Well, this is it. The long-awaited sequel to Son of the Gentle Queen. Updates will be sparse as I now have a full-time job that keeps me very busy, but I have every intention of seeing this story through to its completion.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Chronicles of Narnia; they belong to JK Rowling and CS Lewis. Basically, if you reconize it ITS NOT MINE!

Spoilers: Marauders' Era for HP, Prince Caspian for Narnia

Reminder: Remus was born in 1966, so he started Hogwarts in 1977. Years for Narnia are the same as the books, or as close to the same as I could calculate.

Warnings: This story is shaping out to be darker than its predecessor. Expect violence, swearing, possible torture, peril (non-mild), and just general angst and hurt.

Chapter includes lyrics from the song "Learn to be Lonely" from Phantom of the Opera.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! :D

...And a Happy New Year!

Prologue: Learn to be Lonely

Child of the wilderness

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Spring 1982

Remus groaned and rested his head on his folded arms. The chatter of the Great Hall this morning was just too much. His skull felt like it was splitting open and he was sure that his brain was leaking out through his ears.

"You alright there, Moony?" asked James softly, his hazel eyes full of concern. Remus simply groaned and attempted to bury his face further into the wooden table.

"Full moon tonight," said Regina sagely from across the table, her cocoa eyes filled with sympathy for her friend. Regina Jordan was one of both Remus and Lily's best friends. She was a tall girl with creamy chocolate skin and raven colored hair, which she often wore pulled back in a single French braid. She was kind and gentle, deemed the 'Momma Bear' of Gryffindor by, well, pretty much everyone who knew her. Remus didn't know what he'd do without her sometimes, really.

"Oh, right," said James, smiling sadly at his werewolf cousin. "Anything I can do, Moony?"

"Get Sirius to shut the hell up, please," he groaned out. "He's like a bloody banshee this morning."

"He's always like this," said Regina, "you're just usually too nice to say anything."

Remus groaned again and James began to gently massage his friend's temples. "You wanna head to class early?" he asked softly. "I'll make your excuses for you if you need to get out of here."

"Thanks, Prongs," said Remus, giving the raven-haired teen a small smile. "I think I just might take you up on that."

Born into emptiness

Moony ran through the trees, his strange little pack by his side. His tongue lolled out the side of his mouth as he panted heavily. Occasionally he would stop his pack mates with a sharp bark so that they could join him in howling at the moon. Padfoot was best at it, after him. Prongs' howls were more like bays and Wormtail could only ever manage a series of pitiful squeaks. Moony was Alpha here, both protector and leader. Prongs and Padfoot sometimes liked to herd him, as though they were the ones in charge, and often times Moony indulged them. It was harmless fun at best, so long as they didn't forget who was really in charge. A slight change in the wind wafted a tantalizing smell past Moony's sensitive nose. The werewolf yowled at his pack and abruptly changed direction. There was rabbit to be hunted tonight.

Learn to be lonely

Remus floated on the edge of consciousness, his whole body distantly throbbing with pain. He knew that last night had been a full moon, but something seemed off. Ever since his friends had started joining him as anamagi, he'd been less prone to self-inflicted injuries as the wolf. Why then, he wondered, did he feel like he'd gotten mauled by a hippogriff?

"Remus?" He groaned at the familiar voice, finding himself unable to form words. "Madam Pomfrey, he's waking up!"

"Wuz goin' on?" Remus asked thickly. His mouth was dry, his eyelids felt heavy, and his brain felt like it was made of cotton.

"Shh, Remus, don't strain yourself; you've had a rough night." Remus vaguely recognized the voice as that of his friend Regina, who had recently started apprenticing with the school's healer, Madam Pomfrey.

"'M I in th' hos'tal wing 'gin?"

"I'm afraid so, Mr. Lupin," said Madam Pomfrey, bustling into view and expertly waving her wand over the boy in the hospital bed.

"Wuh happ'n'd?" he asked, blinking his amber eyes lethargically as he fought to stay conscious.

"Shh, go back to sleep, Remus," said Regina, gently stroking his tawny hair. "Don't worry about anything right now; just focus on feeling better."

"Did you tell him?" Remus heard another familiar voice say (James, he thought) as he drifted back to sleep, his mind filled with worry and fear.

Learn to find your way in darkness

"I can't believe you!" shouted Remus, enraged. "How could you do this to me? I thought you were my friend!"

"I am your friend, Moony!" insisted Sirius, a pleading look in his grey eyes.

"No," snarled Remus, amber eyes flashing. "Friends don't do things like that to one another. You could have made me into a murderer, Black. If something had happened to Snape, you would have gotten off scot-free and I'd have gotten a silver bullet to my brain!"

