Disclaimer: See first chapter

A/N: Yeah, I remember people asking for this months and months and months ago. Incidentally, all of Where Dwell the Brave at Heart Chapter 39 could fit in the middle of this nicely.

A/N: I'll turn this into a challenge. How many liberties that I have taken can you spot? How many deviations from J.K's world have I taken? Etc.

June 1st 1977, Charms Corridor

Sirius hated it when Lupin buggered off like that. Yes, it was full moon tonight, so yes, he had a lot of things to get straight, but he kept disappearing off. Besides, this time he had no excuse. He'd been called over by Fat Annie and off he'd trotted. What happened to mates before girls anyway?

"Oi! Snivellus!"

There was no excuse for boredom. Boredom couldn't be allowed, and here God had provided him with not only a human punch bag upon which to relieve his tensions, but also with something to do.

Snape refused to acknowledge him and power walked along the corridor, clutching his books to his chest like a shield.

"Oi! I'm not going to curse you!"

Where was this coming from? Yes, he was going to curse him. He wanted to curse him. Sirius bit his lip and slowly smiled, thinking of a better prank - one that would have to wait for the cover of darkness.

"Snape!"

That got his attention. Having been addressed by Sirius Black in a manner that could only be interpreted as an insult as opposed to a direct and bitter pill to publicly swallow, Snape finally stopped and turned. Seeing a lack of Black's friends, he relaxed and reached for his wand.

"You don't need it," said Sirius. "I was just thinking about you actually."

Snape froze, terrified.

"I think maybe I've been a bit unfair. I mean, everyone else knows what's going on. Why shouldn't you? You know the Whomping Willow? Well, there's a little knoll in it that when you poke it with a stick, it stops moving and you can follow a little tunnel down there." Snape frowned and Sirius knew he had caught on. "Remus goes there every now and again."

"On full moons."

Sirius shook his head. "No, like all the time. Tonight just happens to be a full moon. He's not dangerous or anything. He's not going to eat you. He goes there to get away from us. You could ask him about it. He hates us as much as you do sometimes." He smiled sweetly. "Not that I blame him…sometimes." Sirius winked. "Oh, and Electra won't be able to do the rounds with you tonight. She's busy."

Snape wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Why couldn't she tell me herself?"

Sirius smirked. "Be fair, Snivellus. She doesn't even know it yet."

James roared with laughter. "Really? Is he going to do it, do you think?"

Sirius shrugged. "Doubt it. He probably thinks there really is a werewolf down there and he's such a coward." He locked eyes with Snape across the Library and raised an eyebrow. The challenge was now official and James had only just realised how serious this 'prank' was getting.

Almost as soon as the clock struck nine, Sirius had made himself scarce, probably moaning in a broom closet within five minutes of leaving the common room, leaving James and the unknowing Peter to sit in uncomfortable silence for an hour.

"What's the matter?"

James realised a muscle in his leg was jumping and sprang to his feet. "Stay there, will you? Just wait for me. If I'm not back in fifteen minutes, send for McGonagall and tell her everything about…us. You don't have to mention your involvement but tell her where I am and that I'm in my human form."

The grounds seemed so dark and unending. James didn't know how far he had ran but he couldn't even see the Whomping Willow yet. Fifteen minutes were sure to be up soon, before he even had time to make sure no-one ever knew.

And there it was, looming up ahead like a sacrificial alter, a black shadow against a cloudless, bright sky. Snape's shadow fell across the grass, his greasy hair bobbing as he ducked into the tunnel.

James sped up, running at full pelt downhill, and unsure whether he would be able to apply the brakes before he crashed into the tree. He was able to grab one of the uncharacteristically still branches and duck inside the tunnel before he even needed to use the carelessly discarded stick.

"Snape!"

He couldn't see him anywhere down the long, ever descending earthy tunnel. Perhaps Snape had gotten further than he had thought. But the tunnel twisted and began to rise, and - crawling before him - heading into the room that had been ravaged by a desperate young werewolf, and allowed to fall into disrepair, was his target.

"Snape!" It came out as a harsh, exaggerated whisper, but James plowed on, wondering where Remus was and whether - he shivered - he could smell their presence.

Snape's eyes were wide with fear and James emerged at the other end of the tunnel into the room he had so often transformed in. Luckily, the werewolf was still upstairs in the room he had become accustomed to using to transform in and out of his temporary body. Luckily, the nights were drawing out, and Snape had not found himself sharing a room with a wolf who was chewing on a chair leg and desperate to get his teeth into something a little softer.

"Potter?"

James shook. "Just get out."

Snape didn't need telling twice, but James obliged him regardless, pushing him back through the tunnel entrance as the sound of heavy paws beat down on the staircase.

"Move!"

But Snape was petrified by terror.

"Snape, get going, seriously!"

The red fur of the wolf could be glimpsed through the banister and James' blood ran cold as jet black eyes met his. Remus' eyes. He relaxed and breathed out slowly.

"Remus? Remus, it's me. It's Jamie."

Snape seemed to have regained the ability to speak as he whispered, "That's Lupin?"

James hissed. "Now you know. So get the fuck out."

Snape shook his head and reached for his wand. "I'm not leaving you here to die, Potter. People will say I lured you down here."

Ordinarily, James would have laughed at the irony, but he was overcome with fear and hate.

"Put your wand away."

Snape gawped. "Are you insane?"

"It's Remus!"

Snape gripped his wand tighter. "I don't know if you were paying attention in Defence, Potter, but a werewolf doesn't care. He'd kill his own best friend."

"Not this werewolf!"

Snape sighed irritably and pointed his wand at the slowly approaching wolf.

