A Year in the Life of a Wizarding Werewolf

A Year in the Life of a Wizarding Werewolf

- Owl Post

"Rat-ta-tat-ta-tat. Rat-ta-tat-ta-tat."

Remus rolled over in his bed and sank further down within the covers.

"Rat-ta-tat-ta-tat. Rat-ta-tat-ta-tat."

Groaning, he pulled one of the pillows up from underneath his head and smothered himself with it in an attempt to drown out the rapping. It was too early, far too early, to wake up. He wished his mother would let him sleep on. It wasn't as if he had a Potions class to dash off to or anything.

"RAT-TA-TAT-TA-TAT!"

Remus jerked up on his bed. "Oh for Mer-- " he began, impatiently. But then he got his bearings straight. Rubbing the lingering sleep out of his bleary eyes, he realised the persistent rapping came not from his bedroom door, but from the window.

Flinching as he was momentarily blinded by the sunlight poring in through the glass, he squinted his eyes and just about gauged the outline of an owl hovering outside the window. It was Oedipus, the Potters's family owl. Remus kicked off his covers and padded over to let the owl in. Tied securely to the leg of Oedipus was a neatly rolled up piece of parchment. Remus removed the letter, and since he didn't have any owl treats stocked up in his room, fed Oedipus some raisins from a half-eaten packet left over the previous night. The owl nipped a few pieces gratefully, took some sips of water from the mug sitting on Remus's desk, and took off again out through the window.

Remus unravelled the parchment and began to read.

~ * ~

4^th July

Hey Moony!

How's it going? Wasn't it great that we had that full moon before we finished for the summer? No better way to let loose after the OWLs and celebrate the end of the year. I had a great time racing over that obstacle course. Padfoot's mad at me, saying I knocked him into that ditch where he ended up breaking his leg. I didn't! You know that, right? Peter's still traumatised over the verbal defeat with the Jarvey. Give them two months, and they will be back hungry for more in September, instead of doing all this moaning. Honestly!

So, any plans yet over the summer? Nothing here. Boring. Though at least I get to go flying everyday. But it's not that much fun without someone else to wrestle a Quaffle with. Can't wait till this time next year when we can Apparate! Saves all this nonsense with Floo powder or Portkeys. Dad's colleague tried going home by Floo powder the other day after several pints of mead in The Three Broomsticks, ended up puking all over the hearth in the living room right in front of his wife. Oops.

Owl back soon!

James.

~ * ~

6^th July

Prongs,

You did shove Sirius into that ditch. Admit it. I was amazed Padfoot could stick it for the rest of the night and make it up to the castle to Madam Pomfrey's. You should have seen his face at the hospital wing. It was white as chalk. Does this mean you still haven't apologised to him?

It was stupid of Wormtail to hang around that Jarvey anyway, especially when he couldn't insult it back. Maybe if he hadn't tried to bite it in the first place...

No plans for the summer, but I shall be enjoying a peaceful two months free from your barrel of shenanigans. You absolutely cannot imagine how blissful that is.

Yours ever so truly,

Moony.

~ * ~

7^th July

Dear Sirius,

How is the leg? I gather from James you have still have an apology outstanding. The blighter now claims that he was not responsible for the incident. Would you like me to hex him for you? I would be extremely willing to do so.

Are you still in London? Would you plan to go down to Godric's Hollow sometime this summer? I haven't heard from Peter yet. James tells me he is still distressed from those Jarvey insults. I think Prongs is making it up. Peter gets more insults from the two of you than he would from the entire Jarvey population.

Yours in Mooniness,

Remus.

~ * ~

8^th July

Hi Remus!

I am going off to La Belle France tomorrow! Trying to cram some of the useful phrases here. Which really means just knowing 'la glace', 'du chocolat', 'des gateaux', 'des bonbons'. For the rest, I'll just follow my parents. Oh, the phrase « est-ce que vous parlez l'anglais ? » is also useful. Lets just hope they say « oui »!

Ignore James. I am not 'distraught' by that blasted Jarvey. He's making it up. Sirius is still waiting for his apology before he will write to Prongs. I second that.

A bientôt,

Wormtail.

~ * ~

9^th July

Yo Moony,

Wormtail's away to France. Lucky bugger. Am still stuck here at Grimmauld Place, where the closest thing to France is the "toujours pur" inscription on the family tapestry. I am planning to bung off to Prongs's soon however, though the bastard's still denying he rammed me into that pit. I should have shoved some Veritaserum down his throat while I could.

It's hell here. Mum's screeching upstairs about the Ministry letting half-bloods work for them and Dad's just after roaring at Andromeda (again) through the fire for selling out to Muggle-borns. Regulus is just hanging around and sucking up to them.

I need out of here fast.

Padfoot.

~ * ~

12^th July

Hi Moony,

James here, and Sirius is with me now as well. He's finally come round and is talking to me again.

Wait, don't listen to him Moony. He was the one who apologised first!

Hey! I was in the middle of writing here! Anyway, he showed up on Wednesday and we've been solemnly swearing we are up to no good since then.

