38
The Incident
The Christmas Break went by far too quickly, much to the disappointment of everyone. It was very easy to get used to the two weeks of relaxation. When they got back to classes, their teachers began piling on N.E.W.T. review, realizing that the exams were only a few months away.
Their first friday back was a full moon. So in the late afternoon, Remus informed Doe that he had to go.
She frowned, " Be careful, okay?"
He nodded, " I always am"
" Don't let James and Sirius have you do anything stupid" She told him.
He smiled, " I won't. But they don't come until it's really dark anyway"
Doe frowned slightly, She didn't want him to leave.
" I'll be fine, don't worry" He told her.
Doe sighed, " I always worry, I can't help it".
He smiled at her, and bent down to kiss her one last time.
" I've really got to go or Madam Pompfrey will skin me" he said.
Doe watched him jog quickly towards the hospital wing and disappear around the corner.
She decided to go the library. She needed to read up on some her N.E.W.T. level potions. It was very empty tonight. As it was the first friday back from break, most students were spending it in the common room enjoying themselves, even Severus wasn't here.
She sat down at one of the small tables at the end of one of the shelves and began reading.
She was there for awhile. Madam Pince was the only one still there when she left. Doe noticed that it was already dark when she headed back to the common room. She stopped at one of the windows near the exit to the grounds. She could easily see the whomping willow. It comforted her knowing that somewhere deep underneath it was Remus. She froze when she saw something dart through the grounds and approach the tree. It was Severus.
Doe didn't stop to think. She ran for the door to the grounds and pushed it open tearing down the grassy lawns toward him.
" Severus!" she shouted, stopping in front of him, a few feet in front of the whomping willows frantic branches, " What are you doing here"
Severus looked at her strangely, " Sirius told me that all of the Marauder's are keeping a secret in there. He told me how to get it in"
He tried to take a step forward towards the tree.
" No!" she grabbed his arm to stop him.
" You can't go in there" she told him earnestly.
" Yeah? Why not?" He asked.
" Severus, you just can't. It's not safe" she told him.
" You know what's in there too?" Severus demanded.
Doe bit her lip and didn't answer. If she lied, Severus would be able to tell. If she told the truth, he would be even more mad.
" I'm definitely going in" Severus said trying to push past her.
" Please don't, Sev" she begged.
Doe knew that somewhere down there Remus was fully morphed into a werewolf. Severus couldn't go.
Severus drew his wand, " I am going down there"
She took a deep breath, " Then I am going with you" she said nervously.
She didn't want to go. Her body was coursing with fear at the thought of going down there, but she couldn't let Severus see, he would surely tell everyone. Maybe she could confound him on the way there.
Severus shrugged and walked towards the tree, throwing a small stone at it's base. It immobilized the trees limbs. Severus and Doe ran forward sliding down the opening in the tree. They tumbled forward and practically landed on eachother. Inside the tree, the branches began flailing again, and Severus and Doe saw a small downward sloping path.
Severus began walking, but making sure to stand behind her, probably sensing she would try something.
They walked for what seemed like a while before they got to a staircase that led upward.
Doe could feel her anxiety increasing as they approached it, knowing they must be getting closer.
" We should go back" she said earnestly.
Severus shook his head and walked up the staircase.
Doe ran after him, and grabbed him by the wrist, " Sev, please. Let's just go back" she begged.
It opened up into the empty first floor of what had to be the shrieking shack.
There was another staircase leading up to the second floor, it was the only entrance or exit. It had to be where Remus was. Severus charged for the staircase running up it quickly.
" Severus" Doe called running after him.
There was only one door up there. Severus reached for the handle.
" Severus, Don't! Please, I'm asking you as your friend" Doe begged.
Severus thrust the door open and ran in, Doe followed him quickly.
Severus stood frozen in front of the doorway.
Doe pushed past him, crouching menacingly in front of him was a fully formed werewolf. The door slammed shut behind them. The wolf looked up. It's eyes were black and its mouth was open, it's teeth curled back in a growl. It crouched ready to spring.
" Remus please, it's me. It's Doe" she begged. The massive wolf in front of her didn't show any signs of recognition, saliva dripped from it's mouth.
Doe tired to take a step backward but it advanced slightly, so she stopped moving. Her chest rising and falling.
" It's me, it's Doe" she begged again, desperate to inspire some sort of recognition.
The wolf lunged forward, and she jumped backwards landing in a pile of rubbish in the corner. The wolf leaned forward, it's massive claw scraping the side of her arm.
It fell to the side of her. She felt blood drip from her arm. The wolf got on it's feet quicker than she did and pinned her down with it's claws, it's jaw snapping in front of her face.
She tried to hold its mouth away from her but it was much stronger. It's claw were digging deeply into her left side, ripping it open.
