Wow, I got 2 reviews!! That's pretty exciting stuff. J
GISingerJayne—Thanks for the encouragement! I stopped at Chapter Nine because although the ideas are solid in my head, and sketched out into chapters, they need to be fleshed out. Chapter Nine was all I got through before I had to get back to work. Oh, and your wish is my command: I'll push up the content in the later chapters so that it lives up to the rating.
Avestia—Thanks for the encouragement to you too! Yep, I intended it to be funny. My nickname actually is Snarky the Clown (a loving reference, I'm sure) so I can't write anything super serious unless there's a gun to my head. Besides, this is supposed to be a fun fic, right? I'm glad you enjoy it!
Okay, I think I went overboard with the excitement over reviews…on with the show.
I remember when I was first taken back to the Order's headquarters. I'd recovered at Professor Snape's manor for three weeks, until we were fairly sure it wouldn't seem suspicious that I was being released back into the world. When I arrived, it was the dead of night and nearly everyone was sleeping. As we walked toward the house, Professor Snape was summoned by Malfoy. He saw me through the door and left quickly. The house felt…empty. I knew people were there, but it just felt odd. I wandered to the kitchen and saw Professor Lupin sitting at the table, staring into a cup of hot chocolate. He looked up at me and the relief and joy were so evident on his face…I couldn't help but grin at him. It felt like we hugged for an hour. We sat down at the table and he made me a cup of hot chocolate. It was comfortable sitting there…becoming used to a human presence again. Snape somehow didn't count…he felt like…me…in a way. Like we'd become the same person or something.
So sitting with Professor Lupin was nice. He answered all my questions patiently, then, after I'd yawned a few times, offered to sleep on the couch in my room for the night.
"I know it's hard readjusting to the world outside, Hermione. They gave you your own room because they thought you needed space. I'd be happy to sleep on your couch if it made you feel any more comfortable. Space is good, but so is knowing there's someone there to keep you safe."
"Thanks, Professor," I replied softly, smiling. Snape had slept on the armchair in my room as well, mainly because he thought I might die in my sleep if he didn't check on me every few hours. But Lupin was right: I needed the presence of someone who cared to feel at all safe.
"Call me Remus."
He slept on my couch that night and for almost a week thereafter as I got used to being back in the real world.
--An Excerpt from the Recovery Diary of Hermione Granger
Remus was patiently listening to Snape's explanation of what had transpired and desperately trying to control his panic.
"We believe he may have taken her to a place where the moon is particularly powerful. Not necessarily where it is closest to the earth…" Snape trailed off, in his own thoughts.
"Sarai," Remus mused. It made sense; the desert of the white sands. He looked up at Callah and Snape's expectant faces.
"The desert of the white sands. A supposedly mythical place in Egypt. I was told by one of the Pack…back when they were trying to convince me to join a werewolf pack. It's where the moon sets on the sand and it's also the location where the full moon has the most power. Some werewolves think it's sacred…they make pilgrimages there. But I've been hearing in recent years that there's something even more dangerous than the moon at Sarai…of course they think the moon is good," he suddenly looked bitter and angry, "They think it makes them special and more powerful to be werewolves." He stopped suddenly, overcome by fear for Hermione. He'd fought his feelings for her since the summer after her capture, when she'd come across him drunk and crying one night and held him for hours, stroking his hair and murmuring words of comfort, caring for him despite what she'd just been through. That night had been the catalyst: he'd finally acknowledged to himself that he had feelings for her, but it had been a thousand moments before that—moments of courage, friendship, loyalty, and joy that had drawn him to love her. He treasured the nights of laying on the couch in her room, watching her sleep, her face at peace. The nights he spent holding her after her nightmares, when he slept with her in his arms were…priceless didn't even begin to describe it. Not that she could ever know.
"Remus. I know you're in love with her. She's in love with you too, I know the symptoms. Can you find Sarai?" Snape was surprisingly kind. Remus looked at him in shock, and Callah's face was unreadable.
"Yeah, I think if I go to Egypt, I'll be able to feel it. That's what they say anyways. Let's go." Snape and Callah nodded.
Snape stood then turned and wrapped and arm around Callah's waist to steady her as she rose. Remus looked at her in consternation.
"Callah, you should really stay here. You're weak, you might get even more hurt."
"No, I'll end up being useful. I have enough energy to create a considerably powerful shield and use most of my other powers."
"Which ones can't you use?" Snape was practical.
