Dudley felt a deepening chill as the vile things approached. He could hear a faint ringing in his head. He could hear the mocking voice of Tom Riddle.

"Voldemort is my past, my present and my future,"

"No!" Dudley shouted, dropping Luna and pressing his hands over his ears, as if that would stop the visions.

"Get them away!" Luna shouted.

"You wish to fight, then fight the Serpent of Slytherin!" he heard Riddle shout.

There was a thud. Snape had released the charm levitating Black.

"Expecto patronum!" Snape's voice cut through the fog.

The darkness cleared and Dudley found himself on his knees on the grass. Luna lying next to him and Hermione kneeling beside him.

Snape was stood over Black, his wand pointed at the Dementors. There was a white doe pacing in front of him, keeping the Dementors at bay.

"Dursley, Granger, Lovegood, get back!" Snape whispered.

Dudley, his legs shaking, scooped Luna up with Hermione's help and together, they retreated back 10 yards or so.

With his wand still pointed, Snape followed, slowly backing away.

"Take Black," Snape snarled. "Get what you came for and then leave this place."

The Dementors surged forward as Snape and the doe backed away, approaching Black who struggled to throw off the ropes binding him.

"You three, look away," Snape said, his eyes not leaving Black. "You don't want to see this, you don't need to see this."

Dudley stared transfixed as the Dementors approached Black. Hermione was sobbing. Had her eyes squeezed shut.

Suddenly, a voice cut through the night.

"Severus, what's going on?"

Dudley looked around. The thin, shabby form of Professor Lupin was hurrying towards them. In one hand he grasped his wand, in the otherm, bizarrely, was what Dudley instantly recognized to be The Marauder's Map.

How had Lupin got it? He thought the twins had it.

Lupin's eyes widened as he saw what was happening.

"NO, SEVERUS! STOP! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND-PETTIGREW …" Lupin shouted, running forward.

What Lupin was about to say was drowned out by an agonized scream from Black who had broken through the silencing charm once more.

Dudley looked around. One of the Dementors had forced Sirius Black's chin up, its mouth was attached to Black. Black was writhing frantically, furiously, futilely as the grotesque robed beast, the gaunt guard of Azkaban sucked out his soul.

"NO!" Lupin screamed. "Expecto Patronum!" a white shape—a wolf—burst out Lupin's wand, scattering the Dementors.

"You're too late," Snape said.

Dudley stared transfixed. Somehow, he had found he was now holding hands with both Luna and Hermione.

Lupin next to Black. He gave an agonized wail as he cradled the man, his boyhood friend. Black's mouth was gaped open—his eyes staring blankly.

The cloud's shifted in that moment revealing the full Moon shining down upon them—inappropriately cheerful looking.

Lupin's howl of anguish became wolflike. His back stiffened. His head raised.

"Get back!" Snape said, suddenly looking frightened. "You three—run! Now! As fast as you can!"

"Oh my …" Hermione began, her body next to Dudley's was shaking.

Lupin was transforming before his eyes. His face twisting into that of a wolf. Thick fur sprouting over his body.

Dudley couldn't move. He was frozen in shock.

"Move, Dudley! Now!" Hermione said.

"A werewolf!" Luna squealed. "He's a werewolf!"

Dudley snapped out of his daze. He grabbed one of Luna's shoulders, Hermione grabbed the other and dragged her away towards the castle. His knees still felt weak from the effect of the Dementor.

From behind them there came a furious howling and yelling.

Dudley stumbled, dropping to one knee. He glanced around, expecting to see Lupin bearing down on them—but no. Snape was there. His arm was bleeding badly—Lupin must have bit him. But he was on his feet, his wand raised as Lupin circled him.

Snape raised his arm, a jet of fire enveloping Lupin as the great werewolf leapt at the potions master.

The werewolf screamed with pain.

"Fiendfyre," Hermione whispered. Her face was deathly pale. Her eyes wide with shock.

Behind them, Snape fell to one knee, his face contorted with agony from his wounds.

The fiendfyre continued to burn, ravaging the motionless werewolf form of Hogwarts' Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor.

AUTHORS NOTE

Sorry :p