Begins during the Battle of Mysteries (Order of the Phoenix)

Prologue

He heard her victorious cackle even before the inevitable curse. As he turned, he felt his diaphragm contract as he saw Bellatrix laughing maliciously over Nymphadora's slumped body lying helplessly on the floor. Without a second thought, he charged towards her, sensing his animalistic side immerge as an uncontrollable anger took over him.

"Oh, so now the wolvie boyfriend has come to play!" shouted Bellatrix as Lupin sent a curse towards her. She dodged it before running off towards a dark corridor. Remus chased after her. She was his prey. Playing with him, how dare she.

"Loony, loony Lupin! Ha ha ha! Don't want to end up with a dead girlfriend now, do you?!" taunted Bellatrix , her voice echoing off the cold surfaces. As Remus followed her into the darkness he felt a sudden silence. He abruptly stopped. He couldn't hear her footsteps anymore. But she was here. Somewhere. Hiding.

He growled. "Don't you dare turn your back away from me..."

"As if I would," came her playful voice, and without any warning, Lupin felt a curse fly past him, shooting out from the darkness in front of him. The curse hit several glass jars that lay on the stands behind him, causing them to shatter. Prepared to fight back, he was stopped short. He suddenly felt the oddest sensation run down his neck. It soon became apparent that he was drenched from head to toe in something cold, something... Wet? It was trickling down everywhere, and only a mere second later he felt himself start to violently shake, uncontrollably. It wasn't the time yet, it wasn't the full moon... He felt his grip loosen on his wand as it clattered to the floor. He heard Bellatrix cackle in the distance, but he only heard the muffled tone of her voice as she started yelling taunting phrases at him... As he collapsed on the hard floor, he heard distant footsteps approach the corridor, just before a scream... And then everything turned to black.

Chapter 1

Outside a group of youngsters were laughing, becoming rowdier as the minutes passed, clearly drunk. As they slumped towards the black railing of 12 Grimmaud Place, Mad Eye's grip over his staff tightened.

"It's only some youths Mad Eye," came the reassuring voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt from behind him.

"Well, we can never too careful, can we! Especially given the circumstances," mumbled Mad Eye, before turning away from the window to face the Order.

"Is Tonks safely at St Mungo's?" he asked, turning sharply towards Molly Weasley who had just entered the room. She held a wet cloth in her right hand, looking rather distressed but otherwise strong.

"Yes, I sent her with Arthur. I just received his Patronus, she's fine. Severe injuries but they reckon that she will pull through."

Mad Eye let out a sigh of relief before asking hesitantly, "And... How is Remus?"

Molly visibly stiffened before turning away to close the door firmly behind her. She then proceeded to sit on the closest available armchair near her.

"I'm afraid that it is exactly what you suspected Alastor," said Molly, closing her her eyes in defeat.

Not one soul blinked as they watched Molly in horror.

It was Kingsley who broke the silence.

"So what do we do now?" As Mad Eye gave no reply, he turned resolutely towards Molly. "Is he awake?"

"Not yet, but he should probably be coming around soon," she replied, partly relieved that someone was strong enough to speak.

"The first thing we need to determine is if his memories are gone-"

"Oh they won't be gone," interrupted Mad Eye gravely, his real eye glaring at Kingsley while his other still peered outside. The youths had moved away but were still on the street. "He just won't remember anything beyond whatever age he's become."

"Is there no way of reversing it?" exclaimed Molly, finally losing her nerve as she looked at Mad Eye with desperation.

"Maybe. We need to speak to Severus to know for sure."

No sooner did the front door slam shut, before there came the sound of footsteps. A moment later the door opened, and Arthur Weasley walked in, gasping for breath. Behind him was Severus Snape. As Arthur went to hug Molly, asking if she was alright, Severus immediately approached Mad Eye.

"You have no need to tell me, I already know. My concern, at this point, is Remus Lupin."

"He's not doing well," said Mad Eye as he eyed Snape wearily.

"I wouldn't expect him to be. The contents of that jar are, as far as I am concerned, irreversible," said Snape in a monotone voice.

"Are you sure?" asked Molly tentatively, turning her attention away from her husband.

Snape continued as if no one had spoken. "He will not have lost his memories, not at the present." Molly let out a sigh of relief.

"However," said Snape, turning his head sharply towards Molly, eying Arthur's arms around her with an icy coldness, "over a period of time, that of which I cannot possibly determine, he will start to forget. And he will continue to forget until he is left with only the memories that he originally encompassed at the age at which he has now become. The particular liquid that he was unfortunately exposed to causes the fracture of time. We were extremely fortunate to gain this information from the Granger girl who described it's effect on a death eater she had stunned. Luckily Kingsley so swiftly removed this liquid from Lupin before it had taken full effect, and he has therefore managed to not become that of an infant or elderly man. He is fortunate."

No one questioned when he had seen Remus.

"Fortunate," scoffed Arthur, staring at Snape incredulously. "He"s going forget everything! All those memories, twenty years worth!"

"That's better than him knowing not one of us now, is it?" snapped Mad Eye.

"There is, however, a possibility..." said Snape softly. Silence filled the room. "We must, however, speak to an unspeakable. This, unfortunately,is near impossible. No member of the Department of Mysteries is allowed to exploit the secrets that lie within it's department, let alone what that jar contained. On the other hand, given that the department has been exposed..."

"But we won't know that for several weeks! The Ministry is in tatters as it is! Now that Voldemort has now "publicly" returned, Fudge will be gone and be replaced by another. The Ministry will be under drastic reformation for war and as such, talking to us is the last thing on it's mind. The Department of Mysteries may even closed down while they concentrate on more pressing matters," said Mad Eye, watching outside the window once more. The youths had disappeared.

"So what happens to Remus?" asked Arthur, surprised at Mad Eye's insecure speech.

"Let me think about that, I'll have an answer in the morning. As for you, Severus, I think it would be wise to talk to Dumbledore about this, as he may have more information. Kingsley, I want you to try and find a member, preferably from the Room of Time, make sure that it's not a mole, and inquire after the jar of... What is it?" asked Mad Eye ruggedly to Snape.

"What on earth makes you think that I should know?" said Snape, staring blankly at Mad Eye before turning away, his black robes billowing behind him. A moment later, he was gone. A second later, a muffled teenager's yell was heard.

"Oh, those stupid youths!" growled Mad Eye, leaning toward the window once more.

"I don't think it's them Alastor," said Kingsley in bewilderment, causing Mad Eye to turn sharply towards him. "I think it's Moony."