AH REVIEWS :D Thank you SO MUCH, everyone who is reading and reviewing! BondSlave and I are both SO GLAD that you're liking the story so far! Thank you, thank you!
Now, onto the second and last pre-chapter. This one is VERY LONG, and I apologize in advance, heh. There was a just a lot to get through. After this chapter, the real story will start (with real chapters xD). Until then, happy reading!
-Pre-II. Worst Prank-
In which the girls go hunting.
When the morning post arrived with care packages from home, it usually caused a great deal of excitement—both good and bad. Alisha, who had just entered the Great Hall, her hair still damp from her morning shower, paused on her way to her table, looking up at the horde of fowl. She lifted her arm and a white and brown speckled barn owl fluttered down with a soft hooting-screeching sound as it landed on her arm.
"Good morning, Albert," she said with a smile as she took the letter that was tied around his foot before pulling a treat from her pocket. "Good boy," she said before jerking her arm up and sending the bird off to the Owlery.
Alisha did not often receive mail, but when she did, it was always a pleasant surprise. She unfolded the letter from her parents and began reading. She had only gotten halfway through the letter when a screech from the table to her right reached her and caused her to look over.
Kelsey was slumped over the table, letter in hand, making groaning sounds. Her fellow Ravenclaws were looking at her with various expressions.
Alisha approached the end of the table, her own letter still in hand. "Kelsey?"
"Why, why, why, why, wwwhhhhyyyy?"
"What's wrong?" Alisha asked curiously as she gazed down at the seemingly flustered girl. She folded her letter and stuffed it in her robes before leaning her hands on the tables edge, leaning over slightly. "Kelsey?"
A hand released the crinkled letter, a painted nail pointing to the care package. Alisha let her eyes follow and land on the care package. She dragged it closer and began looking through it.
"M&Ms, Skittle, Goldfish..." With each new item, she pulled it out of the box and set it aside. "...cookies, gummy worms, Ritz, Cheez-its... NYEG." She paled and flushed, grabbing the other items and shoving them back in the box before slamming the flaps closed. A silence spread between the two girls, who both looked equally mortified.
"W-w-why would she do that? !"
Kelsey sat up and flailed her arms wildly. "I don't know! I mean, she never does that...ever. Maybe she finally found that note I left her back before the beginning of the year and just now decided to get them for me," she said in a miserable voice.
"Lovely. But did they have to have Disney characters on them?"
Both girls flopsweated and quickly parted ways. They'd only draw attention to themselves otherwise.
;;;;;
James and Sirius looked over at the Ravenclaw table, eyeing the flustered girls curiously.
"Wonder what Edwards got in her care package," James said with a smirk.
"Oh, leave it, James," Remus said, not looking up from that day's edition of the Daily Prophet. "It's none of your business, really."
"Remus, are you not seeing this?" James asked. "Look at 'er! Her streak's nearly gold. That's gotta mean something."
"Something that we will probably never find out," Remus replied.
James looked at his friend. "So you're really not wondering what's going on over there?"
"Not at all," Remus said, no hesitation in his answer.
James sighed heavily. "Why d'you always gotta the killjoy, Remus?"
Remus made no reply, but he did glance up, though, when Alisha walked away from the Ravenclaw table and Kelsey quickly gathered up her things and headed out of the Great Hall.
"Whatever it is," Sirius said, "must've been pretty bad."
Alisha was walking by their table, and James called, "Oy, Spinner!"
Alisha was tempted to just keep walking, but decided to see just what it was James was calling her over about. "What do you want?" she asked.
He nodded over his shoulder to Kelsey, who was now walking through the doors and out into the hallway. "What's Edwards on about?"
Alisha rolled her eyes. "If I didn't know you better, James, I might say you actually care about her feelings." She turned to walk away. "It's her business and none of yours. You all must know how parents love to embarrass their children. Let's leave it at that, shall we?"
James was still dying to know what could possibly have sent the Ravenclaw girl into such a fit, but didn't really feel feel it was worth submitting himself to the Slytherin girl's wrath. He also didn't want Remus to chuck another notebook at his head. But that all didn't stop him from being curious.
Meanwhile, Kelsey had hurried from the Great Hall and to the Ravenclaw common room. She ran to her bed and stuffed the care package under the bed next to her trunk. She thought to herself that, in the future, she would advise her mother not to send her undergarments of any sort. Socks and such were alright, but nothing else. She pondered how to word the letter properly, so as not to hurt her mother's feelings (for she was the source of Kelsey's sometimes quite sensitive nature), as she collected the things she would need for the day's classes.
With the package safely tucked away, out of sight of mocking and inquiring eyes, the gold in her hair turned to pale teal as she relaxed a little. She left the common room and started back across the castle, headed to class. While she walked, she flipped through a large text she'd picked up from the library—an encyclopedia of sorts on magical creatures. Though a very clumsy girl, Kelsey often read as she walked and had no trouble weaving around people and not running into walls or doors. That day, though, maybe her earlier flustered state had impaired her walking and reading abilities.
She bumped into someone, her book falling from her hands, as well as the other two books she'd been carrying under her arm. She quickly turned to the person she'd run into. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry—" She blinked. "Remus," she said, slightly surprised.
He looked at her, slight concern in his eyes. "Are you alright?"
Her streak started to turn a pale amber as she knelt down to collect her books. "Oh, I-I'm fine. I'm so sorry. I was reading, and—"
He'd stooped down to help, reading off the titles of the books. "Hogwarts, A History... Introduction to Herbology..." He laughed softly. "You certainly have a diverse taste in reading, Kelsey."
She blushed a little, the amber growing slightly darker as he handed her the books. "Yeah, I, uh..."
Remus picked up the third book, his eyes lingering on it for a few moments. "Magical creatures," he said curiously. He opened it, flipping to the bookmark Kelsey had put in it earlier. "Werewolves, huh." His tone didn't exactly make it into a question.
