Chapter 4- Fourth Year
The next day, Remus found himself yawning all the way to their first lesson, Care of Magical Creatures. His body felt like it was moving on autopilot, and the weight of a restless night hung over him. He was still yawning when Professor Kettleburn walked down the path behind them, levitating a wooden box and a large paper bag. Remus had quickly learned that Kettleburn was known for making her lessons as hands-on as possible, which often led to encounters with creatures students probably shouldn’t be too close to. It was a tradition, it seemed, for the class to be a little unpredictable and potentially dangerous.
“You look tired, Remus,” Lily remarked, bumping her shoulder gently into his as they approached the field. “Did the others keep you awake last night with those stupid ideas they call pranks?” she asked, her voice light but kind. Remus managed a small smile at her teasing as he watched the professor set up their lesson. “No,” he replied quietly, still rubbing his eyes. “I just had bad dreams. Kept me up for most of the night.” Lily glanced up at him then, her face softening with a look of sympathy. Her hand brushed his briefly in a comforting gesture before she gave him a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry,” she murmured, before her attention shifted back to the front as Kettleburn began the lesson. As the class gathered around, Kettleburn clapped her hands together enthusiastically. “Today, we’ll be meeting something truly special!” she called out, drawing Remus’s focus away from his lingering fatigue.
“The creature we’ll be looking at today,” Professor Kettleburn began, gesturing towards the box she had set on the ground, “usually can’t survive unless it’s consistently in fire. However, if it finds itself without a flame, eating hot chilies can sustain it for up to six hours before its vital organs freeze over, ultimately killing it.” She paused, her eyes sweeping over the class as if waiting for the impact of her words to settle in. “Can anyone tell me what we’re looking at today?” She asked the question loudly, and the gaze of the entire class shifted to Lily, who had already raised her hand. “Miss Evans,” Kettleburn said, pointing at her with a nod. Lily’s voice rang out clearly, “Is it a Salamander, Professor?” she asked and Kettleburn clapped her hands together once in delight. “Correct, Miss Evans! Ten points to Gryffindor!” she exclaimed. The enthusiasm in her voice matched the sparkle in her eyes as she turned back to the box. “The Salamander we’re observing has been out of fire for twenty minutes, and it is up to all of you to feed her,” she revealed, stepping aside to allow the students a better view.
The group leaned in as they caught sight of the creature inside. Sitting sadly in the corner of the box was a lizard-like creature, its scales a deep, burnished red, with a few jagged horns sprouting from its head. It looked delicate yet fierce, like a fire that had lost its flame. As the students crowded around, the Salamander’s large, dark eyes met theirs. It stuck out its long, serpentine tongue several times in what could only be described as a greeting, flicking at the air. “This here is Zarfi, my very own Salamander,” Professor Kettleburn continued proudly, her voice a touch softer now, almost affectionate. “Now, everyone, line up and grab a pepper from the bag. Let’s see if we can keep her from freezing.”
The class lined up eagerly in front of the box, each student holding a pepper in hand, ready to feed Zarfi. Remus found himself standing behind Sirius, who was sneaking extra peppers into his robes, clearly planning to keep a few for later. “I saw that, you know,” Remus commented, amused. Sirius turned around, smirking. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lupin,” he replied innocently, making Remus roll his eyes playfully, “Sure you don’t,” he muttered, shaking his head. When it was his turn to approach the Salamander, Remus stepped forward slowly, the excitement in the air palpable. Zarfi looked even redder than before, her scales glistening as if charged with heat. He extended the pepper, and to his delight, the Salamander waddled over eagerly. Her long tongue flicked out, grabbing the chili with enthusiasm as she started munching. Remus smiled happily, watching her eat as he reached down to pat her back softley, enjoying the way the smooth scales glowed when in contact with his finger.
“The scales light up when they come into contact with an object warmer than themselves,” Kettleburn’s voice broke through his thoughts. She was standing next to him, observing Zarfi with a keen interest. “Do you know why?” He glanced up for a second to see her smiling. “Has it got something to do with her absorbing the heat?” he asked, a little unsure. Kettleburn’s smile widened, clearly pleased. “Correct, Mr. Lupin. They absorb the heat to maintain their internal temperature. It’s good to see a new face in my class who’s paying attention.” Remus couldn’t help but feel a little proud at her praise, offering a small smile back. As he stepped away. he started to walk towards Lily and Sirius, who were talking animatedly, though he felt like their conversation seemed more heated than friendly.
