and so we continue with creativitwins ides week! this piece was a joint effort from me and @stormbreaker101; we couldn't decide between both prompts since they both felt fitting for the eras twins, so he drew remus, i drew roman, and we both figured out the background together :D
some more context for the piece below:
the thing about being a deeply repressed trans man and finding someone so unrepentant, so 'sinful', yet so happy in his transmasculinity... is that it tends to lead one towards a path of unfettered envy. though roman assumes a masculine identity in his craft, he could never dare to live as boldly as remus does. the option is technically available... but it's unsafe. and impractical. and he has responsibilities, obligations, there's too much at stake if he gives in to that selfish need clawing at him. but that won't stop him from looking at his sibling and wondering what he could've been.
meanwhile, remus isn't bound by what the world expects of him. sure, he's invariably alienated from society, perhaps even damned, but he's free. he gets to be himself, regardless of what anyone thinks of him, regardless of the consequences. so what if he goes to hell? life is more fun this way anyway. to him, roman is a pitiful reflection of what he could've been if he'd succumbed to society's cruel expectations; and that only serves to feed remus' ego. clearly, he made the right choice.
“Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione. Only one out of three, I’m afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don’t want Harry dead. But I won’t deny that I am a werewolf.”
sleep: what is the most comforting thing at night time for you?
“I usually fall asleep doing something, so having my laptop on my legs and hearing it hum is probably the most comforting.”
reverie: think of somewhere otherworldly u wish to be within, what is it like there?
“If cyberspace was a physical realm we could enter, I think I’d enjoy that. It would probably be dark in the deep web area, and crowded elsewhere.”
nestle: your most precious plush toy?
“I’ve got a stuffed robot that my brother gave me when we were younger. I don’t know what came over him to get it, but he said it would help me get better, and . . I guess it did. I mean, I’m here now, aren’t I? Haven’t left it behind since, even here.”
Congratulations, Mal! You’ve been accepted as Remus Lupin! Please refer to the checklist while setting up your account and send it in within 24 hours.
Your application was such a nice read for us and we love how you portrayed Remus. A personal favorite part in your app of ours was the Mirror of Erised answer. We can't wait to see you play him and read more about him through your writing!
→ out of character
name/alias: Mal
age: 15
activity: Hi! I can be on before and after school (usually later at night) to do at least one batch of replies or more. However, I am most active on weekend mornings where I can stay for a couple of hours, do replies, chat to everyone and whatnot! On some weekends I have to attend family dinners that would last into the very early hours of the morning, so I may be tired and not get replies done immediately but, either way, I will try to the best of my abilities!
timezone: Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) + 10 GMT
anything else: REMOVED
→ in character
name of character: Remus J. Lupin
birthday: 10th March, 1960
wand: 10 ¾, cypress, unicorn tail hair and pliable. (Canon source from the Harry Potter wikia)
boggart:
Upon looking at his boggart, Remus’ fear is luminescent and in the distinct shape of a circle. Ever since his first transformation, Remus wants nothing more to do with a full moon for it is a symbol. A symbol to remind him constantly of who and what he truly is.
patronus:
With Remus’ lack of a cheerful memory hidden away in the files of his mind, his patronus was basically non-existent. However, since the recent events of his friends, the infamous Marauders, becoming unregistered Animagi to ensure his own monthly slavery was less disastrous, it soon became a valid happy remembrance to recall. With this, Remus’ patronus has been bettering, from a faltering ribbon of pale blue light to a clear, not yet fully distinguished, outline of a wolf.
mirror of erised:
As he stands in front of the obscure mirror, which does more than present the reflection of the user he realised, Remus saw a heap situated next to his feet. Upon closer inspection, it became apparent of what it was. The dark, sparse hairs spread across its raw body and the claws unretracted and the snarling snout, baring canine teeth – it was him. Just the skin of his werewolf self, lifeless and dead. Although the mirror only reflected the deepest desire of the person, Remus felt light. Free. The entrapment of the monster had fled, feebly, into the shadows never to bother him again.
Looking back at the mirror, a group of people he instantly recognised stood behind him, smiling. Lyall Lupin, Hope Lupin, James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew. All smiling. His father placed a hand on his shoulder and despite feeling no weight, Remus smiled also. They looked safe. Happy that his monster had gone and posed no harm. This was what Remus yearned for. To keep his friends and family safe.
character traits:
+ Loyal – It was simple: Remus had a limitless amount of loyalty. Especially when it concerned the Marauders for they were there in his most troubled times and he owed it all to them. There was nothing Remus wouldn’t do to repay them, to show his token of appreciation. He would also become loyal to others as well: if they proved themselves, of course.
+ Responsible – He was not known as the most reckless Marauder of the bunch, after all. It wasn’t to say that Remus would completely eradicate and shun the plans of his friends, oh no, it was his job to keep them out of trouble. Recently, being appointed sixth year Prefect has demonstrated this trait and given him hopes that it would draw a more positive light on his troublemaker of ‘brothers’. It sounded like a miracle.
+ Studious – Remus found a certain serenity whilst studying, providing he was in the right atmosphere. Enjoying young afternoon rays on him in the middle of the library (his favourite spot), the sixth year found revising much more easy than other students. It was a retreat from the hustle and bustle of prefect duties, club meetings and devising plans with his friends. He also didn’t mind having a studying companion either, thus his tutoring sessions with Marlene McKinnon proved enjoyable.
