Chapter 4
Up in the boys dorm James silently pulled the curtains around Remus' bed a little bit open. Through the small opening he saw the sleeping form of his friend.
"He's asleep."
Sirius peeped over James' shoulder.
"He looks worse than I've ever seen him and it's not even the night before the full moon. I think we're gonna get a lot of trouble with him tomorrow night."
"Yeah, good thing Padfoot looks like the grim or else I would have to control him on my own."
"Poor Prongs."
"Well, be honest but you're no real help Wormtail."
"Well no but....."
"Why did you pick a rat, out of all animals, anyway? You knew it wasn't big enough to control a werewolf."
"Maybe because he looks like a rat, even in his human form."
Sirius chuckled, he couldn't laugh because he was afraid to wake up Remus.
"Why are you always picking on me?"
"We're not always picking on you, just when we don't have anyone else to pick on, like Snivellus."
"Oh, just leave it. Come on lets get out of here so Remus can sleep in peace. It's a wonder he hasn't woken up yet with you're loud voices."
"Oke, you're the leader Prongs. Come on Wormtail."
They walked down the stairs with James in front. The common room was almost completely empty, except for two girls.
"Hé guys, how's Remus?"
"He's asleep."
"Is something wrong with him, he's sick every month."
"Just a bad immune system. That's all."
But Lily couldn't help but notice the nerves expressions on the boys' faces. If Bella had seen those, she didn't let them notice 'cause she changed the subject.
"So when's the first Hogmeade weekend?"
"October 28th ."
"Learned it by hart, Sirius?"
"Yeah, can't wait to get to Zonko's."
"Grow up Padfoot, there more things to Hogmeade then Zonko's."
"Name two and you'll get 10 gallions."
"Three Broomsticks and the Shrieking Shack! Now here with that money!"
"Oke, you got me." Sirius said while giving James the money."
"Speaking of the Shrieking Shack, you really think it's hunted?" Bella asked.
"Yeah, we sneaked out of school once and heard the ghosts partying."
"Are you serious? I wouldn't want to go in there for the world."
"No I'm Sirius, he's James. And you can't get in there, Lily." (A/N: I know it's lame, but I just couldn't resist.)
"Lame (A/N: See I told you it was lame.) and how do you know, Sirius?"
"We tried it enough times. But all the entrances are blocked."
"And why would you want to go in to that hunted place?"
"To party with the ghosts of course."
The other four bursted out laughing, and Sirius soon followed.
"Very funny Padfoot. The real reason we wanted to go in, is to see how it looked like from the in side."
"That sounds more believable."
Suddenly there was the sound of footsteps and Remus walked in to the room.
"Could you please keep it down?"
"Sorry Moony, here take my chair, I'll just sit on the ground."
"Thanks Prongs."
James got up and sat down again only now at Sirius feet, who was sitting right next to Lily. They sat there talking for a while, till they noticed Remus was asleep again.
"Come on Padfoot, lets get him to bed and than we'll go down for lunch."
Sirius and James got up and brought Remus back to bed.
~~~~~~
After they sat down at Gryffindor table, they got a lot of question where Remus was.
"Where's Mr. Lupin?"
It was Professor McGonagall who asked and James who answerd.
"He's up in the dorms sleeping. He was really tired, but of course you know why."
"Allright than, but make sure he eats something as soon as he wakes up."
"We will, Professor, we will."
"So there is something wrong with Remus."
"Drop it Lily, please."
"No James, I want to know what is wrong with Remus."
"Lily please, not here. It's not something you'd want the whole world to know."
For the first time that Lily could remember, Sirius Back actually looked serious.
"Oke, I'll drop it, but only if you promise to tell as soon as were alone."
"I'm not gonna promise anything, 'cause we promised Remus not to tell."
"You might not promise Padfoot, but I will. I know we promised Remus, but they'll just figure out what is wrong, just like we did. It'll be a lot easier if we just told them, and it's saves us a lot of trouble."
"If you put it that way, but I don't want to be the one that tells Remus, we told these two."
"I promised so I'll also tell Remus. And anyway, Snivellus knows too, thanks to you, and we can trust Lily and Bella."
"Snape knows?"
"Yeah, thanks to Padfoot, but Dumbledore made him swear never to tell anyone or he would be in big trouble."
"Dumbledore made him swear not to tell? Then it must be something big."
"Well not big, it's just that if it comes out, Remus will probably have to leave the school."
"Are you ready, 'cause I can't wait any longer, I want to know what is going on."
"Come on than."
"But I'm still hungry."
"Come on Padfoot, when Moony wakes up will sneak to the kitchen and to get you and Moony some food."
