Aurors Part IV
Set in the past and the present, but I use different fonts so hopefully it won't be too confusing.
Hogwarts felt empty and silent with all the students gone, although the ghosts, poltergeist, house elfs, and most of the teachers remained. It was dusk when people began to arrive, mostly gliding in on broomsticks, though a few appeared to have Apparated to Hogsmeade and walked the rest of the way.
Sirius, Remus and Jenny joined the throng; Sirius wore a hood down low over his eyes and avoided looking at people. As Dumbledore had said, it was no good tempting fate. Professor McGonagall seemed to recognize him, however. She hurried over to the three and spoke in a low voice.
"Albus explained everything to me, Sirius, and I wanted to say –welcome back." She gave a rare smile and they shook hands. "We're meeting in the staffroom. Do you know where that is?"
"Yes," Remus answered for them.
"I rather thought you might." She sighed. "After all, you always knew where everything else was, here… anyway, it would be best if you just went up and let me stay here to guide anyone who needs it." She headed off to intercept a pair of grizzled-looking warlocks who had just entered.
The staffroom was about half full already with wizards and witches. Sirius looked around.
"Not all of these were Aurors," he commented. "I only recognize about a third of them here."
"Well, Dumbledore wants everyone to help, I suppose," Remus remarked. "And at least half are – were – Aurors; I know most of them." They took seats near the back of the room and watched people filing in.
When the room was full, Dumbledore came in. His face was missing its customary smile and he nodded gravely to them all. This seemed a signal; fully three-quarters of the voices in the room were immediately raised, asking questions, trying to comment, sounding slightly panicky. Dumbledore spoke; his voice was quiet but it seemed to fill the whole room.
"Please, let me speak. You'll have time to ask questions afterwards."
He began to tell them about the events of the past few weeks, starting with Voldemort's return. "I know many of you have heard this story before, but for the rest, I'll explain again." When he got to the part about Pettigrew, however, several people spoke up.
"Are you sure?"
"Isn't he dead?"
"No, Peter Pettigrew is not dead. He is one of Voldemort's most trusted servants –and he has been for many years."
"Then – Sirius Black?" asked one warlock.
"Innocent," Dumbledore said simply. "And here tonight; Sirius, if you'd please stand up?" There was a rustling as he did so, a few people seemed nervous even with Dumbledore's assurances. "I'd like you to explain about Pettigrew, please."
Sirius spoke, telling how Pettigrew had betrayed James and Lily and faked his own death. He did not mention why Pettigrew had become an Animagus.
"Really, Dumbledore," a wizard called Jenkins said. "This is a fantastic story… surely you have some proof?" Several others looked as though they agreed.
"If you are asking if I can bring Pettigrew out for you to see, I'm afraid not." Dumbledore smiled then. "But I believe that someone else can verify this for us. Severus?" Snape stood up reluctantly. "Most of you know what Snape's role was, years ago?" They nodded. "Well – Severus?"
"I have seen – Voldemort," Snape said. His words seemed jerked out of him by force, especially the last. "He is restored, as we have heard… and Pettigrew is working for him."
A few people still seemed unconvinced. "Do you think I am lying?" Snape asked, more fiercely. "For what purpose? Perhaps you think Black is my friend?" He gave a short sharp laugh. "Or perhaps it is simply that you do not trust me. I remember you, Jenkins – you didn't believe me fifteen years ago, either. And you, and you," he said, turning to others.
"That's enough, Severus," Dumbledore said quietly. Snape seemed angry with this, but sat back down. "So I welcome Sirius Black back to our numbers. I want all of you to put away any suspicions of him; we must stand united, and such suspicions will simply help Voldemort. He is the enemy, not anyone here."
"And how do we know that?" a voice challenged. Mad-Eye Moody stood up. "We never caught all the Death Eaters, not by a long shot, Dumbledore. For all we know, someone in this room could be a spy, just as before." His magic eye swept the assembly. "How do you know?"
"As I have said," Dumbledore replied mildly, "We must trust each other or we shall assuredly fail." Moody seemed unhappy with this but sat back down.
"Did You-Know-Who really kill someone else?" That was Arabelle Figg. "I heard – the Dark Mark…"
"Yes." Dumbledore looked very grave. "He has. You've probably all read details in the papers, and they're accurate."
"For once," someone muttered, and the crowd gave a nervous laugh.
"He did indeed strike again. We don't know if there was a reason yet."
"He never really needed a reason before," old Jenkins remarked. "No reason he should now."
"But this meeting is for us to discuss what we are going to do." Dumbledore looked at them. "A good deal of you have never been here before, because we used to have only Aurors and senior Ministry officials. I never thought this was wise; now I am sure of it. I shall need every bit of help each of you can give. Now, first of all, I'd like everyone here who works for the Ministry to get together with Professor McGonagall; she has some information for you and knows what I need you to do." There weren't many people following her from the room, perhaps a dozen, but balding Mr. Weasley was among them. He seemed more energetic than he had been in years, perhaps because he felt needed.
