Pensieve

Remus Lupin stared into those dark eyes that had once belonged to his best friend. He stared at his hollowed cheeks, his gaunt face, his greasy, black hair that looked uglier than Snape's, his hunched figure. Everything about him screamed Azkaban. He flinched when he heard his hoarse voice, for it appeared he hadn't used it in ages. He could not believe this was the same man upon whom every girl at Hogwarts had crushed on, who had fabulous, dark hair and an effortlessly handsome face. And yet, he was. And Remus strode forward and embraced him.

He knew what Harry and his friends must be thinking. He knew it was necessary to explain to them, but he did not want to let go of Sirius. He could not describe the amount of relief it gave him to know that, indeed, he was not wrong. Sirius would rather die than betray James and Lily. Sirius was innocent.

But soon, a rage rose in him so deep, he did not believe he could feel such a strong sense of hatred for a dead man. "The rat," Sirius whispered, and Remus knew. As he and Sirius rose their wands to kill Pettigrew, whose face Remus could not bare to look at, "Stop!" Harry intervened. "I don't think my dad would have wanted you to become killers for him," he said. And amidst James's demeanour, Remus saw in Harry Lily's kindness.

They were walking Peter toward the castle. Everything would soon be okay. Sirius would be a free man. Harry would have a guardian. Except - Remus felt the monster inside him awaken, his fangs baring, his clothes ripping, his muscles and bones painfully enlarging - in his haste to reach the Shrieking Shack, he had forgotten to drink the wolfsbane potion. His mind was going insane. And Remus knew it was all over when instead of his friend, he saw chunks of meat that would make a great feast.