The Girl Who Cried Wolf || Remus Lupin

CHAPTER SIX

The next morning was an odd one with Astrid waking up with a groan which then caused Remus to wake up. He was startled, to say the least, when he found his arms wrapped around the waist of a mysterious burgundy-haired girl who smelled strangely familiar. Astrid was also surprised to find herself encased in two arms too muscular to be female.

Astrid's head almost did a 180 degree turn only to find the arms wrapped around her were none other than her best friend's, Remus Lupin's. She thought she had dreamed last night, of the other werewolf Dumbledore had only hinted at, but here he was and he was her best friend.

She didn't know what to do.

'Astrid?' Remus' confused voice broke through the heavy silence and the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.

'Rem? You're... you're the other werewolf?'

'The other werewolf? I thought I was the only one?' Remus rubbed the hand that had been on Astrid's stomach down his face and laid his head back on the pillow, looking up at the ceiling and wondering how the hell he had got here.

The awkwardness of them being in bed together, half unclothed and cuddling hadn't even registered to Astrid as she felt hot tears prick at her eyes, 'you've had to go through this alone for how long? Why didn't you tell me, Rem?'

'Because I'm a monster,' Remus sputtered out, not realising him being a monster meant she was very clearly one too. Astrid had to remind him by saying, 'if you're a monster then I'm one too.'

'I'm sorry... I don't know what I'm saying...' He realised his mistake and ran his hand down his face all over again, the other hand still trapped by Astrid who hadn't noticed it's presence.

'You do know what you're saying, Rem, but don't worry. You know, I thought I was a monster too but maybe now that we're together things can get better.'

'You're being awfully optimistic for someone who was almost on the verge of death about two weeks ago.' Remus didn't even realise he was snapping at her.

'Shut up, Remus.'

He groaned, 'sorry.'

'I know, it's weird.'

'You're not wrong there, Astrid.'

'I'm just saying we could maybe help each other through this. You can show me the ropes of being a werewolf?' She tried to make a joke but it didn't land, leaving them in awkward silence.

'The boys already know.'

'What!? And you never told me?'

'They figured it out themselves and it's hard to want to tell your friends you turn into a murderous beast once a month.'

'I just thought that was a normal thing, sure,' Astrid replied sarcastically.

Remus lightly slapped her on the arm, 'maybe for girls.'

'That's so sexist!' She pushed him back and Remus pushed her jokingly into the bed, reminding her of the little moment they had in the Gryffindor common room nearly a week ago. A small blush spread across her face and a grin spread across Remus' as he leaned over her. 'Anyways, the boys aren't werewolves, at least I'm guessing they aren't-'

'Definitely not.'

Silence.

'Will you tell them?'

'Do you think it's a good idea?' Astrid answered his question with one of her own.

'I think they would be way less worried than they are now if you told them what had actually been eating you up inside all this time.'

'Hmm... you're probably right,' she reached her arms up around her neck and pulled him down for a hug, effectively crushing Astrid under him. 'Thank you, Rem,' her voice came out muffled, 'for not freaking out.'

'Well, it's not like I can freak out,' Remus said before giving in. 'Okay, I'm completely freaking out right now.'

'I know I can here your heartbeat.' It was true, his heart rate seemed to be at a million beats per second as Astrid found her ear pressed against his chest. Remus quickly crawled off of her, moaning in pain as he twisted in a way that opened one of his self-inflicted injuries up.

'Maybe let's go see Madame Pomfrey?'

Remus nodded.

Meanwhile the marauders and female Gryffindors (minus Remus and Astrid) had been worrying for their friends, having not seen them all day. James, Sirius and Peter had been extremely fidgety today, which was uncommon for them apart from maybe Peter.

'What if he has hurt her because they didn't get into the castle on time?' Sirius was pacing back and forth in the boys dormitory, wringing his hands by his sides.

James made a disgruntled sound and shook his head, 'definitely not, Moony is what too sensitive about his furry little problem to let Astrid come near him in that state.'

'I agree with James, Moony wouldn't let anything happen to Astrid, have you seen the way he bloody acts when someone comes near her?' Peter piped in.

'Yeah, you are right. I'm just worried, she's my sister...' Sirius was still pacing.

'Hey, maybe we should just visit him in the Hospital Wing, he's usually with Pomfrey by now.'

When James, Sirius and Peter did make it to the Hospital Wing they were absolutely astounded to find Remus and Astrid laughing together as their bare arms were adorned in freshly made cuts.

'Sis! What happened? You didn't do this to yourself, did you?' Sirius cried out, 'I thought we talked about this.'

Astrid's face turned serious when she noticed the marauder's presence in the Wing, 'umm... I actually have something to tell you guys.'

James had been gaping the whole time, looking back and forth from Remus to Astrid like he was watching a tennis match before things seemed to click in his head. 'You're like Moony?'

'What's a Moony?'

'I mean Remus.'

'Then yes, that's why I was so distant all Summer. If you ever found out, I didn't know what you guys would think of me...' At that point the 3 boys gathered around her and pulled her into a group hug.

'As if I would ever think differently of you, baby sis,' Sirius kissed her on the forehead and squeezed her to which she squeaked in pain.

'Be gentle, bro.'

'Sorry.'

'Now, you silly bitch, don't you ever doubt us as friends again. We love you no matter what, you're still Astrid,' James slapped her lightly on the shoulder.

'Yeah, Astrid,' Peter agreed, a light blush spreading across his cheeks.

Remus couldn't help but get a little emotional at the sight of his friends hugging before him. It reminded him of when they figured out that he himself was a werewolf.

It was getting harder to convince himself he was a monster when he was near Astrid.