The Devil in Me

Is It Any Wonder Things Get Dark?

The chapter title is from the song:

Atlantis by Seafret.

McKinnon Castle, Scotland ~ Order of the Phoenix's HQ

The air in the war room was tense. Everyone was geared up and ready to go – they knew what they were doing, but this was the final meeting, and nerves were running high.

"Here's the situation, everyone," Andromeda addressed the room, "Myself, Ted, Remus, and Gareth will be going to Malfoy Manor, where we will be working in coordination with the Army's leaders. Severus will be there fighting with the Death Eaters, but he will show his colours to defend us if required."

Tonks scoffed.

Andromeda fixed her gaze on her daughter, "You will stay here – my grandchild will be allowed to enter this world, unscathed, Nymphadora."

Tonks gave her mother a dubious look, "Yes, Mother. You have made your position clear."

"Lee, Delia, Roger and Ophelia," Andromeda addressed, "You will be leading the attack on Rookwood Hall, with the aid of Eddie Lamb from the Army."

"And I'll sit on my laurels like a good girl," Lydia said dryly.

"You will ensure your daughter's safety, Lydia," Andromeda said sternly, fixing Lydia with a dark look.

"Rhea needs a parent to survive the war. You made that clear," Lee pointed out.

Lydia sighed and shuffled the girl who was asleep on her, "Yes, I know."

Andromeda moved on, "Emmeline, Oliver, Dean and Seamus. You will attack Avery Manor as a quartet. You should not require any aid from the Army."

They nodded, so Andromeda continued, "Hubert – you will join the Army in the attack on Warrington Manor."

Hubert Davies nodded.

Andromeda opened her mouth to say something more, but before she could, a Patronus flew into the room in the form of a tabby cat. It landed deftly on the war table and spoke with Minerva McGonagall's voice.

"The Ministry of Magic is under attack. Was this a part of your plan?"

The cat disappeared, and Andromeda slammed her fist down onto the table hard, "No, it wasn't a part of the plan."

"The Army has double-crossed us," Ted said quietly.

"Oh, what a surprise," Remus said dryly.

"Now is not the time for sarcasm, Remus!" Andromeda snapped.

"Why would the Army double-cross us?" Dean asked in disbelief.

"Because they want to kill innocent people!" Remus exclaimed, "They are drawing the Death Eater's to the ministry to leave their homes undefended, and they want us to be a part of that."

"It's a diversion," Ted agreed.

Lydia shook her head angrily, "I won't be a part of this! If you decide to attack the unguarded homes of Death Eaters, then I don't know how I can call this the 'light' side anymore!"

Rhea began to stir and cry, so, with tears in her eyes, Lydia got up and disappeared up the spiral staircase at the back of the room.

Lee shook his head, "She's just sensitive. She'll get over it."

Remus scoffed, "Will she? Will she get over being a part of the organisation that condoned the killing of innocent people? Because I sure as hell won't!"

"Remus, we don't have time for this," Andromeda said, tensions rising as she looked at the clock on the wall.

"Yes, we never have time for discussion anymore. Isn't it funny that this has become something of a dictatorship for you, Andromeda? Everyone does it because you say it's right. I thought we were supposed to discuss and decide what was best for everybody."

"Enough!" Andromeda snapped, "Raise your hand if you still feel that the attacks are necessary."

Every hand in the room was raised apart from Remus's.

"A dictatorship, is it, Remus?" Andromeda asked calmly.

Remus scoffed, "I'm not coming."

"That's fine," Andromeda said coolly, "We only want people who are willing to do what has to be done, rather than those who would cower in the corner."

Remus's eyes flashed angrily.

"Stay here with your wife, and if you so much as think about betraying us, I will-"

"You'll what, Andi?" Remus asked dangerously.

An alarm rang at that point – signalling that they needed to leave.

Andromeda cast a dark glance over her shoulder, "You do not want to find out, Remus," she assured him before she, along with everyone else, swept out of the door.

Tonks got to her feet, "So, what now? You run away like the pathetic coward you are while I am forced to sit out another battle that I could make a difference in?"

Remus's eyes flashed again, "I am not a coward," he growled, his voice low and his eyes shining amber, "And you sacrificed that for yourself when you got pregnant."

Tonks scoffed, "I am sick of sitting on my laurels, needlessly missing fights that I can actually help with, Remus!"

Remus frowned and took a step back.

"What?" Tonks asked irritably.

"Needlessly?" Remus echoed.