Kelsey looked at him, tilting her head slightly as her streak turned a pale pink. "Remus? Are you alright?"
He shook his head and handed her the book. "I'm fine. It's nothing, really."
They stood. "Thank you," Kelsey said. "And, uh, sorry again...for bumping into you." "It's no problem," he said. He gave her a smile and turned to go. "See you around."
She stood silent for a moment, then remembered that she was supposed to reply. "Oh, right. See you, Remus!" She quickly turned and started back toward her classroom. She thought to herself that Remus had acted a bit strange when he'd seen the magical creatures book, but she couldn't even begin to think of why he would've acted that way. Maybe he just didn't like magical creatures, for whatever reason.
Whatever the case, Kelsey wondered about it for some time, but didn't say anything about the encounter to anyone.
;;;;;
Classes dragged on for what felt like ages and ages. Teachers talked about things she didn't understand, and every time she would check the time, it seemed to be going backwards, which wouldn't have really been a surprise since she was attending a magical school. But whatever the cause, magical or otherwise, Alisha simply couldn't pay attention or retain anything. She'd given up on taking notes and was merely doodling in her notebook. Something had been bothering her since earlier that day, and she couldn't shake the sense of unease.
Her hazel eyes wandered over to the Slytherin boy sitting a few rows ahead of her and to the right. Severus was hunched low over his notebook taking notes, his black hair framing his face. She could just make out his dark eyes glued to the page in concentration. She admired Severus for being such a good student. He always took perfect notes and still managed to cram a ton of information onto a single page in that tiny curvy writing of his. She leaned her chin on her head as she stared at the other teen.
To anyone else, it would appear to be a love-struck girl staring at her unknowing crush, but that wasn't it. Alisha didn't feel that way about Severus. She was just his friend, or she tried to be his friend. No, when she looked at him, she would get that uneasy feeling again. Something was off and she simply couldn't put her finger on it. Her brows furrowed and her eyes slid to the other side of the classroom where Sirius Black was screwing around with his parchment, turning a piece of it into different objects. Her green-hazel eyes narrowed on him. If looks could kill. She had a feeling that him and the other Marauders were up to something but she just didn't know what. She looked back towards Severus and couldn't help but think that it did not bode well for the slender figure.
;;
After classes, the students filed out to go back to their dorms or to the Great Hall to get a snack, while others filed out onto the grounds to enjoy the beginning of their weekend.
Alisha, on the other hand, headed to the library. She had a book she needed to return and knew that if she didn't do it soon, she would totally forget.
Once at the library, she went in search of the section she'd taken the book from. She walked along the aisles of books and shelves. She smiled and inhaled. She loved the smell of books. It reminded her of home.
"Ah-hah," she said with a smile as she found the shelf and stuffed the book back into its place. She was about to hum a little "victory" theme to herself when she heard voices from the other side of the bookshelf.
"Peter, Peter."
She blinked and paused, growing quiet. She knew that voice. She scooted closer to the shelf and peeked through to see Sirius and Peter on the other side.
"What are you worrying about? It will be funny!"
The shorter, chubbier, mousy boy shifted uncomfortably. He seemed uneasy. "I don't know," he muttered quietly.
"Oh, don't be such a prat. You know it will be funny. Scare the little bugger—maybe get him to wet himself."
Alisha's eyes narrowed. Great, they were going to start harassing some poor fool.
"But what if Remus hurts him?"
Alisha blinked, a little surprised. Wait, Remus was involved in this, was he? I always thought better of you Remus! she thought to herself, but was distracted by Sirius.
"He won't! The twat will get so scared, he'll run away screaming. No harm no foul," Sirius said, patting the other boy on the head before walking off. "All I need you to do is drop a hint."
"W-what? !"
And the two boys were gone.
Alisha stepped away from the shelf and frowned before snarling under her breath and walking towards the exit. She couldn't believe those boys. They were so immature and so stupid. They were always picking on someone. It was like they all thought they were better than everyone else. She hated people like that.
;;
Alisha jumped the steps from the bridge and walked out onto the grounds. "Damn it, Remus, I thought you were different!" she snapped to no one as she made her way to a shaded tree and flopped down on the grass. She pulled a book from her bag and began reading it angrily.
;;;;;
Classes were done for the day, and Kelsey thought she'd take a few books and go outside to read or work on some homework. It was clear day—just one of those days when even hermits felt like coming out of their caves to take in some sun. She smiled to herself as she walked down the corridor, thinking of all the wonderful reading she'd be able to do, when she heard a voice coming from around the corner.
"What are you saying?"
Severus?
"Y-You know that old tree out there," stuttered another familiar voice—that of Peter Pettigrew. Kelsey had often seen him running about with James & Co. (a.k.a. the Marauders), but didn't think too much of him.
"You mean the Whomping Willow?" Severus asked.
"Y-Yes," replied Peter.
"Well, what about it?" Severus definitely sounded curious.
"It's just... There's a knot near the bottom. Some say that, if you poke it, the tree will open up and take you somewhere."
"That sounds preposterous," Severus snapped.
"W-Well... It is just a rumor, after all..."
Severus was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Yes...a rumor..." She heard his footsteps fade down the corridor.
Then another set of footsteps ran up. "Brilliant, mate, brilliant!" Now it seemed Sirius was in on this as well! "You did wonderfully."
Peter made a concerned, worried groan. "I-I still don't know about this, Sirius..."
"Look, I told you before, didn't I? I bet you anything he'll just get scared out of his skin, then run for his life."
"I still think Remus could hurt him—"
"He won't," Sirius cut in. "Come on, let's go find James and tell him the good news."
