Disclaimer: Yeah, same as first chapter.. I give credit to JK and Airin. If
you want the library scene, it's in the story Artistic Hands.
~~~~~~~
The next few nights nothing really happened. Sirius didn't disappear, and I was too busy preparing for the full moon on Monday night with Remus and James to ask him what was up. He helped us of course; there was rarely a prank that we pulled that Sirius wasn't involved in one hundred percent. He just seemed distracted at times. Remus was also distracted, but I just thought it was the coming of the full moon.
James had come up with this great plan. We were going to meet Remus in the shack as usual, then let him out. Once we got him out we were all going to head over to the Forbidden Forest. James wanted a look at the Centaurs, and I couldn't wait to see how they reacted to Remus. I've always wondered if werewolves would bring out the same reaction in something half- human. But I didn't tell the others that.
Sunday night rolled around and Sirius tried to nonchalantly leave the commons room. However James beat him to the portrait hole. Remus and I looked up from the potions assignment he was tutoring me through. I've always been awful at potions. James wouldn't let Sirius pass.
"And where are you going?" He leaned back casually, with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Sirius just stared at him, and then trying to sound as casual as James answered back.
"I have a date. Why do you care?"
"Because for almost a month you have been leaving to see some mysterious girl, and you haven't told me who she is yet. And for you to be in a relationship this long, and not tell me a thing about her seems really odd. So who is it? Are you ashamed of her?" A teasing smile crosses his face. "It's Bertha isn't it?" Sirius blushes at his speech and James laughs at him. "It is her! Isn't it?"
Sirius gets a hold of his tongue and laughs with him. "Hell no! Please James, even I have better taste then that." I reframe from mentioning that he isn't know for being picky when it comes to the female gender.
"Then who is it? I want to know." James was not about to be distracted from his original goal. Sirius just sighed and looked at the ground, shuffling his feet slightly. I was amazed by this somewhat humbled version of Padfoot. He mumbled something to low for us to hear, but Prongs got it and burst into laughter. Sirius just blushed a little deeper. Remus and I exchanged glances. Prongs grinned madly and let Sirius go finally.
The minute James sat back down at our table Remus and I were on him.
"What happened what did he say?" I asked.
"James, what was so funny, why'd you let him go?" Remus questioned right after me.
Then we exchanged another look and asked at the same time, "IS it Bertha?"
James sat through our questions still grinning like the Cheshire cat in that muggle book Alice in Wonderland. When we finished he laughed again, and we had to wait until he had recovered to get out answers.
"No, it's not Bertha. It seems the mystery girl is ashamed of him!" He and I broke out in laughter over the odd circumstances. Remus just looked surprised. After Prongs and I had calmed down Remus just looked at us. Finally it got too much for me to stand.
"Moony, what is it?"
"I just don't think it's funny. I can't imagine why anyone would be ashamed of dating Sirius. I mean he's." then he blushed and looked away. James gave me a puzzled glance. Remus caught it out of the side of his eye, and turned back to me. "Umm, don't you think we should get back to your assignment Wormtail? It's due tomorrow, and Chandrick'll likely strangle you if you turn another one in late."
Shrugging away his odd behavior and telling myself it was just the almost full moon; we went back to my assignment on the Seeing Air Potion. Why anyone would want to see air was beyond me. It took Remus awhile to explain that it was actually a potion to cause blindness. Some wizard with an odd sense of humor created it, and so therefore got to name it.
We all waited up for Sirius to get back, and when he did James jumped up and blocked his way. Sirius stood as James walked around him, looking him up and down.
"Hmm.. for how much time you spend with her, you sure aren't showing any. umm.. signs.. of having fun." Sirius blushes, I chuckled, and Remus tried to ignore the conversation.
"Yeah well, you can't see her now can you?" James just smirked at him.
"No wonder you've been so quiet about this girl. She's not willing to give ya any. Poor Padfoot, first time you've had anyone you've like refuse you isn't it?" Sirius just blushed deeper and looked away.
