evergreen • remus lupin

60. full moon

july 1, 1977 

It was a full moon. The boys had decided to go into the forest for the full moon, thinking that the shed was too small and too close to house to ensure safety to everyone in the house. It was nearing sunset when they set off towards the woods, 

"How far away can werewolves smell a human from?" James asked. 

"I'd guess like 5 miles" Remus shrugged. 

"So should we go 10 miles just to be safe?" Sirius asked. 

"We are walking 10 miles? There's no way we will make it in time for moon rise" Peter groaned

"That's why we are apparating" Sirius gave him a look. 

Since Sirius had been apparating the longest he took Peter in the side along apparation. James and Remus had both taken people on side along, but when given the choice, Sirius had more experience than the two of them. 

When the boys landed, 10 miles west of the house, surrounded by tall lush trees as far as the eye could see, they hoped they had actually gone 10 miles, for everyone's sake. 

They heard the rustling of leaves behind them and all whipped their heads around, 

"Human or animal form?" Sirius asked, 

"I'd go with animal" James muttered before transforming into a stag. Sirius followed in suit transforming to a dog, and Peter shrunk to the ground in place of a rat. Remus stood cautiously behind them. 

His body was aching signaling the beginning of the transformation. The trees blocked his view of the moon, so he had no idea how long until he also transformed. He guessed no less than five or six minutes. 

The rustling continued and James stepped forward protectively. Sirius barked and growled and out from behind a large tree, trotted a doe. James' demeanor changed from angry to curious. 

The doe locked eyes with him for a moment before taking a step towards him. James cautioned but stood his ground staring curiously into the doe's eyes. The doe continued her approached until she was right in front of James. 

Remus suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back that continued spreading through his body he groaned in pain, catching the attention of the doe. Suddenly his insides felt like they exploded and all at once his entire body burned and ached. 

He yelled out in pain causing the doe to run away. The animals all watched as Remus' body stretched and contorted into his wold state. He yelled in pain, until it was done, and in front of them stood a wolf. 

Sirius walked up slowly and sniffed the werewolf's foot, then laid down in front of him panting happily. The werewolf's body relaxed, he knew this dog, he wasn't being threatened.

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Back at the little house Selene laid in the empty bed staring out the window at the bright moon. She never slept well on full moons, knowing that Remus was up, and knowing the pain his body went through, it felt like she shoudn't sleep, which was of course irrational, and she would never tell Remus that, but still she lay awake listening for the distant sound of wolf howls. 

The next morning Remus woke in the forest with a burning sensation trailing down his back. There was a dog curled up at his feet and a stag sleeping behind him, with a rat surely hidden among the grass. 

He groaned as he reached his hand behind him to his back, when he brought his hand back into his view it was covered in blood. He sighed and let the aching take over him as Sirius woke up.