'Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Warning: None for this chapter
Chapter 36 – Betrayal
Care of Magical Creatures was a classroom taught course of study through mid-term of students' 5th year of study at Hogwarts. Students completed that portion of the syllabus with a traditional written examination and the focus then shifted to the practical. Remus was given special dispensation and did not participate in the practical sessions, for obvious reasons. Having limited success with magical creatures, the young werewolf was glad to devote the free time to his other classes. With the transition, Professor Kettleburn, a slightly harried, bespectacled teacher tended to spend almost as much time in the hospital wing as he did in the paddock area of the grounds. That the practical class was comprised of both Gryffindor and Slytherin 5th years also accounted for his Saturday afternoon visits to Rosmerta's pub. Skele-Gro might mend bones broken by the over-enthusiastic attentions of Nifflers; Firewhiskey, however, could always be counted upon to calm the overwrought nerves of professors who suffered from adversarial student factions. After the first two classes, the latter during which James and Sirius set two Nifflers on Lucius Malfoy, Professor Kettleburn decided to reduce his weekly practicals by half; the class met on Tuesdays and took a study hall inside the castle in place of the discontinued Thursday afternoon session.
On the first Tuesday practical after the Niffler incident, James, Sirius and Peter trailed after Snape and Malfoy as the class made their way down to the paddock. The three Marauders were highly amused to note that Malfoy had securely fastened his now shorter white-blonde hair in a tail that was then tucked inside his robes. Having lost several inches of hair to the furry little creatures, the aristocratic wizard had obviously decided to take the necessary precautions to avoid further damage.
Finally reaching the paddock area, the combined 5th year class lined the railing apprehensively when they saw the subject of the day's lesson. Professor Kettleburn stood inside the fencing, a decided twitch making his pointed hat quiver from its perch atop his balding head. James leaned over to Sirius and muttered, "Do you know what that thing is?" His friend never took his eyes off the beast before them as he shook his head. "But Snivellus should know everything about it; bloody thing looks like a flying snake!"
"Good afternoon, class," Professor Kettleburn called. "Today, we are going to begin our study of a most fascinating creature, indeed. Would anyone like to hazard a guess as to what this might be?" As he spoke, he gestured across the paddock where rested, as Sirius observed, what appeared to be a winged snake, bearing beautiful, jewel-colored feathers over its entire body. It had two legs situated midway along its torso and looked to be well over ten feet long. It lay in the grass, its tail curved protectively around what appeared to be a grouping of silver rocks as it kept a cautious gaze on the students.
"I believe that is an Occamy, Professor."
"See?" Sirius smirked at James. "I told you old Snivelly would know, didn't I?"
"Excellent, Mr. Snape! Take five points for Slytherin; this is, indeed, an Occamy," Professor Kettleburn exclaimed, approaching the students, but keeping a careful distance from the watchful creature. "The Occamy is native to the Far East and this particular specimen came from India. They are carnivorous, but do not pose a threat to humans – unless, of course, they are defending their young. Odara here, as you can see, is guarding a cache of eggs, which are due to hatch a few weeks from now. In our practical, we will be caring for Odara, earning her trust and, as a result, we will be able to assist in the care of her young … if all goes well."
"Professor, what does Odara eat? You said that she was carnivorous," Kate asked.
"Good question, Miss Morgan. Occamy eat small animals, such as ferrets, rats and the like, as well as birds. They have much the same diet as the Hippogriff, despite the obvious physical differences," the professor advised.
James leaned back to where Peter stood, just over his right shoulder. "Best be careful, Wormtail," he whispered, thrusting his chin in the direction of the Occamy. Peter scowled back at his friend, but remained silent.
"The eggshells are an odd color, aren't they?" Kate commented to Lily. Before the other girl could respond, Snape, who was standing close enough to overhear, replied.
"The eggshells of the Occamy are composed of pure silver; it is thought that the metal is soft enough to allow for some give whilst passing from the female, but firm enough to provide stronger than average protection to the young inside."
"You're quite the expert, aren't you, Snape?" Sirius sneered. "But, I reckon it's not such an accomplishment; after all, a snake with wings is still a snake."