“You can’t just steal things from class, Black,” Remus heard Lily hiss from a few feet away. He couldn’t help but smile to himself, knowing exactly what was going on. “How unsubtle are you that even Lily saw it?” Remus called out, his voice full of amusement as he finally made his way over to them. Sirius looked just as amused, his grin wide. “Evans catches everything, it was hardly my fault,” he shot back, shrugging as if he were the victim in all of this. Lily huffed angrily, rolling her eyes as she stalked off, clearly realizing that trying to scold Sirius was a lost cause. Remus could hear her muttering something under her breath as she walked towards Mary and Marlene. “It’s a miracle she never snitches,” Sirius muttered, watching her go “She must really like you,” Remus joked and they both started laughing. It was at this moment that James and Peter walked over demanding to know what was so funny.
“What are you two laughing at?” Peter asked, crossing his arms. “And why is Evans mad again,” James added, looking at the two boys with suspicion. Remus just shot Sirius a smirk, watching as his friend casually reached into his pocket, scanning the surroundings quickly before pulling out a small pile of chili peppers, looking pleased with himself. "Of fucking course you stole the peppers, why am I not surprised," Peter muttered, rolling his eyes but smiling slightly. James, however, looked more intrigued than annoyed. His gaze was fixed on the peppers in Sirius’s hand, his eyes gleaming with the unmistakable spark of mischief. “What are we going to do with them?” he asked quietly, leaning in closer as though it was some grand secret. Remus, feeling his usual eye-roll building, shrugged and replied, “I would assume eat them.” James shot him a brief, annoyed glance. “Obviously, but there needs to be something more to it,” he said with an exaggerated sigh. Remus just shook his head, half-amused, half-exasperated, before he turned and started walking toward where Lily, Mary, and Marlene were talking, hoping to get a bit of peace, but not before he overheard Sirius whispering, “We’ll think of something,” to James. “Just try not to get us into trouble, yeah?” Remus called back over his shoulder, still grinning, but hoping that they might cause at least a bit of trouble.
After lunch the Gryffindors had charms for the second time that week. Although this time they had more of a practical lesson. “Now, today we are going to continue with negation charms,” Professor Flitwick squeaked from atop his pile of books, his voice just barely rising above the hum of students settling into their seats. “I want everyone to get into pairs before I show you the spells we will be working on.” They shared this class with the Ravenclaws, so Peter naturally paired with Alanza, leaving Remus to pair with Lily. “And the iconic duo is back,” Lily said with a smirk when they both stood up to face each other. Remus winked back at her playfully. As they arranged their wands and prepared to practice, Remus’s attention was drawn to James. He shot him a strange, lingering look before turning his focus back to the front. Remus raised an eyebrow but didn’t have time to dwell on it as Professor Flitwick began the demonstration.
“Now, the first spell I will be showing you is called the Whistling Wand Charm,” Flitwick announced enthusiastically, before raising his wand. “When cast, it should emit a high-pitched sound from the top of your wands.” With a small flick of his wand, he said, “Edo Sonum!” And immediately, a loud, humming whistle filled the room, echoing off the walls. “There you go, a nice, high-pitched whistle sound. You can control the pitch, but it should always be distinct,” Flitwick explained as the sound dissipated. “Now, the negation of this spell is called the Silent Wand Charm,” Flitwick continued, “The incantation being ‘Pax.’” He flicked his wand again, and the room immediately fell silent, the hum from before vanishing completely. “Please practice these spells with your partner,” Flitwick instructed, “and try to control the volume with the amount of power you put into the spell, I don’t want it too loud, thank you,”
So with that Lily and Remus took turns casting both the whistling and silent charms, quickly getting the hang of it. In just a few minutes, they could perform both with ease. “We really are iconic, aren’t we?” Remus bragged, a smug grin spreading across his face as they tried to see just how quiet they could make the spell before it stopped working. Lily shot him a mischievous glance, one that Remus hadn’t quite seen before. “Oi, let’s make this interesting,” she said, her voice laced with a challenge. Intrigued, Remus raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Okay, what’s your idea?” She grinned. “We each have to slowly raise the volume of the spell, and whoever’s louder wins.” Remus found he was already enjoying himself. “And the catch?” he asked quietly. Lily smirked. “If the professor calls you out, you’re disqualified.” He chuckled, accepting the challenge. “Alright, Evans. I’ll go first.” Remus flicked his wand, casting the charm at a soft hum. He gradually increased the volume, putting more energy into each burst. Lily giggled quietly beside him as the sound began to catch the attention of nearby students. Before long, Flitwick glanced over in confusion. Remus immediately stopped the spell, looking away with mock innocence. Lily was laughing even more now, and had to hide her face in her hands. Remus grinned, nudging her shoulder lightly. “Alright, Evans, Let’s see if you can top that.”
