Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine

Author's Note:

Well, it has been another 3 months already… I was afraid that I couldn't pick this up after so long…. And is anyone still interested in it? I am really sorry for the lateness, really, but school life was so busy and exhausting that sometimes everything else just slipped out of my mind…

Sorry for the awkwardness of my English. I think I'm getting rusty at this.

Huge thanks for all who have reviewed! I felt loved, but also I would hate to disappoint you…. I will try to update as much as possible but I will need continual support too

And Vellouette… how come you can guess what will happen in this chapter . ?

Chapter 16 The Wolf And the Shadow


Harry walked along a dark corridor, his long dark robe trailing silently behind him. On one hand, it felt so dark and icily cold, like being dragged into freezing water. But on the other hand, some strange part of him felt at ease. This darkness was where he belonged. This darkness is exactly what he'd spread all over the world.

He turned into another hallway. The corridor ahead was sealed off with an iron gate. With a flick of his long, spidery hand, the gate opened.

He glided through a long hallway seemingly without end. He passed through countless cell doors, behind which moans, sometimes insane scream, could be heard.

He stopped in front of an unremarkable cell. The door to the cell was swung open.

The sight of Bellatrix Lestrange made hot hatred boiled within Harry, an emotion he recognized truly as his own.

"Bellatrix, have you broken the boy yet?" a harsh, high pitched voice, definitely not Harry's own, came out of his mouth.

"Of course, my lord." With an exaggeratingly flourished bow, Bellatrix pointed towards the bloody heap on the floor.

It was a tall young man, or what remained of a young man. His right leg was bent at an impossible angle to the thigh. Blood was everywhere on the floor, soaking the young man's broken robe, even splashing Bellatrix's pale face.

The dried dark blood made such a stark contrast with her sickly pale face that her face looked more insane than ever .

"We had such a wonderful time together, hadn't we dear? "

Bellatrix bent down and lifted the young man's head by his dirtied, blood matted blond hair.

Harry realized with horror that it was a face that he recognized. He didn't know him by his name, but knew him to be a Ravenclaw student graduated two to three years back.

One of his eyes was swollen shut and bleeding. The other was squeezed shut with pain.

Bellatrix ruthlessly shook the young man's hair. "Answer me! Haven't I already made myself clear that you've to obey my every command? You were such an obedient little boy. You have told me everything, haven't you? Answer me! "

The young man winced and moaned in pain. "Please stop…"

Bellatrix raised her wand. Purple light flashed.

With an inhuman and over-abused voice, the young man let out a blood curling scream.

His left thigh bone was shuttered.

"Say it! Say you're enjoying this! Or do you want your left hand or right hand gone next time?"

"No! Please don't! I enjoyed… master, I enjoyed…" There was simply no shame left in the young man anymore. It was burnt out of him long ago.

All he wanted was for it to end.

"Pathetic." Voldemort's voice said. "Bellatrix, we're having a special guest of honour right now witnessing this tonight. Make it more entertaining."

"Yes, my Lord. My pleasure. "

"Imperio."

One of the young man's bony thin hands rose slowly.

"Don't…"

It moved to the other wrist and gripped it tightly. He pulled. And pulled. And pulled.

He pulled at his own arm with all his might.

"No! Please stop!"

He screamed as one of his own arms was being brutally pulled by the other.

Stop it! Stop it! Harry screamed in mind. He wanted to close his eyes, but he couldn't. He wanted to help that person, but he couldn't. He wanted to escape.

But he's trapped.

With a sickening pop sound, the young man pulled his own arm out of its socket.

Mercifully, the young man passed out from the pain.

"You want it to stop, Harry?" Voldemort's voice spoke to him. "As you wish."

A flash of green light. The young man's chest stopped the ragged rise and fall. A life was extinguished like someone stepping on a dying ember.

"Bellatrix, go to the next one. We don't want out guest to be bored! The night is still long. We've plenty of time to entertain him!"

"My pleasure, my Lord." Her madness shone through her eyes.

Let me out! Stop it! STOP!

"You're going nowhere tonight, Harry. Soon you'll stand in their place, and I promise you, the torture will not stop! I will not just let you die."

NOOOO!

…

…

A sharp pain to his forearm woke Harry from his hellish nightmare.

