"I wonder where he got off to?" James led Sirius and Peter down a corridor, looking for Remus. "He's going to miss lunch, at this rate."

It didn't take long to find the fourth member of their quartet. As the three boys rounded a corner, they spotted a familiar mop of light brown hair, though it was quite obvious the owner of that hair was busy snogging some dark-haired Ravenclaw.

"Remus, let's go to lunch," James said with a dangerous coolness to his voice. It didn't take long for the four boys to reach the Great Hall. No sooner had they arrived, and James was standing on his bench, garnering the attention of the majority of the school.

"Hey, everyone. I've got some exciting news for you."

"James, what the hell are you doing?"

"Making an announcement, Moony, can't you tell."

"Get the fuck down!"

"Remus Lupin here is a shirt-lifter. A regular poof. That is all."

Whispers echoed around the hall as James got down, and an angry blush swept across Remus' face.

"So what if I am? What business is it of yours?" The words came out a snarl, Remus' face was dangerously close to James'.

"It's my business because I share a room with your bent dick. Never know what you'll do."

"You, James Potter, are a bigoted asshole." And with that, Remus stood from the table, storming out of the hall. Sirius just stared after him, an unreadable expression on his face.

"You ok, mate?" James turned to Sirius.

"Huh? Yeah, fine." But Sirius didn't speak to anyone else the rest of the day.

After the final lesson of the day, Sirius didn't even bother to go to dinner. The distraught boy went straight to the dorms, hiding behind the curtains of his four poster.

"Is it really so terrible that Remus likes blokes?" Peter sounded uncertain.

"It's disgusting, Pete," James spat. "I worry we will have the same problem with Sirius, sometimes, the way he looks at Remus. His uncle is bent, you know?" Apparently, the other two didn't know Sirius was there, but as he heard them drift off to sleep, silent tears rolled down his face, remaining unwiped as they formed a path to the blanket on the boy's lap.

What am I going to do now? If I lose James, I'll have nowhere to go. At this thought, Sirius' control slipped, and a small sob escaped him. But there was no one to console him. His pillow his only comfort, the distraught boy eventually exhausted himself with tears and fell into an uneasy sleep.

It was two whole days before anyone could get Sirius to say a word. Remus avoided them after James had outed him, and James and Peter just assumed he had gotten another letter from home.

"Whatever they said this time, Padds, they aren't worth it. Besides, you left over the summer, and you don't have to go back." James waved his hand airily. All Sirius could do was nod in response.

Merlin, you're disgusting, Black. Don't even bother coming back to my place this summer. You are no longer welcomed.

Sorry, Sirius, but James says I shouldn't talk to you anymore. That you're too much of a freak.

Why would I want you? You couldn't even stand up to James as he ruined my life, spouted my secrets to the Great Hall. What use are you, coward?

I'm sorry, Mr. Black, but Hogwarts has no place for your kind. You and Mr. Lupin must pack immediately, we can't have students being uncomfortable by your presence.

Finally, Sirius woke up, face splotchy, pillow soaked in sweat and tears. Sitting up in his bed, the frightened teen began to cry more earnestly, small sobs escaping without his permission.

He was so scared of losing his best friends, but he was also scared of losing himself, scared that he'd have to hide forever. That night was a sleepless one. 

He wasn't alone though. In the bed beside his own, Remus Lupin shed his own tears in a sleepless night. His worst fear had come true. His best friends had deemed him unworthy of love. The first friends he ever had, and it was all gone now. He was truly alone again. And it hurt more than any tranformation could.