Chapter 28: A Fatal Mistake.
By the time the first day of school rolled around, we'd already made plans to go with Remus and his family to lower Scotland the next summer. We could hardly wait. However, it was not to be.
It was the first week. It was the day of the full moon. We weren't planning to go out with Remus because of all our homework. Our class was potions. Snape was being a real ass, teasing Remus about being poor and sick all the time. Remus took it as long as he could but he just wasn't up to it today. He walked out in the middle of class, saying he felt sick.
"Where's your little friend gone now, Black? Off to see his mummy?" He sneered as we left potions.
"Mind your on business, Snape."
"Make me. Tell me what you and your little friends like so much about that big tree outside."
"Why should I?"
"Oh, no reason. Just that it's probably where you two go to cry and whine like the orphaned little babies you are." In that instant, I wanted to kill him. I simply, for that moment, simply wanted him dead. And so I curled my lip up in a sneer and said the fatal words.
"Well, why don't you press the knot on the Whomping Willow and find out what's inside." Snape looked at me confused, and I turned on my heel and walked down the hall. I could hear James and Peter behind me.
"Do you know what you just did?" James grabbed my shoulders and spun me around. I glared at him. James stared at me, then drew back.
"You really want him to, don't you?" I only smiled. Then I turned and marched to our next class.
"Sirius!" I ignored James's voice. I took my seat in History of Magic and leaned back for a nice long nap. James and Peter came into class, both taking places on either side of me. All through class, James kept shooting me glances. I ignored him.
After dinner, I walked back up to the common room. James followed me and when I dropped my books onto the table, he dumped his too. Then he sat down.
"Sirius, what you said, you know how much trouble you'll get into?" he gave me a look.
I shrugged. "I really don't care, James. I am sick and tired of his torturing and it would the whole world a favor if he popped his clogs." I said.
"You really think that?" he asked. I nodded. He shook his head.
"I don't know, Padfoot. I don't know." Neither did I, so we commenced into our homework silently.
But I couldn't concentrate. I was seated by the window that looked out at the whomping willow. I couldn't help thinking about Moony and how lonely he would be without the other marauders. I glanced out the window at the tree, and to my horror and this disgusted me a bit later, to my relief, I saw a dark shape making it's way across the grounds.
"Sirius? What is it?" James asked. I didn't answer so he leaned over and watched. His eyes widened. We watched as the figure picked up a branch and prodded the knot that froze the tree. A beam of moonlight lighted the figures face as he turned and looked up at the castle.
"Oh God, its Snape." We both stared. Then James jumped into leader mode. " Sirius, go get Professor Dumbledore. Tell him Snape is going in the tunnel. And Remus is down there." We bolted out the door turning and down the staircase, he going down and I going up.
I ran for the secret entrance to his office. I said the magic words, licorice and ran up the stairs. He was seated at his desk talking to Professor McGonagall. They looked up when I entered.
"Sirius, what's wrong?" He asked his blue eyes sparkling.
"Snape, in the tree, Remus is there." I panted. His grin faded and he got up and followed me out the door. I was surprised at how fast he could run. When we got to the tree however, Snape was sitting on the ground glaring at James who was leaning against a rock gasping for breath. He was bleeding. Without a word we were all led back up to Dumbledore's now empty office.
He sat us down. " Now who wants to tell me what three students are doing out of their common rooms this late. And in a place you should not be."
"Sir, they tried to kill me. Remus Lupin is a werewolf. They sent me down to a werewolf!" Snape pointed at us. We didn't say anything.
"Boys?" Guilt flooded through me. Remus and James were going to get in trouble because of my big mouth.
" Please sir, it's my fault. He was saying some thing and I just got so mad I just blurted it out. I didn't mean it, and I didn't think he'd really go down there. James didn't know anything about it. He went to get him out. He doesn't deserve to get in trouble." I told him. Yes, it was partly a lie, and partly truth. But what was I really to say? Yeah, sir. I wanted him dead so I told him how to get down there? No.
He thought for a while and nodded. " Mr. Snape, this is not your fault." He looked smug. " But as you were out of bed I will have to give you one detention. And I must ask you not to breathe a word about what you have seen, or I will be forced to expel you. You may go." Snape got up and left scowling
"Sirius, I must say I am very disappointed in you. I expected better from Orion and Fiona's son. But I do know that we all say things we don't mean to say. And I know you feel truly sorry for this. Guilt is often the greatest punishment. Therefore you will receive one detention." James smiled at me. That wasn't so bad. I had been worried we would be expelled. " And 10 points for Gryffindor."