Several Gryffindor students snickered and Sirius' expression as he looked at Snape was smug.
"Sirius, stop it," Kate pulled at the sleeve of his robes.
The young wizard pulled his arm away. "Leave off, Kate."
"Yes, Miss Morgan, let him say what he likes," Snape said, taking a step toward the Gryffindor crowd and moving away from Malfoy and the other members of his House.
"Let's test the courage of the little Gryffindor lion cub, shall we?"
Sirius closed the distance between himself and the tall Slytherin, his right hand clenched in a fist and cocked at his side. "Let's go, Snivellus."
"Mr. Black! Mr. Snape! That will do." Kettleburn's voice rang out. "That will be five points from each of your Houses. If there is any repetition of this behavior, you will both serve detention every night this week. Is that clear?"
Neither wizard moved for a moment; the hatred was rolling off Sirius in waves. Malfoy stepped forward and put his hand on Snape's arm. "Come along, Severus. He's not worth the effort."
Snape glared at Sirius a moment longer then, eyes narrowed, he leaned toward the other wizard. Clearly, so James and Peter were certain to hear he murmured, "Besides, there is every probability that he – and his little friends – will self-destruct in the very near future." That said, he drew back and returned to the rest of the Slytherin 5th years. James hooked his arm around Sirius' and pulled backward. "Come on, mate; it's over." Sirius shook him off and stalked to the edge of the crowd of 5th year Gryffindors. There he remained for the rest of the practical. When the class ended, Sirius strode ahead of everyone making their way back up to the castle.
After considerable effort, James and Peter finally caught him up. "Sirius," James grabbed him by the arm and stopped him from progressing any further. "Sirius! What were you on about back there?"
"Since when did you become Snape's big defender, James?" Sirius' face was flushed and he was panting from the pace he had set in scaling the slope to the school.
"You know better than that, you wanker! I don't give a damn about Snape. I do give a damn about Remus, however. Full moon is Friday night and if you land your sorry arse in detention because you can't control your hatred of Snape, it will work a hardship on him. You're a smart wizard, Sirius; certainly you could have figured that out for yourself."
"Back off, James! I haven't missed a full moon yet, have I? I'm just sick and tired of Snape's sneaking around and his nasty disposition, all right? He's been hinting around lately that he's finally got the goods on us. You heard him back there; we're all about to 'self-destruct'. I don't know how or why, but apparently, he does." Sirius sighed.
"You've got to rein it in, Padfoot," James said more quietly as the Slytherin students were beginning to catch up to them now. "Ignore him until after the full moon and we'll figure out something after that. We'll have four weeks before we have to worry about another moon with Remus. We can spend every minute of it in detention if we have to. Right?"
Sirius shook his head. "He's up to something, James. I've got to figure out what it is. If he doesn't pull anything before Friday night, I'll do my best to do what you've asked. I just have a very bad feeling about him."
"When haven't you had a bad feeling about Snape?" Peter asked.
"It's not the same, Peter," Sirius snapped at the boy. He took a deep breath. "Look, let's just get back up to the Common Room."
"Yes, Black. Perhaps you can find a witch or two who haven't yet succumbed to your dubious charms. That would make your conquest of the female population of Hogwarts complete." Snape and Malfoy didn't break stride as the former baited Sirius with his caustic comment.
"Jealous, Snape?" Sirius bit back. "Let's see: Lily didn't work out for you – James got her, didn't he? Ofelia isn't a bit interested in you, is she? She was engaged to me for awhile, though. Could that be what's got your dingy little knickers in a knot? Or is it simply the fact that you can't find a witch that will have you? Either way, that's quite an impressive track record you've got going for yourself."
Snape stopped abruptly and turned back, his face parchment-white and his black eyes glittering with hatred. "Do not dare boast of your relationship with Ofelia Bullstrode to me. After what you've done to that girl, I cannot believe that even you have the gall to bring it up. Tell me, Black: how many other witches have you treated the way you treated her?"
"Perhaps you'll discover the answer to that question if you continue to follow me around the way you've been doing," Sirius said, feeling James' fingers biting into his upper arm.
