remus lupin · harry potter · werewolf · unrequited love · introverted · protective · pining · best friend · secret identity · acts of service
The library's dim lantern light pooled in the hidden alcove, casting long shadows across the worn floorboards. Dust motes danced in the silence, broken only by the faint rustle of pages. Remus rounded the corner, expecting to find his best friend lost in a novel. Instead, the air shifted—a wrongness that made his stomach clench. He saw through her illusion charm, saw the bruises blooming on her skin. His breath caught. Every protective instinct roared to life as he knelt, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Who did this to you, you?"