Author's Note: This is a sequel to my story Moonlit Memories. There is a quick mention of characters and things that happened in that story, but you do not need to read it first to understand what happens in this story. It begins immediately after the last chapter (not the epilogue) of the original story. So please, read and review. Let me know what you think!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters that belong to J.K.Rowling. I do, however, own the characters of Mel and Thomas.
Remus J. Lupin stared out the train window, his golden eyes taking in the scenic countryside flying by. Yawning, he glanced at the man slumped in the seat across from him. Thomas had been sulking since they had left Hogwarts, but not before insisting that they take a Muggle train rather than the Hogwarts Express. Remus looked around the compartment wondering exactly why Thomas had been so adamant. It definitely was not as ornate at the Express. The carpet was blue and faded with a suspicious brown spot on the carpet that Remus did not even want to speculate on. The tan leather seats appeared to have been, at one time, plush and buffed to shining perfection. But that day was long gone. The padding was crushed under the weight of countless passengers, and there were numerous tears where the stuffing was exposed. Remus berated himself. He hadn't even hesitated when Thomas had made the demand. He simply had complied, once again feeling left out of the loop. His gaze shifted back to the silent man. His companion's arms were folded across his chest, clearly sending a signal that he did not wish to be disturbed, and his eyes were fixed firmly on the stained carpet. Remus had tried to engage the man in several conversations during the long trip, but had given up when every comment was met with a stony silence.
Remus inwardly sighed and laid his head back against the leather seat, closing his eyes. If Thomas wanted to mope, Remus figured he may as well rest. His eyes slid shut and he had just started to drift off, when a low voice startled him.
"Do you believe that there is a cure for our condition?" Thomas asked, his black hair obscuring his face.
Remus sat up and looked at him thoughtfully, trying to determine where Thomas was headed with such a question.
"I suppose in the back of my mind I've dreamed of one," he replied quietly. Remus paused and glanced at the spot that had captivated him earlier. "But I try not to dwell on the impossibility too much."
Thomas sat in silence, biting the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood. Looking up at Lupin, he asked, "If there was one, would you use it?"
Without even hesitating, Remus answered, "Yes." He glanced back out the window and saw that the sun was beginning to set in the distance. Even after all these years, he still hated the time right before sunset. It always reminded him of what was coming.
He turned back towards Thomas, realizing that the man had not answered his own question.
"Would you?" he asked softly.
Thomas smiled wryly. "I don't think I would. To be honest, for the most part, I enjoy being a werewolf. There was only one reason I would have taken the cure, and that reason no longer exists."
Remus gazed at the man in sympathy. Quietly, he said, "I am sorry about Serena. I know how much you loved her."
Thomas looked intently at his hands. "But not enough, Remus. Apparently, not enough."
The men sat in silence each one contemplating what love really meant.
"How did you become a werewolf, Lupin?"
Remus shifted in his seat, the abrupt change of topics flustering him slightly. He and Thomas had extremely different views of lycanthropy. He wasn't sure how much of his past he wanted to share with the man. Choosing his words very carefully, he replied softly, "I was bitten as a young boy."
Thomas nodded, deep in thought. As Remus' mind became clearer, his eyes narrowed, wondering why Thomas was asking all these questions. He had spent the last two months with him, and he had never once attempted to learn anything about Remus' past. In fact, every time Remus had tried to talk about the past, Thomas would change the subject. Not wanting to push the usually reticent man, he crossed his legs and leaned back feeling a sudden weariness. The last transformation had drained him, even with the Wolfsbane potion that Severus had so kindly brewed. Remus mentally snickered at the thought of Snape brewing anything "kindly" for him. He was well aware that Dumbledore forced the Potions master to brew the difficult potion each month. Lupin, however, still considered it a great kindness, despite the unpleasant undertones.
Closing his eyes, he let the rhythm of the train begin to lull him to sleep. Suddenly, he realized that Thomas was still speaking to him. Sitting up in a daze, he ran a hand over his face.
"…found a book that claimed to have a spell that would make a man impervious to a werewolf's bite."
"What?" Lupin sat up straight, the sleep driven from his mind and body.
Thomas gave him a strange look. "I said I found a spell that claimed to make a werewolf's bite no more dangerous than a dog's bite."
Remus felt a sudden excitement. "Where was this book? Did the spell work? Have you tried it? What happened?"
A sudden look of annoyance flashed across Thomas' face. "Were you listening to a word I said?"
Remus sheepishly shook his head. "I was sort of sleeping, and I apologize. But please tell me more about this spell."
Muttering in French, Thomas folded his arms across his chest and glared at the contrite werewolf. Speaking slowly, as though explaining something difficult to a child, he said, "I found a spell in a book. I believed if it worked the way it claimed, that I could modify it to create a cure for lycanthropy. In the middle of my experiment, I was bitten. Does that answer all your questions?"
Remus melted into the leather seat, the excitement leaving his body. It hadn't worked. Of course, it hadn't worked. This was why Remus never dreamed of a cure. It was never to be.
