Moonlit Horizons

Moonlit Horizons

Chapter six

By Dizmius.

A Remus Fic for a friend of mine

Hotel California belongs to the Eagles, I'm just letting Sirius voice his sing-y voice by using it, cuz it seems like a song he'd have liked.

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Grrrr, italics!!!!!!!.

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"Phaerren." Remus pointed out a picture in the Wizarding Encyclopaedia. "Human who can take the soul of a magical creature of any kind to be perfectly attuned to it's force and use its abilities. Many Phaerrens never find out about their power, and remain unnoticed in the Wizarding world as the Phaerren magic cancels out any normal magical talent, rendering them a Muggle. No recent proof has been found of Phaerren existence, thus they are consigned to the books of fiction."

"Wow." Sirius raised an eyebrow. "We've got to save a Phaerren."

If he dares to say it's cool or something, I swear I'm going to break that marauder pact, and punch his nose inside out.

"So, Snape's getting us a return ticket to the lion's den…" Sirius thought about that for a moment then added. "Maybe that should be Snake's Den… Wouldn't want to associate Gryffindor with such a ba…"

"Ahem." Remus gave Sirius a withering look. "Yes, he's going to owl us he information."

"I sensed a hint of glee in his voice when he told us about it." Sirius noted, "I think he's pleased we're going suicidal all of a sudden."

"I can't imagine why." Remus had to grin, Sirius Black's smile was infectious, it always had been. He smoothed out a piece of parchment that Snape had owled him, it was a detailed map of Voldemort's dungeons.

"Ever read Theseus and the Minotaur?" Sirius asked when he saw the parchment, "That really reminds me of the labyrinth."

"I wonder how he got it onto a piece of paper."

Sirius gave Remus a patronising look. "We managed rather well."

"I seem to remember we did one better, we got it animated." Remus smiled half heartedly as he read the smaller piece of parchment that came with it. "Polyjuice potion… I think this might be the point that I am violently sick."

"Who's hair has he got for you?"

Sirius is going to kill himself laughing when he finds out… This could really be the end of him.

"Lucius Malfoy." Remus whispered, scrumpling up the piece of parchment and pocketing the vial.

"Who?" Sirius cupped his ear, exaggerating "I didn't hear that,"

"Lucius Malfoy!" Remus said loudly, "I've got to spend the day as a Malfoy… If you're going to laugh please don't do it in front of me."

"L…Lucy…Lucy Ma… Malfoy…" Sirius was trying so hard to keep a straight face… "Classic."

"And apparently, you're to go as Padfoot."

"Well I'm not exactly going there as a slug am I." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Honestly."

A slug… what an interesting visual… no, why am I thinking about Sirius as a slug when I should be thinking about Anna… I wonder what she's thinking… Its not like she even got the chance to fully understand, she doesn't know about what Voldemort is like… She won't understand what they want. She won't understand.

"On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair… Warm smell of eucalyptus, rising up through the air, up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light, my head grew heavy and my sight grew dim, I had to stop for the night." Sirius started singing softly to himself as he rummaged through some of the drawers in Remus' cupboard.

"How can you sing?" Remus frowned.

"Keeps me in a good mood. Haven't you ever heard of the Eagles?" Sirius looked stunned. "We'd just graduated Hogwarts, me and James…" he tailed off, lost in his thoughts.

"I remember." Remus nodded, "You liked the lyrics and pretty much never stopped singing them all the way through Harry's christening."

"When I wasn't blubbering." Sirius let out a small Marauder grin. "I must have been crying more than Lily's mum was…"

"You soaked your leather trousers." Remus smiled back. "And you bought Harry that Muggle guitar, I wonder where that is now."

"Under the rubble." Sirius stated solemnly. "I saw it when… when I…" he took in a deep breath. "Right, well, perhaps we should get some stuff together if we're about to go off on our little holiday to Voldemort's domain."

Remus watched as Sirius trudged out of the kitchen and as he heard footsteps going up he stairs, Remus could hear Sirius' distinctive voice mournfully singing…"There she stood in the doorway, I heard the mission bell, and I was thinking to myself this could be heaven or this could be hell. Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way, there were voices down the corridor, I thought I heard them say…"

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And still those voices are calling from far away…

"Welcome to the Hotel California…" Sirius was still singing, albeit slightly quieter as he realised it was getting on Remus' usually calm and collected nerves. "Beeoooww, beow beow be be be beeeeoooooooooowwwwwww."

"WHAT on EARTH was THAT?" Remus stared at Sirius as though he'd just proclaimed himself to actually be a girl in disguise.

"My electric guitar impression." Sirius grinned, "Don't you like it?"

"Blame my lack of knowledge in Muggle music, but as far as I've heard, electric guitars do not under any circumstances go as you so eloquently put it… beow."

