Professor Remus John Lupin, (born 10 March, 1960), also known as Moony, was a half-blood wizard and the only son of Lyall and Hope Lupin (née Howell). He was afflicted with lycanthropy during his childhood, as a result of Fenrir Greyback's revenge against Lyall. He attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1971-1978 and was Sorted into Gryffindor House. During his school years he was one of the Marauders, best friends with Sirius Black, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew. Together they created the Marauder's Map.
After Hogwarts, Remus and his friends joined the original Order of the Phoenix and fought in the First Wizarding War. However, Pettigrew betrayed James and Lily Potter to Lord Voldemort a week after he was made the couples' Secret Keeper. Thus Remus had lost all of his closest friends in various ways by the end of the First Wizarding War. The loss of his friends devastated him, though he and Sirius Black later rekindled their friendship.
Remus taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts during the 1993-1994 school year. Remus was regarded by students to be the best Defence teacher they have had thus far.
Biography
Early life (1960-1970)
Remus was born on 10 March, 1960 to Lyall and Hope Lupin in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales. His father worked at the Ministry of Magic and encountered the werewolf Fenrir Greyback, who was on trial for killing two children. Lyall was the only one at court to realise that Greyback was a werewolf, as Greyback pretended to be a Muggle tramp. Outraged when Greyback was released, he voiced the opinion that Greyback deserved nothing but death. This opinion cost the Lupin family dearly, as Greyback decided to revenge himself upon Lyall by targeting his son. As the nearly five-year-old Remus slept peacefully in his bed, Greyback forced his way in through the window. Though Lyall was able to get there in time to drive Greyback off with powerful spells, he was unable to prevent him from completing his evil goal. Remus became infected with lycanthropy and he became a werewolf himself.
His parents took him to various healers and tried their best to make him a normal boy, but there was no cure for his condition. But Headmaster Albus Dumbledore made special accommodations allowing Remus to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Hogwarts years (1971-1978)
- "My transformations in those days were — were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits."
- —Description of Lupin's transformations
Remus attended Hogwarts and was Sorted into Gryffindor House. To secure his safety, as well as that of his peers, Remus would be brought to the Shrieking Shack once a month for his transformations in order to prevent him from attacking other students. However, this isolation caused him to attack himself out of frustration. This, and the painful monthly transformations, made the villagers of Hogsmeade mistake his screams for that of violent ghosts. Dumbledore, wanting to keep the truth of these noises a secret, encouraged these rumours. Thus, the building was dubbed the Shrieking Shack, which held the reputation for being the most haunted building in Britain.
Remus became the very best of friends with fellow Gryffindors Sirius Black, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew. He kept his status as a werewolf a secret from all of the students at Hogwarts, including Sirius, James, and Peter, his fellow Marauders and future Order members. He made up stories to explain his monthly disappearances, such as that his mother was ill and he needed to go home to visit her. He was terrified that they would desert him once they found out what he truly was. However, Sirius, James, and Peter worked out the truth during their second year, and due to their acceptance of who Remus was, and their unusually strong friendship with him, they decided to learn how to become Animagi in order to keep Remus company during his transformations, as a werewolf is only a danger to humans.
By their fifth year, Sirius was able to become a dog, and James was able to become a stag, animals large enough to keep the wolfish Remus in check. Peter, meanwhile, was able to become a rat. Once a month during the full moon, Sirius, James and Peter would sneak out of the castle under James' Invisibility Cloak, transform, get into the Whomping Willow, walk down the tunnel and meet up with Remus in the Shrieking Shack. Under their influence, Lupin became tame; his body was still a wolf's, but his mind became less so when he was among them. The four of them soon left the Whomping Willow and would roam among the school grounds and Hogsmeade by night. Eventually, this group of friends came to call themselves the Marauders, and Remus' friends nicknamed him "Moony" because of his transformations during every full moon.
Remus was a good student, but also a prankster. He and Peter Pettigrew would sometimes join Sirius and James in detention for mischief-making, though they did not get into as much trouble as their other friends. It's unlikely that any other Hogwarts students ever found out as much about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade as they did and Sirius, James, Remus and Peter used their knowledge of it to write the Marauder's Map and signed it with their nicknames. Unfortunately, it somehow ended up being confiscated by Argus Filch, but was eventually recovered by Fred and George Weasley in the 1989-90 school year.
