Chapter Two: No Turning Back

Severus Snape hated James Potter and Sirius Black. He detested, despised, and loathed them. Both were purebloods, rich, conceited, and thought everyone should worship the ground they walked on. And the worst was students did worship the ground they walked on. Everyone thought they were so bloody wonderful and bloody hilarious. Snape couldn't understand it, but he was used to the unfairness of life. And if the way they picked on him wasn't awful enough, this year Potter had taken a fancy to Lily Evans. Of all the witches in the school; Potter had to go after his friend. The last four years Severus and Lily had spent plenty of time ragging on Potter and his gang, but that didn't stop Snape from worrying. He was always carefully watching Lily to make sure that she didn't fall under the same spell that made everyone else love Potter.

He would be the one to bring about their downfall, and before him was an opportunity to achieve that dream. It involved a Whomping Willow, a knot, and a stick. All evening Black's instructions rolled around in his head. Should he take the bait? Was the very information to get Potter and Black expelled under the Whomping Willow Tree?

It all felt too easy and simply, but Black's words did make sense. After all, Snape had spotted Madam Pomfrey leading Lupin towards the tree last month during the full moon. So there had to be a way to freeze the tree. The question was if Black had given him the correct way to do so or if this was all some elaborate ruse.

Snape didn't think it was a trick. Black had been too emotional to set something up like that in the spur of the moment. Black had always been easy to rile, but lately it had become so easy to trigger his temper that it took away some of the fun. Black was having a difficult time at home. Snape heard the Slytherins talking about all the Black family drama in the Common Room. Black was a disappointment, delinquent, blood-traitor, Mudblood lover, lowlife...and soon to be added the list, a werewolf sympathizer.

Yes, Severus was more and more certain with each passing month that Remus Lupin was a werewolf. It started with tracking the boy's disappearances, and an obvious pattern emerged. Lupin was usually ill before and after the full moon. To add to his suspicious was the ridiculous nickname the others called Lupin: Moony. He had a blood thirsty monster as one of his classmates, and no one knew. Well, some of the staff knew...it was the innocent student body who was unaware of the danger lurking in the hallways.

In reality, getting proof of Lupin's transformations was only small part of it. He could use the information as blackmail, but he also had bigger goals. He knew Potter, Black, and Pettigrew were sneaking out at night, and he was going to catch them in the act. He didn't know where or how it connected to Lupin, but he was so close to putting it all together he could taste it. Just look how Black had reacted when Snape had boasted that he knew they were up to something on full nights as well; that was the thing that had sent Black over the edge. If there was no connection between this all then he'd buy everyone at Hogwarts a butterbeer.

As the moon rose, Snape became more and more antsy. His body had known his decision before his mind. There had always been only one choice. He had to do it. He had to follow Black's instructions. Even if his gut instincts were wrong and it was a trap, he'd lived through humiliation before and he'd live through it again. He couldn't bypass the chance to catch them; even a setup may lead to new information to use against them.

So, Snape waited until the common room emptied out. It wasn't strange for him to be the last one left. One of the Slytherin prefects was last to leave, and Snape could barely contain his impatience as the boy headed to his dormitory with barely an acknowledgement. He seized the moment and immediately stepped out of the common room. The placement of the Slytherin Common Room in the dungeons made sneaking out easy. Snape only had to ascend a flight of stairs, walk through the hallway outside the Great Hall and head to the exit that led to the grounds and the Quidditch pitch. It was quiet and dark, and Snape was easily able to slip outside.

The moon outside shone brightly and Snape headed determinedly towards the Whomping Willow. He'd made his choice and he wasn't going to back out now.

Sirius groaned. There was a soft movement in his pocket. In his disorientation, he almost dropped the two-way mirror as he fished it out of his pocket. He must have dozed off staring into the darkening sky from atop the Astronomy Tower.

"Padfoot? Finally! I've been trying to contact you for a while now. Where are you?"

"Astronomy Tower…" Sirius said his words still muffled with sleep.

"Astronomy Tower? What are you doing there? I was worried you'd gotten detention."

"No. I – ah – needed some time to cool off."

"Cool off from what?"

"Keenan invited my mother."

"Your mother?" The disbelief was evident in his best friend's voice.

"Yes. I'll tell you about it later. I must have dozed off. Is it time to join Moony?"

