back room
"Remus, I'm going to ask you some questions about your symptoms."
Remus nodded, biting his lip nervously.
"Tightening in the chest?"
"No."
"Mr. Lupin."
"Fine, yes.", Remus sighed.
Pomfrey eyed her list, scanning through it.
"Coughing?"
"Y-yes."
"Joint pain?"
"Er, yes.", Remus said, clearing his throat.
"Stay here, I'll be right back.", Madame Pomfrey said quietly, closing the door to the back room.
"I'm going to die.", Remus said softly.
main room
"Is he okay? Can we see him?", James asked hurriedly.
"Remus has some of the symptoms of having silver in his blood, but he might not. Follow me.", she said briskly, motioning into the back room.
Remus was sitting on the exam table, looking quite small.
"Moony, you will be fine.", James reassured. Sirius kissed his cheek softly, putting an arm around him, and Peter sat down next to him.
Remus nodded at Pomfrey, who continued.
"Does your stomach hurt?"
"Sometimes.", Remus muttered.
"Burning in your throat?", she asked.
"Not all the time.", he admitted.
"I think we need to do an exam, Lupin.", she said quietly.
"I feel fine! I'm not going to die, am I?", Remus asked, sounding scared.
"No, Moony, you won't.", Sirius said, his voice trembling.
The three boys were lead out, and Remus was left with Madame Pomfrey.
a few minutes later
"Mr. Lupin, I am happy to say you do not have silver in your blood.", Madam Pomfrey smiled.
"I don't? But- but what about the symptoms?", Remus asked, standing up.
"Everything except the chest and lung pain is because of the lunar eclipse last night. Nothing abnormal."
"Do you smoke, Mr. Lupin?"
"Er.", Remus stuttered. James, Sirius, and Peter looked at each other.
"I won't tell anyone, just between us.", Pomfrey said.
"Occasionally, yes.", Remus admitted, "But I don't see what that has to do with this."
"You have weaker lungs than-- other people.", she started.
"You mean werewolves."
Pomfrey nodded, continuing, "Your lungs have been damaged. No more smoking. Any of you.".
Sirius took out the pack of cigarettes from his pocket, handing them to Pomfrey, while James and Peter did the same. "You're giving up smoking?", Remus asked.
"Only for you, Moony.", Sirius responded.
"Yeah, and I can't play Quidditch if I keep smoking.", James cracked.
"How's your throat, Lupin?", Pomfrey asked, "And the truth, this time, please."
"Kind of feels like someone's squeezing my lungs.", Remus choked out.
"I gave you a potion, and the pain will go. Unfortunately, it's going to be bad for tonight, but it won't come back if you don't smoke.", she said.
"Can we take him back to the dorm, or does he have to stay here?", Peter asked.
"Take him to the dorm, but take good care of him."
dorm
"You guys didn't have to give up smoking.", Remus said, after a silence.
"Of course we did, Moony. Besides, it's just smoking. Nothing big.", Peter said.
"I can move into the common room for a few days if you want to have one last smoke.", Remus offered.
"Nonsense. We'll be fine.", James said, waving a flippant hand. Remus began to protest, but a grimace of pain took over his features.
"Moony?", Sirius asked concernedly.
"Hurts.", he choked out.
"It'll be over soon.", Sirius whispered, as Remus rested his head on Sirius' lap, trying to go to sleep.
That night was restless, the three other boys not going to sleep, just making sure Remus was okay when he let out the occasional whimper of pain.
"It won't-- It won't stop hurting.", Remus grunted, curling up into a small ball. "Deep breaths, Moony.", Sirius guided, putting a hand on his chest. "I can't-- I can't.", Remus said, hyperventilating.
James handed him a glass of water, and Remus sat up, reaching out a trembling hand, taking the cup. The cup shook as he brought it up to his lips, but right before it did, the water spilled everywhere.
"Cold.", he muttered, trembling. Peter waved his wand, drying him up, and Sirius took the glass, filling it up again, and guiding Remus' hand to the cup."Better?", James asked.
"A little.", Remus responded.
the next morning
Remus was fast asleep, looking peaceful, but the three other boys were sitting around him, bags under their eyes.
"He asleep?", Peter asked softly.
"Yeah.", James whispered, taking off his glasses and setting them on the table next to them.
"This is a shit start to the year.", Peter remarked, and Sirius made a noncommittal noise.
"He'll be fine. Just-- no more smoking.", James reminded. "No more smoking.", Sirius and Peter nodded.
"Padfoot?", Remus muttered. "It's me, Rem.", Sirius said softly.
