Ah, hooray, another review! Thankies Rache...
Glad you liked the fight, I wasn't too sure about how well it was written. The visions will come into play eventually. As for unused classrooms...you're probably right. I wrote and re-wrote Chapter 9 about six times, each with a whole different plot (some of which involved unused classrooms, some of which involved things mentioned in this chapter), so I got VERY confused after a while. I really don't know what I've written about and what I haven't-I'm going to have to reread the whole story to make sure I don't screw something up. As for the reviews stuff, it probably is legal to do that, and I may eventually. Probably, though, I'll wait until I'm totally done-otherwise I'll never finish at all. This summer (yay, just two and a half weeks!) I'll have a LOT more time, so I'll be able to go back and re-do some stuff then. For now, I shouldn't even be writing as much as I am. Don't worry a bit about being the only reviewer-I like having someone so dedicated to my story. It's great that you're willing to tell me so much that I really need to hear. Most reviewers won't give any constructive criticism, just cuz they're too lazy. So, three cheers for you! As for the reviews being one-sided, I think I'll survive. I realize that I'm not going to be able to incorporate all you say, and that's fine with me, so I hope it's cool with you. Sometimes even the best editors' ideas, thoughts, and criticisms just can't be taken note of. C'est la vie!
Glad you enjoyed my chapter...hope this one's just as good (although I must admit it's a tad boring at parts-at many parts). It's a lot of talk, kind of sums stuff up-as much for the readers as for myself. I want to make sure everyone gets what's going on, so it doesn't get confusing later. But there's some plot development, too, so it's not all going to hell in a handbasket yet!
Okay, enough blabber...on with the talk! I mean...on with the chapter!
Chapter Ten
Liana held her breath and watched Remus' face after she Changed, but he didn't look very surprised. If anything, he looked a little hurt.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked softly, holding her gaze. She saw how upset he was, and felt a twinge of guilt-and of surprise. Why did he care so much?
"Hey, you never told me you were a werewolf," she retorted, feeling bad as soon as she said it. His was a terrible secret, one that generally drove people away. He had the right to keep it to himself... At her words, Remus took a step backwards, his eyes wide and his face a bit pale.
"H-how did you know?" Liana snorted without really meaning to. She was surprised at how rude she was being; usually she was so quiet, but now she couldn't seem to stop herself from being mean.
"Come on, Remus. You tore me up like three nights ago. You think I'm going to forget that? Besides, I figured it out long ago-before James and Sirius, even." Remus looked a bit calmer after remembering his attack on her so recently. But he still couldn't believe that someone else knew about him, and he hadn't even told her...how many other students had figured it out? Was that the reason the first years always avoided him, or was it really because he and his friends pulled so many pranks (as James had been quick to assure him)? He ran a hand through his hair and looked away into the shadows of the forest.
"How many other people know?" he asked hesitantly, not meeting her eyes.
"No one else that I know of," she said with a shrug. "Just James and Sirius and Peter, and Lily I presume. And me." Remus shuddered at a sudden thought.
"You're not-going to tell anyone, are you?" he said slowly, this time staring at her and trying to read her expression. She snorted again.
"I've kept the secret for four years or more. You think I'm going to tell now, especially since you've discovered my secret?" In his surprise, Remus had almost forgotten that Liana was an Animagus. Now the information hit him like a branch of the Whomping Willow.
"So...how did you do it? Become an Animagus, I mean."
"I know what you mean!" she snapped, again surprised at herself. Trying to soften her tone, she continued: "I basically used the books James and Sirius and Peter left behind. They were pretty careless with hiding places, and I was usually able to follow along with them, though they had no idea." She smiled wryly. "I never got it as well as they did, but, whatever. I was working alone." She tried to keep her tone casual, but she swore she could still feel a phantom of the pain from her Change, even this long after it. In fact, her last few Changes had been worse than usual, and she was feeling very nervous.
Remus must have read her expression or her voice, because he suddenly looked very anxious.
"What do you mean, you didn't get it as well? There's a lot that can go wrong with the Changes-James and Sirius are just lucky nothing happened to them. They didn't tell me what they were doing, or I never would have let them. I certainly don't want you doing something like this...not alone." Liana glared at him.
"Why not me?" she snapped, raising her voice a bit. "Because I'm a girl, or because I'm little and delicate?" she spat out the word like it was poison. "Well I'm NOT! I'm just as smart as James and Sirius, and I know what I'm doing just as well as they do! Just because I'm not perfect at being an Animagus, doesn't mean I'm stupid or whatever!"
"I never said-" Remus began a bit angrily, but stopped himself before he could say something rash. He took a deep breath. "I just meant that I don't want you to get hurt. I-" He swallowed nervously. "I care about you, Liana, and I don't want you getting hurt because of me."
Liana was quiet for a moment or two, letting his words sink in. No one had ever told her that before, not even her parents. They were usually too busy with their work to show her that they cared... Tears stung at Liana's eyes, and she threw her arms around Remus' neck in a great hug, blinking them away behind his back so he wouldn't see.
"I'm sorry," she said shakily. "I should have told you, I was wrong to keep it from you... You're my best friend in the world, Remus, and I didn't mean anything by keeping this a secret..." He put his arms lightly around her and began to gently stroke her long hair.
"It's nothing, don't worry about it," he murmured, and she was suddenly aware of how close his mouth was to her ear. She looked up, no longer angry that she had to do so in order to meet his eyes, and saw that he was looking down at her, a strange look in his eyes. One hand was still curled in her hair, and he brought the other one up to touch her face. Without thinking, Liana leaned into his cupped hand. It was warm and pleasantly calloused, and soft somehow. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feel of his fingers behind her jaw...
Then his hand was gone. She opened her eyes at the sudden absence and saw him looking away into the forest again. He leaned one shoulder against the nearest tree and stared at his feet. When nothing happened for a few minutes, Liana suppressed a sigh and Changed to wolf form. She slipped past him, deliberately rubbing against his legs as she went by. She didn't look back, but she was pretty sure he was staring at her.
* * *
James and Lily sat quite still in Dumbledore's office, holding hands and not speaking. It had finally sunk in how close Lily had come to a fate worse than death, and they were simply enjoying being near each other.
Peter sat in a chair nearby, staring at his toes and wriggling once in a while. He looked very nervous, and James knew he didn't like talking to teachers and authorities. He'd have to tell his part of the story, and he would not enjoy that at all. Confrontation was not one of Peter's strong suits.
