Chapter Text
Lily sighed sadly as she read the letter from Petunia. Her sister hadn't bothered answering her dozens of letters until now. Until Halloween. It was well known in the Evans Household that Lily was head over heels in love with the holiday that was Halloween. Ever since she was a child, she had adored dressing up and going trick or treating, something she never grew out of. When Severus told her about magic, Lily had taken great pleasure in spooking all her friends with her horror stories, which were always accompanied by flickering lights and breaking objects.
Petunia, who had mocked her for her love of the cheesy holiday, had decided to host Lily's annual Halloween sleepover and wrote in great detail about all the fun activities they would do. It hurt more than she would ever admit. Her favourite person in the world was using her favourite holiday to get back at her for the best thing to ever happen to her. Lily sighed again.
"What's with all the sighing?" Marlene yawned, just waking up. "It's Halloween!"
Lily snapped her head up. "You-you mean wizards and witches celebrate Halloween?!"
"Of course, why wouldn't we?"
"But who would you dress up as?"
"Dress up?" Marlene asked, and Alice turned to her, looking confused.
"Don't you go trick or treating?"
"What's that?"
That was all it took for Lily to launch into an excited explanation.
"Hey, James," James looked down to see Marlene waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs.
"Hey, ready for Halloween? I can already taste those pumpkin pastries," James said, his mouth-watering.
"I've never liked Halloween," Sirius mused. "Mother loves it."
"Why?" James asked, baffled.
"It was the only day of the year that she took away the house's enchantments. She liked to scare the muggle kids who came for candy. Some muggle tradition."
"Which is exactly what I wanted to talk about," Marlene added. "Lily told us that muggles dress up as scary people like witches and wizards and go around asking for candy!"
"Why on earth do they think we're scary?"
"Maybe because most of you treat us like dirt," Lily said, joining them.
"Slimy Slytherins ruining our reputation," James scowled.
"Not all Slytherins," Lily snapped.
"Anyway," Marlene intervened, for an encounter with James and Lily tended to end with one or both of them, storming off. "They also have a tradition of asking people for sweets and tricking them, if they don't give it!'
"Tricking, as in, pranking?" James asked, eyes going impossibly wide.
"Yup."
"Think I know what we're doing today," James grinned, turning to Sirius.
"Who on earth are you going to ask?" Lily asked, chaffed.
"Everyone," James said excitedly.
"It's more about tricking than treating," Sirius laughed.
"Good luck asking your Auntie Minnie," Marlene called, as she and Lily joined Alice for breakfast.
"She does have a point," James admitted. "I think we ought to do smaller pranks."
"Like what?" Sirius asked.
James's eyes landed on Remus and Peter. "Hey, guys. We're going trick or treating. Wanna come?"
Peter's eyes lit up as he nodded excitedly. Remus, who looked ill and tired, declined.
"So let's keep it simple," James began.
"How about setting off some dungbombs?"
"Easy enough," James shrugged.
"Where will we get them?" Peter asked.
"Oi, Charlie," James called. Marlene's brother broke away from his friends with a curious look on his face.
"What's up, mate?"
"We need to get some dungbombs for Halloween pranks."
"Sure, the twins have a hidden stack, but it's going to cost you."
"How much?" Sirius asked, with narrowed eyes.
Charlie grinned. "That's the catch. We don't want money. Guys, I got you some henchmen," Charlie said to the Prewett twins, beckoning them over.
"Ah, ickle firsties," Fabian said.
"Always the easiest to recruit, easiest to slip through," Gideon continued.
"Slip through what?" James asked suspiciously.
"Slip through the Chamber of Snakes!" They finished ominously.
"The Slytherin common room," Charlie added, on seeing their excited, and in Peter's case, terrified faces.
"Oh," James said, disappointed.
"That's a letdown," Sirius pouted. "But it would be fun to set dungbombs on some of my family." He cackled.
"So, here's what you're going to do-"
"A Slimy friend of ours, Mundungus Fletcher, stole, let's say a variation, of our dungbombs."
"Variation?" Sirius asked.
"You see, these variations were a gift from our sister, for helping her run away with Artie-boy." Gideon smirked.
