Chapter Four

It seemed to take forever but finally the first week of the term was over and it was the weekend. I noticed I wasn't the only one that welcomed it at many people seemed to be roaming the corridors over tired and over worked between classes.

"Well this first week seemed pretty uneventful," Lily said with a pleased tone as we entered the Great Hall for breakfast on Saturday morning.

"Yes well Sirius and I haven't exactly worked out any plans yet," James butted in putting an arm around Stacey and Lily's shoulders. Sirius came up behind me and gave me a playful wink.

"I see you to have finally made up," I said to Sirius as Lily proceeded to tell James that if he even thought of causing trouble she would take it upon herself as a prefect to take away house points and give him detention.

"Speaking of prefects," I said breaking up the argument before James head over inflated and him and Sirius were forced away by Lily, "Where's Lupin?"

"Oh Mo…I mean Remus is feeling a little under the weather," Sirius said and he and James exchanged mischievous looks. "You think it's going to rain tonight," Sirius said changing the subject and looking at the cloudy great hall ceiling that mimicked the sky outside.

"Sure looks like it doesn't it mate?" James said and the boys walked away from us with their heads close together and their voices low.

"You don't think they really are planning anything do you?" Lily asked sternly as we took out seats and began eating breakfast.

"You know those two," I said taking a bite of buttered toast, "there's defiantly no telling with them."

After breakfast Stacey rushed off to spend some private time with her boyfriend and Lily and I went off to the library to get some of out homework done.

"I hate James Potter," Lily said after about an hour. She slammed her book shut and rolled up her parchment. "He and Black are planning something and I want to know what."

"Oh Lily, those two are always up to something I don't know why this particular time should be bothering you." I flipped through my history of magic book trying to find something on the Goblin revolt of 1769 and Lily just sighed.

"I think its something big this time. Maybe you could get Sirius to tell you. He seems to fancy you." Now it was my turn to slam my book shut.

"Sirius and I are friends that speak only when James shows up to flirt with you. And even if he did like me there is no way in hell he would tell me what him and James were plotting."

"Riley, Sirius fanc…"

"Just drop it ok," I shouted and Madam Pince poked her head out from behind a bookcase and Shhed me.

I packed up my belongings and rushed out of the library. I didn't stop until I got to the empty Gryffindor common room. Maybe Lily was right, maybe Sirius did fancy me. And perhaps I fancied Sirius back. But I couldn't let him or anyone else know it.

I avoided Lily and everyone else for the rest of the day. I spent my afternoon and evening in bed. It was all around a rainy and dreary day and it was the perfect day to spend dozing in and out of sleepless dreams.

I didn't come out of bed until I was sure that all of my fellow Gryffindors were down in the Great Hall having their supper. I took a scalding shower and changed into clean pajamas before climbing back into bed. I was pretending to sleep hours later when Lily, Stacey, and the two other sixth year Gryffindor girls joined me in the dormitory. I only climbed out of bed when the heavy breathing and snores from the other girls began.

I pulled on a pair of jeans that were hanging out of my trunk and I grabbed a sweatshirt before heading down to the common room. The common room stood empty, a clock on the wall chimed eleven times, and the fire was dwindling down in the hearth.

"Shh Padfoot be quiet," I heard a male voice whisper from somewhere off to my left.

"Well Wormtail just stepped on my foot," came a familiar reply that was closer then the first one. I ducked behind the sofa as more voices came from the room. However even I couldn't help but notice that I was the only one in here. Was I going crazy?

"Quit arguing you two or we're gunna wake up the whole Gryffindor Tower. Do you wanna see Moony or not?" The voices were unmistakably those of James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew. But why couldn't I see them.

I heard the portrait of the fat lady swing open and the scurrying of three invisible people climb out before it shut. I wasn't going crazy, those three had figured out how to become invisible somehow.

"I wonder what they are up to," I said to myself with a mischievous grin on my face and I followed them. I had been wanting a little bit of adventure since I had returned to the castle and it looked like I was going to get it tonight.

It was much harder for me to follow the boys for two reasons. One being that they were invisible and, as hard as it is to try and follow them it's even harder trying to stay hidden from them. Two being that since I myself wasn't invisible I had to worry about being caught by them and by Filch or his stupid feline.

After what seemed like forever the trio finally entered the main hall and exited the school through the front door. I hide behind a Knight's Armor for a minute once they were out of the school before following them. The grass was wet and the wind was chilly. However the air itself was somewhat pleasant. The sky overheard, however, threatened more rain.

And it did just that as I started off across the grounds. I had lost the trio but Hogwarts grounds weren't that big and the trio could only go so far. I started off towards the Whomping Willow at a run. The willow, which usually flailed around tried knocking anyone near it out, remained oddly still as the rain poured down on it and me.

A stick crunched behind me and I smirked. "Alright guys I know it's you. How did you become inv…" I spun around and didn't see the smiling faces of either of the guys. Instead, right behind me, towering over me, was a giant werewolf with yellow eyes and sharp teeth that drool was oozing from.

I gave a startled scream and jumped back just as the Whomping Willow decided to wake up and start moving. Branches swung my way and in the process of ducking it I tripped and splashed in the mud. The werewolf was doing a much better job of avoiding the limbs and advancing on me.

In a matter of seconds I was on my feet and racing through the torrential down pour for dear life. I could hear the werewolf flashing through the brush after me as I headed for the Forbidden Forest.

I wasn't that deep into the forest when I tripped over a stumped and went tumbling into a mud pit. I smashed my head on a rock with a sickening crack and stars danced in front of my eyes.

The blow to the head made everything go black but I could still feel the cold rain and the presence of the werewolf over me. Warm blood trickled down my forehead, over my eyes, and down my cheek. Whether from fright, the shock, or the cold, my body began to shake.

"I'm dead" was my last thought as the werewolf's warm breath on my face.