Disclaimer - It's not mine. It never was. The only thing I own is Sable, and any other characters that have not been used in the Harry Potter series.

A/N - Okay people, this is just a bridges chapter. Nothing too important. But I hope you still enjoy anyway. Later. A.A.

The Day After

Needless to say, the rest of the weekend progressed without any further problems. After the exhausted group of Gryffindors had woken up later Saturday morning, they unanimously decided not to tell anyone else about the Death Eater meeting they had come across, although Sable was sorely tempted to tell Dumbledore about it. Figuring that the boys were not planning on going back into the forest after a scare like that, she let the subject drop, and promised not to tell Lily about it.

As they had expected, Pomfrey had come into the boy's dorm to check Remus over, but only after shooing the other three occupants out of the room. She had been quite flustered when she found Sable curled up on James' old bed, but said nothing about it. Like the rest of the teachers, Pomfrey knew what Sable was, and what she had been doing to help Remus. For that, the nurse held the girl in high regard and did not berate her for being in the boy's dormitory.

After Remus had checked out okay, Pomfrey had left, allowing them back into the room. Sable told them that she was supposed to meet Thomas and some of the other kids after lunch for a tutoring session. When it came time for her to meet the little kids later that day, Remus was up and feeling better, but still suffering from the -as Sirius had termed it- 'post-lunar separation-anxiety' from Sable. Sable, still worried about what could have happened had they got caught in the forest that night, gladly let him come with her to the lake. The kids did not seem to mind the Marauder in their midst. In fact, Remus wound up helping her with the kids. The only person that did not seem to approve of his presence was little Thomas, the very person who asked Sable for help in the first place. This puzzled her to no end, but the little boy said nothing else about it, only ignoring the older boy and focusing on Sable's teaching and review.

Remus took note of the little boy's icy demeanor towards him and stirred clear of him, giving Sable a smug smile. Sable only rolled her eyes at him and stuck her tongue out at him. Remus knew that Thomas had a little crush on Sable; it was obvious to anyone that looked at the little boy anytime she was around. He also knew that the younger boy did not like him very much because of his close association with her. He only grinned and continued to help one of the girls he was sitting next to understand the concepts behind some of the Defense homework she had been given. Later on that day, after the tutoring was over with, Remus began teasing Sable about Thomas and his little crush on her. Sable had only smiled, and punched him in the shoulder as a way of retaliation from the teasing. Sirius had grinned at the little display and told Remus to be careful, he might have some competition for Sable's affections.

"You had better worry about your own hide, Black." Lily had said. "I hear Arabella is not exactly thrilled with you at the moment." Sirius had promptly shut up, and the group of friends spent the rest of the day pestering the boy about the quick-tempered Ravenclaw Prefect.

Sunday passed without any major, cataclysmic ordeals, and the entire group was thankful. So it was a surprise to everyone Monday morning when Professor McGonagall had stopped Sable in the middle of the hall and told her to report to Dumbledore's office. She had complied quickly, after shoving Remus into his next class and telling him that she'd tell him what was said during lunch.

Sable had entered into Dumbledore's office and sat down on one of the chairs in front of his desk. Since the headmaster was not currently occupying his seat, she let her gaze wander around the room. It was filled with pictures of the old Headmasters and Headmistresses of Hogwarts, each one in some form of slumber or wakefulness. The shelves were crammed and cluttered with little objects of which she had never seen before. But what caught her attention the most was the phoenix sitting on the stand to the left of Dumbledore's desk. She rose from the chair and went to stand in front of the fire-bird.

"Hey there, fella." she said, holding her hand out to the bird. "What are you doing here?" The bird only cocked his head to one side and drew itself up, snapping at her hand. Sable quickly withdrew her arm and stepped back. "Feisty little guy, aren't you?" she asked the bird.

"Please forgive Fawkes, Ms. Robbins." came Dumbledore's kind voice from the stairway above her head. Sable stepped back and waited for him to descend the last few steps. "He senses the difference in your body due to the full moon, and is wary of you."

"I'm sorry, sir." she said, taking a seat in one of the chairs. "I did not mean to make him cross." Dumbledore grinned at her obvious concern.

"Not to worry, Ms. Robbins." he said. "However, there is an important matter that I need to discuss with you concerning your research." Sable gave him her full attention and watched as he pulled a large book out of his desk. The old man watched as she scanned the cover of the book and a look of comprehension passed through her features.

"Headmaster, is that book….?" she began.

"Yes, Ms. Robbins." he said nodding. "This is a book on lend to me from the American Ministry, or as it has so been renamed, the American Department of Magic."

"They changed the name?" she asked. The American Ministry had always been the name of the governing body in America's wizarding world. Why they would change the name, she did not understand, but she did not feel the immediate need to question it.

"What has this got to do with my work?" she asked. Dumbledore nodded and smiled.

"I am curious as to how you are progressing with the Wolfsbane potion." he said. "I take it that you administered some to Mr. Lupin last night after he got into the Shrieking Shack?" Sable blanched at the accusation. She was not supposed to be down in the Shack with Remus, but she could not lie to the Headmaster, her Gryffindor pride would not allow it.

