Werewolves at Hogwarts

Chapter 5

The Hogwarts Express was a red, steam-belching monster that sat at platform 9^3/4 ready to haul the Wizarding children off to school. All over the platform parents were saying goodbye as their offspring were cast into the care of their professors for another year. Some were in silent, almost solemn groups; others were noisy and boisterous, running from parents to friends and back again. Some cried, some laughed and a lot of the tiny first years simply looked scared as they waited.

Having slept in a Muggle hotel and travelled by Muggle bus, Remus was on hand early to find a corner window seat on the train, putting his one small bag on the luggage rack and taking out a book to while away the time. He barely managed to turn a page as being an inveterate people watcher, he was fascinated by the passing parade.

He could almost pick out the Houses even though most of the children were not yet in uniform, a swaggering Slytherin, a busy Hufflepuff. A couple of Gryffindors were engaged in helping younger children onto the train with their luggage while a trio of Ravenclaws teased a fourth member unmercifully.

At the very back of the platform a family almost slunk into place their child a small, frail, pale shadow in his mother's wake. Remus' eyes narrowed as he automatically scented even though there was a pane of glass between him and his quarry. To experienced eyes the signs were unmistakable the boy was a werewolf. Shaking his head, Remus closed his book and placed it on the seat as he rose. Obviously his duties were to start early as Dumbledore hinted and the goblin foretold.

Jumping lithely to the platform Remus made his way over to the shadows and smiled at the couple that looked slightly terrified and very defensive. The boy shrank back even further but there were no teeth in the stranger's smile, and he gave off a powerful alpha male odour. The boy whined ever so slightly and Remus smiled wider chuffing agreement which made the boy's father start, his eyes widening.

"Hello, I'm Remus Lupin, Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts. Just starting first year are we?"

"Harold Streatham, I ... yes.... The boy received a letter even though...."

"When were you bitten?" Remus asked, gently. "I was three years old so I grew up with it."

"Paul was five," Mrs Streatham replied for her son. "If not for his magic he would have been killed, but he managed to apparate without any training what so ever."

"A first sign to be very proud of," Remus congratulated the boy then turned to his parents. "He will be fine at Hogwarts; I was a student there and was always treated with respect and kindness. I have been told that werewolf rights are beginning to be a reality instead of an oxymoron so the future looks a little brighter for our kind at last. I assume I am the alpha male at Hogwarts so I'll take care of the cub as part of the pack."

"He's not an animal!" Harold protested angrily.

"No more than I am but we are still ruled by the moon and the wolf. Sometimes pack behaviour is very desirable to establish hierarchy and keep us safe. Now, I have bagged a compartment on the train. If you would like to put your trunk in the guard van and join me there, you will be very welcome. I had better wander around and see if we are to have any further members this year." Remus smiled shook hands with Streatham senior and wandered off down the platform scenting all the way. He wondered what the Headmaster was up to and mused that Paul Streatham was even smaller and skinnier than he had been in his first year. He hoped the boy was as fortunate in his friends as he had been.

A strong beta scent caught his nose and he glanced around again seeing another familiar huddle. This time the boy was at least sixteen and a stranger to Remus; not a shy, shrinking shadow, but a sullen, angry young man. This young male would be a challenge if he weren't shown his place immediately. Still smiling, Remus swaggered slightly as he approached on silent feet and coughed to announce his presence. All three people jumped and the boy growled in his throat. Flicking a disdainful eye over the youth Remus addressed himself to the parents treating the boy like a cub which obviously rankled.

"Hello, I'm Professor Remus Lupin, and you are?"

The man opened his mouth to speak but the boy snarled and Remus shot out a hand wrapping it around the youth's throat and squeezing very gently. "Respect of the parents is a prerequisite; know your place young wolf," he snapped and pushed away slightly while not letting go.

Shocked, the boy tried to free himself but Remus was a wily dominance fighter and had taken on harder opponents than a half grown and unblooded boy. A snarl and a twist and the youth were Remus' beta and knew it dropping back hurriedly and dropping his eyes.

"As I was saying I am alpha werewolf at Hogwarts and am pleased to bring your son into the pack and teach him how to interact with both wolf and human society."

