Summary: James, Sirius, and Peter find out that Remus is a werewolf.
"Remus?" asked James hesitantly giving side glancing looks to Sirius and Peter.
"Yes, James?" I responded. There was only Sirius, James, and Peter, and me in the four poster room. It seemed that they had been waiting for everyone to clear out as they kept eying each other. What were the three of them up to?
"Well… we were wondering…" James continued.
Oh crap, did they know? No, they couldn't, could they? My excuses each month were getting lamer and lamer, and I knew it. They were bound to find out sooner or later, I was hoping later though, always later. What were they going to do if they really had discovered I was a werewolf, a disgusting creature that changed into a monster once a month, a disgrace. I knew I shouldn't have become friends with anyone, Dumbledore was wrong. It was much better to live in solitude then have friends that could turn on me at any moment. I don't want to lose these friends; they are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I finally felt like I belonged somewhere and now… now I was going to be an outcast again.
"We have noticed that… er… your relatives, and pets, and well you get sick once a month," Sirius started then abruptly stopped at my reaction.
"'My cat has a broken ankle so I have to go home tomorrow.' I mean, come on!" exclaimed Peter rolling his eyes.
I went pale white, and the colour drained from my face as the realization hit me. They knew.
I gulped, "Yes? So?" This wasn't good. I was about to lose the best friends I have ever had. "I have to go to the bathroom. Please excuse me," I said as I rushed to the door, but Peter and Sirius blocked me while James stood up.
"Not until you tell us the truth, what is going on with you?" he asked firmly but calmly.
"Nothing," I shook my head, "really, it's nothing."
Sirius, who was standing in front of me, shook me, hard. When he was done he said, "Darn, I was expecting a load of crap to fall out of him," he said looking at James, "'cause that is what you are full of, Remus, crap."
"Remus, every single time someone in your family, or whatever excuse you use that you makes you leave Hogwarts, always occurs around… well… around a full moon," said James.
"Yeah, and you always appear really sick and weak the next day," added Peter.
"Plus, you always have some new scar every month," said Sirius.
"Did you not think that we wouldn't notice… notice something like that?" asked James.
"I was hoping you wouldn't" I whispered. "I'm a werewolf! Ok, there you have it. If you don't want to be my friends and be around me anymore, I understand. I'm a monster, I get it. Just please, please, do not tell anyone. Hogwarts is the one place where people aren't afraid of me, the one place where I am truly home, please do not take that away from me. If you have any heart left in you, please do not take it away from me," I begged the three of them.
"Is that why you didn't tell us? Because you were afraid we would leave you?"
"Well, you are, aren't you?" I said.
"No, of course not!" exclaimed Peter. "How could you think that Remus?"
"You are our friend, besides, what would we do without you? There would be no one to help us with homework, and take our notes when we sleep in class…" smirked Sirius.
"But aren't you afraid of me?" I asked. All three of them shook their heads. "But… but I'm a monster," I whispered.
"Just because you change into a werewolf doesn't change who you are," said Sirius poking me in the stomach. "Really, it's only during full moons that you are a blood thirsty killer."
James cut in, "We mean, it's not as if you are like that all the time, if you were I'm sure we would all be dead by now so it wouldn't matter.
"You just have a 'furry little problem' that's all," added James with a smile.
Only these guys would be able to make light out of something so serious. This was more then I could hope for. I didn't have to keep my secret any longer, I didn't have to worry in fear, and agonize over the next lie wondering when they would figure it out. I couldn't believe that they were this accepting of my condition, not even my own parents got over the fact so easily. The big weight that I didn't know I was carrying lifted as the worry left me.
"So, you guys aren't going to desert me?" I asked just to make sure. "Because I would understand, who would want to be friends with me, friends with a werewolf?"
"We do," said James firmly.
"What is it like when you transform?" asked a curious Peter.
I should have expected this question. I proceeded to tell them how I got bitten, that every month I go to the whomping willow, and I informed them that the reason it was planted there was for me. I told them about the transformation, how I dreaded it every month, the biting, the scratching, the painfulness of it all. How I completely lose my mind as the werewolf takes over, and that every full moon I was afraid, lonely and overcome with fear.
When I was done telling my tale, of which throughout the whole ordeal I was looking at the floor afraid to see my friends' reaction, I stole a glance at them. They were all frozen, stunned, at everything I went through, everything I had revealed.
"Is there any way to make it better for you?" asked James.
"No, there is no potion, no spell, and no nothing that exists that will make it more bearable. As a werewolf I long to have company, because wolves are pack creatures, but if any of you joined me, you would become what I am because the werewolf desires to bite human flesh. I couldn't stand it if I put any of you through that pain."
They all pondered this for a moment then Peter's face brightened, "McGonagall can turn into a cat!"
I was confused, what did this have to do with me being a werewolf? James seemed to catch on to whatever was going on inside Peter's head. Oh no, I thought, this was going to lead us into trouble, I knew that look, that mischievous glint in James' eyes and that crooked smile. This couldn't be good.
"Of course, that's it! You say that you want to bite humans right?"
"Yes," I replied. "No, no, no, absolutely not," I said finally catching on. "I refuse to let you guys do that, no, it's too dangerous! What happens if I bite you as an animal? Would you turn into a werewolf even if you were animagi?"
"Before we jump to conclusions, let's do some research first, and then, if everything points to a clear 'no', then why not?" said James.
"Because it's too dangerous," I responded.
"Would it help you during the full moon?"
I chose to not hear the question.
"Answer me, Remus. Would it help you during a full moon?" demanded James.
"Yes, probably," I grumbled. It would help immensely, that's all I wanted as a werewolf, a pack to join that and people to bite "But it's illegal, someone is bound to find out, and dangerous," I argued, I did not want them to do this, I didn't deserve it anyways. Them risking their life for me was not what I signed up for.
"We won't tell anyone. Besides, illegal and dangerous is what we marauders are all about," said a smiling Sirius.
"We are going to do some research, and if everything points to an all clear for the whole werewolf situation then there is no ifs ands or buts about it, Remus, we will learn how to become animagi and join you during a full moon.
I looked at him, fear, astonishment, gratefulness, and worry etched on my face. I couldn't believe that they were going to do this for me. I was so fortunate I had found a group of friends that not only accepted my condition but wanted to help as well.
Three years passed since that fateful day. Now, they each turn into an animal, Peter a rat, James a stag, and Sirius a dog. They join me during my transformation, the werewolf has his pack, and my mind is saner then it has ever been for years all because of my three best friends.