sirius. Remus’s robes were made by his parents, and they are well made robes, if he were not standing with his peers in Slytherin. He just hope his mother doesn’t take offence to this and go overboard when he needs a new sets of robes. And if Remus looked a bit out place, he has nothing compared to this one girl with a hook nose. The other girls of his house seems to be sneering at her, but her cold indifference seems to only match the cold mask Sirius is wearing as the prefects explained to the group of first years how their dorm work.
“Alright, since both boys and girls are even in numbers, you will be paired up to share a room. A luxury you will only find in our house, as other houses would have you share a room with up to five students. Plebeian, they are.” Explained the prefect, Lucius Malfoy, making some of the first year students giggles.
The other prefect, Andromeda Black—which Remus assumes as one of Sirius’s cousins from his stories—just rolled her eyes and continues the explanation of their room arrangement. “I will draw lots that will assign you with your roommate.” She waves her wand and numbers were shown on top of each student and the same number is paired up. Ramus was glad he was paired up with Sirius, but from the looks between the cousins, Remus wondered if Andromeda had the lot rigged to pair them up. All of the first years were shepherd into their new rooms and was told to go straight to bed.
As they entered their new dorm room, Remus and Sirius marvel at the eerie window that showed fishes swimming about. Remus was starting to like his dorm arrangement, but the enthusiasm was lost on Sirius who seems to still be rather conflicted.
“I thought you’d be in Gryffindor,” said Remus as he takes his trunk and drags it to the bed by the window.
“I could say the same to you,” scoffed Sirius who took his own trunk and drags it to the bed on the opposite wall of the room.
“Trust me when I say, not without the Hat trying. It was mulling about all four houses actually, but we went back and forth between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Then it relented when I chose Slytherin.”
“Why would you do that?” Asked Sirius, now stoping his unpacking to face Remus in the eye. “You’re not a pure blood, why’d you put yourself in the snake pit?”
If only he knew, Remus mused. “Well, the deciding factor is that I know you’re in Slytherin. It’s good to know to have a friend in the same house.”
When Remus raised his face to see Sirius, the black haired boy seemed surprised. “We’re friends?” Sirius whispered.
“I should hope so, or else I’m going back to the Hat to resort me to Gryffindor.”
At that Sirius laughed a full open guffaw. Remus thinks it’s his first time laughing this freely since since Lord knows when. It was a good look on him.
SMACK!
There was a loud slam by the window with a grinning mermaid staring at them before swimming off. Remus was so startled by it he fell on his butt, which made Sirius laugh even louder.
“Just so you know. No take backs on the bed,” said Sirius with a grin on his face.
“You knew?!”
“The perks of having older cousins in the same house.” Both boys laughs and played around until they settled in for bed. Little did they know it was the first time Sirius ever felt glad for being a Slytherin together with his family, and it won’t be the last.
🌖🌕🌒
The next day during breakfast, Remus and Sirius was accosted by an excited James and a bumbling Peter. They were pleased to find out that they share their first class together and James insisted they walk together. Sirius continues having a conflicted face. He seems genuinely happy to talk with James and Peter, but he kept glancing about the Slytherin table as if waiting for judgment. From the corner of his eye Remus can see that people are looking at them discreetly and he points out how all three of Sirius’s cousins kept a steady eye on them.
Remus saw the older teen with lush curly black hair and manic face. From that descriptor alone, he was certain she is Sirius’s oldest cousin, Bellatrix. She was the least discrete of all the Slytherin that was looking at Sirius, seemingly having an inside joke that she’s having trouble keeping to herself. Remus doesn't need his wolf-sense to know she’s dangerous.
The second sister, Andromeda, was calmly sipping her tea and looked the most aloof of all the Slytherin on the commotion James has brought to the table. However, Remus knows that she’s safe, just very very calculating and not to be messed with.
Lastly, Remus saw the youngest of the Black sisters, the blond beauty, as people describe her—although Remus must profess that all of the Blacks are unfairly beautiful. Narcissa was calmly eating her breakfast and looking aloof like her sister but when her eyes met either Sirius or Remus, it was cutting. Out of curiosity Remus walked up to her to ask about the bread near her seat. He was sure it would send him waves of danger or at least caution, but she was safe. She did not even gave him a look that the other pure bloods has given him, a look that he was beneath them. Odd, the Blacks are an odd bunch.
Soon after, everyone went to class and a sense of normality was established. James continues to be his boisterous self, Sirius slowly coming out of his shell with truer grin, and Peter finally starts to relax around them. Remus was sure that their group invites stares throughout the castle, the students, professors, ghosts and paintings, seems to find their combination to be odd. Two pure bloods from two ends of the political spectrum. A half blood with self confidence issue. And unbeknownst to the majority residents of the castles, a wolf in snake’s skin.
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Several days after class has started, breakfast in the great hall were continuously greeted by owls from home. Remus had sent his long-eared owl, Copper, to his mother the morning of his first class. He was thrilled when the subdued creature flew into him and bobs its head as the bird locks his bright copper eyes into Remus.
“Thank you old man,” Remus mused to the old bird as he takes his package and gives the bird some treats. After some scratches behind the ear, Copper gently took off, presumably to the owlery.
Remus smiles to himself as he stares out at the gentle unassuming bird. He remembered how picking his pet was quite the commotion. Traditionally, werewolves don't communicate with owls, they have ravens. Each wolf would be given a pair of ravens in childhood. Naturally, the original pair would die off by the time the wolf is a young adult, but by then they would have an army of ravens that will stay with them for life. The giving of ravens were seen as a sacred tradition among Remus’s people. Parents would give the best raven within their army to pair up and give to their children. It is also an unofficial form of tight-knit bonds among friend or family, where the act of pairing up ravens is seen as the highest sign of trust.
A pair of ravens would already be too conspicuous among Hogwarts students, but one of Remus’s raven is a pure white albino. Remus had her since living in the forest, when the presence of an albino raven befits the heir to the Greyback pack. Now, Remus was not sure if Snow and Stones can even be around Hogwarts safely. But knowing his ravens, he was sure they were perching somewhere in the forbidden forest awaiting his call if anything went awry.
The two of them and the necklace he always keeps in his person was his failsafe. An unassuming pendant made out of leather and polished grey gemstone, which work as a portkey that would bring Remus to either his mother, father, Lyall, or their home in Wales, whichever is safest at the time. It was a ridiculous level of advance magic, where half of the problem was making it look like nothing more than an ordinary protective charm an overly worried parent would give to a child. Each passing day since Remus started Hogwarts, he wish that all of this ridiculous failsafe doesn't need to be used until he graduates.
Remus happily opened his package to find his mother’s chocolate crumble with a note that he is to share with his friends. He then opens her letter that still has her smell in the parchment.
My sweet puppy
I am glad that you are settling well and that you have found yourself some nice group of friends.
And to think one of them makes you feel like family. That sounds wonderful!
It happened to me when I met your Da. He’s laughing about it as we speak and says he can’t wait to hear more stories of your encounter.
If you’re curious as to why you felt that way, keep an eye out on the people around that boy.
You might meet someone special.
I hope the rest of your friends and housemates treats you well.
Remember, we're always with you my sweet pup.
Your father sends his gruff love.
Love,
Mum
Remus smiles, trying to hold his tears as he misses all his three parents. He gathered himself and turned to Sirius to share his chocolate crumble. Sirius also received a letter, but his friend’s face was not that of a child happily reading loving words from their parents. Sirius looked scared as he grips his letter tightly almost crumpling them.
“Sirius?” called Remus gently.
Sirius startled a bit and quickly folds his letter into his robes. “Yeah, what is it, mate?”
Sirius’s face was guarded. Remus was never going to get anything out of him even if he ask, so he decidedly won’t pry. “My mum sent me her chocolate crumble. I’m only going to share this with you so don’t tell on James and Peter.” Said Remus conspiratorially.
Thank goodness Sirius smiles at that and ate the chocolate crumble, which he finds absolutely delicious. When he asked for more, Remus had to run away from the great hall to safeguard his remaining sweets.
🌖🌕🌒
The days grew shorter and colder, and most students settled into their common rooms as the sun sets. Sirius was lounging on one of the sofas around the fireplace reading a quiditch magazine when Narcissa swiftly sits beside him and opens her own book.
“Your friend Lupin,” Narcissa mused.
“What about him?” Sirius snapped and glared at her.
“You don’t have to get defensive, Siri. I’m not Auntie Wally.” The blond girl huffed in exasperation. “Although, I do want to talk about his lineage. Did he say he’s a muggle born?”
The affirmative was on his lips, but then he stops and think. “He didn’t exactly say nor indicate that he’s a muggle born. Only that none of his family ever went to Hogwarts or any wizarding school for that matter.”
Now both cousins looked up to see Remus who looks to be playing with the mermaids by the window. Not in an awe kind of interaction, but in a familiarity one has over magical creatures.
“You know that my mother has me and my sisters read up on all the magical family in Britain, from the sacred twenty eight to the lesser known ones,” said Narcissa as she steal glances between Remus and Sirius. “The name Lupin came up as a rather widespread family that deals with trade on potion ingredients, particularly ingredients found in remote magical forests.”
“That explains how Remus is familiar with some if not most potion ingredients.” Replied Sirius thoughtfully. He was amazed at how he managed to convinced himself before that Remus is muggle born. Probably because Remus was crap at making those potions, though.
“Also,” Narcissa continued, “they are known to be affiliated with werewolves.”
Sirius scoffed, “Don’t tell me it’s because of their name? That’s a bit prejudice.”
“Nothing new for our lot.”
“Unfortunately,” replied Sirius. He then looked up to his cousin, “Why are you telling me this, Cissa?”
“For one, I want you to be careful, to know the hands you are dealt with and how your surroundings might take advantage of you.” Narcissa, leans in closer to Sirius as whispered, “And if he is what he is, or even if it is just mere affiliation, he might be able to help with Regulus.” The blond girl stand up and leaves her cousin to deep contemplation.
Notes:
Well that's the start of it!
Next chapter will be mostly Sirius's POV and where the conflict of the world gets unveiled!
Chapter Text
It was a rainy night at Grimmauld Place. The full moon was covered by thick clouds, but Regulus remained sick in bed. Sirius was only eight at that time and woke up feeling thirsty. He used it as an excuse to get out of bed and maybe sneak into Regulus’s room. On his way to the kitchen he heard commotion in the drawing room.
“WHAT ARE YOU INSINUATING, ALPHARD?!” Sirius heard his mother’s screech. He tip toed to hear closer, the thoughts of parching throat gone from his mind.
