A/N: Sorry for the late update—things have been particularly busy lately and I've been having trouble finding the time to write. I haven't had much of a chance to proof-read this chapter, so I apologize in advance for any typos I missed. Anyways, thank you again for all the comments, I reallyappreciate them! Please read and review.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 35: Two-Way Mirrors

Remus was the first one awake the next morning. The sun was shining brightly outside and he suspected that they had missed breakfast. The events from last night began creeping back into his memory and he couldn't help but grin to himself. He still had friends.

He sat up slowly; even his stiff limbs couldn't dampen his mood.

Sirius was lying sprawled on his stomach with his head at the foot of his bed, Peter was snoring loudly, and James was hidden by a tangle of blankets and pillows. Remus sighed and rolled up his sleeve to inspect his injured arm: as far as he could tell, the wound hadn't reopened during the night—the bandages were still a pristine white.

The injuries left by the wolf were gradually getting worse each month: the bigger it got the more damage it was capable of inflicting. He sighed again; suddenly grateful he wouldn't have to make up excuses for his injuries anymore.

"There's got to be something we can do to help," although he'd spoken softly, Remus jumped at the sound of Sirius' voice. He pulled his pajama sleeve back down quickly. The dark-haired boy had propped himself up on his elbows and was looking intently at the werewolf.

"It's already more than enough that all of you are still my friends," Remus smiled encouragingly, secretly hoping Sirius would drop the issue; he was still feeling a little shaken after the emotional ordeal of the previous night and didn't think he could handle explaining that there wasn't any hope of a cure or even a treatment for his lycanthropy.

Sirius frowned, "Don't say things like that, Remus. Anyone who doesn't want to be your friend just because you're a werewolf is trash." Although he was still speaking softly to avoid waking Peter and James, there was an edge to his tone that made it seem unwise to argue. Remus turned his attention to his hands, unable to meet Sirius' intense stare. Last night, the boy had been the one making jokes, asking the most outlandish and ridiculous questions, and generally easing the tension; apparently that had changed now that they were talking one-on-one.

When Remus didn't respond or look back up from his hands, Sirius sighed and continued in a much more gentle tone, "There has to be something."

"There isn't." There was a lump in his throat that was making it difficult to speak steadily, "My parents have been looking for years. There's nothing anyone can do. If there was, they would've found it by now." He didn't want to add that his parents had spent all of their savings and extra income on shady, ineffective treatments and false hope since the bite.

"Well, no offense to your parents," Remus finally looked back up at his friend, "but we're the Marauders. I don't care if we have to invent a completely new branch of magic… we'll figure something out."

The werewolf nodded weakly before managing to whisper, "You have no idea how much that means to me."

They were just words of course—the information was still new and, undoubtedly, upsetting: it made sense that Sirius wouldn't hesitate to make bold claims and promises. Remus knew better than to expect any miracles. What he'd said was true though, it really was more than enough that his friends were still his friends.

James mumbled incoherently and the pile of blankets on his bed shifted—a moment later the messy-haired boy was sitting upright and looking around the room blearily.

"Did we miss breakfast?"

Sirius chuckled in reply and just like that the intense moment was gone.

James grabbed his glasses and put them on. "I guess that's a 'yes' then?" He nodded towards Remus, "Alright?"

He felt another genuine smile stretch across his face as he answered, "Never better."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

While waiting for the others to get ready for lunch, Remus sat in the common room. He felt better than he had in ages—it was as if a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders and suddenly the entire world felt lighter.

"There you are!" Lily's voice snapped him out of his daze; he must've started to drift off without realizing it.

"Lily," he grinned brightly at her.

"I went down to the infirmary this morning looking for you, you know."

He shrugged and Lily plopped down beside him before pulling him into a quick hug.

"How was your holiday?" she asked.

"Absolutely brilliant," he tried to reign in his enthusiasm before continuing, "How was your holiday?"

Lily shrugged and smiled, "Better than last year. I think Tuney may be starting to forgive me…"

"Forgive you?" Remus couldn't help but frown.

"For this," she gestured around the common room and seeing the confusion on the werewolf's face she clarified, "For coming here, to Hogwarts." She sighed, "And for having magic, I suppose."

"That's not your fault—it's not as if you chose to be a witch." Something felt awfully familiar about this conversation, "She has no right to be mad at you just because—" he cut himself off abruptly and shot Lily an apologetic look. "Sorry, it's not my place to judge. I-I didn't mean… Well, you know your sister better than anyone."

