Severus Snape: The Half Blood Prince

*(24) A 'Simple' Prank

James couldn't believe what he was about to do.

With the help of their handy enchanted map, carefully crafted to evade even the most watchful eyes, the four marauders skillfully slipped out of the vast library, their presence going unnoticed by anyone or anything. As they made their clandestine escape, Sophie found herself being carried by three of the four friends, their protective grip guiding her toward an unknown destination. James cradled her delicate feet with the utmost care, Remus supported her upper body, and Sirius positioned himself beneath her lower back, seemingly content with his chosen role in this operation.

However, their seamless escape took an unexpected turn as Remus, in the midst of their journey, began to undergo a startling transformation. His figure shrank, taking on a plumper, more rat-like appearance. His nose elongated, resembling that of a rat, and his fingers morphed into chubby, rat-like digits. It was Peter, using a polyjuice potion, who had assumed Remus's form. Now, the order of their arrangement shifted to Peter, Sirius, and then James.

Sophie's senses were acutely attuned to the subtle changes in touch as Remus transformed into Peter, and she couldn't help but notice Sirius's firm hold on her lower back. However, she found herself completely immobilized, rendered utterly powerless in her paralyzed state. She longed to break free, to shake off the shackles of helplessness that bound her. A sense of numbness overcame her, accompanied by a piercing ringing in her head, causing her vision to blur intermittently.

Stepping out into the open, Sophie immediately recognized their destination: The Whomping Willow, a towering arboreal sentinel guarding a hidden secret. Acting swiftly, James withdrew his wand and called out, "Immobilus." The once ferocious branches of the tree froze, and their potential assault halted, providing safe passage for the group.

Adjusting his hold on her legs, James secured them beneath his armpits, while Sirius emerged beneath her, ready to assist Peter. Each of them held firmly onto one of her arms, their united strength propelling them forward along the narrow, dimly lit path leading to the infamous Shrieking Shack.

Unbeknownst to the boys, a particular raven had been silently observing their every move from the now calm branches of the Whomping Willow. This raven, a magnificent creature with pure white feathers gracefully blending with passing clouds, possessed eyes that shimmered like the twilight sky. Its name was Korax. Taking flight, the raven headed back towards the school, carrying with it the knowledge of what it had witnessed and the foreboding of what may lie ahead.

Upon reaching the dilapidated stairs, the absence of the real Remus confirmed that they had successfully eluded detection, allowing them to proceed deeper into the abandoned shack. James adjusted his grip on Sophie's ankles and inquired, his voice tinged with anticipation, "Are you ready to go upstairs?"

"Quite. I'm eager for the excitement to commence," Sirius declared, his intense gaze locking onto Sophie's eyes with a potent glare. It was then, in that charged moment, that she grasped the true purpose of their presence and understood why she had been abruptly awakened from her petrified state. The revelation hit her with the force of a thunderclap. It was the night of a full moon, coinciding with a rare eclipse. Sophie's meticulous research on celestial phenomena led her to the discovery that an eclipse would occur on October 12, 1977—the very night they found themselves in.

With the convergence of a full moon and an eclipse, the dormant powers within the werewolf species would be amplified to unprecedented levels. Their primal instincts would surge, heightened throughout the night and reaching a crescendo during the hour of the eclipse. Under such circumstances, the werewolves would show no mercy to what they deemed as prey.

Anxiety gripped Sophie's entire being, surpassing even the fear she had faced when confronting Tom in the Chamber. There, she had possessed a chance to escape, but in her current state of paralysis, she felt utterly fragile, devoid of any means to resist.