Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Shrieking Shack

Much like the last secret passage they had to work hard to reach their destination with this one as well. Remus and Peter were both out of breath and even Sirius was slowing down, his stamina not up to par with James like usual for reasons Remus didn't want to ponder on.

What none of them could have expected was where the passage led to. Remus went first like last time as he was the "mastermind" who found the passage. He cautiously entered the store above and it took a few minutes for his eyes to adjust to the warm glow coming from a few lit lamps. For one horrible second, he thought they were caught red-handed and nearly shouted at the others down below to run for it and save themselves.

Then the wonder set in once he realized there was no adult to bust him and he nearly shouted out for another reason. He hopped back down and couldn't wipe the smile off his face which grew at the questioning looks the others gave him.

Realizing what above them must truly be wonderful beyond their imagination James and Sirius both fought to go up second. While they were fighting Peter took advantage and up he went, his muffled shrieks of glee echoing from above. James and Sirius wrestled each other to the ground both wanting to go next. Realizing this may take a while Remus shook his head at them and smiling climbed back up into Honeydukes.

"Blimey," Peter whispered beside him the two of them turning this way and that to ooggle at rows upon rows of every kind of candy imaginable. Finally, James emerged the victor and nearly fell back beneath as the weight of the fantastic discovery crashed upon him.

"Hurry up Sirius." He whispered.

"Bloody git whose fault do you think it is I'm las…...Good Gryffindor!" He shouted in amazement.

"SHHHHHHH!" They all hushed him, all freezing in what would have been comedic fashion had they not been terrified they had just woken up the owner of Honeydukes. When they were sure they hadn't they combed the aisles hungrily with their eyes and Remus had to convince them all, himself included, not to steal anything.

"This is incredible. Remus, you truly are brilliant! Isn't he bloody brilliant?"

"Sure is."

"Absolutely."

Remus felt his face get hot again but realized it wasn't altogether a terrible feeling bubbling deep inside him.

"It was just dumb luck." He responded quietly wishing they'd go back underneath before they got caught not only up past hours but outside of the castle!

"And oh so humble too."

"A right polite chap he is."

"Hey while we're here, let's go look around Hogsmeade." Luckily only Sirius was rash enough to suggest such a thing because it took all three of them to talk him down.

"But I want to see the shrieking shack!" He whined loudly once they had left the shop with armloads of candy that James did indeed pay for. Remus popped a piece of amazing chocolate into his mouth, James assuring him he deserved it.

"Mmm, what's that?" He asked after another mouthful, the ecstasy of the heavenly chocolate making him forget his manners.

"Oh you know that shack that was built late last summer, the one Dumbledore dumps the worst behaving ghosts into, don't know why that doesn't include Peeves. But apparently, they throw lots of fits all the time but especially at the full moon all throwing some sort of occultic party or something." Sirius explained amused and the last bit of chocolate in Remus' mouth seemed to turn to ash and he struggled to swallow it.

"Oi, what's the matter mate?" Asked James for they were now, fortunately, all talented enough to alternate lighting the tip of there wand and therefore didn't have to blindly stumble in the dark. But unfortunately, that meant they had seen Remus go deathly pale and fall against the wall eyes wide with terror.

"Come on Remus you're as bad as Peter honestly it's not like the ghosts can get you."

"Hey, I'm not afraid of ghosts!"

"No, but you're afraid of Peeves."

"So are you!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are too!" Added James all eyes off Remus who was trying to calm down. He suddenly felt a surge of anger rush and sink into him. Dumbledore hadn't said anything about this. He had no idea that people had been able to hear him! He should have been told! They shouldn't be able to hear him! Maybe something had gone wrong during the last full moon? How long had this been going on?

"Remus."

"Remus!"

"Oi LUPIN!" He jumped realizing his three roommates eyes were on him.

"What's wrong you look dreadful?"

"You allergic to chocolate? Or did you eat too much of it?"

"M…...must…...of…" He stammered glad for an out. He put an arm around his stomach as if that was the cause of his distress. Sirius shot him a weird look but soon became preoccupied in fighting back James who had already eaten all his candy and now wanted the candy he had given to Sirius.

"Back off mate, they're mine!" Remus trailed behind the three thoughts racing all the way back to the dorm. They tried to drag him into the conversation again but realized he was in one of his "withdrawn moods" as Sirius liked to call it, hoping doing such would goad him into speaking. It never worked though because at those moments Remus had much bigger worries on his mind than if his roommates found him temperamental and antisocial at times or not.

They let him go to bed without complaint and he listened to them whisper about him and his weird behavior once they thought he had fallen asleep. Hours later and still unable to sleep at all he got out of bed and left the room and his three fast asleep roommates with it. He paced the common room trying to wrap his head about what he learned.

