DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters of the honourable J.K Rowling

The Truth

REMUS LUPIN AND OTHER ANIMALS

The teachers all stood up at once, and I saw Dumbledore's eyes widen in uncharacteristic fear as he saw who Lupin was. I had no time to ponder it, because in the shocked silence Lupin had started to speak,

"Deatheaters," he gasped, and I wondered if he was going to have a heart attack,

"In the school…I saw them Professor…planning something," he clutched his stomach, and he was trembling from head to foot. Surely he couldn't be that scared? Of course, panic had broken out from his first words. It was kind of strange that no one thought  it was some kind of hoax (my first cynical notion). They all believed him straight away, and many people were already attempting to run, though where they thought they were going I don't know. Lina, Louisa and Theresa were clinging to each other, already whimpering, and Peter Pettigrew was white as chalk. I myself could feel a bolt of real fear in the pit of my stomach; Hogwarts was supposed to be impregnable.

"Quiet," shouted Professor McGonagall, her voice magically magnified to rise above the growing hysteria. "Remain in your seats. Do not panic. There are magical barriers on this room. It is doubtful that anyone could break in without Dumbledore's permission." Everyone ignored her. I didn't think her tone of voice was all that comforting. She sounded as if doomsday had just been announced and we had minutes to live. Then I realised with a painful jolt that this could well be a possibility.

"Evans," someone shouted, and I whirled around. It was Potter. Suddenly I remembered that I was in fact, Head girl. Panicking slightly, I leaned across the table to hear Potter. He seemed to have emerged from his sullen silence, and was looked quite energetic, as if the fear had woken him up.

"What do we do?" I asked,

"Dumbledore'll tell us," he said, almost excitedly, "We have to get them to stay calm though," with that he tapped his throat with his wand and succeeded where McGonagall could not,

"SILENCE," he bellowed at the top of his magically enhanced voice. The effect was deafening, and everyone was paralysed into silence. The teachers cringed at the noise but still shot grateful looks in his direction.

"As you presumably already know," began Potter arrogantly, "I am James Potter, your Head Boy," the crowd tittered a bit at this, and Potter smiled, "And I'd just liked to ask you to remain calm, because we don't know the full details, and there's no sense in panicking unless it's absolutely necessary. You will all be protected from invaders by the teachers and I'm sure word of this will get to the Ministry Anytime now," he cocked an eyebrow at the teachers and Dumbledore nodded ascent, "So just stay cool and try to remember that talk we had on safety," he finished, sitting down again. I was surprised to notice that the babble that followed was not nearly as wild as it had been before. I looked at Potter, who was now reassuring Lina Matherson (who had been reduced to tears) that everything would be all right, and shook my head. He was so confident, even though he knew next to nothing about what was going on. I wondered if he had fully regained his sanity from this morning. I looked to Dumbledore again, and noticed that Lupin was now making his way over to the table, staggering and panting. The teachers, who had been conferring, were now hurrying towards the door, and beckoning for Potter and I to follow.

"All prefects to the door please," yelled Potter as soon as we got there.

"Right," said Dumbledore calmly, "Mr Lupin says the enemies were situated outside the hospital wing. Also, Madame Pomfrey may be in trouble – Remus says he wasn't able to find her there." He then went on to instruct the teachers on how they were to go about the attack, sending them away in pairs. He told the prefects to guard the Great Hall as well as the Entrance hall. The remainder of the students were to rest on the floor when the tables had been moved. He didn't advise anyone to sleep.

"What about me?" asked Potter. Dumbledore gave him a level look,

"James, I think that Remus-"

"Shit. I forgot!," shouted James suddenly, staring at Dumbledore, horror in his eyes. Without another word, he dashed back towards his friend, with me staring incredulously after him. Turning to Dumbledore, I found that he had already disappeared. Blinking, I turned to the prefects,

"Jess, you and Jude take a window each.…Sam and David – You stand by this door and Laura and Andrew, stand by the side entrance…" my eyes narrowed unconsciously as I eyed the two Slytherin Prefects, Kelly Gardener and Peter Blanc.