"I'm Brandon Hollywell, my wife Suzy and our son Malcolm. Malcolm is to do his NEWTs at Hogwarts. Professor Dumbledore said his OWLs were good enough to carry him through and we weren't to worry about the - you know what?"

"They mean the werewolf thing," Malcolm put in bitterly. "They can't even say it."

"Lycanthropy is not a choice; it is a problem that has to be lived with as there is no cure. However, it does not have to be the most dominant thing in your life at least, not any more. Thanks to some changes we are gradually gaining acceptance in the mainstream of Wizarding life. Anyone who is intelligent enough to take NEWTs and use their education is going to be a real asset to the community. So, Malcolm, we have expectations of you. Now carry your trunk down to the guard's van then go into the train. I have a compartment with one cub in it, or at least there should be a cub there. His name is Paul Streatham and he could do with some strong company."

The boy glared for a moment then nodded reluctantly. "Yes Sir," he mumbled and picked up his trunk swinging it onto his shoulder with inhuman strength.

Remus chuckled as he watched the youth stride off. "Now he is going to be a handful. How old was he when he was bitten? Last year. Ah, it explains a lot."

"He was always a little moody, but when he came back from the rehab place he was just terrible; so rude and bullying."

Remus smiled in commiseration. "It's a wolf thing; it makes teenagers even more aggressive than normal. However, he will also discover that he is ruled by wolf instincts and next full moon I am sure he will challenge me but I promise not to hurt him."

The man looked down at his feet then up at the smaller, finer built professor. "Sure you can?"

"I have been fighting dominance battles for years and have not as yet been defeated," Remus assured him and a touch of the wolf confirmed his assertion in the flash of his eyes. "Don't worry, he will do fine. Professor Dumbledore is a good wizard and a fine man."

The next scent to catch his nose was a young one and he was almost bowled over by an exuberant bundle of energy. "Yikes! Sorry Sir, I lost my ball and my Dad will go spare. Hey! You're like me, aren't you? You're a werewolf too! How cool can that be! I never met a wolf before, except the one that bit me but hey that was ages ago. Are you going to Hogwarts? Nah, you're way too old. Have you got a kid at Hogwarts? Will I meet 'em?"

Remus burst out laughing as he steadied the gabbling boy on his legs. "Yes, I'm off to Hogwarts but I have no children. Yes, I am a werewolf too and the alpha for now. My name is Professor Lupin and I will be your DADA teacher this year."

"Charlie! What have you done now? Honestly boy you're worse than a run away bull! Now, have you apologised to the gentleman and did you find your stuff? If you lose that ball you know it will make transformation harder on you than it has to be."

"I know Dad but guess what? I have an alpha and he's it! Professor Lupin this is my Dad, Dad this is Professor Lupin, and he's a werewolf too! Isn't that so cool?"

"Charlie! Ball!" the man insisted, laughing as he scrubbed the boy's head and held out a huge paw, "David Watts and the gabble merchant is Charles Watts, better known as Charlie the human dynamo. He's a good boy, even when he's not a boy and the ball is his play toy when he is a wolf. His mother made it for him when he was four. He probably put it in his trunk and forgot where it is. If he hasn't got it by the time the train is due to leave, I'll accio it for him. I usually do. I am a little worried about him going off to school though I don't mind admitting, but he's a good kid and fair set to become a powerful wizard if given the chance. Will you look out for him, like?"

"Of course, I am the designated alpha and I always look after our cubs," Remus assured the man liking him a lot. "I have a compartment and I've been rounding up all the werewolves and sending them to it. Hopefully they can all meet and greet and get used to each other informally before they get to school."

"There are others? The boy will have others of his kind to mix with? Eh that's grand! And a fine school to learn in? That Dumbledore is a saint!"

Remus laughed. "Not quite yet, but he is something. I had better get on and see if I have any more wolves for my pack. I'll make sure Charlie writes."

"Appreciate it Sir."

His final find was tall and elegant, a cool blonde with light blue eyes and an air that reminded Remus of Draco Malfoy. Her mother was equally cool and elegant, the pair of women standing aloof as the swirl of parents and students parted for their passage. Remus smiled to himself as he registered pureblood and probably titled. How on earth did something as uncouth as a werewolf bite one of those? Making his way over, he held out a hand and announced himself firmly.

