I have to tell you all about the owl.

I see exotic pets as well as dogs and cats, and I also do a fair amount of wildlife rehab. My favorites are the raptors that come in, and recently one of the game wardens brought me a barred owl.

The poor guy had flown in front of a car, suffered a minor head injury, and had been laying on the side of the road for a while. We rehydrated him and gave him cortisone for the head trauma, and he started eating the next day.

The interesting thing is that birds are difficult to age, but there was no question that this particular bird was OLD. Very old.

Now, my surgical technician has a surly disposition that can rival that of Severus on a bad day, but she has two redeeming traits. One, she is amazing at what she does, and two, she loves Harry Potter.

After hearing that the owl was ancient and had strayed off course into the path of an oncoming car, she promptly went and labeled his cage so that when I came in to check on him in the morning, he had been dubbed 'Errol'.

You'll be glad to know that Errol made a full recovery, and was released a couple of days later. Hopefully we won't be seeing him again anytime soon.







Revenge ~*~



Remus watched the last students of the day leave the classroom Monday afternoon and gathered up a few books to place back on the bookshelf. He heard the door to the classroom click shut behind him and he turned.

Marlina stood there with her back against the door, but her expression was unreadable.

"Hello, Marlina." He said quietly.

She said nothing but continued to look at him steadily.

"I know that you know." He said softly, not meeting her eyes.

"Do you now?" She asked in an icy voice.

"Yes. I know about the letter from the registry." He replied.

'Snape.' She thought suddenly. 'Odd that Snape would say something to Lupin.' She walked slowly closer to him as he watched her apprehensively, and she stared him down. Finally she spoke. "I trusted you." She hissed quietly.

"Marlina....." Remus began.

She cut him off. "I trusted you from the moment I met you. I trusted you with my friendship. I trusted you with my SON!" She yelled the last word and Remus jumped a little.

"Marlina, I tried to tell you." Remus said.

"Huh!" She snorted at him.

"Honestly, Marlie. I really.."

"Don't you ever call me that again, Lupin." She snarled. "As a matter of fact, I don't want you to even speak to me unless it's absolutely unavoidable."

"Marlina, please. Listen to me for a minute. I know I should have told you right away. I'm sorry. I truly, truly am. But I wanted you to see me for who I am the other twenty-seven days. If you knew when we met you never..."

She didn't let him finish. "You deceived me! Me and Noah. How am I going to tell Noah?" She was getting visibly upset now. "How do I tell him that you're one of THEM? The same as the monster that killed his father?!" She cried.

Remus looked at her, obviously wounded by her words. "I am not a monster." He said, quiet anger slipping into his own voice.

"Tell that to Noah." She spat.

Remus looked at her steadily. "I'll tell him if it'll help."

"NO!" Marlina shouted and then she advanced on him quickly, ranting at him as he backed away. "Don't you dare talk to my son! Don't you go near him, Lupin, or I swear it'll be the last thing you do!"

Remus was fighting to stay calm. It wasn't going to help if he lost it right now. "Marlina, I would never hurt Noah, you know that."

"That's right." She said icily. "Because you'll never get close enough to him ever again."

"You're upset because of your husband." Remus tried to reason with her.

Her eyes narrowed. "I suppose you know about that because that bitch, Lorien, came running to you and told you after we talked."

"She's not a bitch, Marlina, and she didn't tell me for a long time. I think that you're overreacting to....."

"Overreacting? You want to see overreacting? Try setting foot in the same room as Noah." Her voice dropped dangerously. "I'm sure you know what a rogue werewolf is, Lupin, and how I DEAL with them." She took one step closer and pushed him a little. "Just try it once and see if I'm kidding." She spun and walked out quickly, slamming the door behind her.

Remus sank dejectedly into the nearest chair with a sigh. Things hadn't gone well at all. Not only did Marlina apparently hate him now, but she'd just threatened his life.







Remus dreaded seeing Marlina all that week, which was unavoidable as their classrooms were in the same hall. He prepared himself for the glares and angry looks that she'd probably give him, but he was never expecting her to do nothing. Nothing at all. She acted like he didn't even exist whenever she walked by him, and Remus found it was far worse than any threat she could have made.



