Chapter 37
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I love you wonderful reviewing people ( yes, yes I do
Song of the Update: In Flames - "Free Fall"
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Remus returned to a scene that was as silent as he'd ever seen. A low mist hung over the room, with dead bodies carelessly strewn over the floor, the crescent moon high in the sky through the window.
The chair that had seated Voldemort was ominously empty. Remus frowned, he had only left for a brief minute at the most, it seemed unlikely that such carnage could happen in such a small time. But it seemed that it had.
Remus knelt down beside a face down body and rolled it over with a small gasp. Sirius.
"Realistic isn't it."
Remus looked up towards the origin of the voice and saw exactly whom he expected it to be. "Draezyc, what happened?"
"Powerful magic." Draezyc slunk out of her corner and walked towards Remus. "Voldemort decided this was not the time for the battle, and in effect, paused the action, leaving only the alive Death Eaters to roam freely, and leave."
"He's not dead?" Remus pulled Sirius onto his back, and stared into the blank expression on his friend's face.
"Not in the slightest, he can see you and hear you, but cannot move until the spell is reversed or counteracted." Draezyc shrugged, "You got her away safely?"
"No thanks to you, she's badly hurt." Remus muttered
"It had to look realistic to Voldemort, I hope you realise."
"Did you have to hurt her quite so badly?"
"Honestly? To keep in step with my reputation, yes." Draezyc saw Remus' helpless expression, "No, I can't change what Voldemort has done here, it is not in my interests to do so because my cover will be blown."
"Where's Severus?"
"I have a vague idea." Draezyc raised an eyebrow, "Should you even be here?"
"Safety of my friends is paramount. I had to come back, you understand?"
"I might." Draezyc laughed harshly "Mirror, mirror, how far will I go?"
"Is the question that everybody is asking." Remus
"That mudblo. muggleborn girl, Granger. Get her in here, with Potter, i'm sure she will be able to crack it whatever it is."
"What if they come back, the Death Eaters, it's too dangerous to ask such a thing of Potter's friends."
"Well. happy birthday to you lot, the forgotten keys on a wide framed piano, as for myself, I have business to attend to."
Remus looked up and Draezyc had already gone.
~*~
"I hit her. she died. she came back. wasn't her. a double. tried torture."
"Edea, you must be calm, it's alright if you do not remember the specifics at the present time, there is more time for remembrance when you are healed." Remus looked at the floor, "And Sirius will be here soon, he can take care of you."
"Sirius, isn't here?"
"No, but he's alright, he's going to come here as soon as he can." Madam Pomfrey interrupted and pushed Remus out of the hospital wing, "The lady needs rest, not agitation Mr Lupin, may I suggest."
"He is with me, Poppy." Dumbledore smiled wanly from the doorway, "And may remain if he sees fit. I have some words to speak with Remus anyway."
"Dumbledore, I."
"It's quite alright Remus." Dumbledore patted Remus' shoulder, "We are dealing with the situation at this very moment. I believe the Department of Mysteries are involved, they seem to have some information concerning the curse placed upon those who went to battle, yet were cut short inexplicably."
"And Draezyc.?"
"Is with her son." Dumbledore folded his arms in his velvet sleeves "Severus I believe is still in the audience of Lord Voldemort, as his appearance is deemed necessary for our cause."
"Draezyc said you should send Hermione and Harry to solve it, she said they'd be able to do it. But I don't understand, I thought only the person who placed the curse could undo it."
Dumbeldore sat Remus down on a spare bed, "Exactly, Draezyc was quite right to suggest Potter and Miss Granger, can you not think why?"
Remus hated being asked questions as if it were a simple transfiguration problem and he was still in class as a small boy. And Dumbledore excelled at making people feel small and insignificant at the worst of times.
"Because. of last year?" Remus frowned. then it dawned upon him "Because Voldemort used Harry's blood to regenerate so they're made of the same substance, and their wands are brothers so the curse could easily be fooled."
"You are correct, Remus." Dumbledore laughed quietly, aware of the sleeping occupants in surrounding beds "And I think you are well aware of Hermione's extraordinary talents in theoretical fields."
"She can help Harry work out what the curse was." Remus nodded, understanding, he stopped short when he saw the grave face of Dumbledore.
"It is not a small matter by any means that as soon as Edea is up again, she will be at the throat of the Snapes, especially that of Draezyc, for it is she who Edea blames."
"Can't you make her see sense?" Remus asked
"I can hardly do everything, though my reputation states otherwise it would seem." Dumbledore shook his head with a mournful expression "And I am an old man, I cannot be around forever."
"You shouldn't talk like that." Remus replied quickly. "People rely on you for their guidance, of course it will be difficult when you are gone, but whilst you are still here, long may it be, don't spread such things."
Remus looked across at the empty bed on the other side of the room and found it hard to imagine even such a bed without the presence of Dumbledore somewhere in the castle, such a strong powerful and comforting presence to bind the inhabitants together and keep safe from panic and danger. Never had there been such a dedicated headmaster of Hogwarts, and now that dedication was going to be consumed by the struggle against Voldemort, once again.
"Come, let me get you a crumpet or two, you need it after your ordeal today, and by the time we have finished, everyone will be returned and in the safe care of Madam Pomfrey."
Remus dutifully followed Dumbledore out of the Hospital wing and along the cold corridors towards Dumbledore's office. For such a beautiful daybreak he could see through the windows, he prospect had never looked so bleak.
