Author's Note: Finally, an update! I won't keep you long here, not much to say, really... sorry for taking so long, my lovely readers! I'm back and actually writing so please keep reading! Thanks!

EDIT: I changed the last part of this chapter. To those of you who noticed, I think it's better now. It makes more sense, at least. That is all! :D

Disclaimer: I still don't own "Harry Potter." I only own my OCs, whom you should know by now.

14. Foreboding

"Welcome back!" Albus Dumbledore stood before his students, arms spread wide in hospitality. He beamed at the sea of curious faces before him, all wondering why the entire school had been called to this impromptu feast. "I hope," the Headmaster continued, "that your holidays were safe and enjoyable, and that you are all rested and ready for more learning!" A few groans broke the silence in the Great Hall and Dumbledore chuckled. "Now, without any further ado, the reason for this magnificent feast."

Harry sighed and mentally braced himself for the stares he was bound to receive once Dumbledore finished announcing what had happened on New Year's Eve; he was almost positive that was what the purpose of the feast was...

"Firstly, all Potions lessons are hereby postponed, as our dear Professor Snape is currently unable to teach and I have been thus far unable to convince the replacement to take the job."

Harry blinked as excited murmurings broke out among the four House tables.

"'Unable to teach'? Could that mean he still hasn't come back?" Ron hissed across the table, having been informed of everything upon his return from Romania.

"That's strange... I was sure he would have returned by now," Hermione muttered, her brow furrowed. Harry glanced up at the Head Table and noticed that Professor McGonagall's eyebrows had formed a stern 'v' above her eyes, but only one other professor seemed affected by the news of Snape's disappearance: Thoreau looked positively mutinous, slouched somewhat in her seat with her arms crossed and a bitter expression upon her pretty face. Before Harry could point this out to his friends, Dumbledore lifted a hand put a cease to the noise; a hush fell immediately.

"Secondly," he continued calmly, as though he had never been interrupted, "you may notice that security around and inside the castle has been increased. Aurors will be patrolling the halls after hours, and I can assure you that they will not tolerate any sneaking around or other such nonsense. In fact, you may recognize a few of the guards... perhaps some of you older students recall the names Alastor Moody and Remus Lupin?" Dumbledore asked mischeviously, quirking a snow-white eyebrow. At the mention of Moody, Harry glanced over at the Slytherin table just in time to see Malfoy go even paler than usual. He snorted and nudged Ron, who followed his gaze and broke into a wide grin.

"Lupin? As in Professor Lupin from three years ago?" called a female voice from the Ravenclaw table. Harry couldn't help but smile slightly at the girl; her voice sounded excited and almost hopeful.

"The very same," Dumbledore beamed, clearly pleased. "And for those of you who might be at all worried about his presence here, I can assure you that there will be no problems, and there is no need to complain to myself or to the Ministry. Remus is here as my friend and guest; he is merely assisting me by helping secure Hogwarts, so I will not send him away." His blue eyes flashed dangerously over his half-moon spectacles, as though daring someone to challenge him, but soon went back to twinkling merrily once he realized on one would.

"Very well. I believe I have kept you long enough. Now off to bed you go, and a happy return to Hogwarts!"

Harry found it difficult to talk to Ron and Hermione as they were pushed and shoved around in the wave of students leaving the Great Hall, but once free from the mob he immediately broke into a hushed conversation.

"Where would he go?" he asked hurriedly.

"Who?" Hermione asked, slightly bewildered.

"Snape!"

"Oh. Well, maybe he's on a mission for the Order or something," Hermione said logically. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Come off it, Hermione! Even Dumbledore doesn't seem to know where he is, and you can't say it isn't suspicious that he's trying to get a replacement Potions master," Harry insisted. Hermione still looked unsure, but Ron piped up instead.

"I think Snape just chickened out when those Death Eaters came and attacked and hasn't got the guts to show his face around here again," he said. Harry shrugged.

"Possible. I wouldn't put it past Snape to pull something like that. Maybe he's with Voldemort, though. What if he's planning something?" he mused. Hermione sighed exasperatedly.

"You two are ridiculous! You sound like a broken record, always accusing Snape, and when have you ever been right?" she scolded. "Shouldn't you be worrying about more pressing matters, like, say, Lupin's trial?"

"Oh yeah!" Harry exclaimed, slapping his forehead. "That's only a few days away! How's it looking?"

"Pretty good. You're probably going to be called as a witness, you know, Harry. Do you know what you're going to say?" Hermione asked. Harry made a face as the three of them approached the portrait hole.

"I'm just going to tell the truth - that he was only protecting me from Lestrange, and that he didn't even bite her. Hell, if it weren't for him, I'd be dead and Lestrange wouldn't be in Ministry custody!" he said as they scrambled through the hole.

"Have you spoken to him lately?" Hermione asked softly, obviously rather reluctant to breech the subject. Harry's expression hardened; he hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Lupin since New Years, and was starting to get the distinct feeling that the Marauder was avoiding him.