He had already canceled his last classes on Thursday, and when he headed for his room for the final time before the full moon that night, he ran into Sirius outside his door.

"I'll be over straight away, Moony." Sirius assured him. "I just have one thing I have to do."

Remus shook his head. "Not tonight."

"What?" Sirius turned to look at Remus.

"I want to be alone, tonight." He said quietly.

"Remus, you're being ridiculous." Sirius said abruptly. "There's no need to punish yourself."

Remus shrugged dejectedly. "Really, Padfoot. I'd rather not have company."

"I don't care. I'm going to be there whether you like it or not." Sirius was speaking sternly now.

"Sirius....." Remus began angrily.

"Go ahead, Moony. Get pissed off. Just see if you think you can keep me out." Sirius said, his dark blue eyes flashing. "I don't even want to hear it!"

Remus glared angrily at Sirius. "I'm not getting a choice about this either, am I?"

"No."

"Fine." He stalked across the hall, threw his door open and walked in, not even bothering to shut it.

Sirius left what he was going to do for later and followed Remus.

Remus was staring out at the last rays of the setting sun with his hands braced on either side of the window, and Sirius shut the door and put the locking charm in place. He turned and stood silently behind his distraught friend for a long while, just waiting quietly.

"Moony." He finally said softly. "I know you've had a rough go of it lately. I know it's been even tougher than usual, but don't shut me out."

Remus almost turned at the words Sirius had just spoken, but he continued to stare out the window. "Mars is bright tonight." He said quietly. "You can see it already."

"Remus, I know I can't make everything alright for you, but let me help where I can." Sirius felt his throat tighten a little and he cleared his throat before speaking again. "Damnit, don't turn away from me, Remus. There were so many times in the past that I wanted to be here for you, but I couldn't. Now I have the opportunity and you won't let me." Sirius continued to speak to Lupin's back, his voice a choked whisper. "Remus, we lost so many years.." Sirius broke off.

Remus realized as he listened that Sirius needed to be here with him for both of them. He needed to feel that he could in some way make up for all the time he had been unable to help one of his best friends, any of his best friends, and Remus knew he needed to let Sirius help.

Remus turned to face Sirius and heard his own voice quaver. "I know, Padfoot. We won't lose any more." He gave his friend a brave smile and then walked across to embrace him like a bother. Sirius returned the hug.

When they broke apart after a minute, Sirius couldn't resist trying to lighten the mood. "Damn, Moony! If anyone ever sees us hugging like a couple of misty-eyed school girls, they're going to begin to wonder about us."

Remus smiled at his best friend. "You know, Padfoot, if I have any more trouble with the witches in my life, I think you might start to look like a viable alternative." He laughed out loud when he saw Sirius screw up his face at the thought.

Sirius sobered after a minute and spoke quietly. "It'll be alright, Remus."

Remus nodded and spoke. "Sirius, it's time."









Arial Sinistra walked along the corridors of Hogwarts, casually humming to herself. Tonight was the night she'd been looking forward to for along time. Tonight was the full moon. Tonight Mars was bright in the heavens and she would see justice done. Tonight she would make Lupin pay.

She knew exactly where his rooms were, and it didn't take her long to make her way there.

Sinistra stood outside the locked door for a long moment, and then she knew exactly how this needed to be done.

She drew her wand, willing the strength of the brilliant Mars to aid her in unlocking the door. She invoked Mars Ultor (The avenger) and spoke quietly. "Mars vigila!" (Mars awaken.)

There was a soft click as the sealing charm was banished and the door unlocked, and Ariel smiled with grim satisfaction as she swung the door ever so slowly open. She stood in the wide open portal, staring at the wolf sleeping soundly next to the large dog by the fire. It was the dog's ears that flicked a little at the noise, and Sinistra knew it was now or never as she reached into her robes for the silver orb.

She whispered the charm to light the fuse and rolled it into the room and stepped to the side of the doorway. The silver ball came to rest a foot or two from the sleeping canines, and Sinistra cast the invisibility charm about herself as she waited the last three seconds.

