Disclaimer:All things from Harry Potter are the property of JK Rowling, just as all from Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon. Estranged (the second best song ever to have been written, or according to me anyway) is by the best rock band ever (again, according to me- my fic, my rules) Guns N' Roses.
A.N. Sorry for update delay- there were illness issues. If you read review only one more chapter in your lives, make it this one. Please. This chapter is dedicated to my best friend, the only person who knew this was coming. Hope it measures up XX00
Reviewers:
Sonofgloin:You weren't being overly insensitive, poor Remus did cop a bit from Dawn at the party. Poor guy. You're dead set on your thread of a thread idea, but you did have more time to study than everyone else… I'm still proud though.
Saxifrage:-waves- Hi Catty. Thanks for more loofas- I'm thinking of making a loofa-rainbow one day… Can't wait to see what you come up with to review after this chapter. Hehe. I may be evil.
Eyexcandy:Ok, ok, I friggin updated! You've got what you want, now back away from the Wombat nobody needs to get hurt. -)
Kavi Leighanna:Isn't it funny- you can't remember why Dawn Sirius broke up in the first place. Do you get the feeling sometimes they can't remember either? Sad, silly people. Glad you liked the James Lily moments, they were my favourites in a way.
Morgaine:Accusations/hexing/talking, it's all the same isn't it-grins- And fear not about visiting Scoobies- I think I've been persuaded.
Clcountry:Yeah, that was pretty vicious of Dawn, but at least she's not taking things lying down anymore. And you may be very. Very right about the werewolf explosion.
Luckyshamrock:I'm glad you enjoyed all those things about the chapter- I worked pretty hard on them so it's great when it pays off through reviewers' compliments. Thanks. And feel free to make your reviews as long full of questions as you like- I love reading answering them when I can without giving too much away!
Damia:Well, I think a bed would be more comfortable than a broom closet, but I see your point. LOL thanks for the review
Bretts-girl:It's great to hear you enjoy my story. I'm sorry I don't update more often, but I put as much effort into it as I can. Each chapter is hand-written (so that I can write on a train or bus or even in a café, I do that a lot actually) and can be anywhere between 25 and 33 pages long. Then I have to edit type as well as prepare the chapters to update on 2 separate sites. But I do try to get it done as quickly as I can. And I'll try inject some more Newman for you too!
Voided:I think a lot of us would've liked to throttle Sirius… and Trent and Walker too. And sorry for causing the embarrassment of public laughter. If it makes you feel any better, I do that while I'm writing it… and I'm usually on a crowded train or at a busy bus stop!
Miss Elisa Tenant:I'm sorry this wasn't coming soon as I'd hoped- see above re: illness. If I have to get a note from Mum, I'll do it. LOL. And yeah, I figured it was about time I uncovered Dawn's backbone a little.
Stix89:LOL, yeah, Dawn's metaphoric balls are funny, aren't they? And as for James and Lily, I've decided that their romance will progress along the timeline JKR had planned for them- they won't be getting together until seventh year. But hey, that doesn't mean we can't have a lot of fun with them on the way!
Rogue-Angel82:I know- you just can't pick who is right when it comes to Dawn and Sirius. That's why I have so much fun writing them through this stage! It will be nice once I have them talking without violence, though, I agree.
Victoria87:I'm glad you loved it anyway. I probably should've explained why I used 'An Innocent Man' in the first place. Sorry. I don't know if you know the song, if not I recommend looking up the lyrics on a lyrics archive somewhere, because it very much describes the way James was feeling about Lily through the chapter. Plus it's a sweet song, for Billy Joel…
Elle Blessingway:Well, I just couldn't stand the idea of Dawn being perfect, so I had to make her mess up a bit. And it is a very humanely base thing to do- getting drunk to drown your romantic sorrows. I'm glad you liked James' little song- deep down I loved that too. Although I don't know how rounded all those relationships are… spanners are so much fun to throw in the works!
Ea:Thank you for your review. It's great to hear that I've managed to write something that has the power to invoke your emotions- every writer's goal. And don't worry- I think most people only started reading this because they were bored. Hell, I only started writing it because I was bored! And no, I never watched Firefly, but I did hear both good and bad things about it. one day I'll get around to catching an episode somewhere. And I'm completely drawing a blank on the episode "they give you credit just for speaking it (English) right?" is from. It's Season 3, when Buffy is taking her make-up tests to get back into school… it might be… either Faith, Hope Trick or Beauty the Beasts. Um, wild stab, Faith, Hope Trick?
Chicklepea:Glad you enjoyed Dawn's little streak of spunk. I guess she would be missing her family (more will probably come of that soon) but she's accepted that there's no way back, and she's concentrating on another way to protect herself from the big evil dude after her. And how knows when Remus will tell the girl? Who knows how she will find out? Maybe someone else will spill the beans. Or you could just ignore me read the chapter. Well, there's a hint a half. LOL. The Seeker issue is a bit of a grey area. I know in the movies James is a Seeker, but I couldn't find a definite reference in the books to his position, apart from the fact that he nicked the Snitch from the Quidditch store. So I just used my creative licence. I like to keep a little distinction between James and Harry. I don't know about Madam Pomfrey being French though- coz there's also Madam Pince Madam Hooch. I guess she could be French, but I figured it was just their was of being respectful to non-Professors without falling back on Miss or Mrs. Shrug. May be JKR will give us a clue one day. I would like to hear her swear at someone in French though… know any French swear words? And I'm Australian, so I'm happy to say I know the difference between cookies and biscuits. LOL.
