Remy trailed quietly after Madam Pomfrey towards the hospital wing. He was really feeling tired now, and just wanted to get some sleep. They passed very few students on their way, and luckily, no-one that Remy really knew, which meant he didn't have to start answering questions. Or avoiding them. He yawned hugely as he entered the ward area, veering towards the bed he'd been in last as he spied his things were still on the bed.

"Remy!"

Remy spun around in surprise. "Charlie? What are you doing here?"

Charlie grinned a little sheepishly. "Bit of an accident at Quidditch practise. I'm fine though. No real reason for me to be here." He looked meaningfully at Madam Pomfrey, who merely harrumphed.

"You banged your head, Mr Weasley. I prefer to keep an eye on any students with head injures. And, yes, that includes you, Mr Logan." Remy shuffled his feet, a little embarrassed, but when he sneaked a peek, she was smiling at him. "Now, into bed, the pair of you. I'll be back to check on you in a few minutes."

Remy changed into his shorts and t-shirt pyjamas as Charlie rummaged in the bedside cabinet.

"Do you always wear those dog tags, Remy?"

Remy blinked, a little surprised that Charlie had noticed him tuck them under his top. "Um, yeah. My dad gave me them."

"Can I see?"

Remy shrugged and tugged his tags free so Charlie could take a look. They looked just like standard oval dog tags, silver colored with his name etched on one and a japanese symbol on the other. He wasn't about to tell Charlie that the name changed when he morphed, or that the symbol meant wolf.

"They're pretty cool. So, you're ok, Remy? I mean, you're not hurt or anything?"

"Nah, I'm ok thanks, Charlie. Just tired."

"Are you in trouble for going missing? I mean, we were all worried about you."

"You were? Really? Well, I'm ok, honest. And, yeah, I think I'm in trouble, but Dumbledore said he's not kicking me out."

"Good." Charlie sounded genuinely pleased to hear that.

Remy clambered into bed and yawned again.

"Wow, Remy, I'm surprised your jaw doesn't dislocate, yawning like that."

Remy grinned. "Told ya I was tired."

"Want a sweet?" Charlie shoved an opened white paper bag his way. Remy shook his head, but peered into the bag anyway.

"Woah. Are those orange fizz bombs?" He looked at Charlie incredulously, his eyes shining brightly. Charlie grinned as Remy took a sweet and popped it in his mouth.

"Yeah. Dad sent them. Said they were your favorites. I didn't even know you knew my parents."

Remy grinned a little sheepishly as he sucked the sweet. "Well, I wouldn't say I know them exactly. I've met them a couple of times. Your dad's really nice, always offers me a fizz bomb every time I see him. Your mum's nice too, even if she does keep trying to feed me past the point of bursting."

Charlie laughed. "Sounds like mum. I wrote them Friday when you went missing, and I mentioned you'd gone and we were all worried, but Dumbledore was refusing to send out a search party. Mum replied the next morning, which is strange for her to reply so fast. She said she was worried about you too, 'cos she knew you, but that Dumbledore knew what he was doing, and you'd be back. She also said me and Bill ought to be keeping a better eye on you and looking out for you and stuff. And dad sent the fizz bombs, for when you got back."

Remy beamed as the fizz bomb exploded. "I'll have to write and thank him."

Madame Pomfrey bustled in. "Ok, you two, that's quite enough chatter. Get some sleep."

Both boys grumbled quietly, but obediently lay down. Madame Pomfrey tucked them both in gently, checking Remy's forehead and frowning slightly. "Headache?"

Remy mumbled, "A bit."

"Hmm, your head feels a little warm. Try and sleep. Hopefully you'll feel better in the morning."

Remy mumbled and curled up on his side, yawning and closing his eyes.

-o-o-o-

Remy woke with a start, the nightmare images still burning in his brain. He gasped for breath, forcing himself to calm his breathing. He looked sideways, to see if he'd woken Charlie, but Charlie was snoring obliviously. He sighed, relieved, and snuck out of bed quietly and over to the window. He peered out, at the bright twinkling stars and the half moon. He sat quietly for a while, until his heart rate returned to normal and the images faded. He yawned. He was so tired, all he wanted to do was sleep. He slid quietly back into bed and curled up, hoping the nightmares wouldn't return.

But they did.

And this time, they were worse. He woke and sat bolt upright in bed, panting hard. He hated nightmares.

