The Wolf's Tail

by myheadsgonenumb

A Marauders Era long fic. 4 boys grow up in a Golden Age of fun, feasts and friendship. These are their glory days; white Christmases and hazy summers, stretching ahead of them for an eternity, and them the kings of their own magical castle. But outside their walls, their little world is growing more dangerous. Dark wizards are on the move - and, year by year war creeps ever closer

6. The Full Moon

Chapter Six: The Full Moon

Saturday morning proved to be sunny and warm. The sky, as seen through the enchanted ceiling, was pale blue - with the occasional fluffy, white cloud floating past. Out of the windows it was just possible to glimpse the sunlight dancing on the surface of the lake, and the grass and the distant trees of the Forbidden Forest were a fresh and vivid green. It was all too inviting to just turn away from - and head back up to the dark and fire-heated common room.

After their breakfast in the Great Hall, Remus and Peter decided to take their Charms homework outside, and study by the shores of the lake, in order to enjoy the late summer weather. Being so far north - this could be the last they saw of it for a very long time, and the boys wanted to make the most of the light and the warmth whilst they could. There would be far too many months of darkness and snow that would follow.

They settled down under the shade of a beech tree - and opened up their Charms textbooks to page 251 so they could read all about Colour Changing Charms. It didn't take Remus long - the spell seemed simple enough: colourius mutatio - though it seemed to require a bit of force of will. According to writings of Miranda Goshawk, in the Standard book of Spells: grade 1:

The witch or wizard hoping to perform the Colour Changing Charm must visualise, quite clearly, the colour they wish the item to become. This can prove more of a challenge than one might suspect - the old rule of: whatever you do - do not picture a pink hippogriff often comes into play. Simply put, as soon as you want to visualise the colour (e.g) 'orange' then the more determinedly (e.g) 'blue' will pop into your head. Whilst this can be an amusing mistake when attempting to change the colour of an inanimate object - it has been known to cause distress for the witch or wizard attempting to change their hair colour prior to an important social occasion. It is the recommendation of this writer, therefore, that the witch or wizard does not attempt the Colour Change Charm on themselves until they have absolutely mastered it on inanimate objects; cushions, cactuses, candlesticks and the like...

Following the visualisation of the desired colour, Remus read, you then had to visualise the object - and force the new colour onto it in your mind's eye. Then, with an upwards flick of the wand, you said aloud your incantation and - presto chango - your object would change colour.

Putting the book down on the ground, but leaving it open for reference, Remus looked around for something to use - and then selected an early fallen leaf for his practice run. It was all dried up, curling at the edges and turning to brown - but still green in the middle.

According to Goshawk - it was easier to change to a colour that was closer to the original than it was to change to one completely different. Easier to stay within the same palette. He didn't quite feel up to changing the leaf into shocking pink or electric purple … so he decided to settle on a lemony sort of pale yellow.

Immediately, shocking pink sprung into his mind. Goshawk was right … the more he tried not to think of pink, to concentrate only on yellow, the more vivid the pink became. He narrowed his eyes, staring at the leaf - and stuck his tongue out in concentration. Beside him, Peter put his own book down - and turned to watch. 'You're ready to give this a go?' the smaller boy asked.

Remus nodded, tongue still between his teeth. Yellow he thought to himself yellow yellow yellow. Lemons and sunshine and and … his mind drew a complete blank, as he failed to come up with a third yellow object - and the pink swam back into view. He decided to give it a go anyway. He flicked his wand upward and yelled ' colourius mutatio' at the top of his voice. Peter stared at the dried up leaf expectantly. At first nothing happened and then - woosh! The whole thing went up in flames.

'Quick! put it out, put it out!' Remus cried, grabbing his hat and ramming it down on the burning leaf, in the hope of starving it of oxygen. 'Is it spreading?' He had visions of the flames catching the dry blades of grass - and then licking their way across the entire grounds … leaving all the lawns a smouldering, sooty wreck. And then him being forced to leave Hogwarts in disgrace...

