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We need to talk. I only got two. Now I know how so many people don't bother to review, even if the fic is wonderful or trashy. But the purpose of reviews is to tell the author how you feel about the fic, so the author can do a better job next time, or to let the author know that people appreciate their hard work. So please, please review- understand?

Chapter Seven- Inside the Whomping Willow

It was dark and murky inside the willow. I did not know how far up the ceiling was, so I crawled. Rocks and roots protruded from the walls and floor. Twice I scraped my knees against a jagged rock, which cut my knees and tore my robes. The pain was nothing. The ambition and adrenaline in my body overpowered my cut, bleeding, hurting knees and side. A flush of hatred increased in every step, it was worth cutting myself up just to see were those four were going, how I was going to catch them, and get them expelled. I could hear James Potter's wand snapping now. There would be nothing he could do to me, nothing else he could say. Nothing.
I crawled faster. Minutes passed, and soon my feet were able to stand on gray dusty floor. And then, I heard a low, snarling growl. I turned in the direction of the sound, and found a large gray and brown wolf. Its hackles were raised, and I knew at once what and who it must be… I wanted to turn around, but my feet were frozen to the spot. Lupin was getting ready to strike. I closed my eyes; if he was going to bite me, I might as well face it… I waited for the moment to come, and then I felt a hands reach to the hem of the neck of my robes and pull me backwards toward the tunnel. At that same moment Lupin pounced, narrowly missing my left leg. In haste and fear I righted my self up, and with the force of the hands pulling me, My knees slipped from the loose soil and my head struck a protruding rock from above. I fell, my mind in semi-consciousness. I could feel my self being pulled further on, but had not the strength to move. I was frozen.


Later I felt my self reach the coolness of the night air, and the side of my face touch soft grass. I felt blood on my forehead. The next moment, I awoke, pushing myself up. I came face to face with James.
"What on earth were you doing, Snape!?" He asked harshly. His sweaty face was filled with extreme anger.
I replied bluntly, "Your friend Black decided to tell me where you went every month. I should have known that you would have waited for Lupin to transform and then go down to the willow later."
"Don't you know at least not to be in the company of a werewolf!?" He said even angrier.
"I should ask you the same question, Prongs. Don't think I didn't know. The potion you made me brew years ago, those hours pouring over that map in Hogsmeade. I figured out that you and Black and Pettigrew were Animagi only a little while ago." I replied though gritted teeth. James looked livid. He turned on his heel and walked away in to the darkness of the night.

I creeped to the castle. Ignoring my hurting head, I made my way to the castle door. I opened it, and crept inside. Despite the hour, I intended to talk to Dumbledore. I silently made my way to his stone gargoyle door. Muttering the password I went up the spiral staircase and found the large emtrance. Instead of knocking, I barged in hurriedly. At the way I marched in the door, you would have thought a troll burst through here. Dumbledore looked up from whatever he was reading, and noticing the state of my robes and the blood of my face he hurried around his desk. His eyebrows raised, and his facial expression surprised and shocked.
"Who has done this?" He asked calmly.
"No one's fault but mine, I hit my head and knees on sharp rocks."
"What possessed you to do such thing?"
"It was but a mistake, but I need to talk to you, I was in the whomping willow-" Dumbledore's expression was changed dramatically from concern to calm anger. "I met a wolf, a werewolf, and I know who he is-" Dumbledore raised a hand.
"I know who it is as well. Remus Lupin was bitten as a young boy and was shunted from most schools until he came to Hogwarts," said Dumbledore. "But why, why did you go against school rules to risk you life for this?" He said solemnly. When I didn't answer he continued, "I am very disappointed in you, Severus. What you did was very serious. You almost threw away you life, what if he had bitten you? Did you really want that to happen? Not only you would suffer, what about your friends, What about Luna? She's already been through enough," He paused and took a deep breath. "Please go Severus, see Madam Pomfrey, she shall take care of you." I got up slowly, all the emotion draining from me. I felt so foolish. Why had I done it? Just like Dumbledore's question, What had really possessed me? Anger? Jealousy? I reached for the doorknob, but the sound of Dumbledore's voice clouded over me again.
"Severus, Was any one else involved in this?" I heard him speak over my shoulder. I turned around slowly.
"Yes Headmaster, James Potter was there as well. He 's the one who saved me."

I walked down the familiar corridors that led to my common room. I began to feel anger, much more anger than back in the willow or anything having to do with James. The anger was about myself. I hated myself at this moment; all I did was in vain, James would not get expelled, If I won't get expelled than it was certain James wouldn't. He had bettered me. He forgot all past disputes in order to save me. Would I really have done the same?
I walked down the corridors in silence, both in the hallways and in my mind. I didn't want to think anymore, because whenever I looked into my mind's eye I saw myself being pulled out of the willow by my enemy, and it made me want to forget it all.
I heard a noise up ahead of me, and stopped walking. It was crying, a soft sob, coming closer. The torchlight did not reach that far in to the darkness, but when the object did become visible, I found it was Luna. Her head was bent down, looking at the floor. Her hair framed her face, and I couldn't see her eyes.
"Luna?" I said unsure of myself. She looked up, her eyes widening then a surge of relief spread across her face. She ran to me, her arms taking hold of my neck. She sobbed in my ear, relieved and sad sobs. I closed my eyes tight, trying to block the sound. Each whimper, each cry struck me a thousand times over. "Luna, what's wrong? What happened?" I said concerned.
She continued to cry, but tried her hardest to stifle them. "I was scared, Severus. James told me in the library that you were in danger, so I panicked. I didn't know what was going on."
"Wait," I said confusedly. "James told you where? And when?" she cleared her throat, trying to talk again.
"I was in the library, and James came up and asked where you were. I told him that Sirius had told you about the willow and he bolted, saying you were in trouble. I'm sorry I told, Severus, but I had misgivings about it all the whole time!" She continued to cry into my robes soaking them to my skin. I continued to hold her close. What had I done? This was worse than breaking a rule or getting revenge from and enemy. Someone got hurt from all this, and hadn't even been there or knew exactly what it all was about. Luna had gotten hurt, and the main thing that made me hate myself more was that I had caused it.

To be continued…..