Remus: 11 June, 1972

"Bye, maman," Remus said softly, giving her one last, fleeting hug.

Charlotte cupped his cheeks in her hands and kissed him on the forehead. "A bientôt, mon chéri. Sois sage."

"Oui," Remus agreed. After his adventures in Grimmauld Place, behaving would not be a problem for Remus, because he was never letting the Marauders talk him into misbehaving again.

The floo flared green, and Remus and Charlotte stepped aside to let the person through. It was James, Sirius, and Mrs. Potter.

Sirius put on a fantastic show of having missed Remus, even though they'd seen each other only three days before. Remus played his part well, gravely agreeing that he had missed Sirius and James back.

"Then perhaps that will inspire you to behave in the future," Professor McGonagall said, not unkindly.

"Yes, ma'am," Remus agreed.

"These boys? Behave? Minerva, you must be joking," Mrs. Potter teased. She reached out to ruffle James' hair, but James stepped out of her reach, his expression unreadable. Mrs. Potter frowned. McGonagall didn't seem to notice, but James looked up at his mother. His frown mirrored her own as he obviously warred with himself. After only a few seconds, he stepped closer again and took her hand. She put an arm around his shoulder and kissed the top of his head. "You will behave, won't you, Jamie?"

"Yes, I will," he told her. "I promise." He certainly sounded sincere, but Remus knew better.

"You, too, Sirius," Mrs. Potter said, holding a hand out to Sirius. He hugged her, repeating James' promise to behave.

The floo flared again, and Peter stepped through, alone. Remus waited a moment for his father or aunt to join him, but no one appeared.

"Where are your parents, Pettigrew? I wish to speak with them."

"They're busy," Peter whispered. He hitched his bag up on his shoulder and looked at the ground, blushing brightly.

"They sent you through the floo alone?" McGonagall asked.

Peter's head jerked up, his eyes narrowed. "I'm old enough to come back to school by myself. I don't need someone holding my hand."

Remus suspected someone had said those same words to Peter not long before.

McGonagall did not address his disrespect. Rather, she switched modes quickly. "Well, boys, now that you're all here, I am sure I needn't tell you that I expect you all to be on your best behavior for the remainder of the term. I can promise you, if any of you-" McGonagall took a moment to glare at each Marauder in turn. Remus looked at the ground when it was his turn, squirming uncomfortably. Even without looking at her, he could feel her eyes boring into him- "puts so much as a toe out of line, I will make sure you regret it."

The Marauders all nodded, falling over themselves to agree.

"Yes, ma'am."

"We'll behave."

"We promise."

"We'll be good."

There was another round of hugs and kisses. Remus felt bad that there was no one to kiss Peter, but Mrs. Potter smiled at him and patted his shoulder. That seemed to make him feel a little bit better.

After the goodbyes were said and said again, the Marauders were ushered into the corridor with a few more stern reminders to behave themselves and strict orders to go straight to their common room and not leave there until breakfast the next morning. Remus was quite sure they could manage that, although James was already beginning to get that gleam in his eye: the one that said he was plotting something.

"What are we going to do to Snape tonight?" Peter asked as they walked.

"Nothing," Sirius replied.

Peter stopped short. "Nothing?"

Remus couldn't begrudge Peter his surprise. Remus almost couldn't believe what he was hearing as well.

James turned to face Peter. "That's right, nothing. Sirius and I discussed it, and we decided it's not worth being suspended again."

"But, he framed us!" Peter looked as though he couldn't understand what was happening. "We're not going to let him get away with that, are we? What about our pride? What about our reputations?"

"Oh, we'll get even," Sirius said darkly, something raw and frightening in his tone. "I'll get even with him if it's the last thing I ever do. Only not tonight. He'll be expecting it tonight, anyway. We'll have to be careful."

Remus didn't think he liked the sound of that. He preferred the business about not being suspended again. "Here's an idea. How about we leave him alone?"

James scoffed.

"I'm serious! I think we should leave him be. If we leave him be, he'll let us be, and then we won't have to worry about being careful."

James and Sirius shared an incredulous look. James turned back to Remus. "You're joking, right?"

Remus shook his head. "I don't want to get into trouble again."

Sirius and James shrugged and began walking on.

