Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.
Akuma-sama: *singing Weasley is our king* god, I can't wait to write my version of OotP *sigh* ah well ... I'm looking forward to your next chapter, as well.
dragonsprincess: Oh, yes, very jealous indeed.
Bob: I really don't know why anyone likes ATHSS ... I don't understand at all.
Logan: *dramatic sigh* ok, I'll not delete it ... but I really don't get why so many people like it so much.
Sorry - I couldn't wait until book four to mention it ... I had to do it now. I loved that scene in book four, and wanted to make a whole huge plot-bunny out of it.
Chapter 8 - Wolf Moon
In the first free time I got, I took out the books on Animagi ... I wanted to know what animal I would be. The one from the Restricted Section all went right over my head (figuratively speaking), but the other book - Animagus Made Easy - contained information on what was involved, on a much simpler level of explanation. I understood most of it ... I really wouldn't be able to try it for years, yet. Still, I was patient ... I would wait.
I did see one charm in the Animagus Made Easy book, which I thought looked simple enough to try ... just the one, but it said that it was a second-year level spell, anyway.
I pointed my wand at myself, and whispered the words of the spell. I wasn't sure how long I was out for, but I know I went into a trance, and saw an animal. My spirit animal.
I now knew what my Animagus form would be. A snow-white ferret. Not a bad animal, in my opinion.
"Hermione was right." I muttered.
"About what?" Theo asked. I looked up to see him skimming through the book from the Restricted Section.
"How long have you been here?" I asked.
"Ten minutes. You were meditating, or something. This is a cool book ... looks like seventh year stuff, though - who did you bribe to get your paws on it?" Theo said, still reading.
"McGonagall. I told her I wanted to be an Animagus, and I promised I wouldn't let anyone else read that." I said, snatching the book out from under his nose.
Theo pouted, "I was just getting to the good bit." he whined. I just glared, "So what were you doing, anyway? And I know Hermione is often right, but what about, this time?"
"She was right about what animal would suit me best ... and that's what I was doing - finding out what my Animagus would be. I'm a ferret."
Theo snorted, "A ferret?"
"Yes."
"So what am I?" Theo asked. I pointed my wand at him and recited the spell. His eyes rolled back into his head and his face took on a gormless expression to rival Crabbe and Goyle. I waited patiently for five minutes, before he returned to the land of the living. He looked at me for a second, blinked, then said, "A bird ... a black one, with white wings."
"A magpie, you twit." I noted, identifying the bird from his obvious description.
"Yeah, that's it."
I picked up the other book - Animal Spirit Meanings - and began flicking through it, "Says here that your animal is based on your personality ... let's see ... ferrets ... 'see rodents' ... rodents ... 'The rodent classification are generally scavengers, able to get by and survive in almost any situation - mice are tamer than the others, with a tendency to be more friendly towards other classifications - gerbils are innately curious and are more likely to explore a dangerous situation than any other rodent - rats are the most fickle of the rodents, and the phrase 'rats always leave the sinking ship' most definitely applies - stoats, weasels and ferrets are more predatory, dangerous and vicious than the other rodents, and caution is advised when dealing with anyone of this animal type.' Very nice description ... I'm dangerous."
"Yuhuh." Theo said, not seeming impressed, "What about magpies?"
Again, I flicked through the book, "Magpies ... 'see carrion birds' ... it looks like they're pretty much the same as rodents, except with wings ... 'Magpies are naturally curious creatures, in both senses of the word, they are attracted to shiny objects, and have an abnormal fascination with the morbid' ... that definitely sounds like you, Theo."
"Gimme that." he said, snatching the book and flicking through it, "Felines ... 'the domestic cat is perhaps the most sociable of the felines, having a predisposition towards cleanliness, organisation and discipline, the domestic cat will have an innate dislike of anyone in the rodent or canine classification.' That's McGonagall to a tee - she really doesn't like you, and you're a rodent."
"What's it say about canines?" I asked, now reading over his shoulder.
