Remus understood that a lot of people were excited he was here. However, no one asked him if he was excited to be here. Nor did anyone ask him to bring him here. Then again, no one was asked to bring any of these… others back, including him. He just wanted to keep a low profile right now. Back in the day, or well, what seemed like just a couple weeks ago for him, it was just him and his friends – his friends took the eyes away from him and he was just that kid in the background. Now he was some sort of war hero? Sure, he was planning to fight against Voldemort, but that was just what someone was supposed to do, it wasn’t that heroic was it?
He’d gotten new clothes from the ministry, even after he protested, but he preferred the robes he showed up in. And that was what he was wearing now: his old tattered robes he normally wore. There was something he preferred about them – they were more familiar and not as… brand new as the ones he was given.
Sighing, Remus walked into the Great Hall fairly early in the morning to grab himself some breakfast before the crowds showed up. He just wanted to eat in peace without a crowd swarming him, asking him to write letters to people he never even heard of, do interviews for the Daily Prophet, become some sort of activist for werewolf rights. Right, everyone knew what he was too. That just made everything worse.
He just wanted to go back to his ‘time’. He wanted to go back to his friends. To being a normal student to everyone else, even if he wasn’t exactly normal.
[attr="class","mvula-lyrics"]SING TO THE MOON AND THE STARS WILL SHINE
[attr="class","mvula-text"]The start of this term felt odd for James, along with his fellow pupils as well. Two years left of his education was an adequate time to get out and about, but everything felt off. Individuals that were reminiscent to topics he had learned in previous years. Figures that seem to have almost risen from the dead -- literally speaking. Most of these people weren't of interest to James. He thought it would be best to leave them alone, letting them figure out what has happened in their own time. Sure it was interesting to ponder on, but when you start to poke into subjects that are unfamiliar to you it can sometimes turn amok.
To follow his regular routine, James would always come down in the morning early to catch his thoughts in solitude. Within his own reasoning, he thought it was better to remove himself from the Ravenclaw tower before morning classes. Every single sunrise was hectic up there, as if the common room was stuck in its own little dimension. James didn't mind his housemates, per say, it was more or less he had a bond of being acquaintances with others than maintaining and keeping friendships.
Making his way through the corridors and through the doors of the Great Hall, he breathe in the inviting aroma of today's breakfast selection. The fragrant scent reminded him of home and all the adventurous he went on. Funny how something so small as food could bring back memories.
His eyes scanned the room looking for familiar or unfamiliar faces. He spotted nothing out of the ordinary besides a singular figure in worn down looking robes. He sat at the same table as the man, a few seats away as to not raise any eyebrows.
Remus was acutely aware of James the instant he entered the Great Hall, tensing slightly, hoping that the guy wouldn’t approach him. He didn’t know him – it was a Ravenclaw boy, and given he was a Gryffindor… and well new to most people here, he didn’t know if this guy was someone like him, or someone who actually belonged here. However, his shouldered relaxed a bit when he approached the table but didn’t actually sit next to him. At least he wasn’t one of those who were asking for autographs or for him to do something for them.
His eyes glanced at the boy while he ate a bit of sausage. Well, he was cute. As Remus wasn’t exactly the straightest person in the world, he couldn’t really help himself when it came to cute people. Not that he would actually do anything of course! Just the thought made him blush very slightly. ‘Calm down, Moony,’ he thought to himself, his eyes glancing away from the kid. He had to be at least a sixth year, give or take a year. He knew he looked older than he actually was – always did, thanks to his lycanthropy causing him a lot of stress. Hell, he was sure he found a couple of grey hairs already and he was only seventeen.
Biting his lower lip, Remus slid over a couple seats towards the kid. He was always a lonely sort of person, and while he didn’t want crowds of people, he didn’t mind a few friends – who knew if James, Sirius or Peter would… ‘come back’ as he did?
“Hey,” Remus said quietly looking down at his plate and poking his eggs slightly. “My name’s Remus. Er, new here. Seventh year.” He looked up for a moment before offering his hand to the guy.