"Ah, the lion cub is not only a coward, but he's paranoid as well. I would sooner follow a basilisk around than trail after you!" With that, Snape turned on his heel and went back to where Malfoy was standing and the two continued on to the castle.
"You should! You and the basilisk are two of a kind," Sirius shouted after him.
James shook his head and began to walk up the hill once again, Peter in tow. Sirius was forced to run to catch them up.
"I thought you were going to control yourself," James said.
"I did control myself. He's still standing, isn't he?"
XXXXXXXX
Apart from general sneering and some caustic commentary, there were no significant confrontations between the Gryffindor and Slytherin Houses for the remainder of that week. Sirius watched Snape like a hawk, however, often finding that his nemesis was doing the same thing with him.
"I just don't understand it, Kate," Remus said one evening at dinner, after Sirius could no longer tolerate Snape's scrutiny from across the room and quit the Great Hall. "We've spent our entire time at Hogwarts at odds with Snape - Sirius in particular. But it has never been this bad. I understand what Sirius means when he says that Severus has been more aggressive lately, but he's certainly giving as good as he gets."
Kate nodded. "I know, and he refuses to listen to reason. He won't say anything other than to repeat that he knows Snape's up to something. I'm beginning to think that Snape knows the effect his behavior is having on Sirius and has planned nothing; simply acting as if he is has achieved the desired result."
Remus shook his head. "Snape wouldn't think that way, Kate. No, as annoying and out of control as Sirius has been lately, his instincts are generally spot on. If he thinks Snape is planning something, he may very well be. I just wish they would both get it over with – whatever it is. Sirius is getting on my nerves."
Kate leaned forward, dropping her voice to a whisper and placing her hand over his gently. "But you are a bit on edge today, anyway. Perhaps you should steer clear of all of them for awhile. How about some hot chocolate in front of the fire in the Common Room?"
Remus smiled kindly. "Taking care of me, are you? You're very sweet, Katie, but there are certain physiological consequences to my condition that can't be avoided."
Kate felt her cheeks flush. "I know. I've done a bit of research since we talked. I also know, however, that chocolate calms you – as it does everyone; a warm fire might relax you a bit, and being away from the source of your irritation can't do any harm, can it?"
"I can't argue with research, can I?" He rose. "Let's go."
Once in the Common Room, the two friends settled in with hot chocolate supplied by the kitchen elves. To Kate's vast relief, other than a handful of second years, she and Remus were the only occupants. They settled in front of the fire, enjoying the warmth and the quiet. As they sat, Kate surreptitiously watched her friend, who had seemed to grow weaker and more pale as the week progressed. Dark circles were beginning to form around his eyes; Kate knew that all of these were symptoms of the wolf's proximity to the surface of Remus' human side.
"I'm really fine, you know," Remus' hoarse voice cut into her thoughts and Kate felt the heat of embarrassment at being caught staring. She saw nothing but kindness in his expression, however and relaxed under his frank gaze and even raised one eyebrow in response to his comment.
Remus put up one hand. "All right, perhaps not fine, exactly, but certainly used to all of this by now. I would hate to think that sharing my secret with you caused you to worry unnecessarily about me."
"Actually, I think I worry less now that I know the truth. My mind was going down incredibly dramatic roads before you told me," Kate reminded him. "Now, my level of worry is appropriate."
"Speaking of appropriate levels of worry," Remus continued. "Have you seen the other three members of our little group?"
Kate frowned. "James and Peter are serving detention from a prank they tried in Herbology this afternoon." At Remus' raised eyebrow, she continued. "One of the Slytherins put a Mandrake in the midst of a bed of Magical Bluebells. Of course, no one noticed until it bit Peter. He had his gloves on at the time, thank Merlin, but you know James and Peter wouldn't let it go. They managed to transfigure a Bird of Paradise plant into a real bird and then charmed it to fly 'round the heads of the Slytherin students, plucking out pieces of their hair and so forth. Of course, Professor Sprout caught James and Peter in the act. James' attempts to explain that they were merely retaliating for the Slytherins' first strike were ignored. Sprout caught Gryffindor and so that's who received detention – for the next two evenings."