"Elanora Léger-Path," the older woman replied precisely, "my daughter Andrea. She is to take her NEWTS at Hogwarts since Beauxbatons no longer fits her needs. I trust Hogwarts will take better care of her than that idiot Madame Maxime ever did." The woman glared at the slightly shabby man before her.

"I promise to take good care of Andrea...."

"You do know she has a certain condition, do you not?"

"Mother!"

"Now my dear you know it needs to be said. After all, if not for that stupid woman you would not be attending a place with a name like a very common disease."

Remus coughed and exchanged a quick glance with the girl who looked totally embarrassed despite her coolly sophisticated air and attire. "Er, Madam Path, I am the school alpha male and it is my duty to make sure nothing happens to any of the young wolves under my pack."

"Oh Good Gods don't say it aloud like that! It is so mortifying!" She fanned herself vigorously with her hand as her daughter literally ground her teeth in pent frustration.

"I have reserved a compartment for us on the train if you would care to join us, Andrea. We have two eleven year olds and one sixteen year old so far. Has your trunk been loaded? Very good, shall we go aboard now?" Remus offered his arm graciously, Madame Path taking it and allowing herself to be led aboard her daughter fuming in their wake. As they made their way down the train's aisle Remus used his best pureblood manners; dredging out the rusty lessons of long ago to deal with the supercilious woman who had been determined to find fault with everything. She seemed to soften in the flow of attention and was more disposed to treat the whole train experience as a quaint and delightful custom rather than a complete inconvenience.

The three boys in the compartment all glanced up with varying expressions as Remus opened the door and handed Madame Path in. He made rising motions with his hidden hand and they all rose to the occasion; Charlie even trying a rather clumsy bow which Madame pronounced 'just charming'. Her daughter was pulling horrendous faces behind her mother's back and caused Malcolm to also venture a bow if only to hide his grin.

"Madame Path wished to meet the gentlemen her daughter would be associating with," Remus said by way of explanation and introduced the boys more formally. The woman only stayed a few minutes before she allowed Remus to escort her out again leaving Andrea to face the three boys who were all staring at her in varying degrees of wariness.

Moving cautiously the elegant girl studied her new companions carefully cataloguing them easily by wolf standards. Malcolm would be a beta male a nice looking boy with long curling brown hair and hazel eyes. When he smiled he looked very handsome but he seemed to have developed a permanent scowl. Oh well, she would cure that!

Charlie was probably going to be an alpha when he grew up; all pent energy bursting out of his skin. Already, he was acting protectively toward his small blonde counterpart who was trying to scrunch down into an even tinier ball. They were a study of contrasts - the two cubs - fair Paul and dark Charlie but they would compliment each other. Oh yes, this new Hogwarts pack was going to be fun!

~~*~~

As the train pulled out a tall, stooped, grey haired figure moved out of the shadows and watched in the crowd of parents as the Hogwarts Express disappeared from sight with a smile. He had heard about the change of policy at Hogwarts and was thrilled that his friend Remus had been asked back to the teaching he loved. However there was a rumour in the wind that someone would do everything they could to stop werewolves invading Hogwarts which was why he had chanced being out in the open where someone might take offence at his presence. He scanned the crowd looking for something or someone out of place, although he was not quite sure who it might be at this point.

Lupin and the kids had managed to get away without any trouble and for that he was quite grateful. Causing trouble on the platform with so many wizards around would have been disastrous, and it could have gone either way. The wizards might have blamed the trouble makers or they might more likely have blamed the werewolves for any trouble that occurred. Who knew which way they would jump? And werewolves were officially taken as guilty until proven innocent in wizarding law. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary he moved away and dissapparated.

Further down the platform another pair of dark eyes watched with narrowed intensity as the robed figure watched the train disappear. What was he doing at the Hogwarts Express? He was almost a persona none gratis in the Wizarding world despite his sterling war service; a reminder of their failure to deal kindly with the bitten of long ago. And yet here he was watching the train leave, or perhaps he was watching a particular person leave.

It was worrying especially in the light of the new problem that had just come up. Although not common knowledge yet, they had just received evidence that someone out there was murdering non-humans, not one or two but fifty! And they had no idea of who the victims might be, where the murders took place or what motivated the killer or killers. It was definitely going to be a very bad case! Shaking his head, Shacklebolt apparated home and got ready to go back to work.