Ok, some of you may wonder why I'm so quick this time. I felt bad because I
let you all wait so long before and then planned to make a break to read
OotP. So I decided to write this before the book comes out (damn close, I
know). I still hope you like it, if not tell me and I'll redo it. Now
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED!!!
Someone Reading: Thanks for your review! "Harry Day", that's what I'll call it for now! Good idea! Well, I know I told you before, but I don't know what's to come myself. All I know is, that there'll be much Sirius- and maybe Remus- and maybe even Harry-torture. And MUUUCH best-friend fluff after that! *grins happily* So if you still have suggestions I have an open ear for you!!
sirius the homocidial maniac: I really like that name, did I tell you? Thank you for reviewing! You know, I'm scared for Siri, too. But I hopefully won't do anything stupid. Of course he'll be saved (sometime). And actually it's us authors that have to hug all you nice readers and reviewers *hugs back happily*
mette: Thank you very much! *blushes* I'm glad you put so much hope in me!
Lisande: Thanks for your review! So we have seven pages in five days with a nice torture-scene (at least I hope so!) and some really good ideas what to do next. Ain't I good? I really run myself out this time (Not that I'm praising myself here, noooooooo! ;) ) Yeah, I think Remus-torture mental is the right choice! As for Sirius *takes him in the arms and cuddles him* well, there are things to come . . . To Sirius: Don't give me that look, that's what you pay for being the main-figure!
Sylvia: Thanks for reviewing! I hope I didn't let you wait too long this time! 'Promise Unbrocken'? Well, if it's that good I'll give it try myself, thanks for the tip! Cliffhanger? What cliffhanger? Oh, you mean that cliffhanger! But that was just such a small one . . . Yeah, I read that about J.K., too. Just hope it's not a certain black-haired Ex-Azkaban prisoner who happens to be an Animagus and the coolest character ever!
noraseyes: Thank you for your review! But I hope you got farther by now. *looks with puppy-dog eyes* Please?
A.Dee: Thanks! Yes, poor Sirius! PoorPOOR SIRIUS!! Why am I always doing this to him? *sigh*
Alright, now enjoy the next chapter!
Plans
"Sirius?" Harry turned around to the faint rustle. The room was dark and he couldn't see much in the dim light of the waning moon. Another small sound of robes shuffling over the floor.
"Sirius, that you?" The teen supressed a grin and took a few steps forward. His godfather was playing that trick on him again. He'd done it before and Harry knew that the big black dog would pounce him any moment, tackle him to the floor and start licking his face, ignoring any yells or laughter coming from his godson. It had become something like a ritual to them.
"Come on Sirius, I know that you're here! You're not gonna get me this time!" Harry was grinning now, his ears straining to hear any sound that might betray his gurdian, determinded not to let him get the better of him this time.
He felt the man step up behind him, whirled around - and faced a wand pointing right between his eyes. The smile on his face vanished immediately. Sirius moved closer towards him, the wand still pointed at the boy's head.
"I think I will, Harry." His voice sounded evenly and . . . hollow. Harry couldn't see his face, hearing him speak like that scared him. What the hell was Sirius doing? He had always been protective of him, ever since Harry knew him, threating him like his own son. He backed away.
"What - what are you doing?" That wasn't Sirius. His godfather wouldn't do something like that. The man closed thedistance between them. Harry's breath hitched in his throat as tip of the wand gently touched his forehead. He was trembling with fear now, he didn't understand what was happening. A single tear rolled down his cheek. Sirius couldn't betray him like this . . .
The Animagus looked down at his godson with empty eyes. "Good bye, Harry." He leaned down, his breath caressing the teen's ear as he whispered two little words to the only son of his best friend.
And death came rushing like a bright, green lightening bold . . .
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Nooooo!" He felt tears slipping down his cheeks, hot and stinging. "Not Harry! I wouldn't do that! Never!"
'But you already did! You killed him!'
Sirius shook his head weakly. "No.", he whispered hoarsly. "I didn't. I didn't do that."
'Yes, you did! Now you deny your betrayal again, traitor!'
Favouring his injured arm the Animagus curled up and tried to supress a whimper. "I - I didn't want it - I'm sorry James. I'm so sorry!", he whispered brockenly. His chest was thight, it hurt as if his heart had been ripped out, leaving an aching hole. He couldn't stop the tears from falling.
