Special Thanks: I just wanted to give a special thanks to my three brilliant betas, Mkblack312 (grammar & all that good stuff), MissPurplePen (canon, characters, plot, dialogue, to name a few), and Eoywn89 (keeping my characters IN character and word choice, in paticular!).







.::Memories::.


Remus Lupin was a dark-haired, rather tall eleven-year-old boy with solemn brown eyes. He was wearing dark, shabby clothes that rather matched his appearance, and was even carrying a small, patched up trunk. He observed the boisterous crowd around him with his deep brown eyes, like he always did. Nobody noticed him, nobody spoke to him, yet he liked it better that way. The less people that spoke to him, the less he had to explain about himself.

The platform for the Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station was brightly lit and filled with the laugher of children and parents. People held all sorts of colorful animals: snowy white owls, slimy green toads, and cats of all different sorts. Remus saw one boy with his parents – a tall, skinny boy with messy, jet black hair. Remus wished his parents could have come to bid him goodbye, but they had both been working jobs since Remus had been bitten because they had almost spent all their money trying desperately to find a cure, if there only was one. These bitter, piercing memories invaded Remus’ mind harshly, but he promptly pushed them away, focusing upon the task at hand – boarding the Hogwarts Express.

Making his way through the busy crowd, his suitcase rattling loudly behind him, he stepped onto the train. He was relieved to see that the Hogwarts students had not yet begun to enter. It was practically empty, yet Remus made his way to the back of the car and took a seat in a dark compartment to the left. Placing his trunk on the shelf above him, he took a seat, tired. He had not gotten much sleep since he had been bitten by that werewolf, that horrible werewolf that had ruined his life. He hated to remember how it had all started.

“Remus, where are you going?� questioned Susan Lupin sharply, her dark blue eyes boring into her young son’s. Remus evaded her inquisitive gaze, shuffling his feet softly on the hard dirt. Susan crossed her arms, waiting warily for his reply. Remus kicked at a nearby rock, trying to think of some way to avoid his mother’s inquiries. He just wanted to have a little fun with his friends. It was not actually the thrill of running around in the wood at night with this friends that caused him to hide the truth from his mother, it was the fear of his friends taunting him if he did not come along with them. He assumed his mother was so worried because she was a Muggle – always afraid of him hurting himself with magic. He couldn’t let her know what he was doing or she would certainly tell him that he could not go.

A soft wind blew past the trees outside the Lupins’ home, making the old building creak slightly. The leaves rustled gently, and the wind whistled slightly. Remus felt as if their sounds were many voices hissing and scolding him for what he was about to do. “How could you do something like this to your mother,� they seemed to chide him. He felt slightly unnerved and for the first time felt a flicker of guilt prick him somewhere around his chest. He pushed these feelings aside and looked at his mother with an unwavering stare.

“I told you already,� he said in a low voice, “I’m going over to the Clements’ for supper. David invited me over. Remember me telling you?�

His mother pursed her lips. She seemed to be thinking through everything Remus had just said.

“Yes, but how many times have you said things like that to me, and then I find out you’ve done something to yourself, like the time you nearly blew half your leg off?�

Remus suppressed a sigh of annoyance. Did his mother always have to bring that incident up? He looked straight back at her and did not blink, although his eyes were beginning to water.

“I’m not lying this time, Mum. Promise.�

His mother stared at him for a second, her face expressionless. Then her features relaxed and she let out a soft sigh.

“All right,� she said, running her hands through her hair uneasily. “But don’t you let me hear that you have gotten yourself into any trouble, do you understand me?�

Remus nodded, relieved. With a wave goodbye, he ran off into the forest, heading to his friend’s home half a mile away. He felt his mother’s eyes watching him until he disappeared around a bend.

Remus closed his eyes and placed his head in his hands. He wouldn’t, he couldn’t remember. As he felt the tears swell up, burning his eyes, he blinked them back and sat up, angry with himself for bringing up the memories once again, memories he promised himself he would let go of.

Suddenly, there was a soft knock on his compartment door. Remus glanced up and saw the pretty face of a young girl with large, green eyes and short, red hair. She was smiling, holding a perfectly white cat in her hands. There was something about this girl that made him feel perfectly comfortable, even though he hadn’t even spoken to her yet. He stood up, sliding the glass door open for her, and helping her with her trunk. Placing it above her head next to his own, he offered her a seat across from him.

“Thanks,� she said in a sweet, soft voice, sitting. “My name is Lily Evans, by the way. This is Stella, my cat,� she added, patting the snow-white creature.

“I’m Remus Lupin,� Remus said in a quiet voice. Lily smiled in her beautiful way once more.

“I like that name,� she said, “Remus. Is this your first year too?�

He nodded. Lily stroked Stella’s pure white hair as she talked. “I’m so nervous. I really don’t know that much about wizards, honestly. My parents are both Muggles. � Worry crossed her features, and she sighed.

“I’m sorry,� said Remus sympathetically. “I couldn’t really understand what you felt like. My mother isn’t a witch, but I don’t know what it would be like to have two parents who weren’t wizards.�

“You’re lucky,� said Lily, frowning. “My parents were very pleased when they found out that I was a witch, but Petunia, my sister…well, she wasn’t as pleased.� Remus could see Lily’s expression sadden slightly and her eyes focus upon the floor, but in an instant her eyes were back upon him and she was smiling.

“I’ve always wanted a brother,� he said wistfully, “and I’m sure I would have, but after the…after the accident, my parents just decided I would be their only child.�

Lily looked sympathetically at Remus. “Is that where you got those scars?� she asked hesitantly, as if she was worried she would upset him.

Remus nodded, running a hand down his cheek and feeling the long, faded scars running across his face.

Remus ran after his friends through the forest. The lofty, creaking trees moved slightly in the cold wind blowing through their branches. The moon shone brightly down on Remus. It was extremely bright, eerily so, its light a harsh contrast against the otherwise black night sky. Besides for the voices of the young boys and the whisper of the wind, the woods seemed frighteningly silent, as if some invisible threat loomed. He knew it wasn’t safe to be here after dark, but the boyish temptation of throwing stones through the windows of the old, abandoned house deep in the woods was too strong for the young boy. Besides, if he stopped now and went back home, his friends would never stop teasing him.

He was a few yards behind the boys when he heard a howl behind him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood straight up as the chilling cry echoed once again throughout the forest. Wheeling around, he was relieved to see nothing between the dark shadows of the tall trees behind him. His friends had stopped too, and were glancing around. Remus shook himself. It was nothing, probably just some wolf far off.

Suddenly he realized what all his friends were staring at. Behind him he heard the deep, husky breathing of a creature -- a hungry, ravenous creature. He turned and saw a monster from his darkest nightmares. A wolf-like, horrible, dark something. Something he only had read about…

…A werewolf.

He didn’t have time to run, to yell…only to cover his face with his arms and stumble backwards as the creature pounced.

“What was the accident?� Lily pressed on, caringly, but apparently unable to suppress her curiosity. Remus tried to block the bad memories from entering into his head, but he couldn’t help but remember it all.

A flash of yellow teeth and black fur was smothering him. He felt the creature’s paws strike his face as he leapt, cutting deep gashes in his cheeks. A sickening pain in his shoulder made him scream, but nobody came. There were yells of panic from somewhere above him, but he didn’t care. All he wanted was to stop the pain. Please, someone, he thought desperately, someone stop it. Before he felt his sight blur and vanish he heard shouts in the distance, and the loud bang of a spell from a wand. He felt the weight of the werewolf lift off his body as the creature bounded into the distance. His shoulder felt strangely warm, and he realized it was his own blood pouring from his shoulder. He saw the face of his father above him, and felt strong arms lifting him, and then everything went black.

“I’m sorry,� Lily apologized, as Remus' expression changed to a look of horror.

Remus, who had closed his eyes in attempt to forget what he was seeing, looked up and opened his eyes. Seeing Lily’s frightened face, he changed his expression.

“I was attacked,� he said simply, not wanting to lie to Lily. “But I don’t like…I don’t talk about it anymore,� he finished. Lily seemed to understand, but still looked sadly at him. Remus felt uncomfortable, not liking when he was looked at in that way. He stared out the window, remembering when he had first discovered the truth about himself.

Remus woke up with a start. The first feeling he had was the warmth of the covers underneath him. There was a bandage around his shoulder, and a fluffy pillow beneath his head.

He squinted and looked around the room, pushing himself into a sitting position. He let out a gasp and fell back onto the bed as he felt his newly-mended, bandaged shoulder send a sharp jolt of pain down his arm.

The was brightly lit, with several empty beds near him. He examined his surroundings as best he could while lying down. There was a window high above him, and he could see the sunny sky outside. He wondered how long he had been asleep.

Suddenly a fat little man opened the door and entered the room, followed by a tall, rather solemn-looking man. Remus knew these men, by their uniforms, to be Healers. He realized he was at St. Mungo’s.

The little man smiled at Remus. “So, you’re finally awake, then?� he asked cheerily, adjusting the pillows beneath Remus’s head. “Your parents have been asking about you for quite some time now.�

The solemn-looking Healer still stood by the door quietly. Then, after a moment, he came up to Remus and looked down at him, concerned.