"I don't care if he's a little furrier than usual," snapped James. "That's my best friend and if he gets so much as a paper cut from you - you're dead."

"What do you suggest then?"

James slowly backed away. "We maintain eye contact and head back towards the tunnel." He did so, and Snape hurriedly followed suit until they were pressed against the wall.

"Now what?"

James blinked twice. "Now we run."

They emerged into a balmy evening and James struggled for breath, his hands shaking violently. Matters were not improved by the peculiarly marked tabby cat that bounded towards them and grew into an imposing, formidable, tartan-clad deputy headmistress.

"Potter?"

James groaned. "Yes, Professor?"

"What possessed you? What the bloody hell possessed you?"

It was the first time that he had heard McGonagall swear, even lose composure for an instant. She was gripping his shoulders and digging her nails into him.

"Snape was down there and I-"

"You thought you'd play the hero?"

Surprisingly, it was Snape who stepped in. "Black sent me down there. The four of them had this little plot. Potter chickened out last minute."

"Is this true, Potter?"

"NO!"

McGonagall released her student and brushed imaginary dust from her shoulders. "I assume that you are both unharmed?"

Snape growled. "What do you mean 'no'? You were laughing in the Library about it."

"Because I didn't think you would actually be so stupid!"

McGonagall silenced them with a piercing stare. "I think you had both better come with me. Professor Dumbledore is waiting for you."

James struggled to speak. "Professor, whatever can be said for the stupidity of myself and Sirius, I asked Peter to fetch you. Peter didn't even know why he had to. He just did as he was told."

McGonagall pursed her lips. "And luckily, he did."

"And Remus-"

McGonagall swung round, as though turning on him. "Mr. Lupin has not the idiocy nor the cruelty to be involved in such a ridiculous and blatant attempt upon a fellow student's life."

James froze. "Is that what I'm being accused of - attempted murder?" He followed McGonagall into the headmaster's office and immediately launched into a defence speech. "Listen, Professor, I'll be the first to admit that I hate him, but I wouldn't wish him dead, and even if I did, I would never even dream of using Remus. He's my best friend, sir. I've known since we were twelve and we've only ever got closer. I know what it would do to him and-"

Dumbledore silenced him, raising a hand and indicating he take one of the three seats. The one on the far left, having been occupied, James accepted the chair beside it and budged it across to his right, wanting to be as far away from Sirius as possible.

"I have heard all that I need to from Mr. Black. I want to know why you willingly faced a fully-grown werewolf alone."

James took a deep breath. "I didn't believe that Sn…Severus would actually go down the tunnel, but I had to know, so I waited until I thought he would be leaving and ran to the tree so I could stop him."

"And what would you have told him?"

James wished that Dumbledore would shout at him. He couldn't handle the polite, conversational tone his headmaster had adopted. McGonagall had at least put the fear of God into him. "I…I don't know. Not the truth."

"But it was too late to do that?"

James nodded. "And I couldn't let Remus hurt him. He deserves better than that."

McGonagall made a slight nasal sound that told them all that she heartily agreed.

"I'm sorry."

Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "Mr. Snape, you are forbidden to repeat the events of tonight to anyone. If you mention Mr. Lupin's secret to any of your fellow students, you will find it a statement that is very difficult to prove. I warn you also that expulsion may even be necessary." He nodded to the two boys and sent them away under the supervision of McGonagall.

"I-"

Dumbledore peered over his half-moon spectacles, attempting to meet the eyes of Sirius Black.

"I didn't think he had it in him."

Dumbledore sighed sadly. "No, nor I you." He stood and made his way to the stand on which his phoenix perched. He stroked the delicate plumage and said softly, "I will speak with Mr. Lupin in the morning. If he desires it, you face suspension at the very least."

Sirius slumped, burying his face in his hands.

"However, I think that gentlemen such as Mr. Lupin ask for as little fuss as possible. I don't believe I will have to even suspend you, but you will face detentions for the rest of the year. I will arrange for them to mean something to you. I can only hope that a lesson has been learned."

Sirius nodded.

"I suggest that you do not return to your dormitory. I don't think it wise to send you back to Mr. Potter just yet."

Sirius wiped the blood from his ravaged bottom lip. "I don't think he'll forgive me in a hurry."

Dumbledore smiled grimly. "Precisely."

It had been two days and the thing that had been their friendship and brotherhood was still in critical condition. Sirius twitched, Peter's nervous giggles went on for far too long, the veins in James' forehead looked as though they were about to burst out of his skin, and Lupin was pale, reserved, and trying to pretend that nothing had happened.

"Moony?"

James hissed. "Don't you dare call him by that name."

Lupin merely returned to his homework. "What? What can you possibly have to say to me?"

"I'm sorry."

"Well, that's a start."

Sirius gawped. "A start? Well, what else can I say?"

Lupin laughed bitterly, but he stood, a fire blazing in his eyes as he spat, "You are a spoiled, vicious, child. You're a Black. You think you're better than me, don't you, Black? Yes, you're cleverer than me, yes, you're better looking than me, and yes, you're more normal, you psychopathic bastard, than I can ever hope to be, but you are not more human than me. What you did last night, that wasn't human. I would never have believed it of you." His voice rose and he was almost shrieking as the tears rolled from his bloodshot eyes. "I trusted you!"

Sirius shrugged. "I don't know what you want me to say."

Having flown at him last night, and blacked his eye, Lupin remained composed, wondering just how much he must have hurt Black for a bruise like the one he was sporting that morning, to emerge.

"I don't think there's anything you can say."

Dad,
I know this is awkward for you. I need to get out. I can't stay at Hogwarts anymore. I can't explain it. I don't want to explain it. Come and get me. I've dropped out.
I'm so sorry.
R.