The Full Moon
A Day Before the Full Moon…
At the Potter Mansion…
The days when he thought he would never heal again had passed. He was feeling healthy once more, just like before. Energetic, alert, and in shape... at least physically...
Psychologically, however, he was more depressed than ever. Add to that the constant presence of Black and the necessity to act like a full-time lovebug like Potter, and it was awful. Mrs. Potter's excessive affection wasn’t helping either. No, he was resisting with all his might against her annoying activities like constantly kissing, caressing, and feeding him. But what really troubled him was both his surprising desire for the woman’s affection and the undeniable sprout of jealousy growing inside him day by day. Merlin! What a marvelous life Potter had!
Then there were the letters, of course… Letters arriving every day… Lupin had visited him twice – once when Severus was completely recovered – and had sent three letters. Three letters came from Pettigrew – mostly rambling about some ridiculous festival. Nearly twenty letters from other love-struck Gryffindors. Merlin! Nearly twenty! Asking how he was, if he was doing well… As if he was dying, pah…
But the real blow came from Lily, with a total of five letters! All of them expressing concern for his health and implying they needed to meet as soon as he recovered! The girl was practically flirting! They were practically dating, officially! Severus would have given anything to receive such letters himself! What was he supposed to do? Was everything about chasing a stupid ball on a stupid broom? And after each letter, he had to put on a face for Black, who looked at him suggestively, pretending to be overjoyed. He could handle any role, really, except for this one. He was utterly inept at it.
***
Dear James,
Are you really okay? I'm so worried about you! I couldn't visit, you know my situation, but I will come as soon as possible. I need to see with my own eyes if you're truly fine. You also don't respond to my letters, I'm dying of worry here! We must meet soon!
What exactly did that boy do to you? Was it dark magic, James? Oh, I had told you not to mess with him. Please don't even think about taking revenge! Just let him be. I'm not talking to him anymore either, really, I mean it. I don't care about him at all. You know he won't be able to escape the path he's chosen, and you won't have to feel guilty for nothing.
I want you to reply to this letter. If you're too unwell to write, ask Sirius to do it. You don't want me to sneak out and come to you, getting myself in trouble, right?
Lots of kisses...
Lily…
"We call this a declaration of love, Prongs!"
Snape scrunched up his face in disgust. ‘What exactly did that boy do to you?’ ‘Was it dark magic, James?’ ‘Just let him be!’ ‘I don’t care at all!’ ‘He won't be able to escape the path he's chosen!’ ‘Lots of kisses James!’ ‘I’m so worried about you, James!’……
“What’s up, mate? You’ve been out of it lately, don’t think I haven’t noticed!”
Smart boy!
“The girl’s all over me, ehihihi..”
Black frowned.
“What’s wrong with you? Is this all you have to say after everything that’s happened? And cut out that stupid giggling, please!” Snape stopped giggling. “If that’s your new style, just so you know, it looks very fake. What’s bothering you?”
“It’s just, just me… Lily and, I don’t know…”
“What don’t you know?”
“It's like she wants to date me…”
Black took a few minutes to respond because he burst into laughter. Once he caught his breath, he said:
“She wants to date you? Wouldn’t you be relieved if she finally let go of you? She's been after you since first year…”
“What I mean is…” He paused, this was important. He had to be convincing. “I'm not saying I don't like Lily. She’s pretty and all…” Looking at Sirius's raised eyebrows, he quickly continued. “But now I’m thinking… Maybe she just got my attention because she’s been hanging out with Snape? Maybe it’s because she never said ‘yes’ that she seems unattainable? I don’t know, Sirius, the closer she gets, the less appealing she seems, and I don’t know what to do with her.”
"Is that why you're not replying to her letters?"
"Well, yes, maybe she'll back off on her own."
Sirius looked shocked, but quickly composed himself.
"You know best, mate. Just don't end up regretting it later..."
