Rebirth {Marauders Era}

CHAPTER 3: REMUS: THE MOON CALLS

The next day, Remus awoke with shooting pains and aches in his joints. He groaned, wishing at that moment that he wasn't a werewolf, more than he normally did anyhow.

"You alright Moony?" James yawned. "I can't wait until tonight! It feels like forever since I was a stag."

"Don't you mean, since you were horny Prongs?" Sirius was still awake, he hadn't gone back to sleep. Remus could tell, as he had bags under his eyes.

Remus covered his face with his hands. "You're all hopeless." Then as he tried to get out of bed, his knees gave out. Peter tried to catch him, and missed, and Remus face planted on the carpet.

"Oi!" James shouted then crouched down to help Remus up. Sirius swore, then did the same.

"Ouch..." He groaned.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Peter squeaked. "You were just so heavy and..." He drifted off as he realized what that had sounded like. "Not that you're overweight or anything." He blushed.

"It's alright Wormy, I'm fine. I'll be fine. And Sirius, don't you dare make another dirty joke! We don't need that." He said with authority. He had always been the one who kept them out of trouble, especially when he became a prefect.

He hobbled down to breakfast, his friends supporting him, feeling embarrassed as other students looked at him curiously.

"Hey Rem," Lily greeted them, Marlene by her side. "Feeling a bit moony?"

James rounded on her, amusement in his eyes. "For someone who goes after us for our puns, you make an awful lot of them!"

"Maybe it's because I make better puns than you do Jamsie!"

"What did I say about you calling me that?!"

"You said I could call you anything I want if I went on a date with you."

James's face turned red as he remembered saying that to her at the end of last term.

"Well...erm..."

"James Charlus Potter, you had better answer her." Sirius teased. They had all watched this play out from a few feet away, with Remus laughing as James was fooled.

"Yeah, she sounds pretty serious, and your friend wants to keep his name." Remus pointed to Sirius, who started getting dramatic yet again.

The Lily grabbed James and kissed him, laughing. "I can call you anything I want, Potter, but I think James will do."

Peter and Remus made faces and headed into the hall to eat. Remus had bigger problems at hand anyhow. The smell of food was making him feel sick. "Pete, you go and eat. I'm going to go back to the dorm."

"Why?" Peter said, worry in his eyes. "Do you want me to help you up?"

"NO! Er, I mean no." Remus sputtered. He was so tired of having to be helped, or people shooting him looks. "Sorry, I'm just not feeling well. Tell James will you? He can have Lily take notes for me." He rushed back to the foot of the steps to the tower.

"Bloody hell, I'll never finish." He muttered.

An hour later, he finally made it, taking several breaks along the way. When he collapsed on his bed, he sighed with relief. It was going to be a bad moon, he could feel it. Why was anyone's guess. Anyone but Remus's guess. He just wanted to sleep.

He awoke to a face right next to his. He reacted very rationally. That is, he lurched upwards, head butting the boy, who happened to be Sirius, in the face.

"Ouch!" Sirius yelped. "Blimey Rem, I was just coming to help you get to the shack. Goodness."

"Next time don't stand by my head. I was sleeping." Remus tried to act angry, but his good natured attitude and the pain from the impending transformation kept him from being so. "I'm sorry Pads, I'm just feeling terrible."

"Don't you worry Moony, I know you do. But you won't soon." Sirius chuckled, and this time Remus slapped his arm. "Hey!"

"What did I say about dirty jokes? I don't want to-" He was cut off by a giant pain worming it's way through his gut. "J-just take me to the shack. Please."

He saw a shadow of something pass over Sirius's face when he begged. "Ok Moony. Let's go."

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Remus moaned into his hand as the night came closer. As it had gotten later, Sirius had been joined by James and Peter. They watched him whilst trying to keep him distracted from the discomfort. He was almost in tears, and they thought it was from pain. What they didn't realize was that it was actually because they cared so much. Even after five years, they had seen him as a raging werewolf, and they had been scratched, but they still came back for him. It left him overwhelmed with emotion.

"Here Remus, lay down here."

"I brought an extra blanket so you won't get cold."

"Grab a butterbeer, Remus."

He just couldn't take it anymore around eight, and his wolfish tendencies sprang from deep within, pain blossoming from any place where it hadn't before. He felt his mind slipping from his grasp, he reached for it but it slipped through his fingers like water.

Sirius, James, and Peter all transformed, and Remus turned on them, enraged that they wouldn't let him leave. Sirius barked at him.

Rem! Calm down, we're not stopping you, just let us do it gently ok?"

"Blood, Bite Human." He answered angrily.

No biting! Just stay calm. The stag used its antlers to guide Moony to the door, and he snarled and snapped.

Oh no you don't. No biting! Just follow us to the forest. There you can hunt.

"Human?"

No, rabbit.

The wolf groaned in frustration. "Will have to do."

That a boy. Follow us now Rem.

The night was peaceful, a faint fog spreading over the fields and the forest was thick with it. A howl shattered the peace, making the animals jump, and more than a few people wake up in the dorm rooms muttering about the Shrieking Shack. But the boys knew it was just their friend, and they rejoiced every minute of that night together.