A/N: Okay, Spring is here.

Page Three: Spring

Remus's head was almost dwarfed by the Herbology book he was studying. He had found a secluded area in the library (which was rather rare in the days of final exams) and had a pile of books next to him on the floor. Lily Evans and her friends from Ravenclaw had all come over earlier, to see if he wanted to study with them, but he had politely refused. Lily with her Gryffindor friends was all right, but the girls from Ravenclaw got on his nerves. He supposed it was because they always seemed a bit cliquish. Then again, he had nothing to complain about- as the Gryffindor first year boys were rather exclusive.

A Yurble flower is only red when warm-blooded creatures are within a five-foot radius. Otherwise, they remain a pale blue color. They are not poisonous if consumed, but have been known to cause prolonged slumber.

The werewolf sighed and set the book down, reaching up to rub his eyes with the backs of both hands. He had been studying since Potions let out, and felt no smarter than when he had started. It didn't matter to him that he currently had some of the best scores in the first year section, he had to pass the finals to feel good about himself. And not just pass them- pass with flying colors. He would have to be on his guard during the Potions and Defence classes, as the teachers of those classes were particularly difficult. But now... Herbology. Picking up the book again, Remus scanned the pages.

The Yurble's natural defenses lie in its thorns, which are incredibly small and dense- tending to cluster under each leaf.

"Hiya, Remmie." A head of dark hair popped around the corner of one of the bookshelves. "Studying?" Sirius made a face and pranced over. There was really no other word for the movements he made. Hips jogging from side to side, hands held prissily at his sides. If Remus hadn't been annoyed, he might have laughed.

"Yes, be quiet." Remus put his fingers to his lips. Sirius and study did not mix well.

"Sorry," whispered Sirius, who plunked down next to his dormmate. "Can I sit here?" he asked after a moment, turning his brilliant blue eyes up at his friend. Remus had thought more than once that you could build a sky out of those eyes.

"Yes," replied the light haired boy. It would be stupid to say "no" now.

"Can I study with you?"

"No."

"Why not?" Sirius frowned.

"Because you're always getting distracted, that's why." Remus half-closed his book and gave his best friend an arched glare.

"I won't, this time. I promise. Besides, I need some help in Charms, and you're so awfully good at that." Puppy eyes.

A sigh. "All right, but the moment you begin to get distracted, you're leaving."

"Okay." Sirius grinned widely.

"Charms first. Since you are having problems in it."

Sirius nodded and glanced down at the stack of books. "Want the Charms book?" he asked, eyebrows flicking upwards slightly. At Remus' nod, he handed the wide, flat book up to him, and took the Herbology book- setting it on top of the pile. Settling against the chair, his back to his friend, Sirius gave a small, contented sounding sigh. "Quiz me."

"On what?"

"Anything. Just do it."

"What is the correct Charm to levitate?"

"Wingardium Leviosa, dumbass."

Remus glared at his companion. "I don't think dumbass is part of the spell."

"That's preschool stuff," Sirius said imperiously, waving his hand. "Get on with the harder ones."

The light haired boy flipped a few pages until he came across a charm that he knew Sirius would have a problem with. Smiling secretly, he coughed and demanded, "Demonstrate the Incendio charm and then put it out." When Sirius turned around, looking upset, Remus smirked at him.

"I can't do that!"

"Of course you can."

"This is a library! You can't just set fire to the books or anything!"

Remus rummaged in his pocked and pulled out a handkerchief. "Here."

"What?" sqawked Sirius, backing away. "You can't.... not here... in your hand?"

"In my hand."

"But it'll burn you!"

Remus shook his head. "Not if you do as poorly as you usually do." Remus grinned. That was something Sirius wouldn't be able to back down from. "Go on. Do it."

"I... I..."

"DO IT!"

Sirius closed his eyes, pointed his wand in the general direction of the hankie and shouted, "INCENDIO!" Unfortunately for him, the handkerchief remained untouched. However, his shout had drawn the sharp notice of the librarian, Madam Pince. But worse than that, Remus' entire head burst into flame. The poor boy gave a yelp like a wounded dog and ran for the door, intending on dashing headlong into the lake. The only thing as painful as waking up after the werewolf transformation was having your head set on fire, and Remus learned that lesson rather quickly. Fortunately for him, Madam Pince caught him by the arm.

"Finate Incantem!" she shouted, and the fire disappeared, leaving Remus with a charred mass of ash on his head. "What did you think you were doing?" she snapped, her eyes fairly glowing with rage.

"Pince... my fault!" shouted Sirius, running over, his face white as a sheet. "I... I did it."

"You-" she pointed at the dark haired Gryffindor "will be spending detention with Professor Hogg, helping to muck out the hippogriff paddock. For a week!" Her mouth was drawn into a slim red line. "And then you will report IMMEDIATELY to the infirmary, where you will wait until your friend's hair grows back!" Turning towards Remus, her face grew slightly less stern. "See that you and your friend have no reason to be in the library for the rest of the term. And I'll have your books back up in your room. Poppy should be able to take care of your hair." So saying, she strode off, still slightly bristling.

Remus sat in the infirmary, positively glowering at Sirius. "Thanks a lot," he growled softly. "Now I have to sit here and wait for Pomphrey to mix the hair growing potion when I could be studying." He crossed his arms over his chest. "This is just my luck, isn't it. First I try to study quietly, but nooooo... you have to come and make me study with you. Then, do you do your spells right? Oh no, of course not. You set my hair on fire!"

