CHAPTER ONE: ALL AMERICAN B####
summary: Remus grows attached to an American transfer student from Ilvermorny.
trope: idiots in love, grumpy x sunshine, slight fast burn
pairings: remus lupin x gryffindor!american!reader
contents; people make fun of readers accent, reader was a thunderbird but is now a gryffindor
THE LONG AWAITED DAY HAD FINALLY ARRIVED
Ever since your mom and dad had let you know that they had gotten job offers with the british Ministry of Magic, you couldn’t wait to finally become a student at Hogwarts.
Sure— Ilvermorny had it’s specialties, but Hogwarts? Hogwarts was easily the best wizarding school in all of the world.
And that’s why you simply couldn’t wait to attend.
You had heard so many incredible things about the teachers, the castle, and even the students.
Though— the excitement wasn’t necessarily fending off the nerves.
You were coming in as a 5th year, a 5th year who had no friends, no house, and no grasp of any sort of british wizarding culture.
People had started their friendships as first years, and closed their inner circles off to outsiders looking in.
So that left you to try and find some sort of place in the world, and everything was new and scary.
Admittedly— it did feel a bit embarrassing as you sat on the boat took 1st years across the Black Lake.
You towered over them, but in this technicalities (except for age and height) you were the same as them.
As the boats neared the boathouse; your anxiety seemed to grow.
Again, you felt a bit silly standing amongst the young 1st years as Professor McGonagall explained the houses and their attributes to everyone before entering the infamous Great Hall.
“Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Now while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup.” McGonagall smiled warmly, as she answered a few questions from the 1st years with ease.
Allegedly, the ceiling was enchanted to look like a clear night sky.
You couldn’t wait to see it, Ilvermorny had nothing like that.
Back to the houses, you had always wondered what house you would be placed in— even before you attending Hogwarts was a blip on anyone’s radar.
You were a proud representative of Thunderbird back home, hopefully you would make them proud.
Snapping you out of your thoughts, with a swish of her wand— the doors to the Great Hall opened.
Revealing the four large tables, each seemingly representing a different house.
The stares and whispers that followed your arrival were nerve-wracking, you stuck out like a sore thumb.
“All right, will you wait along here, please? Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words.” Professor McGonagall explained, stepping aside so the 1st years could see.
Dumbledore rose from the main table in the center.
“I have a few start-of-term notices I wish to announce. The first years, please note that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Moreover, swimming in the Black Lake is strictly prohibited unless you would like to become lunch for the giant squid who resides inside. Thank you.” Dumbledore seemed to smile softly at you— probably because he could sense your nerves.
Even people at Ilvermorny would boast about Dumbledore.
“When I call your name, you will come forth. I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses.” She began to call up 1st year after 1st year, as chatter rose over the students— seemingly chatting about who was getting placed where.
When your name was called, the hall went silent.
You could nearly feel the prying eyes burning into your skin as you stepped up to the stool.
As she placed the hat down on your head, the battered old thing sprung to life.
“Ah… different from the rest, are we?” He inquired, shifting around on your head uncomfortably.
“Y-yes.. I suppose.” You stuttered quietly.
“A Thunderbird, were you? I believe I know where you go.” He began, the anticipation was thick in the air.
He shouted, and cheers erupted throughout the room. Even McGonagall seemed pleased.
You stepped down from the stool, and towards the Gryffindor table when—
“Psst, Psst!” A ginger-haired girl called you over, a warm smile on her face as her two friends looked in your direction.
You walked towards them, and slid yourself down into the empty seat on the bench.
“You, you’re the new fifth year?” She questioned nicely.
“Yes, I am” You smiled, as her smile dropped— her eyes lighting up in surprise.
“Y—You’re american?!” Her blonde-haired friend exclaimed in bafflement, her hands slamming down on the table as food appeared on the table for the great feast.
“Umm, yes..?” You looked around at the three girls, and one of them gave you a smile.
“I’m Mary, Mary Macdonald. Since these two don’t seem to be giving you a proper introduction— This is Lily Evans, and That’s Marlene Mckinnon.” She stated simply.
“Oh, come on, Mars. I was just about to introduce myself.” Marlene rolled her eyes playfully, and gave Mary a small nudge.
“I’m sorry if we made you feel uncomfortable, I mean— I’ve never met an American before.” Lily apologized, her smile returning to her freckle-stricken face.
“It’s alright, I understand.” You laughed, beaming at Lily.
“Well— This is my one of my boyfriends, Jame— James!”
Lily looked over at James disappointedly, as he was seemingly trying to steal from her plate.
“Sorry, my love.” James smiled guiltily, before turning his attention to you.
“It’s nice to meet you, Y/N” He shook your hand strongly.
