Ch 9: January full moon
🫂 Lots of Remus and James moments 🌕 Remus suffering from the full moon and suffering from his own guilt (because it's Remus) 😏 Sirius being Sirius 🤠 Trouble finds James 🍀 James has luck on his side (when does he not? don't answer that) 👻 Peeves causing chaos ❤️🩹 Madam Pomfrey being a saint
Extract:
The Sunday before the January full moon, Remus awoke with a pounding headache. He squinted at his alarm clock through the darkness. It wasn't even six yet. Pouring some cold water into the glass on the nightstand, he pressed the glass against his throbbing temple. It eased the pain a little. Once the glass was too warm to do any further good, he drank the content. Water was something both muggles and wizards seemed to agree on as an effective remedy against headaches. Remus had yet to be convinced.
Closing his eyes, Remus tried desperately to chase oblivion again, but with no success. After about an hour, Remus gave up reaching for the ever-evading rest. The other boys were still asleep. Remus got up and changed quietly so as not to wake them.
Walking through the empty corridors at Hogwarts, Remus was met with further reminders that most people were yet to rise. On all sides, he was surrounded by sleeping portraits and the closest thing he came to meeting any sign of life was... well, when he passed ghosts. It felt strange, making his way to the same place he'd started avoiding lately.
'Really? Already?' had been James constant question every time Remus had left him, and eventually, Remus found it easier to avoid the Hospital Wing altogether.
The guilt had been a little harder to avoid. As had Sirius' appraising eyes.
Remus knew he hadn't needed to worry about the matron being awake. Firstly, he knew—probably better than anyone in the castle by now—that Madam Pomfrey was always an early riser. Secondly, loud coughing greeted Remus as he pushed open the doors to the Hospital Wing.
Taking a seat close to Madam Pomfrey's office, Remus waited until she emerged from behind James' privacy screens. Every loud rasping bark hurt twice, first as a stabbing jab behind his left temple, then as guilt squeezing his chest. The coughing probably sounded worse than it was, but that was a small comfort because it sounded dreadful.
It was also a little disgusting. The nausea accompanying the headache intensified as Remus heard the unmistakable sounds of retching mingled with the coughs. Remus closed his eyes, taking a few steadying deep breaths. Soon, he'd have the potion, and then this, too, would pass. Or, at least subside to something more managable.
'We're not playing any dangerous games this month, are we, Lupin?' asked Madam Pomfrey sternly as she handed him the small vial. 'I want you in one piece on Tuesday. There's quite enough to worry about at the present.'
'Of course,' Remus muttered.
'No need to be anxious about your friend. I will make quite sure Potter does not know that you are gone during the night.'
Fearing perhaps exactly what Madam Pomfrey might do to James, or maybe Remus was too worn down from keeping things secret all the time. Whatever it was, something made him admit the truth:
'No need. He knows.' Remus swallowed the potion before continuing: 'Sirius and Peter too.'
Remus had always had the impression that Madam Pomfrey was not easily fazed, having seen too much for too many years. Still, he couldn't help but look nervously at her. He wasn't exactly sure what he expected, maybe for her to tell him off, or insist that they immediately speak to Professor Dumbledore, but she only gave a curt nod.
She remained standing there by his side, silently. Remus got the impression she was doing a lot of thinking. Eventually, the matron said: 'It is probably for the best. You telling them. Now Lupin, is there anything else I can help you with? How's the headache?'
Remus didn't bother correcting her. Never in his wildest dreams would he have told the boys about being a werewolf, because he would never have imagined their response. He still had trouble believing it.
They said they didn't care.
Guilt, never really far from the surface, once more reared its head. If James wanted him there by his side, could Remus deny him that? There was homework to worry about, certainly. But James, Sirius and Peter were his friends, despite everything, and that was far more important than the date of some Statute or other.
'The headache's gone,' said Remus. It was close enough to the truth. 'Is James ...?'
'You can say hi on the way out, but you both need -'
'Rest.' Remus sent her a weak smile. 'I know. Thank you for the potion... and everything.'
'It's my job,' said Madam Pomfrey, but her voice was unusually soft.
On his way out, he therefore stopped by James' bed.
'Good morning,' Remus offered as James opened his eyes.
'Remus,' muttered James, his eyes finding Remus, but without his glasses, Remus doubted he could see more than a blurry outline.
'Early, no?'
'Headache,' explained Remus.
James nodded: 'Back later?'
'Of course.'
The answer should have been no. No, I need to rest, James. The words had not come. James smiled sleepily, closing his eyes. Remus left the Hospital Wing, looking forward to when he could do the same in his own bed.
...
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