A/N: I KNEW it! I just knew mentioning my vacation was a bad thing. But people, it's not forever. And it's necessary! I simply need a little time away to work. You want new stories, right? But, I also thought it was best to let you know early. So, I'm sorry for any trauma that may have resulted. But look at it this way. You know where I went and why. It's not like I'm just leaving you without an explanation. Right?
But seriously, you guys are great for understanding. And I promise to make it as short an absence as possible.
All right.
On with the story.
Enjoy.
Chapter Nine: Escape
"Hogwarts?" Aaron questioned. "And how exactly are we suppose to get him to Hogwarts, Remus? And the baby. You can't leave Harry here alone."
But Remus was already deep in thought. There had to be a way. First he had to get past the ministry security. He had yet to see hide or hair pf them since Dumbledore warned him they may be about, but Remus would have bet just about anything that they were out there. Thankfully it was already dark outside. That would help.
But he couldn't get Sirius and Harry to Hogwarts by himself. He would need help.
Remus turned slowly to his friend.
No. That wasn't right. To involve Aaron in this? If the ministry was there....if they saw him.....anyone seen, or heaven forbid, caught involved in this, was going to be in a great deal of trouble with the ministry.
"Aaron, leave." Remus said quietly.
"What?"
"Leave. Just go downstairs and walk out the front door. I'll figure out something. But I don't want you around when I do. I don't want you mixed up in this."
Aaron stared back at Remus. "Excuse me." He stated with a frown. "But you've obviously not noticed, I already am mixed up in this. The minute I first examined this man, and left, and didn't report it to the ministry, I became mixed up in it. If I ever had a chance to 'just leave' and walk away from this, Remus, it was then. Now, for your information, I already made my decision. It's far too late to ask me to step aside now."
Remus gave Aaron a questioning look. "Are you sure?" He asked. "It could get messy, Aaron."
Aaron smiled broadly at Remus. "Most things involving you somehow always are."
"Aaron, there's a good chance there are ministry wizards outside. If they catch you....."
"Do I have to repeat myself?" Aaron stated. "I'm already in this, Remus. How deep isn't really important anymore. So, what's the plan?"
Remus thought for a moment again. "We need to get past the ministry and the anti-apparation spells. Once we manage that we can apparate to the gates of Hogwarts. After that the plan just calls for a lot of running."
"Sounds good to me." Aaron replied.
"Grab Harry then." Remus stated as he leaned over and picked Sirius up off the bed. "And just follow close."
Aaron protested that with his larger size, he was the better candidate to be carrying Sirius, as well as was Harry likely to stay more quiet if Remus was the one carrying him since he had some contact with Remus. Both facts Remus conceded to. And so allowing Aaron to take Sirius, Remus carefully settled Harry into his arms.
Seeming to sense how important silence was at the moment, Harry didn't make a sound. Even when the Remus picked him up, he only glanced up at Remus as though looking for guidance as what to do. Remus just patted him on his head as Aaron went by carrying Sirius.
"Just be a good boy, Harry." Remus told the baby. "And stay very quiet for Uncle Remus. All right?"
Harry made a small sound, then curled up against Remus' chest as he turned and followed Aaron down the stairs.
"Are we taking anything?" Aaron asked as they descended the stairs.
"No time." Remus replied. "The faster we get to Hogwarts, the better. Oh!" Remus stopped suddenly at the bottom of the stairs. "Harry's blanket. I left it in his crib in the other room. We have to have that or there'll be no dealing with him later. Can you get it?"
Aaron nodded quickly and headed for the room Remus pointed to.
Just as the doctor was out of sight, there came a knock on the door. Remus turned abruptly to the sound, then spun around back to the door.
"Aaron!" He hissed at the room. "Come on. We have to go now!"
Aaron was already coming back into the front hall, handing the blanket off to Remus.
"What is it?"
The knock sounded again as though in answer to Aaron's question.
"Mr. Lupin?" A voice Remus didn't recognize called through the door. "Paul Beetrok with the Ministry of Magic. I need to have a word with you , Sir, if you'd please open the door."
Remus opened his mouth to tell the man something like he'd be there in a minute, but Aaron quickly slapped a hand over his mouth.
"No." He hissed in Remus' ear. "They'll spend more time figuring out why you don't answer than why you do. Let's just go."
With that Aaron grabbed Remus' sleeve and hurried him soundlessly to the back door.
Remus performed a quick spell to check if anyone was in the back, the cautiously opened the door.
"How far do the anti-apparation spells reach?" Aaron asked.
