Chapter Four

First Classes

"Crud, we have charms with the Slytherins." James got an ugly look on his face.

"I kinda like it." Sirius said. He was leaning back so his chair had only two legs on the ground, they had quickly learned that this was a habit of his.

"What!" They looked at him in shock. He was the most verbal about his dislike for Slytherins.

"In charms class we have the best chance of being able to hex the Slytherins without getting caught. We can just say it is a failed charm." They laughed and agreed. The teacher finally entered the classroom.

"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts." He nodded to the class. "In their class you will be learning... well how to defend against the dark arts." The Gryffindors in the class laughed while the Slytherins looked like they were going to die. Sirius raised his hand. "Yes Mr. Black."

"Since you were late does that mean if we are late we won't get punished?" The teacher looked at him and a few of the students laughed.

"No Black. If you are late to my class you will get punished" The teacher smiled at them. James was sure this would be a teacher he liked.

"So it's a do as I say not as I do kinda thing." Sirius didn't give up.

"Exactly." Sirius started laughing. The class went on; since it was the first day the teacher mostly just introduced himself and explained in more detail what they were going to be doing this year. Remus found himself sad when the bell rang. He was sure that this class would be one of his favorites.

"What do we have next Remus?" Sirius had found out that Remus had their schedules memorized and never bothered to look at his again.

"History of Magic with Ravenclaw." Remus answered. He could tell that he was going to be the brains of this little group.

Sirius smiled. "Sweet I love history." They looked at him with disbelieving looks on their face. "What? Just because I don't like to learn doesn't mean I can't have a favorite subject." They laughed again.

By the time they got there they were five minutes late and had gotten lost three times, but were laughing so hard that their eyes watered. After they calmed down they saw that the entire class was staring at them, and then began laughing when Sirius waved at everyone.

When they finally managed to get to their seats (they sat together in the back of the classroom) they were surprised to find out that either the teacher somehow managed to completely ignore their entrance or didn't notice that they come in at all. He continued his lecture the entire class. Sirius fell asleep in less then five minutes, James began to doodle on a piece of scrap parchment, Peter was staring out the window at a bird cleaning itself, (which believe it or not was more interesting then the lesson.) and Remus was trying to take notes. He gave up halfway though the lesson and justified it by saying that nothing on the first day of school could actually be important.

Needless to say they were all very glad when it was time to go.

"I hate history." Sirius complained. James laughed.

"So much for loving it."

"Even Remus couldn't pay attention though all of it." Peter pointed out. Remus turned red he hadn't realized that anyone had notice him give up. Sirius looked at him will a surprised look on his face.

"Really?" Peter and James both nodded. Sirius smiled and hugged Remus. "I'm so proud." James and Peter laughed.

"It isn't anything to be proud of." Remus said after Sirius let go.

"Sure it is." He smiled and they began to head back to the common room. This time they only got lost twice.

"We don't have any more classes today do we?" Sirius looked at Remus who shook his head. "Great." He flopped on the couch.

"Um...Guys I have to go." Remus was trying to think of an excuse for why he would be gone for the next few days. "My mum is sick, really sick. Dad thinks it's nothing, but she is sure she is dieing." Sirius chuckled James and Peter glared at him.

"Sorry couldn't help it." He apologized. Remus smiled

"It is pretty funny; it isn't the first time she has done it so I'm not worried." They nodded and James laughed a bit too. Remus could tell he had been holding it in.

"How long will you be gone?" James asked

Remus shrugged "I don't know, at least a day though." They nodded and Sirius sat up.

"Are you going on the Hogwarts train? Do you want us to walk you there?"

Remus shook his head. "No, but thanks for the offer." He said as he turned and left the common room.

OOOOOOOOO

Remus walked down the halls towards the entrance to the grounds. As he walked he began to think about his stay at Hogwarts so far. So far today had been the best day of his life, and he wasn't exaggerating a bit. He missed his Mum and Dad, but he had new friends that more than made up for that. He had never laughed so much in his life.

