Despite Hermione's repeated reassurances, James hovered around her like a mother hen for the next few days, every slight wobble or absent-minded look prompting him to suggest—again—that she visit the Hospital Wing.

"Really, James," she sighed one afternoon as he handed her a cup of tea she hadn't asked for, "it was an adrenaline crash, not a terminal illness."

"Well, if you say so." He crossed his arms, not looking remotely convinced. "But people don't usually faint from just adrenaline, right? You could be, I don't know, anaemic. Or… lacking in chamomile tea."

She smirked. "Is that your diagnosis? Should I be concerned if Madam Pomfrey asks you to consult on her patients now?"

James gave her a deadpan look. "Laugh all you want, love, but if this happens again, I'm dragging you to Pomfrey. Understood?"

"Understood," she relented, though her grin said she wasn't taking it all that seriously.

His eyes softened, and he relaxed his arms, the tension easing from his posture. "I'm serious, though. You look out for everyone—someone has to look out for you, too."

She opened her mouth to respond, but the sincerity in his expression caught her off guard, a flicker of warmth spreading across her face. "Alright, worrywart. I'll keep that in mind."

"Good." He grinned, that familiar, roguish glint returning. "Besides, it wouldn't hurt you to accept a bit of pampering every now and then."

"Just don't get carried away, Potter," she warned, smirking over the rim of her cup.

He raised his hands in a mock surrender. "I'll try to contain myself. But I'm not making any promises."

As James's cheeky grin lingered, Hermione leaned forward, closing the distance between them in one swift motion, pressing her lips to his. Just as she expected, his posture melted, and his thoughts seemed to dissolve entirely into the kiss, his hand resting on her arm as though to steady himself.

When she pulled back, James's dazed expression was priceless—eyes slightly unfocused, a slow smile spreading across his face as if he'd just forgotten whatever he'd been about to say.

"Hmm, what were we talking about?" he mumbled, still a little breathless.

She chuckled, sipping her tea and putting on an innocent expression. "You were trying to convince me to let you haul me off to the Hospital Wing."

"Right. Yeah… Hospital Wing." He looked momentarily confused, glancing around the hall as though trying to locate his scattered thoughts. "I mean… maybe not… immediately."

"Thought so," she teased, patting his cheek playfully.

James blinked, slowly regaining his composure, though the sheepish grin that remained told her everything. "You know, Hermione," he said, regaining some of his usual charm, "you're far too powerful for your own good."

"Oh, I know," she replied smugly, settling back in her seat. "But I like the perks."

"Can't argue with that," he said, his smile full of admiration—and just a hint of newfound wariness.

The evening before the full moon was filled with a quiet, tense anticipation in the Gryffindor common room. Hermione was sitting with the boys, with a privacy charm thrown around them, and a determined expression on her face as she scanned over notes, pointedly ignoring the cautious glances being thrown her way.

There was a tentative pact in place, careful plans laid out for the boys to join Remus on this full moon in the Shack. But they were all still worried about her nearly fainting after the Animagus reveal, not realising that her reaction had nothing to do with the actual form reveal but rather with the whirlwind of revelations she'd pieced together about the future. Still, she wasn't going to explain that now.

Hermione huffed, crossing her arms. "Listen, I know you all mean well, but I am not some fragile doll that needs to be coddled. I've been an Animagus longer than any of you, and, in case you've forgotten, I've already handled Moony in a worse situation." She gave Remus a pointed look. "And he's familiar with my scent. That's important, don't you think? Like it will probably help smooth things over for the wolf when he is meeting three new animals."

The boys shared an uneasy look, clearly recalling the last time she'd gone up against Moony and come out alive, albeit with a few bruises. James scratched the back of his neck, Sirius shifted uncomfortably with a guilty look on his face, and even Peter, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, seemed at a loss for words.

