It's been awhile since I updated, I know. I write every chapter about 2 to 4 times before I can decide on a version of it that I actually like. This is version 3 of this chapter haha.

Hermione entered DADA and sent a polite smile to the man who stood in the middle of the room. Remus Lupin was a werewolf, she knew it the moment she set eyes on him. She entertained the idea of turning him in for a few days, but she thought she would have more fun learning from him. His face bore the claw like scars of his lifelong struggle against the beast that paced the boundaries of his mind since the age of 6. Similar scars littered his forearms, along with the occasional bite mark.

His hair was combed neatly and his face held a soft smile, but it didn't stop the students from watching him warily. They filled the desks furthest from him and tried to avoid eye contact, but Hermione sat in the very front. He felt the way her eyes pierced him, it was like the girl was reading his mind, but he knew his mental walls weren't being ripped down. Her eyes said that she knew his deepest darkest secrets, but he couldn't quite understand how.

"Line up class, today each of you will face your greatest fear." A few of the students gulped audibly. Remus surveyed their reactions and was stunned and somewhat frightened by the smirk his most eager pupil had etched across her face. She was the first of the Slytherins to rise from her seat and took her place behind a Gryffindor girl. The unfortunate lions were being paired with the snakes for DADA this term and very few of them weren't displeased.

Each took their turn, their fears were ridiculous things. She saw spiders, some odd beasts called clowns, poor marks, and Snape, who was unsurprisingly a common fear. Then it was her turn, she stepped forward confidently and waited as the bogart began to change form. Before her stood a malnourished woman, her dark eyes were sunken and hollow. Her high cheek bones looked prepared to burst from her thin flesh as the skin clung tightly to them. Rotten teeth were revealed as dry, cracked lips pulled upward into a lunacy ridden grin.

"My dove." The woman whispered as her eyes bore into the young witch. Grey eyes widened with terror. She stared upon this replicated Bellatrix with sorrow. Pale flesh peeled and melted from the frail skeleton, but the creature continued to whisper to her. It stepped closer and with each step it withered further. Thinning Black curls slowly detached from the creature and fell to the ground, turning to ash as they fell. She was frozen as this vision was etched into her mind. Iron bars appeared before the creature and chains shot from the walls to restrain it. Its form was confined and it writhed and screamed as its soul was sucked from its body by the dementors that began to surround it.

"No." She whispered, her eyes filled with tears that she refused to shed. One dementor grew closer, its soulless eyes locked onto the creature. Its mouth opened and a screech turned the air cold. She watched the soul detach from the frail figure and her knees nearly gave out, she was powerless. She couldn't lose her again, she couldn't. Her wand immediately rose, but the spell that flew from it caused the bogart to release the most heart wrenching sound anyone in the room had ever heard. It slumped onto its side and its true form was revealed.

"You've killed it." Remus was awestricken.

"Is that even possible?" A Gryffindor boy cowered away from the scene he just witnessed. His expression spoke of the nightmares that would haunt him for the next few nights, if not longer.

"Class is dismissed." Every student, Gryffindor and Slytherin alike, scurried from the room as if on fire. "May I speak with you, Ms. Black?" The werewolf could feel her magical aura around him, it thinned the air and built an uncomfortable pressure around them all.

"There is nothing to be discussed, Professor." She swept quickly from the room. The stone set of her jaw did nothing to hide the anguish in her eyes. He needed to report this to Dumbledore. He didn't recognise the woman that the bogart formed, but it was obvious she was locked away. Perhaps this child could be saved from a similar fate.

In the weeks that followed, he was continuously met by an eager Hermione Black. She asked every question she could about him, but she gave no sign of sharing any information about herself.

Dumbledore was certain this girl would be an asset to the light, but Remus could feel the darkness surrounding her. With each day that passed, he questioned if the girl was worth saving. Even with Tonks becoming her guardian, she seemed to reject any and every attempt the light made to reach out to her. McGonagall was turned away when she offered the girl the opportunity to become her student apprentice. Flitwick and Vector found similar results. It was unorthodox to ask such a question of a 4th year, but no one could deny her power. It was raw and when her emotions grew strong it became nearly unstable. She needed to be properly guided.

