Chapter 18

Disclaimer: Not mine. I just borrowed them for a while. I promise to put them back when I'm done. Oh, nope, no money either...just for fun.

Many thanks to my betas, EverMystique and DuchessOfArcadia, for helping me clean up my many mistakes and to Pookah for the shoulder and friendly advice. I really appreciate it more than you can possibly know.

It had been weird reliving Easter for the third time in one year, the first having gone by almost unnoticed with Severus as a teen, the second having been spent with Hestia, and the third with Professor Snape and her friends, although not at the same time. For fun, she'd sent a letter to her mum asking for Muggle food dye to color eggs, a dozen Shocker Lizard and two dozen chicken eggs. Ginny had really enjoyed dying the eggs. They had hardboiled the chicken eggs before coloring them and made small baskets for each of their professors, chicken eggs for the teachers, the Shocker Lizard eggs for Professor Snape. Hermione never told Ginny why Professor Snape got a dozen and each of their professors only two, except for Professor McGonagall who got four. Ginny had assumed that Hermione meant it as a prank. The funny part was the reactions of her professors and the fact that only Professor Burbage, who taught Muggle Studies, had even heard about the Muggle tradition.

Hagrid had been surprised, asking what kind of bird laid orange and purple eggs. Flitwick had put a stasis charm on the yellow and pink eggs and set them in an enlarged Snidget nest he had and kept it on his desk. Professor McGonagall had been so touched, her eyes had filled with tears, and she'd insisted that the girls have tea with her. Professor Sprout had held the green and blue eggs as if they were precious and later she'd sent each girl a honking daffodil as a thank you.

When the girls had gone to Professor Lupin's office, Hermione had hung back and let Ginny present the eggs. He'd asked Hermione about the tradition of the coloring, but her answers had been brief. Ginny had been confused, but Hermione had only shaken her head and shrugged. Professor Lupin had sighed and nodded, thanked the girls and let them leave. Hermione still didn't know how she felt about him. On one hand, he was an excellent teacher, trying to bring the lessons up to where the students should be academically the best he could, treated everyone equally, and was fair and impartial in his marks. She respected him as a teacher, but now felt uncomfortable around him. Ginny, and most of the other students, liked and respected him.

But, Hermione had been convinced that he was a werewolf the day after Professor Snape had set the essay on them. Hermione had begun to notice that he was always gone the day after a full moon, sometimes only one or two days, but always recuperating from an illness. And he looked haggard the day he'd return to duty. She'd look at him in the Great Hall, noticing changes, like his hand would shake when he drank, his shoulders would be slumped slightly, and he'd improve as the moon waned in the sky.

Unlike her other professors, Professor Snape had been livid when Hermione had taken the basket of shock lizard eggs to his office, thinking that the eggs had come from his stores. He'd almost refused them until he'd discovered that they weren't his and that the dye hadn't effected the eggs at all. Nevertheless, he'd treated the eggs as a prank and had given Hermione detention for a week, which he'd quietly rescinded later when she showed up in his office the next evening. It hadn't mattered to her; it had given her the excuse to report to his classroom every evening without Harry, Ginny, or Ron getting suspicious.

Then there was Sirius Black to worry about. The Daily Prophet carried updates of 'Black sightings,' in every issue. Some were farfetched, such as the ones in London or Sussex and Westminster. Hermione was certain that Black would avoid heavily populated areas, but the ones in villages concerned her, especially the ones in Scotland. On one day, he was seen in Lochnagar, two days later in Kildrummy, then Bradenoch Village and Ballater the next, and then sightings three days later near Avelon moor, followed by Braemar. Hermione asked her father for a map of Scotland and marked the sightings using wizarding maps in the library to locate villages not on the Muggle map. In her opinion, some of the sightings were bogus, but too many were close to the mountain range where Hogwarts stood.

She still vividly remembered the attack in the forest and felt absolutely sure that someone who had been such a git in school, such a bully, would certainly have turned to Voldemort's side. But the sightings, the ones that were close, really frightened her, more for Harry's sake than her own.

Now that she was helping Professor Snape brew the Wolfsbane Potion, she wondered what effects the potion had on Professor Lupin and if he was truly as safe as the books indicated that he should be. She took heart in the fact that Professor Dumbledore must have matters well in hand. Hermione was certain that, between the professors and the Headmaster, Professor Lupin was sufficiently secured away each full moon because there hadn't been any werewolf attacks in the Prophet and not one student had been injured or disappeared unexpectedly after the full moon. But she still wondered about his friendship with Black and if he still considered Black a friend at all, reasoning that he probably didn't. But, the worry that he might be remained always in the back of her mind.

