Well, here it is. Thanks again for the reviews, I've enjoyed reading them throughout the week as I do my homework for my various classes. Also, this cliffhanger should provide a breather from the last one since it's not nearly as bad and should come as no surprise to most of you (subtlety is something I'm still working on).
Sirius:
Remus glanced at James and Peter but then focused his attention on me. Silently, solemnly, he took a seat across from me on the couch. Placing a hand on my shoulder, he met my gaze intently. As I examined his eyes, some of their normal vibrant color returned, replacing the blackness from just moments earlier. They even seemed to be shining again.
Then I knew. Without him having to tell me, I knew.
A surreal giddiness drained me of all worry. Oh, thank God. He hadn't done it! He really hadn't done it! My belief in him had been more than a desperate attempt to deny what appeared to be obvious. The nightmare was over. Everything was going to be all right.
A lopsided grin spread itself over my lips. "You git!" I hit him lightly on the arm. "You enjoyed that! You enjoyed making me wonder! I–"
I frowned. Remus was shaking his head. Smiling, but shaking his head. No. He hadn't done it on purpose. He wasn't that cruel. He had wanted to come right out and say it but he was overwhelmed. In shock. After getting thrown in that Confinement Center and then being released only to be struck by the fear that he most likely had killed someone, this didn't seem real to him. He wanted to believe it but it was like a dream he was afraid would slip away.
"Remus," I hugged him tightly, "Remus, it's all right. It's over."
I could feel him trembling very slightly but slowly his arms slipped around me. "I almost can't believe it," he murmured. "Who else could it be?"
"It doesn't matter." He slowly relaxed. "As long as it wasn't you. It doesn't matter."
Simultaneously, we pulled back. I flushed, embarrassed because I remembered that James and Peter were in the room, watching our exchange.
Remus smiled, understanding. He stood and turned towards the others. I was surprised when James, laughing, pulled him into a quick embrace and slapped him hardily on the back. "I'm glad," he said simply.
"Thanks for making the potion." Remus held his gaze and spoke very earnestly.
James nodded and dramatically let himself fall back onto the couch next to me. "I'm always willing to gift others with the fruits of my substantial knowledge," he grinned.
I rolled my eyes. "It was comments like those that made Lily steer clear of you for so long. Better be careful or you'll send her running again," I jokingly warned.
"Ah," he shrugged me off. "At least I have a girlfriend. That's more than I can say for your sorry lot," he gestured vaguely at Peter, Remus, and me.
"I need to talk to Dumbledore," Remus cut off any retort I might have made.
His shock had worn off but he still didn't seem as happy as I would have expected. Oh, he was relieved, there was no denying that, but why wasn't he ecstatic? He hadn't killed anyone, one of his worst fears hadn't come true. Why did he still seem so…troubled?
Remus was watching me. When I met his gaze, he shook his head almost imperceptibly. It was his way of asking me to let it go. He didn't want to explain. Not in front of James and Peter and perhaps not even to me.
"It's the middle of the night," I pointed out. "We can go first thing in the morning."
He nodded. "I'm going to…go to sleep," he said, heading back towards our dormitory.
"Hey!" Peter stopped him, "We should have a party or something!"
"Yeah!" James agreed, giving one of his face-splitting grins.
Remus barely smiled, shaking his head. "I'm tired," he said. "I need to sleep." Then he left the common room.
I stared after him, feeling some of my own joy ebb.
"What do you suppose is wrong now?" James wondered.
I shook my head. I had no idea.
"Sirius."
The whispering of my name intruded upon my much-needed sleep. The wonderful dream I had been having about the Werewolf Confinement Center being burned to the ground – after all its prisoners were released – faded away. I wanted to groan and hide myself under the blankets. Perhaps, if I just ignored the voice, its owner would leave me be.
"Sirius." This time, a hand shaking my shoulder accompanied the annoying sleep-destroying voice.
