Lupin was blasted outside, clear of the crumbling house and the fire. The
blood and dust and ash from the fire covered him, and he pushed himself up
onto his elbows, looking at the scene in front of him.
He groaned as he felt the pain in his head, he had no idea how long he had been out. Must have been a long time, he thought. Fires stopped burning.
He paused, going over that thought...
He felt sure hed seen Lana in there. Frowning, he stood up, swaying slightly on the spot.
Pulling his robe off, he looked down onto his right arm. As Lupin looked at the faint red line, about 2 inches long on his right arm, he knew that Lana had been in there.
Lana had saved his life. Sirius had the same little scar on his right arm. Or she had done something to him. And when shed done it to Sirius, she had changed him, some element of him.
As much as he wanted to run inside the house and see if Lana was alive, he knew that he wouldnt be able to bear the sight of yet another one of his friends dead. Sirius had died a month ago; and Lupin had to hold Harry back from going into the Veil after Sirius, when he himself had wanted to do it so much.
Regretfully, he disapparated with a soft pop and appeared in front of 12, Grimmauld Place.
Lupin walked up to the door slowly, in a daze. Later, he would struggle to remember how he did it. Pressing the doorbell and keeping his finger on it, in the distance he heard Moody clunking down the hallway and Mrs Black screeching at the top of her lungs.
Taking one look at Lupins ashen face, and the blood stains all over him, Moody yanked him inside and immediately shouted for Dumbledore.
~*~*~*~*~*~ 4:00pm. 12, Grimmauld Place. ~*~*~*~*~*~
Lupin had quietly told them what had happened, but obviously couldnt fill in why he was alive, or where Lana was. Molly gasped and fussed around Lupin as he spoke.
Dumbledore sent Tonks, Kingsley and Moody to the site at once, knowing that 3 Aurors around an attack site wouldnt seem suspicious.
Molly, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Lupin and a few others were seated in the kitchen for what seemed an age.
Theyd been gone around half an hour when they came back, Tonks walking into the kitchen first, followed by Moody, and lastly Kingsley.
Lupin stood up, looking at them hopefully.
Moody shook his head. "Theres nothing there Remus. Just..Rubble."
"Me and Kinglsey have gotta go into work, Amelias doing her nut." Tonks said, looking at an extremely depressed Lupin.
"Maybe she wasnt even there - " Kingsley began to say, but was cut off by an outburst from Lupin.
"SHE WAS!" he shouted, running a hand through is hair. He licked his lips. "Harrys not to know. Tell him - That shes going to be away for a day or so on business for the Minstry."
Dumbledore looked around the room somberly. "Another one of us has fallen. In the midst of all this chaos - one thing stands clear. We will go on. We will still stand and fight. We have to. We must."
Lupin couldnt hear this. He started walking, well, limping towards the door. "I cant hear this, hear you talk about her like shes dead."
"Remus - " Dumbledore began.
"No. I didnt see her die. But she was there." he paused briefly. "I have to go."
And with that, he walked from the room.
Tonks felt her purple eyes fill up with tears. Lupin was hurting and there was nothing she could do about it. Now was not the time to be asking him out on a date.
~*~*~*~*~*~ THE GHOST ROADS ~*~*~*~*~*~
Lana woke up. She felt kind of...weird. Heavy. Opening her dark brown eyes, she saw blackness all around. A sliver of light came from the moon above.
The Ghost Roads.
Utterly confused, Lana screamed.
And she felt that sensation like she was in water again. Flailing her arms above her, trying to grip something, two strong hands grabbed her. They yanked her out of what Lana assumed was water and placed her, standing up, on the blackness.
Looking around for who it was, Lana saw nothing. She looked down and was shocked at her reflection. A graze covered around half of her forehead, a blood trickle down her cheek. A bruise had appeared on her right cheekbone, and blood matted part of her hair. Going up both of her arms were scorch marks, and she felt extremely tired.
Am I dead? Was her first thought, but she felt something stir in the air, or whatever it was, and she looked up.
