Disclaimer: Check first chapter for full disclaimer and other warnings.

Chapter 18 – Escapades

"Are you sure this is the place?"

"Yes, are you sure? It seems quite... unclean."

"It is, and I assure you it is spotless. This is only a facade, and their tools are thoroughly germ-free."

"How do you know?"

"I worked there for a month. Summer job. That's how I got my second tattoo almost for free."

Gabriel, Tamara, and Kevin were discussing on a walkway opposite to the place supposed to be a tattoo parlour. They had brought Gabriel's drawings, and were as ready-to-go as one can be, given the circumstances. Joan and Jason had chosen not to interfere, and had stayed at Jason's place. Besides, Grace and Tamara's parents hadn't exactly been informed of their escapade, and Joan and Jason played hosts to a virtual homework meeting.

The three of them finally decided to go on, and crossed the street, before entering the parlour proper. Contrarily to the outside suggested, and accordingly to Kevin's prediction, the inside was clean and actually nice. Gabriel reflected that it seemed also more welcoming than the upscale one he had been into in the summer.

"Hi Kevin!"

"Hi Matthew!"

Kevin was approached by a tall man in his twenties, and they hugged like males do between themselves, with one arm only. Kevin turned back towards his friends, and introduced the store owner's son, cashier, and occasionally tattoo artist. The presentations made, as there weren't many customers in sight, Matthew led them through a tour of the small premises, and they got a good glance at the inks and instruments designed to mark them permanently, and the two tattoo artists who were there already, one of them finishing a monochromatic rose on a plump girl's lower back. They also saw the proposed drawings, but, truth be told about Gabriel, it was true he drew better than most. At least things that held his attention: he wasn't sure to be able to accurately draw one of his teachers, for instance.

Matthew finished the tour by leading them towards the wall of proposed drawings. "Kevin told me that you were new to the fine art of tattoos? To tell you myself, I'm not as mad tattoo-wise as some parlours owners and their families may be. I only got one." He had lowered his voice for the last sentence, and raised his sleeve to show a finely tattooed panther. Shrugging his sleeve free, he rose and asked, encompassing the wall with his arm. "So, what will suit your need?"

"Actually, Matt, they have their own... artwork... with them." Kevin said, with a twinkle in his grey eyes.

The young man was nonplussed, but, when he saw the proffered drawings, his eyes opened wide. "Wow." Gabriel blushed a little, but smiled proudly nonetheless, while the man was praising his work. "I mean... wow. I always see some kids wanting their own work on them, but none of them could draw to save their life. This is... different. And better! I wonder... who drew these?"

Kevin looked intently towards Gabriel, who raised his hand timidly. "Me, sir."

"Congratulations, young man, and please... no 'sir' here. The only 'sir' I know is my grandfather. And you can call me Matt. Anyone drawing like this can call me Matt. I have a question though. Can we... I mean... would you let us use it for future tattoos? To put it in our catalogue?"

Gabriel thought about it for some time, but two things annoyed him the most. First, these were part of his long-forgotten memories, and he didn't want just 'anybody' to wear them. On the other side, people who had known him could recognize them and he could find his place back in the world. He couldn't decide, but the last straw was about one of his numerous discussions with Joan. He wanted the tattoo to be personalized. If no one could ever have the same, that would be better. Well... except perhaps for descendants of this long dead cousin of Jason's family.

He turned towards Tamara and explained his reasoning, before asking her. "Do you want to keep the phoenix for yourself?"

After a few seconds, she answered "Actually, it's not mine; it's yours. I can't stop you from drawing it, can I?"

"Of course, but I spoke about tattoos, and this drawing in particular."

"I don't care. Actually, if other people want to have it too, I'll be flattered to have been the first to have it."

"Okay, then." answered Gabriel, before turning towards the store keeper, explaining that his drawing of a flying lion would be kept private, but they could use the other one. Even though he was sad not to be able to use both, the man was glowing with pleasure, although Kevin's interruption kept him from literally bubbling.

