"Regulus did what?"

It was Thursday evening, and Sirius and Remus were sitting in the Charms corridor waiting for James and Peter to finish up their detention. It was a good thing they made up the day before, otherwise it probably would have been bad, since they were stuck in a small storage room together. Or, Remus reasoned, would have spurred them into making up. Maybe.

"Did he say why?"

Remus shrugged, twisting the end of his sleeve around his hand. "He doesn't think he can get help." From someone like me, he added silently, not wanting to tell Sirius the exact words, not wanting to cause more issues between the brothers.

Sirius let out a huff, smacking his head lightly against the stone wall behind them. "I don't understand why he'd leave in the middle like that. Augh!" He smacked his head again. "I thought he'd be willing. He said he was willing."

Remus poked at his cuff button until it popped through the hole, making his cuff spring open. "Maybe he thought I could help then realized I couldn't. I don't know, spells don't seem to click with him." He quickly buttoned his sleeve up again and began messing with the other cuff.

"Like Peter?"

"No." Remus bit his lip when his left sleeve button popped clean off. "Drat it." Sirius reached out, grabbing the button from the floor and handing it over. "Thanks. No, it's not—he hasn't got the same issues. Peter has trouble remembering the spell and the movements. Your brother has no issue with remembering the spell and does the movements well enough." Remus turned the button around in his hand, trying to decide whether the best way to fix it would be to sew it or give it to the house-elves. For now he used the sticking spell, attaching it back to his sleeve. "It's all right that he doesn't want my help. It's his decision. Look on the bright side, at least he tried."

"I guess." Sirius was frowning, a deep wrinkle in his forehead. "I'm still going to pay you for—"

"No—"

"—the entire session even if he didn't—"

"No!"

"—finish it. Yes. Stop arguing with me." Sirius poked Remus in the ribs. "Didn't you need money for a book or something?"

I don't know. Remus had tried not to think about it, tried not to think about the fact that even if he could make the potion it might not work properly. It seemed like a lot of trouble to go for something that might not even work. Scrounging up money, searching for a book that might not exist, making the potion itself. What if it didn't stop his wrong feelings? What if he still felt… like that? All that work, and it might not even help him.

But I have to at least try.

"Hello? Rem-Rem?" Sirius waved his hand in front of his face.

"Rem-Rem?!" Remus demanded, staring incredulously at his friend. Also in slight horror.

"What?" Sirius grinned. "I tried Remus and Remy, neither worked." He held out his hand and pretended like he was writing on it. "Rem-Rem works. Got it."

Remus sucked in air. "Don't ever call me that again."

"Whatever you say—"

"Don't."

"—Rem-Rem."

Remus flicked his wand, taking the opportunity to try a new spell he had been working on over the summer. He never got the chance to try it over summer, since he didn't like doing too much magic outside school (and definitely didn't want to risk using unknown, homemade spells outside of school), and hadn't really had much time since to work on it. Now seemed as good as time as any, and he hoped that it would work how he wanted it to work.

"Dwrtraedian."

"Wh—what?" Sirius looked confused, his mouth slowly twisting into a look of disgust. "What in Merlin's name?!"

Did it work or did I do nothing? Remus wondered but then, to his utter joy, Sirius grabbed his foot and yanked it closer, ripping off his shoe.

"DID YOU JUST MAKE MY SOCK WET?!"

Victory!

"REMUS—LUPIN—"

Remus began scooting away from him, grinning. "I told you not to call me Rem-Re—AHH!"

Sirius tackled him, wrestling him to the ground and trying to shove his dirty wet sock into Remus's face. Remus shrieked and cried out, telling him he was going to empty his cauldron if Sirius continued like that but before anything else could happen the door to the storage room swung open.

"Are we interrupting something?" James asked.

Sirius was straddling Remus, holding him down, the sock dangerously close to his nose. "Forget me ever saying Remus isn't evil because he is." He got up, waving the wet sock at James. "Look what he did!"

Remus clutched his stomach, laughing so hard he began crying. When Sirius said that, he thought it would hurt. Because he knew he was evil, felt that he was evil, and was always confused as to why his friends never saw him as evil. But knowing Sirius was claiming that because of the spell was hilarious. And he also knew Sirius didn't really mean it.

"Wet socks?" Peter asked when Sirius brandished it at him. "You gave him a wet sock? That is awful!" Though he tried to say it like he meant it, he was also giggling which took some of the bite out of his words.

"Where did you learn that spell?" James asked eagerly.

Sirius plopped back down on the ground, staring in dismay at the wet sock. He tried drying it but it didn't work too well. The sock kept dripping water.