On the nineteenth of April, the potion began its simmering phase. Three of the potions they had made for the hospital sat on another worktable, two cooling and the other still simmering.

Hermione traced her finger on the annotations Professor Snape had added to the directions of the Wolfsbane Potion. "Sir, why the alterations of the timing?" she asked, hoping that he wouldn't mind the question. He'd been surly ever since she'd given him the small basket of twelve brightly colored eggs.

"Think it out, Miss Granger," he answered as he dipped his quill in his red ink without giving her even a cursory glance.

Hermione bit her lip as she stared at the directions.

"Aloud."

She glanced at the calendar on the wall. His calendar contained the dates of the lunar cycle. "You indicated that you began brewing the base on the third quarter of the moon's phase, waning, and didn't begin adding the primary active ingredients until five days later to coincide with the four nights the moon would be darkest...the new moon."

"Obviously," he said with a slow drawl that she knew meant he was waiting for her answer. "Why?"

"You're using the influence of the decreasing lunar cycle to strengthen the potion's efficacy!" She was stating the obvious again, but from what she'd read about the potion, he had begun too early in the month. "But I thought that the potion had to be started on the night before the new moon and completed by the first quarter?"

"Such has been convention," Professor Snape stated, his tone telling her he expected her to hypothesize why. "However, I adjusted the brewing schedule for a reason."

"Because if... To incorporate the waning phase of the moon rather than the waxing phase. Didn't you say that Professor Lupin stated that he could feel the pull of the moon as the moon waxes?" she asked, knowing that was the reason he'd changed the timing. "As it reaches its zenith, the full moon, so the waxing of the moon has some of the same influence that triggers the transformation that the full moon does, only not as strongly. The waning of the moon, even the first day of the waning moon, puts the infection into remission until the next lunar influence. Therefore if you were to strengthen a potion designed to counteract the influence of the full moon, you'd want to use the influence of the new moon...it's lunar opposite."

"Exactly," Professor Snape said, leaning back in his chair. One side of his mouth stretched back in a half smile that echoed a glint in his eyes. "Lupin must take the potion during the week prior to the full moon for optimum affect. By using the influence of the waning cycle of the moon, I have added the lunar influence that puts the infection into remission. I have also found a way to control the potion so that it has a longer simmering time, thus making the potion stronger. Or so Lupin has stated."

She was so impressed with his discovery. "Others have tried that and failed...miserably! But you solved the..." She looked at the cauldron and back at him. "Are you going to publish your findings, sir?"

"And admit there is a werewolf in Hogwarts for me to experiment on?" he asked, smirking at her.

"Oh, yeah, right," Hermione said as she rolled her eyes at herself for not having considered that fact. "I see your point."

"You may leave, Miss Granger," he said coolly, dipping his quill to resume marking papers.

"Thank you." She admonished herself, thinking, Oh, my gods, he thinks I don't believe him! I shouldn't have rolled my eyes! He thinks...because of him... not my shortsightedness. "Professor, I didn't..." she said as she watched him.

He leaned closer to the essay he was grading, the old habit of closing himself off and ignoring her. She waited but he wouldn't meet her gaze. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"No, I will not need your assistance until the second of May," he said dismissively.

She sighed as she collected her things. He may be older but apparently he still had a fragile ego when it came to his experiments. "I'll see you in class then, sir."

"Obviously," he replied coolly. "Good night, Miss Granger."

"Good night, sir," she said and walked away, wishing he'd have allowed her to apologize.

Hermione sat with her friends in the chairs by the fire, revising for her Charms exam. It seemed that everyone in the common room was busy revising or working on homework. The fifth- and seventh-years were particularly antsy as of late because of the upcoming O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s.

Hagrid had received notification that Buckbeak's appeal was scheduled for the day after exams, giving him time to hold end-of-term exams for his classes. Hermione was certain that Professor Dumbledore had something to do with the arrangement. It also gave Hermione a few days to revise for her own exams before she would coach Hagrid on the facts she'd given him for the hippogriff's appeal. Hagrid had promised to read the note cards she'd given him every morning and night. She was determined that this time Hagrid would be ready, knowing all the information so well he could quote the cards, even if he dropped them. And she would be there for moral support if he got nervous.

