Disclaimer - You know the drill. You don't seriously think I created Harry Potter, do you? Give me a break, I'm not that smart. No, these characters are the sole property of J. Rowling and a number of publishing companies.

A/N -

Versipellis - You ask and I deliver. Check it out.

SP-in-Sirius-Denial - No kidding. I've seen this one done by a lot of people as "Sirius screws up in anger and Remus has to forgive him," but I wanted to add an original twist. I'm glad you like it.

Chrisoriented - Yes, I wouldn't want to be in his shoes. Or dragon-hide boots. You know, whatever they wear. I doubt it's Nike.

-Leaf

NEVER ONE TO LEAVE

Severus Snape was up at dawn on Friday. Tonight's the night, he thought gleefully. Tonight I'll find out once and for all where that skinny git goes all the time.

Remus Lupin annoyed Snape more than Black and Potter combined. He was impossible to provoke. He sat in the library reading his stupid books all the time, and teachers had been bending over backward for him since the first year. It seemed Lupin was always leaving campus for some strange reason. Once, Snape remembered, his face twisting into a sneer, Lupin had talked for days about attending a Quidditch match in which his favorite teams were playing on the day of exams. The whole thing had been widely regarded as a joke - surely studious Lupin couldn't mean to miss his exams for a game of Quidditch? - and Snape mocked Lupin with the others, knowing the teachers would never stand for that kind of nonsense. But on the day exams were given, Lupin had been absent from all his classes. He'd reappeared the next day, chattering with Black, Potter, and Pettigrew about the match, and they'd all been nearly in hysterics. Snape supposed Lupin was amused at himself for getting away with it. His grades hadn't even been penalized - Lupin had always had the top marks in their year, even after that particular incident.

It wasn't until this year, their fifth, that Snape had realized Lupin probably wasn't going where he said he was all the time. He'd been eavesdropping from behind the library stacks and had heard Black say "So Moony, where'll you be going this time?"

"I don't know," Lupin had replied thoughtfully. "My mother was sick pretty recently, so I don't want to use that again…How about if I've got a cold?"

"It's not the season for colds," Pettigrew pointed out. "No one'll buy it."

"Okay, so what's it the season for?"

Potter said something under his breath, and Black let out a hearty laugh. Lupin glanced around quickly, nervously. "James, for God's sake don't say that here."

"Sorry," Potter sat up straighter, and Snape strained his ears to hear more. "What if you and I got in a duel or something?"

"That could work," Lupin mused. "You could challenge me at lunch tomorrow, and we could say you'd…I don't know, Stupefied me down some stairs or something."

Pettigrew giggled. Snape was annoyed.

"Right," said Black, clearly getting into the spirit of it. "Then after you'd got back, we could make up a detention for James to do." He turned to Potter, "Say Prongs, I bet you could even get McGonagall to give you one."

"Right," James rolled his eyes. "No offense Moony, but I don't like you that much."

They'd talked more, but Snape hadn't hung around to listen. He'd been far to excited. So Remus Lupin was hiding something, was he? Snape ran a hand absently through his hair. Perhaps he could get the idiot expelled! The teachers certainly wouldn't be pleased to learn that Lupin had been lying to everyone for five years and sporadically skipping classes. All he needed was some kind of proof, Snape had thought eagerly, something to show to Dumbledore, and he could probably get the most irritating student in school sent packing.

Coming out of his reverie, Snape stood and pulled on his robes. Calm down, he told himself sternly. You've a whole day to get through.

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All too soon, it was evening.

The week had passed in a blur. Sirius longed to tell Remus what he was facing, but he didn't dare. He's got to hate me, he thought, remembering Bella's words. I've got to hurt him. If I don't, she will, and it'll be far worse. I've got to make him hate me, to end our friendship forever.

Sirius shivered in the half-dusk, standing by the frozen Whomping Willow. Remus had gone in just a few moments ago. His transformation would have started by now.

For a moment Sirius toyed with the idea of trying to buy Snape off. He'd give him anything, he thought desperately. Snape could have all his money, his broom, anything he wanted, if he'd walk away and pretend to Bella that Sirius had shown him.

But that wouldn't work, Sirius realized hopelessly. Bella would figure out in about a minute that Snape was lying, or else she'd see Sirius and Remus together and realize that their friendship hadn't ended. Sirius thought about telling Remus to stay away from him, but knew his friend would refuse. There was nothing else for it. He was going to have to go through with this…this task.

Snape appeared in the fog, looking disgustingly eager. "All right, Black, here I am. Where are we headed?"

In answer, Sirius turned to face the tree, which had started to move again. He pointed. "In there."

Snape stared. "I don't have time for this. Where are we going?"

Sirius whipped around to face him, cold with fury. "Do you want me to show you?"

Snape nodded, surprised.

"Then shut your mouth and listen." Sirius spoke softly, with urgency. "Take a stick, a good long one, and reach in and prod that knot." He pointed. "The tree will freeze, and you'll be free to go in and through the passage. Remus…he's at the other end."

"How do I know this isn't a trick to get me clobbered by the tree?" Snape asked suspiciously.

"Look, if you don't want to go then don't go," Sirius said. "But I'm not really in a position to be setting traps for you, am I?"

Snape considered, casting about on the ground for a stick. When he'd found one, he reached in cautiously and touched the knot. The tree shuddered and froze. He turned to Sirius. "You go first."

Sirius turned and walked up to the tree, laid a hand on its bark. Assured, Snape rushed forward and down into the passage. Sirius could hear his footsteps clattering through the tunnel.

Sirius backed away so the tree wouldn't be able to reach him when it sprung to life again. He knelt in the grass, waiting, barely breathing.

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Snape emerged from the tunnel into an abandoned old house. What the hell?

"Lumos," he muttered, lighting his wand. He could hear snuffling noises from upstairs. Was Black playing some elaborate trick on him? Was Lupin here or not?

Upstairs, the snuffling was louder. Snape investigated the rooms carefully. The first three had turned up no result, and he was starting to get really annoyed at Black for sending him down here.

Suddenly he heard a loud howl, one he could identify from detentions in the Forbidden Forest. Werewolf…!

The wolf pounded into view, bearing down on him. Snape was petrified. He couldn't move, he couldn't think…the wolf was getting closer…this was it…

From the side, something barreled into him, something larger and faster than the wolf, and he was falling or flying, propelled along by this creature, the wolf after them…he could smell its breath…howling…Snape screamed in terror…they were in the tunnel…

And suddenly, inexplicably, James Potter was beside him, one hand gripping the arm of Snape's robes, hauling him away…he could hear the wolf howling behind them, but the howls were growing distant now…the wolf couldn't get into the tunnel…

James let go of Snape and stared at him, fear and hatred in his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"M-me?" Snape was starting to recover. "What are you doing here? Black said Lupin…"

Both boys' eyes widened with understanding.

"He's a werewolf…" Snape said slowly, the possibilities beginning to occur to him. The teachers wouldn't stand for this. Lupin would be gone by tomorrow.

"Sirius?" James said hoarsely. "Sirius sent you down here?"

Snape laughed. "Yeah, that's right. Thought it'd be a bit of a laugh to see me killed by a werewolf, no doubt.

James, leaning against the wall, slid down to sit on the floor. He was overwhelmed by this betrayal. "Sirius…" he whispered. "How could he?"

And outside, on the grass beside the tree, Sirius curled into himself. Remy, I'm so sorry.