She went to walk into the changing rooms when she saw a lone figure walking
towards that big tree in the middle of the school grounds. It was Remus. He
was accompanied by Madam Pomfrey. Dani abandoned her broom, outside the
changing rooms and walked out of the stadium. She followed Remus and
Pomfrey across the school grounds, still in her Quidditch clothes. She hid
in the shadows of the Quidditch pitch and watched. Dani was about 50 metres
away from Remus and Madam Pomfrey, when she saw something that shocked her.
The tree started moving and it's branches started flailing about. Remus
picked up a long stick and poked a rather noticeable notch in the tree. The
tree stopped moving and the roots arched up, leaving a tunnel. Dani gasped
as she saw Madam Pomfrey help Remus into the tunnel. She watched the tree
go back to its normal state, and Madam Pomfrey slipped away. She waited
until Madam Pomfrey had gone and Dani slipped from her shadows. She
sprinted lightly over to the tree and grabbed the stick that Remus had used
to poke the tree with. She found the notch, and dodging a blow from a
branch, poked it. The tree froze and Dani slipped under the uplifted
roots. The moon had just appeared. She turned back and looked at it and
slid down the tunnel. Dani tugged on her Quidditch robe, that was caught
on a branch outside the tree and a large ripped appeared.
"Damn!" She hissed. And looked around the damp tunnel. It was dark. Dani took out her wand and muttered, "Lumos!" Her wand tip flared light and she held the narrow beam high over the ground. She crept forward, wondering why on earth Remus had come down this dark and musty tunnel. She heard a soft whimpering noise in the distance. It was very faint and Dani quickened her pace. The tunnel was long and the sound was getting louder. It sounded like someone was hurt. She broke into a run, which was quite hard to do in shin- guards and boots. The noise was loud, very loud now. Dani stopped and squinted. There was a hunched figure at the end of the tunnel. Dani, drew closer. She recognised there was something familiar about that lean form.
"Remus?" She whispered. The whimpering stopped. Dani broke into a run again and stopped, as soon as she had started. There was a low growling noise. Dani took a few more steps. Remus was now within arm-reach. She held out a leather padded and gloved arm. She moved a little closer and stretched out a shaking hand. The growling was still audible, and what Dani thought to be Remus' body was shaking and shuddering. Dani's hand hovered over the shuddering body's shoulder. Her fingertip touched the shoulder and growling became a snarl. Dani took no notice and placed her whole hand on the shoulder. There was no time for regrets. A heavy arm, flew out of nowhere and knocked Dani to the wall. What she thought to be Remus' head, had flung around, teeth bared. Dani screamed and tried to scramble back up. She reached for her wand, but it was knocked from her hands. One of the beast's arms knocked Dani back down. She hit her head on the wall and she raised a hand to it, feeling blood. She screamed again as a heavy and furry hand reached for her neck. It seized Dani's neck and lifted her off the ground, slamming her against the wall of the tunnel. The beast's hand tightened and Dani choked for breath. Tears welled in her eyes and she felt the hand tighten. Her back twisted and Dani tried to let out a scream of pain but there was nothing. She felt the air being squeezed out of her body. The monster held it's face close to Dani's. It had a short snout and fur covered it's face. Dani let out a sound that somewhat resembled a gasp. A werewolf. They had studied those for the OWL's, last year. Dani felt as if she was going to die any second. She looked into those confused eyes and saw the same warmth she saw in someone's eyes she knew. She choked. "Rem- Remus...I... lov-.." But that is all she got out. She was suddenly knocked aside by what appeared a giant black dog. Dani fell to the ground and crawled quickly to where her wand lay. She picked it up with a shaking hand and swiped at her sweating and tear-streaked face. She scrambled to her feet and held the wand in front of her, body trembling. Dani looked at the dog that had been her saviour.. The dog was fighting and playing with the werewolf. What appeared to be a stag joined the fighting two. The animals ran to the end of the tunnel and through the doorway. She heard a yelp and a growl. There was a bit of a thud and silence. Dani ran to the mouth at the end of the tunnel and climbed up dirt steps into a very old house she had seen on her visits to Hogsmeade. She looked around frantically, wand still raised. A single phrase kept playing in her head. Curiosity killed the cat. Dani was having second thoughts when she saw something dark on the ground. She ran towards it, observing her surroundings as she passed. She tripped over a chair that was on the ground. It was missing legs and the stuffing coming out. She had heard the rumours revolving around this house, and came to a conclusion that ghosts did not do that to the chair. She reached the huddled shape on the ground and realised it was a person. She bent low over it and touched it slightly. There was a trickled of blood running down the person's face. It turned it's head to look at Dani and she gasped.
"Sirius?!" He smiled at her, pulling his arm out from under himself and brushing his tangled fringe away from his eyes.
"You've found our secret, then." He said, putting pressure to the cut on his head with his sleeve. Dani nodded.
"I never knew Remus was a werewolf." Dani said quietly.
"It's not something that he tells everybody."
"I can't believe it. I'm his girlfriend.. I love him. And he nearly killed me.." Dani said, exasperatedly.
"Dani, you are safe now. James took off with Remus over the other side of the house. You are ok now." Sirius said soothingly.
