The Now of Wolf Thought

Minnie McG

With the assistance of Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall, Remus was assisted to the guest quarters he had first lodged in as there was a personal bath located just off the apartment. Madam Pomfrey removed the hospital gown with a wave of her wand and asked that he remove his underpants. Feeling incredibly self  conscious, he lowered his head and averted his eyes and the woman smiled and turned her head.

"Honestly Mister Lupin," she began, "surely you're aware that we two have seen you naked before."

He nodded. "Yes ma'am, but I was always delirious at the time, wasn't I? Doesn't count."

Still, he complied and quickly lowered his underpants and cradled his private parts with both of his hands. Upon entering the shower stall, he stood under the scalding hot water, and scrubbed at his face and body with the provided borax as hard as he could in anger. When he realized that he was attempting to scrub the lycanthropy away, hot angered tears streaked his redden face, his clenched fists banging away at the ornately tiled walls.

The Professor, hearing the banging on the tiles, entered the bathroom to collect him, fussing with the foggy steam that was billowing from behind the glass shower door. "Mister Lupin, are you quite finished in there?"

Remus, held his breath in an futile attempt to regain his composure...he simply couldn't let his favorite Professor see him in the state he was in. "One moment Professor," he squeaked.

Hearing the sound of Remus' anguished voice, caused the woman's heart to break just a little bit more. She longed to reach out and hold him protectively to her, but protocol and Remus himself, wouldn't allow it. Hearing the door open, she held out the towel toward him and he all but snatched it from her hand and quickly wrapped it around his waist.

"Sorry," he said in a lowered voice as he ventured closer toward her position. As the steamy fog was still quite thick, he couldn't see her, but he could smell the earthy floral tones of her perfume, as slight as it was.  "I didn't mean to snatch it like that," he admitted.

"I know," she replied quietly. She was finally able to see him and she reached up and tenderly plucked at the fringe from his eyes. She saw the elongated welts on his face, torso and legs, where he had attempted in vain to scrub the borax into his skin. "Oh, Remus," she whispered.

He shook his head. "Please don't," he said and she nodded hers.

"Very well. Come with me. There is a new school uniform waiting for you in the bed chamber."

He nodded again. "Thank you, Professor."

Minerva exited the room and waited for him in the sitting room of the guest quarters for privacy and he realized that Pomfrey had long returned to the hospital wing. Remus stared at the pristine uniform laid out, waiting for him on the foot of the bed. He quickly dried his body, feeling the sting as the soft cotton as it rubbed at his sore raw skin...he felt that he deserved it somehow, if only for injuring his Hermione.

Upon exiting the bed chamber, he eyed the Professor as she rose from the plush chair by the fireplace. "You're looking quite dapper," she said smiling.

The boy raised his brows and looked down at his long gangly frame and shrugged his shoulders. "If you say so, Professor," he said.

"Yes, I say so Mister Lupin." She held out his wand toward him.

"Thank you," he whispered gratefully.

The look on her face was a mixture of concern and genuine affection. She turned to head toward the door and stopped just upon reaching it. "Oh, you'll be needing this." She held out her hand. When he lowered his gaze, he saw a bright shining Prefects badge in her outstretched palm.

"Oh. I suppose I am to assume Hermione's place then?"

"No. You're to resume your place."

He looked down into her eyes, her face suddenly becoming quite blurry. "I don't...I don't understand?"

"Gryffindor's sixth year male prefect has unfortunately had to return home for personal reasons that I cannot disclose to you. Since we are in need of a sixth year male prefect and you are available and..."

Remus rushed to her and circled his arms around her, burying his face in the top knot of her hair. He let out a quiet sob as he felt her arms circle around him.

"Mister Lupin, kindly reel in and contain yourself," she said in a mock-cross tone.

Remus sniffled and chuckled, as he looked into her gentle eyes. "Yes Professor."

"You have watch tonight," she said with authority.

"Yes Professor," he replied as he fingered and straightened out his tie of burgundy and gold.

"I will secure for you a schedule for your rounds after lunch." She huffed and reached up to tighten the knot to her liking.

"Yes Professor," he replied, his voice tight and he swallowed hard...he'd get used to it again.

She opened the door and walked through it, only to stop and turn toward him. "Mister Lupin?"

"Yes ma'am?"

"It's good to have you back, I've missed you."

"Thank you, Minnie McGeeeee. For everything."

He watched her brow raise high and her lips purse tightly as her fingers batted at his face gently, much like a cat would playfully bat at a toy mouse. "Cheeky." Then, she smiled as she rolled her twinkling eyes and shook her head. "I've missed that too, actually."

Remus snorted his reply.

"And of course, I'll deny it."

"Of course," he said, chuckling, as the fingers of his left hand tugged at the too-tight collar. He outright laughed when she huffed a nasally hissing sound.

Remus exited the suite proudly and walked by her side down the tiny vein of a corridor toward the main arteries of the castle.

"You're in dire need of a hair cut Mister Lupin. I'll not have my sixth year prefect looking like a candidate for Witch's Weekly Playboy of the month."

"That would be reserved for the likes of Sirius, ma'am," he said in a low voice.

"He's already received the award some ten times or, so I believe."

"Oh?"

She nodded. "Mmhm." Then, she smiled.

"But I thought..."

"He was supposed to be laying low? Oh please. This IS Sirius Black we're talking about. He probably even has secured himself an heir by now."

Remus' nose wrinkled up in silent laughter as he nodded. "Figures."

A/N

Sorry this is so short and so long in coming, but I didn't want to leave you hanging too much more...lol

Let me know what you're thinking about the story so far?

All the love...

Nique