Sirius wasn't one to do anything his Mother wanted. His major act of rebellion by being placed in Gryffindor was what set his mother off. She had left him alone most of the fall term. That is until Lucius Malfoy had mentioned to his parents that he had been growing close with the Donoghue Heiress.

Which is why he finally received a letter from his mother. Since the Howler incident, he hadn't heard from her. His father only checked in on him once a month and would send him a package full of more supplies and money. Otherwise, that was it.

He glared at the letter, tempted to set it on fire just as the howler had gone up in flames.

Stuffing the letter in the inner pocket of his robes, he left the empty common room and headed up to his dorm room. Upon entering, he only found James inside, who was going over the map.

"Where is Lupin?"

James looked up from the several parchment papers, "he took Peter to the Kitchens. They both wanted chocolate cauldron cakes."

"I have something to tell you mate," he started. It had been a couple of days since Gwen and him had spoken about Remus' furry problem. "Remus is a werewolf."

James just stared at him.

Before he bursted into laughter.

Rolling his eyes, he waited for him to finish up his little laugh session before he continued.

"Gwen has been watching him the last couple of months, it's why she has been writing in that diary of her's more frequently. She figured it out and confronted him about it."

The wizard just adjusted his glasses in thought, "of course my swot cousin would figure out a secret such as that."

Sirius couldn't help but smile, "she is a bright witch." He leaned up against the bedframe of Remus's bed, "it doesn't bother you that we've been living with a werewolf?"

He shook his head, "not really. The bloke can't help it that he has a furry problem." The two boys grinned at one another, "it makes sense. His disappearing act, the lies, and the symptoms. Is that why he has been weird about her?"

The Black heir could only nod, "she confronted him and explained to him that they were still friends regardless of his lycanthropy. He claimed that he was a monster and has been avoiding her since."

"That does explain why he's been on edge of late." James surmised, "do the professors know?"

"Gwen had seen Headmaster Dumbledore lead Remus to the Whomping Willow tree last month after the quidditch match while everyone was distracted."

"Should we tell him that we know?"

"I promised Gwen that I would fix their friendship," he surmised. "I decided to tell you and then talk to him."

"What about Peter?"

Sirius shrugged, "I guess we should tell him. Honestly, I forgot about the bloke."

James buried the map into his trunk, "he is a bit annoying." He paused in thought, "but Remus does enjoy his company so we should tell him."

James and Sirius decided to tell Peter first and then brainstorm a few ideas on how to talk to the boy about his lycanthropy. In actuality, they wanted to be as kind as they knew it would be a sensitive subject for him. Sirius knew that the best decision would be to confront him in the privacy of their dorm room as nobody would be able to overhear as they had placed silencing spells on their dorm as they could plot without anyone overhearing them.

Peter came back to the room alone, his arms full of sweets. Most likely to restock their stash of food they kept in their room. Sirius and James had been sitting on the floor doing homework when Peter dumped the treats on his bed.

"Where is Remus?"

Peter wiped his mouth with his sleeve, "we ran into Lily on the way back, she asked for him to look over her essay so they went to the library."

"Pete, we have something to discuss with you." James started, shoving his homework into his trunk, "It's to do with Remus."

Peter looked confused.

"Remus is a werewolf,"

The stout boy's eyes grew wide, the cauldron cake in his hand dropping to the floor with a squelching noise.

"We need to tell the professors then!" he made a rush for the door. James blocked the exit by being quicker, "he's endangering us! He is a dark creature in the book of Fantastic Beasts!"

Sirius couldn't believe what he was hearing, "we are his friends! How dare you say something like that?"

Peter whimpered, "He could hurt us! Or worse!" He whispered, "Make us become like his kind…"

The Black heir growled, "shut your mouth Peter! He isn't going to hurt us. It's not contagious like a common cold, you git. You have to be bitten on the full moon in order to become a werewolf."

Peter whimpered, "he is still dangerous…"

James snorted, his arms crossed over his chest. "Remus? The same boy who irons his knickers and socks? Who has an organizational system? Oh yes, he is so threatening with his books and quills."

"If you truly feel that way Peter, I suggest that you remove yourself from this dorm." The eldest of the boys snapped, disgusted by the way Peter was acting by the news. "The only reason we allowed you to hang out with us is because of Remus."

Pissed didn't begin to explain what Sirius was feeling. The fact that Peter was quick to turn on his friend.

The short boy shrunk back at Sirius' temper. Staying silent, he just bowed his head in submission. James and Sirius ignored Peter, even though he had chosen to stay and confront Remus.

An hour had gone by before Remus returned to the dorm after helping Evans with her paper. They had three hours before they would have to go down for dinner. Which meant that they had until then to talk to him.

