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chapter seventeen / to venture into the dark
All eyes were on Cassie.
The girl was stunned into silence, her face paler than a sheet of parchment. This was him; this was her father. Sirius Black, the mass murderer... her father. Cassie's lips were parted in a silent gasp as she stared at him, frozen.
Even standing next to Remus Lupin, who Cassie would admit, wasn't even close to the manliest wizard; Black looked feeble.
But, as Harry made to ask a question, her godfather's next move astounded the four teenagers so much that Hermione let out a shriek of distress. Remus had lowered his wand and stepped forward, only to embrace the killer in a hug as though greeting an old brother.
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione cried. Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. "You– you–"
"Hermione, calm down."
"I didn't tell anyone!" the girl continued her shrieking. "I've been covering up for you–"
"Hermione!" Lupin snapped in such a way Cassie was very familiar with, that signified that Remus was very close to losing his temper.
"I trusted you," Harry said lowly, his voice darker than Cassie had ever before heard, "and all this time you've been his friend!"
"You're wrong," Remus said flatly. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now."
"No!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead, too – he's a werewolf!"
There was a somehow very loud silence.
"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," Remus began. "Only one out of three. I have not been helping Sirius into the castle, and I certainly do not want Harry dead... but I won't deny that I am a werewolf."
Ron tried to stand to bring Hermione back a step, but fell back down with a whimper of pain. Both Cassie and Remus made toward him, concerned, but Ron shrunk back with a gasp. "Get away from me, werewolf!" Lupin stopped dead and Cassie faltered, but she continued moving to kneel at his side. The boy looked at her with distaste, but Cass sent him a look, and he allowed her to inspect his wound.
"How long have you known?" The conversation continued as Remus turned back to Hermione.
"Ages. Since I did Professor Snape's essay.." Hermione whispered, then, behind Cassie's back, turned to face the crouching girl. "I– I told Cassie, but she convinced me it wasn't true."
"Well, Snape will be delighted," Remus said coolly, ignoring the second remark. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant. Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"