“It’s nice to meet you, too, James.”
His eyes widened comically in response to your response.
“Y—You’re american?” He whispered from across the table, as if he was asking something highly inappropriate.
You giggled, “Yes, I am.”
“Pads, Pads!” Sirius grabbed the shoulders of the boy next to him and jostled him around to get his attention.
“Merlin’s tits— What, Prongs?” Sirius sighed exasperatedly.
“Here— Y/N, say hello again.” James asked of you.
Sirius gasped rather dramatically, his eyes nearly widening the same as James’
“She’s… You’re.. not… british?” You bursted into a fit of laughter with Lily, and Sirius looked baffled.
“Wait— Wait— In America… What do you call it when two people snog?” He asked, as Lily shot him a glare.
“What does “snog” mean?” You asked innocently.
“It basically means when two people kiss feverishly.” Marlene explained, as Sirius playfully eyed you up and down.
“I could always… show you?” He joked flirtatiously, and earned a painful jab into the ribs by James.
“So, you mean making out?” You answered, still a bit confused.
“Making out? How uneducated.” Sirius huffed, turning back to this plate full of food.
Suddenly— You met the auburn eyes of a quiet, scarred, gentle giant whose skin was a lovely shade of olive, and littered with freckles.
“Hi, Y/n. I’m sorry about them.” He spoke, leaning over Mary to speak with you.
“It’s alright, I promise.” He didn’t seem very phased by your accent, but on the inside— it drove him crazy.
“My name is Remus, Remus Lupin.” He smiled gently, that smile must have been hand-picked by angels.
“It’s great to meet you, Remus.” You beamed at him.
And that was the day that Remus Lupin fell head over heels for the sweet American girl.
FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS, Remus throughly enjoyed watching you discover the abundance of magic in Hogwarts.
To you— it seemed like everything was new and exciting.
It felt like everything was new and exciting for him, too.
And for once, Remus actually cared about the place he had honestly been taking for granted for five long years.
Perhaps it was the way that your eyes lit up every time you happened upon an enchanted painting, or all of the questions you asked regarding the logistics behind the giant squid.
For whatever reason, Remus found you extremely intriguing.
Though, Remus vowed he would never tell you.
It would be his last wish in life to force anything upon someone as lovely as you.
"Remus, I don't understand!” You sighed exasperatedly.
“What do you mean there’s a room that shifts itself into anything you require? How?” You pointed your finger at the door that had just appeared out of nowhere on a blank wall on the way to the Astronomy Tower.
“No one really knows, Dove. Sorry.” Remus cooed, patting your shoulder consolingly as he led you to Astronomy.
Remus was the only one of your newfound friends that had decided to take Astronomy this year, seeing as Sirius and James took it last year just to get it over with.
You quite enjoyed looking at Remus, admiring how his unexplainable scars were illuminated by the moonlight shining in from the large open walls.
Even in your few first days at Hogwarts, you could tell that you would grow to adore it.
You might have adored spending time with Remus even more, and you were especially in luck since Professor Sinistra assigned three hours of star-charting and you were to do the assignment in partners.
So, that's why you and Remus were up at the Astronomy Tower at 2am on a Friday (with a teachers excuse to be up past curfew).
"Do you ever miss your parents when your away at school?" You asked Remus.
He was certainly the quiet type, and that intrigued you.
"Sometimes, but I usually see them over Christmas break. I mainly write them letters after every full moon." He stated simply, before realizing what he accidentally slipped out.
"After every full moon?" You questioned, furrowing your brow as he seemed to quickly explain himself.
"It's a thing... my mum insists upon." He evaded any other questions regarding the matter, much to your chagrin.
He wished he could open up to you, but he still basically didn't know you.
He had no knowledge what-so-ever on your views on Werewolves.
He couldn't risk destroying a friendship that could eventually be the purest and most authentic he'd ever had.
Sure, James and Sirius were incredible mates, and so was Peter.
But for some unexplainable reason; Remus could speak to you.
He never felt uncomfortable with talking about his thoughts or feelings around you, and he only could hope that you felt the same.
You were both different, well- different but in two very significantly different ways. But you were still two individuals who didn't really fit in with the crowd.
"Have you missed Ilvermorny, yet?" Remus gazed towards you as you switched places. You on the telescope and him charting what you find.
"Same as you, really. Not much, even though I haven't been here for long yet. It feels a bit more... homely, than Ilvermorny ever did." You admitted, concentrating deeply on the assignment.
"I understand, It was probably an interesting change." Remus related deeply.
"An interesting one? Absolutely, but a welcomed change, for sure." You smiled, turning back to face him and explain to him what you had seen in the stars.
Oh, yes. This was the beginning of something truly beautiful.
