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Wednesday
The moon was on Sunday. Remus knew that it would be a bad one, though he had no explanation how. The marauders had found out about his ‘furry little problem’ around a month ago; right after his last moon. None of them seemed to have a problem with it as far as Remus could tell. Last time he hadn't been able to answer any of their werewolf-related questions. It had been too bad of a night. They were sure to be filled with questions now that it was so close.
He awoke later than usual that Wednesday. He got dressed and headed to meet his friends for breakfast.
“Remus! You were sleeping like the dead, glad you could make it to breakfast before lessons!” James called over from the gryffindor table. He sat across from the messy-haired boy. Sirius on his left and Peter across from him, next to James.
Remus grinned at him as he loaded large portions of breakfast onto his plate and began to eat like a horse. “Shit Remus, what’s gotten you so hungry?” Sirius asked, quizzically. Remus paused. Did they forget about his.. Little secret? Without knowing what to say, he points up vaguely. “The.. rain?” Sirius guesses, clueless. James leans over the table and slaps him across the head playfully. “Idiot” he says as he ducks away from Sirius's swipe or retort. “The moon” he half whispers, looking at Remus for confirmation.
Remus nodds and looks down at his food. He was always told that no one would ever accept him for what he was; ‘a half breed, werewolf- a monster.’
“Moony- ” Sirius says, turning back to him. “Where do you go when.. Y’know..” Sirius didn't have to finish for Remus to know what he was trying to say. “There’s a passageway in the whomping willow, it leads to the shrieking shack. They put defensive spells around it until daybreak. It's quite safe-” Remus finishes hastily.
“Is that why it's ‘shrieking?’ that's you?” Peter asks innocently. Remus tenses. Sirius must have sensed this because he shot peter a look that said ‘shut the fuck up or ill curse you to tomorrow’; But in a friendly way of course.
Thursday
They were all mucking about in charms. The class was practising a fast flying spell which the marauders (for totally innocent reasons) had already mastered, weeks before. they were making objects fly across the room to hit each other at amazing speeds.
“OI! James! Try to get this one you old prick!” Sirius shouted as he whipped a pillow at James’s head. James stopped it midair and flung it ‘round back at Sirius. “You think you're good, Black? Try this one!
The banter between them kept going on. Remus went over to Peter, he needed a break from James and Sirius.
“Hey, Pete. whatcha doing?” Remus asked. Walking over to Peter, who was hunched over a desk. “Nothing much Remus, just looking over my notes. I did have a question though..” Peter trailers off uncertainty. “Sure pete, what is it?” “What happens to you.. During the moons?” he asks quietly. “Oh, no one’s ever asked that” Remus thought for a minute. “Lots of stuff happens. Before though it gets weird. Especially my magic, it gets hard to control and unpredictable. Sometimes I can figure out how bad the night is going to be that way, with the amount the magic changes. That’s why I'm not charming pillows right now, I might break a window by accident or something”
Peter thought for a moment. “I suppose that could be useful. I wish my magic was stronger sometimes, especially during charms” he said glumly. Before Remus could say anything a sneak attack from James was headed his way. Whizzing towards his head. He caught it in a flash, without even looking up.
“Bloody hell, Lupin, how’d you manage that?” James asks, bewildered. Remus grins slyly and looks at Peter. “I also get the wolf’s senses, including reflexes” Peter’s jaw opens slightly. Bewildered.
Friday
On that Friday night they were all happy that, after a long week they finally get to sleep in. They were all staying up late chatting in the middle of their dorm playing gobstones.
“So, Remus. When’s the moon again?” Sirius asks. The topic of Remus's furry little problem had become less sensitive between the four of them, Remus took that as a sign of them not wanting to immediately leave him after the moon. “Sunday” Remus answers flatly, concentrating on his turn. “You get some different things before the moon, right?” Sirius responds. “Like extra senses?” “Yeah, why?” “Well, like what? Tell us!” James asks.
