The silence that trailed after the distinctive thud of an axe colliding against a rigid object, was unbearable. There had been no cry, no shriek of pain, for Buckbeak appeared to have faced death with a quiet acceptance, with only the shriek of crows resonating in the distance to mark the fact that something dreadful, something murderous, had occurred on those grassy fields.
The gloomy sky above reflected all of their moods, even the luminous moon itself seemed to mourn, for it hid behind the ominous clouds, only a slight flicker peeking out – a silent foreshadowing of what was to come.
Hermione was swaying, her face pale against her brown locks. "They did it," she whispered, her tone incredulous, "I'd … I-I don't believe it … they did it!"
"Hagrid," Harry mumbled, as he made a lunge forwards, his legs almost breaking into a run, almost propelling him back to Hagrid's hut – had Lia not seized him on the arm. She was pulled forwards, and nearly collapsed on top of him, grabbing onto Hermione's hand to steady the both of them.
"Don't be stupid!" she snapped.
"We can't," Hermione said, whose expression of misery mirrored their own. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him …"
The four of them were headed back to the castle, when Ron's rat, Scabbers, began squirming like a tantrum-ridden child in his pocket. "Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed, but the rat paid them no attention. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat?"
He pointed a finger at Lia in blame. "You bought your snake out again, didn't you!" he spluttered.
"No," Lia said glaring at him, furious at the undue claims he was making. "I didn't. As I've told you about a dozen times, Cleo's in my room at the moment, she's quite fond of her new enclosure. So spare me your brainless accusations! I honestly don't give a damn."
"Then what's the matter with him?" Ron said angrily. "He. Won't. Stay. Put!"
Then he spotted the yellow eyed cat that was slinking towards them, body crouched down like a panther about to pounce.
"Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned. "Oh no, go away, Crookshanks. Go away!"
Whilst the cat grew closer to Ron, the rat suddenly slipped out from his grasp, and scampered away across the grass, fleeing. Both Crookshanks and Ron followed after the pet, shooting off into the already dark field below.
"Ron!"
"Get back here, you idiot!" Lia hollered after his retreating back.
He ignored them, forcing the other three to break off into an impromptu sprint after his footsteps. Lia breath was coming out in heavy pants - she had never been the athletic type, and she was desperately wishing that she had thrown away her laziness and gone on more 'fun' morning runs with Caroline, for her legs ached like a thousand needles were piercing her calves.
"Ron!" she yelled again. "Can you bloody slow down? I'm dying here!"
When she finally got caught up to him, Ron was sprawled on the ground, Scabbers back in his grasp - although the rat was still struggling, flopping about like a fish yanked out of water.
And then, out of the shadows that enclosed them, a large creature bounded towards them, its feet beating against the ground – a jet black dog, with surprisingly intelligent pale eyes. It knocked Harry violently off its feet, before it fastened its canine jaws around Ron's leg and dragged him away like a rag doll.
Lia swore. "What the hell is going on? That … that dog just took a bite out of Ron like he's a fresh chop of lamb!"
"Come on," Harry yelled. "We have to help him!" Just as the words left his mouth, there was a loud smack and he gave a yell of pain, Hermione following after him with a cry of her own.
"What happened? What's wro-" In the dim light that shone out from the moon, Lia vaguely saw the outline of an elongated … what was that?
"Lumos," she said, and promptly cursed.
After their dash after Ron, they had apparently come into reach of the Whomping Willow's swiping branches, with a particularly long bough drawing alarmingly close to her person.
Unsure of what to do, she reached out her arms, trying to protect her face, and the willow knocked her hard in the stomach. Her hands instinctively grabbed onto the branch, and as it moved, she flew around with it in mid-air, hysterical, and trying her best not to allow her already shaking and sweaty fingers to slip off the bumpy bark.
"Do something!" she yelled.
Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, darted forwards and slipped between the pummelling branches, dodging the incoming blows like an expert spy. Swift and nimble, he placed his front paw on a knot on the trunk.
The tree immediately froze.
And Lia slipped off the edge of the branch, soaring through the air, and landing with a thump on the ground.
"Lia!" Harry yelled in alarm. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," she said, pulling a curled up leaf out of her hair, and rubbing the dirt off her palms. "How did the cat know though?"
"He's friends with that dog," Harry said, his expression grim. "I've seen them together. Come on, let's go, and keep your wand out."
They followed Crookshanks, as he slid down into a gap in the roots, and crawled headfirst through a dark, underground tunnel. It led them to a large, unkempt room, with the wallpaper peeling in slits down the walls, murky stains discolouring the wooden floor in random splotches, and so much dust that Lia sneezed as it drifted up her nose.
"I think we're in the Shrieking Shack," Hermione whispered, looking around in fright.
