Assembled Puzzle

Remus jerked awake. His heart was pounding painfully fast. He lay staring at the top of his four poster and taking deep breaths. Sirius poked his head into the curtains.

"You alright, Remus?"

"Sure. I just had a dream that I was falling," Remus lied. He sat up and got out of bed. "I think I'll do a little reading." Remus opened his trunk and pulled out his book on Patronus charms. He covered the title with his hand so Sirius would not see.

"You want to read in the middle of the night?" Sirius asked astonished.

"Well I can't sleep."

"Why don't' we go prank the Slytherins or something?"

"I don't want to risk losing the house cup." As Remus was opening the door Sirius grabbed hold of his nightshirt to try to stop him.

"Remus, wait-" Sirius stopped in mid sentence as he noticed something on his friend's right shoulder and the title of his book. He quickly let go of the shirt. "You're right. I don't want to cost Gryffindor the house cup either. I'm tired anyway. I'm going back to bed."

"Goodnight," Remus said pleasantly.

"Have fun reading," Sirius replied with his signature-winning smile. Remus grinned back at him and closed the door. Sirius waited for a minute to be sure that Remus was really in the common room. He then tiptoed over to James' four poster. "James," he hissed giving he friend a prod.

"Whayouwan?" James muttered.

"I think we're right about Remus," Sirius whispered so he wouldn't wake Peter. James' eyes snapped open. He grabbed his glasses from his night table and put them on.

"What happened now?" James asked, also careful not to wake Peter.

"He was having a nightmare again. This time he said he was falling, but he had the exact same look on his face he does every other time since that damn Dementor. He grabbed his Patronus book again and tried to keep the title hidden."

"But there was something else, wasn't there?"

"Yup. I grabbed his shirt and got a glimpse of a scar on his shoulder. Wizards don't scar unless it's from a curse."

"Was it a bite?" James asked already knowing the answer. Sirius nodded soberly. "Poor Remus. No wonder he passed out when that Dementor got near him."

"Yeah," said Sirius hoarsely. "It's not fair. Remus doesn't deserve this."

Sirius and James had been working with Lily, Annie, Veronica, Arabella, and Teddy on the mystery of Remus' illness ever since the school had been attacked by the Dementors. Veronica had told them that the Whomping Willow had just been planted that year. She had figured that Dumbledore had a good reason for planting it. No matter how much people claimed that Dumbledore was nutters, he never did anything without good reason. Then Veronica, Teddy and Arabella had returned from a visit from Hogsmeade talking about the ridiculous rumors flying around that the Shrieking Shack was haunted. The all found it strange that an old, boarded up house had just been built. They figured it was just a tourist attraction. James remembered Remus dropping his books when Teddy told them about villagers hearing howls the night before. The was also the undisputed fact that Remus was always ill during the full moon. Lily kept a diary. She always noted Remus' illness. The friends had double-checked the dates with the lunar charts. They had not told Peter anything yet. He had the potential to over react.

Remus felt increasingly more frustrated as he poured over his book on the Patronus charm. He was certain that finding a really happy memory was no longer a problem. His friends had helped him create enough of those in the last ten months. The problem was finding a way to practice the charm. Remus certainly did not want to run into a Dementor on purpose. A Boggart may have work if they didn't always turn into the moon when they saw him. Remus personally found Dementors much more frightening. The last full moon of his first year at Hogwarts was tomorrow. He and Madam Pomfrey had decided that it was best for him just to be sick rather than say he was leaving school. The fever was starting to rise.

The memory of being bitten had faded over the years. It had especially faded in his Hogwarts months prior to his meeting with the Dementor. Since then, the experience had returned to Remus with vengeance. He was always startled awake at the moment the wolf sank its teeth into his shoulder. The bite had only lasted for a few moments as the moon set, the beast broke off his attack. It seemed to be regaining its conscience. It soon transformed into a man who stared in horror at what his alter ego had done. Remus! He gasped. What have I done? The man was Samuel Falkner, the Lupins' neighbor. He took Remus back to his home to his parents who screamed in utter horror when they saw what had happened to their precious little boy.

