Tuesday, 11 October 1977
"Do my eyes and ears deceive me or did Black just turn down Matthews?" Alex asked.
"No, your eyes and ears are working just fine," Raj said, tilting his head slightly in confusion.
Cara Matthews, a fairly popular and nice girl by all accounts, had just asked Sirius out to the next Hogsmeade trip. He had politely declined. Matthews didn't seem all that bothered by it though.
"Why would he do that? Matthews is so fit!" Ava said.
Maggie looked at her and crossed her arms and spoke teasingly. "Aves, what would Marlene say?"
"That she agrees with me," Ava said with a laugh.
In all the years Lena had known Sirius, she had never known him to turn down a date unless he had a date already planned or he had to help Remus with his so-called furry little problem. And since the next Hogsmeade trip wasn't on the full moon, Sirius must have already had a date.
"He must have a date," Lena said as she held her sketchbook to her chest.
"It's not a date," Gwen said hurriedly.
Simultaneously, Lena, Ava, Raj, Alex, and Maggie turned to look at Gwen. Lena gave a small smirk. "And how do you know that he doesn't have a date?"
"Because me and Sirius are hanging out on Saturday," Gwen said, sucking in her cheeks slightly.
"You're going on a date with Sirius!" Maggie said as Lena's jaw fell open.
"No, we're just hanging out," Gwen stressed.
"That's what all they say," Alex said.
Gwen simply rolled her eyes.
Monday, 27 October 1977
James walked into the dorm room that he no longer slept in. "Hey," James said as he sat on top of Peter's. James looked across the room where Frank and Remus' beds were. Frank's jumper and guitar were on his bed that wasn't properly made. Alice had left more notes on the guitar. Her and Frank's initials were drawn in a heart. She had left another note too.
you're the best
James sighed as he looked at Remus. He was reading a book called The Wizard of Earthsea. "I can't come on Thursday," James said abruptly.
Remus closed his book and shrugged. "That's fine. I'll be alright."
"I feel bad. I want to come but I have to go to a mandatory Head Boy and Girl at night for Dumbledore."
"Really, Jay, it's fine. Padfoot and Wormtail will be there," Remus said. "Anyways, how are things going with Lily? Have you managed to impress her?"
"I think so," James said with a bob of his head and a smile "She actually laughs at my jokes now."
Remus grinned. "See, I kn—"
"Alright, slight problem," Sirius interrupted as he and Peter walked through the door. Their uniforms were covered in a light spattering of pink paste-like substance.
"What happened to you two?" James laughed.
"Prank went wrong," Sirius said as he unbuttoned his dirty shirt and tossed it into his laundry basket.
"Unfortunately," Peter said as he undid his tie, "McGonagall was there when the prank went off. She was not pleased to be covered head to toe in pink."
"And now we've detention for the rest of the week," Sirius said, frowning.
"So we can't come and help on Thursday," Peter finished.
"Shit!" James cried. "I can't go either! I've got Head Boy duties on Thursday!"
"So skip!" Sirius replied.
"I can't skip!" James replied at the same time as Remus said, "He can't skip!"
"Let's all calm down," Remus said before rubbing his face with his hands. "I've gone through full moons alone before. I can do it again."
Peter poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue. "You don't have to go alone. Lena can go with you."
Sirius nodded and pointed at Peter. "He's right."
"Nope," Remus said firmly. "I do not want Lena to see me like… that."
"You said the same thing about us," James said. "And now we go with you all the time."
"It's different. I'm dating her. I'm not dating any of you."
"So?" Sirius said. "How is that different?"
"I don't know," Remus shrugged. "I just don't want her to see me in my werewolf form and freak out and decide that I'm a monster and she wants nothing to do with me!"
Peter folded his arms. "My sister is not like that. She would never think that. She cares about you and all she wants to do is help you."
"Okay."
Thursday, 27 October 1977
"You really don't have to do this," Remus said quietly. He wasn't sure why he said it so quietly. It was just him and Lena in the Shrieking Shack and no one could hear them, at least not until Remus turned and began howling.
"I know. But I want to," Lena said, shrugging off her coat and tossing it up to the rafters to prevent Remus from shredding it up later in the night. She sat on the slightly shredded sofa and folded her legs underneath herself. "Is there anything I should know for tonight?"
Remus turned to face the door and began undoing his watch. "I won't be in control of what I do. I don't want to do what I'm going to do."
Remus felt a pair of arms wrap around his torso and Lena's lips on his jaw. Her voice vibrated against his skin. "I already know that."
Remus turned around to face Lena and tucked her brown hair behind her ears and kissed her. He looked down at her and traced her spine with his finger tips. "I have to change."
Lena grinned. "Can I watch?" she said cheekily in a joking manner, although she was slightly hoping he would say yes.
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Remus laughed. "Too bad for you that you're going to have to sit in that corner and close your eyes."
"If you insist." Lena walked away from Remus and rested her forehead on the corner of the cold walls. She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet and twiddled her thumbs. She fought the urge to look over her shoulder and sneak a peek as she heard the rustling of Remus' clothes.
"Alright, you can turn around now," Remus' voice carried across the room.
Lena spun on her feet and looked at her boyfriend. He was sitting on the sofa. His body was enveloped in a soft blanket. Lena leaned against the wall and tilted her head slightly. "Should I change too now?"
"Probably," Remus said and Lena nodded. She took a deep breath and exhaled and then she began to transform. Her perspective of the room changed. Everything was taller than her. Every scent and smell became more pungent. Every noise was clearer to her. She lifted her head up and approached Remus and leapt onto the couch. She sat on her hind legs like a dog would and stared at him.
Remus stared at her, a look of amazement on his face. Remus had seen people in their Animagus before but seeing Lena like this, in a form so similar to his own, felt different to him. He reached out to touch her. Her fur was soft and her body was still and calm. He moved his hand behind one of her ears and smiled. "Thank you," he said. The two words expressed all the gravity of what he was feeling and Lena understood everything that thank you meant.
And then all of the calm that was in the room dissipated as Lena heard the cracking of bones. It was time.