"Nox," Lia whispered and the light at the end of her wand pinched out. The three moved forwards, vigilant, and scanning the surroundings for any sign of Ron. They heard a low moan, and the sound of a cat purring in the room at the end of the corridor. Harry kicked the door to the chamber open, his wand drawn out and held firmly in front.
"Ron, are you alright?" Hermione said, running to the boy and kneeling with white hands, examining Ron's wound, her face drawn and anxious.
"Where's the dog?" said Harry.
"Not a dog," Ron replied through gritted teeth, a band of sweat dripped down his temple. "Harry, it's a trap –"
"What –"
"He's the dog … he's an Animagus."
"You're kidding me," said Lia.
The doors slammed shut with a resonant bang – a man, who had stepped out of the shadows in the corner, had closed it with one hand. His hair was a tangle of wild, filthy hair that hung down past his chin, the eyes staring out from deep sockets, and waxy skin stretched so tight over his face that every bone was emphasised, like a living skull.
The moving, corpse-like figure in front of them, was Black - Sirius Black.
"Expelliarmus," he said in a hoarse voice, pointing with Ron's willow, and their wands flew out, Black catching them with his opposite hand.
"I thought you'd come and help your friend. Your father would have done the same for me," Black said, fixing his gaze upon Harry. "Brave of you not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful...it will make everything much easier..." he said.
Harry started forward again, rage and hatred written in every angle, every corner of his face, but Lia caught his arm once more. "No," she whispered. "You can't. Think, you idiot! We're all disarmed and he won't hesitate to hurt you if you strike now."
"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" Ron said, trying to appear brave and fierce.
"No. Only one will die tonight," Black's face darkened even more, a mad glint shining from his eyes.
"Then it'll be you!" Harry yelled, lurching out of Lia's grasp, "YOU KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!"
"Harry!" Hermione whimpered. "Be quiet! Don't!"
But it was too late, her brother had flung himself onto Black, knocking him backwards into the wall, he raised an angry fist, but the murderer grabbed onto Harry's throat.
"No," Black hissed. "I've waited too long -"
Harry tried again, yelling in rage, but Crookshanks buried deep claws into his arm, and the boy knocked the cat away, scrambling for the wand that Black had dropped to the floor.
He pointed it at Sirius. Directed it at his heart.
Black did not appear frightened, and instead his lips twitched upwards into a bitter sort of smile. "Going to kill me, Harry?" he whispered.
"Yes."
Lia's eyes widened in shock. She knew that Black was a murderer, a cold-hearted traitor, but her brother was kind, and kind as he was, he could never live with himself if he was responsible for the death of another human being.
Killing was like that, like drinking to the point of intoxication – easy and surprisingly simple in the heat of the moment, but a torment to cope with once your mind was clear.
Harry raised his wand with shaking hands, right as the door crashed open and Professor Lupin burst in, with a shout of "Expelliarmus." The wand sailed into his outstretched hands.
Lupin's expression was unreadable and he finally said, after a long pause, "Where is he, Sirius?"
"Who?" the word burst from Lia's mouth.
Black raised a passive hand to Ron, and the two men exchanged a searching look.
"But then … How? … You switched," Lupin whispered, the fog drifting from his eyes. "You switched without telling me?"
Black nodded. Lupin choked, and flew forwards, pulling Sirius to his feet, and embracing him as if they were brothers.
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione exploded. "You – you –"
"Hermione, listen to me, please!"
"I didn't tell anyone!" she shrieked. "I trusted you! I covered up for you. And all this time you've been his friend!" She pointed at Sirius, her eyes frenzied. "He's a werewolf! That's why he's been missing classes!"
Lia gasped. A werewolf? A werewolf? But it made sense … the boggart, the potions, the illness, the unexplained absences.
"How long have you known?"
"Ages," Hermione whispered. "Since Snape set the essay."
"You're the brightest witch of your age I've ever met," said Lupin, forcing a laugh.
"Yes," said Black, his voice impatient. "You glow like the sun. And you howl at the moon. Enough talk! He dies. Now. If you won't do it with me, Remus, I'll do it alone."
"Wait Sirius." Lupin walked over to Ron. "Do you think I could have a look at the rat?"
"What?" he said. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"
"Everything. Can I see him, please?"
Ron hesitated, but shoved a hand into his robe pocket and drew out the struggling Scabbers. Lupin moved closer and examined the rat with cautious eyes.
"What? What's Scabbers got to do with anything?"
"That's not a rat," Black said darkly, his face set in a hateful scowl.
"What'd you mean he's not a rat. Scabbers has been in my family for –"
"Twelve years. A curiously long time for a common garden rat."
"He's not a rat," Lupin said, his face grave. "He's a wizard."
"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."
"You must be crazy," Lia whispered, backing away. "Crazy."