The worst was, that he didn't even know if it was true or not. The horrible pictures just passed his eyes and whirled through his mind, but he had no idea what of it had actually happened and what he was halucinating.
Hugging his knees thightly to his chest, he rocked himself carfully back and forth, carful not to move his wounded arm too much. The chains holding him at the wrists rattled quietly. But the voice echoing through his head didn't quieten.
'You killed us all, Sirius. You betrayed your best friends and now you're too much of a coward to stand up for it. I HATE YOU!'
Sirius just cried. The words made him cringe as if every silb was a blow dealt to his stomach. He was heaving dryly, wishing he'd just pass out and remember nothing.
One of the walls began to trmble slightly before the stones slid apart and formed a door, seemingly leading into a dark hallway. A dark figure glided into the damp cell. Sirius didn't look up, until Voldemort stood right in front of him.
Another Death Eater had entered the room. The Dark Lord began to speak: "You see, my supposotion was right indeed. The blood shows remarkable effects." Sirius looked up at him with bruised eyes. The other man's face was masked, but the battered Animagus recognized the pretator-like gait. Snape.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"So what are we going to do now?" Remus looked from the Potions Master to the Head of Hogwarts worriedly. He'd just been talking to Dumbledore to find a way to help as fast as possible, when Snape had stormed into the office and, after a quick glanze around, informed them, that the Mark was burning.
Snape was still standing in the room, obviously too agitated to take a seat. Dumbledore stared at him, he seemed to thinking.
"Severus", he said slowly, "is there any possibility that he might show you Sirius?" Snape looked at him for a moment, considering the question, but then he shook his head hesitantly.
"Not really. Unless there are any . . . discoveries concerning that blood from Dementors. He's still waiting for any information, I might find in the Hogwarts library."
Remus knew, that Hogwarts was in possesion of many ancient and rare books, especially concerning Dark Magic. But he hadn't imagined, that even the Dark Lord might be in need of them. Surely it would raise suspicousion if a teacher and once-Death Eater would look through them. But something else bugged him at Snape's words.
"You speak of it, as if he's just some sciene project."
Snape shot him a vernomous look. "Actually, he is just a project. At least for Voldemort.", he added as an after thought. But the Headmaster ignored the comment. For a moment he stared out of the window, then he opened it, drew out his wand and muttered a spell. Seconds later a inch-long stone came whizzing into his hand.
Both Remus and Snape stared at it, then at the old wizard as though he was mad. Still Dumbledore didn't pay them any head. He gently put the stone down on his desk, as if he was handling a raw egg. Slightly tapping it with his wand he started to chant what sounded like a spell.
Remus recognized the spell. His eyes lit up in understanding and he fighted the urge to run over to his old professoe to give him a great hug. Dumbledore charmed the stone with the wards, they had been testing at Mundungus' house. When somebody managed to bring it anywhere near Sirius, they'd be able to trace him.
Comprehension had also dawned on Snape's face, but he didn't look as enlightened as the werewolf. Remus could understand him. They didn't know, if the spell would actually work and if Voldemort would notice it or not.
Snape knew, that he was playing with fire. Should the Dark Lord indeed trace the spell, Dumbledore wouldn't just loose a very potential spy, but the Potions Master would surely loose his life. If not worse.
Dumbledore ended the spell and stone glowed in a faint golden glow for a moment. They could watch the charm sicker into the substance and the light went out. The old wizard didn't touch the stone, he picked it up using a handkerchief. Remus supposed he had charmed it, too, or it would've been useless to bespell the stone anyway.
Dumbledore turned his blue eyes on his Potions professor, a stern expression gracing his features.
"I'm asking you to help us, Severus. Nobody expects you to put your life in danger for Sirius. I'm just asking you to help him."
Snape nodded curtly and Remus gave him a grateful smile. The Death Eater spy had seen and understood it, but his expression only darkened further. He carefully picked the stone up and pocketed it. Then, with a short glance back at Dumbledore he strode out of the room.
The Head Master turned to face Remus. He was still thinking, but the young man could see a flicker of hope pass Dumbledores bright blue eyes.
"Remus, I need you to do some researches for me."
~*~*~*~*~*~
He took a deep breath before he raised his hand and knocked at the door. He heard footsteps and with a slight squeak Harry opened the door of his dormitory to stare at his former professor. Remus noticed Ron and Seamus leaning over their beds behind Harry to see who was at the door.