Thomas seemingly read his mind. "It didn't work, because I put on a protective charm that counteracted the spell. When I went to find the book again, it had disappeared."
Remus leaned forward, his eyes searching Thomas' impassive face. The man was talking about a possible lead in the cure for lycanthropy and he was acting as though he were reciting a list of potions ingredients. Shaking his head slightly, he asked, "So it may have worked?" Thomas shrugged and said, "It's a distinct possibility."
Remus bit his thumb nail trying to comprehend everything he had just been told. Looking back up at Thomas, he said, 'What do you mean the book disappeared? How could you let a book like that disappear?"
Thomas tilted his head to the side and gave Remus an exasperated look. "After the failed spell, I asked my father to send me the book. It was simply gone. I had the book hidden under a conversion spell and even then I had a protection spell on it. I have tried to find it. My father has even contacted his friends in the Ministry, but it is almost like it never existed."
Remus opened his mouth, but was stopped by the opening of the sliding compartment door. A small brunette woman stood nervously in the doorway. Her dark brown hair was pulled severely back in a bun, with a few stray wisps framing her face. Her large gray eyes stared at the men in what appeared to be complete and utter fear. Her mouth was opening and closing, but no sounds or words came out. It reminded Remus unpleasantly of a fish that has somehow escaped from the pond and was gasping for the precious water it needed to remain alive. He normally would have welcomed the woman kindly, but she was interrupting what he considered to be one of the most important conversations of his life.
Looking crossly at the mousy woman, he asked shortly, "Did you need something?"
She shrunk back against the doorframe as though attempting to vanish. "I-I-I was told that this was my compartment," she said in a shaky voice, her fingers clutching the handle of her bag so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Feeling a sudden flash of anger to be interrupted, he scooted over and gestured toward the seat next to him. The woman entered the small enclosed room and shut the door behind her with a soft click. She glanced at the two men under her lashes and took the proffered seat, sitting as close to the wall as possible. She sat back, pulling her bag against her chest as though using it as a shield. Glancing furtively at the man next to her, she dropped her eyes immediately when she saw him looking back at her.
Remus sighed, his conscience nagging him for his previous lack of manners. It was so unlike him to be anything but kind and welcoming. "I apologize, miss, for my earlier shortness. It was very rude of me." Motioning toward the silent man across from them, he introduced him. "This is Thomas Caron and I am Remus Lupin."
The woman's eyes shifted nervously between the two men. "M-M-My name is Mel Montague," she stuttered softly.
Remus looked at the woman questioningly. "Mel?"
She nodded slightly, her eyes back on the floor. Remus absurdly wondered if she was drawn to the stain on the carpet as the two men had been. Shaking his head, he looked back up Thomas, put off by the woman's submissive attitude. What was wrong with this woman? And why did she have to choose now to show up? He raised his eyebrows at Thomas and was rewarded with a sly grin.
Thomas stood and opened the door. "Please excuse me, Remus." He nodded at the woman, "Miss Montague, I must ask the conductor something urgent." He gave Remus a wolfish grin. Remus crossed his arms and glared at the man. He was sure that there was nothing remotely important that he needed to see the conductor about. He was just using it as an excuse to escape the now tense filled compartment.
Remusclosed hiseyes when he heard the door click behind Thomas. Leaning his head back against the cushion, he knew that there was no way he could leave the compartment without appearing to be even more of a prat than he had already been. His mind was racing with what Thomas had shared. Was there a book that could possible contain a cure for lycanthropy? It seemed too wonderful to be true. He frowned slightly. Why had no one ever heard of this book before? And more importantly, where had the book disappeared to and who took it?"
Running a hand over his mouth, he tried to push the questions from his mind. There was no way he could get the answers he needed. At least, not with the woman in the room. His eyes fell upon the leather cover of the book that Dumbledore had given him before he had left Hogwarts. The Headmaster knew about his penchant for Muggle literature and would present him with a new edition each time he left Hogwarts. Albus always said it was for the train ride home, but Lupin suspected that Albus was just aware that he could not afford a book of his own. Picking up the book off the seat, he caressed the red leather and traced the gold leaf lettering on the cover with his index finger.
Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad
"Are you a fan of Conrad?" Mel asked quietly, her stutter no longer evident.
Remus looked up at her expressionless face.Opening the book, he flipped through it. "I don't honestly know. He is a new author to me."
Her gray eyes lit up and she leaned forward. "He is one of my favorites. He has such a way with words and characters. You will have to let me know what you think about Kurtz."
Remus smiled slightly at her animation. Suddenly, her lips clamped shut tightly and a look of fear spread across her face before settling in her eyes. She shrunk back against the wall and she trembled slightly.
"P-Please forgive my forwardness," she said softly. "It is not my place."
"Not your place?" Remus asked, frowning. Was this woman crazy? His eyes glanced down at her bag and fixed on a seal on the silver clasp. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to place where he had seen that seal before. It looked very familiar. Glancing back up at the woman, he saw that her face was once again schooled in an expressionless mask.
