Trojan Horse – Part X: Storm Gathering
I'm sorry this took so long, and I thank you all for your patience.
~
'Well then, Helen, we'll leave at dawn.' Arion gave her the merest hint of a smile as they sat together in a small office. After the meeting they had begun to make plans for how they would achieve their aim. 'It's rather promising the way it's turned out, I have to say.' He glanced down at a scrap of parchment on which he had scribbled some notes. 'Yes, tomorrow is a very good time for this. Now, I suppose you'll want to make your farewells and the like, so I'll leave you to it. Are you happy with all the arrangements?'
'It's fine,' she said. 'So long as it works, I don't really mind what I have to do.'
He nodded. 'I shan't interfere with what you're planning to do,' he said calmly. 'All I'm coming for is to create some distractions.'
Helen looked at him and saw that he did know what she was going to do. Well, so long as he kept that attitude, it would be fine. She said as much.
'It's your business,' he said. 'Now, I'll leave you in peace.' As he turned to go, he stopped. 'You won't be able to bring anything with you, not even your wand. If I recall, you need a few special things for the Conscia Fati Enchantment. Give them to me and I'll see you get them at the right moment.'
'All right.'
Arion left the room, and Helen stared at the wall for a moment. She hadn't thought about the necessity of preparing the tools for the enchantment, but she knew what was needed. Well, it should be easy enough to find what she wanted around the school.
The other thing she did have to do was make her goodbyes. But she couldn't face it just yet. She knew what she ought to be doing, she ought to go to Laura and Paul and spend all the rest of the afternoon with them. Instead she left the office and went down and outside. The skies were cloudy and there was a wind rising. Helen paced across the lawn and down towards the lake.
Doubts were beginning to plague her. She was certain this was the right thing to do, but it still took so much courage. Did she possess it? She knew she was a coward at heart. But how else could it be done? There was no other person who would do this, nor any other who would be better for it than she. And if she did not do it, the power of Voldemort would grow and grow.
Conscia Fati. Aptly named, Helen thought. It was true, as well. At her Muggle primary school they had taught her the rudiments of Latin, and she had not entirely forgotten it. She crossed the Quidditch pitch and reached the shores of the lake. It was steel-grey, reflecting the sky. Helen looked across it for a while, and then up to the thickening clouds in the sky. It looked like it might rain, but she decided to chance it and walk around the lake anyway. After all, a few drops of rain wouldn't hurt her. And she needed time to think.
The birds were singing loudly as she began to make her way around the shores, competing with the rustle of the wind. Helen didn't really listen to them as she walked, her mind very far away. Perhaps this was wrong. She had a duty as well as a debt to repay, a duty to Paul and Laura.
But what would their life be, if Voldemort succeeded in his aim? She had been young when Voldemort had been trying to take power, she knew what he could do. And with his new-found strength, and without Dumbledore, things would only be worse. If the Conscia Fati Enchantment could save Laura and Paul from that, it would be worth it.
Her thoughts were punctuated by a rumble of thunder. She started, and looked at the sky. The dark clouds had thickened and were almost purple, and the wind was plucking at her cloak and hair. Helen hesitated, looking back the way she had come. But it would be the same distance whether she continued around the lake or went back, she was on the far side of it now. She carried on walking more quickly.
She wondered how much the other members of the League knew. Arion had realised, she was sure, but none of the others had seemed to grasp what the Conscia Fati Enchantment involved. Helen thought it would be better that way. She didn't really want to have to argue with them all. She knew what she was going to do and she knew it would be right.
A flash of lightning glinted on the lake, followed rapidly by a crack of thunder. Helen felt her scalp prickle. But despite the dark clouds, it was not raining. Perhaps she would get back to the school before the downpour began.
Helen listened to the mingle of birdsong and thunder as she walked along the edge of the lake, blinking as the lightning flashed. A large drop of rain splattered on her face, and then another. The mirror-smooth surface of the lake was studded with drops. Helen pulled her cloak up over her head and walked more quickly. Hagrid's hut was not far off, she was sure he wouldn't object if she took shelter there. The rain pelted her, large heavy drops running down her face like tears and soaking into her cloak, and very soon she was drenched.
The hut was just ahead, and Helen hurried towards it, walking with her head bowed to keep the rain off. There was a brilliant flash of lightning just as she went up to it, going around to the front door. She glanced quickly in the window as the thunder answered in a drum-roll that seemed it would never end. What she saw made her stop.
