A/N: Thank you reviewers, again. Too lazy to do personal responses. Trying to get this up so I can go back to reading Dance Macabre. Mammy, a Stephen King book for summer reading. Ha…
Disclaimer: Once again, I disclaim.
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It had been a very long full moon. After tearing the bed and couch to bits, and scratching up the walls, Remus couldn't help but gnawing on his own legs until they bled so much that he collapsed, the darkness clouding over his eyes…
Remus woke up much later, the sun pouring into the Shrieking Shack, highlighting every claw mark, every scrap of cloth that littered the floor like snowflakes. He blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes, only to drop them immediately to the floor. They felt as though they were made of lead, and yet they looked utterly bloodless.
Something was digging into the small of his back. With a moan, Remus rolled over onto his stomach, his face pressed into the dusty wood floor. Whatever it was, it seemed like it was still stuck. Remus reached out to try and brush it off, cringing as his arms ached. All of a sudden he realized what it was.
A tail. Before he could even scream, it melted away in his hands, and then it was gone. But the panic was still clutching at his stomach, making sweat pour down his temple as he searched his mind for what the book had said. Something about… if the love wasn't reciprocated… the change could become permanent.
Remus gasped for air, and shakily stood up, ignoring the pounding pain that was seeping through his body. He grabbed at the doorknob, and managed to pull the door open before falling over.
There was a female shriek and Madam Pomphrey waddled in, followed closely by a gang of teachers, including Dumbledore. They all crowded around him, peering down at him like he was some sort of demented experiment.
"We must get him out of here- and will someone please tell me why he was still a werewolf in broad daylight?" The nurse said angrily, waving her wand about. Remus suddenly felt like he was lying on the softest, squishiest bed that had ever existed. The world around him lurched as he was thrust into the air, levitating merrily beside the teacher's heads.
"Please calm down, Poppy. Please take Mr. Lupin to the Infirmary. I will be around shortly. The rest of you, you may return to your afternoon classes. Thank you for your help." Dumbledore's voice alone calmed Remus down. It was alright- the Headmaster was involved. There could be nothing wrong.
Madam Pomphrey nodded and headed out the door, Remus trailing behind her. In a few minutes they were in the Hospitable Wing, and he was resting on a sterile white bed.
The nurse continued to give him disgusting potions ("You really lost a lot of blood, drink that replenishing potion…" "I hope that bone isn't broken, but just to be safe, drink this!" "Do you have a headache dear? Why don't you have a bit of this, it will help!") and bandaging him up until he was sure that there couldn't possibly be any more injuries bestowed upon him that she could fix.
Albus Dumbledore took this moment to sweep in, his purple robes billowing out behind him. He then calmly took a seat, looking at Remus expectantly.
"Uh, sir?" Remus said finally, wondering what he was supposed to say. The headmaster smiled sadly.
"Remus, I am aware that in your possession is a book on werewolves that explains the phenomenon that just befell us in perfect detail. Would you please relay to me the reason?" Dumbledore said softly, his blue eyes looking sparse without their usual sparkle.
"It says… er…" This was one conversation that Remus did not want to have with the million-year old Headmaster. But Dumbledore was looking at him expectantly again, so he nervously continued. "It said that if I fall in love with someone, and they don't… er… reciprocate those feelings then the changes will become longer and longer and then permanent."
Dumbledore nodded. "Well, that book is true on most levels, but it was written by an old, crazy werewolf, so it is a bit biased. The truth is, if a werewolf were to fall in love with someone, and they didn't respond verbally or physically, the changes would slowly become longer. If the person did respond, the changes would stop abruptly, though if they stopped responding, the changes would begin again, more violently."
Remus raised his eyebrows. "If you already knew, sir, why did you have me tell you?" He asked bluntly, and then inhaled sharply, afraid that he was about to be turned into a pumpkin.
