A tale of the Star and the Moon, the Doe and the Stag, and other random occurrences during the Maruaders' 7th year at Hogwarts. Mostly the story of how Remus and Sirius evolved, but other characters and plot lines will be thrown in. Rated T for some language and possible implications. Humor and drama will be added at random. Will switch POV sometimes but will try to remember to notify you of these changes. Please enjoy!
RL/SB JP/LE

Remus's POV

I can remember the first time I ever saw a compassionate side in the stony Sirius Black. It was my second night at Hogwarts; I was a small, frail boy of only eleven trying to adjust to new surroundings and lycanthropic cycles simultaneously. It doesn't matter how long you've been a werewolf, you never fully adjust to it. I can remember that night very vividly.

1st Year

Remus lay in his new bed and gazed at the ceiling. His curtains were drawn up tight around him. It was dark; Remus didn't like the dark much, but if he opened his curtains to let the light in, he might see the moon. Remus couldn't stand seeing the moon. It gave him a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. He imagined popping bones and sharp, searing pains, not being in control of his own mind, the smell of blood – just the thought of his monthly change terrified him.

Remus shivered. He closed his eyes tightly and begged for sleep to come.

The dormitory was eerily quiet. Remus stayed still, hoping for some kind of noise, any at all, to reassure him that the other boys in the room hadn't been murdered in their sleep or eaten by some beast or –

A noise. A growling, snarling noise. That's what Remus had heard. It sounded again almost rhythmically.

Remus's thoughts grew jumbled. There's a monster in here! What if James and Sirius and Peter DID get eaten? Or worse, what if one of THEM is the monster? What if there's another werewolf at Hogwarts right here in this very room?

The noise continued, steadily rising in volume. With a strangled cry Remus tried to leap from his bed, but he became entangled in his sheets and landed loudly on the floor. He jumped up and tried to wrestle with them, only to successfully trip himself once again. This time, he found himself splayed across a body instead of on the floor.

"Argh!" cried the soft mass Remus had landed on. It was Sirius.

Oh thank goodness! The monster hasn't gotten everyone yet, thought Remus.

"Lupin, what the –"

"Sirius! There's a monster in here! I just know it's going to eat us all and maybe it already got James and Peter but it was making terrible noises and –"

Sirius's hand clamped down on Remus's mouth. He surveyed the air with cold, calculating eyes and listened. The sound erupted once more and Remus jumped, but Sirius's hand held firm. He thought for a brief moment, nodded his head with a slight jerk, and then turned toward Remus with kind eyes.

Softly, Sirius said, "Remus, you're okay. There's not a monster. It's just Pettigrew's snoring."

"…You're sure?" Remus asked.

"Positive," said Sirius.

Remus gingerly climbed off of Sirius's bed and made his way back to his own. "Sorry I woke you up."

"It's okay," Sirius smiled. "Oh, and Remus? If there ever were to be a man-eating monster in our room, I promise I'll be here to protect you. Though I'm sure the beast would be much more fearsome than Peter's pig calls."

"…Thanks, Sirius."

Remus had every faith that Sirius would keep his promise. He rolled over in his bed and fell fast asleep.

Remus's POV

In addition to the funny and charming Sirius that everyone else got to see, I saw compassionate and sensitive sides that were hidden most of the time.

I guess little things like that should have tipped me off that Sirius and I never truly possessed a brotherly relationship. He never really treated me like he treated James or Peter, but I was oblivious to my own more-than-friendly feelings for Sirius; how could I have sensed his?

Even if I had seen those hints, I don't think I would have ever expected the different events that lined up to call themselves my seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They were happenings now referred to as the Stag and the Doe, the Betraying Best Friend, and, very importantly, the Star and the Moon.

This is the intro to the story set in seventh year. It provides a bit of background information to the first time Sirius ever showed a bit of favoritism toward Remus that probably wouldn't have been shown to anyone else. I hoped you like it. Chapter 1 to follow sometime soon!