"Ms. Black, would you consider becoming my student apprentice?" She didn't hesitate to accept his offer. She spent her weekends assisting with lesson plans, which gave him the chance to become further acquainted with her mannerisms. Her humour was morbid, though it appealed to him. His own dark past had warped him socially and he found the girl refreshing. She laughed when he spoke lightly of grotesque topics. She was intelligent in a way that none of his previous students had ever been.

He found himself becoming more and more fond of the child. Her exterior was cold, but occasionally she seemed almost human. As he grew closer to her, his need to safe her from the darkness was reborn. He still knew little of her life outside of Hogwarts, but the sorrow that appeared in her eyes some days and her clenched fist were sign enough that she deserved some happiness.

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Grey eyes drooped with exhaustion as a worn body slumped stiffly on a dust covered mattress. Unkempt hair fell limply against feverish pale skin. He hissed through his teeth as he jostled his broken ribs, his body protested with every breath and his head ached with how much effort he used to remain upright. Azkaban had ruined him, but he was finally on the final stretch, if he made it through this he could return home and recuperate. Josephine would welcome him home with open arms and a soft smile. She would pat his head as she use to, she'd whisper in his ear and praise his strength. You made it, Sirius. You've finally come home. She'd laugh with him like she use to.

He laid across the bed and closed his eyes. He imagined the warmth of his old bed, the sweet aroma of the plants around his bedroom. He imagined the taste of homemade streusel muffins and lemon cakes, he swore he could almost smell it. The dust in the room clogged his nostrils and burned his lungs, but through it was the scent of home, it surrounded him with the calm and happiness he lacked for all these years. He would walk through the door and see bright blue eyes, shining with tears of joy.

"Josephine." He whispered brokenly. She was really gone, wasn't she? A choked sob fell from cracked lips and his aching body curled in on itself. She was a beacon of light in his dark hell, but now his only reminder of her was a stone grave. Her body rotted in its new home, its lonely place in the ground. "Where have the years gone?"

Dull eyes stared at the ceiling as tears poured from them. He wasn't allowed a single letter, he couldn't keep his picture of her, her face faded in his memory. His escape was for her, he needed to know if it was true; if she had truly left him. He took her happiness and she slowly withered away, she had no reason to go on. She probably wouldn't want to see him even if she was still here. He sent the other half of her soul to the abyss. "I'm so sorry." His every word felt like blades were ravaging his throat. His bitterness seeped into the wounds and burned him. When was Sirius Black going to find his happiness?

"Murderer!" He sighed and rolled slowly from the rotting mattress. Green eyes glared hatefully at him, a scrawny boy with messy hair and broken glasses stood before him. He forced a smile as determination filled the eyes of the boy-who-lived. Courage was a Gryffindor's only weapon when facing the unknown.

"Harry Potter." He whispered, the boy he dragged in nearly an hour ago stirred from his place in the corner. His dark blue eyes snapped open as he remembered the earlier events. It was finally time to kill the pest that put him away for all those years.

"I'll kill you!" Harry held his wand tightly, but Sirius could see how his hand trembled. This child was suppose to save them from the darkest wizard in history? That was hardly plausible. He flinched as the convict bared his rotten teeth. A rat scurried across the floor toward the exit and Sirius dove for it.

"Filthy beast." He growled as the creature squirmed in his hands.

"Let go of him!" The Weasley boy yelled as he staggered to his feet. They were making this far more difficult than it needed to be. Sirius rolled his eyes and threw the creature as hard as he could against the nearest wall. It grunted and slowly changed shape.

"It's been a long time, mongrel." Grey eyes brightened slightly as a dirty, buck toothed man grew from the slumped form of the rat.

"Peter Pettigrew?" The Potter boy gasped as the man began to beg at Sirius' feet. His hunched form cowered as the wizard sneered at him.

