The Bookworm and the Beast (A Remus Lupin Love Story)

Chapter 6: The Beast Inside

REMUS POV: 

I wake up and stretch my aching limbs. I can feel the scratches and cuts all over my body, and I groan as my headache comes. Then I notice Peter is the only one here, and he is staring off into the Forbidden Forest. 

Wait, the Forbidden Forest? I immediately notice something is wrong when I find that we're not in the Shrieking Shack. 

"Peter?" I ask weakly. My rat-like friend turns to face me. 

"Remus," he says, adjusting rom where he's sitting. "You're awake." I nod. 

"Yes," I say, a little bit annoyed. "Where are Sirius and James? And why are we not in the Shrieking Shack?" Peter scratches the back of his head. 

"Some things....erm...happened last night, Remus." I straighten myself up, grunting in pain. 

"What do you mean some things? Why did you guys let me get out?" Peter looks uncomfortable, but James and Sirius interrupt by coming into the clearing. 

"We can't find her," James says, sitting beside Peter. I start to panick. 

"Find who?" I ask. James and Sirius exchange a glance. 

"What...what happened last night?" Sirius steps up. 

"Julia was following you. I think she was suspicious or something." I suck in a breath. If anything happens to Julia, I don't know what I'd do. "She somehow got in the Whomping Willow, but then you smelled her and chased her out." I hold my breath. "She got away into the forest, but we don't know where she went. She's not in school so we went to look for her in the forest. We can't find her, Remus." 

"I didn't....I didn't bite her, did I?" Sirius and James shake their heads. 

"We didn't let you get near her. She runs pretty fast so..." I rub my temples, attempting to stand up. 

"We have to find her," I say. James and Sirius don't move. "Get up! We have to find her!" 

"Remus, if she's alive she'll find her way back," Sirius says, picking at the grass. That makes me upset. 

"If she's alive? If?!" I yell, grabbing Sirius. "If anything happened to her-if she's hurt in any way I'll-" I pause because all my friends are smiling like idiots. "What?!" They just smirk and stand up. 

"Let's go find her then, shall we?" James says, still smiling. With all my strength, I stand up and start walk towards the woods. James, Sirius, and Peter come behind and we start on our treck. 

JULIA POV: 

I feel exhausted as I lie on the damp, forest ground, shivering. Last night's memory is fuzzy around the edges, but I remember the part about Remus being a werewolf. And Peter turning into the rat. The dog and the stag, I realize, have to be James and Sirius. A couple of unregistered animagus! I can't believe it! 

My head aches like hell as I sit up and I feel the world spinning. Then I remember I'm in the middle of the creepy, Forbidden Forest. Emphasis on the forbidden. 

I attempt to stand up, but yelp in pain and fall back down when pain shoots up my ankle. 

"You have got to be kidding me," I whine, examining my twisted ankle. I must have injured it running last night. 

"Julia?!" I hear someone calling my name. I'd like to answer, but my voice is weak and raspy from the lack of water. "Julia!" I try calling back, but it's too quiet. I try screaming as loud as I can, but it doesn't really seem loud. Regardless, I hear footsteps coming towards me. "Julia!" Remus screeches, throwing himself beside me. Sirius and James are behind him. Remus has scrapes and long gashes in some places on his body, and his clothes are very ripped, but I don't think he cares. "Are you hurt? Did I hurt you? I'm so, so sorry, Julia!" I sit up more.