"I'm going to ask all the Aurors to wait for me here," Dumbledore continued. "The rest of you, I need as well, but I will get in contact with you." Most of the people stood up at this point, ready to leave the room. Dumbledore beckoned to Sirius and Remus, who came forward, Jenny close behind.
"I need to speak to you two," he said.
"I'll wait," Jenny told Sirius in answer to his unspoken question. "Downstairs, I suppose."
Sirius and Remus followed Dumbledore to his office. He gestured for them to be seated.
"I've got a job for the two of you," he said without preamble. "Difficult, dangerous, and top secret. Are you interested?"
"Of course," Sirius replied without hesitation.
"What is it?" Remus asked. Dumbledore smiled.
"I need someone to take an important message to Durmstrangs. I had been in contact with the new Headmaster, Strajhan Acimovic, but my last five owls have all failed to return. I fear that Voldemort and the Death Eaters have already begun to move against the school."
"Professor Dumbledore, am I wrong in thinking that no one knows where Durmstrangs is?" Sirius asked. "How are we supposed to take a message there?"
"You'll be talking to someone who does know where the school, is," Dumbledore explained. "A student named Victor Krum."
"Krum? The one who was a champion at the Triwizard Tournament?" Sirius looked skeptical. "Why him?"
"Because I do know where he lives. I think you'll be able to convince him that he should tell you where the school is."
"When do we leave?" Remus asked. Dumbledore smiled again.
"Immediately. I have something for you first, Remus." He opened a cupboard and pulled out a large gold container. "Two months' supply of the Wolfsbane Potion, courtesy of Severus Snape."
"Thank you," Remus said fervently. "Thank you."
"I don't need to tell you to keep this mission secret," Dumbledore said, giving Sirius a large silver envelope addressed to the head of Durmstrangs. "I'm not quite as trusting as Moody thinks, and I cannot discount the possibilities that there is a spy in our organization."
"I understand," Sirius said gravely. "We'll be off then. Where exactly are we going?"
"Bulgaria," Dumbledore said. "To see Krum. Then – who knows?" He smiled as he let them out and saw them to the head of the stairs, then turned and walked briskly in another direction.
Almost in the Great Hall, Sirius stopped dead. "What am I supposed to tell Jenny about this?" he wondered. Remus grinned at his friend.
"About what?" Jenny's voice said. They turned and saw her standing at the bottom of the stairs, hands on her hips. "Sirius Black, are you planning something stupid?"
"No," Remus said hastily. "Dumbledore's given us a task, that's all."
"Let me guess. It's top secret, and you can't tell me."
Sirius nodded. "We're leaving now."
"Fine." She smiled at him. "But I'm not telling you about what I'm doing either."
"What do you mean?" Sirius hurried down the rest of the stairs. "You're doing something?"
"I told you before I was tired of sitting around doing nothing. McGonagall has something for me to try." She smiled. "It's safe, though, so you needn't worry. How long will you be gone?"
"Er – we're not sure," Sirius said, glancing at Remus. "A while."
"Well, then you'd best be off."
Sirius stared at her. Perhaps the fourteen years they'd been apart had changed her as much as it had him, but this was not how he remember Jenny at all. She should be about ready to explode at him by now, angry that he didn't trust her, or worried that he'd get himself killed. But there she was, walking out of the Great Hall as if he were planning a trip to the store for a loaf of bread. He hurried after her, catching her on the great stone steps before the oak door.
"Jenny," he began, looking at her face. She tried to turn her face away. "Jenny, are you okay?"
"Of course I am!" she snapped. Now, that is more like it! Sirius thought.
"Obviously," he said sarcastically. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"
"Why should I?" she asked. "You're just like you used to be, you know. You show up when you like, and then you're off again, off to save the world or whatever, with nothing more than a 'see you soon, Jenny.' Why should I be upset?"
"I never knew you felt that way," he said slowly, looking her in the eyes. He rather thought there were tears trembling in them.
"Go on then," she shouted. "Go off again, and when you come back I'll be waiting for you. That's the way it's supposed to be, isn't it? That's my job, to be the sweet little wife who leaves a lighted lamp in the window for her brave, heroic husband?"
"Jenny," Sirius began, but she slipped out of his grip and turned to look at him.
"You always took me for granted. Well, that's over." She turned and walked off toward Hogsmeade, head straight, not looking back once. Sirius stood and watched her until she passed between the great winged boars and was gone.
Had she always felt this way about his absences? Why had she never told him before? Inexorably, his mind was drawn back to the past, back to memories of his days as an Auror so long ago….
They made good time to the Muggle village and bought lunch at a small bakery. None of them spoke much Romania, but they got on pretty well with gestures and signs. Sirius, however, kept using his few words of the language to ill purpose, asking ridiculous questions that caused the baker to look at them oddly.
"Sirius, people don't ask about flaming cheese balls, okay? We don't need to attract any more attention than we have to," James scolded as they left the shop.
"You're just jealous because I speak so well," Sirius muttered. "Where are these dragon tamers supposed to be, anyway?"
"They don't tame dragons," Remus reminded him. "They study them, and make sure the hunters don't kill too many."
"Wasn't there something a few years back about there being too many?" James asked. "They had to allow more to be killed?"