Doe started to scream. The pain was unbearable. It's claws just kept digging deeper into her, while she tried to keep it's mouth away from her. She could feel the blood pouring from her side and drenching her. The pain was indescribable. She couldn't hold it away much longer.
Severus was still standing frozen in the doorway, not wanting to leave and not sure how to help Doe without putting himself in danger..
It all happened very quickly then.
The door swung open, and James appeared. Doe's screaming stopped for a second while he transformed into the stag and knocked the wolf off her. It's claws tearing open her side as it did. James the stag struggled with the large wolf in the other corner and Severus moved quickly towards Doe, trying to help her up.
He tried to get her to her feet, but the open wound on her side now hurt to bad to stand. Severus stood their terrified, unsure what to do.
The wolf snapped towards James and took off towards Severus and Doe. It's mouth was inches from Severus' face, when the stag knocked it away again.
Severus pulled open the door and dragged her out of the room and halfway down the stairs. Doe couldn't move, the pain was untolerable. She crumpled on the stairs, drenched in blood and crying from the pain.
" Doe, we've got to get out of here" Severus begged. The door swung open and James ran out slamming the door behind him.
" Go!" he shouted to Severus, " I've got Doe".
Severus began to take off down the path, and she felt James lift her into his arms. She screamed whenever her side was touched. She could feel both James and herself drenched in her blood as he quickly carried her through the passageway.
The pain was all she could think about. It was as if someone kept shoving four burning hot knifes into her side over and over again. Her vision was blurred from the tears.
" It'll be okay, I promise" James kept telling her.
They emerged from the willow and James hit the notch with his foot, immobilizing the branches. He began to run quickly towards the castle.
Sirius stood on the grounds a few feet from the tree.
" Prongs?" he asked, " What's wrong? What happened to Doe?"
" What the hell is wrong with you!?" James shouted at him, tears in his eyes, " Why would you send Severus down there? Moony could have killed him, he almost did!"
Doe started to cough and blood came out of her mouth.
" What happened to Doe?" Sirius asked in disbelief, tearing up slightly.
James pushed past him, quickening his pace towards the castle, " Moony got her. She's really hurt, Sirius"
Sirius ran after him, opening the door to the castle. Doe was bleeding horribly, it was everywhere.
" I didn't want her to get hurt, it was supposed to be Severus, I didn't think-" Sirius started.
" You never think!" James shouted, " This was too far, Sirius. I can't even look at you"
Sirius looked as if he had been slapped.
Doe began to hemorrhage. Her entire body moving as the intense pain spread. James thrust open the Hospital Wing door shouting for Madam Pompfrey.
" What happened!?" Madam Pompfrey demanded coming out in her dressing gown.
" Werewolf attack" James said putting Doe down on the bed.
Madam Pomfrey cut away her top to see the bloody mass of skin on the side. She poured something on it and it burned. She screamed in pain and gripped the sheets.
And suddenly, everything disappeared.
She woke up the next morning trying to pry open her heavy eyelids. She didn't instantly recognize where she was. The white walls of the Hospital Wing looked nothing like the dormitory. She tried to sit up and an intense pain shot through her. She looked down at her tightly bandaged side and the previous night's events came flooding back to her. She groaned loudly.
James, who had been sitting in the chair next to her bed, sat up.
" Doe, how are you feeling?" he asked quickly. He was still wearing the shirt from last night and he was covered in her blood.
" Awful" Doe managed, trying to lean up slightly and wincing at the pain.
" Don't move, you don't want to strain yourself" he said quickly.
" Where's Remus?" she asked quickly.
James sighed, " He's in the other room. He didn't think you'd want to see him"
" Of course I do" she said quickly.
" I figured," James said, " I'll go get him"
She laid back against her pillows. Trying to slow her breathing and not to move to much. Even slight movements caused intense pain.
The door to Madam Pompfrey's chambers opened and James came out with Remus.
Remus looked awful. His hair was disheveled and his eyes bright red and puffy like he had been crying, and the bags under his eyes looked like he hadn't slept at all. He was frantic.
His face contorted in pain when he came over to her.
He stopped at the side of her bed, " Doe I am so sorry, Please forgive me, I can't believe I hurt you" he said small tears flowing from his eyes.
" Remus it's okay, you didn't mean too. I know that" Doe said reaching for his hands.
" It's not okay" Remus said frantically, jumping back from her bed, " I could have bitten you. I could have killed you!"
" But you didn't!" she said leaning up and ignoring the pain, wincing slightly.
" Oh there's the silver lining!" Remus snapped angrily.
He looked enraged in a way that Doe had never seen before. His eyes were wild with rage.
" Remus, I'm okay. Honestly" she told him.
" You're not okay, Doe. Look at you" Remus said, " I hurt you. Do you have any idea how much blood you lost last night?"
Doe shook her head, " Remus it wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself" she said.
" How can you say that?" Remus demanded, " look what I did to you!"
" It doesn't matter" She told him.
