Title: What Do You Think?
"Harry don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too – he's a werewolf!"
Dead silence followed that last outburst from Hermione. The ironic thing was that Remus was reading the book and could have ignored that part if he had given it any thought. Too late now, Lily had heard.
"You're a what?" Lily asked. She was tired, her ears must be deceiving her.
"A werewolf," Remus replied quietly, barely above a whisper. He was surprised at how calm Lily was reacting.
"WHAT?!" There it was. The explosion. The cry of fury and shock, mixed with a hint of… was that fear?
"A werewolf," he repeated. Then to try and lighten things up a little bit, "You know… Grr." It didn't work.
"But… but… how?" she stammered.
"Same way anyone becomes a werewolf."
"I think we should continue reading now." That was definitely fear in her voice.
'Am I wrong or is she a little farther away than before,' Remus thought. Nevertheless, he picked the book back up and started to read.
"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead…"
"Well that's good," James said, trying to find something positive in the situation.
"Better than good, I'd say," Sirius agreed, catching on.
"Get away from me, werewolf!"
"That's not nice, Ron," James said, rather forcibly. He had always been biased when it came to anti-werewolf sentiment.
"Werewolves are the same as any other wizard, just with a little problem once a month," Sirius defended.
Lily had to admit that the loyalty to their best friend was admirable. She had never seen the marauders act so selflessly before tonight. Since they had not reacted with surprise when they heard Remus was werewolf as she did, obviously they had already known. Their support of Lupin by not telling his secret was definitely impressive. If only I had met this James Potter years before…We could have had so much more time. Well, I'll just have to make up for it.
"Since I did Professor Snape's essay…."
"I knew he did that on purpose," Sirius yelled in frustration.
"What else would you expect from someone like him?" James asked.
"Nothing."
Lily couldn't believe that the man who had once been a close friend could do something as terrible as that. Next time James and Sirius plan a prank on him, I might just look the other way. Or better yet… watch.
"Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"
"That's what it changed into?" Lily asked, mentally slapping herself for not figuring it out. "And Divination…?"
"Is just another subject," Remus finished. "Not my favorite, but not my worst fear either."
"I was wondering why someone would be so afraid of a crystal ball."
"So was I," he replied, looking at James.
"It was the only thing I could think of so quickly," James said.
"I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"
"The map doesn't malfunction," James said quickly.
"I know that," Remus responded.
"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."
"What?" Remus asked. "I thought he was supposed to be dead."
"He was," Sirius confirmed.
"Why is he calling Peter a rat?" Lily asked cautiously. Being exposed to most of the marauders secrets by now, she could pretty much figure it out. But just in case, she had to check.
"He's an animagus."
"Peter's an animagus? I didn't think he could do something that complicated."
"Neither did we. Especially after the first few years, but trust me, he can," James said.
"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" said Harry. "He killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively.
"Maybe we'll find out the answers now," Remus said. "Like how Peter is dead yet alive."
"I meant to," he growled, his teeth bared,
"Why?" Sirius asked. "Why would I want to do something like that?"
"but Peter got the better of me…
"That doesn't sound likely," James said.
"I know, this is strange," Sirius agreed.
"WAIT! You can't do it just like that – they need to understand – we've got to explain -"
"Please do," Lily said, happy she might get a straightforward explanation for the first time all night.
"We can explain afterwards!"
"No do it now."
"Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list -" (of registered Animagi)
"Of course it wouldn't be, he isn't exactly a legal Animagi," James said as if it were obvious.
"The Shrieking Shack was never haunted… The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me."
"Well that explains a few things," Lily noted out loud.
"The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform… I am able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.
"That's possible?" Remus muttered to himself. He seemed to be imagining how much better that would be.
"Pretty useful potion," Sirius commented.
"It would be nice to have that now," James said.
"Yeah, it would," Remus agreed.
"I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house" – Lupin looked miserably around the room, - "the tunnel that leads to it – they were built for my use.
"That's how we know so much about the Whomping Willow," James told Lily.
"Oh," she replied. She wanted to take in as much information as she could before she reacted.
"For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black… Peter Pettigrew… and of, of course, your father, Harry – James Potter."
James and Sirius both grinned at Remus in a supportive way. He smiled appreciatively back. Lily was gaining respect for all four marauders by the moment.
"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."
"You did that to help Remus?" Lily asked.
James nodded. She still didn't know what he could turn into, but marveled at their selflessness all the same.
"Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night."
"So that's how you know so much about Hogwarts?" Lily asked.
"Yes, we had a little time to spare, so we made the best of it," Sirius replied.
(After a quick description of the prank Sirius pulled on Snape. The famous prank)
"How could you do that, Sirius?" Lily said, looking at Sirius as if he were mad.
He hung his head in shame. "I don't know."
"That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin.
Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin.
"This isn't good."
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A/N: I know it's kind of short, but it's the end of a chapter in the book and I wanted to update quickly because I ended on a cliffhanger. But it seems I just made a new one. Oh well. Things happen.
Don't forget to review.