It was a dark and damp November day. Rain was sloshing at the feet of the four boys wandering the streets. Their names were James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin. Their means of walking in this miserable weather were to hold a celebration in a quiet muggle pub. Their reasoning behind this celebration was because these young boys had become men and joined Albus Dumbledore in his fight against the rising Lord Voldemort. Yes, these four friends had joined the Order of the Phoenix.
The search for a perfect pub was forgotten when these boys lost the feeling in their faces. The first place they saw, a crooked little building with a chimney, was their first resort. They did not care where their festivities would take place, as long as drinks and heat were offered to them. Warm air blew out towards the boys as they opened the doors to the shabby, little place, stinging their faces from the bitter cold. Once inside, three female waitresses fought their way over to seat them.
"Is it just four, sir?" asked the victorious server to Sirius, batting her eyelashes with every word. Of course these girls were bickering as to which one could utter something to the most handsome of the four. He had that affect on women. James hid his laughter by coughing when the two other ladies discouragingly walked away, Remus rolled his eyes, and Peter, being Peter, did not take note and was too busy warming his nose. Sirius answered yes to her question, adding his charming smile.
They followed the swooning waitress to a table. "Oh, I hate to be a bother, but would you mind sitting us back there?" asked Sirius, when she led them to a table surrounded by many people. He was pointing to a small table in the back, far in distance from any other being. "We need a location for something… business related." She laughed as she told him that she was silly for not asking him for a preference and that would most definitely not be a problem. James continued his "coughing fit".
"'Ello, gents. I'm Victoria," said the girl, soon after her giggling fit had ended. She place four folded pieces of paper on the table. "What drink could I start you with?" It appeared that her question was more so directed to Sirius, but Peter had blurted out, "I'll have a butterbeer." Almost instantly, James groaned for Peter's stupidity, but they were fortunate. His silly mistake had went unnoticed on account of how upset the girl was. Her smile dropped from her face in a way of disgust. She was clearly displeased that Sirius was not the one to respond. Harshly, she replied. "I'm sorry, sir. What was that?"
"I think we're going to need a moment, love," was Sirius' quick-tongued response. The girl's smile reappeared and she left after cheerily saying. "Ok!"
Once she was out of sight, Sirius turned his focus towards the Peter and said, "Wormtail, we try to pick a normal place to go unnoticed, and you try to get us noticed. What were you thinking?"
As the other boy opened his mouth to speak, Remus cut in. "Pads, I think she was too engulfed by your dashing good looks. Pete could have said, 'I am a bloody wizard', and she would have been too busy ogling at you."
Sirius gave a barking laugh. "You find my good looks dashing, Moony?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and sliding his chair closer to Remus'. "Well in that case-"
"Why don't we find a bloody muggle drink to order before she comes back to see you two snogging in the corner. Because that is my definition of professional," interrupted James.
Sirius let another bark escape his mouth. "Prongs, mate, I'm saving Remus for later! I need not profess my love to him in the back of a worn out tavern," was the exclamation of him before the waitress returned with a puzzled look on her face. It was clearly from his remark.
"Have you decided what you want?" asked her to Sirius.
He gave her a grin and replied, "Give us four glasses of your finest alcoholic beverage. We aren't picky." The girl scribbled on her notepad before merrily skipping away.
Once the waitress had arrived with their drinks and frolicked along to her other tables, the Marauders began to talk "business".
"I can't believe we're in the Order, men," James said through a grin.
"Dumbledore always liked us, so it was obvious that he would want us to join," responded Sirius. "But it is pretty incredible, mate. I finally feel like that last ounce of Black blood had been removed from my body. This is a good feeling…"
Remus Lupin was not paying attention to the conversation. The words of his fellow friends were floating around his head as he watched a hooded figure entire the pub as he lazily drank from his glass . The only color visible from the person was white, an unhealthy shade of marble white. Thin, pale hands began pulling the hood off of this person's head, revealing a wild, curly mane and a very sallow female face. Remus groaned. He knew this person was there for him. Others of her kind had been sent to him before.
Suddenly, a hand was flashing in front of his face. "Wha- What?" asked he as his mind was released from its trance like state.
"Lost you there, Moony," said the owner of the hand, Sirius. "You're looking pale. You ok? You downed your first glass awfully fast."
"'M going to take a moment outside," Remus weakly lied, slightly dizzy from this unexpected visitor. "Th' bloody muggle stuff always bothers me." He wiped his sweaty palms off his pant legs. "Back in a moment."
As he walked away from the table, Remus felt his mouth turn dry. This night creature that was paying him a visit was taking a mental toll on him. How did she find me? was the only thing that would register in his mind. He could not think. The confusion was preventing any normal thought process from occurring.
As if on queue, she noticed the boy walking in her direction. Remus watched her pull her hood over her hair and walk outside. He knew it was because his friends would follow him out if he had walked away with a mysterious woman.
Once at the front of the pub, Remus grasped a shaking hand on the door handle. The swift opening brought fourth a nasty chill that seeped its way down to his bones. But that shiver was far less worse than the shaking he was undergoing. As he closed the door, he barely noticed the woman walk into the side alley because of the darkness that had now enveloped the land. Following her every step, Remus quaked in panic. As he turned into the alley just as she, he stood face to face with her. His jumping from fright forced a strange, twisted laugh to escape her lips. She was his worst nightmare. "Bellatrix."
