Remus gasps in pain while dragging his trembling body into a sitting position. He felt the burning of his own claws all across his body, but the worst was one running from his left hip upwards towards his chest. It burns so badly it felt almost ice-cold and he just knows his wolf had thrown itself onto it more than once.
His head thumped as if though he bashed it against the walls all night, and he barely had the strength to reach towards some potions so he wouldn’t die to blood loss.
He had the right idea to put the potions bottles in an inforced safe with various defensive wards which had earned his Os in all his Defense Aginst The Dark Arts classes.
Tugging the door open, he grunts as a fresh wave of pain rushed all over his body. He leans heavily against the safe, reaching a hand in to grasp the potions. He sighs as the liquid goes down his throat, stopping the bleeding and getting to work on closing his wounds but the soreness, the pain, and the scars will remain.
Suddenly fatigue, one he can almost never remember living without, washing over him. A side effect of the potions.
Remus hazy eyes glanced at the door and windows happy to see the bricks had held, and he hadn’t been able to breakthrough. There were dents and blood splatters against them, some of his wards were shattered in a few spots but the web he weaved over them had held.
Later, when some strength returns, he would get up, take his wand-hidden in the safe as well- and remove the barricades. On the other side to the door, rested the few clothes he had left. Experience taught him that changing while clothed just ended in shreds of cloth and a bill to replace what he lost so he always stripped a few hours before the full moon took the sky.
It was humiliating but it wasn’t like anyone was around to see it. It’s been years since he last did, back when he trusted Black. When he thought he might even love Black, who had him captured in his own web- one built with lies instead of wards.
How had he not have noticed? Was he too busy with the secret smiles, the fumbling getaways in the dark, the silver eyes that linger like a physical touch to see that the words, the actions, were all empty?
Remus had given Black every first- his first friend, first rebellious act, first crush, first kiss, first lovemaking, and most painful of all, first “I love you”- but none of that had mattered. Black had played him, betrayed him and now James, Lily, and Petter was six feet under.
There were all gone, and yet Remus, the only real monster, was still here. Laying there naked, utterly exhausted to the soul, Remus felt hollowing alone wondering why he bothered to still be here.
Tears roll down his face, sorrow still so fresh, even though it’s been three years already. Harry would be four in only a month and Remus had no idea where he was, who he was with because Dumbledore had hidden so well for the boy’s protection. His old headmaster had made him realize that trying to be close to Harry would only attract the attention of the werewolves he used to spy on.
Just the idea of one of them turning Harry made him puke, he couldn’t risk actually leaving a trail for someone to follow. He owed James that much.
It aches to know he couldn’t even see Harry, and it was another thing Black took from him. The man who was in Azkaban rotting away in a cell as he should, who was undoubtedly facing one of his worst fears just by the sight of the bars- if his fear of being locked up due to his childhood ever was real.
He shouldn’t, he really shouldn’t, but he worried about him. The werewolf worried how his once love handled the prison.
Remus, curl into himself, a sob wrenching from deep within him holding ever ounce of his misery, his pain, the knowledge that even now after everything Black did, he still loved the monster-
“What are you- No stop! Remus might be on the other side- are you mad!? Don’t-!” The voice of the very man he was thinking about shouted. Remus had only two seconds to process the impossibility of that before the door was blasted open, his wards folding like wet paper against the strength of magic.
Standing on the other side was a man in a royal blue trench coat, hang open to show faded muggle jeans and an old black shirt. He held his wand in a loose casual held as if though breaking wards strong enough to withstand a werewolf were nothing.
He looked exactly like James though a few years older. The same age as Prongs....if he had lived to his mid-twenties, grown his hair and had changed his hazel eyes to jewel green.
He offered Remus a smile who could only gape back at him momently stun from his angst.
“Remus Lupin I presume?” The man asked stepping into the room. His magic washed over the area, wrapping Remus in a cacoon of warmth that works wonders on the soreness of his body.
He’s crossing the room with a disarming smile while tying his long hair into a bun. “I’m a healer. I like to exam you and make sure nothing too damaging happened to your body from the transformation. Have you taken any potions yet or-”
“You could have killed him with that blast! What is the matter with you!?” A second man shouts. Remus cuts his eyes to the doorway as the healer lets out a frustrated sigh and- no. No. No. No. Stepping through is Black, who looks a bit worse for wear, far too skinny with bags under his eyes but free.
Free, and holding a giggling child with a lighting scar against his chest. Harry.
A feral growl ripped from his chest before he could think to grab his wand, he launches his body forward, reaching to rip the man apart, wanting nothing more than saving the little boy. Black stumbles back looking shocked at the lunge, hands quickly pressing the back of the child’s head into his chest and shifting his body as if though he’s trying to shield Harry from Remus.
Suddenly, a spell hits his back and Remus finds himself slamming into the ground. He thrashes around but it’s as if though something is pressing him down.
“Remus!” Black shouts as if he is worried. As if he cares. “What are you doing to him?!”
“Relax. I’m just holding him down. Can’t have him moving around so much after a transformation without wolfsbane.” The unknown male answers flippantly. “ Now, Mr. Lupin, please stop struggling. The faster I finish my examination, the fast the pain will end.”
Remus struggles harder, knowing that if this man is with Black then he’s just as dangerous. Maybe more.
There is a loud put upon sigh. Then magic wraps around his limbs, pulling them in four different directions and the click-clacking of shackles fill the room. Magical Chains. Used on dragons, and other XXX-level magical creatures.
