As Remus endured the last few hours before the full moon, the taste of rotted meat, old socks, mold and other things he didn't want to contemplate lingered—an after-effect of the Wolfsbane Potion. Though his mind would remain untouched by his transformation, the same gut-knotting fear still plagued him. Would he lose control this time? Wake up somewhere unfamiliar only to realize he'd done something terrible?

Professor McGonagall ushered him through Hogwarts' halls. Since Severus invented the potion, there was no need for Remus to endure his full moons cold, lonely and far from other humans in the Shrieking Shack—which now sat abandoned. Instead, a nice, warm room awaited him, hidden in the dungeons. There, he could remain locked away, and—if he was lucky—sleep through the transformation on the rug in front of the fireplace.

With all the terrible happenings, it didn't sit well with the teachers having him outside alone. Truth was, he never slept through a full moon. Every one had seen him exploring with his Animagi friends—though they'd all be beyond in trouble if McGonagall ever found out.

"Anything you need, Mr. Lupin?" said McGonagall as she opened the door for him. Every month since his first year, she'd asked the same question, and Remus always gave the same answer.

"No. Thank you, Professor." He smiled politely.

"Good luck. I'll see you in the morning." The same conversation every month. She was too intelligent to wish him good night. She locked the door from the inside and left with a stout click. Shame she didn't know the intruders were already in the room.

Remus' room could pass for good living quarters. A large fireplace hugged one wall and a thick rug sprawled in front of it—perfect for a large dog to nap on—though Remus refused to resort to that. An ordinary bed stood opposite the fireplace, accompanied by a table on which sat food and water. Tucked away on a bottom shelf, to protect his dignity, sat two dog bowls, should he choose to use them.

"Having fun?" Remus approached the farthest corner.

James dropped the invisibility cloak, revealing himself and Sirius. "You're always in such a good mood," James snorted.

Remus unbuttoned his shirt. "We are trying."

Sirius sat on the bed, feet swinging just off the floor. "What're we doing this fine full moon night?"

"Not running around the Forbidden Forest, that's for sure." Remus neatly folded his shirt and put it and his wand on the top shelf, out of reach of the wolf. "Remember the spiders we ran into before summer holiday? I think they're still sour over it."

"The castle then," said Sirius. "You know, we could—"

"We're not scaring girls," Remus said.

"Whatever." Sirius pouted while James tried to hold in a chuckle.

As Remus tugged at his socks, quiet scratching drew his attention. "What's that?"

"What's wh—"

"Shh!" Remus waved Sirius quiet. "Sounds like… mice."

James drew his wand. "I hear it too."

As the sounds grew louder, Sirius drew his wand too. "Down there!" He pointed to the bottom shelf.

Both dog bowls rattled as a brown, furry snout poked between them, accompanied by long whiskers.

"Wormtail!" All three boys trumpeted.

The rat took stock of the room, skittering back and forth as if he couldn't decide which way to go.

"Let me help." James picked the rat up and grinned. "Oh man, mate, it's good to see you!"

Sirius laughed. "Scared us good, Wormy. I think you're learning."

James let go of the rat as it transformed into Peter, small and chubby, just like his Animagus form. Peter shuffled, nervous. "Hey."

Remus sat on the bed, still warm from Sirius' brief respite there. "Thanks for coming."

Peter brightened, but only for a moment, then his face turned wary as he faced James and Sirius.

"Same for us," said James. "You're okay?"

"Fine. You?" Those were the first civil words Peter said to them since the mansion—if you didn't count his outburst on the first day back at school.

"Considering everything that's going on, yeah, remarkably well," James said.

"Good." Peter nodded.

Sirius draped an arm around Peter's shoulder. "Good of you to have come around."

Now in only his underwear, Remus took the blanket from the bed and draped it around his bare shoulders, glad for the fire. He approached Peter like a child trying not to spook a stray pup. "We -I'm happy you're here. Really." He cuffed Peter's chin in camaraderie. "Merlin, you really are a Gryffindor."

Peter attempted a smirk. "It's not like I'm not glad to be here."

"That's great." James closed the circle around Peter. "The original Marauders, together again, just like we should be."

"Original?" said Peter.

"Let's just say you've got some catching up to do," said James. "We'll fill you in later."

Peter took a step back, breaking the circle. "I'm coming back at full moon, but what I said still stands. I'm not a fighter."

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to," said James, and Sirius and Remus nodded agreement. "I promise, we won't take you anywhere without asking, and I'll respect what you have to say in the future."

At that, Peter no longer looked like a skittish pony, ready to bolt, and instead of leaving, he sat on the rug, right in front of the fireplace. Remus took the spot beside him, and James and Sirius lined up next to Remus, letting Peter be the center piece—probably for the first time.

As the next few hours crawled, prickling eased over Remus in short, subtle waves, but as the full moon drew closer, the subtlety waned. Even though his discomfort increased, the Wolfsbane Potion squelched the beastly urges—something he hadn't noticed the first time he took the potion since he was so worried Severus was trying to poison him. His hunger for red meat had disappeared too, which made him feel less a beast and more human.

