Author’s Notes: Thanks so much to Roxy Black for helping me get around the 10000 max and keep this chapter intact!
Yay! First full moon together! Don’t get me wrong, I like chapter eight, but this here is my real comeback chapter. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
On The Wolf’s Turf
–Blimey, could this tunnel be any longer?†Peter whined.
–Well, it does go all the way to Hogsmeade,†Remus said quietly.
Remus had gotten quieter and quieter the whole way across the grounds and into the tunnel. It wasn’t hard for Sirius to guess why. Remus was about to show them the Shrieking Shack for the first time ever, and even after everything he had told them after his they had seen his Boggart, showing them another physical piece of his monthly horrors seemed to make him extremely uncomfortable.
Sirius, James, and Peter had wanted to see the Shrieking Shack ever since Remus had revealed that it was where he transformed. Remus had been extremely opposed to the idea in the earlier years. He had told them honestly (after more than a bit of badgering) that he didn’t want them to see the damage that he inflicted as the wolf. They had protested, but Remus had insisted, finally making them promise that they would not go to the Shrieking Shack at any time. And though the temptation to throw on James’s Invisibility Cloak and sneak to the Shack without Remus’s knowledge occurred to Sirius, James, and Peter many times, they had never succumb to it, out of respect for Remus.
The tune had changed when the three of them had decided to become Animagi. Sirius had pointed out to Remus that, if they were to join him at full moon, they would inevitably see the inside of the Shack, not to mention the wolf that inhabited it. Remus had told Sirius that he had to finish the Animagus transformation before he would take him to the Shack. Sirius had called Remus an ungrateful sod. Remus had responded with something witty and irritating that Sirius couldn’t remember at the moment, but that had goaded Sirius into hitting Remus with his pillow. After the long pillow fight, which Peter and James had joined in on with enthusiasm, the four of them had all agreed that Remus would take them to the Shack when Remus chose to, but sometime before they joined him at full moon.
Remus had, of course, delayed to the last possible moment. But now that they had all finished the Animagus transformation and had agreed that they would join Remus for the December full moon in two weeks, there was no more putting it off. Remus had finally agreed to show them the werewolf’s prison.
–Are you guys sure you want to see this?†Remus asked even more quietly as they continued down the tunnel.
–How many times do you think he’ll ask us that before we get there?†Sirius asked James.
–Well, he’s already asked seven times since we left the castle, but I figure he’ll probably get the chance to ask four or five more times before we get there because, as Peter pointed out, this is a very long tunnel,†James replied.
–So the fact that we’ve given him the same answer seven times already will make no difference?†Sirius asked.
–Probably not,†replied James.
–I just want to make sure you’re ready,†Remus said defensively.
–We are,†James assured him.
–Come on, Moony, cheer up a bit,†Peter said. –You act like we’re walking to the gallows.â€
–Yeah,†said Sirius, –all we’re going to see is a house that’s been subject to over four years worth of vicious werewolf attacks. Sounds like a good time to me.â€
–You guys aren’t taking this seriously!†Remus snapped.
–I agree with Wormtail,†said James. –Look, I know this isn’t fun for you, Moony, but you really need to lighten up.â€
–If you’re this tense just showing us the Shack, you’re going to be a wreck when full moon comes around,†Peter pointed out.
–Alright,†Remus said. –But don’t say I didn’t warn you. The Shrieking Shack is not very pretty.â€
–None of us were expecting it to be,†Sirius said.
Sirius was actually very excited about seeing the Shrieking Shack for the first time. It had been a mystery for so long, the one Hogwarts secret he knew about but had not explored. Remus’s warnings about how horrible it was had only served to convince Sirius that Remus had a rather low opinion of his friends’ nerves. Everything was going to be fine, Sirius was sure of that. Once and for all, Remus needed to understand that they understood what happened to him at the full moon and that they knew it was not his fault. It was an important step they all had to take before joining him at full moon.
–How much longer is this thing?†Peter asked after a brief period of silence.
–Not too much further.†Remus’s voice was barely audible.
More silence. And then…
–OH THERE ONCE WAS A WIZARD CALLED ODO…†James sang at the top of his voice.
–Oi, Prongs!†Sirius shouted. –Stop that now; you’ll make the ceiling cave in.â€
–Just trying to break the silence,†James said.
–Surely you can find better ways to do that than cursing us with your dreadful singing voice?†Sirius asked.
–I can recite my list of forty-seven reasons why Evans and I would make a perfect couple,†James offered.
–Merlin, spare us,†Sirius muttered.
–Is it just me or is the tunnel starting to go up?†Peter asked.
It wasn’t just Peter. Sirius could also feel the ground beneath his feet starting to slant upward too. He sped up, past his friends, and moments later, the passage twisted, revealing a small opening at the end. The room beyond was scarcely lighter than the tunnel, which would have been completely black without the four small beams of light coming from the Marauders’ wands. Sirius waited a moment for his friends to catch up.
–We’re here,†James said, his voice oddly hushed.
–You guys ready?†Sirius asked.
–Ready,†Peter and James replied.
They all turned to look at Remus. –Ready,†he whispered, sounding resigned.
–I’ll go first,†Sirius said. And that’s just what he did. Without a moment’s hesitation, Sirius walked the last few steps of the tunnel and pulled himself through the opening.
His first impression was that Remus had been right. Sirius had thought he was ready, thought he could handle seeing the mess Remus made at full moon, but Sirius wasn’t nearly as prepared as he thought. The combined light of his wand and light that managed to find its way between cracks in the boarded-up windows illuminated a scene of total devastation. The floor was littered with overturned and badly broken furniture. Large pieces of wallpaper had been stripped away and Sirius could see deep scratch marks in the wooden walls behind it. Sirius had been prepared for that: the broken furniture and scratches in the walls. What he had not been prepared for were the dark stains that covered the floor, furniture, and walls.
–Bloody hell,†said James, who had come in after Sirius.
–Literally,†Sirius said as Peter climbed in after James.
–Sorry?†James asked.
–Bloody Hell,†Sirius said, his eyes roaming the brown stains. –This place is literally a bloody Hell.â€
James walked over to the wall to better examine the scratch marks as the last member of their party made his solemn way through the opening and into the room he already knew well.
