A/N: Wow, you guys… I feel so guilty for abandoning all of you for so long!!! Almost 3 months! Anyway, here's the next chapter, I hope it was worth the wait…

Chapter Sixteen: Knowing When to Stop


Leah was beyond angry… She was livid. She rubbed her temples, trying to keep a headache at bay as James' angry voice rose in volume. It was way too early for this…

"Blimey, Prongs, it was just a joke!" Sirius stuffed his hands defensively into his pockets, his shoulders raised in a sulk. "When did you start being all palsy with Snivellus, anyway?"

"Sirius!" Leah glowered at him, disappointed with his childish behavior. That was a good way to describe her feelings… a mixture of disappointment and fear.

Lily curled up on James' bed, staring between them all anxiously and waiting for the yelling to stop. But James was just as outraged as any of them, and he was going to make sure Sirius understood that what he had done was wrong. Peter trembled in his own bed, watching the fight with wild, frightened eyes. The only one missing was Remus… and chances were, he wouldn't be back.

"You could have gotten him killed," James snapped. "Even if he was sneaking around, he doesn't deserve to die!"

"I didn't think Remus was going to go after him," Sirius said honestly. "I really thought he'd be able to hold himself back!" Leah's heart skipped a beat, and guilt settled upon her chest, making it difficult to breathe. Sirius had put too much faith in her potion, and it had failed.

"Sirius…" Leah's voice was soft, pleading, but he only scowled and slumped down onto his bed, avoiding her eyes; a tremor of fear and disbelief spiked up her spine. Did he blame her for this? It was not her idea to play a prank on Snape. She hadn't told Snape, moments before disappearing beneath the roots of the Whomping Willow, how to get past the defense mechanism and into the tunnels. No, it had not been Leah who had nearly killed a boy… and possibly gotten her best friend expelled from Hogwarts.

It had been Sirius Black.

"Moony is a werewolf, you damned git!"

Leah had never seen James this way, but she didn't like it. His eyes flashed brightly with anger, his lips drawn back in an almost feral snarl. He reminded her of the beast that he was speaking of. Sirius growled back.

"Moony is no different than us," he said. "Don't you dare call him a beast now!"

"This is different," James seethed. "He almost killed somebody!"

"Oh get off your high horse," Sirius snapped back. "Who died and made you all grown up?"

Leah stood, unable to take the pointless fighting any longer. Sirius' eyes flashed over to her, but she said nothing as she stormed from the room, eager to escape. Everything was going wrong. Sirius and James were not meant to fight with each other… seeing them so angry was hard, and frightening. As she leapt down the stairs two at a time, she thought about Remus… How frightened he must be. She felt determination in her gut and nodded to herself. She would go talk to Dumbledore, and get things straightened out.

First, she would explain everything. Then, she would demand that Sirius be given a second chance to learn from his mistakes, and that Remus be pardoned. After all, he would have been fine, if Sirius hadn't decided to test her potion. Leah frowned. Lastly, she would explain that Sirius had only been acting to help. That is had been she who had given him hope. Maybe she would be expelled. After all that had happened in the past, she wasn't afraid of getting expelled. Hell, she'd done it before, hadn't she? Look what happened after that fiasco. She'd met the best friends she could ever ask for.

"Miss Matthews, there you are." Leah turned from the portrait hole to see Professor McGonagall striding down the corridor, a stern but exhausted look on her face. "Come with me. We're going to see the Headmaster."

She'd been planning this all along, but her heart still skipped a few beats. They reached the door quickly, and the gargoyles moved aside so that the women could make their way up to Dumbledore's office. He was sitting at his desk, staring at his hands, which were pressed together at the fingertips. He looked up at her through half-moon glasses and smiled, albeit wearily.

"Good morning, Miss Matthews."

Leah cleared her throat, all her determination dwindling down into nervousness. "Good morning, Professor Dumbledore."

"I assume you know why you've been called here."

"I have an idea," she replied softly. But Dumbledore wasn't angry. He sighed, and nodded at McGonagall, who looked between them and left the office.

"Remus is doing fine," he told her gently, as if able to feel her worry in the air around them. She released air from her lungs that she didn't know she had been holding in a relieved sigh, and Dumbledore smiled again. "He is quite shaken and confused… but he will be okay."

"A-And… And Snape, Professor?"

"He is also shaken… but that is most understandable. His life was at stake last night."

Leah nodded and looked down at her feet. It was now or never.

"Remus will be coming back to Hogwarts… won't he, Professor?" He remained silent, and Leah clenched her fists at her sides. "He didn't do anything wrong, sir!"

"I am aware of the whole story," he told her, raising a hand to silence her. "And while Remus did nothing wrong, Sirius certainly did."

"He's a good man," Leah found herself mumbling. "It's my fault!"

Dumbledore raised a bushy, gray eyebrow in curiosity. "How so?"

"I gave Remus that potion," she said quickly, her eyes meeting Dumbledore's pleadingly. "Sirius only wanted to test it…"

"I was told of this potion of yours," he said, his eyes never leaving hers. "I assume this has everything to do with Miss Jenkins."

Leah flinched slightly at the sound of her name. She was usually able to guard herself against Heather's memory, but Dumbledore's voice was too kind… too understanding… It hurt. She nodded, now working hard to avoid his empathetic, sky blue gaze. She swallowed hard.

"I don't want to lose him too, Professor."

"You believe you lost something?" He seemed surprised. "I have to say this too often… but no one we love ever truly leaves us, Miss Matthews."

But it wasn't the same, Leah wanted to argue. She bit her tongue instead, looking at her feet. Dumbledore sighed again.

"Sirius is going to get a serious talking to," he said. He stopped, suppressing a smile at the wordplay, and Leah hid a chuckle behind a cough. "Remus will be returning shortly after he finishes his weekend in St. Mungo's."

"Thank you, Professor." Leah turned to leave, suddenly feeling very foolish. She had only just begun to leave the room, when Dumbledore said,

"Oh, and congratulations on your engagement, Miss Matthews."

Leah blushed scarlet and thanked him before quickly heading back down the corridor. Remus was okay. She could breathe a little easier now. She looked down the hall to see McGonagall escorting Sirius to Dumbledore's office, her stride brisk and her features hardened with disapproval. Sirius lagged behind her, and when he looked up, he was different.

So much for breathing easier. Leah's heart pounded in her chest like a drum, erratic and painful. She slowed as he passed, but he didn't even look at her. Her stomach sank as fear froze her insides. She wasn't sure what he was taking out on her, but she didn't like it. Holding back tears, she sped up her pace and went straight to the common room. Lily was at the door, and looked relieved to see her.

"Oh thank goodness! Leah, Dumbledore just called for Sirius!"

"He's not going to be expelled," Leah mumbled. "I just got done talking to Dumbledore. Remus is fine."

"Thank Merlin," she sighed, leaning against the wall for support. She smiled. "That's great to hear!" Behind her, James was heading towards the door. He smiled at Lily, gave her a quick kiss, and brushed by Leah to leave through the common hole. Lily gave a look of sorrow, but Leah was too numb to care.

Did everyone blame her, or something?

"Leah…"

But she ignored Lily and headed up the stairs to her dorm room, where she planned to stay until Remus came back. Surely he would know why the others were acting so strangely. She climbed into bed fell into a quick slumber. Perhaps she wouldn't feel so sick when she woke.