"Molly sent those?" James asked dubiously. "The same Molly who ratted us out for stealing Dad's broom collection?"
"The very same," Fabian beamed. "Let's say, Arthur brings out Molly's wild side, and the two of them got us a muggle water gun, charmed to set off dungbombs."
"So you can shoot dungbombs from far away?"
"Among other things," Fabian waved them off. "So are you in?"
James and Sirius shared a look, before breaking out into identical grins. "We're in."
"Excellent," Gideon clapped his hands together. "You get us that bag, and you can keep one gun for yourselves. The password is 'Purebloods regula'."
"Typical Slytherins," Sirius muttered as he and James hid under the cloak. "Anyone could guess their passwords."
"Yeah, Purebloods rule, easiest in the book," James sniggered.
They waited until the dungeons were empty. James removed the cloak and looked back at Peter, their lookout, who sent them a thumbs up.
"It's go time."
The two of them hurried forward and stopped in front of a dark stone wall.
"Now, what do we do?" James asked uncertainly.
"We say the password."
"That's it?"
"Yes, we better put the cloak back on."
"Pureblood regula," Sirius whispered, and a secret door was revealed. The moment it opened, they knew it was a stupid decision, for the few Slytherins hobbling around stopped to stare at the empty doorway.
"Who's there?" A seventh-year boy roared.
"It's probably Peeves again, better go tell the Bloody Baron," A girl muttered as she slipped out.
Sirius shared a glance at James, who gulped, before making their way towards the dormitories, based on the rough map the twins had given them. It was easy enough to get a hold of the bag of guns, a little too easy.
"How come no one's in here," Sirius asked, a little disgruntled at how easy this was turning out.
"They must already be at the feast."
"So early?!"
"Two words. Pumpkin pastries."
"Mate, they're not that good."
"You take that back," exclaimed James.
"Shh," Sirius hissed, straining his ears. "Someone's coming."
The two of them pressed themselves as snugly into the cloak as they could as they waited. A seedy-looking seventh-year, who they assumed to be Dung, made a beeline for where the bag had been. He froze, before searching frantically all over as the boys scampered their way was towards the exit. They had reached the common room when Dung came down like a hurricane.
"There's been a break-in! Somebody's entered our common room!"
There was an uproar as about twenty Slytherins rushed to guard the exit.
Heart beating wildly, James whispered to Sirius, "What do we do?"
Sirius looked down at the guns, then at the Slytherins and said, "We dungbomb out way out."
With equally mischievous grins, they each claimed a gun, and the shooting began. The Slytherins let out screams of outrage as they got hit with the foul-smelling things, and moved out of the way, leaving a clear path for them. They made a dash for it, shooting bombs left right and centre till they reached the other side. They didn't stop until they'd entered a long unfamiliar hallway.
James threw off the cloak, tucking it into his pocket.
"That was EPIC!" He cried, doing a victory dance.
"Did you see the look on Parkinson's face?" Sirius laughed, joining him.
A nearby suit of armour clanked and they froze. Someone peered at them from behind it. Snape!
The greasy-haired boy was watching them with a malicious smile, looking all too overjoyed at catching them red handed. He turned, and sprinted towards the common room, yelling, "I've caught them!"
"Stop him," James cried in panic and Sirius, blank from any other ideas, shot dungbomb after dungbomb at him till he fell.
"Snape," James said, trying to calm down. "You didn't see us. We were never here."
"I'll never cover for you," He spat.
"No one will believe you," Sirius said menacingly. "You've tried to get us into trouble since the beginning. They'll assume you're doing it again."
"Not when I give them proof," He hissed, lunging for the bags. James wrenched it away before he could grab it. He snapped his head towards the stairs, where voices were fast approaching.
Sirius caught his eye and, in a split-second decision, they ran down the hallway, with Snape close behind.
"In here," Sirius called, and they hid behind a tapestry of Salazar Slytherin.
"Where are they?" A voice snarled outside as James and Sirius listened with baited breadths.
"They were right here! I saw-"
"Lying again, Snape! Knew we never should have taken your word for it."
