Her.

The next morning at breakfast Remus was devouring half the Gryffindor tables’ food contents. At mealtimes, the wolf seems to take control of him. Sienna noticed it about him. It’s like the wolf controls him and doesn’t let go until he’s eaten the whole worlds’ food storage.

That morning it was only Sienna, Remus and Sirius sitting at the breakfast table. James and Marlene had gone to Quidditch practice, and Lily and Mary tagged along for moral support. And, of course, so did Peter. Peter went everywhere James did.

“Wow, you can sure eat.” Sirius commented, eyeing Remus wearily as he finished his third bowl of porridge that morning.

Remus huffed. He was in no mood. He glared daggers at Sirius. He made prolonged eye contact as he shoved bacon into his mouth.

“I was just saying.” Sirius shrugged apologetically.

“Well, alright.” Sienna clapped her hands - to relieve the tension - and turned to face Remus, only to find him stuffing his face with eggs. “We better get a move on, Remmy, or we’ll never make it to History of Magic.”

She snatched Remus’s fork out of his hand, and he finally looked up from his not-official staring contest with Sirius as if just becoming aware of his surroundings. He nodded, and made to stand up, but awkwardly failed. Sienna helped him up.

She had been helping him walk ever since the December moon when they were nine, because that was the night Remus hurt his hip. It didn’t bother him as much any other day, but on the full moons he could barely stand upright without tumbling to the ground.

He fell onto Sienna’s shoulder for support, and she held him steady.

“Can’t he walk himself?” Sirius snorted.

”Can’t you mind your business?” Sienna snapped.

Immediately Sienna felt a pang of guilt. This was the second time she snapped at her friends. It didn’t feel right, snapping at Marlene or Sirius when they technically weren’t actually bullying Remus. But it was such a reflex move at this point Sienna didn’t even notice herself doing it. But she still felt bad.

“Sorry.” She mumbled.

She sighed, then picked up Remus’s school bag as well as her own. Remus said “goodbye” to Sirius and Sirius returned it, so Sienna felt it was only polite if she made an effort too, so she offered him a small wave of goodbye and the two twins left the Great Hall.

“Alright, Rem, can you walk?” Sienna asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Came the reflex response of Remus.

”No, you’re not.” Sienna sighed.

Remus gave her a pointed look, as if saying ‘try me’. Sienna rolled her eyes, and shuffled her shoulder away from under Remus’s arm, and he almost immediately fell to the ground. Luckily, Sienna caught him.

“Don’t lie to me, Remus. I’ve known you for eleven years, don’t forget.”

“You’re really mean sometimes, you know that?” Remus huffed.

“Thanks.” Sienna grinned. “Now, c’mon, we don’t want to be late.

***

Classes were always boring on some level. Sienna knew that. But for her, they weren’t. It was like she was entranced in a world of magic, and if she looked away for even a second she would miss some valuable information.

But Potions. That class was always boring. Mostly on account of their teacher, Professor Slughorn. He would drone on and on about some random students who he taught 20 years ago that no one except him cared about. He would explain them like, “academically gifted”, Sienna rolling her eyes each time Slughorn said those words.

Potions was also Sienna’s least subject on account of the Slytherins. They had Potions joint with them, and Sienna couldn’t hate that more. Not only was Slughorn Slytherin’s head teacher, he was now also their Potions professor, and every time a Slytherin answered one of his questions, right or not, they would get some kind of praise.

Also, Potions was unbearable because of the fact that Severus Snape was a Slytherin. And Sienna had met Severus Snape the day before, in front of the library. She still couldn’t believe how Lily was mates with him.

And so, that day, (the last class of the day), Potions was actually rather eventful. It started off with Slughorn wasting 20 minutes on calling out the name register, because he would stop at every surname and make a remark or two. And, god forbid, if Slughorn had taught one of the students’ relatives because that was a story for at least 5 minutes.

But finally, he was done. He put instructions on the black board on how to make a Hiccoughing Solution, and everyone got to work.

Sienna was partners with Marlene, as Lily was with Severus and Mary was with another Gryffindor girl called Angelica Cole.

“Sie, can you get the four rat’s tails while I set up the cauldron?” Marlene asked.

“Sure.” Sienna smiled. She made her way over to the ingredients cabinet and pulled out four, disgusting looking rat’s tails. She turned back only for Severus to bump into her. He bumped into her, but to no surprises he was mad at her.

”Watch where-“

“Ah, ah, ah,” Sienna interrupted. “No.” She didn’t have the energy to fight with some Slytherin boy that evening, and it was the last class of the day. She just wanted to get through it.