"Okay, yes, you did handle Moony," James conceded. "But this time… it's different. This isn't an emergency, and we're not expecting things to go badly. So you know, you can rest. It's going to be a long night."

Remus looked at her, clearly torn. The fatigue and apprehension showed in his eyes as he struggled to put his feelings into words. "Hermione, please," he said softly, his voice heavy with concern. "I know you're capable, and I know you want to help… but the idea of anything happening to you because of me—"

Hermione's lips thinned into a line. "But it's fine for the boys to come? For them to possibly get hurt?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

He hesitated, glancing away as if that question stung. "Well, James's and Sirius's forms are… more suited to handle a wolf. You know, they're larger, stronger."

"Larger, maybe," Hermione countered, her tone calm but pointed. "But James is still a stag. And deer are prey animals for wolves, you do know that, right?"

Remus gave her a look, clearly frustrated but unwilling to argue too harshly with her. "Only if wolves hunt in a pack, which is… besides the point. Werewolves aren't naturally inclined to attack animals, not as much as humans."

"So what's the issue with having an ermine along?" she pressed. "Peter's going too, and his Animagus form is a rat. That's even smaller than me."

Remus looked visibly pained, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to find an answer that would both satisfy Hermione's logic and convey his protective instincts. "It's not just about size, Hermione," he said finally, running a hand through his hair. "The risk with you is… different."

"Different how?"

"You're… special," he said, almost stumbling over the words, clearly uncomfortable. "The boys can… can hold their own with me. But with you, I don't think I could live with myself if something happened."

"So it's misogyny, then?" she pressed, half-teasing but with enough seriousness to make her point. "Because I'm a girl?"

"Absolutely not!" Sirius cut in quickly, trying to wave off the notion. "It's just—well, you know, it's different. You're..."

"Delicate?" Hermione supplied, her tone sharp. "Is that it?"

Sirius winced. "No, no, that's not—" He glanced at James for backup, but James shrugged, unwilling to take sides on this.

Remus sighed, running a hand through his hair, finally relenting. "Fine," he said quietly, though his tone was heavy with reluctance. "But only if you promise that the moment anything seems even slightly off, you'll leave."

Hermione let a smug smile tug at her lips, nodding. "Alright, I promise."

Sirius groaned, rolling his eyes. "Look, if we're going to have the whole crew now, can we at least move on to the more pressing issue?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow, genuinely puzzled. "And what would that be?"

"Marauder names," Sirius said, flashing a roguish grin. "You and Moony already have yours, so it's high time the rest of us got properly christened, don't you think?"

She rolled her eyes but pretended to give it a deep, thoughtful consideration. "Well, that's actually pretty straightforward, isn't it?" She turned to James first, unable to keep a smirk from her face. "Prongs."

"Prongs?" James repeated, but he was already smiling. "Because of the antlers?" He puffed out his chest, clearly pleased.

"Obviously. Those massive antlers are a dead giveaway," Hermione teased.

"Prongs." James tried it out for size, nodding, already thrilled with his new title.

Her gaze shifted to Sirius, who stood, almost quivering with excitement, awaiting his turn. She tilted her head, watching him for a moment. "Padfoot," she said with a satisfied nod. "Your dog form… it's almost like the black spirit dogs in folklore."

"Padfoot," Sirius repeated, and his grin broadened, like he'd just been given the keys to a new toy. "Now that is perfect." He turned to James with a cocky smile. "See, it suits me. I'm going to be legendary."

"And Peter…" Hermione hesitated, her stomach twisting ever so slightly. She tried to keep her expression neutral, even as her mind betrayed her, the thought of Peter's future treachery flitting like a shadow. But her voice came out steady as she gave him his name. "Wormtail?"

Peter looked faintly disappointed, a flicker of deflation crossing his face, but he managed a small smile. "Wormtail, huh? Not exactly fierce, is it?"

"Maybe not fierce," Sirius said with a chuckle, "but appropriate." He waggled his eyebrows, and Peter's smile grew, though he still looked slightly put out.

