Wolf

"Wolf"

Chapter seven/eight-The Clue/The end

I was still walking around in a daze. I could not even eat, drink or sleep the right way. Lily tried to comfort me, but it was no use. I still could not believe that Haley was dead, more so killed by something...a wolf. I was totally convinced by some horrid chance, I had killed her.

I was sitting in the common room just staring at the floor when the portrait hole opened and Lily, James and Sirius entered. "Hey mate! How are you feeling?" asked James tentatively.

"Like I've been hit with a club," I muttered darkly.

"Remus, buddy, we know you didn't do it," said Sirius sitting beside me.

I raised my eyes to meet his. "How do you know that? I could've very well killed her. I'm a werewolf, remember?" I asked.

Lily, James and Sirius looked at each other.

James opened his mouth to speak, but I stood up abruptly.

"Look. I don't think it's a good idea for you three to hang around me much longer. I could easily kill one of you," I reasoned.

"We're not..." Lily began, but I cut her off.

"No! Stay away from me all right? I already killed someone I loved more than life and I could not handle killing one of my three best friends!" I snarled as I brushed past them and left the common room.

The hallways were illuminated only by the moonlight outside. I glanced out of one of the windows. A half moon cast a silvery glow over the grounds. I shut my eyes, fighting the tears that kept threatening to rise up in my eyes. I missed Haley so much. I remembered her pretty face and shortly she and I had been involved. I hadn't realized I was walking down to where the baths and showers were.

I felt tears streaming down my cheeks. I suddenly saw something lying just outside the shower room. I hurried over to it and bent down. It was a yellow and black patch, which I recognized as a Hufflepuff's crest. I sniffed it and immediately got William's scent.

It was him! He killed Haley! He's the other werewolf!

I angrily got to my feet feeling rage starting to fill up in my chest. Clutching the patch, I went back into Gryffindor's Common room.

Lily, James and Sirius looked up.

"Remus? What's wrong?" Lily demanded anxiously.

I held out my hand in which the patch lay in my palm.

James, Sirius and Lily stood up and came over to me. Lily picked up the patch.

"This looks like the crest off a Hufflepuff robe," she said slowly examining it.

Then, James took it. "Yes, it's definitely a crest. Where'd you find this, Remus?" James asked, alarmed.

"Outside the shower room and guess what?" I growled. All three of them waited patiently. "I got William's scent off of it," They exchanged looks. "He's the second werewolf," I snarled.

Anger and rage filled James' and Sirius' eyes. Lily looked frightened. "If he is, why would he leave this vital clue behind?"

"Probably because he didn't realize it himself, the dolt," Sirius growled.

"Then that robe he was holding...wasn't Remus'?" asked Lily slowly.

"I don't think so. I think Remus that you were so worried that he'd find out what you really were that you momentarily didn't realize that that wasn't your robe. James and I ran out after you and Haley and buried the robe next to Hagrid's hut. That robe William was holding was his own," Sirius said.

I felt a pang of relief, but then the rage followed closely. "Let's say we go pay William a visit,"

Sirius and James nodded. I glanced at Lily. "Lil?" I asked slowly.

She nodded then stared deep into my eyes. "I miss Haley. Let's go say hello to Willie,"

We all turned and headed out of the common room, annoying the fat lady. We all were storming down the hall, when Professor Dumbledore appeared at the end of the corridor. "Are you four up to something?" he asked, his blue eyes twinkling.

"We know who killed Haley. It was William," James snapped.

I showed Professor Dumbledore the crest patch Remus found.

Professor Dumbledore regarded James for a moment, looking from him, to Remus, to Sirius and then to me. "I had a feeling it was him. Come along then," said Professor Dumbledore.

We followed him to the Hufflepuff tower. We entered the Hufflepuff common room. William was reading a book by the fire totally calm and serene as if nothing had happened. That only made me angrier and full of rage. William looked up.

"Why Professor Dumbledore...what a pleasant surprise. Is there anything wrong?" asked William worriedly looking from the four of us to Professor Dumbledore.

"Where is your crest?" asked Professor Dumbledore, gesturing to William's robe, which was missing the normal crest patch.

William smiled. "I don't know...must've fallen off when I was taking a bath,"

"You take baths with your clothes on?" asked Sirius stiffly.

William's eyes moved onto Sirius. "No, of course not. Maybe Haley cornered me and couldn't keep her hands off of me," William said, smirking. "She might've pulled it off."

I narrowed my eyes and felt the rage boiling in my chest. "Stand up, William," said Professor Dumbledore.

William slowly rose to his feet, his head low. There wasn't anybody else in the common room. I heard the distinct rumbling of a growl rising in his throat and the light caught his eyes, reflecting a gold arc, which meant his eyes were changing. I pushed Lily, James and Sirius back further as William dropped to his hands and knees. We watched as black fur sprouted all over his body, his chest expanded, straining the material of his robes. His hands and feet stretched into paws with long nails that curled under where his fingernails and toenails were. His nose and mouth pulled forward into a snout with white canines and incisors slid down under purple lips. His ears stretched into pointed and erect wolf ears. His body lengthened a bit and a tail grew at his rear. Before long, William was no longer visible but a black wolf was in his place.

Chapter Eight-The End

I narrowed my eyes and also changed into a wolf. Lily gasped and clung to James. Sirius stayed close to James. I shook the shredded clothes from my wolf body that used to be my robe. I pinned back my ears, pulled back the top lip of my snout exposing the white canines and incisors and I snarled at William. I lowered my head still snarling.

William retaliated. Then, I leaped toward him, sinking my canines and incisors into his neck. We began fighting and snarling.

