Chapter 4 – A Night of Excitement and Mourning

Remus sat in his office staring out the window, tomorrow night was the full moon and Professor Snape had supplied him with the Wolfbrane Potion for the past week.

Knock knock

"Come in"

"Lupin, your potion."

"Ah, thank you Professor Snape."

"There is no need to thank me Lupin, I would rather make you the potion as to the headmaster's insistence then see the children of the establishment devoured by you on one of you nightly walks through the forest." After making his snide comments Snape turned and left, leaving Remus to stew over his condition once again.

Remus drank the potion and his face grew pale, half due to the foul and bitter taste of the potion and the other reason behind his sudden complexion change was the thoughts and memories of his Hogwarts years which were filled with such strong possibilities of such occurrences. It was a sad thought for Remus, that Moony, Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail would never run free together again. Remus's mind flashed to different images of the four friends running through the forest together. At that stage of his life the wolf may have been in control but a small part of Remus still remember bits and pieces of their monthly escapades into the forest and surrounding areas.

The fire behind Remus roared to life and out of the green flames the head of Sirius Black came through pulling him from his current mind trial.

"Moony, you know putting a French password on your floo is really cruel I had to ring Arabella before I could pronounce the thing enough so that it would let me in."

"Well if anything Padfoot it gave you a excuse to call your fiancée."

"True very true and what an interesting conversation it was" Sirius winked at his friend.

"You haven't changed, it seems the 16-year-old Padfoot still in habits your mind."

"Hey!" Sirius hadn't notice that Remus looked paler then usual before his transformation. however now he studied his friend closely.

"Remus step back I'm coming through."

"And why is that - ?" however before he had completed the sentence the head of Sirius Black had been withdrawn. And moments later stood Sirius Black prankster and holder of the most detentions, stood in the flesh once again within Hogwarts walls.

"Moony now are you going to fess up and tell me what's wrong or are we going to play pick on Padfoot some more before we get to there reason you look like Nearly Headless Nick."

"Nothing gets by you does it my old friend" he smiled. "I'm just getting old there is nothing else."

"We're not old Moony we have just gained a very large range of experiences and knowledge thought out our years."

"True. However Padfoot you may not be old, but I…. that is a different story." They both paused, Remus's condition took a heavy toll on his life, not only financially did it effect his life on the other hand by the having to transform each month his life span was shortened, the grey hair that now mixed significantly in with the brown was a constant reminder to the two of this.

"Mr. Padfoot respectfully requests that Moony, Padfoot and Wormtail run together tomorrow night."

"Mr. Moony is not sure; he thinks it might be safer for all if he locks himself in his room, for the evening."

Sirius glanced into his friends grey eyes, and he saw the worry and fear that he would hurt someone; however it had not been their yesterday. Therefore he wondered what event had occurred to lay such fear in his friends mind.

"What has changed Remus? You didn't feel like this yesterday."

"I've just been thinking about how careless we were in our school days."

"Snivellus!!!" Sirius growled. He knew that would be the only person to bring up such topics and cause Remus to worry so.

"Padfoot don't jump to conclusions" Remus tried to pacify his friend.

"I'm right and you can't lie to a fellow Marauder and you know it. I swear that man has some nerve."

"Padfoot please."

"No Moony, I shall be back." And Sirius walked out of the office and down towards the dungeons in search of a prat.

Remus sat in his chair, he was tired it was one day till his transformation, and he wasn't able to teach classes, and grading papers was becoming too much. Now this Remus decided Padfoot and Severus could handle themselves, he was going back to bed.

He pulled himself out of the chair and held onto the large desk for as long as possible as he moved along the room, to the fire place, usually he would walk to corridors till he reached his room, which was located in the teachers wing, however he was to tried.

He threw a dash of floo powder into the flames and stepped inside. A accomplishing a floo landing, which would rival Harry's he picked himself up and dusted himself off, before dragging his tired body to bed, not bothering to remove his robes he lay down and drifted off to sleep.

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Sirius stormed down the familiar corridors, he reached the potions master's office and rudely knocked and before awaiting a reply stormed into the office.

"Black, get out of my office."

"What did you say to Remus?"

"That is none of your concern."

"You are mistaken Snivellus. You need to find a more use full outlet for your time rather then tormenting your students and men who have never done anything to you. If I didn't know you were dating Katherine's aunt I'd tell you to go and get laid. Leave Remus along he doesn't need your snide remarks and sneers." As Sirius had said his peace he turned promptly and left the dark and dank office of the old school rival.

Making his way down towards Remus office, he found it to be empty, thinking that his old friend had been called away on some type of professor duty. He through some floo powder in the fames and struck his head through calling Peter Pettigrew Ministry of Magic, Games and Leisure department deputy head's office.

"Sirius?"

"Wormtail, tomorrow night is the full moon, do you have any plans as Moony needs our company."

"Of course I'll be there. Meet at the shake like old times?"

"Yep."

"How's Remus?"

"It's been a hard month and Snivellus's little comments haven't helped….He's getting old Peter."

"Padfoot don't think about it."

They said their farewells neither wanted to dwell too much on the issue of Remus's health, which had always hung over their heads.