Kelsey's heart dropped into her stomach as the pair walked away. She peeked around the corner at them, her streak quickly turning a bright blue. Then it turned grey, then red, and back to blue again. She turned and ran out the nearest door, where she started searching the grounds for Alisha. She hoped that she would have an answer to the many questions swirling through her mind.
What were they planning to do to Severus? What did it have to do with the Whomping Willow? ...And what did Remus have to do with it?
She finally found Alisha reading under a tree, a tight, angry expression on her face. Kelsey collapsed on the grass next to her friend, trying to catch her breath.
"What's wrong?" Alisha asked, her anger momentarily replaced by concern. She looked at her friend for a moment. "And what's going on with your streak? It keeps flashing different colors."
"I know," Kelsey breathed. "Listen..." She gasped in a breath. "...I just heard...Peter talking to Severus..."
The anger returned to Alisha's face. "What did he say?"
"He was telling him something about the Whomping Willow...and a knot that you poke near the bottom... Then Sirius came up and—"
"Sirius? !" Alisha slammed her book shut. "I knew it! I heard him and Peter talking in the library earlier, but I had no idea who they were going to victimize."
"But that's not all," Kelsey continued. "Peter said something about Remus, and that he was afraid he would hurt Severus."
"Huh..." Alisha thought for a moment. "He said something similar in the library..." She scooped up her things and stood. "Come on."
"Where're we going?" Kelsey asked, pushing herself to her feet and following her friend.
"Hunting," Alisha replied. "Maybe we'll get lucky and bag some weasels."
;;;;;
Alisha entered the courtyard where Peter was sitting and obviously waiting for someone. Her eyes narrowed a moment before she paused and looked at Kelsey. She put up her hand, signaling that the other girl remain there for a moment. She than turned back and schooled her expression before walking calmly forward. Her heeled shoes tapped loudly against the stones, and, due to the intensity, it was obvious she was out of sorts. She paused and cleared her throat, looking down at the shorter teen. "Excuse me...Peter, was it?"
"Eh, yes?" He looked obviously uncomfortable under the Slytherin girl's narrowed gaze.
"I would like to have a word with you," she stated calmly.
He cleared his throat and glanced around. It seemed he didn't know exactly what to do without the others. "I d-don't think I should be t-talking to a Slytherin."
Alisha's eyes narrowed and she grabbed the boy by the front of his shirt.
He squeaked.
"You will either come with me or I will jinx you and drag your pudgy arse to a secret place where no one will hear you scream."
"O-o-o-okay," the blonde boy squeaked, obviously terrified.
Alisha, completely amused by the fact she could be so intimidating, turned and nodded to Kelsey, who jogged over. "Where are we going now?"
Alisha wrapped an arm around the boys shoulders and smiled at her friend. "Let's find an empty class room." She squeezed the boys shoulders and looked down at him. "I think we could come up with a few questions for our little friend here."
;;;;;
Kelsey poked her head into the charms classroom. All was silent. A good thing, too. The last three classrooms had still been occupied by teachers and a few students studying here and there, and she'd already had to explain that she was just looking for someone too many times.
She waved Alisha over, who pulled Peter along with her and into the classroom. Kelsey took one last glance around the hallway, making sure no one had seen, then she closed the door and waved her wand over the lock, saying, "Colloportus," ensuring that no one would come in unannounced.
"Now then," Alisha said, turning her sights on Peter. "Just what was it that you and Sirius were talking about in the library?"
Peter stared at her with wide eyes. "I-I don't know wh-what you're t-talking about!" he insisted nervously.
Alisha narrowed her eyes, folding her arms over her chest. "Really? Because I think it had something to do with a prank on Severus. I seem to recall Sirius saying that he would get so scared he would...'wet himself,' I think was the phrase he used."
"I-I honestly d-don't know!"
Alisha looked at Kelsey, and they nodded at each other. Kelsey raised her wand and aimed it at Peter.
"Now, are you gonna keep telling us that you know nothing?" Alisha asked.
Peter swallowed and said nothing.
"Go, Kelsey," Alisha said.
"Gladly," Kelsey replied, her streak turning more and more red. "Rictusempra!" A red light burst from the tip of her wand and hit Peter, sending the boy into a laughing fit on the floor.
Alisha looked at her friend, her hands on her hips. "A tickling charm? Really?" "What, you want me to use the Cruciatus Curse?" Kelsey asked dryly. "We're interrogating him for information about fellow classmates, not getting him to cough up info on some mobsters or something."
"You read too much." She looked down at Peter. "You gonna talk now?"
"I, haha, don't know, haha, anything!" he laughed.
Alisha rolled her eyes and pulled out her own wand. "Levicorpus." She raised her wand, and Peter floated up into the air with it. She kept raising him higher and higher, until he was almost at the ceiling of the gigantic room. "TALK!" Alisha ordered.
"What are you guys planning?" Kelsey demanded. "And what does Remus have to do with it?"
"I'm going to drop you onto the hard, stone floor if you don't tell us what you know!" Alisha shouted.
"Alright! Alright!" Peter said, frantic. "I c-can't tell you everything, only because Remus doesn't know what has Sirius planned, a-and—"
"Don't give us excuses!" Alisha cut in.
"A-Alright!" Peter repeated. "Sirius thought it would get us a good laugh to s-send Severus to the Whomping Willow t-tonight, and he told me to d-drop a hint about the secret passageway that leads t-to the Shrieking Shack, and he said th-that nothing bad would happen—that Snape would just get sc-scared and run away!"
Alisha lowered him some, so he was more at eye-level with her. "What would he get scared by in there?"
"It's the Shrieking Shack," Peter said. "There's gotta be all k-kinds of scary s-stuff in there!"
"Hmm..." Alisha lowered her wand, and Peter fell to the ground with a yelp and a whimper. "The Shrieking Shack..."