–Blimey,†said James, running his fingers along the scratches in the wall, –what big claws you have, Moony.â€
Remus said nothing. He was standing just in front of the opening with his arms folded and his head down, staring at the floor.
–I see that werewolves aren’t big on sofas,†Sirius commented, looking from the sofa’s slashed cushions and broken arm to the rest of the furniture. –Or chairs, or tables, or stools…â€
–Why did Dumbledore even bother putting furniture in here?†Peter asked. –He must have known it would just get smashed.â€
–Make the place comfortable, I s’pose,†James said. –Make it more like house and less like a…†He drifted off.
–Like a cage?†Sirius asked.
–Well…yeah,†James said.
Remus still hadn’t joined in the conversation. He continued to stare at the floor with his head down in what Sirius just now realized was shame. He was embarrassed and ashamed of the wolf had done, even though there was no way he could possibly have stopped it.
And here they were, Remus’s best friends, in the place he endured his monthly physical and mental torture, and all they could do was gape at the wreckage and make commentary on the monster that did it. Sirius now understood why Remus had been so unwilling to bring them here. It was like he was on display. Even if his friends weren’t staring at Remus directly, they were staring at the monster that Remus became through the damage it had caused.
Sirius wanted to say something to cheer Remus up. He wanted to tell him that it wasn’t his fault, that they didn’t think any less of him as a person because of what the wolf had done, and that the furniture probably had it coming anyway. But before he could offer his comfort, Peter spoke.
–Is all this blood yours, Moony?â€
Sirius would have hit Peter if they hadn’t been standing on opposite sides of the room.
Remus’s head snapped up. His expression was hard as it rested on Peter. –Who else’s blood would it be?â€
There was a deeply unpleasant silence in which everyone stared at Peter and Peter looked horrified.
–I…I didn’t…I didn’t think…I mean…I…â€
–You know, Wormtail,†Sirius said coldly over Peter’s stammering, –it would really be nice if you could sometimes turn your brain on before you open your mouth. Merlin, of all of the stupid things you could say…â€
–I’m sorry,†Peter whispered. –I really…I really didn’t mean it that way. Honest, Moony, I didn’t. I just meant there’s a lot of blood. I…I’m sorry.â€
–It’s okay,†Remus said, but his voice sounded rather hollow. –I forgive you.â€
More silence, only slightly less unpleasant, and then…
–Last one upstairs is a Slytherin!†James shouted, promptly bolting through the only door leading out of the room and thundering up the stairs. Sirius, not wanting to be labeled a Slytherin, quickly pursued.
There were two doors leading off of the upstairs landing. James was already investigating the first when Sirius caught up with him. It was a small bathroom with a tub, a sink, and a toilet. Sirius assumed Remus kept this door closed when he transformed because everything was intact. However, there were a lot bloodstains, particularly around the tub. Pushing the image of a beaten and bleeding Remus dragging himself to the tub firmly out of his mind, Sirius turned from the bathroom back to the landing, where he saw Peter and Remus waiting.
–What’s in there?†Peter asked.
–Toilet,†James responded as he emerged.
–Let’s see what’s behind door number two,†Sirius said, taking the handle and pushing it open.
They all filed inside and Sirius took in his surroundings. It was a fairly sparse bedroom with only two pieces of furniture: a four-poster bed, not unlike the ones in their dormitory, and a large wooden wardrobe. Both were covered in scratches and bite marks, but unbroken. Sirius guessed that they had been enchanted not to break, or perhaps they were just too big and sturdy even for a werewolf. The floor and walls of this room much resembled the ones in the rest of the house: scratched and blood stained. There was an unbroken lamp on the ceiling, too high for the werewolf to reach. With a flick of his wand, Sirius lit the lamp, giving the room a modest amount of light. Oddly, putting the scratches and bloodstains in a better light did not make them one bit less ugly.
–Well, I guess that ends our tour, gentlemen,†Sirius said, turning back to his companions. –Lovely place you’ve got here, Moony. But, you know, I think it could use a paint job.â€
–Among other things,†said James.
–We could help you spruce the place up if you like,†Sirius offered.
–That’s okay,†Remus said. –It’d be a bit of a waste, I’d just wreck it all again.â€
–Hopefully you won’t,†James said. –I figure you’ll be a little distracted next full moon, what with the three of us running around.â€
–You guys sure you still want to do this?†Remus asked.
–You’re a broken record, Moony,†James said.
–What’s a record?†asked Peter.
–It’s a Muggle thing,†James explained. –We learned about it in Muggle Studies. They use records to play music, but when a record is broken, it just plays the same clip of music over and over and over. So when you call someone a broken record, you’re saying that they’ve been repeating themselves a lot, and it’s starting to get quite annoying.â€
–I’m just making sure-†Remus began.
–Yeah, we know, Moony,†James said.
–We’re not chickening out now,†Sirius said. –We’ve spent too damn long becoming Animagi to back out now.â€
–And you guys aren’t scared?†Remus asked. –Even now that you seen, well…this,†he said, gesturing vaguely around the room at the bloodstains and scratches.
–No,†said James, –we’re not.â€
–We’re not afraid of you,†Sirius assured Remus. –If we were the furniture, we would fear you, but I think we can hold our own against a werewolf.â€
–Yeah,†said Peter, –and remember what Prongs’s book said: werewolves don’t attack other animals. And the one book said that being around an Animagus helps bring out a werewolf’s human side. You might even recognize us after you’ve transformed.â€
Sirius could see a small glimmer of hope appearing in Remus’s eyes as Peter spoke. Peter really did surprise him sometimes. There were times, the moment downstairs being a prime example, when Peter was a complete idiot. And yet, there were other times when Peter showed potential for real intelligence. Remus loved books, and he trusted them, so reminding Remus of things that had been said in books was, in Sirius’s opinion, a very clever way to cheer Remus up. Even Remus couldn’t negate something that had been written in a library book.
But, of course, he would try.
–But that was only one Animagus and one werewolf,†Remus said. –How do we know it will work the same for us just because it worked for them?â€
–We don’t,†James said simply. –But were going to try.â€
–But what if…†Remus said.
–Moony, don’t you want us to come here for the full moon?†Sirius asked.
–Well…yes, I do…it’s just…â€
–Then stop trying to talk us out of it,†Sirius said.