" How can that not matter!?" Remus said in angry frustration. He was pacing around the room in a manic way.
Doe crossed her arms, unsure of how to make him understand. He was watching her with concern.
" Because I love you, you idiot" she snapped at him.
Remus sighed, and his expression softened.
He walked over to the edge of the bed and took her hand.
" I love you too," he said softly, sporting a sad expression.
" Don't apologize" she told him. She tried to move and winced.
" Don't move" Remus ordered, " Do you need something? I'll get it"
" Yeah I do need something" she told him, " come here"
" Anything, what is it?" Remus asked leaning forward slightly so he could hear her.
Doe leaned up slightly and kissed him. He sighed and kissed her back before pulling away.
" You are insane" he told her.
" I know" she said.
He took the seat next to her bed that James had sat in.
He didn't let go of her hand. He just kept holding it, stroking it with his thumb and telling her how sorry he was.
She was just about to tell him to stop apologizing when the Hospital Wing door opened and Sirius walked in, carrying a plate of breakfast from the Great Hall.
" I figured you would probably be hungry" Sirius said putting it down on one of the tables.
Doe stared at Sirius in disbelief. She couldn't believe he was in there now.
" What the hell are you doing here?" she snapped at him.
Sirius looked confused. James got up from the room, throwing Sirius a dirty look before leaving.
" I was bringing you breakfast" Sirius said quietly.
" How could you do that last night?" Doe snapped angrily.
" I didn't know you were going to be there" Sirius said quickly, " it was supposed to just be Severus-"
" How could you even do that?" Doe cut him off, " Remus could have killed him. Did you even think about how that would affect him?"
Sirius didn't say anything, " No. I'm sorry"
" I can't believe you did that Sirius, I can't even look at you" Doe said she tried to readjust and was paralyzed by the pain. She bit her lip to stop from crying out.
" Wait let me help you" Sirius said coming towards her.
Remus got there first. he turned to Sirius, " I think you've done enough"
Sirius' face mimicked an expression of pain and he left the room soundlessly.
Madam Pomfrey forced Doe to stay for a week. She said her injuries were very precocious and she didn't want the wounds to open up.
Lily and Marlene came up to visit her often, they had been told like the rest of the school, that it was a run in with the whomping willow.
Severus also came to visit. He only stayed for a little while and he kept throwing dark glances at Remus.
Dumbledore had told Remus and Doe that he forbid Severus to tell a soul what had happened.
Remus stayed with Doe every minute he wasn't in class.
He was trying to make up for the fact that he had been the cause of the pain, something that was still torturing him.
Doe had sneaked a peek under the bandage on the second day of being there, and saw that on her side were four very deep gashes, holding the skin on her side together. But now on her final day there, they just simply looked like four scarlet scratches.
" Now this is important" Madam Pompfrey told her as she released her, " No unnecessary or excessive exertion. Don't carry anything heavy, Don't reach upward, Don't stretch, and do not run. You do not want those injuries opening up again"
" I won't let her, " Remus assured her, " She's lucky if I don't carry her out of here"
Madam Pompfrey smiled and let them leave. It felt good to be able to be out of the Hospital Wing. Now, her side only hurt if she reached up or something touched it.
A new kind of pain washed over her when she remembered Sirius.
She, Remus and James hadn't spoken to him since it happened, and it was killing her.
She was still furious with him, but he was her best friend and it didn't feel right not talking to him. Remus wrapped an arm underneath her and helped her through the portrait hole.
They walked over to the couch were James and Lily were sitting. Remus helped her sit down on the one opposite them. She let herself lean against him. He didn't stop her. He shifted so that she could lean against him and held her there with his arm.
" Well if it isn't our little invalid?" James said.
Doe eyed him unhappily, " If I wasn't in so much pain. I would throw something at you" she told him.
" I'll do it for you" Lily told her and smacked him playfully.
Sirius came down from the dormitory and stopped when he saw them. He walked over quietly.
" Look Doe, Remus I am so sorry" he started, " I know it was stupid and I should have thought about it before I did it. I am so sorry, the last thing I wanted was either of you to be hurt and I am more sorry than you know. I promise I will never do anything like this ever again, just please forgive me."
Sirius' face was pleading. Doe had never seen him look quite so upset before.
She looked to Remus and then looked back at James.
" I forgive you, Sirius" Remus said quickly.
A small smile appeared on Sirius' face.
" I do too" James said.
Sirius turned to me, " Doe?"
His expression was desperate. He looked like he was about to cry.
She eyed him carefully, " I forgive you too" she said.
Sirius smiled and bent down to pull her into a tight hug.
" I am so sorry you got hurt," he said quickly.
" Kind of hurting me now" she said quickly. He pulled away quickly," Sorry".
Sirius sat down in the armchair next to the couches and Doe had to admit it felt better to have him with them again, it wasn't right when they were fighting.