Claire was all but asleep, content on with her head laid over on Remus shoulder, feeling the warmth of the spring sunlight coming through the new growth leaves on the tree they were under. Remus however, was reading aloud from a book that he needed to study for his Charms NEWT, and found that reading aloud was a good way to commit things to memory. Claire was glad for this time with her boyfriend, for it was hard to share him with her brother as much as she had to. She sighed her contentment. Remus leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Are you hungry?" He ask. It was a Saturday, and though they were free to head to Hogsmade if they so chose, the couple was curled up under a large old tree down by the Black Lake.
"I suppose..." She hummed, snuggling into Remus neck, and he smiled.
"Should I just let you sleep?" He questioned. Claire sat up and rubbed her eyes, then too the tie from her hair and redid the braid that had fallen.
"No, I'd rather be awake with you than asleep." She replied with an equal grin. "I'll miss you next weekend. I wish you'd let me become an animagi too..." She confessed. There was a small flicker of worry that crossed the young werewolf's face.
"No." His voice was suddenly sharp, harsh. "That is, and will always be- out of the question. I cannot tell you that enough, Claire."
"But why?" Claire scooted away, where she could face Remus more clearly. "Why isn't that my choice?" Remus' face went from worried to angry.
"You and your brother can be so alike, you know?" He said, his teeth gritted. "Thick headed and steel willed. James did not tell me, but had it ever been up to me, no one would ever be near the monster." Claire opened her mouth to argue, but Remus continued, cutting her off. "I mean it."
"Why?" She was close to tears. This subject was rarely approached in the few months they'd been dating- and though Claire wanted to talk with him about it, she knew it was painful for him. He hadn't even let her see him in short sleeves yet, even though the weather was growing warmer.
"Because, Claire. You- You shouldn't be rushing into decisions that will effect the rest of your life like you know what you want." He looked away, face sour. Claire blinked back at him.
"Excuse me?" She questioned, sitting up onto her knees, tucking the tail of her sundress beneath her.
"You can't know things like that, Claire. I promise you, everything seems nice now, but the day will come when the walls of the castle aren't here to protect us, and you'll see that out in the world you and I aren't even in the same class. I really have no business being with a Pure-Blood Princess such as yourself, and I don't know how I was stupid enough to think you were something that someone like me could have." Claire stared back at him, unblinking. She was baffled about how a simple expression of her concern had turned into what she feared was a break-up.
"Remus?" She started to reach out, but Remus stood and started to walk away. "Remus, wait!" A few steps more and he turned.
"Do me a favor, alright? Just- Stop worrying about me for a while. Study for your tests, be with your friends; Merlin knows you never see them anymore. Think about what you want. Remember that I am little more than a monster, shunned by this entire country. Useless in the workforce. Remember all that. Ponder it." He watched her as he walked a few feet backwards before he hurried off to the castle. Claire sank to her knees, and a hot sob escaped. Her mind was reeling, trying to figure out how in the span of twenty minutes she'd went from nearly asleep on her boyfriend's shoulder to not having a boyfriend at all. Shakily, she too stood and headed for Ravenclaw tower.
The day after the full moon is when James realized there was a problem. He was was set to switch out his turn at Remus' bedside with Sirius when he found both Sirius and Peter stopped by his sister, who looked herself like she hadn't slept in days. Her hair was frayed and messy, eyes sagging. She was more a mess than he had seen in a while, since the loss of their mother. She had her arms wrapped tightly around herself and was listening to Peter talk. He walked up slowly. "Whats going on?" He wrapped an arm around his younger sibling and guided her away from the others, glancing over her and jerking his head at Sirius to head into the Hospital Wing.
"I just wanted to check in, that's all. I promise." She wouldn't meet her brother's eyes. James turned her chin up and raised an eyebrow.
"You sound like you've been caught doing something wrong." He crossed his arms over his chest. "You don't need permission to check on your-"
"I thought you knew, James." Claire said quietly. "He broke up with me." James looked first confused, then angry.
"Huh?" He said, looking toward the Hospital Ward and then back to his sister. "Why?"
"Because he doesn't want to be with me I guess." She shrugged. "I-I don't know what I did wrong." James watched as a tear slid down Claire's cheek. "I thought-" She shook her head. "I have to go." Without another word, she turned and took off. James closed his eyes and took a deep breath before heading back to his friends. James was glad to find that Remus was awake, sitting up and eating porridge.
"Give us a mo, lads?" James ask, sitting on the side of the bed, a fake calm on his face. Remus looked at his friend suspiciously, but kept eating. Sirius grabbed Peter by the hood of his robe and dragged him out into the hall, giving James the room.
"Prongs?" He said, sipping at his juice.
