CHAPTER EIGHT:

            "How's it she'll talk to you, but not me?" asked James with a bite of resentment, as he, Sirius, Remus, and Peter made their way to the greenhouses.

            "Who - Weed?" Animal magnetism, mate," replied Sirius casually. "Girls love me."

            James and Remus snorted.

            "It's true!" Said Sirius, offended. "Where else would I be getting all these sidelong looks from?"

            "They're not looking at you, mate. It's Remus they want." James said, laughing. "Apparently, they think he's sweet."

            The boys mimed turning away and vomiting into the ground.

            "Evidently, they find Peter adorable, Sirius hot, and me, a jerk," said James dismissively.

            "Where'd they come up with that?" Remus grinned. "Surely you're not that disagreeable."

            "They have spies, I think," said James, frowning. "Girls are just one big secret sisterhood or something. I'll bet anything Evans is giving them the goods on me. She hates me."

::: ::: :::

            Remus felt very hollow inside. Perhaps it was because he'd eaten so little that day…but then, the coming of each full moon always seemed to put a stopper on his appetite. He was just barely picking at his dinner, wondering what excuse he'd use to escape his friends.

            Maybe he'd tell them McGonagall needed to see him about…something…no, that wouldn't do - why would that take all night and a good portion of the next day? He could pretend to be ill…that'd worked the last, oh, five or six times he'd used it…

            His empty stomach couldn't be the only thing that was causing that strange, empty beating of his heart, now. This was a different feeling…it was mingling with his anxiousness. This was a need of affection.

            Remus lifted his eyes towards the Ravenclaw table. He scanned it for Raven. Perhaps he'd get a chance to talk to her before dinner was over…

            He found her seated almost directly opposite him, had she been at the Gryffindor table. She looked as pretty as ever she was, with an elbow on the table, her fingers curled and pressed into her cheeks. She was smiling, talking to her brown-haired friend, Saige. Remus found himself wishing he was there with Raven, able to listen to her calm, gentle voice, before a pair of dripping, yellow fangs ripped out of the depths of his thoughts, snapping and growling -

            Remus jerked painfully out of his doze.

            "You all right, mate?"

            Sirius's voice brought Remus back to earth. Sirius, James and Peter were watching him with distinct concern.

            "You don't look so good, Remus," said Peter, who was opposite him.

            "Yeah…I don't feel so good either," he replied, still rather unfocused. Maybe this was a good time to leave. "I think I'll head up to the Hospital Wing…" He stood and swung his back over his shoulder.

            "D'you need a hand?" James asked, still looking worried. Remus pulled a smile.

            "Nah," he said, "I think I can find it by myself. See you."

            He walked from the Great Hall, but broke into a run once outside.

::: ::: :::

            "You know, I worry about him sometimes," said James. "You realize this is the third time he's run off like that this year?"

            "Once a month," Peter remarked, going back to his food. Sirius looked thoughtful.

            "I've an idea," said he, and without another word, rose from the table and made to leave the hall.

            "Oi!" called James, getting up as well. "Wait up!"

            James ran after Sirius with Peter close at tail. They bolted up the marble staircase and onward into the library. Sirius had charged straight to one of the last rows of books and disappeared behind it, with James sand Peter behind him.

            At the "W" section, Sirius began scanning titles of books and pulling some out, glancing at them, then tossing them over his shoulder. James caught each of these and in turn read their covers and stacked them in Peter's arms.

            "Here we go," Sirius muttered suddenly, a book dropping open in his hands.

            "Would you mind explaining what's going on?" came Peter's voice from behind the books in his arms.

            "Pete, don't you get it?" said James, astounded. "These are all about werewolves! But Sirius - you don't really think Remus - "

            "Why not?" Sirius's eyes were lit with enthusiasm. "This'd explain everything: he's gone once a month for the past two years - on full moon - he's gone the day after (to rest up, I bet) he's always looks tired and beat - "

            "But a werewolf?" Peter said. "Shouldn't we make sure first?"

            "What - you mean go off an ask him?" said Sirius.

            "Well…sure," Peter said, though rather unsure himself. "What's the worst that could happen?"

::: ::: :::

            Remus didn't return from the Hospital Wing the next day, almost confirming Sirius's notion. Peter was still convinced they ought to confirm the theory, though the 'they' turned out to be 'Peter.'

