Remus

Biodata

Background / History

Remus grew up in a loving family that followed the wizarding way of life, although he was not from a pure-blood family. By the time he entered Hogwarts, he was already a werewolf. Dumbledore promised to help conceal his condition, while Madam Pomfrey assisted with his preparations for the full moon 8.

At Hogwarts, Remus spent his transformations in the Shrieking Shack, reached through a passage beneath the Whomping Willow. He explained his absences as family matters and avoided discussing the injuries he sustained. His fear that friends would abandon him upon discovering his condition made him hesitant to accept James’s invitations 8 10 11 17 41.

Merlin had known Remus in previous loops, including one in which they became good friends while Merlin was in Hufflepuff. During the sixth life, Merlin developed a potion capable of delaying his transformation by half an hour, but never found a way to make him completely human 10 12.

Appearance

• Gray-green eyes, described as full of joy when Merlin finally agrees to call him Remus 36.
• Scars and wounds around his neck, which he conceals by adjusting or tightening his collar 11 15 35.
• Pallor and exhaustion after transformations; a later full moon leaves two new scars on his face 17 42.

Personality

Remus is gentle, reserved, and easily embarrassed by affection. He often speaks quietly, hesitates before expressing his wishes, and blushes when Merlin pays him close attention. His wish to be addressed by his first name remains unspoken for months because Merlin mistakes his embarrassment for discomfort 2 8 17 36.

His lycanthropy creates a persistent sense of inferiority. He wants friends but worries that gaining their affection only to lose it would hurt more than remaining alone. He envies James’s confidence and is deeply disturbed by the pleasure in destruction he experiences while transformed 8 11 22.

Remus notices when his friends behave badly and sometimes intervenes. He points out James’s failure to care for Merlin during an illness and later urges him to apologize honestly after a dangerous adventure. He also argues against further Halloween mischief because the group has already lost more than fifty house points 19 35.

Despite his usual timidity, he can be unexpectedly persistent: during his Halloween apology, he insists that he will keep apologizing until Merlin forgives him 21.

Abilities & Skills

Lycanthropy

Remus transforms into a werewolf during the full moon, losing his reason and becoming driven to destroy his surroundings 11.

• Increased strength: He is somewhat stronger than an ordinary person even outside his transformed state 35.
• Destructive power: As a transformed child, he smashed furniture and reduced wood to splinters 11.
• Self-inflicted injuries: His transformations repeatedly leave him wounded and exhausted 11 17 42.
• Loss of control: He cannot reconcile his ordinary aversion to violence with the relief destruction brings during transformation 11.

Academic Work

Remus regularly reads, completes homework, and keeps class notes 3 8.

• James and Sirius borrow his History of Magic notes when their first choice of classmate has none 43.
• He reads all the books Merlin lends him about wolves and takes an interest in how their portrayals differ between countries and regions 28.

Whomping Willow Access

Remus knows how to stop the Whomping Willow long enough to enter the hollow beneath it 41.

• James, Sirius, and Merlin observe him using the entrance during a full-moon investigation 41.
• James’s attempt to follow without knowing the method ends with the tree throwing him into a branch and fracturing his arm 41.

Treatment Attempts

Story Role / Major Arcs

Friendship with Merlin

Remus is drawn to Merlin’s delighted greeting from their first meeting. Unlike his interactions with other classmates, spending time with Merlin allows him to relax without constantly anticipating rejection 8.

Their first extended conversation begins in the library after Merlin picks up The Werewolf Mystery. Remus asks how ordinary humans view werewolves and is astonished that some portray them as handsome or cute. After Madam Pince ejects them for talking, they continue beneath a tree, where Merlin falls asleep against his shoulder. Remus quietly admits that he wishes Merlin would call him by his first name, but Merlin is asleep and does not hear him 8.

After another full moon, Remus discovers Merlin cold and barely responsive beneath a tree. Although exhausted himself, he covers Merlin with his coat and helps them back to Gryffindor Tower. He later tells James how seriously ill Merlin was, prompting James to recognize his neglect and apologize 17 19.

Halloween Apology

On Halloween, Remus apologizes for failing to explain himself during an earlier Hospital Wing visit. He had understood Merlin’s request for a Quidditch report as an attempt to spare him an awkward situation and regretted not speaking up 18 21.

Merlin assures him that he did nothing wrong. After securing forgiveness, Remus asks whether they are now friends and begins inviting Merlin to use his first name, only for James to interrupt with Halloween candy 21.

Dangerous Excursion and Birthday

During a nighttime expedition led by James, a tentacled plant catches Remus by the leg. James’s fire spell aggravates it, and Merlin’s attempt to stop the creature ends in collapse and a system rollback. Remus later blames himself for not running fast enough and urges James to apologize for Merlin’s injuries 33 35.

On March 10, Merlin finds Remus near the Whomping Willow and gives him a birthday present after learning the date from Dumbledore. Merlin reassures him that his friends care about him and that he should not consider himself beneath others 35.

Remus finally explains that being called “Lupin” makes him doubt their closeness. When Merlin agrees to call him Remus, he describes it as his favorite birthday present. James and Sirius subsequently plan a kitchen visit to make him a cake, and Remus persuades Merlin to join the celebration 36.

Later Rescues and Growing Suspicion

At Easter, Remus sees a lake tentacle seize Merlin and rushes forward to grab their hand after they fall into the water. He later escorts Snape to the Hospital Wing after Merlin interrupts James and Sirius’s dangerous Mandrake prank 38 40.

Near the end of the school year, James, Sirius, and Merlin follow Remus from the Hospital Wing to the Whomping Willow. After the next transformation, James encounters him with fresh facial injuries. Remus deflects his questions by referring vaguely to unknown magical creatures, while James resolves to continue following him during future full moons 41 42.

Equipment / Items

• Wand — Raises it when he sees Merlin threatened at the lake 38.
• Books about wolves — Lent by Merlin; introduce him to contrasting cultural portrayals of wolves 28.
• Birthday gift box — Given by Merlin on March 10; its contents are not identified 35 36.
• Medicinal potions — Supplied by Madam Pomfrey around his full-moon absences and recovery 41 42.

Relationships

• Merlin Mei — A friend with whom Remus feels unusually safe. Their growing closeness receives a dedicated birthday romance event, though the supplied events do not establish a romantic partnership 8 35 36.
• James Potter — Friend and dormitory companion. Remus appreciates his friendliness, envies his confidence, and challenges his failures to apologize or show concern 8 19 22 35.
• Sirius Black — Friend and dormitory companion. Sirius questions Remus’s concern for Merlin; Remus responds that Merlin is his friend too 12 17.
• Albus Dumbledore — Helps conceal Remus’s lycanthropy and provides Merlin with his birthday date 8 35.
• Madam Pomfrey — Oversees his medical care, supplies potions, and notices when he tries to hide his pain 8 41 42.
• Severus Snape — Remus takes him to the Hospital Wing after the Mandrake attack 40.

Notable Quotes

“I just hoped you'd call me Remus instead of Lupin.” 8

“But Merlin is my friend too.” 17

“I've already received my favorite birthday present.” 36