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Remus spent the day leading up to the full moon in his chambers, unable to find the strength to leave, he had the house elves bring up his meals yet his stomach wouldn't allow him to eat more then a few bits.

Arabella had come by in the morning. However she had only stayed a few moments as she could tell Remus wasn't up for visitors at the current time.

Harry, Katherine, Ron and Hermione had also stopped by in the morning but they had left and not come in at the insistence of Madam Pomfrey, which Remus was grateful for, as children and these children in particular do not need to see such things. Harry had seen Remus in similar states as he did live with him however between the Marauders and Arabella; Remus worst days had been shaded from Harry. He may be the boys godfather in all but legality, and therefore the instinct to protect the cub of the pack was even stronger.

A loud knock at the door drew Remus from his thoughts.

"Come in." The door opened and he looked up,"Hello Severus."

"Lupin I have brought the last of your potion."

"Thank you."

Severus stepped through the room and stood next to the bed so that Remus would be able to reach the potion, without having to get out of bed. He handed the glass to Remus who's hands where shaking as he grasped it, needing two hands to bring the goblet to his lips. Snape had considered speaking about his little conversation he has had with Black yesterday, however he culled his tongue at the condition of the sickly man, who's skin was pale and only one or two shade off being translucent, his skin looked stretched as his butter scraped over to much toast.

"Do you need anything Lupin?" despite it all he wasn't a completely cruel man.

This sudden bout of kindness had startled Remus for a mire moment, "no thank you."

Snape gave a curt nod before leaving.

Remus fall asleep, and the remaining time quickly spent itself before the moon would rise. Another knock at the door sounded, however this was different from the earlier, if it was possible it sounded more full of energy, and friendlier.

"Come in Padfoot."

Sirius and Peter entered the room to find Remus still in bed. "Moony you're still in bed, and I thought you said I was the slack one. Oh well time for you to get up you're going to have company tonight. So we must be off to the shack."

Peter decided to say anything as how was feeling was just plain stupid so he settled for a comforting smile at his old friend.

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As Sirius and Peter helped Remus across the grounds, to the tunnel beneath the weeping willow; in a large window, which looked over the grounds the shadow of a dark figure stood looking over at the three friends. The twinkle in his eyes gleamed at the image. 'If you must bare this curse my boy, I'm happy that you are not alone.' Flawks soft trill filled the air. "Yes Flawks, I should get back to my corespondents, it seems the paper work at Hogwarts is never ending." He took his place behind the desk, and took quill to parchment once again.

As the moon rose high in the sky, illuminating the stars; a large howl escaped on the midnight air. Causing the headmaster to lift his head, and see three animals escape the confines of the weeping willow and head for the forest.

"Have fun, boys the forest is your playground." He smiled and once again bowed his head and went back to work.

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The night flew quickly for three friends as they roamed the forest. Despite the fun they were having as the night drew to a close, their minds drifted to the missing member of their party, and their hearts fell. Prongs the missing member of their pack had long since disappeared however the ache in their hearts left by their fallen brethren was still as fresh as the day the hole was made. Before drawn the three returned to the Sherking Shack.

When the sun rose to sound the being of the new day, Sirius and Peter helped Remus back to the hospital wing, his body frail from the night before. Making their way across the grounds before the rest of the school was awake. It was now common knowledge of Remus's condition however out of respect for the Professor very little of the student population mentioned it, which all was thankful for.

"Madam Pomfrey." Peter called out into the hospital wing.

"Ah yes, Mr Black Mr Pettigrew yes, bring him over here please." So they helped their friend into the last bed on the left side of the hospital wing, which lay beneath the windows facing the ground. The bed had long been clamed by Remus, after his many nights in here.

One night the three friends had snuck into the wing to keep their friend company and craved his name in the first plank under the top left hand corner of the mattress. "Remus J. Lupin"

"Now off with you boys, you can come back later however now as you know Remus needs his rest."

The two men weren't going to argue, that it was inappropriate for her to treat the two over 30 year old men as students still. However as the matron bustled off to take care of her patient they remembered how she had taken care of the three all through out their school year, and realised she had shown more affection then it was necessary towards the four trouble makers. She wasn't just Madam Pomfrey the school nurse, she was more like a second mother figure to them and therefore they could only smile at her fussing.

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Arabella arrived just before morning classes were to commence. "Poppy, how is he?"

"With rest he will be fine."

She smiled at the old witch and moved to the bedside of her friend who was reading another book. "Bella what are you doing here?"

"I just came to see how you were. And thought you may like some company on the walk back to your room." She kissed him of the forehead hello, before taking up residence in the chair next to his bed.

"Well thank you my dear, however it seems I am once again the prisoner of our dear Poppy."

"Ah I'm sure I can get her to release you, as the girlfriend of Sirius Black, I 've learned a few tricks and charms along the way." She winked before heading off to find Madam Pomfrey.

Remus gave a quiet chuckle to himself, for Sirius and Bella were truly made for each other.

Despite Remus's surprise Arabella had succussed in her efforts to get Remus, released the two had walked back to Remus chambers making it back in time before classes began.

It took three days for Remus to recover enough before he was able to begin classes again. Sirius had taken over for those three days, taking time off his Auror duties to help out. However Remus was soon back to work again, trying to unteach the students the word Snivellus.

TBC