However, Remus' frequent disappearances riled up an unhealthy curiosity in Severus Snape, a Slytherin student whom the Marauders often bullied, in the same year as Remus. Because of Severus' enmity towards Sirius and James, he disliked Remus and Peter by association, making him all the more suspicious. He often followed Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter around in order to see what they were up to and in an effort to have them expelled. Sometime in their early school career, Sirius played a malicious prank on Snape by telling him about the Whomping Willow passageway, hoping that he would be terrified or even get seriously hurt by what he found at the other end. James, who hated Snape, was able to stop Snape and save his life in the nick of time, but Snape still uncovered Remus' secret, seeing him at the end of the passage. Remus was also a prefect while he was at Hogwarts, although he had trouble exercising discipline over his dearest friends; he claims Dumbledore hoped he could exert control over them as a Prefect. Sirius later tells Harry that Remus wasn't an idiot like his friends because he was never cruel to Snape. But Remus admitted that he regretted that he had never stepped in to stop it.
First Wizarding War (1978-1981)
- Remus: "...he thought I was the spy, Peter. I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?"
- Sirius Black: "Forgive me, Remus."
- Remus: "Not at all, Padfoot, old friend. And will you forgive me for believing you were the spy?"
- Sirius Black: "Of course."
- — Reflecting on the First Wizarding War
Shortly after graduating from Hogwarts, Remus joined the Order of the Phoenix along with Sirius, James, Peter, and Lily Evans, standing up against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Remus failed to find employment following his education because of his affliction as a werewolf. However, James used his wealth to financially support him.
By the height of the war, Remus' friend Sirius Black had come to distrust him, suspecting that he might be a spy for the other side. Thus, when a prophecy was made about a child who would have the power to defeat the Dark Lord, and Dumbledore identified infant Harry Potter as a possible target, Remus was not included in the plan to keep the Potters safe, though he was aware that they used the Fidelius Charm. James and Lily Potter wanted to use Sirius as their Secret-Keeper, but Sirius thought that would be too obvious, and thus suggested Peter Pettigrew instead, who would be a nearly unpredictable move, him being known for his "measly empty-headedness." Neither Dumbledore or Lupin knew of this switch. At the time of Lily and James' death, Lupin was in the north of the country on Order of the Phoenix business when he discovered what had, apparently, happened. This was one of the most traumatic events of Remus' life, especially since, within the next day, he would also be losing his other two best friends. Sirius was imprisoned in Azkaban for supposedly murdering Pettigrew and twelve Muggles with one curse.
Between the wars (1981-1994)
After Voldemort's first downfall, the Order of the Phoenix disbanded, and members returned to their busy lives with their families. Lupin, however, was left lonely and unhappy — two of his three best friends were dead, one was imprisoned for mass murder, his mother had eventually died too, and he refused to spoil his father's peaceful existence by returning to live with him. Remus was forced to take jobs that were far below his level of ability, always knowing he would have to leave them before his workmates noticed the signs of his lycanthropy. A faint ray of hope came for Remus when he heard of the new invention of the Wolfsbane Potion, which can mitigate the worst effects of lycanthropy, though this was almost immediately dashed when he saw the potion's complexity and expensive ingredients. Potions was not his strongest suit and he has a very low income rate.
Becoming a professor
- "On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. Firstly, Professor Lupin who had kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."
- —Remus being introduced as the new DADA professor
By the early 1990s, Lupin was living in poverty, in a tumbledown, semi-derelict cottage in Yorkshire. Albus Dumbledore tracked Lupin down in the summer of 1993, and offered him the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts, replacing the permanently amnesiac Gilderoy Lockhart. Lupin only accepted Dumbledore's proposal when he explained there would be a limitless supply of Wolfsbane Potion, courtesy of Severus Snape, now the Potions Master at the school.
Lupin arrived to Hogwarts via the Hogwarts Express. It was here where Remus first directly met Harry Potter. Lupin was apparently sleeping so deeply that he did not notice Harry's attempt to wake him up to buy some food from the Honeydukes Express, but swiftly awoke to deal with a Dementor who was prowling in their cabin in search for the runaway Sirius. Remus disguised his wolf-shaped Patronus as a vague mist to prevent leaving hints about his afflictions. He then gave everybody within the compartment a piece of chocolate, as a mild relief from the Dementor's effects. While doing so he greeted Harry in a casual and friendly fashion. Although Remus did not receive much enthusiasm from most students' applause during his introduction due to his rather shabby appearance, Harry and his friends were the few who gave their full approval due to the positive first impression he gave them.
Although the students were kept in the dark about his affliction, the staff were made aware that he was a werewolf. Remus taught the class a comprehensive and fascinating curriculum of identifying and sidestepping Dark creatures such as Hinkypunks, Red Caps, Kappas, Grindylows, Vampires, Werewolves and Nocturnal beasts. He also taught the class about Boggarts, and how to repel them using the Boggart-Banishing Spell, to great success. Remus had proven himself a skilled teacher, managing to keep the children's' interest in the subject and had shown himself far more competent than his predecessor's vain, useless lessons.
