Chapter 2
Revelations
Disclaimer: Gertrude "Danger" Granger, Aletha Freeman, Meghan Black and various other characters, nicknames, dialogue, prophecy styles, et cetera, you may not recognize belong to whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse with direct permission from the author to use them. Most other characters belong to JK Rowling. Only plot belongs to me.
Author's Note:This chapter begins right after Remus' PoV in the previous chapter ended. Too much happens in this chapter, so Danger and Neenie won't return until the next chapter.
Remus Lupin closed his eyes and turned his head back toward the headstone marking James and Lily's graves.
I did not just see a large stag. When I look again, it will be gone.
He slowly opened his eyes and looked back in the direction of the kissing gate. The stag was still standing there, staring at him. Then a moment later, it shook its head, turned around and ran off down the road.
"Wait!" Remus screamed, not exactly sure why he did so, and frightening the others present.
Remus ignored the exclaims of "my word!" and "such disrespect!" as he ran past the witches and wizards toward the kissing gate. He sped on through the open gates and frantically looked around for the stag.
Please come back, he begged, I must know. It is impossible, but I must know…
Then he saw the stag standing tall at the edge of the forest, where the cobbled road turned from the main part of Godric's Hollow that included the cemetery, into the section of houses that included James and Lily's house. The stag bowed its head, then once again took off into the forest.
"Wait!" Remus screamed once again.
He took off toward the forest, breathing hard and running as fast as his feet and wolf-like stamina could carry him. Soon he was standing at the spot he had last seen the stag and looked around, trying to find any sign of the large animal.
This is insane! a voice screamed in the back of Remus' mind, What are you doing, Remus? Chasing a wild animal into the woods like that!
I must know! Remus screamed internally, This is a sign. A sign I was praying for.
But it is a wild animal!
It might not be… and if it is… I don't care. If it is just a wild animal, then let it kill me. It would be so much better than letting someone shoot me when I'm a wolf.
You are insane!
He ignored the voice in his mind and looked around. Then he saw it. The stag was standing a little ways inside the forest, and when it saw him, it turned and ran through the trees.
"Wait!" Remus said once again.
He ran through the forest, madly looking around for the stag. Moving at any sort of fast pace was difficult, because the forest was thick with weeds, brambles and thorny bushes.
This would be so much easier, Remus grunted, as he nearly tripped over a hidden tree root in the ground, if I was in my wolf form.
Remus chuckled humorlessly to himself.
I must be going insane if I am wishing to be the wolf.
Remus looked around for the stag and now found him off in the distance, once again near the edge of the forest.
How on earth is he moving so quickly?
One word, the voice in his head said, an illusion! A figment of your imagination!
Remus, once again, ignored the voice in his mind and hurried off as fast as he could toward where the stag had been. When he reached the spot at the edge of the forest, he was absolutely surprised where he had ended up.
He was now directly behind James and Lily's house.
He looked around for any sign of the stag, but came upon something just as odd: the back door of the house was wide-open.
Nobody has been inside that house in nearly three years. As far as I know, it was supposed to be off-limits until a relation of James and Lily Potter, or Albus Dumbledore himself, gave permission to go inside. I doubt it is Albus, and the only Potter is much too young to give permission! Nobody could have broken through those charms…
Remus stared at the open door for another few moments, before he steeled his nerves, and took his wand from his coat. He nervously spun his wand in his hand, then nodded.
Here goes nothing, he said, and headed toward the open door.
When he reached the door, he gingerly stuck a foot in. He flinched, expecting to be hit with a hex or curse of some kind, but nothing happened. He inhaled and exhaled, then walked inside the house.
He had never been inside this house before. James, Lily and Harry had been living in Potter Manor in Northampton – once owned by James parents', Charlus and Dorea Potter, before they were tragically murdered by Death Eaters – for a year prior, and a few months after, Harry's birth, before they had been moved after a threat had been placed on them. Potter Manor had since been destroyed by Death Eaters, who had searched there for the Potters a couple weeks after they had been moved. Potter Manor had been where Remus had gone for visits, meals and parties. He didn't know about this house in Godric's Hollow until the day after James and Lily's murders.
Harry's first Christmas had been the last time Remus had seen the Potters face-to-face. Owl post had been Remus' only way of communication with the Potters for those last going-on eleven months of James and Lily's life.