"Trust me, it's memorable," Hermione said, mustering an encouraging grin as she glanced at Remus, whose expression was a strange mix of amusement and relief. "Now, it's official," she said, looking around at each of them. "Moony, Padfoot, Prongs, Wormtail, and Kitten."

They all laughed, the tension lifting as the new names settled comfortably into place.

"Well, Moony," James said, turning to Remus with a smile. "It looks like you're going to have a very well-protected full moon."

For the first time that evening, Remus's guarded expression softened into a smile, and she could see a glint of gratitude in his eyes. The boys fell into a camaraderie that was reminiscent of the time before The Prank, only Hermione feeling out of sorts still with her future knowledge pressing on her mind.

James rolled his eyes, trying to squeeze himself under the Invisibility Cloak with Sirius the next evening as they were leaving to meet up with Moony. "This is ridiculous," he muttered, shifting to avoid stepping on Sirius's foot. "If I get one more elbow to the ribs, Padfoot, I swear—"

"It's not my fault you grew a foot taller overnight, Prongs," Sirius shot back, attempting to adjust himself without knocking Wormtail out of his pocket.

The four of them could never have all fit under the cloak, so Hermione had taken her ermine form, curling around James's neck like a little scarf. Her and Peter's small size gave them a slight advantage, but the boys' height was making it a tight fit. They shuffled down the corridors, careful to keep their ankles hidden, nearly tripping over each other as they moved.

Finally, they reached the Whomping Willow without detection. Peter scurried out of Sirius's pocket, darting over to press the knot that froze the thrashing tree, allowing them access to the tunnel. As soon as the branches stilled, they darted inside, slipping down the earthen path towards the Shrieking Shack.

Inside the dim, draughty room, Remus was pacing, the wolf just beneath his skin. He'd been escorted by Madam Pomfrey earlier in the evening, and though he appreciated his friends' presence, his body was tense with the anticipation of the transformation.

"Are we even sure Prongs is going to fit in here?" he asked, glancing around nervously and trying to gauge the room's dimensions. The memory of James as a stag was one thing, but seeing it in this confined space was something else entirely.

"Quit worrying, Moony," Sirius said with a confident grin. "Everything will be fine."

Remus sighed, a low sound that was closer to a growl than he probably intended, the wolf clawing closer with every passing second. "Just take your animal forms already. I don't want to cut it close."

The boys exchanged a brief glance, recognising the urgency in his voice. There was no point in arguing when Remus was like this; they understood well enough to trust him. Hermione slid down from James's neck, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation. She didn't particularly relish the thought of suddenly finding herself skewered by a growing antler, or getting accidentally stepped on so she kept to the edges of the room as James and Sirius transformed.

Once their shapes shifted into stag and dog, Hermione darted over to Remus's side, nudging his leg in a friendly gesture. Beside her, Padfoot barked softly, vying for Remus's attention, tail wagging low and eager. James kept his distance, mindful of his antlers. Peter hid somewhere for the moment.

Remus's gaze softened as he looked down at the small ermine at his side and the large black dog in front of him. "Thank you," he breathed, his voice rough. He was the only human left in the room—though not even he for long.

The full moon was edging closer, and Remus undressed, then with a deep, steadying breath, he surrendered to the change. The boys, Hermione included, watched, both horrified and mesmerised as his body twisted and lengthened, muscles and joints contorting painfully. Despite the agony racking his bones, Remus tried to stifle his cry of pain, biting down on it for their sake. But as his limbs warped and his face elongated, a low, broken howl tore its way out of his throat.

Then it was over, and Moony the werewolf stood before them, breathing heavily, his golden eyes sharp and hungry. At first, he bristled, lip curled, emitting a low, dangerous growl. Three new animals had invaded his territory, and he didn't appreciate it.