They left the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. After what seemed like forever James finely opened a door that led into an empty classroom.
"Why did we have to come here, if there are so many empty classrooms?"
"Because, Lily, hardly anyone come here, and I don't want to be overheard."
"Oke, now spill it."
"Not before you promise that, what I'm about to say, will not leave this room, Bella."
"Of course we promise, won't we Bella."
"Yeah, we promise. Now tell what is wrong with Remus."
"A little impatient are we?"
"Just get on with it."
"Oke, oke, keep your shirt on. Sirius you keep an eye on the map and if someone comes, say it."
"Oke Prongs, you're the boss."
"You really take this serious, don't you."
"We just don't want to lose our friend, that's all."
"So what is wrong with Remus, that should be kept so secret?"
"Well, oke. You two noticed that Remus is sick a lot, every month to be precise. Well, he's always sick at a specific time of the month...."
"No, he's not sick at a specific time of the month, it varies every time."
"So does the full moon, Lily."
"What do you mean?"
"Remus is a werewolf. Every full moon he goes to the Shrieking Shack to transform."
"So the shack isn't hunted, but it's Remus the people hear."
"Yeah, but we have to keep up the hunted story to protect Remus. If the rest of the school finds out, he will have to go, 'cause no parent would want their kid to go to school with a werewolf."
"Your right, no parent would and that wouldn't be the same reason for his nickname Moony, wouldn't it?"
"Well, it just happens to be the reason why we call him Moony."
"Would you please, please tell me how you got your nicknames?"
James looked at the others.
"Should we?"
"Well, if they know this much, why not tell them everything, they promised not to tell."
"Oke, thanks. Well you know our nicknames, Peter is Wormtail, Sirius is Padfoot and I'm Prongs. We thought of the names because we became animagi so we could be with Remus when he becomes a werewolf."
"Animagi? That's really impressive, it take most wizards half there lives to become one, not to mention the registration. What kind of animals do you become?"
"Well, we aren't really registered. And for your question, Peter becomes a rat, Sirius a dog, and I'm a stag."
"Not registered, as in illegal?"
"Yeah, not even Dumbledore knows."
"You know that what your doing is really danger...."
But she was cut of by Sirius, who was still looking at a map.
"McGonagall!"
A/N: I'd like to thank ScuzMoll for putting me on his/her favourite authors list.
Up in the boys dorm James silently pulled the curtains around Remus' bed a little bit open. Through the small opening he saw the sleeping form of his friend.
"He's asleep."
Sirius peeped over James' shoulder.
"He looks worse than I've ever seen him and it's not even the night before the full moon. I think we're gonna get a lot of trouble with him tomorrow night."
"Yeah, good thing Padfoot looks like the grim or else I would have to control him on my own."
"Poor Prongs."
"Well, be honest but you're no real help Wormtail."
"Well no but....."
"Why did you pick a rat, out of all animals, anyway? You knew it wasn't big enough to control a werewolf."
"Maybe because he looks like a rat, even in his human form."
Sirius chuckled, he couldn't laugh because he was afraid to wake up Remus.
"Why are you always picking on me?"
"We're not always picking on you, just when we don't have anyone else to pick on, like Snivellus."
"Oh, just leave it. Come on lets get out of here so Remus can sleep in peace. It's a wonder he hasn't woken up yet with you're loud voices."
"Oke, you're the leader Prongs. Come on Wormtail."
They walked down the stairs with James in front. The common room was almost completely empty, except for two girls.
"Hé guys, how's Remus?"
"He's asleep."
"Is something wrong with him, he's sick every month."
"Just a bad immune system. That's all."
But Lily couldn't help but notice the nerves expressions on the boys' faces. If Bella had seen those, she didn't let them notice 'cause she changed the subject.
"So when's the first Hogmeade weekend?"
"October 28th ."
"Learned it by hart, Sirius?"
"Yeah, can't wait to get to Zonko's."
"Grow up Padfoot, there more things to Hogmeade then Zonko's."
"Name two and you'll get 10 gallions."
"Three Broomsticks and the Shrieking Shack! Now here with that money!"
"Oke, you got me." Sirius said while giving James the money."
"Speaking of the Shrieking Shack, you really think it's hunted?" Bella asked.
"Yeah, we sneaked out of school once and heard the ghosts partying."
"Are you serious? I wouldn't want to go in there for the world."
"No I'm Sirius, he's James. And you can't get in there, Lily." (A/N: I know it's lame, but I just couldn't resist.)
"Lame (A/N: See I told you it was lame.) and how do you know, Sirius?"
"We tried it enough times. But all the entrances are blocked."