“I’ve already told your parents,� he started, “and I think it’s time I tell you as well. Do you know what bit you last night?� he asked

Remus nodded, remembering the sharp teeth, the terrible growl, and the blood. A werewolf. There was no mistaking it. It had been nearly twice the size of a real wolf and much more vicious. “Yes,� he replied. “A werewolf. Why?�

The short healer wasn’t smiling anymore. Remus suddenly felt a lump in his throat. “What?� he said in a louder voice. “What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?� He felt a flicker of fear at the expression on both men’s faces.

“When a person is bitten by a werewolf, they…� he hesitated.

“What?!� said Remus, panic-stricken. “What happens to him? What does he do?�

“He becomes a werewolf himself,� the man finished quickly, looking away. Remus felt for a moment like he couldn’t breathe. He glanced down at his arm, as if to reassure himself that he still had skin instead of fur. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw he was perfectly normal.

“But look at me!� he insisted, pointing to his body. “I’m not a werewolf! I still look like a human!� He looked at the doctors’ concerned faces. “Don’t I?� He was shaking, despite his attempts to look brave.

“It doesn’t happen except every night at the full moon,� the short man said. “But when you do transform, you’ll have to be away from everyone. Some place where you are safe from harming people.�

“Why would I hurt people?!� shouted Remus angrily.

The tall doctor looked worried. “When you transform,� he replied, “well, your mind is different. You have the mind of a werewolf, not of a human. You’ll want to bite any person you see; you won’t be able to help it, Remus.�

“Even my parents?� asked Remus, feeling his eyes fill up with tears. “I wouldn’t ever hurt my parents! I love them!� At the thought of his parents, Remus remembered everything from the night before. How he had lied to his mother, how he had been bitten, and how his father had come and rescued him. Did his parents even want to see him anymore? Maybe they were mad that he had disobeyed them—he wouldn’t have gotten bitten if he had listened to his mother. Would his parents be afraid of him? Would they think he might bite them if they came near him?

He heard his parents’ footsteps echoing down the corridor, and suddenly he didn’t want for them to see him, to see what he had become. Would they ever love him anymore?

He looked up and saw his mother and father at the doorway. They looked concerned, but Remus could not say if it was for themselves or for him. They both looked at him, and he looked back at them. No one spoke for several seconds. Then, suddenly, Mrs. Lupin ran forward and took Remus in her arms, holding him close. She was crying. His father walked over too, talking Remus’ hand in his own. Suddenly, Remus began crying too.

“You…you don’t hate me?� he asked through his sobs. Mrs. Lupin shook her head. “Never, Remus. You are the most precious thing in the world to your father and me. We would never, ever hate you. No matter what happens, Remus, I promise you we will always love you.�

Remus felt tears coming to his eyes, and he quickly wiped them away. He noticed Lily looking at him again and diverted his attention to a raven-haired, grinning boy who was walking by the compartment, his hands full of chocolate frogs and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans.

The boy was the one Remus had seen previously, with the black hair. Remus watched as he turned and looked at the two sitting together in the compartment, sliding the door open without knocking. Remus saw a flicker of annoyance pass over Lily’s face like a shadow, but the boy didn’t seem to notice as he entered.

The black-haired boy didn’t bother being polite. “Glad I finally found a seat!� he proclaimed, turning to Lily and grinning. Lily nodded, still looking annoyed. The boy took a seat next to Lily.

“I,� said the boy, extending his hand to Lily, “am James Potter.� Lily eyed his hand with a strange expression, and shook it quickly.

“It’s nice to meet you, James,� she said, smiling stiffly. “I’m Lily Evans, and this is Remus Lupin,� she said, turning to James. James nodded to Remus.

“Nice to meet you,� he said, holding out his hand and shaking Remus’.

Remus couldn’t help it, but he liked this boy. He looked like he was clever, yet mischievous. Most of his friends hadn’t been allowed to see him after their families had discovered he was a werewolf. But now it would be his secret. Dumbledore had been kind enough to allow him to come to this school, despite the danger, and he wasn’t going to let the headmaster down. Nobody would ever discover his secret again.

“So, what about that giant tree I heard they’re planting on the Hogwarts grounds?� said James, glancing out the window at the scenery flashing by rapidly, attempting to strike up a conversation. Lily nodded knowingly.

“Yes, I just heard that it was planted several months ago. Also, it’s supposed to have some kind of magical power.� Nobody saw the slight look of fright cross over Remus’ face as they mentioned this. He was remembering what had happened and how he had gotten here.

Remus’ father and mother sat at the kitchen table, and bills and bills lay out in front of them. Remus had been unable to sleep that night, and had tiptoed downstairs, not wanting to disturb his parents. He had heard them talking, and had hidden at the top of the staircase to listen into their conversation. He had suspected something important had taken place when a tall, mysterious man with smiling eyes and a lengthy, snow white beard had showed up on their doorstep, carrying a yellowish letter in his hands and requesting to speak with his parents privately. After the man had left, his parents, smiles on their faces, had refused to answer any of Remus’ questions, no matter how persistent he had been.

“When are you going to tell Remus about Hogwarts, Henry?� asked Mrs. Lupin.

Henry smiled. “Soon, I promise. He’s probably asleep by now, anyhow.�

“You’re sure that Remus will be safe and apart from the other children when he transforms, right?�

“Dumbledore has done everything to make sure that Remus will be completely alone from others when…when it happens. He’s building a secret passageway leading to where Remus will stay during the full moon, and planting a tree over it, which should keep the other children away. And trust me, Dumbledore will make it extremely secret and hard to get to. He’s a ingenious wizard.�

Susan smiled, reaching across the table and taking Henry’s hand in her own, giving it a loving squeeze.

“I’m so glad Remus can go to Hogwarts—I’ve wanted so much for him to have as normal a life as possible. I just hope he’s safe,� she sighed. Suddenly she looked up in alarm as Remus came bounding down the stairs.

“Remus!� she exclaimed, “You were listening in!� But she didn’t sound very cross—instead, she smiled and hugged Remus tightly.

“I’m going to Hogwarts!� laughed Remus, feeling happier than he had in his entire life. “I’m really going!� He wished that moment would last forever.

“It’s a special kind of weeping willow tree,� Remus heard Lily continue to explain to James. Remus looked up. “It will attack anyone who gets near it. Smack them with its branches, actually,� continued Lily.

James grinned. “That sounds neat,� he said. “What’s the point, though,� continued James, “of putting a tree in the middle of the Hogwarts ground just so it can whack people? A joke?�

“I don’t think the teachers would play a joke, do you?� interjected Lily, smiling at the thought. Then her face became suddenly serious. “Unless they’re trying to hide something…�

“No, I really don’t think so!� interjected Remus suddenly, as the train gave a lurch. “Probably just for decoration. Making the castle more impressive.� All eyes turned on Remus, and he felt himself grow hot.

“Okay,� said James in a suspicious voice. “If you say so.� He glanced at Lily, and Lily glanced back at him, quickly, but not fast enough for Remus to miss it. “So,� said James, “who wants a jelly bean?�

Lily shrugged, holding out her hands as James dumped a pile of jelly beans into them. A voice echoed over the loudspeaker of the train, alerting all students to prepare to reach Hogwarts. James, who had left his trunk on the ground when he entered, dug through it, pulling his robe out and slipping it over his clothing. Lily did the same, and Remus followed, feeling a bit humiliated at his ragged, second-hand robes. James and Lily were both wearing clean, crisp new robes. They didn’t look or say anything about his robes, though, to Remus’ relief.

***

Soon, Remus felt the train come to a slow yet steady halt. Other children began to pour from their compartments toward the exit, and the three grabbed their trunks and left the compartment, Stella following behind. Suddenly, the white cat let out a yowl and dashed the wrong way down the corridor.

A girl with dark-lidded eyes, a pretty face, and thick black hair had stepped on the cat’s tail purposely.

Lily ran after Stella, dropping her trunk with a loud bang. Suddenly she crashed into a tall boy around her age with sallow skin and dark, rather greasy hair.

“Get out of my way!� he snapped, shoving her out of his way without even glancing at her. Remus saw a look of hurt flit over Lily’s features, and suddenly felt extremely angry at the sallow-skinned boy.

The girl who had stepped on the cat’s tail had followed Lily down the corridor, laughing. She was much taller and older than Lily, seeming to be in her sixth or seventh year.

“They shouldn’t let pathetic Muggleborn trash like you into Hogwarts,� she sneered at Lily. James ran up behind her, looking concerned. Remus followed, shocked at the harsh when in which Lily was suddenly being treated. Lily ignored her and reached around the boy to grab Stella, who was crouched up in a corner. The boy, unable to get through, attempted to shove Lily out of the way with his foot.

“Would you get out of my way, Mudblood?!� he shouted, stepping over her angrily. Remus flinched at the boy’s strong language, and saw Lily turn bright red at the insult. He felt like whipping his wand out and hexing the boy, but knew inside that it would not truly help Lily.

James stepped up in front of the boy. “What did you call her?� he said in a low voice.

Lily, clutching Stella tightly, stood up quickly. “It’s fine, James,� she said, “just go. Don’t worry about them.�

James’ mouth fell open. “No way!� he gasped. “Didn’t you hear what he called you?�

Lily sighed. “Yeah, but let’s just go. Ignore them, okay?�

The dark haired girl laughed once more. Suddenly, a tall boy with strikingly handsome features and gleaming gray eyes emerged from a compartment behind the girl, surveying the scene before him curiously.

