A/N You guys are awesome! I love you so much for showing me so much support. Some of you have been wondering if I'm just going to stop. Well you see I have no intention to do so. I leave school in less than five days to go to college, but before that I have nearly 16 weeks, give or take. And at the rate I'm thinking of future chapters, I should be able to satisfy your cravings more and more. (I might need to tell you that I'm going on holiday to Poland, so you might not get an update for two weeks, but I might have a plan rolled up my rather robe like sleeves to keep you all hooked.) Thankfully my muse for this story seems to be sticking around like... Sirius' swearing habits. No matter how much I tell it that I have studying to do, it comes back, bigger and louder than ever.
Anyway, read, review and enjoy. I have to say this chapter is not a personal favourite of mine, but it had to be written.
Lots of love
Sironaflett o.x.o

Lessons started the following day and for Sirius, James, Peter and Remus, they couldn't be happier. They had dived head first into their lessons and were enjoying their time now learning about Cornish Pixies in D.A.D.A with their new teacher Professor Medea Zephyrus who was a kindly old witch with a strong sense of adventure. She had previously been employed at the Ministry working along such Aurors as Mad-Eye Moody, but left after the Ministry failed to protect the Quidditch match during the summer. She seemed to know what she was teaching and most of the students got along with her. In potions, Slughorn, though saddened that he couldn't collect the "set" of Black's was pulling his weight in teaching them how to prepare swelling potions which Sirius had taken to heart and had used it on Snape at dinner, causing his nose to swell beyond recognition. This earned Sirius a week in detention.

"It was bloody worth it though," He said, remerging from the dungeons, laughing his head off, as James waited for him. He had obviously grown a bit since his first year and was his voice was heavier more defined. His hair had been cropped slightly but still remained long.

"I'm not denying that," James said, pushing his books into his bag. "Just don't declare that you did it to the entire school via a great banner. Maybe then you'd have more time to spend with us and not in detention."

"Aw, did you miss me?" Sirius teased.

"Not really, but you know you could help with the whole 'There's something the matter with Remus' thing," James said.

"My ears are burning," Said a pleasant voice from behind them.

James and Sirius turned. "Evening," James said tipping an invisible hat. "And where do you think you are going?"

Remus shrugged. "I'm not feeling too good. I'm going to go to Madame Pomfrey see what she can do for me."

"Oh, do you want us to walk you there?" Sirius asked.

"No," Remus' face paled again. "No, it's fine. I'll see you back in the common room."

"Alright," James said. "See you later then."

Remus nodded, pulling his bag further over his shoulder before taking a left to the hospital wing. Sirius and James waited for a minute before following him. James pulled out his invisibility cloak and pulled it over them. They bent low and pressed their ears against the hospital wing door. There was a distinct murmuring before the doors swung open and Madame Pomfrey and Remus walked out. James and Sirius stared at each other.

"C'mon," James muttered, following them down the stairs. Sirius grabbed his arm.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" He asked quietly. "It is an assault on his privacy. There may be a good reason that he never told us before."

"I just want to know," James insisted. "Tell me you're not curious,"

"I am." Sirius replied. "But if he is one, isn't there the likelihood that he would tear our throats at first chance?"

"What happened to Gryffindor Bravery?" James asked still following Remus and Madame Pomfrey.

"You might have gotten it," Sirius hissed. "But I come from a long line of snivelling back-stabbers. We're allowed to be a little wimpish now and then."

James grinned. "Aw, come on,"

"I hate you."

"Same."

James and Sirius stowed after their friend running down the steps at breakneck speed to catch up. Madame Pomfrey opened the doors to Hogwarts and they both slid out. James and Sirius quickened their step but didn't get through the door in time and landed with a nasty clatter on the floor cursing loudly and rubbing their heads. The invisibility cloak tangled around them. James pulled it off of them as they stood up.

"Bloody hell." He muttered.

Sirius got up rubbing his back. "Next time we just have a big noisy confrontation with him." He said. "You know, lots of shouting, sexual puns, the lot. None of this secret service stuff."

James wasn't listening. He was peering out one of the stain glass windows on the landing adjacent to the doors. "I can't see a goddamn thing," He muttered. Sirius picked up the invisibility cloak and trudged after his friend. Nearly headless Nick floated past and looked at the curious for a second. He too leaned against the window before James and Sirius realised that he was with them.