But he was in luck, his timely action had prevented the fire from spreading any further, and once he realised he was safe - he sank back down with a sigh of relief - and fanned himself with his hat.

There was a shout of amused laughter, from over near the lake - and he looked up to see Lily and Severus walking there, throwing toast into the water. 'Are you having trouble there, Remus?' Lily called across to him - her face merry and smiling.

'No - it's alright!' he waved back, 'I got it!'

She laughed again. Severus was also smiling - except his smile was not happy; it was sneering. He gave Remus a look that managed to make him feel small and stupid, in a way that all of Lily's chuckling hadn't, and then he turned away to talk to Lily. Like it had on the train, when he looked away from Remus and back to her, his expression changed completely.

Severus threw more toast into the lake - and the tentacles of the giant squid rose to the surface, and dragged the bread under. With the last of his toast gone, he looked back up towards the castle … and his face fell. 'Come on Lily, let's go,' he said, nudging her. She looked in the same direction as him - and then nodded. They walked away from the beech tree - taking the long path around the lake to get back to the castle.

Remus looked up to see what had caused them to move away. He sighed. Of course. The idiot twins. James and Sirius were racing down to the lake side, pushing and shoving each other - and laughing the whole way.

Remus was extremely happy that they hadn't witnessed his little pyrotechnic mishap. It seemed like the sort of thing that they would never let him forget.

'Hey, Peter,' James said, as the pair of them came up to the two boys under the willow tree. 'Davey Gudgeon - from Ravenclaw - just told us that there's a tree in the grounds that attacks you! It sort of swings its branches at you in an attempt to lop your head off. Me and Sirius are off to find it. Wanna come?'

'Yeah, OK,' Peter sounded enthusiastic - and got to his feet, happy to be invited. He turned to Remus, 'you coming?'

Remus looked up at the others, 'no,' he said, 'no - I'm pretty tired. Didn't sleep well, I suppose - I'll just stay here and …'

But James and Sirius hadn't even stuck around to listen to his excuses, they were already half way down the lawn - and, with a backwards glance and a quick wave, Peter trundled on after them. Remus leaned back against the trunk of the beech tree - and closed his eyes. It was too close to the moon, now, he felt weak and shivery. Every bone inside of him seemed to ache - and he found he was glad that Peter had left him alone, so he didn't have to put a front on anymore. It would be better in a couple of days, he told himself. He would be better.

'This is it!' James' excited voice floated through the grounds. 'This is the tree that tries to kill you. Peter try and touch it - go on.'

There was a loud smacking sound - a scream from Peter - and then a resounding thump, which sounded very much like a body hitting the floor. Remus heard Sirius and James start to whoop in celebration. 'That was excellent! You try it, Sirius - go on - you try it!'

''Ere!' a voice suddenly roared across the grounds. 'What the bloomin' heck do you think yer doin'?'

Remus pried one tired eye open - and watched as the giant who had collected them from the train station rushed across the lawn towards the small group of boys. 'Didn't Professor Dumbledore warn you? Didn't he say - not to go near the Whomping Willow? Are you tryin' to get yourselves murdered?'

James and Sirius were staring up at the giant, open mouthed. He did seem quite a ferocious sight, right now - with his wild tangles of hair, his red face, and his small black eyes glinting in anger. 'I don' know - we're the two of you born without sense?' He picked up the unconscious form of Peter. 'I bes' get him to the hospital wing - you two stay out o' trouble.'

The giant turned his back on James and Sirius, and began the walk back up to the castle - carrying Peter in his arms. The two boys, left alone in the shades of the Whomping Willow, glanced at each other. 'What do you reckon?' James asked, 'Forbidden Forest?'

'Sounds like a plan! You know I heard there's werewolves living in there.'

'Excellent.'

And the pair of them, glancing over their shoulders to make sure they went unnoticed by the retreating giant, turned and headed off for the distant tree line. Remus shook his head - he knew they wouldn't come across any werewolves - but nevertheless, a little part of him hoped that they would encounter some ferocious beastie in there that would eat them.

...

