From Level 1...
A bad day was a bad day or rather, a bad week as exams happily swamped them with last minute studying, tests and then the tragic news Ness had heard as he hurried to his next exam with Ginny by his side.
They had accidentally bumped into Harry and his friends' moments after Harry and his friends had bumped into Fudge moments after their Defense Against the Dark Arts and discovered that the hearing was scheduled for this afternoon.
Something no one was properly prepared to hear about, all their hard work, advice messages he, Ginny, Luna, Selvis (Ginny threatened to pin him to the floor again if he didn't give Hagrid some advice on what to say) and from the trio of mischief (Harry, Ron and Hermione, their newest nickname) had sent over the week of brain numbing questions and magical tasks they had to perform.
"You know, I think I liked it better when exams were just about writing in the answers and proving your work." Ness groaned as he leaned against the stone wall outside the Defense Against Dark Arts exam classroom, hoping that the cold wall would sooth his headache while Ginny tried to get a couple more minutes of studying in before they had to go in for the exam.
Ginny nodded in agreement and closed her book, sighing, "Honestly, I feel so unprepared for this."
"Me to." Ness admitted, feeling his headache turn into a migraine he tried to remember how he faked Flipendo before, "I hope Harry's doing better than us."
"Probably, since we wasted all our time trying to solve mysteries." Ginny muttered, closing her eyes for a moment before they snapped open in realization, "Oh! Speaking of mysteries, we should tell him the truth!"
It took Ness a couple moments before he realized what she meant, "Oh yea! I completely forgot about telling him." He admitted, feeling a bit guilty about not cluing Harry in on the Black activity. Although, in his defense he had just been acting on gut feelings and didn't exactly have coherent evidence to back his claims up.
"When should we tell? During break?" Ginny asked as a couple Ravenclaw students walked past them, their noses buried in their books as they too, tried to prepare for their next exam. "We'll tell him after dinner." Ness decided, "Or, try to since we have to cheer Hagrid on tonight."
"I hope they win." Ginny murmured as she shoved her book into her school bag and started for Defense Against Dark Arts with Ness trailing behind her. Although Ness hadn't paid to much attention to Professor Lupin during the school year, he knew that Lupin was an awesome teacher from how his housemates had gushed over his lessons and from the few activities he had performed in.
So, it was only natural that he had an awesome exam planned out for them. Or rather, an awesome obstacle course going over every monster, charm and spell they studied. Ness managed to get by thanks to his PSI and battle instincts while Ginny had a bit more trouble, getting lost thanks to a Hinkypinky in the marsh section.
"How did you get by that part?" Ginny asked as they sat down for dinner in slightly muddy robes, "I kept going in circles thanks to that Hinkypinky."
"I just did the opposite of what it told me." Ness said, scanning the dinner table for Harry, Ron and Hermione, "After all, if its lying to confuse people then you should do the opposite of what they're saying."
Ginny managed a small, "Huh," before she spotted them. "Oh! There they are! Over here! Harry!" Harry looked up and waved hello at them, but sat down near the end of the table, "Bother," Ginny grumbled as Ness said, "We'll just tell them after dinner." And started to eat a piece of steak.
But right after a semi normal dinner, Harry, Ron and Hermione were nowhere to be found. "Where did they go….?" Ginny questioned as they slowly made their way to the Gryffindor tower, lagging behind their classmates as they looked around, "It's not like they could disappear."
Ness thought about any possible reasons for Harry to disappear then face palmed, "They're going to visit Hagrid! That's why they disappeared!"
"Oh?" they jumped as Selvis appeared out of nowhere, "And who is this they?" he questioned, a questioning smirk on his face,
"Do you really have to ask?" Ness sighed, "And, why do you have a camera in your hands?"
"This piece of junk?" Selvis glanced down at the battered camera and shoved it into Ness's hands, "That is to take pictures of the inside of the Shrieking Shack the next time you explore." Before Ness could protest Selvis spun on his heel and headed toward his common room, "Well that was bizarre." Ginny noted.
