Year Three: The Prisoner of Azkaban
Werewolves teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. Prisoners escaping Azkaban. Dementors patrolling the grounds at Hogwarts. This is the year of heartache and having to answer iron-clad questions. The year when everything must come clean. When Marie Rogue must own up to her true House...
Chapter Two-Wolfsbane
"Could we sit outside, Tess? Please?" requested Marie. They were currently at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor in Diagon Alley and had just received their orders, Marie offering to carry both as Tess' leg was bothering her a bit more than usual. Marie had order a Mintastic Mint Marvel while Tess settled for her usual old fashion, Florean's Classic Sundae.
She gave a laugh. "Whatever you say, kid. It's your birthday!"
Cheering, the girl practically skipped to a small open outside table that was well prepared with an umbrella that was now unneccesary as it was sunset. Their treats were set down carefully before their chairs scrapped back, allowing them to take a seat. The day's heat was dwindling and ice cream was the perfect choice. Marie typically chose Florean's as a nightcap for her birthday, to the point where the owner, Florean Fortescue himself, knew when her birthday was and typically didn't charge her for her treat on that day. Tess scooped up a mouthful of the delicious treat, an excellent remedy to walking about Azkaban. Her spirits were already lifting. Glancing over at her ward, she saw the girl wave to someone she recognized. A smile pulled at her mouth as she took a smaller bite
It was funny how people changed over time. What reminded her, was how Marie seemed to sprout up over the last year. The girl had gained a good few inches in height, not destined to be nearly as tall as Tess who stood at a good five foot ten inches, but she jumped to at least five foot five or six. Impressive for someone like Marie who was so lithe and petite to begin with. Her form was filling out as well, losing the straight edged figure of a young girl but starting to gain the softness and curves, making her more of a young lady.
Marie seemed to notice her staring.
"What?" she asked. She wiped at her face with a napkin. "Do I have ice cream on my face?"
Tess laughed at her guess and shook her head, spoon swirling the frozen treat. "No, nothing like that. You're just making me feel old is all." Marie sniggered at the idea, spoon in her mouth.
"But Tess, you're not old at all," she teased. She paused. "Actually...how old are you?" Tess picked the cherry out of her bowl and threw it into Marie's, smirking.
"A real lady never reveals her age," she recited. The two shared a short laugh before Tess sighed and quietly admitted the truth.
"Marie. I'm afraid I'm a whole...thirty-three years young. I'll be an old maid come next March," she sighed again, melodramatically bringing her hand to her forehead, as if to faint. Marie laughed at the truth, stealing a quick bite of the Captain's treat.
"See? I wouldn't have ever guessed that," she shrugged. Tess quirked a brow.
"Really? And just how old did you think I was?" she asked. "Choose your words very carefully. I suggest a number under twenty-seven."
Marie's nose crinkled as she giggled with a mouthful of ice cream. She shrugged again, taking her time studying her guardian. "I don't know. You just look kind of...timeless, I guess. To me, anyway."
"Timeless, huh?" Tess took a moment and nodded in approval. "All right, timeless. I'll take that. Point to you, kid."
They took their time eating the deserts, opting to sit outside and enjoy the improving weather. Marie told her stories from her second year and the drama that ensued. Tess remembered hearing about the Chamber of Secrets, in fact, the Defense Department had just a filed a request with the Minister to send the Captain herself directly to Hogwarts to confront the problem. Of course, Hogwarts had Gilderoy Lockhart, whose loud reputation proceeded him and the very idea of the blonde haired man made her roll her eyes. Lockhart wouldn't know Voyages with Vampires, if a vampire came up and bit him on the arse. Marie went on to explain the boy Justin Finch-Fletchley, how he had given her his "telephone number" which Tess found hilarious as Marie wasn't very well versed in Muggle technology. Not to mention that the Captain's cottage was well out of the designated service areas.