Trying not to betray his near panic at the news, Remus asked, "What are they doing for detention?"
"Weeding the gardens outside Greenhouse 4," Kate replied. "Why?"
"Just curious. Professor Sprout is known for giving the most distasteful tasks to those serving her detentions," Remus answered. They can't weed after dark; there's hope yet that they'll make it to the shack in time for moonrise tomorrow night. "Does Sirius know?"
"He's down there now, waiting for them to finish," Kate said, smiling. "I think it's probably a better alternative than what might have happened if he'd actually been in the class."
Remus sighed. "Most likely true, but with or without Sirius, we have yet another confrontation between Gryffindor and Slytherin, haven't we?"
Kate reached over and patted his arm. "But one where no one was hexed and no one truly injured. I'd consider that a win, really."
XXXXXXXX
"How's the finger, Peter?" Sirius asked as the trio walked across the grounds toward the front doors of the castle.
"Fine. Professor Sprout used some sort of ointment and it healed straight away," the boy responded.
"Padfoot, tomorrow evening, we may not be excused in time to get back to the castle so you'll have to take the Cloak and make sure you're down there before Remus transforms," James said, his tone matter of fact. "We'll meet you there as soon as we're finished and we can all come back under the cloak in the morning."
Sirius nodded his head. "I'll be there shortly after Remus arrives. You should have enough time to get from the greenhouses down to the Willow before he transforms."
"Just make certain that you're not seen, Sirius," James cautioned. "After all the clashes you've had with Snape, if you're caught out, you'll have detention until the end of term."
"I'm not going to be seen if I have the Cloak on, am I? Don't worry about me, James. Just make sure that you and Peter get there on time," Sirius said, shortly.
By the time the three wizards arrived at the castle, the nearly full moon was high in the star-strewn sky. With a final anxious glance toward the heavens, Sirius pushed the door closed behind them.
XXXXXXXX
The day that would end as none could have anticipated began just as any other Friday. While Remus looked markedly worse than the previous day, he attended all of his classes, as scheduled and then retired to the dormitory to await the time that he would make the long trek to the Shrieking Shack.
Kate and Lily had pulled together a 5th year O.W.L. study group comprised of members of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw earlier in the Spring and they planned to meet in the Library after dinner.
James and Peter were, of course, serving out their final night of detention with Pomona Sprout, determined to finish as quickly as possible and meet up with Sirius at the Willow.
For his part, Sirius secluded himself in a tapestry covered alcove in the main corridor of the castle, pulling the covering aside slightly to peer into the hall. If Snape chose to secret himself along this walkway – as he had done so many times before – Sirius would be certain to see him. See him and discover once and for all why Snape was following them. Sirius stuffed his hand into the deep pocket of his robes and met the cool magical fabric of James' Invisibility Cloak. He glanced at his watch. Half four; Remus would be on his way down to the Willow through the exit located in the hospital wing.
Sirius leaned against the stone wall, one finger still hooked firmly in the edge of the tapestry, his eye trained on the corridor beyond. Fifteen minutes later, his diligence was rewarded when a tall, thin, dark-haired wizard strode down the hallway, looking left and right as he passed. No alcove escaped his regard, although he hesitated before the tapestry before moving on. Sirius waited a moment and then followed.
Moving stealthily along, Sirius kept the retreating figure of Snape in his sights. Through the corridors and into the entry way of the Great Hall, the two students walked until, with a final look over his shoulder, Snape pulled open the front door of the castle and walked outside. Sirius, who had ducked behind a statue to avoid being seen, peered around the marble figure just in time to see Snape's cloak disappear as the heavy wooden door closed. He moved out into the hallway and out the door. Glancing around the immediate vicinity, Sirius grew immediately concerned when Snape was nowhere to be found.