Sirius, on the other hand, was pacing around the office, staring blankly at familiar items. He'd been in to see Dumbledore multiple times for various reasons, but none so serious as this one. Even Fawkes, in her gorgeous adulthood, couldn't hold Sirius' attention for very long. He was fairly good friends with the bird, and she was rather hurt that he seemed to be ignoring her at the moment. The fourth time he walked past her without stopping, she flew across the room and alighted on the windowsill, tossing him the occasional angry glance. He still took no notice. He couldn't get his mind off Remus.
Suppose the wolf wasn't on their side at all, but all on her own, or with a third party? Suppose she dragged Remus with her down the hall, instead of him following her as Sirius had originally thought? Or, suppose he followed her, only to find that she was against him, but it was too late, and he was injured or dead somewhere in the school, hidden in a suit of armor or in an empty classroom? Hundreds of possibilities buzzed around in Sirius' head, until he felt he was about to explode.
"Stop it!" he yelled, clapping his hands to his temples. James, Lily, and Peter looked up at him in surprise, and he felt the color rise in his cheeks. He still had his hands on his head when Dumbledore returned. He lowered them quickly.
"The professor is in a well-enclosed place now," the Headmaster said cheerfully as he sat down behind his desk. "Mr. Lupin, and possibly your other friend, will show up in due time. For now, I must hear all that happened. Perhaps we can answer some of each other's questions." So, James talking the most, they recounted the events of the afternoon. Peter and Lily chipped in once or twice, but Sirius remained silent, knowing he didn't have anything to add that Dumbledore wanted to hear. When they were finished, the Headmaster leaned back in his chair and tapped his chin with a long, thin finger.
"Who was the man in blue robes?" James asked hesitantly after a moment. Dumbledore glanced at him, then up at the ceiling. The others in the room followed his gaze, but there was nothing there that they could see.
"I will have to have him identified, but I believe he was Calvin Jorkins." This name meant nothing to the Marauders, but they all stored it away for future reference. "He worked for the Ministry, and was supposedly against Voldemort, but now..."
"Wait," Sirius said suddenly. "How do you know this had to do with Voldemort?" James and Dumbledore gave him a look. "I'm sorry, but I don't have connections with Aurors," he grumbled. Lily and Peter nodded; they were wondering the same thing.
"Voldemort is slowly rising to power in the Ministry, and in the rest of the wizarding world. He's already got tons of followers, some of whom, like Jorkins probably was, are spying for him. Voldemort's followers are the only ones who'll use any of the three Unforgivable Curses: the Imperius curse, the Cruciatus curse, and..." James' voice caught in his throat.
"Avada kedavra," Dumbledore finished for him quietly. "The one you saw used today."
"Oh," Sirius said lamely. He still didn't see how the use of the curse was proof of Voldemort's involvement; just because Voldemort's enemies wouldn't use the curse, didn't mean other people wouldn't. Did everyone think there were only two sides in the world, good and evil? Surely there was a third, or even fourth, side, with its own thoughts and beliefs? And why shouldn't those followers use the curse, if they believed it would help them? But he didn't voice his thoughts; he doubted they would help ease Dumbledore's worries any, and the Headmaster had plenty of these.
"If there are no more questions, I believe I have found out all I need to know," Dumbledore said after a moment's silence.
"What's going to happen to Peregrine?" Peter asked, a strange tone in his voice. The Headmaster looked at him sharply.
"That will be for a committee to decide, but I'm sure his story will be in the Daily Prophet soon enough," he answered carefully, standing to signify that the conversation was over. The four teenagers left, and James considered turning back and asking about who'd been under the blankets. But Dumbledore was studying a pile of papers on his desk, and looked like he didn't want to be disturbed again.
* * *
Remus watched Liana swish away through the trees, dodging thorny brush and spiky grasses agilely. He couldn't quite believe what he'd almost done, or even what he had done. She was his friend, she'd said so herself. Very good friends, nothing more. But now he'd gone and done something stupid like this... He'd probably scared her off, ruined everything. Now they would be uncomfortable around each other, with Liana knowing how he felt about her...
And what did he feel about her, exactly? Certainly he considered them good friends, but what had driven him to take it farther? He'd never so much as considered her as anything but a friend, but now that he thought about it, the idea appealed to him. He remembered vividly how soft her skin was, how silky her hair. And her bright blue eyes staring into his own gray ones...
He frowned. He used to have green-blue eyes, 'enchanting,' as his mother called them. But since the morning after the werewolf attack, his mother had told him once, they were a strange gray, with only twinges of the original color. She called them intriguing, but he thought they looked dead.
* * *
Beryd's eyelids were a dull gray as he lay motionless in the child-sized coffin. He'd been made to look nice earlier, through some form of magic, but Remus could see through the illusion. He knew his brother was dead, and that there wasn't any magic in the world that could bring him back.
All through the funeral, Remus cursed the wolf that had done this to his brother, not even realizing what it meant for himself. He was only four years old, and had no concept of what it would be like to turn into a wolf three times a month. He couldn't possibly imagine the pain, the loneliness that accompanied the curse.
At the end of the sermon, the coffin was left in the middle of the room so Beryd's friends and relatives could pay their respects. Remus stood by it most of the time, hardly noticing the whispers that traveled around the room. When people gave him a wide berth as he crossed the room and sat under a window, he didn't realize why. He simply thought they were giving him time to himself, time to be alone. He wanted the isolation, anyway.
An hour or more later, the funeral home began to empty. People left quietly, leaving flowers or food for the grieving family, sometimes touching the mother's arm or offering a word of comfort. Remus didn't notice how long he'd been sitting under the window until he looked up and saw that the home was nearly empty. His mother and father were talking to his auntie, and the neighbors were laying flowers near his brother's face. At first, Remus thought these were the only people left in the home. Then he saw, standing in a shadowy corner, a tall, thin man with gray hair that reached below his chin. He was staring at the coffin with a blank look on his face.
Remus stood and approached the man, suddenly lonely after so long without talking to anyone. He looked down at the little boy in surprise, but didn't move away as most of the other people at the funeral had.
"Hi, sir," Remus said in his usual bright tone. He felt that everyone had been sad for long enough, and it was time for a few smiles. He was disappointed when the man seemed to look even sadder.
"You're Remus, then?" he asked in a surprisingly deep voice. Remus nodded and tried to smile again, but the look of intense despair on the man's face drained all happiness from him. "I'm sorry," the man said quietly before turning away and leaving the home. Remus watched him leave, confused, and noticed that he didn't stop to say good-bye to Mr. and Mrs. Lupin, nor did he look into the coffin. He left his small handful of flowers by the door and didn't look back as he left the room, shoulders hunched over and hands deep in the pockets of his robes.