Once Lily had regained control of her laughter, she flicked her wand and cast the charm. A low buzz filled the air, steadily rising in volume as she mirrored Remus’s earlier approach. As the sound grew louder, people began to turn around again, curious about the disturbance. Among them were James and Sirius, who, upon realizing what was going on, stood back to watch in shock. When the spell reached the same volume as Remus’s, both James and Sirius exchanged a look, before glancing over at Flitwick. The little professor was standing on the other side of the room, turned around again in confusion. But unlike Remus, who had stopped his spell, Lily grinned mischievously, strolling toward James and Sirius, raising the volume one last time. She quickly cut the spell off after that, but it was clearly too late. Flitwick’s voice echoed across the room. “Mr. Potter, please refrain from making unnecessarily loud noises,” he scolded, before turning back to the student he was helping. Remus whipped his head around to Lily, his mouth hanging open in shock. She was already heading back toward him, a huge grin plastered on her face and as soon as Remus started to laugh, Lily’s grin widened and her laughter joined his. Their laughter only doubled when they looked over to find James staring at them, more shocked than what Remus was.
“I guess you win,” Remus said, still catching his breath. “Of course I win,” Lily replied smugly. “You’ll soon learn, Lupin, I never lose.” As the class began to wrap up, James and Sirius made their way over to them. “What the hell was that?” James asked, his face full of bewilderment. Lily glanced at him, feigning innocence. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Potter.” Sirius, looking far too amused, chimed in. “I think what Red here is doing…” He paused, giving Lily a sly look. “…is giving us a taste of our own medicine.” Lily rolled her eyes at this, but Remus swore he saw a pleased smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Sirius gave her a proud look. “I’m impressed, Evans. Didn’t think you had it in you.” He clapped James on the back, grinning, before walking out of the classroom. James followed, but not before giving Lily and Remus one last curious glance.
That evening, Remus was sitting on the couch beside Peter, both of them hunched over their Herbology homework. They were deep in discussion about the various ways the boxingwood tree could be cross-bred, occasionally jotting down notes. Nearby, Mary and Marlene were bent over their Potions essays, their quills scratching across the parchment as they muttered to themselves. Missy was curled up contentedly in Lily’s lap, her soft purring occasionally breaking the quiet as Lily absentmindedly stroked her fur while reading a book. The room felt warm and peaceful, a welcome contrast to the usual chaos that sometimes accompanied their group. It was probably due to the absence of two very specific people.
Mary broke the stillness, her voice drifting through the room as she looked up from her work. “We should try our beautification potion on someone,” she said, tapping the end of her quill thoughtfully. Marlene, who had been focused on her essay, turned her head at the suggestion. “What about you, sunshine?” she asked, a teasing grin on her face as she looked at Remus. “Would you try our potion?” Before Remus could even respond, Mary’s voice cut through the air again. “Remus is perfect enough as it is,” she said dramatically, her eyes sparkling as she glanced at him. She fluttered her eyelashes, as if emphasizing her point. “You wouldn’t even see a difference.” Remus blinked, startled for a moment, then laughed lightly. “Then I’m afraid I might not be your ideal test subject,” he said, a playful tone in his voice. “Though I’m flattered, of course.” Lily glanced up from her book, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "We wouldn't want to risk messing with perfection," she added, her voice light but teasing. Missy, as if in agreement, gave a small mewl and stretched out on Lily’s lap.
“What’s perfection?” a voice asked from behind the couch. Remus turned around, raising an eyebrow. To his surprise, Sirius and James had somehow reappeared, emerging from what seemed like thin air. Where the hell had they come from? “Why, Remus’s face of course,” Lily responded with a smirk. Sirius laughed at this, a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he poked Remus’s cheek. “I see what you mean,” he murmured, his voice light, before turning his attention back to the girls. James, however, gave them both a confused look, as if trying to decipher the conversation. After a beat, he took a seat on the mat by the fireplace, next to Mary and Marlene, his expression still oddly pensive.