By the way, did I tell you dad got a Muggle contraption just before I came home for the summer? It is this machine that plays moving pictures. Like wizard photos, but they move around telling a story. I think dad called them films, and the machine is an RVC or something.

VCR. I heard Jean Talbert mention it before. Supposed to stand for something like video cassette recorder. James's dad got one of those video cassettes last night so we ended up watching this film.

They've got Animagi in it! Maybe not proper Animagi. The two people in it were cursed. The guy changed to a wolf at dusk and the woman into a hawk at dawn. They didn't want to though. Imagine not wanting to become Animagi. We should have gotten that dark sorcerer to hex us. Would've saved us three long years of work.

The storyline was too mushy I thought. It's this romantic sap. James and I just watched it for the transformations. The kissing was disgusting.

It was not! The girl looked like Lily.

Yeah, that's all that matters then. James would watch anything so long Evans look-alikes are in them. He's a lost cause now.

James.

Sirius.

~ * ~

14^th July

Dear Peter,

Are you still in France? I guess I'll know if Ptolemy here takes a longer time to return. Seen anything interesting? France is supposed to have some of the most wonderful chateaux in the world, and historical figures such as King Louis XIV, Marie-Antoinette and Napoleon. Then there's Robespierre and his revolutionary efforts. There is supposed to be a prestigious wizarding school there too. Beaubaxton's.

Of course, if you are in France, you would be celebrating the Bastaille today. I would love to visit France sometime. The infrastructure in Paris alone is to die for. Then there is the history and the culture and the eccentric lifestyle.

I guess the cuisine isn't half bad either. Owl over some of those Pain du Chocolat's if you can.

Yours in Honeydukes Chocolate,

Remus.

~ * ~

16^th July

Padfoot and Prongs,

I think I will digress at who initiated the contact with whom between the two of you.

That film is called Lady Hawk. I've seen it once somewhere. If you thought that was mushy, then you clearly haven't seen the other stuff. Some of those wartime ones have people dying for their love interests left and right. Or they make a whole anguish fest out of giving up a girl for the sake of one's country. Muggles are strange. They even dance about this angst. If Padfoot ever saw Swan Lake, he'd probably retch.

You should ask your father to get out this thing called the Godfather the next time, James. I haven't seen it yet, but it is supposed to be a Big Thing. I saw posters for it pasted all over the shops when mum and myself went into Crewe last week. They were for the sequel. The first film came out two years ago.

Prongs probably thinks any girl looks like Evans nowadays. I don't think that Ladyhawk girl even had red hair.

Moony.

~ * ~

18^th July

Hey Moony,

What's Swan Lake? As for those Muggle films, imagine killing yourself for a girl. That is so stupid!

Prongs is out de-gnoming the garden at the moment as punishment for Butt-Sticking his granny to the armchair this morning. She couldn't come off the seat with any of the charms his mum tried using, so in the end the poor lady had to wriggle out of her skirt and then borrow one of her daughter-in-law's instead.

I hear James calling. I think he wants me to help. I really shouldn't, it is so much more fun to stand about and laugh at those gnomes pelting him with clods of soil.

Sirius.

~ * ~

21^st July

Salut Remus!

I am back from France, and just in time too. I got the OWL results this morning, and am sure you did as well.

How did you do? I was amazed to see I got an 'A' in Potions, Astronomy and Charms, an 'O' in Herbology and an 'E' in everything else. Yay me. I never would have thought it. Mum and dad are shocked and delighted. They are taking me to Diagon Alley over the weekend for a new set of dress robes, a Gobstone set and all the ice cream I want at Florian Fortescu's.

France was wild. We went up that Eiffel Tower of course. Shame I couldn't Apparate up. But it probably was safer just trudging up there the Muggle way. My brother tried to Apparate up and ended up on the railing, nearly falling off it. It was 'très epuisé' though. Mum and dad refused to use those things Muggles called "lifts" and insisted we climbed the stairs the whole way up. I lost count of how many flights we went up, but I can tell you it is worse than going up the Astronomy Tower. Thedid have these posters at every landing with accounts of different things people have used the Tower for. Some of those Muggles seemed more mental than Sirius and James put together.

I heard in St. Petersburg, you have this place you have to climb up stairs to as well, only there they play marching music to help you along.

Oedipus just flew in. Must be a letter from James.

It's from both Sirius and James actually. They both got an 'O' or an 'E' in everything, of course. For me, I am just proud of the one 'O' and my lack of 'D's.

Wormtail.

~ * ~

22^nd July

Hi you two,

Congratulations! I heard both of you did great in the OWLs. So have you decided which subjects you are going to do now?

I got an 'A' in Ancient Runes; an 'O' in DADA, Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures; and an 'E' in everything else. Not too bad, I guess. So it looks like I am looking at two more years worth of Potions since I got into Sharkhorn's NEWT class, and here I was secretly wishing I might not need to entertain that prospect. At least being able to drop Astronomy means minus the weekly midnight trek up those endless stairs to the top of that tower.

Peter did fantastic too. I assume he's already told you all about it? He claims the Eiffel Tower is worse than the Astronomy one, but somehow I don't think that is possible.

