The Marauders and the Arenotelicon

"Remus!" exclaimed Peter in horror. James and Sirius looked equally horrified so Remus assumed that he still looked pretty terrible.

"What happened?" demanded James, looking his friend over carefully.

Remus' father and Dumbledore chose that moment to come up behind Remus and stopped as the boys were blocking their path. To Remus' shock, as well as everyone else's, Sirius turned on Remus' father. His hands were clenched in tight fists of rage and everyone could hear the grining of his teeth.

"You've got some nerve!" spat Sirius, pushing himself between Remus and his father.

Phineas looked confused. "I beg your pardon?" he asked politely.

"Bringing him back looking like this!" shouted Sirius angrily, waving a hand in Remus' direction. The three boys and Dumbledore paled as Sirius' accusation sank in. Phineas Lupin was still out of the loop.

"Mr. Black," Dumbledore said sharply but Sirius ignored him, completely intent on Remus' father.

"Did he fall down the stairs? You were teaching him to fly and he fell off his broom? An infestation of poltergeists?" Sirius continued to point at Remus, his finger straying from one bruise to another huge welt. "I've heard it all to cover what people like you do to your children! How about this one! It's my favorite...he tripped on the rug and banged himself against the hall table."

"Mr. Black!" roared Dumbledore to ward off further diatribe. He looked as shaken as Remus felt. Sirius spoke with the air of authority, of someone who not only knew the excuses to cover abuse but also one who had used them himself. His rage was palpable but not as much as his fear. Remus realized then that Sirus' bitterness toward his family was more than justified.

"Are you suggesting I beat my son?" gasped Phineas in surprised outrage.

"No," snapped Sirius, "I'm flat out accusing you!"

"Sirius!" cried Remus and James in unison. Peter just looked faint.

"Mr. Black!" protested Dumbledore at the same time. "That is enough!"

Phineas was stiff as a board as he pulled Remus to him, holding him tight. Remus could feel his father's tense outrage at the accusation and knew that anything his father said would matter little to Sirius.

"I would never hurt my son," began Phinease and continued over Sirius' derisive snort, "but I understand why you would think so."

Everyone stilled but Remus watched the anger on Sirius' face turn to wary skepticism. "Yeah?" he drawled. "Then why does he always have bruises and cuts when he comes home? Why is his voice always hoarse, like he'd been screaming and crying? He's all quiet and reclusive. Remus shows all the signs of having snot beat out of him once a month."

Everyone winced at the bluntness.

"Sirius, I -"

"No, Remus, I was to see how good his lies are."

"Mr. Black, I will not tell you again that this is enough!" snapped Dumbledore. "No wonder you're in Gryffindor, with nerve like this."

Sirius only sniffed.

"Sirius Black, I assure you I do not beat my son. Remus is all I have. I could never hurt him, at least on purpose," assured Phineas tiredly. "I work with potions, inventing and working with experimental potions. Perhaps Remus has mentioned this?" The boys nodded. Phineas' face looked tired and grey. "My wife, Remus' mother, had an incurable disease that I was hoping to cure with my experiments. It..." Phineas too a steadying breath before continuing. Remus could tell that, despite the modifications, the truth of emotion was being bared. "It didn't help, I didn't get it in time. She left us. Remus had been such a help when he was home and I found little time to work in my laboratory when he left for school that I asked the headmaster if Remus could come home once night a month to help out. He agreed."

"The illness was that bad then?" asked a saddened Peter, sidling over to stand next to Remus.

"Very," confirmed Dumbledore without turning a hair and either Lupin could speak. "To tell you the exact nature of the illness would be a breach of personal modesty, boys, so do not ask the nature of the illness." All three, Sirius included though still skeptical, nodded.

"Some of my ingredients had to be fresh extracts from some dangerous creatures and Remus had to help me," Phineas continued smoothly but with a faraway look in his eye. 'Some of that was true,' conceded Remus to himself. "Sometimes his mother..."

"Papa!" That was going too far to Remus' way of thinking. That was disparaging a woman who'd only abandoned her family, not physically abused them.

