Lena Grey (Remus Lupin love story)

Chapter 2

The first day of classes are awful. I get ink spilled on me by James, get tripped in Arthimacy by Sirius , and a crystal ball knocked on my foot in Divination by Peter.
I'm almost afraid to go back to the common room after class, so I decide to go to the library. I curl up in my favorite spot with a book. It's in the very back of the library where nobody ever goes. All the books are covered in dust. Not even Sev knows about this place. There's an old couch with a table in front of it. It's nice enough for someone who wants to be alone.
My eyes move across the page but I'm not really reading. My mind starts to drift. If nobody can see you, are you really there at all? I like to think the answer is no. Sometimes I come here and sit very still among the books. If I sit here and don't move, will I be covered in dust? Will anybody ever come back here and say, "Lena Grey! We looked for you!" I already know the answer, but it's nice to imagine it. My own parents don't even want me.
After finishing my homework, I go back up to the common room to deposit my things in my room before dinner. Who should be sitting by the fire but the marauders? James sees me and an evil smirk comes onto his face.
"Well look what we have here," he says. "Little Lena Grey is coming back to the common room three hours after classes ended. You wouldn't be avoiding us, would you Grey?" He asks. I glare, but ignore him. I knew it was a mistake.
"Affligo!" He hits me with a spell and I feel like I've been punched in the stomach. James laughs. "This way it's like I'm punching you without getting spent," he tells me. Sirius laughs. "Hey Moony! Tell me if my wand technique is any good!" He smirks and holds up his wand. "Affligo!" This time I don't stay standing. I sink to my knees. The other students around me don't help, just look at me. Some with pity, some with amusement.
James walks up to me and kicks me in the stomach. "Anything you want to say?" James asks. I may be on the ground, but I glare up at him and spit on his shoes. He kicks me in the chest and I go sprawling onto the floor.
He lifts his foot again, but Peter calls out that it's dinner time and everyone files out, leaving me on the ground. One person remains on the couch, looking at me. "You want to practice spells on me too? Go ahead free shot!" I say to Remus Lupin, then spit blood on the ground. Everything hurts and I can already see new bruises forming.
Lupin gets up and walks over to me, wand out. I close my eyes and wait for the blow. Instead, I feel the tip of his wand running down my arm and him mumbling a spell. After a moment or two, I open my eyes to see no traces of bruises on my arms. My chest still hurts, but not as badly. "There's my spell practice," he says quietly, offering me a hand.
Instead I glare at him and push myself up. I may be much shorter, but I want to intimidate him. I scowl at him. "I do not want your pity Lupin. I don't care if you want to hit me with your friends or cast spells or whatever, but do not show me pity when they aren't here," I growl. With that I grab my bag and stomp up the stairs.
Despite my outburst, Lupin still doesn't hit me, kick me, or practice any spells. Not any harmful ones at least. After the library is closed, I'll sit in the corner of the common room doing homework. I'll feel a tingling on my skin and my bruises will start to disappear. Somewhere in the room during that time is always Remus Lupin.
Before it gets cold, Sev and I take a walk around the lake. "I haven't seen you much," I say. He just shrugs in response. "Are you okay?" I ask him. He nods. "I'm just worried about NEWTs next year," he says. "It's next year Sev! Enjoy now!" I laugh, only to be levitated by James Potter. Severus is levitated too.
"Well look at this Padfoot," says James. "Two lovebirds out and about." I might be upside down, but that doesn't stop me from replying sarcastically. "I could say the same of you and Black," I say. James drops me a few inches and I let a string of curses flow from my mouth. Sirius "tsks" several times. "What a dirty mouth. Scrougify!" Suddenly I'm choking on bubbles, gasping for air. I'm dropped to the ground roughly, bubbles still appearing.
"Stop!" I hear Severus yell. "You'll kill her!" James sighs boredly but bubbles stop appearing. I try to sit up and spit but they won't come out. "Agumenti!" I hear, and my mouth stats to clear out. I lean over and throw up.
"You're okay," Severus says. "Fine," I gasp. He pulls out his wand, but I push his arm down. "It's fine," I say. He nods like he believes me, but I know he doesn't.
That night, I go to the library instead of the common room. I curl up on the couch, determined to never move again. Usually I don't cry but today is just one of those days when you can't stop it. Tears fall from my eyes and I can't do anything but stop them.
A throat clears and I look up with a glare like I wasn't just having an emotional breakdown. "What do you want?" I ask. Lupin shrugs. "I heard crying and wanted to see if you were okay," he tell me. "Why do you care?" I ask. "I hate the way my friends treat you," he says to me. "You never seemed keen on doing anything about it," I say.
Lupin sits beside me and pulls out his wand, a look of concentration on his face. "I'm sorry," I say immediately. His face shows surprise. "For what?" He asks. "I just wanted to heal your bruises and cuts from earlier." I glare at him buy turn my arm over anyway because it hurts. "Like you've been doing?" I ask. He begins to blush. "I just knew you didn't want me to heal you and I wanted to help," he says.
Lupin pushes up my sleeve and before I can react he's already seen. Scars lace my arms up and down. "What happened?" He asks. "You and your friends happened," I respond. I yank my sleeve down. "It doesn't matter, I'm not doing it this year."
Remus sighs. "Lena look, I'm sorry about my friends. I want to be your friend. I want to know you," he says. I roll my eyes. "My name is Lena Grey. I'm sixteen. Everyone hates me, including my family. My sister started Hogwarts and she's a Ravenclaw. Severus Snape is my best friend. I like cookies and my favorite color is gold." Remus nods. "My name is Remus Lupin, I'm sixteen. I'm an only child and I'm glad I have my family. You know my best friends. I like pudding and my favorite color is green," he says. I smile for the first time all day. "It's nice to meet you," I say. "Likewise," he replies.