For those of you who are waiting for my next update to Cease to Exist, it is coming soon. This is a piece of a story I've had sitting around for a while that I decided to finish, which is why Cease to Exist hasn't been updated yet. I will try to update more often, but I just am really busy in RL right now.

With the Full Moon

As far as the full moons had gone, they had gotten lucky this year. Somehow, Headmaster Dumbledore had pulled some strings within the Ministry and procured a time turner for Remus to use to help disguise his absences partially. If he stopped them entirely, after more than four full years of them, it would surely be suspicious. However, if he were seen more often when he was healthy, it would shroud the issue in more mystery. It would be a mess of epic proportions if anyone figured out his lycanthropy. Dumbledore could influence the students not to think about his absences, but influencing the entirety of the Wizarding World was out of his purview.

The Headmaster had warned them that pranking with the aid of the time turner was strictly forbidden unless they had wanted it taken away. They had erred on the side of caution here-they loved pranking, but Remus really did need a couple extra hours to do his schoolwork for his sickly days, and they wanted to protect Remus. If they were too incautious, someone would catch on to the true reason for his absences.

Which was something they didn't want. It was helpful for homework, especially on the full moon, when they would have no time for homework and spent the next day (and, as they got used to it more, next morning) especially exhausted.

Deciding to actually get off his butt and get his Charms homework done before he went out to join Remus in another hour or so, James headed for the library. As he reached the common room, he heard the sound of someone running and a door crashing shut, and shook his head. It was probably just some of the younger Lions chasing each other around their rooms again. It was alright at this hour, but when half past midnight came around and you could still hear them running, you weren't feeling so charitable. Best to let them get it out of their systems now, he thought, and walked to the library.

After about an hour and a half in the library, stooping over a particularly verbose dusty old charms book (because the people who did their homework early had taken all of the easy useful ones) he had checked the book out and scrambled back out of the library, shoving the last four inches of essay into his rucksack as he did. He was late to the Shrieking Shack for the transformation. Moony was going to be infuriated with him.

He was halfway up the stairs when his rucksack split. James looked at the shreds of cloth he still held briefly in horror, noting that the line was too straight for it to be anything but a spell, and likely a deliberate attempt at retaliation from Slytherin for one prank or another. Cursing his luck and Slytherins as a whole under his breath, he gathered his materials from the steps, feeling absurdly lucky that not only had Peeves not been near enough to spread the schoolbooks around further, but also that nothing (let alone anything important) had fallen off the steps. Unfortunately, he had to wait a few more minutes before he could continue on his way to his dorm. While he was desperate to get down to see Moony, any schoolwork he brought would be shredded. That included his freshly-written barely-dried Charms essay.

Eventually (Finally), James got to his dorm. He threw his rucksack onto his bed, and shrugged out of his good clothing in favor of his 'full moon' set of clothes. These were obviously more ragged and bore the evidence of several mending charms from both when they were learning to become Animagi, and from Full Moon Extravaganzas. It was then that he noticed the piece of torn parchment and still-inked quill that was laying on it on his bed. He cast a quick Scourgify and Tergeo on his comforter before reading the note.

After he read the note, his plans had changed drastically. He cast Incendio at the note before rooting around for the Time Turner. Two turns should do it, he thought, before hiding in the closet. He wasn't sure if he had left yet two hours before to go to the library.

As it turned out, James had already left when he burst out of the closet and slammed the door shut. Then he paused, remembering hearing a door slam from a distance. Was he remembering hearing...himself? How entirely ludicrous. Then again, they generally weren't using the time turners for emergencies, so they were better about timing their arrivals and departures.

This time, his intended destination was not the library. He didn't know where...yes he did. He took the Invisibility Cloak out from under a heap of his and Sirius's quidditch robes and the Marauders Map from under Remus's bed. He stuffed the cloak in a pocket as he located Sirius on the Map. He exited his dorm and went jogging in that direction, hoping to get to Sirius to see what was going on. However, about half-way there, he saw that Sirius had met Snape in the middle of a hallway. It was nearly time for him to go to the Shack, if more than a bit early, if nothing else than to keep Padfoot on a leash.

He wasn't quite there when the conversation obviously ended, with Sirius walking away and Snape staying near where he was. No, Snape was following Sirius. Why, in Merlin's name, was Snivellus following Padfoot anywhere? Snivellus obviously knew it was likely leading him to some humiliating prank or other. Or to something more malicious. And why the hell was Padfoot letting him? Some sort of prank? He hadn't heard anything, and Padfoot would surely have said something if he had had anything big planned. Something that he had come back in time to stop. Dumbledore had really impressed upon the Marauders four that the time turner was not a toy, else it would be taken away, and they wouldn't be able to catch up on classes from during the full moon.

