Werewolf

"What?" Black said with an irritated tone.

"Oh! Sweet girl, Christina!" gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms and tried to reach Chris. "You — thank you — it's more than I deserve — thank you —"

"Don't. Just come near me and I'll change my mind." Chris spat. Pettigrew started to step back.

"But why? Why shouldn't we kill him?" Lupin asked confused.

"You see, if he dies here, in front of just a few of us, then I think it'll be really difficult to explain to the ministry that Mr Black is innocent and He was the one who did all of that," Chris said seriously looking down at Pettigrew. "I don't think the minister will believe three thirteen years old students, a criminal in loose, a twelve years old student or — er — a werewolf. Sorry didn't mean it like that Professor —"

"It's alright." Lupin nodded.

"So, yes, but if we can give Pettigrew to them, then they can confirm everything by using truth serum on him. Everything will be clear as much as possible. And the Dementors will take him."

"No. I'll —" Sirius Black made a violent move towards Pettigrew but Harry came in between.

"I agree with Chris. You can't kill him." Harry said.

"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Black snarled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die, too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."

"I know," Harry panted. "I'm not doing this for him. I'm doing it because I don't reckon my dad would've wanted his best friends to become killers — just for him."

No one moved or made a sound except Pettigrew, whose breath was coming in wheezes as he clutched his chest. Black and Lupin were looking at each other. Then, with one movement, black lowered his wand.

"Fine. It's your decision to make." Black said.

"Very well," said Lupin. "Stand aside, Harry."

Harry hesitated.

"I'm going to tie him up," said Lupin. "That's all, I swear."

Harry stepped out of the way. Thin cords shot from Lupin's wand this time, and next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on the floor, bound and gagged.

"But if you transform, Peter," growled Black, his own wand pointing at Pettigrew.

"Oh don't worry, then he will be as good as dead," Chris said glaring at Pettigrew.

"Well, I don't doubt your abilities, Christina," Lupin said smiling. Then he turned towards Ron. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing."

He hurried over to Ron, bent down, tapped Ron's leg with his wand and muttered, "Ferula." Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet; Ron put his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince.

"That's better," he said. "Thanks."

"And two of us should be chained to this," said Black, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure."

"I'll do it," said Lupin.

"And me," said Ron savagely, limping forwards.

Black conjured heavy manacles from thin air; soon Pettigrew was upright again, left arm chained to Lupin's right, right arm to Ron's left. Ron's face was set. He seemed to have taken Scabbers's true identity as a personal insult. Crookshanks leapt lightly off the bed and led the way out of the room, his bottle-brush tail held jauntily high. Chris walked behind Pettigrew, pointing her wand towards him.

Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew covered with his wand. Chris knew what was she going to do if Pettigrew tries to escape.

Crookshanks was still in the lead. Hermione walked with Chris, and at the end, Sirius Black and Harry.

"You know what this means?" Sirius said abruptly to Harry, as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free," said Harry.

"Yes —" said Sirius. "But I'm also — I don't know if anyone ever told you — I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that," said Harry.

"Well — your parents appointed me your guardian," said Sirius stiffly. "If anything happened to them — I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Sirius. "But — well — think about it. Once my name's cleared — if you wanted a — a different home —"

Chris felt excitement inside her, she finally did it. She solved it.

"What — live with you?" Harry said, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Sirius quickly. "I understand. I just thought I'd —"

"Are you mad?" said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Sirius's. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

Chris smiled and looked at Hermione and found her smiling as well.

"Thanks, Chris. I was wrong." Hermione whispered clearing her throat. "You were right."

Chris just smiled and looked at Pettigrew again. That's when it hit her, it's a full moon tonight. Her sky-gazing habit reminded her. She almost shouted, "STOP."

Everyone abruptly stopped.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"Professor leave the chain. I'll handle it." Chris said urgently.

"But why, Christina?" Lupin asked confused.

"Please, I'll handle Pettigrew. I request. Please don't ask why and do it." Chris said almost screaming.

Lupin nodded and released himself from the chain. They started to walk again. Everyone was looking at Chris from time to time. Chris was thinking hard on how to stop this disaster. Anything could happen next.