"I m-m-m-made it up!" Remus wheezed out.

James began clapping while Peter started giggling again. "Bloody hell," Peter said. "I thought these two were the mean ones!"

James helped Remus off the ground, dusting off his uniform. "I commend thee, Remus! A true mischievous Marauder mastermind!" With that he bowed low, his glasses almost falling off his face.

"STOP ENCOURAGING HIM!" Sirius yelled. Then, after a second, he sighed. "All right, yes, fine, I agree, it is terribly brilliant and I can't wait to use it on Slytherins but at least fix this so I don't have to go around with a wet sock all day! If I wanted to do that, I'd hang out with Snivellus."

"I'd rather have the wet sock," Peter said.

Snickering to himself, Remus took the sock and tried to dry it. The best he could do was get it less damp, and Sirius had to put his shoe on without the sock and complain all the way back to the Gryffindor tower.

The rest of Thursday evening was spent attempting to teach the other Marauders the spell, but they had a really hard time with the pronunciation. When Dave and Spinnet finally came to bed, Spinnet told them to stop 'with that gibberish'. James said it wasn't gibberish, it was Welsh. Spinnet replied that it amounted to the same thing, so Remus waited until he was asleep and hexed all his clean socks with the spell. In the morning when Spinnet opened his sock drawer he screeched out as a waterfall poured out all over his slippered feet and began washing across the floor.

He demanded to know whether it was James or Sirius who did it and both boys vehemently denied it. Spinnet didn't even consider Peter or Remus, and kept blaming the other two. He had to put dirty socks on and dumped all the soaked ones into the hamper, muttering angrily to himself.

"Nice one," James told Remus at breakfast. Remus primly ate his breakfast, feigning ignorance about the whole thing, even though the others knew he was literally the only person who could have done it.

During Potions, while Slughorn lectured Remus lazily took notes and let his mind wander. First to Regulus and the fact he wouldn't be getting any money from tutoring anymore. Then his mind slid to the first Potions lesson of the year and the possibility he could earn money…

The full moon was a week away. What if he swept up all his shed fur and sold it to Slughorn?

Remus sucked at the end of his quill and stared at Slughorn as he rocked back and forth, telling the students about the importance of always wearing gloves while handling wigglewogs even when they were dead and dried. He'd buy it, Remus knew, feeling ill at the thought. It was something that crossed his mind before but always dismissed it because it was so vile. But now…

He glanced sideways at Sirius who was doodling instead of taking notes. His noble profile with that half-smile sent a zappy feeling down Remus's spine and he quickly looked back at his notes, chewing at his lip. No, no, he needed the Pura Linea potion if he could find a book that explained it.

If he could convince Lily to help him make it.

If it would even work for him.

If, if, if.

After Slughorn dismissed class, Remus stayed behind. He waited until everyone left before stepping up to Slughorn's desk. "Professor?"

Slughorn glanced up, looking rather pleased to see Remus there. "Did you need something, Mr. Lupin?"

Remus swallowed, curling his hands into little fists, digging his nails into his palms. "I had a q-question about—about old potions. I mean. Potions that—that may not be—directions that might not—"

"Hold on, take a deep breath and start over, I'm not sure what you're trying to ask me."

Remus obeyed, gulping in a lot of air and trying again. "I'm curious about old potions that… whose instructions might not be around anymore. Are there… potions like that?"

Slughorn leaned back in his chair, eyeing him. "Of course. There are numerous potions that have been lost to time. Jealous potioneers who took the instructions to their grave, or potions that people simply forgot to make, or—"

"Lost books?"

Slughorn frowned. "Yes, lost books too. Why?"

Remus averted his gaze. "I was just curious if a potion could be mentioned in a—a book about past potions while the guidance—the instructions were gone. If it's mentioned by name, is it possible there could still be instructions out there?"

"What potion are you talking about?" Slughorn asked very suspiciously.

Remus took a hesitant step back. "Oh, I don't r-remember, sir, my—my father was talking about it," he lied. "Saying he remembered reading about a potion but couldn't find any, er, any explanations on how to m-make it. I wasn't sure if that was… I mean, if that made any sense."

Slughorn obviously didn't believe him. His eyes narrowed and he sat up straight. "If this is something you boys are planning—"

"No-no-no!" Remus said, forcing himself to smile, trying desperately to think of a lie. Something to throw him off the scent. "Nothing to do w-with them, it was—my father. About my condition. You know. Rumors about c-cures." He stuck his hand in his pocket, crossing his fingers that he hadn't made a huge mess.

