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It was a cold day when Remus found himself, finally, alone. Mid-October and autumn made their presence clear as the soft, cold breeze chilled Hogwarts and its surroundings. Remus woke up, looked around the room to find his roommates bed curtains open, without them inside, and decided that it was a perfect weekend for doing absolutely nothing.
His prefect duties didn’t think the same though, as he had to get out of bed right after waking up, pretty early if you asked the sleepy wizard, and do the morning rounds before breakfast. 'I really can’t avoid them' the prefect thought. Lily would kill him if she found out, and rightfully so, as lately it was very important for them to be responsible with their job. It wasn't uncommon to find ambushed muggleborns in the corridors, in need of someone to either calm them down or stop a pureblood from hexing them.
'Fucking blood supremacy complex' He thought.
Thankfully his round finished without any problems. The prefect just had to escort a first year muggleborn, scared of being hexed while leaving the library alone. Gryffindor's side of the castle being patrolled, he was done.
Not finished early enough to have a full breakfast in the Great Hall, the wizard decided to go to the kitchens and asked an elf for a sandwich. Then, as the prefect walked back to his common room, watching through the windows how James exhausted the Quidditch team in their practice, he realised that this might be the last sunny day of the year. ‘Perfect timing for reading’ he decided.
The werewolf really hoped that his friends weren’t in their worriedly mood today. Last week had been a full moon and they had been all over him ever since. Remus appreciated it, he really did, but it was getting kind of overwhelming. So when he went through the Fat Lady’s portrait and saw Peter playing chess with some fourth grades, Sirius nowhere in sight, 'Probably in detention' his mind supplied, Remus grabbed a book and went outside, finally, just on his own.
So indeed, it was a cold day when Remus found himself, finally, alone. He didn’t mind though. This kind of days when he could read all day, sun kissing his skin, two jumpers and a cloak shielding him from chilling, were really lovely.
Without any place in mind, Remus let his feet take him wherever they pleased. While walking he couldn’t stop himself from thinking about his friends. They had been kind of weird this last month. He really couldn’t place what it was that they were planning but it certainly involved him, since they shut themselves whenever he entered the room and changed the topic immediately. At first he let it be, but it was getting a little bit uncomfortable as he obviously knew that they were up to something...
He stopped both thoughts and steps when the edge of the Forbidden Forest was in sight. While looking for a tree comfortable enough to lean on, Remus saw a big black shaggy dog coming out from the forest. The werewolf gasped, rather loudly, and the dog looked his way, wide eyed and tense. He cursed under his breath for letting his excitement get the better of him and scaring the animal. Trying to get it to come, Remus kneeled, reached his hand to the dog (even if it was pretty far to reach) and started cooing.
The dog looked to the castle and back to the Forest, then back at Remus' eyes and went to his hand, fear forgotten. Remus smiled at the sight. Since he was a child, the young wizard has always loved dogs. ‘Pretty ironic for a werewolf’ he thought.
His inner thoughts were immediately forgotten when the dog reached his hand and started wagging his tail.
“Hey” Remus said, smiling “What is a furry little friend like you doing here?”
The dog just looked at him. Remus scratched him behind its ears and saw how the dog turned from warily friendly to complete trust, delighted by his pets. Suddenly his furry maybe-not-so-little friend turned on his back, asking for belly rubs and Remus knew he was in love with this dog.
“You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you?” He asked. The dog made a soft ‘woof’ “Wanna keep me company?” the dog responded by putting his head on Remus lap. His heart swelled with tenderness for the dog. He reached for the abandoned book and started reading.
So mesmerized by his book, the werewolf didn’t notice that it was already dark until he started shivering. Looking at his lap he saw the dog was asleep ‘McGonagall will kill me if I take him to the castle. But I can’t leave him like this, can I?’ with no other solution he just decided to cover the dog with his cloak and come the next day ‘See ya, furry friend’ he thought and went to the castle.
***
Crossing the common room, he noticed none of his roommates there and decided to call an early night and maybe have a chat if they were there. ‘I have to tell them about the dog’ he thought. Remus opened the door and said “Mate, you won’t believe what happened to me today”
Peter, getting ready for bed, looked up and said “You look excited. Was it great?”
“I was planning to spend the afternoon reading...”
“Wow, an adventure, really” said James smirking, as he left the bathroom.
Remus just rolled his eyes “As I was saying, I was planning to spend the afternoon reading when a giant dog came and stayed with me the whole time”
Peter’s eyes were so wide Remus thought they were going to roll out of his head. He and James shared a look “A giant dog, you say?” He asked with worry.
“Uh, yeah, why are you so startled about it?”
“It’s nothing, Moony, just...” The door opened, interrupting James, and a very tired looking Sirius entered the room. Everyone’s gaze fell on him.
“What?” he asked “Do I have something in my face?”
“We were just hearing a great story” said James, with a tight smile “Remus spent his afternoon reading with a dog, didn’t you, Moony?”
Remus didn’t know where it came from, but James voice was filled with so much tension it made Peter and Sirius squirm “Uh” Remus said.
