Chapter Ten

So I go to the library in the afternoon, right? And I'm not sure where to start, so I look up silver, right?

Well, it turns out that silver has a negative effect on certain dark creatures. Just for the heck of it, I start looking through books on dark creatures. Just skimming through because I'm not sure where else to look.

So I pick up a book called Identification of Creatures of Darkness, right? And I'm looking for the word silver.

Well, I find it. Under a section called "Identifying werewolves without a doubt," I find the word silver.

"Werewolves have several known allergies, including wolfsbane, which is also known as ackonite or monkshood, and silver. These, while deadly for a full-grown werewolf, may, in proper amounts, be used against them without killing them, and does not have such a lethal effect on werewolves not fully mature.

"Wolfsbane acts as a poison, and can be administered through ingestion, through the bloodstream, or even as an inhalant. It causes a difficulty in breathing, dizziness, naseousness, fever, and convulsions, eventually leading to death.

"Silver, when applied to the skin of a werewolf, reacts by causing a burn on the area it touches. The silver does not have to be pure to affect the werewolf, it may be combined with something else and still cause irritation, the effect of it being less as the amount of silver in the combination is less. Pure silver will burn flesh on contact. Silver is often used in knives or daggers, which are used in the killing of a werewolf."

Wow. So, like, silver burns them, right? But Remus couldn't possibly be a werewolf, could he? I mean, werewolves are evil, aren't they? No way Remus is evil, right?

Maybe I could talk to J.J. But if he is, would that put her in danger?

I shake my head. Why would Dumbledore let a werewolf in the school? They're dangerous.

But Remus couldn't be werewolf.

All the same, maybe I should keep an eye out.

So we decided to sneak out at midnight to wreak havoc. At least, to cause havoc in the Gryffindor dorm. We trashed the place. It was so awesome. We let the Ravenclaws in to help, with the understanding that their dorm will be wrecked next week.

We plan to do all the dorms, but are leaving Hufflepuff and Slytherin for last because it is going to be hard to get their passwords. Sirius says to leave that to him, but James, Peter, and Remus just roll their eyes.

Speaking of which, he scared me half to death a minute ago. He's so quiet, you never hear him coming. So I turn, and there he is, right behind me.

I totally freaked out. "Augh!" I yelled.

He jumps back, confused, and everyone stops to stare at me.

"Sorry." I mutter. "You just startled me, that's all."

"Oh." He says lightly. "Sorry."

"You forget we can't hear you coming." Peter reminds him.

"Yeah." Remus didn't laugh. He doesn't laugh. He never laughs.

He gives me the shortest of questioning glances then turns back to what he was doing. I don't think anyone else notices the look.

Two days go by before we decide to go ahead and "decorate" the Ravenclaw dorm.

I'm still edgy over the werewolf thing and jump when I bump into him. Of course I let out a yelp.

He just turns and asks, "You okay?"

"Sorry. I'm just kind of clumsy, I guess." I reply.

I don't think he believes it any more than I do.

Some how Sirius found out the password to the Slytherin dorm. We trashed it beyond recognition last night. There are some furious Slytherins at breakfast.

Classes still haven't started back up, so I take my time at breakfast. Most of the Gryffindors are dressed in Muggle clothes.

I get up and go to the library, looking to do some more research on werewolves.

"Werewolves are people that transform into wolves on the night of the full moon. In this form they are extremely dangerous to humans, but not to animals. While many werewolves claim that while in wolf from they unable to control themselves, this is widely thought to be merely an excuse for their actions. Werewolves are generally rather violent in their actions."

A shadow falls across the page. I spin around, and nearly jump out of my skin. It's Remus.

"Um, hi." I gulp. "What are you doing here?"

"James said I should follow you." He replied. "He said it's not a good idea for anyone to go around alone, as mad as the Slytherins are."

"Oh."

"So what are you reading?" He asks curiously.

"Um, nothing, just skimming through."

"Oh." He's not convinced.

"Hey." A cold voice interrupts us, and everything goes black

I wake up with a headache. I'm lying on a cold floor next to wall. I open my eyes. Remus is only a few feet away, already awake.

He jerks and groans. It takes me a minute to realize he's just been kicked in the side.

Crabbe is leaning over him, and picks him up by the collar.

Malfoy and Goyle are there as well, of course. Snape is too.

Snape walks over to Remus. "I know you were in on it." He snarls. "I want to know who else was."

"Do you really think I'm going to tell you?" Comes the calm reply. I don't know how he manages to look so calm. I'm terrified.

I mean, here we are with Malfoy and his bunch, in what appears to be an old unused dungeon or something. And they are all angry. Very angry.

"If you know what's best for you." Snape answers him.

"Do you think anything you can do will matter?" Remus asks him.

Snape glances over in my direction, then back to Remus. "Does he know?" Snape asks maliciously.