"Professor? What is it? Are their news fron Sirius?!"
"No Harry, I'm sorry. But I need to talk to you. Now if it you don't mind. This is very important."
The teen gulped uneasily, clearly afraid of what was going to come. He stepped out of the door and silently closed it behind him. He followed the werewolf through the Gryffindor common room and out of the portrait-hole. As they were alone on the hall he started to speak again.
"Professor, is their any way I can help to rescue Sirius?"
Remus looked at him for a moment, then he nodded. They were now standing in front of his quarters and after undoing the locking charms he'd set on the door he and Harry entered. He mentioned the teen to sit down on the couch while he waved his wand in direction of the fireplace. A fire jumped to life and started cracking merrily.
Remus sat down in an armchair and, with another flick of his wand, conjured a tea service out of thin air. Harry looked at him expectantly.
"Professor, what . . ."
"Harry, please don't call me 'professor'.", the werewolf cut him of. " 'Remus' is just fine with me, or 'Moony', if you like. I think you're old enough to do that." He handed the black-haired teen a cup of tea and poured himself one.
"I know what you wanted to ask. To be honest to you, we don't really know if we actually have a chance to free Sirius -" A look of horror passed Harry's face. "- but we do have a plan
The Order developed a new security ward, with which we can trace people, who've come into contact with it. We might get the chance to get an object charmed with that ward into Voldemort's lair. And then we'd have at least an idea, where we've got to head to rescue Sirius.
The problem is, that we don't know how much we'll have to put up with, once we're there." He could see, that Harry was getting an idea of what he was talking about. He didn't seem to be very happy about it. Remus wasn't either.
"You need to know how many Death Eaters might be there, don't you?", he asked, his voice shaking slightly. The emerald eyes he'd inherted from Lily clouded over with sorrow. Remus felt his chest tighten. He shouldn't be putting Harry through this. The boy was suffering enough already.
"I'm really sorry to have to ask you that, Harry.", he said quietly. "But you're the only one who might have an close to exact idea of the number of Voldemort's supporters. And we need to know." He knew that his sympathetic look didn't make it much better for his former student, but he really had no choice. And Dumbledore had been right, Harry would it take much better to speak to him than to any other person.
"Snape can't help you there?"
It sounded like he was a six-year old asking a simple question about the weather. Remus shook his head sadly. Suddenly he was reminded of the last conversation the two of them had had. Somehow he only got to tell Harry bad news. It made his stomach twist a little.
"No. It sounds rather strange, but Voldemort doesn't let his servants know, how many and who they are. Makes spying difficult and tracing the spy much easier."
Harry nodded an gulped. He was staring of in space, apparently thinking. Remus got up and went to his desk. Searching the drawers for a moment he eventually found what he was looking for. He went back to the fireplace, but this time sat down beside Harry.
"You want any choclate?"
The black-haired teen stared up at him with a funny expression on his face. But seeing the man's warm smile his features softened and he leaned back slightly.
"Yeah, thanks."
Remus smiled knowingly and handed him a choclate frog. "It always helps me in such sitiations. Your father and Sirius used to tease me about it." Harry suddenly remembered when he'd first met Remus on the train ride to Hogwarts. After the Dementor had vanished their DADA professor had given each of them a large peace of choclate.
But the mention of Sirius' name brought his mind back on his task. He closed his eyes and tried to remember the names Voldemort had enumerated, at his rebirth. A cold tugging sensation grew in the pit of his stomach, but he ignored it.
"Well, he named Malfoy, Avery and Macnair. He said something about the Lest . . .err, Lestranges. They're in Azkanaban, aren't they?" Remus nodded, listening carefully. Harry went on: "Crabbe and Goyle were there. And Nott. And last year we found out, that Karkaroff is an Death Eater, too."
Remus looked at him quizzically. He'd heard that name before, but couldn't place it.
"He was the Head Master of Durmstrang and came to Hogwarts to the Triwizard Tournament.", Harry explained. And the werewolf remembered. Sirius had told him about it, when he'd come to him with the dark news last summer.
"That's all I know, I think. But he didn't talk to every Death Eater." Harry shuddered as he remembered. Being bound to the old headstone and waiting for Voldemort to kill him. Remus noticed his uneasiness and without thinking put an arm around the boy's shoulder. The gesture wasn't unwelcomed.