Beth:You're making me blush. And smile. This is really the best story you've ever read? Well, you've made my month. Thank you. And go the Aussies! There are only few of us around here, but my God we are spunky devils. LOL. I updated as soon as I could, I promise! And I will NEVER abandon this story- it's my baby!
Phoenix83ad:I hope you're getting the update emails again. Stupid site. That's ok- I forgive you. And yeah, I'm glad you see it my way about Dawn not being able to completely replace her mother with James'. It just wouldn't be right. And I'm glad you enjoyed the Dawn Sirius fight- I sorta got carried away and just went with it. Sirius deserved the man0slut comment, though. Hey, if the broom fits, ride it! Will try to update sooner next time. XX00
Catgirl Elf Princess:It's nice to see the Kitten's new claws appreciated. And it may not happen overnight, but I can safely promise you that one day she'll be sinking them into a Slytherin or two!
Turkey's R Sexy:That's the most hilarious screen name of all time. Well done! Seriously, I burst out laughing when I read it. It's great! And thank you for your compliments. I'm not a professional, but I one day hope to be so your ego boost really helped out. I do try to keep the characters as real as I can, and the only reason I played with Myrtle a bit was because I always thought she just needed a friend to make her a little more… normal. Maybe she's so high strung in Harry's time because of the friends she's lost or something? Or so I'm telling myself. I am keeping things in line with season 6 in a way, and there are parallels between Dawn Sirius and Buffy Spike, but it's not quite the same. Dawn and Sirius was more of a rushed into the feeling too quick and paid the price kinda thing. But by the end I'm hoping to have all the parallels more clearly laid out. I love to hear that you're going to be a loyal reviewer, too. I happen to be a review-whore! Thanks!
Yellow crayon:I'm sorry- I was sick. Going as quick as I can, I promise-)
Bluegummiebear7:LOL, Sirius should be smacked in the face, but I guess we'll have to be satisfied with the record of his sexual health being displayed for the whole of Gryffindor!
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Estranged
"So how does this work?"
Dawn was looking down at a simple protective circle, created on the floor in the Headmaster's Office. Not too long after her release from the Hospital Wing, Dumbledore had decided she was ready to go under the Fidelius Charm to hide her true origins. Now both he and Professor Flitwick were gathered, ready to guide her through the process.
"It's a simple incantation, Miss Summers. But the magics behind it are deeply complex," Flitwick piped up in his cute, squeaky little voice. "This Charm takes a great deal of focus, and I must say your performance in Charms has come along in leaps and bounds, but…"
"But I'm just as likely to have all the portraits playing fiddles as getting this right?" Dawn filled in, seeing the hesitation on the Professor's face.
Dumbledore hid a chuckle at her words. "We will help you through. Of course, if it comes to that. But we do have faith in your ability, otherwise I would not have allowed this attempt."
Dawn nodded and began focusing her mind on the task at hand. She sat herself inside the circle, crossing her legs just the way she'd seen Willow and Tara do, and waited patiently while Flitwick began lecturing and instructing her.
"When you cast this Charm, you must have your mind firmly fixed on what you want to conceal. Not just a general idea, but exactly what you want concealed. If you're just thinking you don't want anybody to know about you, you risk having anyone who has ever met you forgetting you even exist," he said.
Dawn's eyes widened. Not just because of the warning Flitwick had given, but because from the implications of his words, it sounded like he knew exactly what she was trying to conceal. Before she could turn to ask, Dumbledore had stepped in to explain.
"I needed to inform Professor Flitwick of your particular secret so that he could help me with the Charm, Dawn," he explained softly. "Do not fear, once the spell is complete neither he nor I will be able to recall that you are the Key, unless you should choose to reveal it to us."
Dawn nodded and turned her attention back to the Charms Professor. "If this works, what will happen? I mean, what can I expect when it comes to being a Secret Keeper?"
"Nothing too different from usual," he assured her. "If the Charm is performed successfully, then all who previously knew the secret will forget it altogether. Should you correctly focus on concealing the power of the Key and its presence within you, nobody will know. Even those predisposed to sensing it will be prevented from making the connections to expose you as the Key. So you may tell whomever you choose and be secure in the knowledge that they cannot betray your secret as long as you live."
Dawn smiled slightly. That sounded very much like she would be in control. It made her feel much safer than she had in a long time. She nodded slightly to indicate she was ready. She accepted the scribbled out incantation and committed it to memory. While she was reading it, Flitwick came and anointed her forehead with rose oil, smearing it all the way across from temple to temple.
Next she was handed a goblet full of clear, sweet liquid. She drank until it was taken from her and put aside. The lighting in the office had been dimmed until only a circle of candles around her were left as illumination.
"Close your eyes, Dawn, and repeat the incantation three times. Then focus on what you want to conceal, and focus on nothing else no matter what. if the Charm works, you'll know," Flitwick instructed her.
