Butterfly Effect ; H. Potter

16. voldemort's servant.

Hermione screamed. Black leapt to his feet. Harry jumped as though he'd received a huge electric shock.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape, throwing the Cloak aside, careful to keep his wand pointing directly at Lupin's chest. "Very useful, Potter I thank you ..."

Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he said, his eyes glittering. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your Potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did ... lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me everything I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

"Severus -" Lupin began, but Snape overrode him.

"I've told the Headmaster again and again that you've been helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout -"

"Severus, you're making a mistake," said Lupin urgently. "You haven't heard everything - I can explain - Sirius is not here to kill Harry -"

"Two more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this ... he was quite convinced you were harness, you know, Lupin ... a tame werewolf ..."

"You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man inside Azkaban?"

BANG! Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor unable to move.

"Let him go," said Antheia in a dangerously calm voice, raising her wand. Snape ignored her as Hermione urged Antheia to put her wand away. With a roar of rage, Black started towards Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Black's eyes.

"Give me a reason," he whispered. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

Black stopped dead. It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred.

Harry stood there, paralyzed, not knowing what to do or who to believe. He glanced around at Ron, Hermione, and Antheia. Ron looked just as confused as he did, still fighting to keep hold of the struggling scabbers. Antheia was still standing, wand poised, glaring at Snape. Hermione took an uncertain step towards Snape and said, in a very breathless voice, "Professor Snape - it - it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w-would it?"

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape spat. "You, Potter, Weasley, and Lupin are out of bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. Miss Lupin, put your wand down. Miss Granger, hold your tongue."

"But if- if there was a mistake -"

"KEEP QUIET YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" A few sparks shot out of the end of his wand, which was still pointing at Black's face. Hermione fell silent.

"Vengence is very sweet," Snape breathed at Black. "How I hoped I would be the one to catch you ..."

"The joke's on you again, Severus," snarled Black. "As long as this boy brings his rat up tot he castle - he jerked his head at Ron, "- I'll come quietly ..."

"Up tot he castle?" said Snape silkily. "I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the Dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black ... pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay ..."