Marauder's Beginings

Warnings: Same as last time, but part of this chapter is a tiny bit vile so be warned.

AN- Sorry it took so long to update-school is very busy and my laptop killed itself for a short while.

Thanks to my reviewers, and the help with James's eyes. To lazy to go back and fix right now, but I am using Hazel from now on since its the one everyone agrees on.

Chapter three- Acceptance

The next few weeks were even better than the first one, as Remus and his brother had someone their age-and who knew the lay of the land-to hang around with. James was a genuinely nice guy, and showed the twins some secret passages throughout the house. He taught Remus' how to suck up just right to Mrs Potter's maid Georgia fields, to get chocolate toffee's and ice cream just after breakfast. They'd barely be done cleaning up morning dishes before James was at the door asking them to come out and play. If he found it odd that Remus checked in with the adults every so often, he said nothing about it.

At the end of his second-and last-week at his Grans, James was finding himself in opposite moods from his arrival. He didn't want to go home the next day. Romulus and Remus weren't half bad-not as fun as his best friend, but close enough.

Sighing slightly, the eleven year old knocked on the door to the guest house. It was six o'clock at night and he was just going over to the twins house for the first time that day having been to busy packing with his parents and going into town. Unlike normal, it was an oddly tired looking Mr. Lupin that answered the door, instead of one of the twins.

“Hi, I was wondering if Rems or Romy could come up to the house for the night and play some boards games? I have a new wizards chess set.” James asked, using the twins nicknames for each other.

“Sorry mais, Remus is feeling ill today. Romulus migh' want to go.” James barely understood the Dominque Lupin when the man spoke, but could get the gist of what he was saying. “I'll go and get 'em for you.”

James nodded his thanks, watching as the adult went back inside his house to go get his son. The boy played absently with some coins left in his pocket from that mornings trip to the muggle market. He and his mother both liked collecting odds and ends from muggle stores, even though most purebloods found even liking muggles-or non magic folk-to be weird if not outright vile.


After a few moments the door opened again, this time revealing Romulus. Like his father, Romulus looked tired and a bit haggard, but smiled when he saw his guest. “Hey James, I wondered if you'd stop by today.”

James shrugged a shoulder. “I was a bit busy, my parents want to be off first thing in the morning.” he informed his fellow brunette, idly wondering if all the whole family was ill. Maybe he should let Romulus stay home and not bother him.

“Ah, I see, had to pack and such I guess.” When James nodded, the other boy went on. “Papa said you wanted to play a board game?” He asked, stepping outside and shutting the front door after him.
“Actually, I want to stick some dung bombs around the house and...” Caught up in explaining his plans for the night, James forgot about letting Romulus stay home and the pair started out towards the main house.

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Remus shivered visibly, arms wrapped around his stomach and legs drawn up against his chest as he convulsed. His eyes were squeezed shut and he'd been biting his lip enough that it had turned red and puffy under the abuse. Seven years and the Change,as he called it, was as horrible as it had been the first time it had happened to him. Sitting in the emptied storage room under the guest house, formerly a basement pantry, Remus was cold, tired, hungry, and most of all, in agony. His stomach hurt and he could feel his bones shifting and grinding against each other. His skin burned and itched, while his stomach churned and he held back the urge to vomit.

He wished he could curl into a ball and die, if only so it'd all end, when a harsh jolt of pain raced through him, causing Remus to pull farther in on himself and finally bite through his lip. He didn't want to cry out, his parents felt so bad when the heard it, and they already felt so horrible, waiting somewhere upstairs for it to end. It wouldn't matter, soon his mind would be to cloudy and rage filled to think, and then he'd lose his awareness as the wolf took over. Something he looked forward to with guilt-it took away the pain, but left behind a monster.

More convulsions passed over his body as it shifted, changing in ways humans weren't suppose to change. He could taste the blood from his torn lip, and he sobbed in pain while his legs shifted position and the wolf pulled closer to the fore.