"Look James, I'm not going to have this conversation. Goodnight." With that he pushed past James and stormed up to our dormitory. James looked at me and shrugged, and we followed Sirius up and with an unusual tension all went to bed.
The next night I was pacing in the commons room waiting for the three of them to get back from the library. I stole a quick glance out the window. Almost sunset. Where were they? Surely Remus wouldn't be so stupid as to wait. Not when he knows the danger of what he is. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and managed to run into a couple of first years, and one group of second years. I muttered hasty apologies to them, and continued my pacing. Another glance out. The sun was setting. Still no sign of them. Just when I was about to burst James, Sirius and Lilly burst in through the portrait hole.
"Where the bloody hell were you guys! I've been waiting here for hours." James made a face at me, then with a pointed look at Lilly nodded towards our room. Lilly noticed the nod and looked at us..
"What's going on you guys, why did you run out the Library so fast? And what happened to Remus?"
James just made an apologetic smile at her and grabbed my arm dragging me up to the room, yelling back at her. "Sorry Lil, marauders business." Then slammed the door.
I dragged my arm out of his grasp and faced the two of them. "Ok, now where were you? You know we were supposed to meet here earlier."
"Sorry Wormtail, got caught up in the library talking to Snape." I looked at him in shock.
"With Snape? You bloody well left me here waiting for you so you could socialize with that brainless git?" Immediately Sirius' face contorted in anger.
"He's not a brainless git, he's much better at potions then you'll ever be!" I just blinked. Sirius, defending Snape? That's not supposed to happen. James also looked sort of surprised, but then looked out the window.
"Look guys, we're already to late to be there when the change happens. Moony is already changing, look the moon's up." He pointed out the window. "Are you guy ready to go?"
Sirius and I both nodded, not looking at each other.
James reached into his trunk to pull out his invisibility cloak. "Wormtail, your turn."
I sighed and transferred down into my rat form while Sirius and James looked on. James reached down and put me on his shoulder while wrapping the cloak around us. We discovered that it's much easier to have two bodies under the cloak instead of three, so me being the smallest got to ride. They walked out of the dorm, and through the portrait hole under the cloak. The fat lady didn't even blink as we passed, she was so used to kids sneaking out. And she knew enough not to call attention to the fact that no one was there.
We walked to the statue that led to the underground passage to Hogsmeade. It led us into the cellar under Honeyduke's. It was easy to get out of there after they were closed. They had protection spells to keep people out, not in. And when we go back to Hogwarts, we use the passage from the shrieking shack. Figure it's best not to sneak up on a werewolf. By now we were late.
As we approached we could hear Remus wailing. James' set me down. "Ok, you guys go in, I'll be waiting here. It sounds like he's mad tonight, so be careful."
Sirius glared back at him "Of course we will. We're not entirely brainless." He glanced at me. "At least, I'm not." I squeaked from my position, but James just shrugged, and they both transformed.
We approached the door and I stood on Sirius head and managed to pry the door open. Yes it would be easier to do this as a human, but we didn't want to take the risk that Remus had gotten out of his room, or that someone might see and recognize one of us. So Padfoot and I entered while Prongs stood guard.
The howls above us lessened a little as Moony caught our scent. Again I opened the door to the room he was locked in while Sirius stood ready to tackle the werewolf if it ran out the door.
I managed to open the door faster then usual, and Remus bolted out of the room. Padfoot wasn't quite ready for him, and Remus managed to get past him. He shoots past him out the open door.
Sirius and I run out of the house as fast as we can, Sirius making it out before me. The picture before me as I burst out of the house is bad. Moony stands in the center, being circle by Prongs and Padfoot. I can hear their mental pleas to him. And through the connection with Moony I can feel the fight between the wolf and the human. The hunger takes over for a sec and he makes to charge Prongs, but as he is about to leap over him and head into the village, Sirius tackles him and drags him to the ground.
