The Night it happened was symbolically perfect. Lightning danced to the seductive rhythm of the thunder; rain soaked the ground keeping the wind company as it blew across the flatland of London. The weather conditions matched the mood of the evening: dark, damp, and cold.
Remus Lupin was locked away in a secluded room at the headquarters working through Dumbledore's paperwork. After Dumbledore died, all of his secret files were released to the Order and the task fell upon Lupin to decipher it all. He now knew why Dumbledore and Harry were together the night he had died- the Horcruxes. He knew now that Harry had every intention of finding them all and destroying them and that had been Dumbledore's plan. Remus knew he couldn't stop Harry from going and it would be in everyone's best interest when the time came to aide Harry in his journey if it was in his power.
Remus had no idea how long he had been working, but he was beginning to feel the oh-so- familiar pangs of fatigue.
"Uggh," he groaned when he looked at the clock. It read 5:30 am. He decided to go downstairs for some coffee. There were some stragglers at the Order but they wouldn't be up for another hour at least. This was a relief because all he wanted tonight was to be left alone.
He stood up, staggering a little, feeling positively drunk with fatigue. He felt certain the kitchen would be empty, but oh how wrong he was.
Sitting at the table was an ex-colleague and new member of the Order, Divinations teacher Sybil Trelawney. Shit, he thought trying to decide if the coffee was worth dealing with her. In the end he realized if he wanted to continue working tonight and be prepared for the breifing he must give that day, he would have to wake up somehow and coffee was his only choice. He mentally steeled himself for her predictions, solemn glances and death omens as he walked in. He went directly to the counter and began preparing the coffee.
"Hello Sybil," he called over his shoulder. He received no reply. That struck him as odd, so he turned around. In no way was he prepared for what he saw.
Sybil was sitting in the chair stiffly, her hands clasped on the table tightly and her eyes were glazed over.
"Sybil?" he said carefully approaching her. He put one hand on her back and at his touch, she shivered.
"He will defect from the dark side," she hissed, her voice sounding nothing like her own natural dreamy voice.
"What?" Remus asked positively bewildered.
"He will defect from the dark side," she continued. "The king of the purebloods. His followers will follow him to the death."
As if a light bulb had suddenly came on, Remus Lupin realized what was going on. She was giving him a prophecy. He sat down across from her, listening intently to every word she would utter.
"She is queen of the muggle borns," Sybil started again. "She will make history due to her talent and bravery. She will become a leader and a key figure in the survival of her world. They will fall in love, but they must make it last because they are destined to love or hate each other for all time. The child she will bear, his child, will weaken the Dark Lord forever because only the love these two natural enemies share will help defeat him."
When she was done Sybil began to shake as if having a fit, her limbs fell limp to her sides and her eyes rolling back in her head. Before Remus realized what was happening, Sybil fell to the floor. He leaned down and checked for a pulse and was saddened to discover she had none. At once he was on his feet, always being level headed in a crisis, and was levitating her beside him. Remus knew apparating this way could be dangerous but compared to his other options; it seemed like the only choice.
Once at St Mungo's he found the first available healer and explained the situation, omitting of course the prophecy.
"Well you're right," the healer said. "She is dead Mr.Lupin. You should contact any family or friends. We will have to do some paperwork verifying he was dead on arrival and of course determine the cause of death"
"Thank you," he told the healer. He took out a piece of parchment and wrote one letter to professor McGonagall.
As he fell asleep on a hard hospital couch, he tried to figure out the prophecy. Queen of the Muggle borns was easy, she had to be Hermione Granger- one of Harry's best friends and the most talented witch of her age. He smiled in pride as he thought of her; she would most definitely make history. It had only taken him a few minutes to put together that she was going to fall in love with someone, this king of the purebloods. He automatically thought of Ron Weasley, but quickly discarded that scenario. Ron was a pureblood, but he and Hermione didn't hate each another. They might argue, but one couldn't exactly call them enemies. No, the prophecy was referring to another male, but he couldn't put his finger on whom.
Remus finally let sleep take him away knowing that someone from the Order would be there soon to wake him.
"Remus," McGonagall said as she shook him. He felt groggy, as though he had only been asleep for a few minutes, but the clock on the wall told him different.
"Minerva?" he slurred as he tried to wake himself up.
"It's all taken care of," McGonagall told him as she sat beside him. "Sybil will be buried tomorrow."
Remus nodded trying to cover a little yawn.
"What happened?" she asked.
Remus told her about the prophecy and what Sybil had said and how she had fallen as soon as she was done.
"That explains it then," McGonagall said knowingly.
"Explains what?" Remus asked.