The young Gryffindor moved down the path leading away from the castle and looked around at the new terrain visible from that new vantage point. Nothing. Moonrise was a little less than an hour from now. Sirius' concern officially escalated a notch toward panic. He turned and headed to the east side of the castle – the one that led down to the Willow. In the fading sunlight, Sirius saw the branches of the tree still then moments later re-animate. Remus was in the tunnel leading to the Shack and he, Sirius, should be at the Willow waiting for James and Peter to arrive. He ran his hand through his hair and turned, walking toward the east turret. Sirius had gone perhaps a half dozen steps before he felt a claw-like grip encircle his upper arm. He whirled around to find himself staring into the triumphant black eyes of Severus Snape.
"Black! At last I've caught you out!"
Sirius twisted his arm until he'd managed to free himself from Snape's grasp. "What exactly do you think you've caught me out doing, Snivellus? It's well before curfew, after all and I know of no Hogwarts rule that says a student cannot take a walk on the grounds before dinner," he responded.
"No, but there is a rule about students going near the Whomping Willow," Snape's voice was deceptively soft; there was steel in each and every syllable he uttered.
"I think you've spent too much time inhaling the fumes from your cauldron, Snape," Sirius replied. "Clearly, you're confused. I'm obviously nowhere near that infernal tree."
"Always thinking about yourself, aren't you, Black? I wasn't referring to you, in that particular comment. I just this moment observed your mate, Lupin, standing near the Willow. And I observed that you also happened upon that scene as well. It leads me to believe that you are planning on joining him. I can only assume that your other two friends will be along once their detention with Professor Sprout is complete. Oh, yes," Snape paused as he observed the brief pulse of fear on the other boy's face. "I have known for some time that the four of you have been out on the grounds long after curfew. I have only recently discovered what it is that you are up to."
Sirius swallowed, "Why don't you enlighten me, Snape? Exactly what is it that you think you've discovered about us?"
"Well, for one thing, I know that Lupin is able to still the branches of that damnable tree after which he disappears into an opening in the roots. Clearly, he is leaving the grounds through some sort of route that probably ends in Hogsmeade. Lupin makes that trip quite frequently. You, Potter and Pettigrew follow him, hidden beneath a rather rare garment – an Invisibility Cloak, isn't it?" Sirius remained silent, hoping that the rapid beating of his heart was not visible through his robes. "Nothing to say? No matter; I am not yet finished. Where was I? Ah, yes – your nocturnal escapades. I'll admit that it took me awhile to put it all together, but a recent and very chance conversation finally filled in the missing pieces." He paused, looking closely at Sirius. "Do you ever stop to think about the consequences of your actions; any of you? You parade around the school, playing tricks, staging elaborate stunts – all for the purpose of gaining the misplaced admiration of the student population and without regard for those you victimize."
A nasty smile darkened Sirius' features. "So you're following us around to strike a blow for all victims everywhere, are you? How noble of you, Snivellus, but I don't see any victims for you to avenge…other than yourself, of course. Is that what this is all about, Snape? Getting even for the times we've pranked you?"
"I want you to suffer the consequences of your actions. Expulsion. And that dream will be realized tonight."
Sirius shifted his weight from one foot to the other and glanced very briefly in the direction of the Willow. It wasn't briefly enough.
"What's wrong, Black? Afraid Lupin will start the party without you?" Snape's voice was soft as he baited the other wizard.
Sirius could have sworn that his heart stopped beating for a moment. How could he know about Remus? "I have no idea what you're on about, Snape." Stall for time. Think!
"Don't you? Well, let me enlighten you, Black. I know that Lupin has somehow found a way to leave the grounds without getting caught out. I suspect that there is some type of tunnel or corridor leading from that infernal tree to a spot in Hogsmeade. I further suspect that it goes to Rosmerta's pub or to the Hogs Head Inn. Led by Lupin, your little band of degenerates has found access to an off-grounds location where you can revel in your debauchery – without fear of detection." Snape leaned against the wall of the tower. "You are not yet of age, Black. This will not set well with the Headmaster."
Sirius couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You think that Remus is running some sort of regular party, off school grounds, in Hogsmeade, where there's underage drinking and – how did you phrase it – debauchery? Where in the seven rings of hell did you come up with such a bloody stupid idea?"
