The wind blew with such ferocity that it shook the trees until their very cores trembled, leaves floating away into the dark dawn on invisible gusts. It was the early dawn of mid-October, just about the time when the full moon sets and when the sun gets ready to shine its weakening rays as winter begins to take over. One particular tree seemed to be rather more affected than the others, twisting and turning, smashing and thrashing violently, slicing through the cold. Or perhaps… it was moving on its own accord?
The tree froze rather unexpectedly, and a dark figure clambered out of the hole underneath. It made its way up to a stone castle, ascending the stone steps. It went up through various hallways, and staircases that moved, with trick steps one had to remember to jump. The figure stopped in front of a portrait, mumbled what sounded like “Troll bogies”, and entered a hole that appeared on the wall behind the now open portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress. Up the stairs and through a door, the boy dropped onto a four-poster bed, falling asleep within seconds.
The now sleeping figure was a young boy of about 12, by name of Remus Lupin. The castle was none other than Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As the name suggests, the school was one for teaching and learning spells of magic, for those born with magic in their blood. Remus Lupin was one such student. But, even for a wizard, he was not at all ordinary, for he was a werewolf. Not intentionally, of course, nor did he choose his position. A werewolf by name of Fenrir Greyback had bitten Remus when he was but a little boy. Many hardships faced him, as he was sure to be a social outcast, and not accepted in the Wizarding World. More so, he would not be allowed to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry under normal circumstances.
Then again, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore could be perceived as anything but normal. A wise, witty old man who knew more than he should, he did everything in his power to give people second chances, as was his extreme trust for people, innocent or not. He’d allowed Remus to attend school, after a few necessary precautions were made. He’d planted a magical tree on the school grounds. It was known as the Whomping Willow, and would attack anyone that came in close proximity to it, for it hid a secret within. Underneath, was a tunnel, leading directly to a building, by the later adopted name of the Shrieking Shack. This was where Remus was to make his monthly transformations into his werewolf form. Oftentimes, people from the Wizarding community of Hogsmeade, where the shack was present, would be heard complaining about the piercing shrieks and moans arising out of the run-down building, hence its name, the Shrieking Shack. Knowing this was Remus as he cried out in pain, Professor Dumbledore soon began to encourage the rumours of ghouls and ghosts haunting the building, so as to help hide Remus’ secret and discourage any curious children wandering about it.
This is where Remus had come from to arrive onto his bed that night. He was extremely tired, as his transformations had always contorted his body in pain. How he hated full moons! Coming to Hogwarts, Remus had been grateful to just be able to go to school, and he did not expect any friendships. On the one hand, it was easier to maintain distance from people, as they surely would run in fear from him once they found out his secret. Also, his cover would be ruined, and no more would Remus be studying magic. But, as any person, Remus got lonely, and hoped for a miracle in which people would accept him. Miracle or not, two boys, named James Potter and Sirius Black, adopted the pale, skinny boy as their own, and the three soon became close friends. Soon after, a plump, blonde-haired boy, Peter Pettigrew, joined the group, and the four became known as the Marauders, for their knack of drawing attention, pulling pranks, and sporting a certain disregard for any rules.
Remus did everything in his power to keep his secret safe, but it was getting hard, for the Marauders always did everything in their power to find out what they were not meant to know. Lies such as “my mother is ill” and “my dog died” were no longer very much satisfactory for his three friends. Well, of course, Peter hadn’t the brains to think much on it, but James and Sirius, being the top in class, did not buy into Remus’ excuses for his absences once a month.
The morning sun arose and shone onto a boy’s face, alighting his long, dark hair and facial features. His face was calm, as usually is in sleep, but he began to stir as the sunlight warmed him. He cracked open an eye, lifted his head, and dropped it back down onto his pillow with a soft thump. He groaned at the early morning hour, but he knew classes would start soon. The boy heaved himself off of his bed, and stretched his back. “Wakey-wakey!” he called to his dorm mates. Not one woke. He grinned maliciously and reached under his bed. Pulling out some firecrackers, he lit them.
BANG!
The firecrackers went off, and had begun zooming around the room when another boy, one with tousled jet-black hair, rose. “SIRIUS!” he bellowed. “WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!”
By this time, the plump boy, Peter, was up on his feet, shaking with fear that had yet to abate. “Waking you guys up,” answered Sirius, still grinning his cocky grin.
The boy that yelled, James, sighed. There was no point in arguing, or trying to tell Sirius off. Besides, it had been rather funny, so he chuckled quietly. With a wave of his wand, the firecrackers disappeared. Remus still hadn’t gotten up. His eyes were open, but it looked like he had no intentions of rising.
“Oi! Remus!” No answer. A shoe hit Remus’ side. The tired form groaned.
“Leamealone…” Remus sighed.
“Nuh uh, time for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Time for little Remusy to go to class!” Sirius called, sniggering, only to have Remus turn his back, rolling over. James shrugged at Sirius, and they began to dress into their school robes.