***
That day, Snape had been terrified that Black would sense something. However, Black, as always, hadn't shown any reaction apart from studying him weirdly. Now, he was trying to make him happy. Planning a list of things to do to the 'Snivellus’ upon returning to school seemed like an ideal start for the making James happy task. Although he –that is James, hence Severus– had decided to be a good boy this year, they had to keep this from Lily. The kid had stopped and given him a meaningful look. But since Lily was no longer important, maybe they could break the secrecy rule!
Snape clenched his teeth. Sirius Black's every other word was 'Snivellus'. What was this guy’s problem with him? It was obvious that the main reason for the conflict between him and Potter –even though no one at school knew– was Lily. James had been suspicious of Snape and Lily's closeness from the beginning. He thought Snape had his eyes on Lily. Even if others didn't exactly think so, they wondered why lovely Lily was hanging out with a kid steeped in Dark Magic. But Black genuinely didn’t care. After all, that guy didn’t love Lily.
However, when it came to messing with Snape, Black was more ruthless than James. Honestly, Snape didn’t hold back either, but his traps resembled Potter's, consisting of harmless curses. Not that Severus couldn't hurt James Potter, but he was afraid of being expelled if he did. Because Dumbledore, the noble helper of Muggles, only protected his golden boys. Mcgonagall, who was oh-so-against discrimination, only distrusted Slytherin students. Everything was so fair indeed! If Severus had done even a thousandth of what the Marauders had done until today, he would have been sent back to his father with his wand snapped in two. But the Marauders didn’t have such worries. Why should they? They had their noble families behind them, they weren't like Severus! If they had a problem, their parents would come to their rescue. They would beat up the wretches bothering them. They would speak to the teachers, pleading not to expel their tiny, defenseless offspring. Were they and Snape the same?
If Snape accidentally walked around the school with muddy shoes, dirtying the floors, he should be expelled. Snape, of uncertain origin! Snape, who should be isolated! Of course, for the good of others! Let’s sacrifice our black sheep for our innocent(!), golden children! Yet, some of the things Black did were too audacious. Especially sending him to Lupin’s den! Merlin, he could have died! He was sure Potter was involved in this, no matter how much he denied it, he was obviously trying to show off heroism! Severus didn't believe him. But Lily did, of course, and so did most of the school.
James Potter saved Snape's life! Oh, what a noble boy! And so good at Quidditch too!!
Whatever the reason! They didn't even know the real story, it was just a rumour. The tiny insignificant detail that Snape's life was in danger because of them, of course, didn't feature in the rumors. It was as if Snape, wandering foolishly in the Forbidden Forest, had come across dragons, and James Potter had rushed to his screams. Potter, defeating the dragon with sword strikes and unmatched bravery without using a wand, had also carried the fainting(!) Snape to the hospital wing. It must have been something like that, what else could it be? Potter's bravery was well-known. He would only attack someone by sneaking up from behind, first disarming them, then casting curses with his friends from both sides. But this didn’t mean he was cowardly, of course. It was for self-defense! Otherwise, Snape would apply his dark terrible curses, that’s why. Potter would duel Snape alone of course, but why take the needless risk of losing?
Snape snorted in anger. For seven years, they had never faced him alone. They were supposed to be Gryffindors, but they even went to the bathroom together. However, whenever Snape hung out with his own Slytherin gang,
'What’s up Snape? Why aren’t you alone? Are you scared?'
Were they that blind? Or were all these other ways to drive him insane? Yet Severus could sometimes take his revenge. But only Slytherins would laugh at his revenge. Though after the Marauders were humiliated, who else cared...