"Depends which sort - 'all canines are pack animals, loyal and protective of anyone within their pack - wolves are rare in Animagi, but they do have a more vicious predatory nature - more domestic breeds are playful, mischievous, scruffy, untidy, and tenacious. Canines are always dependable and trustworthy.' No wonder felines don't like 'em - they're opposites, almost."
"What else is in there?" I asked.
"Cows - boring ... sheep - too woolly ... foxes - foxy ... insects - ewwww, who'd want to be an insect? think what'd happen if you got caught in a spider-web -" he shuddered, "- Weasley'd do well with that ... deer - too Gryffindor ... warthogs! too farty, literally ... mircats - too catty ... badgers - Hufflepuff -" I coughed at that, to remind him that he had spent a good five minutes as a badger, the previous year - he ignored me and continued reading, "... snakes - says only Parselmouths have a chance of turning into a snake, and even then it's not a guarantee ... bunnies - ugh ... this is getting bizarre."
"You said it. I like the ferret best, out of that lot."
"I like the magpie."
"That's probably because it's your animal."
"I won't bother repeating that for you."
* * *
I have been careful to insult Lupin at every opportunity ... always behind his back, though - I'm not brave/stupid enough to insult a type of creature I fear second-only-to-one, to his face. Although he is a prime target for insulting - he dresses in clothes a Weasley would be embarrassed about ... hell, Dobby wouldn't be seen dead in clothes that shabby, now he's allowed clothes.
Theo has been a little less subtle in his attacks on Lupin - he has resumed his pranks in Defence Against the Dark Arts class, with the sadomasochistic glee of someone who has to love detentions. He's getting an average of two detentions a week ... and we have Defence class twice a week ... go figure.
The werewolf had one thing going for him - he knew the subject he was teaching ... then again, being a dark creature, he should, shouldn't he?
* * *
Near the end of September, I had a dream.
I was in the Forbidden Forest, wandering through the trees, not knowing which way to go. It was dark and it was creepy. I looked up, hoping to see the stars - the stars had comforted me last time I was here, but tonight it was overcast and no celestial bodies shone through.
I kept walking, hoping to find a way out. I came to a clearing instead.
There were three people there already. Cat stood in the middle of the clearing ... Sirius Black was at the edge, in the shadows, to my right ... Professor Lupin was also at the edge of the clearing, to my left ... the three of us made a sort of triangle around Cat, and she was looking round at all three of us.
"Cat - get away from them ... they're dangerous." I said, but she just gave me a curious look.
"Not to me, Draco. Run while you can." she said simply, before walking to Black.
"Cat - don't."
"I said run, Draco." she said calmly.
Black stepped between Cat and Lupin, and at that moment, the clearing was lit up - the sky had cleared, and the full moon was shining.
"Too late, now." Cat said sadly.
I watched, horrified yet fascinated - I couldn't look away - as Lupin started to change ... to be honest, it looked extremely painful ... if I hadn't been terrified of him, I might have pitied him for that. But I didn't have time to pity him, because the wolf leaped at me, completely ignoring Cat and Black, and pinning me to the ground.
"Help me, Cat!" I yelled, trying to push the wolf off me with no success. I'm sure I heard a dog's bark from across the clearing.
"I told you to run, Draco." Cat's voice said, "Keep your distance from trouble, or it really will bite you in the ..."
And before she finished, the wolf sank its teeth into my neck.
I woke up with a start, my good hand instinctively moving to my neck, where the wolf in the dream had bitten me ... nothing, not even a scratch. I had half-expected it to have been bleeding, or something, but there was nothing. Just a dream. That was all it was. Just a dream.
I kept repeating this thought - it wasn't very comforting - as I looked around the room. Shadows tried to pretend to be monsters, but I was used to the lighting effects of the Slytherin dormitory by now, and only focused on things that moved ... that left Crabbe, Goyle and Theo to pretend to be monsters. Theo gave me a hell of a fright when he sat up suddenly.
I jumped, "Don't do that!" I snapped.
"Do what?" Theo asked confused.
"Make sudden movements when I look like I'm freaking out." I replied.
