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Chapter Twelve
When he tumbled through a grate in the Alley, two pairs of hands clamped cruelly around his arms and hauled him upright.
"Look what we have here." A low voice laughed.
Remus looked up into the masked face of a Death Eater. He struggled in their grip, lashing out with his booted feet. They subdued him easily, as he was weakened by the coming moonrise.
One of the Death Eaters casually backhanded him across the face, disorienting him enough so that they could drag him into a nearby building without too much trouble. They pulled him through a surprisingly sturdy door into a large dimly lit room.
Once inside, the Death Eaters shoved him, sending him sprawling across the floor at the feet of another black robed, masked man. But when the man spoke, his voice was eerily familiar.
"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in." Drawled Peter Pettigrew, his watery eyes cold behind his mask. "Or should I say fox?"
"Where is she?" Remus ground out defiantly, struggling to his feet. He was growing weaker by the minute, and could only hope he would have enough time to release Serena before he transformed.
"Tut, tut, Moony. Patience is a virtue." Peter sneered.
"If you hurt her, I'll kill you." Remus replied. "I swear it."
"I don't think you're in any position to make threats."
Remus bared his teeth. "Where is she, Wormtail?"
Peter let out a long suffering sigh. "Very well." He waved one hand negligently over his shoulder, and two more Death Eaters came out of the shadows, carrying a small cage between them.
Inside the cage, Remus was horrified to see Serena in her fox form, cowering in a corner. There was blood on her dark fur, he realized.
Enraged, he lunged for Pettigrew with a roar, hands reaching for his throat. Peter stepped back quickly, whipping up his wand and hissing "Crucio!"
Remus staggered back, dropping to his knees as agonizing pain speared through him. Crying out, he curled into himself as it radiated along his limbs.
Through the pain filled haze, he watched as the cage was brought forward and placed right in front of him.
Then the pain stopped. Panting, he lifted his head and looked at the fox. Her blue eyes met his, and he was surprised to see that she wasn't the least bit afraid. She was furious.
The cage was barely large enough for a fox, to keep her from transforming back, he realized. And he could tell by the gleam of the bars that it was made of silver, so he couldn't even touch it.
"You are going to pay for this, Pettigrew." Remus whispered hoarsely. A shudder coursed through his body. The moon was beginning to rise. He would change soon.
The fox let out a soft yip. Remus caught her gaze once more. "Serena…" He groaned as another shudder passed through him.
"Touching." Peter said coldly. Then a bolt of light flew from his wand to hit Serena in the side. She yelped, collapsing in the cage.
Remus reached out to her without thinking, letting out a harsh yell as the silver bars burned into his palms on contact.
Wormtail laughed mockingly.
Remus glared up at him, shaking uncontrollably now, his injured hands held close to his chest. He could feel the change coming upon him, and knew he would have little time to act to free Serena. Spurred by his rage and pain, he changed quickly, snarling and growling. Once free of his shredded robes, the wolf circled the cage. Then he took hold of one of the bars in his mouth. Ignoring the pain of the silver burning into his tender flesh, the wolf's massive jaws made short work of the cage, bending and snapping the bars until Serena was free.
She surged from the ruined cage, passing the wolf, yipping at it as she scampered away.
A group of Death Eaters emerged from the shadows and pursued the fox, which ran around the perimeter of the room, leading the Death Eaters way from the wolf.
"Forget the fox!" Bellowed Peter. "Bind the werewolf!"
The death Eaters began to circle around the wolf, which stood in the center of the room, his teeth bared, a vicious growl emanating from his furry throat. He paced, head lowered, until he spotted Pettigrew at the edge of the circle. Crouching, he prepared to spring.
"Now!" Shouted Peter, and a shower of enchanted rope flew from wands in all directions, falling onto and constricting around Remus, binding his paws and muzzle.
The wolf struggled uselessly. The magical ropes contained it easily.
Peter moved forward, removing his mask. He stood over the writhing wolf and laughed. "That was pathetically easy, Moony. I'm disappointed."
He held up his gleaming silver hand and knelt beside the bound wolf and smiled coldly. "I truly thought you'd make it a little more difficult. A pity, really. I thought perhaps you'd be a worthy adversary." He reached down and seized the wolf by the throat with his silver hand.
The wolf let out a muffled yelp as the metal burned into its skin.
Still in her fox form, Serena hurtled into the circle, attacking Wormtail, her sharp little teeth sinking into his still human hand.
With a rat-like squeal, Pettigrew released Remus to grab the fox by the nape and flung her away.
Ignoring her, Peter motioned to one of the Death Eaters, who pointed his wand at the wolf. "Wingardium Leviosa."
The bound wolf rose into the air, hovering a few feet above the rough stone floor. Another Death Eater brought a glass bowl over.
Peter rose and reached out with his silver hand, grinning wickedly. "It would have been less painful for you if you had just given in and followed Lord Voldemort, Moony. Now we have to do this the hard way."