"You two come with me to watch the entrance hall." They all obeyed me unquestioningly, and I felt a little surge of pleasure. I made my way out into the Entrance hall. There were two staircases and a corridor leading off it. One opening each. I wondered bleakly what students like us could possibly do in a crisis. Kelly gave a nervous laugh,

"We wouldn't have much chance if they did come this way," she said softly, as if reading my thoughts. Peter, a sullen boy with a sharp face and beady eyes, merely grunted and went to stand by the side-corridor. A second later, Potter and Black appeared, supporting Lupin between them. I hurried over, the unspoken question written all over my face. Black just looked away impatiently, but Potter grimaced and said nothing. Lupin looked barely conscious; his head was rolling around on his shoulders and the whites of his eyes had become milky and unfocused. He was walking, but only just. I stared into his eyes, and some inexplicable horror seemed to jump out at me from his feverish face.

"There's something wrong with him," I said pointlessly, "What are we going to do?" out of the corner of my eye, I could see Kelly looking on curiously. Peter just looked bored.

"Just stay inside, ok?" mumbled Potter, pushing Lupin towards the front door of the castle. They weren't taking him outside, were they?

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Shutup Evans," hissed Black over his shoulder. They were out the door now, and it was closing behind them. Impulsively, I ordered Peter and Kelly to stay where they were, and slipped out after the other three. I had this awful feeling of impending doom. The scene unfolding before me was something out of a horror film. Lupin, Black and Potter had been hobbling on normally when Lupin suddenly gave a great shudder, his whole body going rigid. His friends clung on to him tighter.

"Just hold on, mate," I heard Potter mutter, "Can you just hold on for little bit more? We're not safe yet, Moony." That was his nickname for Lupin. But the fair-haired boy didn't respond, if indeed he could hear him.

"We have to hurry, Prongs," whispered Black, trying to get them to move faster. But he failed, because at that moment there was a great feral roar, and Potter and Black sprang away from their friend, leaving him to crumple to the floor.

I looked around for the source of the noise, comprehension still not dawning on me. But then it became obvious when the noise sounded again, and Lupin's writhing body suddenly leapt to it's feet, and thick fur seemed to sprout from nowhere on his body. His robes were in tatters within seconds – and I witnessed by first full-blown were-wolf transformation. I don't think I was really taking much in at that point. I don't even remember thinking, 'oh my God, Lupin's a were-wolf' or 'oh why didn't I realise sooner, it all makes sense now,' or anything of the sort. All I was aware of was a slightly nauseous feeling in my stomach and the overpowering need to do something. For Potter and Black were still getting to their feet, and the monster that had been Lupin was baring down on them, its elongated, salivating jaws snapping the air furiously. Its large greyish-gold eyes, disturbingly alike to Lupin's, were mad with bloodlust and I knew that whatever friendships he had in human form, they were now irrelevant.

"Potter," I yelled uselessly, and to my horror, he turned around at the sound of my voice, leaving his back exposed to the monster. As he realised who I was, his face contorted horribly and he yelled,

"Get back Evans! Go back inside!" numb with fear, I ignored him, stepping closer.

"I said get back!" Potter desperately backed away from the snarling beast, who was looking from one boy to the other, obviously deciding which to attack first.

"Prongs," shouted Black, "We'll have to change," he was panting, but surprisingly he did not look afraid.

"What about Evans?" said Potter, and then I realised that he'd only begun to look afraid after he'd seen me.

"We'll have to shut her up somehow. Worry about it later!" Puzzlement sliced through my fear. What were they talking about? But I had no more time to ponder the matter, for without warning, Lupin spotted me and sprang without hesitation. His huge, insane wolf-face filled my vision and I knew with an absolute certainty that I was going to die. I felt somehow detached from my body, as if I were watching the scene on television or something. I noticed the most minute details, like the individual drops of saliva spraying out from his jaws, and the little red veins on his strange, bulging eyeballs. I don't think I even screamed. Screwing up my face, I braced myself for the inevitable crunch. But of course it never came. For at that moment a large, blurred shape sprang out of nowhere and the wolf was knocked aside, sprawling on the ground.

