Chapter 4:
He knew he was being followed. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. With a grimace, he resisted the urge to turn around and confront his stalker. Sirius sidled along a wall, easing around a corner. Wormtail was trudging up the corridor towards him. When he was within reach, Sirius pulled him around the corner. The smaller boy let out a shriek. "Wormtail, you sissy," he chided.
"S-Sirius?" he stammered. "What's up?" Sirius smiled down into his watery eyes.
"Come here," he pulled Wormtail into an empty classroom. The door remained slightly ajar. Sirius waited a minute. Soft padding footsteps stopped just outside the door. "Oh, it's just too easy," he thought. He smiled at Wormtail's confused face. "So I found out that if we use a stick to push that knot at the base of the tree, it'll freeze the tree."
"What?" Peter asked, a note of incredulity on his voice. Sirius laughed.
"Then we can follow Remus," he finished.
"But Sirius--" Sirius clamped a hand over Peter's mouth. He motioned for silence. Then he spun around and threw the door open. Snape's greasy head was disappearing down the corridor. Sirius smiled.
"I already knew that, Sirius. I'm not that thick. I remember how to get into the tunnel." Sirius looked back around at Peter.
"Just a joke, Wormtail." He left Peter standing in the classroom.
Sirius waited up after lights out. When he heard Remus being escorted out of the room, he smiled. He counted to twenty then rolled out of bed and crawled over to where James lay awake. Eagerness lit his friend's face. James smiled at him in the dark.
"Get your cloak, Prongs, let's go now."
"Now? But Mooney won't transform until the moon rises."
"But we need to get there early."
"What? Why?" An evil smile spread across Sirius' face. James' heart skipped a beat. "What did you do?"
"You'll see."
"Padfoot, tell me." Sirius shook his head.
"Come on. Get your cloak." With a growing sense of dread, James pulled his cloak out and draped it over his shoulders. He made his way over to Peter's bed. "Leave him. He's sound asleep," Sirius hissed. James thought about it a moment. "You can come back for him later."
"If there's a later," James added silently. He crept over to Sirius and threw the invisibility cloak over him as well. Safely hidden away, they tip-toed out of Gryffindor Tower and then out of the castle.
Rather than heading straight for the Whomping Willow, Sirius detoured into the Forbidden Forest.
He stopped so they could see the tunnel entrance beneath the young tree's roots. "I hope he didn't beat us here," Sirius whispered.
"Who beat us, Padfoot?" James' heart sped up. He knew then, "Snape?"
"Oh, you guessed it," Sirius pouted.
"Sirius, no," James shook his head in disbelief.
"Why not? He deserves it!"
"But--" Sirius grabbed James.
"Shh. Here he comes," he laughed quietly. Moonlight bathed the school grounds. A pale figure, dressed in black, was slinking along, making a beeline for the Whomping Willow.
"Padfoot," James tried again.
"Shh. Look. He found the branch I left for him. How thick can you get?" He laughed silently again as Snape crawled into the tunnel. "Now, give him a few minutes and he'll be back out of there faster than a seeker after a snitch!"
"Sirius! We left the trap door open last time!" James shouted, starting for the willow. Sirius
pulled him back, spinning him around.
"So?"
"Mooney won't be trapped in the shack! He'll be able to get into the tunnel."
"And when he follows Snivellus out, we'll transform and herd him into the forest."
"If!"
"Pardon?"
"If he follows Snape out! What if Snape doesn't come out?"
"That's a problem?" With a shout of exasperation, James pulled away. He bolted for the willow.
"Prongs!" Sirius screamed. "Prongs! He deserves it!" James grabbed the same long stick Snape had used. He prodded the knot on the tree and disappeared into the tunnel.
"Fine!" Sirius shouted. He folded his arms and stood glaring at the tree.
James ran as quietly as he could down the dark tunnel. His heart pounding in his throat, the rush of blood in his ears drowning out all other sounds. His head brushed the stone ceiling of the tunnel as he slowed to round a bend. He had caught up to Snape. The other boy was creeping forward just ahead of him. His wand was out and lit, held steady in his hand.
James scuffed his feet on the rocky floor of the tunnel. Snape whirled around. "Ha! I knew you would be in on it!" He took a dueling stance, wand ready.
"We have to get out of here," James whispered as loudly as he dared.
"Oh really, Potter? And why is that?" Snape searched the darkness beyond James. "I notice you've left your pretty boy behind, again." Snape took a few steps towards him. James backed away. "You're not as tough when there's no audience, are you?"
"Think what you will. Just come with me," James breathed. He searched the darkness behind Snape as he spoke.
"Oh I think I rather enjoyed our little entertainment the other day. Perhaps a repeat performance is in order? One the professors won't be interrupting." A vicious light crept into his dark eyes. There was the slightest hint of movement in the darkness beyond Snape's wand light. James took a slow, deep breath.
"Snape. We have to go. Now." Snape studied his face, the fear on it, at last, registering. A heavy footfall came from the darkness behind him. Snape turned slowly, holding out his wand.
A great tawny wolf stepped from the darkness. It was the size of a small horse. Amber eyes bore into them. A muzzle full of razor-sharp fangs parted in a snarl. Saliva dripped from its maw. Its fur bristled as it took a step forward. "Argh!" Snape screamed and dropped the wand. The light went out, plunging the tunnel into darkness.
"Run!" James grabbed for Snape, hooking his robes. He spun him around and started him towards the entrance. With a roar of fury, the werewolf started after them!
Sirius stared at the willow. What was taking so long? Surely one of them should have emerged. Preferably Prongs. There was a nagging thought at the back of his mind; something about Prongs. As his anger ebbed, his thoughts cleared. "Oh no," he breathed. James was stuck in human form while in the tunnel!
Sirius ran forward. He grabbed the stick and jabbed the knot. The tree shivered and held still. He clambered into the tunnel. As he regained his feet, a scream echoed through the tunnel. "Prongs!" He shouted.
He forced himself to stand still; concentrating, anticipating. He called up his inner self, giving himself over to the magic. Power flooded through him. His essence melted away. All that he had been was no more. He reformed: four strong legs to carry him forward against all odds, heightened senses to flood his brain with information, a great muzzle full of teeth to protect his friends, a loyalty unto death. Gray eyes opened.
The black dog was easily a match for the werewolf. He rushed forward down the tunnel. With his new-found night vision, Padfoot spotted James dragging Snape along. They bolted passed at full speed, not seeing the black dog in the darkness. Padfoot hunkered down, ready to spring.
The tawny werewolf galloped into view. Padfoot leapt, plowing into Mooney. The two great beasts rolled around on the rock-strewn floor. They came to a stop, the werewolf lying on his back beneath the dog. Gray eyes met amber ones. The black dog snarled and snapped at the wolf until it stopped struggling. The wolf held the dog at bay, with a paw on its chest. They remained motionless, all bristling hair and bared teeth. At last, whimpering, the werewolf reached up and licked the black dog's muzzle.