"That joke isn't funny, Argus!"
Hermione's eyes widened in disbelief—shock, fear, and seriousness all mingling there. She stared at him for a long moment before turning to leave. "I'm going to tell Headmaster Dumbledore about this!"
"Do you think he doesn't already know?" Argus replied calmly. "He personally recruited Professor Lupin.
The words hit her like a Stunning Spell, freezing her mid-step. She hadn't even had time to process it fully, but now it clicked. If not for Dumbledore's involvement, why would Snape always be the one substituting for Defense Against the Dark Arts?
She whipped her head back toward Argus. "And Professor Snape warning us about werewolves... that was because..."
"Exactly," Argus confirmed.
He hesitated, weighing whether to drag her deeper into this mess. But on reflection, the Hermione from the books had helped Harry navigate far worse. With things altered here, early exposure might toughen her up without breaking her.
Puzzled, she pressed on. "Why would Snape go to such lengths? Aren't they colleagues? And Headmaster Dumbledore—plenty of wizards could teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. Why him?"
Her tone bordered on accusatory, so she backpedaled. "I don't mean Professor Lupin teaches poorly. I love his classes, but... werewolves are dangerous for students our age."
Argus nodded. "Precisely. Once he loses control, no young wizard could stop him."
Hermione bit her lip, her brown eyes flickering with unease. "So we just... watch and wait? The professors will handle it, I suppose."
"Exactly. Your job now is to rest. That Time-Turner rewinds time, but it doesn't recharge your mind."
Her hand flew to her head. "A Time-Turner? Of course you'd figure it out. You took every subject, didn't you?"
"It's not that rare at Hogwarts," Argus said gently. "Percy Weasley, the Gryffindor prefect, did the same. Plenty of alumni managed full schedules."
"But be cautious with it. There's a spell that could help you relax—I've been using it a lot lately." He glanced at the clock; they had time. Recalling she hadn't learned it yet, he demonstrated the Disillusionment Charm, guiding her through the incantation and wand movements until she got the hang of it.
...
Meanwhile, as the full moon's curse faded, Lupin slipped into the Shrieking Shack unseen.
"Woof! Woof!"
"About time, Moony!" Sirius barked, shifting from his shaggy black dog form to human. He lunged forward, paws—now hands—patting down Lupin's robes in desperate search of snacks. "I've been starving! Had to forage as an Animagus just to scrape by on the streets."
Lupin shoved him off with a weary chuckle. "No luck today. Empty-handed."
Sirius's face fell. He bolted upright, panic flashing in his eyes. "What? How am I supposed to last?!"
"Something came up—Snape's onto me. If not for the full moon, I might not have made it here at all."
Lupin slumped against the dusty floor, motioning Sirius to sit. The transformation had drained him, leaving his limbs heavy and his voice raspy.
Sirius dropped beside him, brow furrowed. "Snape? Why you?"
"It's my fault, mostly." Lupin recounted his tense exchange with Argus and Snape—the accusations, the old wounds, and Argus's cutting reminder of lost friendships.
Sirius's bravado cracked as the story unfolded. By the time Lupin reached Argus's line about a brother betrayed, tears streaked his face. He swiped at them furiously.
"Hold it together, Padfoot," Lupin urged. "Snape knows your Animagus form now, but not your hideout. One wrong move, and it's back to Azkaban for you."
"He wouldn't dare try!" Sirius snarled, slamming a fist on the floorboards. "If I weren't still shaking off this moon-sickness, he'd be the one running."
Lupin rolled his eyes. "Sure, sure. But with Snape's help, nabbing Peter will be simpler. He's got the Marauder's Map—Argus handed it over to prove you weren't the traitor."
Sirius scoffed. "Who needs that greasy git? The map was ours first!"
"Without it, we'd never track Peter. Just lay low for a few days; I'll sneak you food when I can. Snape rarely pokes around here. Professors are teaching, and the search is on the Aurors and acolytes. Argus has probably tipped them off already—he's sharp like that. We've got a solid plan to catch Peter soon."
Sirius's expression softened at the promise. "Then I'll be cleared. I can finally set things straight with Harry."
Lupin's gaze warmed. "He misunderstands you deeply, but yeah. You'll get your chance."
A spark of hope lit Sirius's eyes—the first real light in weeks. "Tell me about him. How's my godson holding up?"
"Harry's a natural with charms, just like James. Shame he didn't get Lily's knack for Potions..."
Sirius grinned wickedly. "Nah, it's that slimy teacher's fault. Bet he's sabotaging the kid on purpose."
---
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