The woman laughed again. "Who else, Lupin?" Her bony hands were removing her hood once more. Thick, dark eyes were glaring the boy down. A sick grin had formed across her face.
Her look was far in contrast from Remus'. He was petrified. He was not smiling about anything. "W- What- How- How did you find me?" No other words were going through his mind once again. He felt stupid, just standing there, mumbling. She only laughed harder.
"Ah, Remus Lupin. Silly, silly child," Bellatrix whispered, leaning in closer to the trembling boy. Backing him into the wall of the pub, she placed her head on his shoulder; the wild curls prickled his face. "The Dark Lord tells me things that have never dwelt upon your ears," was her response. Her breath tickled his neck, forcing goose bumps to arise. She giggled softly while he stiffened in fear.
"What did you come here for?" rigidly came forth from Remus' mouth.
Picking her head up, Bellatrix placed her hands upon his shoulders. Looking him straight in the eyes, she avoided his question by saying, "You need to relax, Lupin. I won't bite." Another coy smile inched across her haggard face.
Remus raised his own hands to remove hers. That only made things worse; she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I will relax when you tell me why you went out of your way to a muggle ridden village, to a muggle owned pub, to see me." Even if she told him everything he inquired of her, his nerves would not ease; they were too close for comfort.
She softly cooed her response. "Oh, business. Same as the others, I'm afraid. The Dark Lord has never been this desperate." With her final word, she pressed her lips upon his neck, causing the boy to twitch. He felt a smile bloom across her face once more.
Despite the fact that their bodies had been tightly pressed together, Remus was starting to calm down. The softness of her mouth on his flesh, her breath dancing upon his skin, the intoxicating scent of her extravagant hair were all soothing to him. With a small chuckle, he asked, "Why is Voldemort so interested in me? I refused his offer last time. What makes him think I will change my mind this time around?"
"I am here to persuade you this time," replied Bellatrix's ego. She raised her head once more to stare into the eyes, swirled with confusion. She pulled his head closer to hers, lips practically touching, and said, "Lycanthropy."
Remus cupped her head with the palm of his hand and closed his eyes in thought. Smirking, he said, "Of course. Lycanthropy. Voldemort wants as many of Greyback's children as he can possibly steal. But, how did you know about my tragic state of affairs," was his question to her, opening his eyes.
Bellatrix gave a shrill giggle. "I know many a thing or two about you, Wolf. Why would my Master send me to you if I didn't? I'm pretty sure you would not accept Lucius Malfoy being this close to you."
Remus gave a breathy laugh. "I guess you're right, Death Eater."
She giggled at Remus' brisk attempt at romanticism, if it could be called that. "So, Lupin, what do you say?" She pulled him into a kiss. Animalistic urges deepened this sign of desire. Remus was feeling a voluptuous need to press her closer to him. This moment of what could have been bliss was starting to dissipate in the heat of things. As she placed her fingers upon the top of his button down shirt, Remus noticed the dramatic change in their moment. Her sweet seduction was beginning to taste like bitter bribery. Everything had sunk into the pit of his stomach with the colliding of lips. He had become aware that he was deadly close to succumbing to her will, to becoming a follower of Voldemort, hours after he had joined the Order to avenge these monsters.
"NO!" He exclaimed as he forced her away from him. He was too caught up in the moment, too dazed by the intensity of their passion.
Smoothing out her robes, Bellatrix sauntered to the panting boy. She placed a bony finger upon his lips. "No need for outside voices, Lupin. It's only the two of us-"
"I won't do it," said he, pushing her arm away from him.
For the first time in their encounter, Bellatrix looked displeased. "Fine," sourly rolled off of her tongue. She folded her arms across her chest. "The Dark Lord always gets what he wants, Wolf. You will be his. Someday," were her final words before a subtle pop left Remus standing alone.
Worry crashed against Remus like a sack of bricks. As he slunk down the wall, he pulled his knees to his chest and covered his eyes with his hands. Tears were forming upon his eyelids; her omniscient words frightened him. The thought of Voldemort made him feel nauseous. Why did I draw her in like that and then force her away?
The queasy feeling did not leave Remus, even after gagging himself for several minutes. His nerves were shot. Her romance to him was chemical, hazardous and toxic. Her purpose was lethal to him.
Just as the gagging fit had come back, Remus heard someone calling his name. The owner of the voice was Sirius. "Moony, I know you aren't one for drinking, but what's going on with you? We were getting worried in there."
Remus did not pick his head up from his hands; he could not. But he felt Sirius crouch down to his side. Weakly, he said, "Dunno, mate. Maybe the proximity to the full moon or something?" The lie was stupid, his uncertainty in it showed its stupidity, but Sirius was too concerned to notice.
"Come on, mate. I'll help you in there," Sirius replied, wrapping his arm around the trembling boy and offering him his other hand to help him up. The pain in his stomach was slowly melting away. He felt more relaxed in the presence of this Black rather than the other.
Bellatrix held a romance so poisonous in seduction that the venom was still practically running through Remus' veins from her deadly attack. He hated her because of that poison.