It seemed she was not the only one to take shelter with Hagrid. Minerva was standing by the fire, dripping wet, her hair plastered down and a large blanket around her shoulders. But it was the glow in her eyes that made Helen stare. Surely she was imagining things? Hagrid was smiling broadly at his guest, a matching light in his eyes. Helen stood for a second outside the window, unseen by either of them.
Another crack of thunder made her remember herself. She walked away with a soft smile. Better to leave them. It wasn't that far to the school in any case, and she was wet already.
She walked more slowly after a time. Lucky Minerva, she thought. Hagrid won't ever ask impossible things of her. Suddenly she was afraid. Alexander would be there, and he was bound to see through her. But no, she told herself calmly, there was no need for her to act. She was going there as a prisoner, Alexander would not expect to see her as anything but afraid and angry.
And she would not really be there long. Not long enough for Alexander to do anything too terrible. With that thought in her mind she went in a side door of the school and stood dripping on the mat for a few minutes, shaking the water out of her hair and taking off her drenched cloak. Then she went inside.
Snape appeared silently from a doorway. His knack of appearing without any warning or noise normally startled Helen, but right now she had other things on her mind.
'Mrs de Laurent.' He spoke with great formality, a glint in his eye. 'Allow me to inform you that Lupin will be taking your teaching post here – temporarily.'
Helen looked at him without understanding. 'That's fine,' she said, her confusion plain in her voice. 'I didn't expect anything else. And it hardly matters, seeing as I'm not going to be here.'
Snape looked a little taken aback, but rallied. 'I had a few words with Professor McGonagall,' he hissed, 'and she has agreed that you are not fit to continue teaching here.'
Helen nodded absently. She knew that was correct. She was most certainly not fit for teaching, nor for any other position of responsibility. It did not trouble her any longer. Her mind was made up.
'Yes,' she said, not really paying any attention to Snape. Not even he could frighten her now. 'Now, if you'll excuse me, there are some things I have to see to.'
She turned away. Now, she knew she had to make preparations. She went to the storerooms, where all manner of magical implements were kept. Helen was certain that what she needed would be there, everything was. The room was dusty but seemed well-organised, though according to what principle she wasn't certain. She walked past racks of spare cauldrons of all shapes and sizes, a very old collection of alchemical bottles and pipes, three large axes secured to the wall, a pile of vampire-hunting stakes buried in garlic and a pile of assorted crockery which she supposed was enchanted in some way. Not what she needed, though there was a very pretty blue china vase which she paused to take a look at. Some blood ran out of it when she picked it up, and she put it back hastily. She made her way to a rack covered in old red velvet, on which a number of silver items were lying. The tools for killing werewolves she ignored, the silver-bladed knives and small axes. She didn't need them. Then she spotted what she did need at the end of the rack, half-covered by the dusty velvet. She took it up and carried it delicately away, almost tripping over a self-sweeping broom that was whizzing around the storeroom raising clouds of dust.
In her room, she began to enchant what she had found. The appropriate runes were already carved onto the handle, so there would be no difficulty in using it. She protected it with the special spells that were necessary for the preparation of the Conscia Fati Enchantment.
At last she was finished, and it was gleaming with stored magic. Now there was only one thing remaining for her to do, the hardest thing of all. Helen went to the door and down to the room where she knew she'd find Laura and Paul.
~
Minerva sat facing the fire, her hair dry now and loose around her shoulders. Outside, the rain continued to pour down, though the thunder had passed. Hagrid was sitting opposite her in a huge leather armchair, a smile on his face.
'Do you remember Vivian Shaw?' asked Minerva, breaking the silence.
'Vivian? That little lass what arrived last night?' Hagrid frowned in concentration. 'Ah, yeah, her. She was only 'ere a term, wasn't she? Never would've thought it was 'er, she's changed a lot.' He shook his head reminiscently. 'Nasty accident she 'ad.'
'Yes.' Minerva gave a smile. 'She's done well, though. I didn't recognise her either at first. A very brave young woman. It was Albus who made all the arrangements for her, he got her a place at Dragonclaws in Ireland, and I heard she did really well there. She was one of the most powerful witches in her year, as I recall.'
'An' she stopped the snow, did she?'
Minerva nodded. 'I don't really know how, she doesn't seem to want to talk about it. She spends all her time between crooning over that Pegasus and arguing with Sirius.'
Hagrid chuckled. 'Gorgeous creature, the Pegasus. Looks kinda familiar, too; I reckon I've seen it before.'
'There can't be many Pegasi around, perhaps you have.'
