A/N: WARNING: This book is a sequel! If you don't want to be in the dark, read my first "The Howl of the Moon", (id# 882673) which chronicles MWPP in their first year. This is about their second year. Also, I own nothing! Please R/R!

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Chapter One:

An Unexpected Misfortune

Remus Lupin stretched out on the hard basement floor. He felt horrible. Physically, that is. Besides having slept the night on the floor, he had been in his werewolfish state before it. As usual he had scratches and bites on him. Grumbling, he got to his feet and pressed the buzzer in his safe room.

"Coming!" Said his mother. She had come down the stairs a few hours before, and was waiting on an old sofa just outside of the safe room.

She ran up, peeked in through the small, barred opening in the door, and opened the lock to the safe room.

"How are you feeling?" She asked in a motherly tone, taking Remus's hand. She had done this once every month since Remus was five, and yet she still worried as if he would die from the bites and scratches he received during his transformation.

"The usual." He said, and walked gingerly upstairs, where Mrs. Lupin tended to all his wounds. Once he was feeling a little better, he was glad that he had that over with for a whole month, and also that England would be playing Spain in the World Cup semifinals on the Wizard Wireless Network.

When the post arrived, England were up, 150 to 140, and the snitch was nowhere to be found. Remus retrieved the mail and found that he had gotten four posts himself. They were most likely pertaining to the events of the last meeting of the Society of Lion's Fire; he had missed the last meeting because he was feeling too weak to go.

Remus loved the Society. It was a small, secretive group of him and his closest friends, in which they sought to find all the secret places of Hogwarts and its grounds, and to help each other out so that they all got top marks in classes.

After giving the bills to his mum and dad, he went to his room and sat at his desk to read the letters. He grabbed a fancy looking letter opener, and took a look at the first letter. It was addressed to "Minister Lupin", and the return address was "The Society of Lion's Fire", all written in grand looking calligraphy.

He opened it, and slid the contents out. It was three slips of paper. The first was a detailed record of their last meeting, in which they discussed the coming year. The second was a letter from James. The third was a Get Well card from all the members, with what Remus recognized as the new Official Seal of the Society of Lion's Fire. It was in the shape of a shield, and divided into four quarters. At the top left was lion, as was at the bottom right. The top right was a flame, and the bottom left was a stag (James had insisted).

He turned to James's letter.

Dear Remus,

How are you? I hope you feel fine, and that you like our card. We discussed everything about next year, so I doubt any of our remaining meetings until school begins will be very long. We hope to play a lot of Quidditch so we can practice and make the house teams.

Allyn delivered us all a bit of bad news at the meeting, Remus. He said that his mum is taking him out of Hogwarts, and that he'll be attending a new school in Wales. He mentioned that nearly being killed twice was a factor.

I must say that when I first heard the news I felt happy, deep down. And now, I feel horrible for having done it. What if Allyn and Lily are meant to be together? I certainly hope not, but if so, this is a very sad day. As much as I'd like to be with Lily, I'd want most for her to be happy. I know I'll miss Allyn.

Our next meeting is on 12:48 AM Saturday, and we'll be convening at the Longbottom residence. I've enclosed the address.

Sincerely,

King James I

Remus frowned. He liked Allyn. He mentally made a note to write a letter to Allyn. He moved on to the next letter.

Dear Remus,

Hope you are well! How are things going? If you haven't heard Allyn is leaving. Isn't that horrible? I suppose it's good for James, but I doubt he'll ever say it. I'll miss him.

Are you listening to the World Cup? England are doing great! I hope they're still around by the time this gets to you.

See you,

Sirius

Remus opened two more from the girls, each saying similar things. Remus smiled again. Friends made being a werewolf very easy. He only wished that they could help him somehow when he transformed.

At the Longbottom house they had all agreed to meet a week before the Hogwarts Express left, and then they would all stay at Sirius's house for the week. Accompanying them would be Mary's younger brother, Frank, who would be starting at Hogwarts this year.

"Let's see, where shall we head first?" Asked James, leading the large group out from Eeylops where they had landed.

"Well, we only need one new book. Just Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2." Said Lily.

"But I do need to get a new broomstick!" Said James excitedly, so after a trip to Gringotts, the group headed off to the Quidditch supply shop. Once James had gotten himself a brand new Thunderbolt, and he, Sirius, and Remus (who all intended on trying out for Quidditch teams) got new Quidditch pads as well.

After purchasing six copies of Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2, the group decided to relax at Florean Flortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, and after a sundae apiece, returned to the Black house via Flortescue's chimney.

