The Shack

October 1975, Fifth year, tunnel to the Shrieking Shack.

Three boys quietly crept through the tunnel leading to the Shrieking Shack, their wands illuminating the way before them. "Are we nearly there yet?" Peter whispered at the same time as the boy in front came to a sudden stop. "We're here," James replied.

"What time is it? Do you think he has already–" Sirius didn't finish the question, but they all knew what he was asking. They fell silent and listened, while James illuminated his watch. "6:15, we should have a few more minutes. But we can't be sure."

"I'll scout," Peter offered. "I'm small enough to sneak out of the hatch unnoticed. And I could hide in a corner if things go wrong." The other two nodded and Peter changed into his animagus form. James scooped him up and lifted him to the hatch, which Sirius opened a crack. Peter crept into the Shack and out of their sight.

"How will we know if it's safe if he doesn't return?" Sirius asked after a few moments. James checked his watch to see how long their friend had been gone, when the hatch opened. Human Peter was looking down on them, claiming "it's safe."

"No, it's not," Remus replied tensely from the other side of the room. He regarded them angrily as James and Sirius clambered out of the tunnel. "I told you not to come."

"But we didn't listen," Sirius replied cheerfully. His eyes roamed the walls, the torn furniture, the peeling paper on the walls, and finally came to rest on Remus. Their friend was sitting in a corner with nothing but a very torn blanket wrapped around him.

"Guys, please. If your theory doesn't work, if I can still hurt you…" Remus looked miserable. "Go back, please."

"Remus, we want to help you," James replied. "We spent three years to master becoming animagi so we could be with you, now don't send us back the moment we managed."

Remus sighed. "Let's discuss this tomorrow. We don't have time for arguing, it's… any time now." He gritted his teeth and tears welled in his eyes. "Please," he added in a whisper.

"We're staying with you, Remus," Peter said, finality in his statement.

"You're not!" Remus cried out. "If I were to… bite you, if any of you… I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"Then we would have another way of keeping you company," Sirius said simply.

"NO!" Remus roared, but he stayed in the corner, huddled under the blanket. Tears were silently streaming down his cheeks. "No," he whispered again. "Don't make me do that to you."

"It won't happen," James promised, although they couldn't be sure. But they had to do something. They had to stay. Remus needed them. It had already taken them years to become animagi, years of Remus going to the Shack alone. But that would change, they were here now. And they were ready.

"We can always avoid your fangs," Sirius said. "Peter can hide, I can jump quickly and Prongs has antlers. We won't let you get close."

Remus huffed and hid his face in his arms. A shiver crept over his spine and abruptly he looked up, alarmed. "It's happening. Go, now! Or if you must stay, then change." He shivered again.

The three other boys were instantly replaced by animals. They watched Remus with different mixes of curiosity and worry. Sirius quietly moved to James' side, to protect his flanks. Peter scanned the room for hiding spots, in case he had to run.

Together, they watched their friend transform. His entire body was shaking now, and his limbs were lengthening. His nose slowly turned into a snout and hair sprouted all over him. His hands turned into claws and he let out a whine that turned into a snarl halfway.

Completely transformed, the werewolf turned his gaze to the intruders in his lair. He growled threateningly and the three animals stood frozen, taking in what their friend had just become. What could happen to them if they were wrong.

Then Sirius jumped forward, landing on all fours right in front of the werewolf. His tongue lolled out and he was wagging his tail. The wolf snapped at him, but he sprang nimbly out of reach. Again, he challenged the wolf, until they were moving through the room as if performing a dance.

The wolf wasn't stupid however. He quickly learned the pattern and anticipated the dog's next move. He shot his head out and… was met by a pair of antlers which forced him back. The dog danced around him. The wolf turned on the stag but was distracted by something scurrying between his paws. While looking for the rat, something bumped into his side, toppling him over.

Thus, they moved, danced and sprang through the night. Only a few times, the dog and wolf met teeth to teeth. The other two never even came close to being bitten. Eventually, when the light of dawn found its way through the cracks in the walls, the four animals ended up in a room on the first floor. They were utterly exhausted and the dog and rat claimed the four-poster bed. The stag and the wolf dropped to the floor next to it. Their panting filled the room.

Thus, they rested for a while, until the wolf started shivering again. His paws jerked and turned into hands and feet. The fur disappeared and his face took on human proportions again. Eventually, there was only a boy laying on the floor of the room, his face hidden in his arms, panting heavily. His shoulders shook irregularly, either because he was sobbing or because of the recent transformation.

The dog jumped off the bed and fetched the torn blanket from downstairs. The stag took a corner of it between his teeth and together they draped it over the shivering boy. Remus didn't look up, but mumbled "thank you."

At this, James turned into his human form again, followed suit by Peter and Sirius. They crouched near Remus and James carefully placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you hurt? Is there any way we can help you?"

Remus lifted his head from his arms, tears flowing from his eyes. "This is where you're supposed to run and scream because I'm a monster," he said hoarsely.

"Honestly Remus, if by now we didn't notice you were a werewolf, we'd be plain stupid," Peter said.

The other two smiled, but Remus remained solemn. "Did I… hurt any of you?"

"You didn't even get close," Sirius grinned.

"Where did you leave your robes, Remus?" James asked. Remus nodded toward an old wardrobe in the corner and James retrieved the wand and robes from the highest shelf. Remus slowly came to his feet and grimaced.

"Are you hurt?" James asked again, stabilizing his friend.

"Only the usual aching when you've just been through a transformation unwillingly. I should go see Madam Pomfrey, she has a potion that helps." He checked his arms and legs while he dressed. "No scratches," he wondered.

"You were too busy chasing Sirius," Peter laughed.

Watching the three boys grin, Remus couldn't fight back a small smile. It was alright. He hadn't hurt them. He folded the worn blanket and walked over to the wardrobe to put it away. Then he nodded toward the door and they left the room.

"Are you finally ready to admit how genius our plan was?" James asked as they descended the creaking stairs.

"Maybe," Remus replied, smiling. "Thank you," he added. "For everything. For not letting me down, despite the risk for yourselves."

"Moony, we're your friends and we're reckless Gryffindors," Sirius said, opening the hatch. "What did you think we'd do?"

They all laughed and descended into the tunnel. It was the shortest walk back ever.