I talk about baboons and Harry Potter eavesdrops
For two hours I waited in the common room, staring into the fire like a fool. Professor Lupin had given me a letter with instructions for tonight.
Number one on the agenda: don't let anybody see you.
I had already failed at that one.
He'd told me to make sure nobody saw me when I left and made my way to the shack. He had requested that I prepared a cover story, something else I didn't do, in case somebody found me.
What was I supposed to tell Leo and Percy? They had literally seen the transformation. Was I just supposed to tell them, no, you guys didn't see anything? You imagined it all! I'm not a werewolf, I'm not Jason Grace, who's he?
It was times like there when I wished I could transfigure myself into a turtle and hide away in my shell for the rest of eternity.
The next thing on the list that Lupin had given me was to wait in the common room after the full moon was gone. He said to wait by the fire and we could talk about how my first transformation at school had gone. That's what I was doing right now, waiting. My life had been nothing but waiting lately. Waiting for the full moon to be over with, waiting for Percy Jackson to leave me alone, waiting another year until I can graduate and be out of this place...
The cycle of waiting would continue, just like the cycle of the moon. My life would always be nothing but waiting.
I was losing my patience.
Just as I was about to go off to bed, the fire spewed ash. At first, I thought Lupin has used the floo network, but I was wrong. His face appeared in the fire. Even made of flame, he looked exhausted. He forced a kind smile when he saw me.
"Jason, I see that you made it through the night. How was it? Anything you want to talk through?" He asked.
I sat across from the fire, curious.
"Where do I start?" I wondered aloud. Lupin chuckled to himself.
"A very valid question, boy. To which I reply: where do you want to start?"
I hesitated. Should I tell him about Leo and Percy? I didn't want him to be disappointed. Then again, he had told me to make friends. He said that I could choose whether I told anyone or not, as long as it was somebody I trusted. Leo and Percy weren't exactly viable candidates.
"How did it go for you?" I offered. His smile flickered for a second, but it could have just been the flame.
"Sorry, I took so long to reach you. I asked Tonks, an um, friend of mine to wake me after the transformation so I could speak to you. I usually collapse afterwards, she said she wanted to let me rest." He cleared his throat. "My transformation went the same as always. I'm just a bit tired and sore, but that will pass in time. I'm here to talk about you, Jason. How did things go?"
I had to tell him.
"Two students from my class somehow found their way into the shack right before my transformation. They saw it, all of it. I--I don't think they're going to tell anyone. They even came back to help me out after the moon set."
Lupin nodded, he didn't look disappointed at all. If anything, he looked satisfied.
"You know, Jason, at school I was just like you once. I thought hiding who I was would make the situation easier for everyone. Unfortunately, I let three baboons into my life and they found out my secret. After that, to my surprise, things became easier."
I sighed.
"The baboons I'm dealing with aren't exactly people I can stand. Well, they're decent guys I suppose. They both just have such egos, and I'd rather not hang around people like that."
Lupin laughed to himself, reminiscently.
"My baboons were a bit full of themselves at times too, but once I let them in I got to see their real selves. Maybe you'll come around, maybe they'll mature. Either way, you don't have to force yourself to like them. At one point, you just will."
He brought something up to his lips which I think was a cup of tea.
"You said in your letter that you would send a bit of help. That dog, is he a friend of yours?" I asked.
He nodded, moving the tea away from his mouth.
"He's one of the baboons."
I couldn't help but laugh, Lupin did as well.
"Unfortunately, I cannot give you much more information than that or I may get all three of us into trouble since he was an unregistered Hogwarts visitor, and for well, other reasons. I'll leave it at that." Lupin yawned. "Think about what I said, Jason. Things will get easier once you allow them to. Why push away potential friend when it takes so much work? Save yourself the stress. Goodnight, son."
I was exhausted. I wished more than anything that I had a baboon--a friend, I mean. Just like Lupin had said, I was awfully sore. Strangely enough, I felt a sense of satisfaction. I had gone through the transformation. All of the other details didn't matter. Everybody survived the night.
I didn't have much more time to reflect as another unwanted eavesdropper was presented. Why is it that during the times I needed to have privacy somebody had to be there? First Leo and Percy had witnessed my transformation, and now Harry was standing in the common room staring at me wide-eyed. He had heard the entire conversation, I knew it.
The fire flickered. Lupin has just been about to leave, but he froze. He too had seen the person behind me.
"Harry--" Lupin greeted, Harry interrupted him.
"Why haven't you written to me? You can kneel beside a fire, right after a transformation when you're most exhausted, and talk to another student. Yet, you've failed to respond to any of my letters!" Harry exclaimed. I had a feeling he wasn't talking to me.
"Jason, go to your dorm." Harry commanded. I was frozen too, just like Lupin was in the fire. "Look, I'm not going to tell anyone. You aren't the only werewolf I know, obviously." He gestured towards the fire. "Go get some rest."
That, I did.