In Which Snape Is Nosy
Sirius was walking to the Great Hall for lunch at the beginning of lunch, thinking about both James' and Remus' upcoming birthdays, when he bumped into someone. Seeing that he had knocked down the person, he began to apologize… until he saw who it was. "Watch where you're going, Snivellus," he sneered instead.
"You were the one who bumped into me, Black," the Slytherin spat.
"I did not!" Sirius retorted, lying brilliantly. "You had your unusually large nose stuck in one of your Dark Arts books again!"
"It was my Potions book, for one, Black; and for another, I was carrying it at my side," Snape snapped.
"So you say," Sirius rolled his eyes. Not one to miss up his favorite hobby- teasing Severus Snape- he quickly thought of an insult. "Tell me, Snape, how's old Voldy doing? Is he proud of all the Muggleborns you've been hexing lately?"
"I've never hexed a Mudblood, Black," Snape hissed angrily.
"I've seen the crowd you run with, Snivellus," Sirius rolled his eyes. "You all hex Muggleborns any chance you get."
Snape glared at him, but there was a cunning glint in them. "How's your friend Lupin doing, Black? It's almost time to go to his grandmother's funeral again, if my calculations are correct."
Sirius' eye narrowed menacingly. The full moon was in five days- it wouldn't be on Remus' birthday, thank Merlin- and Remus was already starting to look a bit sickly. When he missed school around the full moon, one of his most frequently used excuses was the "I'm-going-to-my-grandmother's-funeral"; and apparently, Snape had caught onto the fact that Remus had to have about seventy grandmothers for that to be true.
"Touched a nerve, have I?" Snape smirked. "You know, I for one don't see why Dumbledore lets Lupin run around this place anyhow; he's a bloody monster, a danger to all of us-"
"He's not a monster," Sirius interrupted him. "He's not a danger of any kind. Remus is a perfectly normal human being in both those respects."
"Why lie to me, Black, when I already know the truth?" Snape raised an eyebrow. "Lupin- and you, Potter and Pettigrew- always disappear every month around the full moon. I even figured out where you go: the Forbidden Forest."
Sirius scoffed. "Yeah, right. Try the Whomping Willow, Snivellus. Ever see a big knot on the biggest tree root, the one that sticks out most? Press that, and you can get into the tunnel." He realized exactly what he had said a millisecond after he had said it- but it was already too late.
"The Whomping Willow, eh, Black?" Snape raised an eyebrow, his eyes glinting maliciously. Taking a step closer to the Gryffindor, he hissed, "I'm going to get proof that your buddy's a werewolf, you filthy blood traitor. And then you'll wish that you'd never messed with Severus Snape." With that, he turned on his heel and strode away.
As soon as Snape was far enough away not to hear him, Sirius began banging his head against the cold brick wall. "I" –BANG- "Am" –BANG- "Such" –BANG- "A" –BANG- "Stupid" –BANG- "Arse!" He turned around and sank against the wall, rubbing his sore head. What have I done? He asked himself with horror. I told fucking Snivellus how to get into the Shack! Damn it, he tricked me into telling him! He groaned out loud and put his head in his hands. Bloody hell, this is bad. What am I going to do?
Sirius sat against the wall, thinking of various ways to undo what he had done- what he had said- but he couldn't come up with any solutions. Eventually, he decided, I'll just have to hope that he forgets what I said. If he doesn't, Remus and the others will kill me. He stood up, gently rubbed his forehead one last time, and made his way to the Great Hall, trying to look like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
"Brother, please," Sasha was begging quietly. She and Remus were sitting at a table in far corner of the library, far enough away from everyone else that they couldn't be overheard, and she was- yet again- trying to convince the werewolf to let her help with some of his transformations. His upcoming transformation was in two days' time.
"It's too dangerous, Sister," Remus shook his head. "I'm not going to let you risk your life for me."
"I wouldn't be risking my life, Remus!" Sasha exclaimed in exasperation. Oh, I wish I could tell him I was an Animagus! If only Dumbledore didn't forbid me to, she sighed internally.
"Yes, you would," Remus insisted. "Don't you get it, Sasha? I'm a werewolf. When I'm a werewolf, I can't control myself; I can't stop myself from hurting you, or anyone, for that matter."