Sirius makes whining noises in the back of his throat, and this seems to calm Moony down. I walk up the rest of the group, and Sirius sensing my approach growls at me.
I stop, being much smaller then the other, I'm careful around them. I'm confused, why does Sirius seem to be mad at me? Prongs steps between us, and lowers his head. I scramble up onto him, resting between his antlers. Padfoot nudges Moony with his nose, and Moony responds by licking it. The dog and the wolf disentangle themselves and Prongs motions towards the forest.
We run, all problems forgotten, as we become a pack. We head towards the forest, and break through the trees and underbrush. We roam, searching out the centaurs, but we do not find any the entire night. Disappointed we head back, Remus going up to his room, and us sneaking back in through the secret passage under the Shack.
Once we are in the passage James and Sirius transform back, and we head back to our room under cover of the cloak. Once in the safety of our room, I transform also, and immediately Sirius starts yelling at me.
"What the bloody hell were you doing back there? Remus almost got out, and it's your fault!"
"Wait, how is it my fault? Because you weren't being careful? I can't control a werewolf as a rat! That's for you and James!"
"Hey, don't bring me into this, I wasn't in the room this time." James protests.
"Peter, you let him out to soon. You should have checked if I was ready."
"You looked ready. What, am I supposed to be able to read minds now?" James joins in.
"Well, perhaps you could have signaled or something?" I turn to him. Of course he'd stand up for Sirius, everyone stands up for Sirius.
"I thought you didn't want to be involved?"
"Leave him alone! This was your fault! Remus really could have hurt someone, and then think how he'd feel when he woke up. He'd be crushed, and it would be your fault."
"Fine, it was my fault. I don't care. I'm going to sleep."
We all went to bed. Sirius mad at me. James mad and disappointed because we didn't see the centaurs. Me angry and disappointed because maybe my friends weren't as great as I thought they were. ~~~~~~~~~ Author's Note: Ok people, if you've read the story, I want you to click on that little button that says review. Please. even if you hated it, I'd like to know why. Thanks.
The next few nights nothing really happened. Sirius didn't disappear, and I was too busy preparing for the full moon on Monday night with Remus and James to ask him what was up. He helped us of course; there was rarely a prank that we pulled that Sirius wasn't involved in one hundred percent. He just seemed distracted at times. Remus was also distracted, but I just thought it was the coming of the full moon.
James had come up with this great plan. We were going to meet Remus in the shack as usual, then let him out. Once we got him out we were all going to head over to the Forbidden Forest. James wanted a look at the Centaurs, and I couldn't wait to see how they reacted to Remus. I've always wondered if werewolves would bring out the same reaction in something half- human. But I didn't tell the others that.
Sunday night rolled around and Sirius tried to nonchalantly leave the commons room. However James beat him to the portrait hole. Remus and I looked up from the potions assignment he was tutoring me through. I've always been awful at potions. James wouldn't let Sirius pass.
"And where are you going?" He leaned back casually, with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Sirius just stared at him, and then trying to sound as casual as James answered back.
"I have a date. Why do you care?"
"Because for almost a month you have been leaving to see some mysterious girl, and you haven't told me who she is yet. And for you to be in a relationship this long, and not tell me a thing about her seems really odd. So who is it? Are you ashamed of her?" A teasing smile crosses his face. "It's Bertha isn't it?" Sirius blushes at his speech and James laughs at him. "It is her! Isn't it?"
Sirius gets a hold of his tongue and laughs with him. "Hell no! Please James, even I have better taste then that." I reframe from mentioning that he isn't know for being picky when it comes to the female gender.
"Then who is it? I want to know." James was not about to be distracted from his original goal. Sirius just sighed and looked at the ground, shuffling his feet slightly. I was amazed by this somewhat humbled version of Padfoot. He mumbled something to low for us to hear, but Prongs got it and burst into laughter. Sirius just blushed a little deeper. Remus and I exchanged glances. Prongs grinned madly and let Sirius go finally.