Remus jerked, stiffened, and uttered a growl. He twisted in agony, and his three friends respectfully gave him distance. Each instant burned, seared like molten iron on new flesh. His body hated the form this transformation forced. Bones flexed, and fur sprouted. Teeth sharpened; nose stretched and rounded into a snout. Every thought was pain.

Then it was over.

Remus collapsed on the rug, panting, eyes shut. When he dared open them again, Peter—a little brown rat—sat by his paw, which could almost have covered Peter if it weren't for his extra girth. Sirius—as his usual black dog—nodded to the door, now open. In the hall, James' stag waited.

Before Remus realized, all four of them careened through the empty corridors. Into the Great Hall they tumbled, knocking over benches. In the Defence classroom, Remus touched his snout to Dawlish's Remembrall. It turned deep scarlet—perfect for the professor to find in the morning. Maybe it would be good for him to scratch his head trying to remember what he supposedly forgot.

Up to the Life Defenders' room they went. Remus and Sirius circled and nipped at each other's heels playfully. Only after Padfoot took a roll across the room and almost flattened Peter did the tussling stop.

Sirius gave Peter a look of concern as Peter crawled from his hiding place. But when Sirius' dog breath rolled over Peter, the rat fell backward as if hit by a train. He scurried away to stand in front of James' hooves and cover his tiny wrinkled nose with little paws. He wore a very human expression of dismay, the meaning clear. Sirius' breath stank.

Remus caught the click of footsteps in the hall and panicked, along with everyone else.

"Students. Annoying, bratty students! Always running about at night." Argus Filch. "Wait until I get you!"

Before the group decided what to do, Wormtail squeaked and darted for the door where he wriggled through a crack and out. A cat's hiss followed Filch's scream. "A rat! Get that filth, Mrs. Norris, get it!" Noises of Filch's and his mainecoon's chase rattled down the corridor, fading as Peter led them away.

Sirius' bark sounded more like a guffaw as he flopped on his back and wriggled like an unearthed worm. Remus shook his head in disbelief and indicated the door as if to say they'd better leave. Prongs gave a graceful bow of agreement.

All three hurried back to the dungeon room. James returned to human form to let them in. "Yes!" He pointed down the hall as a plump rat scurried their way. "There he is!" Wormtail scooted between James' feet. "That was awesome, mate! You saved our necks for sure!"

Wormy flopped onto the rug by Padfoot's paws, panting. Padfoot licked him, which elicited a squeal of dismay from Wormtail, who dashed over to Remus in the hopes that he wouldn't succumb to such disgusting behavior.

James shut and locked the door. "You okay there, Pete? That was quite a tumble."

With a nod and a yawn, Wormtail curled up beside Remus, who stretched before doing the same. Peter's little, furry mass left a warm spot on Remus' coat. This was quite nice with his mind intact.

Before long, Padfoot joined them, tail wagging.

Remus stayed with his friends in front of the fire until the telltale warmth of reversion came with the sun's first rays. The relief of his natural shape returned, though he still curled on the rug like a wolf—a discomfort far more manageable than his transformation earlier. With several good pops and a firm stretch, his bones re-aligned.

James tossed the blanket over him. "Your bony bum was never a pretty sight. Cover it up."

"Delighted to." Remus wrapped the blanket around his naked middle and rubbed his sore neck. With one hard roll of his head, he earned a loud crack.

"That sounds disgusting," said Sirius as he still sat on the floor, also back in his own form.

"Afraid my body doesn't fancy the involuntary transformation much. And it's getting worse. I hate to think how it'll be when I'm thirty—or older. By then I'll have to take a day off after the full moon for sure, Wolfsbane or not."

"Maybe they'll have found a cure before that," said James. "Who would have even thought Wolfsbane Potion would turn up a year ago?"

"Something tells me that potion was ahead of its time," Remus muttered as he retrieved his clothes and wand. "What about Peter?"

On the rug beside Sirius lay Wormtail, still a rat.

"Mate, I think he's asleep," said James.

"I've… never noticed how easily he could get hurt in that form," said Sirius. "Mrs. Norris could've eaten him." Then he grinned. "But it's nice to see him stand up for himself. Who knows where it'll lead?"

"And he did save our sorry behinds. Had Filch seen Moony, we'd have been done for!" said James.

Appreciation rose in Remus. "That was pretty cool. Who knew he had it in him? I suppose… we've been bad about taking him for granted—treating him like an outsider."

"What do we do?" Sirius said.

"Treat him like an equal." Remus pulled on his pants. "It's the only thing to do."

"And who knows," said James, "he's come this far already. Maybe he wants to fight but doesn't know it."

"Like reverse psychology? If we say don't come, he'll come?" Sirius scratched his head.

"I didn't even think that far, but you're right. Who knows? He's here, and that's what matters. Everything else is out of our hands."

Remus fought a yawn, exhausted after the full moon. As soon as he got to the bed, he'd be asleep the whole day. "We've got to hold together. Isn't that what they all keep saying?"

"Get some sleep, Moony," said James. "We should be going." He picked up Wormy, careful not to wake him, and tucked him into a pocket before he and Sirius donned the invisibility cloak.

Remus barely heard them leave.

As he toppled into bed, Remus smiled at his last thought before he fell asleep. Wormy came back to support me… I'm so lucky to have such good friends.


This chapter has been edited by Dtill359