Well, this chapter isn't as long as the other 2, but it's heaps more important- you'll see. I have trouble with Luna's character sometimes, but I try, LOL. MuggleBuddy, Eizoku, I love you both!

Disclaimer: What do I own what do I own, do I own Harry? No, you old crone... NO I DO NOT CLAIM TO OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANY OF HIS LIFE OR FRIENDS OR ANY OF THAT STUFF!

I Can't Sing a Good Soprano

"What did you do?" she said, looking like she could kill us at the drop of a hat. She turned on me. "You were supposed to be watching him Luna!"

"Of course I was. See, he just saved your lives, so I figured I would ignore it and hum cheerfully instead."

"You two come behind this bush- I'll explain."

He pulled us back, but before he could give the explanation to Hermione, a low growling was emitted from behind us.

"Tell me that's Fang," Hermione said, eyes wide with panic, frozen in place. "Oh, goodness, please oh please let that be Fang."

I didn't think so. In fact, my first thought was that it was one of the evil gerbils which Viktor Krum had raised to defend his Quidditch team. But I was wrong. We turned slowly, to see a great, big pair of slanted yellow eyes watching us, glowing almost. It was a wolf, almost taller than me, and that was on all fours. He had gleaming grey fur, and was snarling enough to evoke fear in the heart of the bravest Auror in the army of Minister Fudge.

Nobody will ever, ever understand just how much willpower it took for me not to ask, "And why do you have such big teeth, Granny?" Of course, the inevitable answer would have been, "All the better to eat you with," and something told me that this animal would probably demonstrate, rather than speak. Because werewolves can't talk, and that's what this was, obviously- a werewolf. And not just any werewolf, as I'm quite sure you know. It was Professor Lupin.

He was watching us like a cat with mice, and we had virtually no time. So I did the first thing I could think of.

"Professor Lupin, I won't be able to turn in that essay on defensive jinxes until Monday, I can't find the book- you won't deduct any points, will you?"

His attention was pulled away from Harry and Hermione, who were gaping at me. I nudged Hermione, who in turn nudged Harry, and they began shuffling away, slowly, while I distracted Professor Lupin. I didn't have my wand with me, and Lupin would probably kill us before we could cast a spell anyways.

He stared at me, sniffing the air, growling still. "M- I- C-K-E-Y-M-O-U-S-E! Mickey Mouse, Mickey Mouse!" Da had once told me that animals are soothed- or calmed- by music, so it was worth a try. I took a step opposite from Harry and Hermione, who were slowly shuffling around the side to Hagrid's front door. Professor Lupin turned toward me, his growling quieter.

I sucked in breath. "Professor Lupin, you're really the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher I've had yet- course, the only other one was Professor Lockhart, and he was a true imbecile. But truly, you're especially good. Okay, now I don't want to hurt you, but if music is the only thing that can entertain or distract you, you are going to have to endure my horrible soprano."

It was so strange- I wasn't afraid, for some reason. I don't usually get scared, to be honest. Nothing to be afraid of, in the big picture. I wondered silently what the big picture was. Perhaps it was a smock of sorts, which would explain the hidden messages about smocks.

I was slowly shuffling around the side of the house. Harry and Hermione had already vanished, so I could only hope with all my heart that they had gotten into the cabin.

"In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came. That voice which calls to me, and speaks my name, and do I dream again? For now I find, the Phantom of the Opera is there, inside my mind!"

Professor Lupin gave a slight whimper as I hit the high note. "Sorry, Professor. It's a splendid song though, just not when I'm singing it. Oh, have you heard that new release by the Weird Sisters? Madame Pomfrey sings it, I think- I'll have to explain when you're feeling more sociable." Stepping backward some more, I calmly began my recital."

"I am the witch! Yea, yea, yea! I am THE witch, uh, huh, huh, huh! And I cast my spell on yooouuuu!"

I couldn't remember what the next bit was, so I switched to this song that the Sorting Hat had sung- part of it anyway, I'm not sure just how I remembered it.

"Oh, I'm a hat as you can see, and I search for quality. I pick your House, I choose your life, but between the Houses there be strife…. Uh…. Well, I'm not the Hat, but anyway, that's the song it sang this year, remember?"

I took a few steps backwards, rounding the corner onto Hagrid's front porch. "Fol-de-rol and fiddle-dee-dee fiddle-dee faddle- dee foodle, all the dreamers in all the world are dizzy in the noodle." I was almost there; just a few more steps! "It's from Cinderella, Professor-"

To this day, I don't know what caused it, whether it was my choice in song, the fact that I touched the door handle, or just some disturbing phenomenon, but for some reason, Professor Lupin suddenly pounced.

"FOR THE LOVE OF LOCKHEART!" Was the last thing I said as a normal human, as he leaped almost onto me, he sank his teeth into my leg, and I resisted the urge to shriek.

I could feel magic- powerful magic, slowly spawning out through my veins, through my blood. I didn't feel too much pain; the wave of magic was so strong. He released my leg, and jumped atop me, about to eat me. Had it happened, my last thought would have been how sorry I was to leave Da all alone, and Professor Lupin with so much guilt.

But it didn't happen, because the door, which I was partially leaning against, boomed open. There stood Harry, wand in his hand.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he yelled- and for the second time in ten minutes too.

The silver stag burst forth from his wand once again. Professor Lupin lost interest in me at once. He didn't even notice Harry. He stared longingly at the stag; he recognized it somehow. And he whimpered.

Professor Lupin and Harry's Patronus stared at each other for a moment, then Professor Lupin abruptly and silently fled into the forest. The Patronus walked over to me. It bowed its head, mournfully, then vanished.

Harry and Hermione rushed to my sides. The feeling of magic was still there, spreading through me. And then it hit me- I consciously realized what the magic was. It was the Curse of the Werewolf, passed on through the bite.

"Luna, Luna? Did he bite you?" Harry asked.

"Harry, she's bleeding!" Hermione exclaimed.

I struggled to sit up, trying to absorb the truth, and ignore the horrible pain in my left shin as well. "He bit me." I said. Hermione's hand clenched my shoulder painfully, and the other flew to her mouth.

"This is all my fault, Luna." Harry said quietly. "This never would have happened if I had helped you- or- or-"

I shook my head. "It isn't your fault Harry. It's my fault more than anybody's. Besides, it doesn't matter whose fault it is, okay? The only thing that matters right now is saving Sirius." They stared at me still. "I'm not going to transform tonight- next month. The magic is still spreading, actually, it kind of feels pleasant. Like I swallowed a Calming Drought. Yes, that's precisely what it feels like!"

"Err- right," Harry said. I smiled feebly. "Let's fetch Buckbeak and save your godfather Harry, isn't that why we came?"

He smiled, helped me up, and the three of us returned into the cabin to fetch Buckbeak, who had oddly fled back in at the sight of our werewolf professor, without us noticing. I was just thankful he hadn't flown off, because we were on a mission.