"I just woke up." he protested, "So what's freaked ya, then?"
"It's a full moon ... I have the paranoid fear that a werewolf might jump me." I muttered.
Theo shrugged, "Not that likely. I mean, how would one get into the castle?"
"Don't ask."
"How would it get into the Slytherin house area?" I thought about that one - teachers have the passwords to all the house areas.
"Don't ask." I repeated.
"Why are you suddenly scared this full moon, but you weren't last year?"
"Don't ask."
"Right ... that means you have logical answers to all three." Theo said, far too thoughtfully for my liking, "So ... Lupin?"
"Huh?" I asked, "How the hell do you figure that?"
"Because he's the only factor that fits and explains all three ... you'd have been picking on them if it'd been a Slyth firstie, and the other three houses can't get in here ... has to be a teacher, and it wasn't last year ... therefore, Lupin."
"I have underestimated your ability for logical thinking, Theo ... just goes to show the genius of nut-cases." I said, trying to dispel my fear by adding humour to the situation.
"Thank you." Theo said, nodding in a way that was meant to pass for a bow. After a few seconds pause, "So what makes you think Lupin's a wolf, then?"
"Cat said he is ... he's her godfather ... apparently Snape is making a potion for Lupin, to tame him ... doesn't stop me from being terrified." I said.
"I have an idea." Theo said, getting up and throwing a school robe on over his pyjamas, "Come on." he said, gesturing towards the door.
Cautiously, I got out of bed and put on a robe, as well. I followed Theo, who led me out into the common room, then out to the dungeon corridor. "We're not allowed out here ... curfew." I noted.
"So?" Theo asked, leading me straight across the corridor to a tapestry that concealed a secret passage. I hadn't known about this one before. It led through the dungeons, and came out opposite Snape's office.
"What are we doing here?" I asked.
"Get you something for nightmares. Blaise got some earlier this year ... Snape's made up a vast stock of the stuff ... Dementors are a bitch ... even freak me, occasionally ... apparently they've been affecting the Snakes and Huffles worst - Lions and Ravens both have towers and are too far from the ground to be as bothered."
"So you think Snape will appreciate it if we turn up at his office at one in the morning?" I asked sceptically.
"He's always awake at this time ... it's four in the morning he'll get pissy if you disturb him." Theo said, grinning.
"You know this, how?"
"I've been told by older students." Theo said.
"Uh huh." I mumbled. I watched as Theo stepped out from behind the tapestry and knocked the door of Snape's office.
"Enter." Snape snapped.
Theo peered round the door, nervously, and then beckoned for me to follow as he entered the office. I bolted across the corridor, almost afraid the wolf might be roaming the school ... if not, then Filch.
As I closed the door behind me, Snape was watching us, "What do you two want?" he asked sounding irritable. He had been marking essays, by the look of it.
"Draco had a nightmare." Theo said simply.
Snape looked at me, with an evaluating stare, "What might this nightmare have been about?" he asked.
I wasn't too happy about being asked that, but figured that since Snape already knew, why not tell him, "It might have been about werewolves ... it is the full moon tonight." I said.
"Oh, really. I was unaware that you were afraid of werewolves." Snape said, raising one eyebrow in a sceptical way.
"Well, there is the small detail of there being one running around the school, this year." I muttered.
"What do you know?" Snape asked immediately.
"Lupin ... Cat told me. Well, actually, I kind of overheard her talking to him about it, but she then admitted it to me." under the glare I received for that, I continued quickly, "I haven't told anyone. Except Theo, but he worked it out on his own."
"Good. Don't." Snape said simply, "Professor Dumbledore is under the impression that the wolf is trustworthy. I'm not too sure about him, but he isn't dangerous at the moment." my jaw dropped as he said this, but he continued, "The potion I make for him is effective, as long as he remembers to take it."
I nodded dumbly.
"In fact." Snape said in a thoughtful tone, "Nott ... go back to bed, now." he said, waving dismissively to Theo. Theo glanced at me, but then nodded and left the office. "Come with me - I have something to show you."
