A/N) Yes, this really is an update after nearly three years! I think I had better explain myself. You see, Doctor Who came into my life, and took it over completely. I have grown away from that - due to David Tennant leaving then anything - HOWEVER ever since the release of the Deathly Hallows trailer I have been back in the world of Harry Potter. It has been three long years since I have been in this fandom and I am back. I am in the middle of re-reading the entire Harry Potter series too, so hopefully that will help as well!

The last few days I have spent editing this fic and have uploaded new versions of the chapters, with grammar mistakes changed, but the plot has stayed the same. Nothing has changed save for a general edit of all 35 chapters.

And today I wrote this chapter. I lost the notes to this story a long time ago so I really have no idea where I am going with this now, but this popped into my head and it seemed like a good continuation of where I left this fic off in 2007. So, I hope it is worth the wait - and if anyone is still reading - please let me know what you think.

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Trap

Sirius ran towards the school gates, pounding his legs as fast as possible. He skidded to a halt by the gates, wrenched open the door, stepped through and was about to Apparate away when Albus Dumbledore suddenly appeared in front of him.

"You are not stopping me from going after Remus," he said.

"It is a trap, Sirius," replied the Headmaster calmly.

"Remus is my friend!"

"And Voldemort knows that."

Sirius glared, grasping his wand tightly in his hand. He was ready to leave. As an Auror he had access to the last known whereabouts of the werewolf community and he could slip in unnoticed. He was, after all, an animagus. Of course if the werewolves had truly joined Lord Voldemort there was the likelihood that Wormtail had already told his master of Sirius' ability to transform. It was not common knowledge he was one and though that fact had come up in his trial a year ago, Dumbledore had lobbied the Minister to keep him off the register and the information barred from being released. However, considering Wormtail's place at Voldemort's side, it was feasible to assume that he knew and would have already informed all his followers. He bit his lip, wavering in his decision, wondering if charging after Remus was the best idea.

"Sirius?" asked Dumbledore, lightly.

Slowly, he raised his gaze to the wizened old man. "I have to know."

"What about Harry? Would it be fair of him to lose you?"

Sirius faltered once more.

"Voldemort is after you, Sirius. He knows that capturing you – or even killing you – will hurt Harry. He has known for a long while that Remus has been part of the werewolf underground, trying to convince them not to join our side. He has been biding his time. If you go, you will walk right into a trap," reasoned Dumbledore.

"What about the Order members that you will be sending to search for him then? Are you concerned about their welfare too? Or is it just mine?" shouted Sirius. He couldn't just leave his friend, especially if he was hurt.

"They are not top targets of Voldemort's and you know this, Sirius." Dumbledore stepped aside. "But if you wish to risk your life then I simply cannot stop you. I can only ask that you reconsider and think of Harry before you go charging off."

Hesitating, Sirius didn't know what to do. He loved Harry and he owed it to James and Lily to keep their son safe. He had promised them that he would... but Remus was also a friend in need. Long ago the Marauders had made a promise to stick together through thick and thin, to help one another out when the other was in trouble. And though Wormtail had broken that pact... Sirius still valued it. James had been his only family from the moment he had been sorted into Gryffindor and effectively disowned by his own parents.

Harry was his family... but so is Remus...

"Sirius?" asked Dumbledore, quietly.

"If I don't go I will be betraying the only friend I have left. But if I do go I will not be protecting Harry if I get caught or die..."

"What is more important to you: friendship or family?"

"They are both my family," whispered Sirius.

"I see."

Sirius took a deep shuddering breath. "I have to go." Without looking at Dumbledore, Sirius twirled on the spot, focusing his mind and apparated away.

Remus hid in the undergrowth, his robes torn and blood pouring from his wounds. He and two other werewolves had managed to escape the massacre that had followed Greyback's announcement that they were to join the Dark Lord or die. He had lost a lot of blood in his ensuring escape, and he was too weak to apparate out. He huddled closer into the mud, trying to keep still and his breathing low as he heard the sounds of approaching footsteps.

"I'm surprised he hasn't come, my Lord." It was Fenrir Greyback. "We allowed Lupin to escape. He is still here."

"Black will come for his friend, and then he will be mine," said the cold, calculating voice.

Remus shivered. Voldemort was metres away from him. And they're after Sirius? He wondered why but he didn't even have to consider the thought before the answer came to him. Harry.

He had to get out of there. He knew Sirius would arrive. Sirius certainly wasn't stupid, but he would always come to the aid of his friends and family, even if it meant risking his own death. He was walking into a trap. Voldemort must have known that the werewolves would join him and had already prepared his trap in advance.

