Chapter Fourteen: Davey Gudgeon's Eye

As February turned into March, the weather started to get better and the days began to grow longer. It was still blustery - and sometimes bitterly cold, this far north, but it was less wet and, as a result, the students started spending more and more time outdoors.

One Saturday, the boys left the castle after breakfast in order to attempt to feed the giant squid various breakfast foods and find out what he liked. They wanted a bit of fun and fresh air before they would have to head back to the common room to try and get on top of their mounting homework - but once outside they noticed a large crowd of students gathered further down the lawn.

'What's going on down there?' James asked - and when the other boys shrugged, he insisted they go and look, as he did not want to miss out on any action. Even if he didn't know what that action was.

As they approached the large gaggle of students, Remus's heart started to sink in his chest, lower and lower, as he began to suspect what it was they were gathered around. James seemed to have figured it out too. 'Cool,' he said, 'it's the tree that tries to kill you - remember it, Sirius?'

'I remember it,' Peter said darkly.

'Oh yeah - it knocked you out.'

Remus started to drag his feet, hanging back. 'Let's just go back to the squid,' he said. 'We already know about the tree - we know what it can do.'

'But I want to see what the others are up to,' and James forged his way ahead - with Sirius and Peter close behind and Remus tagging along miserably at the back.

As they got closer, they could hear what was going on. 'Roll up Roll up,' Davey Gudgeon, a third year boy from Ravenclaw, was shouting. He stood on a tree stump so he was above the crowd and called out to them like the ringmaster of a circus. 'Who's next? Whomping Willow Russian Roulette - I need four fearless champions fighting for the glory of their house! Who do we have?'

The groups of onlookers put their heads together and eventually four students - one from each house - stepped forward, some looking happier about their selection than others.

'Give them a big hand, folks,' Davey said, and the crowd whooped and cheered. 'And for the Lions we have seeker, Jenny Price.' The Gryffindors in the crowd all gave a great roar of approval - James and Sirius joining in enthusiastically. Remus shuffled back a few steps and looked around, wondering if there was any escape.

'She's quick and she's nimble - so the others had better watch out,' Davy kept up his commentary. 'And for the badgers…' The Hufflepuffs cheered, 'Lucian Riffkind - let's see what he can do. And in the blue corner - representing the eagles we have the one, the only, the indomitable Bao Chang.' The Ravenclaws all catcalled and hollered. 'And finally- stepping up in the green corner, for the serpents - and well used to getting hit in the face - it's Ludo Bagman!'

The Slytherins all screamed their approval, while James and Sirius jeered.

'Alright alright,' Davey shouted, 'simmer down. Now - champions - take up positions.' The four students all stood in a circle - ten paces from the Whomping Willow. 'On your marks, get set - aaand - first step.'

They all took a step forward. Nothing happened. Under Davey's instruction they took another - and then another. When they took the fourth step towards the tree, the Whomping Willow began to creak and groan. The crowd went suddenly quiet - collectively holding their breath. The champions took their next step forward. A giant branch, the thickness of a python, suddenly swung out at Jenny. She yelped and hit the floor, and it passed harmlessly over her head. The Gryffindors clapped and cheered as she got back to her feet and made the next step forward.

Another branch swung out - this time smacking Ludo Bagman full in the face. The Slytherins groaned … But Bagman was not a world class beater for nothing. He blinked, shook himself - and took his next step forward, grinning widely as he heard the roar of approval from his house, when they saw him undefeated.

Bao Chang had his feet taken out from under him - and, with howls of disappointment from the Ravenclaws, exited the field of play.

Lucian Riffkind was taken out next - a nasty uppercut right between his legs that made the girls all squeal and the boys all wince in sympathy. His eyes crossed, he toppled over, and was hauled away by the other Hufflepuffs.