"He leaves; you follow. You're not seen back in the castle until the following morning. When you do finally turn up, you all look decidedly worse for wear – particularly Lupin. It's always the quiet ones, isn't it? It doesn't take a Ravenclaw to figure out the cause. I wonder if Lily Evans, Kate Morgan or Dorcas Meadows know what you're about? Or…perhaps they meet you in the village? Although, given Ms. Bullstrode's situation, they've probably thought twice about their participation."
"Ofelia Bullstrode's 'situation'?" It had been reasonably easy to indulge his amusement at how far astray Snape's hatred of the Marauders had taken him; because all that Snape assumed was actually a complete fabrication, he could prove nothing – even if he did make good his veiled threat to go to Dumbledore with his assumptions. With the mention of Ofelia's name, however, Sirius' amusement vanished. "And just what is it that you think you know about Ofelia?"
Snape pushed himself off the wall and approached Sirius. "I know that she's pregnant. I know that it's yours. I understand that she is using a Concealment charm in her endeavor to keep the pregnancy secret. One can only assume that her desire for secrecy has to do with your boorish behavior and the fact that your betrothal has been broken. You've also taken up again with Kate Morgan, which tells me that you've decided to deny your responsibility and allow Ofelia to deal with this on her own."
Sirius' eyes widened as he listened to Snape's theory. "And just how did you come up with something so far-fetched as this?"
"For your information, Black, Ofelia hasn't been quite as cautious as she should have been and someone in her own house has seen her – without the Concealment charm in place. It was surprisingly easy to persuade her to share that story. You cannot call something far-fetched when it has come – as fact – from someone who saw it first hand," Snape purred.
"But your theory about this fact is totally bogus," Sirius said, his bravado slipping a bit.
"Which part? That she became pregnant as a result of your escapades with your friends? That you are the father? After that little episode in which Ofelia's robes were torn and you were conveniently present, I'm afraid the light of guilt shines directly on you. You are the most likely candidate for paternity, Black, but if you persist in denying it, then Potter, Lupin or – as difficult as it would be to believe it – Pettigrew would do. You see, it doesn't have to be one hundred percent accurate. It just has to be plausible – and with your combined reputations in this school, it certainly is. Arturo will believe it, as will his parents. Your parents will believe just about anything they are told of your actions. What is accurate is that you and your friends are leaving school grounds at night. It will not be difficult to convince Dumbledore of your excursions," Snape's stance was triumphant and Sirius' panic knew no bounds. "Of course, the sweetest part of all of this will be watching the four of you, with trunks packed, on the front steps of the school, awaiting the carriages that will take you to the train. Finishing my Hogwarts career without your presence will be a gift of epic proportion."
Sirius' mind whirled with images of what would happen should Snape make good his threats. To return to Grimmauld Place with no hope of the reprieve that came with a new school term was virtually intolerable – even as a thought. Ofelia's secret had been leaked; Sirius could do nothing about that. What he needed desperately to prevent, however, was the loss of Dumbledore's protection. If the unthinkable occurred and the Headmaster believed Snape, Sirius would lose it and there would be no one standing between him and his parents – and the torture he had endured from them all of his life. He went blind to all but prevention. He had to give Snape proof that he was wrong.
"Why don't you ask Remus yourself if you're so keen for proof of our 'activities'," Sirius said, glancing toward the sky. Moonrise was inching closer and closer; the two enemies had been arguing on the grounds for well over thirty minutes. There was little time.
Snape's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
"You're wrong about what you think is happening – what you think we're doing. But you won't take my word for it, will you? Of course, to find out the truth, you're going to have to leave the grounds. Perhaps you aren't brave enough, Snivellus; perhaps sitting in your dorm dreaming up these false schemes of yours is as far as your courage will take you." Sirius saw Snape begin to tremble with righteous anger. "So, what's it to be, Snape? Will you actually grow a pair and venture under the Willow to prove me wrong? What have you got to lose? If you're wrong, you only have to worry about getting caught out of bounds; if you're right, you get to live your dream of seeing all of us expelled."