"You need to know anything else?", Harry asked quietely.
"You alredy told Dumbledore and Sirius what exactly happened that night, didn't you?" The teen nodded.
"Did you have any dreams recently?"
Harry closed his eyes for a moment to think hard. He had been dreaming about Cedric, but the nightmares had stopped eventually. He wasn't dreaming about Voldemort, at least he couldn' remember it.
"Yeah, but I'm not sure if that had anything to do with Voldemort."
"Could you still tell me?"
The unruly hair bobed up and down as he nodded. "I saw a dark place. It was very big, great halls like Hogwarts, but no light there. As if it was underground. And I've seen Dementores." He suddered involuntery and Remus squeezed his shoulder gently.
"At least I think that were Dementores. Long cloaks, very tall and thin. Didn't see their faces. Erm, there weren't many of them, only a few. Then there was a flash of light. Oddly shaped, like a sword or something like that."
Harry paused and took a bit from the choclate frog. Remus waited patiently, but eventually asked:
"What happened then?"
Harry frowned, still chewing on the choclate. He swallowed it down to speak.
"I don't know. Sometimes it just ended there. Or I didn't remember it when I woke up. I tink the Dementor or what it was got kinda sliced open by the light and then vanished. Everything else was dark. Odd dream isn't it?"
Remus nodded.
"I'd just like to know what it was you saw."
Harry shrugged. "Maybe it got killed?"
The tawny-haired man looked at him. "Killed?"
"Can't Dementores be killed?"
"Well, I dodn't know of a spell that would do that. Which doesn't have to mean anything. News spells get invented on daily basis. More or less useful."
"Could Voldemort have invented some spell to kill Dementores?"
Nodding slowly, Remus tried to comprehend the idea forming in his mind. What if he didn't kill them? What if just sucked the thing he neede out of them? Blood. The werewolf didn't know that Dementors actually had blood are something related to it. But Voldemort was using it and he was sure of, that Harry had dreamt how to get to Dementor's blood.
"Remus?"
He was pulled back to reality and facing Harry's concerned face.
"Harry, I need you to do something. Whenever you dream something like that again, write it down and inform me oe the Head master immediately."
Someone Reading: Thanks for your review! "Harry Day", that's what I'll call it for now! Good idea! Well, I know I told you before, but I don't know what's to come myself. All I know is, that there'll be much Sirius- and maybe Remus- and maybe even Harry-torture. And MUUUCH best-friend fluff after that! *grins happily* So if you still have suggestions I have an open ear for you!!
sirius the homocidial maniac: I really like that name, did I tell you? Thank you for reviewing! You know, I'm scared for Siri, too. But I hopefully won't do anything stupid. Of course he'll be saved (sometime). And actually it's us authors that have to hug all you nice readers and reviewers *hugs back happily*
mette: Thank you very much! *blushes* I'm glad you put so much hope in me!
Lisande: Thanks for your review! So we have seven pages in five days with a nice torture-scene (at least I hope so!) and some really good ideas what to do next. Ain't I good? I really run myself out this time (Not that I'm praising myself here, noooooooo! ;) ) Yeah, I think Remus-torture mental is the right choice! As for Sirius *takes him in the arms and cuddles him* well, there are things to come . . . To Sirius: Don't give me that look, that's what you pay for being the main-figure!
Sylvia: Thanks for reviewing! I hope I didn't let you wait too long this time! 'Promise Unbrocken'? Well, if it's that good I'll give it try myself, thanks for the tip! Cliffhanger? What cliffhanger? Oh, you mean that cliffhanger! But that was just such a small one . . . Yeah, I read that about J.K., too. Just hope it's not a certain black-haired Ex-Azkaban prisoner who happens to be an Animagus and the coolest character ever!
noraseyes: Thank you for your review! But I hope you got farther by now. *looks with puppy-dog eyes* Please?
A.Dee: Thanks! Yes, poor Sirius! PoorPOOR SIRIUS!! Why am I always doing this to him? *sigh*
Alright, now enjoy the next chapter!
Plans
"Sirius?" Harry turned around to the faint rustle. The room was dark and he couldn't see much in the dim light of the waning moon. Another small sound of robes shuffling over the floor.