"To the woods." Remus pointed out as they made their way quietly down the steps. "Only protection spells should be able to be cast while inside the wards. That should help."
When they reached the bottom of the steps, both men took one last look around.
"Ready then?" Remus asked as he turned to Aaron.
The doctor nodded.
"No stopping." Remus told him resolutely. "No matter what."
Aaron nodded again.
The two took off at a run across Remus' back yard, headed full tilt for the thin forest of trees just beyond the property line that marked the end of the anti-apparation spells.
As they made it over nearly two-thirds of the distance without any incidence, Remus felt his hopes rising.
Only to have them crash as a voice rang out behind them.
"Halt!"
The sudden sound nearly shocked Remus into stopping, but his feet thankfully, were apparently deaf, and kept moving. Ahead of him Aaron glanced back for a second, but also kept moving.
"Ministry of Magic!" The voice called again. "You are ordered to halt!"
A streak of light shot past Remus' face.
Twenty-five yards to the tree line.
Remus watched Aaron gain ground on him. He was glad now he had let the man take Sirius. He could obviously run faster despite the extra weight.
Another streak of light shot past Remus. A third cut past Aaron.
Fifteen yards.
"Halt there!" Another voice called.
Behind him Remus could hear several more excited voices joining the others. Three shots cut between him and Aaron.
Ten yards.
A streak of light flashed past him, this time just catching him on the shoulder. Remus bit back a cry as he gratefully watched another shot miss Aaron.
Five yards.
A sudden cry just ahead of him froze Remus' blood. He watched with frightened eyes as Aaron went down before him.
"Aaron!" Remus cried.
"Just a slight spell hit on the leg." Aaron replied quickly, struggling back to his feet. "Nothing silver. I can move."
Remus turned around for the first time. From behind his canine-sensitive eyes Remus could see a group of moving shadows headed towards them, each running as fast as it could as it navigated the unfamiliar ground. Something that proved a small but useful advantage to Aaron and Remus.
Remus quickly ran after a limping Aaron the last few yards to the trees. Reaching the edge of the wards around his house, Remus hit the ground on his knees. He quickly recited the apparition spell and closed his eyes.
When he opened them again a second later, he found himself staring at some very familiar trees. His first thought was the Forbidden Forest. But with a sudden growing panic Remus remembered the Forbidden Forest was inside Hogwarts gates. Remus looked around quickly.
He was exactly where he had stopped.
The spell hadn't worked.
"What's wrong?" Came Aaron's frightened whisper in the growing darkness. "Why didn't it work? Why can't we apparate?"
Remus looked dumbstruck. Why hadn't it worked? They were past the wards. He knew it. He had helped set them, so certainly he knew the lines.
But Aaron already had his head up, feeling the air around them. "Wait a minute." He stated suddenly. "Remus, we're not outside the anti-apparation fields."
Remus looked up at him "You're sure?"
Aaron searched about them again. "I may be an old wolf, but I'm not a senile one. Use your senses, boy. I know what an anti-apparation field feels like, Remus. And we're still in them."
"The ministry must have moved the wards." Remus whispered back. It was the only answer.
"And now?" Aaron asked.
Remus turned to him in the darkness, a look of hopelessness settling across his features. "We are so........"
"Ministry of Magic!" A sharp voice cut him off. "Stop where you are!"
Remus was about to make some biting remark about how they couldn't be anymore stopped if they tried. But instead he turned back to Aaron, quickly handing Harry off to the man.
"Take Harry and Sirius and keep going, Aaron." Remus told him.
Aaron was about to ask Remus what he planned to do for himself, but he stopped as a large tan-haired wolf suddenly appeared before him. The wolf turned to him and growled angrily.
"All right. All right." Aaron stated. "I'm going. Just you be sure to follow."
The wolf bounded off, plotting his course directly at the ministry members making their way through the trees.
Surprise was an element Remus planned to use to his complete advantage. Surely the last thing the ministry was expecting to be confronted by was a large, adult male wolf. As he made his way towards the ministry members, Remus could hear Aaron's footfalls over the leaves growing dimmer. He was moving further away with each second, but was likely still in the sight of the ministry members that were out in front of the advancing group. Those were the ones Remus set his sights on. Get rid of them first, and let the ensuing chaos work for him as long as he could. Hopefully Aaron wouldn't wait for him. Hopefully he would realize there was no time, and likely no point. Remus knew full well he couldn't hope to drive the ministry members back and then catch up to Aaron again without jeopardizing their escape all over again.