"Just about. Stay there. I'll have Wormtail transform and come under the cloak." The cloak James was referring to was an Invisibility Cloak; a family heirloom that James's father had bestowed on his son's twelfth birthday. It had been a great aide in their mischief making, though the four of them could no longer all fit under it at one time.

"That's completely out of the way. Let's just meet at our usual spot."

James sighed. "All right, but be careful."

"And Prongs?"

"Yea?"

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell him about his altercation with Snape, but he decided it was best to have that discussion face to face. "Never mind."

Sirius sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He stood up stretching his legs and arms. He silently began descending when he heard love-struck voices heading in his direction. He ducked behind a suit of armor that only half-hid him. It was Head Girl and her boyfriend; snogging like they'd expire on the spot. He waited patiently, but the couple instead of cooling it, was getting more intense by the second. Without the cloak, Sirius was trapped. If the couple hadn't been so consumed in each other, they probably would have spotted him.

Sirius retrieved the mirror and whispered James's name. After relaying he was trapped until the couple left, James said he'd come with the cloak leaving Peter in the spot they were originally going to meet.

It felt like an eternity before Sirius felt a tap on his shoulder, a swish of fabric, and his best friend's face looking a bit peeved. "Knew I should have just come here first," James whispered.

"Let's just go. And thanks, Prongs."

"Ugh – those noises are really revolting," James mumbled as they slipped past the entwined couple. They could both just barely fit under the invisibility cloak. Outside the castle the boys wrenched off the cloak. Wind whipped around them as they hurried along.

"I'm surprised Snivellus hasn't been lurking around," James said conversationally. "I was worried that he'd think we were sneaking out tonight after hearing us outside the Great Hall."

"Er…I took care of that."

"What?"

"I think Snape knows about Moony."

"Knows about Moony?" James repeated; his tone somewhere between disbelief and fear.

"He's made the connection between Remus disappearing and the Whomping Willow - and he was prattling on about getting us all expelled so I-" Sirius hesitated, suddenly uncertain about divulging his actions to James. "I told him how to get past the Willow."

"You did what? Tell me you're joking?"

Sirius was startled by James's tone. "What's got your wand in a knot? He's likely sulking in the dungeons. Snape's too much of a coward-"

"And if he's not?"

"He goes down the tunnel-"

"Straight into a full-grown werewolf!"

Sirius opened his mouth and for the first time that evening he felt the slightest bit of concern for Snape's life.

James ran a hand through his hair. "What were you thinking? I cannot believe you would do this!"

"You're overreacting. Snape's safely asleep in the dungeons, and we can deal with the git in the morning-"

"James! Sirius! James! Sirius!" A frantic, panting Peter, white as a ghost, lumbered down upon them.

"Wormtail, what's wrong?" James asked.

"Snape!"

"Where is he?" James demanded, clenching Peter by the shoulders.

"I saw him! Snape! Going into the Willow! He knew how to freeze it and everything."

"No!" Sirius choked.

James swore. "You bloody idiot!" James yelled, throwing his invisibility cloak to Sirius and then dashed down the path Peter had come.

In shock Sirius could only watch until his brain came to focus. "James! James! You can't go after him!" he yelled uselessly and he turned to a gaping Peter.

"How'd Snape know?" Peter asked; his voice wobbly.

"Use your brain, Wormtail," Sirius snapped.

"You told him," Peter accused.

"Not you too! I have to stop James from playing hero – and –" Sirius didn't finish his thought, he just began running toward the Whomping Willow. James was already inside the tree – after Snape – and he'd activated the Willow's branches inside, and there was no branch lying around…and by the time he found a branch it would be too late…if Peter could transform- but Peter had not run after him.

Sirius stared at the tree. All he could do now was wait and hope.

James sat numbly in Professor Dumbledore's office; Sirius to his left and Snape to his right. Peter had fetched Professor McGonagall after he'd seen James go in after Snape. It had been the right thing to do; especially since Snape was ready to blab the story around the entire school after they had appeared alive from the Whomping Willow.

James's head hurt and every time he closed his eyes, the night's images flashed through his mind.

Snape sneering at him, his dark hair limp around him. Having not yet sensed he was in danger; Snape had looked triumphant when James had caught up with him in the tunnel. "You'll be expelled by morning!" he had bellowed.

Gasping for air, he'd never run faster, and his heart hammering, the damp smell of the earth invading his senses, he'd attempted to reason with the Slytherin. "Sirius – Sirius was playing a trick on you! There's nothing down there."

