Chapter Text
“Hey! Wait up ya sods!” James came barreling down the halls as he often did, his hair and eyes equally crazed as he nearly tackled Remus and James, an arm around each of their necks.
“What took ya so long?” Sirius pushed James’ arm off of his shoulder.
“Hadda get my textbook fixed by McGonagall, the kid who sits in front of me turned it into a rat!” James laughed.
“What, couldn’t fix it yourself?” Peter elbowed him with a grin.
“Ay, I’m not that good yet,” James shrugged, “Where we off to, boys?”
“Library, we have an exam in History of Magic next week,” Remus replied, with a smile that said he knew James did not remember.
James coughed, confirming what Remus suspected, “Guess we’ll hit the books then, gents!”
Remus watched as Sirius, bless his heart, carried a stack of books in his arms.
“Really, I can carry more than just one,” Remus offered, but Sirius was already snatching the last book Countercurses and Dispelling off of the shelf before Remus could even reach out for it.
“Never!” Sirius said emphatically before they sat down.
Studying with the marauders was at best forty percent actual work, and Peter easily got derailed reading about something that was barely even related to the exam.
About an hour in Remus finally noticed that James, Sirius, and Peter were whispering in the way that meant they were cooking up some kind of idea.
“...Do I want to know what you’re all talking about?”
Peter slammed close the book they were all crowded around like he was caught with a filthy magazine.
“Oh come on show me,” Remus reached for it, conveniently not noticing the slightly horrified expressions of all his friends.
It was open to a page about an old English myth, about werewolves. Remus’ brow knit as he read it.
“Well you see Remus we were just-” Peter began.
“We know that cures aren’t really possible, but maybe this can make it a bit better?” Sirius continued.
It’s not like you have to snog anyone or anything!” James said just loud enough that no one else heard.
“What the fuck are you going on about?” Remus read further. He scanned only a bit, something about a true love uttering their name turning a werewolf back into a human.
Remus shook his head and sighed as he closed the book and slid it back, “It’s fake.”
“Remus, mate,” Peter blinked, “We’re literally in magic school, anything is possible!”
“No, this is talking about miracles, not magic,” Remus refocused on his work to try and push away everyone’s mixed emotions.
“Is it worth a try?” Sirius asked Remus in a tone reserved for him.
“I have tried,” Remus said much more roughly then he intended, “I’ve tried everything, nothing works. I’m just cursed.”
No one had a response because everyone knew it was true. He was cursed, plain and simple.