𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒-ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣❥

𝐏𝐎𝐀 𝟏𝟔

Hermione screamed. Sirius leapt to his feet and pulled Ethan behind him, Eric propped himself slightly. Harry felt 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 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"

Sirius rolled his eyes "and son 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," Remus said urgently, his voice trembling as he took a step forward. "You haven't heard everything—I can explain! Sirius and Eric aren't here to kill Harry—"

But Snape's expression was carved in stone, his eyes glittering with fanatic triumph. "Three more for Azkaban tonight," he hissed, his wand hand twitching with anticipation. "Maybe your two innocent children were helping them sneak in. Perhaps they'll share their parents' cell."

Emily's breath caught in her throat. She could feel the tension splintering in the air like lightning, the walls of the Shrieking Shack closing in around them.

Sirius' jaw clenched, his eyes flicking toward Snape with barely contained fury—but Emily's focus was on his hand. His grip on Ethan's arm had tightened, fingers digging into his son's sleeve as if holding on for dear life.

Before she could even open her mouth to protest, there was movement beside her—a blur of sudden motion.

Eric was on his feet in an instant, his face hard and pale. He snatched Emily's wand from her grasp and stepped in front of her, shielding her with his body, his stance protective but defiant.

"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 and his innocent child back inside Azkaban?"

BANG!

Thin, snakelike cords exploded from the tip of Snape's wand with a sharp crack, hissing through the air before wrapping themselves around Remus's wrists, ankles, and mouth. The ropes constricted, glowing faintly in the dim light as Remus lost his balance and crashed to the floor with a muffled grunt, thrashing helplessly against the binds.

"Dad!" Emily's scream tore through the room, raw and panicked. She tried to lunge forward, but Eric's arms shot out around her, locking her in place before she could take a single step.

With a roar of rage, Sirius started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Sirius' 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.

Harry stood there, paralyzed, not knowing what to do or whom to believe. He glanced around at Ron and Hermione. Ron looked just as confused as he did, still fighting to keep hold on the struggling Scabbers. Hermione, however, took an uncertain step toward Snape and said, in a very breathless voice, "Professor Snape, it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w-would it?"