Snape had laughed. He could plainly see that James was willing to do anything to make him turn around. And James could tell he wasn't about to be persuaded to back down. So James had changed tactics quickly – for with each step forward they were inching closer to a werewolf.

"Stop Snape! Stop. You have no idea what you're walking into. Please, we need to leave now."

Snape answered by sending a hex right at him. The spell caused James to stumble backwards, shoulder banging against the hard rock wall. Before James knew it another spell sent rock crumbling down upon him, almost trapping his leg! The idiot. After extracting himself from the pile of stone, James had to sprint to catch up again.

This time James ran literally into Snape, who had come to an abrupt halt; his eyes glued at the opening of the tunnel ahead. He heard the menacing snarl, saw the yellow eyes – and they were much too close. James, who ran monthly with a werewolf, felt his courage drain – the werewolf had clearly caught their human scent. In their Animagus form, Moony turned almost playful, but staring them down was a monster that wanted to rip them limb from limb.

Instinct took over. James shot two spells – one that hit Moony (a howl of pain) and the other created a temporary barrier between them and the werewolf. James tried to snap Snape out of his stupor, but he wouldn't budge. The werewolf was not to be deterred; he furiously kept barging against the invisible wall. The wolf had been denied human prey for so long that his sheer determination would break him through.

Unable to move on his own, James began to half-drag Snape. Cursing under his breath, James ignored the howling and growling that reminded him they were far from being out of danger. James unclasped his over-cloak, throwing it down on the ground as it was only a hindrance.

Snape finally snapped out of his trance, and began racing up ahead. They only managed a few meters before the git tripped on one of the rocks littered across the ground, falling flat on his face. James had to haul him to his feet; blood was dripping from the gash on Snape's nose, and he pushed Snape forward. How they both reached the Whomping Willow opening before the werewolf caught them, James would never know. He remembered the feel of the grass on his face and the icy cold air kissing his skin. And Sirius – looking pale, but relieved – was helping him to his feet.

Before either boy could exchange words, Snape having picked himself of the ground, started screaming about 'werewolves' and 'murder', over and over again. Sirius had given him pleading look, but James had purposely turned his back on him – and turned to their mutual enemy – who was still bleeding all over the place.

Murder.

The word had rung through the night air. Before there was a chance for them to handle it on their own, Peter and Professor McGonagall turned up. She had looked from boy to boy to boy, her face going from alarm to shock to anger. She was forced to silence Snape with a spell as she herded them straight to Professor Dumbledore's office. She quickly healed the wound on Snape's nose, but the spattered blood on his robes remained.

James opened his eyes back up and met the piercing blue eyes of the headmaster. He had never seen Dumbledore so furious before, and he could see why other witches and wizard considered him such a formidable opponent. James had already had his chance to speak; though his involvement had only come in at the end. Now Dumbledore was questioning both Sirius and Snape…but it didn't seem to be working too well. They both kept cutting each other off; arguing about details and intentions.

It appeared that Dumbledore was watching their body movements with as much scrutiny as the words they were saying: Sirius crossing his arms defiant and defensive; Snape's face splotched with righteous anger; and James unable to look at his best friend only an arm length away.

Perhaps Dumbledore did know what he was doing because slowly a story emerged – both boys unintentionally giving more information in anger. It certainly didn't make Snape look as innocent as he'd painted in the beginning. For a boy who'd been so shocked he couldn't move, Snape's calculating mind had quickly concluded they'd all – Remus and Peter included – plotted his murder for weeks; and he became quite enraged when Dumbledore glossed over his conclusion.

As Dumbledore pressed through a set of questions addressed specifically to Snape, James listened carefully. He had hoped the facts would make him feel better; make what Sirius had done less damaging, but it did not.

There was no doubt that Snape was culpable in the whole mess. Sirius may have given Snape the key, but it was on Snape to act on it. Snape had approached the Whomping Willow Tree, knowing he was breaking a school rule in doing so. He had not been forced or under duress. It had been Snape's own actions that had placed him in the deadly situation.

However, none of that justified his best friend's actions; his betrayal. Sirius hadn't simply told Snape information. He'd told their rival information directly linked to their friend's secret, and now that Snape knew that Remus was a werewolf, James wasn't sure what would happen next.

