Written In The Stars III -[Harry Potter xF!Oc]

Chapter Nineteen: A Window to the Past.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow. Very useful, Potter, I thank you..." Snape threw the cloak aside. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?  I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did... lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

"Severus —" 

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout —"

"Severus, you're making a mistake, you haven't heard everything — I can explain — Sirius is not here to kill Harry —"

"Two more for Azkaban tonight," The man didn't care to listen. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this... He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin... a tame werewolf —"

"You fool– Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

Thin, snakelike cords jumped from the end of Snape's wand and twisted around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles; he fell to the floor.

"NO!" Mel ran towards him at the same time Black started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Black's eyes and Harry grabbed her wrist before she could move further.

"Give me a reason," Snape threatened. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

"Professor Snape — it — it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w — would it?" Hermione asked beside her.

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape said harshly. "You, Potter, Dumbledore, and Weasley 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. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" 

"DON'T TALK TO HER LIKE THAT!" Mel yelled back, snatching her wrist from Harry's grip and raising her wand before she could think it through. "DON'T YOU EVER CALL HER STUPID AGAIN OR I'LL–"

"WHAT?" He roared. "You'll knock me unconscious and then what, Miss Dumbledore?! The Headmaster will feel beyond proud once he finds out he brought up a scoundrel!"

"Better a scoundrel than a petty, feeble man!" Harry pulled down her arm harshly.

"What are you doing?" He hissed. "You believe them?"

"If Black were a dark wizard he would've tried to kill us already," She turned to the boy and tried to pull her arm away. "Let go."

"No." 

"Harry, I'll hex you if I have to–"

A short chuckle let out Black's mouth, he was looking at her from the corner of his eye, without completely turning away from Snape.

"You are your mother's daughter, Mel. But this isn't worth an expulsion– lower the wand."

Mel wanted to hiss at him something like 'You really think I'll listen to you?' but Snape was faster.

"Vengeance is very sweet. How I hoped I would be the one to catch you..." 

"The joke's on you again, Severus. As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle, I'll come quietly..."