On the day of the full moon, Severus and Remus met as planned after classes. Remus looked sicklier than ever.
"Here, drink it. I think you should know its taste is far from ideal" said Severus as he handed him the vial containing the Wolfsbane Potion.
"Is it really safe?" asked Remus feeling apprehensive.
"It's safe. Don't tell me you're having second thoughts now."
"No, I'll try it," he said and gathered his courage before taking a sip. As soon as he took the first sip, he started coughing, it was disgusting and that was putting it lightly.
"I did warn you of the taste in advance" said Severus smirking.
If it meant he could be in control and not turn into a deranged monster, if it meant relief from waking up worrying if he had killed someone or ended up sharing his wretched curse with some poor innocent soul, he would drink just about anything. He steeled himself and gulped down the whole concoction in a single go. He felt like he would throw up. "Just what the hell is this potion made of to make it taste like that?" he thought.
Severus handed him some water to wash away some of the foul taste and Remus accepted it gratefully. Now he would have to go to the shack and see the results of this mysterious potion. Severus then walked back to his dorm while Remus was left to go back to the hospital wing so that Madam Pomfrey could escort him to the Shack for his transformation. He did not know what to expect but after tonight he would at least find out if Snape was really trying to help him or if this was an elaborate joke or some kind of a crazy trap. Nothing was in his hands now, so he decided to face whatever fate awaited him desperately hoping that Snape was being truthful and some miracle would happen to alleviate his curse.
Madam Pomfrey led him to the Shrieking Shack as usual throwing glances of pity as always. After she left, Remus undressed and carefully hid his clothes so that the werewolf wouldn't destroy them beyond recognition. He wrapped himself in an old worn out blanket till he felt the beginning of the transformation.
He felt his bones breaking and rearranging themselves, he shouted in the pain and doubled over. He waited for the brief numbness but it never came, he could still feel pain. By the time he managed to pull himself together, he realized that he was still in control. It took another moment for him to process this information.
He was in control. The realization hit him like a wave. He was in control. Snape had been telling the truth all along, this wasn't revenge or some heartless prank. He was in control. A huge burden lifted off his shoulders. How could he ever thank Snape enough for what he did for him? How did he do something that was thought to be impossible? But at the moment he didn't care. He felt free. He could finally rest knowing that he would not be a monster tonight, at least the monster could no longer control his mind.
He now owed a debt to Snape that he could never repay. He cried. Never in his life had he ever felt this grateful to someone. He never thought that anything could be done about this curse and that it would haunt him till the day he died. He slept in peace for the first time since he was a child on a full moon.
The next morning, Madam Pomfrey came to assist him walk back to the hospital wing. She was surprised and relieved to see that for once, there were no additional scars on the poor boy. It must be a miraculous night. Perhaps the creature was not as angry and feral as usual last night. That was good. She would not question his luck, the boy deserved some respite from some of the pain. He did not deserve this curse to begin with. He was such a sweet child.
Severus met Lupin before breakfast in the infirmary to confirm that things had indeed gone as planned and there was no mishap. Remus hugged him as soon as he was within distance, crying uncontrollably before he collected himself, barely. He did not remember a time when he was this happy. He kept thanking Severus until he was forced to get off of him and told to get a grip already and stop ruining his school robes. But Remus did not mind. He would not mind his harsh words ever again! He could do nothing to repay what Snape had done for him.
Severus whispered to him that he was forbidden to share the knowledge of this potion or its existence with anyone. Remus would have argued but at this moment he was just so grateful that he did not say anything that may upset him.
After Snape left for breakfast he was left to his own thoughts. Snape had also left him some other potion saying it would help him relieve some of the lingering pain from the transformation. He had always helped his friends prank Snape and make his life difficult. Even at times when his friends took things too far, he never stopped them, not really. He felt guilt overwhelming him. He had done nothing but cause him trouble and humiliation. Snape had been the one to discover his secret. Remus thought back then that it was the end for him but Snape surprised him yet again. Instead of throwing insults and having him expelled for the monster he was, he extended his hand in friendship to Remus. As if that were not enough, he miraculously came up with a potion that could actually help his Lycanthropy.
He had even come to check up on him, looking like he was certain from the beginning that this mysterious potion would work beyond doubt. He hadn't stopped there, Snape had even brought some other potion to relieve the after effects of the transformation. Why was Snape being so kind to him all of a sudden? He was nothing like he was just a week ago. Or was it Remus who was blind to his good side? Lily had always defended Snape hadn't she? She always said that Snape wasn't like the rest of them. That even though he would be hanging around with the likes of Mulciber, Avery and Nott, he wasn't like them. She always supported him hadn't she? And Lily was a muggleborn. Snape knew that from the beginning but he was friends with her anyway. She had said once that they were best friends from before coming to Hogwarts. She argued countless times even with Mary McDonald. "Sev told me that it doesn't matter to him, being muggleborn," she would say.
But he had heard Snape berating muggleborns. He had witnessed it on a few occasions himself. But Snape still continued being friends with Lily, didn't he? If he really felt that way then he would stop being friends with her, wouldn't he? But they were still so close! Back in the library Snape had said that he wanted to stop pretending. What did he mean by that? Was he only pretending all this time to be a git because of his house mates? Maybe that was the case or maybe not. Whatever it was, Snape seems to have another side to him. Maybe it was something Remus never bothered to see before. He suddenly wanted to know more about this other side of Snape. Maybe they could really be friends. If this was all true then he could actually have a friend who accepted him, even with full knowledge of his condition! He would take the chance. For now he would rest some more and revel in the happiness of this moment.
Severus walked straight to Lily in the Great Hall and wished her a good morning. He did not want to lose a single opportunity to be close to her again. He was happy knowing that they were still friends and he had never called this Lily by that awful word. She did not hate him and she was actually happy to see him, this did not extend to her other friends however. Not that he cared about what they thought of him. He knew what was important this time around. He excused himself and walked back to the Slytherin table.
Everyone in his house gave him suspicious looks. It made sense though, his behaviour had seen a drastic change in their eyes. He had more important things to worry about so he didn't let his thoughts linger long on the subject. He was back in his past. He had to avoid so many situations and change many others. But there would always be the chance of repeating his past mistakes.
He was afraid of Dumbledore or worse the dark lord finding out his newfound secret rebirth into his past, he was afraid of what the dark lord represented, he was afraid of making new mistakes that would make this gifted second chance at life snuff out. Suffice to say he was afraid of a great many things. But what he was most afraid of was himself. The person he had been when he was this exact age in his previous life. The boy who made so many wrong decisions and had ultimately lost his best friend. The boy who grew up to be one of the causes for Lily's death. The boy he had come to hate the most. But he would no longer be that person. He would no longer tread that dreaded path. He would save all those that he could, he would save Lily, and he would even save himself from what he had become.