Spirit of the Stars

By IsisFireDancer

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing and apologise for any mistakes. Just a note: nothing slashy will be going on until they get older. And the rating will not go up at the moment. Sorry I didn't make that clear! Enjoy...

CHAPTER 8: A GUIDED TOUR

REMUS POV

We all lined up and handed in our permission forms, waiting to be let loose on the small town ahead of us.

I was now feeling a little nervous. What if everyone had loads of money? I wasn't exactly rich. It was a struggle to get by at home.

I felt people behind me begin to struggle and jostle me to get nearer to the gate. Finally, McGonagall gave us the all clear and a stream of people flooded out of the grounds and along the road that lead to Hogsmeade.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned to see the grinning faces of Sirius, James and Peter.

"So, what's the plan then people?" asked James, a grin spreading across his face. He dragged us out of the stream of people to the side of the road where we could walk at our own pace.

"Well, this is Remus' first visit to Hogsmeade. Why don't we give him a guided tour?" suggested Peter.

"An excellent idea my friend! First stop: Zonkos," said Sirius, a wicked grin appearing across his features.

"How am I guessing that this means we're going to cause some matter of mayhem?" I asked.

"You know us too well, Remus!" exclaimed Sirius.

Soon, we were in the actual town itself. We walked through rows of little houses and onto the main street. People were mulling about everywhere, peering through the windows of brightly coloured shops.

"Come on! This way!" yelled Sirius, dragging me through the crowds to a large shop.

Sirius headed straight through the door and over to shelves full of all sorts of tricks and pranks. We were shortly joined by James and Peter who also started grabbing all manner of things that could be used against the Slytherins at some point in the future.

We left the shop a while later, pockets stuffed and purses feeling a lot lighter than before. Well, except for mine. That was light to begin with.

"Hmmm... Where next? What do you think Peter?" asked James.

"Where else? Honeydukes of course!" Now Peter dragged me. We stopped by an old building painted a gold colour. Gorgeous aromas issued from inside. "This is Honeydukes. Come on!"

I gasped as I was pulled in. Every wall was lined with helves that groaned under the weight of a multitude of sweets and chocolates. Peter was already plucking things from various places. I watched as the shelves seemed to restock themselves magically.

I decided to treat myself and bought a big bar of Honeydukes finest chocolate. I always have had a particular soft spot for anything and everything chocolate.

I found my companions looking at the 'Unusual Tastes' wall and a selection of very potent looking sweets such as acid pops and cockroach clusters.

"Are we all done here?" asked James, counting his money. We all nodded. "Good! I need to go to the Post Office and owl my mum-you know what she's like!"

We walked through the cold streets until we came to the Post Office. I followed James inside, watching as he paid for the owl. It was very quiet inside, compared to the bustle of outside. Owls sat on perches all around, occasionally hooting.

I was so enthralled by the peace that I didn't notice that James was leaving the shop. I snapped out of my trance and ran to catch up with him.

"Where are we going now?" I asked, shivering a little. It felt like the temperature had plummeted.

"To the Three Broomsticks for a drink and some warmth," replied Sirius, who had also noticed the drop in the temperature.

We hurried towards the yellow glow that shone through the windows of the cosy pub. A wave of warmth flew at me as we entered. Peter steered me to a table and we sat down.

"I'll get the drinks," said Sirius. I watched him walk up to the bar and grin at the young barmaid. She fluttered her eyelashes at him and gave him our drinks on the house. He walked back to us, still grinning.

"Still making use of the Black charm?" asked James, grinning. Sirius pulled himself into a seat and gave us all a mug of Butterbeer.

"Why are you complaining? It gets us all a free mug of Butterbeer!" Sirius grinned, taking a sip of his drink.

I took a small sip of Butterbeer. Immediately I felt the warm liquid spread through my body, making me feel like someone had just lit a candle in my limbs. It was a pleasant sensation, having the molten mixture slip down my throat. Before long, we had all finished our Butterbeers and turned our minds to other things.

Suddenly, a thought hit me. I'd just been given a guided tour of Hogsmeade by three third years on the first visit this year. You weren't allowed to go to Hogsmeade until third year. This didn't fit.

"How come you guys know your way around Hogsmeade when it's the first visit of third year? Your not supposed to go until third year. How did you get here before?" For a moment the other three boys sat, staring at me in amazement.

"Not just a pretty face are we Remus?" teased Sirius. "We will come clean to you. We have had the knowledge of most of the secret passages since first year!"

"We should make a map of the castle with them on," I said thoughtfully. "Of course, we'd have to enchant it so that we could make it appear and disappear at will so no-one else would know what it was..."

