The moon was shining bright enough over Hogwarts so the students on top of the castle could make out the spotted star chart they were supposed to be analyzing. The moon was not completely full but just full enough for the 6th year students to wish themselves to the total darkness of their own bedrooms underneath the warmth of their blankets.

Remus Lupin rubbed his eyes as he moved away from his telescope and waited for his vision to return fully. The moon had been full just last night and on top of his body healing itself, he was now trying to concentrate on his work with two, and soon to be three, days with no sleep. He attempted to focus on his work and maybe finish early so he could return to that bed he desired but his mind was not cooperating.

He turned around to ask his friends a question about the Polaris Star when he saw them in a heap at the corner of the Astronomy Tower dead asleep. Clearly, he was the only one trying.

"Well isn't this a pretty picture," Remus folded his arms and tried to look as awake as possible. He gently kicked James in the ribs. "Wake up you bums."

It took a minute even after Remus' persistent words for the boys to realize what was going on. James and Sirius had both been sitting with their backs against the wall but the long Full Moon Partying the night before had quickly put them to sleep…and caused Sirius to drop with tired head on James' shoulder, who returned this gesture by unknowingly learned his head on Sirius'. Peter, who had lost interest in looking cool long ago, had sprawled himself out across both their legs and had his thumb dangerously close to being sucked in his mouth. Well, it is kind of cute, Remus thought. Not to mention perfect blackmail later.

Sirius was the first to stir after Remus gave him another kick to the side. He bolted his head up when he saw who he was leaning on, which in turn jerked James' head awake. The both looked around, at each other, gasped, looked to Remus, then finally at Peter before they both bolted up and tried to play the situation off as nonchalantly as they could. Peter rolled off them and smacked his elbow against the hard cold surface of the tower, which caused him to spring up and join the others under the smirking glare Remus was giving them.

"Not a word," James said, as he ran his hands through his messed hair. "Did Evan's see?"

"No, she's at her telescope. But I certainly saw enough to last a lifetime." Remus let out another laugh that quickly turned itself into a yawn.

"Class, you are dismissed once handed in your constellation chart," the sound the professor's voice was heard around the corner of the tower.

"So Mooney, did we finish?"

"We? Excuse me, but I believe I finished my constellation map while you three were playing Sleeping Beauty. Now if you would pardon me I would like to catch up on some sleep." "Aw, come on Mooney," Sirius said as he wrapped his arm around the werewolf's shoulder, half in a joking matter and half as physical support. "We're all tired. We promise we'll try to do our other work from now on." Remus groaned. It was his fault they were so tired. Even though, their laziness would still be there if they hadn't joined them the night before. "Fine, but hurry up and copy it. It's cold."

James and Sirius shared a triumphant smile as James snatched the paper out of Remus' hands. Peter moaned once from the ground before getting himself up. The class was nearly gone by now and the four boys stood almost alone on the top of the Astronomy Tower on an early December night. The air was chilled and none of the Marauders expected the wind to be so fatefully strong.

"Damn, Prongs!" The map flew from James' hands and swept through the air. The four exhausted Marauders jumped for it but the parchment flew down the roof of the castle next to the tower and landed neatly on the edge.

Sirius peered over the surface to get a better look. "I don't know what's more shocking, mates. How stupid Prongs could be or the fact that Mooney said his first swear word."

"You're hilarious Padfoot. Now move aside. Wing—" "No, wait Mooney let me get it, I did screw up," James said as he pushed past his friends and broke Remus' spell. "Fine, just hurry up."

"Hey guys, what's going on?"

"Go back to sleep, Wormtail."

James took a stance and flashed his renowned half smirk to indicate he was showing off. Remus and Sirius just rolled their eyes as they heard "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The parchment began to slightly raise itself from the roof ledge and inch itself towards the boys. "Come on, Prongs. This is a first year charm," Sirius yawned as leaned his head back against the wall. "It's not me, it's the bloody wind!" James now had both hands on his wand and was trying to jerk the parchment towards him, which was now twitching.

"Prongs, let me—" "—No Mooney, I got this." James scrunched his face in determination and leaned the entire top half of his body over the tower wall that connected with the roof as he reached his arm and wand closer to the map.

"Prongs, you bloody idiot!!! Get down from there!"

"Oh come off it, Prongs. It's too late for you to play stupid."

James turned his head and gave another smirk, "Who's playing?" "James, Evans is long gone, now stop being a moron!" Sirius shrieked as he went to grab for James' robe. "Oh just keep your bloody knickers on. I almost have it." James bit his lip in concentration as he put one foot up onto the wall. The parchment was twitching closer to them. But as Sirius made a grab for his robe, another wind blew through the Astronomy Tower causing Sirius' force to change to the opposite direction.

"JAMES!"

James didn't remember falling. He did remember the tumbling. He also remembered the feel of the cold stone go through his robes and chill his skin. He could remember how dizzy he got as he rolled down the roof of Hogwarts, just falling, and then, everything went black.

No wait. James was still conscious. Or at least he thinks he was. He tried to move his fingers. Yes, they still worked. But what just happened? One minute he was tumbling with those stupid constellations mocking him in the sky above, hearing his friends desperately call for him, and the next…he was surrounded by total darkness.

"Padfoot?!" Nothing. "Mooney?!" He stood himself off the ground. "Wormtail?!" Wait, why was there ground beneath him. He should have fallen to his death. "Anybody?!" James looked through the darkness and blinked his eyes, still convincing himself that he wasn't dead. He took a breath and then a step forward. He took two more until he hit into a stone wall.

"Well, at least I'm not dead. But where the hell am I?" He put his hand to the wall. "And why the hell am I talking to myself."

Suddenly, James felt his knees buckle underneath him. Without realizing it, warm tears flowed down his face. Where in the name of Merlin was he? James had never remembered a time in his life where he was scared. Even when he felt this annoying emotion, he just played it off and let his ego overpower it. But he was alone. Absolutely and utterly alone. He couldn't even hear his friends calling him anymore. Maybe he had died…

"Damn it!" The sound of his voice echoed off the stone walls. Okay just think! Mooney keeps telling me to do that more often. "The only way I could have gotten here is by falling, right? So there must be an exit above me." He titled his head but no light could be seen. "I'm surrounded by walls, the only way must be up. Damn, I have got to stop talking to myself!"

But without admitting it, James knew that the sound of his own voice was actually keeping him sane right now. The sound of anything human, even if it was his own self, reminded him of the world he was in just 5 minutes ago. Had it been 5 minutes? It seemed shorter than that. Maybe it was more. Was he losing the sense of time?
A growl formed in his throat until it emerged as a full blown scream. "SIRIUS BLACK YOU BETTER GET MY ASS OUT OF THIS FORSAKEN HELL HOLE OR I'LL SKIN YOUR SORRY HIDE!"

But not even an echo answered him this time. Not a sound was made after the last word left his mouth. He was truly alone.