The Marauders used James' invisibility cloak every time they got the chance. This, in the week between Christmas and New Year, wasn't as much as they'd have liked. They had only used it three times, each time discovering secret passages. A total of 16 passages in a week did not seem to satisfy them, though. So on New Years Eve, as the other three were about to leave for yet another detention, Remus' question received a warm response.

"Can I use your cloak?" he asked as they were about to leave. "I'll be careful. I've been reading about where you can find –"

"Say no more, Remus. You want to help us, we willingly oblige," came James' answer. He assumed Remus was talking about secret passages and was only too grateful to accept his offer.

"Oh, thanks," Remus said. Though he had a sense of why James was so willing, he didn't bother to correct him. He didn't really have chance, the cloak was thrown over him almost immediately after.

"We'll be back around two, so make sure you are, too." James ordered before leaving.

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At quarter to two, the Marauders returned to their dormitory. Tired and in desperate need of sleep, they didn't find it strange that the invisibility cloak was folded neatly on James' bed whilst Remus was nowhere to be found. Nor did they realise that he was missing the next morning. In fact, the realisation did not occur until the next evening when James and Sirius were playing what seemed like a never ending game of Wizarding Chess to Peter, who was getting more and more bored by the minute, to even notice he wasn't around.

"Has anyone seen Remus?" Peter asked by way of trying to get involved in some kind of activity with his idols.

James looked up after completing a move. "Not since last night. Sir, have you seen him?"

"Ha-ha, checkmate," Sirius bellowed around the room as James' pieces crashed angrily onto the board. He looked at the questioning looks on James and Peter's faces and his happiness dissolved slightly. "What?" he asked dumbly.

"Have you seen Remus?" Peter repeated in a slow voice.

Sirius answered, seemingly unfazed but with a quick glare at Peter that only James noticed. "Oh, no, I haven't." He didn't seem that concerned by Remus' disappearance.

James rolled his eyes at him. "I'll be back soon," he told them before leaving.

An hour later he returned.

"Did you find him?" Peter asked urgently.

"Not exactly," was James' anxious response. "I spoke to that woman. You know, the one who hangs out with Gemias –"

"McGonagall?"

"Yeah, her. And she said 'Mr Lupin had an unfortunate accident last night,'" James quoted in McGonagall's Scottish tones. "He'll be in the Hospital Wing for the next few days and isn't permitted visitors."

Sirius went from bored to interest to concern during the course of the conversation. "He's going to be in there for longer?" he asked disbelievingly.

"It must have been bad," Peter stated obviously.

"Well, duh!" James said looking at him with a mix of awe at how stupid he could be and worry at what he said being true. There was also a glint in his eye that Sirius knew only too well.

"When?" he asked James eagerly as a bewildered Peter listened to James' answer.

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Stowing the invisibility cloak they had used to conceal themselves under Sirius' pyjama top (He was the broadest of the three so the bulge was less obvious), the three boys crept into the Hospital Wing. Even in the darkness, the stark white walls seemed to illuminate, showing them Remus' section of the Wing. There were only three occupied beds; one contained a girl whose fever was so high she was having delusion nightmares. Another contained a boy in his final year sleeping peacefully. Around him, though, lay many discarded tissues and cold water bottles.

"Eww," Peter had whispered disgustedly, bringing sharp "Shh's" as a reply.

The third bed was set away from these two patients. Thick curtains were drawn and where they met they seemed to be sealed. There was a crease in the curtain, which showed obvious evidence of a door. Cautiously, James opened it; Peter's words "It must have been bad," echoing in his head.

Three heads peered anxiously at the doorway, looking in but seeing no traces of anyone. It was only at examining the nearest, inner corner intently that they could make out the shape of a small boy lying curled up, shaking and trying to make himself unseen.

Sirius made to make a move when he, and the other two, were pulled back by a strong, invisible force. Turning around, that force became visible, in the shape of an angry looking man.

"Doctor Nedalski, we were just –" Peter began in his nervous squeak.

