I do not own…

Chapter Forty-One: Down to the Shrieking Shack

It was hard for Vanessa and the others to concentrate on their exams but did the best they could. Hunter had looked at his watch and saw that it was near 2pm. He had some idea on how to free Buckbeak but the problem was where to keep him for the time being. The only place he could think of was the Shrieking Shack or just letting him fly free. After a few minutes he was the first to finish the exam, he handed the exam to the examiner and waited outside for Vanessa. It didn't take long till she came out.

"You said that you and your cousin have an invisibility cloak right?" He asked in a whisper

"Yeah, but it won't cover all of us." She said

"Why not just for the two of us while the others make a distraction or an excuse?" He suggested

"I didn't think I would find myself more attracted to you." She smiled

Hearing this, just made him smirk at her as he wrapped an arm around her to bring her closer to him.

"You knew I was a bad boy when you met me. Besides, this means a lot to you." He said "And I really want to wipe that smugness off of Draco's face. For some reason punching him didn't satisfy me."

"Well if we get this done I will reward you with…" She said before leaning close to his ear and whispering to him.

What she had offered made him want to do this more than ever. Vanessa had gone to find the cloak and couldn't find it. She didn't understand as she took the cloak from Harry as punishment for what happened last time. She mentally growled knowing he must have asked Hermione to get it as boys can't get in the girls' dorm rooms. Seeing that it was gone she knew that Harry, Ron and Hermione went to see Hagrid. No doubt the appeal was denied and they went to comfort him. So she went down and told Hunter that Harry and his friends had taken it to see Hagrid. They saw that they didn't have much time but they still went down along with Dawn and Dude, while the others kept a lookout and create a distraction, just in case. After Dude made sure that the outside was clear the four crept out of the castle and towards the pumpkin patch where they saw Buckbeak. The poor creature looked miserable as he was chained up and looked like he wanted nothing more than to fly off.

"Let's just free him now." Dawn whispered

"No, Fudge needs to see him first." Vanessa said

A twig was snapped from behind them. Vanessa quickly turned around and she could have sworn that she saw…

"What is it?" Hunter asked

"Um...nothing. It's just a fallen branch." She said

Up above the Raven flew above them and landed on a tree branch. Dude smelled the familiar magic and was about to let out a growl but he also smelled Fudge and the other two heading their way.

"Vanessa...you need to abort the mission now…" Dude whispered

"What? Why?" Dawn asked

"Its' Baba Yaga...she's nearby. We need to get Vanessa and Harry out of here." He said

He ran towards Hagrid's hut backdoor barking and started scratching the door.

"Is that Dude?"

The three had followed after the Crup before Hermione opened the door.

"Vanessa...what are you?" Harry said

Vanessa nearly paused when she saw a living Scabbers in Rons' hands. Who looked like he was trying to scurry out of Rons' hands.

"No...time we need to get out of here now." Vanessa said "Fudge is coming."

Hagrid looked outside and Fudge, Dumbledore, and the Committee walked down the steps of the castle.

"Sh's right. Yeh gotta go." Hagrid said "They mustn' find yeh here… Go now…"

Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Hermione picked up the Cloak.

"But the cloak won't fit all six of us." She whispered

"Don't worry about us, just keep hidden." Vanessa said and placed the cloak over the three third years.

Dude took the lead to show them a safe route to dodge Fudge and the Committee eyes. It was a bit hard as Vanessa (who was the only one that could sense them) had to keep pushing them forward as Harry and Hermione kept stopping. They started up the sloping lawn towards the castle. The Raven watched them closely, from afar, as the sun was sinking fast now. The sky had turned to a clear, purple-tinged gray, but to the west there was a ruby-red glow. Vanessa nearly tripped when one of the three stopped again.

"Oh bloody hell. Who stopped this time?" Vanessa glared

"It's Scabbers...he won't...stay put…" Ron said

Scabbers squeaks were heard very clearly. Then they heard Ron hissed when the rat kept biting his hand. Even through the hush voice and squeaks they all tensed when Hagrid's frontdoor reopened. There was a jumble of indistinct male voices and the silence before soft voices started talking again. Vanessa raised a brow at their words and was a bit confused. Then they all jumped at the unmistakable swish and thud of an axe.

