mandrake leaves (wolfstar)

Chapter 5- Fith year: With a little help from my friends

if i was dying on my knees

you would be the one to rescue me

and if you were drowned at sea

i'd give you my lungs so you could breathe

The first month of school was now well and over and it was nearing to the next full moon only four days to go, Remus thought miserably to himself, as he sulked in the library on a Thursday afternoon. it was miserable outside, spitting with rain and the permanent chill that had settled over Hogwarts seemed to have thickened. still James and Sirius had gone to train for their upcoming quidditch match, of course against Slytherin. to make matters worse Regulus, Sirius' former favourite brother, had joined the team. he was small and spiteful, him the perfect seeker.

Remus wasn't sure where Peter was, he reckoned he had gone to help James and Sirius, even if he wasn't on the team. Remus sighed, too distracted and restless with thoughts of Monday night to concentrate- and strangely, wanting company.

he packed up his things and headed for the Gryffindor tower, the girls would definitely be there, hiding away from the wet and cold. he was correct in this suspicions and was greeted with a bundle of sweet smiles.

he had always been better friends with the girls than the other boys, his kind and calm nature made him seem more inviting he supposed. he sat down with them and Lily poured his a cup of tea, he thanked her and sipped in quietly.

"ughhhhh!" Mary groaned doubling over in pain and clutching her stomach.

Remus looked up in confusion, making Marlene and Lily giggle.

"its Marys time of the month" Marlene explained patting her friends arm lightly in sympathy.

this only made Remus more confused, 'time of the month'? was.. was Mary like him? no, she couldn't be, he would know, she would be locked up in the shack with him if she were- a stupid thought.

noticing Remus' confusion Lily laughed a little more, "she's on her period Remus"

oh! god, how stupid he was, of course- periods. he didn't know much about them, just that they were rather unpleasant and of course, natural. even though he knew Mary's pain was nothing compared to his (surely they would've found a cure for it if it were), he felt a little comforted that she was also feeling- even if it was just a fragment of his pain- pretty shit.

"oh.. yeah of course." he nodded awkwardly taking another sip of his tea.
* * *

on Sunday evening the three boys gathered around Remus' bed, looking at him with eager eyes. he looked up from his book with raised eyebrows, as if to say 'god what do you three want now?'.

"we have a surprise for you" Peter smiled, bearing the gap between his two front teeth,

"if it's not chocolate, then get lost"

"oh Moony, it's much better than chocolate" Sirius grinned.

Remus sighed and shut his book, putting it to the side and sitting up "go on then."

the three of them smiled at each other, and then all of a sudden they were no longer stood in front of him- well sort of. Remus mouth fell open in shock as he saw a stag and a big black dog stood proudly in front of his bed, and before he could even ask a little rat came scurrying up onto his sheets.

finally, he found the words he needed to express himself, "what the fuck?!"

they transformed back into their human forms, grinning from ear to ear.