[attr="class","mvula-lyrics"]SING TO THE MOON AND THE STARS WILL SHINE
[attr="class","mvula-text"]He would sigh, shuffling around the table for some actually edible. He wasn't a picky eater, he just felt slightly aligned to specific foods depending on his overall mood at the time. Right now he was nervous, yet interested on how this year would unfold. With only two years left, he didn't have much time to waste. It bugged him, really, how much people who be perfecting their O.W.L and N.E.W.T results. James really didn't care. He was simply seeking a passing grade. Of course there was currently a competition going around between his fellow Ravenclaw peers. Those that obtain an 'outsanding' mark would be eligible to enter a drawing for a few galleons. It piqued James interests, but nonetheless, he knew he wouldn't win. He enjoyed being studious and creative, yet when it came to the actual action of doing so he ended up falling short; procrastination was his enemy.
Diving into some sausage, a bowl of fruit, eggs, and a cup of tea he began to let his thoughts wander aimlessly. The biggest concern on his mind would be if his Muggle mates would still want to hangout over his breaks. The past summer was tough on him, they almost seemed disconnected, as if they moved on. It wasn't their fault he was unable to tell them his exact location; that would result in him more than likely being expelled. It sucked out tight security had to be nowadays.
James played with his food, pushing it around his plate. 'Another year opens up more possibilities', he thought to himself. He would roll his eyes subconsciously and take a small piece of honeydew and plop it into his mouth.
As he was savoring his deliciously healthy fruit, the strangely dressed man he remembered seeing slid towards him. He had a sense of maturity in his face, almost looking like a professor. Could he have be one? No, of course not. Why would he be here instead of an office of some sorts. James mentally shook the thought off, believing it was best to simply consider him a seventh year instead. Before he could open his mouth, the stranger poke his eggs ever so gently and introduced himself. So he was right to an extent, a seventh year. He shyly stared at the hand before awkwardly offering his own, "Yes, heh sorry," he paused, clearing his throat. "I'm James Davis, a sixth year. You said you were new to here, did you transfer from another school, your robes seem different than the rest of the students here." A smile slightly begging to play onto his lips.
James? For a moment, a flash of recognition washed over his face, but then he said his last name, and that half-a-second he was thinking this was his friend and somehow he didn’t recognize him (then again, why would James not greet him anyways if he were actually here). He knew it was dumb to feel let down by the fact this guy had the same name as Prongs, someone he wished he could be sitting by right now. He swallowed and quickly shook the hand that took his offered hand – having paused for a moment after he heard the name. Half of the guy’s words passed into his ears and almost left without really understanding them because of that.
However, just as they were about to pass from his memory, he focused on them, and nodded slightly. Well, at least this guy didn’t seem to know of him. That was good. Maybe he was also like him, but he didn’t know for sure. He didn’t seem to be acting like it – asking if he was from another school. But it was still possible. Remus pursed his lips and finally nodded.
“Er, in a way.” He quickly went to eat a sausage so he could think a bit over what he was going to reply with. He was never really one to plan things out when it came to social interactions – he always knew how it would go with James and Sirius and Peter. They’d bully some kid; he’d stick his nose up and look away. Then tell them that was not good. Then it would repeat. Not a good cycle to have, but it was something he was used to. Normal interaction? That was hard.
“These are… well, robes from… fifty…? Fifty years ago? I think. Er, I’m one of those – those people from the paper.” He swallowed, expecting a myriad of questions and a crushing sense of overstimulation.
[attr="class","mvula-lyrics"]SING TO THE MOON AND THE STARS WILL SHINE
[attr="class","mvula-text"]James studied his face curiously as he took in the words, almost as if the other was processing it. He began to poke around his food again, only take small bites here and there. He was more interested in the person and the conversation than his own thoughts boiling up inside him. At least he had someone to properly talk to for longer than a few minutes.
It felt weird that Remus was only a year above him, yet he had never seen the other boy before. He surely knew they would have crossed paths at least once or twice. He looked him in the eyes as the other was thinking, trying to analyze him as he ate. 'In a way' was vague, James thought. It was almost as if he seemed to wanted to avoid the topic.
