The Pureblood Princess | Sirius Black

|35| Werewolf Snacks

The heavy thud of paws slowed and the growl became louder. All five second years jumped to their feet and turned to see the amber eyes of a sandy colored animal... no... werewolf, which was stalking toward them, eying it's prey, bloodlust palpable in the unseasonably cool summer air.

Peter squeaked, James jumped in front of Lily in a heroic fashion, and Sirius instinctually moved to hide Adelaide as she searched her pockets in vain for the elm wand that was laying on the ground where she had been sitting.

Another vicious snarl from the beast stalking its prey paralyzed them in their tracks. Then suddenly, the great animal lunged toward the group. Adelaide, who still had yet to locate her wand, instantly moved in front of the group, eyes set on the werewolf, hands outstretched, palms facing the beast. 

"DEPULSO!" She cried. 

The wolf was flung backward with a loud whimper, flying through the air before landing on the ground with a thump and terrifying crack; the unmistakeable sound of breaking bones. 

The beast, though wounded, was not yet ready to give up it's bloodthirsty quest. It stood, staggering a bit trying to regain it's bearings.  Limping slightly, teeth bared, foaming at  the mouth it began running full force toward them once again. 

Adelaide was ready this time. 

The three boys and auburn witch watched in shock as Adelaide once again threw her hands toward the werewolf and screamed "IMPEDIMENTA!", stopping the animal in it's tracks. 

The small blonde, and now heavily breathing, girl took this moment to reach out her hand muttering, "Accio wand" and catching the Elm and Dragon Heartstring wand with her left hand. She then pointed it toward the wolf and instantly shouted "STUPIFY!", knocking the wolf out cold with a bright red stream of light, and then  "Incarcerous!" , binding it's limbs in thick ropes in case it awoke.

She stood shaking violently, breathing heavily, and staring at the werewolf. Staring at her best friend. 

After a moment, Adelaide's knees gave out and she collapsed onto the ground. Sirius was yanked out of his paralyzed state and rushed to her side. "Addykins!" he yelped. 

The others were still rooted in place, in shock from what they had just witnessed. Not only had they been nearly attacked by a now unconscious werewolf, but their friend had saved them. Saved them using wandless magic, and powerful wandless magic at that. 

"Addykins, are you okay?" Sirius asked, face still paled from fear, and grey eyes full of concern and scanning her for any sign of injury, brushing the hair away from his best friend's face.

"I-I'm okay." She mumbled, still looking at the werewolf.

"You did wandless magic Adelaide." Lily said in a shaky voice, still standing close to James. 

"I've never heard of someone that young doing wandless magic Ads." James added in a distracted voice, looking completely bemused at the unconscious werewolf behind her. 

"Y-You knocked out M-Moony." Peter said in a nervous voice. Lily's head snapped toward the boy, then toward the wolf, realization flashing in her bright green eyes.

"I-I had to. I had to protect you. I couldn't let him hurt you." she said in an almost apologetic voice turning toward the others. "I-I didn't mean to hurt him..." she said, voice drenched in regret, breath quickening, eyebrows furrowed, hands fiddling with her wand and the hem of her sleeve, and eyes beginning to pool with tears. 

Sirius put his hands on either side of her arms, looking her dead in the eyes. "Addy, you were brilliant. You were absolutely brilliant. You saved us Ads. You saved our lives." he told her with a small reassuring smile, lifting her spirits. 

The group eventually moved to sit upon the grass as they were before the bloodthirsty beast came to visit, all staring blankly out across the moonlit lake, trying to process what the hell had just happened. 

Adelaide and the boys were all wondering the same thing. Why was Remus out on the grounds when he was supposed to be safely barricaded in the Shrieking Shack? And what would he do when he found out he tried to kill his best friends?

After what felt like ages, Adelaide was the first to break the heavy silence that fell over the five. 

"The cloud moved." she commented softly, looking up at the now clearly visible full moon above. 

"I suppose we can um, get started." Lily said, voice still unsteady, glancing toward the beast behind them, praying it would not awake.

One by one they spit each of their slimy leaves into a phial within range of the moon's pure rays, then added their hairs, the silver teaspoon of dew, and the stolen chrysalises. Then, just as they had practiced, they each corked the potion phial and placed it in the charmed wooden box as Adelaide sealed them shut. 

"I-I suppose we um... can um head back now." Lily said as the others nodded in agreement. 

Adelaide unbound the beast and the group scurried back to the castle, following the map to Gryffindor tower, still noticeably shaken by the events of the night. The high from completing the potion and moving one step closer to becoming Animagi over shadowed by their dance with death.

Once in the common room, the boys and Adelaide instantly headed to bed, but Lily stopped her blonde friend on her way to the stairs, pulling her aside to the window seat in the corner of the dark abandoned common room. 

Adelaide had a feeling she knew exactly what Lily wanted to talk about. 

"Adelaide. Remus isn't visiting his mum tonight is he?" she stated more than asked.

Adelaide bit her lip. She couldn't betray Remus, but she also couldn't control the fact that Lily Evans was most definitely unravelling his secret.

"He- he's a werewolf isn't he? The werewolf. " she said in a low voice. 

"I-I can't..." Adelaide muttered, turning away from the intense green eyes in front of her. 

"That's the reason you need to become animagi." Lily said, more to herself this time. 

"Lily, I can't have this conversation. Please." Adelaide told her friend with pleading eyes. "You'll have to talk to Remus." 

Lily nodded, but neither one moved from the window seat. "Thank you." Lily said softly, placing her hand on Adelaide's. "Thank you for saving me, for saving all of us."

"I didn't have much of a choice." Adelaide said with a soft breathy hint of a laugh and a small smile which Lily returned. "I didn't really fancy seeing a majority of my friends turned into werewolf snacks.." she joked. Adelaide inwardly marveled at her own ability to make light of this difficult situation. It seemed some of Sirius's more redeemable qualities were rubbing off on her.

"Addy. I don't know if you realize how incredible you were back there." Lily said in a serious voice. Adelaide opened her mouth to refute this just as Lily expected. "No, I'm being completely honest Adelaide. There aren't many who can do what you did back there... using wandless magic like that..." 

"It wasn't the first time." Adelaide shrugged, feeling uncomfortable.

Lily gave her friend a bewildered smile. "You fight off werewolves often?" she asked in an amused voice. 

Adelaide smiled slightly. "I meant the wandless magic." she said, fiddling with her sleeve. "Only once though." 

"You're just full of surprises Adelaide Fawley." Lily said with a smile and an analytical look as Adelaide shrugged. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen Sirius so scared for you or so proud." She said with a smirk. 

"You and James seemed quite cozy.." Adelaide retorted back instantly. Lily's face flushed ever so slightly. 

"I think we deserve some rest, yeah?" Lily said, standing up. 

"Agreed future Mrs. Potter." Adelaide said cheekily, laughing and sprinting up the stairs before Lily could hit her.