Selene || Remus Lupin

Ch. 72 - Harry Loses His Mind

Remus' POV

"Remus, I'm gonna be honest, there's not a lot of sense in what you're saying."

Remus stifled an exasperated groan, shrugging nonchalantly – despite how he felt.

He'd been living amongst the werewolves for about a month and a half, though to him, it felt like several years. Romulus had been right; most of the other werewolves were either weary of Remus, or outright hated him. He'd particularly had a lot of problems with a werewolf named Leland, who'd decided he'd hated Remus from the very moment he'd met him. It'd started with mere ugly looks and sneers, but Leland's behaviour had quickly escalated. He'd convinced several werewolves in the pack that Remus was a threat, and Remus found himself having to keep to himself more, trying not to draw attention.

Only Romulus would ever hang around Remus, though he expected it was only out of curiosity – or perhaps pity.

"I mean, the wizards have never helped us. You really expect us to help them?"

Remus frowned at Romulus. They were currently eating dinner in the common area. There were several other werewolves milling about, but they were paying Remus and Romulus no mind. "For the greater good, Romulus! Voldemort will kill thousands of people! In fact, he's already started! Doesn't that concern you?"

Romulus shrugged. "Seems like he won't bother us, so what's it to me?"

Remus was momentarily appalled by Romulus' apathy, but he tried to press on. "You'd honestly stand with an evil man such as that?"

"No," Romulus said shortly. "He's a wizard like any other. My pack will keep to ourselves."

"Well then what will you do when Voldemort determines you're in his way?" Remus tried desperately. "He'll stop at nothing to conquer everything! He won't care that you're neutral!"

"Then we'll fight him when he does," Romulus said, unconcerned.

Remus shook his head in disbelief. "You're incredibly naive if you think you'd stand a chance alone."

Romulus shrugged again, and Remus could only gape at him. He couldn't believe someone could be so nonchalant, so unaware of the danger that was currently occurring around them. Before he could say anything else, however, another werewolf approached them, one whose presence filled him with dread.

"New guy giving you problems, Romulus?" Leland said, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at Remus. "Looks like you might need someone to sort him out."

He grinned nastily.

"Leave him alone, Leland," Romulus said wearily, leaning back in his chair. "He's not bothering anyone."

"He's bothering me," Leland said. "Who does he think he is, coming in here and trying to make us all wizard-lovers? As if the wizards have done anything to help us?" He sneered at Remus, who rolled his eyes. "Who even are you anyways?"

"Do you really want to find out?" Remus bit back, sounding more confident than he felt. Leland was a bigger man than he was, and somehow, he looked unaffected by the upcoming full moon, which was happening that night.

Leland leaned forward, so that his face was inches from Remus'. Remus wrinkled his nose; Leland's breath smelled like rotten meat.

"You're weak, Lupin," Leland growled. "You're soft. It's what you get for hanging around wizards – for trying to be something you're not. I'm sure you think you're better than all of us because you carry that wand?"

"It amazes me that you're so unaware of how stupid you sound," Remus said irritably.

Leland snarled, and he seized the collar of Remus' shirt roughly. "You've crossed a line, Lupin."