Chapter two.
It was the last day of the first term at Hogwarts and Sirius was busy doing some last minute packing while Remus was looking through a Quidditch magazine of James'. Peter was trying, but failing, to help James find his wand which he had somehow lost! They were busy with their own activities when a girl called Lily Evans ran in panting.
"Lily! This is the boys' dorms!"
"I know!"
"Then why---"
"I don't know what's going on James, but it's bad and it's in the girls dorms!"
"Come on James. Face it. One of them has probably seen a spider!!" Remus decided that he needed to get rid of Lily, after all, James fancied her but she enjoyed making a fool of him whenever possible!
"I'll have a look." James said deciding to ignore Remus' comment.
As he accompanied Lily back to the girls'
dorms, he thought about what Remus had said. He knew what he meant, and deep
down he also knew that Remus was right.
He walked cautiously into the Girls' dorm and couldn't remember anything else afterwards except for Remus, Sirius and Peter leaping through the door and disarming who or whatever it was that knocked James out.
James woke to find Remus and Sirius sat either side of him in the hospital wing and Peter reading his cards.
"Thanks you three." James smiled, grateful to have such good friends. "Have you told them?" James mouthed at Remus. The color drained from his face and he ran his hands through his hair, took a deep breath, and began to speak, his voice going quiet as he did so.
"Ummm……Sirius? Peter? I have to tell you something."
"Yea ok…in a moment Remus. Anyway James, I suppose this means we'll be staying here for the Christmas holidays!?" Sirius was more interested in James at the present time.
"No, Sirius. This can't wait." Sirius turned to look at Remus. James froze. He hadn't meant for Remus to tell them NOW!
"What?"
"I'll be missing for a while from tomorrow early evening. And no, I won't be ill." Remus had seen Peter open his mouth to speak. "I'll be in the Shrieking Sack. I…I'm a….well…I'm a werewolf!"
"Haha….Now SERIOUSLY Remus!!! Where are you going? Stop joking! I want to know!"
"I am being serious."
"What???" Sirius paled instantly "James??? Did you know???"
"I found out, about two weeks ago, but yea, I knew!"
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?" Sirius stood up and slammed his schoolbag down on the floor. Remus withdrew slightly and started to shake uncontrollably. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!!!!! I THOUGHT WE WERE YOUR BEST FRIENDS AND BEST FRIENDS TELL EACH OTHER EVERYTHING! YOU COULD HAVE KILLED US AT ANY POINT!!!! IS DUMBLEDORE MAD?????? TELL YA WHAT….I'LL ANSWER THAT! YES!!!! HE IS MAD!!!!!!!!!! LETTING A KILLER DARK CREATURE INTO HOGWARTS!!! AND THEN YOU LIE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE MEANT TO BE ABLE TO TRUST YOU!!! YOU FILTHY…..LIAR!!!!!!" By now, Remus was shaking and cowering. James watched in shock horror, knowing that all he could do was try and comfort Remus. He laid a hand on Remus' shoulder and gripped it hard. He whispered in Remus' ear.
"I'm so sorry." James felt guilty and now the group was split.
Remus shook off James' hand and squared up to Sirius.
"If anyone here is filthy, it's you." He didn't mean it; he just said it to get even.
"HOW DARE YOU!!!! YOU ARE SCUM REMUS LUPIN AND YOU ARE GOING TO REGRET CALLING ME FILTHY YOU….YOU…..YOU…..YOU SHOULD BE IN AZKABAN!!!!!!" With that Sirius pulled out his wand and fired directly at Remus and before James could stop him, Sirius had blown Remus straight into a wall. Remus struggled to his feet, head bleeding, and half ran half limped out of the door, tears running down his cheeks.
This was the last straw, and now James was blinded with fury. He glared at Sirius only to find that he had collapsed and dropped his wand.
"Sirius?"
"What happened?" Sirius was trembling "did I really just react like that?"
"Yep."
"Oh God!" Sirius picked up his wand like it was deadly poison "do you think he's ok?"
"Well. I'm not quite---"
"Be honest!"
"In a word? No! He looked awful…I think you hurt him quite badly."
"I don't know what came over me! Inside I don't care whether he's a werewolf or not, but there's a small part of me that cares and hates the fact!" Sirius sighed "I didn't know what to do." Sirius paused "I'm going to find him…I have a LOT of explaining to do, and it has to be GOOD!"
"NO!" James softened his voice "No. He needs to be alone right now."
"But…"
"No, buts!"