Dawn's breathing became slow and deep. She let her eyes flutter closed and began to mutter intensely under her breath until she had gone through the incantation three times. Then her mind took up a mental chant which she allowed to consume her.
Conceal the Key. Conceal that it's in me. Conceal the Key…
Although it felt like minutes had ticked by, too many minutes for the spell to have worked, Dawn didn't relent in her mantra. She was sure they'd stop her if she'd done it wrong, or if it wasn't working.
Conceal the Key. Conceal that it's in me. Conceal the Key. Conceal-
There was a burst of warmth in her chest so deep it knocked all sense of thought and feeling out of her. As the warmth subsided, her mind began to tingle and even though her eyes were closed, she felt as if the room was spinning.
Next thing she knew, she was lying on her back on the floor in Dumbledore's office, panting from the exertion of the Charm over her body. The lights had been returned to normal and the candles snuffed. She sat up and wiped her hand over her face, smudging rose oil over her fingers as she did so. With a little grimace, she wiped her hands on her skirt.
Dumbledore helped her up and the moment she stepped out of the circle, Flitwick vanished it with a wave of his wand.
"Are you all right, Dawn?"
"Uh-huh," Dawn said thinly. "I think it worked. Well, I hope so. Do you still know about me?"
"What about you?" Dumbledore asked, his light blue eyes searching as they peered into Dawn's face.
Dawn grinned. "Never mind."
"You should sit down a moment," Flitwick told her. "It's a very heavy Charm you've just performed… A lot of seventh years would have trouble with the Fidelius…"
For a moment, Dawn was confused. If her secret was so well hidden, how did they know she'd just completed the Charm for it? Then she understood. The face that she was the Key was concealed, but the fact that she had gone under the Fidelius Charm was not. She shook her head.
"No, I want to get out of here. Thanks for all your help, Professors."
She took a step, wobbled, and sat down heavily in the nearest chair.
"Of course, sitting down is good too," she amended.
Remus was in the Common Room, reading as far ahead in his textbooks as possible to compensate for another looming monthly absence. He glanced up as Dawn entered from the portrait hole, looking as tired and drawn as he knew he must.
She spotted him, waved, and came over to perch on the seat next to him. Before she could even open her mouth to begin, he mustered the best grin he could manage and waved her words off.
"Let me guess, Kitten. You've got an excuse equally as flimsy as last month's for why you can't make it for a midnight snack tonight. It's ok, I understand," he promised. He knew things between Dawn and Sirius had deteriorated to the point of an unofficially declared cold war. He didn't really expect Dawn to feel welcome hanging out with the Marauders as a whole. Dawn's addition to the noticeboard had remained for several days, because Sirius' pride wouldn't allow him to cave in and rip it down. It was only when someone had scribbled 'For a good time, call…' across the top in bright red ink that Lily had taken pity and removed the parchment.
Dawn blushed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so weak," she said, sounding small.
"We all have our weaknesses," Remus said wisely.
"Yeah…"
After a few minutes of quiet reflection, Dawn looked up again. "Remus, I really do have a reason for not coming tonight. Actually, I don't feel very well," she confided.
"I noticed you looking a bit under the weather," Remus commented, reaching over to squeeze her hand. "Is there something wrong?"
Dawn leaned in to speak confidentially. "Can you keep a secret?"
He just arched an eyebrow, making her giggle.
"Ok, ok. Stupid question," she relented. "But the thing is, I went to Dumbledore's office this afternoon and placed the Fidelius Charm on myself. It really wiped me out," she whispered.
Remus' eyes widened. "Dawn, why did you have to do that?"
She shook her head slightly. "It's complicated, Remus, and it's something that you used to know until the Charm took effect. I'll tell you, I promise I will, but just not yet. Ok?" Dawn begged, appealing to him for understanding.
Remus nodded. After all, he knew what it was like to keep things about yourself hidden better than anyone. "Of course, Kitten."
Grateful, Dawn grinned. "Thanks. But now I'm going upstairs to soak in the tub. I might not be at dinner, ok, so don't worry."
"Sure," Remus said, and Dawn surprised him with a quick hug before she disappeared.
He tried to turn his mind back to his reading, but he was losing his patience. All the warring Goblins in his History of Magic textbook sounded exactly the same to him, anyway. He was just gathering his things when someone made that a rather difficult task by sitting on his book. A look of surprise crossed Remus' face, then Isabel was smiling and leaning down for a kiss.
He kissed her back enthusiastically, but there was always a small, nagging voice in the back of his head when he did so now. Every time he looked at her, he was forced to relive their bittersweet night together. Sweet, because it was the most perfect show of love he could ever hope to give and receive, but made bitter by his own lies and deception.
Isabel had somehow ended up in his lap by the time she was pulling back to run a finger along the tired lines of his face. The tiny kiss she placed on top of his nose just about broke his heart. Isabel knew what the look on his face meant at once. She sighed and pulled back a bit, putting a bit of distance between them.
"You're going away again, aren't you?"
