Lupin agreed to keep the secret from the teachers, but that did not
stop him from spilling the entire story to Black and Potter at Alex's
bedside later that night. The duo was furious of course, and vowed
revenge.
They put their heads together as they dressed for bed, and Black came up with the plan. "He's always sticking his huge nose where it doesn't belong. Trying to find out where Madam Pomfrey takes Remus once a month. I say we tell him how to get past the whomping willow and let Remus exact his revenge."
"You reckon he'll go for it," James asked, sounding a little worried.
"Who, Snivellus or Remus?"
"Both, really. I don't think Remus would be happy killing anyone, and I don't know if Snape will take our advice."
"Then we wont tell either of them. Remus is not going to be held responsible for what he does as a werewolf, so we'll keep him in the dark. Then we can let old Snivelly know by over hearing us like in the library."
James bit his lip and ruffled his always-messy hair. "I...okay, it sounds good to me."
"Sounds good? It's the most brilliant plan I've had, mate!" It was clear that Sirius was beyond pleased with himself. The full moon was in two days and that was plenty of time for the little secret to slip to Snape.
The duo found Snape sitting alone at a table, reading up on potions and they slipped into a shelf within earshot. Sirius gave James the thumbs up and started the conversation. "It's that knot," he whispered loudly. "The one just below the trunk on the right side. You can't miss it, and Madam Pomfrey will be taking Remus there night after tomorrow."
"Shhh," James whispered, "we're in the library, someone will hear you."
Sirius grinned but sounded exasperated. "Oh who would care if they knew were Moony goes once a month. I've never even been asked in all five years of knowing him." Sirius and James left the library and just as they suspected, Snape was hooked.
When Alex woke up from what she felt was a refreshing sleep, she knew exactly what happened. James was beside her bed and his thoughts betrayed them. He was reeking of guilt and his expression was begging someone to bust him.
"Don't let him get killed," Alex said feebly, keeping up the pretense of a wounded girl. "I can't blame him for what's been done to me, and I can't let him die. I'll get out of my bed myself tomorrow night if you don't stop him."
James looked at her, alarmed. "You know?"
Alex sat up and looked deep into his eyes. "I thought you would remember what I had told you. Please James, do this, not just for me but for yourself as well. Could you live with knowing you sent a boy to his death?"
He stood up, chalk white and shook his head. "You're right, I will tell him the truth."
"Don't tell him the whole truth, don't betray Remus. Just tell him not to go."
James agreed but didn't manage to get to Severus until it was too late for Remus. Severus wasn't hurt, but he was seen. Dumbledor took all three boys into his office and demanded to know why they had done such a thing.
"It's not my fault he over heard us talking," Sirius defended. "He has been aching to follow Remus for ages now, and we shouldn't be blamed for his nosy habits."
James simply looked into the face of Severus, searching for something in there that told him why he would have harmed Alex.
"I'm sorry, sir, but they tried to set me up. They staged a conversation in the library, knowing full well I would investigate. James only relented in the end to save his own neck!"
"And why would we want to set you up?" Sirius pressed angrily. "Have you done something to warrant us setting you up, Snape?"
"I've done nothing out of the ordinary," he said coolly. "Nothing, I regret anyway."
Dumbledor listened to this with his hands pressed together under his chin. He stood up and paced back and forth in front of the boys. "This is a severe case of misbehavior. I must impress how important it is that Remus' secret be kept secret. I want you to take an enchanted oath swearing you will keep this a secret. James, Sirius, you have already done so, you may go."
"Without punishment," Snape yelled standing up. "Outrageous..."
Dumbledor put his hand up, "Silence Severus. Out you get, boys." They rushed out and Dumbledor turned to face Severus who was breathing angrily. "I will not punish them, as I will not punish you for what you have done to Alex. She has pulled all the strings she has to keep your action a secret. I respect her reasons for that, and I do not betray your secret, which would mean your expulsion as well as imprisonment, because I care for the girl. I can only hope that you find it in yourself to realize what you have in her." He placed a piece of parchment stating that he would be sworn to secrecy. Severus signed without complaint, feeling worse than ever. His allegiance was signed away, however, before that night, and there would be no going back on that.
Alex recovered and was back to classes. She kept mostly to herself, unsure of her next move. She clung to Remus who was feeling torn between wishing he had killed Severus and angry at his friends for exploiting his change. Now Severus knew, and although he had sworn secrecy, it didn't stop him from taunting Remus in the halls.
Alex was in class the day that Potter and Black attacked Snape in the court yard, but she was watching and was amazed how Lily stuck up for Snape. I think she knew he had something in him that was worth fighting for. She would love James eventually, but it would take time for her to see the good in him.
On the train home after term ended, Alex decided to give Lily a bit of a boost. She found her in a compartment with some friends and pulled her aside. "I'm really impressed with how you treated Severus, even after he called you a...mudblood. I feel awful about that, I truly do. But James...well he's good at heart. He saved Severus once, and I think you might think on it."
She left it at that and returned to Remus' side. He stomach was twisting in knots. She had a bad feeling, like something in her world was stirring. She didn't want to believe that she would have to fight something outside of her Hogwarts world, so she tried to ignore it.
Soon the train stopped in the station and Alex was first to get off. She heard shouting and saw Black and Potter having a row with Malfoy and Snape so she went to stop it. Suddenly she felt like sting in her neck and she went limp on the ground. She rolled her eyes up and saw Victor standing over her with a needle and a dangerous smile.
"Powerless, just like I like you." He laughed, "I made it with your blood too, how ironic." He took the opportunity to kick her a few times, marveling at how the bruises, for once, did not fade immediately. "Marvelous," he exclaimed.
