Four To The End Book Two (Marauders Era)

Chapter Eighty-Four - "I'm Dying!"

Author's note: Some body horror/gore in this chapter, also brief discussion of medical issues

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Having the full moon starting on a Wednesday wasn't as much as a sleep-in opportunity as Saturday or Sunday, but at least Remus didn't need to wake up right away. He woke up at around eight-thirty then drifted back into sleep only to be awoken a little over an hour later. He heard his friends getting ready and debated getting out of bed, getting ready. Class didn't start till eleven. He could just skip breakfast and eat lunch...

"Remus?" James called.

"I'll be down for class," Remus yawned. His curtains were pulled back and he squinted at the light, putting his arm over his eyes. "Noo!" he whined.

"You okay?" James asked, bending over Remus.

"I'll be down for class," he said again. "I'll eat lunch."

"You look awful," Peter said, peering around James's shoulder.

Sirius finally spoke up. "Oh, right, it's..."

"Uh-huh," Remus mumbled.

"Already?" James asked, sounding surprised.

"Mmhmm." Remus buried his head under his pillow.

"Right. Er—sorry, see you in class..."

"Yeah, I'll be down for class."

The curtains shut, and he heard them leave. It didn't take long for him to fall back into sleep... and sleep... and sleep...

Until he was awoken again. This time it was Sirius standing over him, shaking him. "Remus!" he hissed.

"I said I'll see you in class!" Remus complained, swatting at Sirius's hands.

"You mean Charms? Which is over?"

Remus bolted upright, nearly banging his head into Sirius's face. "What!? No, it's only—" He looked over at the clock and saw with horror it was twelve pm. "What?!" He grabbed his clock and checked the alarm. It was working? "Oh, oh blast it, I must have been in really deep sleep, I—I missed class?!"

"Yeah," Sirius said, sitting down next to him. "There's nothing wrong with—"

"Nothing wrong!?" Remus screeched causing Sirius to flinch. "No! No, you—you d-don't understand! I can't miss class! I can't!" He scrambled out of bed, as if getting dressed quickly would magically turn the clock back an hour. "I can't."

"Remus—"

He yanked his uniform out of the wardrobe and the fabric slid from his shaky fingers. "I c-can't—"

"Remus!" Sirius came over, picking up the clothes. "Calm down. It's okay."

Remus shook his head, feeling sick, feeling dread consuming him. "It's not. I'm already missing so many classes I can't miss more!"

"You look really bad today..."

"So?" Remus glanced towards the mirror and now it was his turn to flinch. He looked really bad. As bad as he had back in September when his health sparked the fight with James. He reached up, pushing back some of his limp hair.

Sirius took his shoulders, turning him back to face him. "Maybe you should skip History too," he suggested softly. "You're going to have to miss Transfiguration, right?" Remus slowly nodded. "Then skip History. Just, go wherever you go and get some more sleep?"