They could hear retreating footsteps despite Snape's protests.
The two of them slid down the wall, breathing hard.
"That was close," James said.
"Still epic," Sirius reminded him.
After they'd made sure that no one would be returning, the boys made their way out and were faced with a whole new challenge.
"I think it's this way!'
"No, I'm sure it's this way."
"Let's flip for it!"
"Do you have a coin?"
James grimaced.
"Come on, James. I know the Slytherins better than you. It's this way."
"Fine," He relented, and they emerged into a small alcove of trees.
"Isn't that- Isn't that-"
"The Forbidden Forest." Sirius finished for him. "Let's go in!"
"What, really?" James hesitated. "I've heard there are all sorts of creatures in there. Minnie's told me horror stories."
"We've got these for protection," Sirius reminded, holding up the guns. "Come on! Where's your sense of adventure?"
"Well... it would make this evening even more epic," He agreed.
They made their way towards the tall looming trees of the forest.
"Woah, cool!" James said, picking up a small insect from the ground.
"What's that?" Sirius whispered suddenly. James stopped and listened. Low howls were coming from behind a bush nearby. As they neared, a light flickered, and a shadow of something horrific came into view.
"Shoot!" cried Sirius and they both aimed their guns at the bush sending dungbombs at whatever was behind there, only to hear high pitched shrieks, rather than gruesome roars.
"JAMES?!"
"MARLIE?!"
4 HOURS EARLIER.
"This is delicious!" exclaimed Lily, as she bit into the pumpkin delicacies.
"That's Halloween to you!" Marlene grinned, from the opposite seat.
"Alice, what are you looking at?" Alice quickly turned her head towards them.
"What?" She asked, flustered.
"I think little Ali's got a little crush," Marlene teased.
"I do not!" Alice protested, but Lily had to agree with the former. It wasn't like Alice was subtle about it.
"I miss my sleepovers," Lily sighed, breaking her friends' silly argument. "We used to do this all the time."
"Do what?"
"Have embarrassing conversations and silly dares. But most of all, on Halloween, we all got together and swapped scary stories."
"We could do that," Alice suggested.
"Yeah, I know a lot of scary stories," Marlene agreed enthusiastically.
"But it wouldn't be all that fun, doing it in our dorm," Lily said. "The girls and I used to set up camp in the nearby hill, and stayed up all night."
"Too bad we have curfew." Alice grimaced, returning to her food.
Lily too returned to her dessert, but Marlene remained all too quiet.
"What is there was a way?" Marlene asked quietly.
"What?!"
"Well, we do live right next to a forest."
"It's the Forbidden Forest! It's forbidden!" Alice cried, alarmed.
"Think about it. It'll be better than anything you've seen so far," Marlene said to Lily, ignoring Alice.
Lily looked from Marlene's excited face to Alice's disapproving one and made a decision.
"I'm in."
"I can't believe you, Lily!" Alive whispered furiously as they made their way downstairs in their pyjamas. "I thought you obeyed rules!"
"I do! Just not on Halloween."
"Will you two keep it down?" Marlene hissed back. "I think I hear Flich and that blasted cat of his."
They hid behind a suit of armour until the care-taker had passed.
"The coast is clear," Marlene said, beckoning them forward. They'd almost reached the courtyard when they bumped into someone they had not accounted for.
"Peeves!" Alice whimpered.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't ickle firsties out of bed," Peeves said in a sing-song voice. "Filchy would want to know."
"Peeves, NO!"
"FIRSTIES OUT OF BED! FILCHY, WHERE ARE YOU?!"
"RUN!" cried Lily and they didn't stop until they reached the outskirts of the forbidden forest.
"We made it," Marlene panted, but Lily wasn't paying attention. The Forbidden Forest stood before them in all its forbidden glory.
"Woah, it's huge!" Lily marvelled.
"And dangerous!" Alice cried, tugging at their hands. "Let's go back!"
"Where's your Gryffindor bravery, Alice?" Marlene goaded.
"It's being weighed down by basic common sense!"
"It's not all that dangerous. All my brothers have been, including perfect Robbie."