I took a deep breath (realising I had somehow managed to hold it for the entire episode) and clutched my stomach. My eyes must have popped out of my head when I saw that my rescuer was a deer. A stag, to be exact. A big, beautiful, brown-coloured stag had leapt in front of me and was now bearing down on the were-wolf. Even I (who does not go in for nature-programs or National Geographic) knew this was not normal deer behaviour. And no sooner had I registered that I was in fact still alive, and had been miraculously saved by a previously unknown example of Hogwart's wildlife, a big, shaggy black dog came up from behind me and joined the deer, which appeared to be trying to herd the monster in the direction of the forest. I stood stock still, tingling slightly with the residue of my fear, and watched as the three figures made of towards the Forbidden Forest, the were-wolf making odd keening noises every now and then as it received a hoof in the face or a nip on the shoulder. I don't know how long I stood there, staring after them, unable to collect my jumbled thoughts, but I do know that it took a large explosion-like sound from back inside the entrance hall to bring me to my senses.

Knowing that if I stopped to think about what could possibly have happened to Potter and Black, or where the animals had come from then I would probably shut down completely, I hurried inside and thought about Kelly and Peter. Would I found them lying dead and bleeding in the wreckage? Actually, the Entrance hall look exactly the same as when I had left it – save the two guards were no-where to be seen. Managing  to block the were-wolf experience from my thoughts, I raced into the great hall, heart pounding at the thought that whatever had happened to the two Slytherins was partly my fault. It occurred to me to tell someone about Lupin, but then I realised that if he had been living at Hogwart's then the teachers must know. I wouldn't interfere until I knew all the facts. I was impressed at my own ability to think straight, though I still shied away from the rest of what had happened. Everything seemed normal in the Great Hall, and the prefects at the door way looked surprised,

"What's wrong?" one asked. Obviously the noise from both outside and even the Entrance hall had never reached them.

"I don't know," I gasped, "Did you hear a thump before?"

"No?"

"Have you seen Kel and Peter?"

"No, What-"

Without stopping to explain I told them stay where they were and remain calm, and raced back out again. I was panicking. Had the two fifth years been kidnapped? I could not tell what had happened. I wondered fearfully what I should do. I was not trained to deal with this kind of situation. I had an overpowering wish for Potter to be there. Even if he had as little idea of what to do as I, at least it would not all rest on my shoulders. Shrugging away this selfish thought, I decided that I had to find Dumbledore and tell him what had happened. What had the thump been? And if it was deatheaters, why hadn't they attacked the great hall? It was all too much. Deciding on a route, I started up the stairs, trying not to let fear swamp me. It was like when I was little and I was two scared to go into the upstairs of our house alone because it was too dark and there might be something up there, except it was ten times worse. I kept imagining dark figures leaping out and putting an end to me at every corner. I regretted my decision to leave the safety of numbers. It was not, I reasoned, entirely my fault Kelly and Peter had disappeared – I had had to go after the Potter, Lupin and Black. I had thought Lupin was sick, and that they were going to do something daft with him. I was walking very slowly now, hardly making a sound. Moonlight fell in through the windows, and I could see my elongated shadow with its long braid swinging eerily behind its back. A suit of armour creaked, and I almost jumped out of my skin. Who would have thought I was such a scaredy-cat? I had already had one near-death experience tonight – you would have thought it would have made me ready for anything. But there's nothing like being alone in the dark to give you the creeps. That was why I gave such a blood-curdling scream when I walked smack-bang into Professor McGonagall, who had been creeping stealthily out from a side door.

"Shhh!" she hissed angrily, "What are you doing here? Go back at once! Head Girl should know better-"

"Professor," I almost sobbed with relief, "I have to tell you something," I looked up as Professor Lallie appeared behind McGonagall.

"Kelly Gardener and Peter Blanc disappeared from the Entrance Hall! I don't know what happened to them-"

"What?" Professor McGonagall yelped.

"You see, I followed Potter and Black outside because-"

"What? Outside? What were the fools thinking-"

"Professor, just let me finish," I said, slightly irritated, "I don't know if you know, but Lupin-"

"Lupin? Oh," colour drained from McGonagall's face, "He was at dinner tonight, wasn't he. What happened?"

