The Werewolf Prank

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Chapter Two: Rising to the Bait (Sirius)

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The sun had long since slipped behind the distant mountains, and a light dusting of snow was falling over the icy grounds of Hogwarts. At that moment, werewolves all over Britain were raising their heads to the full moon, and howling in solemn tribute. The Animagus Padfoot felt an overwhelming urge to transform too and howl with his canine brethren -- but he didn't. At that moment he was supposed to be listening to Professor Sprout's end-of-detention lecture with Snivellus, and he thought it might raise some awkward questions.

Behind Sprout, he could see the castle glowing warm and golden through the flurries. In a few short hours its windows would be dark, its denizens safe in their beds; and this was when its three illegal Animagi would -- as was their custom -- steal softly out the door, over the silent grounds, through the secret tunnel -- to join their werewolf mate for a little moonlight prowl.

The night air positively crackled with excitement and possibility. The Animagus Padfoot was finding it difficult to stand still.

Perhaps tonight they would be followed. Perhaps tonight that foulest, sneakiest, nosiest, greasiest Slytherin of them all (Snivelly for short) -- too would venture forth, believing at last he had found a way to dispose of his enemies for good.

He would be in for a surprise....

"Well, Mr. Black?" Professor Sprout's voice cut through these thoughts. The Animagus Padfoot had failed to notice she had finished talking.

"What?" he asked. Sprout gave him a slightly exasperated look.

"I said you're free to go."

The Animagus Padfoot collected his things from the greenhouse and headed back to the castle. He couldn't wait to tell the Animagus Prongs what had happened in detention. The two of them hated Snivelly; Prongs, if possible, even more than Sirius. The thought of the slimy git getting chased around by a werewolf, especially when he'd thought he was about to get the Marauders expelled, was sure to bring a smile to Prongs's face.

Rounding the corner of the castle, Sirius spotted the Gryffindor Quidditch team trudging up the hill from practice, and stopped by the front doors to wait. Prongs was straggling in back, having an animated discussion with one of the other Chasers. He must have told his teammates about his near-miss in Herbology, because as they filed by many of them gave Sirius appreciate claps on the shoulder, and thanked their lucky stars he had been there to thwart Snape.

"Hurry up, will you? I'm starving," said Sirius as Prongs finally caught sight of him and grinned, nodding at the full moon.

"You look like hell," James informed him cheerfully as they crossed into the warmth and bustle of the entrance hall. He, of course, looked every bit as flushed and sweaty as Sirius, who would have been hard pressed to say which of them was in worse need of a shower. "How was detention with Snivelly?"

Sirius eyed the packed tables through the doors of the Great Hall, where dinner was already underway. "Tell you later."

The two of them took their seats at the Gryffindor table amidst the general fanfare that greeted the team's arrival, and were soon joined by Wormtail. Sirius heaped his plate with everything he could reach, and set about devouring it voraciously; he hadn't realized how hungry he really was until just now.

By the time he reached for thirds, Sirius had started to have doubts about his plan. Snape may have been many things -- ugly, greasy, obsessed with the Dark Arts -- but he wasn't stupid.

What if he really was too cautious to act on any information, however tantalizing, that Sirius had given up willingly? Sirius hadn't believed him when he'd said this, but now he realized, to his slight disappointment, he wasn't so sure. Should he wait to tell his friends? He didn't want to get their hopes up too soon....

******

"We have to brew the stuff for seven days," said James, later that evening in the library. The three of them had stopped by after dinner to look up personality inks for the map they were working on. "Every night, we add a bit of each person --"

"What, like Polyjuice?" Sirius interrupted, leaning over his shoulder to get a better look at the book, titled Personalities for Posterity.

"Must be," James shrugged. "When it's done, we stir it into the ink base and -- are you getting all this Wormtail?" He and Sirius looked up at Wormtail, who was sitting across the table, scribbling furiously. Wormtail nodded.

"Seven days is a long time," he said, biting off a fingernail.

"Not nearly as long as the portrait paints," Sirius pointed out. "Those take six weeks."

"Yeah," James agreed. "And you have to stir in a bit of the subject twice a day, instead of once."

