Later in the privacy of the dorm room Remus sat the other three down on the bed at the far end of the room from the door. He was pacing and looked nervous. Severus realized what he was going to tell them.
"I have a secret." he started, "I've been terrified that someone will find out and hate me for it."
"Nothing is that bad." James said, "We'll be your friends no matter what. You don't even need to tell us the secret if you don't want to."
"Thanks but I think it's necessary." Remus grimaced, "I'm afraid it's going to be uncovered this year anyway. I think Sev already figured it out and it might help explain his actions some."
"It will be fine." Severus put an hand on his arm, "Just tell them."
"I'm..." Remus swallowed hard and looked at the floor, "I'm a werewolf."
James smacked himself on the forehead and Sirius fell off the bed laughing. When Remus looked somewhat offended by Sirius a kick from Severus calmed his laughter.
"Sorry." Sirius was still chuckling, "But I've known that since the first time we met. My mum pointed you out and told me to stay away from you. It's one of the reasons I went looking for you on the train. By the way your excuses are terrible. As a Marauder you should embarrassed, you should be able to make up better stories."
"I knew too." James said, "I didn't say anything because I didn't want to offend you. I saw your scars that first night and wrote to my dad that your parents needed to be investigated for child abuse. They explained it to me at Christmas when I was throwing a fit because you were at home with abusive parents instead of at our house where you could be protected."
Once he got over the shock Remus started laughing and was quickly followed by Sirius, James and Severus. It was a rolling on the floor kind of laughter that only slowed for a moment when Lily came in and attempted to take off the non-existent tickling charm. Giving up on the charm she asked what was so funny they tried to make excuses not to tell her.
"You had to be here." Sirius said still trying to get his laughter under control.
"It really wasn't that funny." Severus tried to calm down, "It was just one of those things that one person laughed and triggered everyone else."
"Tell me." she pouted.
"Remus has a personal problem." James started laughing again and made Lily pout even more, "His own personal furry little problem."
The other three fell into laughing again. Lily was laughing with them even though she didn't know why. It must have had something to do with four thirteen year old boys rolling on the floor with tears streaming down their faces. People kept stopping by telling Lily to stop torturing them. She had to explain several times that they were laughing at a joke of some kind and wouldn't share. She told them she'd hex them after they stopped laughing. One day near the end of third year James dragged Severus and Sirius into their dorm.
"I have idea." James said.
"What kind of prank do you want to do?" Sirius asked.
"Not really a prank. I'm going to become an animagus." James grinned, "An animagus can be around Remus' furry problem without being harmed. We could sneak out and play in the forest together each month. I'm thinking it would keep him from being lonely and hurting himself. He was injured pretty badly this time."
"You are a genius." Severus jumped up and grabbed a book from his trunk. Somehow in the time that had passed he had let it slip his mind that the marauders had been animagi. He was looking forward to this new adventure, "There's a potion that can help you transform the first time. It's not always used in animagus training but it's helpful. You get to know what your animal is therefore you know what you're trying to turn into."
"And can our resident potions genius brew said potion?" Sirius asked.
"Piece of cake." he grinned back, "Clear a space for us to work. I need at least a three foot square."
"You're asking a lot." Sirius said looking at the floor covered with cloths, books, brooms and assorted pranking materials.
"How long does this take to brew?" James said, "I want to keep this a surprise until we can transform."
"Three hours to brew and then it says to allow two hours for it to settle." Severus read the book, "Then ten minutes to an hour while you're under the affect."
"Ten minutes to an hour?" Sirius asked.
"However long it takes you to transform plus ten minutes in form." Severus shrugged, "If you haven't transformed in an hour you don't have the ability."
"Start cooking then." James ordered, "Eight hours should be ok. He's usually let out of the hospital by lunch but this time it's going to take him longer. He really chewed up his arm badly."
"After this it could still take us years to perfect the transformation." Sirius pointed out, "What can we do to help him now?"