He had experienced one of these in their sixth year. He smiled, even remembering it was pleasant. Then his heart sank again. Nothing about the sixth year should make him happy. Even if he had mounted Potter to the toilet pipes, he shouldn't be happy. After all, that was the year Lily didn’t talk to him. And Severus never approached her again. He had his pride too. He wouldn't beg anymore, it was up to Lily. The Dark Side was growing stronger. Maybe she would find the right path when he was among the most powerful. But if she fell for Potter, Severus wouldn't forgive her. He would see her as he saw the others, he wouldn't love her. Lily was the one forcing him to make a choice. And Severus wouldn't miss the opportunity he had been waiting for years. Yet knowing that Lily wouldn't smile at him anymore hurt him inside. After that incident, she had looked at him with hatred. Just like in their fifth year when he tried to apologize to her…
***
The day before the full moon...
Spinner's End...
At the end of the street, where a mill chimney stood like a warning giant finger, a pale-faced boy with his greasy black hair entwined in his fingers was sitting in the house. His room was as black as his hair, so much so that if not for the ghostly glow of his thin face and the pale shine of his delicate hands entangled in his hair like a dead spider in the darkness, he might have been indiscernible. The boy seemed unable to get used to the stench wafting in through the broken window of his second-floor room by the grimy river. He was huddled in the corner of a rickety, foot-swinging sofa, pulling his legs as close to himself as possible. He was cold. It was really cold here. He was sick, feverish. Burning up. He was in far worse condition than when he had arrived a few days ago. He was injured too… There was a substantial bruise just below his neck.
He was going to go mad here! Really! Eileen Snape was a merciless woman, and Tobias Snape was an outright psychopath! He had a foul mouth and – though he couldn't believe he had experienced it – a heavy hand. Although James had initially been too shocked to make sense of the first day's events, he was gradually understanding.
Tobias Snape was a Muggle! Eileen Snape, a mediocre witch! She definitely didn't use magic and didn't stand up to her husband. In fact, she might have been a highly skilled witch. Because she hadn't moved a single glass in the house in response to all the violence her husband inflicted on her. Nothing at all… So, she was either too poor of a witch to produce magic even in her worst moments, or she had control over it even those moments. Could the latter be possible? Why would a person let a Muggle oppress them to such an extent? Maybe she was just a squib. But Snape? He was very talented. It was hard to believe that he was the son of a Muggle and a squib.
Living here required being silent, he had understood that. And magic was absolutely forbidden. Not only using it but even talking about it. But even with all these rules, it couldn't be said that the house was peaceful. It was a terrible place, truly awful. He had even started to pity Snape! And beyond pity, he had begun to admire him. To grow up in this house and still appear so normal at school was indeed admirable. He chuckled bitterly. So, he would come to find Snape normal one day. In truth, Snape had nothing to do with normality. He was vastly different from the rest of the school. Everyone found him odd. They shied away from him, feared him. And because they feared him, they didn’t love him. Even the Slytherins didn’t want to be too close to Snape. That's why he was always alone, distancing himself from the others, the outsiders…
He had always found Snape strange, repulsive, cunning, and inclined to evil. He was annoyed by all Slytherins, except maybe Regulus. But he was certain Snape was the worst among them. It wasn’t only about Lily. Even without Lily, he would have hated that weird, bat-like creep. He was always alone. He seemed to want no one around him. He never smiled. He acted as though he was superior to others. And he had a frightening ability to grasp things. Secret topics were never discussed in his presence, and Merlin knows that kid was always after them. He never hung out with anyone, never laughed, never cried. He hardly used any facial expressions unless necessary. He had such control over his expressions!
Lifting an eyebrow to question, slightly curling the corner of his mouth to mock, raising his eyebrows to show interest, using his tone of voice to imply…
Always the same things… A normal person shouldn’t be so tense. They should be themselves a bit more. They should socialize. Yet, sitting here tonight, he had begun to think that perhaps Severus didn’t choose to be so alone. Maybe he was just bad at making friends. Maybe he played the lonely cowboy because people avoided him. Maybe he was trying not to attack, but merely to defend himself. Well, Snape's defense mechanism was certainly foolish. From the outside, he seemed not like someone trying to protect himself but like a scumbag trying to crush others. Another wave of immense pity rose within him. To pity Snivellus of all people! Wow…
***
The man was actually beating the woman! Sure, she was a grim-faced hag, but she was still a woman.
