Merry Christmas,keiltagh!
Title: In the Hospital Wing
Rating: G
Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. Other recognisable situations belong to ladyjaida, dorkorific and shoebox_project.
Author's Notes: Sirius/Remus only hinted at. I want to thank my BETA Molly.
Prompt #26: when Sirius first reveals to Remus that he's become an Animagus
To: keiltagh
from your Secret Santa
In the Hospital Wing
It was the middle of his Second Year at Hogwarts, and Remus Lupin was in the hospital wing again. His transformation had been worse than usual this time, and he had mauled himself horribly. He didn’t know how he’d hide this from his friends, even his face was scratched! Thankfully, Madam Pomfrey had taken away the worst of the pain and mended the gashes to the best of her abilities. Soon, he’d be well enough to go back to the Common Room. The Common Room, and his friends. Hmm, he’d better start thinking of an excuse. Another one. Remus hated all of this lying. It was amazing that he could even go to Hogwarts, not a day went by without him remembering that, but sometimes he wished that Dumbledore hadn’t been so damn accommodating. He loved every minute of being in Hogwarts, and Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, and Sirius Black were the best friend anyone could ask for, but he was so terrified that at any minute, one of them would find out his secret. And if they did, he would lose the best, well, the only, friends he ever had. Remus didn’t think he could handle that. If he’d never gone to Hogwarts, he would never have known how amazing it was to have friends. Then he wouldn’t need to be so careful.
His musings were interrupted when his aforementioned friends crashed through the door.
“Gentlemen! There are sick people in here! They mustn’t be disturbed!” Madame Pomfrey admonished. The boys quieted down and Remus closed the curtain.
“Sorry, Madame Pomfrey,” Peter said. Remus grinned to himself. James and Sirius had always said that Peter fancied Madame Pomfrey. It seems they were right yet again.
“We were just wondering if Remus was here,” James said, “We’ve been looking everywhere for him.”
“He’s disappeared again.” Sirius whined. Remus could practically hear the nurse’s lips becoming a firm, disapproving line.
“He’s here, and you can visit him if it’s absolutely necessary, but if I hear you three making him any less comfortable than he already is, you will be out of here faster than you can limp.”
“Yes, ma’am,” said Sirius, in his most charming voice, “We will be more gentle than a rampaging elephant.” Madame Pomfrey stepped away, but kept an eye on the three trouble makers.
“Hey Remus,” said Peter, plopping on one of the chairs next to the bed. Sirius and James sat down too.
“How’ve you been?” asked James, “You look horrible.”
“What happened?” asked Sirius, “Give us the details. Who should we beat up? Please tell me it’s a Slytherin, especially Snivellus.”
“No! I didn’t get into a fight!” Remus said, “I was, um, helping Hagrid, yeah, and one of his creatures attacked me. I’ll be fine though.”
“When were you helping Hagrid?” asked James.
“Er, last night. He asked me to come. He would have asked you guys, but he said that you weren’t gentle enough to handle these,” he winced, “delicate creatures.”
Remus’ friends looked at each other.
“Oh what the hell,” Sirius suddenly burst out, “Remus, James thinks you’re a werewolf. We’ve got a bet riding on this, are you one?”
Remus opened his mouth. He closed it again. He opened it, then closed it. One thought ran through his head. How did he figure it out?
Sirius, as usual, had run out of patience. “See? James I told you. He isn’t a bloody werewolf!”
“Wait a second, Sirius, he’s just in shock. He hasn’t answered yet,” said the slightly more patient James, “Remus, if you don’t answer right now, and answer honestly, I will personally obtain some Veritaserum from Slughorn. And yes, I can tell when you lie to us. You’ve been lying about where you go off to every full moon. You aren’t as good a liar as perhaps you think you are.”
“James!” Sirius hissed, “would you like it if I suddenly accused you of being a werewolf?”
Remus took a deep breath, and he whispered quietly, “yes.” He tried to blink them back, but the tears started falling freely.
“Ha!” shouted James, “I win! He is one! Now pay up, that’s 10 sickles!”