"What in god's name are you looking at?" He asked.

Sirius jumped a little. James made no movement. "We're watching Remus," He explained. "Only I can't see a thing."

"Oh," Nick peered out too. "Do you boys know how late it is?"

"Er..." Sirius checked his watch. "Shit – I mean... Oh I mean shit, James if we're caught out of the dorms we'll be in detention for a month."

"I have my cloak," James said, unworried. "We won't get cau-"

"POTTER, BLACK!" Shouted a voice. They turned to see Professor Merryweather, the Ancient Runes professor storming towards them.

"Oh shit," Sirius sighed.

"Do you have a reason for being here?" Merryweather asked, folding his arms.

James was doing some quick thinking. Very quick thinking. "I er... We er... We just... Er..."

"I've figured it out!" Cried a voice from the top of the stairs. All three looked up to see Peter racing down towards them, a book in his hand and his hair flopping around his plump face. He wore an expression of utmost glee on his face as he tripped down the stairs landing on the stone floor with an almighty thud. Unfazed, as if it was not uncommon, he got up and waved the book in Sirius' face.

"I figured it out," He said gleefully completely unaware of the professor standing not two feet away. "I got it. He's a –"

Sirius clapped his hand around Peter's mouth. "He's a blabbermouth," He finished grinning up to the professor. "Isn't he Peter?"

Peter frowned and Sirius kicked him. Peter nodded.

"A blabbermouth?" Merryweather asked.

"Yes," James said, taking lead. "He's a blabbermouth. It's a riddle we were trying to see if Peter could get."

"A riddle?" Merryweather asked, folding his arms, clearly not buying it.

"Yes," Sirius said, thinking hard. "'My first is in um... Oh, bollocks..."

"But not in peacocks," James said carrying on.

"Right, my second is in... Lethargic..."

"But not in farts..." James said.

"I get the idea," Merryweather said unimpressed. "Okay, twenty points off for cheeking a teacher. Another ten for being out so late. And I think... Another five for Black for swearing,"

"Oh cocking hell," Sirius said.

"Okay another ten," Merryweather said. "Now, will you two please escort Mr. Pettigrew back to your common room before he does any more damage to himself or the school."

James nodded. "Sure thing professor."

Sirius and James grabbed Peter under the arms and hauled him up the stairs. "I figured it out." He said excitedly pointing at his book. "Look! Look!"

"IN THE COMMON ROOM!" James hissed.

The trudged up the stairs and met the Fat Lady who was talking to another portrait of a wizard known as Samuel Astrophil.

"Rebus infirmis," Sirius said. The Fat Lady swung open without so much as a second look. James, Sirius and Peter climbed inside where most of the students had disappeared up to their beds. James Peter and Sirius took their usual seats beside the fire that was warming the entire dormitory. Peter pointed at what he had found. James and Sirius read it, for a second before looking at each other frowning.

"Er... Peter," James said. "Did you read this all the way through?"

"Why?" Peter asked.

Sirius burst out laughing. "Look!"

Peter bent down to read where Sirius was pointing, his face confused. When the realisation hit him, he opened his mouth into an 'O' shape, blushing slightly.

"Now, I know Remus is hiding a great big secret from us," Sirius said. "But I doubt very much that he has female genitalia as this book clearly states is the main feature of a Tagalog mandurugo."

"We could ask him about that while we're at it!" James laughed.

Peter looked dumbfounded. "I was sure I got it."

"Too bad, Pete," Sirius laughed wiping some of the tears away from his eyes and giving the book to James who was frowning at Sirius' lunarscope that was glowing brightly from the coffee table.

"Sirius," He said. "What does it mean when it does that?"

Sirius looked up. "Oh... It means it's a full moon."James was still frowning. He ripped the book from Sirius' hands and began flicking through it. "What's wrong?" Sirius asked.

"I think..." James said flicking through the pages. "I think..."

Sirius looked back at the Lunarscope, then it clicked. "You don't think?"

James nodded.

"HOLY SHIT!" Sirius bellowed.

"Keep your voice down," James said, finding the page he was looking for and spreading the book out on the table. Peter leaned forward and read the title.