"Yes. Dragons are pretty territorial, you know, and if there are too many in a small area they kill each other – and anything that gets in the way. Besides, a place like this can only support so many dragons." Remus looked about. "They may eat only a few times a month, but when they do, it takes a lot to fill them up."
"Tell us, Professor, what dragons prefer to eat," Sirius joked, rolling his eyes. "Honestly, Remus, you sound like a textbook."
"He did ask."
"It's interesting, anyway," James put in. "But to answer your first question, Sirius, I think there's a dragon watcher up ahead." He pointed to a thickset man wearing dragonhide boots and pants, and who had a shiny burn scar down one cheek. James approached him and addressed him in English. The only word the man seemed to understand was 'dragon', and he nodded vigorously, pointing toward the hills.
"Can you take us?" James asked. The man held up his hands, obviously not understanding. James tried French, then Remus used a bit of Latin, but the man didn't respond to any of it.
Sirius was flipping through a book. "Aha!" he said suddenly, and spouted a stream of unsteady Romanian, going back several times to try and pronounce words properly. The man laughed, nodded, and gestured to them to follow him.
"What on earth is that?" Remus asked as they walked along.
"A book, tells you what to say." Sirius showed him. "See, you open it up and it has the words. Pretty neat, huh? Found it at the airport while you two were talking to that guard."
"Sirius, we were trying to convince him that you weren't a terrorist, not having a little chat!" James said. "And that's a Muggle book?"
"I guess, it works pretty well though." He looked back at it. "Doesn't have a word for dragon, so I just used English."
Pretty soon they reached a small camp. Their guide hurried ahead shouting in Romanian. Sirius flipped through his book. "I think he said, 'we have people here to, er, feed the dragons'? I'm guessing about the dragon part."
"Maybe it's 'see'," Remus suggested. "See the dragons."
"Oh, yeah." Sirius looked a bit disappointed. "I thought they might be Death Eaters and be trying to feed us to the dragons. Too bad."
"Why?" James wanted to know. More people were hurrying out of the camp now.
"Oh, I thought it'd be something to show the Ministry if we found Death Eaters this quickly."
"Hello!" a man called. "My colleague here tells me you are here to see the dragons?"
"That's right," James said, thankful that Sirius' phrase book hadn't messed up too badly. "From the Ministry in England, you know."
"Ah, yes. I suppose you're here to review our request for a large grant? I think you'll be most impressed with our work here."
"Not exactly," James began, but Sirius kicked him where the man couldn't see and took over.
"Yes, that's right, we're here to find out all about your project. I'm Sirius Black, and these are James Potter and Remus Lupin."
"Bit young, aren't you?" the man asked.
"Where exactly are the dragons?" James asked hurriedly.
"Here and there. We sure don't bring them to camp – don't worry, you'll all be safe there. We've got strong wards up, nothing's going to bother us." He led them upwards. Remus stopped at the edge of camp.
"What are these?" he asked, pointing to a bunch of plants lying around the ground at intervals. They looked quite fresh.
"Wolfsbane and garlic," the man said casually. "Can't be too careful…"
"It's a week until the full moon," James pointed out. "You need wolfsbane?"
"Better safe than sorry," the man replied. The friends looked at each other, each knowing what the others were thinking. Remus couldn't enter the camp… and they didn't want to have to explain why.
"Bit of a pain, getting fresh wolfsbane every few days, isn't it?" Remus asked casually. "Garlic's not so bad, it lasts longer…"
"The wolfsbane isn't that hard to get, but yes, it gets tiresome sometimes."
"We learned an enchantment – in school," Remus half-lied; this charm was one they had learned at school – from books they weren't supposed to have. "It activates during the full moon; no werewolf can pass. It'd be simple to show you, and more effective than wolfsbane."
"More effective? Doesn't wolfsbane stop all werewolves?" The man looked a bit nervous.
"Ah, yes, most," Sirius put in, catching on, "but have you ever encountered a vampire werewolf?"
"What?" There was a definite quaver in his voice now.
"Vampire werewolves. I'm sure there are some here – England's not bad, not many vampires or werewolves," Sirius went on. "But here… anyway, vampire werewolves are like werewolves, except the rest of the time they're vampires. Wolfsbane doesn't bother them at all."
The man shuddered. "Are – are you sure?"
"Definitely." Now James got in on the act. "It's a fairly new discovery, but I'm surprised you didn't know about it, living out here in the wild. Anyway, the, er, Lunaris Charm will protect you from vampire werewolves as well."
"Well, maybe you could do it for us before you go?"
"No problem; I've been wanting to practice it. We can actually do it now." James pulled out his wand and beckoned Sirius and Remus over. "Right, we'd best age all that Wolfsbane while we're at it, just in case he doesn't remove it." They turned around and started work, James and Remus beginning the Lunaris Charm while Sirius aged the wolfsbane to uselessness.
"That does it," James said after a moment. "Your camp is now safe from any kind of werewolf."
"Thank you," the man said, putting out his hand. "Philips is the name, Aub Philips."
"Pleased to meet you," they said in turn.
