Remus had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts and studies that he barely noticed the rivalry going on between Gryffindor and Slytherin. He was aware of it, and knew some of what was going on. Black slopping the eggs at the Slytherin in Potions, the Slytherins trying to attack Pettigrew, the words exchanged at Flying lessons... but that just seemed on the fringes of more important things like classes and essays. And Dedenne.
On Monday afternoon, after a particularly bad Defense Against the Dark Arts class (he got a P on his essay. A poor. Try again and turn it in next time) and he felt like he wanted to shout at Dedenne. He knew his essay was perfectly fine! She was being biased, he knew this now, he fully understood finally she was being completely biased against him. There was no ifs, ands, or buts. She's doing this to me because I'm a werewolf.
He walked down the corridors by himself as he had hidden near the classroom until all his classmates had gone. He didn't want anyone seeing how upset he was. Unfortunately this left him wide open for an attack.
"Hey, look!" said a voice that barely penetrated Remus's miserable thoughts. "It's a lion cub!"
Remus's steps faltered and he turned around to see some Slytherins coming towards him. Three of them. Mulciber, Avery, and a particularly brutish boy called Bulstrode. Remus's heart jumped into his throat and he began walking faster towards the staircase. He was practically running when they were running behind him and he was halfway down the stairs when they caught up to him. One of them grabbed him and pushed so he went tumbling down the remainder of the steps. He pulled his wand out, pointing up towards them, but they were fast and on him and Avery kicked his hand hard, sending his wand flying.
Remus tried to scramble backwards while two things battled inside of him. One was fear, seeing the gleam of bullying in their eyes. The other was the wolf who began pacing in his head, clawing at his soul. Fight, rip, kill! He began breathing heavily, head aching as he tried to push the wolf away. He had experienced the wolf trying to take control before outside the full moon however it had never happened so suddenly and so strong. He was worried he wouldn't be able to control himself.
"I don't think he's even eleven," Mulciber said, straddling Remus who had pushed himself up against a wall. "How old are you really? Ten? Nine?"
"What a baby," sneered Bulstrode.
"Wh--wh--what d-d-d-did I ever--ev--ever d-d-do to--t-t-to you?" Remus somehow got out which caused the three Slytherins to laugh, Avery doubling over from laughing so hard.
"Wh-wh-what did you say?" Mulciber mocked.
"Hey, Solonys, didn't you say your cousin taught you a really... fun spell?" Bulstrode asked.
Avery began cackling in such a way that sweat broke out across Remus's body. "Oooh, yes, yes, yes," Avery giggled in a high-pitched manner. "Shall I test it out then? It's a perfect spell for a baby."
Remus lunged to the side to try and escape and then someone kicked him in the ribs hard. He cried out in pain and collapsed, curling into a little ball, clutching the spot. A few tears fell out and the Slytherins noticed and began laughing, chanting 'baby! baby!'. Then Avery nudged Remus over so he rolled onto his back. He pointed his wand and hissed out a spell and Remus had no idea what to expect but nothing happened. Avery frowned and tried it again, and Remus recognized some of the roots of the words, realizing Avery was most likely trying to make Remus pee himself. The spell was not working though (to Remus's great relief) so Avery put his wand away and then grabbed Remus, hauling him to his feet and dragging him off. Remus struggled and tried to get free while the wolf panted and slobbered to be released. Oh, he knew he could overtake Avery easily if he let the wolf take hold. He probably could take Avery on without the wolf guiding him. He had a strength to him beyond what a normal eleven-year-old should have.
He didn't want to use it though, didn't want to risk breaking any bones and raising suspicions, so he just struggled and cried as he was pulled into a large, old, empty bathroom. He was taken into a stall and before he knew it his head was down into the toilet water. He coughed and sputtered, the water flooding into his mouth. Then he was yanked out and pushed down to the floor, head just barely missing the ceramic.
"You're the most pathetic Gryffindor I've ever seen," Avery said, standing over Remus. "Can't talk right, always alone..." Remus pushed back, wedging himself between the toilet and wall, still coughing up water. "Don't even have any friends in Gryffindor, do you?" Avery continued. "You're weird, everyone says so." He reached out and took a handful of dusty toilet paper then dunked it into the toilet, getting it wet. He threw it right into Remus's face then got another handful and was going to throw when a ghost suddenly appeared out of the toilet, shrieking right into Avery's face.
