Under the Full Moony

Scroll 10: Blue Moon

"So when's the next full moon, Moony?" asked Sirius loudly.

Remus frowned, "Why? I thought you didn't want to associate with me."

"Surely you don't think just because YOU have issues, we're all going to stop having fun!" retorted Sirius, twirling his Transfiguration book in the air, lazily, with his wand.

"Two days," said Remus stretching.

"So you're going to the Whomping Willow!" asked Sirius loudly again.

Remus frowned, "Hush! And yes, you know that!"

Sirius looked over at the Whomping Willow, shooting a glance at the bushes behind them.

'Good.'

"See those first-years! Trying to get to the Whomping Willow! Idiots! All the have to do is prod the knot-!"

"Sirius!" Remus said annoyed. "Enough!"

With that Remus snapped his book closed and strode over to tell the first-years off. But Sirius had gotten what he wanted. He'd known all along that there was a certain oily-haired Slytherin in the bushes, listening to their every word.

'Curiosity killed the cat ... and he SO deserves it!' thought Sirius, gleefully.

"What do you mean you're not coming!"

Sirius shrugged and made his Transfiguration book do back-flips in the air, "Those gits got stuck in detention for their little 'experiment' with McGonagall's hat ... and I ... I have homework."

Remus bit his lip to stop the tears from forming. Sirius had never put homework before Moony.

"Okay then ... I'll ... I'll get going. Bye ..."

He shot Sirius a hurt look and walked to the portrait hole

Sirius just turned back to his Potions essay on the properties of fluxweed.

He saw out of the corner of his eye, Remus walking away, slowly, looking at the floor.

'He looks sad ...'

Sirius put his face in his hands, letting Advanced Transfiguration fall to the floor, "Git ... what did you have to go and kiss him for ..."

He felt someone smack him on the head.

"Well! Let's get going!" James said cheerfully, checking his hair in the mirror above the fireplace.

"We can't," responded Sirius mournfully.

"Huh?" James stopped messing his hair up and turned to Sirius.

"Well ... Remus doesn't want us there. He just told me. He's mad at us ..."

James frowned, "Peter and I didn't do anything!"

"He's mad at all of us ... that's what he said ... so anyway, about this Potions homework ..."

Hours Later ...

Sirius frowned and stood up. He walked to the window and looked out, "You think he's turned yet?"

James looked up, taking off his glasses to clean them, "Yeah ... of course ..."

Sirius suddenly started laughing, "Snivellus is a goner ..."

James stood up and put his glasses back on, "What ... do you mean?"

"Snivelly ... is ... going ... to ... DIE! And Moony's going to do it for us! Isn't that great!" Sirius grinned, looking pleased.

But James just stared at him, mouth open, "You're CRAZY! They could expel him! And US! And I hate Snivellus ...b-but ... kill him ... NO! NO! PADFOOT! What have you done!"

Sirius frowned, "Oh come off it-!"

"NO! Sirius ... I can't BELIEVE you!" shouted James angrily.

With that James ran out, leaving Peter staring at Sirius with wide, fearful eyes, and Sirius pouting angrily by the window.

Severus Snape took what he heard in the bushes to heart. And so, when Remus walked slowly towards the Whomping Willow, Snape was watching from the Astronomy Tower, cloaked, and was ready to follow.

He made it to the Whomping Willow without getting caught, and tried to walk around it, searching for the hollow into which he'd seen Remus disappear.

'Let me see ... let me see ...'

He heard a creak, and jumped out of the way of a branch that had swung at him. He looked around for something ... a pole .. or ... a branch

'A branch!'

He dived towards the branch lying on the ground, just as the Whomping Willow's branch slammed on the ground where just moment ago, he'd been standing.

He prodded the knot on the tree hard, and the Willow froze in mid swipe.

Severus smirked, and straightened his cloak, 'Too easy ... now Remus ... what do you do in here ...?'

Snape lowered himself into the hollow with ease and walked through the long tunnel. He frowned at the many creaks and thumps he began hearing.

'Practicing magic ... Forbidden magic perhaps ...?'

Presently, Snape reached the end of the tunnel, and looked up at a trap door. Here, the creaks, and moans, and thumps were louder.

Severus raised an eyebrow, 'Or are you meeting here secretly with, say ... a lover ...?'

He shuddered at the prospect of what he may walk in on ... but curiosity got the better of him. He pushed the trapdoor open and hoisted himself up the opening.

