A Slight Problem
Remus awoke early the next morning, way before any one else was up. He had a meeting with Professor Dumbledore and Headmaster Blake.
He made his way down to the corridor nervously. He knew it was going to be about his "condition", he just didn't know how they planned on dealing with it.
He neared the statue that guarded the entrance to the Headmaster's office then uttered the password. The statue leaped aside, revealing a small, narrow stairwell. He walked up the stairs as one condemned to death.
"Ah, Remus! How good of you to come!" Professor Dumbledore said jovially.
Leave it to him to be this happy at this hour of the morning.
"Please, sit down Remus," the Headmaster ordered. Remus obeyed. "As you know, we have a very important matter to discuss with you. Your grandmother was very concerned when she spoke to us a year ago. She was worried that you would not be allowed to Hogwarts because you are a werewolf. I told her that I wanted you to be able to attend this year very deeply, but I needed to consult with other teacher and try to figure out a way for this to be possible. I'm sure you figured out that we have found a way, as you are here right now."
Remus nodded, wondering what they planned to do to him. Lock him up? Surely they knew that chains wouldn't hold him. Give him a potion? No potion existed that could cure being a werewolf. He would just have to see.
"Well, Remus, we have constructed a way for you to remain here as a student. You must, however, listen to us very carefully. You must obey what I say to the very letter. If I find that you have broken the rules, you may very well face expulsion. Do you understand?"
"Yes, headmaster."
"Very well. We have constructed a building in which you will stay while you are a werewolf and the day after. We have dubbed it the Shrieking Shack. We will spread the rumor that it is haunted, thereby preventing anyone from desiring to enter. Should someone, however, get curious, the doors are impossible to open. We have sealed them both physically and magically. This not only prevents them from entering, but it keeps you locked inside while you are transformed. You will notice that there is a large willow tree located on the grounds of Hogwarts. It is called the Whomping Willow. The tree is bewitched to swing its' vines at anyone who approaches. You will notice, however, that if you take a stick and press the large knot on the bark of the tree, the branches will not harm you. At the bottom of the tree, there is a small opening. If you enter the opening and follow the passage, you will find yourself at the Shrieking Shack. Do you have all of this?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. Now, on to the rules. One, you must enter the Shrieking Shack directly after your classes end on the eve of your transformation. You must also remain there the day after. Two, you must take nothing with you, especially your wand. Three, you must tell no one of this. It is much better if we keep your condition a well-kept secret. Four, you must not let anyone see you enter the tunnel. It could be disastrous if someone were to follow you down the tunnel. They would not meet Remus Lupin, but a horrible, twisted version of him. And fifth, you must be careful. Do you understand these rules and the consequences of them should you choose not to abide by them?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good boy, Remus. I have the utmost confidence in you. Be careful, boy. Now, go on to breakfast. Your friends will surely wondering where you have gone this morning."
"Yes, sir. And thank you, for everything. Just one more question. What about the teachers and my friends?"
"Well, all of the teachers know of your condition. They have been told to give you your assignments in advance and to give you some slack should you be a little late in handing them in. As for your friends, we will have to think of a multitude of excuses, now won't we?"
"Yes sir. Thank you again."
"Don't even think of it, Remus. Now off with you!"
Remus scurried out of the Headmaster's office. It had gone much better than he had planned. They actually had a logical solution to his problem. He just hoped his roommates would believe that he got sick for a day and a night once a month.
He was a few minutes late for breakfast, but he instantly wished he hadn't bothered going at all.
James and Sirius were at it again.
"Remus! Thank God you're here!" James greeted him. "Would you please tell dear Sirius here that I am not a stuck up git; I simply inherited it from my father."
"I am not going to tell Sirius anything. You can work it out on your own," Remus replied, aggravated at being nothing more than someone to pacify to James.
"Would both of you stop it!" Lily yelled. "You're acting ridiculous! Honestly! I'd think you were only six years old by the way you are fighting! Just apologize and be friends!"
They both gave her looks of incredulous disbelief, as though she were a bit crazy.
"Lily," Rory interjected, "do you honestly think they'll listen to you?"
"Well, it was worth a try," Lily defended her actions.
"Well, it was a waste of your time," Sirius stated bluntly.
James, however, had a brilliant idea pop into his head at that precise moment.
