Mischief Managed Y2 Part 2: The Truth of the Tournament

Chapter Nine: An Unusual Howler

.................................................

Remus hesitated, feeling very hot and uncomfortable. This had to be his uncle's revenge since he hadn't been able to get his hands on the werewolf...The howler in front of him must be from the malicious man.

What if he outed him as a werewolf? Was his uncle upset enough? Remus knew he was cruel enough to, but was he upset enough to? Trying not to cry, Remus glanced at the staff table where he found Dumbledore looking at him but the headmaster only winked which stressed Remus out more.

Did the headmaster not see he was holding an infamous howler, one that could potentially out him? Or worse, did Dumbledore know and not care? Had the one who invited the werewolf to Hogwarts not wanted him to return, and now would have a legitimate reason to kick him out?

"Mmm," he flinched, letting out a pitiful embarrassing sound as Lily gently touched his arm looking sad.

"Go on, Remus, it's starting to fizz."

"You can do it, Remus, it will be over quickly. I got one once. They aren't that bad" Marlene explained, actually sounding sincere.

Remus glanced down and the angry red envelope, indeed starting to fizz. Knowing there was no way to avoid it the worried boy avoided glancing at Marlene and Dorcas who had been so nice to him and now would hate him. Then with a grim certainty that he'd be kicked out of Hogwarts, he finished opening the howler.

"REMUS LUPIN, YOU ARE A MORON BECAUSE YOU WON'T EVEN GIVE ME A CHANCE TO APOLOGIZE AND YOU KNOW HOW IMPATIENT I AM."

Remus tried not to groan or send a glance down the table. That was most definitely not his uncle's voice but was unfortunately another one he recognized oh so well...

"WELL, I GOT SO IMPATIENT. YOU WENT AND MADE ME DO IT THIS WAY AND NOW WE CAN BOTH BE EMBARRASSED. THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR HIDING AND THAT'S WHAT I GET FOR BEING A DOLT. I'M AN ARSE, REMUS, I KNOW IT. I KNOW I HURT YOUR FEELINGS. I KNOW I BETRAYED YOUR TRUST AND I KNOW I'M A DAMN AWFUL FRIEND. BUT I WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND AND NOTHING...NOTHING HAS CHANGED THAT, UNDERSTAND? SO QUIT RUNNING AND MAN UP AND LET ME APOLOGIZE. JAMES SAID I SHOULD THREATEN TO MAKE IT AN EVEN MORE SAPPY APOLOGY FOR EACH DAY YOU DON'T LET ME APOLOGIZE. BUT BLOODY HELL WHERE WOULD THAT EVEN LEAVE US? PETER MADE ME PROMISE TO GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR THE BRILLIANT IDEA

Remus heard an incredulous shout from Peter down the table who clearly did not want the recipient of the howler to know this awful idea had been his.

SO IF YOU'RE MAD BE MAD AT HIM. AHEM, WELL, I'M PRETTY BAD AT THIS AND I KNOW THE WHOLE OF BLOODY HOGWARTS IS HEARING THIS, SO I CAN'T SAY EVERYTHING I WANT TO. SO YEAH, COME TALK TO ME, YOU GIT. ALSO, FEEL BAD FOR ME, BECAUSE I'M PROBABLY GONNA GET A DETENTION SINCE I'M PRETTY SURE STUDENTS AREN'T ALLOWED TO SEND HOWLERS. BLIMEY, I'M TIRED, I HAVEN'T SLEPT WELL IN A WEEK. ER, NOT THAT IT'S YOUR FAULT, IT'S MINE, I KNOW IT. AH, SHOOT, JAMES IS SIGNALING TO ME I BOTCHED THIS ONE UP AS WELL. BUT WE'VE ALREADY SCRAPPED FIVE, SO SCREW IT, I'M SENDING THIS ONE. IF THE WHOLE SCHOOL THINKS I'M A JOKE IT'S WHAT I BLOODY DESERVE, NOW ISN'T IT? SO ONE MORE TIME IN CASE YOU'VE SPACED OUT IN COMPLETE HORROR THROUGHOUT THIS. REMUS, I AM SO SORRY AND WE ARE 15000 PERCENT STILL FRIENDS...IF YOU WANT TO BE THAT IS. OKAY, NOW JAMES IS LOOKING LIKE I'VE MURDERED SOMEONE, PROBABLY MY REPUTATION, HAHAHA. BUT YEAH, I'M SORRY. OKAY, OKAY, JAMES, DON'T GET YOUR PANTIES IN A TWIST. I'M DONE NOW, HAPPY?"

Remus did not wait to hear if the laughter at Sirius' expense would ever die down or not. He wasn't sure why he heard some older students whisper 'fags' or why on earth his mental friend would think this was a sane idea. The werewolf just knew he had to get outside before he broke down and started sobbing in front of the whole school. So he left. He was pretty sure Lily tried to follow but James stopped her. Remus himself didn't stop to think about why James might have braved stopping Lily until he had already run outside. Only then did he realise his horrible mistake.