Thanks to my reviewers! This chapter is a bit longer than the last-please tell me what you think.
Kerichi-Sev, James and Sirius take it in turns to dish it out. Thanks for the review.
Monday went by in a sort of blur for Remus. The morning's adventure with Snape was soon forgotten because everytime he passed Celeste in the halls a swooping sensation filled his stomach and every unpleasant thought was wiped away. He couldn't really worry about Sirius' promise for revenge, Sirius would make Severus look foolish and vice versa, Remus didn't believe either one would really do the other any lasting harm. Remus sat next to Celeste during lunch and this put him in such a good mood that he completely forgot what day it was. He was soon reminded by James.
"Hey, Moony," said James, walking beside him on the way to Herbology. "Ready for tonight?"
"Tonight?" Remus echoed, confused.
"Yeah, tonight," said James, "full moon and all that, you haven't forgotten have you?"
Remus' heart sank. He had been so caught up in his new found happiness that he had forgotten that he would be turning into a werewolf that evening.
"I, uh, guess I've just been to busy to think about it," he mumbled.
James looked at his friend closely. "Yeah, Sirius told me about Celeste. Congratulations mate, listen we'll be waiting outside under the cloak. We'll join you in the shack about midnight, sound okay?"
Now it just so happened the Gryffindor sixth years took Herbology with the Slytherins. And it just so happened that as James was talking over the evening's plans with Remus, Severus Snape was walking behind them, caught in a group of chattering Slytherins. He missed some of their conversation, but he caught the part about outside at midnight. Severus was silent during Herbology, making a few evening plans of his own.
-
Celeste made it through Potions without fainting or burning a cauldron. She was in a very good mood and surprised everyone by wishing Professor Brewster a 'good morning' as the class departed. The rest of the day went well too, she spotted Severus and waved but he ignored her, he did however pinch her on the arm as they entered the Great Hall for lunch, which made her laugh aloud. He would never, ever admit to anyone that they were friends, but Celeste respected his secrecy, she would be very sorry indeed to lose his friendship.
After her last class, Celeste joined a small group of students in the library to study for the fast approaching O.W.L.s, then rushed back to Gryffindor tower.
She was hoping to find Remus there, she thought perhaps they could take a walk around the grounds, alone. Arriving in the common room she spotted him, sitting on a couch assisting Peter with some homework.
"Hello, Remus," said Celeste, siting down next to him on the couch.
Remus turned quickly at the sound of her voice and smiled. "Oh, hello Celeste. Finished with your study group?"
She nodded. "Yes. Remus do you think we could go for a walk later tonight. I mean, it's going to be so beautiful, there's a full moon tonight, I, um, I thought it would be romantic." She blushed as she said this, looking down at her lap she didn't notice that Remus had gone very pale.
"Uh, well actually Celeste I have a, uh, tutoring session tonight," he said, thinking quickly. He would like nothing better than a moonlit stroll with her, but he didn't think she would find anything romantic about tonight. "Why don't we go for a walk tomorrow night?"
"Oh, all right then," Celeste said, standing up and not meeting his eye. "I think I'll go to bed early then, goodnight."
She walked stiffly up the girl's staircase, leaving Remus feeling miserable.
"Remus," said Peter, who had heard every word of the conversation because neither one had noticed he was still sitting there. "Why don't you just tell her the truth, I mean she's not really afraid of anything is she?"
Remus sighed and looked over at Peter in disgust. "She may not be afraid of spiders or heights, but do you really think she would be pleased to hear her boyfriend is the kind of monster she learned about in her third year? I'm going to go lay down for awhile, see you tonight."
He stood up from the couch and made his way to the boy's staircase, leaving Peter with his Transfiguration essay incomplete because Remus still hadn't answered his questions on the subject.
-
Remus left the common room later that evening, no one left in the room questioned him, he was after all a prefect. James, Sirius, and Peter were already outside under James's invisibility cloak. When they joined the werewolf in his hideout, the Shrieking Shack, they would have transformed into animagi, James a stag, Sirius a dog, Peter a rat. The three had become animagi to make Remus's transformations bearable; as animals, they were safe from his bite.
Remus made his way across the Hogwarts grounds to the Whomping Willow, in his first few years at Hogwarts the nurse had accompanied him, but she trusted him now to get to the tree on his own. Taking a long stick from the ground, Remus poked a knot at the base of the Whomping Willow and crawled into the hole that appeared. Remus dropped down into the tunnel, he didn't bother to light his wand, he knew this tunnel by heart.
