Ooooh, well, wasn't that dandy? Hmm. That's a random word. Dandy. Oh well....on with the fic....

Disclaimer: Yada yada, if you think I invented these, you must be from another planet.

Brief Goodbyes

"I cant believe you got out of detention, AGAIN!" howled James as the four walked down the corridor to the Great Hall.

"Every cloud has it's silver lining, James," said Peter, scuttling along just behind them.

"Yeah, and every silver lining has its cloud." Remus said gloomily. Despite his escape from Defence Against the Dark Arts detention, he was rather depressed. Sirius gave his friend a little nudge.

"Don't worry mate, you wont be missing all that much," he said, as kindly as he could.

"Yeah, its just that time of the month, eh Moony?" laughed James, reaching over and tugging Remus' hair. Remus faked a bite at his friend's hand.

"I'll give you time of the month, you littl-"

"Remus, are you going to have anything to eat before you go?" asked Peter hurriedly. He hated being caught up in conflict.

"Nah. I need to get there before the moon is out," said Remus, distracted. "I'll eat when I'm there, it'll keep me amused."

"Y'know, I'll come with -" Sirius began immediately.

"No! No, Sirius," said Remus firmly. "You have to be here. What about Skye?"

"Yeah, but - "

"Prongs, you are, in no way, going to stand up possibly the best looking girl in the year, to go watch Moony chew an old table leg again!" said James impatiently. "And besides, you wouldn't leave me and Evans with Wormy and his batty bird, are you?"

"Hey!" said Peter indignantly. "What gives?"

Sirius grinned. "Well, if you put it like that..." They reached the Entrance Hall.

"See you later Moony!" called James, already heading towards the Great Hall.

"Bye Remus! Said Peter, hurrying after James, leaving Sirius and Remus alone in the Hall.

"Are you - "

"yes! For Gods sake Padfoot, I'll be ok. You go! I expect a full summary of your date with Skye, and unless you hurry up, you'll miss it." Remus said, exasperated.

"Alright, give over. I'll give you all the juicy details another time."

"Bye." Remus turned with a wave and set off through the grounds. S watched him for a minute, and then raced after his other friends.

***

Remus walked quietly through the grounds. It was weird, walking on his own when he had just got used to having his friends with him. Sirius, James and Peter had only accomplished becoming Anamagi at the end of last year, and it had made the monthly ordeal of his transformations a little easier.

He passed Hagrid's hut, and was sorely tempted to drop in and talk to him, but he couldn't risk it. He needed to be out of human range before dark, And the sun was already going down.

He reached the Whomping Willow, and not having Peter to freeze the tree, he had to go a little way into the forest to get a stick long enough to safely reach the knot. The tree froze, and Remus scrambled under the roots.

***

"What're you wearing, anyway?" asked Peter, his mouth full of cheesecake.

"Duh, dress robes," said Sirius, absent mindedly bewitching some roasted chestnuts to fly in circles around them. "Mine are a really dark blue, almost black."

"Mine are a darkish green," said James, snatching some of the chestnuts out of the air and throwing them at a passing Slytherin first year. "To match Evans' eyes."

"You bought new dress robes, just for this?!" spluttered Peter, almost choking.

"Well, I needed new ones anyway," said James in a bored voice, flicking a nut at Peter's nose. "What're yours like?" "Ughh, they're this sort of watery blue. They're the only ones that fitted." Peter was rather short and stumpy.

"Ah, well, I'm sure your Darling Sybill's will be worse," said Sirius, summoning the remaining nuts and eating them. "They're probable puce."

"Lovely. Well, c'mon, we better get ready," James was watching Lilly and Skye prance out of the hall, chatting animatedly. "We cant be late for our girls..."

***

Remus went round the shack, locking all the windows and doors, and checking there was no way in from Hogsmeade. He shuddered to think what would happen if somebody should somehow get in while he was..

He paused by the door to the passageway. He could hear rats and mice scrabbling around just behind it. It must be getting dark, he though. Soon he'd -

Moonlight shone in through the window.

Remus suddenly doubled over in pain. His head ached and throbbed and his mind went blank. All he was aware of was his heart racing, and -

All his body was blazing with pain, as fur sprouted and his bones shifted. He threw himself on the floor, screaming and writhing and snarling in agony, as his skull lengthened into long, pointed jaws..

The pain subsided, and the werewolf looked up. He uncurled on the floor and lay there, panting, for a minute. Then he dragged himself up and hobbled over to an ancient four poster bed with tattered hangings, and leant against it. A spider ran across the moth eaten pillow, and Remus pounced. Losing the spider, he sank is fangs deep into the sagged pillow, and ripped it to shreds, furiously chasing the flying feathers through the Shack.

He stopped abruptly outside the passage door, his head still, scenting the air. His ears twitched. He could hear mice in the passageway. He growled. Prey. He let out a bloodthirsty howl, and threw himself at the door. It shook and creaked violently, but stayed shut. Bellowing with impatience and rage, he slammed his weight against it again. It creaked even more and cracked slightly. Remus lurched onto his back legs and thudded against the door, scrabbling at it with his paws. A claw caught the latch, and when he dived on the door again, it burst open, and Remus bounded, snapping, into the open passageway, bent on destruction.