A/N: Hope you all enjoy! Big thanks as usual to my beta, swimdiva87 - my grammar is good thanks to her!

Searching for The Cure

"So what's the last ingredient for the Potion, Sirius?" James said, after the big Quidditch match that weekend. Gryffindor House had been celebrating their win all evening but it was now approaching midnight and the common room was emptying out, leaving only a few groups of students, sitting around. The Marauders had snagged the coveted sofas by the fire, usually reserved for older students and were crowding over a bunch of notes. James was lounging in the largest sofa at ease, ruffling his hair and glancing around the room pretending not to notice the looks of admiration he was getting from a group of first year girls giggling nearby. Sirius was frowning at his notebook, mouthing something to himself, while Peter looked over his shoulder and Remus sat wearily beside them.

"It's that damn naked holly," Sirius muttered.

"Who's going to do it?" Peter wondered while James winked at one of the staring girls. She turned red and let out a high pitched squeak.

"Guys, it probably won't even work. Let's not even bother," Remus said tiredly. "I'll be fine."

"Remus, we have five days before the night and that means we need to pick the holly now, to let it stew" Sirius said.

"Yeah, what use will it be if we let the Potion go to waste this month?" James agreed, putting his feet on the floor and looking at him.

"Well, I'm not running anywhere naked," Sirius said, looking warily at the first years who were still watching them.

"Not it!" Peter said hurriedly, touching his nose.

"I don't want anyone doing it," Remus said when they turned to him.

James laughed. "Really? I score 20 goals tonight and I have to do this too?"

"Hey Potter!" said the Fourth Year Quidditch commentator from his group of friends in the corner. "Brilliant match! If it wasn't for you, I'd be hunting down that Liv Terrance and giving her a piece of my mind!"

Liv had not caught the Snitch that ended the game. The Hufflepuff Seeker, a talented, skinny Sixth Year had decided to end the match on his terms despite being over 200 points behind Gryffindor at the time. They'd lost the game, marginally with the capture of the Snitch, and so, while Liv had been ignored, James had been Gryffindor's hero that night.

James shrugged with a smile. "Glad to be of service."

"Seriously, at this rate, you could play for England," one of the other boys said.

James grinned and looked at his friends who were smiling with amusement. "Ok, ok, I'll do it," James said, getting up. "So, the greenhouses then?"

"Should we use the Cloak?" Peter asked in a whisper.

"Let's not bother. Minnie was just in yelling at everyone, so she'll be back in bed. And Filch usually patrols the dungeons at this time of night," Sirius said, getting up with James.

Remus sighed. "Guys, can't we just go to bed? You know I appreciate it, but this is silly."

"To the greenhouse!" James said a little too loudly, saluting.

"Where are you lot going?" a Fifth Year boy said, looking up from his homework.

"Um, nowhere," Peter answered.

The boy smiled. "My girlfriend is a Prefect: Dorcas Meadowes. She's the one with the really pale, blonde hair. She's patrolling the first floor, so try and avoid her. And well done, James. My brother used to play Chaser and you've kept up his name quite splendidly."

James grinned and puffed out his chest. "Thanks mate."

And so, the four left the room without much trouble from any of the occupants who were still quite proud of their hero of a Second Year Chaser.

"So…I just have to do a dance?" James said, nervously as he began to unbutton his shirt outside an open window of Greenhouse Two.

"Any dance, you'd like, mate," Sirius grinned, leaning against the wall. "This should be good."

"A free show, you mean?" James said, scowling playfully.

The boys chuckled as James undressed, covering his unmentionables and climbing awkwardly through the window, his clothes bundled in hand. They held their breath as he tiptoed across the room, carefully avoiding over enthusiastic plants and shivering with cold. When he reached the Holly plant, he gave them the thumbs up and awkwardly stood in front of it and his back to them. He shrugged and began to jump and flail his arms and legs around, humming a tune to himself as he danced. The Marauders began to roar with laughter as he pranced around the holly plant in the Greenhouse at midnight.

"God, that is priceless!" Sirius, said, doubled over.

"Blimey, if Gryffindor Tower could see him now," Remus laughed as Peter leaned on him for support.