"I am not blind, I can see what you were just. That, however, is not the point. I do believe you were told that visiting Mr Lupin was out of the question. And yet, here you are, in the wee hours of the morning, sneaking through those curtains."

"We just wanted to see our friend," James protested, more than a little fazed.

"Mr Lupin," Doctor Nedalski said in a snide tone. "Will be out of hospital in a couple of day's time. You can see him then. Now, out." He commanded quietly but with an authority that made them obey.

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A couple of days passed and Remus didn't return. In fact, despite their numerous attempts to sneak into the Hospital Wing, which had become out of bounds to students staying over the holidays, the boys did not see Remus again until the first day of the new term. By this time everyone had returned to Hogwarts and lessons had started, so they didn't get speak to him until their lunch break.

James and Sirius were loading their plates with mountains of food when Remus came into the Great Hall. With their concentration trained on their food Peter was the one to see him. His waving and shouting drew a stunned James and Sirius' attention.

"Remus over here," was Peter's squeaking before he saw Remus up-close. Then it was more the shocked whisper of "Merlin. You look terrible."

Despite his usual paleness and sunken eyes, it was obvious there was something wrong with Remus. He was, if possible, a paler shade than usual, the yellowness gone so that he looked more like a sheet. His eyes, as well as being sunken, looked more tired, pained and hidden than usual. Scratches and bruises littered his face and neck, presumably his robes his any more. The sight made Sirius and James choke on the food crammed into their mouths.

"Thanks, Pete," he muttered hoarsely. "It's great that you feel the need to sugar coat these things."

Peter looked confused. "But I didn't."

Everyone but him rolled their eyes. Sirius, recovering first, hit him before speaking. "Seriously Rem, are you alright?"

Remus took a sip of drink, wincing slightly before answering. "I'm fine. I just…Would you believe I got into a fight?" There was a hope in his voice that they would.

"With who?" asked a stunned James. "Hagrid?"

Remus laughed forcedly. "Something like that." He looked around nervously and uncomfortably. "I've got to go. Dumbledore want to see me." He was up and gone before they even had time to say goodbye.

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"Will you hurry up?" Lily asked Alex irritably. After having finally managed to prise herself away from Jacob, Alex seemed to be taking as long as she possibly could to get to History of Magic. Not that Lily blamed her, Professor Binns was one of their more boring teachers, but they were already 10 minutes late.

"I'm trying," Alex argued. "I don't know why you're in such a rush to get there anyway. He's already bored himself to death. Why would you want him to do the same to us?"

Lily giggled. "He's not that bad," she lied. "And anyway, I want to get there because of…Remus."

"You want to see Lupin?" Alex asked surprised.

"No, silly," Lily said though she was blushing somewhat. "Remus is over there." She pointed to the boy as he turned a corner.

He, too, looked like he was headed for History of Magic. The girls chased after him. Remus was never late for lessons; they wanted to know what made this so special. They didn't get a chance though.

"Hey," Lily called, making him stop and turn around. The smile he put on when he saw them vanished as he saw the looks on their faces.

"What happened to you?" Alex asked tactlessly.

"I-uh-had an accident on a broom over Christmas," he muttered looking at his feet.

She seemed to accept this; Lily, though, was looking at him disbelievingly.

"Anyway," he continued hastily, seeing her expression. "What are you doing out of lessons?"

They had begun walking by now.

"Oh, Alex was with Andrews," Lily answered scornfully.

"Ah," Remus responded with a smile as though it all made sense. "I take it things are going well there then?"

Alex nodded. "They're fine. I'm breaking up with him though."

This was news to Lily, who looked more disbelieving than Remus at this statement. "What? Why?"

Alex shrugged. "I don't know. He's just not as exciting as I hoped he'd be."

While Remus looked thoughtful, Lily couldn't get over her shock. But as they entered the History of Magic class room to find they had lost points for their tardiness, and with the threat of detention for anymore disturbances hanging over her, she couldn't press the subject further.