Chapter One
Xalain Kepap tossed and turned fitfully, then her eyes opened wide, pain radiated off her in waves.
She lay there on the ground, still exhausted from the roaming the wolf had done. Her breaths came in short, huffing gasps. Xalain pushed herself into a sitting position, pain crying out from every nerve in her body.
Xalain shut her eyes briefly, the world was beginning to spin.all she wanted to do was sleep. To give her battered body a rest, then to take a boiling hot shower.
But first she had to get up.
Remus Lupin groaned as he made his slow way to his very torn up cabin.
This had to have been one of his most painful transformations ever. To make it worse, he had somehow twisted his ankle.
Remus stopped for a moment, leaning against a tree for support. Only twenty- one more feet to go, he reminded himself wryly. Easier said then done.
He limped slowly across his back lawn, taking breaks every five steps.
"Oh, damn, is it.bad.this time." Remus gasped under his breath.
He carefully positioned himself so he could open the door, and it opened with a loud creak that echoed through the small interior.
There was a sink, fireplace, couch, coat rack, table, and small door. The door led to two bedrooms and one small bathroom.
On the table there was a single photo. It had a picture of four teenage boys.
One had black hair, mischievous black eyes, and fair skin with a minimum of freckles. Next to him was a chubby boy with blonde hair and watery brown eyes. There was a boy with messy black hair, and glasses that hung crookedly, and had bright blue eyes.
Then, was Remus, of course looking much younger in the picture. His shaggy light brown hair was in his grey-blue eyes, and he looked thoroughly exhausted. But now he looked even more worn-down.
Remus' eyes glazed over when he looked at the photo.
"Oh, Peter! Why'd you do it? Why'd you betray Lily and James?" croaked Remus, and a single tear slid down his cheek.
Remus stood there for a moment, memories haunting him that never let him rest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sirius Black ran faster, he was in dog form and in a hurry. He was trying to find Remus, the events of the Twizard Tournament haunting him still, he had to warn Remus. Remus the only person he had tried to tell so far. The old crowd, Dumbledore had said, tell the old crowd.
At least all that was left of them.
The old crowd had consisted of him, Dumbledore, Sirius, Peter, Lily, James, Snape, Arabella, Mundungus, Katherine, Caroline, Marie, and Victor. Five of them were now dead or had betrayed them.
But those thoughts slowed Sirius down, which he couldn't afford to do. He had to find Remus soon, time was running out quickly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Albus Dumbledore sighed, sending off a letter to the Ministry. No matter how persuasive he was, Fudge refused to believe him. Albus was completely disgusted by the man's behavior. So many lives were at stake and all he'd believe was what he wanted.
Albus rubbed his temples, thinking about the other most immediate problem. Sirius had not yet sent word, nor Remus, or anyone else. It was already August 21st, Sirius should have talked to half of them by now.
Voldemort was planning his next move, Albus could feel it. It was going to strike them hard, if they didn't find ways to control it.
Bill and Arthur Weasley had successfully told the entire Ministry that would believe them. In secrecy they would make a plan, one that would let the Muggle world and Wizard know of Voldemort.
Tom Riddle.
Voldemort.
Same person, but so different.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, and Albus forced himself to smile pleasantly.
"Come in."
Severus Snape stalked through the door, glowering more then ever. His black haunted eyes contrasted to his pale skin.
"What is it, Severus?" asked Albus, concerned.
Severus looked worried for once, he usually looked pissed off.
"Voldemort is beginning to suspect." he hissed, venom dripping off his words like tar.
"How is this?" Severus began to pace, snarling like a caged animal. Albus noted how his hand every once in a while rubbed his forearm.
"Lucias, he spoke to Voldemort about how I seemed to be awfully chummy with you these days."
"And?" Albus prompted.
"He still hasn't forgotten a few slips that were made. I also suspect someone else knows, who is in close contact with him often." Severus finished, scowling even more.
"Thank you, Severus, I will find this out." Albus told him.
Severus walked out, somewhat calmer, shutting the door loudly behind him.
Even then, Albus knew who is had to be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Voldemort sat on the red chair, his snake like features twisted into a malicious scowl.
"Wormtail." He hissed.
"Y-yes Master?" stuttered Wormtail.
"It is time to launch an attack. That fool Fudge doesn't believe it, that imperius curse Katherine put him under helped greatly. Inform Lucias that we need more recruits, and maybe it is a good time for his son to join as well."
"Yes, my lord." Wormtrail whispered, and then scampered off to send the owl.
Everything was going as planned.
