Forever A Marauder

Fourteen: Remus

REMUS

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The rapid tapping of his foot on the carpeted floors of the Gryffindor common room told others around Remus of his fretful nerves. September's full moon was affecting Remus' body like it always does; the heart racing, gut-twisting, skin-itching anxiousness. He felt the hairs on his arms stand on end like a strong current of electricity was in the air.

"Wow, that moon is beautiful tonight." Lily sighed, resting her head in her palm by the window. She froze as the words left her mouth. "I'm sorry, Remus."

"I-it's nothing to worry about. Same routine..." The werewolf blew out a slow breath between his lips, "every month." His words came in short and simple phrases.

"Will you be alright?" Lily questioned as James came down the stairs, followed one at a time by Peter, Calysta, and Sirius. James smiled lightly, bending down to place a kiss on Lily's lips as he reached her.

"Don't worry, love. We're always careful. Remus has his potion tonight," James assured. Lily made a quiet sound in her throat.

"Why do I find that unbelievable?" She asked herself, earning small laughs from Sirius and James.

"You're not used to that side of us." Sirius answered. Calysta hung back on the stair case, throwing her hair in a ponytail.

"What time is it?" Jumping to her feet, Calysta looked at the clock to her right. She nodded to herself. "Almost nine. I'm so sorry I couldn't get you more Moonbane--" She announced. Remus cut her off by giving his head significant shakes.

"That's not your fault, Cal. Less trouble for you to risk yourself over." Calysta frowned, but rubbed Remus' back a second. Lily locked her hands around James' neck, looking into his eyes. Remus, meanwhile, stopped his tapping and started counting to ten over and over in his mind.

"Be careful," She pecked James' mouth and placed both hands on either side of his face. He winked and moved his head to the side enough to kiss the back of her hand.

"Will do, my love. Remember, just go to bed tonight. Don't wait up, don't come looking for us, just...do as you usually do, okay?" James instructed carefully. Lily nodded slowly, pursing her lips and watching the other three of them throw James' invisibility cloak over themselves.

~~~~~

Remus' and James' feet echoed on the laid stones on the path out of the castle. Since both were doing 'rounds' as Prefect and Head Boy, James not longer had to squeeze under his Invisibility Cloak.

"You could stay with Lily tonight; make sure she's doing fine." Remus offered James, but the boy shook his head defiantly.

"I'm not leaving you tonight, Remus. It's going to be the same as always." James said in a warning tone. Remus held up his hands in defense and kept walking. A light, cool breeze greeted the five as they made it outside Hogwarts. Remus' body was electrified and he jolted forward, moving faster. 'Control it this time, Moony!' He ordered himself, willing not to change in the woods again. The Shrieking Shack was their goal, and Remus planned to stick to it, unlike the past few times.

"You're sure?" Remus pressed again. James grunted in response and kept up a jog to keep up with Remus' quick steps. A large, furry figure came up next to him and nudged his hand, a whining sound coming from the black dog Remus could make out in the dim light of the moon. Directly overhead, a sleek bird glided smoothly under the pale rays of the full moon, it's feathers glinting as her wings flapped to keep her in the air. The light showered the vast lawn ahead of him and illuminated the forest with an eerie glow, defining the tangling branches of the thick tree line. The Whomping Willow was a few yards ahead, it's leaves swaying gently in the wind, shadows shifting and dancing.

"Ready when you are," Peter's voice was last heard before he shrunk, now able to bring his clothes with him during the transformation, and his rat form scampered towards the tree, expertly avoiding the wrath of the wretched branches. Remus squeezed his eyes closed and opened them again in time to see Peter stand and touch the knot in the tree that immobilized it. The falcon cawed, her call drifting away with a stronger gust of wind. The black dog and stag entered the hole that was the entrance to the secret tunnel to the Shrieking Shack; the stag's great antlers nearly scraping the top even as it bowed its head low to the ground. Suddenly, Remus' body contorted. He let out a strangled shriek before his knees gave out and he landed on them roughly.

"Remus!" A few voices gasped at once.

"Come on, buddy! Only a little further." Another voice pleaded. Remus roared in pain, the sound inhuman, even though he was still in his human form. Hands wrapped around his biceps and dragged him upwards. Remus forced his eyes to remain open; not to give in to the uncontrollable force that changed his body for that single night a month. Vaguely aware of the approaching tree, Remus silently willed them to move him faster.

"Change!" Remus cried out. "Change, dammit!" He barked at his 'human' friends; they knew he-- the wolf-- could easier keep from harming them in their other forms. Small arms went around his abdomen, new help added to the team work. Calysta whispered words of encouragement in his ear, but he didn't comprehend. Remus' skin was on fire and felt like it was melting off his bones. Lengthening teeth made pressure along his gums, causing Remus to open his mouth. He forced it closed again, not wanting to bite any of his mates. His shoe-less foot snagged on a stray rock in the tunnel path. Maybe he should have asked Calysta to get the Moonbane...

"Almost!" They all shouted at once. Remus whined, the sound guttural. He smelled the mildew stench of the shack. Now barely holding it in, he slumped forwards heavily, his fingernails collecting dust as they traced lines into the grime-covered floor. The hands released him as his body went into hysterics again, twisting and twitching.

"You made it, Remus," Sirius said into his face before his figure darkened and traded skin for fur. Remus knew he smiled at him, his eyes glancing around at the people around him, fading into their own Animagus forms. A howl left his throat, not quite animalistic.

The destroyed furniture around him showcased his previous visits; claw scratches dug into the wood floors, teeth marks littered the walls and blood splatters decorated the grey area on multiple places. A rug was bunched against one torn-apart wall as Remus' legs kicked it repeatedly. A faint chirp of a bird sounded from the window. Remus' scattering mind found the sound distracting in that moment, wondering why it found the sound interesting in the slightest. It was just a bird.

Out the window, the moon looked through the broken, arched window panes. Its single bright eye watched the werewolf change in front of it, making the animal feel small under its gaze. Remus' wild eyes stared back, one thought in the back of his remaining human mind:

It sure was beautiful.