But once they stepped outside under the light of the full moon, another problem became immediately clear to all three of the teenagers and it was here that Harry would finally begin learn of Hermione's duplicity over the course of the year. Her own actions added to the words she'd use in a few more hours would tell him everything he needed to know but had refused to see about his brainiac friend.
Severus Snape had told the truth about one thing at least. Remus Lupin had proven to be highly irresponsible. He'd neglected to take his potion and as a result, he lost control over his mind when he transformed into his werewolf state. The werewolf he became once a month was in control and that werewolf wanted blood. Fresh human blood preferably. Powerful human blood. And Harry fit the bill perfectly.
At the time, Harry had failed to see how Hermione wasn't as surprised by this transformation as she should've been for a muggleborn and raised girl and was actively using Harry for her own protection as was Ronald. As if either of them could realistically shelter effectively behind a boy who was smaller in body mass and height than either of them.
But once again Professor Snape saved Harry's life when the werewolf turned on him. And there was no doubt in Harry's mind Lupin had turned on Harry personally. The wolf hadn't even noticed anyone else was there as was evidenced by the fact Snape was able to send him reeling with a punch to the jaw gaining enough space to get between Harry and Lupin. Considering werewolves were a hell of a lot stronger than normal people, this said everything that needed to be said about the focus of Lupin's werewolf form. Or maybe just how physically strong Severus Snape was when he was angry and panicking. And he had been panicking.
As much as Snape hated Harry, he apparently didn't want him to die or be turned into some kind of a monster. From the safety of Snape's arms, Harry had looked up and seen the fear and horror in the teacher's black eyes. Horror, he knew had to have been clearly evident in his own eyes and expression as well.
But his mind had finally absorbed all it could handle. Harry was deep in shock and all he could do was stand there clutching his teacher's robes and hoping the protection his teacher offered would be enough to save them. Softly and quietly, he was begging his Mum to do something to save them but he was unaware of it at the time. Snape had later told him he rather thought Lily had heard him and sent Sirius back to distract Lupin. He hadn't even felt it when the man puled him closer and pushed his head into his own chest to break the eye contact. Nor did he realize that eye contact had been the reason Snape had pulled him closer. Because even Snape knew Harry had his mother's eyes and at that close of a range he couldn't hide from them. Even if he'd wanted to.
Ron supposedly had a broken leg from Sirius's attempt to get Scabbers from him. Looking backwards through time, Harry had his doubts about that, since that same supposedly broken leg hadn't prevented the redhead from chasing after the three Marauders at a full run over rough, broken terrain that included stairs needing to be climbed, crawling on hands and knees and edging around partial cave-ins and dangling tree roots before Remus turned into the werewolf. Harry and Hermione, who both had healthy unbroken limbs, hadn't managed to catch up to him until they emerged from under the Whomping Willow where werewolf Remus was waiting for them.
If his leg had truly been broken there was no way he could've made that trip without Harry, who was very small, nimble and fleet of foot regardless of the involved terrain, catching up to him before then. Harry had suffered more than a few broken bones in his lifetime and he knew damn well one did not run on a broken leg if one didn't need to. And chasing something after your pet rat wasn't reason enough to run on a broken leg no matter how poor your family was. Or how possessive you were about things you claimed as belonging to yourself.
Hermione was supposedly just as deeply shocked as Harry. And maybe that was actually the truth. After all, knowing in your head something was true wasn't quite the same thing as coming face to face with it. Like Harry, she was muggle raised and for muggles, werewolves, vampires and other creatures of the night belonged in horror picture shows. Mostly B rated ones. Yet here they were being presented with a real live werewolf up close and personal with no director to yell "Cut" when he got to the point of biting one of them. Neither of them could think of what to do to save themselves. Harry was just too unable to handle any more shocks at that time to notice Hermione wasn't quite as shocked as she should've been. Nor had she been watching Lupin. Instead, she had glued her sights on Harry and was observing his reaction to Lupin's transformation. There was a measure of glee in her expression but Harry was in no state at the time to notice it.
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