Aub was very pleasant; he seemed to think he owed them one. He showed them around the camp and promised to take them, next day, to look at some of the dragons nearby. It was easy to steer the conversation where they wanted it to go.
"How many dragons do you harvest here a year?" James asked.
"Oh, between five and seven. That's enough for most of Europe. It's about the same number in China, plus a few in Russia. I've heard that Canada exports a lot too, but they've got more there, I believe, and in Peru they still have problems with too many dragons."
"And what else kills dragons here?" Remus wondered. "What kind of illnesses do they get?"
"Not many. Sometimes their scales rot, and now and then they go blind. That's bad; it drives them crazy and they start rampaging around. Other than that, the only things that kill dragons are humans, or maybe a very large and desperate pack of griffins."
"Then there's no truth to the rumor that four or five dragons have died of mysterious illnesses recently?" If there was one thing the others knew about Sirius, it was that no one could tell a better lie. Of course, he often got carried away and went way too far…
"None at all." But Aub looked rather white. "Where did you hear that?"
"It's floating around the Ministry. Seems someone told them you couldn't account for every dragon here."
"Well, no, but they change territory now and then. And there are, of course, poachers – not that I think any get through our wards."
"But dragons are missing?" James pressed.
"Well, I suppose you could call it that…."
"When was the last time you couldn't find a dragon?" Remus asked suddenly. He seemed to be thinking of something.
"About two months ago," the man gabbled. He kept going, but none of them were listening. It had been about then that the Ministry raid that turned up large quantities of dragon at one of Voldemort's strongholds had occurred. Possibly there was a connection- but none of them were jumping to conclusions yet.
The dragon watchers gave a tent to James, Remus and Sirius to share that night. Around midnight, Sirius nudged James.
"I'm thinking that we need a new perspective on things," he said. "We've heard what Aub said about the dragons and why they went missing, so I think I'm going to check around the area and see if I can find anything that doesn't seem right."
"All right," James said. "Just don't get yourself caught."
"Not a problem," Sirius laughed, and then suddenly the great black dog stood there. He almost winked – a difficult task for a dog – and then left the tent.
When James awoke the next morning, Sirius was back. He groaned as James shook him awake.
"Go 'way," he muttered before opening his eyes. "Oh, it's you, James."
"Who did you think it was?" James asked sarcastically. "No, don't answer, just tell me what you found out."
"The other side of that mountain reeks of dragon's blood," Sirius mumbled. "Surprised they can't smell it. Definitely been a dragon killed there in the past few days."
"That recently?" James looked worried.
"Yes." He sat up. "I think I know where they took it, too, but there were wards to deter animals up, and I couldn't get through."
"We'll check that out today if we can," James decided. "Hey, Remus, wake up!"
The three ate breakfast with Aub, who'd offered to take them to see some dragons that day.
"What sort have you got here?" Sirius asked.
"All sorts, actually. Norwegian Ridgebacks, Welsh Greens, Hungarian Horntails." Aub shrugged. "You name it, we've got it."
They saw three dragons that morning, fine specimens in the prime of life, much bigger than the ones they'd taken on in training. After lunch, James stood up.
"My friends and I are going to look about the countryside a bit this afternoon," he told Aub.
"I'll come with you," he offered.
"No need, none at all. The Ministry simply wants us to find out a bit about the conditions here… I believe they are planning to attempt to reintroduce several species that no longer live around here."
They set off from camp, Aub watching behind anxiously. Sirius led the way around the foot of the mountain to a broad valley, untouched by human habitation.
"This is the place?" James asked, looking around.
"Yes. I guess you really can't smell the blood like this." Sirius sounded surprised. "It was so strong… ah well, I always forget how good my nose is when I'm a dog."
"Where did you say you thought the dragon killers had gone?" Remus asked. Sirius was surveying the area.
"There, " he said, pointing to a very large stone in a grove of trees. He led the way, and the three inspected it.
"It's a rock," James said finally for all three of them. "Sirius, are you sure?"
"Sure I'm sure," he said. "We just haven't figure it out yet, that's all."
"Well," said Remus logically, "If you're sure, then it can't be just a rock. It must be enchanted."
"An enchanted rock." Sirius sounded skeptical. "Yeah. I'm sure they just put the dragon inside the rock and cut it up there for easy shipping back to England."
"That's not such a crazy idea," James remarked. "Or – it could be a portal stone." A portal stone was like a portkey, but it was used in out of the way places like this for transporting large amounts of people, or large objects.
"So they'd get the dragon back to Britain that way?" Sirius asked. "Could be… we don't have any proof, though."
"No," James said reluctantly. "And we don't know where it might come out, either."
"We could find that out," Sirius suggested. "If we used it…."
"That is a horrible idea," Remus told him. "We'd end up in a horde of Death Eaters, no doubt."
"Yeah," Sirius agreed. "And we could tell the Ministry!"
"Sirius, if we're dead, we're not telling anyone anything." James looked disgusted with his friend. "We'll figure out another way."
"Do you think they got the whole dragon the first time?" Remus asked to stop the argument. "Or might they have to come back?"