He met Aquila Black in his first day of classes, the younger sister of Sirius, although for quite some time he suspected that she was either his or Regulus's daughter. When it came time for the second-years to learn the Boggart-Banishing Spell, Aquila's Boggart took the form of a young boy (her younger brother, Altair). Remus did not end the lesson right away, even though Aquila had trouble with the spell. It took coaching from Molly Roper, another Gryffindor student, for Aquila to repel the Boggart, and Remus became very disturbed by the boy's appearance. He enquired with Professor Minerva McGonagall about the incident and discovered that Aquila was the daughter of Orion and Walburga Black, and not a more distant relative like Remus had been hoping. After that, he invited Aquila to his office for tea and asked if he could do anything to help, a gesture that although Aquila didn't fully appreciate at the time, she thanked him for later.
During his time as a Professor, Severus Snape, who had switched sides at the end of the war and became Potions Professor, provided Remus with Wolfsbane Potion, allowing him to retain his human mind during transformations.
Slytherin students, encouraged by Draco Malfoy, sneered at Remus' shabby clothes and poor appearance, although he seemed to ignore their comments. Regardless, his other students held him in extremely high regard and loved the hands-on style of his classes. He was considered by Aquila and her friends to have been their only decent Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Remus was soon summoned to Snape's office to identify whether a piece of parchment he caught Harry with to be Dark magic. Remus recognised it as the Marauder's Map but tried to pass it off as a product of Zonko's Joke Shop. At the same moment, Ron burst in to back up that claim. After escorting the two boys from Snape's office, Remus told them that he knew what the map was and was more astounded that they did not hand it in, and reprimanded Harry, much to their surprise. He confiscated the map, knowing that it would be too dangerous for Harry to use the secret passages with Sirius on the loose.
For his second and third years' end of year tests in June, he prepared an unusual exam — an obstacle course out in the grounds in which the students had to: wade across a paddling pool containing a grindylow; cross a series of pot-holes full of Red Caps; cross a marsh while being fed misleading directions by a hinkypunk; and enter a trunk to battle a newly procured boggart. Hermione Granger even commented in her fifth year that Lupin's exam was the only occasion where she and Harry took a Defence exam from a teacher who knew what they were doing (exams were cancelled in second year and Harry was exempt due to his status as a Triwizard Champion in fourth year).
Exposure of Peter Pettigrew
The summer before Remus began his tenure as the Defence professor, Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban. Remus, like the rest of the wizarding world, believed that Sirius had betrayed the Potters to Voldemort and murdered Peter Pettigrew.
By the end of the school year, however, Remus knew the truth of what had happened and that Pettigrew was still alive, hiding in his Animagus form — Scabbers, the pet rat of Ron Weasley. He was watching the Marauder's Map, expecting Harry and his friends to go down to see Hagrid before Buckbeak's execution and was shocked to see Pettigrew coming out of Hagrid's with them. Remus was reunited with his old friend Sirius, and the two resolved to kill Pettigrew for his part in the deaths of James and Lily and in framing Sirius. They were stopped by Harry Potter, who believed it would be better to hand Pettigrew over to the Ministry of Magic to prove Sirius' innocence, and also did not think his father would want Remus and Sirius to become killers.
Halfway through the explanation, in which Sirius and Remus explained what really happened, Aquila Black and her friend Maisie Cattermole nearly barged in, but only because they were planning to use the Shrieking Shack for Maisie's monthly transformation, as they had been doing all year with Aquila keeping her friend company in the shape of a black dog, much like the generation before them. In the months previous, Remus had always transformed in his office under the influence of Wolfsbane, so he was not dangerous.
However, that night, the Shack was already occupied, and Aquila and Maisie quickly went to the clearing right by it, to wait, but they witnessed the motley group (including Remus, Harry, Sirius, Ron, Hermione, Snape, and Pettigrew) leaving the Shrieking Shack. Aquila made herself known and warned them all to get into the castle, and the group (Harry, Ron, Sirius, and Remus) were bemused at first, but then it dawned on them all. Ginny Weasley additionally burst in, and tried to warn them too, but not knowing what was going on, the warning fell on deaf ears. Remus suddenly paled and told them that he must be getting into the Shack, but Aquila said that Maisie was already in there, and if they risk it, they might kill each other.
However, it was already too late- the moon had come out and Remus started to transform. Aquila revealed herself to be an animagus- similar, in the way that Sirius Black, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew had done it, though much faster, and Ginny transformed into her animagus form, which she had only gained recently, screaming at everyone to get away. Sirius also transformed into a black dog to protect Harry, Ron, and Hermione from the werewolf, and the group went scattering. Hermione, Harry, and Ron had to run, leaving Snape behind unconscious and, in the chaos, Pettigrew attacked Ron, transformed, and escaped.
