Author Notes: Wow, everyone! All this interest sure has surprised the heck out of me! I'm super grateful for the interest and don't worry, it will get very interesting here soon. I hope you enjoy this transitional installment before shite figuratively hits the fan.


Remus was sitting at his desk and retracing more defined lines on his page in front of him. The charcoal covered his fingers as he dusted the swirls and curves. It was his outlet as he closed his eyes and smelt the sweet texture of her on his shirt long after they left the party. There was something that touched him about the way her eyes glinted through the mask.

It was just all a possible estimation of her features, likely underappreciated by his lack of skill. However, the witch haunted his dreams for two days. A firm hand pressed on his shoulder as the presence and smell of Sirius invaded his bubble. "That's pretty good, Moony."

"Pads, we have to save her," Remus sighed with a pout as his fingers ran over the line of her chin.

There was such pain in the stranger's eyes. Remus knew out of all things his amateur hand caught most, it was her torture. Sirius bent further toward the paper and pouted next to his friend's face. "She did have a way about her, didn't she? Why do you think she ended up as Lucius's toy?"

"I don't know, but something was rather clear; she wasn't just one of his casual playthings," Remus murmured and glanced over at the animagus.

Remus took the charcoal and placed it in the bowl before tacking the picture up next to the others he did yesterday. "Moony, why are you obsessing about her?"

"Because she smelt familiar. Something on her," Remus murmured while shaking his head.

Sirius gazed up at the different sketches and sighed. "She's a pretty little bunny, that one," he grumbled as he noted his friend's detail.

The witch's attire wasn't detailed, but her hair and lip expressions were. "What did Albus say?"

"He cleared headquarters and put everyone in the dark until he finds the spy. He confirmed what she wrote. This rabbit was a blessing," Sirius murmured as he tapped the table next to them. "Moony, where do you think he keeps her?"

Remus was staring up at the large drawing of the mystery woman pressing the side of her face next to Rosier's leg and her eyes bright. "We could find out," he offered glancing over at him.

"How?"

Sirius frowned and exhaled. "Well, we should do some digging. We have two days before you get grumbly. Let's start with the Potters."

Remus motioned agreement and reached for his coat. "Let me clean my hands, and we'll go."

000

The redhead sat across from the werewolf with an arched eyebrow. Sirius was out back with James; they were talking about the red party in a crass way. They just got back from vacationing at his parents, and Sirius always had a sharp way of explaining current events. Some so that Lily preferred Remus's approach.

Lily was running her fingers on the edge of the many sketches that Remus brought with him. "I don't know her, Remus. What happened? The short version," Lily said as she took in the woman's sad eyes.

"She delivered important news to us after saving us from getting caught at Malfoy's," Remus declared with a grimace. "Lils, she was stuck with some awful collar on. I don't understand why I can't get her off my mind."

"And Sirius?" Lily questioned with a frown.

"Just as obsessed. It's been days, we should be able to let it go."

Lily picked up one of the more finished drawings. It was romanticized without her mask as she pouted with darkened lips as she was at a lean. "She looks like she's seen so much," she paused as her finger traced the witch's eyes. "Remus, she needs help."

"I know, that's the problem. She told us not to come find her," the werewolf groaned as he scrubbed his facial hair.

Lily sat back a moment as she tapped the side of her face. "Well, you said she was intimately touching Sirius," she hemmed as a color tinted her cheeks. "I would see if you could find her scent."

Remus shrugged his shoulders and huffed. "Well, I could, but we should start with a bit of direction. I'm hoping we can pry a bit more from Albus."

"Have you tried Knockturn?" Lily murmured and squirmed in her seat. "That little pub down there might have some death eater regulars."

Remus leaned over and kissed her cheek before standing up. "I think that's a grand idea. I'm going to go nab Sirius and James before we owl Peter to meet us there," he said with a nod.

She exhaled with a small nod. "Please be careful. That's not a great place for any of you."

000

The disguises were flawless and the vendors on the street held that seal of approval. The four marauders were all quite ordinary riffraff looking wizards. They made their way to the White Wyvern with little trouble, but the pub itself declared a seperate difficulty; it was filled with strangers and menacing looking wizards.

They sat in the back of the pub, ordering from the crooked elf that walked by. Remus set a very discreet muffling charm and leaned toward them. "Alright, I will listen for anything in regards to Lucius."

Peter, contorted into a hunchbacked elderly man, frowned. "What did she do that you're so interested in a witch he had at a shag party?"

"She's just a really pretty witch," Sirius snickered with a yellow smile; he seemed more like a pirate than a wizard, but no one argued.

Sirius and James both agreed that Peter seemed distracted lately and couldn't tell him about Albus's secret mission. It was too risky and Remus hesitantly agreed before they met up with their friend. The story was simple; they snuck into a party to cause a ruckus and met the little Bunny they were chasing after.