“What’s going on?� he asked, striding into the middle of the five students, his dark hair falling into his eyes.

The taller girl reached over and shoved him brutally out of the way, making him glare at her indignantly. “What does it look like, Sirius?� she questioned in annoyance. “I’m cleaning filth out of the corridors,� she jeered, jerking her head in Lily’s direction.

“Well, I’m not the Mudblood,� snapped Sirius. “You don’t have to shove me, all right, Bellatrix?�

James looked indignant at the way the boy offhandedly referred to Lily as “the Mudblood� and not as an actual human. Remus felt the same way as well, surveying the boy angrily.

Bellatrix gave the boy another shove out of sheer spite and turned back to Lily. “Forget your stupid cat, Mudblood!� she snapped angrily at Lily, who was trying to coax a hissing Stella out of the corner.

James slid out his wand and took a step forward. “Don’t say that word again!� he shouted.

“I’d listen to the Mudblood if I were you,� Bellatrix said loudly, stepping closer to James so that her face was inches from his own. "She says to leave me alone. I guess she knows you'll get beaten." Remus felt a strong urge to get a older student who could help Lily out, but did not have time before chaos ensued.

James raised his wand and let out a cry of “stupefy!� With a look of shock, Remus realized James’ voice was not the only one shouting the spell. He looked back and saw Sirius with his wand out, his face full of both irritation and amusement. Although the spell was not entirely effective, both the boy and the girl flew back into an open compartment door. Sirius muttered, “Colloportus�, and the doors clanged shut and a blue light ran along the crack.

The boy ran up to the door and attempted to open it, but the door seemed to be sealed shut. The girl screamed and pounded on the walls and glass.

“Let them out!� exclaimed Lily.

Remus turned to Lily, surprised at her anger. James gaped at her and Sirius raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he was insulted that Lily was upset by the favor he had done for her.

“Why?� questioned James. “We were helping you out!�

Lily frowned and walked off, then turned around one last time. “I don’t need your help, that’s why!� she said. “Goodbye. It was nice meeting you, at least, Remus,� she said. Then she disappeared down the corridor.

James’ mouth was still wide open in shock. “What?� he yelped. “We were helping her!�

Sirius shrugged uncaringly. “Oh well,� he replied. “I wasn’t actually helping her. I just know a good moment to get revenge on my cousin when I see it.� He walked off haughtily over to a group of students, paying no attention to James or Remus.

James looked hurt, but walked off as well, leaving the boy and the girl locked in the compartment, still banging and yelling. Remus glanced back, half-wanting to ask the boys to let them out, but changed his mind.

Remus couldn’t help but laughing at the funny sight, even though he felt a pang of guilt for making Lily mad. As he walked off with James, he felt like he could actually belong with other students at Hogwarts. That was a feeling he never thought he would have in his entire life.

.::A Place to Belong::.


The trip to Hogwarts had been one of the most exciting journeys Remus ever remembered taking. There had been a few close calls, such as when the boat almost capsized because James was laughing so hard at the sight of the furious boy and girl who had been locked in a compartment being helped into a boat. Their hair was in disarray, and they kept shooting dangerous glances at the boys. This had only made James laugh even harder, and even Remus started chuckling when James elbowed him.

“Come on, Remus!� he exclaimed, clutching at his sides. “Laugh a little, mate! Look at those prats!� Soon Remus had started laughing as hard as his friend. The two were unaware that the boat was rocking dangerously and hitting the boat behind them because of their rolling around with laughter until a student from the boat behind them shouted, “Stop laughing, you idiots! Our boat’s about to turn over!� The boys had glanced back to find more than half the students with white-faces, some clutching their stomachs, and some of the girls holding their hands over their mouths. A few boys were even whimpering and gripping the side of the boat with white knuckles.

James had quieted himself somewhat, but Remus had turned red and apologized in a low voice. “Oh, sorry,� he said. A few people grinned feebly, but some of the first-years scowled. Remus gave a hesitant smile at his friend, and James snickered. Sirius, who had boarded the same boat as James and Remus and was sitting in the back, looked extremely amused, but still did not say anything to the two other boys.

Soon, they arrived at Hogwarts. It was a massive, lofty castle that seemed to sparkle with its many shining lights streaming from the glass windows. It was one of the most breath-taking sights Remus had ever seen. Even James and Sirius became silent for a little as they looked at the castle. Everything after that seemed to happen so fast. As they entered Hogwarts, a stern-looking woman named Professor McGonagall explained to them about the sorting hat, a magical devise that would place them in their proper house. There were four, she explained; Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor.

“I want to go to Gryffindor,� James whispered to Remus. “I mean, where else would I go? Hufflepuff is for prats, Ravenclaw is for know-it-alls, and Slytherin -- well, nobody wants to go there.�

“My mum wants me to,� proclaimed Sirius. Remus turned and looked at him. “There hasn’t been a Black that hasn’t been sorted into Slytherin for a century. Of course, then I’d have to be stuck with my cousins, but at least I’d be around my own kind.�

James turned and stared at Sirius, annoyed with his arrogance. “Your own kind?� he asked, glancing at Remus.

“Purebloods,� Sirius explained. “Aren’t you one?�

Sirius had been speaking loudly enough that several heads were turned in his direction. He obviously thought what he said was important enough for the whole school to hear. The rest of his group of friends who were standing behind him looked at him haughtily, some shaking their heads in agreement at his words.

“Yes,� said James simply. “But why does it matter?�

Sirius’ mouth dropped open and he surveyed James unbelievingly.

“How does it matter?� he said, aghast. Many of his friends also looked disgusted or shocked, except a fifteen-year-old girl who looked strikingly like the older girl who had stepped on Stella’s tail earlier that day. Remus wondered if she was Bellatrix’s sister. She certainly was not acting like it. She sighed at Sirius’ words and the corners of her mouth were turned down in a frown.

Sirius’ look of shock disappeared after a few seconds, and he shrugged in a manner of nonchalance. “I suppose it doesn’t matter if you don’t come from a wizarding family like the Black family.�

“Well, I’m sorry if I’m not bowing before your feet,� said James in disgust, turning his back to Sirius. Remus watched as Sirius’ face flushed red in indignation, but it soon wore off and he walked over to a blonde-haired boy with a pale, pinched face and began to talk haughtily.

Remus turned back to James.“What house do you think we’ll be sorted into?� he queried anxiously, hoping desperately that he wouldn’t be sorted into the same house Sirius Black, along with the rest of the students who would most likely find him inferior because of his half-blood status.

“Well,� said James, “I guess we are about to find out.�

Remus looked up and saw McGonagall reaching for the tall doors leading to the Great Hall. Remus watched at the great doors slowly slid open with a long, low creak, and for a moment, he lost his breath.

The Great Hall did not seem to even be the right name for that beautiful room, thought Remus. It should be named something like the Majestic Hall, or the Splendid Hall. Everything about it was almost like from a dream- the ceiling that looking exactly like the night sky outside, glittering with its many stars. The hall was lit with the light of hundreds of candles, their light dazzling Remus’ eyes as he walked by. There were four very long tables in the room as well, packed with students looking at them as they walked by. Remus guessed these students must have come a different way beside the boats, as it had only been first years with them on their trip there.

He looked directly in front of him and saw the places where the teachers sat. At the center was a tall man with a long white beard. He had a solemn look on his face, but his eyes were smiling- Remus could tell by the way they sparkled. Remus recognized this man as Albus Dumbledore, the man Remus recognized as they white-bearded visitor who had delivered Remus’ letter of acceptance. Normally, a werewolf wouldn't have been allowed to attend the school, but Dumbledore had made a special exception in this case. Remus felt very grateful to him, and seeing Dumbledore made him even happier that he was at Hogwarts at last.

There were a few other teachers, like a short, rather scarred teacher and a very fat, beaming teacher. Some of them seemed nice, but another teacher, with a short gray beard and very dark eyes, looked rather strict. Remus wondered how they would be once he started classes.

Then, right in front in the room, in the center, Remus saw the sorting hat. It was a very ragged thing, and Remus was afraid that it might fall apart the moment anyone touched it. But suddenly it sat up and began to sing a song about the different houses and their qualities. Now, even more than ever, Remus desperately wanted to go to Gryffindor. One by one, students were called up for sorting. The dark-haired girl, Bellatrix, was sorted almost instantly into Slytherin. One of the next students was Sirius Black.

“BLACK, SIRIUS,� Professor McGonagall called out. Sirius walked up to the sorting hat and sat down on the stool, shaking his dark hair from his eyes and placing the hat on his head. He had a look of expectation on his face, obviously expecting the hat to bellow out “Slytherin!� at any moment. At once, his expression changed, and he shook his head vigorously, his eyes wide, as if engaging in a mental argument with the hat.

“GRYFFINDOR!� the sorting hat exclaimed firmly.

The hall was silent for a moment. It seemed that many people knew the name of Black and had obviously expected Sirius to be sorted into Slytherin. Remus looked behind him and noticed that Bellatrix, along with several other people at the Slytherin table, were glaring at Sirius disgustedly. Only the dark-haired girl was smiling. Then Bellatrix let out a shout, leaping up from the table, her eyes gleaming with anger.

