It was the night of the much-anticipated broomstick race over the Black Lake, planned to celebrate James's accomplishment of making the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a Chaser. The Marauders had been talking about it all week, and James had been itching to show off his new skills.

Unfortunately, Remus wasn't in the best condition to participate. He'd come down with a little head cold the day before, but no amount of congestion or sneezing was going to stop him from joining in. Despite his constant sniffles and Sirius's teasing, Remus insisted he was fine.

As they gathered near the edge of the lake, Sirius hovered on his broomstick, grinning at Remus. "You sure you're up for this? I don't want you crashing into me mid-race because of all your... ehm… distractions."

Remus shot him a tired but determined look. "I'm fine… hh'nxxgt! Juh—just let me win this one," he mumbled, rubbing at his nose before climbing onto his broom.

James, always one for friendly competition, smirked. "You'll have to keep up first, Remus."

The race began with a blast of wind as all four boys shot into the air, racing across the dark waters of the Black Lake. The cool night air wasn't helping Remus's cold, and within moments, his nose began to twitch uncontrollably.

"Hh… hh'tsschh!" Remus half-stifled a sneeze, barely keeping hold of his broom. The sudden jolt sent him wobbling mid-flight.

"Steady, Remus!" Sirius called out, pulling a sharp turn next to him. "You've got to stay in the air if you want to win."

James, pulling ahead of the pack, glanced back, laughing. "I'll take the lead while you sort out your sneezy issues!"

Peter, flying a bit behind, snickered. "Five Sickles says he sneezes himself right into the lake before the race is over."

Remus, blinking through watery eyes, sniffled hard and shot Peter a glare, though it was interrupted by another soft sneeze, followed by a more forceful one. "Hh… h'tsschh! Heh—hh'EHHSHOO!" His breath hitched as he tried to keep his broom steady, but his cold was making concentration impossible.

Suddenly, as he waved his wand to sort his snotty face out, a blast of unintentional magic shot from its tip, sending a ripple across the lake. He must have messed up the incantation with how stuffy he was and something entirely other happened than he wanted. The force knocked James off course, causing him to swerve sharply and nearly collide with Sirius.

"Oi! What the—" Sirius started, but then he burst out laughing. "Remus, mate, if your sneezes are that powerful, you might want to join the duelling club!"

The blast of magic also sent a shimmer across the water, catching the attention of none other than Filch, who was patrolling the grounds nearby. His lantern bobbed in the distance, coming closer.

"Uh oh, Filch!" Peter shouted, pointing toward the rapidly approaching light.

"Brilliant, Remus!" James laughed, though he quickly manoeuvred into position. "We've got to get out of here—quick!"

In a flurry of panicked movements, the boys dashed back toward the castle, their laughter mixing with Remus's sneezing fits and the occasional sound of Filch muttering angrily as he searched the grounds for them. The chaos only added to the fun, even though Remus could barely keep up, his sneezing fits throwing him off course every few seconds.

"Hh… hh'tgstshh!" Remus stifled another sneeze mid-flight, wobbling as his broom veered dangerously close to a tree.


By the time they made it back to the common room, Remus was a mess. His nose was red, his eyes watery, and he was shivering from the cool air. The others were still laughing and talking about their near miss with Filch, but James noticed Remus barely standing upright.

"Alright, mate," James said, clapping him on the back. "That's enough for tonight. You're done."

"I'm fine," Remus protested weakly, but his body betrayed him with a harsh sniffle and a cough.

"Nope, you're not," James insisted, guiding him to the couch by the fireplace. "Sirius, grab the blanket. Peter, get some hot chocolate. And Remus, sit still for once."

Remus, too tired to argue, slumped into the couch, his eyes drooping. Sirius tossed a thick wool blanket over him while Peter returned with a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

"And just in case," James added, reaching into his stash and pulling out a small bottle of Muggle medicine they had started keeping for him. "Here, take this. You're not fooling anyone—we don't want you getting as sick as you were in April."

Remus sniffled again, but this time a grateful smile crossed his face as he accepted the medicine. With the warmth of the blanket, the drink, and his friends' teasing still filling the room, he finally began to relax. As much as he hated being the one slowing them down, there was something comforting in knowing that his friends always had his back.