No. I didn't want to wake up. I wanted to sleep. I hadn't slept in what seemed like several eternities and I was tired. If I kept pretending that I couldn't hear whatever ungodly person was trying to rouse me, he'd go away.
"Sirius!" This time my name was spoken louder and the person shook me harder.
Brilliant. Bloody brilliant. Now I was too awake to just instantly fall asleep again. Why hadn't the aggravating robber-of-sleep taken the hint and left me alone? Now that I was more lucid I had to admit that hoping he'd bugger off because I was pretending I couldn't hear him was similar to the idea that if I closed my eyes someone else wouldn't be able to see me. Or was it? Maybe I was still too asleep to make analogies.
Muttering an inaudible curse, I opened my eyes and rolled over before whoever it was could say my name again. "Won't anyone let me get some sleep?" I demanded, upset. At first my vision was too blurry to make anything out in the darkness but after a few moments I recognized…Remus.
"Damn it, Moony," I growled, "The school had better be collapsing."
Even in the dim lighting I could see the hurt and surprise in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, sounding overly contrite. He turned back towards his bed.
Damn. "No, Remus, wait." In seven years he had never once purposefully woken me in the middle of the night. Obviously, it was important.
He returned to the side of my bed but didn't say anything.
"I'm just tired. I've barely gotten any sleep since the full moon and–" Suddenly I felt guilty for complaining. "Of course not getting any sleep doesn't compare to being arrested for murder and getting thrown into a Confinement Center, or turning into a wolf once every month for that matter, so I really should…stop babbling now."
Remus smiled, apparently very amused at my ramblings.
"What time is it?" I asked hurriedly, yawning.
Remus answered less quickly. "Er…five-thirty," he sounded embarrassed and apologetic again.
Oh, of course. "Five-thirty," I repeated tiredly, still feeling a little frustrated. "In the morning."
"I'm sorry," he offered again. "I…couldn't sleep."
One of my eyebrows shut up of its own accord. "You couldn't sleep?"
He flushed. "I know. What am I? Five? I just… I can't stop…" he sighed, flustered.
He was still shaken up. Whatever had been bothering him when he left the common room was still weighing heavily on his mind. The last of my annoyance faded. He had been through quite a bit lately. Obviously, it had taken its toll. He wasn't his calm, controlled self. That, in and of itself, said a great deal about how troubled he was.
Suppressing another yawn, I sat up and tucked my legs under me.
Remus immediately settled himself into the space I had created for him. "Thank you," he whispered, smiling.
I nodded once.
"It never seemed real to me," he murmured sadly after taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "I was always so afraid of hurting or killing someone but even still…it seemed more of a nightmare than an actual possibility. Even with all the close calls we've had over the last couple years the reality never sunk in. I never understood what it would mean to kill someone.
"Now, Evelyn is dead…" he shook his head, "and all I can think is that it could have been me. I didn't kill her. But I could have. The only reason I didn't was because I got lucky."
"We got lucky," I corrected, "Prongs, Wormtail, and me. It's our fault, Remus, not yours. We should have been more careful. We should have paid closer attention. I promise that next time we–"
"No. No next time."
"Well, obviously it can't be next time," I agreed, understanding. "Once the Ministry finds out you're not responsible they won't rest until they track down our mysterious werewolf. Next full moon they'll have teams sweeping Hogwarts. We should stay in the Shack."
"No," he said again, "that's not what I meant. You're right, of course. They'll have people specifically trained in capturing werewolves everywhere around Hogwarts next full moon. That's not what I meant, though." He hesitated, seeming suddenly nervous, "I meant there won't be a next time for you guys to be more careful. I've decided I can't take the risk anymore. There are seven full moons left before we graduate. I won't leave the Shack for any of them."
Oh. I wanted to argue but held my tongue. After seven years I could tell when I had hope of changing his mind and when I didn't. He was adamant about this. I could argue that he would only be making things more difficult for himself but who would know that better than him? If he was willing to endure increased pain and madness to ensure others' safety then I was willing to let him.
