antidote - sirius black

nine

a/n: sorry this chapter is so long! I wanted to explain how Remus and Vera knew each other. And the chapter kind of began writing itself.

At the start of the first year, Vera White had already read every potion book there was. Growing up with her only company being Winkle, the house elf and books, she made sure that she spent her time wisely. Potions fascinated her, her favourite way to pass the time was memorize different potions, instructions and ingredients.

When she finished all the books on potions she moved onto the curriculum up to year four in, transfigurations, charms, and defence against the dark arts. It was in the year three DADA book that she learned about werewolves. The creatures fascinated her. She didn't understand the hate they got, for it was not their fault they were a monster. She related to them in that instance. She thought she was a monster, but not by her own design.

This knowledge from her extensive reading allowed her to recognize the signs of a werewolf from Remus Lupin. Her curiosity was peaked when she noticed the scars on his face and the weathered look he almost always seems to occupy. Then the monthly absences. Vera White was not daft, her unnerving eyes had one use, and it was to observe. So she did notice when Remus was gone consecutively on the full moon.

Her knowledge of Remus' issue did not scare her or change her opinion of Remus. It did, however, challenge her to find a way to help him. She didn't like the way he showed up to school the next morning late from the walk from the hospital wing. Always looking under the weather with fresh scars. She felt it was her duty to figure out a way to help him.

At first, she could not figure out a way to help. So she just took an extra pair of notes for the classes he missed or wrote down her knowledge of what she knew of his course if she was not in his class. And used her owl Apus to deliver them to the windowsill of his dorm room. It was the only thing she could do.

Then she discovered a salve that he could apply to help soothe sores and wounds called 'star grass salve'. She quickly inquired with Madam Pomfrey, without Remus' know whether it would help. To which she replied with a, "yes" but she didn't have the ingredients to make it.

Vera knew if she wrote to Winkle, she would be able to gather all the ingredients for Vera so that she could make it. So that is what she did.

Most ingredients were minor except the star grass which only grew in the United States. It took Winkle about a week to gather all the ingredients and Vera a few days to get the measurements correct and a few trial injuries to test the salve on herself. Until finally, it was ready for the fourth full moon of the first year.

She had the Apus take the salve to Remus' window sill in the middle of the night along with the notes. She made sure to leave precise instructions on how to apply the salve and when.

It wasn't until she recalled the potions textbooks she had plowed through, that she remembered the wolfsbane potion. She knew everything she needed to know, what was needed, how to make it, and what it did. So she did just that, with the permission of Professor Slughorn and Dumbledore the bright first year was allowed to make a year three potion.

She had only finished the potion the night of the full moon. That meant that Remus was already in the Shrieking Shack getting prepared to shift. She did not have a lot of time. So she ran, forgetting about the danger that could occur and sprinted to the shrieking shack in her robes, no shoes, wild hair and potion in hand. She arrived minutes before the shift, the moon was almost at full.

It wasn't until Remus heard the oncoming footsteps that he looked up, instantly alarmed.

"Vera? What are you doing here? How did you know I was here? You have to go!" Remus practically begged. "You're going to get hurt! Vera please for your own protection get out of here and run!" He yelled.

Still, Vera stayed, she slowly walked forward as if approaching a wild animal because she practically was. But she knew it was still Remus. Once she was close enough she said a simple, "no". And inches closer bringing out the potion.

"This potion will not cure you, but it will allow you to stay human mentally during your shift," Vera stated, she was worried he wouldn't want it.

Remus, on the other hand, was in awe. This girl that he barely knew made something to help him, a monster.

"It is not a permanent solution, as I do not have the proper ingredients to make a solution that will last but for at least the next few moons it should be easier"

"You're the one sending the notes and salve. Aren't you?" Remus questioned, although he already knew the answer.

"Take it right before the shift, it should work for a while until you build a tolerance against it" Vera had not answered his inquiry, but her silence was enough.

As she noticed his bones beginning to break, she sat down."I don't think you should have to be alone. I will stay. Don't worry I will be fine. Have a little faith in my potion Remus!" As she said that she let out a tiny smile to let him know she was joking.

By the time Remus shifted back in the morning, Vera was gone. He must have fallen asleep during the night. He noticed no blood, he was completely fine and had not moved from the spot. Vera's potion continued to work, still, she came every full moon to make sure and keep Remus company.

Vera continued to take notes, send salve just in case and go every full moon with the potion. She continued to try to strengthen the potion.

By fifth Vera had worked on the potion daily. It was what kept her mind off her own issues. Every month she would go down to the shrieking shack and help Remus. Sometimes the potion changed for the better, and sometimes Vera had to use some heavy DADA spells to subdue him.

They did not talk usually. It wasn't until the other three marauders found out that things changed.

Vera found out about the plan to become animagus through Remus. They were not friends but she was one of the only people he trusted with his darkest secrets. Vera knew that if the boys became animagus she could not be at the shrieking shack anymore as they would accompany Remus there and she did not want to be found out.

It was in the the the the fifth year that Vera White swore Remus Lupin to secrecy. She continued to help him in every way possible, with the Marauders never finding out.