People Watching.

Chapter Thirty-Seven.

Crookshanks led the way down the stairs; Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron went next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by his own wand, which was being pointed at him by Sirius. Harry, (Y/n), and then Hermione brought up the rear.
Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Remus still had Pettigrew covered by his wand. Harry could see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was still in the lead. Harry went right after Sirius, who was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling. Harry was under the impression Sirius was making no effort to prevent this. (Y/n) smiled at the sight of Sirius and Harry conversing. She turned and walked backwards, facing Hermione.

"How're you holding up?" she asked.

"Hm?" Hermione hummed, seemingly snapping out of a daze.

"I can imagine all of this is a shock," (Y/n) said. 

"No kidding," Hermione huffed. "...do you think Sirius will really be a free man?"

"No. Not yet," (Y/n) admitted. "Even with Pettigrew and a video confession, what more is that? Words and ideas don't make things happen. It's time and evidence that does. Pettigrew will get what's coming for sure but going up to the castle as we are is really stupid on our end. Sirius has got to get out of here while we build a better case." She gave a pause and bit her lip, wondering whether or not she should let Hermione in. Just as she was about to do so, Sirius saw Snape through the hole, then stood back for the younger three to pass. At last, all of them were out. Hermione looked at (Y/n) in question.
"I'll tell you later," she promised.

The grounds were very dark now; the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, they set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering. 

"Remus, do you think your wolfsbane will still be with Snape?" (Y/n) asked. "Or did he leave it in his office?" She was very obviously nervous, glancing up at the sky. Sirius slipped past Harry, Hermione, and (Y/n) and began patting Snape's sleeves and pockets. He shook his head in defeat. "Oh..."
With their luck, a cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight.
Snape collided with Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Sirius froze. He flung out one arm to make Harry and Hermione stop. Remus had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.

"Oh, my—" Hermione gasped. "No potion means he isn't safe." Her dazed mind had just barely caught on to why (Y/n) was so frantic.

"Run," Sirius whispered. "Run now."
Neither of the kids moved. Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Remus. He leapt forward but Sirius caught him around the chest and threw him back.
"Leave it to me— RUN!"
There was a terrible snarling noise. Remus' head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshanks' hair was on end again, he was backing away—
As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harry's die. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it around the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other—
Harry stood, transfixed by the sight, too intent upon the battle to notice anything else. It was Hermione's scream that alerted him—

Pettigrew had dived for Remus' dropped wand. Ron, unsteady on his bandaged leg, fell. There was a bang, a burst of light— and Ron lay motionless on the ground. Another bang— Crookshanks flew into the air and back to the earth in a heap.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled, pointing his own wand at Pettigrew; Remus' wand flew high into the air and out of sight. "Stay where you are!" Harry shouted, running forward.
Too late, Pettigrew had transformed. Harry saw his bald tail whip through the manacle on Ron's outstretched arm and heard a scurrying through the grass.
There was a howl and a rumbling growl; Harry turned to see the werewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the forest.
"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew's transformed!" Harry yelled.