The Come-and-Go Room was possibly the most used room in all of Hogwarts, although most of its users were entirely unaware of exactly what room it was they were using.
For instance, the Marauders certainly knew of its existence- James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew had discovered the room in their third year when they needed a place to work on a way to help their other best friend, Remus Lupin, but they had never once referred to it as "The Come-and-Go Room" or "The Room of Requirement."
While perhaps they didn't understand all of the precise magical qualities of the room, they at least understood that it showed up when they needed it to, and supplied them with whatever they required of it. Which, for three (four, once Remus had decided to help) boys with the hopes of becoming Animagi, was an extraordinary thing.
It was the middle of January in their fifth year of attending Hogwarts, and the four boys were gathered in the Come-and-Go Room, lounging on various cushions and chairs that had appeared. James and Sirius had made a quick (if prohibited) trip to Hogsmeade and had brought back mugs of butterbeer, which the Marauders were drinking in celebration.
Sirius was sprawled on the ground, his mug in his hand, while James reclined in an old armchair and Peter sat cross legged on a cushion on the floor. Only Remus sat at a proper chair, at a small, round wooden table.
Remus took a sip of his butterbeer, then, with a twisting, knotted feeling in his stomach, looked into his mug in distaste. It wasn't the butterbeer that was offensive; rather, Remus had suddenly experienced extreme misgivings about having his best friends transform into animals and keep him company during the full moon. All he could think was that if Professor Dumbledore knew what they were planning, he would be very disappointed.
"I don't think any of you really understand how dangerous this is going to be," he said, not meeting his friends' eyes.
Without any warning, exactly what the four had done hit James, and he burst out laughing.
"James, it isn't funny," said Remus stiffly, thinking James was making fun of him. "I'm serious. You really don't know what it's like when I transform- I don't even know if you three could keep me in line-"
"No, it's not that," said James, who was still grinning. "It's just-" He turned to look at his friends, meeting their bewildered gazes with a smile so large it seemed to dominate his entire face. "We're Animaguses."
There was a pause while they took this in.
"Animagusi," corrected Sirius lazily , before anyone could say anything else.
James rolled his eyes. "No, it's definitely Animaguses."
"Not a chance."
"Pete? thoughts?"
"It's Animaguses."
"Crap."
As it turned out, all three of them were wrong- the word was Animagi- and Remus could have quite easily told them so. But, at the moment, the incorrect word usage of the other three Marauders simply wasn't a top priority.
"Guys," began Remus, his tone strained, but James was not listening.
"Here's to the youngest Animaguses in the entire blooming century!" he cried, raising his mug of butterbeer in the air.
"Hear, hear!" agreed Peter enthusiastically, while Sirius nodded.
"Guys," insisted Remus.
"Here's to three years of monthly adventures!" added Peter, grinning.
"And exploring all of Hogwarts!"
"Knowing the castle better than anyone else ever in it!"
"Guys-"
"Snogging fit girls!" This was Sirius's contribution, and somehow it switched, so now they were just toasting whatever they wanted to, whatever popped into their minds.
"Getting Lily Evans to date me!"
"Making McGonagall laugh so hard she let us out of detention!"
"Convenient broom cupboards located strategically around the castle!"
At this, James and Sirius both stopped and looked at Peter as though he were insane, twin expressions of disgust on their faces.
"C'mon, show some class," muttered Sirius.
"Sorry," said Peter, the tips of his ears going red.
"I'm serious!" said Remus, and he surprised even himself with the tone in his voice. "Look, I appreciate that you lot are brilliant and that you've spent the better part of three years planning and scheming and figuring out how to do this, but… maybe this isn't such a good idea!" James, Peter, and Sirius looked at him with incredulous expressions, but Remus pressed on. "This could end badly in so many ways- what if I bite you, or, or you can't handle me, or-"
"Remus, you iron your ties," said Peter quite calmly.
"You open doors for girls, not because you'd like a snog, but because you legitimately believe it's the honourable, proper thing to do," added Sirius, looking thoroughly disgusted by the idea.
"And no offence, mate, but your temper is non-existent. Mulciber said some incredibly insulting things to you the other day, (and I probably would have hexed him if I were you), but all you did was say 'perhaps!' and wished him a nice day!"
"James, you hex everyone," said Sirius.
"You iron your ties," repeated Peter emphatically.