Lily snapped out of her daze. "Let's go in."
"I don't like this," Alice said but followed them nonetheless.
They made their way to a small clearing hidden by overgrown bushes and settled down.
"Lumos," Lily lit her wand.
"And so it begins," She said with a cackle.
"So who's first?" Marlene asked.
"Alice, why don't you start? It'd get you into the mood."
"Fine," She said, taking the lit wand.
"Once there were three girls," She began ominously, and the other two leaned it.
"The first girl was very good but her friends, despite her many protests, dragged her to the Forest of Doom-"
"This sounds familiar," Marlene grumbled.
"-where they coincidentally, met their doom. Moral of the story- always listen to the sensible girl. The end."
"Aw, Alice," Lily whined.
"That was entirely unhelpful," Marlene said, taking the wand. "Time for a real Halloween story."
"Once there were three brothers who came across Death-"
"The story of the Deathly Hallows? That's your big story?!" Alice exclaimed.
"What's wrong with it?" Marlene asked, affronted.
"It's a children's tale."
"Which Lily hasn't heard."
"I've heard it." Lily piped up.
"How?" Alice asked, confused.
"Severus told me."
"I guess Marlene's out then," Alice said smirking slightly at the other girl's scowl as she handed Lily the wand.
"I'll start with a fairytale too," Lily said. "Little Red Riding Hood set out into the woods to bring food to her sick grandmother-"
"Why is her grandmother sick?" Marlene interrupted.
"I don't know-"
"Is it because she lives in the woods?"
"What- yes, pay attention. She set out with cake and candy, and came across a big bad wolf-"
"Like a werewolf?"
"A what?"
"A werewolf. A person who turns into a wolf every full moon."
"It's full moon today," Alice said apprehensively.
"Don't be silly, Alice. There are no werewolves at Hogwarts."
"Anyway," Lily went on, "She came across a big bad normal wolf. The wolf said to her, 'Red, why don't you play for a while' and went to the grandmother's cottage and ate her." Here, Lily made loud howling biting noises as the others gasped.
"Then what happened?" Alice whispered. "Did he eat her too?"
The wolf disguised himself with Grandma's clothes and when Red arrived, she cried, 'What big ears you have!' 'So that I can hear you better, dear', replied the wolf. Red wondered again, 'What big hands you have!'. The wolf answered, 'Only to hug you, dear'. Red finally said 'What big teeth you have!'. The wolf then got out of bed and advanced on her. 'So that I can eat you, dear'." At this point, Lily had thrown a scarf over her head and was gesticulating wildly.
"And then. and then," Lily paused for dramatic effect. "He ate her."
Lily expected them to scream. What she did not expect was to scream along with them, or for something foul and disgusting to be thrown on them.
"JAMES?!" Marlene screamed.
"MARLY?!"
"What are you doing here?" Marlene asked.
"What are you doing here?" He countered.
"What the heck did you throw at us?" Lily demanded angrily.
"I can't breathe!" Alice said, trying to gulp in air.
"We thought you were some dangerous creature," Sirius defended.
"Are these DUNGBOMBS?" Marlene yelled.
"Ew," Alice cried disgustedly.
"Hey, you were the ones making weird noises!" James accused.
"We were telling scary stories," Lily glared.
"Like the Deathly Hallows?" Sirius asked curiously.
"See? He gets it," Marlene said to Alice.
"I was telling the story of Little Red Riding Hood."
"What's that?" James asked, confused, and she repeated the tale.
"That's not scary! That's just stupid. Why would anyone live in a woods filled with wolves?"
"That's what I said!"
"And why wouldn't he just eat her when they met, and then eat the grandmother?" Sirius asked.
"It's a story," Lily bristled. "And it was just low level scary. I know loads more."
"I still feel bad for Red and her Grandma," Alice frowned.
"I did too. That's why it ends with a hunter coming and ripping open the wolf's stomach, saving Red and her Grandma, and they all lived happily ever after."
"That's not Halloweeny," James said.
"I know, that's why I didn't say it at first."
"It would have been cooler if it'd been a werewolf," James said. "I'd like to see a werewolf."