Remus thought of the least alarming one to start with. “I can see in the dark, but I can do that anyways, close to the full moon or not” There was silence for a couple seconds. “You can see in the dark and didn’t tell us? We could use this for so many good pranks!” James exclaimed. Remus can practically see the idea forming in his head. “What else moony?” he asks, eager for more prank material.
“I can smell stuff I guess?” Remus says. “Like what?” Peter asks. “Well, everyone had a scent, close to the moon I can smell someone coming from across the castle. I can also sometimes pick out the scents of different magics.” “You can smell magic?” Sirius says. “Yeah, all kinds smell different, wizards, magical creatures, old, new, dark..” he says, ticking his fingers. “Um, Remus, how come you didn't mention any of this?” James asks him. “I guess I thought you would be creeped out? I don't know!” Remus looks back to the game, embarrassed.
“What's one of the weirdest things that you can do close to the moon?” Peter asks, the other two lean in curiously. “I can sense your heartbeat and the blood inside of you” Remus says quietly. The room falls quiet for a second. “That's so cool!” Sirius half yells. “What’s my heartbeat right now?” he says leaning close to Remus. “I don't know any of the technical stuff but I can tell it's going a bit fast” “that’s only because you’re so fcuking cool! I wish I had special powers like that” Sirius exclaims. “Believe me, it's not all that. I get at least two new scars every month, don't even talk about the transformations, silver burns me and I can pass out from too much of it too close and literally everyone in the wizarding world is afraid of me.” Remus says quickly.
Sirius turns to his side and starts removing and lining up all his silver jewellery. It took a minute because of the sheer amount of it he wears. “Sirius, what are you doing?” Remus asks him, trying to see what he’s doing. “There any more?” he asks Pete and James. They hand him their silver things, a small ring from Peter and one ear piercing that Sirius had dared James to get. “Sirius you don't have to do anyth-” Sirius cuts Remus off. “Nope! And I will do this with everything silver I find in the castle and you can't stop me!” Sirius says back to him, gleefully. “But what are you doing?” Remus asks him. “Transfiguring it” Sirius says back, devilishly. He was the best out of the four of them at transfiguration so Remus didn’t doubt for a second he could do it.
Sure enough once he had gone around the room and pillaged everything silver, Remus did feel a lot better. Like a weight off his shoulders. Once he sat back down, put his jewellery back on and gave the others theirs, he turned to Remus and pulled out a small ring that he had been wearing. It looked silver but as Sirius dropped it into Remus’s palm, it didn't burn.
“Sirius.. I don't know what to say!” Remus starts. “You don't have to say anything,” Sirius says back. Remus pulled Sirius to a kiss.
“Ahem.” James said loudly, snapping the two apart. “We still have a game to get to?” he says, grinning at the two.
Saturday
Remus and Sirius were bringing lunch out to the quidditch pitch for Peter and James. Peter didn't play quidditch but he always tagged along with James to watch him.
“Cig?” Remus asked Sirius. He took one and lit it with the end of his wand. Remus’s too. Remus liked to roll his own cigarettes, and Sirius wasn't complaining. They were walking towards the pitch now, out of the great hall. James always said that ‘if you have to smoke, do it outside’ he had drilled it into their heads so now it was automatic.
“You know what's shit?” Sirius asks after a long drag on his cigarette. “Hmm?” Remus said back. He was walking with a limp. His hip had been acting up more and more recently. Though Remus was still a teenager, he had the bones of an old man. “Your furry little problem” he said. “Remus looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. “That's what I've been saying,” he responded. They continued in silence before they reached Peter in the stands. Both thinking of Remus’s misfortune.
“Ohh, thank you!” Peter said to them as he took some food.
Sunday
The marauders were in the common room, doing homework. Remus had no homework so he just laid down on Sirius's lap and closed his eyes. Sirius played with his hair as he gave Peter tips on the flying spell they had been practising.
“How is tonight going to be Moony? Sure you don't need anything?” Sirius said to Remus gently. “It’s not going to be good, I can feel that much. And no, there's nothing you all can really do'' Remus said glumly. “Worse than last time y’a reckon?” Sirius asks. Remus could feel him staring down at him in sympathy. “Definitely,” Remus answered. He still only had an idea as to how he knew it was going to be bad. Maybe the wolf inside had gotten restless of this peaceful month. They all sat there a while longer, enjoying each other’s company.
