Number Fifteen

"You do this every morning?"

"Just about."

"Are you mad?"

Peter turned to look at Remus. "I don't think so."

Remus shook his head and continued to walk next to Peter. "So exactly what are we looking for."

"Anything I haven't found yet. Which is a lot," Peter replied. He pointed to a vase over in the corner. "I've never seen that before."

"Is that really necessary? To note something like where a vase is?" Remus glared angrily at the piece of pottery.

"I don't know that it's necessary, but it can't hurt." Peter noted the annoyed look on Remus's face. "You did offer to come. It's not as though I hauled you out of bed without your permission… no one is stupid enough to do that."

Remus sighed and ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up similar to James's. "You're right. I think I'm just annoyed that I'm not as observant. I've never seen that vase before and I probably wouldn't have noticed it if you hadn't pointed it out. I didn't see that portrait or the suit of armor earlier, either."

Peter shrugged. "You get used to keeping an eye out for things."

Remus shoved his hands into his pockets and kept pace next to Peter. "What's that?" Remus pointed into the corner.

"What's what?" Peter peered forward intently.

Walking forward, Remus bent down and let out another sigh as he picked it up.

"Well?"

Remus held out his hands, sitting on them was a plump toad.

"Arthur."

"Who else?" Remus dumped the toad into his pocket and then looked down at the bulge. "You stay in there, alright? I've no idea why Frank puts up with you, but he's a wreck whenever you're gone."

The two continued to walk on in a companionable silence. Every once in a while, Peter would slow down to prod at a panel of wood or a stone, twice a stone came lose to reveal a small cubby hole. Each time, Remus looked on astounded.

After the third one, Remus stopped him. "How do you know that that's there?"

Peter shrugged. "Just a feeling."

Remus shook his head, again mystified by the strange aptitude Peter had a tendency to show for finding things.

"So…" Peter began, looking carefully to his friend. "I saw you and Melissa studying in the library on Thursday. Didn't you two owl one another all summer? What's going on?"

Remus narrowed his eyes at Peter. "We were studying for an Arithmancy test."

Peter raised an eyebrow at his friend.

Remus sighed. "That's all… I mean, yes we wrote back and forth all summer, but I don't think she thought of it like that… and we studied together sometimes last year, too… she just gets annoyed with Lily's insane study schedules sometimes. We're friends, that's all."

"And you just want to be friends with her?" Peter knocked on a wooden panel.

"It doesn't matter what I want." Remus leaned up against the wall. "She just wants us to be friends."

"You've asked her?"

"You are mad," Remus spit out. "You don't just ask a girl if she likes you!"

Peter turned to study his friend. "Why not?"

"It… it's just not done like that." Remus looked almost as confused as Peter. "There's a method to it, you see…"

"A method?"

"Yes."

"Well, what's the method?"

Remus sighed and ran his hands through his hair again. "I've absolutely no idea."

Peter clicked his tongue. "Sirius just asks them."

"Sirius is mad."

"Well… yes, I suppose that's true. Still…"

Remus held up his hand. "Actually, Sirius only asks some of them. You could tell he really liked Madison because he didn't ask her."

Peter wrinkled his nose. "Remus, that makes no sense."

"You just don't ask… it's like… it's like Quidditch."

Peter shook his head. "Nevermind then, it took me forever to understand Quidditch."

Remus rolled his eyes, but nodded slightly. "I don't think we'll ever understand girls."

"But Mel reads the books you suggest."

"Mel reads anything, why do people keep pointing out that she took one book suggestion I made? I could hand her a Muggle telephone book and she'd probably take a crack at it."

"Well, that seems like something a girl who likes you would do…"

"Pete, drop it."

Peter rolled his eyes this time. "Sirius was right, you are moony."

Remus sighed, but didn't comment, and the two continued walking along the corridor.

"James? What're you doing here?" Frank asked. "Didn't you have practice this morning?"

Remus pulled back his curtains and peered out, the two boys took no notice of him. Why are they talking so early in the morning? This better be good…

James shook his head, a sad expression on his face. "Alan cancelled it."

"Why?"

Good question Frank, but not as in 'why is practice cancelled', more as in 'why are you conversing at such a forsaken hour of the day'?

James winced and opened his mouth to answer Frank's question. "Beamish had to take care of some prefect duties."

"At the crack of dawn?"

