Plight of the Werewolf

A/N:  I had a dream one night that I had happened to stay up reading fan-fiction into.  The Dream involved Remus Lupin and had unfolded a small, yet intriguing plot which, when I woke up, had every intention of developing.  I don't know how long this is going to be, though I expect it to be quite lengthy if it is going to turn out anything like I hope it to.  So in other words, if you're looking for short, five-ten chapter stories – Then click the "Back" button, loves.  This isn't for you.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowlings owns everything in this chapter.  The plot is mine – I am only borrowing the characters for the time being.

            "SIRIUS!!!"  called Remus in a panic.

            "Sirius!…Damn it, Sirius, we have to go!" Remus yelled up the stairs of the rather disheveled looking house. 

            "I'm coming, Moony, for Merlin's sakes!  Don't get your panties in a wad!"

            The werewolf shook his head at this and kicked aside various piles of clothes strewn about the room to search for anything else that he might have overlooked.

            He had his clothes, his razor and other personal objects, his books, and various other material he'd be needing for his new job.  That, and other odds and ends he had managed to collect in the last four years since he had quit his teaching job at Hogwarts for safety purposes.  

            He had received the letter from his employer at the beginning of the summer.  Apparently, the last employee had had a horrible time working under the circumstances and finally, the treatment he got was so intense that he sent in his letter of resignation immediately before the summer.

            He obliged at once and immediately sent back his letter of acceptance.  Though he had previously held a job only a few months before as an accountant for a new local chain of stores that specialized in all sorts of potions ingredients, he had been fired a few months back. 

            With the fall of the Dark Lord, everyone was wary of who they associated with, or in the case of Remus' boss, who they hired.  Once people found out that he was what he was, things pressured up for old Pete Harkins and he had to lay his top accountant off.  "It's just until things cool down, Lupin," he had said.  "You know how hectic things are right now.  I'll call you." 

            It had been five months. 

            The sound of Sirius' footsteps awoke him from his thoughts and Remus was pleased to see that his best friend had actually taken the time to pack this time.  His friend had a habit of throwing random objects into a suitcase at the last minute.

            As if reading his thoughts, Sirius grinned.

            "You're brushing off on me, 'gain, Moony."

            Grinning back, Remus straightened up, bag in hand. 

            "After two years?" Remus joked teasingly.  "Took me longer than I thought."  He glanced down at his watch.

            Sirius was about to retort when he was drowned out by Remus' sharp proclamation of, "We're late!" and with that, they both disapparated. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            "Honestly, you two!"  Hermione scolded, looking at the boys' fork fight over her book.

            Harry grinned sheepishly and set his fork down after carefully pulling it from the clutches of Ron's offending one. 

            "And you're supposed to be seventh years!"  Hermione set Arithmancy For the Seventh Year Student down and frowned at Ron who only shrugged and stuffed his face with yet another Chocolate Frog.

            Uptight, overly-matured Hermione though she might pretend to be, this girl had been Harry's best friend for going on seven years now.  Even as she buried her face behind a book entitled, The Rights and Treatment of Werewolves over the Twentieth Century, he knew she was secretly fighting a smile.

            Sitting back into the plush red seat of the Hogwart's Express, Harry glanced at the book with little interest.

            "Getting ahead on our History now, are we, Hermione?"

            She lowered the book.  "Eh…" she shook her head.  "Not for Binns, no."

            Ron ran a hand through his trademark flaming hair and sat up. 

            "Oh,"  he reached over and added the card he found in his Chocolate Frog to the pile he and Harry had been starting.  "Defense Against the Dark Arts, then?"

            Hermione uttered a small "tuh" and shook her head.  "Is it wrong to show some interest in the plight that werewolves have been facing since…" she paused and flipped a few pages in her book. 

            "Since Peter Stubbe was discovered in 1591?"

            The boys' reactions would have been enough to bring Hermione to laugh had the reason not been of such importance to her.

            Ron shot his head up and ended up scattering the tall pile of collector's cards all over the floor.  Harry's eyes widened and he choked on one of Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans.  Though whether this was due to a sudden feeling of deja vou or simply because the Bean he had swallowed was vomit-flavored, Hermione didn't know.

            "Hermione…" started Ron, letting a groan escape his lips.  "You're not going to start another S.P.E.W. are you? Society for the Protection of Endangered Werewolves…?"

            Hermione pursed her lips but didn't get to answer because at that moment, they were interrupted by their compartment doorknob rustling. 

            Ron's brown eyes flashed dangerously and he jumped up.  "Malfoy," was the only audible thing he uttered before he snatched out his wand and pointed it toward the door.

            Both Hermione and Harry leapt up, but suprisingly, they both started screaming at him to put his wand down.

            But as the door opened, Ron let out a loud "Rictusempra!!" sending a silvery light shooting toward the door.

            Hermione covered her mouth in a gasp and Harry shut his eyes in horror as a boy and a girl their age got the wind knocked out of them, then proceeded to fall to the ground in hysterical laughter.

            Ron's eyes widened and he opened his mouth only to let out a low squeak of surprise.

            Harry and Hermione were so caught up in explaining how Malfoy and his family dissapeared after the defeat of Voldemort the previous year that they forgot all about the chortling young man and woman on the ground amongst the Wizard Trading Cards.            

            That is, until Remus Lupin and Sirius Black stepped into the room.

            Remus, the one with most experience in these matters, stepped in first.  "What's going on in—" but he stopped in mid-sentence.  "Ron? (Who still had his wand oustretched)"  He blinked.  "And…" he looked down but found with much surprise that he didn't recognize the still-giggling young couple on the ground.

            At this point, Sirius stepped in.  "Finite Incantatem!"

            A/N:  Okay, everyone!  Just a little taste of what I have of the story so far.  Yes!  I am going to be selfish and ask for reviews to see how the story's coming along so far!  Just a little "Yea" or "Nay" is what I'm asking for.(Though I wouldn' t object to a **gasp!**  Dare I say it?!…Constructive review!)  I really want to see if people are going to like this story.  **sigh** Though, yes, I would probably continue this story even if everyone hated it…  I should come up with the next chapter very quickly should people like it.  Like I said, I only posted a little taste of what I had so far.

I derived Peter Stubbe and the year from a real source.  If anyone cares to look further into it, the address is: http://members.tripod.com/alam25