She heard footsteps, mutterings. The light from the moon shone down onto the footsteps, or, rather they walked into the moonlight. As they did, his face changed from the mask that Akzaban had created into the youthful man he had been when Lana had "married" him.
Sirius was intent on throttling Lana and giving her a hell of a shouting at in the very least for what he had seen her and Lucius doing. He hadnt seen the boy for a while now, and it was strange for him to be gone for this long. He hated the boy, but not having him around made Sirius uneasy. However, he had managed to drag Lana into the Ghost Roads by himself, and he was happy. Or not.
Lana wondered what he wanted now. She had to get back to Lupin. Save him. Trust Sirius to pull her in at THE MOST inappropiate moment AGAIN. He had to stop doing this. She couldnt take this anymore. Seeing him and then not seeing him.
As he walked over to her, Lana sensed there was something not right with him. His eyes had that same hollow look that Azkaban had given him, and he also got that look about him when he was hurting a lot.
Sirius knew there was something wrong with Lana by the way she was stood. One hand crossed across her stomach, holding onto the other arm, which was slack at her side. She looked like she was ready to collapse at any second. Hed also learned that if you stayed in the Ghost Roads for too long, you didnt get back...That youd die. He was sort of hoping to keep Lana here for too long, then immediately hated himself for even thinking that.
Lana couldnt wait any longer - She had to get back to Lupin, and get back to her body - she was in a burning building for christ sakes! Limping slightly, she started walking towards him, stepping into the moonlight herself.
"Sirius, I dont have time for this. Lupins been attacked, my bodys in a burning building, Im going to DIE if you dont let me go - " she paused, staring at Sirius' eyes, wondering what was going through his mind, and suddenly, she thought - "dying doesnt seem like such a bad idea."
Sirius stared at Lana. She was bleeding from her head, limping, covered in dust and blood, and not all of the blood was hers - it was Moonys. All the anger he felt at her almost disappeared.
"Theres been an attack?" Sirius asked, voice dry.
"No shit sherlock." Lana said, sarcastically.
"What happened?" he continued, ignoring Lanas sarcasm.
Rolling her eyes, Lana took a deep breath. "I was at work. I got a tip-off and went straight to Moonys. There was the Dark Mark above the house, and the garden was blown to bits. Lupin was lying in the rubble, I was hit by a lot of echoes. I went over to Lupin, then Voldemort decided to pay a visit. Lucius hit Lupin with the Cruciatus curse, I flung myself at Lucius, my powers and temper flared, caused a fire, Voldy and Lucius went bye byez, I healed Lupin somehow, caused an explosion, couldnt get rid of the fire, got flung across the room and through the wall, then BAM, Im here again."
Sirius struggled to take all the information in. A few things sunk in - Lucius, Lupin healed, Voldemort, Lana flung through a wall. "I hate it when you do that." he said quietly.
"Do what?" an exasparated Lana said.
"Talk to me like youre de-briefing your Aurors. Its annoying."
Lana frowned. "I do that?...Sorry." she said, meaning it, but shrugging. "So you see, I have to - " she paused, staring into those dark brown eyes.
Not knowing what to do or say, Sirius was torn as usual. He hated being torn. He looked at Lana, and he suddenly realised something.
"You dont care." he said softly.
"About what?" she asked impatiently, on the brink of tears, knowing that Sirius had clicked onto something.
"Whether you live or die." Sirius leaned forward and grabbed Lana by the hands, pulling her towards him. "Whats really up with you?"
"Nothing," she said, pulling her hands out of Sirius'. "Im fine."
"Dont lie to me." he said, reaching for her hands again.
Tears were building up even more, and she started tapping her foot, like tapping her foot would release the tears. When Sirius took her hands, his touch melted her and the tears fell.
"You have to...To stop doing this." she said, "Bringing me here....I just..I cant.."
Shaking Sirius away from her, she wiped the tears from her face, cursing herself under her breath. It was as hard for him as it was for her, it had to be.
Sirius pitied her, he knew how she was feeling, because he was feeling it too. But still, something burned inside his soul. "Why dont you just call around at Lucius Malfoys if youre THAT lonely."
