#IM RIDICULOUSLY LATE BUT AAAAAAAAAH

[heyitssmiller]

Im here with another Hogwarts warmup, if you want it. SW characters belong to the lovely Hazel @lumosinlove

By late spring of Leo’s fourth year, he could confidently say that he had his shit figured out. He’d passed his exams with flying colors, actually doing better then he though he would but Logan had told him it was expected. Leo was “smart as shit” in his words. Finn also told him he’d known Leo would do well, though this was on a separate occasion. “I was the one who tutored you, after all.”

Leo had just scoffed and playfully shoved him, but Finn’s bragging was well justified. He’d done better than Leo had, probably the best in their year.

On top of his stellar test scores, Leo had the summer to look forward to, which seemed to be just around the corner. He and Finn also continued to study in the library, though with no more exams to study for, it was more so they could keep hanging out.

Yes, spring was going exceptionally well. The warmer weather was making Leo smile brighter, and feel like he was on top of his game. Until he heard the news.

Everyone in Hogwarts heard the story. Snape was in the hospital wing, apparently in bad shape. The gossip was James Potter had even been the one to save his life.

The rumors flew fast and reached stellar heights of absolute ridiculousness.

Snape had a dark spell backfire on him and Potter performed the counter curse.

I heard that a centaur attacked him.

Someone confunded Severus and convinced him to get too close to the whomping willow.

It was revenge for Snape calling Lily a mudblood.

Leo heard it all, and after piecing the puzzles together, it wasn’t hard for him to eventually figure out the real story. The one Dumbledore and McGonagall were working hard to keep under wraps.

He went to the hospital wing immediately, and upon seeing Remus in one of the beds, his suspicions were confirmed true. It was no dark curse, or a centaur, or even the whomping willow at fault. But Leo truly believed Remus wasn’t the one to blame, either.

Snape was still alive, wasn’t he?

Besides that, Leo knew that Lupin was a genuinely good person. He was an excellent prefect, patient with the first years and kind to anyone he crossed paths with. Leo knew how nice Remus could be from personal experience.

That day when Leo had figured out his feelings for one of his bestfriends, a Slytherin boy of all people, and panicked. Leo had found himself pacing the edge of the Black lake, kicking rocks into the water as hard as he possibly could and crying because he didn’t want to feel that way. Not because he was ashamed, but because he was worried the feelings would get stronger and he’d lose Logan.

Remus found him, and by that time, the sun was setting and Leo had missed dinner.

It’s okay. I’m the same way, too Remus said to him. But Leo already knew that, because he had spent so much time observing people, assuring himself he wasn’t the only one at Hogwarts who was gay. Leo spent so much time observing, he had also figured out another secret of Remus Lupin’s.

And that’s why he was here, taking in the smell of antiseptic.

The nightstand next to Remus’ hospital bed told Leo that James and Peter had been there recently, leaving gifts of chocolate and encouraging, friendly notes that all with We love you, Moony.

Leo rolled his eyes. It’s a marvel that nobody else has figured it out, with a nickname like Moony.

Strangely, there was nothing from Sirius. But Leo didn’t have time to ponder over that, because he heard Remus start to wake up.

The fifth year blinked, quietly groaning as he tried to sit up. Leo quickly moved to help him, but his hands were batted away.

“I’m fine.” Remus said, fixing the pillows behind him so he could lean against them in an upright position. Then, his eyes fixed on Leo.

Remus stared like a deer in headlights, and Leo was suddenly realizing that maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to come here. He didn’t want to worry Remus, and no one else was supposed to know he was in the hospital wing.

“Uh... Hi.” He said, offering a shy wave. Remus only blinked at him.

Leo shifted his weight from foot to foot, not knowing what to do now that he was actually here. He just wanted to make sure Remus was alright. He wanted to make sure he had some company when the Marauders were busy finishing the last of their O.W.L.s.

“Knut.” Remus finally greeted, voice coming out rough. He cleared his throat a few times, and took a sip of the water on his nightstand then tried again. “What are you doing here?”

Honestly? Leo didn’t know how to answer that question. When he figured out what had happened - what actually happened - he was so concerned with making sure Remus was alright that he hadn’t stopped to think that Remus didn’t know that Leo knew. And he didn’t want Remus to know, because he didn’t want him to worry.

But Remus was looking at him in such a terrified way, that Leo could only think of one way to fix it.

“I’m here to check on you. I... no one knows the real story. But I figured it out. And I wanted to make sure you were okay?”

The answer didn’t have the effect Leo was going for. Instead, Remus started breathing faster, and both of his hands were on Leo’s chest, pushing him away.

“Yo- you shouldn’t be here. I’m just sick, I didn’t make a potion right.”

Leo tried pushing him back onto the bed, scared that Remus was about to fall off at any minute but he was equally matched in stubbornness.

“You can’t be here, I’m super contagious. I don’t want anyone knowing that I failed potions-”

“Lupin.”

“Please, just go, it’s so embarrassing-”

“Remus!”

Remus stopped, and so did Leo. “It’s okay. I know. It’s okay.”

The words didn’t stop Remus from shaking, but he allowed himself to settle back into the pillows. Leo was glad to see that his breathing was returning to normal, but Remus still didn’t look at him. He stared at the nightstand, instead.

“I didn’t hurt him.” Remus whispered, refusing to meet eye contact.

“Oh my- no. That’s not why I’m here. I know you didn’t hurt anyone.”

“Then why are you here?” Remus snapped, finally meeting his gaze with hard eyes. Leo didn’t flinch. He was used to Logan’s temper, and this had nothing on the fits Lo would go through.

“I’m here as your friend. You were there for me once, remember? Now I’m here for you.”

And eventually, Remus softened. His shoulders released their tension and he sunk back into the bed, finally relaxed.

Leo took that as his cue to sit in the empty visitor’s chair and prop his feet on the metal bed frame. He wanted to ask, wanted to know why Snape was at the shack, or how he had even known in the first place, but Remus didn’t need that right now. Just the silence and companionship seemed enough.

He didn’t need to ask are you okay, either because he was very obviously not.

Instead, he grabbed the pack of playing cards out of the drawer of the nightstand and started shuffling them for a round of go fish. And Remus smiled, for the first time that day.

AAAAAAAAAH 😍😍😍I LOVE IT SO MUCH

@lumosinlove