"...Oh, and I actually received a Valentine!" Marie had just finished her story about Valentine's day where Lockhart had dwarfs delivering valentine notes, singing cards, floating pink confetti and daring students to ask Professor Snape to make a love potion. The Captain snorted at the very idea of Severus Snape creating a love potion.
"A Valentine?" Tess repeated, interested. Their ice cream was long gone, spoons sitting in their empty bowls. "Really, who from? One of your friends?" Marie sort of shook her head, stopped, then gave a shrug instead. Her cheeks were rather flushed, but that could easily be from the heat and their laughter.
"Um, Marcus Flint gave me a valentine..." she half mumbled, flustered. There was a minor pause before Tess couldn't stand to hide her own growing smile. Marie looked down to hide her face, embarrassed.
"Awww! That's too cute!" she teased. "He's your Quidditch Captain, right?" Marie nodded, long hair waving.
"That's adorable. Seriously, I almost can't stand it." Marie quickly made to take their empty bowls away, to give her face a chance to cool off as Tess chuckled.
Tess went on to talk about how she had encountered Lucius Malfoy at work after the mandatory meeting, and he sends his best to the wild haired girl. Marie had been recently over to Malfoy Manor at their Wiltshire estate for tea and to visit her friend Draco. Pansy had also been invited to the gathering, giving Marie another chance to catch up with friends. Apparently, Narcissa had already been smitten with Marie and insisted that she visit them again, soon. Lucius made an off handed joke about Narcissa always wanting a daughter, Marie playing the perfect role as Draco's sibling. Tess teased Marie about slipping an Enamouring Mint in her tea to gain her favor.
"Say, um, shouldn't we be heading back now?" Marie asked, looking about. The usually busy streets were slowing down, the candles and lanterns were glowing and night was well underway. Tess nodded, getting to her feet while doing her best to avoid putting weight on her bad leg.
"Didn't realize it was getting so late," she mused. "I bet Remus is waiting on us." Not to mention that Remus was going to reveal his big surprise as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He was very excited to tell the girl.
Tess held out her arm and Marie linked hers through, holding tightly as the Captain Apparated.
The flat was dark when they appeared before the front door as none of the lights inside were lit. Marie pushed the door opened, holding it open for Tess. Remus Lupin's space was always neat and had little furniture decorating the interior. A couch and an armchair surrounding a coffee table. A dining area that only had three mismatched chairs. A sparse kitchen area with a two leveled counter top and a closed door pantry that had a little room so to step inside (it had been Marie's favorite hiding spot as a child). Two bedrooms. One bathroom. It was a simple, modest home. Only the necessities, nothing extravagant.
"Remus! Happy!" called Marie. "We're home!"
It was strangely quiet, noticed Tess as she hung her Auror coat on the coat stand beside Marie's. Remus should be home by now, he knew they were coming. Marie began to look about for her ironically named cat, checking beneath the couch and chair. Honestly, Tess never met a grouchier cat.
"Do you see Happy, Tess?" she asked, lifting the quilt that covered the couch hazardously "Odd that Remus didn't clean up before we got here, don't you think?" The quilt was tangled, the rug by the door was mussed and Tess saw that some of the picture frames were knocked down. Brow furrowing, she made her way into the kitchen, opting to leave her cane by the door. She started opening random cabinets, eyes checking for something. As it had been awhile since she needed this particular item, her memory was a bit fuzzy as to where it was exactly.
"Marie," she called over her shoulder. "Where does Remus keep the medical supplies?"
"The cabinet above the stove," she answered, her voice drifting as she started to look about the home for her caretaker and her cat.
Tess pulled the door open and began to search, heart rate starting to rise. She shifted past the basics, uninterested, and had to stand on her tiptoes to see the next row. There were a series of empty vials, all neat and in a row. Her hand snatched each one, reading their labels. She knew they went by month and they were divided by three lines. They were Wolfsbane drafts, each section for each stage of the full moon: waxing, full, and waning. Her heart pounded harder.