"Sirius, you know I meant no harm, my friend." The boy-who-lived was so shocked by the sight that he froze. His eyes watched the scene with pure confusion. The Weasley boy seemed sick, his face grew greener the longer he stared at the filthy grovelling man.

"I have spent the last decade in Azkaban because of you, Pettigrew." His body was broken, his mind was tired and coming apart at the seams. If he didn't move quickly all his energy would be exhausted on this conversation.

"The Potters had to die." He whispered, his eyes flickering nervously toward the boy-who-lived. His back grew straighter and a bold glint flashed through his muddy brown eyes. "My Lord allowed you to live as a favour to your brother, the Great and Loyal Regulus Black, because his little brother was nothing more than a blood traitor." He growled and kicked the round man. Peter hissed in pain, but made no attempt to move from his place on the splintering floor. A wand rose, it shook in trembling hands. Hate coursed through the owner, but he couldn't get the curse to roll from his leaden tongue. Sirius rolled his eyes, of course the boy couldn't even speak the curse. With all the intent built in his system, he still didn't have the strength to kill another.

"Reducto." Peter shrieked as another of his fingers was blasted from his body. Blood splattered over the moulding floor and foot steps made their way toward the sound from outside the room. Remus Lupin burst in with bravado, but as his eyes fell over Sirius, he became timid. He eased slowly into the room, his wand switching between the frail Azkaban escapee and the filthy bucktoothed man that was once one of his best mates. Even considering the circumstances of Sirius' life, the wolf had become a good friend of his. The years in Azkaban made Remus wonder if he ever truly knew Sirius, but he knew the beast within him would never allow him to regret meeting the man.

His appearance was ignored as shouts sounded from the hidden passage into the Shrieking Shack. As the door swung open, Sirius found himself staring into eyes identical to his own. He released a strangled gasp as his niece, the one he had only seen photos of, climbed into the room and joined the group of people that were pointing wands his way. Her eyes narrowed and for a moment he swore he was seeing his brother. The way her jaw clenched and her wrist curved, only slightly, inward as she aimed, it was all Regulus. This was the last scene between his brother and himself, the showdown that turned him into a murdered. Fratricide, the ultimate betrayal.

He hardly noticed the trembling blonde boy that stumbled in after her. He knew a Malfoy anywhere and this child was the epitome of Malfoy; shaking hands, paired with pale blue eyes, platinum blond tresses, and weak knees. He nearly laughed, this boy and Potter were the same, but it seemed Gryffindor taught the boy-who-lived bravery, while Slytherin taught the scrawny blonde to cower. His niece seemed to flourish in the den of snakes though, her shoulders squared and eyes set unwaveringly on himself. Fear didn't run in the Black family and it seemed the girl took almost wholly from his side of the family.

"Hello uncle." Hermione sneered with the highest calibre of hatred shining in her eyes. He had never seen something so terrifying. She made no move to protect herself when Potter's wand changed courses. As she entered the room, his faux courage nearly dissolved as grey eyes lit was malicious intent. "Azkaban has been harsh to you, though it's no less than you deserve." A smirked curled the corner of her lips and the dark aura of her magic swirled in the air.

"Ms. Black, you shouldn't be here." Remus tried to sound stern, but he couldn't bring himself to be upset with her. He ignored the Malfoy child, his attention was focused on his apprentice. He had never seen such anger in her eyes. He was unfamiliar with the hatred that radiated through her dark aura. His beast bristled at the way she stared at Sirius, but he held himself from attacking.

Pettigrew made to escape, his body morphing back into its rodent form. The occupants of the decaying room chased after him. Though Hermione followed, it wasn't without reluctance. She wasn't here for the rat, he noted the way her eyes sliced through Sirius like blades. He was her target, but no business could be finished with Sirius until the halfblood animagus was properly handled.

They each scurried through the secret passage into the night. The rat would have been caught, if not for Remus Lupin. Under the light of the full moon his body began its slow and agonising transition into his wolf's skin. His face extended and his teeth enlarged. He threw his head back and howled as short hairs began to sprout across his skin and his bones broke. His flesh distorted around the shifting within him.