The minute James sat back down at our table Remus and I were on him.
"What happened what did he say?" I asked.
"James, what was so funny, why'd you let him go?" Remus questioned right after me.
Then we exchanged another look and asked at the same time, "IS it Bertha?"
James sat through our questions still grinning like the Cheshire cat in that muggle book Alice in Wonderland. When we finished he laughed again, and we had to wait until he had recovered to get out answers.
"No, it's not Bertha. It seems the mystery girl is ashamed of him!" He and I broke out in laughter over the odd circumstances. Remus just looked surprised. After Prongs and I had calmed down Remus just looked at us. Finally it got too much for me to stand.
"Moony, what is it?"
"I just don't think it's funny. I can't imagine why anyone would be ashamed of dating Sirius. I mean he's." then he blushed and looked away. James gave me a puzzled glance. Remus caught it out of the side of his eye, and turned back to me. "Umm, don't you think we should get back to your assignment Wormtail? It's due tomorrow, and Chandrick'll likely strangle you if you turn another one in late."
Shrugging away his odd behavior and telling myself it was just the almost full moon; we went back to my assignment on the Seeing Air Potion. Why anyone would want to see air was beyond me. It took Remus awhile to explain that it was actually a potion to cause blindness. Some wizard with an odd sense of humor created it, and so therefore got to name it.
We all waited up for Sirius to get back, and when he did James jumped up and blocked his way. Sirius stood as James walked around him, looking him up and down.
"Hmm.. for how much time you spend with her, you sure aren't showing any. umm.. signs.. of having fun." Sirius blushes, I chuckled, and Remus tried to ignore the conversation.
"Yeah well, you can't see her now can you?" James just smirked at him.
"No wonder you've been so quiet about this girl. She's not willing to give ya any. Poor Padfoot, first time you've had anyone you've like refuse you isn't it?" Sirius just blushed deeper and looked away.
"Look James, I'm not going to have this conversation. Goodnight." With that he pushed past James and stormed up to our dormitory. James looked at me and shrugged, and we followed Sirius up and with an unusual tension all went to bed.
The next night I was pacing in the commons room waiting for the three of them to get back from the library. I stole a quick glance out the window. Almost sunset. Where were they? Surely Remus wouldn't be so stupid as to wait. Not when he knows the danger of what he is. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and managed to run into a couple of first years, and one group of second years. I muttered hasty apologies to them, and continued my pacing. Another glance out. The sun was setting. Still no sign of them. Just when I was about to burst James, Sirius and Lilly burst in through the portrait hole.
"Where the bloody hell were you guys! I've been waiting here for hours." James made a face at me, then with a pointed look at Lilly nodded towards our room. Lilly noticed the nod and looked at us..
"What's going on you guys, why did you run out the Library so fast? And what happened to Remus?"
James just made an apologetic smile at her and grabbed my arm dragging me up to the room, yelling back at her. "Sorry Lil, marauders business." Then slammed the door.
I dragged my arm out of his grasp and faced the two of them. "Ok, now where were you? You know we were supposed to meet here earlier."
"Sorry Wormtail, got caught up in the library talking to Snape." I looked at him in shock.
"With Snape? You bloody well left me here waiting for you so you could socialize with that brainless git?" Immediately Sirius' face contorted in anger.
"He's not a brainless git, he's much better at potions then you'll ever be!" I just blinked. Sirius, defending Snape? That's not supposed to happen. James also looked sort of surprised, but then looked out the window.
"Look guys, we're already to late to be there when the change happens. Moony is already changing, look the moon's up." He pointed out the window. "Are you guy ready to go?"
Sirius and I both nodded, not looking at each other.
James reached into his trunk to pull out his invisibility cloak. "Wormtail, your turn."
