astronomy tower | friday, january 31st, 1975 12:43 PM
"REMUS?" Estella saw the sobbing boy sitting at the edge of the Astronomy tower, staring out into the golden daze of the sun with tears glistening in his brown eyes.
Remus quickly wiped his tears threatening to spill down his cheek and faced Estella. "Hey, Stel. What do you need?"
"Are you alright?" She went closer to the crying boy on the ground.
"Of course, do you need something?" Remus asked again.
"Sorry I wasn't able to make it last night. I know it was your first time transforming with them." Estella apologized.
"It's alright," Remus' voice cracked. The mention of last night made Remus' mood drop and made him drop his head down in his hands.
"Remus," Estella came to the conclusion that something had happened last night, and it was something that had clearly triggered Remus and had made him crack.
He took one look at Estella before wrapping his arms tightly around her while sobbing onto her shoulder, "I'm sorry," The boy sobbed.
"I-I didn't mean to.. I'm so, so, sorry. I'm sorry."
"Remus, what's wrong?" Estella rubbed his back comfortingly as he kept sobbing and sobbing onto her shoulder, but Estella didn't mind.
"I-I hurt.." Remus hesitated. "I hurt James."
Estella closed her eyes for a second, "Remus.."
"I-I didn't mean to! I swear! I didn't-"
"Remus! Listen to me," Estella cupped Remus' face to get him to look at her.
"I'm a monster." Remus sighed as a tear fell down his cheek.
She looked between the boys two brown eyes, and all she could see was a little boy who needed comfort, support, and help.
And she'd be the one to provide.
"Look at me, Remus." Estella repeated. "You are no monster. You are anything but a monster. You are a good man, with a great heart, with loving friends all around, you are a loving boy with good intentions, and most of all, you're my best friend."
Remus still had his face cupped by Estella's hands. His gaze drifted down to the floor, not believing that one of Estella's words were even close to true.
"How do you know.. what I am?" Remus breathed in and out heavily.
"Because, Remus." Estella said simply. "I know exactly what you are. Your lycanthropy does not define you in any way. Because you are just a boy, a boy surrounded by people who love you. Remus, you're my best friend. You aren't going through this alone."
"What- What about James?"
"He's a big boy," Estella joked. "He'll get through it."
Remus chuckled softly as he rested his head on her shoulder as she wrapped her arm around him.
"You're a really good friend, Stel. You know that?" Remus smiled lightly.
"And I'll always be there for you. Remus Elizabeth Lupin." She joked about his 'middle name', making Remus laugh softly and playfully nudge her with his shoulder.
𖠰𖠰𖠰
The first place Estella went to after the Astronomy tower was the hospital wing to visit James. Right outside the door stood a very annoyed Sirius.
"Sirius?"
Sirius' head whipped to reveal the source of Estella's voice. "Essie?"
"Where's James?"
"H-He's in there," Sirius pointed towards the door to the hospital wing when he fidgeted with the rings on his hands shortly after. "They won't let me in." And that's when Sirius' face brightened up again as if a light bulb had just sparked in his brain.
"Sirius-"
"Please! Please, please, please! If you hex me, they'll let me in!"
"What? No way! I'll get detention! Plus, there are safer ways to get in there," Estella crossed her arms.
"I won't tell anybody it was you who hexed me!"
"They'll still trace it back to my wand!"
"So, punch me!" Sirius snapped.
Estella choked on literal air, "...what?"
𖠰𖠰𖠰
The two kids showed up to the hospital wing with a black eye and an arm sling.
"..and that's when I fell down the moving stairs. Honestly! Those stairs are dangerous. Dumbledore's lucky I don't sue." Sirius explained for the tenth time that day.
"Wow," James smirked. "you threw yourself down some steps to get in here?"
"Not me," Estella pointed to her black eye and arm sling. "I used magic to fake my injuries. This idiot actually threw himself down the moving stairs."
"Well, they bought it, didn't they?" Sirius snapped jokingly.
"Classic, Padfoot." James sighed in disappointment, but smiled at the boy nonetheless. "And um, where's Mo- Remus?"
"Last time I checked, the Astronomy tower." Estella looked down as she kicked her feet, watching one of her best friends in a hospital bed in the hospital wing. "He feels really bad, you know? Remus- I mean."
"I know, but it's alright," James sighed. "I know he can't control it. Plus, I'm not completely complaining. Now I get this badass scar, see?" James showed the scar on his arm.
"God, you idiot." Estella nudged James' arm. She took her polaroid camera out of her bag before taking a picture of an injured James in the hospital wing. "Smile, J."
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"Wow, when our kids find these, they are totally going to make fun of us." James laughed.
"Not if they come out as crazy as us," Sirius chuckled, looking at the polaroid.