Slughorn slowly sat back again. "Hmm. I see. There are no cures for—"

"I know, sorry to bother you, sir. I was only curious. It seemed odd that a potion might be talked about in a—a history book but the instructions were lost. It surprised me."

"It is possible," Slughorn said.

"I see. Thank you, sir. S-sorry—"

"No, no bother." Slughorn gave him a sad smile. "I know there are a lot of potioneers who have attempted to make cures for your, er, infliction. I can understand your father grasping at those straws." Remus nodded, feeling ill for using his lycanthropy as an excuse. "You know, I do have a friend—a very good friend, I might add—he excels in making potions. Damocles Belby, brilliant mind. I'm intending on asking him to come to a Slug Club dinner sometime and I think you'd—"

There was a knock at the door and an older student poked her head in. "Sir?"

"Oh, Miss Manello, I forgot I asked you to come a bit early." Slughorn stood up. "If you give us a moment—"

"Oh, I'm—it's fine." Remus began backing up, not wanting to hear about the Slug Club. "I should be g-going. Thank you." He gladly ducked out of the room, feeling hot and uncomfortable. He shouldn't have even asked.

Maybe it is lost, he thought after telling the Marauders he had a question about their essay. More lies, even to them. So many lies. He gripped the strap of his satchel, clenching his teeth. He had spent a long time trying to hide his lycanthropy from the Marauders and now, if he couldn't find anything to fix this infliction, he'd spend more time hiding from them. Because this infliction they definitely couldn't ever, ever, ever find out.

It plagued his mind all day and he kept his head down, feeling ill every time his brain decided to remind him of his problem. Reminded him that he was all wrong, and getting wronger with every day.

Why can't I just be NORMAL? he wondered for the millionth time. It was after Care of Magical Creatures, and he was sitting on a hillside watching the other Marauders as they ran around tossing a puffskein back and forth. They were supposed to be caring for the little puffballs, not throwing them around. He reached down, petting the one in his lap. Kettleburn had paired everyone up and given them a puffskein to care for over the weekend which Remus thought was irresponsible, judging from the way his friends were treating the other one. He knew puffskeins didn't mind being rough-handled but he was determined to protect his. Well. His and James, since they were partners; Sirius and Peter were partners and it was theirs the three boys were currently lobbing at one another.

There was giggling, and Remus looked over at where Cassie and her partner, Laura Hatch, were cuddling their temporary pet and watching the boys run around. Cassie waved at Sirius when he looked her way, and James took the opportunity to throw the puffskein hard and it smacked Sirius in the face. Instead of laughing like Remus expected Cassie to do, she merely frowned.

"That's adorable!" He jumped a little as Lily sat next to him, her eyes locked on the creature. "May I pet it?" Remus carefully picked it up and placed her in Lily's lap. Lily began cooing, stroking the fur gently. "Ooh, it's so soft! Maybe I should have taken Magical Creatures too." She lifted the puffskein rubbing her cheek against her. She laughed as the furry creature stuck out her long tongue and began tickling Lily's hands.

"We're only a month in, maybe you could?" Remus suggested.

"Hmm, maybe. I don't know, I guess I assumed it'd be rougher because of how Professor Kettleburn looks." She set the puffskein back in her lap, chuckling softly as it's tongue gently flickered against her arms.

"It… can be. We're also learning about clamperls right now which are strong enough to break fingers if you're not careful."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I bet they love that," she said, indicating the other Marauders right as James and Peter crashed into one another, both of them falling to the ground.

Remus drew his knees up, wrapping his arms around them. "Sirius tried to stick his head in one."

She shook her head. "No surprise there. Alice says she likes it well enough. Cassie isn't sure. I don't think I want much more on my plate, because of Potions Club."

"How is that going?"

She shrugged, bending over the puffskein more to brush the tip of her nose against the fur. "Really fun. I don't know how you do it, though. Take all the electives, I mean. I am exhausted with only two electives and the club."

Remus almost pointed out she was a lot more social than he was, then changed his mind. Besides there was a loud shriek and a splash that distracted them. Peter was flailing around in a shallow part of the lake while the puffskein was floating away in the ripples he caused. Remus and Lily ran over, Lily using the levitation spell to try and rescue the rather helpless animal while Remus and James hauled Peter out of the water.

"Didn't mean to throw it that far," Sirius said, by way of an apology.

"I would have caught it but I tripped over a rock," said Peter as he yanked lake-weed out of his hair.

"You three shouldn't have these at all!" Lily complained when she finally got the puffskein, cradling it in her arms along with the other. The new one shivered, water dripping down. "At least Remus is gentle with his, you lot are bullies." She tipped Remus's puffskein back into his arms. "You're mean."

