Written for:
Ultimate Battle - Surprise Gift Bag!
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - History of Magic - Time Period Task: Write a story that takes place during the Middle Ages and specifically involves how the witch hunts impacted the lives of magical, Muggle, or mixed individuals, families, and/or communities./Thematic Task:Write about someone perpetrating, witnessing, and/or experiencing persecution.
Fifty Shades of Remus Lupin
Shade Four: Witch!Remus
Sirius stared at his mother in shock. "No," he whispered. "You didn't... you wouldn't."
The woman stared back coldly. "I have," she confirmed. "Do you not see, Sirius? You're pulling away from your family because of... him. He's not even a pureblood. He's not worthy of a Black."
Sirius took a few steps back, unable to believe what he had just heard. "I think that's up to me to decide," he stated, looking at his mother in utmost disgust. "You've sentenced him to death, Mother. He's going to die because of you. Don't think I'll take this lightly."
"You're a Black," she replied. "Us Black's don't take things lightly, so I wouldn't expect as much of you. You are my son after all, but I warn you: if you do anything to stop it, you'll be next. Consider this your warning."
"My warning is the death of my lover?" Sirius roared, wanting nothing more than to make good on the fiendfyre on his mother's house, but resisting as he remembered his younger brother, sleeping upstairs. "You may as well have me killed now, because without him, I have nothing."
"Do not be so dramatic," Walburga snapped. "You have your family, we are your blood. Our blood is pure, not like -"
"You talk about pure-blood, but to me, our blood is the one that is sullied," Sirius coldly informed his mother. "That's how this family is able to treat others this way. Blood is nothing, it means nothing to me."
"You would do well to remember that you are not our only son. You're future title as heir can be easily replaced," Walburga said to Sirius' retreating form.
...oOo...
Remus rested his head in his hands, and tried to control the panicked breathing as he sat in the tiny cell. There were four paces by four paces and he felt more confined here than he did in his cage during the full-moon.
He wasn't stupid, he knew what was happening. Walburga had caused a scene in the Town-square as he had walked with Sirius - though they had kept their distance, pretending their relationship was only that of friends, whilst in public.
The witch had screeched and screamed about Remus being a witch. How she had seen Remus and Sirius together. How Remus had seduced her son with black-magic and witchcraft, to do sinful things.
Remus couldn't help but smirk at the memory of those last words. Sinful things indeed. Sirius was the one who taught him every 'sinful' thing that Remus knew.
She had proclaimed that Sirius was to be wed to a woman, and how he would /never/ touch another man.
With the high-standing of the Black family, Remus had quickly been thrown in the prison. He would undergo the trials the next day.
Walburga had already visited him, not long after he had been locked away, stating that if he found a way out of it, Hope Lupin would be taking his place instead. She had the power to make it happen, and Remus didn't doubt her.
His mother was a muggle, there was no way he would ever allow harm to come to her. He would do this to protect his mother.
...oOo...
"Remus?" came a whisper on the other side of the bars.
"Sirius?" Remus replied, his heart pounding at the sound of Sirius' voice. He didn't blame Sirius in the slightest - it wasn't his fault that his family were cruel and insane. Sirius wasn't like them, though neither of them had expected Sirius' family to go this far.
"I'm so sorry," Sirius whispered. "I'll... I'll get you out. Stand back, I'll blast the -"
"No," Remus interrupted, standing on the hard bed, and trying to catch a glimpse of Sirius through the bars. They were too high, and he couldn't see him. "You can't."
There was a long silence and Remus heard the sound of scraping outside. He waited patiently until he heard a few muttered swear-words and Sirius suddenly appeared. "Why not?" he begged. "We can run away, deep into the Wizarding world where you'll be safe. Or another... James is in England, we can go there?"
Remus smiled sadly. "If we leave, I've been informed my mother will take my place here," he admitted.
Sirius was silent for a moment. He knew Remus would do anything to keep his mother safe. "If I can get your mother to safety... I'll come back for you." His fingers brushing against Remus'. "I love you, Moony."
"I love you too, Padfoot," Remus replied. He pulled his hand away. "Whatever happens tomorrow... you were worth it."
"Don't say it like this is goodbye!" Sirius replied, his voice breaking as though he was on the verge of tears. "We don't have to say goodbye for... for over a hundred years!"
Remus just smiled.
"I want to stay here all night with you, just to make sure you're okay, but I need to go and take your mother somewhere safe. You may not see me tomorrow, and it may feel hopeless, but I will be there. I promise."
...oOo...
Remus stood next to the water. If only he had his wand, he could have done something to help him survive, somehow.
Though that would mean Walburga Black would make his mother take his place.
He listened to the charges, finding cruel grey eyes in the crowd from the insane witch - he had considered accusing her, but he couldn't bring himself to do that to Sirius, plus, who would believe him? It would just sound like he was trying to pass the accusation back at the women who had turned him in!
He was bound, his heart pounding hard. He searched the crowd for Sirius, wanting one last look at his love, but couldn't see him.
...oOo...
Remus hit the water and went under immediately. He held his breath, but panicked as hands grabbed for him, and something was thrust into his mouth. He almost choked, but a hand covered his mouth, stopping him from trying to spit it out. He swallowed the thing down, before opening his eyes and meeting Sirius' grey eyes.
He stopped struggling. A second later, he felt his skin rip apart, but not in the painful way he was used to - rather in a relieving way that allowed him to breath. He looked more carefully at Sirius, noticing he had gills.
Gillyweed.
Sirius grabbed the rope that bound him and began to swim slowly, not wanting to cause a ripple in the water. They moved downstream, before he sped up, wanting to get as far as possible before the gillyweed wore off.
Finally they were in the river. Sirius swap as fast as possible, away from the town, and slowed, gasping. He pulled himself from the water, dragging Remus partially out, and quickly removed the bonds, before letting Remus drop back in.
He sat on the bank and waited for Remus' gillyweed to wear off too, taking the time to dry himself.
When Remus lifted himself out of the water, he took the offered wand.
"My mother -"
"Is safe," Sirius assured him. "She's miles away and under the Fidelius charm. My family won't be able to find her, even if they somehow managed to follow my trail. I found a small cottage for her, she's got some supplies and there's firewood. Enough to last us a week, I'd say. We're safe for now."
"The full moon, my cage -"
"I've shrunken it down for now," Sirius insisted. "We'll find somewhere for you to transform, don't you worry about that. We've got two and a half weeks. There's no need for us to return to that town, we're going to England - we're going to find James and he's going to give us shelter."
"You did all this for me?" Remus asked.
"Of course I did," Sirius said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I love you more than anything. I would do anything it takes to keep you safe, even if it meant taking your place at the trials. That was going to be my last resort."
"But your family -"
"You're my family, Remus," Sirius insisted. "Life without you isn't worth living. I need you, not them. Now, we need to get to the cottage. We need to get you somewhere safe."
"But my father -"
"Is looking for safe passage to England. My parents will be looking for us, they'll have the Ministry on side, but only this Ministry. Once we're in England, they can't get us."
Remus stared at him curiously. "You're giving up your whole life for me."
"You are my life," Sirius insisted. "Without you, I wouldn't have one. Your love is the only thing that has ever held any value to me."
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