Versipellis

I never wanted this life, to be a half-blood, I wanted to be normal but normal and half-blood in the same sentence would never happen. In my eyes it’s a curse and there is no counter to it. You may read this and wish it was you who was a half-blood but everyone in this would disagree and say you’re an idiot for wishing such a thing. Being a half-blood is anything but a dream but don’t let the gods hear you say that if you want to live. Being a half-blood is like having an early death wish, you die in terrible excruciating ways at too young of an age. The gods forget were there children not their puppets or Soldiers but that’s enough of that. I should probably start from the beginning.

Hi my names Remus john lupin, I’m fourteen years old and I haven’t been a normal kid since I was 4. I couldn’t of imagined it could of possibly got any worse until recently but fate or well the gods always find a way to prove you wrong. My life got even more strange a few months ago. I was a student at a private school called versipellis academy, an ironic name but that’s not important right now. Versipellis academy was for gifted kids, yet troubled kids. Am I one of those troubled kids? Indeed so. The academy is located in London, the rich side of London. Now I know what you may be thinking and no I’m not some rich kid, quite the opposite but I’ll get more into that later.
Now I could start anywhere from my life and tell you how I’m not your average troubled kid, but you’ll start to see that soon yourself. My life truly changed, last may during a year nine history school trip. Our class was going to the great British museum to look at ancient Greek and roman artifacts. To some that may sound hellish but to us it was better then some of the geography trips we took to stare at boring rocks. Professor McGonagall, our history teacher was leading this eventful trip. Professor McGonagall was an older teacher who recently started teaching at Versipellis academy the same sort of time I joined. You wouldn’t of guessed it from the way she looked but man she was terrifying if you got on the wrong side of her, luckily I had never. she was a great teacher she knew how to get us troubled kids to behave. She always seemed to have an owl with her, the little feathery friend played with us in class when we behaved yet I always had the strange feeling the owl was always watching me in class, either way she was the only teacher who didn’t judge us on our action and didn’t put us to sleep. I had hoped for one normal school trip but even that was to much to ask for.

See, bad things away had a way of seeking me out especially during the school year. Okay so one time in a chemistry lesson we were testing flame resistant paper, and I didn’t mean to spill the ethanol and water mixture but of course it spilt all over the desk and caught fire. And then before that in physical education we was playing football and I didn’t mean to kick the ball that hard but lets just say, we was down one window after that. And well you understand what I’m saying…
But I was hopefully about this trip, all the way there I had bit my tongue about Sergio goodman the rich blonde obnoxious pyromaniac kicking mine and my best friend Xenophilius’s seat on the bus. We were an easy target. We were quiet. We liked learning. We were smarter than the others not in an egotistical way just we put effort into our studies. Xenophilius wasn’t as social as the other kids in fact he was the exact opposite to a social butterfly, we were each other’s only friend. He was an easy target because he looked different, he was unapologetically himself. he stood out.

Anyways back to Sergio, he kept kicking the seats with all his annoying strength the bloody prat always found a way to change my rational mind and turn it angry, but I’d never actually do anything because I wasn’t that type of person, well and I couldn’t risk getting kicked out of yet another school. The headteacher had already threatened me if I caused one issue id be out because of my past reputation with schools.
“I’m going to punch him” I mumbled.

Xenophilius smiled slightly, “we both know you wont rem.” he said sympathetically.
Sergio kicked it once more and that was my last straw. “I can’t take it anymore” I started to stand up and turn to the seat behind us.
“Rem you already got warned by the headteacher plus its not a big deal. You know well get blamed for it, Sergio’s dad pays the school to ignore his son’s faults” classic Xenophilius remind Remus of his own civil self in moments of stupid recklessness, back then I wish I could have stood up for us but there’s no point dwelling on the past.
Professor McGonagall had been leading the tour, so it wasn’t boring but more so fascinating. She walked up the hallways past ancient artifacts spilling her knowledge to us, me and Xenophilius eagerly listened to her. I glanced around at the years of history starstruck at it, I was amazed at how all this had survived so long of course I knew how they preserve but it was still fascinating.

