(Author's Note: I hope the previous chapter wasn't confusing. I was trying to find a way to separate the two Lupin's and I figured that that worked well. Well enough talking… let's move on.)
Chapter 3: I would NEVER betray you Moony!
"This is now our third year. I'm just about to come out of the castle with Madam Pomfrey. A few moments after I go down the tunnel James and Sirius will show up. As long as we stay in between they the two of them and myself, we'll be fine." Lupin said as he and Harry stood waiting for something to happen.
Just as Lupin had said the castle doors opened and out came Madam Pomfrey and Remus. Remus was quite pale and looked rather sick. The two walked over toward the tree and Madam Pomfrey hit the knot in the tree. Remus went down the tunnel as the nurse headed back to the castle. Lupin pulled Harry toward the tree and right to the entrance of the tunnel. Once again the castle doors opened but no one came out. It suddenly hit Harry that James and Sirius must be under the invisibility cloak. Harry was right, after a few moments James and Sirius appeared out from underneath the cloak.
"So where do you think he went?" Sirius asked as the two of them looked around.
"I'm guessing the Whomping Willow." James said as he walked toward it.
"Harry, I know you're wondering how they get in here, but we need to get down the tunnel." Lupin said as he pulled Harry down toward the shrieking shack. The two of them headed up the stairs toward the room that Harry knew quite well from his third year. They entered the room and saw Remus lying on bed, just waiting to get the transformation over with. "Harry I don't know how you dealt with my transformation in your third year, but when I was 13 is was a lot worse."
Just as Lupin said that young Remus began to switch horribly. He then began to yell in pain. Lupin turned around, it was bad enough for him to go through it without having to watch himself. Harry watched as Remus suddenly began to turn into a werewolf. His yells echoed through the house.
"REMUS!"Harry heard the voice of his father call. Harry heard as James and Sirius ran up the stairs toward them. They saw a thirteen-year-old Remus yelling in pain as he turned from a man into a werewolf. James was about to run toward him but Sirius stopped him.
"James, werewolves have no idea who anyone is. He'd attack us on sight if he sees us." Sirius said as he tried to grab James for them to get out of there. Before they could turn to run Remus had finished his transformation. There was a living, breathing werewolf standing in the room. James and Sirius took off to hide in hopes that Remus wouldn't be able to find them or get to them.
"You see Harry," Lupin said placing a hand on Harry's shoulder, "when I was younger changing was extremely painful. I dreaded every month when the full moon was approaching. It's worse then having the Crusiartus Curse placed on you."
Remus was pacing around the room trying to find something. He kept stopping close to where James and Sirius were hidden. After a few hours of standing and watching Remus attack himself, the moon finally disappeared as the sun was beginning to come up again. Remus had fallen onto the floor as he began to change back. Once again Remus began to yell in pain. After he was fully back to himself James and Sirius came out of hiding. They ran over to Remus and picked him up off the floor.
"Remus! Remus wake up!" Sirius said shaking him. Remus slowly moved and then opened his eyes. He jumped at the sight of seeing James and Sirius.
"How? How did you? Why are you here?" Remus said looking back and forth at them.
"We wanted to know where you went so we followed you. Unfortunately we weren't able to get away before your transformation was complete. So we hid." James said. Remus's eyes became huge as he heard what his friends had just said.
"You can't tell a soul. No one is supposed to know!" Remus yelled at them
"Lupin, dude, calm down." Sirius said.
"You don't get it! No one is supposed to know. It can't get out or I'll be chucked out of the school. Do you understand that Sirius?" Remus continued you yell at them
"Remus, we won't tell a soul. We'll keep it with us until we die. We won't tell anyone." James said.
The shack disappeared before Harry's eye. James, Sirius and Remus who was lying on floor began to fade in front of Harry's eyes. He looked around and was now standing in the dorm room of the four marauders. Harry watched as suddenly a big black dog jumped out from behind the curtains of one of the beds.
