Astra

XXXV - The Animagus

HERMIONE SCREAMED. Luna gasped. Astra held out her wand, muttering curse words, and Sirius lept to his feet.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape, throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep this 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 all 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're 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 harmless, you know, Lupin...a tame werewolf --"

"You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back 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. With a roar of rage, Sirius started toward 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."

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

There was a moment of silence, but then came the deathly calm voice that others learned was truly dangerous.

"Don't. You. Dare."

Astra held her wand right against Snape's back, a jinx right on the tip of her tongue.

"Oh, are you standing up for your father? I'll have to let the minister know, so you can be taken care of."

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

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

"Up to the 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...I --"

That was enough to do it.

"STUPEFY!"

Snape, taken off guard, took the spell, slumping unconcious.

His face was filled with fury, while Sirius's was filled with pride, Hermione's with fear, and Harry's with admiration.

"You attacked a teacher," said Hermione faintly.

Astra sneered, "He doesn't even deserve that title. It's been a long way going for that; he should just be glad I didn't embarrass him in front of class. I've got a few good stories that I've heard that would do that job."