Remus felt a jolt of pain in his back and rolled off the couch and on the floor, gasping. “What's going on?” James asks, worried. “Remus!” Sirius shouts, as he gets down to help him up. Remus looks at the clock on the wall. Too late. Another jolt of pain. “It’s- starting-” he says through clenched teeth. All four of them jump to their feet and haul him up. They all start sprinting out the portrait hole to the hospital wing.
Barrelling around corners, Remus doubled over with pain, but still running. James got there first and flung the doors open and yelled Madam Pomfrey’s name. Remus and Peter come in last. Remus tries his hardest to not transform.
The nurse comes around the corner. The only words Remus could manage were “happening- now-” her eyes widened. “We must get off the grounds! Then I can apparate you to the shack” she says as she begins a run, grabbing Remus's hand.
By some miracle he made it there without transforming, though the moment he stepped foot inside it had begun.
He felt all his spine vertebrae stretching, cracking. Hir arms and legs grew thick and elongated. Bones cracking, muscles and tendons stretching. With every second he endured the excruciating pain flaring through his body he screams. He was right, it was the worst transformation for awhile.
He lay on the floor of the shack, screaming and writhing in pain. Tearing through the clothes he hadn’t even gotten to change out of. He had heard that his transformations were the same pain level as the Crucio curse but he hadn’t believed it, Until today. It felt like every inch of his body, inside and out, was being torn apart and set on fire. Like his brain would explode from the pain. Then, the wolf took over, and Remus wasn't in control anymore.
The wolf howled into it's chamber. Running about the old house, trying to get out. It appeared Remus had been right, the wolf had been cooped up too long, no excitement. It was choosing now to curse remus. It scratched at it’s face and torso in anguish, making blood spew across the dark floor. Howling with all it’s might at the moon. Making sure that everyone in the area could hear his cry.
Remus started to regain consciousness. He lay on the floor watching the early morning sun creep through the old window panes. Feeling his bones shrink back into place. Yelling in pain. This may have been his worst night yet.
Once Remus was funny in his own body, he looked down at himself. The world had clawed his torso, face, neck and upper legs, the worst cut seemed to be a very deep slash on his left leg. Stretching from his upper knee to his hip, gushing blood. He mustered his energy and propped himself against the wall, he put on some spare shorts that madame pomphrey had put here for him a while ago, as well as an emergency first aid kit. He grabbed some gauze from the box and pressed to the wound. He didn't even want to look at his face and neck yet, he wasn't sure he could take it.
He thought of his friends, all rushing to get him to the hospital wing. They definitely heard his howling and cries through the night. Even without speaking Remus could tell his voice was gone because of it.
His head began to dizzy because of all the blood he lost. He was sitting, propped against the wall next to the door, in a pool of his own blood, wearing only spare pyjama shorts, doing his best to stay conscious as he did emergency first-aid on himself.
The door to the shack opened next to him. He held his dead up and tried to focus. He recognized the person as they spoke. It was Madam Pomphrey, (Thank Merlin)
“Hey” was all he could manage as a greeting. Madame Pomfrey quickly shushed him and got to work. He saw three other figures shuffle nervously into the shack. They all gasped when they looked at him. Remus’s eyes focused, it was Peter, Sirius and James! He looked over to Madam Pomfrey who was stopping the bleeding. “You let them come?” Remus said, slurring his words. “They wouldn't take no for an answer” she tutted. They turned to them and shouted “one of you! Go tell dumbledore we need to apparate to the hospital wing, he’s too weak!” Peter promptly ran off, volunteering himself. Peter hated seeing blood, Remus didn't know why he had come.
“Hey, Moony, you alright there chap?” James asks, trying to smile. “Great” Remus responded, he shifted his stance, pain flared through his body. He gasped before promptly passing out.