Lana stared, a few more tears falling. "What?"
"You know what I mean," Sirius heard himself saying, coldly. Part of him couldnt believe he was being so cold towards his soul mate - the one woman in the world who meant everything to him.
"No, I really dont." said Lana, stepping towards him, wearing a confused expression.
Shaking his head, Sirius avoided looking at her. "You know what I mean."
"No, I dont. Why dont you explain it to me?" she asked, her voice rising.
"I - I -" Sirius didnt want to think about what Lana had done, never mind say it. He had seen her, and here she was, lying to his face!
"Do you know something?" Lana asked, not bothering to wait for an answer. "You know when we were bound together? Soul to soul? Person to person? Heart to heart? That bound me to you, and you to me. I would never - " and then she stopped. Knowing she was lying outright, that only a few hours ago she had been with Lupin, she stopped speaking.
Sirius looked at her, saw that flicker in her eyes that meant she was lying, and something inside him snapped. He slapped her hard across the face.
He left a red hand print on her face, over the the bruise.
Her shocked face and hurt eyes said it all.
Sirius snapped back to his senses and started apologising - "Lana Im sorry, I dont, Im sorry, I didnt mean I just - "
"You just what, Sirius? You just what? Snapped?" Lanas hand crept up to the side of her face. "Youre just like him. Youre just like your fucking father."
Sirius was in turmoil. He didnt know what to do or what to say. And the worst thing was - she was right. His father beat his mother. And he, Sirius, just slapped the love of his life. And death.
Lana stared at Sirius. "I cant believe you just did that." Tears fell from her face, and an odd thought occured to her -
"What do you do when the only person who can make you stop crying is the person who made you cry?" she said outloud, looking at Sirius.
They were standing no more than a foot away from each other. Both in varying amounts of physical and emotional pain.
"I love you." Lana said quietly, her voice breaking slightly.
Sirius said nothing. He merely looked at her.
"I love you dammit," Lana said. "Well say something..Anything."
"Sirius" she said, tears falling, heart breaking "Say something."
"Go." he said, not looking at her. "Just go."
He groaned as he felt the pain in his head, he had no idea how long he had been out. Must have been a long time, he thought. Fires stopped burning.
He paused, going over that thought...
He felt sure hed seen Lana in there. Frowning, he stood up, swaying slightly on the spot.
Pulling his robe off, he looked down onto his right arm. As Lupin looked at the faint red line, about 2 inches long on his right arm, he knew that Lana had been in there.
Lana had saved his life. Sirius had the same little scar on his right arm. Or she had done something to him. And when shed done it to Sirius, she had changed him, some element of him.
As much as he wanted to run inside the house and see if Lana was alive, he knew that he wouldnt be able to bear the sight of yet another one of his friends dead. Sirius had died a month ago; and Lupin had to hold Harry back from going into the Veil after Sirius, when he himself had wanted to do it so much.
Regretfully, he disapparated with a soft pop and appeared in front of 12, Grimmauld Place.
Lupin walked up to the door slowly, in a daze. Later, he would struggle to remember how he did it. Pressing the doorbell and keeping his finger on it, in the distance he heard Moody clunking down the hallway and Mrs Black screeching at the top of her lungs.
Taking one look at Lupins ashen face, and the blood stains all over him, Moody yanked him inside and immediately shouted for Dumbledore.
~*~*~*~*~*~ 4:00pm. 12, Grimmauld Place. ~*~*~*~*~*~
Lupin had quietly told them what had happened, but obviously couldnt fill in why he was alive, or where Lana was. Molly gasped and fussed around Lupin as he spoke.
Dumbledore sent Tonks, Kingsley and Moody to the site at once, knowing that 3 Aurors around an attack site wouldnt seem suspicious.
Molly, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Lupin and a few others were seated in the kitchen for what seemed an age.
Theyd been gone around half an hour when they came back, Tonks walking into the kitchen first, followed by Moody, and lastly Kingsley.
Lupin stood up, looking at them hopefully.