Only a hand full of minutes later, those still awake in the house and on the estate grounds, were started as a high pitched whine broke the night, morphing into an haunting howl that caused many to shiver in fear.

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It was the sunlight, streaming through a small window high up on the wall, that caused him to wake up. Not the throbbing pain of his body or the warm hands carefully wrapping a bandage around his arm. He could tell it was afternoon by the light and by some more instinctive guess.

“Hey mom.” Remus croaked out in a gravelly voice, the words harsh on his dry throat.

“Hush baby, go back to sleep.” His mom whispered, knowing from experience that it was best to keep her voice low. Her own words were stained with worry and tiredness, and Remus knew she'd not have slept at all the night before.

“Can't, eyes hurt.” Really, everything hurt, but it wasn't as bad as the night before and he was to use to this pain. As it was, his eyes were always photosensitive after a full moon, and the sun was making his head pound twice as much as was the norm.

“I'm sorry. I'll get your father to put up thicker curtains-a blanket maybe.” His mom kissed his forehead gently and stood to leave the room. Remus closed his eyes against most of the light, trying to stay still and not disturb the array of cuts and bruises he knew he had to have.

It wasn't long before his mother returned with his father in tow. Mr. Lupin made quick use of a levitation charm to get a blanket over the window while Remus's mother went back to soothing his injuries. Remus fell back to sleep soon after the light was covered, body to weary to stay awake for any amount of time.

The boy continued to sleep for most of the day, the dreamless black sleep of the truly fatigued where one didn't even notice they were asleep until they awoke. It was close to sunset when he did wake up once more, this time to the sound of shuffling papers and the soft blue glow from a golf ball sized orb off to his right side. He was never left alone after a full moon, one of his family at his side all day and night if necessary, and it would appear Romulus was getting some reading done while on his shift.

“Hey.” Remus ground out, voice even rougher then earlier, turning his head to look over at his twin.

Romulus looked up form a lap full of parchment and smiled softly at his brother. “Hey Rems. You thirsty?” He asked, reaching over to a tray on the floor beside him which Remus had only just noticed. Remus nodded in response, not wanting to talk again, and Romulus put his papers down to grab a glass of water off the tray. It had obviously been charmed into stay cold as it had beads of condensation along the sides, and Remus took it from his sibling thankfully, almost dropping it due to bandages wrapped around a gash on his left hand.

Thanking his brother, Remus carefully moved himself into a sitting position on the mattress he'd been laid out on. It was the only piece of furniture in the room, as Remus would use demolish anything else while in wolf form if left alone with it.

“No problem. If you feel up to it, theres some muffins from Mrs. Potter. James told her you were ill last night, and she sent some over this morning before he left.” Romulus informed him, waving at two muffins sitting on the tray.

“Maybe later, not hungry right now.” Remus replied, holding his stomach which had turned over at the thought of food.

Romulus nodded in understanding, and the room fell into silence for several long moments before the uninjured twin perked up. “Oh, I have something for you. Arrived this morning just before James left.” Romulus reached into his pocket, pulling out a rumpled set of parchment similar to the one the livelier twin had been reading. “Mum and Papa got to it first, but they said I could give it to you-I'm afraid I 've peeked at the extra bits...” He handed the papers over to his twin as he rattled on.

Remus got one good look at the first page and almost jumped for joy. Would have, if he wasn't still aching all over and worn out. “Isn't it great? Mum says she'll get all your stuff tomorrow, and once your feeling well we can get our wands! Mrs Potter even gave Papa a bonus so we can have good supplies.” Romulus continued rambling, upon seeing his twins expression, but his words barely registered as Remus swiftly read over the parchment.

It was an acceptance letter to Hogwarts. Longer then the usual ones, like his brothers smaller pile of paper, because it also contained the terms and conditions around Remus's 'Special Situation'. Smiling, Remus turned his attention fully back to his brother. “I think I want the muffin now.” He said, sounding and feeling better then he ever had after a full moon in as long as he could remember.