“Well, must have been a stray. Or maybe it lived in the forest, you never know what you can find there” Sirius rambled. Remus didn’t understand where all this tension and nervousness came from “Well, look at the time Moony, you should be resting already” said Sirius, while pushing him to his bed “You are still sore from the moon, right?”
“Sirius, the full moon was last week, I’m fine already...”
“Nonsense! You need to take care of yourself, Moony” Sirius opened his bed’s curtains, pushed him inside and closed them again. Remus sighed, knowing Sirius wouldn’t let him get up again, he put on his pyjamas and went to sleep.
***
The next day, his cloak was by the same tree he left it yesterday, but the dog was nowhere in sight. For the whole week, it didn’t return.
***
“What are you planning now?” He asked Sirius as he dragged him to their dorm.
“I already told you, it’s a surprise” Sirius smiled. ‘Such a pretty smile’ Remus couldn’t help but return it.
“I really don’t like those words coming from you” Sirius didn’t respond. He just opened their dorm door, where James and Peter were already expecting them “Now, what’s this surprise about?”
“So impatient, Moony” James teased “You’ll love it, don’t worry”
Remus rolled his eyes “You can’t ask me not to worry when you three are the ones involved”
“I solemnly swear this will mean no harm to anybody” he said with a cheeky grin “Now, will you let us explain?”
He crossed his arms “Go ahead”
“So” Peter spoke for the first time “You remember when you told us you were a werewolf?”
“What I remember is being forced to confess, but anyway” he conceded.
“Now, Moony, you’re making us sound like some torturers” Sirius said, patting his shoulder.
“Just in case, though, this was all Sirius’ idea” said James, still smiling.
“Hey!”
“Can you tell me what this is about so I can stop thinking the worst, please?”
“We’re animagus” Peter blurted, some nervousness and excitement in his voice.
“Yeah, and Lily loves James” he snorted “Now, the truth”
Sirius barked a laugh at James deeply offended face “Fact that you have touched a sensitive nerve, aside” he exclaimed “We are not lying”
“James, you really expect me to believe that three mere students accomplished an above NEWT level skill by themselves?” Remus asked “What you’re claiming is not even legal, you know?”
“We’re not claiming anything! We actually did it!” Sirius spoke, then in a much softer voice he said “But we wanted to make something that might help you with your furry little problem...”
“I think it might be best if we just show him” Peter said. The three of them shared a look and all at once where three boys stood; there were an impressive stag, a fat rat, and a shaggy black dog.
At this Remus went speechless. He gaped, trying to form words but out of nowhere his voice wasn’t there.
The three animagus looked at him, expectantly. With no response, they turned back to humans as it was nothing.
“So?” James asked “What do you say?”
Remus went to his bed and sat down. He could feel tears forming in his eyes. His heart swelled with so much gratitude and love for these boys ‘These stupid and reckless friends of mine’ he thought.
“I...” he croaked “You did this for me?”
“Of course we did” said James
“Do you like it?” asked Peter
“How could we not?” said Sirius
The three of them were smiling so softly Remus couldn’t hold his tears anymore “Thank you” he whispered again and again while crying. Suddenly he was tackled and hugged by his three friends. He started laughing, pure and raw happiness flowing through his veins “You are the best, guys” he said.
“Oh, we know” Sirius answered.
“Now” James said “Does sneaking to the kitchens and having an early dinner sound good?”
“Yeah” said Remus, wiping his cheeks “Sounds perfect”
***
That night, Remus found himself thinking in his bed, just about to sleep, when a soft voice asked “Are you awake?”
‘Sirius’ his mind told him “Yeah, come in”
It wasn’t strange for them to share a bed; they were best friends after all. And no one in the dorm was a stranger to nightmares. Sirius opened the curtains and went in bed with him, not before casting a silencing charm.
“So” Sirius asked shyly “Did you like your surprise?”
Remus smiled at this rare softness “Yeah” they stayed silent for a while “Does this means that you were the one reading with me the other day?” he asked.
“Yeah”
The silence returned “Was it really your idea?”
“What, you don’t trust my capability of having good ideas?” Sirius teased.
“Well...” he said, with a teasing smile.
“Moony!” Sirius punched his chest lightly, then with the same softness as before “You sounded really surprised earlier. As if you didn’t believe you deserved it...”
“What, are you telling me you know Legilimency too?” Remus said with an edge in his voice.
“Moony this is the least we could do” Sirius said firmly “You should really know that we would do anything for you, I...” he stopped. A determined look settled on his face. And then, out of nowhere, Sirius was kissing him.
‘Merlin, am I dreaming?’ Remus thought. But just as sudden as Sirius kissed him, he stopped “I’m very sorry I didn’t know where that came from. I...” he started rambling.
“I love you” Remus blurted. He blushed furiously ‘Pull yourself together, Lupin, he kissed you and you’re already planning the wedding’ he thought.
Sirius, as always, surprised him. With the most beautiful smile he has ever given he said “I love you too, Moony”
They kissed and whispered their love for each other all night. Remus has never felt so happy in his life.