Chapter 23

A bloodcurdling howl broke the silence. It echoed eerily against the dungeon walls, muddling the sound as it bounced back again and again, horribly magnified to the ears of the two girls frozen with fear in the subterranean darkness.

"Cennia!" Roseline hissed. Cennia was holding her friend's arm in a vicelike grip, her eyes wide and frightened.

Cennia started, and seem to regain control of herself.

"What the bloody hell was that?" she said shakily, her voice much higher than usual.

Roseline shook her head wordlessly, unwilling to answer, as she made for the door pulling Cennia behind her. She slammed the heavy dungeon door behind them and raced up a flight of narrow steps, along a corridor and through a series of arched doorways. She no longer cared for direction, she only wanted to get out of the dungeons, back into the warmth of the rooms above. There they would be safe, away from the awful foreboding of the dungeons, where the horror of what she knew must be taking place outside seemed so close at hand.

They eventually emerged in a corridor near the entrance hall. Roseline let out a ragged sigh of relief, holding out her hand to help Cennia up the last few steps. In the lamplight, Roseline suddenly noticed the deathly pallor of Cennia's face, the distant haunted look in her eyes.

"Roseline," she said steadily. "That was a werewolf."

"I know," Roseline replied quietly. What else could she say?

Cennia nodded, and fell into step with Roseline again as they made for the common room again.

They were almost at the Fat Lady's portrait when Cennia spoke again.

"Roseline, where are the boys?"

Roseline shut her eyes. It felt as though someone had just dropped an ice-cube down her back. She had just about managed to keep her mind off the fate of Sirius and the others until then, but now…….

"We have to find them," Cennia said. Roseline opened her eyes to find her friend staring at her. Cennia's expression was one of someone who, for the sake of others, is desperately trying to control the terror bubbling up inside them.

Roseline tried to speak, but her throat was suddenly dry, and no sound came out. She knew they couldn't go looking for them, much as she wanted to help. She knew what they could see, and that knowledge wasn't exactly helping her to calm down.

"They- they're probably in the common room," she croaked eventually. "Anyway, we can't go out again. Gryf-" she coughed violently, and her voice came flooding back. "Gryffindor are already way behind in points. McGonagall would skin us alive. I'm sure they're fine, Cen."

Cennia shot her a look of contempt that made it obvious what she thought of Roseline's excuse. Roseline squirmed uncomfortably under Cennia's glare. What kind of Gryffindor put points before their friends? What happened to bravery, nobility, Gryffindor pride? If only there had been some other way…. But it was essential that they didn't go looking for them. Merlin knew what could happen.There would be trouble enough as it was, especially for Remus, and she didn't want to make it any worse for him.

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The howl sounded again. Cennia, who was sitting hunched in an armchair, shot a worried look at Roseline who was squinting out the window.

"I wish I could check on the boys," she murmured.

"Don't even think about it," snarled Kirk Garrett, the Head Boy, who was seated near by. "I don't trust you fifth years. I told you all the fifth year boys were in bed. You don't need to go up and check. They're perfectly capable of putting themselves to sleep."

Cennia scowled, and burrowed down further into the cushions. She stared, unblinking, into the fire, anxiety etched on her normally cheerful features.

Roseline scrubbed furiously at the glass with her sleeve, trying to make out shapes in the gloom. But it was hopeless. There was nothing to be seen but the moon, hanging innocently above them. She glared at it, willing it to fade from view, so that there would be nothing more to worry about, but nothing happened, and, ridiculous as she knew it was, it's lack of response didn't do much to improve her mood.

Kirk got to his feet, and stretched languidly.

"I'm going to bed," he announced to the common room at large, although Roseline and Cennia were the only others there. Kirk seemed to realised this, and cast a jaundiced eye over the girls.

"I don't know what has you two so worried," he yawned. "But I suggest you go to bed. Sleep deprivation is rarely the answer to life's problems. Worry about it in the morning, whatever it is. Night." He disappeared up the dormitory stairs.

Cennia shifted slightly. "Maybe he's right, Ro. It doesn't look like we're going to get any joy tonight. And I wish I could check, but the chances are the boys really are safe in bed. "

Roseline nodded slowly. She knew better than Cennia, but there was no reason to deprive her friend of sleep too.

"Maybe you're right," she sighed eventually. "We can see in the morning."

Cennia gave her a small smile, and uncurled herself. The two girls made their way up to their dorm, and got changed into their pyjamas without a word.

