Remus could feel his heart beating out of his chest as he continued on running, not even knowing where he was going. For he knew that it would take him to long to get back to his mom. His breath shortened with every step and he could feel his legs growing tired, but he didn't give in. He couldn't. He had to find somewhere to spend the night ways away from any other human being. But would he be able to? Remus shoved that thought out of his mind and kept running further.

    He then realized there was nowhere to run, for wherever he went he was still surrounded by hundreds of people swarming the streets of London. Great, where will I be able to go now? He looked up at a huge clock tower towering over the city, the small hand was on the seven and the long hand was on the twelve. 7:30, for he knew that it would be hours until midnight, but his transformation started way before then. It would only be merely an hour or so until Remus would be losing his mind to the moon. He could feel his heart sink to his stomach, he knew that he wouldn't enough time. He was now gasping for air and his mouth was as dry as a desert. He felt like he could collapse, and he really would if he could, but he couldn't. I have to find somewhere soon, no I NEED to find somewhere soon.

He soon found himself in a dark and eerie forest. It was perfect, it was cleared from all people for miles and there he would be able to harm nobody. He threw himself onto the ground while his breaths were now coming in short wheezes. His mother was most likely dead worried about him, had she too also remembered that there would be a full moon? He didn't know, but he couldn't bring himself to think of it. It felt like a punch in the stomach just to think about how his mother might be phoning the police at that very moment. Everything will be okay. He was away from people now, and that was the most important thing.

His mind was finally at rest, or so he thought. His thoughts about Sirius and James kept rushing through his mind like an endless river. He knew that he was putting to much stress on himself, especially before the full moon, but he couldn't help thinking about how they thought of them. He tried to hold in his tears, but he could feel them falling from his face onto the ground. Would he ever find anybody like them again? They were the only people that actually wanted to hang out with Remus, and he just ruined it.

Then came a wave of sickness throughout his body, and he felt like his body was being teared up by never endless pain. His body ached with suffering as he felt himself being stripped of his own body. He knew how it felt, for it happened every month, but this time it felt worse, much worse. His thoughts of Sirius and James were flowing through his mind, and that certainly didn't help. He felt a terrible crippling affliction throughout his body and he could feel his head boiling with terror. He was now screaming in agony, loud enough for the whole world to hear.

Then everything went black.

    ***

Remus blinked, he was in his room at home with his mother at this side. He didn't even question how he got there, for he was to tired and worn out. He noticed that his mother's eyes were tearing up.

Remus choked on his own words, "I'm so sorry."

She shook her head, "It's not your fault, dear." She stopped for a moment then continued, "It's mine." She wiped her eyes and stared at Remus, as if she thought he would be mad at her.

"It's not your fault mum, it's mine, I should've remembered that last night would have been a full moon."

Her eyes were flowing with tears once more, "But you're only a kid! I should've kept track of when it was gonna happen!"

Remus let silence flood the room and brang his mother into a heartfelt hug. He knew that if he tried to argue with her that it wasn't her fault that she would just somehow bring it back to it being her fault. A singular tear ran down Remus' face, for he didn't have enough strength to cry.

"You need rest," his mother let go of him and turned to walk out the door. Remus felt his heart drop to his stomach, he just then realized that the Hogwarts Express would be leaving any moment.

"What about the Hogwarts Express? I need to catch the train— what if I don't? What's gonna happen?" His anxieties were now overwhelming him to the fact that he felt like he couldn't breath, what would he do if he didn't make it in time to the sorting hat ceremony? Would he even be sorted?

His mom was now at doorway, "We'll catch the train in an two hours from now. I packed up all your stuff already, so just get some rest in the meantime." Relief flooded over Remus, but still the constant thought of him missing the rain nagged at him. Although he tried to sleep it off and try not to worry about it, but in the act of doing so it just made his anxieties worse. The night before had been one of the worst moons that Remus had ever experienced, leaving aching scars all over his body. And on top of that his mind was filled with the worries of what Sirius and James might think of him now. He couldn't bare it anymore, for he couldn't imagine why they wouldn't wanna be his friend anymore.

