Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) - Book One (Marauder Era)

Chapter Thirty - Still Figuring Out This Friend Thing

Sure enough, shortly after the sun set the wolf took over, ripping through his body, bones popping, claws tearing, finally his human mind shrinking into oblivion.

*

On the fourth, Remus was brought back after his final transformation, all his wounds bandaged up. Pomfrey complained the entire way through the tunnel about Sirius and James trying to break into the hospital wing to see him the evening before, that she had to keep running them out. "They're troublemakers, those two," she sighed.

Remus slept most the morning then after lunch he tried to get out of bed so he could go to class. He had Potions. He should be there. But his body was too weak, his wounds still hurting. He managed to stand for a moment then collapsed back, flinching as he felt the gash on his thigh opening back up. He pushed down his pajama pants, peeled back the bandage, watching the blood seeping out. He should call for Pomfrey to get a new bandage but... it didn't matter. He'd heal. He pressed the gauze back, tugging up his pants, then drifted back into sleep.

*

After dinner in the hospital wing, Remus returned to his dorm. He didn't see anyone he knew on the way so he was able to get a shower and climb into bed in peace, until about half an hour after curfew when Sirius and James came in. Remus woke up at the noise then sat up, wiping his eyes, listening to them exclaiming over his return. They told Remus they had tried to see him multiple times but Pomfrey wouldn't let them and how unfair was that???

Then Sirius puffed his chest out, asking, "Do I look any different?"

Remus looked him up and down, wondering what he had done. "Erm... no?"

James snickered while Sirius deflated. "Oh. It was my birthday yesterday, I'm twelve now."

"Oh! Uh, h--happy b-belated birthday," Remus said, feeling rather bad he had missed it. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to give Sirius anything or not. Did friends do that sort of thing? Did James give him anything? Did Peter?

Sirius threw himself down onto Remus's bed next to him. "When's your birthday?"

"Er, March..."

"Really?" James sat down on Remus's other side, making him feel a bit penned in. "When? Mine's the twenty-seventh."

"The--the tenth," he answered and James gave a groan.

Sirius giggled. "Guess that makes you the baby."

James glowered at him. "Barely. Only by seventeen days."

Sirius laughed now, nudging Remus who flinched and grunted in pain. His side--which had been ripped up pretty bad--was still healing. Sirius apologized, and Remus (glad they couldn't smell the blood like he did) just shook his head, promising he was fine, then saying he was tired and if it was okay he'd like to go back to sleep. After both boys bounced to their feet, Remus paused, then got up as well to open his desk drawer. He pulled out his last bar of chocolate, giving it to Sirius.

"Happy birthday."

Sirius looked at the chocolate in surprise then took it, a smile spreading on his face. "Thanks, little buddy," Sirius said then he reached out, hand dropping on to the top of Remus's head. He rubbed rather furiously, messing up Remus's hair before he and James left.

Remus reached up, smoothing his hair back down, wishing he was able to ask Sirius what that meant. Messing his hair up. It hadn't seemed to be something... mean or teasing or anything. Just... it happened. Physical contact... he still felt uncomfortable with that. Like, they would know if they touched him as if the knowledge of what he was could seep out of his skin into them.