MAELSTROM

CHAPTER SEVEN-REMUS' TRANSFORMATION

CARRIE.

I glared at Sirius.

Arthur looked pale.

The entire common room grew quiet and everyone was watching.

"What are you telling him?" I demanded angrily putting my hands on my hips.

"Carrie," Lily said coming over to me. "I told Arthur about Luke."

"DOES EVERYONE HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT MY PAST?" I cried angrily.

Lily seemed to have shrunk.

James and Remus were watching apprehensively.

"You know what?" I said. "That's fine. Excuse me."

With that, I turned and stormed out of the common room.

I headed up to Astronomy Tower, to try and think, to clear my mind. There was a small veranda where there were telescopes were for studying the stars. I stepped outside, inhaling the cold night air. I shivered and wrapped my robe around me tighter.

My hair blew around my face.

Tears streamed down my cheeks. I was more upset at the fact that I felt like I was some kind of circus freak now between the visions and the fact that my ex abused me. Like people were feeling sorry for me now.

I hated that.

I sat down on a cold bench and leaned forward, my elbows resting on my thighs. I buried my face into my hands and began sobbing.

"C-Carrie?" a voice said nervously.

I lowered my hands. It was Arthur. He looked nervous.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Erm," he said as he nervously twisted his hands. "C-Can I sit next to you?"

"Sure," I said shrugging.

He came over and sat beside me.

"I-I'm sorry about Luke," he said.

"I'm just tired of everyone thinking I'm some sort of freak now because of these stupid visions and the fact that my ex beat me up. Plus, I know they're all feeling sorry for me now and that's the only reason why they're friends with me," I muttered, raising my eyes to the sky as fresh tears began forming.

"No," Arthur said. "I don't think you're a freak. And that's not why I like you."

I looked at him.

"I like you because of who you are," he said shyly. "Not because of what happened or the fact that you're psychic. And I want you to know that I would never treat you like that...or any girl."

I felt myself smiling despite the tears that streamed down my cheeks.

We stood up.

I threw my arms around him and pulled him close to me. I hugged him tightly. I felt him shyly wrap his arms around my. Our chins were resting on one another's shoulders.

I buried my face into his neck and began sobbing quietly.

ARTHUR.

Carrie had her face buried into my neck. She was sobbing quietly. I gently pressed my face into her hair. She smelled like raspberries.

I felt her grip around me tighten a bit. I really care about her and liked her.

A blast of cold wind fluttered the hems of our robes and her skirt.

I heard someone clear their throat.

Carrie released me and turned around to face the person. It was Lily.

"Um, Arthur?" she asked tentatively. "Can I speak to Carrie alone for a moment?"

"Sure," Arthur said as he gave me a warm smile before leaving.

Lily came over to me.

"I'm really sorry, Carrie," she apologized looking guilty. "I didn't know you didn't want anyone else to know about Luke."

"No," I said sighing. "I just feel like I'm a circus freak because of these visions and the fact that everyone feels sorry for me because of Luke."

"You're not a freak and we just care about you...that's all," Lily said softly. "I can definitely tell Arthur cares about you too. He looked so upset and appalled after what Luke did to you. I know he isn't like that. He'll treat you like a queen."

I smiled.

"I know," I said quietly. "He's a great guy."

"But right now," Lily said her voice dropping. "We've got to clear out the common room. Remus is about to change any minute."

We hurried back to the common room.

"Hey guess what?" Lily called loudly when we entered the common room again. "The elves are giving free food away! Hurry!"

Everyone fled happily from the common room, except Remus, James, Sirius, Molly and Arthur.

Arthur and Molly knew about Remus too. We were the only ones.

Molly was biting her lip after she glanced out the window.

"This is really dangerous though," she said quietly. "Suppose he accidentally attacks a student?"

"Relax, Molly," Sirius said rolling his eyes. "That's why James and I are here to keep him in line."

With that, Sirius changed into a black dog. He looked like a black German Shepard. He barked at Molly and jumped onto her lap. He sat on his haunches on her lap with his front paws on her left thigh.

"Geeze," Molly said cringing. "You weigh a ton."

Sirius turned and began licking her face.

She had to laugh as she wiped the stick saliva off her cheeks.