"There a reason you didn't tell me?" James ask. Remus shrugged.
"As you said, it was our relationship. You said you didn't want to interfere. So I didn't tell you." He casually continued to eat. James felt the back of his neck heating with anger.
"Remus."
"James." James snorted at his friend, like a buck about to charge.
"Claire is broken. Completely. And you're sitting there like none of it mattered. Like she didn't mean a thing to you." James said. Remus sighed. He knew this was coming, from the moment he and Claire had become a real couple. It didn't matter how close he and James were, he was still Claire's older brother.
"I can assure you, that is very much not true. It just never should have never happened, okay? Your sister had no business being with me, and you were insane for allowing it. I was selfish- but that's okay. Its just a couple more months and we'll graduate. Claire can move on." James rolled his eyes.
"Is this more of that stupid fucking 'poor werewolf' nonsense?" He smirked. Remus looked offended, as if his friend wasn't taking things seriously. "She loves you, you stupid git. Loves you. And you're willing to just let her go because you think, for any reason, that you're 'not good enough'?" James laughed, but it was cold.
" I love her too, arsehat. Of course I do. I feel a physical hole in my soul without her, which right there tells me that things have gotten out of hand. We both know that once a stupid wolf bonds that its all over. How can you condemn your own sister to such a burden?" Remus ask. James turned toward the door upon hearing this.
"Wormtail, Padfoot, come in here please!" He called. Slowly, they both entered. Claire had explained to them her absence at Remus' side that morning, so they knew what the other two wizards were talking about.
"How's it, Prongs?" Peter ask.
"I need you two to go find Claire. We need a family discussion, now." He said, sending his friends for the door. Remus tried to ask what James was up to multiple times, but was silenced each one until the other two boys returned to Remus' private room, letting her in and standing guard out front. Claire looked at the floor, but Remus looked her over, taking in her distressed appearance.
"You rang?" She said, typical Potter sarcasm spilling out.
"Remus wants to apologize." James said standing up. "He has somethings to tell you." He stood and walked out the door, and both Remus and Clair heard the thump of James leaning on the door, blocking her in. Claire did not move or look up from her place at the foot of the bed, near the door. For a moment, the two stayed in perfect silence until James called through the door- "I don't hear snogging! Kiss and make up!" Remus growled at the other wizard.
"I-I am sorry I hurt you." Remus said finally. Claire shrugged.
"Okay." She said. Still- she did not move.
"Claire- Its not- Er, I mean, I just-" He let out a long breath. "I just want to protect you."
"From what?" She ask, peaking up just enough to meet his eyes, which were still golden from the transformation the night before.
"Myself, of course." He sat up on the bed and swung his feet around to sit on the edge. "I can't- I shouldn't have ever-"
"I was a mistake, I know. You don't have to tell me again." Again, Remus realized he'd made her cry.
"Claire, I know you said you didn't care about the lycanthropy, but listen-" His bare feet padded across the room so softly that Claire jumped in surprise when he placed a gentle, bandaged hand across her cheek and turned her face to meet his. "There is a point of no return for me. Its not something that can be controlled, but werewolves bond for life. Its not something you can take lightly. Or should even be discussed in school. I just don't want anything to happen to you where you get stuck with something you don't want."
"Remus- that's stupid." Claire said, a small smile playing lightly at her lips.
"Its not!" He said fiercely.
"It is. You think you're saving me from something I know nothing about. But you couldn't be more wrong. I love you. All of you. Furballs and all, and if you can't handle that I don't want to go anywhere else, then I can't help you." Remus took a step back. It was different hearing James say that Claire loved him. And for him to tell James he loved her- it was normal. They were best friends.
"Claire-"
"Remus." She tilted her head a smiled. He closed the space between them and pulled her flush against him. She stood on her tiptoes as he captured her in a kiss, snaking the bandaged hand into her messy hair.
"I love you, too." He said as he pulled away, leaning his forehead against hers. "I really, really do." He pulled her close again. "I'm so sorry."
"So don't do it again." She smirked against his lips as he kissed her again.
"Get a room!" Sirius shouted from the newly opened door, where not only stood Peter, Sirius and James, but also Madam Pomfrey.
"Miss Potter, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the room. Mr. Lupin has no business being out of bed!" Remus' face and ears burned red as the nurse-witch scolded them.
"Yes, Madam." Claire said quietly, slipping from the room, leaving her brother and the other boys.
Alright- Remus had a fit of his normal self there, didn't he. The next chapter is where things get tricky- and the love triangle thing is about to make since to everyone. So stay tuned. In the mean time, pleeeeeeasssssssse review. I love them! It makes my whole day when I'm at work and I get the notification. Thanks! Much love to everyone for reading!