The late September wind had cut sharply as Remus flew over the Black Lake the night before, and by morning, he was feeling the consequences. His nose twitched with every breath, and he could barely keep his sneezes under control as he got ready for the day. But no matter how lousy he felt, there was no way he was going to let a cold keep him from spending time with his friends or attending classes.

It had only been five months since James, Sirius, and Peter had found out he was a werewolf, and while they had taken it better than he ever could have imagined, Remus couldn't help but wait for the other shoe to drop. Maybe, one day, they would realise what he was really like, or the weight of his condition would become too much. For now, though, they still treated him as their equal, as their friend, and that was enough to keep him moving through his day, cold or no cold.

Remus tried to stifle another sneeze as he sat at the breakfast table, his usual near-silent, soft burst of air. "Hhh... h'gnxt!" His nose felt stuffed up, and his head ached, but he pressed on.

Across the table, Lily Evans shot him a knowing look, raising an eyebrow as she took a sip of her tea. "You should go to the Hospital Wing," she remarked, shaking her head.

Remus sighed, giving her a tired smile. "I'm fine," he said, though his voice sounded more congested than he would have liked. "It's not like Madam Pomfrey can do much more for me than I'm already doing."

Lily didn't argue, but her expression clearly said she wasn't buying it. Remus had barely managed another bite of toast when he heard footsteps approaching. James, Sirius, and Peter arrived, James still in his Quidditch practice gear, their faces flushed from the morning air. Remus glanced up at them, feeling a pang of guilt.

"Hey," he said, trying to keep his voice light. "Didn't wake me?"

Sirius dropped down into the seat next to him, giving him a sideways grin. "We figured you needed the extra sleep."

"Yeah," James added, looking apologetic but practical. "Early morning practice—we didn't want to drag you out of bed for it."

Remus felt equal parts grateful and slightly put out. On the one hand, he did need the rest, but on the other hand, it stung a little to think they'd gone off without him to watch James practice. He stifled another sneeze—"hh'ngxt!"—and shook his head, trying to brush away the frustration.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" Sirius asked, giving him a pointed look.

Remus sighed again, rubbing at his nose. "I'm fine," he repeated, but even he didn't believe it at this point. His brain felt foggy, and every breath seemed to stir up another sneeze. Still, the thought of missing out on another day with his friends was worse than dealing with the cold. He'd spent too long worrying about losing them to let something like this hold him back.

Sirius exchanged a glance with James, both of them clearly unconvinced. "You're a terrible liar, you know that?" Sirius said, smirking.

"Yeah, you sound like you're about to sneeze your head off," James added with a grin.

Remus laughed weakly, but it quickly turned into a coughing fit, leaving him leaning over the table, trying to catch his breath. He could feel the warmth of concern radiating from his friends, even though they were doing their best to hide it behind teasing smiles.

"Well, I'm here now," Remus said once he recovered, his voice hoarse. "I'm not missing classes."

Sirius shook his head, but there was a fondness in his expression. "Stubborn as ever. Alright, but if you pass out, I'm carrying you back to the dorm."

Remus gave a half-smile. "Deal."

The rest of breakfast was filled with light chatter, but as they prepared to head to class, Remus couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking a fine line between pushing through and wearing himself down completely. But as long as he was with his friends, he figured it was worth it.


History of Magic was always a slow crawl, but today it felt particularly agonising. Remus usually took the lead on note-taking, his neat script capturing all the details Professor Binns droned on about, but today was different. He could barely keep his eyes open, his head propped on one hand, staring off at nothing while his nose twitched incessantly. The constant urge to sneeze was exhausting, and his focus was all but nonexistent.

His head drooped closer to the desk as his cold dragged him down, and before he knew it, Sirius, who was sitting next to him, had taken notice. Sirius gently began massaging Remus's shoulders with one hand while attempting—poorly—to take notes with the other. It wasn't something he would have done normally, but Remus clearly needed the support.

The steady pressure of Sirius's hand worked out the tension that had built up in Remus's neck and shoulders, and though it was meant to help keep him awake, it was actually having the opposite effect. His eyelids drooped heavily, and the soft rhythm of Sirius's hand kneading at his back was making it harder and harder to stay alert.

Remus's breath hitched once more as his nose twitched. "Hhh… h'gnxt! Huh… h'tsch!" He stifled the sneezes into his sleeve, sniffling afterward, but the soothing sensation of Sirius's touch was slowly lulling him back into the sleep he so desperately needed.