I sighed and transferred down into my rat form while Sirius and James looked on. James reached down and put me on his shoulder while wrapping the cloak around us. We discovered that it's much easier to have two bodies under the cloak instead of three, so me being the smallest got to ride. They walked out of the dorm, and through the portrait hole under the cloak. The fat lady didn't even blink as we passed, she was so used to kids sneaking out. And she knew enough not to call attention to the fact that no one was there.
We walked to the statue that led to the underground passage to Hogsmeade. It led us into the cellar under Honeyduke's. It was easy to get out of there after they were closed. They had protection spells to keep people out, not in. And when we go back to Hogwarts, we use the passage from the shrieking shack. Figure it's best not to sneak up on a werewolf. By now we were late.
As we approached we could hear Remus wailing. James' set me down. "Ok, you guys go in, I'll be waiting here. It sounds like he's mad tonight, so be careful."
Sirius glared back at him "Of course we will. We're not entirely brainless." He glanced at me. "At least, I'm not." I squeaked from my position, but James just shrugged, and they both transformed.
We approached the door and I stood on Sirius head and managed to pry the door open. Yes it would be easier to do this as a human, but we didn't want to take the risk that Remus had gotten out of his room, or that someone might see and recognize one of us. So Padfoot and I entered while Prongs stood guard.
The howls above us lessened a little as Moony caught our scent. Again I opened the door to the room he was locked in while Sirius stood ready to tackle the werewolf if it ran out the door.
I managed to open the door faster then usual, and Remus bolted out of the room. Padfoot wasn't quite ready for him, and Remus managed to get past him. He shoots past him out the open door.
Sirius and I run out of the house as fast as we can, Sirius making it out before me. The picture before me as I burst out of the house is bad. Moony stands in the center, being circle by Prongs and Padfoot. I can hear their mental pleas to him. And through the connection with Moony I can feel the fight between the wolf and the human. The hunger takes over for a sec and he makes to charge Prongs, but as he is about to leap over him and head into the village, Sirius tackles him and drags him to the ground.
Sirius makes whining noises in the back of his throat, and this seems to calm Moony down. I walk up the rest of the group, and Sirius sensing my approach growls at me.
I stop, being much smaller then the other, I'm careful around them. I'm confused, why does Sirius seem to be mad at me? Prongs steps between us, and lowers his head. I scramble up onto him, resting between his antlers. Padfoot nudges Moony with his nose, and Moony responds by licking it. The dog and the wolf disentangle themselves and Prongs motions towards the forest.
We run, all problems forgotten, as we become a pack. We head towards the forest, and break through the trees and underbrush. We roam, searching out the centaurs, but we do not find any the entire night. Disappointed we head back, Remus going up to his room, and us sneaking back in through the secret passage under the Shack.
Once we are in the passage James and Sirius transform back, and we head back to our room under cover of the cloak. Once in the safety of our room, I transform also, and immediately Sirius starts yelling at me.
"What the bloody hell were you doing back there? Remus almost got out, and it's your fault!"
"Wait, how is it my fault? Because you weren't being careful? I can't control a werewolf as a rat! That's for you and James!"
"Hey, don't bring me into this, I wasn't in the room this time." James protests.
"Peter, you let him out to soon. You should have checked if I was ready."
"You looked ready. What, am I supposed to be able to read minds now?" James joins in.
"Well, perhaps you could have signaled or something?" I turn to him. Of course he'd stand up for Sirius, everyone stands up for Sirius.
"I thought you didn't want to be involved?"
"Leave him alone! This was your fault! Remus really could have hurt someone, and then think how he'd feel when he woke up. He'd be crushed, and it would be your fault."
"Fine, it was my fault. I don't care. I'm going to sleep."
We all went to bed. Sirius mad at me. James mad and disappointed because we didn't see the centaurs. Me angry and disappointed because maybe my friends weren't as great as I thought they were. ~~~~~~~~~ Author's Note: Ok people, if you've read the story, I want you to click on that little button that says review. Please. even if you hated it, I'd like to know why. Thanks.