Veronica entered through the painting, snapping Remus out of his thoughts. She had just finished a prefect round. If it had been another prefect, Remus may have been worried about being caught outside of his dorm so late, but Veronica was pretty lenient as long as he wasn't disturbing anyone.

"Trouble sleeping?" she asked with a weary smile. Remus shrugged. Veronica threw herself into one of the empty chairs. She noticed the book Remus was holding and gave him a sympathetic look. "Making any progress?"

"Not really. I have no way to practice the charm."

"What about a Boggart?"

"Nah, Boggarts just turn into the mo-er-something that doesn't really scare me at all."

"Well, Boggarts always turn into what they think will scare you, not necessarily what will actually scare you." Veronica replied. She was fairly certain that Remus was about to say that Boggarts turned into the moon at the sight of him. She kept her face impassive.

"How do you think you did on your OWLs?" Remus asked changing the subject. Veronica shrugged.

"I don't know," she answered weakly.

"I'm sure you got twelve," he smiled.

"You're too kind, Remus."

"And you're too modest."

Veronica laughed. She was fairly sure she had given the right answers on her OWLS, but she thought that over confidence was bad luck. She suddenly noticed that Remus looked very pale. The full moon was less than twenty-four hours away. "Are you feeling alright, Remus. You look a little pale."

"I'm fine."

Veronica stood up quickly and felt his forehead. "You're burning up!"

"Alright you win, Madam Pomfrey. I'll go get some sleep."

"Just promise me that you'll go see the real Madam Pomfrey if you still have a temperature in the morning." Remus nodded in response. I can assure you I'll be seeing Madam Pomfrey tomorrow, he thought as he stood up and headed up the stairs toward his dormitory.

"Do you hear that, James?" Sirius hissed.

"Yeah, we'd better pretend to be asleep." Sirius dove into his fore poster and pulled his covers over himself. James put his glasses back on his night table and lay down quickly. The door opened and Remus tiptoed to his trunk to put his book back inside. He looked around to see that his friends were asleep and climbed back into bed.

The next day Remus' fever had risen and he went to go see Madam Pomfrey as he had promised Veronica. At least he thought that he had a plausible excuse. Remus had no idea that his friends had been piecing clues together about his disappearances for the last few months. Madam Pomfrey had just treated several students for sunburn. It was common at exam time, especially for the outdoor exams.

"Good evening, Mr. Lupin," Madam Pomfrey greeted as she was applying cream so a third year Hufflepuff girl. "Feeling a little off colour today."

"I have a little fever," Remus answered.

"I'll be with you in just a minute, dear. Now, Miss Jenkins, you'll want to keep applying that every two hours. Come and see me again tomorrow afternoon if it still hurts."

"Yes Madame Pomfrey," the girl answered and left.

Madame Pomfrey walked over to the hospital wing entrance and closed it before approaching Remus. She pushed back his bangs and felt his forehead. "You're burning up," she declared in the same tone Veronica had used the night before. "When did this fever start?"

"Yesterday," Remus answered sheepishly. Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.

"I'll give you a cooling potion." She led Remus over to one of the beds. "Now I want you to rest until we go to the shack tonight. Do-not-move-from-this-spot!"

"I won't," Remus promised. He drank the potion Madam Pomfrey gave him and closed his eyes.

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"I'll keep Peter busy while you go out," Annie volunteered.

"Good idea," said James. "We probably shouldn't say anything to him until we're sure. You all know how he can get."

Sirius snorted. Peter was their friend, but he could be a stupid git and might not react well to the news that Remus was a werewolf. They would have to find the right place, time, and manner to break it to him.

"Here comes Peter right now," Lily hissed. Annie stood up and walked across the common room to Peter.

