the marauders- an inseparable bond

[8] proof

! There was still, of course, the fact that the full moon was very quickly approaching, and there was a high chance that Severus Snape would get himself killed on that date. James and Sirius had discussed many times how they could stop him from going, but they couldn't seem find a solution. They couldn't tell Snape he would get hurt without explaining how they'd done it, and there was no way they were telling him that they were unregistered Animagi. James had thought about asking Lily to convince him, but even she might not succeed and James did not want her to think badly of Sirius, which she certainly would if she knew the whole story. They had decided not to tell the other two, as Remus was already nervous enough about the full moon and Peter was not good at keeping secrets.

They'd forgotten about the whole thing, until one day Wormtail said:

"Full moon tonight! I reckon after this one, we'll be finished writing the map."

"Yeah." said Moony, lying on his bed, map in front of him. "We'll need to go to the North bit of the grounds."

Meanwhile, James and Sirius were trying to have a conversation entirely by blinking from either side of the room.

That evening, at dinner, they still hadn't done anything.

"If anything," whispered James to Sirius behind a bowl of mashed potatoes. "it's that Rolf kid's fault..."

Nevertheless, they both weren't eating anything. Over at the Slytherin table, Snape wasn't eating either. He was nervous but terribly excited. It would be very hard to get by the Whomping Willow, but tonight, after all this waiting, he would finally figure out what the marauders were up to. Of course, he knew, but he needed proof...

***

He needed to do something. Anything. James Potter was lying on his bed, tearing his hair out. Remus had just went down to the tree, accompanied by the headmaster. In an hour, they would join him. The usual drill. Except tonight, everything was different. Tonight, a boy's life was on the line. He couldn't take it anymore.

"I'll be back soon." he announced, jumping to his feet. "Don't follow me." he called in Sirius' direction.

"Wait, we still have an hour to before we need to go down!" Peter called after James, but he was already gone, running as fast as his feet would carry him.

Emerging panting from the front doors of the school, he saw Snape, merely a few feet from the tree's deadly branches' reach.

"NO!" he yelled, bursting into a sprint toward the other boy. His lungs were seizing, gasping for air, never in his life had he wanted to be faster than he was more than now, not even when the golden snitch that would win the house cup had been right in front of him. Having heard his cry, Snape had seen James running toward him. He broke into a run of his own, barely missing a branch that swung over his head. Snape was so close, James was almost there, he had to make it... The knot, just a few feet away, Snape had to get there before James got to him... Just before James knocked him down, Snape looked down the tunnel, and saw a fully-fledged werewolf. But then, his head slammed into the dirt. James was on top of him.

"Get off me!"

Snape began to punch and kick the bigger boy on top of him.

"Don't be stupid, I'm trying to help you!"

James grabbed Snape by the leg and dragged him out of the tree's radius, where he promptly sat on him. For a while, Severus struggled to break free, but eventually, he gave up, a both boys lay/sat there, breathing heavily.

After a long while, James said:

"Alright. I'm going to get off you, but you can't run back there."

"You can't make me."

"You're going hurt! It's not safe, okay! It's impossible to touch the knot!"

"You and your friends have done it."

"Yeah, but that's different..."

"Are you trying to say you're better than me?"

"No, I'm not!"

There was quiet for a bit longer. Then:

"Please."

Snape was appalled; there was something very real, very pleading about that please. He didn't know what to say.

"Please, he needs us."

So he was admitting that the werewolf was Lupin... Snape supposed that was all the proof he needed.. but, still, he had questions. How had Potter and his gang been able to touch the knot? How come Lupin needed them? He sighed, and realizing he didn't really have any other options, said:

"Fine."

"Thank you."

The weight off his back was released, and he stumbled to his feet, bruised. There was an awkward moment.

"Well, er.. Come on then."

They set off in silence to the entrance hall. When they reached it, Snape said:

"I have some questions."

But instead of responding, Potter took off. Fury boiled in Severus' veins. After he had agreed not to poke around in their secret! But, still, he didn't go back to the tree. For some reason, he believed that Potter had been telling the truth... but why? He kicked the stone wall of the corridor he was walking down. Damn that boy! Why couldn't he just hate Snape like he usually did? Why did he have to be so.... so.... nice?