Mary, ever the schemer, leaned toward James, her eyes widening in mock desperation. “James, let us try our potion on you,” she pleaded, looking up at him with a pout that could’ve made anyone melt. James hesitated, his eyes darting between the eager faces of Mary and Marlene. He seemed to be battling with some inner turmoil before finally letting out a long, exaggerated sigh. “Fine, fine. But only because you’ll never leave me alone about it.” Mary and Marlene cheered as they pulled out their potion from class and eagerly started pushing James’s hair back as well as removing his glasses. “Alright, so the instructions say we just rub it in?” Mary asked, glancing at the tiny bottle before pouring some of the potion onto her hands. She began to apply it to James’s face with delicate, practiced movements. Remus caught a glance at Sirius, who was snickering beside him, clearly enjoying the spectacle. Remus rolled his eyes, but the sight of James, ever the dramatic one, trying to sit still with his eyes closed was too amusing to ignore. “Are you done yet?” James complained, his voice thick with impatience, but his eyes remained squeezed shut. Mary, unbothered, continued her work in silence, finishing up just a few seconds later. She sat back, admiring her handiwork.
“I don’t see a difference,” Peter said, finally looking up from his homework, his voice flat. He was met with an immediate glare from James, who, if possible, looked even less impressed. “It takes a few days,” Lily chimed in from her armchair, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she watched the scene unfold. “You’ll see the results soon enough, Potter.” James let out an exasperated sigh, still staring into the distance, but it was clear that the whole experience wasn’t quite as enjoyable for him as it was for everyone else. Instead of continuing the banter, James turned awkwardly to Remus. “Hey mate, can I talk to you for a minute?” he asked, his tone slightly off, as though he was unsure whether or not he should have asked. The entire group fell silent. This was strange. James never asked to speak privately—especially not like this. Even Sirius, who usually had a sixth sense for these things, raised an eyebrow and looked at his best friend with confusion. Remus, though caught off guard, managed to recover quickly. “Yeah, sure,” he said, his voice steady but curious. He stood up from the couch, shooting a glance at the others, wondering what on earth this was about. James stood too, a little too quickly, and motioned for Remus to follow him. As they stepped away from the group, Remus couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
James led Remus into the dorm room, his movements stiff and unsure. He was pacing back and forth, shifting from foot to foot, clearly uncomfortable with whatever conversation he had in mind. Remus, sensing the tension, braced himself for something serious. “Look, I know you’ve only been here a couple of days,” James began, his voice hesitant, “but I just need to know.” He paused, taking a deep breath before meeting Remus’s eyes, as if searching for reassurance. At that moment, Remus’s thoughts spiraled. Was this about the werewolf? Had James figured it out somehow? The paranoia that had been simmering under the surface ever since his arrival in Hogwarts flared to life. Was he going to find out about Remus’s secret? Was this the moment everything fell apart?
“Do you like Lily?” James finally blurted, the words tumbling out in a rush. “Or do you think she has a thing for you or something? I mean, it’s just… you’re so close, and she’s nice to you, and—” Remus stood frozen for a moment, processing what James had just said. His heart thudded in his chest, and for a second, it felt like the world had shifted beneath him. This wasn’t what he’d expected at all. All that tension, all those terrifying thoughts about his secret being exposed, and James was worried about Lily? Unable to help it, Remus burst into laughter. It was a sharp, relieved laugh, one that escaped before he could stop it. The weight that had been pressing on him all of a sudden seemed to lift, and it felt absurd that he’d even considered anything worse.
James blinked, startled, as Remus laughed, his face flushing with embarrassment. When Remus finally managed to stop laughing, he wiped his eyes, still chuckling under his breath. “Trust me, James,” Remus said, his voice calmer now but still holding a smile. “I have no romantic feelings toward Lily.” James didn’t look completely convinced, but the tension in his posture had faded slightly. He seemed to relax, though he still wore a thoughtful expression. “But… what about the way she acts around you?” James continued, his voice tinged with uncertainty. “And, you know, the whole perfect face thing, and the game in Charms, and just… you two being so close?”
