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The Screaming Bogey of Strathfully


Remus had taken up the responsibility of watching the Charkorias chicks as they nestled together in the blankets that had kept their egg from drafts in the glass box. Newt had transfigured the light bulb to be blue in hopes the blue light would help simulate the moon and the little chicks seemed to appreciate the coloration change, though the light didn’t do much to help them, though. He sat on the stool by the table he’d done Remus’s operating at and fiddled with gadgets and spellwork, steeping himself in books and muttering as he tried to come up with a way to make an artificial moon or an artificial mum, but he was having quite a lot of trouble with it and everything he tried seemed not to work, and only set the chicks to peeping loudly.

Remus was sitting on his chairs with his Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook open on his lap, re-reading materials that they’d already covered. This particular book was the one he’d marked up the very most - the one from the year Veigler had taught the course, his favorite. And he flicked through the pages in an almost lazy fashion, listening to the chicks peep-peep-peep weakly in the tank, the Niffler laying across his lap, tugging at the zipper of the jumper Remus had borrowed from Ned Veigler.

“There must be a way…” muttered Newt and he tossed his wand to the table in frustration.

Remus looked up and the Niffler curled a bit tighter to Rey’s stomach in surprise at the sudden exclamation from Newt.

Newt rubbed his forehead. “I need a break.” He got up and climbed the ladder, pushing open just a small crack in the briefcase’s edge. “Psst. Tina!” he hissed, “Tina.”

“Hang on,” she whispered back, her voice sounded magnified from within the case.

Newt sighed and slid back down the ladder, leaning against the wall impatiently.

Remus turned back to the book as Newt muttered about how he always let her out quickly when she asked… It was then that Remus’s eyes lighted upon the page about Boggarts and he looked up. “Professor Veigler?”

Ned was looking over a textbook, having been seated on the opposite side of Newt Scamander, working on cracking the same puzzle. He looked up from the book to Remus, “Yes, Mr. Lupin?” he asked.

Remus got up (the Niffler huffed in annoyance as he was displaced) and he went over to Mr. Veigler, dropping the book onto the table before him and pushing it, open-faced on the page about Boggarts.

“Boggarts, yes, what about them?” Veigler asked, a look of confusion on his face.

“Well, sir, didn’t you say once that a boggart has the same power as what it represents… except a bit weaker… but still the same powers?” Remus asked. “Like a poisonous snake bite might be deadly in real life, but a boggart’s poison would merely maim?”

Ned Veigler considered this, “Yes, that’s right,” he said.

“Sir,” Remus’s voice climbed with excitement, “My boggart is a full moon.”

Veigler’s eyes lit up. “Newt…” he called, “Newt, come here, the boy’s a genius and he’s just come up with the answer. Come here, quickly.”

Newt hurried over, forgetting that he wanted to leave the briefcase, and looked over Ned Veigler’s shoulder at the textbook. “Boggarts?” asked Newt Scamander in surprise, “But however would a boggart help us with - with keeping the chicks alive?” he asked.

“My boggart’s the full moon,” Remus repeated.

It took a moment for the information to sink in, for two and two to fall together, but when it did - Newt’s eyes went wide and he let out an exclamation, “AAH-HAA!! YES!” He grasped Remus by the cheeks, pulling him close and kissing his forehead with excitement. “THAT IS RIGHT BRILLIANT! YES! Oh my. Oh yes. That is BRILLIANT.” He petted Remus in exhilaration. “And you don’t mind? It is tiring, I know, holding a boggart, but… my goodness, absolutely brilliance… and the moon will be enough to hold them ‘til the real moon rise and -- yes, absolutely brilliant. You’re sure you don’t mind, though?”

Remus wasn’t going to say no, of course, but he couldn’t help but smirk to himself at the thought that he couldn’t have said no after a reaction like that even if he’d wanted to.

“My only concern is where are we going to find a boggart?” asked Veigler.

Remus smiled, “I know exactly where there is one.”




There was a thick layer of dust over everything in the Lupin house. Remus pushed open the door, followed by Newt and Tina Scamander, and Ned Veigler, all with their wands at the ready. Going back to the Lupin house was a very, very risky operation, Newt had pointed out - after all, where else would be a more perfect place to look for Remus, if one were trying to find him? And so the lot of them were on highest alert. Remus led the way through the door, and up the stairs to his parents bedroom.