"For free?" Kevin looked intently towards Gabriel, who just shrugged. Kevin then contemplated his options, and looking at Matthew, asked for another reduction in price. Gabriel and Tamara were looking at the exchange, Gabriel not quite understanding why his friend was arguing over a drawing he would have given for free. Tamara's eyes, though, were shining with pride at her boyfriend, and she elbowed Gabriel.

"I'll tell you later. Remind me."

After nodding in agreement, he noticed that they had finally settled for a price for both of their tattoos, and the last question was to be asked.

Matthew turned towards them. "Location?"

Having thought about it, they answered at the same time.

"Back."

"Chest."

Matthew and Kevin laughed, before trying again, this time asking more precision. Tamara wanted her phoenix on her right shoulder blade, and Gabriel had chosen his left pectoral, right over his heart. Both were a little self-conscious, and had chosen a place that they could hide easily with regular clothes.

After some minutes waiting, they finally had to sit facing each other and undress somewhat, both blushing. The tattoo artists, who had been introduced as Josh and Gary, had to check their skin quality and defects to select the appropriate inks and instruments, and they were now cleaning a rather large area with alcohol. Josh, who was working on Tamara's back, suddenly exclaimed.

"Hey!"

Kevin had been reading a comic in a corner, but, hearing the exclamation, he rose and approached, while Tamara was looking at Josh's perplexed face in the mirror.

"What?"

Josh was looking at Tamara's back, and, more specifically, her neck. "I thought that you didn't have a tattoo before?"

"I did not." Tamara was starting to feel panicky. "What do you see?"

"Look" he said to Kevin, and pointing to a place on Tamara's collar, right on her spine.

"What? I don't see anything."

"This!"

"That? It's only a birth mark. You told me so, Tamara?"

She could only nod, while looking around in an agitated state. She obviously didn't want to cause problems, especially with Kevin's ties with the shop.

"Have you seen its shape?"

"What about it?"

"It's very small, and it's also very defined. It looks like a flame. See?"

"Yes, I know. It's my girlfriend, remember?" Kevin was sensing Tamara's agitation, and tried to soothe her by stroking her hand peacefully. "Besides," he continued, "I'm sure that everyone has some little marks like this. I have one on my leg; you could swear it's a sky map of Iceland. And I'm sure Gabriel has some, too."

"You're right-o, sonny."

Gary's voice, which they haven't heard previously, was deep, with a foreign accent. It made Kevin and Tamara jump. Gabriel couldn't jump, because the man's hands were holding him on his place, while he pointed to the others a place on his back, between some old scars. Right on his collar line. Right on his spine.

Tamara almost darted to Gabriel, but, as she was holding a cape to cover her front, and as she was also held by Kevin's hand, she couldn't voluntarily move brusquely, and she couldn't do more than narrow her eyes at Gabriel's back, trying to see the shape. After a couple of seconds, though, Gabriel shrugged the man off, and sat normally on the chair. After all, his tattoo was to be on his chest, so there was no need to examine his back.

During the whole process, which took a good two hours, Gabriel looked alternatively between his drawing and his chest, ignoring Tamara who was staring at him intently.

Hogwarts school, 10pm...

Minerva McGonagall was working, hauling the usual workload of the Headmistress. Serious about it, as she was serious about everything in life, and not taken by meetings with the Wizengamot as her predecessor had been, she could do much without the help of the Potion Master. Sure, he helped, but he also seemed to enjoy his free periods so much...

And she could manage. So she threw herself in the forms about registration of the previous Quidditch match's results, to be sent to the Ministry Department of Education, for an eventual review if some students wanted to be professional Quidditch players. Arthur had promised to send them someone to do that on the fly, during the match itself, but the Ministry bureaucracy was acting like the honey trapping the proverbial bee. Nobody had shown up, and she still had to fill the form. After that one, she had to sort the answers about students staying during Christmas holidays.

