The House Competition:
House: Slytherin
Category: Short
Prompt: Remus Lupin
Word Count: 1,509

Disclaimer: Do I look like JKR to you? No. Move on with your life. (srry lol)

Remus lay in one of the hospital beds, Madam Pomfrey tending the usual scratches and scars on his body. It was normal to be here now, after his monthly..problem, but it didn't mean he liked it. He absolutely hated it.

Remus felt like a murderer sometimes, hurting people. He felt guilty that his friends had to deal with it. Of course, they always assured him that they wanted to help, but it didn't make him feel any better. The truth was, Remus was scared. He didn't have anyone who'd listen to him and protect him beside his parents. When he came to Hogwarts, and he was discovered by Sirius he swore that his whole world had shattered. Any chances of a normal life had been taken away.

He glanced around the room and saw Sirius lying unconscious in the bed next to him. His arm in a cast - a product of his dangerous nature. Just then, James entered the infirmary, grinning brightly at Remus. "Ah! You're up!" he greeted. His smile faded when he saw Remus' grave expression. "Hey, you okay?"

Remus looked away. "You don't have to do this, you know," he said finally.

James frowned, "What do you mean?" he asked.

"You know? Get yourself hurt because of..me.." Remus told him quietly. James opened his mouth to object, but Remus cut in, "No, don't tell me it's okay, it's not okay. Look at Sirius, I did that to him."

James rolled his eyes. "Does it look like he cares? What I mean is, you shouldn't worry about it, we're your friends, and we'll do it again if we have to," James laughed, "Well, we do it every month, anyway." he joked, in attempt to make Remus smile.

Remus didn't smile.

James sighed. "Look, the last thing we care about is getting hurt, okay? We've been over this before as well. You'll only get the same response, so cheer up!"

…

When Remus walked into the great hall for breakfast, he saw the Marauders - all except Sirius, of course - waiting for him. James grinned and patted the seat next to him. Remus forced a smile at him, and was about to sit down when-

"Good morning, Remus!" Lily smiled, "Had a good slee - what's that on your arm?" She cut off abruptly.

Remus' eyes widened as she reached out to lift his sleeve. Lily looked at him in alarm, "When did you get this cut? Are you alright?"

Remus snatched his hand back. "It's nothing." he told her stiffly. "I have to go,"

"But-"

Remus ignored her, and slid into the bench next to Peter, leaving Lily no space. She tried to say something again, but the usual chatter of students and owls drowned out her voice.

After a few moments, Remus turned around to see her again, but found that she'd already walked away. He sighed, "Great...now I'm losing my friends, too,"

..

Lily strolled into the empty common room, a smile on her lips as she hummed to herself. She had just returned from the library, where she'd been studying for a brutal Transfiguration test, and was happy to finally get back to her dorm. While she was relieved she'd finished her work and even had been able to squeeze in some extra revising, there was no place like her bed.

As she walked to the stairs, she suddenly noticed someone sitting on the couch and staring directly into the crackling fire. Craning her neck, she realised it was none other than her friend Remus Lupin. Her smile widened. "Hello, Remus!" she said.

Remus didn't reply. He seemed quite absorbed in his own thoughts, and there was an hard look on his face which quite puzzled Lily. She knew that he had been a little annoyed at her, judging from breakfast earlier, but she didn't know why.

Lily bit her lip. "Remus, are you alright?" she asked. When he didn't reply, Lily stepped closer and laid a hand on his shoulder.

Remus started. He looked up at Lily, a bewildered look in his eyes, as if he were very surprised to see her there. He may indeed have been surprised, but this only made her feel more concerned. "I'm fine," he told her quickly, then turned away, as if expecting her to believe that.

Of course she didn't. She may not know him like Potter, Black or Pettigrew, but Remus was an awful liar.

Eying him carefully, Lily sat down next to him. This insecure Remus puzzled and worried her, so she decided to get to the bottom of this. "Please tell me, Remus," she said gently, laying a hand on his leg, smiling when, this time, he didn't twitch at her touch. "Is something wrong?"

Remus frowned. "Nothing's wrong," he answered harshly.

Lily rolled her eyes. "You can tell me!" she insisted, looking straight into his eyes.

"No, I can't!" Remus spun away from her, unable to meet her gaze. "I can't tell you! Go away, Lily!"

Lily bit her lip. "I only wanted to help," she whispered, and then almost instantly regretted meddling, for at her words Remus looked so guilty.

"Look, you don't have to read too much into this. It doesn't matter that much."

Lily's eye twitched. She didn't regret it anymore, not with Remus being so obtuse about the entire matter. "Look, would you just spit it out already? I'm only trying to help, and you're not exactly making things easy!"

Remus scowled. "I'm a monster, okay?" he snapped, jumping to his feet, getting in her face and glaring at her. "I'm a monster and there's nothing you can do about it!"

Startled, Lily jerked away from him; at her sudden movement, he seemed to come to his senses. He collapsed onto the couch, running a tired hand through his hair and pinching the bridge of his nose, murmuring, "I'm always a monster…"

"What do you mean?" Lily asked warily.

"I…" Remus began, then he broke off, looking away from her, shame in his eyes. "I can't say. I'm sorry."

Lily drew closer, even giving his hand an encouraging squeeze. "Please, Remus."

Remus sighed. "You'll hate me, Lily… but…" He swallowed hard, seemingly unable to continue.

"But… what?" Lily asked, feeling as if the conversation was taking a turn for the worst.

"I'm a werewolf!" Remus exclaimed, throwing his arms into the air. "I'm a werewolf! A beast! I'm…" his voice trailed off, then he gulped and finished, "I'm a werewolf, Lily."

Lily stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"I'm a werewolf. I've been a werewolf since first year," Remus told her stiffly. When she didn't react to that information, he challenged, "Well?"

"Well what?" asked the stunned Lily.

"Why aren't you doing anything? Why aren't you shouting or yelling or telling everyone? Why aren't you running away from me?" Remus cried, his voice breaking.

Lily's eyes filled as she stared at him, so sunk in self-pity and loathing, and then she flung her arms around him. "Don't ever say that again," she chided, tears threatening to fall from her own eyes. "You're not a monster. You could never be a monster."

Remus was shocked, but he still wrapped his arms around her, letting her, his friend — no, his sister comfort him. "I'm sorry… Lily… I wish I wasn't… a… a…"

"Don't apologize, Remus. There's nothing to apologize for," Lily scolded gently, giving him one more tight squeeze before pulling away. On her face, Remus saw kindness, care, and… love. He was loved. It was a strange thought, and he felt a tear slide down his cheek.

Lily smiled through her own tears. "No matter what happens," she said, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand, "No matter what happens, I'm never leaving you. You're Remus Lupin, and you might be a werewolf, but you could never be a monster. Never."

Remus' tears now fell in earnest, and Lily didn't give so much as a thought as his head fell heavily on her shoulder. Those tears were not of sadness, fear or pain he grew so used to ever since Greyback turned him. No, the tears were of happiness. He finally didn't have to lie to his sister's face, or have to hide at all.

The Marauders, his friends, were comforting, there wasn't any doubt about that, but sometimes Remus needed more than that. The most they could do was awkwardly give him reassurance, pats on the back, and try to avoid the question as best they could.

But in front of Lily? He used to feel guilty, feel as if he was lying to her because she didn't know who he really was, what he really was. She was family to him, could comfort and care for him, and Remus didn't mind breaking down in front of her because he knew she wouldn't give it a thought, and would love him all the more for it.

Remus could be himself in front of Lily now. His little mismatched family (pack) was complete.