Halloween
The weeks passed by and Harry felt more comfortable knowing the key was with Regulus. They had decided to go to Gringotes on Christmas, so they had no worries until December.
The Thursday before the Halloween party James scheduled an emergency quidditch practice after knowing Slytherin had defeated Hufflepuff, therefore becoming Gryffindor's next opponent for the game that would take place before Christmas.
While they changed in the dressing rooms, Fabian begun:
"Potter, heard you're dating Lily Evans"
"As if you didn't know that for almost a month, Fabian." James replied dryly. The ginger head laughed ironically.
"Your love life doesn't interest me, James. Lily said your worth nothing for so many years… I was just wondering what your dating methods are."
"Shut it."
"Of course." Fabian continued. "Lily hasn't been dating in a while… When I went out with her, was hard to conquer. But James Potter has his own secrets, doesn't he?"
James started walking to the field, followed by the other players. Marlene, irritated said:
"Lily wasn't easy, Fabian, stop bugging."
"I was just wondering if he did something!" Fabian exclaimed in false surprise. "Come on, Potter, what was it? Potion, spell? OR maybe there was some sort of 'gift'-"
Harry and Sirius ran to hold James' arms back when he dropped the broom on the floor and tried to jump on Fabian, who started laughing.
"Hey! Why so aggressive?"
"Aw, fuck it." Harry heard Sirius mutter before he let James go, falling on Fabian.
"Sirius!" he yelled, but Padfoot shrugged his shoulders.
"If he wants to solve this like that…"
Harry and Ginny exchanged looks desperately as James punched Fabian's nose strongly, making the boy bleed.
"Stop-Annoying-Me!" he roared, marking each word with a punch.
"James, Fabian is going to faint!" Ginny warned and James got up, snorting.
"You better stop messing me up from now on, Prewett."
On the floor Fabian twisted in pain, his blood draining through his nose and mouth. He got up scared as a voice shouted from the other side of the field.
"Potter! Prewett! What is happening here?" Madam Hooch ran toward them, her falcon eyes widen.
"Prewett was picking on James, Madam." Sirius groaned angrily. "He was insinuating things…"
The professor gazed firstly at James, who was pale with anger, and then to Fabian, scared and bloody.
"Potter, detention. Prewett, go to the hospital wing."
"But Fabian started!" Ginny exclaimed. The woman shrugged severely.
"It does not justify a fight. And Potter is lucky I did not forbid him to go to the party. There won't be practice today; you can all go back to the castle."
While Fabian walked to the Hospital Wing, Harry and Sirius said:
"She shouldn't have done this!"
"Fabian should've been put on detention too."
But James himself said nothing and didn't say anything at the end of the field, where Lily asked:
"What happened? I just saw Fabian all broken up…"
They headed to the castle and Ron asked:
"Is it true that you beat Fabian up?"
"He asked for it." Prongs simply answered. "He said things about Lily."
"I don't need a protector." Lily said, sitting at the table.
"He wasn't talking about you only." Marlene explained in James' defense. "He insinuated you were together because you were on something. He even said you made it easy!"
Lily sighed irritated, and Hermione commented:
"He is just jealous. Don't bother, you were lucky! If Minerva had gotten you, James wouldn't be going to the party."
XXX
Saturday night Dorcas waited for Gideon near the school's gates, seeing all the girls going out on the carriages.
"Sorry I'm late." Gideon said, tiding his leprechaun costume. "Beautiful butterfly."
The girl smiled and headed to the carriages, but he stopped her.
"Hey, I have another way. Come with me."
Curious, Dorcas followed the red – headed through the castle, and they stopped by the backyard.
"What are we doing here?"
"Fabian had to stay at the Hospital Wing for two days to recover from the fight." Gideon started "And he saw Lupin going out there every night. Did you know he was ill?"
"Yes, he told me so."
"And are you aware that it is full moon's period?"
"Yes. Gideon, I have no idea where are you going to."
Gideon opened his mouth to answer, but footsteps scared them.
"It has begun, Prongs!" Sirius ran to follow James, who was dressed as King Arthur for the party. Sirius's vampire cloak twisted in the air, and Dorcas widened her eyes.
Behind them, Peter oversaw the corridors calling a bit of attention, since he was wearing James quidditch uniform making an attempt to be dressed up as his friend. Beside her, Dorcas heard Gideon whisper:
"I knew it."
"Prongs, Padfoot!" a fourth voice called, and a wolf – boy appeared.