He had only known his new friends for a day and he already loved all three of them as though they were his brothers. He had always wanted to have a brother, and now he had three.

He entered the grounds of Hogwarts and headed for the Womping Willow. On the way he saw Hagrid and waved to him, Hagrid waved back and came over to Remus.

"How are you doing, Remus?" Hagrid smiled

"I'm fine Hagrid." Remus had met Hagrid before. Hagrid had visited with Dumbledore one time when Dumbledore and his parents had been making plans for Remus to go to Hogwarts. He had wanted to meet Remus. And Remus was glad he did, it made him feel quite a bit better knowing that he wouldn't be the only half breed starting at Hogwarts this year.

Hagrid walked him down to the Womping Willow; they stopped a safe distance away. He grabbed a stick that was conveniently placed exactly where he needed it and poked a knot on the trunk of the tree. The tree instantly stopped moving.

"See you later Remus." Hagrid smiled. Remus smiled back

"See ya." Remus replied and dropped down the secret tunnel.

He walked along the secret tunnel and continued to think. He missed his mum and dad terribly. He received a letter from them, but only read half of it. He had gotten it not long after Sirius' howler had finished. They kept telling him how proud they were of him it is kinda hard to think about how much your parents love you right after you hear your friend being verbally abused by his mother. You don't really realize how lucky you are until you see someone that is in worse shape then you.

Remus climbed into the Shreaking Shack when the secret tunnel ended. He had a few minutes before the sun went down so he decided to explore a bit. He liked to explore, when ever he came to a new place that was the first thing he would do. He hadn't had a chance to explore the castle yet. He was spending all his free time with his friends. He had considered asking them if they wanted to explore with him, but he was sure that they would say no so he didn't say anything.

When he found the bedroom he could feel that the sun was going down. So he laid on the bed.

No matter how much pain he endured tonight, he was absolutely sure that today was the best day of his entire life. He finally had friends and he was going to be very happy here at Hogwarts.

Remus smiled, closed his eyes, and waited for the pain to begin.

OOOOOOOOO

"Darn it." Sirius laid back down on the couch. "Remus has only been gone for half an hour and I already miss him."

"Ya, me too." James flopped onto a big fluffy chair by the fireplace. "It is weird how one person can leave and it instantly sucks all the fun out of everything." Sirius and Peter both nodded.

"You think we have it bad. At least there are three of us. Remus is alone until he gets home." Peter was also missing Remus; it felt strange to think that they had only met a day ago.

"You have a point, poor Remus. That and he has to deal with a sick mom also." James was very sad. First time he had been sad since he got here actually. Except a small amount of time after Sirius' howler, they were all sad then, but Sirius made it his mission to fix that. It worked of course. Sirius could make almost anyone happy if he wanted to. It was a gift he loved to use.

"We need to make it up to him somehow." Sirius rolled over and laid on his stomach so he could see the others better.

"But how?" They looked back at him.

"I have an idea." Sirius sat up and they began scheming for the very first time.

OOOOOOOOO

Remus walked back to the Gryffindor common room with a smile plastered on his face. Thanks to the Hogwarts nurse he felt no pain. For the first time the full moon had not been that bad. Ya, there was still the pain of the transformation, but for once the wolf had been in a good mood. It only took him a few hours to recover. Usually it took a full day or more. Remus wondered if maybe the wolf was in a good mood because he had been in such a good mood. If so than the future seemed hopeful, because from the way it looked he was going to be in a very good mood for a very long time.

Though there was a good chance that the good mood may have been a result of a change in scenery. This meant that after a while it would go away. But Remus was determined to stay hopeful.

When Remus entered the common room he was hoping to see his friends lounging on the chairs and couch but it seemed that they were the only ones that weren't there. He climbed into their dormitory hoping they were there instead. But they weren't. Remus checked his watch. They shouldn't have a class right now. He decided to stay in the dorm and wait for them till their next class.

