crushed - remus lupin

-two-

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"Give it back! 'Leste!"

"You're gonna have to beg me for it!"

"No way in hell!"

"Then say goodbye to your precious love letter!"

To say Celeste Malfoy and James Potter fought like siblings would be a very accurate assessment. When two people are that close, they are bound to fight like cats and dogs. Luckily for James, all of the self proclaimed 'Marauders' knew Celeste's weakness.

"Remus! Remus! Tell 'Leste to give me my letter back!" James whined, similar to a small child who wanted more dessert.

"Esta, love, give James his letter back please." Remus's patience rivaled Mother Teresa's, and it was very much needed when one is friends with James, Sirius, and Celeste. Peter didn't require as much supervision, especially because as of late, he hadn't been around his friends and was instead trying to gain the affections of Mary McDonald, a kind Gryffindor girl that Celeste was roommates with.

"Fine." Celeste huffed. "It's not fair that you guys use my favoritism of Remmy against me."

James smirked triumphantly. "Sucks to suck, 'Leste!"

Celeste smiled despite the situation she had found herself in, because James had no idea that she had another trick up her sleeve.

"Oh I wouldn't be so cocky now, Jamsie-poo. I may not have the letter but I still read it! I bet Lily will be very interested in the contents of it!"

James's eyes darkened as he looked at the white-blonde haired girl in front of him. Celeste had begun reciting parts of the letter at the top of her lungs, for everyone in the courtyard to hear.

"Oh, Lily-flower! Your hair sparkles like a sunrise on water, and looks like the sky right before nightfall! How I love you, Lilypad!"

And just like that, James was chasing Celeste again once more.

Remus opened his mouth to tell her off again, but he closed it, letting her have her fun.

It was common knowledge to everyone in the castle that of the group of Marauders split into groups of closer friends. Sirius and James were as close as could be, especially since Sirius had moved into the Potter's house last summer. The other group consisted of Remus and Celeste. Peter was the odd one out, hanging out with the group as a whole, but when they split up, he went to hang out with some Hufflepuffs. Of course, there were other individual friendships in the group, as Peter and Celeste had weekly midnight trips to the kitchen, James and Celeste had their friendly bickering and banter, as was seen today, and Sirius and Celeste loved to prank Snape and the other rude Slytherins together.

What was not public information was how Remus and Celeste had gotten so close. The rest of the marauders had found out about Remus's lycanthropy in their third year, but Celeste had figured it out two months into their first year.

The two had been casual friends up until then, and when Celeste had observed enough to be sure it was true, instead of confronting him, she would leave her dorm to go check on him in the Hospital Wing after every full moon. The new Matron of the Hospital Wing, Madame Pomfrey, seemed to have a soft spot for the blonde girl, and let her in to see Remus after hours.

For a few months it continued like this, until Remus had woken up to see Celeste asleep, her head lying on his hospital bed. Remus was too afraid to move, nervous it would wake her up and she would ask why he was here.

As hard as he tried to stop her from waking up, eventually she did. When her eyes opened, Remus had tensed up, bracing himself for the tons of questions that were sure to be asked.

But they never came.

Instead, Celeste had simply said, "Be careful with those cuts on your face, Remus. Those full moons can be a pain in the butt."

What? She was eleven, she couldn't exactly swear. After that comment, Celeste had swiftly picked herself up, and went to tell Madame Pomfrey he was awake before she left.

Remus was dumbstruck. He knew that Celeste was smart, but he had no idea she was this smart. And she didn't seem to hate the idea of him being a werewolf.

Snap out of it Remus. Stop giving yourself false hope that she doesn't see you as the freak you are.

Still, Remus couldn't help but let himself revel in the idea that maybe, just maybe, his friends would be okay with his situation.

After that day, Celeste consistently checked on Remus, not needing to sneak around about it, until the rest of the marauders found out.

Remus's "furry little problem", as Sirius liked to call it, was really what brought the five of them together. It was that hardship that made those three friends the people they are now.

Now in their fifth year, the marauders had vowed to never let Remus suffer another full moon alone.

Which was what led them to this moment.

"Listen up, boys."

James and Sirius continued to talk, leaving Remus and Peter to look at Celeste intently.

"James, stop talking or I'll tell Lily what I read in the letter."

That was all it took, for at those words James clapped a hand over his and Sirius's mouths.

"Now that I have your attention." Celeste shot a pointed glare at James and Sirius, channeling her inner McGonagall. "I have an idea for how we can help Remus with his transformations without getting hurt."

Remus opened his mouth to protest but she was quicker, cutting him off before he could even speak. "Before you say anything, Remmy, we're all going to do this whether you tell us to or not, so it's just better if you agree to go along with it."

Remus seemed to accept this and nodded his head, knowing he couldn't persuade them not to, so he may as well make sure they do it safely.

"I was reading up about werewolves, and they don't attack animals, only humans."

James looked confused. "And?"

Celeste looked at the boys in front of her with a mischievous smirk.

"We become illegal animagi."

ugh i fuckin love the marauders
how did you guys like it?
i love you all!
ella