James and the others watched him walk across the grounds and disappear from view, a few yards away, Severus Snape watched too. Not seeing the other boys because of the cloak, Severus set out across the grounds, curious as to where Remus Lupin might be going. Sirius was the first to notice the lone figure walking out across the grounds.
"Hey, who do you reckon that is?" He asked, pointing to Severus.
James squinted his eyes and swore. "It's Snivellus, what is he doing out here? I bet he's seen Remus, now we can't follow."
Sirius bit his lip, deep in thought. "Let's walk out there anyway, he'll leave soon and we can get in."
James wasn't sure they could get into the Willow without Snape noticing but he wasn't going to argue with Sirius. So the three boys set out across the lawn which was now bathed in moonlight. Snape was standing just out of reach of the Whomping Willow's lethal branches, considering. Without a warning to James or Peter, Sirius stepped out of the invisibility cloak and addressed Snape.
"Evening, Snivellus," he said calmly, keeping a hand tight around his wand.
Severus spun around quickly, at the sight of Sirius he pulled out his own wand.
"What do you want?" he snarled, he looked around for James and Peter, not seeing them he assumed Sirius was alone. "What are you doing out here?"
"Just out for a stroll, actually I was going to join Remus. You may have noticed he disappeared inside the Willow here, if you'd kindly go away I'll follow him." While Sirius spoke he kept his wand inside his robes, if things went as planned he might indure some brief discomfort, but Severus would come off far worse.
"No, I don't think I want to leave just yet," said Severus, pointing his wand at Sirius's chest. "I'm rather interested in what Remus Lupin is doing out of bounds at this hour, so why don't you tell me how to get past this tree, or then again I could always curse you."
Sirius brought his wand out from his robes, as he had hoped, Severus disarmed him immediately. Wandless, Sirius put on a worried expression.
"All right, I'll tell you," he said, trying to sound panicked. Take that long stick there and poke that large knot on the tree."
Severus sneered then lowered his wand briefly before raising it again and shooting a stunning spell at Sirius that knocked him flat. Moving quickly, Severus grabbed the large stick and prodded the knot Sirius had indicated then slipped into the hole. He hadn't really expected this to work, but stunning Sirius had been fun anyway.
James and Peter had remained silent during all of this, but once Severus had disappeared from sight they threw off the cloak. James had realized at once what Sirius had been up to and he issued orders to Peter quickly.
"Peter," James said sharply, after first checking Sirius's pulse. "Prod the knot so I can get Snape out, then, stay with Sirius until I get back."
Peter transformed into a rat and quickly scuttled over to the Whomping Willow and held the knot until James had passed through. Human again, Peter stood guard over Sirius, squeaking in fright.
Once inside the tunnel, James began to run. Severus had a headstart, and much as James hated the other boy, he didn't want to think what would happen if he reached Remus. The moon was out and Remus would have no control over his actions as a werewolf.
James ran for what felt like ages, then he could see a light up ahead, Severus' wand. But James could also feel cool air from up ahead, and that meant they were close to the Shrieking Shack. James rounded a final corner and pounded up some steps, at the top of the steps stood Severus, staring transfixed through the open doorway in front of him.
Gasping for breath James grabbed Severus by the arm. "Come on you fool," James said breathlessly, "lets get out of here."
Snape wasn't listening; he was looking into the Shrieking Shack at the opposite wall. The werewolf sat there against the wall, growling at the intruders. As Severus and James stood in the doorway, the wolf stood up and gave a chilling howl. The next moment he was pounding across the room, straight for the two boys. Severus was frozen; unable to move or defend himself from the monster that was headed right for him. James, however, stepped in front of Severus and raised his wand. A bright flash erupted from the wand and the werewolf was thrown back against the wall.
Grabbing Severus by the arm, James ran back through the tunnel.
Both boys ran full out until they reached the Whomping Willow and rolled out onto the grass. Panting, Severus stood up to face Sirius, who had come around while they were gone.
"You bd's," he said softly, glaring around at the three others. "That thing could have killed me, you'll wish it had. Because the whole school will know, I'll make sure of that. And I'll make sure each of you is expelled for what you tried tonight."
"We shall see about that, Mr. Snape," said a calm voice that made all four boys jump. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was standing right behind Severus. "Now, I would like to see you all in my office."