When Remus had answered his question, an expression of shock came over James face. He sat there quietly for a moment, trying to recall something his mother had said to him before boarding the train. Once it finally hit him, he opened his mouth to speak, "You're... one of the dead people? His voice trailed off, unaware of how rude that could have came out. "You're joking right? You don't look sixty years old. He looked around the Great Hall, trying to gauge the audience. James didn't want to start a scene, lowering his voice and leaning in he spoke confused. "Prove it to me then, if you fought in the war who are you exactly?"
Well that wasn’t as bad as Remus was expecting. He knew Ravenclaws that would talk off his ear if they found out he was someone who apparently died and came back as a seventeen-year-old. Then again, he wasn’t much like his friends where he would judge people based on their house – hell, Severus Snape wasn’t really that bad of a person, even though James and Sirius really seemed to hate him for some silly reason.
He couldn’t help but giggle slightly at James’s musings how he didn’t look sixty years old. Well that made him feel ten-years-old again. Clearing his throat, Remus bit his lower lip and looked off to the side for a moment. “I already told you who I am. Remus. Remus Lupin.” Taking a bite of his eggs, he chewed on them before deciding to continue on with that line of thinking. “I don’t know much of my role in history. I… like to think of it as someone else really. I don’t remember anything after my birthday before… well showing up here. Madame Rosmerta looked like she saw a ghost when I showed up wondering what the hell – excuse my language – was going on.”
He smiled a bit, looking up and off to the side thinking about how funny her face had been, though at the time he didn’t realize how bad it was – after all, she looked a bit older than he remembered, but that could easily have been chalked up to a prank by James or Sirius aging her up. “It’s out in public knowledge now though, so you might wanna move away from me. Because well, I’m a werewolf. Apparently some sort of figure in the movement right now for… werewolf rights I think.”
[attr="class","mvula-lyrics"]SING TO THE MOON AND THE STARS WILL SHINE
[attr="class","mvula-text"]James took in all the information like a sponge, trying to absorb everything. He understood only what he had been told, and the rumors being whispered around the school. Lupin, the key word he was missing. How come he couldn't connect the dots already? A Gryffindor is some old clothing with the name of Remus who he'd never seen before. His hands made their way up to his temples, rubbing them a bit.
He'd quietly slide his plate of food away, no longer hungry and take one last sip of his tea. "I'm sorry but, you mean to tell me you're the same guy that taught in this very school years ago? The Remus who is married to a well renowned Auror? So all you can remember is Hogwarts. You have no idea what I'm saying -- you don't eve-." He cut himself off short, realizing he was rambling on too much. The poor guy, probably being thrown information left and right with no real meaning on how to process it. He narrowed his eyes in such a manner where he wasn't being hostile, "Do you know who did this to you at least? Everyone has been saying it's a mystery, that nobody can track the person responsible for it. He shook his head. "Personally, in my opinion I don't think it's a person. It could be some sort of artifact or crazy Seer raveling out prophecies."
He smiled, shaking the thought out slightly. The newly acquainted stranger didn't seem like a threat to him or anyone else. Perhaps this was the universes way of hitting the reset button, a second chance to those who deserve it.
When the wording came out of Remus' mouth one by one that he was infected with lycanthropy, James looked back up with a serious look. A werewolf attending the school? It shouldn't be impossible, but the safety measures behind it all. How would it work out? James wasn't a bigot towards blood purity, but he knew where the Ministry and the public eye drew their own personal lines. "Yes. I've heard of it before. He kept his responses short, trying to watch him closely. Pardon me, but you really don't seem the type to be able to lash out violently whenever you wish to. Or is that a falsehood people have made up? James kept his focus on the older boy, wanting to hear him out before making the decision of walking away or staying.