Sirius wasn’t paying attention. Peter and James gave each other a look over the bed, then joined Sirius in trying to comfort the inconsolable Remus.
“Remus, Remus, it’s alright!” Sirius was muttering, “we don’t care, we know you! You would have eaten us alive first year if that was your thing! Remus, we’re still your friends!”
Remus, however, was not listening. He was talking to Sirius at the same time. “No! No! I understand! Of course you won’t want to be friends with me now! I wouldn’t want to be my friend either. Only, don’t tell anyone, please! It’s been so amazing actually having friends for once, and if possible, I’d like to make some new ones now! But I’ll understand, I really don’t eat people. Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore have it all worked out! Seriously, I understand-” But by now, James had become bored of this and put a quick silence charm on Remus.
“Thanks, mate,” Sirius said to James. Then he turned to Remus, “As soon as James finds that silver knife, oh no!” He said, as Remus started quietly bawling again, “That was a joke! A joke! Remus, you git like any of us would ever kill you! You’re still our best mate! If you weren’t, how would we get our homework done? Now, stop bawling and James will take your silence charm off.” Remus sniffled a little, wiped his eyes, and forced a smile. James took off his spell.
“You’re- you’re serious?” James and Peter nodded. Sirius grinned.
“Always am! Ow!” he said, then glared at his friends. They simultaneously had punched him, and in Remus’ bedridden case, kicked him. “Fine! I’ll stop making the bloody joke!”
Remus smiled so big it looked as though his face would split from the strain. “You guys are the best!” He shouted, and struggled up so that he could take his faithful friends into a huge, hug.
The next day, Remus noticed his friends whispering, heads together, he walked over to them.
“Hey guys!” he said, “What’re you doing?” Bits of paper disappeared right before his eyes.
“Plotting,” said James, primly, “Can’t tell you what though! We don’t even know yet!”
“Alright,” said Remus, “But if it’s going to kill you three, I get James’ cloak. I’ve got to go study.” He chuckled as he left the common room; even his friend’s plotting couldn’t ruin his mood today. At least he had friends to plot behind his back! He was still grinning widely as he sat down and started to do his transfiguration homework. It was hard, but Transfiguration came easily to him, for some reason, along with Defense Against the Dark Arts, so he already had a foot long essay when Sirius crashed into the library. Remus heard Madame Pince swooping down on him and scolding him severely, Sirius was grinning sheepishly. When the librarian had left, Remus grinned and waved him over.
“Sirius!” he whispered, this was a library after all, “I’m so surprised to see you, here of all places! Did you die and go to hell?”
Sirius rolled his eyes, and sat down with Remus, “I am allowed in here! Madame Pince only threatened to kick me out!”
“You’re not…studying of all things, are you?” Remus asked.
Sirius grinned, “Extra credit transfiguration project! McGonagall decided my grade could use a bit of work.”
Remus shook his head. “Just don’t be too loud, ok?”
Sirius looked at him, “When have I ever been too loud?” Remus raised an eyebrow, “well, besides always.”
“Right, now, I’ve got to finish this essay, need help on your extra credit?”
“Oh, um, no! Er, McGonagall said she’d know if you helped me and that she’d only accept it if I wrote it without help.”
“Alright then,” Remus said, and turned back to his book.
Sirius stood up and went over to the books. Remus could hear him mumbling, “No, no, no, no… yes! No, no, yes! No, no, no, no, yes!” and so on. Ten minutes later he came back, toting a large stack of books. Remus glanced up and scanned the titles.
“Project’s on Animagi, then?”
“Uhh, project, right, Animagi!” Sirius sat down next to Remus and started reading. It took him all of 20 seconds to start squirming.
“I can’t concentrate in all of this silence!” he burst out, 35 seconds later, “I’m going down to the common room.”
“Alright, good bye Sirius!” Remus said, secretly glad Sirius was leaving. He found it hard to concentrate in all of this Sirius.
Sirius checked out his books and left the library.