Avery screamed and flung himself back, knocking into Mulciber and Bulstrode. The ghost swooshed towards them, arms outstretched, a horrible sort of wail coming from her mouth. The three Slytherins took off running, screaming in fear of this ghost they'd never seen before, not knowing if she could do anything to them.
Remus wiped the wet toilet paper off his face and then began crying because there was nothing else he could do. He curled up into a little ball next to the toilet and sobbed into his arms. What did I do to them?! Why did they attack me?! Why? WHY?!
"Are you all right?" came a wispy sort of feminine voice.
Remus just kept crying, figuring some girl had just come in and was seeing him like this. He tried to curl up even more, wishing he could curl into such a small ball he'd disappear. Then something cold brushed against his back and he jerked, knocking his head against the wall.
"Ooooh," came the voice and he finally realized it was the ghost sitting on the edge of the toilet, watching him with interest. "It's okay. I understand completely. Crying is the best thing to do." She swung her legs, looking rather cheerful now, nothing like the horrible wailing thing earlier. "You haven't died, have you?" she asked quite avidly.
"....n--no?" he managed to get out, rubbing his head, tears still dripping.
"I wasn't sure how hard you hit your head," she replied, a bit of disappointment entering her eyes. "Keep crying, it really does help." He wondered if she was just teasing her but she didn't look like she was or even sounded it. "Crying always makes me feel better." She glanced over at the open stall door then back at Remus. "Have they bullied you before?" He shook his head. "Oh. I was bullied a lot when I was alive."
He pulled his knees against his chest, wrapping his arms around them, putting his damp face down against them. "I don't know what I did to them. I didn't do anything."
"Bullies don't need a reason, they just do it," the ghost said, rather hissily.
"I suppose so." He gave another loud sniffle and the tears finally started slowing down. He wiped his face on his sleeves and then pulled up his robes to try and dry the toilet water from his hair. "What's your name?"
"Myrtle," the ghost replied and then floated down to sit on the floor next to him, partially in the toilet. "What's yours?"
"R--Remus." He lifted his chin and studied her a little bit. She doesn't look much older than me, he thought, though didn't want to ask her anything about it.
"I heard what they said. They said you had no friends. Is that true?"
"Er, I--I suppose so. I--I'm sorry I should probably go, before someone comes. I d--don't want anyone seeing me crying."
"It's okay!" Myrtle said quickly, reaching out, her hand going through his arm. "This is my bathroom. It's off-limits, you see. There's a sign up and everything to keep people out. Nobody comes in. Cry all you want."
"Your bathroom?" Remus asked.
"Uh-huh. I died here. Over there, in that stall down there," she said, pointing.
"Oh... I'm very sorry," he said honestly, and she looked quite pleased.
"Want to see?" He didn't really, but it seemed rude especially when she was being so nice to him so he nodded and got to his feet, following her farther into the bathroom. She floated in front of a stall, beaming. "Right there, my body was right there." Remus looked solemnly at the spot, no idea what to say about this, but Myrtle didn't seem to care. She floated up to perch on the door. "If you're bullied again you're welcome to come here. It's a girl's bathroom but it's okay, since it's mine. Or if you want to talk. Course I'm sure you probably don't want to talk to me."
"I don't mind," he said. "Ghosts are much more interesting anyway. When did you come to Hogwarts?"
She slithered down to the floor. "Nineteen-forty. I died in forty-three. I was in Ravenclaw."
"What was it like?" he asked.
"Dying?" she asked eagerly.
Remus blinked a few times and pushed his damp fringe out of his eyes. He had meant attending Hogwarts in the early forties. "Er, sure."
Myrtle gladly began talking about her death, and gleefully told him about how the girl who had bullied her found Myrtle's body. Remus sat down and listened to her, not wanting to leave the bathroom anytime soon. He was worried the Slytherins were still hanging out nearby, and he still felt very upset and on the verge of more tears with the slightest upset. Remus managed to get the conversation to what the school was like when she was alive, and she rattled on about her classes and teachers and it was so interesting that he completely lost track of time until his stomach began rumbling. He was dry at this point and suspected he had been in there for an hour and a half, if not more.
"I'm really sorry," he said, uncrossing his stiff and slightly painful legs to get up. "It's getting late, I didn't even realize so much time has passed."
