A/N: My first Harry Potter fan-fiction ever ! I've tried to eliminate any grammatic fail, and I think I've done it pretty good. And yes, I believe Remus to be the last Marauder to join the group.
Disclaimer: All of these characters and names in this fan-fiction belongs to the lovely J.K. Rowling.
We walk quietly through the subterrean tunnel, I'm first with Peter and Sirius behind me. We'll finally find out what's going on. Getting past the Whomping Willow had been easy, seeing as its usually trashing branches was asleep, and found our way through a hole between the roots we'd seen our new friend slip down in the dark hours. Foot infront of foot infront of foot ... It feels like we have gone on for several hours. We don't speak a word, and if the dirty air causes any of us to cough, he makes as little noise as he can and the three of us'll flinch at the sound. The only thing that holds us from taking a break is that we might miss whatever we'll discover if we are too late. When it feels like the tunnel'll never come to an end, I bump my shoe-tip into an elevation of trampled dirt. I look up, and barely recognize a stair in the dark. Starting on the stairs, I signal to my two friends to do the same. My legs are stiff after the long time walking, and the stair's endless, or so it feels. On and on we go, with only a brief pause when our feet can't take much more. Suddenly the top of my head hits the roof. Massaging my head and replacing my glasses I look up, squinting in the dark. Peter and Sirius look curiosly at me. I press my finger to my lips, and feel the roof. Feeling planks of wood, I trace a metal handle and awfully carefull push the hatch upwards. It's just as dark up there as down here. When we all had climbed up and Sirius had closed the hatch, we sigh in unison - another dark, long, earth-tunnel lays before us.
When I, Peter and Sirius took the train to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry we'd shared compartment with a boy called Remus Lupin. Last year we'd seen him reading, looked like he had nothing else to do, neither anyone to be with. It was sad, so this year we planned to get to know the boy. Sirius and I sat at the left-hand seats while Peter placed himself beside Lupin, whom had been looking worriedly out the window. We began talking Quidditch, since this year we are old enough to get into the Gryffindor team. Lupin shot glances at us from time to time, sitting as near the window as possible, a tiny distance from looking like he desperatly tried to get out. We changed subject to classes, wondering if we would get any new ones. This is when Lupin talked to us for the first time, the scars on his face stretching as he moved his mouth. Somehow he knew we wouldn't get new classes until next year. When the train arrived at Hogmead's station we got into the same waggon, pulled by magic, and from that day Lupin became our new friend. But as the months went by we noticed that Remus were very often away from school a day or two in a row, and it came to that point where we began suspecting that his excuses weren't real.
"I'm going to my aunt and uncle's for a while, leaving tonight." Remus confessed earlier today as we sat in Gryffindor's common-room. Sirius and Peter looked up from their game of Gobstones, and I laid down my essay (,which I have yet to finnish).
"Again? But you visited them in September." Sirius said, raising an eye-brow.
"Aunt got a baby, I just want to see my new cousin." said Remus in his deffence.
"Pah, she had one last time, remember ?" Peter reminded him. We all looked in disbelief at Remus. He swallowed, and quickly looked around. Finally he raised from the coach and uttered:"Er, I better go pack." and vanished up the stairs. Sirius smiled in amusement, and then whispered:"Let's follow him when he leaves, we can use your cloak, James."
We've done just that, the Invisibility-cloak now stuffed in the inner-pocket of my robe. For some reason madame Pomfrey, the school's nurse, had followed him to the Whomping Willow. She had a cane and quickly pressed the tip of it against one of the tick roots of the trashing tree, the Whomping Willow immediately froze. Sirius and I'd clasped our hands over Peter's mouth as he gasped in amazement under the cloak, difficult for not doing the same ourselves.
The depressing tunnel had at one point got wooden walls, and now it's tilting upwards. Seeing light in the end, my hope raises. When we're ten feet from the light-source, we hear a terrible sound. The cry of pain sending shivers down my back. I turn and look uncertainly at the others. They're both wide-eyed, but they both nods, and we continue quickly. The light-source is from a lamp in a room, but an armchair is blocking most of our view, only a ray blotting a dusty floor. Another scream makes our hearts skip a beat. Sirius looks at me with a scared expression. Peter and I pushes the chair away, and we all determined set feet in on the dusty floor. What meets our eyes is Remus on hands and knees. He is breathing rappdily and hears our foot-steps.
He looks up at us with in fear and screams:"NO!"
He raises haltingly and starts to run away, but doesn't get far before he falls over in agony and cries. Sirius sprints forward, crouching beside Remus. I notice that Remus has just got surprisngly long and sharp nails, and his heels are outsides his shoes. I and Peter watch in shock as Remus trashes about and hair grows surprisingly quick out over his skin, Sirius reaching for him. As Sirius's hand touches Remus, Remus grabs his wrist and growls loudly in anger, blotting a new pair of sharp teeth. Sirius wriggles out of the grip and backs off. We're frozen in horror as our friend screams in pain, hitting the floor like it's its fault whatever's happening to him. His cries turns into howls. Remus grows. His limbs grows too long and his feet even longer, but what's the worst is his head: It extends and his pointed ears grows longer, pontier and hairy. His uniform rips as his torso widens. Sirius comes back to us, not taking his eyes of the freak once known as Remus Lupin.