Remus looked at the three of them, standing there and smirking, and he just let out an 'argh!' of exasperation. "You don't GET IT!" he said. "You keep making these jokes, but it's really different when I'm… furry… and chances are I could LEGITIMATELY hurt you! And- and Peter, your mum would KILL me if you died-"
"-mine would probably thank you," muttered Sirius-
"- and James, your dad- Stop laughing!"
"Sorry," said James, straightening his face. "We ARE taking this seriously, it's just…"
"If you think, that after the last three years of working on this night and day, we're just going to give up because you think it's a little dangerous…" Peter cut in.
"… when we've finally figured out how to turn ourselves into animals, then you're mental." said Sirius firmly. "I mean, James has only just discovered he's secretly a prancing little deer-"
"-Stag!"
"Whatever, point is, you've got prongs on your head. Deer, stag, same difference," dismissed Sirius. "And then there's Peter the rat, with his wormy little tail-"
"-hey!"
"- and me, a big, sexy, pad-footed dog, which all the skirts are bound to adore, and the point is-" he paused, frowning. "James, what's the point?"
"The point is," began James with a glance at Remus, "do you really think we're going to miss a chance to make Sirius play fetch?"
"Shove off," said Sirius automatically with a grin.
"Look, stop worrying," said Peter. "We can handle anything. We're the Marauders, aren't we?"
"Well, I suppose," allowed Remus.
"You suppose?" said James grandly. "Is that a yes or a no, Lupin?"
"Yes, Potter," said Remus simply.
"Besides, we're your mates. Whether you've got…" James paused, as though fumbling for words, "a- a furry little problem or not."
Remus seemed more than a little surprised at this statement, but rather than verbally expressing his relief and, well, joy, he snorted at the description. "Furry little problem? What have I got, a violent pygmy puff?"
There was a moment of silence.
"Maybe a rabbit," suggested Peter, and Remus suddenly found the whole situation hilarious. He started laughing, and soon all four boys were snickering. Remus was so, so incredibly relieved he couldn't possibly begin to describe it, and all he could do was grin.
He still had his friends. And now he wouldn't have to be alone on the full moon.
"Y'know, Remus," drawled Sirius after a moment, "your parents must have seriously had it out for you."
"What?" said Remus, stopping laughing and growing serious, utterly perplexed.
"Well… really? Remus? Lupin?"
Remus' face was blank, and he looked at Peter and James to check and see if either of them knew what he was talking about. Judging from the silence that followed, they didn't.
Sirius, who Remus had never seen lost for words, seemed to flounder.
"Well, Remus… he was this muggle bloke who made a city, which isn't important, what matters is he was, er, raised by wolves, and- and something about a brother? And I mean, Lupin is kind of like LupINE-"
"Says the boy whose parents named him 'Sirius.' Like the dog star," said Remus dryly, and Sirius grinned, remembering his newly found Animagus form.
"Fair point."
But Peter had already moved on to new topics. "I'm so excited for the full moon," he enthused.
"Yeah, but better be careful, Pete, Remus could swallow you whole-" interrupted James.
"Why are you excited? You're not the one undergoing a painful transformation and losing sense of your humanity-" began Remus to Peter, but he cut off as he realized that was exactly what they would be doing, too. "Merlin. I can't use that one anymore, can I?"
"Nope," said James cheerfully.
"Like, do you really howl at the moon and everything?" questioned Peter, and the other three boys just stared at him, not quite believing their ears.
"Pete, you know this is real life, not some muggle movie, right?" began Sirius slowly.
"Sirius, I do howl at the moon…" cut in Remus quietly, his cheeks growing red.
"Oh. Then I guess it is a muggle movie," he said, and then he snickered. "I just can't imagine perfect little prefect Remus Lupin howling at anything."
James surprised them all by throwing his head back and demonstrating, and before any of them thought much about it, all four were howling away as though the full moon was directly above their heads.
When they finally left the Come-and-Go Room, they were still howling and laughing so hard they were in stitches, not even caring that two girls were walking in the opposite direction, pausing upon hearing the loud group of boys.
If James hadn't been so amused, he would have noticed that one of the two girls was the ever-beautiful auburn-haired Lily Evans, and would have said something clever to her… As it was, Lily turned to her friend, her eyebrows raised.
"What in Merlin's name are they doing?"
"Does it matter?" said the other girl adoringly. "They're the Marauders." As though this explained away every foolish thing they did.
Lily scoffed. "They're mental, is what they are."
"That too," agreed her friend affectionately, and the two girls watched the boys saunter away down the hall.