Sirius, noticing the way Remus was practically melting into the desk, leaned closer, whispering out of the corner of his mouth, "Oi, don't go passing out on me now, Remus."

Remus let out a soft, congested laugh. "I'm… hh'gnnxkt! Trying."

But despite his best efforts, the combination of exhaustion and Sirius's impromptu shoulder massage was making it impossible to stay awake. His eyes drooped again, and before long, he was dozing off, barely hearing the monotonous hum of Professor Binns in the background.

Sirius glanced down at his notes—what little there were—before sighing dramatically. "Well, looks like I'm not getting any notes today," he muttered to himself, glancing over at James and Peter, who both snickered quietly at the scene unfolding next to them.

For the rest of the class, Sirius kept an eye on Remus, making sure the poor boy got at least a little bit of rest, even if it wasn't exactly the best place for it.

"Come on, sleepyhead," Sirius's voice broke through the fog in Remus's mind as he gently shook his shoulder. "We have to get to Charms. Or, you know, the Hospital Wing, if you were sensible enough."

Remus groaned, lifting his head groggily from the desk. His head felt heavy, and the tickle in his nose had returned full force. He blinked blearily up at Sirius, who was already packed up and standing beside him, looking far too awake for how Remus felt.

"I'm fine," Remus muttered, his voice thick with congestion. "Charms is fine."

Sirius raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Yeah, right. You looked like you were about to pass out in your breakfast, and now you can barely stay awake in class. Not exactly convincing me."

Remus stifled another sneeze into his sleeve. "Hh'gggncht! I'm… good."

Sirius sighed, glancing at James and Peter, who were both waiting by the door. "He's hopeless," Sirius said, though there was a smile in his voice. "Fine, if you insist. But don't say I didn't offer to save you from yourself."

Remus gave him a small, grateful smile as he slowly stood up, feeling wobbly on his feet. He didn't want to miss more classes, even if his body was clearly rebelling against him. Sirius rolled his eyes but threw an arm around his shoulders to help steady him as they made their way out of the classroom.

"Come on," Sirius said, giving him a nudge. "Let's at least make it through Charms before you keel over."


By the time they reached Charms, Remus was feeling slightly more awake, but his nose was still a mess of tickling irritation. As they entered the classroom, Professor Flitwick announced that they'd be doing Wingardium Leviosa revision—with feathers.

Remus stiffened instantly, his heart sinking. A feather was the last thing his nose needed right now, already twitching and itchy from his cold. He could just imagine the inevitable sneezing fit that would follow the moment the feather floated near him.

Sirius must have noticed the way Remus tensed because he nudged him with a smirk. "Better keep that nose in check. Don't want to sneeze your feather into orbit."

Remus glared weakly at him but couldn't deny how much the thought made him anxious. The itch in his nose was already unbearable without a floating feather making it worse. He sniffled quietly, trying to stifle the growing tickle.

As the class began practising the charm, Remus's group got their feathers into the air. His, of course, drifted dangerously close to his face, and with every flutter of the delicate object, the tickling sensation in his nose worsened.

"Hh… hhh…" His breath hitched, eyes watering as the feather hovered right in front of him. He tried to wave it away with his wand, but the movement only caused the feather to brush against his nose.

"Hh… h'tsschhoo! Huh… h'tsschhugh!" Remus stifled the sneezes as best he could, but it was no use. The itch flared up again, stronger this time.

James, across the table, chuckled as he made his feather float higher. "Careful, Remus, or you'll send yours flying straight into Flitwick's desk."

Remus sniffled and tried to regain control, his nose twitching incessantly. "I'm… hh'gnxt! Trying," he muttered, wiping his nose on the edge of his sleeve.

Sirius leaned in, clearly enjoying the spectacle. "I'm betting you'll sneeze it right out the window."

"Not helping," Remus managed through his congested voice, desperately trying to focus on his spell as the feather floated dangerously close to his face again.

The class continued to practise, but for Remus, it was a battle of wills between his sneezing fits and the enchanted feather in front of him, and he wasn't sure which would win.


After Charms, Remus quickly excused himself, slipping out of the classroom and making a beeline for the nearest lavatory. He'd been holding back all lesson, but the feather tickling his already sensitive, cold-ridden nose had become unbearable.

Leaning heavily against the sink, he gripped the edge, breath hitching violently.

