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 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.
🌖🌕🌒
“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.
🌖🌕🌒
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.