#fricking dorks

A/N: I’m thinking about putting this work up on FanFiction.net (the full work I mean), but I don’t want to do that unless people will actually read it and enjoy it. so, I hope you do actually enjoy it. Cheers.

The platform was incredibly busy and Remus felt out of place standing alone amongst all of the other witches and wizards excited and anxious to board the scarlet Hogwarts Express for the first time. Proud parents and jealous younger siblings stood by as their children bobbed up and down on the balls of their feet waiting to board. Remus shuffled along timidly, griping his trolley with just as much force as he would allow himself. If he were to grip it any tighter his werewolf strength would kick in and it would most certainly break in half. The short, tawny haired boy felt extremely nervous that his secret would be quickly found out and he would be called out for it, only to be taken to the Ministry and put to death. Finally, first time students began to give their last goodbyes to their tearful parents. As Remus moved closer to the train to get on and be whisked away to the school he was so incredibly fortunate to have been accepted into despite his “condition” he bumped into an awed looking woman standing with her husband and two arguing daughters.

“S-sorry,” he stuttered out.

The woman turned around and looked down at him. To Remus’s surprise her face was split into a huge grin, her green eyes full of warmth, “It is quite alright.”

The quarreling girls stopped momentarily to look at him. The taller of the two, her brown hair tied back into a bun at the back of her head, looked disgusted at the sight of Remus in his brown, oversized jacket, torn jeans, greying t-shirt, old, battered boots, and messy hair. The other girl, freckled with sparkling green eyes like her mothers and the reddest hair Remus had ever seen, was smiling at him with a grin to rival her mothers. She held out her hand to Remus, who hesitantly grasped it and shook.

“I’m Lily Evans. Are you new here too?” she asked in a kind voice.

“Ahh… Yes.”

She smiled, “What is your name?”

Remus blushed and looked down at his feet, realising he hadn’t introduced himself. He looked at her through the hair that had fallen in front of his eyes, “I- I’m Remus. R-Remus Lupin.”

“It is very nice to meet you Remus Lupin.”

Remus smiled and muttered a quick goodbye and another apology to the family, heading to the train once more. He could hear the sisters continued arguing because of his werewolf hearing.

“Tuney that was rude!” Lily said to her sister.

Petunia snorted, “He’s a freak. Like you. I’m not going to talk to freaks.”

Remus shivered and decided to try and not listen to the arguing.

______________________________________________________________

When he finally boarded the Hogwarts Express he found an empty compartment and pulled out one of his second-hand school books from his trunk, which he had already read three times through.

Once the train was moving and he was already a decent way into the book the compartment door slid open and a plump boy with mousey blonde hair stepped in.

“Is it okay if I sit here?”

Remus looked up from his book to address the boy, “Go ahead.”

The boy plopped onto the empty spot opposite Remus with a sigh. After a few minutes of what Remus thought was a comfortable silence the boy spoke.

“I’m Peter Pettigrew by the way. You?”

Remus took a deep breath realising he will have to speak to this Peter Pettigrew and put down his book, index finger marking the page, “Remus Lupin, how do you do?”

“Alright thanks mate. Your first year too?”

Remus nodded.

“You nervous? I am. My mum was thrilled. Dad’s a muggle see, so we weren’t sure if I’d be a wizard or not cause I showed no signs of it when I was growing up. We had a small celebration when I got my letter. Mum’s told me so much about Hogwarts and Dumbledore. What house do you think you’ll be put into? I have a feeling I’ll be put into Hufflepuff,” Pettigrew looked disappointed as he sunk lower into his chair, “My aunt was a Hufflepuff and she is boring. I don’t want to be like her.”

Remus shifted. His dad hadn’t told him anything about Hogwarts at all. All he did was give him a trunk full of school supplies and dropped him off at King’s Cross Station, telling him to just follow anyone who looked like they were going the same way he was. Remus couldn’t blame him though. Things had been hard on his dad ever since Remus had been bitten and turned, and his mother killed by the bloodthirsty werewolf Greyback who had it in for Remus’s father. He quit his job at the ministry to protect his son and they moved to a more remote location so no one could hear the screams of pain and the angry howls of the wolf from the added bunker every full moon. John Lupin now worked two jobs with low pay as to keep a low profile so Remus didn’t get taken into the ministry. Remus also hadn’t heard much of the Hogwarts houses other than the stories his mum had told him when he was young and that she was in Ravenclaw, the brainy house.

“Hey, Lupin? You there mate?”

Remus snapped out of the recollection of the attack all those years ago to feel Pettigrew’s hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off protectively and started wide eyed at the confused boy.

“Wow. You really zoned out there for a minute. You want anything form the trolley? Its’ getting close to us now.”

“The trolley?”

“Yeah. There’s a trolley full of all kinds of goodies like chocolate frogs that comes around. You want anything?”

Remus perked up at the offer of chocolate. He picked up the sound of the trolley approaching and, thinking of chocolate, liked his lips.

“Do you know how much everything costs?” asked Remus as he dug into his pockets to find some coins.