As for Swan Lake. It is this Muggle dance show where the girl is cursed to be a swan during the day. This prince falls in love with her when she turns into a maiden at night. Enters evil sorcerer who doesn't want the curse broken so he tricks the prince to proclaim his love for the wrong girl. Prince gets devastated when he finds out he's been tricked, so he jumps into the lake with the maiden, and the curse gets broken that way. But unfortunately the two lovers die.

The things Muggle minds come up with. Honestly. Don't they learn something as simple as "Finite Incantatem" usually takes care of it each time?

Moony.

~ * ~

25^th July

Dear Moony,

Oh, Swan Lake. You were right, Padfoot's retching. We both maintain you know far too much Muggle stuff for your own good.

The OWLs were great, though I have no idea what to pick now. I would ditch all for Quidditch, but I don't think McGonagall's going to be too pleased about that. You should be delighted with your results. Stop being so reserved and impassive. 'Not too bad, I guess'? Celebrate! Have some of these Choc-o-Fudge Balls to give yourself a sugar high.

Delighted for Peter too.

James (Sirius sends his regards from the bathroom. He is still puking from the Swan Lake scenario)

~ * ~

28^th July

Padfoot, Prongs,

I. Am. Not. Talking. To. You. EVER.

This letter exists solely for me to voice my displeasure.

First, it was mortifying to say the least when your discombobulated heads popped up here without warning. Our neighbour was actually in the kitchen asking for Jobberknoll feathers when you guys screeched at the top of your lungs about me being a grumpy old git who has a stick up my backside. The fire has since been extinguished and the Floo network is cut off to both of you permanently.

Second, you guys tampered with those Choc-o-Fudge Balls, didn't you? You dumped a pile of powdered Alihotsy leaves into the filling! I have been in hysterics ever since Thursday, and still am. The local apothecary has run out of Glumbumble treacle, and it won't be delivered until next week. You guys are going to be so dead when I get my hands (or jaws) on you. No wonder Evans said she would date that giant squid before she goes near you, Prongs. I agree with the girl completely.

Cutting off all contact now,

Yours in Total Disgruntled-ness,

Remus.

~ * ~

28^th July

Hi Wormtail,

Glad you had a great time in France. Well done for the OWLs. You must be so proud! What ice-cream did you get from Florian Fortescu's?

James and Sirius are lethal when alone together. I swear I am going to murder them one of these days. They are what the French would call insupportable!

I am writing only to you from now on in.

Yours in (literally) helpless laughter,

Moony.

~ * ~

31^st July

Hi Remus,

Yeah, I heard about the prank Padfoot and Prongs played on you as I got an Owl from them the day they sent you those spiked Choc-o-Fudge Balls. They sent some to me too, but our cat ate them first so it bore the brunt their joke instead.

Dad forgot to re-establish the Floo network after coming back from France, so I was spared the in flesh-and-blood howler. What did your neighbour say when he heard the racket?

Are you over the laughing fit now, or has it not worn off yet?

Peter.

~ * ~

6^th August

Hey you,

You can't continue ignoring us you know.

Hee hee. Are you still in hysterics, mate?

Still huffing? Well, if you don't have a fire, we'll just have to Floo over to your neighbour's.

The one who was asking for the Jobberknoll feathers. Ha ha!

Then shout so loudly you would be able to hear us in his fireplace all the way from your house.

And we will keep pelting you with Owls in the meantime. You greedy git. You must have stuffed yourself with the whole box of Choc-o-Fudge Balls in one go if you were laughing the entire weekend. That'll teach you!

You are going to have to talk to us sometime you know.

Because if you don't, you are going to regret it.

Yeah. We can think of many worse things to do to you than serving you innocent-looking Choc-o-Fudge Balls.

James.

Sirius.

~ * ~

I'm sure you could, Remus thought in muted amusement as he looked up from the letter. You could never under-estimate those two. The silent treatment, he knew, was very effective however. It never failed to drive them nuts.

His hysterical fit had finally dissipated, thanks to obtaining a double shot of ultra pure Glumbumble treacle at the apothecary's on the day it was delivered. It had been an exhausting few days while it lasted though, and his own mother finding the entire situation highly comical hadn't helped any.

You just wait, he thought, smiling to himself. I'll teach you two for trying to mess with me.

Remus looked out the window where Ptolemy had flown in. The midday sun was beating down mercilessly onto the scorched lawn below. As much as he loved being home, Remus was filled with a sudden longing for the extensive grounds of Hogwarts; the soaring turrets of the ancient stone castle; the winding corridors and moving staircases; the musty quiet of the library contrasting with the bright cheerfulness of the Gryffindor common room. He missed it all.

And there were his friends. Remus knew he could count on them. Every one of the three. Over the years, Remus had never waned in his appreciation of the chance he had been given. The chance to have been accepted into Hogwarts, the chance to learn, the chance to obtain qualifications required for his future career. But perhaps the biggest chance he had been given out of Professor Dumbledore's act of kindness was the fortune to have encountered three boys. Three individuals who had turned out to become people Remus would trust with his life. Four youths who together, forged such a strong bond of history and friendship, that perhaps even death itself would not be able to sever.