Thanks to Bookwurm1612 for the lovely review.

Chapter 41:

The healers had been and gone, giving Madame Pomfrey some advice on how to care for James and Sirius before returning to St Mungo's. Peter was the first to leave the hospital wing. The day after the attack he returned to his lessons. The other Gryffindors all asked him where the other marauders were with worried expressions, "hospital wing," he grunted.

"What happened?" Alice asked, concerned.

Lily laughed, "as if you have to ask. They probably went and got themselves into a duel."

"We were attacked by some of the Slytherins," Peter replied.

"Who?" Marlene asked.

"Rosier, Malfoy, Narcissa Black, Avery and…" Peter looked at Lily before adding, "Snape."

"I don't believe you," Lily scowled.

"I know but it's still true," Peter frowned, "you don't have to believe the truth to make it true."

Lily stormed off without asking how the marauders were. "How are they, Pete?" Frank asked.

"Not good," Peter replied, "Pomfrey had to get help from St Mungo's. James and Sirius are still unconscious. Remus is awake but weak."

The friends nodded, "we'll go visit them after dinner."

The girls, Frank and Peter visited the three marauders every day. They brought them homework and sat chatting to Remus for hours about absolutely nothing. Two days later and James and Sirius still hadn't woken up. Remus was incredibly worried about his best friends. He hoped that they would wake up before his transformation. It was the full moon in a few days time. Lily came to visit the marauders once because her friends dragged her along with them. She saw Remus sitting up in bed reading. He looked slightly worse for wear. Then her eyes travelled to the dark haired boy in the next bed, Sirius Black. Sirius was snoring gently. He looked very pale. Her eyes continued onto the next bed, James looked dreadful. Lily saw what looked like burns all over his skin. "What happened to him?"

"What James?" Remus asked.

"Yeah," Lily breathed.

"Rosier hit him with a really dark curse," Remus began, "it was like this purple fire. Pomfrey didn't know what it was. They can't get rid of his burns until he wakes up but he's been out of it for almost three days now."

"Three days?" Lily repeated. "What happened?"

"Well – we were coming back from visiting Hagrid when we ran into Rosier, Malfoy, Black, Avery and… well, Snape. James and his hero complex ended up duelling with Rosier. Sirius and his cousin started duelling. I ended up fighting Malfoy which left Peter stuck with Avery and Snape."

"Oh," Lily sighed.

"James tried disarming Rosier but he blocked his spell. We kept trying to use defensive spells; trying to stun them and stuff but they just blocked them all. They tried cursing us but we blocked most of their curses. I managed to get Malfoy with this bird charm that I like doing when I'm bored. I got the birds to attack him. By this point Snape and Avery had stunned Pete so I used the knockback jinx on Avery. Snape used one of his own spells on me to stop me casting any spells before using the cruciatus curse on me."

"I – I don't believe it," Lily cried.

"I know he's your best friend but I wouldn't lie to you," Remus sighed.

"James got distracted because of me," Remus frowned, clearly feeling guilty.

"James and his bloody hero complex," Alice shook her head.

"Rosier hit him with the purple flames. He looked surprised when James tried to stand up. I think he expected James to be dead if I'm honest."

Lily's eyes were wide in horror, "then what?"

"Narcissa got Sirius with the Transmogrifian Torture. Then they heard Filch so they all ran away."

"I can't believe Sev would do that," Lily frowned.

"It's not the first time he's done something like this Lily," Remus spluttered, "ask him about his sectumsempra curse."

Sirius groaned from his bed, "hell when he arrived here last year he knew more curses and hexes than most of the seventh years."

Some of the girls laughed at Sirius' words but Marlene ran over to his bed and grabbed his hand, "you stupid fool. Are you ok?"

"Marley, anyone would think you were worried about me," Sirius joked.

"No, not worried," Marlene laughed gently, "just concerned."

Two days later when it was time for Remus to make his way down the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack, Potter was still unconscious. Sirius spent most of his time asleep except when their friends visited. Lily had been back several times and her gaze kept falling on James, who remained peacefully asleep in his bed. He appeared to becoming frailer, with dark bruises under his eyes. His burns were also looking worse. Pomfrey watched him closely, there was very little she could do until he woke up.

Remus took his potion before checking that Sirius was asleep and made his way out of the hospital wing and out into the grounds. A few hours later, Sirius woke up wondering where Remus was. He asked Madame Pomfrey but she merely replied that he'd be back in the morning. Sirius frowned. He was growing more suspiscious of Remus every day. He began to think up what could possibly be going on. He disappears for a day or two each month. He usually looks like he's gotten himself into a fight and lost when he comes back. It's always once a month and you can almost guess when it's going to happen. He always looks slightly sick just before he goes away… oh I don't know. I'm going to ask him about it though. I hate it when my friends lie to me…"

The following morning, Remus had indeed returned. Sirius was about to ask him where he'd been when he heard a voice, "he's asleep. Leave him alone. He's a werewolf ok! Now quit bugging him." James was awake.

"A werewolf?" Sirius asked. "I'd never have guessed that! Why hasn't he told us?"

"He's scared that we won't be his friends anymore," James replied.

"Oh yeah, I guess being a werewolf doesn't help people warm to you."

"Don't tell him you know," James instructed his best friend, "at least not yet."

Remus was allowed out of the hospital wing pretty quickly after his transformation. Sirius followed him a few days later leaving James alone. James was expected to take several potions each day and Madame Pomfrey barely let him out of her sight. The other Gryffindors came and visited him each day but he gradually became more and more restless. James was finally allowed out of the hospital wing on the first of December. He was slightly thinner than normal but Madame Pomfrey smiled at him, "you have everything you need. Please don't go getting yourself in anymore fights dear. I was really worried for a while there, James."

"I hear you Poppy. I'm going to keep out of trouble for a while." James said as he made his way out of the hospital wing.

Next Chapter...

Another duel between the Gs and Ss...

Charms Class...

News from outside of Hogwarts...

Remus finds out his friends know his secret...