As if conjured by magic, there came a low growl from the shadows.
"What's that?" Alice shrieked.
"Must be someone else out of bed," Sirius said.
Just as he spoke, two yellow eyes shone through the darkness, then came a snout, a chest and four legs, and before them stood a werewolf.
Everyone froze, staring at the creature in varying degrees of horror.
Lily broke the silence with a laugh.
"All right. Very funny. You two did this, didn't you?" She asked, moving forward to kneel in front of it. "Hello there."
She patted its snout.
"Lily, what are you doing?" Alice asked, horrified.
"It's a joke! Just like those bats in the great hall, isn't it?"
"We didn't do this," James finally said.
"Then, that means," Lily trailed off, backing away.
"That's a real WEREWOLF!" Marlene cried.
"Oh," Lily breathed. "Oh."
The werewolf bared its teeth, and they screamed, running as one towards the castle, the werewolf hot on their heels.
"I thought you said there were no werewolves at Hogwarts?!" Lily yelled.
"Clearly, I was wrong!" Marlene yelled back.
As they ran, another figure came into view.
"Please let it be a teacher," Alice prayed.
"SNAPE?!"
"Sev, what are you doing here?" Lily called.
"I was trying to catch- why are you all running?"
"BECAUSE THERE'S A WEREWOLF CHASING US, YOU IDIOT!" Sirius snapped.
Snape took one look behind them and paled before he too started running for his life.
"We're almost there!" Alice panted.
"This way!" Both Sirius and Marlene screamed the moment they stepped into the courtyard, both going in different directions. Jams paused a moment, looking conflicted.
"Let's go!" Lily yelled, and James ignoring both of them took after her.
Both their mouths dropped open, but there was no time to argue, for the werewolf had reached them and headed straight for Marlene. Sirius, in his panic, shot a dungbomb at the back of its head, which did very little good, as it just switched targets.
"In there!" Marlene called, and both of them rammed into the nearest broom closet, locking themselves in, trying to keep the werewolf, hitting the door harder than it could take, at bay.
"He took after her?!" Sirius whispered indignantly.
"I know!" Marlene agreed before they both broke into suppressed laughter. "We need to sort out our priorities."
As if reminding them just how accurate that sentiment was, the werewolf hit the door again.
"It's not going to hold," Marlene said panicking.
"We've got a dungbomb gun," Sirius said desperately.
"It didn't do us much good earlier!"
"I was almost as if," Both of them looked at each other as comprehension dawned on them.
"It's following the smell," They finished together.
Marlene cracked open the door a fraction and Sirius shot dungbombs in quick succession into the opposite end of the courtyard.
"Is it gone?" Sirius asked after a minute.
"I don't see anything."
They both collapsed onto the floor, laughing with relief.
"I think I get why James likes you so much," Marlene said, smiling.
"You're not so bad either." Sirius grinned.
"Truce?"
"Truce."
"Let's go!"
Lily ran straight into one of the classrooms and heard the door close behind her. She turned around and spluttered.
"Where's Severus?!"
"How am I supposed to know? I thought you were talking to me!" James exclaimed, backing away from the door.
"Why would I be-" They heard an angry growl and jumped.
"What are we going to do?" James moaned.
"Don't you have anything with you? Like those dung-things you used on us?"
"Those are with Sirius!"
"You're completely useless, aren't you!"
"I don't see you contributing anything either!"
"Oh, that's my bad. Here you go, Potter, why don't you use this as a blanket and go to sleep?" She asked sarcastically, throwing him her scarf.
James caught it, the cogs in his brain turning. "I've got the cloak."
"What? I don't want your cloak. I-"
"No, it's an invisibility cloak! We can hide under it!"
Lily looked unsure, but upon hearing the ragged breadths outside, relented. The werewolf stepped inside, and she gripped his arm tightly, both holding their breadths. It looked around, sniffed, and headed straight in their direction.
"It can smell us," cried Lily as they ran outside.
"How is it so small?" James muttered, getting a proper view of the creature.
"That's what you're worried about?" Lily hissed. "It's still got teeth."
"It wasn't me petting it earlier."
