Sirius's Point of View
I awoke a little confused. I nearly jumped when I felt someone pressed against me. I looked over to see Elli, her body curled up against mine. Everything that happened yesterday flashed back to me.
I jumped out of bed quickly, making Elli stir and eventually awaken. She looked around for a few seconds, looking confused and scared, but when she spotted me recognition flashed in her eyes and she wipped a hand across her face.
Twenty minutes later, without talking to each other anymore than necessary, Elli and I disaperated back to Hogsmeade, right in front of Honeydukes. We both said hellos to the owner but hurried off to the tunnel without staying to chat.
We didn't speak the entire time, and when we exited from the tunnel, Elli walked ahead of me. This was for the better.
Last night we'd shared something personal, and I didn't like it. I liked knowing where I stood with Elli, which was borderline hatred. But after last night, I wasn't quite sure we both still felt the same.
No, of course we did. If there was one thing I was sure of about Elli Mason, it was that she hated me.
And I honestly couldn't say I felt any different, really.
For the next three weeks, Elli and I studiously ignored each other. The only time we were actually in the same room for longer than five minutes other than class was during Quidditch practice. The first game of the year, against Slytherin, was coming up.
Elli and I both opted to be polite to each other during practices, but other than that we never spoke.
If I came into a room and Elli was already there, I would avoid her, even if she was spending time with Lupin and Melissa. I knew she did the same. I'd see her enter a room, spot me, and turn on the spot and head in another direction.
I found myself spending a lot more time with Mary. I'm sure she felt special; this was the most attention I ever paid to a single girl, other than perhaps Lily and Melissa, in my life. Yet when ever she asked me if we were in a relationship I was quick to tell her that we were not. I didn't date. I had fun. That was it.
If I were to date, it would not be with a girl like Mary who, from what I could tell, wasn't that bright and couldn't care less about what kind of person I was. Not that it mattered, really. I didn't care much about what kind of person she was, either.
Slowly, the date of the upcoming Quidditch game arrived. I walked to the pitch with Mary, since Elli, who was in the middle of a deep conversation with Melissa, looking nervous, was with Lupin.
Lupin questioned me, at first, about my random absences. After the third or fourth time of me insisting it was because I'd rather be with Mary, he let it go.
"I'll be watching you from the stands." Mary said as I came to the door of the changing room. She leaned forwards, expecting a kiss. I obliged, only because I thought she might flip out if I didn't. She was very dramatic. "Good luck!"
Since both the teams change rooms were beside each other, a few Slytherins walked passed me. Before they entered, Lucius, the team captain, stopped to chat. His friends lingered behind him.
"You know what I just love about Quidditch games?" He asked me.
I was annoyed and debated stunning them all and going into my change room, but thought the better of it. Too many witnesses.
"What is that, Lucius?" I asked, rolling my eyes.
He leaned closer. "When you're that high up, it's hard to tell if someone falls off their broom because they're just a bad flier, or if it's because someone deliberately made it happen." He said, and his friends smirked. "Maybe your little girlfriend will just - I don't know- fall off her broom during her first game? No one would be that surprised, really."
With one last grin, Lucius slipped into his changing room.
When I entered the our change room, mostly everyone was dressed. I hurried to do the same, pulling on my red and gold robes.
James gave an inspirational speech, but I ignored it. As soon as James told everyone to get out on the pitch, I grabbed the arm of Elli's robes.
"What do you want?" She hissed at me.
I almost jumped back at the vehemence in her voice.
"Look, Malfoy said something about knocking you off your broom in the middle of the game. I don't think you should play." I told her quickly.
"Are you kidding me?" She asked, narrowing her blue eyes. "I worked hard to play in this game."
"I know that." I said, losing my patience. "But he said-,"
"I don't care what he said." She said, pushing past me. "He's just messing with you. They're not actually going to attack me in the middle of a field with the whole school watching."
There was nothing I could do to change her mind, I could see that. So instead I just followed her out of the room and promised myself that I would keep an eye on her, just in case.
