Pariah: The Other Malfoy

Chapter 28: Cursed

"Miss Malfoy, run!" Snape said, his eyes betraying his fear. He had stepped in front of the others to protect them, but now I was the vulnerable one.

My legs wouldn't obey, I was rooted to the spot as the huge wolf stepped towards me. My legs finally moved back, but I tripped on a root, falling to the ground with a yelp of fear, my eyes widening as I realised my mistake.

My weakness was sensed, taken advantage of. I raised an arm, protecting my face. The teeth sunk in, tearing at the skin, forcing a scream out of my mouth. A dark shape knocked the wolf off me, the damage was done. 

I scrambled to my feet, my arm hung limply by my side, my eyes widened in fear. The pain hadn't hit yet, I stumbled backwards, eyeing Snape and my two friends as they advanced on me, examining me for injuries. 

"Lyra, are you okay?" I didn't respond to Hermione, instead glancing down at my right hand, watching as the blood dripped from my fingertips. A small frown appeared on my face as my brain worked overtime to understand why.

I swallowed thickly as I looked back up at them, unable to form words, the pain breaking through, my head swimming - I wasn't really bitten, was I?

"Miss Malfoy--" Snape didn't even get to finish his sentence before my legs buckled beneath me and my world went black.

I opened my eyes, groaning in pain. I propped myself up, cradling my right arm due to the pain it was causing me. What had happened? Why was there such a sharp pain in my arm? It was unlike a break, it was almost on par with Basilisk venom!

"Miss Malfoy! You're awake!" Madam Pomfrey said, appearing at my bedside, "Let me go and get Professor Dumbledore, stay here."

I frowned after her, trying to remember the events of last night. The last thing I could recall was Professor Lupin transforming, then nothing. Had I fallen? Where was Sirius, where were the others? And why was I in so much pain?

"Miss Malfoy, how are you feeling?" Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape and Madam Pomfrey walked into the Hospital Wing. I was the only patient there.

"I'm fine... What happened to Sirius?" I asked immediately, forgetting about my injured arm.

"Sirius Black escaped again and is on the run," Dumbledore gave me a meaningful look.

"Miss Malfoy, we need-" I cut McGonagall off.

"What about Professor Lupin? Is he alright?" The teachers shared glances before Snape spoke up.

"Lyra, what is the last thing you remember?" he asked quietly.

"Pettigrew turned into a rat and escaped as Lupin transformed... then I must have blacked out or something," I said, and the teachers shared yet another look.

"Professor Lupin is unfortunately no longer a teacher at this school, he chose to resign due to the events of last night," Dumbledore said softly.

"What? But... but he didn't hurt anyone! Why did he resign?" There was an awkward silence. What had I forgotten? What was serious enough to have four teachers staring at me with such pity?

Dumbledore sat down at the foot of my bed and I stared at him in fear before glancing down at my hand. The bandages covered whatever injury lay beneath completely, but slowly the puzzle began to sort itself out in my mind.

"No..." I breathed, looking back up at my teachers.

"Lyra, I'm so sorry..." McGonagall said, she looked like she was about to cry.

Tears brimmed in my eyes as the situation began to sink in and I looked down again. As the events of last night came back to me. Had Lupin bitten me? Was I really a werewolf now? I couldn't even find the words to say. I didn't blame Lupin, of course I didn't blame him. He was trying to protect us, he thought Sirius was going to kill us and in his panic, forgot about his potion.