Chapter 7

It will start any minute now. Remus thought nervously. Time seemed to slowly pass as he looked at his surroundings. The small bedroom looked new. The ivory painted walls were pure and clean. He could still smell the fresh paint. The flooring was oak floorboards, freshly mopped. There was a small bed with a black steel frame, and a brown blanket and pillow, made neatly. Mrs. Mcgonagall really put in efforts to try to make me comfortable. Too bad most of this stuff will be in shreds by the morning. He sat on the edge of the bed started to hyperventilate, his breathing became short and quick and experienced a panic attack. He grabbed the brown pillow and hugged it. Please don't make me transform again. But the wolf inside of him was done patiently waiting for his freedom from the depths of Remus' soul. Remus felt an intense feeling of pain shoot through his body, like electricity sparking inside of him. As a painful reaction, he tore the pillow in half and white feathers flew everywhere. He screamed and looked to his hands, for he knew they were the first to transform. Grey hairs grew from his skin like barbed wire, drawing blood. Next he felt his fingernails grow rapidly, splitting his delicate finger skin as long black claws grew. He put his hands behind him and grasped the mattress. His powerful grip and claws easily ripped two handfuls of the mattress foam. He yelled a pained yelp, and stood up and leaned against the wall next to the bed. His forehead pushed against the wall as his fists punched it repeatedly. His new claws in the fists caused gashes to open, and blood rushed out. Remus prepared himself for worse.

Suddenly he fell to the ground because his human leg bones and knee caps and legs were replaced with the anatomy of a wolf's leg. He could hear every movement of those bones, followed by the rapid expansion of his vertebrae. He grabbed the steel bed frame and balanced his body against it, as he was pushing his body up, he managed to bend a steel support. Next he felt razor sharp wolf teeth grow in front of his human teeth, cutting open his gums, and dislocating his jaw. He felt his entire face expand into the shape of a muzzle and patches of fur appeared all over his bony body. At this point, his consciousness lost all control of his motor movements. The wolf started wildly scratching at the walls and door, searching for human flesh to devour. Then his vision and consciousness weakened and blurred until Remus Lupin blacked out and the wolf took over his mind as well.

At the next morning's dawn, Professor Mcgonagall and a young pretty nurse named Madam Pomfrey went to the Shrieking shack to retrieve Remus Lupin. When they opened the door, they were horrified to witness a pale Remus sleeping in the fetal position, covered in fresh cuts and bruises from the night before. The room was completely torn apart. The drywall was covered in scratches, some of the floor boards were ripped up, and the bed was broken in two parts. "He must have lost a lot of blood, poor boy. It will take longer than I thought to heal him, even with his werewolf's advanced healing abilities." Ms. Pomfrey said.

"Thank you Ms. Pomfrey. Apparate yourself and Mr. Lupin in the infirmary, and put him in the private recovery room. If any of his friends come to see them, send them away and tell him he's still not well." Mcgonagall instructed. She took a long glance around the room and sighed "I'll take care of the room."

When Remus woke up, he examined his small wounds that covered his body. They were luckily in places like his legs and arms where he could cover with clothing. He noticed his sensitivity to sounds and lights had pleasantly disappeared.

"You know, when we brought you in yesterday, your cuts and bruises were in a much more severe condition. If it weren't for your unique powers to heal, you would probably have to stay here till next week. But you can go if you feel up to it." Ms. Pomfrey said positively to Remus. Remus didn't see her in the chair of the small stone room.

"I was out for a whole day?" Remus said disappointed. He worried that his friends became suspicious of his absence.

"Yes, but Mrs. Mcgonagall already informed your friends with this note that you wrote them." Mrs. Pomfrey gave a note on lined paper for Remus to Examine.

"Dear friends,

Though I am now feeling better, my mother and father picked me up last night to go to a muggle hospital to treat my migraines. They found a slight defect in my brain, but it's treatable with muggle medicine. However, I will need to travel to my doctor every month around this time for medication. I will see you all hopefully tomorrow.

-Remus."

A bit robotic, but believable. "This is perfect, thanks Mrs. Pomfrey. What time is it?"

"18:00. If you haste, you'll be able to eat with your friends today." Mrs. Pompfrey said. Remus got up to leave. "Oh Mr. Lupin." Remus turned to her. "Take this chocolate bar, It may ease your discomfort." Ms. Pomfrey said playfully. Remus smiled curiously and took it and bit into it. Delicious. He thanked her and left.

Remus walked into the Great Hall and embarrassedly Sirius screamed. "Hey! Remus' back!" The majority of the Gryffindor table, and some others cheered. Remus took his seat and was greeted warmly.

"Hey, we missed you." Peter said.

"Welcome back to the living, mate!" James said.

"Yeah, we got your note, did they open up that noggin of yours?" Sirius said.

"No, no. They just took a CAT scan and gave me medicine." Remus lied.

"It's good to have you back. You ready to study tonight? Severus and I can catch you up on what you missed. I even took your notes for you." Lilly said.

"Nerds!" James said. Lily rolled her eyes.

"James Potter, you are the most immature and insufferable person I've ever met. Remus, how do you put up with him." Lily asked

"Honestly. . . I don't even know." Remus said jokingly and their group laughed. Once again, Remus felt content and happy with his life. It was always a relief when the full moon ended, because the rest of the month was his to enjoy a normal life.