Chapter Twenty Four: Rebirth and Failure

He stared at Bertha's wide, staring eyes and then looked up into Sirius' shocked face. 'She's dead,' he said - rather needlessly. He struggled back to his feet, Sirius held out his hand to help him up - and then they gazed down at her together. 'This is my fault.'

'How do you figure that?' There was a bite of impatience to Sirius' voice.

'Because I got rid of her - I sent her out into the night - just stuck her in that taxi and told the driver to take her somewhere else… And this is where she ended up. How is this not my fault?'

'You didn't kill her! And anyway - you only did that because she wouldn't stop asking questions.'

'She had stopped asking questions! She didn't know us, she had left us alone. I got rid of her as a precaution. Not because I had to.'

'It was a sensible precaution at the time! She shouldn't have come over to us, she shouldn't have started nosing…'

'It isn't Bertha Jorkins's fault that we're wanted criminals, Sirius!' he yelled. 'She just came over to say "hello" because she recognised us from Hogwarts. And if she hadn't done that - she wouldn't be dead - so it's my fault.'

'No. Merlin! Remus - you have to stop beating yourself up about everything that goes wrong. Not everything is your fault. You are not solely responsible for every bad thing that happens on the planet! Now…' he pushed his hands through his hair, as he thought, making it all stand up on end and giving himself a rather wild appearance. 'Someone wielded the wand that killed Bertha - and that definitely wasn't you. They are the person at fault. And that person was almost certainly Peter. Maybe Voldemort. But not you - not your fault. She looks … she looks like they used the killing curse on her. Don't you think?'

'Her face isn't marked … we can't see the rest.' They looked at each other - both looking hesitant and apprehensive. Then they moved as one, kneeling down and using their hands to brush her body free of all the dead leaves that covered her.

'Oh god,' Remus turned away, fighting the urge to be sick.

'What did they do to her?' Sirius had closed his eyes - his face was all scrunched up and he inhaled sharply.

Bertha Jorkins' body displayed the unmistakable signs of having been broken and ravaged by dark magic - and it was terrible to behold.

'We should bury her - should we bury her?'

'We can't just leave her here,' Sirius said. 'And we can't take her remains back to her family - not when she looks like…' He trailed off, his face scrunching up again.

'But this place - no one comes here. It's all dead. If we bury her here then her family won't ever find her, won't want to come.'

'Well it's better to bury her than leave her out - for the animals.'

'There are no animals.'

'It's still better to bury her. It's all we can do for her now…'

'Yes - yes you are right, of course. I'll…' he got back to his feet and raised his wand, looking around for a suitable place for a grave.

But just as he was about to cast the spell to shift enough earth to bury a body, he heard a faint popping sound. He had just registered it as the sound of someone apparating before he heard another and another … and then he and Sirius were surrounded by Ministry officials: aurors, hit wizards and none other than Umbridge herself.

'Expelliarmus,' one of the aurors cried - and Remus' wand flew from his hand and fell to the ground. He blinked at it, rather stupidly - feeling too much was happening too fast for him to really understand what was going on. Bertha was dead … they were caught ...

'Neither of you move,' Umbridge said. 'We have you covered and there is no escape.' She seemed to swell up with satisfaction, looking even more toadish than usual. 'Dear dear - caught red handed in the very forest the Dark Lord calls home. There can be no doubt about your guilt now - no doubt of what you planned to do. It will be the dementors' kiss for you both,' and she gave a delighted little snigger.

Sirius, still armed, had raised his wand and reached out for Remus - as if to apparate them away to safety.

'Don't be a fool, Black,' one of the aurors called to him. 'We can kill you where you stand.'

Sirius hesitated.

'We spoke to Ivan Karkaroff,' Umbridge said, she was bristling with delight now. 'He told us you were coming here … and he told us something else … We know you are a muggle, Mr. Black. That wand is for show - and the wolf is disarmed. You are helpless… Chain them up .'