Suddenly a throat was cleared and they froze. It was one of the blushing first year girls and she was staring at James, her eyes wide.

"Oi! What are you doing?" Sirius demanded, rushing forward and blocking her view. James, who was now bright red with embarrassment, hurriedly began to pull his clothes on and stuff the holly leaves in his pocket.

"I…um…" The girl seemed in a daze, still staring at James, who was now clambering back out of the window, and avoiding her eyes.

"I just…I fancied a walk," the girl said helplessly.

"Following us?" Sirius said dangerously. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't turn you in to a snail this moment."

"For one, he doesn't know how," Remus whispered to James who laughed despite the awkward situation.

"I…what are you doing?" the girl turned to James, who ruffled his hair and pretended she hadn't just seen him naked.

"Never you mind! Why were you watching us?" Sirius said, gaining her attention once more.

"Spit it out," James said roughly.

"Well, I was walking and then I realized that a Prefect is just around the corner and I thought I'd warn you."

"Yes, she is," came a slightly deeper but sweet voice from behind them. The Marauders and the blushing first year whipped around to see the tall Fifth Year approach them, her Ravenclaw Prefect badge glinting in the dim moonlight.

"What are you all doing out of bed?" Dorcas Meadowes said, firmly but a curious little smirk on her face.

"We fancied a walk?" Sirius, said shiftily. He looked at her, taking in her appearance. She was very thin and willowy, much taller than he was but not in an awkward way. White blonde hair fell around her face almost in a cloud like shape and her pale skin looked like porcelain. Her pale blue eyes shone right off her face and seemingly in to Sirius' brain. If he had found Liv attractive, Dorcas was practically an angel in his eyes. Only, she didn't look at him the same way as Liv had. She looked at him like he was a very young bug, she'd like to squash. Somehow, to him it made her ten times more attractive.

"A walk, at midnight, near the Greenhouses?" She said skeptically, eyeing them all.

"Uh, yeah…it's a nice night," Sirius shrugged, talking for the others, who seemed to have lost their ability to speak.

Her eyes swept to James, whose shirt was still unbuttoned and he ruffled his hair awkwardly.

"And you, almost undressed? Dancing around the Greenhouse scarpers?" she said, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow. Her mouth looked like a laugh was threatening to escape and Sirius watched in awe as she bit the corner of her bottom lip.

"Well…it was like a victory dance," James said smiling guiltily.

"He won the Quidditch match today, you see," Peter said finding his voice.

"We're sorry. We'll go back to our dormitory now," Remus said, staring at his feet.

"Look, I won't take points this time, since it was obviously some ridiculous dare. But please, save your marauding for the daylight?" Dorcas said, smiling sympathetically at Remus who looked particularly stricken.

Remus nodded, and began to pull his friends away, the first year following close behind.

"We owe you Blondie," Sirius said cheekily.

She frowned. "For that, five points from Gryffindor. Now go to bed, kid," she said, turning away in annoyance. Sirius grinned to himself and followed his friends, whistling.

"Blimey, she can catch me any time," he said to James.

"When?" James whispered on Wednesday evening after lessons.

Remus sighed. "Seven." He bent farther over his parchment, writing furiously.

"Oh Remus, leave it. Just hand it in late. Sprout will understand," Sirius said, ignoring his own unfinished essay.

"No. I'm not supposed to be treated any differently," Remus said vaguely, squinting as he tried to read his essay over.

"Well you are different," Peter pointed out.

Remus looked up at this, but bit his lip and looked away almost immediately.

"Furrier than others," James said, trying to cheer him up.

"Maybe with sharper teeth," Sirius added, with a grin.

"What are you talking about?" said a small voice nearby. It was the First year from the other night, looking at James nervously. He ruffled his hair and shrugged.

"Remus has to go home tonight."

Remus glared at him but the first year beamed and sat down on the arm of the empty chair beside James.

"Oh really? Why does he have to go?"

"He has a violent pet back home," Sirius said, with a straight face. Remus' face twitched in to a half smile and then in to a big one when James continued.