"You... enjoyed... my company?" she asked, floating next to him.
"Yes," he said. "You're nice to talk to."
Myrtle began giggling. "You're welcome to come back anytime."
Remus paused at the door, hand on the knob. "All right, I will," he said and she looked rather surprised as he left, as if that wasn't the response he was supposed to give. Did I do something wrong? He crept out of the bathroom and went hunting for where he had been attacked but unable to find his bag and wand. Someone must have taken them. Hopefully turned them in.
He went up to the tower first so he could get a shower and put on a clean uniform even though classes were over, then went down to the Great Hall for supper where McGonagall approached him almost the second he sat down. She handed him his bag with his wand poking out of a pocket, and of course wanted to know what happened. He considered just saying he had tripped except that didn't give an excuse as to why he left the bag behind. So he just sat there in dumb silence while she waited.
"You should never let your wand out of your sight," she said severely.
"I kn--know, I'm ss-s-sorry..." The other Gryffindors nearby gave him curious looks except Black who was frowning.
"What happened?" she asked and Remus ducked his head, doing his best not to look at the Slytherin table. He didn't want to admit he had been jumped on like that and kicked and shoved down a toilet. McGonagall studied the back of his bowed head and then gave a small sigh. "Come with me, Mr. Lupin." He swung his legs around and trotted after her out of the Great Hall and to the side room where the first-years had been put before the Sorting. McGonagall folded her arms and gave him one of those sorts of looks. "Did someone hurt you?" His side had long healed up from where he had been kicked but he felt a bit of a sharp pain there again as if she could see. Remus just stared at the ground. "I can't imagine why anyone would just abandon their wand. Books, perhaps; never their wand. Unless you were run off and couldn't get it."
"P--please," he finally whispered. "I'm fine."
"Mr. Lupin--"
"I'm fine," he said, again, clenching his hands into fists to try and control his emotions. "It w--was an accident th-that's all."
"An accident," she repeated and he nodded. "Was it Mr. Spinnet?"
Remus's head jerked up, eyes huge. "Wh--what?"
"Did he try and get revenge for you putting the leg-locker curse on him two weeks ago? Is that why you're protecting your attacker? Is it a fellow Gryffindor?"
"No! No, th--they were S--" he stopped himself quickly, biting down on his tongue, going brilliantly red. "It--wasn't Spinnet, it--I wasn't... attacked..."
McGonagall narrowed her eyes then yanked out her wand and Remus gave a fearful yelp, throwing himself back, however all she did was point her wand at the door and open it. Black and Potter tumbled in suddenly then lay in a heap on the ground, both of them looking quite sheepish. "Do you two know anything about this?" she asked, not bothering to lecture them about eavesdropping.
"No, Professor," Black said as they picked themselves up.
"We didn't know he was attacked," Potter added, giving Remus a worried look.
"If we knew we would have done something about it," Black said ferociously. "Lupin, come on, who attacked you? Was it Slytherins? Slytherins are twats."
"Mr. Black," McGonagall warned then faced Remus again. "There's no reason to protect anyone who has hurt you."
"I'm fine!" Remus said desperately, wishing it would stop. You should tell her who did it and what they did, part of his brain said. No! said a different part. You can't cause any problems! He began shaking at being so pulled in two different directions, no idea which to listen to. I can't cause any problems, he finally settled on. Pretend nothing happened, don't get involved in anything, don't give them reason to think you're not worthy of being here even though you aren't at all worthy of coming to the school. "I'm fine," he said again, a calmer tone. "N--nobody attacked me."
"Mr. Lupin--"
"Nobody attacked me!" he snapped and Black and Potter exchanged slightly shocked looks at the tone Remus gave a teacher. McGonagall raised her eyebrows and pressed her lips into a thin line. "I'm fine. C... c-can I--I go now?"
McGonagall eyed the boy, wanting to say more. "Yes," she finally said and he scrambled out of the room before she could say anything else. He could still hear inside the room. Hear McGonagall ask the other two Gryffindors again if they had any idea, and Black insisting it had to be Slytherins, and then Potter promising they'd keep an eye on Remus, and McGonagall asked if they knew anything and Black said Remus didn't talk to them and then Potter added 'he doesn't talk to anyone really'. Finally he was back in the Great Hall and the voices there erased any sounds outside the large room.