Lily smiled warmly at him, "It's alright Remus, I understand. My sister and I have always had a complicated relationship—I think it's hard for most people to understand. Alice and Marlene get so mad whenever Petunia upsets me. And don't get me started on Sev."

He chuckled; it was more of a nervous reaction rather than finding the conversation humorous but Lily didn't seem to mind.

"Anyways," she continued, "You're feeling better now, right? You weren't at the return feast and I tried to visit you before curfew that night but Madam Pomfrey chased me off."

Suddenly talking about Petunia didn't seem quite so daunting, but Remus did his best to hide his discomfort.

"She can be ridiculously over-protective," he mused, "but yes, I'm completely, one hundred and ten percent better now."

Lily nodded and glanced towards the staircase; her smile disappeared instantly and was replaced with a glower. Remus followed her gaze and spotted James and Sirius standing at the base of the stairs, a split second later Peter was standing behind them.

"Oi, Evans!" James called out, crossing the room to where she and Remus were sitting. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I was just leaving, Potter" she shot him a venomous look before glancing back at the werewolf once more, "I'll talk to you later Remus." She stood and made her way through the portrait hole.

"That girl must have the biggest stick up her arse…" James complained as he watched her leave.

Remus raised his eyebrows at his friend but couldn't bring himself to protest.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Perhaps the strangest thing about finding out that the others knew about his secret was that it wasn't strange at all. After the late start, the rest of the day was perfectly ordinary. James, Sirius, and Peter enchanted a cloud to follow Snape around all afternoon which rained a foul-smelling green slime on him whenever he spoke. Lily had been livid and, by dinner, McGonagall had given the three boys two detentions each. There was nothing extraordinary about any events of that day.

The Marauders didn't treat Remus any differently than they had the day before, or the week before, or even the month before.

It seemed that the only thing out of the ordinary that day was him: Remus couldn't bring himself to protest the prank or to even scold his friends after the fact. How could he tell them that what they had done was wrong and mean after they had treated him with more kindness than he could've possibly ever hoped for?

After dinner that evening, he sat curled up on a couch in the common room watching James and Peter play with gobstones in front of the fire. He didn't realize he was starting to nod off again until his head dropped forward suddenly, startling him.

"I'm going to head up," he announced.

James and Peter nodded towards him but were too absorbed in their game to pay much attention.

"Night," James muttered as he tried to plan his next move.

Sirius had headed up to the dormitory a while ago, but even so, Remus was surprised to find him digging through his trunk, surrounded by wadded up paper.

"Lose something?" he asked mildly. Sirius jumped slightly and glanced up at the werewolf for a moment before he resumed his search.

"There's something wonky about one of my Christmas presents," he explained, "I'm trying to find out who sent it to me."

Remus clearly remembered Sirius leaving all his cards unopened and unread despite his friend's apprehension, but he managed to resist teasing him about it.

"Which gift?" he asked instead.

Without looking up, Sirius pointed to two objects sitting on his bed: two handheld mirrors.

Remus picked one up curiously, but the mirror didn't show his reflection—instead, all he could see in it was the canopy above Sirius' bed.

"Weird," he put the mirror back down.

"I'm just hoping that they aren't from Bellatrix or my parents. I think I'll have to smash them if they are…" Sirius pulled another envelope out from the bottom of his trunk, tore it open and began reading it. The letter didn't seem to have any answers though and a moment later Sirius crumpled it up and threw it into the pile surrounding him. With a sigh he began searching through his trunk again.

"Maybe whoever sent the mirrors didn't write about them in their letter?" Remus suggested and Sirius snorted.

"We're talking about an entire family of Slytherins, Remus. Of course they'll have written about what they've given me. They know that there's no way I'd remember who'd sent me the most extravagant gift otherwise—and if I don't remember, there's no point in sending me anything at all."

Remus shifted uncomfortably, still completely unnerved by the bizarre Black-family customs.

Sirius pulled another card and quickly scanned it.

"Aha! My great uncle Alphard sent them!" Sirius waved the letter triumphantly.

"And that's good?" Remus asked hesitantly. Sirius chuckled softly.

"Well, my mother always complains that he's gone batty and senile, but we've always had to be polite to him because he owns a quarter of the Black family estate. I suppose that if she dislikes him though, he must be alright. He's always been nice to me anyways."

"Does he say what they're for?"

"They're two-way mirrors," Sirius grinned as he picked up one of them. "Do you know what that means?"

Remus shook his head and Sirius' grin widened.

"James and I can keep working on pranks even while we're in separate detentions!"

The werewolf rolled his eyes but despite his best efforts, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"I pity Professor McGonagall…"