* * *
Remus gasped and jerked his head. It smacked painfully into the tree behind him. He stood up straighter, rubbing his head, and replayed the short conversation with the man over and over in his mind. Yes, he was remembering correctly...the thin frame, the silver hairs, the dark circles under those gray, gray eyes... Remus sank to the forest floor. That man had been a werewolf, the werewolf! He'd never realized it before...in fact, Remus had never called back the memory at all before. Most thoughts of his brother's death and its aftereffects had been pushed to the back of his mind for years and years. But recently, for some reason, they'd been coming back to him in his dreams, bothering him during his classes.
"It's those damned dementors," he told a bush by his foot. The bush nodded in the breeze, and Remus smiled at how stupid he was being. So what if he suddenly knew who the werewolf was? It wasn't as if he would recognize him if he saw him again, and what would he say or do to him anyway? The poor man probably hated himself enough already, for doing what he'd done. He had to live out the rest of his life knowing that he'd killed one boy and cursed another.
But I have to live with that damned curse, and with the fact that my brother is dead and gone. I have to live knowing that the whole world hates and fears me, even my own father to a certain extent. I have to live knowing that if my secret gets out, my life as I know it will be over.
Remus shook his head. The same went for the werewolf who'd cursed him. He'd probably been bitten by accident, as well, and he had to live with his stupidity just as Remus did. It was no one's fault, really. No human would try to become a werewolf. It was a curse that struck the innocent, the foolhardy. And everyone was stupid once in a while-some people more than others. It was part of being human.
Except now, because of my stupidity, I'm no longer human at all. Remus sighed and headed back for the school. Lunch was probably over by this time, but he may as well try to catch the end of it. He wondered how his friends were doing, and whether Dumbledore would still want to question him when he returned. His stomach sank: what if Dumbledore asked him who the wolf was? The Headmaster could tell better than anyone Remus knew when a student was lying. Although Remus had had plenty of practice lying over the years, he doubted he'd get past Dumbledore without letting something slip. As much as he liked the man, Dumbledore's eyes could be pretty intimidating at times.
As Remus had suspected, the Great Hall was empty when he entered it. Lunch was long gone, and he wondered how long he'd been in the forest-or the classroom with the dementors, for that matter. He shuddered to remember that feeling; he wasn't sure which was worse: being with a lot of dementors at once, or being with them for long periods of time. And in Azkaban, you have to live through both... Remus pushed the now-familiar screaming out of his mind and turned towards the Gryffindor common room. He wasn't very hungry anymore.
On the way up the staircase, he bumped into Dumbledore. His stomach sank even lower.
"Hello, Headmaster," he said slowly. "Do you-want to question me?" Dumbledore considered this a moment.
"Unless you have something to add, I believe I have the whole story from your friends," he replied. "Is there anything else I need to know?"
"No," Remus said quickly, smiling in relief. "No, I'm sure they got it all." They smiled their good-byes and parted ways.
The common room was empty when Remus wandered through the portrait hole, and he suddenly realized that he was supposed to be in class. He groaned, but didn't turn around. Instead, he sank into an armchair by the fire. Transfiguration didn't seem very appealing at the moment, and besides, McGonagall would probably send him to Madame Pomfrey as soon as he walked in.
Remus was just beginning to consider getting up and going to the kitchens for a snack when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned in his armchair. It was Liana.
Oh, shit, what do I do now? he thought desperately. Would she even want to talk to him after what he'd done? It wasn't all that bad, he reassured himself. I could always pass it off as a friendly sort of thing... He smiled uncertainly at the girl as she came down the stairs from the girls' dorms. She grinned back and came towards him. She doesn't seem to hate me, at any rate, he thought as she took a seat next to him.
"Hey," she said jovially. Something flickered in her eyes and her smile wavered, but it was back so quickly Remus wasn't sure he'd seen anything at all.
"Hi." He paused for a moment, trying to think of something to say. "I'm sorry...about what I did back there. I didn't mean it, really." Liana's smile faded.
"You...didn't?" she said, a dark look passing over her face. "Oh."
Remus was thoroughly confused now. So she hadn't been scared off by him?
"I mean, yes, it did, but I don't..." he trailed off, not knowing what to say or how to voice his feelings. He didn't want to make things any worse, but that was hard not to do as he wasn't sure what Liana felt-about him, about anything.
"You don't like me like that," she finished for him. He started to object, but she cut him off. "No, never mind, it's fine. I should've realized that it couldn't have..." She stopped herself and stood from her chair, walking away a few steps and staring out the window. Remus stared at her back, at her silky black hair.
"I don't think I've explained myself properly," he said softly, getting up and joining her near the window. They met eyes in their dim reflections. "I did mean something by...by whatever it was I did." He smiled hesitantly. "And I do like you." He took a deep breath. "A lot." Liana turned to face him.
"Do you really mean that?" she asked firmly. Remus nodded. She glared at him angrily and slapped him smartly across the face. "Then why didn't you say that in the first place, you numskull?" Remus just stared at her in shock. He looked so surprised that Liana couldn't help but laugh. She took his hands in hers. "I like you, too," she told him cheerfully.
"Could've fooled me..." Remus muttered, letting go of one of her hands to rub his sore cheek. Liana laughed again, a warm, pleasant sound, and Remus found himself smiling happily. He hugged her tightly, noticing vaguely that her hair smelled of strawberries.
The two talked in the common room, lying on the floor by the fire, for the rest of the period. When the bell rang, they stood reluctantly. Remus leaned against a chair, still holding Liana's left hand loosely in both of his. She looked troubled.
"What's up?" he asked. She hesitated.
"I was just thinking about Sirius," she said slowly. Remus grinned.
"Considering cheating on me already?" he joked. But Liana wasn't kidding.
"No, no, I just mean...he doesn't really like me, I don't think. Is that going to be weird for you?" Remus' smile grew.
"Doesn't like you?" he laughed. "You saved all our lives today. How can he not like you after that?" Far from looking relieved, Liana's face grew even more pale.
"But-you're not going to tell them, are you?" she asked breathlessly. Remus frowned.
"Well...I figured you knew that. They'll want to know, and you can trust them, I promise." Liana nodded.
"I know I can trust them, but it's them who I don't want to know about me. If they do, that means they'll know I was there the other night, and they'll probably realize I've been there every night-"
"You've been there every night?!" Remus asked incredulously. Liana shrank away, embarrassed.
"Don't be mad..."
"I'm not mad," Remus clarified quickly. "I'm just amazed we never caught you. I mean, with three pairs of hypersensitive noses and ears, we should've found you right away." Liana shrugged, looking a bit calmer. The room was slowly filling with students coming in after class, so she lowered her voice.
"I guess I just learned how to avoid you without getting totally separated," she said softly. "But really, won't James and Sirius be a bit annoyed that I've been stalking you all?" Remus gave the question some thought. James probably wouldn't care, and neither would Peter, but Sirius might be a bit irked.