Dorcas shivered, but when the moonlight covered the person she reckoned it was just Harry in costume.
"You may come, New Kid, just shut up!" Warned Sirius
Silently the group walked into the night, ending up at the Whooping Willow, which started moving immediately. Dorcas intended to warn them about it, but suddenly the only boy that remained was Harry, walking towards the tree.
"What the-"Gideon said, walking to the Willow himself. Dorcas followed him until they saw the tree's base opening, and Harry slipping through it.
"Harry!"
"Shush, Dorcas."
"Let's go, Gideon!"
"Wait; let's see what hap-AH!"
The passage on the Willow opened one more time, and animals went out. A gigantic dog and a deer guided the group, preceded by a rat entering the yard and scaring Gideon.
"Here, satisfied? Now let's go."
But before the girl could complete her phrase a hairy figure got out of the passage. It was a werewolf. The creature sniffed the air, and with the moonlight in its eyes, howled to the night.
"Lupin is a werewolf!" Gideon shouted, and the werewolf turned his head towards him.
Dorcas wouldn't believe Remus was that fierce animal, and stopped dead as the thing walked on her direction.
"Get away from her, freak!" Gideon shouted again, withdrawing his wand and throwing a spell onto the monster's chest.
Trying to stop the approximation of the werewolf, the dog and the deer stood between them. Gideon threw another spell, which diverted from its target and hit the dog's snot, making it yelp and run away bloodily.
Furious, the deer attacked Gideon with its branches, and Dorcas saw the ginger head get up fast and grab her arm.
"Let's go!"
But she couldn't move. The werewolf approached her, and for a second Dorcas could see the moonlight reflected on his brown eyes as he raised his paw. She closed her eyes, waiting for the stroke that didn't come. She felt only the fur in his paws rub her face, but the monster had dropped them beside his massive body and walked away.
The animals vanished, just as the werewolf. Trying to remain calm, Dorcas felt her being pulled by Gideon to the carriages, and only realized that they had arrived when the noisy atmosphere of The Three Broomsticks filled her ears with sound.
Gideon did not call her, and she didn't follow him either. Instead, she ran to her friends.
"Lily where are the boys?" Dorcas asked when she noticed her friend alone.
"James and the others went back to get something at the castle, but they're not back yet…" the red headed answered confusedly. Dorcas sighed and sat on a chair, not taking the werewolf out of her head. There was a commotion close to her, and she saw James and the Marauders making their way to them.
"Hey, my fairy!" James smiled and hugged Lily. She smiled back, but right after exclaimed:
"Sirius, what in the world happened to you?"
Behind them Dorcas saw Sirius with a profound cut in his nose, at the same place where she reminded the dog was hit. Marlene, who chatted with Emmeline, stared surprised at the scene and jumped to help, but before she could arrive another girl appeared:
"Siiirius! What happened, cute thing? Is it hurting?"
Marlene rolled her eyes and puffed as she moved away from them. Rapidly, James said something to Lily and sat at the table, in front to Dorcas.
"What the hell were you and Prewett doing at the Willow?"
"What were you doing there?" she replied defense full.
"We were-"
"With Remus? James, please tell me that werewolf isn't him." She asked, but James lowered his head, giving all the answer she needed.
"Why didn't he tell me before? I thought we were friends!"
"Because he knew you'd be afraid. Gideon showed that tonight. He called Remus a "freak" didn't he?"
"Gideon is afraid, I'm not."
"So come with us." James said, rising up.
"Wait a minute! What time did you hear Gideon calling Remus a freak?"
"Prior to that git attacking Sirius."
"But I don't…Sirius is the dog! You are the deer?"
"Shut it, nobody knows!"
She rolled her eyes, following James and Peter (Sirius was snogging the girl) to the carriages, and so they ran to the castle.
XXX
"Awn, cut little thing!" the girl giggled, rubbing Sirius' hair.
"Who is she?" Marlene asked Emmeline annoyed. The other gazed at the couple.
"I dunno, but heard her name is Helene Bishop, from Hufflepuff. Mary must know. Neville, need help over there?"
Beside them, a mummy nodded, all ripped on a white cloth.
"Yeah. Have you seen Frank?"
"He's with Alice on the dance, trying to behave like a typical zombie couple."
"Thanks." He mumbled, jumping towards them for his feet were attached with the cloth.
"Lene, why are you so worried about with whom Sirius is going out?" Ginny arrived, dressed up as Lily. Marlene puffed.
