Moonlit Horizons Denis Eastham Normal Denis Eastham 7 1031 2001-11-05T21:24:00Z 2001-11-05T18:33:00Z 2001-11-06T19:10:00Z 4 2069 11798 home 98 23 14488 9.3821 Print 75 Moonlit Horizons

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In which Remus and Snape discuss "goo"

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Remus didn't know how long he had been waiting, trying to keep Draezyc warm.  It seemed like ages, but was in fact probably only minutes.  Of course, it would have been quicker had we been able to apparate in Hogwarts grounds.

The first person he saw streaking towards him was Snape, looking like he'd just seen death.  Remus had never seen Professor Dumbledore on a broom before.  He looked just as regal as he normally did, although he wore a grave expression.  Snape practically stumbled off his broom, kicking it aside angrily. 

Maybe it's just as well that Sirius isn't here.

"What happened, why's she here? When did you find her?"

I've never heard him babble before.  Quite an experience.  In any other circumstance, it would be amusing.

"Tell me, wolf." Remus found himself being shaken violently by Snape.

"I don't know, if I knew I would have told you by now." Remus pushed Snape away, who had now joined Dumbledore in trying to find out what had happened to Draezyc. "And my name's not wolf."

Dumbledore had conjured a stretcher, and as Remus blinked, the stretcher disappeared, along with Draezyc.

"Uhm.." Remus pointed at the space where the stretcher had once been.

"Oh yes." Dumbledore nodded, "Special Emergency precaution… straight to Madam Pomfrey… It's not quite the same as apparition."

"I… should go… must find Pytheus." Snape frowned, and made his way over to where he had angrily kicked his broomstick, picking it up and muttering to himself as he flew back up to the castle.

"he's deranged," Remus shook his head "Finally gone deranged"

"No.  You didn't see him in July with Fudge." Dumbledore sighed.  "Foolishly decided to show Fudge his dark mark."

"Thus backing my claim that he's gone deranged." Remus shrugged.  "Do you have any idea what happened to her?"

"Theories, all as speculative as each other.  But we have no word from Alastor, so I am presuming he is suffering the same fate elsewhere."

So much for constant vigilance…

"Now, I suggest you try to relax about the issue, Draezyc is in safe hands now, perhaps you should talk to Anna, she's worried about this you know."

"I know, I shouldn't have sent her off to get you like that…" Remus ran a hand through his hair. Must remember to get my hair cut sometime soon, or else I'll end up looking like Sirius in his hippy phase.

"Not just about Draezyc you know." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled slightly.  "Other concerns, I'm not mistaken when I say that you're one of them."

"Me?" Remus sounded incredulous. "Why would she be worried about me?"

"Need I tell you the answer to that?"

It's the full moon tonight.  Perhaps that's why… I have to remind Sirius to keep her away from the shack.  Far, far away.

"Come, you have no broom… I do not wish to make you walk back."

"No, don't worry, I'll be fine, I think I need a long walk… Clear my head." Remus waved of Dumbledore's offer and watched as the ageing headmaster gracefully glided back to the castle doors on his broom, velvet robes flowing out behind him.

God I feel awful… Starting to ache already.  Well, what did I expect, Snape to make the potion again?  I very much doubt it.  Not long, a few hours before sunset, and then just half an hour before transformation… Bones always felt heavier just before… Always felt twice as groggy, almost like a hangover, except you dont suddenly morph into a fully fledged monster when you're recovering from too much drink, even if Sirius insists it feels that way.   Camomile tea, with a hint of mulberry… Always made me feel calmer.  I wonder if the house elves have any in the kitchens.  Perhaps I could met this famous Dobby, Harry was telling me about.  Quite a character.   But elves can always sense a werewolf.  Odd kind of telepathy… They fear me more than Lucius Malfoy on a bad day.  I wonder if a Phaerren can assimilate with a house elf….  Remus grinned mischievously at the image. Maybe not a nice thing to think.  That's what spending too much time around Sirius Black does for you… I haven't heard him sing lately.  Perhaps he's building up to some magnificent performance… god I hope not… bloody awful voice… even if it could knock dead half the female population of Hogwarts at one time.  Really hope he hasn't uncovered Elvis Presley… that would be catastrophic, he already goes ~swish~ and that's bad enough.  Maybe by the time I get back he'll have grown out of his camp phase and have returned to normal… or as close to normal as you can be being Sirius Black.  If he's not I can always incapacitate him with a good lengthy piece of Freud. Not that I even read Freud, but it seems something that might make Sirius whine in pain… or I could just set Snape Jnr on him. 