It was now between Bagman and Jenny - and the air in the crowd was becoming more tense. They were now three steps away from the trunk of the murderous tree. Jenny jumped another branch, Bagman took another hit to the face - and then, on the final step, a huge and gnarly branch came swinging from nowhere and smashed with all its might into Jenny's midsection. She was hurled backwards into the crowd, and lay on the ground - nursing her ribs and gasping for breath. Meanwhile, Ludo Bagman jumped forward the final step, reached out with his arm and touched the trunk.

'And it's a Slytherin victory!' Davey Gudgeon roared out to the crowd. The Slytherins all cheered. James and Sirius abandoned the group of Gryffindors anxiously surrounding Jenny in order to howl in derision.

'Come on,' Remus hissed at them in a stage whisper from several paces back. 'We've seen what they're doing - let's go.' But James was not listening; the honour of Gryffindor had to be restored. And when Davey Gudgeon asked for the next group of four champions, James stepped forward - his face practically glowing with pride and excitement.

Remus groaned - and backed further away. He couldn't bear to watch - he just wanted everyone away from the tree. But he especially wanted his friends from it as far as possible. If James reached the trunk ... if he saw the opening in the roots ...

'They really are being terribly childish,' a voice said beside him. He turned and saw Lily standing there.

'Oh - are you talking to me again?'

'Not really. I'm just here to watch Potter get killed. Hopefully painfully …' She bit her lip and glanced around, her eyes were darting all over and she seemed uncomfortable. 'So - er - where did you go the other day?'

'What?'

'When you missed class?... Again.'

He flushed. 'Severus put you up to asking that, did he?'

It was her turn to flush. 'No - I er - was just ...wondering.'

'My mother is ill,' he told her shortly. 'I have to go home sometimes to visit her.'

She flushed even deeper. 'Oh - I - er I didn't know.'

'Well my mother's health is not really your business, is it?' There was a loud groan from the Slytherins and cheers from the Gryffindors as Elijah Smeeks was knocked out of the competition. Remus tutted and turned on his heel - walking away from the crowd and back to the castle.

He felt a little guilty - both about using his mum as an excuse and about embarrassing Lily when he had been lying. But everyone gathered around that tree - that tree - was making him bad tempered. And he just wanted to get far away and be left alone. The last thing he wanted was to talk about his monthly disappearances while standing in the shadow of the murderous willow that had been planted solely to protect the other students from himself.

Lily watched him go, burning brighter red than ever. That was absolutely it, she didn't care what Sev said - she wasn't asking again. Poor Remus! No wonder he always looked so strained and tired - if his mum was seriously ill. She turned back just as the Gryffindors exploded into cheers. Potter was right beside the tree - touching the bark - his stupid face split ear to ear by a chesire cat grin.

She tutted to herself. She had so hoped he would be horribly injured.

…

'You missed it!' James came bounding into the dormitory, where Remus was lying on his bed and pretending to read a textbook. Sirius was close behind him. 'I won - for the glory of Gryffindor - I got all the way to the trunk.'

'Well done - now can we leave that tree alone now?'

James frowned, 'what's up with you?'

'Nothing - I don't like that tree. It's dangerous.'

'What? We're Gryffindors! We're not afraid of danger!'

Remus felt himself grow hot. 'It's pointless and it's stupid and it's childish. The whole game is childish - you shouldn't play it.'

'But Sirius has to try and win it next time!'

He put his book down and looked at Sirius. 'Please don't do it,' he said quietly.

Sirius looked uncomfortable, glancing between his two friends. 'What's the problem? James managed it - he was fine.'

'I just don't like it - I don't like you all going near it.'

James narrowed his eyes. 'You know - you can be very strange sometimes, Remus.'

Remus blushed. 'Is it really that strange to not want to muck around with a tree that might kill you?'

'Yeah! That tree is brilliant.'

'Well I don't like it - and I wish you wouldn't go near it - any of you.'

'You sound like Evans. Proper killjoy, mate,' and shaking his head, James picked up his school bag and headed back to the common room. Remus looked at Sirius - who was still standing there awkwardly. For a moment it looked like he was going to say something … but then he too just picked up his bag, and followed James down the stairs.