He gave James a slightly pained smile. He was married to someone he didn’t even remember – well he did technically given she was Sirius’s little cousin, but not really. The only thing he remembered about Nymphadora Tonks was the fact she was four years old. What was future him thinking? Marrying someone 13 years his junior? He supposed love knew no bounds. He almost wished she would come back too so he could get to know her. After all, they had a son together. They had to have really loved each other for him to be willing to risk that.
“Was married to a well renowned Auror. She was four years old last I checked. I suppose times change,” he sighed. At least it wasn’t that bad – this guy wasn’t really suffocating him, getting up in his face, asking for autographs or pictures or some of the other shit that others had done to him since getting here.
It was honestly slightly refreshing to have someone interested but not really getting up in his face about all of it. Or maybe he was just giving him the benefit of a doubt due to his name – or the fact he was kinda cute. That. And the fact he was more interested in how this happened apparently. See, he wanted to know who the hell did this to him too. Or what. James gave a good point – it could be some crazy artefact. He heard that the Department of Mysteries experimented with all sorts of crazy things, maybe it was something like that.
“I have no idea how it happened. One day I’m celebrating my birthday with my friends and then… well you’ve apparated before, right? It almost felt like that. I was sucked away from my friends and landed in Hogsmeade. Couldn’t see a thing while it was happening or feel anything other than the sucking sensation.”
He swallowed, seeing how James didn’t recoil from him immediately. Normally Remus wasn’t open about this – but apparently it was public knowledge now and he was given the potion by the current potions master at Hogwarts, and people used him as some sort of example of how werewolves could be good in their movement. Remus’s lower lip trembled slightly as he took in James’s reaction. He knew that face – as if trying to judge him based on his actions, see if he could tell the werewolf attributes. James and Sirius and Peter did the same when they first figured it out.
“For some of us, that’s true. However, it isn’t true of me. Even so, since it’s public knowledge, people might think you insane for being near me – or even hurt you for it.”
[attr="class","mvula-lyrics"]SING TO THE MOON AND THE STARS WILL SHINE
[attr="class","mvula-text"]He frowned slightly, knowing that he had overstepped a boundary. Like he previously thought, the man didn't know what had happened and James was pilling information he had learned on top of him.
The room was getting hotter, it was just himself start to overthink and it all getting to his head. Was married. Yes, was. This would be the future, er well the present. Who the hell knew, Time was trying to screw everything up for everyone. "I see, James sat himself back up, straightening his spine to fix his posture, when I mentioned that stuff earlier, I didn't mean to be invasive I hope you accept my apology." Remus was a nice fresh breeze of air to take in, a distraction from the other bland activity occurring around the castle. He started off slow, not wanting to stir the pot too fast or hard. "Your friends, have you seen them or heard of their potential whereabouts?"
His brain was swirling with everything he was being told and the recent events that had been happening. He bit his lip, trying to get himself out of the buzzing around his mind and clear it. "I guess I could wish you a belated birthday then. James tried his hand at an attempted humorous joke, not sure it was the correct time to do so or not. I have alongside someone before, but I take the class this year and my test when I turn seventeen. I understand where you're coming from though, a sudden rush. A quick snap and you could have transported yourself halfway across the entire world." A sucking sensation, being plopped into a random location such as Hogsmeade and nowhere near Remus' friends. That must hurt on a highly emotional level. To not be aware of what's happening constantly. James frowned, finally being able to get how tough this might be -- on top of being a Werewolf as well.
Screw public knowledge. Books are nice, information is splendid. Who cares though when the centralized viewpoint should be focusing on the people. They are the ones that matter. "I don't care if people think I'm insane, look at me. I could play the part of it I wanted to." James relaxed his 'studying' gaze and retained a more friendly disposition, "Besides. If someone does try to hurt me for it I'd have a mean, nasty, angry Werewolf friend to help fend them off right?" He'd tease at his choice of wording, trying to lighten up the situation.
Remus smiled a bit and nodded. Well, at least he apologized for it – some of the stuff people said happened to him made him uncomfortable. He barely even knew the person he had apparently married. In a way, he just thought of it as… that was someone else completely. Sure, they had literally everything happen the same up until his birthday, but this was a second chance type of thing. He never did any of those things. Someone else did. He did see some old picture of the other him, and yeah, he was sure he’d look like the guy. But that wasn’t him. It just wasn’t.