“YOU DISGUSTING, FILTHY, BLOOD-TRAITOR! YOU SCUM! YOU DISGRACE THE NAME BLACK! WAIT UNTIL YOUR MOTHER HEARS ABOUT THIS! SHE WILL NEVER, EVER LET YOU FORGET IT!�

“Now, now, Miss Black!� shouted McGonagall over Bellatrix’s shrieks. “Ten points from Slytherin. Quiet yourself! I won’t have this going on in the Great Hall. Students still need to be sorted.� Bellatrix glared at her, but sat down, still staring at Sirius.

Sirius had stayed quiet the entire time, but was now placing the hat down on the stool with a look of shock on his face. He walked over, dazed, to the Gryffindor table, who made a wide berth for him to pass, obviously afraid of him because of he was a Black. He didn’t notice as he sat down, staring straight ahead blankly.

�BLAND, CATHERINE!� shouted McGonagall. A short, tan girl with long brunette hair and round cheeks skipped up the sorting hat, laughing nervously as it fell over her eyes. She had barely sat down when the hat let out a cry of “HUFFLEPUFF!� She yanked the hat off and ran off toward a cheering table of Hufflepuffs.

Several other students were sorted, many to Ravenclaw, and another to Hufflepuff. Then came: “EVANS, LILY!�

Lily ran up, brushing her short red hair out of her face. She placed the hat on her head, looking up at it. It didn’t take long before it shouted out “GRYFFINDOR!� She smiled and jogged over to the Gryffindor table as many people let out loud cheers. Remus waited for what seemed forever until he heard his name being called out.

“LUPIN, REMUS!� He walked up to the sorting hat nervously, lifting it carefully and placing it on his head. He hoped it wouldn’t hurt. Suddenly, voice, almost seeming to come from inside his head, spoke to him.

“Ah, yes. I think I already know where you will go,� said the voice. “You are very brave -- yes, of course, and loyal. You want to be liked, I can tell. Intelligent, too, but I won’t put you in Ravenclaw -- no, I don’t think I will. Let’s make it…GRYFFINDOR!� It exclaimed, and Remus leapt up, relived. At least he would be with Lily, and he doubted that James would go anywhere except for Gryffindor. As the table cheered, Remus sat down next to a silent Sirius and waited for James to join them.

Right before James was about to go up to be sorted, a small, plump boy scurried up as his name was called out -- Peter Pettigrew. He was biting his nails, and didn’t stop until he had to pick up the hat and plop it on his head. The hat took a while, but finally let out a shout, “GRYFFINDOR!�

James looked back and glanced at Remus. They both were surprised that this boy had made it to Gryffindor- they were both expecting him to be placed in Hufflepuff. Maybe he was smarter than he looked, but Remus changed his mind as Peter tripped over his own feet in his haste to get the Gryffindor table.

Then James’ name was called. He ran up to the stool and sat down, placing the hat on his head. He beamed as he listened to the hat speaking to him, and then took it off almost before it could shout, “GRYFFINDOR!� The Gryffindors, seeming to like this boy instantly, let out a deafening shout. Remus cheered along with them as James sat down next to him. Lily looked annoyed that he had made it to Gryffindor, but clapped as well. Then, the tall man with the long beard stood up and began to make a speech. It was rather boring, thought Remus, but he learned a lot about Hogwarts and also that the man’s name was Dumbledore.

James elbowed Remus, grinning. “Looks like we’re in the same house, mate!� he said excitedly. Remus felt a thrill race through his heart. James was actually happy to have Remus in the same house with him, referring to him as his friend. Remus looked over to his right at Sirius, who had his head down on the table.

Suddenly plates and plates of food appeared on the table. Remus’ eyes grew wide as he eyed the different dishes. His family had not had this much food to eat in a long time. There was chicken and warm, smoky ham. There was fresh, colorful fruits piled high, and steamy vegetables in bowls, and several dozen different types of pudding. He piled his plate full and felt guilty for being so greedy until he noticed the boy across from him: Peter. He had mounded his plate so high that the food was spilling off the sides.

“Might want to get smaller helpings next time,� James remarked, laughing across the table at the boy. Peter glanced up, turning a shade of light pink, but then busied himself once again in adding another helping of turkey to his plate.

It was almost impossible to hear his friends talk with the loud chatter and laughing from other students ringing across the Great Hall. Remus soon gave up listening to James tell the entire table about the time he had used his wand to squirt water at his Aunt Myrtle’s pet cat. He stared sleepily up at the shooting stars that danced across the ceiling until it was time for desert, which Remus eagerly piled onto his plate.

Soon, the tables were cleared, and with a parting speech from Dumbledore, the students left the Great Hall, chattering and laughing amongst themselves. Remus glanced back over his shoulder to find Sirius walking by himself miserably.

Remus and James found their way along with the other students to the Gryffindor common room. A painting of a sleeping fat lady stood in front of the entrance, and James confidently walked up and attempted to yank it open. It didn’t budge, and the lady’s eyes flew open. Several students let out a gasp. The lady laughed pleasantly.

“You can’t get in here that way,� she chided James. “You must use the password.� James frowned. A tall prefect with large golden glasses made her way from the back of the line, pushing James out of the way.

“Prat,� he muttered. The prefect cleared her throat.

“First years, listen carefully. You must make sure to ask me or another prefect what the Gryffindor common room password is every time you want to come in. It’s very simple to get in once you know it. Watch.� The walked up to the Fat Lady and smiled.

“Toad’s wart.�

The frame swung open, revealing a warm, cozy room with several sofas, desks, and a roaring fireplace in the very center. The students chattered excitedly and steamed into the room, their eyes glowing excitedly. James made a bee-line to the window overlooking the Quidditch pitch.

Remus headed up to the common rooms. He was feeling extremely tired now that the excitement of the day was over. James noticed and followed him up the stairs. They pushed the door open to find three other boys picking their beds and unpacking. James glared at one red-haired boy who was throwing his clothes onto a bed next to the window overlooking the Quidditch pitch. Remus could tell he had wanted that bed the most. There were four empty beds in the corner of the room. James fell backwards onto one of them.

“Feels good to me,� he said approvingly, swinging his feet onto the bed. Remus dragged his trunk from the middle of the room where they had been left and next to the bed across from James’. He sat down gingerly, admiring the large bed. It was extremely comfortable, and there were even curtains he could draw around the bed at night. It was much nicer than the one he slept on at home.

There was a screeching noise at Sirius entered, pushing his trunk to the bed next to James’. He still looked very sullen. He looked at his bed and a look of slight surprise crossed his face. There was a large, slimy toad in the center of his bed, blinking up at him. The red-haired boy who had taken James’ bed looked over and grinned sheepishly.

“Sorry ‘bout that,� he said, scooping up the toad into the palm of his hands. “I guess Sam liked your bed.� Sirius didn’t smile, but James smirked at green, slimly toad. The boy extended a hand to James.

“I’m Zack, by the way. Zack Rogers.� James shook his hand.

“James Potter.� Another light-haired boy walked over.

“I’m Nathan Wood,� he said. “So, are you going to play Quidditch sometime?� he asked James. James grinned.

“Definitely. You?�

The two boys launched into an animated discussion of Quidditch as Remus unpacked. Peter, finally able to drag his massive trunk across the room, selected a bed across from Sirius’. Remus quickly selected tattered bedclothes, embarrassed to be wearing them in front of James and Sirius. He felt slightly better when he watched Peter pull out wool pajamas with pink pigs, but not much. Sirius still sat on his bed gloomily, staring at the wall until the prefects came and ordered all the boys to get into bed.

Sirius was still looking dejected as they crawled into bed along with the other boys. Remus closed his eyes, but did not fall asleep instantly, watching James, who kept sneaking out of the bed looking out the window, trying to see the Quidditch field. Peter was snoring loudly. Suddenly James hopped back into bed, pulling the sheets around him.

“Remus, mate?� he whispered to the bed beside him.

Remus replied in a quiet voice. “Yeah?�

"Is he asleep?�

Remus assumed he was talking about Sirius, and nodded. Several loud snores came from Sirius’ bed.

James sighed. “Why do you think he was sorted into Gryffindor, the prat? He obviously thinks he’s too good for us.�

No snore this time. Remus winced as he realized that in actuality, Sirius was fully awake and had heard the hurtful words that James had just whispered.

“James…� murmured Remus reproachfully.

A loud snore suddenly filled the air, making Remus jump. Sirius had obviously decided pretend he hadn’t heard. Remus looked at the figure of the boy, wondering if he was really as haughty as he acted, or if it was just the influence of his family.

Another alarming thought crossed his mind. If James had already made up his mind to be enemies with Sirius because of the way he acted, would he even consider being friends with Remus, the werewolf? Remus, the monster? For the second time that day, Remus made up his mind that no one would find out about his secret again. With this resolution planted firmly in his mind, Remus closed his eyes and began to fall asleep.

“Mum, I want to buy the giant piece of cheese,� Peter mumbled in his sleep. James snickered loudly, and Remus smothered his laughter in his pillow, forgetting all his troubles entirely for the first time in his life.