Remus couldn’t help but laugh again, the awkwardness of the situation only making it more ridiculous. “Mary was the one who joked about me having a perfect face,” he explained, still chuckling. “Lily was just being sarcastic. Honestly, it was a joke. And the game? That was just something to pass the time—no hidden meaning there.” James looked slightly reassured, though his brows were still furrowed in confusion. “You’re sure? I mean, you two really do seem… close.” Remus smiled, shaking his head as he leaned against a desk. “We’re close because we spent nine hours together on the train. And she’s only still nice to me because I haven’t participated in one of those pranks yet. Trust me, nothing romantic going on here, I swear.” James finally cracked a smile, the edges of his mouth lifting in relief. “Right, yeah. I guess I’ve been overthinking it.” He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. “I just… don’t want things to get weird, you know?” Remus gave a small grin, “Yeah I get it,” he said, offering him an understanding look. “But really, James, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”
As the conversation began to wind down, Remus felt a quiet sense of relief settle over him. It wasn’t that he didn’t value his friendship with Lily—he did—but his mind simply didn’t gravitate toward the idea of romance. If anything, he was still adjusting to being around people again after so many years of being isolated. Maybe it was the limited time he’d been at Hogwarts, or maybe it was his long years of being homeschooled, but he didn’t feel the pull of romantic attraction to anyone, including Lily. James, for his part, seemed to have calmed down, though his grin was still a little lopsided. “Alright then. Just needed to get that off my chest. I’ll let you go, but if you ever change your mind… you can tell me you know, I’ll never be mad at you for it.” Remus smiled at his understanding, “Thanks, James. I’ll keep that in mind.”
As they made their way back to the common room, Remus couldn’t help but feel the weight of the conversation still hanging in the air. It wasn’t that James’s concerns were unfounded; it was just that, in that moment, Remus realized that his biggest struggle wasn’t whether or not he had romantic feelings for anyone—it was simply trying to find his place in the world, trying to reconcile the parts of himself he kept hidden, and hoping that the friends he’d made in such a short time wouldn’t ever have to see that side of him.
Some time later, Remus was on his way back from sending a letter to his mother when he unknowingly stumbled into what felt like a secret meeting. The sound of muffled voices guided him to the dorm room, where he found Peter, James, and Sirius huddled in a tight circle on the floor. Their heads were bent in intense conversation, and the air was thick with excitement. “We need this first prank to be big, Peter," Sirius was saying with a serious tone. "We can’t just do dung bombs again. That’s too easy.” Peter looked up from where he was fiddling with something in his hands, clearly considering Sirius’ point. “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he muttered. “But it has to be something unexpected. Something that’ll make people talk.”
“No, good point,” James chimed in, running a hand through his messy hair and looking more thoughtful than usual. “We need something loud, something that screams, ‘The Marauders are back.’” When the conversation died down and the three of them were left in an intense silence, the room felt heavy with anticipation. Remus took a moment to lean against the doorframe, quietly observing them. The aftermath of his conversation with James wasn’t as awkward as Remus had imagined. After their brief but somewhat intense talk, they rejoined the rest of the group in the common room. When they sat down, a few curious glances were exchanged, but nothing more. The others, particularly Sirius and Peter, let it go quickly after a few jokes made by James. It wasn’t long before the usual banter filled the air, and the tension from earlier faded into the background.
Remus thought back to the conversation happening in the middle of the dorm room, an idea that had been buzzing in his mind for a while now suddenly clicked. Remus couldn’t help but grin, his eyes glinting with a playful spark. “Did you say you needed something loud?” he asked casually, interrupting their brainstorming session with a deliberate nonchalance. At the sound of his voice, the three Marauders whipped around, clearly startled, as if they’d forgotten he was even there. Their eyes widened in surprise, and Peter’s mouth opened in shock. “Remus? What—when did you—?” Sirius’s brow furrowed in confusion, his usual sharp wit now dull from the sudden interruption. James, always the first to recover, raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, why?” he asked, his tone curious, yet wary. “Got something in mind?” Remus stepped into the room with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, “As a matter of fact, I do,” he said smoothly, reveling in the way they all leaned in, eager to hear his idea.
A few hours later, the four of them were huddled under the Invisibility Cloak, which, to Remus’ utter shock, was something James had actually managed to get his hands on. It was tight—too tight, in fact—and they had to move cautiously to avoid any accidental tugs that might give them away. Each of them had to angle their bodies just right, and they had to make sure their feet weren’t sticking out from under the hem. Remus couldn’t believe they were actually pulling this off.