“The symptoms are quite apparent, Wally.” Argued his uncle desperately, “Regulus might be—“
“DON’T!” His mother cuts off frantically. “He is not be to be part of them!”
“Yes, but if this goes on, life will only be more difficult for him.”
“Alphard.” His father’s voice was cold and cutting. It brought stillness in the already tense air. “What makes you think being part of them would be easier for Regulus?”
“And your solution is to what? Annihilate the other party? A genocide?” His uncle was able to sneer in his disbelief. “What good will it bring when it didn’t work the first time!”
“I will not sacrifice my son to those abominations, and if I have to set the earth on fire so mote it be!” His father’s declaration continued into a screaming match between his uncle and his parents.
Sirius stand frozen by the shadow, scared out of his wits at what is going on with his brother. Regulus has always been sick in accordance to the moon. During the new moon he would be hale and hearty, but once the full moon closes in he would fall weak to the point of being bedridden. His magic was also weak, but the healer said that it was more of something constricting his core rather than him being born with a weak one.
As Sirius was trapped in his thoughts he heard his father shouts harshly, “OUT! OUT! AND NEVER DARKEN MY DOOR EVER AGAIN!”
He heard the door of the drawing room slammed open and close followed by the thumping pace of his uncle.
Sirius staggers towards his uncle desperately tugging his sleeve, “Uncle Alphard, what’s going to happen to Regulus? I thought you said you’ll find a cure.” Sirius only registered that he was crying when his uncle gently wiped his tears.
“I’m so sorry I can’t be of any help right now,” whispered his uncle. He rummaged to his bag and pushed a thick notebook to Sirius. “I don’t know if I can be in any contact with you in the future, but these are all my notes on Regulus’s condition. If things get worse, bring Regulus to me, and if I cannot be there to help, pray your grandfather will be sane enough to right this mess.”
Uncle Alphard hugged him tightly and walked out of the door. Sirius heard sounds from the drawing room and rushed up the stairs back to his room. That was the last time he ever saw his uncle.
🌖🌕🌒
The letters from his parents kept terrorizing Sirius. He hardly ever replied to it, but every month without fail there would be diatribe sent by his mother reminding him of his place as the Black family heir. The fact that these letters always came after the full moon was not lost on him. To his parents, Regulus was not a viable spare. In the darkest of time he would hear whispers on how Regulus would have been banished from the Black family altogether. Whispers he was sure his parents let him hear to secure his obedience to be the heir they want him to be. “What will be of your brother if you don’t shape up!” was a real underlining threat.
To the general pure blood circle and even to some of the extended families, Regulus was just a very sickly child with weak magic. The fact that his sickness coincide with the moon seems to be the biggest secret his parents try to hide. Bella and Meda never mentioned anything to him. Either because they actually don’t know much or they think Sirius should not know about the details of Regulus’s condition. Narcissa had no stipulation in hiding her thoughts on the matter, but she was also kept in the dark. She was the one who found Sirius frustrated on Uncle Alphard’s notes close to tears. He was not able to make heads or tails of the notes and his cousin decided to help Sirius behind their parents’ back, even behind her sisters’ back if they have to.
Narcissa’s words the other night kept playing on his mind. The idea that Remus can help Regulus. It was not a large leap to assume that Regulus’ condition might has something to do with werewolves. It being dictated by the moon and all. Uncle Alphard’s notes seemed to allude to this assumption, but Sirius thought his uncle was also desperate to find any other possibilities. Not that Sirius can’t understand his uncle’s desperation. The idea that sweet little Regulus having to associate with savage werewolves is a disturbing thought.
“Is something wrong at home?” asked Remus, transporting Sirius back into their dorm room. Sirius looked up at his friend. The boy had some new bruises accompanying the wide scar across his nose. A scar born out of a freak accident involving a crazy cat he once said, which Sirius finds odd because all animals seems to be friendly to his friend.
Sirius’s silence seemed to worry Remus more. “You don’t have to tell me if it’s a family matter, but month after month you receive a letter. And month after month you would look so distraught.” Remus gave a sympathetic smile. “You can tell me if you want. I’m really good at secrets.”
Sirius shrugged, “It’s…nothing. I kinda don't want to talk about it.”
“That’s fair,” replied Remus. “It’s just that if you keep this up, you look like someone who’s been kissed by the moon. With you ‘mooning’ and restless after every full moon.” He shook his head and chuckled, “The timing is a bit uncanny, really.”
Sirius blinked slowly at that. “Where have I heard of this? It sounds familiar.”
“You know, it’s the silly folktale about a person who is said to be kissed by the moon that would always go mooning and sick for the moon every full moon…” Remus paused for a moment, “There’s a lot of usage of the word ‘moon’ in this story.”
“I might have missed it growing up,” Sirius replied slowly. “My parents can be…selective in what books me and my brother can read.” Sirius tried his best to look calm behind his thumping heart beat. He was not sure Remus buys his act as the boy kept looking at Sirius worryingly. But his friend seems to know not to pry and left it at that.
“I’ll be out for a bit. I have something to return to Peter. Make sure you rest up.” Remus gingerly walks out of the room, leaving a very nervous Sirius.
Once the door closed and he was sure Remus has walked a fair distance form their room, Sirius rushed to his trunk opening a secret compartment that housed his uncle’s notes. He frantically opened it trying to find the exact page he was looking for.
Kissed by the moon! The words were underlined and circled harshly. The following annotations were Do not let the family know until you are 100% certain! Remember Astraea Black!
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“Say James,” said Sirius, trying to feign casualness in his nervous mind. They were sitting in the Gryffindor table for lunch with Peter. Remus was somewhere in the greenhouse with Avery, something to do with their herbology project.
James hums, his carefree friend too focused on his sandwich to see the nervous tick of Sirius playing with his sleeves.
“Have you ever heard of the story about a person who is kissed by the moon?”
James looked up to Sirius at that. “Sorry mate, don’t think I have. What about it?”
“How about you Peter?” Sirius elected to ignore James’s question in favour of satisfying his aching curiosity.
The blond boy just shrugged and shakes his head.
Sirius groans at that and saw Lilly Evans and Severa Snape. If James a pure blood from a distinguished light family and Peter a half blood from a middle class light family not know of this, what are the chances of a middle class muggle born and a poor half blood would. He cringed a little at how much he’s thinking like his mother. But there’s no harm in asking.
“Say girls, have you two ever heard of the story about a person who is kissed by the moon?”
“No,” replied Evans, “but whatever it is, it sounds romantic.”
“Not even in any muggle literatures?” pressed Sirius.
Snape finally looked up from her lunch and gave Sirius a confused look, “Why are you asking about a folktale from the werewolves, Black?”
“Werewolves?” snapped James, “They have folktales?”
“They are a community of human intelligence, Potter. Off course they have folktales, you dunderhead.” replied Snape which garnered a glare from James and a chuckle from Evans.
Sirius was not in the mood to play off of the weird rivalry between James and Snape—and he usually loves rilling the girl up. “Why do you know it’s a werewolves’ folktale, Snape?”
“What is it to you?” retorted Snape, but thankfully she chooses to elaborate, “My mother has a book on folktales and stories from other races and creatures. It has stories from various vampire, werewolf, centaur, and even goblin communities.”
Sirius’ blood sings at such revelation. “Is it too much to ask, please as a favor, a big favor, for your mother to send you that book to Hogwarts?” Sirius can’t even bother to hide his pleading tone that seems to surprise everyone at the table.
Snape was taken aback at that and she turned a bit skittish, “I don’t… I don’t think I can do that. I think the book is banned now, because I can’t find it anywhere else.”
“Not even in Hogwarts’ library?” asked Evans.
“Not if it’s not in the restricted section. But why would a book on simple folktales be in the restricted section.” answered Snape quizzically.
“Judging by James’ reaction,” mused Peter, “maybe it’s to make sure we don’t see them as groups that has stories.”
James’s face fell with shame, which was followed by a string of apologies from Peter. Sirius thinks that what Peter had said was something the pure bloods would do. A way to degrade creatures below them, reducing them to nothing more than savages who are incapable of the simple act of sharing a communal story. But that didn’t explain why the Potters, of all pure bloods, would advocate for such ignorance.
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It was nearing the winter holidays and Sirius was in the library alone with Regulus’s letter for company. His friends seems to now know that every month Sirius would get moody over letters from his parents and would need constant company for it. But when he receives letters from his brother they know to leave him alone to savour his brother’s letter. James said that he has a brother complex, which was a term he learned from an older student. Both Remus and Peter smacked him on the head for that.
Sirius didn’t really care if he were to have a brother complex. Regulus is that important to him. Sitting in the library Sirius rereads his brother’s letter for the umpteenth time and it still brought a smile to his face. The letter showed how excited his brother was to have him back home. Sirius shares that excitement but can’t help the dread at the back of his mind. There will be a full moon during the holiday and he feels helpless at seeing his brother listless and bedridden.
“Black,” called Snape, snapping Sirius out of his thoughts.
“What is it, Snape?” replied Sirius flatly as he folds Regulus’s letter into his robes.
Snape looked nervous, which was odd because she is never nervous. She then slides a folded pice of paper.
Sirius opened the paper and eyes widen at its content. He snapped a glance at Snape, “This is…”
“The name of the book I mentioned…and the author.” answered Snape hesitantly. “You seemed desperate to know something, but I can’t help you more than this. My mother hides anything related to magic in our house. And this particular book was among the most kept hidden. I don’t want to chance it by taking it out of the house, even if I were to go back home. I’m pretty sure with your resources you can get your hands on it soon enough.”
He doubt he can get it easily, but it is a start. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you…thank you, Snape. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
She gave him a small smile at that. “For such an unassuming book, I can’t help but think that it’s deliberately hidden just as much, if not more, than any other dark magic book.”
There was something to unpack from that sentence, which Sirius can hear James teasing her for her propensity on going through dark tomes.
“Is it really just a book about folktales?” Sirius asked.
“From my point of view it’s no different form The Grimm’s Fairy Tales, up to how disturbing it can be.”
Sirius’s confused face made her sigh in exasperation. “It’s like a muggle Tales of Beedle the Bard. Any other question?”
It looked like he ran out of her nice quota of the day or maybe even her quota for the month or year. “No, I’m all good. Thanks Snape, truly.”
She took her leave, but it was nice of her to give him another small smile.
Sirius sat back and study the paper again. The Folk Tales of the Otherworldly Folks by Etheldreda Fablemoor.
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“Will your brother be at the station to pick you up?” asked James as the four boys settled in their compartment on their way home for the winter holidays.
