-Chapter 9-

-Once Upon A Moonlit Night-

Lily and Remus climbed the ladder leading to their last class of the day, Divination. James, Sirius and Maggie decided not to sign up for it back in their third year, a decision Lily now considered wise. They found an empty table and scooted over to it, the room's heavy feeling weighing down on Remus's mind, putting him to sleep. He felt a sharp poke in his side and bolted up straight, Lily was trying to keep him from being singled out again. He nodded his thanks and rummaged around in his bag to find his Divination book.

"It is not there . . ." came the melodic voice from the over stuffed chair. Remus raised his eyes to see Madame Trelawney gazing at him, misty eyed. If Remus hadn't left his book in the common room before, and Madame Trelawney told him he had, this would have been a surprise. Remus simply stared at her, and continued looking. Madame Trelawney puffed up with anger,

"Are you telling me that you think my inner eye is clouded?" her voice rising in tone.

Remus felt the crushed velvet that was on the cover of 'Unfogging the Future' and smiled, he had her. He deftly swung the book n his desk and a mischievous smile split his face. "Yes, Ma'am." Lily snorted behind her hand; the look on Professor Trelawney's face was some odd mixture of surprise, anger and curiosity.

"Class," all signs of her wrong prediction flying from her face. "Please rise and come forward to receive the mirrors we will be working with today."

Every student rose and took a translucent mirror from the table. As son as everyone was seated, Professor Trelawney began her muddled instructions,

"Please, no talking. These are mirrors that predict you own future. But you will need a partner. Now, the first person will hold the mirror up to his or her face and the other partner will be watching for any signs of swirling colors, shapes, or animals. You will find a key telling you want the different things mean on page 192. Please begin."

Lily and Remus were always partners in this class, so Remus decided he would go first. He held the mirror so that he could see through it, and Lily would look at the back of it and take notes on anything she saw. The mirror went cloudy and Lily scribbled down a few things, swirling red and yellow, some blue circles and a . . . a wolf. Lily blinked, was it really a wolf? A green triangle showed up and the mirror went translucent again.

"Hmmmm, let us see." Lily mimicked Professor Trelawney's voice. She flipped through the text until she found page 192, 'Amiglass Mirrors; How to Translate What You Have Found.' Lily looked at Remus and shrugged, then turned her attention back to the text.

"What does it say?" he wanted to know.

"Well, swirling red and yellow mean great adventure is coming your way. Or, no, it could just be Gryffindor colors . . ."

"Lily, what else?"

"Oh! Blue circles mean that great wealth will follow you! Or no . . . they mean you're sick a lot." Lily sounded completely confused, but Remus understood, this air could meddle with your mind.

"Anything else?"

"Yeah, there was an animal."

"Which one?"

"Uh . . ." she trailed off; she was too engrossed in trying to find the wolf on the page.

"Lil!" Remus snapped.

"A wolf." She hissed.

"No way," he grabbed the book from her and scanned quickly for the wolf, after reading what it said, Remus turned very pale. Lily couldn't understand what was going on. She grabbed the book back and read the wolf,

'The wolf: Expect a very violent nighttime ahead of you. You may already know which night, but be prepared and send your loved ones away!'

Lily looked back up at Remus, "You're not going to believe this, are ya?"

"Naw . . ." he asked if there was anything else.

"Yes! A green triangle." She scanned the page and found it,

'Green triangle: Expect to have some very mixed emotions about a member of the opposite sex!' Lily laughed and Remus blushed, the noise from her chortling brought Professor Trelawney to their table.

"What is funny, Miss Evans?" her dead brown eyes flashed with unseen anger.

"Nothing, Professor," Lily controlled her laughing and put on a very serious face.

"Have you done your own prediction yet, Ms. Evans?"

"No." she answered flatly.

"Then please, proceed."

"Yes Ma'am" Lily gave Remus a funny look and pulled the mirror between her face and his. The mirror clouded and blue and green swirls appeared, then yellow squares and a green triangle. Remus stifled a laugh and wrote it down. He looked up just in time to see the entire mirror glass swirl purple and black.

