The House Competition:
House: Slytherin
Category: Themed
Prompt: Platform nine and three quarters
Word Count: 1,043

Remus' hands tightened on his trolley. He looked around, making sure that no one was there, then ran straight into the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. He knew he had come way too early, but better be safe than sorry. Besides, coming early would spare him some questions about his appearance and scars. The last thing he needed was people figuring out a werewolf was coming to Hogwarts because of him being reckless - he owed Professor Dumbledore too much to let that happen.

Unfortunately for him, he saw that some people had already arrived. A few Slytherins watched him as he crossed, with smirks on their faces as they eyed him.

Remus knew what they were thinking, probably something about his shabby clothes, or the huge scar that ran across his face, making him look more like a criminal than a normal teenager. But he ignored the looks, and walked bravely on. He had gotten used to those looks both in the Muggle and Wizarding Worlds, and besides, he had Marauders now. He was no longer alone.

"Look who it is! My favorite stray! Where're your friends, Lupin? Don't you need a few people protecting you?" Lucius Malfoy called out, grinning maliciously at him.

Remus' hand tightened around the handle. Stray. Oh, how he hated that word. It had become his nickname amongst the Slytherin House, both in his year and above. It was also the constant reminder of just how poor his family was because of his 'furry little problem'.

"No comment? Maybe you are weak!" Malfoy continued, causing his cronies to laugh. "Poor charity case, hopefully your friends brought you your robes, too!"

It took every bit of Remus' considerable patience to keep walking, even as they continued to throw insults at him, their laughs echoing behind him. They're not worth your reaction, he chanted to himself, remembering Sirius' advice on dealing with the prejudiced purebloods. If you don't show weakness, they'll get bored eventually.

So he kept going, and soon sat down alone in the compartment. He leaned against the wall and shut his eyes wearily, waiting for his friends to come.

A sudden cacophony of yowling and hissing startled him out of his pensive mood. Intrigued, he opened the window and leaned out to see what was going on, and gasped. Two rather plump cats cornered a tiny, stick-thin silver one, which was snarling and hissing as they creeped closer. He watched with wide eyes as the smaller one shrunk back in fear. Realizing that he should help, Remus ran out of the train, accidentally making a few first years fall over as they tried to avoid him.

Seeing a tall wizard marching over to them, the two cats quickly ran away, but the silver one stayed, scrunched over, apparently thinking that Remus might try to hurt him. He carefully approached it, lowering himself into crouch and extending his hands in what he hoped was non-threatening gesture. He murmured nonsense slowly and soothingly, as he hesitantly tried to see if it was okay. It was, but the cats had managed to scratch the little kitty pretty good, mostly on its right paw, not to mention the old scars it must've picked up during its life on streets.

The cat didn't seem to mind Remus' encouraging, soft touches, and hesitantly crawled into his lap, much to Remus' surprise. Cats and wolves usually didn't get along, but the cat wasn't showing any fear, and his inner wolf remained silent. He stroked it, whispering softly.

Remus decided that since it seemed pretty tame, he would take it with him on the train. What harm could the little thing do, anyway? He didn't have any pets, and Sirius and James' owls were trained against attacking cats.

So he carefully picked it up, and went back inside.

He couldn't do much about it's injured paw, but he took out his handkerchief and wrapped it gently around it. The cat purred and rubbed itself against Remus, causing the boy to smile in surprise.

"Maybe I can relate to you, you know?" Remus said absentmindedly. "Out on the streets? Must be rough, and the others always saying things? Hurts, sometimes."

The cat probably didn't go through the deep things Remus was saying, but she almost nodded in acknowledgement, or so Remus thought.

"Well, I also get hurt sometimes, if it helps. Make some friends? They'll certainly watch out for you, mine do," Remus paused for a moment, then laughed outright. "Merlin, I'm talking to a cat," he grinned. But the cat only rubbed itself against him more, and looked so understanding that Remus was shocked.

"You and I are going to get along splendid."

…

And they did. Remus spent many afternoons inside his dorm, reading, the cat sitting beside him like a little companion, and indeed she was. Remus felt like she understood what he was going through, and often "confided" in her, saying aloud his many thoughts, getting bullied, werewolves, and his fear of hurting someone. He was afraid sometimes, and he sometimes saw something like sympathy in her eyes.

It seemed like the professors were being kinder to him, too, for some weird reason. McGonagall, though she had always been nice to Remus, was even nicer, much to his surprise. He needed to find out why.

Luckily for him, one day after transfiguration, he stopped to fix his shoe laces when his eyes fell on Minerva, who was fixing a bandage on her right hand. He frowned.

"Professor...if you don't mind me asking, how did you get hurt?" he asked. "Nothing bad, I hope."

She looked at him. "Oh, nothing's wrong. I just got a small..scratch while… mixing potions!"

Remus lifted his eyebrows. "Professor, you do potions? Isn't that Professor Snape's job?"

"It doesn't matter!" she stammered. "You should go back, your cat will be waitin - never mind!" She flushed. Professor McGonagall actually flushed.

"How did you-"

"It's none of your business! Now, if you don't mind, I need to go speak with Albus. Good afternoon." And with that, she hurried out of the classroom, leaving a smug Remus behind.

Remus smirked as he left. "Either Minerva takes a great interest in students' pets or she's a very bad liar,"