"Yes, a very badly behaved rabbit. It's eating all of his mother's vegetables. Only Remus can sort him out."

"Oh that's cool. At least you get a break from school," the girl said, finally tearing her eyes away from James to look at Remus who shrugged. When no one continued the conversation, the girl spoke again.

"I just wanted to tell you how brilliant you were in Quidditch this weekend, James. Is it very difficult?" she said, leaning closer to him.

James shrugged, but his chest swelled and cheeks reddened. "Oh, for some people, but I find it pretty easy."

"You were amazing! People are still talking about it."

From nearby, Lily Evans scoffed and rolled her eyes at Mary MacDonald, but James for once didn't notice.

"Thanks…." He said, looking at the girl who was quite plain but had nice straight teeth and pretty, straw colored hair.

"I'm Angie," she said, blushing as she shook his hand.

"James."

"But you already knew that," Sirius put in, a grin dancing on his face.

Angie nodded. "You all are famous. Everyone talks about you all the time."

Sirius and James laughed and high fived, though Remus and Peter looked quite surprised at this information.

"Anyway, I wanted to invite you all to my birthday party on Friday. It's a Hogsmeade trip for the older ones, so the common room will be free. Can you come?"

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "We'll probably be here anyway."

But James shoved him. "Yeah, we'll be there."

Angie beamed. "Great! Thanks! Good luck with your rabbit, Remus!"

As she scurried away, three sets of eyes turned to James who was ruffling his hair as he watched her leave.

"What was that?" Sirius demanded.

"What? You're the only one who can have a girlfriend?" James said breezily, feeling quite bolstered by the attention he'd been given.

"I don't have one any more. They're bloody hard work, they are," Sirius said, rolling his eyes as Liv swept by them, looking pointedly away from him.

"I think it's nice. She's obviously obsessed with him," Remus said with an encouraging smile.

"But I thought you fancied Evans," Peter said making James push him hard.

"Shhh!" he whispered, glancing back to see if Lily had noticed. But the redhead was laughing hard at something Mary MacDonald had said, and didn't even see that he existed. "Who cares about her?" he said, not meaning a word of it. He was hoping that she might get jealous seeing him with someone else. If not, he'd just have to work harder at finding things out about her. Anyway, he didn't want to go out with Evans and have no idea what he was doing. He'd much prefer being more experienced than her, so if Angie was the experience he needed, that was that.

"Where do you usually meet Pomfrey?" Peter asked, as the four boys walked quickly along the corridor at a quarter to seven.

"The Main doors. We walk to the willow together."

"I can't believe you know how to freeze it. Think of the bets we could've made," Sirius said.

"And then everyone would know and accidentally stumble upon werewolf, I suppose?" Remus bit back, to which Sirius smiled guiltily.

"Fair enough."

"Where's the Potion Sirius?" James asked, checking his watch. "We're running late."

"You mean I am," Remus corrected.

James shook his head. "No…I mean we."

Remus' face changed but he said no more, as Sirius beckoned them through a tapestry that looked like a solid wall.

"Found this the other day," Sirius explained as they looked around in awe at the alcove behind the tapestry. In the corner, a cauldron sat simmering and emitting grey fumes.

Remus pulled a face. "That looks dangerous."

"That's why I have one of these," Sirius said, pulling out a flat stone from his pocket. "It's called a bezoar. Protects against all poisons."

"That's encouraging," Remus replied grimly as Peter ladled out a goblet of the Potion and handed it to him.

Sirius shrugged. "Have to cover all my bases mate."

"Thank Merlin you're good at Potions," James sighed, leaning against the wall. "I would've poisoned you weeks ago, Remus."

Remus shuddered. "We still haven't ruled out poison in this case," he said indicating the smoking goblet.

"Oh give me some credit. I didn't even do the Transfiguration homework to finish this and it was complete pants. Easiest assignment Minnie's ever given."

"It took me four hours!" Peter protested.

"Well you're extraordinarily dim, aren't you Peter?" Sirius said in a calm voice. Peter pulled a face and began to retort when James put up his hand.

"Look, we're late now. Come on Remus, bite the bullet."

