Epilogue
* * * *
Weary and ragged, three travellers carried an unconscious man into Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, weeks after Voldemort had fled from Cape Three Point. Dumbledore met them at the door and rushed Remus Lupin to the hospital wing to be mended. He hadn't woken up once since their final fight in Africa and needed to be cared for immediately.
"Can you tell me what happened?" Dumbledore asked, sitting behind his head and staring at the three of them.
Cassandra drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Too much to tell," she said finally. "Voldemort's gone, so are Lucius and Peter."
"They're not dead?" Dumbledore asked.
Sirius shook his head. "We weren't strong enough."
"You did exactly what you set out to do," Dumbledore said. "I asked nothing more of you than to bring Remus Lupin home safe and alive."
"He thought I was dead," Cassandra said softly.
Dumbledore nodded. "They would have planted many suggestions into his mind, Cassandra. You can't blame him for being confused."
"Malfoy was using a polyjuice potion," Snape said slowly. "He had James Potter's remains and was using them to look like Potter."
"That's why Cassandra saw James," Dumbledore said, light dawning in his eyes. "It makes sense now."
"James' body is . . ." Sirius trailed off and blinked a few times. "It's here. We left it with Hagrid and he said he'd make sure it got back to where it's supposed to be."
"With Lily," Cassandra said.
"I'm very sorry you two had to see this," Dumbledore said gravely, "but you did a great thing. All of you are to be commended for a fight well fought and well won."
"We didn't win," Snape said. "Voldemort will be back and he'll be stronger."
"But he's scared of Remus," Dumbledore reminded them. "That is our most powerful weapon."
A knock at the door interrupted them and Madame Pomfrey stuck her head inside.
"I gave him the most potent potion I could find," she said. "He's awake."
Cassandra's eyes widened and she turned to look at Sirius, then stared imploringly at Madame Pomfrey. The older woman pursed her lips, then sighed.
"Well, I suppose since I have to take care of that nasty wound on your shoulder you might as well come to see him." She glanced at Sirius. "You as well."
Cassandra stood, then turned to look at Snape and smiled softly.
"Thank you," she said. "I know it wasn't what you were expecting and I know most of the time you wanted to rip out our throats but . . . you saved us."
Snape nodded sharply as Cassandra squeezed his arm, then left the office with Sirius by her side.
"Does he remember anything?" she asked Madame Pomfrey.
"I'll let you talk to him yourself," the other woman replied, then gestured toward the bed that Remus Lupin occupied.
Cassandra stopped, but Sirius' hand on her back guided her forward. Remus' eyes were closed and he was breathing steadily, but as she approached he awoke and blinked at her. His eyes shifted to Sirius, then back to Cassandra.
"Cass?" he asked, his voice hoarse. "Sirius . . . I thought she was dead."
Sirius shook his head. "She's not dead, Remus."
He struggled for breath, then reached a hand out toward her. "Cass . . . I'm so sorry."
Tears spilled over her cheeks and she ran to him, burying her face in his throat and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She cried into his neck, sobs wracking her body and Sirius watched, smiling softly.
This was how it was supposed to be. They were supposed to be together and be happy and healthy. His friends were meant to live a long life, raise a family, be free. They would win . . . it was only a matter of time.
End
Well, it's finished. I kinda miss Cassandra already. *sniffles* Oh well ... thanks so much to my reviewers, you guys rock. *grins* I hope you've enjoyed this. I shall be tackling a sequel to my five "The Five" as soon as I get the time, so here's to hoping you like that as well.
* * * *
Weary and ragged, three travellers carried an unconscious man into Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, weeks after Voldemort had fled from Cape Three Point. Dumbledore met them at the door and rushed Remus Lupin to the hospital wing to be mended. He hadn't woken up once since their final fight in Africa and needed to be cared for immediately.
"Can you tell me what happened?" Dumbledore asked, sitting behind his head and staring at the three of them.
Cassandra drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Too much to tell," she said finally. "Voldemort's gone, so are Lucius and Peter."
"They're not dead?" Dumbledore asked.
Sirius shook his head. "We weren't strong enough."
"You did exactly what you set out to do," Dumbledore said. "I asked nothing more of you than to bring Remus Lupin home safe and alive."
"He thought I was dead," Cassandra said softly.
Dumbledore nodded. "They would have planted many suggestions into his mind, Cassandra. You can't blame him for being confused."
"Malfoy was using a polyjuice potion," Snape said slowly. "He had James Potter's remains and was using them to look like Potter."
"That's why Cassandra saw James," Dumbledore said, light dawning in his eyes. "It makes sense now."
"James' body is . . ." Sirius trailed off and blinked a few times. "It's here. We left it with Hagrid and he said he'd make sure it got back to where it's supposed to be."
"With Lily," Cassandra said.
"I'm very sorry you two had to see this," Dumbledore said gravely, "but you did a great thing. All of you are to be commended for a fight well fought and well won."
"We didn't win," Snape said. "Voldemort will be back and he'll be stronger."
"But he's scared of Remus," Dumbledore reminded them. "That is our most powerful weapon."
A knock at the door interrupted them and Madame Pomfrey stuck her head inside.
"I gave him the most potent potion I could find," she said. "He's awake."
Cassandra's eyes widened and she turned to look at Sirius, then stared imploringly at Madame Pomfrey. The older woman pursed her lips, then sighed.
"Well, I suppose since I have to take care of that nasty wound on your shoulder you might as well come to see him." She glanced at Sirius. "You as well."
Cassandra stood, then turned to look at Snape and smiled softly.
"Thank you," she said. "I know it wasn't what you were expecting and I know most of the time you wanted to rip out our throats but . . . you saved us."
Snape nodded sharply as Cassandra squeezed his arm, then left the office with Sirius by her side.
"Does he remember anything?" she asked Madame Pomfrey.
"I'll let you talk to him yourself," the other woman replied, then gestured toward the bed that Remus Lupin occupied.
Cassandra stopped, but Sirius' hand on her back guided her forward. Remus' eyes were closed and he was breathing steadily, but as she approached he awoke and blinked at her. His eyes shifted to Sirius, then back to Cassandra.
"Cass?" he asked, his voice hoarse. "Sirius . . . I thought she was dead."
Sirius shook his head. "She's not dead, Remus."
He struggled for breath, then reached a hand out toward her. "Cass . . . I'm so sorry."
Tears spilled over her cheeks and she ran to him, burying her face in his throat and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She cried into his neck, sobs wracking her body and Sirius watched, smiling softly.
This was how it was supposed to be. They were supposed to be together and be happy and healthy. His friends were meant to live a long life, raise a family, be free. They would win . . . it was only a matter of time.
End
Well, it's finished. I kinda miss Cassandra already. *sniffles* Oh well ... thanks so much to my reviewers, you guys rock. *grins* I hope you've enjoyed this. I shall be tackling a sequel to my five "The Five" as soon as I get the time, so here's to hoping you like that as well.