Remus sighed. –You’re right,†he said quietly. –I’m just worried. I just keep thinking about…about what if…what if…†He buried him face in one hand and didn’t finish the sentence.
–We’re not going to let you hurt us,†James reassured him. –Honest, Moony, we’re not. I know we don’t have the best reputation when it comes avoiding danger and using common sense and all that nonsense, but we do know better than to mess around when it comes to this.â€
–Good,†said Remus, lifting his face from his hand, –because you guys know that I would much rather you guys left me to hurt myself than to wake up the next morning and find out that I hurt one of you.â€
–Yeah, we know,†said Sirius, –we saw the Boggart. We’re not going to let that happen. For your sake and our own.â€
Sirius looked over at James who - to no one’s surprise - had taken his right arm in his left and was feeling it to make sure it was still attached to his body.
–Yeah, ‘cause just think,†said Peter. –If you took off Prongs’s arm, he would never be able to play Quidditch again.â€
The hazel eyes behind James’s glasses widened. There was a wicked glint in them. –Never play Quidditch again!†he yelled melodramatically, –NOOOOO!!! Get me out of here!!!†And he ran back out of the room and down the stairs, still yelling.
Remus’s winced at the volume of James’s screams. –Could he be any louder?â€
Sirius shrugged. –Well, I don’t think it really matters,†he said, walking out onto the landing and leading the way down the stairs after James. –I mean, this place is already called the Shrieking Shack. I don’t think any of the villagers will be too fazed.â€
Sirius, Peter, and Remus reached the bottom of the stairs, walked back across the first floor, and squeezed back through the opening into the tunnel. They found James a short way down the tunnel, lying on the tunnel floor in fetal position still pretending to be traumatized by the idea of never playing Quidditch again. You had to admire his commitment to a bit
–Come on, Prongs’s, stand up,†Sirius said, pretending to comfort his ailing friend. –Wormtail was only joking. Moony’s not going to rip off your arm and you’re going to be able to play lots and lots of Quidditch for the rest of your life, okay?â€
–Qu-Quidditch…†James stammered.
I took quite a bit of cajoling to get James to abandon his joke and get off of the tunnel floor. He then promptly challenged Peter to a race back to the Willow. James took off down the tunnel, Peter scrambling after him. Remus sighed and followed. Sirius turned back to look at the small opening behind them. In two weeks they would be back here. They would see for themselves the horrible transformation the house had witnessed several dozen times, and they would know if their efforts at becoming Animagi had been worth it.
Were they?
The was only one way to find out.
Two weeks later
–Gods, this place hasn’t gone much better since we last saw it, eh?†James asked.
No, it hadn’t. It hadn’t changed at all in fact. The Shrieking Shack look just as thoroughly depressing as it had when they had come to visit it two weeks before, only without the gloomy presence of Remus Lupin. Not for long though.
–We should go upstairs,†Sirius said. –It wouldn’t do for Madame Pomfery to see us here when she delivers Moony. I imagine she might protest to our presence, and that would take a lot of explaining.â€
–Agreed,†James said. –And I imagine our explanations about becoming Animagi illegally would not go over all that well.â€
–Are you guys kidding?!†Peter exploded. –Of course she can’t know we’re here! We’d be expelled!â€
–Yes, we were kidding, actually,†James said calmly. –You worry me sometimes, Wormtail.â€
They pushed open the door to the hall and headed up the stairs. Once they reached the landing, James opened the door to the bedroom and they went inside. Sirius lit the lamp on the ceiling while James stored his Invisibility Cloak in the wardrobe, where it would be safe, along with his, Sirius’s, and Peter’s coats.
Peter sat down on the bed. –Are you guys scared?†he asked suddenly.
–Gryffindors don’t get scared,†James said dismissively, closing the wardrobe and turning to face Peter.
–This from the Gryffindor who dissolved into basket case at the mere suggestion that he might never be able to play Quidditch again,†Sirius said.
James chuckled, but Peter didn’t. –So if I get scared, does that mean I’m not supposed to be in Gryffindor?†he asked.
–I don’t think that’s right,†Sirius said, sitting on the bed beside Peter. –Gryffindors are brave, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get scared.â€
–You can’t be brave and scared at the same time,†James said, taking a seat next to Sirius.
–Sure you can.â€
–How?â€
–Well,†Sirius said, –I think now is a perfect example. We’re about to face a werewolf that could probably tear us to bits if it wanted to, which is a pretty scary thought. But even if part of us is scared, we’re not running away. We’re staying right here to face the danger, and that’s pretty brave. We’re scared of what might happen, but brave enough to not let our fear stand in our way.â€
–So you are a little scared then?†Peter asked Sirius.
–I’m a little nervous,†Sirius admitted. –But I’m more excited.â€
–You don’t really think the wolf will tear us to bits, do you?†Peter asked in very small voice.
–No, I don’t think so,†said Sirius. –But, then again, what do I know?â€
–That’s reassuring, Padfoot,†Peter said dully.
–Wormtail, do you remember what I promised you when we decided to become Animagi?†James asked. –I told you we would protect you from the big, scary werewolf, and I intend to keep that promise. So stop worrying! Everything will be fine, trust me.â€
–Okay, Prongs, I’ll trust you.â€
–Excellent,†James said, jumping off the bed and starting to pace in front of them. –Now enough of this ‘tear us to bits’ nonsense. Let’s think about what we’re going to do assuming the wolf doesn’t thirst for our blood.â€
–I guess we just need to keep him distracted,†Peter said. –So he doesn’t go back to his old pastime of eating himself and the furniture.â€
–Really, Wormtail, is that what we need to do?†James asked sarcastically. –Gosh, and I thought we were here to scratch our arses and let Remus run a muck. Silly me.â€
–It’s just lucky Captain Points-Out-The-Obvious-A-Lot was here to set you straight,†said Sirius.
–You guys are real prats, you know that?â€
–Sshhh!†James hissed suddenly. –I heard something.â€
–It’s okay, Madame Pomfrey, I think I can make it from here.†Remus’s was clearly speaking a bit louder than was strictly necessary for Madame Pomfrey to hear him to give his friends warning that they were approaching. Silently as they could, the three boys tiptoed across the room to listen at the slightly ajar door.
–Well, alright then, Remus,†Madame Pomfrey’s voice replied distantly. –I’ll be back for you in the morning. Good luck.â€
–Thank you.†Remus’s voice was closer, just downstairs.