"Please, Remus," begged Sirius, "if you'd just let me explain—"

"No!" snapped Remus. "I'm tired of your excuses! You almost killed two people last night, one of them being someone you claim as your friend. I can't trust you anymore, Black. I'm not even sure I can stand to be around you right now."

"But—"

"Leave it, Sirius," said James, tugging the taller boy away from Remus. "You've done enough." He pushed Sirius out of the dorm and shut the door behind him.

"Thanks James," said Remus, plopping down on his bed and winding his fingers into his shaggy hair. "I just can't deal with him right now."

"I know, Rem," said James, sitting down beside him and slinging his arm over his shoulders. "Pete was supposed to be watching; he was supposed to let me know if Sirius when Sirius was headed up to the dorm."

Remus sighed. "I know I can't avoid him forever," he said, "but he really hurt me, James. He was my best friend; I trusted him and he betrayed me!"

"I understand and I'm on your side, Rem," said James soothingly. "I'm just saying it's going to be really hard to avoid him completely, seeing as we all sleep in the same dorm room. Pete and I'll do our best to help you avoid him, but we're no miracle workers here."

Who will be there for you

"You're not coming with us."

Sirius scoffed. "Of course I am, Prongs," he said, lazing nonchalantly on his bed. "I wouldn't miss the fun for the world. Besides, we all know that it's not a Marauders' party without me."

"This isn't a party we're talking about here," said James sharply, "or has it escaped your notice that one of our best mates spends one night a month having his body completely—painfully—rearranged not once, but twice in a single twelve hour period."

Sirius schooled his face into blankness and rolled his eyes. "Don't be such a killjoy, Prongs," he said. "Lighten up."

"Lighten up?" snapped James, hazel eyes narrowing sharply behind wire frames. "You need to get your priorities sorted out, mate. Until then, I think it's best if you stay away during tonight's full—for Moony's sake and yours."

Comfort and care for you

"You daft wanker," snapped James as Sirius emerged from the secret tunnel into the Shrieking Shack, "did you even listen to a single word I said?"

"Oh come on," said the taller teen. "I didn't think you were Sirius. That's my job." He paused for effect. "Get it? Sirius?"

"Yeah, I get it," snapped James. "That joke was old by the second week of first year, Sirius. Now, let's get back to what the bloody hell you're doing here."

"It's the full moon," said Sirius. "Where else would I be?"

"Back in our dorm where I told you to stay," snapped James. He glanced upstairs where Remus and Peter were waiting. "This is not going to end well," he sighed, "but it's too late for you to head back." The first shrieks of the night had already begun as Remus' bones and organs shifted and broke. "C'mon, wolf-bait," James said, resigned, "let's see if we can keep both you and Moony alive til moonset."

Learn to be lonely

In his attempts to keep Moony and Padfoot apart, Prongs had accidentally allowed Moony to slip past his defenses and run unchecked into the Forbidden Forest. He snorted angrily at Padfoot, shoving him with his antlers (but still being careful not to pierce his side) and (Wormtail atop his head) galloping after their wayward werewolf friend. He didn't bother to wait and see if Padfoot would follow him, more concerned with making sure that Moony wouldn't do something he would regret come moonset.

Prongs eventually caught up to Moony deep in the Forbidden Forest when the werewolf stopped at a small lake for a drink. The stag inched forward as quietly as he could, so as not to startle his friend. He could tell by the twitch of his ears that Moony could smell him and Wormtail, but since he made no move he knew that the werewolf recognized them as pack. Prongs was just inches from the wolf when Moony's head shot up and he bared his teeth, growling low in his throat. The stag turned his majestic head toward a low whining noise and saw Padfoot skulking at the edge of the tree line. Moony crouched down, ready to pounce on Padfoot. Prongs bunched his muscles, prepared to intervene.

A horn, clear and loud, sounded through the Forbidden Forest, making all four Marauders stop dead still. There was something strange, almost otherworldly, about the sound and it called to them all, but Moony most of all. The werewolf let out a howl of joy and turned to bound off toward the sound, Padfoot right on his heels. Prongs, still carrying Wormtail, felt he had no choice but to follow after them. He galloped after the canines and watched with awe as they disappeared from sight between two skinny trees that were bent together to form an archway. Snorting in frustration, Prongs and Wormtail loyally followed behind.

Learn to be your own companion

Story banner features Ewan McGregor as Remus Lupin, Tom Welling as James Potter, Marc Andre Grondin as Sirius Black, and Dominic Monaghan as Peter Pettigrew.

Please leave a review! No flames, though; they make my dragon muses cower and hide.