"We need to get you back,” said Remus to James, who was lounging against the wall.

“Why? Does anyone miss me over there, except Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail?” retorted James, obviously engrossed in his own world. There was something that happened that made James so upset, thought Remus. Usually, he was so cheerful.

“I’m sure they do,” replied Remus, keeping his voice clipped as not to give away any hints. “For now, you are going to have to stay in the boys’ dormitory with Ron. Lily will stay in the girls’ dorm, with Hermione. In the meantime, I’ll do some research to find a potion or charm that will send you back…” at this moment he trailed off as he pondered. Remus was sure that tonight was a full moon. If so, he wouldn’t be able to do anything to help James.

“What?” asked James, commenting on Remus’s sudden failure to speak.

“I was just realizing that maybe I… can’t do it tonight. Perhaps tomorrow, if you stay in the castle without sneaking out.” Another wry piece, but Remus was thinking of other things.

“Why can’t you do it tonight?” he asked. James had a suspicion who the man was, but he couldn’t be sure until he could catch him off guard, ask him a question only one of the Marauders would know…

“I remembered I have something to do,” he said with care. “Now, if you could get back to class…”

“You nearly scared the crap out of Madame Kinder that time we went down to Honeydukes,” said James offhandedly, hoping that his suspected Remus would reply to the answer correctly, proving it was him.

“Almost bit her. It still gives me nightmares,” said Remus sadly, as he stopped to lean against the wall.

“So you are Moony!” cried James triumphantly. “Why didn’t you tell me? Are we not friends anymore, or…?” Jame found himself grimacing at the last sentence he had uttered.

“Where did you get that idea?” asked Remus, almost angrily. "We said we'd be friends until the end, remember?" Remus realized he was being slightly ridiculous, but that promise had stuck in his mind since the fateful day it came into being.

James gave a relived smile. "Thank God. I thought so... but you never really know... everything’s so different in the future...it- it might have happened.”

“No, we were still friends the last time I saw you,” mused Remus, trying to place all of his thoughts under control as he began to pace even faster this time. “I didn’t want to, because… it’s complicated.”

“Still the intelligent Moony I know, the one that had ideas Padfoot, Wormtail nor I could understand,” laughed James.


James detected a flicker of something in Moony’s eyes when he said Wormtail… anger? “Are you and Wormtail not on good terms?” he asked uncertainly.

“You could say that,” said Moony as he stopped walking again and closed his eyes.

“Tonight’s a full moon, isn’t it?” queried James although he knew the answer already.

“Yes.”

“And still no cure for your 'furry little problem'?”

“The word is Lycanthropy and no, not a cure yet.”


James was getting bored with the topic, and decided to change it. “Do you know that Snape is the Potions teacher? Have you thrown any pranks on him yet?”

“James,” sighed Remus tiredly, “I don’t really play pranks anymore, and Severus isn’t really all that bad.”

“Isn’t all that bad??? I mean, he would add things to your potions, he would cast spells on us…”

“James, did you know that because of how we treated him, he’s absolutely prejudiced about Gryffindors?”

“What?”

“He takes off points because… some of the Griffyndors look like you.”

“Actually, I was wondering what prejudiced meant, but anyway…”

Remus chuckled, but stopped when James started to look at him in an odd way. “How old did you say you were?” asked James.

“I didn’t, but I'm thirty seven. I must look older, though, is that why you’re staring at me in that way?”

“Well, I mean, you already got gray hair!”

“I don’t know. Maybe I have a lot of stress… maybe it’s from being a werewolf. But will you be willing to go up to the dorm right now? I would like to have a talk with Albus,” he prodded as James took his first step up the staircase at the end of the corridor.

“When did you start calling Dumbledore Albus? Is that an adult thing?” but he went up anyway. Of course, James had no intention of obeying, but only to follow Moony. Heading upstairs to fool the tired Moony, James started cooking up the plan in his head…

Before Remus entered Dumbledore’s office, he paused a moment. How can I stay here? he wondered. But I need to help James and Lily. I must, somehow.


Knocking softly, then entering, Remus saw Albus Dumbledore at his desk, staring straight up at him. “Hello, Remus. I see you have met James and Lily,” he said as he ushered Remus to a chair.

“Albus, I have some pressing matters to discuss. I believe I can help James and Lily out of this mess, but I’m going to need some time here.” He muttered this all in one breath, and hoped for the best.

“Did you know we have cancelled Defense Against the Dark Arts?” Dumbledore casually added, his fingers tracing the curly ironworks of Fawkes’s cage. “We have been looking for a substitute… only for a month.”

Remus was dumbfounded. He slowly spoke, “But… parents will be sending in owls, and I simply couldn’t…”

“Not as long as you teach for only a month. You won’t even transform in that time. I will handle the letters, Remus. I’m asking you to do this- James would have wanted it to be.”

Remus answered, “I will, Albus, and thank you. By the way… I’m due tonight… the full moon? And I was wondering…”

“Where you should transform?” finished Dumbledore. “I think you know the answer to that one, though your mind might protest against it. I look forward to seeing you on your first day of work.” With that, he urged Remus on, and Remus quickly went over the meeting after had left. I know where I should transform? Did he mean the Whomping Willow? Remus knew it was, but he didn’t want to go in there. Too many memories, even memories of two years ago when he had met Peter Pettigrew again... but he had to do it. Squaring his shoulders, he went down the stairs to find James.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In the gardens, Ron eventually pulled away from Lily. He was breath-taken, and couldn’t stop looking at her. “You really helped me get over this, Ron. Thanks.” She smiled a watery smile, and then snapped her head as footsteps sounded quite near to where she and Ron were positioned.

“Hide!” whispered Ron as Lily scrambled under a bush. Only flecks of sunlight filtered through the leaves, and she urgently pushed them back. Still, she couldn't see a thing. Oh, well. She would just have to listen to the conversation instead. Leaning her ear slightly closer towards the edge of the shrub ended in perfect hearing.

“What were you doing with that girl, Ron?” demanded a voice. It sounded rather angry, and low. She moved back a couple more leaves and listened harder.

“Nothing, she just needed a… loving shoulder,” replied Ron, not able to believe he actually said ‘loving shoulder.’

“You owe me a lot of answers, and I intend to get them! First off, how long have you been with her?”

“Only since today, mate,” Ron declared, a little bit shakily. He had lied, but to save getting into detail, like how Harry’s mom had been exposed to a rogue charm.

“Sure,” snorted Harry as he leaned in closer. “Next question- who is she?”

This took Ron by surprise, and stuttered his unrehearsed reply, “She’s… from... she’s… my second cousin once removed, and adopted! Yes, that’s it!” It seemed as if a million light bulbs had lit up in Ron’s head.

“Ron, I can’t trust you anymore,” spat Harry. “You lie to me, and then you won’t tell me who this girl is. I think I’m going to go up to my dorm now, to look at pictures of my parents who cared about me… but no! They didn’t, because they died!!! They left me here, in a world where Voldemort is stalking me and everyone lies to me!”

At this point, he stormed to the other side of the castle.

“Harry! Wait!” called Ron, but it was too late. Lily reappeared through the bushes and sighed. “That’s sad. How could anyone’s parents leave their baby to die? I would never do that, and can you believe that Voldemort is after that poor boy?” She shook her head and looked off into the distance, when Ron gulped. Should he tell her that she was the one who left their baby to “die?”

“Lily…”