Padfoot was biting into his forearm, his pointed teeth sunken into his fresh, drawing blood.

Tears were cascading down Harry's eyes.

It took forever for the tears to stop.

With a gentle nudge with his mind, Sirius urged Harry to put on his invisibility cloak. Harry gratefully let Sirius's suggestion took over; he really really wanted to escape from it all. He really needed to let his mind cool down. Together, they treaded out of the room. Harry had little recollection, but somehow, they had gone down the road to the giant lake.

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Paleness of dawn sipped slowly into the dark blue night sky. Harry was sitting on the glass, facing the fathomless giant lake, his hand idly stroking Padfoot's supple fur.

"Why did he have to do this? What's the point?" Harry said aloud, his eyes still swollen from the previous tears shed for someone he didn't even know the name of.

He knew he couldn't bear to find out the name, ever. His heart would surely bleed to dead. Or may be he would go mad and set out to revenge for an innocent life destroyed so mindlessly and ruthlessly.

/He doesn't need any reason to be cruel, Harry. It's just his wicked way of making you weak, don't you see/

/I wonder… if it weren't for me, would the end have been different for him…/

/No, you don't, Harry. You know it's futile to think like this. There wasn't anything that you could have done. His life was doomed the moment he got into the hands of those Death Eaters. /

/I know… I know I couldn't have done anything… may be except killing Voldemort, there's no other way of stopping all this cruelty… /

Cold breeze ruffled Harry's damp hair as he stared blankly ahead.

He just couldn't see past the faint fog in front of him. Where did the path ahead lie?

Sirius remained silent. Harry knew Sirius was grieving with him too, because he alone could truly feel how deep Harry's grief went. And also Harry's anger at himself, for he could do nothing.

/Thanks, Sirius. If it weren't for you, I would still be trapped there. I would have surely gone mad… /

/I couldn't have done otherwise, Harry, and I'm sure you would have done the same for me too./

Padfoot shoved Harry's shoulder lightly with his head.

Rest. I will watch over you.

Harry complied. He lay back down onto the damp grass, closed his eyes and let his mind drift restlessly.

At least, Harry knew he would be safe.

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...

Harry missed the first lesson of Charms that day. Thankfully, after Charms there was a free lesson. Harry couldn't possibly dare to appear in front of anyone with his swollen eyes and the terrible dark circles underneath them. Also his head had hurt tremendously, with his scar throbbing steadily like someone hitting him with a hammer again and again.

It was until lunch that Harry had recovered enough to brave the Great Hall for lunch. Needless to say, Hermione and Ron were worried. Hermione was about to inform Dumbledore himself of Harry's absence if he hadn't shown up.

"Harry, where have you been? What -" Hermione blurted out the moment Harry sat down opposite her and Ron.

Ron cut Hermione off gently with a hand on her shoulder. She turned to him sharply with a glare, but Ron simply shook his head.

"Harry, you must be very hungry. At least I know I'm starving! Let's dig in!" Ron quickly filled Harry's plate and then his own plate with food.

Harry was grateful for Ron's understanding. He guessed he must have looked like hell for Ron to know something was terribly wrong and that Harry needed the time to himself.

Hermione also restrained herself, albeit unwillingly at first. But after she calmed down enough, she too seemed to realize something was wrong, and hence stopped further inquiry throughout the lunch, for which Harry was grateful too.

There was a copy of Daily Prophet on the table in front of Harry. He couldn't bear to pick it up. He was afraid that he would see the news of someone missing. He was afraid of seeing the name or the photo of that person from his dream…

He wondered if he would ever gonna be able to tell anyone else about this.

Just when Ron was struggling to start a normal conversation, Seamus sat down next to Harry.

"Hey, Harry. Where have you been this morning? Haven't seen you got up at all."

"I think I have eaten something wrong last night. My belly was queasy and I just went to the hospital wing for some medication. I feel much better now."

"I see. By the way, have you guys heard of what happened this morning with Hagrid? "

"What?" Hermione looked up sharply from her Arithmancy book. "What happened to Hagrid?"

"Well, actually nothing really happened to him," Seamus said, "but during his lesson with third year Ravenclaw this morning, a student was attacked by a centaur. I heard he was in hospital wing now. Have you seen him there, Harry?"