"I'll just have to talk to them," he said with a shrug. "Sirius will have to get over it. He's mature enough now to let go of a grudge." Remus winced. "Maybe mature is too strong a word..." Liana laughed, considerably cheered. Remus' eyes suddenly widened.
"What?"
"So...you were a wolf when I bit you the other night?" he whispered. Liana stared at him for a moment.
"A bit slow, are we?" she said teasingly. Remus glared at her.
"I've just received a bunch of information in the past three days, not to mention the dementors and the-" He stopped before saying "memories." Liana didn't need to know about those, they would only upset her. He could handle his own inner turmoil, thank-you-very-much.
"The what?" Liana asked, but Remus just shook his head. Before she could inquire further, James, Sirius, Peter, and Lily came crawling through the portrait hole. James beamed to see Remus safe and in the common room, and Sirius looked uncharacteristically faint.
"Are you okay?" Remus asked with a frown, standing up to steady his friend. Sirius nodded and shoved him off impatiently.
"Of course, what do you mean?" he asked irritably. Remus smiled; this was more like his friend. The only emotions that Sirius never bothered to control were rage and happiness. Sappy things like relief, love, and kinship were taboo for him-although his friends knew how much of a romantic he could be at times.
Lily had taken Liana by the arm, and was talking quietly with her in a corner. A small smile played across her lips, and she came back hiding a grin. Remus ignored her; girls could be so annoying at times. James wrapped his arms around her as soon as she was within reach.
"Don't wander too far, dearie," he murmured. Lily snorted but settled her head on his shoulder anyway. Liana came wandering back over and stood uncertainly next to Remus. Looking at Sirius, who was trying to communicate via hand signals to a girl across the room, Remus suddenly realized how awkward it was going to be, telling his friends about Liana. It wasn't that they wouldn't approve, it was just that he didn't feel comfortable telling them his innermost feelings. It didn't feel very guy- like.
But he didn't have to worry about talking to James, at any rate-Lily did that for him. When the rest of the Marauders and most of the other Gryffindors had gone back to bed, James leaned on the back of Remus' armchair.
"I wondered when you were going to get up the courage to talk to Liana," he said casually. Remus looked at him in shock.
"How did you-? Oh, Lily," he answered his own question with a knowing nod. James nodded affirmatively and sat on the arm of the nearest chair.
"Yeah, it's great how girls talk to one another," he grinned. "But I couldn't get much out of her. She said it was between you and Liana." He cocked an eyebrow and waited for Remus to speak.
"Ooh, do you want all the juicy details?" he asked mockingly. James laughed. "Sorry, bud, but there's not much to tell," Remus said with a shrug. "I followed her out into the forest when Dumbledore and McGonagall took over in the classroom earlier-" Remus stopped at the look on James' face. Oh, shit, I hadn't meant to tell him just yet... Remus groaned inwardly.
"You followed-so she-" Realization dawned on James. "Liana is the wolf." Remus nodded. James slipped off the arm and settled sideways into the body of the chair, pondering this new information. "When did she become an Animagus?" he asked after a while.
"Same time you guys did," Remus replied carefully, looking around to make sure no one could hear them. "She says she even used the same books." James nodded.
"I wondered about that...I always felt like we were being watched, but I passed it off as nerves when I couldn't see anyone, night after night." He raised an eyebrow again. "She's pretty good at hiding."
"You have no idea. She's been following us on all of our midnight romps, every month! I can't believe we never noticed her, even with our animal senses." James nodded, not really surprised.
"Why else would she study at the same time we did? She must have found out what our reasons were, and decided to join us for whatever reasons of her own." He paused. "But it is pretty amazing that we never noticed her. I guess this goes to show how careless we've become." Remus shuddered, remembering the incident only a few nights earlier. James was thinking the same thing. "So...that really was her the other night, who helped out when you-" He stopped. Remus knew what he meant.
"Yeah, that was her," he said quietly. "And that's how she got hurt, and why she didn't get infected from my bite. She was in animal form, and the infection only works on humans." James nodded, the pieces falling into place for him. That explained a lot of things, even her little run across the school grounds the day before. She'd been escaping the hospital wing and had decided, no doubt, that the forest was the safest place for her.
"This is too weird," he muttered. Remus laughed softly. It was rather disconcerting to think about, but he felt a bit flattered at the same time. She'd risked expulsion, arresting, and even her life for...him? Surely there had been another reason.
"Why do you think she did all this?" he asked, more to himself than to James.
"I dunno, but I'm sure glad she did." Remus looked at him in surprise.
"How come?"
"Well, think about it. If she hadn't been there the other night, that third-year would have either died or been infected. And in the classroom today-just think what would have happened if she'd come waltzing in as a human. Even if she had managed to subdue Peregrine and Jorkins, Peregrine would probably have been able to get past her and out the window. Humans have much slower reflexes than wolves, which he doubtless knows, and he could have flown right past her before any of us knew what had happened." Remus stared at his friend in surprise. James was right, of course. So many things could have gone differently if not for Liana-mostly for the worse. He'd have to remember to thank her in the morning. Thank her a lot.
The two boys sat by the fire in silence for a while after that, pondering the events of the afternoon, letting their discoveries and epiphanies sink in. So much had happened in the past three days, Remus' head was just filled to bursting with it. He wished suddenly that he had a Pensieve. He'd seen one in Dumbledore's office once, and he seriously considered sneaking up there and jacking it. But suddenly it was midnight, and they realized how soon they'd have to be getting up. The long, eventful day had taken its toll on everyone, and both boys felt like sleep would be a great relief at the moment. It wasn't until they'd both crawled into bed, dreading the school day just a few hours away, that they realized the next day was Saturday.
"Yes," whispered James as he dropped off. "I don't think I've ever been happier that it's Friday." Remus smiled into the dark, but didn't bother responding. His friend's light snores had already started.
Tired as he was, Remus couldn't get to sleep for hours after going to bed. His mind was spinning with thoughts. Thoughts of Liana, of her secret, of his own, of the terrible happenings earlier that day. And memories, on top of it all. The realization that he'd encountered the werewolf at his brother's funeral...it was a strange feeling. He'd met him, actually talked to him. And the man had apologized, and he hadn't done anything about it. Hadn't even realized what it meant.
Remus tossed and turned most of the night, unable to let his mind go blank. He was strongly reminded of the fretful night spent in the hospital wing after encountering the dementors. Had it really only been last night? Time was playing tricks on him, for sure. The past three days had been longer than he cared to admit. There was just way too much going on...
Finally, an hour before dawn, Remus fell asleep, exhausted by his very thoughts.
