What Eyes Can See

Chapter 2 - Choices

"So."

"So what?"

"So how'd it go?"

Ron shrugged. "Ok I guess. We talked for a bit, snogged for a bit. But..." He shrugged again. "Nothing."

"No, you can't stop there! Tell me."

"The problem is there's nothing! Nada, zip, zilch, zero. No fireworks, no sparks, no earthquakes, no birds singing, no light shining down from above. Honestly, it was almost like kissing a girl."

"Which in my case would be kissing a guy."

"Right." Ron sighed and flopped onto his bed.

"Well, he was a Hufflepuff." There was a moment of silence. "So I take it you didn't ask him to Hogsmeade this weekend?"

"No. Brett's nice enough, but... like I said. Just nothing."

Harry looked at his best friend curiously. "You don't seem horribly disappointed."

"Why would I be? It was a shot in the dark. Hermione practically arranged the whole thing."

His eyes widened. "So he's not the guy you have a crush on?"

Shit. Ron, when will you learn to keep your mouth shut? "No. It's not."

"Are you ever going to tell me who it is?" Then a thought struck him. "He's not a Slytherin, is he?"

Startled, Ron laughed. "No, it's not a Slytherin."

"Well that's good. For a second there I thought... whew, you had me scared."

If you knew who I really liked you'd shit a brick Harry. Uh, and there goes my overactive mental imagery...

~~~~~~~

"Good job Mr. Weasley." Remus smiled down at Ron as he handed him his essay paper. When his hand touched Ron's he struggled not to blush. He was his teacher, for God's sake! This was insane! It had to stop! Two months of school and nothing had changed. He glanced at Ron one more time, feeling almost ashamed, before turning to distribute the rest of the papers.

Ron colored. Damn the man! God he's hot. Stupid overactive teenage hormones.

Harry, who had silently watched the whole exchange, couldn't help a grin from appearing on his face.

Ron likes a guy. Ron won't tell me who it is. Ron stammers and blushes whenever Professor Lupin comes near. The signs are all there. How come I didn't see this before?

So this was who Ron had been mooning over! Haha, mooning over Moony! Personally Harry didn't see the attraction, but as he himself was quite happy with Hermione he didn't judge. Rubbing his hands together he couldn't help but laugh evilly. Oh, Ron would pay for not telling him, just you wait...

Remus glanced at the hourglass on his desk. A few minutes left. Oh well. "Don't forget that your essay is due next week. Three parchment rolls mind! Class dismissed." He looked at Ron one more time only to find he was looking back. The both of them blushed (again) and suddenly became very interested in their papers.

"C'mon Ron," Harry said slyly. "Quidditch practice today, remember?" Ron nodded, and picked up his bag.

The trio filed out of the classroom quickly, and Harry watched Ron with a very amused expression. Hermione looked at the both of them, slightly confused, while Ron was quickly becoming annoyed. "What?" he barked out.

"So," Harry said slyly. "You've got a crush on Professor Lupin!"

His face immediately reddened. "It's... it's not like that! I mean, he's... I... oh shit." Not so gracefully accepting defeat he nodded his head. "Yes. I have a crush on Professor Lupin. Are you happy now?"

"No," Hermione said seriously. "Dish."

Both the boys looked at her, baffled. "Dish?"

"Yes, dish!"

Their faces remained blank.

"Spill it," she explained. "When'd you first like him, has he said anything, have you said anything, what are you going to do about it, that sort of thing. You know, dish. Spilling your innermost thoughts to your friends in the name of a crush. Dishing."

Now Harry and Ron were laughing hysterically.

"O-ok 'Mione," Ron choked. "I'll... dish." Uncomfortable with the way both of his best friends were staring at him, he shifted uneasily. "So, yeah, my crush." He cleared his throat. "I don't know, he was just another guy in the order, our teacher, you know, until one day at one of the Order's meetings he reached over his desk for a stack of papers or something, and I noticed his... physical assets."

Hermione's eyes lit up. "Oh me too! And remember when he was showing us how to fight that tree spirit last week, and it's nettles ripped away part of his robe and shirt? Not to mention his hair... it's looks really thick, you know? And brown with gray speckled through it, very sexy," she said rapidly, going a hundred words a minute. Then her eyes widened. "You did check him out when we got off the train!"

Ron laughed nervously. "Yeah. He's the highlight of my day most times. Uh, but yeah, things kinda grew from there. I mean, he was always at the Burrow, and then he was always, well, here. Knew I was really stuck when I started studying each night and actually paying attention in class."

"Have you said anything to him? About liking him?"

"Please Hermione! It's just a crush," Harry said, exasperated with her questions. "He's twice our age."

Ron shifted his feet. "I know that. So he's older. Big deal." It's not that big a deal is it? Age is just a number, right?

Harry's jaw dropped. "You're serious? Like, serious serious?" Seriously serious? You like him that much?

"I guess. I mean, I don't know exactly, but I think... yeah." He turns me into even more of a stammering idiot than usual.

"So... did you say anything to him about liking him?"

Ron's ears turned pink. "Are you nuts 'Mione? Yeah, I went up to my teacher in the Hall the other day and asked him for a date. Brilliant."

"There's no rule against it."

"But when he says no I have to face him every day for the rest of the year still. Talk about awkward." Talk about embarrassing. Talk about humiliating. Talk about a stupid idea!

She rolled her eyes. "You don't have to be so obvious. Just stay after class and ask for some 'extra credit'. And even if you did ask, how do you know he'd say no?"

"I'm his student," Ron blustered. "He looks at me like a kid. One of the many Weasley kids he's taught at that. And do know if he's even gay? He could be straighter than Harry. It's not like I have a built in gaydar or there's a secret handshake or anything."

Harry, who'd been silent throughout the discussion of how hot Professor Lupin was, finally spoke up. "Sorry, but I don't think they come straighter than me. And when he and Sirius were at the Order's headquarters... I thought there was some tension there. And remember when Tonks tripped that time and her skirt got twisted around something and was all the way up? He didn't even look."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I don't know how you'd know that, since you were quite busy looking yourself."

Now it was Harry's turn to be embarrassed. "If you were a guy - a straight guy," he amended. "You'd have looked too."

"Hello? We're getting off-topic here." Ron's shoulders sagged. "But he might have been sleeping with Sirius... or anyone, for that matter. I don't stand a snowball's chance in hell."

Hermione shot a look at Harry. "Why'd you say that?" she hissed, giving him a quick smack underneath the table.

"Kinky," he whispered back. She blushed but quickly turned her attention back to Ron.

"You don't know that," she insisted. "In three day's it's the full moon, right? Stay after class and ask if he needs any help." Seeing Ron's dubious expression she smacked Harry again.

"Uh... yeah, like Hermione said. I think it's a great idea," he said hurriedly.

Ron smiled almost shyly. "Thanks guys. Now, despite being my best friends, I've got to threaten you with a very painful death if you repeat a word of this to anyone. Ok?"

"Of course Ron. Who d'you think we'd tell? Ginny? Oh," Harry gasped, mock excited. "We could sell this info to Fred and George. How much do you think they'd pay to know the love of their little brother's life?"

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at Ron's horrified face.

"You're an evil man Harry James Potter. No wonder Voldemort tries to knock you off so much. He's scared you'll take over!"