The urgent shrill coming from the silver instrument that never left her pocket since October brought her to her senses. Remembering the previous place, she ran out of her office as fast as her aged, if still fit, legs permitted. Once there, she banged on the door and called the room occupant.

"Sirius! Sirius Black! Is everything alright?"

Waiting for an answer, baiting her breath, she heard someone speaking two words behind the door, and soon afterwards a scuffle of feet could be heard coming and the door opened. She went inside and looked around wildly.

"Someone was here. I heard..."

She stopped, acknowledging two things. First, the voice that had spoken behind the door had been quite high, even if a little raspy. So, it could have been a student, or a young witch. She shuddered about the fact that someone could enter and exit the castle at will. The second thing she noticed was the extreme state of dirtiness of the room. As the intruder had visibly left, even if she had to speak to Dumbledore about setting a possible trap, she had to address the second point immediately.

"Honestly, Sirius! How can you live in here like this? If you receive students in this environment, you can get expulsed by the board of governors!"

Sirius Black, formidable wizard and grand seducer of women, was holding his hands behind his back and hanging his head shamefully. For him, since his second year of school when she had arrived in the school, McGonagall would always be the severe teacher, most opposed to the Marauders' way of life. His stance didn't calm her, though.

"I demand that you clean the place now, and that you stow your numerous bottles of..." she smelled around "...unidentifiable alcohol in a remote place. I'll be back in an hour, and if the office is not spotless, I may put you back to sleep with your friend Remus."

It had been fine to share Remus' office and quarters, but the promiscuity had been wearing on them. Even close friends, they didn't share the same views about the world, as Remus was more of the introverted type. Sirius sobered some more, and nodded, before starting to manually clean the place. The Headmistress sighed, thinking that a crash course of cleaning spells could be useful to the bachelor. She then left, heading to the office of the current Transfiguration teacher. He answered the door almost immediately.

"Ah. Minerva. I was on the process of making some tea, and I see that you could need some. Take a seat."

"Thank you, Albus. I sometimes think that your reported abandonment of Divination was forged. You always seem to know what happens around."

"Well, you see, when you'll live many years as Headmistress, you'll notice that walls don't only have ears. They also have eyes to see, and mouths to tell. It seems that our little burglar showed himself again?"

"Yes." She was slightly annoyed of not being the one bringing the news, but continued anyway. "Same place. I heard him behind the door; he spoke something that didn't sound logical. As if..."

"...it was activation words for a portkey?"

"Yes. Besides, he disappeared at the same time, and Sirius didn't notice anything. Well... in his state, he wouldn't have noticed a dragon in front of him."

"He celebrated his new room? Again?"

"Perhaps. Or he was just being himself. Even when he was a student, I never knew if he was serious or pulling a prank, especially about drinks."

"Old habits die hard?"

"Look who's speaking!"

"I know, I know. Speaking of which, would you like a lemon drop?"

"No, thanks, Albus. I prefer my tea unsweetened, as always."

"Pity, that." The old man commented, while adding a fourth spoonful of sugar in his steaming mug.

They stayed in comfortable silence for a short time, enjoying the tea and their mutual company, before she spoke again.

"We have to trap him. If it's a 'him' anyway. You seemed to be pretty sure."

"It's a boy. But I wasn't able to see his body, nor his face. I don't know why, though. You see, after we talked about trapping the place after the first time and concluded on not doing it, I reflected about charming the place anyways. My Magical Remote Vision spell triggered on the portkey arrival, and I saw a boy, but his body wasn't defined. As if..." He looked up, startled at his own recovery.

"Minerva, apart from Nymphadora Tonks, do you know any metamorphmagus nearby?"

"No. You think it's her?"

"Maybe, maybe not. I'm pretty sure it was a male, but I'd like to be sure about that. Metamorphmagi are quite rare, and if this boy is one, I'd like to recruit him."

"If he's not already sold to the other side."