Well at least I know you know how to tell time, Frank. No pleading ignorance on that account, you're well aware of the hour.

"One of the first year's parents were killed by Voldemort last night."

Oh hell.

Remus winced as he watched Frank's jaw dropped. The brown haired boy quickly snapped it shut, with a sad but resolute look on his face. "I'd hoped that nutter had…" Frank quietly trailed off.

"Disappeared?" James finished softly. "I know. It's been so quiet lately."

Disappeared? That nut won't disappear until someone kills him. Remus thought angrily of his parents.

"What first year?" Franks voice broke through the void in the room.

"Yardley Ogden."

Remus watched Frank take in the information and shake his head again. He reached over to his nightstand, grabbed Arthur and began to stroke his back. The three boys sat quietly, one at his desk and the other two in their beds, until stirring noises could be heard in both Peter and Sirius's directions.

Remus raised a hand to his head and rubbed at his temples, annoyed that he felt a headache coming on. Good thing Frank and James didn't notice me… everyone freezes up around me at the mention of Voldemort… He wondered as he flopped back onto his pillows. Could this day get any worse? He felt his insides writhe around and groaned softy. I suppose it can. Full moon tonight. He sighed. It was a nice ten seconds there, when I forgot about it.

Remus slowly sat back up and tossed his legs over the side of his bed, happy to note that it was rather quiet in the dormitory.

"Morning, Remus."

He turned his head to glance at Peter.

"The others are waiting in the common room. I'll see you down there." The blond boy scurried out of the door, pausing only long enough to grab his satchel of books.

Why do they all feel the need to talk in the morning? Remus shook his head. He'd been awake for more than a half an hour already, but his mind still wasn't fully functioning. He winced as another spasm racked his stomach and then shook his head. No wonder more than eighty five percent of us never make it to twenty. There is no way what girls deal with is worse.

After taming his bed head, Remus slipped into a clean uniform and carefully knotted his tie. He walked out of the bathroom and sat down on his bed to slip his feet into his shoes. As he bent to tie them, his head began to throb mercilessly, causing him to actually cry out in pain and quickly lay down.

What's so great about being part of that fifteen percent anyway? He rubbed his fingers angrily into his temples. This isn't fair at all. Not at all. I didn't ask for this. Hell, I didn't even ask to live when the bloody wolf bit me. It would've been so much easier if I hadn't. The throbbing subsided to a manageable level and Remus sighed. He remained on his back and bent his legs to tie his shoelaces without bending over.

Slowly, he sat up and remained still for a moment while the room stopped spinning. Lovely, fantastic. This is why the fifteen percent make it- they enjoy the bloody merry-go-round feeling. They like the feeling of being punched repeatedly in the gut and they bloody well love the brass band playing nonstop marches in their eardrums. He sighed again as he rose and gathered up his school supplies off his desk.

Alright then, enough of that Remus Lupin. Suck it up and move it… those numbers aren't worth a second thought. You don't have any option, you're going to be part of the fifteen percent whether you like it or not. Remus gasped and grabbed onto the doorway as a particularly bad cramp seized his stomach. Not, definitely not. He doubled over, only to hear a small voice behind him.

"Are you alright?"

Remus shot upright. "I'm fine, thanks." He offered the smaller boy a smile. A first year, he thought. Act as though you're fine and you'll be fine. Act as though you're fine and you'll be fine.

The boy smiled back at him and bounded down the steps. Remus slumped against the doorframe and exhaled loudly. He made it about halfway down the steps when he grabbed onto the railing to keep himself from pitching forward.

You've been doing this for years! You know how to counteract a dizzy spell. Close your eyes. Sit down if you have to. Breathe, don't forget to breathe. That's it, just hold onto the railing and keep your eyes closed. He stood still for a long moment taking several deep breaths. How am I going to make it through classes today? It's really bad this month, he thought sadly. I'm going to fall behind again. I don't care how smart the others think I am, this bloody lycanthropy nuisance really messes up my grades. He felt the dizziness pass and continued down the stairs.

As he entered the common room, he spotted Peter examining a potted plant while Sirius hovered behind him looking anxious.

"I think you've killed it, Sirius," Peter said, prodding the purple plant.

Sirius moaned. "I can't fail this, too. I failed the last bloody test, I can't fail this practical. It only needed to live for a week."

