The Duplicity of Great-Aunt Betsy

James was waiting in the Gryffindor common room when Remus tumbled in through the portrait. He had leaned back into a squashy red armchair, elbows on both armrests and hands clasped below his chin. After confirming Remus's entrance, he looked down. Remus picked himself up off the floor and plopped down on the chair opposite his friend.

"Where's Sirius?" Remus asked, for it was a rarity for the two to be seen apart for long. It was getting harder to tell them apart, as well. People were constantly mixing up their names.

"With Peter, off to the kitchens, I'm sure. No matter," James replied monotonously. He picked at a piece of lint on his robes, still not looking up.

"You don't seem to be too chuffed." Remus wasn't quite sure why James was acting so oddly, but it made him nervous, nevertheless. James was usually very steady in his moods. Meaning, of course, he was never very serious. Never like this.

"Yes, well...I have reasons," James offered vaguely, running a hand through his hair. It looked quite ridiculous, but Remus wouldn't ever dare point this out to him. James was already quite taken with it. He'd just made the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a Chaser and definitely liked his peers to know.

"Ah, care to share?" Remus relaxed a bit, thinking he might be able to help James out. After all, James had done more for him than he knew. James's problems really weren't anything to what Remus was up to each month.

James folded his arms below his chest and met Remus's eyes firmly, "I was thinking about becoming an Animagus."

"Why...er... would you want to do that?" Remus queried, trying and failing to sound casual.

At this point, James leaned forward. He gave Remus an exasperated look

and whispered, "Why do you think?" Then, he stood up and exited the common room without a backward glance.

Remus wasn't dim. He was pretty sure what this meant. James knew. If James knew, the others would know soon enough, if not already. It then struck Remus exactly what James had proposed. To become an Animagus meant James would be safe from Remus. But there was no way... no chance... that Remus would be anywhere near James on full moon. Unless... Remus felt his breath involuntarily hitch at this concept. Oh, bugger!

He sprinted out the common room to find James. He didn't have to look far.

James was slumped down against the wall, cracking his knuckles.

"You know, don't you?" Remus asked him, making sure to stand at least ten feet away.

His dorm mate looked up, "Obviously. Your Great-Aunt Bessie couldn't have died twice."

Remus widened his eyes. It'd been a Blue Moon last month, which affected him much more than usual. Still, he reasoned, you couldn't have made up a different relative? He wondered if he could still talk himself out of this one. But it was James, and he wouldn't be able to trick him next month.

"Betsy. Great-Aunt Betsy."

James snorted, "Remus, please."

"It's true. There never was a Bessie. It's Betsy. But yes, she can't have died twice, now can she?"

"I'm right, aren't I?"

Remus was silent. He wasn't about to confess to the wrong thing. James took his silence as a confirmation.

"Am I the first to know? I mean, besides some of the staff?" James inquired.

"No... actually... Lily Evans beat you by about six months, she did." Remus had given up pretending James was talking about something else. It had been a miracle when Lily hadn't screamed her head off and run about campus. Instead, she'd sent up bowls of soup from the kitchens, and visited him in the Hospital Wing each day after the full moon. She was a Muggle-born, though; they didn't have those natural wizard prejudices.

"It must be awful. I can't... I can't imagine..." James said, after he shook off the shock of hearing "Lily Evans." He rubbed the back of his neck, "When I first started noticing the absences, I wasn't too concerned. You always looked so terrible, I mean, understandably... it wasn't that hard to believe you were sick or tragedy had struck once more. But subconsciously, I'd noticed the dates, and when Great- Aunt Bes- Betsy died..." James looked up, "You have to be a werewolf."

Remus looked away. The way he said it- so blunt and straightforward... it unnerved him. "The Whomping Willow. It's my doing. I... there's a passageway I take to transform. I mean, obviously you wouldn't have needed to become an Animagus... it's very far away from the school. But don't fret; I knew this day would come. I've already filled out an application for my course studies to be done via owl. I'm just to see

Professor Dumbledore and pack my bags, and on my way I'll be." He'd just turned his back toward the Headmaster's Office when he heard James's familiar laugh. His back stiffened, anticipating some off-colour joke about lycanthropy.

"Is that what you thought I wanted to become an Animagus for, Remus? To protect myself on full moon? You couldn't be further from the truth, you know. I researched werewolves for a month. They don't care about... animals. I thought I could-- we all could-- go with you...to keep you company..."

"Don't be ridiculous, James. Three Animagi and a werewolf roaming about? That sounds like the most irresponsible, irrational idea I've ever heard," he exhaled, and yet, he turned back towards James.

"It isn't! It's perfect! The only problem is that we'd have to teach ourselves how to do it; you can't register when you're underage. But I know Sirius and I could manage and we'd teach Peter, too. Don't you think we could?" His eyes were hopeful, seeking Remus's approval.

"I'm certain you could do anything you wanted if you tried. However, it would be much easier, much safer, and much quicker for me to leave Hogwarts. You should know that the three of you have made these few years the best I've ever had. I won't forget," Remus responded, causing James face to crumple in disappointment.

James sighed, "I won't let you go, Remus. You are a part of this whether you like it or not. Did we exclude Sirius because his family's nutters, or Peter, when he was failing first year two weeks into term? Honestly, do you really think we'd let you go? We are more than friends, the four of us... we're brothers."

Remus wasn't convinced, "You say that now, but what would happen if the school found out? Would you publicly continue any sort of relationship with a beast?"

James looked shocked at this, "You're not a beast, Remus. You've just got... a problem...a furry little problem..."

Remus snorted, "A furry little problem? Merlin, I'm not a rabbit!"

"Remus, if you choose to leave Hogwarts, we aren't going to stop you if that is truly, what you want. But know this: your departure would not stop us from being friends. You can't escape us so, why are you so set in leaving?" James argued, ignoring Remus's sarcastic remark.

"Why am I set in leaving? James, don't be naive. Werewolves aren't even considered beings. This, an educated beast, this has never been done before. Do you know what would happen if parents found out their children were being schooled alongside a werewolf? No matter what the precautions are! I'd be killed, and Dumbledore would be sacked- I wouldn't be surprised if the school shut down, for Circe's sake," Remus ranted.

"But I've read about werewolves- they aren't even dangerous most of the month! And vampires are beings, and they need real blood to even survive... No one will find out. Well, maybe if you are allowed to make up your own excuses they will, because no offense, but Remus, come on... You'll be an orphan by next year at the rate you're doing in your family!" James protested.

"You are remarkable, James Potter. You have no idea how much the world needs people like you," Remus voiced, his face softening a bit.

"Well, people like me need people like you to stay at Hogwarts," James pouted.

"Oh, bugger all, James, I'm not that great of a person. I'm much too selfish to pass up Hogwarts if I'm still wanted. But come on, we have to visit Professor McGonagall to get yet another teaching outline for Peter, I've only just remembered," Remus consented, finally.

James did a sort of victory dance, if Remus could really qualify the odd routine of jerks and jumps as that, and sped off to the Deputy Headmistress's Office. Remus smiled to himself and followed after his friend, knowing this life was better than anything he could have wished for.