Warning: Still minor slashy themes.
Dedication: This is for all the reviewers, who hoped there was more. There is!
Author's Note: And you all thought it was just a love story...Remus has to deal with Sirius' escape from Azkaban. And the ministry. At the same time. He's not a happy werewolf.
All That Will Ever Be
Chapter Two
Feeling better then he had in a very long time, Remus Lupin hummed a bit as he closed the door of his flat. He fixed himself a cup of tea, and sat down at his kitchen table. The mail had come, in his absence. He flipped through the letters, idly
//Bills, bills, bills....ministry?// Remus knew that seal. He frowned, and slit the seal on the letter, wondering what on earth it could be. Though only a small part of his mind was devoted to that. The rest of it was still thinking about Severus. //You're being overly romantic.// He told himself. But he couldn't help it. Second chances were exceedingly rare, and he was overjoyed to be given one.
His eyes skimmed the letter, without really seeing it. A few words jumped out at him, but that was all. He sighed, took a sip of his tea, and tried to focus.
//This *could* be important.// He gave himself a mental shake, and re-read the letter.
//Oh. Dear.//
How he managed to *skim* it? As each sentence unfolded, Remus' heart beat quicker and quicker in his heart. Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement requested his presence at nine o'clock sharp the following day.
The werewolf felt as though he were going to be ill.
//There...there has to be some mistake.// But Remus knew there wasn't. Sirius had escaped, and Remus knew exactly how he had done it.
//They want to question me...// Remus set down the summons, taking a deep breath. They'd want to question him. About what, he wasn't certain. But he was the only one left who had been close to Sirius, and it was no secret.
And what would he say? What could he tell them? He knew he owed them the truth...but he couldn't. Some strange sense of loyalty wouldn't allow him. And of course the realization that he should have told them twelve years ago. But he hadn't. And he wouldn't.
//Stay calm.// He could handle this. They'd simply ask him more questions like they had before. But before he had still been in shock. There had been the fresh pain of losing all of his closest friends in one, crushing blow. He knew he hadn't been much help, but no one expected him to be.
Now, shock was not a factor. Certainly he was mildly surprised that Sirius had escaped, but... //He always did everything he set his mind to.//
Remus was suddenly *very* happy he'd taken the job at Hogwarts.
//There's no use worrying over it.// He told himself firmly. //Go tomorrow, and get it over with. You can't tell them anything new. You won't.//
Finishing his tea, he placed the cup and saucer in the sink. It was getting a bit late. He'd read for a bit, and then he'd sleep. Tomorrow, he'd deal with the ministry.
***
Upon waking up to a bright light in his eyes-his personal choice of alarm clocks-Remus decided he wasn't a morning person. He fumbled on the bedside table for his wand, and darkened the lumos spell, rubbing his eyes blearily as he sat up in bed.
He stumbled out of bed, and made his way to the shower with a shuffling gate. He'd be fine after a shower. As long as he didn't think too much. Thinking led to too many worries and questions. He showered, half wishing he'd drown himself by accident.
//Stop thinking like this!// He brushed his teeth, grimacing at his reflection. He really needed to do something about his hair one of these days. He was only in his mid thirties, for merlin's sake. All of that grey was *not* distinguished. It was....out of place, if anything.
He dressed in his best set of robes-the ones with the fewest darns-and combed his hair. //This is as good as we're going to get, I suppose.// He sighed, and ran his hand over his face before retrieving is summons. He Apparated to the ministry building, announced his purpose, and was shown inside.
//Stay calm.// He told himself. This wasn't difficult. This would be fine.
The Department for Magical Law Enforcement was on one of the lower floors. Remus nodded cordially to the few wizards he knew as he made his way down. He maintained the perfect illusion of calm.
//Here we are.// He paused before the proper door, double checking his summons to avoid any mistakes. Taking a deep breath, he knocked.
"Come in!" A brusque, female voice called through the door. Remus stepped into the office, immediately struck by how...disorganized it was. Papers and ledgers were scattered all about a large desk, and pictures of what Remus *assumed* were criminals lined every available space. The middle aged witch behind the desk had a very harried and tired look about her.
"Remus Lupin, ma'am." He stated, holding out the parchment. "I received a summons yesterday..."
