Remus gave Madame Pomfrey an awkward smile as she closed the trap door to the shrieking shack. Remus didn't look around this grey place, after six years he didn't need to; the only thing that changed was the damage.
He did move to a boarded up window, east facing, so he could watch the sun set.
Remus was a tall boy, James and Sirius were taller, but Remus was no short ass himself. He was thin though, thinner than either of his friends, James was lithe and muscular while Sirius was just muscular. The chaser and the beater, exactly what you would expect. Sirius was taller than James, at 6'6 he was massive, while James was a respectable 6'2 and Remus himself stood at 5'11. But Remus was thin, he often had people exclaim over his height in surprise because he was so thin, they didn't really notice how tall he actually was. Peter - who was a short ass - told him at least twice a week that he would be shorter than Peter if he were a normal size. Peter himself was only 5'3 but he was wider than all three boys put together.
Remus's hair was sandy brown, and thin and sort of short, for a boy. It was the 1970's after all and at least half of the boys in sixth year were rocking a mullet, Peter included, so the thin brown hair that hung just below his eyes was considered 'short and sensible' but not at all stylish. James' dark hair was the same length, but it stuck up like the boy had been electrocuted, not helped by his hand constantly messing it up.
Sirius had long hair, somehow he managed to remain the most masculine bloke ever, even with the ponytail he often sported. His hair was pitch black, James' was brown, black, but Sirius' was black, black.
Peter's before mentioned mullet was blonde, his eyes watery and bad acne had plagued the boy since he was twelve but he was happy enough to just float around, every now and then he would contribute to the conversation but he was usually just tagging along, watching and never acting unless it was a small part but apart of the group none the less.
Remus often thought that if all the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players; Peter would be a tree, and not an important one at that.
Remus himself thought he (Remus) was not unkind on the eyes, but he was not as good looking as Sirius, who had the grey eyes and aristocratic beauty which has been not uncharacteristic of the Black family, Narcissa, Andromeda, Regulus, Sirius Parents - the Blacks Remus had seen anyway, but seemed even more stunning than any of his relatives by his own casual elegance, rather than their pole-in-ass manner.
James joined Remus in the town of Average-ville, though he was certainly living in the nice estate on the hill near the border of 'Ridiculously Good Looking Town' (Where Sirius was the Mayor.) His hazel eyes and slight aristocratic features (from his Grandmother, Dorea Black, figures.) Made him handsome, but not jaw dropping.
The before mentioned thin, brown haired, average looking boy at the boarded up window got a sad look in his amber eyes as the sun dipped below the horizon, he hugged a too big grey shirt to his thin frame away from the cold and trudged over to the bed in the room where he sat with his knees pulled into his chest and waited.
The body on the bed began to pant, then heave, his eyes got bigger and went a sickly yellow.
He whimpered, and grunted, and fell off of the bed with a bang, the clothes didn't rip as his body got bigger, they filled out. But his head snapped up at a sound on the other side of the trap door, the pointed ears on top of his head pricked up and a growl/scream came from his mouth as his muzzle got longer and his nose want black. His teeth were pushed from the roof of his mouth and canine teeth descended.
In the thin boy's place a werewolf stood, at least eight foot tall and broad with light brown fur covering its body. It sniffed the air and took a step towards the door, its ears pricked again, and it hunched over, like it was going to attack. A huge, strong coiled spring with teeth.
And then the door bashed open.
The thing Remus hated the most about the werewolf curse was not the pain, or, even the danger, but the feeling. He was not in control of his own mind, never had been, not as a werewolf, and sometimes not even as a human. He growled at others when he was threatened or angry or stressed, it was awful, living in fear like this. Imagine being frustrated with someone, and instead of thinking 'I'll punch them in the jaw' your first reaction is 'I'll gut them with my claws and rip their throat out with my teeth. Grrrr.'
But the transformation was not as mindless as all the wizards thought it was. He had no control, but he was aware. Remus was aware as the Werewolf smelled human, and was aware of the noises coming from the tunnel but had no control as Moony silently got ready to pounce. Remus couldn't control the saliva that filled his doggy mouth, or his lips lifting in a silent snarl, or the paws silently flexing in anticipation. The door bashed open, and Remus hadn't been that worried, he had expected a dark brown stag and a fat blonde rat riding on the stag's head (which Moony had learned from the others was not a snack) and a shaggy black dog; tongue lolling out the side of its mouth like a slobbery idiot.
