Remus Lupin

It is a cold night. I run wild, my fur flying behind me. My robes are left in places I don't think I will ever visit again. The eve is dark with only light from the moon. I lift my face to it and I howl.

Chapter I

In Memory of Helena Young

The old man dropped the sheaf of parchment on the table. "It is important we go through all of this. I found it in his bedroom. These are the last observations made by Helena Young before Voldemort murdered her and her family last night."

A collective shudder went around the room.

"I want everyone to be sure to take note of anything important she saw to better clue us in on what's going on. We can't let her death be such a waste. She was an important member and she will be missed by all." The man sat down and smoothed his long silver beard and wiped his twinkling blue eyes. This man went by the name Albus Dumbledore and was headmaster to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and head of the Order of the Phoenix which meeting he was leading.

"What about her body," one of the members whispered. He was tall and by far the most handsome man at the table with raven hair that fell into his intelligent, black eyes.

"There is a team searching for it now, Sirius…but I doubt it highly that we should recover it. It is more likely that Voldemort will use it to add to his already commendable army of Inferi."

A dark red-headed female, who looked barely out of childhood, sniffled trying to contain her tears. The man sitting next to her put an arm around her shoulders but she pushed him away.

Dumbledore reached out and touched her hand. "There, there, Lily. We all know you were very close to her. She was a very brave woman and she is honored. Don't cry. It's unbecoming when such a happy time approaches."

"S-she was s-supposed to be my maid of h-honor!" Lily howled.

"And she still is. She is the only maid of honor."

"I c-can't get married now," Lily sobbed getting up from the table and running from the room.

The man sitting next to Lily sighed and put his head in his hands.

"Don't trouble yourself too much James, she's just grieving. Give her some time."

James looked up. "I know," he muttered. "But Blimey, Helena who would have thought?"

"Who wouldn't have, James. She was a valuable member of the order as are all of you. We may yet all be next. Who knows how much he knows now. That is something we need to figure out. For now, take a look at the papers I've given you. That's all. Let us retire and go home and remember what happens to those whose guards are not up. Good night," and he swept from the room.

"I can't believe it," the man sitting on the right of Sirius said. He had fair longish hair and a thin gentle face but looked like he was constantly plagued by ill health. "I remember meeting Helena in first year. I met her on the train. We sat in the same compartment. If you told me then that she would have…would have…"

"Remus," Sirius said gently touching his arm.

Remus put his head down and took a deep, shaky breath. James stood up. "I'm going to go check on Lily."

"I should probably go home," another man said quietly taking his wife by the hand. "It's been a very long night."

"It hasn't really," his wife whispered between tears. "Just a really horrible one."

"Let's go Alice," he said putting an arm around her shoulders. The couple left through the doorway.

"What did I tell you?" another man leaning against the wall growled. "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

"We know, Mad-eye," Sirius said.

"You don't have that you'll end up worse off than poor Helena Young," Mad-eye Moody said removing his hip flask and taking a draught. "You sleep on that." Then he picked up his traveling cloak and ducked out through the doorway.

There was a short silence broken by Sirius. "Let's have a drink," he said pulling out the fire whiskey. "James! Lily! Get in here."

James reappeared pulling Lily by the hand. Sirius handed them both glasses. "In memory of Helena Young, the bravest woman and Gryffindor who ever lived."