He rushed to the door. It was locked. Eileen Snape had confiscated his wand. It seemed like he couldn’t get out. What should he do? He couldn’t just wait. The agonizing screams from downstairs were becoming unbearable.
“WHAT DID I DO? WHAT DID I DO? HE’S YOUR SON TOO!”
“DON’T DEFEND THAT BASTARD TO ME… HE’S LIKE YOU, JUST LIKE YOU…”
What followed was a nightmare. Curses and kicks were being heard. Even in the locked room upstairs, James could understand this. Eileen Snape’s voice had gone silent. Only the man’s growling was audible. Had something happened to the woman? She couldn’t be dead, could she? What had happened? Why was the man yelling? Was the bastard he mentioned Snape? What had the unstable boy done to infuriate his father so much?
Eventually, he gave up trying to force the door and stepped back. Then he ran towards it and slammed into it. The door shook with a loud noise, but it didn’t break. It was an old door, but remained still. He tried again and again. His shoulder started to hurt. The beatings he had taken from his own friends seemed to have never healed, throbbing anew. Finally, with one more kick, the door broke off its hinges and fell with a loud crash in the midst of a sudden silence.
The hallway was dark. And in front of him stood a huge man. James first saw his feet, and when he lifted his head, he saw his face. The man had positioned himself right in front of him, fixing his furious face on him. He looked deranged. Terrifying.
James felt a fear he had never experienced before. The man seemed enraged that James had broken the door. His eyes were fixed on him without blinking. The moonlight seeping through the window illuminated his formidable nose, making him look even more frightening.
And that was the moment James Potter met Tobias Snape. His first reaction was to scream and run back. He thought anyone would do the same, given the suddenness of Mr. Snape's appearance! How had he climbed the stairs so quickly? He must have heard the door being forced.
He didn’t have time to think further. He received such a violent punch on the top of his nose that he was thrown back towards the window. He literally flew and smashed through the glass. Before he could get up, Mr. Snape grabbed him by the collar, spat in his face with a hefty spit. He could feel the wetness. His stomach churned. The man, breathing his alcohol-laden breath into his face, growled something incomprehensible, but it was clear he was in a frenzy. And very drunk, reeking of alcohol.
“I am not him! Stop!”
He said this in a faint voice. He couldn't think of anything else, really. He hadn’t done anything to deserve the beating. This punishment wasn’t meant for him; it was meant for Snape. It was Snape who had committed the crime. James wanted to go home.
"What did you say? Are you talking back to me??"
Finally, some coherent sentences... James lifted his head. He looked at the man with pleading eyes.
"What did I do?"
"YOU BROKE THE DOOR, ANIMAL!"
"I-I heard noises. I thought you were beating the wom... my mom."
"DO I NEED TO ASK YOU WHO TO BEAT UP? WHAT WERE THOSE LETTERS, YOU WRETCHED CHILD? THOSE OWLS? YOU FREAK! SPAWN OF THE DEVIL!!"
"I didn't send the letters, da... dad. Daddy? I didn't do it?!"
He was pushed back with such animalistic force that he nearly flew out of the broken window. He stood up and leaned against the window, now comfortably passing the cold air through its empty frame. Turning his gaze back to Snape's father, anger slowly began to mix with the fear in his heart. The man was burly and muscular. He had sandy brown hair, thin lips, and a slightly tanned complexion. Despite his bloodshot eyes, they were a pleasant shade of amber. His prominent nose gave his face a distinctive look. Tobias Snape was a handsome man. The wild expression on his face, his posture, the shape of his eyes, and his nose resembled Severus a lot. So, this man was Snape's biological father. Merlin, his real father!
The sudden contempt and intense anger growing inside him overcame his fear. It didn't matter anymore that the person in front of him was a large, merciless Muggle, or that he himself was an unarmed, frail teenager. Nobody, absolutely nobody, should treat their own child like this - even if it was Snape! Nobody!