"Look at me, Sirius! Do I look ok? Do I look alright? I am so hurt! I love Remus with- with everything, and he didn't tell me?" Dani stared at him with tears running down her injured face. There was a dark purple bruise appearing in a ring around her neck. Sirius edged up the wall, wincing. Still with a hand to his head, he stood and held out his arm. Dani turned into his arms and hugged Sirius' body. She sobbed uncontrollably into his front, in which with one arm he tried to comfort Dani. After minutes of rocking back and forth and silence, Dani whispered, still holding tightly to Sirius as if he was going to run away.
"I felt like I was already dying.. It was so cold." Sirius just nodded. She drew apart from him and sat on a mangled chair. She rested her head on her hands and stared at the wall. "I was only an inch away from being torn apart.. or-or.. bitten."
"I know that mustn't feel great. But he couldn't control it, Dani." Sirius said, leaning against the wall, hand still to his head.
"But I still love him.. so much.. and I don't feel that I should. How can you love the guy that tried to kill you?" Sirius had no time to answer. There was a noise on the other side of the house, two thumps on the floor. Dani jumped up and Sirius turned into that giant dog again. Dani had her wand out, but what appeared in the doorway wasn't a werewolf or a stag. It was James, supporting Remus, who appeared very sick. Remus looked up wearily, there was a bit of a scratch on his face and James was sporting a bleeding lip, and his glasses were broken. Remus glanced at Dani and tried to walk to her. Dani remained as she was, wand poised, fear, hurt and love in her bright green eyes. He looked at her, frightened and sorry. Sirius and James glanced nervously at Dani. She was still in the same position and she looked even more frightened as she stared at Remus, saw the same hardness as she saw in that monster's eyes and she backed against the wall. Remus made a start towards her and she edged along the wall. Remus stopped and stared at her. Dani stayed put and felt her heart collide with her chest in fear. She looked at him fearfully once more and turned on her heel and ran. She ran blindly crashing into things and did not stop until she was out of the Whomping Willow. She jogged to the beech tree by the lake and sank against it, sobbing.
"I can't do it... I can't.." She whimpered. She sat hunched, crying there for a few minutes, until she heard a hushed soothing voice and an exasperated one. "Mate, you need to calm down." Came a familiar voice. James' voice.
"How can I?! The only girl I ever loved is terrified of me. I should have told her about me. She trusted me!" Remus' voice yelled into the night. Dani pressed herself harder against the tree. A knobble of bark dug into her back, but she ignored it. Her breathing shallowed as she pressed her lips together. She saw James, Sirius, Remus and Peter, who had re- transformed, walk past, and felt the whip of their robes in the wind. She should have done it when she was in the tunnel, but fear and love grabbed at her and she couldn't transform. There was a reason why her Patronus was a wolf. She could turn into one too. When Dani, Lucius and Severus were practicing the Dark Arts, the all learned to become Animagi. Dani learnt to transform into a wolf by the time she was in fourth year. Lucius became a serpent and Snape could transform into a rabid bear. She hadn't thought to transform, to save herself, because she knew werewolves only craved human blood and not that of an animal. She also had hidden something from Remus, just as he had hidden something from her.
"Damn!" She hissed. And looked around the damp tunnel. It was dark. Dani took out her wand and muttered, "Lumos!" Her wand tip flared light and she held the narrow beam high over the ground. She crept forward, wondering why on earth Remus had come down this dark and musty tunnel. She heard a soft whimpering noise in the distance. It was very faint and Dani quickened her pace. The tunnel was long and the sound was getting louder. It sounded like someone was hurt. She broke into a run, which was quite hard to do in shin- guards and boots. The noise was loud, very loud now. Dani stopped and squinted. There was a hunched figure at the end of the tunnel. Dani, drew closer. She recognised there was something familiar about that lean form.
