I woke with my back stiff and an awful cramp in my left leg. I'd never realised how uncomfortable the beds were in the dorms. Groggily, I opened my eyes to check the time, when I realised the ceiling above me was not the painted night sky I was used to, but cobweb-covered stone, and suddenly the events of the night before flooded back to me. I sat up and saw the sleeping, sandy-brown head of Remus Lupin was resting in my lap, his wide shoulders spread over my legs, deep, red scars embroidered into his skin; skin I'd never seen due to his thick, woollen jumpers. Thoughts glued to Arlo, I almost reach out to trace them with my fingertips, when I hear a cough from across the room.
"Wouldn't do that if I were you. He'll be upset enough as it is when he wakes up." Black says, without blinking once, like he's trying to solve some great puzzle. I realise the puzzle is me. Before I can reply, Black continues, "You weren't afraid. Why weren't you afraid?" He cocks his head to one side, and I see a flash of the large black dog I'd seen the night before.
"What do you mean? I was terrified, I just knew getting in a state wouldn't help anyone. I had bigger priorities." I speak quietly, as not to wake the others, but with an edge of venom: just because I knew their secret didn't mean I wanted anything to do with them.
"Like taming him?" Sirius seethed. "We both know that's not possible. Where did you learn that?"
"I didn't learn it. I've never done that before. In fact, I don't even know what I did." I answer, but I know my voice is rising in speed and pitch. Sirius flares his nostrils in an angry scowl and opens his mouth to say more, but Potter rolls over, murmuring something incomprehensible and opens his eyes.
"Best full moon sleep I've had in ages." He says, before turning to me. "Oh, yeah, forgot you were here." The obvious disdain in his voice angers me, and (frustrations and anxiety already built up inside of me) a switch in my head flicks.
"Oh, of course, I'm so sorry to ruin your morning with my presence, I mean, it's not like I made your lives so much easier last night, or anything. It's not like I helped Lupin have a full moon he won't wake up with more scars from, is it? Maybe, for once in your pathetic, sad little existence, you could give me some credit for the things I do right, instead of constantly picking out the tiny things you don't like about me. Because guess what, James Potter? I don't give a damn what you, or any of you stupid friends and followers think about me!" I compose myself, breathless, as James, Sirius and a now-awake Peter stare at me, mouths agape.
The cramp in my leg returns, and I look down to see Remus waking up. He looks directly into my eyes and shoots up, running to the other side of the room, eyes full of fear and worry.
"Smith! What are you doing here? What did you see?" He chews his inner lip, almost like he's going to cry.
"Everything." I respond simply. His brows furrow into a creased line as he attempts to comprehend the situation.
"But – how – you're alive..." He turns to his friends, anger seeping into his voice and features. "Did you – did you bring her here? How could you? I trusted – "
"Remus." I interrupted. "They didn't take me anywhere. I've been coming here since Christmas, when I'm upset about things. I never realised this place was actually used for something."
Now it was Remus' turn to cock his head. "Last night, you were… crying? Yes, you were crying when I came in, and then the door sealed and… And…" He strains, trying to remember.
"And then she somehow manages to tame your wolf, make you her little puppy-dog and get out of it alive, having supposedly 'never done it before'. Bullcrap." Sirius fumed. Remus turns, and all eyes are back on me.
"You tamed it? How?" I wasn't in the mood for this interrogation.
"I don't know" I snapped. "Bit of a spur of the moment reaction, when you find out your classmate's a werewolf." I deliberately put emphasis on the "werewolf" part, which made him flinch.
"I suppose you're going to tell everyone then. I mean, I deserve it. I'm a monster." His green eyes darken with sadness.
"Yes, you are." I respond bluntly. "You entirely deserve it, but no. I won't tell." And before he can respond, "Now if you don't mind, I'm off to breakfast. I had a long night."
…..
The next few days pass in a blur, especially now the Marauders are leaving me be. I'd not spoken to them since the morning after the full moon, when Meadow was quizzing me about my whereabouts the night before. James, Sirius and Peter sauntered over and clapped me on the back, commenting how I'd "helped us catch up on the Transfiguration we'd forgotten over the summer" and "crashed in the girls' dorm with Lily and Marlene." Which Meadow found utterly exciting, as it meant – as far as she was concerned – I was friends with the popular kids now, meaning she was too, by default. I wanted nothing to do with any of them.
Remus returned to lessons three days after the full moon, and came crashing into DADA with Sirius and James. Peter was in a different class, as he wasn't as… advanced, let's say, as some of us. The new professor, Professor Atkinson, was a stern man who'd introduced a seating plan to "help us concentrate". The boy-girl-boy-girl pattern left Meadow sat with James Potter, and me with Remus. Brilliant. I ignore him as I sit, and he seems content to do the same. I suppose he's still angry at me for calling him a monster. Atkinson tells us to turn to page 143 on our new, advanced O.W.L. books, and my stomach turns at the picture on the page. A body, torn to shreds, with flesh hanging all over the place, and the caption below reads "Aftermath of a werewolf attack on a middle-aged man in Gloucester, year 1959."
The page is overflowing with comments about how dangerous werewolves are, and how certain death comes to anyone who is caught under attack. Remus and I sit in silence for the majority of the lesson, until Professor Atkinson adds his own comment to the blackboard: "Werewolves are dangerous creatures who should be avoided and exiled for one's own safety." I couldn't take anymore. I stood up. Every pair of eyes in the room turned to me.
"Going somewhere, Miss Smith?" questioned Atkinson.
"Yes, actually. If all you're going to do is stand there and teach us prejudiced lies about people you don't understand, then I'll get just as good an 'education' not in this room." I raise an eyebrow challengingly.
"I understand werewolves perfectly, Miss Smith. They are not people. They are monsters. Now sit down immediately and stop disrupting my lesson, or I'll be forced to give you detention and take twenty points from Ravenclaw."
"Feel free." I seethe. "But I think you're more of a monster than any werewolf I've ever met. I hope you get bitten someday, and then perhaps you'll see just how damaging the shit you come out with is." And with that, I flounced out of the room, slamming the door behind me with all my might.
Hope you all enjoyed that chapter! Hello and massive thank you to all readers, but especially to this story's first follower, Thelastfewtimestoremember, and first favourite, Mina1999. I'm definitely going to try and update this as often as possible, but as a 15 y/o British schoolkid, I have GCSEs on the horizon and homework piling up, so motivate me with a review! I'd really like at least one before I add a new chapter; just let me know you guys are reading and enjoying what I'm doing, and feel free to give me any suggestions :) PS I got the name Atkinson from an old teacher of mine I didn't like aha!
PPS Next chapter will come with a link to the playlist I've made to go with the story, it's kind of a mix of songs that I think Star would like, and also songs that match the tone. Feel free to leave any song suggestions in your review, I can always add more if I agree with your choice!
