This chapter was so much fun to write. Hopefully it will be as much fun to read. It's been in high demand. Here are my review answers:

Rumpleteaze: Wow! Five years, huh? I'm glad you like it so much! Hope this transformation scene is what you were expecting.

lovemehatemejustdon'tfearme: I agree about Dumbledore. He was real hard write about I thought. And about all the confusion; I was planning on having this focus more on Lupin in later chapters. I thought maybe I could make up some of my own memories for him and stuff. It'll all make more sense then, I hope. Sorry if you weren't happy with the way Harry and Hermione found out. Kinda couldn't think of anything better. Typical me. Oh, well. I'm pretty happy with this chappie. I've been waiting to write this one.

Wolfcursed: Sweet! Sticking is good. Don't worry about holding me hostage, though. I'll be sure to finish this thing.

xmardiniecakes!x: Oh my!My story's adored? I feel so special. Linguists rock!

Briony: Thanks! I hope you keep on reading. All your questions will answered, young grasshopper, just read a few lines down.

OOO

Hagrid left his hut in a rush and starting running towards the Whomping Willow. How was he ever going to find him? The sun was getting lower.

"Ron! Ron, are yeh out here?"

By now he could see the great tree ahead of him. However, there a figure was in the grass a few yards away from it. Hagrid ran up to it. It was Ron. The half-giant knelt next to him and shook his shoulder gently. He seemed in a great deal of pain and groaned loudly.

"Ron, Dumbledore's figured yeh out." He said as he helped him into a sitting position. It took him awhile, but once Ron registered this he exploded into a fit.

"No! God dammit! How on Earth? You mean, you know too? Oh, Merlin... I'm so stupid... I can't believe this..."

"It's all righ'... I understand. Yeh got every right to be upset." He tried comforting the poor kid, but it didn't seem to be working.

"Yeh dun look very good. We best get yeh in the Shack before too long. We dun got much time. Come now, that's it." He continued to reasure him as he helped him walk towards the malicious tree. Hagrid prodded the knot with a branch and led the both of them down the tunnel. The half-giant actually had to crawl on his hands knees to fit. Ron's random breaths rattled behind him the whole length of the passage.

"Here we are, then. You up first." Hagrid helped the kid up through the trapdoor, heaving himself up shortly after. He cracked his gigantic back as he stood up at his normal height. Ron was sitting on the ground running his fingers through his hair. Sweat was running down his face.

A loud crash sounded through the rotting house as two more figures burst out of the trapdoor. Ron and Hagrid's heads snapped around to meet what was causing the rucus.

"Ron! Oh, Ron! Are you all right? You haven't changed yet, that's good." Hermione embraced him, hugging him so tightly that it made breathing even more difficult than it already was. He could feel tears on her warm skin.

"W-why didn't you tell us? We could have helped you... look at you now. Now what are we to do?" Harry to seemed on the verge of tears, however he hid it well. It would be against his reputation as "The Boy Who Lived".

Ron managed to croke out a small, "I don't know; I'm sorry."

"It's okay... I s'pose I probably would have done the same thing in your position."

All was silent for a moment. Ron let out a small wimper as he visually tightened.

"Let's get 'em up stairs, he'll be transformin' any time now." Hagrid told Harry and Hermione. They carried him up the creaking staircase and opened the door to a room. It was the same one they had been in three years before... with Sirius.

"Jus lay 'em on the floor fer now." Gently, he was lowered onto the floor. It was cool and soothing against his burning face.

"Maybe, er, maybe we should get 'em out 'o his robes. Yeh know, so's he dun ruin them all. Doubt his family's got extra galleons to spend on new clothes."

"Yeah, that would make sense. Hermione, er, why don't you just go downstairs until all this is over with."

"Oh, yes, of course. I-I find gruesome things like werewolf transformations rather unnerving as it is." She seemed horribly embarrassed. Even in the bleak lighting it was clear she was blushing.

Once she was down in the other room Harry and Hagrid proceeded.

For what seemed to be long while he just lay there, panting and moaning from time to time. Harry took a seat on a grubby chair near the one small window, and Hagrid sat on a tattered bed in the corner. The moon was visible out the window near Harry. The faint red glow of the sun was diminishing.