'Yeah, perhaps.' He got up and poked at the fire, and placed another giant log on it. 'It was brave of Arion, sayin' all that about Yeh-Know-Who an' all.'
'Yes.' Minerva sighed. 'Brave of him to agree to go back, too. But I just wish all of this would be over. It's so hard, trying to keep everything running with the siege, and we're understaffed. The students are being marvellous, I have to say, they're all rallying round and apart from a few nuisances, they're being very good. But it's such a strain.'
Hagrid left the fire and went to sit beside her. 'Yer doin' a great job of it,' he said. 'Professor Dumbledore knew what he was about when he made yeh Headmistress.'
Minerva gave him a wan smile. 'I hope so.'
'Oh, he did, all right.' Hagrid grinned back at her.
From a basket by the fireplace, something tawny and hairy began to move. Minerva looked at it with some concern.
'Oh, 'e's wakin' up,' said Hagrid. 'Honestly, that Sirius, there wasn't no need fer any of his Freezing Charms and whatnot, he wouldn't hurt a fly.'
'What is it?' Minerva asked, watching warily and making sure her wand was still in her belt. The creature stood up, and she saw the head of a young lion emerge from the basket. 'Goodness, it's not a chimera, is it?'
'No, it's a – dunno the proper name, but it's a lion with wings. Found it in the Forest a couple of days ago.'
The winged lion emerged fully and Minerva saw it was only a cub. Its wings were the same tawny gold as the rest of its body.
''E's called Toodles.'
Minerva did smile at that. The lion cub stalked over to Hagrid's feet and pounced on his boot. Hagrid chuckled and reached down to scratch the creature under its chin.
'A Pteric Lion, indeed,' she said, watching as it clawed the sofa.
'Yeah, that's the name. I 'aven't seen many of 'em, yeh don' find them 'round here. Dunno where 'e came from.'
Toodles came over to investigate Minerva's feet. She stared down at it, and recognising a fellow-creature the lion stared back.
'Fang adores 'im,' said Hagrid. 'Thinks he's a new puppy, does Fang.'
'Can he fly?' asked Minerva curiously.
'Sort of. Here, Toodles, show Auntie Minerva how yeh fly.'
Minerva tried to look stern at 'Auntie Minerva,' but failed utterly and almost laughed. She watched as Hagrid picked up the lion and launched him into the air. He spread his wings and flapped wildly, keeping aloft for a circuit of the hut before making a crash-landing on Hagrid's bed.
''E's just a baby, bless him,' said Hagrid as Toodles began chewing his blankets. The lion curled up in the blanket, still chewing contentedly.
'He's making an awful mess of your bed, honestly,' she said, getting up and crossing the room. The lion clawed at her when she tried to shoo him off the bed, and she gave a yelp and jerked her hand away.
Hagrid bounded over to her.
'What's 'e done?'
Minerva flinched a little as she looked at the long scratch on her hand, which was starting to ooze blood, and Hagrid glanced at it with concern.
'Bad Toodles! Gerroff!' he growled, waving his own massive hand towards the baby lion. Toodles sprang off the bed very quickly and slunk away with his tail down.
'Don't know what came over him, he wouldn' hurt a fly, normally,' Hagrid was saying. Minerva took out her handkerchief and wiped her hand with it, watching Hagrid's confusion.
'It's all right,' she said. 'I'll be fine.' She crossed over to the sink, Hagrid still fussing around her, and began to wash the cut.
'Here, this is the stuff I use when I get scratched,' he said, rummaging through the shelves and knocking things over until he produced a large jar. 'Poppy gave it teh me, an' it works fine.' He took Minerva's hand in his own and slathered the green ointment over the scratch with unexpected gentleness. Minerva felt the sting subside and looked up with a smile.
'That better?' he asked.
'Yes. Thank you.' She did not take her hand from Hagrid's for a moment, and he beamed at her. Then she glanced away. 'Oh, it's stopped raining, I'd better get back up to school.' She withdrew her hand from his gently and went to pick up her drying cloak. Hagrid followed her and fastened it around her shoulders.
'Next time yeh come down I'll make sure Toodles is out,' he said.
'Okay.' She went towards the door, and Hagrid followed her.
'Bye.'
'Bye.'
Minerva walked slowly up to the school. She was wondering at herself. There was nothing about Hagrid that ought to embarrass her or make her feel like she was twenty again. And yet he did. Foolishness, that was all it was, and she didn't have time for it. As she climbed the stairs to the staffroom and prepared herself to face all the things she would inevitably have to deal with, she tried to put Hagrid and his pet lion from her mind. She did not altogether succeed.