They were silent, watching him as he sleepily put his bag on top of his trunk at the end of his canopy bed. "Do you still have some of those cauldron cakes Pete?"

The boy in question looked startled, almost afraid as he stared at the werewolf that had been his friend.

"In my trunk," he surmised.

Remus, confused by his rather odd–er behavior, went into Peter's trunk and fetched the cauldron cake. A look passed between Sirius and James, before they gazed at Remus.

"Is your love for chocolate derived from you being a werewolf?"

The cauldron cake in Remus' hands fell to the floor with a squelching noise. "W–what?"

Caught off guard by what Sirius had said, Remus just stood, frozen. Didn't even look as though he was breathing. Had it not been such a serious topic, Sirius was tempted to walk over and poke him, just to see if he would topple over.

"Come on mate," James finally spoke up. "Gwen and Sirius figured it out and Sirius had been the one to explain to us why you act odd during the full moon."

He bowed his head, sandy brown hair falling over his eyes as he began to cry by the evidence of his trembling shoulders. James and Sirius glanced at one another, unsure of what to do. Sirius plucked the handkerchief out of his pocket, placed his hand on his shoulder, ignoring how he flinched and silently thrusted it into his hands.

James, following Sirius' lead, also placed a hand on his other shoulder. They stood there, waiting for him to stop crying. Peter stood dumbly to the side, not sure what to do. Sirius noted silently to never rely on the cowardly wizard.

After a while, Remus stopped crying. Occasionally sniffing, he wiped his face with the silk fabric and sat on his trunk.

"I was only four when it happened," he started, his voice hoarse and eyes swollen. "My Mother had gone into the house to put the laundry away after taking them down from the clothesline. I was in the yard, chasing a butterfly.

He was handed a fresh handkerchief by the Black Heir, he took a shuddering breath. Everyone was silent, waiting for him to continue.

"Fenir Greyback had sought revenge for what my Father had said about werewolves at work. He had attacked me. Apparently Greyback had left a note for my Father, who rushed home from work to save me. He had been too late as the damage was done. I had been afflicted. My Mother held me and cried while my Father, guilt-ridden and ashamed could barely look at me. Originally I wasn't supposed to come to Hogwarts, due to my condition, however Headmaster Dumbledore had come to give my letter personally. He assured my parents that precautions would be put in place for my condition."

Sirius finally spoke up after several moments of silence, "explains why Gwen had seen you with him at the Whomping Willow."

He nodded curtly.

James snorted, "don't be too hard on yourself. Nobody can hide anything from my swot cousin. Once she gets something in her head, she won't be deterred."

That seemed to make him smile before laughing. The other two boys joined in.

"We don't mind your furry problem," Sirius started. "We're friends for life mate. Nothing will change that, even your furry little problem."

"Stop calling it that," he groaned.

"It has a nice ring to it." James was quick to tease the boy, who only groaned louder.

The three guys laughed.

"You can talk to us, we're your mates. Which means that you don't have to go through this alone any longer."

Their werewolf friend stared at him, his eyes searching desperately for any sign of betrayal. Instead they were filled with relief and fear. Fear by the utter sincerity that he was exhibiting. The same sincere and genuine compassion that Gwen had exhibited when she had confronted him. Which only made him feel guilt. Guilt for how he had been acting. However, he understood that his feelings were validated.

It isn't everyday that his friends find out about his furry little problem.

"I–" he paused, his throat feeling as though it would close from the lump in his throat swelling. "Thank you." It was all he could muster, but knew that words couldn't truly express the gratitude that he felt regarding the feelings he felt about his friends and how they accepted his condition.

Clapping his hands, James stood. "Now that we have that marked off the agenda, I suggest that we get down to the Great Hall for dinner and then get back to working on our map."

Peter came over to Remus, sheepishly he handed him his last chocolate frog. "I hope you understand my hesitance and accept this as an apology."

Grinning, he accepted the gift. "Nothing to apologize for, I understand."

Tucking the treat in the inner pocket of his robe, he stuffed the used handkerchief into his pocket along with the treat. James, their unofficial leader of their group, began to leave the room with Peter as they spoke of avoiding Filch.

Sirius walked alongside Remus. While he felt happy that Remus accepted their genuinity and compassion, it made him feel guilty since Remus had been ignoring Gwen since she had confronted him.

"What's the matter?" Remus inquired, his curiosity piqued.

Sirius glanced at him, hands thrust deep into his pockets. "It just doesn't sit right with me that you're avoiding Gwen but accepting us. It feels unjust."