"Did he seriously follow us and risk getting in trouble just to give me this?" Ness wondered, examining the old relic, he frowned when he saw a small note taped to the back that said 'Yes, yes I did'
"Ginny, Selvis can predict the future." Ness said, before Ginny yanked him into an empty classroom.
"Shh! Filch is here." Ginny warned,
"Well, we better leave then," Ness with a small shrug, earning a baffled look from Ginny as he grabbed her hand and broke into a run, picturing himself and Ginny stepping out on the castle grounds near Hagrid's hut.
"W-what?" Ginny stammered as the world distorted around them, the castle walls faded and were replaced by colors of forest green and wood brown, before the world stabilized and they found themselves in Hagrid's garden. which was full of pumpkins and oddly enough, Buckbeck who was tethered to a fence.
"Um… Is Buckbeck usually outside?" Ginny asked sounding a bit dazed as she hesitantly inching behind Ness who waved hello to the Hippogriff and peeked through a foggy window. Where Hagrid, Ron, Harry and Hermione where.
"Darn, we got here too late." Ness muttered, "Oh well, what's up with you Buckbeck?" Buckbeck spared Ness a glance before he resumed eating some mice, "Oh, nothing much, just sulking over my execution and the fact that I couldn't reach that rat."
"Rat?" Ness questioned as he grabbed Ginny's hand, allowing her to join in the conversation, "Hagrid has a rat in his house?"
"Yes, and I can't reach it." Buckbeck grumbled, then he glared at Ginny who tensed and waited for his verdict, "Whose she? You're mate?" Buckbeck questioned his eyes slowly narrowing, "If by mate you mean friend, then yes, she is my friend."
"N-nice to meet you," Ginny started giving a short bow, "I'm Ginny Weasly."
"Oh, you're related to that carrot-top. Lovely." Buckbeck rumbled before he resumed pawing the ground, "I'm guessing Hagrid wanted you to enjoy… the weather?" Ness questioned, a sinking feeling in his gut as he realized that theses would be Buckbeck's last moments.
"Yes… He wanted me to enjoy the outdoors one more time." Buckbeck solemnly replied, "…I'll miss that giant oaf…"
"Wait! Um, what if we can free you?" Ginny offered, they looked at her in surprise, "That… is a rather kind gesture, but if I escaped then Hagrid would become the guilty party in a false crime." Buckbeck slowly said.
Ginny looked at Ness for a couple pleading moments who was slowly trying to figure out how Buckbeck could escape without Hagrid being blamed, "Oh wait! What if I used my PSI powers?" Ness offered, "I could use a small flame to burn the rope through so you can escape."
"Hagrid would still be blamed for that," Buckbeck grumbled.
"Not if the committee saw you before you escaped and Hagrid was with them the entire time." Ness argued, praying that the gods of luck were on his side. Before Buckbeck could argue any further, they heard a muffled scream and ducked underneath Hagrid's window while Buckbeck stiffened.
"It's Scabbers!" they heard Hermione yell, sounding a bit shaken, "He was in the milk jug! Look!" there was an abrupt sound of chairs being knocked over, then a yell full of relief from Ron, "Scabbers! You're alive!" quickly followed by a pause and, "Wait, how did you get here?"
"He probably hide here when he realized Black was on his tail." Ness murmured, "Pretty impressive for a criminal."
"Shush! I hear something." Ginny said, straining to hear something, Ness frowned then froze when he the faint sound of footprints and a panicked Hagrid saying, "I'll lead yeh out the back way."
"You need to get out of here." Buckbeck said, grabbing Ness by the back of his shirt with his beck and forcefully tossed him him toward the forest, "R-right." Ness said stumbling slightly as Ginny shoved him into a nearby bush, just as Hagrid practically shoved the trio outside and closed the back door. They watched as Harry, Hermione and Ron left in a horrified trance. Not noticing how fidgety Buckbeck was acting.
