The Wolf Behind the Mask

by

XxTheLadyInRedxX

A.N. I don't own any of J.K's characters. Alright, I promised I'd try to update soon, so what's better than a little New Years treat. There is currently 10 minutes to 2008 here!! Anyway, this chapter is fairly short (well, for me, that is) but hopefully it would be of some convenience to you guys. Some 'secrets' are being revealed in these next couple of chapters so keep an eye out. To JustAnotherCrazyWriter, Reid's name is actually pronounced "reed" so I suppose you've been pronouncing it correctly. KUDOS to you! Special thanks to you actually. Your reviews are awesome! I actually look forward to them so THANK YOU and keep up the good work . Thanks to the rest of you who reviewed the last chapter as well. (Princess Gillybean - thanks for the story alert!! angel-in-training312 - thank you for your kind opinion! I have updated especially for you. Faye Cullen00 - thank you for your evaluating. I hope I keep the story unique.) I'd also like to thank all of you who have reviewed or put me on story alert or your favorites. I appreciate it. Hope you all had a great year in 2007 and a better year to come in 2008. Happy New Years!!! Here is chapter 14...

-x-x-x-

"Alright, Mr. Black, you're free to go as soon as I take the plaster off that cut," said Madam Pomfrey.

"Great," breathed Sirius, picking at the ends of the tape on his chest.

"Now, remember to take it easy for a few days. The cuts were fairly deep and could have easily hit a nerve. You're lucky you're alive," she lectured.

"That's what I've been told," he sighed.

"If you had told me what had happened, I could have better fixed it up," she reminded, placing her fingers on the tip of the plaster.

"What's happened has happened," he shrugged.

Madam Pomfrey made a face at the young man.

"Hmph," she sounded, pulling the tape off his chest before he could refuse.

Sirius winced and shut his eyes.

"Must you have done it so painfully?" he asked. "I'm kind of injured here."

"What's happened has happened," she mocked before leaving the room.

"Bitter old hag," he mumbled as he slowly pulled his feet around the bed and to the floor.

"Sirius!"

Her arms quickly embraced him before he could even greet her back.

"Can't breathe," he sounded.

"Sorry," mumbled Elizabeth as she beamed down at him.

"What's with the enthusiasm?" he asked.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"You seem happy?" he asked.

Feeling her cheeks turn red, Elizabeth looked down at her feet.

"Oh?" she asked.

Sirius couldn't help but smile as he watched Elizabeth fidget.

"Where are the others?" he asked.

"In the - uh - common room," she said, thankful that they had moved past the subject.

-x-x-x-

"Are you alright?"

Startled, Collin jumped and quickly turned his head to the source of the noise.

"Oh, it's you," he sighed as Evelyn sat herself beside him. "I'm fine."

"You don't appear to be fine," she observed.

"Well I am," he said, irritated.

"Bitterness about the truth isn't very charming, Collin," she lectured.

"You know, one thing I hate about you is that you make completely no sense!" he mumbled.

"Denial," she sounded.

"Excuse me?"

"You pretend like you don't know what I'm saying, but in truth you're just denying the fact that you can."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you're afraid that what I'm saying might actually be right."

-x-x-x-

"So - does it hurt?" she asked.

"No," he lied, looking ahead.

"You don't have to lie to me, Sirius," she said.

"Well, in that case, yes, it hurts like a bitch," he said matter-of-factly.

"Good," she nodded.

"What?"

"I mean - good that you told me."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

-x-x-x-

"I don't understand - claw marks?" asked Kris as Lily tried to explain it to her.

"Yes, they are definitely claw marks," nodded Lily.

"Claw marks - from what?" she asked.

"Who knows," shrugged Lily. "My guess is a dog - maybe a wolf."

"A wolf? There are no wolves around here," snorted Kris. "Maybe magical creatures but no wolves."

"I just can't put the pieces together," said Lily, shaking her head.

"Why would Reid lie about that? Was he trying to cover up the animal? What good would that do him?" wondered Kris.

"I don't know," shrugged Lily.

And suddenly it all made sense.

"Boys are strange like that," she said, her eyes focused on a particular one.

