Melody Riddle and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter 18: Transformation

Well, it was certainly an interesting journey.

Crookshanks led the way to the opening of the Whomping Willow; Remus, Ron, and Peter were right after; Severus floated behind them, still knocked out, while Sirius had his wand pointed at him in case he woke up; Harry, Hermione and myself followed everyone at the rear.

Harry walked ahead beside Sirius whilst Hermione and I continued walking together. Hermione clutched my arm tightly, as though hoping for this to be over with as soon as possible.

"It's all right," I muttered, patting her arm softly.

She looked accusingly at me, "You were helping Sirius, and you never told me."

I snorted, "Wouldn't that be an interesting conversation starter. You'd have the whole school searching the grounds for him, and had me kept in a locked room for others to try to find out if I'm under a curse."

She smiled, trying to keep her laughter in. "Yes, I suppose that wouldn't have ended well."

"I can tell you this though. I didn't freak out about Harry's Firebolt just because 'it couldn't have possibly been from Sirius Black.'" I said, using my fingers to emphasize the air quotes.

"So he did send it..." she said wondrously.

I nodded, "Just don't tell Harry yet. I think Sirius wants to tell him himself."

She smiled and looked at me. "You have always been there to help us.... I wish I could've known you helped get the Firebolt for Harry. It's just that you weren't at the Quidditch game where Harry fell off his broom."

"But you did tell me his broom broke, and there was no way to fix it. I, in turn, told that to Sirius when he wanted an idea for a Christmas present to give to Harry..." I said, explaining the trip to Hogsmeade's Quality Quidditch Supplies store with Sirius.

"Does Becky know about this?" she asked.

"No idea whatsoever," I said. "None of my friends know."

"I'd have a hard time keeping that to myself," she said truthfully.

"Hermione, I didn't have friends like you and Becky before I came to Hogwarts," I said softly. "I was always to myself, with no trust for anybody. Even though I trust you, it's simply easier for me to hide things."

"Did you always know you were a witch?"

I shook my head, "No clue."

We reached the end of the tunnel, Crookshanks darting up first to press his paw to the knot on the trunk. Single file, we made our way out and away from the Whomping Willow. We walked across the grounds on our way to the castle.

Alas, the calm ended a moment later... when a cloud shifted to show a full moon. I froze, and so did Sirius... Remus' wand dropped to the ground. Sirius flung out his arm to stop Harry and Hermione from continuing. It suddenly occurred to me that –

"Oh no... oh no, no, no. He didn't take his potion..." I mumbled softly in terror. "Severus and I were supposed to give it to him an hour ago."

Hermione's eyes widened, my face was probably white. She turned to Remus — all of us looked right at him — he had gone rigid and his limbs began shaking.

"Oh my –" Hermione gasped in fright, shouting so Ron could hear. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"

"Run," Sirius whispered to us. "Run. Now."

Neither of us ran. Ron was tied to Peter, who was in turn tied to Remus. Severus still hung in midair, knocked out and oblivious. How could we leave them to such a fate?

Harry leaped forward, I guessed to help Ron, but Sirius caught him around the chest and threw him back. "Leave it to me – run!"

Remus started snarling... his head and body were lengthening, his shoulders hunched, hair sprouted on his face and hands which curled into sharply clawed paws. Crookshanks's hair was on end, and he slowly backed away.

Sirius transformed, dropping Severus' wand to the ground next to Severus' immobile body. He bounded forward in his large, bearlike dog form. Remus – now a fully grown werewolf – wrenched himself free of the manacle binding him. Sirius seized him around the neck, pulling him away from Ron and Peter.

I thought quickly – it would take him about a minute before he was completely ready to start hunting as a mindless predator. If I could take the opportunity while everyone was distracted to send Peter to dad, then everyone would just assume that he ran away... but then Sirius wouldn't be exonerated.

My hesitation almost cost me my chance.

I heard Hermione scream in time to see Peter dive for Remus' dropped wand. I quickly took out my own, but was too late to stop his haphazard spell-casting. One bang – and Ron lay motionless on the ground. A second bang – Crookshanks flew into the air, and fell to the ground in a fluffy heap. A third bang... and I felt myself fall backwards through the air and hit the ground with a painful thud. It felt like I split my head against something sharp.

Before I lost consciousness – though I couldn't hear a thing anymore, and everything seemed to be moving in slow motion – I saw Peter run through the grass towards the Forbidden Forest. Harry and Hermione were looking at Ron with no attention paid toward me. With a quick flick of my wrist I cast a spell at Peter. He disappeared... to return to his master....