***
It was third year. Remus was again in the hospital, but he knew that Sirius, James, and Peter would come up to visit him. He looked at the clock above his bed. Come to think of it, where were they? They usually were very prompt about coming up. He usually couldn’t have a single moment of silence to collect himself and make sure he hadn’t gnawed off any major body parts. But they were late this time. He waited ten more minutes before the silence surrounding the Hospital Room shattered into Peter, James, and Sirius.
“… so close!” Peter was saying, but James shushed him.
“Hey Remus!” Sirius said, bounding in, “sorry we’re late! Got held up.”
“That’s fine,” Remus said, “the silence was nice, for once.”
“Hey!” said James, “we were busy!”
“Not another prank!” Remus groaned, “If you blow up the school, you’ll get expelled! And I probably will too, because of association with the criminals!”
“We’re not criminals!” Peter said, looking admonished, “We’re just… misunderstood.”
“Yeah,” said James, “misunderstood.”
“If they really understood us, they’d realize we’re doing it for the good of the school!” Sirius said, striking a noble pose.
“No, if they really understood you, they’d realize that you were doing it for a few laughs and because you hate house points,” Remus corrected.
They all laughed, and Remus forgot completely to ask about why they were late.
***
It was fourth year, and Remus was, as usual in the Hospital Wing after his transformation. It had been a bad one; he could feel three new scars forming. At least they healed at all. His friends were late. Usually they were on time, but recently they had been later and later. This time he had to wait a full half hour before they came bounding in.
Well, actually only Sirius came bounding in. James elegantly walked in what could only be called a gallop, and Peter scuttled. Remus thought it was strange, but he knew something was wrong when Sirius gave him a huge, slobbery lick right on the face.
“Hey! Remus! How! Are! You!” he asked, “What’s! Happening! You! Are! My! Best! Friend! Let’s! Play! Catch!”
Remus pushed Sirius off of the bed. “James, what’s wrong with him?” James looked at him, and started lowering his head. He backed up and drummed his feet against the ground. Then he charged, head butting Sirius and flipping him over the bed.
“Has everyone gone mad?” Remus shouted, “Peter?”
Peter looked at him, terrified, “Predators everywhere!” he shouted and ran under the bed.
Remus just lay back and tried to convince his poor, addled mind that it was dreaming. Sirius kept on coming up to him and licking him, then asking him to play catch, James was head butting everything in catch, and Peter refused to come out from under the bed and stop shrieking.
Several hours later, Sirius was slobbering all over Remus when suddenly something seemed to snap in Sirius’ mind.
“Remus?” he said, incredulously, “Eww! I was licking you!”
James groaned, “My head hurts.”
Peter came out from under the bed, “what just happened?”
“You, Pete, were hiding under the bed shouting about predators. James was head butting things, and Sirius was licking my face off and trying to get me to walk him.” Remus said, “What, exactly, possessed you to do this?”
“The spell…” James gasped, but Peter, being in a much saner mood then the rest of them, (He didn’t have Remus-after taste in his mouth or an incredibly painful head) cut him off, “It was Snivellus! He hexed us! Isn’t that right, guys?”
“Wha- oh yeah!” said Sirius, “We’re going to get back at him now! Come on!”
Remus shook his head, and followed his friends out, but he went straight to the common room. He didn’t want any part of Sirius, James, and Peter’s picking on Snape.
***
It was fifth year. Remus was in the hospital, just waking up. He no longer knew when they’d come these days. Some days, they were there when he woke up, but more often they didn’t come until he was practically ready to leave.
This was one of the times when they came in practically as he woke up.
“Hi Remus!” said Peter.
“We’re really close!” Sirius said, winking.
“Close to what?” asked Remus.
“Can’t tell you yet!” said James. All three of them were grinning insanely.
Remus groaned, “This isn’t more torturing Snape, is it?”
“Of course not!” said Sirius, sounding mortified, “Us?” Everyone else looked at him, “Not all the time,” he said, “sometimes we can’t because we’re asleep!”