Snape led me out of the office and along the corridor ... it led up to the third floor ... we passed Filch as we went, but because I was accompanied by a teacher, he ignored me. Snape rapped on the door of the Defence office and said, "It's me."
A bark could be heard from inside the office.
Snape shuddered instinctively, and he opened the door. I stayed well back as Snape entered.
The wolf was sitting on a rug next to the fire, looking up with it head tilted to one side quizzically. It looked almost cute, really.
"I just came to check that you haven't been running around the school." Snape noted.
The wolf didn't see me standing there. It did growl quietly, but then just lay down submissively, looking up at Snape.
Snape sneered at it, before leaving the room, "You see?" he asked me, after closing the door. "Harmless, as long as he takes the potion when he's in human form."
I nodded again, "What if he forgets?"
"He gets fired." Snape replied simply.
"As long as that's not to late." I muttered.
"That is the exact concern I voiced to the Headmaster, however, he deems Lupin to be trustworthy, and I am not one to argue with him. After all, he finds me trustworthy after all that I have done, so I must be grateful." Snape said - for the first time, I was hearing his real feelings. I had never seen him let his guard down like this, before.
"I wonder if he's wise to be so trusting." I muttered, "He trusted Quirrell."
"Actually, he didn't." Snape noted.
That surprised me, "He acted like he did." I said, looking up at Snape as we walked back towards the common room.
"He believed my advice when I said Quirrell was up to something." he said, stopping, "And now, I suggest you try to get some sleep. I doubt the nightmare will return now you have seen the wolf is tame."
"Thank you, Professor." I said, turning to the wall and saying, "Azkaban."
"Nice choice of password." Snape muttered.
"It was 'Dementor' at the start of the year ... Flint's idea. I think it's going to be 'Kiss' around Christmas ... mistletoe and all."
"Marcus Flint is a delightful child, isn't he?" Snape asked sarcastically.
I snorted with suppressed laughter, and returned to the safety of the common room.
* * *
End of chapter 8
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.
Akuma-sama: *singing Weasley is our king* god, I can't wait to write my version of OotP *sigh* ah well ... I'm looking forward to your next chapter, as well.
dragonsprincess: Oh, yes, very jealous indeed.
Bob: I really don't know why anyone likes ATHSS ... I don't understand at all.
Logan: *dramatic sigh* ok, I'll not delete it ... but I really don't get why so many people like it so much.
Sorry - I couldn't wait until book four to mention it ... I had to do it now. I loved that scene in book four, and wanted to make a whole huge plot-bunny out of it.
Chapter 8 - Wolf Moon
In the first free time I got, I took out the books on Animagi ... I wanted to know what animal I would be. The one from the Restricted Section all went right over my head (figuratively speaking), but the other book - Animagus Made Easy - contained information on what was involved, on a much simpler level of explanation. I understood most of it ... I really wouldn't be able to try it for years, yet. Still, I was patient ... I would wait.
I did see one charm in the Animagus Made Easy book, which I thought looked simple enough to try ... just the one, but it said that it was a second-year level spell, anyway.
I pointed my wand at myself, and whispered the words of the spell. I wasn't sure how long I was out for, but I know I went into a trance, and saw an animal. My spirit animal.
I now knew what my Animagus form would be. A snow-white ferret. Not a bad animal, in my opinion.
"Hermione was right." I muttered.
"About what?" Theo asked. I looked up to see him skimming through the book from the Restricted Section.
"How long have you been here?" I asked.
"Ten minutes. You were meditating, or something. This is a cool book ... looks like seventh year stuff, though - who did you bribe to get your paws on it?" Theo said, still reading.
"McGonagall. I told her I wanted to be an Animagus, and I promised I wouldn't let anyone else read that." I said, snatching the book out from under his nose.
Theo pouted, "I was just getting to the good bit." he whined. I just glared, "So what were you doing, anyway? And I know Hermione is often right, but what about, this time?"
"She was right about what animal would suit me best ... and that's what I was doing - finding out what my Animagus would be. I'm a ferret."
