Chapter Thirty-Two
"Ephemeral Stasis"

Page Two

He tried to ram the doors, but to no effect. He simply didn't have the strength. Inside the hall the students had heard the mighty pounding sound, they had seen the doors lunge forward. A scream broke out as many of the younger students cowered under tables, ran for corners, or simply froze in terror. The Professors looked up, their sights set on the door. They were certain something was coming for them and they knew they were helpless.

"Barricade the doors!" Fred Weasley finally shouted. Madam Pomfrey and Professor Flitwick ran through the students to the doors, trying to get in range to release a proper charm to seal the doors. But Lupin was preparing for another attempt. He was rearing across the hall, his lupine nostrils flared, his eyes determined. He ran across the hall, turning to his side to use the widest angle of his body possible as a ram. The doors gave way and he quickly fell to the floor, his momentum carrying him a few feet.

Madam Pomfrey and Professor Flitwick leapt aside as this large, furry, grotesque creature came furling at them. Madam Pomfrey screamed and she dove for cover and Professor Flitwick tumbled into some fifth year Ravenclaws. Professor Lupin lay twitching on the floor, his entire body in immense pain. His lungs started to seize. He had lost concentration on his breathing and his lungs had lost their sense of purpose. His body began to revert, slowly, painfully, but the animal rage had left his face.

Madam Pomfrey recovered from the shock, stood up and approached the obviously wounded animal. With each cautious step she began to bend to her side to catch a glimpse of this animal's face. It seemed so familiar…

She fell to her knees beside the creature and immediately took its paw into her hand. She looked up frantically at Professor Flitwick. "My wand!" she said urgently. "I need my wand… someone get me my wand!"

George ran to the head table and returned in an instant with her long, willowy wand. She grasped it firmly in her hand, pointed it at Lupin and whispered a spell under her breath. Flitwick had heard it and glanced up at her in surprise. His jaw hung open, but Madam Pomfrey shot him a look that meant business. He stepped back and quickly began corralling the students away from the hideous monster.

Madam Pomfrey and the Weasley twins carefully rolled Lupin onto his back. His eyes were fading in and out, the eyelids growing progressively heavier. His mouth began to move, trying desperately to say something, but his lungs had lost all signals from the brain. They refused to work, rising and falling at will, unable to accept oxygen.

"Don't talk, Remus," she said quietly.

Remus ripped his arm from her grasp in protest, trying with all his might to convey the importance of what he was trying so hard to say.

"Stop," she said, trying to calm him. "There will be time for that when you're stabilized."

Lupin rolled his head over in her direction so their eyes met. The fire inside them, the determination that looked up at her, caught Madam Pomfrey by surprise.

"Potter." The words had made their escape.

Madam Pomfrey dropped her wand and fell back onto her feet from her knees. She quickly looked around the crowd, searching for something… anything. She looked into the pleading eyes of the children and she felt so insignificant. She closed her eyes, blocking the pleas coming at her from every angle.

"Please…" Lupin whispered, grabbing her hand as he began to lose control of his mouth. "The Forbidden Forest, Pomfrey… Potter."

A silent tear rolled down Madam Pomfrey's face as she opened her eyes to see Lupin's face. It was so blank, so white behind the hideously sharp features of a werewolf. She nodded her head, acknowledging what they both knew was inevitable.

"I'll go."

Lupin's head fell to the floor. He had conquered.

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