The Marauders: Moony

Remus and the Scars

The three boys had never seen Remus completely bare. They would often skinnydip in the black lake or James and Sirius would wander around their dorm room topless, Peter was a little more reserved but Remus, he was the shyest of them all.

Whenever he transformed, when he awoke he would quickly wrap his torso in a blanket, and whilst getting changed at night, he would draw the curtains on his four-poster bed. They knew about his scars, just not the extent of them.

When Remus arrived in their dorm room the next day after classes, he was relieved to find it empty. It was a particularly hot day for the start of October, and Remus was very warm from wearing a long sleeved jumper under his robes all day.

Remus ripped off his clothes and opened the window before sitting topless on his bed, enjoying the cold breeze hitting his skin and listening to the sounds of the other students outside the window splashing in the shallows with the giant squid.

Suddenly Remus heard the clatter of noise that followed his three best friends, they were making their way up the stairs. Remus grasped for his jumper, rushing to pull it over his head as the door flung open.

"You okay there Moony?" James asked as Remus's cheeks flushed red while he rushed to pull his jumper down.

"Yeah, just fine!" He exclaimed, plastering a grin on his face.

"Look at this mane." said Sirius, ruffling Remus's hair. "Almost as mighty as mine!" He laughed.

Remus watched as James confidently undressed. His eyes skimmed over the perfect skin on his torso and Remus looked away in shame.

Sirius had noticed the way that Remus had been watching, and something flickered in his own eyes in response. Sirius slowly dropped his robe and pulled off his jumper, watching out of the corner of his eye as Remus stared down at the floor in guilt.

Sirius searched through his trunk for a t-shirt whilst James and Peter left to go down to the common room.

"It's okay you know Moony." He said, rummaging through his trunk.

"You don't know what it's like." Muttered Remus.

"You sure about that?" Sirius asked, getting up and walking over to Remus. He pulled the waistband of his jeans down slightly to reveal his left hip, where a large pink scar sat.

"How did you-"

"It doesn't matter, what matters is that you don't have to be ashamed, not around anyone, but especially not around your best friends." Sirius smiled warmly.

"But... They're hideous."

"Come on, they can't be that bad, and besides, we accept you."

"But, if you saw them-"

"Show me"

"What?" Remus asked in shock. He always knew his friends were curious, but they had never asked to see his scars.

"Show me." Said Sirius, warmth in his eyes. "You don't have to hide from me Moony, how long have we been friends?"

Remus gulped and began to slowly lift the hem of his jumper. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see Sirius's reaction, and only opened them once the cool breeze drifted against his skin and jumper was completely gone.

Sirius's eyes scanned over all the cuts and scars, the patches that look as though they had been gouged out with a knife and the bruises still there from the most recent full moon. Silence filled the room and Remus started to worry about what he had shown him.

"You're still a human being." Said Sirius, reaching out to put his hand on Remus's shoulder.

Remus smiled. He knew that his friends were accepting but he never realised how showing them something like this would feel like such a weight off his shoulders. Relief filled him, and he finally let go of a breath that he hadn't realised he was holding.

Sirius had not turned away in disgust, had not scrunched up his nose or widened his eyes, he had accepted Remus, and that was the best thing he could have ever done.

"Shall we get dressed and meet the others?" Sirius asked, standing up and heading back over to his trunk.

Sirius pulled out a light t-shirt and put it on while Remus lifted up his jumper.

"You're going to be way too warm in that!" Exclaimed Sirius. "Here, have this." He added, throwing Remus a checked shirt.

"But-"

"Nobody will see your scars through it." Sirius reassured him.

Remus smiled.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am."