Tonks eyes flashed as she realised her mistake.

Remus was quick to cast a diagnostic charm over her, and the result made him feel sick, "You're not pregnant-"

"Remus-"

"You lied!" He growled.

Before Tonks could move, Remus had her pinned against the wall by her throat, "Why did you lie?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

Tonks gasped, "You were going to leave."

Remus couldn't believe his ears; he loosened his grip, "So you told me you were pregnant to force me into marrying you? To stop me going after Harry."

"You would have died if you did, and I didn't want to lose you," Tonks said breathily.

"Well, you did a fine job of that," Remus spat, "How long were you planning on keeping the charade up for, exactly?"

"I don't know," Tonks confessed, "I knew the truth would have to come out soon, but I had hoped we would be able to win the war first."

Remus laughed humourlessly and walked away from her, "Fat chance of that."

With his back to her, Remus shook his head, "I won't play games with you anymore, Nymphadora."

"I won't let you leave," Tonks said, her voice stern.

Remus turned around and met her eye, "Just try and stop me."

Tonks threw a stunning charm at him, which he shielded and ducked.

A duel ensued, but with both parties being competent duellists and powerful spell casters, it was not an easy win for either of them. The spells got darker and more life-threatening as they went on, and at least once, Remus wondered if it would end with both of them dead.

Then Tonks slipped up, just for a second. She hesitated before throwing a killing curse at her husband. And that second of doubt was all Remus needed to disarm and bind her.

"Don't struggle, Nymphadora," Remus said coldly, lying her down on the sheepskin rug in front of the fire, "You don't want to hurt that imaginary child that you are so fond of."

Tonks looked into his eyes with such hatred, "I hate you."

"The feeling is mutual," Remus drawled, disappearing up the spiral case at a run in the hope that he could catch Lydia before she left.

He stepped into the bedroom she shared with Lee and Rhea just in time to see her sling a backpack on and bundle Rhea up in her coat.

"Don't you dare," Lydia said, her eyes on his, "Don't you dare try and stop me."

"I'm not stopping you," Remus promised, "I'm coming with you."

"You don't even know where I'm going," Lydia said, stepping into the hallway, "And where is your wife?"

"Otherwise occupied," Remus replied evasively, "And regardless of where you're going, it's got to be better than here."

Lydia held his gaze, "I'm going to my Uncle Julian. I know I can't trust my father, but I can trust him."

"Are you sure about that?" Remus asked evenly, "He's a Death Eater."

"That may be, but he'll always look after family first, and he loves me," Lydia said, "So that's where I'm going. If you have any better ideas, feel free to branch out on your own."

"Okay," Remus said, "I trust your judgement. Let's go."

Crouch House, Somerset ~ The Home of Julian Crouch

Julian Crouch was having the best Imbolc he'd had in years. He was sitting back by the fire, chuckling as he watched Hermione attempting to weave a 'Brigid cross', which was traditional at this time of the year.

"Good Godric, is it meant to be this hard?"

Fred held his up and grinned, "I don't know what you're complaining about. I've finished mine already."

"So have I," George said, with an identical shit-eating grin.

Hermione huffed, and Julian barked out a laugh.

"I thought you'd be good at this," Fred teased, nudging Hermione in the ribs, "You're so good at knitting after all."

Hermione glared at him, "Shut up. You're starting to sound like Ron."

"No, if we wanted to sound like Ron, we'd tell you to explain what spew is for your Dads benefit," George ribbed her.

"S.P.E.W!" Hermione exclaimed.

"She's never going to get over that, is she, Freddie?"

"The Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare!" Hermione ranted.

"Nope, don't think so, Georgie."

"The Society for what now?!"

"House-elves, Julian," Fred said, leaning back in his chair, "She thinks they should have rights, get a holiday once in a while."

"She wants them wearing suits like Jeeves," George joined in.

"VOTES FOR HOUSE ELVES!" The twins echoed.

Hermione threw her half-arsed cross onto the hearth and pulled her wand out.

"Okay, sorry, sorry – we took that too far!" The twins said in unison.

Julian just laughed and shook his head, "You are so much like your mother; it's uncanny, Katherine."

Hermione smiled – she only let Julian call her that because it was her given name as far as he was concerned. To everyone else, she was still Hermione; it was just the 'Crouch' part that was new.

At that point, a house-elf appeared with a crack and bowed lowly to Julian.

"Please be excusing me, Master Julian, but your niece is here with a friend."

