Author's Note: Here's another chapter up! I hope you enjoy and please leave a review.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Harry Potter. All rights belong to J.K. Rowling.
Sirius woke up a week later more excited than a kid on Christmas. It was the first full moon since the prank and Sirius was determined to make it a good one to make up for ruining things last time. He was also hoping it would get things back to normal. Things were still a little tense between him and Remus. Sirius noticed it in the stiffening of Remus' shoulders when he approached him, and although the werewolf spoke to him as often as he had before, the conversation seemed a little forced. Even more upsetting to Sirius was the fact that Remus refused to be alone with him. Every time the two found themselves without James or Peter or other Gryffindor students Remus would make an excuse about needing to go to the library. Sirius was determined to fix all this, and making this full moon a good one was the way to do it in his mind.
Bounding out of bed, Sirius rushed over and hopped onto Remus, straddling over him. "Wake up!" he urged shaking Remus' shoulders gently. Whiskey colored eyes slowly blinked up at him.
"Padfoot?" Remus mumbled sleepily. "What are you doing?"
"Being a git," James snapped from behind his bed curtains. "Be quiet, Sirius. Some of us want another hour before we have to get up for class."
"Yeah!" Peter whined in agreement from his own bed.
"Fine," Sirius replied. "Remus and I will have a good morning without you."
Remus groaned. "How come I have to get up just because you're up?" he asked.
"Just lucky I guess," Sirius replied shifting off of Remus so he could sit up.
"Sirius, stop being such a tosser," James said. "It's the day of the full moon. You know he's not feeling well."
"That's why he has to get up," Sirius responded.
"Padfoot," James warned.
"It's alright, Prongs," Remus said, slowly swinging his stiff legs over the side of the bed. "Go back to sleep." They both heard James grumble something before silence fell and then Sirius helped Remus to his feet and led him to the bathroom. He was half surprised Remus hadn't declared he needed something from the library. Not that the library was an option at the moment. It didn't open for another hour. Sirius had planned the morning accordingly.
"Are we teenage girls now?" Remus grumbled. "You can't go to the bathroom on your own?"
"Har. Har," Sirius replied. "You're grumpy."
"Everything aches," Remus complained leaning more heavily on Sirius.
"You'll feel better after soaking in a bath," Sirius assured him.
"Bath?" Remus questioned.
"Right you are," Sirius told him. "I drew it last night and out a heating charm on it to keep it warm."
"Wow," Remus said. "Thanks, Sirius."
"Think you can get in and out on your own?" Sirius asked.
"I'll manage," Remus replied. "Go shower, Padfoot." The two went about their morning routines and had just finished up when James and Peter had started to stir.
"You two going down to breakfast?" Peter asked yawning.
"Yeah, but don't look for us," Sirius answered briskly dragging Remus out of the room. "We'll be finished before you two come down."
"Yeah, but…"
"See you in McGonagall's, Pete," Sirius called pulling Remus down the stairs and then out the portrait hole.
"Sirius, please slow down," Remus pleaded. "I can't handle moving so fast right now."
"Sorry," Sirius apologized and adjusted them to a slower pace. He stayed close to Remus so he could lean into him if he needed to.
"Why aren't we waiting for James and Pete at breakfast?" Remus asked. "I can keep up with you guys to get to McGonagall's on time."
"I know you can," Sirius answered him. "But you and I aren't eating in the Great Hall. I asked the house elves yesterday if they could make French toast for you and if you and I could eat in the kitchen."
"The kitchen?" Remus repeated. "Why?"
"Well, I know all the noise and bustle in the Great Hall is overstimulating for you on Full Moon days, so I thought the kitchen would be more comfortable for you," Sirius explained. "The house elves have promised to be quiet too." They reached the entrance of the kitchen then and Sirius tickled the pear to let them in.
"Good morning Master Black and Master Lupin," the house elf, Buttons, greeted them with a whisper.
