Chapter 2 A lesson in friendship

24 November 1973

It had been two weeks and three days since Sirius Black got his hands on that blasted lycanthropy book and he had hardly set it down. Remus was growing more and more agitated by its presence by the day. Sirius was finished with the essay and almost finished with the book itself. Surely he would have figured it out by now.

Yet Sirius didn't seem scared or discussed or even suspicious. In fact, he was being… nice. Not that Sirius wasn't nice, in his own way. Sirius's nice was usually hexing someone's eyebrows off when they insulted Remus. Sirius's nice did not include not insulting Remus himself. What was even more eerie about this was that he hadn't been insulted at all since the last full moon. Usually, there was constant banter between the four of them, now Remus was excluded from this. And Peter kept making him tea. Why a bloke would ever make another bloke tea, Remus couldn't imagine. And now they were sitting in the common room waiting for Sirius to come back from the hospital. James gave him a black eye for using the word lycro too many times.

"This is the second time this month you've punched him." Remus scolded.

"He deserved it," James said scribbling on a piece of parchment.

"What'd he even do the first time?" Remus asked. The first time had been two days before the full moon. Remus was sick in the hospital wing when Sirius had come in clutching his stomach. James had only hit him once but Peter tried to fix the bruise. He only remembered a spell that had something to do with bruises. Sirius came in with so many bruises it looked like he had been trampled on by centaurs.

"Nothing," James answered curling up in his chair.

"But you said he deserved it?"

"I was talking about this time."

"So you punched your best friend for no reason?"

"Lycro is an offensive term." James shrugged.

"Not this time, the first time," Remus said irritably.

"Oh, you should have been more specific," James answered trying not to laugh. Remus waited for an answer.

"Well?"

"Well, what?" James asked innocently.

"Well, why'd you punch him?" Remus yelled.

"Because he used an offensive term. Just because he's a Black doesn't mean he can't have manners." James stated.

"Where's Peter?" Remus asked, giving up on him.

"Went to get his book, why?"

"Because maybe he'll actually give me some answers." Remus huffed.

"I'll go with you. I'd like to get some answers too." James said mocking his irritated tone. James and Remus climbed up the stairs to the boy's dormitories. Peter was digging through his trunk trying to find his transfigurations book when they got there. Remus cleared his throat causing Peter to jump from shock.

"Alright, guys?" Peter asked nervously. Remus looked determined and James was staring intently at Peter as if trying to portray a private message.

"Fine, you?" Remus answered cordially.

"Can't find my transfigurations book." he said returning to his trunk.

"I'll let you borrow mine."

"Thank you, but I left my assignment in it."

"Then I'll help you find it later we need to talk," Remus said moving to the centre of the room. Peter looked to James hoping to figure out what was going on but James had moved his attention to Remus.

"Maybe we should wait for Sirius," Peter suggested.

"No, I'd rather not," Remus said.

"You'd better wait for me! I'll not be left out of anything." Sirius said striding through the door.

"It's not going to be fun, Sirius," Remus answered.

"Fine. I'm still not leaving. I'm just as much a part of this group as you." Sirius spoke tone still light.

"Fine. But," Remus said pausing for emphasis. "This is a seri- an important issue. So there will be no jokes, no interrupting, and if things get heated control your temper."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sirius asked sounding a bit hurt.

"You can say cruel things when you're angry sometimes," Remus admitted.

"Oh, Merlin! Have you done something?" Sirius accused.

"No! How did you turn this on me?" Remus flustered.

"Well, what is it then," Sirius asked moving to the centre of the room and sat on the floor in front of Remus. The other three followed him, forming a circle as they often did when they talked about important things.

"Well, go on." Sirius urged after a moment of silence.

"Remus wants to know what happened the first time I hit you," James told him.

"Oh, you mean that one time when I hexed that ginger during first year?" Sirius grinned. Peter snorted. Remus smiled tightly still fidgeting violently with his fingers.

"No!" James sneered. "He's talking about the first time this month."

"When I made that quip about his mum. You were there for that." Sirius answered.

"No. Not that time either. I guess it would be the second time this month." James said.

"Oh, that!" Sirius laughed. "Honestly, I don't even remember. Seems ages ago now."

Silence fell about the room. Remus looked from James to Peter to Sirius and back again. He knew Sirius was lying and it only seemed to confirm his suspicions that they knew.