Remus hated himself for putting the dejected slump into her shoulders when he nodded. "I'm really, really sorry Isabel. I've got to-"
"Don't," she said abruptly, already sliding off his lap. "I'd rather you didn't say anything at all if you were only going to lie to me."
Remus nodded, feeling like crying, or shouting, doing anything to let out the pain that was burning through him. Sometimes he felt the hateful truth charging up to his lips so determinedly that he had to physically bit his tongue to keep them at bay.
"I'm sorry," he said again.
"Me too," Isabel said softly. "I'll see you at dinner."
She took off up to the girls' dorm, but not before Remus thought he caught a couple of tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. He viciously stuffed the rest of his things in his bag and stomped up to his own dorm, fleeing from yet another of his deceptions.
Things were subdued all the way throughout that evening and the next day. Knowing how bad Remus was feeling, the Marauders had kept themselves fairly well quiet, and even Sirius and Dawn had made an effort to snap less at each other while Remus was about. When the sunset approached, Remus said an awkward goodbye to Isabel and slipped away for madam Pomfrey to lead him down to the Whomping Willow.
Dawn was still feeling slightly drained from the effects of the Fidelius Charm, and she knew the boys would be disappearing within minutes anyway, so she slipped upstairs alone.
The dorm was empty, peaceful, Dawn revelled in the quiet as she wandered aimlessly about the large room. Since her long weekend in cage, she'd been much more appreciative of the spaciousness of Hogwarts' rooms. She went to the window, where the plant Hagrid had sent as a get well gift was thriving in the sunlight. Today it had arranged itself to look like a giant question mark.
Dawn looked through the window pane and to the far right, where she could only just make out the form of the Whomping Willow in the grey night. As she watched, the branches froze for a couple of minutes, and when they began to sway again she knew the boys had all gone on to the Shrieking Shack. She wondered, though she doubted, if they would stay there all night this month. They hadn't been foolish enough to talk about it in front of her, but she knew they were still using the full moon to explore the Hogwarts grounds and beyond.
Feeling glum and lonely, Dawn went to lay down. Barely five minutes later, she'd drifted off to sleep.
She felt like she was in two worlds at once, the old and the new. Her mind flickered between the two so rapidly that Dawn started to have trouble keeping them straight in her head. One moment, she was standing at the base of the Whomping Willow while the branches thrashed about but miraculously kept missing her. A heartbeat later, she was standing in a reception hall full of people and even demons, all anxiously awaiting the beginning of the Wedding March.
She seemed to just know this was Xander and Anya's wedding, and she suddenly wished she was visible to the others in her own dream so that Buffy could see her. She really wanted to tease her about that hideous green bridesmaid dress.
Then she was back at the Willow again and Prongs was trotting briskly towards her. She started to smile, but as he reached her he put his head down, using the top of his head and his antlers to try to drive her away from the area.
"What, Prongs?" she whispered, afraid of the way he was behaving. "What's wrong?"
Prongs just kept trying to push her away as if he was getting between her and something dangerous. He butted her so hard in the midsection that she stumbled, and when she regained her footing, she was with Xander. He was having visions of his future with Anya, bleak, hurtful visions that Dawn could see as clearly as he could.
But Dawn could see through it, and something told her Xander was being fooled. She tried to put her hand on his arm to shake him out of it, but never made contact. The images began to assail her non-stop, to the point where she completely lost her balance.
She fell to the ground, gasping. She could see Xander standing in the rain, Anya crying in a dank cave. Padfoot barked at her. Shadows loomed dangerously close.
Anya's voice was wailing, "What do you mean, Xander's missing?", and one of the thicker branches of the Whomping Willow pounded the earth right by her head until the ground shook. IT was all too much for Dawn, the dizziness was nauseating.
An eerie voice whistled about her. "When it's bad, she won't choose you… She'll be against you…"
"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Dawn shrieked, clamping her hands over her ears like a child trying to block out the scary things going bump in the night.
As if obeying her, everything went still. Dawn's chest was heaving with each breath as she looked cautiously around for more signs of danger. Several moments passed, and she was encouraged by the sense of peace around her to lower her hands and then she breathed a sigh of relief.
She allowed herself to relax too soon. The world seemed to explode around her, images running each other over in their haste to assault her mind. The world seemed to have been put on mute, she couldn't hear a thing.
She saw the most beautiful, multicoloured glass she'd ever seen fall to the hard floor and shatter into a million pieces. She saw a set of strong, destructive jaws, the jaws of a werewolf, closing around and tearing the flesh of a female arm. Dawn, paralysed with horror, could not manage to shift the few inches it would take to be in a position to see the girl's face. She had no idea who it was.
Then, before she could even try to understand the scene she was whisked away to the argument of a much older Xander and Anya. Something in Xander snapped as the argument continued to heat up. He lifted the frying pan in front of him and swung it at Anya's face with all his might.
"No!" Dawn shrieked. Her eyes sprang wide open, afraid she would see the damage of that frying pan if she allowed them to close again. There were tears running down her cheeks, by the time she'd brushed them away Lily was at her bedside.
"Dawn, it's ok," she said, reaching to grab her hand. "It was just a dream, whatever it was."
Dawn sniffled and looked about the dorm. Lily was the only other girl in there, from the masses of books spread over her bed it was evident she'd been in the middle of a major study session.