"Aw, Remmie, I said I was sorry!" Sirius looked rather pitiful, sitting on the bed opposite his friend.

"You never think, do you?"

"No," was the meek reply. "Sorry."

Madam Pomphrey strode back into the room, her eyebrows half-knit in a severe expression. Without a word, she handed Remus a goblet of something green and turned on Sirius. "I hope you are being punished for this," she snapped, bending slightly towards him. "Because if you aren't, I will give you the worst month of detention you have ever known!"

"I am!" squeaked Sirius, looking cowed. "I'm supposed to be cleaning out the hippogriff paddock for a week."

"Pittance," snorted the nurse. "You just watch your wand hand, Mr. Black. I won't have you hurting Mr. Lupin again." Her frown deepened. "It will be your head if you do."

Sirius nodded.

Remus smiled as he felt a tingling sensation race around the crown of his head, and his hair began to grow back. It took less than thirty seconds, and when it was finished, he stood up. "Thank you, Madam Pomphrey."

She gave him a small, affectionate smile. "Get on with you."

Remus nodded and gestured for Sirius to follow him. The two exited out the door, Sirius glancing over his shoulder- seemingly half frightened that the good nurse would send a curse after him. The little werewolf smiled inwardly. He was really rather funny, even when he wasn't trying to be. Sirius Orion. If he could only buckle down on his schoolwork, he would be an excellent wizard. And if he wasn't so damned careless.

"Remus?"

"Yes?"

"Sorry about that."

"I know you are."

"Will you.... are we still friends?"

Remus actually laughed out loud. "Yes, we're still friends." He shook his head, running fingers through his new-grown hair. "If I stopped being your friend because of accidental cursing, we would never have survived the winter quarter." His face turned halfway towards the dark haired boy. "You unthinking little git..." he sighed, still smiling. "Next time, I'll not ask you to perform spells involving fire."

Sirius chuckled. "I really am sorry about that." He reached up and touched the other boy's hair. "At least Pomphrey was able to fix your hair."

"Yeah." The other boy smiled again, turning his eyes up towards the arching stone ceiling. "And now you know how to do the Incendio spell."

"Hah!"

None of the exams turned out to be too difficult for Remus. Of course, the Potions exam hung on a thread for several minutes, but he managed to pull through with his partner's help. Strangely enough, Sirius had pulled off top grades in each of his classes- not top of the class, but certainly in the top 20%. James had done extremely well, and Peter had passed with good marks. All in all, the four friends came striding out in the early June sunshine with huge smiles on their faces. Sirius was already planning his vacation with James, while Peter was explaining his current reading project to Remus.

"You see, it's not actually about the daughter. It's the mother that really matters. She's behind everything. If you read between the lines, you see that she's manipulating the entire family!" He was waving his arms around in excitement, when suddenly James caught his arm.

"Hey, you guys- Sirius and I think we should get together this summer. Maybe meet over at my place and spend a week making mischief in town or something."

Remus smiled and Peter jumped excitedly. "Let's do it!"

Sirius grinned at both of them and then took Remus' elbow. "Hey, Remus, you think you could send me some of those cookies you make? My parents aren't into sweets and don't think to make them." He looked pleadingly at the young werewolf. "Pleeeeeease?"

"Of course." Remus tugged on a lock of Sirius' hair. "Just tell them to get you something."

"Eh, it's not the same. Besides....." he grinned at the other boy "I looooove your cookies." Mary Lupin had sent the boys a large package of them for Christmas, but Remus had claimed they were his own make- from when he had visited his father just before the winter break.

"Yeah!" Peter's face lit up. "More cookies!"

James licked his lips. "You don't know how lucky you are to have a talent like that."

"I'll make sure you get some." Remus' face was aglow with delight. In a rush of happiness, he realized the truth. He loved these boys to the very core of his being. They were his friends, his roommates, and the source of his great joy. When they were near, the wolf seemed to be nothing but a distant shadow.

Sirius clapped a hand on Peter's back. "Don't forget your homework."

"Hey! I only did that once!" squawked the blond boy. "And that was because you and James distracted me with that stupid pufferfish."

The rest of the group laughed. That had indeed been an interesting sight. Peter, chasing a dead, floating pufferfish around the room, down the halls, and finally out on the lawn. Of course James and Sirius had been controlling it as it floated, laughing quietly as they followed their friend. Remus had watched from the window as Peter chased the bobbing white fish all the way down to the lake and back towards the castle. When he came back in the common room, James and Sirius had burst into loud laughter while Remus was nearly bent double trying to contain his. Peter had then begged in on their tricks, and had retaliated the very next week with a mysterious voice in James' water goblet.

It hurt to be leaving them, but there was always next year- and they were going to get together this summer. Besides, Remus missed his parents, and was tired of pretending his mother was dead. As they all turned back towards the dorms, Remus gave a little sigh. If only that wolf hadn't bitten him, things would be even better. They would be able to know everything about him. He would keep no secrets from them.

He had it all planned out, you see.

If ever there was a cure for lycanthropy, Remus would first tell everyone that he was a normal human being. Then he would crawl into bed with Peter and tell him absolutely everything about himself. Then, he would move to James' bed. Then Sirius'. And then he would find Lily and all her Ravenclaw friends and tell them that he was a werewolf once, and they would laugh and say that it couldn't be so. And he wouldn't have to leave each full moon- he would run out underneath the sky and laugh and laugh and laugh....

To Be Continued.... In Chapter Two, Page One