"He – he's a were-wolf, I mean, I can't think how he attends school-"

"That's none of your business, Miss Evans, just get on with it!" snapped McGonagall

"He changed and then-" I was interrupted by a loud noise from behind,

"Evans!" shouted a familiar voice from the end of the corridor. I turned around incredulously. There was James Potter, large as life, and looking very worried. Where had he come from? Or more importantly, where had he gone to?

"Quiet," hissed McGonagall, "You do know there's a deatheater attack going on, don't you?" she said, reminding us all of the cold hard truth. Potter came over to us.

"Professor, I'm sorry to say we couldn't get Remus to the whomping willow in time," he said quickly, and I couldn't even begin to fathom what he was talking about. McGonagall looked concerned,

"Well where is he then? Were any of you hurt?"

"No, we're fine, Sirius is downstairs now. We had to let Remus go – I suppose he's in the forest by now,"

"How did you ever escape?" Professor Lallie, white as a sheet, spoke for the first time.

"Oh, we just made a dash for it back inside the castle," said Potter, a little too casually. I opened my mouth to contradict  him but was silenced  by a vicious pinch on the arm. I gave a cry of pain, but the teachers were too distracted to notice, and I glared uncomprehendingly at Potter. He shook his head slightly and I stayed silent, resolving to get the full truth out of him later.

"I just hope Lupin stays in the forest. No one should be out on the grounds tonight, at least, and Hagrid will be alright in his hut. But Blanc and Miss Gardener? You said they've disappeared?"

 Again I opened my mouth, but Potter talked smoothly over me,

"They're all right," he said, "I found them unconscious in the hall broom-cupboard." I gaped. Why hadn't I thought of that? Fortunately the darkness hid my blush.

"They're resting in the great hall now. I don't know what happened to them."

"Well why didn't you wait to find out?" hissed McGonagall. Potter looked uncomfortable for some reason,

"Well-"

"Oh, it doesn't matter. I don't understand what's going on. Obviously they were attacked by deatheaters, though why they just left it at that I can't imagine. I'll inform Dumbledore of what's going on-"

"What is going on with his side of things?" asked Potter,

"They haven't found the intruders yet – Oh, I'm wasting time – you, Potter, and Miss Evans are to guard the entrance hall now in case they come back. Take this." She held out a curious little purple crystal, and I took it in my hand before Potter could reach for it.

"Simply say 'Communication On' and tap it with your wand. It will alert anyone with another crystal and you will be able to speak into it,"

"Like a walkie-talkie?" I winced as she gave me an odd look,

"Yes, I suppose. Use it only in emergency – that is, if the deatheaters come back."

"Alright then," I said, "Good luck," and Potter and I turned and trudged back the way we had come. It was not nearly as scary as it had been, partly because I was still burning at the thought that I hadn't thought to look anywhere but the obvious for Peter and Kelly, and partly because someone else was there. We walked in silence – I thought this might encourage him to speak voluntarily about what was going on with Lupin – and those strange animals. I felt instinctively that he knew something about them. And all that fast talking with McGonagall had all the signs of a cover-up, even though Potter was quite a good liar. I heaved a great sigh. Today had been the oddest of days in all respects, and I felt suddenly, in the quiet darkness alone with James Potter, that I was losing my grip on reality. By the time we got back to the entrance hall he still hadn't said anything. We both took out our wands and strode to positions against opposite walls without conferring. I was obscured by a large Gryffindor hanging and James was half-hidden by a statue of Helga Hufflepuff. I think we both felt that if the death-eaters did come, we didn't want to be spotted straight away. We waited.

It turned out that our casual concealment was probably what saved our lives. I'm sure neither of us noticed the man in the doorway until he had been there for at least a minute. He was wearing a black cloak and mask – a typical deatheater, and he had his wand held cautiously before him. I glanced over at Potter, whose face had gone white and taught. He put a finger too his lips. I glared at him; as if I needed telling. The deatheater at the door took a step forward. Distantly I could hear the quiet murmur from the Great Hall. My heart leapt into my throat as I began to visualise my own death at the hand's of Voldemort's minions. Avada Kadava he would roar. Avada kadava, the killing curse…I would fall stone-dead on the floor, stiff and lifeless, my eyes wide with eternal horror…

I snapped myself out of it as I noticed Potter gesturing desperately to me.