After escaping to the Forbidden Forest, Lupin proceeded to attack Harry and Hermione, but was stopped by Buckbeak the hippogriff. After the attempted attack on Harry and Hermione, Remus spent the rest of the night deep in the Forbidden Forest.
Resignation
After the danger had passed, Remus resigned from his position when parents learned that he was a werewolf. His sudden resignation was much to the regret of the majority of the Hogwarts students and staff, who had all grown deeply fond of him. Harry, in particular, begged him earnestly to stay, declaring that he was the best Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher that the students had ever had. Remus simply shook his head, handed him the Marauder's Map and also returned the Invisibility Cloak that was left at the Shrieking Shack, and told him that it had been a real pleasure teaching him, and that he was perfectly sure that they would soon meet again.
He sent a letter to his successor informing him of what he taught Harry and the others, but it was intercepted.
Second Wizarding War (1995-1998)
- "The
last time Voldemort gained power he almost destroyed everything we hold most dear. Now he's returned, and I'm afraid the Minister will do almost anything to avoid facing that terrifying truth."
- —Remus regarding the Minister's denial of Voldemort's return
When Lord Voldemort returned, Remus rejoined the Order of the Phoenix. He was a member of the Advance Guard that escorted Harry Potter from 4 Privet Drive to 12 Grimmauld Place. Lupin lived for some time at Sirius' house, but he was not around very often as he was usually sent on many missions for the Order.
During Christmas, Arthur Weasley had been attacked by Lord Voldemort's snake, Nagini. Remus once visited him at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries along with Harry, Aquila, Hermione, and the Weasleys. Remus strolled over to the Unidentified werewolf and spoke to him for a while, most likely to tell him about lycanthropy and console him over his new condition. He gave Harry along with Sirius a set of excellent books entitled Practical Defensive Magic and Its Use Against the Dark Arts as a Christmas present. Lupin, along with Tonks, escorted Harry, Aquila, Hermione, and the Weasley children back to Hogwarts on the Knight Bus to start the new term.
Remus also accompanied Sirius in conversation with Harry through the fireplace at Grimmauld Place, when Harry used the Floo Powder from the fireplace in Dolores Umbridge's office to talk with Black about his father James, and Snape's memory, which he saw in the Pensieve. Lupin, like Sirius, did not hide his indignation when he learned that Snape had stopped teaching Harry the Occlumency.
Battle of the Department of Mysteries
18 June 1996, Remus participated in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries and defeated a number of Death Eaters including their leader, Lucius Malfoy. He was one of the only three combatants to see the end of the battle unscathed, the others being Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter, proving Remus' exceptional skill at duelling. During this battle, Remus witnessed and was devastated by the death of his last surviving Marauder friend, Sirius, who was pushed through the veil in the Death Chamber by a curse cast by Bellatrix Lestrange. Remus barely managed to prevent Harry from diving in after Sirius, who was already lost.
Shortly after the battle and the end of school year, Remus along with Moody, Tonks and Weasleys confronted the Dursleys at King's Cross station over their treatment of Harry.
Underground
Some weeks later, Remus began working as a spy for the Order, living among fellow werewolves and trying to convince them to join Dumbledore's side. It is said that he volunteered just to keep away from Tonks, as they were both very much in love with each other by this point and he would not risk his child having lycanthropy. Alas, it was difficult to convince them due to the fact that they believed they will have a better life under Voldemort's reign, many were frightened and intimidated by Fenrir Greyback and that Remus showed signs of living among humans.
Weeks later, on Harry's sixteenth birthday, Remus visited The Burrow with news of Dementor attacks and murder of Igor Karkaroff.
During Christmas at the Burrow Harry told Remus and Arthur Weasley about the overheard converstion between Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape. Mr Weasley immediately suggested that Snape was just pretending to help Malfoy, but Lupin severely pointed out that Dumbledore trusted Snape, which "ought to be good enough for all of them.” Although Snape exposed Lupin as a werewolf, forcing him to resign his position at Hogwarts, he also kept him healthy by making him a special potion during his monthly transformation. Lupin neither liked nor disliked Snape – but personal feelings have nothing to do with his decision to trust him. Lupin argued strongly against making judgments based on feelings – even though he, of all people, had strong reasons to dislike Snape personally, he refused to let this affect his conclusions about the man. This pronouncement established him as a foil to James Potter and Sirius, who disliked Snape for petty reasons and treated these feelings as a justification for bullying him.
Battle of the Astronomy Tower
- "NO!"
- —Lupin's loss of control upon hearing of Dumbledore's death
The following year, Remus fought bravely again at the Battle of the Astronomy Tower where he narrowly avoided death by a curse from Thorfinn Rowle. Remus, was devastated upon hearing about the death of Albus Dumbledore, who had been killed by Severus Snape. However, the aftermath of the battle led to him to accept the love of Nymphadora Tonks, who pointed out that Fleur Delacour still loved Bill Weasley in spite of being attacked and scarred by Fenrir Greyback. The pair attended their former Headmaster's funeral together.