"Werewolf?" He asked.

"It makes sense," Sirius said, jumping up. "Of course it does!"

James wasn't paying attention. He was reading concentrating on the words on the page. Everything seemed to fit, Remus' unfit state, the disappearances the bite and claw marks, his irrational fear of the moon... Sirius was going on about how all the signs were already there mainly for Peter to understand fully.

"Sirius," James said quietly, halting his speech. Sirius looked down.

"What?" He asked.

James looked up, his hazel eyes glinting and the flames of the fire glowing on his glasses. "What are we going to do about this?"

Sirius flopped back down onto the chair. He frowned, thinking. "Well, I'm assuming we'd have to confront him."

"I think he means after that," Peter said.

James nodded.

Sirius sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I don't know. It depends how he takes the news that we know."

"How do you think he will react?" James asked.

"Well... Badly," Peter said. "If he's kept it secret for this long, then I doubt he ever wanted us to know."

James, Peter and Sirius looked at each other, solemn and silent.

...

They entered the hospital wing the next morning as the sun began to peak during their morning break. James talked silently to Madame Pomfrey for a second before she let them pass.

"Don't stress him," She warned. "He was very ill last night."

"Don't worry," James smiled gently. "We'll behave."

Madame Pomfrey nodded before gliding towards her office. Sirius looked at Peter then at James before opening the curtain. Remus lay on the bed, sleeping lightly, with several bandages around his limbs and a fresh set of scars on his neck and face. On the tray was a half eaten sandwich and a large slab of chocolate. Sirius sat down on one of the chairs. James leaned down and shook their friend awake as Peter closed the curtain to the bed to give them privacy.

"Morning," James grinned as Remus woke sleepily, blinking up at the three of them.

"Oh," He muttered his voice hoarse, sitting up. "Yes, that's right. I need to..." He began to cough, Sirius handed him a goblet of water. He took it gratefully swallowing it down.

"You don't need to do anything," Peter said.

Remus looked up at them, frowning.

"Remus," James said kindly. "We..." He took a breath. "We know what you are."

"Yeah," Remus grimaced. "A sick bloody child with a shit immune system," He let out a loud cough again, clearing his throat and gritting his teeth.

"No," Peter said.

"Er..." Sirius sighed, before lowering his voice. "That you're a... a Werewolf." He whispered.

Remus made no reaction. He stared at his friends, a flash of terror in his eyes. He gave a shaky smile. "Who told you that rubbish? Because if it was Xeno, I'm afraid you've been had."

"Remus," James said.

"I'm not a werewolf!" Remus hissed angrily, fury going through him.

"Lemmy," Sirius said.

Remus shot him a dirty look. "I'm not a werewolf." He repeated. "And nor is my name Lemmy."

James licked his lips before pursuing. "We checked. Last night. Every time you're ill... The full moons... And the scars and general shabby appearances kind of gave it away."

Remus didn't say a word. He stared blankly at his chocolate.

"Remus?" James asked.

"Is that it then?" He asked quietly.

"What?"

Remus looked up. "You gonna leave me? You gonna walk out, like everything else in my fucking life?" The three boys looked at each other confused.

"Remus, why would we leave you?" James asked.

Remus wore an expression of pure disgust on his face. "Why wouldn't you? I'm a dangerous animal," He spat the words, angry with himself. They watched him break furiously, watching for the first time as he lost his temper.

"We're not going to abandon you," James insisted.

"Why not?"

"Well why would we?" James asked. "You're a werewolf, not a bloody troll."

"Is there any difference?" Remus asked angrily.

"Well yeah," Sirius said. "You smell better than a troll." He gave a cheeky grin. "Remus," He said leaning forward. "This doesn't change anything."

Remus continued to stare at his chocolate. James sighed, leaning forward.

"Remus," He said. "Remus look at me." Remus looked up to see the hazel eyes and sharp features. "You're our friend. We'd still be friends if you were a bloody three headed toad come every full moon. Do you know how cool this is?"

Remus shook his head. "James, it isn't cool. It doesn't fall in that category."

"What does it fall under?" Sirius asked curious.

Remus did not need to give thought into it. "Painful." He muttered taking another sip from his goblet.

"How so?" Peter asked.