It wasn't like they were supposed to have it in the first place, anyway.

...Why did Dumbledore even give it to them, again? Weren't they restricted by the Department of Mysteries?

Ah, well. It was Dumbledore. The guy's crazy, and crazy powerful. What exactly do you say to that?

With that in mind, James set about to quietly following his friend and his enemy through the empty hallways of the school. He had thrown the Invisibility Cloak over his head and thanked Moony mentally for coming across the longer lasting charm-ward splice that they used to silence their shoes. Because of this, the only sounds were Snape's shoes and, a few minutes later, their bickering.

His sense of unease only grew when he saw where Sirius was leading them. It was the pathway out of the school, near the Shrieking Shack. And it was the Full Moon already, he could see the light, so Remus had already transformed. What in the nine hells was Padfoot thinking? If he could stop the procession of events now, he would have. At this rate, Padfoot would expose the Marauders' worst and best-kept secret to one of the people with the biggest interest in seeing them muzzled.

Unless he was trying to kill Snivellus, which was just as bad. Pranks were one thing, but this, whatever this was going to turn out to be, was far beyond a prank. Idly James wondered why he had not written more in his note to himself. He would have stopped this in the hall, damn the consequences, if he knew that Padfoot was considering something so monumentally stupid.

He felt as if he were having heart palpitations as the unlikely pair stopped outside the Whomping Willow and Sirius picked up the fallen bough they always used to touch the knot if they were coming down separately from Wormtail, which happened often enough to be a nuisance otherwise. He was sure that Wormtail was already in the Shack with Moony, waiting for them, and that they would have had to have used the oversized stick tonight anyway, just not for this sort of cause.

Waiting for Padfoot the grim-like dog and Prongs the stag, that is.

He pulled off the Cloak and stuffed it back into his pocket. Sirius had gone into the tunnel first, thankfully. It meant that he wouldn't have to go through Sirius to pull Snivellus out. He hurried forwards but was not quick enough to get in the tunnel before the hole closed, and he had to go searching for where Padfoot had thrown the stick. Risking a lumos, he found the stick in about fifteen seconds and tapped the knot.

The passageway opened to admit him, and he hurried in. He could hear Moony's howls, and saw that Sirius had turned into his dog form, meaning that he was safe. Risking a look up the passageway, he could clearly see Moony. Shit, he thought loudly, mouthing the profanity. Mooney had gotten slightly into the passageway, which was normally completely safe because he couldn't get out in his wolf form even if he was at the end of the passage. It was not safe since Snivellus was in his way, smelling of not-pack.

James finally reached Snivellus and yanked on his arm. The stringy-haired boy looked back at him in surprise as he yanked even further, telling him, yelling at him "Let's go!"

Moony was getting closer to the pair, but after the initial shock, Snivellus followed James out of the passageway. James gave him a once over, just to make sure, but thankfully he was neither clawed nor bitten, nor really worse for the wear except for the shock. Damn, James thought, I'm really going to kill Padfoot for this, if Moony doesn't get there first.

Using Snape's shock to his advantage, James pulled the other boy along. He was most of the way to the Headmaster's office by the time it really wore off. James let go of his grip on Snape's robes, and Snape kept walking beside him. Both seemed disinclined to talk. It was understandable, but it made for a very tense trip to the Headmaster's office to be almost suffocating.

As always seemed to be the case, the Headmaster was waiting for them and they didn't have to guess candies at the gargoyle until it took pity on them. Sometimes James wondered if the man is omnipotent. This time James doesn't really care. He's a bit worn out, burning with anger towards Sirius and almost hypothermic with fear for Remus and disgusted with himself for not noticing that Sirius was capable of this, and for not nipping it in the bud.

The Headmaster, for once was not smiling. The atmosphere was oppressive as they followed the Headmaster up the winding steps. Dumbledore did not offer them tea or lemon drops, forgoing any pleasantry further than pointing them to the chairs in front of his desk. They sat, Snape still shaking with some strong emotion and James entirely numb. Surely Snape would tell the world about Moony, no matter what the Headmaster said, and then Moony will have to be expelled, if he wasn't just summarily killed or sent to Azkaban. All of the effort that had gone into concealing his status was moot now.

"Boys," Dumbledore said. Both of the boys' heads swung up to meet his eyes. "I would like to hear the story of exactly what has happened this evening before we make any hasty decisions." This statement was punctuated by a meaningful look at Snape.