Phineas gave his son a sharp look that subsided Remus' protests. Even Dumbledore looked startled at the comment, giving the younger Lupin the idea the canny old wizard knew the true circumstances of the Lupin family. It also seemed to be translated by the other boys that Dumbledore had not known of Mrs. Lupin's "violent episodes", solidifying the elder Lupin's story as truth.

"But what about after Christmas?" persisted Sirius.

"Please, Sirius," begged Remus tiredly. "Let it go."

"No!" shouted Sirius. "It's bad enough that I-" He stopped himself, going ashen. "You're too nice a guy to live like that," Sirius finished lamely but with determination.

"And you aren't?" shouted Remus back, startling everyone. He'd had enough. "You think you deserve it more?"

Everyone froze again, with Remus and Sirius nose to nose. Sirius looked away after a moment.

"Maybe, maybe not. We're not talking about me, we're talking about you."

"Are we?" countered Remus, causing Sirius to flinch. "I was helping Papa with occamies last night. He's using the scales for ingredients." Remus' tone brooked no argument. "This is the last time I want to hear you accusing my father of abusing me or we aren't friends anymore." Sirius looked appropriately strickened at the thought. "All right?"

"Yeah," Sirius finally mumbled. "All right."

"I am, however, grateful, boys, that my son has such loyal friends. Due to my eccentricities and his mother's illnesses, Remus never had the chance to meet other children his age. I was afraid that he would have a hard time at school." Phineas smiled, a slow smile just like his son's. "I'm please my fears are unfounded."

The four boys returned the smile. "He's a good friend to us, sir," James replied with a mischievous grin in Remus' direction.

Dumbledore saw the grin. "And as such good friend, he no doubt had some hand in the mischief you three got into last night. Since I had to take care the aftermath, I will be in charge of your detentions."

The four boys looked properly appalled by this news, as well as chastened.

"And what will that detention be?" asked Peter nervously.

"Ah, Mr. Pettigrew," Dumbledore chuckled softly. "You'll just have to wait until next Monday evening at nine o'clock to find out, won't you?"

Sirius swallowed loudly. Peter looked like a frozen rabbit in wand light. James closed his eyes as if before an executioner and Remus' stomach did somersaults. Four days to sit and wonder!

"You'll be all right then, Remus?" asked Phineas, turning his son around to face him.

"Yes, Papa, I'll be fine," replied Remus reassuringly.

"Then I'll meet you in London at the train." Remus agreed and Phineas and Dumbledore continued to the front door, deep in conversation, leaving the four boys alone. The silence was awkward.

"Remus, I'm sorry I -" started Sirius but Remus turned on him angrily.

"My father is who you should be apologizing too," Remus said coldly and spun to walk away. Another thought struck and he turned back sharply. "And, yes, you should apologize to me too! I repeatedly told all of you that your beliefs about me being hurt at home were wrong yet you still toom me for a liar. Is this how friends act to each other? If that's the case, then maybe I don't need friends!" He turned and raced away, running blindly down the halls, not sure where he was going.

He bumped into someone, muttered an apology and continued. "Typical!" spat Snape's voice. "No one matters but you."

Remus skidded to a halt, ready to fight the Slytherin if that was what Snape wanted. He was spoiling for a fight. "What?" he snapped, turning back around. He gave a start.

Snape was against the wall, as if leaning on it for support, books and papers were scattered all over the floor. Snape's expression was pained and angry. "I've been working on this project for four weeks, organizing it and researching it. Finally got it all together and now this. Thanks a lot, Lupin."

Feeling guilty, Remus went to help pick it up only to be shoved away by Snape.

"Leave it alone!" the Slytherin exclaimed. "Just go away!"

"Snape, I'm sorry, I -"

"Hard of hearing, Lupin?"

"I'm sorry," Remus blurted before he took off running again.

He made it to the Gryffindor Common Room in no time flat, chest heaving with the exertion. "Hey Lupin you look like..." Remus didn't stay to hear the rest. He belted up the winding stairs and collapsed sobbing on his bed.

"Why?" he sobbed to himself. "Why can't I be like everyone else? Why can't I be human?"