The Greatest Gift

Chapter Five; Blur The Boundaries

~ Throughout all eternity – including now – the deep respect and trust of a friend is probably the most satisfying of life's experiences.

Walter MacPeek ~

Remus actually woke up the following morning feeling quite … optimistic, for lack of a better word. An odd reaction considering that the spell had failed and the full moon would rise tomorrow night. But for some reason, he didn't care. It was Christmas Eve, why worry about it now?

Sirius was still fast asleep, curled up in his sheets, long untidy black hair only just visible on the pillow. Deciding against waking him, Remus dressed and went down for breakfast.

James and Lily were already up. James appeared only half awake, breathing in the fumes from his steaming mug of coffee, trying not to fall back to sleep. Lily smiled as Remus sat down opposite them with a cheery 'Morning!'

'Is it me,' she asked James, 'or is Remus all glowy?'

'You have that effect on most people.' Said James, awake at last.

Lily went as red as her hair, smiling coyly.

'So, what's up with you, Moony?' asked Prongs, shifting his attention away from his girlfriend.

Remus shrugged. 'I'm just in a good mood.'

You look better today,' said Lily. Her eyes narrowed. 'Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to show you guys Muggle coffee after all.'

'I haven't had any.' Remus protested in mild indignation. 'Am I not allowed to be in a good mood once in a while?'

'Not this early in the morning.' Prongs murmured, stifling a yawn.

Remus was just reaching for some toast when he paused, looking down the table.

Sausages and bacon, cooked tomatoes, mushrooms, beans, fried and scrambled eggs and hot buttered toast were spread along the Gryffindor table, but …

Remus sniffed.

He couldn't smell them. Well, actually he could but only what was close to him. Strange. Twisting round in his seat he spotted some orange juice on the Ravenclaw table. He closed his eyes, focusing only on what he could smell, trying to detect the juice.

He couldn't smell anything.

Eyes snapping open, an odd feeling washed over him. What he could hear was strangely muffled and didn't Lily just say …

James and Lily watched in surprise as Remus suddenly bolted from the Hall.

*

Sirius made a speedy return to consciousness as someone or something shook him hard.

'Padfoot! Wake up!' Someone bellowed down his ear.

'Huh?' Bleary eyed, he sat up and stopped in mid yawn as he noticed Remus.

Completely breathless, Remus was fidgeting as though he had far too much energy. Bright eyes and a stunned half smile on his face made him temporarily unrecognisable.

'You okay, Moony?'

'Yes! Well, I think so. What about you?'

'Groggy.' He lay back on the pillows. 'Jeez, I feel rough.'

'Pretty normal for a werewolf.' Whispered Remus.

Sirius stared, open-mouthed.

*

It took a little while before the news sunk in. And although it seemed almost impossible, Sirius insisted that there was a simple test to prove that the spell had succeeded.

He tried to transform. Without success.

'Remus, you try it.'

He looked a little nervous.

'Does it hurt?'

'Not at all.'

'But … h-how do I do it?'

'Just concentrate on changing. It's very quick so brace yourself.'

Remus nodded and closed his eyes.

Clear your mind … focus … focus … fur coat … long muzzle … pointed ears … four paws … tail …

With a violent jolt he found himself on all fours. He yelped in shock and fell over.

He'd done it.

Sirius laughed. 'Might take you a while to get used to it.' He shook his head. 'I can't believe it! It actually worked!'

Remus scrambled back up and trotted awkwardly over to the full-length mirror.

A large shaggy black dog looked back at him, tail wagging, pink tongue lolling out of a long narrow muzzle. He looked over his shoulder at Sirius. He whimpered.

'Oh, you wanna change back?'

Nod.

'Easy, just concentrate on your human form.'

Fast as blinking, Remus stood in front of him. Well … almost. Finding himself back on two legs, he had to grab the nearest bed for support.

'Wow!' was all he could say.

*

Sirius was having a mixed reaction to his new werewolf status. His senses seemed to open up to the world. His hearing was much sharper and although Remus did make him swear that he wouldn't eavesdrop on private conversations, it wasn't easy. Remus had had several years to get used to such powerful senses. Sirius had to try and get the hang of it in a few short hours. Hearing, however, wasn't the problem.

'Gross! Something here reeks!'

'What does it smell like?'

'Not sure. Reminds me of cheese. Mouldy cheese.'

'Ah, most likely that's the pile of dirty socks under one of the second years beds.'

'Yuck!'

'My thought exactly. Oh, and you might want to stay away from the Quidditch changing rooms.'

'That bad?'

'Worse.'

'I'll take your word for it.'

Unfortunately, even though the prospect of hyper senses was fun, Sirius couldn't get worked up enough to think of a way to use them in a prank of some sort. He had a headache that wouldn't go away despite asking Madam Pomfrey for some aspirin. Spending the day in a state of lethargy wasn't what he'd bargained for.

Is this what Moony went through every month? He knew Remus got rather sickly around the full moon but he never could image what it was really like.

When he wasn't helping Sirius to adjust, Remus was determinedly having fun. For the first time in his life he felt he could do anything he wanted without the worry of exhausting himself. Energy such as he'd never had before surged through his veins as he ran to the village with Lily and back again, put a group of third years through their paces on the Quidditch pitch and won an hour and a half long snowball fight.

James, when he wasn't giving his whole attention to Lily, was (without question) getting suspicious. Who could blame him? Remus was hyperactive and apparently in perfect health while Sirius looked half asleep and strangely subdued.

Many of the other students who had opted to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas were quick to comment on the 'switch in character'.

No one realised quite how accurate that statement was.

But it certainly gave James something to think about.

*

To Be Continued …

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Authors notes

You know what? It was very lucky that I was sitting down when I checked the number of reviews I'd received otherwise I think I would have fainted! My eternal thanks to you all!! You've made me one very happy … no … ecstatic author!!! :D

*claps lots* Yay! Chocolate frogs all round for the eagle-eyed readers MagicisinmyName, bluemeanies and Lady Lupin who all noticed how ill Sirius was feeling and what it meant! *claps until hands go numb*

Erin; Sooo glad that someone liked the chanting! I was very worried about that bit!

Ithica; Um … thanks for your comments! Certainly made me laugh! :D

And I'm sorry this chapter was so short. Chapter six should make up for it though!

Next chapter will be up on Friday. The night of the full moon arrives!

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