"Remus Lupin, you are a GENIUS!" Sirius cried, startling everyone out of their reverie. "That's exactly what we'll do! It'll take a while but that doesn't matter!"

We all fell back into silence, contemplating how to make such a wonderful and very useful object. It seemed a trip to the library was in order.

SIRIUS POV

"We should be getting back to the castle soon," said Peter, breaking every ones train of thought.

"We can't yet!" I cried. "We've got to show Remus one more thing first!" I was glad that James and Peter understood what I was talking about. I got up, pulling Remus up with me. "Hurry up!" I cried in exasperation.

I got a kind of thrill tearing through the cold streets, being followed by James, Remus and Peter. It felt like a sort of adventure; the Marauders showing their friend the wonders of a new place.

I took a left turning, expecting to see the old building loom out of the cold sky above us like it always did. I came to a halt, bringing Remus, Peter and James up behind me. We took one last step up the hill and it came into full view.

"Remus, this is the Shrieking Shack!" I exclaimed, sounding to my own ear, rather like I was introducing Remus to another person.

We all looked at Remus for a reaction to this building in front of us. None of us expected the reaction we did get.

"Remus?" I asked cautiously, trying to determine what the matter was. Everyone was silent for a moment.

He stared at it, frozen in terror. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but no sound was uttered. A single tear fell from his honey-coloured eyes. He screamed.

"WHY DID YOU BRING ME HERE?" he shouted, tears now running down his face in a constant stream. He pushed us out of the way and ran don the road, leaving us in total shock.

REMUS POV

There was no point of me even attempting to go back now. They would all think I was possessed or that I had a mental illness or something. Why did I have to react that way? I just couldn't stand seeing that, the place of my pain.

It didn't matter if I told them now, they still wouldn't want to be my friends any more. The one good thing I had and I can't even keep that. Why was I chosen to have this curse? My father always said that I wouldn't make friends. It was all my fault.

"WHY ME?" I screamed needing to rid myself of some of the anguish that I was feeling right then.

I could see the castle now. No one would want me here. I'd be an outlaw. I had no reason to go back, but my legs didn't comply with my plea to stop. Finally, I could take it no longer and flung myself down beneath a tree at the far edge of the lake.

I was crying again. I felt the warm droplets fall down my face and into my palm. It was soon joined by cold splashes. It was raining.

I was being incredibly foolish, sitting here in the rain but I didn't care. It helped me clear my head.

My tears no longer blinded me. I curled up at the bottom of the tree, feeling safe because I had something to lean on. I looked towards the castle just in time to see three figures run through the gate and towards the castle, still calling my name. I curled up more, closing my eyes.

SIRIUS POV

We had looked all over Hogsmeade for him, but to no avail. It had started to rain and I was getting worried about him.

None of us had ever seen Remus react with so much passion to anything before, let alone the Shrieking Shack. It was like some bad dream. I called out to him. There was no reply. Where the hell was he???

I returned to the Three Broomsticks to find James and Peter. They were already there, discussing something and looking worried.

"Any news? Any sign of him at all?" I asked, still hopeful.

"No, nothing at all. We've got to try and think like him-" James said.

"But how can we when we don't know how his mind I working right now!" cried Peter in exasperation.

"What if he went back to the castle? It is raining after all and Remus was always the practical one. He's probably in the library," I said, trying to convince my self as much as anyone. James and Peter didn't look encouraged. "We can at least try," I said desperately.

We had to run most of the way back as it was raining harder than before. We ran together finding it difficult to see even the road, let alone the slight figure of Remus. All the time we called his name hoping to find him, but instead only finding the echoes of our own voices.

I cried out into the gloom that surrounded us as we entered the ground. What did he think he was doing? What was I going to say to him when I saw him? If I ever saw him again. Oh God! I was getting caught up with myself.

My worries were still fresh in my mind as we ran up the steps to the Entrance Hall. I had a headache from all my confused thoughts jumbling themselves together at once.

I burst through the door and ran up the stairs two at a time not looking where I was going. I'd try the Library first, then the Common Room and Dorm-

"OUCH! Sorry!" I mumbled, bumping into someone. I looked up and almost died. I had just run straight into McGonagall! "Oh God! Sorry, Professor!"

"Why were you tearing up the stairs like there was no tomorrow?"

"It's Remus..."

AN: I'm so evil! Is the chapter long enough for everyone? Sorry I didn't update for a while. If you want a magical cake then please REVIEW! When I was on my travels I found THE coolest shop ever! Guess what it was called: Sirius! I bought a really cool ring there! Just thought you'd like to know that.

This time round, cake goes to: AffectedMangoO, lil-kitty-fey, MelissaMoony, Alice Dodgson, Drae and Lunaris.

P.S. I have started the next chapter already! Blessed Be!