"No, I haven't. I left after taking the medication. Who was hurt? Why did the centaur attacked him?"

Harry had a sudden feeling that he already knew who it was.

"It's a boy… I forgot his exact name, but I heard he was Theodore
Nott's brother. As for why he was attacked… no one really knew, I guess. " Seamus shrugged.

"Those centaurs were not exactly being friendly with human beings ever since this summer, I guess… " Ron trailed off upon seeing the dark expression on Hermione's face.

"You two are having Care of Magical Creatures today, aren't you? Let's meet you guys afterwards at Hagrid's. I want to talk to him…" Hermione said. Then she left for her Arithmancy lesson.

"Do you know what this is about?" Harry asked Ron as he decided he had had enough poking of his food. Although he hadn't had breakfast this morning, he really didn't have much appetite.

Ron shrugged.

"Hermione and magical creatures. Sometimes, I don't really want to know what it is about. But I guess it's about her angering those centaurs last term? "

"Maybe… " Harry's head started hurting again. He could really do without this new incident. But on the other hand, he was worried about Stan.

He just hoped that Stan had not been badly hurt.

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...

After a rather interesting lesson on merpeople, Harry and Ron waited at Hagrid's hut for Hermione. Hagrid was glad to have those two staying for a while to chat, as they haven't done so for a while.

Hermione soon arrived, looking a bit out of breath as Hagrid invited her in.

After Hermione settled down and all of them with a steaming cup of honeyed tea on their hands, they talked about various things. First was about the attack on Stan this morning. Hagarid was worried about the altitude of the centaurs these days.

"The kid, Nott, just wondere' off by himsel' into de forest. The centaurs got all fuss up and throw him out. I guess it was then they hur' him. His arm bone was broke', but it was nothin' madam Pomfrey couldn' not mend. "

Harry was a bit relieved to know that his young friend had not sustained any permanent injury. However, the attack itself seemed worrying enough.

"Is that so?" Hermione said a bit skeptically, while her hand ruffling Fang's fur. "Have they tried to attack you, Hagrid? Have you told Dumbledore about this yet?"

"No, they wouldn' dare to attack me. Though I' avoi' goin' in unless it's necessary. The time I went in to see for mysel' any signs of de shadow ogre attackin' you," Hagrid looked towards Harry, "they followe' me the whole way through, with bows raise' at me! Those centaurs… it's the first time ever they show care to anythin' closer than the moon, still you really don't have no idea abou' what they think. Dumbledore said we'd give them some tim' and observe…" Hagrid shook his giant head, as if thinking observing those eccentric creatures would yield nothing useful, which Harry would heartily agree.

"So, have you found anything with your investigation in the forest?" Ron asked.

"Not exactly nothin'. I couldn' find any shadow ogre… I did foun' somethin' strange. The creatures in the Forbidden Forest, they seem so restless lately… "

"Restless?" Ron asked.

"Ya, restless… they're more watchfu' of the comin' and goin' of other creatures… as if they're afrai' of somethin'… and also strange is that they seem to have a common purpose… as if something 's drivin' them to do somethin'… "

"You are speaking as if something is controlling those beasts in the forest… " Ron looked uneasy speaking out the thought, probably having those giant spiders on his mind, "you don't reckon it's got anything to do with why or how Harry's attacked, do ya?"

"I honest don't have no idea…" Hagrid said.

Harry signed and drank from his cup. He felt drowsiness wash over him as he listened half-heartedly over the following conversation on how Grawp was doing and various other things. He guessed it was because he barely got any sleep at all last night… as soon as his thought strayed towards what happened last night, he stopped himself and reined back. He couldn't bear to think about the nightmare again yet.

Instead, he tried to focus on the comforting presence of Sirius at the back of his mind. It was a fuzzy and distant feeling of Sirius, probably somewhere within the forest. He seemed to be spending quite a large proportion of his free time within the forest. Harry thought idly that he might ask Sirius about what cause the uneasiness in the creatures in the forest later.

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...

It was nearly dinner time when the trio set their feet outside the hut and head back towardsthe castle. Harry decided he would pay a visit to the hospital wing before dinner and hence told Ron and Hermione he would catch them up in the Great Hall.

Harry knocked on the door to hospital wing.

"Mr. Potter. " Madam Pomfrey opened the door a bit to peep at who was outside.