Remus is not powerful enough to break them, and he slumps as pain overtakes his body again the burst of strength leaving him as quickly as it came. He is now entirely restrained unable to move his body below his neck. At their mercy. Tears prickle his eyes again, as he’s flipped over and he stares up into the James-imposter bored expression and Black’s conflicted eyes.
Harry is the only one who is smiling in the room, he tugs on Black’s long hair with a giggle pointing down. “He’s not wearing any clothes Padfoot.”
Black immediately put a hand over the boy’s green eyes his face turning red. The boy whines, trying to tug the hand away and the unknown male chuckles. “He already saw him naked Mr.Black”
“That doesn’t mean he needs to keep- ugh! Just shut up, I protect my godson’s innocence as I please!” Black grumbles then he narrows his eyes at the...healer. “You stop staring at Remus.”
“I’ve seen plenty of people naked before, Mr. Black,” The healer says smoothly “I assure you I’m a professional who respects his patients.”
“You didn’t when you came for me!” Black counters.
“You refuse to leave your cell due to your guilt. What was I supposed to do? You could have died with that bacteria in your lungs and then where would Harry be? He still be under those stairs in the cramped cupboard” The other says, kneeling down. Remus’ face flinches when the other runs his hands on his ribs, gently pushing on them with a hum. Black releases a growl that sounds close to his inner dog “Your ribs are out of place, most likely due to the dramatic change between your forms. Not surprising but a bit worrying. Tell Mr. Lupin do you experience chest pains often?”
“Don’t touch him!” Black bites at the same time Remus screams “Don’t touch me!”.
The healer chuckles again. “You two are cute.”
“What’s going on?” Harry whines still squirming in Black’s hold and attempting to remove the iron clad palm covering his sight. “I want to see!”
Black kicks his legs out aiming for the healer whose hands are now running over Remus’ neck and stumble against a shield that appears. The force of the impact pushes Black back and the man falls right on his ass with a surprised shout. Harry goes with him, but he able to push his eyes out from behind long fingers and stares at Remus with sparkling joy.
“That was rude Mr. Black” The Healer didn’t even look in the other man’s direction when addressing him instead probing Remus’ jaw. He clicks his tongue “Seems you dislocated this too. You have quite the pain tolerance.”
Remus spits in his face. The saliva stops before it makes contact with the stranger, slamming against a new shield and the stranger smiles amusedly at him. Then the man’s wand is aimed at his chest and Remus thinks he’s about to pay for his little rebellious action.
Instead of pain, however, a healing spell lands over his skin, sinking into his ribs and pushing them into the right place. That should have hurt, but somehow the man’s magic was making it an easy change and suddenly Remus's torso stop thumping as his ribs popped loudly.
He can breathe easier now too, better then he felt in years. Remus’ eyes widen in wonder staring at the, suddenly kind looking green eyes of the James-Imposter.
“What was that? What did you do!?” Black demands.
“Fixed his ribs.” The stranger answers wand now aimed at his jaw. Another loud pop and Remus actually release a sigh of relief much to his shame.“Relax Mr. Black.”
Quick as a snake, the healer slashes his wand over Remus and his whole body lights up, as the pain from last night slips away, the magic sealing wounds the potions couldn’t, gently massaging areas and cleaning him. Black falls silent at the sight, jaw dropped.
Remus can’t really blame him. He’s never seen healing quite like this nor felt healing this efficient. No matter how hard his parents and other healers have tried, werewolf damage was darn near impossible to fully fix, only control the aches for a few days.
But apparently, this man was erasing the pain as easy as one could erase with a muggle pencil. Just who was he?
As the glowing continues the stranger reaches into his pocket to pull out...a rat in tiny Magical Chains. The rat squealed when the healer thrust it into Remus's face.
“Smell familiar Mr. Lupin?” The man asks just as the scent hits the werewolf's nostrils and he...no....Petter? But how? That was undeniably him, Remus would never forget his friends' scents but the implications....oh merlin.
The healer gives him a grim smile, one that speaks of a person on the verge of vengeance. “Mr. Black was frame by a mutual acquaintance of your Mr. Lupin.”
Remus swings his eyes to Black- and sees the man who he always loves stare at him with such heartbreaking hope, desperation, and pleading. Pleading Remus to believe him, to trust him or to at least listen.
“Remus....I didn’t do it. You know me. You know...” Sirius voice breaks. “Please,”
Closing his eyes the werewolf shakes his head glancing back that the healer, needing to focus on something, anything else. “Who are you?”
The stranger grins in a way that would make James proud and Lily weary. “A wayward healer.”
“Remus?” Sirius calls once more and Remus does it again.
“Let me up so we can figure this out. We need to clear your name, Sirius.” he chokes saying so much more in those two sentences. I’m sorry, I missed you, I still love you.
Hopefully, Sirius can still understand him like he used to, hopefully he can hear what he means.
The healer snaps his fingers, releasing him from his hold and Padfoot slams into his arms with a sob.
Little Harry had gotten out of the man’s hold at one point pulling the Healer’s coat. He makes a distressed expression at the two men who are pressing themselves close together as if though one thinks the other will disappear. “Why are they crying?”
The healer reaches down to pat his the boy's head voice taking a strange tone which would make Remus think he was hearing a seer foretelling a future war. “Because love can be painful sometimes. But don’t worry. I’m a healer. I can fix it.”
“Like when you came and took me away?” The boy asks faithfully. His green eyes take just the edge of hero-worship in them.
The healer smiles with all his teeth. “Exactly like that.”