"Oh no!" Professor Trelawney began to mutter.

"What?" Lily asked, and she broke the spell of the mirror, it went translucent, but not before a lion appeared upon it. Remus quickly scribbled it down as Lily looked over his shoulder to the marks he had made. She laughed a little when she saw the green triangle.

"You poor, poor child!" Professor Trelawney continued to babble. Remus knew which sign had set her off so he looked specifically for the black and purple mist, he found it and it said,

'Black and Purple Mist: DEATH.'

"Not very subtle is it?" Remus whispered.

Lily's brow furrowed, and she sighed. This would probably be the highlight of Professor Trelawney's day, seeing the mark of death upon one of her students. Trelawney was fanning herself as she sat down in her chair muttering 'Poor child' and similar things.

Remus rolled his eyes and found the rest of Lily's predictions.

"Let's see here," He started. "Blue and green swirl, expect a blooming love relationship to end with death. Whatever. Yellow square means someone you hate will learn to love you. Hey, that's not a bad one! And a lion means that you will be filled with courage. So don't worry about tomorrow. Hey, yours are a lot better than mine!"

Remus grinned at Lily and a small smile graced her face, he realized she was actually worrying about that black and purple mist. He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder,

"Don't think about this load of crap, okay?"

She sighed, "Okay."

~-~-~-~-~-~

Dinner came on all too quickly, and Remus had retreated to his dormitory. Sirius had stayed with him, telling James to bring him a plate of something. Lily and Maggie were chatting about the Halloween ball when a very tall and handsome Hufflepuff approached Lily. James's attention was immediately drawn to the Hufflepuff Quidditch team captain preparing to say something to Lily. He cleared his throat and asked Lily if she would step outside with him. Lily agreed and gave Maggie a puzzled look.

James watched them all the way out the doors and noticed Peter and Maggie staring at him.

"What?"

They quickly shook their heads and began to eat again.

~-~-~-~-~-~

"Lily, will you go to the Queen's Halloween ball with me?"

Lily was shocked, she had helped Amos with his Charms essay last year and he was asking her to go to the ball? Lily smiled and replied,

"I'm sorry. I can't . . . I don't even know if I'm going." She flat out lied. She knew she was going but she hoped it was with a Gryffindor, not Amos, but she couldn't tell him that!

"Oh . . ." he sighed. Lily felt horrible. She quickly thought of a good enough excuse.

"If I decide to go, I'll keep you in mind, okay?" she smiled, praying this would work.

"Okay." He tossed a charming smile at her and went back into the Great Hall. Lily felt all of the air rush out of her, why didn't she just go with him? She should not be sure that a Gryffindor would ask her! She shrugged and also entered the Great Hall again, and sat back down at her respective table, in her respective seat, next to Maggie.

"Was that what I think it was?" Maggie's eyebrows rose so high they disappeared into her fluffy brown bangs. Lily gave no answer.

"Lily . . . " Maggie pleaded.

"Yes!" Lily giggled with Maggie as they bent their head close to each other and Lily told her what happened. James could barely stand it.

"What happened?" The girl's attention snapped back to him now.

"Amos Diggory just asked Lily to the ball!" Maggie piped up.

James's heart stopped, "What did you say?" He swallowed the growing lump in his throat, why did he have to care?

"I told him I wasn't going." Lily blushed scarlet. James's heart plopped into his stomach.

"Lily Evans! You big liar!" Maggie giggled.

"What?" James asked, his heart climbing back into its rightful place.

"I lied. I don't wan tot go with him! I would much rather go with a Gryffindor than a Hufflepuff!"

"Who wouldn't?" came Sirius's voice from behind the girls. "Prongs, can I have a word?"

"Yeah." James immediately jumped up and followed Sirius out of the door of Great Hall.

"Are you planning on going to the ball?"

"Of course, it will be the only fun thing to do!" James stated.

"I am too. I have figured a way--" Sirius stopped and Professor Dumbledore passed them.

"Good evening boys." He greeted.