Remus pales. "You wouldn't, Snape."

"Wouldn't I?"

"Dumbledore ordered you not to."

"Ah, but Dumbledore's not here, is he?"

Remus swallows nervously.

Snape pulls something from his robes pocket. I can't see it clearly.

"Do you know what this is, Lupin?"

Remus doesn't answer, but I get the feeling he knows what it is.

Snape advances towards him, a cruel smile on his lips.

Whatever it is he's holding, he touches to Remus' skin. Remus jerks and cries out.

Crabbe just laughs and holds him tightly in place.

I have to at least try and do something. I can't just sit here and watch.

I sit up, which distracts then for a minute.

"You're awake." Snape says with a sneer.

"Brilliant observation." I reply. Yes, it is one of the oldest insults in the book, but at least it always works.

"You think you're smart." He snaps. "Have you figured it out yet?"

I shouldn't ask. I should just ignore him. "What?" I ask.

Behind him, Remus struggles to get loose. Snape turns to look at him.

"So you haven't told him your dark secret." Snape laughs. It's not a pleasant sound. He turns back to talk to me. "Pathetic." He mutters. "I suppose you've been wondering about the other night. Why I called him half-breed, about the dust, him not belonging here."

"Get on with it already." I snap. The sooner he shuts up, the better.

"You'll see soon enough."

Somehow this strikes me as ominous.

Apparently Remus knows what he's talking about, because he gets this panicked expression.

"You wouldn't, Snape." He says worridly.

"Wouldn't I?"

"You'd be expelled."

"No," Snape replies with a sneer, "in order for that to happen, the headmaster would have to find out. And if he found out, you would be the one expelled."

"Snape, we're talking about people getting hurt. Would you take a grudge that far?" He asks desperately.

"You didn't care about that last year." Snape hisses, his voice cold and full of hatred. "Or did you think that nothing would happen? I doubt it."

"He wasn't involved. You know that. What do you have against him?"

"He's a Gryffindor, and a muggle-lover. That's enough cause." Malfoy interrupts. "Let's get out of here."

Crabbe slams Remus into a wall, and the four Slytherins leave.

Remus slowly sits up, slightly dazed. He lunges toward the door, and tries too open it. It won't budge.

He paces the room in almost a panic, looking for another way out. After about twenty minutes, he leans against the wall and slowly sinks to the floor.

We sit quietly for a moment.

"What does he mean," I ask, breaking the silence, "I'll see soon enough?" I don't really want to hear an answer. I really don't. I don't want to know.

Remus doesn't answer immediately. Instead he rolls up his sleeve to reveal a burn on his arm.

"Is that from the…" I trail off, not sure of what it was that Snape had had. It was a pretty nasty burn though.

"Sliver, yes." He answered softly.

"Silver?"

"Yes." He pauses, as if afraid of what he's going to say next. "I-I-" He sighs. "We need to get out of here. Quickly."

We look for a way out, but we're trapped in the room. No way out.

"Why do we need to get out of here?" I ask.

"It will be night soon."

"And?"

"The moon will be rising." Is he saying what I think he's saying? He can't be a- "I…I'm a…a…" He takes a deep breath. "I'm a werewolf."

I look away as he says this.

So it's true. He is a werewolf. Dumbledore did let a werewolf in the school. What's worse, this werewolf had been sharing a dorm with me for four years now.

Then I realize that I'm trapped in a room with a werewolf, the full moon is tonight, and the sun will be setting in less than an hour.

A shudder runs down my spine, and I turn to look at him.

He's where he was, sitting in the same position, hasn't moved a muscle. He's watching me, studying my every move.

Our eyes meet, and I realize something.

He's terrified. The fear in his eyes is there as plain as their color.

He's waiting for me to say something. To do something.

He's terrified.

Of what? Of what I might say? Of what I might do? He could easily kill me right now.

But he doesn't. He never was violent. Ever.

Maybe werewolves aren't what we think they are.

Maybe they aren't evil creatures.

Maybe they're people, just like the rest of us.

Had Remus ever acted like one would expect a werewolf to act?

He was actually the opposite.

"I guess we should probably find a way out of here, then." I say. The tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"Yeah." He replies uncertainly.

We set about looking for a way to escape. Once again, we find none.

"Can you do wards?" He asks out of the blue.

"What?"

"Wards. Can you set up wards?"

"Like what?"

"Between us. The moon will be up soon."

"I don't know. I can try." I say doubtfully. I try the spell, and surprisingly, it works.

"Don't let it down." He says quietly. "No matter what." He seems tense.

"Remus?"

"What?" He almost snaps at me.

"You wouldn't hurt me, would you?" He isn't a monster, I tell myself.

He looks me dead in the eye. "Once the moon is up, if I am able to get to you, I will."

"You mean-" I stop, unable to finish the question.

"If I can kill you, I will."