Year 1972-1973
Peter Pettigrew:
It was bit, sad to see an empty bed next to mine. Daniel wasn't coming back for the second year, or ever really. He was my bestest friend, apart from James and Sirius that is. He was one of the best in Astronomy, now, who's going to help me with my assignments? James and Sirius are not much better than me in Astronomy, maybe even worst.
Lily Evans:
Sirius and James are such boys. They just have to make troubles for themselves. They already lost more points than any other Gryffindors in entire school. With this rate, we are never going to win the House Cup from Hufflepuffs, who's leading the points.
I've been thinking about Remus. No, not about how he looks, but how he acts sometimes. Ever since, King's Cross, I sensed it. That there is something missing here. Something, I don't understand. There is a shroud of dark cloud that hangs around him, and I am not so sure what it is, at least not yet.
But I am determined to find out.
James Potter:
I was so happy to come back to Hogwarts. It's been a real drag to be cooped up in the house all summer. My parents won't allow me to go anywhere. I guessed they are afraid the evil dark lord would come and kill me if I go out to play Quidditch. How unfair.
This year, I am going to make the team. I can feel it in the air. It would be great, if Sirius makes the team, too. He would be great beater with his strong shoulders.
Peter is busy with his works tonight, but I can't do my assignment, when the tryout is so near. I can't wait for the tryout. Sirius is snoring already. That careless freak.
Ahh, that reminds me. My mum commented that Sirius was getting handsome. I can't believe she actually said in front of Sirius and me.
Now he's all, "Jamsie boy, I think your mum has got hots for me," days and nights.
Sigh. You can't live with him, and you can't live without him. No wonder, all the girls think he's so dim-witted for saying things like that. I hope Lily won't think I am worse than Sirius. I don't think I can take that kind of prejudice.
Shoot, I need a break! Where are all the Slytherins when you need one? I can't seat still and study.
Lucius Malfoy:
All my classes are so boring. Why do I have to go to classes, when there is so much interesting things going on out there?! My father claimed something good will happen soon, and I hoped he meant no more stupid classes. Stupid Gryffindors!
They hexed my hair to change color every ten second, and all the professors thought it was harmless joke! Only five points from Gryffindors! Only FIVE! Wait till my father hears of this! It's inconceivable!
I, Lucius Malfoy, the heir of most respected and affluent wizarding family, would be treated like this!
I went to our dormroom to find Snape, whom nobody knew the whereabouts. Stupid Goyle, Bale and Avory were too dense to anything worthwhile, unless I direct them myself.
Now where is damn Snape!?
Remus Lupin:
"Jeremiah~" A lady was calling someone. "Jeremiah~"
A beautiful woman in white dress was in front of me. The world around me was spinning around us, and I laughed in confusion and delight.
Suddenly, I watched her floating on the air. She began to spin slowly and gently in front of me with her arms open, laughing softly. Pleasant breeze was caressing her golden hair as she laughed lightly. The breeze blew my hairs to my face.
"Jeremiah~" She sing sang. "Jeremiah~ haha ha. Jeremiah, hold out your hand for me, love."
But before I could see what she wanted, I was awaken, abruptly. A pair of black eyes stared at me. I stared into the unblinking eyes until my vision widened and I saw myself staring into the eyes.
I blinked and leaned back a bit from them. Distancing myself.
"You alright?"
Severus Snape.
I gulped, and felt the sweaty palms and hair rising in my neck. I didn't expect to him to talk to me ever since...
"Y-yes. What is it?" I pushed away my still growing hair away from my face. They were wet with perspirations.
He looked a bit uncomfortable, and he looked around to see if anyone was there in the library, afraid that someone might hear or see him.
"I-I," I had to wonder what made this proud Slytherin stuttered for a word, "I wanted to-"
His words were interrupted, when someone did came into the library. From watching Snape's reaction, I got up to see who it was; my dream already disappeared into oblivion.
Malfoy stood before us. His icy eyes fixed on me.
Severus Snape:
I watched him openly, for there was no one in the library to see me doing so. Lupin looked so tired, so anguished. When he whimpered and trembled in his fitful sleep, I knew he was having a nightmare.