Remus smiled. "Good morning Buttons," he said. "I appreciate you being quiet, but you don't have to whisper." He looked around at the other house elves as he said it, letting them know it was okay to talk. Still, they kept quiet as they went about their work.
"Okay," Buttons replied smiling before grabbing Remus' hand and dragging him over to a set up table with a full plate set on it. "Buttons has your French toast ready, sir. Buttons put cinnamon on it. Master Black said that's the way you like it best."
"Thanks Buttons," Remus said smiling at the elf and slowly sinking down into his seat. "Thanks, Sirius."
"No trouble, mate," Sirius replied sitting beside his friend and watching him eat.
Remus looked over at him after a while. "Aren't you going to eat?" he asked.
Sirius shrugged. "I can wait until lunch," he told him.
"You should eat too," Remus urged pushing his plate towards him. "Have half if you don't want what the house elves are serving."
Sirius shook his head. "It's yours," he insisted.
"Yeah, but…"
"I'll have a piece of toast if it makes you feel better," Sirius conceded. "Hey Buttons!"
"Yes, Master Black?" Buttons answered.
"Could you get me a piece of toast?" Sirius asked.
"Right away, sir!" Buttons said.
"Ta," Sirius thanked her. When the elf handed her his toast he took a bite and turned to Remus. "Satisfied?"
Remus smiled. "Yes," he said. The two ate quietly and Sirius made sure Remus had at least half his breakfast before they made their way to McGonagall's classroom. Even with the extra time James and Peter had beaten them there.
"Where were you two?" James asked as they sat down.
"Yeah. We though you two had gone to breakfast," Peter added.
"We ate in the kitchen," Remus told them.
"Why?" Peter asked.
"Because the Great Hall is too loud for Remus on Full Moon days," Sirius replied.
"How come we weren't invited?" James asked.
"Cuz you two are too loud," Sirius answered.
"You git! You're the loudest of the group!" James cried punching Sirius on the shoulders.
"Behave," Remus warned them pulling his notebook out.
Before either could reply Professor McGonagall walked in and began class. "You'll only need your notebooks and a quill today," she ordered the class. A few students groaned. Sirius usually would have to, but he was thankful that McGonagall always had notes on the day of the full moon. It was easier on Remus if he didn't have to perform a lot of magic. As it is, Sirius knew taking notes was taxing enough on his friend. Remus wasn't able to concentrate because he felt ill, and then he would become frustrated with his bad notes and fret over falling behind. Sirius kept a close eye on Remus as the class went on and he frowned when he noticed how pale he was. It looked like his friend barely had enough strength to hold himself upright in his seat. And Sirius wasn't the only one to notice.
"Mr. Lupin?" Professor McGonagall inquired. "If you are not feeling well you may leave to see Madame Pomfrey or rest in your dorm room."
Remus looked up at her. "I'm fine," he replied weakly. "I don't need to rest."
"Remus, you look like you have an appointment with the Grim Reaper," Lily Evans said from the chair to Remus' left. "Just go lie down."
"Miss. Evans is right," Professor McGonagall declared. "There is no need for you to suffer."
"But, I'll miss the notes," Remus protested.
"Mate, you can copy ours," James cut in.
"We'll make good notes for you for each class," Peter promised.
Remus looked like he still wanted to argue, but a stern glare from McGonagall finally made him give in. "Okay," he sighed. "Sorry."
"There is no need to apologize for being ill," Professor McGonagall told him. Remus nodded and stood up, but he immediately swayed and started to fall to the ground. While a few of the girls in the class screamed Sirius immediately jumped up and caught Remus in his arms.
"Remus?" Sirius gasped staring down at his friend's face.
Remus' eyes blinked open and he blearily up at him. "I'm okay," he assured him in a whisper. "The room just spun."
Sirius nodded and hauled Remus back up on his feet before glancing up at McGonagall who had rushed over. "Professor, is it alright if I get him to the dorm room?" he asked.