"Did they see you yet?" Ness asked, once he was about to think over his pounding heart at how close they were to be caught. "Well, one old biddy keeps peering out the window at me, I believe that counts as being seen." Buckbeck grumpily replied.
"Good! Hold still." Ness pointed at the rope and murmured Fire Alpha, praying that the small flame would just cause the rope to break, and not set the entire garden on fire.
"It worked!" Ginny squealed, clapping her hands over her mouth as Buckbeck pulled free, and sprinted for freedom, "Good luck!" Ness mentally yelled as Buckbeck gave a prideful caw and disappeared into the darkness.
"What the!?" a voice spluttered as the back door flew open and a group of old men plus Hagrid and the Minister of Magic stumbled outside, "He mus' have freed himself!" Hagrid yelled, tears of happiness spilling down his face, "Good fer you Buckbeck! Good fer you!"
"Is that Dumbledore?" Ginny questioned as a man wearing a giant star covered hat walked outside, with a small smile of amusement on his face, "Someone must have freed him!" a man in a black robe snarled angrily looking around. they ducked behind the bush as the man with the hat mused, "Well, if someone did free him then they'd probably be long gone by now. I've heard that Hippogriff are very fast fliers."
"Mission accomplished." Ness mouthed as the executor yelled about searching the grounds just to be sure. He grabbed Ginny and sprinted forward, winching as the bushes made a soft rustle as they teleported back to the castle staircase.
"That was amazing!" Ginny exclaimed once they were sure that they were alone, "I honestly didn't think it would work." Ness said, then he joked, "Turns out I was being a bird- brain."
"Har-har." Ginny said, rolling her eyes before she looked around once more, "I wonder where Harry is?"
"Probably invisible." Ness guessed, "That way no one could see them sneaking away."
"True… So, they must be back at the castle then." Ginny mused, Ness nodded in agreement and started for the stairway, "I wonder what's Black's doing." Ness mused as they sneaked around the fidgety Dementors and checked over their shoulders to ensure that the Minister's men weren't behind them.
"Wait… if Black can turn into a dog then… shouldn't he be able to sniff out Scabbers now that Ron has him?"
Ness froze then looked at Ginny in shock, he had completely forgotten about Black's vow to murder Peter thanks to the wave of exams that exhausted everyone, he thought he had convinced Black to be reasonable, and turn him in if he did corner Peter but… If push comes to shove, Black's first action would be to kill Peter in a fit of rage rather than think through his choices.
"Ginny, we have to stop them." Ness decided, turning around and adjusting his hat, Ginny nodded in agreement and grabbed his hand, already prepared for the teleportation.
"And just, how do you plan to stop them?"
"Simple, by telling the truth-," Ness started when he realized that the question had been asked by an adult, a calm, Defense Against the Dark Arts adult named, Professor Lupin.
The only thing Ness could say was, "Ah." As he pictured the hours of scolding and punishment he and Ginny were going to get for sneaking out after hours.
"We can explain!" Ginny suddenly blurted out, earning a raised eyebrow from their teacher as Ness frantically nodded in agreement, "And this explanation as to why you are out during curfew is…?" Lupin questioned.
"Well, we first came outside to say good bye to Buckbeck, this awesome Hippogriff who was wrongly blamed but then-," Ness started when Ginny talked over him babbling, "We think Black is about to kidnap Harry or one of his friends to get revenge on Peter Petigrew! He is an Animagus for some unknown reason, but he used his magic to fake his death in order to escape Vol- You-Know-You's dead followers since he got Harry's parents killed and-,"
"But then we remembered that Black was going to go after Harry since I completely forgot that my 'don't do the wrong thing' speech might have gone over his head since he was mentally tortured for who knows how long and then-,"
"So we figured out what's going on and are on our way to stop them-,"
"Enough!" Lupin ordered, looking overwhelmed by Ginny and Ness's jumbled explanation, "How on earth did you piece this theory together?"
Ness took a deep breath and launched into the whole 'not a wizard but a PSI person' and how he had been on the lookout for Black ever since school started but didn't think he was really a serial killer and ended up proving his theory correct by discovering that he was after Peter not Harry.