"Hey Peter, how 'bout a game of wizard's chess? I feel lucky today." Peter always managed to beat Annie at chess. It lifted his ego.

"Sure," Peter answered with a grin. Annie led him over to one on the more distant tables and set up the board. Lily, James, and Sirius tiptoed up to the first year boys' dormitory and slipped under the invisibility cloak.

The three of them crept outside the castle and found a spot where they could see the Whomping Willow. The sun was slowly setting over the horizon. The three of them held their breath and watched. After about five minutes they saw two figures emerge from the castle and head strait for the willow. Yes, the figures were none other than Madam Pomfrey and their good friend Remus. They watched Madam Pomfrey take a stick and prod a knot on the tree. It suddenly froze. She and Remus disappeared under the roots. Lily, James and Sirius all exchanged glances. Madam Pomfrey re-emerged ten minutes later. She stopped and stared off in the direction of Hogsmeade. The moon had risen. A horrible howl echoed through the night air. Lily glanced more closely at Madam Pomfrey.

"I think she's crying," Lily whispered as the school nurse re-entered the castle.

"She's probably really fond of Remus," said James. "She's always been a bit more protective of him than she usually is with her patients."

"Yeah," Sirius added. "She left the Quidditch field to take care of him after he fainted from the Dementor. She never leaves accident scenes."

"C'mon," said James. "Let's get back to the common room."

"Well?" Annie asked anxiously when the three of them returned. They all nodded soberly. Annie's mouth fell open and tears welled in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Teddy asked from behind Sirius.

"We've just found out that all our crack-pot theories are not so cracked-pot," James answered. Teddy was quickly joined by Veronica and Arabella.

"Maybe we shouldn't be talking about this out in the open," Veronica suggested.

"You're probably right," said Sirius. "Let's go up to our dormitory, no one'll bother us there." Everyone nodded in agreement. They all quietly ascended the stairs to the first year boys' dormitory. Peter was waiting inside.

"Where were you guys?" he asked. "You missed my chess triumph." James glanced at his friends who all nodded.

"We need to talk, Peter," James said as he and his six companions took seats on the four posters.

"Is something wrong?" Peter asked nervously.

"Well...yes and no."

"What!"

"We-er-found out why Remus fainted the day the Dementors came," said Lily.

"Well?" prompted Peter.

"He's a werewolf!" Sirius blurted and his hand flew to his mouth in shock. Peter's jaw dropped. He began to sputter.

"Peter-" Veronica began. Peter dove into his trunk and pulled out a silver box.

"What are you doing?" Sirius asked.

"Protecting myself from that monster!" Peter shrieked.

"DON'T YOU DARE CALL REMUS A MONSTER!" Annie screamed so loudly that everyone else jumped. Peter clutched the stitch of his robes. He was breathing rapidly and twitching. Annie was glaring coldly at him. Lily put a hand on her shoulder. At that moment, Annie felt the utmost hatred for Peter. How could he call Remus a monster after Remus had been such a good friend to him. Peter isn't really our friend, Annie thought. He's just some little worm who tags along and runs when things get a little sticky. James, Remus, and Sirius are just too nice to leave him out of their fun. He's a coward. He doesn't belong in Gryffindor. Annie was shocked at herself for thinking such horrible thoughts. "Sorry," she told Peter. "I just got a little emotional."

"Annie's right though, Peter," said Sirius. "Remus is not a monster. He's one of the gentlest people any of us have ever met."

"You're right," said Peter. "I shouldn't have flipped like that. Remus is my friend."

"Do you think you can get us into the hospital wing to visit Remus tomorrow?" Lily asked Veronica. Prefects could usually pull a few strings.

"I think I'll be able to get through to Madam Pomfrey," Veronica answered.

"Well, now we know for sure that the rumors that the shrieking shack is haunted are al rubbish," Teddy said.

"Yeah, the wizard community'll believe anything," added Arabella.

