Disclaimer: We solemnly swear that we do not own Harry Potter and that we are, indeed, up to no good.

A/N:Due to the recent completion of our first story, Amaya and I (Blaze) have decided that we wanted to write another joint fic. This is our 'Tribute to a Werewolf and his Dog', as Amaya likes to call it.

So, Read & Review, and we hope you Enjoy!

--The Pariahs

August 1994--Trio's 5th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…

--It was late in the night and not a single soul was stirring; except for two people, that is. However, those who did not know of the house in which the two dwelt did not notice the single candle burning in the window of number 12, Grimmauld Place. Indeed, only a select few were lucky enough to know of it's location squeezed smugly there between numbers 11 and 13, and they were tucked warmly, no matter how uneasily, in their beds.

It was on this night that we could find a one Hermione Granger awake and scowling menacingly at a one Sirius Black in said person's bedroom. The latter, however, seemed unaffected by the young girls icy glare and merely sat back on his haunches.

"Don't you give me that look, Hermione. You are the one that came to me and asked for my help, remember?" he asked as he ran his hands through his tangled black hair. He still looked like a mere skeleton of his former self, but he was beginning to look a little better since Harry had come to stay at the house of Black.

"Yeah, well, I didn't think you would turn it into such a workout." She said, wiping the beads of sweat from her brow. "Okay, what's next?" She said, impatiently, her hand on her hip.

"You need to control your muscles", He told her, "If you tense up, this isn't going to work"

Hermione took a few deep breaths in order to calm herself. She let her protective guard down and opened her eyes to find Sirius standing right in front of her, so close that she could feel the heat of his breath on her face. She stared up into his stony grey eyes, aware of the ghosts that still lingered there.

"Ready?" He asked softly, looking down at her. 'Those eyes,' he thought, 'so familiar, but where have I seen them before?'

"Whenever you are." She replied, pushing thoughts of his breath and of his eyes far out of her mind. She could feel him stepping closer, if that were even possible. She had made him promise in the beginning that he would be close, so that if anything went wrong, he could help her.

"Find the magic within you," his voice echoed in her head. "Find the core…"

Hermione searched herself, digging deeper into her mind and soul than she ever had before. She felt something there, just out of her reach. It felt warm, powerful, and she knew that if she could just reach a little farther…there. She had grabbed it. It was there, in her clutches. She held onto it tight, and refused to let go.

"Find it? Search it…. Search it for who you are, the real you…." She heard Sirius' voice call from somewhere distant.

Hermione grabbed the magic tighter. She delved deeper into it and found the magic core…the source of all of her being. It felt new to her…and somewhat familiar at the same time, as it was a part of her always.

She suddenly felt the power explode, and felt it spread throughout her body. She could feel the magic in her arms…now her legs…. Everywhere that she didn't know the magic existed before. She could feel her muscles tensing up from the sudden release of power, but she willed herself to relax. She felt herself falling to the ground, her body slowly changing. She heard Sirius gasp quietly, so she looked up at him. She could see him more clearly now in the dim candlelight than she could before.

She turned, aware that she was still on the floor, and peered over at the mirror that was propped against the wall in the corner. Her eyes widened in delight.

It had worked.

September 1997--Trio's 7th tear at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…

-- A twig snapped underfoot, echoing in the stillness of the deserted forest. The lone, hooded figure stopped and looked around before continuing on its quest. Mist slithered around on the ground at the figure's feet like a snake.

The basket bounced against her leg as she carefully avoided stepping on any more twigs or piles of dry leaves, as to not alert others of her intrusion there. She knew of the dangers that lurked in the forest, hiding, waiting for unsuspecting prey, yet she was prepared to take the risk. For him. Anything for him.

She paused briefly as her eyes searched for the particular bush that she needed to find. She had been painstakingly brewing a potion for months now, and this was the final ingredient that she needed before it would be finished. Then…

Her head lifted as the sound of a cloak rustling the leaves reached her ears. Someone was near, she could smell them. It was a human, she could tell. She surmised that it was either a student, or worse, a death eater. She reached into her heavy, black robes and withdrew her wand. If it were the latter, she at least wanted to be prepared. She silently slipped behind a tree, keeping the figure in her eyesight, and being careful to stay out of its line of vision.

The intruder emerged from behind a tree dressed in a black robe similar to hers. She raised her wand, a curse at the tip of her tongue, but a flash of red stopped her. She shoved her wand back into her pocket in frustration and hurried out from behind the tree.

"What are you doing here, Ginny Weasley?" She demanded angrily, glaring at the red head with a scowl that could rival that of Severus Snape.

Ginny shifted nervously from one foot to the other under Hermione's stern gaze. She knew the bushy haired teen's temper, and didn't really want to provoke it, but on the other hand, she did have a reputation of having quite a nasty attitude herself.

She stuck her hand on her hip and returned Hermione's glare. "I should ask you the same thing, Hermione Granger. Besides, I was worried about you, and I just thought…" She began, but Hermione cut her off.

"You just thought that you would follow me, right? So that then I wouldn't have to tell you what I was doing, you could see for yourself." She spat, crossing her arms.

Ginny bristled and her eyes narrowed on the girl in front of her. "Now you just wait right there. We've all been worried about you, Hermione. You've been…different ever since…it…happened. Distant…and acting strange. Come on, I just want to help you, that's all. Please." Ginny said, her tone softening at the end and taking on a concerned note rather than a reprimanding one.

Hermione's glare softened as well. It wasn't right of her to take out her frustrations on Ginny. She knew that. But she was so close to finishing this potion, and she had spent so many sleepless nights and days without food…

"Fine. I'm sorry I snapped at you, but if you're coming, follow me and stay quite. We haven't got much time." she said, looking up into the sky at the full moon.

