Finding Father-in-Law

By Matthew W. Quinn and Kyli Ann Rasco

November 27th, 1997 AD

2 PM

Remus Lupin and his band of Snatchers crossed over the snow-dusted ground in the wooded country between Norwich and Cambridge.

There've been reports of a man living rough in the woods. It might be someone we're looking for.

He hoped it wasn't Ted Tonks. When he last encountered his father-in-law, Ted had been traveling with a goblin, Dean Thomas, and a man Lupin did not recognize. If the man turned out to be Ted, that meant Dean, the goblin, and the other man had likely come to sticky ends.

Lupin particularly worried about Dean. The others were seasoned adults, but Dean was barely of age.

Of course, if it was the man that Lupin did not know, then that meant it was Ted who came to a sticky end…

Lupin shook his head.

Worrying about this now will not help anything.

The group continued walking, passing under some skeletal trees. They made their way deeper into the woods for what was probably a mile.

Lupin kept his wand pointed ahead of him, repeating the Revealing Charm. Thus far, they hadn't found anyone at all…

Then he saw tracks. They were faint, but they looked fresh. Based on the tread, these weren't the sort of shoes one would hike in and they were getting a bit worn.

Looks like we've found our fugitive. Hopefully we won't catch him.

"Stay here," he told the others. "I'll go check this out."

Most of the Snatchers obeyed him, except for one.

"Sir," Andrew Parker said. "Why are you going after it by yourself? Could be a dangerous Mudblood, or a group of them if they're careful."

Lupin shook his head.

"There've only been reports of one, and these tracks don't look like a group." He paused for effect. "If I don't come back, you're in charge."

That shut Parker up real fast.

Lupin set off after the tracks. He followed them through the skeletal wood until he had lost sight of his group. The trail continued for a quarter mile, skirting a couple of hills that rose uncomfortably close to the top of the trees. They descended into a ravine, then led straight into the wall.

Odd.

Lupin looked closely. Something about the side of the hill seemed unreal. Most wizards would not have figured it out, but he could.

Whoever's here has used magical concealment.

He waved his wand and the landscape vanished, revealing a cave mouth. Lupin would have to duck to fit inside, but he could fit. A quick Revealing Charm showed him there was someone inside the cave, although he could not quite discern where. Raising his wand, he entered the cave.

He hadn't gone far when something big erupted out of the darkness. Lupin and his attacker tumbled. Lupin stabbed with his wand, but his opponent — it was a man, Lupin was sure — grabbed for Lupin's wrist with a wiry strength probably born of desperation. Lupin held onto his wand, but wasn't able to point it at anything other than the ceiling.

Unable to hex his target, he at least he could get a good idea of who it was.

Lumos!

The cave lit up, revealing Lupin's attacker was none other than Ted Tonks.

"Oh," Ted said, relaxing his grip. "It's you."

He scrambled off Lupin. This enabled Lupin to get a good look at him.

Ted Tonks used to be a big-bellied man, but the months on the run had been cruel to him. He'd been thinner when he was traveling with the others, but now that he was alone, he looked positively bony.

"So," Ted said. "How'd you find me?"

"I found tracks while leading a Snatcher patrol in the area," Lupin said. "If I could find it, so could others. It's my last mission as a Snatcher, so I won't be able to protect you or anyone else from them."

"Damn it," the elder Tonks said. "Looks like I'll have to move again. And it's when we move that we run into trouble."

Hold on. I've got an idea.

"Not necessarily," Lupin said.

Ted cocked his head.

"What'd you mean?"

"If you'd like to stay here, but don't want to be found, we can always set up a Fidelius Charm."

Ted nodded.

"That could be a good idea. But it didn't work out well with the Potters, did it?"

"That's because their Secret-Keeper betrayed them. If you're the Secret-Keeper for your own hiding spot, only you can tell others where it is."

"That seems like a good idea," Ted said.

However, if Ted is Secret-Keeper, that means I can't tell Dora or Andromeda about where their father and husband is hiding. Andromeda in particular misses him greatly.

"I think that I should be your Secret-Keeper, though. That why, I can bring Andromeda and Dora to see you."

Ted leaned forward.

"How are they doing?" he asked suddenly. "I've got a small radio here and I've been listening to 'Potterwatch,' but I've heard no mention of them."

"They're fine," Lupin said. "Dora's active in the war effort, disguising herself to assassinate Death Eaters."

Ted smiled.

"That's my girl," he said.

Ted then roundly sneezed.

"You all right?" Lupin asked. Ted shook his head.

"I've got the flu, it seems."

He gestured to himself.

"As you can no doubt tell, I haven't been eating too well either. I've been lying low as much as possible since the bastards caught up to us…"

That suddenly reminded Lupin of Dean, the goblin, and the other man.

Oh bugger!

"What happened?"

"The bastards caught up with us near Chipping Camden," Ted elaborated. "They killed Dirk, took Dean and Griphook."

He swallowed.

"At least that's what I think happened. We kind of scattered when the Snatchers came. I know Dirk got a Killing Curse in the chest and I think the other two were still moving when the Snatchers carried them off."

Lupin swore inwardly. He didn't know what the Ministry would do with a runaway goblin, but Dean was likely headed for Azkaban.

"I'm sorry," Lupin said.

Ted dismissed his words with a wave.

"Don't be. It's not your fault what happened."

Ted sneezed again.

"You know," Lupin said. "I could always bring you some vitamins and Pepper-Up Potion."

If he's not eating well, the flu could kill him. Best bring some food too.

Ted smiled.

"Thanks. Could you just bring me the ingredients, though? I'm bored as all hell in here when I don't hear something moving outside. Brewing it would give me something to do."

"I can do that," Lupin said. "I can also bring you some food."

Ted's eyes widened at the mention of food.

"Thanks," he said. "That'd be really nice."

"But first," Lupin said. "There is the matter of the Fidelius Charm."

November 27th, 1997 AD

2:30 PM

Once Ted's hiding place was supernaturally hidden, Lupin returned to where he had left the group. Only two of the Snatchers were still there.

"The others are following the tracks in the other direction, to see where the man came from," one of them said. "They should be back soon."

Lupin did not have long to wait. Parker and two more men returned.

"The tracks go on for a mile or more, then stop abruptly," Parker reported. "It appears whoever it was Apparated in."

Lupin nodded.

"Ah. It appears the man who was here has an Apparition license, then, or at least knows how to do it."

"What'd you find?" Parker asked.

"The tracks were old," Lupin said. "They eventually vanished. Whoever it was who was here is long gone."

He'd Vanished away the tracks leading to the cave, just to be on the safe side.

The other werewolves nodded.

"Let's go, then," one of them said. "There're Mudbloods to catch."

Lupin noted Parker eying him suspiciously.

Oh dear.

Between the fact he was Greyback and Wolf's mole in the training sessions and now this, Lupin decided that this one needed the "Uriah the Hittite" treatment sooner rather than later.

Of course, there will be fewer opportunities now that I'm not a commander of Snatchers anymore. I'll have to plan this very carefully.