Changing Destiny

Thirty: The Marauders' Reunion

Severus

It was Filch who brought the dour Potions Master of Hogwarts the news that Remus Lupin was acting more squirrelly of late. Oh yes, he certainly had no damn patience for the former Marauder's bullshit. He suspected that Lupin was letting Sirius Black into the school, but for what reason he did not know specifically. The Fat Lady portrait that guarded Gryffindor tower was already attacked, and that put the castle on high alert, and the portrait was terrified Black would "strike again," when someone had not bothered to inform Black that Harry Potter was not a Gryffindor.

Then, there was the blank bit of parchment that he confiscated from Potter, and Potter insisted on the map not working, because after he got Potter alone in his office he explained that he saw Peter Pettigrew's name on the map. To maintain the cover properly, he docked points, and assigned the boy detentions for a week.

But yes, this night, he had given Lupin his usual dose of wolfsbane, but he had been growing neglectful of drinking it without fail every day as the potion required.

The squib knocked on his office door, and he threw on his robe to see who was setting off his security wards. "What is it, Argus? There are working hours for a reason."

Filch rolled his runny gray eyes. "Whatever, Dracula. Not that it's any o' yer affair, but y'think maybe you could pry yer fangs outta whatever witch or wizard y'got holed up in yer bed, and check out our furry werewolf makin' his way to that damned willow tree with Potter, the Rosier girl you're sweet on, an' the Malfoy whelp?"

Severus groaned. "Certainly. I will be right there. Go inform our libertine of a Headmaster that his pet wolf hasn't been taking his medicine."

Filch wheezed laughter, "Yep, tall order that. He's more than sweet on his young piece o'wizard ass. At least Dibbet had more class about bein' a poof. I'll let y' get to it."

The old squib and wizard nodded, rolling their eyes at the ridiculousness of the situation. Severus donned his teaching robes magically, but left off the outer cloak to allow for more freedom of movement, just in case Lupin or Black got it into their Gryffindor addled brains to duel him. He brushed out his hair, grabbed his wand, and set his chambers to rights before moving quickly to the whomping willow.

He watched the three magical children battle the tree's branches, and then Severus saw Black in his black Irish Wolfhound form, grab at what looked like a mangy rat that Hermione's half kneazle cat was going after. The cat and the dog got into a heated scuffle, and because the rat jumped on Draco, the dog grabbed at his leg, and the sound of his ankle twisting sounded sickening.

The wolfhound dragged Draco into the secret entrance of the tree, which he knew led to the shrieking shack. He moved to go after them, but he heard someone approach him from behind. He whirled around to face...a black cowled Unspeakable.

"Wait until the wolf goes inside the tree," The wizard said in his dull monotone enhanced voice. "You can then confront your old bullies there."

"Who are you? Why are you helping me?"

The Unspeakable produced a sealed envelope, and explained, "Open it after this business is done. I am meddling enough as it is, or so the Masters claim. We will meet again."

The Unspeakable flipped his timeturner rings, and he had vanished before Severus could say another word. He stuffed the note in his left pocket, and spotted Remus Lupin entering the whomping willow after freezing the tree limbs in place. Once he was inside, he used the immobilus charm to freeze the tree limbs in place, and found the knot at the base to open up the secret passageway.

He used his wand to light his steps, and as he neared the room Lupin and company were in, he could hear shouts from Hermione, Black, and Potter as they argued. He entered the room, and there was Sirius Black looking like a ragged Rasputin figure on crack, his gray Azkaban uniform hanging limply off of his now gaunt frame.