"Spit it out, gentlemen!" Professor McGonagall barked. "Why aren't you in History of Magic?"

Sirius's mind was racing, trying to come up with a sufficient excuse.

Instead Remus spoke. "We were, um, in the loo, and we uh needed to come back to get our books."

"Don't lie to me, Mr. Lupin! Three boys don't just go prancing off to the restroom during class."

No one spoke. The seventh years were staring awestruck at Professor McGonagall, and the three friends said nothing. There was a moments silence, and it became evident boys refused to admit to anything.

"Since you obviously don't have a good reason for your absence from class, and two of you already have detention from my class, how about we just extend your punishment to a week. That should teach you a lesson. And Mr. Lupin, you will only participate in Monday's detention. Madam Pomfrey will be expecting you at 8:00 on Tuesday. I think you three should get going to Charms before I call the Headmaster. Off you go!" Professor McGonagall demanded.

The boys hurriedly grabbed their bags and disappeared through the portrait whole.

"It could have been worse I guess. Oh, and Remus why are you going to the Hospital Wing on Tuesday?" Sirius asked, thinking of what Professor McGonagall had said.

"Um, I don't really know. S'pose I'll find out when I get there."

"Well let us know when you find, out will you." James replied looking perplexed.

The rest of the week whizzed by. All the while, the boys dreaded the week-long detention starting the next Monday. During their first night of detention James, Sirius, and Remus had to prune an awful tree. The young groundskeeper, Hagrid, adored the tree. He lovingly called it the Womping Willow. The thrashing tree needed to be trimmed and watered with a special potion, until it reached full maturity. Unfortunately, tending to the Womping Willow was James and Sirius's punishment for the whole week. Just after the first night they retired to their dormitory with scratches and bruises all over their bodies.

As they climbed into bed, exhausted, James said, "Boy Remus, you're really lucky you don't have to deal with that 'tree' for the rest of the weak."

Remus gave James a weak smile, "I guess so."

Remus's POV

I wake up early the next morning, dreading what lies ahead of me. It is never pleasant turning into a werewolf.

"James and Sirius think I have it easy. Boy are they wrong," I think to myself, while I drowsily get dressed. Then a terrible thought crosses my mind, "What will happen if Sirius and James find out? Will they think I'm a freak? Will they still be my friends? Will they just shun me like everyone else? I can't let them find out I am a werewolf! They will probably know something's up if I'm gone for a week once every month. They're not stupid. I hope to Merlin they don't find out!"

I leave the dormitory full of snoring eleven-year-old boys, then clamber out of the portrait hole. I had been to the Hospital Wing over the summer when Dumbledore took me to meet Madam Pomfrey. I think she is a nice lady, but a bit manic when it comes to her patients. After what seams like forever I reach the Hospital Wing's entrance. When I open the door, I find Madam Pomfrey waiting for me.

"Ah, Remus," She says. "Come here and lie down. You don't need to worry about your school work. You'll be excused from all your classes all week."

"Am I going to transform in here?" I ask her (I'm sure I look extremely worried).

"No, no dear. I am going to take you down to the tree you tended to last night."

I groan.

"Lie down." She says sternly. "You'll need rest."

Gladly I oblige.

I have been sitting here for hours, and all I can do is dwell on the thought of James and Sirius finding out who I really am. I also realize that they are going to be tending to the Womping Willow tonight. They will surely hear me groaning somewhere nearby, and of course, being James and Sirius, they will want to investigate. They may even notice the full moon, and remember me going to the nurse today. Then they will probably put the pieces together and investigate to confirm their belief. I hope I don't hurt them if they find me!"

Then Madam Pomfrey interrupts my train of thought. "Here take this pain-killing potion. It should help with the pain during your transformation. We'll give it a couple minutes to kick in, then head out to the grounds," she says sweetly, handing me a goblet of a green potion.

I drink it grudgingly, for it tastes like a vomit flavored Burtie Bot Bean. After a few minutes, I feel completely numb. I actually quite like the feeling.

"Come along, dear."

I follow the young woman out onto the grounds and to the Womping Willow. It starts flailing when we come near. Then it smashes the round thorny bulbs on the tips of its branches into the earth around it. Madam Pomfrey picks up a stick from the ground, and prods the bulb on a branch in front of a hole in the tree's trunk. To my amazement the tree stops thrashing instantly.

"This way," she says, and slides into the hollow spot of the trunk. I follow her. As I am sliding down the earthen slope, I feel the the same sensation I had when I was flying down the stone slide inside the witch's hump. I feel free, but this time I can barely feel the cool breeze against my face, because the pain-relieving potion is almost fully effective. After a few seconds I plop onto the ground by Madam Pomfrey.

"This tunnel leads to a shack right outside Hogsmead, where you will be transforming." She gestures around us. The tunnel just high enough for her to stand up straight in.

We walk down the tunnel until we come to a dimly lit, wooden staircase. I'm guessing by this time, we have entered the shack. After reaching the top floor landing, Madam Pomfrey opens the door in front of us. The room behind looks as though it used to be a bedroom. It's quite small, and there's still some furniture placed around the room.

"Make yourself comfortable. I'll fetch you around 7:00 in the morning tomorrow." Madam Pomfrey says as she takes my wand.

"Bye," I say faintly as she closes the door behind her. I hear the lock click, and now I am completely alone in this old, run-down shack.

I hate transforming in rooms. When I have to stay put, I often inflicted pain on my werewolf self. Unfortunately the wounds are still present after I become human again. I'm going to have to deal with it. I sit down on the moth-eaten bed, and began to wait for the full moon to rise.

End of Remus's POV

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