"I've already seen this girl with James, Edgar Bones, Fabian Prewett, Billy Williams and Duncan Jefferies. On the same day."
"As if that would change his standards." Hermione said, calling everyone's attention with her Amelia Earhart's costume.
"Sirius has no standards." A voice said behind the group. The girls turned, seeing a really handsome boy staring at them in his aristocrat costume. He smiled with charm.
"Excuse me?" Marlene asked and the boy widened his eyes, indignant.
"I am that unrecognizable?"
"Regulus?" Emmeline mumbled as he smiled. "What have you done?"
"The Slytherin girls said I looked like a tired old man, so they did this. Great costume, Marlene, who is it?"
"Morgan."
He smiled, and Marlene felt herself blushing.
"Sirius is a git. "She commented with a grin. Regulus glanced at the dance floor, where many couples were, and then at Marlene.
"Don't bother about my brother; he doesn't deserve your attention. Shall we dance?"
"Of course!" Marlene answered readily, looking at Sirius and Helen. Regulus took her hand and walked to the people. She felt his hands enlace her hip, initiating the moves.
"Are you keeping the looks?" Marlene laughed; noticing everything is Regulus had changed, including the hair. He smiled.
"You liked it?"
"Considerably." Marlene twisted, gazing into Regulus eyes after. He could be a sixth year, but what really handsome.
"So I will keep it."
Marlene turned again, her eyes meeting Sirius', who stared shocked at them. She smiled with victory inside, enlacing Regulus' neck.
"It's so much better now."
"So I did look like a tired old man?"
"Yes. Are you playing against Gryffindor?"
"Indeed, or else Slytherin hasn't got any seeker. But I don't think we win, you have a strong team. Besides, I won't be able to pay attention to the snitch." He completed, giving Marlene a significant look.
"Really?" she asked, returning the expression.
"Yes." Regulus stopped to twist her. "You fly graciously, Marlene. Like a fairy."
"I've always thought I'm over aggressive on the field."
"Human aggressiveness is beautiful." Regulus explained with a deep glow in his eyes when he stared at the brunette girl in his arms. "Brings what's deadly in us."
The music stopped, but they didn't apart. Marlene stared at Regulus grey eyes, smiling.
"You use words very well. I've never heard Sirius say a complete sentence."
"He can, but doesn't think it's that important. I, on the other hand, am more likely to surrender to my feelings sufficiently to put them in words."
"You are right. I mean, look at that girl!"
"Do not think about him now."
Marlene closed her eyes, feeling Regulus breathe come closer like a cold breeze, and suddenly his icy lips touched hers.
XXX
Hogwarts' Hospital Wing wasn't like Dorcas remembered. The silver light that was supposed to come through the window was cut by the clouds that covered the moon, making the place hollow and sad.
"The full moon is not over yet, James." She said, looking scared at James. The boy looked at the window.
"It's gonna be a cloudy night. He's a little shy, but as a human. Remus?" Prongs asked to the darkness. Among many empty beds one called the attention for being all covered by curtains. The three walked towards there.
"Remus?" Peter called, opening it. Few seconds later, a figure showed up.
Dorcas faced it, blushing when she saw he was wearing only trousers. When Remus saw her, he tried to hide behind the curtains, but was stopped.
"Remus…" Dorcas called, and a sigh was listened.
"Ok, you won. I'm the werewolf, run now." Remus sat on the uncovered bed beside. The girl noticed, apart from the hollow light, many marks and scars over his body. She approached carefully, afraid he might dodge.
"I'm not afraid of you."
Remus looked at her.
"I don't want that to happen. I wouldn't harm you."
She sat at his side, making Remus shiver.
"I am so sorry about Gideon; he was such a jerk with you."
"No problem, I am a freak. I'm not nagging about your boyfriend."
"After all that happened, he's not my boyfriend anymore. It was him?" she pointed to a purple bruise on his chest. Remus grinned sadly.
"I dunno. There are so many that I forget who did which."
"I'm sorry." Dorcas hugged him tightly, feeling Remus hug her back. "You didn't hurt me when you could."
"I wouldn't, you're so…" He started, but stopped dead in the middle of the sentence. Dorcas smiled, seeing the connection.
"Have you got something to tell me?"
Remus lowered his head and sighed.
"I love you. I wish this never happened. It's better for you to get away from me."
"Away from you?" she exclaimed surprised. Then, laughing, grabbed his hand. "Don't be stupid."
"Aren't you afraid?"
"Why would I be afraid of my boyfriend?"