~~~~~~~

So that was the plan. After all, it was perfectly legitimate. They knew he was a werewolf, certainly it would be kind to stay after class and ask if he needed any help on the day of his transformation. The Trio had a history with him as well; it wasn't as if he was any old teacher. It was a perfectly reasonable idea.

At least that's what Ron kept telling himself.

Offhandedly he thought that Remus certainly looked better then he had in past years. Less thin, less ragged. He looked as though he were sleeping and eating decently. Living. And he smiled sometimes. Really honestly smiled. Remus hadn't really before. When he smiled or laughed before, it was more a reaction. Something like a knee-jerk. Sort of, oh, someone said something funny [laugh]. Or, Neville managed to answer a question right [smile]. Ron liked it when Remus really smiled.

But back to the present. The class had clattered merrily out (it was a Friday afternoon after all), and Hermione and Harry had given him knowing grins before ducking through the door. Ron took a deep breath.

This is so stupid. Why bother with this? I'll just go up to him and ask if I can marry him and magically father his children. Hey there Mr. Sarcasm, haven't seen you in a while.

"Professor?"

Remus turned around quickly. Damn. His senses were so over-acute right now. He was jumpy. "Yes Mr. Weasley?" And of course Ron would be the one to stay after class. One of the effects of the full moon was an over-blown sex drive. Ron, alone, staying after class and an over-blown sex drive should not be mixed under any circumstances.

"Well, we... I... we were wondering, since it's the full moon, did you need any help with anything?" Should I have said Harry and Hermione and I, so it wouldn't seem like just me was thinking about him? Or should I have stuck with just me and seemed concerned? Maybe that would have come across as obsessive... which, granted, I am...

Did he mean Harry and Hermione... or just him? Are they concerned because I'm their teacher or because I'm me? Just Ron stayed. Does that mean anything? Am I over-analyzing? Why am I analyzing in the first place?

(A/N They think too much. God, my IQ just dropped ten points... and it wasn't all that high to begin with, lemme tell you...)