"I'm sorry, Sirius," he apologized sincerely, still uneasy.
"Whatever for, Remus?" For being the most sensible of the Marauders? Though even I had to admit after what had happened on the last full moon that taking Moony out of the shack was not a bright idea.
"I know how much you enjoy the full moons. Prongs, Wormtail, and you," he bowed his head. "I'm sorry to disappoint you. Maybe you can have your adventures on another night."
I shook my head. "Remus, look at me." I waited for him to meet my gaze before continuing. "Of course we have fun on the full moons. It's been brilliant, really. But that's not the point. It's always been to make things easier for you. I'm sorry if that wasn't obvious… And as for doing it on another night, it wouldn't be the same without you."
He smiled. "It wasn't entirely your fault." He ran a hand through his shoulder length hair. "Even if you had been paying closer attention to me, I think I would have gotten away anyway. You might not realize because it's never been an issue before but to a werewolf the call of another werewolf is…very powerful."
"I had read that, yes." I'd forgotten, though. At least until he mentioned it.
"I heard the howling of the other werewolf. That's why I ran off. If…if you–" he touched his left temple with his forefinger. "If you hadn't found me, I would have joined him. Then we'd both be responsible for killing Evelyn." God, he sounded so lost.
I placed a hand on his forearm. "We did find you, Remus. Evelyn's death is not your fault."
His eyes shifted to the window behind me. I always looked past me when he was about to change the subject even though his feelings regarding it were still running deep. "I'm going to tell Dumbledore that you were late for the full moon. You weren't going to enter the Shack once you realized that moonrise had passed but you saw that the Whomping Willow's branches were immobilized. Worried, you checked the Shack and saw that I was gone. Immediately, you began searching for me. It took you a while to find me but when you did you used a charm to stun me. Then you dragged me back to the Shack and stayed with me the rest of the night.
"I know the Minister of Magic will blame Madam Pomfrey for leaving the tree immobilized and allowing me to escape but…" he shrugged, "It's better than them discovering that you're an Animagus."
Remus was the most sensible of us. I hadn't even thought about how we would explain Moony's 'escape'. "Very…er…thorough. I'll tell James and Peter…so that we can all have our stories straight. I doubt Dumbledore will ask us but it pays to be careful."
"I'm more concerned with what the Minister of Magic will ask me after I've taken the Veritaserum," Remus confided. "I can lie to Dumbledore about how I got loose but if Beechcroft asks after I've taken the potion me I'll have no choice but to tell the truth."
So he was worried about that too. Remus worried too much. About himself and about others when he should have been worrying about himself. "Then you'll tell the truth," I shrugged. "I'll accept whatever the Ministry and Dumbledore feel is the appropriate punishment for breaking the law regarding becoming an Animagus and 'releasing' a werewolf on the full moons. It's better than them killing you."
Remus didn't seem convinced. "It's not as if I don't believe you, Padfoot. I know you feel that way now. I'm afraid you'll change your mind if you're expelled." He momentarily placed his hand over mine, which was still resting on his arm. "Thank you for listening to me. Talking to you always helps."
Had I helped? I hoped so. It didn't seem like I had done anything at all.
"I'm sorry that I woke you," he apologized unnecessarily. He did that often. "It must seem rather pointless now."
"No," I assured him immediately. It wasn't as if I actually needed to sleep, after all. "As long as I helped." How could I have helped? He had gone from subject to subject before I could even really offer my input. It was as if he was afraid of saying too much or watching his control crumble away.
"You did." He sounded genuine.
I smiled, deciding not to press the matter. "Then feel free to wake me up any time you feel like talking at five-thirty in the morning."
At first Remus frowned but then he realized I wasn't expressing any annoyance and he chuckled before sliding off of my bed and returning to his own.
"They didn't ask!" Remus exclaimed and I couldn't hide the smile that flickered across my lips at hearing actual joy in his voice.