Sasha's eyes narrowed. "Your other friends go with you," she accused. "Black, Potter and Pettigrew. You think I don't notice that they're usually sleeping in their breakfasts after full moons? That they tend to have more scratches and bruises around then, too? That the nights of full moons, none of them are in the common room after dinner? Most people might not notice, Remus, but I do. I'm not stupid."
Remus raised an eyebrow. "You realize you're calling everyone else in school stupid by saying that, right?"
"Ha! You admit that Black, Potter and Pettigrew help you with your transformations!" Sasha exclaimed triumphantly. Remus hung his head, partly in shame, partly so he could curse his own stupidity without Sasha reading his lips. "If they can help, why can't I?"
"It's… different, with them," Remus claimed slowly.
Sasha glared at him fiercely. "I don't see how it's any different," she proclaimed stubbornly.
"Listen, Sasha, please… don't try to help with my transformations or anything, okay?" Remus pleaded. "Just… let things keep going on as they are. I'd feel better that way. Please?"
Sasha stared at her friend's wide, urgent eyes, and reluctantly sighed, "Fine. I won't try to interfere with anything involving your furry little problem."
"Thanks," Remus smiled gratefully, and the two began working on their Transfiguration homework.
He never noticed that Sasha's fingers had been crossed behind her back.
"Shut up!" James hissed at Sirius and Peter under his Invisibility Cloak, as soon as Sirius opened his mouth to tell Peter off for stepping on his foot (again).
"Sorry, Prongs," Sirius and Peter whispered back.
The threesome resumed their silence as they continued their walk to the Whomping Willow. They had no idea that they were being followed.
Sasha had cast a powerful Disillusionment Charm on herself, and when she had seen the Marauders put on their Cloak, it had been all too easy to follow them. Yes, the Cloak made them invisible; but a simple nonverbal "Homenum Revelio" spell, and she could see them clear as day.
The four Sixth Year Gryffindors were about halfway to the Whomping Willow when it happened. A new figure quietly crept out of the castle doors and began walking towards the gigantic tree so quickly that it did not take too long for the figure to catch up with the Gryffindors. Peter, James and Sirius (and Sasha, though the boys didn't know this) looked over at the figure and gasped as they recognized Severus Snape. Sirius gulped; apparently, the Slytherin hadn't forgotten how to get into the Shack.
"Prongs," Sirius elbowed his friend. "Prongs, he's going to the Willow, to the Shack."
James' eyes widened. "You mean, he's gonna see Remus?!"
"That's exactly what I mean," Sirius nodded gravely.
"That's not good," Peter squeaked unnecessarily.
Inside her head, Sasha was thinking the same thing as Peter. Even not knowing that Sirius had told Snape how to get into the Willow, it was all too easy to guess what the Slytherin was doing. Snape's a bloody moron, she shook her head at the boy's foolishness. He has to know about Remus'… condition, and yet, he's still coming out here! Merlin, he's stupider than Black! I didn't think that was even possible!
Sasha and the boys quickened their paces so that they were just far enough behind Snape that they wouldn't be heard, but could catch up with him if need be. To their unanimous horror, the Slytherin touched the biggest knot on the tree root- as Sirius had accidentally told him to- and, his smirk as wide as big as the Nile River, dived inside the tunnel opening.
"No," James gasped, and he threw off the Cloak and, running and pressing the knot, rushed in after the Slytherin.
"James!" Sirius cried. His friend hadn't transformed; he could get bitten, and turn into a werewolf. Or worse, he could get killed. Sirius had seen what having your worst fear come true did to a person, and he did not want that happening to him.
Sasha took the Disillusionment Charm off of herself and rushed over to the two boys. "What the hell are you just standing here for?!" she shouted.
"Berg?" Sirius' eyes bugged out. "What are you doing here?"
"Following you, of course," Sasha shrugged as if it was no big deal. "That's not important right now. What is important is that your best friend is risking his hide right now, and you aren't doing anything to help him!"
"It's not like there's anything I can do!" Sirius yelled. Peter was watching the exchange with curiosity and mild fear.