He opened his book and stared at the first page. He read the first line three times, before closing the book in frustration. His mind was full of too much to concentrate on the novel.
He looked back toward Mel. "Do you attend Oxford?"
Her head whipped toward him. "What?" she asked startled.
"I noticed the seal on your bag. It's the Oxford insignia, isn't it? Do you attend there?"
Mel shook her head and pulled the bag tighter against her. "No, I am taking a position there."
Remus could not for the life of him imagine this woman in the classroom. If she was afraid of him, how would she handle a room full of stuck-up upperclassmen that were there simply because of family connections or wealth?
"As a teacher?" he asked.
She laughed slightly and shook her head. "No. I am going to be the Linguistics and Literature Subject Consultant to Professor Adelaide Hobbes."
"Oh," Remus said, understanding dawning on him. "Then I can see how you are so familiar with Mr. Conrad's work."
She nodded her eyes still on the floor.
Remus let out a deep breath. This was almost like having a conversation with Snape. Except of course for her apparent fear of him.
Trying once again to get her to open up, he asked, "What exactly does a Linguistics and Literature Subject Consultant do?"
Mel looked back up at him, a wary expression on her face. Seeing nothing but open friendliness, she answered quietly, "I complete research for the Professor and translate various works of literature for her."
"Oh," he paused. "Do you speak many languages then?"
She nodded once and said, "I speak five languages fluently, but can translate up to twelve."
Remus eyes widened. That bit of news was surprising. "That's very impressive. You obviously have a gift for languages."
He was startled by her sharp bark of laughter.
"Yes, my gift. My one and only gift," she said bitterly.
Remus was thankful when he heard the door slide open to reveal the smiling face of Thomas. Letting out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, he grinned at him.
Turning from the door, he glanced at Mel and then back at Remus. Addressing Remus in French, he said, "Well, I see she didn't kill you with boredom, Lupin."
Lupin gasped and shook his head vehemently, looking quickly at Mel, hoping that French was not one of the languages that she spoke, but knowing he was hoping for a miracle.
Her eyes widened and he saw a look of hurt cross her face before settling on the expressionless mask that Remus was quickly becoming very familiar with.
"Pardon, messieurs," she answered in perfect French, standing quickly. She opened the door and retreated from the room. It may have been an act of anger in any other woman, but in Melitwas simply fear that drove her away. But fear of what, Remus wasn't sure.
Turning toward Thomas, he glared at him. "You idiot, she speaks French."
"How was I to know that strange creature spoke my language? I was simply making a joke. One you would have found funny, if she hadn't understood."
"Not likely," Lupin muttered under his breath. Breathing deeply, he looked back up at Thomas, suddenly glad that they were left alone.
"So tell me more about the book. Do you think we have a chance of finding it?"
Thomas shook his head. "Remus, I am not looking for the book any longer. It no longer holds the appeal it once did. My journey is different now."
Remus felt his stomach sink. 'What about the cure for lycanthropy? It could help the people in your clan." He grasped at anything that would make Thomas change his mind. He knew he couldn't do this alone.
Thomas just smiled and gave Remus an infuriating look. "Remus, you know the lycans in my clan are not interested in a cure. I was the only one still looking for something that might only be a fairy tale."
Remus sat forward, his eyes silently begging. "I know some people that work at the Ministry. We can ask them for any leads or help. We wouldn't have to do it alone."
"I wish you luck, Remus, I truly do. But you will have to do it alone. Finding a cure is no longer my desire. If you want to search for the book, I will tell you what I know, but that is all I can promise."
Remus closed his eyes. "Tell me," he said quietly.
Thomas studied the resigned man. "It has no title. It has an intricate silver design on the cover of a man turning into a werewolf. Under the design is one word: Artemaius. That was the name of the lycan who wrote the book. From what I learned about him in my research, he was a powerful werewolf leaderin the medieval ages. That is all I know."
"It's a start," Remus leaned back against the cushion, planning his first step. He glanced out the window and saw that the moon was now high in the sky. It was only the quarter moon, but he still felt a slight shiver. He had always wondered about that strange Muggle saying that it looked like God's thumbnail. If anything, the moon reminded Remus that there was no God. He sighed slightly, wondering if he was chasing a fairy tale
"I will be thinking of you, Lupin. You have brought hope to my clan with the Wolfsbane potion and we will forever be in your debt. Tell Dumbledore that he can count on our assistance when the time comes."
Remus nodded, his mind vaguely comprehending what Thomas was saying. He had no clue that outside the door, Mel was sitting against the doorframe, listening to the whole conversation. Her breath quickened at the realization that these two men were not ordinary travelers.
"Wizards," she whispered. "And not just wizards, werewolves." She grinned to herself, wrapping her arms around her chest. Suddenly, she knew exactly what she needed to do. Something that her family would never expect. For the first time in her life, she was about to make a bold move.
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