"Hey, I just thought of something, let me see that," said Sirius, flopping down into a chair. He thumbed the index of Personalities for Posterity and flipped to the right page. "Oh, that's disappointing. 'While certain artefacts -- like the Sorting Hat, left by the founders of Britain's Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry for the purpose of sorting new students into school houses -- can be imbued with the subjects' judgements in addition to their personalities, these are beyond the scope of this text.'"

Sirius looked up; James did not appear to have been listening. He suddenly had a very stormy expression on his face, and the source was not difficult to spot: Evans, sitting across the room, head bent low and whispering with ... Snivellus.

Sirius wrinkled his nose. Girls.

He did not understand how a girl like Evans -- who was alright, really, when she wasn't flying off the handle over little things, or sticking her cute nose where it didn't belong -- would ever stoop so low as to fraternize with Snape. But he suspected she was doing it to annoy Prongs, another one of the many games she preferred to play instead of simply admitting she fancied him and agreeing to a date. Well, she was bound to come to her senses one of these days -- she was, after all, a fairly intelligent girl -- but the way Prongs kept losing his head around her was not helping that day come any faster.

As Evans got up to leave, Sirius kicked his best friend sideways under the table. "Don't stare."

"Ow!" said James, rubbing his shin. "Git. What'd you do that for?"

"She's only doing it to annoy you," said Sirius firmly. "Ignore her. I told you, girls like the thrill of the chase, they only act coy because they think it's attractive."

James sighed and looked away, but did not seem entirely convinced. Sirius frowned as the two of them contemplated Snape, wondering if he should share the news from detention now -- it would cheer Prongs up a bit, even if it was a long shot. Before he could make up his mind, however, the vulture-like librarian, Madam Pince, swooped over and announced the library would be closing in ten minutes.

"Let's go," said Sirius. He stood up, and the others followed suit.

"I think we should check that out," said Wormtail, pointing to Personalities for Posterity.

"Yeah," said Sirius, eyeing his barely legible notes and grabbing the book as they headed to the front desk. "But I think Pincie's gone back there to scare out -- OY!"

He'd twisted around to look for the librarian and caught sight of Prongs, wand out and moving toward Snivelly with a familiar glint in his eye. Much as he hated to do it (Prongs really did look like he needed the cheering up), Sirius jumped in front, into the line of fire, and held him back. Behind him came the sound of Snape dropping a hundred or so books in fright.

"Nice idea, lousy timing, mate," said Sirius, grinning and looking back to make sure Snape didn't have a clear shot at James. "The match," he added, in response to the incredulous look James was giving him.

This seemed to bring Gryffindor's star Chaser to his senses. Sighing again, he looked past Sirius to where Snape was crawling on the floor picking up his things, and joined in the general laughter, though only half-heartedly.

"Besides," said Sirius, lowering his voice so only James could hear, "I think we might do better leaving Snivelly to his own devices tonight...."

James looked curious, then noticed something over Sirius's shoulder and grinned. "Don't look now, Padfoot."

Sirius looked. It was Banks, standing with a group of chattering Ravenclaw girls, and regarding him in a way that made clear he was in trouble.

"Wormtail and I'll just go check this out, then, shall we?" said James, grinning and pulling Wormtail towards the circulation desk.

Sirius motioned for Banks to join him near the door, and after a moment's hesitation she did, though her expression did not soften. He placed a hand on the wall behind her, and she clutched her books more tightly to her chest.

"Look," Sirius began placatingly, "I'm sorry about this afternoon, it was just --"

"Don't apologize," she interrupted, looking up at him coolly. "If you prefer to get your kicks by hexing people in Herbology, that's your business. And it makes no difference to me if you fail your Charms paper either." (Sirius decided to let the second comment slide, as it was just easier sometimes to let girls think they were better at things.)

"I wasn't hexing anyone for kicks," he said, slightly irritated. "Snivelly tried to attack James when --"

"Who did?"

"Snivellus," said Sirius impatiently. "Snape!" He jabbed a finger at the floor where Snape was restacking the last of his books, and Banks calmly followed it. She had, of course, been taking classes with Snape for almost six years now, but she had an amazing ability to ignore people she found unworthy of her attention.

"Is that the one Potter's got the long-running feud with?"

"Yeah."

"I don't see why he would bother," she said, turning back to Sirius and elevating an eyebrow. "I mean, what's the point?"

Sirius found himself at a momentary loss for words. He was both impressed and annoyed that a Muggle-born could take so little interest in the school's Darker element as to ask that sort of question....

