A Sliver of Change | S. Black

Part 2: Chapter 11

Part 2:

Chapter 11 –

January 18th, 1975

The full moon that was quickly approaching was taking a toll on Lia, so she couldn't imagine how Remus felt. Sitting beside the boy, she squeezed his hand as he groaned out in pain once again.

"Remus, love," Lia whispered to him, wiping the sweat off his forehead with her other hand, "is there anything I can do to help?"

Remus shook his head, "No, this one is worse than normal, I've been working myself too hard lately and I'm just exhausted," he grunted as pain contorted on his face.

The door to the boy's dorm opened, the other three occupants of the room rushing in.

"How is he?" James asked carrying the pain relief potion that Lia has ordered him to retrieve.

Remus groaned once again, and Lia grabbed the potion from her brother, shoving it down the boy's throat.

"He said that this is going to be a hard one," Lia explained as the boys stared at their friend in horror.

Remus never usually dared to be around them hours before the full moon appeared, scared that something would happen. Unfortunately, tonight he had no choice, his pain spreading throughout his entire body since he rose that morning. The four of them had stayed with him all day, helping him as best they could with Madam Pomfrey's help. Remus refused to go to the infirmary, stating that he would most likely be spending the next few days there already.

A knock at the door broke Lia out of her thoughts, the boys rushing to see who it was. The last thing they needed was a random Gryffindor walking in and asking too many questions. As James peeked through the crack, he breathed a sigh of relief before opening the door fully. Professor McGonagall stood there, sympathy in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Mr. Lupin, but it's time to go," she informed them.

Remus nodded his head, wincing as he rose from the bed. Lia immediately grabbed a hold of his arm, Sirius rounding on the other side, and the two walked him towards the door. Before they could get past McGonagall, the professor raised her hand.

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Lupin and I have to go alone," she winced.

Lia's head turned towards her in anger, "but professor, look at him!"

McGonagall shook her head, pursing her lips in guilt.

"It's the rules Ms. Potter, I truly am sorry," she responded.

Lia stomped her foot. Childish yes, but she had no other way to express her feelings without gaining detention. Sirius softly handed Remus off to McGonagall, placing his arm over her shoulder.

"Take care of him Minnie, I might love him more than I do you," Sirius joked trying to lighten the mood.

McGonagall glared at him, turning her attention to Lia, "You can see him first thing tomorrow morning, I promise."

Shaking her head, Lia reached up to place a hand on Remus' face, directing it towards her.

"Be safe, okay?" She ordered softly.

Remus nodded, in too much pain to speak, and Lia placed a kiss on the underside of his chin.

She stepped back and watched as James and Peter patted their friend on his back, before McGonagall pulled Remus away from them all.

Stomping over the James bed, Lia flopped on it face first, screaming into the pillow. She was frustrated beyond belief at the situation, and nervous about what would happen to Remus. She knew that this was their normal, despite her hating it, but she had never seen Remus in as much pain as he was tonight before a shift.