The Familiar Stranger

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: Listening to Fall Out Boy! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, no matter how much I fantasize about it in my spare time.

A/N So, I've finally started my Junior year of Highschool, with three A.P. classes..I'm dying, guys. I've decided to try to update this story every weekend ( or try to) because I don't want to leave you guys hanging. But honestly, don't expect brilliance. I'm brain dead. Thanks to Bloody Phantom, Lmb1111514, Str0keTheFurryWall, PurplePumpkin12, no one who matters, SiriusOrRemus, LoverandaFighter, Tessia, KatiekkxD, Twlightfan, and Aren for your awesome reviews! :D This chapter will have two seperate parts, by the way. Then really only about two or three chapters-and this will be finished!

Chapter 11, Part One: Black

~In the Point of View of Professor Remus John Lupin~

Every once in a while, I would find myself partrolling the castle. It just so happened that on the particular night I chose to patrol, something very peculiar occured.

I suppose, something peculiar was bound to happen eventually. After all, this is Hogwarts.

Anyway, that night was a full moon, and I planned to hurriedly finish my rounds and then return to my office for the inevitable, when I was distracted.

Unsurprisingly, the distraction occured just about the time I was passing by the Gryffindor common room...

It was the sound of someone sobbing.

I'm not sure whether it was my curiousity or that inate paternal instict people are always on about, but I immediatly turned to go in.

Of course, The Fat Lady was not very happy about that.

" Password please?"

I fixed the lady with a slightly stern look," Surely you can hear that a student is crying, dear lady? I need to check on the student, to make sure they're not injured."

" In light of the recent events, Professor Lupin, I would say allowing you inside would be highly dangerous. Especially without identifi-"

" Dear lady," I started," I'm not trying to compromise your ability to protect the students. I trust you know I am only trying to ensure the safety of all of them, just as you are."

The Fat Lady considered my statement for a minute before saying," You always were a sweet-talker, Lupin." She then swung back, revealing the small hallway to the common room.

" Thank you," I said, as the portrait shut behind me.

By the time I had crawled into the common room, whoever had been sobbing had stopped. I considered the situation for a second.

I had, at most, thirty minutes before I would need to be in office, and the student could have been anywhere in the common room. Even if I found them in time, what could I do? It would've been best to just leave and prepare for the night.

But instead, I started to look for the student. My first thought was to try the Girl's Dormitory, but that search revealed absolutely nothing. From there, I went to the Boy's dorms.

Time was of the essence at that point.

A quick scan of the room revealed nothing. At first. Then by chance, I tried to open the bathroom door.

It was locked. "Is there anyone in here?"

My call went unanswered, so I tried once again to open the door. This time, with magic.

When nothing else had happened, I knew something was wrong. I pulled out my wand once more, and tried a more powerful charm.

The door shook a little bit, then with a click, it opened. I stepped in, wand at the ready, and peered around the corner.

There was Teddy Tonks, his skin gray, and his face puffy from crying, apparently. But his eyes...they were different. They were the eyes of the wolf.

Alan's heart was hammering in his chest as he exited Hogwarts Castle under Harry's invisibility cloak. It wasn't as though he hadn't snuck out of Hogwarts before...

It was just that he'd never tied a friend up in a bathroom and gone alone to meet Sirius Black.

Alan kept the cloak on until he made it past Hagrid's hut, but as soon as he removed it, he wished he hadn't, as the chilly air cut through his robes like a knife.

Alan sucked in a deep breath, and kept walking. According to the Marauder's Map, the Whomping Willow wasn't too far off.

Indeed, only a few steps later, the outline of the tree began to take shape in front of Alan. He folded the cloak under his arm, and studied the map one last time.

The little dot labeled Sirius Black was still in the Shrieking Shack. With a sigh, Alan folded the map and stuck it in his pocket.

Then he pulled out his wand and started forward.

The tree, of course, reacted violently. Alan thought he had assumed a stance far enough away from the tree to avoid getting attacked, but as soon as stuck out his wand, a huge branch came flying at him.

Alan managed to jump back in time to avoid getting knocked backward, but the force of the tree caused his wand to leap from his hand.

Alan stared after it for a secnd. The wand was only a couple feet away from the tree now...there would be no way to get it.

Of course, he couldn't leave it there. Not if he wanted to enter the Shrieking Shack.

With a raspy breath, Alan sprinted forward. He managed to dodge a couple of branches, but when he finally reached his wand, one massive branch, as big around as the trunk of the tree, hit him in the side.

Alan was caught off guard now, as a smaller branch smacked the side of his face.

Still out of breath from the tree's first attack, Alan only just managed to gasp out," Imobilious."

The tree stilled instantly, and Alan somehow managed to pull himself forward, despite the pain in his side.

Then with the end of his wand, he pressed the knob on the tree, revealing the passage to the Shack. He stumbled into the unlit walkway, then fell.

Alan was too dizzy to stand, so he leaned against the damp wall, trying to take deep breaths.

He could feel his vision dimming. The last thing he remembered seeing was the outline of a person standing above him, wand drawn.

And then all went black.

A/N I couldn't decide where to end this, mainly because I'm as excited for the meeting between Alan and Sirius as all of you are. ( At least I hope you are.) So, I figured the best thing to do is to leave it with this cliffhanger...( yes I know, I'm a cruel person.) But, I'm starting the next chapter right now. Meaning, it will more than likely be up today or tomorrow. :) Enjoy and review!