The Marauders: Moony

Remus and Exam Pressure

The day of the transfiguration exam had arrived, and Remus felt the weight of anxiety settle in the pit of his stomach. He had spent countless hours revising, but his mind felt jumbled with nerves as he sat down in the exam hall. The parchment and quill before him seemed like huge obstacles as he tried to focus on the questions in front of him.

The ticking of the clock on the wall seemed to grow louder, echoing the minutes slipping away. Remus attempted to summon the knowledge he had worked so hard to acquire, but his mind felt blank. Doubt gnawed at him, and he struggled to recall even the most basic transfiguration principles.

As time ticked on, Remus found himself rushing through the exam, writing down fragmented answers in the hopes of salvaging some marks. Each line he wrote felt like a stab of disappointment, knowing that he was not performing at his best. He knew he could do better, but the pressure and his own nerves had gotten the better of him.

When the exam finally ended, Remus handed in his paper with a heavy heart. As he walked out of the exam hall, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had let himself down. The knowledge he possessed seemed to have abandoned him at the most crucial moment.

Outside, he was met by the concerned gaze of his friends, who had finished their exams earlier. They knew Remus had been studying diligently, and they could see the worry etched on his face.

"Hey, how did it go?" James asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.

Remus shook his head, unable to meet their eyes. "Not great, I'm afraid. I messed up some of the questions I knew I should've aced."

Sirius placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Moony. I'm sure you will have done fine."

But Remus couldn't shake off the disappointment he felt in himself. He had always been the responsible one, the studious one, and now, he felt like he had let everyone down, including himself.

As they walked back to the Gryffindor common room, his friends tried to lift his spirits, making light-hearted jokes and telling funny stories, but Remus couldn't bring himself to fully join in their banter. The weight of his perceived failure weighed heavily on his mind.

In the quiet confines of the common room, Remus watched the flickering fire. His friends sat around him, laughing and joking, but Remus's mind was elsewhere. 

Peter noticed Remus staring into the dancing flames.

"Hey, Remus." Peter said softly, turning away from the others. "I'm sure you will have done great, Moony. You always do."

Remus managed a weak smile, touched by his friend's words. "Thanks, Wormtail."

Remus tried to join in the game of wizard's chess to take his mind off the exam, but it didn't work and he found himself making excuses to return to his dorm so that he could get some solitude and be alone with his thoughts. 

"I'm okay. I'm just tired." He smiled, as he pushed himself to his feet. 

Once out of sight, Remus raced back to his dorm and jumped into bed, cocooning himself in the blankets. 

The weight of disappointment still clung to him, and he felt a mix of frustration and sadness welling up inside. He sank down onto his bed, burying his face in his hands as tears began to fall.

Feeling overwhelmed and vulnerable, Remus didn't hear the soft footsteps approaching the dormitory. But suddenly, the door creaked open, and he looked up to see Sirius standing there, concern etched on his face.

"Remus... Are you crying?" He asked anxiously, quickly closing the door behind him. 

Remus's mouth fell open in shock. Had he really been caught crying? He quickly wiped his eyes on his sleeve.