Disclaimer: I own nothing, it all belongs to JK Rowling.
Just a simple one shot, done on a whim, and from Lupin's POV. Enjoy!
The moment I entered the common room, I knew something was wrong. They were the only ones in there, staring at the door, waiting. James leaning on a desk, hazel eyes looking hurt, staring at me from under a cloud of brown bangs. My insides started to squirm under his look. Sirius was to the right of him, lounging on one of the scarlet couches. He had been staring into the burning fire when I had first entered the room. But then very slowly he had turned, raven locks falling behind his shoulders, pale gray eyes studying me coldly. From when my stomach had squirmed with James, it tightened like a fist with the coolness of Sirius's eyes. Next was Peter, on the far left, propped against a bulletin board. Stubby fingers clasped in front of him, beady brown eyes staring at my intensely. I had to glance down, to stare at the scarlet rug under me, before looking at them.
"Common room is pretty empty tonight. Did you and Sirius set off anything again?" I asked pleasantly, directing myself to James. He took a step closer to me.
"Why didn't you tell us?" James asked me, looking positively hurt. My breathing quickened.
"I don't know what you mean," I told him, my words coming out a bit sharper then they meant to. Off to the right I heard Sirius's bitter bark of laughter.
" 'I don't know what you mean,' " he mimicked, making his voice high pitched. I closed my eyes and slowly counted to ten, trying to ignore him.
"He doesn't trust us," Peter said to the left quietly. I felt sick.
"Don't be silly. You three are my best friends, of course I trust you."
Again came Sirius's laughter, low and angry. I felt and heard rather than saw him get off the couch, his robes rustling against him.
"But even then we aren't good enough, eh?" he taunted, coming to stand by James side. I took another breath, absolutely shocked by the livid look on Sirius's face. His eyes, normally a pale gray, had gone a shade darker in his rage. His features, usually deviously handsome, were twisted and contorted in his anger.
"I said not be silly. Now, I'm going to bed," I told them firmly. I made my way to go through them but Sirius grabbed my arm, digging his fingers into my flesh. I glanced down at the slender hand looking eerie against the thick blackness of my robes, and said coolly, "Let go."
He shook his head, tightening his grip on my arm so hard that I was pretty sure that I'd be donning some bruises tomorrow.
"I will hex you if you do not let go of me," I said quietly. I stared him in the eyes, using my free hand to go for my wand. In the corner of my eye I saw James's hand dive into his robes for his, too.
A cruel smile came across Sirius's lips and his grip became even harder.
"C'mon, Remus, a werewolf should be able to shake me off."
I froze. My wand slipped out of my hand, falling to the ground but I didn't hear it. My attention was completely on the boys. My eyes were wide and noises, meant to be words, came tumbling out of my mouth. Sirius released me and I took a wary step back.
"How…when…told…you…," I babbled, my eyes so frightfully wide. It was James who spoke first.
"We've had our suspicions for quite awhile now, you see," he began, walking closer to me. I waved my hand at him to stop and he did so, but with a frown.
"After awhile," he continued, "In fact, right after this last full moon, we followed you and…," James finished lamely, dropping his eyes to his socked feet. My stomach dropped as my knees gave out, sending them crashing onto the hardwood floor. I saved them some pain by catching myself on my palms, earning me a stinging sensation up through my arms. I bowed my head, staying on fall fours, letting my hair fall and cover my face. I heard somebody drop to the floor, James, and the scuffle of feet, Peter. Sirius stayed rooted to the spot.
"Who else? Who else, who else?" I chanted at them, my voice rising and rising.
"Nobody. We didn't tell a soul, Remus," Peter told me, his voice small.
"We wouldn't betray your trust by telling your secret," said James quickly, still on his knees in front of me. I nodded, barely a movement of my head, still staring at the floor. I was shaking all over, fear creeping up my spine, spreading to every nerve, every inch of my body. Oh dear God, they know, and I can't deny it. They've learned my secret, my most hidden thing, the thing that has kept me distant from all. Labeled me a freak. And now they know, the best friends I have ever had, and they know. Dear God, save me.
