Chapter Seven: The Disappearance of Remus Lupin
The four boys were sitting under the tree, like they always did during break. They had just finished lunch and were waiting for their next class to begin. The sun was shining down on the students, reflecting off the murky green water of the lake and warming every thing it touched. James was sitting with his back against the tree smiling to himself as his friends chattered away beside him.
"Oy, why are you smiling to yourself?" James woke from his thoughts as Sirius pushed him over. He looked at him blankly momentarily, before breaking out laughing.
"Sorry, I just love Thursday afternoons." He was beaming up at Sirius who was trying not to laugh at the stupid grin he had mopped across his face.
"That's just cause you get show off how good a flyer you are!" Sirius sniped. James picked himself up and leaned against the tree again.
"I wish I was a good flyer!" Peter had chimed in out of nowhere. Sometimes they forget he was with them because he was always so quiet. Truth be told, Sirius and James would probably have never even noticed him if it wasn't for Remus. Speaking of Remus, he looked even worse then he did yesterday, his face had turned a nasty shade of gray and his hair was mopped with sweat. Every time they pushed for information out of him he shrugged them off.
"Remus? What's up with you?" James had been trying to get it out of him all week, and he had gotten progressively worse since.
"What?" Remus had been lost in thought. He had just spoken to Professor Dumbledore and it was during this period that he was supposed to fake an accident. He had been dreading this all week. He always dreaded the transformation, but he hated lying to his friends. "Nothing. I've just been really tired."
"That's stupid! You're lying!" Sirius had jumped to his feet. Remus looked up at him. He wasn't sure what he could say to diffuse the situation. Then he thought of it.
"Look, it's time for class." Before Sirius could say something James had jumped up and grabbed his arm. Pulling him rapidly towards the Quidditch Pitch. Remus grabbed his bag and helped Peter up.
"You sure your alright?" Peter's eyes were filled with sincerity and Remus hated to have to lie to him, but he nodded his head and rushed Peter down to the Quidditch Pitch. They got there and took their spots beside Sirius and James. Madam Lolley was allowing them to fly above the ground in groups today. The four boys picked up the brooms in front of them and walked over to an open space that was unoccupied.
"I bet you I can go higher then any of you!" James said as he mounted his broom. Peter giggled as he roughly managed to mount his own.
"Yeah right Potter!" Sirius mounted his broom with almost as much ease as James had. "Maybe Lupin and Pettigrew! But not me!" With that Sirius rose a few feet above the ground, James following in his wake. It was now or never Remus thought. He flew after them gripping his broom tightly. He wasn't the best flyer and his broom was rocking back and forth as he flew. He had almost caught up with them when he pulled the handle upwards. The broom shot up into the sky. Below Sirius, James and Peter stopped looking up horrified. Once Remus had reached about fifteen feet up, he let go.
"REMUS!" The boys screamed alerting Madam Lolley. But before she had a chance to react Remus had hit the ground, and a loud snapping noise filled the air. The boys lunged over to Remus dropping down beside him.
"Remus?" Peter looked at him frantically. James was waving over Madam Lolley and Sirius was poking Remus in the foot.
"Stop poking me!" Remus mumbled. Sirius smiled.
"I wanted to see if you were alive!" James looked at Sirius but couldn't help laughing.
"Well, ow, I am…Just in pain!" He rolled over clutching his left arm and looked up at Madam Lolley.
"How did this happen?" She was glaring at the class, which by this time had now gathered around Remus. "Never mind that now I need to get him to the infirmary" With that she conjured up a stretcher and placed Remus on it. Peter, James and Sirius watched as she led Remus away. Sirius picked up his broom and was about to mount. "And no riding until I get back"
"Aw man!" Sirius whined throwing the broom on to the ground. James laughed at Sirius' min tantrum, keeping his eyes on Remus. Madam Lolley led Remus straight to the hospital wing. Once he was in Madam Pomfrey's care she left to return to her class.
"So, you decided to fall off your broom eh?" Madam Pomfrey was rushing around getting things ready. "I was starting to wonder when you would get here." Remus sat up his shoulder searing in pain.