So she made her way around Severus (because god forbid she bumps into the poor little princess) and sat back down next to Marlene.

”Here, Marls.” Sienna chirped, handing Marlene the tails. Marlene chopped them up into five pieces and dropped them into the cauldron which already had some blue liquid in it.

Sienna would never understand Potions. How you can just throw something into some random liquid and hope for a reaction still confused Sienna. But she went along with it, trusting Marlene.

And after 10 minutes their potion was looking pretty good. It was almost finished — all it needed was some time to sit and boil. Sienna leaned back into her chair, and opened up a book Remus recommended when she heard a voice being raised a few desks down.

Remus and Peter were sitting at a desk right behind Lily and Severus, with James and Sirius beside them. Severus seemed to be saying something to the four boys, and although Sienna couldn’t hear it, she was sure it wasn’t anything nice.

Lily was looking extremely uncomfortable and kept trying to get Severus to stop, but he just ignored her. He seemed to be talking to Remus now. When suddenly, he struck a nerve, and Remus leapt over his desk and punched Severus right in the nose in a matter of milliseconds.

Marlene gasped and brought a hand to her mouth, but Sienna was already speed-walking to Remus.

“You okay?” She asked him. It wasn’t like he was hurt, he was the one who pounced, but both siblings knew that Sienna didn’t mean it in just an ‘are you hurt’ sort of way.

Remus nodded curtly and Sienna sighed a sigh of relief she didn’t know she was holding. She looked over at Severus, but she couldn’t see the damage, as Lily was doubled over, hovering above him.

James and Sirius (and Peter) had swarmed around Remus, and Sirius was staring at him with a look of awe and admiration mixed with great respect.

Slughorn was already at the desks and telling Remus off.

”I will not tolerate this behaviour, boy! 20 points from Gryffindor, and detention with me tomorrow night. What were you thinking?!”

“I, er, I dunno, sir.” Remus said. He looked genuinely guilty and sorry.

“Apologise to Mr Snape right now, dear boy.” Slughorn commanded.

”Er, sorry.” Remus mumbled. At that moment, a bell rung somewhere outside the classroom, indicating that the lessons were over and the sound of students pouring out into the corridors were beginning to be heard.

”Alright, homework is questions on page 18, thank you!” Slughorn yelled into the classroom, and students piled out into the hallways.

”Well done Remus!” James clapped Remus hard on the back, when they were out of the classroom. Remus buckled slightly under the pressure of James’s claps, but Sienna held him steady.

“Yeah, bloody brilliant punch.” Sirius exclaimed.

“Yeah!” Peter piped in, eager not to be left out. “Good ol’ Snivellous will think twice before messing with you again, Lupin.”

“Snivellous!” James gasped. “You genius!”

***

Remus and Sienna went over their plan of excuses throughout the entire day. Remus would fake his health during dinner, and Sienna would offer to take him to the hospital wing. She’d come back after, telling the boys he had a fever and won’t come back until the next day.

And so, near the end of dinner, (where Remus once again emptied half the tables’ plates by himself), Sienna took action.

She eyed Remus wearily.

“Are you okay, Remmy? You look a bit pale.” She made a point of saying it loud enough to catch the other six of their friends’ attention.

Remus sighed dramatically, but surprisingly convincing.

“No, Sie. I’m feeling a bit ill.”

“Do you want me to take you to the hospital wing?” Sienna offered. Remus nodded his head.

Just as Sienna made to stand up, Sirius said,

“I can come with, if you want Remus.”

“No, it’s fine. Sienna’ll take me.” Remus responded, smiling politely.

”Ah, but she’s been helping you all day, let me bring you.” Sirius wouldn’t back down.

“Well, he is my brother…” Sienna muttered defensively.

”No, Black, you don’t have to come. I’m serious.” Remus responded, raising his voice a little.

Sirius’s eyes lit up at Remus’s words. “No, I’m Sirius.” He grinned.

James snorted from beside him, and Sienna rolled her eyes.

“C’mon Rem.” She urged him. She helped him up by the arm and Remus propped himself against Sienna’s shoulder.

“I’m coming.” Sirius stood up.

“No, you are not.” Sienna growled. She was a bit taller than Sirius, and at that moment used her height in her advantage. She towered over him, staring him down, until he finally sat down involuntarily.

Sienna realised what she’d done again. There was that guilt again. She huffed. Too late now.

“Let’s go then.” She nudged Remus, and they set off towards the hospital wing.