Remus went back to his book - but he couldn't concentrate and he read the same paragraph over three times without taking in a single word.

...

They very carefully didn't mention the Whomping Willow for the next couple of days - not wanting to get into another argument. And - much to Remus's relief - a sudden squall of wet weather kept all the students inside for most of the week.

As they lined up outside of Potions, one Thursday, the boys couldn't help but notice that the Gryffindor girls seemed unusually giggly - although they were trying to bite down their laughter.

'What's with them?' James asked … and he wasn't the only one.

'What's up with you?' Severus asked Lily.

She shook her head and said 'nothing,' before snorting into her sleeve.

They went in and took their seats and got out their Potions ingredients - and Slughorn shut the door behind him. No sooner had he resumed his seat at his desk, then the door creaked open again. He frowned - and went to shut it once more.

But the same thing happened again. And again.

And again.

Every time he closed the door, he would no sooner turn his back than it was hanging ajar once more.

And then, just as he closed the door and took his seat for the fifth time - one of the little round windows creaked open. He stared at it in surprise - and then behind him the door opened again. He jumped.

Everyone was starting to giggle now.

Slughorn's face broke out into a grin. 'Now now,' he wagged a pudgy finger, 'I know it's one of you. Playing tricks on a poor, tired, old man.' He shook his head sorrowfully - the whole class giggled again.

The door opened and closed itself. The window did likewise. Another started in on the action ... within moments they were opening and closing to what was unmistakably the tune of Chopsticks.

'Wonderful,' Slughorn beamed - leading a round of applause as they doors and windows reached the end of their medley, 'now that was clever…' his eyes twinkled, 'but if I ever find out who was messing around in class it will be five points from their house.'

They got on with their lesson - brewing a sleeping draught. Slughorn waddled his way between the benches, peering into the cauldrons. He sighed when he looked into Remus's. 'What colour is a sleeping draught supposed to be, my boy?' he asked.

'Purple,' Remus told him, flushing.

'And your's is …?'

'A sort of sickly green.'

'What did you do wrong?'

'Nothing! I followed the instructions. I'm just … bad at it.'

Slughorn tutted and wandered off to inspect Sirius's potion. He burst out laughing, when he saw it. 'And yours is bright green! Now I know you did something wrong, my boy. You didn't add the flobberworm mucus.'

'No … it was too disgusting. I left it out.'

Slughorn roared with laughter again. 'I'm sure there's a fine potioneer in you somewhere - young Black - and I'll get him out…. Still - not the worst attempt.' He glanced back at Remus - who flushed.

'Forget about it,' Sirius muttered to him under his breath as Slughorn wandered away, 'fat git!'

Meanwhile, Slughorn had stopped by Lily's cauldron and was ladling out a great spoonful, exclaiming in delight at the exact shade and consistency she had managed to achieve, while she blushed furiously. 'And tell me, Miss. Evans,' he said to her, in his booming voice, 'which ingredient is it that is central to the drowsiness taking effect?'

'Valerian root,' she answered immediately.

'Well done, well done and what is the purpose of the flobberworm mucus?'

'To act as a binding agent.'

'Excellent - but for our squeamish friend, Mr. Black- what else could we use in its place?

'Haggerfish slime ought to do it.'

He sniffed, 'though perhaps Black would not find that any less offensive. Tell me, Miss Evans - what gives the potion its purple colour?'

'The lavender - it's also the lavender that gives the potion its distinctive smell.'

'Quite so quite so - and finally, Miss Evans, what spell would you use to open a door from a distance?'

'Aperto,' She said without thinking … and then went bright red again. 'I mean - I don't know … sir.'

But Slughorn was chuckling fondly. 'I knew it, I knew it - five points to Gryffindor - for sheer audacity.'

…

'Did you see the favouritism from Slughorn?' Sirius asked in disgust, throwing his bag onto the bench next to him as he sat down to lunch. 'Five points to Evans just for mucking around.'

Remus made a scoffing noise in the back of his throat. 'You want to really feel the thin end of the wedge when it comes to Slughorn - try being me and Peter. At least he thinks you two are important enough to notice.'

