Snooping Around -- January 1972 (DONE)

"What I'm about to tell you has to stay in between the four of us," I said to James with a straight face. I wasn't sure how he was taking it; he was hard to read right now.

I nodded. "Don't worry about it, Remus," I told him. "You can confide in us and we will never break that confidence." Yes, I was speaking for all three of us. But I knew that with the bond the four of us had, we all felt the same about it.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay," I said, getting myself prepared to go past the point of no return. "I go off the grounds -- I'm allowed to, though none of those rules seem to bother us anyways -- to this little shack in the village that the older students talk about. They say it's haunted, but in reality it's me. Well, a part of me anyways," I explained. I figured I'd go piece by piece for him so he could take it in slowly.

I couldn't believe he had gone to the village without us! I shook my head, that wasn't the point. "What do you mean, it's a part of you?" I questioned. I had heard stories that there was a shack out there that was haunted. The villagers had heard all sorts of sounds and whatnot. And that was Remus? No way I was going o believe that.

I took another deep breath. "James, I'm exactly what you guys think I am," I told him. I hated saying the word out loud. It made me feel... like a monster, really. "I go there a few nights out of every month... I lose my mind; I lose all control of myself. And that's the only place I can go so no one gets hurt... and so no one finds out about my secret."

I felt my mouth open in surprise. "Wait, wait, wait... you're saying you're actually a werewolf?" I asked quietly, in disbelief. There was no way. Remus was gentle and kind... he was a much better kid than any of us. He was a good student. He was normal. He wasn't a monster -- which is what I've read about with werewolves.

I nodded and couldn't look at him. I was waiting for him to start yelling at me or to just run off and that would be it of the friendship that I cherished.

I sat back and let out a long sigh. "Wow," I said, shaking my head in disbelief still. "That sure is something." I could barely believe it. I would say he was joking, but the look on his face told me he was dead serious.

I looked up at James, not quite sure I heard him properly. "You're not running?" I asked, really confused right now.

I grinned at my friend and leaned towards him again. "Mate, didn't we all say that we'd manage mischief together? And didn't we say that we were all the best friends anyone could ask for?" I questioned. Why should thi schange anything?

"Well, yeah, we did," I relied. "But most people get scared and run away... the only people I know of that have accepted me completely are my dad and Professor Dumbledore. The other teachers like me... but I'm not sure what all they know to be quite honest. I think Professor Dumbledore makes sure they treat me like any other student." Could this really be happening? I was keeping a friend? I was sure if James acted this way the other two would be fine iwth it too. A grin started to spread across my face.

I grinned at one of my best mates. "Look, Remus... I think this could get very interesting," I explained. "There is no way we're going to let you handle that by yourself. We'll figure out something to be there with you." I clapped him on his shoulder. Why should he feel alone all the time? If he lost control... maybe someone would have to be there to help him regain it. And why not it be us, his friends? I had ideas whirring into my brain as I sat there with Remus.

I shook my head. "James, you guys can't come near me... I don't want to turn you," I said quickly, hoping he wasn't seroius about what he was saying.

I waved him off. We were going to figure something out. That was that. "Look, mate, don't argue with me. We'll do research. And if it comes up that we can't be with you safely, then we won't be. But if there is any way -- and I mean any way -- for us to help you through this, I will be finding it," I said. I would be there for my friend no matter what. That was something that my father instilled in me. I wasn't going to turn my back on someone as good as Remus because of something unfortunate that happened to him.

I couldn't believe it. I sat back, relieved. "James... thank you," I said, smiling at him. "But you realize that this means you're going to have to crack open a few books, right?" I was teasing him now... I was just so relieved.