~
Helen had not had any sleep. She had not tried. Most of the night she had spent with Laura and Paul, watching over them as they slept soundly. When the swift-moving hands on the clock told her that it was three a.m., she went back to her own room and put on some ragged clothes. She collected everything she had prepared and took a deep breath. Arion had told her they would leave before dawn, as if they were escaping from the school. Helen glanced at herself in the mirror. Pale and dressed raggedly, she looked fairly convincing as a prisoner being brought back as a hostage.
Well, that was as it should be. Helen walked back through the silent school to Laura and Paul's room. She went to their beds and kissed them both, very lightly so as not to disturb them. A tear fell on Laura's pillow from her eye, and she sat on the side of the bed for a moment.
Is this right? she asked herself, a shadow of doubt still lingering for a moment. But she had made up her mind now. It was the right thing to do. If she did not, she would spend the rest of her life wondering what would have happened if she had, and failing to atone for what she had done. The stigma of a mother who had worked for Voldemort would not be easy for Laura and Paul to bear, but this would at least balance it out. She dashed the tears out of her eyes with the edge of her hand and stood up. Time to go.
She went to the door and looked back one last time at her sleeping children. Then she hurried down the stairs to the main entrance where Arion was waiting. Minerva was with him.
'Are you ready?' Arion asked Helen. She gave a weak nod.
Minerva smiled at her slightly.
'Take care, then, both of you.' She hesitated, then extended her hand to Helen, who took it, returning her smile. She pulled her deliberately ragged clothes more closely around her shoulders and handed her wand to Minerva.
'You keep this, I shouldn't bring it with me.'
Minerva took it. 'I'll keep it safe for you,' she said.
Helen nodded. 'Minerva, if – if I don't come back, will you see to it that Laura and Paul are all right? I've made arrangements, I just need them to be carried through.'
'Of course.'
Arion gave her a piercing look. 'Helen, if you're finished we'd best get going. Have you got everything?'
'Yes.' Helen was glad that there was only Minerva there to see her off. She didn't want to make her goodbyes, didn't want a scene as she and Arion left. It seemed Arion felt the same way, for he was hurrying her towards the door.
'Good luck,' said Minerva as they went out. Helen smiled at her and followed Arion out the door.
~
Remus overslept and had to rush to grab something to eat and get to his first lesson before he got into trouble on his first morning back teaching. He spent the morning out of sorts and had scarcely a moment to think about Helen and Arion's expedition. It was only at lunchtime when he realised that he hadn't seen either of them all morning. She was supposed to be leaving today, he recalled, but he didn't know when. He looked around for Helen, meaning to ask her about the Conscia Fati Enchantment, but after he didn't find her, he went to the library instead.
There he found a copy of Myrddin's Compleat Spells and Enchantments. He flipped through until he found the Conscia Fati Enchantment and began to read. Partway through, his hands began to tremble. He turned the page nervously, unaware of the beginnings of noise from the students behind him. She can't do this, he thought wildly, she can't.
Then he was charging up to Minerva's office, heedless of the fact that he nearly bowled Snape over in the corridor. He burst into her office without knocking.
'Minerva, have they already gone?' he demanded.
'Remus, what on earth…?' began Minerva, looking up from her papers.
He cut through her protests, his voice loud and urgent. 'Has Helen gone yet?'
'Yes, she went this morning, early. I thought you knew.'
He swore, loudly. Minerva jumped.
'Remus! What is it?'
He paused, shaking his head. 'Do you know what the Conscia Fati Enchantment does?' he asked.
Minerva hesitated. 'Now that you mention it, I don't think Helen ever got around to explaining. It'll get rid of You-Know-Who, that's all I've heard. Why, do you know?'
'I just looked it up.' He shivered. 'Minerva, she's going to kill herself!'
'What?' Minerva dropped her papers on the desk. 'Are you sure?'
'Yes. The Conscia Fati Enchantment requires someone to sacrifice their life willingly, and it will break the power of the Dark Magic in the place where she dies.'
Minerva stared at him. 'But that's – that's not right. Are you sure that'll work?' She was shaking her head repeatedly. 'Anything that involves suicide is only another form of Dark Magic, you must know that. It's the same sort of magic You-Know-Who uses.'
'No, no,' Remus protested. 'It's not. It predates Dark Magic, it's not that sort of thing. It's really ancient.' He ran his fingers distractedly through his hair. 'But that's not the point. Helen's gone to kill herself, Minerva.'
