A/N: Again, I wanted to say a big thank you to my readers. And another thank you to Roza Anne. I appreciate it!

Chapter 8: Terrible News

Three years had gone by. The seasons changed as ever in those three years. Sirius and Cassiopeia were scarcely aware of the time. Time did not seem to have a meaning in Azkaban. At least time seemed to slow during their three years in that horrible place. Sirius and Cassiopeia had no company but each other. Their only visitor was a single Dementor which brought them a paltry piece of food. Sirius and Cassiopeia had managed to avoid harm from the Dementors by transforming into their Animagus as dogs. This helped, but very little. The Dementors still left them weak.

During their three years, Sirius and Cassiopeia had grown very weak. Both of them were painfully skinny due to the lack of food. They looked as if they could be skeletons. Sirius's hair had grown matted, and he grew a mangy beard. Cassiopeia looked as if she were ill. For the first three years, time had not been kind to Sirius or Cassiopeia.

"Cassie, the Dementors should be coming now. We better be ready," Sirius whispered.

The Dementors floated through their cell and threw in a plate with a single apple. Much to the Dementors dismay, they could not feel any happy thoughts. They could not feel any happy thoughts to feed on. All that remained in the cell were two, huge, black dogs. As soon as the Dementors left, Sirius and Cassiopeia were able to transform again.

Both of them were exhausted, even after transforming. The Dementors still took their toll on them.

"I don't think my idea was so brilliant now," Cassiopeia said wearily.

"No, darling, you're brilliant," Sirius said, panting for breath.

"I should've done more," Cassiopeia said with guilt.

"Darling, you've done more than enough," Sirius comforted. "We wouldn't have lasted this long if it weren't for you."

"But we won't last forever in here, Sirius," Cassiopeia said, the fear in her voice. "The Dementors get hungrier whenever they come into our cell. Sooner or later, they're going to get to us."

"Well, we'll just have to be prepared then, won't we?" Sirius asked optimistically.

"Sirius, I'm afraid," Cassiopeia said.

"You don't have to be. Everything will be fine," Sirius comforted.

"It's not me, Sirius. I worry about you," Cassiopeia said apprehensively. "You don't have much strength left. I don't want those Dementors to finish you off."

"Don't worry, Cassie," Sirius soothed, putting his arm around Cassiopeia. "I have plenty of strength left."

"Sirius, you look like a corpse," Cassiopeia said flatly.

"Thank you. You look beautiful," Sirius jested.

"What are you talking about?" Cassiopeia asked, perplexed.

"I'm saying that with you by my side, I have ten times the strength," Sirius replied.

"That's very encouraging, my love," Cassiopeia said with a smile.

"We won't be here forever, Cassie. I promise," Sirius whispered.

"I hope you can keep your promise," Cassiopeia said anxiously.

Just then, Cornelius Fudge came by their cell. He was carrying a copy of the Daily Prophet.

"Mr. Fudge, may I have that paper?" Sirius asked.

Fudge was taken aback. Nearly all of the prisoners in Azkaban had gone mad. Most of them spoke to themselves. They were trapped in their own heads. Fudge could not believe how Sirius or Cassiopeia seemed unaffected.

"Sir, I truly miss doing the crossword. May I?" Sirius asked.

Without a word, Fudge apprehensively handed Sirius the newspaper and ran off. Then, Sirius and Cassiopeia read the most horrible headline: Werewolf Attack at Hogwarts!

"Sirius, what is that?" Cassiopeia asked after reading the headline.

"I don't know," Sirius replied. "I haven't heard of werewolves attacking."

"What does it say?" Cassiopeia asked.

Sirius read the article: "For the first time in its history, there has been a werewolf attack on Hogwarts. The attack happened on the night of June the sixth. One Hogwarts student went missing that night..."

Then, Sirius noticed a picture in the article. It was a little girl with purple hair. Sirius knew that face all too well. "Oh my God, that's Tonks."

"She's in her first year?" Cassiopeia asked in surprise. "My goodness she's grown."

"I think this must've been the work of Greyback," Sirius said.

"Fenrir Greyback? What makes you say that?" Cassiopeia asked.

