The Marauders: Year Two | #Wattys2016

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

The term was going quite well all in all - all four boys were getting good grades, even Peter now that he'd gotten back into the swing of balancing school work and the adventures that the others dragged him on. James was practicing at Quidditch frequently, and the other three attended every practice to root him on. Halloween was approaching and they were looking forward to the feast. With only a week left to it, the entire castle was decorated festively and smelling like pumpkins and sweets already, and outside the grounds were frosted at night and chilly even in midday. Remus returned from the Shrieking Shack with a bit of a flu that made him sound stuffed up in the nose from the cold that had whistled in the windows for hours the night of the full moon.

Remus was falling asleep in Defense Against the Dark Arts - something he never was known to do, as the star student - when he was jolted awake by the sound of Professor Blythe announcing that their topic of study for the week would be Werewolves. "How to identify and how to defeat," she said, smiling about at them, "After all, Werewolves are among the most dangerous creatures in the world. They may be part human most of the time, but when they change, they change completely and they lose their human minds, their spirits suspended within themselves, as the beast inside of them tears loose. A werewolf, in wolf form, would kill even their best friend, if the opportunity were presented."

Sirius and Remus exchanged glances with raised eyebrows. Peter trembled as he clutched his book before him on the desk. "Well, professor, don't you reckon some wolves might be better at keeping their mentals about them than others?" Sirius asked.

Professor Blythe looked at him, a bit startled, "No," she said, "I don't."

"Well, I do," Sirius said. Lily, James, Peter, and Remus were all staring at him. Remus's face was rather red around the edges. "I mean, maybe not naturally, but there's got to be something that actually would make them remember who they are, right? Like maybe some wolves have like a - a will power of some sort, one that's stronger than most wolves?"

Professor Blythe leaned against her desk and pondered. "Well, there was a student here at Hogwarts not that long ago - he's a potioneer now, full time at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies - but he had this theory with Aconite and Silver, that it could be mixed to create a potion that might tame the brutal instincts of the wolf and allow the mental capacity of the human within to dominate the instincts of the wolf. But Damocles' potion is a bit far from being an over the counter prescription, I'm afraid," she added with a shrug, "It'll be a bit of time before he can fully prove his theory. He needs a werewolf that would be willing to try it, and it's an awfully dangerous procedure as well. Nobody dares be that close to a werewolf." She shivered, "Imagine."

Remus stared at his desk top, doodling very hard in the margin of his text book.

"I certainly can't imagine that," Lily whispered, "Could you?" she looked over at Remus. He looked quite uncomfortable... pale. "Are you alright?"

"I... I'm not feeling well," Remus stammered.

James and Sirius were quite concerned looking indeed. Peter was biting his tongue and copying the notes Professor Blythe was writing on the board, oblivious to the sheen of nervous sweat that had sprung up across Remus's forehead.

Lily stood up," Professor. Remus isn't well. May I take him to the hospital wing to see Madam Pomfrey?"

"I'll be alright," Remus said, waving Lily off.

Professor Blythe turned around and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Remus, "Merlin's beard! Are you alright Remus?" She withdrew a handkerchief from her desk drawer and quickly crossed the room to the desk where Lily and Remus sat and quickly swept the kerchief over his forehead, "You're burning up with fever."