From the outside it would seem like a quiet ordinary morning on a beautiful countryside estate. The singing of birds accompanied with the deep rustle of leaves start to fill the last bit of silence that only comes at night.
A picture fit for a postcard.
However, two separate and troubling problems lie just within those aged stoned walls –one issue going completely unseen by all inside.
If you were to step foot into the manor right now the first thing you would notice –the offending odors of blood, sweat, and despair. The second thing you would notice –the screams. Heart wrenching to the point of your own eyes filling with tears like you were the one feeling the pain of the person screaming.
"Tell us!" The crazed voice behind the silver mask screams "Tell us where it is!"
Broken beyond being able to form words all Augusta Roman can do is spit the new mouthful of blood on the marble floor and shake his head in defiance.
A quick kick and the death eaters boot makes contact with one of several broken ribs.
"Why couldn't you just play nice," the masked man turns to his unmasked partner "Bring in the girl."
Upon hearing these words Augusta renews his fight against the invisible bonds keeping his hands behind his back.
"NO! Don't you touch her!"
The gleam in the eyes of the Death Eater reveals a won victory –they have found the hardened Auror's weakness.
His young daughter.
Fenrir Greyback drags a visibly shaken girl into the room. Her eyes land on her father's battered body before she falls to her knees reaching out to him.
"Daddy?" her words are drowned out by the Death Eater shouting an unforgivable curse.
"Crucio"
The curse hits the desired mark and every muscle in young Lydia Roman's body feels like it is being raked over hot coals. Her scream is involuntary and is met with her fathers as he begs for them to stop.
When it stops Lydia is left panting on the floor, "Where. Is. It. Roman?"
"I-I-Don't know" the wand raises up toward Lydia again "I SWEAR IT. I DON'T KNOW. Just please—please leave her alone."
"Why don't I believe you Roman? Does your daughter really mean so little to you that you would continue this farce? Maybe I should just let Greyback have her-"
"NO!"
"—You know how he has a thing for children. Maybe he will even keep her alive so she can turn furry once a month" The unknown Death Eater grabs Augusta's face so that their eyes meet "Yes, maybe that is what I will do. Of course, I think a few more rounds of the Cruciatus curse might jog your memory as well. How long do you think she can hold out?"
"Please."
"Crucio." The screams pick up where they left off.
Something within Lydia snaps. She feels it. At first, she wasn't sure because it felt like every bone in her body was being broken and pulled through her skin but she knew something was very wrong.
She was conscious but everything was black.
"Stupify!" an unfamiliar voice broke through her pain and all she could do was cry.
CHAPTER ONE
Remus Lupin was trying to show his excitement at returning to Hogwarts for his sixth year but the upcoming full moon had him in a terrible disposition. Sirius and James were not helping the situation by trying to get him to join in on the discussion of which of the girls had 'really grown' over summer holiday.
When Sirius starting guessing what size brazier Sandra Sly was wearing under her robes Remus had had enough. Leaving the compartment without an excuse he made his way down the hall hoping to find an empty one to collect his thoughts.
Peeking into one of the last ones showed he might be in luck but upon opening the door he saw a young woman leaning against the wall nearest the door –like she was trying to hide from the world.
Remus was about to apologize and leave when the girl sat up and smiled at him.
"Hello, you can have a seat if you'd like"
He should have turned around and left. He was not in the right mindset to keep the company of someone like her but he muttered a quick 'thank you' and took the seat across from her and next to the window.
"I'm Lydia by the way, Lydia Roman." Her voice was soft, soothing to every nerve he felt was exposed. Remus studied her and instantly memorized everything about her, from her wavy dark ash hair to her heart-shaped face. It wasn't until he went to commit her lips to his memory that he realized she was talking.
"I'm sorry?"
"I said," she laughed "that it is usually polite to introduce oneself next."
"What? Oh, right I apologize, I'm Remus. Remus Lupin." He stuck his hand out but frowned when she didn't reciprocate. That was when he realized that she was looking in his direction but wasn't actually looking at him. In fact, he couldn't really see much of her eyes since the purple lenses on her glasses were casting their color onto her face.
"Well it is a pleasure to meet you Remus. I was starting to think that I smelled funny since no one else was sitting with me."
"I can assure you that you smell great. I—uh—I mean you smell fine." He mentally cursed himself for sounding like a second year Hufflepuff talking to a girl for the first time.
"Thank you and so do you. In fact, you smell like chocolate and citrus. A very fine combination indeed."
"I do?"
"Oh yes" Lydia leaned in closer to Remus and whispered "Chocolate is my favorite" then she reached into the bag next to her and pulled out a bar of 'Scrumptious Fudge Ripple'.
"Would you like some?" she broke the bar in half and held it out toward Remus.
Everyone knew that Remus Lupin had a massive sweet tooth and it was only made worse by his condition. Often when it was the day of a full moon all he would eat is chocolate.
He took the offered piece and smiled at the giver, "Thank you."
She just smiled at him and bit into her half of the chocolate.
"Forgive me Lydia but I don't remember seeing you around Hogwarts before."