Kelsey crouched down to look at Peter—but not out of concern. "What time?" she demanded, still wondering what Remus' part in all this was. She'd always thought that he was the one to stop Sirius and James from pulling this crap, and never took part in it.
"After dark," Peter whimpered. "He'd h-have to sneak out t-to get there."
Kelsey looked at the sun outside. Sunset was a little less than an hour away.
"Look, I'm s-supposed to be outside right now, w-waiting for Sirius and James, and I-I—"
"Then go." Alisha reached down and grabbed his shirtfront in her fist. "But you speak a word of what just happened here to anyone, and tickling and levitating charms will be the least of your worries." She flung him toward the door. "Now get out of here."
Kelsey lifted the charm from the door as Peter scrambled toward the door and ran out of the room.
Alisha and Kelsey calmly walked out into the hallway, looking after the panicky little rat scurrying away from them.
"So what do you think?" Kelsey asked.
Alisha folded her arms for a moment. "If we confront Sirius now, we might not be able to do anything. Severus has already been given the hint. And I doubt Severus would listen to us, since he'd be more concerned about how we know what's going on..."
"But Peter didn't say anything about Remus," Kelsey said. "Why was he afraid that he might hurt Severus?"
"Remember what he said, though? He said that he could tell us everything because Remus doesn't know what's going on," Alisha said.
"How is that even possible? That he can be involved and might even hurt Severus, but not be aware?"
"It's perplexing, I'll give them that..." She put her hands on her hips. "The way I see it, we're going to have to sneak out and see just what's in the Shrieking Shack. Possibly before Severus can get there, or before Sirius or James can stop us."
"We?" Kelsey stared at Alisha.
"You already know you're coming," she said, grabbing Kelsey's arm and pulling her along down the corridor. "We'll have to bring our wands, of course. Do charms work on ghosts?"
"Last I checked, no," Kelsey said, her streak turning a very dark grey, and then black. "I have a feeling that this isn't going to end well..."
"Oh, come on," Alisha said. "Most of the stuff about the Shrieking Shack is just bollocks. We'll probably just find some lame ghost that Sirius conjured up to give Severus a spook, and all will be well after I kick Sirius' arse."
Kelsey bit her lip nervously. "If you say so..."
"I do. Now let's go. The sun's going down soon, and it's gonna be a full moon tonight."
"So?" Kelsey asked.
"It'll be lighter out," Alisha said, "which means it'll be harder to sneak out. If only we had an invisibility cloak...!"
Kelsey shook her head. "If my mum ever finds one, I'll have her send it to us."
"One with Disney characters on it?"
"Naturally. What could be more inconspicuous?"
"...We're be better off not having it."
"You're right."
;;;;;
Remus whimpered and tugged at his hair, his nails digging into his scalp. He was waiting for dusk and for the nurse to escort him to the passage beneath the Whomping Willow. He gasped and leaned against the nearest bed railing.
"You alright, boy?" the nurse asked briskly as she worked on gathering up things. Her tone, though brisk and sometimes harsh-sounding, was filled with concern and pity.
Remus tried to smile and reassure her but all he could do was grimace and shake his head. He felt sick and shaky.
"Alright, come on, let's go," she said, walking over and wrapping an arm around his shoulder and leading him out.
Once in the passage, Remus staggered alone down the tunnel. He was a bit bothered that he couldn't find Sirius, Peter, or James before having to head out. He hated not talking to them before a transformation. He always feared that it would be the last time he'd see his friends. He knew that his bites were not harmful to other animals, but that didn't stop him from fearing that he would injure one of them beyond repair.
;;
"This is ridiculous."
"No, it's practical."
"No, it's stupid."
"Do you want to get caught out of bed by Filch and get detention?"
"...No."
"Than shut up or someone will hear you!"
"You're talking too!"
"Shoooosh!"
Alisha and Kelsey were hiding behind a statue-covered wall out in the courtyard. They had managed to meet up and sneak out of the castle without being seen. Now all that posed a threat was the bridge. They would have to run out into the open and dash across the bridge before being mostly home free.
"Should we go together or one at a time?"
"We'd make a lesser target if we went one at a time."
"Okay."
Kelsey dashed forward, flailing her arms and trying not to make squeaking sounds as she fled from the courtyard. Alisha rolled her eyes but giggled quietly. She glanced around before dashing forward as well. Both girls tore their way down along the bridge before breaking out the other side. They both ran off and hid behind a tree.
Kelsey, who was panting more out of anxiety than anything else, looked over at Alisha, who was holding her breath and glaring. "How are we going to get past the tree? It'll try and kill us!"
Alisha let out the breath she'd been holding and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "We will immobilize it," she stated confidently, pulling out her wand. "Let's go."
;;;;;
Kelsey and Alisha approached the infamous Whomping Willow. It looked harmless enough, as trees go. But they got a first-hand look at how dangerous it could be when a crow flew near and landed on one of the stationary branches. The tree lifted a strand of its whip-like leaves, and whipped at the bird. The leaves hit the bird with a resounding thwack, and a cloud of feathers floated in the air where the bird had once been.
Kelsey and Alisha winced and looked at each other, the slight fear in their eyes illuminated by the full moon. They nodded to each other, then stood and raised their wands.
"Ready?" Alisha asked.
Kelsey swallowed. "Yep."
They stood in silence for a moment.
"Go," Alisha breathed.
The girls ran across the grass, running full-tilt towards the tree that would surely do away with them as easily as it had the crow that had dared perch on it.
It was as if the tree heard them coming, and it raised its branches, ready to attack.
The two raised their wands and shouted, "Immobulus!"
Blue light shot from their wands, hitting the tree. The tree almost shivered, then froze, its branches dropping harmlessly at its sides.
Alisha and Kelsey kept running, then crouched down at the base of the tree.
"Peter said it was a knot you have to poke?"