Harry was restless. Yesterday after class, he had sworn that Professor Trelawney had unknowingly made a real prediction, a true prophecy in which she'd said that the Dark Lord would return. Hermione was skeptical. She still thought that Professor Trelawney was a fraud, but Harry was absolutely convinced the seizure-like fit that he said he had witnessed was real and not faked. She wanted him to be wrong, though. She was frightened for Harry, especially having seen firsthand just how mean Sirius Black had been as a teen.

It was also terrifying to think that You-Know-Who could...would come back so soon. They were only third-years! Way too inexperienced to face someone like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! And considering that in both their first and second year, You-Know-Who had seemed to make a direct attack on Harry...first in the forest, then in the chamber where Dumbledore had the Mirror of Erised, then the memory-self from the diary setting the Basilisk on him...

Hermione wanted to ask someone about the supposed prophecy, but couldn't think of anyone who'd take her seriously. She was terrified that Sirius Black would give up on trying to kill Harry himself and go seek out his master. And that thought sent chills down her spine. If Professor Trelawney's wonky act wasn't an act for attention but an honest to Merlin real prediction, she really did need to talk to a professor. But which one?

As far as she knew, Professor McGonagall had as low of an opinion of Professor Trelawney as she did, Professor Snape would simply dismiss the idea as wooly, and she didn't know the Headmaster well enough to seek him out. She supposed she could ask Professor Lupin, but Hermione didn't exactly trust him in that regard. Even Professor Snape was suspicious of Professor Lupin. Considering he'd been suspicious of Professor Quirrell her first year, and he'd been proven right in his suspicions, Hermione was going to trust in him in this as well.

She looked over at Ron and smiled. He was industriously reading several books on hippogriffs, knowing as she did that they would be on Hagrid's exam. Harry on the other hand was scratching his head as he worked on his crystal ball assignment. Oh, yes, she was so glad that she'd dumped Divination. She would only get eleven O.W.L.s, but that was all right in her book. She closed her Charms book and switched to revising for Alchemy.

Hermione threw the cloak over Harry and Ron as Hagrid leaned against his door. "One minute, there. I, er, that is Fang he, er..."

"Threw up on your pants," Hermione hissed, peeking out at the men who had come to talk to Hagrid about Buckbeak. Hermione was incensed. Mr. Macnair had brought a huge axe to the appeal, which could only mean that Fudge was going to have Buckbeak killed regardless of what was said for Buckbeak's appeal. It was so unfair!

Hagrid looked puzzled for a minute, then repeated what she'd suggested.

"Good one, Hermione!" Ron whispered, barely able to keep from laughing. He was holding onto Scabbers with both hands ever since Hermione had found him hiding in Hagrid's milk jug. However, Scabbers was restless, struggling to be let free.

'Out, out,' Hagrid mouthed, waving them for his back door. Harry grabbed Ron's sleeve and pushed at Hermione, indicating that they hurry, and Hagrid called out, "One more minute, Dumbledore, sir."

They scrambled down the stairs to Hagrid's garden and crouched behind the pumpkins. "Merlin, that was close," Ron sighed as he struggled with Scabbers, who was refusing to stay in his pocket.

Hermione drew her wand and aimed at the squiggling rat. "Revinxi," she hissed, making strings lash out and restrain Scabbers. "That should hold him."

"Thanks," he replied.

"Hush, Ron!" Hermione turned quickly, thinking she saw a flash of pink from the corner of her eye. "Someone's... I thought I saw... Something's wrong," she whispered. "We have to go!"

Ron was looking at the edge of the tree line. "What did you see? Malfoy?"

"Hagrid's got them in the house now," Harry said, making sure that the cloak covered most of them. "Let's get Buckbeak."

"No," Hermione snapped, answering both guys. She grasped Harry's arm. "We can't, Harry! Minister Fudge, Mr. Macnair, and that other Ministry wizard have yet to hear Hagrid's appeal. If we take him, Hagrid will get in trouble. Besides, Dumbledore will make them see reason." It was hopeful thinking, not that she believed it herself, but there was nothing to be done. It seemed to her that the Minister had apparently already made up his mind, and an innocent creature was going to be killed. She thought about using her Time-Turner to turn back the clock and free the hippogriff, but with Dumbledore inside Hagrid's hut it was really too risky.

