~+~SB~+~

I glance out the window at the September moon. Tomorrow is the full moon, and Remus was showing it. Shaking my head, I catch the smell of Dark Magic and have to close my eyes at the intense hunger that rears its head at that smell. Feeling angered and annoyed at myself, I feel those emotions triple when I see Snape in front of me. Greasy git.

"What do you want Snape?" I ask, "I'm trying to get back to my dorm, and I advise you to do the same."

Snape sneers at me, "And why would I listen to you? From what I've seen, you aren't too stable these days."

I raise an eyebrow, "What do you mean stable? If you're talking about balance, last I knew, I am perfectly fine with that. If you don't mind, I'm not in the mood to deal with insufferable idiots who don't know how to wash their hair or stay away from magic that likes to bite back."

"I mean you're unstable mentally. More so than normal that is. Though I'm surprised that you have enough of a brain to become unstable," Snape says.

"Yes yes, get some new bloody material. All the cracks at my intelligence, or as you would prefer to think lack thereof, are getting rather dull."

"Yet, you're defensive every time. Tell me, how's Bellatrix and Narcissia? I've heard that they're doing wonderfully."

My eyes narrow at him, "Then you know more than me."

"That's right, the fallen Black. Yet, you're acting more and more like your relatives every day."

"Fine, you can bugger off now."

"Hit a nerve did I?"

"You heard me Snape."

"I think I did! Imagine, the great Sirius Black has a sore spot when it comes to family."

"I'm warning you Snivellous."

"Poor pampered prince doesn't like his family who probably waited on him hand and foot."

"Fuck off!"

"I don't think I will," Snape says with a smirk, "You see, I know that if I bother you enough, I can get what I want."

I roll my eyes, "And what does the Lord of the Greasy Gits desire? If it's shampoo, I will be more than willing to grant you that gift."

"I want information. Of course, I don't know if you'd be aware enough to tell me what is going on with Lupin, with all of your personal problems going on."

I pull him into a classroom and slam the door, warding it against prying ears, "What the bloody hell do you fucking want? And don't piss me off any more by avoiding the subject. Just tell me what you what to know about Remus and I may decide not to hex you to your commons."

Snape smirks and sits by the open window. A breeze floats in, sending the smell of Dark Magic floating toward me. It's not as enticing as when the smell is wafting around Ann or Regulus, but it still gets under my skin and makes my blood sing for it. I clench my jaw, trying to ignore that feeling and focusing on my loathing of Snape, which is growing by the second.

"I just want to know where Lupin goes. What does he do during nights like tomorrow?" Snape asks.

The way he asks and how specific his question is, sends my mind on high alert. Snape knows. Goddamn it, he fucking knows! My mind races, trying to figure out a way to get out of this.

"I don't know what he does, probably sleep like most people do," I say, "Why would you ask that?"

"Surely even someone with brains as addled as yours would notice the pattern of Remus being sick," Snape says, "Every day after the full moon, we either don't see Remus, or he looks like he should be dead. Only a few things could cause that."

I shrug, "Ever think that he's up late studying?"

"With a book that bites back? You surely must be as psychotic as your mother if you believe that's possible."

My eyes narrow and my temper flares, "I'll have you know that no one can be as psychotic as my mum. Plus there are books that bite. I would know as a couple of them have bitten me before and I still bear the scars."

"Of course you do," Snape sneers, "Speaking of which, I've always wondered how much your friends know about your home life?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, slightly confused as to how Snape of all people could know anything about my home life, but also worried that he knows more than I think he does.

"Your cousin Bellatrix told me enough for me to be curious. So I dug around a little bit, and you would be amazed at how much information one can find if they look in the right place," Snape says, "So I know exactly why you have changes in moods this year. I know exactly what caused Sirius Black to fall from grace and prove that he is worth the family name."

I grit my teeth, "What does that have to do with Remus? Isn't that what you wanted to find out in the first place?"

"If you tell me where he goes on full moon nights, then I won't tell your friends about your delves into Dark Magic."

"Oh, that's what you're threatening me with? They already know." A bluff.

"Only Grimwood knows, and that's because she's too smart for her own good."

Damn. "Fine. Whatever. I don't care enough to stay in here listening to you ramble on, so you know what? Go ahead and tell them. It won't matter. You're not finding anything out from me."

I turn around and start to pull down the wards when Snape says the one thing that makes my blood run cold.

"If you won't tell me, then I'll tell the whole school my suspicions. And I can tell you, there's only one thing that I suspect Lupin of being. Something which is oddly fitting considering his name."

My hand freezes on the doorknob, "You wouldn't take those chances of being wrong."

"It doesn't matter if I'm wrong. The outcry to have him locked up would be just as strong."

I turn around, glaring at Snape, "And you hate him that much that you would ruin his life? When Remus hasn't done anything to you? Except tone down anything we have done to you?"

"I have my own reasons."

I throw up the wards again and turn around with a snarl, "Fine! You really want to know? If I tell you, you keep quiet about what your suspicions are and if I find out that you told anyone, you'll find out just how much of a Black I am."

Snape smirks, "Deal."

"On the Whomping Willow, there's a knot near the base. Touch that and the tree freezes. There's a tunnel underneath that leads to where Remus stays," I say, "Now, prove yourself smarter than I think you are and keep your mouth shut!"

