Chapters 20-23 were tweaked and re-submitted. If anything here doesn't make sense to you, you may want to go back and see what I did. Happy reading!
"Albus, I need a wand." Moira's attention was squarely focused on Dumbledore as she came into the dungeon, where he had been covering Snape's classes for the past two days. Though concerned about the Potions Master's extended absence, Dumbledore had remained calm about his summoning. He had had to cover classes before because of Snape's other position. Now, he looked curiously at his DADA professor, who had strode in purposefully.
"For what, Moira? Yours is damaged?"
"For Sirius."
"Ah," he said, stroking his beard. "I see. I suppose I can visit Ollivander. When do you need it?"
"Tonight. I'm visiting some parents, and I need a little- back-up."
"And I suppose this visit is not related to classroom behavior?"
Moira smiled. It was not a smile of humor, but of cunning.
"Not exactly."
"And you will not be visiting officially as a professor of this school?"
"Definitely not."
"No, I assumed not. May I ask whom?"
"Oliverio Runyan. It is entirely a fact finding mission." Her smile broadened, but this time, her eyes danced.
"Say not more. I shall have a wand before supper."
"Excellent! Thank you." She turned to go, but stopped suddenly. "Oh, and Albus, could you do me another favor? Is it possible to disrupt the delivery of mail for the next few days?"
He thought for a moment, absently twisting the tip of his beard around his thin fingers. "It is only a few days until the Holiday. Always a very busy time of the year. Yes, it is entirely possible there will be a problem with mail delivery for a few days. Any specific reason why?"
"Just causing a little chaos." She left the room. Dumbledore couldn't help but smile at the hop in her step. She had a plan, and she was enjoying herself immensely.
When Albus found Moira after dinner, both she and Sirius were waiting in the Shrieking Shack, dressed entirely in black, including long cloaks, which hid every feature of their bodies.
"When we get there, let me do all the talking," she was saying. "Pretty much, you will just look impatient. Do not say anything of make any movement unless I tell you to first. Got it?"
"Yes." Sirius took the wand from Dumbledore and weighed it in his hand for a moment. It had been a very long time since he had possessed one. It wasn't exactly simple for him to walk into Ollivander's shop in Diagon Alley and pick one up.
"He asked a few questions," Dumbledore said, seeing the questions on Sirius' face, "but I assured Elijah it was all right."
"Thank you," was all Sirius could say. "Thank you, Albus."
"Are you ready, Sirius?"
He nodded at Moira, and they disapparated.
They apparated in front of a large two-story house, which, though large in its own right, was dwarfed on either side by abodes twice its size. Moira carefully crept around the house, inspecting windows and disarming CHARMS. She was gone for several minutes before motioning to Sirius.
"They're both in the den," she told him. "As soon as we're in, disarm them first thing. They may not even have their wands on them, being at home, but take no chances. Are you ready?"
Sirius nodded.
"Trust me," she said, touching his cheek. Then, she took a deep breath, stooping slightly to hide her height and her face. Though Sirius could not see her, he could sense that she was changed. Serious. Dark. Terrifying. Her voice was low, cryptic.
"Let's go."
A moment later, they were in the room and Moira held the wands of both occupants in her hand. The wife had turned for the door, but Moira thrust her hand out and a cold wind blew the doors shut. In the silence of the room, the click of the locks was deafening.
"Oliverio Runyan, we need to talk."
"Who are you? Aurors? You can't just come in here-"
"No, Mr. Runyan, not Aurors. We do not have the same- constraints as they do, morally, of course. And our methods of interrogation differ just a little." She pointed her wand at him. "Crucio."
Sirius managed to constrain himself at what he saw. She had told him, warned him she would use the curse to get Runyan's attention, but he had not been totally prepared to actually see her do it. The ability to inflict such pain seemed to come from a darker side of her he had never seen before.
"What do you want?"
"I want to ask you a few questions about your boss."
"Jonas Birely?"
"Let me rephrase that: I have a few questions about your Lord. More specifically, a guest of his."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I have no lord."
Moira advanced on him slowly, carefully. She was very comfortable in this role. Her voice was smooth, almost inviting when she wanted it to be, but most frightening at times. She reached down, as if to stroke his hand. Even Runyan watched as she gripped the middle two fingers of his hand, gently rubbing them with her fingers, then harshly pulling them backwards. Sirius winced inwardly at the sickening snap of his bones. The man began to scream, but it was muffled by Moira's hand over his mouth.
"You see, I know many ways of inflicting pain. Crucio? It wears off. After a few minutes, it's an unpleasant memory. But this?" She tapped his hand hard. "This will stick with you for a while. At least until we're done talking."
"Bitch!"