Glad you liked the fight, I wasn't too sure about how well it was written. The visions will come into play eventually. As for unused classrooms...you're probably right. I wrote and re-wrote Chapter 9 about six times, each with a whole different plot (some of which involved unused classrooms, some of which involved things mentioned in this chapter), so I got VERY confused after a while. I really don't know what I've written about and what I haven't-I'm going to have to reread the whole story to make sure I don't screw something up. As for the reviews stuff, it probably is legal to do that, and I may eventually. Probably, though, I'll wait until I'm totally done-otherwise I'll never finish at all. This summer (yay, just two and a half weeks!) I'll have a LOT more time, so I'll be able to go back and re-do some stuff then. For now, I shouldn't even be writing as much as I am. Don't worry a bit about being the only reviewer-I like having someone so dedicated to my story. It's great that you're willing to tell me so much that I really need to hear. Most reviewers won't give any constructive criticism, just cuz they're too lazy. So, three cheers for you! As for the reviews being one-sided, I think I'll survive. I realize that I'm not going to be able to incorporate all you say, and that's fine with me, so I hope it's cool with you. Sometimes even the best editors' ideas, thoughts, and criticisms just can't be taken note of. C'est la vie!
Glad you enjoyed my chapter...hope this one's just as good (although I must admit it's a tad boring at parts-at many parts). It's a lot of talk, kind of sums stuff up-as much for the readers as for myself. I want to make sure everyone gets what's going on, so it doesn't get confusing later. But there's some plot development, too, so it's not all going to hell in a handbasket yet!
Okay, enough blabber...on with the talk! I mean...on with the chapter!
Chapter Ten
Liana held her breath and watched Remus' face after she Changed, but he didn't look very surprised. If anything, he looked a little hurt.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked softly, holding her gaze. She saw how upset he was, and felt a twinge of guilt-and of surprise. Why did he care so much?
"Hey, you never told me you were a werewolf," she retorted, feeling bad as soon as she said it. His was a terrible secret, one that generally drove people away. He had the right to keep it to himself... At her words, Remus took a step backwards, his eyes wide and his face a bit pale.
"H-how did you know?" Liana snorted without really meaning to. She was surprised at how rude she was being; usually she was so quiet, but now she couldn't seem to stop herself from being mean.
"Come on, Remus. You tore me up like three nights ago. You think I'm going to forget that? Besides, I figured it out long ago-before James and Sirius, even." Remus looked a bit calmer after remembering his attack on her so recently. But he still couldn't believe that someone else knew about him, and he hadn't even told her...how many other students had figured it out? Was that the reason the first years always avoided him, or was it really because he and his friends pulled so many pranks (as James had been quick to assure him)? He ran a hand through his hair and looked away into the shadows of the forest.
"How many other people know?" he asked hesitantly, not meeting her eyes.
"No one else that I know of," she said with a shrug. "Just James and Sirius and Peter, and Lily I presume. And me." Remus shuddered at a sudden thought.
"You're not-going to tell anyone, are you?" he said slowly, this time staring at her and trying to read her expression. She snorted again.
"I've kept the secret for four years or more. You think I'm going to tell now, especially since you've discovered my secret?" In his surprise, Remus had almost forgotten that Liana was an Animagus. Now the information hit him like a branch of the Whomping Willow.
"So...how did you do it? Become an Animagus, I mean."
"I know what you mean!" she snapped, again surprised at herself. Trying to soften her tone, she continued: "I basically used the books James and Sirius and Peter left behind. They were pretty careless with hiding places, and I was usually able to follow along with them, though they had no idea." She smiled wryly. "I never got it as well as they did, but, whatever. I was working alone." She tried to keep her tone casual, but she swore she could still feel a phantom of the pain from her Change, even this long after it. In fact, her last few Changes had been worse than usual, and she was feeling very nervous.
Remus must have read her expression or her voice, because he suddenly looked very anxious.
"What do you mean, you didn't get it as well? There's a lot that can go wrong with the Changes-James and Sirius are just lucky nothing happened to them. They didn't tell me what they were doing, or I never would have let them. I certainly don't want you doing something like this...not alone." Liana glared at him.
"Why not me?" she snapped, raising her voice a bit. "Because I'm a girl, or because I'm little and delicate?" she spat out the word like it was poison. "Well I'm NOT! I'm just as smart as James and Sirius, and I know what I'm doing just as well as they do! Just because I'm not perfect at being an Animagus, doesn't mean I'm stupid or whatever!"
"I never said-" Remus began a bit angrily, but stopped himself before he could say something rash. He took a deep breath. "I just meant that I don't want you to get hurt. I-" He swallowed nervously. "I care about you, Liana, and I don't want you getting hurt because of me."
Liana was quiet for a moment or two, letting his words sink in. No one had ever told her that before, not even her parents. They were usually too busy with their work to show her that they cared... Tears stung at Liana's eyes, and she threw her arms around Remus' neck in a great hug, blinking them away behind his back so he wouldn't see.
"I'm sorry," she said shakily. "I should have told you, I was wrong to keep it from you... You're my best friend in the world, Remus, and I didn't mean anything by keeping this a secret..." He put his arms lightly around her and began to gently stroke her long hair.
"It's nothing, don't worry about it," he murmured, and she was suddenly aware of how close his mouth was to her ear. She looked up, no longer angry that she had to do so in order to meet his eyes, and saw that he was looking down at her, a strange look in his eyes. One hand was still curled in her hair, and he brought the other one up to touch her face. Without thinking, Liana leaned into his cupped hand. It was warm and pleasantly calloused, and soft somehow. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feel of his fingers behind her jaw...
Then his hand was gone. She opened her eyes at the sudden absence and saw him looking away into the forest again. He leaned one shoulder against the nearest tree and stared at his feet. When nothing happened for a few minutes, Liana suppressed a sigh and Changed to wolf form. She slipped past him, deliberately rubbing against his legs as she went by. She didn't look back, but she was pretty sure he was staring at her.
* * *
James and Lily sat quite still in Dumbledore's office, holding hands and not speaking. It had finally sunk in how close Lily had come to a fate worse than death, and they were simply enjoying being near each other.
Peter sat in a chair nearby, staring at his toes and wriggling once in a while. He looked very nervous, and James knew he didn't like talking to teachers and authorities. He'd have to tell his part of the story, and he would not enjoy that at all. Confrontation was not one of Peter's strong suits.
