Beauty and the Beast (Remus Lupin)

15.

Rose, Tonks, Mad-Eye, and Mrs. Weasley all escorted Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George, and Ginny to the Hogwarts Express.

Without being distracted, Rose was easily able to conceal her identity. Her hair was straight and brown. Her nose was crooked and long, she had no sign of freckles, her lips where thin as they hid crooked teeth, and her eyes were now brown nearly black.

She walked behind Harry as Mad-Eye and Tonks walked ahead on his left and right.

Suddenly Rose felt fur rub against her, she looked down and saw a black dog who was unmistakably Sirius. Then the black dog did the same to Harry.

Harry spoke to him but Rose was unable to hear. Mr. Weasley had successfully escorted Harry to the Ministry for his hearing about expulsion.

Turned out Sirius was right. Dumbledore had set out a Squib, a person who was born into a magically family but unable to do it themselves, and she was able to see the Dementors than a normal Muggle couldn't, like Dudley.

After hearing the statement, they had no other choice but to keep Harry in school since a "muggle" saw it.

Sirius led Harry into a near by bathroom so they all waited outside it, though they kept their distance from being seen all together. Mrs. Weasley noticed and then took her time bringing her kids over, telling them to walk a bit slower.

Once Sirius and Harry were done talking, Harry walked out with a black dog who ran off back in the direction it had came from.

They all walked again. It took everything in Rose not to hug her friends goodbye. Especially now more than ever since she was unaware as to when she'll be back at school. Rose knew how important school was, but with most of the teachers in the order, they are all keeping her updated with work.

Like they said, she'd still be going to school but will occasionally have to leave.

~

They got back to headquarters and walked in. Rose shook her head and her appearance had went back to normal.

"Great job today, by the way." Tonks told Rose before Rose started walking up the stairs.

"It's all thanks to you being my teacher." Rose smiled down before walking up.

Remus had left a few days ago due to an extra precaution as the full moon had neared closer. Rose remembers like it was yesterday, she remembered how awful he had looked after he had turned.

It was like all the life was drained out of him. Tired and miserable he always looked. Walking around with a cane for the first few days before he finally looked like himself again. To Rose's memory, she only knew he hadn't taken his Wolfsbane potion once.

Which was the night everything fell apart for Rose. The night she had changed. The night that her powers finally showed.

Rose walked past a few doors to head to her room until she saw a light peer through a room that had been empty the night before. Curiously, Rose walked over and slowly opened the door.

She saw someone bent over while sitting on the bed. They appeared to be hurt. Taking a closer look, she found out exactly who it was.

"Remus...?" She walked in and closed the door behind her.

Knowing him, he wanted to have gotten their in silence. She knew he must've forgotten to close the door.

"I'm fine, you can go..." He groaned in pain.

She walked over and sat next to him, "you're not though...What happened? What's wrong?"

He didn't want to move his arms though. They seemed to have been covering his torso. He was hiding something he was ashamed about.

Rose gently pulled one of his arms away and saw blood leaking through.

"I'm fine, really." He said once more.

She just glared at the cut. He was more shocked she didn't gasp, or cringed, or even tried to get away. But how could she when she knew he was hurt and in pain?

"Let me help you." She got up and walked to the bathroom. Filled a bowl with water and grabbed a small hand towel before walking back in the room and sitting down next to him.

He was hesitant. But if anyone knew anything about her it was that she was stubborn. She always wanted to help whoever she could. Even the people she didn't necessarily like, like Pansy when she fought off her boggart.

"Show me where you're cut." Rose said.

He lifted up his shirt to show the slashes on his stomach. Again, he was astonished by the lack of disgust she had shown. Not even a sign of sympathy.

Instead she cleaned his wounds gently. Occasionally making sure it didn't hurt. To her, it was a normal cut.

"Nothing? That's it?" Remus questioned.

"What do you mean?" She looked up at him.

"Normally people don't help. They'd ask questions...Rose, this is the normal life of a werewolf. We don't need help."

"Well lucky for you, I didn't ask. Did I? You're hurt and I wanted to help. I don't see a problem with that."

"Why...? Look at who I am..."

"Who you are? A werewolf doesn't define you, Remus." She stood up and set the bowl that was now filled with bloody water with the towel inside, "you have a really thick head if you can't see that people are fully capable of caring about you."

"Well, not many do."

"Not many that you probably know of. But I do, and I'm not ashamed too. Even if there was no such thing of wolfsbane, I'd still be there."

He looked up at her, "Yeah? Well everyone tends to say that and look, I'm still here alone. Rose, people take a quick look at me and see that I'm poor, old, and live a miserable life. Then when they find out the truth, they run."

"Yeah well I'm not everyone. I can't speak for them and their cowardice. I told you before and I'll be happy to tell you a million times, I do not care. What I care most about is that you're ok, and clearly you're not."

Shaking his head he said, "I knew I shouldn't have convinced Dumbledore..."

"That's it?! That's what you have to say about someone who just cared for you when you couldn't tend to your own needs?!" She raised her voice from anger.

"That's the problem. Is that you care too much. So much that you almost died before."

"What's that supposed to mean...?"

"With the Chamber of Secrets? You're muggle born, Rose. You were that reckless to go and save your friend that you didn't even consider your own safety."

"Hold on. So you're telling me that you wanted me in the Order for that reason. Because I care about my family and that I'd fight for them but now I apparently care too much? Or is it that you just don't want me to care about you? I'm going to go on a limb here and say you're not thinking correctly because you're tired but," She walked to the door and opened it, "maybe if you weren't too busy feeling sorry for yourself you'd notice that everyone here considers you as something to them besides a werewolf..." She walked out and went to her room to find Tonks.

"Everything alright?" Tonks looked up from polishing her broom.

"Yes, why?" Rose closed the door.

"Well, you're hair is red..."

Rose looked in the mirror and noticed, "just upset is all..."

"How come?"

Rose sat on her bed, "just-just a friend. I just wish I could've gone to school is all."

Tonks knew that that wasn't the reason for Rose being so upset. But didn't feel she needed to ask any more questions.

"You will, soon. No need to worry." Tonks smiled.