/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟔.𝟞.𝟣

"if I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain." ~ Emily Dickinson

~december 1976~

James couldn't breathe. He and Peter had been scrambling for the brush for longer than he'd like to think about, following the crashing sounds that came from the trees up ahead. He could only hope Sirius wasn't getting too worn out and that was that dawn was coming soon. It was the worst transformation the Marauders had ever had. It had been bad from the start. Remus couldn't be controlled and he seemed to be on a rampage, destroying everything he could find on the still winter's night. James wouldn't consider leaving his side, but he was having trouble keeping up. He couldn't even imagine how Peter must feel.

At last, they burst into a clearing and skidded to a halt. It wasn't a clearing. It was the edge of the Black Lake- on the other side from the castle. He could see the towers peaking up through the fog and wished he were inside right then, warming up by the fire or  cozy in his bed. He was going to kill Remus when he was human again.

Speaking of Remus, the werewolf and the dog were standing off near the icy edge of the lake. James trotted forward, bracing himself to interfere if he had to. Wolf and dog bared down on each other, their teeth dripping with malice and their eyes shining bright against the slowly brightening background.

Sirius let out a whimper as Remus swiped him out of the way with one paw and he tumbled towards the water, saving himself at just the last second. Sirius was on his feet in seconds and bowed down, growling at Remus from the rocky bank.

Remus pounced without hesitation, but Sirius had the benefit of being faster and more agile. He leapt to the side and the werewolf landed catlike on the ice, skidded a few feet, and was hit by the very first rays of sunlight. James let out a breath of relief the second Remus started to transform back. It looked like pure agony, but he'd be okay. The night was over.

Sirius transformed back into a human and stepped gingerly onto the ice to approach Remus, now in boy form, lying motionless. Sirius crawled on his hands and knees to his friends' side and carefully took his pulse. He looked back at James and Peter, watching with bated breath.

"He's fine." Sirius's voice was raspy and worn. He had a gash on the side of his face and blood was trickling down and staining his shirt.

James held out a hand to help him back onto dry land. "Come on, we'll make up an alibi on the way back so they can find him. He'll be okay here for now. C'mere, Sirius-"

Sirius resisted at first, but James was insistent on wrapping an arm around his shoulders and supporting Sirius the rest of the way back to the castle. Sirius wouldn't admit it, but he probably wouldn't have made it without James. He felt like he was going to pass out.

After Peter, the least injured of the three, stopped in Madam Pomfrey's to give her their alibi and tell her where Remus was, they all made their way back up the common room. Artemis was the only one there, everyone else was at breakfast or still in bed, and she looked up in alarm when the boys entered. They were dirty and all three had cuts and blood stains on their faces and clothes. "What's happened?" she asked, standing up from the couch just in time for Sirius to crash down right where she'd been sitting.