He would have to stay behind.
If he was lucky, he could escape into the woods. If not..........if not, at least Sirius and Harry would be safely at Hogwarts. And that was all that mattered to him.
He was beginning to wonder just what they did do to werewolves in Azkaban when he saw a shape moving directly towards him. It was the ministry member who had been closest to them, still yelling for people he hopefully couldn't even see anymore to stop.
Remus positioned himself in the man's path, determined to stop him no matter what it took. Two bright champagne eyes followed the man's ever step as a low growl began to build in Remus' throat. Lowering his center of gravity, Remus poised himself to jump.
But he never got the chance.
Directly before him a bright light suddenly flared up. To Remus it was as though the sun had exploded before him.
From the other side of the light, Remus could hear a sudden rush of voices and a lot of cursing.
But he didn't have long to ponder the situation. As though someone had grabbed him by the back of his robes, he felt himself pulled away from the scene, leaving behind the light as he was pulled into darkness. The last thing Remus saw before he tightly shut his eyes was the light fading to a small glowing dot. The it disappeared altogether.
Q&A
Your fun. Now my fun. You know the routine.
Family Life
SWEETand SEXY: Actually, Family Life is being sequeled....twice. It is a three arc story. Family Life, Family Relations, and Family Ties.
ra878: See, the government is reducing us all to numbers!
Family Life is being sequeled. And by the way, what makes you think Voldemort is dead? Hmmmm?
The Bonds That Tie
Midori-sama: Ummmmm....good guess. But 'former' patient, Dear. Remus....not Sirius. And by the way, Aaron Richards IS a very good doctor. I'm glad everyone stopped attacking the poor man.
And also, it is 'Dudette'. Just thought I'd add that in so there's no confusion. P.A.R. is female. Although there are some doctors out there trying to spay poor P.A.R.. See, there are BAD doctors! Trying to do that to poor P.A.R.. (Like I want to have children!)
Lin-z: Actually where you fall on the Q&A list sometimes depends where you fall on the review list. This week I'm answering in order. I don't always, but I try.
And it was ALMOST. I didn't kill him......this time.
I know Harry is acting young, but this is an AU, and I'm putting him about nine months, not two years (James and Lily were killed a LOT sooner in this story). And yes, he's still acting young even for nine months. But there we're probably going to try and work with Starlight's 'trauma' thing. So bare with me.
Teigra: HEY! Wait a minute. It was ALMOST. (BAD P.A.R.?)
Man, you guys are getting brutal this week!
Yes indeed, Harry loves his godfather. But it's sort of a mutual admiration society really.
It is a problem sometimes that I only have the time to 'answer' questions, and not restate them. But it would add about an hour to an already lengthy job. So I just go with hoping people remember what they ask me with only a minimal amount of restatement for a reminder.
KAT: Harry did indeed save Sirius' life. Remus was, after all asleep. However, Aaron also came to the door a few minutes later and would likely also have woken Remus up. But it's cuter to say Harry saved his life. So we're gonna go with that.
This is taking place about late Spring and the students will be on Spring break at the time. (Actually, when I wrote this and read your review, I realized that in the next chapter I had him at Hogwarts during the summer holidays, which wasn't right chronologically. So I give you credit for having me catch that early and change it before positing. Thank you.)
Lotesse: Actually, I'll just say one thing about that - thought you were 23.
Moving right along, I have nothing against babies. Their delicious.
*P.A.R. holds up her soapbox, of which she is very fond, and waves it about.* HEY!!!!!
The most obvious course of action? Well, at the moment it is.
About the word issue....go read the bio page again. Oh! Wait a minute!!! You're the English teacher, aren't you? O.K., never mind. I'm not even gonna fight with you on it.
Starlight: O.K., we got that cleared up.
Anyway, thanks for the review.
Hermione Gulliver: Actually, while I have your attention, I wanted you to know that that Snape/Remus (Not slash. P.A.R. doesn't write slash....yet.) story I keep mentioning, you gave the title to. It won't likely be out until the end of the year if it makes it out this year at all. But the title to it is Proper Friends. Thought I'd just mention that quickly.
Anyway, thanks for the review. Nice to hear from you again.
vmr: Thank you.
Nicky: Now there's a good point. You people keep getting on to me for giving Sirius a hard time. But folks, that's sort of like being mad at the people who sell chocolate bars. We know they're bad for us, but we keep buying them. If you didn't read this stuff, I would stop writing it. So, WHO'S to blame here?
Yeah, the developmental thing is credible. That's why you'll probably see it later verified in the story and we're just sort of running with it for now.