The werewolf seemed distracted and crossed into one of the other classrooms. James and Lily immediately raced to close the door and locked it inside.
"We did it," James said, and Lily smiled back. Their relief was short-lived as loud screams came from inside.
"Oh, no."
They wrenched the doors open to find Alice and Snape covering at different corners, the werewolf seemingly confused between whom to eat first.
"Stand back," A voice said, and James turned to find Sirius and Marlene holding the guns, aimed not at the wolf, but at the corners farthest from the two trapped inside.
Sirius threw two more guns towards James and Lily. "It likes the smell."
"We can distract it," Marlene called to Alice. "Run!"
The four of them aimed the guns at everywhere except Alice and Snape, giving them a window of opportunity, which they thankfully used.
They locked the doors again, all six pushing against it, as the werewolf pushed back.
"What is going on here?!"
They turned around to find a furious Mcgonagall and a gleeful Filch, holding a terrified Peter.
"Hi, Professor, we sort of caught a werewolf," James trailed off lamely. They were in for it.
"Seven students out of bed! And venturing into the Forbidden Forest! Never in the history of Hogwarts has this ever happened!" Mcgonagall raged, as they hung their heads in Dumbledore's office.
"They should be expelled!" Filch said, smiling menacingly.
Lily looked up with an expression of horror, but James knew Minnie would never let that happen.
"Now, now, that won't be necessary," Professor Dumbledore said. He was looking at them with a disappointed expression, something which cut deep.
"I do not need to impress upon you the danger you needlessly put yourselves in. Rules exist for a reason, and I trust you'll remember that in the future."
"Yes, Professor," They murmured.
"Don't think you'll get off without punishment," Mcgonagall said, and James cringed. "You'll all serve a month's detention."
"And," She went on. "I shall be writing to all of your parents." Sirius took in a sharp breath, and James felt a weight settle in his gut. For whatever reason, Sirius loathed his family, and they returned the sentiment. While James didn't understand, he would try his best to keep him out of trouble.
"Professor," He interrupted and tried not to cower when she turned her angry eyes on him. "It was my idea. I dragged Sirius into it."
He could feel Sirius's shocked eyes boring into him.
"Is that so?" Mcgonagall asked with a raised eyebrow.
"What about the rest of you?"
"I-I convinced Lily and Alice," Marlene said in a small voice.
"Snape followed us out on his own. We told him to stay away, but he wanted to get us into trouble" James said, trying to get the heat off them. "And Peter was trying to warn us."
Mcgonagall pursed her lips. "None of those are excuses, but I won't be informing your parents, except yours," She said, turning to him and Marlene. "Since they've specifically asked me to write to them in case of any rule-breaking."
They both grimaced, but on the whole, weren't overly bothered. They'd gotten out of trouble a thousand times before, what was one more?
"But, twenty points will be taken from each of you, in addition to your detentions. That is final." She glared when they let out shouts of protests.
They started shuffling outside but stopped when Snape asked.
"Why was there a werewolf at Hogwarts?"
Mcgonagall looked uncomfortable, but Dumbledore smiled serenely.
"Must have been someone's idea of a Halloween trick. Someone very much like you," He said, and they grinned sheepishly. "Now, off to bed."
"A prank," Snape muttered. "I don't buy it. Good night, Lily," He said, before walking away.
"I'll see you in the dorm," Peter squeaked, running off.
"Thanks for that," Sirius told James awkwardly.
"Yeah," Lily agreed, smiling gratefully at Marlene. "You didn't have to do that."
"Well, I did egg you on, and we practically kidnapped Alice," Marlene said, earning an eye-roll from the said girl.
"Yes, but I was just as into it as you were," Lily said.
"No worries, Evans. You need to keep up your good girl image." James grinned. "And our parents would be more worried if we didn't do something like this."
"Yeah," Marlene snorted.
They walked back to Gryffindor tower, each lost in their own thoughts. It had been a night full of surprises, but the biggest surprise of all was that they didn't regret it. No matter how dangerous it'd been, it was also the best Halloween they could remember. And from that day on, Halloween was their holiday.