"Including the idea that werewolves are dark creatures," said Annie bitterly.

"I seriously doubt that Remus strolled up to the wolf that bit him and said 'Gee Mr. Werewolf, would you mind attacking me so I can go through a horribly painful transformation once a month?" Sirius added.

"Maybe now that he knows he can talk to us, we can help him stop having those nightmares," said Lily.

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The next morning, the eight Gryffindors paid Madam Pomfrey a visit in her office.

"Er-Madam Pomfrey?" Veronica began. Madam Pomfrey glanced up to see her most frequent patient's closest friends standing before her.

"Yes," she replied suspiciously.

"We'd like to see Remus. It's very important," Veronica continued.

"I'm afraid that Mr. Lupin is in no condition to see anyone right now. He needs rest."

"We know he's a werewolf," Veronica blurted. Madam Pomfrey dropped her book. She looked shocked for a moment and then her face relaxed.

"I figured his friends would eventually figure out the truth," she sighed.

"May we see him, please," Veronica asked again.

"I'll have to go ask him," said Madam Pomfrey firmly. "He's really in no condition to be upset."

"Tell him we want to help," said Sirius earnestly. Madam Pomfrey nodded briskly and left for Remus' bed.

"Remus? Are you awaked?" she asked as she came around the curtains.

"Hmm," Remus answered.

"Your friends are here to see you."

Remus shot up alarmed. He winced as pain shot through his chest. He had somehow gotten a huge cut across it the night before. Madam Pomfrey hurried to his side and firmly but gently forced him to lie back down.

"It's alright, they know; and they want to help."

Tears pricked Remus' eyes. His lip quivered and he bit down hard on it. Then he remembered what Hagrid had told a few months earlier. Hagrid was right. Remus swallowed. "Alright, I'll see them."

"Good," said Madam Pomfrey with a kind smile. She hurried off. Remus wiped his face on his bad sheet. He held his breath. What was he going to say to his friends now that they knew the truth? After a minute, Remus' five first year friend came around the curtain with-to his surprise-Teddy, Arabella, and Veronica. The was a few seconds' awkward silence that was broken by Sirius.

"We brought you some chocolate frogs and Butterbeer," he said beaming.

"Thanks," Remus replied grinning back at Sirius. There was another awkward, silent pause.

"Alright, I can't take this," said Annie, startling everyone. "Look, Remus, here's the thing: we know that you're a werewolf, we don't care-well we do care because it causes you pain-" her cheeks started to burn. "Anyway we still care about you, we don't think you're a monster, and we want to help your nightmares stop." Annie ran out of breath. Remus stared at her open mouthed.

"Will you let us help you," James asked.

Remus smiled weakly. "Yes," he choked. "How did you find out?"

"Well," said Lily. "A lot of little things just added up."

"There's the fact that the Whomping Willow wasn't planted until this year," said Veronica.

"Let's not forget the brand new boarded up old building in the middle of Hogsmeade," added Teddy.

"And the fact that so-called violent spirits can be heard inside of it around the same time every month," Arabella chimed in.

"At the same time of the month that you've either been ill or visiting your mother," said Sirius.

"Not to mention everything that's happened since the Dementor incident," said James.

"When I saw the scar on your shoulder two nights ago, it confirmed our theory," Sirius confessed.

"Oh, so that's why you suddenly backed off," Remus commented. His eyes twinkled.

"Five points to Gryffindor, Moony."

"Moony..." Remus said thoughtfully. "I like it."

Everyone but Peter snickered. He looked around at his friends in disbelief. They had suspected that Remus was a werewolf for months and no one had bothered to tell him or ask him for help solving their little puzzle. They must have thought that their stupid little fat friend was too incompetent to help or maybe he was too scared. They were all just so smart and talented. His was the stupid little tag-along who always needed their help. I'll show you all one day not to underestimate me, he thought. Then he gave himself an internal kick for thinking that about his friends.