The last few days in the room were just as bad. Exams had started and the library in her small office always had the right books to study with. And the exams took them out of the room for hours at a time. Still, Avalon felt restless.

After the last exam she went to see Snape. "Avalon." He said as she entered. "I told you to go to class, and than back to the room." He added sounding worried. "We're getting restless, we were wondering how long." She said. "Ill visit you girls before dinner to talk." He said. "But get to safety now, OK?" he asked. Avalon nodded and hurried back to the room.

True to his word, Snape came into the room. He told them the same thing as the last time. "We know all that," Oona said. "Don't disrespect me. Miss Barns." He said. "I just want you girls to understand that the danger to the school is not over yet. So be patient," he said. "When is it over?" Luna asked. "I don't know yet. As soon as I get my hands on black. And I think I am close." He added.

"Don't you think it would be better if Lupin did it?" asked Avalon. "Yeah, or the Aurors?" Lucy asked. "They have no idea. They don't know him, Miss Kowalski." Snape said. "No, I'll do it myself." He added. "And like I said, I'm close." Snape pressed.

"It'll probably be over tomorrow," Snape said as he walked to the door of the room. "So hang in there." He added. Just before the door closed, Avalon managed to slip through unseen by Snape. "What are you doing?" Luna asked. "Following him." Avalon replied and she left. She followed Snape, staying low. He seemed to have a single mind. Outside in the grounds it was getting dark. She managed to slip into the forest. She heard voices in the distance.

She went to the voices. "Why did you never tell me there was a second, Remus?" she heard. "Because I thought she was dead," she heard Lupin say. "Why are you so sure that it is her ?" the stranger said. "Oh come on Padfoot. She looks exactly like her!" said Lupin. "That proves nothing, Remus." The stranger said. "It proves plenty, I'll tell you about it some time." Lupin said.

"Scabbers," she heard in the distance. "It's him!" the stranger said. "Padfoot be smart!" Lupin said. "No, its now or never!" the voices stopped. And a few minutes later, she saw a large, black, shaggy dog run past. He stopped when he saw her. "Ouch, he bit me. Scabbers!" she heard in the distance. The black dog looked in the direction the voice was coming from and started to run.

A few minutes later, Lupin ran after the dog. She wanted to follow Lupin, but as the trees thinned out, she saw Snape following Lupin. He picked up something from the ground that looked like a cloak. He put it on and disappeared. She didn't dare follow for a while.

The next thing she saw confused her. Harry and Hermoine went into the forest with a large beast that looked half horse and half bird. After about half an hour, she dared to go to the tree that everyone seemed to disappear under.

As she approached the tree, it attacked her. A thick branch struck her across the stomach. She was winded.

After what seemed like an eternity, she managed to fight her way through the thick branches. Seconds before the whole tree would have flattened her, she managed to jump into what looked like a large rabit hole at the base of the tree.

She found herself in a long tunnel. As she walked along the length of the tunnel, she came to an old set of stairs. She climbed them, pushing open a trapdoor at the top. Voices came in.

"I've done my waiting," said the voice from the forest. "Twelve years of it. "In Azkaban." She dared to look through the crack between the two boards.

She saw the man from the papers pacing back and forth, wearing dirty, frayed clothes, his skin grey and thin. His hair was matted and dirty. In the corner she saw Ron Weasley, clutching his rat. Black walked away from her and she could no longer follow what was being said.

After a while, Black walked over to Ron and pulled the rat away from him. The animal squealed for dear life. Black held out a wand. And pointed it at the rat. Soon it was no longer a rat, but a little man with a ball. Ron looked stunned.

They talked for a while, but were too far away from Avalon to hear. A few minutes passed, and it seemed the discussion was getting heated. Finally they came back within earshot. "What would you have done?" the little man asked. "I WOULD HAVE DIED. RATHER THAN BETRAY MY FRIENDS." She heard a black scream.

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They were too far away again. She couldn't see the rest of what happened. But it happened too fast anyway. Before she could think, the little man was on the ground. Bound by a strange cuff. Black used his wand and shouted 'Levi Corpus' and she saw Snape being lifted as if by an invisible thread.

As they came towards her, she quickly ducked into the shadows. She overheard some of the conversation. "Normally I have a very nice disposition as a dog, in fackt James suggested I make the change permanent." Black said, "I can live with the tail. The fleas, however, are murder." He said with a smile. As they descended the stairs, Black led Snape's body down.the tunnel. He kept banging his head.

In the shadows, she followed them. With ease, they climbed out of the hole under the fighting tree. She ran quickly after them. Harry and Black sat a little further away, while Ron, Lupin and the Little Man were tied together. Snape was still unconscious or worse. Hermione sat with them.

Avalon hid in the shadows again. She had the suspicion that Hermoine had seen her, but she didn't say a word if she had. Suddenly she looked up at the sky and got to her feet. "HARRY!" she shouted, pointing at the clouds. Avalon looked where Hermoine was pointing. The clouds parted to reveal the full moon.