"How are you feeling?", James asked.
"It hurts a little when I talk.", Remus whispered, his voice croaky, before nodding off to sleep.
afternoon
Remus woke up in the late afternoon, but his friends still hadn't slept, playing a quiet game of cards next to him.
"I feel better now.", he said, rubbing his eyes.
"Good.", Sirius yawned. "You guys didn't stay awake with me the whole night, did you?", Remus laughed. A silence passed, before Remus let out a sound of disbelief.
"Please get some sleep.", he whispered.
"I have quidditch, Moony, but I promise I will after.", James said.
Remus silenced him with a look. "Sleep. Now.", he said, ordering everyone to their beds.
"Fine, Professor Moony.", Sirius joked, kissing the top of his head.
"Get over here, you git.", Remus smiled, patting the spot next to him, before curling up with a book.
Sirius leaned against Remus, contented. "I love you.", Remus said softly.
"Aww, thanks, Moony! I love you too!", James shouted, stepping out of the bathroom. He looked at Remus and Sirius, and reddened. "Oh- you meant him-- I'm just going to-", James stuttered, before shaking his head and walking away.
Sirius burst out laughing, his shoulders shaking.
"I love you too, Moony. And I know you're worried about after school. Everything will be fine. James and Lily, Peter and Emily, you and me.", he said, the atmosphere changing.
"I'm scared. I'm scared something will happen, Pads.", Remus admitted, his hands shaking, not looking up from his book.
"We'd never leave you, Moony, I promise you that. We're not leaving.", Sirius said firmly.
Remus nodded, kissing Sirius' forehead softly. "I'd never leave you either.", he whispered, as Sirius nodded off to sleep.
room of requirement, a month later
Valentines' Day had passed, it had come and gone, no one feeling like celebrating.
"I see eager faces, ready to fight. But I also see.... kids. I need you to know that no one is forcing you to be here. If you would like to leave, then no one will judge you. You have lives to live.", Fabian Prewett stated, looking out at the students. No one left, a determined look on each of their faces.
"Good. Now, time for some practice. Due to the recent attacks, only the people who have graduated Hogwarts will be going on missions and patrol. The rest of you will train.", McGonagall announced.
"You all begin, Sirius, Lupin, Meadowes, and McKinnon--Marlene, come with me.", Kingsley said, a little uncomfortably.
They looked at each other, before following Kingsley to the back of the room, where there was no one else.
"You are together, correct?, he asked, looking at the two couples.
They nodded, looking unsure.
"Is there a problem?", Sirius asked defensively. Kingsley shook his head quickly, "Of course not.".
"People-- you are being targeted. People like us.", Kingsley said.
"Like us?", Marlene asked. "Don't sound so surprised. I have a boyfriend too.", Kingsley said, in a monotonous voice.
"As I was saying, to decrease the risk of any attacks, I need you to pretend like you are not together.", he said quietly.
"Oh.", Dorcas said softly. "Only when you go in public. Nothing will change to your home lives. You can still be together, but try not to be affectionate towards each other.", he said quickly.
"This isn't fair.", Sirius said angrily. "It's not just you. I have to do it too. I'm sorry, but after the war is over, I promise, things will change.", Kingsley said quietly.
They walked back to the middle of the room, and their friends looked at them questioningly.
"What happened?", Lily asked carefully. "We can't-- We can't be together anymore.", Marlene said. "Not in public.", Remus said softly.
"Why not?", James asked angrily.
Peter looked at Sirius' face and immediately understood, "Oh.", he said.
"Because we would get attacked. We can't be public until the fucking war is over.", Sirius said angrily.
"That's horrible.", Lily said softly.
"But-- that's unethical! They can't do that!", James said loudly.
"It's war, James, I don't think they care about ethical.", Mary reminded.
"Prongs, I hate this too. But I know that I'm going to be targeted because I'm a werewolf. Pads will because he's a disowned Black, and we killed a couple Death Eaters. And you want us to live with you, and if we do that when we're public, you're going to be exhausted, fighting off people left and right. We can't put that burden on you.", Remus said, looking at James in the eyes.
"So you're putting our happiness before yours?", Lily asked loudly. Sirius nodded, "Yeah, we are.", he said solemnly.
"You deserve to be happy.", James said firmly. Sirius and Remus looked down, not saying anything. Marlene looked up, her eyes red. "James, there's nothing we can do about it.".
"Fight for it.", James said. "There's a war, Prongs. We can deal with this later.", Remus sighed.
"Remus.", James said sternly. "We'll talk about this later.", Remus repeated, with an air of finality, as he grabbed his wand.