I guiltily wondered whether he was dreaming of Slytherins hurting him. I wondered if I was the one he was scared of. Ever since I came back for the second year, I wanted to make it right. I couldn't talk to him in Potions with all the others around us. I wanted to apologize to him about that day, but I didn't. I stood silently and in indifference. And he stayed away from me as well.
He gasped out loud before he realized he was staring into my eyes, not fully realizing that he was awake from his nightmare. I watched his big eyes adjusting to the light and to the real world in fascination. I never realized how truly gold his eyes were. They were captivating.
I lost my train of thought; I couldn't concentrate when such pure innocent eyes were boring into my soul, my true being, far from the proud and haughty potion brewer, that I was becoming to be known for.
"I-I," I stuttered to get my sentence out. It should be easy to say I am sorry, Remus, I mean Lupin, Lupin. I am sorry, Lupin. Why can't I just say it?
"I wanted to-" I bared got out my words, when someone came in with a great haste and presence.
My face once again masked with indifference, I faced the intruder. I felt Lupin rising from his place.
"Malfoy."
He acknowledged me with a nod, but stared at Lupin with hard contempt, then at me; I could feel his question and accusation about me being there with a Gryffindor.
Feeling my tension, Lupin said, "Hello, Malfoy," then to me, "Severus, thanks for reminding me about potions tomorrow."
I caught on, "Make sure, you won't ruin the potions again." I said in indifference, "I can't let you bring down my grade, just so you wouldn't fail the class."
I turned abruptly and motioned Malfoy to follow me out. Malfoy looked at me with a smirk satisfaction and called out over his shoulder, "Loony, loopy Lupin. I would practice my hex on you right now, only if I had my wand."
I did not turned to see Lupin's face.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" I asked as soon as we were out of the library.
Malfoy looked irritated once again. "Can't you see?!" When I looked at him blankly, he continued, "Look at my hair. Look at it. They are ruined! By damn Gryffindors. AGAIN.
"We really have to do something about them."
For the first time, I saw his hair color change from blond to blue. I secretly thought it was quite ingenious spell.
"What have you in mind?" I asked.
"First, I want you to remove this spell from me. Brew me a potion, I don't care! I can't go to that stinking infirmary again. Pom-pom would burn all my hair for sure. Dumbledore thought it was amusing. That Gryffindor fan would think everything is amusing unless someone is actually killed."
I nodded with my eyes thinning in agreement. My father told me, Dumbledore was crazy old fool. So far, he hasn't been very impressive. I remembered when I was covered with slimy gook thrown by Potter in Potions. Gritting my teeth, I listened.
"Second, come up with a revenge. I can't have them laughing at my expense. They wanted to fight, then let those slimeballs get exactly what they deserve. They won a battle, but they haven't won the war yet."
And so, our own battles intensified as the real dark war raged outside of Hogwarts.
Lily Evans:
Insufferable looters, that Sirius and James! Why can't they be more responsible? Ashley Johnson that it was hilarious vent on Slytherins, but I just didn't understand it. Wait, I do understand her, she liked Sirius Black, that pompous troublemaker. Ever since, they both got into the Quidditch team, they are louder than ever. Honestly, I think the sport is overrated. When will a girl get into the team? I think 5th year, Jennifer Grant is far better than those two. Again, witches are ignored of their talent! We should stand up for our rights.
Remus had to visit his sick relatives again. And AGAIN he looked like he was run over by a train. He had no visible marks but bruises on his left arm, I caught the glimpse when he was reading and his sleeve fell down a bit.
My suspicion increased; his sense of smell, his golden eyes, easily bruised skins, slow growth of his hair…they are all pointing to something that is not so normal.
I've received a permission to browse the Restricted Section in the library from Professor Flick with an excuse of doing more research on my term paper on charms. I found myself spending more and more time reading up on "Symptoms and What They Really Mean" and "All the Questions Answered" books.
It would take the brand new year to come around, for me to find out his deadly truth.
There is a huge willow tree near Hogwarts' ground, and it wasn't just any other willow tree. It was called the Whomping Willow for her imposingly deadly whomping branches. In my first year, a third year student named David Gudgeon nearly lost an eye in a play of chicken, and we were forbidden to go near it after that.
I would eventually learn of her power myself, and ultimately the secret that she held.