Do cut poor Dr. Richards some slack. He was under a lot of stress at the moment. And if you look at the course of the conversation, it was a logical statement.
Family Life, Fever, and The Bonds That Tie. Why does everyone ignore my other two stories? Didn't you people like them? P.A.R. loves Diamond and A Dog's Day.
I'm with you! I'd like to see Sirius' name cleared before Book 7. But I'd also like to win the lottery, but that hasn't happened yet either.
Of course, what I'd really like to see is old Warner Brothers wake up one day and, after Rowling is done with her series, realize what a little money maker they have here in Fanfictions and print anthologies. However, I've found that the intelligence that runs the corporate machine would generally fit in the navel of a Barbie doll.
LauraBlade: Oh good. There ARE still people out there who'll stand up and take responsibility for their own actions. I was beginning to wonder these days.
SORT OF breathing again? No, no, Dear. He is definitely breathing again.
The leaving thing.....go read the Author's Notes again.
I suppose the age thing came up when I refused to cave-in to telling people anything more about my writing than I have. Also, you have more clues to work with on the age thing than you do about trying to figure out who I am and what I wrote.
WHY does everyone get so worried about reviews running too long and decide for that reason they have to stop? A review that I write generally runs a half page to a page. And if I really like your story, they're longer. I LIKE long reviews. Trust me, I'm not offended.
Phoenix: Ohhhh! New reviewer! Goody! Another person has decided to stop being just a 'hit' number on my enhanced statistics. Thank you. I appreciate all my reviews. Written ones and.....well...., the other ones.
Silverfox: You don't LIKE Sirius (or mint)!!!? Exactly why are you reading my stories then? I mean, Sirius figures pretty heavily in most of them. (O.K., he's sort of 'not' in Family Life's sequel.) And how can you NOT like the man? (And I'll give you the Snape thing.)
Chamber of Secrets I'm sort of ambivalent about for the movie. I wasn't crazy about the book. But, for casting alone, I can't wait for Prisoner of Azkaban. I think the two choices they have for Remus Lupin's character for the movie are both very good, but one does overshadow the other. (Don't have the pictures in front of me right now, so I can't say which is which.) But I've seen very little on who'll be cast as Sirius Black and I think the studio will keep it quiet as long as possible. But I definitely think you'll see even more hype come out over that movie than the first one. I think it is by far the best book of the series so far. Rowling packed so much into that one book, I was stunned. I do, however, think Rosie O'Donnel would have made a better Mrs. Weasley.
I have my own ideas, as does everyone, on how the story will go. And just for fun I may put up my theories at the end of this story. But I will point out one thing I've seen over and over again in these 'predictions' I keep reading. The main point people seem determined to ignore is WHO Rowling is writing these books for. The age group is pre-teens (9-14). And very few authors I've read in a continuing series suddenly switch their target group in the middle of the story. I've seen some theories that were really out of the scope of this age group for readers. Another point is........ummmmm....oh. I'm sorry, Dear. What was the question?
Memory spells for who, Dear? And since they're headed for Hogwarts anyway, there's really no need anymore to invite Dumbledore over.
As for toys, there was always Padfoot's tail. It was large, soft, furry and...oh, look! It MOVES!!!
Actually, Remus has some interesting ideas on how many toys Harry actually needs. That comes up much later though.
O.K.! Yeah! I've wondered about that too! How is that kid so normal?
summersun: You're right, to a point. It's not that I won't answer it, it's that I can't. Not unless I want to make a lot of work redundant.
Essence of magic: Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, I can only write babies as I see them. And I've been told I seem to be stuck in the 0-6months range for some reason. Don't know why.
Personally, I think old Dumbledore has a few spy devices around that office of his somewhere. I think Rowling mentioned somewhere that mind-reading was not part of her world.
No, Dear, I don't think you're a hypocrite at all. I never liked children, period. Even when I was one they annoyed me. I constantly swear to people I was never a child.
Actually, keep the story until you're done. I prefer to read completed work.
The last age I was accused of was 20-25. When I told those people how far off they were they refused to believe me. I nearly got out my driver's license and AARP card. (Just JOKING!).
Taracollowen: I HOPE you weren't expecting it. If you were, I should just stop now.
Yeah, it's kinda original. However, Trinity Day and Unicorn Whisperer both have out very good baby Harry stories.
If you're commenting on Family Life's sequel (Oh, wait, that's the only one I have a sequel planned to. Never mind.), I simply had too many requests not to sequel it and it was sort of the idea I had for it anyway.