"They like it," James complained, kicking at the grass.

Lily shoved the wet puffskein into his arms. "You should still be more careful, prat. C'mon, Remus, Ancient Runes is starting soon."

Remus gave his to Sirius, telling them to please be careful, and not to use it for any sort of games. They promised they wouldn't and he left with Lily, knowing perfectly well they wouldn't keep the promise.

Both puffskeins seemed to be in good health at supper, even though their long tongues kept flickering all over the table; they weren't the only ones having the problem, as several of the third years brought their puffskeins with them. Several other students were complaining about them but since the animals weren't doing anything bad, the teachers let it be.

While the Marauders ate (and were tickled by the puffskeins), James began discussing Halloween costumes. It was a week into October already and they didn't have any idea of what they were going to do. The previous year they went as the Three Musketeers plus D'Artagnan. This year James wanted to do something they wouldn't need to explain.

"Don't get me wrong, I loved the swords," he said, waving his butter knife around like one. "The hats were fun too. But I want people—everyone—to know what we are. What day is Halloween this year, anyway? What lessons will we have that day?"

"You mean what teachers will have to deal with our costumes?" Sirius asked.

James cracked a grin. "Yep. Remus?"

Remus hesitated. "I don't know. How should I know?"

"You know everything," James said.

He scowled but secretly felt pleased. "Not everything. All right then give me a second. Next Saturday is the thirteenth—" he set his fork down and began counting on his fingers to keep track, "—which makes the Saturday after that the twentieth, then the twenty-seventh is a Saturday—"

"The concert in Hogsmeade," Peter noted.

"Right. Which means twenty-eight, nine, thirty, thirty-one, Halloween is Wednesday. We'll have Professors Slughorn, Charlemagne, Sprout, and Kettleburn." And I'll have Quirke and Codde, he added silently.

Sirius gave Remus a strange look. "What teachers do we have on Tuesdays?"

"All of us? Only Lewis, McGonagall, and Flitwick. Why?"

Sirius leaned forward, smirking. "You are such a nerd."

Remus flicked a pea at him, and ignored him. "We could go as famous historical—"

"NERD!" Sirius said very loudly, gaining the attention of several others.

James gagged. "No, that is boring. Anything with the word 'historical' in front of it is instant boringness."

Remus narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps I was going to say famous historical mass murderers, or Quidditch players."

James wrinkled his nose at that. "All right, some historical boringness isn't as boringness as others."

"Quidditch players could be fun," Peter mused as he stirred the remainder of his shepherd's pie around. "Just be uniforms of our favorite teams."

Remus tried not to shudder at the thought of wearing one of those tight Quidditch uniforms. He wondered if they did go this route if he could get away with a baggy jersey and his regular trousers.

"Could go as ghosts," James said as Sir Nicholas drifted by. "Wear a big top and have a fake head toppling off my shoulders."

"Rude," Remus said immediately. "No."

"Famous nudists," Sirius suggested, somehow lounging back on the bench without falling. "Bits of skin-colored fabric covering anything needing covering."

Everyone else ignored him though a few nearby girls overheard and cast him rather hopeful looks.

They continued trying to come up with ideas all through supper until Alice came over looking slightly nervous. She stood by them for a few seconds, shifting from foot to foot, adjusting her glasses a few times until finally she explained why she was there. She had a message for Sirius from Cassandra.

"She hates you. Don't ever talk to her again, don't ever look at her again, and if you try she's going to turn your nose into a banana and make you bald."

Message delivered, she returned to Lily and Cassie while the Marauders stared at them in surprise. Cassandra looked furious while the other two girls looked a little anxious.

"What did I do?" Sirius asked, dumbfounded. "CASSIE!" he shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. A lot of students looked his way but Cassie wasn't one of them. Instead she stuck her chin stubbornly out. "CAAAASSIEEEEE! CASSAAANDRAAA! CASSANDRAAA INNKWOOOOOOD!"

"Just go over," Remus moaned, covering his ears.

"Yes please do, I want to see you with a banana for a nose," James said eagerly.

Sirius straddled the bench, obviously torn on whether to go over or not. "What do I do?" he asked again. "Why does she hate me?" All three of them shrugged and Sirius's eyes landed on Remus. "Go ask Lily."

"I am not getting involved," Remus spat out.

"Petey, then."

"No way!"

James got up. "I'll find out!" He happily skipped over to the trio of girls and bent over the table, talking to them for a minute or two. Finally Lily looked at the teachers' table before flicking her wand at James who returned with a yellow nose, with a rather knobbly end. Like a banana, sort've. If you squinted.