Peter sighed. "Well, hold on, there's a potion specifically for these ferns, the text mentions it. It's difficult to brew though, we'd need to er… borrow… some supplies from Nackle..."

"But I can do potions," Sirius cheered visibly. "You just point out the potion and I'll make it." Sirius peered intently at the plant over Peter's shoulder. "Are you sure it can save that thing?"

Peter glanced from Sirius to the plant and then back to Sirius and shrugged. "It's worth a shot. Certainly can't hurt, can it? And I'll get the supplies. If you get another detention this week, McGonagall will ship you back to your parents in pieces."

Sirius clapped Peter on the back. "Thanks mate."

Peter just shrugged again and handed the sad looking plant back to Sirius.

Remus watched the exchange with a thoughtful look playing on his face, his pains momentarily forgotten. And that git thinks he's useless, bloody loon. I'd completely forgotten about that potion. Alright, time to begin the monthly fifteen. Remus rolled his eyes at the old tradition his mother had instilled in him so long ago. When he was younger he hadn't understood the significance his mother had attached to the number fifteen, but now that he was older…

One: Peter. He's a good friend who is bloody brilliant at Herbology, even if he refuses to admit it, and he'll even break the rules to help his friends. Right then, Remus smiled slightly.

"Morning Remus." James called out from the sofa and then turned towards Peter and Sirius. "You lot ready to head down to the Great Hall then?"

Sirius jumped up began conversing a mile a minute with James as Remus fell in step behind the two vivacious boys. A moment later he looked to his right and watched Peter fall into stride next to him. Peter ducked quickly as Sirius's gestures grew in size before abating and Remus winced at the noise his friend was making.

"I'll meet you all down there," Remus muttered to the group. Sirius didn't even acknowledge him, still raving about his latest mad scheme. James quirked an eyebrow until a sudden look of comprehension dawned on his face, which then quickly filled with sympathy. I hate sympathy… Remus just quirked an eyebrow back at him. Peter gave him a concerned glance, as though asking if he wanted company. Remus quickly shook his head and turned in the opposite directions towards the hospital wing.

Ah, silence. Blessed, lovely silence. Remus smiled slightly despite his discomfort. With best friends like them every quiet second is worth a million Galleons. He shuffled quietly through the door into the infirmary.

"Madam Pomfrey?" I hate this part.

The tell tale sign of her clicking heels immediately was heard across the floor. A moment later the older woman was visible, and upon recognizing Remus, her face also fell into a sympathetic look. Remus could feel the wolf beginning to stir in him, instead of getting sad over the look on her face, he felt angry. He grimaced as he tried to shove the feeling out of his mind.

"I was hoping I could have a headache potion, Madam." Remus looked at her. He remembered when they had first met the first day of his first year. She was taller than me back then. He looked to her as she bustled about preparing the potion. We're the same height now… by the time I graduate, I'll be a lot taller than her.

He sat down as she led him to a bed and tried to ignore the pounding in his temples. She's a good nurse though, there's really not much anyone can do for me, but she always finds something. She even lets the Marauders visit me now while I recover if it's a particularly bad month… He winced. Like tonight's probably going to be…

He sat back and drank the foul potion. He made a face and Madam Pomfrey clucked her tongue and told him to take it like a wizard. He offered her a small smile and she in turn returned a rare one that she seemed to save for him.

"Thank you, ma'am. I'm going to head down to the Great Hall now." Remus slowly stood up from the bed, holding on as the room swayed slightly out of a focus for a moment.

"If it gets bad, young man, you're to come straight here," she chided as he headed for the door.

"Yes, ma'am," Remus called out as he crossed the threshold into the corridor. Two: Madam Pomfrey.

He walked slowly to the Great Hall, but felt slightly better after taking the pain potion. He entered and slipped in quietly next to James who was sitting across from Peter. Sirius was at the other end of the table talking with Madison Bell. The two boys paused in their conversation to give him a quick once over before returning to their discussion of the Goblin Revolts of 1695.

"But Oger."

"Lokker, not Oger. Who's Oger?"

"Umm… isn't that the goblin who ransacked the Ministry?"

"No, that was Botswanna, not Oger. Lokker was the one who invented the MuckAlls."

"MuckAlls? What's a MuckAlls?"

"No one knows."

"Then why is it going to be on the exam?" Peter sunk his head down to the table.