He looked around the dimly lit shack. He saw a few chairs that looked like they'd been bitten in half, or with legs missing. They too looked as if they'd been ripped off.

'Maybe it is haunted ... Ah ... Necromancy ...?'

Intrigued, Snape walked quickly up the stairs, stopping to study the walls which were splattered with what looked like blood, and was met with louder groans and thumps, partly muffled behind a door.

Snape grabbed the door-knob and prepared himself for anything.

He threw it open.

He had prepared himself for everything ... but nothing could have prepared him for the sight that met his eyes.

In the darkness of the shack, a single ray of moonlight entered and shone on the bed, in which Remus lied, facedown, naked, twitching, moaning ...

Hair sprouted thickly on his arms, and legs, and back, and face. His face ... lengthening. He groaned, now it resembled a growl, and exposed his teeth, which were also lengthening, coming to a sharp point. His hands, gripping the sheets tightly, nails blackening and lengthening as well, ripping out of Remus' fingers.

Realization hit Snape like a slap in the face.

'He's a ... werewolf!'

Mouth open and eyes wide, Snape backed away, tripped and crashed down the whole flight of stairs. He heard a loud howl, heard the werewolf bounding down the stairs, coming for him.

Coming for him ... hunting him ... smelling him ...

Snape cried out in horror as the werewolf, the fur on its head somewhat resembling Remus' hair, came into view. The wolf was baring its teeth, growling.

Then with a great howl, it stood up on its hind legs and slashed at Snape. Snape was thrown back, onto the trapdoor. He whirled around, trying to open it, finding it would not budge ...

Hot breath on his neck, the werewolf breathing down on him ... Snape froze and threw himself to the other end of the room.

The werewolf gave another howl and pounced.

Snape watched, petrified, as something bounded out of the trapdoor, throwing the werewolf back. Then the thing came for Snape, who tried to back away.

But the thing grabbed Snape by the collar and threw him down the trapdoor. Snape heard the werewolf howling, in pain it seemed, pounding, and then the trapdoor was slammed shut and someone landed on him hard.

Snape narrowed his eyes, struggling to see who it was. With a cry of disgust, he pushed the person off him.

"UGH! Potter!" Severus curled his lip in disgust.

"Snivellus-" James started, touching the cut above his eyebrow, gingerly.

"So ... Remus is a werewolf-"

"-you can't tell anyone-"

"-you wait until the headmaster hears-"

"-he knows!"

"and- WHAT!" Snape raised an eyebrow, suspiciously.

"He knows ... and how about a thank you!" James demanded as he wiped his bleeding nose with the sleeve of his robes.

"And what should I thank YOU for! Excuse me!" Snape's lip curled even more in disgust.

"I just saved your sorry arse from Moony!"

"You! That thing up there was ... you!" yelled Snape in disbelief.

"Yes!"

"YOU! YOU drove the werewolf back!"

"Yes!"

"YOU alone ..."

"Well a few spells ..."

Severus glared at James, "I will inform the headmaster anyway ... just to ah ... make sure ..."

James shrugged, "Yeah sure, whatever floats your boat."

James watched Snape leave, walking twitchily and quickly, cloak billowing behind him.

'Git was peeing in his pants and acts all high and mighty! He didn't even thank me! And Sirius ... you are SO dead!'

"I am truly disappointed in you ..." said Dumbledore, looking at them over his half-moon glasses. He waited, as if expecting one of the five boys sitting in front of him to speak.

He looked at each one, unsmiling, and frowning. His eyes were not twinkling.

Sirius looked at the other four. Severus was staring at him, upper-lip curled; Sirius ignored him. James was staring determinedly at Dumbledore's desk. Peter was staring at the floor, eyes watery. Remus was looking down at his hands, which were twitching nervously on his lap.

Sirius' eyes met Dumbledore's and he quickly lowered them.

'I feel ... like SUCH an ass!'

When they didn't speak, Dumbledore sighed.

"Alright then, Severus, you will go to Professor Slughorn's office. He will arrange your detentions."

As Snape rose silently, Dumbledore added, "A word to the wise, Severus ... curiosity killed the cat. Oh and ... don't tell anyone else. I forbid you. If you do, I'm afraid I will have to expel you. Off you go."

Sirius though the saw the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes as he said this. But when the door had closed and Dumbledore turned to them, there was no twinkle.