There was a worse question that James could not answer. What had Sirius intended to happen? Sirius had set up Remus to...scare or bite or kill their enemy? Did it matter which of the three it was? James loathed Snape as much as Sirius, but to put him in mortal danger, to use their friend like that... James rubbed his eyes tiredly. He was struggling to understand how wrong he'd been about his best friend. This was not the Sirius he knew, or thought he knew.

While James was having a crisis of conscience, Sirius was still throwing out all sorts of excuses for his actions.

Snape had been following them around!

Snape wouldn't leave them alone!

Snape was looking for trouble!

None of those statements were false, per se, James admitted. But by making excuses, it felt as if the seriousness of the situation had not yet hit Sirius.

"What exactly did you expect to happen to Mr. Snape once he reached the end of the tunnel?" Sirius throughout the discussion always appeared to lose his voice the moment a question was thrown at him directly. "Mr. Black, I need an answer."

"Wet his pants?" Sirius said, phrasing the answer in the form of the question. He'd even turned toward James as if he would find humor in the comment. James ignored Sirius. There was nothing funny about the situation, and Dumbledore agreed.

"I fail to see the humor in any of this Mr. Black."

Sirius's eyes snapped back to the Headmaster and he paled under the headmaster's unrelenting gaze.

"You knew Remus Lupin was a werewolf?"

"Yes," Sirius answered.

"You knew tonight was a full moon?"

"Yes." Despite the trouble he was in, James could detect an edge to Sirius's tone, and he hoped that Dumbledore would not notice, but the way he was gazing at Sirius did not look very promising.

"Werewolves have been covered in your Defense Against the Dark Arts class?"

"Yes," Sirius answered. "But those books are wrong. Remus isn't a monster. Remus wouldn't hurt anyone."

"He would on a full moon, Mr. Black. A transformed werewolf would murder their best friend if given the chance. Mr. Lupin would have killed Mr. Snape. Do you understand that?"

Sirius looked away; cheeks flushed. Perhaps Dumbledore was finally getting through. Then, out of nowhere, Sirius said, "Snape knew though."

"Knew what, Mr. Black?"

"Snape knew Remus was a werewolf."

The accusation rang through the room. Many of the portraits of past Headmasters shifted within their frame; they'd all been silent so far, even Phineas Nigellus Black, great-great-grandfather to Sirius.

"I did not!" Snape said loudly, but there was something calculating in his expression. And if true, then Snape was even more an idiot than James had first thought.

"You said you knew what he was," Sirius insisted.

"I had my suspicions, sir," Snape replied. "I didn't think an actual werewolf would be allowed to attend Hogwarts."

A silence fell over the room. Professor Dumbledore stood up. "I think it is getting late. I would still like to speak privately to Mr. Black. Mr. Potter, you may leave-"

"What? You're letting Potter go!" Snape snarled.

"It is my understanding that Mr. Potter saved your life at great risk to his own." James felt his own face color. He didn't feel like much of a hero.

"Saved?" Snape spluttered. "He was in on it! So was the werewolf! Potter just got cold feet-"

"Remus had nothing to do with it," protested Sirius. "Nor did James or Peter. I came up with it all on my own. It was my fault."

"Sir, you don't believe that?" Snaped said incredulously.

"I do." Snape made a derisive noise. "I have more than one way of knowing when students are being truthful. Please stop in the Hospital Wing where Madam Pomfrey will administer a Calming Drought, so you may get a full night's rest. I will, no doubt contact both of you in the morning."

Snape rose up looking lived. Sirius was staring moodily at his shoes. And Jamese felt like he was lost at sea.

"You will tell no one Mr. Lupin's secret," Dumbledore called out, like he was commenting on the weather, rather than commanding a student keep a secret. Snape turned around sharply. "Do I have your word?"

"Yes," Snape muttered.

"You're not – surely you're not going to simply take his word on this?" Sirius protested, looking suddenly up.

"Can't you Oblivate his memory or something," James added. He couldn't think of a single thing that would prevent Snape from babbling this all over school.

"I try not to tamper with my student's memories if I can help it."

"This isn't fair to Remus. He'd tell the school just to get back at me!"

"I have full faith in Mr. Snape." Snape looked awkward standing there; suddenly being seen as someone worthy of trust. "Let us not forget, Mr. Black, if you hadn't been so careless with a fellow student's secret, we wouldn't be having this conversation at all."

Sirius opened his mouth, but closed it abruptly. James saw the words cut deeply, but he felt no sympathy for his friend.