The sun rose steadily until it was directly overhead. Remus had fallen fast asleep under the shade of the tree - his Charms textbook still lying open beside him, and his wand clasped tightly in his right hand.

'Oi!' He was awoken, suddenly, by the bellowing of the giant, once more. 'What d'y' think yer doin'? Come outta there!... oh it's you two!'

Again, Remus pried an eye open - and this time it was to witness James and Sirius being grabbed by the collar by the giant, and dragged away from the edge of the Forbidden Forest. 'That's it!' the giant was yelling, 'I'm takin' yer both straight to Professor McGonagall.'

Remus bit his lip - and forced back a laugh, as he watched the two boys get manhandled through the grounds and back up to the school. They protested the whole way. 'Don't dob us in!' James cried.

'We won't do it again!' Sirius added, 'please!'

'You'll get us kicked out.'

'Nope nope nope,' the giant said to them, 'nothin' doin' - Professor McGonagall can decide what to do with yer.'

The massive oak doors slammed shut behind the struggling trio - and Remus chuckled to himself. He checked his watch - and realised it was nearly lunch time - and so began to pack up his Charms homework, before making his own way back up to the castle.

None of the other first year Gryffindor boys were in the hall when he arrived for his lunch. He assumed Peter must still be in the Hospital Wing, and Sirius and James must still be with McGonagall.

Part of this theory was proved true, when he overheard Petra Linehan tell Lily Evans that she had been walking past the Transfiguration classroom when she had heard McGonagall bawling somebody out. The unfortunate Gryffindor had lost 50 points for the house, and been sentenced to detention the following night, she told Lily. 'She sounded really mad,' Petra said, 'I'd hate to get in trouble with her.'

'I wonder what they did?' Lily mused, 'must've been something really stupid or dangerous to make McGonagall yell like that. Normally she just kind of barks. And her lips go really thin and white.' The little redheaded girl shuddered. 'Whoever it was, I'm glad it's not me.'

Choosing not to join in with discussion, and share what he knew, Remus ate his shepherd's pie, quietly and - once he was done - headed back to the common room to see if Peter was awake yet.

...

He only got lost twice, trying to get back to Gryffindor common room by himself - and it was only twenty minutes after he'd left the hall that he stumbled across the painting of the Fat Lady. 'Password?' She asked him.

'Aconite.'

She then swung forward, revealing the round hole in the wall, and he scrambled through into the busy common room.

He went up to the dormitory to put his Charms book away and, when he returned, he found Peter sitting in a squashy armchair by the fire, looking pale but otherwise OK. 'How're you feeling?' Remus asked him, sitting down in the armchair opposite.

'Alright, Madam Pomfrey gave me a pep up potion to wake me up - and smeared some orange gunk on my head lump. It stung a bit - but it feels better now. She says I'll be fine.'

'Good.'

'Did you try again with the Colour Changing Charm?' Peter asked him, 'did it work?'

'Er - no - I … I fell asleep actually.'

Peter looked confused, 'in the middle of the day?' But then he shrugged, 'anyway - maybe you can help me with the Charm, then - I really don't think I get it.'

'The theory is easy,' Remus began to tell him, 'it's just the…'

But then the portrait opened once more, and this time Sirius and James were the ones who came scrambling inside - each of them wearing a very dark scowl on their face.

'Detention tomorrow night!' James announced - sounding very aggrieved. He kicked a footstool in annoyance. 'Scrubbing out bedpans. Without magic!'

'And fifty points from Gryffindor!' Sirius said, looking just as gloomy.

Remus couldn't help but wonder what the problem was - they easily lost fifty points for Gryffindor most days. Just not normally all in one go. Perhaps they didn't keep a running tally - and so had no idea how much damage they did to their house day to day.

'So what are you two up to?' James asked them, flumping himself down on the footstool he had just kicked.

'Charms homework,' Peter answered him, 'I just don't get…'

'God, Peter, how thick are you?' James asked, scornfully. 'The Charms homework was easy - look.' He took out his wand and looked around the room, selecting an inanimate object. He chose Remus's chair - and pointed his wand directly at the chair - and the boy sitting in it.