Theo snorted, "A ferret?"
"Yes."
"So what am I?" Theo asked. I pointed my wand at him and recited the spell. His eyes rolled back into his head and his face took on a gormless expression to rival Crabbe and Goyle. I waited patiently for five minutes, before he returned to the land of the living. He looked at me for a second, blinked, then said, "A bird ... a black one, with white wings."
"A magpie, you twit." I noted, identifying the bird from his obvious description.
"Yeah, that's it."
I picked up the other book - Animal Spirit Meanings - and began flicking through it, "Says here that your animal is based on your personality ... let's see ... ferrets ... 'see rodents' ... rodents ... 'The rodent classification are generally scavengers, able to get by and survive in almost any situation - mice are tamer than the others, with a tendency to be more friendly towards other classifications - gerbils are innately curious and are more likely to explore a dangerous situation than any other rodent - rats are the most fickle of the rodents, and the phrase 'rats always leave the sinking ship' most definitely applies - stoats, weasels and ferrets are more predatory, dangerous and vicious than the other rodents, and caution is advised when dealing with anyone of this animal type.' Very nice description ... I'm dangerous."
"Yuhuh." Theo said, not seeming impressed, "What about magpies?"
Again, I flicked through the book, "Magpies ... 'see carrion birds' ... it looks like they're pretty much the same as rodents, except with wings ... 'Magpies are naturally curious creatures, in both senses of the word, they are attracted to shiny objects, and have an abnormal fascination with the morbid' ... that definitely sounds like you, Theo."
"Gimme that." he said, snatching the book and flicking through it, "Felines ... 'the domestic cat is perhaps the most sociable of the felines, having a predisposition towards cleanliness, organisation and discipline, the domestic cat will have an innate dislike of anyone in the rodent or canine classification.' That's McGonagall to a tee - she really doesn't like you, and you're a rodent."
"What's it say about canines?" I asked, now reading over his shoulder.
"Depends which sort - 'all canines are pack animals, loyal and protective of anyone within their pack - wolves are rare in Animagi, but they do have a more vicious predatory nature - more domestic breeds are playful, mischievous, scruffy, untidy, and tenacious. Canines are always dependable and trustworthy.' No wonder felines don't like 'em - they're opposites, almost."
"What else is in there?" I asked.
"Cows - boring ... sheep - too woolly ... foxes - foxy ... insects - ewwww, who'd want to be an insect? think what'd happen if you got caught in a spider-web -" he shuddered, "- Weasley'd do well with that ... deer - too Gryffindor ... warthogs! too farty, literally ... mircats - too catty ... badgers - Hufflepuff -" I coughed at that, to remind him that he had spent a good five minutes as a badger, the previous year - he ignored me and continued reading, "... snakes - says only Parselmouths have a chance of turning into a snake, and even then it's not a guarantee ... bunnies - ugh ... this is getting bizarre."
"You said it. I like the ferret best, out of that lot."
"I like the magpie."
"That's probably because it's your animal."
"I won't bother repeating that for you."
* * *
I have been careful to insult Lupin at every opportunity ... always behind his back, though - I'm not brave/stupid enough to insult a type of creature I fear second-only-to-one, to his face. Although he is a prime target for insulting - he dresses in clothes a Weasley would be embarrassed about ... hell, Dobby wouldn't be seen dead in clothes that shabby, now he's allowed clothes.
Theo has been a little less subtle in his attacks on Lupin - he has resumed his pranks in Defence Against the Dark Arts class, with the sadomasochistic glee of someone who has to love detentions. He's getting an average of two detentions a week ... and we have Defence class twice a week ... go figure.
The werewolf had one thing going for him - he knew the subject he was teaching ... then again, being a dark creature, he should, shouldn't he?
* * *
Near the end of September, I had a dream.
I was in the Forbidden Forest, wandering through the trees, not knowing which way to go. It was dark and it was creepy. I looked up, hoping to see the stars - the stars had comforted me last time I was here, but tonight it was overcast and no celestial bodies shone through.
