To everyone who has ever dealt with something like this before. To all the Moonys, to all the Prongs and to all the Padfoots.
He looked at his hands which were balled into tight fists.
Unworthy of our attention.
He tried relaxing them.
Filthy beast.
It didn't work.
I wish you hadn't been born.
He closed his eyes, so no one would see his tears.
Leave! I don't want to see you, beast!
The tears fell from his eyes and he turned towards the window. He didn't want anyone to see him like this. Wrapping his arms around his shaking body he tried to stifle his sobs.
His friends had been avoiding him lately. Disappearing at random times and returning as if nothing happened. They didn't tell him what they were doing and frankly he couldn't blame them.
They had finally realized that he wasn't worthy of their attention, they had just taken longer than most. They had realized that he was just a filthy beast, no one they should consider a friend. They had realized that he shouldn't have been born. And they didn't want to see him anymore, just like his mum.
Maybe he should really leave. Forever. No one would miss him anyways.
Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Remus!" The voice belonged to James Potter.
Remus looked away from his hands. They were covered in scars. Scars he had inflicted upon himself.
His eyes met James' for a second before he couldn't stand it anymore and instead turned back to the window.
'This is it then,' he thought. 'They're finally going to tell me that they don't want to be my friends anymore.'
"Remus. Look at me," James said. He didn't comply. James sighed and continued.
"What are you talking about? Why wouldn't we want to be your friends anymore?"
Remus stared at him. 'Did I say that out loud?' he wondered.
"Maybe because you finally realized that I'm not worthy of your time? Or because I'm nothing more than a beast? Maybe because I shouldn't have been born in the first place?" His voice was steadily getting louder until suddenly it receded to a whisper. "I should leave. I'm sorry that I caused you trouble."
He turned and tried to walk away, but James caught him by the arm.
"Don't say that" the brunette whispered. "Don't ever say that."
He forced the other to sit down and looked at him.
"Remus, you're our friend. And nothing is ever going to change that."
"He's right," another voice said and Sirius Black entered the room. "We'll always be here for you. That's what friends are for."
James nodded. "We won't leave, Moony. I swear."
"We both do." Sirius said.
Remus looked at them. His eyes were filled with tears.
"Thank you," he choked out. "You have no idea what this means to me."
…
It was years later that Remus really thought about this promise again. When both James and Sirius were dead.
And for a moment he felt they had broken the promise. But then he remembered something that Sirius had once said to him when they talked about James and his wife Lily, both of whom were dead.
"The ones that love us never really leave us. You can always find them…" And then pointing at Remus' heart. "In here."
And Remus smiled. They did indeed never leave him and in his final moments he could almost feel their presence.
He entered the in-between and found himself looking out of a window. The scenery reminded him of that day so many years ago.
Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned around coming face to face with his two best friends.
"Welcome home, Moony," James said and Sirius smiled.
Never forget that there are people who love you.