Definition Of A Wolf

Part Four

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for characters not in the books. Chances are I made them up. Um, yeah.

Dedication: To all the voices in my head.

A/N: Before we start, I have a few things to say to various reviewers.

Dace: Yes. **Pokes**

Xaniu: . . . maybe, but surely that doesn't matter?

Padfootwolfboy: You have sanity? Wow! Where'd you get it, I want to try some!

Ice: Don't worry about the Sirius-hugging woman . . .yet! Read on to find out who she is . . .Oh, and don't be too hard on Professor Garland!

Everyone else who reviewed: Thanks guys!

Okay, on with the story . . .

***

Sirius sat the sobbing woman down on the bed, and knelt beside her. When she had recovered a bit, she gave him a weak smile.

"Sirius, it isn't safe here," she told him. "You have to leave. Remus Lupin isn't with you, is he?"

"Remus? No, Ella, he's not." Sirius shook his head to enforce his words.

"It was Remus who told me you were innocent," said the woman named Ella. "Dumbledore tried, but . . .well, I didn't believe him. I believed Remus, though. He knows you better than anyone."

Sirius nodded. That was true.

"I saw Thuban leaving," he said. "You and he don't live here, do you?"

"No, he doesn't live here. My husband and I do."

"I didn't know you were married."

"It's only been five years. His name is Julian."

Sirius swallowed hard, and nodded. "Congratulations," he croaked. The name he had been given of the main suspect in the murder of Remus' family was Julian Jackson.

"Our father lived long enough to give me away," said Ella distantly, staring at her feet. Then she looked sharply at Sirius. "He really believed you were a murderer, Sirius. He died believing it."

Sirius was silent for a moment. "Is mother alive?" he asked finally.

"No. She died shortly after they put you away. I don't think she could really bring herself to believe it. Thuban . . . well, he'd believe anything nasty about you . . . and Remus too."

Sirius scowled. "What's our foul tempered elder brother got against Remus?"

Ella sighed. "He . . . Well, he believes Remus works for Voldemort. He's paranoid, and especially hates shape-shifters, and *especially* werewolves. He refuses to believe a werewolf could have nothing to do with the dark lord. He thinks it was Remus who led you to the dark side, and thus brought our family name to shame." Ella looked up at her younger brother, and wiped a tear from her eye. "I think he wants to kill Remus. I *know* it. He wouldn't have become involved with Julian otherwise. Sirius, you *must* warn Remus."

Sirius nodded. "This Julian, who is he exactly?"

"My husband. I told you."

"What does he do? Where's he from? What's he like?"

Ella looked away. Sirius reached out and touched her cheek. Even in the early morning moonlight he could make out the dark bruise on her otherwise porcelain flesh. And he knew what Julian was like. A low growl rose up in his throat, and he had to fight to control his temper.

"I never loved him," said Ella, still not meeting Sirius' gaze. "I married him to please our brother and father. I knew if you were there, you would have stopped it, but, well, you weren't . . . And he isn't all that bad, not really. But there's only one man I'll ever love, and he hardly knows I exist. . ."

Sirius nodded. He didn't have time to hear stories of his sister's quest for love. He had to warn Remus, and stop his brother and this Julian fellow from harming him. He didn't know what he would do if anything happened to Remus. He had always had an unbelievable soft spot for his werewolf friend. At school, James Potter had been Sirius' best friend, but James was tough, independent, almost untouchable. He was brilliant fun and a perfect student, while Remus was the one Sirius could tell things to. Remus would listen to anything, and if asked would give his honest opinion. It seemed to work both ways, too; Sirius had kept the secret of Remus' sexuality for years before James finally found out after they left school. Peter had never spoken about it, leaving Sirius to wonder whether he even knew. Lily, apparently, knew as soon as James did (those two had been inseparable), but Sirius was proud of the fact that he had been told personally by Remus. It was a small personal triumph. It was symbolic of the special bond between Remus and himself, a bond of pack-mates, a bond for life . . .

A sick feeling arose in Sirius' throat. He tried to shake thoughts of Remus' death from his mind. He told himself Remus was safe at Hogwarts, but for some reason he couldn't believe it. Hogwarts was the most secure place in the country if not the world, but Sirius did not feel comfortable. He wanted to get back to Remus as soon as he could, but how could he leave Ella here alone? He couldn't take her to Hogwarts. That would be too dangerous, Julian would be bound to come after Ella, and that would lead him to Remus. He'd just have to leave her here for now, warn Remus about the danger, then comeback for Ella and . . . What? Kidnap her? With his record that wasn't a good plan. Well, he'd just have to see what presented itself at the time.