I kept walking, hoping to find a way out. I came to a clearing instead.
There were three people there already. Cat stood in the middle of the clearing ... Sirius Black was at the edge, in the shadows, to my right ... Professor Lupin was also at the edge of the clearing, to my left ... the three of us made a sort of triangle around Cat, and she was looking round at all three of us.
"Cat - get away from them ... they're dangerous." I said, but she just gave me a curious look.
"Not to me, Draco. Run while you can." she said simply, before walking to Black.
"Cat - don't."
"I said run, Draco." she said calmly.
Black stepped between Cat and Lupin, and at that moment, the clearing was lit up - the sky had cleared, and the full moon was shining.
"Too late, now." Cat said sadly.
I watched, horrified yet fascinated - I couldn't look away - as Lupin started to change ... to be honest, it looked extremely painful ... if I hadn't been terrified of him, I might have pitied him for that. But I didn't have time to pity him, because the wolf leaped at me, completely ignoring Cat and Black, and pinning me to the ground.
"Help me, Cat!" I yelled, trying to push the wolf off me with no success. I'm sure I heard a dog's bark from across the clearing.
"I told you to run, Draco." Cat's voice said, "Keep your distance from trouble, or it really will bite you in the ..."
And before she finished, the wolf sank its teeth into my neck.
I woke up with a start, my good hand instinctively moving to my neck, where the wolf in the dream had bitten me ... nothing, not even a scratch. I had half-expected it to have been bleeding, or something, but there was nothing. Just a dream. That was all it was. Just a dream.
I kept repeating this thought - it wasn't very comforting - as I looked around the room. Shadows tried to pretend to be monsters, but I was used to the lighting effects of the Slytherin dormitory by now, and only focused on things that moved ... that left Crabbe, Goyle and Theo to pretend to be monsters. Theo gave me a hell of a fright when he sat up suddenly.
I jumped, "Don't do that!" I snapped.
"Do what?" Theo asked confused.
"Make sudden movements when I look like I'm freaking out." I replied.
"I just woke up." he protested, "So what's freaked ya, then?"
"It's a full moon ... I have the paranoid fear that a werewolf might jump me." I muttered.
Theo shrugged, "Not that likely. I mean, how would one get into the castle?"
"Don't ask."
"How would it get into the Slytherin house area?" I thought about that one - teachers have the passwords to all the house areas.
"Don't ask." I repeated.
"Why are you suddenly scared this full moon, but you weren't last year?"
"Don't ask."
"Right ... that means you have logical answers to all three." Theo said, far too thoughtfully for my liking, "So ... Lupin?"
"Huh?" I asked, "How the hell do you figure that?"
"Because he's the only factor that fits and explains all three ... you'd have been picking on them if it'd been a Slyth firstie, and the other three houses can't get in here ... has to be a teacher, and it wasn't last year ... therefore, Lupin."
"I have underestimated your ability for logical thinking, Theo ... just goes to show the genius of nut-cases." I said, trying to dispel my fear by adding humour to the situation.
"Thank you." Theo said, nodding in a way that was meant to pass for a bow. After a few seconds pause, "So what makes you think Lupin's a wolf, then?"
"Cat said he is ... he's her godfather ... apparently Snape is making a potion for Lupin, to tame him ... doesn't stop me from being terrified." I said.
"I have an idea." Theo said, getting up and throwing a school robe on over his pyjamas, "Come on." he said, gesturing towards the door.
Cautiously, I got out of bed and put on a robe, as well. I followed Theo, who led me out into the common room, then out to the dungeon corridor. "We're not allowed out here ... curfew." I noted.
"So?" Theo asked, leading me straight across the corridor to a tapestry that concealed a secret passage. I hadn't known about this one before. It led through the dungeons, and came out opposite Snape's office.
"What are we doing here?" I asked.
"Get you something for nightmares. Blaise got some earlier this year ... Snape's made up a vast stock of the stuff ... Dementors are a bitch ... even freak me, occasionally ... apparently they've been affecting the Snakes and Huffles worst - Lions and Ravens both have towers and are too far from the ground to be as bothered."
