BiLL iN hiS tRuCk WitH siRiuS…
Disclaimer: I lay no claim on the brilliant ideas, characters, or plot lines of Joanne Kathleen Rowling.
Author's Note: For those of you whom I know will question the what's and why's of the following scenes, I want you to know that it is just something I wrote down as a story only, with no meaning beyond what you'd understand if you were me. It is purely in the form of entertainment, that is, if you really like it…
This story was powered by Pink Floyd. Hats off to you, gentlemen!
She heard the sound of the truck approaching their street: a skill heralded from the days in her youth spent waiting for her mother to turn that corner, as she came home after work. A red Toyota Tacoma rounded on the rainy, windswept street, and she felt a stab of jealousy toward Bill. It was her favorite truck.
Bill pulled to a stop in front of them and got out. His hands were in his pockets as he approached them, looking up through the rain as he walked. She could see the figures of Arthur, Mundungus, and Remus in the truck.
"Hi," Bill said quietly, as he stood, wet, in front of her. Rain was the least of their troubles.
"Hi," she replied, reassuring herself as she gripped Padfoot's wet fur.
Bill gave a quick half-smile and nodded towards the pickup's trunk "Let's haul," he said, giving her a quick and gentle pat on the shoulder as he moved to make his way back to the driver's seat. She gave a whistle and jogged toward the back, opening it so that Sirius could jump up. Before she closed it, she gave him a quick kiss on the forehead. The dog licked her face in return. She closed the pickup and quickly jumped into an empty seat in the back as Bill started the engine. They headed off through the rain-soaked street-- a perfect touch to the nervous atmosphere.
"So you talked to him?" she asked of Arthur.
"Yes. It's all arranged," he replied, looking worriedly out the window. She turned around in her seat, looking at the soaked dog that squinted through the wet wind, his black fur billowing about him. Remus sighed and gently pulled her around, sitting her down.
"Stop that, you'll just get worked up."
"I don't like him being out there in the cold. He's not particularly healthy, Remus."
"He's been up to worse, and you know it. Calm down."
She heaved her shoulders in a shuddering sigh. Remus was right, he had been through worse, and that was why she loved him so much.
They continued driving on through the wet. They managed to make it to Temecula without a hitch, but none of them dared to breathe a hint of relief. There remained a long while to go. It wasn't until they made the turn toward the mountain itself that, she began to feel relief--
"####!"
Bill stopped the car abruptly in the street, and as no one was on the road, this was no hindrance to uptight road-rage abusers, but the absence of cars made the scene all the more ominous. Ahead of them in the gray air was an obvious gathering of wizards.
"Who're they?" she asked, panic in her tone.
"####. I don't know, but I don't wanna risk anything," said Bill, pressing his forehead to the steering wheel for a moment.
"They've seen us," said Arthur, leaning forward to observe the foreboding wizards. They were gathered in a circle, their vehicles behind them. There was no question about the fact that they were waiting for them specifically. There was no other explanation for a circle of wizards in a known muggle area. They just stood there, talking amongst themselves, some with their arms crossed casually. She noticed, as a sheer terror rose in her throat, seizing her body with a warm nausea, that the men were beginning to abandon their lax loitering to point at their red, halted truck. Some of them came forward pulling out their wands.
"Dammit!" she nearly shrieked.
"Just be calm," said Arthur simply, opening his door and stepping out briskly to greet the men. She noticed that his hand was in his right pocket: the one in which his wand rode, waiting for the slightest discourse. As he walked to them all by himself, the Order's tension mounted. These men knew. They were simply too relaxed and too menacing. She turned once more to look at Sirius, who, sensing the danger, had huddled himself in the front left corner of the pickup, hiding innocently.
Arthur was coming back now, followed by two wizards that none of them recognized. As scary as the fact was, it made the Order relax slightly: if the Order didn't recognize them, the strangers would have trouble recognizing the Order.
"I'm going to need to search this truck," said the wizard plainly once he had reached the driver's side and placed his hands on the door through the window. Arthur stood calmly behind him on the side of the road.
"Why, sir?" asked Bill, trying not to sound too suspicious or relaxed. A perfect mix was required to pass this off.
"I'll ask the questions," said the man, opening the door. The second wizard was some feet behind him, near Arthur, tapping his foot. She stared uncomfortably at him, her knees shaking. She knew this was not good-- not at all, but neither of the men had really looked in the back yet, and she prayed they wouldn't think of it, for it looked quite empty.
Before Bill had a chance to open his door, the wizard opened it for him
"Now see ''ere!" threatened Mundungus, waving a finger at the extremely rude wizard.
"Put that away," he said, almost violently, waving the finger away. Mundungus was taken aback. They all got out of the car at that point, convinced that it was best not to argue.
