Chapter 4
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Scene: The morning after the Full Moon)
I stumbled back to the house. It is always rough in the morning after such nights. I can only hope that my cousin Hermoine was satisfied with my research cover story. She is very clever so no doubt she will figure it out sooner or later.
I am not so lucky. I find her waiting for me in the livingroom watching the door for my entrance.
"Long night?"
"Oh, yeah, I lost track of time. I get very involved in my research." I smile weakly at her. 'Perhaps she will accept that and ask no further questions.' Luck is not with me today.
"You realize it was a full moon last night." Hermoine informs me.
Of course I know it's a full moon. I would never forget a full moon. It is impossible for me to forget such things. "Really? That would explain all those crazy people wandering the streets." I laugh at the thought.
"You know, werewolves, are out on full moons." She replies.
"Oh yeah? Too bad there is no such things as werewolves. The likelihood of werewolves is the same as say, the likelihood of wizards!" I smile widely and watch her face as it falls. 'What is the matter with her?' I wonder to myself.
"As likely as wizards? What if there were wizards, would you agree that there are werewolves?" She challenges me.
"Sure. You show me a wizard and I'll tell you I'm a werewolf." I smirk satisfied by my answer. 'Looks like I just got off scotch-free.'
'What should I do?' Hermoine thinks to herself. 'It is possible that Cassi was researching last night and it was a coincidence that there was a full moon. If I reveal that I am a witch to a muggle there will be serious repercussions.'
"That's what I thought." I smile in victory. "So, where's Sirius? I'd like to take him for a walk. Do you think you could start some eggs and bacon? You know where everything is."
"Sure, but first, tell me what is it that you are researching?" Hermoine wanted to catch Cassiopeia off guard.
"I was researching a cure for a certain type of infection."
"What kind of infection?"
"Oh, well it's a little technical. I'm afraid that even you might not understand the lingo."
'What is that supposed to mean? Of course I would understand the lingo! She is definitely hiding something.'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
(Scene: The apartment after Cassiopeia and Sirius have left to walk)
Hermoine decided to try to reach Lupin again. This time she was successful.
"Professor Lupin! It is Sirius! He is here at my cousin's apartment."
"You are certain? Has he told you anything?"
"That's the funny thing. I know he understands me, but he refused to morph. I wonder if something is wrong and he can't transform or if rather he does not want to do so. What do you think?" Hermoine asked the professor.
"I think I would like to see him for myself. Let us think of a reasonable excuse for me to be there and then I will apparate to investigate this first hand."
"There is one more thing. Last night was the full moon."
"Yes, obviously."
"I think Cassiopeia may be a werewolf."
"That is not a thing to joke about."
"I am serious. She is extremely suspicious. It is possible. When she returned home this morning she looked all bedraggled just like you do after the full moon."
"Think of a good reason for me to come. Now I especially would like to investigate." Lupin then ceased the conversation.
Hermoine was left to figure out a way to introduce Professor Lupin to the scene. 'Well he is a professor so that should definitely help.'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Scene: Outdoors with Cassiopeia and Sirius)
"Sirius boy, I sure could use some advice." Cassi looked down at her dog and he turned his head to look at her. "It's a shame you can't talk. But at least you can listen."
'Oh if she only knew. I can easily talk to her. Of course she might be freaked out to discover that her pet is actually a full-grown man. It's better right now to keep up the act though. I can only hope that Harry's little friend doesn't ruin everything.' Sirius thought to himself. To Cassi though he only 'woofed' to show that he was paying attention.
"Well you see boy, last night was the full moon. I guess you could say that the two of us have a lot in common on such nights." Cassi grins at her dog and he barks at her once more.
"I suppose it really doesn't matter too much. We better get back to the apartment. I'm sure Hermoine has some breakfast ready for us."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Scene: The next day)
The day before ended up being quite pleasant and uneventful. Apparently Cassiopeia is inseparable from her new dog. She and Hermoine went to the park and then spent the rest of the afternoon at a bookstore. It was a special bookstore that allowed well-trained pets to enter. Apparently America has a store for everything.
"So what would you like to do today, Hermoine?"
"I am open to most anything really. I mostly came here to relax and spent time with you." Hermoine answered.
(*Briiiiiiiing, Briiiiiiiiing*)
Cassiopeia left the room to answer the phone, leaving Hermoine and Sirius alone in the livingroom. They glared suspiciously at one another. However, they soon rushed into the kitchen where Cassi was on the phone. She sounded highly upset.
