Remus Lupin

"You're the best Defence against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!"

- Harry Potter to Lupin

Remus John Lupin (March 10, 1960 - May 2, 1998) was a powerful wizard and member of the First and Second Orders of the Phoenix. He briefly taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts, during the 1993-1994 school year. He resigned at the end of the year, however, when Severus Snape revealed to the public that he was a werewolf.

During his school years, Lupin was one of the Marauders; he was friends with James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. Together they created the Marauder's Map.

During the Battle of Hogwarts is 1998 Remus was killed by Death Eater, Antonin Dolohov.

Hogwarts Years
As a young boy, Remus was bitten by the werewolf Fenrir Greyback after his father insulted Greyback. He thus became afflicted with the blood infection himself. Though he and his parents were unsure of the safety of allowing him to attend school at Hogwarts, Headmaster Dumbledore encouraged him to become a student. Remus attended Hogwarts from 1971 to 1978 and was sorted into Gryffindor house.

"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."

- Remus Lupin to Harry Potter

To secure his safety, as well as that of his peers, a shanty was built outside of Hogsmeade. This shanty had no natural entrances; there was only a secret passage leading to it from under the Whomping Willow, on Hogwarts' grounds. Remus was brought to the structure 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; the villagers of Hogsmeade mistook his screams for that of violent ghosts. Thus, the building was dubbed the Shrieking Shack and attained the reputation for being the most haunted building in Britain. Dumbledore encouraged this rumour to keep people from investigating the noises.

Remus kept his status as a werewolf a secret, but his friends James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew worked out the truth in their second year. Because of their strong friendship, by their fifth year they managed to become Animagi in order to keep Remus company during his transformations, as a werewolf is only a danger to humans. Remus’s friends nicknamed him "Moony" because of all this (he transformed at the full moon).

However, Remus’s frequent disappearances riled unhealthy curiosity in Severus Snape, a Slytherin student in Remus’s year who shared an enmity with James and Sirius. In their sixth year at Hogwarts, Sirius played a malicious prank against Snape by telling him about the Whomping Willow passageway, hoping he would be terrified by what he found at the other end. James stopped Snape and saved his life, but Snape still uncovered Remus’s secret. Dumbledore subsequently swore Snape to secrecy, but Snape teased him cruelly from that point on.

Remus was also a prefect while at Hogwarts, though he had trouble exercising discipline over his friends. Sirius once said that Remus did not participate in the bullying of Snape, but that he regretted never having stepped in to stop it.

First Wizarding War
Shortly after graduating from Hogwarts, Remus joined the Order of the Phoenix along with James, Sirius, 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 Potter used his wealth to support him.

By the height of the war, Remus’s 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. Not even Dumbledore or Remus knew of the switch.

In October of 1981, Pettigrew betrayed the Potters to Voldemort, who attacked them in their home in Godric's Hollow. James and Lily were both killed, but his mother’s loving sacrifice protected Harry from the Killing Curse, and Voldemort was defeated. Sirius, having discovered Pettigrew’s treachery, pursued him, but Pettigrew escaped by faking his own death, killing twelve Muggles in the process. Sirius was arrested and imprisoned in Azkaban for these crimes without a trial.

Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor
Few in the magical world tolerated the company, let alone the employment, of a werewolf, and almost all are prejudiced against them, thus Remus was often left without a job and with very little money. Even Ron Weasley, who had previously considered Remus an excellent professor, screamed "Get away from me, werewolf!" upon first discovering Remus’s condition. At a time, the Ministry of Magic even passed anti-werewolf legislation which made it practically impossible and almost illegal for a werewolf to have a job.

In 1993, Remus was offered the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts, replacing the permanently amnesiac Gilderoy Lockhart. While 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 curriculum of identifying and sidestepping dark creatures such as Hinkypunks and Red Caps. He also taught the class about Boggarts. It was during that class that Harry realized his "greatest fear was fear itself" when his Boggart took on the form of a Dementor. After this, Remus gave Harry private lessons in producing a Patronus as a means to control Dementors. Incidentally, being a werewolf, Remus's boggart would take on the form of the full moon. Students who saw this boggart form mistook it for a crystal ball, except for Hermione Granger, who deduced that Remus was a werewolf but kept the discovery to herself.