"And why would you want to go in to that hunted place?"
"To party with the ghosts of course."
The other four bursted out laughing, and Sirius soon followed.
"Very funny Padfoot. The real reason we wanted to go in, is to see how it looked like from the in side."
"That sounds more believable."
Suddenly there was the sound of footsteps and Remus walked in to the room.
"Could you please keep it down?"
"Sorry Moony, here take my chair, I'll just sit on the ground."
"Thanks Prongs."
James got up and sat down again only now at Sirius feet, who was sitting right next to Lily. They sat there talking for a while, till they noticed Remus was asleep again.
"Come on Padfoot, lets get him to bed and than we'll go down for lunch."
Sirius and James got up and brought Remus back to bed.
~~~~~~
After they sat down at Gryffindor table, they got a lot of question where Remus was.
"Where's Mr. Lupin?"
It was Professor McGonagall who asked and James who answerd.
"He's up in the dorms sleeping. He was really tired, but of course you know why."
"Allright than, but make sure he eats something as soon as he wakes up."
"We will, Professor, we will."
"So there is something wrong with Remus."
"Drop it Lily, please."
"No James, I want to know what is wrong with Remus."
"Lily please, not here. It's not something you'd want the whole world to know."
For the first time that Lily could remember, Sirius Back actually looked serious.
"Oke, I'll drop it, but only if you promise to tell as soon as were alone."
"I'm not gonna promise anything, 'cause we promised Remus not to tell."
"You might not promise Padfoot, but I will. I know we promised Remus, but they'll just figure out what is wrong, just like we did. It'll be a lot easier if we just told them, and it's saves us a lot of trouble."
"If you put it that way, but I don't want to be the one that tells Remus, we told these two."
"I promised so I'll also tell Remus. And anyway, Snivellus knows too, thanks to you, and we can trust Lily and Bella."
"Snape knows?"
"Yeah, thanks to Padfoot, but Dumbledore made him swear never to tell anyone or he would be in big trouble."
"Dumbledore made him swear not to tell? Then it must be something big."
"Well not big, it's just that if it comes out, Remus will probably have to leave the school."
"Are you ready, 'cause I can't wait any longer, I want to know what is going on."
"Come on than."
"But I'm still hungry."
"Come on Padfoot, when Moony wakes up will sneak to the kitchen and to get you and Moony some food."
They left the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. After what seemed like forever James finely opened a door that led into an empty classroom.
"Why did we have to come here, if there are so many empty classrooms?"
"Because, Lily, hardly anyone come here, and I don't want to be overheard."
"Oke, now spill it."
"Not before you promise that, what I'm about to say, will not leave this room, Bella."
"Of course we promise, won't we Bella."
"Yeah, we promise. Now tell what is wrong with Remus."
"A little impatient are we?"
"Just get on with it."
"Oke, oke, keep your shirt on. Sirius you keep an eye on the map and if someone comes, say it."
"Oke Prongs, you're the boss."
"You really take this serious, don't you."
"We just don't want to lose our friend, that's all."
"So what is wrong with Remus, that should be kept so secret?"
"Well, oke. You two noticed that Remus is sick a lot, every month to be precise. Well, he's always sick at a specific time of the month...."
"No, he's not sick at a specific time of the month, it varies every time."
"So does the full moon, Lily."
"What do you mean?"
"Remus is a werewolf. Every full moon he goes to the Shrieking Shack to transform."
"So the shack isn't hunted, but it's Remus the people hear."
"Yeah, but we have to keep up the hunted story to protect Remus. If the rest of the school finds out, he will have to go, 'cause no parent would want their kid to go to school with a werewolf."
"Your right, no parent would and that wouldn't be the same reason for his nickname Moony, wouldn't it?"
"Well, it just happens to be the reason why we call him Moony."
"Would you please, please tell me how you got your nicknames?"
James looked at the others.
"Should we?"
"Well, if they know this much, why not tell them everything, they promised not to tell."
"Oke, thanks. Well you know our nicknames, Peter is Wormtail, Sirius is Padfoot and I'm Prongs. We thought of the names because we became animagi so we could be with Remus when he becomes a werewolf."
"Animagi? That's really impressive, it take most wizards half there lives to become one, not to mention the registration. What kind of animals do you become?"
"Well, we aren't really registered. And for your question, Peter becomes a rat, Sirius a dog, and I'm a stag."
"Not registered, as in illegal?"
"Yeah, not even Dumbledore knows."
"You know that what your doing is really danger...."
But she was cut of by Sirius, who was still looking at a map.
"McGonagall!"
A/N: I'd like to thank ScuzMoll for putting me on his/her favourite authors list.