Sirius, on the other hand, was pacing around the office, staring blankly at familiar items. He'd been in to see Dumbledore multiple times for various reasons, but none so serious as this one. Even Fawkes, in her gorgeous adulthood, couldn't hold Sirius' attention for very long. He was fairly good friends with the bird, and she was rather hurt that he seemed to be ignoring her at the moment. The fourth time he walked past her without stopping, she flew across the room and alighted on the windowsill, tossing him the occasional angry glance. He still took no notice. He couldn't get his mind off Remus.
Suppose the wolf wasn't on their side at all, but all on her own, or with a third party? Suppose she dragged Remus with her down the hall, instead of him following her as Sirius had originally thought? Or, suppose he followed her, only to find that she was against him, but it was too late, and he was injured or dead somewhere in the school, hidden in a suit of armor or in an empty classroom? Hundreds of possibilities buzzed around in Sirius' head, until he felt he was about to explode.
"Stop it!" he yelled, clapping his hands to his temples. James, Lily, and Peter looked up at him in surprise, and he felt the color rise in his cheeks. He still had his hands on his head when Dumbledore returned. He lowered them quickly.
"The professor is in a well-enclosed place now," the Headmaster said cheerfully as he sat down behind his desk. "Mr. Lupin, and possibly your other friend, will show up in due time. For now, I must hear all that happened. Perhaps we can answer some of each other's questions." So, James talking the most, they recounted the events of the afternoon. Peter and Lily chipped in once or twice, but Sirius remained silent, knowing he didn't have anything to add that Dumbledore wanted to hear. When they were finished, the Headmaster leaned back in his chair and tapped his chin with a long, thin finger.
"Who was the man in blue robes?" James asked hesitantly after a moment. Dumbledore glanced at him, then up at the ceiling. The others in the room followed his gaze, but there was nothing there that they could see.
"I will have to have him identified, but I believe he was Calvin Jorkins." This name meant nothing to the Marauders, but they all stored it away for future reference. "He worked for the Ministry, and was supposedly against Voldemort, but now..."
"Wait," Sirius said suddenly. "How do you know this had to do with Voldemort?" James and Dumbledore gave him a look. "I'm sorry, but I don't have connections with Aurors," he grumbled. Lily and Peter nodded; they were wondering the same thing.
"Voldemort is slowly rising to power in the Ministry, and in the rest of the wizarding world. He's already got tons of followers, some of whom, like Jorkins probably was, are spying for him. Voldemort's followers are the only ones who'll use any of the three Unforgivable Curses: the Imperius curse, the Cruciatus curse, and..." James' voice caught in his throat.
"Avada kedavra," Dumbledore finished for him quietly. "The one you saw used today."
"Oh," Sirius said lamely. He still didn't see how the use of the curse was proof of Voldemort's involvement; just because Voldemort's enemies wouldn't use the curse, didn't mean other people wouldn't. Did everyone think there were only two sides in the world, good and evil? Surely there was a third, or even fourth, side, with its own thoughts and beliefs? And why shouldn't those followers use the curse, if they believed it would help them? But he didn't voice his thoughts; he doubted they would help ease Dumbledore's worries any, and the Headmaster had plenty of these.
"If there are no more questions, I believe I have found out all I need to know," Dumbledore said after a moment's silence.
"What's going to happen to Peregrine?" Peter asked, a strange tone in his voice. The Headmaster looked at him sharply.
"That will be for a committee to decide, but I'm sure his story will be in the Daily Prophet soon enough," he answered carefully, standing to signify that the conversation was over. The four teenagers left, and James considered turning back and asking about who'd been under the blankets. But Dumbledore was studying a pile of papers on his desk, and looked like he didn't want to be disturbed again.
* * *
Remus watched Liana swish away through the trees, dodging thorny brush and spiky grasses agilely. He couldn't quite believe what he'd almost done, or even what he had done. She was his friend, she'd said so herself. Very good friends, nothing more. But now he'd gone and done something stupid like this... He'd probably scared her off, ruined everything. Now they would be uncomfortable around each other, with Liana knowing how he felt about her...
And what did he feel about her, exactly? Certainly he considered them good friends, but what had driven him to take it farther? He'd never so much as considered her as anything but a friend, but now that he thought about it, the idea appealed to him. He remembered vividly how soft her skin was, how silky her hair. And her bright blue eyes staring into his own gray ones...
He frowned. He used to have green-blue eyes, 'enchanting,' as his mother called them. But since the morning after the werewolf attack, his mother had told him once, they were a strange gray, with only twinges of the original color. She called them intriguing, but he thought they looked dead.
* * *
Beryd's eyelids were a dull gray as he lay motionless in the child-sized coffin. He'd been made to look nice earlier, through some form of magic, but Remus could see through the illusion. He knew his brother was dead, and that there wasn't any magic in the world that could bring him back.
All through the funeral, Remus cursed the wolf that had done this to his brother, not even realizing what it meant for himself. He was only four years old, and had no concept of what it would be like to turn into a wolf three times a month. He couldn't possibly imagine the pain, the loneliness that accompanied the curse.
At the end of the sermon, the coffin was left in the middle of the room so Beryd's friends and relatives could pay their respects. Remus stood by it most of the time, hardly noticing the whispers that traveled around the room. When people gave him a wide berth as he crossed the room and sat under a window, he didn't realize why. He simply thought they were giving him time to himself, time to be alone. He wanted the isolation, anyway.
An hour or more later, the funeral home began to empty. People left quietly, leaving flowers or food for the grieving family, sometimes touching the mother's arm or offering a word of comfort. Remus didn't notice how long he'd been sitting under the window until he looked up and saw that the home was nearly empty. His mother and father were talking to his auntie, and the neighbors were laying flowers near his brother's face. At first, Remus thought these were the only people left in the home. Then he saw, standing in a shadowy corner, a tall, thin man with gray hair that reached below his chin. He was staring at the coffin with a blank look on his face.
Remus stood and approached the man, suddenly lonely after so long without talking to anyone. He looked down at the little boy in surprise, but didn't move away as most of the other people at the funeral had.
"Hi, sir," Remus said in his usual bright tone. He felt that everyone had been sad for long enough, and it was time for a few smiles. He was disappointed when the man seemed to look even sadder.
"You're Remus, then?" he asked in a surprisingly deep voice. Remus nodded and tried to smile again, but the look of intense despair on the man's face drained all happiness from him. "I'm sorry," the man said quietly before turning away and leaving the home. Remus watched him leave, confused, and noticed that he didn't stop to say good-bye to Mr. and Mrs. Lupin, nor did he look into the coffin. He left his small handful of flowers by the door and didn't look back as he left the room, shoulders hunched over and hands deep in the pockets of his robes.
