Remus John Lupin

Remus John Lupin was a half-blood wizard and one of the four original Marauders. Afflicted with lycanthropy at a young age, he lived a life marked by prejudice and secrecy. A kind and brilliant wizard, he was a key member of the Order of the Phoenix during both the First and Second Wizarding Wars. He served as the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the 1993-1994 school year, where he became a significant mentor to Harry Potter. He was married to Nymphadora Tonks and was the father of Teddy Lupin.

Remus Lupin was the only son of the wizard Lyall Lupin and the Muggle Hope Howell (Pottermore). As a small child, he was bitten by the vicious werewolf Fenrir Greyback as an act of revenge against his father. His lycanthropy made his parents believe he would never be able to attend Hogwarts. However, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore made special arrangements for him, allowing him to transform safely within the Shrieking Shack, with the Whomping Willow planted to guard the entrance to the secret passage. At Hogwarts, Remus was sorted into Gryffindor house and became best friends with James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew. Fearing their rejection, he kept his condition a secret, but his friends deduced the truth in their second year. In an extraordinary act of friendship, they secretly became Animagi to keep him company during his transformations, earning the group the nickname “the Marauders”. Together, the four of them created the Marauder's Map. Despite his monthly disappearances and frequent illness, Remus was a gifted student and was made a Prefect in his fifth year.

After graduating from Hogwarts, Remus and his friends joined the Order of the Phoenix to fight against Lord Voldemort. The war ended in tragedy for Remus; James Potter and his wife Lily Potter were murdered, Sirius Black was framed for their betrayal and imprisoned in Azkaban, and Peter Pettigrew was believed to have been murdered by Sirius. Left alone and friendless, Remus spent the subsequent years living in poverty, as his status as a werewolf made it nearly impossible to hold down a steady job.

In 1993, Albus Dumbledore hired Remus as the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. To manage his transformations, Professor Snape provided him with the complex Wolfsbane Potion. He proved to be an exceptionally gifted and popular teacher, focusing on practical defence against Dark creatures. During this year, he taught Harry Potter how to cast the Patronus Charm to defend against Dementors. At the end of the school year, Remus discovered that Sirius Black was innocent and that Peter Pettigrew was alive and hiding as Ron Weasley's pet rat, Scabbers. He helped Sirius reveal the truth to Harry, Ron, and Hermione Granger in the Shrieking Shack. However, he forgot to take the Wolfsbane Potion that night and transformed into a full werewolf at the sight of the full moon, inadvertently allowing Pettigrew to escape. After Snape “let slip” that Lupin was a werewolf, Remus resigned from his post to protect the school and its students.

Remus rejoined the reformed Order of the Phoenix and worked as an undercover agent, attempting to infiltrate werewolf communities allied with Lord Voldemort. During this time, he fell in love with fellow Order of the Phoenix member and Auror, Nymphadora Tonks. He initially resisted a relationship out of shame and fear that he would pass on his condition to a child. They eventually married and had a son, Teddy, a Metamorphmagus like his mother who did not inherit his father's lycanthropy. Remus named Harry Potter as Teddy's godfather. Remus fought in several major battles of the war, including the Battle of the Department of Mysteries and the Battle of the Seven Potters. During the Battle of Hogwarts, Remus was murdered by the Death Eater Antonin Dolohov. His wife, Tonks, was also killed in the battle by Bellatrix Lestrange. His spirit briefly appeared to Harry Potter through the Resurrection Stone before Harry went to face Lord Voldemort.

Remus Lupin was described as having a pale face with premature lines and light brown hair that was greying. He often looked tired and ill, a direct result of the strain of his monthly transformations. His clothing was typically shabby and patched. As a werewolf, he was indistinguishable from a true wolf, though with some subtle, non-wolfish characteristics such as a slightly shorter snout and tufted tail. He was a man of quiet compassion, intelligence, and patience. Despite the hardship and prejudice he faced, he maintained a sense of humour and profound kindness. He was an exceptionally perceptive and gifted teacher. His greatest flaw was his own self-loathing and fear of his condition, which at times caused him to isolate himself, as seen when he tried to leave a pregnant Tonks. Above all, he was incredibly brave and loyal to his friends and the cause he fought for.

• Defence Against the Dark Arts: Remus was an expert in this field, with extensive knowledge of Dark creatures and defensive magic. His practical teaching style was highly effective.
• Dueling: Remus was a very capable duelist who survived numerous encounters with Death Eaters. He fought in several key battles of the Second Wizarding War.
• Non-Verbal and Wandless Magic: He demonstrated proficiency in non-verbal magic, such as when he used a spell to bind Pettigrew in the Shrieking Shack. He was also able to conjure a flame in the palm of his hand without a wand.
• Patronus Charm: Remus could cast a corporeal Patronus, which took the form of a wolf. He was an expert in the charm and successfully taught it to Harry Potter.
• Lycanthropy: While a curse rather than a skill, his condition gave him an intimate understanding of werewolves, which the Order of the Phoenix attempted to use to its advantage.

• Wand: Ten and a quarter inches, cypress, and unicorn hair core, pliable (Pottermore).
• Marauder's Map: As one of its four creators, he had an innate understanding of its workings and was able to identify it instantly. He confiscated it from Harry Potter for safety reasons but returned it upon his departure from Hogwarts.
• Dark Creatures: He owned a variety of Dark creatures for his D.A.D.A. lessons, including a Boggart, a Grindylow, and a Hinkypunk.

• The Marauders: James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew were his dearest friends. Their unconditional acceptance of his lycanthropy was a defining element of his youth. The group's eventual destruction brought him immense sorrow.
• Harry Potter: Remus acted as a compassionate mentor and father figure to Harry, offering guidance, wisdom, and a living link to Harry's parents. He greatly respected Harry and eventually made him godfather to his son.
• Nymphadora Tonks: His wife and fellow Order of the Phoenix member. Her persistent love helped him overcome his deep-seated insecurities about his condition. Their relationship was a source of great happiness in his final years.
• Albus Dumbledore: Remus held deep trust and gratitude for Dumbledore, who gave him the opportunity to attend Hogwarts and later to teach there, showing a faith in him that few others ever did.
• Severus Snape: Their relationship was one of mutual animosity stemming from their time as students, when Snape was a frequent target of the Marauders' bullying. This grudge persisted into their adulthood, though Snape did brew the Wolfsbane Potion for him.

• Remus: In Roman mythology, Remus and his twin brother Romulus were the legendary founders of Rome. They were said to have been abandoned as infants and suckled by a she-wolf.
• Lupin: This name is derived from the Latin word lupinus, which means “of or pertaining to a wolf.” The constellation Lupus is Latin for “wolf.”

• J.K. Rowling has stated that Remus Lupin's condition of lycanthropy was intended as a metaphor for illnesses that carry a social stigma, such as HIV/AIDS (J.K. Rowling interview).
• In the film adaptations of the series, Remus Lupin is portrayed by actor David Thewlis. The films give him a mustache and more visible facial scars than are described in the books.
• According to Pottermore, Lupin was posthumously awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class, making him the first werewolf ever to receive this honour.
• Lupin's Patronus is a normal wolf, not a werewolf. He dislikes casting it, as it is a constant reminder of his affliction (Pottermore).