selenophile || remus lupin

chapter sixty four

Spending time with Remus was usually one of Ophelia's favorite things to do. Usually.

Ophelia and Remus were studying in the library together, preparing for a transfiguration test the next day, reviewing the theory of non verbal magic.

It seemed to be going well, both of them casually talking, reviewing their notes, and helping each other study. But soon, time had passed. A lot of time had passed.

The tricky thing about concealment charms is that they're not permanent. They last for only so long, giving no warning for when they'll stop working. This is why Remus had freaked out.

Ophelia had been sitting at one of the tables in the back of the library while Remus went to find a book they needed. She was unaware of how much time had passed since they first started studying, therefore how much time since she had performed the concealment charm. It had completely faded by the time Remus got back.

He had his nose stuck in the book, rapidly flipping through the pages, trying to find a specific topic. Once he had gotten back to the table, however, he closed the book and looked up, expecting to see Ophelia there waiting for him. She was, but this wasn't the Ophelia he had left.

"Oh my god! What happened to your face?" he cried out.

Ophelia's face was bruised and beaten with black and blue and purple spots. Tiny scars were scattered across her face, but that was nothing compared to the one gash. Across her right eye, was the largest scar, spanning from just above her eyebrow to her cheekbone, in a gruesome manner.

"What do you mean?" Ophelia asked, already knowing the answer.

"Your- your face! What do you mean 'what do you mean'? Just a minute ago you looked just fine, but I come back and you've got these big ugly scars across your face."

"Oh my god. I'm sorry you had to see me like this."

"That's not an excuse! They look absolutely disgusting, no one should have to see you like this! No one would want to see you like this."

"Rem-"

"What do you expect me to do, Ophelia? Sit here and tell you that you look like a masterpiece and belong in a museum when you look like that? Would you like me to start speaking French to you?" he said, referencing their picnic just a few days ago. "Well guess fucking what? The world doesn't revolve around you. You need to stop flaunting around your scars, just asking for attention. You're not this goddess that you think you are. You have flaws, admit it. Your's just happen to be a bit bigger and uglier than others."

"But- but you-"

"What? But I have scars? Sure, I do. But they're nothing compared to you! Mine aren't ugly and horrifying. Who would be grossed out by these small things, but you. You look like you've come from hell, you look like you've died and come back. Nobody wants to see you looking like this. We much prefer seeing pretty Ophelia, with perfect hair and clear skin, not this ugly, bruised, purple faced Ophelia."

"That's- that's not true."

"Oh, you stupid girl. Of course it's true! It's true and we both know it. We all know it, don't we?"

Sirius, James, and Peter all walked out from behind different library shelves, looking at her with pure disgust.

"Mother and father don't punish you unless they have a reason. You've clearly brought this upon yourself, Ophelia. You deserved it," said Sirius.

"No one will want to be with you, let alone be seen with you. Did you think that this wouldn't change anything? It changes everything," said Peter.

"You'll be known across the school for your ugly scars, you'll be the laughing stock for the next ten years. Do you really think that we'd keep hanging out with you? We don't want to be friends with the scar girl," said James. "Isn't that right, Evans?"

Lily, Marlene, and Alice all appeared.

"Yes Potter, quite right. What will the professors think of me, of us? That we've been hanging out with a teenage delinquent who's all scarred up and bruised. Madame Pomfrey wouldn't want to look at you, even if she tried to fix those ugly scars of yours."

"Can't you see that you're a freak? An absolute abomination. I think I would jump off the astronomy tower if I looked like that," said Marlene.

"No one's here to protect you anymore. You've only ever been a powerless, untalented coward, who hides behind her friends when any signs of danger are shown. But guess what? They're gone. Your friends have left you, Ophelia. We don't want you," said Alice.

Finally, Regulus walked out, "Ophelia, you look like you're about to split open and start bleeding on us all at any moment. Everyone will hate you, for spreading your filthy, blood traitor blood on all of us," said Regulus. "How would mother and father react if they heard of this? That the Black family name has been tainted because poor little Ophelia just couldn't keep her mouth shut? That everyone in the school has seen your true self, underneath all those stupid concealment charms. Everyone will know what you really are, a freak."