Liza shivered as she grew her cloak tighter against her shoulders. The spring weather was bitter for early March and her bare fingertips froze in the night breeze. Several meters away stood the Whomping Willow, its limbs outstretched towards the sky. It was eerily still tonight. Not a leaf quivered on its branches. Frost encased the grass surrounding its trunk, only disturbed by a line of footprints that told of a rowdy group of Gryffindors passing through.
She huffed. She still didn't know why she had come tonight. But the look on Severus's face in the Great Hall had remained imprinted in her mind. Whatever the Slytherin was planning, it would not bode well for the Marauders. Liza still believed James a bit of a prat, but she couldn't help but feel a sort of protectiveness for them all. Facing a werewolf on a monthly basis was nothing she could imagine she would endure.
A crunch made her spin around, her hair flying from its loose bun. In the pine trees beyond, there was no movement. A rabbit hopped beneath a holly bush, its pelt a bright emerald. No doubt the work of a bored Slytherin.
Taking a deep breath, Liza tried to steady her thoughts. It was very likely that she had come out for nothing. Surely Severus wouldn't be stupid enough to—
There was a muffled curse from several paces to her right and Liza pulled out her wand, letting her hand dangle at her side. She strained her eyes to see through the darkness.
A dark and greasy head bobbed into view, bits of stray hair fluttering over a sallow face. Severus's eyes were nearly nonexistent as he remained within the shadow of the trees. Pale moonlight lit the grass in the clearing, inviting him to step forwards towards the Whomping Willow.
Liza hissed as her ankle caught between the roots of an oak tree, rolling painfully as she stepped forward. Severus remained unaware of her presence. His resolute gaze was fixed ahead. With a flick of his wrist, he lit the tip of his wand.
"Damn it." Liza watched as Severus took a step towards the willow. Then another.
Soon, he was at the trunk with his wand held aloft near the bark. Clearly, the Slytherin was looking for some entrance. Liza stared, rather confused.
Then, Severus ran a hand over the trunk, his fingers thin and skeletal. With a firm push, the roots of the willow unfurled from about the base. A dark opening revealed itself. A passageway opened that seemed to run into the trunk of the tree itself.
"STOP!"
Liza was running across the clearing before she could second-guess herself. Severus whipped back his head, an annoyed gleam chasing the hesitation from his face.
"Petrificus Totalus."
Unprepared for the jinx, Liza felt her limbs freeze and she stuttered for a moment, remaining upright just long enough to see Severus disappear into the passageway. Then she toppled face-first into the frozen earth.
She could, Liza would have let out a grunt of pain. Her eyes watered at the crunch of her nose, and she desperately hoped the bridge hadn't broken. She couldn't even turn her head to assess the damage.
Above her, an owl cooed from the branches, its hoot piercing the tension of the night. There was no response to its call, but Liza was rather nervous. She had heard rumors of the creatures in the Forbidden Forest that skirted the edges of the grounds. Although, she supposed she should be more concerned with the werewolf that could be sprinting up at any moment.
Luckily, Liza had remained guarded enough to keep her wand in her clutches. Liza screwed her eyes shut, attempting a bit of nonverbal magic. It was a skill that wasn't practiced until seventh year, and she was certainly no expert.
A faint moan escaped her lips at the effort. Liza tried again, relaxing her thoughts. Magic couldn't be forced, only invited.
Slowly, a trickle of feeling rolled down her limbs. Liza tested her fingers. Her thumb flexed slightly. Then, it bent to grasp her wand. The vinewood offered a momentary comfort.
Liza puffed out a breath of relief as she was able to roll on her side and movement flooded back into her body. Gasping for air, she forced herself onto her feet and towards the tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow.
A sharp yell pierced the darkness.
Breaking into a sprint, Liza tripped down the passageway, her ankle still burning from when she had twisted it earlier. She hardly paid attention to the swath of cobwebs above her as the tunnel passed in a blur.
Then, a dark shape appeared in front of her, and Liza collided with Snape, unable to break her run and sending them both toppling. She sprawled on the ground painfully as Snape let out a series of nasty curses.
Not far behind, a howl echoed down the tunnel, followed by a thud and a dog's yelp. Liza grabbed Severus's arm, ignoring his disgusted protests and she hauled them both to their feet.
"Bombarda!" she pointed her wand at the ceiling of the tunnel. The earth split, releasing a rain of pebbles and dirt. Liza covered her face from the debris with her sleeve.
"Wonderful," Snape snarled, pulling her along the tunnel. His cloak flared out behind him. "I'm sure a bit of mud will stop a werewolf."
Liza's lungs heaved for breath as the sound of pawsteps warned of Remus's pursuit. "Do you have an—" she swallowed, hating the taste of iron in the back of her throat, "any brilliant ideas?"
Clearly, Severus was at a loss. Several streaks of sweat had begun to drip down his forehead.
Liza chanced a look behind them. She swallowed a scream.
Yellow eyes glinted only meters away, lit with the reflection of Severus's illuminated wand. An enormous snout protruded from below the werewolf's gaze, snapping as it tasted the air. Liza swore the canines were at least the size of her palm.
"Bombarda!"
Severus's' curse was stronger than hers had been, and a large portion of the tunnel caved in on itself. Shards of rock plummeted from above, slowing the werewolf's pursuit and it let out a pained whimper.
"How can such a massive beast," Severus's snarl was undeterred despite the danger of their predicament, "be the product of a human Bowtruckle?"