"Well I'd imagine not sine this is my first year."
"You seem awfully big to be a first year—that's not what I meant –I mean you seem old?" he couldn't stop the groan that came out after he finished his statement.
Lydia however didn't seem to mind and found it funny, "I'm a transfer. This is actually my sixth year. Daddy thought that Hogwarts would be safer since… you-know-who." Her smile understandably faltered and for some reason Remus hated seeing it leave her face.
"Where are you transferring from?"
"Beauxbatons but enough about me. Tell me about Hogwarts, I've heard that there are four houses."
"Yes, named after the four founders of Hogwarts. Ravenclaw is where the intelligent and creative are housed. The loyal and hardworking are in Hufflepuff. Cunning and Sly go into Slytherin. Then the courageous and Brave are sorted into Gryffindor."
"Judging by the pride in your voice I would say that you are a Gryffindor?"
"You would be correct in your judgement."
"Huh. I wonder what house I will be put into. Does it really matter? I mean even if I am in a different house we could still talk right?"
"Absolutely!" Remus sounded way too excited at the prospect of a beautiful girl wanting to talk to him. Sirius was the one the ladies flocked to "I would like that."
The train came to a stop and the halls were filled with excited chatter as this years Hogwarts students made their way to school.
Lydia remained seated and Remus could see the signs of nervousness start to show so he sat down next to her.
"If you'd like I can walk you to the carriages?"
"That would be lovely Remus. Do you mind waiting until the crowd starts to die down? I tend to get a bit overwhelmed but if you have other friends to met up with I completely understand and don't want to be a bother."
"It's no bother at all. It's the least I can do since you were so courteous with your stash of chocolate."
"That's nothing. You see the trunk above me? It's nothing but chocolate."
"A woman after my heart."
The compartment filled with their combined laughter and it wasn't long before the sounds of their classmates were almost nonexistent.
"Shall we madam?" Remus held out his elbow in mock fashion as Lydia stood. But instead of grabbing his arm she grabbed a pole from beside her and it extended until the tip was on the ground.
"We shall sir."
Taken aback by this newfound knowledge and what it meant it took Remus a second to compose himself and remember to open the compartment door for her. Leaving her bags behind, since they always somehow made it to their dorms anyway, he made it his job to clear her path of anything that might be in her way.
It wasn't until they were in line for a carriage that Lydia spoke to him.
"You know, you are going to have a full-time job this school year if you feel the need to walk in front of me moving every little thing. That's what this thing is for." She held up her stick and smiled at Remus.
"Sorry I didn't know that you were –uh—you know."
"Does it make any difference? I'm still the person from a few minutes ago I just can't see. That's why I have Glenda."
"Glenda? And no, of course it doesn't change anything."
"Funny thing about magic is you can enchant pretty much anything. Where muggles have seeing eye dogs, we have enchanted guide canes. It leads me around obstacles and to where I need to go. It's quite fascinating really but to answer your question I have named her Glenda. I'd much prefer to have a dog but I have terrible allergies so I'll have to make do with my imagination."
Remus climbed the steps to the carriage then took her hand to assist her up the three steps before sitting down next to her.
"Remus! There you are. We were wondering where you got off to—well hello" Sirius jumped into the carriage before it started to pull away and took Lydia's hand in his so he could lay a kiss on the top. Remus's friend winked at him as he sat opposite them. "I see why you abandoned us Mooney. Aren't you going to introduce the lovely lady?"
Remus was relieved when Lydia's smile seemed to be more out of politeness and not as genuine as their time together on the train.
"This mangey mutt is Sirius Black and this is Lydia Roman a sixth-year transfer from Beauxbatons."
"Well enchanté Miss Lydia."
"I can tell that you fancy yourself a ladies man Mr. Black and I am sure that the ladies are happy to have your attention."
"Do I have your attention? I'd be happy to show you around Hogwarts." Remus couldn't help but roll his eyes as Sirius waggled his eyebrows at Lydia. The man just couldn't help himself.
"I'm afraid not. I already have a tour guide, that is if you don't mind Remus?"
"It'd be my pleasure."
"Oh, I'm sure it would be Mooney." The glare Remus sent Sirius did nothing to wipe that smug look off of his good friend's face.
The hall was eerily silent as Lydia made her way to the sorting hat. Professor McGonagall explained to her that she would be sorted last which was a little intimidating if Lydia was being honest.
Glenda moved in a way to let Lydia know that she was approaching steps and then she was reaching out to find the seat of the stool. She did her best to ignore the hushed whispers it was uncommon to find a blind or deaf witch in the magical world but not unheard of. There are several documented cases of magical abuse leaving victims in those states. The majority caused from potions but Lydia was in the small percentage of 'others'.
The weight of the hat was comforting in a way but then it started talking and not quietly either.
"Let's see…Intelligent, yes…very loyal and hardworking… and extremely brave. You have quite a few qualities which makes it difficult to sort. Do you have a preference?"
Lydia instantly thought of Remus and how easy it was to be herself around him.
The hat chuckled before it announced "GRYFFINDOR!"