"I think he's not. He was just there to explore. He didn't move, and looked at the place, as if... as if he didn't recognize it from before! Minerva! It was the same person, at the same place. Perhaps he's using a controlled portkey, and he'll always arrive in that room."

"We should have let it closed! I remember that, when we got there the first time, you had to use a very strong unlocking charm on the door. At least, he wouldn't have been able to escape..."

"Ah... dear Minerva. Do we always have the time to ponder our actions beforehand?"

"Albus, it's not fair. I know the correct answer is 'no.' Back to the subject at hand, what about young Nymphadora?"

"I think I'll bring her here, if she doesn't have something else planned. I'll try the spell on her, and see if it reacts the same way it did to the boy."

"What do we do about the office? Shall we close it?"

"I guess I have more to fear from Sirius in a surprised state than from the boy. He had been so calm while looking at the surroundings, it was almost as if he was on a reconnaissance mission."

"You see? It could be a mission for... for him."

"Okay, okay. Even if I detected nothing evil in him, we'll ask Sirius to go elsewhere and we'll seal the door. I'll expand Remus' quarters some more, so that they wouldn't run in each other all the time. It's a pity, though. These quarters were quite proper, even if a little dusty."

"Do you remember whose quarters they were?"

"Yes. I checked my Memoirs after you asked last time, and I found that an old witch named Ginevra Shaun taught here for a few years, before being killed in one of Voldemort's early murdering sprees. At that time, I didn't inquire much about the teachers' background, so I don't know if she had a family, ancestors or descendants."

They stayed silent for a while, thinking about that teacher, whose office had been closed for such a long time. The stern Headmistress was the first to launch the discussion back in its tracks.

"What subject?"

"I'm sorry?"

"What subject did she teach?"

"Ah. Oh! Interesting question. You know, I had wondered why I had to put so much energy into my unlocking spell. The door lock had been tampered with, and not only by magic. She was teaching Technomancy, the art of mixing muggle technology with magic. With Grindewald's program and then Voldemort's, such a position was highly unstable. That's why she hadn't been replaced. Nowadays, from the little I can gather from our few muggleborns, such a subject would be awesome, if there was someone actually able to teach it. My own recollections of it date from so far away that I'd be hard-pressed to build a lesson plan on par with current muggle devices."

"Albus, do you think that boy has a link with her?"

"Perhaps. After all, we didn't discover much in the office. From the unequal dust cover and the tracks on it, I gathered that a large box, or a trunk, was removed, as well as the books from the bookcase. All other personal effects and the neatly piled old assignments had been left out."

"Assignments?"

"Why, yes. It appears that our little visitor left them, so I stored them away. You want to grade them? It seems that the job wasn't finished."

"I'm not sure I can do that, but it could be interesting to read them."

Albus Dumbledore stood and bent to search in a low cupboard near his desk, until he extracted a pile of parchment-like scrolls, and he held them to her. "Here they are."

"Thanks."

They stayed like that for some time, both drinking their tea while Minerva McGonagall was browsing the half-marked sheets with her off-hand. When her eyes fell on a particular one, she smiled, though, browsed through it entirely, and then gasped.

"What?" her old friend asked.

She didn't answer, and held the page to him. There, on it, were written some words that would change Albus Dumbledore views on an otherwise non-descript teacher.

The page was starting by stating the subject and the student's year: "Technomancy – first years." It then continued with the student's name: "James Potter." That alone could explain McGonagall's gasp, and he looked up to see that she was motioning him to continue reading. The short assignment continued by listing the possible uses of iron in spells. The thing that left him agape was the last line, separated from the rest. 'I swear it, if you can't give something better for an assignment, I'll drop your subject, mum.'

Mum.

James Potter's mum.

Harry Potter grandmother.

And the boy... could it be possible that...? His mind was exploring so many thoughts that he couldn't speak for a while. Looking up to his Headmistress, he spoke slowly, as if dreading a reaction from the powers-that-be.

"We'll put another spell on the place, Minerva. I want to see that boy with my own eyes."

