The Moon
September 3rd, 1971
Madam Pomfrey walked briskly ahead, her wand casting a faint glow on the dark, narrow tunnel. The air was damp, the walls close, and Remus’s footsteps echoed faintly behind hers. Every step made his chest tighten with dread, though he tried to keep his expression neutral. He had been through this before, of course, but never here, never at Hogwarts, and never with the knowledge that just a castle wall away were hundreds of unsuspecting students.
“This way,” Madam Pomfrey said gently, glancing over her shoulder. “We’re almost there.”
The tunnel sloped upward slightly, and then they emerged into a small, dilapidated house. The walls creaked ominously, and the air smelled faintly of dust and age. A rickety chair sat in the corner, its legs uneven. The shutters were closed tight, but a sliver of moonlight peeked through a crack, sending a chill down Remus’s spine.
“This is the Shrieking Shack,” Madam Pomfrey explained, her voice soft. “You’ll be safe here, and so will everyone else. The charms on the house will ensure no one comes near.”
Remus nodded silently, swallowing hard. His hands were clenched into fists, his nails biting into his palms.
“Try to hold on,” she said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I’ll be back in the morning.”
And then she was gone, the door shutting behind her with a heavy thud.
The transformation began as it always did: slowly at first, a creeping ache in his joints, an unnatural stretching in his limbs. He bit down hard on his lip, his breathing shallow as he braced himself against the wall.
Then the pain came in full force, a searing, tearing agony that ripped through his entire body. His vision blurred, his muscles spasmed, and his screams turned guttural as his body gave way to the wolf.
In his transformed state, there was no thought, no rationality—only the beast. The wolf howled and clawed at the walls, desperate to escape, to hunt. The night passed in a blur of rage and anguish, the shack bearing the brunt of his torment as he threw himself against its walls and shredded anything within reach.
When the first rays of sunlight broke through the cracks in the shutters, the transformation reversed. It was just as painful coming back as it had been going forward. Bones snapped and realigned, muscles shrank, and fur receded into skin.
When it was over, Remus lay on the floor, trembling and drenched in sweat. His body felt like it had been crushed under a boulder; every joint ached, every muscle screamed in protest. Fresh cuts and bruises littered his skin, adding to the patchwork of scars that already marred his body.
He forced himself to sit up, biting back a groan. His head swam, and for a moment, he thought he might pass out. But the sound of footsteps in the tunnel steadied him.
Madam Pomfrey appeared in the doorway, her expression a mixture of sympathy and concern.
“Oh, you poor boy,” she murmured, kneeling beside him. She waved her wand, conjuring a blanket to drape over his trembling shoulders. “Let’s get you back to the castle.”
She helped him to his feet, her arm firm around his waist as she guided him back through the tunnel. Every step was agony, but Remus gritted his teeth and kept going. He didn’t want to appear weak. He couldn’t.
Back in the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey cleaned his wounds with gentle efficiency, applying a salve to the worst of the cuts.
“You should rest,” she said firmly, placing a cool hand on his forehead. “You’ve been through enough. Missing the first day of classes is nothing compared to your health.”
“I’ll be fine,” Remus said hoarsely, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Remus—”
“I have to go,” he interrupted, meeting her gaze with more determination than he felt. “I don’t want… I don’t want them to notice anything strange. If I don’t show up, they’ll ask questions.”
Madam Pomfrey hesitated, her brow furrowed. “I don’t recommend it. You’re still weak, and your body needs time to recover.”
“I’ll manage,” he insisted.
After a long pause, she sighed. “Alright, but only because I know you won’t listen otherwise.” She handed him a small vial of a greenish potion. “Drink this—it’ll help with the pain. And if you feel faint or overwhelmed, you come straight back here. Understood?”
Remus nodded, relief washing over him. “Thank you.”
He made his way back to the common room just as the rest of Gryffindor was waking up. Sirius was the first to notice him as he staggered into the common room, his movements stiff and careful.
“Lupin!” Sirius called, his face lighting up. “Thought you were avoiding us!”
“Just overslept,” Remus lied, forcing a tired smile.
“Well, come on, then,” James said, slinging an arm around his shoulders. “We’ve got to make it to breakfast before the others eat all the bacon.”