LILY

James, Sirius and I watched as Remus had changed into a wolf and was now attacking William. Both wolves snarled and fought, rolling around on the floor. I looked at James.

"I can't believe William killed Haley," I said, quietly as tears formed in my eyes.

"I know. If Remus wasn't going to do anything about it I certainly was," snarled James his eyes flashing.

"I want to join Remus," said Sirius angrily gesturing toward the two wolves. "I'd love to beat William to a bloody pulp."

One of the wolves let out a yelp and we jumped. It was Remus.

I turned to Dumbledore. "Can you stop them?"

Professor Dumbledore's blue eyes were filled with regret.

"Unfortunately, I can not. This is something Remus must get out of his system. When he is finished, William will be dealt with severely," said Professor Dumbledore softly.

The two wolves continued fighting.

"Sirius...make sure no other students step into the common room," said Professor Dumbledore. Sirius nodded and left the common room, glancing back at the two wolves.

After what seemed like eternity, the two wolves stopped fighting. Both were cut, had deep bite marks and were bleeding. Remus' jaundice colored eyes were still filled with rage. Dumbledore pulled out his wand and waved it. Ropes shot out from the tip and wound themselves around the other wolfs legs, who was William, and the wolf tipped over onto his side snarling and snapping his jaws. All four legs and paws were tied together coming to form a V. Remus turned his eyes onto Professor Dumbledore and sat on his haunches. His ears were still pinned back and low grumbling growls could still be heard from his throat. "Easy Remus...he will be dealt with by the Ministry of Magic," said Professor Dumbledore calmly.

Remus still growled in a low rumble and turned his eyes onto James and I.

I slowly dropped down onto my knees. "Lily," whispered James frightenedly but I ignored him.

"Remus...it's Lily...please...calm down. William will be dealt with severely by the Ministry. He deserves to die. But taking things into your own hands will get you into trouble as well and I don't think Haley would want that. She'd want justice to be served to the one who deserved it. I miss Haley just as much as you do, but killing William won't bring her back," I said, quietly.

Remus got to all four paws. I felt James grabbing my shoulder tightly as if ready to yank me to my feet, but I ignored him.

Remus regarded me with his jaundice colored eyes before taking several steps closer. My heart was pounding loudly in my chest, hammering was more like it.

Remus' snout was inches from my chest. His black, cold wet nose sniffed at me enthusiastically. I shut my eyes, bracing myself. Then, I felt the weight of something against my chest. I shakily opened my eyes and glanced down. Remus had pushed his head against my chest. His eyes were closed as he just stood there calmly and breathing gently; his sides expanding rhythmically; I slowly put my hand on top of his head and began stroking it easily. He let out a whine. I then slowly again wrapped my arms around his neck and easily hugged him. I pressed my face against the top of his head. I felt tears sliding down my cheeks, wetting the grey fur. I began sobbing.

I missed Haley. She was the best friend I ever had. She died a horrible death.

William was still snarling and snapping his jaws when I released Remus. After a moment, Remus changed back into a human. I quickly averted my eyes as James pulled off his robe and wrapped it around Remus.

"It's time to take care of William," said Professor Dumbledore as with a wave of his wand, William's wolf body rose several inches off the ground and floated beside Dumbledore as if on an invisible cot. The growls could still be heard as they walked out of the common room.

I turned to Remus. "I miss Haley so much," Remus sobbed.

James and I hugged him again. "I know. So do we," James said, quietly.

After a few moments, we released Remus and then Sirius stepped back into the common room. "Remus buddy...O-Kay...whatever is going on here, I don't want to know," said Sirius slowly looking from Remus nude under James' robes, to James to me and held his hands up defensively. "What's going on with William?" Sirius asked.

"He's going to be sent to the Ministry to await punishment," James said promptly.

"Good. Bastard deserves it for killing Haley," Sirius snarled angrily but there were tears forming in his eyes and he turned his face away.

We knew Sirius was sobbing but we pretended that we didn't notice. James even had tears forming. I hugged James and let him sob. All four of us hugged one another in one big group hug.

The next day, Professor Dumbledore told us that William would be sent to Azkaban the following night and given the Dementor's kiss for killing Haley. Killing a fellow witch or wizard was much like the Muggle law of Muggles killing Muggles and had, if not, a worse sentence. Haley's parents were contacted and Remus seemed to be doing a little bit better, but not much. A new girl arrived during the second semester. Her name was Caitlin Mallows. She was pretty and quite funny. I pulled Remus aside.

REMUS

"Go talk to her!" Lily prodded gently.

"No. I don't think so, Lil," I said, quietly.

Lily gave me a gentle but firm shove. We were outside during the Care of Magical Creatures that Monday. Caitlin had shoulder length light blond hair and blue eyes. Her hair was pulled into a bun and she had almost angelic features. I stumbled forward.

"Whoa...are you okay? You're not drunk are you?" asked Caitlin grinning as she caught me and helped me to my feet.

"No. Sorry," I apologized.

"Don't be. I know the morning sunlight makes me dizzy. Not that I need help in that area,"

I laughed. Her blue eyes twinkled.

"You're Remus Lupin aren't you?"

I nodded. "Nice to meet you. Caitlin Mallows," We shook hands.

We began to hit off and I found her very easy to talk to and witty. With a pang of guilt I remembered Haley, but then Lily's voice broke that guilt. "...Haley would not want you to be unhappy. She'd want you to go on,"

Naturally, Lily was right. So eventually, Caitlin and I started going out after a few months. I will never ever forget Haley though. I miss her terribly.