The large man in front of him fell backward like a puppet. The last thing James saw before he tumbled down the stairs was the great fear in those amber eyes. Tobias Snape rolled down, down, and crumpled at the bottom of the stairs. Then, a feeble scream was heard. Mrs. Snape had dragged herself to her husband's side. She was whimpering, crying, spitting blood from her mouth.
James stood at the top of the narrow staircase, watching the scene below. There was neither regret nor fear inside him. The man shouldn't have come at him!
"YOU KILLED HIM!" the woman shrieked hysterically, spraying blood everywhere. "YOU KILLED YOUR FATHER! YOU FILTHY BASTARD! YOU KILLED MY HUSBAND!"
"Is he dead?" James asked quite calmly.
The woman started scratching her face, pulling her hair. She kept writhing, mumbling something. Words like 'disgusting child' 'love,' 'trouble' were somewhat discernible, but most of it was about 'death.' Had the man actually died? Suddenly panic filled him. He had committed a murder. But - but it was accidental! He hurried down the stairs.
Mr. Snape was lying motionless. Blood was gushing from where his head had hit. As James leaned over him, blood dripping from his own broken nose - Merlin, Severus's nose - started to drip onto Tobias Snape's blood. His already prominent nose must have been swollen now. The blood covered his face and clothes. Anyone seeing him would not doubt that he had just killed someone. He put his hand on the man's neck. He felt the heartbeat. Thump-thump-thump-thump... It was beating very fast.
“Give me my wand!”
“Is he alive?”
“He will, if you want him to be!”
Eileen Snape struggled to stand up, casting a terrible glare at James. As quickly as she could, she extended a wand to James, Snape’s wand...
James reached out and took the wand. It felt so foreign in his hand... as if it didn't belong to him, as if he wasn't meant to hold it. He felt as if he couldn't perform magic with this wand. Why hadn’t they switched their wands back? Were they going to use each other's wands? But then, wouldn't their magical powers weaken? After all, the wand chooses the wizard. This wand definitely didn’t suit him. Physically yes, spiritually no...
Still, he started to quickly murmur spells with the wand. He was no expert in healing spells, and using Snape's wand made it even more difficult. The bleeding had slowed down but not stopped. His hands started to shake.
"Give it to me, you incompetent excuse of a wizard! Move aside!"
And the woman snatched the wand from James' hand and pointed it at Tobias' head. She began to murmur rapidly. James, having been pushed aside by Mrs. Snape, had fallen again. As he got up, he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She had stopped the bleeding and bandaged the head. Now she was levitating the unconscious man, moving him towards the battered sofa. It seemed Snape’s wand worked well in his mother's hand.
***
In fact, it was good that during their first meeting, he had accidentally blasted the man away with a sudden burst of magic and injured him. This led to him lying down and shouting for two days, unable to get up due to his weakness. He was also a bit frightened. Then he recovered. Three days ago, he had suddenly appeared beside the broken door. Just like in their first encounter, he had fixed his eyes on him. His bloody, wild eyes...
A new wave of fear had engulfed James. He was wandless again. After the woman had wrapped Tobias Snape, she had lifted the wand. The subject of magic had also been unspokenly forbidden. No one had mentioned anything about it to him. But James understood that day. The slightest thing related to magic was a reason for murder for Tobias. Even if it was meant for self-preservation...
However, there was one thing James couldn't deny. It was that the force that pushed the man down the stairs on the first day was his own magic. He didn't deny it. Nor did he cast any new spells, he couldn't. Trying to shut the broken door on the man had also been foolish. Severus Snape's father had beaten him, beaten him a lot.
And no one came to help. It seemed the meaning of 'help' was unknown around here. While he was being beaten to death, the woman who should have been his mother did nothing. She just stood in the corner and watched. The screams that often broke the disturbing silence of the house were ignored by the neighbors. It was clearly a routine thing, and this was not exactly a respectable neighborhood anyway.