Storming from the room, I feel completely on edge. The smell of Dark Magic clings to me, only adding to the madness swirling in my head. The further I get from Snape, and the cleaner the air is, the more my head clears and the more I realise what a giant mistake I've just made. I told Snape how to get into the Willow. I stop in the middle of the hall and stare at the moon with wide eyes, feeling my blood run cold.

"Dear god…please don't let him be as stupid as I think he is."

~+~SB~+~

The entire day I'm anxious. One, I'm keeping my ears open to find out if Snape told someone about Remus, and the other reason that I'm worried that Snape will do something incredibly stupid. At dinner, I think the problem has been averted when Remus leaves, saying something about forgetting a book in the library and that he'll meet us back in the dorm (code for "I'm leaving for the willow. See you later."), and Snape doesn't follow. Five minutes later, though, I start to panic when I notice that Snape is indeed leaving. Normally, I wouldn't care, except that I know his favorite dessert is being served tonight and he wouldn't miss it for the world. I bite my lip and tap James on the shoulder.

"What is it Sirius?" James asks, setting down his fork.

"I think we have a major problem."

"What?"

I shake my head and pull him from the table. As we're leaving the Great Hall, we bump into Ann, who apparently notices our expressions, and follows us into one of the classrooms. After locking and warding it, I turn to them, shaking.

"Sirius, what's wrong?" Ann asks. She places her hand on my shoulder, and I get a whiff of that damnable smell. Stepping away from her, knowing that if I keep smelling the Dark Magic I won't be able to think straight, I sigh as I realise that they're going to be pissed.

"Snape knows about the knot in the Willow and I think he's going to go there tonight," I say.

Both of them looked shocked, but James speaks first, "How did he find out?"

I rub the back of my neck, "I told him."

Ann's eyes widen and I wince, "Oh Sirius, of all the…wait, when did he leave for the willow?"

"About a minute ago."

Ann and James turn pale.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fucking fuckity McFuck Fuck," Ann mutters, "We need to do something!"

James glares at Sirius, "You're going to Dumbledore's office to tell him what happened. I'm going to get Snape, hopefully before he has a chance to see Moony."

"I'm coming with," Ann says as she dismantles the wards, "You're going to need someone to keep Moony at bay and I'll be able to sneak in without being seen."

I watch in dread as they take off at a sprint, hoping that they get there in time to keep Snape from being mauled by Moony, hoping that they'll be able to eventually forgive me.

~*~ Ann's POV~*~

As I sprint alongside James, I can't help but wonder why Sirius told Snape about the knot in the willow. Sirius would never do something that could hurt his friends, not intentionally at least. Shaking my head, I focus on the problem at hand. Keeping a fully grown werewolf from tearing two people into bits.

As we run up to the willow, James throws a spell at the knot, freezing it. I jump through first, bending my magic as I fall down, and then run once I hit the bottom of the slope. I can hear James behind me and know that now, the only thing we can do is hope and pray that we make it on time.

I see the end of the tunnel, with the trap door already propped open.

"Damn it!" James says.

I give a burst of speed and practically fly up the ladder. I can hear movement above me along with the growls of Moony and I feel my blood run cold. He's already changed and there are three humans in the area.

"Bloody hell, James hurry up!" I snap. Once he's up the ladder, we ascend the stairs and run toward where we see the greasy git. Luckily, my footfalls are silenced, and I stop at the side of the door so I can slip in.

"Don't do it Snape!" James says, catching his breath.

"Why not? Some prank that you're working on and don't want me to see?"

"Don't be stupid! Come with me and leave now, before it's too late!"

Snape grins, "But it is too late. I know what's going on and I want to see with my own eyes!"

Before James can react, Snape throws open the door, revealing a werewolf in the middle of padding the floor, obviously trying to figure out how to get to the people on the other side of the door. I leap in, and turn into Shadow. James swears and grabs the handle, slamming it shut right as Moony leapt at it. The wolf hits the door and howls in fury. Now that I'm not bending my magic anymore, Moony can see me, and he is pissed. Steeling myself, I realise that this is going to be a really long night.

~+~Sirius's POV~+~

After telling Dumbledore everything that had happened, and receiving detention for the rest of the semester with possibilities of it continuing into the second semester, I start to pace the room, hoping that James and Ann get to Snape in time and that none of them have to deal with a pissed off Moony. We've done it before, and it's never a good thing when Moony is going totally mad. A knock sounds at the door and Snape is pushed in by James who looks pissed. I flinch, knowing that the anger is going to be directed at me.

"Mister Snape, Mister Potter, please have seat. Mister Black has informed me of what has happened. I must commend you, Mister Potter, not many would be brave enough to save someone whom they think unkindly of," Dumbledore says.

James gives a stiff nod.

"I award you fifty points for this, and will now ask for you and Mister Black to head back to Gryffindor Tower. Luck is on your side in that there is still plenty of time until curfew."

James and I leave the room, head down the stairs and toward the Gryffindor common room. In the middle of one of the secret passages, James turns to me, his eyes narrowed. I recognise the tensing in his shoulders and prepare for the punch. Sure enough, a moment later, he lands a firm right hook to my eye.

"I should do more than that Black, but I'm not going to. Because the person who is going to decide your fate is currently unable to make a decision right now," James growls, "Though you shouldn't expect to be a Marauder for much longer."

I don't do anything, or say anything. I know I probably deserve it, even if I told Snape to try and help, it was a stupid thing to actually tell the truth, particularly when lying comes so naturally to me. James turns around and starts walking again. I wait a few steps before following.

AN/ Please review.