'What were they even doing with the doors?' James asked, spearing a boiled potato onto his fork and popping it into his mouth.

'They were pranking Slughorn - like the girls do in those silly books they read.' (He had finished the whole set off in secret under the blankets at night … though he would never admit it.)

James snorted and sprayed potato everywhere. 'That was supposed to be a prank? it was rubbish! Girls! I'll show them a prank.'

'What are you going to do?' Remus asked him suspiciously.

'Just wait and see - I'll prank everybody.'

'But not me, mate!' Sirius said.

'Everybody!'

…

The next Potions lesson, James seemed unusually quiet in the line outside - he didn't even rise to the Slytherins saying rude things about them as they waited. He walked into the classroom - looking like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, and made his way to the back - where he started to unpack his ingredients - innocence and goodness radiating out of him.

Sirius and Remus took one look at him, glanced at each other, and then - without a word - went and sat on a different bench to normal. As far away from James as they could. Peter looked between them and James - as if unsure who to follow - and then scuttled after James.

'Now, today,' Slughorn said to them, as he settled his great bulk behind his desk, 'we will be learning how to brew Pompion Potion … an interesting little mixture. If made correctly it turns a person's head - temporarily of course - into a pumpkin.'

'Excellent,' James was heard to breathe from the back.

Lily's hand was in the air, her nose was wrinkled. 'Er - sir - what's the point of that potion?'

Slughorn chortled, 'the motto of all good potioneers, Miss Evans "we can so we do".'

'That doesn't sound a very safe motto,' she murmured to Severus - who shushed her.

With a wave of his wand, Slughorn put the instructions up on the board. Remus read them all and glanced sidewards at Sirius. 'Alright - I'm going to do exactly what you do today … see if I can't get it right, if I copy.'

They both looked back at James - but he was quietly crushing his Flitterby moth and looking for all the world like the epitome of a model student.

'I don't trust him at all,' Sirius said, darkly. 'No - see - here - you've got to crush it more than that. Make it nice and pulpy.' Once their moths were ground to the same consistency they added them to their cauldrons and stirred clockwise until the potion turned green. Then they took out their pestle and mortars to powder the bouncing bulb. Once again, Sirius took it from Remus and finished the job for him. 'You have to get it just right.'

They stirred anticlockwise this time, turning the potion red - and then finally added the foxglove and stirred clockwise again until it all turned orange. Remus peered into his cauldron - it was at least the right colour today, but there was no denying that his was a rather watery and pale orange compared to the rich, warm, pumpkin glow of Sirius's.

'I just don't get it - how can I be chucking stuff into a pot badly ? Maybe it's my stirring action - do you think it's off?'

'Doesn't matter - who cares about Potions? I wish I was as good as you at Defence. You could grow up to be a Vampire Hunter for the Ministry, like Professor Tenebris! And I'll be stuck doing something really boring.'

Remus fought down a pleased grin, 'I don't think that's how it will all pan out.'

'You'll see - I bet I'm bored. I'm always bored.'

'My mum says only boring people get bored.'

'That's the stupidest thing I ever heard … Talking of boring people - what's he up to at the back? No way he's sticking with the goody two shoes thing until the bell.' He looked over at where James was quietly finishing up his potion.

'I'm trying not to think about it - the less we know, the less trouble we can be in.'

As the class came to a close, Slughorn went around inspecting the potions as usual - he declared Lily's and Severus's 'perfect' as normal. He tutted at Remus - as normal … and then, when he turned his back and headed to the front of the classroom, James suddenly ducked beneath the desk.

He whipped out one of the Dr. Filibuster indoor fireworks that he got for Christmas and lit the fuse.

'What are you…?' Peter started to ask.

'Shh watch.' He stood up - and lobbed the firework through the air. It soared in an arc and then came down, splash! Right into Severus's potion.