.::Family Rivalry::.

Attention, class!� said the stern-looking teacher sharply.

Remus and James quickly smothered their loud snorts of laughter, slightly unnerved by the tall, foreboding woman at the front of the class. She was wearing emerald green like she had been the night before, and her hair was pulled back tightly behind her head.

“Welcome to Transfiguration. I am Professor McGonagall.�

It was nearing lunch time, and the two boys had already been to their first three classes at Hogwarts. Remus could tell that Sirius was very bored with Charms and Herbology, but Remus had enjoyed both classes. History of Magic, however, was the one class they all agreed was horribly boring. Professor Binns, the teacher, had been a ghost, which at first had scared several of the students, but after ten minutes of listening to him drone on about troll wars, even Remus felt like dozing off. He was hoping Transfiguration would be better.

“Transfiguration,� McGonagall began sternly, “is one of the most dangerous and difficult forms of magic you will learn here at Hogwarts. If I ever catch one of you messing around in my class you will leave — and you won’t come back.�

The class was, if possible, even more silent than it had been before this little speech. Remus could tell that this was not a teacher to cross. James seemed to get the same impression, and unlike Remus, he did not like this at all. Remus felt as if he was going to like Professor McGonagall, even if she was extremely strict.

He watched wide-eyed as McGonagall proceeded to transform her chair into a chicken and then back again. Even James seemed interested. Remus thought he caught a whisper that sounded something like “Oh, I could do that anytime,� from Sirius. McGonagall continued to talk about the different aspects of Transfiguration, and Remus hurriedly took as many notes as he could. He wanted to remember everything she said.

A snort sounded loudly from behind Remus. He closed his eyes, not daring to look back. He knew exactly who it was -- Sirius. He had been laughing at the dark-haired boy he had fought with the previous day. Remus could hear his rather loud whispers behind him. McGonagall stopped mid-sentence and turned toward the source of the noise. Nothing in her expression changed except for her lips, which tightened into a long, thin line across her face.

“Mr. Black,� she said calmly. “I can see that you obviously have already learned everything there is to learn about Transfiguration and are very eager to give the class a demonstration of your skills.� She reached into her desk drawer deftly, pulled out a match, and began to head toward Sirius.

“She’s going to set him on fire,� Remus heard one Sytherin giggle to his friend. The dark-haired boy who James and Sirius had shoved into the compartment was staring smugly at Sirius. Even Remus couldn’t resist the urge to shift around in his seat and watch what was about to happen. Sirius looked absolutely petrified. McGonagall reached down and set the match on the desk in front of Sirius.

“Mr. Black,� she said, her lips still in a tight line, “kindly show the show the class how to change this match into a needle.� Sirius looked down at the match, and then back up at her, incredulous.

“But, but…� he stuttered, confused. James’ eyes widened, watching for the first time as Sirius Black was unnerved.

“But what, Mr. Black?� questioned McGonagall. “Surely you know how?� Sirius looked at the match one last time and then lowered his head.

“No, I can’t,� he mumbled. McGonagall tilted her head.

“You’ll have to speak up, Mr. Black.�

“No, I can’t!� exclaimed Sirius. McGonagall nodded, and then picked the match up from his desk.

“Then I trust we won’t have any more interruptions.�

Sirius was surprisingly well-behaved for the remainder of the class. He was even able to turn his match into a wooden needle before the end. Remus was beginning to think class would end peacefully until a loud explosion rang out to his left.

“Mr. Pettigrew!� shouted McGonagall, leaping from her desk. “Do not poke at your match like that — you must only wave it gently or else something like this will happen!� She quickly put out the fire that was slowly growing larger on the fat boy’s desk by squirting water from the tip of her wand onto the burning match. James sniggered then stopped promptly when McGonagall looked at him.

“Class is dismissed,� she said shortly. James leapt up and grabbed their books, doubled over in silent laughter. Sirius looked no less then perfectly thrilled McGonagall had accidentally soaked the dark-haired boy with her wand while she was trying to douse the flames. The boy looked even more sullen than ever, and Sirius looked as if he was going to fall to the ground laughing.

James jogged over to Remus. “Hey, Remus!� he whispered happily, “did you see that?� Remus gave a hesitant little laugh, although he did not find the situation quite as amusing as his friend. And, from the looks of it, neither did Lily. She was staring at Remus, and he could tell what she was thinking. How could you? Suddenly she got up and walked past the three boys quickly, not stopping to give Remus a smile or even a glance. Remus felt the grin slide from his face.

“What’s wrong?� exclaimed James. He followed Remus’ gaze. “Ignore her,� he said, rolling his eyes. “What’s important now is that Slimeball is really angry-“

“Mr. Potter and Mr. Black,� said McGonagall said sharply. “Kindly stay behind and help Mr. Pettigrew clean up his things.

“What!� yelped James. Remus could tell by the spoiled way James sometimes acted that his parents most likely let him get away with a lot of things at home. Right now he was looking downright horrified that a teacher could possibly think of asking him to help another student. Sirius looked very annoyed as well.

“I wasn’t even doing anything, Professor!� he huffed, tossing a lock of hair out of his eyes in annoyance.

“Now, Mr. Black,� said McGonagall with an air of finality in her voice. Sirius snapped his mouth, which had been hanging open, shut quickly as McGonagall strode from the room briskly. Remus shrugged.

“I’ll stay with you guys and help,� he offered kindly. Sirius’ eyes lit up.

“Oh, that’s wonderful!� he said in a sarcastic tone. “And I would take you up on your generous offer, but I’m afraid you and James would miss out on your time to insult me when you don’t think I’m listening.�

James shook his head. “We wouldn’t talk about you if you weren’t so conceited,� he said reasoned.

Sirius rolled his eyes and brushed past James roughly. “Fine. Hey, you!� he said, addressing Peter, who was attempting to scoop up all his books into his fat little arms. “Need help?�

Peter glanced up. “Um, s-sure,� he stuttered, dropping his books. “Oh, oops.� He reddened and reached back down to pick up his books, but James and Remus ran over and began to grab them for him.

“Don’t worry, we’ve got them,� said James. Sirius walked over and snatched a particularly large potions book from James’ hands.

Peter picked up his quill from his desk and followed the others out of the room. “Thanks,� he said to Sirius. “Say, my name’s Peter. What are your names?�

Sirius looked as if the conversation was boring him already, but responded. “I’m Sirius Black.�

James introduced himself as well. “And I’m James Potter“-- he bowed — “and this is Remus Lupin.�

Remus smiled at Peter.

“So, so I guess you’re really good at Transfiguration,� Peter continued, looking admiringly at Sirius. Even Sirius couldn’t resist grinning sloppily.

“Well, I guess you could say that.�

It was James’ turn to roll his eyes.

“Yeah," continued Peter, "I wish I was as good. So, do you think you could help me study sometime?�

Sirius shook his head instantly.

“Oh, yeah, definitely,� James said approvingly, “Sirius is really good at Transfiguration, plus he’s a really nice guy, so I’m sure he’ll love to help you with-“

“Exactly what are you talking about?� Sirius questioned loudly.

“You!� said James, smirking. “You know, you being so wonderfully good at potions? As I was saying, Peter, Sirius would love to help you.�

Peter beamed. “Wow, thanks. That’s great. You guys are so nice.�

James smile grew as wide as a toad’s and he looked very pleased with himself. Sirius’ eyes narrowed. James looked pleased that he had just made Sirius’ life even more miserable than it was at the moment.

Remus walked quickly and walked next to James. “James,� he said in a low voice, making sure Sirius couldn’t overhear, “couldn’t you just give him a chance? He might not be so bad if you get to know him,� he reasoned.

James looked hesitant, but shrugged and turned around to where Sirius was walking behind him. “Want to sit with us at lunch?� he questioned bluntly.

Sirius raised his eyebrows. “Why? So you can pester me more?� he questioned skeptically. “Sorry, no.�

James persisted with an encouraging look from Remus. “Come on, where else can you sit?� he said as they entered the Great Hall.

Sirius glanced over at the Sytherin table. “With my…� he stopped.

As he entered the Great Hall, half of the Slytherin table had suddenly turned their backs to him, ignoring him altogether.

“…friends…� Sirius trailed off in a low voice. He looked back at James and spoke as if it pained him. “Fine. I’ll sit with you.�

James grinned.

When they reached the Great Hall for lunch, Peter insisted on sitting with the three other boys, and talked nonstop throughout lunch. Remus felt someone glaring at him and turned around to see a table full of Slytherins shooting hateful glances in the direction of their table. It seemed that Bellatrix had made sure the whole school knew how much she hated her cousin and his friends. Sitting next to her was a pretty light-haired girl with a sour look on her face, and across from them were the dark haired boy, a thick sandy-haired girl, and a light-haired boy with a pinched-looking face. Remus sighed. He had not wanted to make any enemies at Hogwarts, but then again, he had been lucky enough to make friends already. He guessed he would just have to take the angry glares.

Lily, unsurprisingly, was already sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table, surrounded filled with a dozen giggling girls. She seemed happy enough, but she was not giggling like the rest of them. She seemed almost bored, her chin resting on her hand. Remus almost wished that she was not so angry at him, because she had seemed so nice when they had met, but he was very sure she would not be talking to him for a long time after what happened in class.