But just like she said, nothing happened. Elli and I worked together, and we both even laughed together when she managed to cause a Slytherin beater to go spinning through the air, almost into the stands.
Our team was winning, of course. 100 to 20. I was simultaneously watching Elli and our teams Seeker, Jordan Mclaggen, while playing my part in hitting bludgers at the other team. I saw McLaggen dive for something, must have been the snitch, when I spotted Lucius, high in the air, maybe too high for anyone to see, raise his wand.
"Elli!" I shouted, trying to fly towards her.
Before I could tell if Lucius was actually going to attack her or not, something hit me, hard, on the back of the head and I lost all consciousness.
I awoke hours later in the infirmary with my first ever serious Quidditch injury. My head ached, and I felt tired, but when I noticed all the people around me, I quickly sat up.
"What happened?" I asked James, knowing he would understand my question.
He grinned. "We won. McLaggen caught the snitch right after you fell."
"Good." I said, happy. I noticed Remus, Mary, Melissa and Peter around me as well. Then a sudden thought came to me. "Is Elli-,"
"I'm fine." She said, and I realized that Mary had been blocking her from view, since Elli had to elbow her out of the way for me to see her. "That bludger was coming right for me, but instead it hit you."
She looked apologetic, but also uncomfortable, probably because of the looks Mary was giving her.
"What are you even doing here?" Mary asked her.
"I came to say thank you, and that I was sorry he was hurt." Elli replied, looking irritated.
"Like you care what happens to him. You two hate each other. If any girl should be here, it's me. I'm his girlfriend." Mary said pompously.
"Actually, you're not." I said to her, but she ignored me.
"You're right." Elli said, ignoring me and smiling at Mary. "I don't care what happens to him."
She exited the room without a word to anyone else.
"We're not dating." I said firmly to Mary.
Melissa was glaring at Mary, James and Peter looked amused, and Lupin looked uncomfortable.
"I know you don't like labels." Mary said, rolling her eyes and brushing a piece of hair off my face.
"No, I don't like relationships." I corrected, annoyed.
I expected Mary to look put out, but she just looked amused. "Don't worry, baby." She said, smiling. "I know what we have is real, you're just afraid of commitment."
"Part of that's right." I muttered. "I'm tired, can I just go to sleep?"
I really didn't want to deal with Mary right now. I realized that I probably hadn't been fair to the poor girl, spending all this time with her to avoid other people. I knew she'd expect something to come of it, but I honestly didn't want anything more than a plainly physical relationship with Mary.
"Sure." She said, giving me a quick kiss and hurrying off.
"That girl is crazy." James said, watching her go.
"Elli was really upset." Melissa told me, ignoring James.
"Sure she was." I muttered.
Melissa shook her head. "She was in tears, Sirius. She kept saying it was all her fault. If she hadn't played, you wouldn't have been watching out for her and you never would have gotten hurt."
I looked up into Melissa's eyes, surprised. I tried to tell if she was lying, but she looked dead serious.
"What does she mean by that, anyways?" Remus asked.
I shook my head. "Lucius said they were going to pull something on Elli. Now that I think about it, I think it's only because they new I'd watch out for her, and therefore be distracted." I said, angry. "It worked. I never would have missed that bludger coming at me if I hadn't been too busy making sure she was okay. At least we still won"
"Why would you care, anyways?" Melissa asked. She had a peculiar expression on her face. "I thought you two hated each other."
"We do-,"
"Because from where I'm standing, you both seem to get pretty upset when the other gets hurt." Melissa said, cutting me off. She turned to Lupin. "I'm going to go talk to Elli. I hope you feel better, Sirius." She added.
"Peter, can you get Madam Pomfrey for me?" I asked. I didn't feel too bad, I figured I'd be okay to leave.
She came out, inspected me, and cautioned me not to do anything that would require much effort for about a week. I agreed and she released me.
When we returned to the Gryffindor common room, almost all of the Gryffindors were there. When we entered, they all cheered and clapped James, Lupin and I on the back. I saw the other members of the team, including Elli, getting congratulated too.
"Are we partying tonight?" A sixth year asked us.