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 his shabby clothes and poor appearance. Regardless, his other students held him in extremely high regard and loved the hands-on style of his classes. He was considered by Harry and his friends to have been their only decent Defence teacher.

For his 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 (1) wade across a paddling pool containing a grindylow, (2) cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, (3) cross a marsh while being fed misleading directions by a hinkypunk, and (4) enter a trunk to battle a newly procured boggart.

Reunion of Friends
"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night James and Lily died..."

- Remus Lupin

The summer before Remus began his tenure as the Defence professor, Sirius Black escaped Azkaban. Remus, like the rest of the wizarding world, had 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. 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’s innocence.

However, that night happened to be a full moon, and Remus transformed into his werewolf form. Sirius was forced to turn into his dog Animagus form to protect Harry, Hermione and Ron from Remus, and Pettigrew escaped during the chaos.

After the danger had passed, Remus resigned from his position when parents learned that he was a werewolf, his resignation was much to the regret of the Hogwarts students and staff who had all grown very fond of him.

Second Wizarding War
{{ When Lord Voldemort returned, Remus joined the second Order of the Phoenix. He participated in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries in 1996, he defeated a number of Death Eaters including their leader, Lucius Malfoy and was one of only two combatants to see the end of the battle unscathed, the other being Dumbledore, the others were injured and one even killed, this displays Lupin's exceptional skill at duelling and knowledge of magic. During this battle, Remus was devastated by the death of his friend Sirius Black, who was pushed through the veil in the Death Chamber by a curse of Bellatrix Lestrange's. Remus barely managed to prevent Harry from diving in after Sirius, who was already lost.

Later that year, Remus began working as a spy for the Order, living among fellow werewolves and trying to convince them to join Dumbledore's side.

The following year, Remus would fight bravely again at the Battle of the Astronomy Tower where he narrowly avoided death by a curse from Thorfinn Rowle. Remus despaired at the death of Albus Dumbledore. However the aftermath of the battle would lead to him to accept the love of Nymphadora Tonks. The pair would attend their former headmaster's funeral.

Remus was present at the Battle over Little Whinging, flying with George Weasley, during which time George was struck by Snape's Sectumsempra spell.

Remus suffered great mental anguish during the Second War when he discovered that his wife, Nymphadora Tonks, was pregnant. Remus tore out a clump of his own hair out in anxiety over the possibility that his child would be born with lycanthropy. He offered to help Harry, Ron and Hermione with their search for Voldemort’s Horcruxes, but Harry ran him off, calling him a coward for even considering leaving his wife alone while pregnant. Remus left them in a state of great agitation.

Harry and his friends next heard of Remus on Potterwatch, under the code name Romulus.

{{dialogue a-b-a|Remus a.k.a. Romulus|There is no doubt at all in my mind that his death would be proclaimed as widely as possible by the Death Eaters if it had happened, because it would strike a deadly blow at the morale of those resisting the new regime. ‘The Boy Who Lived’ remains a symbol of everything for which we are fighting: the triumph of good, the power of innocence, the need to keep resisting.|Lee Jordan a.k.a. River|And what would you say to Harry if you knew he was listening, Romulus?|I’d tell him we’re all with him in spirit. And I’d tell him to follow his instincts, which are good and nearly always right.|Remus discussing his steadfast belief in Harry on Potterwatch|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows}}

Remus came to his senses and reunited with Tonks in time to see his son born. They named him Teddy, after Tonks’ father, who had been killed 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. Remus had appeared miserable throughout the course of the book but the birth of his son put a wide smile on his face and he seemed to be a happy man once more.

Remus was last seen fiercy and courageously duelling the Death Eater, Antonin Dolohov during The Battle of Hogwarts. Remus lost the duel and was killed in the confrontation. The nature of his death was not revealed, but his body was peaceful-looking, implying that he was struck with a Killing Curse or Dolohov's own curse; both are known to leave no visible marks on the outer body. His wife, Nymphadora Tonks, was murdered by her aunt Bellatrix Lestrange during the same battle.