'And you say this will get You-Know-Who out of Stonehenge?' asked Minerva slowly.
Remus' jaw dropped. 'She's not in her right mind! You can't seriously think….' He stared into Minerva's face, trying to read the traces of emotions that flittered across it.
'No,' said Minerva. 'No.' She hesitated. 'But if this is Helen's choice, what can we do about it?'
'We can go and stop her,' he said, almost angrily. 'I owe her my life, Minerva, do you think I'm going to stand by and let her go kill herself?'
'Of course not,' said Minerva in a placating tone. 'But think about it for a moment, don't just rush off half-cocked like this. Helen left before dawn today, it's lunch time now, she'll be there already. How are you going to do this? You must see it's impossible. Besides, you can't get out of the school.'
Remus set his jaw. 'I don't care how I do it. But she's not going to go kill herself like this. She has children, it's not right. If anyone's going to do this spell, it shouldn't be her.'
Minerva stood up then. 'Remus, you are not going to go and throw your life away for this.'
Remus paused, holding Minerva's eye for a moment. She did not look away.
'Look, there's no sense in making a scene. Think about it for a moment.' She spoke in a carefully controlled voice. 'I agree that we have to do something, but you can't just dash off like this.'
With a sigh, Remus sank into the chair opposite the desk. 'So what do you think we can do?' he asked. 'Helen and Arion have gone and Helen's going to kill herself to purify Stonehenge and force Voldemort out.'
Minerva nodded slowly. 'Remus, I know you don't like to hear this, but if Helen is prepared to do it, then who are you to stop her?'
'It's not right,' he answered. 'It's too high a price for getting him out of there.'
'Is it?' asked Minerva. 'If he continues his rise, people are going to die. People have already died, you know that. Helen is prepared to pay the price to prevent that from happening.'
'But so am I. So are we all. Helen has two young children and a long future ahead of her. If anyone kills themselves to get Voldemort out of there, it should not be her.'
'Yes, but whatever you want to do, there's no way to get out of the school, unless you're proposing to give yourself up to You-Know-Who's people as well, and I will not allow that.' Minerva scowled. 'I am not going to have all my staff dashing about in impossible heroics. If we do anything, it will be properly thought out and rational, and not like this.'
There was a knock at the open door, and they both turned around.
'Severus,' said Minerva with no lightening of her scowl. 'Is there a problem?'
Snape entered, and his eye fell on Remus sitting by the desk.
'There certainly is,' he said. 'The fifth years that he is supposed to be teaching now are causing a riot. It is impossible to work.'
Remus drew in his breath sharply and turned to Minerva. 'I'm sorry, I completely forgot about the time.' He did not get up, however.
The furrows on Minerva's forehead deepened. 'Severus, we are discussing a problem of some importance at present. Perhaps you could keep the class quiet for us, as you seem to be free?'
'If you're discussing something important, surely it should include me as deputy head?' asked Snape with sarcasm. 'And I have a great deal of work to get done, I can't spend my time covering for people who can't even remember to turn up to the lessons.'
Remus stood up. 'I'll go and get them to calm down,' he said with a sigh. 'I'll come back at the end of the lesson. Hopefully forty minutes won't matter either way.'
Minerva nodded. 'All right. Severus, let me hear your opinion on this. Remus tells me that the Conscia Fati Enchantment -'
In the doorway, Remus hesitated, but Minerva waved him away. Reluctantly, he walked off down the corridors towards his classroom, where he found the fifth years all talking loudly and none sitting in their place. With a few sharp words he restored order and resumed his teaching.
~
After the lesson, Remus hurried back to Minerva's office. Snape was still there, and he scowled when Remus came to the door.
'She's a traitor,' he said, and it sounded as if he were repeating something he'd said many times before. 'I won't hold with you sending people after her to rescue her. If she wants to kill herself, it's the first decent thing she's ever done and I won't lift a finger to stop her.'
Minerva looked up. 'Remus says we should go after her,' she said, seeing him in the doorway.
Snape only sneered. 'Does he indeed? He's scarcely better than she is.'
'I will have to ask you to leave your childhood prejudices behind when we discuss this matter,' said Minerva sharply.
'Prejudices? Two of a kind, that's what they are,' snorted Snape. 'He's going to stop her because he doesn't want the Dark Lord's power to get any less, that's what his plan is.'
Remus turned to him. 'Won't you allow a little for common humanity, Severus?' His anger did not show in his voice, but he was furious. Helen was prepared to sacrifice her life for them all, and all Snape could do was mock her.
