Here's to Never Growing Up

First Year: Cats aren't always as they seem

Cats aren't always as they seem

In the weeks following the full moon, Sirius Black looked after Remus Lupin everywhere he went— making sure he didn't trip or pass out. Remus was a bit embarrassed by this, because shouldn't he be able to carry himself? However, several times when he almost fainted on the staircases proved he wasn't and Sirius wouldn't take no for an answer.

The full moon had been particularly bad and left its mark on him. It always felt like he was within a week of the full moon, and he was incredibly tired. He didn't have much of an appetite, and was always low on energy. Along with that, the wolf had done something to his leg, and he couldn't walk right. He had to work incredibly hard to not let the limp show, but it fooled none of his friends.

His current condition only made James more suspicious.

At one point, Remus' leg's gave way beneath him and he would've fallen had James not caught him by his arm. James had glanced at the scars on Remus' arm as his shirt sleeve rode up, and frowned. Remus knew James was only so far away from figuring him out.

Sirius tried relentlessly to get Remus to tell James.

"He's not going to out you as a werewolf!" Sirius had said, two weeks prior when James and Peter were in the common room.

"You don't know that!" Remus had hissed back, before glancing to the doorway to make sure no one was listening in.

Sirius had respected what Remus wanted, but it was very clear he didn't like keeping it from James. "He's not a bad person. He wouldn't make you leave."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do!"

"No, you don't! People aren't always what they seem, Black. You should know that as much as anyone."

At that, Sirius had dropped it, looking hurt and falling silent, but he hadn't brought it up since then.

Remus felt a bit bad, and he knew James probably wouldn't tell anyone, but he wasn't sure.

And he had to be absolutely certain before he told anyone willingly.

If his secret ever got out to someone like Snape, or Rosier, or Sirius' family somehow— he was surely doomed.

James never openly said anything about wanting to know— clearly Sirius had spoken to him, but the looks he sent Remus felt like he was trying to burrow into his mind and pick through his memories. It was an unpleasant feeling, and he rather didn't like people watching him.

Just before Christmas holidays, he and Sirius were almost late to Transfiguration — Sirius having forgotten his bag in the dorms, Remus going back with him — and Lily Evans had been waiting outside the classroom.

Remus had never had many memorable interactions with Lily Evans, and the gaggle of girls she hung around, but the few times they had spoken, Remus was sure he didn't like her much.

For one, she was nosy, always trying to figure out everything about everybody, and she could be impossibly rude. When Remus had been missing the first time, she had taken it upon herself to interrogate him the moment he returned, forcing question on top of question at him until James eventually told her to sod off, which she did, but not before giving Remus a piercing glare that made Remus feel like she suddenly knew everything about him.

Second, she was mates with Severus Snape, who the four of them had taken an instant dislike to. He was Slytherin, and might've acted caring and sweet to Lily Evans, but when she wasn't around, he was the world's biggest douchebag. He was as prejudiced as the rest of the blood-purity crazed Slytherins. Lily Evans had said he wasn't even pureblood, so Remus didn't think he could really go around acting like he was "pure-blooded". Every other muggle-born or halfblood besides Lily Evans he treated like gum he'd found on the bottom of his shoe, hissing the word mudblood at them in the hallway. Lily was never around when this happened of course, Snape always made sure of that.