"Well?" Sirius asked.

James sat down, hand over his nose. "They wouldn't tell me. Cassie says you should know damn well what you did."

Sirius looked pleadingly at Peter who shook his head, then he turned his puppy dog eyes on Remus who felt like he melt. "Fine." He trudged over, arms crossed angrily over his middle, shoulders hunched. He didn't want to get involved! He also didn't want a banana for a nose. "Um. H-hey—"

"He knows damn well what he did," Cassie hissed out. "If you've come to get more information, that's all you'll get."

Remus looked at Lily. "He doesn't, though. He has no idea."

"Prat," Cassie snarled. "Sirius, not you."

He waited a few seconds before returning to the boys, apologizing for not being able to find out anything more. Sirius harassed Peter until he gave up and gave it a try. He also returned without a banana-nose, and also without any more info. The three others discussed what it might be while Remus finished his supper, not bothering to join in because he had no idea, nor did he really care if he had to be honest. It was a very rude thing to do, insisting someone knew what they did when they obviously didn't.

"Was she acting strange at practice?" Sirius inquired.

James shook his head. "She seemed completely normal half an hour ago!"

On Fridays the Gryffindor team had practice in the late afternoon, letting out at five-thirty; the Marauders met up in the Great Hall at that point, in order to eat with James. Remus usually spent his half an hour between the end of Ancient Runes and five-thirty working on homework somewhere.

"Did she say anything about me?"

James pursed his lips. "Mate, if she said anything about you I woulda told you. Now, about the costumes—what if we went as spells? That'd be clever, wouldn't it? Like one of us could be the levitation spell and be wearing wings and have things floating about. Or you could suck on a fizzing whizzbee all day and float yourself. Lumos, and be glowing!"

James prattled on about ideas while Peter encouraged him, Remus ignored him, and Sirius sat staring at Cassie with a perplexed look on his face. James realized half his audience wasn't paying any attention, and sulked for the rest of the meal until Remus told him that the spell-costume idea was very good and he liked it.

"She waved at me though, earlier," Sirius complained as the four of them headed to the Gryffindor tower. "When we were all outside, with the puffskeins. She waved."

"I saw her," Peter agreed.

"Right, well, when's the last time you talked to her?" James asked.

Sirius jammed his hands in his pockets. "Monday. No, Tuesday. We spent a bit of time together Tuesday. She was fine on Tuesday."

"So whatever it is has happened since Tuesday," James said.

"Or this afternoon, after she waved," Peter suggested. "Did you flirt with anyone this afternoon?"

Sirius snorted. "I don't know. Maybe? How am I supposed to keep track of something like that?"

James clapped his hands. "Maybe it isn't something that happened recently! Maybe it's something you did a week or two ago and someone told her today!"

"I—er, I suppose that could have happened," Sirius said, hunching his shoulders. "If that's the case, how in Merlin's name am I supposed to know what it is?"

It continued like that, all the way to the tower. Remus stuck his nose in a book, making positive or negative noises whenever he deemed appropriate, though he had no idea exactly what was said.

Once in the tower they didn't go to their dorm like they planned (to play Wild Adventures and discuss more about costumes). Instead, Sirius plonked himself down in an armchair in order to watch Cassie on the other side of the room. She obviously knew he was doing this, and kept tilting her head this way and that, casting sideways glances and turning her nose up.

Lily soon approached. "Cassie says she made it clear she'd hex you if you looked at her so stop staring."

Sirius smiled sweetly. "I'm not staring at her."

"Yes you are."

"Am not! I just happen to be looking in her general direction. I didn't even notice she was there."

Lily rolled her eyes and returned to the others.

Sirius sighed and sank back. "Ugh, I didn't need something like this now, it's been a rough week as it is." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm not in the mood for games like this. What's with girls anyway? Acting like that? 'You know what you did'. Pfft." He shook his head. "Damn it all, I'll show her!"

He got up and crossed the room to an older girl, where he began flirting with her. Cassie stared at him with big eyes before she stood up and stormed off to the girls' dorms with her friends on her heels, both of them glaring at Sirius.

"Should we, er, do something?" Peter asked.

James blinked a few times then grinned. "The bat-bogey hex."

"You want to put the bat-bogey hex on Cassie?" Peter gasped. "Or Sirius? Huh?"

"No, you dummy! Why would I do anything about them?" He waved his hand at the girls' stairs. "Girls are too much drama anyway. No, I meant the hex as a costume! Bat wings, and the slime spell dripping green goo everywhere. Now that'd be brilliant!"