"Black, I don't know what you do, but you and your friends can do something that makes it safe for you to be around a werewolf. So I suggest you do whatever that is and go help Potter!"
"You can't see," Sirius said, already visualizing the chaos that would ensue if Sasha Berg discovered he was an Animagus.
To his surprise, Sasha rolled her eyes. "Do you think I'm actually going to wait here, Black? I'm going to help, of course!"
"You can't!" Sirius protested. "It's too dangerous for you!" He didn't know why he cared whether or not something happened to Sasha, but he did.
Sasha raised an eyebrow. "Haven't I already proved to you that you don't know the first thing about me? You shouldn't judge people you don't know, Black." Not bothering to wait for her enemy's response, Sasha whipped around and ran deep into the darkness of the Forbidden Forest.
As soon as Sasha was gone, Sirius turned to Peter and ordered, "Go get a teacher. Dumbledore, if you can. But really, just any teacher who isn't Slytherin." Peter nodded his compliance, and scurried off back to the castle as fast as his little legs could carry him. Sirius then pressed the knot, turned into a big, black dog, and dashed inside of the Whomping Willow.
He found James, Snape and- unfortunately, in this particular case- Remus fairly quickly. Of course, James couldn't turn into his Animagus form in front of Severus Snape; so he was casting spells every which way, trying to ward off the hungry-looking werewolf. Sirius jumped in front of the two boys and tackled Remus. James and Snape took this moment to rush down the stairs; but the werewolf seemed to smell his prey escaping, and, throwing Sirius against the wall, leapt past him to follow them.
Just before Remus could get near the staircase, a new animal tackled him, snarling. Sirius surveyed the arrival: it was, very clearly, a wolf. The wolf had deep, sparkling, brown eyes and shaggy, black fur, except for some brick red here and there (Sirius was too worn out to observe anything in great detail). Something about the air it carried itself with told Sirius that the wolf was a girl; but she was fighting Remus better than any of the Marauders had ever done.
The wolf herded Remus back into the room, looking like it was having the time of its life. She didn't even take notice of Sirius, currently a crumpled heap in the corner. In fact, her full focus was on Remus. The werewolf slashed a deep gash into the side of the wolf's neck, and the wolf responded by snarling and pouncing on his back, hanging on with her claws for dear life. The two animals were fighting so intensely that Sirius remained unnoticed- even by Remus- as he rushed out of the Whomping Willow.
Thankfully, Snape's back was turned as Sirius exited the tunnel, so he had time to turn back into his human form. He went over to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and began running from there, so he'd look like he had been hiding there, instead of fighting with Remus himself.
"Prongs! You're alive!" He shouted, giving his best friend a huge man-hug.
"Padfoot!" James greeted ecstatically, his face regaining a bit of color. "Are you okay?"
Sirius was about to answer "Yeah," when Snape cut in, "Not mentally."
"What do you mean?" James asked.
Snape pointed an accusing finger at Sirius. "Him. He's insane. He told me how to get into the fucking tree!"
James turned to look at Sirius, astonished. "Sirius- you didn't…"
Sirius hung his head in shame. "I swear, James, I didn't mean to. I wasn't thinking, I didn't mean to say anything about it, honest-"
"That doesn't change the fact that you told him how to get in!" James yelled. "He could've gotten killed, or turned into a werewolf, or something really bad! I mean, I hate him too, Sirius, but I don't want him to die!"
"I already told you, I didn't mean to say anything!" Sirius screamed. "I'm sorry, okay? If I could go back and take back what I said, I would, but-"
"Do you realize what that would've done to Remus?" James interrupted him. "If Remus had hurt Snape, he would've never forgiven himself. He already beats himself up as it is, if he ever seriously injured someone, who knows what he'd do to himself!"
Sirius had nothing to say to that. He had defended himself every way he could, plus, he knew James was right; he felt absolutely awful. Suddenly, he realized something. "Where's Berg?"
"What?" James asked, confused.
"Berg- she followed us out here, and she said she was going to try to help, and ran into the Forest," Sirius explained. "I haven't seen her since."
"Why was she following us?" James questioned. Sirius shrugged in reply.