Remus looked alarmed - 'don't…'

But James didn't listen. ' Colourius mutatio,' he roared, flicking his wand upwards. There was a moment's pause - and then Remus' chair turned lime green. So did Remus's robes. He gazed down at himself, in surprise, whilst Sirius roared with laughter above him. 'Nice job, James - he looks better that way!'

'Change me back!' Remus said - sounding irritated, as James and Sirius continued to guffaw - and even Peter bit back a smirk. 'You idiot - I can't walk around in green robes - change them back!' But James and Sirius were too busy laughing to listen to him.

The round-faced prefect, who had shown them to the common room on the first night, appeared by their side. 'What's going on?' she asked.

The boys looked up at her, 'Oh - hi, Alice, nothing,' James said.

'James was practising his Charms homework,' Remus told her, from between gritted teeth. 'And he did… this…' He gestured to his garish robes.

Alice smiled, sympathetically - and then tutted at James. ' Finite Incantatem,' she said, with a wave of her own wand - turning Remus and his chair back to their normal colours.

'Thanks,' Remus said to her, looking down at himself - and then twisting to examine his chair. 'That's a pretty handy spell.'

'A bit above first year level, I'm afraid,' she smiled. 'Anyway - Remus - I have a note for you, from Professor Dumbledore.'

'Blimey!' they heard James say. He and Sirius gave each other a surprised look and then turned to watch Remus, who was acutely aware of their searching eyes resting on him, as he fumbled to open the note. It wasn't very long - and was written in a slanty hand:

Sunset tomorrow is 8pm. I therefore wish that you present yourself to Madam Pomfrey at the hospital wing no later than 7:30pm. She will give you the necessary instructions for keeping you safe. My dear boy, I hope that tomorrow night proves not too difficult for you - and that you get through the experience safe and well.

'Well, what's he say?' James demanded, as soon as Remus was finished reading.

The werewolf scrunched the paper up in his hand. 'Nothing,' he said.

' Nothing?' James was very disbelieving. 'The headmaster of Hogwarts, himself, sends you a private note about nothing ? I don't think so.'

'Uh - yeah - it's private - keyword private .' And he threw the crumpled up piece of parchment into the fire, where the flames licked around it and it began to burn. James eyed it carefully - and Remus decided to make his excuses - and escaped the common room for the privacy of the dormitory.

...

'Why are we getting up so early?' Sirius hissed. It was Sunday morning - the sun was yet to rise over the horizon - but the young boy found himself being shaken awake by James.

'I want to get into the common room before the fire is lit,' the other boy whispered.

'Why?'

'Come on,' he shoved Sirius out of bed, and then bundled him down the stairs into the deserted Gryffindor common room. Sure enough the grate was empty - the fire not yet lit - and only the remains of yesterday's coals sat in the fireplace.

Sirius yawned widely, and wrapped his arms around himself to protect himself from the cold - he only had on his thin, striped nightshirt. 'What are we doing?'

James was on his knees, down by the grate, rooting through the ashes. 'Yeah - here it is - come and see.'

'What is it?' Sirius made his way to kneel beside his friend - but he sounded more bored and irritated than interested.

'It's the note that Mr. Friendly got from Dumbledore yesterday,' James frowned, 'or what's left of it.'

'OK - why?'

'Don't you wanna know why the headmaster is writing to weird, little Lupin?'

'No - it's not our business.'

'Spoilsport.' James squinted down at the charred remains of parchment in his hands. Most of the writing had been burned away, but he could still make out some of it. ' Sunset … present yourself… 7:30pm … then there's a whole chunk missing from the middle ...but then it finishes … get through the experience safe and well.'

'Fascinating,' Sirius yawned. 'Now can we go back to bed, now?'

'But what does it all mean?'

Sirius shrugged, 'don't know - don't care. If Remus wanted to tell us - he'd tell us.' He got back to his feet and stumbled his way back to the staircase that led to his dormitory. After a moment, James followed him … but the look on his face plainly said that he had not given up on this little mystery.