It was no secret that Peter Pettigrew loved eating. And sometimes, I caught James, Sirius and Peter disappeared for an hour then came back with smell of food on them. I had no doubt that the pranksters somehow figured out how to get into Hogwarts kitchen.
The day I've learned of Remus was the night I would never forget. That night was nothing unusual, except Dumbledore and few other professors had gone away to London, only a day before. The Hogwarts were more or less restricted by remaining Professors. I was reading ahead of my DADA book, and somehow I found myself reading about the werewolves in the common room. I didn't see the truth, even then.
I saw James, Peter and Sirius sneaking out of the dorm room, reminding me how Remus was different from them. "Hey, can I come?" Ashley asked hopefully. Unfortunately, Ashley saw them sneaking out as I did.
"No, no flat chested girls allowed!" Sirius said as they tried to get pass us.
"Shut up, you sexist tweak! Stop being such a boy!" said I, as I watched in scorn as they slipped out of the portrait hole.
I went out of the portrait hole too, to give him piece of my mind. Then I was going for the library to find Remus (lately, he seemed to fall asleep in the weirdest places), but when I got out of the hole and the portrait closed, I didn't see anyone. They had disappeared out of my very sight.
'How strange,' I thought to myself, but I continued my journey to the library, when I heard the distinct voice of Lucius Malfoy and his friend, Severus Snape.
"Just do as I say, I bet at least fat Gryffindor would freak, that pig. I bet anything, he's in the kitchen right now. And that's all I want to see. I am not expecting much. If we could get them into detentions-"
They walked away from me, and I resumed my walk to the library. I didn't like the tone of Malfoy, as if he had done something really serious. My main concern was for Remus, as I came to the library. It was empty. How unusual. He was usually here every night without a fail.
I sat down, and my mind wandered back to Malfoy.
I had no warm feelings toward the marauders and their stupid prank war, but I can't let the Slytherins cost our points. If Malfoy were planning something to get Sirius and James into trouble, we would lose at least twenty points tonight.
I put down my books and ran out of the library, toward the cook painting, where I knew hid the kitchen hole. I wished someone were with me at that point, because I didn't know what was going to happen and how I was going to warn them of danger. I couldn't tell a professor, because then I would reveal that marauders were sneaking into kitchen. But soon, I would wish that I went to the professor instead.
When I arrived in front of the painting of a large fruit bowl, panting from lost of breath, I was too late. The painting was ripped open by what looked like big animal claws, and all the fruits were out of the bowl. The bowl must have over turned when something ripped it. I hesitated for a second, and, breathing in deeply, I boldly went in.
First, the kitchen looked normal. Nothing was damaged. But one thing that worried me was it was too quiet. There were no house elves around, from what I had heard they would come crowding to please you and serve you. But there was none to be found.
I started to walk further into the kitchen, when I heard the whispered voice of James Potter. "Lily!" He hissed quietly, and I moved my eyes to see where he was. I couldn't see him.
I began, "I have to tell-"
"Quiet!" The voice belonged to Sirius, whom I couldn't see also, but was much closer than sound of James. Then I heard it, or rather felt it. There was a low rumbling sound just above me.
I slowly raised my eyes to see a dark creature perched up on the high ceiling rail. I stood there petrified of fear. Only thing I could see was the gleaming eyes and sharp claws coming down at me. I couldn't move my feet.
"RUN! RUN!" I felt the push behind me with Sirius suddenly there beside me, and I ran toward wherever I could. I heard panting sound of the beast.
"WHAT—IS—THAT—THING?!" I shouted at him as we ran around the stainless steel freezers. Sirius didn't look back but said, "I—don't know, but—I—don't want—to—stick around—to find out!—be quiet! He might—HEAR—US!"
"WHY—ARE—YOU—SHOUT—TING!"
"SHUT UP—AND—RRRRRUN!" As we ran toward another room in the kitchen, there was no windows or place to hide. It was empty dead zone.
"Over there!" I pointed with my wand, and I yelled, "Alohomora!" A hidden door opened up, and I pushed Sirius into the door as the beast bumped the door, breaking my wand in half and closing the door.
We leaned against the door, catching our breaths, until we didn't hear the beast any more.
"You think it's gone?" I whispered so low that it sounded as if I hadn't mouthed a word.
