Chapter 56: 2nd September 1991, Monday: Part 11

George ran as fast as he could to catch up to Remus, he didn't want to lose the werewolf on the moving stairs. There was more than one way to reach the headmaster's office and George couldn't predict which route Remus might take. Luckily, Remus had barely made it to the end of the corridor and was just about to take his first step onto the moving staircase when George caught up to him. After hearing the echoing footsteps and turning around, Remus seemed surprised to see George running toward him.

Remus paused mid-step, "George, what are you doing here?"

George didn't answer the question, but instead, accused Remus, "you're going to tell Professor Dumbledore about me, aren't you?"

Remus let out an exhale of air and pinched his brow between his fingers, "I don't have much of a choice."

George acted surprised by Remus's conclusion, he asked in bewilderment, "why don't you have any choice? You always have a choice. I thought that we agreed that as long as I wasn't a danger to myself or others, then you wouldn't tell anyone."

Remus seemed to realise George's perspective at that moment, then he placed his hand on George's shoulder as a reassuring gesture. Although, it had the opposite effect. George didn't like the look of conviction in the werewolf's eyes.

Remus spoke calmingly, "that's exactly it George. You're a danger to yourself, you just don't realise it."

"Is this about the stroke?", George asked.

Remus looked at George like he had just stated the obvious. The werewolf put one hand on George's shoulder and gave him a gentle shake.

"Of course, it's about the stroke. What else could this have been about? Your life was in danger, George."

George held a confused expression as he explained, "but Madam Pomfrey clarified that it was stress. It could have happened to anyone, it probably had nothing to do with my condition. I've always been a nervous person so it's only natural when you think about it."

Remus let go of George's shoulder, his arms fell limply by his sides and his head hung low. Remus's expression looked pained as he must have been thinking of how to word his next sentence. George could tell he wasn't going to like it.

Remus spoke to George hesitantly, "Madam Pomfrey lied to you, she didn't want to worry you and make your condition worse than it already is. She sees you as a young first-year and you shouldn't have to worry about life-threatening illnesses.

You have to understand that people don't normally have strokes when they're feeling stressed, especially when they're only eleven years old. Also, your temperature and heart rate was higher than any human should ever be, anyone else would have died under those conditions. You have already become a danger to yourself, but that isn't the only issue.

Professor Dumbledore told me that you had been looking at him with fear in your eyes, he also saw your eating out-burst before you passed out. He already knows there's something different about you, this is why he sent a letter to me in the first place. He was asking me if I knew anything about you that may explain what happened.

Even if I didn't say anything, it was only a matter of time before he found out. He is a very smart man and will eventually put two and two together. There's no avoiding this, George. It has to happen eventually."

George took a more defensive approach, "why can't I be allowed to decide who knows about me? It's my life after all, am I not allowed to make my own choices? And what does it matter if Professor Dumbledore finds out by himself, what's the worst that can happen?"

Remus seemed a little surprised by George's stubbornness, he didn't seem to know exactly what to say in response. This was good, George needed to put the werewolf on the back foot. Only then will the final blow be effective.

Remus took a few moments to think before he said, "if you decide to keep this a secret and Professor Dumbledore or any of the other teachers such as Professor Snape, who will be permanently keeping an eye on you from this point onwards, finds out by themselves then that's going to make you look like you've got something to hide.

It will affect the way they decide to deal with you. Telling them now will make them more inclined to treat you better. Trust me, I've been there before."

Now it was time to land the penultimate strike, the hypocrisy. If Remus was going to use his personal experiences as an excuse to 'help' George, then George will use that to his advantage. The werewolf didn't tell everyone he met who and what he was, so why should George?

George stared at Remus as if he'd just said something incredibly stupid, "well I HAVE got something to hide. Since when did it become a crime to keep secrets about yourself? Am I a bad person for wanting a little privacy? Maybe I belong in Azkaban along with all the other wizards there for keeping a couple of secrets.

If you expect me to tell the teachers at Hogwarts then where does it end? Am I meant to live the rest of my life feeling like I'm obligated to tell every single person I know about my condition? Every time I introduce myself to someone new I should say, 'hi, I'm George Linwood and I'm a huge scary lizard monster the likes the world has never seen before, nice to meet you. Oh, have you met my friend Remus, he's a werewolf and would kill you without hesitation once a month, but don't worry, he's really nice when you get to know him.'"

Remus could see George getting visibly angrier during his rant as his voice kept getting louder. The fear that someone might overhear should be settling in. However, the werewolf had nothing to worry about since George had already controlled his volume perfectly. Also, there was no one, other than them, on the moving staircases at the moment. Remus was probably thinking that he needed to attack this problem from a different angle to make George understand his perspective. With a bit of luck, Remus would resort to using George's family as leverage against him in this argument.

Remus ended up walking right into George's trap, "what about your sister? What am I meant to tell her if something bad happens to you whilst you're at Hogwarts because you chose to keep your secrets instead of letting the people around you help? Surely you don't think that your family would treat you differently if they found out about this part of you."