She nodded, and, thanking him for the tea, left towards Sirius' quarters, which would be soon vacated again.

Once alone, Albus Dumbledore took his head in his hands, and stayed like this for a long time, reflecting about his life, some teachers and some students, some dark lords and some heart-breaking decisions, and some wretched prophecies. A single tear could be seen running through his beard.

In a remote cottage, around the same time...

"Welcome back, Jugson. You know the procedure: as it appears that you didn't come back with the others, I'll perform some check on you, and you'd better not fail me."

"I'm yours to command, My Lord."

"Very well." And then, Voldemort unknowingly uttered the same words that Dumbledore had said while he was checking Ginny Weasley for possession. To Voldemort's knowledge, nothing could block that spell's detection powers, so, when no smoke cloud appeared on Alfred Jugson's head, he was satisfied to get his follower back. He dismissed him to the awaiting ranks of black-robed wizards.

"Dear followers," he addressed to the twenty of them, "we cannot continue like before. Our numbers have been reduced, and we can't even actively seek new members. Our most influent recruiters have been exposed, and I don't have time to plant spies high enough in the Ministry to get information."

Needless to say, the followers were stunned. Their all-powerful master was explaining the reasons why he wasn't all that powerful anymore. Some whispered comments could be heard in the room, which quieted immediately as soon as the Dark Lord spoke again, still through Barty Crouch's throat.

"I sense that some of you think lower of me now. Let's demonstrate that I didn't lose my power, only some weak followers! Crucio!" The few that had been commenting collapsed on the floor in cries of pain. Nobody went to help them. Nobody wanted a worse treatment.

"Now, now." Voldemort spoke again, his anger relieved. "In the pain, we always learn something new. Be thankful for the experience." He looked intently at the punished men, and they bowed their head, thanking him.

"Now, you can wonder why I told you all this? It's because we are going to change strategy. I called for the services of someone very proficient in her field, the Potion Mistress of Durmstrang, Miss Krengstarck." A young woman, dressed wholly in dark green, approached Voldemort, bowed in front of him, and sat by his right.

"I also got the services of one of the most versed specialists in curses. His name had been given to me through our junior members despite otherwise... unfortunate circumstances." he smirked, remembering Crabbe and Goyle's recollection of gaining that knowledge "I contacted our friends abroad to trap him and to bring him here. They arranged an accident on his work site, and abducted him. Some of you may know his family by name, but rest assured that I... managed to get his obedience quite fully. Isn't it, William?" On cue, a tall man entered the room, grunted while pushing his way through the few ranks of dark-robed wizards, and stood on the left of the Dark Lord, arms crossed. For those who knew the Minister's family, the tell-tale red pony tail and earring were indication enough that the person standing in front of them, despite his tortured expression, wasn't anybody else than Bill Weasley.

Near Hogwarts, one week afterwards...

The Potion Ingredients Gathering outing was progressing rather well. A dozen students, attracted either by the learning experience, the unknown dangers lurking in these woods, or the extra credit awarded, had volunteered to follow Professor Glassend on a well-delimited trail through the Forbidden Forest. They had been warned that one step aside the trail would mean immediate danger, as not only the beasts living in the Forest were eager to eat some raw flesh, but some of the plants were hungry too. That thought had kept the student wary of staying on the pathway for the duration of the three-mile trek, until they had all arrived in a clearing. The night was calm, and they could only hear the sounds of night creatures moving around.

Now, the students were instructed on the care of collecting and preserving the plants, and especially the one they would be getting that night. The Wolfsbane herb, necessary for the potion named after it, only showed itself on a full moon night, and the light in the clearing was so much that no other light source was needed. Besides, magical light would have disturbed the gathering. They all had been instructed to start gathering the plant from the centre of the clearing, and to leave a wide ring of them around the clearing. That way, the Professor explained, the werewolves wouldn't go rampage on the clearing, which would destroy its usability.