***

“Mr Lupin! And Ms Lupin, hello!” Madam Pomfrey greeted the twins as they walked through the doors.

“Hello, Madam Pomfrey.” Remus responded. Sienna opted for just a smile and a nod.

Pomfrey led them to a bed near the back, and told them to wait there. Remus sat awkwardly on the side of the bed and Sienna stood beside him. Before Pomfrey could leave, Remus gave Sienna a look and she understood.

“Er, Madam?” She called. Pomfrey turned around.

“Please, call me Poppy.” She smiled. “What is it, dear?”

“Er, well, back at home when they lock Remus in a cage, I get to stay with him for the start and end of his transformation, so I was wondering if I could do that here?”

Pomfrey smiled. “I’ll ask Professor McGonnagall, dear. But I reckon it’s a yes.” She winked.

Sienna smiled and thanked her, and Pomfrey left the twins alone. Sienna turned back to Remus and grinned.

“Brilliant! I’ll stay with you then.”

“Great.” Remus grinned back. It didn’t quite reach his eyes, and Sienna supposed he was nervous.

“How’re you feeling?” Sienna asked, sitting down beside Remus.

“Fine.”

Sienna sighed.

“Remus.” She sent him a look.

“Yeah. Nervous.” Remus looked away.

“Why though? You’re going to be in a better environment. Not locked in a cage made from silver, not scared and cold. You’ll be fine.”  She smiled.

“Thanks, Sie.” Remus looked back and grinned to show he was okay.

“Mr and Ms Lupin,” McGonnagall greeted the twins with a nod as she came into view. “It’s 15 minutes before sunset, we should make a move on.”

Sienna and Remus nodded and stood up. Sienna held Remus upright by his shoulder as Madam Pomfrey came out of her office, and she grabbed Remus by the other shoulder.

Sienna smiled at Pomfrey, and she gave Sienna a slight nod. And so, the three of them set off walking, McGonnagall leading the way.

After they started to leave the Hogwarts building and began to walk outside it struck Sienna that she didn’t even know where they were going to keep Remus.

“Er, miss?” She addressed McGonnagall. “Where are we going?”

“To the Whomping Willow.” McGonnagall answered. When she noticed both Sienna’s and Remus’s confused stares, she continued. “It’s a tree built especially for you, Mr Lupin. There’s a way in it, and there is a passageway inside. It leads to a house in Hogsmeade. You will be safe there.”

“Thanks, miss.” Remus nodded.

There was another few minutes of aimlessly following McGonnagall’s long strides and the four of them finally made it to the Whomping Willow.

It was a huge tree, it’s branches whipping around furiously. A poor bird flew into one of the tree’s branches and in one slash there was nothing but feathers. Sienna winced a bit at the sight but held herself steady.

“I know it looks a bit scary, Remus dear, but it’s perfectly safe if you know how to get in.” Pomfrey winked.

Sienna wondered what she meant and was about to ask, when McGonnagall answered her not-yet spoken questions by one simple move. McGonnagall went from woman to cat in a matter of seconds and Sienna’s jaw fell open.

She was an anigamus. Sienna had read about animagi ages ago, when she was about ten. It was a random book she picked up from her fathers’ library, and was engrossed immediately. She had always wanted to be an animagus. She imagined herself turning into a bright orange fox, and running around, free. She had always wanted to, but knew deep down she never would. She never even expected to see the transformation. Yet, here she was. Her transfiguration teacher - or rather, a cat - standing in front of her.

“Woah.” Sienna breathed. Remus nodded from beside her.

McGonnagall-the-cat walked stealthily up to the roots of the tree. She was too small for the branches to reach her, so her journey wasn’t dangerous. She came to a stop before a knot in one of the roots that poked up from under the ground. She placed her paw on the knot, and the whole tree stopped moving immediately.

Sienna and Remus were transfixed, but Madam Pomfrey urged them on, and they walked through the once-moving branches and into a small opening at the bottom of the tree’s trunk.

Sienna, Remus, Madam Pomfrey and McGonnagall-the-cat all made their way through the passageway inside the tree. It was narrow, and small, and smelled of mold. Sienna didn’t enjoy the journey one bit. She had to keep crouched down, yet still helping Remus stand.

It seemed like eternity before they finally made it to an exit. Madam Pomfrey pushed through a trapdoor in the ceiling and McGonnagall-the-cat walked through first. Then Remus, Sienna, and finally Pomfrey herself.

When Sienna emerged on the other side she was met with a sight of an abandoned house, pretty much what she had imagined the time Remus told her what it was.

