Oy! I'm so sorry it's been such long time! Life's a bitch. Here are the review answers:

Magnolia Lane: Yeah, that was one heck of a number. Thanks, and I hope you like this chapter!

Rumpleteaze: Woo Hoo! My story has a name! I like Crumple-Horned Snorkacks too...

CloudRyokinStrife: Werewolves so kick ass! Thanks for reviewing!

UK All The Way: You're back to your old name again I see. I agree that part was kinda funny. Can't you just see Harry all flipping out and swearing and crap?

Taeniaea: Thanks! I hope you like this chappie!

OOO

Harry, Hermione, and Hagrid spent the rest of the night in the hospital wing waiting. Hermione had fallen asleep around 1:00a.m., and Hagrid was snoring in a chair next to her. Harry, on the other hand, was wide awake. The transformation was still fresh in his memory. He sat in the window sill, gazing out at the grounds. The scratch on his leg itched beneath its bandage. Though he did nod off a few times, he never got more than a half hour of sleep at a time.

Time passed quickly; and suddenly he snapped to full attention. Pale colors of light were stretching through the haze of the night.

"Hermione! Hagrid! Get up!" He began yelling, nearly falling off the window sill.

"Wha- what's goin' on?" Hagid said was he wiped the sleep from his eyes.

"Mmm, yeah... wha- wait! Morning! Hagid it's morning! We have to find Ron! Oh, I hope he's alright... come on Harry! Hurry up!" She ran as fast as she could out the door and onto the grounds, Harry and Hagrid close behind.

The Whomping Willow looked menacing in the early morning light. Of course, I suppose it always appeared somewhat menacing. The three prodded the knot and began down the passage once again.

"He musta already changed back. I can't hear anythin', can you?"

No..." the two murmered.

The rest of the journey was silent. Finally, after what seemed like hours, they reached the trapdoor.

"I'll go up firs', you two follow." Hagrid opened the trapdoor and hoisted himself in. Harry and Hermione crawled up afterwards.

They wasted no time once in the shack. Harry gathered Ron's robes from an old table where he had left them last night.

"Erm... Hermione, maybe you'd better stay here again..." Harry noticed her blush again.

"Yes, naturally." She went and sat on chair near the table and proceeded to chew her nails. She seemed rather nervous.

Harry had to admit, he was also very nervous. Not that he would let himself show it. Looking up at Hagrid, Harry noticed that he looked more sorrowful than nervous.

"We should prob'ly 'ead on up ter that room then, eh?"

"Yeah..."

The stairs creeked as they walked on them, though Harry couldn't hear anything but the pounding of his heart. Hagrid twisted the doorknob and stepped inside the tattered room. Harry squeezed in right behind him. What he saw scared him almost as much as the actual transformation. Ron was sitting in the corner near the bed with his knees curled up to chest. He was shook violently as sobs racked his body. Bloodshot eyes shot up as he realized the two had entered. In an attempt to hide his tears he snapped his eyes back down at the floor. One could see he was quite embarrassed.

"R-Ron, are you alright? Here, I got your clothes..." Harry walked over to him and sat down on the bed above the other boy.

"I-I'm fine, r-really I am! I-it just hurts... a lot... that's all..." He said as he began putting the robe back on. Harry noted the countless cuts and bruises that marred his skin.

"We'll have teh get yeh up to the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfrey'll fix you good. Maybe get yeh a potion for the pain or something." Hagrid too seemed to be analyzing the damage.

"Fine..." Ron said as he tried standing, only to feel a deep wooziness mixed with the sharp pains of the scratches overcome him. He slumped back down to the ground.

A look of concern crossed Hagrid's already serious face. "Do yeh want me teh carry you back ter the castle? It's natural to feel rather off after a transformation."

"Whatever..." It was obvious Ron didn't much like sinking to so low as to having another carry him, but what choice did he have?

Hermione greeted them with a swarm of questions when they got down the stairs.

"Ron are you alright? Is there anything I can do? You aren't in pain, are you?"

Hagrid answered for him. "Quiet Hermione; he's not fit teh be sayin' much jus' yet."

OOO

By the time they reached the Hospital Wing Ron had fallen asleep. He was exausted after last night. Hagrid just lied him on bed and went to fetch Madame Pomfrey. He had prepared a decent speech on the way there explaining what all was going on, but, as luck would have it, he didn't even need it.

"Oh, yes. Dumbledore told me all about this... poor boy, one of Potter's lot too..." The nurse, who saw just about everything, winced at the sight of Ron on the bed.

"My, this brings back memories. The last time I dealt with werewolves was when, well, when Remus Lupin was a student at Hogwarts." Harry swore he saw her wipe a tear away from her eye. She was back to herself after a moment, though. Harry heard her mumbling something about strange potions as she walked towards the back of the wing.

Hermione tapped him on his shoulder.

"Harry, Hagrid's gone!"

"Hey, you're right. I wonder where-"

Just then the door burst open. In walked Hagrid, followed closely by a ragged Dumbledore and an utterly miserablelooking Lupin.