Even then it was rare I got a letter from them… of course I was busy doing stuff for the Order then. For many weeks, I was almost literally underground with the werewolves.
Remus snapped out of his reverie and looked around the room he had entered. The back door had led into the kitchen-slash-dining room. Remus pointed his wand directly forward and looked around. The room was dimly lit, due to the afternoon light shining through the grimy windows. But he dared not use the Light spell to brighten everything up, just in case it gave away his presence.
Across the room, he saw a door leading into a hallway. He was about to move toward it when he heard a voice coming from the other side of the northern wall of the room.
"—haven't run like that in ages!" a male voice said with a laugh, "Felt good!"
"Did you do what you wanted to do, or was it just a leisure stroll?" a female voice said.
"I do believe I did exactly what I wanted to do," the male voice said, "We'll see."
Remus froze for a moment as his mind went over the sound of the voices.
If I didn't know better, I would have thought that sounded like –
He shook his head. I must be going crazy. They are vandals, that is all. They somehow got past the charms, and they are going to pay for breaking into this house. Wrong house, wrong day, assholes.
He steeled himself once again, went over various hexes and curses in his mind he could use on these vandals, and slowly headed toward the arched door that led into the hallway.
"Are you still looking for those coins?" the male voice said, as Remus heard movement and rummaging coming from the living room.
"I have to," the female voice said, "If your plan, didn't work, mine has to, or we will never find him."
"We will find him," the male voice said, "I promise."
"Oh, now it is you promising me?" the female voice said, "Wasn't it me who was promising you, just a few minutes ago?"
"That run gave me a sense of faith," the male voice said.
So they are searching for money, which will lead them to finding someone, Remus thought, as he inched along the wall toward the archway that went into the room where the vandals currently were, the only question is… why are they doing it here? I will find that out once I have them in my grasp.
When he arrived at his destination, he closed his eyes for a mere moment, readying himself, then with a curse on his lips, he turned into the room.
"Get your hands where I can see them and face me!" Remus growled, "I don't know how you got past the charms, but you picked the wrong house today!"
The two figures turned toward Remus and what he saw, he could not believe.
He would not believe it.
"Who are you?" Remus growled in a dangerous, deep voice, as he looked at the appearances of James and Lily Potter, "And where did you get those hairs you're using? Answer me now, or you will regret it."
"Moony?" the man asked,
"Remus, you're scaring me," the woman said.
"Stop it!" Remus growled, "I don't know how you know my name, or that name, but you are not James and Lily Potter. If you do not tell me who you are and what you are doing here -?"
"Remus, we are James and Lily Potter," the man said.
"LIAR!" Remus screamed, "Expelliarmus!"
"Protego!" the woman screamed, blocking Remus' Disarming Spell, then just as quick, "Stupefy!"
The next thing Remus saw was darkness.
Remus gasped and tried to move, but something was restraining him. He opened his eyes and looked down. He was currently sitting in chintz chair, ropes wrapped around his middle and arms.
"Let – me – go," Remus growled.
"Did you have to tie him up, James?" the woman's voice asked, "That wasn't very nice."
"He attacked us, Lily," the man said, "Or do you not remember Stunning him? I'm starting to think I was right about him."
"James Tiberius Potter, he would never betray you – us!" the woman said.
"He attacked us!" the man repeated.
Oh, they're good, Remus grunted, They know middle names, mannerisms. It is almost as if they really are -
Remus paused and looked up at the man and woman.
"This is impossible," Remus whispered, then much louder, "This is IMPOSSIBLE!"
"Oh, thank Merlin, you're awake," the woman said, "I was afraid you hit your head too hard when you fell. How is your head, Remus?"
"Why do you care?" Remus muttered.
"Remus John Lupin," the woman said, in a scolding tone, "You are my friend, of course I care!"
"I am not your friend," Remus growled, "because whoever you are, you are most certainly NOT LILY POTTER!"
"I most certainly am Lily Potter," the woman said, "Why would I not be?"
"BECAUSE JAMES AND LILY POTTER ARE DEAD!" Remus roared, trying his best to hold in the tears.
"Moony," the man said, "I know you've always tried your best to be the most serious – excuse the pun, Sirius, wherever you are at the moment – but you have never been this rude with your jokes."
"I am serious," Remus said.
