The Marauders: In the Beginning
Chapter Six: An End or a Beginning?



Disclaimer: All HP characters were created by J. K. Rowling, not me. She's bloody brilliant (Ack! Not more movie quotes!).

A/N: Another chapter is finally up, and I'm working on writing more. I apologize for not adding them sooner, but after going out of town recently I've been trying to get caught up again in school, and it's taking up a lot of my time. Thank you for the encouraging reviews, however. I'd really appreciate more! *hint, hint* ^^;;;



Remus was still slipping in and out of consciousness. It felt as though he wasn't really there, like he was just standing by and watching while his friends strained and pulled with all their might, dragging his body back to the castle. Like he was seeing himself through someone else's eyes. Yes, that was it... that would explain why his arms and legs hung limp; surely that was why he couldn't move them, no matter how he tried...

"Remus!" called Sirius urgently. "Remus, please! You've got to wake up!"

"What d'you think happened to him back there?" asked James, who had gone very pale.

Remus stirred. When he finally opened his eyes, he felt very weak. His head was swimming. But he was no longer outside. He was in the hospital wing. "James?" he managed to say. "Sirius?"

Sirius gave a shout. "I - I think he's beginning to come around!"

Remus struggled to sit up, but could barely lift his head. He blinked. It was morning. "You... you came?" he choked out once he realized that neither of his friends had been hurt as a result of the adventure. James nodded; he couldn't think of any possible reason why Remus would be upset. But he was. He glared at James and Sirius, going very pale as his body twitched painfully. He said through gritted teeth, "You should have listened to me. You should have just left it alone."

Sirius stared. "What? Remus, you don't understand! Something could've happened! It's lucky James and I got there in time!"

Remus leaned back on his pillow. It was all coming together. He looked up as Dumbledore approached. "On the contrary," said the old wizard. "On the contrary, boys, it is most unfortunate." He sighed wearily. "The two of you had no idea what you were meddling in."

"Please, sir," James spoke up. "If we could just get a chance to explain - see, we saved him - and if we hadn't gotten there - sir, I think he's been hurt by something - and what do you mean meddling?" He said this all very fast, his mind filled with questions. He wished the room would stop spinning. All of this was a bit of a shock for him, and he was beginning to feel dizzy.

After some time, Dumbledore sat down in a chair near Remus' bed, and motioned for the other two to do the same. "You may want to take a seat," said Dumbledore. He looked at Remus, though continued to address his classmates. "I'm afraid - Mr. Potter, Mr. Black - that the two of you have learned far too much already for us to pretend nothing's happened. So I might as well explain everything to you, though I ask you to keep it between us. It is very important. The staff all know about it, of course, but among students, no one else is to know."

Remus gave in, nodding. "I understand, sir," he said. "It's... it's alright." He stared down at his blankets, deliberately trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone. In a few moments, nothing would matter. Even if they did keep his secret... he was about to lose the only friends he'd ever really had, and after such a short time...

"They're going to think I'm a monster," Remus thought to himself bitterly. He swallowed and blinked fiercely, but his throat was painfully dry and his eyes were stinging. "...They're going to know I'm a monster." He didn't want them to know the truth. He didn't want Dumbledore to explain.

But Dumbledore did explain.

He explained everything, while James and Sirius sat perfectly still and silent, wide-eyed, attempting to take everything in all at once. They listened attentatively while Dumbledore told them how Remus had wandered off into the woods when he was very young. He'd gotten lost, crying out for his parents, but they didn't hear him. Something else did.

He explained how Remus had received the bite that very night, and how ever since then they'd had to lock him up at the full moon, how no other decent wizarding school wanted to take him. He explained about Remus' behavior. Why he got sick so much. The Whomping Willow, the old boarded-up shack. Remus did not move, nor did he look up again. He just sat there in bed, furious at himself, ashamed of the truth. Every now and then he'd have to squeeze his eyes shut and remind himself to breathe, still feeling quite sick as the lasting effects of the transformation slowly wore off.



Remus remained in the hospital wing for two long days. He had frequently experienced lonliness throughout his childhood; when he wasn't in the company of his family, he'd been by himself, so of course by now he was accustomed to solitude. And he didn't expect any visitors - how could he? It just wasn't reasonable. But somehow, when no one came, he felt more alone than he had in years.

On the final day, Miss Pomfrey, the nurse, took his temperature one last time. Swishing her wand, a line of glittering red symbols appeared over Remus' head. "According to this, your fever's gone down," she sighed. Another flick of the wrist and the symbols vanished into her wand. Her expression changed, and she asked sympathetically, "Is it always this bad, dear?"

Remus considered for a moment before answering.

"No," he said finally, not meeting her eyes. "It's never been quite this bad before."

"Well, if you're feeling up to it, you can head on back to class today," she said. "Come to think of it, maybe you'd better head to the Great Hall now for breakfast. Unless you'd rather get a bit more rest, if you ask me it's much too soon, the nerve of those teachers wanting you back in class so early--"

"I'll be fine, Miss Pomfrey," said Remus, forcing a laugh. "Really. I've gotten more than enough rest. But thanks anyway."

Later, sitting alone at breakfast, Remus hardly expected to be approached. As he moved his food around on the plate, someone tapped him on the shoulder, and he jumped about a foot in the air.

"Hey, sorry mate, didn't mean to scare you."

Grinning down at him were none other than James Potter and Sirius Black.