"Sirius, that you?" The teen supressed a grin and took a few steps forward. His godfather was playing that trick on him again. He'd done it before and Harry knew that the big black dog would pounce him any moment, tackle him to the floor and start licking his face, ignoring any yells or laughter coming from his godson. It had become something like a ritual to them.
"Come on Sirius, I know that you're here! You're not gonna get me this time!" Harry was grinning now, his ears straining to hear any sound that might betray his gurdian, determinded not to let him get the better of him this time.
He felt the man step up behind him, whirled around - and faced a wand pointing right between his eyes. The smile on his face vanished immediately. Sirius moved closer towards him, the wand still pointed at the boy's head.
"I think I will, Harry." His voice sounded evenly and . . . hollow. Harry couldn't see his face, hearing him speak like that scared him. What the hell was Sirius doing? He had always been protective of him, ever since Harry knew him, threating him like his own son. He backed away.
"What - what are you doing?" That wasn't Sirius. His godfather wouldn't do something like that. The man closed thedistance between them. Harry's breath hitched in his throat as tip of the wand gently touched his forehead. He was trembling with fear now, he didn't understand what was happening. A single tear rolled down his cheek. Sirius couldn't betray him like this . . .
The Animagus looked down at his godson with empty eyes. "Good bye, Harry." He leaned down, his breath caressing the teen's ear as he whispered two little words to the only son of his best friend.
And death came rushing like a bright, green lightening bold . . .
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Nooooo!" He felt tears slipping down his cheeks, hot and stinging. "Not Harry! I wouldn't do that! Never!"
'But you already did! You killed him!'
Sirius shook his head weakly. "No.", he whispered hoarsly. "I didn't. I didn't do that."
'Yes, you did! Now you deny your betrayal again, traitor!'
Favouring his injured arm the Animagus curled up and tried to supress a whimper. "I - I didn't want it - I'm sorry James. I'm so sorry!", he whispered brockenly. His chest was thight, it hurt as if his heart had been ripped out, leaving an aching hole. He couldn't stop the tears from falling.
The worst was, that he didn't even know if it was true or not. The horrible pictures just passed his eyes and whirled through his mind, but he had no idea what of it had actually happened and what he was halucinating.
Hugging his knees thightly to his chest, he rocked himself carfully back and forth, carful not to move his wounded arm too much. The chains holding him at the wrists rattled quietly. But the voice echoing through his head didn't quieten.
'You killed us all, Sirius. You betrayed your best friends and now you're too much of a coward to stand up for it. I HATE YOU!'
Sirius just cried. The words made him cringe as if every silb was a blow dealt to his stomach. He was heaving dryly, wishing he'd just pass out and remember nothing.
One of the walls began to trmble slightly before the stones slid apart and formed a door, seemingly leading into a dark hallway. A dark figure glided into the damp cell. Sirius didn't look up, until Voldemort stood right in front of him.
Another Death Eater had entered the room. The Dark Lord began to speak: "You see, my supposotion was right indeed. The blood shows remarkable effects." Sirius looked up at him with bruised eyes. The other man's face was masked, but the battered Animagus recognized the pretator-like gait. Snape.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"So what are we going to do now?" Remus looked from the Potions Master to the Head of Hogwarts worriedly. He'd just been talking to Dumbledore to find a way to help as fast as possible, when Snape had stormed into the office and, after a quick glanze around, informed them, that the Mark was burning.
Snape was still standing in the room, obviously too agitated to take a seat. Dumbledore stared at him, he seemed to thinking.
"Severus", he said slowly, "is there any possibility that he might show you Sirius?" Snape looked at him for a moment, considering the question, but then he shook his head hesitantly.
"Not really. Unless there are any . . . discoveries concerning that blood from Dementors. He's still waiting for any information, I might find in the Hogwarts library."
Remus knew, that Hogwarts was in possesion of many ancient and rare books, especially concerning Dark Magic. But he hadn't imagined, that even the Dark Lord might be in need of them. Surely it would raise suspicousion if a teacher and once-Death Eater would look through them. But something else bugged him at Snape's words.
"You speak of it, as if he's just some sciene project."
Snape shot him a vernomous look. "Actually, he is just a project. At least for Voldemort.", he added as an after thought. But the Headmaster ignored the comment. For a moment he stared out of the window, then he opened it, drew out his wand and muttered a spell. Seconds later a inch-long stone came whizzing into his hand.
