epiphanies - sirius black

chapter 15

Maggie froze.

Who would've thought that Remus Lupin, Remus John Lupin, of all people, would be a werewolf.

She stared at the boy sitting before her, his nervous face, his scraggly hair, his knitted vest.

There was nothing scary about this boy, nothing scary at all.

Who on earth would curse such a sweet boy with such a painful, and cruel fate.

Maggie internally winced as she pictured the agony and torture poor Remus was put through every month during the transformations, and the aftermath of gruesome wounds and rippling scars.

Her heart shattered at the thought.

Remus was beginning to panic.

Maggie hadn't said anything in a while, did she hate him, was she scared of him, did she never want to see him again. A million different scenarios were racing through his head.

"M-Maggie, I completely understand if you don't want to-"

Maggie cut him off, embracing him in a long, sorrowful hug. Remus hugged back, wincing slightly as she squeezed a little to tight, his body still in immense pain from the last full moon.

Maggie instantly pulled back.

"Oh god! Sorry, did I hurt you?!!" She rushed, not wanting to pain the poor boy any further.

Remus laughed.

"No M, I'm fine don't worry, just a bit sore. So y-your really okay with it?"

Maggie grabbed his hands reassuringly.

"Rem, of course I am, I just feel awful that you have to go through all that shit every single month." She replied.

Remus smiled. He could tell by the tone of her voice, that it wasn't sympathy that she bore, but it was understanding.

That was one thing Remus had hated when James, Sirius and Pete had found out about his furry little secret, was the amount pity they had given him.

He hated being pitied.

But Maggie wasn't pitying him, no, it was more of an, an, an acceptance.

"Just promise not too try to kill me again" Maggie joked, though she held a serious expression on her face and had her pinky raised.

Remus accepted the pinky promise, grinning,

"I'll try my best".

James, Sirius and Peter soon walked back in, smiling, and glad to have Maggie back.

But, although they didn't show it, they were still concerned for the girl, still confused of the origins of the bruise, or her sudden self isolation over the last few months. They had collectively decided not to bring it up in conversation until she was recovered, figuring it might only make her worse.

The five of them caught up, and she was filled in on every single thing she had missed, from sneaking into hogsmead, to all of their intricate pranks on 'Snivellous' (though Maggie shook her head at this, it did make her laugh), and she was even recited a story about how James had written, and performed, a love song too Lily in the Gryffindor common room.

Maggie's face dropped a little amidst all of the laughter.

"H-how is Lily?" She nervously enquired.

James, not taking the hint, spluttered,

"Gorgeous, as ever" a massive smirk across his face.

After receiving a glare from Remus he quietened down.