A rather big, but rackety and not steady at all house was the place Remus - a werewolf - was going to be staying? It didn’t seem safe to Sienna, but she supposed there must be spells and enchantments to keep Remus from escaping.

“Right, here you are Mr Lupin.” McGonnagall was back in her human form, and speaking to Remus. She pointed to a small bed at the side of the room. “You can lay on here in the morning and wait until Madam Pomfrey comes and picks you up.”

“Miss?” Remus asked. McGonnagall looked at him expectantly. “Can Sienna stay with me for the beginning and end?”

“I suppose. Though, Ms Lupin,” She turned to face Sienna. “You will have to make sure to get out of here in time, and make sure you know a few of the spells keeping this place safe.”

Sienna nodded determinedly. “I can do that.”

And so, McGonnagall taught her a few of the easier spells protecting the shack, and taught her how to take them off so she can walk through them, and how to place them back. After only a few minutes, Sienna had it all under control.

Remus was sitting on the small bed, and Madam Pomfrey was standing beside him. When McGonnagall finished explaining all the protections, and Sienna was ready, the two women left the kids.

“I’ll be back first thing in the morning, Remus.” Pomfrey nodded at Remus. Remus smiled at her.

McGonnagall bid them goodbye, and left.

Now it was only Sienna and Remus left in the rackety old house.

“How’re you?” Sienna asked, sitting down on the bed beside Remus. The mattress squeaked from under them.

“Hungry.” Remus replied.

“So, nothing’s changed.” Sienna grinned. Remus laughed, then winced, presumably because of the pressure on his rib.

A gloom silence fell over the twins again.

“I’ll come the minute the sun goes up. Maybe even before. I’ll definitely be here before Pomfrey.” Sienna broke the silence.

“Thanks.” Remus smiled. “Sie, can you get me the homework that I’ll miss tomorrow?”

Sienna nodded. “Of course.”

Remus smiled again, but then a grimace of pain came across his face.

“Go, it’s starting.” He said quietly. When Sienna didn’t move, he yelled, “LEAVE!”

Sienna jumped up and ran towards the door. Before locking it, she shouted through her brother’s screams of pain,

“Love you!”

Then she turned around, locked the door, put on the protective enchantments McGonnagall showed her, and left.

***

“How is he?” Sirius was the first to interrogate Sienna as soon as she walked through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room.

“He’s fine.” Sienna reassured Sirius. “But he’s got a bad fever, he’ll be staying in the hospital wing until tomorrow.”

“Cheers.” He sighed. “D’you think he’d want us to visit tomorrow?”

“Probably. You’re his friends.” Sienna smiled. Sirius grinned back. “Speaking of, where are the rest?” Sienna looked around, and neither her dorm-mates, neither James and Peter were there.

“James and Pettigrew have gone to get snacks from the kitchen.” Sirius responded.

“Really? After curfew?” Sienna raised her eyebrows.

“Yes, really. It’s James. He always has a trick up his sleeve.” Sirius grinned. He gestured to the couch and armchair in front of the fireplace and they both sat down.

“Why didn’t they bring you?” Sienna asked.

“Because of James’s trick. Apparently. Pettigrew already knows what it is, but I have to earn it or whatever.” Sirius rolled his eyes.

Sienna sensed he was annoyed so she didn’t press the subject any longer.

“Where’re Marlene, Lily and Mary?” She asked.

“Gone up.” He responded. “But not after half an hour of McKinnon batting her eyes at me.” He scrunched up his nose in fake-disgust.

Sienna laughed.

“Well, alright. I’m going to go up, too. Cheers, Black.” Sienna said, standing up.

“Goodnight!” Sirius called back.

Sienna walked up the stairs to her dorm room and opened it. Lily and Mary seemed to be asleep, their curtains were drawn over their beds. But Marlene was awake, and was sitting on her bed playing around with her wand, waving it in different directions and making random items float around the room.

“Hey Marls.” Sienna greeted Marlene. She kept her voice low, almost at a whisper so that she didn’t wake her other friends.

“Oh, hi! You’re back. How’s Remus?” Marlene asked, her voice at the same level as Sienna’s.

“Mostly fine, but he has a fever. Won’t be back until next morning.” Sienna explained. Marlene nodded.

Sienna excused herself to go to the bathroom, so she grabbed her pyjamas and walked in. She changed, brushed her teeth, tied her hair up in a plait and walked back out, where Marlene was already changed and lying on her bed, her curtains half-closed.

“Goodnight, Sie.” Marlene called out.

“G’night.” Sienna responded, flopped on her bed and drew her curtains.