Hogwarts Express: Time Travel

XC. Horace Slughorn

XC. Horace Slughorn

The scene drifts from Annie's bedroom to Diagon Alley just as the front window of Ollivander's wand shop explodes Witches and wizards flee. In the drifting smoke, death eaters appear, accompanied by a tall, sinewy beast of a man, Fenrir Greyback

Remus's eyes widen in pure shock, but quickly as it came his shock morphed into undeniable fear. After all these years he was still afraid of the man. The man who turned him into a monster, the man who scarred him. The man that caused his father to never look at him the same.

His hands trembled as beads of sweat rolled down his temple, Sirius was first to notice the frantic state of his best friend. Realizing instantly who the hairy man is. Sirius clamps a hand on Remus' shoulder asking lowly "Do you want to get out of here?"

At his question, two heads turned towards them, James and Regulus, now James was quick to catch on what's going on, but Regulus was confused. He glanced between the screen and a fear-stricken Remus back and forth

"N-no, I-I'll stay" their werewolf friend insisted

"Are you sure? You don't need anything, Moony?"

"No" his voice betrayed him, despite wanting to appear strong he couldn't, not when the man of his nightmares is right there on the screen looking just as crazy as the day they met.

Regulus couldn't help but whisper his question, assuming the three marauders didn't want any attention on them "What's happening to you?" his question was directed to Remus, he was his main concern

Remus clenches his hands shut, the last person he wanted to scare away, now the secret is out of the closet, everyone knew of Remus' fury problem sure, but he didn't know how people felt about it. And the one person he wanted to hear what he thought about it was sitting right across from him

He was scared to look up and see fear in Regulus' eyes, he was scared of what he might find in there. He doesn't even look when Sirius whispers to his brother "That's Fenrir Greyback... the one who bit Remus"

There was a silence between them, and for the first time in his life he hated silence. He wanted to hear him talk, he slowly looks up, uncertainty and doubt clouding what he already knew, and once he peers into Regulus' charcoal eyes, the air was almost knocked out of him

No fear, no disgust. Rather understanding accompanied with confusion.

Remus wanted to cry because of the emotions swirling through him like a hurricane, he wanted to plead with god and ask him what he had done right in his life to deserve such loving friends.

As if reading his mind, Regulus leaned slightly closer to Remus and whispered "I don't think you're a monster, you shouldn't think of yourself as such. One ought not define oneself by nature, blood, names or linage.... Rather, it is our choices, actions and the love we exhibit that unveil our true character"

Sirius looked at Regulus wide eyed, he wasn't the only shocked one, his two best friends were gaping at the younger Black as well, his words had hit home

"I remember uncle Alphard quoting this when we were children" spoke Sirius, melancholy clear in his eyes

"Yeah, he was surprisingly wise" grinned Regulus his eyes fixed on Remus "J'accepte la grande aventure d'être moi"

"What's that mean?" asked Remus tilting his head to the side

"I accept the greatest adventure that is being myself" smiled Regulus as he spoke "It means I accept who I am"

"Blimey, Reggie, when did you become such a wise little bloke?"

"Probably when you were busy shagging everything that moves" muttered Remus causing both James and Regulus to snort