6: The hunter and the hunted
When James reached the Whomping Willow it was nearly pitch black. The moon would be rising any minute now and by the light of his wand he could see the long stick that was used to press the knot in the tree and the gaping hole of the open tunnel entrance beyond. Was Snape already in there? Surely Remus wouldn't just leave it open like that. When he had pointed it out to them it had always been closed. Picking up the stick, he touched the knot and scampered down into the roots of the tree.
The tunnel was dark and cold. And very long. James ran along it as best he could, nearly tripping himself up several times in the blackness where his eyes missed the roots and stones. He lit his wand again and the light spun out through the tunnel. He noticed three things. Firstly, he was nearly at the end of the tunnel, secondly that there was a greasy haired youth standing between him and that end, and thirdly that the youth's wand was out too. Snape wasn't here just to watch the show.
"Expelliarmus!" Snape cried, spinning round on him. James' wand leapt from his grasp and the light went out. He crouched down in the dark and held out a hand. Time to improvise.
"Accio wand," he whispered. He heard a faint skittering noise but it was too weak. "Accio wand!" he repeated firmly, confident that it would work this time. It had to work this time. It did, and it nearly poked him in the eye as it did so. He stood up again, relighting the wand and raising his arms in surrender.
"Snape, I'm not going to try anything."
"You'd better not, Potter," Severus replied, training his wand on him. "Or I'll blast you too."
"Look Snape. I don't know what Sirius told you but it's not safe here. We have to leave, right now."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"You have to, Severus, listen to me. It's dangerous. We could both be killed. Both of us! You have to come with me now."
"You're lying. You're trying to trick me again aren't you?"
"Snape!" James yelled, getting angry.
"You can't fool me that way, Potter. I've put up with you and your friends for three years now and I'm finally going to get my own back." James could see him grinning in the blue-white light. The sight made him shudder.
"Snape, if you don't get back here now-"
"You'll what? Set your friends on me? They aren't here, Potter. It's me and you and that Lupin boy. You're all a bunch of frauds, making out you're so wonderful and perfect. We'll see how wonderful you are without them to back you up. I'm waiting to see-"
"James?" Both the boys spun round to see Remus' head poking through a trapdoor. He took in the scene in less than a second, and his eyes widened. He dropped through the trapdoor.
"Get out now! You have to get OUT!" he cried. "What are you doing here, James? You've got less than a minute! RUN!" Then he saw Snape's wand and stopped dead.
"You see my problem," James growled as Snape turned the wand on Remus. Remus approached him slowly, like a hunter trying to get near an angry crocodile or a poisonous snake. His voice was steady, but James could hear him beginning to panic.
"Snape, this is neither the place nor the time. You have to believe me. If you stay here, you'll get hurt. I'm sorry for what I did to you but I thought you'd have gotten over it by now."
"Snape, you have to listen to us now. If we don't get out right now then you'll never-" James began again, but was interrupted by a cry from Remus. The boy had suddenly doubled over in pain. For a moment James thought that Snape had got him with a spell but then he realised the truth. Pale moonlight was coming into the hole from a window in the Shack above, catching his friend in its glare.
"Oh Merlin-" James moaned. Snape turned to him, looking a little confused at Remus' unexpected behaviour.
"What's he do-"
"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" For a moment James wasn't sure who had spoken but then Severus fell over backwards, as stiff as a board. Remus was left with his wand pointed at the spot where Severus' back had been, but his hand was shaking horribly. He tossed James his wand.
"Take this with you. Get him out. NOW!" The words were forced and painful.
"How? What do I do?"
"I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T CARE! GET OUT!" Remus' face was… changing. He trembled violently as he struggled to hold on to his sanity for a few seconds longer. James only prayed that Severus couldn't see him from where he was.
"Um… Um… Wingardium Leviosa!" It was a clumsy spell but it worked. Snape's stiff frame lifted into the air and James began to back along the tunnel at a run. Remus was writhing on the ground now and there was no way he was going to be able to get back into the Shack without help. And James didn't have time to help.
"Hang on, Remus! Just hold on! Fight it!"
"GET OUT! I CA-AA-AA-" The terrified scream petered out and was replaced by a far worse sound. The howl of a wolf. James back off faster, wand hand working like crazy, trying to keep control of the floating Severus and tripping over roots and clods of soil. He fell over several times but leapt straight back up, knowing he had barely seconds to spare.
He could see the end of the tunnel now, with the moonlight streaming in. He could also hear noises from where he had come from. Scufflings, growlings, pantings. Footsteps beginning to head down the tunnel towards him, made by clawed paws on rough stone. He began to run faster, the breath rasping in his lungs as he struggled not to let out a cry himself. Remus was coming. But not really Remus. If only for tonight, Remus was gone.
Reaching the end of the tunnel he tried to tilt Snape up to get him out. Even under the spell, Snape's eyes had just enough mobility left to widen in horror and fear as he was forced to face the creature looming up out of the dark tunnel. James didn't dare look behind him; he began shoving Snape's body up as hard as he could.
"Come ON!" he shouted, throwing his shoulder against Snape, but he wouldn't move. Suddenly the body lifted out of his grip and into the night, then hands came back down for him. He grabbed them and scrambled out of the hole, actually feeling the hot breath of the wolf on the back of his neck. Then several things happened at once.
He was thrown out into the night and had a brief view of stars in one direction and grass in another.
There was the snap of empty jaws and a snarl from inside the hole.
A strong voice called out a spell he couldn't catch and the entrance in the Willow slammed shut.
There was a cry of rage from within, and then a long mournful howl. It sent shivers down his spine. That was how close he had come. That was how near he had been to death at the hands of a friend.
He lay on the damp grass with his eyes closed and his and Remus' wands grasped tightly in one hand. Fresh air had never tasted so good in his mouth. He took several long breaths of it. Then someone cleared their throat. James sat up.
Dumbledore was looking down at him. Snape lay on the grass behind him, still petrified. A few other teachers were gathered further back. Peter and Sirius were nowhere to be seen.
"Hello there, Mister Potter," he said.
"Um… Hello, sir."
"It's been quite an evening, hasn't it?" He made it sound as if James had just gone for a little stroll around the lake, not run for his life from a werewolf.
"Yes sir."
"Let's go and talk about it in my office, shall we?"
"Yes sir. Will Remus be… alright now, sir?"
"As well as can be expected, under the circumstances, James. Now, if you please. Severus will join us once the other teachers have seen to him." He walked James back to the castle. James had a funny feeling in his stomach. It was very like the one he got when he knew he was in trouble.
