Apologies for missing an update on Thursday, there was technical issues and I had to rewrite the chapter.

I dragged my trunk up the stairs and into my the boys' dormitory. The familiar scent of a magical heating system and freshly-cleaned bedsheets filled my nostrils as I dropped my belongings onto my bed. I had just returned from spending Christmas with my mum's muggle family. It was supposed to be a joyful time, but instead, I had spent the whole two week break feeling more depressed than ever before.

As I sat down on the edge of the bed, I couldn't help but think about my life and how it was turning out. Being a werewolf had always been a curse, but it was even worse now that I would never achieve my dream job as a teacher at Hogwarts.

Of course I'd known that since the Careers advice meetings in fifth year, but during Christmas lunch, only hours before the full moon, making my emotions a lot stronger than usual, my aunt had decided to ask me what I was thinking of doing after school.

No one on my mum's side of the family knew that my dad and I were wizards, or that I was a werewolf, so I couldn't explain the whole messy situation to her, so I just said that I wanted to become a teacher at a muggle school, teach something like English or maths.

But that had really set me off, knowing that the only teaching I could ever do was muggle teaching. But given that I never did muggle high school, I didn't exactly have the qualifications to teach in a muggle class. I was awful at maths, having not taken that class since I was eleven.

But the Ministry of Magic had deemed me unfit to teach, even though I had spent my entire childhood doing everything in my power to keep my condition under control.

I sighed heavily. I was alone in the dark dormitory, the silence ringing in my ears. James was off somewhere reuniting with Lily, and Sirius was helping Peter with a charms essay in the library, so I was alone, wallowing in self-pity.

I knew I should be grateful for the friends and family that I had, but it was hard not to feel sorry for myself. As I sat there in the dormitory, I couldn't help but wonder what my future held. Would I ever find a job that would give me any joy? Would I ever be truly happy?

I knew the answer was probably no, but I tried to push those thoughts out of my head. I would just have to find a new purpose in life, something that would make me feel useful and fulfilled. But for now, I couldn't shake off the post-Christmas blues that had settled over me like a thick fog.

I lay down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, and closed my eyes. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day. Maybe I would wake up with a newfound sense of purpose and hope. Or maybe, I would just have to learn to live with the disappointment and sadness that seemed to be my constant companions.

Either way, I knew one thing for sure: life was never going to be easy for a werewolf like me. I felt low, so I didn't get out of my bed until Sirius and Peter came into the dormitory at around six o'clock that evening.

"Moony, we came to tell you it's time for dinner," Peter said to me.

"Mk, I'll be there in a second," I said.

Sirius sat down next to me. "Am I hearing this correct? Remus John Lupin doesn't want food right this second? Are you alright, Moony?"

"I'm fine," I said, standing up. "Come on, let's go get some dinner."

As we entered the Great Hall, the aroma of food filled my senses. I was hungry, but not really in the mood to eat. I grabbed a plate and loaded it up with food, not really paying attention to what I was grabbing. I just wanted to get through dinner and go back to the dormitory.

As we sat down at the Gryffindor table, I noticed that James and Lily were already there, deep in conversation about their futures. Lily looked up and smiled at us, and I put on a smile back, but I felt awful and alone. All anyone in my year was talking about was life after school, and it made me feel empty.

But as quickly as the thought had come, I pushed it away. I didn't want to dwell on my loneliness, especially not in front of my friends. I started to eat my food, not even paying attention to what went into my mouth.

The conversation at the table finally changed once we were all settled, and became centred around Quidditch and the upcoming match against Hufflepuff. I tried to focus on what my friends were saying, but my mind kept wandering back to my future and what it held.

After dinner, we all went back to the dormitory to finish up some homework. James and Lily went off to do their own thing, leaving Sirius, Peter, and me to work on our assignments. I tried to focus on my essay for Defense Against the Dark Arts, but my mind kept drifting.

Sirius noticed my lack of concentration and asked, "Hey, Moony, you alright?"

I looked up at him and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a little tired, I guess."

Sirius didn't look convinced, but he didn't push the issue. Instead, he suggested we take a break and go for a walk around the castle. I agreed, grateful for the distraction.

As we walked through the corridors, Sirius and Peter chatting away, I couldn't help but feel a little left out. They were my friends, and Sirius the love of my life, but sometimes it felt like even he didn't really understand what I was going through. They didn't know what it was like to be a werewolf, to feel like an outcast.

But then Sirius turned to me and said, "You know, Moony, you don't have to pretend like everything's okay all the time. We're here for you, no matter what."

I looked at him, my heart beginning to pound faster. "Thanks, Padfoot. I appreciate that."

"Of course, Moony. Why would anyone ever not have your back? You're Moony. Wonderful Moony."

I smiled a little. "Thank you, Padfoot."

In that moment, I felt a little less alone. Maybe my friends didn't know exactly what I was going through, but they cared about me, and that was enough.

As we continued our walk, I felt my mood begin to lift. Maybe life as a werewolf would never be easy, but I had my friends by my side, and that was something to be grateful for.