Remus's sire, Fenrir Greyback, was killed at the Battle of the Astronomy Tower by Aquila Black. Though his death was an accident, and occured in the heat of the battle, it saved Maisie Cattermole from certain death and it carried a lot of weight for Remus himself, whose life had been completely changed by that man.
Marriage
Shortly after Dumbledore's funeral and some days before the Order operation to transport Harry from his relative's home to safety, Remus and Tonks soon married in the north of Scotland with only Andromeda Tonks, Ted Tonks, and Aquila Black in attendance, who was staying with Tonks's parents after the end of her fifth year, as well as some witnesses from the local tavern.
Lupin, same as Tonks, was sad that Harry Potter didn't attend their wedding, because he couldn't leave the Dursleys home, due Lily's loving sacrifice when she willingly died for her only son. They were forced to marry quietly, given the general prejudice against werewolves.
Remus, to his surprise, learned that his wife got pregnant some time after the wedding.
Battle of the Seven Potters
- "Harry, the time for Disarming is past! These people are trying to capture and kill you! At least stun if you aren't prepared to kill!"
- —Remus scolds Harry Potter for showing mercy during the sky battle
On 27 July 1997, Remus participated in the Order's operation to remove Harry from his home before Lord Voldemort could get to him. Remus acted as the protector of George Weasley, who took Polyjuice Potion to become one of the "seven Potters." The party was ambushed by at least thirty cloaked Death Eaters. George was accidentally struck by Severus Snape, who was trying to aim for a Death Eater, but accidentally stuck George instead with his Sectumsempra curse while George and Remus flew. Lupin was unable to pay Snape back in time, it being all he could do to keep George on the broom, as the latter was losing a copious amount of blood.
He eventually got the injured George back to The Burrow to be cleaned up, though George permanently lost an ear. Upon arrival, Remus accosted Harry to prove that Harry was the real Harry. It was later revealed that Snape had sent the spell in an attempt to cut off the hand of a Death Eater aiming at Remus' back, presumably about to kill him. Remus was very anxious about the late arrival of his wife; Tonks had been aggressively pursued by her murderous, cruel aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange. When the party mourned the death of fellow order member Alastor Moody, they discussed their betrayal. Harry voiced the opinion that he trusted all of them with his life. Remus urged caution, seeing as Harry's father was killed because he put his trust in the wrong friend.
Wedding of Bill and Fleur
In the next days Remus seemed to become withdrawn and sullen at the news. He awhile attended Harry's birthday party, but left when Rufus Scrimgeour arrived. Remus and Tonks both later attended the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour shortly afterwards, and bravely defended the Burrow when it came under attack as Voldemort took over the Ministry. Remus along with Tonks both used a Shield Charm. He was questioned by the intruders, along with the other guests, before being released. Remus, along with his wife, and Aquila Black, returned to the home of Tonks's parents following the fight.
On the run
- "Don't you understand what I've done to my wife and my unborn child?
I should never have married her, I've made her an outcast! And the child — the child...my kind don't usually breed! It will be like me, I am convinced of it! How can I forgive myself when I knowingly risked passing on my own condition to an innocent child?! And if, by some miracle, it is not like me, then it will be better off, a hundred times so, without a father of whom it should always be ashamed!"
- —Remus' view of his marriage to Tonks and her pregnancy
Remus suffered great mental anguish as the war escalated when he learned that his wife was pregnant. He even tore out a clump of his own hair in anxiety over the possibility that his child would be born a werewolf. He visited Harry, Ron, and Hermione while they hid out in Grimmauld Place and offered to help with their search for Voldemort's Horcruxes. However, Harry denounced him, calling him a coward for even considering leaving his wife alone while pregnant. Remus left them greatly agitated.
Harry and his friends next heard of Remus on Potterwatch, under the code name "Romulus". Remus made Harry realise that they were still good friends, with his putting forth the opinion that Harry's instincts were good and they were usually right. Remus eventually came to his senses and reunited with Tonks in time to see his son's birth. They named him Edward Remus "Teddy" Lupin, after Tonks' father, who had recently been murdered by Snatchers after refusing to turn himself in to the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. Appearing to forgive and forget their earlier disagreement in Grimmauld Place, Remus asked Harry to be Teddy's godfather.
Battle of Hogwarts
- Nymphadora Tonks: "Have you seen Remus? "
- Aquila Black: "He was duelling Yaxley, haven't seen him since!"