- Sensitive – When Remus was afflicted with a jest from whomever or anything of the sort, it was hard to tell that he was actually hurt judging by his exterior. However, on the inside, he felt the prodding of the words. He often chastises himself for being so sensitive when it came to light taunts or simple jokes about himself made by others. They were only teasing… right?
- Self-loathing – With such a low self-esteem, it was hardly a wonder that Remus was not his favourite person in the world. Though James, Sirius and Peter had collectively improved the respect for himself slightly, Remus would never forgive the so-called ‘monster’ side of himself that threatened the safety of his dear friends.
- Credulous – Another flaw to the Gryffindor was his endless trust for everyone. He even forgave the werewolf that bit him, thinking he was just lost in his rage that night and needed a second chance. Remus found the good in everyone but was blind to their faults, thus presuming anyone who was remotely pleasant to him was a friend to be remembered. In the future, he will learn to fortify his trust with steel whilst in the Order, yet for now, he threw his trust around as if it were a free product.
→ writing sample
The flames flickered, licking the stone of the fireplace that restrained it. The hearth glowed beyond the fire and onto the dusty carpet of the Lupin’s home, stretching to the shoed feet of Lyall and his son, Remus. Lyall, a man of forty-four with brown hair salted with grey, was seated in an armchair, looking sullenly into the fireplace. His lips formed a strict, thin line. Remus, also sat in a matching armchair, had gone pale of face and cold of skin. His hands and slender fingers rattled against the fabric of the chair. There was no light, sans the fire, only the dimness of a falling, blue-grey evening illuminating the living room. Remus’ father broke the silence.
“So it’ll happen… soon?” Lyall Lupin inquired, turning his weathered face to speak to his son. He knows it will happen soon. Nothing’s changed from the last time, Remus mused sourly. He merely nodded. He could feel the elder man shift uncomfortably in his seat and glance down upon the side table situated in between them. “Have some more chocolate. It’ll make you feel better.”
Where Remus would have refused automatically, his stomach said otherwise. Though the sugary substance held no magical properties to ease the pain, it was a comfort to eat it before the moon was clear in sight. Reaching his hand to the side table where brands of different chocolate laid, he picked the simplest looking, and hopefully flavoured, piece and placed it on his tongue. It melted into a delectable touch and instantly warmed his dry mouth but not his spirits. It was a sweet flavour in comparison for what was to come that night.
Each month and its full moon, Remus would sit with Lyall in front of the fire and would await the jab of pain that signalled the change. Before then, they took the time to be with each other in silence. Any other day, they would laugh, talk and bond as if there was nothing wrong. These evenings were reserved for the loudest sound of nothing and for the occasional solemn chats. In more than one way, Remus changed at these times. During the rest of the month, a coin was tossed, and you saw the modest, grinning Remus Lupin, always ready to help. By the time it fell on the ground from mid-air, Remus the Werewolf cracked out of his human body. Then the coin would be tossed over and over and over again until his demise.
“Remus,” his father spoke again. The sixteen year old knew the tone of his voice implied that he should look eye-to-eye at Lyall, and he did so. They had similar features, he thought. Same face shape, same ears and same blue eyes. But the dullness and trouble in his father’s eyes was something they did not share. It even was foreign to Remus. He hadn’t seen him like this. There was a sudden sound, choking and pleading. “I- I am…” The man who sat in the same place as his father did a second ago had a rim of red under his eyes. “…so sorry.”
All the sense had left Remus’ head for a second. What do I do? This was not supposed to happen. They had to continue sitting in silence and stare into the fire and eat chocolate until they heard the crack and his father would carry him below, to the attic - this was not supposed to happen. Remus bounded out of his chair and placed himself next to Lyall’s knees, sitting on the floor. “This is not your fault. This is not your fault.” The young Lupin was willing to rapidly repeat this until it seeped into his father’s brain.
Another sob. “It is!” Lyall cradled his head in his calloused hands.
“No! No, it’s not!” Remus held a tighter grip on his father’s knees to reassure him but it proved failure. The guilt gnawed and it was unbearable.
“I was drunk and- and- oh, Remus, I didn’t mean what I said, really, I was just drunk. I didn’t think any of this would happen. You getting hurt each month and me standing there and watching you and Merlin, be good –” As many times as his father apologised, as many times Remus had said he had forgiven him, it all went around in never-ending circles. Lyall Lupin would never forget what he had inflicted on his son.
Remus’ neck ached. “Dad, it’s not your fault,” he reassured desperately. “It’s no one’s fault, just please stop hurting yourself.”
“NO!” The shout rang throughout the room, curdling any silence or happiness left in it. It hurt Remus – wait… could shouts even hurt? For at that moment, a pain sprinted up his spine like electricity in a cable wire and exploded within the nape of his neck and it did so again and again, more power with each race. It was easily concluded that his father’s shout did not cause any harm but the extreme of his transformation had taken place. Remus straightaway lost grip on Lyall’s knee, falling backward on the carpet, shivering tremendously. From his position, an eerily beautiful full moon could be seen outside the window.
The carpet was rough as his fingers coiled around it and tugged.
His eyes darted in every direction, wondering why the room was a confusing swirl brown, blacks and greys.
His bones splinted and reconnected to satisfy the structure of wolf.
The crackling of the fire behind him lost its warmth.
Remus the Human slowly stepped out of the hollow body and politely let Remus the Werewolf inside. The coin had fallen.
Douglas Smith, Keegan Allen, Ansel Elgort and maybe Jake Abel are the only ones that come to mind. However, if you don’t like any of them, you’re always free to come up with your own. Just make sure to include more than one option in your app for us to choose from.