Snape's gaze shifted over Sirius' shoulder to the Willow that was still visible in the rapidly dwindling daylight. Sirius leapt at the indecision he saw flickering in the Slytherin's eyes. "You're wrong about us, Snape – dead wrong. Only you can prove it to yourself. If you've the stones, you'll find a long stick behind the last big rock before you reach the Willow. Use it to prod the knot at the base of the trunk. The branches will still and you'll be able to slide down through the opening in the roots. Once you've done so, follow the trail. You'll find the truth waiting for you at the end of it. Now, I'm going in to dinner. I don't want to be caught out of bounds, after all." With that, Sirius turned on his heel and headed back around to the front of the castle. Once safely round the corner, he turned, positioning himself against the wall, leaning forward slightly to put the very edge of the path in view. Moments later, he observed the tall, thin figure of Severus Snape striding with purpose toward the Whomping Willow. He smiled to himself. Snape would find the truth to be far different from the conjuring of his twisted imagination.
Moving swiftly up the staircase, Sirius made it to the Gryffindor Common Room in remarkable little time. Dinner was in full swing and few students hindered his progress. He had no sooner closed the dormitory door behind him than the thundering of footsteps on the stairs reached his ears.
The door flew open; Peter and James burst through, both breathing harshly from obvious exertion. James was the first to recover sufficiently to speak.
"Why the bloody hell weren't you at the Willow to meet us?"
"Change of plan. I knew Snape was going to try to catch us out, so I waited in the corridor and sure enough, he came charging along soon after. I trailed him onto the grounds and he intercepted me at the head of the path to the Willow," Sirius said, his voice calm and even.
"Merlin, Sirius! What did he say?" James sat down heavily on his bed.
"He said he's seen all of us heading toward the Willow – Remus first and us afterward. He claims that we're off-grounds for the purpose of drinking and carousing somewhere in Hogsmeade – and that Remus is the ringleader. There's more, but that's the gist of it. Snivelly's determined to take the story to Dumbledore with the goal of getting us expelled. He won't be doing it, though."
James snorted. "Of course he won't. Dumbledore knows where Remus goes every month, doesn't he? Snape won't get far with that claim. It would be brilliant to see how Dumbledore handles him when he tries to feed him that load of tripe!"
Peter joined him in the chuckle. "And Dumbledore knows that we know about Remus' condition, so for us to walk him down to the Willow so he can go to the Shack is logical, as well. He'll send Snape packing!"
Sirius shook his head. "I don't think Snape's going to go to anyone with his stupid ideas. He'll be lucky to be able to explain how he soiled himself once he gets back to his own Common Room."
James smiled at his friend. "Padfoot, what did you do to him this time? Vanish his robes and leave him hanging from the West turret? No, wait – did you Petrify him and hide him in the dungeons? We haven't done that one since third year – he's about due!"
Sirius shook his head. "Better than either of those. If he's so determined to find out where Remus goes, I reckoned he deserved the truth."
James sobered instantly. "Sirius, what 'truth'?"
"I told him that if he was brave enough, he should poke the knot at the base of the Willow and follow the opening in the roots once the branches had gone still; the truth will be waiting for him there."
James' eyes grew huge as galleons when Sirius finished. His mouth opened and closed once or twice, but no sound emerged. Finally, with a glance at his watch, he swore and put out his hand to Sirius. "Fuck all! Remus is about to transform. Give me the bloody Cloak, Sirius!" When the other wizard didn't immediately move, he added, "Now, before I petrify you!"
Sirius reached into his robes and pulled out the Invisibility Cloak; James snatched it from his hand, turned and ran toward the door.
"What are you on about, Prongs?" Sirius called. "Where are you going?"
James turned, but continued to walk backward toward the door. "Come on, Wormtail; I need you to transform and prod the knot. To answer your question, you idiot, I'm going to try to stop Snape from going through the tunnel! Are you going to help us or not?"
Sirius shook his head. "I'm not – and you shouldn't bother going down there, either. We finally have the chance to scare that bloody wanker stupid. He'll think twice about making up lies about us after he sees why Remus really goes down there."