The firework exploded and the mixture blew up, giving the effect of a volcano blowing its top, as the orange liquid shot straight up into the air - woosh! - and then splattered the classroom - and the people in it - with great force.

James grabbed hold of Peter and thrust them both beneath the desk before they could get covered themselves - and then they peered out to watch the mayhem … as everyone who got splashed stood frozen for a moment and then - with a popping sound - their head turned into a pumpkin.

Remus and Sirius - now resembling a pair of Jack O'lanterns - stared at each other in surprise. Petra Linehan reached up and felt the sudden roundness of her head and cried out in alarm. The Slytherins near the front were standing there - looks of shock on their newly carved Halloween faces.

But the worst was Severus and Lily, who had been standing closest to the exploding potion. Each now had a pumpkin head the size of a county fair winner, so weighty and round that their necks could barely support them, each with a green stalk at the top and - in Lily's case - long, green curling vines trailing down her back, and monstrously wide jagged grins - which seemed to be lit up from the inside.

'Oh really now!' Slughorn sounded angry for once. He looked around the room - and saw the only two people without pumpkin heads. 'Fifty points from Gryffindor - and a detention for you both.'

'It wasn't Pete!' James cried out. 'He didn't know what I was going to do.' Then he looked at the sea of angry pumpkin faces glaring at him - and burst out laughing.

'Think it's funny do you?' Slughorn boomed. 'Well then - how about a week's detention? Let's see if that wipes the grin from your face.'

With a wave of his wand, he restored most of the class back to normal (Remus patted his nose to make sure he now had a proper one again) but there was not much he could do for Lily and Severus - and they had to be taken off to the Hospital Wing to wait for their pumpkins to subside.

Despite his many detentions, James still thought it was funny by the time they got to tea. 'You should have seen you two! You looked ridiculous,' he guffawed. Peter bit his lip and tried his hardest not to smirk.

Sirius and Remus tutted and ignored him as they ate their chicken casserole.

'Oh come on, it was a laugh! You wouldn't have got transformed if you'd come and sat next to me - like Pete did, you only have yourselves to blame.'

He was met with very cold stares after that, and Remus wondered loudly to Sirius if maybe coventry did have its uses after all.

'Oh come on!' James said. He bit into a carrot mutinously. 'It was a laugh!'

…

While James was still stuck in his weeks worth of detentions, the weather cleared up again and the students returned out to the grounds… and to the Whomping Willow and yet more contests of their version of Russian Roulette.

'Let's not,' Remus said, dragging his feet and trying to hold Sirius back. 'Let's just leave them to it.'

'What's the big deal?'

'I don't like it.'

'But I want to touch the trunk, James managed it.'

'It's a tree trunk - touch another one!'

Sirius rolled his eyes, 'it's not about the trunk; it's about the glory. Come on...'

'Please.'

'You're being soft!'

Standing on his tree stump once again, Davey Gudgeon started to call for house champions to step forward. Sirius made to move; Remus grabbed hold of his arm. 'Please don't do it, Sirius,' he begged.

Sirius glanced at him - and then seemed to relent. 'Fine.' But then he gave Peter a shove. 'You do it, Peter.'

Peter squeaked in alarm as he found himself standing in front of the Gryffindor crowd, being cheered on. Remus flushed in anger. 'That isn't what I meant and you know it!' he snapped at Sirius. He turned around and marched off.

'What's the big deal?' Sirius yelled after him. He shook his head, half angry with Remus for being so weird, and half angry with himself for upsetting him. 'Stupid git, ' he muttered under his breath. And then - feeling even more guilty about that - hissed 'idiot,' at himself.

He was still grumbling and glowering as he turned back to watch Peter's progress in the roulette. Sirius was surprised to see he was rather good - he scurried and scuttled his way past all the swinging blows, creeping up on the trunk while the older champions were tussling with the bigger boughs and - without anyone quite noticing he had got there - managed to place a palm on the trunk and claim a victory for Gryffindor.