As they made their way up to the castle, Crookshanks appeared, hissing and clawing at Ron's trouser legs. Scabbers started to go berserk, squealing and gnawing at the strings that bound him. Ron tried to quiet Scabbers but the rat bit him, which gave Scabbers an opportunity to escape. Crookshanks chased after Scabbers. Ron ran after both of them with Hermione and Harry in pursuit. However, Ron, being taller, was faster and chased the cat and rat all the way to the Whomping willow. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a big black dog appeared, grabbed hold of Ron's leg and dragged Ron into a hole under the Whomping Willow.

Hermione screamed just as a huge branch crashed into the ground in front of her, some of the smaller branches striking her like whips. Ignoring the pain of their stings, Hermione lunged after Ron as Harry dodged another branch. Desperate to get to Ron, Hermione tried again and again to reach the hole.

"There has to be another way!" Harry shouted as he was thrown off his feet by the Willow.

"Immobulus!" Hermione shouted, aiming her wand at the tree. Several of the branches stilled, but not the entire tree.

"Well, that helps," Harry said, trying to dive for the hole again.

Crookshanks appeared from the hole, pressed his paws on the trunk, and stopped the tree from attacking Harry and Hermione. "Oh, clever, Crookshanks!" Hermione cried out, rushing up to her cat.

However, Crookshanks was too quick for her. "Werrowerrr," he said with a flick his tail and dove back into the hole.

They followed the cat down and through a tunnel to emerge into a dilapidated room with boarded up windows, a broken sofa, and stairs. "We're... Harry, this has to be the Shrieking Shack! We're outside the castle...in Hogsmeade!"

"Hermione, the dust... Ron was dragged upstairs!" Harry hissed, scrambling after Ron.

"Harry, wait!" Hermione tried to warn him, but he was already climbing to his feet.

"Give him to me," a gruff voice sneered ahead of them.

"Geroff me!" Ron shouted back at his attacker.

Hermione tightened her grip on her wand. "Harry, stun first, okay?" she whispered. "If it's Black in there, I'm hoping that he doesn't have a wand. I'll try and stun the dog."

Harry nodded. The way her heart was pounding, she was amazed that he'd heard her. Harry kicked the door open and bounded inside, yelling, "Expelliarmus," as he went in with Hermione right on his heels. The scene in the room was like a nightmare.

It was a bedroom, and Ron was sprawled on the bed, clutching Scabbers to his chest. Sirius Black, dirty and mangy-looking, was pointing Ron's wand at her. The second thing that registered in quick procession was that Harry had been frozen on his feet. Even frozen in a Body-Bind, Harry looked murderous. She reversed the spell only a second before Black disarmed her. Harry lunged forward as Hermione grabbed a loose board and swung at Black, hitting him in the thigh.

"It's him...Black! He's the dog! He's the dog that's been following you!" Ron was shouting, and Sirius Black's eyes narrowed. "He's the Grim, Harry...an Animagus!"

Harry dove for the wand in Black's hands when his attention wavered, knocking Black to his knees, making him drop Ron's wand. Hermione swung again, catching Black on the shoulder. Between Hermione and Harry, they managed to overpower Black.

"Hermione, I've got him!" Harry shouted, holding out her wand to her to make her stop hitting him. "Take it."

She snatched her wand as she dropped the board, aiming for Black's chest. But Crookshanks jumped up on Black's chest, his fur standing up on end, making him look twice his size. "Crookshanks, get away!" she cried, not able to bring herself to hurt her cat. Harry tossed Ron his wand.

"Hermione, wait!" Professor Lupin cried, bursting into the room and grasping her arm.

She struggled against him, kicking and trying to swing her arms out of his fierce grip. "But he's..."

"He's not!" Professor Lupin shouted. "Trust me."

"No," she snarled, wanting nothing more than to defend her friends against Black.

Harry was still pointing his wand at Sirius Black, who was laughing maniacally at Harry. Hermione assumed that the reason Harry was not firing a curse at Black was because Crooks was facing Harry with his fur fluffed out, hissing, and his back arched defiantly to protect the older man.

"You! You told me that you weren't on his side!" she snarled accusingly at Professor Lupin.

"I'm not...wasn't! Hermione, Pettigrew is alive," Professor Lupin shouted, gripping both her arms from behind.

Harry turned slightly. "He's not! He's dead," Harry shouted angrily and pointed at Black. "He killed him! He's the reason my parents are dead!*"

Hermione struggled against Professor Lupin, even trying to kick him in the shins, but he held fast. "You told me you saw him on the map, Harry! The map never lies!*" Lupin said through gritted teeth when she managed to slam her foot down on his toe.