Remus changed into a gray wolf next.

"I'd best wait until we head outside," James said. "I don't think a stag would be able to fit through the portrait entrance."

The gray wolf shook its body and then made its way over to Arthur. I watched the wolf. It gave Arthur's hand a quick lick before walking over to me.

I crouched down in front of it and threw my arms around its neck.

"Be careful okay?" I whispered pressing my face into its soft fur.

That only got me a fierce licking from the wolf in response. The black dog jumped down off Molly, gave me a quick lick in the face before both the dog and wolf vanished out of the common room.

James smiled at us before following them out.

"Okay," Lily said as she yawned. "I'm heading to bed...Molly? What about you?"

"Yeah," Molly said still staring after the wolf. "Good-night, Carrie, Arthur."

"Night," we chorused.

Molly followed Lily into the girls dorm.

"You're not tired?" Arthur asked.

"Not yet," I admitted.

We just sat in front of the fireplace, staring into the fire. The common room was dead quiet.

Arthur and I were sitting next to each other on the couch.

I checked my watch. It was now 11:30 PM.

"They'd better be careful sneaking back in," I said yawning. "So Arimus doesn't catch them and give them detention."

"I know," Arthur said.

I rested my head on Arthur's shoulder. Pretty soon, I had dozed off...and drifted off to sleep.

ARTHUR.

Carrie had her head resting against my shoulder. She was out cold. I wrapped one of the Gryffindor throw covers over her that was draped across the back of the couch. I gently put my arm around her. Her head slid off my shoulder and onto my thigh.

I gently began stroking her hair. She had beautiful tight banana curls. Pretty soon, I had fallen asleep as well.

CARRIE.

I was outside with Molly, Lily and James. It was a beautiful afternoon. The sun was shining brightly. Arthur, Remus and Sirius had joined us as well. We headed out to the large oak tree that was on the grounds.

We all sat down and began talking and laughing.

Suddenly, this figure dressed in a black cloak with heavily lidded eyes from the hood appeared. The figure pointed a wand at me. James saw it and jumped in front of me. A blast of red came from the tip of the figures wand. It hit James square in the chest. Then, the figure aimed it at Arthur...Arthur went down next...then Molly...then Sirius...then Remus. It was only me left. The wand turned on me.

I woke up abruptly. I was breathing heavily and I was sweating. It took me a second to realize I was still in the common room. Arthur was sound asleep. My head had been resting on his thigh.

I checked my watch. 2 A.M.

I heard the portrait door opening. Arthur snapped awake too.

I tossed the throw cover off of me and sat up.

The black dog charged into the common room, followed by the gray wolf and then James in human form.

"I'm heading to bed," James replied clearly exhausted. "These two still have two hours to go yet before Remus changes back."

James studied me.

"Did you have another dream? Or vision?" he asked.

Arthur looked at me.

I nodded.

"Um," I said biting my bottom lip. "I think its best if I tell everyone in the morning since it involves everyone."

James looked a bit nervous, but he nodded and headed into the boys dorm.

The black dog jumped up onto the couch beside me. He sat on his haunches.

He looked at me with those big, brown eyes and studied me.

"This one was really bad," I whispered. "I'm telling everyone in the morning."

The black dog continued to study me.

The gray wolf stood on the hearth rug in front of the fireplace and then tucked his hind legs beneath him before stretching out his front ones. He rested his chin in-between his front legs.

Suddenly, the gray wolfs ears flicked backward and I heard him emitting low growls.

"Remus?" I asked confused but alarmed.

The black dogs watched Remus curiously as well.

The wolf pulled itself into a sitting position again and pulled back the top lip of its snout, exposing white canines and incisors.

Arthur looked worried too.

"What's going on?" he asked me.

"I'm not sure," I said.

I got up and took several steps toward the wolf, but the wolf turned its head around, ears pinned flat sideways and it snapped its jaws at me. I froze, fearful now and very alarmed.

Arthur slowly stood up from the couch as well.

The black dog jumped down off the couch and went over to the gray wolf. To my horror, the gray wolf clamped its jaws around Sirius' neck and pinned him down.

"SIRIUS!" I cried.