"No, you are most certainly not Sirius," the man said, "Because if you were, Moony would curse you into next year if he caught you using Polyjuice Potion to be him. You are Remus John Lupin, also known as Moony of the Marauders, a werewolf. You were part of my men of honor, in my wedding, not my best man, because my wedding needed a better best man speech then something along the lines of the speech you gave the day we left Hogwarts. I'm sorry, Moony, but it almost put several of us to sleep – OW! What, woman?"
The woman had just slapped the man on the back of the head.
"Don't be rude," she said, then looked at Remus. "Look at me, Remus. Who do you see?"
"Lily Potter," Remus grumbled. Fate is being cruel if it is having me look into the face of James and Lily Potter after so long. Whoever they truly are, they are going to DIE! I've never bitten someone in my entire life, but I will chain them up and tomorrow I will rip… them… apart for what they are doing to me!
"Yes, Remus," the woman said, "Lily Potter, formerly Evans. The girl who put up with you for so long, and still likes you as a friend. The girl who decided you were friendly enough, even though you were situated with an arrogant toe-rag -"
"Hey!" the man said.
"— but so much nicer than him," the woman continued, ignoring the man's continued scoffing, "Lily Potter, the woman who, after she found out you were a werewolf, would not back down from being friends with you, even when you ignored me for TWO WHOLE WEEKS after I found out! Remus, who helped you pass your third year potions final? Who kept it quiet, because you begged her to, after she caught you give Marlene McKinnon a kiss after the Winter dance, fifth year?"
"What?" the man asked, "Remus, you never told me –"
"I… never told anyone that," Remus said as he stared at the woman. "Only two girls knew about that, and they're both –"
He looked from the woman to the man and tears nearly blinded him.
"J-James?" he asked, "Lily?"
"Finally!" James said, "Gee, Moony, I know you haven't seen us in months, but –"
"Months?" Remus asked.
"Yeah," James said "Last Christmas – Moony, you gave Harry that stuffed wolf, don't you remember? Man, Moony, these last few months without me have been hell on you, you look – different."
Oh, bloody Merlin. They think it's -
Remus looked at James. "What do you think today's date is?"
"November 1st, 1981," James said.
Concern flooded Lily's face as she looked at Remus.
"What's today's date, Remus?" she asked.
"October 31st," Remus said, "in the year 1984."
"You're joking – ha! Nice one, Moony," James said, grinning, then his face slowly turned serious as he looked at Remus, who was currently frowning, "Right… mate?"
"No," Remus said, "You've been gone three years, P-Prongs."
Lily's hands slowly covered the lower half of her face as tears sprang to her eyes.
"But – it feels like I – went to sleep – last night and woke up today," James said.
"The world believed the two of you dead," Remus said, "Murdered by V-Voldemort himself. He targeted you and –"
"Harry!" Lily cried out, "Remus, he's not –"
"He's alive, Lily," Remus said.
Remus had never seen anyone look more happy and more relieved than the way James and Lily Potter looked right now.
"Where is he?" James asked, "If the world believed us dead, then Harry would be living with Sirius since he is Harry's godfather – why do you look like that, Moony?"
For Remus' expression was somewhere between sadness and anger. Sadness that his two friends didn't know the truth about Sirius Black, and anger toward Sirius Black.
"I think you better let me tell the whole story," he said.
"Well, sure," James said, "How about we take these bindings off first. That is… if you really believe we're telling the truth. I wouldn't want you to attack us again."
"Release me," Remus said, "As for that, I'm sorry, but –"
"You don't have to apologize," Lily said, as she waved her wand, and the ropes around Remus fell away, "you were obviously shocked. Now, tell us."
"Well, the story of that night three years ago, goes something like this," Remus said, "The details are shady, but all we know is somehow – somehow Harry survived the Killing Curse."
"What?!" James and Lily cried out.
"Albus tried to explain it to me," Remus said, before they could ask any more questions, "He said that something happened that night. Possibly old magic. He believes you, Lily, defended Harry…"
"I told Voldemort to kill me instead," Lily said, tears going down her cheeks, "He told me to stand aside, but I wouldn't."
"Sacrifice," Remus said, "I don't know how this can be explained, since you're here… but somehow your sacrifice protected Harry, and the curse rebounded off him and hit Voldemort. Voldemort disappeared that night."
"So the old bastard's finally dead?" James asked, grinning.
Remus frowned. "Dumbledore doesn't think so."
James swore.
"What happened next is confusing," Remus said, "I heard Sirius found Harry in his crib and rescued him from the house."
