𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐘𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 ❧ remus lupin

V. After the First Full Moon

"Sometimes, life surprises you with the eyes to look at someone in a different way."

Juliet's POV

Like nearly every werewolf, we fail to remember what occurred during the time of a full moon. Due to that stray fact, the next thing I knew I was woken by the sunrise. It was already morning.

I examined my surroundings: I was still on the edge of the forest, about twenty feet away from where I had transformed. I ran over to my book bag, covering myself, and quickly shoved a sweatshirt over my head, and shorts.

Another terrible thing that came with being a werewolf, was that if you leave your clothes on, as you transform, they get stretched and ripped and destroyed. Therefore, once you transform back into your human self, you either have on mangled clothes or no clothes at all. And since I've been a werewolf all my life, I've learned not to wear an outfit to shreds each month. I just pray that no one sees me in my exposed state.

After throwing on my change of clothes, I slipped my tennis shoes on and began my walk back to the castle again. I put on my watch and checked the time, 5:45 a.m., it read. I still had time before most people would be waking up.

While walking through the forest, taking the back way to the castle, I heard a twig crunch behind me, and immediately pulled out my wand in search for danger. But what I saw was not at all dangerous, if not funny.

There he was, Remus Lupin, peeking his head from behind a tree, visibly shirtless.

"Merlin's Beard, Juliet!" he shouted, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," I said stepping within 10 feet of the boy. Obviously, I knew why he was down here, the same reason I was. I've known he's a werewolf for quite some time now, and he must've just forgotten to bring more clothes.

"Well, I was, uh," he stumbled. "Taking a morning jog. And, uh, my trousers got caught in, uh, a thorny plant."

"Well, I was on a morning walk." I darted back.

"Um," Remus started, "You don't happen to have a spare pair of pants in there do you?" he said, still covering himself from behind a tree.

Laughing a little, I reach into my bag and tossed him the only thing I had: a pair of sleeping shorts that were too short to be worn by Remus. I can tell that he appreciates it, as he turns around, disappears for a moment, and pops out from behind the tree wearing my shorts, still shirtless. Naturally, I started cracking up, and Remus tries to dismiss it but ends up laughing as well.

So we ended up walking back to the castle together, talking about random things while Remus did the best at adjusting the short-shorts and trying not to expose himself. It was quite funny, actually.

I had never seen Remus shirtless before today, and can I just say, wow. That boy sure has got some muscles. I found it awkward of me to stare while we were walking back, but I guess it didn't hurt to talk a look at his toned body every now and then. I felt a little guilty I must say, but any other girl my age would probably do that exact same thing when a somewhat attractive boy is standing, shirtless, is in front of them.

---Three Months Later---

So far my seventh year hasn't been very interesting. The boring classes, boring homework and tests and assignments, and the occasional prank with Potter and Black. Of course, there's the monthly full moon where I become an entirely different creature, but I've been doing that since birth. But, how can I forget the first full moon? Where Remus and I crossed paths, and his lack of clothing caught my eye. Thank god for that tree, because otherwise, I would've seen far more than what I had wanted.

Already more than three and a half months into the school term, the winter season is creeping up on us. The snow has fallen, and everything around us is dusted with a light layer of powder. I love almost everything about winter, other than the fact that after every full moon, I wake up naked, in a cold forest, covered in snow. That'll never change.

Luckily, I haven't had any run-ins with Remus the morning after the next two full moons, otherwise, he probably would've become suspicious as to why I was out that early in the morning at the same time and day that he was. Thank Merlin I hadn't seen him though, because that would honestly be that last thing I'd want him to know.

Anyways, with the arrival of winter, that meant holiday break soon, Christmas, and presents. I couldn't wait to go home with Zoe and celebrate Christmas the right way, with a relatively normal, controlled family.

With the holiday season approaching, the students, faculty, and overall mood of the castle were cheerful. I loved the way that the trees looked when they had just been dusted with white snow. I love that my cheeks and ears turn a light pink color when I've been out in the cold for too long. I love the building of snowmen, the acts of snowball fights, and the making of snow angels in this perfect winter season. I just loved it all. Some of my teachers even were planning to give no homework over the break, which pleased me even more. I just couldn't wait to get home to my family, even though they weren't my real family. I wasn't planning on seeing my real mother or brother anytime soon. Hell, I didn't even know if my mother was still alive or not.

Classes are almost finished for the term, and there was just one more full moon until I'd been returning home with Zoe.

Tonight was that full moon, so I packed up my bag filled with an extra change of warm clothes, my Wolfsbane Potion, my wand, and a book.

I felt bad making an excuse each time I left the girls in the dorm, but I just couldn't tell them my true identity. I was something that should stay buried within me, only to ever dig up in a life or death situation. Still, with my book bag swung upon my shoulders, I began my stride to the edge of the Hogsmeade woods, where I would undergo yet another transformation tonight. I just wanted to get it over with.

Through the distance, I could see all of the stores, restaurants, and shops in the village. But I didn't look back and kept on walking until I hit the spot that I had always transformed.

The sun had sunk into the horizon, and it was only minutes away until the moon would begin that shine, and I would begin my transformation. But at the time, I was distracted by the cold and was too busy shivering to mix the concoction together and later drink it. Suddenly, I felt my legs beginning to thicken, and hair sprout across my body. My mind became fuzzy, and I watched as my fingernails turned into rock-hard black claws. But I hadn't taken my potion yet.

As quickly as possible, I dumped the contents of my bag onto the ground, reaching for the potion mixture and drinking it down with the last sanity I had left. I couldn't remember anything after that, and I just hoped that my inner demon wouldn't take over tonight.

Word Count: 1279

a/n: eeek!! we love a shirtless remus lmaooo