    He then got up to go get dressed and that's when he looked in the mirror and realized there was a giant scar running across his face. Bloody hell. He ran to the bathroom and splashed water on his face in an attempt to get it off. Oh for fucks sake what am I thinking? There was no possible way that he could somehow make it disappear he boarded the Hogwarts Express, but there has to be. He couldn't just show up to Hogwarts without being questioned, Oh merlin what am I gonna do? He then remembered that his mom often used makeup to cover up moles and freckles on her skin, well I might as well try. He quickly grabbed his mom's makeup palette out of the cabinet and rummaged through drawers until he found brush. None of the shades suit him, for his mom was slightly more pale then he was. Although it was all he had, and he would have to live with it. Welp here goes nothing.

    He dabbed the brush into the palette and gently patted it on his scar until it was barley noticeable. He thought it looked fairly okay, considering the fact that he never applied makeup once in his life. I'm sorry mum. He grabbed the makeup palette and brush and threw it in his suitcase, for he knew that he would need it greatly.

     He then brushed out his thick, wavy hair and ran out his room and down the old, creaky stairs. For his stomach still ached greatly, but he tried not to show it. His mom was sitting on the kitchen counter smoking a cigarette, her eyes beamed as she saw that Remus looked much better then he did before. Although her eyes were still a swollen red from earlier.

    "Remus!" She said brightly, running to him and embracing him warmly. Her eyes were gleaming with happiness and they stood there for a few moments, soaking up the peace. When they finally let go there was a smudge mark of makeup on her shirt, but she didn't seem to notice.

    "We might as start leaving now, the train will leave in—"she stared down at her shirt and frowned, "what's this?

    "Oh, it's nothing!" Remus could feel himself holding his breath.

   She looked at him with a doubtful expression but said nothing, flooding the room with silence once again. Even though the room was as quiet and peaceful Remus could hear his heart thumping loudly in his ears.

    "Well like I said, we might as well leave, the train will be hat the station in any moment." She grabbed her purse and helped Remus drag his heavy suitcase down the stairs. Remus felt slightly homesick even though he hadn't even left his house left. He stood there for a few moments, acknowledging the house that he lived in ever since birth. But that was all different now, the only times he would be back home would be during the holidays and summer break. Oh for Merlin's sake, I'm gonna miss this place. He slowly closed the door and followed his mom out the door.

    Soon enough they reached the train station, although he knew that his mother wouldn't able to reach platform nine and three quarters, for she wasn't a wizard. They said their goodbyes and he hugged her for as long as he could, not breaking apart until he took a look at the time. He grabbed his suitcase and swiftly ran through the wall, as if he had done it a million times.

    Once he reached the platform he searched around for Sirius but couldn't find him anywhere. He's probably in the train already, he tried to tell himself reassuringly.

    Just when he was about to board the train he heard a voice call out, "HEY REMUS!" He turned back, thinking it was Sirius, although that familiar voice belonged to none other then James.

    Remus ran over to where James and supposedly his mom and dad were standing, "have you seen Sirius?"

    James shook his head, "No but I'm sure we'll see him soon."

    "Oh, alright," Remus said, standing there awkwardly for a few moments. Remus noticed that Jame's parents seemed friendly and were smiling at him, which made him even more uncomfortable.

   All the sudden Remus spotted Sirius with a fairly middle aged women and a slightly older man, who again Remus supposed were his parents. And flanked at his side was a young boy, maybe about nine? Who Remus assumed was most likely his brother. Remus stiffened at the sight of Sirius staring at him back. He didn't know if he should say hello but his legs were already bringing him up to Sirius.

    "Well hello there Remus, I am honored to be in your presence," Sirius said bowing with a mock royalty voice. His mom glared at Remus for a few seconds with a disgusted expression on her face, although Remus tried his best to ignore it.

    James caught along with them and they all boarded the train together. They found an empty compartment and settled down. Sirius was sitting right next to Remus, which made Remus feel deeply nervous, while James seated on the other side of the compartment.