“No, no,” said James, “You’ll like this one.”
“Yeah!” said Peter, “You better! We’ve been working on it since second year!”
James and Sirius glared at him. “What?”
“Just wait!” said Sirius, “You’ll see really soon!”
One month later, Remus still didn’t know what they had been talking about. Tonight was the full moon, and he was agitated as usual. He said good bye to his friends and went to Madame Pomfrey. He waited with her for a few hours, and then he went up to the Shrieking Shack. He still had anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour until the change, but always, always better safe then sorry. He went down the passage and inside.
Sitting, facing the door, was a stag, a rat, and a huge black dog. Remus looked confused. Animals had never found their way in before. They all looked so intelligent though, he hoped he wouldn’t eat them. He had, after all, eaten before he came. He scratched the dog behind the ears absentmindedly as he sat down to wait for the moon. He realized, after a few moments, that the fur he was petting felt more like hair than fur. He turned around, and found that he had been petting a grinning Sirius. Next to him were Peter and James.
“Hey Remus!” Sirius said, “surprised?”
Remus was having trouble speaking, when he found his breath, he said, “Guys! Get out of here! I don’t want to hurt you!”
“Oh don’t worry about that!” Peter said.
“Yeah, Sirius researched it!” James added.
“Remember that day when I came into the library?” Sirius asked. Remus nodded. It was such a rare occurrence to see Sirius anywhere near the Dreaded Library that Remus could remember each one individually. “I didn’t actually have a transfiguration assignment, I was just researching how to become an animagus, and I learned that animagi are resistant to werewolves when they are animals! We’ve been working on this ever since!”
Suddenly everything made sense. His friends’ secretive mumblings, when they came into the Hospital Wing acting, literally, like animals, everything.
“Wow, you guys are the best!” Remus said, “Not only did you not shun me the second you learned I was a werewolf, but you’re coming with me!” Remus could feel the moon, it was about to rise. “Change now! If you’re caught here human in a few seconds, The Wolf will kill you!”
In the morning, Remus woke up in the large bed next to James, Sirius, and Peter. He groaned, but noticed that he managed to get fewer injuries than usual. James, Sirius and Peter were all fine too. But most unfairly, his friends kept their clothes on. Remus’ clothes never changed with him. Groaning, he got up and found them, rumpled on the floor near the door. As he got dressed, Sirius, then Peter, and finally James woke up.
“Hey guys! You’re not werewolves now, are you? You’ll feel really woozy if you are, I remember that. James, you got a large scratch, probably from me. Sorry all!” Remus said.
“No, not woozy,” James said, Peter and Sirius nodded agreement.
“It worked!” Sirius whooped.
“But go back to the castle now, Madame Pomfrey will be coming to get me in a few hours, and I’m assuming, knowing you, which you want to keep this secret.”
“Yeah,” said Peter, and the three of them set off down the passageway back to the castle. It was still rather early in the morning, so Remus lay back on the bed and went to sleep.
Later he woke up in the Hospital Wing. A little later, Sirius came in alone.
“They got detention, without me!” Sirius said, sounding indignant, “I went to the bathroom, and when I came back, Peter, James, and Snivellus were getting immediate detention for fighting! So you only have me now.” He grinned and bounced over to the bed. “You look a lot better than usual, Moony.”
“Moony?” Remus asked.
“Nicknames! We made them up! You’re Moony, I’m Padfoot, James is Prongs, and Peter is Wormtail!”
“Wow, those are the worst and stupidest nicknames I’ve ever heard.”
“But they’ll stick!” Sirius predicted as he leaned in closer. “Did you know it was my idea? They didn’t think it would work. I got the books, I did the research, and I was the first to change!”
“Thanks, Padfoot,” said Remus, using the stupid nickname. He grinned, and stood up. Together they walked back to the common room, laughing and chatting, to wait for ‘Prongs’ and ‘Wormtail.’
***
It was sixth year. Moony no longer dreaded the full moon. He almost never mauled himself. Madame Pomfrey was suspicious, but she didn’t say anything, knowing how responsible Remus was.