Xalain Kepap tossed and turned fitfully, then her eyes opened wide, pain radiated off her in waves.
She lay there on the ground, still exhausted from the roaming the wolf had done. Her breaths came in short, huffing gasps. Xalain pushed herself into a sitting position, pain crying out from every nerve in her body.
Xalain shut her eyes briefly, the world was beginning to spin.all she wanted to do was sleep. To give her battered body a rest, then to take a boiling hot shower.
But first she had to get up.
Remus Lupin groaned as he made his slow way to his very torn up cabin.
This had to have been one of his most painful transformations ever. To make it worse, he had somehow twisted his ankle.
Remus stopped for a moment, leaning against a tree for support. Only twenty- one more feet to go, he reminded himself wryly. Easier said then done.
He limped slowly across his back lawn, taking breaks every five steps.
"Oh, damn, is it.bad.this time." Remus gasped under his breath.
He carefully positioned himself so he could open the door, and it opened with a loud creak that echoed through the small interior.
There was a sink, fireplace, couch, coat rack, table, and small door. The door led to two bedrooms and one small bathroom.
On the table there was a single photo. It had a picture of four teenage boys.
One had black hair, mischievous black eyes, and fair skin with a minimum of freckles. Next to him was a chubby boy with blonde hair and watery brown eyes. There was a boy with messy black hair, and glasses that hung crookedly, and had bright blue eyes.
Then, was Remus, of course looking much younger in the picture. His shaggy light brown hair was in his grey-blue eyes, and he looked thoroughly exhausted. But now he looked even more worn-down.
Remus' eyes glazed over when he looked at the photo.
"Oh, Peter! Why'd you do it? Why'd you betray Lily and James?" croaked Remus, and a single tear slid down his cheek.
Remus stood there for a moment, memories haunting him that never let him rest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sirius Black ran faster, he was in dog form and in a hurry. He was trying to find Remus, the events of the Twizard Tournament haunting him still, he had to warn Remus. Remus the only person he had tried to tell so far. The old crowd, Dumbledore had said, tell the old crowd.
At least all that was left of them.
The old crowd had consisted of him, Dumbledore, Sirius, Peter, Lily, James, Snape, Arabella, Mundungus, Katherine, Caroline, Marie, and Victor. Five of them were now dead or had betrayed them.
But those thoughts slowed Sirius down, which he couldn't afford to do. He had to find Remus soon, time was running out quickly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Albus Dumbledore sighed, sending off a letter to the Ministry. No matter how persuasive he was, Fudge refused to believe him. Albus was completely disgusted by the man's behavior. So many lives were at stake and all he'd believe was what he wanted.
Albus rubbed his temples, thinking about the other most immediate problem. Sirius had not yet sent word, nor Remus, or anyone else. It was already August 21st, Sirius should have talked to half of them by now.
Voldemort was planning his next move, Albus could feel it. It was going to strike them hard, if they didn't find ways to control it.
Bill and Arthur Weasley had successfully told the entire Ministry that would believe them. In secrecy they would make a plan, one that would let the Muggle world and Wizard know of Voldemort.
Tom Riddle.
Voldemort.
Same person, but so different.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, and Albus forced himself to smile pleasantly.
"Come in."
Severus Snape stalked through the door, glowering more then ever. His black haunted eyes contrasted to his pale skin.
"What is it, Severus?" asked Albus, concerned.
Severus looked worried for once, he usually looked pissed off.
"Voldemort is beginning to suspect." he hissed, venom dripping off his words like tar.
"How is this?" Severus began to pace, snarling like a caged animal. Albus noted how his hand every once in a while rubbed his forearm.
"Lucias, he spoke to Voldemort about how I seemed to be awfully chummy with you these days."
"And?" Albus prompted.
"He still hasn't forgotten a few slips that were made. I also suspect someone else knows, who is in close contact with him often." Severus finished, scowling even more.
"Thank you, Severus, I will find this out." Albus told him.
Severus walked out, somewhat calmer, shutting the door loudly behind him.
Even then, Albus knew who is had to be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Voldemort sat on the red chair, his snake like features twisted into a malicious scowl.
"Wormtail." He hissed.
"Y-yes Master?" stuttered Wormtail.
"It is time to launch an attack. That fool Fudge doesn't believe it, that imperius curse Katherine put him under helped greatly. Inform Lucias that we need more recruits, and maybe it is a good time for his son to join as well."
"Yes, my lord." Wormtrail whispered, and then scampered off to send the owl.
Everything was going as planned.