"Harry, you must run!" Sirius yelled. As the wolf completed its change, the thin man shifted into his animagus form. Two fur covered creatures clashed and growls filled the night. Hermione's face screwed into a scowl as she watched her uncle protect the chosen one. She rolled her eyes before joining into the effort, her Lord would be furious if the boy died here.

"Well didn't you hear him, Potter? Run, unless you wish to become the wolf's next meal." She didn't give him much of a choice. Her fingers curled into the back of his collar and pulled him roughly toward the castle, the Weasley boy shouting and stumbling behind them. She wasn't planning to stop, that is until she heard a wet snap and a gargled whimper. She pushed the boy into Draco's arms and took off into the forest. Her legs propelled her forward with grace. Tripping would mean failing, a single second's delay could kill the boy-who-lived and her cousin as well. She didn't care if the red haired pest met his gruesome end, but sadly in the process of saving the first two, he too would be saved.

As she reached the bottom of the hill that led up to the Shrieking Shack, she released a very unladylike sound. One her aunt would surely scold her for, should she learn of it. Her mouth widened and her head fell backward as she howled. She just needed Remus' attention long enough for the boys to make it into the castle. Her legs began to move again as she heard heavy foot falls growing near. She tossed an incendio over her shoulder, hoping to light a few trees to slow the beast a bit.

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Hermione watched in disdain as the thin and dirty man pulled himself from the ground. His grey eyes stared back at her with determination, with a life that she wished to snuff out. Her wand rose a second time, the cruciatus curse dancing across the tip of her tongue.

"Please no, I'll do anything you ask." His voice was a gasped whisper. Her eyes raked over his form and she almost felt pity when she caught sight of his protruding ribs through his torn Azkaban jumpsuit. The moonlight pouring into the astronomy tower made his skin even paler than the years in prison had. His beard was a mess; scruffy, tangled, and dirty.

"I know because cowards would trade anything to save their life. I want to know if you still live and breathe for our Lord." Her voice was calm, but her grey eyes reflected the hatred that filled her body. She saw the hesitance in the tension of his shoulders. His mouth opened and closed as thoughts swirled around his head. Impatience welled and with a flick of her wrist she set his body convulsing once again. She couldn't afford for him to die or fall victim to insanity so his torture was cut short, much to her chagrin. "Answer me, filth, I don't wish to stand here all night!" She sneered, irritation becoming apparent on her face.

"I will follow our Lord til my last breath." He wheezed pathetically. She rolled her eyes, she knew he was lying, it was his specialty. His body twitched ever so often as the curse's aftereffects worked through his system.

"You're full of shite Sirius, Aunt Cissy always said you were a disgrace to purebloods." Her grey eyes bore through him, sifting through his mind and finding lie after lie. His occlumency was nearly as disgraceful as his blood traitorous love for the halfbreed, Lupin. He held many mistakes on his shoulders, but one their Lord could never forgive was his closeness to the werewolf. His request for his mark was swiftly declined because their Lord couldn't have someone like Sirius Black representing his empire.

"Please! Hermione, my dear niece, do not let your aunt brainwash you any further. Your father-"

"My father is dead!" She screamed and cast an incendio, setting his body ablaze. She felt unexplainable joy as his body burned, but she soon put him out, as her Lord would be angry if the man were to die. He continued to scream long after the fire was snuffed, his flesh was peeling and puss leaked from the blisters that popped each time he moved. "Leave Sirius. That filthy feathered creature is waiting for you on the outskirts of the forest. Uncle Lucius was going to have him slaughtered for injuring Draco, but with a bit of persuasion on my part, I was able to save that dastardly creature from my uncle and you from our Lord's wrath. See this as the only kindness that you will receive from me, uncle." She spat at his feet and turned to leave. "The sun will rise in three hours, Dumbledore has delayed Filch and his bloody cat until then, get out. Next time we meet, we will be enemies and I will not hesitate to end you." She laughed before leaving Sirius to crawl out of the castle and into the forest.

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