November 1971
“Don’t you think it’s odd this is the third time it’s happened?”
“I don’t know Sirius. Maybe he just well…”
Just as it was September and October, Lupin had called and was to be stay overnight in the hospital wing. Sirius pulled James, and James only, aside to talk to him about it.
“Go then.”
And James had tried to think of a excuse or two, but he failed. He twiddled with his fingers absently, before realizing he couldn’t think of anything.
“I’m sure he has his reasons.”
Sirius groaned, rolling his eyes.
“Then you tell me what you think! Since you keep bringing this up…” James didn’t actually mean it of course, but Sirius took it as a initiative.
“Fine. Tonight, when everyone’s asleep, I’ll come to your bed.”
And then he walked away leaving James alone.
-
Sirius never went back on his word. It was an admirable quality, if not annoying.
And so, when Peter had been tucked under the covers, Sirius tiptoed to James’s bed. James who had been anticipating Sirius had left his curtains on one side, open.
“Hey.” Sirius whispered, as he climbed inside, sitting opposite of James.
“Hi.” James whispered back.
James didn’t know what to expect, so he waited for Sirius to start. But Sirius didn’t start either, so there was a long pregnant pause.
“You were saying about Remus?” James gestured Sirius to start.
“Oh right! Well… I think…” Sirius spoke softly and slow, and suspense consumed James.
“I think he’s a werewolf.”
James was stunned into silence, until he broke into a chorus of laughter.
“You think he’s a werewolf!?” He said each word after taking a gasp of air. It was such a amusing and silly thought really. James imagined Remus with a tail and ears and began laughing even more.
Sirius shook his head in disapproval.
“I’m serious, Potter!”
“Yeah, yeah, I know who you are Sirius.”
And then they both laughed.
James wiped a tear from his wife, while trying to calm himself down. It felt like there were fireworks in his stomach that were exploding all at once.
“No no, but seriously- Stop laughing! I really think he’s a were wolf!”
“And Pete is a, let’s say, unicorn?”
The thought of Peter prancing around a meadow was absolutely humorous.
“Oh oh! And you’re a dementor, and I’m, a hippogriff! Perfect!” James couldn’t help but continue.
He did sober up when he saw how serious Sirius looked.
“Do you even have reasoning or evidence?”
“Yeah I do.”
James nodded, telling Sirius to go on while he promised to make an attempt to stay quiet.
“Werewolves transform every month. And Lupin has been in the hospital wing every month. And I’ve checked the dates, they were all full moons.”
James frowned slightly.
“Maybe it’s all a coincidence. Don’t women also have a monthly thing? Doesn’t make them werewolves.”
“That’s different!”
James couldn’t exactly figure out what so different, but he didn’t question further.
“Not to mention, Lupin has characteristics of a werewolf. Heightened senses, especially of smell.”
It was true.
Remus could smell anything from great distances. He could pinpoint what notes were in James’s cologne, the shampoo Sirius used and even what Peter ate moments earlier before class.
“Okay. What else?”
“That’s sort of it.”
And while it wasn’t great, Sirius still had a good deal of evidence. If he reported it to the ministry, then they could easily figure it out. Was Remus even a registered werewolf? Oh, he probably wasn’t because if he were, everyone would know. The ministry would definitely confirm somehow using a test. Maybe seeing how they react to silver or waiting to see if they transform every month-
How they react to silver.
“How they reach to silver!” James repeated, blurting it out.
“Excuse me?”
“Werewolves are unable to touch silver, or it burns them, whatever. We’ll just see Remus touch it and put everything aside.”
Sirius seemed hesitant about the plan and urged James that his evidence was enough, but James wouldn’t let him speak.
“Look by confirming he can’t touch silver, it’ll prove he’s not a werewolf.”
“I’m telling you, he is!”
And really, James could’ve believed Sirius. He had nothing to lose if Sirius was wrong but had everything to gain if Sirius was correct.
But he knew Remus.
Remus wasn’t violent or a blood-thirsty creature, a wolf pretending to be a sheep amongst them. Remus was James’s friend, and he’d be treated like one.