ROTRUFIN

CHAPTER ELEVEN-AIR BORN

I glanced back over my shoulder. The wolf was still on our heels.

We quickly entered the common room and the portrait swung closed just in time. We heard the Fat Lady yelling and the wolf snarling and clawing at the entranceway, trying to get it.

Lily and I backed away from the portrait entrance breathing heavily.

"Where's James and Sirius?" Lily asked terrified.

"They're probably outside!" I whispered pressing my face into Ellie's shoulder. "Remus must've slipped away from them again!"

Outside, the wolf was still clawing at the entranceway and the vicious growls that came from it sent chills down my spine.

Suddenly, I heard barking coming from outside where the wolf was.

I recognized it as Sirius.

"That's Sirius," I whispered.

"James won't be able to come in the castle. He'll cause too much of a suspicion and chaos. A black dog is more easily believed," Lily said.

I heard Sirius barking angrily at the wolf and then I heard the wolf let out one last snarl before there was silence again.

"Take Ellie," I said as I handed Lily Ellie.

"Emma, no!" Lily whispered terrified.

I slowly crept over to the portrait entrance and it swung opened. That's when something huge and hairy jumped on me, knocking me onto my back. I heard Lily scream.

A huge black dog stood over me licking my face frantically. The portrait swung closed again.

"Oh, Sirius thank God," Lily breathed calming down again.

The dog let me up and I easily got to my feet again. Lily and I flopped on the couch, putting Ellie down on the couch in-between us protectively.

Sirius trotted over and sat on his haunches in front of the couch and put his lower jaw on Ellie's arm. I noticed some scratches and bite marks on his face. His ear looked like a piece had been torn.

"Lily look at Sirius!" I said concerned.

I gently took Sirius' ear. The tip had been torn off.

"What did Moony do to you?" Lily asked as tears began forming in her emerald green eyes.

"He's not Remus anymore," I said bluntly. "He's a monster."

Sirius stayed like that until the morning came. He changed back into his human form.

The tip of his left ear was missing in human form.

"What happened?" I demanded.

"Remus," Sirius said grunting. "Attacked me outside the common room. Bit my ear off. Bloody guy is insane now."

James entered the common room shortly.

"What happened?" James asked. "I stayed in the Shrieking Shack. Neither you or Moony returned."

I quickly told him what happened.

James' face drained of all color.

"He's a monster now," I said choking back tears. "He's not our friend anymore."

I burst into tears and pressed my face against Sirius' chest. James picked up Ellie and held her in his lap. She snuggled up against him and continued to sleep.

Sirius wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly.

I just cried and cried.

Lily offered to keep an eye on Ellie in the girls' dorm during the night now since Remus now has a taste of our blood.

We would stay awake and take turns like a night watchman keeping a watch over something valuable.

Sirius offered to change only during the full moons. He was a bit more of a match toward the wolf than a stag. Plus, a stag would draw more attention in the common room than a dog.

I was completely heart broken and devastated. I loved Remus and it was like I didn't even know him now. It was not a very good feeling.

He was becoming more vicious and arrogant.

Like today during History of Magic he argued with Professor Dawes about the Vemenait Rebellion stating that if he had been alive, he would've been able to stop it and there would now be peace between the Vemenait's and Quewynen's. Both were about the size of elves. The Vemenait's were a cross between an elf and a fairy. They were peace loving and loved nature. The Quewynen's were earlier ancestors of wizards and witches. They thought and believed that the Vemenait's were taking up too much land…land that could be used for homes and things. The Vemenait's rebelled against the Quewynen's during the medieval times and a war broke out. Many from both sides were killed and only a few survived from each side. To this day, witches and wizards do not get along with the Vemenait's ancestors who mainly live in Wales and Northern England near Scotland and Ireland.

Professor Dawes stated that what happened happened and nothing would've been able to change that. It was part of our history.

Remus challenged her by stating that he would've been able to restore peace and things would probably be different now.

Lily, James, Sirius and I stayed away from him. He acted like nothing at all happened last night in the library.

It was rather unnerving really. A sweet, caring gentle guy turned into an evil, violent, crazed maniac in only a few days. It seemed to happen only since he came back from missing from wherever he was.

But I had no idea that things would get worse…much worse.

I had dropped Ellie off the following night to the hospital wing. Professor Gray would be stepping in for Madam Elkin. He had some medical backgrounds so Professor Dumbledore had him fill in for the time being until a new nurse could be appointed. It was also a full moon. It was rather creepy that there would be two full moons that month…probably something with the planets or something.

I had this nagging feeling that something was wrong. Sirius changed into the black dog and followed me down the corridor, trotting along side me.

I had decided to check on Ellie.

I tightened my robe around me tighter because the hallway was cold. My breath came out in puffs of steam and rose to the ceiling.

Sirius' came out of his black nostrils.

I stepped into the hospital wing. Professor Gray was sound asleep at a desk. He had his head buried into his arms.

I smiled affectionately at him. He agreed to keep his eye on Ellie the same way Madam Elkin had offered.

Suddenly, my grin faded as I looked toward the crib. The sides were broken and what was worse…Ellie was missing.

"Ellie?" I cried rushing over to the crib.

Sirius came over and sniffed at the crib. I heard him start to growl. A clear sign that something was here that shouldn't have been.

"Professor Gray!" I cried.

He immediately snapped awake.