Before lunch was over, Peter had already scurried from the Great Hall to put the books he had already used back in the common room to dry. The Great Hall had begun to clear out, and now James was talking animatedly about Quidditch. Sirius looked genuinely happy, and had a smile on his face, not a smirk as usual, but a wide grin.

“I’m going to try out,� James said to Sirius, “even though they say first years can’t make the team usually. My dad helped me practice all last year, and I’m telling you, I’m ready. Do you play Quidditch, Sirius?�

Sirius shrugged. “Sometimes I do, with Regulus, my brother. But he’s such a little baby he’ll go in and cry to Mum if he loses, so I have to go easy on him, and that gets boring. Bellatrix and I used to play Quidditch together when I was eight or nine, but she mostly liked to play what she called Catch-Sirius.�

“What’s that?� said Remus curiously.

“Basically,� said Sirius, “it’s when she bewitched the Bludger to come after me and I had to try out fly it or I got my head knocked in by it.� James’ eyes widened.

“Ouch,� he said.

“So, where’s Peter?� questioned Remus, looking nervously at the entrance. Half of the Great Hall was clear by now, but the three friends had stayed behind to talk. Sirius eyed the entrance.

“I dunno, maybe he’s fallen into the lake," James sniggered.

“No, honestly,� sighed Remus. “We should go look for him.� Sirius groaned.

“Okay, fine.�

The three boys grabbed their books and headed out of the Great Hall, looking around for Peter. The hallways were filled with chattering students, and it was hard to spot anyone.

Suddenly, Remus turned a bend and saw Peter huddled in a corner. His books were scattered all over the ground, and three students whom Remus recognized as the Slytherins who were glaring at their table were standing around Peter, taunting him.

“What’s wong?� mocked Bellatrix in a baby-like voice, turning to the silver-haired boy and laughing. “I’m sure Lupin and James will be here in no time to save you, isn’t that right, Lucius?� The sandy-haired girl let out a loud peal of laughter. Peter sniffled and reached out to grab a quill from the ground, but Bellatrix leapt forward and smashed his fingers with her foot. Peter let out a yelp and retreated back into his corner.

“So is this what you do in your spare time, Bellatrix?� exclaimed Sirius, walking out from behind the corner. “Bully people smaller than you?�

Bellatrix whipped around. “Oh, wook! It’s Siwius! With his new Gwyffindor fwriends, too!� How bwave of him!� James pulled out his wand and pointed it at the Slytherins. Lucius smirked.

Remus, who had stayed behind, made up his mind quickly. He knew he had to get a teacher, but he was afraid that Sirius and James would be angry at him. Besides, maybe Sirius and James would be able to hold their own — after all, they did know a few spells already, as he had seen on the train.

“Go ahead, Sirius,� said Bellatrix laughed. “Let’s duel, then.�

Lucius and the sandy-haired girl stepped forward to help Bellatrix, their wands raised, but she shook her head.

“No!" she declared. "I’ll do this on my own. It’s time Sirius learned his lesson.�

The boy and the girl looked doubtful, but stood back. Bellatrix leveled her wand at Sirius’ chest. Sirius raised his wand as well. They stood there, motionless, for a few moments, staring at each other, their wands pointing directly at each others’ hearts.

Peter clasped his hands together excitedly.

“You first,� hissed Bellatrix.

“Expelli-� began Sirius.

“Locomotor Mortis!� laughed Bellatrix lazily. Remus frowned as he realized Bellatrix was merely playing with Sirius. Being the older and more powerful wizard, it was obviously terribly easy for her to defeat Sirius in a duel, but she was apparently planning to taunt him first. Remus watched as Sirius' legs locked up and he fell to the ground, hard, hitting his head and looking extremely dizzy. Remus' heart fell as he saw Bellatrix raising her wand to follow up with another spell.

“Stupefy!� shouted James quickly.

James was now by Sirius’ side, his wand pointing at Bellatrix. Once again, his spell was not fully effective, but it succeeded in knocking Bellatrix back into Lucius, who was standing behind her. They fell to the floor in a heap, groaning. James reached down and helped his friend up. Sirius still felt slightly dizzy, but other than that, he seemed to be all right. He looked at James curiously.

“Thanks, mate,� he said, rubbing his head. “I guess it was stupid of me to try to attack Bellatrix myself.� James just smiled, and Remus realized that the two were not enemies anymore — they were friends. James and Sirius seemed to realize this as well. Remus could tell by their James’ slightly stunned look and Sirius’ cheeky grin.

“Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, and Miss Black, you should all know better than this!� exclaimed a voice from behind them. James and Sirius whipped around and saw, to their horror, that it was McGonagall.

"Ten points from Slytherin, twenty points from Gryffindor and detention for all of you Saturday night.� frowned McGonagall. Bellatrix, who was just standing up, looked outraged, but did not speak. “Come along,� McGonagall continued, “you three need to come to the hospital wing and have Madam Pomfrey take a look at you. And the rest of you — head to class.�

Lupin watched the three students trudge down the hallway, then turned around and helped Peter pick up his books. “Are you all right?� he asked, noticing that Peter was still shaking. Peter nodded nervously.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Sirius and James are so great!� he said, beginning to grin. “You should have seen them duel! It was really scary, but they are really great!� Remus nodded, straining under the weight of Peter’s books and his own. Lucius and the girl made sure to thoroughly glare at the two, and then skulked off down the hall.

James and Sirius had come back to class halfway through potions, scowling. After finishing up the last class, the Gryffindors had headed back up to the common room to get some of their homework finished. James was using a tennis ball as a Snitch to practice Quidditch, and Sirius was sitting by the fireplace, frowning.

“Um, Sirius?� said Remus nervously, walking over to him. Sirius turned and glared. “You aren’t too mad about detention, are you?� Sirius shrugged.

“Not really. But why’d that crazy old woman have to ruin everything? We were fine on our own!�

“But Sirius, it was really dangerous. You could have gotten hurt!�

“Yes, Mum!� said Sirius sarcastically. “But really, Remus,� he grinned, his features lighting up. “You should have seen them fly into the air. Bellatrix looked so shocked. It was so funny.� There was an audible gasp from behind them, and both boys turned to find Peter standing in the middle of a group of first years, telling them how Sirius and James had rescued him. Sirius’ grin grew even wider.

“Yeah, I guess I did save him,� he said loudly, striding confidently to the center of the group of students. Instead of recoiling in a fear like they did the day before when he approached their table, they gathered around him excitedly. “But you know, it really was too easy. The Slytherins were pathetic, if you think about it. Still, I don’t recommend you try it. You have to know a lot about magic before you start dueling.� Lily, who was sitting in a large armchair beside the fire, looked up over the top of her book, both amused and annoyed.

Remus found himself sitting alone, staring out the tall window into the darkness of the Forbidden Forest. Only two weeks until the full moon, he thought to himself sadly. Usually, he was always thinking about it, but he had been enjoying himself so much, it had nearly left his mind. Would James and Sirius want to be his friends, let alone be around him, if they found out he was…a monster? The thought haunted him.

The week had been a good week so far, and except for James and Sirius griping about the looming prospect of detention, the four had been fairly cheerful. Even Peter, who was already failing in all his classes, seemed perfectly content just to be around the three boys.

News of the fight with the Slytherins had spread around Hogwarts like wildfire. Already everyone was telling their friends their own version of the fight, and Sirius had overheard one Hufflepuff telling his friend about how Sirius had attacked the Slytherins with his mind powers. Sirius and James couldn’t get enough of this, and Remus thought personally that it was beginning to show. James and Sirius had rather cocky grins on their faces wherever they went, and even Peter bragged to anyone who would listen about all the adventures he had.

For Remus, the full moon grew closer and closer. He wished frantically that someone would soon explain to him what exactly he was supposed to do when it happened. He just hoped that he could come up with an interesting enough excuse to keep James and Sirius from becoming too suspicious. He didn’t have to worry about Peter, though – he wouldn’t have known Remus was a werewolf had he transformed right in front of him.

It was early morning the Gryffindor Common Room, and Remus was already wide awake and flipping through a copy of his Potions book with mild interest. The schedule he had been given read that they were due to have double Potions with Professor Slughorn the next day. It was already Thursday, the day that James had been eagerly awaiting – flying lessons. Sirius was excited as well, but Remus was somewhat afraid of heights.

Flip.

He turned to his left and saw Lily sitting on the floor with several books laying beside her, her back against a chair and schoolbook open in her lap. He opened his mouth to speak to her, but then remembered the events of the previous day and changed his mind. Before he could decide what to do next, James and Sirius leapt down the staircase, their robes billowing about as they did.

“G’morning, Remus,� said James cheerily, adjusting his glasses.

Sirius merely grunted a greeting, obviously not cheerful in the mornings, and plopped down in the chair against which Lily happened to be sitting. He then stretched out his legs and, not paying attention, hit Lily’s head with his feet, making her jump.

“Ugh, get your feet off me, Black!� snapped Lily, reaching up and knocking Sirius’ legs off of her head.

He grinned. “What, Evans? Your head happens to be very comfy, and my feet are very sore.�

James and Remus couldn’t help but laugh at the shocked look on Lily’s face. Lily, rolling her eyes, scooped up her books and headed out of the common room irately.