All the students there were also known for their good grades in Herbology, as the care of plants was important when gathering them for Potions. Neville was there, beaming, as he had been nominated as teacher's assistant for the outing. The group included four students from Hufflepuff, three from Ravenclaw, eager to learn things about magical ingredients gathering and care. There were also two Gryffindors beside Neville, and two Slytherins.

In the previous years, Neville hadn't been widely accepted by the Slytherin students, especially those from his own year, and not only because of him being a Gryffindor. His limited interaction with the Potion Master, and his apparent lack of talent and self-confidence had put that impression on him. Now, though, he was different. His parents were healthy now, and had contributed to buying him his own wand, more adapted to him, thus increasing his magical prowess. He was also feeling more at ease with himself and the others, having chosen his future already. Following his knowledge in Herbology, and his parents' recovery, he had decided to be a Healer. That, and the fact that Snape was teaching his year's Defence course, was why he was now assiduously following the Potion course.

All students were busy gathering the precious herb, and the other two Gryffindors complained about being bored. Hearing this, Neville had an interesting idea to lift their boredom, and challenged them in a contest, where the winner would be the one gathering the most of the herb. Neville didn't want to actively participate in the challenge, and he smiled when they accepted and they began to get the herb more rapidly. Unknown to him, and the teacher, they propagated the challenge to the Slytherin duo nearby, who propagated it to the others. Soon, the clearing was silent, except from the sound of herbs being carefully, even if quickly, removed from the earth. The Slytherin duo was starting to gain the upper hand in the challenge, when the teacher raised her head and asked everybody to stop, intently listening.

The clearing fell into silence.

A heavy, eerie, and foreboding silence.

When they had arrived there, they could hear the noise of creatures nearby, but now, the silence was complete. Turning around, Victoria Glassend inspected the surroundings, when she noticed the position of the students, especially the Slytherins.

"What are you doing?" she asked them urgently, even with her voice low.

"Errr... we gather the herb, Professor..."

"Why are you doing it over there?"

The students looked around themselves, and understood their error. Carried in the challenge, they had forgotten to leave a hefty ring of plants around the clearing. As they had been taught, they knew that it would slow the production of Wolfsbane for the following year, and promptly apologized for it.

"Sorry, Madam. We got carried by the job. Sorry about next year's prod..."

"I don't care about next year's production! Do you know why I asked you to start from the centre outwards, and not the contrary?"

Neville had wondered that, and now, seeing her distraught Professor's face, he started to understand. She made it clear for everyone, though.

"The ring is to offer protection should any werewolf come by while we work. Have you forgotten that the moon is full tonight? Thankfully, there is no werewolf activity around at the mo..."

She was interrupted by a growl, coming from behind the Slytherin students. They all turned towards the sound in slow motion, dreading what they would be seeing, and understanding the previous lack of sound around the clearing at the same time. There, between two trunks, and barely a yard away from the unfortunate students, a werewolf was standing, eyes glowing with hunger.

Students and teacher alike were standing still, terrified. Everybody knew that the beast was strong enough to pass the few plants, and when it leapt in the air, they still couldn't move a finger, waiting for the ultimate punishment to fall. The targeted Slytherins closed their eyes in terror.

Darkness.

Scuffle. Gasps.

Pain-filled howls.

A growl.

But... no pain?

They opened their eyes, and saw what everyone was seeing. And they gasped like the others, as the sight was something that, even in their wildest nightmares, they couldn't envision so near to them.

Flashback...

"What do you want?"

"I know about your... special talent."

She was shocked, as he was looking at her with the most penetrating gaze he ever had in the previous months. Still, even if she had a faint idea of the talent he spoke about, she didn't know what he wanted to talk about.

"So what?"

"I know. And as you are the only one to be able to do that, I'm asking you a favour."

"I do still not understand."

"You are going to follow the group in the forest tonight. They are walking towards their death."

She shuddered. Not only was he clear and to the point, but he also pointed to the target clearly. But she knew his abilities now, and wasn't afraid.

"You're sure that I alone can do that?"

