"Hey guys." Remus said dully as he plopped down on his bed. It was a night after the full moon. It had been a particular rough night. Remus had several new gashes and cuts lining his face and arms. Hi face was a greenish, white color.

"Hey. Merlin, you look sick. Did you catch anything at your aunts funeral?" Sirius asked. He lingered on the new cuts on his face.

"What? No. I'm fine." Remus claimed.

"You have some new cuts and stuff too. What have you been doing?" James asked suspiciously.

"Nothing. I went to my aunts funeral, and now I'm back." Remus said as he took of his shirt, getting ready for bed. Sirius gasped and walked over to him. He put a hand on the nightshirt, stopped him from putting it on. He stared gaping at the huge mangled bite on his shoulder. The scar was warped and twisted, and the skin was a deathly white. It wrapped around his shoulder, and went halfway down his back. Remus could feel their eyes lingering on the other scars on his chest and back, and they stared at the huge bite. Remus silently cursed to himself. He never changed in front of them for a reason. His whole back was torn up. And having the full moon yesterday made them more noticeable. He had a new deep gash from last night on his chest. And then the bite. The bite was the most brutal and horrific. It had never healed from that night when he was seven. Remus saw them gaping at him with their mouths hanging open.

"What's that?" Sirius asked quietly, gesturing to the deep mangled bite.

"Nothing. Just had a little accident." Remus lied, his voice starting to shake. James walked over closer.

" A little accident? Mate, it looks like something tore your all your flesh out and then someone tried to put it back together." Remus grimaced. That was kind of true. James touched the bite. It felt old and he could tell it was almost to the bone, cutting off any circulation in that area. It looked like someone tried to heal it, but failed.

Peter came and looked closer too.

"Yeah. It does."

Remus took a few steps away from them, and pulled out his shirt. "Just forget about it OK?" He snapped. "I have to go." He muttered and tried to get out of the dorm room. They all moved in one motion so they were blocking the door. "You're not going anywhere." James declared.

Sirius pushed him down on his bed so they were hovering over him. Remus sat on the edge of the bed looking down.

"How many aunts do you have?" James asked.

"I dunno. Five or six."

"How many have died?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know." Remus said, a little harsher this time.

"We've counted about ten dead aunts." Peter piped.

"Maybe you've counted wrong." I said weakly.

"Remus. We're your best mates. Why can't you trust us? You can tell us anything." Sirius said, a little harshly but Remus could hear almost a plea in his voice.

Remus just shook his head. "No. I can't tell you."

"Why?" James demanded.

"I just can't." I said in a small voice.

"Yes you can. You disappear every month and come back with new cuts all over your body." James said, fiercely with a little desperation in his voice.

"Really? You can't figure it out? You just said the biggest hint of why I disappear." Remus said coldly. He looked down at his hands and tears slowly splattered in his lap.

"Really? It doesn't sound like a hint to me. Damn it Remus. Why can't you just tell us?" James snapped.

"Are you telling me you don't have any suspicions?"

"I have some."

"I'm leaving." Before anyone could stop him, he walked out of the dorm.

"James, look at this." Peter said.

"What?" James asked. He knelt down next to Peter, who was rummaging through Remus's trunk for clues.

"A lunar chart?"

Peter nodded. "And a calendar."

James took them in his hands and looked them over. "Every full moon." he muttered. Remus had made a big x through every full moon with works like, grandmother died, or aunt had baby.

"What did you find James?" Sirius walked over, and took them out of James's grasp. He narrowed his eyes, as he looked them over. "I think we should visit the library."

"The library? I didn't know you knew that Hogwarts had one!" James tried to joke.

"I'm Serious!"

"Yes you are," James muttered under his breath. They made their way to the library. When they got there, Sirius went off to find something and James and Peter sat down at a table.

"Here it is." Sirius thrust a book under James's nose.

Werewolves are some of the most darkest creatures out there. Once a month the human who is one, transforms into a wild beast. Once they are a werewolf, they don't remember who they are or anyone else is. They would kill their best friend if he was near enough. Werewolf bites are brutal. The werewolf with tear a very large chunk of the human they are attacking, usually near the neck. That scar will never fade. Werewolves tend to be out of control with their emotions near the full moon and it takes them a day or two after the transformation to recover. When a Werewolf is alone during their transformation, they will bite and hurt themselves, since there isn't anyone around. Werewolves are classified as dark and dangerous creatures even though they don't have any control over what happens. Some people pity them, for transformations are painful, and they lead a depressing life, but others are terrified of them, for what they could do.

James's eyes widened. "You don't think-"

"Yes I do."

"It makes sense. That scar on his shoulder, he disappears every month, He can lose control sometimes, He always gets mysterious scars every month."

"I know."

"We have to tell him."

Sirius nodded in agreement.

Three of the four Gryffindor second years were in their dorm, getting ready for bed.

"Hey guys." Remus came in. He pulled off his shirt. He figured that they had seen the scars already, I didn't matter. At least I don't have to get changed in the bathroom now. He thought.

James winced when he saw the scars. The bite looked even worst then yesterday.

How old was he when he was bit? It was hard for him to process that he made all those scars himself.

"So, the full moon was great a couple nights ago." Sirius said. James eyed Remus suspiciously as he tensed when he sat down on his bed. "Did you see it?"

"No." Remus shook his head.

"That's to bad. Maybe next time we can go out and watch it together."

"I-I-I can't do that."

"Why not?" Sirius asked interrogating him further.

"I just can't." Remus answered.

"I'd except that, but you see, the thing is, me and James have been noticing things. Your grandmother has died too many times now. The funny thing is, she dies every full moon. Same with your aunts and uncles. Isn't that weird?"

