Year 2
Although nearly exactly a year had passed since Remus first visited the mirror of erised, he hadn't forgotten about it. It wasn't as if he was still obsessed by it like he had been in his first year here, he had simply pushed it to the back of his thoughts, for other things had been happening. For example, James had began his obsession with Lily, which resulted in him spending many an evening telling Remus, Sirius and Peter about her. Also, and this worried him, Remus had a feeling that his friends were getting closer to discovering his secret, so he had been thinking about ways to put them off the track. Remus, Sirius, James and Peter had become closer than ever, and often, Remus had thought about telling them what he actually was. Just as he would pluck up the courage, he would sit them down and say that he had something to tell them, a niggling voice inside of him would whisper 'Who are you kidding? Of course they won't accept you, just think of what used to happen when you were younger, that's what it will be like, except worse.' He knew it would be worse. There would be no way he could stay at Hogwarts and the only friends he's really had would be disgusted at him. So, he settled for miserably saying his mother was ill again, and he had to go visit her. It killed him to lie to his friends, but he convinced himself that it was better this way, that if he told the truth he'd have no friends.
He gave his friends the excuse that he was going to the library. It was a realistic one, for he often travelled to the deep sanction of the library, sometimes to study, but other times just to space out on his own. Remus also knew that they probably wouldn't go looking for him, as they detested the library, saying it was 'too quiet', so he was safe on that account.
Blowing uselessly on his hands, he cursed at the fact it was such a long way away. Christmas was fast approaching, and so, to take his mind off the cold, he began to plan what presents to get the others. Peter would be easy, just get him something sweet and he would be happy. James would also be easy to buy for, something from Zonko's in which he could try out on Snape, or some of the teachers. Then again, Remus always felt guilty when Snape was pranked, and trying to stop it was always ineffective; once James and Sirius set their minds to something it's unbelievably difficult to stop them. Sirius was a bit trickier. Remus didn't particularly want to get Sirius something meaningless.
Thoughts back to the room that he was aiming for, his hands went out to the side, tracing the cool, stone walls that would lead him to the old classroom. After a few more minutes, his now frozen hands felt the desired door, and so he pushed it open to reveal the familiar room, and golden rimmed mirror which loomed in the corner.
Things had changed since the last time he entered this room, looked into the giant mirror, yet at the same time he wasn't sure that in himself he felt much different. This is why as he settled down into the spot in front of the mirror, and slowly raised his eyes to see his heart's desire, at his first glance, he thought he was seeing the same thing as last year. That's what he had presumed. Except, as the mirror took more of his attention, he knew that things had changed, and this really was what he wanted at that moment, more than anything.
It started out the same as last time; with him, James, Sirius and Peter sat together and laughing. The moon then rose, a full moon, and Remus noticed that the Remus figure inside the mirror was beginning to change. Even though he knew it wasn't real, Remus' body tensed up, fully expecting his friends to run from him, but not be quick enough. However, after the agonising transformation, in which Remus had been flinching throughout, it turned out to be nearly as painful to watch then to actually go through it, the werewolf didn't move, he just lay there. In addition, the marauders neither ran from him nor even look at him with horror or fear. Instead, as they looked at him, the Remus watching saw… acceptance? Understanding? He sat there for a while before a deep sigh broke the tranquilised scene, and he was shocked to find it had come from himself. His battered watch showed that it was time to go, for Remus had been sat there an hour.
Scrambling to his feet, he felt for the door in the darkened room. With a last glance behind him, he set off back to the dormitory, with the thought 'See you next year…'
A/N: Read and review! You've probably guessed now that I'm planning to do a chapter for every year in which Remus is at Hogwarts. I'll probably be updating this story more than my other one (What if- a time travelling fic) as I'm having a bit of a writers block for that one, so expect more chapters soon :)