Sirius was just becoming aware of the slightest sound in the room when it happened. The explosion went off two feet from the dog and the werewolf and both animals were on their feet yelping in panic, ripped from sleep by the sound. Explosions continued, one after another, after another and the adrenaline kicked in so fast that for a moment the dog and the wolf parts took over, and both canines bolted in fear before the human parts could figure out what had happened. Sirius bolted straight for the bedroom and Remus, with sparks singing his tail, bolted straight out the open door and down the hallway.

Sinistra watched as the panic-stricken burned werewolf disappeared around the corner and estimated how long it would be before he made it to the bottom of the stairs. She smiled to herself and counted... "three.....two.....one!" A scream reached her ears, joined quickly by another and Sinistra grinned from ear to ear as she started back the way she came. Apparently the werewolf had been spotted.







Remus normally kept most of his human faculties about him as long as he drank the wolfsbane potion the week before the full moon, but when the explosion went off and he felt his tail burning, the adrenaline surge overrode all of that, and the primitive mind of the wolf took back over. And the mind of the wolf said 'run.'

He bolted down the stairs, trying to escape from the pain that was searing his tail and ran almost headlong into a pair of Gryffindor fourth year girls, who took only a second or two to register exactly what they were seeing and panic. Both of them screamed, and as more chaos reigned in the wolf's mind, Remus changed direction abruptly and ran down another hall. It ended at the door leading to the outside, and the frantic animal would have been trapped, but the tiniest bit of human consciousness told the wolf that the window was the way, and the large gray canine leapt for the opening. Glass shattered everywhere as the wolf escaped the castle.





Sirius had regained his senses quickly and ran into the hall. No sign of Lupin. He had heard the screams and ran down the stairs, only to come face to face with a tearful blonde fourth year, and Ginny Weasley. The black dog disappeared and Sirius stood before them.

"He's out!" She said frantically. "He's out!" Ginny pointed down the hall, and Sirius looked at the broken window. This was going to be bad.

Sirius thought quickly. "Ginny, go tell the headmaster what happened as fast as you can!"

The frightened girl nodded and dragged her companion off down the hallway.

Sirius was tempted to get more help, but he wanted to catch up to the panicked werewolf as soon as possible, and he transformed once again and ran after Remus. He didn't bother with the door and simply leaped through the fractured window.







Harry, Ron and Hermione were on their way back to the Gryffindor common room when they say Ginny plowing up the hallway, looking terrified.

"Hey, Gin. What on earth are you doing?" Ron asked his wide-eyed sister.

"Ron!" She panted. "It's awful...Professor Lupin...he's out."

"Out?" All three asked at once.

"Out! Outside. Sirius went after him. He sent me to go to Dumbledore." Ginny explained it all quickly.

"How'd he get out, Gin?" Harry asked.

"I don't know." She said, shaking her head.

"Come on Ginny, I'll go with you to get Dumbledore." Harry said quickly. "Ron, you go see if you can find McGonagall. Hermione, you see if you can get Lorien." Harry figured that these would be the people most able to deal with the rampant werewolf.







Ron continued on quickly to Gryffindor tower, not relishing the thought of disturbing his head of house, but knowing he had to in this case. He pounded on McGonagall's door and waited anxiously for an answer.

The door swung open. "Mr. Weasley. I trust that you have a good.." McGonagall saw the look on Ron's face. "What is it?" She asked.

"Professor Lupin is outside the castle!" He gasped as McGonagall's eyes went wide. "Harry's gone to tell the headmaster. Hermione has gone to get Mistress Lorien."

"Where's Sirius? Has anyone told him?" McGonagall asked quickly, grabbing her wand and a cloak.

"Yes. He's already gone out after him." Ron answered.

"Good. Ron, go back to the common room and don't let anyone else leave it again. I'm going to have the head boy and head girl get everyone else to their dorms and have them stay there until we find the Professor."

Ron nodded and ran for the tower as McGonagall quickly headed in the opposite direction.







Harry and Ginny came skidding to a halt outside the stone gargoyle, and it suddenly occurred to Harry that they didn't know the current password. They rattled off the names of as many sweets as they could think of, but none worked.

"Now what?" Ginny asked.

"I'm not sure." Said Harry. "There's got to be..." He stopped as he saw the headmaster coming down the hallway speaking cordially with Madame Pomfrey.

"Professor Dumbledore!" They yelled together.

