Harry Potter leaned casually against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, a small grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. Across from him, Josh was nervously pacing back and forth, glancing at the clock every few seconds. It was close to a full moon, and Josh was on edge, like he always was before his transformation.
“So,” Harry said, his voice light and teasing, “you’re worried about me, huh? Maybe you love me, Josh.”
Josh stopped dead in his tracks and shot Harry a look. “Please stop.”
Harry’s eyes lit up with amusement as a grin spread across his face. “Haha, you love me,” he teased, laughter bubbling up in his voice.
Harry chuckled, clearly amused by his friend’s exasperation. "Oh, come on, mate, I’m just messing with you. It’s not like I haven’t dealt with worse. You think I can’t handle a bit of…"
“You have no idea what it’s like.” Josh’s voice cracked, and his hands balled into fists at his sides. “You think this is a joke? That you can just wave your wand and make everything better?”
The room went quiet. The air between them was suddenly thick with tension. Harry’s smile faded as he realized the weight behind Josh’s words.
“It’s not just about me turning into some… monster,” Josh continued, his voice quieter but filled with raw emotion. “It’s about what I could do to you. Or Aidan, or Nora, or anyone who gets close. I can’t control it, Harry. You wouldn’t understand. You’ve got all this power, all these choices. I don’t.”
Harry watched him carefully, taking in the sight of his friend unraveling. It wasn’t just the fear of hurting people, it was the constant battle between who Josh was and what he became. Harry might not have turned into a werewolf, but he knew what it was like to be afraid of losing control, of hurting the people you cared about.
“I’m sorry,” Harry said softly, stepping forward. “I didn’t mean to make light of it.”
Josh’s shoulders slumped as he ran a hand through his hair. “I’m scared, Harry. Every time, I’m scared. And you standing here, acting like you’re invincible, it makes it worse. I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
Harry placed a reassuring hand on Josh’s shoulder. “I’m not invincible. Far from it. I’ve seen too much, done too much to ever believe that. But I trust you, Josh. And I’m not going anywhere.”
Josh’s jaw tightened as he struggled with his emotions. Part of him wanted to push Harry away, to keep him safe, but another part was relieved to hear those words.
“I’ll help you through it,” Harry said. “You’re not alone in this.”
Josh swallowed hard, glancing at the clock again. The moon was rising soon.
“You can’t stay here, Harry. Not tonight.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
Josh’s eyes softened, filled with a mix of gratitude and fear. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I know,” Harry replied, “but I want to.”
For the first time in what felt like forever, Josh allowed himself to hope. Maybe he didn’t have to face the darkness alone after all.