"No, I mean it!" Remus said, following behind his friends. "I'm not going to risk getting suspended again. It was awful. My parents were angry."

James turned on him. "And that doesn't bother you? Your parents were angry. We all got in trouble, and we hadn't even done what they said we did." James scowled. "My parents wouldn't even believe me when I tried to tell them. Then I got in trouble for lying."

Remus could see on his face how much it bothered James to have been punished for something he hadn't done. Trust was so important to him, but Remus couldn't get into trouble again. He just couldn't.

"But that doesn't mean we have to-"

"Yes, it does! How can you just stand there and not do anything? Don't you want to defend yourself?"

Remus drew in his breath at the sound of James' shout. James had never shouted at him before. His heart beat quickly in his chest, and adrenaline twisted his insides. He didn't want to get into trouble again, but he couldn't bear the thought of James being cross with him either. He had seen the way James could hold a grudge, and the thought of losing his friend terrified him. No matter what he did, someone would be disappointed in him. His throat constricted painfully and he felt tears stinging his eyes.

Not knowing what else to do, Remus turned on his heel and fled, running as quickly as his legs would carry him. He sought refuge in an empty classroom, fighting the tears that wanted to come. When he heard footsteps and his friends' voices in the hallway, he retreated to a darkened corner, hoping he could hide from them. He was ashamed to face them. Ashamed of his tears.

Remus always wished he could have been stronger - been the kind of person who could stay stoic through anything, like Sirius, or even the kind of person who simply didn't care what anyone else thought. But he wasn't. He was a big baby, and he knew it. He couldn't help it. He hated thinking of hurting anyone.

"I think he went in here," James said. The doorknob began to turn. Remus looked around the room for a place to hide. There was a cupboard only a few steps away from him. He could hide in there. He rushed to it and opened the door just as the Marauders came into the room.

Remus gasped and stepped back as moonlight poured out of the cupboard. Instead of the back of the cupboard, the opening doors revealed a window, framing the full moon, which shone so brightly Remus nearly had to shield his eyes. Remus couldn't believe he'd forgotten it was a full moon tonight. Any moment now, he would begin to change. He turned to his friends. He had to warn them, to tell them to run. He would hurt them; he wouldn't be able to stop himself. Then they'd be werewolves, too - prisoners of time and blood.

"Run," Remus gasped, fear choking him. They stood in a clump by the door, watching him, confusion on their faces. "Run!" he repeated with more urgency. If they weren't gone when he changed, this would be the last time he would ever see them. He could never forgive himself if he hurt them.

Instead of running, Sirius came forward. "NO!" Remus howled. "You have to stay away!" There were only seconds now, if that. Didn't the Marauders understand that? He could feel the light of the full moon on him, boiling his blood.

Sirius stood next to Remus. "What is that?" he asked. Remus backed away, hoping to get as far away from his friends as he could. Maybe they'd still have time to run once he began to transform. Maybe they could lock him into the room. Maybe they could get help. Maybe it would be okay. Remus backed into a wall and slid down it, tears coursing down his face. He hid his head in his hands, waiting for the monster to burst forth. Everyone would find out. He'd be expelled. He couldn't understand how this was happening. He'd just transformed a few days before, while he was home. It couldn't be time again already, could it?

Remus heard screaming. He must be transforming, but it didn't feel like transforming. He still felt normal, only scared. He chanced a glance at his friends and saw Sirius standing in front of a full grown mountain troll, screaming his head off.

James ran forward to pull him away from it, and the troll dissolved into the largest snake Remus had ever seen. There was no trace of the moon. The back of the cupboard now looked how the back of a cupboard ought to look. The window was gone. James did not scream, as Sirius had, but his eyes went wide and he stepped backward, stumbling over a dusty desk. He hit the ground hard and scrambled away from the snake, which had already turned back into a troll and was bearing down on Sirius.

Sirius closed his eyes tightly. "It's only a boggart. It's only a boggart," he mumbled to himself. His face was white as a ghost, just as it had been when they saw him in Grimmauld Place. James found his courage and came forward again to pull Sirius to safety. The troll turned on Peter and dissolved once more, reforming into an image of his father.