The aurors converged on them, conjuring great iron manacles from thin air as they roughly grabbed the boys and started to arrest them…

… And that was when they saw Bertha Jorkins. Or what remained of her.

A deathly hush fell over the forest.

'What … ? what did you do?' Umbridge sounded aghast. 'Bertha? Bertha?' And then her face went bright red - screwed up in anger. 'You filthy animal!' she shrieked at Remus, pointing a stubby finger right in his face.

'What?' he blinked again in surprise - not understanding.

'This is your work - you savaged her - unable to control your dark cravings. The full moon is no longer enough, am I right? You lust for the taste of flesh even in your human disguise - like Greyback. You feed even while you pretend to be a man. But you are always a monster. '

Remus turned pale at her words - and he was barely aware of the aurors holding him, or the chains on his wrists, or the fact he was going to prison and Voldemort would rise again. He was barely aware of the roar of rage Sirius gave - his cry of 'how dare you?' He was sickened - and drowning in shame as he understood fully what she thought of him - what she was accusing him of in front of all these witnesses. In front of Sirius. 'No!' He felt the tears swim into his eyes and threaten to spill over, 'no - I would never - I'm not - please…'

'Greyback is the one who made you isn't he? How like him you are!'

'No -'

'You disgusting, old hag!' Sirius yelled - he elbowed one of the aurors who held him in the eye. 'Look at her, look what was done to her - that's dark magic. Someone has performed dark magic on her.'

'Is that a confession, Mr. Black?'

'It wasn't me - you stupid twit, and it wasn't Remus - we just found her this way.'

'A likely story - you - the escaped convict, the mass murderer, the right hand man of You Know Who - of course you did this. Who else would be able to perform magic so dark - so dangerous?' She was trembling with rage and stamped her foot on the ground.

'I thought I was a muggle?' Sirius barked back at her. 'I thought the wand was just for show?'

'Then the wolf did it - the beast savaged her and you let him - you sick, twisted…'

'It wasn't us - it was Voldemort!'

As Sirius said the name, Umbridge let out a little yelp and shrank backwards. The aurors dropped hold of both prisoners, shuddering. Sirius grabbed Remus again, holding him closer, 'don't listen to her,' he said - his voice lowered so only Remus could hear him. 'Only she thinks like that - no one else could ever think you would…' He trailed off - as if the end of the sentence was just too disgusting for him to say. And then raised his wand. 'Stay back…' he warned the aurors, who had regained their composure and were closing back in to make their arrest. 'Stay back - I'm warning you…'

But the aurors kept coming, the circle around the two chained men grew smaller. Sirius tightened his grip on Remus, as if determined that they would not be separated - that they would not be taken away from each other, just as they had finally found each other…

And then a loud and thunderous rumble shook the earth beneath their feet. The whole ground began to quake, and fissures opened up - cracks splitting the soil and running like rivers through the earth - scars marring the landscape.

'What are you doing?' Umbridge cried. 'You cannot frighten us.' Though her voice held an edge of panic that belied her words. 'Enough of your dark magic, wolf.'

'It isn't him,' Sirius yelled.

The dead trees began to sway their diseased branches, the air began to crackle with static, the skies grew dark overhead … and then there was the sound of an explosion from not too far away. A muffled roar of sound, followed by a great wave of green light - liquid in consistency - shooting straight up in a column, like a waterfall flowing backwards - a hundred feet into the air. It hit the air and condensed in a smoky cloud … and gradually the cloud took on a shape … a skull, with its tongue out - but its tongue was a snake.

The Dark Mark.

After all these years, the Dark Mark had appeared in the skies once more ... the whole group stared up at it in horror … and then it too exploded - a bang, a flash, and a swarm of green stars … and half the aurors were knocked unconscious.

...

Sirius and Remus stared around. The Ministry Hag was out cold, so was most of her back up - and those still on their feet were still staring up at the sky in horror. Remus took his chance and flung himself on his lost wand. He scrambled back up with difficulty, due to his heavy chains. 'Here,' he vanished the manacles on Sirius - and Sirius repaid the favour for him.

