janus ~ hermione granger

xx

the two men embraced each other, causing the four teenagers to look at one another.

"i found him. let's kill him!"

"yes, i understood," remus whispered back.

hermione went to go stand in front harry but maddy once again stopped her.

"i don't believe it! you-you—bloody hell," the girl choked out, trying to get out of maddy's hold.

"hermoine, hold on-"

"no! w-we didn't tell anyone! we've been covering for you, all this time, and you've been helping him! let me go, madison!"

"take a breather, darling," the taylor girl whispered in hermione's ear.

"hermione, listen to me please, i can explain—"

"i trusted you! and all this time, you've been his friend," harry's voice cracked.

"you helped me," maddy mumbled, confusing everyone but the guy she was looking at and hermione.

"no, no. listen, i haven't been helping him, i haven't been his friend, until now-"

"no! harry, do not trust him!"

"he's a werewolf."

"he's been helping black get into the castle! he wants you dead, harry! do not-"

"i won't deny that i am a werewolf, but, no. i have not been helping sirius break into the castle, nor do i want harry dead."

ron struggled to stand up, and lupin frowned, going to help him, but the red-head stopped him.

"get away from me, werewolf!"

remus would be lying if he said that didn't hurt.

"how long have you two known?" lupin asked the two girls.

"i figured it out ages ago, ever since snape's lesson. i needed to tell someone, so i told maddy."

"he'd be delighted. you are the brightest witch i've ever met."

"we'd have been a lot more clever if we would have told everyone!" hermione shouted, causing maddy to wince because of how close they were.

"they already know, the staff do. dumbledore had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that i am trustworthy-"

"are you?" maddy's quiet, broken voice was barely heard over harry's.

hermione remembered how hard it was for maddy to trust people.

hell, she was barely starting to trust hermione and they've been friends for a little over a year!

so, she stopped fighting against her hold and placed her hands on hers, hoping it would make the older girl feel better.

"you've been helping black this whole time," harry snorted.

"just give me a few moments and let me explain. look," lupin paused to hand harry and maddy their wands. "now you're armed and we aren't. please, just listen."

"how did you know he was here then? if you haven't been helping him."

"the map," the professor replied.

"how do you know to work it?"

"how—im moony, i was one of the creators of the map," he smiled. "i was watching the map because i had a feeling you and your friends would sneak out of the castle to see hagrid before buckbeak's execution. i was right though, wasn't i? you might have been under the cloak, harry-"