–We should jump out and scare him when he comes up,†Sirius whispered. James and Peter nodded in agreement.
They heard Remus cross the room downstairs and enter the hall. –Hello?†he called up the stairs. –Prongs, Padfoot, Wormtail? Are you guys here?â€
–On three,†Sirius whispered.
–Hello?†Remus called again, starting to climb the stairs.
–One…two…three!†Sirius, James, and Peter charged onto the landing, yelling like idiots, and Remus nearly jumped out of his skin.
–Hiya Moony!†James said, grinning down at his friend.
–You guys - just gave me - a heart attack,†Remus panted, one hand on his chest, the other clutching the stair railing for support.
–Well, once you’ve recovered, could you come and join us up in the bedroom?†James asked. –We’re making plans.â€
Remus glared at them but continued up the stairs and followed them back into the bedroom. In the light cast by the ceiling lamp, Sirius could see that Remus looked ill and suspected that it had nothing to do with his recent heart attack. He was always pale and shaky before full moon, but they had never seen him mere minutes before a transformation. Sirius saw that his paler was now tinged with green and he was shaking worse than ever.
–You look well,†Sirius commented.
–Yeah, well, you would too if you were about to change into a werewolf,†Remus said, taking a seat on the bed the others had recently vacated.
–How long before moonrise?†Peter asked.
–Seven or eight minutes probably,†Remus said, running a shaking hand through his hair. –We’d usually get here earlier, but Madame Pomfrey had a lot of patients today and she had to get them settled before she could meet me.â€
–Is there something we should do before then?†James asked, watching his pale and shaky friend with deep concern.
Remus managed a small smile. –Last chance to flee, I suppose.â€
–Nope,†said James, –we’re staying put.â€
–You guys are ready to transform?†Remus asked.
Sirius took the cue to transform into the great black dog. Padfoot, the dog, jumped up onto the bed beside his friend and stuck his wet nose in Remus’s ear, sniffing.
–Ack! Padfoot, that’s cold!†Remus exclaimed, pushing the dog away from his ear while James and Peter laughed. Padfoot stuck out his tongue and licked Remus’s cheek. –You stupid great mutt,†Remus muttered, pushing the dog away once more.
The dog wagged its tail and then changed back into a human. –Moony, mate, that’s just how canines show affection,†Sirius explained. –Just be grateful I didn’t sniff your arse.â€
–I am,†Remus assured him. –Oh so very grateful.†He shuddered. The moon, it seemed, was getting closer. –It’s almost here,†he whispered. He looked at his friends. –Could I ask you guys a favor?â€
–Shoot,†said James.
–Can you guys leave for the…the transformation? I don’t want you to see it.â€
Sirius exchanged looks with his friends and knew they were thinking the same thing he was. They had all been quite curious about seeing the transformation process. They knew it was very different from the smooth transformations Sirius had just made. Also, how many people got to witness a werewolf transformation? They really wanted to see it happen.
But looking at their pale and shaking friend, the boys knew that there was only one thing to do.
–’Course,†Sirius said, getting up from the bed. –We’ll wait outside.â€
Sirius, James, and Peter all headed for the door.
–See you in a few minutes,†James said.
–Just remember what we agreed,†Remus said. –If I get too dangerous, just leave. Don’t stay if it means I’ll hurt you.â€
–We know, Moony,†James assured him.
–And…â€
Sirius, James, and Peter all turned back in the doorway to face Remus, still sitting on the bed.
–And, thank you,†Remus said.
Sirius smiled at him. –Here’s to a new full moon regime.â€
Remus nodded. It didn’t seem that he could manage a smile. The other three left, pulling the door halfway closed behind them. It wouldn’t have been wise close any doors completely, as they would all be severely lacking in opposable thumbs in a few minutes time.
They walked down to the end of the landing, near the top of the staircase. Sirius checked his watch, but as he wasn’t sure of the exact time the moon would rise, knowing the time was pretty useless to him. He looked over at James to see that James had taken out his wand. Catching Sirius’s eye, James tapped the wall with his wand and raised his eyebrows at Sirius. Sirius understood.
–Do you think?†he whispered under his breath. He didn’t dare speak any louder or Remus might hear him.
–Worth a shot,†James breathed back.
Over the summer, Sirius and James had learned a useful little spell from a book on magical techniques of spying and eavesdropping (it had become akin to holy scripture to the two boys). The spell made it so that you could see through part of a wall. The brilliance of the spell was that while the wall on the caster’s side became transparent, the opposite side of the wall looked solid and the same as ever. It was a perfect way to spy without being detected.
Most Wizarding dwellings had protective spells on the walls to block the use of spells such as these. They had been unable to use it on any of the walls at the Potter manor and had yet to find a wall in Hogwarts that would yield to the spell. Dumbledore was sure to have put the most advanced protective spells known to Wizards on the outer walls of the Shrieking Shack so no nosy villagers or visitors would be able see into the building. However, there was always a chance he hadn’t bothered with these sorts of spells on the inner walls of the Shack. Dumbledore wouldn’t have seen them necessary, believing that the only people who would ever visit the building would be Remus and Madame Pomfrey. And anyway, if anyone did manage to come to the Shrieking Shack at the full moon to spy on Remus, they would have far worse problems to deal with than the fact that that person could see through the walls. And if Dumbledore hadn’t bothered, then the boys would be able to watch Remus transform without Remus ever having to know about it.
Softly, almost inaudibly, James muttered the incantation and tapped his wand twice on the wall. Quite suddenly, a gaping hole appear in the wall in front of them; a spot where the wall had become completely transparent, allowing them to see into the bedroom.
Peter gasped. Sirius nudged him and put a finger to his own lips. Together, Sirius, Peter, and James all stared through it into the bedroom. Remus was no longer on the bed, but standing in the middle of the room. He had removed his jacket and, presumably, stored it in the wardrobe with theirs. He was pale green and quaking from head to foot, but he stood straight-backed, ready to face his fate. The true definition of Gryffindor courage in the face of his fears.
As Sirius watched Remus, he felt a lurch in the pit of his stomach. Everything was becoming so real all of a sudden. Remus’s was about to transform right before their eyes, and then his being a werewolf would no longer be just a concept to his friends, but something real that they had witnessed. Sirius had imagined this so many times as he had anticipated joining Remus for the full moon, but he was no longer in a theoretical situation. He was really about to face a real werewolf in real life. For real.
