The Wolf and the Raven

Ch 50 - Showdown

The effects of McGonagall's punishment were immediately evident. By Sunday afternoon, the entire school knew the fate of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. The three expelled members were shunned wherever they went. They shuffled through their days as though surrounded by a minefield, ostracised at meals, in the halls, and during class. This cold exclusion, however, was preferable when compared to the treatment measured out by students who did choose to interact with them.

With Gryffindor out of the running, Slytherin was primed for the Quidditch Cup, and they made sure that everyone knew it was because of James, Sirius, and Branwen. Little first years ran by and shouted "Thank you, Mr. Potter!", slapping him on the back as they skipped to class. When the three of them entered the Great Hall one morning, Avery and Mulciber greeted them with trumpets charmed to the tune of "Rule Britannia." The next day, as they were leaving their common room, Matilda Turner and Audrey Russell were waiting for them with a red carpet and flower petals that rained from the sky.

The five Gryffindors itched to retaliate, but the thought of losing more points or further jeopardising their House kept them under control – barely.

After a week of relentless harassment, the boys agreed they needed to resume their research on the map. James and Sirius left the Great Hall to stake out a quiet corner in the library, while Remus and Peter went to the common room to fetch Branwen. Apart from classes, the girl rarely left her room now. Alice and Emmeline, who remained supportive of their room-mate, brought her food and news of the outside world.

They were the ones who alerted her that Remus and Peter were waiting downstairs.

"Hey Branwen." Remus held out his hand and took the books she was carrying.

"How bad is it today?" She sighed as the three of them made their way through the portrait hole.

"Not so bad," Peter's fidgeting betrayed his calm response.

"We should be safe in the library. James and Sirius are supposed to be finding us a place in clear view of Pince. You know how afraid everyone is of her." Remus moved closer to his friends, his eyes scanning the shadows.

When they reached the open air of the courtyard, they finally breathed a little sigh of relief and hurried their steps. Before they had made it halfway across though, seventh-year Antonin Dolohov stepped from around one of the columns. He was flanked by Damion Wilkes and Evan Rosier.

"Hello, little lion cubs," Dolohov twirled his wand and grinned. "It's come to my attention that others in the noble House of Slytherin have been paying you more respect than you deserve. We're grateful, of course, for the gift of both the House and Quidditch Cups, but it came at the expense of two of our own." Wilkes and Rosier parted and shoved Severus and Regulus in front of them. Regulus bit a trembling lip, but Severus smirked like the cat that caught the canary.

"I think it's time we remind you of your place in the food chain." Dolohov's smile dropped and he lunged forward. "Petrificus Totalus!"

White light flashed from his wand as the curse slammed into Remus' chest, smashing him to the ground.

Wilkes hit Peter with a Tooth-Growing hex, while Rosier shouted "Expulso!" and Branwen flew across the courtyard. Her back crashed into the wall and she fell to the sound of cracking bones.

"Still so high and mighty?" Dolohov slowly sauntered to Remus' frozen body. Remus' green eyes were still wide and brimming with hate, but he could do nothing as the older boy's heel found his fingers and ground them into the stone.