"Teething ring?" Severus offered as he set the water to boiling. A loud laugh made him look up for a moment before he went back to his task with a smile
"That's hilarious." James wiped his eyes, "I can just picture a werewolf chewing on a giant baby teething ring."
"Maybe it's because I've not been around a lot of little kids but what's a teething ring?" Sirius asked, "I mean I'm assuming I know the function but what does it look like."
"Good thing you clarified that." James laughed, "From what I can remember when mum was babysitting, its round or has a handle and its hard, but soft too."
"Great explanation." Sirius said sarcastically.
"Sorry." James retorted with just as much sarcasm, "It's not so soft that you can bend it but not so hard that a baby will hurt its mouth. Kind of hard to explain. The point is to give him something to chew on other than his arms and legs."
"Werewolf chew toys." Sirius said, "What will we think of next. So what kinds of toys are we getting for him?"
"I don't know but it has to be sturdy and edible." James shrugged.
"Like a bone for a dog." Sirius nodded, "Ok we can work with that."
Five hours later after discussing werewolf chew toys, cleaning the room and doing homework the three boys settled on the floor. Each one had a vial of the potion in their hands. Severus offered to go first.
"No offense Sev, but let one of us go first." James said, "You'll know more of what to do if something goes wrong."
"Good idea." he agreed. James drank his potion first, "On your back or stomach. You don't want to be standing if you become a three toed sloth."
Sirius snickered he loved Sev's sense of humor. It was best though when pointed at someone else, "What if he becomes a turtle?" James kicked at Sirius from his spot on the floor and Sirius laughed, "No looks more like a mule." After twenty minutes watching James do nothing, "I bored. Hurry up and change already."
"Shut up you baby." James grumbled before brightening, "Something's happening my hands are tingling."
"That's a good sign." Severus nodded watching carefully, "Close your eyes its starting."
"Why does he need to close his eyes?" Sirius asked.
"Less stressful." Severus answered, "When you see your hand changing it will make you nervous. Feeling the changes is hard enough. Besides it's not a surprise unless you don't see it until it's completed. Now no talking I want to watch."
At the thirty minute mark a stag with a huge set of antlers was sitting in James' place. He tried to stand up but his legs weren't cooperating.
"James you're a four legged animal." Sirius tried not to laugh, "You have to stand on arms and legs." A snort was the only reply he got.
"James, a stags legs are very thin and long, but they're strong. It will take some getting used to. Sirius and I will stand at either side of you and help you stand until you get comfortable." Severus instructed and moved to one side while Sirius moved to the other.
James was able to get his front legs underneath himself then stopped to rest. Sirius grabbed his antlers and pulled while he tried to work the back end into place. Finally after nearly ten minutes the stag was standing in the middle of the room. The other two marauders stood back and watched. James tossed his head a few times and then tried a few wobbly steps. Just as he was about to fall he started changing back. The return transformation was not nearly as long.
James collapsed on the floor breathing heavily and cried out, "That was brilliant."
"Me next. Me next." Sirius called.
"Go ahead." Severus laughed. Sirius downed his potion and dropped onto his back.
"What if you become a turtle." James asked snidely.
"I'm not going to be a turtle." Sirius used what he called his Slytherin voice, "I will be something magnificent."
"Famous last words." James replied. Thirty minutes later a black dog rolled off his back and tried to stand, "Not as easy as it looks is it?" The dog barked sharply once in reply.
"Shut up." James grabbed the dogs face, "You want someone to come up here?"
Sirius went back to trying to stand up and was able to make it. He even trotted around the room and wagged his tail before he changed back, "You're right it is brilliant. Your turn Sev."
"Here goes nothing." he replied and gulped down the potion and relaxed.
"Sev are you asleep?" Sirius asked.
"No shut up." he replied.
"But it's been twenty minutes." Sirirus whined.
"You sound like a dog." James snickered, "I never made the connection before but it fits. Now shut up. We each took thirty minutes so no whining until that's passed."
"It's starting." Severus declared with a grin.
"Finally." Sirius muttered.
"Shut up." James gave him a shove.
