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OT3 Challenge - Day 12 - If you love me

Hogwarts - Potions Assignment 2 - Task: Task: Write either about killing something innocent, to get something from it/them or for sport. Alternately, write about something innocent giving something away of their own free will.

Notes: Killing does not have to be in the literal sense. It could be bullying or abuse, killing of the spirit as it is. The innocent doesn't have to be a human/creature either, it could be a tree or a house, be creative! PROMPT: Item: Blanket

Pokemon Go - Hogwarts

Remus is bitten whilst at Hogwarts, rather than as a small child.

Bitten

Remus didn't look at the pile of letters that was starting to build on his desk. Most were from Sirius, he could tell by the swirls on the corner where Sirius liked to initial the envelopes.

'So you know which ones are from me and can read them straight away. That way you won't have to sort through Pete or James' letters.'

Remus almost smiled at the small memory that popped into his head, and moved to turn away from them, wincing in pain. A small gasp fell from his lips, causing his father to come running into the room, wand waving around.

"Remus?"

"Just turning," Remus said, glancing at the letters once more.

John lowered the wand, looking relieved. "Remus, can we talk about… about what happened?"

"There's nothing to say," Remus said. "I don't blame you though, dad. We all know what the wizarding world thinks about Werewolves, myself included. It could have been anyone saying that."

"But if I handled it better, I—"

"Then he would have just attacked someone else last week. If he had done that, he would have escaped alive. I may be… infected, but it comes with the knowledge that Greyback is dead. What is one person infected over countless victims?"

"Remus—"

"Please Dad," Remus murmured. "I'm tired, and I don't want you to blame yourself. If we're placing blame, I didn't lock the window."

John nodded, and began to turn to leave. "Remus… the slashing curse…"

"Do you really want to know? I promise I've never used it on anyone before."

John nodded. "You fought well, Son," he murmured.

"You were the one who caught him across the throat with the same spell. You didn't even practice it beforehand. Impressive."

"Sometimes intent is enough," John replied. "Well, if you don't need me…"

"I think mum needs you," Remus responded. "She's getting herself worked up, I imagine. Tell her I'm fine and I'm just sleeping. I'll sit with her when I'm feeling a bit more myself."

...oOo...

One of the Ravenclaws reckons that there's a tunnel of some sort, under the Willow. I was watching and Pomfrey visited there last full-moon. It's almost the full-moon again. Do you think she's going in the tunnel? Where do you think it goes?

...oOo...

Remus barely spoke to his friends upon his return. Thankfully the headmaster had agreed to let him finish his final year at Hogwarts.

The letters remained unopened in the bottom of his trunk, and Sirius hovered protectively, as though he was waiting for something.

"What?" Remus snapped, finally tiring of Sirius' hesitant looks.

"Just the letters. Did you... "

"Yes. I just want to be left alone." He turned away from his friends, not noticing the distraught expression on Sirius' face.

It was a stupid idea, telling him how I felt by letter. I shouldn't have told him. What's wrong with me, thinking Remus would want to be with me!

Remus felt his friends withdraw, giving him the space he snapped at them to give him. It was easier pushing them away, so they wouldn't question him too much about his absence over the full-moon.

It was agony. His second transformation and he cried in a way he hadn't done—apart from during the previous full moon—since he was a child. He lay on the floor of the house, unable to move, until he heard footsteps. Madame Pomfrey wrapped him in a blanket before helping him up.

...oOo...

"Look! Lupin is sneaking out again. Do you want to follow him and see where he's going?"

...oOo...

Remus woke up, covered in blood once more. He sniffed the air, before berating himself for acting like an animal. He looked around, noticing he was in the hospital wing, rather than in the shack.

"Ah. Mr Lupin, you've woken up," Dumbledore said, approaching him.

"What happened?"

"Two students followed you last night," Dumbledore began.

"Sirius and James?" Remus whispered, eyes widening in panic. "What—"

"Two members of our Slytherin house. You needn't worry, no-one will recall what has happened, though I'm sure that you have some explaining to do the moment I walk through those doors over there." He lifted an arm, gesturing to the doors. "I'll stop by again soon, Mr Lupin."

He walked away, moving suddenly, as though avoiding someone or something. Remus heard the sound of shuffling, and his eyes narrowed. "You've gotten worse at that."

"You're hurt!" Sirius demanded, throwing the cloak off dramatically.

"Can we not do this here? I'd rather not have anyone looking at me," Remus asked, tiredly. "Can you just meet me upstairs?"

"You can't get out of it that easily, we—"

"Remus, feeling better?" Madame Pomfrey bustled over. "You can go now. I suggest some rest. You're overworking yourself and you don't want to collapse again."

Remus nodded, unsure what his friends actually knew, though he was grateful for the matron to attempt to cover for him.

"I will, thank you." He slipped from the bed, glad that the gown covered his sides.

"What happened to—"

"I cut it on some glass," Remus snapped, hating himself for how he was treating his friends. He had tried to justify that, by pushing them away, he was protecting them, but it still hurt. He grabbed his robe from the chair, pulling it over his head, before slipping his feet into his shoes. The rest of his clothes were thrown into his overnight bag, and Remus turned to follow his friends.

...oOo...

"I think, after how you've treated us these past few months, we deserve the truth."

"I don't owe you anything," Remus replied, already turning away from them.

