The Last Reappearance

"Have you been practicing?" he asked the others, referring to their work on the Patronus charm.

"Yeah but I'm starting to feel weak so it's not working" Remus sighed.

That reminded Harry that the full moon was only a couple of days away and he had yet to managed to complete his transformation, though he knew he was very close and he had to admit that Peter's help had been invaluable to him.

"I've got a misty shield starting to form" James cut in proudly. "It's bloody tiring though" he concluded exasperatedly.

"It is" Harry agreed. "But it does get easier with practice" he assured the boy. "Hopefully I will have my transformation done before Friday, I will work on it over the next couple of days" he added in a whisper to Remus. The boy smiled at Harry gratefully.

"Thank you" he replied sincerely. "It really does make it easier having these guys around me" he finished genuinely.

"Then I'll make sure I get it done" Harry vowed.

(BREAK)

He did indeed work on it tirelessly over the next couple of days and managed to complete the change, though he knew he would have to keep working on it to make it as seemingly effortless as he had witnessed from Sirius, McGonagall and even Peter in the past.

Harry sat with the rest of the group in the common room as Remus left for the hospital wing, watched by the others who were clearly concerned about their friend.

That much was very clear to Harry. Despite how much they teased and tormented each other, they were the best of friends and cared about one another more than anything else.

"It never gets any easier seeing him in that state" Sirius spoke emotionally, breaking the silence that had fallen around them.

"No it doesn't" James agreed wholeheartedly. "I'd give anything to make him better" he declared sadly. "That's why we worked so hard on our forms" he explained as he turned to face Harry. "We asked him if there was anything that we could do to help and he said that he wished we could be with him during, so we found a way" he finished seriously.

"And it means the world to him" Harry responded knowingly.

"It does" Sirius agreed. "He always tells us how grateful he is" he added with a shake of his head.

"But we do it because he's our friend" Peter whispered, clearly in thought. Harry nodded.

"I think we should be good to head to the shack" James muttered. "Sirius, you take Peter under my cloak and I'll go with Harry" he instructed.

The group exited the common room and entered a bathroom a short way down the corridor before pulling the cloaks over themselves and heading out into the grounds.

"You know what to do Wormtail" James whispered as they approached the Whomping Willow.

Harry heard a gentle squeak and saw a rat leap its way to the trunk and press the Knot at the bottom before disappearing into the tunnel below.

"Come on, it's safe now" James assured Harry as he began leading them towards the tree. They entered the tunnel and removed the cloaks before lighting their wands and making their way to the end where the entrance to the shack was.

Harry couldn't help but think back on the time during third year when he had made this journey and mentally kicked himself for how stupid he had been. He should have let Remus and Sirius kill the rat then, it certainly would have saved so much trouble had he not been so moral and righteous back then, days and morals that were far behind him now.

They entered the shack and the three others immediately turned to face him, clearly waiting for something.

"Well?" Sirius asked impatiently.

"Well what?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Show us" James demanded. Harry sighed and shook his but began focusing on the changes he needed his body to make.

It took around thirty seconds for him to complete it but he knew that he had done it right when he saw the looks of confusion on the face of James and one of astonishment on Peter and Sirius's.

"What are you?" James questioned with an ignorant frown.

"A Thestral" Peter whispered, completely in awe.

Harry changed back to his human form and sighed.

"Yeah but if you and Sirius can see me then it means everyone can" he explained.

"Understandable" Sirius cut in. "No one knows much about them and no doubt they have their own type of magic, but damn that is so cool" he finished disbelievingly. "That will be bloody useful" James added. "You can actually fly, none of us can" he pointed out.

"Please ignore the urge to eat me" Peter pleaded worriedly causing the other three to burst into laughter.

"Don't worry Peter, I'm more likely to eat James or Sirius, a much more satisfying meal" he consoled the boy.

"You'd better not" Sirius warned.

"Nah, not you" Harry decided. "You look as though you have mange".

"Oi" Sirius protested heatedly.

"Shh, I think Moony is coming" James broke in.

Remus entered the shack looking nothing short of terrible. He was pale, shaky and sweating profusely and smiled despite this seeing that they had all come to spend the night with him. "How're you feeling Moony?" James asked, clearly concerned for the boy.

"Same as always Prongs" Remus answered with a weak smile. "Let's see it then" he demanded, turning to face Harry.

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