"Wacky." Remus answered, his voice an octave higher.

"Remus?" Sirius said quietly. "Are you a werewolf?"

All color left his face; it looked like he didn't have a single drop of blood left. His left hand clenched the best post so hard it turned white and he started breathing fast and rapidly.

"Remus? Are you?" James asked, in an even quieter voice even though he knew the answer. Remus was hyperventilating, and his skin was a pure white with a tinge of green. He had come fascinated with his hands.

"Remus?" James tried again, his voice sounding weak. Tears shook Remus's entire body now as he buried his face in his hands.

Remus couldn't bring himself to look up, but he nodded and stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go to Dumbledore and tell him that I'll start packing, and I'll be out of your lives."

They all looked puzzled. "Why?" Peter asked.

"Why?" Remus asked weakly. He sat back down. "I don't want to make you guys uncomfortable. Who wants to sleep with a bloodthirsty monster at night? Let alone be friends with him."

"What? Remus. You can't control what you do when you're a werewolf. It makes no difference to us. In fact. I think it's kinda cool."

Sirius said gently as he sat down next the Remus and put his arm around him for comfort. Remus got up and glared at him so hard Sirius recoiled and went pale.

"Cool? You don't have to make the transformation every month. You don't know what it's like to start growing three feet in five minutes, your hands turning into claws, and your spine growing twice the size. You don't know what it's like to have the feeling as if your entire body is being turned inside out. You don't know what it's like to feel your bones being rearranged. You don't know what it's like to start growing hair all over your body and your teeth turning sharper and deadly. Have a sudden craving for flesh that you can't control. Terrified that there will be a blue moon and you're around people that you love and care about. You don't know what it's like to forget who you are." Remus said harshly with tears pouring down his cheeks. His roommates looked shocked. "You don't know what it's like. It's the most painful thing I've ever felt, and probably ever will feel. It's just as bad as the Cruciatus Curse."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Sirius said in a very quiet voice. Remus ignored him.

"LOOK AT ME!" Remus yelled. Sirius looked terrified as he shrunk back even farther and James and Peter turned white. Remus rolled up his pant legs to reveal his mangled legs, just as bad as his back. They all gasped. Then he took his shirt off. "This is cool? You wanted to know why I would never wear shorts. This is why. You ask me why I sleep so still. It's because all these cuts and bites still hurt. I was bitten when I was seven, and the bite still hurts! Do you know what that's like? No you don't. When I'm done transforming I feel like I'm being ripped apart, and I huddle in a corner sobbing, covered in blood until Madam Pomfery comes and gets me. I have to go through that every month now and for the rest of my life! I jump when I see something that looks like a moon, my Bogart is the moon. I know that there are a lot of worse things out there but feeling like you are being ripped apart, having to turn into a blood thirsty monster, and then to come to my senses hours later feeling like crap with ten new scars, some going all the way to the bone. Terrified that someone will find out and everyone will hate you-" Remus's voice cracked on the last word. He looked down, and was now sobbing again and collapsed on his bed. James had some tears rolling down his cheeks and Peter and Sirius looked like they were about to cry. All of them looked shocked. Remus had never blown up like that before, but most importantly they had no idea that's what it was like.

"I- I didn't know it was that bad." Sirius said weakly.

"If you'll excuse me. I have to talk to Dumbledore I can move dorms or leave or something. Please. Just don't tell anyone." Remus started walking out, but a firm grasp around his arm kept him from leaving. "James. Let go."

"No. Why the hell would you think we would leave you because of a small..." James tried to find the right words. "A small furry little problem. We're best friends, and friends don't leave each other over something that they have no say in."

"What? Really?" Remus asked dumbfounded.

"Duuuu!" Peter said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"We wouldn't leave you for the world mate." Sirius said as he flung his arm around Remus.

Remus gave a watery smile. "You mean it?"

"Of course! We are the marauders. And you can't leave us." Sirius said firmly.

"I- I you don't care? I've never had friends before, because of it." Remus muttered.

"What?" Peter asked astounded.

"Everyone knew I was a werewolf and they didn't want to be around me."

"That's so stupid."

Remus shrugged.

"Well Mooney. You have best friends now, and there's no way you can get rid of us." James said.

"I- what did you call me?" Remus asked incredulously.

"Mooney. That's your new nickname."

Remus cracked a grin for the first time that night. "At least it's better then Siri, or Jamie."

James and Sirius glared at him.

"Remus. I know it's kinda personal but how did you get bit?" Sirius asked, a little nervously.

Remus sighed. "It's OK. You should know. I was seven. My father got on the wrong side of a particular werewolf named Fenir Greyback. Me and my dad went camping one night. My dad went to get some more firewood, leaving me alone. It was a full moon. Because Greyback is much like a werewolf in real life he has more control of what he was doing. He also placed himself near me. He came running up to me and I screamed for my dad. But by the time he came, Greyback had grabbed me and bit my shoulder, and for the fun of it almost teared out half my back. I was in Saint Mungos for a couple weeks after and I've been a werewolf every since."

"Merlin. I can't believe that. What type of sick person would want to hurt little kids like that!" Sirius exclaimed. Remus looked at them. James had tears in his eyes again, and Peter was shocked.

"I'm so sorry Remus." James murmured.

"It's fine."

"No it's not fine. You have to go through that pain every month because of a sick person! That doesn't change who you are. Anyway. Like I said before. You just have a furry little problem."

Remus grinned, and Sirius and Peter laughed.

"Wait. So you really thought we would just leave you?" Sirius asked.

Remus nodded. Sirius got up and drew back his hand. It collided with Remus's face.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" Remus shouted. Sirius just grinned.

"For being as idiot."