With the sharp jagged edge of one finger, he tore into the wolf, ripping a long gash in its side. The wolf yelped, and blood welled up from the wound.
The Death Eater held the bowl below the wolf, catching the blood as it dripped.
Peter continued to make incisions, causing blood to run in streams through the wolf's fur. The poison of the silver would keep the wounds from healing, and blood ran freely, and yet, Peter kept cutting into the wolf.
"You always thought you were so special, with your secret. You and James and Sirius, always thought you were better than me. Well, who's on top now, Moony?"
He only stopped his rambling when the fox charged at him again, nipping at his legs. He lashed out, kicking her.
"I'll deal with you later." He sneered.
The fox transformed. Serena now stood beside the bound and bleeding wolf, her face a mask of rage.
"You'll deal with me now, Peter." She said coldly. She flung out her hand, and the bowl of blood flew out of the Death Eater's grasp, hurtling across the room to shatter against a wall. The blood it had contained splashed over the wall and floor in a garish pattern.
"You stupid girl!" Peter screamed, abandoning his torture of Remus.
"Be quiet." She told him calmly.
Then she turned her attention to the wizard levitating Remus. Her eyes narrowed. "Stupefy." She said clearly.
There was a flash, and the wizard was hurtled back, hitting the bloodstained wall, unconscious.
The wolf fell from the air, hitting the stone floor with a sickening thud. It lay still.
The anger inside her grew to monstrous proportions. Raising her hand, she pointed at Peter. "You were his friend." She said accusingly. "And James and Sirius. They trusted you. How could you have betrayed them all like this?"
"I have no friends." Peter replied, his voice wavering. He had suddenly realized that they had grossly underestimated her. "Lord Voldemort is my only friend."
A Death Eater was trying to sneak up behind Serena. Without even looking, she held up her hand, freezing the woman in her tracks. The woman's eyes rolled back and she slumped to the floor.
"No wand." Peter muttered, fear showing on his face. "Why don't you need a wand?" He whined.
"I never needed a wand." Serena replied. "Unlike you, you disgusting little rat." She smiled frigidly.
The wand clutched in Peter's pudgy human hand burst into flame and disintegrated.
"Kill her!" He screamed at the remaining Death Eaters.
They began to close in on her.
Serena simply threw out her arms.
There was a loud crack, like thunder, and the Death Eaters were thrown back, hitting the walls on the perimeter of the room. The entire building shook.
Those that were not knocked unconscious by the impact wished they had been because of the injuries they sustained. No one got up.
Peters' eyes widened and he turned and fled.
Serena considered pursuing him, but let him go so she could tend to Remus. Let Womtail's master deal with him. She knew Voldemort wouldn't be pleased that Peter failed.
She dropped to her knees beside the unmoving werewolf. His eyes were closed, his fur matted with blood, which was flowing profusely. The wounds that Peter had inflicted were quite serious, she realized as she inspected them.
The long gash on his side was the most worrisome. It was deep, enough that she could see muscle and bone between the torn edges of his hide.
The wolf's eyes opened, and he let out a pain filled whimper.
"Oh, Remus." Serena sighed. She held her hand over the ropes that bound him, and the ropes simply disappeared.
He let out a soft woof, and she placed her hand on his head. He was panting now, wheezing as if he was having trouble breathing, and his golden eyes were dulling.
He was dying.
"Don't die." Serena whispered fiercely. "Don't you dare die on me."
He lifted his head a little and whined.
"Lay still, Remus." Serena scolded softly. "Let me see what I can do."
She tried all the healing charms she knew. And none seemed to affect his wounds at all.
He was fading fast, and she couldn't save him.
She bit back a sob. She couldn't lose him like this. Not now. There had to be a way.
There had to be.
And then it occurred to her. There was one way. She recalled an obscure old spell that she had leaned long ago out of boredom, never dreaming she would need it.
It was extremely dangerous.
She had to try.
Closing her eyes, she spread her hands over the wolf and began to chant.
Pale blue light spread from her fingertips, crawling over the wolf as she chanted. The light became brighter, encircling the wolf.
Then, miraculously, the bleeding stopped.
The light became brighter still.
The wounds began to close, skin knitting back together. Her hands lowered, resting on the wolf, and he opened his eyes.
Serena fell silent, removing her hands, her eyes opening to meet the golden gaze.
The werewolf struggled to his feet, shaking himself.
Serena smiled tenderly, and then she crumpled to the floor.
***
When the heavy door into the building in Knock Turn Alley burst open and Dumbledore, Tonks and Moody entered; the scene that greeted them made them pause in shock.
Death Eaters, in varying degrees of consciousness were sprawled around the edges of the room. In the center of the room lay Serena, her still form as pale as death. Beside her crouched the werewolf, who looked at the newcomers, lifted his head and let out a mournful howl.
"We're too late." Tonks whispered sadly.