"Good question." James thought. "Maybe we should wait here and see…"
"What about Aub back at camp?" Remus reminded him. "He's expecting us."
"No problem," Sirius said. "I'll run back and tell him we're done here and going home, say we were impressed and all that. Then we can camp out here as long as we have to."
"Ah," Remus said, "We don't really know how long it might be, do we? I'd like to be back in England before the full moon."
"Actually, Remus, this would be a pretty good place for it," Sirius remarked. "The camp is protected, and every house down in that Muggle village had garlic over the doors and windows. I'll bet they've got Wolfsbane, too, at the right time, so you wouldn't have to worry about biting anyone."
Remus winced at Sirius' callous mention of his worst fear. "Still, I'd prefer to be back," he said stiffly. "Are you going or not?"
"Oh, right," Sirius said, and started off back toward the camp.
He returned near nightfall. James and Remus had gotten a fire going and were roasting sausages.
"Those smell delicious," Sirius said, taking three and eating them as if he hadn't eaten in weeks.
"Remember what I said about going easy on the food?" Remus asked. "I'm going to have to get more tomorrow, I suppose."
"Good day for it; they said they were going to be treating a dragon all day tomorrow, so I don't suppose they'll be in the village." Sirius ate another three sausages. "Just make sure you don't get all vegetables, ok?"
Four days later they had a conference.
"If we're going to get back to England before the full moon, we have to leave now," James said, looking at Remus. "And it'll still be cutting it fine."
"I hate to go back empty-handed," Remus said. "But…"
"I think it'll be fine to stay here," Sirius remarked, looking around at the mountains. "No one around for miles, after all. Be a nice change from that shed you used last time." He grinned at Remus. "Even more forests than at Hogwarts."
"That's very true," James said. "What do you think, Remus?"
"Well then, let's stay." Remus seemed rather eager, actually. "I'll have to go for more sausages, though. Sirius ate the last of them this morning."
"You had more than I did!" Sirius protested. "And James, for being a herbivore, you sure do eat those sausages."
"I'm not an herbivore," James protested.
"Whatever you say, Prongs." Sirius rolled his eyes.
"You suppose they have owls down there anywhere?" James wondered. "I don't want Lily to get worried about us."
"It's a Muggle village. They don't have owls." Sirius grinned. "If you're that desperate, you could use Muggle mail. I suppose it'd get there."
"I think I will." James looked at Sirius. "You should write to Jenny too. Lily said she was complaining that she heard more about you from me than from you."
"Oh, I suppose you're right." Sirius pulled parchment and quills out of one of the bags. "Here you go, Prongs." He tossed James most of the parchment.
"Aren't you done yet?" he asked a few minutes later.
"No, leave me alone." James was having a hard time saying the thing she wanted to say. "How on earth did you manage to write that quickly?"
"He wrote, 'Hi Jenny, we're here in Romania. They've got dragons like you wouldn't believe, and we're going to be here a while longer because of Moony. See you.'" Remus glared at his friend. "A very nice love letter, that."
"Sirius, what on earth were you thinking?" James asked. "Girls like mushy stuff, for one thing, and that's not a very good letter, for another."
"Oh, I suppose this is better!" Sirius grabbed James' half-done letter and began to read at random.
" 'I miss you so much, darling, and wish you could be here to see what I'm seeing. It's gorgeous country, but I keep thinking about you and that spoils half of it. Hopefully we'll be back in England soon, and I haven't forgotten that I promised to go to Stonehenge with you when you go.'" He read this all in a very sappy voice, pausing every few words to give the words emphasize. "James, what's happened to your brain?"
"Look, I miss her, okay?" James said, snatching back the letter and going red. "I thought you were in love with Jenny."
"I am!" Sirius protested. "I just don't think that means I have to be an idiot."
Remus shook his head. While it was true James' habit of getting a half-witted look on his face every time he thought of Lily was annoying, Sirius had to be a hundred times worse. He wondered what sort of strange attraction it was between Jenny and Sirius that had brought them together. They fought tooth and nail all the time, and the rest of the time seemed to be making up just as passionately. He thought that if he ever fell in love with someone, he'd never want to disagree with her, to fight – but Sirius seemed to enjoy it!
"Look, I'll add a PS," Sirius compromised. " 'I love you.' How's that?"
"Slightly better," James sighed. "But don't blame me if we get back to England and find Jenny's eloped with Frank Longbottom or someone."
"Right," Sirius said, but he did seem to be thinking about it, and a moment later he scribbled more on his paper. It was still a very short letter when he folded it up and addressed it, though.
"I'll take them," Remus offered. "You two should stay and keep an eye out for the dragon poachers."
"Sounds good," Sirius said. James nodded and finished his letter, giving it to Remus as well. It was much thicker than Sirius'. Remus grinned and headed off toward the village.
Sirius and Remus arrived in Bulgaria and took a train to the village where Viktor Krum lived. Apparently several other people in the village were wizards; at least, they knew exactly who Viktor was and asked Sirius and Remus if they were reporters. They shrugged off the questions and made their way to the small cottage.
Viktor's mother opened the door. She spoke no English, but Remus was prepared for this and spoke in slow, unsteady Bulgarian. She smiled, nodded and called behind her for her son.