Once Remus had brought up the idea that they should use the whistling charm from class, the four of them had gathered in the common room, sitting together with a new sense of excitement to properly plan out the prank. “So, you’re saying that if we can somehow connect the Whistling Charm to the points system in the Great Hall,” Sirius asked, sounding impressed, “the charm will get louder every time the Slytherins earn points?” Remus nodded, his excitement building. “Exactly. We’ll make the charm increase in volume whenever the Slytherins rack up points. It’ll be so loud that no one will be able to ignore it.” Sirius grinned. “That’s a good idea, Remus. But how are we going to figure out how to make it work?”
The group fell into a thoughtful silence, each of them turning the problem over in their minds. It was Peter who broke the quiet with a thoughtful suggestion. “I’ve heard about a spell used on Mandrakes,” he said, his voice hesitant. “It’s used to transport the screeching noise they make to a different object. What if we could use something like that to make the Whistling Charm connect to the points system?” Everyone turned to him in shock. “That’s brilliant, Pete,” James said, eyes wide. “Now we just need to figure out how to make the sound increase every time the points are added,” he finished, clapping Peter on the back. Sirius thought for a moment before his face lit up. “I think I can handle that. I can charm the Slytherin hourglass to increase in volume every time the stones fall.” The Marauders exchanged excited glances.
“Alright, boys,” James said, clapping his hands together. “Let’s do this.” With that, they all stood up, energized and ready to put their plan into motion. But before they could head out, James turned to Remus, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Remus, mate, I’ve got something to show you.” Remus raised an eyebrow, confused. “What now?” James turned around with a silver Invisibility Cloak in hand, holding it out with a proud grin. Remus’ eyes widened. “You’ve got to be fucking joking.” of course James Potter had an invisibility cloak, why fucking wouldn’t he have one. “No joke, mate,” James said, his grin widening. “We’re going to need this. Now, let’s get going.”
The four of them stood in front of the Slytherin hourglass, their eyes focused on the large green stones that glowed faintly in the dim light of the empty Great Hall. “Alright, I’m going to cast the Whistling Charm now,” Remus said quietly, pulling out his wand. “Peter, you perform the spell to transfer the noise.” Peter nodded, a look of determination on his face as he readied his own wand. “Edo Sonum,” Remus muttered under his breath. The moment the words left his mouth, a loud, high-pitched whistle erupted from his wand, ringing through the hall. The shrill sound echoed off the stone walls, causing the four boys to freeze in place. For a moment, the sound seemed deafening, reverberating in the air like a warning bell.
“Shit, fuck,” Remus hissed under his breath, his hand shaking as he quickly lowered the volume of the spell. The sound faltered and softened, but the damage had been done. His heart was pounding in his chest as he glanced around, waiting for any signs that someone had heard the noise or noticed them. The stillness of the hall felt unnatural, and every second stretched out, filled with the fear of being caught.
The silence seemed to stretch on forever before Sirius broke it with a quiet, relieved curse. “Gods, that was fucking scary,” he muttered, wiping a hand across his face. Peter nodded vigorously in agreement, still looking wide-eyed from the near-miss. With a shaky breath, he pointed his wand at the Slytherin hourglass, murmuring his own spell. Remus listened intently, his pulse still racing, as the whistling sound moved from his wand and over to the hourglass above them. Slowly, the high-pitched whistle started to blend with the soft hum of the Slytherin stones, a strange but harmonious effect as the charm took hold.
“Alright Black work your magic,” James said, his voice low with anticipation. Sirius stepped forward, wand at the ready, his face set with determination. “Here goes nothing.” He said before muttering the incantation, his wand glowing faintly as the magic took effect. Once he finished, Peter tilted his head, looking between the others. “How will we know if it worked?” he asked and Remus shrugged, feeling a bit anticlimactic after the flurry of excitement. “I guess we won’t until tomorrow,” he said, voice almost a whisper. The boys shared a glance, shrugged, and turned to leave. They were heading back toward the door when something caught Remus’ eye. Sitting calmly behind them was a cat, watching them with wide, bright yellow eyes.