It wasn't.
The werewolf roared and pounced on the big nosed, bat-like, greasy Severus Snape, who was too terrified to move. Remus resisted enough to slow Moony, the wolf tripped, but that was all Remus could manage, and with an angry growl Remus' consciousness was stolen and Moony took over. The last thing Remus remembered was Snape's terrified, white, greasy face.
The werewolf didn't stop, but rather Snape was pulled away. Moony crashed into the tunnel wall and James Potter pulled Severus away screaming.
"RUN YOU IDIOT!" James screamed in Snape's ear which finally shocked the boy into action and they bolted back up the tunnel and to the Hogwarts grounds. The werewolf was chasing them, but something was keeping it back, slowing it down and whatever it was, the boys were grateful.
"NOW PETER!" James screamed as they reached the entrance and the boys ran onto the grounds and back to the castle. Vicious growls followed them up the tunnel but no werewolf followed.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" James screamed at the still white-faced boy once they were inside the castle.
"Indeed, Mr. Snape." A third voice entered their loud and one sided conversation. "Mr. Potter presents a very good question."
The boys turned to face Professor McGonagall and Professor Slughorn standing at the foot of the grand staircase.
"Professors..." Potter said, shocked.
"It was Black!" Snape accused, "He told me to go, He didn't tell me Lupin was... he just said press the knot!"
McGonagall narrowed her eyes. Potter looked at Snape, shocked And resigned all at once. Slughorn looked like he had personally achieved something.
"My office, now," She said curtly, the boys ducked their heads and walked silently to the office.
Potter and Snape naturally placed themselves either side of the room, glaring heatedly if their gaze met.
Dumbeldore joined them first, which put them both on edge as the usual jovial man was very troubled.
He was silent, as was Slughorn when he joined them, and Sirius, who looked terribly white and McGonagall who looked ready to breathe fire.
"Mr. Lupin is not in the shrieking shack," She informed them quietly. "Aurors have been called to find him and catch him."
"And Mr. Black made a full confession," Slughorn said, almost happily. "Probably some kind of funny prank, hmmm, Black?" Before Sirius could reply, Slughorn cut him off. "Such disdain for the safety of other students warrants expulsion, Albus." Slughorn said, Sirius didn't make a noise but his shocked face and then pleading look at McGonagall said it all. McGonagall didn't look back at her student.
"I agree, Mr. Black will be sent home, and his wand snapped-"
"No," Professor Dumbledore looked between the heads of house. "Mr. Black will be severely punished for his misdeeds, but as it remains; thanks to Mr. Potter, no one was hurt, and it was not meant to be malicious-"
"Albus!" The protesting exclamation came from McGonagall, "Setting up a student to be mauled by a werewolf - a werewolf who is a close friend-"
"Minerva, please," Albus said, he looked at Sirius sternly. "Mr. Black will have a letter written home, and a new curfew of eight P.M. and Mr. Black," Dumbledore held no mirth in his expression as he leveled a most intimidating glare at Sirius. "This is your very last warning, another dangerous prank like this and you will be expelled."
Sirius offered no reply, McGonagall dismissed him ordering for detention every night until Christmas and Sirius left.
"Mr. Potter," Dumbledore turned to the messy haired youth. "Your bravery and quick thinking must be commended, you saved Mr. Snape's life tonight, and Severus, are you alright my boy?"
James did not gloat or brag but stayed silent, Severus just nodded curtly and left with Slughorn, McGonagall escorted James back to the Common room, silently.
"If Mr. Black is not in bed, Mr. Potter please tell me." She asked of him, James nodded to her and said the password to the fat lady.
Sirius was not in bed but sitting in the common room, crying. It's the only time James has seen Sirius cry.
James stared at the hunched over figure, who looked straight at him and acted as if nothing was wrong. In fact, he took a breath and, tears still glistening on his cheeks, said goodnight to James; not cheerfully but not unkindly, and walked up the dormitory stairs.
James followed him, but by the time he was in the door Sirius was in bed, curtains drawn.
James went first thing to see Remus, who looked fine, if a bit scratched up and whiter than the hospital.
"Mr. Potter," Pomfrey greeted him, James ignored her in favor of Remus.
"Snape?"
"Fine."
"How?"
"Sirius thought it'd be funny."
Moony growled, and James took a good big step back. The growl ended in a coughing fit. Remus shook his head.
"No, no way," Remus said, "I don't believe you-"
"He confessed, nearly got expelled, its just that no one was hurt was why he's allowed to stay."
