Chapter Text
October 23rd 1971:
Remus wasn't a big fan of Halloween, it was a holiday he thought was rather dumb. Totally wasn't because he hated seeing people dress up as werewolves. "What do you mean your not bothered by Halloween!?" Shrieked James when he was told Remus's opinion on the holiday. "I mean I'm not bothered by it." Remus replied blankly, more invested in the book he was reading rather than the state that James's was in.
Remus had been gifted his own version of 'Homers Iliad' after Minerva found him reading her own, and unfortunately battered, copy. She had originally thought the book would be too hard for the eleven year old boy to read and understand it, but that just made Remus even more determined to read it. When he voiced this to his mum, she told him that if he could read the first chapter and understand what was happening, she would buy him his own copy.
And now Remus read his own copy and Poppy now had two people in her household that loved Greek mythology.
"Why is it you don't like Halloween? Scared of someone dressing up like a werewolf?" Sirius asked teasingly, but when he saw the colour fade from Remus's face his own expression turned to a frown of concern. "It's alright to be scared! Werewolves are terrifying! I've heard stories of them eating people alive, but no need to fear Lupin! We will protect you!" Sirius grinned and cheered with James and Peter as they agreed.
Remus bit his tongue to withhold himself from saying 'Gonna protect me from myself?'. Instead he decided to try get the other three boys opinions on the creature he was. "Ha, more like I'll protect yous. Do you really think all werewolves are that cruel? Like some of them are bound to be ashamed or scared of what they are, right?"
Peter scrunched his face up in thought before answering. "I guess? That does make sense. People like to say that all werewolves are disgusting creatures or beast. But they are still human, aren't they?" Sirius was quick to scoff at Peters answer. Remus felt terror creep up on him, like cold water being dumped over his head, as he listened to Sirius.
"No they aren't! They attack people Peter! They hurt people! If anything they are disgusting creatures! Why are we even talking about this anyway? Werewolves are just some dark creature, beast even."
Remus opened his mouth to speak but James beat him too it. "How can you say that? Is that what your family teaches you? I agree with Peter, they are humans still and deserve to be treated like one! Mum says that you should treat everyone with kindness!" James said and Remus could only smile at his friends, well more like cousin by this point, speech. Sirius frowned as he thought about what James had said before he pointed to Remus.
"What do you think Remus?"
Remus swallowed hard as he thought about what he would say. 'Oh yeah, I'm a werewolf so can't really say much but don't kill me please! Promise I'll only try kill you on a full moon!' He laughed internally at that idea. He saw that the other three boys were staring at him and waiting for him to respond. "Uh, gotta go with Peter and James. Poppy sometimes treats werewolf patients after a full moon and none of them tried eating her, so..." he trailed off and the room was silent again. The tension was still there, their different opinions now open to them all and Remus could only wonder what would happen.
What he didn't expect was for Sirius just to shrug. "Fair enough. But why do you not like Halloween?"
Now it was Remus's turn to shrug. "Just like how you don't like werewolves. Never was really something celebrated at home. Poppy always has to work on Halloween and I just never actually tried celebrating it." he explained before closing his book and standing up. "Speaking of Poppy, I gotta go see her." He than rushed out the room.
Sirius and Peter just went back to talking about their ideas for Halloween, meanwhile James got up and followed Remus.
---
Remus was just about to leave the common room, which was empty as it was pretty late in the evening, when he heard James running after him. "Hey! Wait up Moony!" He called as he caught up to Remus.
Remus frowned at the nickname, "Moony? Where did you get that name from?" He asked, fully expecting James to give some weird reason why but instead he was met with a serious expression from James Potter.
"The full moon. I'm not thick Remus. You've disappeared the past 2 full moons and I saw you go pale just there now at the mention of werewolves." Remus felt his panic drown him, like he was an anchor and sinking to the bottom of the sea but yet he still forced himself to look James in the eye and speak. "You can't tell anyone, please James I'm begging you. They'll...they'll..." James stopped him.
"Calm yourself mate! I won't say anything to anyone. Your secrets safe with me, Moony. I solemnly swear to never tell anyone or anything about your condition." James's eyes held so much courage and bravery that Remus could not help himself but feel safe. "I know you won't James. That's why your my cousin and not Sirius."
James started walking towards the hospital wing with Remus as they continued to talk. "I'm sorry about what Sirius said, I bet that must have hurt." Remus just shrugged "I won't lie, it did but I'm used to it." James fell quiet after that, feeling sorry for his dear friend.
Soon they both ended up at the hospital wing door, James was about to walk away but Remus tugged his jumped sleeve. "You wanna come in? It's just Ma and Mum." James looked unsure "You sure? I don't wanna intrude-" "James shut up, you know all my secrets by this point. Your family." And with that James nodded and followed after Remus.
"For fucks sake. It's not even Halloween yet Minerva." The boys could hear the familiar Irish voice from her office. "Not my fault your hot." Minerva was quickly shushed by the schools matron as she spotted James and Remus. "Hello James, Remus. Take a seat and don't mind my wife, she's on bed rest." Poppy ushered them to sit down and the two boys giggled at Minerva, who was trapped under 3 blankets and a good book. "Let me guess, you fell and Ma caught you?" Remus guessed and laughed at Minerva's nod.
"Don't get married kids. They'll kidnap you and make you do their bidding-" She was cut off by Poppy kissing her quickly "There, now stop being dramatic." James and Remus both gagged at the sight before giggling to each other, both forgetting their nerves for the conversation that was soon to dawn upon them.
"Uh Mum, Ma. Me and James gotta admit something." Remus began but stopped when James tapped his arm and shook his head. He turned his head and could see both Poppy's and Minerva's concerned but curious looks. The way Minerva bit her lip slightly as she grew more worried and how her arm was in a death grip by Poppy. "Let me explain, eh Moony?"
"I know about Remus's monthly problem- wait no. That sounds like you have a period- Can we call it that? Moony's girly problem, but it's actually just the full moon." James rambled on, seemingly lost in thought about what he was going to label Remus's condition. Remus tugged James's sleeve to bring his attention back to the important subject at hand. "Oh yeah, no one else knows. I figured it out myself. AND I PROMISE NOT TO TELL ANYONE!" James spoke quickly and his words began to gain volume as his nerves won over him.
Poppy just looked at Minerva, who had sat up straighter and now had her hands folded in her lap. "Calm yourself James, it was about time you figured it out. Monty and Effie figured it out after a week or two." She said calmly, Poppy meanwhile just sipped on her tea. "And I'm guessing your okay with this then Moonberry?" Minerva asked to which her son quickly nodded. "More than okay, feels better to know that someone else doesn't want me dead." He tried to joke but no one laughed.
Until Poppy finally spoke "You just earned yourself a night in the hospital wing."
"NOOOOOO"