All week was nothing but Quidditch for Remus, Sirius, and James. They did every position to death; they weren't sure which positions had openings, although they knew there were four of them. Since Sirius was off practicing Quidditch, Lily's only chess opponents were Mary and Peter, who she consistently beat thoroughly, even when she played both of them at once.

By Thursday (the train would be leaving Sunday), even Remus, Sirius and James were previewing the lessons of the upcoming year. The next night, however, they were discussing something much more fun.

"Let the thirty-fifth meeting of the Society of Lion's Fire commence, Pridie Kalends September, 2721 ab urbe candita." Since the meeting that Remus was gone, they kept up with keeping a record of each meeting, and Lily had been designated official secretary (as she had the neatest handwriting). Remus, who James now referred to as his Prime Minister, stood up from Sirius's bed (on which he and Sirius were sitting) and delivered the plan for that night.

"The first order of business will be to discuss trips to Hogsmeade. We have received notices by post that second-years and above are allowed to take the monthly trips to Hogsmeade, and everyone has gotten permission from their parents. James?" James nodded to Remus, and stood up.

"I don't think we should waste any time and get straight to the troublemaking on our first visit. We'll hit Zonko's, that's the joke shop. After some drinks perhaps, we'll begin to wreak havoc!" The group cheered quietly, and they quickly began devising all sorts of plans (very tentative, of course, as no one had been to Hogsmeade, except to get on and off the train).

On Sunday they would be heading over in the Black's muggle van.

"Oh, man! I can't wait!" Said James excitedly on the way to King's Cross.

"Yeah! This year's going to be great!" Responded Sirius from the front seat.

"Transfiguration! Charms!"

"Quidditch! Hogsmeade!"

"Lestrange." Lily said, as if she just remembered that he was at the school. The whole van groaned.

"Don't worry. If he tries to put a damper on our fun, we'll take care of him!" James said mischievously. Mrs. Black glanced at him through the mirror.

"Not going to get in any trouble, James?" She asked. James grinned.

"Not a bit!"

On the train, Sirius couldn't help but keep his broom out and he gripped it tightly, even while he played wizards' chess.

On the ride they joked, studied a bit, performed some spells and discussed quite a bit of Quidditch.

"England were having a spectacular year! I can't believe they lost to Spain." Sirius said, downtrodden.

"I can't believe Wales have advanced to play Spain for the World Cup!" Said James.

"Well, I suppose we'll be rooting for them, since Allyn will be." Said Lily. They all nodded.

"And because Spain beat us!" Added James.

"You'll never guess!" Gasped Fannie Flately. She had just run up to their compartment and stuck her head in.

"What?" James asked, sounding as if she had no right to be in the compartment.

"Rumors all about the train! I even heard it from a prefect!" Sirius stood up.

"Spit it out Fannie!" He yelled.

"They're saying Friar Arus is dead! Murdered!"

"What!?" Sirius screamed, outraged.

"Where did you hear it?" Asked James loudly. Remus went numb.

"Bloody hell..." he muttered, slumping into his chair. Peter Pettigrew, quite fond of Herbology, was shaking. Mary and Lily were in silent tears. James dashed out of the compartment in search of someone who might be more of an authority.

"Evus!" He yelled, finally finding the car that held the only prefect he knew. "Evus, is it true?" He gasped.

Evus, who was talking with Max Dorian and William Johnson, turned to James suddenly. He was holding Quidditch trading cards and discussing the World Cup. He was initially angry at having been interrupted so. But then he softened a bit, bit his lip, and nodded. James was suddenly woozy, and he gripped the side of the door. His legs went, and he crumbled to the ground.

Everyone felt sick for the rest of the train ride. The next word uttered among the group was "checkmate" by Sirius quite softly nearly two hours later. And not another for the next three hours. When the train arrived they quietly shuffled out, and the Hogsmeade train station was more subdued on September first than it had ever been. Hagrid even sensed that word had gotten out on the train, and was very somber himself. Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and especially Hufflepuffs were nearly ground to a halt in shock. Slytherins were silent as well, but more resentfully. They dared not disrupt at this moment.

All grades above the first were to enter by magically drawn carriages, leading up to the main doorway. They were four to a carriage, and the Gryffindor boys populated the first. Remus and Peter sat anxiously in the awkward silence. James had his hands folded in front of his mouth. Sirius crossed his arms and looked up the whole time.

Evus led them all in to the Great Hall, where the students noticed some drastic changes on the faculty table. Two seats on the left were missing, one on the right. Professors Dumbledore, Scuro, and Marus were missing, and Professor McGonagall was seated uneasily in Dumbledore's chair.

There was a clear expression of anxiety on her face, and it was pale and white. It seemed that at the very same moment, every person in the room's glance stumbled upon the transparent, silvery ghost of the Fat Friar.