Notes: I know this chapter has been a long time coming, but I was so uninspired. Seeing CoS definitely fixed that! :D
* * * *
Dumbledore studied Glory and Lupin from behind his desk, his eyes taking in the strong body of Glory and the trembling one of Lupin. The power transfer was obvious from where he sat, especially in the eyes of each. Glory seemed slightly shocked, but there was something behind her eyes that spoke of the immense power she had soaked in. Lupin, on the other hand, looked more alive than he had in years. His eyes were clear and, for the first time, he didn't look ashamed of himself.
"Have you found any side effects yet?" Dumbledore asked.
Glory shook her head. "The moon doesn't affect me, I don't turn into the werewolf."
"A blessing," Dumbledore said.
"Of course. I feel more powerful than ever before, but that's about it." She looked down. "I don't think I can control it yet."
"We have no need to discover if you can control it," Dumbledore said. "All we need to do is keep you away from Voldemort. He can't know that you've taken in more power . . . especially a power of this magnitude." His blue eyes turned to Lupin. "How are you feeling, Remus?"
"Weak," he answered, pulling his robes tighter around him. "But otherwise I feel . . ." he glanced at Glory and smiled slightly. "I feel like I never have before."
She smiled back, nodding in his direction, then looked back at the Headmaster. "About the Death Eater," she began.
Dumbledore waved his hand in her direction. "Daphne Heyman. The Ministry is already on it and they'll find her."
"Once they find her, they'll find Voldemort," Glory said softly. "The way she was talking to Lucius . . ." she trailed off and shook her head. "She's in his inner circle, Albus. I'm sure that she is. She sounded nothing like the woman I once knew."
"I know this must be hard for you," he said sympathetically. "You trusted this woman for so long and she betrayed you."
Glory bit her lip and nodded. "I don't know what to think anymore. If she could betray me then anyone could."
"No," Lupin said sharply, then grabbed Glory's arm to steady himself. "Don't think like that."
"I must agree with Remus," Dumbledore said.
Lupin stared at her. "You can trust me . . . and Lucius. He loves you. You can trust Albus and Severus." His eyes bore into hers. "You can trust us."
She nodded slowly. "I know that, but everything is so frightening now. I could never have imagined that Daphne would turn on me like that." Her blue eyes left his and she stared across the room, focusing on Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes. "I just thought that . . ." she trailed off and shook her head. "My life is such a mess, such a disaster. How is it that the one person I thought I could trust is the one person I can't? And the men who destroyed my life are now the ones protecting me? It's just so bizarre."
Dumbledore smiled softly. "Life never works out they way you've planned."
Glory shook her head again. "I just feel so lost."
Lupin sighed, moving close to her and gently touching her arm. "You're not lost . . . not here. Come on, I'll walk you back to your room."
She nodded. "Thanks."
"Sleep well, Glory," Dumbledore said. "Do not let Daphne's betrayal keep you awake. She does not deserve to be in your thoughts more than necessary."
"Thank you, Albus," she said, then followed Lupin out of the office and down the stairs to the hall.
They walked in silence, their shoes echoing in the empty halls as they went. Glory toyed absentmindedly with her wand as she walked, her hands clenching and unclenching unconsciously. Lupin sighed, touching her arm again.
"Glory, you can't let this bother you."
She smiled softly. "Why am I so easy to read?"
Lupin grinned at her. "You're not, but what else could possibly be bothering you?"
She fell silent again, taking her time to arrange the thoughts that were running through her head. "It's just . . . it's almost like no one is taking this seriously, even me. I never thought I could actually be in danger until Lucius told me what Daphne was and it suddenly struck me. If she had taken me only five minutes earlier then I might be dead now. You might be dead."
"I'm pureblood," Lupin said softly.
"That's not the point," Glory replied. "The point is that Voldemort could have used my power and it would have been because I'm too trusting. I'm too forgiving."
Lupin frowned. "You don't mean Lucius and Severus, do you?"
Glory shrugged. "I don't know what I mean, exactly."
He stopped in the hall and turned toward her, grabbing her forearms. "Listen to me, Glory. You have a great gift. You know how to forgive. Not many people in your position would be so understanding."
"Is that really a gift?" she asked.
Lupin nodded firmly. "Yes. It's a great gift and because of it you're still here. Do you think you would have managed to stay safe without the protection of Lucius and Severus?"
"I don't know."
"I don't either, but I have a feeling you're much safer with the two of them looking out for you. It's only because of your ability to forgive their pasts that they can protect you like they are." He smiled and shook his head. "You're an extraordinary woman and you have all the protection you'll ever need."
Glory flushed slightly and looked away. "Lupin, I-"
"I don't mean it like that," he said, cutting her off. "I may have at one point, but not now. I know how happy Lucius makes you and that is all that's important."
"Thank you."
He grinned again. "Come on. Lucius will have my head if I don't get you back to your room quickly."
They fell silent again, walking slowly down the hall, Glory's arm entwined comfortably with Lupin's. Walking so close to her he could feel the energy radiating off her body. Her skin was warm and his own arm tingled as the energy bounced off him and back to her.