I looked at James. "Do we have any Firewhiskey?"
"No, but we could get some." He replied, grinning. Nothing was as good a pick-me-up as a good Marauder's party.
Two hours later, things were in full swing. Someone else had taken care of music, and a fast beat played through out the room. Gryffindors knew how to party, and the scene in front of me proved that.
Lupin came up to me, smiling. He looked a little drunk. "Do you think Madam Pomfrey would be happy if she knew you were getting drunk?" He asked.
"I'm not." I said, completely honest. I had one drink, and that barely got me buzzed. I wasn't anywhere near drunk and I didn't plan on getting there.
Melissa came over and twined her hands through Lupin's. She looked as sober as I was.
"Have you spoken to Elli?" She asked me.
"About what?" I questioned, confused. At the mention of her name, I couldn't help but look for Elli in the crowd.
She shrugged. "It just seems like the two of you have a lot of unresolved issues."
"Why don't you two just... just... you know, get it over with already." Lupin supplied.
"Just because everyone else wants to be tied down in a relationship," I said, my eyes narrowing. "Doesn't mean I want to be. And even if I did, it sure as hell wouldn't be with Elli."
"Like I'd give you the time of day!" The girl in question said, coming up beside me. Her cheeks were red, and her eyes glossy. There was a drink in her hand.
I raised my eyebrows. "I didn't think you were the type to get completely wasted." I told her, torn between amusement and annoyance.
"Oh, I forgot!" I she said loudly, an exaggerated look of shock on her face. "I'm supposed to be uptight, right Sirius? Wasn't that your exact wording? 'You're so uptight'?"
I sighed. She went to take another sip of her drink. Without even thinking it through, I reached out and encircled her wrist with my hand.
"Are you sure you should have anymore of that?" I asked, a little worried. She already seemed far enough along.
"I'm just loosening up, Sirius!" She said, tugging her arm out of my grip. She downed the rest of her cup in one sip. "Happy?"
"What ever, Elli. Do what you want, I honestly couldn't care less." I said, turning away from her.
She pushed past me, turning before she went. Her face was a mixture of emotions; she looked simultaneously angry, hurt, and annoyed.
"I know." She said softly.
"What the hell does she want from me?" I mumbled to myself, but then I realized that Melissa and Lupin were still standing there.
"I think if you two would just try to get along, you'd find you actually like each other." Melissa said quietly.
In shook my head. "We like hating each other, I think."
"And I think you're both just afraid of what would happen if you took a second to stop hating each other and actually had a real conversation." Lupin said, watching Elli as she poured herself another glass of firewhiskey mixed with something.
I followed his gaze and watched as she smiled at Jordan McLaggen as he helped her pour her glass. He said something that must have been funny, because that soft laugh of hers drifted over to us.
Lupin was right. We'd done just that. We'd stopped yelling, and Elli told me something she hadn't confided in anyone else. But that wasn't a good thing. I wasn't kidding when I said I thought we liked hating each other. In life you have friends, enemies, people you despise, people you love. When you crossed those lines, things got complicated.
I liked where Elli and I stood, and I didn't want things to change. Maybe all the fighting was tiresome. Maybe if we tried we could actually be friends.
Hell would freeze over before either Elli or I actually let that happen, though.
I was just about to go sit down somewhere when suddenly Lupin's hand grabbed my arm, hard. I looked up, confused, to see a look of panic in his eyes. There was no trace of the carefree, drunk Remus that had been there just moments ago.
"It's happening. I forgot!" He said, looking around wildly. "I was too busy thinking about the game, and other things, and I forgot!"
Instantly, I looked out the window in the common room. The moon hung, easily visible, completely full and bright.
"Don't worry, we'll get James and-,"
"I can't wait! I've got-," He stopped, staring at Melissa, who looked concerned. She didn't look scared, though. I stared at her for a second, confused. "Don't leave the castle." He told her.
Melissa noticed me looking at her. "He told me." She said quietly. "Is there anything I can do?"
"No, James and Peter and I already have something worked out. Just stay inside." I said firmly.