Remus cancelled the spell and sipped his cup when the elf came back. He listened to the murmuring around the room and twitched his long bumpy nose. It smelt wrong in here. There was conversation about the war, about the troll uprising, even about Dumbledore being an enemy. The word 'mudblood' was tossed in the air and he focused on the voice.

"Just let him have her," a hissing voice announced.

"Not if she's going to serve a purpose," Lucius's sharp tone entered the pub.

"And what would that be, Malfoy? Help you avoid falling into his bad graces?" the slithering voice retorted.

Remus noted the two individuals cross the pub and settle in a booth to the right of them. "If he pushes her to predict, he could kill her from impatience. He wouldn't agree with my concealment if she wasn't breakable. He entrusted me with her and that's what I'm going to continue to do, Nott."

"She's a seer," Remus whispered as his eyes grew wide.

Sirius hunched over his cup as James drank deeply from his. "Is it Lucius?" the dog animagus asked in a low breath.

Nott's hood form waved a hand at the silver-haired man. "You do what you must, but she will need to be moved again soon. I hear Amycus was rude with her and attempted to break her innocence."

A snappy groan followed as Lucius reached for his cup; Remus watched out of the side of his view as he leaned forward like he was speaking to his table. "I told him to leave her alone. Moving her to the countryside might be a more positive experience. My father would welcome a little youthful servant. The man can't grab succulent flesh any longer but enjoys a nice view."

"What is the point in keeping her so comfortable, Malfoy? She'll get greedy the longer you let her have the space to be free of obligation," Nott insisted.

Peter tilted his head. "What are they saying?"

James waved him off as he noted Remus's frown deepen. "Quiet."

"She sucks plenty of cocks, Nott. That serves a purpose. Besides, if she happens to have a child like the prophecy she spoke of, then it could end his reign. Our Lord agrees you keep your enemy closer."

Remus's nose flared. If there was anything he hated, it was the abuse of innocents. He coughed and drank his cup, still not drawing attention if he could help it. His eyes skated the table as Lucius glanced over. "Complete ballocks about the dragon pox outbreak, shame we couldn't capitalize on it," Remus said loudly and the others at the table nodding.

It was all a farse, but it had to be a good farse to get more information.

"Do you think he'll get impatient with her?" Nott finally asked as he received Lucius's full attention again.

"Not if I can help that. She may be important, but she's still mine. He gifted her to me after she showed such fear for me in his presence. Whatever time she came from and forgotten, she knew me," Lucius chuckled with a nod.

"Well, I must get back to my mission. Let me know where she ends up so I can play with her myself. I have a few toys I want to test on her," Nott said with a wretched tease in his tone.

"Next week. I'll be sending her off to my father's in the next two days," Lucius announced. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to do some shopping and look productive so the ministry doesn't grow weary," he snickered with a smirk.

The death eaters tapped each other's cups and drained them before leaving the pub. A quick catch up away from prying eyes and ears? What was the situation with this little witch? Remus drained his glass and motioned for another round from the elf walking around the bar. The marauders stayed quiet about their questions, murmuring about current events from a darker perspective. Peter seemed anxious, and Remus could smell it on the air. That created another question.

Once they were out in Diagon Alley as themselves, Sirius scowled over at Remus. "What happened?"

"They're moving her in the next two days to Abraxas, out in Yorkshire. There's something else," Remus murmured as he tugged them toward a secluded nook in the area. "She didn't just appear out of thin air, Lucius mentioned time."

"We have to talk to Albus," James whispered with a narrow gaze.

"Seems our little bunny is going to have tons of explaining to do when we catch her," Sirius mused as he scratched his chin.

Peter scratched his head with a tilt of his head. "What if Malfoy was lying? That doesn't make sense," he grumbled.

"Well, we know this much. If we don't, she's going to eventually be killed," James said with a nod.

Sirius smirked over at him while rolling his eyes. "Prongs, you can't go fantasizing about this witch now, you're married."

James groaned and shoved him. "Don't be a tool, Pads. Lily is the only woman for me."

"Come on, let's go see if Lily can help bring a bit more logic to these plans. I don't trust Sirius after the red party," Remus said with an arched eyebrow.

The marauders started walking toward the apparition point and Sirius waved his hand. "You loved it. Nothing like girls, whips and plenty of snogging."

Remus was attempting to hide his blush as Petter stared over at him wide-eyed. "Whips, Moony?"

"And chains, Wormtail," Sirius continued with a teasing tone.

Peter hemmed and tugged his collar. "Sounds like Pads is writing stories again."

"The sad part is he isn't lying," Remus grumbled. "Move it, Padfoot. I don't want to see you making that suggestive face again," the werewolf snapped as Sirius turned around and licked his lips at Peter.

"He's right, let's go," James responded and they left Diagon Alley.