Not a Monster (Marauder fanfic)

26- Combined

All the Gryffindor girls, and the Marauders, were gathered in the common room, around the fire. With Sara in the centre, bridging the cap between the two groups.
This was the first time the two teams, had been together like this, and the first time that James was in the same room as Lily, and wasn't trying to flirt with her.
Remus sat on one side of Sara, holding her hand, while Marlene sat on the other, doing the same.
"Do you think we are going to get into trouble, for being out of our beds?" Questioned Peter nervously.
"Course not Wormy. If anyone asks, we just say that Sara was ill, which is why we all gathered in here. Besides, we have two Prefects with us, so we aren't going to get into any trouble" replied James.
"But if you'd rather be in bed, no one is forcing you to be here" said Remus coldly.
Peter shook his head, and looked at the floor, clearly embarressed.

Remus turned his attention back to Sara, and rubbed his fingers across the back of her hand, soothingly.
"Are you going to tell us what's wrong?" He asked softly.
Sara sniffed loudly, and looked away from the fireplace, towards Remus.
"It's my mother" she whispered.
Sirius looked at the girls in the room, and shifted uncomfortably.
"Are you sure we should be doing this here? In front of the girls in your dormitory?" He questioned.
Lily folded her arms and frowned.
"What's that supposed to mean? We are her friends as well you know, we care about her just as much as you do. You aren't as special as you think Black".
"No, Sirius is right. There are things that you don't know about Sara, Evans" James said quietly.
"What, that she's a Maledictus, and can turn into a dragon?".

Sara and Remus's heads snapped towards Lily, jaws dropping.
"How did you know?" Questioned Remus.
Lily shrugged.
"We've all known for a while now. We worked it out a couple of years ago".
"Then why didn't you ever say anything?" Asked Sara.
"We thought you would tell us when you were ready. We didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable, by knowing that we knew the truth" admitted Marlene.
"Well, I guess that makes things easier, now that we all know the truth. We don't have to hide anything for you any more" commented Remus.
"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you the truth" Sara said quietly.
Marlene squeezed Sara's shoulder gently.
"It's O.K. We understand why you wouldn't want to tell us. It's not exactly something you want everyone knowing. But you can trust us, we won't tell anyone. We swear".
"I know I can trust you guys. I was just embarressed to tell you the truth, I guess... But I'm glad that you know the truth now".

"Why don't you tell us what's been upsetting you. You said it was something to do with your mother" reminded James.
"Yes... The last time I went to see her, didn't quite go as planned" Sara revealed.
"What happened? She didn't hurt you, did she?" Remus asked, sounding concerned.
"No, not exactly... Recently she has been reacting badly to my human form, so I keep having to see her, when I'm in my other form. As being the same species seemed to calm her down.
Which is what I did, when I went to say goodbye... but it wasn't enough apparently.
I transformed, and made my way towards her, but I could tell that something wasn't right, straight away. She wasn't acting the way that she normally did around me.
Which is when I realised, that she could no longer recognised me. She stared at me, like I was a stranger.
My own mother saw me as a threat, and began to advance towards me, ready to fight me. I'm lucky that I noticed the signs early, and got out, without a scratch on me.
But I don't really care that she didn't hurt me, because my own mother didn't recognise me. And that's more painful than any wound she could have inflicted on me".

Remus placed his arm around Sara, and allowed her to cry into his shoulder.
"I don't know why it's come as such a shock. I knew this day would happen. I just didn't think it would be this soon" sobbed Sara.
"It's O.K. You're allowed to cry, and feel upset. It's the natural thing to do in this situation. And you are not weak, for feeling like this" replied Remus supportively.
"Remus is right. Just because you knew this day would come one day, doesn't mean you are ready, for when it finally arrives" agreed Lily.
"I know... Even though I knew this would happen, I guess I wished that this day would never come... I never really thought that she would look at me one day, with no recognition in her eyes. And it hurt more than I thought it would" admitted Sara.

"No one can know how they are going to react to traumatic events. You can't plan for them, even if you know they are going to happen" Marlene said softly.
"I guess not... I suppose it was a bit of a reality check. And a reminder, that that is my future as well. One day I will lose my humanity as well, just like my mother. It is my fate" admitted Sara.
"No. I don't think it will be" announced James.
"This is a condition James. A blood curse. You can't fight it with stubborness or magic" reminded Sara.
"I might not know as much about the blood curse, as you do. I admit.
But, I believe that you are very different to your mother. She only had you, and you couldn't be there all the time, you had to have your own life.
But you, you have us. And we are all going to be by your side, throughout this process. We aren't going to let you lose your humanity.
I won't let it happen".

"For once, I agree with Potter. Your mother didn't have friends, or people that cared for her, besides you. Which meant that she didn't have many happy memories to hold on to.
But you have all your memories of us, and Hogwarts, to remind you of being human. And I have a feeling that you will never forget any of us, no matter what happens" announced Lily, smiling.
"And even when you get stuck as a dragon, we will visit you every day, I swear it. You will never be alone" agreed James.
"I can't ask that of you all" mumbled Sara.
"But we want to do it. We want to be by your side, and help you through this. We are your friends after all" replied Marlene.
Sara looked at Dorcas, Mary, and Alice, who all nodded their heads, agreeing with Marlene and Lily.

"What's wrong?" Remus asked, wiping away new tears, that had begun to fall down Sara's face.
"Nothing. I guess that I never imagined, I would ever have such good friends, as you guys. I love you all so much, you mean the world to me" admitted Sara.
"Yeah, well you aren't so bad yourself Smokey" replied Sirius.
Sara laughed, and wiped away her remaining tears.
Remus kissed her cheek in front of everyone, making her blush.
"Even if you forget me. I will never stop coming to see you. I promise" he whispered into her ear.
"Well, I don't know about you guys. But I'm tired. And I think we should all get some sleep" suggested James, yawning.
"Can we trust you girls to look after her, for us, until morning?" He continued.
Marlene put her arm through Sara's, protectively.
"Don't worry, we'll take good care of her" she replied.

After everyone had said goodnight to one another, the girls returned to their dormitory, and the boys went back to theirs.
"Do you feel a bit better now?" Marlene asked.
Sara nodded, as she got into her own bed.
"A little... Thanks for getting the boys. I know it sounds foolish, but I really rely on them, more than I'd like to admit".
"You're welcome. We know that you guys are all close. Which is why we took you to see them when you were upset" replied Lily.
"They are like the family that I never had. We are closer than just friends. They're like my brothers. Except Remus of course".

"I can see that now. I didn't really know how protective they were over you, until now. I saw the part of them, that usually only you get to see" admitted Lily.
"I told you that there was more to them than you originally thought" reminded Sara.
"Yeah, alright. Don't rub in it"
"Oh, I'm going to run it in hard".
Lily laughed and Sara copied.
"Goodnight guys" she said, yawning.
"Goodnight Sara" replied all the other girls.
Sara let her head fall back onto her pillow, as she let out a sigh, and smiled. She was happy to have such good friends, that cared so much about her.