James bit into a piece of bacon and shrugged.

Remus felt his stomach turn in revulsion at the smell of all the food. He was happy when the owls swooped into the Great Hall, distracting him. An owl landed before him and he was pleased to see a letter with his grandmother's neat scrawl attached to the owl. He untied it, offered the owl a piece of bread and opened it.

Three and four: Gram and Gramps.

He read through it, happy to hear that all was as well as could be expected with his grandfather and that they were actually thinking of getting a puppy.

Five: The puppy.

Although maybe the puppy shouldn't really count… I mean, I don't know much about it… Remus grinned as his mother's voice floated through his memory. He could clearly recall sitting on his parents bed playing with a stuffed animal and asking his mum if it could count as number eight. He remembered her reply, "Does it make you happy, dear?" He'd told her it had and that was that. Five: The puppy.

"Ready then, Remus?"

He looked over to Peter and nodded. James looked to him.

"You didn't eat anything."

Remus merely shrugged as he stood up and picked up his satchel. He wobbled slightly and felt James quickly yet discreetly grab his elbow to steady him. Their eyes met for a moment, James's eyebrows arching in a silent question.

"I'm fine," Remus said quietly and shook his arm loose. He added as an afterthought- "Thank you, though."

James just nodded and continued on. Only James could manage to actually support me and still make it seem like nothing. He may be a headache and a half sometimes, but he is a good friend. Remus grinned at his friend, who grinned back with a puzzled expression on his face. Remus just shook his head, ignoring the look. Six: James.

The three walked out of the Great Hall and a moment later Sirius bounded up behind them and matched their stride. The four boys continued on their way to class.

"Remus is quiet today," Sirius observed. The boys were sitting in the common room. A few moments earlier Remus has excused himself and went up to the dormitory.

"Full moon, you git. Did you forget?" Peter muttered quietly, groaning as James' pawn brutally attacked his castle.

"Oh, right. I had for a moment," Sirius replied.

"That must be nice."

Sirius winced visibly at the gravelly voice behind him. "I thought you were having a lie in," he said feebly.

"The room wouldn't stop spinning. I'm going to head down to Madam Pomfrey now."

Sirius winced again as he turned and saw Remus. Looking paler than he had all day, the thin boy was clutching tightly to the top of the chair but even that wasn't stopping him from swaying dangerously.

"I'll come with you." Sirius quickly jumped up from his chair.

Remus narrowed his eyes. "No, don't bother. Just try to forget about it while I'm gone will you."

Sirius narrowed his eyes right back. "You know I didn't mean it like that. Listen-"

Remus cut him off. "I'm not up for this right now. I'll see you lot tomorrow." He began to teeter unsteadily towards the door.

"You've got to be kidding me, Moony." Sirius started after him.

"Don't. Touch. Me." He let out a harsh laugh and finished in a very quiet whisper. "I'm not exactly stable right now… no telling what the monster in me will do." He climbed clumsily out of the portrait hole, leaving Sirius behind. As the portrait slammed shut, Sirius smashed his hand against it. Several others studying in the common room glanced up for a moment before returning to their work.

He turned to the remaining Marauders, a look of sheer helplessness crossing his features for a moment, a look only Peter, James and Remus would ever see, and then quickly vanished. "I didn't mean it like that."

James raised an eyebrow.

"We know." Peter said quietly. "He knows too. I think Belua got to him today in Defense Against the Dark Arts, with all that 'werewolves are monster all the time, you never know what they're capable of' nonsense."

"People like him, the paranoid ignorant types, are the reason all those stupid werewolf registration and restriction laws exist." Sirius spat out as he crossed the room to sit back down. "When I grow up I'm going to spend every second working towards getting those mad rules thrown out."

"Me too," James quickly agreed, reaching out to put a hand on top of Sirius', who offered him a small grin.

"Me three," Peter added, laying his hand on top of the bunch.

The three boys nodded at one another and then sat back in the chairs.

"You know, we've only got that last primer spell to go. It's been a while since we worked on it. What if we just skived off Herbology," James commented quietly to the other two.

"Skiving off Herbology always sounds like a plan to me," Sirius agreed.

"Well, it's not as though your plant is in any shape to pass Sprout's tests," Peter chuckled. "Although Remus would want us to go and get the notes for him."

James grinned as he quickly solved the problem. "We'll copy Becca's or Alice's."