“Probably not. Reggie gets sick easily so he doesn’t get out much.”
“Will he be alright going to Hogwarts next year?” asked Peter worryingly.
“That’s actually a good question, mate.” Sirius answered and mulling about it for a while as his face grew into stricken panic.
“Was there ever any indication that he will be homeschooled?” poked Remus delicately.
“No there wasn’t!” Sirius gasped in relief. “It was always, ‘You both must bring honour to the Black family line and be sorted into Slytherin’. So, yeah he is definitely going to Hogwarts…yeah…”
“Peter look what you did,” said James. “You’re making our loving big brother all panic over his sweet baby brother. What would the world be if the Black brothers can’t be together!”
“Oh piss off,” Sirius chuckled and tackled James into the floor. James jumped away bringing Peter down with him. In the middle of it all they managed to tumble Remus into the mix and only stopped their roughhousing when one of the prefects scolded them into place, leaving the compartment with laughter.
“It’s a shame Reggie’s not coming to pick you up, though,” said James. “I really want to meet the little guy.”
“Yeah, he sounds so cute from your stories. Can’t help but wonder how he looks like.” Peter adds.
“True,” Remus chuckled, “I think you and your cousins are creating an image of him for the whole school. Now I bet everybody is wondering about sweet little Regulus.”
“I mean, compared to me and my cousins,” mused Sirius, “he has the sweetest soul.”
The train finally made a stop and students were rushing outside, some more eager than others. James wanted them to hurry, Peter and Remus shares his enthusiasm to reunite with their parents. So much so that they didn’t notice the subdued demeanour of Sirius, trailing slowly behind.
James was the first to get out and ran to his parents. The older couple almost lost their balance as they captured their rambunctious boy. Peter was less explosive but still has a spring to his step as he melts into the embrace of his mother. Remus smiles seeing his friends, when he gather himself to look up to find his parents, he smells them before he sees them.
“My baby!” His mothers grabs him from behind and lifts him high off the ground. Hope is quite a small women and Remus is a rather tall boy, so this brought some eyes to them. Not that it seem to register with the Lupins, as Lyall grabs Remus by the armpit and lifts him even higher shouting his name. He then carries him away like a sack of potato over his shoulder with Hope following them with Remus’s trunk. The family was laughing and joking around until they left the station, oblivious at the stares on them.
All eyes were still in shock at the display. Some were awed at the strength of Remus’s parents, as well as their large presence despite being such a small and unassuming family. Others, which includes Sirius’s parents, chides them for being such loud brutes. Sirius, meanwhile, was in awe. He knows Remus has loving parents, but to see them so open so unapologetic of that love, how does that make them brutes. If the Lupins really are affiliated with werewolves, how does that make them savages. And even if they are werewolves, would they be such a bad family for Regulus to get involved with.
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Before the Lupins reach the apparation point, they saw James calling over. “Remus! Your dad’s really strong!”
Remus and his family stood still as they registered what they just did, and more importantly what people had seen. Lyall slowly puts Remus down. Hope was the first one to gather herself and respond to the boy, “Why hello there, are you perhaps James? Remus writes us about how exuberant you are.”
That comment seems to brighten James even more. “Nice to meet you Mrs. Lupin! Please meet my parents!” James gestures to an older couple that was smiling at the whole encounter.
“I can’t remember when was the last time I can lift Jamie here that high off the ground,” mused James’s father who looks exactly like the boy, complete with round glasses and wild hair. He extended his hand to Lyall and then to Hope, “Fleamont Potter and this is my lovely wife Euphemia. Pleasure to meet you.”
“Pleasures all ours,” Lyall replied awkwardly, “Lyall Lupin and this is Hope. We’re glad your son is such a good friend to ours. The boy’s a bit of a trouble maker.”
Euphemia laughs at that, “I’m sure our Jamie brought more trouble to their little group. Yours seems to be the voice of reason more often than not.”
The parents continued to chat for a while when James huddled into Remus, “I tried going to Sirius but his family brushed us off and he looked troubled when I came close.” James pouted at his report.
“James, he did say his family won’t like us befriending him, remember.” Remus sighs and pats his bespectacled friend on the back. “Just follow his lead and wait for a letter from him, okay? Let’s hope we’ll hear from him soon. And I’ll make sure I write to you.” At the look of James’s still pouting face Remus teases, “Oh, how unfortunate that my letters won’t hold a candle to Sirius’s. James you must make do with your plebeian friends’ penmanship this winter holiday.”
James finally laughs at that and pushed Remus around. The two boys joke some more before their parents call them to go home. And home was the place Remus longed for most.
Notes:
Yeeeay! I got to post a new chapter ><
So, this is the start of other side of the conflict.I hope the world justifies certain changes I'm making with the characters, like how Sirius is more calculating and subdued because Regulus was never actually compared to him but was used by his parents to shape him up. Meanwhile, this version of Remus is far more confident because despite living in secrecy, this Remus is always proud of being a werewolf. Having a supportive and like-minded parents also helps, I guess. Sev being a girl will hopefully be explain as the story progresses.
Other than that, I hope I am doing these character juctice in this silly world I'm making hehe.
Anyway, I hope you all like this new chapter! I'm happy that some people are enjoying the story overall >< I am so happy with all the kudos and kind comments.
Chapter Text
“Father!” Remus runs towards and jumps into Fenrir’s broad arms. His parents decided that Remus can stay in the Greyback’s home forest this holiday. Remus was so happy he gets to be around his father for longer than one night on a full moon.
“My boy, how I’ve missed you.” His father hugs him tightly, all warm and encompassing, but never suffocating. When they leaned back, Remus was brought onto his father’s shoulder. “How was Hogwarts? Tell me everything, I only heard snippets from your mother and Lyall.”
Remus and his father walks deep into the forest as Remus prattles on about his silly friends, the interesting lessons, and the magical castle. He talks about the paintings, the mermaids and how ethereal his dorm sometimes feels. His smile falters a bit when he said that he has been so tempted to enter the forbidden forest just to feel a bit like home. This home, in this forrest. As much as he loves the bungalow back in Wales, he longed to be back in this forrest with all his loved ones.
“Father,” says Remus while biting his lip and holding his father’s head tighter, “I think I shouldn’t be carried around on your shoulders anymore, or Da’s.” Despite saying this, Remus didn’t move to dislodge himself from his position.
“Remus, you’re breaking our hearts. You know how sad you mother was when she can’t lift you up her shoulders anymore. Lyall and I would only have a year at most of this. Two if you have a late growth spurt.” His father looks up at his son and pats his thighs, “Humour us for a while longer please, pup.”
“I don’t really mind.” Why would he. All werewolf children are carried on the shoulders of their parents in all sorts of shape and forms. Older cousins and siblings would also do this too if they’re able. It was a form of bonding among the wolves, and Remus was never ashamed of being carried around by people he cared, chief among them are his parents. But that’s the things. It’s a very wolf behaviour. “Truly, I don’t mind. Just maybe, don’t do this in front of wizards?”
“Aaah…” says his father in realization, “your mother told me about what happened at the station. That was a miss on our part, pup, we apologize. You mother and Lyall should have been more careful. But the relief at seeing you safe and sound, at being able to take you home even for a short while, I don’t think even I can stop myself from also carrying you around on my shoulders, regardless of who’s watching.”
Remus leans closer to hang his head, “I hate that what we consider normal is frowned upon in their eyes. I hate that sometimes they can’t understand some references and habits I’d make.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, pup. But what’s so different between hiding yourself back in Wales and now? Is it because before, you were simply hiding among muggles?”
“I suppose?” Remus answers while thinking things through, “Part of what makes it hard is probably because I placed myself in Slytherin. They’re so…”
“Proper?”
“Pretentious!”
Fenrir laughs at that. “Why did you decide to place yourself into Slytherin, my boy? I thought we’ve discussed that it would be the hardest house to hide as a wolf.”
Remus was silent for a moment. Him and his father did discuss extensively on the inner workings of Hogwarts, particularly on which house would be best to blend in. They had plans and countermeasures on each houses, in which Slytherin being the house with the least gain and most troubles. Then he remembers Sirius’s face on the day of the sorting and all logic over which house was best for the young wolf just left him that evening.
“A friend was sent there,” Remus mumbles an answer to his father, “and I’ve felt a pull towards him. He’s family to me and I don’t want to loose that bond somehow.”
His fathers hums at that, “I remember you mother mentioning this. Sirius Black, was it? It’s an interesting development I must say.”
“I sometimes wonder if I shouldn’t have been in Slytherin. Sirius is great, don’t get me wrong! I’m glad I’m in the same house as him, but the house is…”
“Trust your intuition, pup. They’ve saved us countless of times. If you believe that you should be close to that boy, for whatever reason, then trust that the Moon’s magic has tied your fates together. The answer to why that is will come to us, sooner or later.”
“Mother said she felt that with Da. Did it had anything to do with you?”
“Honestly, we were never sure,” his father mused. “Is there anyone close to Sirius that might make you curious?”
“Maybe his little brother?”
Fenrir laughs, “Then let us know if there’s anything you can share once you meet him.”
Both father and son lingers in silence for a moment, as Fenrir walks them closer to their main camp. Remus was playing back their conversation in his head when, he remembered something he’s been meaning to ask one of his parents in person. “Father, do you know Hogwarts used to admit werewolves?”
“Do they?” His father replied, finding the news as surprising as he was. “I’ve seen it on records sporadically, but was never sure of it. Your mother and Da would know more of it I’m sure, them being born werewolves and all.” His father paused for a moment and face turned solemn, “However, I’m afraid it might not be a nice story to tell. Why don’t you ask this again once you’re a bit older.”
Remus knows an evasion when he hears it. For all his surprise, Remus knows that his father knows some truths about the werewolves in Hogwarts. Gruesome truths he reckons.
His parents were never shy in telling him some hard truths, but they also believe that not everything should be told unfiltered into Remus’s young ears. They would either regroup to spin an appropriate tale that Remus would understand and accept, but for some cases they would wholeheartedly say to Remus that he was not ready to hear the truth. It would have been annoying, if he hadn’t seen his parents do the same thing to other people and adults. Not all truth should be told on the spot, and as a werewolf living in hiding, keeping and managing the truth close to your heart is vital.
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“Father,” calls Sirius as he enters his father’s study, “mother said you ask for me.”
Orion Black was sitting behind a dark oak desk with scattered notes and opened books in front of him. He glances up to meet his eldest son in the eye, “Yes, Sirius. Please take a seat, my boy.”
Sirius walks further in to do just that. The young boy sits straight on the green upholstered chair that has rich pattern bordering on dizzying. He hates sitting on this chair.