Suddenly a shriek rang through the room. Ron rose to knees and crossed him arms across around his stomach. Hagrid flinched.

"It's always worse the first few times. It's the kind o' thing that takes gettin' used to."

Blood ran down his face as his blue eyes turned a feral gold.

"I-I don't remember Professor Lupin b-bleeding."

"I told yeh, es worse the firs' time. His body ain't used to shifting round like tha'..."

Tears mixed with the blood on his cheeks. He screamed again as his fingernails lengthened to animal-like claws. Blood covered his hands. His toenails did the same and bled onto the floor. He clapped his hands to his ears and screamed louder yet. The claws dragged down his face and Harry and Hagrid could see his ears pointen to an elven shape. They then grew a few sizes larger and were engulfed in red fur, the same shade as what was on his head. The fur started to sprout all over his naked body. This seemed to really drive him into frenzy. He started scratching at himself with his new claws. Gashes opened and bled everywhere.

"Merlin, we've got to stop him!" Harry was about to get out of his seat when Hagrid rose and put a hand on his shoulder.

"No... yeh can't... he's not 'imself, he'll hurt yeh..."

Ron fell back flat on the ground as he started screaming things out.

"Please! Please make it stop! Just let me die! Oh, please... death! Merlin! I want to die! This isn't worth it! Please, I want to die!"

"Don't talk like that!" Harry found himself shout.

"Harry he can't hear you! His mind is gone; he's not the Ron you knew. He's a monster now, Harry."

"No he's not! A monster wouldn't say things like that! A monster wouldn't feel! His mind hasn't changed yet, I know it!"

The loudest scream yet came from the horrible furry creature before them. His entire body seemed to disfigure itself. His hands curled and shortened forming huge wolfen paws. His feet grew and shifted into a wolf's. A sickening grinding could be heard as his knees hinged in a different fashion. His teeth grew out to long points and his nose wrinkeld and contorted. His hands, now paws, flew to his face again as his mouth and nose lengthened into a snout. The screaming continued, slowly fading to a mournful howl.

"I'll be damned..." Harry's face held an expression somewhere between disgusted, fearful, and sympathetic.

One would never guess Ron had ever been human. Save for the red fur and the fact that he was a bit larger than any normal wolf would grow to. He sniffed the blood that lay beneath him on the floorboards. After emitting a low growl his golden eyes caught sight of Hagrid and Harry.

"We have teh get out 'o here, Harry. He's fully transformed now; he can bite us. Grab his clothes an' follow me."

Harry did as he was told and followed the gameskeeper's lead.

"Slowly, now, slowly..." Hagrid mumbled as they inched away from where they had been seated. Ron's eyes flashed as he stared at them intently. His nostrils flared and he snarled. It was when he took action and leapt at them did Hagrid lose his cool.

"Run, Harry! We can't stay here!" Ron missed them by about two feet as the two ran as fast possible out the door. Hagrid got out first, and held the door open for Harry. As Harry was about to get out he felt a horrible sensation on his leg. Hagrid pulled him out and slammed the door. Furious barking and snarling could be heard.

"Fuck! He bit me didn't he? He bit me! Oh hell... he bit me!"

"No, no. Calm down Harry. Look at it, it's only scratch. A deep one, but a scratch. Tha' was close, though. We're lucky."

"What's going on? Who's bitten? I heard yelling." Hermione came bolting up the stairs. Her face said it all. Her eyes were red; she had been crying.

"No one's been bitten 'Mione. Harry jus' 'ad a close call. Thas all."

"Is he, Ron, i-is he alright?"

Hagrid's face darkened.

"I dun know."

"What do mean? What happened in there?" she inquired, motioning towards the old door.

"Well, the transformation went fine for a firs' time. More it's the mental part of the deal I'm worried about. Ron, yeh know, always so unhappy with himself as it was..."

"Oh..."

Hagrid quickly changed the subject.

"How about you, Harry? We best get yeh to the Hospital Wing. Can yeh walk?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." With that he forced himself up and went downstairs. The others followed back to the castle in silence. Lupine howls could be the whole journey.