"What are you talking about? He's dead? How did he die?" She practically screamed into the phone. She did not look satisfied with the reply. Obviously she wasn't happy at all, but the reply was especially upsetting. "That makes no sense! People don't just get 'zapped.' There was no storm? No electrical power supply nearby. How did it happen?"
Hermoine put her hand on her cousin's shoulder. Cassi glaced at her slightly. "But that doesn't make sense either. Now you are saying he was murdered? By who? You can't keep changing your story. Where is he, I want to see his body."
A few seconds passed. "What do you mean there's no body? It can't just disappear! That's ridiculous! You're saying it was there, and then it just incinerated before your eyes?"
A few more seconds pass. "Was he at the launch site? Maybe the rocket fuel incinerated him." A few more seconds pass. "So you're saying this strange man in a cape was talking to him. Then he fell to the ground and was incinerated. Did they catch the man? Why didn't you mention the man earlier?"
A few more seconds pass. "Then the man just disappeared? Thank you, officer. If you find out any more evidence let me know. I'll talk to his parents and we'll figure out a ceremony to put him at rest."
She hung up the phone, sat at the table, and started bawling. Hermoine sat with her trying to comfort her. They did not notice that Sirius had left the room and was heading to the fireplace of the master bedroom.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Scene: Lupin's bedroom)
Remus Lupin had been sitting in his room for hours staring into his fireplace. He was hoping that Hermoine would contact him again soon. He was really curious about the whole Sirius situation and a bit curious about the possibility that Cassiopeia may be a werewolf.
What he did not expect was the face that now graced his fireplace.
"Hey, Remus. How's life?" A voice very calmly spoke to him.
"Sirius? Is that really you?" Remus ran to the flames and hovered near the dismembered head of his bestfriend.
"The one and only," Sirius smirked at his confused friend. "I have a problem. I know you have been contacted by Hermoine. She threatened to sic you on me when I refused to morph on the night of the full moon."
"So you have been able to transform this whole time? Why did you remain a dog? Why do you remain in America?"
"I have my reasons. In the mean time, apparate yourself over here. I think we need to tell Cassiopeia the truth. It sounds as if her boyfriend was just incinerated by a death eater."
With that Remus nodded and contacted the Order of the Phoenix headquarters. He informed them that there was a report of a death eater in America and that he was going to check up on Hermoine and her cousin.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Scene: The morning after the Full Moon)
I stumbled back to the house. It is always rough in the morning after such nights. I can only hope that my cousin Hermoine was satisfied with my research cover story. She is very clever so no doubt she will figure it out sooner or later.
I am not so lucky. I find her waiting for me in the livingroom watching the door for my entrance.
"Long night?"
"Oh, yeah, I lost track of time. I get very involved in my research." I smile weakly at her. 'Perhaps she will accept that and ask no further questions.' Luck is not with me today.
"You realize it was a full moon last night." Hermoine informs me.
Of course I know it's a full moon. I would never forget a full moon. It is impossible for me to forget such things. "Really? That would explain all those crazy people wandering the streets." I laugh at the thought.
"You know, werewolves, are out on full moons." She replies.
"Oh yeah? Too bad there is no such things as werewolves. The likelihood of werewolves is the same as say, the likelihood of wizards!" I smile widely and watch her face as it falls. 'What is the matter with her?' I wonder to myself.
"As likely as wizards? What if there were wizards, would you agree that there are werewolves?" She challenges me.
"Sure. You show me a wizard and I'll tell you I'm a werewolf." I smirk satisfied by my answer. 'Looks like I just got off scotch-free.'
'What should I do?' Hermoine thinks to herself. 'It is possible that Cassi was researching last night and it was a coincidence that there was a full moon. If I reveal that I am a witch to a muggle there will be serious repercussions.'
"That's what I thought." I smile in victory. "So, where's Sirius? I'd like to take him for a walk. Do you think you could start some eggs and bacon? You know where everything is."
"Sure, but first, tell me what is it that you are researching?" Hermoine wanted to catch Cassiopeia off guard.
"I was researching a cure for a certain type of infection."
"What kind of infection?"
"Oh, well it's a little technical. I'm afraid that even you might not understand the lingo."
'What is that supposed to mean? Of course I would understand the lingo! She is definitely hiding something.'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
(Scene: The apartment after Cassiopeia and Sirius have left to walk)
Hermoine decided to try to reach Lupin again. This time she was successful.
"Professor Lupin! It is Sirius! He is here at my cousin's apartment."
"You are certain? Has he told you anything?"