Orion closes his notes and books, putting it aside. Once his table was less looking like a mad professor’s study that the man lean back to speak to his heir, “I wanted to talk to you about school.”
Sirius nodded at that. He was sure it wasn’t about his scores and academic performances, since he did really well on those, even if at dinner his mother kept berating how it was not enough as the heir of the noble house of Black. It has to be something that Regulus can’t hear or even something his mother shouldn’t be privy about. It’s either heir business or…
“I heard that you’ve been around some interesting set of characters.”
…the people he surrounds himself with. His mother has been complaining about this in her letters, since Bella finds it hilarious how eclectic his group of friends are and ratted him out. Sirius has been wondering when will his father speak up about it. “Is there something wrong with my friends?” Sirius asks back in the most neutral voice he can manage.
“Nothing in particular. Believe me when I say that I see befriending various people from various walks of life can be more of a boon. I still struggle to stress that to your mother sometimes. However,” his father leans forward with both hands claps, “that doesn’t mean those friends shouldn’t be vetted.”
Sirius gulps and nods.
Orion leans back to his chair and opens up a folder. “From what I gather, you’re quite amicable with everybody regardless of house and blood status. You hung around more with pure bloods, but that’s probably because you’re in Slytherin, and thank Merlin for that. I can tolerate you having—what was the word Bellatrix used—eclectic friends but I draw the line if you ever neglect our close and important allies. You understand, Sirius?”
“Yes, father,” again Sirius replies neutrally, while keeping his eyes up. His father hates people not looking at him in the eye when he is talking.
“Good. Now lets talk about these…eclectic friends of your. The Potter heir is an interesting choice I might say. They can be insufferable and bull-headed in my opinion, but if you can keep a good friendship until both of you are head of your respective family. You’ll might have an easier time in the government. Just don’t get too carried away by their idealism.
“Pettigrew, a half blood born out of two half blood parents. Father worked in the ministry until his untimely death three years ago and mother is a matron in St. Mungo at the children’s ward. Eldest of three. If he does well in school and manage to get a position in the ministry, someone like him can be good for you in doing the thankless footwork of working in the government.
“Lastly,” Orion narrows his eyes, “Remus Lupin, the one I’m most wary of. Not only that his information is sparse, he’s also the closest to you, being your roommate and all. Tell me about the boy.”
“What do you want to know, father? I know that he’s from Wales,” although he has more of a Scottish accent at times, “I also know that he’s well versed on the muggle world, yet familiar enough with magic to indicate at least one magical parent.”
“I thought as much,” replies his father contemplatively, “it’s a fifty-fifty chance on whether a Lupin is magic or muggle. Do you know his father’s name?”
Sirius shakes his head, “I’m afraid I don’t know, sir.”
“Make sure you ask of it post haste. I know of a Lupin that could father a boy your age, but I can’t get any news of him. I want to make sure it’s the same person.”
That was a curious way to put it. “And what if it isn’t the same person?” Sirius asks without thinking twice of it.
His father’s face turns grim and hollow, “I’ll entrust this to you and will let you decide…”
Orion slides a leathered bound book that seems unassuming with weathered titles that looked to be scrapped off, but when Sirius took it and opens the book he paled. The inner title showed The Complete Guide to Britain’s Werewolf Packs—19th Century Edition.
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“Father,” Severa mutters in disgust, “of course it’s always father.” Severa tightly holds the letter from her mother, a letter that says she is to stay at Hogwarts for the winter holidays, while further implying that she is not expected at home until the year’s end. Her father—as her mother insisted on calling him, where Severa deems such title far too dignified for such a pitiful man—would want the reprieve of not needing to spend his hard earn cash to feed an extra mouth when he doesn’t need to. Despite that all the sterling used for food were from her mother’s and sometimes even Severa’s sporadic work, her mother of course cave in to every whims that man would make.
It was strange that her mother had been very accommodating couple of weeks ago when the young Slytherin had asked about the magical books that are kept at Spinner’s End. She didn’t hesitate to take those books out to give Severa all the details on its titles and authors—a risk Severa knows well, as that man hates even a slight sight of anything pertaining magic. Perhaps it was a peace offering from her mother’s part. In her letter, Severa did say that she wanted to reread her mother’s books but can’t find them in Hogwarts’ library and is looking forward to read them once she’s back home. Of course it was Severa’s round about way to ask about the books, but it was still disappointing that he mother’s glimpse of bravery was to accommodate an even bigger cowardice.
Severa was not lying to Black when she said that there is no chance her mother would send her those books. One, her mother would not have the funds for postage, and due to the aforementioned embargo on magic she would not be able to magically package the book safely. Those books are precious to her, to them, it was the last window to a world too far from the two witches. They would not part with them, but at the same time too scared to cherish them. Heck, Severa didn’t even thought that her mother was even going to take those books out of its hiding spot, a safe heaven for anything magic in that dreaded house.
Who is she kidding. Severa never wants to go home in the first place, but it still stung that the option was taken away from her.
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The great hall was bathed by the bright morning light as the castles was waking up with more liveliness as compared to the subdued tranquility of the last couple of weeks. Winter break ends today and hoards of students will be back in the castle by dinner. Everyone was milling about in preparation, while Severa mourns the end of her peace and quite as she pushes her breakfast. At the very least, she would have Lily back, although she would have all her tormentors back as well. Regardless, it feels like a loosing battle, but at least Lily. Severa will still call it a win.
At the breakfast table there were mostly older students that stayed behind in preparations for their exams, with several lonely younger students like Severa herself, who was the only Slytherin under year five. The remaining older Slytherins didn’t give a toss about her, but were amicable and even friendly at times. Black’s cousin, Andromeda was the kindest to Severa. She wasn’t necessarily nice—she’s still a Black after all and they tend to have those cold aloof demeanour. However, if it weren’t for the Hufflepuffs she hangs out with, Severa would have second guessed Andromeda’s kind reminders for lunch and dinners whenever they were in the library. They even helped her with future studies by giving her their old notes in preparation for the later half of the year. Severa dreads the amount of group projects she will have for some of her classes.
In between her gloom and dread, she can hear how Andromeda and Ted Tonks were talking about secret rooms in the castle and small nooks that needed certain stone taps to open them. Some other students quips at how intimate those places sounds, which made Ted Tonks flustered, but the ever unflinching Andromeda just says that those nooks are only big enough to put books and stuff you want others away from. While still blushing profusely, Ted Tonks looks Severa in the eye and grins, “It can be a personal safe.” When he says that, Severa noticed that Andromeda was making sure she hears it and internalizes the information. They can’t keep her off her bullies, but they can help her keep her small possessions safe. Those two are an odd couple, but kind ones none the less.
After hours of canvasing the secret nooks—she stays out of the secret rooms that would definitely be used by some older students—she secure three spots that she uses to keep her notes and very little valuables safe. Not long after she’s back to her dorm, the castle was abuzz as the train arrived and students are filling in the halls once more. Dinner in the great hall was back into its lively and rambunctious event. Unfortunately for Severa, the opening dinners require students to sit in their respective houses, so Severa must content to only seeing Lily smiling at her when she enters the Great Hall and how she was accosted by Potter who seems to be livelier than a puppy. How does a person has so much energy in this gloomy and cold lands of the north.
She scans the Great Hall and sees that Potter seems to be the norm not an exception, as she sees Ted Tonks smiling about with his friends that went home for the holidays. Even Black’s cousins were having a pleasant time. Bellatrix being maniacal as ever is seen gathering ears for her tales of balls and galas during the holidays, while the younger sisters were having subdued but cheery conversation. Close to Severa the loudest conversation in the Slytherin table—or what’s constitute as loud for a Slytherin table—were between Lupin and Avery where they seem to have a never ending debate on their herbology project. It gets so ridiculous that even the older students finds it entertaining, which made it more curious when Black, the one person who loves egging people to create more dissension is silent.
“Sirius you okay, mate?” Lupin grabs Black’s shoulder only for the raven haired boy to flinch away. This startles both boys and with every growing pause, people starts throwing glances at them.
“Sorry,” Black mutters, not looking at Lupin in the eye. “Just didn’t get enough sleep last night.”
If Lupin finds the reaction suspect, he didn’t let it show. Although his concerns sounds genuine. “All right, just don’t skip dinner,” says Lupin as he passes a corn soup in front of Black and continues his conversation with Avery.
Black grimaces but eats the soup with his head down. Severa may not be well versed in pure blood politics, but she knows enough that Black and Lupin’s friendship, not even counting the addition of Potter and Pettigrew’s, were sneered by the other Slytherins. The only reason they were left alone was because they were mere first years. Although it helps that Black is the heir to one the most important magical family in whole Britain, while Lupin, despite nobody knowing his definite background, continues to outsmart and outclass every pureblood in Hogwarts. If cracks were to form internally between the two boys, Severa would bet her best cauldron that every pureblood in Slytherin will dance in the ravine.
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“Okay, Siri what’s gotten your pants in a twist?” scoffs Narcissa as Sirius pushes her into one of the secret classrooms Meda had told them about. He was still very shifty and made sure the doors are locked before the boy faces his disgruntled cousin.
“Just,” Sirius murmurs, “look at this.” The boy handed Narcissa the werewolf genealogy book he’s been having nightmares about. Narcissa quirks an eyebrow and starts skimming. She was well aquatinted with these kinds of books, having been forced to read them cover to cover by her mother to understand the pure blood society in Britain and even mainland Europe. However, when she reached the back of the book her eyes widen as she reads the meticulous notes on the updates and assumptions on the newer generation of werewolves. Particularly a generation of werewolves that would have children their age. There were particular notes on trying to map out which werewolf community possibly has the largest children population.
“What is our family trying to find?” Narcissa asks carefully.
“I don’t know!” shouts Sirius desperately. He groans as he pushes the palms of his hands to his eyes. “I don’t know Cissa. And father seems desperate to know if Remus is one of those children. One of those born werewolf or whatever that is.”
Narcissa carefully rereads some of the preface of the book. “Well this is interesting,” says Narcissa showing the paragraphs that seems to be annotated by both her uncle and cousin.
“Yeah, I was so confused with that one,” replies Sirius defeatedly.
Tracing family line in werewolves are different to that from us wizards. They do not put emphasis on blood, despite there are werewolves being born from werewolf parents. In their beliefs the purity of their family magic is through the blessings from the Moon. Therefore, turning wixen into a werewolves to them is the same as having children that could pass down the family line and magic. In some family, particularly the more peripheral vassal families, they may not birth werewolf children—something equivalent to wizards birthing squibs the author would assume. However, different from squibs, the family or even other werewolf families can choose to turn the child and that child will be a fully integrated werewolf of the family and the community. However, both born and turned werewolves are not seen as true werewolves until they reach a certain age and has gone through a specific ceremony to induct them into the formal family line. Therefore readers of this book will not see any names of wolves under the age of eighteen, as it is the normal initiation age for both born and turned werewolf children.
