ROTRUFIN

CHAPTER FIVE-TAKEN

"What?" I asked incredulously. "Another wolf loose? Where? In the castle?"

"Yep…the girls' throat was torn," James said seriously.

"Oh my God," I said shocked.

"We knew it wasn't you because there's no full moon out tonight," Sirius added. "You stick to the rules."

"Dumblydore issued everyone to go back to their common rooms," James continued.

"God," I said. "Is Lily alright?"

"She's fine," James said.

"How'd the detention go?" Sirius asked with a goofy sort of grin.

Him being goofy is his way of dealing with a serious situation.

"Fine," I said. "Nothings going on between Emma and I."

"Suuuure," James said drawing the word out and he had a smirk.

"We see the way you look at her, mate," Sirius said flopping down on the edge of my bed. "We're not blind."

"Look," I said angrily. "We're just good friends okay? Best actually."

The other Gryffindors were up too. It seemed no one was able to sleep at all.

"Remus," Sirius said putting his face close to mine. "She's a gorgeous girl…and you're handsome. You should just go for it."

"Looks don't matter to me," I said firmly. "Besides, she's four months pregnant. I'm pretty sure dating is far from her mind right now."

"Remus, we're your pals," James said. "You can tell us the truth. We won't tell her we promise."

What is with them? I wondered outraged.

"Get bent," I snapped.

They had a hurt expression on their faces.

I sighed.

"I'm sorry," I muttered. "I didn't mean to snap."

"All we're saying is we know you," James said quietly. "I just wanted to know it for myself."

He went over to his bed and climbed in.

"Look," I said sighing defeated. "I really care about her deeply. Satisfied?"

Sirius' lip twitched.

"Sure," he said. "'Night."

"Night," I muttered.

He got up from my bed and went over to his own.

I laid back and stared up at the ceiling putting my hands behind my head. Their words rung in my ears.

Truthfully, I did care about Emma more than a best friend, but I knew that dating was far from her mind now.

The other Gryffindors began heading to bed as well and finally, the dorm was quiet except occasional snoring.

During the next few months, there haven't been anymore attacks. Seemed whatever it was left. The castle had been searched numerous times and no animal was found.

Emma began clearly showing signs of pregnancy. She was allowed to skip classes if she needed to.

Thankfully, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students were gracious to her and helped her as well. They were also supportive. When I changed we used the Shrieking Shack. There were no more episodes of missing memories either. They concluded that whatever killed Amy also killed the girl at the Christmas Ball.

The ninth month approached and Emma went into labor.

She was in the hospital wing. Sweat clung to her neck, face and back as Madam Elkin was at Emma's feet. James, Sirius and I stood next to the entranceway into the hospital wing. Lily stayed with Emma.

"One more push deary!" Madam Elkin coaxed.

I went to take a step forward to help, but Sirius gently threw his arm out to stop me.

Emma cringed and swore.

Finally, we heard the unmistakable crying of a baby.

"Yes!" James cried as he and Sirius jumped in the air and hugged each other.

They patted me on the back merrily.

Madam Elkin wrapped the baby in a warm blanket and handed it to Emma.

Lily was grinning from ear to ear. I went over to Emma and stood by her bed, peering down at the baby.

"It's a girl," Madam Elkin said proudly.

"What are you going to name her?" James asked as he and Sirius came over.

"Ellie," Emma said smiling happily down at the baby.

The baby yawned and closed her eyes.

"I'll put her to bed now," Madam Elkin said gently as she took the baby from Emma and put her into a small cradle besides Emma's cot. "She'll be watched after I promise. I've just got to make sure she's okay physically."

Emma nodded and laid back.

"We're going to tell Dumbledore. He will probably come in to see you," Sirius said. "Come on James."

James and Sirius turned and began walking.

"I'm going to get you something from the kitchen," Lily said winking at me.

She followed James and Sirius out.

I gently sat down on the edge of the cot near Emma's thighs.

"She's beautiful," I said softly.

Emma smiled up at me.

She put a hand on my arm.

"You would be a great Dad," Emma said softly.

I blushed.

I checked my watch.

"Listen, it's a full moon tonight," I said. "We've got to head up to the Shrieking Shack soon."

Emma nodded.

"Sleep well okay?" I said leaning down a bit closer. I gently rubbed my knuckles against her temple before getting up. I left the hospital wing.

EMMA.

Remus left. I checked my watch. It was 11:30 PM.

Sure enough, Professor Dumbledore came in to check on me. He loved the baby and told me that the offer was still available that when I was ready he'd owl my parents.

Madam Elkin checked over the baby and said she was just fine.

I dozed off peacefully.

Around 1 AM, I awoke to a panting sound on my cot. Startled, I woke up. The gray wolf that was Remus was sitting on his haunches at the foot of my bed.

"Oh," I said sighing relieved. "You scared me."

A black dog trotted into the hospital wing. Sirius.

The dog came over to my other side and put his front paws on the edge of my bed. He frantically licked my face.

"Yes. You're a nut," I laughed softly.

Just then, the baby began crying. The wolfs ears flicked forward and he jumped down easily off my cot.

I watched him trot around the cot and over to the cradle that was next to it. He reared up on his hind legs and placed his front legs and paws on the railing of the cradle. He stuck his head into the cradle. He gently nuzzled the baby. The baby's little hands tightened around the wolfs ear.

Oddly, the baby seemed to stop crying now.

The wolf tried to get his ear loose, but he wasn't being rough with the baby.

I had to chuckle though. Finally, the wolf got his ear lose and licked the baby's arm.