James swallowed. Best to get it over with. He had checked his watch while he was fiddling with his hands before, and he had noted that he didn't have too much time to spend here, or he wouldn't be able to get up to Gryffindor Tower at all before the version of him that was running around earlier got back. "Sir, I heard the end of a conversation between err...Snape here and Sirius and I saw them walking off together. I was curious about why they would have gone anywhere together, because there is no reason that it could ever happen, so I followed them.

"Sirius lead Snape to the Whomping Willow, and then through the path to the Shack." James paused to take a breath, trying to establish how the Headmaster was taking it so far to gauge how much trouble they'd all be in. "The full moon had already risen, and it wouldn't have been pretty if I hadn't pulled him out in time."

"Indeed, Mr. Potter." agreed Dumbledore. "If not for your bravery and sense of fairness I fear we would have had a true tragedy on our hands tonight." His blue eyes seemed especially intense as James met them. "A tragedy I am sure we are all glad to have avoided, even young Sirius." Snape snorted and James stiffened, but Dumbledore seemingly ignored the byplay, continuing on. "I should think you would best be off to bed, Mr. Potter. There is nothing more to be done here tonight that would require your presence. Besides, I am certain that you have other matters to attend to."

James's eyes widened as he checked the time. It was no wonder he had only managed a short note, he barely had the time to get to Gryffindor Tower before his other self. "Goodnight, Headmaster!" He called behind him as he bolted down the stairs.

Once he got to the stairs he would need to take to get to Gryffindor Tower, he saw his other self already rushing up the stairs, Charms essay finished and ready to go spend what was left of the full moon with Moony.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw that his earlier self was already stumbling up the stairs, taking them as quickly as he could. He needed to beat himself back to his dorm room, or he wouldn't know to go back! He disillusioned himself, shuddering at the feeling of wet egg running down his back and thankful for his silenced shoes. It wouldn't be pretty if he was caught here!

He remembered his bag being cut open and looked around determined to find out which Slytherin had done it by seeing where the spell had come from. He watched, and watched as James went up one more staircase, then two, and when he came close to the second-to-last landing he had the abrupt realization that he was the only one there, and that he had to have sent the spell.

He himself was only a little behind his other self, having taken a quicker set of stairs that was unfortunately inaccessible to those coming from the library without one hell of a detour. Therefore it was easy enough to assume the spell had come from a hallway. With that in mind, he whispered "Diffindo!" as he slashed his wand in the proper motion. The spell worked, and it hit James's bag. That made James pause a bit as he looked around suspiciously before gathering his books.

That moment was long enough for the James who had already lived through that and knew nothing important had fallen. He had managed to run past the confused-annoyed ignorant version of himself enough so that he made it to the dorm room first. It took him a moment, but he located a piece of parchment and a quill, not sure what had happened to the ones he had thrown in his haste to go after Sirius.

With seconds to spare and the clock ticking down, his hands felt sweaty and clammy as he started to write. James, he started, and then snorted as he realized he was writing to himself in the third person. Find Sirius, right now he wrote. Then came the sound of footsteps on the stairs right outside the door. He immediately dropped the quill and yanked off the time turner, not seeing where it fell in his messy sheets. Just as the door opened, he dove into the dorm's bathroom.

The other version of himself came rushing into the room, much as he remembered doing. A muted thump sounded as something heavy was dropped on something soft, probably his rucksack on the bed. There was the sound of movement, which was him changing his clothes. That movement stopped along with James's breath as the other version of himself saw the note, cleaned off the ink from the bed, and scanned it quickly before movement resumed, and the other boy was looking for the time turner.

He felt that it was safe to come out several seconds after he heard the closing of a door, the closet door, and he was gone. The adrenaline was finally wearing off, and James felt especially weary as he sank into his bed, eyes staring unseeingly up at the ceiling. He only hoped that the Headmaster would soothe over the situation enough that Moony wouldn't have to leave school. Much less have anyone actually find out the whole thing-his good friend would be killed.

It was so monumentally stupid of Sirius to try to get one over Snivellus the way he had, at Remus's risk. Remus would be the one to pay for their mistakes, not Sirius, no matter what Sirius wanted to do to any Slytherin with all the hate with his family. This was one step too far. There was a chance that their relationship, that of brothers, would never fully recover from this.

It was with this heavy thought that James fell into an uneasy sleep, unable to keep awake any longer. Not too far away, a wolf howled its rage at the moon and a dog had run away before it could get hurt, licking its wounds and wondering what went wrong.