Severus felt his body begin to tingle all over and then with just a little pain he started to transform. It was odd really he could feel his bones moving and shrinking. He felt the hair sprout all over and when the feelings of change quit he opened his eyes.
"A fox." James grinned down at him, "Sly as a fox."
"We can call him foxy." Sirius grinned, a growl from the fox caused him to rethink it, "Or not. But that's the next step we need names."
"Later first let's get Sev standing." James lifted the fox up and stood him on his feet.
He wobbled a bit but then started totting around the room. After a few minutes he was near the door and cocked his head. He then turned and scrambled to the other side of the room and jumped into his bed and used his mouth to pull the curtains. By this time the other two heard the footsteps approaching the door and helped pull the curtains closed before the door opened.
"What are you two doing in here?" Minerva asked as she helped Remus into his bed.
"It's our dorm." Sirius answered confused.
"I mean what are you doing inside, it a beautiful spring day." she frowned.
"We were just going to wake Sev up from his nap." James answered, "Then we were going to visit Remus. Why isn't he still in the hospital?"
"A few seventh years got into a fight and everyone near decided to jump in." she grumbled, "Poppy needed all the beds and decided Remus would survive his accident so he was released but he needs to stay in bed until dinner."
"No problem we'll make sure he behaves." James grinned, "Any Gryffindors in the group?"
"Actually no for once." Minerva gave a rare smiled, "No house points lost for us this time. I have a feeling we'll be in the lead after this is sorted out."
A rustling from the curtains behind Sirius and James gained everyone's attention. The curtains moved and Severus stuck out his head and yawned, "Remus how are you doing?"
The summer between third and fourth years was anything but calm. Voldemort was attacking muggles and magicals alike. The dark mark had been seen many times over the summer. Severus received regular owls from his friends and sent them letters in return. The owls knew to stay and wait because he didn't have an owl of his own. He stayed inside and worked on his wolfsbane potion and animagus transformation most of the time. Both were coming along but it was so slow that he often became frustrated. When it got too much he would slip away and walk to Lily's house. The two would sit in the yard and talk about whatever struck their fancy. One day as they were laying in the sun Severus let out a short bark of laughter.
"What's so funny?" Lily asked.
"Not funny really. I was just thinking of the guys." Severus sighed, "Did I tell you James wanted to buy me an owl for my birthday?"
"Really?" Lily didn't think he could do something that nice.
"He did." Severus nodded, "I told him not to because I can't afford to feed it. Anyway I was thinking about that and it made me put labels on us. I'm the poor one, Sirius is the abused one, Remus is the afflicted one and James is the comforting one. He's like a mum always making sure the rest of us have what we need."
"James Potter." Lily said shocked, "You're saying James Potter is that person."
"Yes he is. You know how Sirius and I are usually the last to be picked up?" he asked.
"Yes." she nodded.
"This year James told his mum and dad to wait an extra hour before picking him up." Severus chuckled, "He wanted to stay and wait with us instead of leaving us alone."
"Ok." Lily didn't know what else to say about that, "Remus' affliction you know about him?"
"We are his friends, of course we know." Severus stated, "What do you know?"
"I talked to him last year and he knows I know." Lily said, "I didn't know you knew."
"He's a werewolf." Severus stated, "Now that part is out of the way. You remember that day at the beginning of third year when we were laughing so hard and wouldn't tell you why?"
"Yes what does that have to do with anything?" she asked.
"That's what we were laughing about. His furry little problem." Severus grinned.
"Oh that's funny. Who thought up that name?" Lily smiled.
"James." Severus laughed.
"Not him again." Lily groaned, "I can't believe his private self is that different from the pompous toe rag I know."
"Don't be so hard on him." Severus shook his head.
"You said Sirius is the abused one." Lily changed subjects, "What do you mean?"
"His whole family has been in Slytherin. He's the first exception to the rule." Snape sighed, "Imagine one Gryffindor amongst hundreds of Slytherins."
"But they don't actually beat him, do they?" she was concerned. She never liked the boy but this was something different.
