First off, as usual, responses!
Ophel McNeil - I'm sick too! =P Naw... he won't be abused. Snape/Lestrange/Avery wouldn't allow that... read and see!
happy kid - Of course I will come up w/ the next chappie! It's right here!!
Rena Lupin - You're welcome! And thanks again!
sleep-walking-idiot - Thanks! I will!
fusion - :D Lol, course I will!!!
just me (moon-child) - Lol... I'll be writing lots. Thanks for the encouragement! *bows* Thanks!
SirenM - *grins maniacally* Hey.. I luv torturing Rem.. so I can't be sure! *evil cackle* I'll be updating frequently!
Story time!!
//...\\ = thoughts
.:|Chapter Four|:.
"That was tough," muttered James as he rubbed his aching arm, trudging up the stairs towards the Gryffindor Tower.
"Mm," murmured Sirius in reply. He, James and Peter had met on their way back to the Gryffindor Tower returning from their respective detentions. All had taken a tough toll on them, and they were all extremely tired. Fortunately for them, this detention had only lasted to two in the morning, mcuh to their surprise.
//Well, at least Remus will be up there,\\ thought Sirius happily. The thought of Remus was one of those that had sustained him during the tiring detention.
At last, they reached the portrait hole. Sirius said the password, and the portrait swung open. The three of them stumbled in, then climbed slowly up the stairs towards their dorm.
"REMUS!" Sirius bellowed at the top of his lungs when they were inside their dormitory and the door had closed behind them.
"Sirius!" Peter snapped. "He'll be very tired after the full moon. Remus?" he added in a very soft voice compared to Sirius.
No response.
Sirius dashed over to his bed, flung his curtains open, pounced on the bed, about to shout, but stopped.
He turned back to James with an expression of utmost confusion on his face.
"What's the matter?" asked James, slightly alarmed.
"He's not here."
*****
Malfoy and Snape dragged the limp form of a figure down the stairs to their own dormitory. Malfoy gave the password knock, and the door opened to reveal four eager Slytherins.
"What did you do?" asked Avery eagerly.
The left corner of Snape's mouth curled upwards. "We didn't *do* anything."
Four puzzled expressions stared back at him and Malfoy.
The latter gave a cruel smile, the stood back to let the other four see what was slumped on the floor behind him and Snape.
Four pairs of eyes opened wide in surprise.
"Remus Lupin," hissed Lestrange, his eyes full of lust and licking his lips.
"Come, Lucius, let's put him inside."
*****
James and Peter stared back at him.
"Not there?" repeated Peter. "Are you sure? He must be."
"Maybe he's in the bathroom," suggested James uncertainly. Sirius dashed off towards the bathroom, and knocked the bathroom door open. "No," said Sirius, starting to panic. "No, he's not in there either."
The three remaining Marauders stared at each other, their minds whirring furiously.
//Damnit! And all that's left is to put the names of the people into the map, then it'll work! But only Remus knows the spell!\\
After several long, tense minutes, James said, "Come on, let's sleep. Maybe he'll be back in the morning."
Grudgingly, the other three agreed.
*****
Sirius blinked his eyes opened as the first ray of sunlight streamed into their Gryffindor dormitory. His eyes were still half closed from sleep as he struggled from the tangling bedspread and onto the dormitory floor. James and Peter were still asleep, and Remus was -
Then what happened last night struck Sirius. Remus was missing. He heaved a deep sigh, then went over to James. "Oi, Jamie, bugger up. We gotta go find Remus." James stifled a yawn. "He's not here?" he asked, still groggy. Sirius shook his head. "All right then," said James, getting up and rubbing his eyes. "Go wake Peter and we'll get down to the Great Hall." He yawned again, then shuffled towards the bathroom door.
Sirius changed his clothes next to his own bed silently, his brows furrowing with ever increasing worry. Where was Remus? Why hadn't he come back? Was he in danger? Or was he simply too exhausted to come back up to the Gryffindor dormitory and remained in the Shrieking Shack instead? //Idiot,\\ he thought absentmindedly. //Never go cause trouble on the days of the full moon EVER again.\\
As the three entered the Great Hall later in the morning, the very first thing they did was to let their eyes roam desperately over the milling crowds in the Great Hall, searching for their missing partner. "I can't see him anywhere," said Peter plainly, turning to James. "You?" "No," said James sadly. "Siri?"
Sirius was quiet. Where WAS Remus? "No," he said finally after a rather long pause. "I can't see him." Peter sighed. "Let's eat. We can continue to look for him after our breakfast."
All the time the three of them ate (shoving, not eating), they kept their eyes peeled wide open for any signs of Remus. But even as they finished their last scraps, they could still see no sign of him.
They stood up as they finished. "Let's check the dorm again. He might be there," said James. Without waiting for a response, he took off in the Gryffindor Tower direction, Sirius and Peter on his heels.
"Nearly there," panted Sirius as they dashed round a corner, "Qui - OOMPH."
He collided with a large shape. "Watch where you're - " he started to yell, but the words died as he saw who it was. Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy were standing there, smirking. James and Peter skidded to a halt, and the three of them glared at the Slytherins.
"Displeased to see me?" said Malfoy icily. "You bet," Sirius snarled. "Where's the other three, still hiding in the dungeons because of their *hair*?" James and Peter snickered.
"I won't be so rude if I were you," the other replied smoothly. "That's one warning point for you. And when I know exactly what you looking for... or rather, should I stay who?"
Sirius stiffened. "What do you mean?" asked James in a dangerous tone.
"Well..." Malfoy paused for a moment. "Follow me," he said in a silky voice, then started off in the direction they had come from.
Both James and Peter looked at Sirius.
Sirius gulped.
And nodded.
Ah ha! CLIFFIE!!! Love them, don't you? REVIEWS! I'll be updatin' soon!!