It was eerie, being back in that house, in the silence that now filled it. Remus hated it there, hated the family photos on the walls, hated the way it smelled of old pub chicken and his father’s cologne. He hated the way when he walked through the door and saw the space between the couch and the coffee table, the first thing that went through his mind was that’s where it happened, that’s where he died, that’s where he wrote he was sorry. His throat was tight, and feet leaden. But then he’d remembered those tiny silver birds, peeping away in their little incubator, and he’d pressed on.

The matchbox was in his mother’s jewelry box. That’s where they’d always kept it. There was a special drawer that was probably meant for rings or bracelets but that Hope Lupin had always stored the blue-and-red matchbox to keep it from being in danger of being opened. Remus led the way over to the dresser, where the jewelry box stood. He pulled open the little drawer and sure enough, there it was, just the size of his palm. When he held it out, the little box wiggled uneasily against his hand.

“I can’t believe -- after all these years,” muttered Newt Scamander, “Looks exactly the same as it did last time I - I saw it.” He stared at the box with a sort of nostalgic look upon his face.

Veigler leaned closer. “That’s it then? That’s the Screaming Bogey of Strathfully in there?”

Newt nodded, “It is. I’ll never forget it. It was - uh, gigantic, elephantine... took up half - half the sky when we stood below it… great glowing white eyes…” he stared up at the ceiling as though seeing it again and Tina laid a palm over Newt’s shoulder comfortingly as he shuddered at the memory.

Ned Veigler stared in awe at the matchbox.

Remus closed his fist ‘round it. “Will it be harder? Holding the boggart, seeing as how… big it is?” he looked nervously at Veigler and then to Newt Scamander.

“Perhaps a bit,” nodded Veigler gently.

Newt Scamander murmured, “We could try to find a uh, a regular boggart, about in the woods?”

“We could,” agreed Veigler, looking at Remus.

Remus pursed his lips, “But the boggart will be stronger… yeah? If we use the big one? The moon effect will be better… for the chicks?”

“Probably,” nodded Veigler.

Remus shook his head, “Then we’ve got to use the Screaming Bogey. For the chicks sake.”

Newt patted Remus’s shoulder and Tina swept the hair out of his eyes. “You’re so very brave,” she murmured, smiling sadly at the poor boy.

They were leaving, heading to the door when Remus paused and went to the squat table in the corner. The photograph from his parents wedding stood, exactly where it always did, in its frame, both of them smiling up at him merrily. He picked it up, his heart aching, and stared down at the photograph, feeling a bit empty ‘round the chest.

Veigler came over and hovered just behind Remus, looking down at the photo in his hands. “They haven’t truly left you,” he said quietly.

Remus looked up, startled to find Veigler there, having not realized he’d fallen into a sort of trance staring at the picture. He nodded, “I know.”

Veigler put his arm over Remus’s shoulders.

“I disappointed them, being a werewolf,” Remus murmured.

“It wasn’t a choice you made,” said Veigler quietly.

Remus nodded. “I disappointed him again by being gay. He didn’t approve of me and Sirius Black. Hated Sirius, really. Told him to go to hell. Thought him evil.”

Veigler squeezed Remus’s shoulder. “You know better.”

“I do.” Remus wiped a tear away from his eyes. “The whole world would be hell without Sirius Black in it, I reckon.” He paused and shook his head, “I just wish he was still here, so I could prove to him that things are alright, that me and Sirius are good for each other, that I’m not any different for being gay than I was for being a werewolf. That I’m an alright person and… and maybe could love a gay werewolf. That maybe he could love his son.”

Veigler leaned down and looked at Remus’s eyes. “You’re about to face your worst fear to save the life of an innocent creature, victimized by fate. You’re using your greatest fear… to do the greatest deed. You’re very, very brave, and if someone - I don’t care who it is - thinks you are in anyway unlovable after hearing about something like that - then they’re daft. Mad. Downright stupid.” Veigler shook his head, “Nah. Remus Lupin, your Dad would’ve come around if he’d been given the time, I firmly believe it, because nobody would be able to think bad of you for very long before you showed them what a bloody incredible being you are.” He smiled, “I know that I, for one, am extremely proud of you, my boy. Extremely proud.”

“Thank you,” he said.

Remus took the photograph with him when they left.