Suddenly Madame Pomfrey entered the room and started fussing over James before eventually telling James he could go. Peter breathed a sigh of relief as he followed them out of the hospital wing. All the time the commotion was going on he was frozen in his seat, not quite taking in what was going on. He followed them back into the Gryffindor common room where they all sank into the soft chairs, relieved to be somewhere peaceful, somewhere they could think and reflect on what had happened.
Remus felt weak and unhappy. It wasn't like Sirius to take things like that, but then this was nastier news than usual. He slowed his pace realizing that he was going through the Dark Forest and had no idea where he was. He sank down against a tree, and before he knew anything a soft voice had lulled him to sleep. A moss-covered root wrapped itself tightly around him and dragged him slowly into a tunnel where very few had been, and those who had been down there had never come out…or at least not alive!
Back in Hogwarts no one could keep still. Rumors were spreading as threatening notes were written to teachers and pupils in tree sap mixed with blood about them losing a student. The notes seemed to be counting down to the death of the student that had been taken. Dumbledore became very serious and eventually disappeared one afternoon a few days later into the Dark Forest. As he walked he felt the trees around him become tense and whisper something unintelligible…a name. The leaves seemed to shudder as he passed and there was no sign of any intelligence save one tree stood alone yet in a greater shadow of darkness. A small glimmer of light shone out from a tunnel and sap seemed to be oozing from all over the tree into one small jar which was then pushed into the tunnel by a mysterious wind.
Dumbledore crept down through the tunnel, but got no closer to the light. A muffled snarl came from somewhere nearby and Dumbledore instantly knew where he was going. A small tunnel branched off to the left and it obviously led to the prisoner. Every so often a bone crunched beneath his feet and a short intake of breath followed. Finally he reached what seemed to be a small room; a cell was on one side and a figure was stood in front of it, attempting to open the door but every time he tried he had to draw his hand back sharply as a creature attempted to leap at it. After a short while the creature collapsed and the figure walked in, muttered a spell of some sort under his breath, and walked out again. Dumbledore tiptoed forward and at last decided to speak.
"Where is our student?"
"He can't hold out much longer…soon the moon will wane once more and I shall be able to kill him!"
"Who are you?"
"A criminal on the run." Came the short, sharp reply.
"You shan't hurt that boy."
"I didn't know you cared about such filthy beings, Albus!"
"I'll make you a deal. If I can successfully name you, I take the first-year."
"Very Well."
"Mungo Grunger."
"How did you? What did you? YOU CHEATED!" Mungo stamped the floor "Take him…just don't tell anyone m name or that you've seen me…or else!" and with that he ran.
Dumbledore looked at the door and tried to open it, but to no avail
"He's locked it!" sighing, he took out his wand, raised it, and almost as if he were bored said the spell
"Aloe Hamora!"
The door creaked on its hinges and the creature sprang up, pain becoming visible while he did so. "Don't move. You're about to become human again. The moon is waning once more. Dear me! You do get into trouble rather a lot don't you……Master Lupin!?!?"
Remus began to shake and less than a minute later he was unconscious on the floor but human again. Dumbledore lifted him carefully and carried him out of the Forest only to find Cornelius Fudge of the Ministry of Magic waiting for him anxiously.
"Albus! You found the missing student! Well done, well done!"
"Sorry Fudge but I can't talk just now. I must get him up to the hospital wing. He needs serious treatment. Find James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. Tell them to go to the hospital wing at once."
"Right then. I'll speak to you in a short while, Albus."
As the room came slowly into focus, Remus could just about make out three figures with worried faces standing above him.
"Remus?"
"Oh God Remus I'm SO sorry!"
"Sshh!! He might not be able to hear you!" He knew each of these voices from somewhere but it wasn't quite clear in his mind. All he remembered was pain. Suddenly he remembered and felt a pure hate for Sirius. He tried to speak, but his throat was dry and sore. He could just about sit up with James' help.
"We may as well move in to the hospital wing eh Remus?"
"You'll do nothing of the sort!" Madame Pomfrey blustered past in her usual fashion.
"We were just kidding! We're not going to invade…as much as we know you love us we just can't!!" A towel smacked James briskly round the head and everyone burst out laughing……all apart from Sirius.
"I don't think it's very funny."
"Ah! Now you see Sirius…..you haven't found anything funny recently!" he turned to Remus "He hasn't you know…not since you ran off."
"Really? So you don't hate me?" Remus whispered hoarsely.
"None of us do! It was a small part of me that was scared of people being hurt!!"
