Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series. That credit goes to the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Go Jo! I also do not own some of the material used. Again that belongs to Jo and Warner Brothers.

Chapter 11 To James

January 20, 1973

Students had just arrived back to Hogwarts. Everyone was excited to be back, including Remus. However, his friends did not like what they had seen on the train ride.

"Remus, what happened to you?" Peter had asked, eyeing the already healing scratches on his face as they had taken their seats in the compartment of the Hogwarts Express.

"Oh, I had an accident," he replied, brushing it off like it was nothing.

"Are you going to be okay?" Sirius asked.

Remus looked over at him and gave a reassuring smile, which he found did not feel as forced as it used to be.

"Yes, I'll be fine. Especially now that I'm back here with all of you," he replied.

That had been a fortnight ago, and the marks on Remus's face were still there. James, Sirius, and Peter were getting worried. Remus seemed to get into many of these so called accidents.

"I don't like Remus's state one bit," James said when Remus had stepped out of the dormitory.

"Neither do I," Sirius admitted.

There was no denying now that something major was going on, and Remus was not telling them.

"What do you think we should do, then?" Peter asked.

"We have to talk to Dumbledore tomorrow," James replied.

He figured going to the headmaster was the best thing to do.

"What's Dumbledore going to do about it," Peter asked.

"I don't know," James shot back, frustrated, "but I'm sure he can do something. Something's not right with Remus. He gets sick every month for no apparent reason. And now with this so called accident?"

Sirius and Peter looked down, not knowing what else to say.

xxx

January 21, 1973

James, Sirius, and Peter stood in front of the entrance to Dumbledore's office after Sirius had gotten it from an unnamed source.

"Are you sure about this?" Peter asked nervously.

Sirius gave a frustrated sigh and turned to Peter.

"You want to help Remus, don't you?" he asked.

"Yes, but… oh, never mind," Peter said which James and Sirius were thankful for. "I suppose it's too late to turn back."

James took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Dumbledore's voice declared a moment later.

"Here we go," Sirius said as James reached for the doorknob and turned it.

Dumbledore greeted them with a warm smile, obviously not caring how they had gotten the password.

"Why, hello you three."

"Good evening, Professor Dumbledore," they said as they nodded.

"Shouldn't there be one more of you?" Dumbledore asked.

They looked at each other for a moment before Sirius answered, "Yes, sir. You see, this is about Remus."

"Go on," Dumbledore replied.

There was no going back now.

"We think something's going on with him," James said.

Peter just stayed behind James and Sirius, letting them do the talking.

"And why is that, Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked thoughtfully.

With the way the headmaster had delivered this question, James had the feeling Dumbledore knew more than he was leading them to believe.

"He came back from Christmas holiday with scars all over his face and arms," James replied.

"And did you inquire him about it?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, sir," Sirius responded, feeling like he needed to say something. "He said it was from an accident he had."

Dumbledore looked away for a moment, giving time for James, Sirius, and Peter to glance over at each other.

"And you don't believe he is telling the truth?" Dumbledore asked.

They shook their heads.

"Well, you see, Professor, Remus has also been getting sick quite often," James added, hoping that this would tell Dumbledore that they had been noticing Remus's action's for a while.

"Professor Dumbledore, we just want to know if there's anything you or we can do to help Remus with whatever's he's going through," Sirius said.

"That, my dear boys, is a question for your friend, Mr. Lupin, to answer himself. I'm sure he will, as I am, be touched to know he has such good friends that care for him," Dumbledore replied, which was not at all what they had wanted to hear.

"Thank you, sir," James said.

The three turned and left Dumbledore's office, not sure if they had accomplished anything or not.

xxx

February 24, 1973

James couldn't believe his eyes. Here he was trying to help Remus as much as he could, and there he was talking to Lily at the entrance of Gryffindor tower. James wondered what Lily and Remus would be saying to each other.

"What was that about?" James asked as Remus, who looked a little taken aback, walked up to him.

"Oh, Lily was just asking me a question on Professor McGonagall's homework." Remus answered. "Why?"

"Oh, um… sorry," James apologized.

He looked down, feeling embarrassed. Here he was with Fern, and his mind was on Lily.

"I don't under… oh, I see what you were thinking," Remus said, laughing, which James did not like.

"What's that?" James asked, though it came out more as a demand.

"Don't worry, James." Remus replied, still laughing as they entered the common room. "I don't fancy Lily as apparently you do."

Even as he said, Remus knew he had said the wrong thing. He knew his friend was with another girl.

"I don't," James shouted.

"Don't want?" Sirius asked as he walked up to the pair.

"Fancy Evans," James answered.

"Denial is the first sign that the accusation is true," Sirius said.

Remus opened his mouth, but quickly closed it. He, however, laughed inside knowing that Sirius felt the same way he did.

"But… oh, I'm not even going to bother," James said, crossing his arms in frustration.

"Good man," Sirius replied.

xxx

March 27, 1973

James yawned and sat up in bed. His eyes grew when he saw Sirius sitting in front of him with some food.

"Happy birthday, mate," Sirius said.

"Aw, thanks," James replied.

James looked down as Sirius handed him a biscuit.

"Fresh from the kitchens," Sirius said.

"You didn't…" James began before Sirius shoved a biscuit in his mouth.

"Oh, shut it and eat," Sirius said.

They turned as Peter gasped for air.

"Are you all right there, Peter?" Sirius asked.

"Just… a bad dream," he said.

Peter sat up in bed, the image of a snake-like man still burned into his mind. Was this You-Know Who?

The boys got dressed and headed down to the common room. James stopped as Lily walked up to him.

"I hear it's your birthday," Lily said.

James looked around, and there was no sign of Fern.

"Yes, it is," he said.

"Well then…" Lily began as she leaned in and kidded his cheek, "happy birthday, James."

"Did that just happen?" James asked as Lily walked away.

"James, my mate, it just happened," Sirius said, no longer able to hold in laughing.

Remus and Peter soon joined.

COMING UP NEXT TIME…

Remus has as another bad dream, James and Fern get caught snogging, Sirius and Gina do some late night "studying", and Sirus, too, has a bad dream.