"Yes. Don't worry, and use your ability, and everything will be fine."

Back to the present...

In front of the shocked eyes of the group of twelve students and their teacher, a wolf was howling in pain, lying in the few remaining ranks of Wolfsbane, and kept on his back by a massive paw. Paw which belonged to a massive feline. A feline which was looking at them with almost impossibly intelligent brown eyes, before its head seemed to vibrate. Then, in a strange fashion, human-like sounds came from the beast's deformed throat.

"Leave. Take plants."

It took them half a second to process the growled request, before registering that the werewolf was starting to fight the lion back. They scurried away, clutching their pouches of rare herbs, followed by animal fighting sounds, and they didn't stop running before reaching Hogwarts massive doors, which were open.

Open? At night? With a werewolf on the loose?

Two students were holding the doors open, and started to close them after they all got in. They paused halfway, though, and waited for someone else to pass through the doors before clanking them shut. The newly arrived female student slumped against the closed doors, dishevelled, panting, and her clothes in disarray and even torn in some places. After making sure that she was okay, the door holders turned to address the previously plant-gathering group.

"So, was the evening interesting enough?"

Ron and Luna were smiling, as was Ginny, while she recovered from the fighting and the sprint.

Somewhere else...

After the tattooing session, once they were back outside, Kevin confessed that he and Matthew liked to haggle good-naturedly about things. While he was talking, though, Tamara stared at Gabriel. The three of them separated at their usual point, continuing their walk home. However, a few minutes afterwards, when Gabriel was pushing Grace's house door open, a running and panting Tamara pounced on him, sending him sprawling on the floor. Entering, and closing the door, she yelled at him.

"YOU KNEW!"

She was fuming. Gabriel looked at her from his lying position, then at the clock. Seeing that Grace wouldn't be home for a time, he hoisted himself up, and answered.

"What do you mean?"

"The mark on your neck! I can't believe you knew and you made me look like a fool!"

"What about it?"

"Show it to me first, questions later. I want to know your sphere."

"But..."

"No buts!"

Her eyes were literally glowing, and her short-fused temper was starting to show. Quite afraid of the unexplainable glow, and not knowing the reason behind her outburst, he readily complied, turning around and lowering his shirt collar.

She inspected the spot, and calmed instantly, gasping. At the sound, he turned around again, and found her gaping.

"What?"

"Turn around; I want to see it again. I may not have seen it properly. Please."

He complied again, even if it was a polite request this time. She spent the next minute examining his mark, to the muffled exclamations of "It's not possible!" and "What group is this?"

Finally, fed up with her annoying push-around, he turned again, and demanded an explanation. She was subdued, now, and started to apologize meekly.

"Gabe, I'm sorry to have pushed you like that, really. You are sure that you don't know anything about this mark and its significance?"

"I told you already, I haven't even remarked it!"

"Sorry, but I can't explain right now. I have to contact people and get some information first."

"I want to know why you pounced on my right there and demanded to explore my neck, so don't invent excuses!"

"Honestly, I have to go the Library, to do some research."

"Stop it already, you sound like Her..." he stopped suddenly, grasping his head in pain.

Tamara put a hand on his shoulder. "Who, Gabriel? Joan?"

A long silence, and a sigh, then "No... Someone else."

"The girl you drew, perhaps?"

"No, no. I don't know why, and I don't remember anything else, but it's just 'Her'-something."

They stayed in the hallway of the house for half a minute, still standing. Then, Tamara excused herself, and left. It took some more time to Gabriel to gather himself again, before grasping a lump of bread from the kitchen and climbing the stairs to his room.

Two days later...

"I'm sorry."

Remus raised his head from his hands. He had been crying for a long time. Of course, he had suspected that something was wrong the moment he had woken up in the forest, his backside on fire and his limbs wary. It had taken him half the day to come back to Hogwarts and once there, he could only take the secret passage to the abandoned and supposedly-haunted house in Hogsmeade. Once there, he had painfully erected the protections he remembered from his youth, and spent the last full moon night banging his head and pained arms on the walls, while howling and thus re-establishing a forgotten legend about the house.

