Chapter 29: The Truth

"Professor," Remus started tentatively. "What happened?"

Professor Century sighed deeply and wiped at his eyes.

"What I am about to tell you," he said. "Is so terrible, that I had to confound Willow so that she'd forget she told me."

James chewed apprehensively on his lip while Remus and Peter exchanged terrified looks.

"Remus," Professor Century said, leaning forwards and looking at Remus. "Tell me, do you know who Fenrir Greyback is?"

Remus paled visibly.

"He's the werewolf who bit me," he murmured.

Professor Century nodded.

"Greyback, from what I have heard and gathered, is a dangerous man, someone not to be messed with." He took a shuddering breath. "It is apparent that Willow has been threated, more than once, by Greyback, he intends to make her his. He has threatened her once more, this time with a threat that unless she becomes his, he will hurt every single person she cares about. That's why she broke up with Sirius."

"But how is Greyback threatening her? He can't get in the castle, can he?" James asked.

Professor Century shook his head.

"No," he told them. "But Avery has apparent contact with him."

James snarled.

"That arrogant git," he hissed. "Why doesn't Dumbledore expel him? We should go and tell him!"

"With what proof, James?" Professor Century asked. "I'll lose this job for putting Veritaserum in a students' drink and unless you can prove with Willow being willing, that Avery has threatened her, then, I'm afraid there is nothing we can tell Dumbledore."

James growled.

"We've got to do something!" he cried. "We can't let Avery get away with this."

"He won't," Professor Century replied, a sly grin spreading across his face reminding James of Sirius. "Avery will pay for what happened, and you guys will be tailing Willow at every possible moment, the more we find out what's going on, the better."

James glanced at Remus and Peter who were both nodding in agreement.

"We won't let you down, sir," Peter squeaked causing Professor Century to give him a funny look before nodding and turning to the other two.

"I'll play my part, keep Willow active and engaged. Invite her over for tea every now and again." He said. "But it's up to you guys."

"Should we tell Sirius?" Remus asked. "I mean, he does deserve to know, right?"

Professor Century nodded.

"I agree," he said. "But, Sirius is not known to act rational in situations like these, so, for now, we should leave him out of this, until we have proof at least."

James, Remus and Peter nodded in agreement, they all knew what Sirius was like once he got going and most of the time it wasn't pretty.

Willow checked left and right as she snuck down the corridor towards the entrance hall, she had received a letter earlier that day from Nate asking her to meet her at Hogsmeade at midnight, and she had agreed.

Slipping silently down the stairs, she crept towards the entrance hall doors and gently eased them open, before checking around her and sliding out of the door and into the grounds.

Breaking into a run, she ran towards the Whomping Willow and grabbed a stick nearby, seeing the knob, she bode her time before leaping forwards and striking the knob, the tree immediately froze and Willow grinned, dropping the stick, before hurrying into the hole in the roots.

Entering the Shrieking Shack, she headed along the corridor and down some stairs before coming to the entrance to the shrieking shack in Hogsmeade, wriggling through the hole; she slipped silently into Hogsmeade, sparring a glance back at the shack.

Sirius had informed her off the secret passage there when they had been together and Willow had not forgotten it, and now, it was serving a purpose.

"Willow?"

Willow turned to see Nate, Brandon, Axel and Damien walking towards her.

"Everything alright?" Nate was concerned.

Willow felt tears well up in her eyes and she flung herself at Nate, who wrapped his arms around her, hugging her.

"Willow, what's the matter?" he asked, his voice hushed.

Willow just cried harder.

"Sirius and I broke up!" she wailed.

Nate pulled back and looked at her stunned.

"Why?" he asked. "Willow what happened?"

Willow sniffed.

"Greyback threatened me," she whispered. "Through a student."

Nate, Brandon, Axel and Damien looked horrified and Damien let out a low growl while Axel punched his fist.

"I'll murder that low-life." He muttered.

"You might get your chance," Brandon told him. "I smell another Werewolf among us."

"You do?" Willow asked.

Brandon nodded and Willow watched as he walked past her, his nose twitching as he sniffed. He continued to sniff behind her before his hand reached out and he plucked something from mid-air.

Willow let out a soft gasp as James, Remus and Peter were revealed. Peter looked terrified while both James and Remus looked stunned.

Brandon's eyes narrowed at the three of them causing Peter to let out a squeak of terror and hide behind both Remus and James.

"Don't," Willow said, walking up and placing a hand on Brandon's shoulder, causing him to look at her before backing away. "What are you guys doing here?" she asked looking at them.

"We followed you," James explained. "We saw you sneaking out, and concerned friends that we are, we followed."

Willow smiled tightly.

"While I appreciate your concern, I believe you can see I'm safe, go back." With that she turned away from them.

"We know what Greyback did," James told her. "We know all about his threat and all about Avery's role in it, what he did to Lily."

Willow whirled at this, her eyes widened.

"You do?" she asked. "How?"

"Professor Century slipped Veritaserum into your tea; he was really worried about you." Remus admitted.

Willow groaned.

"Willow?"

She turned to find Nate, Brandon, Axel and Damien looking at her.