"Not yet. I'm going to find him tomorrow, though," he said harshly. "I'm going to bed."

"Wait up, mate!" Ron called, but Harry just shook his head and trudged up the stairway leading to the dorms. He changed into his pajamas in haste and quickly climbed into bed, even though it was only just past nine o'clock. He set his glasses on the bedside table and huddled under his sheets, concentrating on falling asleep. A couple minutes later, Ron opened the door to the dorm.

"Harry?" he called softly. Harry didn't answer; he was facing away from the door, so Ron couldn't see his wide green eyes, and after a minute the red-head left the dorm room.

"Sorry, Ron," Harry muttered, but it was half-hearted; he just didn't feel like talking at the moment. He had been having a good night, but Hermione bringing up Lupin had just about ruined it. It had been days since the attack, and the older wizard had been avoiding Harry like the plague.

To be honest, Harry simply missed Lupin; he had spent hours sitting in the hospital wing and then Lupin's makeshift apartment just talking to him about everything from Harry's parents and the Marauders' era at Hogwarts to Harry's growing feelings for Ginny Weasley, which he had yet to admit to anyone else. In a matter of weeks Lupin had become what Sirius had once been, and although his godfather could never be replaced, it was nice to have another strong father/brother-figure in his life.

But now Lupin was avoiding him, and Harry couldn't figure out why. Could it just be because of what had occurred on New Years, or was it something more? Harry suddenly found himself coming up with the strangest reasons as to why Lupin kepy evading him, and at some point found himself drifting off to sleep.

-----

He was powerful, completely unbeatable. He reached out and slashed at the cowering man before him, enjoying the scent of blood and the feel of his claws ripping through flesh like a knife through butter. Someone screamed, someone young, and he was suddenly excited. He spun to face a little girl who was staring at him with wide blue eyes filled with tears. It had been she who had screamed; deep down, he thought he should be feeling sympathy for this poor child, rather than the ravenous bloodlust that consumed his being. He was about to leap on her when suddenly his left fore-arm seered with pain, pulling him back. He glanced down and saw - with a pang of regret and more than a little frustration - a black tattoo on his hairy arm, depicting a skull with a snake slithering out of its mouth.

His master called him.

With a snarl of rage, he Apparated without another glance at the terrified little girl and appeared within moments before his master.

"You called?" he growled, his voice barely human. The man before him - Voldemort - nodded curtly, his lips pulled tight.

"I did. As you may have heard, Greyback, my New Years plans failed abysmally. Not only did I not manage to get Lupin back or kill any members of the Order of the Phoenix, but I lost ten valuable Death Eaters and one of your precious ferals," he sneered.

"Which of mine?" the other man demanded immediately.

"One called Silas."

The man lifted his face to the ceiling with an inhuman cry of fury.

"WHO KILLED HIM?" he roared; Voldemort didn't even flinch.

"Remus J. Lupin," he answered quietly.

"Then that whelp must die!" Voldemort's thin-lipped mouth turned up into a terrible smile.

"My thoughts exactly. Take care of it."

-----

Another scene was unfolding in a small town with dilapidated brick houses and narrow, cobbled streets. It was dark here, as well; the only light came from the dim and broken streetlamps lining the main roads. There was a dirty river nearby, and an abandoned mill upon the banks, from within which came the sound of two male voices arguing.

"- meaning of it? The Dark Lord is incredibly angry, and he damned well has a right to be!" The first voice belonged to one Severus Snape, and he was not pleased with his companion.

"What are you going to do, tell on me?" asked the other voice smoothly.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't!" Snape retorted.

"It would accomplish nothing. Voldemort won't kill me, he needs me. The worst he could do is torture me with the Cruciatus Curse for a while, and you know as well as I how much good that does. It can't kill me, and it won't make me go insane. In fact, it's annoying at best," the unfamiliar voice said, sounding completely relaxed.

"Adrien -" Snape began, hissing through his clenched teeth.

"This is dangerous for you, isn't it, Severus?" the vampire - Adrien - interrupted. "Meeting with Death Eaters you don't trust so close to your home."

"You are not a Death Eater. You are not Marked as one. Do not take me for a fool. I know what you are doing, and I happen to know your accomplice for what she really is, as well."

"And what might that be?" Adrien asked softly, cocking a brow. "A vampire?"

"A traitor," Snape spat. Adrien's dark eyes flashed dangerously, and Snape flinched backwards.

"You will not speak another word. You do not need to know the meaning of why I sent that warning, and you also do not need to mention this meeting to anyone, are we clear?" Surprisingly, Snape nodded mutely and did not argue. "Oh," the vampire continued, "and I would return to Hogwarts as soon as possible. You see, I'm rather hungry, and Merlin knows I don't like you..." He let the threat hang in the air, then flashed a brilliant smile before disappearing into the darkness without a sound.

-----

Somewhere in the distance, Fenrir Greyback howled at the waning moon, bringing shudders to every mortal who heard.

He was ready for blood.

It was almost time.

-----

Author's Note: Getting exciting now, eh? Reviews, please & thank you!