"I never loved you, you know," Mr. Pettigrew said. "You were only in the way. You've always been in the way. A waste of space. A waste of time. All you ever do is upset your mother."

Tears flew down Peter's cheeks and his mouth worked. "I hate you!" he finally screamed, kicking at his father. His foot went straight through the apparition.

"What in the world is going on here?" McGonagall's voice came from the doorway. Remus had never been so glad to see her in his life, even if they were probably in trouble for not going straight to the common room. Charlotte and Mrs. Potter were right behind.

"Mum!" James called out, his voice strangled. "Mum, make it stop! Please!" He crossed the room to her faster than Remus would have thought possible and buried his head in her shoulder.

McGonagall pulled Peter away as he continued his attempted assault upon the vision of his father, which continued to taunt him, saying things Remus could never have imagined. Remus wanted to get up, to help his friend. But he was frozen to the spot. If he moved, the moon might come back.

McGonagall faced Mr. Pettigrew, and he faded into the image of banshee, screaming with all its might.

"Oh, save it," McGonagall snapped. "Riddikulus!"

The banshee disappeared with a small crack. For a moment, no one moved. Then Peter let out a loud sob. "W-what was th-that?"

"Boggart," Sirius whispered. "It becomes your fears." His face was still white, but the color was beginning to return.

"Charlotte was at Remus' side in a heartbeat, crouching next to him. "Ça va, ma puce?"

Remus nodded, even though he wasn't all right at all. "I saw the full moon. It was so real. I thought I was going to transform. I could almost feel it happening," he whispered in French, softly, so no one else would hear.

"Everything is fine now. It's gone," she assured him.

Remus nodded again and allowed himself to be helped to his feet. He leaned into his mother, fighting against the last vestiges of tears. Sirius had made his way to Mrs. Potter, who had her arms wrapped around both him and James. There was still no one to hug Peter, so he hugged himself, alone in the middle of the room, occasionally wiping at his wet face. McGonagall looked around at all of them and went to Peter, holding out a handkerchief for him. She patted him awkwardly on the shoulder. "There, there. It's over now."

The Marauders calmed quickly, once the danger had passed and they slowly came to realize that they weren't about to be transformed, murdered, eaten, or rejected. Peter's shuddering breaths were the only sound in the room for long moments. Finally, McGonagall spoke.

"I thought I told you to go directly to your common room."

Remus opened his mouth to speak, to explain what had happened.

"It was my fault." James looked at the floor as he spoke. "I heard something in here and wanted to know what it was. The others only came in after I started yelling. They were trying to rescue me."

"Jamie!" Mrs. Potter scolded, but she hugged him tighter all the same. She shook her head. "Why can't you ever just do as you're told?"

James shrugged. "I thought maybe it was Peeves. I'm really sorry."

"Well, it was only a boggart," McGonagall said. "I suppose there was no lasting harm done. You'll be spending tomorrow evening in detention, Potter, and ten points from Gryffindor for being out of bounds." McGonagall looked around to the other Marauders. "And five points to the rest of you for helping him. That was very brave. Now I expect you all to go straight to your common room, and if I catch you not doing so, or if any of you put so much as a toe out of the portrait hole before breakfast, I'll cane the lot of you. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," the Marauders replied in unison, all nodding eagerly to prove their sincerity.

"Good. Go on, then."

One last round of hugs, and the Marauders scarpered, more than ready to be safely in their common room and out of trouble. By the time they arrived at the portrait hole, James seemed to have decided that their encounter with a boggart was a glorious adventure.

"And did you see it when it became a troll? That was the biggest troll I ever saw!"

"We were there, James. We all saw it!" Sirius snapped.

James stopped with one foot in the portrait hole. "Oi! What are you snapping at me for?"

"Just go into the common room, James," Sirius replied with a sigh.

"No. I want to know you're upset about." He said it in the demanding tone he sometimes mustered that usually made people give him whatever he wanted. Even a few of the teachers could be subdued by it. His parents certainly could. Remus and Peter would both fall in line when he used it. Sirius, however, was immune. If anything, his face grew more sour.

"We're going to be caned if McGonagall catches us out here. Is that what you want?"

"No!" Remus cried, even though the question wasn't directed at him. If he never felt the cane again, it would be too soon for him; he'd made it one of his personal life goals to get through the rest of his days at Hogwarts without another dose of the thing.

