Chapter 31: Paranoia and Lunatics
Despite being assured that they would not judge her whatsoever for choosing to stay behind this time, Cressida doesn't even consider the option. And as she said before, she likes being a bear. It's grown on her. And Remus needs them all.
Sirius had returned to their dorm only an hour after he left. He didn't say anything to anybody, not even when James demanded he tells them where he went off to. The only answer they've gotten since the is he, "went to go let steam off."
And it isn't that Cressida isn't grateful for having a friend that cares, but she doesn't know what his act of care is exactly this time. She'd rather he had just stayed in the dorm with her. But that's not the Sirius Black way.
Like they always do, the group – Marauders, as James so insists – sneak down to the grounds undetected. But Sirius keeps looking over his shoulder which puts them all at unease. "What are you looking for?" Peter questions after the fifth time as they march through the Transfiguration Courtyard.
"Nothing," Sirius mutters.
"You're making me nervous," Remus says to no one in particular. "Are we running late?"
James pushes his jumper up his arm, squinting at his leather watch through the dark. "A little," he admits. "We'll be fine as long as we get far enough away."
The main advantage they've been able to give Remus is a calm demeanour and a distraction. So much so, they've been able to take him away from the Shrieking Shack on most nights and lead him around the grounds between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.
Out of paranoia from Sirius' actions, Cressida looks over her own shoulder, staring right into the darkness of the outdoor corridor. Her eyes widen a fraction. She could swear a shadow moves, despite there being no wind or flickering firelight.
"What is it?"
Cressida hadn't realised she stopped walking. She stares at James for a moment, falling into some sort of trance before quickly shaking her head. "Nothing. Just Sirius making me paranoid." He makes an exaggerated expression of agreeance, motioning for her to rejoin them. She jogs to eliminate the space, her hand unconsciously stretching out to take the hand offered to her. Her fingers slide through his almost naturally.
But the only thing that flashes through her mind is the date she's supposed to be having with Arthur tomorrow morning. Damn, she's going to be tired. And here she is, holding hands with another guy. At least it couldn't be any more platonic between them.
"Lily agreed to go to Hogsmeade with me." Cressida's brows shoot up, staring wide-eyed at the boy next to her. Apparently, she's the last of them to find out as the other three barely glance in James' direction. He huffs slightly, eyes wandering around the grounds. "I didn't even ask her really, she sort of just told me that we were going."
"I…" She's what? Happy for him? Even she couldn't lie that well. Pressing her expression into something more indifferent, she says, "Wow. Must have been the letter that finally convinced her. Five and half years."
"Letter?" Sirius piques. "What letter?"
"The one he wrote her over the Christmas break," Cressida answers, noting that James has fallen silent and doesn't look like he even heard Sirius' question. "Apparently she thought it was very good." Sirius narrows his eyes at James. Then maybe a sudden remembrance or understanding flashes behind them and his lips round into an 'Oh'. Cressida hums. "Probably want to put Kirk into retirement though. He sent the thing here so she only got it when she got back."
Sirius runs his tongue over his bottom lip. "Cress that-"
"Cress is probably right," James intercepts. Sirius frowns at James but turns his head back straight and presses on without another word. She ignores it, knowing that the pair of them have been tense for the past few hours. "Kirk has been getting clumsier lately."
Their pace quickens in the last leg of the trip down to the Whomping Willow. They're running low on time and they all know – despite not voicing anything – that it was likely Remus would change while they are in the tunnel over. Cressida smiles at the gentle boy, who has grown incredibly more confident about these nights. Despite not having his mind during the transformation, he's able to retain a memory of what happens afterwards so he knows exactly how much more different he's become with the Animagus around.
Peter shifts into his rat form and heads towards the Whomping Willow. They can't see his small figure under the shadows but the tree's branches come to a calm pause. "Let's go," James leads. "The moon's just about to show."
"The moon?!"
If the day couldn't get any worse-
The four remaining Marauders spin on their heels to look behind them at the snidely clever tone that just called out from the shadows. A pale face with dark sunken eyes emerges. His dark hair blends in with the night, as does his black choice of clothing. Cressida's fury boils. "Get the hell out of here Snape," she growls. They don't have time for this. Did he see Peter transform?
Snape glares at her. "No, I don't think I will."
Her lips peel back to throw another demand but James beats her to it. "You better listen to her, Snivellous. And then you're going to be answering to me why the bloody hell you're following us around."
Snape's glare morphs into something cockier. And arrogant. "I'm not following you, Black told me to come." James, Cressida and Remus stiffen, eyes turning to their silent friend but their heads stay pointed at Snape. They really don't have time. Sirius wouldn't do that? Would he? "Told me I'd see something interesting."