“No idea. Sorry mate. If you need some change I got quite a bit here. We could share?” Pettigrew noticed that Remus was having some trouble raiding his pockets for some money.

“No. It’s alright,” Remus said dejectedly, “If I don’t have enough it’s okay. You just get yourself something.”

Pettigrew looked at Remus sadly, “If you’re sure?”

Remus nodded just as the trolley pulled up at the door.

He stared out the window as Pettigrew bought some chocolate frogs and Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans.

After a minute Pettigrew sighed and held out a chocolate frog to Remus, “On the house.”

“Oh no, I can’t I-“

“Take the chocolate before I change my mind.”

Remus reluctantly took the chocolate, not being able to turn down the offer of chocolate. He unwrapped it and scarfed in down at record speed just as Pettigrew bit the head of the frog squirming in his hand.

“Bloody hell. You really like chocolate don’t you?” Pettigrew looked amused.

Remus flushed and looked out the window again. His expression shifted to that of childish wonder as he saw the approaching castle.

“Woah.”

Pettigrew noticed what the young werewolf was staring at and dropped the half eaten frog, “Oh wow. That’s where we’ll be staying for the next eight years? Blimey.”

Remus gathered himself and cleared his throat, “We’d better change into our robes before we get there.”

“Good call.”

______________________________________________________________

The two boys, along with ever other first year, followed Hagrid to the boats.

“Four teh’ a boat firs’ years!” he yelled pointing to the boats.

Remus and Pettigrew stood by as the students filled up the boats. Two boys, one with very messy dark hair and glasses, and another with neat, shoulder length hair, waved Pettigrew and Remus over.

“Come on,” the messy haired boy yelled, “Hurry up, get in!”

Remus avoided looking at the strangers as he climbed in next to Pettigrew.

“I’m Peter Pettigrew. You are?” asked Pettigrew with an outstretched hand.

The messy haired boy enthusiastically shook it, “James Potter. This here is Sirius Black.” He pointed at his friend.

Pettigrew gawped, “Black? Potter? Purebloods?”

Potter and Black glanced at each other, “Yep.”

“Wow.”

“And who’s this then?” asked Black to Pettigrew pointing at Remus.

“I’m L-Lupin. R-Remus L-Lupin,” he didn’t know why he was so nervous but he looked down at his hands as the boats took off.

“Nice to meet you Lupin,” Black outstretched his hand with a smile, Remus shook once only to immediately let go.

The other three glanced at each other while Remus stared transfixed at the approaching castle.

“Impressive right. My dad’s told me so much about this place. If I’m not put into Gryffindor I’ll leave,” Potter announced.

Black laughed, “I hope I get put into Gryffindor just to spite my family. There is no way I’m going to be in Slimy Slytherin.”

Pettigrew hunched again, “I recon I’ll be put into Hufflepuff.”

Potter laughed but Black shrugged, “Nothing wrong with that.”

“But Hufflepuff’s are boring.”

“Not as bad as Slytherin. What about you Lupin? What house do you recon you’ll be put into?” Black asked.

Remus thought for a moment, “I have no idea. I don’t really know much about Hogwarts. My mum was Ravenclaw….” Realising he had mentioned his mum, he trailed off. No one seemed to notice.

“You don’t know much about Hogwarts?” Potter’s mouth hung open in shock, “How? Are you stupid or something? Not know much about Hogwarts, ha!”

Remus flinched and his body tensed as he looked down at his hands.

Black noticed and lightly hit his friend’s arm, “Well I doubt he’d be completely stupid because his mum was in Ravenclaw.”

Remus couldn’t help but smile shyly at that, although he did feel a twinge of pain at the thought of his mother. Black smiled back causing Remus to flush and zone out of the conversation completely.

_____________________________________________________________

Remus, Potter, Black, Pettigrew and the other first years filed up into the Great Hal looking both excited and nervous. Remus spotted a flash of red hair and saw Lily Evans from the station smile and wave at him. Potter noticed and gazed transfixed at the girl.

“Who is she?”

Black laughed, “Why? You fancy her already?”

Potter flushed a deep crimson, “No.”

It was obvious he was lying.

“Let the sorting commence!” Remus heard McGonagall say from the front of the hall.

A few students were called then, “Black, Sirius!”

Black sauntered up to the stool and placed the hat on his head, screwing his eyes up in concentration.

After around half a minute the hat screamed, “GRYFFINGDOR!!”

There was silence all around the hall before Potter and the Gryffindor table erupted into cheers as Black jogged to take his seat. The Slytherin table muttered as the Gryffindor’s laughed in their faces that they had got the Black Heir and not them.

The sorting continued.

“Cloves, Jamie!”

“SLYTHERIN!”

“Decker, Penelope!”

“HUFFLEPUFF!”

Then, “Evans, Lily!”

Remus looked up and watched as Evans sat on the stool and, without even being on her dark red hair for more than a second, the Sorting Hat screamed, “GRYFFINDOR!!”