"And don't mind me," the Fat Lady's voice floated toward them in a flurry of irritation. "I'll just hang here open all night. It isn't as if I have anything better to do."

James swung the portrait closed and eyed the occupant. "What could you possibly have to do? You're a portrait."

The Fat Lady looked affronted for a moment before she launched into a scathing lecture about manners and how children in her day were never cheeky to their elders. Remus was always suspicious when adults began saying things like that, but he thought it best if he didn't mention it. The Fat Lady could go on, though. It was the most Remus had ever heard her say. He silently vowed never to get on the wrong side of her again, although, he reminded himself, technically James had been the one to get on her bad side. It seemed James was usually the one who got on people's bad side, though he was usually able to charm his way into their good graces again. It was a decidedly useful skill, and one Remus wished he possessed.

"Aren't you finished yet?" James asked. "Only we'd like to get inside before dawn."

Then again, maybe he wasn't so charming after all.

The Fat Lady leapt up from her chair, quivering with rage. Even the pink frills on her dress shook with the force of her ire. If she weren't a painting, the effect would have been frightening. As it was, it was merely humorous. James snorted with laughter. Remus braced himself for the explosion he knew was coming.

"I have never been so insulted in all my life. If I had known what I would have to endure at the hands of students, I never would have agreed to do this job. I demand an apology right this instant."

"Or you'll what?" James asked.

"Would you just apologize to her already, so we can go in," Sirius said.

"No. I'm not going to apologize to a portrait," James replied stubbornly.

"Well!" the Fat Lady exclaimed, in all her outraged majesty. "Then you can just spend the night in the corridor."

And with that, she stomped off, leaving only an empty chair inside her frame. The Marauders could see her stalking through the nearby paintings, though she moved so quickly she was soon out of sight, and she ignored all their requests for her to come back.

"Way to go, James," Peter muttered.

"It isn't my fault she can't take a joke!"

"Why couldn't you just apologize to her?" Sirius asked. "Now how are we going to get in?"

Remus remembered very suddenly what McGonagall had said. "If McGonagall catches us out here, we'll be caned!"

"We won't be caned," James said swiftly. "It isn't our fault if the Fat Lady is gone."

"It is your fault, though," Peter snapped. "Why do you always have to be such a prat?"

"Well, obviously, I didn't think she'd leave!" James protested. "And you better not call me a prat again."

"Alohomora!" Sirius said, pointing his wand at the portrait. Nothing happened.

"You didn't really think that would work, did you?" James asked.

"No, but I reckoned it was worth a try. Maybe we can get the portrait down and get in that way?"

The Marauders tried, but the portrait was stuck tight. Sirius tried several counter-spells, but nothing worked.

"Sticking charm, I'd wager," Sirius noted dully.

"What now?" Remus asked.

"Now we wait, I suppose," James answered. "Not much else we can do. Anyone up for gobstones?"

The Marauders had only just sat down and got settled for their game when McGonagall appeared. Remus wasn't surprised. He had learned that obedience rarely went on honor at Hogwarts. Not like at home, where his parents trusted him to obey them, which he nearly always did.

The Marauders stood quickly as she approached. They all began explaining at once.

"That's quite enough, boys," McGonagall said, holding up a hand to silence them.

"You're not going to cane us, are you?" Remus asked, a slight shiver in his voice.

"It's all James' fault!" Peter snitched. "He insulted her!"

"I did not insult her!" James said, pushing Peter. "Not on purpose, anyway."

"That's enough of that, Potter. You're in quite enough trouble already without adding fighting to the list."

James looked at the ground and apologized, though Remus could tell he wasn't sorry.

"The Pink Lady is very... sensitive," McGonagall said, choosing her words delicately. "I believe that you didn't mean to insult her. It's hardly the first time someone's managed to insult her by accident, anyway. She quits every few years or so, but whenever we talk of replacing her, she kicks up a fuss about it. For all her complaining about it, this job makes her feel important. I'll see if I can find a replacement for her until she decides to come back. You boys stay here."

