A Circle of Flame- Sirius Black x OC

Chapter 26

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.