It was a rainy and lazy Monday afternoon. Professor Binns class was more boring than usual. Today's lesson was learning about the less influential Goblins in one of the minor wars. Sirius and James were dozing off, Remus was trying his best to take notes, Peter was already asleep, a soft squeaky snore coming from his nose every few moments.

Halfway into class, there was a very faint knock on the door. Sirius wouldn't have noticed anything, but Remus had looked. A wave of dread washed over his eyes. Sirius knew that look. He was still looking at Remus when he turned around and put a few things in his bag, leaving his parchment and quill. "What?" He asked when Sirius wouldn't stop staring.

"What? What are you doing?"

"Nothing." He tried to smile, and it would have convinced him. Hell, it would convince anyone, but Sirius knew. He saw. Under his smile and under his eyes that tried so hard to feign happiness was fear and dread. "Promise to take notes for me? I'll be right back." Remus asked as he gave him a "do not follow me or else" look.

"Sure, yeah." Sirius stared at the door Remus slipped past. It took everything in him to not walk out and follow him, but Remus would prefer he has his notes then being followed. But mainly he basically promised he wouldn't follow. And no matter what, Sirius and Remus agreed to never break a promise, which is why they said it very sparingly. Sirius needed more evidence, after all. More than he had. He needed eye witness or physical evidence, especially with James being so oblivious. But it had been going on for a few weeks now. Leaving classes randomly, the attempted fake smiles. On top of things, Goren was too charming. You are too! James would always say. And plus Remus always looks so happy to see him!

"And in the 1720's a Goblin named Crirr went to..." Professor Binns voice was monotone. Soon enough, Sirius had stopped taking notes and was nodding off again. He would copy a few notes down from off the board at the end, but sleep was growing slowly more irresistible. Luckily after this class was Transfiguration, one that both James and Sirius thrived in. Remus was adept with Charms and Defense Against The Dark Arts. Peter did well in Divination.

After thirty minutes, Professor Binns turned around and dismissed the class, then left by walking through the wall. Remus had still not come back, so James grabbed his bag while Sirius rushed to write down the notes left on the board. It only took about thirty seconds because Professor Binns only named a few Goblins.

Remus was gone all through Transfiguration, only to make an appearance at lunch. The three watched as he walked down the hall and plopped next to Sirius. Behind him was Goren, a Gryffindor a year above them. "Scout over, Rem." He said softly, placing a kiss on his forehead. Goren's cheek was slightly red. Remus, however, was trying to subtly hold his ribs. He sat in a weird manner.

"Hey, Goren." The three chime in as he takes a seat.

"Hey, how are all of you? How was Transfiguration, I heard you were changing bigger animals to a small book or something."

"Alright," James said. "Peter here..." He instantly went into a long story about how Peter had failed today's lesson in Transfiguration, the whole time Peter laughing and agreeing, adding little pieces to it here and there. Sirius however, was too distracted to listen. He was watching Remus's sad eyes. Clearly, he thought no one was looking, Sirius could recognize this type of look. It was a sadness you only expressed when you thought you were alone. Remus wouldn't stop shifting under the table, something James nor Peter could see, but Sirius did. Gorden had his hand on Remus's thigh, and Remus was trying to shove it away, but he wouldn't budge. Eventually, Remus gave up. "What's up, Remus?" Sirius whispered in his ear.

"Nothing."

"You look sad."

"Just tired."

"I know that look. That excuse. I invented them."

"Really, I am. Plus I have a full moon soon."

"Two weeks from now, Remus."

"Sorry, you missed it, Rem. I bet you would've enjoyed that lesson." Goren said glumly. "I know you like Transfiguration. But..." He looked over at Sirius. "Maybe it's good you missed it or you would have been flirting with Sirius the whole time. I'd prefer if you didn't try to shove your tongue down everyone's throat. I'm so sorry for his behavior Sirius." Sirius was shocked. This was what drew the last straw for Sirius. He was positive. His mother, way better at hiding them, showed them faintly. Sirius had gone through it, he knew. He had to do something. Remus, however, appeared to be silently dying. His face was blood red, even his pale scars. James and Peter stopped talking out of amazement at this comment, looking between the three across from them.

With the kindest, most sincere voice he could manage, he responded. "He wasn't flirting, we were talking about our potions essay. So sorry if it sounded like that." Goren smiles and turned away.

"I have to go, but I'll see you later, love," Goren said as he stood up. Making a final comment, he turned around and smiled kindly. "Astronomy tower? Nine-ish?"

"Ok." To Sirius's amazement, Remus smiled back, it almost looked genuine.

The rest of the day was no better, Remus wasn't paying attention in class, just bouncing his leg under the table and staring off into space. He even failed the day's lesson in Defense Against The Dark Arts, which he never did. In Divination, he layed his head down and appeared to be sleeping, but there was a different energy coming from him. As they walked to dinner, Remus said he wasn't hungry and that Goren probably had some meal planned later anyway, so he went up to Gryffindor Tower to read. This gave Sirius the perfect opportunity to bring it back up to James and Peter. "Who wants to help me steal polyjuice potion from dear Slughorns cabinet?"

"Sure, why?" James asked excitedly.

"I'm tricking Goren to think I'm Remus." The smile dropped from James's face. He was clearly confused.