His stomach lurched again, and he swallowed. He was a Gryffindor too; he would be brave.
Nothing happened for another minute or so. Then, without warning, Remus went ridged. Behind Remus, Sirius could see the sliver of a silver glow coming through a crack in one of the boarded window. The moon was rising. And then there was screaming. How Remus could criticize James for the volume of his screams was beyond him, because Remus’s screams were at least twice as loud and about a thousand times more terrible. It was small wonder why the villagers all feared this place. Remus crumpled, still screaming, and fell to all fours. And then his body began to change.
It was, without a doubt, one of the most horrible things Sirius had ever witnessed in his life. Remus’s limbs were contorting. His robes vanished to be replaced with thick, matted fur. Sirius recalled how easily his own body melded and adapted as he changed from human form to canine form and back again. Remus’s body was much more reluctant to change. Sirius could almost hear Remus’s bones snapping as they shifted and grew. It was as if his body was being torn apart before being reassembled into a form that was not his own. All the while, Remus continued to scream and shriek as if every fiber of his body was on fire. And then his face elongated, and the screams turned into howls of pain and misery.
And then it was over. Remus was gone. Not so much as a hint of Sirius’s friend remained behind. All there was was a wolf. A massive and rather mean looking wolf. A massive, mean, and hungry looking werewolf.
The werewolf turned to stare directly at Sirius, as if it could see straight through the bedroom wall. But that was impossible…
Something poked him, hard, on his right shoulder blade. Sirius ripped his eyes away from the wolf and turned around. Standing behind him was large deer. Prongs. Prongs had just poked him with one of his giant antlers. At the same time, Sirius felt something on his ankle and looked down to see a pudgy rat clawing at the hem of his robes as if to get his attention.
The hem of his robes. His robes. He was still wearing robes. He was still human. He had been so caught up in watching Remus, he had forgotten to change into a dog. The werewolf hadn’t been able to see through the wall at all, but it could smell human prey just on the other side, and it was now moving with alarming speed towards the bedroom door.
Bugger!
Sirius quickly changed into the great black dog, but the damage had still been done. The werewolf had smelled the scent of human, and it was going to go after it.
Prongs was the first one to race down the stairs. He must have been practicing moving with his antlers, because he didn’t get stuck once. Padfoot knew that if he had had antlers like that, he would have been crashing into things left and right and would never have made it down the narrow staircase so efficiently. Wormtail scampered quickly after Prongs and Padfoot hurried to catch up. A growling on the upstairs landing told him the werewolf was just behind them.
Prongs, Wormtail, and Padfoot flew through the door at the bottom landing and across the large downstairs room. They skidded to a halt and turned around to face the doorway just in time to see the werewolf stalking into the room. It had lost the trace of human scent, but it certainly seemed that it hadn’t forgotten it. It was sniffing madly and looked irritated. Then it caught sight of the other animals across the room. For a moment, it looked surprised and confused; it had never had company before after all. But it quickly recovered from its surprise and narrowed its eyes. It looked suspiciously at each of them, as if trying to decide which of them was hiding the human. Wormtail gave a frightened squeak and clawed his way up one of Prongs’s back leg, coming to rest on Prongs’s back with his small face buried in Prongs’s fur, shaking. The werewolf cocked its head slightly at the noise. It had never heard a noise like that before and seemed to find it intriguing. It watched the quivering rat on the stag’s back for a minute then turned to stare at Padfoot.
Padfoot met the werewolf’s gaze unflinchingly. He stared deep into the monster’s eyes, trying desperately to see something of Moony inside them. The werewolf advanced on him, slowly, examining him from snout to tail. Sizing him up.
But Padfoot wasn’t afraid. He knew - he didn’t know how he knew, but he knew - that the werewolf wasn’t going to attack him. It didn’t look hungry or angry anymore. But its eyes were drilling into Padfoot, studying him, trying to understand who he was and what he was doing here.
The werewolf didn’t stop when it reached Padfoot, but instead it started to circle around the great dog. Padfoot started to turn. No way, Padfoot thought, if you think I’m going to expose my backside to you, you are sorely -
The werewolf growled at him.
Or, you know, I could stay still and let you do whatever you want. That’s cool too.
Padfoot stayed perfectly still as the werewolf circled around him. It came to a stop right behind Padfoot, and Padfoot braced himself for whatever the werewolf had planned. The werewolf got right up close behind him, stuck its snout right next to his tail…and sniffed his butt.
If Padfoot had been human, he would burst out laughing. –Moony, mate, that’s just how canines show affection.†It was too perfect. Since he wasn’t human and couldn’t laugh, Padfoot settled on wagging his tail enthusiastically to show his happiness. His wagging tail caught the werewolf in the face as he withdrew his snout from Padfoot’s hindquarters. Whoops. Padfoot turned to face the werewolf, wondering what his reaction would be. But the werewolf didn’t look angry, just a little bemused.
And then, Padfoot and werewolf were circling each other, sniffing to their hearts’ content. The werewolf’s tail started wagging in imitation of the dog’s, increasing Padfoot’s delight. After a minute, the werewolf stopped circling and allowed Padfoot to come up behind him, and Padfoot, in full canine affection, sniffed the werewolf’s butt.
Holy mother of…
Padfoot rapidly withdrew his snout. They lived in a castle in mountains of Scotland, for Merlin’s sake! Where exactly had Remus managed to get hold of a spicy bean and cheese burrito?
Padfoot and the werewolf continued to sniff each other, Padfoot being careful to sniff only the werewolf’s front half. After it seemed the werewolf had sufficiently sniffed his canine companion, he turned his attention to the stag, who had done nothing so far but stand and watch. The werewolf sniffed Prongs eagerly, but Prongs didn’t seem to feel the need to sniff him back. Prongs didn’t have eyebrows to raise, but even so, Prongs sent Padfoot a quizzical look as he had his stag’s body sniffed from antler to hoof by the curious werewolf.
