Liquid Luck [Sirius Black]/editing

chapter 20

"Have you guys seen Remus?" I ask the boys after noticing a certain chocolate-loving friend of mine missing from his usual posse.

"We were actually wondering the same thing." Peter retorts quickly, glancing around the Common Room as if Remus were hiding somewhere.

Sirius nods his head rigorously. "Yeah, he wasn't in his bed last night! And we haven't seen him since."

"Maybe he's sick." I suggest. "Have any of you checked the Hospital Wing?" They all shake their heads from side-to-side. "Well...what're we waiting for? Off we go then!" I gesture my hands towards the portrait hole and they quickly scramble off the couches to the exit.

When we get there I locate Remus at the far end of the room resting on a bed with his nose deep inside a book. We all jog over to him and I begin examining him closely. I notice fresh cuts, scrapes and bruises scattered across his face and arms. Some deep enough to leave more scars than the boy already has. "What happened, Remus? For real this time, what happened!? And please don't say you fought the Giant Squid again." I say worriedly, my eyes darting all over the boy's wounded body. He looks so helpless and exhausted and it's breaking my heart.

"N-Nothing. I...I-I slept walked and was attacked by low hanging twigs outside." He replies, not meeting my gaze or any of the boy's.

I narrow my eyes, not believing a word of his supposed sleepwalking escapade. He sighs, looking completely defeated. "There's nothing to worry about, guys. Go eat breakfast. I'm fine here with my book." He waves his book up at us to further augment what he says.

I frown down at the boy on the hospital bed. James grips Remus' lanky arm in what I can only describe as a brotherly manner. "You know we're here for you, right? Whatever it is, we'll always be here."

Remus nods his head sadly and gives us a pained smile. "I'm okay."

It's only as we silently walk back to the Great Hall that something hits me like a smack across the face. My eyes widen and I stop dead in my tracks. Suddenly it's all adding up; all of the scratch marks and scars, his disappearance every month, yesterday's full moon – Remus is a werewolf.

*

Try as I might, I can't seem to get my recent discovery out of my mind. I start tapping my quill against my book impatiently. Sirius glances up at me with a smirk playing across his lips. I frown at him and he looks at me now questioningly. "Guys?" I finally ask, my voice quivering slightly. The boys stop reading and writing to direct their attention at me. "You don't actually believe that Remus was out all night sleepwalking, do you?" My eyebrows knit together tightly.

"No." They three answer in unison, concern flooding their features much like earlier in the day.

"Well...full moon, scratch marks...hospital wing..." I list, hoping at least one of them would catch onto what I am hinting at. "Roar!" I hold up my hands in an impression of claws.

"Tiger?" Peter asks, confusion written all over his features.

I smack a hand across my forehead in frustration. "No, you blithering fool!"

"I think she's playing charades!" Sirius smirks.

"He's a werewolf!" I blurt out, before clapping a hand over my mouth in shock. Oops, I was meant to ease the idea into their minds...eh I guess this works too. James and Sirius stare at me with wide eyes. Whereas Peter just seems incredibly confused, as per usual.