What surprised him, though, is that he had wanted to say that first. He had no memory of what had happened, as always in this case, and could only suspect that someone had been injured because of him. The fact that the person telling him that was Snape, was augmenting his surprise.

"What do you mean? No, wait. First, as I never remember anything in that state, I want to know who I attacked."

A silence, then "No one."

A longer silence.

"I don't believe you."

"And you would have all rights not to." Snape sighed, before continuing. "But you didn't attack anyone. Well... it seems that you tried, but were prevented."

"Tell me."

"There was an Ingredient Gathering outing, and they saw a werewolf."

"Oh my god... but you said..."

"Let me finish. They also saw a large lion barging in, knocking the wolf down on a bed of Wolfsbane."

Remus tentatively touched his back, and the pain was still there. Straightening up, he nodded for the other to continue.

"The lion told them to leave, and they returned safely to Hogwarts, welcomed by three students."

"What do you mean, 'told them to leave'? And which students?"

"I meant what you heard. As I didn't believe them, Longbottom proposed that he showed the memory in a pensieve. I gather his interaction with his parents is progressing quite well for him to speak up like that. And that was true, the lion spoke indeed. Well it growled understandable English, at least. As for your other question, the students were the two youngest from the red haired family you know about, and the Lovegood girl from Ravenclaw."

Each of the Potion Master's words was like a new enigma to Remus Lupin. The Longbottoms' recovery hadn't been in the Daily Prophet's front page, and even if it had been, he had seldom read it before, and hadn't changed his attitude after the change in Minister, even if the paper was better now. Snape proceeded in telling him that event, and, without gloating about it, the part that he had played in it, thus surprising him even more. Remus was dumbfounded.

"I guess... thanks are in order, for this information, and also for all your recent good deeds. Who would have known..."

"Don't start rambling." the Potion Master's tone was harsh, despite the smile that curved the sides of his mouth.

They sat in silence for a while, reflecting about their youth and the different paths they had had to walk. Then, remembering Snape's first words, Remus looked at him inquiringly.

"What did you mean earlier, about being sorry? I drank your Wolfsbane potion, everything should have been fine."

"I had been preoccupied by another problem, and, despite having made the potion properly, I didn't take the time to bring it to you. I didn't think about calling you in my offices either, so I caught the first student to hover nearby to bring the potion to you. My office being situated in the dungeons, it was a Slytherin, but I should have taken her name into consideration."

"Why? She was very friendly when she gave the bottle to me."

"Of course she would. Being a Slytherin, she would know how to mask her features. I'm quite sure that the draught has been tampered with. Besides, knowing some interesting facts by some... source, I'm sure she did it on purpose, knowing about the Ingredients Gathering outing."

"What can we do?"

"We can't prove anything. We just had luck that nobody was attacked..."

"...and bitten."

"True. The least I can do, though, is to put her on a very short leash. On the next problem, I'll make sure to personally expel her."

A long pause, again.

"Severus... can I call you Severus? We've known each other as colleagues for a long time, now."

A surprised look was exchanged between the two, before the Potion Master agreed, with a smirk.

"Only if I get to call you Remus. But don't think that we'll hug like long-lost friends."

"Never been my intention."

Snape nodded, acknowledging the humour behind, and Remus continued.

"What about the lion?"

"What lion? Oh! The lion... Well... if I had money to bet, I'd place it on Albus knowing something. His eyes were twinkling at record levels when we were witnessing the scene in the pensieve. He didn't say anything, though, even when I asked him in private afterwards. I'd also bet that Minerva remarked him hiding something, as she looked at him inquiringly for an instant. I can only imagine what the two of them must tell to each other when they meet."

To be continued in next chapter: No Santa This Year...

The beast showed his head again.
The lost got marked with a gain.
Next part is almost ready,
Review, keep my muse steady.