The Half-Blood Princess

Chapter 12- Full Moon Test

When Sabrina returned to Hogwarts for her 4th year, she knew that things were going to be different.
She had spent her summer flitting between her house and 12 Grimmauld Place.
And over the weeks she had become an accepted member of the pure-blood community, despite secretly only being a half-blood. This also changed how some of her classmates treated her, because they had heard that she associating herself with powerful pure-bloods. So they seemed to respect her more.
During the first week back, Regulus tried out for the Slytherin Quidditch team, and became the new seeker.
Sabrina was proud of him, but also annoyed, because he now spent most of his evenings training with the team, instead of spending time with her.

His spot on the team also brought him more attention and popularity. Slughorn even invited him to join what the students referred to as the slug club.
But Regulus only agreed to attend if Sabrina could come too, since he didn't want to miss out on spending any more time with her.
Sabrina wasn't particularly interested in being a member, but she knew that being in Slughorn's good books would benefit her in the long run.
Lily was also in the slug club, as she was one of Slughorn's favourite students, so Sabrina got to see more of her.
But Lily was the only Muggle-born in the group, and often wasn't treated very well by the Slytherin pure-bloods who were also members. And Sabrina knew that she couldn't leap to her friends defence, without revealing how she really felt about those with Muggle parents.

Although Slughorn had only made Sabrina a member at Regulus's request, he was just as nice to her as everyone else.
Sabrina was the best at Potions in her year, but she knew that she was not as good as Lily or Severus.
Potions had always been Severus's thing, but over the years he had been devoting more of his time to dark spells instead. Which allowed Lily to over take him in Potions.
Now that Sabrina was a member of the slug club, Slughorn was paying a lot more attention to her in class, which made her want to do even better so that she impressed him.
And she felt that if she carried on improving, she might become the best in her family, at Potions.

Sabrina put away her quill and ink one night, and prepared to make her way towards her dormitory, when she saw her brother heading towards the door, with his cloak on.
"Where do you think you're going?" Questioned Sabrina.
"None of your business" replied Severus.
"You know full well that we aren't allowed to leave our common rooms this late at night. And if you get caught, Slytherin will lose house points, which could cost us the house cup. So yes, it is my business. And you're not exactly the type to take romantic strolls in the moonlight, even if tonight is a full moon. So, I'll ask you again, where are you going?".

"Alright. I'm finally going to learn what Potter and his friends get up to at night" revealed Severus.
This was certainly not the answer that Sabrina had been expecting.
"I don't understand" she replied.
"I overheard Sirius Black talking about how they get passed the whomping willow, by pressing on the knot at the base of the tree. So I'm going to follow them" announced Severus.
"That sounds like a terrible idea. Did it occur to you that Sirius knew you were eavesdroping, so gave you false information? That way him and his friends can watch as the tree beats the crap out of you"
"He's not that smart".

"Even if you get passed the tree, I still think that this is a bad idea. I don't think Potter and his friends will take kindly to you walking in on them. It will be four against one, and you'll get your ass kicked" admitted Sabrina.
"I'm glad to see that you have such faith in me" replied Severus sarcastically.
"I know that you are better at magic than all of them individually, but not together. The odds are not in your favour"
"I don't care. I have to do this. I have to find out what they get up to"
"Why? Why does it matter so much to you, what Potter and his friends get up to outside of class? That is their business, so can't you just leave it alone, please".

"That's easy for you to say. They don't make your life a misery, like they do mine" said Severus coldly.
"I know that they bully you relentlessly. But what good does finding out what they get up to at night, do?" Asked Sabrina.
"If it's against the rules, then I can get them into trouble" smiled Severus.
"Don't be dim. Potter and his mates aren't afraid of detention, in fact, they love getting into trouble. And there is nothing they could do that would get them expelled, since all the teachers love them. So this plan of yours, to get them in trouble, won't have the effect that you want".

"Look, I'm doing this, no matter what you say" informed Severus.
Sabrina groaned, "Fine. Then I'm coming too, because I don't want you facing the Marauders alone, at night, because I have a feeling that that won't end well".
"I don't need your protection" replied Severus.
"I don't care, because I'm coming whether you like it or not" announced Sabrina.
"Fine. But you'd better not get in my way"
"Trust me, I don't plan to".

After Sabrina had summoned her cloak, her and Severus made their way out of school, and towards the whomping willow.
Before they reached it, they hid behind a nearby bush, so that they could wait for the Marauders to arrive.
"Look, this was a stupid idea, so can we just go back inside, because I'm cold" begged Sabrina a few minutes later.
"You can if you want" replied Severus.
"I bet they aren't even coming, it was probably just a plan of theirs to get you into trouble for being out of bed at night"
"No, look, there are two figures coming out of the school now".

Sabrina looked closer at the school and saw Remus Lupin walking down the steps beside Madam Pomfrey.
"What are they doing together at this time of night?" Questioned Sabrina.
"I'm not sure. But I think we are going to find out" admitted Severus.
The pair watched in silence as Madam Pomfrey led Remus towards the whomping willow, disarming the tree, by tapping on one of its branches. They then made their way into a tunnel under the tree, disappearing from view.

The matron returned a few minutes later, but this time Remus was not with her.
"Where's Lupin?" Whispered Sabrina, as she watched Madam Pomfrey head back towards the school.
"I'm not sure... But now that she's gone, let's find out where that tunnel goes" suggested Severus as he cautiously made his way towards the tree.
He disarmed it, before lighting his wand and staring into the tunnel.
"Do we really have to go down there?" Asked Sabrina, who didn't like the look of the dark tunnel.
"Stay up here if you're too cowardly to come" sneered Severus.

Sabrina stood up straight and removed her wand from her clothes.
"Who said anything about being scared? I'm going to stay by your side no matter what" said Sabrina bravely.
"Good. Let's find out what Lupin's up to then" replied Severus as he lowered himself down into the hole and began making his way along the tunnel, with Sabrina close behind him.