He didn't have to wait long. Remus heard voices outside of the room that were very familiar.

"Peter if you hit me with that book again I am going to suffocate you with your own dirty sock." Remus shivered Peter's dirty socks were disgusting. The door opened and Peter ran in the room and hid in his bed. Remus laughed and they all stared at him for a moment.

"Hi guys." Remus waved.

"Remus your back!" James exclaimed and they all ran up and hugged him, all three of them. If Remus wasn't in pain then he certainly was now.

"I missed you so much." Remus was beginning to have trouble breathing.

"Guys, if you don't let me go I am going to die." They all let go quickly, except Sirius who hesitated a bit before letting go.

"You're early." Peter didn't seem upset by this at all, actually none of them did. That was exactly what Remus was hoping for.

"My mum decided she wasn't going to die not long after I got there."

"Great!" After he said this Sirius' smile fell a little. "We were going to though you a party to welcome you back." His smile went back to normal. "But if it means your back sooner than I don't mind not having a party!" Remus laughed he couldn't imagine having better friends.

"We can still have a party." Remus suggested. He really liked parties. Sirius looked kind of hopeful; apparently Remus wasn't the only one.

"But there is no special occasion now."

Peter decided to join in the conversation now. "Ya, Remus has been back longer than we have."

James caught on to Remus' idea. "Who said we need a special occasion to have a party." And so they had a party. Just the four of them. None of them had ever had so much fun in their lives. (A/N I really have no idea what people do at parties so you have to make up what they did on your own. Sorry.)

An hour later they realized that they had less than five minutes to get to class. Of course they got lost a few times but they made it to class and were only three minutes late. A new record.

Unlike Professor Binns, This teacher noticed.

"Sorry were late Professor, we got lost." Remus really hoped that their party didn't cause them to get in trouble.

"Again." Sirius huffed though labored breaths. They ran the entire way.

"I understand that happens a lot in the first week of school." They looked up and saw Professor McGonagall give them a small smile. "Please take your seats." They did so without a word.

"Welcome to your first lesson in Transfiguration." Professor McGonagall began to introduce the class. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts." She continued on and they took notes. Even Sirius was paying perfect attention. James noticed that he had a very worried look on his face.

"The first thing I you are going to practice is turning a match into a needle. Watch me." She turned a match into a needle and then back. Longbottem, could you pass out the matches."

"Yes ma'am." A boy stood up and walked over to the matches and began passing them out. By the end of class none of the matches were even close to becoming needles. James and Remus' were the closest though. If you looked hard enough their matches had become kind of pointy. Sirius and Peter's matches hadn't even moved. Sirius knew it would happen. He knew it since he first read his transfiguration book. There was no way he would ever be able to pass this class; he needed to finish that map. That thought reminded him that he had to ask McGonagall something.

"I'll be right back, don't wait up." Sirius told Remus, James, and Peter and ran off before they could ask any questions. He found her just as she was leaving the classroom.

"Professor, can I ask you something." He got her attention easily.

"I believe you just did." She smiled and nodded. "Go ahead."

Sirius laughed, "It's about that map. Can I have James, Remus, and Peter help me with it? I mean if they are willing."

"Are you actually going to try to map the entire school?" She looked surprised.

"Of course. I made a deal didn't I." Sirius smiled at her.

"Like I said before..."

"I know, I know, no one has ever mapped Hogwarts and many don't think it is possible." He rolled his eyes at her.

"Including myself."

"That's ok, because I don't." He shrugged. "So can they help me?" Professor McGonagall nodded.

"Thanks." Sirius smiled and left. She sighed, what had she done, there was no way those boys could map the entire school in just a year. The full grown adults that couldn't have done it even if Hogwarts wasn't so magical.

"Oh well, it will keep them busy and out of trouble at least." She also knew that Black was a troublemaker. Unfortunately she couldn't have been more wrong.