"Remus?" She whispered. The whimpering stopped. Dani broke into a run again and stopped, as soon as she had started. There was a low growling noise. Dani took a few more steps. Remus was now within arm-reach. She held out a leather padded and gloved arm. She moved a little closer and stretched out a shaking hand. The growling was still audible, and what Dani thought to be Remus' body was shaking and shuddering. Dani's hand hovered over the shuddering body's shoulder. Her fingertip touched the shoulder and growling became a snarl. Dani took no notice and placed her whole hand on the shoulder. There was no time for regrets. A heavy arm, flew out of nowhere and knocked Dani to the wall. What she thought to be Remus' head, had flung around, teeth bared. Dani screamed and tried to scramble back up. She reached for her wand, but it was knocked from her hands. One of the beast's arms knocked Dani back down. She hit her head on the wall and she raised a hand to it, feeling blood. She screamed again as a heavy and furry hand reached for her neck. It seized Dani's neck and lifted her off the ground, slamming her against the wall of the tunnel. The beast's hand tightened and Dani choked for breath. Tears welled in her eyes and she felt the hand tighten. Her back twisted and Dani tried to let out a scream of pain but there was nothing. She felt the air being squeezed out of her body. The monster held it's face close to Dani's. It had a short snout and fur covered it's face. Dani let out a sound that somewhat resembled a gasp. A werewolf. They had studied those for the OWL's, last year. Dani felt as if she was going to die any second. She looked into those confused eyes and saw the same warmth she saw in someone's eyes she knew. She choked. "Rem- Remus...I... lov-.." But that is all she got out. She was suddenly knocked aside by what appeared a giant black dog. Dani fell to the ground and crawled quickly to where her wand lay. She picked it up with a shaking hand and swiped at her sweating and tear-streaked face. She scrambled to her feet and held the wand in front of her, body trembling. Dani looked at the dog that had been her saviour.. The dog was fighting and playing with the werewolf. What appeared to be a stag joined the fighting two. The animals ran to the end of the tunnel and through the doorway. She heard a yelp and a growl. There was a bit of a thud and silence. Dani ran to the mouth at the end of the tunnel and climbed up dirt steps into a very old house she had seen on her visits to Hogsmeade. She looked around frantically, wand still raised. A single phrase kept playing in her head. Curiosity killed the cat. Dani was having second thoughts when she saw something dark on the ground. She ran towards it, observing her surroundings as she passed. She tripped over a chair that was on the ground. It was missing legs and the stuffing coming out. She had heard the rumours revolving around this house, and came to a conclusion that ghosts did not do that to the chair. She reached the huddled shape on the ground and realised it was a person. She bent low over it and touched it slightly. There was a trickled of blood running down the person's face. It turned it's head to look at Dani and she gasped.
"Sirius?!" He smiled at her, pulling his arm out from under himself and brushing his tangled fringe away from his eyes.
"You've found our secret, then." He said, putting pressure to the cut on his head with his sleeve. Dani nodded.
"I never knew Remus was a werewolf." Dani said quietly.
"It's not something that he tells everybody."
"I can't believe it. I'm his girlfriend.. I love him. And he nearly killed me.." Dani said, exasperatedly.
"Dani, you are safe now. James took off with Remus over the other side of the house. You are ok now." Sirius said soothingly.
"Look at me, Sirius! Do I look ok? Do I look alright? I am so hurt! I love Remus with- with everything, and he didn't tell me?" Dani stared at him with tears running down her injured face. There was a dark purple bruise appearing in a ring around her neck. Sirius edged up the wall, wincing. Still with a hand to his head, he stood and held out his arm. Dani turned into his arms and hugged Sirius' body. She sobbed uncontrollably into his front, in which with one arm he tried to comfort Dani. After minutes of rocking back and forth and silence, Dani whispered, still holding tightly to Sirius as if he was going to run away.
"I felt like I was already dying.. It was so cold." Sirius just nodded. She drew apart from him and sat on a mangled chair. She rested her head on her hands and stared at the wall. "I was only an inch away from being torn apart.. or-or.. bitten."
"I know that mustn't feel great. But he couldn't control it, Dani." Sirius said, leaning against the wall, hand still to his head.
"But I still love him.. so much.. and I don't feel that I should. How can you love the guy that tried to kill you?" Sirius had no time to answer. There was a noise on the other side of the house, two thumps on the floor. Dani jumped up and Sirius turned into that giant dog again. Dani had her wand out, but what appeared in the doorway wasn't a werewolf or a stag. It was James, supporting Remus, who appeared very sick. Remus looked up wearily, there was a bit of a scratch on his face and James was sporting a bleeding lip, and his glasses were broken. Remus glanced at Dani and tried to walk to her. Dani remained as she was, wand poised, fear, hurt and love in her bright green eyes. He looked at her, frightened and sorry. Sirius and James glanced nervously at Dani. She was still in the same position and she looked even more frightened as she stared at Remus, saw the same hardness as she saw in that monster's eyes and she backed against the wall. Remus made a start towards her and she edged along the wall. Remus stopped and stared at her. Dani stayed put and felt her heart collide with her chest in fear. She looked at him fearfully once more and turned on her heel and ran. She ran blindly crashing into things and did not stop until she was out of the Whomping Willow. She jogged to the beech tree by the lake and sank against it, sobbing.
"I can't do it... I can't.." She whimpered. She sat hunched, crying there for a few minutes, until she heard a hushed soothing voice and an exasperated one. "Mate, you need to calm down." Came a familiar voice. James' voice.
"How can I?! The only girl I ever loved is terrified of me. I should have told her about me. She trusted me!" Remus' voice yelled into the night. Dani pressed herself harder against the tree. A knobble of bark dug into her back, but she ignored it. Her breathing shallowed as she pressed her lips together. She saw James, Sirius, Remus and Peter, who had re- transformed, walk past, and felt the whip of their robes in the wind. She should have done it when she was in the tunnel, but fear and love grabbed at her and she couldn't transform. There was a reason why her Patronus was a wolf. She could turn into one too. When Dani, Lucius and Severus were practicing the Dark Arts, the all learned to become Animagi. Dani learnt to transform into a wolf by the time she was in fourth year. Lucius became a serpent and Snape could transform into a rabid bear. She hadn't thought to transform, to save herself, because she knew werewolves only craved human blood and not that of an animal. She also had hidden something from Remus, just as he had hidden something from her.