The Marauders: The Book of Shadows

The Boys and the Wolf (Part 1)

September 1971

Remus carefully released himself from his mother's embrace.

King's Cross station was filling up more and more, and voices and faces imbued with different emotions were gathering in front of the Hogwarts Express. Anticipation and noise mingled with the thick haze of the vehicle parked on the train tracks.

"Promise me you'll take care of yourself, honey..."

Remus shuddered. It was hard to process this feeling. For years, he had looked forward to this day with great anticipation. But now he was a nervous wreck.

"...We'll write to you..."

Remus was hugged by his father, who looked equally sad.

In an urgent attempt to control his nervousness, the boy turned to the crowd, trying to distract himself with anything that caught his attention.

His amber gaze flickered over the people who made up this mosaic. A black-haired girl was saying goodbye to her younger sister. A boy was putting an owl in its cage. Another student put his wand all the way in his ear.

The painful dragging of scratches from the lycanthrope cycle three days ago under Remus' clothes didn't help his confidence. Would it be so hard for him to focus his attention on something other than the ticking clock?

Then something unusual happened...

Remus had his eyes fixed on an instance on the side of the column, next to the poster with the handsome faces of the Minister of Magic and his wife Jordana Johnson, the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

At the bottom of the parchment, large letters moved by magic, reading, 'Diversity is Peace. Freedom is right. Knowledge is Strength." A little further away, a tall boy with very long black hair seemed to be arguing with his parents.

The boy looked like a second-year student. His parents, dressed in the attire of wizarding high society, looked at their son in disgust as he pointed his finger in the direction of the train.

Remus couldn't understand what was going on. But he couldn't help but notice the stern look the man and woman were giving their own son, as well as the arrogant posture with the clenched jaws and high chins of the two wizards.

The couple's overly elegant clothing was so out of keeping with the people in the station. Cloaks, fur stoles, hats with a veil in front of the woman's face, and silks made them look like distinguished travelers embarking on a journey and looking at the servants with detachment and elitism.

Frowning, the boy walked toward where the Lupins were standing and made his way to the door of the train.

At that moment, the boy's and Remus' eyes met, and for a few seconds, the taller boy stared at the amber-eyed boy in front of him.

The black-haired boy narrowed his wild eyes and asked:

"What are you looking at?"

Remus looked into the taller boy's gray eyes and swallowed hard. He almost took a step back, fearing that he'd also get an 'Oh, by the way, fuck you too' in the form of a raised middle finger right in the face.