Remus Lupin

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Remus John Lupin: Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher during Harry's third year at school. A werewolf and a member of the first and second Orders of the Phoenix. Attended Hogwarts, was a prefect. He was best friends with James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. Nicknamed "Moony" and helped to create the infamous Marauder's Map. He was bitten as a small child by Fenrir Greyback in revenge for something Remus' father did to wrong Greyback. He spent most of book 6 spying on the werewolf community.

Remus Lupin was tragically killed fighting in the Battle of Hogwarts, along with his wife Nymphadora Tonks. He is survived by his then just-born son, Teddy Lupin.

Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban

Remus Lupin is introduced in the third book, where he is in the only remaining carriage Harry, Ron and Hermione can sit in, as it is otherwise vacant. He dozes in his seat until the Dementors search the train, at which point, he casts a Patronus and helps Harry, giving him some chocolate (something Madam Pomfrey is very pleased about). Harry, Ron and Hermione had already suspected he was the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, and as expected he was introduced at the start of the school year by Dumbledore.

Remus Lupin proves to be a very interesting teacher, and Harry often refers to him as the best DADA teacher they had ever had. He shows them intriguing dark creatures and how to repel them. He displays a Boggart to the class and how to repel it with hilarious results - however, he refused to allow Harry and Hermione to practise against the Boggart.

Lupin assumed that the Boggart would take on the shape of Lord Voldemort when Harry confronted it, which would not be a good thing for the class to face. Harry tells him otherwise - he is more frightened by the Dementors, who cause him to relive his mother's death. Lupin says this is very wise, as it means the only thing he fears is fear itself. After a Quidditch accident involving the Dementors, Lupin agrees to teach Harry how to repel them.

However, Lupin falls ill, and Snape takes over his classes. Unbeknownst to the reader and Harry, Hermione begins to notice a pattern in the times where Lupin fall ill, but lets no-one else know. Harry witnesses Lupin accept a mysterious potion from Snape - which convinces Hermione further.

At this time, Harry has been using the Marauder's Map, a mysterious but useful item he got from Fred and George Weasley. Snape discovers the map, and after it insults him, asks Lupin about it. Lupin makes up a story about it being a prank from Zonko's, secretly knowing that he himself contributed to the insulting parchment.

When Sirius Black is confronted at the Shrieking Shack, Lupin arrives and greets his old friend, then prepares to aid him in killing Peter Pettigrew, in revenge for betraying Lily and James Potter. Harry stops them, and helps them carry the bound Peter out of the castle. However, Lupin transforms into is werewolf form, Peter Pettigrew escapes, and Sirius is captured.

After Harry, Ron and Hermione free Sirius through use of a Time-Turner, Lupin announces his retirement - everyone would know now he was a werewolf, and would not be happy with him teaching.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Remus comes to Privet Drive to help Harry escape to a safe location without being hurt, by changing Harry's friends plus Mundungus into duplicates of Harry. Tonks, who appears very excited and happy, reveals that she and Remus are married, and Remus explains that it was a quiet wedding.

When Harry sees the pair again at the Weasleys', first on the occasion of his own birthday party, then again at Bill and Fleur's wedding, Tonks looks radiantly happy, while Remus appears deeply troubled.

Later in the book Remus arrives at Grimmauld Place where Harry, Ron and Hermione are staying. He proposes to become their ally and help them with their plans, even if Harry is forbidden to tell him what exactly those plans are. He also explains that Tonks is pregnant. Harry rebuffs him, telling Remus that he should go home and care for his wife and child, and that parents should never leave their children.

Angry, Remus says that as a werewolf, he has made his wife an outcast, and fears that his son will either be a werewolf himself, or be treated as an outcast for being a werewolf's son, and end up being ashamed of his father. He leaves Grimmauld Place in a rage.

Later, Remus's voice is heard on Potterwatch, saying that if he could send a message to Harry, it would be to follow his instincts, which are "nearly always right". Ron, who is listening with Harry, says that he heard from Bill that Remus is back with Tonks, who is 'getting pretty big'.

Remus later visits Shell Cottage, and announces delightedly that Tonks has had a baby boy, Ted Remus Lupin, who shows signs of being a Metamorphmagus. He names Harry godfather to his son.

J.K. Rowling on Remus Lupin

Stephen Fry: It is another one of the most horrible and brilliant inventions of the books is this snobbery this idea of purebloods and mudbloods and this idea of mingling, mixed breeding which is a reflection of some of the things like racism and intolerance that we have in our world. Is that deliberate or did it come to you in a flash again or did it just suddenly…

JK Rowling: That was deliberate it was always there from the beginning as you saw with Draco – even from first book with Draco Harry discovers him first being rude about Muggles. I was also playing with that when I created Professor Lupin having a contagious disease so people are frightened of him. I really liked him as a character but he also has his failing though he’s a nice man and a wonderful teacher – in fact he’s the one time I’ve written a teacher… the kind of teacher I’d have loved to have had. McGonagall is a good teacher but scary at times. 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 Royal Albert Hall, 26 June 2003

Siriusstar: Is Remus a pureblood? JK Rowling replies -> Half blood. kylie: What does the "J" in Remus J Lupin stand for? JK Rowling replies -> 'John'. Boring but true! World Book Day, 2004

Preceded by Gilderoy Lockhart

Hogwarts Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher

Succeeded by Alastor Moody