"Sirius, I never thought you were this stupid! Snape isn't going to think twice about anything if he sees Remus in that tunnel. Think about it: Remus will transform in less than ten minutes. When Snape gets in that tunnel, he's not going to meet Remus – he's going to run right into Moony! Moony, Sirius; he'll be killed, at best. I don't have time to try to get it through your thick skull. Come on, Peter, we've got to move!"
An instant later, Sirius was alone in his dorm room, staring at the spot where his friends had just stood. Snape had headed down to the Willow, but there was no guarantee he would go as far as I taunted him to go, he reasoned, moving toward the window where the newly risen moon flooded the grounds. From this vantage point, he could see the Willow, branches flailing in the air. They would be still if Snivellus had actually prod the knot and slipped down into the tunnel – wouldn't they? Suddenly, two small figures could be seen racing toward the tree; in a moment, there was only one figure as the other seemed to disappear before his very eyes. When the tree limbs stilled, Sirius knew for certain that James and Peter had arrived. Fuck! What have I done? James can't transform in front of Snape or his Animagus status will be revealed. All three of them could be killed – or worse. Without another thought, Sirius jumped up from the window seat and bolted from the room. He took the dormitory stairs two at a time and was soon in the Common Room. Ignoring concerned cries from students, he was on the grounds in a matter of moments and was soon running full out toward the Willow. Sirius got to within a few feet of the tree when a brown rat emerged from between the roots, transformed and pressed the knot in the trunk. The branches stilled and shortly afterward, the horizontal shape of Severus Snape rose from the same opening and floated clear of the now still tree. James followed, clearly directing the path of Snape's body through the use of his wand. Peter pressed the knot again, transformed back into his Animagus form and scurried free of the Willow.
As James and Peter paused to catch their breath, Sirius had the opportunity to get a good look at his friends – and at Snape. James had a large cut over his right eye and the right lens was missing from his glasses. His left arm was held at an odd angle, as well. Peter appeared no worse for physical wear, but his expression told the story of a young man who had endured a very stressful evening. The sleeve of Snape's robes were torn and Sirius could see blood on the pale skin that had been exposed. His eye was beginning to blacken and he was unconscious.
"What happened?" Sirius demanded of James, gesturing toward Snape's arm. "Did Remus – did Moony…?"
James followed his friend's gaze and shook his head. "No, not that I believe you really care. We got there just as Remus finished transforming. Snape got to the trapdoor and pushed it open. One look at Moony was all it took for Snape to freeze. Moony jumped on the trapdoor and it closed, hitting Snape on the head. Knocked him out which caused him to land on me. When we finally got ourselves sorted out, hadn't come to, so I had to transform and carry him out of there, Moony snarling and scratching at the door the whole time. I tore Snape's arm with an antler – by accident. Wormtail reinforced the trapdoor, but Moony's going to have a rough night; he was still pounding at it when we got to the end of the tunnel." He paused and looked Sirius right in the eye. "And whatever happens to Remus as a result will be down to you, Sirius…all of it."
"James, I didn't tell you the whole story; Snape was going to …," Sirius had no chance to finish.
"Save it, Sirius; we've got to get Snape up to the castle. I'm going to have to bring him to Dumbledore first and I expect you'll have some explaining to do afterward."
Sirius' eyes narrowed. "Going to rat me out to the Headmaster, are you? Fine mate you are!"
"Do not speak to me about friendship, Sirius – not when you've done what you have tonight. You've betrayed Remus, Sirius; betrayed a secret that wasn't yours to share. Remus will have to live with the consequences – whatever they might be. Whatever Dumbledore chooses to do to you won't be enough," James turned and continued to guide Snape along through the air as he and Peter made their way back up to Hogwarts.
Sirius stared after them for a long moment, his mind unable to accept what his ears had heard. James, who had been his friend since they had first walked off the Hogwarts Express at eleven years old, wouldn't listen to him explain his actions tonight. James was going to turn him in to Dumbledore. But as he began his own, solitary trek back up to the castle, Sirius had reason to wonder.
If he was concerned about James' actions, why then was Remus' the only face he could picture?