He slumped down at the end of the table and shakily began putting food on his plate, expecting he'd be joined... and sure enough when Black and Potter came back in they sat with him. They made light conversation at first, as did Pettigrew who came over to sit with them too. Then Potter tried asking Remus about what happened and Remus just ate in silence, not answering. Stop asking me, just leave me alone! he thought, stabbing a piece of chicken in frustration. Finally he chanced a glance at the Slytherin table, at Avery, Mulciber, and Bulstrode who were sitting together and laughing. Probably at him.
"Is that who did it?" Black asked, following Remus's gaze.
Remus turned his face back to his food. "No." Then Potter started to say something and he couldn't stand another second. He pushed his plate away and got up, leaving the Great Hall, ignoring their apologies. He stormed to the library and flung himself into a seat at the table they'd be using for the study group once the rest of the students left their meal. He put his books on the table and then dropped his head onto his Charms textbook.
"Pardon... may I sit here?"
Remus looked up and the first thing he saw was a Slytherin uniform. He jolted back, eyes going quickly up but it wasn't any of the three bullies, it was someone else entirely. A small, pale boy with long white-blond hair and pale blue eyes. Not as small as Remus, more the size of Potter. Then Remus eyed the Slytherin tie again.
The Slytherin set a stack of books on the table and slid into the seat next to Remus. "I won't hurt you," he said and Remus flinched. "I... er, heard them bragging about it in the Slytherin common room."
"Great," Remus muttered. His humiliation was being spread through the serpent house. It didn't really surprise him, just made him feel weaker.
"I'm Aegis." The boy offered his hand and Remus didn't move. "Aegis Silverlocke. You're part of the group that meets after supper, aren't you?"
Remus reluctantly took Silverlocke's hand, a bit wary of his name. Silver. "Y--yes?"
"I... was... rather hoping to join." Silverlocke looked very awkward and began shifting in his seat. It was clear he wasn't sure if a Slytherin would be welcome, and Remus didn't know about it either. He wasn't in the mood for any Slytherins to be around after what happened however it wasn't up to him.
"I th--think Evans is the one who--who p-put it to-together."
"Which one is that?" Silverlocke inquired.
"The girl with the long red hair and green eyes," Remus said, though it was pointless to say this as he could hear Evans's footsteps coming towards them. He recognized the way she walked by this point. Light, quick, excited, as if she wanted to be everywhere at once.
"Are you talking about me?" Evans asked brightly, setting her books down. "Who's this?"
"Aegis Silverlocke," he said and offered his hand. "Would it be all right if I join the study group?"
Evans shook his hand and didn't even notice as Silverlocke uncomfortably began tugging at his tie as if he wanted to hide the fact he was a Slytherin. "Of course, everyone is welcome," she said. "The others will be around soon. Are you any good with potions?"
"I, er, suppose so," he said. "I'm no where near as talented as Snape however I've been doing well enough."
"Oh, good. Everyone else here seems to be struggling in that class."
"Except f--for you," Remus pointed out.
Evans's cheeks went a bit pink. "I'm not that good. I've been trying to convince Severus to join us, but he won't..."
Remus wondered who the heck Severus was. "No, you--you are v-very good. Slughorn s--said so himself."
Evans busied herself arranged her schoolbooks, looking beyond pleased. Slowly the rest of the group showed up and Silverlocke introduced himself to everyone. Bones, Pierce, and Buckling didn't seem to have any issue however Craft and Twycross both gave him rather nasty frowns.
"What's a Slytherin want to do with us?" Craft whispered to Buckling as he took his normal seat. The table was pretty much always arranged by house. Remus, Evans, and Twycross on one side, Bones and Pierce at the end, and Buckling and Craft across from the Gryffindors. Remus wondered if the end across from the Hufflepuffs would be the Slytherin edge however Silverlocke remained seated next to Remus.
"Are you all right?" Evans whispered to Remus. "I saw Professor McGonagall approach you at supper and then you left, then came back, then ran out again."
"I'm f--fine," he said, hoping Silverlocke wouldn't say anything but the blond kept his mouth shut. "Let--let's work on o--on our assign--ments." He wanted to show everyone his DADA essay and ask if he really had messed up that bad however he really didn't want them seeing that Dedenne didn't like him. That would raise questions, and he didn't want that to happen.