Haunted by her second year and now with a murderer on the loose, Gwenevere Everill finds herself facing more battles that she does not think she can win.
Tormented by dementors and struggling under the impact of her new studies, will Gwen be able t...
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This was definitely the strangest group Gwen had ever been part of. Crookshanks led the way down the stairs; Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron went next, chained together. 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. Gwen, Harry and Hermione brought up the rear.
Climbing back down into the tunnel was difficult . Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron had to go sideways, then they edged awkwardly down the tunnel after Crookshanks in single file. Harry went right after Sirius, who was still making Snape drift along, his head bumping against the low ceiling. Gwen thought that Sirius was making no effort to prevent this. Gwen and Hermione climbed down after them.
Gwen and Hermione lingered back a little, for Sirius and Harry were talking. They were talking about Sirius being Harry's godfather, when Sirius suggested that Harry move in with him.
'Are you mad?' said Harry. 'Of course I want to leave the Durselys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?'
Sirius turned right around, stopping. Gwen and Hermione stopped too; Snape's head was scraping against the ceiling.
'You want to?' Sirius said. 'You mean it?'
'Yeah, I mean it!' said Harry, and Sirius' gaunt face broke into the first true smile that they'd ever seen upon it. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger was shining through the starved mask.
Gwen and Hermione shared a smile. Harry leaving the Dursleys... both girls knew how much that would mean to him.
No one spoke again until they reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks darted up first; he had evidently pressed the knot on the trunk, because Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron clambered upwards without any sound of savaging branches. Sirius saw Snape up through the hole, then stood back for Gwen, Harry and Hermione to pass. At last, all of them were out.
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.
'One wrong move, Peter,' said Lupin threateningly, ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest.
Silently, they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Sirius, his chin bumping on his chest. And then--
A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. The group was bathed in moonlight.
Snape collided with Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Sirius froze. He flung out an arm to make Gwen, Harry and Hermione stop.
Gwen could see Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.
'Oh, my--' Hermione gasped. 'He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!'