He wanted to get as far away as possible from this rotten house, from the soulless woman, and from the cruel man. Nobody deserved this, not even Snape! He had to talk to that crazy kid. He shouldn't come here again. Was he insane? These people, these people were murderers. Tobias Snape, especially, was a complete psychopath.
He had made up his mind now. He was leaving this place! Waiting this long was a mistake! He would go find Sirius and tell him everything. Sirius would go mad when he first sees him, might even start a fight. But he didn't care! He had gotten used to being beaten in these five days. Next to Tobias's beating, Sirius's would feel like Melinda Potter's caress. His first task was to get his wand. Then he would escape through the window and go home, where he belonged...
Merlin! The air was freezing cold. And he was burning up... He had never been this cold before! His feet were bare, the bone-chilling wind of the January cold was blowing vigorously into his room. Moreover, his window and door was broken. It was so cold! No one cared about him, but at this rate, he would get pneumonia. Eileen Snape had not shown him even a fraction of the attention she showed her abusive husband. It seemed the woman, despite everything, loved her husband. And didn't love her son much. She seemed to be enduring him with difficulty. He had to escape tonight, this night... Not later...
***
January 7th
Potter Manor
"Is Lily not your concern? You know you don't have to date her! But at least you should have written her a letter!"
"Do you write to Li?"
"Are you comparing Li and Lily, mate?"
"Why? Isn't Li your girlfriend?"
"She's different. I want her off my back."
"Exactly. That's what I want too. I want Lily Evans off my back."
"You should write her a letter."
"..."
"You'll feel better!"
"..."
"Today's the big day!"
"Why?" he suddenly asked with interest. Black had been hinting at 'today'. Actually, he had been very excited about 'today' since the first day. What was special about today?
"What do you mean 'why?'"
"You know why. Why is today a big day?" he asked straightforwardly. The significance of 'today' – whatever it was – should have been known to Potter. However, Snape had no time to beat around the bush, and he had started to become curious about this topic that had never interested him before. Black was foolish anyway, he wouldn't understand.
"Do you even know what date it is, Prongs?"
"What date?" he asked tiredly.
"Oh boy... You really are sleeping on your feet. Don't take it personally, but Snivellus has got you pegged right. Something's been off with you since that day. I can't figure out how he managed it in that state, anyway…"
"So? What's special about today?"
"Mate, it's the Night of the Full Moon!" exclaimed Sirius joyfully, as if that explained everything.
Snape frowned and looked at him. He hadn't actually understood, but he couldn't appear more clueless about this cryptic topic. Even Black could act smart sometimes, and it wasn't worth taking the risk. They would just have to wait and see.
Actually, they were going somewhere tonight. And it seemed it would be a first-time experience. ("You know, we've never had a holiday coincide with it," Sirius had said. "We've arranged a place.") Then he had shown him the plans for 'that place' and the spots they would visit, detailed on a carefully drawn map.
But Severus still didn't get it. They had told Mr. and Mrs. Potter they would be at the Lupins' tonight. This was part of the plan, and Severus had to comply. He was also insanely curious about it. There really was a full moon tonight. Meaning, Lupin wouldn't be at his house. Mr. and Mrs. Potter, of course, didn't know this. They had said;
"Oh yes, go ahead... How many times has he visited, the poor thing, always looks so pale. He's always sickly, he should watch what he eats."
Indeed, the excuse of going to Lupin's house was just a cover for spending the night at the location decided upon in their plan. But what were they going to do there all night? Was this the Marauders' idea of an adventure? Moreover, since Lupin would be undergoing his transformation that night, and Pettigrew was at the silly Indian Festival, it would just be the two of them. Why hadn't they chosen a day when all four of them could be together for this 'important adventure'? And what was so special about a full moon night? Sure, Lupin was a werewolf. But he couldn't recognize his friends during his transformation, could he? They couldn't possibly be planning to go to him, that would be absurd. So, where were they going?