James' hand tears from her grip as he marches forward. "Leave!" From beside her, Remus' shoulder jolt. It's happening. James looks back, desperation flooding his eyes. "Snape, leave! I'm trying to save your stupid life!"
"Why?" Snape demands. Cressida isn't sure if he's oblivious to Remus' growing agitation and twitches or he's just that desperate to see this for himself. "So you can claim to be a hero!?"
"So my friend doesn't kill you!" James' voice strains at the end, now standing so he can watch both sides. Cressida and Sirius take long strides to the side. They couldn't transform yet, no in front of Snape. Remus' lycanthropy isn't a secret to some of the staff, but their Animagus abilities are a secret to all. They could go to Azkaban. James's grip around his wand loosens and tightens, but he knows he can't do anything to Snape. They need him to be able to run.
The full transformation beings. Remus cries out, his hunches extending and his shoulders widening. The plain blue cotton shirt tears from the back, shredding more and more as the werewolf grows.
Sirius tugs sharply on her arm, dragging her even further back. Everything is going so horribly wrong. One part of her – the sickest part that doesn't often show – wants Snape to be terrified. He wasn't the one to use the curse on her but he was there, standing by Rosier's side.
James stumbles back, his wand now lifting upwards. It moves between pointing at Snape, and pointing at his cursed friend. At least Peter has the brains to stay as a rat.
"It's true," Snaps snarls. "I knew it!"
His loud celebration captures the attention of the freshly transformed werewolf whose snout snaps shut and his black eyes boring into Snape. The Slytherin's grin of achievement flattens and the true terror he should have been feeling earlier surfaces.
Moony's fists press into the grass, his long feet trailing behind as he stalks closer to his new prey. Nobody moves, not even James. One scratch and they'd be facing a horrid fate.
Moony pounces as soon as he is in range of the cowering Slytherin. James' reacts the fastest, a stunning spell exploding from his wand tip and colliding with Moony's shoulder. The werewolf whimpers, rolling down the slight slope that leads towards the Forest. Pointing his wand up towards the castle, James gives Snape his last warning. "Run you fucking idiot!"
Snape breaks from his cowering trance, scrambling backwards and nearly trips over his own feet. His figure slips back into the shadows. They couldn't transform just yet. They might not be able to see Snape, but he'd be able to see them for quite a while through the large arches.
Moony returns, eye ablaze.
This won't be a quiet night.
His target has moved onto the next closest human.
James.
Cressida can confirm at that moment, that she has never faced anything more horrifying than watching danger crawl towards the person you love. She snaps into action, leaning down and picking up the thickest stick she can find. "Oi! Moony!"
The werewolf's eyes don't move from their prey. Not until she tosses the stick with such precision that it thunks against the side of his head. The grey, snarling snout jerks to the side. Then there's a pause. Moony's beady eyes that look like the night sky itself are pointed at her.
Cressida takes a few slow steps to her right, away from Sirius and more towards the forest. Never once taking her eyes off of the werewolf, she bends down, picking up anything that her hand lands on in the frosty grass. A small stone.
The werewolf sees her new weapon and before she can throw it, Moony is clambering towards her on all four limbs. Her feet kick up mounds of dirt with her swift turn and sprint.
"Cressida?!"
She can't look back. She can hear his snarls and the snapping of teeth. She can hear every time his legs press against the earth. But she can also hear her own breaths, and the wind against her ears as her legs become a blur, leading her and her friend towards the forest.
Cressida runs until the castle is out of sight. The forest is cold and haunting, a light fog staying close to the ground. Every few seconds or so, she can hear the whisper of her name travel through the trees which must have been a yell from the owner's lungs.
Her knees are scraped and dirt trodden from taking a turn too fast around a tree when she feels Moony far too close behind her.
As soon as she is absolutely certain, Cressida begins running on all four of her dark brow haired limbs. Now in a protected form, she can turn to face him.
Moony is on her heels and pounces towards her as soon as Cressida stops moving. They collide in an explosion of growls and teeth. Her back smacks against the ground. Despite her thick size, even standing on her back legs she'd be no taller than a human. And the werewolf in front of her nears seven feet tall, giving him the advantage of size.
The werewolf's jaw snaps in front of her face, aiming for her neck. Cressida swipes her front paws, using her hind legs to try and kick him off. While her animal nature in this form would protect her from the poison of his bites and scratches, the wounds wouldn't be healed when she transforms back.
If she had the vocal cords to, a string of profanity would be pouring out at this second.
Remus wants to kill her.
No.
Moony does. The werewolf does.