'What was that?' Sirius asked.

'The ritual,' Remus said, 'whatever Peter was doing - it's done now. We're too late.'

'So Voldemort -'

'Has a body.'

'We need to get out of here - grab the case.'

But Remus' sudden movement seemed to bring one of the aurors back to his senses. 'Stop right there, werewolf,' he said. He tore his eyes from where he had seen the Dark Mark reappear after more than a decade of security, and instead levelled his wand at the prisoners. 'Whatever that was, it won't save you. It's all over for you. Black's a muggle and you can't duel us all by yourself. Come quietly now - it might work in your favour.'

Remus and Sirius gripped hold of each other, ignoring the auror. 'Ready?'

'Ready.'

But then, before they could vanish, a figure appeared in the tree line - short and plump, his face covered by the hood of his cloak. There was a snake slithering by his feet, hissing away, like a hideous travesty of a loyal pet dog … and the figure carried something in his arms: a small bundle, wrapped in dark cloths, which stirred feebly - though they could not get a good look at it. They were thankful for that, at least.

At the sight of this strange party, and the feeling of menace that seemed to exude from them, the aurors seemed to forget all about the two prisoners - and instead turned their wands on the newcomers. 'Who are you?' one yelled, 'identify yourself.'

The hooded figure said nothing, nor did it move. But the thing - the creature? Whatever it was in his arms, stirred again … and then, unbelievably, raised a wand.

Sirius and Remus looked at each other - for just a fraction of a second - both understanding what was happening and what they needed to do. And then - moving as one - they hit the floor … just as the icy blast of Voldemort's voice cried out 'Avada Kedavra.'

Jets of green light passed harmlessly over their heads. But from the cries cut short, and the dull thuds of bodies falling to the ground - they knew before they even looked that their would-be captors had not fared so well.

'There you go, Nagini,' that chilling voice said. 'You may feed.'

And then came the sound of the snake slithering across the ground, her massive body coiling and uncoiling as she slid towards the downed humans.

Remus and Sirius struggled back up and raised their wands … not all the humans on the ground were dead. Those that had been knocked out cold by the explosion were still very much alive and - despite the fact that they had been trying to arrest the boys, despite the fact that they included the Ministry Hag herself - the pair of them were not about to allow living humans to be eaten.

There was a high pitched laugh. Voldemort was laughing - as he saw them standing there, trying to protect those that wished themselves so much harm. There was a dull chortle alongside - Peter was laughing at them too.

'Do you think they will thank you?' Voldemort asked them, 'do you think they will ever care that you stood your ground - stood and faced Lord Voldemort himself - to protect their lives when they could not protect themselves? You pitiful fools - they will throw you to the dementors as soon as they wake. Now is your chance to escape. To go. Let Nagini finish them off and you can be free.'

'That isn't going to happen,' Sirius said. 'We won't leave until we have stopped you. It's what we came here to do.'

'And yet you have failed,' Voldemort sneered. 'The noble heroes, the wizarding world's great protectors … you have lost. I will be reborn. I will recover what your friends stole from me. I will kill that boy you both love so much. Prove once and for all that the true power lies with me and not him. And what do you have to say to that?'

'You're not reborn yet, Voldemort,' Sirius answered loudly - defiantly. 'I don't know what you are…' his nose wrinkled in disgust at the bundle, 'but you are not anything to fear yet.'

The laugh came again. 'And is that too what your lover says? Do you have anything to fear, Remus Lupin?'

'I -I'm not afraid of you,' Remus said. 'And you haven't won yet.'

'Perhaps. This is just my first victory - and your first taste of defeat. But believe me we will both know them better by the time all this is over. I shall glory in my victories - revel in them - and you shall sink in your failures. You had your one chance to stop me last night. The wolf ruined it, it was too weak - too bestial to stand against Lord Voldemort … it was foolish of you, Sirius Black, to bring an animal as your back up.'

