Snowfall
Author's note: Hey, this is just a light little one shot I fancied writing, I love the marauders era so much, there is so many brilliant works out there, I just wanted to add in a slice of a night at Hogwarts.
Disclaimer: The characters in this story are not mine, unfortunately they belong to the brilliant J. K. Rowling, I also don't have a wand from Ollivanders but I certainly wish I did.
The snow glistened on the ground in the moonlight, it was a silent night, the white expanse was pristine and untouched, inside the forbidden forest the ground was not as white but still glistened with the layer of ice that covered everything.
The pounding of paws crushed the silence, a wolf and a rather large black dog burst out of the forest and bounded through the snow, their paw prints leaving a trail for the stag and rat who were a far distance behind them. The wolf stood on its hind legs and howled looking at the moon, its breath visible in the cold crisp night. The wolf was happy, it didn't feel trapped, it was free with its pack and therefore didn't need to inflict pain upon the body it was so often contained inside.
The dog howled enthusiastically alongside its wolf companion, the dog was jet black and was much bigger than the dog's muggles would keep in their homes. The wolf bounded after the dog pouncing on him playfully, they rolled down a slight hill, the snow dampening their furs, the wolf inhaled the smell of his friend the black dog it was familiar and comforting.
The canines nipped playfully and chased each other across the snow covered field waiting for their other friends to catch them up, the stag appeared from between the trees looking slightly less regal due to the rat lounging across his left antler. The stag bounded up to the wolf and dog, the wolf howled again happy to be surrounded by his pack. The animals ran through the snow for hours and were thoroughly drenched after numerous tackles and slips along the ground, the four animals were as mischievous on a full moon as they were during the day pranking Slytherins. The dog made a very big show of scaring the critters they crossed in the forest on their moon lit escapades much to the amusement of the stag and rat.
The night was long, the winter months were the wolfs favourite, he got to roam much longer on these nights. As the night began to close the stag and the dog had the difficult task of leading the wolf back to the shack, the shack was dusty and smelt faintly of blood to the wolf, this was due to many bad transformations which occurred monthly within these walls. The wolf whined as the ache began to settle in its bones, this quickly turned into an excruciating cracking as the curved figure of the wolf shrank and straightened out. The grey and brown wet fur receded, leaving behind pale and scarred skin, the howls fading into the screeches of a young man.
Padfoot whined his friend Moony the wolf was in pain and all he wanted to do was run to be by his side, the dog tried to rush down the tunnel back towards the shack but the stag blocked him with his antlers and gave the dog a meaningful look, the dog understood and lowered its gaze in defeat.
Once the screaming had subsided the three animals transformed back into their human forms, a task that was so simple and painless, this always made Sirius feel guilty. Peter looked the worse of the three boys despite lounging on the stag's antlers for the better part of the night, James picked his glasses out of his pocket and put them on, he too looked weary.
James made to move down the tunnel "I'll go check on Moony"
"No its okay you look beat Prongs I'll go"
"Oh okay, I thought you'd be wanting to rush back to the dorm to sort your hair"
"Bugger off" Sirius feigned outrage.
"Right see you soon, here's the cloak for when Pomfrey arrives"
"Poppy would be so upset she had to miss my dashing face" Sirius fluttered his eyelashes gaining a chuckle from James.
"Ugh you make me sick, laters Padfoot"
"Bye Prongs, I think you'll need to wake Pete up though mate"
Peter was currently drooling slumped on the side of tunnel, James gave him a sharp jab in the ribs and the two boys made their way out from underneath the whomping willow whose branches were temporarily stilled.
Sirius made his way towards the shrieking shack, he climbed clumsily through the trap door banging his knee "Fuck" he muttered.
He made his way toward the back of the house the room which Remus transformed, as he went he made sure to pick up Remus's clothes from out of the closet, as he entered the room he held back a gasp his friend looked so weak laid there on the floor, pale, vulnerable and shivering. He rushed to his side pulling the dusty old blanket from the bed and wrapping Remus in it.
"You're freezing"
"I'm Remus actually"
Despite his worry Sirius laughed at the bad joke he was certainly rubbing off on his friend, he smiled down at him. "Come get up it snowed last night and I would love to enjoy it in my human form"
Remus's eyes lit up "It snowed?!"
"Yes, I thought you werewolves were meant to have good hearing"
"Oh shush" Remus inched up putting his hand out for support from Sirius, Remus knew just how lucky he was to have such a caring friend, he got dressed slowly, he would be really sore until Pomfrey managed to get all her potions down his neck.
"I hope you're ready for the biggest snowball fight in the history of Hogwarts this week" Sirius looked mischievous and Remus couldn't help but grin.
"May I ask how you plan on making it the biggest snowball fight in history?"
"Now that would be telling"
The two canines sat and spoke cheerfully until they heard the faint footsteps of Madame Pomfrey, this was Sirius's cue to get under the cloak, as he watched Poppy lead Remus out of the room he smiled to himself he was so lucky to have Remus as his friend.