DISCLAIMER: JKR OWNS HARRY POTTER NOT ME (SADLY)

Chapter Five: First Moon

On Wednesday, they had their first Transfiguration class with Professor McGonagall. Running in five minutes late, the four boys puffed to a stop.

"Sorry we're late, Professor," Remus started.

"We got lost," James explained.

Professor McGonagall eyed them sternly. "I suppose you got lost on Monday as well?" she enquired.

"Er..." Remus said, looking at James and Sirius. Sirius shook his head slightly with pleading eyes. Remus nodded minutely. He wouldn't say anything.

"Peter's bag broke," James offered.

"And it needed all four of you to stay and fix it? For the whole of class time?" the professor looked at them in disbelief. "That is one of the most pathetic excuses I've heard in quite a while."

"Well we also got lost," Sirius put in.

Remus shook his head. They should have just stuck with that excuse when it was offered before.

"Nice try, but you should have used that excuse when it was offered before," Professor McGonagall said, echoing Remus' thoughts. "Since you haven't come up with a decent excuse all four of you will serve detention with Mr Filch on tomorrow evening. Now take your seats and read pages 15 through 19 in your text books since you weren't here on Monday. When you've done that, try turning this into a needle." She handed each of them a matchstick then went and sat at her desk.

Taking the only empty seats left in the class (in the back), Remus and the others pulled out their text books and got to work.

By the end of the class, James had managed to turn his matchstick into a basic needle, Remus' had gone rather pointy along with Sirius', and Peter hadn't got his matchstick to do anything at all.

"Don't worry," Sirius clapped Peter on the shoulder. "You'll get it in the end."

"I'll help," Remus offered. "I need to practise my own transfiguration anyway."

"Thanks," Peter said gratefully.

"So what've we got next?" Sirius asked, heading down the hallway.

"Charms," Remus replied. "And I think it's in that direction." He pointed the opposite way.

"Sure," Sirius said, running back and walking off in the direction indicated. "I knew that."

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Time seemed to fly by and it seemed to Remus that the first full moon came all too soon.

"What's up Remus?" James asked, that morning at the breakfast table.

"Nothing," Remus replied, pushing food around on his plate. He never felt like eating on the days around the full moon.

"You're not eating," Sirius pointed out. "Are you ill?"

"Do you want to go to the Hospital Wing?" Peter asked.

"I'm fine guys," Remus replied. "If it makes you feel any better I'll see Madam Pomfrey after classes this afternoon." That would be the perfect excuse to run off, he thought. I'll have to keep track of all my excuses. Maybe I should keep a book.

"Speaking of class," James interjected. "We have Potions in five minutes."

"What!"

The four boys grabbed their bags and ran out of the Great Hall.

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Classes that day passed Remus by completely. He attended them and made notes but had absolutely no idea what he was taking in. The other three boys watched him with anxious looks on their faces. At the end of their last class, they stopped Remus before entering the Great Hall.

"You are not well," James stated.

"Com'n guys," Remus protested. "I'm fine."

"No you're not," Sirius put in firmly. "You are going to the Hospital Wing. Now." He grabbed Remus by the arm and pulled him towards the Hospital Wing. Good thing we know our way around the school by now, Remus thought. Imagine having to explain how I already know where the Wing is. He shuddered. No one would find out he was a monster. For the first time in his life as a ... monster, he had friends. As he was thinking, Remus didn't notice the looks of his friends. The worried faces looked at him from all sides, all the way to the Hospital Wing.

"Excuse me ma'am?" James said upon entering the Hospital Wing and seeing a woman on the far side of the room, making up beds. At James' words she looked up.

"Yes dear," she asked kindly.

"Our friend is not eating and is not concentrating or anything," Sirius said.

"Yeah," Peter put in. "We thought we should bring him here."

Madam Pomfrey looked at Remus, who was by now getting so tired as to be almost asleep where he stood and resembled a ghost with his colour. "You, young man, look sick," she exclaimed. Putting a hand on his forehead, she lead him over to a bed. "You'll have to stay the night." After she'd settled Remus, she looked back over her shoulder. "You lot! Out!" She nodded towards the door. "You can come see him in the morning." After many protest from the Marauders she'd finally got them out the door.

"Well, that will save you thinking of an excuse this month won't it?" she asked Remus, as she bustled about, continuing to make the beds that they'd interrupted her making before.

"Yeah," Remus said quietly.

Madam Pomfrey finished the bed she was on, then grabbed a cloak from a cupboard. "Right," she said. "Get under this. We'll go down to the shack now while everyone's at dinner." Holding out the cloak she helped Remus into it, then led him out the door and down through the corridors to the front doors.

Remus followed her dejectedly. Then realised she was headed right towards the Whomping Willow which the whole school was told to beware of during the Feast at the start of term.

"Now," she said picking up a stick. "This is how you get into the passage." She pressed the stick to a knot on the bottom of the trunk. The tree froze. Remus had a sudden thought. This tree was just planted. It's because of me! No student will be able to get to me. Madam Pomfrey took his arm and pulled him into the tunnel. They were walking for a while before they came to a trapdoor. The nurse opened it and climbed up into a room. Bringing Remus in after her, she took him through an abandoned shack to an upstairs room.

"This is where you'll be transforming. I'll be back to get you in the morning." She placed a hand on his shoulder sympathetically. "Good luck." Then she left and locked the trapdoor behind her, leaving Remus alone in the room.

Waiting for the full moon to come and complete his change to the monster, he lay back on an old mattress and closed his eyes.

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End chapter 5

sorry about the long updates. i'm not even gonna promise to update sooner. i mean, look what happened last time. sorry about it but please bear with me if you like my story. thanks for reading, and there's a review button down there if you feel like using it. And thanks to any who have reviewed previously. I don't necessarily answer reviews on here to each person, however I do take things you say into account when I'm writing. Thanks for the advice and encouragement once again.

Stay Fuzzy Yall,

TheWall