Chapter Nine
A few uneventful years later . . .
July 31, 1984
It was a pleasantly warm day and anyone, young or old would agree that this day was a day worth celebrating. Unless you were a muggle. If you were a muggle, then you would not know that the last day of July was The-Boy-Savior's birthday. On this day many a party would be commencing. It was considered a holiday among the Wizarding folk, though not exactly official.
July the thirty-first was second on the list of 'Much Celebrated Day's' by Cynthea Worthington in Witch Weekly. October the thirty-first being the day that You-Know-Who was defeated by The-Boy-Savior was number one.
To the muggles it was just another day. To Albus Dumbledore, who discovered that Harry Potter had been missing from the Dursley's home the following year, it was another step away from finding The-Boy-Who-Lived. To Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, it was another day of preaching to his congregation-like assistants and top Ministry Auror's the importance of Sirius Black's future capture.
To Samantha Linney-Warren, Remus J. Lupin and Sirius Black it was also a special day. Like the rest of the Wizarding world it was a day for them to celebrate. It was Harry's fourth birthday. Just hours ago his birthday party had been in full swing. With Harry disguised as 'Henry' and Sirius as the family dog, the Weasley's had been invited. After the Weasley's had left, they allowed Harry to open his presents in the living room before them.
The tight-knit family now sat in the kitchen, the dishes cleaning themselves quietly in the corner. The house-elves had been dismissed for the night and the now four year old Harry sat on the floor, under the table with the new toys he had received. A bottle of Ogden's Finest was being pass between them as the sun was beginning to set outside.
"The party was good," Sirius commented, taking a swig from the bottle instead of his glass.
Remus snatched the bottle away from him and put it out of his reach. "Yes, I agree with you. It certainly went smoothly."
Samantha raised an eyebrow. "You both sound as if you were expecting more from a four year old's party."
"My party!" Harry said loudly from his spot under the table.
Sirius grinned pushing his chair back, he got onto his knees and crawled under the table before saying, "Well, a couple of strippers would have been nice -- OWW! Bloody hell! Them's the family jewels!"
Samantha chuckled, turning Remus who shook his head with an amused smile, before she gave Sirius another kick. It was a gentle one the second time and she received a grunt in return. She squeaked when he tugged roughly at her bare foot, ran a hand gently up her calf and to her thigh concealed by her sun-dress.
"I was actually expecting the twins to be more trouble after what I heard from you and Molly," Remus commented.
Sam did not't know if he was noticing her squirming or choosing to ignore it. She certainly hoped he didn't notice. "Erm, eh, I-I was actually expecting more from them, too. They were looking kind of calm today. Though, Molly did tell me about them both getting over the chicken pox so that might have been the reason. . . Oh my God."
Remus watched with wide eyes as Samantha flung herself out of her chair. Sirius, who had a hold of one of her legs was pulled forward, out from under the table as she dove under.
"Samantha?" Remus asked hesitantly.
Sam crawled to Harry and pulled him closer to her. He protested slightly but she was able to pry a toy out of his hand long enough to get his shirt off. Her fears were confirmed. Tiny pink spots had already began to blossom on his tummy and even around his neck.
"What the --? Is that the chicken pox?" Remus asked as he bent to peak under the table.
Sam nodded forlornly.
"Well," said Remus, taking Samantha's old seat, "better now than later."
"It's itchy," Harry complained. He rubbed his tummy while his bottom lip trembled. She kissed his brow, which calmed him down.
"What do we do though?"Sirius asked. At that moment Samantha thought he looked as if he was going to hyperventilate.
Crawling out from under the table, Samantha smiled and stood. She placed a calming hand on Sirius chest. He placed his hand over hers, looking alarmed. The now twenty-four year old woman could not blame him. Over the years, the three adults had been through many of Harry's ailments, but this one was certainly much different. It would be much more visual than say, a cold.
"He's not gonna . . . die, is he?"
"NO!" she giggled. Remus shook his head and picked Harry up from the floor after he crawled out from under the table. "What makes you think he's going to die Sirius? Everything's going to be fine. Molly drilled me on chicken pox a couple of days ago when Fred and George were in the midst of it, just in case Harry got it. I just forgot about the possibility of him getting it from the twins is all."
"He's feels a tad feverish," Remus said softly. He ran a hand through the child's hair. Harry laid his head onto Remus' shoulder. "What do we do?"
"A warm bath," Samantha a said instantly, "A warm bath with a sprinkle of baking soda."
The canine animagus stared at his significant other as if she had grown another head.
"Baking soda? What kind of poppy-cock remedy is that?"
The woman frowned. "The baking soda will aleve some of his discomfort and the itchiness. Momentarily of course. After that . . . well, I know we don't have any cortisone cream but I can Floo Molly and see if she has any calamine lotion left over for the pox. We can give him some antibiotic potion Molly gave me for his fever. . . What?"
Both Sirius and Remus smirked, Remus a little softer than Sirius.
"Of course, Healer Warren," Sirius said.
Remus went right on cue. "Right away, Healer Warren."
Samantha's frown deepened. "Just run the bath, while I get the baking soda. Smart asses."
Harry gasped as Remus and Sirius walked out of the kitchen with him. He put a chubby hand over his mouth and looked wide eyed at the werewolf who held him.
"Sam say bad word!"
A warm, baking soda filled bath later, Harry was tucked into his bed. Dressed only in a pair of Spider-man underwear, he was covered head to toe in calamine lotion, sleeping deeply. The three adults returned to the kitchen, this time dressed in their sleepwear. Once again they sat at the table with the bottle of whiskey.