...

Remus had had a very quiet Sunday - keeping mostly to the library to avoid James and Sirius. He finished his reading for Charms - and read up on Transfiguration, feeling relieved that - unlike the rest of his class - he did not have Defence Against the Dark Arts homework to complete as well.

His entire body was weary now, and there were dark circles under his eyes. He kept on yawning, as he tried to concentrate on his reading, and Madam Pince, the librarian, kept shooting him suspicious glances.

He stayed in the library until teatime. After tea, James and Sirius slunk off to complete their detentions - and Remus felt able to return to the common room. Tired as he was - he forced his way through a game of Gobstones with Peter - until he checked his watch and found it was a quarter past seven.

'Hey, Peter - you know yesterday? How did you get to the Hospital Wing?'

'Hagrid took me - I was unconscious.'

'Hagrid?'

'The giant.'

'Oh - alright - I guess, what I mean is - where is the Hospital Wing?'

'Why? Are you sick?'

Remus sighed, 'yeah - I've been under the weather for a while. I thought Madam Pomfrey might be able to give me something - so I'm better for class tomorrow.'

'You want me to come with?'

'No need - just tell me where it is.'

Directions given, Remus left the common room and began to make his way towards the Hospital Wing. It was over the other side of the castle - and it was with quite a bit of trepidation that he walked down the corridors, hoping none of the staircases moved on him, as time was so short.

The castle was eerily quiet. All students were back inside their common rooms now - and the place was deserted. The ghost of a tall, grey witch floated past him, but paid him no attention.

As he passed the tapestry of Frederica the Fearsome, the valkyrie witch who had defeated the trolls at the battle of Trelinsk, on the third floor - he heard a hushed whispering. Rounding the corner, he bumped into Lily and Severus, who looked just as startled to see him as he was to see them.

'What are you doing here?' He blurted out in surprise.

The pair looked at each other, 'we were just meeting up - we don't get to see too much of each other,' Lily explained, looking worried that Remus might tell on them. 'Sev's common room is so far away from our's, you see, down in the dungeons. We have to meet halfway. Don't tell anybody, will you?'

'No - of course not.'

Lily visibly relaxed, and began to smile. But Severus was still staring at the other boy. 'Never mind us, what are you doing out so late?'

'I'm going to the Hospital Wing.'

'Why?'

' I don't feel well,' Remus said, slowly and deliberately, like he thought Severus was not that bright.

But Snape would not be deterred. 'What's wrong?' His questions were not coming from a place of concern, and Remus did not have time to answer them.

'None of yours…' He began to walk away. He could feel the pair of them watching him, as he went.

'I hope you feel better soon,' Lily called after him. 'And watch out - Filch is about.'

Remus continued on his way, down the stairs and along the transfiguration corridor. As he passed by a painting of Wendric the Wild, a door suddenly burst open. And sure enough - there was Filch - his face red, his eyes popping, staring down at the boy. 'Aha!' he shouted, 'got you!' There was a tiny mewling sound, down at his feet, and the caretaker looked down; and his voice and face immediately became much softer. 'There you see, my sweet,' he said to the tiny kitten he was training as his assistant, 'we have to keep a constant look out for students out of their beds.'

'It's not yet 7:30…' Remus began.

'Out in the corridors after hours!' Filch interrupted, 'befouling the castle, dirtying and destroying it with their dungbombs and their muddy feet…'

'I'm just off to the Hospital Wing - I'm not trying to …'

'I'll report you to Professor McGonagall, so I will, she'll deal with you. Though if I had my way, I'd have you chained up by your ankles in the dungeons...'

'What's going on?' The head of Gryffindor house had stuck her head around her office door, hearing the disturbance out in the corridor.

'Ah - Professor - I just caught this young whelp out for a moonlit stroll - no doubt planning to steal something or break something valuable.'

'Professor - really - I'm just off to the Hospital Wing.'