Remus blushed, visibly embarrassed by Sirius' observation. "Gwen is my first female friend; it's different. When she found me in the library, she confronted me about it. I froze, overwhelmed with panic. Even though I knew she genuinely cared, I couldn't bear the thought of her knowing the truth."

Trying to empathize, Sirius wondered if he would feel the same if Gwen confronted him about his hidden secret as a werewolf. The answer was likely a resounding yes. Gwen was no ordinary girl; she held a special place in his heart.

"Do you have feelings for her?" Sirius asked, his voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

Remus flushed, his emotions evident. "I'm not entirely sure. But I do know that there's something about her that I'm drawn to."

Numbly nodding, Sirius felt a knot form in his stomach at the mere thought of Remus harboring feelings for Gwen. A surge of unwelcome disdain washed over him, fueling his frustration.

Furrowing his eyebrows, he became confused as to why he suddenly felt this way. It was a feeling he hadn't felt before.

"You aren't the only one," he found himself saying.

They had stopped walking, James and Peter turning into the next corridor leaving the two boys to stare at one another.

"Seems as though we are in agreement then," he stated. Remus adjusted his robes, "Gwen is indeed special."

It had been two weeks since she had last spoken with Sirius or Remus, both boys seemed to be avoiding her now. Which she found to be quite odd, especially since they would watch her from a distance. Perhaps Jackie was right. Boys could be quite stupid.

She had spent the time, however, still preparing for the exams they were to take before they left for the Holidays. To say she was excited about going home and seeing her Father would be quite the understatement.

Two whole weeks spending quality time with her Father, seeing her Aunts and Uncles.

She wouldn't be seeing the girls over the holidays as they had plans to go abroad with their own families, so she had already bought and had their gifts delivered. She had them wrapped and stored away in her trunk. The girls and herself had planned on having a small christmas party in their dorm the day before they would leave on the Hogwarts Express.

Satisfied with her essay for Defense Against the Dark Arts class, she allowed the ink to dry before she plucked her charms textbook from the pile of books.

Sirius had been avoiding her as well, even going as far as missing their studying sessions. She had written up a study guide for him in a journal, even adding some charms they wouldn't be learning until next term. Although her feelings were deeply hurt, she wasn't going to let the boys in on why she felt the way she did.

"Gwen, can you please read over my paper?" Jackie, sat across from her at the tables in the Great Hall, her hand held out with the parchment in hand. "I feel as though it's a bit weak and rushed."

Olivia plucked the paper out of her hand, as she sat to the right of Jackie. The five girls sat at their usual table in the Study Hall, a room connected to the library. While they had exams coming up in less than a month, they still had plenty of homework to finish before then.

The eldest of them, Olivia, being a year older than the other four girls, offered to help them with their homework. To which Gwen was grateful for as she had so much on her plate anyway as she had offered to tutor Logan, the Hufflepuff that she sat next to in her Charms class.

She'd be lying if she said that she wasn't looking forward to two weeks of rest and some fun.

"I want to go to bed," Toni slammed her textbook shut as she fell on top of it with a sigh. "Can we just finish up early today?"

Pandora sat next to her, equally bored but continued writing her own paper for their class. "Once we finish, we should go to the kitchens and treat ourselves."

"I can already taste the chocolate in my mouth," Jackie moaned, flopping over onto the table.

"If we finish all of our papers, we can head back to the dorms." Gwen compromised as she knew that Jackie and Toni weren't academically inclined like the other girls and herself.

"Have I ever mentioned that I love you?" Toni grinned at her.

"You better hope that Sirius Black didn't overhear you," Jackie wiggled her eyebrows in suggestion.

Toni snorted, "more likely it would be Remus."

Furrowing her eyebrows, she was confused why the conversation shifted back to two of her friends and why it involved her.

This time Pandora joined in, "I believe that Sirius is a better fit for her as Remus is a bit on the safe side."

"Remus would be supportive, always thoughtful, and not to mention he would only have eyes for her." Toni rolled her eyes, shoving her finished essay towards Olivia to double check her work, "Sirius would outshine her, he loves the limelight."

The three girls began to argue back and forth, luckily it was just them in the Study Hall so nobody had overheard them. However, she could feel as though her bewilderment was overpowering her agitation at the topic being discussed.

"Jackie, your paper still needs plenty of work." Olivia cut in, handing back her parchment paper with corrections and suggestions, before she took Toni's paper and began to review it.

Fortunately the interruption served as a change in topic, resulting in the other two girls to go back to their work. In turn, she could feel her face becoming slightly flushed at the idea of either boy having a crush on her. It couldn't be true. The boys had been her friends all first term and now they were ignoring her for different reasons.

