Aaron

[mooningremus]

Remus ate three sausages for breakfast. He was flushed; he tended to get a bit feverish before the full moon. And he managed to get through a morning class without saying a word to anyone, for fear of losing his temper over the smallest thing.

He was also avoiding Aaron as best he could, but when he went back to the room after class, when he thought Aaron would be out, he discovered he was wrong.

"I thought you'd be at practice," he blurted.

Comments

[mooningremus]

"And you want this?" Harry asked Remus, who nodded.

"I want him to know everything," he said quietly.

Harry nodded as well. "I might also wonder if his presence... well, we have hoped to find strategies for helping you, Mr. Lupin. I wonder if his presence might calm you."

[quitollis]

Aaron hoped that too. He wanted Remus to suffer as little as possible. "It's worth a try," he agreed.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry hesitated, and then said, "There is a window, in the building. I've hidden it with magic. We could undo that... if that's what you both want."

[quitollis]

Aaron looked at Remus. "Only if that's okay with you," he said, not wanting Remus to feel uncomfortable by that.

[mooningremus]

Remus looked down at his hands.

"It's your decision," said the headmaster quietly.

Finally, Remus nodded. "All right. Yes." He looked at Aaron. "But I want you to leave if you're uncomfortable."

[quitollis]

"Promise," Aaron said. He wanted to take Remus' hand and squeeze it, to reassure him, but in the presence of Hart, he didn't.

[mooningremus]

Harry looked at them for a moment, warmly. As if it made him happy to see... well, whatever it was he saw in them. Remus hadn't taken him for a romantic.

"Come along then," he said. "It's near enough that we may as well get started."

And when he went for the door and the pair followed behind him, Remus did take Aaron's hand.

[quitollis]

Aaron smiled and squeezed Remus' hand. He nodded, to reassure him wordlessly that it would be okay. Well, he would be. He remembered the last full moon he'd heard Remus... he wasn't looking forward to hearing it again, but he hoped his presence might help.

[mooningremus]

When they got to the shack, Harry walked around it to the back and cast a spell. A large, wood-framed window appeared.

"The wolf will be able to see out as well," Harry said to Aaron. "It is possible that could be agitating. If you think it is making things worse..." And then he gave him a trigger word to trigger the spell again and hide the window.

"And you come get me if there is any trouble at all. Do you understand?"

[quitollis]

"Yes, sir," Aaron promised. He took a look through the window, to see where Remus would spend the night.

"Is it time already?" he asked, as he turned to both. He rather wanted to kiss Remus, but he wasn't sure to do that in front of Hart.

[mooningremus]

"I'll leave you then," said Harry. And put a hand warmly on Remus' shoulder. "I'll check in on you tomorrow." And he left.

Remus swallowed hard and looked at Aaron. "It's going to be different, to see," he said quietly.

[quitollis]

"Let's just see what happens, okay?" Aaron suggested, trying to be comforting. "And... I promise... nothing that happens tonight will make me think differently of you." Then he leaned in and kissed him.

[mooningremus]

Remus kissed him back, softly. Then he pulled away, and looked up at the sky. "It's time," he said softly. "I will lock it from the inside. And then I will come out when I change back." In other words, don't even think of trying to come in.

Another quick kiss, and then Remus went into the shack, where he locked the door with magic, and began to carefully take off all of his clothes.

[quitollis]

Aaron watched and then, when Remus began undressing, he felt slightly uncomfortable and looked away. Watching it made him feel like a peeping Tom. He felt he needed to give him some privacy, even if they'd seen each other naked already.

[mooningremus]

Remus finished undressing, folding his clothes carefully, and only then did he look to the window. He was about to get Aaron's attention, when suddenly, it started.

He screamed. He couldn't help it, even though he'd wanted to. He'd told himself he would try to make it seem like it wasn't so bad. But the pain ripped through him and he couldn't stop it. Even after all these years.

His bones broke and twisted as his body changed, even through his sobs and screams.

[quitollis]

Aaron turned back in shock when he heard Remus scream.

He witnessed it then, the change. It was horrific. More gruesome than anything he could have imagined. It wasn't a magical transformation, but a physical one. His bones broke and grew and grew back together in their new position. His skin strained, his muscles changed and hair grew from his skin.

Shocked and unable to move, Aaron witnessed the pain Remus was in. It was awful, but he wouldn't abandon him now.

[mooningremus]

When it was over, a wolf was there. A giant wolf, with tawny fur and huge, gleaming teeth. Horrible and beautiful.

It lifted its head and howled in displeasure and, as usual, threw itself hard against the door that was locked with magic, five or six times.

And then it turned, and noticed the window. It growled, low in the back of his throat, and stalked towards the window. And then it bared its horrible teeth, snapping its jaws as it threw itself agains the glass.

[quitollis]

Aaron winced - how could he not - but he didn't move away. He put his hand on the glass, trying to be calming in his gesture.

[mooningremus]

The wolf growled again, teeth bared, terrifying. And then it sniffed, at the air, at the glass.

And stared at Aaron with big, amber eyes.

[quitollis]

Suddenly, Aaron was struck with the beauty of the wolf - and his eyes, almost human, as if there was something still there. Or maybe that was wistful thinking. "I don't know if you can hear me through the glass," Aaron began and moved his hand to the wolf's cheek - or near there. "I'm sorry that you're trapped. It's not fair, I know."

[mooningremus]

The wolf bared its teeth and growled.

It threw itself against the glass a few more times, and at the last time there was a crunch as if a bone was breaking. But then... it whimpered and lay down. Lifting its head to watch Aaron.

[quitollis]

Aaron felt horrible. Remus hurt himself because of him. But he didn't walk away now. "I'm here. I'm sorry I can't help you. But you're not alone."

[mooningremus]

The wolf simply continued to lay there, not taking its eyes from Aaron.

[quitollis]

Frankly, Aaron didn't know if the wolf was wary of him, felt threatened or was calmed. But at least it wasn't hurting Remus now. So, Aaron stayed and told a story he remembered in a calming voice.

[mooningremus]

For the rest of the night, the wolf mostly lay there. Not taking his eyes off of Aaron.

And when the sun rose, suddenly the wolf howled in pain, and convulsed as his bones began to break and his body changed, until Remus was laying there naked instead.