"Why?" Both of them asked.

"Do you remember how I said I didn't like Goren? He was too charming? How Remus always looked like he dreaded going with him places?"

"Yeah, mate. But he looks happy. His first girlfriend was mean to us. His second was mean to him. But Goren is so sweet! He's so nice to us, and he's funny. Remus doesn't always look so sad anymore."

"You are the most oblivious person I have ever met." Sirius sighed. "He's sad when no one is looking. But if you watch, then you'll see the brief moment of fear and dread that comes to his eyes every time he leaves class. You'll see when he comes in sitting weird or not talking. Yeah, he's nice, but he embarrasses Remus for no reason other than to remain in control like he did at lunch. He's sad when no one's looking. Goren, kind, charming, embarrassing Remus in front of people, taking Remus out of classes, Goren, has all the signs. I grew up with that for 12 years, and every break I go back to it. He's just like my mother, only I doubt that he uses the old Cruciatus." James was silent, processing what he was saying.

"You can read people like that?" James asked, impressed with a sad look. Sirius nodded and scanned the Great Hall.

"Slytherin: Family. Friends. Family. Not out. Family. Abusive boyfriend, abusive girlfriend. Ravenclaw: Dad. Mom. Family. Brother-" Sirius said, pointing at people as he went over the tables.

"Okay, okay. How do you do that?"

"I can do it to you too, but I'm waiting for you to tell us. It's your mo- your family." James blushed a deep red, leaving Peter confused.

"So you really think that he's... he's abusive?" He whispered.

"Bloody hell, James, yes! I have a plan to find out too."

"And it involves stealing?" Peter whined. "From Slughorn?"

"Yes. We also need sleeping draught."

"Okay. Let's do it. But I'm being Remus." James said.

"Like fucking hell, you will. There's no way that will ever happen. Can you honestly say that if he starts hitting you, you won't lose it? You won't hit back too much? I can act like Remus far better, and besides, I can handle pain easier."

"Fine. But let's hurry, it's almost 7:30."

Peter was the lookout, while James and Sirius marauded through his cabinets. Luckily they were alphabetized so it didn't take long before they were back in their dorm. It was at about 8:20, so they had forty minutes. When they walked into their dorm, Remus wasn't there. "Okay, so we all know the plan?" Sirius asked. Setting down the potions on his four-poster and throwing his robes over them.

"What plan?" The three whirled around to see Goren standing in the doorway. "Where's Remus? I came to pick him up."

"Oh. He's, uh, in the toilets. I'll just go get him." Sirius said, picking up his robes and as non-suspiciously as he could manage to take the potions with him.

"So James..." Before Sirius closed the door behind him into the toilets, he heard Goren making small talk with James. Frantically, Sirius looked around for anything that might be Remus. He opened the door to the showers and stopped. One of them was running. There was a faint sniffle over the sound of the running water. "Remus?" He asked.

"Sirius?"

"Goren's here. Just saying."

"Okay." He turned off the water and Sirius watched as the rest swirled down the drain in the floor, but it was accented with a different color, maybe it was just the soap. "Throw me that towel and turn around." Sirius obliged. He waited until Remus said he was fully dressed and walked out with him into the next room. Remus was messing with his hair in the mirror but stopped when he saw the two potions sitting in the corner. "Sirius...? What are those?" He asked, which could only mean he knew. Sirius snatched the first bottle and jumped Remus, making him go down with a thud. "What the hell!" He screamed. Sirius used his knees to pin down his arms and uncorked the bottle.

"Just trying to help." Right as he was about to say his name again, Sirius pored the sleeping draught down his throat. Remus coughed as he turned over.

"Christ, Sirius that fucking hurt!" He grabbed his forearm.

"Sorry. Hey, how long does this stuff last?"

Remus glared at his friend. "What is it?"

"Sleeping draught." His glare became more and angrier.

"Something less strong will work next time you decide to do something like this! You'll need Madam Pomfrey. Your best hope forever." Slowly, he began to doze off. Soon he was snoring and asleep on the floor of the toilets. Sirius grabbed the other potion and took a strand of his hair. He put it in the polyjuice and watched as it turned an amber brown, then gagged it down, leaving just enough for an hour later when he would need it again. He stood up and watched his reflection shift and change to Remus's. He looked exactly like him. Even sounded like him. He threw his robe on and cast an extension charm on his clothes so they would fit correctly. Right before he was about to walk out, he felt his forearm split wide open and he tried to suppress a yelp. His ribs went sore and he felt like he couldn't move them. And Sirius knew. The water was a different color, he hurt him when he kneed his forearm because Remus had hurt himself. Shoving his sleeve up, he looked at the cut that ran across the fleshy side of his arm. He lifted his shirt up to see a black and green bruise cover his ribs. There was a knock at the door. He dropped his shirt and pushed his sleeve back down, then slipped out of the toilets. "Hey, sorry I was showering."

"Why isn't your hair wet then?" Goren asked, narrowing his eyes and trying to peek around into the room.

"I tried it."

"Ok. Come on, I have a fun night planned." As Sirius passed James, he whispered in his ear, I'm Sirius, put him in his bed. Then Sirius silently followed.

They hadn't said a word all the way up to the tower. Somewhere during the walk, he lost his charm.