REPUTATION • [j.p.] ✔️

[32]

Chapter Thirty-Two:
The Moon

•••

REMUS WAS PASSED out on the couch, snoring as loud as could be. He had dark, heavy looking bags under his eyes. Later tonight before sunset they'd head out to the Whomping Willow and then the Shrieking Shack. Jessie watched him with deep concern. She didn't want to fight him. In her animangus form, she might stand a chance, but Severus would be there. Her human form stood a very little chance.

"Babe?" James gently shook her shoulder. She turned to look at him, snapping out of her daze. "Jess, you aren't even checking my essay. You're worry too much like you said you wouldn't."

Jessie was sat in his lap, holding his Advanced Charms essay. She turned so her back was to Remus, leaning against James. She kissed his cheek, smiling lightly.

"I'm sorry baby. I just...You have hall duty tonight. I wish you could be at the shack tonight," she frowned down at him.

James sighed and nodded. He knew how much his girlfriend needed him right now. How much his friends did. And it was times like this where he wished him and Jessie weren't both Head Boy and Girl. He wished Lily was Head Girl so she could cover for him.

The Potter boy sighed softly, sinking farther into his chair. He knew Jessie would never stay back on her own, Godric help her she was too self-less. She always put her friends first.

"I'm sorry," was all he could think to say.

"Me too. Your essay is actually good! She pouts. "I wanted to spend more time with you fixing it, but now we have to get going."

James pouted, kissing her cheek. He wished she could stay. He had hall duty at nine. It was only five thirty.

"Sirius, help Remus. Peter, help him too. I get the map!" she grins. She reached into James's cloak, holding up the map. "Thanks babe!" She kissed his cheek slipping off.

•••

James was about to fall asleep when he heard Sirius shouting somewhere. He blinked rapidly as Sirius grabbed his arm.

"It's Jessie," Sirius panted. "Hospital...wing..."

James was already running. Sirius hunched over panting.

"I need to start jogging," he heaved before running after his friend.

When Sirius arrived, James was frozen in place. He stood over Jessie's bed. There was a deep gash across her forehead. Cuts all over her body and she wore an uncomfortable contraption around her neck and toros. She slept soundly, but it hurt seeing her so vulnerable.

"Is she—"

"We'll know tomorrow if she's turned," Sirius said, placing his hand on his friends shoulder.

"How did this happen?" demanded the voice of Albus Dumbledore. He came marching over.

Without hesitation, James and Sirius explained. Jessie's prediction, Severus... Dumbledore nodded slowly, deep in thought. James and Sirius didn't dare disturb him.

"I'll deal with Severus. In the mean time I suggest you two prepare to tell Mr. Lupin what he did. It won't be easy," Dumbledore concluded.

No kidding, thought both James and Sirius.

•••

"She was right. Severus did follow him. And when he got there, Remus was changed. He saw Severus who tried to insult him. It was pathetic but it agitated Remus," Sirius began. "Remus lunged for him but Jessie put herself in the line of fire. I got Severus to go while Remus realized that Jessie wasn't his target. He threw her into the wall, but she flew straight through it and landed twenty feet away in the snow outside."

James nodded, watching Jessie with watery eyes. His baby. She could be dead right now. He felt no rage toward Remus, but toward
Fenrir Greyback. The son of a bitch that turned Remus. It was his fault any of it happened.

James made a silent vow that if he ever saw Fenrir Greyback he'd slaughter him. He'd use an unforgivable for what that monster did to one his best mates. His hands balled into fists for a moment and then relaxed.

"Don't take it out on Remus," Sirius warned.

James shook his head. "No, no, it's nots it's fault. It's Fenrir Greyback's fault. And I swear I will—"

"You're cute when your angry, James Potter. But we all know you couldn't actually hurt anyone," Jessie said weakly.

James shot to his feet, leaning over his girlfriend. "Hey! How do you feel?" He asked.

"Everything hurts," she laughed softly and then winced. "And I mean everything."

James nodded, kissing her forehead. "Sirius go get Madame Pomfrey." Sirius nodded, hurrying across the room.

"Severus knows," she said weakly.

"I know, honey. Sirius told me. Dumbledore's handling him," he soothed her, playing with her hair. "Why don't you just get some rest, okay? You need it."

James sighed softly as he glanced out the window. The sun was beginning to rise over the horizon. Peter would return with Remus shortly and he'd have to face the truth of what he did. He glanced down at Jessie, wondering if she had the heart to be angry at Remus. After all, it was what Remus would expect; nothing but hatred from his dearest friends.

The thought of hating Moony broke James's heart. He ran a hand through his messy hair, biting his lip as Madame Pomfrey came over. Together, James and Sirius helped Jessie sit up. She burst into tears as James adjusted the pillow behind her.

"Should I owl her sister?" asked Madame Pomfrey, pouring a gross looking liquid into his girlfriends mouth.

"I think she'd like to know," James decided and Jessie gagged down the grey sludge.

Jessie smiled up at her boyfriend who pulled his chair up next to her. She couldn't move her head to see who was touching her hair, but she knew it was Remus who was braiding her hair. He did this to his cousin more often than not by the Gryffindor fire place if she was feeling down.

They all sat in silence for what felt like hours before Remus and Peter came hurrying in.

Remus froze at the foot of Jessie's bed. He blinked down at her. He brought a hand up to his mouth, staring at the damage he inflicted upon his best friend. He shook his head, stepping back.

"Remus..." Jessie started.

Remus just shook his head no.

"Do you still fold your socks?"

"What--Yeah, I do. But what does--"

"You aren't a monster. I still love you, Moony."

•••
[Published 04/04/18]
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