"Don't tell me that you've got hurt again. I didn't heal you so that you can get reckless again and end up back here." There was a tinge of annoyance in her voice, probably not happy at all to see his face again so soon. Under her scrutiny, Harry simply scratched his head, feeling like he had done something wrong.

"Well, no. Actually I'm here to visit Stanley Nott. It that OK?"

"oh…" Madam Pomfrey opened the door to let Harry in. "Ok, sorry about being touchy, but my patient has been so inquisitive, that I haven't got a moment of silence ever since he - "

"Madam Pomfrey! " someone yelled from behind the curtain surrounding a bed. "I don't really understand your point about how a modified freezing spell can help stop an internal bleeding - "

"You've got a visitor," she cut Stan off, a bit sterner than usual, as she drew the curtain aside.

"Harry! You're here visit me?" Stan looked small buried under the thick blanket. His left arm was bandaged and fixed in a swing. He looked a bit pale, but other than that he looked quite normal, or even excited to Harry.

Madam Pomfrey soon left the two alone to chat. (She looked more than eager to leave, actually.)

"Hey, how're you feeling?" Harry asked, sitting at the bedside chair.

"I'm ok. It doesn't really hurt anymore," he said, pointing to his injured arm, "it just feel weak. Madam Pomfrey's healing was just fantastic! She mended my broken bone in what seemed like less than a minute, yet with so much precision. You should have seen it! It was really amazing!"

Harry couldn't help but smiled at his enthusiasm. "Well, I have seen it done on myself enough time actually."

"You're probably right… anyway, I was a bit bored at first, having to stay here for two days to rest, but I can ask so many questions… "

Harry was sure no one in their right mind would be as glad to be restricted in the hospital wing… well, perhaps except Stan.

"Hm… so what happened? Why did the centaur attack you? "

"I don't really know, truth be told. Hagrid was talking about his fobbler-worm (or whatever those disgusting things were called), for god's sake! He said he would start with the most basic and simple of magical creatures before introducing more trickier species… and those worms're so boring! "

Harry nodded in knowing sympathy.

"So, I kind of sneaked off while the others were feeding those things… I wandered close to the forest… well, I didn't know when or if I really wandered into the forest… don't give me those incredulous look, Harry, 'cause my brother already did…

"I was within the forest for less than 20 seconds and suddenly a centaur stepped into my path, holding something like a bow in his hand. He ordered me to leave immediately, saying something like the forest being their territory and didn't want sneaky human in… I was trying to explain to him I was just trying to escape from the fobble-worm lesson and the next thing I knew, I was in hospital wing. "

"He just attacked you like that?"

"Yea… I really haven't done anything to provoke them…"

Someone entered the hospital wing at that moment.

"Stan, I've borrowed some books for you from the library…" Theodore Nott's voice trailed off upon the sight of Harry. He just nodded at Harry to acknowledge his presence.

Harry nodded in return and stood, believing it's best for him to leave. Unlike with Stan, Harry didn't know what to make of Theodore Nott. He knew nothing of him, except that despite being a Slytherin, he was not really one of Malfoy's sidekicks or worshippers.

"See you later, Stan."

"Ok. See you around. Thanks for visiting."

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...

Harry sat down next to Ron in the Great Hall. Both Ron and Hermione, who sat opposite them, looked up from their food to greet him.

"Hey, have you found out anything?" Ron said while Harry was helping himself with the food.

"Well, just as Hagrid has told us. At least now I know that the centaur was totally un-provoked. They just attack because Stan got into the forest. "

"Did they really? Nott really haven't done anything to provoke them?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, they did."

"Oh…" Hermione sounded dismayed at the information.

"Hermione, it isn't really your fault that they turned so hostile." Harry said, despite thinking how Hermione had treated them at the end of the last term really precipitated their hostility.

Hermione just shrugged and signed. "I just hope it isn't my fault. I had no choice… "

"Desperate situation called for desperate action," Ron said, "and you don't have to worry much I guess, cause they will come around sooner or later. Or rather, they would turn their attention back to the stars and ignored human sooner or later."

"I hope so… "

They then continued their meal, Hermione still clearly troubled.

"By the way, Harry," Ron tuned down his voice, "What are you going to do about DA?"

"I have no idea. I haven't the time to give it serious thoughts yet."