Snape exited the office with the door shutting loudly behind him. James stood up; he could feel both Dumbledore and Sirius gazing at him. James knew that if he nodded or gave Sirius reassuring look that it would translate to Dumbledore that James didn't think any of this was a big deal. But it was and his emotions were all over the place. Angry at Sirius, furious at Snape and then feeling like a terrible friend at the same time. This time Sirius would have to stand alone. He left not saying word to either of them, not looking at anyone.

Sirius shifted in his seat as he heard the door click behind James. He didn't know what to think of James blatantly ignoring him. Now was not the time to worry further about that. James was always on his side. This was a bump in the road, and in time James would see sense.

The conversation didn't unfold as Sirius expected. Dumbledore continued to prod Sirius about his motivations in the whole incident. The non-existent motivations, since it had all been in the heat of the moment. He'd reacted, not plotted a murder.

The details of the conversation with Snape were not even clear in his own head. He'd been so angry at Keenan and humiliated by his mother; he had not been thinking properly. He was not a murderer.

Dumbledore did not know of his mother's visit, and even when Sirius was given the chance, he couldn't bring himself to tell the Headmaster. He saw no benefit in doing so. It was as poor an excuse as any other he'd tried, and he'd rather not broadcast his family drama.

Dumbledore did look disappointed by what he'd said so far and Sirius was beginning to fear Dumbledore believed he was capable of murder. A true Black underneath all that Gryffindor red and gold. He wanted to argue in his own defense, but he did not know how.

"You are traveling down a very dark path, Mr. Black." Dumbledore's voice was quiet, but firm and this was worse than any other time he'd been shouted out. "It is up for me to decide whether you meant for harm to come to Mr. Snape." Sirius looked sullenly to the ground. "Is there anything else you'd like to add in your defense?"

"No, sir," Sirius mumbled.

"I see," Dumbledore said sadly.

Realizing a second too late that he should say something, he began rambling, "I really didn't mean – I wasn't thinking - I didn't think he would –"

Dumbledore cut him off. "To what purpose did you tell Mr. Snape how to get past the Whomping Willow?"

Sirius faltered. He wondered for a terrible moment what would happen if he simply said, "I wanted him to die, sir." What would the Headmaster say to that? Was that not why he kept asking that same question over and over again? Was that not the answer that would make everything simpler? Then they could lock him up and throw away the key.

"I need an answer, Mr. Black."

"I've already told you. I wanted to scare him off," Sirius repeated defensively. "He wasn't going to leave it alone. He would have continued to-"

"So, you expected Mr. Snape to follow your instructions? Mr. Snape needed to encounter Mr. Lupin in his transformed form for this to occur."

"I didn't know he would. And he didn't need to get close to Remus. A werewolf's howling is enough to drive away most people."

"A foolish assumption," Professor Dumbledore stated, his stern expression not wavering.

"Snape knew Remus was a werewolf!"

"Yes, you've stated that before."

"You don't believe me."

"I did not say that, Mr. Black. Suspicions aside, Mr. Snape did not enter that tunnel expecting to encounter a free roaming werewolf."

Sirius refused to look away. It wasn't as if he had unchained Remus. He waited for the inevitable next question. And when it was left unsaid, Sirius knew this did not bode well for his future at Hogwarts. Dumbledore was too perceptive to have not concluded that Sirius, unlike Snape, knew the exact security measures put in place.

Dumbledore regarded Sirius pensively. "You are fortunate no one was physically harmed. This would have been a very different conversation had Mr. Potter not stepped in. You acted thoughtlessly with no regard to the dire consequences they could lead to. I am afraid if you do not learn to control your emotions, next time you will not be so lucky."

"Yes, sir," Sirius muttered. His stomach was in knots; he wanted to hear his punishment and leave the room as soon as possible.

"There are a lot of important life lessons to be learned from this situation, and you'll be given plenty of time to think about your actions. I would like to carefully deliberate your punishment and I will take both Professor McGonagall's and Professor Slughorn's inputs. I suppose I should have realized your mutual animosity would escalate to something along these lines. I should have stepped in sooner. First things first, I want you to be the one to tell Mr. Lupin what has transpired tonight."

"Me? I don't think he'll be too happy to hear it, sir."