Moody shook his head. "Theres nothing there Remus. Just..Rubble."
"Me and Kinglsey have gotta go into work, Amelias doing her nut." Tonks said, looking at an extremely depressed Lupin.
"Maybe she wasnt even there - " Kingsley began to say, but was cut off by an outburst from Lupin.
"SHE WAS!" he shouted, running a hand through is hair. He licked his lips. "Harrys not to know. Tell him - That shes going to be away for a day or so on business for the Minstry."
Dumbledore looked around the room somberly. "Another one of us has fallen. In the midst of all this chaos - one thing stands clear. We will go on. We will still stand and fight. We have to. We must."
Lupin couldnt hear this. He started walking, well, limping towards the door. "I cant hear this, hear you talk about her like shes dead."
"Remus - " Dumbledore began.
"No. I didnt see her die. But she was there." he paused briefly. "I have to go."
And with that, he walked from the room.
Tonks felt her purple eyes fill up with tears. Lupin was hurting and there was nothing she could do about it. Now was not the time to be asking him out on a date.
~*~*~*~*~*~ THE GHOST ROADS ~*~*~*~*~*~
Lana woke up. She felt kind of...weird. Heavy. Opening her dark brown eyes, she saw blackness all around. A sliver of light came from the moon above.
The Ghost Roads.
Utterly confused, Lana screamed.
And she felt that sensation like she was in water again. Flailing her arms above her, trying to grip something, two strong hands grabbed her. They yanked her out of what Lana assumed was water and placed her, standing up, on the blackness.
Looking around for who it was, Lana saw nothing. She looked down and was shocked at her reflection. A graze covered around half of her forehead, a blood trickle down her cheek. A bruise had appeared on her right cheekbone, and blood matted part of her hair. Going up both of her arms were scorch marks, and she felt extremely tired.
Am I dead? Was her first thought, but she felt something stir in the air, or whatever it was, and she looked up.
She heard footsteps, mutterings. The light from the moon shone down onto the footsteps, or, rather they walked into the moonlight. As they did, his face changed from the mask that Akzaban had created into the youthful man he had been when Lana had "married" him.
Sirius was intent on throttling Lana and giving her a hell of a shouting at in the very least for what he had seen her and Lucius doing. He hadnt seen the boy for a while now, and it was strange for him to be gone for this long. He hated the boy, but not having him around made Sirius uneasy. However, he had managed to drag Lana into the Ghost Roads by himself, and he was happy. Or not.
Lana wondered what he wanted now. She had to get back to Lupin. Save him. Trust Sirius to pull her in at THE MOST inappropiate moment AGAIN. He had to stop doing this. She couldnt take this anymore. Seeing him and then not seeing him.
As he walked over to her, Lana sensed there was something not right with him. His eyes had that same hollow look that Azkaban had given him, and he also got that look about him when he was hurting a lot.
Sirius knew there was something wrong with Lana by the way she was stood. One hand crossed across her stomach, holding onto the other arm, which was slack at her side. She looked like she was ready to collapse at any second. Hed also learned that if you stayed in the Ghost Roads for too long, you didnt get back...That youd die. He was sort of hoping to keep Lana here for too long, then immediately hated himself for even thinking that.
Lana couldnt wait any longer - She had to get back to Lupin, and get back to her body - she was in a burning building for christ sakes! Limping slightly, she started walking towards him, stepping into the moonlight herself.
"Sirius, I dont have time for this. Lupins been attacked, my bodys in a burning building, Im going to DIE if you dont let me go - " she paused, staring at Sirius' eyes, wondering what was going through his mind, and suddenly, she thought - "dying doesnt seem like such a bad idea."
Sirius stared at Lana. She was bleeding from her head, limping, covered in dust and blood, and not all of the blood was hers - it was Moonys. All the anger he felt at her almost disappeared.
"Theres been an attack?" Sirius asked, voice dry.
"No shit sherlock." Lana said, sarcastically.
"What happened?" he continued, ignoring Lanas sarcasm.