"W-what's going on ?" he whispers, fear clear in the voice of the normally brave boy. I gulp several times before managing to answer.
"I-I have no - no idea.".
Peter has gripped Sirius's robe with both hands. Standing before us is a creature, a sick parody of a wolf, wearing what's left of Remus's robes.
I pull out my wand and points it uncertainly at what must be what they call a werewolf. Sirius parallels me, but it's written plain on his face that he neither knows any spell that'll save us. The werewolf isn't much taller than us, but still looks frightening enough. It blotts it's teeth and growls hungrily at us. Getting down on all four, it creeps slowly towards us, eyes on Peter. Peter shriekes and backs toward the entrance of the tunnel. "We... We could try paralyzing hi- ... it." Sirius suggests, eyes darting a brief second from the werewolf to me and back again.
"I guess..." I say, but doubt it'll work. In unison we flick our wands at the werecreature and utters the spell, two blue rays of light hitting it on the shoulder and on the back. The werewolf shrugs and growls in irritation, no seeming effection of the spell taking over it. We drop our arms, hopelessness striking us.
We're doomed.
My heart is beating far too quick, and I look desperatly around for a rescue. The werewolf is circling on Peter, whom has tears in his eyes.
"If we run, it'll come after us." Sirius says. I've already figured that out, and the windows are nailed shut, rays of moon-light peeking in. My eyes fixes on a door.
"Look." I say, pointing at it.
"What if it's locked?" Sirius asks, his gaze darting at the door.
"We'll probably get eaten, or worse." I say like I'm talking about the weather. Sirius frowns, but says:"Right." and takes Peter's hand, waiting for my signal.
"Hey, Wolfy!" I yell, jumping up and down. If it hadn't been the situation it is, I'd feel like a complete idiot. The werewolf doesn't react, but continues eyeing Peter hungrily.
"HOY!" I yell louder, waving a hand infront of it's gaze. The werewolf snaps it's big head at me. "Run!" I whisper to Sirius and Peter, whom sets of towards the door.
"Look at me! Don't you want a taste of James Potter instead ? I surely must taste better than Pettigrew !" I treat the murderous monster. It stares intensly at me. I gulp. Hearing a creak, I sprint towards the door, Sirius and Peter quickly slips in. When I arrive at the other side with them Sirius shuts it and turns the rusty key around. A thud against the other side of it and a small howl indicates that the werewolf has just crashed into it.
Peter presses his hands down on his blonde head in frustration. A stair leads up to the next floor. We can hear the padding of the monster. We wait until our breath comes at a nearly normal rate. Sirius climbs the stairs and opens another door, peeking inside.
"There's no visible mortal monster up here, only a bedroom." he informs us. Peter wipes his tears and follows Sirius. I set my eye against the key-hole, looking out. Startled, I see an oddly familiar yellow eye. My glasses's preventing the werewolf's hot breath reaching me. I stare deep into the middle of it, searching after a trace of humanity. Because I slowly realize; this is Remus Lupin. Sorrow fills my heart, and finally I find a hint of my dear friend's personality in the blood-shot eye.
"What are you doing ?" Sirius hisses from above. I start and find that he's standing beside me. It looks upwards and growls, and as I remove my face from the door I can smell the hot breath. Sirius obviously can too, because he's wrinkling his nose in disgust.
"It's Remus, Sirius, it really is !" I whisper, amazed myself. Sirius disgusted expression changes to a sorrow-full one.
"Of course it is..." he says. "We saw him - well, he..." he looks up at the roof, blinking rapidly. I shift my gaze to Peter, pretending to not notice tears forming in my best friend's eyes. Peter uncertainly shifts from one foot to another. I hear Sirius wiping a robe-sleeve against his face, asuming it's safe, I look up at him. Sirius has determination written plain over his face, no trace of the sentimental moment.
"The windows in the bedroom is shut with planks too, if we break it open we'll have to jump from second floor." he says. I sigh, if only we'd had broomsticks.
"We'll have to wait until he transforms back then, don't we ?" I state the obvious, and Sirius and Peter nods. I shoot a glance through the key-hole, Remus the werewolf is tearing at the filthy old carpet on the floor. "We'll switch watches then." I say, as we sit on the bed.