"He's here, Remus," Black said, pointing at Ron. "Right here, let me..."

"No!" Hermione and Harry shouted. Bedlam broke out, everyone yelling at once. Ron calling Black crazy, Harry accusing Professor Lupin of being mad and that Black had to die. Professor Lupin insisted that Sirius Black was innocent and that Pettigrew was somewhere in the room.

Scabbers bit Ron's hand again. "Ouch, stop that, you mangy ol' rat!" Ron cried. Scabbers nearly broke free, but Ron caught him again.

From where Hermione was it looked like the rat had bit him a few times.

"See, Remus, see! It's him! It's Pettigrew!" Black cried as he tried to scramble to his feet.

"I see him," Professor Lupin responded. "Harry, you yourself told me you saw Peter Pettigrew on the map, remember? Peter is an Animagus, just like Sirius! Listen to me. I can prove this."

"Scabbers is an Animagus?" Harry asked, lowering his wand a fraction. "Show me."

"Meet Peter Pettigrew," Professor Lupin said, finally letting Hermione go and aiming his wand at Scabbers just as the door burst open.

"Lupin," Severus snarled and aimed his wand at Black. "Figures I'd find you here with him."

Professor Lupin turned slightly to look at Professor Snape from the corner of his eye, not wanting to take his eyes off Scabbers.

Hermione tried to tell him what was happening. "Severus, no, it's..."

"You stay out of this," he snarled at Hermione.

"HE'S PETTIGREW!" Harry shouted.

"Potter, you are in no position..." Professor Snape started to say, when Scabbers bit Ron again, and Ron let go.

Professor Lupin fired a spell at the rat. Black lunged for the rat as Professor Snape tried to fire a spell at Black, but missed. Hermione tried to stun Black, and missed as well. Scabbers dodged Black as he lunged again to try and catch him. Snape's spell missed again, rebounding on the wall as Lupin tried to disarm Professor Snape. Hermione screamed and tried to stop Severus from casting anymore spells, but he pushed her away, which made her trip and stumble. Harry turned and fired a spell at Professor Snape as Scabbers ran for the door. Hermione tried to stun the rat, the same time Professor Lupin did. Ron also sent a Stunner from the bed, but at whom, Hermione couldn't tell. Severus aimed his wand at Lupin as Harry took aim at Professor Snape. Severus' spell hit Lupin in the chest. Professor Lupin's spell managed to stun the rat. But Hermione's spell collided with Ron's, absorbing some of its magic as it rebounded, hitting Professor Snape the same time that Harry's spell did. Professor Snape flew back into the wall with a loud crunching sound and crumpled in the floor. And Black crumpled to the floor as well.

"Oh, my gods, we hit a teacher!" Hermione gasped, rushing to check Professor Snape.

"Harry, did you get Scabbers?" Ron asked.

"I hit Snape," Harry replied, releasing the spell on Professor Lupin and turning to face Ron. "You?"

"I got Black."

"I stunned Pettigrew, I think," Professor Lupin stated, looking under a broken chair.

Hermione was only half listening as she tried to roll Professor Snape onto his back. She could hear a crunching noise that sounded horrible. "We broke his ribs!"

"Good," Harry replied as he aimed his wand at Professor Lupin's face. "You better be right," he snarled.

Lupin released Black and flicked his wand at Scabbers before Harry could protest. Hermione looked up as Scabbers took human form, gawking at the man lying beside her. He resembled Pettigrew from the articles she'd read about Sirius Black and his infamous attack. Suddenly, remembering all the times she'd held Ron's pet in her lap and stroked his fur made her feel sick. "Pervert," she sneered at him, narrowing her eyes when he leered at her.

"But that's not possible," Ron said, in shock. "I've had him for ages! He was my brother Percy's rat..."

Sirius Black sat back on his heels. "I've been following him all year, Remus. I had to...I needed...he'd have..."

"Why don't we all sit down and then you can explain. I think Harry deserves to know the truth," Professor Lupin said as he made a quick assessment of Professor Snape and forced a purple potion down his throat. "A basic healing potion. He'll be fine for now. Madam Pomfrey will have him fixed up in no time."