McGonagall returned half an hour later with a very solemn and very drunken monk. "Once he sobers up, he'll be a fine guardian. We've used him before. Brother Caradoc is his name. Open the portrait hole, Brother Caradoc."

The monk swayed slightly as he sat in the Fat Lady's chair. The portrait hole swung open and the Marauders clambered through, glad to finally have access to their beds.

They rushed into the common room, sure they'd never leave the safety of their sanctuary again. They were greeted warmly as they entered; apparently James and Sirius had been missed, and Snape had been insufferable with his gloating while they were gone. Remus almost thought he heard James growl when someone asked if it was true Snape had framed them.

"Of course he didn't frame us," James said with a smirk. "He's not smart enough to do that. All he did was run tattling like a little girl."

The assembled Gryffindors laughed appreciatively at that as Sirius and James extricated themselves. Remus breathed a little sigh of relief when they got to the dormitory. In all the excitement since they returned, he had nearly forgotten how late it was and how tired he was. It was early for bed yet, but he couldn't wait to put on his pajamas and lie down. It was a perfect night for curling up with a good book.

James stopped short the moment he stepped into the dormitory. The others, who had been following along behind, walked into him. He stumbled forward, dropping his bag. Remus quickly saw why he had stopped. Lily was sitting on his bed, cooing at one of the kittens.

"Lily!"

Lily looked up. "Hello," she said simply, and turned her attentions back to the kitten.

"You're in my bed," James said stupidly, as though it were an accusation.

Lily stood quickly. "I can leave, if you like."

"No!" James nearly shouted. "No, you can stay."

"What are you doing in here?" Sirius asked, stepping around James, who stood gaping. Remus and Peter followed his lead. Remus made a beeline for his own bed.

"Gretchen, Erin, Lesley, and I have been taking care of the kittens."

"And a good thing, too," Dirk added, coming out of the bathroom. "Griselda's been driving us batty since you left."

As though to prove his point, Griselda appeared at that moment, wrapping herself around James' leg and meowing pitifully. James picked her up. "Aw, did you miss me?" Griselda buried her head in the crook of his arm. He hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. "I missed you, too, my sweet kitty."

"Michael and I have hardly slept because she kept meowing all night. Michael finally kicked her out on Wednesday, and the girls took over caring for her. She's been quite a lot calmer since that happened."

Griselda purred so loudly in James' arms that Remus could hear it from across the room. James carried her to his bed and sat next to Lily. "Have you had a good week?" he asked awkwardly.

Lily nodded. "It was fine. Now that you're back, I suppose I should be going. See you."

Lily rose and strode from the room. James shook his head. "I really don't understand her."

"No one understands girls," Peter muttered, pulling back the curtains around his bed.

"I do," Sirius piped up.

"Ew!" Peter exclaimed. "James! Your cat puked on my bed!"

"Ew," James repeated. He lifted Griselda up. "Did you puke on Peter's bed?" Griselda meowed in response. "Bad kitty," James cooed at her, smiling affectionately all the while. "You shouldn't puke on people's beds."

"I'll help you clean it up," Remus offered. Luckily, one of the house elves had made Peter's bed for him while he was gone, so only the bedspread was sullied. Remus and Peter peeled it off the bed and tossed it into a corner of the bathroom. They'd ask one of the house elves to wash it once they were free of their house arrest.

James offered up his red and gold quilt as a replacement. "I know you've put up with quite a lot from Griselda, and you don't even like cats. I try to keep her off your bed. I really do. Only cats sort of have a mind of their own."

"It's fine," Peter said, pushing James' quilt away. "It's a warm night. I just want to go to bed." He plopped down on his bed and pulled the curtains.

"What do you reckon?" James asked softly.

"Didn't you see the boggart?" Remus asked.

James and Sirius nodded.

"Did you hear what it said to him?"

James shook his head, but Sirius nodded. "It was pretty awful."

"I can hear you whispering, you know, and I know it's about me. I'm not stupid!" Peter snapped, his voice muffled by the heavy draperies around his bed.

"Let's go downstairs," Sirius suggested in a whisper.

"I'm tired," Remus said. "I think I'll stay up here and go to bed."

"Suit yourself," James said with a shrug as he and Sirius turned to go.

