𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞'𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞┃𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙒𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙮

Chapter 33: The Full Moon's Play

"One wrong move, Peter," said Remus threateningly ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest.

Going through the tunnel, I saw a true smile break upon my father's face as Harry agreed to coming live with him. Not wanting to spoil the moment, I didn't mention the fact that Dumbledore strictly wants Harry to continue living with the Dursleys.

Now, silently we tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead, his chin bumping on his chest. And then-

A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Our party was bathed in moonlight.

Snape collided with Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Sirius froze. I tensed up realising what was happening. The convicted escapee flung out one arm to make Harry, Hermione and myself stop. I saw Remus' silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.

"Oh, my- " Hermione gasped.

"Remus didn't take his potion tonight!" I exclaimed.

"Run," Sirius whispered.

"What?" I said.

"Run. Now."

Harry leapt forward to free Ron from Pettigrew and Remus 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's hair was on end again; he was backing away-

As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harry's side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other.

I stood, transfixed by the sight, too intent upon the battle to notice anything else. It was Hermione's scream that alerted me-

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.

Oh no you don't!

"Expelliarmus!" Harry and I yelled, pointing our own wands 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. I 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; I turned to see the werewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the forest —

"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!" Harry yelled.

Padfoot was bleeding; There were gashes across his muzzle and back, but at Harry's words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded away across the grounds.

Harry, Hermione and I dashed over to Ron.

"What did he do to him?" Hermione whispered. Ron's eyes were only half-closed, his mouth hung open; he was definitely alive, they could hear him breathing, but he didn't seem to recognize them.

"I don't know..."

I looked desperately around. Padfoot and Moony were both gone... we had no one but Snape for company, still hanging, unconscious, in midair.