"Good evening Professor Dumbledore," they chorused.

He leaned in close and whispered, "Let us not blow anything up tonight, hm?"

"Yes sir."

"Wonderful." And he passed into Great Hall.

James and Sirius walked down the hallway and into a nearby deserted classroom.

"The plan is I'll go outside with Moony, and you'll listen to whatever Professor McGonagall will say. Okay?"

"Sounds fine Padfoot but where will you be until he changes?"

"At the howl house."

"I should have known." James sighed. "Good luck Padfoot. Take Peter too. I'll be out as soon as possible."

"A.S.A.P. That's how I like it."

"I'm not talking about your girlfriends, Padfoot." And with that Prongs left Padfoot alone to mull over the plan a bit more. Padfoot realized Dumbledore had made a comment about tonight, but how could he have known?

~-~-~-~-~-~

James entered the Great Hall and found, to his very great surprise another young man sitting next to Lily and obviously getting turned down for the ball. He turned to leave and stood; he was face to face with James Potter. The two had a small stare down until Patrick Patil excused himself back to his own end of the Gryffindor table. James sat down in the empty space next to Lily and began to fill his plate again.

"What was that?" Lily whispered to him.

James smiled at her and told her it was nothing. Lily narrowed her eyes and gave a shrug that portrayed a verbal whatever.

~-~-~-~-~-~

"The dress code is very severe." McGonagall was addressing her house students in front of the common room fire. "You will have to wear a costume from the era that the Queen herself lived in." A murmur of confusion traveled through the room. A thousand and one questions ran through everyone's mind.

"Please state your questions." Professor McGonagall prodded.

Clarice Covey of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, a very small, very powerful and very beautiful 4th year asked, "Where will we get the specific costumes made?"

"There is a seamstress in Hogsmeade who will be making the costumes. She has an entire warehouse of people to do her bidding. The clothing will be done. Two more things, we will need to provide some decorations, everyone is pitching in, and . . ." she looked sternly about the room. "Please bring a date. Thank you." She spun on her heel and left the Gryffindor common room.

~-~-~-~-~-~

"Lily . . ." Remus groaned.

"What about her?" Sirius asked. It was hard to see Remus's face in the cold night. He didn't need to see it to know what it looked like, Remus's brown hair being invaded by gray, and his eyes holding a menace only unleashed once a month. There was still some snow on the ground, but they had arrived without mishap, considering they came through a tunnel. Peter was keeping an eye on the skies through the window, twitching nervously.

"Lily . . . we have to tell . . . tell her."

"No." Sirius disagreed firmly.

"Maggie . . . what about . . ."

"No. We cannot tell either of them. We're not sure how they would react."

"You're right . . . right."

Peter squeaked, "Padfoot, here it comes!"

Sirius turned to Remus one last time, "Be strong Moony. Fight it."

Sirius and Peter quickly ran out of the room, slamming the door and locking it magically.

"Are you ready?" Sirius asked the trembling Peter.

"Do you know what could happen?" Peter asked. He always asked the same question and Sirius always answered,

"Yeah," Sirius's eyes closing determinedly. "I know."

The shapes of the two boys were outlined by the full moon's light that began to shine through the cloud cover and bathe everything with in a pearly white glow. Then the shape of the tall, well-built young man shrunk into the shape of a happy, black dog. The dog's eyes shone in the pearl light at the dumpy, shivering boy, as his shape melted into one of a long- tailed sewer rat. The two lopped and scurried down the hallway, away from the door that hid the wailing Remus Lupin.

~-~-~-~-~-~

Remus lay there, drenched in his sweat, waiting for it to begin. The only thing Remus wanted was for it to be over. Remus opened his eyes and watched the moon light pour through the window and travel across the floor towards him. He watched it taunt him, and it seemed to be stalking him exactly like the wolf that had first bit him.

He was a happy three year old, watching his mother leave through the door just before his bedtime. It was time for her to go to work now. Mum played with him during the day and Daddy played with him at night. Remus watched Dad kiss Mum, and hold her tightly. Remus wanted a turn, so he walked over and tugged on his mother's black skirt. Their attention shifted down to him, and they smiled. Mum picked up Remus and held him tight.