"I think maybe you should take him to the hospital wing," Professor McGonagall replied.
"No, I'm alright. Really," Remus said. "I just need to lie down."
Professor McGonagall nodded and looked back at Sirius. "The two of you are dismissed," she said.
Remus started to move to get his things together but Sirius pulled him back against him. "James and Pete will get your stuff if I don't make it back in time," Sirius told him. "Right mates?"
"Sure thing," Peter agreed immediately.
"Yeah, we got you covered," James added. "Feel better, mate."
"Thanks you guys," Remus whispered. Sirius slowly steered him out of the classroom.
"I was hoping with that breakfast we'd get you at least halfway through the day," Sirius said as they started down the hall.
"Sorry," Remus mumbled leaning heavily against Sirius.
"Stop apologizing," Sirius ordered. They were halfway back to Gryffindor Tower when Remus finally couldn't keep moving anymore.
"Sirius, please, I'm going to…" he didn't get any further before he hurled in the hallway.
"Shite!" Sirius exclaimed immediately rubbing Remus' back until his dry-heaving stopped.
"Sorry. Sorry," Remus murmured falling back against Sirius completely now.
"Sh. Sh. It's alright," Sirius soothed pulling Remus to the wall and helping him to the floor. He turned back to the vomit covered floor and scourgified it before turning back to Remus who had his face in his hands. Sirius knelt down in front of him. "I think maybe I should take you to Madam Pomfrey. We'll meet you at the shack when it's time."
"You won't meet me at the shack," Remus muttered not looking up at him.
"Course we will," Sirius replied. "James, Pete, and I will be down there fifteen minutes after you get there."
"James and Peter will, but you won't," Remus stated.
Sirius frowned. "Remus, I have no idea what you're talking about," he told him.
Remus finally looked up at him. "You're not going to be at the shack tonight," he said.
"Sure I am," Sirius assured him. "I know I screwed up last month, but why wouldn't I be there? You're my…"
"What I mean is…I don't want you at the shack tonight," Remus interrupted.
Sirius blinked in shock and stood up. "What?" he asked. "Why?"
"Sirius…"
"No! I want to know why!" Sirius cried his famous Black temper starting to sink in. "You forgave me! You told me you forgave me!"
"I did…I do…" Remus flustered and stared up at him defeated. "It's complicated, Sirius."
"Not to me," Sirius replied angrily. "Why don't you want me to be there? I became an animagus so I could stop you from hurting yourself and make your transformations easier."
"Prongs and Wormtail will be there," Remus pointed out.
"But the wolf likes Padfoot best," Sirius said.
Remus sighed. "I know, but…I don't know if the wolf will be happy to see you whether you're Padfoot or not," he replied.
"But you said you forgave me," Sirius said again.
"I did," Remus stated. "I forgive you for the prank, Sirius. But that doesn't mean I trust you." Sirius nodded and walked off down the hall a few paces trying to force his anger back. After all, it was his fault that Remus didn't trust him now. Stowing off the rest of his anger he turned back around and saw Remus trying to get back onto his feet.
"What are you doing?" Sirius asked rushing over and grabbing onto Remus' shoulders to support him.
"Going to the hospital wing," Remus replied.
"By yourself?" Sirius questioned. "I don't think so." He moved in front of Remus and pulled one of his friend's arms over his shoulder. "Climb up. I'll carry you there."
"I don't want to throw up on you if I'm sick again," Remus hesitated.
"I'll get over it," Sirius told him and tugged on Remus' arm. He didn't have to turn around and look to know that Remus had nodded his head in agreement. When Remus lifted his left leg up for him to grab Sirius hiked him up on his back in one movement and waited for a moment for him to get comfortable. "You good?"
"Yeah, you can move," Remus replied. Sirius walked at a slow pace to the hospital wing. He never minded carrying his friend's weight.