As the werewolf was sniffing Prongs’s back, it came across the quivering lump that was Wormtail. Sensing the werewolf’s proximity, Wormtail slowly raised his head out of Prongs’s fur to stare in terror at the werewolf. Padfoot saw his small, watery eyes taking in the werewolf’s long, pointed fangs, which were set into a mouth large enough that it could probably have finished off the pudgy rat in a single swallow. That, however, did not seem to be the werewolf’s intent. It brought its snout right up to Wormtail and sniffed the rat from his pointed nose down to his bald, worm-like tail. Then it backed away from Wormtail and went back to sniffing Prongs’s antlers.
Such relief Padfoot had never seen cross a rat’s face in his life. Wormtail let out a squeak that was something like a sigh, sinking momentarily back into Prongs’s fur, before bouncing up, climbing quickly down the stag’s leg, and rushing over to Padfoot. Wormtail then started doing figure eights around Padfoot’s front and back legs as his own way of showing his excitement. It was a kind of –the werewolf didn’t eat me†happy dance that he was sharing with Padfoot, which Padfoot found deeply amusing.
Meanwhile, Prong’s and werewolf had started to chase each other around the room. First, Prong’s would chase the werewolf for a few laps of the room, then the werewolf would change direction and chase Prong’s for a few laps, then Prong’s would turn around and start chasing the werewolf again. They both seemed to be having a blast, running around the room, leaping over and ducking behind the broken furniture. Padfoot looked down at Wormtail, who had stopped his happy dance to watch Prongs and the werewolf. Wormtail looked up at Padfoot, and they exchanged a look. Then, simultaneously, they both charged forward to join the chase.
The four of them chased each other around in a game that didn’t really seem to have any rules except that you were either running after or away from someone else. And as the four of them played together, Padfoot noticed something. A change seemed to have come over the werewolf. He could see it in the wolf’s gleaming yellow eyes. It was no longer the mean and hungry looking predator Padfoot had seen staring at him from the bedroom. It wasn’t the aggressively curious beast that had sniffed him and Prongs and Wormtail. And as the werewolf bounded over a broken chair away from a pursuing Prongs and then sprang after a skittering Wormtail, Padfoot realized what had changed. It was no longer a monster whose only purpose was hunt and destroy and feed. It was no longer the vicious beast that howled in misery as it chewed its own flesh. It was no longer a solitary creature. Now, it had friends. Now, it had someone with whom to share the time.
Now, it was no longer just a werewolf.
Now, he was Moony.
Thrilled and joyful, Padfoot leapt after Moony and bit his friend playfully on the ear. Moony came back at him, pouncing on him and pinning to the ground before becoming distracted by Wormtail, who once again came skittering across the floor in front of them. The chase continued. It was amazing fun. Here’s to a new full moon regime, Padfoot thought.
However, after an hour or so of running, Padfoot noticed that Wormtail seemed to be wearing down. Finally Wormtail scurried into a corner and collapsed, completely exhausted. Not long after, Prongs also broke away from the chase and went to go rest beside Wormtail. Padfoot and Moony continued to chase each other, but after another twenty minutes or so, Padfoot also felt he needed a break. Prongs, having rested for a while, stood to take Padfoot’s place in the chase, and Padfoot went over and curled up beside Wormtail, who had fallen asleep.
For the next few hours, Padfoot, Prongs, and Wormtail all took turns entertaining Moony while the other two rested. Moony didn’t seem to be tiring at all, but Padfoot hadn’t really expected him too. Although Moony seemed to really enjoy playing with Padfoot and Prongs, Padfoot could tell he liked Wormtail the best. Moony found the rat fascinating. Wormtail would run around the room and Moony would try desperately to catch him, but Wormtail was small and quick and able to evade Moony’s large clawed paws. Then Wormtail would start doing figure eight-like patterns around Moony’s legs, and Moony would get dizzy trying to follow him and keep him in sight. Then Wormtail would climb up on Moony’s back, and Moony would run in circles, like he was chasing his tail, trying to see where Wormtail had gone. Then Wormtail would dismount Moony and scamper away across the floor, and the pattern would start over again.
There were no clocks in the Shrieking Shack, but if Padfoot had had to guess at the time when Moony finally got bored of chasing, he would have said it was somewhere between 4:00 and 5:00 in the morning. Prongs was taking his turn chasing Moony when Moony suddenly turned away from Prongs and slunk out of the room through the door to the stairs. Prongs shot another quizzical look over at Padfoot, then turned to look back at the doorway through which Moony had just disappeared. Padfoot jumped slightly as a loud bark sounded from the stairs. It seemed as if Moony wanted them to follow him. Padfoot nudged Wormtail with his paw to wake him up, and together they and Prongs followed Moony upstairs.
Moony led them through the only open door on the landing, the one that went back into the bedroom. Once they were all inside, Moony jumped up onto the bed, circled a few times, and finally curled. It seemed they had finally managed to tire the werewolf out. He stared at them for a moment with gleaming yellow eyes, then let out another loud bark.
They took the hint. Padfoot obediently jumped up onto the bed beside Moony and curled up as well. There was no room for Prongs on the bed, so he settled himself down on the floor right beside the bed. Wormtail climbed onto the bed and balled himself up on Padfoot’s back. Padfoot watched as Moony’s eyelids drooped and he let out a sleepy sigh. Prongs had already shut his eyes and put his head down. Padfoot could feel Wormtail’s slow deep breathing on his back. Padfoot closed his eyes too; he was exhausted.
A couple of hours later, Padfoot opened his eyes again. Everything in the room was still and silent, and at first, Padfoot didn’t realize what had woken him. Then he noticed that Moony was no longer on the bed beside him. Padfoot’s panic of having lost Moony lasted only long enough for Padfoot to turn around and see Moony standing right next to the bed on the opposite side from where Prongs was still sleeping.
I guess naptime’s over then.
But then Padfoot saw that Moony was shaking slightly where he stood. Padfoot watched silently as the shaking slowly became more violent. Moony didn’t look at Padfoot. He seemed lost in his own world. Then the werewolf let out a loud, agonizing howl of pain. This woke Prongs and Wormtail quite effectively. Prongs bashed his antlers on one of the posts at the end of the bed as he jumped to his hooves. Wormtail let out a frightened squeak and dug his sharp little paws into Padfoot’s back, but Padfoot barely noticed. The werewolf continued to howl as it shrank. The muzzle retracted back into the skull and howls became screams. The bones were snapping again, but this time they rearranged themselves into much more familiar human features. The fur disappeared and was replaced Hogwarts robes.