* * *
Remus gasped and jerked his head. It smacked painfully into the tree behind him. He stood up straighter, rubbing his head, and replayed the short conversation with the man over and over in his mind. Yes, he was remembering correctly...the thin frame, the silver hairs, the dark circles under those gray, gray eyes... Remus sank to the forest floor. That man had been a werewolf, the werewolf! He'd never realized it before...in fact, Remus had never called back the memory at all before. Most thoughts of his brother's death and its aftereffects had been pushed to the back of his mind for years and years. But recently, for some reason, they'd been coming back to him in his dreams, bothering him during his classes.
"It's those damned dementors," he told a bush by his foot. The bush nodded in the breeze, and Remus smiled at how stupid he was being. So what if he suddenly knew who the werewolf was? It wasn't as if he would recognize him if he saw him again, and what would he say or do to him anyway? The poor man probably hated himself enough already, for doing what he'd done. He had to live out the rest of his life knowing that he'd killed one boy and cursed another.
But I have to live with that damned curse, and with the fact that my brother is dead and gone. I have to live knowing that the whole world hates and fears me, even my own father to a certain extent. I have to live knowing that if my secret gets out, my life as I know it will be over.
Remus shook his head. The same went for the werewolf who'd cursed him. He'd probably been bitten by accident, as well, and he had to live with his stupidity just as Remus did. It was no one's fault, really. No human would try to become a werewolf. It was a curse that struck the innocent, the foolhardy. And everyone was stupid once in a while-some people more than others. It was part of being human.
Except now, because of my stupidity, I'm no longer human at all. Remus sighed and headed back for the school. Lunch was probably over by this time, but he may as well try to catch the end of it. He wondered how his friends were doing, and whether Dumbledore would still want to question him when he returned. His stomach sank: what if Dumbledore asked him who the wolf was? The Headmaster could tell better than anyone Remus knew when a student was lying. Although Remus had had plenty of practice lying over the years, he doubted he'd get past Dumbledore without letting something slip. As much as he liked the man, Dumbledore's eyes could be pretty intimidating at times.
As Remus had suspected, the Great Hall was empty when he entered it. Lunch was long gone, and he wondered how long he'd been in the forest-or the classroom with the dementors, for that matter. He shuddered to remember that feeling; he wasn't sure which was worse: being with a lot of dementors at once, or being with them for long periods of time. And in Azkaban, you have to live through both... Remus pushed the now-familiar screaming out of his mind and turned towards the Gryffindor common room. He wasn't very hungry anymore.
On the way up the staircase, he bumped into Dumbledore. His stomach sank even lower.
"Hello, Headmaster," he said slowly. "Do you-want to question me?" Dumbledore considered this a moment.
"Unless you have something to add, I believe I have the whole story from your friends," he replied. "Is there anything else I need to know?"
"No," Remus said quickly, smiling in relief. "No, I'm sure they got it all." They smiled their good-byes and parted ways.
The common room was empty when Remus wandered through the portrait hole, and he suddenly realized that he was supposed to be in class. He groaned, but didn't turn around. Instead, he sank into an armchair by the fire. Transfiguration didn't seem very appealing at the moment, and besides, McGonagall would probably send him to Madame Pomfrey as soon as he walked in.
Remus was just beginning to consider getting up and going to the kitchens for a snack when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned in his armchair. It was Liana.
Oh, shit, what do I do now? he thought desperately. Would she even want to talk to him after what he'd done? It wasn't all that bad, he reassured himself. I could always pass it off as a friendly sort of thing... He smiled uncertainly at the girl as she came down the stairs from the girls' dorms. She grinned back and came towards him. She doesn't seem to hate me, at any rate, he thought as she took a seat next to him.
"Hey," she said jovially. Something flickered in her eyes and her smile wavered, but it was back so quickly Remus wasn't sure he'd seen anything at all.
"Hi." He paused for a moment, trying to think of something to say. "I'm sorry...about what I did back there. I didn't mean it, really." Liana's smile faded.
"You...didn't?" she said, a dark look passing over her face. "Oh."
Remus was thoroughly confused now. So she hadn't been scared off by him?
"I mean, yes, it did, but I don't..." he trailed off, not knowing what to say or how to voice his feelings. He didn't want to make things any worse, but that was hard not to do as he wasn't sure what Liana felt-about him, about anything.
"You don't like me like that," she finished for him. He started to object, but she cut him off. "No, never mind, it's fine. I should've realized that it couldn't have..." She stopped herself and stood from her chair, walking away a few steps and staring out the window. Remus stared at her back, at her silky black hair.
"I don't think I've explained myself properly," he said softly, getting up and joining her near the window. They met eyes in their dim reflections. "I did mean something by...by whatever it was I did." He smiled hesitantly. "And I do like you." He took a deep breath. "A lot." Liana turned to face him.
"Do you really mean that?" she asked firmly. Remus nodded. She glared at him angrily and slapped him smartly across the face. "Then why didn't you say that in the first place, you numskull?" Remus just stared at her in shock. He looked so surprised that Liana couldn't help but laugh. She took his hands in hers. "I like you, too," she told him cheerfully.
"Could've fooled me..." Remus muttered, letting go of one of her hands to rub his sore cheek. Liana laughed again, a warm, pleasant sound, and Remus found himself smiling happily. He hugged her tightly, noticing vaguely that her hair smelled of strawberries.
The two talked in the common room, lying on the floor by the fire, for the rest of the period. When the bell rang, they stood reluctantly. Remus leaned against a chair, still holding Liana's left hand loosely in both of his. She looked troubled.
"What's up?" he asked. She hesitated.
"I was just thinking about Sirius," she said slowly. Remus grinned.
"Considering cheating on me already?" he joked. But Liana wasn't kidding.
"No, no, I just mean...he doesn't really like me, I don't think. Is that going to be weird for you?" Remus' smile grew.
"Doesn't like you?" he laughed. "You saved all our lives today. How can he not like you after that?" Far from looking relieved, Liana's face grew even more pale.
"But-you're not going to tell them, are you?" she asked breathlessly. Remus frowned.
"Well...I figured you knew that. They'll want to know, and you can trust them, I promise." Liana nodded.
"I know I can trust them, but it's them who I don't want to know about me. If they do, that means they'll know I was there the other night, and they'll probably realize I've been there every night-"
"You've been there every night?!" Remus asked incredulously. Liana shrank away, embarrassed.
"Don't be mad..."
"I'm not mad," Remus clarified quickly. "I'm just amazed we never caught you. I mean, with three pairs of hypersensitive noses and ears, we should've found you right away." Liana shrugged, looking a bit calmer. The room was slowly filling with students coming in after class, so she lowered her voice.
"I guess I just learned how to avoid you without getting totally separated," she said softly. "But really, won't James and Sirius be a bit annoyed that I've been stalking you all?" Remus gave the question some thought. James probably wouldn't care, and neither would Peter, but Sirius might be a bit irked.