"Thank you," I whispered. My throat was dry, my tongue heavy. Above me Sirius snorted and knelt down next to James.
"We shouldn't though, you know, Remus. We made a pack, to keep nothing hidden. But you did. You betrayed our trust, Remus, " Sirius said. His words had started out angry, whipping across my skin like an invisible whip, but then they had melted, going thick with emotion. I looked up at him, my chest tightening as I saw the tears stain his eyes.
"I…..I was afraid……," I said meekly, looking into Sirius's eyes. A single tear escaped, traveling down his cheek, leaving a gleaming trail in its wake. Tears came to sting at my own eyes, blurring my vision of my friends.
Sirius laughed again, but it wasn't as cruel as it had been. It held a different note, like it was hurtful.
"Afraid? Afraid of what? You being a werewolf won't change anything," Sirius told me. James nodded, a grin slowly coming to his face.
"Yeah, I mean, man eating beasts are always fun," James said, teasing in his words. It snapped my attention back to him and I couldn't help but smile. James's grin widen and he winked at me. I felt arms on my shoulders, dragging me towards a chest. I bumped into it, instantly knowing who's chest I was pressed against. The fragrance of Sirius was on the robes, his sweet smell that emitted off of him, with a tinge of cinnamon mixed in with them. Without thinking I cuddled against him, and his arms encircled me.
"You accept me then? You're still my friends?" I asked, uncertainty on my face, even as Sirius held me. All three of them laughed, Sirius's chest rumbling against my head, making it bounce. James nodded.
" 'Course. And, well," James started, casting a sheepish grin to the others, "We've decided to become animagus, to, ya know, keep you company."
I blinked and looked at James, Peter and lifted my head to see the look on Sirius's face. They were all grinning stupidly, but I knew that they were serious.
"Thank you," I whispered, moving back down to be cuddled in Sirius's arms. My heart was soaring with joy, unbelievably happy that I had found three friends so great. Three friends who didn't turn tail and run. Three friends who were going to risk their own hides to stay with me during the full moon. Three friends who accepted me, for what I was, for who I am. Never had I felt so happy, never had I been so joyful that the truth had been revealed.
Just a simple one shot, done on a whim, and from Lupin's POV. Enjoy!
The moment I entered the common room, I knew something was wrong. They were the only ones in there, staring at the door, waiting. James leaning on a desk, hazel eyes looking hurt, staring at me from under a cloud of brown bangs. My insides started to squirm under his look. Sirius was to the right of him, lounging on one of the scarlet couches. He had been staring into the burning fire when I had first entered the room. But then very slowly he had turned, raven locks falling behind his shoulders, pale gray eyes studying me coldly. From when my stomach had squirmed with James, it tightened like a fist with the coolness of Sirius's eyes. Next was Peter, on the far left, propped against a bulletin board. Stubby fingers clasped in front of him, beady brown eyes staring at my intensely. I had to glance down, to stare at the scarlet rug under me, before looking at them.
"Common room is pretty empty tonight. Did you and Sirius set off anything again?" I asked pleasantly, directing myself to James. He took a step closer to me.
"Why didn't you tell us?" James asked me, looking positively hurt. My breathing quickened.
"I don't know what you mean," I told him, my words coming out a bit sharper then they meant to. Off to the right I heard Sirius's bitter bark of laughter.
" 'I don't know what you mean,' " he mimicked, making his voice high pitched. I closed my eyes and slowly counted to ten, trying to ignore him.
"He doesn't trust us," Peter said to the left quietly. I felt sick.
"Don't be silly. You three are my best friends, of course I trust you."
Again came Sirius's laughter, low and angry. I felt and heard rather than saw him get off the couch, his robes rustling against him.
"But even then we aren't good enough, eh?" he taunted, coming to stand by James side. I took another breath, absolutely shocked by the livid look on Sirius's face. His eyes, normally a pale gray, had gone a shade darker in his rage. His features, usually deviously handsome, were twisted and contorted in his anger.
"I said not be silly. Now, I'm going to bed," I told them firmly. I made my way to go through them but Sirius grabbed my arm, digging his fingers into my flesh. I glanced down at the slender hand looking eerie against the thick blackness of my robes, and said coolly, "Let go."