"Sirius said that you were a werewolf, that's why. And at first I thought it was just him being a git, you know. But then… well, the point is we know Remus." James answered in a rush. Peter and Sirius groaned. Remus went pale. Every nerve in his body seemed to tremble. He was expecting this, he had prepared himself for this, why was he so scared?

"It's alright mate. That's why we didn't say anything." Sirius reassured him sensing his mood. Remus nodded but couldn't speak. He found himself close to tears.

"How-how long have you guys known?" Remus asked keeping his voice tight so it wouldn't crack.

"Well, I knew since the seventh, because of the lycro book. Chapter 2 How to Identify Symptoms of Lycanthropy." Sirius started.

"Stop using that word!" James bellowed.

"Well, what do you want me to call it?" Sirius demanded.

"Perhaps you should ask Remus."

"Werewolves is generally preferable but I don't really mind," Remus stated. "Now, how did you two find out? Clearly, you didn't believe him when he told you."

"We followed you to the whomping willow under the cloak," Peter answered.

"I started marking when the full moon was coming up and estimated when it'd be at its apex," Sirius added.

"So he knew when you needed to turn. He convinced us to stalk you." James said.

"That was an awful row. They actually used magic against each other." Peter told him.

"Well, I don't like stalking my friends." James defended.

"It was the only way to convince you I was right," Sirius argued.

"Anyway, we followed you through the tunnels and saw you transform. There was no denying it then." James finished.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?" Remus shouted.

"So? We're Gryffindors! We laugh in the face of danger." Sirius yelled heroically.

"Hear, hear. Well said." James grinned. Remus' face was contorted with fury and fear.

"Relax mate. We had the cloak. You didn't even know we were there." Peter said.

"Anything could have happened," Remus said gritting his teeth.

"But nothing did mate. We're fine." James added.

"More than fine actually. This is the most interesting thing that's ever happened to us." Sirius laughed.

"Doesn't matter. Something could have. This isn't one of your jokes." Remus said. "You guys have no sense."

"How do you figure that? We took the cloak, didn't we? And we left once we realised what was happening." James argued.

"The cloak can't protect you from everything James," Remus yelled.

"Well I don't really need anything else, I've got a werewolf as a mate now." The three of them laughed.

"I've always been a werewolf. And that's exactly why you need protecting. This condition isn't a game." Ramus argued.

"No, I reckon it's a giant pain in the ass sometimes." Peter laughed.

"UGH! You guys are the most annoying people on the planet!" Remus yelled getting up and climbing into his bed.

"Alright, Remus. We're sorry we followed you into your den." Sirius laughed. The other two joined in recognising the joke.

"Swear you won't do it again. Swear to me that you'll never come near the wolf again." Remus said standing again.

"Remus, you're being ridiculous," James said.

"Downright lunacy." Sirius and Peter laughed.

"Swear it," Remus said firmly.

"Alright, alright fine," Sirius said.

"That's not enough." Remus shook his head.

"I swear I won't go near your wolfy parts again," Sirius said rolling his eyes. Remus turned to the other two.

"I solemnly swear it," Peter said raising his right hand. Remus turned his full attention to the last of them.

"James please."

"I don't make promises I can't keep, Remus. What if something were to happen. Like what if someone decides to attack the whomping willow. Or what if some unsuspecting first year was wandering around while you were in your wolf form and I was the only one around to stop him. There are a million scenarios." James argued.

"Alright. Swear you won't go near him unless there is an emergency." Remus conceded.

"I swear not to go near him unless it is worth the risk," James answered.

"Thank you," Remus said relieved. "I have one last request."

"Bloody hell you're needy today." Sirius joked.

"Just, don't say anything until after the holidays, please. It'll give my parents enough time to find a new house. I know we're still in school on the next full moon, but it's been three years and nothing's happened so far. Dumbledore made sure it was safe for everyone." Remus started to babble nervously

"What kind of friends have we been to you if you think we'd rat you out?" James asked.

"Well, it-it's not safe," Remus said shocked.

"Nonsense. It's just a bit of a problem that's all. Nothing everyone need know about." James answered.

"And like you said Dumbledore made sure it was safe," Peter added.

"I told you this was the most interesting thing that's happened to us. Why would we want you to go away?" Sirius asked.

"Because I-I turn into a monster every full moon," Remus said incredulously.

"Monster!" James and Sirius laughed.

"Mate you fold your socks," Peter said. "And then you organise them by colour."

"And line up your quills at the top of your desk."

"Not to mention your morning routine."

"You don't watch it they might make you prefect."