"Because he's dangerous," he finally said, frowning and brushing some hair from her eyes. "You should know what the likes of him get up to by now...."

Banks looked at Snape again, obviously doubting that someone who looked like that could ever pose any real sort of threat. As if on cue, Snape looked over at them and sneered nastily; but Banks seemed no more impressed than she would have had he smiled at her and waved.

"Oh, I got some very nasty looks from your brother yesterday."

"Good," said Sirius, sliding an arm around her waist; then he realized how that sounded. "I mean --"

She laughed. "Don't worry, I find it quite amusing." Her mouth formed a very mischievous smile. "And I think he's still scared of me."

Her lips were a perfect shade of red, though she wasn't wearing any lipstick; Sirius had a sudden urge to bite down on one of them. He made to do so, but was blocked by an admonitory finger.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" the lips demanded; their owner did not believe in public displays of affection. But she had left the side of her neck unguarded, so Sirius moved to breathe some hot air on it.

"Not here," she murmured softly, giggling and trying to extract herself. "Really, I mean it!"

She hit him on the head and he straightened up reluctantly, meeting her eyes; there was a seductive fire in them that was the only thing belying her otherwise perfect composure. He wondered how long it would be before the prefects cleared out of their bathroom for the night....

"Er -- Padfoot?"

Sirius looked up. People were leaving the library behind them in droves now, and Prongs was standing off to one side with Wormtail, grinning apologetically.

"Sorry to bother you now, mate, but we've got find Moony -- remember?"

"Oh," said Sirius. "Right." Banks took the opportunity to slip out from under his arm.

"Oh dear, I couldn't possibly keep you from your friends," she said, smiling innocently. Sirius had the distinct impression, as he watched her hurry back to her giggling friends, that she enjoyed seeing him suffer.

"Sorry," said James again, as Madam Pince shooed them out the door.

"S'alright," Sirius shrugged. "You're right, we've got to find Moony. Though first I need a good long shower, after all that digging."

"You're not the only one," said James, looking pointedly past him. Snape had just slunk out of the library and was eyeing them malevolently.

Sirius had his wand out in an instant, in case Snape had any thoughts of trying to curse James again.

"Hey, Snivelly!" said James, who had the good sense not to pull out his own wand. "D'you reckon you'll finally take a shower tonight? Only we were hoping all that rolling in the dirt might've inspired you...."

Sirius laughed, as did the other students within earshot.

"Don't hold your breath, Prongs," he said loudly, keeping his wand trained on Snivellus as they headed for the stairs. "He spent the whole time trying to wipe his grease off on me, I'll bet he hasn't been this clean for months."

As they started up the stairs, Sirius couldn't help throwing a smirk back in Snivelly's direction. His sallow face had an ugly flush now, and there was a calculating look about him that suggested he may just have been contemplating a visit to the Whomping Willow....

Sirius opened his mouth to say something about this, then realized his friends were not aware of the situation yet. He wondered if he should wait to confirm it on the map before telling them, but decided he didn't have the patience.

With a quick check that they wouldn't be overheard, Sirius launched into the story of what Snape had told him in detention; his friends' reactions were much as he had expected....

Wormtail started babbling as soon as he learned that Snape knew about the rest of them following Moony each month. "He saw -- he knows --he'll tell -- we'll be -- we'll be --" He couldn't bring himself to say expelled.

"Of course he doesn't know," said Prongs impatiently, looking like he had half a mind to go back and hex the hair off Snivellus, match or no match. "Yet. But he said he's looking for proof? Of our illegal activities?"

Sirius nodded darkly, wondering if Prongs was about to come up with the same solution he had. "Hinkypunk," he told the Fat Lady, who swung forward to admit them to Gryffindor Tower.

"What are we going to do?" Wormtail said in an urgent whisper as they climbed through the portrait hole. Sirius could no longer keep the grin off his face. Wormtail looked like he might actually cry.

"I took care of it, Wormtail," he said, enjoying the perplexed look that met these words. "I gave him a little -- hint -- about the tree, so with any luck he'll be off finding proof right now." He stared significantly, until Wormtail's tiny eyes widened in comprehension and he let out an unusually shrill laugh of excitement.

"Wish we could be there to see it, eh, Prongs?" said Sirius, as they reached the stairs to the boys' dormitories.

