Wow. Didn't expect that kind of response. Just to let you know…all who have reviewed have successfully scared me into obedience. Heh.
Chapter 9
Remus was worried. He hadn't heard from Sirius or James all break, and then he couldn't even find them on the train. He and Peter ended up in a compartment with Lily Evans and her friends. So naturally, he didn't bring up the topic. Remus tried to avoid conflict when he could.
Now he still couldn't find them in the dorms or the common room or the kitchens. They have to be planning something, but what could it be? And why didn't they want him or Peter involved?
Remus reasoned they'd have to come to bed at some point, so he settled down with a good book and decided to wait for them. He fell asleep by mistake around two in the morning. They still hadn't shown themselves.
Classes started the following morning. Remus and Peter figured they had to show up for that.
They didn't, and Professor McGonagall didn't even ask where they were.
James and Sirius never showed up the entire day. No professor asked where they were. That, to Remus, was the strangest thing of all. They had to have realized that their classes weren't being disturbed? And why would students skip class on the first day back from break? That wasn't like James and Sirius, and never for a whole day.
Other people noticed as well. It wasn't hard to realize that the two biggest troublemakers in school weren't there. Remus and Peter constantly had people asking them what the two were planning. Remus and Peter had no idea, and they answered such.
Not many people believed them.
It was quite by accident, really, when Remus found Mr. Potter in a lonely hall.
"Mr. Potter? What are you doing here?" asked an incredulous werewolf. Mr. Potter looked at Remus. Remus had never seen such a haunted look in a man's eyes before.
"Remus…" was all he said. Tears began to well up in the man's eyes.
"Sir, where are James and Sirius?" Remus asked. This, was apparently the wrong thing to say. Mr. Potter squeezed his eyes shut and slumped against the wall, sliding onto the floor. "Sir?" Remus kneeled down next to him. He wasn't entirely sure what was going on.
"They have them…they took them…they want me as an exchange…" he muttered. "No one will let me go…James is dieing…"
"What?" Remus exclaimed. Mr. Potter had Remus' full attention now. "Sir, who took them? Where are they?" He had to find them if they were in trouble…as usual.
"The Death Eaters…we went out Christmas shopping for the boys…and when we came back…they were gone…it's all my fault…"
Remus leaned back on his heels. This was impossible…James and Sirius couldn't have been kidnapped, they were too strong for that.
Mr. Potter started sobbing, bewildering poor Remus further. He did the only thing he could think of doing and coaxed the man to his feet and began leading him to the hospital wing. A few times Mr. Potter's knees gave out from underneath him, and Remus was forced to half-carry, half-drag him along.
Madame Pomfrey came out in a tizzy, nothing unusual, but she softened when she saw who it was. "Poor dear," was all she said. She gave Mr. Potter a sleeping potion to set him at ease, tucking him snugly into one of the spare beds.
Remus was about to leave when he turned back to her, a trembling hand on the doorframe. "Madame Pomfrey, it's not true, is it? About James and Sirius?"
He was scared to know if it was true, but at the same time, not knowing would be even worse.
Madame Pomfrey turned to look at him, a sad smile on her face. Tears were welling up in her own eyes. "I'm afraid it is Remus. I'm afraid it is."
That was all she said before going back into her office. Remus returned to Gryffindor tower, silent and thoughtful. He found Peter trying to do some homework, albeit not very successfully. Remus sat down next to him in a daze. He didn't even notice anyone who was sitting around him.
"Hey, Remus? Can you help me with this? I can't make any sense of this Herbology assignment…" Peter said, holding out a piece of parchment for Remus. Remus didn't acknowledge it. Peter's arm drooped a little when Remus didn't take the parchment.
"I know what happened to James and Sirius," he whispered. Peter looked up at him, confusion clearly written on his face.
"What? You know where they are?" he asked. Unbeknownst to the two, the immediate group of people next to them stopped talking to listen.
"They were kidnapped…over break. They're being held captive somewhere, being tortured, or worse…" Remus trailed off. It was beginning to sink in on him just how dire this situation was. If only he could do something…but what could an underage wizard do?
Nearby, a girl with red hair stood up from her group of friends and left without offering them any explanation. They called after her, but she didn't answer and the portrait hole closed behind her.
Peter and Remus didn't get any work done that night. They didn't really sleep either, but they had plenty of nightmares.
End Chapter
And I'm just going to leave it there. Please review! I really like it when you review! It inspires me to update faster!
