No Shrinking Violet

Full Moon and Naps - Part 2

It was dark when I woke up, I was confused at first, what the hell was going on? Who was whispering? I pushed back the curtains to see Remus, James, Sirius and Peter talking in hushed tones, slipping out of the bed I glanced out the window to see there was still a bit of time before the moon would rise.

'Are you leaving?' I asked softly.

Four heads whipped towards me and I gave a silly little wave.

'We're about to yeah, Frank won't mind if you stay here.' Sirius said.

'No, I should get back to my own dorm. Are you alright James? You look angry.'

'Snape tried to attack us earlier and he said some not so complimentary things about you and Lily.' James' voice was taut with anger.

'Don't worry mate, he'll get what's coming to him.' Sirius soothed.

'You should get going, the moon will be rising soon.' I told them. 'Be careful okay?'

They nodded, and Sirius hugged me tightly before whispering in my ear.

'My clothes look good on you.'

A laugh escaped my lips and I swatted at his shoulder before watching them leave, when they were gone I grabbed my folded clothes from Sirius's trunk and slipped into my shoes smiling like a dope when I caught sight of a picture of us on his bedside table. We were pulling silly faces and I don't think I'd ever seen a couple as stupidly happy as we were in that perfectly captured moment.

My shoes echoed against the stone floor as I made my way down the stairs and into the barren common room, the only person around was a fellow sixth year who had fallen asleep on the couch. I called out to him and he looked around in confusion before dragging himself off the couch and up to his dorm room. Following his example, I entered my own dorm room to find everyone asleep, dropping my clothes on the floor I went to sit at the window. I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight for worrying about my friends.

^.^

It was an hour later when I noticed it, the moonlight illuminated a shadow running towards the Whomping Willow. As they got closer I saw them raise their wand, a stick rose from the ground and as it touched a large knot on the tree it suddenly stilled allowing whoever it was to move closer to the base and find the tunnel that led to the Shrieking Shack...where Remus was currently residing in his wolf form. Without thinking I jumped to my feet and ran as fast as I could, it seemed to take forever to reach the willow tree, but it was probably no more than a few minutes. I did exactly as I saw the mysterious figure do earlier and waited for the tree to still before slipping into the tunnel.

As I got closer I heard growls and a male screaming, emerging into the shack I ran towards the source of the screams and found Severus Snape standing directly in front of a werewolf, there was no trace of Remus in the wolf's eyes as it lunged for Severus, I saw James morph out of his stag form and into himself as he pushed Snape out of the way. A small rat, Peter, scuttled around the feet of the werewolf confusing him so that Sirius could lunge at the wolf that was our friend this morning and latch onto his hind leg making him crash to the ground. I helped James drag Severus into the tunnel completely disregarding the fact that he was naked. I could hear Remus thrashing about as Sirius continued to hold him off.

We emerged from the tunnel and Severus burst free from our hold, falling to the ground in front of us sputtering and empty reaching as the fear caught up with him. Out of instinct I went to comfort him and in his shock he allowed me to.

'Severus, how did you know about the willow?' James asked gently.

It was so uncharacteristic of him that Severus answered without his usual snide.