Professor McGonagall squinted at him, her eyebrows meeting above her nose as she realised who it was. 'Yes, of course - well - off you go, Lupin. Argus, there is no need to detain the boy any further - I know all about it.'

Filch looked deeply disappointed as, with a sigh of relief, Remus continued on his way.

He made it to the hospital wing without anymore mishaps - and pushed the door open. He froze. James and Sirius were in there - scrubbing out bedpans. They stared at him in surprise. There was an awkward moment, and then Madam Pomfrey bustled over - telling the two troublemakers that they had served their time and were free to go, she shooed them out and ushered Remus in.

'So,' she said, once the door had closed behind Sirius and James. 'You must be our Mr. Lupin?'

'Yes.'

'Well - thank you for your prompt arrival. I will now take you to your safe place for containment. Is there anything you need before we go?'

He shook his head - and she led him out of the ward, and back through the castle, taking him outside and into the grounds.

...

By the tapestry of Frederica the Fearsome, Lily said her goodbyes - and began to head back to the Gryffindor common room. Walking in the opposite direction, Severus glanced out of the window - and frowned as he saw two figures walking across the grounds. He couldn't quite make out who they were, as it was getting dark, but it was a woman and a young boy, he was sure of that.

...

Lily arrived in the corridor that led to Gryffindor tower - she sighed as she saw James down the other end, peering out of the window. 'Sirius, come and look at this' he hissed.

Sirius joined him and squinted out into the gloaming evening. 'Is that Madam Pomfrey?' he asked, recognising the silhouette of her matron's headdress.

'Yeah - so who's that with her?'

...

Madam Pomfrey led Remus past the lake, beyond the beech tree that he had sat under the day before, and over to the Whomping Willow, near the edge of the forest. It was creaking, and waving its branches around furiously - even though there was no wind. 'Er - Madam Pomfrey - this tree…?'

'Has been especially planted for your use,' the matron told him. 'It attacks anyone who comes near it - so no one will be able to find the entrance to your hiding place.'

'But won't it attack us?'

Madam Pomfrey picked up a long and hefty stick. 'Not if we know how to deal with it,' she said. She used the stick to prod a knot right at the bottom of the tree's trunk. Immediately, the Whomping Willow stopped moving and froze in place - now looking and acting like a normal tree. 'Now - you only have a few moments,' Madam Pomfrey told him, 'there is an entrance at the base of the trunk, slip down it and then follow the passage right the way to the end. You'll reach a house, which you can't get out of any other way than the passage. You'll be safe in there, go on.'

With a backwards glance at the matron, Remus slid under the branches of the tree and slipped down the opening he found there. He landed in a deep, earthy passageway. As he did, he heard the creaking which signalled the Whomping Willow was now awake once more. No one could get inside with him.

It was pitch black in the tunnel, and he dug out his wand. ' Lumos,' he whispered, and a light appeared on his wand tip. Holding his makeshift torch aloft, he stumbled along the passageway, keeping his left hand against the wall to help guide him.

Eventually, after many twists and turns and fallings over, he reached the end and, climbing through a trap door he found in the ceiling, he pulled himself up into the house that was designated as his prison.

Dumbledore had clearly gone to some effort to make the house seem like a real home, to make it seem inviting and welcoming for the poor, lonely boy who would have to spend his nights there. There was a merry fire blazing in the grate, and squashy armchairs and brightly patterned curtains hanging at the pretend windows.

Remus took the staircase upwards, and found a bedroom there - with a decent sized four poster bed and, again, another cheerful fire. He sank down onto the bed, struggled out of his clothes - and then lay back and waited...

Slowly, the full moon rose in the sky - and Remus began to feel his muscles ache and then pull and tear. His bones cracked and snapped, as they reformed themselves inside of him. He sprouted fur on his face and the back of his hands - his nails grew into pointed claws, and his teeth turned into sharp fangs.

Then, there was a wild howl which echoed through the streets of Hogsmeade; reverberating around the little houses, and rattling their windows. And, for the rest of the night, there was no more Remus Lupin.