The Marauders: Year Four

The Briefcase Laboratory

The Briefcase Laboratory

It took a few minutes for the stag and rat to catch up to the swift moving dog - mainly because he'd had a head start and it took James some getting used to his stag legs every time he transformed. But once he had his legs about him, James was much faster moving through the trees and he easily caught up to the shaggy black form of Snuffles in the dark and turned, cutting him off, before transforming back into James - the shivering rat that was Peter settled into the hood of James's sweatshirt, twitching nose and paws clutching, peeking over James's shoulder.

"Look, mate," James said to the dog, who growled, angry with James for coming after him -- James grabbed a fist full of Snuffles hair to keep him from running off again, "You have to wait for Dumbledore's word. Druella could've been talking 'bout anybody, it doesn't have to be Remus. But if it is, you need to wait for Dumbledore's word."

The dog tried to shake off James, but James's grip in his hair didn't let up. He knew no matter how the dog growled and snapped, he wouldn't ever actually hurt James. It was empty threats.

"Sirius, if Dumbledore comes and says it's happened I'll run with you to the ends of the earth, alright? But you gotta wait for Dumbledore."

The shaggy dog whimpered at this.

James sighed and said, "I know you're worried."

The dog stared up at James.

James was about to say something more - something that felt as to him as though it might come out quite profound, though he wasn't entirely sure exactly what it was he was intending to say - when a magnified voice echoed through the dark.

"SIRIUS..... JAMES...."

It was Dumbledore.

Sirius turned and James let go of his hair and hissed, "Transform!" quickly to remind him he was currently Snuffles and with a pop Sirius changed back only just as Dumbledore's voice echoed through the trees a second time. James pushed Peter low in his hood and he could feel Peter trembling in there nervously as the two boys ran back through the trees to the Potter house. Sirius's breaths came out in heavy, lung-burning gasps.

Dumbledore, Dora, and Charlus stood on the patio in the backyard and all looked quite relieved as James and Sirius jumped over the low hedges at the far side of the yard. "There you are!" Dora exclaimed, "What on earth took you so long to dispose of a rat?!"

"Wanted to make sure it was near the water," James panted, "So it wouldn't go thirsty or come back or -- whatever."

Sirius seemed not to hear the question or even to notice anyone was there except Albus Dumbledore. He grabbed onto the headmaster's hands, his eyes pleading, wide with worry, "Remus -- is he --?"

"Come with me, Mr. Black," Dumbledore said, and he led Sirius into the house.

James's eyes widened and he hurried after the pair of them as Dumbledore led them into the living room, Charlus and Dora taking up the lead of the little procession, and he waved his hand at the briefcase of Newt Scamander on the coffee table. "After you, Mr. Black," Dumbledore said.

Sirius looked at Dumbledore, then at the suitcase... he went over, peered down into the laboratory below, and, feeling quite odd in the motion of it, swung his leg over the side of the suitcase, stepping down on the ladder and climbing in. Dumbledore followed. James started to, too, but Charlus caught him and whispered, "Give them a moment."

James hung back. "But he's alright, isn't he?" he asked.

Charlus nodded.

Sirius reached the floor of the laboratory as Newt Scamander was back-to, leaning over the body that laid upon the table before him. Tina Scamander smiled and beckoned Sirius over. He inched up slowly, nervously, and stared down at the sleeping form of Remus Lupin. Because Newt had been operating upon him, the boy's shirt and makeshift bandages had been removed completely so that he lay there with a bare torso, his eyes fluttering with dreams... Across his shoulder was a harsh, jagged black line - the stitching - that held down flesh much newer than the flesh surrounding it. Shivering, Sirius reached out and grabbed Remus's hand in his own. "He's okay?" Sirius breathed.