The story was insane but it all made sense. After a great deal of arguing and shouting, Hermione had learned that Pettigrew had faked his death after he'd informed Voldemort to the whereabouts of the Potters. Black had seen Pettigrew in an issue of the Daily Prophet. He'd escaped Azkaban by turning into a dog, going to the top of the prison and Apparating for home. Once there, he'd set out to find Peter. Professor Lupin had then explained to Harry that there were places in the castle not on the map, although not many, mostly places they didn't know about or never used as students. Therefore, Sirius, having known more about the castle and grounds than the average student, and all of the teachers, had been able to move about the castle easily enough without getting caught, even as a huge, black dog.

Professor Snape, while injured, wasn't as bad off as Hermione had first suspected. The splintering sound had been nothing more than pieces of old wood under his back. Professor Lupin had bound Pettigrew, only after Harry had insisted that Black not kill him. Black had reluctantly agreed to turn Peter in instead to clear his name. With Professor Lupin's help, Hermione had used an old, broken chair to make a crude stretcher to carry Professor Snape to the castle.

The problems started after they had emerged from the tunnel. Crookshanks had hit the knot that immobilized the Whomping Willow so they could get out safely. However, in the excitement to reach Harry in time, Professor Lupin had forgotten his potion. As Professor Lupin had pushed Professor Snape out of the tunnel and then scrambled out himself, the moonlight had illuminated his skin. He turned his face to the full moon and his eyes immediately changed. He'd dropped his wand, which Ron had tried to snatch up but Pettigrew had managed to take away from him before Hermione could intervene. Sirius Black had tried to reason with Lupin, but the transformation had already begun. Harry had finally realized that Pettigrew had Ron's wand, and he'd tried to disarm him, but Pettigrew had turned into his rat form and escaped.

That was when Professor Snape woke. He quickly scrambled to his feet, swearing, still moving awkwardly as if woozy, but determined to shield Hermione, Harry, and Ron from Professor Lupin. "We have to hide, to... to..." Professor Snape backed up, still shaky on his legs, his arms outstretched, pushing Hermione and Ron with him, instead of drawing his wand. "Go back, he's turning," Professor Snape warned, stating the obvious.

Hermione could see Black, now back in his dog from, as he tried to wrestle the transforming werewolf away from the humans. "But where to?" she tried to ask, fear making her words stick in her throat.

"The way we came?" Ron asked incredulously, clearly terrified. "But he can get in there!"

Black bit Professor Lupin and turned to run, his actions apparently successful in making Professor Lupin, now fully transformed, charge after him instead of the other humans. Severus tried to turn, to corral Hermione, Ron, and Harry into leaving, but Harry went chasing after Sirius Black and Professor Lupin instead.

"Potter, you idiot boy, get back here," Professor Snape hissed, not wanting to shout in case the werewolf turned back on them.

Hermione tried to go, too, but Professor Snape grabbed her arm. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I have to help Harry," she said, trying to break his grip and run after her friend.

"Are you insane?" Snape snarled, staggering slightly but maintaining an iron grip on her arm. "You'll do no such thing. Help Mr. Weasley, if you must help anyone." He jerked on her arm, making her stumble to her knees.

Hurt by his roughness, Hermione turned to kneel by Ron's leg and tried to transform some leaves into cloth to make a bandage.

Professor Snape cast a Patronus, but all Hermione saw of it was a four-legged creature shooting for the castle. "Now the Headmaster will be aware," he said smoothly. "You're coming with me." He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, wrapped it around the bite wounds, and then magically bound Ron's leg with twigs and bindings.

Professor Snape refused to talk to Hermione all the way up to the hospital wing, still holding onto her with an iron grip. Once there, he dumped her unceremoniously on a cot and leaned over her. "You will be here when I return, is that clear?"

"Yes, Professor," she said, slumping down on a cot.

He turned, his robes flaring out dramatically, and limped from the room, leaving her and Ron in Madam Pomfrey's care without a backward glance.

It had seemed to take forever, but Professor Snape finally returned with the Headmaster, although they were carrying Harry between them on a stretcher. After leaving Harry on the bed beside her, the two wizards argued softly by the door as Madam Pomfrey checked Harry over. Dumbledore and Professor Snape turned to greet the Minister of Magic when he arrived, the same time that Harry woke up. Madam Pomfrey gave Harry a chocolate bar, but Harry refused it and scrambled from his bed when he heard that Sirius Black would be given the Dementor's Kiss. He tried in vain to convince the Headmaster, Professor Snape, and the Minister of Magic that they had the wrong guy. Hermione even tried to tell them as well, but Professor Snape and the Minister wouldn't listen to either of them. The Minister was only listening to Professor Snape's version, and he hadn't seen Pettigrew!