It hadn't taken her much to reason that she was just being silly and so were the girls.

Observing Gwen had become a deeply ingrained habit for him. Despite the absence of communication for more than two weeks, he found himself irresistibly drawn to keeping a close eye on her well-being.

Ever since his heart-to-heart conversation with Remus, he had made a conscious effort to steer clear of Gwen. The realization of his profound attachment to her filled him with shame. The weight of his mother's letter, tucked away in his pocket, only intensified his feelings of being manipulated and repulsed.

The mere thought that his own mother expected him to befriend Gwen, exploit her innocence, and manipulate her family for their own gain left him feeling physically sick. It solidified his resolve to leave her be.

Yet, against his better judgment, he found himself stealing glances at her whenever the opportunity arose. Deep down, he couldn't deny the fact that he unconsciously sought out the ethereal sight of her radiant white hair.

Venturing out of his house, he embarked on a quest to find her. Sirius had come to a realization - he owed her honesty, she deserves nothing less. With the letter safely tucked away in his pocket, he knew Gwen would be in the Study Hall enjoying the company of her friends.

"Sirius, mate!" Jack's voice echoed behind him, and he turned to see his perfectly tailored uniform catching the light. "I'm relieved I finally caught up to you."

Curiosity piqued, Sirius halted, allowing Jack to catch his breath. "What brings you here?"

"Christmas is just around the corner, and James mentioned that you two would be playing some quidditch during the holidays. I wanted to invite you to join me for a few games at the illustrious Donoghue Manor in London."

Donoghue Manor? Sirius ransacked his memory, recalling that the Donoghue family's ancestral home was in Ireland, not London. "I'd be delighted to join you. I've already made arrangements to stay with James for a few days."

A grin spread across Jack's face. "That's wonderful to hear."

"I have an urgent matter at hand," Sirius nodded, his gaze fixed on finding Gwen. "I need to find her."

With determination fueling his steps, he prepared to sprint and intercept Gwen before she departed from the Study Hall.

"Sirius, wait!" Jack's voice halted him in his tracks. Turning back, he noticed Jack hastily slipping something into his pocket. "Nevermind, don't keep her waiting."

Jack's smile had vanished, replaced by a somber expression. Sirius decided to address it later. For now, his mind was singularly focused on Gwen.

"Gwen!" The girl emerged from the Library, clutching her books tightly while engrossed in conversation with her friends. As soon as they noticed him, their faces lit up with mischievous grins. It unsettled him, but he pushed aside his unease, driven by the urgency to speak with Gwen.

Gwen whispered something to her friends, bidding them goodbye as they left in the opposite direction, giggling and stealing glances at him before disappearing into the next corridor. Approaching him, she glanced around the seemingly deserted hallway before fixing her piercing dark blue eyes on him, her expression one of indifference as she blinked.

"What do you want?" Her icy tone made him flinch, and he couldn't blame her. After all, he had ignored her for two whole weeks without any explanation.

"I need to talk to you. Alone," he said, his voice laced with seriousness.

Gwen blinked, her unwavering gaze locked on him. "Lead the way," she replied. Handing him her books, she allowed him to guide her towards the Astronomy Tower, holding onto her hand.

Throughout their journey, Gwen remained silent, offering no resistance or attempts to escape. It gave him a glimmer of hope that maybe their relationship wasn't irreparably damaged. She made no effort at small talk either, choosing instead to embrace the silence while holding her books with one hand.

Once they arrived at the eerie, abandoned tower, the atmosphere weighed heavily upon them. He gently placed her books on a weathered ledge and reluctantly released her hand.

"It's been two long weeks since we last spoke," he began, his voice filled with a mix of relief and apprehension. He took a deep breath, exhaling the pent-up emotions. "But please understand, my silence had nothing to do with what happened between Lupin and you. There's something you need to know about my mother... She's a truly terrible person for countless reasons."

As his words hung in the air, Sirius locked his gaze on Gwen, waiting for the realization to dawn on her. Her expression shifted briefly before returning to a mask of neutrality. Taking this as a sign to continue, he pressed on, his tone filled with a mix of bitterness and determination. "You see, when we first met, I had no clue who you truly were. That day, after I returned home, my mother couldn't stop raving about a man she encountered. It turns out he was someone she had pursued during their school days, only to be rejected because he fell in love with an American who embraced the Muggle world."

Gwen clenched her jaw, her eyes fixed on Sirius, still processing the revelation.

"My mother, in her twisted way, decided that I should befriend the mysterious child known as Donoghue, who was rumored to be my age," Sirius continued, his voice tinged with resentment. "Out of spite, I initially refused. However, she forced me to delve into our family history and lineage, hoping to impress this elusive heir. Since your parents never allowed any photos of you in the wizarding world, no one knew what you looked like. So, you can only imagine my surprise when we crossed paths on the train, and you introduced yourself as the Donoghue Heiress."