"Where's everyone else?" Dawn asked, now massaging her temples.
Lily glanced away. "I don't know where Michelle and Candice are," she said evasively.
Something in her voice made Dawn sit up a little straighter. "And Isabel?" she prodded.
"She needed to clear her head, Dawn. She went for a walk, don't make a fuss over it," Lily murmured.
The base of Dawn's spine began to tingle like someone was dropping ice-cubes down the back of her shirt. All of a sudden, that vision of a werewolf sinking its teeth into some girl's arm seemed so much more real. She seized Lily's wrist and squeezed tight enough to cut off the circulation.
"Lily, where exactly did she go?" Dawn asked, her voice shaking with the effort of trying to remain calm.
Lily frowned, trying to pull her arm away. "What's got into you? She wanted some fresh air, so she went outside for a while. She likes the grounds."
"We've got to get her back in," Dawn ordered, dragging Lily towards the door. "NOW!"
The Prefect finally managed to break free of Dawn's grip. "Stop, Dawn! I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on."
Dawn closed her eyes and then opened them again. it was obvious Lily wasn't going to budge, arguing with her would only waste precious time. Her stomach was writhing; she really didn't want to do this.
"Look, Lily, this is life and death here. I'm going to tell you some things about my friends that are very closely-guarded secrets. You're my friend too and I love you dearly, but if you ever betray any of these secrets, I'll kill you with my bare hands. Understood?"
Lily, her eyes widening, nodded. "Yeah. I take a Wizard's Oath on it. I swear I won't tell."
Dawn silently prayed to her friends for forgiveness.
"Remus is a werewolf."
Lily gasped. But Dawn could see that she was already slotting the clues into place in her mind and pressed on. She couldn't afford to waste time letting Lily adjust to the revelations.
"This year the other boys became Animagi in secret so that they could spend the full moon with him. He's supposed to stay confined, but with those four together, they could be anywhere on the grounds by now."
Despite the shock, Lily was catching on remarkably quickly. "Isabel…"
Without another word, they were both running as hard as they could. They burst out onto the steps, pausing to catch their breath while they scanned the scene before them for signs of life. The full moon provided their light to see by, hanging low and ominous in the sky. Though the air was beginning to warm, Dawn shivered. She could see goose bumps raised on Lily's arms, too.
"Let's go," Dawn said, pulling her wand and marching into the night. "Keep your wand out and your eyes peeled for anything moving."
Slowly, carefully, they prowled through the grounds. Lily wanted to call out for Isabel, but was too afraid of what other attention she would attract in the process. They were as silent as possible, fearing that every snap of a twig or rustle of leaves heralded a snarling werewolf stalking them.
As they passed a thick bush along the border of the Forbidden Forest, it gave a particularly violent shake. Both girls had to stifle petrified screams as a long snout poked through the foliage.
Next moment, a great black dog was emerging before them. Dawn released the breath she'd been holding in relief and lowered her wand. Lily frowned, recognising the animal.
"Hey, isn't that the dog Sirius trained…" her words died out as it dawned on her that the dog was, in fact, Sirius himself
Padfoot growled, but Dawn didn't back down. "Where's Moony?" she demanded.
Padfoot turned his head, indicating a little ways through the trees. Dawn nodded to show her understanding.
"Get him back to the Shrieking Shack now! Isabel's out here somewhere and we can't find her."
Barking, Padfoot tore through the trees to round up the other Marauders and get Moony back where he was supposed to be.
"Unbelievable," Lily murmured.
She and Dawn redoubled their efforts looking for Isabel. Dawn wished she had thought to bring the Map, but knew it was too late to consider going back for it now. She wouldn't want to leave Lily alone out here, anyway. There was a commotion behind them, the two girls turned to see Padfoot and Prongs wrestling Moony towards the Whomping Willow. It was obvious Moony had caught the scent of humans close by, it was taking all the force the others could muster to keep him from breaking loose.
Instinctively, Dawn and Lily began backing up, putting as much distance between themselves and the werewolf as possible and ready to break into a run. Just beyond the struggling animals, the Whomping Willow had frozen stiff, Dawn realised Peter must have pressed the knot in the tree's base.
Dawn froze herself. There was movement on the far side of the tree, as though someone had come to investigate its mysterious paralysis. Dawn choked on a horrified sob as Isabel stepped out of the shadow of the tree, looking vulnerable bathed in the moonlight.
Lily screamed. "Isabel! Run!"
There were a few prolonged seconds of nothing happening. Then everything happened at once. Isabel stopped and looked up, only just realising what was going on around her. Because Padfoot and Prongs had been focusing all their strength on forcing Moony away from Lily and Dawn, when he turned to investigate the new scent, there was nothing between him and Isabel.
With a howl, he lurched forwards. Prongs and Padfoot scrambled after, but he'd broken free of their restraint. Isabel was too shocked to move. Lily was screaming incessantly now. Dawn shoved her away from the fray.
"Stay back!" she said, and without a second thought, she charged forwards.
