Chapter Twenty: A Lone Howl

Lily looked out the window at the moon. Her heart squeezed. She sighed and turned back to her task. Her hand seized halfway down the page of notes. She shook it out and returned to copying the notes from that afternoon's Charms class.

Alice laughed as Frank peered around the corner. It was just past curfew and they both felt like first-years out of bed. He pulled her down the hallway towards the Room of Requirement. They ran as they heard someone coming.

Peter moved as fast as he could. He nearly fell down a flight of stairs but he managed to maintain his balance. He rounded the corner to the Transfiguration wing and tried to catch his breath before he pounded on Professor McGonagall's office door.

Marlene sat in front of the fire in the Common Room. Something felt wrong. She could feel it in her stomach. It was the kind of feeling she got when she knew the boys were up to something. But there was something off about the off feeling. She looked around the room at all the fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-year students studying. The only one of her friends present was Lily.

Sirius sat alone with his head in his hands. Tears slipped down his face. He rocked back and forth on the bed in attempt to comfort himself. What did I do? What did I do? What did I do?

James tore down the stairs in the entry way. He raced through the doors and out into the grounds. He saw the Whomping Willow freeze in the distance. Adrenaline propelled him forward. He slid into the tunnel as the tree swung a branch a moment too late to catch him.

Snape pushed the broken door open slowly. Wand out, ready for this to be some dirty trick by Black. He nearly dropped his wand when he saw the werewolf. He backed up a step and the floor creaked. He held his breath. He heard the heavy breathing of the monster. He almost shrieked when the hand grabbed him from behind.

"C'mon!" James dragged Snape away, back down the tunnel. When Snape overcame his shock he stumbled into a full blown run. Both boys sprinted down the narrow passageway. Each throwing looks over the shoulders every few steps, wands in hand and ready.

They clamored out of the tunnel entrance at the base of the tree. Ducking away from the flailing limbs they didn't stop until they were out of reach of the tree. They flopped down onto the ground to catch their breath. It took them a moment to realize that they were not alone.

Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey all stood there staring at them. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Snape."

Dumbledore looked to the tree and back at the boys. "Are you alright?"

"Professor Dumbledore! Remus Lupin is a —" Dumbledore held up his hand and Snape fell silent. "Minerva, if you would ask Horace to join us in my office. Poppy, if you would return to your patients. I see that your assistance is not needed here at this time."

Dumbledore turned and made his way back towards the castle. James, very familiar with disciplinary processes, followed after him. McGonagall had to clear her throat and indicate Snape was to follow as well.

James and Snape didn't look at each other as they followed Dumbledore to his office. It was a painful and awkward silence for both boys. How would they explain what happened tonight? Certainly Dumbledore knew Remus was a werewolf? Did he know about the other three boys being Animagi? Why was Snape there in the first place?

The hippogriff statue spiraled up and up to the headmaster's office. Both boys followed him and stood in front of his desk as he settled. Snape, so eager to speak previously, was silent. "As I am sure you are both aware of by now, Mr. Lupin is afflicted with lycanthropy. And has been so since before arriving to this school. This is something that as headmaster I knew of. I put things into place as needed to ensure that he would be able pursue a normal wizarding education as both of you have been able to."

Snape stared at Dumbledore like he had just turned into a werewolf. James tried to make himself small for the first time in his life. Someone rapped on the office door before opening it. McGonagall and Slughorn both entered, followed by Madam Pomfrey and Sirius. He was in his pajamas, arm in sling. His eyes were red from weeping but he had steeled himself on the walk from the hospital wing.

"I feel this conversation would be easier if we were all a little more comfortable." Dumbledore stood and waved his wand. Six squishy armchairs appeared around his desk.

James refused to even look at Sirius. Anger that hadn't had a chance to rise started to boil through him. He clenched his fists and stared down at them as he sank into the armchair. Sirius took one look at him and shrank into his seat.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black," Dumbledore's statement was a question. James looked up at the headmaster. The severity of the situation reflected in his eyes. All the mirth had been replaced by a sharpness.

