The Secret's In The Telling by Sakuri

chapter 3

She shook her head. "There is nothing to be done. Severus is already working as fast as he can to double the amount of Wolfsbane and Poppy is busy trying to keep him sedated. The curse is settling itself as we speak. Even before his transformation tonight, he'll be vicious and difficult to control. And it's you that's going to start helping us deal with him."

He looked at her wordlessly, unable to form a reaction other than horror at this update.

She continued briskly, valiantly trying to act as if this was just another task. "I recommend you remain here for a while. In a few hours, we're going to move him to this room. You can help us with him up until the moon rises, at which point you are to be… supervised taking the potion."

Nodding once, she turned on her heel and left him, unable to bring herself to be the comforting shoulder. She liked Remus well enough, but she would not coddle him for this mistake, not when it had such consequences.

xxx

It hadn't taken Albus Dumbledore long to realise there was already a flaw in their plan of secrecy. He was perfectly confident that Harry wouldn't utter a word, if only for the benefit of Professor Lupin – but he wasn't so sure about the four other Slytherins who'd accompanied Draco on the disastrous wander through the castle halls.

He knew Severus had ordered them not to say anything, throwing all his weight as their Head of House behind the instruction, but he was also aware that their obedience would last only as long as fear of the Potions Master overrode the urge to gossip.

For two of the group, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini, that surely wouldn't be for much longer.

And so, as soon as he found a spare moment in the day, the four were summoned to his office. As he sat behind the desk regarding them solemnly, he reminded himself of his own reasoning. It would most definitely not do for them to broadcast the news and implications of the attack throughout the school. For both Remus and Draco's sake!No, he simply couldn't allow it.

Wordless, he met each questioning gaze briefly, extending just the slightest tendril of Legilimency, just to make sure it wasn't already too late. But no, it was okay; they hadn't yet told.

"Professor Dumbledore? Are we in trouble?" Pansy asked hesitantly, looking guilty. He wondered wryly what she thought he'd discovered.

Sighing, though, he shook his head.

"I am sorry," he began, ignoring their confusion. "But for once, I really am trying to step up and protect one of my darker children, as Severus so eloquently puts it."

The four Slytherins cast unnerved glances at each other. "Uhm, sir…?"

Dumbledore didn't answer, merely raised his wand steadily and murmured, "Obliviate!"

xxx

Harry had already noted Draco Malfoy's absence several times that morning. He hadn't been eating breakfast in the Great Hall, for one. His group of Slytherin bodyguards had been there, though, looking oddly lost without the sneering presence. Ron had already commented twice about how good it was to eat breakfast without certain people being there to ruin it. Harry had stayed silent, feeling a twinge of guilt for agreeing, knowing as he did where Malfoy really was.

He'd also been conspicuously missing from Potions that morning, causing a ripple of whispers to spread across the rest of the class.

"Git's probably busy at some Death Eater meeting," the redhead muttered darkly, glaring into the depths of his cauldron.

Hermione, squinting at Professor Slughorn's instructions written across the board at the front of the room, tutted disapprovingly at that last comment. "Ron, you shouldn't say things like that when there's no proof –"