Between Years Five and Six - Friendship

Remus had always lived a very structured life. He had to in order to manage. Being a child of a mixed household they lived in what felt like two worlds. His Muggle father was a teacher and a kind man, even if he often said the wrong thing at exactly the wrong moment. It was never malicious and it often sent his students to the floor in fits of laughter. Remus' mother, being a witch, had brought him up with a firm understanding of that magical heritage and often found the Muggle world to be just as confusing as her husband did hers. It was an interesting way to live, and Remus though, in later years, that it might have made him more understanding. Their house had touches of magic here and there so that it could be accessed by both worlds. A few parts were kept private from the Muggle world, housing books and charmed objects that shouldn't be seen by those that didn't understand.

The shed it the back was like this.

Remus could barely recall a time when he was not ushered into that shed once a month, like clockwork, and his mother would cry every time. He had too, at first, but even as a small child he had realized it seemed to ease her pain when he showed none of his own. So he held it in until he heard the locks slide firmly into place, the quieting spell cloaking the shed so the neighbors couldn't hear, and then she was gone until morning light. The tears would come them, washing down flushed cheeks as the fear of the known caused him to tremble. Remus would curl into a corner, blanket pulled around himself for some semblance of comfort, and wait for it to begin.

His bones would shift, slowly at first, and he would feel it deep in his stomach. His head would ache in the beginning, like someone had hit him hard and he would shut his eyes against it, saying a silent little prayer. Then he was sure he knew what it felt like to die. Over and over again as his body twisted and contorted, changed and reshaped. It never got better over the years, and for all of it, he thought it might have gotten worse. He could remember, even as the dawn's light peeked in through the window, his screams that morphed into howls and proof of the horrible affair lay in the marks that were left on his pale skin. By the time he'd left for Hogwarts, he had more scars than he could count.

Then had come James, Sirius, and Peter. He'd never thought he could form something like a friendship, much less one as close as he shared with those three. The Marauders. James had come up with it, of course, and it seemed even more appropriate after the events of this past school year. They had banded together to help Remus through those monthly trials as never before, and he could never repay them appropriately.

Something he hadn't thought of, though, was that first summer back after having his three friends with him nearly every full moon of the past year. They had all spent that Christmas at Hogwarts, so there had been no going home for the holidays, nor had they gone home for Easter. At sixteen, he was sure that he had never felt so alone as the first full moon of the summer between fifth and sixth year.

He was sure it hurt worse, and he couldn't help but see the tears in his mother's eyes as she shut the door. He offered her a smile, but didn't trust his voice. The door had shut, the agony had begun, and when he'd returned to normal he was covered in blood. He reached a shaking hand for the blanket that had been freshly washed the night before and pressed it against one of the deeper marks across his ribs.

"Remus?"

He tried to answer her, but his voice caught and all he could manage was a very small whimper as he pulled the blanket closer and around himself. He just wanted to sleep. He thought he heard the door slide open and he could have sworn that he heard his mother calling to his father for help, but he couldn't be sure as the darkness took him.

Lights seemed to dance around him, seen in the same way as one approaching the surface of a lake. They weren't clear, but neither were the voices that he heard distantly, and for a moment he wondered if he might be swimming.

"... really very sweet, but it isn't the best time..."

"...bit ill this morning..."

Full moon. Right. Remus took a shuddering breath and vaguely wondered who his parents were trying to shoo away. It was only then that he heard a voice that he recognized, followed by another.

"We tried to get here sooner, but James got us lost on the Muggle trains."

"I got us lost?"

"Well I certainly didn't."

"It was completely your fault." James Potter's voice paused for a moment and then softened. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Lupin, we promise to be quiet. We..."

"Remus!"

Somehow he'd found the floor beneath his feet and managed his way into the sitting room. Sirius' voice had sounded surprised, but the younger wizard wasn't sure if it was because Remus was up and about or if was that nasty set of marks he could feel the bandages cover across his cheekbone.

James and Sirius were at his sides instantly, each taking an elbow and causing Remus to laugh. "It's okay, boys, I'm steady."

"Don't look it for an instant, Moony," James said with a grin. "Which way's the bed?"

"Back down the hall. Mum, don't worry. These are James and Sirius. They... they know. It's alright. What are you two doing here anyway?"

"Prongs got us lost or we'd have been here last night."

"Padfoot got us lost," James muttered half heartedly.

Remus chuckled and winced. "Well, outside of Hogwarts it's not like you could have done anything but waited." He sank gratefully down to his bed where his friends eased him and a smile broke out. "I've never been happier to see anyone in my life though."

His two friends grinned and took a seat on either side. "Well, we woulda dragged Wormtail along too, but his mum grounded him for rigging the toaster to fire the toast at his brother," James said with a laugh. "I think we might have finally rubbed off a bit on him. Sends his thoughts though."

"I'll send him an owl later this afternoon. What about you, James? Your parents didn't mind you and Sirius coming all this way?"

"It's not too far, or it wouldn't be, if we hadn't gotten lost."

"That and his folks are out for the week," Sirius said with a shrug.

James watched their friend carefully, noting the way his eyelids were beginning to droop and his shoulders sagging. The morning after was just as bad, in so many ways, as the day of. "Well, I know I could use some shut eye, after riding around in that bloody compartment all night."

Sirius looked like he might argue, but caught sight of Remus as well. "I'll second that," he said instead.

There was no argument given from their injured friend as they eased him down against the pillow, the other two students falling on either side. It was a matter of minutes before soft snores could be heard from the three young wizards and Marianne and John Lupin couldn't help but smile in the doorway at the sight. Greyback had taken much when he'd infected Remus all those years ago, but, it would seem, he couldn't take everything.