"So you think Snape will appreciate it if we turn up at his office at one in the morning?" I asked sceptically.
"He's always awake at this time ... it's four in the morning he'll get pissy if you disturb him." Theo said, grinning.
"You know this, how?"
"I've been told by older students." Theo said.
"Uh huh." I mumbled. I watched as Theo stepped out from behind the tapestry and knocked the door of Snape's office.
"Enter." Snape snapped.
Theo peered round the door, nervously, and then beckoned for me to follow as he entered the office. I bolted across the corridor, almost afraid the wolf might be roaming the school ... if not, then Filch.
As I closed the door behind me, Snape was watching us, "What do you two want?" he asked sounding irritable. He had been marking essays, by the look of it.
"Draco had a nightmare." Theo said simply.
Snape looked at me, with an evaluating stare, "What might this nightmare have been about?" he asked.
I wasn't too happy about being asked that, but figured that since Snape already knew, why not tell him, "It might have been about werewolves ... it is the full moon tonight." I said.
"Oh, really. I was unaware that you were afraid of werewolves." Snape said, raising one eyebrow in a sceptical way.
"Well, there is the small detail of there being one running around the school, this year." I muttered.
"What do you know?" Snape asked immediately.
"Lupin ... Cat told me. Well, actually, I kind of overheard her talking to him about it, but she then admitted it to me." under the glare I received for that, I continued quickly, "I haven't told anyone. Except Theo, but he worked it out on his own."
"Good. Don't." Snape said simply, "Professor Dumbledore is under the impression that the wolf is trustworthy. I'm not too sure about him, but he isn't dangerous at the moment." my jaw dropped as he said this, but he continued, "The potion I make for him is effective, as long as he remembers to take it."
I nodded dumbly.
"In fact." Snape said in a thoughtful tone, "Nott ... go back to bed, now." he said, waving dismissively to Theo. Theo glanced at me, but then nodded and left the office. "Come with me - I have something to show you."
Snape led me out of the office and along the corridor ... it led up to the third floor ... we passed Filch as we went, but because I was accompanied by a teacher, he ignored me. Snape rapped on the door of the Defence office and said, "It's me."
A bark could be heard from inside the office.
Snape shuddered instinctively, and he opened the door. I stayed well back as Snape entered.
The wolf was sitting on a rug next to the fire, looking up with it head tilted to one side quizzically. It looked almost cute, really.
"I just came to check that you haven't been running around the school." Snape noted.
The wolf didn't see me standing there. It did growl quietly, but then just lay down submissively, looking up at Snape.
Snape sneered at it, before leaving the room, "You see?" he asked me, after closing the door. "Harmless, as long as he takes the potion when he's in human form."
I nodded again, "What if he forgets?"
"He gets fired." Snape replied simply.
"As long as that's not to late." I muttered.
"That is the exact concern I voiced to the Headmaster, however, he deems Lupin to be trustworthy, and I am not one to argue with him. After all, he finds me trustworthy after all that I have done, so I must be grateful." Snape said - for the first time, I was hearing his real feelings. I had never seen him let his guard down like this, before.
"I wonder if he's wise to be so trusting." I muttered, "He trusted Quirrell."
"Actually, he didn't." Snape noted.
That surprised me, "He acted like he did." I said, looking up at Snape as we walked back towards the common room.
"He believed my advice when I said Quirrell was up to something." he said, stopping, "And now, I suggest you try to get some sleep. I doubt the nightmare will return now you have seen the wolf is tame."
"Thank you, Professor." I said, turning to the wall and saying, "Azkaban."
"Nice choice of password." Snape muttered.
"It was 'Dementor' at the start of the year ... Flint's idea. I think it's going to be 'Kiss' around Christmas ... mistletoe and all."
"Marcus Flint is a delightful child, isn't he?" Snape asked sarcastically.
I snorted with suppressed laughter, and returned to the safety of the common room.
* * *
End of chapter 8