Author's note: Hello, everyone! Thanks for choosing to read 'Secrets Burnt at Both Ends'. This story is mostly about Remus and the secrets he keeps from this best friends, the Mauraders, and his childhood best friend, Becky. The first half of most of the chapters begin with a flashback of Remus' past with his friends. Hope you enjoy my take on JKR's wizarding world (which I am merely borrowing for the purpose of this story). Sadly, she is the literary genius, not I.

Chapter 1: Partings of the Past and Current

**********************************Remus Lupin, Age 10**********************************

"Hey, that's not fair," a tiny girl yells. Her ponytail flying behind her as she runs as fast as her 10 year old legs can carry her to the edge of the dock. She stops abruptly taking care not to smash into the person standing in front of her. "You got a head start," she huffed.

"I did not. You are just sore because I am faster than you," the boy on the dock stated. He looked abnormally old for a boy of 11 years; as if he had been through more than his fair share of misfortune. Pale scars framed his pasty complexion and his light brown hair unsuccessfully tried to hide these marks.

"You are so not faster than me, Remus John Lupin," the girl countered.

The boy named Remus shuttered at the use of his full name. "Don't use my full name, Rebecca Elsie James-Fourneir."

"Reeemus," Rebecca whined, a tint of pink dusting her cheeks. She too hated it when her full name was uttered out loud.

"What? I was just returning the favor," Remus replied with a shrug.

"Fine then, return this." Without much warning, Rebecca pushed Remus hard in the chest.

Remus stumbled backwards, loosing his balance as he tumbled off the edge of the dock. Droplets of water sprung up into the air effectively showering Rebecca as she laughed at complete look of shock from her friend. Feeling the drops of lake water on her skin made her replay the scene in her head once more. More laughter erupted from her tiny body.

"Becky, you are so dead," Remus threatened as he resurfaced and began treading water.

"Why don't you say that to my face, Remus John…," Becky taunted.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence."

"…Lupin."

"That's it. You're dead," Remus yelled as he quickly pulled himself out of the water.

Becky screamed with laughter once again. She raced towards the house just on the other side of the hill. Throwing back the door, she allowed herself a quick glance behind her to find Remus in hot pursuit. Running up the stairs, Becky said a hastened hello to Mrs. Lupin who was descending the stairs with an armful of laundry. Becky continued to run down the hall and into the open room at the end of the hall where she promptly sat on the edge of the recently sheet striped bed. Remus stomped in shortly after, still dripping wet and glaring.

"How dare you," Remus seethed. "Of all the low, deceitful things you could have done you just had to push me in and run off."

"Maybe," Becky said innocently with a small smile.

"If that's your game, then come here." Remus lunged at Becky, wrapping his wet arms around her frame. He made sure to rub his wet hair on her cheeks and arms and allowed his clothes to transfer as much moisture onto hers as possible.

"Alright, I give. I give!" Becky shrieked in both horror and amusement.

Satisfied with Becky's surrender, Remus sat down next to the now damp girl.

"Serves you right," Remus gloated at his triumph.

"Yeah, yeah," Becky pouted looking down at her we clothing.

Remus gave a shiver. His own cold, damp clothes finally settling in sent goose bumps erupting all over his body.

"You should go change out of those clothes, Rem," Becky said.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Remus replied with another shiver. "Be right back."

Becky sat there waiting for Remus for what could not have been more than a minute or two when her friend walked back into the room.

"How did you get dry so fast," Becky asked at Remus' prompt return.

"Er, magic?"

"Of course, magic. How silly of me to have forgotten that you and your family have these ultra magical powers that can dry anything at the drop of a hat," Becky giggled.

Remus had never told Becky of one of his family's secrets. This secret dealt with the simple fact that his family really was magic. The Lupin's came from a long line of witches and wizards, but of course Remus could never share this information with Becky. He didn't want to scare off his best and only friend. He had had a hard time keeping his other friends, his wizarding friends, especially after the incident. Remus didn't want Becky to know about the incident that killed his father. He didn't want Becky to know that his father had died at the hands of a werewolf, a mythical creature non-magic folks only read about in fairy tales. He didn't want Becky to know that he, Remus Lupin, himself was bitten by the same werewolf that killed his father and now had to undergo painful transformations once a month. No, Remus never wanted to tell Becky the horrible truth behind his scared face. Right now he was just glad that they were friends and she didn't care that he had a disfigured visage. She only cared about the person Remus wanted to be, just a normal kid.