Shame filled him thinking about how people had heard him…..heard him screaming and howling like some beast. That they had contributed it to some occult ritual the ghosts had every full moon. How long until people realized what was in the shed weren't ghosts at all but a werewolf? Why oh why had Dumbledore let this happen? He was one of the most powerful wizards of their day surely he could make the shed soundproof if he wished.

It took him about another half hour of pacing before he realized there was an easy solution to this, well sort of. He allowed his anger to carry him through the halls of Hogwarts and up to Dumbledore's office who had given him the passcode for the next month in case he needed him for an emergency. Well in his anxiety-riddled brain this indeed seemed like an emergency and at the moment he was too upset to be worried about bothering the Headmaster.

It didn't surprise him to walk into the office and find himself alone. He paced back and forth finding himself angrier than he had been when he first had to adjust to being a werewolf, being a monster. One that people were laughing at and telling ghost stories about. It wasn't fair!

"Mr. Lupin is everything alright?" He wanted to say yes, to apologize for overreacting but every time he tried to be mature he thought of the people of Hogsmeade listening to his screams and his blood boiled once more.

"No sir I'm not. I…...I….." He trailed off momentarily silenced by the realization he couldn't tell Dumbledore how he'd found out. Then he realized he could just say they had gotten on the subject in the dorm, Sirius was certainly impulsive enough that this was believable.

Dumbledore waited for him to speak changing out of his pale pink night robe, complete with a nightcap, into his bright purple day ones with a flick of his wand. He turned over several portraits like last time then sat down at his desk and watched Remus seriously, perhaps wondering if he'd gone mental as Remus spluttered trying to get his frustration across in a still respectful manner.

"I found out…..about...about the shrieking shack…...Sirius…..told me…...he...heard...from professors…..!" He finished nearly out of breath from holding back the majority of his anger and saying something he'd regret.

"Ah, I see," Dumbledore said simply nearly setting Remus off again.

"Why?" He gritted out turning away from Dumbledore hoping to see Fawkes calm him down but finding an ugly baby bird instead.

"It was decided this would be the best way to keep people away from the shack. Rather than make it appealing with mystery pretending to be upfront about it so people may talk but have no desire to attempt to get in seemed the wisest option."

"I…..I thought…..there were wards...preventing that." He stammered his anger turning into fear at the prospect of some innocent person wandering in while he transformed.

"There are but it's still best to keep people away. A powerful enough witch or wizard could break through the wards. I had to assure that none would want to."

"But…...but…..but…" Dumbledore sighed and pushed his rimmed glasses further up his nose.

"I understand this solution is...an upsetting one. But I assure you Mr. Lupin that no one will find out that it's you in the shack."

"But that doesn't matter!" He cried face going red.

"The…...they...still hear me…" He finished lamely not sure how to get Dumbledore to understand what a big deal this was to him. It was quite possible Dumbledore had never heard what his transformations were like, maybe he had underestimated how...loud Remus and the wolf could both be.

"They think they are hearing ghosts. No one would conclude that there was a werewolf inside I assure you. Remus, I know this isn't fair to you but I promise you it's the best way to obtain your and others safety. If not I would have assured no one could hear you as you are accustomed to and I'm sure a great deal more comfortable with."

Remus nodded just feeling ashamed and sad now. Dumbledore wasn't going to fix it, he would have to be an unknowing part of the legend of the Shrieking Shack for who knows how long.

"I understand sir." He whispered, feeling tears prick his eyes but determined not to cry in front of the headmaster a third time.

"I do apologize Remus. I thought it would be better if you didn't know. But truthfully I suppose I just didn't know how to tell you." He admitted with surprising humility. Remus nodded still upset.

"I don't suppose I could make it up to you somehow?" It was this comment that made Remus realize how ridiculous he was being. How dare he be upset with Dumbledore of all people! He had no right, not when the headmaster had given him a chance other werewolves had never received and could only dream about.

"No, sir. I apologize for bothering you."

"Call me Dumbledore. And nonsense I always love guests at four in the morning." He chuckled with only the slightest bit of sarcasm in his voice. He stroked his long beard and looked Remus over closely.

He then proceeded to ask Remus about his classes and his roommates, again he was honestly surprised by how much Dumbledore already seemed to know about him. He supposed it made sense for the headmaster to keep tabs on the monster in the castle.

"Well, I daresay we both best get ready for the day now. I'm sure your friends have the carefree plans of youth to drag you into." Dumbledore dismissed him sounding amused. Remus almost immediately corrected Dumbledore that they weren't his friends but realized, at last, that they were.

"Yes Professor Dumbledore I suppose you are right," Remus responded with a faint smile that was returned immediately.

"Do keep up the good work Mr. Lupin I do so enjoy keeping track of all my top students." Once again Remus left Dumbledore's office confused and flustered.