Blood began pooling around the black dogs neck and staining the hearth rug. The dog whined and kept struggling to get up, but the wolf had a good lock on him.

I pulled out my wand and aimed it at the wolf.

"Masnoris!" I said.

A jet of pink shot out from the tip of my wand and hit the gray wolf in the shoulder. This spell was used to inflict a sharp, quick stab of pain. Finally, the gray wolf released Sirius. Sirius wasn't moving, but he was breathing. I could see his sides rising and falling.

The wolf turned and charged for me. Arthur lunged for me and grabbed me. From the force, we fell over the couch. I landed on top of him.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Yeah, thanks," I said.

I realized my hips were pressing against his. But I shook my head. Right now, we had a huge problem.

"What's going on with him?" Arthur asked.

He was blushing slightly and I realized he realized what position we were in.

"I don't know," I said concerned. "He's never acted this way before."

I slowly climbed off of Arthur and peered over the top of the couch. The wolf was no where to be seen. Suddenly, it jumped on the couch, right in front of my face. I screamed and fell backward.

It had Arthur and I pinned behind the couch.

ARTHUR.

When Carrie had landed on top of me, I began blushing slightly because I'd never been that close to her before.

Now, the gray wolf had us pinned behind the couch.

"What's going on?" a voice said from the boys' entrance.

"JAMES!" Carrie screamed. "REMUS IS ACTING CRAZY! HE'S GOT US PINNED BEHIND THE COUCH!"

The wolfs head snapped around and we knew James was standing in the dorm.

"What on earth...?" Lily's voice said.

"What's Remus doing?" Molly's voice came next.

"I see what the problem is," James shouted over the snarling wolf. "There's something stuck in his hindquarters...like a dart."

"A dart?" Carried asked turning to me.

I went to explain, but she shook her head.

"I know what a dart is," she snapped. "But how on earth did it get into Remus?"

"I'm going to try something!" James shouted.

We heard Molly and Lily squeal with fright.

"Accio Dart!"

Immediately, Remus' expression changed. The ears pricked forward and the aggression vanished. He began panting.

Carrie and I slowly got to our feet. The gray wolf licked Carrie's hand.

"He's back," Carrie said relieved.

She began scratching an ear. I did too. Remus licked both of our hands.

We climbed back over the couch.

"Sirius," Lily moaned as she dropped to her knees beside the black dog.

By now, the dogs breathing had started to become labored.

"We've got to get him to Madam Pomfrey," Molly said weakly.

"And tell her what?" James asked carefully. "That this is really Sirius? We'd get expelled for sure!"

"I'll tell her he's my dog," Carrie offered quietly. "I'll take the heat."

"No!" I cried. "You can't!"

"Arthur," Carrie said turning to me. "He needs medical attention. We can't let him die."

I kept protesting until she threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly. She pressed her face into my neck.

"Please," she whispered in my ear. Her breath soft. "Sirius will die otherwise."

I felt my objections starting to melt away.

"Fine," I muttered.

She gave my neck one last nuzzle before she released me. I angrily turned away and rubbed the back of my neck.

"Come on," Carrie said. "Help me."

James and Molly helped pick up Sirius, who let out a painful whine. Lily remained behind. They left the common room.

LILY.

Molly, James and Carrie left the common room. I could see Arthur was angry. He kept pacing back and forth. Remus came over to me and sat on his haunches at my feet. He looked up at me with his jaundice eyes.

I didn't know what to do. If Carrie got expelled, then that would be it for me. I would leave. Someone was doing this to us...I was sure of it.

Finally, Remus changed back into his human self.

"What happened? Where's Carrie, Molly, Sirius and James?" he asked, looking around.

"Hospital wing," I said quietly. "You attacked Sirius when you changed. He's bleeding pretty badly."

"Oh God," Remus said, his face draining of all color.

"What happened?" I asked searching his face.

"I'm not sure," Remus said looking guilty and pale. "I felt this sharp prick on my hindquarters, then all I wanted to do was tear into someone."

"Well," Arthur said turning to Remus and I. "Carrie is taking the heat for Sirius. She's going to tell Madam Elkin that Sirius is her dog."

"She can't!" Remus cried looking even worse.

"Come on," I said. "We're going to the hospital wing."

With that, we tore from the common room.