As they reached the end of the tunnel, Crookshanks darted up first; he had pressed his paw to the knot on the trunk because Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron clambered upwards without any sound of savaging branches. Chris came out next hurriedly.

The grounds were very dark now, the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Chris ran towards Lupin, "Professor you need to leave now — or else —"

"What're you talking about?" Sirius said coming out.

Pettigrew looked around.

"Don't even think about it, Pettigrew. I didn't forget about you." Chris snapped. "Harry, Hermione, take Ron and just go — Just leave before —"

And then a cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight.

Chris froze. Lupin had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.

"Oh my —" Hermione gasped.

There was no time, Pettigrew would escape anytime and join Voldemort.

"DAMES!" Chris shouted and in a second a Dementor came floating, shocking everyone. He tried to reach Black, "No. Take care of him." Chris pointed at Pettigrew. In between Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws.

"Dames. NOW." Chris shouted again. "Pettigrew shouldn't escape." And she pulled Ron from the chain. "HARRY! HERMIONE! TAKE RON AWAY. NOW."

Sirius disappeared and transformed. The enormous, bear-like dog bounded forwards. As the werewolf tried to reach them, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backwards, away from them. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other.

Hermione and Harry dragged Ron away. Dames started to suck Pettigrew's soul. Dames was affecting everyone around him.

There were a howl and a rumbling growl; Chris turned to see the werewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the Forest.

But then out of the darkness, they heard a yelping, a whining; a dog in pain —

'Sirius will not able to control Professor Lupin. I've to help or he will die.' 

"Sirius," Harry muttered, staring into the darkness and Harry set off at a run, Hermione right behind him.

"Hermione stay here with Ron and Pettigrew. It's important." Chris said to Hermione and turned to Dames. "Just don't harm anyone else— and don't perform the kiss now."

Chris ran after Harry, The yelping stopped abruptly. As they reached the lake's shore they saw why Sirius had turned back into a man. He was crouched on all fours, his hands over his head.

"Nooo," he moaned. "Noooo — please —"

And then Chris saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake towards them. She spun around, more were appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling them —

Suddenly Harry began to chant: "Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!"

Black gave a shudder, rolled over and lay motionless on the ground, pale as death.

The Dementors were closing in, barely ten feet from them. They formed a solid wall around Chris and Harry, and were getting closer —

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry yelled, again and again. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A thin wisp of silver escaped his wand and hovered like mist before him.

"Expecto patronum!" he gasped and fell on his knees.

Chris pointed her wand and yelled, "EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

And out of his wand came out a blinding, dazzling, silver animal. A giant Eagle. It flew and charge at the swarming Dementors — now it was flying around and around the black shapes on the ground, and the Dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating into the darkness — they were gone. Chris looked down at Harry who was already lying on the grass, beside Sirius. With a sigh, she also sat on the grass. She was practising the Patronus charm for a few months, she understood very well in a few days, that, the charm takes too much energy even without Dementors.

'Pettigrew!' She remembered. She got up and ran towards the Whomping Willow.

There was complete silence. Ron, Hermione and Pettigrew all were lying on the ground unconscious. Dames were still floating there, he was facing Pettigrew.

"My Queen!" Dames said as soon as Chris came closer. "I did as you said. I didn't perform the kiss, I just suck his happiness and ideas out of him. Those students were affected too. I had to do that to my surroundings or he would've escaped."

"Thank you, Dames. You helped me a lot." Chris said smiling.

"No my Queen. It was my duty, I don't wish to die. But I'm glad as I can sense happiness inside you." Dames replied. "But what about Sirius Black, my Queen? We've ordered from the ministry to perform the kiss on him."

"You will not. He's an innocent man, Dames. He had struggled in Azkaban for twelve years without committing any crime. I already drew away from others with my Patronus charm and I order you to not harm him or Harry."

"As you wish my Queen, we can overrule the Ministry's orders but not yours. I'll not harm them at any cost. Anything else my Queen?"

"Yes," Chris said thinking for a moment. "Harry and Sirius. They're beside the Lake. Bring them here and inform the Minister about us. I'll wait here till they come."

Dames nodded and floated away. Chris sank on the grass beside Pettigrew, pointing her wand towards him. 

'You're not joining Voldemort, tonight, at any cost.'