"I was surprised that Percy did not bring Pettigrew," Sirius spat the name.
Samantha shook her head, while sipping slowly. "I expressed to Molly my great phobia of rats the other day. I guess she must have told the boy to leave him in his room."
Remus sighed vehemently and Sirius sucked at his teeth with a murderous look upon his face. Oh, they would have loved for the rat to enter the cottage so that they could tear him to pieces. This was his second chance, Sirius knew. His second chance to have revenge. Sooner, rather than later they would capture Peter Pettigrew themselves and present him to the ministry. Than he would be a free man.
Samantha cleared her throat interrupting his meandering thoughts.
"I don't think we should wait anymore," she said, startling them.
This was actually the first time Samantha had ever spoken about capturing Pettigrew in years. She had always let that thought alone and to her lover and his best friend.
"It's been too long," said Samantha, she stared down at her nearly empty drink. "You -- we, I mean. We need to get to him as soon as possible and send him packing to Azkaban. I can't stand it anymore, Sirius --"
Sirius took one of her hands in his and lifted it to his lips. "I know, love."
" -- I can't stand the thought that he's free, lazing about at the Weasley's anymore. And while your here, stuck, unable to go anywhere save the confines of the back and front garden and only if your in your animagus form --"
"Calm down, Sam," he said to her soothingly, "That's it now, calm yourself, woman. We know."
Samantha glared. Remus chuckled.
"I'm with Samantha on this one, Sirius," Remus said, "It's time to take action."
Sirius nodded affirmatively. "It's most definitely time to get even with Pettigrew."
"Actually," Samantha interrupted their manly pep talk. She squinted at the clock on the wall before getting up from her seat and grabbing their glasses. "It's time for bed. Come on, men. Scoot."
Sirius grumbled, getting out of his seat sluggishly and at a snail-like pace. Remus shook his head at his best friend and took the glasses from Samantha.
"I'll take these," he told her, "why don't you Floo to Molly and Arthur's to return the calamine bottle?"
The dark haired woman perked. "Oh, I completely forgot about the calamine, thank you for reminding me though." She took the bottle from the kitchen counter and then took Sirius' cloak from the coat rack. Wrapping it around her, she stuck the heavy, glass calamine bottle into one of the pockets. "I think I'll walk, though. Get me some fresh night air."
Sirius grinned and made to follow, but Remus held him back.
"Don't even think about it, Padfoot."
Samantha shook her head and walked out of the kitchen, into the back yard and out onto the newly made stone path to the Weasleys. A few months ago, Remus had made the path through the woods, clearing roots and thorned shrubbery that Samantha had many times before fallen over and into. The night air was pleasantly cool and quiet, save for a bark of a dog or hoot of an owl.
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Percy Weasley crawled out from under his bed. He had looked everywhere. Everywhere! And still, he couldn't find his beloved pet. He tore down the stairs, passing Fred and George as they tried to make their way up by climbing up the banister, and went into the kitchen.
"Mum!" he exclaimed to the red-haired woman wiping the kitchen table down. "I can't find Scabbers! You haven't seen him, have you, Mum?"
Molly Weasley looked down at her child, shaking her head. "Oh, I'm sorry Percy, dear. I haven't seen him anywhere. Why don't you ask your father?"
Percy nodded. It was only a few steps until he entered the living room where his father sat with the Daily Prophet. Upon seeing his son enter the room and walk purposely towards him, Arthur Weasley folded his paper and set it down on the hand rest.
"What can I do for you, son?"
"Father, I can't find Scabber anywhere. I looked everywhere, Father, I really did!"
Arthur rubbed a calming hand up and down his son's back. "Don't worry, son, I'm sure Scabbers is about the home some place. We'll spot him once he gets hungry and decides to make an appearance. Alright?"
Percy nodded. He sure hoped his father was right.
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Samantha unknown to what was happening in the Weasley house hold was about to step foot into the Weasley yard. A hand snaked out from the shadows behind her and clamped over her mouth, dragging her away from the path and into the forest. Her scream was muffled into the dirty hand.
"Did you think that I would stay unaware for so long?" a man whispered harshly into her ear. An arm wrapped roughly around her waist and pulled her painfully into chest. "You should tell Sirius to be more cautious about where he roams in his animagus form."
He turned her roughly around and Samantha looked into the face of Peter Pettigrew. The short, overweight man was already balding, his clothes, face, hands and bare feet brown with dirt and dried mud. She did at the moment what she was sure any woman would do when they thought they were most certainly going to die.
She screamed. And then punched Pettigrew.
Samantha ran as fast as she could in her house slippers down the path. She could hear his footsteps behind her. The cottage was coming nearer and nearer to her. Just as she approached the open gate, she fell forward, the wind knocked out of her. The man had tackled her and was pulling her away from the gate by the hair.
"Why you little bitch!" he seethed.
He turned her around as she struggled to regain her breath and gave her a sharp slap. She gasped, the feeling of air in her lungs heavenly. Samantha struggled against him, tears ran down at her face at the realization that she left her wand in the kitchen.
"When I'm done with you, Black and Lupin are gonna find you in pieces!" he snarled at her. "I might even have some fun with you before I off you, it's certainly been a long time!"
Pettigrew straddled her waist and gave her another sharp slap. Samantha cried out and the copper taste of blood filled her mouth as she bit her tongue. The next blow that came was his closed fist. With a hard punch to the side of her head, Samantha Linney-Warren went out like a muggle light.
To be continued . . .
A/N: REVIEW! -- JMMendiola