"Who are you being?" Krum asked when he reached the door.
"We are from Professor Dumbledore, at Hogwarts," Remus said. "We need to talk to you."
Krum looked at them and then nodded, stepping outside with them.
"Vy are you needing me?" he asked.
"Dumbledore has a message for the new Head of Durmstrangs and wishes us to deliver it in person," Remus explained. "So we needed to ask you where your school is."
A suspicious look crossed Krum's face. "Vy should I be telling you that?" he asked. "It is a very big secret."
"You came to our school," Sirius said reasonably. "And this is important."
"How can I be sure that Dumbledore has sent you?" Krum asked. "How I know you are not from somewhere else? How did you know where I am living?"
"Dumbledore gave us your address," Sirius said.
"How is he knowing?" Krum pressed. "I am not telling people where I am living, too many people are coming and asking me about the Quidditch."
"Ah," Remus said suddenly. "Someone told Dumbledore. Someone who you told…"
"Hermy-own-nee?" Krum asked suddenly, his eyes lighting up. "Is she telling you?"
"Who?" Sirius asked.
"Hermione Granger," Remus explained. "We are friends of hers, Krum. I taught her, year before last, and this is the godfather of her friend Harry."
"Ah!" Krum looked happier. "You are being the Professor Lupin she is always talking of?"
"That's right," Remus said. He looked rather pleased that Hermione was 'always talking' of him.
"At Durmstrangs, ve are having a werewolf teach us too," Krum said proudly. "She is teaching us about the plants, how you say it?"
"Herbology," Remus supplied.
"Ah, yes. Erb-lology, that is right. She is very respected by all the professors there. Why did they make you leave at Hogwarts?"
"I suppose we're not as used to werewolves in England as you are," Remus said sadly. "But come. Will you tell us where Durmstrangs is?"
"Yes, I vill." Krum disappeared inside and came back in a moment, carrying a piece of parchment and a quill. "It is far, far north, Durmstrangs, so far north that in vinter, ve are having days only a few hours long."
"Near the Arctic Circle, then," Remus guessed.
"Yes, that is how you say it. I am giving you map to where school is. It is for air only. That is how ve get to Durmstrangs, ve are flying there." He handed them the parchment.
"Thank you very much," Remus said politely, putting it in his pocket.
"You are most velcome. How is Hermy-own-nee?"
"Ah, she was quite well the last time I saw her," Sirius said, not adding that that had been some time ago.
"She has written to me saying that her parents are not liking her to come to see me this summer," Krum said sadly. "They are being Muggles, you know, and she does not like to get them unhappy with her being a vitch."
"I see," Sirius said, trying to sort out Krum's meaning. "Well, I hope you see her soon, though."
"I also." Krum looked very sad. "My mother is saying that she is too young for me, but I sayed that I vill vait for Hermy-own-nee. Then my mother is saying that she is not like us, but I am saying that does not matter." He seemed very depressed.
"Have you told Hermione about that?" Sirius wondered.
"No, I am not vanting her to be upset the way I am being."
"Why don't you try writing to her, anyway," Remus suggested. "Let her know how you feel."
"I vill do that." Krum brightened a bit – with his features, it was barely noticeable – and turned toward the house. "Good fortune looking for our school!"
"You know, now I really wish I still had my motorbike," Sirius said as he and Remus walked and examined the map. "It'd be much easier than using broomsticks."
"You could have asked Jenny about it before we left," Remus pointed out. He hadn't seen the argument they'd had, and Sirius had not told him.
Now Sirius thought again, as he had several times in the past few days, about it. He'd tried, twice, to write to Jenny, but hadn't been able to write more than a few sentences on paper before ripping it up. There had been so many times, years ago, that they'd quarreled, but this – this seemed different. Why hadn't she ever said anything about it before? It couldn't be all his fault. It couldn't be.
When the full moon rose in the Romanian sky, three animals stood under it; a wolf, a stag, and a dog. The wolf looked eagerly off toward the village, seeming to hope that its companions would allow it to go down, down where there were people and houses… and animals that did not have sharp teeth or horns. But the others herded it up the mountain, and it went eagerly enough.
The dog and wolf spent that night hunting down rabbits and other small creatures, the stag watching them in a way that seemed vaguely amused. Any human who saw the sight would have found it incredibly bizarre.
Dawn caught them halfway up the slopes, and the wolf began to convulse. The dog nuzzled him gently and his howls diminished, but villagers still heard and knew that their expeditions after Wolfsbane had more purpose than they had thought.
Moments later, a man lay beneath the rising sun. Quickly, the stag and dog also transformed. James pulled a cloak from his pocket and gave it to Remus. He sat up and nodded his thanks.
"It's really not fair that you two keep your clothes when you transform," he remarked.
"Let's hurry and get back to camp," Sirius said. "I'm starving."
"Sirius, I watched you eat several rabbits and a squirrel last night," James said dryly. "You can't be hungry yet."