The hours passes by, not one of us sleep. We can hear Remus attacking the interior of the room he's locked in. Some times he jumps on the door downstairs, trying to break it down. Staring blankly infront of me, I hear the carpet finally giving in and being torn apart with a sound that sounds too loud for my exhausted hearing. Sirius paces in cirlces, biting his finger. Peter sits on the edge of the master-bed, tilting slightly back and forth. A loud crash tells that Remus has just destroyed another item. Sirius suddenly sits down on the floor, tugging at his robe. It's like a mad-house, or one of those mental stories Sirius retelled for us in first-grade that he'd heard from his cousins. No wonder people grows mad in Azkaban, I thought as I remember the wizard-prison with guards that sucks out all your good memories. A shiver runs down my spine. Another common howl erupts from downstairs.
After a long night of fear and wonder, sun-light bursts in between some planks. Peter winces at the bright light and covers his eyes, I and Sirius are sitting with our backs towards it. My patience is far by out-runned and I stand up, looking at both of them.
"He must've turned back by now ! There's no full moon anymore." I say with a cracked voice, almost careless that he might still be a mortally dangerous monster. Sirius nods and rises from the floor. Peter blinks tiredly, taking him a moment to realize that I said something. All three of us sneaks quietly down the stairs, hands on wands. I peak out the key-hole, discovering not a sound nor sight of a living creature. Had he returned to the castle ? I swallow while Sirius fishes the old key out of his pocket and turns it in the lock. He queitly presses down the handle and steps out, not letting go of it. I and Peter follows.
We look around in the on-some-places sunlit room, not seeing Remus anywhere. Sirius frowns, and walks further inside. The fabric of the armchair that had been infront of the entrance is torn to pieces. Peter closes the door and looks around uncertainly, like he's waiting for something to jump forward and attack - which we all really are.
I start as I trace down several stains of blood around the interior and floor. I follow a long line of blood with my eyes towards a lump of pieces of wood and cloth at the floor infront of the window.
Sirius and Peter is inspecting the beginning of the tunnel as I near the lump. My heart skips a beat as I recognize a familiar body in the mess. I quickly crouches beside it and removes the mess, soon revieling a sleeping Remus. I sigh in relief when I'm sure he's alive. As I run my eyes over his body my mouth falls open. He's got several cuts and gashes all over himself, most still bleeding. Sirius and Peter appears in the entrance, gasping when they see us. They both run to Remus and crouches down beside him. Sirius stares in disbelief at the fresh, and old, wounds. Remus had always went to bed earlier than any of the other Gryffindor boys, so no one had ever seen him change. Now we can see many healed wounds and scars underneath and around the fresh ones. A lump the size of an apple forms in my throught. Peter picks up some cloth from what once was Remus's shirt, it's got the Hogwarts's crest sewn on it. Sirius takes it and presses it against a specially bleeding wound on Remus's hip. I pull my knees up under my chin and hug my legs, feeling the Invisibility-cloak against my tigh. Think about what we wouldn't know if we didn't follow him last night, I look at the exhausted, sleeping face. He's lived with this... this monster inside himself for who knows how long ! And still ... still he manage to stay cheery, friendly and focused. I can't help but get impressed.
At last Remus awakes. A pained yawn escapes him before he slowly opens his eyes. He blinks as he sees my shoes. Focusing on them, realization hits him. He quickly shifts his gaze to my face, shock plain on his. Sirius lets go of the cloth and let it slip of Remus as he jolts up in sitting-position.
"Good morning" I say faintly, unsure of what to say. Remus's cheek twitches. His eyes jumps from me to Peter to Sirius, and then to himself. Realizing he's mostly naked, he quickly pulls toward himself what's left of the blue carpet and covers himself up as good as he can. I strain to hold in a chuckle, despite the situation.
"Ho-how ? ... What ? ... I ..." he utters, his breath coming out rapidly. "How long have you been here?" he finally asks.
"Since yesterday night." Sirius answers, staring intensly into Remus's eyes, wanting a confession. Remus shrugs under the gaze, saying:"So ... You, uhm ..."
"We saw you turning... Er ... Oh Merlin's pants ! We saw you transforming into a werewolf !" I say, putting a stop to the drama - I hope. I don't.
"Why did you follow me ?" he almost yelled, anger and desperation clear in his whole person.
"We wanted to know what's going on." Peter says weakly.
"But - you ... I could've ..."
"- Killed us." Sirius helped. Remus nods ashamed. "Look, we're the idiots here, not you ! We should've used our brains better - I mean, you disappear once a month !" I'm amazed, it isn't often you hear Sirius Black call himself an idiot. So is apparently Remus too, then he gets serious again.
"I should've told you, though." he mutters.
"If you'd tell us you turned into a mortally dangerous wolfman once a month, we'd probably run off." Peter says, we all wince at the truth in it. Remus stares at a hole in the floor and chews on his tounge.
"So you're ... All right with it ?" he gulps, frowning in disbelief.
"All right with you tearing yourself up once a month ? No. But what is it to do about it ?" I say. Remus looks at me, then sighs:"Nothing."
"Exactly." I smile and add:"It's just a furry little problem you've got, and we'll help you out ... somehow." Sirius and Peter nods, smiling. Remus beams at us, looking more relaxed than he's ever done at Hogwarts.