The Shrieking Shack || The Marauders (Book 1)

REMUS

That day, the classes seemed to be a lot longer than usual to Remus. He couldn't help sweating as fear and anticipation closed a fist around his heart. By lunch he was so anxious that he could barely eat anything.

James, Sirius and Peter thought that it was all because of his mother being unwell and came up with silly little pranks and jokes to lighten his mood. James even enacted his epic failure on his dad's broomstick, the one that had given him the scar on his elbow, to cheer Remus up but all their concern only made Remus feel worse. He felt guilty by being in their presence and making them worry so much about him. He didn't think he deserved it- at least not on the day of the full moon when the monster inside him was going to come out and bite and tear everything in its path.

What if, he thought, Dumbledore's arrangements weren't up to the mark? Of course he was a great wizard and everything, but had Dumbledore ever really dealt with a werewolf much less tried to contain one? What if Remus got out and hurt someone? That was his biggest fear. Would he ever be able to live with himself? What if he- if he passed his affliction to some other innocent person?

And all of a sudden, the decision to come and study at Hogwarts started looking like a big mistake. It wasn't worth it, if the wolf went ahead and bit someone. It felt extremely selfish on his part now, coming here and risking everyone else's life, just so he could have a normal childhood. What was he thinking?! He felt like throwing up.

The bell rang and their Defence Against the Dark Arts class ended but Remus hadn't really heard anything throughout the lesson as panic boiled and rose inside his chest.

He went straight to Professor McGonagall's office, after waving goodbye to his friends, where Madam Pomfrey was already waiting for him. She seemed nice enough to Remus though she didn't really talk as she led him down the marble staircase to the grounds towards the Whomping Willow.

At first glance the willow looked quite normal and ancient as if it had stood on Hogwarts's grounds since ages. It was only when they reached closer when Remus realized that the tree's branches were flailing even though there was no wind. On close inspection, Remus noticed a gap between its roots which was probably the mouth of the tunnel Professor McGonagall had been talking about. It was almost invisible, hidden perfectly in the dark colour and rough texture of the dense tree, in fact, Remus was quite sure he wouldn't have been able to spot the tunnel if he didn't know it existed in the first place.

"Look closely," said Madam Pomfrey as she picked one of the tree's broken branches off the ground. "You may have to do this by yourself someday."

Still wondering how they were going to make it to the hole without getting smashed by the tree, Remus looked as Madam Pomfrey prodded a little knot on the trunk. At once the tree stilled.

"Go ahead," said Madam Pomfrey jerking her chin towards the burrow.

It wasn't very roomy down there and Remus had to bend a little as he walked on inside, closely followed by Madam Pomfrey who was doubled up. He didn't know how long they walked, to him it felt like eternity. When he came out through the other end of the tunnel he was completely soaked and panting.

He was standing in a clean little room laid with soft comfy chairs and plump cushions. The walls were covered with pink flowery wallpaper. The room looked rather cluttered and yet cozy. Remus had never been to his Grandmother's, he wasn't even sure he had one, but the room gave him a feeling that it belonged to a fussy old grandma except for the fact that the windows were all barred and boarded up.

As Remus looked out at the slowly setting sun through the cracks in a window, Madam Pomfrey retrieved some bottled pumpkin juice, bread and cheese from her robe pockets and laid them down for him.