A.N. I have no idea where this story is headed, so beware; it's kind of driving itself. I'm just sitting down and I'm going to start typing. /evil grin/ This should be fun.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story.
You know those moments that make your heart beat faster and your toes curl? You know the feeling when you're holding something so fragile in your hands and you know if you shake too much from fear it will shatter? Can you imagine the feeling of throwing yourself off a cliff because it's the only place left to go?
I'm about to show you what it's like to grow wings.
There was always a pleasant feeling about the stone walls and the security the hinges and locks gave the castle. It made everyone feel safe. Or at least it used to. The sounds of class bells sounding and footsteps down the halls had long since faded from the corridors of Hogwarts. It was a stronghold, the last stronghold left against Voldemort. It started out as a normal day, people existing in the last place that was left to exist. At least, that's what Hermione thought.
Gasping for breath, legs screaming in agony, the man pushed himself harder--he was so close. He had spent a year out in this mess, barely surviving, and waiting for the moment when someone would stop paying attention and he could run.
The grey walls were no change from yesterday or the day before that and the clanking of chains as Remus shifted was no different either. Yawning, he lifted his head up off his arms that pillowed his head from the cold stone every night. This had been his life for the past year: A five by five cell with a roof that wouldn't even allow him to fully stand up. He could barely even crouch.
Glancing into the corner he noticed that they hadn't come to remove the food he wasn't eating. At first it had been a valiant fight, every night swearing to himself that he'd make it, that it wasn't time for the last marauder left to die, not yet.
…That had been a long time ago.
It wasn't dark where the kept him, no. They couldn't even let him die in the dark; they couldn't let insanity have him. They left him in a room where the sun rose and set every night so Remus was painstakingly aware of every day that passed. His transformations were gruesome. With only the limited amount of space given to him the wolf was more cramped than he and the shackles they had welded onto his wrists did not expand, they tightened around his bones, causing the wolf agonizing pain the entire time of bending his bones to the point just before they broke.
It was strange to say the least, to hear a door open and close and to see a pair of feet appear. A rather stubby pair of feet attached to even stubbier legs. Wormtail. He was usually only brought food when he was asleep. Disgust and happiness warred with each other, joy at seeing another human being for the first time since he had been put in this accursed cell and disgust that it was Wormtail.
"Hello old friend," Wormtail spat, leaning down to look into the cell.
"I must say, what happened to your face Peter? You look even uglier than before," Remus said coolly.
Wormtail only smiled, "You always were so brave. Let's see how brave you are now." He held up a pair of keys, the keys to Remus' cell. "The Dark Lord says it's time to see you, finally."
As if on cue, two more sets of feet appeared and Wormtail unlocked the metal plates holding his shackles to the wall outside the cell and then the cell door lock itself. Thinking quickly, Remus shifted his body, joints protesting to the use they were not accustomed to, he braced his feet at the back of the cell. When the cell door slid away Remus launched himself out with a strength that was not his own, more the wolf's within.
He landed about five feet past the men on his haunches. He did his best not to wince as his body screamed in protest. The other two set off feet turned out to be Lucius Malfoy and Macnair. Malfoy sneered at him and took a step forward. "What do you plan to do Halfbreed? You have no wand."
Remus smiled a cold smile, 'You left me in this room long enough. You think I wouldn't know where the window is by now?'
"Avada – " Wormtail began.
"No you fool! The Dark Lord wants him alive!" Lucius hissed.
In the midst of their distraction Remus lifted himself onto the top of the waist high cell and stood, relieved to see a window large enough for him to fit through rather quickly.
"Stupefy!"
Remus felt the wind whip past him as he dodged to the left. Quickly, before he ran out of time, he threw himself out of the window, only to realize he had made a grave mistake. It seemed he was in a castle much like Hogwarts and it seemed he had been on one of the higher floors.
Taking the one calming breath he had left before he hit, he concentrated on the small houses and friendly shops of the town so near the place he once called home. Remus Apparated five feet before he hit the ground.
Hogsmeade had never looked so good to the werewolf's eyes, but home was just around the corner…
Fighting back the tears that stung his eyes Remus saw the tall gates of Hogwarts appear. He pushed his numb legs faster. If this was the end, he was going to be home.
Buried behind a book titled 'Defense Against The Darkest Spells Known To Wizards' a bushy haired girl of about eighteen chewed on the end of quill. Every now and again she'd write down an interesting fact or two and return to her previous position. The sound of a siren going off sent the book and the quill flying. Hermione grabbed her wand and practically flew down the stairs.
On the second floor she was joined by a tall red-head with bright blue eyes and a rather muscular build. She had to run twice as fast to keep up with his longer stride. The people bustling silently about the halls parted in their path.
"Ron, they wouldn't be that dumb would they? The Death Eaters wouldn't come here. They're magic doesn't work on Hogwarts grounds, they have no way to fight," Hermione panted as they reached the Entrance Hall.
A very ruffled and shirtless man with raven black hair and a lean build came bounding out of the Great Hall followed by another red head, this one female. She was tall, slender, and was re-buttoning her shirt.
Ron glared at her, "Can't you two go more than five minutes without shagging each other!"
"This is not the time," Harry hissed, pulling his wand and throwing open the main doors.
No one was expecting Remus Lupin, whom they had presumed to be dead for a year now, to fall into Harry's arms.
A.N. Review and make me a happy writer, also a great many thanks to KasKarAce my beloved beta. You know i love ya.