Chapter 1 – Prologue

Known by most to be quiet and shy, reserved and wise, it seems strange to be writing this. I've always been the calm one, the sensible one, and the one who thinks rationally before spilling out everything that's just come crashing down around him. But I need to get it out. I need for people to know, to understand. They need to know how the best things in your life can be taken away in a minute. Now, I'm getting all mushy and I told myself I wouldn't. I told myself to be strong. I've always been strong. To live the kind of life I've led, you must be strong, in both mind and body. Although, it's kind of hard to be strong when almost everyone you love was taken away from you in a matter of days. Three dead, and one in prison for life. That's the situation that I'm in right now. Amazing, how fast your world can fall out beneath you when the ones that you love have left you.

If you don't know who I am by now, let me introduce myself. My name is Remus Lupin. My nickname is Moony. I am a Marauder. I have sandy blonde hair and grey eyes with flecks of amber in them that turn yellow-ish when the full moon comes. You see, I'm a werewolf. Yes, I turn into a full-fledged monster once a month. I also happen to be a wizard a few years out of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But this story isn't about me. Well in a way I guess it is. These people affected me in a way that nothing ever had before, or will probably ever. I found myself in these people that I'm talking about. I held them so dear and now they're gone.

First Lily and James Potter. They hated each other during school. Well, more of Lily hated James, the hate wasn't mutual. I suppose Lily thought James was arrogant. And I'll admit…he was a bit. James was entranced by Lily. Lily couldn't stand James. She couldn't stand anything about him, from the messy way that his black hair stood on end, or the innumerous pranks that the Marauders played. Lily was beautiful, although if James ever heard me saying that he'd beat me to a pulp. She had the most gorgeous red hair, and amazing huge emerald eyes. No one in the entire school had hair like that, or eyes like hers. She didn't like me too much, though. I think it was because I was a prefect with her, but I never punished the Marauders when we pulled a prank. You see, that's what we call ourselves. The Marauders. We, to say, James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and myself. We caused havoc like no one you will ever meet. James and Sirius had a race for the most detentions. I think Sirius beat him though.

James, called Prongs by Sirius, Peter, and myself, had dark brown almost black hair that stuck up all over the place. I doubt it would lie flat even if he tried, which he never did, as he liked the way it stood up. He had hazel eyes always shining with excitement. He was an excellent Quidditch player and was Captain and played Chaser on the House team. He had this air around him that demanded respect, even if it was never returned. James was quite bright; he became Head Boy in his Seventh Year, and that changed him a great deal. Sirius and him were the best of friends. Not to say that Peter and I weren't, but James and Sirius had a bond that was more that friendship. They were like brothers, and brotherhood lasts forever.

Sirius Black, or Padfoot, was…well…not serious, as his name would suggest. He had longish brown hair that hung over his eyes with a kind of mischievous grace. He was such a prat. And I say that in the most loving way possible. With just one smile, he could have Hogwarts schoolgirls falling all about the place. Sirius was a Beater on our Quidditch team. He liked to hit things. As I said before, Sirius and James were like brothers. I never would have thought…

Ah, well the third member of our Marauders is Peter Pettigrew, or Wormtail, as he is most often referred to as. He was a mousy sort of boy, with watery eyes and limp hair. He honestly looked like he was going to go bald any day. He wasn't too bright, and that was saying something, because James and Sirius were the top of our year, along with dear Lily. I was just below them. However, despite all of Peter's shortcomings, he was completely loyal to the Marauders; completely loyal to the end.

As for me, I don't really think anything's that special about me. I'm a werewolf. I turn into a full-fledged monster once a month and there's nothing I can do about it. I revolve my life around the phases of the moon. I'm kind of shy, because I'm afraid of getting close to people, then having them find out what I am, and abandoning me. That's what I first thought of Sirius and James; I thought they wouldn't want to be around me if they knew what I was. But they surprised me, as they always did. They wanted to be my friends, even when they found out, they stuck by me. I didn't have the charm that Sirius did, or the athletic talent of James, but I'm smart, and I like to think that I'm somewhat clever, so the three of us fit in perfectly. However, I was never as lucky with the girls as Sirius and James. Except, I remember the one time…well that happened later, I'd better get on with telling the story.

If so far you're even the slightest bit confused, then read on and I'll sort you out.