"Have I thanked you?" he asked suddenly.
"Hm?"
"Have I thanked you?" he repeated.
Glory frowned. "For what?"
"For freeing me."
She smiled softly. "No need for thanks. I didn't have much of a choice."
Lupin squeezed her arm. "Thank you anyway."
* * * *
Daphne stumbled into the house that Voldemort had taken over as his own and collapsed onto the floor. Her body was weak and tired, more from fear than anything else. She had failed her Lord and for it, she was sure to die. A shadow passed over the place where she lay and slowly, Daphne looked up into the face of Tina.
"Where's the girl?"
Daphne closed her eyes and heaved a sigh.
"You didn't get her," Tina said with a harsh laugh. "You're going to be in so much trouble."
"Lucius surprised us," she said, sitting up and glaring at Tina. "And there was a werewolf. How the hell was I supposed to know a werewolf would attack her?"
Tina raised her eyebrows, looking suddenly interested in what Daphne had to say. "A werewolf?"
Daphne nodded and stood unsteadily. "Some friend of hers is a werewolf. The last thing I saw was the wolf going for her throat and Glory was barely able to hold it off. That thing was so powerful."
Tina's eyes glowed and a smile crossed her face. "Did you see anything else? Anything at all?"
Daphne frowned. "Like what?"
Tina sighed. "You just said it yourself. The werewolf was powerful. Don't you remember anything about Glory, anything at all? She draws in power, she takes power from those who are hurting her."
Daphne's jaw dropped. "You mean that she could have taken his power?"
"That's exactly what happened," a cold voice said from the shadows. "I can feel her now. She's more powerful than before."
"My Lord," Daphne said, scrambling to him and kissing the hem of his robe. "I have failed you. I am so sorry."
"Hush," he demanded, waving his hand. "I will agree that you have failed to bring Lucius and Glory to me, but by leaving her at the school you allowed for a far larger power transfer. She is worth more to me now than she has ever been. I will allow this mistake to go unpunished, but you must not disappoint me again."
"I swear to you, my Lord, I will not fail again."
He nodded. "Good. Then I have one final task for you and Tina to complete for me."
Daphne rose and Tina joined her in front of Voldemort.
"Anything, my Lord," Tina murmured.
"You will both go to Hogwarts tonight and you will have Lucius bring Glorificus to me."
Daphne frowned. "How?"
He fixed her with a freezing glare. "Am I to assume you have forgotten how to use the Imperius curse?"
"My Lord, of course."
"Go. Bring them both back to me." He paused and smiled. "Don't let her see either of you. Make her think that her precious Lucius has betrayed her. I want her broken when she falls at my feet."
* * * *
* * * *
Dumbledore studied Glory and Lupin from behind his desk, his eyes taking in the strong body of Glory and the trembling one of Lupin. The power transfer was obvious from where he sat, especially in the eyes of each. Glory seemed slightly shocked, but there was something behind her eyes that spoke of the immense power she had soaked in. Lupin, on the other hand, looked more alive than he had in years. His eyes were clear and, for the first time, he didn't look ashamed of himself.
"Have you found any side effects yet?" Dumbledore asked.
Glory shook her head. "The moon doesn't affect me, I don't turn into the werewolf."
"A blessing," Dumbledore said.
"Of course. I feel more powerful than ever before, but that's about it." She looked down. "I don't think I can control it yet."
"We have no need to discover if you can control it," Dumbledore said. "All we need to do is keep you away from Voldemort. He can't know that you've taken in more power . . . especially a power of this magnitude." His blue eyes turned to Lupin. "How are you feeling, Remus?"
"Weak," he answered, pulling his robes tighter around him. "But otherwise I feel . . ." he glanced at Glory and smiled slightly. "I feel like I never have before."
She smiled back, nodding in his direction, then looked back at the Headmaster. "About the Death Eater," she began.
Dumbledore waved his hand in her direction. "Daphne Heyman. The Ministry is already on it and they'll find her."
"Once they find her, they'll find Voldemort," Glory said softly. "The way she was talking to Lucius . . ." she trailed off and shook her head. "She's in his inner circle, Albus. I'm sure that she is. She sounded nothing like the woman I once knew."
"I know this must be hard for you," he said sympathetically. "You trusted this woman for so long and she betrayed you."
Glory bit her lip and nodded. "I don't know what to think anymore. If she could betray me then anyone could."
"No," Lupin said sharply, then grabbed Glory's arm to steady himself. "Don't think like that."
"I must agree with Remus," Dumbledore said.
Lupin stared at her. "You can trust me . . . and Lucius. He loves you. You can trust Albus and Severus." His eyes bore into hers. "You can trust us."
She nodded slowly. "I know that, but everything is so frightening now. I could never have imagined that Daphne would turn on me like that." Her blue eyes left his and she stared across the room, focusing on Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes. "I just thought that . . ." she trailed off and shook her head. "My life is such a mess, such a disaster. How is it that the one person I thought I could trust is the one person I can't? And the men who destroyed my life are now the ones protecting me? It's just so bizarre."
Dumbledore smiled softly. "Life never works out they way you've planned."
Glory shook her head again. "I just feel so lost."