Rating: G
Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. Other recognisable situations belong to ladyjaida, dorkorific and shoebox_project.
Author's Notes: Sirius/Remus only hinted at. I want to thank my BETA Molly.
Prompt #26: when Sirius first reveals to Remus that he's become an Animagus
To: keiltagh
from your Secret Santa
In the Hospital Wing
It was the middle of his Second Year at Hogwarts, and Remus Lupin was in the hospital wing again. His transformation had been worse than usual this time, and he had mauled himself horribly. He didn’t know how he’d hide this from his friends, even his face was scratched! Thankfully, Madam Pomfrey had taken away the worst of the pain and mended the gashes to the best of her abilities. Soon, he’d be well enough to go back to the Common Room. The Common Room, and his friends. Hmm, he’d better start thinking of an excuse. Another one. Remus hated all of this lying. It was amazing that he could even go to Hogwarts, not a day went by without him remembering that, but sometimes he wished that Dumbledore hadn’t been so damn accommodating. He loved every minute of being in Hogwarts, and Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, and Sirius Black were the best friend anyone could ask for, but he was so terrified that at any minute, one of them would find out his secret. And if they did, he would lose the best, well, the only, friends he ever had. Remus didn’t think he could handle that. If he’d never gone to Hogwarts, he would never have known how amazing it was to have friends. Then he wouldn’t need to be so careful.
His musings were interrupted when his aforementioned friends crashed through the door.
“Gentlemen! There are sick people in here! They mustn’t be disturbed!” Madame Pomfrey admonished. The boys quieted down and Remus closed the curtain.
“Sorry, Madame Pomfrey,” Peter said. Remus grinned to himself. James and Sirius had always said that Peter fancied Madame Pomfrey. It seems they were right yet again.
“We were just wondering if Remus was here,” James said, “We’ve been looking everywhere for him.”
“He’s disappeared again.” Sirius whined. Remus could practically hear the nurse’s lips becoming a firm, disapproving line.
“He’s here, and you can visit him if it’s absolutely necessary, but if I hear you three making him any less comfortable than he already is, you will be out of here faster than you can limp.”
“Yes, ma’am,” said Sirius, in his most charming voice, “We will be more gentle than a rampaging elephant.” Madame Pomfrey stepped away, but kept an eye on the three trouble makers.
“Hey Remus,” said Peter, plopping on one of the chairs next to the bed. Sirius and James sat down too.
“How’ve you been?” asked James, “You look horrible.”
“What happened?” asked Sirius, “Give us the details. Who should we beat up? Please tell me it’s a Slytherin, especially Snivellus.”
“No! I didn’t get into a fight!” Remus said, “I was, um, helping Hagrid, yeah, and one of his creatures attacked me. I’ll be fine though.”
“When were you helping Hagrid?” asked James.
“Er, last night. He asked me to come. He would have asked you guys, but he said that you weren’t gentle enough to handle these,” he winced, “delicate creatures.”
Remus’ friends looked at each other.
“Oh what the hell,” Sirius suddenly burst out, “Remus, James thinks you’re a werewolf. We’ve got a bet riding on this, are you one?”
Remus opened his mouth. He closed it again. He opened it, then closed it. One thought ran through his head. How did he figure it out?
Sirius, as usual, had run out of patience. “See? James I told you. He isn’t a bloody werewolf!”
“Wait a second, Sirius, he’s just in shock. He hasn’t answered yet,” said the slightly more patient James, “Remus, if you don’t answer right now, and answer honestly, I will personally obtain some Veritaserum from Slughorn. And yes, I can tell when you lie to us. You’ve been lying about where you go off to every full moon. You aren’t as good a liar as perhaps you think you are.”
“James!” Sirius hissed, “would you like it if I suddenly accused you of being a werewolf?”
Remus took a deep breath, and he whispered quietly, “yes.” He tried to blink them back, but the tears started falling freely.
“Ha!” shouted James, “I win! He is one! Now pay up, that’s 10 sickles!”