"Hhh… hah… HAAHSHHOO! Huh… huh'ERRSCHOO! HAAH… HAAHSCHH'uhh!"

Each sneeze exploded from him with desperate force, his body jerking with each release. His poor nose, irritated and raw, wasn't done with him yet. The tickle that had built up throughout the class was far from satisfied.

"Huuh… hhh… HAAH'CHHOO! Huh… HEH'ERRSHHH! HAAHHSHH'uhh!" The sneezes kept coming, uncontrollable, each one ripping through him with a desperate need for relief. He barely had time to breathe between them, eyes watering and nose running as the tickle persisted.

"Hh… HAHH'SCHHOO! Hehh… HEHSHHH'UH! HURRSHHOO!"

The fit dragged on, seemingly endless, leaving him gasping between each explosion of sound. He fumbled for a tissue, blowing his nose hard, trying to clear the congestion, but the itch barely faded. His breath hitched again.

"Hahh… hhh… HAHH'ESSHHOO! HAH… HARRSSHH'UHH!"

Remus groaned softly, leaning heavily against the sink, trying to regain some control. His cold was relentless, and the featherwork had only worsened the irritation in his already sensitive nose. He blew his nose again, sniffling thickly, hoping this round of sneezing had finally subsided.

But another sharp tickle crawled back into his sinuses. His eyes fluttered shut, his breath hitched once more—"Huh… hahhh… HAAAHH'TSCHHOO!"—and another desperate sneeze escaped him leaving him utterly spent.

Remus groaned, feeling slightly relieved but still stuffy. He blew his nose again, trying to clear the persistent blockage, but the congestion remained stubborn.

Leaning against the sink for a moment, he sniffled and wiped his nose, hoping the worst of the sneezes were over. His poor nose was still twitching from the tickle, but at least for now, he'd managed to get some relief.


By the time lunch rolled around, Remus was utterly exhausted. The combination of his cold, the relentless sneezing, and the effort of stifling each sneeze during Charms, then the subsequent release in the men's room had left him completely drained. His head was pounding, and his nose was still twitching with the constant itch, but what bothered him most was how tired he felt.

When they reached the Great Hall, the smell of food that usually would have been comforting did nothing for him. In fact, the thought of eating made his stomach turn. He sat down with the others at the Gryffindor table, but instead of grabbing food, he slumped against the bench, head in his hands.

"Not hungry?" Peter asked, eyeing Remus's empty plate.

Remus shook his head slightly. "No appetite," he mumbled, his voice sounding congested and dull. He sniffled again, rubbing at his nose, which hadn't stopped itching since the start of the day. The sneezes were barely under control now, each one leaving him more and more worn out.

Sirius looked at him with a raised eyebrow, concern creeping into his usual teasing tone. "You look like you're about to collapse, mate."

James, who had been piling his plate high with food, glanced over and nodded. "You're not looking too good, Remus. Maybe you should head back to the dorm, or better yet, the Hospital Wing."

Remus groaned softly, but even he couldn't deny how exhausted he was. "I just need a minute," he muttered, resting his head on his arms atop the table. His eyes drooped closed, and he tried to fight off the dizziness, but it was a losing battle.

Sirius leaned over, nudging him gently. "You're not fooling anyone. Come on, let's get you back to bed."

Remus wanted to protest, but he was too tired to put up much of a fight. He nodded weakly, too drained to argue, and let Sirius and James help him up from the bench. As they guided him out of the Great Hall, he couldn't help but feel grateful that his friends were always looking out for him, even when he tried to push through it on his own.

"You're overdue for your meds anyway," Sirius said, his voice taking on a mock-authoritative tone as they walked toward the Gryffindor Tower. "Five Galleons says you didn't take any this morning, which means you're well past your 4-6 hour window."

Sirius reached out to feel Remus's forehead, checking for fever as they walked, his brows furrowing in concern. Remus, slightly grumpy but also touched by the gesture, batted Sirius's hand away.

"I'm fine, Sirius," he muttered, though the congestion in his voice betrayed him. He sniffled and wiped his nose, which had been twitching all day. "I don't need you fussing over me."

Sirius snorted, giving him a sideways grin. "Oh, please. You're lucky we care. I'd say you're running pretty warm."

James chuckled from behind them. "Just admit you forgot to take the meds this morning, and we'll let you off easy."