"She died of a heart attack," McGonagall explained, "The effort into giving this prophecy must have killed her. It's a little cryptic though, isn't it?"
"Yes," Lupin agreed, "But I am almost sure I know who the Muggle born queen is."
"Hermione." McGonagall replied sighing.
"Yes." Remus confirmed.
"Well you should get back to Headquarters," McGonagall ordered harshly. "Try to get some more sleep before the meeting. We'll discus the prophecy in more detail then."
Lupin said a quick goodbye to Minerva and apparated back. He threw himself onto his bed fully clothed. Just as he was falling asleep, someone knocked on his door.
Kingsley Shakklebolt was standing opposite of him when he threw it open.
"Remus," he acknowledged quickly. "I am sorry to disturb you, but we have an issue."
"What?" Remus asked alarmed at the tone of the auror.
"There is someone who wishes to speak with you" Shakklebolt told him. "We had no choice but to bring them to the burrow. Bringing them here was not a good idea."
"Who is it?" Remus asked, grabbing his wand preparing to disapparate.
"Draco and Narcissa Malfoy," Shakklebolt replied.
Remus shook his head in disbelief and followed Kingsley as he disapparated.
Remus Lupin never thought he would live to see this day, the day that the great and mighty Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius, sat in the living room of the Burrow. But there young Malfoy sat, comforting a crying Narcissa. When he saw Remus he stood up and reached out to shake his hand. Lupin took the boy's handshake, but still eyed him warily.
"Professor Lupin," Draco said with the slight nod of his head. Lupin returned the gesture with a friendly, but guarded smile.
"Please Draco," Lupin told him, "I haven't taught in a few years, you may call me Remus."
"Remus," Draco corrected him. "I bet you are wondering what I am doing here?"
"Go on," Remus told him, taking a seat. Draco followed his lead and sat back down beside his mother.
"I will start by clarifying my position," Draco started. "I am no more a Death Eater than you are. I did attempt to kill Albums Dumbledore and I am still ashamed of that. But I was weak. He hit me where it hurt; he threatened my mother and father with death. I felt that it was my obligation to go through with it. I almost changed my mind up there in the astronomy tower. Dumbledore offered me a chance to redeem myself and offered my family protection, but by then it was too late. Severus Snape stepped in and did it for me. After the Dumbledore fiasco, it was as I had feared- they offered me no pardon. My mother, father and I were in equal, if not more danger. They say hindsight is 20/20."
"I believe you Draco," Remus told him after a very long pause. "But, may I ask what you wanted with me?"
"I was getting to that," Draco continued, "I am here to ask a favor of sorts."
"Go on," Lupin prompted.
"I am asking that you order put my mother under protection, place her in hiding." Draco explained.
"And you?" Lupin asked.
"I don't wish to hide," Draco told him fiercely, "I want to join your ranks. I wish to fight"
Remus Lupin sat back in the chair, taking a moment to comprehend what he had just heard. It was possible that Draco could be playing a double agent. But something in the young man's eyes contradicted that theory. He seemed, if possible, even more hardened then before. Draco seemed to be seeking justice.
Remus turned to his colleagues, all of whom looked genuinely bewildered, but did not voice their concern. He knew they were still wary. 'We've been wrong before', he thought bitterly. If this conflict had taught him anything it was this: no one is who they seem to be or what you expect them to be.
"We will of course place your mother in hiding," He advised Draco. "Understand that once we take her away you will not be able to speak to her or hear much from her for a very long time."
Draco nodded.
"And me?" he asked.
"We will allow you to join us," Remus told him. "We should not turn down able bodied and intelligent young people in a battle such as this"
"Thank you," Draco said.
"I don't believe you will be safe at home," Lupin continued, "I propose we find you somewhere else to stay until things are more under control"
He turned to Arthur and Molly.
"Would it be ok if Draco stayed here temporarily?" He asked.
Remus knew that Arthur and Molly understood. He didn't quite trust Draco enough to let him stay at the Order. They didn't answer immediately. They seemed to be holding a conversation with their eyes. Finally Arthur looked at Remus, nodding his head ever so slightly.
"Shakklebolt will accompany you to your home, allowing you and your mother pick up some things," Remus explained standing up. "You will come back here and your mother will be taken to a safe location"
Draco stood too, crossing the room and once again shaking Remus' hand.
"Thank you," Draco said again.
Lupin smiled and chuckled to himself as he disapparated. Harry and his friend would love this, he thought. The Slytherin elitist staying with them, the pureblood. Remus stopped his heart growing cold.
"King of the purebloods," he mumbled under his breath. "Draco Malfoy is the King of the Purebloods."
As Remus lay down to sleep for the third time, he prayed that this was one of the many times Sybil was wrong.