Wild Amenity » Remus Lupin

11. MISSING: Have you seen this dog?

Tuesday, 11th May 1976. 2 days until the full moon.

"JUDSON THOMAS OGDEN!"

It was too early for people to be screaming his full name in the middle of the common room. Whatever had happened, it couldn't be good. Judson took a deep breath, bracing himself as he walked down from the dormitories.

"Yes?"

Maverick stood in between the couches and sofa, looking frantically around. At the sound of his voice, he turned to him with a murderous gaze, and stomped towards him, scaring a few first year students. It took everything for Judson not to join them as they ran out the door.

"Where's the dog?" he demanded, staring at him, not batting an eyelash.

Judson sighed. So that's what it was about?

Let's give a bit of context: the night before, Maverick had brought with him a black, shaggy dog he'd found outside the Quidditch tent after finishing his training. He had claimed the animal looked lonely, and that it needed a place to sleep. Juniper had agreed almost instantly to the demand of letting it stay in the tower. Judson had tried to knock some sense in them, but it had been useless. They wanted the dog to stay.

The dog hadn't been too fond of Judson either. It growled and barked at him, as if he wanted him gone. Judson found it outrageous. It was his common room!

In the end, he decided to let the dog stay. He was too tired to argue, but refused to remain in the same place as them, so he went to sleep early. The only condition he imposed was for them to take care of it in the morning, because he was not touching that dog.

They had one job, and they couldn't do it.

"You lost it?" Judson said, looking around himself. He knew this would happen, but he still felt anxious about it. If Professor Flitwick found out, he would be screwed: he could get expelled—or worse, his Prefect badge could be removed. Judson shivered at the thought.

"You would know! You let it go."

Judson blinked a few times, stopping the current of thoughts flashing through his mind.

"I just woke up," he said, as if that would solve the matter. Maverick huffed.

"Then why isn't the dog here?"

"How could I know?" Judson said, matching the angry tone Maverick was using to address him and drawing the attention of their curious housemates.

"Good morning." Juniper appeared next to them, smiling happily. She surveyed the room with excited eyes. "Where's the puppy?"

"Judson let it out."

Juniper's smile faded. "What?! Why?"

"I didn't do it!" Judson exclaimed, staring at the bewildered and upset expressions of his friends. "You were supposed to take care of it!"

"Then who let the dog out?"

"That's not my problem!" Judson ran a hand through his hair, and pointed an accusatory finger towards them. "You were responsible for the dog. I had nothing to do with this."

He stormed out of the Ravenclaw Tower, followed by Maverick's incessant comments about how bad of a friend he was and how little he cared about the lives of other beings. On their way to the Great Hall, Maverick made them stop at every room, searching for the dog. By the time they had finally arrived at their destination, Judson tuned out his voice, hoping that he would shut up soon. Knowing Maverick, though, it was probable that wasn't going to happen.

Judson thought his morning couldn't have gone any worse, but he was proven wrong. As he filled his plate violently with scrambled eggs, a certain group of Gryffindor students entered through the big doors, and he almost dropped his fork.