- — Tonks and Aquila looking for Remus
Remus was one of the many Order members who answered Neville Longbottom's call to arms on the 1 May, 1998. Harry, Hermione and Ron returned to Hogwarts and Lord Voldemort gathered his army to attack the school in order to capture Harry Potter. He organised and led groups to fight Death Eaters on the school grounds, along with Kingsley Shacklebolt and Arthur Weasley. His wife initially agreed not to participate in the Battle of Hogwarts, instead staying with their infant son, but was ultimately unable to bear leaving her husband to face such danger without her.
She left Teddy with her mother and raced to Hogwarts, where she was informed that Remus was last seen duelling Death Eater Antonin Dolohov. His wife, while looking for him, was murdered by her aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange, in the Main Courtyard during the first half of the battle along with many others.
During a break in the battle, as ordered by Voldemort, Remus grieved Tonks's death in the Great Hall. He was seen weeping visibly for her by Harry before he headed to the Forbidden Forest.
He and everyone else watched the interaction between Harry and Voldemort, which ended with Voldemort's final defeat and the end of the Second Wizarding War.
Physical appearance
- "The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with grey."
- —Description of Lupin's outward appearance
Remus Lupin, aged 36
Remus was described as having a pale face with premature lines, and light brown hair that, as he progressed through his thirties, became more and more grey. The lines on his face and his greying hair were the results of the great deal of stress his body underwent with each full moon. His clothing is consistently shabby and patched, presumably because of his inability to find a decently-paid job due to his status as a werewolf.
In 1993, he sported a thin moustache, and from 1995 until his death, he sported more of a rough beard. He had scars cutting across his face and given Remus' comments on werewolf inflicted injuries being cursed wounds that are unlikely to fully heal after Fenrir Greyback's attack on Bill Weasley, it is possible he had more scars from his self-inflicted injuries during his transformations.
He was also quite tall, standing six feet, two inches tall. His height was not often mentioned, but is notable as his height corresponded roughly to the full length of a wolf's body from nose to tail.
In his werewolf form, he was a large beast with grey fur, and the only differences between his appearance and that of a true wolf being his shorter snout, more human eyes, and tufted tail.
Personality and traits
Remus was compassionate, intelligent, tolerant, levelheaded, peaceful, selfless, brave, kind, and good-natured. Despite having suffered a great deal of prejudice in his life due to his lycanthropy, he managed to retain an ability to see the good in almost everybody and was extremely forgiving. Remus also had an excellent sense of humour. When he was a student at school he was also part of the Marauders. However, unlike his friends, he never partook in bullying. He hence could be described as the most mature and responsible one of the group. He even became a prefect in his fifth year. Also he was able to, or at least would try to maintain civil conversation with those he did not get along well with.
Remus was unusually perceptive, with an uncanny ability to guess the thoughts of those around him. This is especially clear in his conversations with Harry Potter, such as his intuiting that Harry was afraid that he thought he couldn't handle working with the boggart. He was a gifted teacher, with a rare flair for his subject and a profound understanding of his pupils. He was, as ever, drawn to the underdog, and Neville Longbottom especially benefited from his wisdom and encouragement. His perceptive nature is a rather ironic trait, given that wolves are rather intuitive and astute judges of character and communicate primarily through body language, a skill that Remus was extremely developed and talented at.
True to being a Gryffindor, Lupin was quite courageous. Nonetheless, he suffered deep-seated feelings of shame and fear of rejection which, in certain situations, led him to consider backing down. His greatest weakness was that, in his desperate longing to belong and be liked, he was neither as brave or honest as he should have been at times. Remus once claimed that he was cowardly, because he was unable to bring himself to tell Dumbledore that James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew were Animagi, as it would have meant that he had betrayed Dumbledore's trust, which meant everything to him. His love for James and Sirius also led him to not do anything to stop their bullying other students, a most notable example being when Snape was constantly bullied by his friends, but Remus was terrified of losing them and therefore did nothing to stop the bullying, something that he later admits to regret. Perhaps the most critical example of this was his temptation to join Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger on Dumbledore's mission and abandon his wife and unborn son because he was afraid that her family would be ashamed of him being a werewolf. However, ultimately he came to his senses.
In contrast to Sirius' more competitive and combative nature, Remus was far more peaceful, reserved, and prone to negotiation despite his nature as a werewolf. This is symbolic of how dogs often tend to fight for dominance versus the more pragmatic and somewhat democratic nature of wolves in a pack who organise themselves peacefully unless threatened. However, Remus was by no means weak and marched into battle against Voldemort's soldiers like a true warrior. Remus referred to Voldemort by name, unafraid of the Dark Lord or his loyal Death Eaters.
After losing James, Sirius and Lily and all hope of reconciliation with Pettigrew gone, Remus had every reason to succumb to depression and despondency. However, he retained his appreciation for the good people existing in his life and continued to draw strength from them.
Magical abilities and skills
- "There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames."