Gwen remained silent, her eyes fixed on him, blinking slowly.

"I befriended you not because of your family name, but because I genuinely liked the girl I met at Ollivander's," Sirius confessed, his jaw tensing with frustration. He swore under his breath, remembering the letter he received from his mother on the day Gwen confided in him about confronting Remus. "Malfoy had mentioned to my mother that we were quite close, prompting her to write me a letter. It made me realize that I needed to distance myself from you. I don't want my mother to exploit our connection to get closer to you."

Silence lingered between them. Sirius was at a loss for words, having poured his heart out. Minutes passed, and still, Gwen remained silent, her face devoid of emotion. The absence of her response gnawed at him, filling him with a different kind of fear.

Fear that she would despise him. Fear that she would reject him because of his family ties. Fear that she would hate him.

"Do you expect me to believe you now? After all this time, you finally decide to reveal this crucial information? How can I be certain that you're not just manipulating me?" Her skepticism was evident in her piercing gaze.

Sirius anticipated her doubt, fully aware that his intentions would be put to the test. He braced himself for her scrutiny, knowing she would analyze every word he uttered and cross-examine him relentlessly.

"To be honest, I never planned on us becoming friends," Sirius confessed, his voice tinged with regret. "I actually intended to keep my distance from you, to avoid any unnecessary complications. But then, in an instant, everything changed. The moment you smiled at me, I couldn't resist the pull. I never anticipated that our friendship would become this significant, and I foolishly believed I could keep it hidden from my own mother."

The Black heir wished he could know what she was thinking about. He hoped that she could understand his genuinity.

"Prove to me that you are genuine about your feelings for me," Gwen put her hands on her hips, getting up in his face as her eyes blazed with anger. "Otherwise I will never trust you again Sirius."

Sirius was shocked.

Digging in the pocket of his robe, he plucked the silk fabric out and handed it over to her. She stared down at the article of clothing, surprised by the item that he had handed her.

A silk white glove.

Her silk white glove that she had dropped when she ran into him at Ollivander's shop. The same white glove she had searched for. The same white glove's mate that sat on her desk at home.

He kept it.

Gwen knew that Sirius told the truth when it came to him not knowing what she looked like. Her parents had ensured that her identity stayed a secret until she was of age, which meant that her Mother had hid her pregnancy and gave birth to her in secrecy. Nobody had even known if she was a girl or boy. That part was true.

Which meant that his story had merit.

They hadn't exchanged names until their second meeting, and upon that meeting. They recognize one another. Had researched the other's family. Was she any different?

Her fingers caressed the soft fabric, tears welling in her eyes. "You kept my glove," she whispered, her voice filled with a mixture of astonishment and tenderness.

Sirius scratched the back of his neck, a sheepish expression on his face. "Your compassion and sunny disposition made me want to know you. To become friends with you. You are unlike any other person I have met."

She truly found it hard to be upset with him.

Despite her initial anger, Gwen found it challenging to stay upset with him. A slight panic crossed Sirius' face as he frantically searched his robes. "Oh no," he muttered under his breath, cursing his misfortune. "Dammit!"

Curiosity piqued, Gwen inquired, "What's wrong?"

"The letter my Mum wrote," Sirius lamented. "I wanted to give it to you as further proof, but it must have slipped from my pocket on the way to find you."

Looking down at the precious glove in her hand, a smile crept onto Gwen's lips. "Siri..." she murmured, her gaze meeting his. "This is more than enough proof."

Overwhelmed with relief, Sirius felt his heart race within his chest. He was certain she could hear it, considering their closeness. Swallowing hard, he tried to steady his thoughts. "Y-yes?" he managed to respond.

Gwen released him from her embrace, her hand reaching into her robe pocket. Retrieving another piece of fabric, she extended it towards him. "I, too, share similar sentiments," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I kept this as a memento. Our meeting left quite the impression on me, Sirius, the first person my age whom I could truly connect with."

With a swift and decisive moment, Sirius enveloped her in his arms. His words had slipped away, leaving him to rely solely on his instincts. The young girl's breath caught in her throat, unaccustomed to such an unexpected display of affection from him. Flushing in embarrassment, she hesitated before wrapping her arms around him.

"I promise to protect you from my Mother," he vowed. "To protect you from anyone who will do you any harm." His right hand began to caress the back of her head, his head leaning on her own.

Unbeknownst to them, they hadn't realized they were being watched by someone they called their friend.