The walk back down the dark passageway proved that Sirius Black was quite alright indeed. He apologized to Ron for biting his ankle and to the rest of them for being a bit scary, and even checked on (Y/N) because she was still sniffling about her mum. To cheer her up, he shared stories about Catherine and James, which Harry seemed thrilled to hear.

They emerged from the whomping willow in good time. (Y/N) was relieved to see it ignoring them – Professor Lupin must've used a spell – and she helped Ron sit on one of it's tall roots. Black had gone to look at the castle, and though Harry tried to focus on looking at Ron's leg, he kept glancing over his shoulder.

"Go talk to him," said (Y/N).

"No," Harry said. "Don't worry, okay? It's fine, I'll stay." He reached down to help Hermione, but she pushed his hands away.

"You go, we'll stay." She nodded towards (Y/N). When he didn't make to leave, she said, "Go on,"

Harry looked at Ron. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," he promised.

He looked at (Y/N) next. She nodded. "Go,"

So he did. She watched as he approached Black, and the warm smile he gave when Harry stood beside him. She felt something funny in her stomach as she thought about Lucius. He never smiled at her.

"That looks really painful," said Hermione, inspecting Ron's injury.

"So painful..." He pulled his pant leg a bit higher. "They might chop it."

"I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will have it mended in a heartbeat."

"It's too late. It's ruined. It'll have to be chopped off."

Professor Lupin emerged from the willow's entrance, pulling Pettigrew – who was still wailing – along behind him.

"Turn me into a flobberworm! Anything but the dementors!" He latched onto Ron as Lupin dragged him by. "Ron! Haven't I been a good pet? You won't let them give me to the dementors will you, I was your rat!" He turned to Hermione next. "Sweet girl, clever girl! Surely you won't–"

"Get away from her!" said Lupin, hoisting Pettigrew to his feet. He brought him a safe distance away. (Y/N) drew her wand and followed.

Pettigrew settled into the grass, his hands tightly bound. He had no chance of escaping then, not with Lupin's careful eyes watching him from further up the hill. As (Y/N) passed him, he didn't say a word, as if he knew it was pointless to try and beg for her mercy. She would have ignored him, regardless.

She joined Professor Lupin's watch and kept her wand grasped tightly in her hand, just in case. There was a moment – a very comfortable moment where neither one of them said a word. Then she broke the silence.

"I'm sorry about earlier. Not trusting you, and all."

Lupin sighed. "Oh, I can't blame you. I don't think I would've done any differently in your shoes."

"I think you would've," she said. "You're very sensible."

"So are you."

"Only sometimes," she admitted.

He allowed himself to laugh, but only slightly and through his nose. She figured it must've counted for something.

"Professor Lupin?"

"Yes?"

"I just want you to know that... well..." She shifted her weight. It felt a bit awkward to say. "I don't think any differently of you, knowing you're a werewolf."

Silence followed. She could tell it only meant he was listening hard. His head turned slightly towards her, as though he was too afraid to meet her eyes. She knew it couldn't be true; Professor Lupin was one of the bravest people she'd ever met. But he waited, like he knew she had more to say and was only working up the courage.

"You're still my favorite professor."

There was another silence, but that one felt different. When she looked at him, he cleared his throat. "I'm glad to hear that, (Y/N). Truly." She couldn't be sure, but she'd thought his eyes were watery. "Thank you."

She could only nod. She knew if she spoke, she'd probably cry, too, and (Y/N) hated crying. She thought she'd already done enough of it that day, anyway.

"I'm afraid I've, um," Professor Lupin cleared his throat again. "Well, I haven't been completely honest with you."

She watched him fumble over what to say.

"I told you your mum and I were close–"

"Best friends," (Y/N) nodded.

"Right," he smiled. "Best friends."

"And weren't you?"

"Of course. There was never anyone who understood me more."

"Then what's not true?"

"Nothing – everything was true, however..." He hesitated. A strange little laugh passed his lips as he tried to figure out what to say. "A few days after you were born, she asked something of me. She said if anything ever happened to her or your father, she'd want me take care of you."

It felt like a jolt. "Like a godfather?" (Y/N) asked him.

'Yes," he answered. She could tell it made him nervous to admit it. "I understand if you're upset with me for–"

"No," she insisted. "I'm not upset at all."

And she wasn't. Confused maybe, but twice as excited and immensely relieved. Never upset.