"Would you all excuse me, I left a notebook on my bunk."
They all nodded in relative agreement.
He exited the Great Hall rather calmly and then, as soon as he was out of their sight, he sprinted up to his dorm.
He fetched a tiny glass container out of a hidden pocket in his trunk. He sprinkled the sparkly powder over Sirius's bunk and in all of the clothes of his he could find at that moment.
He then grabbed an empty notebook and went to his first class, Transfiguration, with Slytherin.
He barely made it to class on time, sliding in next to Remus.
"Good morning, class," Professor McGonagall greeted them.
"Good morning, Professor," they intoned.
"Welcome to Transfiguration. Can anyone tell me whatTransfiguration entails?"
Lily's hand shot up into the air.
"Yes, Miss Evans."
"It is the art of changing one object or creature into another completely different one," Lily said. She had been up late almost every night of the summer studying for this moment.
"Excellent, Miss Evans. Ten points to Gryffindor.Today, class, we will not be working with our wands. We will be learning. Take out some parchment and your quill and prepare to take notes. We will begin on page seven of your book."
Professor McGonagall went on to explain the history of Transfiguration while almost all of the class prepared to pass notes to their new friends or draw or something. I did say almost. Lily's quill was scratching furiously, trying to keep up with every word the Professor said.
James made a mental note that, if he ever needed notes, he could just ask Lily.
The next class on the first years' agenda was Charms, also with Slytherin.
They found that they had already been paired. Some with classmates from their house, some with other houses.
Lily found, to her shock, that she was not with Ellie or Rory or Emilie or James or Sirius or Remus or Peter. She was, in fact, paired with a certain boy from Slytherin whose name was Severus Snape.
They were greeted by Professor Flitwick. He gave them their pairings and assigned desks. He informed them that they would be working on a simple levitating charm. They saw a white quill in front of them. He told them to use the charm to levitate it.
Lily decided that, if she was going to be paired with a stranger, she may as well be friendly.
"Hello," she greeted Severus. "I'm Lily."
"I know," he said icily. "Do you know how to do this?"
"Of course," she replied. She chanted the levitating charm and her quill rose spectacularly into the air.
"Amazing!" Professor Flitwick cried. "I do believe that is the first time any student of mine has successfully managed to levitate their feather on the first try! Which house are you from girl?"
"Gryffindor, Professor," Lily responded, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
"Excellent! Thirty points to Gryffindor! Now all of you get working!"
Lily was quite pleased with herself. So pleased, in fact, that she didn't find it odd when Severus asked her for some quite involved help on his feather.
He had her leaning over him in quite uncomfortable ways.
Lily was just telling him how to properly say the charm when she felt a hard squeeze on her butt.
"Hey!" she yelled at him.
"What?" he asked.
"Why did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Squeeze me!"
"Because you're pretty!"
Lily tried to shake it off as nothing.
James watched angrily from across the room at Lily and that greasy kid from Slytherin. Just who did he think he was, pinching her like that? And in front of everyone! What a slime ball! He made a mental note that this kid was on his 'to kill' list.
When Charms was finally done, Severus stopped Lily.
"Do you think you could help me with this later on?" he asked in what Lily thought to be a serious voice.
"Of course!" she said. "When did you want to meet?"
"How about seven o'clock in the library."
"Sounds great. See you then, Severus."
Lily turned to go to lunch and found herself face-to-face with none other than James.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"To tell you to stay away from that creep," he replied.
"Excuse me? Who are you to talk to me? He's my partner and he asked me for help. It's my duty to help him."
"I didn't like the way he was looking at you. He kept peering down your shirt. And I saw him squeeze your butt. That was very rude."
"And how would you know all of this? Were you watching me during Charms?"
"Well I…" he sputtered, kicking himself for blushing so deeply.
"Exactly. So the day you stop being an arrogant, self-centered git is the day I'll stay away from Severus."
"So that's the slime ball's name, huh?"
"Just shut up James. Maybe if you decided to get along better with Sirius I would stay away from Severus."
"That, my dear, will happen on the day that Sirius's head deflates about ten sizes."
"You are impossible, James Potter."
"So I've heard."
Lily walked away from him angrily.
James watched her go, thinking how pretty she was. He had heard Snape say something about seven at the library. He was going to make sure he was at the library at seven that night.