He shook his head, tightening his grip on my arm so hard that I was pretty sure that I'd be donning some bruises tomorrow.
"I will hex you if you do not let go of me," I said quietly. I stared him in the eyes, using my free hand to go for my wand. In the corner of my eye I saw James's hand dive into his robes for his, too.
A cruel smile came across Sirius's lips and his grip became even harder.
"C'mon, Remus, a werewolf should be able to shake me off."
I froze. My wand slipped out of my hand, falling to the ground but I didn't hear it. My attention was completely on the boys. My eyes were wide and noises, meant to be words, came tumbling out of my mouth. Sirius released me and I took a wary step back.
"How…when…told…you…," I babbled, my eyes so frightfully wide. It was James who spoke first.
"We've had our suspicions for quite awhile now, you see," he began, walking closer to me. I waved my hand at him to stop and he did so, but with a frown.
"After awhile," he continued, "In fact, right after this last full moon, we followed you and…," James finished lamely, dropping his eyes to his socked feet. My stomach dropped as my knees gave out, sending them crashing onto the hardwood floor. I saved them some pain by catching myself on my palms, earning me a stinging sensation up through my arms. I bowed my head, staying on fall fours, letting my hair fall and cover my face. I heard somebody drop to the floor, James, and the scuffle of feet, Peter. Sirius stayed rooted to the spot.
"Who else? Who else, who else?" I chanted at them, my voice rising and rising.
"Nobody. We didn't tell a soul, Remus," Peter told me, his voice small.
"We wouldn't betray your trust by telling your secret," said James quickly, still on his knees in front of me. I nodded, barely a movement of my head, still staring at the floor. I was shaking all over, fear creeping up my spine, spreading to every nerve, every inch of my body. Oh dear God, they know, and I can't deny it. They've learned my secret, my most hidden thing, the thing that has kept me distant from all. Labeled me a freak. And now they know, the best friends I have ever had, and they know. Dear God, save me.
"Thank you," I whispered. My throat was dry, my tongue heavy. Above me Sirius snorted and knelt down next to James.
"We shouldn't though, you know, Remus. We made a pack, to keep nothing hidden. But you did. You betrayed our trust, Remus, " Sirius said. His words had started out angry, whipping across my skin like an invisible whip, but then they had melted, going thick with emotion. I looked up at him, my chest tightening as I saw the tears stain his eyes.
"I…..I was afraid……," I said meekly, looking into Sirius's eyes. A single tear escaped, traveling down his cheek, leaving a gleaming trail in its wake. Tears came to sting at my own eyes, blurring my vision of my friends.
Sirius laughed again, but it wasn't as cruel as it had been. It held a different note, like it was hurtful.
"Afraid? Afraid of what? You being a werewolf won't change anything," Sirius told me. James nodded, a grin slowly coming to his face.
"Yeah, I mean, man eating beasts are always fun," James said, teasing in his words. It snapped my attention back to him and I couldn't help but smile. James's grin widen and he winked at me. I felt arms on my shoulders, dragging me towards a chest. I bumped into it, instantly knowing who's chest I was pressed against. The fragrance of Sirius was on the robes, his sweet smell that emitted off of him, with a tinge of cinnamon mixed in with them. Without thinking I cuddled against him, and his arms encircled me.
"You accept me then? You're still my friends?" I asked, uncertainty on my face, even as Sirius held me. All three of them laughed, Sirius's chest rumbling against my head, making it bounce. James nodded.
" 'Course. And, well," James started, casting a sheepish grin to the others, "We've decided to become animagus, to, ya know, keep you company."
I blinked and looked at James, Peter and lifted my head to see the look on Sirius's face. They were all grinning stupidly, but I knew that they were serious.
"Thank you," I whispered, moving back down to be cuddled in Sirius's arms. My heart was soaring with joy, unbelievably happy that I had found three friends so great. Three friends who didn't turn tail and run. Three friends who were going to risk their own hides to stay with me during the full moon. Three friends who accepted me, for what I was, for who I am. Never had I felt so happy, never had I been so joyful that the truth had been revealed.