"I'll meet you guys there. I can't wait." Remus said and, without another word, he disappeared from sight.
I shook my head. "Just stay inside." I told Melissa again, and quickly went to find James.
I grabbed his arm and pulled him away from who ever he was talking to. "We've got to go." I said in a hushed tone.
"What is it, Padfoot?" James asked. He looked at my face and instantly became worried. I knew he understood what was wrong. "We all forgot. We never forget!"
"I know, we've got to get going. Where's Peter?" I asked, searching the room.
James shook his head. "I have no idea, but we've got no time to look for him. Where's Moony?"
"He said he'd meet us-,"
"You let him go off on his own?" James asked, looking horrified. "What if he changes before getting to the tree?"
"I didn't think that far ahead." I snapped, hurrying, with James as my side, to the portrait and out into the hall.
"We've got to find him before that happens. Or at least hope that he gets there..." James looked almost as panicked as Remus had.
A werewolf lose on the school grounds, especially on a night when so many of the Gryffindors were intoxicated and likely to go outside to have fun, would be disastrous.
Elli's Point of View
I learned that I didn't like alcohol the hard way. Since it was my first time drinking, I didn't exactly know how much one needed to drink to become drunk. I didn't realize that it took a little bit for the alcohol to actually sink in, and kept drinking, wondering when something would happen.
Before long, the room around me was spinning and I felt a little nauseous. Who would want to feel like this?
I'd spoken to Sirius earlier, but all he'd done is annoy me, as usual, and shout that he didn't care at me. Well, I already knew that. And I didn't care either.
But I didn't want to think about that, or the fact that his words had actually stung. All I wanted to do was go sit outside. I knew it would be cool out there, much better than the warmth of the common room, which made me feel even more sick.
I walked away from McLaggen, who was talking about something that I wasn't listening to, and slipped through the portrait. I stumbled a bit on the way outside and realized that it probably wasn't the best idea to go wondering the school while drunk.
Eventually I made it to the doors, surprisingly unseen. The cool air whipped at my face, cooling me down already.
I slowly walked the grounds, looking for somewhere to sit. I could see a large rock, just inside the Forbidden Forest. It wasn't far in, if I could see it from here, in the dark. But when I entered the Forest, the rock seemed a lot farther away. I kept stepping towards it, but the ground seemed to be moving underneath me, and I soon found myself lost.
I looked around, hoping that I could see the castle from here, or perhaps Hagrid's, the ground keepers, house. All I could see, though, was trees. Tall, thick, numerous trees.
God I was an idiot. I would never drink again! What kind of person went wondering into the forest, alone, at night? Let alone while intoxicated!
I felt a little panicked. What if I couldn't find my way out? Who knew what kind of creatures lived in here? Obviously some were dangerous, or else we'd be allowed in here. But we were forbidden to enter the forest at all. Especially at night.
I heard a branch snap to my left and, without another thought, took off running. It wasn't until I stopped, panting and clutching my side, that I realized I'd probably just gotten myself even more lost.
I pulled my wand out of my pocket. "Lumos." I said quietly. The light that sprung from the tip did nothing other than alluminate a few paces in every direction. I couldn't see more than a few feet away. What good would that do?
I didn't know if I should try to find a way out, or stay where I was until day came, in case I got even more lost. I was just about to sit down and camp out for the night on a soft spot of underbrush when I heard it.
The distinctive howl of a werewolf. I don't know how I knew, but I could just tell. It was too human sounding to be a normal wolf. I tried to spot the moon in the sky, but I couldn't.
I quickly put out the light in my wand. What if it brought it towards me? I wrapped my arms around my legs and sat there, more scared than I'd ever been in my entire life.
Sirius's Point of View
"No one has been here recently." James said, coming out from under the large willow tree, who's branches swung out dangerously usually. Right now they were still, but in a few moments they would whip around again.
"Shit." I muttered. "You don't think-,"
My words were cut off by a loud howl. James and I exchanged a worried, slightly panicked look.
"I do think." James said, before turning in the direction of the sound. "The forest."