"I believe in time Mr. Lupin will appreciate that the news came from you. It takes courage to take ownership of your mistakes. Perhaps speaking to Mr. Lupin will help you see the severity of your actions had Mr. Potter not reacted in a timely manner." Dumbledore paused as if he expected Sirius to say something. When Sirius stayed silent, he continued, "I expect to hear from Madam Pomfrey that you spoke to Mr. Lupin before your first class. You are to attend all your classes tomorrow – if I hear you were late or caused any disturbances, I may change my mind about expulsion."

The last word hung in the room. How many times had the teachers threatened James and him about expulsion, neither of them ever taking it seriously? This was the first time Sirius believed it was more than a threat, and he felt sick to his stomach.

"We will meet again tomorrow. I believe I will have my decision of your punishment as well as if any other parties involved will receive any. I will let know the time. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Go straight to your dormitory. Do I need to find you an escort?"

"No, sir," Sirius stated. No Calming Draught for him. Not for a would-be murderer.

Leaving the office, Sirius did not expect to find James waiting and for a moment he thought maybe James had been putting up a front for the Headmaster. Upon closer inspection his best friend was unrecognizable. His hazel eyes cold and his face uncaring. "Well?" James snapped.

Sirius stepped back from the venom in his tone. He knew James did not agree with what he'd done, but his anger was over the top.

"Well what?" Sirius asked back. There was an unspoken challenge in his voice.

"Were you expelled?"

"No. Not yet."

"You've done some stupid things, Sirius – but – this – THIS!"

"It was only Snape," Sirius snapped back. His anger bubbling over. He had never taken to being yelled at well. Snape who they all hated. Snape who was not an innocent bystander. Snape who had emerged alive, barely a scratch on him. After the lecture and questioning with Dumbledore, Sirius couldn't stand being looked down by a friend who was as much a troublemaker as he was. He needed James on his side.

"Only Snape? Do you hear yourself? Snape could have been killed!"

"And it would have served him right!"

James stepped back, looking shaken. "Is that how you see it?"

"Come off your high horse! When have you ever cared about Snape? You bloody well started the whole feud with him! You hate him was much as I do!" It was true. Snape's personality had clashed head-on with James's the first time they had met. James and Snape had tussled and argued those first few months. It wasn't until the end of first year that Sirius had gotten more involved in the altercations; after he'd grown closer to James.

"Doesn't mean I think he deserves to be mauled."

"You think I do?" Sirius shook his head. How could James look him in the eye and believe he was capable of murder? He might be rash, impulsive, and even cruel at times, but he was not a killer.

"What am I supposed to think? You just said he would have deserved it! And the entire time we were in Dumbledore's office, did you show even the slightest hint of remorse?"

"I took responsibility for it! Isn't that enough?"

"And if I hadn't run after Snape? What would have happened then? I saved your sorry-"

"Oh. Right. Oh, thank Merlin, Perfect James Potter was there to save the day!"

"You still don't understand, do you? Has it still now sunk in? Did you stop to think what would have happened if I hadn't gone in there after Snape?"

"We've been through that already."

"Forget about Snape! What about Moony? What about Remus?" James had worked himself up and he grabbed Sirius's arm with the last sentence. They'd both forgotten they were still outside the Headmaster's office, but if Dumbledore heard any of it, he did not step in. "He's our friend. One of our best friends! And we swore never to reveal his secret! You know he can't control himself in his transformed state. If he'd bitten Snape – or worse – he wouldn't have been able to live with himself! And all because of you! His life would have been ruined. Expelled, at the least and probably thrown into Azkaban or executed!"

Sirius felt his rage at James suddenly leak out. Because he hadn't thought about the repercussions for Remus, not really. "I – I – didn't think."

"That is obvious enough!" James yelled breathing heavily. "You didn't even have the guts to do it yourself, did you? Let the werewolf do your dirty work. Let him kill your enemy."

"You know I don't see Remus that way."

"Do I?"

"Yes!" Sirius pushed past James and then turned back around. In a quieter voice, he said, "Professor Dumbledore told me – ordered me – to be the one to tell Remus."

"Good! Maybe it will sink into your big fat head when you see his face!"

"Maybe it will," Sirius said back evenly.

"Don't come up to the room for a while – I need time – I – just stay away."

"Fine," Sirius said curtly, his brisk tone masking the hurt. If James didn't want him up in the dorm; he'd camp out all night in the common room. Sirius would not beg to be let into his own dorm.

Author's note: Thanks for reading. A review would be so awesome and put a smile on my face!