Setting aside the book that I had been staring at since Remus left to speak with Dumbledore, I looked up just as Moony sat next to me on my bed. "They didn't ask about what?" I prompted.
"They didn't ask how I escaped the Shrieking Shack. They simply wanted to know whether I killed Evelyn and then, when I said no, whether I knew who had," his voice faltered. I knew what he was thinking. That it was unfair for them to assume he would know who the other werewolf was just because he was also a werewolf. "They don't know you're an Animagus."
I rolled my eyes and half-sighed half-chuckled in disbelief. "I don't care about that, you git. Did they drop the charges?"
Remus grinned, eyes lighting up, and I realized he had made that announcement first just to see the look on my face. It had not been because he actually thought that I would care more about that than whether the Ministry was going to leave Moony in peace or because he thought that was more important.
I smiled briefly before repeating my question. "Did they drop the charges?"
His grin faded to a smile. "Yes, Sirius. They did."
Good. Wonderful. I hadn't been worried – exactly. It had just been a nagging concern that the Ministry hated werewolves so much that they'd find a way to hold Remus for some idiotic, prejudicial reason. "Do James and Peter know?"
"They were in the common room so I told them on my way in." He scooted back so that he had room to draw his legs up and rest his feet on the mattress. "I'm sorry about this morning. I really shouldn't have woken you."
I felt like strangling him. "Remus!" I cried out in exasperation, "I said it was all right and I meant it! Stop apologizing!" I purposefully softened my tone, "Really, don't worry about it. Are you feeling better now? Are…are you all right?"
The last of his smile faltered. His eyes went distant. "Would you believe me if I said yes? I…knew Evelyn, Sirius. She wanted to come back to Hogwarts and teach Herbology. She…she was engaged to James Flemming from Ravenclaw. Did you know that?"
I shook my head mutely. I hadn't exchanged more than three words with her in the last seven years. I hadn't realized that Remus had had any extended interaction with her. Maybe he hadn't. Maybe he just needed to say these things to make himself feel better.
"The wedding was going to be the day after graduation. Lily would have been her maid of honor. I saw Lily when I left this morning…she had been crying." James had mentioned it to me. Remus had hugged her and told her how sorry he was. Lily had thanked him and said he was a sweetheart.
That, apparently, was the opinion most of the Gryffindor girls held of him. A fact I had told him many times. He, however, always refused to get involved in any sort of romantic relationship. He didn't want to hide his condition from someone he was intimate with and was too afraid to be forthcoming about it. It was sad how many things he denied himself because of his condition.
"I didn't do it, Sirius…so why do I have to feel so guilty?" he asked faintly.
I shook my head helplessly. I didn't know what to tell him. I had to say something though. "You'll feel better."
"The funeral is tomorrow," he went on listlessly, "Will you come with me?"
I nodded. "Of course."
"Thank you."
He needed to stop thinking about this. We needed to distract him. "I think Peter had a good idea last night. We should have a party."
He frowned. "No. Maybe after the funeral…if we wait a week or so."
"You've been through a lot, Remus. You need to get if off your mind. Not in a week, now." Maybe we, along with James and Peter, could sneak off to Hogsmeade. It'd been a while since we'd all gone together. It'd be fun.
"Sirius, I really don't feel like–"
I interrupted his pleading protest. "That's exactly why you should."
Annoyance flickered across his face but then he smiled resignedly, perhaps realizing the futility of arguing with me. "Very well."
NEW POTION MIGHT CURE WEREWOLF MADNESS
"Bloody brilliant," I muttered under my breath, tossing today's issue of the Daily Prophet aside. What was this? For decades the Ministry's research teams had virtually ignored the condition, preferring to simply classify werewolves as 'dark creatures' instead of finding a way to help them. Now it seemed as if they were coming out with a 'possible' treatment every other day. How terrifically wonderful of them to suddenly make it a priority but not an important enough priority to actually test the effects of the potions before releasing them to the public. After all, who cared if a couple of werewolves dropped dead in the name of magical remedies?