"So are you talking to him again now Remus?" Peter inquired.
"I shouldn't really be talking to ANYONE!" they all knew he was referring to the fact he could barely speak and everyone laughed before Remus was taken by a short coughing fit. His friends visited him every day until he could leave, and even then they kept him in their sight as much as possible to make sure he was ok.
It was Christmas Eve and everyone who was still at Hogwarts was extremely excited. They were all ready for their Christmas dinner and to swap presents with their friends. Hoping for all the presents they'd asked for all remaining students slept peacefully with dreams of snow and stuffing. Even Remus slept peacefully!
When Peter awoke next morning the others were already up. They were all swapping presents and Sirius had just given Remus the little extra present the other three had prepared. It was a note that read:-
This hereby signifies Sirius, James, and Peter's decision to become unauthorised Animagi despite facing a year in Azkaban if we're found out.
This is also creating the marauders who shall roam at every full moon!!
Remus……………………..Moony
Peter………………………Wormtail
Sirius………………………Padfoot Long Live Moony
James……………………..Prongs Wormtail Padfoot and Prongs!
Remus beamed a beam that stretched from ear to ear. He couldn't believe his friends were doing this for him! It was almost too good to be true! They all dressed and had breakfast. Then they decided to go and play in the little broomstick games Madame Hooch the 1st was holding. They're team won, as Remus said: - "Naturally!", and they celebrated by doing a victory lap while standing on their brooms. If it hadn't been for James and Remus (Sirius was too busy laughing!), Peter would've died SEVEN times during that lap!!
At One O'clock they were called for Christmas Dinner. It was a brilliant dinner and all the teachers were in brilliant moods to be told which four first-years played all the practical jokes on them so far that year. In fact they were in such a good mood that they just didn't care! Remus and the others could've sworn that Professor Dumbledore was drunk…and Professor McGonnagal!! They ate their Christmas dinner hungrily and then started singing Christmas carols…at which point James drew the line…in fact, even Professor Kestrel was enjoying herself! Professor Kestrel was the Defense against the Dark arts teacher and she was the reason James started to try and find out what was wrong with Remus. She and Remus avoided eye contact all night, but apart from that, it was a thoroughly enjoyed night by all.
There was one problem…no one knew it but there had been a spy in the kitchen, and they had dropped sleeping powder into all of the food and so, next morning no one could wake. If it hadn't been for Professor Flitwick, then they may never have woken! He walked round the school waking everyone he came across. Thankfully he found everyone and before long they had all gathered in the great hall only to find that everything had been destroyed. No one could move or speak for bewilderment, anger, and fear. Everything was ruined…Christmas was ruined.
Professor Kestrel glared at Remus. It was clear what she thought had happened. She thought that Remus had destroyed it in human form out of anger from her picking on him. She pointed a long thin finger at him and let him have it.
"You!" she said sharply "you did this! I'd kill you if I wasn't a teacher!" She knocked him to the floor and pointed her wand at him.
"Professor Kestrel!" She spun round. "Are you proposing that Remus did this?" Dumbledore addressed her firmly with a look of weariness in his eyes.
"Yes. It's obvious isn't it?? He did it just because I was enjoying myself!"
"Surely you are mistaken?"
"No! You sent him to the kitchen to see how long the food would be…..no, actually, he VOLUNTEERED! He must've put sleeping powder in all of the meals because he didn't know which one was mine! He also had some so he could get out of being blamed!" She paused and muttered something under her breath.
Suddenly Remus, who had just got up and was backing off, dropped to the floor clutching his stomach. He let out a yell that echoed right through the school. Dumbledore pulled his wand from his belt and pointed it at the kitchen doors. A small house elf flew out with a wand raised and skidded to a halt by Dumbledore's feet.
"Whose wand is that? Why have you got it? And WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?!?!?" roared Dumbledore.
The elf dropped the wand and answered
"I'm picking your pupils off one by one for my master."
"And your master is?" but the elf had already clicked his fingers and vanished. Dumbledore picked up the dropped wand and gave it to James. "Your wand, I believe." James remained silent.
Remus allowed himself to be lifted and carried back to the dorm where he was led on his bed. The teachers left to begin tidying the Great Hall. Moments later, Remus sat up and looked about him.
"They gone?"
"Yip." Came the reply.
"Phew! I thought for a moment that I'd be spending yet ANOTHER night in the hospital wing! Madame Pomfrey would've just given up!" The thought of Madame Pomfrey's face if they'd turned up for another night there tickled them and the whole dorm burst out laughing.