She stopped around a black and orange vase, it was about 40 centimetres tall with a centaur receiving something or someone, she began talking explaining the centaur was called pholos, he was caring a bough and laying his hand in that of none other than Heracles who Professor McGonagall explained was confronting pholus. Behind Heracles was Hermes seated to the left. I tried to keep listening to her talk, but I couldn’t concentred with all the noise and Sergio kept shoving Xenophilius into me and wouldn’t stop talking to his other snobby friends. I told him to be quiet. Of course I was obviously ignored by the idiot. Xenophilius shot me a kind smile and told me to ignore Sergio. Classic Xenophilius he was too kind for his own good. The whispering earned us a death glare from the other teacher on this trip, Professor Greyback. He was this hairy wrinkly English teacher from who knows where, he always wore his greasy hair down. He looked like he would kill someone who just looked at him in the wrong way and well he probably would. His unpleasant face had scars scattered around It like my own face but his were older more faded than mine. Ever since he showed up, I have this unnerving feeling in my stomach that he was familiar but had yet to discover why I felt that way.

From the start of him teaching at Versipellis academy he had obvious favourites, me and xenophilius were definitely not among that this but top of his hate list. He looked at me like I was the devil reincarnated. He would flash his yellow stained teeth at me that were unusually sharp and say “now listen boy” in the fakest sweet tone, and then I knew I was in trouble and stuck in detention for however long that devil decided.

One time he made me run laps for hours for talking one time, I had told Xenophilius that Professor Greyback couldn’t possibly be human when he looked like, that smelled like a wet dog and was that cruel. Xenophilius had laughed it off, but I could tell that his mind had wondered elsewhere the minute I had brought up my little theory.
I continued to try to stay focused on what Professor McGonagall had been saying, yet Sergio would of course never let that happen. Finally he pushed Xenophilius to hard and he tripped over and I had lost all patience. I helped Xenophilius up then turned to the spoiled boy.

“Would you stop that?!” I said louder than I have planned too. The whole class started laughing and snickering like kids do. Professor McGonagall stopped his explaining.
“Mr Lupin” she said in a voice that I usually would have assumed I would be getting detention in, “have anything to share?” she added. I was bright red and embarrassed I was already socially awkward enough I didn’t need other eyes on me too. I stuttered out a response as quickly as I could feeling the eyes of my classmates burn into me, “n-no, professor.” I just wanted everyone to stop staring at me now, it feels like there inspecting every flaw I have. “Perhaps you’ll enlighten us with what Hermes is the god of?” She said as she pointed to Hermes on the vase. My eyes travelled all over the vase taking in it all over again and my eyes land on Hermes luckily, I knew a bit about him. I steadied my voice as best I can as I began to talk “h-Hermes is an Olympian d-deity and considered the herald of the gods” I pause and cleared my throat trying to sound more confident. “He was often thought of as the god of herds, trade, heralds, athletes and thieves. He’s the messenger god.” I finished. “indeed” Professor McGonagall said not completely satisfied, she continued “and the Olympian are?”

“The Olympians are the major deities of the Greek pantheon, they are Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis, Apollo, Ares, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Dionysus who got a place as one of the main twelve Olympians after Hestia gave up her spot” I said more confident in my knowledge as I continued to speak trying to not focus on the eyes of others. Sergio snickered and mumbled to his friends “look at the nerd…as if ill use this in my future. My future college application won’t say ‘list the pointless gods in Greek mythology’”

Professor McGonagall spoke up again, “And why is this important in modern life, Mr lupin? Since Mr Goodman is so eager to know”
“You’ll only get into college cause your daddy will pay off the school to let you in” Xenophilius mumbles. He had his rare moments of sass.
At least I wasn’t the only one in trouble today, Professor McGonagall was the only fair teacher at the entire hell hole of our school and the only one who didn’t care about Sergio’s dad’s money.

I considered her question thinking of a logical reason to why we still learnt of ancient myths and couldn’t think of an answer with weight to it. I uncertainly replied with “so we learn how we got to our current time? So um history isn’t repeated. I’m not sure Professor”

She nodded seeming to accept that answer reluctantly, slight hit of disappointment painted on her face. “That is certainly part of the reason but that wasn’t the answer I was looking for. None of a less, I think it’s a time we take a break and head to lunch. Professor Greyback would you lead them outside please. We will continue after.”

Some kids hurried outside eager the long boring myth talk was finished at least for now. All hungry and young. As me and Xenophilius started following the group outside, I was called back by Professor McGonagall. I had been praying she wouldn’t have wanted to talk about what happened between me and Sergio and that I wasn’t about to be scolded by my favourite Professor. I told Xenophilius id be out as quickly as possible and he should go ahead for now.

