Remus stared for a moment at the young woman crouched just outside the bars of his cell. "Nerissa," he said again, his voice still to painful to use. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to let you go," she said as she took out her wand and began to fiddle with the lock.
"You're-they're letting me go?" Remus' brows kitted together in confusion as he slowly limped over to the bars, being careful not to touch them.
"No Lucius and the others have no idea I'm here. I was able to sneak in here because this is my father's estate and I know my way around. I'm going to help you escape, but you have to promise to take me to Dumbledore."
"And just why should I do that?" Remus snarled.
"Besides the fact that I'm keeping my cousin from killing you? Oh I don't know, I thought maybe you'd do it out of you undying love for me," Nerissa replied shortly, rolling her eyes.
"A Slytherin to the core."
"I can leave you here if you prefer. I can find Dumbledore alone."
"Well then please go ahead. Don't let me slow your journey."
"It's not that simple," she snapped. "I said I could find him, it will be hard to convince him without you though."
"Convince? Convince him of what?"
"Convince him to help me leave the Death Eaters."
"Leave, you want to leave?" Remus was growing more and more confused by the minute.
"Of course I do," Nerissa said as she unlocked the door and swung the bars open. She walked over to Remus and helped him up. "Wouldn't you? Voldemort isn't exactly the nicest person... You're in pretty bad shape Remus; do you think you can apparate?"
"You can't apparate in here, at least that's what one of the men said; but no, I don't think I could. Anyway they took my wand."
"Well the man was right you cannot apparate in the dungeons, but you can outside the grounds."
"Well no I don't think I can apparate, honestly, I'd probably splinch myself."
"Hmmm, well then we'll have no choice we'll go by foot, unless we can find some brooms."
"We aren't going any where," Remus replied. "I'm leaving, you can do what you like."
"But -" Nerissa began.
"But nothing!" Remus said sharply, the fierce look on his face cutting her off. "if you think for one second that I believe that you want to leave and that you've changed your ways you've got another thing coming!"
"Remus please, hear me out."
"No. No, I won't hear you out. I don't need to hear you out. You've given me no reason to trust you-"
"Shh," Nerissa said, holding up her hand to cut him off. Remus could just make out the sound of voices coming to the door. A hiss behind him and a sudden plunge in to darkness made him start. "This way," Nerissa whispered, taking his hand.
He was led a few paces down the walkway where her heard, more than saw, Nerissa tap the stone wall with her wand. He was suddenly jerked forward into what had been the wall and was now a tiny alcove.
They stood there in the cramped inlet, pressed together. "They can't see us in here?" he asked quietly.
He felt Nerissa shake her head against his shoulder. "No, it's the same speel used on the 9 and 3/4 Platform," she replied, "once you tap the correct brick in a certain manner you can walk through the wall - if you believe you can. It's very old though, my father doesn't even know it's here."
"How did you find it then? Or do you just go around tapping bricks and smashing into wall at random?"
Nerissa snorted, "don't be stupid. My grandmother, she used to take pity on me and tell me places I could hide."
"Hide? Why would you need to -"
"Hush now," Nerissa said, placing her finger tips on his lips. "They can not see us, but they can hear us."
Nerissa was right, Remus could just barely hear the voice of several angry men on the other side of the wall.
"Damn it! I can't believe we lost him!"
"How could he have gotten out, he must have had help!"
"Impossible!" Remus recognized the third voice; it was Lucius. "No one could have gotten in here without my knowledge. Phillip showed me all the entrances to the manor, they are all guarded."
"Very well then," sighed the first man. "Thomas, stay here and keep watch; Lucius and I will search for him. He couldn't have gone far with out his wand."
"Yes, stay here and keep watch Thomas; just incase he's bloody inclined to come back and lock himself up for our sake. Honestly!" Lucius replied. "Let's go, both of you."
The muffled foot steps receded down the hall. Nerissa waited a moment before ducking out of the alcove. "They're gone," she whispered.
"Good, I'm leaving too," Remus replied as he stepped out into the walkway.
"No you can't. I need you to take me to Dumbledore, and you need me to get you out of here."
"Do I now?" Remus said evenly, as he headed for the door.
"Yes you do. Don't open that door Remus." Remus refused to stop walking. "Lupin!" Nerissa hissed as Remus continued to approach the door.
Remus's hand just touched the handle when he heard Nerissa mutter "stupefy", and the world went black.
