Lily began staring at the great grandfather clock in the entrance hall, her eyes only darting to glance at the stairs or the door.
*~*~*
James ran down the stairs, leaping over the last three, and ran full speed toward The Dark Forest. Taking a chance he would never normally take, he transformed in the wide-open Hogwarts grounds, four hooves meeting the cold ground in a comforting rhythm in place of two feet. The tall teenager altered into a great stag, the dark brown coat so dark it looked black in the pitch dark interrupted only by the full moon. Giving his antlers a traditional shake, he charged on, his breath freezing in the air. As he came in site of Severus Snape trying to maneuver around the Whomping Willow, the stag changed back into James.
"STOP!" He bellowed at the top of his lungs, hurling himself at the Slytherin in an American footbal worthy tackle, had he known what American footbal was.
"Get off me, Potter." Snape growled in a menacing sort of way, trying to fling James off, succeeding in a moment of weakness. He crawled on his stomach under the tree, somehow knowing to press the knot.
"No! Don't!" James panted, grabbing his ankle and pulling, but only succeeding in making the other boy's dragon hide shoe come off.
"You can't stop me."
"I sure as hell can try." Both wizards were determined to meet their very different goals, so a violent scuffle ensued under the frozen tree. At one point, Snape made the dive down the tunnel, giving James no choice but follow. They both started sprinting, Severus toward a far door, James after Severus.
"Stop it, you ignorant arse!" James again tackled Snape, who landed a rather nasty kick in his opponent's stomach, gaining another lapse of temporary freedom. "There is a fully-developed werewolf behind that door!"
"That's one of your more interesting excuses."
"Seriously, Snape, there is, now get away from that door."
"Make me."
James attempted to do just that, but it wasn't necessary. Remus, the fully-developed werewolf in question, after smelling the scent of humans, leaped on the door from the other side. It fell in on Snape, apparently knocking him unconscious. Remus snapped at Severus's legs a time or two before James jumped in.
Once again changing into stag form, he competently stood over Snape, protecting him from the worst of Remus's claws, and all of his teeth. The big black dog which was Sirius, known as Padfoot, quickly followed, his eyes sad when he saw his deer friend. Prongs and Padfoot soon had Remus back into the Shrieking Shack, in and interior room away from the wounded human.
*~*~*
After eight minutes, Lily ran to get Dumbledore, questioning whether she really should have gave a mere student ten minutes. "Candy apples!" Lily said quickly, and rushed in, shouting, "Professor! Professor! I need your help!"
Dumbledore rose from behind his desk, where he was already wearing nightclothes with orange teddybears. "I am at your service."
"Severus Snape went to the Whomping Willow!"
"Go quickly and wake Madame Pomfrey and Professor Figg. I will see to this." The headmaster waved his wand, changing into warm winter clothes, as he hurried out of his office with Lily, then they parted ways.
Lily followed her instructions, and awakened the sleeping nurse, then the deputy Headmistress. Then she herself stood outside of the entrance to watch for anyone coming from the forest.
*~*~*
After Remus was safely caged, James and Sirius hurried back to the victim.
"Is he dead?" Sirius asked, his face very pale.
"Not hardly. Change back into Padfoot and get in bed. Use the sleeping spell and lie your arse off if you have to."
"What will you do?"
"Take him to the castle. Now go!"
"But, James, they-"
"I'll be fine. Lily was with me."
"Alright, thanks." The large dog reappeared and scampered off while James levitated Snape and hurried out of the tunnel.
They emerged from the underground tunnel about the time Dumbledore arrived, a grievous look on his old face. "Were either of you bitten?"
"No, sir, just scratched up a bit, I dare say we will both live."
"Let's not be too hopeful on that. Give me Severus and go to the hospital wing, and do not leave until I say you can. Understood?"
"Yes, sir."
"Tell Lily to go with you, Poppy can most likely use her help." James nodded, and jogged lightly up to the castle, trying to keep his mind blank. He found Lily sitting on the castle steps, chin in hand. She immediately stood when she spotted him, and met him halfway.
"Are you alright? Is he alright? What happened? How about Remus?"
"All fine. Dumbledore said to go to the infirmary with me, that Madame Pompfrey could probably use your help."
"Okay. So what happened."
"Nothing. You know, he thinks I'm going to do something stupid. Again?"
Lily stayed silent, afraid she'd do more damage than good at the time.
James kept muttering something for nearly the entire trip until Lily decided to speak again. "He wants to talk to me because I was the one who told him what was happening. After the provisional ten minutes, of course."
"Thanks."
"What's ten minutes between friends?" Lily said lightly, trying to draw a smile.
"Are we friends?"
"I thought so."
"I think so, too."
"Great, we're friends, that was a major decision, glad that's over with."
"You're babbling."
"I'd rather hear myself talk than you mumble."
"Thanks for the kind words." James said dryly.
"No problem." Lily slowed down at the hospital door.
"What?"
"Is it going to, uh, smell in here?"
"Just like it always does. Antiseptic and stuff."
"There won't be blood will there?"
"Not much. Snape's not much worse off than I am."
Lily regarded his cuts and scrapes warily. "I guess that'll be fine." She swallowed, "I hope."
"Don't worry, there are plenty of beds to faint on." James laughed, apparently the thought ammused him, and went in, leaving Lily to either follow or stand in the corridor like a dimwitted hen before dinner.
|
|
