Scars ˚✧˳✧ Remus Lupin

fourteen

8:39pm, 24th December, 1976

She knocked on the door.

There was some grumbling followed by the muffled sound of someone shouting before the tattered wooden door swung open.

"H-Harper? I almost didn't recognise you, you look so different."

"Mr. Lupin. I'm sorry to intrude I really am, I just-"

"Lyall? What are you doing out there?"

Hope Lupin appeared in the doorway beside her husband and peered at the girl stood on their front step.

"Harper? Harper, darling, please come in. Why don't you invite our guest inside?" Hope turned to face Lyall.
"Seems you already beat me to it." He murmured.

The woman hit his arm before gesturing for Harper to step inside.

"Sorry for being here so late on Christmas Eve, I know it's rude I just. I could go but..." Harper stammered as she stood in the Lupin' kitchen.
"It's fine, darling. Don't worry you're always welcome to stay." Hope led her to sit down at the table.

Lyall stood awkwardly in the door, running his hand through his hair. Harper smiled as he so deeply resembled his son.

"Remus!" Hope shouted, causing her to flinch.

"Coming!"

The sound of feet hurrying down the stairs made Harper nervous. She bounced her leg up and down, matching the fast rate of her heartbeat.

Harper and Remus hadn't spoken to each other since after... The quidditch match.

"What is i-" Remus froze in the door as his eyes landed on Harper, "Harp..." he greeted slowly.

"Come on Lyall, let's leave these two to... Catch up." Hope ushered her husband out of the room, leaving Remus and Harper alone.

"Hi..." she greeted with a smile.

"What're you doing here?" He lingered by the door.
"I can go it's just... I kind of left home and I didn't have anywhere else to go." She bit her lip nervously.
"No, don't go." He stepped forward now.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologise just... Are you alright?" Remus continued to move forward and sat opposite Harper at the table.

She just shook her head.

Everything Harper could possibly do wrong, she'd done.

"Harp... I'm sorry," he stood up again and pulled her into a hug.
"I thought we weren't apologising." She mumbled into his shoulder.
"No, that rule just applies to you."

The two laughed before moving back and looking at each other.

"So... Christmas tomorrow huh? Looking forward to it? I mean, I'm going to miss my mum's Christmas dinner which is the only thing I like about her and I don't get to see my dad so..." She rambled on.
"You know you don't need to make small talk. We've known each other for long enough to know that doesn't end well."

She smiled at him.
Her best friend.

"Remus... I..." she hadn't really planned what she was going to say but he didn't want to hear it.
"I kept working on the map, want to see how far I've got?"

Harper nodded, a huge goofy smile growing on her face.

He led her out of the kitchen and was about to go upstairs when his mother called him.

"Sorry, I'll be right back." He dashed into the other room where his parents were.

"What is going on?" Lyall folded his arms.
"Remus, love, is it still her family?" Hope asked quietly.

Harper had visited the Lupin's home once before, but they moved so frequently that had been many houses ago. It was during the summer after the second year when Harper's mother threatened to stop letting her go to Hogwarts if she was to be around other Muggle borns. This, of course, all stemmed from accidentally bumping into Lily in Diagon Alley and so Remus offered Harper a place to stay for the last week of summer.

"Well... Yeah," Remus rubbed the back of his neck.
"She's more than welcome to stay, don't let her feel like she's imposing." His mother smiled warmly.
"O-of course." He nodded quickly.

"Also, I know that look in your eyes but she's not staying in your room." Lyall raised his eyebrows at his son who instantly turned a vibrant shade of red.
"D-dad, w-what?"

"Get out of here, go have fun with your girl... friend." He chuckled.