Callah flicked her wrist and a flame ignited at her fingertips before snuffing out into smoke almost immediately.
"We'll try not to do anything that involves setting fire," Remus noted. "You all know the main marketplace in Cairo?" They nodded and all three apparated simultaneously.
I'm so screwed. Hermione sighed. She was pacing the room Malfoy had left her in exactly twelve hours ago. Thirty-six hours. Severus and Callah WILL come through for me. They'll call Remus and he'll know I'm where the moon is strongest and he'll help me. They'll save me. Or I'll think of a way out. I will. I've got to. Dead isn't a good look on me!
She cast at the object impervious window. A bit of magic spewed forth and it was getting stronger. The full moon? It must be. I've never been able to do magic without wands before…of course I've never tried.
Hermione paced some more and her eyes lit on a small vent in the corner. Screw magic. Nothing like good old fashioned ingenuity. She ran over to the vent and wrestled the grate off. A tight fit. Good thing I haven't been eating the Ben and Jerry's lately. Hermione took one last, quick look around the room then ran over and picked up a beautiful decorative letter holder before squeezing into the shaft and using her arms to pull her forward. The letter holder was gripped in her teeth.
Seven taxing hours later, Hermione was looking through a vent out at the world. A very sandy, very hot looking world. Bloody hell, where am I? Desert. So…Africa or America probably. Better get to work then. It took her three tries to move the grate and she fell out ungracefully. For two floors. When she hit the ground, she knew she'd broken at least one bone, probably more. Ribs are smashed. At least two. Ankle feels sprained at the least. Wrists are okay…left index finger's cracked. Not bad for a two story fall. Now I have to pick a direction and hobble. Suddenly Snape's words came back to her. She'd been ready to give up on moving her right knee again when he'd collapsed into the room. He'd been Crucio'd by a rogue Death Eater and was twitching slightly. She'd started hobbling over to him and he'd icily told her to stop and walk properly. Hermione had looked at Snape angrily but before she could say a word, he held up a still twitching hand and said "If you're looking for sympathy Hermione, it's between shit and syphilis in the dictionary."
Go Mya! Move your ass! She stood up and began to move. Hermione had gotten about a hundred yards when she saw or felt, really, a…presence.
"Mmmm…a tasty little morsel all for me…" she turned slowly, cautiously. A man stood in front of her: tall, muscular, and…lupine. Lupine. Lupin. Werewolf! She knew before she saw him move—graceful, boneless, the embodiment of power. She had known Remus was a werewolf too, before she'd done the research…she'd just felt it. Well, she'd felt that something about him was different but she didn't really know what. Well, there it is. And this is how Lucius knew what I was…he had a werewolf with him. Moon witch senses Werewolves. Not exactly a headline, more like common sense. Now let's go for a real headline: Moon witch CONTROLS Werewolves.
With that, she unleashed all of her magic at him, not trying to hurt him or move him, just control him. He wavered.
"You are strong. But I am stronger. I have Lord Malfoy's magic protecting me and you are wandless in the daytime." Hermione didn't let him distract her. She concentrated harder, focusing, and he went to his knees.
She was so busy focusing she never registered the movement behind her and suddenly she was hit with a Crucio.
Hermione screamed and hit the ground, spasming. The werewolf was suddenly on top of her, punching her.
"I'm not allowed to cut you, your blood must be pure, but I can hurt you without cutting!" He looked panicked, wild. He's scared. Scared that a wandless, injured witch can control him by force of will. Well fuck you buddy. She curled up into a fetal ball, trying to survive the pain of Crucio and the beating at the same time. Been through worse. Still going. Dish it out, bastard…curled in fetal ball, where to stash knife? She stuck it into her bra surreptitiously.
"Monsieur Lobo. You will kindly refrain from beating my future queen. And Mademoiselle Cielo. Remove your Crucio, if you please."
The woman pontificated. "My apologies, master, I did not know who she was."
Malfoy came over and lifted her, like a feather. "I do enjoy the spark in you. Do you like my pets? They will be yours when you become my queen." Hermione was shaking from the after effects of the curse.
"Do not fear, my dear one. You really will come to enjoy life," he drawled. Hermione focused on not passing out.
"How can I enjoy life if I'm dead?" She managed.
"You really do fixate too much on that pesky little detail," he murmured in a silky voice. He nuzzled her gently, possessively. "It'll be fun being by my side for eternity…I promise."
Whoo boy.
