CHAPTER TWELVE

Evanie was flooded with the sounds of guttural growls and furious snarls that surrounded her in her animagus form. Although her heightened senses made the noise even more intense, she was grateful for her agility and dexterity that allowed her to dodge Ezekiel's sharp claws with ease. However, each time she evaded his attack, he became more infuriated and his movements became more aggressive and frenzied.

As the battle raged on, Ezekiel, in his enraged state, began to unleash a flurry of attacks at a frenzied pace. His movements were wild and uncoordinated, with only the goal of landing a hit on Evanie. Despite her efforts to avoid his claws, some strikes still managed to graze her fur, leaving small but painful cuts in her skin.

Nevertheless, she continued to dodge and weave, using her quick thinking to find an opening to counterattack.

The full moon night had always been a struggle for Evanie, and this time was no exception. Although her conversation with her brother had provided some respite, it didn't address the tumultuous emotions that plagued her mind and heart.

She felt torn between the desire to approach the Marauders and the fear of what the outcome might be. The sense of uneasiness and uncertainty clawed at her, making every moment of the night feel like an eternity.

This particular full moon held a distinct danger, especially being the last one of the year. According to her grandfather, it was the brightest and thus, the most dangerous. It explained why the usual playful mood of Ezekiel had vanished, replaced by a primal rage and bloodlust.

Evanie responded with a growl, standing defiantly in front of her brother. In response, Ezekiel snarled and lunged forward, missing her with another fierce swipe of his claws.

Their intense and exhausting battle had been going on for nearly three hours without a break. The sound of nearby approaching footsteps alerted them to a new presence, causing them and to turn their attention in the direction of the sound. The padded feet and hooves echoed through the air, growing louder and closer.

Evanie assumed the animals to be just another creatures in the forest, but her heart sank as she laid eyes upon them. A stag adorned with a rat on its antlers, and a massive black dog stood before her. She stared at them in disbelief, and in that moment of distraction, she heard the sound of a rushing wind behind her. She instinctively moved to the side, finding herself standing near the animals, her eyes still fixed on her enraged brother.

The danger escalated further as another werewolf appeared, howling as it charged towards the scene. The newcomer immediately focused its attention on her brother, and the two werewolves lunged at each other. Despite their aggressive attempts, however, neither of them managed to land a hit, creating a chaotic and desperate clash.

Eventually, the struggle subsided as the hours passed and the full moon lost its intensity. Evanie and the animals finally intervened, working together to separate the warring werewolves. The night seemed to stretch on forever, and as the moon's glow faded away, the werewolves slowly reverted back to their human forms.

It had been an exhausting and tense fight, and all of them felt the toll it had taken on their bodies and spirits.

Evanie, still catching her breath after the intense struggle, leaned against a tree for support. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the three boys, who had shifted back to their human forms alongside her.

She asked incredulously, "You're all animagi?" James, supporting a tired-looking Peter, nodded in confirmation. Sirius, who was catching his breath on the ground, echoed the gesture as well.

Evanie's eyes widened as she looked at the unconscious form lying on the ground next to her brother, her voice filled with surprise. "It's Remus," she breathed.

The other three boys quickly gathered around her, and Sirius spoke up, his voice laced with concern. "Ezekiel?" he asked. Evanie nodded in confirmation, a mixture of concern and confusion on her face.

Evanie flicked her wand, causing the blanket she usually used to cover Ezekiel to fly over and enlarge. She then ripped it into two pieces, using them to cover the unconscious forms of both males.

She turned to James and Sirius, a slight smirk on her face. "So, that time you tried to stop me from going to the forest makes sense now," she teased.

Sirius chuckled in response, "And it was useless, because..." his gaze flicked to her brother, "you also had to deal with a 'furry little problem'," he explained.

James cleared his throat awkwardly, as if trying to find the right words. "We call the monthly transformation thing like that," he chimed in, a sheepish expression on his face, "Sounds better, doesn't it?"

Evanie looked at them, her expression a mix of annoyance and amusement. "Really, 'furry little problem'? That's the best you could come up with?" she snorted, rolling her eyes.

A cheeky grin spread across Sirius's face as he feigned innocence. "Hey, we never claimed to be creative geniuses when it comes to naming things," he retorted, winking at her.

James chuckled, clearly amused by his friend's antics. "Cut us some slack, we were just trying to downplay the
gravity of the situation. Saying it's a 'little problem' makes it sound less terrifying," he explained, trying to defend their choice of words.

Evanie rolled her eyes again but couldn't resist a small smile. "Downplaying it or not, 'furry little problem' just makes it sound like you're talking about a pet, not a potentially dangerous condition," she replied with a hint of sass.

Sirius raised his hands in mock surrender, his grin widening. "Fine, fine, we'll work on our naming skills. But you have to admit, it's a bit catchier than 'monthly transformation thing', don't you think?" he teased, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

Their lighthearted banter was interrupted when Evanie noticed movement from both Ezekiel and Remus. The boys also noticed the stirring, and their attention shifted to bringing the two to a more comfortable spot.

"We need to move them somewhere more comfortable and off the ground," Evanie stated, concern etched on her face. The guys nodded, their focus now on the task at hand.

The boys immediately got to work, helping Evanie get Ezekiel and Remus off the ground.