Both Remus and Snape stared at it, then at the old wizard as though he was mad. Still Dumbledore didn't pay them any head. He gently put the stone down on his desk, as if he was handling a raw egg. Slightly tapping it with his wand he started to chant what sounded like a spell.
Remus recognized the spell. His eyes lit up in understanding and he fighted the urge to run over to his old professoe to give him a great hug. Dumbledore charmed the stone with the wards, they had been testing at Mundungus' house. When somebody managed to bring it anywhere near Sirius, they'd be able to trace him.
Comprehension had also dawned on Snape's face, but he didn't look as enlightened as the werewolf. Remus could understand him. They didn't know, if the spell would actually work and if Voldemort would notice it or not.
Snape knew, that he was playing with fire. Should the Dark Lord indeed trace the spell, Dumbledore wouldn't just loose a very potential spy, but the Potions Master would surely loose his life. If not worse.
Dumbledore ended the spell and stone glowed in a faint golden glow for a moment. They could watch the charm sicker into the substance and the light went out. The old wizard didn't touch the stone, he picked it up using a handkerchief. Remus supposed he had charmed it, too, or it would've been useless to bespell the stone anyway.
Dumbledore turned his blue eyes on his Potions professor, a stern expression gracing his features.
"I'm asking you to help us, Severus. Nobody expects you to put your life in danger for Sirius. I'm just asking you to help him."
Snape nodded curtly and Remus gave him a grateful smile. The Death Eater spy had seen and understood it, but his expression only darkened further. He carefully picked the stone up and pocketed it. Then, with a short glance back at Dumbledore he strode out of the room.
The Head Master turned to face Remus. He was still thinking, but the young man could see a flicker of hope pass Dumbledores bright blue eyes.
"Remus, I need you to do some researches for me."
~*~*~*~*~*~
He took a deep breath before he raised his hand and knocked at the door. He heard footsteps and with a slight squeak Harry opened the door of his dormitory to stare at his former professor. Remus noticed Ron and Seamus leaning over their beds behind Harry to see who was at the door.
"Professor? What is it? Are their news fron Sirius?!"
"No Harry, I'm sorry. But I need to talk to you. Now if it you don't mind. This is very important."
The teen gulped uneasily, clearly afraid of what was going to come. He stepped out of the door and silently closed it behind him. He followed the werewolf through the Gryffindor common room and out of the portrait-hole. As they were alone on the hall he started to speak again.
"Professor, is their any way I can help to rescue Sirius?"
Remus looked at him for a moment, then he nodded. They were now standing in front of his quarters and after undoing the locking charms he'd set on the door he and Harry entered. He mentioned the teen to sit down on the couch while he waved his wand in direction of the fireplace. A fire jumped to life and started cracking merrily.
Remus sat down in an armchair and, with another flick of his wand, conjured a tea service out of thin air. Harry looked at him expectantly.
"Professor, what . . ."
"Harry, please don't call me 'professor'.", the werewolf cut him of. " 'Remus' is just fine with me, or 'Moony', if you like. I think you're old enough to do that." He handed the black-haired teen a cup of tea and poured himself one.
"I know what you wanted to ask. To be honest to you, we don't really know if we actually have a chance to free Sirius -" A look of horror passed Harry's face. "- but we do have a plan
The Order developed a new security ward, with which we can trace people, who've come into contact with it. We might get the chance to get an object charmed with that ward into Voldemort's lair. And then we'd have at least an idea, where we've got to head to rescue Sirius.
The problem is, that we don't know how much we'll have to put up with, once we're there." He could see, that Harry was getting an idea of what he was talking about. He didn't seem to be very happy about it. Remus wasn't either.
"You need to know how many Death Eaters might be there, don't you?", he asked, his voice shaking slightly. The emerald eyes he'd inherted from Lily clouded over with sorrow. Remus felt his chest tighten. He shouldn't be putting Harry through this. The boy was suffering enough already.
"I'm really sorry to have to ask you that, Harry.", he said quietly. "But you're the only one who might have an close to exact idea of the number of Voldemort's supporters. And we need to know." He knew that his sympathetic look didn't make it much better for his former student, but he really had no choice. And Dumbledore had been right, Harry would it take much better to speak to him than to any other person.