She had a million questions, like why Lupin didn't say anything sooner and how she ended up in the Malfoys' care, but none of it mattered then. Professor Lupin was family – the first family she had that felt like her own. And it brought her so much relief and joy that she felt her eyes begin to sting by the time she hugged him tight.

"I'm so glad it's you."

It took him a moment to remember to hug back, almost like he hadn't been hugged in some years and had forgotten how it worked. But when he did, (Y/N) finally understood why Lavender always got so torn up over missing her father's hugs. He felt safe and warm, like (Y/N) always imagined family was supposed to feel.

It felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Well," said Professor Lupin after a long moment. "Now that Sirius will be freed, I don't imagine you'll be needing much of a godfather."

"What's he got to do with it?"

Lupin only smiled. "You ought to talk to him. I think he'd prefer it if he told you himself." 

(Y/N) frowned. She looked to where Sirius and Harry were standing, still gazing up at the castle. She thought about his rage when Pettigrew spoke about Catherine, and about how he ever only called her Kitty. She thought about the way he checked on her, how he protected her from Pettigrew. She thought of the very first words he'd said to her when she found him: You look just like her, you know.

(Y/N) must've had it figured out, and she turned back to Lupin to ask if she'd been right. But when she looked back at him, her heart fell into her stomach. His body went limp and his breathing became ragged. His pupils dilated and his skin seemed grey. It was the same transformation symptoms she'd read about months ago, and she looked up at the moon to be sure it was nothing else.

Sure enough, the full moon had risen to its highest point in the sky. Remus Lupin was transforming into a werewolf.

She staggered backward, thinking desperately of something she could do to help, but there was no cure or remedy – at least not one she could administer with a wave of her wand. Talking to him would be useless; it was nearly impossible for a lycanthrope to recognize anyone in the midst of a transformation.

"Sirius!" (Y/N) finally thought to call out to the only person who might know what to do. "The moon – he's transforming!"

"Get away from there!" he shouted. He'd reached Professor Lupin's side by the time Harry'd reached hers, pulling her back to Hermione and Ron where it was safe.

"Remus, my old friend! Have you taken your potion tonight?" Sirius grasped him by the shoulders. "You know the man you truly are, Remus! This heart is where you truly live, here!"

(Y/N) could tell Lupin was trying to fight it, but the moon was insistent. He gave a pained yell as his wand fell from his grasp, and Pettigrew, seizing his opportunity, grabbed Lupin's wand and pointed it straight at Sirius' back.

"Expelliarmus!" shouted Harry, and the wand flew into his hand.

It was no difference to Pettigrew. With a wicked smile and a wave, he transformed back into a rat and scurried down the side of the hill.

Harry made to go after him, but (Y/N) held him back. "Wait!" she cried, for Lupin and Black were still fighting a losing battle.

Another pained yell turned into a howl as Lupin's nails stretched into sharp claws. Fabric ripped and tore as he grew taller, and Black desperately called out to the children to "Run! Run!"

Just as they began to help Ron up, the transformation was complete. Lupin stood to his full height, throwing Sirius off of him. The wolf stood timidly, looking blankly at his own feet.

"Let's go," said Harry. "Come on,"

But, "Wait," said Hermione. She took a few cautious steps forward, peering up at the wolf bravely.

"Hermione!" Ron tried. "Bad idea! Bad idea!"

She ignored him, continuing ahead. "Professor?"

The wolf raised his head and stared at her with cold, yellow eyes.

"Enough, Hermione," said (Y/N). "Let's go."

But Hermione ignored her, too. "Professor Lupin?" she tried again.

It was futile. The wolf howled loudly at the moon, and with a startled gasp Hermione jumped backward. (Y/N) grabbed onto her arm to pull her back even more just as Snape emerged from the whomping willow and, as usual, stuck his nose in the wrong place.

"There you are, Potter!"

He couldn't get out another word before the wolf growled. Snape whipped around and, in an instant, had all four students behind him. (Y/N) barely registered what was happening when, finally, the wolf lunged and the five of them fell backward.

She wished she had done more research; maybe paid a bit more attention when Snape was lecturing about werewolves. She wanted to help Professor Lupin. She knew he was still in there, and she knew he would never want to hurt them if it weren't for the moon.

Yet she had no way to help him, and all she could do was sit and watch as a great black dog pounced on the wolf.

They only fought for a brief moment before the wolf threw Sirius off of him. It stepped dangerously close to (Y/N) and the others, but not before Sirius managed to swat at him. When the wolf turned, Sirius ran off. (Y/N) realized quickly that he was buying them a way out. The wolf followed.

