Obliviate {Book 1--EDITING}

24. Traitor^

Feeling like I'd been electrocuted by a whole electricity line, I stood stupidly with my mouth open as Black leapt to his feet.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape, throwing the cloak aside, pointing the wand at Remus' face. Gennie stood in front of her dad, scowling at Snape. "Very useful, Potter, thank you.... I suppose you're wondering how I knew you were here?"

"Because you're a crazy stalker obsessed with my father!" Gennie shouted, her face turning red.

"No, because your dear father hadn't taken his potion so I took along the goblet." Snape spat. "And I saw a certain map that told me all I needed to know..."

"Severus —" Remus began, but Snape spoke over him.

"I told him again and again you were helping him get into the castle, and here is the proof!"

"Severus, you're making a mistake," said Remus urgently. "You haven't heard everything — I can explain — Sirius is not here to kill Harry, or Aurora —"

"Two more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape his eyes now gleaming fanatically. "Dumbledore was convinced you were always a tame werewolf.... But now you'll leave your daughter an orphan, how does that make you feel?"

Gennie screamed and tried to throw herself at Snape, but her father held her back, and said to Snape softly, "You fool. Is a grudge worth putting an innocent man in Azkaban?"

BANG! Gennie screamed as her father pushed her aside as ropes twisted around Remus' mouth, wrist ankles and he fell to the floor. Gennie scrambled to her feet and was about to make a move at Snape when he pointed his wand directly at Black.

"Give me a reason," he whispered. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will." Black stopped dead.

Everybody stood there paralysed and afraid, though Gennie looked ready to kill, and Cole looked as if he was watching a very exciting film.

Hermione, however, took an uncertain step toward Snape and said, in a very breathless voice, "Professor Snape — it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w-would it?"

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape spat. "The six of you are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, hold your tongue."

"But if — if there was a mistake —"

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" A few sparks shot out of the end of his wand, which was still pointed at Black's face. Hermione fell silent.

"Vengeance is very sweet," Snape breathed at Black. "How I hoped I would be the one to catch you..."

"The joke's on you again, Severus," Black snarled. "As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle" — he jerked his head at Ron — "I'll come quietly..."

"Up to the castle?" said Snape silkily. "I don't think we need to go that far. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black... pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay..."

What little colour there was in Black's face left it. "You — you've got to hear me out," he croaked. "The rat — look at the rat —"

But there was a mad glint in Snape's eyes that I had never seen before. He seemed beyond reason.

"Come on, all of you," he said. He clicked his fingers, and the ends of the cords that bound Remus flew to his hands. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the Dementors will have a kiss for him too —"