Sirius wasn’t paying attention. Peter and James gave each other a look over the bed, then joined Sirius in trying to comfort the inconsolable Remus.
“Remus, Remus, it’s alright!” Sirius was muttering, “we don’t care, we know you! You would have eaten us alive first year if that was your thing! Remus, we’re still your friends!”
Remus, however, was not listening. He was talking to Sirius at the same time. “No! No! I understand! Of course you won’t want to be friends with me now! I wouldn’t want to be my friend either. Only, don’t tell anyone, please! It’s been so amazing actually having friends for once, and if possible, I’d like to make some new ones now! But I’ll understand, I really don’t eat people. Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore have it all worked out! Seriously, I understand-” But by now, James had become bored of this and put a quick silence charm on Remus.
“Thanks, mate,” Sirius said to James. Then he turned to Remus, “As soon as James finds that silver knife, oh no!” He said, as Remus started quietly bawling again, “That was a joke! A joke! Remus, you git like any of us would ever kill you! You’re still our best mate! If you weren’t, how would we get our homework done? Now, stop bawling and James will take your silence charm off.” Remus sniffled a little, wiped his eyes, and forced a smile. James took off his spell.
“You’re- you’re serious?” James and Peter nodded. Sirius grinned.
“Always am! Ow!” he said, then glared at his friends. They simultaneously had punched him, and in Remus’ bedridden case, kicked him. “Fine! I’ll stop making the bloody joke!”
Remus smiled so big it looked as though his face would split from the strain. “You guys are the best!” He shouted, and struggled up so that he could take his faithful friends into a huge, hug.
The next day, Remus noticed his friends whispering, heads together, he walked over to them.
“Hey guys!” he said, “What’re you doing?” Bits of paper disappeared right before his eyes.
“Plotting,” said James, primly, “Can’t tell you what though! We don’t even know yet!”
“Alright,” said Remus, “But if it’s going to kill you three, I get James’ cloak. I’ve got to go study.” He chuckled as he left the common room; even his friend’s plotting couldn’t ruin his mood today. At least he had friends to plot behind his back! He was still grinning widely as he sat down and started to do his transfiguration homework. It was hard, but Transfiguration came easily to him, for some reason, along with Defense Against the Dark Arts, so he already had a foot long essay when Sirius crashed into the library. Remus heard Madame Pince swooping down on him and scolding him severely, Sirius was grinning sheepishly. When the librarian had left, Remus grinned and waved him over.
“Sirius!” he whispered, this was a library after all, “I’m so surprised to see you, here of all places! Did you die and go to hell?”
Sirius rolled his eyes, and sat down with Remus, “I am allowed in here! Madame Pince only threatened to kick me out!”
“You’re not…studying of all things, are you?” Remus asked.
Sirius grinned, “Extra credit transfiguration project! McGonagall decided my grade could use a bit of work.”
Remus shook his head. “Just don’t be too loud, ok?”
Sirius looked at him, “When have I ever been too loud?” Remus raised an eyebrow, “well, besides always.”
“Right, now, I’ve got to finish this essay, need help on your extra credit?”
“Oh, um, no! Er, McGonagall said she’d know if you helped me and that she’d only accept it if I wrote it without help.”
“Alright then,” Remus said, and turned back to his book.
Sirius stood up and went over to the books. Remus could hear him mumbling, “No, no, no, no… yes! No, no, yes! No, no, no, no, yes!” and so on. Ten minutes later he came back, toting a large stack of books. Remus glanced up and scanned the titles.
“Project’s on Animagi, then?”
“Uhh, project, right, Animagi!” Sirius sat down next to Remus and started reading. It took him all of 20 seconds to start squirming.
“I can’t concentrate in all of this silence!” he burst out, 35 seconds later, “I’m going down to the common room.”
“Alright, good bye Sirius!” Remus said, secretly glad Sirius was leaving. He found it hard to concentrate in all of this Sirius.
Sirius checked out his books and left the library.