"You ok, Remy?"

Charlie sounded tired and concerned.

"I'm fine thanks, Charlie. Didn't mean to wake ya. Go back to sleep."

Remy slid out of bed and padded over to the window, peering out at the night time landscape. The trees always looked more menacing at night time, their branches seeming to be more gnarled and twisted than usual, as though they were reaching up to try and pull the stars from the sky.

"Can't sleep?"

"I'm fine, Charlie. Go back to sleep."

Charlie stretched and sat up in bed. "No, you're not fine. Bad dreams?"

Remy nodded. "Yeah. Bad dreams. I'm fine, Go back to sleep."

"Bad dreams? Or nightmares? 'Cause nightmares are worse."

Remy glared at Charlie. "Just go to sleep, will you."

Charlie shook his head. "Nightmares are never good. And you need some sleep."

Remy sighed. "Tell me something I don't know."

Charlie thought for a moment. "What do you do at home if you have a nightmare?"

Remy shrugged. "Don't sleep. That works. Can't have a nightmare if you don't sleep."

"No. I mean seriously, Remy. I mean, you can't not sleep all the time?"

Remy shrugged again. "Works for me."

Charlie sighed. "Ok, well what do you do if you have a nightmare and you're so tired, you have to sleep?"

Remy thought for a moment. "Not had that happen too many times. If it's a really bad nightmare, sometimes I'll go get a hug from my dad." Remy hung his head, slightly embarrassed to be admitting such a thing.

Charlie just nodded. "Hugs can be good. Look, try and get some sleep, Remy. Maybe you'll sleep this time."

Remy sighed and headed back to bed. "Didn't work last time."

Charlie frowned. "This isn't your first nightmare tonight?"

Remy shook his head. "Nope. Second. I didn't wake you last time though."

"I could go get Madame Pomfrey. She might know what to do."

"Nah. She's probably sleeping. No need for everyone to be awake."

Charlie pondered. "Well, ok, just lie down."

Remy sighed, unconvinced, but slid back into bed and curled up on his side, as usual. Charlie watched him for a little while, realising that Remy was just laying still, making no attempt to sleep. Well, his mum had told him to look out for Remy and take care of him, so that's what he was going to do. He slipped out of his own bed and into Remy's. Remy jumped, a little startled.

"What the hell, Charlie?"

Charlie wrapped one arm over the younger boy. "Go to sleep, Remy. You're safe here. Madame Pomfrey isn't about to let anyone past her, and if she does, I'm here to look after you. Now, go to sleep."

Remy blinked. He'd never heard Charlie sound so stern and determined. But he had to admit, Charlie being so close did make him feel safe. He nodded tiredly and settled down, letting the waves of sleep wash over him.

-o-o-o-

Madame Pomfrey bustled into the room, and stopped dead in her tracks. Remy peeked one eye open, and was worried for a moment that she was going to yell at them, but she just smiled.

"Sleep well?"

Remy grinned and nodded. "Eventually. Thanks to Charlie."

Charlie yawned and stretched. "Wha? Huh? Oh. Er. Madame Pomfrey. I can explain, er..." He unwrapped his arm from Remy and slid backwards in the bed so fast, he actually fell out. "Ow."

"I was having trouble sleeping. Nightmares." explained Remy, before peering over the side of the bed at Charlie, who was scrabbling around on the floor, as though he couldn't decide which bed to try and get back into. "You ok down there? Charlie thought I looked like I needed a hug. I guess we both fell asleep."

Madame Pomfrey tried desperately to hide the smile on her face. "And did you both sleep well?"

Remy shrugged. "Guess we must have. Well I did anyway."

Charlie had finally managed to scramble back into his own bed. "Er, yes thanks, Madame Pomfrey."

She smiled benevolently at them both. "Good. You both needed the sleep, and you are looking much brighter today. I'll organise breakfast for you both, then one last check before I release from my care, Mr Weasley. Mr Logan, the Headmaster would like to see you after breakfast." She saw the look on Remy's face and added quickly, "Don't worry. You'll be fine, but there are certain issues that need to be addressed. Now, I'll go get your breakfast while the pair of you get dressed. Oh, and Remy, please brush your teeth. I'm pretty sure you forgot to last night."

As she left the room, Charlie grinned at Remy. "I swear, she fusses as much as mum."

Neither boy saw the smile on her face as she walked down the corridor.