They put their heads together as they dressed for bed, and Black came up with the plan. "He's always sticking his huge nose where it doesn't belong. Trying to find out where Madam Pomfrey takes Remus once a month. I say we tell him how to get past the whomping willow and let Remus exact his revenge."
"You reckon he'll go for it," James asked, sounding a little worried.
"Who, Snivellus or Remus?"
"Both, really. I don't think Remus would be happy killing anyone, and I don't know if Snape will take our advice."
"Then we wont tell either of them. Remus is not going to be held responsible for what he does as a werewolf, so we'll keep him in the dark. Then we can let old Snivelly know by over hearing us like in the library."
James bit his lip and ruffled his always-messy hair. "I...okay, it sounds good to me."
"Sounds good? It's the most brilliant plan I've had, mate!" It was clear that Sirius was beyond pleased with himself. The full moon was in two days and that was plenty of time for the little secret to slip to Snape.
The duo found Snape sitting alone at a table, reading up on potions and they slipped into a shelf within earshot. Sirius gave James the thumbs up and started the conversation. "It's that knot," he whispered loudly. "The one just below the trunk on the right side. You can't miss it, and Madam Pomfrey will be taking Remus there night after tomorrow."
"Shhh," James whispered, "we're in the library, someone will hear you."
Sirius grinned but sounded exasperated. "Oh who would care if they knew were Moony goes once a month. I've never even been asked in all five years of knowing him." Sirius and James left the library and just as they suspected, Snape was hooked.
When Alex woke up from what she felt was a refreshing sleep, she knew exactly what happened. James was beside her bed and his thoughts betrayed them. He was reeking of guilt and his expression was begging someone to bust him.
"Don't let him get killed," Alex said feebly, keeping up the pretense of a wounded girl. "I can't blame him for what's been done to me, and I can't let him die. I'll get out of my bed myself tomorrow night if you don't stop him."
James looked at her, alarmed. "You know?"
Alex sat up and looked deep into his eyes. "I thought you would remember what I had told you. Please James, do this, not just for me but for yourself as well. Could you live with knowing you sent a boy to his death?"
He stood up, chalk white and shook his head. "You're right, I will tell him the truth."
"Don't tell him the whole truth, don't betray Remus. Just tell him not to go."
James agreed but didn't manage to get to Severus until it was too late for Remus. Severus wasn't hurt, but he was seen. Dumbledor took all three boys into his office and demanded to know why they had done such a thing.
"It's not my fault he over heard us talking," Sirius defended. "He has been aching to follow Remus for ages now, and we shouldn't be blamed for his nosy habits."
James simply looked into the face of Severus, searching for something in there that told him why he would have harmed Alex.
"I'm sorry, sir, but they tried to set me up. They staged a conversation in the library, knowing full well I would investigate. James only relented in the end to save his own neck!"
"And why would we want to set you up?" Sirius pressed angrily. "Have you done something to warrant us setting you up, Snape?"
"I've done nothing out of the ordinary," he said coolly. "Nothing, I regret anyway."
Dumbledor listened to this with his hands pressed together under his chin. He stood up and paced back and forth in front of the boys. "This is a severe case of misbehavior. I must impress how important it is that Remus' secret be kept secret. I want you to take an enchanted oath swearing you will keep this a secret. James, Sirius, you have already done so, you may go."
"Without punishment," Snape yelled standing up. "Outrageous..."
Dumbledor put his hand up, "Silence Severus. Out you get, boys." They rushed out and Dumbledor turned to face Severus who was breathing angrily. "I will not punish them, as I will not punish you for what you have done to Alex. She has pulled all the strings she has to keep your action a secret. I respect her reasons for that, and I do not betray your secret, which would mean your expulsion as well as imprisonment, because I care for the girl. I can only hope that you find it in yourself to realize what you have in her." He placed a piece of parchment stating that he would be sworn to secrecy. Severus signed without complaint, feeling worse than ever. His allegiance was signed away, however, before that night, and there would be no going back on that.
Alex recovered and was back to classes. She kept mostly to herself, unsure of her next move. She clung to Remus who was feeling torn between wishing he had killed Severus and angry at his friends for exploiting his change. Now Severus knew, and although he had sworn secrecy, it didn't stop him from taunting Remus in the halls.
Alex was in class the day that Potter and Black attacked Snape in the court yard, but she was watching and was amazed how Lily stuck up for Snape. I think she knew he had something in him that was worth fighting for. She would love James eventually, but it would take time for her to see the good in him.
On the train home after term ended, Alex decided to give Lily a bit of a boost. She found her in a compartment with some friends and pulled her aside. "I'm really impressed with how you treated Severus, even after he called you a...mudblood. I feel awful about that, I truly do. But James...well he's good at heart. He saved Severus once, and I think you might think on it."
She left it at that and returned to Remus' side. He stomach was twisting in knots. She had a bad feeling, like something in her world was stirring. She didn't want to believe that she would have to fight something outside of her Hogwarts world, so she tried to ignore it.
Soon the train stopped in the station and Alex was first to get off. She heard shouting and saw Black and Potter having a row with Malfoy and Snape so she went to stop it. Suddenly she felt like sting in her neck and she went limp on the ground. She rolled her eyes up and saw Victor standing over her with a needle and a dangerous smile.
"Powerless, just like I like you." He laughed, "I made it with your blood too, how ironic." He took the opportunity to kick her a few times, marveling at how the bruises, for once, did not fade immediately. "Marvelous," he exclaimed.