When Harry proceeded to the Death Eater camp to be struck down by Voldemort, he first activated the Resurrection Stone, bringing back the souls of his parents, Sirius, and Remus, the latter of which expressed the hope that Harry would care for his son, lamenting that he would never know him.

Appearance
"There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws."

- Remus transforms by the light of the full moon Remus was described as having light brown hair that is prematurely greying, and a pale face with premature lines. These are due to the great deal of stress his body underwent with each full moon. He always bore shabby, patched clothing because, as a werewolf, he suffered from poverty.

Personality
Remus was intelligent, calm, tolerant, gentle, 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. He also had an excellent sense of humour and, when he was a student at school, was one of the 'Marauders'. He could be described as the mature one in the group, however, because unlike his friends he never partook in bullying and even became a Prefect in his fifth year.

There is evidence to suggest that Remus is a more powerful wizard than he let on. While on the Hogwarts Express in 1993, he summoned fire without a wand (wandless magic being difficult to perform) and held it in the palm of his bare hand. Later, during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, he was the only fighter besides Dumbledore who was not wounded, killed, or knocked unconscious.

His beverage and food preferences appear to include tea, butterbeer, wine, and chocolate.

Family


Remus and Nymphadora Tonks came to know each other as members of the Order of the Phoenix, and at some point, Tonks fell in love with him. He initially rejected the idea of a relationship, claiming he was too old, too poor and too dangerous for her, despite reciprocating her feelings. After several attempts to convince him otherwise, Tonks became depressed – as a result, her metamorphic abilities suffered and her Patronus changed. Tonks declared her feelings publicly after Bill Weasley was scarred by werewolf Fenrir Greyback and Fleur Delacour expressed her love for him regardless. Remus initially protested that their cases were not the same, as Bill would not transform into a werewolf, but eventually they began a relationship.

Lupin married Tonks in the summer of 1997, and they had a child, Teddy Lupin, named after Tonks' late father in April of 1998, naming Harry Potter his godfather. However, Lupin and Tonks both died in the Battle of Hogwarts in May 1998, leaving their son behind in the care of his grandmother, Andromeda Tonks – an incident eerily similar to the deaths of James and Lily Potter nearly seventeen years before. Teddy would also spend a great deal of time with the Potter and Weasley families growing up.

Etymology

 * The name "Remus" comes from the brothers Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome, who were cared for by wolves. Due to this, some fans speculated that Remus had a brother, but Romulus is merely the code name used by Lupin for Potterwatch.
 * "Lupin", is derived from "lupus(a)", Latin for "wolf". Lupin thus means "wolflike" in Latin, and is also the name of a flower.
 * It has also been speculated that his name comes from two Monty Python's Flying Circus skits: a repeated one involving "Professor R.J. Gumby", and one involving "Dennis Moore, the Lupin Thief".

Author's Comments
Rowling has stated that Professor Lupin is the kind of teacher she wishes she had while she was a student. He is good-natured, kind, and able to extract the best in everyone (e.g., spotting Neville Longbottom's lack of confidence and helping him to overcome it by teaching him how to defeat the boggart). The fact that he's a werewolf and needs to take a potion to avoid hurting people for the rest of his life makes him a symbol of the consequences of prejudice and segregation, as well as society's often negative reaction to the ill and the disabled.

J.K. Rowling has also stated, "Lupin's failing is he likes to be liked. That's where he slips up – he's been disliked so often he's always pleased to have friends so cuts them an awful lot of slack."

Behind the scenes

 * In the original draft of the seventh book, Remus survived the Battle of Hogwarts. But since J.K. Rowling "wanted to kill parents" and spared Arthur Weasley, Remus was killed instead.
 * The witch who pushes the lunch trolly, Remus, and Horace Slughorn were the only adults seen traveling to Hogwarts on the school train.
 * The youngest of Harry Potter’s children, Lily Luna, may be named after Remus as well as Luna Lovegood, since his nickname was “Moony” and Luna is Latin for “moon”.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Notes and references

 * In a Bloomsbury-sponsored webchat held on July 30, 2007, J.K. Rowling mentions that Antonin Dolohov had killed Lupin in battle.

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