Remus nodded, then shook his head again. James sat on the edge of the bed. "Moony, Sirius hasn't told me otherwise, he never denied it. Never even explained himself."
"But-"
"Moony,-"
The teen boys looked around when the door creaked and Sirius poked his head through, His face fell when he saw James but came in anyway. Ignoring the shrieks of Pomfrey, Remus flung himself out of bed and ran to Sirius.
"Did you tell Snape about me?"
"No!"
"Did you tell him how to get there?"
"Yes but-"
"You told him?"
"Yes but-"
"There's no excuse Sirius, I can't believe you'd do that to me!"
Sirius remained silent to Remus' exclamation.
"Sirius!" Remus prompted, hoping for something from the boy. James and Poppy hovered around the pair. Remus growled, not Moony, Remus, and Sirius shrunk back. Then Remus shoved him and he fell to the ground with a wince. He shuffled back and kept his eyes away from the other boys and the nurse, who seemed not-inclined to interfere.
"You were my friend," Remus said harshly, and even surprising himself with his maliciousness and anger, kicked Sirius in the stomach.
Sirius coughed, and Poppy stepped forward then but Sirius waved her away, and he stood and he ran, still not saying a word.
Of course the whole school knew something happened, not, of course exactly but they picked up on Snape acting funny around Lupin, Sirius being in a shitload of trouble and Lupin, Potter and Pettingrew acting hostile toward their fourth accomplice.
It eventually came out that Lupin's 'Time of the Month' referred to uncontrollable anger issues (in part due to his furry little problem, which was a badly behaved rabbit.) and Remus nearly killed Snape, because of something Black did.
The gossip mill were scarily accurate. This being the (truth) most accurate conclusion soon the whole school turned on Sirius for his crimes.
Two days after The Snape Attack as Peter had dubbed it had the three boys sitting in Transfiguration. McGonagall was lecturing and Peter was eating something he smuggled in from breakfast while Remus was diligently taking notes and Potter was death glaring the back of Sirius' head as he did most lessons.
Remus didn't notice his quill stop as he stared between the two boys. Sirius was being quiet, which was odd for Sirius, though he didn't get a good reception for anything he did these days. Head down, studious, quiet. These were words which did not describe Sirius.
"Moony." James whispered to Remus as McGonagall began to demonstrate, "I just realized something." Remus replied with a questioning glance. "We can't come at full moons anymore," James explained, "Padfoot," He said with disdain, "Always kept Moony in line, you'll hurt Peter or I without him."
Remus realized he was right with a horrible, crushing dread, rising up with a hundred million times more hatred when he realized what a real bastard Sirius Black was.
After this little realization, if it were possible Remus was even more cold with Sirius, as the full moon drew closer and closer with every day, each week and before he knew it, it was time to put on his oversized 'wolf clothes' and be taken to the Shrieking Shack again with Madame Pomfrey.
Remus was again pushed to the back of his own mind as his senses overtook, as the wolf came forward like an angry, slobbery, hungry dickhead. He could smell blood, far off, old blood, and something familiar which human Remus couldn't place but the wolf could as it bounded around excitedly. The door creaked and a shaggy black nose poked through before Padfoot slipped into the room.
The werewolf stopped bouncing immediately and padded over to it's doggy friend, sniffing the black fur.
The dog whimpered when the wolf pushed its nose against the massive bite on his side, it was old, by about a week but it was still seeping and sore. Moony licked the wound, which made Padfoot growl a clear warning 'leave it be.'
Remus stared at the bloody bite with wide eyes, (from where he was riding along in his head) that's a wolf bite. Moony's never done that to any of the others, specially not Sirius. It must have happened last month. With Snape, but no-one ever said Sirius was even there.
The wolf whimpered and tried to lick the bite better again, but Padfoot moved away and towards the trap door, opening it with its teeth and showing the werewolf the way back to Hogwarts, straight into the forest.
Moony chased Padfoot happily and much more gently than he usually would because the dog was hurt, but it was enough to keep the werewolf occupied until the sky in the east lightened and Padfoot led his companion back to the willow and the shack.
Remus blacked out again as the wolf cured up on the bed, and he came to as the fur melted off of him and he felt his bones crack back to their normal shape and place.
Remus sat up in the shirt that swam on him and looked around, sore and groggy.
"Pads?" He asked no one as he literally fell asleep on the destroyed bed.
