The summer seemed to drag by. Remus got to see his three friends a couple of times over the holiday, but he couldn’t wait to be back at school. He felt a little guilty about feeling that way, since he enjoyed his time with his parents, and he had learned a lot by helping his father. Still, he was fifteen and was eager to be back with his mates. 

By August, he had started looking forward to the morning post and the delivery of his Hogwarts supply list. Finally, it arrived and he gratefully removed the envelope from Henrietta’s foot. The letter was a bit heavier than usual and had a hard lump inside. He felt a wave of excitement and then apprehension as he opened the envelope to find a shining badge with a large letter P in the center. He could hardly believe it. Professor Dumbledore had made him a prefect. Professor McGonagall had recommended him for prefect. It was quite an honor and his parents could not have been prouder. Of course, his mother cried and he and his father shared a discreet roll of their eyes as they laughed at her. She just got more emotional every day. After all the tears Remus was sure she had shed over him, he was glad to be the cause of some joyful ones for a change. But as the term drew nearer, he had a mental image of his friends’ smirking faces when they heard the news. James and Sirius didn’t listen to the other prefects; there was no way they would listen to him. This was going to be tricky. 

At last, September 1st arrived and his mum escorted him to Kings Cross Station alone since his father had to be in Ireland on business. She hugged and kissed him, making his cheeks go red before he climbed aboard the Hogwarts Express. He made his way to the Prefect compartment to stow his trunk. He was anxious to find James, Sirius, and Peter, but first he was roped into an orientation with the other prefects. The Head Boy and Girl gave out instructions and they discussed the coming year, in great depth. The train was already well on its way before the meeting was adjourned and he could search for his friends. Finally, he headed towards the back of the train where he heard his name.

“Hey! Remus! In here!” shouted James who had his head sticking out of the last compartment. Remus smiled broadly when he caught sight of the black mess standing on end on top of James head. He had let the hair grow a bit and it was messier than ever.

“Hiya, Moony!” said James, smiling as he stood to shake his friends hand.

“Watch it, James! That’s Your-Supreme-Prefectness to you,” said Sirius with a cheeky grin as he, too, stood to shake Remus hand. 

“Alright, bugger off. Show a little respect for your superiors, will you?” said Remus, smiling and sitting down next to his fellow 5th years.

“Oh! Of course,” mocked Sirius. “You know we have the utmost respect for authority.”

Remus shook his head. It was going to be an interesting year.

* * *

The first half of term went by in a blur. Between classes, prefect duties, Dueling Club, Quidditch, and their focus on the Animagus transformation, the boys were very busy. Still, James and Sirius found time to hex Severus Snape at every opportunity. Of course, Snape gave almost as good as he got. James also found time to ask Lily Evans out on a fairly regular basis. The fact that she had also been made a prefect didn’t seem to deter James in the least. Remus felt a little better about the fact that his friends didn’t listen to him at all when he noticed even Lily couldn’t make James behave himself. If James wouldn’t at least try to follow the rules for the girl of his dreams, how could Remus expect to have any control over him, especially when he had Sirius goading James into all kinds of mischief? Not that James needed to be goaded. 

Sirius also managed to squeeze in time to live up to his rapidly growing reputation as a ladies’ man. Of course, when you didn’t need to study, you would have a bit more spare time for that sort of thing. Remus wondered if things would change in second term when their O.W.L.s would occur. Knowing James and Sirius, they wouldn’t. But Peter would make up for their devil-may-care attitudes; he was already starting to panic. Unfortunately for Peter, he didn’t have Remus’ sense of discipline and would forgo studying to accompany James and Sirius in whatever adventure they might undertake. Remus hoped Peter wouldn’t live to regret it. He knew it wasn’t always easy for Peter to have two such gifted friends. Remus sometimes found himself in awe of the two, but he knew it was different for Peter. Peter came close to hero worshipping them even when they were impatient with him. Sirius and James could be arrogant gits sometimes. Still, they did their best to help Peter out and, all in all, they were very good for him…and for Remus. 