-x-x-x-

"Reid told me what happened," revealed Elizabeth.

"He - he told you?" blurted Sirius, awe-struck.

"Yes, he did," she nodded, sadly.

"I don't believe it."

"I didn't either."

"He - he just - told you - everything?"

"Yes, why's it so hard to understand?"

"Why are you taking this so lightly? I thought you'd be furious at me for not telling you."

"It wasn't your secret to be told."

"I - yeah."

Silence overcame the halls as the two made their way to the common room.

"You're not mad at him?"

"Are you kidding me? I'm incredibly infuriated!"

"Lizzy, it wasn't his fault."

"Not his fault! If that bumbling git had some control over himself than he could have stopped."

"What control? The poor bloke could barely stop himself from killing someone."

"Killing? I know he's bad, Sirius, but do you honestly think he'd kill someone?"

"It's sort of common for his kind."

"His kind?"

-x-x-x-

"Tie him down!" yelled James as the three tackled the poor boy.

"Let me go,"shouted Remus, as he tried to escape their grasp.

As soon as they got his legs and hands together, Sirius mumbled a charm that joined them together.

"I said let go!" Remus shouted. "Untie me right now!"

"Not until you answer us," said James.

"Go away," mumbled Remus.

"Remus, we're your friends. If there's anyone you have to tell, it's us," started Sirius.

"There's nothing to tell," said Remus.

"Fine, then we'll just stay here until there is, right guys?" said Sirius.

Peter and James nodded their heads and took a seat on their beds. A few moments passed by as Remus continued to stare at the floor.

"There's nothing to say."

Remus shook his head as he spoke the words.

"There's nothing to say."

As his eyes grew red, Remus felt the tears burn his eyes.

"There's nothing to say."

He cried as the three stood and watched him.

"There's nothing to say."

His body shook, causing him to stutter his words.

"There's nothing - nothing to say."

Putting his head down, Remus sniffed as one of the tears dropped to the floor.

"Nothing at all."

James turned to his friends and nodded, a melancholy expression on his face.

"Remus, you don't think we'd stop being your friend just because you're - different - do you?" asked James.

Remus didn't move, his eyes still focused on the floor.

"I hate to break it to you, mate, but you're stuck with us - for life," chimed Sirius.

"Yeah," squeked Peter in agreement.

"Nothing is gonna change that, Remus," said James.

"You say that now," started Remus. "But if you ever - you ever see what I become -"

Remus closed his eyes and let a few tears flow.

"I wouldn't even stay around me," he said, shaking his head.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but we're not exactly 'safety first' kind of people," chuckled James.

"The smart thing to do would be to leave me alone," sighed Remus.

"Then we must be a couple of morons," said Sirius, swinging an arms around Remus's shoulder.

Remus gave a watery smile and looked down.

"You're really not afraid of me?" he asked.

"Afraid? I'm completely terrified!" joked Sirius. "I mean - you turn into a giant fur-ball every month. That must be revolting!"

Remus gave a small chuckle before looking up at his friends.

"So, are we still friends?" asked Peter.

"For life," nodded Remus.

-x-x-x-

"You seem a lot better," smiled Lily as she sat next to him.

"I guess I am," Remus nodded.

"I am too, I mean, now that Sirius is better," she observed.

"Yes, I suppose that has something to do with it," he nodded.

"Terrible thing Reid did, don't you think?" she asked curiously.

"I - it's not really my place to say," he mumbled.

"You think it was right of him to do that to Sirius?" she asked.

"No - but - I mean, what if he couldn't control himself?" he asked. "What if he tried to hold back, but he just - just couldn't. I don't know, I suppose it's the way you look at it."

"Yeah," she nodded. "I suppose."

Remus smiled and patted Lily on the shoulder.

"I should see what James is up to. He mentioned something about water balloons that I'm sure I'll regret not supervising," he said.

"Right," she nodded with a sigh. And before the boy could leave, she added, "I'll see you later, Moony."

-x-x-x-

A.N. That was chapter 14. Hope you like it. Please review and tell me what you think. But most importantly have a great time today...