Remus sighed, knowing they were right. He hadn't taken anything that morning, and now the effects were catching up with him—his head throbbed, and he was clearly more congested than ever. But, as usual, he was trying to push through it, even though his friends knew better.

"I didn't forget," Remus muttered, though his attempt at defending himself was half-hearted at best. "I just… didn't feel like it."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, that's why we're here—to make sure you do what's best for you, even when you're too stubborn to do it yourself."

Remus smiled weakly, touched despite his grumpiness. As much as he hated being fussed over, there was a comfort in knowing that his friends weren't going to let him tough it out alone.


Once they made it up to the dorm, James and Sirius wasted no time in guiding Remus straight to his bed. Despite his half-hearted protests, they practically manhandled him under the covers, Sirius shaking his head as he tucked the blanket firmly around him.

"There," Sirius said with a satisfied nod. "Stay put. We're not having you keel over halfway through class."

Remus sighed, his body finally giving in to the warmth of the bed. "I could've done that myself, you know."

"Sure you could've," James teased, giving him a light pat on the shoulder. "But you didn't. So, we had to do it for you."

Sirius, always the troublemaker, grinned as he pulled out his wand. "Now, don't worry about a thing. I'll go let Minnie know that you're too sick to be dragged to Transfiguration."

Remus managed a weak smile at the nickname Sirius used for Professor McGonagall. "I'm sure she'll be thrilled to hear that from you."

"Oh, she will," Sirius quipped with a wink. "Minnie loves me."

James and Peter exchanged grins, knowing full well that McGonagall had a begrudging fondness for Sirius, even if she tried to hide it.

Remus sniffled, his head sinking deeper into the pillow as the exhaustion from his cold washed over him. "Thanks, guys," he murmured, barely keeping his eyes open.

"Anytime," James said softly. "Just rest up. We'll handle everything else."

As they left him to sleep, Sirius whispered something about getting more meds from the stash they'd hidden for him. Remus, too tired to respond, felt the warm sense of gratitude settling in. His friends had his back—whether it was dealing with being sick or the secret he had kept hidden for so long. And that, more than anything, made the exhaustion a little easier to bear.


Remus was jolted awake by a sudden sneeze. "Hhh'tsschh! Huh… hh'tsschh-Ugh!" His eyes fluttered open, disoriented and still feeling heavy with exhaustion. It took him a moment to realise where he was—back in his dorm, safely under the covers. The light outside had shifted, signalling that it was now evening.

He sniffled, blinking at the figure sitting beside him. Sirius was perched on the edge of the bed, a steaming mug of tea in one hand and a plate of toast in the other. When he noticed Remus stirring, Sirius flashed him a grin.

"About time you woke up, sleepyhead. I was starting to think you'd sleep through the entire day."

Remus rubbed his eyes, his head still clouded with sleep and congestion. "What time is it?"

"Almost dinner. Figured I'd bring you something to eat before you got too grumpy from hunger." Sirius offered the plate of toast and the tea, his grin softening into something more caring. "Tea and toast—classic sick food."

Remus sat up slowly, his head spinning slightly as he took the tea from Sirius. "Thanks," he mumbled, his voice still thick with congestion. He took a sip, the warmth soothing his sore throat. "You didn't have to, though."

Sirius rolled his eyes, but there was a fondness in his expression. "Of course we did. James and Peter wanted to be here, but they got detention from Minnie for the prank they pulled."

"But not you?" Remus said, his voice still thick with congestion but filled with a hint of scepticism.

Sirius grinned, leaning back on Remus's bed with a smug expression. "I told you, Minnie loves me."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Loves you enough to let you off scot-free?"

"Plus," Sirius added with a shrug, "I was nowhere near when it happened."

Remus narrowed his eyes. "But I bet you had a hand in planning it."

Sirius tried and failed to suppress a smirk. "I might have contributed some creative ideas, but James and Peter are the ones who got caught. And, well... if Minnie can't catch me, she can't punish me."

Remus shook his head, though the corners of his mouth twitched up in amusement. "You're unbelievable."

"Hey," Sirius said with mock offence, "I was just keeping you company while you were knocked out. If I'd been involved, I'd have charmed them out of detention, obviously."

Remus laughed softly, though it quickly turned into a cough, and he sank back into the pillows. "Right. Because you're such a master of stealth."

"Don't pretend you don't know it," Sirius said with a wink. "Now, drink your tea before it gets cold, and let's talk more about how I'm apparently a genius."