Lupin sighed, moving close to her and gently touching her arm. "You're not lost . . . not here. Come on, I'll walk you back to your room."
She nodded. "Thanks."
"Sleep well, Glory," Dumbledore said. "Do not let Daphne's betrayal keep you awake. She does not deserve to be in your thoughts more than necessary."
"Thank you, Albus," she said, then followed Lupin out of the office and down the stairs to the hall.
They walked in silence, their shoes echoing in the empty halls as they went. Glory toyed absentmindedly with her wand as she walked, her hands clenching and unclenching unconsciously. Lupin sighed, touching her arm again.
"Glory, you can't let this bother you."
She smiled softly. "Why am I so easy to read?"
Lupin grinned at her. "You're not, but what else could possibly be bothering you?"
She fell silent again, taking her time to arrange the thoughts that were running through her head. "It's just . . . it's almost like no one is taking this seriously, even me. I never thought I could actually be in danger until Lucius told me what Daphne was and it suddenly struck me. If she had taken me only five minutes earlier then I might be dead now. You might be dead."
"I'm pureblood," Lupin said softly.
"That's not the point," Glory replied. "The point is that Voldemort could have used my power and it would have been because I'm too trusting. I'm too forgiving."
Lupin frowned. "You don't mean Lucius and Severus, do you?"
Glory shrugged. "I don't know what I mean, exactly."
He stopped in the hall and turned toward her, grabbing her forearms. "Listen to me, Glory. You have a great gift. You know how to forgive. Not many people in your position would be so understanding."
"Is that really a gift?" she asked.
Lupin nodded firmly. "Yes. It's a great gift and because of it you're still here. Do you think you would have managed to stay safe without the protection of Lucius and Severus?"
"I don't know."
"I don't either, but I have a feeling you're much safer with the two of them looking out for you. It's only because of your ability to forgive their pasts that they can protect you like they are." He smiled and shook his head. "You're an extraordinary woman and you have all the protection you'll ever need."
Glory flushed slightly and looked away. "Lupin, I-"
"I don't mean it like that," he said, cutting her off. "I may have at one point, but not now. I know how happy Lucius makes you and that is all that's important."
"Thank you."
He grinned again. "Come on. Lucius will have my head if I don't get you back to your room quickly."
They fell silent again, walking slowly down the hall, Glory's arm entwined comfortably with Lupin's. Walking so close to her he could feel the energy radiating off her body. Her skin was warm and his own arm tingled as the energy bounced off him and back to her.
"Have I thanked you?" he asked suddenly.
"Hm?"
"Have I thanked you?" he repeated.
Glory frowned. "For what?"
"For freeing me."
She smiled softly. "No need for thanks. I didn't have much of a choice."
Lupin squeezed her arm. "Thank you anyway."
* * * *
Daphne stumbled into the house that Voldemort had taken over as his own and collapsed onto the floor. Her body was weak and tired, more from fear than anything else. She had failed her Lord and for it, she was sure to die. A shadow passed over the place where she lay and slowly, Daphne looked up into the face of Tina.
"Where's the girl?"
Daphne closed her eyes and heaved a sigh.
"You didn't get her," Tina said with a harsh laugh. "You're going to be in so much trouble."
"Lucius surprised us," she said, sitting up and glaring at Tina. "And there was a werewolf. How the hell was I supposed to know a werewolf would attack her?"
Tina raised her eyebrows, looking suddenly interested in what Daphne had to say. "A werewolf?"
Daphne nodded and stood unsteadily. "Some friend of hers is a werewolf. The last thing I saw was the wolf going for her throat and Glory was barely able to hold it off. That thing was so powerful."
Tina's eyes glowed and a smile crossed her face. "Did you see anything else? Anything at all?"
Daphne frowned. "Like what?"
Tina sighed. "You just said it yourself. The werewolf was powerful. Don't you remember anything about Glory, anything at all? She draws in power, she takes power from those who are hurting her."
Daphne's jaw dropped. "You mean that she could have taken his power?"
"That's exactly what happened," a cold voice said from the shadows. "I can feel her now. She's more powerful than before."
"My Lord," Daphne said, scrambling to him and kissing the hem of his robe. "I have failed you. I am so sorry."
"Hush," he demanded, waving his hand. "I will agree that you have failed to bring Lucius and Glory to me, but by leaving her at the school you allowed for a far larger power transfer. She is worth more to me now than she has ever been. I will allow this mistake to go unpunished, but you must not disappoint me again."
"I swear to you, my Lord, I will not fail again."
He nodded. "Good. Then I have one final task for you and Tina to complete for me."
Daphne rose and Tina joined her in front of Voldemort.
"Anything, my Lord," Tina murmured.
"You will both go to Hogwarts tonight and you will have Lucius bring Glorificus to me."
Daphne frowned. "How?"
He fixed her with a freezing glare. "Am I to assume you have forgotten how to use the Imperius curse?"
"My Lord, of course."
"Go. Bring them both back to me." He paused and smiled. "Don't let her see either of you. Make her think that her precious Lucius has betrayed her. I want her broken when she falls at my feet."
* * * *