Sirius shook his head. “That girl needs a sense of humor,� he stated.

James nodded, heading out of the common room with his two friends. Peter came bounding after them with a squeak, tripping over his own feet in his haste.

Sirius snorted.

***

At breakfast Remus chewed thoughtfully on a muffin, watching as owls swooped down toward the dining students, brightly colored letters clutched in their claws. He watched a dark owl head toward Sirius, holding an envelope that seemed to be rattling. The owl landed on the table next to Sirius, the envelope in his claws hitting the table lightly. He gave Sirius a sharp peck on the hand to gain his attention, then flew off.

“Great,� said Sirius, picking up the envelope grumpily, “even my owl hates me now.�

Remus watched the bird fly off haughtily.

“You’re in trouble!� squeaked Peter suddenly. “You got a howler!�

Half the Gryffindor table craned their necks toward Sirius, eyes wide.

Sirius glared at Peter and hissed, “Thanks for telling everyone.�

Peter blushed.

“It’s okay, Sirius,� James said bracingly. “Just open it now and get it over with. There’s no way out of it.�

Sirius reached forward and pulled the scarlet ribbon off of the envelope, letting the paper unfold magically onto the table. A loud, hawk-like voice began to scream loudly, the sound reverberating throughout the Great Hall.

“SIRIUS ORION BLACK! YOU ARE A DISGRACE AND A SHAME TO THE NOBLE HOUSE OF BLACK. DO YOU REALIZE, FOOLISH BOY, THAT YOU ARE THE FIRST BLACK TO BE SORTED WOMEWHERE OTHER THAN SLYTHERIN IN CENTURIES! CENTURIES! THERE IS ONLY ONE PLACE THAT A BLACK BELONGS, AND THAT IS SLYTHERIN! AND, AS YOUR COUSIN BELLATRIX HAS INFORMED ME, YOU ARE DEFENDING MUDBLOODS NOW! THEIR SCUM DESERVES NOTHING LESS THAN TO BE BLASTED OFF OF THE FACE OF THE EARTH! AND WHAT IS WORSE, YOU HAVE EVEN ATTACKED BELLATRIX, WHO ONLY HAS YOUR BEST INTERESTS IN MIND! YOU DARE TO ATTACK HER! YOU ARE NO BETTER THAN THE MUDBLOODS! IF I HEAR OF SUCH BEHAVIOR AGAIN, YOU WILL NOT BE RETURNING TO HOGWARTS NEXT YEAR! HOW DARE YOU TAINT THE NAME OF BLACK! YOU ARE A DISGRACE. A DISGRACE TO THE NAME BLACK!

The letter burst into flames and disappeared. A hush fell over the Great Hall; only the furious breathing of Sirius could be heard in the silence.

Suddenly, several Slytherins began snickering, and Bellatrix looked especially smug. Sirius’ face was cold and expressionless.

Breaking the silence, James stood up. “Who cares what she says?� he proclaimed.

Sirius looked up, surprised.

“She’s a right old hag, she is!� continued James.

Sirius continued to stare blankly ahead, his eyes dark and unreadable.

Snickering rose again from the end of the Slytherin table, and Remus distinctly heard Bellatrix’s voice mockingly tell the others, “Now let’s see if everything thinks he’s so big.�

For a moment, Sirius looked like he would very much like to attack Bellatrix, but then the spark in his eyes faded, and he looked up at his friends and gave a convincing grin. “You know,� he said loudly, so the Slytherins could hear, “I really don’t care what that old bat thinks. Let’s go.�

James grinned and slapped Sirius on the back as he stood up from the table. “That’s the spirit!� he said proudly, and the four of them walked off together toward classes, leaving the Slytherins speechless as they passed by their table. Remus could feel their hateful eyes on his back as they walked off, but did not let it faze him in the least. He looked admiringly at Sirius, wishing he could have as much nonchalance about being a werewolf as Sirius could have about having a particularly nasty family.

***

It was already time for the students’ first flying lesson, and Remus was gathered with James, Sirius, and Peter with many other first years in the grounds of Hogwarts. James, despite hours of boasting to Sirius and Remus of his extraordinary Quidditch talent, was as pale as the Bloody Baron and shaking violently. Suddenly, their teacher, Madam Hooch, a woman who looked uncomfortably like a hawk, arrived. James whitened even more.

Madam Hooch walked in between the two lines of students. She looked at them impatiently. “Well, come on then. Find a broomstick and stand by it.�

Students from all over scurried to find their positions. James had his eye on a broomstick and ran over to it, but the sullen dark-haired boy, who, as the four had found out, went by the name of Severus Snape, was already there.

James frowned. “Find another broom stick,� he demanded impatiently. “I’ve already got this one picked out.�

Severus shook his head angrily. “No. I was already here. You have no right to-“

“Mr. Potter! Mr. Snape!� Madam Hooch barked. “What’s going on?�

“Yes!� exclaimed James in his innocent voice. “Severus just came over here and decided he’d take this broomstick from me.�

Severus’ eyes darkened.

Remus almost blurted out that James was lying, but then bit the remark back. After all, he though, Snape does deserve this after the way he treated Lily. But he couldn’t quite convince himself to think that way, no matter how hard he tried.

“Mr. Snape,� Madam Hooch said sharply, loudly enough for the other students to here, “go and get your own broomstick so we can start the lesson.�

Severus, without a word or even so much as a glance in the teacher’s direction, dropped his broomstick and skulked over to another battered one none of the other students had wanted. Remus fingered his own broomstick guiltily.

Suddenly, Madam Hooch barked out another order to all of her students. “All of you stand next to your broomstick,� she said, walking to the front of the line of students, “and shout, “Up!’�

Remus shouted “Up!� as loudly as he could muster, but his broomstick merely moved a few inches closer to him, then flopped to the ground weakly. He glanced over to see Sirius angrily barking “Up!� at his stubborn broomstick. The broomstick seemed to respond to Sirius’ voice slightly better than it did to Remus’, for it was doing a series of small hops and jumps toward Sirius’ hand, although he was unable to coax it into coming any closer.

Then Remus saw James. The broomstick had flown to his hand like a magnet, and James was grinning widely, his hazel eyes sparkling. His fear had seemed to vanish instantly once he had the broomstick in his hand.

Madam Hooch’s eyes fastened on James in slight surprise, and she gave him a curt smile. Remus could see James’ look of triumph as he turned his head in Snape’s direction, whose broomstick was moving not closer, but further away from him. Several students, led by Sirius, began to laugh. Remus did not join them.

They quieted down instantly when Madam Hooch began to pace down the rows, showing students how to grip their broomsticks properly. She had helped Remus to space his hands in the proper way, and had even corrected Sirius’ grip on the broom. When she approached James, she merely gave him a quick glance of approval and walked on to the next student. James’ grin grew so wide Remus thought it might actually outgrow his face.

“When I blow my whistle, I want you all to kick off the ground, hard,� ordered Madam Hooch. “Make sure you keep your brooms steady, and rise only a few feet, then come back down. You can do that by leaning forward slightly. One, two, three!�

The cry of the whistle rang through the crisp fall air, and Remus pushed himself off the ground softly. He and Sirius rose a few feet, and Remus glanced down at the ground, feeling his insides flutter slightly. He had never felt a feeling like this, a feeling of such danger and freedom combined. He looked up and saw James, already several feet above of all of the other students, zooming about and whooping with glee.

Snape nearly fell backwards off his broomstick as it rose from the ground with a jerk, right toward James. Instead of veering out of the way, James purposely whisked his broom out of the way several inches within colliding with Snape’s broomstick. Snape reacted to this by yanking his handle sharply to the left, tilting the broomstick widely and loosing his grip, sliding off. He hit the ground with a soft thump, and Remus glanced down at his pale form, feeling slightly sorry for him.

Madam Hooch blew her whistle, ordering all of the other students back to the ground, and attempted to help Snape to his feet. “Anything broken, Mr. Snape?� she questioned quickly, reaching out and helping him to his feet.

He pulled away from her, shaking his head angrily.

James, Sirius, and Remus headed toward the ground, landing softly along with the other students. Severus’ eyes found James and he stared at him darkly for several seconds before breaking his gaze and snatching up his broomstick.

Madam Hooch looked too pleased to chide James. She had not been watching when he nearly collided with Snape, only when he had been flying above the other students, diving toward the ground and zooming up moments before he hit the ground.

She walked over to him and patted him on the back. “Keep this up, Mr. Potter,� she proclaimed proudly, “and you’ll be an expert Quidditch player in no time!�

***

Remus picked at his chicken with his fork. It looked tender and delicious, but Remus didn’t exactly have the appetite for anything, especially after what they had done to Severus. Most other eleven-year-olds probably wouldn’t have thought twice about doing something like lying about something, but Remus had always been a very honest boy, and lying out of spite was new to him. He felt especially bad after what had happened with James and Snape. Sirius was grinning as he listening to Peter ramble on about how great Sirius and James were, and James was using his orange as a substitute snitch.

Remus cleared his throat. “Um, I think I’ll go get another roll. We’re all out down here. There’re some down at the other end of the table.�

“You already have a roll on your plate, Remus,� James pointed out.

