Discovery

17.

Lupin began to tell us of his childhood. He was bitten when he was a young boy, and there was no cure. Dumbledore allowed him to come to Hogwarts, and they planted the Whomping Willow over a secret passage to the Shrieking Shack, so that Professor Lupin could transform each full moon without harming anyone.

"The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor...Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it...But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black...Peter Pettigrew...and, of course, your father, Harry— James Potter."

Lupin continued, and told us about how his friends got very curious as to where he disappeared to once a month.

"They did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."

As Lupin continued to explain, Black grew impatient.

"Hurry up, Remus," he snarled.

Lupin then explained the Marauder's Map.

"Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs." 

Then he moved on to Snape.

"Snape?" said Black harshly. "What's Snape got to do with it?"

"He's here, Sirius," said Lupin heavily. "He's teaching here as well."

The two men explained a prank that Black had played on Snape, and how it almost killed him.

Black told Snape how to get past the Whomping Willow, and if James Potter hadn't ran after Snape, Lupin would have gotten to him first.

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Harry slowly. "Because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin.

Professor Snape pulled off the Invisibility Cloak, pointing his wand directly at Lupin.

"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—"

"Severus, you're making a mistake," said Lupin urgently. He tried to reason with Snape, but was cut off.

"Two more for Azkaban tonight," Snape said. "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," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

BANG! Thin cords burst out of Snape's wand, tying themselves around Lupin. Black lunged for Snape, but Snape had aimed his wand at Black.

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

We all stood there, frozen. But then Hermione took a step toward Snape.

"Professor Snape— it— it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w— would it?" she said uncertainly.

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape spat. "You, Potter, Hart, 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!"