They watched as he looked in the glove compartment, and under the seats, and even ate Bill's leftover sandwich half. It disgusted them, and she held Bill's forearm warningly as his fist clenched at the indignity of it.
Then, they looked in the back.
The wizard stopped for a moment, and turned slowly. "So, you have a dog, do you? A black dog?" The other wizard finally perked up and went to the side of the intruder wizard.
"Aye, that's our old Black Sheep," said Mundungus proudly, playing it off quite well.
Her heart nearly pounded from her chest. This had to do with Sirius, and they had found him… Bill felt her tightened and painful grip that shook in simple horror.
The intruder turned to them as the other waved for the rest to approach. She drew in painful breaths as she watched Sirius play dog by greeting the men happily and wagging his tail.
The man spoke, his face full of accomplishment.
"So… sneaking convicted murderers into the mountains, are we?"
"Were just goin' on 'oliday, sah—What?" tried Mundungus, but too late.
Her voice choked a terrified sob, and the dog tensed: there was no point in playing dog anymore. A man soon stood in place of the dog, holding a wand between the eyes of the rude wizard.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Sirius bellowed, jumping down from the truck as the rigid body fell.
"Sirius, run!" she screamed as the man's fellow jumped to his aid, stopped by Bill, who punched him in the eye and then broke his wand. The team of wizards ahead of them began to run in their direction.
"Dammit!!" Sirius roared, turning toward them with his wand ready. He had no intention of running. He ran to her side, as she pulled out her own wand, but she said no incantations, she just stared at him with incredulity.
"What the hell are you doing you dolt?! Run!"
Sirius looked at her quickly after he drew breath from a spell. The Order was holding them off well for the number of them. A good amount was petrified, and invisible ropes bound others. The rest were either running away or ducking behind vehicle doors for protection from the flashes of many spells.
Sirius relaxed a moment and started to walk back toward the truck as he spoke. "I think we're okay… Let's just get back in the truck and charge the dumb bastards—OUCH!"
A red and deeply bleeding gash had violently streaked across and into Sirius' left shoulder. He grasped it briefly, feeling the pain, but quickly turned about, looking at the source of the searing spell…
"Not a wise idea, Mr. Black."
A flock of Death Eaters on brooms surrounded them from behind. The cowering men behind their vehicles got into their SUVs, leaving their fellows and some unoccupied automobiles behind.
Lucius Malfoy led the mouth-widening and heart-sinking herd of evil now in before them. It was he who had spoken.
"You wonder, perhaps," he continued, "how we came to know you were on your way here? Well…" he added with the slightest of chuckles. "You can thank your dear friend Snape for that one."
Sirius let out a growl and made to leap at Lucius, but she grabbed his arm as Arthur and Bill stood in front of him. Sirius struggled against her bonds, but didn't really try to break them. There was a hush in the group at such utter betrayal—amazement through intense anger and helplessness.
Bellatrix waved at Sirius from her broomstick that hovered beside Lucius. "Hello, Sirius… It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
"Too long," Sirius spat, moving forward, "because I would have liked to tear your head off sooner."
"Tut, tut, tut…" whined his cousin, shaking her head pitifully. "You never had much by manners…"
"Not for you—"
"That will do!" said Lucius, holding his arm in front of Bellatrix as if to halt her words. "Men, we have orders… You will come with us now, Mr. Black."
Sirius' eyes widened, and the group tightened around him.
She was personally affronted. She pulled out her wand.
"#### you!" She yelled at Bellatrix.
Sirius tried to move in front of her. "Be quiet," he said gently.
Bellatrix looked as if it was a grand holiday. "Ooh, my cousin's got a fiery little girlfriend!"
"Hey!" shouted Sirius. "Listen to Malfoy here, and keep your mouth shut!"
Lucius closed his eyes, frustrated. "That's enough! Seize him!"
It happened too fast, she transformed into Ane, brooms flew headlong at them—there were screams, yelps of pain, flashes of spells…then all went dark.
She awakened in a light room. The walls were painted white, and there was a wide array of wizards, all looking quite tough and bristly with stubble. She lifted her head slowly and warily off of the white table that was not unlike one she would have found in any school's detention room. Nearly all of the bedraggled men who weren't dozing as she had been were staring at her with wide grins. Arthur, Mundungus, Bill, Remus… none of them were in sight. A sickening fear suddenly struck her beyond the fear of herself or her friends: Where was Sirius?
"So, awake are ya?" said a ragged voice.
She turned her head defiantly in the direction of the speaker. "What does it look like?" she spat, annoyed that she had no idea how she had gotten there, and these men made her worry for her lover even more intense.
"So you were the one hiding the little shrimp they brought in here with ya?" asked another, equally ragged voice.
Her ears ####### up, and a breath choked in her throat. "What do you know about the shrimp?" she asked him angrily. "Where'd they take him, dammit?"
The man looked surprised, then he smiled evilly and pointed at the door to her right, as white and merciless as the rest of the room.
