Chapter 43: Remus


In Seventh Year, Sirius and James were inseparable.

That summer, they had made regular visits to the barman in Hogsmeade. Peter couldn't go and Remus, when he was around, wouldn't go. It was getting harder and harder to include the others in their planning. But at least Peter and Remus still hung out together. Sirius was secretly glad that Peter had taken his place with Remus in the Infirmary after the full moons. He didn't like for Remus to be alone right after his transformation, but he also couldn't bear to be in the same room with Snivellus. He was afraid he'd attack the Slytherin and then the greasy git would tell the whole world about Remus. Probably take out an ad in the Daily Prophet, he thought, grimly.

For Remus, it was an odd year. Peter kept tagging along and trying to stay involved with James and Sirius, but Remus had stopped even trying. Not being an Animagus, Remus couldn't join them when they transformed. At least, not and keep up. And they kept trying to get him into the Hog's Head. Didn't either of them ever think how it would look if he were found there? Even James didn't seem to realize he couldn't put a step wrong or his secret might come out.

And if James wasn't off with Sirius, he was with Lily.

Peter had surprised him. Like James and Sirius, he was under a restraining spell that kept him from the Whomping Willow. And like the other two, he soon discovered that the spell did not restrain him in his Animagus form. But unlike the other two, he had taken to making the trip up to the Shack after the full moon set.

Remus was sitting up in bed on the second floor of the Shrieking Shack. Peter had already given him the restorative draught and cleaned up the worst of the gashes. Now he sat and chattered until Remus felt strong enough to make the long trek back to Hogwarts.

Peter did not have hilarious stories of Padfoot, Prongs, Wormtail and Moony. But he did have tales to tell of Sirius and James.

"The last time we were out, Padfoot shook me off again. For a moment, I thought Prongs had missed it, but then he ran back to get me. I'm getting really tired of it. We were actually in the Forbidden Forest, which isn't safe for me in either form. I like transforming fine, but it's getting to where I'd rather be on your shoulder than with Prongs or Padfoot."

"Well, I like having a pet. I never had one before."

The draught had taken effect and Remus felt much better. He got up and got dressed.

"Ha! You still don't. You don't feed me or anything."

"Exactly! The perfect pet. Better than low maintenance -- no maintenance."

The boys started down the stairs, Remus holding onto the railing.

"And," he continued, "I haven't dropped you yet."

At the bottom of the stairs, Remus stumbled when he let go of the railing, but Peter moved smoothly to grab the werewolf about the waist and steady him. Without missing a beat, the Animagus continued. "True. You didn't even drop me when you were transformed."

Remus grinned. "I'm still not sure I believe you ever did that. You won't even watch me transform."

"That's different," the other protested. "You look so awful ... "

"Flatterer," Remus snorted.

*************

Severus had the pain potion and the modified Murtlap salve ready when Pettigrew and Lupin entered the Infirmary. Sometime in Sixth year, things had changed. It was Pettigrew now who was always with Lupin right after the transformations, not Black. Black and Potter would stop by later to visit, but it was Pettigrew who accompanied Lupin to the Infirmary and Pettigrew who sat by Lupin's bedside until he fell asleep. It raised Pettigrew in Severus' estimation and lowered Black even further. If that were possible.

************

"So, what are you going to do after we graduate?" Peter asked, hoping to distract Remus.

They were in Hogsmeade, throwing snowballs at trees. James and Sirius were at the Hog's Head again. And Remus was sore.

"I was going to teach, but I just found out I can't. I'm not allowed around children," Remus sulked, lobbing a snowball at the tree he had chosen for his target.

"But I thought you already checked that and it was okay." Peter's snowball also hit his target, which was considerably closer and wider than Remus'.

"Yeah, well that was last year. They changed the rules again." Another snowball splatted on the tree.

"So teach Muggle children," Peter suggested, hitting his tree again.

"Without Qualified Teacher Status?" Remus asked bitterly. "As far as the Muggles are concerned, I've never even been to secondary school. How am I supposed to get into a teaching program?" He spelled the snow into a dozen snowballs and fired them, machine-gun-like, at his tree, which bent slightly at the force.

"You can make it up. Jack, he's one of my Muggle cousins, dropped out of school before he took his GCSE's, but he took evening classes and resat the exams. I'm already set at the Ministry, but I'm thinking about going that route myself. I might as well keep as many of my options open as I can, these days." Peter had forgotten to pick up another handful of snow.

Remus looked thoughtful. "I've heard of people doing that. I'd have to live with Mum and Dad a couple more years, but I think Mum's parents would lend me the money." He used his wand to roll a snowball around in the snow, making a bigger and bigger ball as more snow was added to it.

He paused, then frowned as he continued. "At least it's better than what Dumbledore had in mind. And he sure doesn't expect me to make it as a Wizard."

Peter was shocked. "You're daft. Of course he does. He let you in, didn't he? He bought off Snape, didn't he?" Somehow, Peter had gotten the idea that Snape was keeping the werewolf's secret because Dumbledore had made it worth his while. Remus felt uneasy about leaving Peter in ignorance, but James and Sirius had obviously not seen fit to correct the misconception either. The snowball was now big enough to make the bottom of a large snowman.

"Remember how Dumbledore called us all in separately after that? Do you know what he proposed to me?"

"What?" Peter asked eagerly. None of the other three Marauders had ever told him about those interviews.

"He said I could join a werewolf pack and spy for him." Remus surprised himself with the venom and bitterness in his voice. He hit the five foot ball of snow with a "Stupefy", breaking off some of the snow but failing to actually shatter it.

"Spy?" Peter got a faraway look in his eyes. "That doesn't sound so bad."

"Peter!" Remus was exasperated. "I would have to join a werewolf pack! Monthly absences are bad enough. What do you think disappearing for days or weeks at a time would do for my job prospects? And do you know how they live?!" He punctuated each sentence with another attack on the mound of snow, which finally shattered.

"Sorry, Remus," Peter apologized, crestfallen. "I wasn't thinking." He transfigured a log into a bench and sat down.

"Damn right, you weren't," Remus fumed. He added a Warming Spell and joined Peter on the bench.

"Look, write your GCSE examinations, then go some place and get your teacher training. It can't hurt to have something like that in your hip pocket."

After that, Peter started thinking about spying. He had expected the best part of his life would be over once he left Hogwarts to take up the dead end Ministry position waiting for him. But if he were a spy, maybe it was still possible to be somebody. Even without James and Sirius.

Author's Notes:
From my internet research, you have to have something called "Qualified Teacher Status" to teach in Great Britain. I'm not sure if that's something new, or whether it was already required in the seventies. If I understand correctly, the GCSE examinations are what Seventh Year "Newts" are based on, and would be roughly equivalent to a combination of an American's high school diploma and SAT scores. Correction of any errors would be greatly appreciated!