"This is the night when James, Peter, and Sirius had finally gotten their transformations right. It's about a week before the full moon and they are so excited to be able to keep me company." Lupin said. Harry turned back to the room and saw as a small rat climbed out from under the curtain on another bed. The curtains on the next bed totally fell down by being caught in a giant pair of antlers. The stag tossed its head around trying to get them off but with little effort. James changed back into his normal form and was trying to untangle his head from the curtains. Sirius changed back and was on the ground rolling in laughter.
"Stuff it Padfoot!" James yelled as he finally got the curtains off his head. Remus sat in the corner of the room smiling from behind his book as Peter was now sitting on the floor laughing at James.
"I knew you shouldn't have changed on your bed!" Sirius yelled back at him.
"I highly doubt that. You smart? Don't make me laugh!" James retorted back to Sirius. Sirius quickly changed back into his dog form and attacked James. James was pinned on the floor as Sirius sat on top of him. James turned back into a stag and sent Sirius flying across the room. Sirius ran at James and landed on his back. James kicked and bucked Sirius around until he flew off and smacked into the wall.
"Prongs! Padfoot! KNOCK IT OFF!" Remus yelled at both of them. They were in their fifth year so Remus was now a prefect and had the power to over rule them, but never did.
"B-but, Remus they are only wrestling." Peter said from his spot on the floor.
"If they don't stop, they will be found out before they have a chance to run around the grounds!" Remus yelled at them. Just then they heard someone running up the stairs and burst through the door before Sirius or James could change back.
Standing in the doorway was none other then Harry's mother, Lily. Lily looked around the room and the boy on the floor, the boy standing up, and the big dog on the ground by the wall and then the stag standing in the middle of the room. Lily's eye became quite huge and then she screamed. Without thinking James changed back into himself and ran over to Lily. He clasped his hand over her mouth and dragged her into the room. Kicking the door shut he turned and looked at her.
"You're, you're, you can't be!" Lily spat out looking at James.
"You have to stay quite Lily. We didn't do this to ourselves so we could have fun." James said.
"Wait, we?" she said. Sirius turned back into himself and Peter nodded his head. Lily's eyes grew even bigger. "And what are you two?" She yelled looking over at Remus and Peter. Peter turned in the rat and then changed back. Remus hung his head and sat back down.
"You can't tell anyone!" Sirius yelled. Lily ignored him and walked over to Remus. She knelt down in front of him and looked into his eyes.
"Remus? Why would they do this, if you weren't doing it as well?" Lilly asked. Remus ran his hand down his face, then back up and into his hair.
"Your mother was a very kind person, Harry, but she knew there was something different with me. She knew it ever since our second year, but never pushed or ask to find out." Lupin said to Harry as he watched the scene that was playing out in front of him.
"Remus? What is it?" Lily asked again.
"I can't tell you, but James, Sirius, and Peter did this for me and not for themselves." Remus said still not looking at her.
"Lily, you have to promise that you won't tell a soul what we've done." James said. Lily stood up and looked at James. Then she grabbed him and dragged him out the door. Lupin pushed Harry to follow them so he did. He saw his mother and father halfway down the hall talking.
"James, what is wrong with Remus? Why would you change yourself into an animal for him?" Lily asked.
"I can't tell you. If he doesn't then I can't. Sirius and I found out by accident. We wanted to know where he went every month, so he followed him." James said, but then suddenly slapped himself for what he said. Lily's eyes yet again grew big.
"You three are changing into animals, he leave once a month and no one knows where he goes. So he's a—" Lily started but took off back inside of the room. She ran over to Remus and made him look at her. "Remus, you're a werewolf?" Lily asked.
