Let me tell you, being a werewolf isn't all it's cracked up to be. I could say there are good parts to being a werewolf, more good than bad. But then I'd be lying.

Turning into a bloodthirsty monster once a month is definitely not what I'd call pleasurable. I guess I can relate to how girls feel when it's that time of the month, as I undergo similar experiences.

But now that I think about it, the only similarities are that they happen once a month and it's painful. Nothing else, thank goodness.

My name is Remus Lupin, and this is my life.

"Remus, get up!"

I pulled blankets over my head. "No...It's too early..."

"For Merlin's sake, Moony! Get up!"

I felt the covers being lifted off my body and I felt myself rising into the air. I opened my eyes and flipped over in mid-air.

James, Sirius, and Peter stood below me, wands raised, and were levitating me slowly to the door.

"No! Wait! I've got to change my clothes!" I reached desperately for my dresser. "Put me down!"

"I knew you'd see it our way," James said, smiling.

Thump.

I got up slowly, rubbing my bum. "D'you think you could work on a more gentle landing?" I complained.

"It's your fault you wanted to sleep in, Remmie," Sirius said. "You know what moon phase it is, don't you?"

I groaned. "Full moon? Please say no..."

"Yup!" Peter squeaked. "Full moon!"

"You know Madam Pomfrey wants you down in the hospital wing, by now," Sirius said impatiently as my friends watched me pull on a shirt.

"I know," I slipped on my robes and stuffed a pair of sneakers on my feet. "I'm on my way..."

"See you tonight, then," James said, still grinning. "It'll be fun, I promise!"

"Oh, yeah." I rolled my eyes. "Fun."

OoOoOo

"Come along, now, Mister Lupin!" Madam Pomfrey's no-nonsense voice brought me back to reality. "No time for daydreaming now. This is not a good time."

I blinked stupidly and continued to follow her. I'd just been thinking about how life would be like if I didn't have to go through this every full moon. It was a nice dream, but alas, only a dream.

"Be careful!"

But the warning came too late. A thin, whip-like branch from the Whomping Willow hit me on the cheek.

Darn tree, I thought bitterly, wiping blood from my face.

Madam Pomfrey poked a small knot at the base of the tree and it froze. "After you, m'dear," She gave me a little push and I slid into a gap between the willow's roots.

"Oof." I got up and brushed dirt from my robes.

The Shrieking Shack.

Personally, I loathe this place. The Shack is where I undergo the transformation from boy to wolf, then later, wolf to boy. It could use some homey touches, I admit. Broken furniture, moldy carpets, destroyed lighting. Not exactly what I'd call welcoming. The entire Shrieking Shack is dust covered and termite-ridden. Ugh.

Then again, I rarely have visitors, save for my James, Sirius, and Peter. But that's probably for the best. I'd most likely attack and/or eat, disfigure, dismember, or turn anyone who stepped foot into this place that wasn't an Animagus into a werewolf.

I sat in a lopsided chair to wait, as I listened to Madam Pomfrey leave. It was morning, and I transformed at night. My friends had classes all day, so they'd come later.

I had a lot of time to kill.

OoOoOo

It was time. I could feel it, the werewolf in me bubbling up to the surface of my mind.

R-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-P.

Now I could really feel it. The pain I endure as I change is mind-boggling. I screamed, a high, keening sound that sounded alien to even my ears. My clothes ripped as my limbs lengthened and thick, silvery hair sprouted from my body. A snout poked out from my face and my pupils dialated and turned green. I could see in the dark. Weak, human fingernails gave way to my powerfully sharp claws. I fell on all fours. My mouth changed shape, and my small human teeth became deadly and pointed. My ears changed shape, migrating to the top of my head. I heard three people tramping across the grounds. Then the last change happened. A long, feathery tail shot out of my back end.

"Woof."

I whipped my head around, fur standing on end, as I bared my teeth.

Who dared to enter the presence of a werewolf?

"Woof."

A large, black dog stared me down. It was Sirius.

Something snorted and pawed the ground behind me. I could feel its cool breath.

James, a stag in his Animagus form.

A small creature scampered across the floor. It squeaked.

Peter was here, as a rat.

I relaxed slowly, and the cautious werewolf instincts subsided, for the time being. Friends. They were my friends.

OoOoOo

Peter, James, and Sirius kept me company throughout the night. They returned every night for the rest of the week, the length of the full moon.

I could never have asked for better friends.

OoOoOo

"Remus, get up!"

Oh, no.

Not again...