"Remus isn't that—" Liza broke off, not really having an argument. The Gryffindor was unhealthy thin. "I don't know if he," she gave up, not knowing whether to refer to the werewolf as a "he" or an "it". Was the creature even still technically Remus?
There was a loud snarl behind her, and Liza let out a yelp as a pair of jaws snapped a meter from her neck. Clearly, Severus's curse had not given them much time. She whirled around, her wand outstretched.
"Stupefy!"
The red light crashed into the werewolf's shoulder, slightly off-center in her panic. The beast stumbled, but seemed more annoyed than injured. It raised its head into the air, parting its jaws into a low howl. Saliva glimmered on its exposed gums and ran down into its scuffed fur.
"Prewett—"
"Just go!" Liza did not know what inspired her sudden wave of resolve. All she could think was of the repercussions if Remus hurt Snape. Expulsion would be the least of his worries.
"Immobulus Maxima!"
Liza tried another curse and blue light flickered from her wand as she swept her arm in a jagged motion. The werewolf was flung back several paces, cracking its skull into the back of the tunnel wall. But it bounded up onto its paws without much effort. She tried to not let her gaze linger on the massive claws. One swipe and she would join Nearly Headless Nick.
The werewolf hunched its back, revealing the skeletal joints of its spine. It was only now that Liza began to notice the patchiness of its fur. The dull pelt barely shone in the dimming light. Severus had responded to her intrusion by removing himself several paces away. Yet, the Slytherin had not abandoned her entirely. Whatever that meant, Liza wasn't sure. She was just glad not be alone.
Liza held up her wand, bracing herself as the werewolf rose on its haunches, its anger evident. A wild fervor had overtaken the sharp edge to its amber gaze. Would a Shield Charm even work against a physical attack? Liza wasn't entirely sure. But it was the only spell her racing mind could present.
Suddenly, an enormous stag burst through the other end of the tunnel, its antlers incased in dirt and its white pelt gleaming in the half-light. With a strange cry, the animal lowered its head and charged the werewolf, driving into the corner opposite Liza.
"Prongs," Liza mouthed to herself, shaking her head in disbelief. Grabbing Severus's elbow, she took her chance to escape. They both stumbled up the sharp incline of the tunnel, nearly tasting the fear in the air. Liza could only pray that Sirius and Peter were alright.
The morning air rose to greet them, seeming to taunt them with its sweetness as they escaped the foul tunnel behind. Liza didn't stop to collapse on the grass, waiting until she had put a good distance between herself and the willow before dropping onto a nearby stump.
Thankfully, Quidditch practice had put her into decent shape and although her lungs heaved with the effort, it only took a minute to regain her consciousness. She glanced over at Snape. The Slytherin was nearly immobile from where he had lain in the undergrowth. His wand was still clutched firmly in his grasp.
Evidently, reading books hadn't put him in much shape for confronting a werewolf.
Anger began to burble in Liza's stomach as her fear ebbed away. "How COULD you be so daft?" she demanded, rising to her feet. Blood rushed to her cheeks. "You've guessed what Remus was for months and suddenly decided you could handle a werewolf in full form?"
Snape spat out a mouthful of dirt, saliva dotting his chin. If Liza hadn't been so furious, she would have taken quite a bit of amusement in his disheveled state. "Black invited me," his tone dropped into a nasty sneer. "So, I would ask the same of your whore."
Blinking, Liza barely registered the insult. "He what?"
"This morning in the Great Hall," Severus slumped against an overturned log. Sweat soaked his already limp locks. The morning sun was just beginning to crest over the Scottish Highlands, breaking the mist that swirled between them. "Black said that I was a coward and if I wanted to test my strength, I should go down to the Whomping Willow at midnight." He bared his teeth. "Little does he know that he just gave me a key to their expulsion."
Whatever sympathy Liza had gathered instantly dissipated at the malice in his expression. "Are you serious?" The rage that had been building at Sirius was redirected towards the Slytherin. She glared at his huddled form. "Remus has done nothing wrong!"
"He's a danger to the student body." Serverus shrugged, looking immensely pleased with himself. "If that stag hadn't been in the tunnels, we would have both been slaughtered. Or turned into beasts ourselves." His scowl twisted in disgust. "I don't know which is worse."
Liza stared at her housemate for a long moment, realization dawning over her shoulders. A songbird chirped overhead. Surely Remus would be transforming back at any moment.
"In all your genius investigations," she began hotly, standing to her feet and wiping what mud she could from her robes, "you have failed to realize that Remus is not alone on Full Moon. Do you really think a while stag is just randomly roaming the tunnels?" Some of the jubilee lifted from Severus's face.
"James Potter," Liza spat the name, for once feeling defensive of the messy-haired boy, "is an Animagus."
Severus looked as though he was going to be sick. A sickly green mixed with the pasty shade of his flesh.
"Which I wager," Liza continued firmly, staring him directly in the eye. "Means you owe him not only your silence, but your life."
For a long moment, Snape held her gaze. A faint shimmer of guilt flickered over his orbs before being replaced by a spiteful hate.
Still, he dropped his head. Liza stared at his figure for a long moment until the morning sunlight became too uncomfortable for her tired body to bear.
She turned away and began the long trek up to the castle. Whatever sense she couldn't talk into Snape, she figured Dumbledore would. The headmaster was an expert in coercion.