Severus could only shrug. He knew they did but what could anyone do about it. His dad had been a muggle and the muggle authorities took care of it. He didn't know which magical authorities to call. He'd tried to get Sirius to go to a professor but the boy wouldn't listen. He was bound and determined to beat them by surviving whatever they dished out.
At the start of his fourth year Severus realized the house to house fighting was not as strong as it was his first time there. He hadn't realized how much he had contributed to the discontent. While the Slytherins were still mean they were missing some very nasty spells. The spells he himself had created. Noting this he hoped that it would affect the first war in a positive manner it also made him realize he wouldn't know exactly what was going on anymore. It had changed too much.
Then another thought struck him. Horcruxes. He need to find a way to let Dumbledore know that Voldemort had created several horcruxes. Maybe if they were all gone when he tried to attack Harry he would die. Better yet they could be rid of him before Harry was even born. It was several weeks into the year before a Hogsmeade weekend occurred but when it did Severus was prepared. He found a way to slip away from the group and use a postal owl to send an anonymous letter to Dumbledore. It was quite simple in that it said he had overheard a conversation that said the Dark Lord had performed a ritual designed to make himself immortal. The letter went on to say that the word horcrux had been whispered in the conversation but he didn't know what it meant and thought Dumbledore might be able to do something about it. It would at least put the old man on the right path. He told the owl to wait and deliver it at dinner that evening. Severus made sure that he would have a clear view of the Headmaster that night in the Great Hall. The man nearly choked on the pumpkin juice he had been drinking when he started to read the letter. Dumbledore didn't linger long over his meal, he left partway through with odd looks from his deputy following him.
They didn't see much of Dumbledore that year. When they did he was always in the company of at least two aurors. Moody and Potter being the leading two. The first time they showed up James got worried that something was going on with his mother. But his dad assured him that it was just an assignment he was working on with Dumbledore.
"I wonder what this assignment could be?" James asked thoughtfully after three or four times of his father showing up at school.
"Who knows." Sirius shrugged, "Maybe their working on that dark wizard."
"Why would they need Dumbledore?" James wondered.
"Maybe because of Grindlewald?" Severus offered hoping to derail the conversation.
It was near the end of fourth year that James had a breakthrough on his animagus form. He was finally able to transform. Sirius and Severus were not long behind him. At the last full moon before school ended they were ready. They had snuck down to the shack before Madam Pomfrey had dropped Remus off and once she left they popped out of their hiding places almost giving Remus a heart attack.
"Are you crazy. I'll kill you. You need to leave now." Remus screamed, "It's almost time."
"Remi we've been keeping a secret from you." James said, "We've been working on this since we found out about your furry little problem."
"Fine just tell me and leave quickly." Remus spat out.
Shrugging James concentrated and soon a stag was standing in his place. Shocked Remus turned to look at the other two and almost collapsed seeing a black dog and a red fox. Sirius changed back, "We can hang out with you and not get hurt this way."
He changed back and the four settled down to wait. Soon it was time and Severus got to watch, for the second time, as Remus changed into a monster. It was really a lot of fun to play with the wolf and his chew toys that night. Very early the next morning three boys trudged into Gryffindor tower and collapsed on to their beds.
"Wake up you stupid lump." Severus felt Lily trying to wake him but he wasn't ready to move, "Come one you'll be late for classes. What did you three do stay up all night?" Severus mumbled but she persisted until they were moving.
"Here drink this." Severus downed a potion and handed one to each of the other two boys, "Pepper up potion."
"I love you." Sirius drank his and gave Severus a hug around the head, "What would we do without our potions brain."
"Suffer and get detention." Severus stated sagely. James and Lily were laughing their heads off at the boys antics. Severus noted that Lily didn't shy away from the contact when the two were trying to hold each other up as they laughed. She had never let James touch her that long before. He would have to ask her about that.
"Are you starting to fancy James?" he whispered later in the day.
"Of course not." she replied, "Why would you think that?"
"You were all over him this morning." he grinned.
"Laughing all over him this morning." she corrected.