"I am not sure." Sirius whispered as he looked at me. "What were you doing here, Lily? Did you follow us or something?"
"Don't sound too grateful. I came to warn you about Malfoy and Snape."
"But we already knew."
"You knew! How?" I turned around to face him.
"Remus. He came just before the thing came at us."
I was about to ask Sirius about Remus, but my eyes caught the scene outside through the window in the room.
"Sirius!" Through the window, I could see two figures running for their lives and a huge outline of a beast, that resembled a ferocious black leopard with three sets of tiny wings, running after them.
"We've got to help them!" Sirius said, as he ran toward the window, trying to open it.
"I am not sure it's good idea to run after it!" I said as I too followed him.
"We've got no other choice, come on!"
"Alohomora!" I shouted holding on to my broken wand. The window flung open with a great force, and shattered around us. We scampered to climb out on to the ground, and ran after them.
"They are heading for Dark Forest." I said.
We watched two dark figures disappear into the dense forest leaves and darkness. The beast looked uncertain for a moment, and suddenly turned back, heading toward us.
"Shit! We've got to separate! Let him follow me. Run!" Sirius shouted as he skidded to stop and turn to the left toward the Lake. I didn't stop to ask what he was going to do. I ran toward the right in blind darkness as the cloud hid the moonlight. Then suddenly, I was knocked off my feet. Landing sharply on the ground, I cried out in pain.
When I opened my eyes, the half moon creped out from the cloud. I could see the giant figures of Whomping Willow and her angry branches. But before I could worry about her branches, I heard the ferocious cry of the beast not far behind. The beast must have heard me and was coming after me. I crawled toward the trunk of Willow, dodging her angry blows as much as I could. I saw where my broken wand pieces were, but I didn't dare to get them.
I knew that the beast would not dare come close to the Whomping Willow, and my only chance was to hold on to the base of trunk safely away from the beast and pray that someone would rescue me from the beast then if I was lucky from the Willow.
"Lily!" I heard someone desperately calling me. "Lily! Look up!"
I looked up as best as I could at the same time avoiding the smaller branches with willow leaves that was scratching my shoulders and face.
It was Remus. His pale face, lighted by the half moon, was peering down at me from the above; I am sure he could see the relief on my face at that very moment.
"Remus! Are you alright?" I could barely make his face out as the dark cloud moved in again.
"I am alright. Are you-"
"Fine! Just a scratch."
"Can you climb?" Remus looked out toward the beast, then back down at me, "I think it might be safer, in case that thing-"
We both heard the snarling frustrated sound of the beast. I never climb a tree before, a moving angry tree at that, but it was good time to find out. I began to plant my right feet firmly on a branch, avoiding the feisty willow leaves that veiled all around me.
"Can you see it?" I asked as I reached half way toward Remus. I saw him look out again as he held on to the trunk of the tree.
"No. I can't. The leaves are too thick around here."
Remus gave me a hand to pull me up toward him, when I finally reached the half of the length of willow trunk. The ground looked very far from where I was.
"You wouldn't have a wand with you, would it?" I asked Remus with a hope, but it was short lived, when he pointed toward the ground. I looked over down to the west side of the trunk, and I saw the wand sticking out from the trunk's small gap.
"Why did you stick your wand to a-"
Beast yelped out loud as the crack of a willow branch was heard. We hung on to the trunk tighter.
"There's a knot. You could freeze the willow, and-"
Another crack of the branch as it hit the beast. We held on. My eyes met his, and his golden eyes were staring at me. I could see the fear in his eyes, and I realized for the first time, how his eyes were shining in the dark. Like someone had turned on a light inside of him. Just like a cat.
Then I knew.
"You are-"
My realization must have shown in my face, because Remus looked away.
"Are you?"
He stayed quiet, not moving an inch, then he nodded, his eyes still not meeting mine. I reached out, and squeezed his hand tighter. The sound of the beast was coming fainter and fainter, until there was only the sound of moving branches. We stayed like that for what seemed like forever, until-
"HEY! LILY! REMUS!" I heard the voice of James Potter.
"ARE YOU UP THERE!" Sirius called.
"Mr. Potter and Mr. Black, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't wake up all the students!"
I closed my eyes in relief, when I heard the stern voice of Professor McGonagall. Thank god, she was here.