Sirius did the same thing; stuck his head into the cradle. Once the baby got a load of the black dog, she began crying again. Sirius took his front paws off the rail and trotted around my cot. The wolf kept his amber eyes locked on the baby.

"Don't take it personally," I whispered to the black dog.

The dog yawned and stretched lazily. The wolf lovingly nuzzled the baby again before it dropped to all fours.

Suddenly, the wolfs head snapped toward the entranceway…and he pulled back the top lip of his snout exposing white canines and incisors.

I saw why. There was someone dressed in a black cape and had the hood pulled over his head so we couldn't see the face.

Sirius began growling as well. The wolf stayed by the cradle. His back arched and his hackles were raised; he lowered his head and spread his front paws slightly. Loud warning growls were coming from his throat.

Sirius took the initiative and charged at the figure. The figure backhanded the dog, who sailed cleanly backward and landed on a cot, snapping it in half. The dog didn't move. The wolf wasn't moving.

The figure stepped closer until it reached the cradle.

"Who are you?" I demanded panicked. "What do you want?"

The wolf snarled.

The figure didn't reply.

He went to reach into the cradle to grab Ellie.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY BABY!" I screamed.

I went to try and stop him, but he backhanded me as well. From the force, I fell back onto the bed momentarily stunned.

I heard the snarling of the wolf and then a 'whelp' of pain. I slowly managed to sit back up.

The figure had Ellie in his arms.

"LET GO OF MY BABY! SOMEONE HELP ME! HE'S TAKING MY BABY!" I screamed hysterically.

He began walking toward the entranceway to leave the hospital wing. The wolf charged at the figure now.

But the figure vanished through the door.

The wolf skidded to halt. The black dog appeared and was limping.

"NOOOOOO!" I screamed/howled.

The gray wolf did a U-turn and charged me next.

It jumped up onto my cot and sat next to me on its haunches. Its head was dropped low as if it felt like it had failed protecting the baby.

"Miss Gibson?" Madam Elkin's voice called alarmed.

The next thing I knew, she appeared in the doorway.

"SOMEONE TOOK ELLIE!" I screamed.

She saw the wolf and dog and her face drained of all color.

"GET DUMBLEDORE!"

She turned and hurried down the corridor. The black dog limped over and collapsed beside my cot. I hugged myself and rocked back and forth. The wolf wasn't even looking directly into my eyes. The ears were pinned flat sideways and I heard him occasionally let out a whine.

Shortly, Madam Elkin appeared with Professor Dumbledore.

"Miss Gibson, what happened?" Professor Dumbledore demanded coming over.

The wolf began emitting low growls, but was making no moves toward Dumbledore whatsoever.

"Someone in a black cloak and hood came in and took Ellie," I said bursting into hysterical tears.

"Oh dear," he said quietly.

"I want my baby," I sobbed slumping forward and pressing my face into the wolfs neck.

"Don't worry," Dumbledore said patiently. "We'll find who took Ellie and get her back…I promise."

The wolf didn't move and allowed me to bury my face into its soft fur. I sobbed harder.

When the sun came up, Sirius and Remus had changed back into their human form. Of course, Madam Elkin asked me what happened to the wolf and dog, but I really didn't feel like talking much.

REMUS.

Emma was hysterical.

"Oh my god," Lily cried when she told her what happened last night.

James angrily punched the cot.

"I don't know who it was," Sirius said. "I couldn't get a fix on a scent."

I sat beside Emma and wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

She slumped against me.

Suddenly, she grabbed me by the vest collar and pulled me toward her.

"Find the baby in wolf form!" she cried.

"Emma," I said. "Don't worry. Dumbledore will find Ellie. I know him."

Emma's grip tightened on my vest.

"I want to kill whoever took her," she whispered.

I gently put my hands on hers. She burst into tears and slumped forward, pressing her face into my vest.

She just cried into my vest. I gently wrapped my arms around her and drew her close.

"Poor Emma," James said quietly.

"I feel like I've failed," I whispered.

"Failed?" Lily asked looking at me. "Why on earth would you think that?"

"Because I couldn't stop that 'person' from taking Ellie in wolf form. I'm more powerful in wolf form," I said.

"Remus, mate," Sirius said calmly. "I couldn't even stop him. You saw how he backhanded me? He also hit Emma. If I couldn't stop him what makes you think you could've?"

"She doesn't blame you," James said gently.

Emma pulled her face back from my vest and stared up into my eyes. My heart fluttered.

"I don't blame you," she said her voice wobbly.

I gently took her face in my hands.

"Trust me," I said earnestly. "We'll help Dumbledore find Ellie. I promise."

She nodded as a tear slid down her cheek.

I released her face and stood up.

"Let's see what Dumbledore suggests," I said. "Sirius? Coming?"

"Yeah mate," Sirius said.

He got up and gave Emma a hug and kiss before following me out of the hospital wing.

EMMA.

Remus and Sirius left. James and Lily came over to me.

"Don't worry," Lily said affectionately as she hugged me. "Everything will be fine. Ellie will be back in no time."

James rubbed my back.

"When Remus says that he'll help Dumbledore find Ellie, he means it," James said gently and earnestly. "He always keeps his word."

"Why on earth would anyone want an innocent baby?" I asked wiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

"Not sure," Lily said. "Probably some sicko."

"Exactly," James said nodding. "You saw nothing about this guy that was unusual?"

I frowned trying to remember.

"Oh my God yeah!" I cried suddenly. "He walked through the door to the hospital wing. Remus had charged him but had to stop before he hit the solid door."

"That doesn't sound human," James said slowly. "I think you should tell Dumbledore."

Madam Elkin came in shortly and gave me a Dreamless Sleep Potion. I fell asleep peacefully.