* * *

In the third week of October, Remus lay in the hospital wing hidden behind the curtains of his usual bed. He was still groggy from the pain potions, but could feel the throbbing in his right shoulder. He must have broken it again, or more accurately, shattered it trying to escape the Shrieking Shack. Yes, that was the name that had been given to his cage. He tried not to think about the fact that people heard him during his transformations even if they were unaware of what they were hearing. It was such a horribly personal thing. He had asked Professor Dumbledore if it would be possible to put silencing charms on the building as his parents always did in their cellar.

“I do not wish for you to be uncomfortable, Remus,” said the Headmaster, smiling benevolently. “But, the fact that the villagers hear what they believe to be particularly violent spirits works in our favor. They are petrified of the place. So, it is highly unlikely that anyone would attempt to explore it and discover our secret.”

Our secret, thought Remus gratefully. He was well aware of the risk Professor Dumbledore had taken to admit him into Hogwarts. Dumbledore had put his reputation and possibly his position in the community on the line to do it. Every time Remus considered this, he felt a rush of gratitude that was almost staggering. Remus thought he would do anything for Dumbledore. But then, the guilt would flood over him. How would Dumbledore feel if he knew what Remus was encouraging his friends to do? It might have been all their idea, but they were only doing it because of him. 

I should make them forget it, thought Remus wretchedly. And how would you do that? You can’t make them do anything. You know how they are when they get something in their heads. Plus, they’ve been working so hard for three years…They’re so close… The thought made him excited even if he did feel guilty about it. 

He closed his eyes and tried to push the thoughts from his mind. He wanted to go back to sleep but the throbbing in his shoulder prevented it. He heard quiet footsteps approaching and saw a shadow reach for the curtains. Good! He didn’t like to ask for pain draughts, but Madam Pomfrey usually insisted he take something when he awoke.

“It isn’t a sign of weakness to take something when you are in pain, Remus,” she had said curtly in his third year. “But, it is a sign of stupidity to refuse it and I know you aren’t stupid, so drink up.”

When the curtain was drawn back, however, he saw Sirius peeking in to see if he was awake, or maybe he was checking to see if Remus was still alive. 

“Alright, Remus?” he asked quietly. Remus grunted in response. “Up for some company?”

Remus winced as he tried to pull himself up into a sitting position. Sirius reached for him quickly to help and adjusted the pillow behind Remus’ back. 

“I’m alright,” Remus managed to gasp.

“Well, you look like bloody hell,” said Sirius. “Maybe we can make you feel better.” He moved to the end of Remus’ bed as James and Peter quietly entered through the curtain and drew it around them once again. They sat gingerly on the edge of his bed. From the way they were acting, he knew he must look a mess…as usual.

“What time is it?” He asked to break the silence. “Shouldn’t you be in class?”

“It’s Saturday afternoon, Moony,” said James.

“What?” asked Remus dazedly. “But, the full moon was Thursday.” 

He had missed an entire day. He knew his transformations had gotten progressively worse over the past three years. Madam Pomfrey suspected it had to do with puberty. Now, Remus had been quite proud of his self control and maturity when he had calmly discussed his raging hormones with the school nurse without even a slight chuckle. Still, he hadn’t been able to suppress the burning in his cheeks and ears. If she had noticed, and she noticed almost as much as Dumbledore, she hadn’t said anything.

“Yeah, but the wolf gave you a concussion, and you were in and out of consciousness for almost an hour after moon set,” said Sirius, very concerned.

“And Madam Pomfrey gave you a really powerful sleeping draught after she healed the concussion,” added Peter. “So you wouldn’t have to feel…you know.”

“But, the wolf wont need to butt his head into the wall next month,” said Sirius in an excited whisper. 

