Magic? || Years 1-5

Werewolf And A Dog: Year 3

"Both," Hermione replied softly.

"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione," Professor Lupin commented after a very forced laugh.

"I'm not. If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!" She murmured.

"But they already know. At least, the staff do," He pointed out gently.

"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf? Is he mad?" Ron gasped, mouth gaping.

Once more, Amisty turned away.

"Some of the staff thought so. He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy -- " Professor Lupin began.

"AND HE WAS WRONG! YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!" Harry exploded, pointing at Black, who once being noticed again crossed to the bed and sunk down, covering his face.

Crookshanks curled up in his lap as Ron scooted away, leg dragging against the floor.

"I have not been helping Sirius. If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look -- " He threw back their wands. "There. You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"

Amisty stared at her wand up to her teacher, beyond confused and suspicious of the circumstances.

"If you haven't been helping him how did you know he was here?" Harry asked, tone still furious.

"The map. The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it -- " Professor Lupin started.

"You know how to work it?" Harry interjected, suspicious.

"Of course I know how to work it. I helped write it. I'm Moony -- that was my friends' nickname for me at school," He waved his hand impatiently.

"You wrote -- ?" Harry stared at him.

"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Ron, Hermione, and Amisty might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?" He had started to pace around the room. "You might have been wearing your father's old Cloak, Harry -- "

"How d'you know about the Cloak?" Harry asked.

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it... The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."

"What? No, we weren't!"

"I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?" He went on, ignoring the interruptions.

"No one was with us!" Harry argued.

"And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black... I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow -- "

"One of us!" Ron spat out.

"No, Ron. Two of you," Professor Lupin replied, stopping and turning to face the redhead. "Do you think I could have a look at the rat?"

"What? What's Scabbers got to do with it?" Ron asked sharply.

"Everything. Could I see him, please? He replied politely. Ron paused before pulling out Scabbers.

The rat was writhing and squirming, desperate to be free of his owner's clutches. Crookshanks hissed.

Professor Lupin inched closer, staring at the rat in interest.