Disclaimer: I in no way own Harry Potter or any of J.K. Rowling's fine characters (believe me, if I owned it, you'd KNOW).

All right, I don't want the author's note ending up longer than the story, so here it is: the first in a series of four drabbles in the point of view of Remus Lupin.

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I

The Way Things Were

I can't believe how foolish I was.

I took everything for granted, and it haunts me to this day that I never once said 'thank you' to James.

Maybe he saved Severus' life, mostly, but he saved mine, too. Not literally, but I'd certainly be a lot worse off if he hadn't pulled a foolish teenager out of the way. Werewolves can be imprisoned for mauling or biting someone. Even if it's not their own fault.

But I never thanked him, I just stood there, after Albus told me what had happened. I said nothing; I was so shocked that he'd risk his life for me like that.

And never once, even to his memory, have I ever said 'thank you.'

Thank you, James, for keeping things the way they were.

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