January. February. March. April. May. June.
There was clinking of glass as she started to shove items aside in her search. Where was July's vial? Remus always had to keep them in stock. It was the condition for him to become Marie's legal guardian. He had signed documents stating that he would always be prepared. That he would never put her in harm's way of his curse. Tess also knew that Wolfsbane potions were expensive and hard to come by as not many wizards knew how to brew them properly. There had been times when she had to leave work, Apparate, and steal Marie away for a few days so that he could lock himself up and not harm others. Panic was rising faster now. She pushed herself away from the stove and toward the window to look up at the dark sky, hands against the glass.
The first full moon shone down on them.
"Marie," she called, doing her best not to let her worry show. "Marie, we've got to go."
Her calm was shattered when Marie gave a high pitch scream.
Running, thoroughly ignoring her leg, she moved into the hall way where Marie was leaning against Remus' bedroom door, hands clapped over her mouth as she stared in horror at the sight before her. Happy, her beloved cat, was lying on the ground in a bloody and mangled mess. Chest heaving, she reached blindly for the doorknob and opened the door quickly, hoping to find Remus and ask what happened, not seeing the red prints that led into the same room.
"Marie!"
Green eyes widened as the massive wolf figure lunged at her, woken by her scream and now freed by the opened door. Her heart seemed to have stopped. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't even think, she was so frightened. Large teeth snapped at her and she felt magic pull her back and away from the werewolf's grip. Marie went flying down the short hall and was then tossed over the counter and propelled into the pantry, where the door closed with a solid lock. Breath knocked out of her and still stunned, she tried to fight against the door but with no luck. The pantry door was styled with blinds, so people on the outside couldn't look in, but if you were on the inside, the angle allowed you to see slots of the outside. Which is exactly why it was Marie's favorite spot as a child. It was clever to her.
She could see the werewolf clearly now. It was towering in height, covered in bristled grey fur with claws and snapping teeth. Remus lunged for Tess who parried back with her wand, a fierce gold light that made Remus howl. His over sized paw came up and sent her crashing into the wall, pictures falling and breaking to rain glass down on the Captain. To Marie's surprise, Tess was back on her feet in an instant, striking back.
"Think Remus!" she heard her shout. "We're your friends! Your family! Remember us!"
Remus gave a howl that hurt Marie's ears. She tried to force the door open but it wouldn't budge, Tess' magic holding it secure. Her fist pounded as she tried to get out. Her cheeks were slick with tears and she was shaking terribly, but she needed to get out. She needed to help!
"Tess!" she called. "Let me out! I can help!" How was she going to help when her own wand was still packed away, students banned from using underage magic during the summer holidays, she didn't know.
Her spell sent Remus crashing but it only stalled him for a moment as he was back on his feet. Marie gave a scream as the werewolf's teeth sank into Tess' side. Tess seemed hardly bothered, sending a sharp green jet into his eye, forcing him to howl and release her for the moment. She tried to magic a set of ropes to bind him, and he resisted, the binds snapping under his strength.
"Remus, please!" begged Marie, still pounding on the door that wouldn't yield to her. "Stop!"
Tess was a blur of motion, magic swirling about her as she charged against the frightening figure of Remus in his werewolf form, the Captain terrifying in her own right. Marie could hear the sound of blood splattering against the kitchen tile as they crashed together again and again. Teeth were snapping. Marie continued to scream. Tess was slowing down. Their total images were hidden behind the counter from Marie and blurred by the pantry door slates which her fingers were gripping tightly, knees threatening to give up.
Marie didn't know how long she was trapped in the small pantry. Jars had shattered inside due to uncontrollable bursts of magic that were expelled from her body due to the incredible high levels of stress. Her throat was raw from her screaming as loud as she could, fists were most likely bruised from her relentless beating. She couldn't seem to quite breathe, and she couldn't get out to help Tess. She was trapped and safe. For the moment.
"Remus!" she cried.