"Phineas," he said, addressing a portrait, but with his eyes still on the Marauders.

Sirius looked up at his great-great-grandfather, Phineas Negullus, who was shaking his head.

"Phineas!" said Dumbledore sharply.

"Yes?" Phineas said, finally paying attention.

"Make sure Severus goes directly to Horace's office."

"But-" Phineas looked over at the Marauders. "Oh alright! And here I was hoping for a good bit of entertainment ..."

"Well? Sirius? Explain yourself."

Sirius sighed and spoke to the floor, "It was a joke-"

"It could have cost Severus' life, had not James stopped Remus," said Dumbledore calmly.

"Yeah well ... I didn't think-"

At that moment the door swung open and Professor McGonagall stood there, face white, lips pursed.

"EXPLAIN YOURSELVES!" was her greeting.

Sirius sighed again, and still spoke to the floor, "It was a joke! I told Snivelly-"

"Severus," corrected Dumbledore.

"Right ... him. I told him that he could get into the Whomping Willow by poking the knot. So the git goes-"

"His name is Severus Snape," corrected Dumbledore again.

"So he goes and does it. It's not my fault," finished Sirius desperately.

"BUT YOU INTENDED HIM TO GET BITTEN OR WORSE!" said McGonagall, shaking in fury.

Phineas slid back into his portrait and grinned at them mockingly.

Sirius sighed, "Yeah well, he's tried to kill us too ..."

"THAT IS BESIDE THE POINT! SIRIUS BLACK, YOU ARE LUCKY YOU'RE STILL AT THE SCHOOL!"

Sirius' eyes flashed, "Hey, I'll pack my things up and go, if you want!"

"FIFTY POINTS OFF GRYFFINDOR! EACH! I have never ... and A MONTH'S DETENTION! FOR ALL OF YOU!"

Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Minerva, calm yourself."

McGonagall pursed her lips again. Phineas merely looked bored.

He said, yawning, "Aren't you going to expel them?"

McGonagall opened her mouth, perhaps to honestly say that she would after they'd finished her detention, but Remus spoke up first.

"If I may be so bold so as to speak. I must say ... all the blame should be on me. I should have never come to Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore. In fact, I should leave now."

Remus rose and turned to leave.

"You will do no such thing," said Dumbledore. "Although, I must ask you to be more careful. Being what you are, you must behave cautiously."

Dumbledore turned to Peter, "I still do not know why you didn't come to me."

He turned to James, "You too, should've come to me. Now off to your lessons ... "

Sirius, James, and Peter all rose to leave. Remus stayed in his chair.

Sirius walked over, "Remmy ... you coming?"

Remus looked at him white-faced, "No."

Dumbledore motioned for them to leave, which they did, but stayed outside the door, listening.

Sirius frowned, "Can't hear anything ..."

"AHAH! Listening in to conversations that do not concern you!" said a voice behind them.

The three whipped around, and Sirius rolled his eyes, "Oh, it's you."

Phineas, too, rolled his eyes, "Yep, me. Now scram!"

"We're going to wait here for Remus," said James.

"From the looks of things ... your wolfy friend if going to be there all day ... crying and BEGGING Dumbledore to PLEASE send him home," drawled Phineas.

Sirius' mouth dropped open, "He's crying!"

He extended his hand to grab the doorknob, but at that moment the door swung open, and Remus pushed past them, head bowed.

"Remus, you're not expelled, are you!"

Remus ran out of the office and down the winding stairs, Sirius at his heels.

"Remus? What happened!"

Remus kept running, past crowds of students, walking to the Great Hall for breakfast, up the stairs.

Sirius ran after him, calling out to him, "Remus! Wait! Please stop!"

Sirius drew his wand, hexing anyone who came between him and Remus, shoving past nosy girls who giggled as he ran by them

"REMUS!"

He saw Remus' robes whip out of sight into the library, and he ran after him, reaching for the doorknob, and stopped dead in his tracks.

There leaning on the door was his dear brother, Regulus.

"Reg, MOVE!" Sirius thrust the wand at Regulus' chest.

"Wouldn't do that," said Regulus quietly as a burly seventh year appeared out of the shadows, wand pointing straight at Sirius.

Sirius rolled his eyes, "So, you've got Evan Rosier as this week's bodyguard! I don't give a damn!"