To Remus's surprise and relief, Dumbledore simply laughed. "You know how we old, crazy men love to talk. Now, I suggest that you fix this problem that you have, and to use a certain feline spell on a certain Ms. Black…"
"Are you telling me to curse another student?" Remus asked in shock. Dumbledore blinked rapidly.
"I think you have had a few too many potions, Mr. Lupin. Why don't you get some rest?" He said calmly, his eyes twinkling again as he left the Infirmary.
Remus shook his head violently. That had not just happened.
Madam Pomphrey rushed in and placed his mountain of homework from that day on the bedside table, and then told him that he had to sleep first. After a quick argument, Remus found yet another potion, this one thick and sluggish as it slid down his throat, being foisted upon him.
Darkness clouded in his eyes again.
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After two days, Madam Pomphrey finally released him. Remus had done all of his homework, as there was nothing else to do, lying around in the Hospitable Wing. Peter and Lily had both come to see him a few times a day and James had even dropped in once to apologize for not being with him on the full moon, though he didn't look especially angst-ridden.
It was lunchtime when Remus found himself free from the clutches of the nurse. He strode dizzily into the Great Hall, and flopped down next to Lily, who was sitting alone, edgily poking her soup with her spoon.
"Remus! How do you feel?" She asked worriedly, grabbing his shoulder as he shook slightly, looking about ready to fall over.
"Where's Sirius?" He asked hoarsely, eying the Slytherin table. Bellatrix was there, and almost done eating.
"He'll be down any moment…" Lily said, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Why do you care? He's been terrible to you lately, ever since his cousin molested you…"
Remus snorted, reaching for the pitcher of water and sloppily pouring himself a glass. "Need to prove… Like James did…" Lily jumped about a foot into the air.
"You aren't going to stand on a table and declare your everlasting love, are you?" She asked worriedly, grabbing the goblet away from Remus as it began to spill everywhere.
"No silly. Something better than that…" Remus said with a wicked smile. Lily looked like she was about to stop him for a moment, and then went back to prodding her soup.
Time seemed to tick by very slowly. Sirius hadn't arrived yet. Bellatrix was about to leave. Remus looked nervously at Lily's watch. The seconds seemed to take an eternity.
He snapped his head back to see Bellatrix standing up, heading for the door. Annoyed at Sirius's lateness, Remus trailed innocently, wishing he would just show up.
Bellatrix was in the entrance hall now. She was starting to turn towards the dungeons. Remus willed with all his might for Sirius to arrive…
And then he did. Sirius burst into the entrance hall with James and Peter on opposite sides of him. Time to execute his plan.
"Hey! Hey! Ugly girl… Bellatrix is it?" Remus roared. The entire room silenced. He felt Sirius' eyes on him, along with what felt like a hundred milling students (it was really about twenty), and then a hundred and one as Bellatrix turned to face him, looking beyond livid.
"What did you say?" She asked in a low voice. "Be careful about your answer, little wolf…"
"You heard me! You are disgusting!" Remus goaded. He needed to get her mad enough to take out her wand, to attack him…
It seemed that Sirius wasn't the only Black with a temper. Bellatrix pointed her wand at him with a shaking hand. A flash of blood-red erupted from the end, which Remus ducked beneath, pulling out his wand and whispering the incantation.
"Felinify!"
It hit her square in the face
Bellatrix screeched as her nose turned bright orange and started to shift its shape, until it was one identical to the feline that was attached to Sirius's head a while ago.
He heard laughter around him, felt James's arm slung around his shoulders, heard compliments on how "bloody brilliant" that was, but Remus wasn't listening. He was looking for Sirius, who was standing a few feet away.
Their eyes met. Sirius raised and lifted one shoulder, and said, so quietly that only Remus could hear because he was listening for it, "I forgive you."
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A/N: HAHAHA but don't let this fool you, minions. Forgiveness isn't the same as snogging on tables. Bruhahaha… More angst to come. I promise. This was just a bit of comic-ish relief… I don't want you guys to drown in angst. And review or one of your body parts will turn into an angry orange cat!