"We are here!" I shouted. "HERE!"
I looked at Remus, who still looked uncertain and afraid. I leaned closer to his ear, and whispered, "I won't tell. I promise."
It was no big deal that he was a werewolf, but obviously Remus was shied of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seven of us stood before angry Professor McGonagalL inside her classroom for last fifteen minutes.
"Do you have any idea, how many rules you have broken tonight? You could have been killed!" Her voice rang out, making us feeling smaller. "You could have died by Whomping Willow, and you could have seriously hurt yourselves inside the Dark Forest. It's forbidden for that very reason." I stood there like the others with lowered head, my cheek was bruised and my body ached with pain from the strain.
"I do expected these from you, Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, and Mr. Pettigrew," three of them hung their heads, "but I am very much disappointed to see Mr. Lupin and Miss Evans joining them."
I saw Remus redden, and I felt the burning red in my cheek also.
"And Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Snape, since the head of your house, Professor Shaw, is not here. I think it is up to me to give you detentions as I see fit," Malfoy and Snape stiffened.
"Now, I want to know exactly what happened out there tonight."
I raised my head to look around, as nobody spoke out. After a minute of waiting, finally, Professor McGonagall pointed me to speak.
I explained from the beginning, how I overheard Malfoy telling Snape about the prank he had for Peter, Sirius and James, which led to the kitchen(McGonagall looked angry at the three Gryffindors for breaking into the kitchen, and the rest of us for being out and about when it was late), and the beast, then the willow, and how I climb up to Remus.
After listening quietly, Professor McGonagall asked, "Mr. Malfoy, do you care to elaborate on the story?"
"Yes," he said with determination, "We didn't know anything about the beast, professor. I do admit that we were planning on the prank, but it was going to be enchanted powders that would make bodies to swell up. That was all. I don't know how that thing came at us! It had nothing to do with the beast, I swear-"
"You filthy liar, you know damn well-"
"MR. BLACK!" Professor McGonagall looked hard at Sirius, then at Malfoy.
"Do you have the enchanted candies?"
I saw Snape and Malfoy handing over the small scraps that held powders, from their pockets. Then I realized how their robes were tattered and dirty with mud and dirt all over them. They must have been the two figures that ran toward the Dark Forest.
"Now, I've heard many tales and excuses in my years here, but I had never heard such an elaborate tales in my life from so many students."
"But professor, it's not a tale," James said, with rest of us, even the Slytherin, nodding.
"That is enough, Mr. Potter," She looked around us again, "If your story is truth, then how come there is no sign of a beast or any attacks it had made? Hmm?"
"That can't be, the beast almost destroyed the kitchen, Professor!"
"We ran from the beast!" "That's why we broke the window!" "The tree saved us!"
"Beast scratched open the Picture!" "Ask the house elves!"
"Look at my robe, professor!"
All of us started to tell her.
"I almost thought I was dead!" "He had huge eyes!" "He snarled like a tiger or something."
"It was real beast!" "Look at my robe! I ran from the thing!"
"We are not making it up, Malfoy is!"
"SILENCE!"
She got up from her chair and walked back and forth in front us.
"You can check for yourself tomorrow if you wish. The kitchen picture was not SCRATCHED, nor was the kitchen DESTROYED. I had asked all the house elves, and they did not notice a thing! NOTHING of the beast. Nothing. Nothing had happened.
"Nobody heard the beast, nor did anyone heard you seven running for your lives as you told me from the non-existing beast." She sighed big and long, and looked at us again.
"I had had it with all of you. Lying to a professor would not make your detention any lighter, but worse. Twenty points from the house, each of you! I want all of you for detentions for a week! And no more talk of this night."
We were dismissed immediately.
"Malfoy, Snape. I knew it was your beast. You tried to kill us!" James hissed out.
"Whatever, Potter. I had nothing to do with it than Pettigrew becoming a genius."
"It wasn't us." Snape hissed out, lowering his voice to be not heard by anyone.
"Yeah, we believe your stupid powder prank, you greasy head!" Sirius hissed, "We all know what you did."
"I heard you," I said with anger, "I heard you saying-"
"You heard nothing of the beast, Evans!" Malfoy spitted out.
"Remus heard your plan too, didn't you Remus?" I asked Remus.
