The cave was silent. The night had passed slowly, with Aldhelm pacing back and forth, thinking. But now, it was daytime, and the members of the wolf pack were sleeping soundly, as they were nocturnal. Despite the little sleep, Snape and Harry were wide awake. Worry was written on both of their faces, though Snape showed it less. Every so often the fear would shine through in his eyes, but he was careful not to let Harry see. The steady trickle of running water from a small stream filled what would have been silence. The sound was not distraction enough for Snape, who was busy studying a stalactite up above. He watched as water collected in small drops, and continued to observe them until they fell with soft noises upon the rock floor. Snape did this for a very long time. His brows were furrowed, a look of deep thought upon his face. He only looked away from the droplets of water to observe the two wolves guarding them. The guards were Rolf, and Kellen. Kellen was taking his turn to sleep, and Rolf seemed rather bored as he stared at a glowing mushroom. His back was turned to the two prisoners. As though something had suddenly made sense to him, Snape’s face was thrown into sharp relief as his brows unfurrowed. Glancing one last time at the guards, a clever glint in his eye, he reached very quietly into his cloak. The sounds of the running water masked any noise that he did make. With great care he extracted a piece of parchment deep from within his pocket, as well as a thin fabric case, rather like one that holds pencils. He put the parchment on a rock beside him, and then opened the  fabric case. Delicately, he pulled from it a short quill and a small ink pot. Snape was unscrewing the cap on the ink when Harry opened his mouth to speak. Snape saw this, and put a finger to his lips for a moment before pointing at the quill. Harry patiently waited while his professor loaded the quill and began to write with care.

      This is important Potter, so be quiet, he wrote. Harry obeyed, and sat in rapt attention as his professor continued to scribble words onto the parchment.  I need you to promise me something.

     Snape looked up at Harry, who nodded for him to continue. He set the quill on the parchment again, only after making sure the scratching of the quill was not heard by the guards.

     I may be able to find a way to get you out, perhaps both of us. I am working on a plan. They have threatened to bite us both, for some reason or another. I will do everything to make sure you are not bitten. Dumbledore expects this of me. Right now there are probably people from the Dangerous Creature Disposal Unit to deal with this new breed of werewolf. Should I get bitten in an escape, or an attempt to spare you, you must lie to the D.C.D.U, the Ministry of Magic, as well as the staff here at Hogwarts, and say that I am dead. Do not tell them, under any circumstances, that I was bitten. Only one person can know the truth. Tell Dumbledore, but him alone if I have been bitten. It is a large request, but you must do this. Do you understand?

Snape watched as Harry’s eyes took in the words, revealed by the dim light of a cluster of green fungi. Harry held out his hand for the quill, and Snape set it in his palm.

       Harry dipped the quill in ink. He held the quill tip on the parchment for a few moments, hesitating. He looked up into Snape’s urgent gaze. Looking weary, he asked only one simply thing: Why?

      Once Harry handed Snape the quill once more, he responded with, This new breed of werewolf is highly dangerous. The D.C.D.U will not stop until they are eradicated. The situation will not end in negotiations, you must trust me on that. If something goes wrong the only way for me to survive would be for the world to believe I am dead, save Dumbledore. Will you promise me that you will tell them this, no matter what?

      Harry looked fearfully into Snape’s pleading eyes. Finally, he nodded, and mouthed, “I promise.”

      Snape nodded slowly, a look of gratitude on his face. Harry opened his hand for the quill, one last time. Snape gave it to him.

      He wrote, Promise you won’t let anyone kill me if I get bitten? Just in case? He held the quill out to Snape, who took it carefully before answering it in his own slanting scrawl.

       I promise to keep you safe.

       Snape stowed the quill, ink, and parchment in his robes once more, the silent agreement hanging in the air like a grey cloud. It should have made the two feel lighter, but the worried eyes and clenched jaws said otherwise.

 ***

       So far, no plans of an escape had been spoken of, at least between Harry and Snape. The days passed far too quickly, until the full moon was only two nights away. The environment made it difficult for any escape to be planned, thanks to the werewolves being wall to wall in the cave, and the constant guards. There was at least two at all times, almost always Rolf and Kellen.  In addition to all of this, threats were made if Harry or Snape tried to talk to each other, even just to say a trivial word here or there. It made life even more harsh and difficult there in the cave, and the signs of this had very much begun to show in the weary faces of the two prisoners.

   It was day again, and the pack was asleep. This was with the exception of the two wolves on guard, and Professor Snape. He had opened his mouth to talk to the guards, who at the moment seemed too tired to tell him to shut up. His words were so quiet that they barely rose above the sound of the running water in the cave, but Rolf and Kellen seemed to hear them well.

      “Did he put you two on guard permanently?” inquired Snape.