"Yes sir, I did." she said. "I gave it to him not long after dinner began."

"I see." he said. "Well, from now on, I'll tell Pomfrey to take you with her during the changes, seeing as how Mr. Lupin is less threatening now. In fact, she seemed rather happy when she told me that your potion seemed to make the physical strain on Mr. Lupin less strenuous. She ask me to ask you if you would mind stopping by the infirmary in the near future to discuss your work with her, as she is the person who brews most of the potions for the infirmary."

"Thank you, headmaster. I will make sure and do that." she said happily, glad that she was not in trouble for being out of the castle and in Hogsmeade.

"Of course, child." he said. "Now, as for the potion itself…."

Sable spent the next hour telling Dumbledore about her research and findings. He deemed the Potion acceptable and asked her to bring him a vial of it the next time she brewed some, as well as a copy of her notes and observations she had taken during the research process. He was going to send them to the Ministry of Magic and see if the Department of Experimental Potions would verify and test the Potion, hopefully passing it through inspection and making it a legal potion to be brewed and administered throughout the wizarding world.

Sable of course, was ecstatic. After promising to bring him the needed materials, Sable had broached the subject of the book he still held in front of him. Dumbledore had explained that the book was on lend to him from America. It housed much more up to date information on ranulas and other lycanthropic-type beings. He also told her that the steps to completing her transformation was within the text, and that she should be careful if she was to attempt it. Sable had agreed, saying that Remus would know the most about it and would therefore offer the most help on the subject. As usual, Dumbledore administered a warning to be careful in her endeavors and sent her on her way with the book, and a note to get her out of classes for the rest of the day. Needless to say, she immediately went to her room and began reading the text. When she had went to the Hall for lunch, Remus was worried sick.

When she had not shown up for her other classes, he had gotten worried, really worried. Sirius and James had a hard time trying to keep the boy in his seat until the lunch bell rang. When he found Sable in the hall for lunch, she had explained quickly about the book, and Dumbledore sending her work to the Ministry to see if it would pass inspection. She purposely kept the part about finding information about her natural transformation to herself; she would tell Remus about it later. And she did. After dinner that evening, she pulled him down to her lab, giving Sirius and Peter the excuse of having to study for an Astronomy test. The other two Marauders only shrugged and continued on with their game of Wizard's Chess, where Sirius was getting whipped by Peter.

Once down in the relative safety of the laboratory, Sable told him about the transformation information and asked him to help her with it. According to the text she had read, there was nothing in particular she had to do to achieve the change. She only had to concentrate long enough on the desired form and let her mind go blank and be overtaken by the more basic of her thoughts. Remus, being the ever observant person he was, said that it would be best if they waited until the next time it was a full moon since the change depended so heavily on her body's natural reactions and changes during that time. Sable saw the logic in that and put the book onto her shelf to finish reading later. She knew she could figure out a way to make the transformations, but Remus had warned her that it would probably hurt like hell the first time she tried it. Sable did not really care about the pain, though. After watching Remus change only a few nights before, she knew it would be painful, but worth it in the end. As long as she could be there to help him during the changes, she would do it.

***** Meanwhile, in the dungeons*****

Severus Snape stirred the bubbling, gooey concoction in the cauldron and smirked. It was done, and soon, he could put his plan into action. Flint walked into the dungeon room and walked over to the silent boy, along with Avery.

"How much longer, Severus?" he asked, eyeing the concoction with disgust. "Is it done yet?" Snape finished stirring the potion and turned to his housemates.

"It is complete." he said firmly. "We only need the last ingredient." Avery nodded and grinned.

"Let us take care of that." he said. "We'll have it to you by the time the week is over with." Snape nodded and Flint saw a spark in the newly inducted Death Eater's eyes.

"Have either of you spoken to Sedera Walsh about our little arrangement?" Flint finally asked, looking at the other two boys.

"Already done." Avery said with a grin. "And she's more than happy to oblige us. She said something about putting that goody-two shoes bitch Robbins in her place."

"Very well." Snape said.

"What about the truth serum, Severus?" Flint asked. "Once Lucius gets Robbins' parents, we're going to need the Vertiserum."

"Taken care of. As well as the Mind Numbing Potion." Snape said. "I already happen to have those particular brews ready to administer."

"So we are only waiting for the final ingredient for that…stuff," Flint said, eyeing the disgusting potion in the cauldron, "and word from Lucius that they have her parents, correct?"

"Correct." Snape said. "The moment we have word of their capture, we are to Apparate to the Dark Lord's side to administer the potions."

"And the Vertiserum will allow us to find out what her parent's know about her. We'll find out if the witch is really a werewolf or not." Flint said.

"She certainly exudes the temperance and disposition of one." Avery muttered. "She can be a mean little bitch when she wants to be."

"As we are so well aware of, Avery." Snape sneered, looking down into the potion and shaking his head as though he did not even want to think about his Gryffindor potion's rival, even though he would be lying if he said he did not. "As we are so very well aware of."

A/N - Okay peeps, how's that one go? Any better? I know it was not much, but I've got more on the way, I promise. : )

Remember to leave me a review and tell me what you guys think. I really want to know.

Later.

A.A.

3/11/04