"Easy for you to say. This doesn't smell like Pumpkin juice!"

Sirius scowled. "Make more jokes and I'll make sure it's poison next time."

"If there is a next time," Remus said grinning before holding his nose and downing the goblet. The three boys stared at him, gauging his reaction as Sirius pulled out a notebook and handed it to Peter.

He touched Remus forehead and recited to Peter to take notes.

"Head temperature: normal. Eyes: blood-shot as usual. Face: ugly as ever."

"Oi!" Remus said, pushing a chuckling Sirius away.

"Temper: same."

"How do you really feel Remus?" James asked.

"The same, a little happier actually," Remus shrugged.

"Take note," Sirius ordered Peter. "Do you feel relaxed? Calm?"

"I feel quite annoyed at all these questions!" Remus said, folding his arms.

"It's for your own good, mate!"

"Well it's going to mean nothing if it doesn't effect the transformation," Remus said.

"Right, so we'll hear back from you tomorrow," James nodded. "Do you think you'll be able to tell if it helped?"

Remus shook his head. "Only one way to find out," he said, looking at his watch. "Best be off lads."

"Be good mate! Have a nice adventure!" Sirius said clapping him on the back.

"What? And murder half the castle? I think I'll just stay put," he said as they walked out of the alcove and towards the castle doors.

"Scare some rabbits then," James suggested with a laugh.

"Or spiders, since they'll be inside the shack with you," Peter added.

Remus shuddered. "Oh disgusting. Why did you have to bring that up?"

"The guy's a werewolf and he's scared of spiders," Sirius joked, ducking Remus' punching arm.

The four of them laughed, until a sharp voice called out, interrupting them.

"What on earth are the four of you doing out of your common room!" Madam Pomfrey said, bustling up and staring at Remus significantly.

"They've just come to see me off," Remus said convincingly.

"Yeah, tell your mum we hope she gets better soon!" James added.

"Oh and bring us some of that cake she makes," Peter said, hiding a smile.

"And make sure that damn rabbit behaves!" Sirius winked making Remus' mouth twitch.

"Very well! You three: get back to Gryffindor Tower. Remus, come along, we have to arrange your, um… floo journey."

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey," Remus said, waving at the others feigning happiness, but they seemed to see through his façade. His eyes had gone vacant and his voice was less spirited now that the Mediwitch was here.

When the castle doors had shut behind Madam Pomfrey and Remus, the three remaining Marauders turned to one another.

"Will he be alright, do you reckon?" Peter asked, biting his lip.

"Maybe the Potion will work," James said doubtfully.

"We'll need a back up plan, if it doesn't," Sirius added grimly before they made their way back to the tower in thoughtful silence.

On Thursday after Charms, Sirius, James and Peter rushed from the room straight to the Hospital Wing, which was locked. Sirius banged on the door impatiently until a scandalized Madam Pomfrey opened the door and spoke to them.

"Why are you thundering around and disturbing my patients?" She said glaring dangerously.

Sirius was unphased, showing her his watch. "It's two after five. Visiting hours started two minutes ago."

"Well, who on earth are you visiting?" she snapped in annoyance.

"Remus, we heard he had an accident at home," James explained swiftly.

"But…how…" she trailed off in confusion.

"His dad owled us this morning," Peter said using their practiced lines.

"But…" Madam Pomfrey seemed suspicious.

Sensing this, James said, "Why did they send him back here? Couldn't a Healer see him at home?"

Madam Pomfrey shook her head. "Well…no. They thought it best to send him back right away as he has missed enough class as it is. It's only a few cuts and scratches. Looks worse than it is."

"Can we see him?" Peter asked.

"Very well," she said, opening the door and letting them through. They flew past her, straight to the bed they knew Remus would be in.

"Quiet! My patients need rest. You have ten minutes, not a lick more!" she called after them as they gathered by Remus' bedside. He looked better than the last time, though a large gash across his chest was smothered in orange paste and his eyes were heavily bagged.

"Alright mate?" James asked quietly as he sat on the edge of the bed.

Remus just nodded. "Nice to see you guys."