"They did it!" Hemione whispered in a cry. "I d-don't believe it...they did it!"

Thinking that Vanessa was in shock Hunter held her close to him to comfort her.

"Come on...we should get going." He said

"But Hagrid…" Harry said

"We can't." Hunter said "He'll be in more trouble if they know any one of us were there to see them after dark."

Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven.

"How...could...they?" She choked "How could they?"

"Come on." Ron said

They all set back towards the castle. By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them. The whole time Scabbers kept trying to get out of Ron's hands still. It wasn't long till he bit Ron's hand so hard that he let go.

"OUCH! He bit me!"

"Ron, be quiet!" Dawn whispered

Dude was the one that knew was scaring the rat. He smelled Crookshanks in the nearby bushings. Before he could warn the others the cat jumped out of the bushes and sprang after him. Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness.

"Ron!" Hermione moaned

Dude and the other five followed after him. When they were nearby Vanessa and Dawn had to stop the other once they saw what tree Ron was under after catching Scabber and trying to get the cat off him.

"Harry, you know what tree this is right!" Vanessa said in a panic.

It didn't take Harry long to remember the Whomping Willow from last year.

"That's not good." He said "Ron! Get out of there!"

Hunter turned around when she heard soft pounding gigantic paws. His eyes widened when an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog was running towards them.

"Get down!" He yelled

He pulled Harry and Dawn out of the way while Vanessa did the same with Hermione. The dog had made an enormous leap past them and its teeth grabbed hold of Rons' leg. Harry hurried over and tried to save Ron but the dog started to drag the poor boy into the hollow hole that was under the Willow trunk. Then, out of nowhere, the Willows branches hit Harry so hard across the face he was knocked off his feet again. He heard the others either groan in pain or cursed out loud as they were being attacked by the tree branches too. While they were dodging the Whomping Willow's branches the Raven took off towards Hogsmead, knowing where the secret tunnel leads.

"We got to fo for help…" Hermione gasped as the Willow had cut her across the shoulder.

"Are you kidding, did you see the size of that thing!" Dawn said, after dodging a branch. "It's big enough to eat him."

"We need to find a way inside." Hunter said, he made a flip when one came at him. "There must be a tunnel inside it."

Crookshanks darted forward. He slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his front paws upon a knot on the trunk.

Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione whispered "How did he know…?"

"He's friends with that dog." Harry said "I've seen them together. Come one...and keep your wand out…"

Crookshanks had slid inside the trunk first before Dude followed after him. Hunter went next to check and make sure it was clear. He lit his wand and didn't see the big dog anywhere so he told the others that it was safe. So one by one they followed after him.

"Where does this tunnel come out?" Hermione asked

She was looking around and Vanessa noticed the strange looking necklace that she was wearing. The third year witch must have noticed that it was out and quickly placed it inside her blouse.

'So that's how she's been getting to her extra classes.'

"I think the Shrieking Shack." Vanessa said and looked at Harry. On the Marauder's Map it's only of the tunnels that neither Fred, George or I have gone in but it says that's where it leads to."

"Alright everyone keep your eyes open and ears on alert. We don't know what we'll be dealing with here." Hunter said, taking the lead through the tunnel.

They moved as fast as they could, bent almost double; ahead of them Crookshank and Dude in and out of view. The passage was very long but they were able to keep on. It wasn't long till the tunnel began to rise and twist a little. Crookshank was gone from sight but Dude followed his scent and led them to a small opening. It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor, every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up. Hunter was the first to pull himself out of the hole and looked around. It was definitely the Shrieking Shack. Dawn nudged Vanessa and pointed at broken furniture that looked like it was torn into pieces.

"Ghost didn't do that." Vanessa said

At the moment, there was a creak overhead. Something had moved upstairs. Everyone looked at each other and prepared themselves. Hermione and Dawn were a bit nervous but followed after Harry, Hunter and Vanessa. They crept out into the hall and up the crumbling staircase. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust except the floor, where a wide shiny stripe had been made by something being dragged upstairs.

