As the days grew colder, blowing a harsh wind that brought with it the promise of snow, and the nights grew longer and darker, October slowly slipped by.

Lessons became easier, as Remus had now caught up and in some instances, advanced beyond others.

Trips to the kitchens became more frequent as the house elves grew friendlier.

Occasionally, journeys to the library occurred too, except these visits were strictly banned from Sirius joining them. This was not because Sirius particularly despised the library, no, it was Sirius's complete inability to keep from pointing and laughing at anyone who went to fetch a book, which was definitely frowned on in the library.

Remus would sometimes find himself curled up at the window at nights, counting down the days.

Peter ate as slowly as ever. And chewed with his mouth open.

James invented more nicknames for their Professors (his latest one became 'Flitty-Twit' for Professor Flitwick.)

And Sirius…well, Sirius was just as 'fun' and 'original' as he always was.

"I am so bored, I am so bored, I am so bored."

A hollow sounding whack accompanied every 'bored' part of someone's droning chant, much to Remus's confusion as he struggled to pull himself back to the land of living.

"I am so bored, I am so bored, I am so bored…"

He unpeeled his eyes, groggily blinking up at the canopy over his head, trying to fathom out the source of the chant. It was a very familiar voice. Annoyingly familiar.

"I am so bored, I am so bored, I am so bo-"

"SHUT UP!"

Ah. That was better. It had stopped.

"But I'm so bored, James!"

"Really?" came James's voice in mock-astonishment, "There's me thinking you were having the time of your life. How silly of me."

"But James…"

"What?"

"I'm bored!"

There was a thump, and a yelp of surprise at the distinct sound of someone slapping someone else around the head.

Now wide awake, Remus pulled himself upwards and opened the curtains, eyes watering as they always did in the morning. He yawned widely, fighting the temptation to lie back down and fall straight asleep.

"Wassgoinon?" he croaked sleepily, blinking down at the blurred vision of Sirius and James wrestling with each other on the floor.

"Sirius was banging his head on the wall," came a voice behind him, and he started and looked round to see Peter, sitting cross legged on his bed, also staring at James and Sirius. "You know," he added, raising his voice slightly, "If anyone came in right now, seeing you two down there in your boxers would look really…wrong."

The two of them froze, then as Peter's words made impact they glanced down at themselves and sprang away from each other in disgust.

James scrambled madly to his feet, his hair a rumpled, sticking up mess. "Merlin Peter! That's just…ew." He tugged up his boxers slightly higher, glancing at Sirius and shuddering.

Sirius wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "That's not what you said last night, James."

James gave him a long look, and very slowly started inching away. Remus bit back a snort of laughter.

"I meant it, though," Sirius's voice remarked later as all of them wriggled into their ordinary clothes, as it was a Sunday morning, with no classes.

"What, that James is good in bed?" Peter's voice this time, piping up from right next to Remus's bed.

There was a snort of laughter. "Not that! You know, when I was saying I was bored. I really meant it. Nothing ever happens round here any more."

Remus only listened with half an ear as he concentrated on not moving the bed around too much as he buttoned up his shirt, kneeling on the mattress. For a moment he sat still, gazing down at his abdomen and legs, flecked with long, raised scars. Slowly, he ran a finger down the ugliest of them, a large, taut, almost triangular piece of skin, the flesh marred a permanent white.

A bite-scar. And it wasn't one of his.

It had been the first of the many scars to come. The bite that cursed him.

He knelt there, lost in thought, finger tracing round it again and again. Slowly, he stretched his legs out, turning his calves this way and that. Every turn showed him more marked skin, more peachy flesh.

More memories of pain…

"Remus! You ready?"

Remus jumped about six inches in the air. Heart pounding, he covered his legs up with his robe but his curtain never moved. "Almost," he lied, and sprang into action, buttoning up his shirt and pulling on his trousers in what felt like no time at all.

"Hurry up, we've got a really good idea going!"

"What?" Remus played for time, buckling up his belt and pulling on his socks. Finally, he pulled a long sleeved grey sweater over his head, did a quick once-over check to make sure no part of his body was showing other than his head, and ripped back the curtains.

James grinned eagerly back at him. "Wait 'til you hear this, Remus, it's gonna be brilliant!"

Twenty minutes later the four of them were walking into the half-empty Great Hall, Remus still trying to keep down his enormous yawns. As they neared the Gryffindor table, he automatically made to sit in the middle as they always did, but this time James put out an arm to stop him.

"Not here, Remus. We're sitting up there today." He nodded his head up the end of the table where hardly anyone was sitting. Remus frowned.

"Why?"

"We'll tell you in a sec'."

They all sat down there, Peter and Sirius on one side with James and Remus facing them. James looked round excitedly, his eyes gleaming.

"Is everybody here?"

Without waiting for an answer he plunged on. "Right. It came to me in a dream, last night. It was the most beautiful dream I've ever had…" He tailed off dramatically, looking round at them impressively.