There was a sudden crash, as the door was flung open again. Snape stood in the hallway, with a smug smile, ripping off Harry's Invisibility Cloak. "Expelliarmus!" The wands that Sirius and Lupin held in their hands spun away.
"You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here? You forgot your potion tonight, and I came to pass it to you, but I saw a certain map on your desk. It told me where you were, where you were going."
"Severus –"
"I told Dumbledore you were helping your old friend into the castle. And here's the proof."
The minutes ticked past, furious words bursting from Snape and Black's mouths, as Lupin desperately tried to convince the potions master of Sirius' innocence. "Give me a reason," Snape spat out, pointing his wand at Black's neck. "I beg you."
When Snape was about to drag the other two men out of the door, Harry crossed the room and blocked the pathway out. Snape was incensed and he roared at the boy, spittle flying from his mouth, while Harry grew angrier and angrier, he spat out a retort.
"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!" Snape shrieked, he looked madder than ever. "Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black - now get out of the way, or I will make you. GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!"
All four of them yelled out, "Expelliarmus," and Snape slammed into the wall, knocked into unconsciousness. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Lia had tried to disarm him at the same time.
"Now," said Lupin. "Ron, give me that rat."
As Lupin and Sirius blasted a spell at the struggling Scabbers, there was a burst of light, and the rat began to grow, shooting upwards like a growing tree, head sprouting out from the top, limbs stretching from the sides – in mere seconds, a man stood straight where Scabbers had been.
Peter Pettigrew.
'Sirius – it's me … it's Peter … your friend … you wouldn't –" He turned to Lia. "Sweet girl … I knew your mother … a follower of the Dark Lord … but so kind … so kind … like her daughter."
Lia frowned and resisted the urge to kick him in the face. "Don't lie to me, you fucking rat man!" she hissed.
Pettigrew cowed back and spoke to Harry. "Harry … Harry … you look just like your father … just like him … "
"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" Black's voice was a roar. "HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"
"You should have realized," said Lupin quietly, "if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter."
"No!" Harry said.
"Harry, this man … "
"I know what he is. But we'll take him to the castle. After that, the dementors can have him."
The group stepped out of the tunnel, the night sky littered with sparkling stars, the full moon hanging down like a silver orb. Snape trailed behind them, levitated and drifting along through magic, his head slumped down, emotionless like a zombie.
As they came into contact with the moonlight, Lupin began to shake.
"Oh no," Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"
"Run," Black yelled. "Run! Now!"
Lupin's fell to his knees, his fingers spread out along the ground, taloned and veined, his back was bowed into a curve, trembling vigorously, digging in dents into the dirt ground. He snarled. Dark hairs were beginning to sprout from his body, and his mouth morphed into a snout.
"LEAVE!" Black hollered. "I'LL DEAL WITH HIM. LEAVE!"
The werewolf whipped its head around to the direction of the sound. It growled again, and leapt forwards, its eyes locked upon Harry, clawed paws reaching forward to swipe him.
Without thinking, Lia pushed her brother to the floor, and the werewolf lashed out across her chest.
She screamed.
The wolf snarled and drew its jagged teeth towards her head, opening the jaw as it prepared to bite into her flesh. Moments before he dug in, there was a flash of black fur, and Sirius pinned the gnawing wolf to the ground.
"Lia!" Harry yelled.
Blood was blossoming over her robes. She pressed a shaking hand to her breastbone, her fingers were stained with red. "I'm alright," she muttered, and pointed her hand. "Pettigrew! He's getting away!"
The short man had escaped in the chaos that had ensued after Lupin's transformation, breaking loose from his chains with his Animagus form, and was now rushing deep into the woods. The werewolf pricked its ears up as another growl came from the depth of the forest and headed away in the opposite direction. Sirius, still shape shifted as a dog, ran after the rat, now that the danger had passed.
After a minute, there was the sound of a dog whining, a dog in pain.
"Sirius."
Lia followed as Harry and Hermione set off to the lake, pelting towards the shore, and she ignored the fluid that was now coating her chest and the blistering pain of the wound. She felt her face prick with cold, the fine hairs on her arms standing up, and an unsettling feeling swept through her body.
Dementors.
At least a hundred were gliding towards them, like a black fog that floated closer with the wind. She tried to say the words, say the incantation, but nothing flew from her wand, she was paralysed by the ice that was coating her skin, layer by layer, drop by drop.
She opened her mouth, but nothing except bitter cold came out. The last thing she saw, before the world grew dark, was a brilliant, shining animal galloping towards them, the dementors flinching away from the light.
She collapsed, a bloody heap on the ground, a pool of red liquid flowing around her.
A/N:
Hi everyone!
I just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who left reviews, it's great to hear that you liked the story and criticism is also good for inspiring me to improve my writing.
You are all soooo kind for taking the extra time to leave me a comment, it just motivates me to write so much!
Thanks once again! You're all amazing :)
- Annie