A/N: This is second Harry Potter fanfic I've written. Not too sure why I haven't posted the first yet but I just haven't. As I've mentioned in my profile this is posted on another fanfic website under my other pen name 'secret_witch'. I wrote this about 6 years ago so I'm going through each chapter to try and improve them. Anyway I welcome constructive criticism.

Hogwarts, 1971, Marauders 2nd year.

"See you later,"Remus called as he waved to James, Sirius and Peter before he stepped out through the portrait hole. He sighed heavily as it closed behind him. He hated lying to his friends like that, but they could never find out what he really did on his nights out.

Contrary to the safe illusion of him going to visit his sick Grandma, he was in fact about to head out to the Whomping Willow to transform intothe ferocious beast that had plagued him from being a very young boy... a werewolf.

Remus made his way down the many staircases towards the Hospital Wing to meet Madam Pomfrey, this was his usual routine on a full moon.

Unknown to Remus, however, his friends no longer bought his 'sick Grandma' story and were working on how to find out what was really wrong. It was not that they wanted to be nasty, spiteful or devious...no the three friends were worried about their fourth friend, and had realised that something always seemed to change in him and they wanted to help.

Remus stirred as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the wooden walls of the shack, his prison. He pushed himself up on to his knees shakily and grimaced, that had been a rough night.

He swallowed and tasted the familiar, but never welcome, tang of metal in his mouth. He was never one for blood and to think that his alias definitely was, was horrific and he hunched over and retched painfully. He rolled over on to his back and took a few calming breaths. it was over for another month at least.

After a few peaceful moments Remus realised that Madam Pomfrey would be coming to collect him soon, and make him outwardly presentable for the rest of the school before they got up. He sighed and pushed himself up once more into a sitting position and spotted his clothes over in the corner.

Wincing he moved quickly to get dressed. The matron had walked in on him a few times when he was indecent and he found this extremely embarrassing, so despite the pain it caused him he tried to be fully clothed before she got here.

He dropped heavily on to the remains of the bed and waited. Examining all his new cuts, gashes, grazes and various sore spots. It always amazed Remus how he could cause himself so much injury in such a small amount of time. He raised his head slightly as he heard footsteps approaching.

A few hours later and Remus found himself sinking into the wonderful comfort of his bed. Madam Pomfrey had healed the majority of his scrapes but as usual they would leave scars. He smiled as he closed his eyes, at least he didn't have to go to class.

He could have only been asleep for a few minutes when the bed dipped to the right of his head and he cracked his eye open slightly. James smiled down at him, he groaned and closed his eyes again. Feeling yet another dip to his left he opened his eyes again to find Sirius grinning at him.

"Leave me alone," Remus grumbled, covering his eyes with his hands.

"Not a chance," he heard Peter squeak and Remus suddenly felt a large amount of weight on his stomach.

He tried to suppress a wince, that had been one of the many sore spots he'd created last night.

Admitting defeat Remus pushed himself up on to his elbows and glared around.

"Where you been?" asked Sirius. Remus rolled his eyes.

"I told you I went to visit my sick Grandma a..."

"Only for a night? If she's that sick shouldn't you stay longer?" James cut across.

Remus opened his mouth and shut it again, they'd never questioned him before. He was never very good at lying and as such his cover story didn't extend to much more than visiting his Grandma. The amount of time had never been a problem before.

"Well yeah...I...I..."struggled Remus, before he stopped and glared at Peter on his stomach.

"Get off,"he muttered pushing Peter off and making to get out of bed.

"Don't you have classes?" Remus said quickly after getting out of bed.

"It's a Saturday,"Sirius shot back just as quick. Remus groaned again and turned towards the bathroom, it looked like he was getting no rest today.

He was a few steps away when James' indignant voice rang out.

"Why don't you trust us?"

Remus span round a little too quickly and grimaced as he automatically put his hand up to soothe his aching ribs.

"What?"he asked, rearranging his face into one of puzzlement instead of pain.

"You heard...why don't you trust us enough to tell us the truth?"

Remus felt his stomach drop. They knew, he'd been found out. He was done for, out of Hogwarts, without friends, without magic. It was the end.

He leant back against the wall and sank to the floor pulling his knees to his chest. He was numb, completely numb...he should probably go to Dumbledore now. But to his amazement James came over and sat next to him, even put his arm around him. Remus looked up into James' eyes.

"Aren't you afraid?" he whispered. James burst out laughing, as Remus' eyes widened.

"We may have figured out you're a werewolf but that doesn't mean that we're not your friends anymore," grinned Sirius walked over as well.

Remus was beyond shocked, everything his parents had told him about being discovered as werewolf were the opposite of the reactions he was getting now.

"But...but..."

"You're not a wolf now are you?" said Sirius kneeling in front Remus. Remus shook his head.

"So you're not a danger now...just once a month and that's not even your fault,"

Remus eyed Sirius suspiciously, if this was trick it was a cruel one.

"How?"he croaked finally.

"Oh that was easy...you read a book on werewolves and you'll find you match it exactly...from the mood swings to disappearances at full moon," Sirius replied offhandedly.

Remus nodded slowly, he knew he matched the books, he'd read hundreds of books on werewolves and non had comforted him in the slightest.

"You really don't care?" swallowed Remus standing up slowly, and leaning against the wall.

"Not a bit,"smiled James kindly.

"What's more is, we're going to help you," Sirius added smiling at Remus as well.

Remus let a small laugh escape him. This was fantastic, his friends knew what he was and they accepted it...accepted him.

"One thing then,"murmured Remus walking over to his bed.

"What?" Sirius and James answered automatically.

"Leave me alone to sleep please,"

James, Sirius and Peter grinned at him and bowed low before hurrying out of the door.

Remus lay in bed quietly thinking and he finally came to a conclusion.

Hogwarts life might not be that bad anymore.

And with that thought he laid his head down and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

James, Sirius and Peter stayed true to their word and helped Remus in anyway they could before eventually becoming animagi, so they could accompany him during his transformations.

Of course little secrets like Remus' can't stay secret for very long and before long two others knew of his condition...Severus Snape and Lily Evans.

A/N: There we go. First chapter done. It may seem a little rushed but it's only meant to set the scene and tell a bit of back story. I may rewrite later on.

Please review! :)