Disclaimer: Neither HP nor QL is mine.
italics = thoughts
Putting Right What Once Went Wrong
Prologue
~*~
October 22, 1981
Remus Lupin was not having a good day. Yesterday morning he had went to meet with one of the Order's informants, but despite the heavy secrecy involved, they had been ambushed. Remus managed to hold off the five Death Eaters long enough for the informant to escape, but unfortunately that success cost him his own freedom.
Which led to his current location: a dungeon cell in one of Voldemort's fortresses. After he was captured, Remus was presented to the Dark Lord himself. While Voldemort was pleased to have a member of the Order of the Phoenix in his grasp, he was infuriated that his followers had let the informant slip through their fingers. After a couple rounds of Crucio's, however, he had calmed down enough to began interrogating Remus.
At first Voldemort confined himself to merely asking the questions - most of which focused on the identity of the informant - and let his Death Eaters administer the punishments for unsatisfactory answers. Once it became clear that this level of torture wasn't enough to get Remus to respond, the Dark Lord took it upon himself to persuade Lupin otherwise. Quite a privilege, or so I was told. Though it's one I think I could have done without.
When Remus still refused to answer, Voldemort had him thrown into a cell overnight to soften him up a bit before he recommenced the interrogation/torture sessions. This morning Remus was rather rudely awakened, and then dragged into the main chamber for round two. However, things didn't go exactly as he was expecting.
Instead of harsh questions and painful curses, Voldemort offered a courteous greeting. "Good morning, Mr. Lupin. Given your rather remarkable tolerance for pain" - I guess there is something to be said for being a werewolf - "I thought we would try something a little bit different today.
"You see, I just so happen to have a very talented and creative Potions Master working for me. He has recently developed a revolutionary new potion, and has been most anxious to try it out. I am sure you will be thrilled to know that you have the privilege of being the first human test subject." Oh, yes, I'm just bursting with pride at the very thought. "Given the nature of the potion, it has the potential to be a powerful inducement when it comes to recalcitrant prisoners. I must admit, I am definitely interested in seeing how it will work on such a strong-willed person as yourself.
"By this point I'm sure you must be wondering just what exactly this potion does. While I would love to tell you," Oh, don't stop yourself on my account, "I think it really must be experienced to be truly understood." At this, Voldemort waved over a Death Eater that had been waiting in the shadows - the oh-so-curious Potions Master, I suppose - who produced a vial of bluish-gray liquid. At the Dark Lord's signal, the masked follower pried Remus' mouth open, and forced him to swallow the contents. Given Remus' condition from the previous day's activities, it didn't take all that much force to accomplish the task.
Having steeled himself for mind-blowing pain of some kind or another, Remus found it vaguely anti-climatic to feel nothing but a slight sense of loss. Although I suppose I'd better figure out just what I lost before I start celebrating too much. Voldemort, who had been watching him with clinical detachment, now started asking him a few questions.
"Do you feel any different? Nothing of consequence, you say? Quite certain, are you? Well then, I suppose we ought to conduct a little experiment of sorts, to examine the potion's effects."
Giving Remus his next big shock of the day, Voldemort tossed him back his wand. 12 inches of ebony, with a dragon heartstring - it certainly looks like mine. It doesn't seem like they sabotaged it - I don't even think that's possible anyway. So what the hell is L.T.R.* up to?!
Voldemort's next words didn't exactly help clear things up. "I thought we could have a nice little duel - just the two of us. In fact, in order to make things sporting, I will even give you a free shot. You can't ask for better than that." Remus' utter bewilderment and strong suspicion must have shown on his face, for Voldemort added, "Come now, what have you got to lose by trying?"
Despite a very strong reluctance to do anything the Dark Lord wanted, Remus couldn't think of any reason not to try. The worst that can happen is that I do absolutely no damage whatsoever. Highly embarrassing, of course, but at least I won't have long to brood over it, as I'm quite confident that dear L.T.R. will not waste any time in AK'ing me off the face of the earth. Depressing, to be sure, but I will have given it a good go, and there is definitely something to be said for an end to the misery.