"That's what he said," Kelsey confirmed, running her hands along the roots and trunk, searching in the near-darkness for the knot. She snatched her hand back when she felt a part of the tree collapse back, and both girls looked up when a door swung open, showing dirt stairs carved into the ground.
"Guess that was it," Kelsey said as they picked themselves up off the ground.
"Let's go," Alisha said, walking through the door.
Kelsey quickly followed, afraid the freezing charm would wear off and the tree would wake up and just knock her through the door itself. The door closed after them, and they were swallowed up by the darkness. "Lumos," Kelsey said, a bright light appearing on the tip of her wand. Alisha followed suit, and they started down the stairs.
The dirt slowly turned to stone as the girls descended down lower and lower underground. Cold water dripped down the walls, making the girls shiver slightly. They kept their wands up in front of them, lighting the way.
Kelsey was shivering from more than just the cold. Her logic told her that there would, most likely, be nothing truly scary or dangerous inside the Shrieking Shack. But a thought tugged on her mind, telling her to keep her guard up. Alisha was convinced that there was nothing to fear in the Shack. She was certain that it was just another of Sirius' stupid pranks that James had helped concoct. She was determined to get there before Severus did, and catch Sirius and James in the act so she could beat them up herself. Then Severus would have nothing to worry about, and James and Sirius could be humiliated for a change.
Yes, this was how she saw it going in her mind—all according to her plan.
;;;;;
Remus sat on the broken, dusty mattress, his knees nearly touching his chest. He was hunched over, breathing hard. His insides felt like they were trying to twist and climb up his throat. He clawed at his knee and tugged at his hair, the fresh pains keeping his mind off of the ache that was building up in his body. When he heard footsteps on the stairs, he didn't think much of it. He knew Sirius, James, and Peter would be there sooner or later. It wasn't the first time they'd been there before his transformation.
But when the door swung open and two girls walked in, he fell into full panic mode. He stood up quickly and looked at them, eyes wide, skin pale. "Alisha? Kelsey? !" He approached them. "What are you doing here? No, no it doesn't matter. You two have to leave!"
"Remus?" Kelsey asked nervously as he all but started shoving them towards the door.
"Hey, stop it," Alisha snapped as she stumbled into the door-frame.
"You have to leave!" he snapped in panic.
"Remus, we're here to stop James and Sirius from—" Kelsey jumped when Remus turned on her.
"LEAVE!" he yelled.
He looked so different. His features looked harsher, darker. His eyes were narrowed and sharp with dark circles beneath them. His hair stuck up at odd angles and his skin looked both pale and flushed at the same time. He stood differently. He looked like he was in pain but at the same time overly confident. He seemed like a completely different person.
"Remus..."
"What are you two doing here?"
Both girls jumped and glanced back as Severus appeared through the door. But before either could speak, a high pitched scream caused their blood to freeze in their veins.
"What the devil? !" Severus cried.
Remus took a few steps back, screaming as he pulled at his hair and fell back. He screamed and writhed on the floor, rolling this way and that way jerkily. His screams grew deeper and deeper. The sound of breaking bones filled the room as his form began to warp slightly, bones jutting out at odd angles and moving beneath the flesh. His ears grew longer and pointed. His knee joints popped and his legs lengthened, as did his arms. His pant-legs ripped as his legs extended themselves. His shirt ripped away from him as his shoulders popped rolled and re-adjusted and expanded. His neck grew longer, stronger. Hair began rising up from his skin, covering his skin in a light coating of fur. His nails lengthened and darkened. His face grew longer and misshapen. His screams turned to howls and growls as he continued to thrash.
"Oh my God," Alisha breathed, eyes wide in horror as she stepped back, bumping into Severus slightly, which caused them both to stumble slightly against the door-frame.
Kelsey, who was frozen to the spot, eyes wide, gazed at the creature that rose up from the floor. Tears of fright and disbelief sparkled in the corners of her eyes. "Remus..."
The beast turned his cold green gaze on them all. His lips curled back in a low snarl, exposed canines dripping with saliva as the snarl turned into a deep growling sound that grew deeper in the creature's chest.
"WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!"
Kelsey couldn't even identify the voice as she stared at the beast gazing at them. She heard a commotion behind her and saw the beast snap and crouch before a hand grabbed her by the back of the shirt and dragged her backwards. The last thing she saw before the door closed was the creature lunging at her, mouth open.
Four figures threw themselves out of the entrance to the Shrieking Shack and onto the grass beneath the Whomping Willow. They quickly scurried away from the tree to safety.
Alisha collapsed to her knees, breathing hard and trying to hold in sobs as she shook like a leaf.
Severus was clutching his arm, which was bleeding, with a slightly pained look.
James was standing there with a strained, worried look on his face, panting slightly as he hunched over.
Kelsey walked away a few steps before falling to the ground. Tears slid down her face and fell to the grass as she stared, wide-eyed, at nothing.
When they'd left the room it hadn't taken long for the beast to follow. He had thrown the door open, sending wood planks flying towards them. One had struck Severus in the arm, breaking the bone with a sickening crunch. They'd all fallen down through the trap door. Kelsey was sure she'd sprained her wrist and knew she was covered in bumps and scratches—but she couldn't feel anything. She'd gone numb.
"Are you okay?"
"I think my ankle's sprained," Alisha mumbled from behind her. Remus, she thought in disbelief.
;;;;;
Most everything that happened that night after those events was a blur to Kelsey. She vaguely remembered James and Sirius taking her, Alisha, and Severus to the infirmary. Alisha later told her that James had gone to Dumbledore and told him everything. He'd told the Headmaster that the prank had been Sirius' idea, but that he would accept punishment because he'd done nothing to stop it. He'd also requested that Remus receive no punishment, because it hadn't been his fault.