I sighed. Why now? Everything had been going so well. The first couple weeks after Evelyn's funeral had been iffy. Remus had devoted all of his time to studying unless I managed to pry him away from his books and papers which, unfortunately, had not been very frequently. He had also been deprived of sleep by recurring nightmares of having killed Evelyn and of being dragged to the Werewolf Confinement Center.
That had subsided though.
While Remus was still more withdrawn and morose than usual, he had recently started spending more time with the rest of the Marauders. He was even getting along well with Jeremy; I had introduced them shortly after the funeral. The occasional bad dream still tormented him but those had mostly abated as well. He was, in short, getting better. Today, his low spirits had more to do with tonight's full moon than the nightmare that the last one had become. The last thing he needed was to buy some crackpot potion that would raise his hopes only to increase his suffering.
"They've already started arriving."
I raised my gaze to see Remus setting a pile of books on his bed. "A bit of light reading?" I teased. "Or are you already studying for our final exams?"
"Yes, well, some of us do have to study, Sirius," he retorted, a hint of bitterness darkening his words.
I shook my head. I hadn't meant anything by it. It wasn't my fault that I remembered things from class without having to study. "Who's already started arriving?" I changed the subject.
"Teams especially trained in capturing werewolves," he elaborated. "They aren't about to let Evelyn's death go unpunished."
"Maybe they won't find anything. The other werewolf might have just…er…been passing through." Perhaps whoever it was had found a secure place for their transformations so that they wouldn't harm anyone else.
He shrugged noncommittally. "Would you help me study for Potions?"
"Of course…and anything else, as well." It was very important to Remus to do well on the N.E.W.T.s. He hoped that maybe, if he proved how knowledgeable and capable he was, he'd be able to make a decent living. James and I didn't have to worry about anything of the sort. Even Peter had no doubts about finding a job. Everything was different for Remus, though. He worked so hard but we all knew that it was next to pointless. No respected employer would ever hire him.
It was so unfair. He didn't deserve this.
My eyes fell to the newspaper that lay crumpled at the foot of my bed. I had to tell him. If I didn't, he'd find out about it anyway and get the potion at Knockturn Alley. He had promised to let me know whenever he took a potion, he had not promised to let me pay for the more expensive, better made ones that could be found at Hogsmeade.
Grudgingly, I picked the paper up and walked over to Remus. He was sitting on his bed now, with one of the books opened across his lap. He didn't even notice me. I placed the paper over his book, blocking his view of it.
"Padfoot," he admonished, "I need to study."
I pointed at the article that would concern him.
Remus' protest died on his lips. Slowly, he lifted the Daily Prophet so that it was at a better angle for him to read. Silently, I watched his eyes dart back and forth as he took the information in. I didn't speak until I was sure he was finished. "It's too late to get the potion for tonight. This weekend we can go to Hogsmeade and I'll buy it for you."
"No," he didn't look up from the article.
Of course he couldn't agree and make things simple for the both of us. "Look, Remus, I understand that you want to buy it with your own money but–"
"Sirius, stop." He carefully folded the paper up and placed it on his pillow. "Thank you," he met my gaze. "I appreciate what you're doing. I'm not going to buy the potion."
"You're going to steal it?" I asked without thinking.
He smiled briefly. "No. That could have been phrased better. I'm not going to drink any more potions until one is released that has been tested and deemed safe."
"Why not?" It wasn't that I wasn't pleased; I simply didn't understand his change of heart.
"You were right. Last month…what you said to me. You were right. I–" he swallowed, "I want the pain to end but…the consequences are– If I hadn't taken the potion last month there never would have been any doubt. I wouldn't have spent nearly as much time in the Confinement Center, wouldn't have thought I had killed Evelyn, and wouldn't have worried you so much."
I grinned, relieved. He had made the right choice. It had been hard but he had done it.
"It's better this way," he nodded. "Thank you for showing me the article. I know you must have wanted to burn it."
