One Proud Lion - A Fred Weasley Fanfiction

Chapter 6

I don't consider myself a professional writer. But I feel if I were you, looking into my very interesting life as a witch, raised by an actually good-willed aunt and uncle, because her parents were either murdered or a mystery or unknown to her; I would want some clarity.

Here's what I know.

My mom became pregnant with me as a young adult.

Whether or not she and my father were fully a couple is a blurred line.

My Aunt Mary and Uncle Remus were the last of her friends who were alive and well.

They would have taken charge of Harry if they could have, but Dumbledore barely gave me to them, because the last thing I know....

My Uncle Remus is a werewolf.

So as I sat that night at the Welcome Back dinner, I heard Dumbledore explain the dementors were here to protect us from the escaped murder Sirius Black. I hardly batted an eye. I was too distracted by the way Snape kept looking at Remus with pure disdain. It was the kind of hatred that Remus faced all too often, wherever he went if they knew his true condition.

The only people who ever fully accepted him were Mary and myself. Even as close as I was to the Weasley's, Remus avoided contact with them for fear they might discover his secret and hold it against me.

He explained to me a long time ago why people had so much hate in their hearts for werewolves and the kind of damage they could cause. I lived with Remus my whole life and never once got to see him in werewolf form, nor has he ever hurt me or Mary.

Professor Snape was a hateful man. He especially hated Gryffindors. When I came home my first Christmas, I had to tell Mary that I needed a new cauldron because Snape threw mine to the ground when I made a potion wrong. I thought Remus was going to lose it. I had never seen him so mad. Apparently they were rivals in school. To Remus's knowledge, Snape did not know we were connected.

Even if Snape demanded to see my records, I was only legally tied to Mary. "And who could ever hate Mary?" Remus said so casually. I remember shrugging, even though I knew how Slytherins felt about class and blood.

If he knew about Remus's status and condition, he would think him the lowest of the low.

Before I knew it we were being shuffled off to bed. "Do you want to say hi to my uncle?" I asked Fred impulsively. I wanted to spite Snape. Wipe the look off his smug face, and replace it with one of anger.

"Sure!" Fred said naively. As prefects took first years up the stairs, we moved towards the teacher table. Fred must have seen Snape's disgruntled face, because he audibly gulped. 

I walked right up to Remus who was listening to something McGonagall was whispering in his ear. Snape one chair away from them.

"Did you have a good summer professor?" I ask McGonagall. She smiles the way she only smiles at a few students. "Yes, dear. I did."

I pull Gatsby out from under my robes. "I thought you should have a touch of home in your office, Uncle Remus." I reach out my hand and pass the book to him. He takes it gently. He has a look of a chuckle just behind his eyes.

"You know my uncle, don't you Professor Snape?" I say simply turning to look at him. Snape stood quickly and walked away from the table and up the backstairs to the staff room.

I turn back to Remus and McGonagall as if that didn't just happen. "Well, enjoy the book." I say casually. "You shouldn't have done that." he says with a tsk tone.

"I didn't like the way he was staring at you. He should keep his opinions to himself."

"So should you." Remus hissed.

"Someone needs to speak up." I whisper. 

"If I may, I believe you did teach her that, sir." Freddie says. I smile a little at Fred's defense.

"Mr. Weasley." McGonagall says exasperated.

"We're off to bed." I cut in before she could say anymore "We'll see you in class tomorrow, Professor McGonagall." I say as I step down. Fred follows my paces.

As we walk away I just barely catch Remus whisper. "I am not going to be good at this." And McGonagall stood and said "Of course you won't Lupin. Nobody could be."

Once Freddie and I made it back to the Gryffindor Common Room, George immediately pulled Fred saying he had to talk to him about something and that it was an emergency. I plopped down on the couch next to Lee. "You know about the Angelina thing?" he whispered to me.

I roll my eyes. "Of course I know about the Angelina thing. How do you know about the Angelina thing?" I ask. "What's the Angelina thing?" I hear an all too familiar voice ask.

"ALICIA!" I squeal. I stand and give my favorite roommate a squeeze. "Congrats on being head girl. You and Kenneth must be thrilled." She smiled and shrugged. "Kenneth wasn't really surprised..." I snort. "Well there wasn't much competition."

"HEY! I'M SITTING RIGHT HERE." Lee complained.

"You wanted to be head boy?" Alicia asked.

Lee leaned back. "No. But I could have been."

We both squint our eyes and say "yeah right." at the same time.

Alicia pulls me up to our dorm. "Ughh I have so much to tell you." I sit down on my usual bed. "Same here."

"Okay okay. You go first. How was the concert? What's the Angelina thing? And have you seen Oliver yet?" Alicia spits out. I laugh.

"The concert was great."

I lean out to see if Ang is coming up the stairs. "The Angelina thing is just the million dollar question of which Weasley would she prefer." I half-lie.

Alicia laughs. "Oh Percy of course."

"And I saw him at dinner, but I don't think he saw me." I sigh. Alicia shakes her head. "No pressure Mal, but this would be your last year to impress him." I blush. "Don't worry too much about me." I say and stand up quickly. So quickly I knock over my bag and all the condoms Mary packed fall out onto the floor.

"Uhh yeah I don't think I have to worry." Alicia says with a raised eyebrow.

"MALLORY MCKINNON YOU'VE GOT TO PUT THOSE AWAY." Angelina, who was now standing in our doorway squeals.

"Then help me, Ang! Don't yell about it." I panic as I get on my hands and knees and try to collect the packets. Angelina got down and put them in a pile.

"Ughh why didn't she just give me a box like a normal parent?" I whine. "It's not even like I have a use for these."

Alicia snorts as she collects her handful. "Don't judge me. I didn't pick my aunt!"

"How about your uncle? Is he really the new DADA teacher?" Ang asks.

"What!" Alicia exclaims dropping her packets. I sigh as I shove them all in my bag's side pocket.

"Yes. That's him."

"Way to bury the lead, Mal." Alicia comments, throwing her paraphernalia into my duffle bag.

"Your uncle is Professor Lupin?" I look up to see Hermione Granger standing outside our dorm.

"Gosh did the castle walls suddenly grow thin?" I sigh. "No. Your voice just carries." Hermione said matter of factly.

I roll my eyes. "Yes, Lupin is my uncle. He basically raised me."

"That's so sweet." Alicia coons.

"He's got to be better than Lockhart." Angelina comments.

We all silently agree and kind of just decide we're going to bed. Alicia leaves to go check on the 1st years and Hermione goes to her own dorm.

As I stare up at the ceiling I have no idea what this school year will bring.