"What happened? What exactly did he threaten you with?" Nate asked, his voice sounded thunderous.

"Yes, Willow," a new voice joined theirs. "Tell Nate what I did."

Willow let out a whimper as she recognised the voice and Nate, Brandon, Axel and Damien all turned, enforcing a protective barrier between the voice, Willow and her friends.

"What do want, Greyback?!" snarled Nate.

Fenrir Greyback stepped from the shadows, a sneer present on his face.

"I just want what I was promised, Nate." He told him. "A promise I intend to be kept." He looked past Nate at Willow who shrank back into James - who wrapped a protective arm around her while Remus shifted beside her, so that he too was protecting her should Greyback choose to pounce - and leered.

"I have to say, Willow," he said, "The smell of vanilla on your skin is intoxicating."

Willow whimpered and felt James grip his wand, Remus mirrored his movement while Nate, Brandon, Axel and Damien all growled at Greyback's comment.

"I'm warning you," Nate hissed, stepping towards Greyback and glowering down at him. "You go within fifty foot of her, and I won't hesitate to kill you."

Behind him, Brandon, Axel and Damien all cracked their fists, glaring at Greyback.

Greyback, far from being frightened, merely laughed.

"As if you could take me." He hissed.

It happened within seconds.

One moment Greyback was stood straight, the next he was on the floor, Nate's hands wrapped round his throat while Brandon, Axel and Damien all pinned him down.

"You think?" Nate hissed. "I won't hesitate to kill you, Fenrir."

Greyback snarled and struggled against their hold, but it only caused them to tighten their grip.

"I suggest you get out of here." Nate said, releasing him and rising.

The others followed and stared at Greyback; he too rose and growled at them.

"You wait till full moon," he said. "That girl will be mine!"

"BANG!"

Greyback flew back twenty feet, landing hard against the wooden fence that surrounded the Shrieking shack.

James had his wand out, it was pointed straight at Greyback and Willow had to say she had never seen him so furious. His face was extremely red and he was panting heavily, his knuckles white from the tight grip that he had on his wand which was shaking slightly as he glared down at Greyback.

"You will not touch, Willow." He hissed. "I won't allow it."

Greyback laughed.

"As if a boy like you could stop me." And before anyone could retort he was gone, aparating into the darkness.

Willow felt her knees buckle and she collapsed to the ground, tears flowing freely down her face. She immediately felt arms encircle her and Nate's voice was whispering soothing things in her ears.

"He can't hurt you," he murmured. "He can't hurt you."

Willow just buried her face in his shirt, sobbing heavily.

"Take her back to the castle." She heard Nate tell her friends before he released her only for her to be wrapped in strong arms and James' voice to replace his.

"Come on, Willow," he said. "A nice sleep will do you good."

She felt herself rise with James supporting her and they headed back towards the shrieking shack and back into Hogwarts.

She didn't remember the journey back to Gryffindor Tower she just remembered climbing the girls' dorm staircase up to the sixth year dorm, slipping into her bedroom, padding over to her bed, slipping behind the drapes and falling asleep crying her eyes out.

James woke up early the next morning, his night still filled with what had happened the night before. It finally all made sense. He understood why Willow had broken up with Sirius. Greyback was one hell of a scary creature; James had to admit that he had slightly feared for his life being there.

He glanced over at his best mate's bed to find the curtains still drawn and knew that Sirius was still asleep.

Sighing deeply, he crawled out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. The warm water of shower soothed his frazzled nerves and he came out feeling more relaxed than he had when he had entered the bathroom.

Exiting the bathroom, he found Remus already dressed. He glanced up as James exited the bathroom and smiled tightly.

"We need to tell him." He told James, gesturing to Sirius was still sleeping on his bed.

James nodded in agreement.

"I think Willow needs to tell him," he said. "But getting him to listen to her, well, that'll take some doing."

Remus nodded grimly.

"He has become more withdrawn since the breakup," he admitted. "But maybe, if he knew why, then he'd understand."

James shrugged.

"I hope so," he said. "Sirius finds it hard to trust people, and if they break his trust once, well, it's harder for him to trust them again. Look at his family background. I bet he trusted his parents until he learnt the truth, and he still hasn't gotten over Regulus' betrayal, and that was only a few months ago."

Remus sighed deeply and ran a hand through his light brown hair.

"I might have to remind him of our fourth year," he muttered. "If he brings up trust issues."

James smiled grimly as he remembered the incident in which Sirius had hinted at Snape as to what Remus actually was. Remus had refused to speak to Sirius for over three months; he had finally given in when Sirius had broken down crying in front of him and begged his forgiveness.

It had taken James a little while longer to forgive his best friend or what had happened, and it had only been at Remus' persuasiveness that he had accepted his best friend back, and, although it had taken a few weeks, they had resumed the relationship they had had before, and that was when James realised that he could never stay mad at Sirius, he was his best friend – his brother.

Running a hand through his already messy jet black hair, he glanced at the sleeping form of his best mate and sighed.

Now for the hard bit, getting the truth out to Sirius and getting him to believe Willow.