Kitten was the first to react, darting forward despite Padfoot's warning bark, skittering up to the wolf. Moony blinked down at her, startled. After a few cautious sniffs, he seemed to recognise her scent. His stance relaxed a fraction, and with her presence established, he moved on to investigate the others, sniffing at Padfoot, who instinctively lowered himself in a posture of submission. The werewolf's ears perked, clearly pleased, before moving on to Prongs and Wormtail.

The stag and the rat were met with less enthusiasm; Moony seemed confused, not quite knowing what to make of the large antlered creature and the tiny, scurrying rodent. But when they made no move to challenge him, he quickly lost interest, his posture softening.

Satisfied, Moony suddenly let out a loud, echoing howl, then lunged at Padfoot. Prongs shifted instinctively, prepared to intervene, but he quickly realised that the two were simply wrestling, the werewolf and dog rolling together in what was clearly playful tussling.

Meanwhile, Hermione noticed Peter nestling himself comfortably between Prongs's antlers, a position he seemed to think was his by right. With an annoyed chirp, she bounded up the stag's leg and onto his head, practically shoving Wormtail out of the way. Prongs let out an amused snort, tilting his head as if in acknowledgment, and Wormtail scurried back down with a look of quiet indignation. Hermione nestled herself between the antlers, observing the scene below.

She watched as Moony continued his roughhousing with Padfoot, letting out joyful growls and barks as he embraced the presence of his friends in a way he never could in human form. It was beautiful, seeing Remus freed from the cage of self-loathing and loneliness, surrounded by friends who accepted him fully, even in his darkest form.

Morning arrived with warm sun rays filtering through the dusty windows of the Shrieking Shack, bathing the room in soft light. Remus blinked, his senses returning slowly, and as his eyes adjusted, he felt an unfamiliar warmth in his chest—a sense of lightness he hadn't felt after a full moon in… well, maybe ever. There were no sharp pains or fresh gashes across his skin, no sticky blood, no taste of copper in his mouth. Instead, he felt almost… happy.

He propped himself up on his elbows and let out a surprised laugh, the sound almost foreign after a night like this. "I don't think I've ever awoken feeling like this after a full moon."

Padfoot was lying nearby, snoring softly, but at the sound of Remus's voice, he snapped awake, his large, black ears perking up. Within seconds, he was at Remus's side, licking his face enthusiastically, his tail wagging like mad. When he transformed back into Sirius, he didn't even bother looking away, barely noticing that Remus was stark naked. He grinned at his friend, thrilled and irreverent.

"I can die happy now, knowing I've got 'wrestled with a werewolf' on my resume," Sirius announced with pride.

"Might want to put on some pants though, Moony," James quipped as he transformed back, his voice low as he cupped his hands together to catch the Animagus falling from his head. Nestled in his palms was Hermione in her ermine form, blinking sleepily, as she had dozed off between his antlers. The sudden shift startled her awake, and she let out a chirp of surprise, quickly followed by a longer, mildly scolding sound as she wriggled out of his hands.

"Warn a girl next time, will you?" she huffed as she transformed back, smoothing out her clothes.

Peter emerged from under the bed, rubbing his eyes. He glanced over at Remus, and without missing a beat, tossed his friend's clothes in his direction. "Yeah, mate. Pants," he agreed.

Remus's cheeks turned red as he scrambled to dress. Whereas Animagi kept their clothes when transforming, Remus, unfortunately, had no such luck. He pulled his shirt on hastily, looking somewhere between embarrassed and amused.

"I wouldn't mind if Moony mooned that fine arse at me a bit longer," Sirius quipped, giving him a teasing smirk that only made Remus flush darker.

"Right," Remus muttered, buttoning up his shirt as quickly as he could. "That's enough of that, thanks."

Hermione, still grinning, grew serious for a moment as she stepped forward. "So, no injuries?" she asked, looking him over with a critical eye.

