Chapter 9: Time For The Truth

"Honestly Ronald. You don't need to hold my arm." Hermione rubbed her arm as Ron let go with a mumbled apology, but not bothering to slow his pace. "Where are we going? This isn't the way to Dumbledore's office." she added as Ron started down a flight of stairs.

"I know," stated Ron as Hermione followed, careful not to trip on the small cracks in the stone steps, "I'm not going to Dumbledore, I'm getting someone who's better at finding people."

"Who?" asked Hermione as Ron stopped outside of the stone witch that guarded the Slytherin dorms and knocked.

There was a moment of silence before the witch statue leapt aside and the door opened. Skyler Davids stared at them, half naked (dressed in only baggy black sweat pants with the left knee torn) and looking slightly confused, "yeah?" he asked simply.

Hermione forced her eyes away from the well-toned torso and defined muscles as Ron spoke, "Harry's vanished."

Skyler stepped forward allowing the door to close behind him, "he probably wants some alone time" He added after a moment, "though that doesn't sound like him does it?"

"We were coming back from Hagrid's…And he just sort've vanished." Ron continued.

Skyler stared at them almost blankly for a moment. "Dammit." Skyler ran a hand through his hair before grabbing their hands and heading down the hall, half dragging them back to the stairs.

"Please tell me we're going to get an actual teacher now." Hermione half pleaded as they started up the stairs.

"Sorry to disappoint, But we're getting my cousin" Skyler replied as they made there way down the corridor, one wall lined with arched floor to ceiling windows letting in the dim moonlight, turning everything a soft silvery grey.

"Do we have to?" asked Ron, "Me and him don't really get along very well…"

"He may be my younger cousin, and you may no get along with him very well, but he's better at finding people and making plans then I am," Skyler paused briefly, "even though his sisters better then he is at it… but she's not fledged yet so she's not much help."

They stopped outside a dark wood door and Skyler released their wrists before opening the door and going inside, "inside, quickly before anyone sees." Skyler motioned for them to sit on one of three black leather sofa's before going up a couple stone steps and into another room.

As Ron sat down Hermione gaped slightly when she looked around and finally realized where they were.

"We're in Snape's room? He's Skylers cousin? But that doesn't make sense, Snape's older, Skyler's only…" Hermione got cut off as Ron yanked her onto the sofa beside him.

"One hundred and thirty-five." finished Ron slouching slightly and looking at her.

"That's not possible either… Not unless he's…" Once again Hermione was cut off as Skyler came back into the room, looking slightly ruffled.

"Not Human?" he supplied flopping on the sofa across from them and throwing his arms over the back, putting his feet up on the coffee table.

Hermione's ears went slightly pink, "Well… I wouldn't put it like that exactly."

Skyler waved a dismissive hand and crossed his ankles on the table, "don't worry about it, I'm fine with it…I mean, I'm barely even a wizard." He laughed slightly, blond curls falling in his face before he tossed his head and looked at them, blue eyes reflecting the rosy fire light.

"I don't mean to sound rude…" Hermione started, "But what are you then?"

"I , ms. Granger," Skyler lifted tanned arms, motioned to himself then spread them almost as if welcoming someone into a hug, "am a lycan."

Hermione's jaw dropped slightly, "A lycan? But I thought they were only myth… at least that's what professor McGonagall's always been telling us."

"Because that's what Albus told her to tell everyone… In case trouble started and all." Skyler glanced at the clock above the fireplace then over at the dark door way he had previously come out of. "He better hope he didn't fall asleep again…or I'm going to shave all his hair off like I did back when he was 18." Skyler stood and walked back over, jumping up the stairs and vanishing into the shadows.

Ron held back a laugh as they listened to the obviously sound of Skyler jumping on the bed and dragging someone out of it (due to the thump of a body hitting the floor). A moment later Skyler appeared looking quite satisfied with himself and being followed by a young man who looked like Snape only about twenty years younger.

Hermione quickly noted the lack of coldness in his expression, no beaked nose, and a build that gave Skyler a run for his money only just slightly skinnier, there was also a considerable less amount of greasiness to his hair.

"…Forbidden forest."

Hermione finally tuned back into the conversation just as Ron finished talking.

Both Skyler and Snape flopped on the couch, Skyler's arms resuming there place on the back off the couch while his ankles re-crossed on the table.

"We're going to have to call my father." stated Snape, sitting slightly slouched with his arms folded over his chest, eyes travelling around to land on the three of them one after the other.

"Or my mother… Besides, your old man's already on his way, he's the new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher… Or so Albus tells me." replied Skyler, saying his uncles job in a snobbish way as if he was becoming royalty and not just a teacher.

"Anyways!" Ron cut in making both men look at him, "what are we going to do? He's not arriving for another two days and I'm not going to sit around and do nothing…While Harry is god knows where probably being tortured!" Ron's voice was raising, Hermione quickly put her hand on his arm in a comforting way.

"You're absolutely right, Me and Sev'll search the woods… And you two are going to stay here until we get back, which should be before morning hopefully, I mean, there's no classes tomorrow since its Saturday and all…" Skyler continued to ramble on until Snape elbowed him in the ribs and Skyler shut his mouth.

Hermione stared at them for a moment before speaking, "we can just go back and wait in our common room… We…"

Snape raised a hand cutting her off in mid- sentence, "it's safer if you stay here… for all we know whatever got Harry could try and come after you."

Skyler stood up and pointed to the bedroom doorway, "one of you can sleep in the actual bed…or both of you, its really not my place to investigate your personal life's… If you feel comfortable with it…"

"Skyler! Stop your stupid rambling, let's go." Snape had already pulled on a dark green sweater and was standing by the door giving his cousin and annoyed look.

"Right then…" Skyler walked over to the door and grabbed a black jacket off the coat rack , quickly shrugging it on. "We'll be back in a few hours… Try not to have too much fun without us." He gave them a wink and a smirk and quickly followed Snape out, the door closing and locking behind them.

Hermione sighed and leaned back against the sofa while Ron lounged against the only pillow on the small sofa, "What are we going to do now?" she asked turning to look at him, arms tucked loosely around her stomach.

"We'll the way I see it…" Ron started adjusting the pillow and slouching down even more, "We wait."


Sorry this chapter took so long, I had a lot of school and stuff to deal with, next chapter should take less time (I'm also gonna be bringing some suposedly dead characters back to life muwhahahahaha xP)… peace out until next time.