Remus clapped along with the Gryffindor house and found that Potter was smiling suspiciously wide.

“Longbottom, Frank!”

“GRYFFINDOR!”

“Lupin, Remus!”

Remus froze. His name had been called. What if he didn’t get into any house? What if he sat up there on the stool and everyone in the crowd started yelling “WEREWOLF!”? What if-?

“Lupin?” Potter tapped him on the shoulder.

Remus looked round, gave a small, fake smile, and approached the stool.

He tripped up the step and the Slytherin table laughed, a few stifled giggles heard around the hall as well, Remus flushed a deep crimson. When he finally sat on the stool and the hat was placed on his head it sunk over his eyes so he could no longer see the sea of faces watching him intently.

“Well. This is new,” the Sorting Hat said in Remus’s head, “A little werewolf.”

“Don’t tell anyone!” Remus screamed in his mind.

“Why would I? My job is to sort, not to snitch.”

Remus relaxed and the Hat talked to him again, “Now, where to put you.”

Remus sat there for a minute, then two, then three. He shifted on the stool as whispers broke out across the hall.

Remus just wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear but then he heard a voice, chanting his name. He recognised the voice as Sirius Black and he couldn’t help but smile a bit. The chanting grew louder and louder until, “GRYFFINDOR!”

Cheers erupted like and Erumpet horn and Remus dawdled to the table.

“Good on you mate!” Black clapped him on the back when he sat down next to him.

“Hello again Lupin. Well done!” Evans gave him a bright smile like the one she gave on the train platform. Remus felt warm and fuzzy from receiving congratulations from two people he had never met before today. He felt incredibly lucky to be allowed into Hogwarts even because of his “condition”.

“Pettigrew, Peter,” was called.

It took a bit longer than with Black and Evans, but shorter than with Remus for the Sorting Hat to yell, “GRYFFINDOR!”

Remus found himself clapping and smiling along with Black, Evans and the rest of Gryffindor house.

“Potter, James!”

The Hat didn’t even touch his head before screaming, “GRYFFINDOR!”

“YES POTTER!” Black yelled and cheered, standing up on his seat and giving the boy a high-five when he lodged himself between Black and Pettigrew.

“We all got into Gryffindor then! Well done to us! Especially you Black, what’s your mum going to think when she hears the news?” Potter asked.

Black’s eyes lit up, “She’s gonna chuck a mental.”

Potter and Black laughed while Pettigrew lightly chuckled. Remus wasn’t listening because he noticed Evans attention perk up when the next name was called.

“Snape, Severus!”

Potter seemed to notice Evans staring at the stool too and whispered, “Greasy lit git. Look at him. He’s definitely a Slytherin.”

“SLYTHERIN!”

“See, what’d I tell ya’? Severus Snape, more like Snivellus Snape am-I-right lads?”

The three of them laughed and Evans frowned over at them, “That’s not very nice you know.”

“Do you think I care?” Potter laughed again.

Evans huffed and turned to where she was talking to her new friends.

Remus looked around as all of the first years had disappeared to go and sit with their tables, Professor Dumbledore was giving a speech, some students were silently talking to each other, like Black, Pettigrew and Potter, but most students were listening. Remus wasn’t paying any attention though as all he was focused on the shining silver food racks, trays, and plates that had appeared on the table.

It just had to be silver didn’t it?

Remus swallowed and looked around as everyone was digging into the food. He started at the silver and thought of the best way to approach it.

“You right Lupin?” Black asked from next to him, his mouth already full of chicken.

Remus thought fast, “Ahh, yeah. Just- just not hungry. That’s all.”

Black scoffed and filled up Remus’s plate with baked potatoes, chicken, sausages, and anything else nearby, “You gotta’ eat. Come one. It’s good, I promise.”

Remus smiled, without knowledge of it, Black had just solved his inner dilemma for now, “Thanks.”

Black swallowed before returning the smile, “You’re welcome.”

______________________________________________________________

The feast had ended and the Prefects had escorted the first years to their common rooms.

“Okay. So Longbottom, Rupert, and Watson, you are in here. And Black, Potter, Pettigrew, and Lupin, you are in here.”

Black and Potter burst into the room with the other two trailing behind.

“Well what do you know? What a coincidence that we were all put together, hey.”

“Tis’ fate my dear sir!” Black put on an aristocratic accent and climbed up onto the bed closest to the door, claiming it as his.

Potter laughed and jumped up onto the bed next to it, “Aye! It must be so!”

Pettigrew laughed and watched the two with admiration. It was obvious that he already looked up to the two boys a great deal.

Remus ignored the display of dorkiness and they battled each other using their pillows as weapons and claimed the bed nearest to the bathroom and furthest from the door. He gathered his shower supplies and disappeared into the bathroom.

Remus stood, facing the mirror, and looked himself in the eye as he gripped the sides of the sink, dropping his stuff.

“Okay. You’re fine. This is going to be fun. No one is going to find out. How hard can it be?” he thought to himself, “How hard can it be?”

So.