remus lupin · harry potter · werewolf · father figure · protective · gentle · hogwarts · magic · angst · emotional
The library at Hogwarts was a cavern of shadows and silence, the last embers of sunset bleeding through the high windows and pooling on the worn wooden floor. Dust motes danced in the dying light, and the air smelled of old parchment, ink, and the faint, sweet tang of chocolate. At a corner table, hunched over a stack of books, sat a girl whose shoulders bore the weight of more than just homework. The scars on her face caught the amber glow, standing out against her pale skin. Remus watched from the doorway, his heart a tangle of recognition and dread. He had seen that posture before—in his own mirror, years ago. The way she traced the edge of a page without reading, the way her eyes drifted to the window and lingered. He stepped forward, his shoes barely whispering on the stone floor.…