They were leaving Charms the next week when James noticed that one of his friends didn't seem quite right. "Remus, are you okay?"

Remus looked rather alarmingly pale. "Yeah, yeah... I'll be okay. I'm just going to go up to the Infirmary fast, okay?"

"We'll go with you, then." James offered.

"No! No, I don't want to be a bother. I'll catch up with you." Remus replied.

"If you're sure," James hesitated. Should he just let it go? Remus didn't seem to want company, but if he was really sick... "See you at dinner?"

"Yeah," Remus called as he darted off.

"I hope there's nothing really wrong with him!" Peter looked anxious.

"Yeah. I mean, he's uptight sometimes, but he's a

nice kid," Sirius added.



James was getting worried. Dinner was now almost over, and Remus had yet to appear.

"Where's Remus?" Lily asked suddenly.

"Did he get wise and ditch you three?" Lyria joked.

"He said he didn't feel quite right after Charms, so he ran up to the Hospital Wing," Sirius explained.

"But he said he'd meet us at dinner." James added. "And he's not here yet."

"You don't think he's really sick, do you?" Lyri

asked.

"Yeah, he'll be alright, won't he?" Lily put in with a worried expression.

"Of course he'll be okay!" Sirius said.

"Why don't we go see him? Dinner's over," James suggested.

"Let's go. Maybe it'll cheer him up," Lily replied.

The group of five hurried down to the Infirmary.



Madam Pomfrey halted them at the door. "What's wrong? Who's hurt?"

Sirius put on his best nice boy look. "No one's hurt, ma'am. Our friend came down sick earlier, and we just wanted to see him..."

"Who's your friend?" She demanded.

"Remus Lupin," they chorused.

Madam Pomfrey's expression softened. "Oh. Yes.

The poor dear came down in the afternoon. I'm going to

keep him overnight. You can see him tomorrow."

"But he's okay?" Lily asked.

"Oh yes, dear," Madam Pomfrey assured her. "He'll be quite alright."

They headed up to their common room, defeated.

"We've got to go see him tomorrow morning," James insisted.

"Right. Before breakfast, we'll run down." Sirius replied.

"Before breakfast?" Peter whined.

"It wouldn't kill you, Peter," James told him. "After all, if he doesn't get better you'll never be able to get your homework done."

The next morning, James was awakened by Sirius' shaking. "Come on! Get up and get dressed so we can see Remus."

James hopped out of bed and hurried to get ready. He didn't bother to brush his hair- not that it made a difference- simply got dressed and headed off.

Madam Pomfrey once again met them at the door. "Head to breakfast," she told them kindly. "Your friend will be just fine, and he'll meet you in class."

They obeyed. James felt weird, sitting around without Remus. He'd gotten used to having the quieter boy around.

Lily and Lyria joined them at breakfast. "Still no

Remus?" Lily asked.

"Not yet," James replied sadly.

Just then Remus enetered the hall, carrying his things for class and looking only a bit paler and more tired than usual. "Hey everyone," he greeted them as he sat down.

"Remus! You're back!" Peter cried.

"Ever the obeservant one," Sirius muttered to James. James grinned, grateful his friend was alright and back again.