"I think you should," Hermione said, "Dumbledore entrust to you this important task… it's giving you a chance to make a difference, Harry. We should plan together. Like how are we going to recruit members, what are we going to teach, how we are going to teach, and…"

Harry grinned to Ron at his success in diverting Hermione's attention to less gloomy and more constructive thought.

"I think… I'd like to consult Remus on this. " Harry said, while his eyes automatically searched the head table for Remus. However, his seat was empty. "I wonder where he is… "

"Come on, Harry, you don't know what day today is ?" Hermione lowered her voice too, not wanting to draw attention.

"It's full moon tonight." She whispered.

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...

Remus put down the goblet and his face scowled up in disdain. After so many times, Remus still couldn't stand the taste of the Wolfsbane portion. It was simply revolting.

Sometimes it would make him wonder if Snape really did deliberately make this portion so nasty tasting.

It was his last rational thought as the pain of transformation started, and the part of him that was 'wolf' threatened to take over.

The moon must have risen up the horizon.

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Sirius approached the office of his last remaining best friend.

He had told himself many times not to do this. Yet he couldn't help… if he couldn't let Remus knew of his survival, at least he would reunite with him when Remus was in his wolf form.

It was cowardly of him to do this, he would admit, however reluctantly.

As he sneaked up on the locked office, he mused how like the old days it would be.

He could hear he low growl of the beast within. Sirius knew it so well – it was a low coarse growl, clearly showing the impatience and boredom the wolf felt being confined in a small cage. Sirius could hear the faint scratching of craws against wooden floor.

You longed to be set free, right? You belong to the wild, not this confinement. Sirius thought to himself as he studied the lock, wondering how on earth he could open up the lock.

The faint growling and scratching sound against the floor died out. The wolf must have sensed the scent of his old buddy.

Sirius gave a faint growl in response as he stared at the lock sternly, as if willing it to open.

Click.

The lock was opened. Sirius didn't care how or why at that moment.

Slowly, the door swing open.

Padfoot came face to face with Moony once again.

Padfoot had to brace himself as the massive wolf crashed into him. He didn't struggle as the wolf pounced on him, the momentum carrying both creatures several meters along the floor. The familiar hot breath of the wolf washed over him as the wolf pinned him down and put him under his sharp scrutiny, and sniffing him all over.

The wolf's yellowish gaze collided with the dog's pale blue gaze.

Through the wolf's yellow eyes, a torrent of emotion was battling each other to burst through the surface. Doubt, confusion, hurt of betrayal, distrust, longing, sorrow, and… hope.

After seemingly forever, Padfoot felt the ticklish licking of the wolf upon his face.

He was accepted back.

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Soon, the two powerful creatures raced across the deserted corridor, stealthily and silently.

Padfoot could tell that both of them was restraining themselves nearly to the bursting point, as they ran out of the confines of the old castle, out of the confines of the human world.

Soon, they were out in the wild, back at their old home.

Padfoot and Moony stopped, inhaling in the scent that was each other, that was family, immersed in the wild atmosphere that was their home.

They howled, long and solemn, under the pale illumination of the full moon.

All other living creatures in the Forbidden Forest quivered in fear and respect for the two shadowy creatures that returned to claim their rightful place after so long a time.

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The wolf had never felt so free in his life. Perhaps he had been, but it was all a distant memory of four friends racing together, ruling the forest. It had been but a distant memory of another life with hopes that had been shattered ruthlessly, life of freedom ruined.

But now, as he ran side along side with the dog, he felt himself so full of joy and full of life.

It was the taste of freedom of his mind, as long last.

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Remus woke to the shining ray of midday sun.

As usual, he found himself lying naked on the floor, his body full of sourness and dull aches that was inevitable following each transformation.

He was even more tired than usual – it was as if he had run a thousand miles the night before, which was absurd, as he should have been confined within the boundary of his small office.

Or had he?

Why did he feel so refreshed, despite his physical tiredness? Why did his heart feel so light?

He closed his eyes, trying to recall what it had been that caused this strange feeling.

Remus had been so immersed in his thought that when he went out of the room to get a shower, he failed to notice the strangeness of the unlocked door.

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A/N: of course, this chapter is a set up for what will happen in the next. Please Review and tell me what you think of this chapter