Remus' Nifty, Big, Red, Beautiful Book

Author's Notes: A big thanks to my betas, Jacqui and Arpeggio. Also to my best mate Ashley, who co-created the Universe this fan fiction is in. For us it all started with a squiggly Harry. Now to save my own butt, there is minor slash in here. It's hinted at and briefly mentioned.

Friday, January 16, 1981

Sirius, James, and Peter seem to think that since I read so much, I should write as well. Something like keeping a journal. So they gave me this. This "nifty, big, red, beautiful book", according to James. Peter says to make it my life's work, adding to it as my life progresses. They're all idiots, but maybe I'm even worse, since I'm here writing in the blasted thing.

Saturday, January 17, 1981

Yes, I'm back. Pathetic, I know, but I haven't got much else to do. The landlord's been giving me a rough time. How does he keep it up? Every time I walk past, he yells "RENT!". I'm not exactly sure what to write, for I've never had a journal before. James claims that he had one "in his youth" and that I should introduce myself. Says I need to write like it's an autobiography. Peter agreed, but Sirius said he was full of it, and I should "write any old shit I want to", in his exact words. I'm not sure who to go with on this. Though I like Sirius' idea, I somehow doubt he's ever kept a journal and therefore does not know what the hell he is talking about.

Monday, January 19, 1781

Ooh, I skipped a day. Wow. I know you're impressed. After much thought, I've decided to go with James' plan, so when I'm older than Dumbledore and not nearly as sharp, I'll be able to look back in here and say, "Oh, now I remember who Lily was..." I guess I'll introduce myself first. I'm Remus John Lupin. Sometimes I'm called Moony. Current occupation: unemployed. Yes, I know, I'm twenty-one years old and don't have a job. I'm not pathetic; it just so happens I have a health condition no one feels sympathy for. I like to read (as mentioned), hang out with my friends (who I'll talk about in a minute), and (okay, start laughing) drink coffee. Enough laughing. I like my coffee. On with the intro to my life, remember?

Ah, James Harold Potter, alias, Prongs, best friend extraordinaire. He's going to coach Quidditch. Currently, he assists the coach of Puddlemere United, who hopes, once he feels James is ready, to retire. James is married to Lily Evans Potter, a bright redhead who we all love, and they had a baby last July. His name is Harry James Potter. Yeah, James' family has this crazy tradition that the first boy is named after his father, only switching the middle name. So Harry's middle name is James, and James' middle name is Harold, and Harold's (James' dad) middle name is James. It goes on and on... The only reason Harry isn't 'Harold' is because Lily refused to have a son with that name. Let's see, let's see...

Another friend, Sirius. Sirius Samuel Black. His 'codename': Padfoot. Anyway, Sirius is training to be an Auror. He's really talented, but his cocky attitude keeps getting him in trouble. Like Moody forcing him to keep a magazine up on a wall with his nose for THIRTY minutes. THIRTY! And then that time when he back talked his other instructor, Professor Owl, and was forced to run an extra ten laps while the other trainees watched. But I digress. Sirius currently shares his apartment with his girlfriend Elaine Jasmine Anderson, commonly known as Elle. They've been together since January of their fifth year. As a matter of fact, I think their five year anniversary is next week. Anyway, Elle's been around a while.

Then we've got Peter Paul Pettigrew, yet another friend, who has a desk job at the Ministry in the Magical Cooperation department. His nickname is Wormtail. Peter lives with his mum, but only because he helps his mum take care of his little sister, since his father passed away a few year ago.

Um, there's Frank and Alice Longbottom, who've been our friends since school, where they were Gryffindors in our year. They're married, in case you couldn't tell. And they've got a kid Harry's age, named Neville. Frank and Alice go to training with Sirius.

And there's... Nina. SeBella. She's in Africa, and I am not in love with her. She's at an advanced school for Healers. She'll be back, though. She came for James and Lily's wedding, and by the time we're all twenty-three, she's scheduled to return to England for good.

I just looked this entry over, and James would be proud with how it turned out. I don't think Peter would care, and Sirius would tell me I should have taken his advice, not James's.

Tuesday, January 27, 1981

A whole week, gone. And it's been busy. I remembered this journal because two big things happened in the past five days. One: I got a job! That's right, Remus Lupin has a job as a...salesclerk. At a drugstore called Sky's Drugstore. But hey, it's something, right? And Muggles don't ask for a lycanthropy background check, do they? Oh, and big thing number two: last night was Sirius and Elle's anniversary, like I said, and he asked her to marry him! Padfoot is engaged! Who would have thought? Not me! The wedding is going to be in the beginning of May. Only four months from now. Sirius's mum, Ilka (who is technically James's mum, but she calls Sirius her "little boy", so I guess she's his adopted mum too.), thinks four months isn't nearly enough time. But Sirius and Elle have never gone that slow. All it took was getting out of school and making sure he'd have a job. They're getting a wedding coordinator tomorrow.

Wednesday, January 28, 1981

Sirius does not like the wedding coordinator. His name's Roger. Sirius claims that Roger was hitting on him the whole meeting. Says the man's as "straight as a rainbow". Elle likes him, says it looks like he's done some nice weddings. I was there to hear this argument.

"Ooh, Siri, look at this! Isn't it gorgeous?" Elle said, pointing into a book Roger gave them.

"Mmhmm." Sirius didn't say anything else.

"Oh, Siri, it's so pretty! How can you not love Roger's weddings? I mean, look at this one." She shoved the book at him, pointing to a picture of a big reception hall, filled with white and lavender balloons.

"Yes, Elle, it's beautiful." He didn't sound too convincing. "I just don't really like Roger all that much."

"He's so good!" Elle had insisted.

"He's so gay!" Sirius shot back.

I think Elle won in the end. She threatened to break the engagement if Sirius killed Roger, and suddenly, all Sirius's death threats stopped.

Saturday, January 31, 1981

Salesclerk is the most boring job on the planet. What did I expect? That it'd be interesting, standing there for five hours, swiping frozen dinners and tampons? Because there isn't much more embarrassing and weird than having to do a price check on some old woman's bra. Peter's doing better than me. He got a promotion. Now he gets to boss four people around all day. Woo-bloody-hoo.