Remus bit his lip. “Er, well, I might not feel like getting up after I’ve finished this roll. Maybe I should just do it now, right?�

James stared at him. “I like you, mate, but sometimes you don’t make any sense.�

Sirius snickered. “Neither do you, mate,� he chortled, prodding his friend with his elbow.

James rolled his eyes, taking a rather large gulp of pumpkin juice.

Peter blinked in a clueless manor. “I don’t get it. I understand you both very well,� he asserted confidently.

Sirius let out a loud snort and nearly sprayed pumpkin juice out of his nose.

Remus took this opportunity to slide from his seat and head down to the end of the table – where Lily Evans happened to be sitting, and this time, she was sitting alone. The other girls were gathered together, giggling and staring bashfully at several Gryffindor boys.

Remus nervously slid into the seat beside Lily. She turned as she heard the shuffle of his robes and stared at him angrily. Remus took a deep breath, knowing that this would be a tough conversation. He just felt he needed to make things right with the girl who had befriended him, and had seemed so kind.

“What do you want?� inquired Lily coldly, jolting Remus from his thoughts.

Remus cleared his throat and began. “I…I just wanted to say that I’m sorry. For all the pranks…and stuff.�

Lily’s eyes widened curiously. To Remus’ relief her expression softened somewhat and she gave him a kind smile.

“It’s all right. It’s not you I’m mad at – it’s Potter and Black. Laughing at someone else’s problems…it’s just mean, that’s what. I understand that it’s probably hard for you. I mean, they seem so very nice, when they aren’t pulling a prank, but you shouldn’t be around them, Remus, you really shouldn’t.�

Remus looked down the table at his three new friends. They were all laughing, talking, and eating happily, and he was a part of that group. He no longer had to be alone like he once was, standing sadly behind the dark windows of his house watching all the other children play together happily without him. This time he was part of something. He was accepted.

He looked back at Lily. “They’re my friends,� he said simply. “I want to be around them.�

Lily’s mouth tightened slightly, and a frown appeared at the corners of her lips, but she said nothing.

Remus continued. “But I promise that I will try to stay out of their pranks as much as I can. I really don’t enjoy them that much, to be honest.�

Lily looked at him for a few seconds, as if she was trying to figure out if he was telling the truth of not. Finally, she shrugged and sighed. “You don’t have to promise me anything, Remus. But I’m glad you really care how I feel. You’re a really nice boy, you know. � She beamed and gave him and quick hug.

At first Remus tensed – ever since he had been bitten, he had always pulled away from the hugs his parents gave him. It just made him feel strange, like he was a creature that didn’t deserve physical affection. But something about Lily’s bubbly, caring smiling made him relax and he hesitantly returned her hug. Lily grinned at him and went back to eating and Remus stood up and headed back toward his friends.

***

It was Friday, and the last class had finally ended, leaving all four of the boys nearly buried in homework. Students were walking the halls, chatting happily or groaning about the massive amounts of homework given. Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter walked down the hall, aware of the many eyes staring at them. Some gave admiring glances, primary the Gryffindor students, but some students, mainly Slytherins, shot them hateful glares.

James sighed, proclaiming loudly, “I’m bloody bored.�

Sirius nodded in agreement.

Suddenly James’ eyes lit up as he got an idea. “I know,� he said, looking at his friends. “Why don’t we sneak out to the Quidditch pitch tonight and I can try out the brooms?�

Remus eyed him worriedly, shifting the weight of the books in his arms to another arm. “What’s to say we won’t get caught?� he objected.

James laughed confidently. “Remus, Remus, Remus,� he said, placing a hand on Remus’ shoulder. “I’ve snuck out at night at my house and practiced Quidditch too many times to count – and I haven’t gotten caught. Trust me.�

“Fine,� agreed Sirius, “but I want to ride one of the brooms, too, all right?�

James nodded. Peter’s eyes glowed, as they always did when the four of them were planning something.

Suddenly, as they rounded a corner, they ran into the dark figure of no other than Snape. He jumped slightly as they caught sight of him, almost as if he had been listening in on something he shouldn’t have.

James glared. “Listening in, were we?� he said, drawing his wand out of his robes. Snape did the same, as well as Sirius.

Remus reached out a hand and pushed James’ wand away from Snape’s forehead. “Listen, James, just leave it alone, all right?� he whispered worriedly. He wasn’t exactly worried about the well-being of his friends, but he was trying his best to keep in mind what he had promised Lily earlier.

“I don’t need your help, Lupin,� hissed Snape. “Get out of the way.�

Remus’ eyes darted back and forth between the two. He desperately wanted to get a teacher, but he wasn’t sure what James and Sirius would think of him if he did – he didn’t want to make them think he was some sniveling five-year-old, after all.

“I’m sure you’re worried about Snape, Remus,� grinned Sirius, “but trust me, we’ll go easy on him.�

He and James slowly circled around Snape, their eyes gleaming. Remus closed his mouth and sighed, taking a step back regretfully and making room for the three to duel. There was nothing left that he could do or say, he concluded.

To Remus’ extreme relief, a tall, solemn-looking prefect appeared around the corner, books in his hands. Sirius and James stuffed their wands back into their pockets and grinned innocently at the boy, who looked at the five boys suspiciously, but did not say anything. Peter looked disappointed.

When the prefect left, Snape, who had already lowered his wand, sneered at the two. “So you are too frightened to attack me with a perfect watching? You’re just cowards. Not heroes like all of your precious Gryffindors think you are.�

Something flashed in James’ and Sirius’ eyes, but they didn’t reply. The remark had apparently hit home.

With that, Snape whipped around in a bat-like manner and left the four boys standing there. James’ face was bright red with anger, and even Sirius, who usually grinned and shrugged things off, looked furious. The four boys headed toward the Gryffindor dormitory together in silence.

“We’re the cowards?� hissed James suddenly, whose fists were clenched and hair was in even more disarray than usual. “We’re the cowards? Who’s the one who hangs out with the people who hurt people who can’t fight for themselves, or kick people just because they aren’t pureblood, or…� He trailed off angrily, staring at the ground.

Remus could help but agree, as much as he hated to, with Snape’s words.

Suddenly, he felt guilty for thinking of his friends as cowards, when he, after all, was a coward for not telling his friends about his…secret. Remus shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

James eyed him. “Is something wrong, mate?� he inquired as they ascended the staircase.

Remus looked at him thoughtfully, and then shook his head. “No, no, I’m fine,� he said finally.

James shrugged and turned to Sirius, apparently trying to forget the biting remark of Snape’s. “Ready for some midnight Quidditch?� he grinned. Peter’s eyes lit up, and Sirius smiled.

“Yep.�

***

The four boys darted into shadows of the Quidditch field, their goal in site – the broom shed. James had already worked out a plan of how to break in, one he had promised his friends he would show them as soon as they arrived. Peter kept letting out loud squeaks of excitement, and Sirius kept rolling his eyes and urging him to be quiet. Remus looked back at the depths of the Forbidden Forest, a sinking feeling in his stomach that someone was watching him.

Approaching the door of the broom shed, Remus narrowed his eyes, puzzled. There seemed to be no lock on the door, or any way of keeping students out. James and Sirius looked equally puzzled. James cautiously reached out and placed a hand on the door, seeming to half-expect to be struck by lightening. Nothing happened, even when he tugged on the door and it creaked open.

James ran back into the shed and selected the broom he had ridden before at class. Remus followed him in and felt his eyes widen. The shed was full of brooms of different shapes and sizes. Some looked like they were about to fall apart, and some gleamed in the moonlight, their polished handles clean and smooth. Remus had never been partial to flying, but at the sight of all the various brooms, he felt excitement at the prospect of that night and the chance to fly on one of the brooms.

James and Sirius already exited the shed, choice brooms in hand, and were preparing to kick off the ground. Suddenly, Remus thought he caught the back of a dark figure dashing off into the Forbidden Forest. He blinked and searched to the figure again to no avail – perhaps it was just his imagination.

James turned around and grinned at Remus. “Could you get the Quidditch case out from in there? Sirius and I reckon it would be fun to have a Quidditch game. You know how to play, don’t you?�

Remus nodded, but Peter shook his head. “Well, I’m kind of confused about the Quaffle part. Is that the one you hit at people or the one you throw through the hoop?�

Sirius glanced at James, smirking.

Remus dug through the piles of dusty brooms until he came to a large wooden case, with a picture of a Snitch engraved in it. He dragged it out into the moonlight, watching as James and Sirius zoomed around on their brooms, whooping with glee.

Without warning, James’ broomstick began to jerk him around wildly. Sirius stopped mid-whoop and flew over toward his friend, who began to hold on for dear life. The broomstick flipped over and over, leaving James hanging on by one arm. Remus knew one thing – the broomstick had been jinxed, that much was certain. James’ eyes grew wide with fear as Sirius reached out to stop the broomstick from throwing James off backwards, which it was now fervently attempting to do. As if expecting this, the broomstick yanked James off in another direction, taking him further and further from the ground.

With one last brutal jerk, the broom stick freed itself of the desperate clutch of James, who, letting out a cry of fear, fell swiftly toward the hard ground of the Quidditch pitch. Remus ran toward him, but was too late. James hit the ground with a sickening crunch.