Kelsey just stared off into space, her streak varying from a green-brown to grey and then to white. She didn't speak as the nurse bandaged her wounds, and took the medicine offered her without complaint. She could feel Alisha looking at her, concerned, and she heard bits and pieces of James and Sirius trying to apologize to her, but her mind was still in the Shrieking Shack, reliving what she'd seen. The sound of Remus shouting at her to leave. The images of his horrific transformation. His long, sharp teeth snapping at her as he was pulled backwards out of the room. Falling through the trap door and only faintly feeling the pain in her body. The pain in her mind was more excruciating, because she wasn't sure which she was more hurt by—the fact that he'd tried to kill her, or the fact that he'd yelled at her to leave.
Once her wounds had been tended to, silent tears started to run down her face. She sat still on the edge of the infirmary bed, unable to move.
She distinctly remembered Dumbledore himself coming to the infirmary. She remembered that he'd spoken to her, but she'd been unable to answer. All she remembered him saying were things she already knew.
How, when a human undergoes the monthly transformation into a werewolf every full moon, they lose their humanity and themselves. That they pose the greatest danger to the human nearest them. That they can't control their actions, and would even kill their best friend, given the opportunity. She knew that. She knew that, if a werewolf is left with nothing to attack, it will do harm to itself instead. She knew all of that.
But she was still just in a state of utter...shock. Remus, the young boy she'd come to know as kind-hearted and good-natured, not capable of killing, was a werewolf. She knew it explained his monthly disappearances, when everyone was told that he'd gone to visit his ill mother. It explained his odd behavior just earlier that day when he'd seen the book she was reading. She'd seen the transformation herself, but it still didn't seem possible.
She remembered Dumbledore telling her that the shock would pass. That Remus was still Remus, despite his condition. She knew all that, too. Still, it was sort of nice to hear it from someone else.
Dumbledore took his leave, telling the nurse to keep a close eye on Kelsey in particular. Most likely because she was the only one not speaking yet. The nurse then told all of us to get some sleep. Kelsey numbly laid down, cradling her injured wrist to her chest. She closed her eyes slowly, more tears dripping out and landing on her pillow.
Alisha slept little that night, kept awake with worry for her friend and with distress from what had happened. Remus was a werewolf. He'd tried to attack them. He probably would've killed them had James and Sirius not interfered. James himself had pulled Kelsey out of Remus' reach, most likely saving her life.
That was the other shocking part. Maybe just because she'd come to know James as an inconsiderate jerk with no human emotions whatsoever, but...the fact that he'd saved her best friend's life had to count for something, right?
Kelsey curled in on herself, hugging her arm tighter to her. She kept seeing Remus' pained expression, kept hearing his screams as he transformed. She pulled the blanket up over her head, curling up tighter, as if this would drown the memories from her mind.
She knew that she should've been afraid. She'd told herself that she should've run away. Werewolves were bad. They were dangerous. The werewolf could've killed her. But she hadn't truly been afraid. Because it wasn't a werewolf she'd been standing in front of. To her, it was still Remus.
Maybe it was stupid of me to think that, she thought. Werewolves can't tell friend from foe, and attack whoever is nearest. In this case, that was me. It wouldn't have mattered, because it wasn't Remus standing in front of me. Not anymore.
Her logic wasn't helping to console her any, and it wasn't helping her sleep either. Every time she would start to drift off to sleep, she would see the werewolf lunging at her, trying to bite her, and she would have to use all of her will power to keep from screaming. Then she would start crying again because she hated that she was afraid. She didn't want to be afraid. She wanted to force herself to get out of the infirmary bed, go back to the Shrieking Shack, and make sure Remus was alright. But all she could do was hug herself and try to fight the images of the werewolf from her mind.
I'm such a coward, she thought. I think of him as my friend, and...I can't do anything. All I can do is lay here and be weak. I can't help him.
I can't do anything.
;;;;;
Early that next morning—the sun having barely risen in the sky—the doors to the infirmary opened and two people entered, not all too quietly but obviously trying not to wake anyone.
Kelsey rolled over slightly and gazed at the bed next to her. Alisha was facing her, curled up beneath her bedding. The sheet was pulled to cover her mouth and nose, and her head was shoved under the pillow slightly, but her eyes were open. Due to the blank stare and the tears seeping down the corners of her eyes, it was obvious she hadn't slept much.
A little further down, Severus slept soundly on his back, arm bandaged. He'd been given pain killers and didn't stir at the sound.
"Did I hurt them?" a quietly choked voice asked just out of Kelsey's line of vision.
"No, no, they'll be fine. You need to get some rest. Just lay down," the nurse snapped quietly. "I'm giving you some pain medication so you'll be drowsy for a while."
"I don't want any."
"I know you don't, but you're going to take it."
After a few moments, the nurse returned to her office and silence descended.
Kelsey shifted slightly, her fingers curling around the corner of her pillow. She wanted to get up and go over to Remus to talk to him, but, at the same time, she wasn't sure what she wanted to say. She was nervous and weary. So instead, she closed her eyes and decided to wait till everyone else began to stir.
;;
After breakfast—which was served in bed—the four patients were visited by James, Sirius, and Peter. They quickly went to Remus' side. Remus was sitting up in bed, a tray of food laying across his lap. He hadn't eaten much of anything. He was merely poking at his eggs with a fork.
Sirius stood at the side of his bed, looking extremely apologetic. "Remus. I am—"
"They could have gotten killed," came a quiet interjection.
Sirius paused before leaning closer. "Remus, I'm really—"
"YOU COULD HAVE COST THEM THEIR LIVES!"
Everyone in the room jumped slightly at the outburst.
Sirius bowed his head and didn't move.
"HAVE YOU ANY IDEA HOW STUPID THAT WAS? WHAT IF I'D KILLED THEM? OR WORSE, WHAT IF I'D TURNED THEM? !" Remus was crying now, angry tears rolling down his cheeks as he glared at his friend. He inhaled sharply. "I thought you understood how frightened this makes me. I thought you knew that I always feared killing someone or turning someone. I guess I was wrong," he said as he rubbed at his eyes.