       Rolf, who appeared to have grown bored, threw caution to the winds. “Yes. He doesn’t trust us to leave anymore. Thinks we’ll give him away.”

      “You shouldn’t be talking to him!” hissed Kellen, glancing here and there. “The sun’s almost gone down.”

      “I don’t see how talking to the prisoner can cause any more harm than I have managed to cause already,” said Rolf, rolling his eyes. He lowered his voice further and glanced over at Snape. “At least he’s civil.” Rolf’s ears fell flat against his head as his eyes strayed to Aldhelm. He quickly looked away.

       Kellen muttered something about being sorry if Aldhelm found out.

      “Go to sleep. It’s your turn now. Besides, you worry too much.” Kellen didn’t look like he wanted to sleep in the least.

      “Perhaps he is right to worry,” said Snape slowly. “Your leader seems … a bit dangerous.”

      “A bit? That’s the understatement of the century,” scoffed Rolf.

      “Rolf” wined Kellen.

      Rolf did not pay any attention to him.

      “I certainly do not wish to be around him any more than I have to,” muttered Snape as Harry let out a soft snore nearby, finally asleep in the silence of the cave.

      “That was not the only thing he did to me you know,” Rolf replied in earnest. “See my ear? The right one.”

      “Did he do that?” said Snape, looking shocked as he stared at the missing tip on Rolf’s right ear. His shock didn’t seem entirely genuine, but Rolf did not notice.

         He nodded. “Yes. Awful, isn’t it? He simply sunk his teeth into me about six months ago, no questions asked. Aldhelm thought that I was the one who had gone into a village and killed a pig. It made quite a ruckus.”

       “And he blamed you for it?”

      “Yes he did. Even though it wasn’t me at all. It was really Hazel. But he’d never suspect her, what with her flattery.”

      “But you took the blame for it. That is horrible.”

      “I quite agree,” sniffed Rolf. “And he’s supposed to be finding a way to destroy the Dark Lord, not how to become Him.”

      “What’s making you stay, with Aldhelm the way he is?” Snape inquired casually. “From what I’ve gathered, you’re clever enough to escape.”

       Rolf moved a pebble around on the ground with his paw. “I don’t really know. I’m not afraid of him, and I’m not really afraid of what he could do to me if I try to leave. I guess I just don’t have anywhere to go, you know?”

      Snape nodded, looking distant for a second.

     “I know someone who would understand your situation to some degree,” muttered Professor Snape. “He’s a werewolf himself, though not all the time like you are, and he may have some insight, or suggestions as to where you could go if you left. Our side can hide you better than you could ever imagine.”

     Rolf’s ears pricked up.

    “Quit listening to this!” warned Kellen. Rolf spun around, teeth bared.

     “Kellen, I promise that I’ll tell Aldhelm that the professor possessed by the Dark Lord saw you, when we were up at the school. Or, I’ll kill you. I would be the victor in a fight with you, and you know that.” Kellen backed down and lay upon his belly, snout in his paws. Rolf looked satisfied. He looked over to Snape. “Sorry,” he muttered. “You were saying?”

    “We could hide you, myself and the remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix, I mean,” Snape said in a low voice. “The Order hasn’t been assembled in years, but there are a few I would be able to get in touch with. I am sure someone would be willing to hide you.”

     “And they wouldn’t … look down on me, because of what I am?” he whispered, fervently glancing around the room to make sure everyone was still asleep.

     “No, a known werewolf was part of the Order back in the day, and … everyone treated him decently,” said Professor Snape. He cleared his throat slightly. “In fact, that is the man that I speak of when I say that I know someone who can help you. If anyone can, it is him.”

     “What’s the catch?” inquired Rolf suddenly.

     Snape raised an eyebrow. “Well, you would have to get me out of here first. I cannot do it alone … not without my wand. If you were to get it for me, and help me to escape, I would be able to help you out. I cannot do a thing while trapped in this cave.”

     Rolf appeared to be thinking deeply. “And the boy? What of him?”

     “He comes too,” said Snape firmly. “I shall want his wand as well, if you can get it. Though it is not imperative, as he has not been practising magic long and could become accustomed to a new one easily.”

      Kellen’s eyes had grown wide. Rolf shot him a look that clearly said he would kill him if he said anything.

      “And you promise that you will help me?” whispered Rolf, glancing around.

      “I promise,” said Snape. “Would you like to shake on it?”

      He held out his hand, and Rolf paused for a moment. He took a deep breath and set his paw in Snape’s hand.

       “Tomorrow,”  Rolf mouthed as Harry started to stir, waking up.

     This had been the most Harry had slept in a while. The reason was that Harry had not dared to sleep while the wolves were awake, despite it being night while the wolves were alert. The shadows under Snape’s eyes told a similar story. The indifferent silence between the Professor and Rolf fell over them once more while Snape observed Harry, who was just opening his eyes. In a few minutes it seemed as though the whole cave was stirring. Harry, now awake, moved almost imperceptibly closer to Snape when he saw the wolves stretching and yawning, their jagged grins flashing across the cave.