"Ella," he whispered, "will you be okay here? I have to go . . ."

She looked up at him and nodded. "I'll be fine, Sirius. Please take care . . ."

He kissed her forehead, transformed into Padfoot the dog, and vanished into the night.

***

Dawn rose over Hogwarts. Linda Garland rose with it. It was her first day of lessons so naturally she was anxious, but she had also hoped to catch Remus Lupin before breakfast, to apologise about the previous night. She certainly hadn't intended for them to get off to such a bad start. She had been so looking forward to seeing Remus and couldn't bare the idea that he would hate her before she even got the chance to explain herself to him.

"Just grant me one thing," she muttered to some invisible deity, as she hurried towards the hospital wing. "Let me explain before full moon. That is all I ask."

***

Remus awoke with a headache. He also got the feeling that things were very dark and surely it must be a lot later in the morning than it seemed?

The shadow over his bed shifted, and morphed into a figure. Sirius leaned down and grinned at him.

"G'morning, Moony!"

Remus grinned. He pushed himself up in bed and took in the full glory that was Sirius through morning-misty eyes. "Welcome back, dear," he said.

Sirius sat down on the edge of the bed and started eating the obligatory hospital grapes on the bedside table. "So what're you doing here?" he asked with his mouth full. "It's not full moon for hours."

Remus decided to fuel Sirius' ego a bit. "Oh, I had Padfoot withdrawal symptoms," he said, swooning theatrically.

"It's very common," said Sirius, feigning expertise. "Symptoms include excruciating boredom and chronic dullness. Can be fatal. D'you think you'll recover?"

"Oh, definitely." Remus' grin widened and he leaned towards Sirius, reaching at the same time, subconsciously, for his idol's hand . "Now you're back I feel simply wonderful - " he began, then the door burst open.

Sirius jerked away and became suddenly canine . They both turned to look at the intruder. It was Professor Garland. Remus sighed, wondering if maybe this was an omen to keep his feelings for Sirius to himself.

"Hello, Linda," he said wearily.

"Remus," she greeted him. "Are you coming to breakfast this morning?"

"If Madam Pomfrey decides to let me out." He smiled wryly.

"Well, I thought maybe you could help me find my way around? If you're feeling alright, of course."

"I'd be glad to." Remus gave her a bright smile.

She went outside to wait for him, and Sirius lay in dog form under the bed as Remus dressed. He slipped out of the door as Remus left, and trotted off in search of Dumbledore.

Linda Garland gave Remus a wide yet nervous smile. "Can we talk?" she asked as they walked towards the hall.

"Of course."

"I want to apologise for letting the rat-man escape. I honestly didn't know - "

"You couldn't have known," said Remus gently. "You're forgiven."

Her smile relaxed slightly. "There's something else I want to talk to you about as well. But maybe later will be better for that."

"As you wish," said Remus. They had reached the hall. He could smell breakfast, a thousand different food scents mixed together to give the air an appetising texture. He sniffed hungrily. There were sausages and bacon. He felt like he hadn't eaten for days. It was amazing what sausages and bacon could do to hungry lupine senses.

He pulled out Professor Garland's chair for her, waited until she was seated and gave her another charming smile. He wondered if he might be the world's only chivalrous werewolf.

He'd only just tucked in to his breakfast when the post arrived. There were a few boring envelopes, and a curiously shaped parcel. Inside this was a chocolate box which contained not chocolates but a short note. As he read it, Remus could imagine he was a teenager again, for the note read simply; "From your secret admirer." He wondered if it was a childish joke. He also wondered if it was Sirius (the hand writing was similar to Sirius'), but rejected both ideas. He also rejected the idea of pursuing the issue; whoever it was would have to get in the queue behind Sirius. With a light chuckle, he threw the box and the note away.

To be continued . . .

A/N: I must apologise for Thuban. I do not have the willpower to write a fic involving a brother of Sirius who does not have some starry name. Think yourselves lucky, though: it was originally Rigel. Also, yes, I know this fic is pretty dark and adult-ish. We've had murder and homosexuality, and now wife-beating. I don't know if it was meant to be this way. Go and ask my muse. I don't know who my muse is, so if you find them, kindly let me know. Also also, I apologise for any typos I've missed. My sister nearly destroyed this keyboard, you would not *believe* how difficult it is to write using this thing. Every sentence I type, I have to go back and put the spaces in, and the odd letter. In every other word. Including this sentence. Which sucks. And now I have broken a dozen of Footmonster's Author's Note rules. What a damn shame.