'Humanity?' asked Snape in a voice oozing sarcasm. 'You're not even a human. What do we matter to the likes of you?'
'Severus!' Minerva stood up. 'Let us keep to the subject under discussion.'
'Well then, Remus, why would you have us go and do some ridiculous deed to stop Helen from destroying herself and the Dark Lord's power at Stonehenge? Or would you prefer we let him gain strength and take over?'
'I'm not asking for anyone else to do anything. I'm prepared to do what's necessary myself. Helen has two children, and I owe her my life, and I will not stand by and watch as she goes to her death.' He spoke with great force. 'And whatever we do, we have to do it quickly.'
'Surely Arion will stop her?' asked Minerva.
Remus hesitated.
'I hope not,' said Snape. 'Arion has sense.' He looked at Remus, whom he clearly considered to be deficient in this quality.
Remus left the doorway and stepped into the room. 'Look, I'm going to go after her regardless,' he said. 'I'm not about to let her kill herself.'
Minerva looked at him without surprise. 'Even though you risk your own life?'
'It doesn't matter,' he said.
She took a deep breath. 'Very well then, if I won't stand in Helen's way, I won't stand in yours either. Good luck, Remus. You'd better go straight away.' She sighed. 'Now I'm stuck for a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, again.'
'You'll let me go?' asked Remus with some surprise.
Minerva nodded while Snape tried to interrupt with protests. 'You can go. I can't say I'm happy about it, but it might be the right thing to do. But Remus –'
'Yes?'
'Tell me, are you going to – to perform the Conscia Fati Enchantment yourself?'
Snape looked at them both and muttered something under his breath.
Remus shook his head. 'I don't plan to. There must be some other way of getting Voldemort out, we'll find something. I just want to get Helen away safely.'
'All right. Good luck, Remus.'
'Thank you,' said Remus. He paused, smiled at Minerva, and then hurried away.
In his room, he grabbed all the things he needed very quickly and raced back into the corridor. He ran straight into Sirius.
'Moony, what's the big rush?' he asked, grabbing him by the arm.
'I'm going to Stonehenge,' he said, somewhat breathlessly.
'Stonehenge? Why?'
'Helen,' said Remus. Sirius looked at him with raised eyebrows. 'Look, there's no time to explain,' Remus protested. 'I've got to go.'
'Not like this you're not. Tell me what the problem is. I'll come with you.' Sirius turned so that he blocked the corridor. Remus scowled at him, then said, 'Helen's going to kill herself.'
Sirius looked startled. 'Why?' he demanded.
'The Conscia Fati Enchantment – that's how it works, you have to kill yourself willingly,' he explained, not terribly clearly.
'What are you going to do?'
'Stop her,' said Remus, wishing Sirius would just let him get on with it.
Sirius gave a short nod, as if this sort of thing happened every day, and asked, 'How are you going to get out?'
'Under the Whomping Willow. It worked coming in, I hope it'll be all right getting out as well.' Remus tried to go past Sirius, but Sirius was still gripping his arm.
'No, stay here and tell me how you're going to do all this.'
'I don't know how,' said Remus with frustration. 'Now let me go. There's no time to lose.'
Sirius suddenly grinned. 'Well, life was getting boring cooped up in here. I'm coming with you.'
For a second, Remus looked mutinous. Then his face relaxed into a smile. 'Good. Get your wand and whatever you need and we'll be off.' A thought struck him. 'I've got to get something from the kitchens. I won't be a sec.' He hurried off down the stairs. Behind him, Sirius went into his room.
Remus rushed through the school and went into the kitchens. The head cook began to scold him.
'Just something I need – won't be a second,' Remus said breathlessly, and spotted what he was looking for. He picked up a handful of white powder, conjured a small container for it, and stuck it in his pocket. While the cook stared at him, he raced out of the kitchens again.
Sirius was running down the stairs to the door, clutching his broomstick and a shimmering bundle in his hand.
'Borrowed the Cloak from Harry – I left him a note, he won't mind,' he called as he approached.
'Oh, brilliant.' Remus stopped, and looked at Sirius with a sober expression. 'This is going to be dangerous, Sirius. Are you sure you want to come?'
Sirius gave him a mock-scowl. 'Of course I'm sure. Dangerous stuff is fun. Now let's go!'
TO BE CONTINUED
Wow, I've been working on this story for about three months, overall. Only a few more parts left now. The next is called 'Conscia Fati' and will arrive much more quickly than this one.
Blaise.
30th May 2000