"None," Remus confirmed, and his smile widened as he glanced at each of them, warmth radiating from his expression. "I'm not sure what Madam Pomfrey will make of this. But… it's incredible. I really—thank you, all of you."

Before anyone could say anything else, James cut in, glancing around quickly. "Speaking of Madam Pomfrey… she's bound to be here any minute." He glanced at the window, assessing the sun's position.

With practised ease, Hermione and Peter transformed back into their Animagus forms, knowing the routine by now, while James and Sirius quickly grabbed the Invisibility Cloak. They ducked into the adjacent room just as they heard Madam Pomfrey's footsteps approaching from down the hall.

Kitten skittered to her spot under the bed, her white coat blending into the shadows, while Wormtail crawled up into the corner, hidden behind an old chair.

Remus took a deep breath, trying to stifle the grin that was still lingering on his face, his heart warmed by the knowledge that, for the first time, he hadn't faced the wolf alone. The full moon had come and gone, and they had all come out of it unscathed. And as Madam Pomfrey entered, with her usual fussing and determined care, Remus finally knew the feeling of relief—a sense of belonging that he had always longed for.

Remus was released from the Hospital Wing faster than he'd ever been, and the wide grin on his face as he joined the others in the common room was contagious. He relayed Madam Pomfrey's shock at finding no wounds to treat, mentioning her strict orders for him to rest for the day, though he didn't look the least bit inclined to follow that part.

"It's Saturday, and we actually got a bit of sleep last night," he said, almost giddy. "No nap needed."

The others laughed, sharing his joy at how smoothly the night had gone. Even Sirius, usually so irreverent, looked uncharacteristically pleased. But true to form, he couldn't keep his excitement to himself for long.

"You know, last night went so well that we could start thinking about going out of the Shack next time," Sirius said, eyes gleaming with mischief.

Hermione immediately narrowed her eyes at him. "Sirius, absolutely not. Think before you act, remember? That would be incredibly reckless and irresponsible."

Remus's happy expression faded slightly, discomfort evident as he looked down. James, catching his reaction, gave Sirius a nudge as if to caution him, but Sirius was determined.

"Come on," Sirius pressed, "we'd be there to stop him if anything happened. Kitten, you managed him in the tunnel, no problem. Padfoot could tackle him easily if need be, and Prongs—well, he's big enough to keep Moony in line."

"No," Hermione said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I'm just glad the night was a success; let's not rock the boat."

"Alright, but once the novelty wears off, the wolf's bound to get restless again," Sirius countered, looking at Remus with a hopeful gleam in his eye. "Bored, even. You know he will."

Remus looked torn, though he managed a weak smile. "Let's just… enjoy how well it went, yeah?"

Hermione sighed, seeing the stubborn glint in Sirius's eye. He was definitely going to keep pushing this idea. She glanced at James, hoping he'd see reason too.

"Look, let's reassess if it comes to that," James finally said. "But I'm not eager to jump straight to sneaking around the grounds with a werewolf in tow."

Hermione felt a flood of relief. "Thank you, James. Finally, someone else with some sense."

Peter, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, nodded along. He wasn't one to go against the group's decision anyway, so Hermione didn't pay him much mind. All eyes turned back to Sirius, who still looked determined to make his point.

"For now, it's a hard no," Hermione repeated, locking eyes with Sirius. "If Moony starts hurting himself again, we can talk about safe ways to ease the moon. Until then, we're staying put."

"Yes!" Sirius interjected eagerly, latching onto the opening she'd left. "So we're on the same page then, I see."

Hermione shot him a withering glare. "No, Sirius. I said we'd consider options if things changed. I did not say anything about breaking out of the Shack."

But Sirius just grinned confidently. "You'll come around. My ideas are great. You'll see."

The others laughed, and Remus sighed, looking somewhere between amused and exasperated as he watched Sirius's antics. Hermione shook her head, muttering under her breath, "Merlin, give me strength."