"Yeah, magic," Remus joined in Becky's giggles. "How silly."

"You come up with the lamest excuses sometimes," Becky said, "but that is why I like you. You are the best friend a girl could have."

"You're my best friend too, Bec."

"Are you sure you have to leave for that boarding school tomorrow," Becky suddenly changed the subject.

Bowing his head slightly, Remus said, "I wish I didn't have to." And that was true. Remus didn't want to attend Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He would much rather stay with Becky, with whom he knew would accept him as a friend.

"It just doesn't seem fair that you have to start school so early," Becky said sadly. "I don't start for another year. However, my parents are thinking of sending me to a boarding school next year."

"What," Remus nearly choked. "Where?"

"France," Becky replied with her best French accent. "They said that no one teaches like the French. They are the very, very best."

The door bell rang. Remus and Becky could hear the front door open and two female voices speaking. Then Remus' mother called up the stairs, "Rebecca! Your mother is here to pick you up!"

"Well, I guess I better go," Becky said with a down trodden expression. "You will write me, won't you, Rem."

"Of course," was all Remus could say. He couldn't believe that his summer with Becky was over already. The two friends slowly made their way downstairs.

"Ready to go, sweetheart," Becky's mother asked as the two children appeared in the entrance hall.

"I guess," Becky muttered.

Mrs. Lupin bent down and ran her hand through Becky's hair. "Now I know the two of you had lots of fun over the summer, but Remus will be back for Christmas. And then, before you know it, it will be summer again and the two of you play together until you are sick of each other."

Becky gave a small smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Lupin, for everything."

"Not a problem, dear. You are always welcome," Mrs. Lupin said straightening up.

"Come on, Becky. I am sure Jane and Remus have a lot to do to get ready for tomorrow. We don't want to keep them," Becky's mother said. "Say goodbye to Remus and we will be on our way."

"Goodbye, Rem," Becky said with tears forming in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around Remus and whispered, "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Becky," Remus replied, tears in his own eyes.

Becky released Remus and turned away. Her mother thanked Jane Lupin again for allowing her daughter to stay at their house and then opened the front door and she and Becky left. Taking one last look behind her, Becky saw the young Remus waving sadly out the front window as his best friend turned the corner.

***************************6 years later****************************************

Remus was started out of his sleep to someone shaking him. It took him a couple of seconds to realize where he was. He was on the Hogwarts express going home after his sixth year at Hogwarts. Remus recognized his friend's perfect crop of ebony hair and he chuckled slightly at the though of how vain his friend was about his hair.

"Come on, Moony, wake up and stop giggling. Train stopped, lets go," Sirius Black said as he continued shaking Remus.

"I am not giggling," Remus said batting his friend's hands away from him. "Jeez, Padfoot, I think you dislocated my shoulders."

"Nah, I would never do that to you, Moons," Sirius said giving Remus a hard slap on the back. "Now, come on. The guys are already waiting for us on the platform."

"Fine. Just let me grab my stuff first," Remus said as he found his bag and his book that must have fallen on the floor when he fell asleep.

He exited the train quickly locating his other two friends conversing with Sirius. James Potter, a handsome jock-type with fly away black hair and square wire glasses, was animatedly talking with his hands, probably about his latest encounter with the 'love of his life' while Peter Pettigrew, a smaller boy not nearly as attractive as his close friends with stringy brown hair and watery blue eyes, was hanging intently on James' every word. Peter was laughing in all the right places, earning himself triumphant grins from James. Sirius wore an amused smile. His arms were crossed and he was shaking his head at his best friend's story. James stopped in mid-sentence when he saw Remus climb off of the train.

"Moony! You should have seen it! You should have seen how badly she wanted me," James exclaimed with so much glee he was practically floating.

"Who wants you, Prongs," Remus asked. Of course Remus knew James was talking about none other than Lily Evans. She was a fiery red-head with a temper to match. She had the brains and determination of a highly skilled Healer.

"Lily, of course," James yelled.

Remus saw the red-head in question, on the opposite end of the platform, tense up at the sound of her name and quickly make her way out though the platform gate.

"Alright, enough about Evans," Sirius said before James could start his story over. "We have everything all planned out for the summer. Wormtail is coming home with Prongs and me. And, Moony, you are coming in a few days. Are you sure you can't just come now? I mean we have been planning our last summer together since last year."