"So they do live together?" James asked.
"No," Remus said, "I guess Hagrid was here on Dumbledore's orders, and Sirius gave Harry to him. And then Hagrid went somewhere with Harry, but where, I have no clue. Dumbledore, nor Hagrid, are telling me anything. The on-going rumor, is that Harry's living with some Muggles somewhere."
"Why is he not living with his godfather?" James asked, "Sirius –"
"Why are you being so kind to Sirius' name right now, Prongs?" Remus asked.
"Why wouldn't I be?" James asked, "He's my best friend."
"He betrayed you!" Remus said.
"What?!" James and Lily bellowed.
"Now hold on one second, Moony, Sirius would never betray me!" James said.
"How else do you explain how Voldemort found you, Prongs!" Remus said, "He was your Secret Keeper -!"
The look on James and Lily's faces almost knocked Remus flat on the floor.
Something strange is going on here, and I don't mean the mysterious return of my two dead friends.
"— wasn't he?" Remus asked.
"He originally was going to be," Lily said, " But he told us he would be the obvious choice. So he told us to choose Wormtail. So we did."
Remus could feel his stomach churning and he had to turn his head as he vomited onto the ground. James and Lily exclaimed. Remus groaned and Lily muttered a cleaning spell, and the vomit vanished.
"Remus, what's wrong?" Lily asked, as she conjured a glass and used the Aguamenti charm to add water into it, "You look sick."
Remus took the glass and gulped down the water, then gasped.
"S-Sirius is currently in Azkaban," Remus said.
"What?!" James and Lily asked, for the third time in less than half-an-hour.
"Ev-everyone thought he was your Secret Keeper," Remus said, "But he knew – of course he knew –"
"He knew what?" James asked, "Moony, you're not making any sense."
"It appears that shortly after Sirius handed off Harry to Hagrid," Remus said, "He went to go find Wormtail. The reports say that Sirius confronted Wormtail in a street. Wormtail apparently defended your name, accusing Sirius of betraying you, and then – what is the general story is Sirius blew up the street, and twelve Muggles were killed, plus Wormtail. All they found was his finger."
"Sirius did that?" James asked.
"Wormtail is… dead?" Lily asked.
"I-I'm not sure anymore," Remus said, answering them both, "Everything seems so upside down now. The only person who truly knows now has been in Azkaban ever since that night. Bartemius Crouch never even gave Sirius a trial. Just sentenced him to life in Azkaban."
"Poor Letha," Lily said, tears falling down her face, "What she must think of him –"
"I haven't heard from her in nearly three years," Remus said, "Three years this December."
"Well, we must do something about all of this," James said, "We need to find Harry, and correct the wrongs Sirius has been put through."
"James," Lily said, "If Sirius murdered –"
"He would never have done that to those Muggles, Lily!" James growled, "Wormtail, perhaps – if he felt he was getting justice, but not those Muggles!"
"Okay," Lily said, in a soothing tone, "We'll correct the wrongs."
"Don't know how much 'we' can do, right now, Tigerlily," Remus said, "News-flash, everyone thinks you are dead."
"So we'll correct that first!" James said.
"How?" Remus asked, "March into the Ministry? James, you and Lily are thought to have been dead, you cannot just waltz into the Ministry! They're going to believe like I originally believed, that you are using Polyjuice Potion! You'll be in a holding cell before you can say "we're back!', believe me!"
"Okay," James said, "So what do we do?"
"First things first," Remus said, "We need to get out of here. I'm sorry, you two, but this place has been the site of Dark Magic, I doubt we'll be able to restore it, and most of what you owned is probably trash now."
"All replaceable," Lily said, "At least everything that is irreplaceable is safe… and alive."
"You'll come home with me," Remus said, "We'll get you cleaned up and straightened up, and then I want to send a couple of letters. One to Aletha – because she needs to know what is going on with you two and Sirius. And the other to Professor Dumbledore. Between Harry's whereabouts, and whatever is going on with the two of you… something tells me he is behind it all."
Somebody has some 'splaining to do!
Well, this chapter just kept getting longer and longer with everything, and well, if I fit everything else I had planned for Halloween into this chapter, it would be very long!
Next chapter: We get a glimpse of Harry, and more than a glimpse of Petunia Dursley; Remus writes letters, and Danger and Neenie go trick-or-treating, then get the shock of their lives.
More to come!