Narcissa went back to the last pages and slowly parse through her cousin’s annotation. There she can see that the Lupin family is as widespread as she had red in other lineage books with the author giving disclaimer that not all of the Lupins are inducted into the main werewolf branch. However the author decided to write down all possible Lupin lineage simply because, “…as a vassal family to one of the strongest forrest werewolves of the isle, it is not a large leap to assume they could be mingling in both the muggle and wizarding world in plain sight in service of their master.”
Within the latest generation—or precisely the generation of their parents and grandparents—there are several Lyall Lupin that Sirius had underlined. The one that seems most ominous was the youngest one, Lyall Lupin first son and second child to the previous head of the main branch of the Lupin family, the direct vassal to the Greyback family, who is the ruler of the forests north of the isles. The annotation beside that name seems to scare Sirius and made Narcissa pales: the possible current head of the main branch Lupin Family.
“I don’t get it,” says Narcissa, “do you want Remus to be a born werewolf? To be someone this important?”
Sirius face was looking his age, the age of an eleven year old boy that wish to cry to his mum, because of the overwhelming fear the world is throwing at him. Unfortunately, those fears are being thrown by the the very parents that should have keep him safe.
“I don’t know,” says Sirius hollow and broken, “all I know is that I don’t want father, or our family for that matter, to hurt Remus. I like him…he’s… he’s my best friend.”
Narcissa sighs and smiles at that. None of the Black children has a particularly happy childhood and smaller pool of friends. Sirius in particular seems to be the hardest one to make friends, both due to the pressure and his fear for Regulus. Sure he has play dates with other pure blood children but never had Narcissa sees him opening up to them. She might be a bit jealous with Lupin and the other two Gryffindors for being able to chip down her cousin’s walls, but never the less she is happy for Sirius.
“Then I believe that you already have the answer to that.” Narcissa points at a Lyall Lupin who is a bit older than the possible family head, who is a shepherd in Wales. “This is your friend’s father.”
Sirius gulps, “We both know that this is what I will tell father, but what if Remus is not this Lyall’s son?”
“Would you have a problem having a werewolf friend?
That question seems to clear all the clouded doubts in Sirius’s head. It was a straight forward question with simple and clear answer. “No,” Sirius whispers, “especially if it’s Remus, I wouldn’t mind having a werewolf friend.”
“Good, we should go back now, and revisit to this topic after a nice rest.” Narcissa grabs Sirius by the arm and walks him out of the classroom into the deserted hall. It was almost curfew after all. “Also, you have to lend me this book, Siri. Why do I not know how interesting their society seems to be?” Narcissa flicks through the leather bound book in awe.
Sirius chuckles at that. Despite her groaning and moaning over her mother’s insistence to read up on pureblood society, his cousin can be quite the academic when it comes to the historical and anthropological side of society and culture. “Yeah, just be careful. Don’t let Bella and Meda see it.”
“Black family seal and all? The ones where only the family members in name and blood can see it?”
“You know the one, complete with blood magic.”
Notes:
I hope Snape's POV isn't too text heavy.
I just thought that her view is fun to create settings and nuance as she would not talk much with people.Also, super thank you for all the kudos and comments and all the love for this fict.
Really this motivates me to write more ><Thank you and hope you enjoy!
Chapter Text
The Blacks are weird. Well, Remus has known it since his first day at Hogwarts, but lately they haven been getting weirder. Particularly, Sirius and Narcissa.
Since returning from the winter holidays, Sirius has been acting…hot and cold around Remus. One moment he’s jumpy with horror stricken face and then he’d be clingy as limpet. When Remus mentioned this to James and Peter, they say that he’s most weird when he’s around Remus, which was concerning. Although, Peter tries to sooth him by saying that Sirius has also been hot and cold with just about everybody and it probably looks like he’s acting worse with Remus because he’s with Remus the most. Bless Peter, but Remus can see that even James doesn’t seem to see it that way.
Narcissa, on the other hand, is even more disturbing. She’s been friendly…too friendly, which made it disturbing, as it made her look more like her sister Bellatrix—never a good look. She’d casually strike up a conversation with Remus but seems to have to stop herself from looking too cordial with him, as most Slytherins sees him as a lowborn unknown half blood. Everyone knows she cannot be seen having interest with a boy not of her caliber. However, the conversation the other day was most peculiar.
“Lupin,” said Narcissa as she rubs a piece of his robe between her fingers, “has anybody told you that your winter robe is exquisite and uses such high quality wool?”
“I’m aware?” replied Remus a bit perturbed. Remus was sitting by the courtyard with Sirius sleeping on one of the stone bench. Narcissa always strikes a conversation like this, when Sirius is near, but would not be listening.
“Oh I’m not saying you wouldn’t know your own belongings. It’s just,” now she was sitting down beside Remus fully admiring his robes with both hands, “this is an amazing fabric, such craftsmanship. From afar it just looked like any other thin wool robe, but when you look into it. I don’t think I’ve seen people weaving wool like this. It’s so fine, yet warm.”
“Thank you?”
“Where did your family get these?” Narcissa asked with sharp stern face, but Remus can’t help thinking he saw a twinkle in her eyes as she stared at him.
“Well, my mum’s family own pastures in Wales and several flocks of sheep. We sort of…weave our own cloth.”
“Fascinating. Your mother’s born and raised in Wales then?”
“Something like that,” replied Remus carefully.
“And your father?”
Remus blinked at that, confused with the direction of the conversation. “Yes, we’re all from Wales.”
Narcissa was silent for a minute, face all calculating some problem that Remus wasn’t privy to. She was about to say something but caught herself. Instead, she decided to part ways by saying, “You must ask your mother if she’s willing to sell at least five meters of this fabric, just let me know the price.” Narcissa walks away in her aloof mask, but Remus with his wolf ear can hear her mumble, “Yes, five meters would do well for a skirt and a cloak. I wonder what colours are available or can it be dyed…”
Remus just kept looking as Narcissa disappeared into the castle. Then he saw Sirius wide awake and he seemed to have listened to the whole conversation. Remus raised his eyebrow, “What was that about?”
The raven haired boy just shrugs, while looking visibly annoyed, “Just Cissa being weird.” Sirius got up and gathered his things, “Although if she asks again, it could be a good business opportunity. Once she states what she wants, she deems it’s worthy of any price. Just be a gentlemen and don’t rip her off. I actually like her.”
“Alright,” replied Remus quizzically. Sirius seemed to be satisfied with that and gestured the young wolf back to the castle.
Honestly, the Blacks are disturbingly weird.
🌖🌕🌒
“Are you or are you not going to confront your friend?” Narcissa keeps pestering him whenever they have their weekly meetings to discuss the werewolf family book in the secret classroom.
Her obsession over Remus’s wool robe was not a mere fancy over fashion, she’d claim. She red up that in Wales the forest wolves—a term for their higher ranking werewolf family that rules over several stretch of land—is known as one of the oldest werewolf pack in Europe. They are obscure even among the wolves, but is well known for producing high quality and intricately charmed wool garments, which again Cissa seems to be obsessed with.
“I am not obsessed with these wool! Yes I want them, but your friend having those wool robes—and yes I’ve noticed he has several—brings more questions here!”
“How so?” Sirius just slumps in his chair, “You really need to walk me through this.”
Narcissa sighs as if having to bear the heavy burden of enlightenment. “Look, the Lupins are well spread out throughout the Isle, not so numerous to be conspicuous but well known enough to be catalogued in certain key areas both in our world and the muggle world. Yes, there are Lupins in Wales, but they do not mingle with the forest wolves of Wales, as their master—their forest, which was the term the book used—was up here in Scotland under the Greyback name.
“The book says that vassal families like the Lupins would not heavily interact with other forest wolves unless they are allied with their home forest, which mind you the book did not find any indication that the Greyback and the MacTire are allies.”
“So, you’re saying that there was an alliance made between the publication of that book and now?” Sirius wonders.
“Yes, and I’m also trying to say that your friend Lupin might be of higher rank than we thought, as his mother might also be a high ranking werewolf like his father.”
“Because of the alliance and where he lives?”
“No!” Narcissa hisses in frustration, “Because of his robes!”
Sirius blinks at his cousin and gawks, “You lost me again.”
“Ugh, is this how that muggle detective felt in those books Tonks lent to Meda.” Narcissa straightens up and glares at her cousin, “When I say those robes aren’t cheap, it’s not only because of the high quality wool fabric. If you look closer you could faintly feel that it’s interlaced with far more complex charms then the standard warming charm it’s transmitting. It’s like the warming charm is a farce to whatever charms those robes has hidden beneath.
“The book says that the MacTire are master runes and charms maker. Only people in those inner forrest circle can make those complex magic. So Lupin’s mother must have been someone important within the Wales werewolf pack.”
“Cissa,” Sirius is now also leaning forward to glare at his cousin, “what I’m about to say is going to sound like mother is speaking through me, but correct me I’m wrong. If your saying that the MacTire is like our sacred twenty eight, wouldn’t marrying a Lupin be marrying down?”
“Thank Merlin you’re still using your brain, Siri,” Narcissa scoffs, “and you would be correct. I’m assuming that his mother is from the Howell family. They are like the Lupins to the Greyback. A prominent vassal for the MacTire.”
“Lupin, Howell, MacTire…they’re not exactly subtle, are they?”
“You’d be surprise with the names I’ve been reading. One of the prominent family is called Woolf.”
🌖🌕🌒
Narcissa’s insistent rant that Remus is from a powerful and prominent werewolf family on both sides kept lingering in Sirius’s head. Today the young Black heir has secluded himself in the library, opening a book that he’s not particularly reading.
“Sirius,” greets Andromeda in her lonesome. Sirius looks up and nods in acknowledgement. Without asking she takes a seat just beside her cousin and opens a book.
“Where are your friends? It’s after the full moon.” Says Andromeda casually, while having sharp eyes glancing at her younger cousin.
Sirius’s breath hitches, “What about the full moon, Meda?” he tries to play it off calmly as he steels a glance to his cousin, hearts beating fast.
Andromeda isn’t fooled and just quirks her eyebrow.
Sirius sighs, still pretending to be reading his book when he answers, “Remus is not feeling well, and I also just want to be left alone, so James and Peter are somewhere in the castle.”