Remus rolled his eyes but took another sip of his tea, grateful for the distraction and Sirius's company. Even through his teasing, Sirius had a way of making him feel a little lighter, even on his worst days.

"So," Remus asked, smirking slightly, "what was this epic prank, and why didn't I know anything about it?"

Sirius chuckled, leaning closer with a conspiratorial grin. "Let's just say the Slytherins won't forget the colour-changing robes anytime soon."


Remus woke up in the dead of night, shivering beneath his blankets. His whole body felt cold despite the warmth of the dorm, and his throat was raw. Worse still, he realised with a groan that he desperately needed to use the loo. Reluctantly, he staggered out of bed, his legs wobbly beneath him, and made his way to the bathroom.

As he flicked on the light, the brightness hit him like a punch to the face, and it set off an immediate reaction in his already sensitive nose. "Huh… huh'ESSHOO!" The sneeze came out loud and forceful, echoing embarrassingly in the quiet of the night. He sniffled, rubbing his nose as he leaned against the sink, still half asleep.

He wasn't surprised when, a minute later, the door creaked open and a bleary-eyed James stumbled in, his hair sticking up in all directions. "You okay, Remus?" he asked, his voice thick with sleep.

"Mmm," Remus mumbled, still too tired to be fully coherent. "Need to tinkle. Do you mind?"

James blinked, momentarily embarrassed. "Oh, right! Uh, sure." He backed out of the bathroom, leaving Remus to take care of business.

When Remus finally reemerged a few minutes later, feeling a little steadier but still miserable, James was waiting for him in the doorway, arms crossed and his expression critical.

"Mate, you don't look great," James said, eyeing Remus up and down, especially noting the feverish flush on his cheeks. He frowned. "You're burning up. Meds."

Remus, still dazed, sighed but didn't argue. He felt too sick to protest, and it was clear James wasn't going to let him off the hook.

"Yeah," he mumbled, wiping at his nose and heading back toward his bed. "I'll take them."

James followed, rummaging through the stash of Muggle medicine they kept for him. "Here," he said, handing over the bottle of paracetamol. "You know the drill—take these, and then you're staying in bed tomorrow. No arguments."

Remus swallowed the tablets with some water, then collapsed back onto his bed, pulling the blankets tightly around him. "Thanks, James," he murmured, his voice rough and barely audible.

James gave him a reassuring smile. "Anytime, mate. Just get some rest. We'll look after everything tomorrow."

Remus closed his eyes, already feeling the warmth of sleep pulling him back under, comforted by the fact that his friends were always there when he needed them most.


Five days later, Remus still hadn't fully recovered, and it was the worst possible time for it—the full moon was upon him. He had reluctantly returned to classes two days earlier, feeling the pressure of all the work he was missing, even with Lily's notes helping to fill in the gaps. He knew he wasn't at his best, but he'd convinced himself that he couldn't afford to fall further behind.

When he arrived at the Hospital Wing to meet Madam Pomfrey for his usual pre-transformation escort to the Shrieking Shack, she gave him a long, critical look. Her arms crossed, and she sighed heavily.

"You should have come to me sooner," she said, her tone almost hurt, like she was disappointed he hadn't sought her help earlier.

Remus offered a tired, apologetic smile. "I've got meds. Wasn't much more to be done."

"Hmm," Madam Pomfrey hummed sceptically. "But were you resting? Properly resting?"

Remus hesitated, then shrugged. "Mostly."

The matron shook her head, clearly displeased. "You can't push yourself like this, Remus. You know what happens when you don't take care of yourself."

He knew she was right, but it wasn't as if rest was ever easy when his transformations loomed over him. "I'm fine, really," he muttered, though his voice lacked conviction. The truth was, he felt weak, his cold lingering stubbornly, and he wasn't sure how he was going to handle the full moon.

Madam Pomfrey softened a little. "Well, the only good thing," she said gently, "is that when you're sick, the wolf will be too tired to do much damage to yourself." She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But it's still going to be hard, Remus. You'll be cold, miserable… you know the rest."

Remus nodded, not needing the reminder of how agonising it always was. No matter how many times he endured it, nothing could truly prepare him for the transformation. The idea that he might avoid serious injury this time was a small comfort, but it didn't erase the fear.