Isabel's eyes widened as Moony leapt at her. By the time she snapped out of her shock enough to understand that she needed to move, it was too late. She took a step, which kept Moony from pouncing squarely on her, but his jaws were snapping in a frenzy every which way. They found Isabel's arm. Jagged razor teeth tore the skin open, spilling blood that seemed to send Moony completely wild.
Padfoot and Prongs bowled Moony aside, forcing him back towards the tunnel opening. Shaking violently with pain and shock, Isabel fell in a bloodied heap on the ground.
Dawn reached her and without hesitation looped an arm about her waist to haul her up. Prongs and Padfoot were still trying to drive Moony back, but the werewolf was like a shark who'd smelled blood in the water. He almost got loose again, hindered at the last moment by Padfoot leaping on his back to tackle him down.
"Come on," Dawn grunted, trying to make Isabel move on her unsteady legs.
But Isabel was beyond the capability of helping herself. She stared at the broken skin of her arm in a daze and barely noticed Dawn's struggles to get her to safety. Lily had stopped screaming, but she choked up with fear as Moony slipped out of the clutches of Padfoot and Prongs again and came at the girls.
Dawn's enormous eyes widened even further and a tiny whimper escaped her lips as Moony drew up on his hind legs and let out another howl. She didn't know what to do. Isabel wouldn't move. Dawn knew they were both dead if she didn't run, but how could just leave Isabel at the mercy if a vicious wolf? Dawn put her own body between Isabel and Moony and closed her eyes, squeezing them shut tight and praying it would be quick.
Something hard butted into Dawn's chest. She flew backwards, taking Isabel with her as she collapsed on the ground. She opened her eyes in surprise, just in time to see Prongs whirl around and renew his attack on Moony.
Lily was rushing forwards, too, and between the two of them, she and Dawn were finally able to get Isabel up and moving. When they were a safe distance away, Dawn turned back just in time to see the Marauders disappearing down below the Whomping Willow at last. Lily had a hold of Isabel's arm with trembling fingers.
"Oh God. There's so much blood!"
"Come on, Isabel," Dawn grunted, still having to force the shell-shocked girl into every step. "We're almost there."
Lily had run ahead to warn Madam Pomfrey, who met them at the entrance to the Hospital Wing. Dawn almost cried as she crossed the threshold. This was one place she was hoping to never have to visit again, and the fact that it was one of her friends in need of treatment this time made it seem even worse to her.
Isabel was bundled onto a bed, where Madam Pomfrey took one look at her arm and grimaced. "Werewolf bite? This is severe, you'd better fetch the Headmaster."
Dawn charged for the exit, but the doors swung open before she could reach them. Dumbledore was revealed in the entry, looking even taller and more impressive than usual.
"What's going on here?" he asked sharply.
Lily wasn't looking in such great shape for telling stories; her skin had gone beyond milky white and her teeth were chattering, and Isabel wasn't in great shape for anything, so it was up to Dawn. She took a deep breath and steeled herself, trying to find a way to protect all her friends. She decided the best thing would be not to offer anything that he would be able to turn around on her and confuse her into a confession.
"She… she wandered off outside, Sir. She got bit," she said, not only by the lies she was about to tell, but by the impact this would have on Isabel for the rest of her life.
"Why was Miss Whitman outside?"
Dawn shrugged, her eyes trying valiantly not to fill with tears. "She told Lily she needed to take a walk to clear her head. I was asleep," she mumbled.
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "I assume you know of the measures taken to keep our resident lycanthrope safely away from others during the full moon?"
Dawn, trying not to look the Headmaster directly in the eye, gave a soft not of acknowledgement. She fixed her eyes on the curtain Madam Pomfrey had drawn around Isabel, feeling torn. She couldn't take back all the damage that had been done by exposing what the boys were up to, but she could cause even more of an uproar. Not having to look at Isabel made the sacrifice a little easier to make, but she had a feeling she'd carry the guilt for the rest of her life.
"Well?" Dumbledore prodded when it became apparent Dawn wasn't going to expand on the situation of her own accord. "How did he escape?"
Shooting a furtive glance at Lily to see if she was about to start screaming about Animagi and rule-breaking, Dawn put up a defensive wall about her mind. She suspected Dumbledore had ways of seeing right through her lies if she didn't guard the truth with everything she had.
"I don't know," she said. "He… He must've been near the entrance, and the Whomping Willow had stopped moving. Isabel went to investigate… it just happened."
Dumbledore was staring deep into her eyes. Dawn wanted to flinch, but didn't dare move to do it. she concentrated on blocking up her mind, knowing that the anguish burning in her eyes that she couldn't get rid of was understandable. After countless long, strained seconds passed, Dumbledore relented with his gaze.
She knew he sensed there was more to the story that Dawn was concealing, but he seemed willing to accept what she'd said. Or was he?
"Miss Evans?" he said, turning his attention to Lily. "Did you happen to see anything more than that?"
Both girls knew he was appealing to Lily's sense of honesty to fill him in on the whole situation. Lily was quiet and contemplative for so long, Dawn began to think she was planning the best way to turn them all in. then she gave a little shake of her head.