"I just wanted to make sure you got a decently made potion. The less risks, the better." Well, assuming the risks were his and not mine. I, after all, didn't, place much stock in carefully considering options and doing the safest, most intelligent thing.
Remus didn't comment on it. "I know." He glanced down at the book in his lap. "I do need to study before moonrise, though."
"Right." Grabbing my copy of the Daily Prophet, I climbed back onto my bed. I was about to finish the article I had been reading before I'd caught sight of the other headline when I noticed something through my window. It was Dumbledore. He was talking to…the Minister of Magic.
Shaking my head, I leaned back against the wall. I sincerely hoped that they did not catch the werewolf. No one deserved to be executed for something that wasn't within their ability to control. No one.
The Minister had sent a ridiculous number of people to catch the werewolf. They virtually formed an impenetrable perimeter around the castle. I couldn't help but wonder if there would have been nearly as many if Evelyn had been murdered. I doubted it. Arresting the killer would be a priority, of course, but this was about more than that. This was about hate. This was the Muggles would call a witch-hunt.
Finally, Madam Pomfrey left the shack. She was very…unhappy. Beechcroft had ordered her to stand guard just outside the range of the Whomping Willow to ensure that Remus didn't escape again. I waited until I could no longer hear her muttered complaints before stepping out from under the Invisibility Cloak.
"I do feel sorry for her. What happened last month wasn't at all her fault. I hope she doesn't have to do this until we graduate." It'd be pointless. There was no way Remus would get out of here unless someone released him, which we would no longer be doing.
"Sirius!" Remus exclaimed, jumping. "You're here!"
I frowned. Where else would I be? The only times I hadn't been here were the full moons following the Prank because Remus had expressly told me he didn't want me here. "Very observant of you, Remus."
"I didn't think any of you would come. Staying inside the shack with a deranged wolf isn't nearly as amusing as running through the Forbidden Forest." He slipped out of his robe and put it inside of the magically reinforced cupboard that stored his clothes and wand during the full moons.
"Remus, I've spent full moons here even when James and Peter couldn't come. Before we became Animagi, I stayed in that hallway," I pointed across the room towards the closed door that separated us from the passage. "Why would I leave you alone now?
Remus paused in undressing himself. "I don't know. Sometimes it's just hard for me to believe that you would want to spend a night trapped inside this…place, getting repeatedly attacked by a werewolf."
"The only time you ever attacked me was the first full moon I spent with you after the Prank," I reminded him, placing James' Invisibility Cloak safely inside the cupboard. "The other times Moony has just been playing…overenthusiastically."
"Only a werewolf's version of playing would give you scars to match my own." He stored the last of his clothing and wand before locking the cupboard and hanging the key on a hook in the wall, well out of harm's way.
"I don't care about the scars." He wasn't going to start feeling guilty about that again, was he? I knew what I was doing when I spent the full moons alone with him.
"Would you care if I killed you?" he demanded very quietly.
So that's what this was about. That's what he was afraid of. "If you didn't kill me on that full moon after the Prank you're most certainly not going to kill me now, Remus."
"I'm a werewolf, Sirius. It's what I do. I kill people." He placed his hand on the wood of the cupboard. Moving it downward, he traced the numerous claw marks with his fingers.
"Good thing I'm not going to be a person then. I'm going to be a dog, a dog Moony likes to play with, not maim and kill." I wasn't going to go stand in the hallway and I most certainly wasn't going to leave. Even when it was just Padfoot, Moony behaved better than when he was alone. He wouldn't turn on himself if I was here.
"I know. I know that." He lowered his hand and instead turned to look at what was left of the couch. The cushions had been ripped to shreds. The frame was covered in gashes and blood.
"Do you want me to leave?" I asked. Please say no. The last thing we needed was to get into an argument just before a transformation. It would be bad enough without him going into it upset.
He didn't look at me. He didn't even turn to face me. He just shook his head. "I'm selfish. I've never been anything but."
