Our four Marauders walked into the Transfiguration classroom. Make that: three of them did. For Remus it was more of a stumble. He staggered to his desk and collapsed into it, much to the irritation of McGonagall. She marched over as the other three sat their bags down and stood over Remus like a hawk over a mouse.

"Is there some reason why you feel you have to break my desk?"

"Sorry…" Remus slurred. McGonagall's face went from irritation to concern.

"Are you alright?"

"He's a little sick Professor." Sirius said.

"But, but it's not…"

"No ma'am; he's just sick."

"I'm just tired…can't everyone just leave me alone…open a window or something it's so flipping hot…"

McGonagall felt the back of his neck [he had his forehead rested on his arm] and found that he had a fever. She looked around the room to see that some other students were coming in. "Sirius, James, would you please take Remus to the hospital wing? I'm sure Madam Pomfrey can help."

"I don't need a hospital…just a nap…and someone open a bloody window…"

Sirius and James pulled Remus out of his chair and walked him out of the room. Halfway to the stairs, his legs buckled and they had to stop him from falling. Each one had an arm around their shoulders as they escorted him up the stairs to the fourth floor. He'd stopped mumbling about it being hot; he'd stopped even talking at all. Sirius wondered if this was good or bad while James was a little happy for relative silence, save for the other students rushing to get to their classes. In respectable time, they were walking through the doors of the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was checking on the few that were in there and gasped to see the boys walk in.

"My! What happened?"

"He's sick, ma'am."

"Well I'd say so. Come put him in this bed." She walked to an empty one and the boys took their ailing werewolf over. After checking over him, "Well he's got quite a fever. And that rash on his chest, how long has he had that?"

"We don't usually strip our shirts off for each other ma'am."

"Yes well, it's rather large. And he's hardly breathing at all. I'm not quite sure what this is."

"Oh well that's comforting."

"James! Thank-you ma'am."

"Sure. Now you two run back to class; he's safe here. Have Minerva come see me when she gets a chance, would you?"

"Sure thing. Thanks again."

James and Sirius left the hospital wing and went back to Transfiguration class. McGonagall had just finished explaining the spell to transfigure dragon statues.

"And that's how the Draconifirs spell is useful. Class dismissed; I'm sure you all need the extra time to finish homework." Everyone left except the three remaining Marauders. "Peter, you too. I'm sure you don't have a collar on you; go on, run along. James and Sirius shall join you shortly." Peter sulked out of the room and McGonagall, less stern than usual, called James and Sirius to the front.

"Yes Professor?"

"Well, what's wrong?"

"She's not sure ma'am. She did say that you should come and see her when you get a chance."

McGonagall nodded. "Yes…yes I should go. You two run along; I'll send word when you can come." The boys nodded and left. McGonagall sighed and rushed to the Hospital Wing. When she saw the sandy haired boy laid out on the bed, her heart lurched. Madam Pomfrey had apparently asked a visiting student to keep tabs on the other handful of patients while she busied herself with Remus. She saw Minerva and shook her head.

"He'll have to go to St. Mungo's. This is out of my hands."

"Yes but…Poppy…what is it?"

"I don't know. I really don't know."