Submission for Diagon Alley New Year's Event: Grand Battle Challenge (Team Death Eaters, R1)
Based on the prompts:
Love and loyalty mean more to me than blood (3), Remus Lupin (5), Lily Evans (2), Remus/Lily (7), Velvet, Summer, Ice, Cigarette (4), Expecto Patronum 5 (+6 for shared)
The Beauty in Others
The white sun shone orb-like in the sky over the grounds of Hogwarts. In the distance small scarlet objects whizzed about through the air, shouting out to each other. The January air was crisp with a hint of summer heat, and many students wore the hoods of their cloaks up to keep the drips of thawing icicles off their faces. Lily Evans and Remus Lupin sat by the edge of the Black Lake, spread out on a thick tartan blanket amongst a pile of spellbooks.
James and Sirius had both trudged off early this morning to the first Gryffindor quidditch practice of the year, followed eagerly by Peter who would no doubt be watching (and cheering) in the stands. Remus was in unusually good spirits after a peaceful sleep in, scrounging a thermos of steaming hot chocolate and some rolls from the Kitchens. He was walking towards the pitch, intending to join Wormtail when he spotted the redhead waving happily at him from her grassy seat. Remus grinned sheepishly, noticing light snowflakes falling gently onto her curls. Beauty and kindness radiated from her, a gravitational pull that brought him to walk towards her.
"Hello Remus" she said brightly, shielding her eyes with a gloved hand against the sun.
"Hi Lily…what are you doing out here so early?" Remus said.
She motioned for him to sit with a sharp pat on her woolen rug.
"Oh you know, Marlene's snoring like niffler with unresolved sinus issues" she joked, tenting her eyebrows slightly, "so I came out here to do some OWLs revision".
Remus shook his head; sometimes Lily was too organized for her own good. She batted him playfully knowing well what he was thinking.
"I'm just getting a bit ahead Remus, I thought you at least might approve. Besides, what are you doing out here so early?"
Remus explained that he was on his way to the Quidditch pitch and held up his breakfast.
Lily sighed, "Oh, I suppose its time for that again now, isn't it? I swear to Merlin if I have to hear Potter go on about chasing and quaffles and Porky-scoff plops…"
"You mean the Porskoff Ploy?" said Remus.
"See, it's like he's here right now" Lily countered goodheartedly.
Remus stared at Lily, whose face came alive with every flash of her luminous smile. She could always make him smile even when he thought there was nothing in the world to be happy for. When those emerald eyes crinkled with delight he forgot everything that was wrong, or awful, or sad in his life.
She only laughed at his long, silent stare.
"Come on Remus, aren't you going to share?" she said nodding to the thermos and rolls cradled in his long arms.
He poured out a cup of velvet smooth hot chocolate into the lid and gave it to her along with a fruit-filled roll.
Lily sat crossed legged with a charms book open at her feet. Being particularly talented in Charms, she had moved onto the advanced section of Dead Charming: A Guide to Defensive Charms, detailing the Patronus charm. She saw Remus reading the page over her shoulder.
"Have you tried it before?" she asked and Remus nodded.
"I've only ever got wisps though…never the corporeal" he replied.
Lily raised her wand towards the lake and with a look of polite concentration uttered,
"Expecto Patroum".
A silvery animal burst from her willow wand, cantering across the expanse of ice atop the lake. It was much like her, moving with grace, delicate yet powerful. Lily turned to him, delighted by her magic but Remus' own face fell. The silver creature was more visible to him now, and he saw that it was an elegant silver doe. A doe? Surely it was a coincidence…
"What's wrong Remus?" she asked, her hand lightly touching his shoulder.
He mumbled unconvincingly that nothing was wrong and let Lily goad him into making his own Patronus attempt to take his mind off what he had just witnessed. Surely it didn't mean what he thought it did. Eyes narrowed in concentration and emboldened by the warm hand resting on his arm, Remus shouted "Expecto Patronum".
A silver creature erupted from his own wand, bounding across the iced over lake. Its form was as clear as day…mocking Remus with piercing, ghostly eyes. His heart fell through his stomach. If the Patronus reflected the soul then perhaps he really was a monster to the core.
Lily, seeing his face, whispered gently "Remus…" while he sighed and looked away.
"I should have expected this…" said Remus lowly, "I should have known it would be that!"
Lily's eyes bored into him defiantly "No Remus, it was a wolf…not a werewolf, it doesn't mean…"
"What does it matter?" he interrupted, "It's just another reminder that I'm a monster."
A beat of silence preceded Lily's words, filling them with force, as Remus hung his head.
"You. Are. Not. A. Monster. Don't you even dare. You are the best of humanity Remus. You love with all of your heart…" he could have kissed her right then, "…and you are unshakably loyal to your friends, even though they can be complete idiots. Love and loyalty mean more to me than blood, Remus. And that's who you are. Loving and loyal… not some monster. You're a true friend, that's what's in your blood. Forget anything else."
She was breathless by the end, and Remus raised his head to look at her.
He leaned in, and hugged her fiercely.
She was right, as usual, and he knew what that meant. James was his friend, he loved him and he would always be loyal to him.
Lily went quickly to work, slamming the spell book indignantly shut. She placed her wand gently in her mouth, where it lolled about like a cigarette, and used both gloved hands to pour Remus a hot chocolate. He accepted it gratefully, allowing it warm him and spread happiness throughout.
He hadn't understood, before, why James had never given up on Lily but he did now. He had seen him not even a week ago perform a Patronus in the same brilliant form as his own Animagus. Lily didn't see it yet, but the time would come when she would love James as much as he did her. The stag and the doe belong together, after all. What chance did a lone wolf have against that?
"Er, thanks for everything Lils. I'd better go…practice is nearly over" Remus said rising to his feet.
"I'll see you later" she nodded in agreement, "and remember I'm always here for you…if you ever get tired of those prats."
He laughed, "Nah, those prats have been pretty good to me", and waved to her.
He saw now that he and Lily, kind and beautiful as she was, could never be together. She belonged with her soulmate, though he would wager that Prongs had a little bit of growing up to do before this could happen. Nevertheless, it meant the world to Remus that she had seen the beauty in him, even when he could not see it for himself.