"Remus, I am so sorry. I can't even tell you how sorry I am. I didn't think things would go so wrong."
"Exactly. You should've thought!"
Sirius finally looked up. Remus wasn't looking at him. He was glaring off towards the other corner, tears still sliding slowing from his eyes.
"Remus, are you ever going to look at me again?"
"Yes."
"Are... Are we still friends?"
A few extra tears escaped the other's eyes. "I... I don't know."
James took Sirius' shoulder and pulled lightly. "Come on, mate. Let's go. We're not welcome here," he whispered. The three turned and left the infirmary.
;;;;;
Everyone else remained silent through Remus' outburst, and watched as James, Sirius, and Peter left. Kelsey wanted to cry all over again, but instead choked back her tears and looked down at her food tray. She also hadn't eaten much—just a few bites of toast and a glass of water. She was more focused on calming down (and thinking of something to say to Remus) than on feeding himself.
Silent tears ran down Alisha's face, and she furiously wiped them away. Unlike Remus and Kelsey, she'd cleaned every dish on her tray, but her stomach still felt empty and still ached.
Severus had picked at his food a little, but claimed that the pain killers had made him lose his appetite. More than likely, he was still in just as much shock as the girls were.
Silence once again hung over the room, and no eye contact was made with Remus. The nurse came around and took their trays away, then checked over their bandages and wounds to make sure they were doing alright.
Kelsey choked back more tears as she glanced at the nurse looking Remus over. Long gashes covered his body where he'd clawed at himself. Furious, hurt tears still rolled down his face. He looked so broken, she could hardly stand it.
What made it worse was what he'd said to Sirius. She knew how close they all were. And while she couldn't condone what Sirius had done or that James hadn't stepped forward beforehand to stop it from happening, she knew that they were truly sorry. She hoped that, somehow, their friendship could be restored.
Alisha was more concerned for Kelsey now that she could clearly see the streak in her hair. It had been black since the night before, no other colors flickering through it—not even for the briefest of moments. Black was one of those colors Alisha didn't want to see in Kelsey's hair for more than an hour. She knew black was one of the worst colors her hair could turn.
The nurse finished checking Remus over, then walked back over to her office.
Kelsey made a snap decision and pushed back the blankets on her bed, carefully swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
Alisha looked at her with wide eyes. "Kelsey..."
Kelsey heaved a heavy sigh, getting her bearings as she sat up. "I'm alright," she breathed—the first words she'd spoken since the night before. With her good arm, she pushed herself up into a standing position. She stumbled forward a little, using the nightstand next to her bed as a support. She stood there for a moment, then took a deep breath and started away. She had to lean on the foot-board of her bed when she got there, but then managed to make it across the room to Remus' bed without much more trouble.
She dropped herself down on the empty next to Remus', sighing.
He looked at her, surprised, then averted his eyes, the hurt expression returning. Kelsey thought for a moment, forming her words. "...Remus."
He didn't look at her.
"Remus," she repeated, her voice a little stronger. "Please look at me."
He hesitated for a moment, then looked at her.
She mustered up a small smile. "I'm alright, see? We're all okay. I just hurt my wrist, Alisha hurt her ankle, and Severus' arm is broken, but—"
"You're not alright," Remus interrupted.
She blinked at him.
"I can tell." He looked at her. "Your streak is black. I may not know what it means, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't mean 'okay.'"
She looked away.
"How can you even try to say that you're alright after what happened?" he asked, his voice soft but strong.
Kelsey looked at him again, then took a breath. "Maybe because I'm more worried about you."
His brow furrowed in confusion. "About me?"
"Yeah," she said. "Because you hurt yourself so badly."
He gripped the blanket that laid over him in his fist. "Why did you go there?"
She was quiet.
"What possessed you to sneak out of your dorms in the middle of the night and go to the Shrieking Shack?"
"...Because we overheard what Sirius was planning, and we thought it was just going to be another one of their stupid pranks. We went for Severus, to keep Sirius from making a fool out of him."
"So you knew what would be waiting for you there, and you still went?"
"No," she said firmly. "We heard your name spoken, but had no idea how or if you were involved."
He looked away, then sighed. "Of all the people I know here, I thought you'd be the first to figure it out. You notice everything, and you're so meticulous. I thought you'd put together the monthly disappearances, the scars..."
"I could never have assumed something like that of you."
He looked surprised again.
"I think of you as a friend. To even conceive the thought that my friend could possibly be a werewolf or anything else would mean insulting that friend."
He thought about that for a moment. "But...I am a monster," he said quietly. He looked her in the eye and asked, "Are you afraid of me?"
She thought. Then she shook her head. "No. I'm not afraid of you."
"You look afraid."
"I'm not afraid of you," she repeated. "I might be a little afraid for you, but..."
"Afraid for me?"
"Of course." She hung her head. "Last night, I was afraid, and I hate that I was afraid of you. I hate that I couldn't think of anything to do to help you."
He looked up at the ceiling. "Well...it would seem I'm beyond help, really."
"You are not!"
He started a little as she jumped to her feet and clenched her hand into a fist at her side.
"You never say that, Remus Lupin! Not while I'm around! You can't just give up! If I ever hear you sound like you're going to give up, and I'll...I'll put hair-raising potion in your pumpkin juice every day!"
He blinked at her for a few moments. He cracked a smile, then chuckled. A couple seconds later, he started laughing. He was on the verge of tears, he was laughing so hard.
Kelsey sighed, sitting herself back down on the bed. "It wasn't supposed to make you laugh..."
"I'm sorry," Remus said, catching his breath. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh."
Kelsey waited silently for his laughter to die down.