"Hm?" said Prongs, who had been trying to catch Evans's eye as they crossed the common room.

"The look on Snivelly's face -- when he finally finds his proof of what Moony gets up to."

James's face lit up at the prospect.

"Priceless!" he laughed. "D'you think we could get a photo?" He pushed open the door to their room, which was in its usual state of complete disarray. "We could put an Engorgement Charm on it, fill up a wall, watch it over and over...."

Sirius dropped his bag by the door, and picked his way over piles of books and dirty clothes to the table they'd nicked from the common room, where he pulled out the Marauder's Map.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he said excitedly, tapping it with his wand. Lines began to appear on the parchment, joining to form a complete map of the Hogwarts castle and grounds, with tiny moving dots showing the whereabouts of each person. Sirius located the one labeled Severus Snape; to his slight disbelief it was, in fact, outside the castle, and headed toward the greenhouses.

He stared. Had Snivelly forgotten something in detention?

"We need to pay the elves a visit soon," said James, who had kicked off his shoes and was examining their dwindling stash of goodies from the kitchen. "We're running low on supplies again. Oy, Padfoot!"

Sirius looked up and caught the butterbeer James had lobbed at him, setting it aside with a mumbled, "Thanks."

After lurking suspiciously near the greenhouses for a bit, Snape's dot had suddenly headed straight for the Whomping Willow; it came to a halt on the side with the knot....

He was going for it.

"Prongs ... maybe we should get a camera and head down there...."

"Huh?"

"Snape -- he's really doing it, he's going after Moony." Sirius watched the dot enter the tunnel, not quite daring to believe his eyes. "Just started down the tunnel."

"What're you talking about?" said James, looking slightly confused. "He can't, he doesn't know how to get past the Willow."

"Yeah he does," Wormtail piped up. "Padfoot told him."

"Oh, right." James grinned.

"Really, come look," Sirius motioned, puzzled by this apparent lack of enthusiasm. James picked his way over and Sirius happily showed him Snape's dot.

James snatched the map and stared at the dot, as though he too did not quite dare to believe his eyes.

"He knows?"

"Mmhm."

"You really did it?"

"Yeah," said Sirius.

"You really told him?"

"Yeah," said Sirius, more slowly. Even then, he could tell that something was wrong -- Prongs was never this slow on the uptake.

James looked from Sirius to the map, and the map to Sirius, a faint frown line deepening his brow. Then suddenly he dropped the map and darted across the room.

"What're you doing?" Sirius demanded. James fished out the pair of trainers he'd kicked under his bed.

"Stopping him," he said, shoving his feet in his shoes; he wasn't joking. Sirius hastened after him.

"What the hell for?"

"Because," James was doing up his laces, "he'll get bitten by a werewolf if he gets to the end..."

"So?"

"Or more likely torn to shreds...."

"So?" Sirius frowned. "Look, I don't see why you're so fussed all of a sudden..."

"You're the one who sent him there," James said impatiently. "D'you have any idea how much trouble --"

"But no one else knows that -- and anyway, he was going to figure --"

"-- and Moony, too, for --"

"They can't blame him for anything! He's out of his mind!" Sirius shouted.

James snorted, and Sirius had to admit he had a point. He hadn't thought of that --

James had his shoes on. He picked up his wand and headed for the door. A wave of unidentified panic crashed over Sirius; he grabbed James's arm.

"Wait! You're right, it's my fault, I'll take the blame..."

"Let go!" James tried to yank his arm free. "What the hell?"

"You don't need to get involved...."

"You're wasting time!" yelped James, tugging angrily. "Let -- go -- of -- me -- Padfoot!"

"There isn't time," Sirius said quietly, surprised at the strength of his own grip. "You can't transform in the tunnel. Just -- leave it -- it's his fault he went...." James stopped struggling and went very still; his eyes stayed fixed on the door.

"Do you really want him to die, Padfoot?"

"I..." Snape was the last thing on Sirius's mind....

But James didn't wait for an answer. He yanked free, and turned a slightly disgusted look on Sirius. "You know, you really are a Black sometimes," he muttered, shaking his head. And he turned and tore from the room at top speed.

Sirius stood, rooted to the spot, staring at the door as James disappeared through it; then he realized he still had his arm in the air, and brought it back down very slowly to his side.