***
It was third year. Remus was again in the hospital, but he knew that Sirius, James, and Peter would come up to visit him. He looked at the clock above his bed. Come to think of it, where were they? They usually were very prompt about coming up. He usually couldn’t have a single moment of silence to collect himself and make sure he hadn’t gnawed off any major body parts. But they were late this time. He waited ten more minutes before the silence surrounding the Hospital Room shattered into Peter, James, and Sirius.
“… so close!” Peter was saying, but James shushed him.
“Hey Remus!” Sirius said, bounding in, “sorry we’re late! Got held up.”
“That’s fine,” Remus said, “the silence was nice, for once.”
“Hey!” said James, “we were busy!”
“Not another prank!” Remus groaned, “If you blow up the school, you’ll get expelled! And I probably will too, because of association with the criminals!”
“We’re not criminals!” Peter said, looking admonished, “We’re just… misunderstood.”
“Yeah,” said James, “misunderstood.”
“If they really understood us, they’d realize we’re doing it for the good of the school!” Sirius said, striking a noble pose.
“No, if they really understood you, they’d realize that you were doing it for a few laughs and because you hate house points,” Remus corrected.
They all laughed, and Remus forgot completely to ask about why they were late.
***
It was fourth year, and Remus was, as usual in the Hospital Wing after his transformation. It had been a bad one; he could feel three new scars forming. At least they healed at all. His friends were late. Usually they were on time, but recently they had been later and later. This time he had to wait a full half hour before they came bounding in.
Well, actually only Sirius came bounding in. James elegantly walked in what could only be called a gallop, and Peter scuttled. Remus thought it was strange, but he knew something was wrong when Sirius gave him a huge, slobbery lick right on the face.
“Hey! Remus! How! Are! You!” he asked, “What’s! Happening! You! Are! My! Best! Friend! Let’s! Play! Catch!”
Remus pushed Sirius off of the bed. “James, what’s wrong with him?” James looked at him, and started lowering his head. He backed up and drummed his feet against the ground. Then he charged, head butting Sirius and flipping him over the bed.
“Has everyone gone mad?” Remus shouted, “Peter?”
Peter looked at him, terrified, “Predators everywhere!” he shouted and ran under the bed.
Remus just lay back and tried to convince his poor, addled mind that it was dreaming. Sirius kept on coming up to him and licking him, then asking him to play catch, James was head butting everything in catch, and Peter refused to come out from under the bed and stop shrieking.
Several hours later, Sirius was slobbering all over Remus when suddenly something seemed to snap in Sirius’ mind.
“Remus?” he said, incredulously, “Eww! I was licking you!”
James groaned, “My head hurts.”
Peter came out from under the bed, “what just happened?”
“You, Pete, were hiding under the bed shouting about predators. James was head butting things, and Sirius was licking my face off and trying to get me to walk him.” Remus said, “What, exactly, possessed you to do this?”
“The spell…” James gasped, but Peter, being in a much saner mood then the rest of them, (He didn’t have Remus-after taste in his mouth or an incredibly painful head) cut him off, “It was Snivellus! He hexed us! Isn’t that right, guys?”
“Wha- oh yeah!” said Sirius, “We’re going to get back at him now! Come on!”
Remus shook his head, and followed his friends out, but he went straight to the common room. He didn’t want any part of Sirius, James, and Peter’s picking on Snape.
***
It was fifth year. Remus was in the hospital, just waking up. He no longer knew when they’d come these days. Some days, they were there when he woke up, but more often they didn’t come until he was practically ready to leave.
This was one of the times when they came in practically as he woke up.
“Hi Remus!” said Peter.
“We’re really close!” Sirius said, winking.
“Close to what?” asked Remus.
“Can’t tell you yet!” said James. All three of them were grinning insanely.
Remus groaned, “This isn’t more torturing Snape, is it?”
“Of course not!” said Sirius, sounding mortified, “Us?” Everyone else looked at him, “Not all the time,” he said, “sometimes we can’t because we’re asleep!”
“No, no,” said James, “You’ll like this one.”