Remus bit his lips, his breathing shallow. "Well, you try having your bones break and contort into something else whilst you're still conscious." He said. "Losing who you are completely, waking up with claw marks and bite marks all over your body because the bloody thing wants flesh but can't get to any. You try having a constant assault on your senses, heightened sound, smell, taste and touch, everything magnified and amplified so you don't feel human anymore. I think I can class it as painful."

Sirius, James and Peter fell silent. Then James looked up.

"Is that what happened to your sister?" He asked.

Remus' pale face drained. He stared at them. "Get out." He muttered angrily.

"I just-"

"GET OUT!" Remus bellowed. James, Sirius and Peter staggered up, watching their friend bury his head in his pillow. Sirius pulled James away.

"Come on," He muttered. "We'll talk to you later Remus."

Their friend did not look up.

...

Remus stayed out of their way for the next few days, refusing to even acknowledge their existence. For a day or so, they thought that it was what James had said to him, but then they grew to believe that it was a lot more than that.

"Who knows what goes on in his funny little mind," Sirius said upon entering the Herbology greenhouses.

"I hope you boys aren't having a go about Severus," Lily said absentmindedly following them, Snape behind her, staring at his shoes.

"Oh, Evans," James said, tutting. "You believe that everything revolves around your scrawny little boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend," Lily bit back, Snape growing red.

"Oh, well, then you won't mind us talking about him then," Sirius laughed going to the back of the class. Remus entered with Xeno, who was talking rather excitedly about something, Remus was uninterested and headed to one of the seats on his own.

"Oi!" Sirius said. "Lemmy, get over here."

"Why'd you call him Lemmy?" Xeno asked. "Seems rather silly doesn't it? I don't like it."

"You're not the only one," Remus muttered.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Get over here now,"

Xeno complied.

"No, not you!" James said. "Lemmy get over here."

Remus turned. "My name is not Lemmy." He said hoarsely. "Stop calling me by it."

"Fine," Sirius said. "What about Moon Mad Max?"

Remus said nothing, turning back to his text book.

"Remus," Peter said, desperately. "We need to talk."

"Yes," Sirius said. "We're all breaking up with you."

"Get over here you... Rather skinny lump of nothingness," James said. Remus pursed his lips before picking up his bag and joining them at the back table.

"See?" Sirius said, grinning as he tied his hair back. "Wasn't so bad now was it?"

Remus said nothing. James sighed. "Listen," He said. "We want to help you as much as we physically can. I've been doing some reading and-"

"Shock horror!" Sirius cried. "Potter has been reading. Did Potter understand the reading?" Remus gave a smile. "HA he laughed, we're off the hook!"

"Funny, Sirius," James said. "Listen, I've been reading, were- I mean, what you are," He dropped his voice. "You're only really a danger to humans, not animals,"

"What are you suggesting?" Sirius asked. "That we change into animals?"

"Essentially, yes," James said.

Peter was frowning. "Like Animgi?" He asked.

"Exactly," James said.

Remus was staring down at his book, his eyes dark. "I can't ask you to do such a thing," He muttered.

"Bullshit." Sirius said, James shot him a look. "I mean, pish-posh," He corrected himself. "We'll do anything to make you lead an easier life."

Remus didn't say anything. "I can't... No... It's too dangerous. No. I won't allow it."

"You are not my mother," Sirius said. "No matter how much you want to be her."

"Thank you Sirius," James said rolling his eyes. "Throw in another tranny joke and you have yourself a muggle Broadway show."

Sirius shrugged. "Just diffusing the tension."

Remus let out another laugh. His face fell. "I can't let you do that," He muttered.

"Remus, we don't care," James said. "I don't honestly care what you are. You're our friend and if anything, friends are always there for each other. Through thick and thin. I refuse to let you go through the... Monthlys, on your own. They sound like murder."

Remus said nothing.

"Remus," Sirius said. "Will you please cheer up? Would you rather that we found out and disowned you? It's better this way."

Remus again said nothing. Peter sighed.

"Remus," He said. "If you don't want to be friends with us anymore, that's fine, we understand-"

"No!" Remus cried. "I... No. I want to have friends. You have no idea what it's like not to have friends."

"Then let us help you," Said Sirius. "Please."

Remus licked his lips, then with hesitation, he nodded.