A few moments later, Remus heard a shriek from the common room. "Jamie! It's true! They told me you were back! Oh, I missed you!" Remus could easily envision James blushing furiously as Gretchen threw herself at him. He fought back a small smile; he had more pressing matters to deal with at the moment.

"Peter?"

"Leave me alone."

"Are you all right?"

"I said leave me alone!"

Remus couldn't understand Peter sometimes. Whenever he was unhappy about anything, he always insisted upon being left alone, but then, once he'd calmed, he would complain that no one gave him any attention when he was upset. Remus decided that he probably wanted company, despite his insistence to the contrary. Remus pulled the curtains around Peter's bed. Peter turned his back on him. Remus sat next to him, not sure what to say. "It was only a boggart."

"It wasn't only a boggart," Peter replied, tears in his voice. "It was true. My dad hates me."

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you."

"He didn't even notice when I was gone the other day."

"My parents didn't notice I was gone, either."

"I was gone a lot longer than you were. After we dropped you off, we went to James' house and I ended up trapped there because his mum was sitting in front of the floo. I got home, and no one had even noticed. James' mum noticed he was gone."

"Yes, but you can't really judge by her. She's sort of... overprotective, don't you think?"

Peter shrugged.

"Don't you remember when we were there over the holiday, and she made him go lie down because he sneezed?"

Peter turned back, a small smile on his face. "I do remember that. She made him eat chicken soup."

"Sort of makes you wonder what she's like when he's really sick."

Peter's smiled brightened. "She probably whisks him off to St. Mungo's for a head cold." His smiled faded again. "I had scarlet fever once, when I was four. My mother never left my side the whole time I was sick. She slept in my room. My dad said she was going to end up making herself sick, worrying about me."

Remus wasn't sure what to say, so he said nothing and gave Peter a sympathetic smile.

"My Aunt Miriam says she'll never get better," Peter whispered.

"Maybe she will," Remus offered. It was a stupid thing to say, Remus knew. Peter's aunt probably knew way better than he, Remus, did, but he wasn't sure what else to say.

"Aunt Miriam doesn't like my mum," Peter said. He sat up and stared at the ground, picking at his blanket as though he were sharing a forbidden secret. "I don't think she likes my dad much, either."

Peter looked up at Remus as though seeking approval, as though waiting for Remus to tell him it was acceptable to admit family feuds. Remus didn't know if it was or not. His family had no real feuds to speak of, though Remus happened to know Daniel didn't like his sister's husband. Still, he kept it mostly to himself, so that neither his sister nor her husband were any the wiser.

"She likes me," Peter went on, cutting his eyes away. "Sometimes I wish I could go live with her, or that she were my mum. At least she would notice if I went missing for an entire afternoon. Maybe I can spend the summer with her."

"Maybe," Remus agreed. "And don't forget that we're all going camping with James in July, and I'll ask my mum and dad if you can come spend a few weeks with us. I'm sure they'll say yes."

Peter turned his face toward Remus. "You really think so?"

Remus nodded. "As long as... as long as I'm feeling well."

Peter's eyes narrowed, searching Remus' face. "What've you got, anyway?"

"I haven't got anything. I just get sick sometimes."

"Yeah, but with what?"

Remus shrugged.

"James reckons you might be dying." Peter said it with fear in his voice. For a moment, Remus was touched that Peter cared about him enough to be afraid of him dying.

"I'm not dying. Believe me. It's..." Remus thought for a moment, trying to come up with a lie that wasn't too lie-like. "It's nothing much," he finally said. "I just get weak sometimes."

Remus was glad that Peter was not a suspicious sort. James or Sirius never would have accepted that answer. Remus decided he would have to come up with something over the summer to appease these infernal questions. He was quite sure they wouldn't stop, and there was only so long, "It's nothing serious" would appease the other two Marauders. Maybe his parents would have an idea.

Peter and Remus stared at one another a moment, neither one sure what to say to the other. "Want to play chess?" Peter finally asked. "I played Aunt Miriam a few times over the break, and I even beat her once. I think maybe I'm getting better."

"Sure, we can play chess," Remus agreed. Peter was not noticeably better, but Remus didn't tell him that. He even let him win a few times so he wouldn't be sad. Remus never had been able to bear the thought of anyone he cared about feeling sad.