He had to get out of here and attempt to intercept Sirius, but then he heard another voice and he stilled, fear running through his soul.

"He is here, my Lord."

Lucius Malfoy, thought Remus darkly. The 'he' was clearly referring to Sirius.

"Black is on the edge of the forest. As Wormtail predicted, Master, he is disguised as that rangy mutt," continued Lucius.

Damn! They know his form!

"Good," muttered Voldemort. "That will make capturing him much easier."

Warning bells went off in Remus' head. He couldn't just lay here and do nothing, knowing full well what his best friend was walking into! He would have to risk apparition, even if it killed him, at least he would die trying to warn his friend. Grasping his own wand, and praying fervently that he wouldn't end up splinching himself if he survived this, Remus focused on his destination and with a resounding POP apparated.

He landed with a thump near the edge of the forest, still amongst the undergrowth. Knowing that as a dog, Sirius had advanced hearing, Remus risked a whispered word: "Padfoot?"

No response. Where-ever Sirius was he was out of range.

And he could have already run into Voldemort by now...

Padfoot sniffed amongst the undergrowth searching for the familiar scent of his friend. He had picked up his scent, he was sure of it and he continued along the path until it abruptly stopped amongst a clump of bushes. This was where it ended but there was no sign of Remus. His ears perked as he heard approaching footsteps. He lay low, waiting for them to pass, but they stopped just inches from his hiding place.

"Come out Black, we know you are there," drawled Lucius Malfoy. "Our Lord wants to see you."

He stayed where he was, close to the earth.

"We can, of course, just stun you..." continued Lucius. "Either way you will be meeting our Lord tonight."

Padfoot growled, but without any hesitation he transformed back into a man, remaining in his crouched position and pulled his wand from his pocket. He knew he was surrounded. A trap for him and he had stumbled right into it. But then, he had been ready for it. He could just Apparate away...

"You can't escape Black! Wards have been constructed to stop you from escaping so easily! The Dark Lord isn't foolish!" yelled Malfoy into the darkness of the wood.

Damn...

He had to fight, it was the only way.

Rising from his crouch he yelled in quick succession: "IMPEDIMENTA!" followed by "INCENDIO" pointing his wand at the nearest tree, setting it alight. He fired the same spell to other trees around him, setting the wood on fire. Screeches reached him and he ran through the circle of fire he had made.

He quickly transformed back into Padfoot after tucking his wand back inside his robes and ran further into the undergrowth, away from the commotion he had caused. Over the yells of fire-diminishing spells he could hear Voldemort's yells of frustration that he had escaped.

"FIND HIM!"

And Padfoot fled into the wood, knowing that he had to find Remus as quickly as possible.

Despite the pain he was in, Remus staggered to his feet. Not that far away he could hear yells of frustration and knew without a doubt that Sirius had successfully evaded the trap that had been set up for him. He could see several trees burning in the distance, but staged away from them. He had to get out of the Anti-Apparition Wards that had been set up around the forest. He fell to his knees as pain resounded through his body. He let out a yell of pain as he collapsed; his breathing coming in ragged gasps.

His wounds were severe, he knew that, and if he didn't get treatment soon he would die. Even as he attempted to get to his knees once more, his sharp hearing caught the sounds of padded feet heading in his direction.

"Padfoot?" he whispered.

The noise stopped and Remus listened.

"Remus, where are you?"

"Just over here," he replied.

A few seconds later, Sirius rounded the tree and found his friend laying in the dirt, covered in blood, his robes torn. "Moony. Thank god, you're alright."

"You shouldn't have come," replied Remus.

"I had to make sure you were safe. We stick together."

"Maybe but you are the most important thing to Harry now..." He faltered as Sirius raised his hand.

"I already had this lecture from Dumbledore; I don't need it from you as well," growled Sirius, as he reached down to help his friend to his feet. He wrapped one of Remus' arms around his own shoulder and lifted him; Remus attempting to walk with the little energy he had left. "It's not far to the Anti-Apparition Wards end. If we can reach them before they find us, we can get away."

Remus was about to reply when a cold voice echoed around them.

"I don't think so."

Laughter; cold, calculating laughter echoed all around them.

As their eyes adjusted, they became aware that they were surrounded by the few Death Eaters that had returned loyally to their master's side at his rebirth, barely a month before.

And Lord Voldemort was standing in front of them, his red eyes glinting malevolently in the darkness.

To be continued...

Please, if anyone is still reading this after so long, please let me know what you think.

I really hope to get the next chapter up soon, as I have a vague idea of where the next few chapters are going - I will be working on where this story is going once more in the next few days. I do not intend to leave it another three years before I update again.

the-writer1988