"He bit Remus as a child, remember? He likes to bite and infect children," Sirius explained. "He was probably looking for a midnight snack."

"Read the rest," Cassiopeia said.

"…Nymphadora Tonks, age eleven, was reported missing that night. Tonks was found in the morning. She was covered in bruises and severely scarred. She was taken to St. Mungo's Hospital where she is expected to recover. Her mother and father, Andromeda and Theodore Tonks, are by her side. Also reported missing that night was student teacher Remus Lupin."

"My God, Tonks!" Sirius gasped. "She must've been so terrified!"

"She's going to be alright, Sirius," Cassiopeia comforted.

"I'm going to kill Greyback when I get out of here," Sirius said vengefully.

"I don't think it was Greyback," Cassiopeia said wisely.

"What do you mean? Who else could it be?" Sirius asked.

"Didn't you say that Greyback bit Remus as a child?" Cassiopeia asked.

"Yes, but what does that have to do with this?" Sirius asked.

"The paper said Remus was missing, too," Cassiopeia answered.

Sirius's eyes widened. He and Cassiopeia felt as if they had been punched in the chest.

"My God," Sirius gasped. "He was the werewolf. He attacked Tonks."

"But how?" Cassiopeia asked.

"I don't know," Sirius replied. "What was she doing?"

Nymphadora Tonks was just ending her first year at Hogwarts. Remus Lupin had been student teaching at Hogwarts to be a professor. Tonks loved having her "Uncle" Remus in her classes. There was an annual dance coming, and Tonks had invited Remus. It didn't matter to her that he was twenty-four and she was only eleven. She really only wanted someone to talk to at the dance.

"Professor Lupin," she called. "I mean, Uncle Remus, where are you going?"

"Tonks, you shouldn't be here," Remus said.

"You know you aren't allowed to be on the grounds at night, don't you?" Tonks asked.

"And you shouldn't be here either," Remus replied.

"What are you talking about?" Tonks asked.

Suddenly, Remus began to groan in pain.

"Remus, what's wrong?" Tonks asked in concern.

"Tonks, get out of here!" Remus cried.

"What?" Tonks asked.

"Just go! Go now!" Remus cried, still in agony.

Remus disappeared into the woods. Tonks ran off after him. She found her bag of clothes in the forest. She had kept them there so that she could change out of her dress. She gave the clothes to her friend and told her to get away quick.

"Remus? Remus?" she called.

Suddenly, Tonks heard growling. To her horror, there was a tall, hairy werewolf towering over her.

"Oh my God!" Tonks screamed. "Please don't hurt me! Don't hurt me!"

The werewolf slashed at Tonks, sending her backward. Tonks was cut on her wrists and face.

"Please, don't hurt me!" she cried in terror.

The werewolf growled in response. The last thing Tonks knew, her head smashed into a rock. The last thing she saw was a hazy image of Remus.

When Tonks awoke, it had been three days since the attack. She was covered in bandages. There was a bruise as purple as her hair on her head. She felt terrible after following Remus into the woods that night. Just then, Remus entered. He looked sickly and scarred after recovering from his transformation.

"Nymphadora," he whispered.

"Don't call me that, it's Tonks," she corrected.

"I feel terrible that you are here. I told you not to follow me, and now you're in here," Remus said, the guilt in his eyes.

"Well that's my fault," Tonks said. "I didn't listen."

"You should forget about me," Remus said.

"Why?" Tonks asked.

"I'm dangerous," Remus replied.

"No, you're not," Tonks argued.

"Yes, I am!" Remus argued. "You have to forget about me."

"I don't want to forget you. You're the only friend I've got. I already lost Uncle Sirius and Aunt Cassie and Aunt Lily and Uncle James. I don't want to lose you," Tonks protested.

"I will make you forget," Remus said grimly.

Remus had already pointed his wand. "Obliviate."

A coil of mist had come from Tonks and into Lupin's wand. Just then, Tonks passed out. To his horror, Remus realized that her memory was not completely gone. A simple touch would be all Tonks needed to remember. Remus ran off, determined never to make Tonks remember that terrible night. He only wished he could forget.

A/N: Just so you know, this is the link with Beauty and the Man Behind the Beast. Thank you to Roza Anne.