Selene || Remus Lupin

Ch. 11 - The Shrieking Shack: Part Two

Just as they turned, Snape was pulling off Harry's Invisibility Cloak, pointing his wand at both of them.

Selene and Remus froze, with no time to even look at one another.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," Snape said, tossing the Cloak to one side. He kept his wand pointed at both Remus and Selene, being careful to never move it. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you..."

Snape seemed to be excited to have stumbled across such a discovery. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he said, taunting them. "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, wait—" Selene said quickly, but Snape was quicker.

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

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

"Three more for Azkaban tonight," Snape said, eyes bright with triumph. "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," Remus said softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back in Azkaban?"

There was a loud BANG. Thin cords shot out from Snape's wand, coiling around Remus, binding his arms and legs and gagging him. He fell to the floor, not able to move.

"Remus!" Selene exclaimed, but before she could move towards him, Snape pointed his wand towards her, the same thin ropes binding her and gagging her.

Sirius roared with anger, starting towards Snape, but Snape pointed him wand towards him at last.

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

Sirius froze, staring at him with pure hatred, but he didn't dare move.

The students looked at each other uneasily, and Hermione stepped forward. "Professor Snape— it — it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w-would it?"

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape spat out like venom. "You, Potter, and Weasley are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer, a werewolf, and their accomplice. 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!"

Selene struggled against her bindings, desperate to get out and fight Snape Muggle-style, if she had to. He was reaching a point where she was sure he'd lost his sanity.

"Vengeance is very sweet," Snape murmured, looking at Sirius. "How I hoped I would be the one to catch you..."

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

"Up to the castle?" Snape said, uttering a soft laugh. "I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black... pleased enough to give you a little Kiss, I daresay..."