Chapter 21
Sunlight filtered through the boarded up windows of the Shrieking Shack, glittering off the dust particles in the air. Remus shifted the position of his sore body on the floor and felt a warm, furry body beside his. He looked down, hoping against hope that it was Sirius or James laying curled beside his naked body. His eyes took in the gray fur and his stomach churned. Avedra had come to him in her wolf form, alone when he was his most primal. He looked for signs that he'd hurt her, but could see nothing from his position. He sat up and she whimpered and followed his body.
"Avedra?" He whispered, wanting to wake her, to find out what damage he'd inflicted.
She answered in a low whine and curled against him in sleep. He smiled down at her and ran his hand along her head and neck. She was beautiful even as a wolf. Her eyes fluttered at his touch and she slowly woke up. She looked up at him and uttered another low whine.
"Good morning," he said, his voice somewhat hoarse from the growls and howls of the previous night. He remembered his lack of clothing as her eyes moved from his face to his bare chest.
"Maybe you should turn around for a minute." He said, covering himself with his hands.
Avedra stood and walked to the corner on the other side of the room. She kept her back to him as she transformed back to her human body. She nearly cried out at the soreness of her back, thighs, and legs. She held her pain in, however, determined that Remus not know what happened when his wolf saw hers. If he knew, she thought, he'd never forgive himself. He'd think himself a monster for doing what was a natural reaction to what his wolf saw as a mate.
"I've never stayed transformed for so long," she whispered, rolling her shoulders. "That will take some getting used to."
"No, it won't," Remus said, pulling on his pants. "You're never going to do this again."
Avedra sighed. She knew he would take knowing she'd stayed with him during the night badly.
"It wasn't something I planned, Remus." She didn't want to have to explain why she'd had to come down, how close it had gotten when his attention diverted from her for a split second and he'd clawed Snape.
"You promised," he said, sliding his robes over his sore shoulders. "You promised you wouldn't sneak down."
She turned around, chancing that he was at least partially dressed. "Well you can thank Sirius for that. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have come down at all."
"What?" He asked, striding toward her. "What do you mean I can thank Sirius?"
Avedra raised her hands to her face. She'd hoped she wouldn't have to tell him. She should have known that he'd want to know why she'd come.
"I overheard Sirius in the library with Snape. He was telling him how to get into the tunnel leading here. I tried to talk them both out of it, but neither one would listen." Avedra said, taking her hands down. "I found James and he said he'd try to stop Snape, but there was the problem of what would happen if Snape got too far into the tunnel."
"So you thought you'd sacrifice yourself? Avedra, I could have seriously hurt you." Remus walked toward her, hoping she could understand how dangerous it was for her to have come. He looked down at her, searching for a sign that he did any damage.
Avedra was happy he couldn't see her inner thighs, from the way they felt, she was bruised beyond anything she'd ever experienced before. She smiled up at him, reassuringly.
"You didn't hurt me. You'd never hurt me, Remus." She sighed. It wasn't him that hurt her, not really. He couldn't control the werewolf, he'd said so himself.
"You got to me before Snape got here?" Remus asked, getting back to what happened the night before.
"I barely made it. I'd transformed outside the tree, then stopped the branches with the knot at the base. I heard you, and followed your noises to find you. I'd only just found you when I heard James and Snape's shuffling in the tunnel. I held your attention, but I think you smelled Snape because for a split second you turned and clawed his shoulder. I diverted your attention again and James got Snape out." She hoped he wouldn't ask how she diverted him. Other than the howl she let out, she wasn't saying a word about what else she'd had to do.
"I clawed him?" Remus looked horrified. "Are you certain I didn't bite him?"
"No, you batted him with your paw. You didn't bite anyone, Remus." Slobbered a bit on me, but no biting, she thought.
"I've got to go up to the school. Professor Dumbledore, I need to tell him what I did." Remus said with a frown.
Avedra reached out and put a hand on his arm. "You didn't do anything. If Sirius hadn't told Snape how to get in..."
Remus shook his head. "If I wasn't a monster, it wouldn't have mattered who told Snape how to get into the Shrieking Shack. Maybe you should transform, it'll be easier for your wolf to touch the knot without getting hurt than one of us trying it."
Avedra transformed and walked ahead of Remus into the tunnel. Sooner or later, she knew, he'd get back to what happened to take his attention away from Snape. For now he was only racked with guilt about what could have happened. Guilt that should be on Sirius' shoulders not Remus'.
She stepped out of the tunnel and touched the knot with her paw. The branches stopped swaying and she transformed back into her human self. She took Remus' hand and walked with him to the castle. She felt stiff legged and a little sore, but she hoped she was hiding it good enough. Somehow she'd have to find time to go to Madame Pomfrey for a contraception potion and some healing salve.
"Are you sure you're ok?" Remus asked as they neared the heavy oak doors. "You're walking a little funny."
"I'm fine," she assured, trying to readjust her gait. "I think it's just more uncomfortable to stay in wolf form for long periods. I'm not used to it."
"Ok," he said, in a tone that clearly said he wasn't buying it.
They walked into the entrance hall and he started toward the hospital wing, tugging Avedra along with him. She looked over at him, wondering if he was hurt, worse than usual. He looked tired and pale, but there weren't any scratches that she could see.
"Madame Pomfrey," Remus said, entering the hospital. "I think you need to look over Avedra."