Before Avalon could wonder why this was important, Lupin seemed to go limp. Black ran towards him. She wanted to scream to let Lupin know he was coming. But it seemed she was too late. She could just make out what they were saying.

"Remus my old friend, did you take your potion today?" he asked. "Fight it Remus. You are a good man, this heart is where you truly live. This heart here." Black shouted. Lupin's body began to change. "RUN!" Black shouted. "RUN!"

Why Avalon did what she did, she would never know. But she ran towards them. That was when Lupin turned into a wolf. "Stupid girl, run!" Black said. Black looked back at the little man. He picked up a wand and pointed it at the cuff, then at himself.

"Expeliarmus," Harry shouted, "the wand flew out of the little man's hand. It seemed to be too late as the man turned back into a rat and disappeared into the tall grass.

Suddenly they heard a growl behind them. The wolf Lupin had become was looking at them. Hermoine had grabbed Ron and was hiding behind rocks. Lupin looked hungrily at Avalon and Harry, fear keeping them rooted to the spot.

A low growl came from behind them. She was too scared to look behind her. She knew she was going to die. As Lupin took a step towards them, the black dog jumped. And landed on top of Lupin and started biting at him. Harry grabbed Avalon and started to run, dragging her with him. He looked back as he heard the dog yelping in pain.

"SIRUS!" Harry shouted as he ran back towards Lupin and the dog. "HARRY!!" Avalon screamed and instinctively ran back. Snape began to stir and opened his eyes. At the same time, the dog turned to black and stumbled towards the lake.

Lupin seemed to have disappeared for the moment. Snape stood up and shook his head. "Professor, are you all right?" Avalon asked. Snape didn't react. "Professor?" Avalon asked again. Snape looked at Avalon as if he didn't see her. "Professor?" she asked again. He shook his head again and looked back at her.

"Avalon, what are you doing here?" he sounded slightly angry. Suddenly there was a growl behind them. She turned to see Lupin standing there. She felt a tug on her robes. When she looked back, she saw Snape pulling at her. "Get behind me!" he said. Avalon quickly got behind him.

Hermoine got up from behind her rock. "Professor!" she said. He came closer. "GRANGER DON'T!" Snape said, sounding colder than he ever had to Avalon. "Professor Lupin." She said again. "Granger have you learnt nothing!" Snape said.

Wolf Lupin looked confused for a second. "Granger behind me now!" Snape bit her. "And grab Weasley!"

The confusion in Lupin's eyes seemed to fade quickly and he seemed to have decided that Hermoine was a tasty snack.

Suddenly there was a howl from the forest. Lupin's attention was drawn to the howling. He stood on his hind legs and howled himself. Another howl came from the forest. Lupin decided to leave the snacks behind and run towards the forest.

Snape sighed in relief. "Granger, you and Miss Prince are to return to the castle immediately! Do you understand me?" Before she could react, the air suddenly turned cold. "Dementors!" Avalon shouted.

Snape looked around in obvious panic. "Granger Prince, get to the castle NOW! I will deal with Potter and Weasley! GO!" Hermione pulled Avalon with her. A quick, blinding flash of white light came from the other side of the lake. "What was that?" Avalon asked. "No time!" Hermoine shouted, pulling Avalon behind her.

Behind the front doors of the school, they stopped running and looked at each other, panting. "How?" Avalon asked out of breath. "How did you and Harry get out of the forest and into this building before me?" Avalon asked. For a second Hermmoine looked confused, but it quickly left her eyes.

"Don't worry about it." She said. "You better get to your common room, I'm going to the hospital wing to wait for my friends." She said. "Oh and Avalon." Hermoine said. "Don't tell anyone about Lupin. It's not his fault." She said. "He cannot help what he is. He is a good man." She added. Avalon nodded. She didn't know how or why , but she understood and agreed with Hermoine.

She had just made her way to the Room of Requirement when Snape walked in, "What were you thinking?" He shouted. "Do you like putting yourself in danger?" he added. "Don't ever scare me like that again, Avalon, ever." Snape finished.

"I'm sorry Professor," she said, looking a little frightened. He had never shouted at her like that before. The anger in his eyes made her cower a little. "I...I'm sorry," she said again. Snape seemed to come out of his anger. "Just don't ever scare me again." He said in his usual warm voice. "I promise." She said.

"What happened to Harry?" Avalon asked. "Mr Potter will be fine." He said with a chill in his voice. "How did he get away from those dementors?" she asked. "I don't know. Someone cast a very powerful Patronus. That's what saved him." Snape explained. "I'm sorry, Avalon. I have to go to the Minister. Oh, and you girls can go back to Ravenclaw Tower, it should be safe now." Snape said and left.

Over the next few days, the story of how Black had been captured and what Lupin was went round the school like wildfire. But the part that Avalon had obviously missed was that Black had escaped right under the Minister's nose. But instead of being frightened, the students were impressed. No one seemed to really like Fudge. Dumbledore also assured the students that although Black had escaped, the danger was over. She soon heard from Ginny that Lupin had resigned.