"Hey, this wolf here ate most of it!" Sirius protested. "I don't see you telling him he can't eat." He looked at them and laughed. "Anyway, I'm going to go ahead to camp and start the fire up." He headed off, turning back into a dog halfway down the slope. James and Remus followed in a more sedate manner.
Minutes later, though, Sirius reappeared. He transformed and stood, gasping for breath, in front of them.
"They've come through," he managed to get out.
"Who? The poachers?" James guessed.
"Yes, and I don't think they've gone back yet. If we hurry, we can catch them."
Without a word, the three set off at a much faster pace. They reached the stone quickly and stood behind a clump of trees, talking in low voices.
"If they haven't come back yet, they'll probably come that way," Remus said, pointing. "We'll have the element of surprise, but there'll probably be more of them."
"No problem," Sirius said, patting his wand. "We'll just have to get them before they can get us." He put a foot on a low branch as he spoke and swung himself up into the tree. "It'll be easier for us up here," he reasoned. James and Remus also clambered up nearby trees.
For an hour they waited, stomachs rumbling and muscles aching, until the poachers returned to the stone. They were levitating a large dragon behind them.
Just a little further, James willed. Almost have a clean shot at them…
Suddenly one of the men collapsed. The others looked at him, concerned, and James began to hurl curses as fast as he could. Remus and Sirius were evidently doing the same; in a moment, the clearing was so full of light that they couldn't see the men.
After a few moments, James lowered his wand, watching. As the dust settled, he saw that there were a half-dozen men sprawled out on the ground. None were moving.
Sirius whooped and leapt from his tree. "We did it!" he shouted. James followed after seeing that nothing had happened to Sirius.
"They're all out cold," Sirius reported, beginning to tie them up with strings shot form his wand. "Er, now what do we do?" They looked at each other and began to laugh; in all their planning they had never discussed how to transport six bound men to England.
"I suppose we should send for the Ministry," James said after they'd settled down. They'll know how to get these Death Eaters back. We've done our job."
"All right," Remus said. "We can use the cooking fire if I make a few modifications. Perhaps the Ministry can translocate us and set up a Portkey to here."
"You go talk to them, Moony, while we make sure they're tied up properly," Sirius said. Remus nodded and headed off. "I'll bet they'll be surprised when they see what we've done!"
The Ministry was rather surprised, but someone managed to cut through red tape and get a squad of Hit Wizards to come and take charge of the prisoners. James, Remus and Sirius were able to use the Portkey to get back to England, where they were debriefed by Mr. Crouch himself.
"You did rather well," he allowed grudgingly. "Though it was a foolish risk to take; you should have returned to England and allowed more experienced Aurors to catch the poachers." He paused and looked at each of them. "Rules say that you are allowed a three day break between assignments, so report back here on Thursday. Dismissed." And he turned back to his piles of papers.
"Wow, he's pleasant," Sirius remarked as they headed for the street. "I think I'm going to spend my whole three days asleep."
"I was thinking we might invite the girls to dinner again," James remarked. "Tell them about the trip."
Remus stopped short. He'd just seen someone out of the corner of his eye…. "I think you two should take Jenny and Lily out privately, you know, just dinner-for-two kind of things," he said. "Especially you, Sirius; it'll take that to make up for that dreadful letter."
"Are you sure, Moony?" James asked, eyeing Remus carefully. "I mean, we could make it another fivesome…"
"No, you go ahead," Remus said firmly. "I have something I want to do anyway." He grinned at James and Sirius. "If you don't mind, there's someone I need to speak to."
James and Sirius continued out of the building, talking to each other and glancing back at Remus once or twice. When they'd gone, Remus walked over to the corner of the room where he'd seen her.
"Hello," he said, smiling. "Reesa Darrel, right?"
"Oh, Remus," she said, turning and beaming at him. "It's such a pleasant surprise to see you!"
"I just got back from assignment," he said casually. "I was wondering," here his throat tried to tighten up, but he managed to say calmly, "If you might be interested in dinner?" There! he thought. Even Sirius couldn't do better than that.
"I'd love it," she said warmly. "Are you staying in London?"
"No, but my home's not far off. Where should I pick you up?"
"How about the Leaky Cauldron? Seven o'clock?" She was smiling broadly at Remus now, and he grinned back, though he was sure he looked like a fool.
"That sounds great. I'll see you there."
"I can hardly wait." And she sounded as if she were telling the truth! Remus Apparated to his home, dusty and cluttered with books and such he hadn't put away before he left, in something of a daze.
Dressing in his best robes, he realised he was happier than he had been since his mother died a year ago. He had a job, he had helped catch six Death Eaters that very day. His friends were the best he could ask for – even if Sirius was a bit stupid sometimes – and he had asked a pretty girl for a date and she'd said yes.
Jenny had offered to fix dinner herself for them, but Sirius remembered a few things James had told him and refused, insisting that they go out. They'd compromised by deciding to simply have dinner in a café on Diagon Alley rather than at a formal restaurant. Sirius had asked James if he wanted to bring Lily along, but James said he'd already made reservations at The Burning Figg, an elegant place on the outside of town, and that he thought Sirius should spend some time with Jenny alone.