"What's in there," she asked, standing up, her seat screeching across the super-market-tiled floor.
"We're all going to find out soon enough," said a man with an eye patch. "Yourn has been in there for hours. Skinny little bloke, he was."
She looked at him, wanting to say something in Sirius' defense, but couldn't find the words. "So he'll be coming out, right?" she said quietly—hopelessly.
She waited in that horrible white room for two more hours, and by the time she heard the door opening she wasn't prepared for what she'd see coming out: she'd become so used to simply waiting. When she finally noticed what was going on, she had to think about it for a few moments, then, coming to her senses, ready to fight in anyway she could through her weariness, she called, "Sirius?" tentatively as she stood quickly and made her way to the door through the crowded room of convicts.
There was no reply, at least not right away. A few ministry police were exiting, seemingly congratulating themselves on something. Their eyes had a kind of vengeful look about them that made her shiver.
Then Sirius came through the doorway.
There was no doubt about it that he had been beaten. He had livid purple bruises all over his face, and his nose looked as if it had bled and he hadn't had the proper opportunity to clean it. He was bent over and weak, but his face still held that rigid defiance that she loved so dearly about his courage. She screamed, seeing him that way, and she didn't hear herself until after she had done so. Sirius looked up quickly, and the life seemed to spring back into his body when he realized who it was.
"You? What the hell?"
A commotion began; guards were beginning to swarm the room. Sirius began to fight against his bonds, her presence rejuvenating him.
"YOU TOLD ME SHE WOULDN'T BE HERE!" He bellowed at the men behind him, fighting to get to her, who now surged with fresh emotion and energy. "YOU TOLD ME SHE WOULDN'T BE ANYWHERE NEAR HERE!"
She was terrified. They were taking him away. Ane was beginning to kick in, and the men around her watched, terrified as the blues swirled. Sirius' voice was fury itself and it haunted her. Her wings spread wide, lifting her slightly as she pounced, knocking two guards to the ground. Sirius fought even harder.
"YOU LYING SONS OF BITCHES!!! YOU ####### LYING BASTARDS! YOU TOLD ME SHE'D BE LEFT ALONE!!"
"SIRIUS!" she screamed, her anguished cry reverberating about the room, torturing the ears of the bedraggled crooks that saw her beauty as the creature. "Sirius, NO! LET HIM GO, DAMMIT! LET HIM GO! HE'S DONE NOTHING, YOU BASTARDS, NOTHING!"
She had jumped on the nearest guard of many that had entered, and he now lay unconscious on the cold tile. She was flying and dodging, hitting and screaming, but Sirius was getting farther away. He too was putting up a violent struggle, and he had already overcome his first guard, but he was showing signs of weakness on his newest apprehender. She noticed this, feeling sick through her passionate fury at trying to get to him.
"DON'T YOU DARE LET THEM BEAT YOU!" he screamed. "LEAVE BEFORE THEY KILL YOU! —Argh!" He was suddenly hit with a flashlight to the stomach. "THEY'RE NOT OF THE MINISTRY! GET TO THE ORDER! TELL THE ORDER! DON'T LET THEM GET YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! "
It took her a moment to realize that he knew he wasn't going to be coming back, that he knew he was already weak, and that he knew he was saying what he could in what he knew was the last time he'd be able to speak to her. This was unreal, and she didn't take those words seriously. She couldn't. Her wings spread wide and flew above the guards. She was desperate to get to him, and the men around her were holding her legs. She dealt them heavy blows with her feet when she could free them.
"NO, SIRIUS! I'M COMING! LET ME GO! LEAVE HIM ALONE! I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU ALL! SIRIUS!" There were tears flying from her eyes as she screamed at him. How dare he give up!
Then, in a moment that seemed to be an eternity, quieting all that surrounded them, their eyes locked onto the other's. There were tears in hers and a defeated fire in his beneath the bruises and scarring. She was screaming, but he had long since given up, his body finally having realized its injuries. He was being hit and kicked into submission, and she saw something in him that she never thought she'd see, ever. It was working. With a grunt he fell to the floor…
"MY GOD! SIRIUS!!! NOOOO!!!"
End Note: There's a simple reason that makes the Order just scream its goodness to me: no matter how evil their enemy, they never use terribly hostile spells against them, as was witnessed in The Order of the Phoenix. They just try to restrain the enemy, rather than kill or torture them, despite the right that they have to use such devices. Also, I don't know if I really think that Snape is a double agent. He was just the first person that popped into my head as a likely candidate for betrayal. Sorry, all you Severus fans! I don't mean it! I like the guy too! … I'm dead, aren't I? And the reason I keep calling Sirius' chick "she" or "her?" "She" just seemed like the nameless type of gal to me because she isn't really in the series… And the "Ane" thing? I'll never tell…
