No comment.. :(

"I woke up. The sun was shining. I saw a pretty face and I smiled. I was not grumpy. I look forward to this day. Not."

"Sirius! I thought you would finally like mornings!" James groaned.

"Why would I mate? They are so annoying. If it wasn't for Remus I don't think I would get up at all."

"You wouldn't, you night owl you." Remus grumbled into his coffee.

"Remus?" Peter asked softly.

"Yes Peter?" Remus said sullenly.

"Are you alright? I don't think that much coffee is good for you. That has to be like you fourth cup!"

"How much caffeine I take has nothing to do with you. I need it. I was up all night finishing that stupid essay McGonagall set us."

"Lupin? Are you sure you're okay?" Sirius asked concerned. "That's usually our line." He gestured to himself and James.

"I'm fine. It's just that my moms sick again and I need to go visit her tonight."

"Woah, woah." James motioned with his hands. "When did this happen?"

"Dumbledore told me today morning. I was awake away before you even bothered turning over." Remus half-heartedly glared.

"Right. Sorry mate."

"So when will you be back?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"What disease does she have?" This was Sirius who was being his annoyingly curious self.

"I don't know." Remus said slightly scared. "It's a rare disease, too hard to pronounce. I'll check it with her and let you know." Remus said, making a mental note to ask Dumbledore.

There was something very fishy about this whole situation, but the boys being hungry did not pounce on it immediately and let it go. Remus let out an enormous sigh of relief.

"What was that?" Peter asked.

"Sounded like birds swooping." James shrugged.

Remus held his breath.

Luckily for him, just at that moment, the owls swooped down from below with the mail, preventing further discussion and growth of suspicions - some of which Sirius was harbouring.

XXXXXXX

"Mr Lupin!" McGonagall called after their Transfiguration lesson. "Please stay back for a minute!"

"What did you do mate?" James asked with a knowing glance.

"Donno." Remus shrugged. "Guess I'll have to find out. I'll catch you guys later."

"Mr Lupin, I trust you have told no one about your, er, problem?" McGonagall stuttered around the last word.

"Of course not Professor. No one suspects a thing."

"What did you tell your friends?" She half-heartedly gestured towards the door.

"That my mother was sick and I needed to go meet her." Remus recited obediently.

"Very well," McGonagall nodded in approval. "You will meet Madame Pomfrey outside the Gryffindor Common Room at eight o'clock sharp. Do you comprehend?"

"Yes Professor." Remus said, trying to hide how he was sniggering over the word comprehend.

"You may leave." She said imperiously waving her hand, inclining her head.

Remus left.

XXXXXXX

"She didn't!" Sirius howled. "Oh man..."

"It's not that funny."

"She hexed you. And you just stood there smiling stupidly..." Peter chortled.

"Hey guys," Remus entered. "What's up?"

"James.. Got hexed!" Sirius yelled across the Common Room.

"Shut up," James hissed mortified.

"By whom?" Remus yelled back, his curiosity piqued.

"Evans. Who else?"

"Yeah. Dumb question." Remus had reached their corner by then and was sporting a wide grin.

"Oh my heart!" Sirius struggled valiantly against an invisible foe. "Lupin finally admitted he is dumb!"

"I am not dumb!" Remus protested indignantly.

"Sure Remmy." Peter said rolling his eyes. "You said and I quote 'gah glibbish gu gacalathac.'"

"But—!"

"Face it Remmy, your down to the level of us normals." James said shrugging.

"You cannot quote that! I was looking at half dark, half white Honey Dukes prime strawberry nut whipped cream chocolate on chocolate CHOCOLATE!"

"Okay then..."

XXXXXXX

The Marauders were still in the Common Room waiting to see Remus off. Remus, himself was looking rather pale and sickly, which immediately caught Sirius' attention.

"Rem? Are you okay?" The oldest Black asked when he saw Lupin drawing in a shaky breath.

"Yeah-h-hh." Remus stuttered. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"If your sure.." Sirius shrugged darkly and maintained an eye on Remus.

Madame Pomfrey entered the Common Room looking disgruntled. "You were supposed to meet me ten minutes back!"

"Oh Merlin! I'm so sorry Madame Pomfrey! I forgot! Merlin!"

"It's alright. Just don't forget again. Now chop chop! Move!"

...

Remus followed Madame Pomfrey out, waving a trembling hand at his friends. This would be the first time he had ever changed anywhere except home.

"Now just remember that I will come and get you in the morning okay-?" He heard Pomfrey saying.

"Yes Madame." He answered dutifully. But his mind was a million miles away.

The last thing he remembered was entering the Shrieking Shack before everything went black.

XXXXXXX

Remus woke up woozy to a white ceiling and Madame Pomfrey shaking him none to gently and saying something he couldn't understand.

Yesterday must have been a bad moon...

"—look here. Follow my finger. Yes that's it.."

Remus followed Pomfrey's finger as it moved sideways and then up and down. "Good. You don't have a concussion."

"Madame Pomfrey?" Remus questioned.

"Yes dear?"

"Could I have something to dull the pain in my head please?" Lupin asked wincing slightly as he lifted his head up imploringly.

"Huh-what? Oh yes! I almost forgot!" She bustled around and the returned, shoving a bottle into Remus' hand. "Drink up. That's should get you right up and about."

As he drank, Pomfrey tidied up his chest and straightened his sheets, tucking him in carefully. "Nice friends you have," she continued, not noticing Remus sudden shiver.

"Pestering me right night and day to let them at you. Reckon they're here now." She added hearing the noise of feet against stairs.

Remus smiled, thinking of his friends - James and Sirius would be annoying Pomfrey while Peter smirked lightly in the background.

"I'll go let them in now. If that's okay?" She glanced questioningly at Remus.

"Yes please," Remus said eagerly.

"Alright then Mister Lupin.." She laughed, moving towards the front of the room.

Remus heard a clamour of voices -

"Can we see him now? Please? Please?" That must be Peter.

"Let us in now Madame Pomfrey. I have a wand and I'm not afraid to use it!" Remus laughed. Where did Sirius get that line from?

"Madame Pomfrey, your looking exceedingly charming today. I'm sure you would look better in the brilliant lighting of the hospital. Why don't we take a stroll there?" Remus grinned wolfishly. That charming pig James.

"Calm down now!" Pomfrey said. "You can go in, but only for half an hour mind you—"

The boys didn't hear the end of her sentence before they phew past her looking for Remus.

"Well I never! I don't think you should be allowed in here at all.." Madame Pomfrey muttered sullenly.

"Sorry Madame!" Remus called out.

"How was your mother?" James asked.

"What happened to you mate?"

"You looked like you walked through a herd of zombies or something!" This, pof course, was Peter.

They spent a happy forty five minutes together, before Madam Pomfrey came and shooed them out promising to let them in after dinner.

"Nice friends you have." She remarked again to Remus.

"I know." He said snuggling down in his blanket. He fell asleep within seconds, exhausted by the events leading up to the moment.

One thought lingered in his mind - they can never come to know of this. To them I am human. I can't lose my friends!

Another part of his mind was telling him that none if them would leave him, just because he was dangerous one night of the month.

But he had too much at stake to trust this one thought.

Only time would tell...