ICLYLM chapter 25: "Dark Marked Ones Only"
[A/N: Wow! Thanks to all of my wonderful multi-reviewers... Kazza, Ayod Botla, LoPotter, & bdwrm... it's like having you along for the ride to see your new reviews. Same to y'all: Debbi, Rockchick, MopHead and her Daemon, and Caius Julius! Haven't "seen" you in a while but I hope you're still out there rooting for the characters.
Have I told you lately that Jeffrey Barnes is appearing with the kind permission of his creator, Raven Dancer?]
Dumbledore moved rather swiftly for a man of his years Black noted as he turned back into Snuffles and followed the Headmaster and his friend out of the offices. Soon they were moving past yet another group of surprised students, pausing only long enough for Dumbledore to pull a prefect aside to give her a message for McGonagall.
Once deep in the forest, Black changed once again. He was beginning to lose track of how many times he'd transformed back and forth in the last hour or so, but he was beginning to tire from the energy required. Moments later they were in the old shed looking out into the gathering darkness.
Black sighed, "I suggest you two make your way toward the house through the wood while I go straight there and have a look about. I'll meet you at the edge of the wood closest to the House." He said. Dumbledore nodded and Black became a dog once again. He waved his tail weakly as encouragement and was off.
Brownie trotted out to meet Snuffles as he approached the small barn. "No one comes. No one goes." he ruffed.
Ripper was only too glad to report nearly the same findings, "I keep men away! No men come!" he yipped.
"Thank You" Snuffles said, "I brought help, but they are men. They are from my pack."
"You are in a pack with men? Brownie asked
"He is a pet." Blackie said shrewdly, if not a bit sadly.
"We will go to get the others and not come back," Snuffles continued, "Thank you for your help."
To his surprise the two larger dogs cuffed him lightly with the tops of their heads. Ripper, on the other hand just bounced up and down a bit and went back to "keeping the men away."
Black trotted to the edge of the wood to meet Albus and Remus. He was probably safe as a man at this point but he just didn't have the energy to transform back and forth anymore. He'd stay a dog until he needed to be a man. Albus and Remus didn't say anything about his continued canine state, they merely followed him as he led the way to the house in the darkness of the night which had finally fallen. There was a very soft "ruff" from the direction of the barn as they passed and Snuffles let out a soft "ruff" in return. Lupin cocked his head but said nothing.
As they approached the house the Snuffles' hackles rose as usual, but he trotted forward resolutely anyway. Suddenly he realized he was alone. Dumbledore and Lupin had stopped dead just shy of the point where his hackles always rose. He ran back quickly and an anxious Lupin said, "Warding Charms, Dark Marked ones only."
Dumbledore had his wand out and was working to disarm the wards. Lupin looked from the Headmaster to the animagus and finally said, "Sirius, go on ahead and find a way to where they are if you can."
Snuffles went immediately to the door out of which he had seen the wizards exit before. The basement window had been in that part of the house. His ears pricked immediately upon entering the dark manor. Someone was shuffling around about halfway across the house. Snuffles kept his ears perked and began to look about trying to figure where the room he had seen would be in relation to where he was now. He went right. After casting about a bit his nose caught the sharp smell of kerosene. That was odd. His instinct told him to follow. Soon his ears caught the sound of raspy breathing. The smell and sound seemed to be coming from the same place. He turned a corner and saw the dark form a person slumped against the wall. A shiny hand print on the wall reflected the emerging moonlight and gave off the scent of kerosene. The figure was the source of the ragged breathing. He trotted over. It was the Professor. She was unconscious. He nudged her with a cold nose. Nothing.
After a moment of indecision he left her to look around the doorway next to her. Stairs. More kerosene fumes. Basement, then? He trotted quickly down them as his nose was assaulted with the overpowering stench of the lamp fuel. Most of the smell came from an unconscious man in Death Eater robes on the floor. The doctor was no where to be seen. What the hell had happened to him?
Snuffles was half-way back up the stairs when the sound of crashing and banging began at the other side of the house. Without a thought he raced the rest of the way up the stairs and leapt over the still form of the professor toward the sounds. A man came crashing out of a room into the corridor. Snuffles recognized him... the doctor! There was someone chasing him through the room from which he had come... a room with a great deal of china from the sound of it.
Snuffles let out what he hoped was a reassuring "ruff" before charging through the swinging door. A second later he had plowed into the wizard chasing the doctor as hard as he could, knocking the wind out of him. The doctor had followed him. He promptly grabbed a large piece of china from the floor and brought it down on the other wizard's head as he struggled for air. He felt around in the now unconscious wizard's robes until he found the man's wand. He promptly cast a knock out and then a binding spell on him as he had on Dunderhead downstairs.
Snuffles watched curiously as the doctor leaned over, put his hands on his knees, and proceeded to take several very deep breaths. He then looked over at Snuffles and grinned. "Smart dog, VERY smart dog," he said taking a final deep breath and straightening up. As both he and Snuffles approached the dining room door their ears were met with another awful ruckus and both their hearts leapt to their throats. Was Voldemort back?