“No, no, it’s okay. It’s only… natural to wonder. Weird things happening and I’m one of the ones it affected.” Remus was slouched over his food, though when he saw James straightening, he became aware of this fact – but he didn’t care too much. He wasn’t ever really the best person when it came to posture and right now, he felt like crumpling up into a ball and just retreating from the entire world. “Er, no I haven’t. I haven’t heard a thing, but… well I can hope they’ll come back like I did. You know? They’re… all deceased at this point. I’m sure you’ve heard of them: James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew.”
Remus looked to the side before his eyes went right towards James. “Is it really true that James got together with Lily Evans?” Given how much she hated James, it seemed so odd to him how they got together. Sure, James loved her, but Remus knew Lily fairly well: she hated him and his guts. Maybe James calmed down and his head deflated a bit in the months following the last he remembered.
“Well thank you.” He nodded, “Just turned seventeen. Didn’t even finish my exams for sixth year, but given I was only a couple months from those exams, they allowed me to keep… well, the scores I… got before.” Remus sighed and took a bite of his eggs again, chewing as he thought. The food was the same at least. The castle looked the same. It just wasn’t the same. Also, it seemed the great hall changed slightly – there were places he could tell were repaired at some point… and it wasn’t like that before. “Yeah, I uh… took it early. Special permissions. Made… getting around easier for me.”
Remus gave James a small smile. “My friend, James, the other one, not you, used to say that… well he couldn’t be afraid of me no matter what I was because I folded my socks. I think he said something like… ‘You’re being dramatic. You fold your socks, Remus. Forgive me if I’m not trembling at the sight of you.’ Or something similar.”
[attr="class","mvula-lyrics"]SING TO THE MOON AND THE STARS WILL SHINE
[attr="class","mvula-text"]James mind wandered from thought to thought, staring off into space lost in his mind before snapping back into reality. It wasn't that he was uninterested or bored of the conversation, he was tired. Tired and stressed. A bad mixture to have. Could he skips his classes assigned tomorrow? No harm would come besides a detention. The homework and class notes were easy to get, he could potentially make an excuse for his absence as well. Staying hidden wouldn't be hard either, considering Hogwarts could have been a labyrinth in another world.
James would return back to the reality in front of him, making a small 'mhm' noise to say that he has been listening. Somewhat. "Yes. Very weird. In fact you may want to know that James Potter's son had a few children attending to the school a few years prior." He'd rub his eyes, trying to get himself back into focus.
The preceding question caught him off guard, especially the sudden change of glance. He crossed his legs before answering, "Lily Potter? If Evans was her madame surname, then yes. If I'm recalling from History of Magic correctly the ending of their tale is too twisted and dark." James shook his head, sighing. "It would be best not to stir the pot of negative memories, but if you must know their lives were robbed sooner than they should have passed."
He watched Remus continue to eat. It would be the polite thing to try to keep his food intake up as someone ate in front of him. James took another sip of his tea, emptying the cup. Maybe later. It would be soon enough that people would start to flood in for the morning hours. His awareness perked up when he mentioned his previous exam scores. "Did you do good? I assume apparating someone would be a challenge, but nothing crazy." His eyes would follow the path of another student walking in with a friend, closely observing them sit on the far right side of the Great Hall. "Do you mind if I ask why, or even how, you got special permission? Was it the werewolf thing?" James asked, a bit too loud. He didn't really mind the opinions that could start flying their -or his- way, but at the time was unsure Remus' entire stance on it. Remus had enough to deal with already.
A small giggle slipped from James mouth. "Funny of him. I wouldn't tremble in front of Mr. I-Fold-My-Socks either. You know they're small enough to just throw in the drawer, right?" He grinned, raising a hand to his hair to fix the ruffled mess he felt slowly falling onto his forehead. Had it been that way the entire conversation? That would be semi embarrassing.
☽