They reached the dark landing.

"Nox." They all whispered and the light at the end of their wands went out.

Only one door was open. They crept towards it and they heard movement from behind it. There was a low moan and a deep loud purring. Hunter, still in the lead, held his wand tightly and kicked the door wide open. On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks, purring loudly at the sight of them. On the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which stuck out a strange angle, was Ron.

They had dashed across to him.

"Ron...are you okay?"

"Where's the dog?"

"Not a dog." Ron moaned "Harry, it's a trap…"

"What…"

"He's the dog...he's an Animagus…"

Dude let out a bark and they turned around and saw a man standing close in the shadows of the door behind them.

Dawn gasped at the sight of him.

His hair may look filthy and matted that hung to his elbows, white waxy skin made his face look like a skull and teeth were yellow they all knew who he was.

Sirius Black.

"Expelliarmus!" He croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them.

Dawn, Harry's, Hermione's, Vanessa's and Hunter's wand shot out of their hands, and he caught them. Then he took a step closer. His eyes were fixed to Harry, Vanessa and little on Dawn and Hunter.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend." He said hoarsely. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful...it will make everything much easier…"

Harry's anger was boiling to the point where he had no place for fear. He was about to make a dash at him but Vanessa and Hermione stopped him.

"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" Ron said fiercely

He did his best to stand up on his own but he swayed a bit.

"Lie down." Sirius said quietly :You will damage that leg even more."

"Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Harry to stay upright. "You'll have to kill all six of us!"

"There'll be only one murder here tonight." Black said

"Why's that?" Harry spat, trying to wrench himself free from Vanessa and Hermione. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew...What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"

"Harry!" Vanessa said "Be quiet!"

"HE KILLED OUR PARENTS!" Harry roared

He managed to break free from their grip and charged at Black With his rage he forgot about everything. He forgot about magic. Forgot that he was just a skinny thirteen year old boy and Black was a full grown man. But he didn't care.

For some reason Black didn't shoot a spell at him and Harry ended up tackling him down. Harry managed to get a few hits on him before he was thrown off by an unknown force.

"Dad?" Vanessa's voice was heard.

Looking up, Harry saw that it was Vanessa's father, Vlad.

"Your anger will be the end of you, Harry." Vlad said

"Stay out of this...this is…" Harry hissed

"You're not a killer, Harry! And I won't let you become one!" Vlad glared "I won't let your soul be tainted!

He had to use his powers to pin against the wall when the boy tried to get and run at Black again.

"You all will stay out of this." Vlad said before looking at Black. "Well this is a new low for you Black. Tackled down by a thirteen year old. You're really losing your touch."

"Stuff it, Tepes." Black glared "I'm not the one that drinks blood to regain their power."

Vlad's eyes went red and used his powers to levitate him up before pinning him to the other side of the wall.

"Where is she?" Vlad asked

"Like I know. Looking for her was your task. I had the rat." Black argued "You were stupid enough to come here. She might have sensed you and took off."

"Dad, what's going on?" Vanessa asked "Are you...are you working with him?"

"Like I told you and Harry, not to go after this man unless I told you it was true." Vlad said "I should have told you sooner but I had to be sure of what he told me."

"What are you talking about? He's the one that killed my parents and Vanessa's mother!" Harry shouted, trying to break free from the wall.

"Harry, I am warning you. If you don't stay and listen for once...I will seal your mouth."

Seeing the look in his eye, the same Vanessa gives when she's really mad, Harry knew to stay quiet. He took some deep breaths to calm himself down.

Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor...someone was moving downstairs.

"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed suddenly. "WE'RE UP HERE...SIRIUS BLACK...QUICK!"

The footsteps hurried towards them but Vlad never turned around as he already knew who it was.

"Lupin. Nice of you to join us." He said

Lupin came in with his wand at the ready but not once at Vlad or Black.