We stared. "But why sir? I started this whole thing."
" For honesty. You came and got me. You were willing to risk of getting expelled to warn me. To save an enemy. And from what I have seen you are a good friend and Remus is lucky to have you. Just try to keep your temper in check, although I believe what I ask is impossible." We grinned.
"One more thing, I assume form this you know of Mr. Lupin's condition."
"We don't think of it as a condition sir. More like a minor setback." James told him. He smiled.
"Yes, sir. We figured it out our first year."
"I knew you would. You are too bright to fool. Now Sirius, go on to bed. I still need to talk to James." I didn't protest but I waited for James outside. When he came out, he was grinning.
"I got 100 points for us. He said I showed real bravery and nobility going after him at the risk of my own life. I just didn't want him to get hurt."
"Why not? He hates you. He would have let you go in there and laughed."
"I don't know. Partly Remus. He would know he killed some one. And also I couldn't live with myself knowing I let some one die. But something else. As much as I hate him I couldn't let him get hurt. I just couldn't."
"That's why you're the brave and noble one remember?" He smiled. We were quite for a moment thinking of what had almost happened. Then we went to bed.
Needless to say, Remus wasn't very happy with us in the morning. But to our surprise and relief Snape said or did nothing for the entire year. Personally, I thought it a shame that Remus hadn't done him in, but I didn't want a guilt like that on my friend. Still, the Whomping Willow could have finished him off.
Remus, for the first time in his life, got mad at me. I mean furious. We didn't speak for over two weeks. James had to play peacekeeper, a role he was very unused to. But then when I refused to apologize, James became furious with me, and all out war ensued.
"Fine! Then forget next summer! You can stay at your grandparents and rot for all I care!" Remus shouted when I refused to apologize. For an instant, I stared at him. He didn't mean it, did he? He couldn't, but the look in his eyes told me he did. I fought to control my face and got up slowly.
"Fine." I said, managing to get my voice under control. Remus looked worried, like he wanted to take back what he'd said, but I turned and left.
Outside, I leaned against the wall. How could this have happened? My friends were my lifelines outside of school. If they were snapped, I'd have nothing. Nothing that kept me from giving in to being exactly like the man I hated most of all, my grandfather.
Instead of playing pranks on Snape, or the teachers, we became our own victims. We did everything possibly imaginable to each other. James even broke my leg by stealing a bat and sending a bludger after me in a game. I managed to send one back and it broke his nose.
But as the weeks went by, it got to the point where we both were sick of it, but too proud to admit we were wrong. Remus had even snapped at James and now they weren't speaking. Peter had to play messenger to all three of us, and rather liked the role, I think.
The next full moon, Remus left the common room, not saying anything to any of us.
I glanced at James and to my surprise, he looked back. For the first time in almost a month, we exchanged a long knowing look, full of things neither could say. I beckoned to Peter and James went up to the dorm. Peter and I climbed up the steps. James was waiting, the invisibility cloak in his hands. He held it up and Peter and I both nodded. James threw it over us and we quietly made our way down the steps and out the door. We all slipped down to the whomping willow. Peter changed and we slipped through the passageway.
As we crawled along it, we could hear growling from the house. We stepped into the old shack and I found a werewolf staring at me. Instantly, I held up a hand to warn James and Peter, and I changed. Remus stared and understanding blossomed in his face. James and Peter had already changed and they sat down. We all down in front of the fire, glancing at each other. No one spoke and we sat in silence the whole night. Finally we fell asleep by the fire. The next morning, when we awoke, a kind of peace settled over everything.
I awoke to find myself in my usually position, between James and Remus, both still sleeping, Peter resting on James's back. I glanced at the fireplace and the mirror above it. We were reflected in it. The four Marauders. I sighed, rolled over and went back to sleep.
I was nudged awake by Remus, now back in human form. I stretched and then changed back. I saw James and Peter had already done so. No one spoke. No one needed to. Remus and I stared at each other for a long time. Then, slowly, he put out his hand. I smiled and took it, pulling him into a hug. Then James said the only words spoken that whole time.
"Group hug!" and he attacked us. Peter joined in and soon we were rolling on the floor, laughing and shouting. People must have found it strange when we entered the Great Hall, having completely missed breakfast, not to mention two classes and laughing, joking, and acting as if we hadn't been angry for a month. Snape looked horrified.
The rest of sixth year passed uneventfully. Or as uneventfully as you can get with the marauders. Oh yes, and Remus came up with a little motto for us,
Together forever, never apart. Maybe in distance, but never at heart.
It's written on James's grave, I'm told.