Ginny nodded and did so without question. That is, until she tripped over a raised tree roost and was so frustrated she had to ask. "Hermione, why are you, I mean we, in the middle of the Forbidden Forest at night?"

"I need to gather a few last minute potion ingredients." Hermione answered quietly, showing her the basket over her shoulder.

"And you couldn't ask Professor Snape to help you…in the daylight, perhaps?" Ginny asked, coming up beside of her.

Hermione nearly smiled at her friends' feebleness. "One, the professors don't know what I'm brewing and I would probably be expelled, Two, if you don't remember, Professor Snape isn't exactly the potions master anymore. Slughorn is, and I refuse to ask that pompous git for his help, and Three, the flower of the Thorbush only blooms at night, on the full moon." she finished, almost inaudibly, so that Ginny barely heard her.

Ginny stopped dead in her tracks, her blue eyes wide with fear. "A full moon? W--Are you mental?" she demanded, and Hermione rushed forward to shush her.

"Yes, a full moon. Please calm down, Ginny. I'd rather not make any…thing…aware of our intrusion here. Come on, we're almost there, see?" Hermione asked, pointing to a clearing in the trees.

They walked through the clearing in silence. In the centre was a single bush that seemed to be glowing in the moonlight. Its leaves were turned up and seemed to be charged by the light of the moon.

Suddenly, Ginny felt Hermione's body tense up beside hers. She felt Hermione grab her arm and saw her discreetly reach into her robes for her wand.

"Ginny, grab four flowers, carefully, and don't make any sudden movements." She said, handing Ginny the basket.

Ginny nodded, and turned, slowly picking the flowers, careful not to damage them in any way, and also being careful not to make any 'sudden' movements. She felt Hermione tense up again.

"Ginny, don't move, don't scream, don't run, alright?" Hermione asked. Ginny made to turn, but it was too late.

The creature came barrelling out of the trees, running at full speed towards them, pausing in front of Hermione and sniffing the air.

Hermione knew what she had to do and she was prepared. She would do it now, no matter what the repercussions. She had to protect Ginny at all costs.

The huge black werewolf bared its teeth and made to lunge at Ginny, but Hermione was there in an instant, her limbs changing to that of her animagus form.

The werewolf paused for a minute, unsure of the change, before swatting Hermione out of its way. The red head would be it's feast tonight, not the animal.

The beast lunged at Ginny and Hermione growled fiercely as she raised and attacked the werewolf's exposed back, grabbing at it and pulling it away from Ginny in the nick of time. She tore at it angrily with her claws and razor sharp teeth. She was attempting to give Ginny a chance to escape, but Ginny was obviously too shell shocked to even consider running away.

The werewolf got in a good hit through her defensive swipes and Hermione felt her self flying through the air, her back connecting with a tree sending her crashing to the ground. She barely had time to shake off the dizziness that she felt before having to get up again. The werewolf had turned and was making it's way back to Ginny.

She reached them just as the werewolf struck out at Ginny, it's razor sharp claw catching the redhead on the arm and slicing it before Hermione could do anything to prevent it. She ran up and knocked the werewolf to the ground, using all her body weight to do so, and snapped her jaws at it warningly.

Though she was tough, the werewolf's mutated blood gave it the extra strength it needed to overpower her once more. Hermione landed with a jolt beside of Ginny, aware vaguely of the sound of breaking glass around her neck. She gasped as the gold dust flew out and surrounded her and Ginny.

Through the smoke, she could see the werewolf lunging at them again. Hermione got back to her feet and got between the animal and its target again, expecting another blow, but none came.

She opened her eyes and peered around her, searching for any sign of the werewolf. There seemed to be none, and the forest now seemed strangely different. Remembering Ginny, she turned to her, giving her a soft look through her animal eyes, trying to convey to her that it was all right, when she heard it again. The snapping of twigs, the feral growl.

The werewolf was back.

Hermione poised herself for the attack that she was sure was coming when a greyish brown werewolf entered the clearing, raising it's head and emitting a loud howl at the moon. Hermione realized that this was not the same creature that had been attacking her and Ginny a moment before, but she knew that it would most likely attack them without second thought.

She stood in front of Ginny and growled threateningly, daring the animal to come closer. She hated to harm anything, but she wouldn't let her friend come to any harm, either.

The werewolf made a feeble lunge, but Hermione easily pushed him back with her strong limbs. There was something different about this werewolf, she realized, something odd. He looked confused, she noticed, probably wondering why she wasn't going for his throat. Actually, she herself was wondering the same thing. It was just…those eyes.

He suddenly lunged again and she pushed him away once more, trying her hardest not to hurt him. She bared her teeth in warning. He backed up, ready to take a run at her, but then they weren't alone.

A large, black dog jumped between them and growled at Hermione while a beautiful stag moved forward and stomped it's hooves in her direction warningly.

The world seemed to crash down on her suddenly as she realized the awful truth. But it couldn't be true, she told herself. Could it? It was only when the dog dove at her that she realized that she needed to move. They circled each other slowly, each growling and snapping their jaws.

The stag and the werewolf, she noted, had long since disappeared, leaving her, the dog, and…GINNY!

Hermione stopped circling suddenly when she realized that the dog was slowly manoeuvring her away from Ginny, who was now on the ground, clutching at her bleeding arm and holding her legs against her chest. 'He must think I'm attacking her.' Hermione thought to herself and tried to get closer to her friend, the large dog not allowing her to do so.

Her anger now boiling over, Hermione transformed and glared down at the black dog, which appeared to be shocked.

"Okay, barky, you can get away from my friend now, seeing as how I have no intention of harming her. I appreciate your concern and all, but you should go see after your own friends."