"One," he mouthed, "Two….three…." I gulped, "Now!" without thinking at all I leapt to obey, charging out of my hiding spot, yelling incoherently. I ran forward, unaware of anything but the black-cloaked figure before me. I saw him react as if in slow-motion, though it must only have been a split-second. His cowled, masked face swung slowly around and I heard a sharp intake of breath,

"Expelliarmus!" I shouted the disarming spell wildly, at the same time cursing myself for not using a stronger spell. Nevertheless, by some twist of fate, it worked, and I, a nervous youth of seventeen, wrested the wand from an experienced murderer. Sounds quite good written down, actually. Potter was not far behind me of course, and without checking his pace he hurled himself at the astonished enemy, knocking him down and bashing him over the head with the butt of a rusty axe he seemed to have acquired from somewhere. I watched in dazed horror as the deatheater flopped into unconsciousness, a trickle of blood running from his forehead. Was he dead? If so, I was an accomplice in…

"Potter!" I gasped, clearing my head, "Why the hell didn't use a spell?" I realised I was trembling. Potter stopped checking the man over and looked up, looking slightly abashed,

"Oh," he said sheepishly, "Didn't occur to me…sorry," I rolled my eyes, and had I been a completely different character I would have said 'boys!'

"He's not dead is he?"

"No, no, it was just the butt…"

"Where'd you get the axe?" I responded instantly so I wouldn't have to think of anything else,

"It was on Helga Hufflepuff's statue-"

"Helga Hufflepuff has an axe?"

"Not any more, it was so rusty it just broke right off-"

"What are we going to do?"

"Don't know-"

"I'll just tie him up then," I said, thanking Professor Dupinkay for imparting this kind of knowledge to me.

"I'll keep a look out for more-"

"Yes. Do that," Potter, who was beginning to look extremely young and afraid (As I'm sure I was too) glanced into the darkened hall through which our victim had come. After securing the man, I shoved him in the broom cupboard (not attempting irony) and joined Potter.

"Should we go back into the Great Hall?"

"No sense in panicking them," he muttered, running a bony hand through his hair.

"Yeah, but that was just luck – we can't hope to overpower another one," I said sensibly,

"Why not?"

"Shutup and think straight, Potter," I said like someone out of an action movie.

"What about that crystal?" he said, ignoring my waspish tones.

"Oh, I forgot, what's the spell again?" I said,

"Communication on," he said smartly.

"Ok," I took out the glittering object, "Communication on," I tapped it with my wand. Nothing happened for a second, but then it began to glow softly, emitting a strange noise not unlike the static from a radio. Potter leaned over my shoulder to get a better look.

"What now?" I asked foolishly,

"Talk into it," I looked doubtfully at the now vibrating crystal, and lifted it to my mouth,

"Professor?" I said quietly, "Professor McGonagall?"

"Yes?" rapped McGonagall's voice into the darkness. I sighed with relief,

"Professor, a deatheater came in but we've knocked him out. What do you want us to do?" there was an intake of breath at the other end of the…stone, or whatever, and I heard hushed whispers. McGonagall must be conferring with someone.

"Miss Evans?" a new voice sounded from the crystal. It was Dumbledore, and he sounded stressed. This did not bode well.

"Yes?" I said nervously, watching Potter bob up and down on the balls of his feet and wring his  hands together.

"We thought we had most of the deatheaters detained here – we sprung a group of them, I cannot think why they have been biding their time – but evidently there are others about. Miss Evans, both of you need to get back inside the Great Hall and keep everyone silent – a teacher will come. I repeat, do not remain  in the entrance hall­­," I gulped fearfully,

"Yes sir," I said

"Oh, and what have you done with the enemy?"

"He's tied up sir,"

"Good, I-" and suddenly the crystal went completely dead. I started and nearly dropped it. It was now cold lightless. Potter and I looked at each other and without speaking and hurried back towards the Great Hall.