Aria Black and the Prisoner of Azkaban *Re-Write*

If Snark Could Kill

Ron gasps. Harry freezes. Hermione screams. Black jumps upward. Remus's jaw drops. I, however, grip my wand tightly.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow." Snape proclaims, looking proud of himself. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you."

How could we have been stupid enough to leave the cloak behind? I glance nervously at Remus, who has Snape's wand angled at his chest.

"You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" Snape asks. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did. Lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

"Severus-" Remus begins.

He is cut off by an irritable wave of Snape's hand. "I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout."

Remus steps forward, but Snape shoves the wand closer to him. "Severus, you're making a mistake." Remus says, stepping back defensively. "You haven't heard everything. I can explain. Sirius is not here to kill Harry."

"Two more for Azkaban tonight." Snape sneers. His eyes are excited in an insane sort of way. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this. He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin... a tame werewolf."

Remus swallows uncomfortably. "You fool." He says. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

Ropes burst out of Snape's wand. They wrap around Remus's mouth, wrists and ankles. Remus falls to the floor with a clunk.

While Black roars and steps toward Snape, I drop to my godfather's side behind Snape. Snape's wand is pointed right between Black's eyes.

"Give me a reason." He sneers. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

Keeping my eyes on Snape and Black, I slowly reach for the bonds around Remus's wrists. Hermione notices me and steps toward Professor Snape. "Professor Snape...." She says softly. "It-it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, would it?"

Snaps turns his hateful glare from Black to Hermione. "Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school." Snape says silkily. "You, Potter, Weasley and Black are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, hold your tongue."

I have the rope around Remus's mouth untied. I nod at Hermione to keep going.

"But..." She says. "If... there was a mistake..."

The girl never stops talking, how is she having trouble now?

"KEEP QUIET YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape roars, spit flying out of his mouth. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

Hermione shrinks back and gives me a guilty look. Snape catches the glance between us. He whirls around at me, furiously shaking.

Snape slashes his wand in the air violently. I am lightly pushed backward towards Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He waves his wand again and Remus's ropes tighten.