Regulus shook his head, "Severus told me what you did ... I can't believe you-"

Sirius suddenly grabbed the front of Regulus' robes and threw him from the door. He ran in, looking wildly around for signs of Remus.

"Remus!"

"Mr. Black!" came Madam Pince's annoying and screechy voice. "This is a LIBRARY! We must use indoor voices!"

Sirius ignored her, "REMUS! Where the BLOODY HELL are you!"

"That type of language will not be tolerated! OUT! GET OUT!" Madam Pince towered over him, pointing furiously to the door.

Sirius tried to push past her, but she grabbed his tie and dragged him to the door.

"Get off me, you HAG!" Sirius clawed at his tie, which was now tight enough to choke him.

"And don't EVER come in here, Black!" said Madam Pince as she threw him from her library and slammed the door shut.

Sirius kicked the door, to the amusement of the student in the library, "OLD HAG! I'll get you for THIS!"

Sirius sighed and headed to Gryffindor Tower, ignoring the whispers and giggles that followed him.

Suddenly, James grabbed him from behind, "Hey! Padfoot! Where've you been! Where're you going?"

"Common room ... "

"We've got lessons-"

"I think I'll just skive off everything ..."

"No you won't!" James grabbed Sirius' bag from Peter and thrust it at him. "Here's your stuff, we're going to Transfiguration."

Sirius did so reluctantly and was dismayed to find Remus sitting up from with Kingsley, who was whispering something to him. Remus was shaking his head.

With a sigh, Sirius took his seat next to James, wishing he could disappear.

And it was like that all day, Remus sitting as far away from the rest of the Marauders as he could manage, Sirius wishing he were dead, and James ogling at Lily every time she passed.

But perhaps the last part was just like any ordinary day.

It was in the common room that afternoon that Sirius was able to corner Remus, just as the other was heading up the stairs to the dormitory.

"Remus, please listen to me."

But Remus ignored Sirius and kept climbing up the stairs. Sirius had no choice but to grab his arm, and whirl him around.

"Remus, you're going to listen to me. I am sorry ... SO sorry ... and I'll do whatever I can to make it up to you."

"I don't NEED for you to make it up to me!"

Remus pulled his arm out of Sirius' grasp and ran up the stairs. Sirius followed at his heels.

"Remus! I didn't mean to ... I didn't know it would hurt you like this ... I didn't think!"

Remus threw his book-bag down on his bed and faced Sirius, "Yes! That is your problem! You NEVER think!"

"I can make it up to you!" Sirius yelled desperately.

But, Remus shook his head and pulled his bag open, grabbing his Advanced Potion-Making and strode out of the dormitory again.

Sirius' eyes flashed, "Oh! I see, you're going to meet up with Snivelly! Is THAT it!"

Remus turned to face him so abruptly, that he ended up being pressed against Sirius, "Thanks to you, he's not talking to me! Thanks to you, I'm going to fail Potions! Thanks to you, people will have another reason not to hire me one way or another!"

He bounded down the stairs, leaving Sirius feeling very hot and bothered. After a few seconds, he recovered his composure and tore after Remus, who was sitting at a table with James and Peter.

Sirius walked over, "I can make it up to you, Remus ..."

Remus threw his quill down, "I don't NEED for you to make it up to me! I don't NEED friends like you! I-"

Sirius' face was white with anger, "Well, you obviously NEED friends like Snivelly and REGULUS! So go on and TRANSFER to Slytherin if you want! Go on to the library to SNOG with that greasy-haired-"

"Shut up, Sirius!" yelled Remus, standing up. "Just because your brother doesn't do exactly what you want him to do all the time, just because you don't have total CONTROL over everything doesn't mean-"

"I AM NOT A CONTROL-FREAK, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE IMPLYING-" roared Sirius, his nose millimeters from Remus'.

"I'M NOT IMPLYING IT! I'm STATING a FACT!" retorted Remus.

They stayed like that for a moment, nose to nose, faces livid, and eyes flashing, unaware that James had just made a bet with half of Gryffindor Tower, unaware that Peter was watching them with his little black eyes darting from one tothe other... unaware that almost everyone in the common room was staring at them ...

A/N: "giggles madly" CLIFFIE! WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?"

How was that? Perhaps a bit slow ... a bit fast? Anything ...!

To Reiko Kobayashi: I can't see ur URL! So I can't see your pic! cries

So anyway: Questions? Comments? Review please!