- —Lupin using a nonverbal flame spell
Remus was an accomplished and skilful wizard, with extensive knowledge of Dark creatures. He also possessed the ability to properly impart practical and theoretical skills of defensive magic to others. Remus was capable of conjuring a corporeal wolf Patronus (a mark of superior magical ability). He also proved to be a skilful duellist, surviving numerous battles. However, by his own admission, Potions was not his strong suit.
- Defence Against the Dark Arts: In 1993, Remus took the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Considered by most of his pupils to be the best teacher they had had in the subject, he was very knowledgeable on the subject of Dark creatures and how to handle them, as shown how he expertly taught this to Aquila Black and her classmates during their third year. During his classes, he taught students about Red Caps, Grindylows, Kappas, Vampires, Werewolves, Nocturnal beasts and Boggarts (and how to repel them using the Boggart-Banishing Spell), showing him to have had excellent knowledge of such fiendish creatures and the necessary defence against them. Known to have displayed a rare flair for his own subject, he would also have been very proficient on the subject of counter-curses and defensive spell-work, and, being a very proficient duellist, might very well have helped some of his older students become accomplished in combative magic themselves. He also taught Harry Potter the highly advanced Patronus Charm to defend himself against Dementors, which he himself must have mastered at a relatively young age, at least when he joined the first Order of the Phoenix. Remus' Patronus took the form of a wolf, a reflection of his condition, but he could disguise it into a non-corporeal form to hide that fact.
- Non-verbal and Wandless magic: While on the Hogwarts Express in 1993, Remus conjured fire (possibly Bluebell Flames) without using a wand and non-verbally. He could also open locks and chests and relight candles with just the wave of his hand. When Remus and Harry had a heated argument in 1997, Remus struck him with a silent Knockback Jinx so quickly that Harry barely had time to reach for his own wand. These were a testament to Remus being a truly powerful wizard, as both wandless and non-verbal magic are very difficult.
- Duelling: Remus was a highly talented duellist. During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, he was the only fighter besides Albus Dumbledore and his pupil, Harry, who was not wounded, killed, or incapacitated. He was seen duelling Lucius Malfoy in order to defend Harry and Neville and presumably was able to defeat him due to his unscathed appearance shortly after. He also came out of the Battle of the Astronomy Tower unscathed, and later survived the Battle of the Seven Potters despite his having to support an injured George Weasley while fighting and flying during the conflict. Remus was also willing to personally fight the exceptionally skilled Severus Snape after the latter injured George Weasley, though he opted instead to get himself and George to safety.
- Healing magic: In the spring of 1994, Remus effectively used the Bandaging Charm to bandage and splint broken bones on Ron, whose leg had been broken, showing him to have been skilled in the art of medical magic and with the casting of healing spells.
- Transfiguration: Remus, along with Sirius, was able to perform Untransfiguration to force Peter to change into his human form (Peter's Animagus form was a rat). He was also able to perform conjuration, which is an incredibly advanced form of Transfiguration: in 1994, he once conjured chains to bind Peter to Ron. This shows he was highly proficient in this notably very difficult and complicated branch of magic.
- Flying: Remus was chosen to lead the Advance Guard when they escorted Harry from 4 Privet Drive in 1995, and he was able to evade and duel Death Eaters while supporting an injured George during the Battle of the Seven Potters in 1997.
- Apparition: Being an accomplished wizard, Remus was capable of apparating successfully. In 1997, he apparated to 12 Grimmauld Place to escape the Death Eaters from reaching him, allowing him to escape potential capture.
Relationships
Family
The extent of Remus' relationship with his family is unknown, aside from how adored he was by his parents. During Remus' youth, his father offended Fenrir Greyback, causing Greyback to attack Remus, when he was merely four years old. Mr and Mrs Lupin are known to have been concerned over Remus being a werewolf, believing that this condition meant their son would be unable to attend Hogwarts. However, this was proven untrue.
Nymphadora Tonks
- Nymphadora Tonks: "I don't care either, I don't care! I've told you a million times [...] "
- Remus: "And I've told you a million times, that I am too old for you, too poor....too dangerous...."
- Molly Weasley: "I've said all along you're taking a ridiculous line on this, Remus."
- Remus: "I am not being ridiculous. Tonks deserves somebody young and whole."
- Arthur Weasley: "But she wants you. And after all, Remus, young and whole men do not necessarily remain so."
- — Tonks, Arthur, and Molly try to convince Remus to be with Tonks
Remus and Tonks came to know each other as members of the Order of the Phoenix during the Second Wizarding War. Remus, so often melancholy and lonely, was first amused, then impressed, then seriously smitten by the young witch. He had never fallen in love before. If it had happened in peacetime, Remus would have simply taken himself off to a new place and a new job, so that he did not have to endure the pain of watching Tonks fall in love with a handsome, young wizard in the Auror Office (which was what he expected to happen). However, this was war; they were both needed in the Order of the Phoenix, and nobody knew what the next day would bring. Remus felt justified in remaining exactly where he was, keeping his feelings to himself but secretly rejoicing every time somebody paired him with Tonks on some overnight mission.