Rolling her eyes, Lana took a deep breath. "I was at work. I got a tip-off and went straight to Moonys. There was the Dark Mark above the house, and the garden was blown to bits. Lupin was lying in the rubble, I was hit by a lot of echoes. I went over to Lupin, then Voldemort decided to pay a visit. Lucius hit Lupin with the Cruciatus curse, I flung myself at Lucius, my powers and temper flared, caused a fire, Voldy and Lucius went bye byez, I healed Lupin somehow, caused an explosion, couldnt get rid of the fire, got flung across the room and through the wall, then BAM, Im here again."
Sirius struggled to take all the information in. A few things sunk in - Lucius, Lupin healed, Voldemort, Lana flung through a wall. "I hate it when you do that." he said quietly.
"Do what?" an exasparated Lana said.
"Talk to me like youre de-briefing your Aurors. Its annoying."
Lana frowned. "I do that?...Sorry." she said, meaning it, but shrugging. "So you see, I have to - " she paused, staring into those dark brown eyes.
Not knowing what to do or say, Sirius was torn as usual. He hated being torn. He looked at Lana, and he suddenly realised something.
"You dont care." he said softly.
"About what?" she asked impatiently, on the brink of tears, knowing that Sirius had clicked onto something.
"Whether you live or die." Sirius leaned forward and grabbed Lana by the hands, pulling her towards him. "Whats really up with you?"
"Nothing," she said, pulling her hands out of Sirius'. "Im fine."
"Dont lie to me." he said, reaching for her hands again.
Tears were building up even more, and she started tapping her foot, like tapping her foot would release the tears. When Sirius took her hands, his touch melted her and the tears fell.
"You have to...To stop doing this." she said, "Bringing me here....I just..I cant.."
Shaking Sirius away from her, she wiped the tears from her face, cursing herself under her breath. It was as hard for him as it was for her, it had to be.
Sirius pitied her, he knew how she was feeling, because he was feeling it too. But still, something burned inside his soul. "Why dont you just call around at Lucius Malfoys if youre THAT lonely."
Lana stared, a few more tears falling. "What?"
"You know what I mean," Sirius heard himself saying, coldly. Part of him couldnt believe he was being so cold towards his soul mate - the one woman in the world who meant everything to him.
"No, I really dont." said Lana, stepping towards him, wearing a confused expression.
Shaking his head, Sirius avoided looking at her. "You know what I mean."
"No, I dont. Why dont you explain it to me?" she asked, her voice rising.
"I - I -" Sirius didnt want to think about what Lana had done, never mind say it. He had seen her, and here she was, lying to his face!
"Do you know something?" Lana asked, not bothering to wait for an answer. "You know when we were bound together? Soul to soul? Person to person? Heart to heart? That bound me to you, and you to me. I would never - " and then she stopped. Knowing she was lying outright, that only a few hours ago she had been with Lupin, she stopped speaking.
Sirius looked at her, saw that flicker in her eyes that meant she was lying, and something inside him snapped. He slapped her hard across the face.
He left a red hand print on her face, over the the bruise.
Her shocked face and hurt eyes said it all.
Sirius snapped back to his senses and started apologising - "Lana Im sorry, I dont, Im sorry, I didnt mean I just - "
"You just what, Sirius? You just what? Snapped?" Lanas hand crept up to the side of her face. "Youre just like him. Youre just like your fucking father."
Sirius was in turmoil. He didnt know what to do or what to say. And the worst thing was - she was right. His father beat his mother. And he, Sirius, just slapped the love of his life. And death.
Lana stared at Sirius. "I cant believe you just did that." Tears fell from her face, and an odd thought occured to her -
"What do you do when the only person who can make you stop crying is the person who made you cry?" she said outloud, looking at Sirius.
They were standing no more than a foot away from each other. Both in varying amounts of physical and emotional pain.
"I love you." Lana said quietly, her voice breaking slightly.
Sirius said nothing. He merely looked at her.
"I love you dammit," Lana said. "Well say something..Anything."
"Sirius" she said, tears falling, heart breaking "Say something."
"Go." he said, not looking at her. "Just go."