"Night Ro," said Cennia quietly, drawing the curtains around her bed.

"Night Cen," Roseline whispered. She didn't lie down, but instead sat propped up against the headboard, willing herself not to give in just yet. She could hear Cennia moving restlessly, trying to settle, and she hoped that her friend would fall asleep soon. Luckily she didn't have to wait too long. Cennia's movements ceased a moment or two later, and a few minutes after that the Dubliner's deep breathing was added to the snores of the other fifth years.

Letting out a small sigh of relief, Roseline swung her legs off the bed and stood up. She took the quilt off her bed, wrapped it around her, and made her way across to the door as quietly as she could. She pulled the door gently closed behind her, freezing momentarily when it let out a low creak, before tiptoeing down the stairs to the common room.

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"I don't know why we had to stay out, he would have been fine by himself. It's not like there was anyone out there, and now we're all bleeding and battered and hungry for no reason at all. What was the point, I'd like to know?"

"Oh shut up, Wormtail, give your whining mouth a rest," Sirius snapped tiredly as he half climbed, half fell through the portrait hole.

"Yeah, shut up Wormtail," James added half-heartedly as he clambered through, landing on top of Sirius with a thud.

"Guys, quiet," said Remus in a harsh whisper. "Roseline."

Sirius and James followed Remus' gaze. Roseline was asleep on the couch, her quilt wrapped around her, her face pale and tired.

"Oh Ro," Sirius said softly, crossing the room to sit at his girlfriend's feet, gazing at her. "Not you too."

"It seems my stupidity has had a cost for more than just us then," said Remus bitterly.

"Not to worry Moony old mate," said James, as cheerfully as his fatigue would allow. "It's not like anyone got hurt."

If looks could kill, James would have been six feet under with the glare Remus gave him.

"I wouldn't call my condition 'not hurt' " came Peter's whine from the other side of the room.

"I have to say I agree," said Roseline quietly, sitting up. "Are you guys all right?"

"Ro!" said Sirius, surprised. "Sorry, did we wake you?"

Roseline gave him a small smile. "Just as well you did, I was waiting up for you. Cennia would have too if she'd known."

Remus' expression grew, if it were possible, even stonier at the mention of Cennia. Gazing around the room, Roseline surveyed each of the boys in turn. They all looked very much the worse for wear.

Peter seemed in the best condition of the four, despite his moaning. He looked completely worn out, and a little pale, but other than that, no worse than usual.

James and Sirius had collapsed onto the couch, barely able to keep their eyes open. They were both battered and bruised, blood and grime mixing together on their skin, all over their limbs and faces. Their robes were torn, and James' glasses were broken.

But Remus was the one that worried her most. He was obviously exhausted, but he was standing up straight, arms folded, glaring at the fire as though oblivious to everything else. The skin that was visible through his tangled hair and ripped robes was deathly pale and covered in cuts and scratches, some worryingly deep and bleeding freely.

"Here, you better get cleaned up a bit," she said to James and Sirius as she stood up. "We can't let anyone see you like this. I'll fix what I can, and I want you two to go straight to Madam Pomfrey in the morning. If anyone asks, you had a fight."

They nodded wordlessly, and allowed Roseline to repair what damage she could. She cleaned their wounds and dressed them clumsily, transfiguring pieces of coal into bandages. She mended James' glasses, and repaired their robes, before telling them to go get some sleep and shower first thing in the morning. Peter had long since departed.

"Remus?" she said quietly, once the others were gone. He looked away from the flames, straight into Roseline's eyes, and Roseline saw clearly in his gaze the pain, fear and shame he was feeling.

"I need out," he said wildly, breaking his gaze and sitting down. "I can't do this anymore; it's too dangerous, for them, for me, for you- for everyone. Why can't I leave these things alone? Why do I always have to cause so much trouble? Why I am I always a danger to my friends? Why do I even have friends if I put them at so much risk?"

He put his face in his hands, and Roseline saw that he was shaking visibly. She had never seen him like this before. Angry, yes, hurt, yes, even fearful, but this was worse than she had seen before. She was scared, but she knew that he needed to talk to someone, or who knew what he would do? In this mood, he could even try to kill himself. No, it was up to her. She had to help him.

She crossed to sit beside him.

"What happened, Remus?"

"What happened?" he repeated croakily, seeming to regain some control over himself. "I nearly killed my two best friends, that's what happened. And yet for some reason, they still stick by me." He shook his head in disbelief.