I glanced at her then down to the floor feeling her eyes on me as I played with my threading jumper. But to my surprise all she said was “I’m proud of your answer but I’d like you to find out the answer to my last question”

I was relived I wasn’t in trouble; I was embarrassed at the praise she gave me, and my cheeks flushed red. I nodded “Yes Professor.”
“I teach you this for a reason Mr lupin. It’s important you always remember this, I only want and expect the best from you, Remus lupin.” She said as she emphasised the ‘you’ in her sentence.

I was flattered again but also slightly annoyed, she seemed to have high expectations for me. I was never good at reaching them, she would only be disappointed eventually. Why waste her time on me I was just a troubled kid after all. This teacher pushed me harder than anyone else had. But she’d have to accept I wasn’t as abled as the other kids that’s why I was at this school after all. I had never stayed in a school long enough to trust what teachers said I was constantly switching because chaos loves to follow me around. Even my grades weren’t as good as they could be, no matter how hard I try or read words weren’t easy for me. I couldn’t spell for the life of me regardless of being a ‘gifted kid’. I really hated those titles but that’s not the point of this. I just nodded at her, and she then dismissed me to join the others.

I walked down the hallway glancing at the other artifacts as my eyes land on a piece of marble, I read the information below it, it was called the votive offering relief, from Athens from about 420 BC. I stood still looking at it for a while it was beautiful, that wasn’t surprising since it was an offering to a goddess, Athena. I’d always been more interested in her. She was the goddess of wisdom; I always admired her for her mind and intelligence.

The class had made rest on the stairs of the British museum. The outside of the museum was as beautiful as the artifacts inside of it. The sky looked miserable as usual but that was classic English weather for you. I didn’t really bat an eye to the weather changes anymore.

Everyone else seemed to be doing their own things, some of the girls and boys were kicking around a football one of them had brought, the others were chasing seagulls. Sergio goodman and his friends were trying to set things on fire and throw stones at each other. They were absolute idiots, of course Professor Greyback ignored it. He always did when I wasn’t involved.

Me and Xenophilius sat on the top steps trying to avoid being near Sergio at all costs. Sadly our uniform made us stand out like a big flashy sign that read “hey I go to a school full of trouble freaks”.

Xenophilius smiled at me, “What did she say rem?”

I just sighed and looked at him, “Nothing much Xeno, but on my way out I saw this breathtaking artifact that was an offering to Athena” I said.

He immediately froze up at the mention of the goddess of wisdom and changed the subject. “So are you eating that sandwich? Ill trade you my chocolate bar” Xenophilius said. Of course he knew my one weakness. It was chocolate he was my best friend after all. Plus chocolate makes everything better.

I immediately smiled at him, and we traded food. I opened the dark chocolate happily my mood better now. Xenophilius always had a way of doing that to a person. I ate pieces of the sweet treat as I looked up to the dark sky thinking of his parents at home. I missed them a lot when I was away. I had Xenophilius who was like a brother to me, but it was not quite the same. I wanted so bad to be a normal kid for my parents they were too pure for me, a fucked-up kid who only ruined everything, yet they still loved me and never gave up on me. If I got kicked out of this school, I know my parents wouldn’t get angry they’d hug me, kiss me, on my forehead, welcome me, home and make me my favourite food. I knew no mater what id probably be kicked out from here as well it was unavoidable at this point. I didn’t want to leave at the same time because I’d miss Xenophilius.

Professor McGonagall was standing at the bottom of the stairs with a book in hand as she ate an apple. She was wearing a dark green cloak as usual. I though it must keep her warm since she wore it all the time. It had owls on it that blended in with the green colour it was beautiful. I had assumed she must like owls from how many things I’d seen owl related with her.

I continued to eat the chocolate Xenophilus gave me when Sergio walked up towards us and took the chocolate out of my hands, that prat. “I think I’ll be taking that” Sergio said while smirking. His face just pissed me off and rubbed me the wrong way.

I tried to stay rational and civil remembering I had to behave but I was sick of him today and my mind went blank. I was done with his shit.

I don’t remember what happened it was all I blur, I wasn’t knew to that type of feeling but that wasn’t comforting at all more like a nightmare. I don’t remember touching him, but he was on the floor his nose bleeding. Xenophilius grabbed my arm not to restrain me but to remind me of where we were. “Remus hit me! Professor, Remus hurt me!” Sergio cried out.