"Snape can't help you there?"
It sounded like he was a six-year old asking a simple question about the weather. Remus shook his head sadly. Suddenly he was reminded of the last conversation the two of them had had. Somehow he only got to tell Harry bad news. It made his stomach twist a little.
"No. It sounds rather strange, but Voldemort doesn't let his servants know, how many and who they are. Makes spying difficult and tracing the spy much easier."
Harry nodded an gulped. He was staring of in space, apparently thinking. Remus got up and went to his desk. Searching the drawers for a moment he eventually found what he was looking for. He went back to the fireplace, but this time sat down beside Harry.
"You want any choclate?"
The black-haired teen stared up at him with a funny expression on his face. But seeing the man's warm smile his features softened and he leaned back slightly.
"Yeah, thanks."
Remus smiled knowingly and handed him a choclate frog. "It always helps me in such sitiations. Your father and Sirius used to tease me about it." Harry suddenly remembered when he'd first met Remus on the train ride to Hogwarts. After the Dementor had vanished their DADA professor had given each of them a large peace of choclate.
But the mention of Sirius' name brought his mind back on his task. He closed his eyes and tried to remember the names Voldemort had enumerated, at his rebirth. A cold tugging sensation grew in the pit of his stomach, but he ignored it.
"Well, he named Malfoy, Avery and Macnair. He said something about the Lest . . .err, Lestranges. They're in Azkanaban, aren't they?" Remus nodded, listening carefully. Harry went on: "Crabbe and Goyle were there. And Nott. And last year we found out, that Karkaroff is an Death Eater, too."
Remus looked at him quizzically. He'd heard that name before, but couldn't place it.
"He was the Head Master of Durmstrang and came to Hogwarts to the Triwizard Tournament.", Harry explained. And the werewolf remembered. Sirius had told him about it, when he'd come to him with the dark news last summer.
"That's all I know, I think. But he didn't talk to every Death Eater." Harry shuddered as he remembered. Being bound to the old headstone and waiting for Voldemort to kill him. Remus noticed his uneasiness and without thinking put an arm around the boy's shoulder. The gesture wasn't unwelcomed.
"You need to know anything else?", Harry asked quietely.
"You alredy told Dumbledore and Sirius what exactly happened that night, didn't you?" The teen nodded.
"Did you have any dreams recently?"
Harry closed his eyes for a moment to think hard. He had been dreaming about Cedric, but the nightmares had stopped eventually. He wasn't dreaming about Voldemort, at least he couldn' remember it.
"Yeah, but I'm not sure if that had anything to do with Voldemort."
"Could you still tell me?"
The unruly hair bobed up and down as he nodded. "I saw a dark place. It was very big, great halls like Hogwarts, but no light there. As if it was underground. And I've seen Dementores." He suddered involuntery and Remus squeezed his shoulder gently.
"At least I think that were Dementores. Long cloaks, very tall and thin. Didn't see their faces. Erm, there weren't many of them, only a few. Then there was a flash of light. Oddly shaped, like a sword or something like that."
Harry paused and took a bit from the choclate frog. Remus waited patiently, but eventually asked:
"What happened then?"
Harry frowned, still chewing on the choclate. He swallowed it down to speak.
"I don't know. Sometimes it just ended there. Or I didn't remember it when I woke up. I tink the Dementor or what it was got kinda sliced open by the light and then vanished. Everything else was dark. Odd dream isn't it?"
Remus nodded.
"I'd just like to know what it was you saw."
Harry shrugged. "Maybe it got killed?"
The tawny-haired man looked at him. "Killed?"
"Can't Dementores be killed?"
"Well, I dodn't know of a spell that would do that. Which doesn't have to mean anything. News spells get invented on daily basis. More or less useful."
"Could Voldemort have invented some spell to kill Dementores?"
Nodding slowly, Remus tried to comprehend the idea forming in his mind. What if he didn't kill them? What if just sucked the thing he neede out of them? Blood. The werewolf didn't know that Dementors actually had blood are something related to it. But Voldemort was using it and he was sure of, that Harry had dreamt how to get to Dementor's blood.
"Remus?"
He was pulled back to reality and facing Harry's concerned face.
"Harry, I need you to do something. Whenever you dream something like that again, write it down and inform me oe the Head master immediately."