Sirius turned his head ever so slightly to look at James. His best friend would not look at him but the boy on James's either side sneered at him. Clearly all the shock that had impacted Snape previous had dissipated.

"Professor Dumbledore," Sirius clenched his fists and prayed his voice would stop shaking. "Professor, this is my fault."

McGonagall watched her student closely. She could not remember a time that Sirius Black had ever truly taken the responsibility for something. Not only that, but he meant it.

"I argued with Sn— Severus. In my anger I told him where he would be able to find Remus tonight." Sirius looked down into his lap and tried to blink away the tears. "I am deeply sorry for my actions. To both Severus and Remus."

Sirius took in a gasp for air and looked back up. He turned to Severus, "I should have not done what I did. James, I—"

James was trying hard to keep his own tears of fury at bay. He shook his head ever so slightly and looked up at the Sorting Hat on the shelf.

"Thank you, Mr. Black. Madam Pomfrey, if you would escort young Sirius back to the hospital wing. Might I suggest a draft to help with sleep? I fear tonight will be difficult." Madam Pomfrey placed her hand lightly on Sirius shoulder and fussed over his arm as they made their way out of the office. "Mr. Potter, I fear I must ask something big of you. Could you please tell me the events that led to both yourself and Mr. Snape being in the Shrieking Shack tonight?"

James let out a breath. "Peter and I were visiting with Sirius tonight in the hospital wing. Professor, we've known about Remus's — affliction — since third year." Somewhere behind him he heard a familiar noise from McGonagall. "We live with him. He's our brother. We figured it out and when we did we told Remus. He was worried that we thought him a monster but he's not, Professor. Remus is one of the most compassionate and talented wizards I know —"

Dumbledore smiled at James as he watched the boy try to compose himself. "James, I am very much aware of the person that Remus Lupin is and continues to become. He is fortunate to have a friend who can see past what he is to who he is."

"Pete and I were with Sirius in the hospital wing when Sirius told us what he had done. He regretted it the moment he realized what he'd done, Professor." James knew he had to be careful with how much he said. "I knew that it couldn't be long before Remus transformed. I told Peter to find Professor McGonagall. I knew from Remus that he was taken to the Shrieking Shack through a tunnel under the Whomping Willow to transform. I thought I had time to stop Severus before — before something happened."

Slughorn was mumbling things to himself under his breath. Snape had curled his hands into his fists at this point. Heat emanated from him. All three adults were aware of the anger this boy was experiencing.

"I found Severus at the end of the tunnel. The door was broken and I could see past him to where Remus had transformed. I grabbed him and we ran back to the Whomping Willow."

Everyone was quiet for a moment. Dumbledore watched both boys carefully. "James, I cannot begin to express my appreciation for your quick thinking and courage tonight." A small sigh escaped from the old wizard. "You have acted heroically, but as I am sure you are aware, all of these actions will need to maintain absolute secrecy. For the sake of young Mr. Lupin who is an equal victim in this as Mr. Snape."

James looked at the man. A knot in his chest released. "Of course, Professor."

"Minerva, if you would escort Mr. Potter back to Gryffindor Tower. I would speak with Mr. Snape and Horace alone at this time. We can discuss Mr. Black's punishment in the morning."

As the office door closed, Snape was on his feet shouting at Professor Dumbledore. Minerva led him away before he could put together what the boy was saying. None of it good, for certain. They walked in silence all the way back to the tower. McGonagall stopped James at the Fat Lady's portrait.

"James, I am incredibly proud of your actions tonight. You behaved as a true Gryffindor and prevented an irreparable accident from occurring. Thank you, for being the friend that Remus needs." McGonagall dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. She shooed him into the tower.

James looked around at the students who were still awake and studying. He looked around for Peter but he must have gone to their dormitory. Marlene was sitting by the fire, a look of distraction on her face. Lily was over in the corner writing furiously. For the first time in a long while, James felt alone. He crossed to the dormitory stairs and made the climb to his bed where he knew he would not get a wink of sleep tonight. Somewhere out in the night a lone howl echoed through the darkness.