There were, of course, other things influenced by the light of the full moon. For instance, many herbs needed for potions yielded better results if harvested during a full moon. However, the idea of collecting flowers with Black under a full moon was neither funny nor romantic! The best plan for Severus was to wait and see...
***
Apparating had further weakened him. He felt like he was going to faint. He needed to get his condition under control immediately. But how? His fever had spiked. He could have a seizure at any moment. And there he was, running barefoot in the snow and cold! Where was the place they had planned to go? The plans were with Sirius. He couldn't quite figure out where they would lock up Remus for this full moon. And even if he could, what good would it do? He was in too bad a shape to undergo a transformation. How wise was it to go to the den of a wild werewolf in this state?
Should he turn back? Snape must have already learned their little Animagus secret. (which was a terrible thing, but there was nothing to be done about it.) He must have made up an excuse for Sirius, saying he couldn't come. Right, he wasn't an Animagus. If he couldn't transform, Sirius would realize he wasn't himself, and then, of course, Lupin might tear him apart...
No, what James feared was Sirius. He knew he would go to Moony's side alone if he had to. And he would bring him out of his den. He wouldn't allow his friend to remain behind closed doors. Of all of them, Sirius hated captivity the most. He found the mere thought of it horrifying and would want to be with Remus, even alone. Stupid kid, he thought. He might not be able to control him. He might not be able to keep Remus in check. The two of them already struggled to control him. Remus could inadvertently hurt someone. He couldn't allow that to happen.
***
"How much longer?" he grumbled.
"Not much left, Prongs! You're especially grumpy today!"
"I'm just cold!" he replied, swallowing the snarky responses that came to mind. Yes, he was grumpy. Leaving the warm house and the very charming Mrs. Potter to play chase in the snow didn't appeal to him. Plus, the woman had made delicious cookies. With chocolate chips...
"Here we are!"
Severus, expecting a big surprise, was disappointed. They had arrived at what looked like an abandoned plot of land. There were piles of garbage ahead. Most of the wooden houses were collapsed, and those that weren't seemed on the verge of falling apart, infested with rot. The place reeked. Just the kind of meeting place for the Marauders! he thought.
"Great!" he said, swallowing his thoughts. "What do we do now?"
"There! He must have already transformed. Look, he's scratching the door. He can sense we're here!"
Severus froze in horror. No, this had to be a joke! Had they really come to Lupin's side? But he was a werewolf! He had transformed, he was dangerous. He looked at the structure directly opposite him, which seemed sturdier than the other houses. It looked like a storage shed. Its door was made of iron. Piles of objects were stacked in front of it, and something inside was scratching at the back of the door. It seemed there were wooden supports inside too, as the scratching sound was of nails on wood, not iron. Hesitantly, he approached Black.
"Are we just going to stand here and support him?" he asked.
It seemed so. What else could they do?
"Wait a minute, Prongs! The entrance is at the back, this way is blocked, let's go!"
Snape murmured another "Merlin" to himself, following Black. 'Entrance,' he had said? But what did he mean by 'entrance'? They couldn't possibly go inside, could they? As he hurried after Black, he tried to reassure himself.
Stay calm! Don't freak out! Black wouldn't put you in danger. You're one of his best friend. He seems to know what he's doing, don't let on!
"Here we are. It's easy, can be opened even without a wand. The bolt is on the outside. But wait, let's transform first, come on!"
Saying this, he suddenly turned into a large black dog. Then began to paw at the front door where the creature inside was scratching from inside. He didn't look back at Severus, who stood there stunned with sudden realization of what they are doing. He opened the door!
The wolf, gazing up at the gloriously shining full moon in the sky, howled longingly, reveling in the joy of reaching it. Then it fixed its red eyes on Severus, who was still standing there motionless! It had started to growl.