Sirius gripped his wand tighter and glowered. 'Your backup is Wormtail - I wouldn't be gloating yet.'

'At least Wormtail is a human.'

'After a fashion … are you happy now, Peter?' he addressed his erstwhile friend. 'Now you hold that thing in your arms? Is this what you wanted? Is this what you hoped for … Was this really worth betraying your friends for?'

And Peter spoke for the first time. 'Once my master is fully risen I will be rewarded beyond all others, given riches beyond my wildest dreams.'

'And will that make up for James and Lily? Does that give you back the twelve years you spent as a rat? Everything we did as boys - everything we thought we would do as men - the life we thought we would all have as a family, our lifetime together … Does the promise of Voldemort's riches make up for everything you betrayed and abandoned?' And his voice trembled as he spoke, as if the dashed hopes of their youth - and the bitter regret of all that had followed - was causing him pain, even if the memories did not pain Peter.

'How touching -' the bundle in Peter's arms mocked. 'But love is a weakness, it is the preserve and pursuit of fools. Power is what matters … and Wormtail has learned that, even if the two of you cling to your old, childish beliefs the way you cling in each other's arms… But what's this? Your chance to escape is slipping away - old enemies are awakening.'

And sure enough, down on the ground, Umbridge was starting to stir - waking up at last, after the explosion. The boys turned from Voldemort - to watch her. They were trapped, frozen like deer in the headlights between the threat of Voldemort - and the threat of Umbridge - and not sure which way to look.

She got to her feet, shaking her head groggily - there was something bemused and confused about her expression that suggested she didn't quite remember what had happened. And then she saw the aurors on the ground - the ones knocked out … and the ones with their wide, staring eyes … unmistakably dead. 'What did you do?' she screeched at the two of them in rage. 'Another mass murder?' She took a deep breath - and started to swell up - looking like a toad about to explode. 'This must have been the wolf - a muggle can't use the killing curse. Oh - I don't know what punishment we have that is worse than the dementors' kiss but believe me, werewolf, I will find it and I will personally make sure you suffer it. And then - then I will...'

'Madam, you have quite the lust for vengeance,' Voldemort said to her, cutting her off mid rant. 'I wonder that you never joined my legions.'

She came to a stop and frowned, her little, froggy eyes narrowed … and then she stumped forward, pushed her way past Remus and Sirius and stared at the hooded figure of Peter and the bundle in his arms. 'Who are you?' she asked.

'You do not know me? I confess - I am a little hurt.'

'Tell me who you are - and what you are. What manner of creature. I am Madam Umbridge, I am Senior Under Secretary to the Minister of Magic himself and I demand that you identify yourself to me at once. What is your name?'

'You know my name - though you fear to speak it.'

She stamped her foot, her voice became querulous. 'I have no time for riddles…'

'A pity - for you see, I am one.'

'You will identify yourself to me. I insist - I invoke the authority of the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge. Tell me who you are and what you come to be doing in this forest? Identify your species - are you human? I see you hold a wand - have you a right to that? If you are in violation of clause three…'

'I grow weary of this.'

'... of the code of wand use of 1631 which states no non-human shall carry a wand…'

The wand was raised. Remus realised what was about to happen…

'Then I will have you arrested and brought before the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures…'

'Avada Kedavra,' Voldemort cried.

Remus lunged forward, tackled Umbridge and pushed her to the ground - just as the curse flew straight at her. He shielded her with his body as it flew harmlessly over their heads … and then he scrambled back up.

Umbridge choked and spluttered - and went bright red with rage and indignation. 'How dare you touch me, you filthy half breed? What was the reason for that unprovoked attack? I will have you clapped in silver chains for that - your kind has no right to touch decent people - and I will have your skin burned away so that you remember it… never - in all my life have I been…'

'Stupefy,' Remus flicked his wand at her, regretting, already, the impulse that had spurred him on to save her life.

