Year Four: Sirius thought it would be a good idea... It seemed like it would serve Snape right to get the scare of his lifetime for being so nosy. He just hadn't counted on how it would affect Remus.

A/N: I can't remember and I can't find anywhere in which it states what year this event happens, so I'm tossing it in the fourth year. The thought process being that it would have been after the Marauders had become involved with Remus' monthly transformations, but before they would have joined him in the shack as Animagi (thank you Harry Potter Wiki for the correct plural spelling!) So, there is a purpose to placing it here, unlike my habit of writing shorts from varying years without putting them in order... Eh... You win some you lose some...

It had seemed like a good idea at the time. Really it had. Snape had been so bloody nosy about something that shouldn't have concerned him at all. It made Sirius' blood boil just thinking about it. They went to great lengths to keep Remus safe and that little snake just couldn't stand not knowing where he went every full moon. He'd followed him in hopes of finding some way to get back at them. To get them expelled. It had served him right.

At least, that's what Sirius had told himself even as James hauled Severus out of the tunnels, barely escaping with their lives and limbs intact. That's what he'd told himself as James mended the terrible mess and somehow managed to get Severus to swear an oath: he would keep their secret as long as they all lived. That's even what Sirius told James just before the younger boy slammed him against the stilled willow, voice low as not to gain attention, but fierce and angry.

"Do you know what you've done?" he hissed, using his growth spurt to his advantage.

"Yeah, teaching Snivels a lesson. Betcha he'll never follow us again after that."

"You bloody idiot! What if I hadn't seen what was happening? What if Remus had hurt him? Or worse, killed him?"

Sirius sniffed, brushing James' loosening grip from his shirt. "Guess we might have gotten into some trouble over that."

"Trouble?! You would have deserved what you got, but Remus... He's managed to stay off registries thanks to Dumbledore, but that would be all over, and he would have remembered everything. Do you not realize what this would have done to him? What it will do to him?"

Sirius relented and allowed his nonchalant expression to slip and show the understanding that had finally begun to ebb at him. "I hadn't really thought about that."

"Damn right you didn't think. Snape is a pain, but not even he deserves that. Remus doesn't deserve that."

"I'm sorry, Prongs," Sirius murmured, using the new nickname that James had been given by the other Marauders upon his first full transformation into an Animagus. Now if they could just catch Peter up, they'd be able to be there for these nights...

"Save it for Remus."

Sirius reached out as James started to storm off, a very frightened looking Peter stumbling to follow. His hand dropped back down after a moment and he took a shuddering breath. He was alone in the night now, with only the sound of an caged, angry Werewolf for company.

James Potter crossed the way towards the Whomping Willow, feeling exhaustion tug at him. He'd hoped to sleep some that night, but every time he'd closed his eyes he bordered on a dream that could have only ended with Severus Snape in pieces and Remus being hauled off to his own demise. Being that as it was, he was left irritable and still angry.

He was a little surprised to see Sirius sitting just out of the way of a flailing willow, paying little attention to anything.

The curly haired teen looked up when his name was called, showing dark circles that matched James' own and eyes so red that he must have spent the night crying. Brave, unshakable Sirius Black had spent the night repenting to the sound of their anguishing friend.

The two fourth years sat side by side without a sound until the sun began to peek up over the horizon. Silently they stood, slipping past the tree and down the path. It was quiet behind the door and James deftly undid the lock with a flick of his wand.

The room was more damaged than usual and only a small bit of light filtered in from the rising sun. In the far corner, curled into himself with only a tattered quilt around his bony shoulders, huddled Remus Lupin.

"Hey, Moony," James called quietly, inching towards his friend. He knelt next to him, noting a rather nasty gash peeking out from under the quilt along the collarbone. "You alright, mate?"

Remus managed to lift his head at this, green eyes haunted. "Did I...?"

"No, we got him out in time," James promised. "And he's sworn to silence. He won't risk what would happen if he snitched. Your secret's safe, Moony. No one else will know."

"But he does, and I could have killed him."

Slowly, almost unsure, James wrapped his arms around his friend's shoulders. He was careful to watch for any signs of pain that he was causing. Remus fell into him, trembling as if he were fighting to keep himself together and losing the battle. They sat there for a moment, unmoving and unsure of exactly what to do. It wasn't as if they could find something in their books to teach them on how to deal with situations like this.

"Remus?" Sirius murmured softly, breaking the silence. "Mate, I'm sorry."

The injured boy looked up, eyes flashing. "You brought him down here?" he demanded, not bothering to try to hide the hurt from his voice.

"It was stupid, Moony. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Sirius said over and over, voice trembling. He hadn't thought it through. The idea of Snape getting a glance at a real Werewolf and running scared had been what had fueled it. It didn't matter now. None of that mattered now. He'd risked the very person they had tried so desperately to protect.

Remus shifted, pulling the quilt tightly around his shoulders as he struggled to stand. James was at his side, holding him up as gently as possible. He could see fresh blood stains on the floor and he understood that his friend wasn't shaking entirely from the transformation. "We need to get you to the hospital wing," he said quietly, but Remus pulled away.

Both James and Sirius were surprised at the speed in which he covered the space between, and Sirius was equally surprise with how much force the blow had, much less that Remus had hit him. He was sent sprawling back, completely unprepared and Remus sunk heavily to the floor, coughing and shaking. "Now I'm ready to go," he said hoarsely, turning his eyes towards James.

Madame Pomfrey shooed both boys away as soon as they had Remus laid out on a bed. The wing was quiet and the halls were not quite full of students yet. It was a Sunday and most would be sleeping in. It left the Gryffindor teens to their own devices and a healthy respect of avoiding Severus Snape.

Around dinner time Sirius said he could no longer stand it. He'd tried to study, he'd tried to play a game or two, and he'd even gone for a walk all around the grounds, but what he needed was to see Remus.

"Yeah, but does he want to see you?" Peter asked. "Gave you a shiner."

"I deserved it," Sirius murmured. "I deserved more."

"You did," James agreed, "but if you're going, we might as well go to. Someone needs to keep him from ripping your head off."

They didn't speak as they moved towards the wing, finding it just as quiet as it had been that morning. Remus looked small and frail against the white bedsheets, bandages peeking out from under his pyjama top and eyes shut. At the sound of shoes against the floor, he managed to open his eyes and glance over, effectively freezing all three friends in their strides.

Green eyes locked with grey and Sirius felt the other two shrinking back, James murmuring something about giving them a moment. The snarky reply died in Sirius' throat as he stepped closer, feeling very self-conscious.

"I'm sorry I hit you."

The words startled the elder teen and he blinked, eyes wide. "What...?"

Remus shifted, starting his attempt to sit up, but Sirius covered the remaining distance and took a seat on the edge of the bed, easing him back down. "I should be apologizing to you."

"You should be apologizing to Severus, but I know you won't," Remus answered, the smile looking forced and worn.

"It was stupid."

"It was."

"I can't ask you to forgive me."

At this the smile seemed to turn genuine. "Padfoot, you and the others have proven to be the most loyal friends anyone could ever ask for. Especially me. I just... please, please never do anything like that again. I can't... If I'd hurt him... If I'd hurt anyone... Sirius, I could never live with myself."

"I won't," Sirius agreed hastily. "I promise. No more putting you in danger, no more life-threatening tricks on Snape."

"That's settled then," Remus murmured, voice drifting at the end as his eyes fluttered closed.

Sirius watched him for a moment, finding his friend's hand to grip in his own as if to prove to himself that Remus was still there. Still breathing and alive. He was sure, in that very moment, that he'd never met a braver soul and was sure that he never would.