"Concerned, are you, boys?" Sasha's voice called out. James, Sirius and Snape whipped around and saw her walking calmly towards them, looking relatively unharmed except for a few gashes on her face. There was one gash in particular on her neck that was deep and dripping blood.
"What happened to you?" Sirius inquired, failing to hide his worry for the girl. "You just went into the Forest!"
Sasha shrugged. "I'm a total klutz; I tripped over a rock and cut my face on a tree. No big deal. How's Remus?" Sirius frowned at this response; for some reason, he had a gut feeling that Sasha wasn't telling the truth. You can't get a cut that deep on your neck by tripping over a rock, he thought, eyeing the cut with curiosity. That's the kind of cut you get from an animal…
"As good as can be expected right now," James answered, cutting off Sirius' train of thought momentarily.
"And Snape? What about you?" Sasha questioned, turning to face the Slytherin.
"Fine," Snape replied briefly, obviously reluctant to talk to Sasha. Catching onto this hint, she turned back to her fellow Gryffindors.
"Well, care to tell me how you two can hang out with a werewolf without getting killed?" She went to the point so quickly that she took the boys by surprise. Never before had Sasha been quite so… up front. They assumed it had something to do with her being annoyed and wanting answers (they were right).
"Care to tell us your secret?" Sirius retaliated. And where you really got that cut, he added mentally.
"Hell no," Sasha snorted.
"Well, if you won't tell us, then we won't tell you," Sirius spoke.
"Fine," Sasha said, unfazed, looking like she couldn't care less. Sirius cursed in his head; he had hoped that that bargain would make Sasha tell him her secret. Like the rest of his attempts, it hadn't worked.
"Students," the stern voice of Professor Dumbledore rang out over the grounds, and Sirius, James, Sasha and Snape turned to face their grim-faced Headmaster, accompanied by a nervous-looking Peter Pettigrew. "Come with me."
Professor Dumbledore didn't have to ask twice.
"Mr. Snape, I understand why you might feel that Mr. Lupin is dangerous- and indeed, once a month, at night, when all the other students should be asleep in bed, he is. Despite that, however, I have to ask you not to speak of his condition to anyone," Professor Dumbledore demanded.
"But, Sir-"
"No buts, Mr. Snape," the Headmaster cut off the Slytherin. "Mr. Lupin deserves an education here at Hogwarts just as much as every other young witch or wizard does. I will not let you ruin his life by telling others about his condition. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Professor."
"Are you going to tell anyone about Mr. Lupin's condition?"
After a moment, Snape reluctantly muttered, "No, Sir."
"Very good," Dumbledore nodded his head in approval. "You may go back to your common room now, Mr. Snape. And don't forget, you have detention every Saturday for the next three months." Snape merely nodded and hurriedly left the office. Dumbledore turned on the four Gryffindors and stared at each of them slowly, seeming to read their minds. He stared at Sasha especially long, and she stared determinedly back; it almost looked like they were having a conversation in their heads.
But that's impossible, Sirius told himself. Then Berg would have to know Legilimency, and there's no way she can.
The Headmaster finally broke his gaze away from Sasha's, and said slowly, "I am very, very disappointed in you four." Peter, Sirius, Sasha and James look down at their feet in shame. "You are all intelligent, talented, capable young adults. I had thought that you were sensible enough not to deliberately go looking for a werewolf- even if that werewolf is your friend. You're been taught about werewolves in Defense Against the Dark Arts, so you know that, when they're transformed, werewolves have no qualms about killing people- even their friends."
"I'm sorry, Sir," Peter squeaked. "Please don't expel me."
Dumbledore gave a light chuckle. "Mr. Pettigrew, I do not plan on expelling any of you. What you did was foolish, yes, but in the best intentions, and was quite brave of you." The four Gryffindors beamed until the Headmaster continued, "But you will have detention every Sunday for the next four months."
"Why on Sunday, Professor?" Sirius wondered. "Sni- I mean, Snape, had his detentions scheduled on Saturdays."
"Your professors have learned by now, Mr. Potter, that putting you or your friends alone in the same room as Mr. Snape for any period of time results in disaster." Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled.