"I couldn't think of anything else. But my shoulder hurts so much…" He whined glaring at Madam Pomfrey as she ignored him. "Are you going to do anything about it?" She sighed and went into her office returning a few minutes later. She walked over and handed him a drink. He looked at the steaming goblet and back up at Pomfrey.
"Drink it," She snapped. She walked over and snapped the curtain around him closed.
"Hey!" He whined. She opened it up just enough to stick her head in.
"Your friends are going to come asking for you and you cannot be seen. Dumbledore is coming at nine to take you to the whomping willow. Then everyone will be asleep." She snapped the curtains closed leaving him alone to think. I hate having to lie to my friends. What's going to happen tonight? What if I turn into a werewolf before Dumbledore can get me to the whomping willow in time and I attack the school? Remus sat up to leave when a sharp pain ripped across his shoulder. He had forgotten all about his shoulder and the potion. He grabbed the potion and slurped it down spilling some of it down the front of his robes. It tasted like slugs and rotten cheese; he had to force himself to swallow it trying hard not to let it come back up. He fell back down on the pillow exhausted by the effort of swallowing the potion, his eyes drooping and the room blurring. He tried to focus on what his escape plan but his brain was scrambled, before he knew it he had drifted peacefully to sleep.
Remus heard distant voices. He wasn't sure who was talking or where he was. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around as the room slowly came into focus. The hospital wing? Of course. He sat up feeling his shoulder it was completely healed, a bit sore but healed. He pricked up his ears so he could hear the voices better.
"Why won't you let use see him?" Remus brightened at the voice. It was James.
"I've told you he's sleeping. Now go or you'll break curfew!" Madam Pomfrey was shooing them away. Remus almost got up to stop her but remembered he had to stay here. If James saw he was better he'd want to know why he couldn't leave.
"That's not fair! We came earlier and you wouldn't let us in then either! He doesn't sleep that much!" Sirius whined. Remus had to suppress a giggle.
"He does when he's been giving a sleeping potion now go!" She snapped. There was a shuffling of feet and mumbling and then silence. Remus was slightly annoyed that she had given him a sleeping potion. Before he could complain to himself the curtains were flung open.
"Good, you're awake!" She was pulling him out of the bed rather roughly.
"Hey!" he didn't like being dragged around.
"Shh!" She snapped. Remus heard footsteps approaching the hospital wing. A wave of fear rushed over him. He felt an arm grab him and shove him back onto the bed. He pulled the curtains close and waited.
"Oh, hello Albus," Remus felt the warmth return to his body.
"Is the boy ready?" Remus jumped out from behind the curtain giving the adults a scare. "Ah Remus, are you ready?" Remus looked up at Professor Dumbledore and nodded solemnly. "Well we better go then" Remus grabbed his bag from Madam Pomfrey and followed Dumbledore out of the hospital wing. They walked silently along the deserted corridors. The only noise the snores emanating from the paintings. Remus pulled on his sweater as they walked onto the grounds towards the whomping willow. Remus stopped behind Dumbledore as an object floated out in front of him and landed on the stump of the tree. He looked at the tree waiting for it to do something, but it didn't, the tree remained motionless.
"Remus," Dumbledore turned to Remus looking down at him softly. "Crawl through the hole and follow the path. You shall find yourself in a small shack. I suggest you stay there all day and you should return tomorrow night." Dumbledore smiled sweetly down at him, extending his arm towards the tree. Remus nodded simply and headed for the tree. With one last fleeting glance he climbed inside the hole.
A/N: Okay so I hope you guys liked that chapter. I was going to talk about his transformation but I think I'll save that for later once he's been doing it for awhile.
I mean I've still got the whole year to cover they're only at the end of september I've got some stuff for october. But I wanted to know whether you guys wanted me to skip ahead a bit or keep it at the pace I'm going. Their will definetly be at least one chapter per month its just how many per month I should do.
So, I hope you like this chapter and please review! Tell me what you think!