"Sorry, guys. I can't. I have to go home for a few days and spend some time with my mum. You know how she gets," Remus shrugged. That wasn't the real reason why Remus didn't go to James house first thing. He was looking forward to seeing someone else. The summer was their time together and Remus wouldn't miss it.

"Fine. Moony, be a party pooper. Anyway, the three of us will just hang around until you can slip away," James said gesturing to himself, Sirius and Peter. "Just be sure you are at my house by the full moon. My parents have the back yard charmed and ready for your 'furry little problem'".

"Thanks, James," Remus said as the clock struck 6pm. Remus didn't realize that it was that time already. He was already fifteen minutes late. "Merlin, I have to go you guys. I'll see you three in a couple of weeks." With that he rushed off leaving his three friends behind.

"Where do you suppose he rushes off to at the start of each summer," Peter asked out loud.

"Good question, Pete. Come to think of it, I don't think I have heard Remus mention it, ever. He just bids us a quick farewell and he's off," Sirius said.

A mischievous smile spread over James' face. "I don't suppose it will hurt following him just this once. If he sees us, then we will say a quick hello to Mrs. Lupin, tell her how excited we are for the summer, and then leave. No harm done, right?"

"Right," Sirius and Peter agreed with equally mischievous grins.

The three of them left the platform the same way Remus did, through the gate back to Kings Cross. When they crossed over the threshold, they looked for Remus. Peter spotted him near the exit as if he was looking for something or someone. James, Sirius and Peter, then heard someone yell Remus' name. The three of them looked in the direction of the caller. They saw Remus rush over to a girl they didn't recognize and embrace her tightly, lift her off her feet and spin her around. The three boys looked at each other in confusion and shock.

"Who's the skirt," James wondered out loud.

"That is definitely not Mrs. Lupin," Peter said.

"Not unless, Mrs. Lupin got a lot younger and hotter," Sirius said.

"His sister, maybe," Peter suggested.

"I don't think so," Sirius shook his head. "As far as I know Remus is an only child. Plus he would have told us if he had any siblings especially if they were that age."

"I think this needs further investigation," James said coming out of his initial shock. "Our shy, bookworm, has a secret girl and we need to find out why he kept her from us."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the station, Remus continued to spin the mystery girl around.

"I missed you so much, Becky," Remus said. "I can't believe it has been nine months since I saw you last."

Becky laughed as her brown hair fanned out as she spun. "Remus, stop! You're making me dizzy."

Remus stopped spinning and carefully put Becky back on her own two feet.

"Your mum is never allowed to take you on a vacation to see your extended family ever again," Remus said continuing to hug his friend close.

"You could have come with us," Becky replied. "Mum invited you, but someone just had to refuse." Becky poked Remus in the chest as best she could.

"I know, but you know how it is with family emergencies," Remus responded. The truth was Remus would have said yes to spending all of Christmas break with Becky, but the full moon kept him. Even after being friends since they were babies, Remus still hadn't found the courage to tell Becky that he was a werewolf. He couldn't stand the thought of losing her after all this time.

"Oh, that's right," Becky remembered what Remus had told her before winter break. "How is your aunt doing, by the way?"

"Er, she passed a couple of weeks ago," Remus said. He hated lying to Becky like this.

Becky gasped, "Remus, I am so sorry. Your mum hasn't said anything."

Remus shrugged, "I didn't really know her that well. She was from my dad's side of the family."

"Well, not to worry, Rem," Becky said gently. "You will always have me."

"That I do," Remus responded by giving Becky a kiss on her temple and sliding his arm around her shoulders. "So where are we off to? I'm starved."

"When are you not," Becky laughed.

From the shadows, three figures watched intently as Remus and Becky walked out of Kings Cross.

"Was that weird or what? I didn't know he had a sick aunt," James said stepping out from behind the pillar.

"I don't think he did, mate," Sirius said. "I think it was just a cover."

"You guys don't suppose she was the reason why Moony was so depressed over Christmas, do you," Peter questioned.

"That's right, Pete. He was with us all break long," Sirius smirked. "That means he just lied to the bird."

James came up behind both Sirius and Peter and draped an arm of each of his friends. "Well, my fellow Marauders, I see this as an intriguing turn of events. We know that Moony still has secrets and we should find out what they are. After all, friends shouldn't keep secrets."

"I'm game," Sirius nodded.

"Me too," Peter followed suit like usual.

"Great, we have a long night of planning to do," James said steering this two friends back to the wizarding world.