Cressida only hears the sound of something new thundering against the ground a moment before the werewolf on top of her is thrown off to the side. A stag leaps over her, its head bowed and prongs braced. Cressida shifts back onto her stomach and finally her feet, watching as James and the werewolf go head-to-head.
Seconds later, a large black dog, holding a rat between his jaws comes to a skidding stop.
The werewolf swipes at James who leaps backwards, rearing his head upwards to protect his neck. But the move comes with a price. The werewolf's talons tear through the stag's hind leg, instantly coating the fur in red. An animalistic shriek of pain pierces the air.
Cressida launches forward again, her teeth digging into the werewolf's shoulder. The werewolf throws itself about in an attempt to dislodge her clenched jaw but it is only at her permission that he finally tears himself free. Contrasting the feral and dominant stance from before, this time, the werewolf is crouched and careful. Cressida stands next to James, her stance wide and ready.
The werewolf backs away, eyeing all three of the large animals. Then it turns away, crawling further into the darkness of the forest.
Cressida waits fifteen seconds. Then she transforms back into a human girl with a grunt of pain behind closed lips.
"Peter!" she calls out, knowing he's around the area. The rat scurries forward. Cressida points a finger at him. "You are going to go back up to the castle and go straight to Professor Dumbledore! Find Snape if you can!" Not letting her finger drop, she spins on her heels to point at the black dog. Sirius. "You!" She takes two forceful steps forward. "You are going to go after Remus and make sure he doesn't hurt anybody else, or himself!"
Sirius doesn't move at first, only staring at her in what she can only describe as shock. Then he finally moves, his moves low to the ground at first as he traverses around her then speeds into a racing sprint by the time he does pass her.
Cressida spins back around to James who is limping heavily, struggling to stay standing. "And you," she continues, this time in a softer tone. "You need to stay as a stag." Her hand drops to her wand. There's no way to know how long James needs to stay as a stag so that Remus' scratch wouldn't be poisonous to him. James' eyes betray everything behind them; the pain, the fury, the uncertainty. She'd just have to heal him and wait. "Lie down. Sirius and Peter have got it."
As reluctant as he may be, there's no way he'd stay standing for much longer. His front legs collapse onto the knees first, his right hind leg being held off to the side. Then he drops completely, resting on his left.
Cressida crouches by his side, her wand hovering over the ferociously bleeding wounds. White light emits from her wand-tip as she casts every healing spell she can think of. And though it is not her talent or even something she is relatively decent at, eventually the wounds start to heal over. Not as effective as dittany, but it would do until she could sneak something from the Hospital Wing.
Confident that she's done all she can, Cressida finally looks away from his red-stained leg to meet his eyes. They're still hazel. An odd thing for a deer. Shuffling over to his head, she strokes it slow and calmly. He's still in pain. "I know how you felt now," she whispers. "When I got shot. Fuck." Her lips snap close, eyes pointing away as a shaken breath passes her lips. "I don't think I could ever joke about this."
The stag transforms back into a boy. James' nose is shrivelled and his lips pressed tightly together, a hand hovering his right thigh. The pants aren't torn, but specks of blood seep through.
"We should get you back to the castle. We can't go to Pomfrey unless we're ready to explain everything, but I want you out of this forest."
"Cress," he breathes out unsteadily. "I'm not going to lie, this really hurts."
Her hands begin guiding his arm around her. "I'm so sorry. I can take your weight so please don't hurt yourself more." His arm snakes over her shoulder but they don't move to stand immediately. Cressida stays on her knees, waiting for him to decide when he's ready. Eventually, he signals to move.
The trek back to the castle is long and tedious physically. But it's the mental wear that Cressida is tiring over. Where is Peter? Are Sirius and Remus alright? She needs to go back out to the forest and find them as soon as James is in his bed. She would sneak down to the Hospital Wing whistle Remus is in there to get some dittany or at least pain relief.
"Here," she mutters, guiding James back onto his bed. Blood rushes out of her head as his weight disappears, making a wave of light-headedness overwhelm her. "I ca… I can't…" Her knees weaken and they fall to the stone ground. Cressida lets her head flop against James' mattress.
"Cress? Cress? Hey?"
A heavy hand presses against the side of her head, the fingers scratching purposefully to rouse her. She manages a gruntled sound of acknowledgement. "I need to go find Peter," her voice croaks. "Or…or go help Sirius."
"You need to lie down," James corrects, his face still twisted in pain that spiked through having to use his leg.
Cressida shakes her head, still dazed. "No…No… Sirius can't handle Remus by himself." She shakes off the hand that attempts to slither around her wrist, hobbling back out to the forest as fast as she can.