Remus stared at Sirius as he tried to shake the cobwebs from his mind. What was he saying? Did they figure it out? Had they finally mastered the transformation? Before he could ask, the sound of Madam Pomfrey’s office door clicking shut stopped him. 

The curtains swung back and the nurse let out an exasperated sigh.

“You lot! How many times do I have to tell you Remus needs his sleep?” she said sternly, though her face betrayed the fondness she felt for the young men. She knew that, at this stage in his life, his friends were even more important to his well being than any of the potions she might have in her considerable medicine stores. But, she sent them away and gave him another pain potion anyway.

Even with the relief from his pain, he couldn’t get back to sleep. His mind was racing wildly. He wanted to kill Sirius for suggesting something so intriguing when he was going to have to wait for any details. Finally, Madam Pomfrey agreed he could go back to his dorm room after he promised to at least lie down.

“I don’t want to see you back here with another concussion because you passed out and cracked your head on the floor!” she said.

When he entered the common room, his friends were seated in front of the fireplace. As soon as they spotted him, they were on their feet and grinning widely. After he was safely on his own bed with the door closed behind them, he looked around expectantly.

“Well?” he asked “Did you mean what I think you meant?” asked Remus. James and Sirius looked at each other triumphantly.

“Looks like you’ll have company next month, mate,” James said, grinning devilishly.

“You actually did it, then?” Remus asked.

“Well, James and I have,” said Sirius. “Peter is getting close. We’ll have him ready by next full moon.” Sirius gave Peter an encouraging look. 

“When? How...” Remus wanted all the details.

“I got it Friday night and Sirius, first thing this morning. We didn’t get nearly as much sleep as you did,” said James with a huge yawn. “But, it was worth it.”

“And, Moony…” Sirius’ voice was full of mischief. “We’re both big!”

“I’m biggest!” said James.

“Yeah, but Moony and I are both carnivores so you better watch yourself, grass eater,” retorted Sirius. 

“Right…and I’ll see if Madam Pomfrey has any flea repellent for you, shaggy mutt!”

“Right, better ask about ticks while you’re at it, you bloody deer!”

“I’m a STAG!” cried James as he threw a chocolate frog at Sirius.

They were obviously excited and Remus couldn’t blame them. It was a huge accomplishment. Remus stared at his bickering, grinning friends, a mixture of thrill and nervousness in his stomach.

“The point is, the wolf will get to run free because we’ll be able to restrain him,” said Sirius.

“That should make him very happy,” said James smiling at the thought of them running wild through the forest.

“And a happy wolf shouldn’t feel the need to chew his arm off,” added Peter.

Remus didn’t know what to say, so he just grinned at his incredibly good friends.

* * *

They did manage to get Peter through the transformation by the next full moon. At first, he was obviously embarrassed at becoming a rat. He felt he wasn’t going to be any help in controlling the wolf. However, his usefulness became apparent when he could get into small spaces the others could not. Peter could sneak up on the Whomping Willow and press the knot to allow the others access, for one thing. When they began mapping the grounds and castle after their first adventure, he became even more useful. They quickly convinced Peter that having a sneaky rat around could be very advantageous. Remus was glad to see Peter feeling better about himself.

Peter wasn’t the only one who felt better. After their first full moon together, Remus awoke less injured than he could ever remember. His body still ached miserably from the transformation, but he hadn’t tried to chew his arm off. He had a few claw and bite marks that he assumed where from Sirius, or Padfoot, as they had nicknamed him. Sirius had a few to match, though he didn’t seem to mind. James, or Prongs, had a rather nasty bite on his shoulder that explained the spray of round bruises on Remus’ chest. Remus realized that a rack of antlers was a formidable weapon. Peter was the only one who came out of the night none the worse for wear, but they all agreed it had been a great adventure. Remus just wished he could remember it. 

In no time, the term was over and the Christmas break was upon them. As he rode the train home, Remus decided that his fifth year was shaping up to be the best yet. Now, if they all made it through O.W.L.s, life would be as close to perfect as it could get.