"What a night," James said at breakfast the next morning.
"It was like Red's Red Riding Hood story came true," Sirius grinned at Lily.
"Don't call me that," Lily scowled slightly.
"I honestly thought it was a dream," Marlene said. "Until Alice dragged me out at the crack of dawn for revenge."
"I woke you up at eight. Any later, and we'd have missed breakfast."
"Still, feels like a fun adventure," James said in high spirits. "If only we didn't use up all those dungbombs. Had to give up what was left to the twins."
"All Snape's fault," Sirius muttered.
Lily pursed her lips. "Sev does have a point."
"About what?"
"About the werewolf. Their story wasn't believable."
"What? You mean there's a real werewolf at Hogwarts?" Sirius asked dubiously.
"One of the teachers?" Alice asked uncertainly.
"No, it was too small," said James.
"So, a student?! That narrows it down," Marlene quipped.
"There's no way Dumbledore let a werewolf into Hogwarts," Sirius said.
"Why not?" Lily frowned.
"They're considered monsters," James explained.
"But, it's not their fault, is it? That they're a werewolf?"
"Yeah, I do feel bad for them," James agreed. "My parents worked on a law that banned killing them for sport."
"People did that?" Lily asked outraged.
"Yes," Marlene grimaced. "The Wizarding World sucks sometimes."
"My family was one of these hunters," Sirius winced. "Werewolves were the more dangerous ones. They mostly liked hunting house-elves."
"Glad you turned out different, mate," James said, clapping him on the back.
"Peter, where were you?" Marlene asked as he entered.
"I was visiting Remus. He's in the hospital wing. He had a run-in with the werewolf too."
"Is he all right?" Lily asked, concerned.
"Yes, he took a nasty fall, but he's all right."
"At least he didn't get bitten," James shuddered.
"Or killed," Sirius added quietly.
Alice stood up abruptly.
"Alice, where are you going?"
She ignored Marlene and headed straight for the Hufflepuff table.
"Hello, Frank," She said, tapping his shoulder.
"Hi, Alice," He smiled.
"Did you have a nice Halloween?"
"Yes, amazing feast. What about you?"
"Just perfect," She smiled before returning to the Gryffindor table, and the raised eyebrows of her friends.
"What? In case we end up in another one of these fun little adventures, I don't want my last regret to be that I didn't speak to Frank Longbottom."
Remus was guilt ridden. He hid under the covers of the hospital bed, shame filling his entire being. Professor Dumbledore had spoken to him in the morning, assuring him that it wasn't his fault and that they'd increase security next time. Peter had visited, and he'd made up an excuse of a run-in with the werewolf. If only he knew that he was the werewolf.
He was left with these miserable thoughts all day. Just as Madam Pomfrey was about to let him go, James, Sirius, and the girls arrived. For a moment, Remus panicked. Had they figured it out somehow? But his concerns were soon eased when James asked.
"How are you doing, mate? Heard you met the big bad wolf last night."
"I, unfortunately, told him the story of Little Red Riding Hood," Lily said exasperated.
Remus smiled weakly.
"How on earth did you escape? There were six of us, and we barely managed it," Marlene said.
"Did you pet it?" James asked with a teasing look at Lily, who coloured.
"Red, here, thought she'd adopt it as a pet," Sirius laughed.
"It didn't look terrifying to me. I thought it was a prank," Lily said, crossing her arms.
"It was pretty small," James said. "Poor kid, whoever it was."
"Kid?" Remus asked, playing dumb.
"Yes, after many, many arguments, we decided that the werewolf must live in Hogsmeade, and Jamie insists that it's a kid," Marlene said.
"That's it," Madam Pomfrey shouted, exiting her office. "Out, all of you. Lupin, you can also leave. You're fine."
"Come on, we've got detention," Alice reminded, causing everyone to groan.
"Guess you got out of detention because of your injury," Sirius whined to Remus.
"Yeah, it came in handy," Remus grinned slightly as the rest of them let out outraged cries, complaining about the injustice of it all. If they only knew, Remus thought. But he had a feeling they wouldn't turn him away either. It was a good feeling. It had been a good Halloween.