He woke up in the hospital wing an hour later. Every inch of him throbbed with pain. His leg felt like it was on fire, and the other places the wolf had scratched weren't any better. He glanced down at himself and saw he was covered in bandages, many more than usual. He looked around the room and saw Madam Pomphrey and Dumbledore talking. He could sense that Sirius, James and Peter were outside waiting for Madame Pomfrey to let them in.
Remus grunted loudly as he shifted in his hospital bed. Apparently loud enough that both of them stopped their convorationa nd looked at him.
“Hey there” Remus rasped. Immediately Madam Pomfrey started fussing over him. “Hello Remus,” Dumbledore said kindly. “Bad night?” he asked. “Yeah, you could say that,” Dumbledore chuckled. “I had best be going now, goodbye Poppy, Remus” and he strode out. Letting the marauders in.
“Not yet boys! Wait there” Madam Pomfrey announces to them. “fine..” he heard them say, clearly output with this arrangement.
“You’ve had a rough night, huh Remus?” she said to him as she was checking on his wounds. “Yeah” he grunts. “You split your leg open, that's the worst of it. The other cuts should heal like the others but for your leg may take awhile. You also lost much too much blood, even for you, so you’ll stay here all of today. You also broke your leg somehow but that should be mended within the hour.” she said to him, turning to Remus with a look of sympathy. She cupped his face in a motherly jesture and said “I'll be back in a bit but for now your friends can come see you” he heard a whoop from behind the curtain. “Thank you,” Remus said. “And next time-” she added. “Don't come in late!” she sadi sternly. “I won’t miss” he rasped.
He picked up the mirror on the side table and looked in it. He had felt that he had cut his face but he didn't think it would be this bad. There were three parallel cuts going across his face. Already well healed my muggle standards, considering he had gotten them an hour ago. The first scar ran through his eyebrow, making him look like a pirate.
Peter James and Sirius walked in, Remus covered his face with the mirror. “Hey moony” Sirius says, coming on his left side. “That must've been a really bad night huh?” Remus hangs his head. “You heard what Pomfrey said?” he asked, sorrowly. They all nodd.
Sirius reaches out and lowered the mirror rovering Remus’s face. “There’s my Remus, still as beautiful as ever” he says as he leans down for a kiss. James and Peter exchanged a glance.
“I don't know why it hurt so much this time,” Remus said while they were all digging into breakfast in the hospital wing. “Nothing changed” “I don't know but I do know that when we came in, you looked dreadful.” Peter said, eating a biscuit. “How does that wolf manage to do that much damage, you were basically sitting in your own blood!” James said. “Yeah, I even ripped through my clothes. Good they were just pyjamas "Remus says, helping himself to a mean that could feed a dozen. “Wait, how big is the wolf?” Sirius asks. Remus thinks for a second. “Maybe around twice the size of me? As far as I know it doesn't look like a wolf but it also doesn't look human. I'm honestly not sure”
Once Remus was discharged from the hospital wing he was walking back with Sirius. James had quidditch and Peter had gone with him. Remus was now walking with an extremely prominent limp. Madame Pomphrey and assured him it would be gone within the next week but she had given him a cane to use until then. Remus really didn't like the idea. Using a cane at school? But Sirius had promised Madam Pomfrey he would make him use it.
He had stopped using it for a bit in the hallway and Sirius had been on him about it. “Use the cane moony, it's only temporary” he chided. “What are you going to do if I don't?” Remus tested. “Sirius tried to push Remus against the wall in a jokingly menacing way but failed. He thought Remus was still weak from the hospital wing, which he was but it was easy for him to throw Sirius off his balance and to shove him into the wall instead. “Go on… what are you going to do?” Remus asked him, having pinned his hands to the wall. He kisses Sirius before he could respond, lasting a strangely long time.
“Oh come on! I leave for quidditch and I see you two doing this? Honestly…” James mutters and walks to the dorm. Remus and Sirius start walking again, Remus using the cane. “Sirius?” he asks. “Yeah?” “Your heartbeat increased,” Remus said, teasing. “Oh shut up wolf-boy” Sirius says quietly, looking away and blushing while they go back to Gryffindor tower; hand in hand.