And just like that, the stage was set and the final act was ready. George had anticipated Remus using his family, it's a weakness most people couldn't refute. But he wasn't most people. Now it was time for George to hold a mirror up to Remus. Would the werewolf willingly expose the secret knowing it could put an innocent little boy on the same traumatic path he had walked? Once George showed Remus what his persona feared most, he was banking on the answer being unequivocally no.

George's eyes started to tear up as he heard what Remus said about his family, teardrops started to drip and fall to the stone floor creating a pitter-patter sound.

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His wet face looked Remus right in the eyes as he said with determination, "that's the main reason why I don't want anyone to know and the reason I was forced to tell you. I had to tell you because I had no other choice, I had no more places I could hide from them.

I've had so many nightmares about the day my family would see me as that thing. I could see their horrified faces looking back at me, they would see the monster and nothing else. I was debating if I should show my family for months but the day that I showed you, I saw the look on your face and I knew that I could never let that happen. I'm sure you were trying to hide it but I could see your fear. Even someone like yourself, a person who many see as a monster, still looked at me in fright.

You must already know what it feels like to see people look at you in terror, I know there's a reason you spend so much time alone. I'm guessing that you are scared to grow attached to people knowing they would fear you if they knew the truth. I know that because I live with that very same fear every day. I've only known Amanda Dominic and Ellie for just under a year and they are the best thing to ever happen to me, I don't want to risk losing them. I'd rather die than let them see me change.

Please, I'm begging you, don't take them from me. I'll do anything. Anything, just don't tell them. I... I don't..."

George tried to really ham up the emotions as he began snivelling and shaking during his breakdown in front of Remus. Seeing George's emotional outburst, Remus didn't hesitate to drop his briefcase and embrace George in a hug.

Remus spoke with his gentlest voice whilst holding George close, "I'm so sorry, I didn't realise how much you were suffering inside. I was being selfish and was not thinking about your feelings. I do know what it's like to lose your family because of what you are, it's something that haunts me every day. I also know what it's like to rather die than see the ones you love fear you.

I won't lie to you, George, people who know will always treat you differently, even your closest family and friends. I am so sorry this has happened to you, you deserve so much better. If you really don't want anyone to know then I won't say anything. I'll just tell Professor Dumbledore that you have a rare affinity for fire and nothing else if that's what you want. I understand that you know the risks and are willing to accept them, for better or for worse."

Remus pulled away which left his shoulder wet with George's tears. Since he'd gotten the result he had wanted, George allowed his condition to improve slightly.

George's face was bright red as he wiped his tears with still shaking hands, "th thank you, Remus. I... I don't know what I would have done if..."

Remus knelt so that his eye level was lower than George's, "but there's one thing you must always know, you are not alone. I am sure there will be a day when you are ready to show your family and I'll be right there beside you.

And who knows, you might even find someone at Hogwarts you trust enough to show. Even I had a few friends I showed what I was whilst at Hogwarts."

Remus was smiling whilst he tried to raise George's hopes, however, he'll come to regret bringing up the past. This was going to hurt, but George had to say it. He couldn't miss an opportunity to twist the knife when it was so nicely presented.

"Remus, if you don't mind me asking, where are your friends now?", George asked while wiping the tears from his eyes.

Remus's smile wavered as he presumably reminisced about the friends he had lost, "they're not here anymore, but that won't be the same for you. I'll make sure of that, this time it will be different.

Now cheer up, nothing's going to happen and no one is going to know. Since I am here, which classroom are you in next?"

George acted surprised by Remus's question, but answered nonetheless, "7A on the Seventh Floor, why?"

Remus stood up, picked up his briefcase off the ground, and looked towards the continuously moving staircases.

"That should be Astronomy class if my memory hasn't failed me. I'll walk you there. It should be a good chance for me to have another look around this old Castle, I'll be able to see if anything has changed."

George tugged on Remus's sleeve, "didn't you tell Professor Snape that you were going to go to the headmaster's office?"

Remus looked back down at George with a cheeky expression as he whispered, "I'm still going to go to the headmaster's office, but, I am just going to take the long way around. It can be our little secret.

By the way, sorry about you being placed in Slytherin. I couldn't possibly imagine having Severus as my Head of House, now that's a living nightmare. It's not all bad though, that girl seemed nice, the one that came with you to the office. What's her name?"

George formed his first smile since his emotional outburst, "her name is Gemma. She's a prefect and is nice to me. Although, she keeps on treating me like her little brother. It's a little weird."

Remus patted George on the back, "look at you, already making friends with a prefect on day one, in Slytherin no less. Does she know that your adopted parents are muggles?"

George nodded, "she does. I don't think she cares."

Remus's smile widened as he nodded his head towards George approvingly, "that's great. Anyway, I've gotten distracted. It's nearly one o'clock and we haven't even set off. We better get a move on or you'll be late."

Remus began to hop up the moving stairs with a sense of familiarity. Clearly, he still had a strong memory from when he attended Hogwarts nearly fifteen years ago. George allowed a genuine smile to creep on his face once Remus was far enough ahead. He had managed to dodge yet another bullet and would live to see another day.

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