"And that's why we're going to sneak out of school and head over to the giant tree." Ness finished.
"I… see…" Lupin said, still looking overwhelmed, "And here I thought…" he muttered when Ginny raised a trembling hand as if she was in class and not about to be sent to magical jail for breaking at least a thousand school rules "Err… Professor, if I could ask something, but, what are you doing outside?"
"I'm merely investigating something." Lupin coolly said.
"Which is…?" Ness prompted as something in the back of his mind bugged him, like why was Lupin even outside? He wasn't with Dumbledore's group and he didn't have a reason to help the search for Buckbeck, which was surely going on and wasn't Lupin ill tonight? It was the full moon after all—or it was about to be since the sun was slowly setting.
"I've noticed three other students heading toward the Whomping Willow, and I'm going to ensure that they don't do anything dumb." Lupin said, "Now go on, before I have the right mind to report you two to Dumbledore."
"Hold on, aren't you sick?" Ness questioned, "Tonight's the full moon, and aren't you allergic to the full moon or something?"
"Ness, people can't be allergic to the full moon." Ginny sighed.
"Well there has to be some reason he freaks out like a bad black and white movie character!" Ness protested, earning baffled looks from Ginny and Lupin, "Like those movies where the hero or villain transforms into this wolf monster!" Ness explained, "They all go—No! Not the moon—or whatever it turns them and-,"
"Professor Lupin isn't a werewolf, he's an Animagus" Ginny wearily retorted, " He probably came outside the reason we're out here, to stop Black from murdering someone."
Ness looked at Lupin and gasped when he saw the brief look of shock on Lupin's face before it was replaced by a calm frown, Ginny noticed the stunned expression and gasped, "I was right?"
"About?" Ness prompted, feeling extremely lost, "About Lupin being friends with Black! I just guessed since Black was an Animagus, along with Peter so I figured that James had to be one along with Lupin since he sounded like he knew James!"
"Huh… That makes sense." Ness mused, "So what animal are you Lupin?"
"Werewolf." Lupin deadpanned with a small sigh.
"…Ohhhh…" was all Ness could say as everything over the past year clicked.
"Yes, that is why I've disappeared every full moon." Lupin answered, "I believe Hermione Granger has already come to that conclusion already."
"So those potions you've been taking haven't been poisons?" Ginny questioned, "No, they were made so I could easily take control of my werewolf form and curl up somewhere from prying eyes." Lupin explained, "It was one of my many requirements Dumbledore had to put in order for me to work here without getting attacked by the other teachers."
"They didn't want a werewolf to teach Defense against the Dark Arts?" Ness questioned,
"Well, it makes sense when you remember that Werewolves are almost as dangerous as vampires since they can turn people." Ginny reminded him, then she cringed and hurriedly said, "No offense Professor."
"None taken, it's merely how the world works." Lupin said, waving away her apology, "Now come on, we have a 'serial' killer to stop." Ginny nodded and fell into step behind Lupin before Ness realized something, "Wait, did you take that potion?"
Lupin froze then kept moving, "No, but we need to hurry before-,"
"No," Ness said, "We're heading to your office and then we're getting to the Shrieking Shack." Ginny frowned then realized what Ness planned to do, "Right," she said grabbing Ness's hand and offering Lupin her own.
"By the time we get to my office Black probably would have done something irreversible by now, besides, the potion only works if I take it a week before the full moon." Lupin protested.
"True, but you have a PSI user on your side." Ness said, with a small grin, "One who can teleport around the school without getting in trouble and use healing Psi to clear up status effects." Lupin frowned slightly then sighed, "Fine, but I doubt it will work."
"Doesn't hurt to try!" Ness chirped as he teleported them to Lupin's office for a potion and possibly last minute supplies. Knowing Black someone was bound to be hurt at this point...
I hate writing short chapters T_T It's just so... Short! Mehh... At least I can make up for it next chapter.