Remus Lupin and the Prisoner of Azkaban (#Wolfstar)

Chapter Twenty Four- The Past

This story is fcked, idk if this chapter was up before?? Wattpad is messing with me. Sorry for the incovience!!
Wordcount: 2980

"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," said Sirius, who was still watching the rats every desperate move. "I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer."

"All right... but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Lupin, I only know how it began..."

Remus broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five of them stared at it. Then Remus strode toward it and looked out into the landing. It was not windy in here nor was there magic, what happened? Doors don't just open on their own.

"No one there..."

"This place is haunted!" said Ron.

"It's not," said Remus, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted... The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me." He pushed his greying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment then said, "That's where all of this starts -- with my becoming a werewolf, none of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten... and if I hadn't been so foolhardy..." He sighed tiredly. Everything really had been his fault.

Ron started to interrupt, but Hermione, said, "Shh!" She was watching Remus very intently.

"I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week, preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform... I'm able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.

"Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me.

"But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school...." Remus sighed again and looked directly at Harry. "I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house" -- Remus looked miserably around the room, -- "the tunnel that leads to it -- they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous."

The students looked at him cautiously; they didn't understand yet, but they were listening. The only sound apart from Remus' voice was Peter's frightened squeaking.

"My transformations in those days were -- were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumour... Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it...

"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black..." He smiled faintly at him. Sirius' expression shifted. "Peter Pettigrew..." He stared at the rat struggling in Ron's hand, "and, of course, your father, Harry--James Potter.

"Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her... I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth...