CH-1, THE BEGINNING OF THE END

He was scared. This was not the first time. But this time it was eating his head off. It felt like 1st year all over again, with all the scars fresh on his body from the last full moon, for he was still the nerdy, shy, scared monster who had mastered the art of blending with the crowd. Even with those scars.

The only difference was he has friends now.

Friends that love him.
Friends that know all about him.
Friends that accept him even with his "furry little problem" (as they like to call it).

IN FACT HE HAS THE MOST AMAZING FRIENDS.

He was a Marauder. Well not as popular as Sirius and James of course, but people knew him. And not just as the creep who sat alone and studied all the time but as a Marauder- The most renowned pranksters of Hogwarts.

And all this he owed to professor Dumbledore. Yes, the same maniac who had made him a prefect. He had more detentions than most of the prefects combined (not more than James or Sirius though). But, yes professor Dumbledore was the sole reason Remus John Lupin was truly happy since he became a monster.

The day professor Dumbledore had told him he could attend Hogwarts was still clear in his mind. Clear as water. The best fucking day of his life. How professor Dumbledore himself had come. How they had played exploding snap and Remus had told professor Dumbledore that he really wanted to attend Hogwarts and that he would work very hard. How professor Dumbledore had promised that he would attend Hogwarts and that it would be as safe for the others as it were for him. How happy he had been. He would be attending Hogwarts. He would have friends. Okay, maybe not the friends part but he was not just a monster anymore. He was his own person. He would be as capable of magic as any normal person.

He was frightened too, but not about the world but about not having friends. What if everyone found out and he would be asked to leave? What if he harmed someone? The questions were there all along but the happiness of being able to attend Hogwarts overpowered every question.

But now? Now he was just frightened. Afraid that the world would not be served on a golden platter to him outside of Hogwarts. Afraid that he would have to face the consequences of what he is, a monster, a werewolf. He shivered as he boarded the train lost in his own thoughts, oblivious to his surroundings.

He was jerked out of his thoughts as he bumped into a certain red head.
"Hi Remus"
"Oh. Lily. Hi" he said making a mental note to sort everything out later.
"You look pale"
"Uh do I know? Well uh yeah we have NEWTS this year, don't we? I am worried."
"Yes we do but you're the most brilliant wizard in our year and you'll pass with flying colors. I'm sure."
Remus smiled at the compliment as he said "well so are you, Lily"

Lily blushed a little and thanked him hastily. He could see what James saw in her. She was the most modest girl he had met. She was no doubt, beautiful with that bubbly face and straight red hair but she was also very intelligent, sweet, smart, obedient, disciplined and most of all humble. She knew what exactly to say and when and Remus was glad to be her friend. He was about to ask about her summer but he noticed a golden batch glimmering on her chest. They had guessed it right. Lily was obviously head girl. James would literally on hearing this, anyone as obviously in love as he was would. Remus couldn't wait to tell him.

He opened his mouth to congratulate her but Lily suddenly said "Oh god! Remus, what's with the scars?"
Remus jumped a little at the question. Suddenly the train felt hotter than ever and he could tell he looked even paler.
"Uh erm met with a car accident"
"Again?" she frowned.
Oh bugger. He used this excuse a lot considering wizards knew nothing about cars and did not ask many questions. How could he have possibly forgotten he was talking to a muggle. Urgh.
"Well hard luck you see"
"Remus John Lupin. Has no one taught you to be careful around cars?! They can cause heavy damage. You know that don't you?"

Remus was more surprised than scared to see her motherly instincts. No one had ever taken his injuries this seriously before. Except the Marauders of course.

Lily must have noticed this surprise on his face because she awkwardly added "You've always been uhm nice to me and I really like you, you know
so uh erm...get well soon"

Remus smiled as wide as he could manage and added "I know Lily. Thanks. And congratulations on becoming head girl"
"Oh, thankyou Remus. Wait. You're not the head boy? Then who is? Do you know him?"

Remus battled whether or not to tell Lily that James is the head boy. Yes.
James. Who has more records of detentions than any one. Letting a monster in school. Making a prankster head boy. Dumbledore really has gone bonkers. He decided not to tell Lily and said "Maybe you
should find that out yourself"

Lily looked at him like that was not even the last thing she had expected him to say. "Um what is that supposed to mean?" She asked in a demanding voice.
Remus tried to form an answer. What was he thinking when he said that? He is so freaking stupid. Urgh. "Well..I...uh.."

He was interrupted by James and Sirius shouting his name on the top of their lungs. Wait was it just his name? NO. It was again one of their stupid songs about him. Urgh those asses. He would normally hex them. But today Remus was actually glad for their stupid interruption since he could use it as an excuse to end this awkward conversation.

He shabbily added "That sounds like my call. Got to go. See you at the prefects' compartment" and he walked towards the source of the song not waiting for Lilys' reply.

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK AND JAMES FLEAMONT POTTER" he shouted as he thundered into the compartment where Sirius and James were still singing and Peter was sleeping despite their extremely loud singing (dont even ask). He would die rather than telling them what a life saver their interruption was today.

"Yes moony?" asked Sirius, cheekily.
"Is something wrong with you, Mooommmyymooonnyymoooo?" Added James and both of them started laughing like a pair of lunatics.
WHEN THE FUCK DID THEY COME UP WITH THAT NAME?! How he bears the pair of them? That's a mystery to him even.
"What's with the stupid song?"
"Oh that" said Sirius still laughing "we made up a new one over the summer"
"You wanna listen to it?" Asked James

No he certainly didn't.
He frowned and said "No I don't"
But they either didn't hear that or completely ignored it because they started singing in chorus

"Moony moony,
Why are you so nerdy?
Moony moony,
Learn to break some rules!
Moony moony,
Stop trying to grow up.
You're still a Marauder,
Even with the furry little problem of yours!"

That was loud enough to wake Peter up and the three of them started laughing again.

But Lupin. Urgh. He didn't find it funny. Either his friends hadn't realized this yet or they didn't want to break it to Remus but he had to grow up. He knew the world will be harder on him than on his friends, who were both pure blood and talented. The world was a cruel place to his kind and always will be. He had to deal with it like a mature adult. They were all adults now weren't they? Well of course his friends didn't act like it but it was high time they matured.

"So Moony what do you think?" He came back to reality as Sirius shook him.
"About what, Pads?"
"ABOUT THE PRANK MOONY? THE MLY PRANK 1?" He shouted.
"Is that supposed to ring a bell?"
"COME ON MOONY DONT TELL ME YOU WERENT LISTENING?!"
"Oh, guys, sorry zoned out. Brief me please"
Sirius sighed.
James frowned as he added "Do it fast, Pads, we are already late for
the heads meeting"
Sirius rolled his eyes and said "Impressing Evans and all huh?"
"No, well I was thinking I am pretty done with Evans. Not like she is ever going to say yes to me. Maybe I'll drop it this year and try out new girls?"
"And maybe I'll receive all O's this year" said Wormtail and the three of them howled with laughter.
James simply rolled his eyes as Sirius said with a cheeky grin on his face "Well well looks like someone has been working on his sense of humor, yes Wormy?"
"It's Wormtail not Wormy."
"Sorry, Wormy"
"Wormtail. Wormtail. Wormtail"
James made a face and said "Back to the prank guyss."
"Nice try, Prongsie" said Sirius and started laughing again.

"I wonder how Lily reacted when she came to know I am head boy?" James thought aloud.
"She cried herself to sleep, I bet" Sirius replied looking amused"
"She doesn't know yet" said Remus
"She doesn't? What how do you know that?"
"Well I kinda had a conversation with her and figured she should see for herself because well..."
"WHAT YOU TALKED TO LILY? AND SHE ASKED ABOUT IT? AND YOU DIDNT TELL ME? MOONY I WILL KILL
YOU."
"Oh Prongs is so over Evans." said Sirius visibly laughing.
"Bet you 10 galleons he will be asking her out today again" said Peter as he shrugged sleepily
"Shut up, it's not even funny. You.."

Remus rolled his eyes at the three of them and said pulling a frowning James with him "Me and Prongs right here are gonna go to the prefect meeting because if we stay for one more minute Lily will feed us to the giant squid. Come on Prongs"
"But what about the prank?" Sirius said with disappointment visible in his voice.
"We'll be back soon Pads. We have a lot of time. Come on now Moony. No true gentlemen keep pretty ladies waiting"
The three boys rolled their eyes at their crazy in love best friend as he smirked.

Remus started telling James about his awkward conversation as they walked to the heads compartment.
"So she doesn't know? Hm interesting."
"Yea she doesn't. And no not interesting. She will be horrified. Come on Prongs who are we kidding? She likes you as much as you like Snape."
"Snivellus"
"Yeah whatever"

They were interrupted by someone calling James. They turned to see a pretty blonde running towards them. She looked furious.
"How can I help you?" asked James
"I would like to talk to you, James" she replied in a harsh tone.
"Who are you?"
"I am Carol. I am in rawenclaw 6th year. And I really need to talk to you"
"About?"
"Not here. Alone." she barked and she spat a little on Remuss' hand while eyeing him with suspicion. James and Carol went into an empty compartment.
Remus waited for 2 minutes when he decided to peep into the compartment. James and Carol were still talking in hushed voices. Carol looked furious but James had a calm expression on his face. It didn't look like their small chat was about to be over soon. Remus decided it best to enter the meeting alone.