            At nine o'clock that evening, Sirius, James and Peter decided to confront Remus.

            How d'you know he'll be there?" Peter asked uncertainly, when nine o'clock drew near.

            "Because he's Remus," replied James impatiently. "You watch; he'll be sitting where he usually is, doing all the work he missed from yesterday."

            When Sirius, James and Peter reached the library (Sirius and James beneath the invisibility cloak), they saw Remus was indeed sitting at the center of the left side table, his quill flitting across a now two-and-a-half-foot sheaf of parchment, and was surrounded by rolls of notes and textbooks, but was, to their utter dismay, accompanied by someone else.

            Raven Sinistra, sitting opposite Remus, had a stack of books in her lap, and was reading out of an open one on the top. Remus was taking notes from her words.

            "Damn it," muttered James, sidetracking into a row of Herbology books. He pulled himself from the cloak and whispered hurriedly, "Do either of you have any parchment with you?"

            "I do," said Peter, unfolding some from his pocket.

            "Just a scrap -" said James, taking a piece. "Thanks…"

            He had yanked a quill from his pocket and scribbled something on the piece of parchment.

            "Okay, let's go," he said, folding the parchment in half and ducking back under the cloak. "Pete, you stay behind this row. This might be tricky…but - well, stay here, you'll see in a moment…"

            James and Sirius hurried out under the cloak and moved directly behind Raven, who'd stopped reading to give Remus time to finish his notes. Careful to keep his hand hidden, he tossed his scrap of parchment onto her open book.

            Raven gave a little gasp, but recovered, and flicked open the parchment, glancing behind her.

Raven,

Quick - we're under the cloak so don't bother looking - we need to talk to Remus alone. Can you make up an excuse to leave? Thanks,

James

            Raven almost laughed. She slipped the note into her pocket and lifted the books in her lap and set them on the table. Remus looked up and she glanced at her watch.

            "Damn," she said, thinking quickly. "Remus, I completely forgot - I was supposed to meet someone at nine fifteen - can you finish up without me?"

            "Oh - of course," Remus said. "Don't worry about it, I'll probably be here the rest of the night, anyway."

            Raven looked at him with sympathy.

            "Well…see you tomorrow," she said, pulling her bag over her shoulder.

            "Yeah…" said Remus, "'night."

            She left the library.

            James and Sirius were already back with Peter, and soon gave him instructions to simply make conversation with Remus if needed, then, when time's right, ask him. They would be standing near under the cloak, and would come out if Peter needed them.

            "Okay," said Peter moving from the bookshelves. He left Sirius and James and walked towards the table where Remus had continued work, pouring over an essay.

            Remus didn't look up when Peter move din front of him, nor when he pulled out a chair and seated himself opposite Remus.

            "Hi, Remus," he said, though perhaps a little too cautiously, for Remus's writing slowed a bit.

            "Hi, Pete…need something?" Remus asked, still writing away.

            "Well, no…no - not really…"

            "That sounds rather suspicious to me, Pete," said Remus, but he was smiling.

            "Well…it's just…we were thinking - that is - Sirius and James and me - "

            " - And I," Remus corrected automatically.

            "Right - we, er, couldn't help noticing your having odd sorts of engagements…every month…that happened to be on full moon."

            All the blood in Remus's face left it. He could feel his heartbeat going painfully fast…what would he say? Remus couldn't think to interrupt Peter's rambling,

            "…And we think - maybe - you…you're a werewolf."

            Remus sighed. He put his quill down at last and rubbed his forehead. Of all the things to happen…

            "Where are they?" he asked Peter. "Sirius and James?"

            "What - d'you mean?" Peter said nervously. Remus was incredibly quick on the uptake.

            "Come off it, Pete," replied Remus quietly. "If I know those two, they're here. Tell them to come out."

            Peter didn't need to. Sirius and James had been standing behind him beneath the invisibility cloak, listening. At Remus's last words, both boys lifted the cloak from themselves and sat down on either side of Peter.

            "So?" prompted James, lightly. "Are - are you?"

            Remus nodded, and Sirius let out a whistle.

            "I was bitten when I four," Remus said with a swift glance at Madam Pince and the surrounding, empty tables. "I've been one since."