Silence suddenly fell. There was a loud sound as the werewolf crumpled to the floor in a heap, Captain Tess the last one standing. She was breathing heavy, one arm around her middle and not standing fully upright. She muttered a spell before coughing harshly, doubling over. Her inhales were sharp wheezes and she started to make her way over to Marie's hiding spot, one slow drag of a footstep at a time. It took what felt like forever before Marie could see her guardian clearly and she gasped loudly, covering her mouth in shock.
"Oh Merlin...T-Tess..."
Her long wavy brown hair was free from its usual tie and fell down her back, matting to the blood on her person. Dozens of claw marks were visible as they ripped her clothes, the leg of her pinstriped pants, her matching vest and white blouse. She was doused in red and dripping onto the floor as she moved. Her arm was wrapped around her middle but she couldn't hide the ragged bite marks her side bore. Marie shook the door, trying to jimmy it open. It still refused to budge.
"Tess...let me-let me out...I can go get help!" she suggested. The Captain had made it to the pantry door and she waited a moment, contemplating and studying the white door that was sprinkled red from the fight. Her face had several scratches as well, her lip was split and blood dripped from her mouth, crawling down her chin.
"Tess, please let me help," she cried, renewed tears streaming. Her chest was heaving as the Captain stood there, not moving and not lifting her enchantment, still thinking.
Tess then turned around and took a seat on the floor, her back pressing heavily against the door with a grunt of pain. Keeping it closed. Green eyes widened and Marie hit the door again, fear blooming.
"Tess! Tess! Let me out-please! I can go get help! Get a Healer! Anything!" The door still refused to budge, even when she threw her weight against it.
"Eh...sorry, kid," apologized Tess in between breaths. "Looks like you've got to...stay put...for the night..."
"Stay put?" repeated Marie. "No, no, no, Tess, you've got to let me out! I've got to go get help!"
"Nope...gotta wait 'til dawn, at least..." Tess lifted her wand and slowly brought it to her temple. Marie waited with bated breath as a subtle gold glow pulsed from the connecting point between her temple and wand. Carefully, she pulled it away and a small golden orb rested at her wand's point. She extended her arm out and it gave a single pulse before suddenly dispersing into a dozen golden spheres that scattered out of sight in a single shot.
"Wh-what was that?" asked Marie.
"Notes," she gasped. "Had to send out...the word...didn't have parchment handy...Got to let...the Ministry know...and a few others..."
"Tess, please," she tried again. "I can go get help...I-I could use the Floo and get to St. Mungo's and-and bring back a Healer! Please!"
"Marie..." interrupted Tess, voice daring to waver. Marie instantly swallowed her pleas in order to listen. She had never heard Tess sound like that. As if she was close to crying, but that couldn't be right. She was Captain Tess.
"Y-yes?"
"Y'know...y'know I love you, right?" she asked. Cold fear washed over her body, chillingly her to the core.
"Tess-Tess-please...!"
"More than...anything in th'world..." she continued. Her breathing was becoming heavy, more labored, fighting to keep going.
"Tess-please don't talk like this, please!" begged Marie, tears now blurring her vision. "I love you too, Tess. I love you, I love you, please don't leave me Tess, I love you so much...!"
There was a pause. A pregnant silence as Marie waited for the Captain to say something in return, to encourage conversation. Panic settled in and Marie tapped the door again. The top of the door bent to her will, but the majority kept her pinned in due to the Captain's body and weight position. The enchantment was lifted.
"Tess?" called Marie, hitting the door. She didn't hear the previous difficult breathing from before. "Tess!" Her chest constricted in pure fear and realization as to why the charm was lifted. She pounded even harder, voice rising high in a scream.
"TESS!"
REVIEW! Oh my gosh, poor Marie! Third year's a difficult, interesting year for her with a bit of a rough start I'm afraid. Your thoughts would be great as always!
Enjoy! (sort of? It was sad...)
