Marauders - Always - Part One

A Long Day

"The wizards... they don't like werewolves," Spencer said.

He was sitting at the dining room table in the Potter's house, Peter and Remus seated around the table, too. The radio crackled as Mad Eye Moody's speech played over the airwaves, the crowd at the Ministry grumbling and even booing at the mention of the werewolves.

Remus shook his head.

Peter said, "Werewolves are rated extremely dangerous in the wizarding textbooks." He glanced at Remus. "Not all of them are like you lot," he added quickly.

Spencer paused, listening to Moody's gruff voice. He looked at Remus, "Was the Minister for Magic good?"

"He was brave," Remus nodded.

Spencer asked, "So does the Queen and the Prime Minister know? About this other Minister?"

"They do," Remus replied. "The Minister for Magic is traditionally very close with the Royal Family, and there are yearly delegations to the Prime Minister, as well as contact during emergency situations - like this."

"How come it's a secret, then? That the wizards exist?" Spencer asked.

"Because muggles stole our magic and mistreated witches and wizards in the olden times," Peter said quickly before Remus could answer. Remus's eyebrow raised. "Which is why," Peter continued, "A lot of wizards believe in keeping magic to pureblood wizard families, to avoid being betrayed again, like they were a long time ago. Not all of us believe that, mind, but a lot do. The Dark Lord believes that, for example, and he's really bad."

"Dark Lord, Peter?"

Peter looked at Remus and shrugged, "So-called, at any rate." He looked at Spencer. "It's to protect wizards against You Know Who."

"But I don't know who?" Spencer looked confused.

Remus sighed, "There is a war on, between blood purists who believe, as Peter has said, that the muggles - non magical, folk, mind - are guilty of having tried to steal magic from the wizarding community. But the truth is there is nothing wrong with muggles, no reason to fear or hate them, whatever their leader may teach... He believes that muggles are lesser than, worth less, that they ought to be brought under wizarding control and forced to serve those of us with magic. He thinks they are no better than animals. And he uses people like us - wizard and muggle origin alike - because we are already mistreated and he uses such things to his advantage."

Spencer shook his head. "I can understand why there are werewolves that would be cruel and nasty.
Just learning about these things is making me so angry --" Spencer's voice shook. "Doesn't it make you angry?"

Peter looked alarmed.

But Remus nodded, "It does. I've been angry many years about many things... but anger never solved anything, violence never solves anything. You can't fight hatred with hatred - that's what Lily says."

Spencer nodded, "You're right. She's right." He stared at the table top and Peter looked between Remus and Spencer for a moment, picking at the sandwich on the plate before him nervously. "How do you - not - be angry?" Spencer asked.

Remus shrugged. "It's difficult at times. But my friends -" he smiled at Peter, "- help a lot."

Spencer looked at Remus and the look in his eyes was a desperate plea. Spencer didn't have that support system like Remus, did he? And the question in Spencer's pupils was "what do I do?" Remus felt profoundly sorry for him. Sorry for the boy who never asked to be turned.

His heart ached and he had to look away.

His mind was flooded then with the images Dumbledore had cast into his mind - just a few weeks ago now - of leaderless, lost and confused groups of werewolves who were seeking purpose, seeking a leader. They must be so scared and alone, Remus thought, recalling the terror and pain of the nights in the bomb shelter in York and the Shrieking Shack, back before his best mates had done something to keep him sane, to keep him safe. Those men and women were hurting, and they were reacting in pain, working through uncontrollable urges, and getting themselves into trouble...