Lily looked visibly relieved to see Remus "Hi Remus why are you...er uhm..What is he...WHAT..POTTER HEAD BOY?"

Remus looked back to see James smirking as he entered behind him. He raised his eyebrow in suspicion but James just shrugged and mouthed "later". Remus took his signal and turned back to see Lily standing there like someone has just stabbed her. She looked horrified but only for a moment and then her face became expressionless.

All eyes in the room were on James. Snape looked furious and was glaring in James direction. Remus looked back to see James smirking, the head boy batch glimmering on his chest.
Yes, Evans, surprising eh?
"Well yes uh no I mean uh Congratulations" Lily blushed furiously as she obviously struggled to find words. Anyone could tell from her face she wouldn't mind being swallowed by the ground at this exact moment. For a moment the compartment fell silent staring at the head boy and head girl curiously.

The silence was broken by a snort from Snapes' direction.
"Potter? Head boy? Fat chance. Where'd you steal that batch, Potter?" He asked staring at Potter with utter loathe.
"Same place you bought your greasy hair, Snivellus. Hell."

The whole room erupted with laughter and hoots. Even Remus couldn't help smiling. Lily and Snape was the only one who didn't look amused.

The room fell silent with a flick of Lilys' wand and she continued the meeting. The meeting was mostly lead by Lily except for witty comments by James leading to everyone except Lily and Severuss' amusement.

"….the sheet for you to sign your rounds would be prepared and given to you in the next meeting the date and time of which will be informed to you once we decide on it. Would you like to add anything Potter?"
"Well no that's all, I have nothing to say"

"Any queries anyone?"

Matilda Grace, a slytherin 6th year prefect raised her hand.
"Yes Grace?" asked Lily curtly.
"Well why would professor Dumbledore make unfunny git like Potter head?" she asked and everyone starting laughing.

Lily was still not amused (what is with this girl and her determination. She is almost like professor McGonagall at times) and after a seconds' paused said "Well first of all, Grace, language. And it is not your concern why professor Dumbledore made Potter head boy, he is the headmaster for a reason and Potter obviously deserves it if Professor Dumbledore made him head master and you are no one to question it. But really, the real question here is- why did professor Dumbledore even allow a fool like you to Hogwarts?" and added with her voice as stern it can get "Now the meeting is over unless someone has a legitimate question. You may go."

Everyone stared at the head girl but were smart enough to silently start moving out before one of them were hexed by the head girl who clearly looked annoyed with either Grace or James or Snape or all three of them.

She picked her bag, turned to James and said in a calm voice "Would you like to do the patrol sheet work now or later in the common room?"
"Later is okay" managed James who looked as surprised as Remus by the head girls' action and stared at Lily with mouth half open in disbelief as she walked out of the room.

James and Remus walked to their friends' compartment without discussing a word of the events that just took place.
"What took you so long?" asked Sirius as they walked in the compartment still trying to adjust to the fact that LILY EVANS HAD JUST DEFENDED JAMES POTTER!
"I lost 46 games of exploding Gobstones" said Peter miserably
"47 actually"
"I won one"
"Only because I was distracted"
"In flirting with Emmilia Vane"
"Not my fault she is so fit and has never shown interest in me before"
"Huh"
"Shut up. Well now what's wrong, Moony, can't believe Emmilia Vane finally showed interest in me? Me too, mate. But no bird can resist such an attractive bloke for long."

Both the Marauders fell silent as Remus relayed the events of the meeting.
"WHAT?" they chorused when Remus finished.

"I know right" said Remus "what the fuck"
"Now now language, Moony"
"Oh sod off, Padfoot"
"What is wrong with the world? Moony is swearing shamelessly, Evans defends OUR Prongs, Vane flirts with me. Siriusly"

Everyone except James laughed. James looked more confused than happy.
"Prongs…." Started Remus

But was cut off by James "I need a moment to adjust to things, see you at the feast." and with that he ran out of the compartment.

"What is wrong with him? Should he not be happy?" questioned Peter.
"Well…." Sirius like all of them was at a loss of words.
Remus added in a concluding voice "You know how Prongs gets when he is not alright. So let's give him some time. He will get over it, he always does."

For once they all agreed and went back to playing Gobstones. The train ride after that went fairly boring, which suited Remus just fine. The prank, Carol, the war, the world and the miseries that come along- everything was left forgotten as they were lost in the moment, a boring but happy moment. Something they will desperately long for in the coming years.

For there is not denying the fact that their world is in danger and they will have to face it, one of the coming days. But what is coming in the following hours, days, months and years still doesn't affect them (well not directly) and they like everyone else enjoy while they still can. Without the fear of their loved ones dying, that is.