A/N: At the Heart of Untouchable was the almost original title for this story. It was the last in a trilogy, now being adapted to stand alone. I began writing this about three years ago so it is very AU but still worth reading. ;-)
Summary: Remus' quest to save Nadine Petrolia leads him deeper and deeper into the horrible secret. Closer to the secret plans and the links of fate between her, her father and Draco Malfoy… but will he learn the truth before it's too late?
The Heart of the Tortured
Chapter 1 – Old Acquaintances & New Beginnings
Dear Remus,I happened to come across this while visiting Cornelius Fudge (who, as you know, is now the Minister of Wizarding Justice) and I thought it necessary to give it to you. Perhaps some unanswered questions can be resolved.
A memorandum sent from the court of the honourable Harold Flacon on the 15th June regarding the sentencing of the criminal Nadine Petrolia.
Charge: The torture and killing of Muggles and Muggle-sympathisers, harbouring dangerous criminals, resisting arrest and causing serious injury or death to ten Aurors.
Sentence: The Dementors Kiss. To be carried out on the 7th July 2000.
As you see, there is not much time as it is the 28th June. It is up to you what you do with this information.
Arthur Weasley.
Remus slowly dropped the letter on the table next to him, confused as to why Arthur was sharing this information with him. He didn't know all that much about Nadine, other than the fact that she was a friend of Nymphadora's. She had been a Ravenclaw, and a year ahead of Nymphadora in school. Shortly after her graduation she had become a Death Eater. This was nine years after Voldemort had disappeared. Nine years after James and Lily had been killed. The Death Eaters had been quiet since that night, so many of them thought Voldemort had been defeated. There was still the occasional attack on Muggles, but nothing like what had gone on at the height of Voldemort's reign. This is what confused Remus the most, why had Nadine willingly joined a powerless and leaderless group?
Remus got up and went to the bookshelf, pulling out a photo album and flipping through it until he came to his graduation photos. He flicked past them a few pages and there it was, the only picture he had of her. It was the day James and Lily had their engagement party. There was James on the left, grinning and waving at him, shooting sidewards glances down the line. Sirius was next to him, laughing, with his arm over Portia's shoulders as she watched James and Lily, her eyes shining with amusement. Remus' own image stood next to her and was smiling that same half-smile. Next down the line was the object of James' sidelong looks, Lily. Smiling warmly and furtively returning James' look. Last in the line was Peter, looking small and insignificant. A surge of anger coursed through Remus when he saw Peter. The traitor. Last of all, in front of him, Portia and Sirius were Nymphadora and Nadine, sitting on Mr Tonks' knee with an arm each around his neck, mouths open wide in a soundless song. They were best friends at school, although Nadine had been a year ahead of Nymphadora. He remembered vaguely how happy and friendly she seemed back then, how had it happened? When had she changed so much that she became a Death Eater? Those were questions only she could answer and those answers needed to be given, if only for Nymphadora's sake. What happened the year after Nadine's graduation when she had disappeared? What changed her so much during that time to cause her to resurface as one of Voldemort's most radical supporters?
Three years had passed since Dumbledore had been murdered, leaving the Order of the Phoenix without a leader. It had been Arthur who had taken over, as he had been in the best position to do so. They had also been forced to find a new headquarters. Because of its solitary location, the new place would have been too much hassle to put under the same protection spell that had hidden Grimmauld Place so it had other defences. It was an old place out of London close to Southend; Remus suspected it had last been used as a workhouse. For though it was larger than Grimmauld Place, to everyone's disgust it was in worse condition than Grimmauld Place had ever been, which meant the cleaning had had to start all over again. It had first sarcastically been called Phoenix Manor but the name had stuck. Remus came to the manor in search of Arthur.
He stood in the entrance hall of the Order of the Pheonix headquarters, waiting nervously. Why had Arthur told him about Nadine? Should he tell Nymphadora? First of all, he needed to confront Arthur.
"Professor Lupin!" Hermione's voice rang out and Remus turned to see her waving at him from the second floor landing.
"Hermione, I haven't been your teacher for six years. How many times must I ask you to call me Remus?"
Hermione grinned. "Sorry, Remus."
"Have you seen Arthur?"
"Oh," Hermione squinted at Remus as she thought. "I think he is in the kitchen, he was reading the newspaper when I last saw him."
"Thank you." Remus moved off towards the kitchen determined to confront Arthur.
"Any news?" Arthur asked as he glanced up from the paper to see Remus enter the room.
"Nothing since I had to give up my efforts with the werewolves," Remus sighed.
"Yes it was becoming increasingly too unsafe. What with the dangerous sway Greyback has managed to gain."
"Yes. Arthur, about the owl you sent me…"
Arthur sighed and rubbed his temples. His hair had continued to retreat with the years and the top of his shining scalp was very much visible through the fading redness of his hair. "Remus, what would you have me do? I have so much to do otherwise I would never have burdened you with this. I know you think I should have told Tonks not you, but you know her. I remember something, overhearing something, it may be nothing but still… I need you to make sure I'm wrong. Make sure the Ministry has nothing to do with this."
"How can I do this? With my… condition, no one will want to talk to me. Why not get Kingsley? He is an Auror."
"I am aware of what Kingsley is Remus; I need someone with an open mind on this. Because of Kingsley's position he can't be."
Remus could think of nothing to say, so he nodded grimly.
"What is the time?" Arthur asked wearily.
"About 10:30."
Remus watched with sympathy as Arthur shot out of his chair and dashed off. Suddenly there was a crash, and Molly Weasley screeched from upstairs.
"Tonks! Do try to be careful!"
Remus entered the entrance hall to see an apologetic Tonks trying to stand the heavy umbrella stand back up.