Remus pushed open the side door into the Hogwarts Kitchens and rolled his eyes when the elves scattered at his arrival.

"Camomile tea?" Remus asked one, who squeaked in shock and ran over to a silver teapot, shakily pouring him a goblet and retreating hastily to her den under the sink.  Remus picked up the goblet and made his way up the stairs into the main building, sipping from the scalding tea.  Damn, forgot about he mulberry, I wont go back, or I'll be sued by the governing committee for traumatising the elf population of Hogwarts Kitchen.  There's a thought… What would I pay them with? Werewolf fleece? Remus was grinning widely to himself and didn't notice the shocked expression on Sirius's face when he walked into the guest room they had been using as a lounge.

"Hey Moony." Sirius was reading an article in the daily prophet. "You know you told me about how Lockheart's on my trail?"

"Mmmhmm." Remus nodded, sitting down in a large winged chair. "After defeating the lurid pink werewolf."

"You'll never guess…"

"You're probably right, so tell me."

Sirius giggled. "Well, Dear old Gilderoy has now told the wizarding world that he knows my exact location, and will be returning my dead body to Fudge any day now."

"And why are you laughing like a little girl?"

"Because… he's gone and told everybody in print, exactly where I'm supposed to be hiding."

"And where is this?"

"Tate and Lyle's sugar factory…. I'm hiding in a sugar factory… I'd be like… on a permanent high." Sirius let out another giggle, tossing the newspaper aside. "That's just so… groovy."

"Groovy?" Remus raised an eyebrow… "What's wrong with your normal vocabulary, have you lost it in the bath whilst you were singing?"

"No, I'm getting used to the times we now like in, ol' buddy ol' pal.  Which means I should call you dude, and go round telling everybody they're 'well out of order'." Sirius grinned.  "Anna was giving me odd looks today.  Methinks she likes me."

Remus almost sprayed his mouthful of tea everywhere. "She most certainly does NOT like you in that way."

"HA!" Sirius jumped up, "I knew it!"

"Knew what?"

"Just said that to see how you'd react, and you fell straight in it… ha!" Sirius grinned widely. "Moony fancies Annnnnaaaaaaa…." He chortled with glee. "Ooooh wait 'til I tell the armour this!"

"You're acting just like Peeves." Remus snarked.

"I know, we're buddies, Peeves and me." Sirius smiled to himself, not noticing that the boots on his feet had started to change form… into fluffy pink slippers… then as he sat down on the table, his trousers changed too, they shrank and turned baby pink, with little snitch patterns.  Sirius hadn't noticed, he was to busy thinking up evil plans, whilst winking at one of the viscountesses in the portraits.

The trousers must have shrunk too tight as Sirius let out a shriek of surprise. "MOONY!" he gaped, clawing at his robes, which were transforming into a putrid yellow tutu. "HELP!"

Remus almost dropped his goblet in shock. "What the hell?"

"Oh yeah, 'cause I so did this to myself." Sirius snapped sarcastically, his jaw dropped in horror as he saw a lock of his hair… "BLONDE." He screamed in outrage. "BOTTLE BLOODY BLONDE."

"It would seem so." Remus had a great deal of trouble in keeping a straight face as he noticed Anna crouching behind one of the ceiling to floor tapestries, muttering something off a piece of parchment. "You clash rather badly. Joined the Lockheart Brigade?"

"No," Sirius whined, then paused. "He has his own Brigade? What kind of wizards are we bringing into the world today."  He tugged at the frills of his tutu. "… It won't come off."

The door swung open and with a faint pop, Sirius had transformed into Padfoot, just in case the intruder didn't know about his present situation, being an escapee and everything.

"BLACK?!?" Snape smirked widely at the now peroxide coloured dog, who now had pink fluffy paws and a bright yellow ruff around its' neck.

The blonde Padfoot beard his teeth in what was supposed to be a menacing growl, had it not been for the fluff and effect of making him look like a strawberry custard pie.

Oh! The ultimate humiliation in front of Severus Snape.  I must congratulate Anna.  Very Marauderesque in talent.

"No, you're spoiling the effect, change back." Snape sat down in a chair, grinning at Padfoot.  "Revenge is very sweet."

Especially as you didn't have to do any of the dirty work.  Not that the work was dirty… I'm confused.

"You know what you remind me of?" Snape leaned back, enjoying watching Padfoot try to claw his fluffy paw-mittens off.  "One of those ridiculous Muggle pastries, with an incredible amount of goo."

