Chapter 25:
Transforming With Friends
For the first time in his life, Remus did not fear his transformation. Instead he was almost excited. There was a nervous tension among the marauders on the day of the full moon. Remus looked serious but the boys could tell that he was far less anxious than normal. Although he had tried to talk them out of their plan once or twice; scared for their safety, however James had chosen that moment to remind him of their newly learnt skill in the department of healing spells and Remus had lost the argument.
Remus was called to the hospital wing as normal, leaving his friends in the Gryffindor tower. James watched from a tower window as his friend made his way down to the whomping willow with the school nurse; Madam Pomfrey. The boys waited as the common room emptied before climbing under the invisibility cloak and making their way down to their friend's hide out. Peter was the first to transform; they had developed a perfect plan. Peter would lead the way. He was small enough to get passed the branches and hit the knot that would immobilise the tree. The other two boys would quickly transform and follow him down the tunnel.
Peter made it through the tunnel easily as he was so small and Sirius bounded down happily but James struggled somewhat because of his impressive antlers. When they entered the shack, they were suddenly at a loss for what to do. James pushed past his friends and began to make his way through the house. He entered a living room but it didn't resemble a living room. The curtains were torn and the walls were damaged. The wooden table had several legs missing. The sight was enough for Peter to consider running back to the safety of the castle but Sirius stood on his tail. Black eyes pierced into Peter's own eyes. There was no communication through words in their animal forms so they had to rely heavily on their body language and Sirius' said it all; "Leave and you will not be our friend. Leave and he'll feel abandoned. Don't be pathetic."
Whilst James' eyes mocked the rat, "are you sure you're a Gryffindor?"
There was a screech coming from upstairs. The sound went through the boys' bones and left each of them shivering. James gestured with his head for his friends to follow him. He led them up the stairs towards the sound. When they reached the landing, he pushed a door open with his nose and was shocked by the sight that awaited him. There in the centre of the room was a wolf, a large yet somehow frail, sad looking wolf. It was chewing at its own leg in boredom. The three boys watched it for a few seconds before the yellow eyes lifted to glare at them. They weren't sure what to do. Should they approach him? Should they stay at a distance? Should they play dead? Should they bow? Play submissive?
The wolf made its way towards James. It sniffed him and there was recognition in his yellow eyes or at least James hoped that was what it was. The wolf then turned to the big, black dog and sniffed him. It barely even looked at the rat – it wasn't a threat. He stood to his full height and screeched, warning them off. James inched forward and rubbed his nose against his friend's cheek. There was an intake of breath from Sirius but the wolf did not react. He merely rubbed his friend's cheek with his own nose – he recognised his friend.
The following morning when the matron went to retrieve Remus from the shack, he was a different boy. He had far less bites and bruises than ever before and he seemed happier somehow, as if he hadn't just experienced a torturous ordeal. James, Sirius and Peter didn't notice their friend's absence as they normally did that day as they slept through most of it. When they woke, they had a quick dinner before preparing to re-join their friend for another night in the shack. James was shocked that they hadn't been seriously injured. Sirius had broken his arm whilst play-fighting with the wolf but that had been quickly healed.
Marlene was grateful for the marauder's absence that weekend. The situation between her and Sirius was really starting to get to her. The other girls however, were genuinely disappointed by the absence of the boys. Lily was the only one amongst them that was suspicious of their behaviour and when she'd told her friends, they had laughed at her, "Lils, when are you going to let it go?"
On Monday morning when they all reappeared for class, she noticed that each of the boys had a few bruises and cuts and it added to her suspicion, they were up to something. She sighed as she realised she was starting to sound like Snape. The marauders could barely keep their eyes open at breakfast on Monday morning but were woken harshly when there were harsh whispers surrounding them, "another attack?"
"Are you serious?"
"Who? Where?"
James' eyes darted open and he pulled Lily's paper out of her hands, "Oi Potter! I was reading that!"
"Well… you can have it back in a sec," he replied impatiently. He sighed when he saw that his father was still alive and returned the paper without even looking at the death toll.
Lily tutted, "stupid, pureblooded jerks… 107 dead. All muggles."
James sighed, "If it helps we're not all like it."
When Remus joined them later on in the day, Lily noticed a difference in his appearance. He was happier than normal and he didn't look quite so sick. She couldn't help but think that whatever those idiot boys had done it had certainly paid off.