“Yeah!” said Peter, “You better! We’ve been working on it since second year!”
James and Sirius glared at him. “What?”
“Just wait!” said Sirius, “You’ll see really soon!”
One month later, Remus still didn’t know what they had been talking about. Tonight was the full moon, and he was agitated as usual. He said good bye to his friends and went to Madame Pomfrey. He waited with her for a few hours, and then he went up to the Shrieking Shack. He still had anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour until the change, but always, always better safe then sorry. He went down the passage and inside.
Sitting, facing the door, was a stag, a rat, and a huge black dog. Remus looked confused. Animals had never found their way in before. They all looked so intelligent though, he hoped he wouldn’t eat them. He had, after all, eaten before he came. He scratched the dog behind the ears absentmindedly as he sat down to wait for the moon. He realized, after a few moments, that the fur he was petting felt more like hair than fur. He turned around, and found that he had been petting a grinning Sirius. Next to him were Peter and James.
“Hey Remus!” Sirius said, “surprised?”
Remus was having trouble speaking, when he found his breath, he said, “Guys! Get out of here! I don’t want to hurt you!”
“Oh don’t worry about that!” Peter said.
“Yeah, Sirius researched it!” James added.
“Remember that day when I came into the library?” Sirius asked. Remus nodded. It was such a rare occurrence to see Sirius anywhere near the Dreaded Library that Remus could remember each one individually. “I didn’t actually have a transfiguration assignment, I was just researching how to become an animagus, and I learned that animagi are resistant to werewolves when they are animals! We’ve been working on this ever since!”
Suddenly everything made sense. His friends’ secretive mumblings, when they came into the Hospital Wing acting, literally, like animals, everything.
“Wow, you guys are the best!” Remus said, “Not only did you not shun me the second you learned I was a werewolf, but you’re coming with me!” Remus could feel the moon, it was about to rise. “Change now! If you’re caught here human in a few seconds, The Wolf will kill you!”
In the morning, Remus woke up in the large bed next to James, Sirius, and Peter. He groaned, but noticed that he managed to get fewer injuries than usual. James, Sirius and Peter were all fine too. But most unfairly, his friends kept their clothes on. Remus’ clothes never changed with him. Groaning, he got up and found them, rumpled on the floor near the door. As he got dressed, Sirius, then Peter, and finally James woke up.
“Hey guys! You’re not werewolves now, are you? You’ll feel really woozy if you are, I remember that. James, you got a large scratch, probably from me. Sorry all!” Remus said.
“No, not woozy,” James said, Peter and Sirius nodded agreement.
“It worked!” Sirius whooped.
“But go back to the castle now, Madame Pomfrey will be coming to get me in a few hours, and I’m assuming, knowing you, which you want to keep this secret.”
“Yeah,” said Peter, and the three of them set off down the passageway back to the castle. It was still rather early in the morning, so Remus lay back on the bed and went to sleep.
Later he woke up in the Hospital Wing. A little later, Sirius came in alone.
“They got detention, without me!” Sirius said, sounding indignant, “I went to the bathroom, and when I came back, Peter, James, and Snivellus were getting immediate detention for fighting! So you only have me now.” He grinned and bounced over to the bed. “You look a lot better than usual, Moony.”
“Moony?” Remus asked.
“Nicknames! We made them up! You’re Moony, I’m Padfoot, James is Prongs, and Peter is Wormtail!”
“Wow, those are the worst and stupidest nicknames I’ve ever heard.”
“But they’ll stick!” Sirius predicted as he leaned in closer. “Did you know it was my idea? They didn’t think it would work. I got the books, I did the research, and I was the first to change!”
“Thanks, Padfoot,” said Remus, using the stupid nickname. He grinned, and stood up. Together they walked back to the common room, laughing and chatting, to wait for ‘Prongs’ and ‘Wormtail.’
***
It was sixth year. Moony no longer dreaded the full moon. He almost never mauled himself. Madame Pomfrey was suspicious, but she didn’t say anything, knowing how responsible Remus was.