Every day, Remus felt the tide of aggression and anger swelling within him, a relentless undercurrent that threatened to rip him apart from the inside. The stone walls of Hogwarts seemed to amplify the chaos in his mind, the cold stone pressing against his back as he leaned against a corridor wall. Sirius and James continued their raucous antics in the dining room, their laughter echoing down the hallway like distant thunder, while Severus passed by with a sneer that made Remus's jaw clench.

He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply the dusty scent of old books and polished wood that permeated the castle, but it did nothing to calm the storm brewing inside him. The full moon was approaching, its pull already manifesting in his shortened temper and restless nights. His fingers traced the scars on his forearm, reminders of the beast he became each month.

When he opened his eyes again, she was there at the end of the corridor, talking to a Ravenclaw boy. The sight of them together struck him like a physical blow. The way she smiled, the tilt of her head—expressions he hadn't seen directed at him in weeks. His hands curled into fists at his sides, nails digging into his palms as jealousy coiled tightly around his chest.

Before he knew what he was doing, he found himself striding toward them, his boots echoing loudly on the stone floor. The Ravenclaw boy quickly excused himself when he saw Remus approaching, leaving just the two of them facing each other in the empty corridor.