He sighed and looked at her. "I just hate to think of what I'm capable of in that state. And seeing that you were there, knowing that you all were going to be there while I couldn't control my actions..." He looked away. "It's all the doing of that idiot Sirius." He clenched his hands into fists. "He's so stupid! I could've killed you all! I could've killed you. I could've...turned you..." He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed the heels of his hands over his eyes. He started crying again.
Kelsey pushed herself up from where she was sitting and rested a hand on Remus' shoulder. He took one hand from his face and put it over her hand, squeezing it.
"If I'd bitten you..." He gasped, sobbing.
Kelsey squeezed his shoulder. "It's okay, Remus. It's gonna be okay." I swear it will be.
;;;;;
Alisha couldn't help but smile to herself. After all of that, Kelsey still managed to surprise her. She wondered if she could take anymore surprises, and then movement caught her attention. Severus was sliding out of bed. His hair was sticking up in odd angles and he patted at it before giving up. Without a brush, it would be completely hopeless.
He hobbled over and stood behind Kelsey slightly. "Lupin," he said, his voice quieter and edgier than usual and lacking the venom. Dark eyes looked away when the other boy looked at him. He couldn't look at the slightly younger boy. "I...won't tell anyone," he stated simply before hobbling away.
The nurse poked her head out of her office and snapped at him, asking where he thought he was going.
"I'm going to the loo, I refuse to use a bedpan. I have a broken arm, I can manage," he snapped back before leaving for a few minutes.
Alisha looked after him, eyes wide. Had she just heard what she thought she just heard? She felt an odd fluttering in her chest and she bowed her head slightly, a small smile adorning her lips. Her respect for the other Slytherin had rocketed through the roof. She looked over at Remus and nodded. "I won't either, Remus. Promise."
;;;;;
Everyone looked at Kelsey. Kelsey looked back curiously. "What?" She started. "Oh, you think I'm going to tell? Of course I won't! I'll take it to my grave."
"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Remus said. He smiled. "But thank you." Kelsey smiled back. "You're welcome." She put her hand on his shoulder again. "Get some rest, okay? And don't worry about us. We'll be fine."
"Only if you don't worry about me."
She smiled again. "Well, no promises, but I'll try." Kelsey walked back over to her bed, her steps more steady now. She laid back down, folding her hurt arm against her chest and curling up. She smiled and looked over at Alisha. Alisha smiled at her, shaking her head a little. Then she got a mischievous grin on her face and glanced toward Remus. Kelsey blushed, giving her a look as her streak turned a pale amber. At least it wasn't black anymore. Alisha was satisfied.
Severus hobbled back in a minute later. He sat back on his bed and laid down. He noticed Alisha smiling a little at him, and he shifted his gaze away from her. "What?" he asked.
She started. "Oh, uh..." She thought about saying something, but... "N-Nothing. Never mind." And she laid back down and turned away from him. She looked down at her hand pressed against the sheet under her. She'd wanted to tell him how much she respected him, but she wondered how he would take such a statement. She figured he would probably close up and not say anything at all. And she didn't want that. Especially not then.
;;
Alisha and Kelsey were released from the infirmary that afternoon, and Remus was released two days after that. Severus, unfortunately, spent a week in the infirmary, but Alisha dragged Kelsey in to visit him at least once a day so he wouldn't feel lonely. Severus wore a cast on his arm for several weeks after as well.
For the entire week that followed the event that would later be called "Sirius' Worst Prank Ever" among the group, Remus refused to talk to either Sirius or James. As a matter of fact, he hardly talked to anyone besides Kelsey and Alisha—Kelsey more often, usually. He was still upset, even several days after the incident, apologizing over and over. Alisha was ready to jinx him after the first day, but Kelsey was much more patient, assuring him that they understood and had forgiven him. It wasn't like it was his fault, and none of them had been seriously injured. (Well, unless you consider a broken arm a serious injury.)
But, mostly, Remus talked to Kelsey about how lonely he felt sometimes. He got a lot of crap from people who were prejudiced against his kind. He confided in her his frustrations and fears, but also his happier times with Sirius, James, and Peter. Kelsey was glad that he was talking about them without hate or resentment in his voice. They were such close friends, and even if one of them had done something really stupid, it didn't seem right for them to be at odds this way. She told him that, among other things—told him how lucky he was to have such friends as the Marauders, that no one was perfect and that people mess up sometimes. That if he deserved forgiveness, then so did they.
Alisha, on the other hand, was still trying to figure out how to thank Severus for what he'd said to Remus, and about her respect for him. Nothing seemed to sound right. And Severus was just as distant and quiet as ever. It was almost as if he was harder to reach now. This frustrated Alisha, but it frustrated her even more that she didn't know what to do. By the end of the week, Kelsey had convinced Remus to go talk things over with Sirius, James, and Peter. They had a good, long talk, and things were soon resolved and forgiven.
James, unfortunately, had only had a brief bout of maturity, and, after they were all back on speaking terms, he was back to his cocky, pranskter self. This somewhat relieved Kelsey, because it meant things were going to go back to the way they were regardless of this discovery. It just upset Alisha and made her want to kill James even more.
In spite of the incident, the friendships among these students seemed to grow even stronger, especially in the case of James & Co. But it affected Kelsey and Alisha, too. They steadily grew closer to the boys, and were often seen roaming the halls together inbetween classes. The girls, like Remus, though, took no part in the bullying perpetrated by James and Sirius. The girls would step in if it got really bad, but weren't usually around to see the bullying. Overall, though, the five became rather close friends. Alisha still tried her hardest to get closer to Severus, but because of the animosity between James and Sirius and Snape, having him join their group seemed impossible. She wasn't going to give up, though. No, not by a long shot.
;;
Thus continued the Marauders' third year at Hogwarts, the year of "Sirius' Worst Prank Ever."