It had never occurred to Remus that Tonks could return his feelings because he had become so used to considering himself unclean and unworthy. One night when they lay in hiding outside a known Death Eater’s house, after a year of increasingly warm friendship, Tonks made an idle remark about one of their fellow Order members ("He’s still handsome, isn't he, even after Azkaban?"). Before he could stop himself, Remus had replied bitterly that he supposed she had fallen for his old friend ("He always got the women."). At this, Tonks replied: "You’d know perfectly well who I’ve fallen for, if you weren’t too busy feeling sorry for yourself to notice."
Remus’s immediate response was a happiness he had never experienced in his life, but this was extinguished almost at once by a sense of crushing duty. He had always known that he could not marry and run the risk of passing on his painful, shameful condition. Wiser than Remus, she was sure that he loved her, but that he was refusing to admit it out of mistaken nobility. However, he avoided working with her, barely talked to her, and started volunteering for the most dangerous missions. Tonks became desperately unhappy, convinced not only that the man she loved would never willingly spend time with her again, but also that he might walk to his death rather than admit his feelings.
Inspired by Fleur Delacour’s protestation of enduring love for Bill Weasley, who had been savaged by Greyback, Tonks made a brave, public declaration of her feelings for Remus, who was forced to admit the strength of his love for her. In spite of continuing misgivings that he was acting selfishly, Remus married Tonks quietly in the north of Scotland, with witnesses taken from the local wizarding tavern. He continued to fear that the stigma attached to him would infect his wife and wished for no fanfare around their union. He swung constantly between elation that he was married to the woman of his dreams and terror of what he might have brought upon them both. When she became pregnant, Remus was not delighted by this, he was in fact scared that he might be passing his condition on to an innocent child. He even attempted to abandon his pregnant wife and unborn child, but was stopped by Harry Potter. Realising the importance of staying with his family above all else, he returned to Tonks, bitterly ashamed.
Tonks was murdered in the Battle of Hogwarts on 2 May, 1998. Remus was seen weeping in the Great Hall by Harry Potter before he went into the Forbidden Forest.
Maurauders
- "For
the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends... I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth...and they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."
- —Remus regarding his friends
As a Hogwarts student, Remus became good friends with fellow Gryffindors James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew. In their second year, Remus' friends figured out that he was a werewolf; instead of shunning him, as many in the wizarding world would have, they learned how to become Animagi by their fifth year to accompany Remus on his monthly transformations, preventing him from hurting himself. Because he was grateful to his friends, Remus cut them a lot of slack; despite being dismayed by their bullying of Severus Snape, he did not attempt to stop them. Though he was his house's prefect, Remus had difficulty trying to curb his friends' mischievous behaviour. However, Remus was not without a mischief-making streak himself, contributing to the invention of the Marauder's Map.
At some point, after Remus and his friends had all become members of the Order of the Phoenix, Sirius came to distrust Remus, fearing he might be a spy; the reasons for this are unknown. Sirius' distrust ensured that Remus was unaware when James and Lily changed their Secret-Keeper from Sirius to Peter, and thus he believed that Sirius had betrayed them when they were murdered by Lord Voldemort. The two reclaimed their friendship after Sirius escaped from Azkaban in 1993, and Remus learned the truth. They planned to kill their traitorous former friend Peter, but were stopped by Harry Potter. Remus and Sirius both became close to their late friend's son, and Remus was devastated when Sirius was killed in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.
Etymology
- The name "Remus" comes from the brothers Romulus and Remus, the legendary brothers who fought to the death over the control of Rome, having been raised by a mother wolf whose cubs had died. Because of this, some fans speculated that Remus had a brother, but "Romulus" is merely the code name used by Lupin for Potterwatch. Remus' intense rivalry with Romulus indicates Lupin's ongoing struggle with his other side, the werewolf.
- "Lupin" is derived from "lupinus", Latin for "wolf-like"; "lupus", or "wolf", being the basic word. Canis lupus is the scientific name for the wolf - to be described as "lupine" means to "resemble a wolf." Lupin is also the name of an plant with edible seeds. The surname may also be derived from the character of Arsène Lupin, a fictional gentleman thief and master of disguise, who was created by French writer Maurice Leblanc in 1905. In Leblanc's novels, Arsène Lupin is often a force for good, while operating on the wrong side of the law. Leblanc's Lupin was said to have later inspired the character of "the Lone Wolf", a jewel thief-turned-private detective in a series of novels written by Louis Joseph Vance, beginning in 1914.