The first two months of their second year passed pretty uneventfully. They had much more workload than last year and Remus was always studying, and when Remus was studying, Sirius and James didn't feel like stirring up trouble. For one, Remus' ideas and spellwork were quite extraordinary. Also, as Remus was the model boy of their year, people tended to suspect them less after a prank if Remus was with them.

One day Sirius passed Regulus and a bunch of Slytherins with him, including Snape, Avery and Mulciber. It straight away put him in a black mood.

Later that day he came across one of Reg's first year friends, and in a sudden burst of anger and spitefulness, he hexed him so that his head started swelling.

Sirius intended to sneak away, but the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Kettle, caught him, and gave him detention.

He went away gloomily, thinking that it had been a dumb reason to get detention—that too without James or Remus.

After serving the two-hour detention, he returned to the common room. James and Peter were sitting in a corner, playing wizard's chess.

Joining them, he asked, "Where's Remus?"

"His mother is ill," said James "He had to rush off in barely half an hour's notice."

"Oh," said Sirius, sitting down beside James. His brows were creased; he brooded deeply for some time, then said, "Um...James, don't you think it's...strange that Remus has to go off so frequently?"

"Why is it strange?" asked James. "His mother has poor health; he told us so."

"We saw her at the station in the beginning of this year," said Sirius. "She didn't look ill, did she?"

"Sirius, what are you getting at?"

"I don't know...I think Remus is lying to us."

"No," said James at once. "Remus is our friend. He would never..."

"All right, all right," said Sirius hastily. As his friends continued playing, Sirius stared into the common room fire. There was one missing piece in the mystery. If only he could figure it out...

Remus disappeared 'to see his mother' every month. Then he came back looking tired and weak. And then there were the scars all along his arms. On being asked by Peter, he had muttered, "I got into a fight." And yet he kept getting new scars every month.

Every month...Sirius felt exasperated—what was he missing? His eyes drifted to the window...it was dark now. The top of the trees were gleaming in the moonlight...it was a full moon tonight...

A full moon...it came to Sirius at once. Of course, that was why Remus disappeared every month...

"James," said Sirius in a rather strangled voice. "Look outside the window for a bit."

James and Peter did so.

"What is it?" complained Peter. "I just see the sky."

"So do I, Sirius. What is it?" asked James.

"Look carefully," said Sirius. "The moon..."

After ten seconds, Peter whined, "Is this a joke?"

But James' eyes sought Sirius' as he realized what his best friend meant.

"No," said James vehemently. "How can you even think that about Remus? Sirius, Remus is our..."

"I know he is our best friend. But it's not like he has any control over it."

"Control over what?" asked Peter, looking bewildered.

"Think of it," continued Sirius, ignoring Peter. "Every month at full moon. The scars on his arms. The tiredness after coming back. It all fits, James!"

"What fits?" demanded Peter.

James face was white and horrified. "Yes...you are right, Sirius. I—I can't believe he didn't tell us..."

"TELL US WHAT?" yelled Peter.

The entire common room stared at them.

"Shh!" said James and Sirius.

"Tell me!" said Peter.

"Remus is a werewolf," said Sirius. James flinched at the word. Peter stared open mouthed at the Sirius.

"You don't mean it?"

"Yes, I do," said Sirius grimly.

"What will we do about it?" asked James.

"Tell him tomorrow that we know," was the practical reply.

"If he doesn't want us to know..." began Peter.

"It doesn't matter," said Sirius, feeling a little hurt that Remus had not confided in them.

"Yes, we've got to tell him," said James.

"Tomorrow."

--------------------

The next day, Alice approached them. "I say, what's wrong with Remus?" she asked.

James and Sirius exchanged startled glances.

"He's in the Hospital Wing. He doesn't look too good," said Alice.

"He just...er...got into a fight with a pair of Slytherins," said James.

After Alice left, the three of them decided at once to go and visit their friend.

Once in the sickbay, Sirius rushed to Remus' bedside, James and Peter at his heels. All three of them were horrified to see his state.

"What happened to you?" gasped Peter.

"H-Hi..." said Remus, looking white and nervous.

"Remus," said James gently, his heart aching for his best friend.

Remus stared at him, his eyes wide, as if he had guessed that something was wrong.

"What is it?" he said hoarsely, not sure he wanted to hear.

"Remus, we know." It was Sirius who spoke this time.

"Know what?" Remus voice came out as a whisper.

"That you're a—a—" Sirius faltered.

"A werewolf," finished James.

Remus turned, if possible, whiter. He stared at each of his friends in turn, misery written all over his face.

"How—how long have you known?" croaked Remus.

"Just since yesterday night," said Sirius.

Remus blinked. Sirius saw that his hand was shaking, and he gently touched it. Remus stared at him in astonishment, sure that it was the calm before the storm.

"Do you hate me now?" whispered Remus.

"What?" cried Peter.

"Of course we don't," said Sirius.

"Whatever made you think that?" demanded James.

There were tears in Remus' brown eyes. "It has happened before. You know, with people whom I thought were my friends...they deserted me the moment they found out...so I thought you would too..."

"And they call you the smartest boy in our year," muttered Sirius.

"You are a complete idiot, Remus," declared James. "Why, you are our friend. How could you ever think that we would desert you?"

"And suppose we did," said Sirius, grinning. "Then who will get us out of all those detentions by charming the Professors like a good little boy?"

"Not to mention that that we would lose half the brains behind the ingenious pranks," added James, slyly. He was grinning too.

"We would not be the Marauders without you, Remus," squeaked Peter.

A true smile lit up Remus' tired white face.

Sirius reached over and ruffled his hair affectionately. "Remus, were those earlier friends of yours as great as me and James and that weird thing?" Peter grunted in protest as Sirius pointed at him. "Were they?" he demanded.

Remus shook his head. "No—never!" He sat up and hugged Sirius.

"See," grumbled James to Peter. "Sirius gets all the credit."

Remus grinned and hugged James and Peter in turn.

"Thanks...it means a lot to me," said Remus sincerely. He was so glad that he looked ready to burst into tears again.

"Don't you dare cry," warned Sirius. "Marauders don't cry."

"Um...new rule?" asked Remus.

"Yeah," said Sirius.

Remus laughed. "l love you guys."

"Of course you do," said James. "What is there in us not to love?"

"The whole school loves us," added Sirius. "With the exception of Lily Evans."

James glared at his best friends as they laughed, before joining them. "I suggest another new rule," he said. "Marauders don't betray each other. EVER. No matter what happens."

"Yes!" cried the other three at once.

"So here are the great Marauders—comprising of a Lily Evans obsessed lover, a bookworm, a weird thing and a dashingly handsome fellow," said Sirius.

Two voices shouted him down at once.

"I am not obsessed with Lily," yelled James.

"You are, too," said Sirius. "You go green with envy every time you see her with Snivelly."

"I don't—"

Remus started at them, bickering good-naturedly, and thought that finally something had happened to make him feel lucky, blessed...his three best friends.