"OoooOooo. Lupin for prefect. We should start a campaign."

"I think the most monstrous thing you've done is make us miss our first Hogsmeade outing," Sirius said.

"It's not my fault James punched you." Remus defended.

"Technically we were only fighting because of you sooooo it's your fault entirely," James said.

"You do get pretty pissed off when Sirius uses 'offensive terms," Peter argued.

"Understatement of the century." Sirius laughed. "And I don't use offensive terms, for the last time!"

"Yes, you do." The three of them said.

"Well, I don't try to," Sirius said apologetically.

"How do you not try to use those words? Most of us cringe every time they're spoken." James asked.

"They're not that bad," Sirius said now fully ashamed.

"Yes, they are! You sound like the Slytherins sometimes." James said causing Sirius to shrink.

"My whole family is Slytherin, James. I don't mean to, it's just normal." Sirius said quietly. The boys sat around him not really sure what to say.

"They're alright to you aren't they?" James said after a while. "I mean since you're in Gryffindor. You never said…. You got that letter but you never said what they said. And the Christmas holiday that year, you came back and-"

"Yea they're alright. They don't like it but it's fine. I'm fine." Sirius told him. "I wonder if Longbottom's back yet. I asked him to bring back some stuff from Zonko's." Sirius stood and left the three staring after him.

"Do you think they're really alright to him?" Peter asked.

"What happened when he came back from holiday?" Remus added.

"He just seemed a bit shell-shocked," James said staring at the door Sirius left through.

"So, they're not alright to him," Peter concluded following James's gaze.

"We should go after him," Remus said stuffing on his shoes.

The other two followed wordlessly out of their dorm room. They passed students studying in the common room. They wandered around the almost empty corridors until finally, they found him. He was sitting at the foot of the stairs watching the front doors of the castle. James marched down the corridor while the other two stayed behind.

"Whatcha doing?" He asked sitting next to his friend.

"Waiting for Frank Longbottom to come back with my stuff," Sirius said blankly.

"That seems incessantly boring."

"Well, I wanted to go to Hogsmeade myself but someone had to go and lose their temper."

"I'm sorry," James said earnestly. "You know, I think we might be able to spot him earlier if we're on the quidditch field. Might be able to have a bit of fun that way too."

"You're not wearing shoes." Sirius pointed out. "It's freezing out there."

"Well if I die from hypothermia we'll have you to blame." James laughed striding over to the door. "Come on!"

The three of them lurched after James. They ran down the steps, crossed through the frosted grass. By the time they reached the quidditch field James could barely feel his toes. He curled them trying to regain some feeling while he waited for the others to catch up.

"Now what?" Asked a panting Sirius. Remus bent with his hands on his knees taking deep breaths through his nose. Peter had completely keeled over and was sucking in the cold air trying to catch his breath.

"Now we-." James stopped mid-sentence to stare at Remus.

"What is it?" Sirius asked shifting his eyes between the two.

"Remus, what is your jumper made of?" James asked ignoring Sirius.

"Wool, why?" Remus responded. Peter chuckled.

"He's a wolf in sheep's clothing." James laughed. Remus rolled his eyes. Sirius grinned.

"If you keep this up, I don't think the secret will last until the holiday." Remus smiled.

"Alright, I'm done," James said still laughing. "Now what we're going to do is break into the broom closet, steal a few brooms, and ride ourselves silly. Did anybody bring their wand?"

"You didn't bring your wand?"

"What kind of wizard are you?"

"You do realise we're at the start of a war?"

"Yes, but that's got nothing to do with us, we're just kids," James said.

"I beg to differ, they like to start 'em young. Why do you think they follow him so blindly?" Sirius said.

"Fine, whatever I'll keep my wand on me, now let's go unlock the bloody door," James ordered.

"Isn't this stealing?" Remus said. "Why don't we just go back and grab our own brooms?"

"And you called yourself a monster." James tutted.

The four of them rode well into the evening. James uncharacteristically had his mind elsewhere. It was obvious to him now that Sirius needs to be listened to thoroughly in order to be understood. The problem was getting him to open up. Then there was Remus. There had to be a way to get him to relax about his lycanthropy. Wolves were pack animals after all. Wouldn't it be easier for him to have friends by his side? Coming to this conclusion, James went back into the dorm rooms, using his bare feet as an excuse, to finally use the journal his mother got him to help with his "organisation skills". He wrote:

To-do:

1.) talk to Sirius, seriously.

2.) Find (safe) way to help R.L.