Remus's eyes shot open and then he glared over at James. "You promised you wouldn't tell!" Remus said getting up and running toward James. He tackled James to ground and was beginning to beat him up. "I—didn't—tell—her." James tired to say between Remus beating him up. Sirius tried to get Remus off of James, but it didn't happen. "Remus no! He didn't tell me!" Lily screamed at him. James had had enough of being beaten up by Remus. He changed into a stag and sent Remus flying across the room, by catching him with his antlers. James turned back into himself. He was beyond mad and his lip was bleeding.
"What kind of idiot do you take me for? I promised I would NEVER tell you bloody secret and here you are beating me up for it! Friendship means more to me then anything! I would NEVER betray you Moony!" James roared at Remus who was lying on the ground. He was bleeding as well and had a huge gash on his arm from were James's antler had caught him.
"LIER!" Remus had yelled back at him. James was still beyond ticked and that just pushed him farther. He ran to attack Remus, but Sirius, in dog form, got to James first. He knocked him down and yet again James and Sirius were in an animal fight. Sirius was being thrown here and there by the stag. James had a few gashes on his back and legs from Sirius taking swipes and bites out of him. James finally threw the dog hard enough against the wall that he didn't get up. James then rounded on Remus. He was snorting furiously out of his nostrils as he rounded on the werewolf. He was so irate at the moment all he wanted to do was cause pain to anything and everything he could. He rounded on Remus and was about to go after him when Lily stepped in between them. James stopped he would never hurt Lily.
"Move Lily, I'm not going to hide like a coward." Remus said.
"NO! Stop it! All of you! Remus, James didn't tell me, I guessed. I wouldn't give James the satisfaction of knowing something I didn't." Lily said. James let out a loud noise of pain. Sirius had jumped on his back and clinging to him. His claws and teeth sunk deep into the stag's back. Lily had had enough of this fighting. She ran over and as hard she could punch Sirius on the nose. He let go of the stag. James fell to the ground and had enough energy to change himself back before he lay motionless on the floor. Sirius stumbled on the ground for while until he turned back and also hit the ground.
Peter crawled out from under one of beds and changed back from his rat form. He hid as soon as the fight had started. Lily knelt down next to James who was unconscious and his whole back was soaked with blood.
"Sirius you idiot! Were you trying to kill him? He's your best friend for heaven sakes!" Lily yelled as she tried to relived James. Peter was helping Remus up off the floor and onto one of the beds. Peter then grabbed Sirius off the floor and sat him up in a bed.
"Lily, I don't care who you are, you NEVER go after one of my friend without dealing with me." Sirius said as he tried to clean himself up.
"HE IS YOUR FRIEND!" Lily yelled as she pointed down at James. She was glaring at Sirius with pure loathing in her eyes. "You could have killed him if you held on any longer!" she spat. She turned back to James who was still lying motionless on the ground. "Peter, bring me one of James' clean shirts, a bowl of water and a sponge."
Remus was holding onto his arm where James' antler had gotten a hold of him. Sirius was holding his head as it was pounding with an extreme headache. Peter was running around trying to get Lily the things she asked for.
This whole time Harry had stared as he watched these three best friends fight. Harry finally looked over at Lupin who had his hand covering his eyes.
"You fought with your best friends?" Harry asked.
"I assure you Harry it's not something I was proud of. Sirius almost killed James if Lily hadn't stopped him. Lily never liked your father very much, but after having to watch him almost die, she began to like him. As you'll see, she stayed next to him all night. This was the only time that James truly hated Sirius and it was the one thing your father never forgave him. Back then I didn't even believe that I had fought with James. I was just very protective of my secret and I didn't want anyone else to know. This memory still haunts me to this day." Lupin said.
"I'm sorry, you shouldn't have shown—" Harry started but Lupin cut him off.
"I showed you this because you never to learn when and how James and Lily finally began to like each other. James could never thank her enough for saving his life, until the day he gave you, Harry, to her. Lily loved your father and told him that she did what she did because she couldn't stand to see someone die. The day you were born James told her that by giving her you he had finally found away to truly thank her." Lupin said. Harry turned away from Lupin and was trying to hold back a tear. He never knew that he was a way to thank you to his mother.
"That's not the only reason I was born was it?" Harry asked.
"No Harry, never think that. You're parents wanted a family, and they loved you even before you were born. You were the only thing that they really wanted in life. The day you were born, I have never seen James so happy. You were the best thing in their lives and they loved you and still love you." Lupin said to Harry. Harry turned back to look at what was going on now.
Lily had thrown James' shirt to the side as she was cleaning out his deep cuts. She then had wrapped them with his other shirt that Peter has brought to her. Then with her wand she levitated him over to his bed. She laid him down his stomach and rested the pillow under his head. She covered him and then turned to the other three.
"Well obviously he has to stay here or too many questions will be asked my Madam Pomfrey. Lucky for you all it's Christmas break and no one else is in the tower. Now you three go to bed. You all need to rest." Lily said to them. They nodded agreement and within a few minutes were all sound asleep.
Lily sat on the floor next to James' bed reading Remus' book on werewolves. She was there for about two hours until James finally stirred. He let out a few moans of pain as he tried to move.
"Shh, just lay still." Lily said as he pulled his blanket over him.
"Why are—why are you here?" he was still not totally aware of what was going on around him.
"Making sure you don't die. Sirius did a good number on your back." Lily said looking over at him.
"One day I'll have to repay him for that." James said with a small smile.
"He never did. He died before he could ever get pay back on Sirius almost killing him. But even though this happened, they were still extremely good friends. Lily was never able to figure out why, but they were." Lupin said as he watched Lily and James talking in front of him.
"You will do no such thing." Lily said looking into his brown eyes.
"Thank you." He said. He looked into her bright emerald eyes and gave her a weak smile.
"You're welcome. Don't let it go to your head. I just didn't want anyone to die while I'm Prefect." Lily said smiling.
"Oh you know you like me." James said.
"Maybe I should of let you bleed more, then maybe your big head would of deflated." She said laughing.
"Then I would of died." James said. Lily turned away and then looked back at him.
"So why did you three decided to become animagus for Remus?" Lily asked.
"Sirius and I followed him during our third year. We watch him transform and he saw how much he yelled when it happened. It wasn't the greatest thing to watch or hear. Form that moment on we spent as much time as we could trying to figure out how to change ourselves. We wanted to be there for Moony when he transformed. We wanted to make his time as a werewolf something that wasn't miserable. It took us two years to figure it out, but we finally did. Sirius and I became large animal so we could keep Remus in check. Peter became a small one so he could make it so Padfoot and I could get to Remus." James said.
"What is with Moony and Padfoot?" Lily asked.
"They are our nicknames for each other. Remus is Moony because of what happens to him every month. Sirius is Padfoot for the fact that he is a dog. Peter is Wormtail since he becomes a rat, and I'm Prongs because I'm a stag." James said.
"I see. Well you need to get your sleep. You lost a lot of blood tonight. I'm going to go to the hospital wing to try and get you some blood renewal potion, but I don't know how well I'll beable to get it. Now, go to sleep." Lily said.
"Yes mother." James said smiling. He moved to become a little more comfortable but winced in pain.
"And try not to move." Lily said. He pulled the covers over James and moved the pillow under his head. James reached out an arm and pulled her toward him. He looked into her bright emerald eyes and then kissed her. She returned the kiss but then pulled away and left the room without a backward glace. James sighed and then fell asleep.
"Come on Harry, there is still more for you to learn." Lupin said. Once again the ground below them shrank away. He when noticed that he was outside again. They were right near the Whomping Willow.
(Author's note: I have run out of idea's for right now. I need for something to happen while the four our out running the grounds. I've just lost my ideas since i'm trying to work on catching up in school. Having mono for 11 weeks sucks and then it takes all your time out of writing. If anyone has any ideas please post them. I hope you liked this chapter. I know the fight probably never happened, but I have fun writing the fight. Bye)