"Huh? Miss Gibson…what are you doing here?" he asked alarmed and concerned.

"Where is Ellie?" I demanded frantically.

"She's…" his voice trailed off as he followed my pointing to the crib.

"Oh no," his face drained of all color.

"We've got to find her!" I screamed.

Both he and I searched the entire hospital wing. Nothing.

I was now panicking beyond words. Sirius then suddenly barked at us.

"Is he yours?" Professor Gray asked.

"Yes," I said quickly.

Sirius sniffed at the floor and trotted over to the door, then glanced back at us.

"He's got a scent," I said.

But when I looked down, I saw a thin trail of blood leading from the crib right over to the door.

I yanked open the door and Sirius took off into the corridor.

I followed him. Professor Gray was close behind. The blood trail led down the corridor and into an opened classroom.

It kept going into the classroom around the desks.

I swallowed. I wasn't sure I wanted to go in…but I had to. But I entered and walked around the desks…and screamed bloodcurdlingly.

The wolf was standing over Ellie. He had ripped her throat out. The wolf snarled, raising his head to look up at me. Blood stained his muzzle and lips.

Sirius snarled back.

I kept screaming.

Professor Gray arrived behind me.

"Oh dear," I heard him choke.

The wolf lunged for me.

I screamed and threw my hands up over my face protectively. I backed up…and felt my back breaking through the glass window.

SIRIUS.

Emma's back broke through the glass window and she fell backwards. I heard her screaming the entire way down.

We were on the third floor.

Bits of glass showered her. I heard a sickening 'thud'. Then silence.

The wolf had stopped himself before he went out the window too. He turned and his eyes landed on Professor Gray, who was pale as a ghost and he looked sick.

The wolf went to charge him, but I intervened and clamped my jaws around the wolf's neck. I began snarling at him.

Professor Gray took this opportunity to take off and leave the classroom.

More than likely he was going to check on Emma.

After a few moments, I let go. I had wounded Remus pretty well.

The wolf snarled and took off out the door.

I walked over to the window and carefully glanced down. Emma was lying on her back on the ground. One arm was draped over her stomach; the other was stretched out on the grass. She had a thin stream of blood flowing from the corner of her mouth.

I quickly pulled my eyes away and slinked over to what was left of poor Ellie.

I gently nuzzled her lifeless form. After that, I slinked out of the classroom and headed back to the common room.

I saw that the Fat Lady was okay…but her portrait was badly scratched from when Remus tried to get into the common room.

Lily looked up from reading a book. She had decided to stay up late this time and keep an eye on Ellie for Emma.

"Sirius? What's wrong?" Lily demanded immediately closing her book and getting up from the couch.

I changed back into a human.

I swallowed.

"Remus killed Ellie and Emma,"

"WHAT?" Lily screamed.

I nodded gravely.

Lily broke down into tears.

Just then, Professor McGonagall came into the common room with Professor Dumbledore.

"I need you two to please come to the hospital wing," Professor McGonagall said gravely.

Sobbing, Lily began walking toward them. I wrapped my arm around her and we followed them.

Emma was lying on a cot. A white sheet was pulled up to her chest.

"I've got some good news," Professor Gray said sighing. "She's not dead."

Relief flooded over me.

"She's not?" Lily squeaked out.

"No," Professor Gray said looking relieved. "She's got some major internal injuries though. I'll be able to help her."

I hugged Lily.

She was relieved.

"But Ellie's not so lucky," Professor Gray said going pale again as he gestured to a little form lying on a nearby cot, covered in a white sheet. A bit of blood stained through the top of it.

"She's going to be devastated when she finds out," I said sadly.

"I know," Professor Dumbledore said gently. "I know you three will be able to help her cope with this."

"Three?" Professor Gray asked confused. "I only see two."

"Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said. "He's serving detention with me."

We knew Dumbledore was lying so he wouldn't have to explain why a huge stag was walking around on the grounds late at night.

Professor Gray nodded.

"Where is that gray wolf?" Dumbledore said turning to Lily and I once Professor Gray headed over to Emma to administer some potions.

"Not sure," I said. "He could be anywhere in this castle and he could kill anyone at any time."

"I want you two to head back to the common room for the rest of the night and do not leave until the morning," Dumbledore suggested firmly.

Nodding, we turned and left.

We headed to the common room.

Lily curled up on the couch and fell asleep. I ended up dozing off too.

The next morning, James entered the common room.

"Where's Emma?" he asked.

I told him the entire story.

When I was done, he looked angry and fearful now.

"Shit," he said sighing. "Remus is basically a monster now. Is there no stopping him?"

"Silver," I muttered darkly.

"I'm not going to kill him," James said shortly. "I want to help him. Something is obviously wrong with him and we need to figure out what it is so we can cure him."

"But what could it be?" Lily asked.

"I'm not sure," James said biting his bottom lip. "But I bet Professor Patterson will know. Maybe he inhaled some kind of poisonous plant or something."

Professor Patterson taught Herbology.

"Let's go check on Emma before heading to Professor Patterson," I said.

We left the common room and headed down the corridor. Remus was walking toward us in human form.

"Hi," he said looking from James, to Lily, and then to me.

"Hi," Lily said stiffly.

"What's your problem?"

"You killed Ellie, that's what my problem is," Lily retorted.

"Ellie? You mean Emma's kid?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, mate," James said glaring at him.

Remus just shrugged and continued to walk past us, heading up the corridor.