(Writer's Note: This story was written in 2003. I posted the first four chapters then, and I'm posting the rest now. The standard disclaimers apply. I own none of these characters. I'm merely borrowing them.)

By the next evening, he still wasn't awake. Sirius sat in the window seat in his room and stared blankly out at the darkness.

James and Peter halfheartedly played a game of Wizard's Chess in the center of the room.

"I'm going to bed," Sirius finally said, his voice low. He stood up, already in his pajamas, and climbed into bed, yanking the curtains shut.

He could hear James and Peter talking in soft voices, but he couldn't make out the words. Eventually, he heard the two of them get into bed.

Sirius studied the inside of his eyelids, and finally resigned himself to another sleepless night. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.

Humans and werewolves do not mix.

He sighed heavily, his dark eyes glimmering with tears.

Three young men in the same room as a werewolf is never a situation that results in 'all right,' Mr. Black.

"Is that right?" he whispered, a sudden wave of inspiration coming to him. He bolted upright, causing the curtains to billow out.

He weighed the idea in his mind, and a slow smile started to curve his lips.

It would be impossible. Even more than that, it would be risky. And it would break countless rules; not even school rules. Wizarding rules.

It was perfect.

He threw open the curtains and hurried over to James's bed. Without preamble, he flicked the curtains open and jumped onto the bed.

"Wha-?" James sat up, his blue eyes sleepy. He fumbled for his glasses and put them on. He blinked over at Sirius, who was grinning maniacally.

"Sirius?"

"Humans and werewolves do not mix."

"Well...no. They don't." James yawned and blearily looked at Sirius through his crooked glasses.

"What if we weren't human?"

"Huh?"

Sirius smiled patiently, his dark eyes glinting. "What if we weren't human?"

"I don't follow, mate. What time is it?"

"Never mind that." Sirius shook his head. "You know, we'll talk tomorrow. Go back to sleep."

"Um, all right." James raised an eyebrow at him. "What's going on?"

"Let's just say we have some research to do. After Remus gets better, of course." Sirius stood up and opened the curtains.

"Research? On what? Werewolves?"

"Oh, no. Not on werewolves." Sirius grinned and tugged the curtains around his face. "On Animagi. 'Night, James." He closed the curtains and tripped lightly back to his bed.

He was feeling better already. He slept with a smile on his lips, and a plan slowly starting to come together in his mind.

And the next day, he felt better yet.

After lunch, as the boys surveyed the mountain of bounty a 3rd year was bribed into bringing them from Hogsmeade, a knock came at the door.

Professor McGonagall poked her head into the room.

"He's awake."

"Mr. Lupin, you have visitors."

Remus slowly opened his eyes. "I do?"

"Yes. They've actually stopped by six times in the last two days, but I insisted they wait until you were awake."

He struggled to sit up, and Pomfrey quickly helped him, plumping the pillow behind his back.

"All right, boys. You can come in."

Sirius, James, and Peter all walked into the private room, grins on their faces.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," Sirius said, his eyes sparkling as he sat on the side of the bed.

Remus smiled slightly. "Now I'm a damsel in distress from a muggle fairy tale?"

Sirius shrugged and smiled impishly. "I guess that makes the three of us your Prince Charmings."

James dumped an armload of goodies on the bedside table.

"All the candy we could bribe the 3rd years into buying us from Hogsmeade," James explained, pulling up a chair.

"We figure you could use it, after what happened," Peter added, pulling up a chair of his own.

A brief spark of panic flashed in Remus's eyes and his body tensed.

"That's, what, two fainting spells in as many months?" Sirius shook his head with mock chastisement. "You need chocolate, and lots of it."

"Oh." Remus relaxed and his eyes softened. "Thanks."

"Not a problem." James unwrapped a chocolate frog, caught it mid-jump and handed it to Remus. "Eat up, mate. You're still looking peaky."

Remus took the frog and slowly nibbled off one of the legs.

"I can't eat alone. I think there just might be enough for all of us."

Sirius laughed, surveying the towering pile of chocolate. "Are you sure?"

"Do you want him to eat it all and look like me?" Peter asked, patting his round stomach.

Sirius and James laughed, and soon the four of them were munching on chocolate.

"So how did the full moon prank go?" Remus asked quietly, his eyes on the chocolate frog in his hand.

Sirius, James, and Peter exchanged a look.

"Well...it went rather badly, I'm afraid," Sirius admitted.

"What happened?" Remus asked, looking from one boy to the other.

"Filch caught us again," James said, smiling over at Sirius. "It only took him a year, but somehow he managed to figure out the connection."

"Ah, so now he knows to increase his skulking about during the full moon?"

"Exactly. But...we don't admit defeat that easily. Do we, James?" Sirius asked with a wink.

"Oh, we certainly do not." James grinned. "We've changed our pranking policy."

"To what?" Remus asked blankly.

"To pranking whenever we want, wherever we want...any time but at the full moon," Sirius explained. "I'll be sorry to see the full moon go, but what can you do?"

"Yes. What can you do?" Remus smiled, and his pale face almost seemed to regain a whisper of color.

Peter shoved the rest of his chocolate frog into his mouth and chewed it quickly before swallowing. "Blimey, does this mean it's my turn again next month, since this month went awry?"

Sirius shrugged. "I suppose it is."

"No."

Sirius, James, and Peter looked over at Remus.

"I think it's about time I take my turn," he said quietly. He glanced at all of them. "If that's all right with you, of course."

"Of course it's all right with us, you silly git," Sirius replied, smiling warmly. "It's about ruddy time, if you ask me."

"Hear, hear," James echoed. "I look forward to seeing what you can come up with, Mr. Lupin."

"It can't be any worse than my pranks," Peter added with a sheepish smile.

Remus smiled widely, a twinkle to his gray eyes. "You blokes are the best, you know that?"

"Well, we had a sneaking suspicion." Sirius replied with an impish grin.

"We do have a rather brilliant thing going, don't we?" James added.

"We certainly do," Sirius replied. "We certainly do."

The four boys smiled foolishly at each other.

"All right, boys, I think that's enough for now," Madam Pomfrey called out, poking her head into the room. "Mr. Lupin needs his rest."

Sirius glanced slyly at Remus. "Mr. Lupin looks like he's feeling better already."

Remus smiled back at him.

"Well, Mr. Black, when you have your nursing marks, do let me know," Pomfrey replied, although she was smiling. "Come on, out with you."

"All right." James and Peter slowly stood up, pocketing a chocolate frog each.

"See you tomorrow, Remus."

"Get working on that prank."

"I will." He smiled at the two of them as they left.

"Mr. Black, that means you as well."

"In a minute, Pomfrey." Sirius smiled at her innocently, and she clucked her tongue and removed her head from the doorway.

He then looked over at Remus. "I'm glad you're all right."

"Me, too."

They smiled at each other for a long moment.

"Well, I suppose I better go." Sirius stood up reluctantly. Remus started to lay back down, and Sirius tucked the covers around him.

"Be a good boy and get some rest, hear me?"

Remus just nodded up at him.

"All right. I better go." He leaned over and pressed his lips lightly against Remus's forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Brutus."

"What?" Remus blinked, his face certainly colored enough now to make Madam Pomfrey clap her hands with delight.

"Nothing." Sirius mussed up Remus' hair. "See you tomorrow." He then waved, smiled widely, and whistled his way out of the hospital wing.

The End