…

Peter was a hero in the common room that night. 'That could've been me,' Sirius said rather bitterly. He glowered at Remus, who had his nose buried in his Charms textbook - though his forehead was visible and it was bright red. 'If I hadn't gone soft and listened to you.'

'You might not have won.'

'Well I better bloody had now James and little Peter have managed it. I'll look a right berk if I lose.'

'It's Russian Roulette - it's not a skill. They got lucky.'

'You didn't see Peter - I've never seen anything like it, he just sort of … sneaked his way to victory. That was definitely a skill.'

'But you're not sneaky - and so you have to rely on dumb luck.'

'Well I am pretty lucky.'

'And you are pretty dumb.' Sirius threw a cushion at him, it knocked the book from his hands. '- But that doesn't mean that you won't end up in the Hospital Wing with a nasty injury. And when that happens - put me down for a big "I told you so".'

But his dire warnings were not enough to put Sirius off. Since Peter had managed to win his round of the game, Sirius was more than determined than ever that he would get his chance and prove just as successful.

His chance came right before the Easter holidays were about to start. That Friday evening was fine - almost warmish - and a crowd gathered around the Whomping Willow just as the sun was starting to set.

The full moon was less than a week away, Remus was already suffering, and battling against his own short temper - and, when Sirius stepped forward - to a roar of approval from other Gryffindors - and took up his position, the young werewolf almost felt like crying.

But maybe - if Sirius could touch the tree - and not spot the opening to the secret passage - then the four of them could be done with this stupid game, once and for all.

Sirius's face was set. Whereas James had been glowing with excitement, and Peter shaking with nerves - Sirius just looked grimly determined … and that may have been due in no small part to the fact that his Slytherin opponent was none other than his cousin, Narcissa.

Seventh year Ted Tonks was the champion for Hufflepuff … but as yet no one had stepped forward for Ravenclaw. 'Come on!' Davey Gudgeon yelled at his housemates from the top of his stump. 'Who's going to do it? Who hasn't done it yet?'

'You!' Bao Chang yelled back to him.

'Oh … alright!' And with a shake of his head he jumped down and took up the Ravenclaw position around the Whomping Willow. 'On your marks, get set - aaand first step.'

They all stepped forward. As always - nothing happened this far away. They took another - and another … and then a branch came swinging straight at Narcissa, who shrieked and rolled out of the way and then got back to her feet.

Sirius jumped a branch - and then another - and then ducked a third. Ted Tonks took a bough to the gut and was knocked out of the competition - to the groans of the Hufflepuffs. Narcissa was then smacked in the face - and she too was out.

That seemed to perk Sirius up a bit - and he jumped another branch and dashed forward another couple of paces. Round the other side, Davey Gudgeon was sneaking ever closer. The tree groaned and creaked - and he froze, waited a moment - and then crept on.

Sirius took another step. A branch swung at him and he rolled out of its way … but he was now further from the trunk again. Only the tree seemed to have worked out exactly where he was and was treating him like a fly that needed swatting. It heaved and rocked and seemed to squeal in agony as it practically pulled its own roots up trying to smack him into the dirt.

Remus's fingers were in his mouth - and he was barely breathing - as he watched the distant figure of his friend fighting against the murder tree he had caused to be planted in the school grounds. If anything happened to Sirius - it would all be his fault …

Sirius had grown red in the face with the exertion of ducking and diving and rolling and jumping. But he had not yet been hit - and he seemed to be determined not to be outdone by Peter. But his progress was slow - and the tree was so busy with him that Davey was getting closer and closer unnoticed.

And then … out of nowhere - the largest, thickest branch launched down from on high, and took a vicious swipe right at Davey Gudgeon's head. He was caught off guard - and smacked full in the face, taking a mouthful - and eyeful - of sharp twigs and leaves.

He was thrown backwards - and Sirius took advantage of the moment to dash forward and slap the trunk with his hand.

But Davey landed heavily on the ground - and when everyone got a look at him … he was out cold - and the right sight of his face was cut open, his cheek bone smashed in. Blood oozed down beside his eye, his nose was crushed and his gums split open.