"I'll just have to talk to them," he said with a shrug. "Sirius will have to get over it. He's mature enough now to let go of a grudge." Remus winced. "Maybe mature is too strong a word..." Liana laughed, considerably cheered. Remus' eyes suddenly widened.
"What?"
"So...you were a wolf when I bit you the other night?" he whispered. Liana stared at him for a moment.
"A bit slow, are we?" she said teasingly. Remus glared at her.
"I've just received a bunch of information in the past three days, not to mention the dementors and the-" He stopped before saying "memories." Liana didn't need to know about those, they would only upset her. He could handle his own inner turmoil, thank-you-very-much.
"The what?" Liana asked, but Remus just shook his head. Before she could inquire further, James, Sirius, Peter, and Lily came crawling through the portrait hole. James beamed to see Remus safe and in the common room, and Sirius looked uncharacteristically faint.
"Are you okay?" Remus asked with a frown, standing up to steady his friend. Sirius nodded and shoved him off impatiently.
"Of course, what do you mean?" he asked irritably. Remus smiled; this was more like his friend. The only emotions that Sirius never bothered to control were rage and happiness. Sappy things like relief, love, and kinship were taboo for him-although his friends knew how much of a romantic he could be at times.
Lily had taken Liana by the arm, and was talking quietly with her in a corner. A small smile played across her lips, and she came back hiding a grin. Remus ignored her; girls could be so annoying at times. James wrapped his arms around her as soon as she was within reach.
"Don't wander too far, dearie," he murmured. Lily snorted but settled her head on his shoulder anyway. Liana came wandering back over and stood uncertainly next to Remus. Looking at Sirius, who was trying to communicate via hand signals to a girl across the room, Remus suddenly realized how awkward it was going to be, telling his friends about Liana. It wasn't that they wouldn't approve, it was just that he didn't feel comfortable telling them his innermost feelings. It didn't feel very guy- like.
But he didn't have to worry about talking to James, at any rate-Lily did that for him. When the rest of the Marauders and most of the other Gryffindors had gone back to bed, James leaned on the back of Remus' armchair.
"I wondered when you were going to get up the courage to talk to Liana," he said casually. Remus looked at him in shock.
"How did you-? Oh, Lily," he answered his own question with a knowing nod. James nodded affirmatively and sat on the arm of the nearest chair.
"Yeah, it's great how girls talk to one another," he grinned. "But I couldn't get much out of her. She said it was between you and Liana." He cocked an eyebrow and waited for Remus to speak.
"Ooh, do you want all the juicy details?" he asked mockingly. James laughed. "Sorry, bud, but there's not much to tell," Remus said with a shrug. "I followed her out into the forest when Dumbledore and McGonagall took over in the classroom earlier-" Remus stopped at the look on James' face. Oh, shit, I hadn't meant to tell him just yet... Remus groaned inwardly.
"You followed-so she-" Realization dawned on James. "Liana is the wolf." Remus nodded. James slipped off the arm and settled sideways into the body of the chair, pondering this new information. "When did she become an Animagus?" he asked after a while.
"Same time you guys did," Remus replied carefully, looking around to make sure no one could hear them. "She says she even used the same books." James nodded.
"I wondered about that...I always felt like we were being watched, but I passed it off as nerves when I couldn't see anyone, night after night." He raised an eyebrow again. "She's pretty good at hiding."
"You have no idea. She's been following us on all of our midnight romps, every month! I can't believe we never noticed her, even with our animal senses." James nodded, not really surprised.
"Why else would she study at the same time we did? She must have found out what our reasons were, and decided to join us for whatever reasons of her own." He paused. "But it is pretty amazing that we never noticed her. I guess this goes to show how careless we've become." Remus shuddered, remembering the incident only a few nights earlier. James was thinking the same thing. "So...that really was her the other night, who helped out when you-" He stopped. Remus knew what he meant.
"Yeah, that was her," he said quietly. "And that's how she got hurt, and why she didn't get infected from my bite. She was in animal form, and the infection only works on humans." James nodded, the pieces falling into place for him. That explained a lot of things, even her little run across the school grounds the day before. She'd been escaping the hospital wing and had decided, no doubt, that the forest was the safest place for her.
"This is too weird," he muttered. Remus laughed softly. It was rather disconcerting to think about, but he felt a bit flattered at the same time. She'd risked expulsion, arresting, and even her life for...him? Surely there had been another reason.
"Why do you think she did all this?" he asked, more to himself than to James.
"I dunno, but I'm sure glad she did." Remus looked at him in surprise.
"How come?"
"Well, think about it. If she hadn't been there the other night, that third-year would have either died or been infected. And in the classroom today-just think what would have happened if she'd come waltzing in as a human. Even if she had managed to subdue Peregrine and Jorkins, Peregrine would probably have been able to get past her and out the window. Humans have much slower reflexes than wolves, which he doubtless knows, and he could have flown right past her before any of us knew what had happened." Remus stared at his friend in surprise. James was right, of course. So many things could have gone differently if not for Liana-mostly for the worse. He'd have to remember to thank her in the morning. Thank her a lot.
The two boys sat by the fire in silence for a while after that, pondering the events of the afternoon, letting their discoveries and epiphanies sink in. So much had happened in the past three days, Remus' head was just filled to bursting with it. He wished suddenly that he had a Pensieve. He'd seen one in Dumbledore's office once, and he seriously considered sneaking up there and jacking it. But suddenly it was midnight, and they realized how soon they'd have to be getting up. The long, eventful day had taken its toll on everyone, and both boys felt like sleep would be a great relief at the moment. It wasn't until they'd both crawled into bed, dreading the school day just a few hours away, that they realized the next day was Saturday.
"Yes," whispered James as he dropped off. "I don't think I've ever been happier that it's Friday." Remus smiled into the dark, but didn't bother responding. His friend's light snores had already started.
Tired as he was, Remus couldn't get to sleep for hours after going to bed. His mind was spinning with thoughts. Thoughts of Liana, of her secret, of his own, of the terrible happenings earlier that day. And memories, on top of it all. The realization that he'd encountered the werewolf at his brother's funeral...it was a strange feeling. He'd met him, actually talked to him. And the man had apologized, and he hadn't done anything about it. Hadn't even realized what it meant.
Remus tossed and turned most of the night, unable to let his mind go blank. He was strongly reminded of the fretful night spent in the hospital wing after encountering the dementors. Had it really only been last night? Time was playing tricks on him, for sure. The past three days had been longer than he cared to admit. There was just way too much going on...
Finally, an hour before dawn, Remus fell asleep, exhausted by his very thoughts.