"I'm telling you, that letter will have gotten you into a lot of trouble," he warned. "You know Jenny!" And Sirius was fairly sure, now, that he was right… but he really hadn't been able to write anything else. So he was ready to brave a storm of angry words as he called for Jenny. She was dressed nicely and smiling when she opened the door.
"I'm so glad you're back, darling," she said, taking his hand. He was so surprised at this that he couldn't think of an answer. To cover himself, he kissed her, and was pleased to see that she seemed happy to respond in kind.
"So, tell me all about the trip," she encouraged as they arrived at Diagon Alley. Sirius described the countryside, and the dragons, and how they had caught the Death Eaters. Jenny listened attentively.
"Doesn't sound as if you missed me that much," she remarked as he finished. He thought he had some idea of the response she was hoping for.
"That's ridiculous. I thought of you all the time." He smiled. "Dragons are hardly as attractive as you are, Jenny." He was rewarded for this by another kiss. Maybe Prongs is right about that sentimental stuff, he thought.
"I'm glad you wrote to me," she said suddenly. "I wasn't really expecting it. After all, you only wrote three times while you were training."
"I thought it was four," he said, frowning.
"No, three. I've got them all still." She sighed in mock-exasperation. "Maybe it was four to your other girlfriend."
"Jenny, with you why would I need another girlfriend?" He grinned at her. She smiled too.
"Good, because you should know by now that if you did have another girlfriend I'd rip your heart out." She smiled as she spoke, but Sirius wasn't really sure she was joking. "I didn't think you'd ever write to me like that, though… after all, the letters you sent while you were training were hardly romantic."
Alarms started going off in Sirius' mind. "Romantic?" he managed to get out.
"Yes. I was going to ask Lily if she thought James had written it for you, but I decided you wouldn't have done that," she said, teasing. His mind was whirling. He knew very well that no one on earth would consider the letter he had written romantic in the least.
He barely noticed what he ate. But he looked up suddenly when Jenny nudged him. She pointed out the window to someone walking along on the street.
"It's Remus! And who's that with him?"
Sirius peered out into the gathering darkness. Yes, it was Remus, and on his arm was a pretty blond girl. Sirius thought he'd seen her somewhere before.
"That's right," he said suddenly. "She's the one he was dancing with at the Starfire Room."
"Oh, yes," Jenny remembered. "Reesa Something, Reesa Darrel. Very pretty girl. He said she went to Beauxbatons. Nice to see him out like this."
"Yeah… I didn't think old Moony would ever ask a girl out without James or me making him," Sirius said, staring at the pair who was oblivious to the watchers.
"I suppose he just hadn't met the right girl." Jenny was smiling dreamily at them. "I'm not sentimental, you know, Sirius, but I do like to see Remus like that."
"Yeah," Sirius said again. He was wondering where Remus had run into Reesa, and if they'd had a date before. "I'll ask him tomorrow…"
"Oh no you won't!" Jenny said sharply. "No, I mean it, Sirius. Don't you go annoying him about her. He'll tell you when he's ready. Besides," and she smiled more sweetly, "Tomorrow you promised to take me flying."
"Did I?" he asked, not really remembering.
"Yes. In your letter." That blasted letter again! He'd have to get a look at it somehow and see just what he had managed to say!
They finished their dinner and headed leisurely back. Jenny invited Sirius in for a cup of tea, and he accepted. While she was getting cups and boiling water, he looked around the room, hoping to find the letter.
There it was! He recognized his writing on the envelope. Opening it, he noticed that it had somehow accumulated more sheets… and looking at them, his eye fell upon worse prose than he had ever seen James write. Sickly sentences punctuated with various endearments he had never even heard before swam before him. He heard Jenny coming back and hurriedly replaced the letter.
Who had done this, and why? He had certainly never written that, not unless he'd been either under the influence of an illegal spell or criminally insane. Someone had changed the letter between him and Jenny.
And, he realised horribly, taking the cup she was offering him with a smile that he did not really want to wear, now she would be expecting such letters from him all the time! He was in a lot of trouble, whether he told her the truth or tried to fake his way out. Perhaps he could modify her memory… or perhaps he might be able to persuade James to write letters for him… or perhaps he could let the next dragon he met eat him and get it over with.
But Jenny was smiling happily at him, and so he forced his thoughts away from what might be to come and tried out a few of the phrases he had seen in that letter… just to see what happened. She was most receptive to them, and he found himself wondering, at one point, whether James might not be as idiotic as he'd been thinking.
Right, another part finished! I'm just cranking these out left and right, you know! It's beginning to feel a bit like a soap opera here to me – Jenny's really got a mind of her own here, more so than ever before, and the script is getting clogged down in romance!
Um, this soap opera's inspired by J.K. Rowling's great work, which you all know anyway. Jenny's my own, and so are Reesa and the dragon-watchers.
Next time on All My Aurors: will Sirius and Remus find Durmstrangs? Will Harry, Ron or Hermione appear? Will Sirius and Jenny be going to a marriage counselor? Will we find out who messed with the letter? Find out next thrilling episode, and don't forget to drink your Ovaltine! (That's a joke for anyone who's ever watched 'A Christmas Story'.)