He stopped then, seeing Snape laying on a bed near the door. He was wearing pajamas, so he must have spent the night. His right shoulder was bandaged. He glared at Remus and Avedra.
"Remus," Madame Pomfrey said, coming over to him. "How are you feeling, dear? And what's this about Miss Lustra?"
She shuffled the two of them to a bed at the end of the room and pulled the screens around them. She started checking over Remus, asking if he was sore or if he needed something for pain.
"I'm fine, Madame Pomfrey." He said, shrugging her off. "Please look over Avedra. She..."
He couldn't finish, so Avedra sighed. "I'm an Animagus, Madame Pomfrey. I went down to the Shrieking Shack last night in wolf form to keep Remus company. It was the first time I stayed animal for a lengthy period and I'm a little sore."
Madame Pomfrey barely disguised her shock at this news. She shook her head and muttered about kids being a danger to themselves. She hustled Remus out of the screens and told Avedra to show her where it hurt.
Avedra raised her robes and from the gasp that Madame Pomfrey let out, she knew she looked a mess. She couldn't look down, she didn't want to see. The mediwitch started to say something, but Avedra pleaded with her eyes to not say anything about how bad it was. Remus didn't need to know this.
"Remus, I need you to go see Professor McGonagall." Madame Pomfrey said from her side of the screens. "You can come back after she discusses what happened last night."
Madame Pomfrey held her tongue until she heard the door of the hospital wing open and close. Then she turned back to Avedra with soft, worried eyes.
"Miss Lustra, what happened to you? Did Remus..."
"Remus would never hurt me, Madame Pomfrey. He couldn't help it, he can't control the werewolf." Avedra said, her eyes tearing up. "I think I'll need some salve and, and do you think I could have a contraceptive potion?"
"Of course, dear, of course." She waved her wand and a night gown appeared. "You put this on and I'll be right back with the potion and salve."
Avedra waited until the mediwitch walked out from the screens and then she changed into the night dress. She sat down on the bed and waited for her to come back. It didn't take long for her to reappear, this time holding a jar and a goblet.
"Now you need to drink that straight down," she said, handing the goblet to Avedra. She waited until she'd drank it all down and took back the goblet. "Now lie back and I'll put this salve on your legs. I'm afraid it'll take a few days for the bruising to go away, but this will take away the pain."
Madame Pomfrey carefully drew up the night gown and slowly applied the salve. The effect was immediate, it felt cool then it felt warm and the pain eased. Avedra relaxed against the pillow, but stiffened again when she heard the door to the hospital open again.
"Avedra, it's just me." Lily's voice said from outside the screens. "Are you ok? Remus said you were down here."
Madame Pomfrey finished up and covered Avedra's legs with the gown before covering her with a blanket. She smiled down at her and moved the screens.
"I think, Miss Evans, that Miss Lustra is going to be just fine." Madame Pomfrey said, moving toward Snape's bed. "You can stay for a few minutes, but I think she needs to rest today. I'll probably release her tomorrow."
Lily sat down in the chair beside Avedra's bed. She looked concerned and definitely not well rested.
"You look pretty bad, Lils. What did you do all night, stay up with a werewolf?" Avedra said, in what she hoped was a teasing tone.
"Don't joke about that." Lily said, reaching out to take her best friend's hand. "Are you ok? Really?"
Avedra sighed. "I'm fine. Just a little sore. I've never been a wolf for that long before."
"Remus said you told Madame Pomfrey about being an Animagus. He's worried about you, that he's hurt you and you aren't saying anything because you're scared of hurting him. Did he?" Lily asked, squeezing her hand.
Avedra shook her head. "Remus would never hurt me, Lily, you know that. What happened was something he had no control over and I won't have him feeling guilty for it. If anyone should feel guilty it's Sirius."
"I heard what happened. Potter was worried when you didn't come back last night, but we didn't want to say anything in case we got you in trouble." Lily said, uncertain. "Potter had to explain to Professor Dumbledore what happened, aside from telling him about you going in to divert Remus."
Avedra sighed. "It should have been Sirius explaining things. I suppose he didn't get anything more than a few detentions?"
"Actually he's got detention every day for the remaining term and he can't go to the last Hogsmeade trip." Lily said. "Professor McGonnagol was saying that she might extend his detentions into next year, depending on his attitude."
"You got your wish though. I'm definitely registering as an Animagus. I had to tell Madame Pomfrey about it when Remus forced me here."
"He's really worried about you," Lily whispered as she heard the door to the hospital open.
Remus walked toward the bed with Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore. Avedra sat up a little higher and Lily squeezed her hand. They stopped at the foot of her bed. Professor Dumbledore looked down at her through his half moon shaped glasses. Professor McGonnagol looked concerned.
"How are you feeling, Miss Lustra?" Professor McGonnagol asked.
"I'm fine, a little sore from staying transformed so long." Avedra said, looking down at the blanket.
"Yes, that happens at first." She said, reassuringly.
"I've sent a letter to the Ministry, telling them of our young Animagus, they'll have the paperwork ready during the summer for you to register." Professor Dumbledore said, twinkling down at her. "Now I must ask for everyone to leave Miss Lustra and myself alone for a few moments."
Avedra swallowed. She'd never had to speak to the Headmaster before, alone. She had a feeling this wasn't going to be a talk on career choices.