Disclaimer: You know, it would be nice to own this stuff. Unfortunately, the stars have not blessed me in such a way.
Chapter 11: Remus
Madame Pomfrey was worried. It wasn't fair that this little boy had to be cursed with lycanthropy. His entire life would be changed by the events of this one evening. It seems like such a little thing, this bite which in normal circumstances would be healed with just a wave of a wand and a few key words. Instead, the poor boy would suffer horribly with every full moon, which would force him to change into an evil beast.
She was worried, because this would cause Remus to be shunned and hated by the wizarding world. He would never be able to be part of society, once his secret was known.
She was worried because his parents had left before he awoke. She was worried that they would be hard pressed to accept him as their son, now that he was so different from them.
She was worried, because she would have to tell him. She would have to tell him that he had no hope for a normal life, that every month he would go through a trial worse than anything anyone could imagine.
She was worried, that he might find, one day, that he had cursed another in the same way.
Remus was dreaming. Dreams with more detail, and more reality than any he had ever had. Dreams of running, faster than the wind. Dreams of four paws and a tail, working in perfect unison. Dreams that weren't so kind- pain, writhing on the ground, watching hair sprout from his hands. Chasing after something, something that he would never catch.
In these dreams, he knew. He knew he was a wolf. It was inside him, always haunting him, taking him over with the full moon.
Finally Remus woke up. Madame Pomfrey was in a chair next to his bed, dozing lightly. He looked around the private room for a moment before clearing his throat, waking the sleeping nurse. "It was a werewolf, wasn't it."
At that statement, Madame Pomfrey's eyes filled with tears. That was answer enough for Remus. "So I'm a werewolf now."
"Yes." Madame Pomfrey couldn't manage much more than a whisper.
"That's going to make my life interesting." Remus sat back among his pillows, stretching and placing his hands behind his head.
"My dear boy-" the nurse started.
"I already knew. I dreamt… I dreamt that I was a werewolf. Don't feel sorry for me. That won't change anything. Please leave me alone."
"If that's how you want it…" Madame Pomfrey was surprised by the matter of fact way Remus approached the subject. She left, casting one last glance at the boy on the bed. He was staring at the ceiling, not scared or worried, just accepting of the fact, of how his life was going to change.
Meals were brought to the Hospital wing for the five that day. Remus had refused visitors for most of the day, allowing only Madame Pomfrey to change his bandages, and Professor Dumbledore who demanded entrance. He stayed only a few minutes, talking to Remus, about this change. He lay silent for the rest of the day.
The four in the general area of the Hospital Wing remained uncharacteristically quiet. Toward the evening, they got permission from Madame Pomfrey to visit Remus. They entered the room, quiet and subdued. Lily and Jenna cried softly. James and Sirius remained silent, watching Remus, who returned to staring at the ceiling after greeting them. Finally James broke the silence. "Can you ever forgive us?"
Remus shifted his gaze to the boy at the foot of his bed, meeting his eyes for the first time. His eyes moved to each of the four, then back to James. "I already have."
With those words, he sealed a friendship that would last throughout the school years and through many different trials in the years past.
James, Sirius, Lily and Jenna stayed in Remus' room for many hours that night. They talked, mostly about the events of the previous night and how it would change all five of them, but especially Remus. They came up with plans on how to help him, even laughed at the absurdity of some, mostly contributed by Sirius. From that night on, the five would have a bond intricately tying them together for the rest of their lives.
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