And then the wolf was gone. There was no trace of it left. There was only Remus.
Remus’s screams died away and he panted for breath, still down on all fours. Then he collapsed to the floor and passed out completely. Swiftly, Padfoot dislodged the rat from his back and jumped off of the bed. He changed back into Sirius and knelt on the floor beside his unconscious friend. James, returned to human form as well, walked around the foot of the bed and sat down next to Sirius. Peter, also human again, peered down at them from his perch on the end of the bed.
–Is he alright?†Peter asked timidly, his voice even squeakier than usual. –I mean, it’s normal for him to pass out after he transforms back, right? That’s what he told us, isn’t it?â€
–I think so,†James said uncertainly. Remus was lying on his side and was a pale as a corpse.
–Well, he’s still breathing,†Sirius said.
–That’s a good sign,†Peter said seriously.
–No kidding, Wormtail,†Sirius said dryly.
They all sat in silence for a minute, looking at Remus, before James asked, –Should we put him up on the bed?â€
–Err,†Sirius said, –I’m not sure if we should move him just yet. Not right after he just transformed. We don’t want to hurt him.â€
–Good point,†said James.
–Here, Wormtail, hand me that pillow,†Sirius said.
Peter obliged. Carefully, James lifted Remus’s head and Sirius slid the pillow underneath it. And before Sirius could even ask for it, Peter had gotten the blanket out from under himself and held it out for Sirius to take. Together, Sirius and James put the blanket over Remus.
–So…what do we do now?†Sirius asked.
–Wait for him to wake up, I suppose,†said James. He stretched and yawned. –So, did everyone have fun last night?â€
–I got a lot of exercise,†said Sirius.
–Me too,†said Peter. –I think I lost ten pounds.â€
Sirius seriously doubted that. He exchanged a look with James and could tell by James’s half smile that he was thinking the same thing.
–Blimey, I’m tired,†James said, yawning again. –Do you think Madame Pomfrey would mind if we just crashed in the hospital wing this morning with Remus instead of going to lessons?â€
–I don’t know that she’d mind so much,†Sirius replied. –But it might make her a little suspicious.â€
–She never asks too many questions,†said James.
–That’s true,†said Sirius.
–Although, we might have a problem when McGonagall comes to see why we weren’t in Transfiguration,†said James.
–We skive off class all the time,†Sirius pointed out.
–Yeah, but to catch up on sleep because we spent the night chasing around a werewolf as illegal Animagi?â€
–We don’t have to tell her that.â€
–But she’d still probably be suspicious if we all skip right after full moon.â€
–Yeah, especially if we do it every month, which is how it will be from now on, won’t it?†Sirius asked.
–Yeah,†James said. He smiled down at Remus. –Remind me to tell Moony ‘I told you so’ when he wakes up,†he instructed Sirius.
–Sure,†said Sirius.
–’Cause I did tell him so.â€
–I know you did.â€
–And, okay, maybe wasn’t completely in his right human mind, but he still didn’t attack us or himself, so I count that as a total victory!â€
–I agree,†said Sirius. –And he did seem a bit like Moony sometimes too.â€
–Yeah, I noticed that,†James said excitedly. –Especially later on. I mean, in the beginning, he wasn’t too happy, but then he kind of…changed. And think he was really happy to have us there.â€
–He did seem happy,†Sirius said. –And then-†But Sirius was cut off by James, who had burst out laughing. –What is it?†Sirius asked.
–I just remembered,†James laughed, –canine affection!â€
–I know!†Sirius said. –Merlin, I hope he remembers that!â€
–It was hilarious,†James said. –Didn’t you think so, Wormtail?â€
Peter didn’t answer.
–Wormtail?â€
–I think he’s asleep, mate,†Sirius said. And, sure enough, a second later Peter let out a great snore.
–Wow,†said James. –He’s a good sleeper. Should we wake him up?â€
–Nah,†said Sirius, –let’s wait until Moony-â€
Remus groaned.
–Moony?†James asked.
Remus groaned again and rolled onto his back. Then he was still again.
–Well…he moved,†said Sirius.
–Yeah,†said James.
Remus opened his eyes.
–Morning!†said James.
Remus seemed a little out of it, like anyone when they first wake up in the morning, but he smiled a little as his eyes found James and he said weakly, –Hey, you’re here.â€
–No I’m not,†said James. –I’m just an illusion of your mind.â€
–That’s really helpful, Prongs,†Sirius said.
Remus’s eyes were taking in the room. –We’re in the Shrieking Shack,†he said.
–Yeah,†said James. –You just transformed back. How are you feeling?â€
Remus shifted a little. Then, slowly, he pushed himself into a sitting position. –Actually,†he said, rubbing the back of his head with his hand, –I feel great.â€
–Great by normal standards or by just after full moon standards?†James asked.
–Just after full moon,†Remus said.
–Well that’s something,†said Sirius.
–Yeah,†said Remus. His voice was hushed with amazement and he was grinning again. –Yeah, it is.â€
–Oi, Wormtail!†Sirius said, reaching up to prod Peter. –Wake up you great lump and say good morning.â€
–Hmm?†Peter said, opening his eyes. He saw Remus. –Moony, you’re awake!â€
–Yeah, I am,†said Remus. He was examining his arms and feeling his face and neck. –No scratches or bites or anything,†he said in the same hushed and amazed tone.
–Well of course not!†said Sirius. –You were much to busy chasing us around in circles to bite or scratch yourself.â€
–Do you remember anything?†James asked eagerly.
–Yeah, I do,†Remus said. He was positively beaming now. –I actually do!â€
–Well?†asked James. –What do you remember?â€
–Err,†Remus said. He frowned slightly in confusion. –There was a human.â€
–Yes,†said James. –That would be Padfoot being an idiot.â€
–I just forgot to change for minute,†Sirius said defensively.
–Padfoot! How could you? I could have bitten you! I could have-â€
–Calm down, Moony,†James said sternly. –Nothing happened, okay? He was just a couple seconds too late and you were still in the other room. It wasn’t even a close call. Now what else do you remember?â€
Remus took a deep breath. –Well, I remember seeing you - we were downstairs = and I didn’t know why you were there at first, but then…†He closed his eyes and rubbed the side of his head. –I don’t think I knew who you were exactly…but I think…I think I knew you were okay…that you were my friends.â€
–That’s great!†James said.