"Bloody brilliant, my friend," Sirius grinned as he jumped up from the couch and bounded up the steps. "Last one to the dorm is a moldy toad."

James was off like a shot.

Peter groaned and slowly followed the other two up the steps.

Remus limped slowly out to the Whomping Willow, Madam Pomfrey keeping pace next to him. A few feet from the tree, a thought dawned on Remus.

For the first time I can remember, I didn't reach fifteen. He winced as a harsh thought made its way through his head. Maybe I won't make it to next month either. Then I won't have to worry about the monthly fifteen. He recounted the last one. Fourteen was Trixie. She'd stopped him on his way to the Hospital Wing to ask if he wanted the Herbology notes he was going to miss.He shook his head, at a loss for a fifteenth reason to keep going, to keep enduring this monthly torture.

He slowed to a stop as they reached the Whomping Willow and Madam Pomfrey prodded the knot with a nearby stick.

"Thanks, Madam." Remus climbed in through the opening.

The look of sympathy was clear on her face once again, making him grimace. "I'll be down to retrieve you in the morning, Mr. Lupin."

"Yes ma'am." The tree began to come back to life and Remus could hear her retreating footsteps. A particularly bad pain caused a spasm in his back and he fell to the ground moaning.

"Alright," he gasped to himself. "We can handle this, we've done it before. We'll just sit here for a while till it passes."

"We? Great, I'm talking aloud to myself now. And apparently I've still got multiple personalities."

He waited for the other Marauders to laugh at his self depreciating remark until he realized that he was alone. Very alone.

As he lay on the ground waiting for the pain to subside he was surprised to hear voices from outside near the willow.

"What brings you to the Whomping Willow?"

Remus couldn't quite place whose voice that was. It was familiar… but it certainly didn't belong to any Gryffindors he could think of.

"Oh, so now she's too high and mighty to even grant me a response?"

The voice had an unnatural cruelness to it.

"Go away Black, I'm heading to the lake."

Remus's eyes widened. Bellatrix Black. And Melissa Watts.

"We've got a score to settle from First Year, Watts. Seeing as how there's no one around, now seems like the time to take care of it."

"I don't have anything to settle with you."

Remus froze. This didn't sound good, this definitely didn't sound good at all. He'd heard rumors of what Bellatrix was capable of, and even if he was sure no thirteen year old could be that evil, he still didn't want to risk finding out otherwise at Melissa's cost.

But if you climb out to help her, you'll have to explain what in Merlin's name you were doing under the tree. He groaned softly at another wave of pain. Not to mention the fact that you wouldn't even be a help in the state you're in.

"I'd take out your wand if I were you, Watts."

"I don't think this is a wise idea, Black."

Bellatrix mumbled something and Remus gasped as he heard Melissa cry out in pain.

"You really are a hag, you know that, Bella?" Melissa cried out. "We're not going through this again."

Remus pulled himself upright. Even if he couldn't help her, the distraction of someone crawling out of a tree would probably help her get away. He slowly shuffled towards the area the opening would form in.

"What is going on here?"

Remus collapsed again the roots in relief. I've never been so happy to hear Professor Sprout's voice in my life.

As Professor Sprout started to yell at the two girls, Remus turned and started to shuffle off towards the Shrieking Shack, pausing only to laugh as Melissa called Black a "dreadful, revolting, unattractive, repulsive hag with the brains of a pickled toad". Fifteen: Mel.

Author's Note: Sorry for the crazy long delay between chapters, guys. I know it's been like seven months since I last updated, so hopefully these three chapters can be sort of like my peace offering. I finished my summer classes yesterday, so hopefully I'll have a little more time on my hands and I've started writing again. These three chapters were stuff I already had written but hadn't had time to post before, but I think I might manage to finish up the year this summer. I'm going to use a lot of the prank ideas you guys were able to give me and if you've got any more, they would be soooo appreciated or if there are any areas that you think I should explore more. I know someone, can't remember who, thought I should delve more into Sirius's family life and that I should explore Snape some more, so I'm going to try to do that. Also, upon going over the chapters I just posted I noticed that I really beat up the Marauder's this year- they seem to spend a lot of time in the hospital, so I think they need to have some fun. So… that being said, I think you can expect more updates relatively soon. Thanks for still reading, you guys are great! :0)