Chapter 6: Consequences

Snape sat at the High Table watching Quirrell with mild amusement and satisfaction. It had been a month since Potter's and Lucius' 'talk' with him and he still hasn't been able to stop shaking. Snape idly wondered how much the man's stuttering is still a feint. Being bullied by Potter his entire school life and working with him in the order, and being friends and working with Lucius for almost as long, Snape knew just how cruel and vicious both men could be. Especially when their children's safety were threatened.

Snape looked over to his House Table and the two children in question, innocently eating breakfast. He snorted to himself in his head. Innocent. If those two were innocent, then Snape was the lead ballerina of Swan Lake.

He frowned as he thought back to a couple night ago and the song he and Remus had heard just before they climaxed. A trickle of dread ran through Snape's veins, knowing what it meant. Since Remus was the one who would be affected physically by this, the final say was his.

Snape sighed quietly, he would need to contact the boy's father soon, the man would need to know what has happened. No doubt the two other Marauders would want to know as well and have a ting or two say about it. Snape was not looking forward to that confrontation. As bad as Potter was by himself, having Black involved made any situation ten times worse. Snape was going to die, he was sure.

Taking a final sip of his morning tea, Snape left to prepare for the day.

The Slytherins had a fee period and Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione were wondering the corridors, not paying attention to where they were going. Draco and Ron were arguing the entire time. Until a growling sound caught their attention. The four stopped and looked franticly for the source and spotted Mrs. Norris sitting behind a statue.

"We need to get out of here, now," Harry said backing away from the angry cat. The four made a break for it, running full sprint in the other direction until they came to a locked door.

"Now what? Filtch is on the way."

"Move over, Alohomora."

The lock clicked and they piled inside. Filtch rushed passed by them, muttering to his cat.

"That was close," Ron said.

"To close, we should be okay."

"I doubt that."

"Draco?"

Harry turned and saw what Draco meant. For a moment he was sure he waked into a nightmare. They weren't in a room, as he supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor. And now they knew why it was forbidden.

They were looking strait into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish teeth.

It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Harry knew the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.

Harry groped for the doorknob - between Filch and death, he'd take Filch.

They fell back and Harry slammed the door. They flew down the corridor, back to safe territory, none of them were ever more glad to get to class.

Remus sat in the cafeteria at St. Mungo's, waiting for Lily to take a break, a knot had formed in the pit of his stomach at the thought of having to break the news to James and Sirius if it was confirmed to be positive. At least Lily and Severus were already friends so she would listen to him. She could calm at least James down. Not sure what he was going to do about Sirius, short of locking him in the hall closet.

Remus was getting ahead of himself.

Draco was still fairly young his Creature Blood might not yet be strong enough to affect anyone. Nothing this big anyway, hopefully. Remus idly wondered who Malfoy Sr. was going to take the news, or if Severus could keep him from hexing the both of them with an Unforgivable.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"What? Oh, Lily. Sorry, I guess I was spacing out. When did you get here?"

"Just now, actually. You looked pretty intense for someone who was only spacing out. What's on your mind?"

"Well…"

A/N: Short, but a cliff hanger. Fluffy Pg: 160-161.

I'm reeeeeaaaaaaaaallysorry about how short this chapter is, but my insperation has left me with this one. It's been awhile since I used an actual quote from the book. Tell me what you think.