"It happened so fast," she whispered. "Dawn pushed me back away from the danger, while she started to run for Isabel. I was just screaming and screaming. And then I remember the werewolf stumbling back into the tunnel… like it got tangled in the roots of the tree or something… And I went to help Dawn get Isabel away."
A moment later she burst into tears. Only Dawn had a vague feeling the main heartbreaker for Lily was that she's just, in effect, betrayed Isabel by not telling the whole truth about what had happened. Dumbledore touched her arm in one of his moments of grandfatherly affection.
"It's all right, Lily," he said in his raspy voice. "It was brave of you both to go after your friend. But why not come for a Professor, instead of just charging into danger yourselves?"
By now, Dawn had begun to cry as well. "I'm sorry. I didn't think. I had a dream about someone getting bit and when I woke up and Isabel was already gone, I panicked. I just wanted to get her back inside!" she cried, shuddering until the Headmaster was comforting her as well,
Madam Pomfrey stepped out and relayed Isabel's injuries to Dumbledore in a low voice. She said she'd explained the extent of her new condition to her, and was certain Isabel understood that she was now a werewolf and would transform with each full moon, but had been so despondent she'd barely even blinked at the diagnosis. Her only question had been regarding the identity of the werewolf who had done this to her. She was now sleeping under the influence of a Dreamless Sleep potion.
Lily crept up with the Matron to peek in on Isabel, but Dawn refused. She didn't want to see. She hung back from the curtain, feeling so alone she even forgot Dumbledore was right with her.
"This is all my fault."
She hadn't realised she'd though aloud until the man she'd forgotten was there responded.
"How could this be your fault, Dawn?" he asked, looking at her with troubled eyes.
"It's always my fault," Dawn said, her tone deadened. "Ever since I got here, things have been going wrong for people. I made Sirius' family practically disown him. One day James will get sick of me tagging along with his. I let Peter go on with his pointless crush on me until it almost ripped the four of them apart forever. I guess it was about time I made Remus suffer, too."
"You mustn't think that, my dear," the calm voice countered. "Many things you think you have caused would have happened one way or another whether you had come to this world or not. You did a noble thing, trying to help a friend despite the personal risk. You may have even saved Isabel's life. A sad thing has happened, but do not take responsibility for it just because you were unable to prevent it. Do not blame yourself."
Not really buying a word of it, Dawn failed to respond. Instead she ran, not stopping until she was back in Gryffindor tower. It wasn't curfew yet, and Michelle and Candice hadn't returned to the dorms. Dawn paced up and down numbly, until Lily came in a few minutes after her.
"How's Isabel?"
"You should've looked in on her yourself," Lily snapped.
Dawn looked stung by the words.
"I didn't mean that," Lily sighed. "I don't know what I mean."
Dawn looked down. "You covered for us…"
"I had to," Lily said, throwing herself down on her bed despite the books still covering it. "I took a Wizard's Oath on it, I was bound to honour it no matter what."
Tentatively, Dawn crept closer to the Prefect's bed. "Well… do you regret it?"
Lily let out another burdened sigh. "Yes. But at the end of the day, it wouldn't change anything if I told, would it? All the confessions in the world can't take it back now."
Dawn was crying again. She couldn't help but feel responsible. If she'd somehow acted on her vision sooner, or remembered the Marauders' Map to locate Isabel faster, she could've stopped it from happening. Maybe she was just cursed, and everything she touched would eventually turn to ash.
"I'm sorry," she sobbed.
"Maybe we should just go to bed," Lily said, knowing very well that neither of them would be sleeping at all that night.
Remus was feeling disoriented still when Madam Pomfrey came to collect him. The other Marauders had disappeared the moment the moon began to wane, looking sombre, even frightened. He didn't understand the looks, but figured it had something to do with the vague feeling of uneasiness and the scent of blood he couldn't quite shake.
"Do you remember anything about last night?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she helped him through the tunnel.
"N-no," Remus said, a strange tremble in his voice.
"I think it best I prepare you now," she responded softly, and proceeded to tell him everything Dawn and Lily had told Dumbledore.
Remus went numb. "Isabel?"
"Received the bite," Madam Pomfrey confirmed sadly. "She'll become a werewolf herself with the next full moon."
He dropped to his knees at the foot of the castle steps and vomited. His violent retching seemed to go on and on until there was nothing that could possibly be left in him. 'Not her,' he kept thinking. 'Not her, not her, not her.'
The Matron was rubbing his back while she vanished the mess. When he felt ready, he struggled to his feet and continued on. Every step now was bringing him closer and closer to his worst nightmare. A nightmare of his own creation.
At the doors to the Hospital Wing, he almost faltered again. But he knew he at least owed it to Isabel to face her, to let her judge and condemn him, and with that thought he pushed on. She was laying in a bed with the curtains pulled back. Although her face was turned away, one look at the tension in her body confirmed that she was awake.
Pulling away from Madam Pomfrey's supportive grip, Remus limped to the foot of his girlfriend's bed and stared at her.
"Isabel?"
She didn't answer him. He took a shaky breath and moved up the side of the bed. She didn't even blink, although she could feel his eyes on her face.
"Isabel, I'm s-"
She didn't even have the energy to roll her body away, but she turned her head from him. Accepting it, Remus left her alone. His eyes were full of tears as he went back to Madam Pomfrey.