Their inner monologues were interrupted when a dismal figure swept into the room. With a venomous glare for Ron and a drop-dead glare for Remus, he set the smoking goblet on the table and walked out as swiftly and as silently as he had come in.

"I would not like putting my life in Professor Snape's hands. Ugh." Ron shuddered. Greasy git.

"It really can't be helped," Remus said smoothly. "About that help... did you notice the boxes in the corridor? The new semester's teaching materials. I'm a little... shaky, the day of the transformation, and if you could help me carry some...?"

"Sure!" Ron said eagerly. "Boxes, no problem."

I am such an over-eager little puppy. Gah.

Propping open the door with a musty book, Ron and Remus each grabbed a few boxes. "Where do you want them?"

"Left side of the class. On the floor please."

"All right."

It was hard to say exactly who knocked the table. It could have been Ron, who was always tumbling and falling over his feet or anything else that was lying around. It could have been Remus, who was carrying a few rather large boxes and couldn't see much of anything. It wasn't important exactly who knocked the table. It was only important that it was knocked. Because on top of the table was the goblet full of Wolfsbane Potion, and knocking it resulted in the goblet falling onto the floor with a fairly loud clang, spilling the potion all over the floor.

"Oh shit."

"Yeah. Not good." Hurriedly Ron set down the other box he had been carrying and turned to Remus. "I'll go see Professor Snape for more."

"No. No," Remus said faintly. "He doesn't have any more. The ingredients for the potion are expensive and... Severus doesn't... he won't have more." He smiled feebly. "I'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way." Remus stood and walked over to a cabinet in the corner. Pulling open a drawer he got a box the size of his hand and put it in his robe pocket. Grabbing a pinch of something from a jar on his desk he threw it into the fire. It flared blue for a moment and he shouted "Albus Dumbledore!"

Within a few seconds the Headmaster's head appeared. "Remus? Is that you? What's the matter?"

"I'm afraid I've spilled the potion."

"Oh dear."

"Exactly. I still have all my old... things, so it's not a huge problem, just a tad inconvenient. I'll be heading out to the Shrieking Shack now, and won't be back until quite late tomorrow. I fear I must apologize Albus."

"You'll do no such thing. Not your fault, not your fault at all. Though I must ask, who exactly is standing in the corner? I'm afraid I can't quite see."

"Oh?" Turning, Remus mentally shook himself. Ron. Ron was still here of course. "Ronald Weasley. He stayed after class."

"Right. Perhaps he could help you? I myself am rather indisposed at the moment."

"Ah. Right. Capital idea." No! Not a good idea! "As I said, just thought I'd alert you Albus. If all goes right I'll be seeing you soon enough."

"Of course Remus. I'll see you tomorrow." And with a small pop Dumbledore's fiery head disappeared.

"Sorry to ask this Ron, but could you possibly come with me to the Shrieking Shack?" Now's not the time to worry about my feelings. I've got only a few hours tell the moon's up. "Which means we've got to go through the Whomping Willow. You don't have anywhere you have to be do you? I'm sure I could find someone else..."

"No," Ron said sharply, then, softening his tone, "No, I don't have anywhere to be." Not exactly the kind of date you were thinking of eh Hermione?

"Good. Thank you." Remus walked swiftly out the door, heading down the hallway towards the entrance of the school. He was tense; he hadn't gone through a transformation sans potion for many years. Ron followed him silently, picking up on his mood. If anyone thought it odd to see a student trailing after a teacher across the yard on a late Friday afternoon they said nothing.

Remus stopped about a hundred feet away from the Whomping Willow's trunk, well out of its branches's reach.

"If I recall correctly, the last time we went to the Shrieking Shack things did not turn out well," Ron said mildly.

Remus laughed shortly. "You're right, that didn't go so well did it?" What a mess that was. Sirius should have been a free man. Instead, just more offenses were added to his name. He sighed. "We'll have to make run for it. There's a stunning spell I can use... not so sure how well it will work on a tree unfortunately. Haven't had to try it. Think you can do it? It might only give you a few seconds."

"Living with Fred and George gives a person decent reflexes. I should be ok." I really don't want a broken leg again.

"All right. Count of three then. 1... 2... 3... Mobiliplantus!"

Ron sprinted. Breathing heavily through his nose he skittered to a stop in front of the trunk. It wasn't moving; at least not yet. With a sense of satisfaction he pushed the knot on its trunk that did stop it. He turned around to look at Remus. "It's good!"