"I heard them talking about the prank, but not what it was," he said with his cheek reddening slightly.
"If you forgot, I almost got eaten by that beast, too! If it was our beast, then why would I do that?"
"So that you could say it wasn't your beast!" James said.
"It wasn't our beast!" Snape snapped at loud.
"Look at my robe, I am going to tell my father about this. The beast running around, and now McGonagall is denying its existence!"
"Shut up about your stupid robe!" Sirius said.
When we finally parted, still bickering quietly, some threats were made between the Slytherins and the Gryffindors.
"You better watch where you step, next time!" James said to their backs as two of them went to their dorm.
"Likewise, four-eyes!" Snape yelled back.
"Can you believe the nerves of them? Denying everything! I bet they bullied the elves into cleaning up the kitchen and shut them up about it, so McGonagall wouldn't know," Sirius said.
"Where did you go after we parted?" I asked Sirius.
He looked a bit sheepish, then said, "I went inside the green house and locked the door, so that thing couldn't get in. I figured I could taunt the beast while I was inside, but I guess it went after you. I would have come and help you, but it turned out I locked myself in too. James and Peter came with McGonagall and got me out of the house."
"Remus came in, as you know, to warn us, then after you came, Pete and I ran out of the kitchen. Remus, you, ran out through the window, and the beast came after him few minutes later, I supposed. Then we saw Malfoy and Snape running, which made the beast follow them instead of Remus, and we went and got McGonagall." James sighed, "I guess if it wasn't for you," looking at Remus, "we could have been the food instead. So…" looking a bit grateful and embarrassed, "thanks. To both of you." He looked at me quickly.
"Thank you too," I said softly.
"Yeah, thanks you guys," Peter said as he looked at Remus and then me.
"Now do you understand what kind of people are in Slytherin?" Sirius looked at Remus. When he nodded, Sirius clasped his hand over Remus' shoulder. "We should stick together, all the Gryffindors."
All of us nodded as we looked at each other in appreciation. "And thanks to you, too." Sirius said.
And so from that night on, we became friends. Sirius and I bickered now and then, and Peter and James really get on my nerve sometimes because they are still boys, but we all trust each other; I also learned that Remus wasn't as quiet as I thought he was when he's among boys. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and saving each other from the horrible beast is one of them.
For the Slytherins, I can't say the same. Let's just say that I never frown upon the Marauders when they played pranks on them. Ahem…
I didn't tell anyone about Remus, as I promised. I figured, there's no way, he is a bloody thirsty monster as books written by old men described. If it was written by witches then maybe I could have believed it, but…beside, I don't care if he became a wolf every month; he still was my best friend rest of the time.
And it turned out; rest of Marauders didn't care either, when they found out by the end of the year. They weren't as dumb as I thought really, for figuring it out themselves. They actually thought it was the coolest thing that had ever happened to them. As Sirius said, they liked to live dangerously.
Boys….
Severus Snape:
"My father would hear of this! This is ridiculous, that thing chased us! And now McGonagall claims there's no such thing! Can you believe this? I bet it's one of their elaborate pranks!"
On and on and on, Malfoy didn't shut up until we reached our bed. It was very stupid to trying to out run a huge black beast, but strange though, like as if he wasn't after us. He turned around to chase someone else.
The Gryffindors didn't set the beast free. There is no way they could have acquire such thing, I know that. And we didn't either, even though they didn't believe us. Of course our powders were a back up plan, but we didn't planning on killing anyone. That would get us to the Azkaban.
I shivered a bit at the thought.
Malfoy and I were planning to cast a spell, so those Gryffindors would throwing up their foods all week, but I didn't think McGonagall would look so favorably on us if we told her the truth.
We ended up doing a week of detention every night, washing the gross dishes in the kitchen without magic. The worst part was, we had to work side by side with Gryffindors, and I had endured non stop talk of Quidditich from Potter and Pettigrew, then had to fight off Black and Evans bickering sounds, even Lupin was started to annoy me with his optimistic attitude. The detentions did not deter our prank wars at all. It would intensify as the year passed. My feeble friendship with Lupin was just that. Feeble.
He was a Gryffindor, after all. One can't change one's nature, and oil and water just can't mix, even if you try and try again.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
end of chapter 4