"Next you're going to tell me that motorbikes don't fly." Sirius waggled his eyebrows playfully. "Come on, beooow with me!"

"I'd rather not, I don't think this is the time or the place to be making Sirius-esque noises." Remus rolled his eyes patronisingly as he tugged at the collar of his elegant black robes. "I will never understand how Lucius can wear one of these without coming out in an itchy rash. I look like a priest."

"Want to borrow my dog collar for the full effect?" Sirius asked. "You know, you could have waited, and put them on when we actually got there, we're still a few miles away."

"And do you honestly think Lucius Malfoy is going to be running round with an extra set of very shabby clothes?"

"I'd rather not think of Malfoy at all." Sirius wrinkled his nose, and pulled out a rather well-used wand. "You sure this will work for me?"

"It should do, you know that any wand I use works adequately well for you too. Ollivander was a bit suspicious when I asked for another replacement." Remus winced at the memory. "You know I'm the only werewolf with a full wizarding license."

"What about the wizards who get bitten after they graduate?"

"Stripped of their license." Remus said in a small voice. "It's only because of Dumbledore that I've got a wand at all."

"So Frinkle Nicholsey was stripped of his Order of Merlin too, not just his license?" Sirius furrowed his brows.

"Yes, completely and utterly shamed." Remus nodded. "You know he commited suicide soon after that?"

"Did he?" Sirius asked, interested about what had happened to the old Quidditch Captain from Ravenclaw. "That must have been just after they took his father into Azkaban for Death Eater activities."

"Three weeks." Remus bowed his head. "He was shattered, I was the only other werewolf he knew, and he was devastated when they issued him with his dark creature identification number and orders to give in his license and wand or face imprisonment."

"Oh of course," Sirius looked across at his friend, "That's what you have written on that little metal tag you wear on that chain isn't it?"

"Yes," Remus answered shortly, self consciously reaching to the thin necklace he wore round his neck. "Yes, it is."

Registry of Magical Creatures, Werewolf ID number 018646, Remus J. Lupin. That's what it says, I can't leave the house without it in case I'm checked up on. Spot checks, they call them. They're just a reason for the prejudiced in this world to sneer and turn up their nose. Demeaning, that's what it is. Like being questioned by the Auror Committee, if you don't have your identification, then you're heading for a hefty fine. Something that I'm not likely to be able to afford anytime soon.

Remus and Sirius both stopped as they walked straight into a magical barrier that threw them back against the trees they'd just walked through.

"Oh, clever."

Sirius looked up to see Snape looking down on them with a smirk. "I applaud you, I really do."

"Shut up you tart." Sirius dusted himself down and stood up. "So, what's your wonderful little plan then?"

"Lucius Malfoy is at present unconscious in a large cauldron in my cellar, he does not know how anything happened, and will not wake up for quite a few hours yet."

Sirius let out a laugh. "Take a photo, please!"

Snape sneered, "As I was saying, Lupin you're going to be a Malfoy and thus you have free range of the building, but I warn you, Lucius knows his way round the place like the back of his hand, therefore I will accompany you down to the entrance of the dungeons so you don't look quite so out of place. Black, I'm sorry to tell you that being your dog form will be insufficient as Pettigrew knows what you are, and I have found out that there are wards on the building in case you were to appear to exact your revenge. I believe Voldemort is wanting to find you and recruit you anyway. You should stay here."

"Not bloody likely." Sirius growled, "Pettigrew's in there?"

"Oh yes." Snape said with a wicked smile. "I can even tell you which room."

"Not now." Remus muttered, "We have a bigger concern at present."

"But Moony…" Sirius started to argue

"We WILL have other opportunities." Remus stated firmly.

Look at him. He's aching to get in there and rip Pettigrew's body into small pieces and send it back to Fudge in boxes. The temptation must be so difficult to counter. To think that the pathetic excuse of a friend that betrayed you was standing less than a mile away, not expecting you…

"Very well." Snape nodded curtly. "Black, if you wait here, I assure you this wont take long. Voldemort doesn't seem to be in residence. There's a minimal guard up."

Remus took out the small vial in his hand and drained the contents.

Sirius watched with amusement as Remus slowly transformed into the tall, impressively built blond haired Death Eater. "Will you look at that…" He looked amazed.

"Polyjuice, Black… Its very simple you know." Snape said patronisingly. "Follow me Lupin, and look like you own the place, alright? I'm supposed to look up to you so enjoy your brief moment of intimidation."

"I hope you're going to make him kiss your…." Sirius was cut off by Snape's dangerous growl. "Er… lovely wife." He hastily changed.

"See you in a bit, Padfoot." Remus muttered.

"Lucius is looking emotional… this must be a first." Sirius commented as Snape and Remus started walking in the direction of the large castle, the wards temporarily down for their exclusive use.

This was going to be one wait.

Katy Black… this was just for you as you so much insisted that you wanted another chapter….