"Very descriptive." Remus rolled his eyes,  "You'd have thought, that being a potions master, you'd have other expression, more suitable than simply 'goo'."

"Not in this case.  I think 'goo' fit's just fine."

"Not very scientific is it?"

"Neither is that." Snape pointed a finger at Padfoot.  "You use the terminology relevant to the subject."

"Bloody hell." Sirius transformed back and found his feet stuck firmly to the ground, he tried to move forwards and fell forward.

"Tsk tsk Black." Snape shook his head, still smirking.  "Dumbledore wants to see you, when you're dressed in a more… appropriate attire."  Snape turned to the tapestry behind which Anna was hiding,  "A job well done, Miss Anna."  He turned on his heel and left, smirk still in place.

"YOU!?" Sirius blinked, watching as Anna tried to creep out from behind the tapestry unnoticed.  "You did this?"

"Payback." Anna nodded. "Good don't you think?"

Sirius shifted slightly "Well yes, but that's not the point… how do I get it off?"

"I would have thought, Padfoot, that you were very adept at removing your clothing." Remus smiled slightly, "Or are all those rumours unfounded?"

"Oh no, they were well founded." Sirius grinned, "So modest."

Indeed.

"You er…. Can't" Anna looked slightly worried, "I didn't look for a way to remove the spell, I didn't think it'd work."

Sirius looked as though someone had just told him that all the women in the world had become extinct.

"Well… what is it?" Sirius pointed down at his garb. "What's the charm that makes me look like some Ballet renegade."

"It was the bossy-boots charm, I got told about it by… well it doesn't matter who told me… but the boots basically cast a random charm over the wearer of them to transform their clothing into something that would embarrass them, it's different for different people."

"Finite incantatem!" Remus pointed his wand at the boots.

Nothing happened.

"I can't bloody move." Sirius whined. "I'm going to be stuck here when Snape gets back, I can't get to Dumbledore, and I don't have my duvets…"

"Sirius, you whine like a girl."  Remus shook his head, instantly regretting it, from the headrush he received.  He glanced up at the clock.  Perhaps I should make my way over to the shack, get settled in again.  Try to get a bit of sleep maybe.

"Thank you so much." Sirius grinned.  "Now please… a helpy thing."

"A helpy thing, honestly." Anna rolled here eyes, handing Remus the parchment from which she had recited the charm.

"Now, in theory, we could add a 'finite' in front of that, and it'd be finished.  But I doubt that'd work.  Maybe an 'ex' charm, or a scelestus…." Remus scratched his head, which was dully aching.  "Watch this carefully." He told Sirius. Remus bent down and untied the bootlaces. Tugging, so that Sirius got he hint to step out of them.  The second Sirius had sat back down, his feet now clad in lurid pink socks, everything changed back to normal… except the hair, which remained champagne blonde.

"Ah." Anna muttered. "Well, nobody will recognise you now… You can count that as a plus."

Sirius raised an eyebrow before taking Remus' wand and conjuring up a large hat, cramming it on his head.  "I need to talk to Dumbledore." He murmured, before carefully checking every inch of his robes and walking quickly out of the door.

"You need to stay here when I'm gone." Remus told Anna seriously, "I don't want to risk…"

"Full moon." Anna nodded, "Where will you go?"

"The shack I showed you in Hogsmeade, it will suffice I'm sure." Remus cringed, remembering the last time he'd been in the  shack, with Sirius and Peter.  "But seriously, I want you to stay here, don't come out into the grounds, not even if you see something strange or interesting, stay inside."

"I will, I'll stay here.  Maybe I should go see if Draezyc's alright." Anna sat down.  "You go, you look really ill."

"I feel really ill." Remus smiled weakly.  He took her hand between his. "I'll come back sometime tomorrow lunchtime, probably after a good dose of Madam Pomfrey's supply cupboard."  And that's if I'm lucky. "Babysit Padfoot for me, he needs feeding at regular intervals."

"I will," Anna smiled, watching Remus leave with the calm air that he always carried with him. 

 

Here we go again… And there's no Wolfsbane this time either, I wonder if the wolf will recognise the shack after this time away.  I wonder if he'll remember the hurt and the pain…  I wonder if he'll sense a Phaerren in the area.  If he does, it won't work to Anna's advantage.  This could go badly wrong.  And to think, if I had never strayed away form my father that night, if I had never been marred by my own pride and thoughtless courage…  This is the price I pay.  Will pay until I die.  Will pay thereafter, if there is such a life after death, for one thing is for sure, no werewolf goes to heaven.