Later that night, in the Shrieking Shack, the moon rose, and the transformation came as it always did—painful and relentless. His body contorted, the familiar agony tearing through him, but this time, with his cold weakening him, it felt even more unbearable. By the time the wolf took over, it was exhausted, too tired to wreak havoc on itself. It howled weakly, pacing in discomfort, but it lacked the strength for its usual violent thrashing.

When Remus woke up the next morning, naked on the cold wooden floor of the shack, his body was trembling uncontrollably. His limbs ached, but worse than that, he could feel the fever burning through him. The sickness he thought he'd been recovering from had come back full force, and whatever progress he'd made with his head cold felt entirely undone.

His head pounded, his nose was blocked, and his throat was raw. He felt completely miserable, the shivering only intensifying as he tried to push himself into a sitting position.

Madam Pomfrey would arrive soon to collect him, but all he could do in the meantime was curl up in the rickety bed and wait, hoping that this misery wouldn't last much longer.

Remus pulled the threadbare blanket around his shoulders, though it did little to stop the shivers wracking his body. Every breath was a struggle—his chest felt tight, his nose was completely blocked, and his throat burned with every attempt to swallow. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the pounding headache that seemed to reverberate through his skull.

He wasn't sure how long he lay there, curled up on the floor of the Shrieking Shack, trembling and miserable. Time always felt strange after a transformation, but today, with his fever creeping higher and his cold taking its toll, it was even worse.

Eventually, the door creaked open, and Madam Pomfrey bustled in. The moment she saw him, her face softened with concern, and she hurried over to his side, dropping to her knees beside him.

"Oh, Remus," she sighed, gently placing a hand on his forehead. "Your fever's up. I knew this would happen." She tutted softly.

Remus tried to offer her a small smile, but it quickly faded into a fit of coughing. He pressed his face into the blanket, trying to stifle the sound, but it only made his head hurt more. When he finally stopped, Madam Pomfrey was frowning at him, her eyes full of worry.

"You've gotten worse," she said firmly. "I'm taking you straight back to the Hospital Wing. You're in no condition to be left alone."

Remus opened his mouth to protest—he hated being a burden, especially when it came to his condition—but the words got stuck in his throat, and all he could do was nod weakly.

With a wave of her wand, Madam Pomfrey gently lifted him into the air, wrapping the blanket more securely around his trembling body. Remus let his eyes drift closed as she carried him back through the tunnel and into the castle, too weak and feverish to care about much of anything. The shivering didn't stop, but the warmth of the castle's corridors felt like a small relief against the cold that had settled deep into his bones.

By the time they reached the Hospital Wing, Remus was barely aware of his surroundings. Madam Pomfrey laid him gently on one of the beds, covering him with a thick woollen blanket. She fussed over him for a few moments, placing a cold cloth on his forehead and making sure he was comfortable, before bustling off to fetch her stock of Muggle medications she kept just for him.

Remus blinked groggily as he tried to stay awake, but the combination of exhaustion and illness was pulling him back under. Just as his eyes began to close again, he heard familiar voices approaching.

James, Sirius, and Peter came into the Hospital Wing, their faces pale with worry. James was the first to reach his bedside, looking down at him with a mixture of concern and relief.

"Remus, you look awful," James said, trying to sound lighthearted, but his voice was tight.

"Thanks," Remus croaked, his voice barely above a whisper. "I feel... brilliant."

Sirius sat on the edge of the bed, his usual smirk gone as he took in Remus's fever-flushed face. "We knew you weren't a hundred percent, but Merlin, Remus, you should've told us it was this bad."

Remus sniffled, too tired to argue. "Didn't want... you to worry."

Peter shook his head. "We were already worried. You should've stayed in bed those two days."

Madam Pomfrey returned, shooing the boys back slightly as she administered a dose of medication to Remus. "He'll be fine with some proper rest," she said, though her voice was gentle. "But no more classes until I say so, understood?"

Remus nodded weakly, sinking back into the pillow as the warmth of the potion spread through his body. His eyes drifted closed, and for the first time since the full moon had passed, he felt a small glimmer of relief. His friends were here, and even though the sickness hadn't let him go, he knew he wasn't alone.

As sleep took him again, he could hear Sirius muttering, "We'll make sure he rests this time. No sneaking out."

James and Peter murmured their agreements, and Remus, despite everything, couldn't help but feel a flicker of gratitude for his friends.