"You look all right…" Peter said shakily, glancing at the drops of blood on the sheets.

"I've had worse," Remus replied quietly, his eyes watching a suspicious Pomfrey disappear in to her office.

"Did it work?" Sirius said, removing the notebook and passing it to Peter who reluctantly poised to take notes.

"Well, I felt pretty good while I was waiting for it to start," Remus said gruffly. "But after that, it was the same as always…awful."

The three visitors groaned.

"Back to the drawing board then," Sirius sighed. "James, we'll need another note for the restricted section."

"Never mind. Nothing will help. If that Wolfsbane Potion hasn't been finished by experts, I doubt three twelve year olds will stumble on a cure," Remus said, tiredly leaning back against his pillows. "Did you bring me notes for lessons?"

"Made Pete do it," James said, waving at Peter who produced some skimpy notes on a scrap of parchment. Remus stared at it distastefully. "I guess I'll ask Lily."

"Don't give up yet Remus…we'll find a way to make this work," Sirius said cheerfully. "And there's that party tomorrow."

"Yeah, with James' girlfriend," Peter teased.

James rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Have you heard her talk? She's about the dullest girl I've ever met."

"Nothing compared to precious Evans, eh?" Sirius teased.

"He bought her flowers you know?" Peter said to Remus.

"Who Evans?" Remus asked in surprise.

James shook his head violently, having kept secret his awkward flower giving with Evans.

"Angie, he bought her these disgustingly huge daffodils by Owl Order," Sirius laughed.

"I heard girls like them," James shrugged. Really, he'd heard Lily tell Mary how much she liked daffodils and thought it would make her jealous seeing someone else get them.

"So if you don't like her, why bother?" Remus asked.

James shrugged. "I dunno. Thought it might be nice."

"He wants a snog," Sirius said with a wink. "Don't blame him. I could use a snog of my own."

"Another girlfriend, Sirius?" Remus asked.

Sirius shook his head. "Never. I want that Prefect though. Excellent knockers," he said perversely.

James and Peter laughed while Remus rolled his eyes. "She has a boyfriend, doesn't she?"

"And she's in Fifth Year," Peter added.

"So? I went out with a Fourth Year, didn't I?" Sirius said.

"Yeah, but Liv was no Dorcas Meadowes. That girl is too serious," James said. "And don't even make the joke you're thinking about, Sirius."

He laughed. "Ah…a boy can dream, can't he?"

The next day at breakfast, Angie was delivered James' bouquet of flowers and squealed so loudly, some people stopped to stare. James wasn't looking at her however and instead focusing on Lily Evans who was sitting closer to them at the Gryffindor House Table than ordinary.

"Hey Remus," he whispered urgently as he saw Angie working up to the nerve to come over to him.

"What?" Remus said, practically asleep on his toast.

"There's Evans. Don't you want her notes?" he said, poking him.

"Don't you want her babies?" Sirius joked, earning a swift kick from James.

"Right," Remus said, rubbing his eyes. "Excuse me, Lily!"

Lily turned, her face uninterested at first but smiling when she realized it was Remus, not James speaking.

"May I borrow your notes for the last two days? I had to go home and this lot didn't give me good notes."

Lily chuckled. "They never do, do they?" she said rummaging in her bag and pulling out a stack of papers. She got up and walked over to them, just as Angie ran over, the huge flowers in her hands.

"Oh Angie!" Lily said distractedly. "What lovely flowers!"

"Aren't they? It's my birthday and James sent them," Angie said excitedly. "Thank you James!" she said, blushing fiercely. James shrugged, looking at Lily out of the corner of his eye. She had a half smirk on her face.

"Expensive, Potter," she said bluntly before handing Remus the notes. "Take your time, Remus; I won't need them until Sunday."

"Thanks," he said gratefully, as James watched her. She nodded, ignored James and walked calmly back to Mary to finish her breakfast. Meanwhile, Angie was talking his ear off about her party.

"Oh I'm so glad you're coming!" she said excitedly.

"Yeah…whatever," James said, his eyes still on Lily, who now had her back to them.

A/N: Thanks for your reviews guys! Please review again :)