Remus opened his eyes and smiled at him. –Yeah, it is!†he said. –And then…†His eyes fell on Sirius. His smile vanished to be replaced with a look of mild horror, and Sirius knew exactly what he was remembering. –Oh please tell me I didn’t…â€
–Sniff my arse? Yes you did,†Sirius said grinning. –And did it smell lemony fresh?â€
James and Peter laughed as Remus groaned, drew his knees up to his chest, and buried his head.
–But wait!†Remus said, his head snapping up again. –You sniffed me too!â€
–I was just being polite,†Sirius said unashamedly. –We need to talk about your diet, by the way.â€
–What else do you remember, Moony?†Peter asked.
–A lot of running,†Remus said.
–Not surprising,†said James, –seeing as that’s what we did most of the night.â€
–And there was this little rodent…â€
–That would be Wormtail,†Sirius said.
Remus looked up at Peter on the bed. –Yeah, Wormtail,†he said, –and he was running all over the place. I couldn’t catch him.â€
–But you tried pretty damn hard,†Peter said.
–Wormtail reckons he lost ten pounds last night,†Sirius told Remus. Sirius saw James biting his lip as he fought back a smile, but Remus looked worried.
–Wormtail, I’m sorry,†Remus said. –You must have been really scared. I shouldn’t have been chasing you. I-â€
–Moony, it’s okay,†Peter said. –I had fun. I really did.â€
–Really?†Remus asked.
–Yeah, really,†Peter replied.
Remus looked relieved.
–So, Moony,†James said in a business-like way, –wouldn’t you say that by all standards last night went extremely well?â€
–Yeah,†Remus agreed, –it went great!â€
–Well then,†said James, –there was something I wanted to tell you.â€
–Yeah?†said Remus.
–Com’ere,†James said secretively.
Remus leaned closer to James.
–Closer,†James said.
Remus leaned closer. James cleared his throat.
–I TOLD YOU SO!†James said loudly.
Remus grabbed his head. –Ears…ringing…so much…pain!â€
–Your not the only one,†Sirius said. –Keep it down to a dull roar will you, mate?â€
–Well I did,†James said stubbornly, –I did tell him so. And I will now be happy to accept your full apology, Moony, for all of the pointless yelling, and worrying, and doubting you’ve done over the last two and a half years. Feel free to include long sections praising my brilliance and declaring your undying gratitude for me never letting you talk me out of it. Poetry isn’t strictly necessary, but, you know, go with whatever feels right. Any time you’re ready.â€
James folded his arms and looked at Remus expectantly.
Remus raised an eyebrow. –Did you want that with flowers and chocolates, Prongs?â€
Sirius and Peter laughed.
–No,†said James, –just a simple acknowledgment that I am brilliant and that you will never be as brilliant as I am, and a promise that will never question the divine brilliance of any future plans no matter how stupid they sound to your less-brilliant mind.â€
Remus sighed. –Okay Prongs, here it is,†he paused dramatically. –You were right. You told me so.â€
–YES!†James cheered. –And you can buy me those chocolates next time we’re in Hogsmeade.â€
–Alright then Prongs,†Remus agreed.
–Speaking of chocolate,†Peter said excitedly, –let’s bring snacks next time!â€
–Yeah!†Sirius agreed. –And maybe a ball. You know, something puncture proof.â€
–I like that,†Remus laughed. –Maybe you’d also want some of those chew toys you fill with peanut butter, Padfoot.â€
–And cheese!†Peter added delightedly. –We should bring lots and lots of cheese!â€
–Anything you want to bring next time, Prongs?†Sirius asked.
James was shaking his head. –You boys always think so small,†he said sadly.
–What do you mean?†Peter asked. –Do you not want any snacks or toys?â€
–I mean,†said James, a very recognizable glint in his eyes, –why bring more stuff with us to the Shack when we can just go out and get it ourselves?â€
–Excuse me?†said Remus.
Sirius smiled. –Brilliant,†he said.
–What are you talking about, Prongs?†Peter looked very confused.
–What I mean, Wormtail,†James continued, –is would you rather stay stuck up in here with a ball and some cheese, or…â€
–Go out and explore,†Sirius finished.
–Leave the Shack?†Peter asked.
–Never in a million - – Remus started, but James placed his hand over Remus’s mouth.
–Didn’t we just have a conversation in which you agreed never to question my brilliance again?†James asked.
Remus glared at him.
–That’s right,†James said, taking his hand off of Remus’s mouth.
–But Prongs, this is = – Remus broke off. –Did you guys hear something?â€
Sirius heard it too. Something was moving somewhere below them.
–Pomfrey!†James whispered.
They all moved very suddenly. Sirius was closest to the wardrobe, so he dashed over and grabbed the Cloak and his, James, and Peter’s coats. Remus hurriedly threw the pillow and blanket back up onto the bed and lay back down on the floor. Peter and James squished into the far corner, where Sirius joined them, throwing the Cloak over their heads.
–Remus?†Madame Pomfrey called. They heard her come up the stairs. Then she entered the room and hurried to where Remus lay curled on the floor.
–Remus,†she said gently, laying a hand on his shoulder.
Remus groaned as though just waking up. –Wha…?†he asked sleepily.
–It’s okay Remus,†Madame Pomfrey said. –The full moon is over. Everything is going to be all…†She broke off, examining Remus suspiciously. –You’re not injured.â€
Sirius heard Peter’s frightened gasp behind him, but Remus was on top of the problem.
–I think I mostly went after the furniture last night,†he said weakly.
Sirius remembered the state in which they had left the downstairs furniture last night after jumping over and on it for hours and hours and silently congratulated Remus for his completely plausible lie.
Madame Pomfrey pursed her lips but didn’t ask any more questions. She helped Remus off of the floor and went to the wardrobe to grab his coat. –Well, I’m just glad you’re alright,†she said, offering Remus her arm and helping him to the door. –Maybe more of your full moons will go as smoothly as this in the future.â€
Remus chanced half a glance over his shoulder at the corner where his friends were hidden. –Oh I think so,†he said with a small smile, –I think they’re all going to be a lot better from now on.â€
Author’s Notes: Reviews are always appreciated!