The day with the dreaded lesson came quicker than Remus would have wanted it to. But then again, he didn't want it to come at all. He was at a point where he almost wished for it to be full moon, so that he could stay out of class. Almost.
The rest of the marauders didn't seem to have forgotten either. They were unusually nice to him that day; they didn't even tease him with his note-taking, which was normally a ritual, something they had to do at least ones daily. It kind of reminded him of the day of the full moon, the day of the month they seemed to be most attentive of him.
On the way to the Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, Sirius gave him a friendly pad on the shoulder, James gave him a reassuring smile and Peter a thumps up.
In the classroom he ended up sitting next to James, which surprised him a little, as James was the one it was rarest for him to sit next to. He silently wondered if it was just a coincidence or if it was something that was supposed to make him feel better.
"Good afternoon, class," Miss Goodwin said as she entered. "I hope all of you have read the text?"
Most of the class nodded slightly. Remus was skeptic. He were pretty sure there would be some who hadn't, but he himself wasn't one of them. It hadn't been that bad… Or at least it could have been a lot worse. There had been both incorrect things and… slightly embarrassing things.
"Well, then I trust you can tell me the differences between a werewolf and an animagus?"
Remus felt a strong urge to facepalm. What the differences were? How was the two things even connected? It'll be a lot easier to list the similarities! Remus felt a stamp on his foot, and saw James push a note to his side of the table.
Remember to act normally. It'll be weird if you don't answer any of the questions.
Remus looked surprised at the note, while hearing the hufflepuff boy, who usually competed with him in who could answer the most questions, list the differences. Normally, when Remus told the other marauders not to talk so carelessly of his secret, they just said no-one was going to figure out anyway. What had changed that?
"Very good, Jones," The professor told the hufflepuff boy.
Suddenly, Remus realized something. It had never been James who was careless. He was the one to call it a 'Furry-little-problem.' He was the one to come up with the excuses for Remus' absence, when Remus didn't know what to say. James had actually been very careful about it!
"You see, a werewolf is someone who is infected with lycanthropy. The illness turns a person into a dangerous beast and… and..." Miss Goodwin started to lose trail, at the sight of both James and Sirius hands in the air and a moment later Peters.
Remus, who had clenched his fist and were looking down in the table, looked up when the professor stopped talking. He was as overwhelmed to see his friends lifted hands, as Miss Goodwin seemed to be. Miss Goodwin seemed to get herself together, and choose to hear James.
"I assume you mean that the illness turns them into a beast at full moon, right?" James asked.
"Well, some scholars think that the illness also affects them while they're not transformed," The teacher said flurried.
Remus felt hurt by those words, but it seemed more likely, that Miss Goodwin just tried to give them knowledge of all the different theories, than that she truly believed it. James raised his hand again, but she chose to ask Sirius.
"There's no prove, is there?" He asked cockily. "The theory probably just builds on old tales and stuff."
"I don't believe so, but I am quite certain there's more to it than that. Even though there's no real prove, many scholars have written reports on badly behavior in werewolves," Miss Godwin said.
That's because there's no one around to make us happy! Well, there is for me, but I'm extremely lucky! Remus really wanted to yell his thoughts at her. Or just get up and leave. That'll be good too. But he did neither; instead he just clenched his fists again.
All three of his friends' hands were still raised. Remus forced himself not to laugh. Miss Goodwin seemed to see, that it couldn't go on like that.
"Is these questions about the behavior of werewolves when they're not transformed?" She asked. All three nodded. "Well, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know more about the subject but what I've already told you."
Then she continued the class like nothing had happened. Remus forced himself to answer a couple of the questions, but he didn't take any notes that class. It didn't really seem necessary.
"Hey, Remy!" Sirius asked.
It was later the same day. Once again the marauders were alone in the boy dormitory. James was playing with that Golden Snitch of his with Peter as audience and Remus was reading. Sirius was looking in a Quidditch magazine
"I've told you not to call me that," Remus pointed out.
"Does the transformation really hurt as much as Miss Goody-Goody described?" He asked, ignoring Remus' former remark.
Remus dropped his book in shock; they rarely talked about his condition. Which he was glad for.
"Honestly, you can't keep getting that surprised every time we mention it," Sirius said, casually, turning a page.
The conversation had gotten the other two interest now, and Remus didn't see any way he would be able to escape the conversation now.
"Sorry, what did you ask?" Remus said emotionless.
"I asked if Professor Goodwins description of the transformation was truthfully," He said, putting the magazine away.
Remus did notice that he used her proper name. Sirius is serious! Yeah, who else would he be? He asked himself wryly.
"If you really have to know…" He said vacantly.
Sirius nodded.
"Of course it does! All your bones are changing form, so of course it hurts like hell!" Remus yelled.
He did not know what had suddenly made him angry. His friends seemed surprised as well, but their eyes were also filled with compassion. There was completely silent for a couple of moments. Remus found himself starting to worry about, if anyone had heard his outburst, and found it strange.
"Merlin's beard! Remus John Lupin cursed! He actually swore!" Sirius started to yell, probably just to break the silence.
"Nooooh! We have influence him! Please forgive our sinful ways!" James, Sirius and Peter cried.
"Oh, shut up…" Remus said, but found it hard not to laugh.
How odd it was, really, that his friends were able to turn such a dreadful situation to something laughable.
Notes: To all who reviewed, thank you very much!
HPluvsGWforeva: Thank you! And see, I got you more! ;)
Cassia4u: Thank you, and here you go ^^
Kkool: Thank you. And about that, I was just sharing my thoughts. It didn't take long for me to choose against it, because 1. It might seem pretty stupid and 2. I don't think I'm much good at romances xD Especially not when it's boys, cause, you know, I'm a girl, and I'd be terrified to portray it in a way that would make actual gays facepalm.
Moony: Thanks, I'm obviously a bit of a Remus fan myself. I've always had a liking for characters who is outcasts because of something that's really not their fault. (The reason why I like Naruto, .)
EmmaR: Thanks, it means a lot to me that I portray cannon characters realistic, which is why I've been writing with OC's up to now. I'm also very glad to know you think it's written good, cause I'm actually a second language And we'll see about the AU, I would differently find it amusing to write, but I have the reasons listed above, as to why I might not write it.