Armed with this fatalistic conviction, Remus prepared to make his first - and last - spell count. Not willing to use an Unforgivable, even under these circumstances, he had decided that the Patronus Charm was his best bet. While this spell was meant primarily for repelling Dementors, it also had an effect on dark wizards. The charm worked by generating pure light magic, which counteracted the dark magic that filled the Dementors. A strong enough Patronus could actually destroy dark magic, which would kill a Dementor and seriously cripple a dark wizard. And they don't come any darker than ol' Voldy, that's for sure.
Taking a deep breath, Remus summoned up his happiest memory - James, telling him they knew what he was, and they didn't care - they were still his friends. Sirius, telling him it would take more than a bit of extra hair once a month to scare him off. Peter, telling him of their plan to help - they were going to become Animagi, just for him. He put all the strength these thoughts generated into this one last spell - "Expecto Patronum!" - and nothing happened.
What the hell?! Not a blob, not even a wisp - nothing! Damn it - what did that potion do?! Trying to calm down, Remus decided that the potion must have damaged his ability to do high-level spells. Great, reduced to schoolboy hexes against the most powerful dark wizard of our time - that's going to be real effective.
Lupin tried to throw a quick Stupefy - easily blocked, I know, but I've got to try something - but once again nothing happened. As he attempted a Disarming Charm, and then Tarantallegra out of sheer desperation, Voldemort was looking very satisfied with the results. Unwilling to accept the conclusion that was looking more and more definite by the second, Remus finally tried a simple Lumos to no avail.
Oh dear God, I think I know exactly what I lost, but how is it possible? How can he take away all of someone's magic? And how will we stand up to him, when he can destroy our ability to fight?
As the terrifying realization swept over his face, Voldemort laughed. "Now you understand. Quite appropriate, don't you think - turning the Muggle-lovers into Muggles themselves. You don't seem to be very happy about it, though. I would have thought that such an ardent defender of the inherent worth of Muggles as yourself would not have been so horrified at becoming one. Maybe your true feelings are not as different from mine as you would like to think.
"However, fortunately for you, this is just temporary - in a few days or so you will be back to normal, with full command of your abilities. This was just a taste, you see, of what I can do to you if you persist in your defiance. For the effects last longer with every dose, and after a while, your powers won't come back as strong as they were initially. Until one day, they won't come back at all. And then where will you be?
"I am afraid I must take my leave of you now, Mr. Lupin - I have some other business that must be attended to. While I'm away, I will just let you contemplate the new direction your life has taken - perhaps recent developments have rearranged your priorities a little. I do hope so - it would be a tragedy for such a strong wizard as yourself to be reduced to a sniveling, powerless wreck."
As Voldemort glided from the chamber, he had two of his minions drag Remus back to his cell. They threw him in rather unceremoniously, and departed soon thereafter, although not without first taking the opportunity to deliver a few blows to the hapless prisoner.
Well, it's not as bad as it could be. It's not a one-shot deal, it would take a fair bit of time to completely drain a wizard of their powers. So it's not something that he can do in a widespread fashion. Also, I'd bet that the formula is ridiculously complicated, and that L.T.R. keeps it under tight wrap besides. So he probably doesn't have very much available to him anyway.
Still, the very idea that they could lose their abilities, never mind that it is initially temporary, will send the general public into a complete panic. All he needs to do is grab a few random witches or wizards, dose them up as many times as it takes, and then Obliviate them, making them think it was the work of an instant. There will be a huge push to just give into Voldy out of fear - it will make it nearly impossible for us to fight back.
After chasing these pessimistic thoughts around in his head for a bit, Remus finally decided to give in to the exhaustion brought on by his injuries, praying that it would look better in the morning. Or whatever time it will be. I would say I don't see how things could get all that much worse, but that is a question I definitely don't want answered. While he was nearing a state of blissful unconsciousness, Remus wondered if merely thinking it was enough to jinx him - for as he was drifting off, he could have sworn he saw a flash of light.
*L.T.R. stands for "Little Tommy Riddle" - no You-Know-Who nonsense for our Remus :)
The stage has now been set - stay tuned for Remus' and Sam's awakenings - confusion and suspicion will abound.
And if Little One is reading this - you know who you are - I'm sure you recognize the source for the Little Tommy Riddle comment :).
And as always, please R&R!