"Mr. Runyan, I don't believe you understand the severity of your situation."
"Severity? I understand the severity. You're going to kill me!"
"Quite the contrary. If you do not tell me what I want to know, I will allow you to live. How do you think Lord Voldemort will react when he learns you were visited by myself concerning his whereabouts, and yet you were allowed to go free and practically unscathed?"
"What are you talking about?"
Moira's head turned suddenly toward the wife whose fingers had been inching toward a nearby vase.
"Oh, Mrs. Runyan, you really shouldn't move over there unless you'd like to share your husband's pain… or increase it."
"Damn it, Victoria, sit still!"
"I see I have your undivided attention now." She smiled. "A man like Voldemort, I'm sure, has a certain knowledge about the way the world works." Moira continued. "Do you really believe he will take your word for it that you said nothing? Would you like to bet your life on that? No, I suppose you already have. Would you like to bet your family's life on that: your wife, who by the way, is quite stunning, though between you and me, a bit insipid, or your charming little daughter? You know how he works. He'll wipe out your entire seed for the information you've given me."
"I haven't told you anything!" Oliverio Runyan had gone pale, though whether it was from the pain in his hand or fear, Sirius was not sure.
"It's all a matter of perception, Mr. Runyan. This very evening, he will learn that I paid you a visit. Now you have to ask yourself, how well does he trust you?"
"I'm a dead man, either way!"
"Not so." Sirius could see Moira's smile even beneath the hood of her cloak. Definitely, she was in her element, and she enjoyed it immensely. He was at the same time awed and terrified by her demeanor. "He learns of our meeting only if I wish it. None knows we're here but you and your wife, and I don't believe either of you are brainless enough to gloat about it. Now, tell me about his guest."
"Look, I don't know where he's keeping Snape, but I can find out! You just need to give me time."
Snape? Snape was a prisoner as well? If Moira was surprised by this, she did not show it.
"How much time?"
"Tomorrow! Give me until tomorrow!"
"Tomorrow? If I give you until tomorrow, you'd better give me more than the location of one measly Death Eater. There's a werewolf missing, Mr. Runyan. I'm guessing your Dark Lord has him. Where?"
"I don't know."
"Well, I'm bored already. You've given me nothing." She moved behind the Runyan's chair, and with her chin practically on his shoulder, looking straight at his wife, said, "Tell me, Mr. Runyan, would you still love your beautiful wife if were horribly scarred? Of course you would. It's all about personality, isn't it?"
The woman cried out as Moira raised her wand in her direction. Sirius tensed, not sure exactly what she was doing. Oliverio Runyan thrust his hands into the air.
"No! No, please. I swear to you, I will find out. It will just take me a couple of hours. I know who to talk to. I- I just need time."
"Somehow, I believe you. I don't trust you, but I believe you. Here's what I'll do. Until you give me the information I need, I will be keeping very close tabs on your daughter. I believe she's at school at this moment? Hogwarts, is it? Yes, I thought so. She will remain at the school under the watchful eyes of a very close friend of mine. She will not leave until I am satisfied. If you double-cross me, you and your wife will be spending the holidays alone. Does that upset you, Oliverio? You look ill. Though I should caution you, there will be a full moon, and everyone knows, that's when the crazies come out."
This phrase, however inane it seemed, had the desired effect.
"I promise. Gods, I promise. Just- just don't hurt her!"
"She's safe for now. I will contact you in twelve hours. You'd better have something for me."
Moira nodded toward Sirius and they disapparated, first to Diagon Alley, and then to the Shrieking Shack, so their movement could not be tracked. Enough people regularly disapparated from the alley, they could not be traced. When they were safely within the shack, Moira removed the heavy cloak and fell to her knees.
"Moira?" Sirius was by her side instantly.
"I'm fine," she said, waving him off. "Just give me a moment." The room was spinning and she was hot and cold at once. Recognizing the feeling, she leaned forward, physically sick at what she had done. Sirius' hands were on her back, rubbing in slow comforting circles as she vomited. Her stomach empty, Sirius helped her lean back against a wall where she sat staring at the lines of the boards beneath her, clearing her mind. It had been a very long time since she had played this part. It required a mental toughness she doubted she had anymore. Gods, she had broken that man's hand. She had made threats on the lives of two innocent women, one of which she could not have gone back on. Gods, what if he had not agreed to do as she asked? Could she have cursed that woman? She would have had to. Innocent lives depended on it.
And Snape? Gods, they had Snape too? They hadn't even realized he was a prisoner. Had he been found out? Tortured? Was he even still alive? Moira squeezed her eyes closed. She was shaking, and it had to stop. She had no time for weakness, certainly not emotional.
Remus, where are you?