God. He didn't need this. He didn't need to be doing this. Not on a full moon. Obviously, Evelyn had affected him more than I had ever realized. "It's not selfish to want things to be easier."
"No. But it is selfish to let my friends risk their lives. It's even more selfish to risk other people's lives by leaving the Shrieking Shack," he self-deprecated.
"You're not letting me risk my life. I'm here because I want to be." How many times had I told him this? "As for leaving the Shack… Maybe it was a mistake but it was a mistake we all made, not just you."
Instead of retreating to his usual corner, Remus sat down where he was standing, right in the middle of the room. As always, he drew his legs up and leaned into them. He sighed. "I'm sorry for being this way. It's just with Evelyn and the full moon… It'll be better tomorrow."
Of course it would. The full moons were always the hardest. I should have expected something like this after what had happened last month. I should have expected this night to bring out his fears and doubts again.
Silently, I knelt by his side and placed a hand on his back.
He closed his eyes. "I'm glad you're here."
Remus and I waited for nearly a half hour after moonset before leaving the shack. When we reached the Whomping Willow and immobilized its branches we were surprised to see that Madam Pomfrey wasn't there.
"Seven years," Remus whispered wearily. "Seven years and she's never once failed to check up on me shortly after moonset. Where is she?"
I scanned what I could see of the castle and surrounding area. There was no one in sight. "Where are all the Ministry people?"
"Maybe they cleared out already," he suggested distractedly. "I'm more worried about Madam Pomfrey. Do you think something happened to her?"
"She might have been called away on an emergency. She's the best nurse we've got, after all." Glancing to my right and seeing nothing but empty air, I realized that Remus had fallen a few steps behind. He wasn't injured – I was the one with all the gashes and bite marks – but he was exhausted. As usual. "Sorry," I stopped. When he caught up with me I continued at a slower pace. I didn't want to rush him.
"I hope that–"
"Remus!" I recognized Madam Pomfrey's shrill voice.
My friend and I looked in the direction of the castle. The nurse was hastening her way towards us. "Are you all right?" she asked when we reached each other. "You don't seem scratched up."
"No, I'm fine," he assured her, glancing at me. "Just tired."
Madam Pomfrey was clearly relieved. It was a good thing that my own wounds were concealed by my clothes as I had no idea how I would explain them to her. If I admitted that Moony had hurt me she'd think he'd turned me as well. Though I could have had fang marks on my face and it wouldn't have mattered judging by all the attention she was paying me.
"I'm sorry for not coming," she apologized as we made our way towards the castle. "I got distracted, what with all the commotion regarding the capture of the other werewolf."
Remus and I both came to an abrupt stop. "They caught him?" Moony asked so quietly, so unhappily, that she didn't even hear him.
"They caught the werewolf that killed Evelyn?" I repeated more loudly.
Madam Pomfrey turned around. "They did indeed. Not but two hours ago. They subdued him and moved him to Hagrid's cabin until moonrise. They took him to the Ministry as soon as he transformed."
Remus had gone pale. His eyes were wide. He looked…stricken. And why wouldn't he be? Whoever it was had killed a person but he hadn't done it willingly. Unless he was a heartless bastard, he no doubt felt guilt for what he had involuntarily done. The Ministry needed to ensure he had proper facilities for his transformations. They didn't need to murder him.
"Who was it then?" I asked. I had hoped that the other werewolf had just been someone passing by. The fact that he was still here, a month after Evelyn's death, proved he had to be connected to Hogwarts somehow. He either lived in the castle or nearby. He also had to be an unregistered werewolf or the Ministry would have taken him in with Remus.
"Why, you wouldn't believe it," she shook her head. "It turned out to be the young American boy that arrived at Hogwarts two, three months ago."
A lightning bolt of pain shot through my chest. There was only one American here. "W-what?" I managed to stammer. "You don't mean–"
"Indeed I do," she nodded, eyes severe. "It was Jeremy Mikkena."