“Siri, the letter you got this morning was from home, not from Regulus. Everyone knows you stick—literally stick like a limpet—to your marry band of four when you receive those. So, why are you avoiding them? Or should I just be direct and ask why you are avoiding Lupin in particular?”
“What do you know?” Sirius asks finally locking his eyes with his cousin. He knows Andromeda is not a legilimens, but her stare feel like a piercing dagger, forcing to ripoff all the truth from his head.
“I know that there is a betting pool in Slytherin, on when will you break off any relations with Lupin. Bonus points if you also cut off the Gryffindors. There are also bets on you demanding a new roommate.” Andromeda leans closer to her now shocked cousin, “Surely you’re not truly ignorant on the vile jibes Lupin has been receiving lately?”
“What?” Sirius’s voice is shaking.
“People have been calling him a dog to be tamed, a wild wolf with you holding the leash. The younger students are ignorant and thinks it’s just bullying over his silly name, but the older ones? Siri, they are suspecting things.”
Sirius closes his eyes, hearts still beating, but takes longs breaths to calms his words, gritting it through his teeth “Meda…What. Do. You. Know?”
“I know what you and Cissa has been doing lately. And not just about your friend, I know enough about Regulus and the dots you’re trying to connect between him and your friend.”
“It’s not what you think,” Sirius’s voice starts to tremble in his heated whispers. “We just wanted to help Reggie, but the more we learn things the more dangerous it feels.”
“Whatever conclusion you’ve drawn of him and his family means nothing when your friend is here in Hogwarts. He can be the most powerful heir of his kind, but among us wizards? At his age? He’s pray, Sirius. And if he’s nothing, a mere affiliation, being a Lupin in Slytherin will be no different than having a muggle surname. That’s how those people see his people, Siri.”
Sirius pales at that. Yes, he’s scared of the Lupins and the Howells and the political tightrope of the unknown. But scared of werewolves, scared of Remus as a werewolf, never. Then he remembers Snape, the one Slytherin with a muggle surname, who’s been Bellatrix’s little toy this year. Being under Bella’s amusement has been both a curse and a blessing for Snape. True, Bella can be merciless with her torment, but nobody would touch someone favoured by the unhinged Bellatrix Black. Imagining something like that or worse befallen to Remus made his mouth dry.
“What if confronting what I know only makes things worse?” Sirius whispers in reply.
Andromeda runs her fingers between his curls, steady and soothing. She then cups his cheek to gently look at him in the eye, “We can’t know that unless you talk to him. You of all people know the importance and intricacies of forming allies. Your friend needs more than an ally, he needs a friend, a good friend. He’s been such a good friend to you, time to return the favour.” Andromeda taps his cheek playfully before drawing back her hand.
“Have I really been not a good friend?” Sirius asks while pulling his sleeve’s nervously.
Andromeda takes her cousin’s hand and sooth it as it was starting to redden and saving his sleeves from being more stretched and wrinkled. She then remembers just this morning, seeing pale little Lupin confronted by some boys from her year. He was putting a brave face but the whole while he was touching his chest and stretching his collar. Andromeda thinks that if her suspicions are correct, she agrees with Sirius and Narcissa that Lupin can help Regulus. However, what seems to go over those two rascals’ head is the fact that Lupin is the one who needs more help right now.
“From where I see it, you both are just scared little kids, who made mistakes and will make more mistakes in the future.” She smiles when her cousin looks up. “Sirius, believe me when I say, being good friends is when you can laugh after you cry with them, feel angry, feel vindictive, feel every emotion together. You, my little star, are feeling so many conflicting emotions that you’re not sharing with your friend. I’m sure he wants to open up to you, but you have to also open up yourself. That’s how you can be a good friend.”
Sirius hugs Andromeda tightly and buries his face on her chest. Andromeda chuckles and gently smoothes his curls as the boy just kept hanging there like a limpet.
🌖🌕🌒
Last night’s full moon fell on a leap year, which felt momentous for Remus. The moon seems to also see it that way as her wild magic was more unruly than usual and affected several werewolf children that night. It was a heavy night, his mom had concluded, a night when the moons’s magic was too much for the growing magical core of young wolves.
Under normal circumstances Remus has always had trouble shifting, the moon’s magic would sometimes be too much for his young body, worse than his peers. His mother fusses over him as any mother would, but both his father dan Da are not too worried, because his father and late aunts and uncles were exactly the same when they were Remus’s age. Something about the Greyback line being a bit finicky with the moon’s magic. And no, Remus’s aunts and uncles did not die because of their transformation. His parents had to convince Remus that his aunts and uncles managed to grew out of their messy child transformation and passed away due to other reasons, which is not to be specified until he is older.
Regardless, it was a heavy night. The Remus’s golden hair was dull and messy, eyes sunken, while his head is throbbing. Madam Pomfrey gave him a pepper up and some pain potions, which is working wonders. Through the windows on his way from the med bay to the dungeons, he could see that dawn is coming.
Remus drags his feet towards his room, shuffling as quite as possible with an injured knee. The potions are helping with his pain, but the his body is still stiff from the more severe injuries. Just about halfway to his bed, the lights turn on and he sees Sirius sitting on his bed with madman eyes the Blacks are famous for.
“Where have you been, all night long?” Came the cold calculating question from his roommate.
Remus can hear his heartbeat in his ears. He and his parents had came up with all sorts of reasons if people ask about his monthly disappearance, but the manic look in Sirius’s eyes had turned Remus’s head blank.
“Injury,” Remus was finally able to spit out, “from the stairs. Madam Pomfrey wanted to monitor me.”
“Every month? On the full moon no less, when it’s the brightest night? Either you were scurrying about dark hallways or you need your eyes checked.”
Remus squeezed his eyes shut. He knows Sirius has been acting weird around him, he didn’t want to believe it, but it was inevitable that a pureblood wizard of Sirius’s intellect would see through him given time and exposure. He really don’t know what to expect with this encounter. Throughout January Sirius has been acting hot and cold, but come February he was monitoring Remus closely, even making sure that he’s never alone in the common room with any of the older students. Remus thought he finally had his friend back, but the manic look the Black heir has was anything but friendly. The portkey is still dangling on Remus’s neck. Worse comes to worst, he has an exit plan.
“What are you trying to say, Sirius?”
“What are you hiding, Remus?”
“Everybody has secrets. What do you want to know?”
“Oh, I’m not just gonna lay it out to you just so you could deny it. Do you know how hard it is to get you so surprised that you can’t think of excuses on the fly.”
“And people say you should’ve been in Gryffindor. They underestimate your cunning.” Remus drags his feet to his bed and slumps on it, finally feeling back the pain on his knee. He gazes upon the bed’s canopy and sighs, “I’m not gonna deny anything, so just ask what you need to know.”
“Alright, yes or no, are you a werewolf?”
“Yes.”
“That was quick.”
“I did say I’m not gonna deny you answers.”
“I just thought I needed to lay out all my suspicions until you tell me everything. Now, it feels a bit anticlimactic.”
Remus sits back and met Sirius’s grey eyes with his furrowed amber ones. “How did you found out, though? I was being very careful when sneaking out during the full. Is it the scars? Or is it the frequent trips to the hospital wing? Don’t tell me it’s because of my name? The other Slytherins has been bothering me about it, but you can’t be that nonsensical.”
“The fact that you use words like nonsensical threw them off on determining whether or not you are a werewolf. Thank Merlin for their narrow minded prejudice.” Sirius leans forward with a sinister grin, “You’d be surprised what tipped me off.”
“Explain.”
“You said that being kissed by the moon is part of a folklore.”
“It is, and?”
“It’s only a folklore if you’re from a werewolf community, Remus. To anybody else it’s utter rubbish. Nobody even knows about it.”
“Shit!”
Sirius laugh at that, his manic expression finally dissipates. Remus slumps his shoulders, perhaps things will not go south after all.
“Also, it didn’t help that you’re always gone during the full moon or how anal you are with the moon cycle. Seriously mate, nobody sprout out that the moon is on its third day of waning and can calculate the exact day to the new moon from just that information in the middle of the day.”
“I can just be a very enthusiastic astronomy lover.”
“Now that’s nonsensical.” Sirius continues to laugh.
Remus gave a small smile, “You’re not scared?”
“At you? The guy who munches chocolate like an addiction and pets every fluffy creature he finds in the castle? Naaah, at least from my end it doesn’t change anything.” Sirius answers, but shuffles a bit looking nervous with his next choice of words, “Will it change anything from you, though? Are you really okay with me knowing this?”
“I can’t just obliviate you, now can I?” Remus plays with his collar, a similar nervous tick to his friend’s habit of pulling his sleeves, which Remus sees that Sirius is doing right now. The young wolf smiles again, maybe Sirius is as scared as he is at loosing this friendship. “Honestly,” Remus whispers and made Sirius look up to him, “it’s a bit freeing that you now know. It has been very scary being here alone. I could use…” he chokes a bit, “a friend.”
“And a friend is what you’ll get,” Sirius answers with an intense look.
“Ta to that.”
“I do want to ask you some questions, though.”
“That’s fair, ask away.” Remus shifted up his bed to help position his knee better.
“Can you tell me more about being kissed by the moon? Is it really just a folklore? I mean, is there any real cases on it?”
Remus raises an eyebrow at that. Of all questions about werewolves, that’s the first thing Sirius is asking? “All I know is that it’s a folklore, a bit of a love story to be precise on how a wizard or a witch is destined to be a wolf. And being favoured by the moon means they would be a powerful and beautiful werewolf.”
“How is that a love story?”
“I’m getting there.” Remus continues on, “It is said that when someone is kissed by the moon they have a destined mate, usually a true born wolf but not always. It’s a story of how both of them will scour the earth to be with each other and in the light of the full moon they would meet and the human will be turned into a wolf. It is also said these wizards can bear children, while witches can sire them.”
“WHAT?! YOU MEAN TO SAY HE COULD GET PREGNANT?!”
“I’m assuming you know someone who’s been kissed by the moon, then?”
Sirius bites lip, trying to calm his breath, “A secret for a secret. I know you’re a werewolf and you know about my…family’s condition.”
Remus raises another eyebrow at that, “You’re not telling me who, though?”
Sirius fiddles his hands, but kept his sad eyes on Remus, “Please know I’m not trying to be insensitive, but if words gets out that someone from the Black family is associated with werewolves, I don’t know what the other pure bloods would do to him.”