    Sirius put his arm over the seat and settled back, "So, which houses do you think you guys are get?"

    James tilted his head for a few moments but replied as if he didn't even have to think about which house he was gonna be sorted in, "definitely Gryffindor."

    Sirius rolled his eyes, "Welp I can't say I doubt it one bit." He then turned to Remus and gazed at him with eyes that pierced into Remus' soul and made him lost for words, "And you?"

    "Uh I don't know— probably Gryffindor— I mean I won't be surprised if I get Ravenclaw though, my whole family were."

    "Same, except my family's blood is Slytherin." He stopped talking for a few moments then laughed, "If I get put into Gryffindor I'll drape Gryffindor flags all over my room— just watch how nuts my family will go once they see that!"

     Suddenly another boy entered the compartment, supposedly a first year like them.

    The boy spoke in a quiet voice, that stuttered as he spoke, "Hey— erm is it okay if I hang in here with you guys? Everywhere else is full."

    "No problem," James replied, jumping to other side of his seat to make room for the boy.

    Sirius gazed at him curiously, "what's your name?"

    "Peter, Peter Petigrew."

"Ah, well nice to meet you lad. This here is Sirius, and this one is Remus, and I'm James."

There was a softness to Peter that Remus recognized right away, which Remus had grown to like, very much actually.

    Sirius was now sitting upside down with his his feet rested on where his head would've been, "I'm bored, what would you guys like to do? And before you say it James, nope I'm not in the mood to talk about some pretty girl you see in a compartment next door."

    "HEY I DONT SPEND ALL MY TIME TALKING ABOUT GIRLS."

    "You sure?"

James rolled his eyes, "Yes I'm sure."

"Lovely"

Suddenly a lady with a trolly filled with most likely every single type of candy came around to their compartment. Peter choose a chocolate frog while James and Sirius both got cauldron cakes.

"And anything for you, dear?" The lady said while staring at Remus, tilting her head.

Remus shook his head, "Oh no— I'm fine."

"I can share with you my chocolate frog if you'd like." Peter looked at Remus wonderingly.

Again, Remus shook his head, "No need."

    Suddenly James' burst up from his seat, as if he got an idea, "Hey, how about we play cards? Me and Sirius could be a team and Remus and Peter can be one."

    Sirius too shot up from where he was sitting, "Sweet, I'm down."

   Remus and Peter both said the same exact thing, "Sounds fun."

   They played cards all throughout the evening until suddenly, the train came to a halt.

   James looked around, confused, "You think we're there?"

   Sirius shrugged, "Must be, can't see any other reason why we'd stop."

    Soon all the students were gathered together in the great hall, preparing for the sorting ceremony. Remus was dazzled by the starry night sky reflecting from the ceiling overhead, and he couldn't take his eyes off it. A women, Remus believed to be the Deputy Headmistress, started reading names off a piece of parchment and students went forward one by one to get sorted into their house. But Remus noticed that he only payed attention to the names that were familiar to him.

   "Severus Snape! Slytherin!"

   "Lily Evans! Gryffindor!"

    "James Potter! Gryffindor!"

    "Peter Petigrew! Gryffindor!"

    "Sirius Black! Gryffindor!"

   All the sudden it was Remus' turn to get sorted, and all his worries were flooding through him like a tidal wave. He could feel his heart thumping, so loud that he thought maybe other people in the room could hear it. He didn't want to be separated from Sirius, for he just met him and Remus already felt a great connection that he hadn't felt with any of the other students since he boarded the train. He slowly walked over to where the hat was perched and put it over his head. He heard the hat mutter, "Ah, yes a long line of Ravenclaws. But what is this I see? A mind of a Gryffindor?" Suddenly the hat's voice grew louder, "Gryffindor!"

   Remus let out a deep breath of relief, for he wouldn't have to be separated from Sirius, or at the very least from any of the others. He was soon greeted by James, Peter, and Sirius.

    "I did it," Remus breathed. "I'm a Gryffindor."

✨And that was chapter two✨