"Yes, yes." She stood up, brushing back dark hair. "Anora Cadwallace. Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, please sit down." She indicated an empty seat in front of her desk.
"Thank you." Remus sat down gratefully. He had schooled his features into a mask of polite worry. It was better then creeping terror, which was what he truly felt.
"I trust I don't need to explain why you're here." Anora told him, folding her hands and frowning.
"No." Remus said, softly.
"I expect you to answer me honestly, Mr. Lupin." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Has the convict Black contacted you?"
"No." The question, honestly, took Remus by surprise. "No. But...I haven't been home...." Remus needed a moment to collect his thoughts. *Contact* him? Sirius had to know better. Contacting Remus was about equal to asking the Grim Reaper in for tea.
"Do you believe that he *may* contact you?"
"I...I highly doubt it." Remus admitted. He paused a moment, in thought. "But...I couldn't say." Sirius, for all he knew, could be mad. And mad men had no reason.
"Do you have any idea where he may be hiding?"
"No." Remus was feeling a bit more relaxed. "No..." He wracked his mind. The Shrieking Shack, obviously. But...that would raise too many more questions. And Dumbledore knew of that already. He wouldn't go to his parents home....would he?
"The only place I could possibly think of would be his family's ancestral home." Remus told her, honestly.
"We've checked." She admitted. "And I don't suppose you've any idea how he escaped?" Her eyebrow arched with the question, and her manner clearly said she knew the answer already.
"No. I...I can only imagine that....Dark Magic...." Remus was faltering again. This was the difficult question. //Let her think I'm simply upset...//
"As we suspect." She sighed, and sat back in her chair.
"I'm sorry I can't be more help." And that much was truth. Sirius needed to be apprehended. He couldn't be allowed to walk free. "Do you...have any leads?"
"A few." Anora nodded. "We believe he is set on taking care of, 'unfinished business'."
"Harry...." Remus closed his eyes, feeling old guilt and pain wash over him.
"Precisely, Mr. Lupin." Anora stood up, offering her hand to Remus. "Thank you for your time."
"Of course." Remus rose as well, taking her hand and shaking it firmly. "If I can do anything..."
"You've done all you can, unless of course Black *does* attempt to contact you. Please don't do anything stupid, Mr. Lupin, should that happen. Leave it to the professionals. Oh, and please don't leave the country anytime in the next month or two."
She released his hand and sat back down, turning he attentions to some papers. It was an obvious dismissal. Remus nodded, and left the office on shaky legs.
//Thank merlin I...// He had to lean against the wall in the corridor for a moment. Harry. Sirius was after Harry. And what did it matter now? Hadn't there been enough?
Obviously not. Remus composed himself, and headed back upstairs. News of the breakout would be hitting the presses soon enough. He was dreading it, horribly. //They'll find him.// How could they not? Sirius had to be mad, by now. He wouldn't be thinking clearly...
//You're going to be at the school.// It was the only comforting thought Remus could find. He could offer James' son what protection that he could. //I wonder...// When, exactly, had Sirius escaped? Did Dumbledore know already? He wondered if that had anything to do with his choice to hire Remus...
//Don't think about it.// He needed to be focused. //Well, it looks like you *won't* be heading to Hogwarts early.// He'd have to stay at his flat, on the off chance the Ministry needed to get a hold of him. He probably ought to have mentioned his teaching position during the meeting...
//I'll send them an owl.// He could always remain until the very last second. How hard would it be, really, to write up a curriculum for the year? He could do that at his flat. He'd ask Dumbledore for the information on what each year had learned already, and go from there. It would keep him busy, surely.
But he wouldn't see Severus. //Honestly!// He chided himself, sternly. There were more important things to worry about then when he was going to see an old flame. //You're going to be working alongside him, do relax.//
Leaving the Ministry Building, Remus decided to run a few errands. And to drop by the post office, to send Dumbledore an owl, explaining the situation. He contemplated sending one to Severus as well, but decided against it. It would seem too...needy. He'd let things happen in their own time.
Apparating to Diagon Alley, Remus did his best to push thoughts of Sirius Black aside. Like Anora had said, the professionals would take care of it...
But Remus had his doubts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~