Suddenly in a swirl of robes, Professor Snape turned and snarled at her, "Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"*

"Now, Professor Snape, she's only a child," the Minister said in a condescending voice, "we must make allowances."*

Dumbledore tried to gain control of the situation, but the Minister remained unyielding, and Professor Snape was equally adamant that Black get what was 'his due,' even reminding the Headmaster that Black had tried to kill him before. Finally Professor Snape and the Minister left the hospital.

Hermione knew by the way Professor Snape had glanced at her before he'd closed the door that he was furious at her. Shrugging her worry about Professor Snape aside, she turned to Dumbledore. "Headmaster, please, you have to believe us!" she tried pleading as she and Harry continued to try and tell him everything.

Then of all the bizarre things, the Headmaster actually gave a veiled instruction to Hermione to use the Time-Turner to save not only Sirius Black, but Buckbeak as well.

Severus was fuming mad at Hermione for attacking him, even more so for using her Time-Turner to free the criminal Black. He expected such insolence from Potter, but she had indicated that she wanted to continue a more affable relationship with him. He'd even begun to relent and relax around her during their private time together. But then she'd had the gall to attack him. Me! and all I'd been doing was trying to save her bloody life. Ungrateful swot! He sat in his chair in front of the fire, drinking a reasonably priced brandy. After all of this camaraderie that had been built between them, just as he was starting to trust her; she still had the audacity to attack him, when all he had been doing was trying to defend her and her bloody friends. Insufferable wench.

She'd been down to see him...or to try to see him, several times, but he'd slammed the door in her face when she'd started to try and validate her reasoning. He hadn't wanted to hear it. He had to tolerate her in class, but he'd be damned if he'd entertain her excuses.

He sipped on the warm liquid and stared at the fire. Nevertheless, its warm heat sliding down his throat did nothing to relax him. Not tonight. Not last night. Not any night since the night Black had escaped, and not any night after that he'd had to suffer her presence either in class or her intrusion to his office. Her actions cost me an Order of Merlin, for an augury's wail! he sneered venomously to himself. That insolent chit! After everything...and she turned on me! At least Lupin had peacefully resigned.

He held up the glass, staring at the dark amber liquid. The reflection of the fire on the alcohol only reminded him of her eyes, those softly imploring, doe-like eyes that used to...

He lowered his arm. He refused to allow his mind to wander in that direction. She had, just as Lily had, turned on him. He downed the last of the brandy and stared at the flames. At least I don't have to make that werewolf's potion anymore.

He set the glass down and picked up his journal...the journal Hermione had given him. He'd copied all his revised versions of the potions in its pages from his Advanced Potions Making and his copy of Lehninger's Advanced Brewing of Magical Potions. He'd even entertained the thought of sending it for publication, but so far other obligations had prevented that from happening. Maybe over the summer hols he'd consider...

Severus tossed the offending book on the coffee table in front of him.

Suddenly, the fire turned green and the headmaster's face appeared. "Severus, I received your note; however, I cannot concur."

"What don't you concur about, Headmaster?" Severus said angrily, already assuming what would follow.

There was a pause before Dumbledore replied. "I would consider it a personal favor if you'd reconsider your decision regarding the potion."

He knew it! "No." He turned his head to look at the bookshelf instead of the face in the flames.

"Severus, it's necessary."

"The students are no longer in jeopardy."

"Remus will be a valuable asset to the Order when the time comes," Dumbledore replied, his tone pleading. "The prophecy that Harry informed me about, the one Sybill made, I believe it has come to pass."

"Damn this vow of ours."

"We will need him, Severus. I will need him."

Severus stared unwavering at Dumbledore's face. "Of course, Headmaster. Whatever you wish," he said coolly.

Dumbledore sighed, spreading ashes on his hearth and making the flames flicker. "Thank you. I shan't bother you any more tonight. Sleep well, my son."

"I hate it when you call me, son," he grumbled, but the Headmaster had already ended the connection.

~ T. B. C. ~

Author's Notes:

Yes, I changed a few things, paraphrased and condensed the events and dialogue that took place in the Shrieking Shack and the hospital wing. An asterisk denotes what is a direct quote or copied from the book. I didn't want to rehash it completely, but it was necessary to have some of it in the story. Forgive me.