Julian's eyes lit up, "Ah – is she? Admit them, please, Coco."

The house-elf bowed and disappeared again.

"Daphne and Harry, I presume?" Hermione asked.

Julian nodded, "I would expect so. Katherine love, throw that into the fire; it's beyond saving."

Hermione rolled her eyes but threw the half-formed cross of reeds into the fire, much to the twins' amusement and then the door to the lounge opened.

Julian turned around with a smile, expecting to welcome Daphne with a hug. His eyes widened when Lydia stepped in with Rhea in her arms and a man behind her hidden in the shadows.

"Lydia!" Julian exclaimed.

Lydia looked at him, desperation shining in her eyes, "I couldn't stay, Uncle Julian. I didn't know where else to go."

Julian's eyes scanned hers, "You left the Order?"

"And Lee with it," Lydia said.

She sighed. Rhea was fast asleep in her arms, "I can't condone what they are doing anymore."

Lydia looked over her Uncle, "But what's going on here? I can't remember the last time I saw you clean-shaven, and what are Fred and George Weasley doing here?"

Fred and George gave Lydia a wave.

Fred smiled, "How's our favourite Ravenclaw then, Lydia?"

Lydia gave them a bemused look and turned to her Uncle.

"It is a very long story," Julian confessed, "But I recently discovered that my daughter did not perish in the Wood massacre. Augustus Rookwood took pity on her, and she was sent to the Muggle world and adopted."

Lydia's eyes widened, "Katherine?" she asked, her eyes on Hermione.

Hermione nodded, "Which makes you Lydia, my cousin?"

Lydia frowned, "Uh, yes. But why are the Weasley twins here?"

"Also a long story," Fred admitted.

"Involving a magical triad," George added.

Lydia's eyes widened again, "A magical triad? Oh…wow."

"It's always the good girls," Fred said, winking at Hermione.

Hermione threw a jinx at him in response, which he shielded with a grin.

"I hate to break up the civilities, Lydia," Remus said as he stepped forward into the light, "But we are here for a reason."

"Professor Lupin?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

Remus smiled half-heartedly, "I have not been your professor for years, Hermione – Remus is fine."

Julian narrowed his eyes, "You ran away with my niece? And her child?"

Lydia made a face, "Not like that, Uncle. Remus is closer to your age than he is to mine."

"Yes, I know he is," Julian said matter of factly, his eyes still on Remus, "So why is he here?"

"Because we both needed to escape the complicated relationships that we found ourselves in," Lydia said matter of factly, "And we come with a warning."

Julian opened his mouth to ask what the warning was. Then both he and Hermione winced as their dark marks burned.

Remus's eyes flashed in surprise, "Hermione, you're a Death Eater?"

"Like father, like daughter," Hermione shrugged, "Dad, was that a call to arms?"

Julian nodded, "To the Ministry."

"Don't go," Lydia said quickly, "It's a trap."

Hermione and Julian froze, "What?"

"There's a spy within your ranks," Lydia explained, "He gave the Order a list of locations of Death Eaters homes. The Order and the Army are working together to attack the Ministry as a diversion to draw you away from your homes."

"Where are they attacking?" Hermione asked sharply.

"Malfoy Manor, Rookwood Hall, Avery Manor and Warrington Manor," Lydia replied quickly.

"Malfoy Manor," Julian said, his eyes darkening as they met Lydia's, "Where your sister is spending Imbolc."

Lydia baulked, "What? Daphne is marrying that slimy little shit?"

Hermione frowned, "What…Draco?"

Lydia's frown deepened, "Obviously – why else would she be at Malfoy Manor?"

"Because she's marrying Harry," Hermione explained, "Who the Malfoys have all but adopted."

"Harry Potter?" Lydia asked in disbelief.

"Our Harry?" Remus clarified.

"How many other Harry Potters do you know, Remus?" Julian asked rhetorically.

"That's not important right now," Hermione said quickly, "When are the attacks happening?"

"Right now," Lydia replied.

And surely enough, Julian's arm burned again, and Hermione's did too.

"Ungh," Hermione hissed, "What is going on?"

"Several calls to arms, all at the same time," Julian replied, "We need to get to Malfoy Manor and warn them if it isn't too late."

"We're coming with you," Lydia said, handing Rhea to Hermione.

Julian nodded, and he ran from the room, with Lydia and Remus in his wake.

"Wait – what? Guys, We're not going to sit on our arses and babysit!" Hermione called after them in disbelief.

*TBC*