"You know, Professor Dumbledore, if I were you, I'd think along the same lines for Sirius and Sasha," James laughed. "This is one of the few times they've been near each other without yelling at each other." James was right, in this respect; however, the two were sending murderous glares at each other out of the corners of their eyes.
Dumbledore turned to the two aforementioned teenagers. "Mr. Black. Miss Berg." Both Gryffindors' heads shot to face him instantly. "I have to request that you try your best to be civil to each other- at the very least- during your detentions together. You will, after all, be having them every week for the next four months."
"Why do we get more detentions than Snape, Professor?" Sasha moaned, clearly disgruntled.
"Mr. Snape went there once, and went there after being told how to." Sirius fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. "Whereas you four went there on your own accord, and- I'm sure- went there more than once." His blue eyes twinkled in amusement as James and Peter joined Sirius in fidgeting uncomfortably in their seats.
"Now, off to bed, all of you," the Headmaster spoke kindly, "you have classes tomorrow, after all. Sasha- if you could wait behind a minute, please," he added as he saw Sasha standing up to leave. She sat back down with a sigh.
"Bye, Professor!" Peter exclaimed, rushing out of the room as fast as he could, obviously eager to get back to his bed. James followed, waving as he went, and Sirius went after him, glancing suspiciously at Sasha out of the corner of his eye as he went.
Closing the door to the Headmaster's office, Sirius was about to follow his two friends back to the Gryffindor common room when he heard Dumbledore saying something, and he couldn't resist to stay and put his ear against the door.
"That was risky of you, Sasha, extremely risky," Dumbledore was scolding. "Did anyone see you?"
"Not that I know of," Sasha replied. "Well, besides Remus, that is; but he won't remember in the morning, and if he does, he won't know who it was. I thought it through, believe it or not, Professor."
"I'm sure that you did, Sasha," Dumbledore sighed. "All the same, I cannot help but worry."
"I'm seventeen, Sir," Sasha laughed. "I can protect myself legally now."
"Ah, but you cannot use many of the things I have taught you," Dumbledore reminded her gently. "Otherwise, people would suspect something. Probably not the truth, admittedly, but something, all the same."
"I'll be more careful in the future, Professor, I swear," Sasha promised.
"That's good to hear. Go to bed now- you'll be exhausted in the morning as it is, I'm sure, and I don't want you to stay up any longer than you must."
"Thank you, Sir. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Sasha."
This time, Sirius wasn't quick enough to jump away from the door as it opened. Sasha heard his grunt of pain and her narrowed eyes found him quickly.
"You really need to stop eavesdropping on me, Black," she spat.
"I'd stop if you told me your secret." Sirius tried bargaining again.
Sasha's glare only turned fiercer. "Leave the matter alone, Black. For both of our own goods."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Berg," Sirius responded. "I'm a curious, determined person by nature."
"You're also an arrogant, pigheaded, stupid person by nature," Sasha retorted. "If you're not going to take my advice, then fine; but I can guarantee that one day you'll wish you had never pursued the matter at all."
"Will you tell me how you really got that cut, then?" Sirius asked abruptly, his eyes darting to the red line on Sasha's neck.
"I told you, I tripped on a rock-"
"You can't get a cut like that from tripping on a rock and hitting a tree," Sirius reasoned. "You're lying, Berg. And I know it. That cut was made by an animal of some kind, and-" He stopped suddenly, and his eyes widened as he surveyed Sasha from head to toe. His eyes stared into hers, and he had a sudden revelation:
Her eyes were the exact same brown as the wolf's eyes.
And her hair and the wolf's fur had the exact same coloring.
And she had a gash on her neck in the exact place Remus had slashed her.
Sasha seemed to realize what Sirius was thinking, and her eyes widened as well, and then narrowed. She stepped closer to Sirius until he could have heard anything she said no matter how quietly she said it.
"You. Tell. No one," she hissed murderously. "No one. Got that?" Not waiting for a reply, she strode down the stairs and to the Gryffindor common room.
After a moment, Sirius followed, even more determined than he had been before to find out what exactly Sasha Berg was hiding.
Okay, I have to say, I LOVE this chapter, I just do. But, anyways, more importantly: What do YOU think? Please tell me in a review!
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