The headmaster looked down the hallway and a small frown furrowed his brow. It was never a good thing when Harry came looking for him at odd times. "What is it, Harry?" He asked, a trace of concern slipping into his voice.

"It's Professor Lupin. He's gotten out of the castle." Harry replied.

"What?" Dumbledore asked, obviously concerned now.

Harry looked at Ginny and she quickly told the headmaster what she had seen a few minutes before.

Harry told him how Ron had gone to tell McGonagall, and Hermione had gone to find Lorien.

"Very good thinking, Harry." Dumbledore replied. "Now if you and Miss Weasley would kindly return to your common room, I think that it would be the safest place for you both." He turned and said something to Pomfrey, who nodded and walked quickly away.

Harry and Ginny ran for the tower as Dumbledore went to his office.







Hermione ran for the dungeon, frowning as she went. She knew well enough that by this time of the evening that Lorien would probably not be in her own rooms, and she couldn't believe she was going to have to do this.

"Why did Harry tell ME to get Lorien?" She muttered to herself, knowing that she was going to have to find the Potions master's rooms. She knew she was a better choice than Harry or Ron, and she knew Harry did as well when he split them up.

Hermione groaned inwardly and hoped she didn't run into too many Slytherins along the way.









Lorien smiled at Severus as they sat together. "I believe you are mistaken." She said.

He shook his head. "They're the same, Lorien." He grumbled.

"You just can't admit that I'm right." She said, teasing him.

He wasn't giving in. "That's because you are wrong, my dear. They are the same." He said firmly.

Lorien rose from her chair and went to join him in his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. "You know that I'm right. Just admit it. Wolfsbane and monkshood are not the same plant." She kissed him.

"That will get you nowhere. I am not changing my position on this." He said adamantly, but she could see he was beginning to smile.

She pressed the issue sweetly. "Severus, you use European wolfsbane, correct?"

"Yes."

"And what color are the flowers?" She asked, innocently.

"Yellow." He answered.

"And monkshood? What color are the flowers of monkshood, Severus?" She asked softly.

"Blue Lorien, but..."

She cut him off. "So that would make them different." She pronounced.

"A technicality." He said irritably, with a dismissive waive of his hand. "The chemical and magical properties are close enough..."

"Admit I'm right." She said, kissing him again firmly.

"I'll admit nothing." He said quietly, now losing interest in the discussion. He pulled her against him and was about to kiss her again when the knock came at the door.

He frowned, not happy about being interrupted.

"That's odd." Lorien said, discreetly getting up.

"This had better be good." He said, irritably. "Enter!" He called to the door.

The door opened slowly, and Hermione timidly peeked her head in the Potions master's rooms.

Snape frowned. "Are you going to stand there playing hide and seek, Miss Granger, or are you coming in?"

Hermione stepped quickly into the room and shut the door. She saw that Snape was seated by the fireplace and Lorien was sitting opposite him.

"I assume that you must have some very pressing issue to bring to my attention if you had to summon enough of that Gryffindor courage to disturb me in my chambers." Snape growled.

"I came to find Mistress Lorien." Hermione said, resolutely hiding her nerves.

"What is it, Hermione?" Lorien asked in a very concerned way. She knew that this must be important.

"It's Remus." She answered.

Snape looked less than pleased, and Lorien looked alarmed.

Hermione's gaze met hers. "He's out."







A/N: Now, just in case you are wondering if Snape or Lorien is correct about the monkshood/wolfsbane thing - it depends on which source you go to.

Aconitum napellus, or monkshood is also known in many sources as wolfsbane. It is usually purple (there is a white variation). I grow this in my garden (or did, until Severus got hold of it.)

Aconitum lycoctonum is the same family, is different than monkshood, and also is considered wolfsbane. The flowers, from what I could find are yellow and it is a European plant.

I'm an avid gardener, and in all the gardening and perennial books I have, I had never heard monkshood being referred to as wolfsbane, so I got on line.

After reading through about 30 botanical and gardening web sites, I find that none of them seem to agree on exactly what is wolfsbane.

I can't give you a definitive answer, but decided to have a little fun with it. Lorien and Severus obviously each have an opinion. Perhaps we ought to ask Forsythia Sprout?