She was surprised when Harry followed them, too. "Sirius!" he shouted.

Hermione tried to follow him, but Snape grabbed her before she could. "Potter, get back here!" he demanded, but of course, Harry ignored him.

He stood a barely-safe distance away from the fight, watching as the wolf lifted Sirius high before throwing him against the stone. And at the sound of his pained, weakened whine, (Y/N) moved without thinking.

She vaguely heard Snape shouting, "(L/N)!", but by then, she'd already made it halfway to Harry. She watched with horror as the wolf raised his sharpened claws, only seconds away from bringing them down on Sirius.

"No, stop!" she cried, the same instant Harry threw a rock to get the wolf's attention.

He wheeled around at once and gave a loud, harsh roar that showed off his pointed fangs. For a moment, (Y/N) could not move. Fear coursed through her like a shockwave, and she felt Harry grab her for about the hundredth time that night as he quickly pulled her behind him.

She could barely breathe as the wolf stalked towards them. His pace was quick and unyielding, and he already had his claw raised in the air the same way he'd raised it at Sirius. He would kill them, (Y/N) thought with certainty as she gripped the fabric of Harry's sleeve. And for some reason she didn't quite understand, and despite knowing it was pointless, she tried making one last, desperate plea.

"Professor Lupin..." Her voice shook. She wasn't even sure if the wolf heard it; she could barely hear it herself.

He stepped closer and closer, and (Y/N) closed her eyes and thought about her mother.

Then, there was a howl from somewhere far away. And when (Y/N) realized the wolf had never struck them, she opened her eyes. He looked off into the direction the other howl came from before giving an answering one that made both Harry and (Y/N) jump. For a moment, there was silence as the wolf looked at him. Then, finally, it ran off towards the howl.

(Y/N) remembered to breathe as she looked at Harry. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice still shaking.

He only nodded as he put a hand over her own, though she wasn't sure if he meant it as a reassurance to her or a reminder to himself that they were both alive. "Yeah," he said. He sounded a bit breathless. "Are you?"

She nodded, and looked to where Sirius lay.

Only he'd gotten up, and transformed back into himself. He staggered for a few steps before he stumbled, falling into the brush and out of their sight.

"Let's go," said Harry, and they raced after him.

They found him some time later at the water's edge and unconscious. They hurried to his side, and Harry immediately tried to wake him, but (Y/N) noticed the blood that stained his dirty clothes. Her hands hovered over his wounds as she tried to think of any spells she'd heard Madam Pomfrey utter, but her mind was racing. She could only focus on how much blood there was and how Harry kept shouting – "Sirius! No, Sirius!" – and how she didn't know where the wolf was and how he could be anywhere and how neither she nor Harry were equipped with the proper spells to defend themselves against something like this. Her hands began to shake. She felt a sudden chill.

"Harry–"

When she looked up she saw it. The swarm of dementors hovering above them. She was struck with a terrible fear that sank low in her stomach and made her a bit sick. She looked back at Sirius, whose eyes had shot open at the cold, but only long enough to let out a startled shout before he slipped away again, and (Y/N) felt herself sob before she realized she was crying.

"Harry," she said again, though she didn't know why. Maybe it was just because he was there or because he usually knew what to do. Maybe it was because he was the only thing that felt safe.

Everything else felt impossible. For a moment, she was swallowed by a cold, unforgiving darkness. She could not move or speak. She just felt cold...

But then, warmth.

She opened her eyes and saw the vague outline of Harry over her and Sirius. He was casting a spell, or trying to, barely holding off the dementors with great effort.

It was short lived, however, when a dementor swooped by and attacked him. His wand fell into the dirt, leaving him helpless.

"No, no, no...!" (Y/N) pulled herself up, reaching for her own wand, but she couldn't do anything before she was swallowed by the cold again.

She thought about Pettigrew, and how her mother was in the way. She thought about what Lupin told her about Sirius, and how he lay dying beside her. About Harry, and how she couldn't protect him. The letters from home. Buckbeak. The Grim.

There was a brief moment of respite when the light was back again, and thinking it was Harry, she turned to him again. He was kneeling beside her, looking faint, his green eyes gazing across the water.

(Y/N) turned her head to see, too.

A bright, powerful light shone through the night, and she squinted to get a better look. It was a stag – a patronus – and  behind it, someone (Y/N) couldn't quite —