TBC
Remus returned to a scene that was as silent as he'd ever seen. A low mist hung over the room, with dead bodies carelessly strewn over the floor, the crescent moon high in the sky through the window.
The chair that had seated Voldemort was ominously empty. Remus frowned, he had only left for a brief minute at the most, it seemed unlikely that such carnage could happen in such a small time. But it seemed that it had.
Remus knelt down beside a face down body and rolled it over with a small gasp. Sirius.
"Realistic isn't it."
Remus looked up towards the origin of the voice and saw exactly whom he expected it to be. "Draezyc, what happened?"
"Powerful magic." Draezyc slunk out of her corner and walked towards Remus. "Voldemort decided this was not the time for the battle, and in effect, paused the action, leaving only the alive Death Eaters to roam freely, and leave."
"He's not dead?" Remus pulled Sirius onto his back, and stared into the blank expression on his friend's face.
"Not in the slightest, he can see you and hear you, but cannot move until the spell is reversed or counteracted." Draezyc shrugged, "You got her away safely?"
"No thanks to you, she's badly hurt." Remus muttered
"It had to look realistic to Voldemort, I hope you realise."
"Did you have to hurt her quite so badly?"
"Honestly? To keep in step with my reputation, yes." Draezyc saw Remus' helpless expression, "No, I can't change what Voldemort has done here, it is not in my interests to do so because my cover will be blown."
"Where's Severus?"
"I have a vague idea." Draezyc raised an eyebrow, "Should you even be here?"
"Safety of my friends is paramount. I had to come back, you understand?"
"I might." Draezyc laughed harshly "Mirror, mirror, how far will I go?"
"Is the question that everybody is asking." Remus
"That mudblo. muggleborn girl, Granger. Get her in here, with Potter, i'm sure she will be able to crack it whatever it is."
"What if they come back, the Death Eaters, it's too dangerous to ask such a thing of Potter's friends."
"Well. happy birthday to you lot, the forgotten keys on a wide framed piano, as for myself, I have business to attend to."
Remus looked up and Draezyc had already gone.
~*~
"I hit her. she died. she came back. wasn't her. a double. tried torture."
"Edea, you must be calm, it's alright if you do not remember the specifics at the present time, there is more time for remembrance when you are healed." Remus looked at the floor, "And Sirius will be here soon, he can take care of you."
"Sirius, isn't here?"
"No, but he's alright, he's going to come here as soon as he can." Madam Pomfrey interrupted and pushed Remus out of the hospital wing, "The lady needs rest, not agitation Mr Lupin, may I suggest."
"He is with me, Poppy." Dumbledore smiled wanly from the doorway, "And may remain if he sees fit. I have some words to speak with Remus anyway."
"Dumbledore, I."
"It's quite alright Remus." Dumbledore patted Remus' shoulder, "We are dealing with the situation at this very moment. I believe the Department of Mysteries are involved, they seem to have some information concerning the curse placed upon those who went to battle, yet were cut short inexplicably."
"And Draezyc.?"
"Is with her son." Dumbledore folded his arms in his velvet sleeves "Severus I believe is still in the audience of Lord Voldemort, as his appearance is deemed necessary for our cause."
"Draezyc said you should send Hermione and Harry to solve it, she said they'd be able to do it. But I don't understand, I thought only the person who placed the curse could undo it."
Dumbeldore sat Remus down on a spare bed, "Exactly, Draezyc was quite right to suggest Potter and Miss Granger, can you not think why?"
Remus hated being asked questions as if it were a simple transfiguration problem and he was still in class as a small boy. And Dumbledore excelled at making people feel small and insignificant at the worst of times.
"Because. of last year?" Remus frowned. then it dawned upon him "Because Voldemort used Harry's blood to regenerate so they're made of the same substance, and their wands are brothers so the curse could easily be fooled."
"You are correct, Remus." Dumbledore laughed quietly, aware of the sleeping occupants in surrounding beds "And I think you are well aware of Hermione's extraordinary talents in theoretical fields."
"She can help Harry work out what the curse was." Remus nodded, understanding, he stopped short when he saw the grave face of Dumbledore.
"It is not a small matter by any means that as soon as Edea is up again, she will be at the throat of the Snapes, especially that of Draezyc, for it is she who Edea blames."
"Can't you make her see sense?" Remus asked
"I can hardly do everything, though my reputation states otherwise it would seem." Dumbledore shook his head with a mournful expression "And I am an old man, I cannot be around forever."
"You shouldn't talk like that." Remus replied quickly. "People rely on you for their guidance, of course it will be difficult when you are gone, but whilst you are still here, long may it be, don't spread such things."
Remus looked across at the empty bed on the other side of the room and found it hard to imagine even such a bed without the presence of Dumbledore somewhere in the castle, such a strong powerful and comforting presence to bind the inhabitants together and keep safe from panic and danger. Never had there been such a dedicated headmaster of Hogwarts, and now that dedication was going to be consumed by the struggle against Voldemort, once again.
"Come, let me get you a crumpet or two, you need it after your ordeal today, and by the time we have finished, everyone will be returned and in the safe care of Madam Pomfrey."
Remus dutifully followed Dumbledore out of the Hospital wing and along the cold corridors towards Dumbledore's office. For such a beautiful daybreak he could see through the windows, he prospect had never looked so bleak.
TBC