"We were running for the Whomping Willow when I transformed. You know there's a passage under the Whomping Willow? It leads right into Hogsmeade, into the Shrieking Shack. If I transform there, I'm safe, well, safer, at least. James, Sirius and Peter come with me too, in animal form obviously. But tonight….." he paused, taking a deep breath before he continued.

"I didn't reach it on time. I transformed in the grounds." He shook his head. "That was never going to be good. That's why Dumbledore arranged that passage for me, to try and prevent nights like tonight. After all, what if there'd been others outside? What if I got into the castle? I'd have killed most of them, and the ones I didn't, I'd bite and then they'd be werewolves too. The danger….oh, Merlin, it makes me sick to think of it." He groaned, burying his face in his hands once more.

"But that didn't happen." Said Roseline. "Everyone's safe."

Remus gave a mirthless snort of laughter. "Yeah, thanks to James and Sirius, who both nearly died because of me. You saw their injuries, it's not pretty. They stopped me going in search of human blood, just about, but they gave enough in the process. They saved a lot of lives tonight, but they nearly died. And it's all because of me. Why are they cursed with me, why? Why is anyone? Why don't they just tell the whole school? I'd be safe then. You can't attack anyone when you're in an Azkaban cell."

"Remus, listen to me. It's not your fault. Sirius and James got hurt saving Hogwarts from a monster, but that monster isn't you. It's not even a part of you; you're just the one who bears the brunt of the curse. Blame the werewolf who bit you, blame Dumbledore, blame anyone you like, but don't blame yourself. It's not your fault. There's nothing you could have done to stop it happening. Just be thankful for your friends, and try to stop thinking about it."

Remus sighed. "Thanks Ro. But the fact remains that Sirius and James suffered because of me. Hell, not just them, Cennia, you, Dumbledore…. You've all done so much, and got nothing but grief in return."

"Remus," said Roseline firmly. "I'm going to fix your wounds as best I can, and you're to go to the Hospital Wing with the others in the morning. In the meantime, I want you to listen to me. Sirius and James are your friends. What kind of friends run off to save themselves when things get tough? They don't blame you. They don't blame anyone. In a day or two this will all be a distant memory to them, another adventure to add to their repertoire. Dumbledore is a fair man. He doesn't blame you for anything, and he does what needs to be done for his students. I most certainly don't blame you. I'm not injured, Sirius is fine, and one bad night's sleep won't hurt me. And as for Cennia, she doesn't even know, and if she did, she wouldn't care. She likes you for who you are, just like the rest of us."

Roseline carefully adjusted the last of her patient's bandages. "There. You're set to go."

Remus gave her a half-hearted smile. "Thanks for everything Ro. Sorry I kept you up so late, but I needed to talk to someone."

"Its fine, Remus, don't worry. Just think about what I said, and then try and forget about it."

"Yeah, you're right, I hope. About most of it anyway."

Roseline quirked an eyebrow at him. "Excuse me? Did I hear you say most of it? Are you implying that I am not faultless? Surely you know better than that by now, Remus."

Remus shrugged, not rising to the bait. "Maybe, maybe not. You may be smart, Ro, but you can't see everything. No one wouldn't think less of someone if they found out they're a werewolf, no one. Not a saint. Not even Cennia."

And without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel and disappeared up the stairs, leaving Roseline frowning behind him.

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(A/N): Thanx to all my brilliant reviewers! You all rock, and thanx for being so patient with me, I know I took ages to get this one up.

Jeladore Black: Thanks, and no problem, your fic's really good!

colorwonder430: Lol, my evilness knows no bounds! Here's the update, sorry it took so long, and thanx for reviewing!

baloo: Thanx for reviewing! Sorry to say though, much as it pains me to say it, Sirius is almost certainly still going to die. I'd get too confused messing around with J.K.'s work, and it would mess up the Prologue too. I may however, do an epilogue, set in the same time as the prologue, maybe even a separate story. Don't hold your breath though, coz there's a lot to go before then!

badmoony: As ever, thanks for being such a brilliantly faithful reviewer! I know, I love James too, even if he is an ass.

pen of the dark: Thank you! That's reassuring as well, coz I've been told this story has no plot, so…..

blaiselover: Thanx for reviewing! And I have one thing to say about your username- me too. drools

cassierigum: Thanx for looking at my (crappy) story Caoimhe, and thanx even more more for reviewing said (crappy) story!