Xenophilius watched me with worry as Professor Greyback pulled me into the museum. I was still trying to piece what happened together like a puzzle, but all the pieces were from different puzzles. I hate this. I hated how my mind got fuzzy and blurry. Why couldn’t I be fucking normal? I walked deeper into the museum, my eyes wander all over the room for the third time today, before I knew it, we were back in the ancient Greek section. “Look I know I’m in trouble you don’t need to remind me.” I mumble out already exhausted and fed up with the day, but little did I know it would be nothing compares to what I had coming. Clear wasn’t the right thing to say because Professor Greyback then smiled twisted smile his inhumanly spikey sharp teeth all on show. I thought I was just going to get scolded, but I couldn’t of been more off. The room was unusually quiet, I then noticed we seemed to be the only people in this section. Professor Greyback stared at me with piercing eyes, if looks could kill I would have already been dead. His eyes seemed to twitch, his hairy self-turned…furry? Fur started to cover every inch of his body. He had started growling. He started to look like a…werewolf…the werewolf from that night…
I froze up as the realisation set in my body petrified in fear as flashed of that night consumed my mind, the blood curdling scream reliving itself in my mind ringing in my ears. No... no… this couldn’t be happening. My heart felt like was beating out of my chest. My breaths came out ragged and short. Please anything but this. My vision was getting fuzzy, the scent of fear engulfing my body taking me back to 4 year old me… I couldn’t relive that night please just kill me instead... as I began to lose all hope and that thing that was my teacher inched closer, I heard a voice…my mothers voice? “remus!” Next thing I knew there was a dagger thrown in my direction my body automatically moved to catch it. The blade to shiny to be a normal blade… no it was a normal blade at all it was covered in aconitum also commonly known as wolfsbane. I couldn’t see who had thrown it, but it had been the wake up call I had needed to regain control of my mind. This fucker wasn’t going to control me through fear anymore. My body shook and my ankle killed me id forgotten my walking stick that day… As fear and years of suppressed hatred took control of my body, I threw the dagger as the creature that was once my teacher lunged at me, it was the only thing I could think of in the moment.

The wolfsbane covered dagger pierced through him, he howled out in pain and before I knew it, he was gone and there were only the remains of sand signifying something had ever even been there in the first place. The smell of wet dog and the crying howl left an uneasy feeling in the atmosphere obviously.
I was alone now.

I glanced around looking for the dagger but only saw my cane. Professor Greyback wasn’t there. Nobody was there but me. My ankle was in agony now, I had trouble keeping balance. I grabbed my cane steadying myself before I fell over. My heart racing a million times a second. Then it all finally sent in.

What the actual fuck just happened…

My chocolate must have been laced with weed, did any of that actually happen? Did I make it up? I slowly made my way outside when an owl flew right past in bright day light…this day kept getting stranger.

Xenophilius was still sitting in the same position as when I left his face buried in a plant book he had brought. I was making my way back over to him when Sergio barged my shoulder and whispered “I hope Professor Mors gave you detention for a month”. Ugh classic prat right there- then I noticed he had said a name I didn’t recognise, “wait who?” my voice full of confusion. “Our teacher? Thought you was meant to be smart nerd.” He rolled his eyes and walked off.

I brough it up to Xenophilius but he was confused about who Professor Greyback was, yet his body language said he wasn’t being truthful either way I left it. The same owl from earlier was perched on a tree my eyes watching it. Then I though more about the person who yelled my name, it sounded so much like my mother, but she wasn’t here. Everything was exhausting today, I gripped my cane tighter my brain still fuzzy from the whole thing.

I felt someone’s eyes on me, and I glances in the direction of the eyes looking for the owner of the gaze and it was none other than Professor McGonagall. Her gaze felt different from all the other times she’d looked at me, I couldn’t decode what her expression meant. I glanced at Xenophilius one last time the walked down the stairs to Professor McGonagall, I used my cane to support me my ankle still hurting. “Professor, do you know where Professor Greyback is?” I said assessing her to see if I had made what happened up. “Who Mr Lupin? Theres no Professor under that name.” she said calmly, and her eyes travelled to my cane. “Remember to not lose that next time, if you hadn’t remember to grab it before we leave then it would have been lost.” I nodded reluctantly.

I was so confused. What was going on, I know Professor greyback was a real teacher at this academy…my mind was too fuzzy, and I felt far to faint. My ankle finally gave out my cane wasn’t enough to save me from falling and I passed out. The last thing I remember seeing was that same owl.