Once they’d changed, and tried, unsuccessfully, to get their sleeping friend up to class, they began to leave their dormitory of four. James leaned over to Remus, and asked, “Want me to tell the teachers you’re out today?”
“Mhmm,” was the muffled answer. Little did James know, the teachers already knew that Remus would be out for the day, as every professor had been informed of the boy’s lycanthropy upon Remus' arrival at the school.
Remus was glad that only his friends resided with him in the dormitory, as normally, five students would share the room. The year that the Marauders’ arrived at school for the first time, there had been more new witches than wizards, so there was one extra bed in the boys’ dormitory. He slept through most of that day, waking at around dinnertime.
He was still tired, but he knew he’d be able to go to bed after a quick meal anyway. Making his way down to the Great Hall, he chose a seat by his friends and pulled a plate of food to him.
“So, what’d I miss today?” he asked.
“Oh nothing really. Except, James and I got landed in detention for tomorrow. I don’t get it. All we did was spill some potion in Potions class,” Sirius answered. James nodded. The two were used to detentions, being the most mischevious pair in the school.
“Uh huh. So what was this potion, may I ask you?” Remus inquired, knowing it must’ve been something rather bad.
“I dunno. Something to make your skin peel and burn?” James shrugged. “Don’t see what the big deal was.”
Remus looked over down the Gryffindor table. A girl was crying, as the skin on her face and hands was red, cracked, and peeling. It looked awfully painful. “No big deal?” Remus repeated. “Sure.”
Shrugging, James slowly began on a new topic, “So, me, Sirius, and Peter have been doing a bit of research. Well,” he looked over at Peter, “maybe not so much Peter, but me and Sirius did. Anyway. We kinda noticed something here Rem. Er…”
“You been disappearing and looking quite… er… peaky once a month,” Sirius kept going, picking up where James had awkwardly left off. “And we sorta noticed it’s been like, every full moon…”
Remus’ face paled. Of course, he’d been expecting this for a while now. The Marauders were far too sneaky and cunning for their own good. And this would be the end of them. Remus’ secret would be spilled, and he’d be packing his trunk later that evening, ready to board the train and go home. Everyone would be scared of him, and then they’d mock him as he left. At least he’d be home, with his understanding mother, and kind father.
“Remus?” Peter asked, gently. “I think what they’re trying to say is… do you wanna tell us something?”
“No,” answered Remus, a bit too fast for James’ liking. He shot him a suspicious look, and Remus added, “I mean… no…”
“Remus. It’s kinda clear as to what’s going on. You’re… er… a… w-“
“I’m sorry. We’re going to have to continue this elsewhere,” Remus rasped, as he got up, and stormed out of the Hall.
Sirius looked over at James, then at Peter, and they rose as well. Walking through the oaken doors, they followed their friend up to their dormitory.
“Look Remus, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything. It’s just, we want to know what’s going on with you,” James blurted as soon as they found him.
“Yeah. Look, you’re our mate; it’s not like we’re gonna go blabbing to everyone! We just wanna help!” Sirius exclaimed.
“Well there’s nothing you can do. I’m a werewolf, just like you guys think. There, I said it. Happy? Well then, go. Go tell everyone. I’m going to pack, if you don’t mind,” Remus snarled.
“Tell everyone? Pack? For what?” Peter spluttered.
“Well it’s obvious. You’re all going to tell everyone I’m a vicious animal and then I’ll have to go home,” was the answer.
“We’re not going to tell anyone! And there is a way we can help,” Sirius spoke. “Yes, we can help. Trust us.”
James beamed, and said, “Werewolves only attack humans.” Remus looked at him, as if to ask what his point was. James went on. “We can become… animagi. McGonagall was talking about them just today,” he stated as a matter-of-factly.
“But that’s illegal!” Remus spluttered. “You’ll go to Azkaban, besides, it’d take years of ““
“Yes, but you know we like a challenge. It’s no fun without any danger,” Sirius replied, cutting off Remus’ shouts. Sirius’ gray eyes glinted with the sense of adventure.
“You… you guys would really do that for me?” Remus asked quietly. He looked up at his friends, standing proudly in front of him, and his eyes began tearing up. His friends were so great, so wonderful. What did he do to deserve people like them?
“Do we need to answer that?” asked James, as he clapped Remus on the back. “I mean, what are friends for?”
It was then that Remus realized how beautiful Hogwarts really was.
Author's Notes:Please review! I mean, c'mon people, three reviews? P.I.T.I.F.U.L. Well of course, I adore those three that did review but all other people, tsk tsk. Reviews will make me love you!
The Secret by pheonixflame
Chapter Notes: Hope everyone likes it. The idea for this story just came upon me, so I grabbed Microsoft Word and began writing! Read and Review please!
Disclaimer: If I were JK Rowling, I'd be at home, taking care of my kids, and working on the seventh HP book. But alas, I am here, writing fanfiction, so that must mean, that I am not JK Rowling, nor are the characters mine. We can't all get what we want, now can we? :'[