I nodded. "We'll never find him in there. We won't even be able to see two feet in front of our faces, not to mention the fact that he'd probably eat us."
James grinned. "Like that's ever been a problem before." He said and, right before my eyes he transformed into a large stag.
"Show off." I muttered. It wasn't surprising to me at all, considering the fact that all of us Marauders could change into some kind of animal, except of Remus. But he was a werewolf; that was enough transforming for him.
I followed suit, my body turning into a large black dog. The darkness outside was no longer a problem. Neither was navigating Remus's location. If I lifted my muzzle, I could smell him.
Together, James and I headed off towards the forest. When an ear splitting scream shattered the silence around us, we no longer walked.
Without needing to communicate, James and I bolted for the forest.
Elli's Point of View
My own scream resonated around me, bouncing off the trees. I didn't pause to wonder if the glowing yellow eyes were still following me. Instead, I kept running, not stopping even when I was gasping for breath and my sides hurt.
There had to be an opening somewhere! The forest had to end eventually, didn't it?
Finally, after what felt like hours later, I stumbled into an small clearing. The moon, which I now noted was full, hung low in the dark sky.
I could hardly stand. Slowly, I walked towards the small stream that ran through the clearing. It was only two feet across but stretch endlessly on either side. I kneeled in the mud at its banks. I didn't care if I ruined my clothes anymore.
They were already torn from branches, my knees bloodied and torn when I slipped on a hard rock. Now, as the mud dug into those cuts, I inhaled a sharp breath but barely noticed it for the adreneline that coarsed through my veins.
I scooped up a bit of water and splashed it on my face hoping that would help to calm me down. From the moment I heard the howl, I knew I was in trouble.
My eyes caught a movement to my left. Another pair of eyes reflected back at me. I whimpered. It was a pitiful sound and I hadn't meant to make it.
I stood up, wondering if I could run, but the thing leaped, it's paws skidding in the mud in front of me a bit. I would have screamed again, but I didn't have enough breath in my lungs to do so.
I pulled out my wand, ready to try and Stupify it, but then I realized something was off. This didn't look anything like the werewolf pictures I'd seen. And the eyes weren't yellow, but a deep, almost blackish grey.
It was a dog.
It was larger than any normal dog, that was for certain, but it was unmistakeably a dog. It had a shiny, well groomed coat of dark brown hair that was almost black. I stepped back from it.
Maybe it wasn't a werewolf, but I knew enough to know that you don't just approach a random dog in the woods. But I couldn't make myself harm it. Something seemed wrong about attacking a wild animal that wasn't attacking me.
Slowly, the dog walked towards me. It moved unnaturally, almost as if it was aware that it scared me. He lowered his head, and stood still when it was a few feet from me. His front paws were bent a little, almost as if it were bowing to me.
It was the weirdest thing I'd ever seen a dog do.
After a moment, it lifted its head again. Somewhere in the distance, the werewolf howled again. I looked in the direction of it, knowing that my horror was showing plainly on my face.
The dog also turned its head in the direction of the sound, then turned back to me and ran at me. I backed up but slipped in the mud. The dog barked. I started crawling backwards, the palms of my hands now covered in mud as well as my own blood. The dog bit me, it's teeth scraping the skin of my arm. But instead of digging them in farther, it released its grip until it only held my robes.
It tugged, as if trying to pull me. I stood up and ripped my robes out of its mouth and ran, this time my feet only hitting solid ground.
The dog chased after me, and though it was fast, always catching up to me, it never bit at me. Instead, every time I looked back, it barked again, as if urging me on. When ever I tried to turn, it leaped and blocked my path.
A few minutes later I realized it was herding me. Not long after that, I could see the castle. I hurried and almost stepped out of the trees when it leapt in my path.
It was horrible. Even though it was definitely animal-like, it was still recognizable as once being human. It's limbs were elongated, as was its face. Though it had landed on all fours, it stood up now, the way a human would, and tipped its head back, the terrible howling I heard earlier nearly deafening me.
Its feet dug into the ground, prepared to spring. I was still struggling to pull my wand, which I had put away when I realized the dog was actually helping me, out of my pocket when it leaped towards me.
