The Wolf and the Raven

Ch 16 - Where There's a Will

"So this is what you think of me? What you've been doing behind my back?" Remus emerged from the shadow cast by the nearby stacks. His arms were crossed and his green eyes were an iced lake, deep and deadly.

Branwen was the first to run to her friend, "Remus! You don't understand –"

"Why not? Because I'm an animal? A monster?" He growled, the same sound Branwen had heard before. She stepped back, but Sirius stiffened, his fingers curling into fists. "Why don't you just shove it, wolf-boy! We're trying to help you!"

James stepped between the two boys, his arms outstretched. "Enough! Remus, Sirius is right. It was Bran's idea to do some research and see if there's anything we can do to help you. You should be thanking her!"

Madam Pince whipped around the corner once more. "Detention for all of you, this time. And another fifty points from Gryffindor. There will be no yelling in the library!"

They waited until she was gone, then Remus took a deep breath. "Look, even if you were trying to help, it won't do any good. You think my parents haven't tried everything over the past seven years? You think they haven't scoured every source, looking for some sort of cure or, or relief? I've drank potions, eaten things, worn all kinds of amulets and, and....things you wouldn't believe. Nothing works."

Not knowing what to say, the four others glanced at each other, then at their feet.

"I'm going to class. And I....I don't think you guys should come around the Shack this week." Remus shouldered his bag and turned around, leaving his friends in the half-shadow of the morning light.

"Well that could've gone better – ow!" Peter yelped as Sirius smacked the back of his head.

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The full moon inched closer and still, Remus ignored them. He sat apart from the boys in classes now, snagging a seat beside Lily any time he could. He ran past them in the common room and they found him fast asleep when they turned in every night. James and Peter would sometimes try to engage him, but Sirius seemed to be sulking, feeling guilty over the joke his friend had overheard.

Branwen took things much more to heart, however. Her pleading gaze followed him through every room, but he walked as though in a trance, never looking to either side. She began to pick at her food, shoving it around on her plate.

"That's it," James murmured after the second meal she hadn't even shown up to, "I'm having it out with him. He can treat us like shite if he wants, but he's going to apologise to Bran if it's the last thing he does."

"Just wait until after class, mate," Sirius responded. "She would flip her wand if you did anything right out in the open."

James agreed, then nodded to Peter and three of them made their way to Transfiguration.

James was glad he had decided to wait until later to kick Remus' arse. Merlin, he was tired. All those detentions and late night homework assignments and the worry over Branwen....

McGonagall's soothing Scottish accent drifted in and out of his consciousness. "....the Avifors spell....birds can be very useful....inanimate into animate....rather difficult....human transfiguration of course....much more difficult...." Here, her voice drifted off completely. It was as though someone had taken two exposed wires in James' brain and touched them to each other. The spark that leapt between them was a fully-formed idea.

His hand shot up, as though of its own accord. "Yes, Mr. Potter?"

"Professor, you're an Animagus, correct?"