"That's the funny thing. I know he understands me, but he refused to morph. I wonder if something is wrong and he can't transform or if rather he does not want to do so. What do you think?" Hermoine asked the professor.
"I think I would like to see him for myself. Let us think of a reasonable excuse for me to be there and then I will apparate to investigate this first hand."
"There is one more thing. Last night was the full moon."
"Yes, obviously."
"I think Cassiopeia may be a werewolf."
"That is not a thing to joke about."
"I am serious. She is extremely suspicious. It is possible. When she returned home this morning she looked all bedraggled just like you do after the full moon."
"Think of a good reason for me to come. Now I especially would like to investigate." Lupin then ceased the conversation.
Hermoine was left to figure out a way to introduce Professor Lupin to the scene. 'Well he is a professor so that should definitely help.'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Scene: Outdoors with Cassiopeia and Sirius)
"Sirius boy, I sure could use some advice." Cassi looked down at her dog and he turned his head to look at her. "It's a shame you can't talk. But at least you can listen."
'Oh if she only knew. I can easily talk to her. Of course she might be freaked out to discover that her pet is actually a full-grown man. It's better right now to keep up the act though. I can only hope that Harry's little friend doesn't ruin everything.' Sirius thought to himself. To Cassi though he only 'woofed' to show that he was paying attention.
"Well you see boy, last night was the full moon. I guess you could say that the two of us have a lot in common on such nights." Cassi grins at her dog and he barks at her once more.
"I suppose it really doesn't matter too much. We better get back to the apartment. I'm sure Hermoine has some breakfast ready for us."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Scene: The next day)
The day before ended up being quite pleasant and uneventful. Apparently Cassiopeia is inseparable from her new dog. She and Hermoine went to the park and then spent the rest of the afternoon at a bookstore. It was a special bookstore that allowed well-trained pets to enter. Apparently America has a store for everything.
"So what would you like to do today, Hermoine?"
"I am open to most anything really. I mostly came here to relax and spent time with you." Hermoine answered.
(*Briiiiiiiing, Briiiiiiiiing*)
Cassiopeia left the room to answer the phone, leaving Hermoine and Sirius alone in the livingroom. They glared suspiciously at one another. However, they soon rushed into the kitchen where Cassi was on the phone. She sounded highly upset.
"What are you talking about? He's dead? How did he die?" She practically screamed into the phone. She did not look satisfied with the reply. Obviously she wasn't happy at all, but the reply was especially upsetting. "That makes no sense! People don't just get 'zapped.' There was no storm? No electrical power supply nearby. How did it happen?"
Hermoine put her hand on her cousin's shoulder. Cassi glaced at her slightly. "But that doesn't make sense either. Now you are saying he was murdered? By who? You can't keep changing your story. Where is he, I want to see his body."
A few seconds passed. "What do you mean there's no body? It can't just disappear! That's ridiculous! You're saying it was there, and then it just incinerated before your eyes?"
A few more seconds pass. "Was he at the launch site? Maybe the rocket fuel incinerated him." A few more seconds pass. "So you're saying this strange man in a cape was talking to him. Then he fell to the ground and was incinerated. Did they catch the man? Why didn't you mention the man earlier?"
A few more seconds pass. "Then the man just disappeared? Thank you, officer. If you find out any more evidence let me know. I'll talk to his parents and we'll figure out a ceremony to put him at rest."
She hung up the phone, sat at the table, and started bawling. Hermoine sat with her trying to comfort her. They did not notice that Sirius had left the room and was heading to the fireplace of the master bedroom.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(Scene: Lupin's bedroom)
Remus Lupin had been sitting in his room for hours staring into his fireplace. He was hoping that Hermoine would contact him again soon. He was really curious about the whole Sirius situation and a bit curious about the possibility that Cassiopeia may be a werewolf.
What he did not expect was the face that now graced his fireplace.
"Hey, Remus. How's life?" A voice very calmly spoke to him.
"Sirius? Is that really you?" Remus ran to the flames and hovered near the dismembered head of his bestfriend.
"The one and only," Sirius smirked at his confused friend. "I have a problem. I know you have been contacted by Hermoine. She threatened to sic you on me when I refused to morph on the night of the full moon."
"So you have been able to transform this whole time? Why did you remain a dog? Why do you remain in America?"
"I have my reasons. In the mean time, apparate yourself over here. I think we need to tell Cassiopeia the truth. It sounds as if her boyfriend was just incinerated by a death eater."
With that Remus nodded and contacted the Order of the Phoenix headquarters. He informed them that there was a report of a death eater in America and that he was going to check up on Hermoine and her cousin.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC