Yeah, some people have mentioned that Peter is portrayed as being too smart, un-evil etc. But I, er, kind of did that on purpose I don't really want to make him an insipid and stupid character. I don't like dividing good and evil that way. I have plans for him, fear not. His turn to evil will either appear later in this or in a sequel (yes I have big plans!) His more simpering, sycophantic nature will come out when he turns to the dark side…

Oh yeah, haven't put a disclaimer in for a while so: The characters and 'The Prank' idea don't belong to me. Neither does the chapter title, it is a quote from Anne Bishop's trilogy "The Black Jewels", yeah its either in books 2 or 3, can't remember exactly…

By the way the random thoughts belong to Peter.

Chapter Seven: Understanding and Forgiving are Two Very Different Things.

I'm always forgotten. I try to help but no one ever notices any of my input. Did James even see me?

Don't be silly, of course he didn't see you but he had good reason not to, he was saving a life. James is so brave, just like us, we were there. Weren't we?

I suppose…

Don't listen to him! You didn't do anything but cower in the shadows, like a small child hiding behind his mother's skirts. You're weak and pathetic, why would James care about where you were?

Leave me alone…

The sun was slowly rising; it appeared to be reluctant to enter a world so tainted. The gold sky was streaked with blood and shadow. James could only see the colours, swirling surreally around his mind, forcing philosophical ideas of deeper meanings. He was leaning against the stone window frame in the Hospital Wing, staring out at the beauty that was Hogwarts in winter. He thought it was rather contradictory after the events of last night…

After slamming the door on Moony, he forced himself to ignore the heart-wrenching noises of self-mutilation and his complete exhaustion, to lead the dazed Snape out of the shrieking Shack and back to the castle. There he had dumped him in Madam Pomfrey's care, giving her a brief description of what had happened before walking back to The Shack, with his wand this time, to help Remus. He didn't know what had happened to Peter and spared him a brief thought of concern, hoping like hell, that he hadn't been in The Shack after he'd departed with Snape.

He changed into his stag form immediately upon opening the bedroom door, prying it fully open with his antlers. The room was completely silent; the only noise piercing the stuffy air was the unsteady, rasping breath of the bleeding werewolf. Moony lay injured and defenceless on the cold floor, amid the debris that once made up a room. The wolf weakly lifted its head to look at the intruder, who had earlier spoilt his fun and snarled softly. Prongs warily remained a good distance from the desperate werewolf, and assessed the damage from afar. It looked like he had broken a few bones on his impact with the door, not that James was surprised, not after the crunch he'd heard. Prongs shuddered and continued his investigation. It looked like Moony had tried to kill himself after his and Snape's exit. He was basically a bloody pulp that only vaguely resembled a wolf. His fur was no longer a silky grey, but completely discoloured with dried blood. Streaks of the red brown liquid also scarred the floor, alongside deep gouges caused by sharp claws.

Unable to get close he simply waited until the back transformation occurred. Never in his life did he think he would he ever see something as horrific as Moony's transformation to Remus. But he realised how wrong he was as he approached the shaking boy and saw what the injures looked like transferred to a human form. His stomach rolled and he looked around desperately for something to cover his friend with. The image seemed to be tattooed onto his brain; he couldn't escape the haunting image of his friend so utterly destroyed. Realising there was nothing he slipped off his cloak, wishing now he had more on underneath than the thin shift provided for all guests in the Hospital Wing. Gently he laid the cloak over his unconscious friend and slowly he levitated him to the Hospital Wing.

So here he was, beyond exhaustion surrounded by his three friends and Snape. Remus and Sirius were asleep under one of Madam Pomfrey's heady concoctions, their bodies recovering with magical aid. Peter was asleep in one of the chairs by the fire. James had been surprised to find him here when he returned with Remus, but glad as well. Peter had fallen asleep as soon as he sat down, leaving James with no answers as to his location throughout the night. Severus was sitting opposite the sleeping boy and was staring stonily into the crackling fire, every so often glancing up, eyes darting between Remus and Sirius, daring at least one of them to wake up, so he could vent his feelings.

James turned from the dishonest landscape at the sound of doors opening, Madam Pomfrey walking in followed predictably by Dumbledore. James knew he would come but the question had simply been, when? Dumbledore smiled weakly at James but he could see the normal twinkle was missing from his eyes and that worried James. Gravely he walked to the sides of Remus and Sirius before he beckoned to James to join him and Severus by the fire. James pushed off the sculpted wall and sank onto the rug at Dumbledore's feet, looking up at the bearded headmaster expectantly. Dumbledore steepled his finger beneath his chin and looked thoughtful.

Severus eventually dragged his eyes from the fire and jumped when he realised that the headmaster was sitting not two feet from him. Immediately a look of fury crossed his face and he opened his mouth to verbally castigate Dumbledore on his admission of a Werewolf into Hogwarts. Dumbledore beat him to it with a reprimanding look, "Not now Severus, not now." The Slytherin narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything.

The speechless silence lasted for a few more moments before Dumbledore broke it again, sounding far more composed and confident now. "James would you please tell me your version of yesterday's and last night's events please."

James nodded and looked a tad uncomfortable, his answer was a little vague, "Well, uh, yesterday morning we had a fight over a misunderstanding and he," he briefly glanced at the bed that the prone Sirius was lying on, "was rather upset and after the fight he stormed off, presumably to wherever he told Snape about Remus. I guess you know the rest, huh?" He finished tiredly; the exhaustion he had been ignoring was slowly creeping upon him again.

Dumbledore nodded, not probing any further about the misunderstanding. Then he turned to Severus, indicating that he wanted his contribution.

"What is there to tell? Black plotted to kill me by tricking me into…" He was cut off by James defending his friend. He might still, himself, be angry at Sirius but he wasn't about to let Snape unjustly accuse him of evil actions.

"Sirius didn't plot anything and neither did he trick you, you've been curious about Remus for ages. I'm sure it wasn't his intent to get you killed."

"Then what did he want Potter? Did he hope that that half-breed and I would make daisy chains together?" Snape retorted scathingly to James loyalty.

James looked troubled, he couldn't answer these questions. Only one person could do that and he was unavailable for questioning.

Dumbledore took this opportunity to clear his throat and draw their attention back to him. "I think gentlemen that that is enough for tonight. Severus, Sirius will be making a proper apology to you as soon as he is able, he will also be talking with me at great length. I hope this will satisfy you." He held up his hands to silence Snape's protests, "Furthermore I would ask you not to mention this incident to anyone, including the nature of Remus' condition. It is perfectly acceptable for him to be studying here, and I will not have his learning disrupted through your petty prejudices."

James was pleased to note that Snape looked like he was about to explode, but a further look from Dumbledore calmed him enough to agree to the terms.

"Now, I think we should all be heading to breakfast or bed, come Severus I will walk you to your dormitory. Luckily it is a Sunday; no one will question your absence this morning. Mr Potter, Madam Pomfrey will allow you to stay here today to rest up, she is still concerned about you." The twinkle had returned to his eyes, as he mentioned the last part.

After Dumbledore left with Snape, Madam Pomfrey bustled over to James and insisted he go to bed. After checking on her three wards, she exited to her workroom. James fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, but it wasn't a fulfilling sleep. It was restless and plagued by half formed images of bloody bodies and red hair crushed against dirty snow, with screams and howls assailing his senses.

Peter woke up to a spell darkened room and revelled in the warmth that surrounded him. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and squinted, surveying the room; he saw three blanketed lumps on separate beds and logically assumed they were Remus, James and Sirius. Content that everyone was fine, he snuggled down further into the plush armchair and let his thoughts wonder…

Leave me alone he says, do you really want me to leave you alone?

Yes…

The fog slowly cleared from his mind, but he could still feel the residual pain throbbing through his entire body. He could feel the bandages beneath his fingers; he could feel their constrictive weight pressing down on practically every inch of his thin body. He felt so weak and the residual tingling of magic healing wasn't helping his queasy stomach. Like normal he remembered nothing of his transformation but the pain. He did, today, however have slivers of fear permeating his rational thoughts. It was this persistent nagging that eventually forced him to open his eyes. As he did the pain exploding behind his eyes was almost as blinding as the light, he resisted the urge to close them again and gently rolled his head to the side to see if anyone else was there. The only things he saw were the familiar features of the Hospital Wing, including the caryatids, which Dumbledore delighted in teasing Madam Pomfrey about. Remus managed a meagre smile as he thought of Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey 'discussing' the architecture.

He was drawn from his thoughts by the sound of a door scraping open, the entrant obviously trying to be quiet but failing miserably as the echoes resounded through the room. Remus moving his head as slowly as possible to avoid some pain, turned to look at the person entering. His heart fluttered when he saw who it was, but then it sank as he recalled the events that he thought happened yesterday. He then absorbed the look on Sirius' face and blurted out concern, against his will, "What's the matter Sirius, you look terrible. What happened yesterday?"

The black haired boy looked surprised by his last question, "Yesterday? Yesterday, you were sleeping after… after the… full m-moon." He trailed off towards the end, his voice no more than a whisper.

"What happened, Sirius?" Remus asked feeling his ire rise, he savagely quashed the pain threatening to surface and put on a stern face. He remembered… only the events of the day everything after the rising of the moon remained a mystery to him.

Sirius looked both resigned and terrified at the same time as he gingerly stepped closer to Remus and sat on the bed next to where Remus lay. His shoulders were hunched and he couldn't look at Remus as he spoke, "Remus I am so sorry, but I… well after the fight I… I did something really bad. Worse than what I did to James on Saturday morning, worse than anything I've ever done. I was so angry and hurt, I wasn't thinking straight," Sirius was sobbing now, his shoulders shaking as he revealed his guilt, "I told Snape," Remus was momentarily confused but before he could voice this Sirius had started talking again, "but I couldn't help it, he just made me so angry. It was like my mind was totally detached from my body; I had no control over what I told him."

Understanding dawned on Remus and he felt his body convulse with fear, slowly he shook his head from side-to-side, willing this all to be some sort of sick joke or a dream, anything but reality. His hopes came crashing down around him as Sirius looked up and he saw the bloodshot eyes and guilt-twisted face. He wanted to scream. "I'm so sorry Remus, I told him about you… you being a… werewolf." It was that whisper again, but it sounded like shouting to Remus, he was incapable of speech. This was the boy who he had harboured feelings for for over two years. He felt his heart snap, and his head spin as his darker, angrier side took over. "What happened to Severus?" he asked in a deathly calm voice, which chilled Sirius to the bone, never had he heard Remus use that voice.

Sirius swallowed before replying, "Nothing, but shock. J-James, er… saved him. Remus, look, I really am so truly sorry. If I could turn back time I would, but I can't. Please forgive me or something, just please don't condemn me with your eyes." He looked distraught, like he had visited death and back.

"I understand what you did and why you did it." He said cautiously. Sirius had the merging of a smile on his face, so Remus continued, "You misunderstand me, I said I understand why you did it but I never said that I forgive you."

A review or two would be nice, break me out of the melancholy mood my writing has put me in. Also I have to do a little bit of a personal shameless plug. I've just posted a little ficlet of Oliver/Cedric slash it's called Drowning in the Shower. (Totally original, eh?) So yeah, check that out if it's your cup of tea. It's my first piece of smut (I'm so proud) so feedback would be appreciated. It can be found on my LJ (details on my profile), I think its the reason my original account was deleted, so it will not be posted here.

Chapter 8 is being worked on incredibly slowly, are people still interested in this fic? If yes, I will speed up work on it and do it while procrastinating rather than pointlessly surfing the web. So please provide me with feedback, please.