0.04

3.7K 191 152
                                    

Cold blue eyes met Remus' amber.
"Go. Get away from me, just stop!" His voice quivered. Remus had a fear of being touched by strangers or people he didn't like. He always felt smaller, like the person before him could tear off each if his limbs like ripping off stickers from a sheet. So being touched like that by a person he despised, sent his anxiety rocketing. Snippets of Remus' imagination bombarded his head, making his breathing harsh and uneven.
"Hmm, why should I?" Thomas asked, placing his hand above Remus' head and resting it on the shelves. Remus willed his feet to move, but they stayed planted to the ground. He averted his eyes to the till quite far and behind. The man behind it was turning his head this way and that, making his shaggy mane shake, trying to get a clear view of Remus and Thomas behind the shelves, his eyebrows knitted in confusion. Remus shot his hand behind him and tried to find a box of paracetamol. He fingers grasped round a rectangular box with braille dotting it and he hoped that was it. Remus knew that once he found the right box, only then would his feet let him move. He pulled the box and found the word "PARACETAMOL" printed on to it.
"Hey, what're yer doin' teh him?" The bulky man from the till boomed, walking over. His beard was long and bushy, but his black eyes had a warm glint to them, making Remus know that he meant no harm. He was extremely tall and wide, and though nobody knew, had a troubled past. Of course, he never let that get in his way of work, he helped orphaned animals, worked in a school and only took a job in the shop so he could donate money for animal conservation.
"Oh, sorry sir, well wait 'til we get home before having a little... fun." Thomas grinned evilly. A surge of hatred electrocuted Remus' body and he looped out from underneath Thomas' arm and stood next to the man, who kept looking at the till to see if someone was tampering with anything.
"No we won't. Haven't spoken to you for years, wouldn't want that to stop now." Remus swallowed deeply, anger falling off of him in wisps. His insides felt dead and shattered. Most would probably just think that this was nothing, but it felt like everything. Thomas huffed, put his bottle of wine on the floor and walked out of the door.
"Yeh're a'right, son?" The man asked, putting a large hand on Remus' shoulder. This action didn't bother Remus' much as he felt he trusted the man, but he still found it slightly uncomfortable. The man must've noticed as he quickly removed it.
"Sorry. Shouldah known bettah." He plucked at his brown trousers.
"No, no it's fine. I'm alright too, just a bit... shocked, I guess." Remus turned to look at the door just to see if Thomas was maybe lingering there.
"Nasty people, they are. Barely any feelin's, tha's for sure." The man sighed, shaking his head and walking back to the till, Remus at his tail.

Remus fiddled with the box all the way there, flipping it, tapping the sides with his nails, anything really.
"It'll be £3 fer a box like tha'." The man said, nodding down at it. Remus put it on the till and delved in to his pocket, pulling out two 50ps and a two pound coin. Remus put it on the counter along with the paracetamol and the man took the 2 pound coin and one 50p.
"Wait-" Remus started.
"I know 50p's barely nothin', but just take it kindly..." His voice trailed away, wanting a name.
"Remus." Remus replied, smiling slightly. Honestly the most friendliest shop keeper out there.
"Remus. Wonderful name, tha' is." The man grinned. Remus took the paracetamol that was being handed back to him.
"Thank you..."
"Hagrid. Rubeus Hagrid." It was like a treasure chest was unlocked in Remus' mind. Rubeus Hagrid! The Keeper of the Keys at Hogwarts!
"Hagrid! Oh, did you quit Hogwarts?!" Asked Remus, wide eyed. Hagrid had always been Remus' favourite, he always let Remus in to his cabin for a cuppa and some rock cakes that were true to there name.
"Wouldn' do tha' fer the world! Nah, just workin' here for a little extra cash for animal conservation." Remus nodded and tried to forget about other bad memories at Hogwarts that kept trying to invade his mind.
"Good. Better get these to James. Thanks." Remus walked out of the door and saw Thomas leaning against a wooden post.
"Definition of a male slut, aren't you?" He seethed, tilting his head slightly with a sour look on his face.
"Sure." Remus carried on walking, only to be stopped by someone grabbing the front of his hoodie.
"Think it's funny, do you? It isn't. You're just as pathetic as the last time I saw you." Thomas wrinkled his nose as if he was holding dog dung.
"Fuck off." Remus pryed away at the fingers clasped around his hoodie. They loosened, only to be followed by a blow to Remus' cheek.
"Worthless piece of shit." Spat Thomas. He watched at Remus staggered back, a triumphant look on his face.

"Remus, why is it that every time I see you now, I always have to ask you if you're okay?" Lily looked at Remus, one eyebrow raised, and tossing the paracetamol box at James. James lifted his head from the sofa, his forehead sweating, and studied him thoroughly.
"Mate, do you need a paracetamol too? Look quite sick." James coughed. Harry was sitting at the other end of the room away from James, eyes wide and hands in his lap.
"Daddy going to zombie." Harry whispered just loud enough for Remus to hear. He said it in such a serious tone that it made Remus smile.
"Ohh, is daddy getting grumpier and grumpier?" Remus asked. Harry nodded furiously which made James huff in indignancy.
"I, young mister, never get grumpy!" James shook his head and started muttering angry things.
"Told you." Harry whispered again.

Walking back to his place, he really couldn't help his eyes watering, not only because of the swelling in his cheek, but also because someone touched him in a manner that is not appreciable. He seemed to be the size of an ant that anyone could crush with the slightest touch. Like an object placed on a shelf, not a feeling human.

"You were gone for-" Remus shut the door and turned to Sirius, "holy shit, who did that to your face?" Sirius asked, pointing slightly at it.
"A door opened in my face." Remus quickly lied. He, thinking on the spot, had gotten used to spewing lies like a spider making a web and had got more efficient at it.
"No, it didn't! Who did it? I'll kill 'em!" Sirius raged, running in to the kitchen. Remus thought he'd return with a large butcher's knife, but actually, he came back with a handful of ice in a towel.
"Sit down." Sirius ordered and Sirius obeyed. He sat on their sofa with a small patch on the side as Sirius dabbed the ice pack on his face gingerly.

i updated last like day before yesterday so is that good? idk. wattpad logged me out and my wifi was barely working so i couldn't log back in and i was going barmy. honestly, if you saw me i would look pathetic, but i later found out that i just had to restart my device. so technically, i finished this chappie yesterday.
see you next millennium.

road to recovery • wolfstarWhere stories live. Discover now