Disclaimer: The characters, places, and general ideas here within are all property of JK Rowling and co., of course! I simply like to dabble in this amazing world now and again…
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Amidst the Sorrow
by Rosa (edited by Liria)
Monday, July 1, 1996 - 11:00 pm
She sat stiffly at the table situated in the middle of the kitchen in Number 12 Grimmauld Place holding a cup of tea, long ago cooled, tightly between her trembling hands. She lifted the cup gently to her lips, hoping the small amount of caffeine would help ease her nerves. Tonight was worse than the others. Usually everything was relatively silent and peaceful – so much so that she had drifted off to sleep on occasion. But, tonight was different. Ever since darkness had fallen the cries and howls had not ceased. Each crash that sounded through the house startled her terribly. The tea spilt across the table was evidence of that.
She always volunteered to watch over him during these periods. The others always claimed to have precious engagements, or some such nonsense. However, she could see the fear and hatred in their eyes, as they shrugged off the responsibility. She did not heed what everyone else thought or said. She cared for him, even if she would never admit it to him or anyone else. She could see the kind and thoughtful human being he truly was, not the savage creature humanity branded him. He could not control the changes that ripped through his body every month. Did they think he enjoyed the fear and pain that engulfed him as the devil himself seemed to tear through his body and overwhelmed his heart and mind? Did they think he desired the transformation that caused him such grief and agony? Remus Lupin was not a monster.
However, tonight something seemed wrong. Every other time she had stayed, he made relatively little sound; but now it sounded as though the basement was being torn apart. This was why she insisted on remaining every full moon – the others would harm and possibly kill him if he broke out. But she could not stop him if he escaped; she had no way of protecting herself, not without hurting him. Nymphadora Tonks needed help.
She sprinted upstairs to the study and frantically threw floo powder into the fire. She quickly stepped in and cried, "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore's Office." Tonks tumbled out of the hearth and fell gracelessly onto the ornate carpet below. She scrambled up and hastily began explaining herself.
"And…and, I think the potion must be faulty," she finished at last, gasping for breath.
She looked up to see Dumbledore watching her with a rather apologetic expression on his face.
"Faulty," she heard Severus Snape hiss from the doorway. Looking down the length of his nose at her, he stated, "I assure you there is nothing wrong with the potion. The werewolf must have forgotten to take it."
Tonks was about to retort, her face screwed up in a very unladylike fashion, when Dumbledore interrupted their bickering.
"Calm down, Nymphadora." The mention of her given name caused Tonk's hair to change from deep purple to bright red. "I'm sure there is a plausible explanation for this, as it is both unlikely that the potion is flawed or that Remus failed to take it. Come now, let the three of us go check on him."
"The monster is probably wreaking havoc on headquarters, by now. I'm not about to wander in, waiting for him to attack," Severus stated, reaching for the door.
"Ah, but Severus, we may be in need of your expertise, if your assumptions are proven accurate."
"How can I be of any service? No potion can control him now - it's too late."
"Nevertheless, I feel it would be beneficial to everyone, if you were to come," Dumbledore calmly insisted.
Seeing he would not be able to convince Dumbledore otherwise, Snape reluctantly followed the two through the grate to Grimmauld Place.
It was obvious from the uproar emerging from the basement that something was indeed amiss. Every few seconds an earsplitting howl would rise out of the commotion. Dumbledore hurriedly walked down the stairs and opened the rusted door that led to the cellar. The hinges groaned against the movement, emitting a low grinding sound. At the noise, the werewolf stopped his incessant thrashing and looked through the bars of his cage at the three humans before him. His gaze was full of such intense grief Tonks gasped and felt tears prick her eyes. Snape merely gritted his teeth and watched the beast with narrowed eyes.
"My dear," Dumbledore whispered addressing Tonks, "I do not believe this is a matter of the potion failing…but rather of Remus' emotional barriers being stripped away."
With this, the wolf let out another howl filled with sorrow and pain. They watched, unable to ease the agony of the tortured soul.
"Oh, Remus," Tonks cried, gripping the bars tightly, as the wolf began throwing himself against the walls of the cellar once more.
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A/N: Review…please? This is the first story I've ever written, so compliments and criticisms would be welcomed with open arms! I'm looking for a beta (more like a brit-picker) for another story I have in the works (for which this one-shot may be a short side story). My sister (Liria) will have already read the chapters at least once, but I need all the help I can get!