The gathered crowd all gasped in horror. 'Run and get a teacher!' Bao yelled at someone. And from the startled crowd, one figure detached and ran up to the castle, while everyone else stared at Davey and his awful injuries.

Realising something was wrong, when no Gryffindors celebrated his winning, Sirius froze and turned to see what had happened … and, in that moment, he too took a branch to his unsuspecting face. He was thrown back several feet - and, like Davey, was knocked out cold.

…

When Sirius came to, swimming out of the blackness of unconsciousness, he saw something pale and round hovering above him - and for one moment he thought it was the full moon shining down on him . But then his eyes focused - and what had looked like a smooth, pale blur became Remus's anxious face.

He groaned. 'What happened to Davey Gudgeon?'

'Madam Pomfrey is fixing him up … he'll live. But - he nearly lost his eye.'

'What happened to my face?' He struggled to bring his arms up to pat at himself, checking for injury.

'Nothing - you're still stupidly handsome.'

'Are you here to tell me you told me so?'

'No. I'm here because I promised you, if you ever got sent to the Hospital Wing, I'd come and visit.'

'Oh yeah,' he reached out and took Remus's hand and gave it a squeeze. 'Thanks - I do feel better.'

'Good. Because I told you so .'

Sirius laughed - and then groaned. 'My face hurts too much to laugh. Where's James?' he asked - trying to lift his head from the pillow. 'How come he isn't here, anxiously mopping my fevered brow?'

'Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let him in. Said he was too exuberant a personality to be in a place where people are convalescing. She only let me in if I promised to be quiet.'

'Thank God I've got one quiet friend. It would be miserable to be stuck here all alone.'

'Yeah … it can be.'

...

Sirius was released from the Infirmary early the next morning, and had to go straight to Gryffindor tower to pack up ready for the train home in an hour. But when he got there, he found Professor McGonagall in the common room again - and all of the house gathered around - waiting … for him.

He gulped, looked alarmed - and then sidled over to hide behind James and Remus.

'Now we are all here,' McGonagall said looking around, 'it seems we need a refresher course on some of the school rules. Now I specifically remember Professor Dumbledore - at the beginning of year feast - telling you all that going near the Whomping Willow was strictly prohibited. Am I alone in remembering that?' She arched an eyebrow and dared them to disagree with her.

They all mumbled their agreement. They remembered. 'And yet - and yet - half the school seems to have been involved in some kind of competition that actively breaks that rule and endangers the students. So I want you to all listen and remembe r this: that tree is capable of causing great harm, and it is borderline sentient. When you provoke it - you are causing distress and harm to it. You are being cruel. And it will defend itself from your cruelty. Davey Gudgeon nearly lost his eye - Madam Pomfrey cannot grow back an eye. That would be it. Any one of you could have been killed. Madam Pomfrey cannot cure death. We are very lucky that Black escaped as relatively unscathed as he did.'

Sirius cringed and bent his knees to try and disappear further behind James.

'Now,' her nostrils flared. 'It is only the fact that we cannot expel half the school - and the fact that Gudgeon appears to have been the ringleader and has paid the highest price - that is stopping Professor Dumbledore from telling everyone involved to pack their bags and not bother coming back. But this is a final warning. Anyone who goes near that tree - within twenty paces of it - next term or at any point in the future will be in serious risk of expulsion. It will be at the discretion of the heads of houses as to whether or not their pupils are allowed to stay - and believe me I will have no compunction in booting out errant Gryffindors.'

She glared around at them again - making sure they were all taking this seriously. 'And remember this,' she lowered her voice - but it still carried to every corner of the common room. 'I will also expel any member of Gryffindor house who knows that students have been messing around with that tree - and does not come forward to tell me. I will count silence as complicity - and those complicit will be treated as equally guilty. Do I make myself clear?'

There was a murmured answer of 'yes, Professor,' from all the assembled students. And then - with a final flare of her nostrils, McGonagall stormed out of the common room and slammed the portrait behind her. And with that - the Easter holidays started.