She stopped mid sentence - her wide mouth hanging open. Her eyes crossed and she tumbled over backwards.

Nagini slithered towards her - jaws wide and, wondering why he even kept doing this, Remus flicked his wand again and cast the knockback jinx, sending Nagini flying backwards through the air - away from the unconscious woman.

'Truly pitiful,' Voldemort said, 'that you can be so lacking in pride that you will save the life of someone who hates you, who sees you as nothing but an animal … But then I suppose an animal such as yourself has little cause for pride.'

Sirius was by Remus' side again, he took hold of his arm. He shook his head slightly, at the hopelessness of Remus being so good and noble and heroic that he would even save the life of the Ministry Hag, but then turned back to Voldemort, his wand gripped firmly in his hand and pointed it at Peter and his master. Remus did the same.

'Come now, Wormtail, Nagini,' Voldemort said, 'let us leave.'

'You can't think we're going to let you do that, Voldemort,' Sirius called. 'Stupefy!' he yelled.

But the bundle in Peter's arms cast a silent shield charm so quickly, that the curse bounced straight back off - and Sirius had to duck.

'Know when you are beaten, Sirius Black. Know when you are standing in the presence of your betters… The wolf should be able to help you out there, for every human it meets is its better. Wormtail - leave.'

'Immobulus,' Sirius yelled - but again, the charm rebounded from Voldemort's shield, and Sirius staggered.

'You will not stop fighting. I respect that.'

'Master - just kill them,' Peter said.

'No.'

'My Lord - '

'I said no. I can see it - what they have done. They have spared your life, Wormtail. They had you at their mercy … and they gave it to you. They could have killed you - and they did not. You are in their debt - as I am in yours. This is ancient magic - a debt of blood and honour that must be repaid. And if we were to kill them now we would suffer the consequences … I have already suffered the consequences of ignoring ancient magics. I will not make the same mistake twice. We shall spare their lives ... for now. After all, our two great heroes are wanted men, they are surrounded by the Ministry and are not only hunted for historic crimes but are now believed guilty of the slaughter of three aurors and poor, blameless Bertha Jorkins … They have quite enough to contend with. I fear they are in too much trouble themselves to threaten any trouble to us. Killing them will serve no purpose. Letting them go to prison for our actions will grant us greater freedoms. We shall leave them… Though we do not have to leave them able bodied.'

He raised his wand and - before either of them could react - cried 'petrificus totalus'. Both men were hit at once, they seized up - stiff as boards - and toppled over backwards, unable to move.

As they lay frozen on the ground, they heard the sound of Peter's heavy footsteps walking away, and the snake slithering along at his side. They grew quieter, more distant, and then died away altogether. Peter was gone - and Voldemort with him.

Meanwhile, the Ministry wizards - the ones who weren't dead - were waking up. These were the ones who had been knocked out in the explosion, who had never seen Voldemort and Peter … who took one look at their dead colleagues - and assumed Remus and Sirius had killed them.

There were cries of rage, and the aurors circled around the two frozen men - their wands trained on them. 'You bastards,' one of the aurors snarled. 'Thomson had just got married - his wife is expecting a baby … and you Dark Lord loving sons of bitches murder him in cold blood? It's the dementors' kiss for you, boys - we'll summon them right here, you'll not get away…'

Remus stared up at them, his eyes were the only part of him still able to move. This seemed utterly hopeless … there was no possible way out … and then he saw Sirius' left arm twitch.

It was just his left arm. No other part of him could move yet - Voldemort's body binding curse was holding strong … but one arm was enough. Especially when the aurors believed him to be a muggle - incapable of magic.

His arm twitched. It twitched again and then … it just had enough feeling in it that he was able to reach out, grab Remus and twist them into thin air. Still almost completely frozen, they apparated away to safety; leaving the aurors staring at nothing but a patch of empty ground.