"Is this… is it about the letters?" Sirius asked, rushing over. "I'm sorry I said it, can I just take everything back? Can we just go back to normal?"

"I'm very tired. Can we talk another time?" Remus asked softly. "I just… I'm sorry, I think it's best that you guys hang out without me from now on."

"This isn't over, Remus," James snapped. "We'll find out the truth."

...oOo...

Hours later, and his friends—former friends—were asleep. Remus couldn't get Sirius' hurt expression from his mind. He snuck over to his trunk, slowly opening it and taking out the bundle of envelopes. He brought the letters to bed, looking around to see if everyone was asleep.

He left the curtains halfway open—having them closed reminded him of the first transformation in the cage his father had built, unable to look at Remus when Remus went to inspect it— and reached for them one by one, tearing them open, searching for what Sirius was upset about.

.

'I have something to tell you, Remus. I'm in love with you. I know I'm with James, but he's in love with you too, though he's more reserved than I am. We love you. I would do anything for you, which sounds crazy, right? I mean, what I'm asking is crazy. For you to love both of us in return and be with us. To want to spend your life with me and James. For the three of us to curl up in bed together, you in the middle of course, and just know it's perfect and right and everything else.'

.

'So, the owl came back without a reply. Maybe you're taking time to think about the offer, but there's no pressure. We're not expecting a love declaration or anything, just knowing that you don't hate me for asking would be enough. Thinking about you, in a non-perverted way of course.'

.

'Remus? It's been a while and now I'm starting to think that you do hate me. It's not like you. You usually reply within a couple of days, unless you're away with your parents, but even then you manage to sneak a letter to us. It's been over three weeks now. It'd be nice to talk about this before we return to school. I hope you're okay, because you ignored James' invite for you to come and spend a few days.'

.

Remus clutched the letters against his chest and felt the tears appearing. He wanted all of what Sirius offered so much, but what could he do? He was a Werewolf, a monster. He wouldn't drag his friends down.

His body shook with the silent sobs, and he barely registered a body climbing into the bed next to him, gathering the letters and placing them on the bedside table. He heard the clatter of glasses and James pulled him close.

"Whatever is making you act like this, you don't have to go through it alone," James whispered, softly stroking his hair. "You have me and Sirius, and Peter will be there for you too. I promise you that I'm not going anywhere."

...oOo...

Things were quiet for the weekend, before Sirius cornered Remus, looking for an answer.

"Rumour has it that Snape and Dolohov got attacked by something when going through some secret tunnel, though they can't remember where the tunnel was, or what attacked them," Sirius stated. "Then you're off sneaking down a tunnel instead of visiting your mother. On a full-moon. Thinking about it, you've been away for every full-moon."

Remus' arm shot out, finding the wall. He held it for support, feeling dizzy and lightheaded in panic.

"Who bit you?" James asked.

"Greyback," Remus admitted, knowing that there was no point lying anymore. He moved shakily over to his bed, dropping the bag down and sitting on the bed. "He broke in during the full-moon. It's best you don't be friends with me anymore, or… or anything more."

"You're a Werewolf?" Sirius whispered.

Remus nodded as he lay down on the bed. "That's the one. Like a super villain. Ordinary person by day, but with a evil monster inside that's hellbent on murdering as many people as possible. Now you know, can you just… you understand why I can't be near you."

"Because you're a werewolf?" James checked, frowning.

"What else?" Remus snapped. "Do you think I can have a normal life now? Do you think I can have a normal relationship or that I can be with both of you. I didn't read the letters until… until… that night, James. I didn't even know that you both thought of me like that, and had I not been bitten, I would have jumped at the idea. But let's face it. It'll come out sooner or later, and then how will it look on you guys." He felt the tears, but forced them down, hating that he was out of control of his emotions.

"Right, well we need to fix this." Sirius walked around the bed and dropped to his knees. He held his left arm out and covered his eyes with his other hand. "Just… just make it quick!"

Remus stared at him, baffled. "What?"

"Wait, actually. Somewhere people won't see. We want to keep it a secret, right? So somewhere only you guys can see. How about on my arse."

Remus stared at Sirius, who clearly wasn't joking.

"What are you on about?"

"Where you're going to bite me. You said you can't be with us because you're a werewolf, so the way to fix this is for us to be like you. Then you can't use it as an excuse."

"I'm not biting you."

"Sirius is right. Whatever it takes, Remus. If that's what you need to be with us, that's what we'll do. We're not going to give up on you, we're not going to let you push us away anymore. You should have told us so we could have supported you from the start."

Remus looked at the bedcovers, his eyes shutting slightly. "I'm sorry, I'm just so tired. I've barely slept."

Remus' eyes shot open as he felt two weights in the bed either side of him.

"From now on, we're going to look after you," James insisted. "We're going to cuddle you when you're sad and hurt."

"And bring you chocolate to make you feel a bit better, and take notes for you," Sirius added.

"We're going to be there, and you can push us away, you can be snappy and rude, but you'll eventually realise that you're stuck with us and that our feelings for you won't change."

"And you'll eventually cave," Sirius said with a grin. "You always cave when it comes to us."

"I do," Remus admitted. "But if you love me—"

"No buts," James scolded.

"Well, except these ones." Sirius reached over, giving Remus' arse a tap. "But we'll discuss that when you're feeling better."

Remus couldn't help but laugh as he closed his eyes, feeling lighter than he had in months.

2109 words

Thanks Dina :D