            Kellen avoided everyone’s eyes, and finally went to sleep, leaving Rolf to guard. Now that the wolves were awake the cave was a flurry of movement. It was easy to tell that the pack was getting restless, still cooped up and waiting for the woods to empty out a little. Aldhelm looked even less pleased with the predicament than he was earlier. 

         “Gather around,” he barked at everyone after a few minutes of the wolves pacing around. Kellen jolted awake, looking startled.

         All of the wolves obeyed immediately, and Harry shot Snape a curious expression, clearly asking if he knew what was going on. Snape shook his head and then trained his eyes on the circle of wolves in the centre of the cave. They were difficult to make out, but the greenish glow from the mushrooms reflected in their eyes.

        “It is clear to me now that the search party is going to remain in the area longer than we anticipated,” announced Aldhelm. “ Therefore, we need to set a false trail to get them to the far side of the forest. Otherwise, we have no hope of positioning the boy outdoors so that the transformation is completed to the maximum capacity.”

         “What sort of diversion?” asked one of the wolves in a rather low voice.

         “If you will listen, I shall tell you,” hissed Aldhelm.

          “Sorry sir,” said the wolf who spoke.

         Aldhelm’s glowing eyes were glaring at the wolf, but after a moment he seemed to move past what had been said, and once more became engrossed in his plan. “I will get an object or a scrap of clothing that clearly belongs to the prisoners, and then get the fastest and stealthiest of you to take it to the far side of the forest to plant tonight. It should be hidden just well enough so that they discover it sometime during the day tomorrow. They will then focus their search party on that area, leaving this area of the woods clear, or at least clearer than it would have been. We can take on a few wizards, but not in the numbers we currently have nearby.”

       “They won’t find the cave, will they?” asked Kellen anxiously.

       “No, it is well hidden,” said Aldhelm quickly before moving to more pressing matters. “Hazel, you will plant the objects later on tonight. You are by far the most skilled candidate.”

       “Yes sir,” she said, sinking into a sort of wolfish bow. “It is an honour.”

       “You must be there and back before the sun rises. They must discover the objects and be drawn from this place before night falls once more. And when the full moon rises tomorrow night, we take the boy out of the cave to bite him, and we shall have the final piece that will make it possible for us to take back our freedom.”

       There were a few paws scratching against the stone in concurrence with Aldhelm’s statement, for there was no sense in being loud and giving the location of the cave away.

      “Brynn, Elsa, you are on hunting duties. Do not jeopardize our position for the kill, unless you can take the person down discreetly.”

       Two wolves stepped out of the circle, one a burly male, the other a sly looking female. They also lowered themselves in a sort of bow before Aldhelm, and then slipped into the darkness and to the tunnel that led outside.

       “Now, we need something that the search party will recognize,” muttered Aldhelm, though his voice could easily be heard where Snape and Harry were sitting. He turned suddenly toward the duo, eyes gleaming.

       “Boy, give me your dressing gown.”

       Snape nudged Harry sharply when he did not move.

        Harry shrugged it off, shivering slightly in the cave with nothing but his pyjamas.

       Aldhelm took the material in his jaws, one paw on the sleeve, and then shook the dressing gown with great force, as though it were some sort of prey. He ripped a good piece of the fabric off and tossed it toward Hazel, leaving the rest of the crumpled dressing gown at his feet. Harry didn’t make a move to pick it up, what with the entirety of the pack’s eyes trained on him and Snape.

      “That is one … now you,” he glared at Snape. “Give me one of your boots.”

       “The others might recognize the fabric of my cloak better,” Snape responded.

       “No, you can give me one of those boots,” growled Aldhelm, taking a step closer. “Doesn’t look like you’ll need that one. Doubt you’ll fit it back on that swollen ankle of yours. Face it Snape, you’re going nowhere fast.” Despite his hesitance, Professor Snape’s face remained emotionless as he handed the boot over. Aldhelm took it in his teeth and tossed it over to Hazel, who nudged the piece of material from Harry’s dressing gown into it for the journey.

       “There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

      As soon as Aldhelm had turned it was clear that Snape was angry, but the flash of anger was gone in a moment. In the meantime Aldhelm commanded Hazel to begin her journey, as it was likely to take a long time to reach the other side of the forest undetected. Snape reached his arm out and snatched Harry’s dressing gown off of the stone. He dusted it off forcefully before shoving it into the boy’s arms.

      “Put it on, before you catch your death of cold.”

        Harry, rather surprised, scrambled to obey. Rolf and Snape exchanged glances while all the wolves were still paying attention to Aldhelm.