"I love my little man." She whispered into his ear. Remus giggled as she tickled his ear, and his mum passed him to Daddy. Daddy kissed Mum one more time and told her,

"Don't talk to any strange people." That drew a laugh from Mum as she walked out the door. Daddy had walked with Remus down the hallway to Remus's room. Daddy laid him on his toddler bed and read him a bedtime story. When Daddy was done, he kissed Remus on the forehead and walked from the room. The last thing he did for his little boy was shut off the lights.

The door was so high, but Remus wanted it to open. Remus had already tried to flick on the lights like Daddy, but it wouldn't work for him, the lights were too high up. The moon poured through an open window, and Remus was okay then because it was a full moon and he could see by its light. Remus stared at the door, willing it to open.

He stood there glaring at the door blocking him from his Mum . . .

There was a click and Remus ran to the door, it was open. Remus was so happy; he kissed the door (to say thank you) and walked through to find his Mum. It was a lot lighter out here than it was in the house. It was a lot scarier too; the cricket's chirping and the owl's hooting made Remus wanting to go back inside.

Daddy woke up, had he heard the door open? Daddy slipped on his slippers, grabbed something out of his secret drawer, and walked downstairs to indeed see the door ajar. He walked through it, he saw Remus walking up to a dark, hunched figure in the shadows purring, "Come here doggy . . ."

Remus turned and saw his Daddy. Now Daddy would help him get the doggy out of the bushes! But Daddy was running across the lawn, panic written clearly across his face. Remus looked back at the doggy, it was not making a very nice noise . . . Remus watched the doggy come out of the bushes; it was not a nice doggy Remus decided. Remus began to back away, but the doggy was following him.

There was a loud click behind Remus and the mean doggy sprang and clenched Remus's arm in its teeth. Remus wailed as he watched the dark blood flow from his arm into the dark night. A loud bang rang in Remus's ears, his screams strained through the suburb. The doggy let go of his arm, and fell to the ground. Daddy grabbed the screaming Remus and rushed him inside; the cries were waking up the neighbors. When they saw what was laying in the Lupin's front yard lifeless, only then did they forgive Mr. Lupin for waking them up with his muggle contraption called a gun.

After thirteen years of being poked and prodded and finally succumbing to the condition, the now sixteen-year-old Remus slipped his hand into the pearly sheen.

Pain gripped his skin, fur ripped through it feeling like fire. Remus sneezed through the hair and knew no more with his conscious mind.

~-~-~-~-~-~

James was running towards the howls emitting from the far end of the tunnel. James nearly tripped over a large black dog lying across the floor of the tunnel. The dog jumped up and growled at the person who stepped on him.

"Whoa! Padfoot, Its me!" James yelled after the dog knocked him to the ground. The dog licked his face and jumped off of him.

"How is he?" The dog lowered his head sadly. James nodded knowingly. The howls of pain began again, and a squeak came from the entryway.

"Come on Pete, it's not that bad!" James went over and picked up the shivering rat. "You'll be okay! We always come out of this." The rat calmed down and didn't shiver and shake nearly as much as he was. The little rat eyes questioned James, and he replied,

"I really don't have to transform until we know that I'm in trouble."

A tremendous crash came from up in the house. The dog barked, knowing that the werewolf would run to the smell of human blood. Bark! James nodded. The small light protruding from the stairs leading into the house illuminated a graceful stag. The werewolf wailed confusedly, it had only just smelled human, now he only smelled dog, rat, and stag. The werewolf turned and went back into his dark room, waiting for another unsuspecting human to enter into his lair. He howled to the beautiful full moon he could see through the window. Down in Hogsmeade the people awoke in the night to the screams of the ghosts in the Shrieking Shack on the hill.

(End Chapter 9)

(For Calista Black who has been a friend, though we've never met, and who, I'm quite sure, will finish this fic...sometime...)