The next day Austin didn't have classes, and when he went to
the Great Hall no one was there. The whole day he spent his time in the schools
library reading the many books that students from past years had written. Some
for helping with classes and others and certain spells and potions he had never
heard of or practiced. Finally, night came for the little bookworm and he put
his books on his own shelf for later and headed for the Great Hall.

Inside the Hall he spotted Marie, Manroop and Kendall all
circled around each other as they gasped as Austin walked in. He overheard the
name of a place called the "Shrieking Shack."

"Hey guys what is going on." he said walking over.

"Austin, have you ever heard of the Shrieking
Shack?" Manroop said. He had indeed heard of the shack. Once, when his
family took a trip into Hogsmeade, he saw the ominous building standing on a
hill in the distance. His father had told him it was abandoned and that it was
haunted from past souls who entered and never came out. He steps back away from
Maroop and answered.

"You mean the old shack in Hogsmeade? Yes, I am
familiar with it."

"Well, Kendall and I found a secret way to get to the
shack from Hogwarts." she said jumping up and down in excitement. Austin
gulped nervously, the shack looked frightening on the outside, he didn't know
how much scarier it would look on the inside.

"And where do we have to go in the school grounds to
get to this secret entrance." Marie said crossing her arms.

"The Womping Willow," Manroop said. "There is
a button knob around the base of the tree that when pressed will put the tree
to sleep for thirty seconds."

Austins mouth dropped in horror. The Womping Willow was a
most merciless tree in the school yard, its branches smashed with a brute force
strong enough to brake bones.

"So you guys up to seeing this secret passageway?"
She said with a grin.

Marie and Kendall agreed straight away nodding their heads
up and down. However, the boy grew stiff when they turned and looked at him. He
didn't know what came over him, but he nodded his head in agreement.

"Then it's settled, let's go." she said. The four
grabbed their belonging and set out to go outside.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So who want to press the button?" Manroop said as
they stood feet away from the giant tree. It's branches shot up to the skies
and the base of the branches looked like a clenched fist, Kendall and Austin
stepped back.

"My dog form wouldn't be as fast. I'd get hit in an
instant." he said.

"I'm not risking myself either." Kendall said.

"Oh for crying out loud, I'll do it." Marie said
pushing between the two. The girl transformed into her cat form and walked
towards the tree. It's branches came alive and it began trying to smash and
swipe at the feline. She jumped and dodged the branches with ease and soon made
it to the small hidden button. Her tiny paws pressed it and as soon as she did
the womping willow went limp.

She transformed back holing down the button as the three
gazed in astonishment and began to make their way inside the gaping hole
beneath the old willow. Kendall went in first, then Manroop, and Austin. As he
went in Marie sneaked in a little response.

"That's one thing I'm good at rather than you."
she said with a sassy smirk. He gave her a frown and walked down the tunnel.
The girl stopped pressing the button and slid down last.

They all cast lumos on their wands as they walked deeper
into the tunnel. The walls were slathered with green roots and fungi. Dirt fell
every now and then from the ceiling showing how unstable it was.

"I wonder what ever comes in here." Austin said
curiously looking around.

"Probably rats, bats, and other things." Kendall
said.

"Ew!" Marie yelled "I just stepped in
something.”

The other two girls made disgusted looks, but the boy went up and looked to see what she stepped in. It was a green sticky substance that looked as if it came from the ceiling.

"Flubberworm Mucus. You're fine." he said

The girl sighed in relief as they kept walking.

"So, Kendall what are we hoping to find in the Shack." Manroop said.

"Wait, Kendall, you suggested this little journey? Why?" Austin said with a raised brow.

"I have a hunch on something, but I have to make sure it's true." Kendall said back.

"Woah!" said Manroop tripping over a root on the tunnel floor. Not paying attention, Austin fell over Manroop.

"Ow....uh hi." he said embarrassed as he quickly got up from on top of her.

"Keep quiet!" Kendall shouted quietly.

"Clutz." Marie said to the both of them.

"Is it me or is the tunnel getting smaller?" Manroop said. The three transformed into their animagus forms, while Kendall was small enough for it not to phase her.

"There's the exit." she said, pointing to a little light at the end of the tunnel. Austin barked in rejoice and ran towards the exit.

However, once through, he stopped in horror. Shredded bed sheets were scatters and blood marks with paw prints were all over the room. A sofa was torn to pieces and paintings of old wizards who once lived here were scratched and staring at him.

"Austin!" Kendall said behind him, "Not so loud. All of you wait here I need to look around for a second."

The three changed back into their human forms and waited.

Suddenly, as shriek was heard in the upstairs. They ran to find Kendall hugging another werewolf upstairs. It shocked Austin that the whole time there was a werewolf in the shack the whole time, it hadn't made a sound or anything. Which made him wonder what would've happened if Kendall hadn't been with them.

"This is my brother, Mark." she said to them.

"Hello, Mark." they all said. Austin held out for a hand shake, but the beast just looked at him with golden luminous eyes.

"I had a hunch he came here, since he ran from our pack." she said petting him behind the eyes. Mark then went into a corner sniffing around.

"Well it's good to know he's safe." she said. Austin went towards a window and looked down at the glowing lights of Hogsmeade.

"Wow. That's a nice view of the town." he said. Mark came over to the window and looked out before giving a big howl.

They stayed a little bit longer letting the two catch up before heading out back to Hogwarts.

Soon, they were at the exit at the Womping Willow and crawling out of the hole. Until Austin remembered something Manroop had said.

"Wait, Manroop. You said the womping willow button only made it go limp for thirty seconds." he said

"Yep....oh no."

The Womping Willow shook and the branches came down towards them. They all dodged the branches and ran for the hills screaming.