"Where is he, Sirius?" Lupin asked

Harry looked quickly at Lupin. He didn't understand what Lupin meant. Who was Lupin talking about?

Obviously Black couldn't move at all because of Vlad's power but once the vampire king dropped him to the floor he pointed his hand straight at Ron.

"But then…" Lupin muttered "Why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless…unless he was the one… unless you switched...without telling me?"

This confused everyone.

"Professor." Hunter interrupted, "What's going on…?"

He never finished his question, because what happened before them caught them off guard. Lupin lowered his wand and walked over to Black's side. He helped pull Black up and embraced him like a brother.

"NO! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed "I TRUSTED YOU! I DIDN'T TELL ANYONE! I've been covering up for you…"

"Hermione, listen to me please!" Lupin shouted "I can explain…"

Seeing this happen made Harry angry once again.

"I trusted you." He shouted at Lupin. "And all this time you've been his friend!"

"You're wrong." Lupin said "I haven't been Sirius's friend. If I was, don't you think Vlad would have killed me by now. Let me explain…"

"NO!" Hermione screamed "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too...he's a werewolf!"

It looked like Vlad was gonna say something but Lupin stopped him as he wanted to explain to her, Ron, Harry and Dawn. Vanessa had always known what he was as she could smell the scent of the werewolf in him. Hunter and the other VK's had known as they had a few werewolves on the Isle before and knew the signs of one.

"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione." Lupin said "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry or Vanessa dead. But I won't deny that I am a werewolf. How long have you known, Hermione?"

"Ages." She whispered "Since I did Professor Snape's essay…"

"He'll be delighted." Lupin said "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant… Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"

"Both." Hermione said

Lupin forced a laugh.

"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."

"I'm not." Hermione whispered "If I'd been a bit clever, I'd have told everyone what you are!"

"But they already know." Lupin said "At least the staff do."

"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf?" Ron gasped "Is he mad?"

Vanessa glared at him for that jab.

"Some of the staff thought so." Lupin said "He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy…"

Of course none of the four believed him. That was until he gave them all back their wands and had asked Vlad to let Harry go. It took only Vanessa's pleas for him to do it. Harry still didn't know if he could trust them. So he asked him how did he know where they were if he wasn't in league with Black. He told them that the Marauder's Map had shown them.

"You know how to work it?" Vanessa asked

"Of course I know how to work it." He said "I helped write it. I'm Moony...that was my friends' nickname for me at school."

He told them that he had a feeling they would go to Hagrids so he kept an eye on them with the map. Then he explained how he knew Harry must have been wearing James' old invisibility cloak while he noticed that someone else was with them. He said that Peter Pettigrew was with them. This confused everyone as this was not possible and that he was dead. Black finally spoke again and told them that Peter was Ron's rat. That he was an Animagus. Almost all of them didn't believe them. Hermione explained that people would have known if he was an Animagus as they are supposed to be registered and Peter wasn't.

That's when Lupin told them that there were three people that weren't registered. He told them about his tragic childhood of when he was bitten and how Dumbledore came and offered him to Hogwarts to earn his education. How they took steps of caution when he had to change. That's why the Whomping Willow was planted and the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack was made. Before he transforms he would press that special knot on the trunk and head to Shrieking Shack. James, Sirius and Peter, who were his friends, had found out and decided to help him by all of them going through with the transformation. By becoming animals he wouldn't harm them and they could watch over him. He continued on explaining things until Snape suddenly appeared. The professor had Harry's and Vanessa's Invisibility cloak on him before revealing himself. Boy did he had vengeance on the brain cause he looked at Sirius with so much hate. With Vlad, not so much, but knew better to keep his wand aimed at him. He didn't want to hear any reasoning that Lupin or Sirius had to tell as he wanted to call for the Dementors and let them handle the two wanted men. But before he could do anything a blast exploded in the room and it sent Snape through the wall to the other room.

A chilling wicked cackle was heard.

When the smoke cleared they saw an olive skinned young woman wearing gypsy clothes.

"Well, well, well...the gang is all here." The woman laughed