Chapter 6 - Revealing Lupin's Secrets

A month after the Marauders signing, the group saw the noticeable signs of Remus. They thought it was because he was scared of the Slytherins at first, but then Lupin kept saying only once a month, that he had to go to see his dad, or see Dumbledore, or something stupid to get out of seeing them that evening.

James and Sirius wondered what was up. Was Remus Lupin abandoning them and their Marauder contract? Was he seeing other friends, did he have a girlfriend and hadn't told them? They didn't know the answer.

Sirius and James were siting by the lake with Lupin one day at lunch time, Peter was doing extra curriculum charms lessons and the boys noticed Remus looked quite ill and peaky,

"You all right Remus…" said Sirius concerned.

Lupin looked up at them from his textbook Hogwarts: A history and nodded his head. "I'm fine…" he said, his voice a little in a stutter, which the boys had realised that when Lupin was nervous he always stuttered when he was nervous.

James and Sirius were not utterly convinced. "You sure you're fine…you do not look it mate!" said Sirius, Remus was one of his best mates, and if there was something wrong he wanted to be able to help.

"Yeah, seriously SB," said Remus. "I just didn't get much sleep, I was up writing that essay…"

"—Oh the one about the werewolves…" said James sighing, "that essay was murder…it took ages. I mean I don't know nothing about werewolves…only that well they're dangerous!" he said.

"Yeah," said Lupin and gulped and then he stood. "I gotta go. I'll be back later…" he said in a quick stutter and he ran off.

"Wait Remus!" said Sirius standing, but James stopped him.

"Let him go…" said James sadly.

"Something is wrong with him JP…it's obvious…" said Sirius

"I know…that's why we're gonna follow him…use my new cloak" said James.

"What!" said.

"It's obvious he's hiding something, so we're not going to the feast tonight. We'll follow him. He said he was going to see Dumbledore about his grades. We'll see if he's telling the truth."

Sirius was shocked. "Spying on our best friend…cool," he said laughing. "But seriously, we are spying on him…what if he finds out we followed him. He wont exactly be happy with us will he…"

"It's for his own good. Besides, why should he be hiding it anyway…" said James and took out his hand. "You in."

Sirius sighed and took the hand in a handshake. "OK, I got your back." He said. "I don't believe I'm agreeing with you…"

***

Sirius and James decided not to bring Peter, he still had extra lessons, and a lot of homework to catch up on, so when the saw Lupin again before the feast, they followed him like a hawk. Catching every movement.

Then the feast started and the halls were almost empty. Then Lupin started walking away from the feast, but no where near Dumbledore's office, but outside toward the Whomping Willow. They followed until Lupin touched a knot on the tree, it went deathly still and Lupin walked through a gap.

Sirius and James looked at each other.

"Lupin has definitely got something up, having to hide away in that…" said James.

"Come on," said Black, "We've got to follow him—"

"ARE U MAD!" said James.

"What!" said Sirius

"We don't know what he's doing down there…"

"That's why we'll go in that thing to find out…" said Sirius with a adventurous grin and James went pale.

"But you told me you didn't like The Whomping Willow. It picked up up during flying lessons"

"So. Do you want to live as a coward or not!"

"No!" said James frowning.

"Then come on…" said Sirius laughing and then he went forward he walked up the tree and rolled forward touching the knot like Lupin had done and the tree froze and then he walked through.

James rubbed his face with his hands. "God, he's even afraid of the tree…bloody nutter!" said James and then it began to close. "I'd never here the end of it," he said sadly, and ran through the gap before it closed on him.

***

James fell forward and landed butt first to the floor, he went to howl in pain but Sirius stopped him by putting a hand over his mouth.

"Let's go," he said.

The two black haired boys both began to walk down the tunnel slowly. When they heard monstrous growling. Screams and terrifying shouts.

"Remus!" said James worriedly and ran forward to find him, knowing somewhere he was in trouble.

When both boys stopped, infront of them was none other than a werewolf. It's bloodshot blue eyes were focused on James who was closest, and also there was a familiar scar on the wolves cheek, it was a cross shape.

"Lupin…" he said in pure fear, "please no…"

Sirius and James stood there for a moment in shock, their best friend was a werewolf, how did they not guess, Sirius felt like hitting himself round the head. He was always off sick on the full moon, and that was why Lupin freaked out earlier mentioning the essay about it.

"You know that essay…" mouthed James as he looked at the Werewolf, who though looked vicious was still a cub, but he could still probably kill you.

Sirius mouthed back "Yes." Not daring to tear his eyes away at the growling wolf cub.

"That question about what to do about confronting a werewolf." He said as slowly as possible.

"Yes." He mouthed again

"I didn't answer it…" he whispered silently

"Neither did I." He replied in the same tone.

"Is the answer "run away…" mouthed James

"It is in my book!" replied Sirius and they would have laughed if not being in the trick situation, and then they turned and ran as fast as they could down the tunnel, with the werewolf Lupin in deadly pursuit.

***

The fear that was running through James veins was terrible, his pulsing heart getting faster and faster, as he heard the monsters noises behind him.

Sirius was almost as the gap when he saw James fall to the floor and the werewolf meters behind him. Sirius felt the fear, but bit it back and ran forward. And wrestled the infant werewolf to the floor.

"Lupin!" he cried out. "Please stop it's me it's SB! Sirius…" he said trying to get through to him. It wasn't working. When James grabbed his invisibility cloak and covered both of them with it.

Lupin was confused. Smelling them but not seeing them. They stared there all night, as the werewolf cub guarded their escape. Not being thick.

"He's good…" mouthed Sirius, "Wolves aren't thick are they…"

When the night got later, and James checked his watch, soon it'd be over, and if he'd revised his werewolves' right, soon Lupin would be back to himself.

When then after trying not to fall asleep, and being thankful they had no early lessons for it was the weekend. The two boys watched as the wolf cub became a 11 year old again,

It was horrible to watch Lupin was in so much pain as he became a human from a wolf, and when he was finally a man again he looked around in naught but his torn jeans and sobbed.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry." He sobbed. They removed the invisiblity cloak, and when he saw them he cried even more. "I was gonna tell you I swear, But I thought you'd hate me…" he said still through uncontrollable sobbing.

"We don't hate you…" said Sirius. "You could have told us…" he continued. "I mean we signed the Marauders contract remember. We're practically blood brothers now, we wouldn't care if you were related to Snape…"

"Actually that might be going a bit too far!" said James.

"Ok, but you're not…right Remus…" said Sirius

"No…" said Lupin smiling, "Thanks…"

"We'd better go back up to the castle. Or we are going into some mega trouble with McGonagall." Said James.

"We're Marauders JP!" said Sirius laughing, "Who cares about the rules!…"

"We'll when we--I want to be in her good books for her Transifiguration class, I do…" said James.

The three of them laughed, and under James's invisible cloak they sneaked back to the dormitory and got into bed without anybody noticing.

***

PS- Chapter 7 coming soon, I'm not sure what I should continue with in my fic like what happens to J.P. and Lily! Or any1 else like Sirius and Lupin (I like Lupin and Sirius! They rule!)—So review, and your idea may get mentioned and your pen name!

Ps- In the last chapter with the cloak, I've only just realised going through HP P.O.A that Lupin does mention his mother alive at Hogwarts. Let's just pretend that didn't happen shall we…Please…and that also Molly Weasly is originally in Griffindor, but this way is much more fun!

Oh and also I own known of the quotes from other films –e.g.

"Fool of a Black" Which I got from LOTR (FOTR). And "I'll never hear the end of it…" (ROTK) so please don't flame me about it.