Sirius keeps referring to a male. Remus wasn’t sure that the Black heir noticed that he has been giving more information than he lets on. The young wolf been friends with Sirius for more than half a year and he can hazard a guess on who this male—who is kissed by the moon—truly is. The name Regulus Black is at the tip of his tongue, but Remus can’t see the need to confront this right now, when the truce between them is still too fresh.
“I can’t tell you much now, but I can ask around. Most myths and folklore of my people tends to have some significant real world traditions behind it, so it should be something.” Remus’s eyes are getting heavy and he only has a couple of hours before first period starts.
“You really can’t go to class like that, mate. Let me help!” says Sirius a bit too gleefully.
“What are you planning to—“ before Remus can finished his sentence, his bed was shaken and a mini explosion slams both Remus and Sirius on opposite side of the room. Lucius Malfoy and several panicked and bleary students came running. Malfoy acting out his prefect duty, pulls out Remus who fell with his limbs folded in odd angles while Sirius was sticking on the wall, incriminating wand still at hand.
“Oops,” was the only words that left Sirius’s mouth. After making sure Remus is marginally fine, Malfoy unsticks Sirius and starts berating him on such stupid juvenile action, which half of his anger was more due to waking him up too early in the morning than anything that could have been deemed dangerous.
Finally the crowd dispersed when Andromeda came to the boy’s wing looking intimidatingly impeccable while donning an irritated face, hair pulled in a messy bun with her wand, and a fluffy starry dressing gown. Honestly, she should look absolutely ridiculous, but isn’t. She didn’t utter a word when she drags Remus out of his own pile of limbs and ignores the dressing down of her cousin.
“I’m so sorry for Sirius. He is an idiot.” Andromeda says when she was able to settle Remus to the infirmary.
“I knew my risk befriending him,” replies Remus, which got him a smile from the beautiful prefect. She scurries away when Madam Pomfrey says Remus is fine but she’ll want to monitor him for the day. Remus chuckles as he tucked himself to bed, he needed the sleep anyway.
Notes:
I’m doubling down on JK’s Wolf McWolf naming convention hahahahahaha. Also how I circle around making it as if Remus’s mother is still Hope Howell.
Honestly you have no idea how wtf I felt when it is cannon that it was Remus’s mom’s maiden name.Anyway, I had fun writing Narcissa being a know it all snob that is genuinely kind, but wears a better mask to look like an aloof heiress. I hope people are not put off by this and I hope it doesn't’ feel to OOC.
Also, Andromeda Black the saint patron of disenfranchise children. I did not know how it got there, but somehow I imagine Andromeda who knows how vicious her family can be can spot children who needs help easily. Of course, she needs help from Ted to handle those children because she’s so awkward at comforting them.
Chapter Text
After couple of days, Remus is now running about the castle in full health. He got a new scabbing scar by his right knee that is covered under his uniform. Within all Hogwarts, only Madam Pomfrey and Sirius knows about it, and how Sirius feels so happy to know about it.
The change on his friend was like night and day after the secret was revealed. Remus doesn’t act that differently outside their room, but when it’s only him and Sirius it’s now apparent how much restraint the young wolf has been holding.
For one, Remus now changes his clothes openly, showing all the gnarly scars on his body. One morning they almost overslept after spending the night hearing Remus’s stories behind every prominent injuries that scars and didn’t scar. Sirius was surprised that the ones that scars are less scary than the ones that doesn’t.
“If the wounds aren’t severe then you let it scar and have your body naturally heals from it, or if your body needs assistant, you’d only want small amount of magic. Mixing around magic in a body that magically transform every month is not pleasant. So my people would limit the use of healing spells unless it’s absolutely necessary, especially for children.” Remus casually mused.
What was more surprising, however, was the fact that Remus owns several jewelry. He doesn’t wear most of it, but Sirius now knows that wearing some of them made his friend far more relax. Sirius and just about most people knows about the charmed amulet he always has around his neck. And if Sirius were to believe all of Narcissa rants over Remus’s family, he would bet that amulet has far more complex hidden charms than Remus’s whole collection of robes combined. Lately, Remus has been wearing some bracelet and even anklet. He mostly uses the leather ones that has some beautiful river stones, but Sirius would see Remus cleaning a box full of metal bracelets, anklets, and even earrings, but never rings.
“Imagine human fingers and dog paws.” Remus simply answered when Sirius mentioned the lack of rings in his quite extensive jewelry collection. Granted that was a hilarious image.
That evening Remus was cleaning his jewelry collection again. He’s lathering his leathers and shining the metals. Sirius gently picks up a beautiful yet awkwardly shaped copper bracelet.
Remus glances and smiles a bit at Sirius’s admiration. “That’s my mom’s.”
“Is it some kind of heirloom?” Sirius asks, but notice that the metal doesn’t look nor feel old and returns it with the other jewelry.
“No, it’s a practice bracelet my father made for her. He’s far more skilled with woodwork, though.” Remus then presents a richly carved wooden bracelet with two large wolves in between an elegant looking wolf.
“So all of these are handmade?”
“Yeah, I can only make leather jewelry now, but Da says I should start practicing making metal ones or else my metalwork would look like this.” Remus smirks while twirling his mother’s awkward copper bracelet.
“For what? And why not wood? Your father’s so good at it, wouldn’t he wants you to master the craft as well?” Sirius asks again as he return the wooden bracelet.
Remus furrow his brow at that. “Sirius, how do pureblood wizards propose to their intended?”
Sirius blushed a little at how whimsical yet straightforward Remus’s choice of words were, “Well, we give rings. Usually heirlooms.”
“Aaa…is that why you’re so preoccupied with the lack of rings and wonders if all of these are heirlooms?”
“Then I’m assuming your people propose with something completely different then?”
Ramus nods, “We make jewelry for our intended, specifically intricate metal jewelry. It can be a bracelet, necklace or anything actually, as long as we think it would suit them.” Remus takes out two other awkward looking bracelets. “Father was never really good at making metal bracelets, but my mum always looks amazing in them.” He then takes out the one metal bracelet that looks like an enchanted forrest miniaturized into a thin bronze circle with a shine like sunset. Remus smirks while showing that particular bracelet, “Meanwhile, Lupins are always famous for their delicate hands at making proposal jewelry.”
There was a weird sadness in those words, a mix of weariness and longing. Sirius clears his throat while taking out one of the leather bracelet, “Would you get a bad match if you can’t make good metal jewelry?” Sirius shudders, “Merlin, I sounded like my mother.”
Remus laughs at that thankfully. “No, the aesthetic is only complimentary to what’s more important.” He shows one of the awkward bracelets again and smiles mischievously towards the Black heir, “Which is raw magical prowess.” As the bracelet sits on Remus’s hand it shines bright and transform into a dancing dove that twirls back into its awkward bracelet shape again.
Sirius eyes bulges and mouth hanging. Remus chuckles, “This is also why it has to be metal, the transformation strain is too difficult for most materials.” Remus then casually continues cleaning his jewelry as Sirius sits still in awe.
🌖🌕🌒
The weather is warming and students are playing outside more and more as the day gets longer and the sun brightens. It was a week after the full moon, the second full moon since Sirius confronted Remus. He was lethargic after he returned to their room, but it was easier for Sirius to stay by his side and feign ignorance when Remus slept in class once or twice. Around March, Sirius even suggested to Remus to play up the habit of sleeping in class to avoid suspicion when he does need to sleep after the full moon. People are starting to call him Loopy Lupin, but he takes no offense, as none of the professors mind his sleeping habits due to his exemplary grades. Now, Remus is climbing a tree somewhere with Peter, while Sirius and James opted to stay flat on the ground.
“I’m glad you and Remus seemed to have sorted things out,” James muses out of the blue. Sirius turns his head from the sky to his bespectacled friend. James face shows nothing other than open relief as he continues admiring the clouds.
“Yeah…” Sirius carefully answers, “it was mostly a misunderstanding from my part.”
“How so?”
“You know, my family,” Sirius shrugs. “They made me second guess my friendship with him. Well, with all of you, but particularly him.”
James furrow his brows and got up to look at Sirius in the eye, “I get why your parents might not like us Potters but what’s so different between Peter and Remus, if we’re talking by your family’s version of pure blood standards?”
“Not pulling any punches, are you?” Quips Sirius as he also sits up for the conversation that seems to be turning into something more—ha!—serious. “Well, Peter may be a half blood in the eyes of those purist, but both his parents have worked in our world. In arguably respectable positions, mind you. Remus on the other hand…his family is an unknown entity.”
“Honestly, is that really such a big deal? I don’t hear people fussing over muggle borns’ family or even other half bloods, but now every one seems to be wary of the Lupins. I don’t like it.”
Idealistic self-righteous bastard, Sirius muses fondly. “Well, the more reasons for us to stick by him. Although Jamie, what have you been hearing about our lanky lad?”
James looks far ahead in contemplation, brows remains scowling, eyes sad. “Promise not to say anything about this to Remus, but I overheard my parents arguing about the Lupins after we met them at King’s Cross.”
“What did they say?”
James recounted that cold evening, couple of nights after they’ve settled in the Potter manor for the winter holidays. He was going down to the kitchen when he heard his parents having a discussion over the fire in the living room.
“I can’t believe Dumbledore actually went through it,” James’s mother said as she paces in front of the fire.
“Now now Effie,” James father tried to placate his agitated wife, “there must be something at play that needs to be done and we’re not privy to.”
“Well the headmaster is not in the habit of sharing vital information, now is he? Putting a Lupin in Hogwarts, in this climate? What is that old man thinking?”
“Darling, I know you’re worried about Jamie—“
“I’m not just worried about James! I’m also worried about the Lupin boy and whether or not his whole family would be dragged into this mess! I don’t like this Fleamont, Dumbledore is playing a dangerous game, and I’m not sure he’s aware of the gamble he’s taking over the lives of people—of children—that he only sees as chess pieces.”
“Effie, we don’t know for sure which part of the Lupin family the boy is actually from,” his father raised his hand before his wife starts a whole new diatribe, “although I must confess, you’re not wrong that people are wary of his presence at Hogwarts. I’m not even sure if it’d be better for the boy to be from a fringe family or the main branch, either way things could go sideways very easily.”
“They’re just children, Fleamont. And his family, did you not see how uprooted they looked?” then James heard his mother’s whimpering cry that is muffled as his father gathered her in his embrace.
Sirius furrows his brows after hearing that. He’s ninety percent sure that in the last couple of years the Blacks has been poking the werewolves’ den for whatever reasons that he and Narcissa can’t point out yet. Some purist and conservative families are also tiptoeing around the werewolf narratives, but he’s shocked, disgusted even, that the more moderate “light” families and faction are also trying to muddy the waters. He really should’ve started by asking how did Remus, a known werewolf by some of the staff, gets to enter Hogwarts, when not even most of the wizarding branch of the vassal families do. They are known to be homeschooled for their magic educations.