"I'll help," Remus offered, stepping forward and grabbing hold of the ugly elephant foot stand.
"Thanks, Remus… how'd she know it was me?"
"No idea," he answered with a hint of cynicism in his voice.
When they got it upright Remus stood there uncomfortably for a few moments as Tonks waited, sensing something was wrong. Taking a deep breath Remus finally said, "Nymphadora, could I talk to you for a minute?"
"It's Tonks, but… sure," Tonks replied with a frown, unsure where the conversation was leading.
"Ok, er… well, you see… Nymphadora," Remus took her hands and looked into her eyes intensely. "Nadine is in Azkaban." Tonks went white and tried to pull away. "Wait! They're going to give her the Dementors Kiss."
Tonks pulled her hands away from Remus. "Good," she whispered, turning around, she opened the front door and ran.
"Well, that went splendidly," Remus said to him self sarcastically.
"Did Tonks just leave? Pity," a voice said from directly behind Remus, which made him jump.
"I thought you were leaving, Arthur," Remus stated turning to face the tired wizard.
"No, I am just disorganised," Arthur sighed with a small smile.
That afternoon, after trying unsuccessfully to talk to Tonks, and against his better judgment, Remus found himself travelling to Azkaban. He followed his two Auror guides through the maze of dark, dank corridors with a feeling of unease. The Dementors might be gone, but the air of misery certainly wasn't. Finally the Aurors stopped and one pointed to the cell to his left before they moved away to give Remus and the cell's occupant some semblance of privacy.
She sat on the bed. Two green eyes stared out at him from underneath matted and dirty hair, the sharp angles of her shoulder blades obvious through the thin, old shift she wore. Suddenly she spoke. "Who are you?"
"I am Remus Lupin, Nadine."
"Ah, yes. I heard many things about you at Hogwarts. One of the infamous Marauders," she said mockingly. After a moment's silence Nadine asked, "What are you doing here?"
"To find out the truth."
Nadine snorted in amusement. "Do you want the truth or a reason to feel better about yourself? What is it you came here expecting to find?"
"Well I… I guess I came to see you."
Anger flared in Nadine's eyes. "Now you have seen me. So go." She turned away and stared at the wall of her cell.
Remus was unsure what to do; he noticed one of the Aurors had stayed close and was coming closer as their face changed, revealing an angry Tonks. "How dare you!"
Recognising the voice something flashed across Nadine's face but it was gone too quickly for Remus to identify it. "Still harbouring that secret crush, Nymphadora?" She turned in time to see Remus' expression and smirked. "Perhaps not so secret after all… Interesting."
"I can't believe I ever trusted you, ever called you a friend. You're nothing, nothing but a murderer and a liar," Tonks said vehemently.
"Then why are you here?" Nadine replied angrily.
"To make sure you're getting all that you deserve." This said, Tonks whirled around and stalked off down the corridor.
Remus stood watching Tonks walk away bewildered, when Nadine's voice cut through his thoughts, "Go after your girlfriend and leave me alone, would you."
Remus ignored her remark. "What happened to you, Nadine? Why did you join that group of madmen and murderers?" he asked softly, his eyes still following Tonks' retreating back.
Nadine sighed. "Nothing. I never changed, Remus; I just did what I had to. Voldemort was so powerful it was inevitable that he would come back. No one can stand against him."
"You're wrong. I do, the Order does and Harry… young Harry, he is alone in ways no one can change. Not until we have won and defeated Voldemort."
Nadine snorted in amused disbelief, "What makes you think you can win, that you will?"
Remus turned to face her then and looked her straight in the eye. "Because we have to."
Remus sat at the kitchen table of Phoenix Manor deep in thought. Something about what Nadine had said was bothering him but he couldn't figure out what it was. He sat there hunched over a cup of tea, staring into it blindly when Harry entered, poured himself a glass of water and sat down beside him.
"What's eating you?" he asked, making Remus jump.
"Oh, Harry. I was just… thinking."
"What about?"
"Something someone said."
Realizing he wasn't going to find out much more than that, Harry changed the subject. "So, what do you think about Malfoy's disappearing act?"
"Disappearing act?"
"You haven't heard? Ron's really worked up about it. He killed a Muggle woman who apparently helped him, why we'll never know… and now he's run off. I bet Voldemort is fuming." Harry smirked to himself, his smug smile turning to shock when Remus stood suddenly and slammed his fists on the table.
"That's it!" he exclaimed excitedly. "It was a clue, maybe unintentional but there it is!" Remus strode toward the door of the kitchen without a glance or word of farewell to Harry, Harry's eyes following him in bewilderment as he tried to comprehend exactly what had just happened.
Remus was heading for the door so purposely that he almost ran into Tonks.
"Whoa, Remus! What's the hurry?" she smiled up at him.
"She said 'Voldemort', Nymphadora!" Remus cried clasping her hands, simultaneously making Tonks' heart jump with confusion and soar with happiness at his touch.
"Tonks," she corrected automatically. "Who?" she added, peering up into Remus' face, trying to understand.
"Nadine," Remus answered. "You know what it means," he added insistently.
Tonks' eyes flickered with comprehension before clouding over. "Do I?" she asked defiantly.
Remus sighed, dropping her hands. "I'll talk to you later," he said turning away from her and heading out the door, closing it quietly behind him.
"What was that all about?" Harry asked Tonks.
"Nothing," Tonks said shortly, fleeing from the room.
That was definitely not nothing, Harry thought, finishing his water and picking up his coat. He considered chasing after Tonks and finding out what was wrong but decided against it. He had to get home.
So there's chapter 1. Coming up in chapter two: Remus digs deeper than Harry would like, and we find Draco amused, mystified and horrified all at once.
Please review and read on, or read on and review!