Well, I'm glad someone thinks Harry is 'acting his age'. But the general consensus seems to be 'not'.
Purple Ink: Well, it's possible that the ministry considered Sirius going to Hogwarts, but the point of this chapter was that they know where he is....or was. They were simply waiting to.....for lack of a better term...'make their move'.
Black Sparkles: I'm not sure who said he was a Deatheater. I believe I remember reading it somewhere though. But P.A.R. is old. She forgets sometimes.
Ohhhh, good point about taking a lesson from Sirius' life, though.
Alexa Black: Serious about what with the dagger squirt gun thing?
I think from this chapter we can all say now that, yes, Dr. Richards can be trusted.
hello: Ummmm, just to clarify, only Family Life is being sequeled.
And thank you for such kind words. And don't fuss at Rowling too much. I mean, she's at least promising to finish the series.
Kiara O. Lawrence: Ummmmm, sorry, but yeah, the first part there did confuse me a bit. Did I say something bad last time?
*P.A.R. quickly prints off review and mails it to her editor.* HA! Take that you........ohhhh, ah......, never mind.
Ummmm......, thank you.
MKH: Oh..........! O.K., there's no putting it off. Get up here. *Drags MKH up on stage. Holds gold star in hand.* All right, for being the first person in the reviews to realize AND post that they believed Aaron Richard, M.D. to be a genuine fur, fangs, and tail wagging werewolf......*Slaps gold star on MKH's forehead.*......you have won this week's gold star. *Shoves MKH off the stage.* Enjoy. BUT YOU HAVE TO SHARE WITH KARLA! Ha!
Good heavens, but you're winning an awful lot of gold stars.
You didn't use to be the one confusing me, you know. I had other people doing that before you arrived.
By the way, loved the review.
UnrepentantReader: Well, just to prove I'm not evil, sadistic, or cruel....well, at least not evil or cruel....I might give you the sadistic thing........I will tell you I only post on Sunday nights right now for this story. When The Bonds That Tie is done, I have a one shot that will be put up, though I can't say when. It's sort of my , 'hi, remember me' piece. Probably put it up in April some time. Enemies will likely be my next story. Then Family Relations.
I'm glad you liked the other stories as well and that you like my work. Thank you.
And actually, just as a side note, no, Lupin doesn't enjoy torturing Snape, just annoying him from time to time.
Voltora: Well, since you put him on the 'Nice Character' list, O.K., you're forgiven.
But who am I to complain about someone's spur of the moment ramblings. I mean, that's pretty much what these things are, and I'm sure I don't come out sounding like I liked to half the time. Actually, on a few occasions I've put in things that I really regretted later.
Ohhhhhh, how can you not like Moody?
But I got him a doctor! I mean, that's SOMETHING, right?
Glad you're still reviewing Family Life, by the way. But you might want to finish soon as that that story will be coming down for revisions before Family Relations goes up. Granted, that gives you a couple of months at least, but just a warning.
Whisp!
I think you and MKH are vying for the most gold stars right now.
Congratulations on winning the championship game and especially on being named MVP. What an honor! I guess all those suicides paid off.
I can't say anything about the Snape thing. Sorry.
Karla: Don't let MKH gyp you on the gold star thing. MKH has to share with you this week since you both got the thing about Dr. Richards being a werewolf. Although I don't see why that was 'not too plausible'. So, you didn't fail. You past with flaying colors.
Actually The Bonds That Tie should finish up in April some time. That would give me May and June off (possibly July), and I would hope to be back by August at least. But look on the bright side, I heard Book V should be out in the summer.
Thanks for letting the 'Harry acting his age thing' go. I think we've beaten that poor horse enough. However, I would like to strongly point out to you and my other reviewers that I don't mind these things, folks. I'm going to make mistakes. I'm aware of that. But that fact that YOU catch them simply proves to me that you're paying better attention to these things reading them than I apparently am e\writing them.
Wolf!
Hi, Wolf. How's it goin'?
Worshipers. I like that!
Well, just be sure to remember to lay flowers around the alter once a week, O.K.?
Sirius in no more life threatening situations? Hmmmmmm. Story's not over, now, is it? (Thought you liked anguish, Wolf?)
Or could it possibly be that I have found Wolf's anguish limit? Does such a thing exist? Was that one of the signs of the Apocalypse?
O.K.. All done. Reviews are as of 03162002. If I missed you, please let me know. Blackmail can be a wonderful and profitable thing.
Hope to see you next Sunday.