Perhaps there is merit in Narcissa’s suggestion of combing through all of the current student’s lineages. It would be a hassle doing so, but who knows what Howell, Woolf, and Wolstenholm that might be walking among the muggle borns and half blood, being strung around by Dumbledore for Merlin knows what. Moreover, Meda’s also right. As much as he needs Remus’s help for Regulus going forward, Remus crucially needs all the helps he could use in order to just even survive Hogwarts.
“James,” Sirius calls out gravely, “I know your family is quite…passionate in following Dumbledore. You think, you can go against that if ever Remus needs our help?”
“Is that supposed to be a question?” James almost shouts in offense.
“James,” calls out again, staring at his bespectacled friend straight in the eye, “I of all people know how difficult it is to stray away from your family’s beliefs. I’m not asking that lightly, nor am I doubting your loyalty.” Sirius sighs and deflates as he sees James looking conflicted, “Look Jamie, call it a hunch, but something dangerous might happen in the future with Remus at its epicentre. I just think you should have a fair warning.”
“Remus is my friend and so are you,” says James resolutely. “They can pry my bloody corpse for all I care if they want me to go against you two.”
Sirius chuckles, “That makes two of us then.”
🌖🌕🌒
The castle was bustling with students getting ready to depart back home. Seventh year students are walking through the castle with melancholy, while the younger students either stick together before their summer separation or scampering themselves for some last minute packing. Remus’s three friends all fall to the latter camp, so he found himself alone when he was told to come to Professor McGonagall’s office.
After dragging his feat, Remus enters the office with a short knock. “Professor, you called?” He says as he walks up to her desk, already quite familiar with the neat and orderly room. He supposed her room should have felt inviting and warm, with the bright lights coming through the windows and the Gryffindor colours decorating the walls. However, Remus always has this oppressive feeling every time he’s called here.
“Yes, Mr. Lupin, please take a seat, I’ve prepared us tea.”
Remus nods, takes a seat and sips his tea. Again, he supposed this should make his time in her office more relaxing, but he never lets out the clouded dread from his tensioned body. It’s been an uphill battle Professor McGonagall is trying and failing to overcome; making Remus open up to her.
“So, how was your first year at Hogwarts, Mr. Lupin?” Professor McGonagall asked in a neutral careful manner as she also sips her tea.
Remus stares at her sharply, “As well as it could be for someone like me.”
“I see that you’ve made up with Mr. Black and the two of you seem closer than ever. How are your other housemates?”
Remus quirks an eyebrow, so even the teachers noticed Sirius’s odd behaviour and how the other Slytherins are treating me. Funny how they just stood back and watch. Then again, nobody lift a finger over what’s going on with Snape.
Professor McGonagall sighs as the young wolf just continues to glare at her while sipping his tea. “Mr. Lupin, we only worry for your safety and wellbeing. We would not want your secrets to be out.”
That stroke a nerve, “Worry about my secrets? My safety? If you’re so worried then why did the headmaster had to make a performance out of calling me the first month I got here, when my parents had strictly said that living under the radar was the upmost priority?” Remus is holding his cup tightly, close to cracking
He hates these summons, but it’s still better than the over the top disastrous calls the headmaster made. At the very least, the transfiguration professor was discreet when she wants to observe to him and the headmaster doesn’t bother him as long as he knows Remus is having these meetings with McGonagall. The fact that he is genuinely good at transfiguration helps the natural progression as to why he often comes to her office. She would ask, pry, or bait him into just about any conversation at this point, but he hardly engage with more than two sentences at a time, until now.
“Although I must thank you professor, as your quick thinking of calling James, Peter, and Sirius together helped dissuade rumour as to why the headmaster was singling me out.” Remus sneers into his tea cup.
Professor McGonagall sighs again in utter defeat. She carefully sees her student, she knows that if Remus was truly upset he would run off already, as he’d done that before more than once. So she knows that he’s waiting for her to lay out her cards, tell him what she’s been hiding all this time, something that has also been a loosing battle between the two. A game of chicken on who would blink first and blurt out their story.
“Mr. Lupin,” she starts, “I know the headmaster is difficult to trust, and I don’t blame you. The fact that I trust him fully, made it difficult for you to trust me as well.”
“You think?” Sneers Remus, still sipping his tea, which is the only good thing with McGonagall’s summons; delicious tea. Once he finish this cup, he’ll just run off as always.
Professor McGonagall looks at him wistfully before she finally speaks, “Have you never wondered why I’m the only staff, aside from Madam Pomfrey, assign to you despite not being your head of house?”
Remus quirks an eyebrow at the change of subject, “Because Slughorn is an asslicking coot, who cowers at the very mention of having to take care of a lowly half blood, let alone someone like me.”
Professor McGonagall smirks a little at that, but composes herself dutifully in seconds. Remus knows she would not admonish his choice of words in these meetings, something about a safe outlet in a controlled environment. Whatever that is.
“Unfortunately, that is half the reason, but even if you were placed in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, the arrangement would still be the same.” Professor McGonagall smiles when she sees Remus refilling his tea, a sign that the boy is still willing to listen, so she continues, “I volunteered to watch over you, Mr. Lupin. Was quite adamant about it too. Just between you and me, lets just say that the headmaster has never been a good mentor to those who… are different from him. Worse, if the child actually needs guidance, as he tends to be blinded by the bigger picture and would overlook minute cry for help. So, when I saw his telltale signs of trying to place you under his wings, I did what I did. I’m happy that you appreciate my gesture, but I really shouldn’t be thanked for that. Frankly, I should apologize for not helping sooner.”
Remus furrow his eyebrows and look, really look at his professor. He’s always been cautious with her since the first time they met, similar to how he felt about Dumbledore when the old man first came to his cottage in Wales. Now, Dumbledore came to be a questionable, borderline dangerous individual to him. However, McGonagall, this McGonagall sitting in front of him, look sincere.
“So you’re really not just rallying our meetings to him?” Remus wonders skeptically.
His professor shakes her head. “You may not believe me, but I wish to learn from you, Mr. Lupin. Learn about you and who you represents,” says Professor McGonagall wistfully. “I confess that I trust Dumbledore, but I could still question his methods, lately more than ever. He thinks I can get through you, so he let me be. I won’t be rallying the contents of our meetings, no, but I’ll have to be an intermediary, so I can hold him off for as long as I can. Just let me know the things that absolutely should stay between us.
“However,” she continues looking more grave, “you’ll have to face him one day all on your own. But until that day arrive, I see no merit in parading you as you are now with the current state of our worlds.”
Remus balances his now empty cup and mull over her words. He doesn’t actually hate her, just the idea she represents; Dumbledore’s right hand man. Yes, the headmaster gave him the opportunity to come to Hogwarts, but it also comes with a huge risk that Dumbledore seems to underestimate. Fortunately, in a way, McGonagall fully understands the risk and is trying to mitigate it in her own limited brash Gryffindor ways.
“Professor, why am I here?” Remus lifts his head to look far across the window, “As in, why am I in Hogwarts? I can’t be the only wolf child you know. I can’t be the only forest wolf child you know.”
“Before I can answer you that, can you tell me if you’re enjoying your time here at Hogwarts? I’m genuinely concerned if you feel safe with your friends and the people around you.”
Remus stays silent for a beat. He continues to look through the window with his answer, “I enjoyed the lessons, it’s more structured than back home.” Remus plays with his collar, feeling the amulet under his jumper. “Sirius, James and Peter are a gem and most of the students are actually nice, but I don’t know if I could say I fully feel safe yet.”
Professor McGonagall nods, “Understandable, that still sounded like a good first year all things considered.”
“You still haven’t answer my question, professor.”
McGonagal chuckles at that, “There are gears at play, Mr. Lupin. Perhaps it’s the headmaster’s doing or simply a serendipitous intervention from Mother Magic. You may feel like someone’s chess piece at the moment, but let me tell you a secret.” Remus leans in when his professor smiles mischievously, “Everyone is someone’s chess pieces.”
Remus let that sink in for a moment only to reply with his own mischievous smile, “Will that include you too, professor? In my board perhaps?”
Professor McGonagall laughs freely hearing such cheekiness. “It’d be an honour, Mr. Lupin.”
Remus finally left McGonagall’s office with a smile and a napkin of full of shortbread. He was also given some additional readings for the summer, as he could finally see how genuinely invested McGonagall is in cultivating his talent for transfiguration. It was not just a farce to get him to come to her office.
When Remus reached the Great Hall, his friends were all there waiting for him so they could walk together to the train. Sirius even had Remus’s luggage with him so they don’t need to go back to the dungeon. His friends were happy they get to share McGonagall’s famous shortbread, but were confused why Remus was more happy with the additional readings.
As Remus walks along the platform, along the huffing Hogwarts Express surrounded by his friends, acquaintance, and even enemies, he looks back towards the towering Hogwarts castle. The place would probably be forever intimidating for the young wolf, but all and all, it has been a good year for a pup in snake’s skin.
🌖🌕🌒
“So, you think he can help?”
“I would hope so,” Sirius replies lightly.
“But, he will help me?”
Sirius smirks at that, “Definitely.”
“Because I’m your brother or because I’m a fabled legend come to life?”
“A bit of both? Does it matter? He said he’ll help and he will help. That lad is so honour bound that it’s odd seeing him as a snake and not a lion.”
“People says the same thing about you, Siri.” Regulus then smiles, “Remus John Lupin…I can’t wait to meet him.”
Notes:
I am sooo sorry for the late update 😭
I have not had the time to just sit down and write, It also doesn't help that I can't seem to be satisfied with some parts of the chapter. This chapter really went wild, and I really felt that the characters just moved and talk by themselves, while I'm just a mere mortal transcribing their lives.
I hope this final version is alright ><Also, more bad news. I'll be out of town for 3 weeks and I don't think I'll be able to post anything during that time.
On some brighter news, in the next chapters we'll finally meet Regulus front and centre!
Going forward I'll probably not go through the story year by year and will have some time jumps until our main characters are a bit older to play out the plot (that's the plan anyway).Would love to hear some constructive criticisms, but I've already melted in happiness with all the kudos and comments. Cheers!
Monloupetoile on Chapter 1 Sat 16 Aug 2025 07:33PM UTC
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LabuKelabu on Chapter 4 Mon 08 Sep 2025 07:40AM UTC
Last Edited Mon 08 Sep 2025 07:41AM UTC
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