"I don't think I should stay here," he said hoarsely.
To his surprise, Madam Pomfrey did not create a fuss over the suggestion. Unbeknownst to Remus, Dumbledore had suggested they let Remus go wherever he chose, and let him be wherever his quest for comfort would take him. She simply gave him something to help with the physical pain and sent him on his way.
The Marauders were waiting up in the dorm. James went to grab his shoulder, but Remus shook him off, going into the bathroom and shutting the door without a word.
The entire day was sickening, with six Gryffindors barely able to manage speaking to each other. A few people had enquired after Isabel, and one of the group would mumble that she was sick and become as sullen as Snape when the Marauders had manufactured giant posters of him dancing about in frilly pink knickers.
Lily and Dawn tried visiting Isabel at lunch, considering neither of them could even entertain the thought of food themselves. But Isabel had barely even acknowledged their presence, and Madam Pomfrey had sent them away again after only ten minutes.
Undeterred, Lily vowed she would go straight back again after classes ended. Dawn was planning on joining her, but as the final bell sounded James grabbed her hand to indicate she should stay with the boys. They stole away from their classmates and holed up in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. The ghost floated out of a stall, took one look at all their faces, and zipped right back into the U-bend.
For a few minutes, nobody seemed to know where to begin. They all sat around looking stupidly at each other until someone scraped up the courage to speak.
"I still don't understand how this could happen," Peter said quietly.
"Yes," Sirius said, his voice taking on the hardness now customary for when he spoke to Dawn. "How did this happen?" he demanded of her.
They all expected her to rise to the bait, but Dawn was so subdued she couldn't even raise her eyes. "I fell asleep, had a vision of someone being bitten-"
"You had a vision of this? Then why didn't you stop it?" Sirius followed doggedly. He knew that the only reason he was so upset was because of his own guilt, but at this point he was willing to try anything to push it away from himself. Even heap it all onto his ex-girlfriend's frail-looking shoulders.
"B-by the time I woke up she was already g-gone," Dawn stammered at her feet. "She didn't know."
"You're right," Remus said, his face contorting with self-loathing. "She didn't know. She didn't know because I was too much of a coward to tell her!"
"Oh, Remus, no," Dawn breathed, looking up at last to hold his gaze. "No, Rem, it's not your fault. I could've done something different, I should've stopped her. I-"
"Did you bite her?" Remus whipped out, stealing the rest of Dawn's words from her lips before she could utter them. "Then how is it your fault?"
She hung her head once more.
Remus was getting more and more worked up by the second, his eyes taking on a wild look. "I… I can't… I've got to get out of here," he blurted. He ran for the exit before anyone could react. There was a moment of tension in his wake.
"Someone should go after him," James muttered as an excuse before walking out himself.
Peter looked between the two others remaining in the bathroom. Dawn was cowering against the tiled wall in defeat, while Sirius looked as if self-control was slipping further and further from his grasp by the heartbeat. He didn't even speak, just ran out in pursuit of James and Remus.
Dawn realised she'd been left alone with Sirius and couldn't bring herself to look up at him. Sirius began to pace through his frustrations.
"Way to make Remus feel even more guilty," he said, his voice quiet and bitter.
"I'm sorry," Dawn said, child-like and small.
"Sorry?" Sirius scoffed.
"Yes," Dawn said. Then it was as if she'd been shocked back into life all of a sudden. "I'm sorry! Sorry for everything, ok? I've done nothing but systematically ruin all your lives since I got here, I know that. I wish I could take it all back, you all would've been better off if I'd never fallen into this damn dimension. I should've just died!"
Sirius stopped breathing as Dawn turned and fled. She wasn't crying, but somehow that made him feel worse. If she was crying, he could just brush her outburst off as her way of venting. But she really did believe this was her doing. Sirius didn't like that. It felt good to blame her, but it was frightening to know she blamed herself for so much.
Who knew what all that guilt would do to her?
One girl walked through the darkened castle, separated and alone. Her eyes were bleak with devastation, the kind of devastation that could take a person well beyond tears.
She hugged herself as she shuffled along with her head down. Her feet seemed to know exactly where to take her anyway. She just couldn't understand how this had happened. Why was she cursed? Cursed to a lifetime of pain and suffering not lonely for herself, but for everyone around her. Sooner or later, everything she touched would be destroyed.
It was with this thought that the girl emerged into the open air. She didn't come to the Astronomy Tower often, and with no classes scheduled it was deserted. The grey stones were as barren as her insides felt. She was completely numb and the whole world seemed to have slowed to a crawl around her. With coldly measured steps she went to the edge of the highest turret and looked out. The grounds looked the same as they always did. Once, they were breathtakingly beautiful. Now, they were just grounds.
She wondered what they'd look like tomorrow.
She didn't remember making up her mind, but she knew exactly what she was doing as she stepped up onto the wide stone ledge. Out here, she felt free from the shackles her life had slapped around her wrists and ankles. Her eyes were wide open but her face was eerily blank.
She jumped.
There was the sound of rushing air all around her, and then came the silence.
She blacked out.
She died.
I'm cackling in a very sinister manner right now