Sirius choked on his orange juice. "James! We don't want to know about your filthy dreams!"

James stuck his middle finger up at him. "Ha, ha, I'm in hysterics," he said sarcastically. He stared round at them once again, ignoring the muffled giggles from Peter and Sirius. "No, this dream was more than a dream. It was…"

"A nightmare?" Peter put in helpfully, glancing at Remus.

James whacked his palm to his head. "Ok, just forget about the dream alright? It was an idea Sirius gave me this morning."

"Thief," muttered Sirius.

James leant forwards, eyes shining so excitedly that they all leaned forwards too, curiosity piqued. "Imagine it," he whispered, "McGonagall. Unable to talk. Except for…" he lowered his voice even lower, making them all strain forwards slightly to hear him, "Pig-grunting noises."

There was a moment of stunned silence.

Then Sirius burst into a whoop of laughter. "Excellent!"

Peter looked worried. "But she's really strict!"

"So?" James beamed at him, infected by Sirius's laughter. "She won't know it's us! And she's new. She'll never find out!"

Amid their excited chatter and laughing, Remus sat carefully still, his heart pounding. He refused to look any of them in the eye. What James was planning was…well, illegal was too strong a word, but against the rules. If he took part in it, he would be defying the system. Breaking the Headmaster's trust for ever letting him into this school.

He couldn't do that. His heart pumped faster at the thought of Dumbledore's face, angry, disappointed, ordering him sent out of school. What if they were caught and thrown out? Bang would go his only chance at having an education.

But if he said so…what would they think of him?

"…have to look up the right charm to do it, though, there has to be a book in the library somewhere on that. We've done this sort of spell work before so it shouldn't be too hard…" James looked round at Remus. "Remus? You seen any books in there like that?"

Remus stared back at him, his mouth very dry. "I'm…not sure," he said weakly, playing nervously with his spoon. "Maybe."

James's eyes lingered on him for a moment. Then he turned back to the others. "It'll bring the house down!"

"Yeah, but we don't know if we can actually do it yet," Sirius spoke earnestly, gnawing thoughtfully on a fingernail. "How would we get the charm on her, for starters? It'd be pretty incriminating if we just stood up and pointed a wand at her face."

"That's if we even get hold of a spell," added James, frowning. "Yeah…"

They all fell into silence. Remus looked at all of them carefully, adrenaline pumping round his body. He knew what they could do. He knew exactly how this could be made a success.

But he mustn't tell them. He mustn't.

"I guess…if we sat right at the back of her class, waited for her to turn round, maybe?" Sirius, his eyebrows knitted together. Remus's heart beat faster. No, that wouldn't work, she'd find out it was us…

"No, someone would see us even if we sat at the back. Besides, she'd only keep the whole class in detention until someone admitted it."

"Fair point," sighed Sirius, looking round at Peter. "Got any ideas, Pete?"

No, he doesn't, I can see it in his face…Remus wriggled in his seat, clamping his mouth firmly closed. Don't say anything, Remus…

Peter licked his lips. "We could, er, plan a distraction," he said squeakily, shrugging and playing with a corner of the tablecloth. James sighed.

"A distraction's all well and good, but it wouldn't stop her from keeping the class, would it?"

Peter nodded furiously. "I know. Maybe we should give up on it…"

James frowned. "Wait a moment! Remus hasn't said anything yet." He turned to Remus. "Any thoughts?" His eyes were hopeful.

Yes, I do!

Remus licked his lips, trying to keep outwardly as calm as possible. As casually as he could, he shook his head, not meeting his eyes.

James's face fell.

"Ok. Well, I'll give it a think. But, if we can't figure it out, consider it cancelled." He picked up his toast and bit into it, staring blankly at the sugar bowl.

The first thing Remus felt was relief. Distinct relief.

Then he looked at Sirius's disappointed face and suddenly felt differently.

"W-wait," he said quietly, sitting up a little straighter to gain attention. "I think I have an idea."

They all looked back at him, eagerness written into each of their faces, even Peter's. Remus stared back at them, his heart thumping away a drum roll under his ribs, bang bang bang. He opened his mouth, licked his dry lips and began to speak.

You'll get into trouble for this, you know.

He tried to bury the voice, speaking louder as he gained more confidence. He couldn't bear to look at their faces. He didn't dare risk the staff table.

He chanced a look at them. They liked it. He could tell.

Guilt flooded through his veins. What, for Merlin's sake, was he doing?

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Wow! I'm still in a state of shock at how many of you reviewed! Hope you liked this chapter guys. It took a long time to write this, so sorry for the long wait!

It seems we are all engaged in an all out Penguins vs. Marshmallows war. Come on people, cast your vote…penguins or marshmallows? Who wins? You decide!

Remus's second full moon coming up in a couple of chapters. Don't miss out, and remember, reviews inspire me!

Peace out

Mooncheese xx