“Aww, aren’t you just adorable,” Remus cooed, his mood lifting as he crouched down to scratch the cat under its chin. The feline purred in response, arching her back and rubbing against his legs. But then a voice broke through the moment. “Umm, what the actual fuck?” Remus froze and looked up, only to see three shocked faces staring back at him. James’ eyes were wide with disbelief. “Did you seriously just befriend Filch's cat?” Peter was equally flabbergasted, his mouth slightly agape. “I’ve never seen anyone so casually pet Mrs Norris!” Remus stood up with a shrug, giving the cat one last affectionate pat. “I dunno, I saw a cat, so I pet said cat.” He looked from face to face, a bit bemused by their stunned expressions. “What’s the big deal?” The others continued to stare at him, utterly dumbfounded, which only made Remus roll his eyes in exasperation. “Maybe we should leave before someone finds us,” he said, raising his eyebrows as he gestured toward the door. The rest of the group seemed to snap out of their shock at this. James quickly pulled the Invisibility Cloak over them again, and with one last glance at the cat, they hurriedly made their way out of the Great Hall.
Once the boys were back in the dorm room, Remus could finally breathe a sigh of relief. He flopped onto his bed, the adrenaline of the night still buzzing in his veins. “That was the most exciting thing I've ever done,” he confessed, sinking into the soft sheets with a contented groan. James grinned at him from across the room. “We’re just getting started, Lupin. Be prepared for this to become your life,” he teased, his voice full of amusement. Remus chuckled, but his attention was soon drawn to the soft whispering coming from near Peter’s bed. The three boys huddled together, exchanging private words. He could hear snippets of their conversation but couldn’t make out the details. Then, Sirius cleared his throat dramatically, drawing the attention of the room.
“Remus Lupin,” he said, tone suddenly taking on a formal, important air. “We would like to formally invite you to join the Marauders,” he declared, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. Remus sat up, his curiosity piqued and a smile tugging at his own lips as the three Gryffindors beamed at him. “But, in order to join, you must pass one final test,” James continued, his voice taking on an ominous tone. Remus raised an eyebrow at this. Peter, who had been standing behind them with his hands hidden, stepped forward, pulling something from behind his back. He revealed a bright red chili pepper, holding it out like a trophy.
Remus groaned, instantly regretting his curiosity. He put his head in his hands, letting out a desperate sigh. “Really, guys?” he muttered. The three of them just smirked, clearly enjoying his discomfort. Peter, ever the instigator, made it worse. “And you’re not allowed any water to help,” he added, eyes glinting mischievously. Remus groaned again, feeling a familiar sense of dread. “Do I even want to join your club?” he asked, though deep down he already knew the answer. He wasn’t about to back out now. He hadn’t expected to meet such a great group of people when he’d come to Hogwarts, but now that he had, he was going to do everything in his power to keep them. The three boys exchanged knowing looks, raising their eyebrows in challenge, their eyes silently daring him to back down. Remus knew there was no turning back now.
“Fine,” he sighed dramatically, his tone one of reluctant acceptance. He reached out and took the chili from Peter’s hand. “But this group better be worth it,” he muttered, eyeing the pepper with disdain as though it had personally offended him. Sirius was practically glowing with pride. “Trust me, this is the best decision you’ll ever make,” he claimed, his eyes fixed on Remus. He stared at the chili for a moment, silently hoping that one of the boys would burst out laughing and admit it was all a joke. But no such luck. With one last look around at the eager faces of his friends, he placed the chili in his mouth and began to chew.
The pain hit him instantly. His eyes watered as the intense heat of the pepper exploded in his mouth. It was like fire had been poured directly onto his tongue. His face flushed, and his throat burned. “Merlin’s fucking balls, I hate all of you!” Remus cried out, his voice choked with the heat as he finally managed to swallow the burning, fiery mass. The other three Marauders howled with laughter, slapping him on the back and watching in delight as Remus writhed in pain. He couldn’t help but groan, feeling like his insides were being scorched. “Are you sure I can’t have water?” he moaned, his face contorted in agony as a literal tear ran down his cheek. The others continued to laugh, clearly relishing his suffering. Peter, however, must have taken pity on him because he quickly murmured a spell, causing the burning sensation to lessen just slightly. Remus sat back on his bed, still feeling like his mouth was on fire but being able to breathe again. He wiped the tears from his face and glared at the others, who were still grinning at him like proud parents. “Welcome to the Marauders, Lupin,” James said with a wide smile, his voice full of triumph. Remus, despite the lingering pain in his mouth, smiled back, “Best decision I’ll ever make, huh?” he asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Absolutely,” Sirius agreed, winking at him.