I prepared myself for it to hit me, but it didn't. Instead it met the large dog while still in the air. Snarling, the two hit the ground. For some reason, I couldn't make myself run. What if the dog was killed?
It had tried to save me more than once tonight. If it died, it would be because it had tried to save me.
I lifted my wand, pointing it at the two snarling beasts on the ground, but I knew if I tried to hit the werewolf I'd just as likely hit the dog.
I was about to give up hope when a beautiful large stag stepped out from behind the trees. Even more surprising than its presence, the large animal rushed the werewolf, it's antlers pushing it off the dog, who yeled as the its claws scraped at it.
I hurried towards the dog to make sure it was fine, but it barked at me again and then pointed its head towards the castle. It wanted me to run.
"But you're hurt!" I told it.
I don't know why I spoke to him. He was just a stray dog. But there was something almost human like about his eyes and the way he acted.
He actually shook his head at me. Right at that moment, the werewolf cried again.
"Thank you." I said before turning and running back to the castle.
When I finally stumbled into the Gryffindor common room, it was empty, save for a single figure sitting in one of the chairs.
Melissa stared at the fire, looking worried, a deep crease between her eyebrows.
"What are you still doing here?" I asked her.
"Oh, God, Elli!" She said, jumping. She looked around me, as if she expected someone else. "I've just been waiting for Remus. He and Sirius and James-,"
"They're not outside, are they?" I asked sharply.
Melissa seemed to just notice the state I was in. "What happened?" She asked, looking horrified.
"I honestly don't think you'd believe-,"
"What happened?" She asked again, cutting me off.
I bit my lip, but told her everything. About how I'd went outside for fresh air and stumbled stupid and drunkenly into the woods. About the werewolf, and the dog, and then the stag. The frown on her face when I walked in deepened even more when I was finished.
"What did the dog look like?" She asked me, much to my surprise.
"Um, almost black haired. Greyish eyes, but they were weird." I told her, now frowning too. "Almost human. If I didn't know better I would have thought it was human. An Animagus, you know, but I've read the records and there's no one registered as a dog."
Melissa nodded. "It's definitely odd. I'm just glad you're okay. Do you know how lucky you are?"
This time I nodded.
"You should wash up and then go to bed, Elli. You look dreadful." She said, giving me a concerned look. "I'm going to stay here. I promised Remus I'd wait up for him."
I agreed and did as she said. As I was heading back to my room to go to sleep, though, I heard more people enter the common room. I looked outside and the sun was already rising.
Quietly as I could, I crept towards the bottom of the stairs. I peered around the corner and saw Remus, James and Sirius enter.
James was grinning, which I was starting to realize was something that James almost always did. Remus, on the other hand, looked deeply upset, almost to the brink of tears. Melissa jumped up and hugged him. Sirius was holding his arm which I was surprised to note was bleeding heavily. He winced as Melissa touched it.
"I know what you guys are." Melissa said quietly. "Remus told me about himself, but I know you're both animagi."
"You told her that, too, Moony?" Sirius asked, looking angry. "You do realize we could get in a lot of trouble-,"
"He didn't tell me. Elli did." Melissa said, giving them all pointed looks.
"How did she know?" James asked quickly.
Remus looked even more upset. He went and sat on a nearby couch and put his head in his hands.
"She didn't, but she told me what happened. It wasn't that hard to figure out." Melissa said. She soothingly rubbed Remus's back.
"I didn't mean to go after her like that." Remus said quietly. He sounded as though he hated himself. "I don't know what I'd do if I actually hurt her..."
I looked carefully at Sirius's grey eyes. How had I realized it? Maybe it was because I spent a lot of time avoiding looking into those eyes. They were definitely the same eyes I'd seen in the dog, except now they were bigger, wider, less upturned at the corners. The colour was unmistakable, though.
I slipped back upstairs, more than a little shocked at this discovery.
Four times now Sirius Black had saved my life.
Oh, another really long chapter! Hope you enjoyed it! Leave a review, telling me what you think. It'd be greatly appreciated. :) - C