Chapter 4
Pronounced Dead
~*~
The Minister of Magic Luicus Malfoy sat in his office reading stack of papers. He was seeing who was living, dead or missing. He'd been reading over them for nearly six weeks. He still of yet to find anything on Remus Lupin. It seemed he'd dropped off the face of planet. A certificate of alive, missing or dead had of yet to appear.
Luicus stood up and walked over to another large stack of papers labeled half-breeds. He grabbed them and sat down at his desk. He flipped through many stacks of papers, when he realized that many of the werewolves certificates were missing. "Odd." he thought and dug deeper. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a knock on the door. He called 'enter,' and the door opened and Severus walked into the office.
"Ah Severus how's Hermione today?" asked Luicus.
Severus rubbed his temples of his forehead. "Not well at all. I have to give her a sleeping draught, just so she'll sleep. Damn it Luicus she's going down hill. Tell me you've found Lupin."
The Minister shook his head. "Look at this," motioning to the stack of papers. "These are the werewolves papers. Over half are missing!" Severus walked over to the desk and looked at the papers. "I mean they're not there. Nothing! Not a missing certificate, living or dead. It's like they've vanished!"
"What are you going to do?' Severus asked his childhood friend.
Luicus sighed heavily and whispered, "Pronounce them as dead. I don't have the funds to put out a full scale search. The money is gone the funds for the war. I can do nothing. Damn it!" he angrily knocked the papers to the floor.
Severus rested a hand on Lucius's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You've done your best with what you have my friend. Call it a day." He nodded and the men left the Ministry.
~*~
Hermione laid in her bedroom at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. She picked a photo of her and Remus and broke down into tears. She lifted her shirt showing her stomach. Hermione rubbed her belly remembering how it felt when Remus would kiss and talk to John. Oh how he'd get the baby moving and leave her bruised, but he was also able to quiet him down so she could sleep. She cradled her stomach wishing for Remus to come home.
~*~
Harry sat at the large dinning table with his elbows on the surface and his face buried in his hands. He sat listening to his best friend cry. It tore his heart out every time he'd hear her. Molly only made it worse last week when she came to visit accusing her of being a whore, because she was pregnant. She was suppose to be with Ron not unmarried with a bastard child. Severus nearly threw the red head into the fireplace because of the cruel remark. Sirius banded Molly from Grimmauld Place to the family's relief.
"Harry," Draco said gently. He turned and looked at him with tears in his emerald green eyes. "Oh, Harry it's alright." Draco pulled him into his arms. "Father won't rest until he finds Remus." he gently rubbed his back.
~*~
Lucius stepped through the door into the entrance hall of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. He looked up at the staircase when he heard Hermione sobs coming from her bedroom. He closed his eyes regretting what he was about to tell the young mother to be. It was going to shatter her. Severus rested a hand on the blonde's shoulder and steered him to the dinning room.
The men walked into the room and found Draco pouring Harry a glass of Fire Whiskey. Draco looked up at his father and grabbed two more glasses. The men joined the couple at the long table. Sirius stepped into the room. Draco only to grab another glass. He sat down next to his godson.
"What's wrong Father?" Draco asked.
Luicus took along sip of his whiskey. He closed his eyes and let the warmth of the amber liquid calm his frazzled nerves. "I've found nothing. The papers for every werewolf has nearly vanished. I mean," he staled, "each time I turn around another one has vanished. Than every so often one will come up as dead."
Sirius drained his glass of whiskey from his glass and sat it down on the table. "What do we do?"
"My money's gone. So is yours, Sirius. We can't search. The only thing I can do is proclaim Remus John Lupin as dead," just after the words left his mouth they heard "thump." "Hermione." Luicus said, and ran to her side. He knelt down next to the fallen woman. "Come on child, wake up."
Severus and Lucius helped Hermione up sitting position. She pressed her hand to head and hissed at the pain of a knot on the back of her head.
"Remus is dead?" Hermione said in questionable manor.
Severus and Luicus helped the witch to the table. She sat back and gratefully took cup of hot tea from Ginny, who had heard and saw everything from the kitchen.
The Minister sighed heavily. He explained about the strange disappearances of werewolves. They would search if they only had the funds. Hermione slowly nodded her head.
"Sweetie," Ginny said gently, "go see your parents for awhile. It will do you some good to get away from here for awhile. We're all a floo call away." Hermione only nodded her head and drank her tea in daze.
~*~
Hermione stood in front of her bedroom minor dressed in a plain black ankle length dress that formed to her stomach. She let her rings show for all to see that she was indeed Mrs. Remus John Lupin.
"Sweetie are you ready to go?" Helen asked her only daughter. Hermione stuck her wand into her dress pocket. "The family's meeting us at the cemetery." Hermione only nodded her head and followed her parents out of the house.
~*~
Hermione walked up to the crowd of people. Harry quickly found her, Helen and Bryan. He pulled them away from the large crowd. Sirius pulled Hermione into his arms and sat her down in the front reserved for family only. Helen and Bryan sat next to their daughter. Sirius and Harry sat next to Helen. Draco and Luicus and Severus stood behind them along with Ginny and Ron.
Molly walked up to Hermione and crossed her arms. She was about to open her mouth when Luicus spoke up, "You will leave Mrs. Lupin and her family in peace, Mrs. Weasely." He raised a challenging brow at the red head. "I said leave them in peace." Molly huffed and walked away.
Sirius took a deep a breath and stood in front of the crowd. He looked at the closed empty coffin. He looked up at Hermione. "What can I say about Remus Lupin? He was my friend, my advisor in some strange ways. He was my prankster buddy all throughout school. We had our fights, laughs and even tears." Sirius staled to gain control of his emotions. He cleared his throat. "Remus only truly wanted one thing in life. He wanted a family. He wanted a wife. A child. He wanted grandchildren within time. He was finally blessed with the love of one woman, Hermione Granger. She became his wife and is carrying someone so precious to him. His son John. Remus went out to fight to make our world better for his family and friends." Sirius closed his eyes and few tears fell. He opened them up and looked Hermione directly in the eye. "He told Hermione. "I promise," before he walked out the castle doors. Don't you worry. Remus never forgets his promises." Sirius stepped down and sat next to Harry.
Hermione stared at the coffin in a daze. She gently rubbed her stomach watching but not listening to the people speeches. She knew Remus was alive. She could feel it in her very soul.
Luicus leaned over and whispered, "Mrs. Lupin it's your turn sweetheart." Hermione shook her head. He squeezed her shoulder. "It's alright, you don't have to make a speech." Luicus only nodded to the keepers. They lowered the empty coffin into the ground.
The marble stone read:
Remus John Lupin
Born: Died:
March 10,1960- May 28, 2000
War Hero
Husband and Father
Hermione stood up and laid special gold and red rose on top of the marble stone. She kissed her finger tips and gently pressed them against the cold stone. The others followed by laying their rose onto the grave. The family left the cemetery. They didn't want to be around those that really didn't care.
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