Remus breathed a sigh of relief. If Ron were hurt he wouldn't have forgiven himself. He quickly joined Ron and the two of them entered the passage to the Shrieking Shack. Neither said anything. Remus, whose wolf senses had started to kick in, could hear every breathe they made, every step on the stone floor. He could dully smell that Ron was behind him, somewhere to the left.

What's he thinking? Ron wondered. Then, almost guiltily, What's it like to be a werewolf? Wouldn't it be... well, almost cool to change into something so amazing? To be so strong and to sense everything? Does it hurt to change? And bad hurt like when you fall off your broom or good hurt like when you drink Butterbooze and it sort of burns going down but feels good all the same? What... what's it like?

Remus pushed the door to the Shack open. "Moony's home sweet home."

Ron looked at the cobwebs and broken furniture. "Charming, really."

Laughing, Remus led him upstairs. "I'll have a word with the maid before I leave." Stepping into the second floor room he pulled the box out of his pocket.

"Engorgio!" The box, which was originally about four inches across, suddenly became about a foot and a half long, a foot deep, and two feet wide. Remus flung back the lid to reveal... chains?

"Nice fetish gear, bondage boy," Ron teased. Remus blushed. Ron cracked up. "Sorry, it had to be said. In my mind at least. Er... what are the chains for anyway?" Remus in chains... damn overactive imagination/sex drive!

"The door. It needs to be barred from the outside. I used to try and chain myself but that hurt more than it helped." Sighing, he dragged the box over toward Ron. "One chain outside this door, two chains on the front door. The hooks should still be there. Doesn't matter how you do it, as long as they're up." He turned to smile at him. "And don't forget to send someone down here tomorrow to get me out. James and Sirius left me down here a time or two before they became Animagus and stayed with me." Peter too, of course, but I never say his name unless I have too.

"A-All right. Can do. Will chain the doors. And I'll come down here myself tomorrow." Another chance to see Remus! "And..."

But all rational thought had fled Ron's mind, because Remus had just taken off his robe. Oh, he had a shirt and faded jeans on underneath, but this was far less clothed than Ron usually saw him. And the jeans were well worn in...

"My clothes get shredded during transformations," he explained. "Best to take off the robe."

Is he blushing? Glad to see you haven't lost it completely Moony.

Stop blushing stop blushing stop blushing stop blushing. Don't look at him. Walk out the door. Walk out the ruddy door!

"I- I'll... I'll be back tomorrow. Bye!" And with that Ron fairly ran out the door, no small task considering he was carrying a box full of iron chains. Remus chuckled lightly. What that was about... maybe he didn't want to know.

~~~~~~~

Ron slammed to door shut and laced the chains around the hooks. No particular pattern. He concentrated very hard on them, counting each of the links. ... twelve... thirteen... fourteen... Anything to get clothed... then semi-naked... then fully naked Remus out of his head. Bad thoughts... bad bad bad thoughts. Sighing, he dragged the box down the stairs and put the remaining two chains on the outside door.

That done, he walked back to the school. That whole thing was a bit surreal.

In fact, that was down right strange... just... Ow... What's wrong Ron... I don't know... it burned... Snape... glare... What was that? What the... what the fuck was that?

Ron dropped to his knees, clutching his head in his hands. What the fuck was that? He rubbed his temples gingerly. God. Whatever it was, it gave him a hell of a headache. Much more subdued now, he walked quietly down the passage, smacking the knot on the Willow and walking rapidly to the Gryffindor dorms before flopping onto his bed.

Sleep. Sleep good...

Ron dropped into dreamland quickly, despite it being only five o'clock in the afternoon. He slept through dinner, through Quidditch practice, through the Friday night mini-party in the common room. He slept all night peacefully, the full moon shining down on him through the open window.

~~~~~~~

The wolf growled. Where is the moon? Where is the night and the stars and the beautiful, beautiful darkness? Where is the man-cub? Shouldn't the man-cub be here?

It paced around the perimeter of the room, sniffing at the corners and the boarded up windows. It could smell the fresh night air, dimly, and it only made it angry. Enraged, it pounded against the door.

Free! Freedom! It wanted to run and dance and sing under the night sky. It wanted to bite and feed. It wanted to pay homage to the Mother Moon, and run through the midnight forest with its brethren. It wanted to taste blood.

What was better than blood on your tongue and wind in your fur? The moon shining down sweetly and the air smelling of the duskiness of nighttime... There was nothing the wolf would rather have. Except perhaps, a mate to share it with.

The yellow eyes narrowed. A mate... Someone to share the joy of night with. Someone... someone to love. Someone...

The wolf quieted and lay in the center of the room, nose between his paws. Yes... a mate... it was time. It was long overdue. But the wolf could wait. Patiently. Like a hunter awaits his prey, he would stay here. Till his mate came to him.