Chapter 7: The Dark Mark
Remus awoke searching for Sirius, feeling the soft blankets for his intriguing body. It was early morn, and no birds were chirping.
Remus, befuddled by his lover's absence, searched Sirius' room, eyes partly open, leaning on his slender shoulders. Remus spotted Sirius on the bedroom floor, besides the velvet, onyx colored bed. Dashing from the bed, Remus kneeled to Sirius, startled.
"Sirius? Sirius!" Remus bellowed, horrified by his friends state.
Sirius lay in what seemed like pain and sheer absence, without a drop of life. Remus checked for a pulse on Sirius wrist, located a good beat and relaxed for a few short moments. However, as soon as Remus reached a more calm state of mind, Remus noticed a bright mark upon Sirius' forearm, bearing the image of a large serpent. Sirius' arm looked as if some sort of twisted farmer had branded it. The serpent glowed like bright coals, glowing in the dark. Remus was entranced and completely bewildered and fascinated at the exact same time. Remus did not understand, but had the strong feeling this was the reason for Sirius' unconsciousness.
Within moments the bedroom door opened with a flash by none other than Ebony Black. Mrs. Black stood emotionless, viewing her son, sprawled on the dark floor, drained from his usual self. Half asleep, half, no longer.
Remus had seen her, met her a few times in the past and he feared her for reasons he wasn't entirely sure. His take on Mrs. Black was hazy and unclear, though from Sirius' tales of sheer anger, he began to identify her better. To Remus and from Sirius' vivid descriptions of her outbursts, Remus was greatly reminded of a banshee.
At this moment, he feared the outburst.
Remus was naked, pure and lovely to Sirius, (had he been awake) but to Mrs. Black....
Remus grabbed a sheet from Sirius' bed and tied it around his waist, like a very weak Tarzan, and returning to Sirius' side.
Mrs. Black, still without much emotion, except perhaps curiosity for her son's predicament, noticed her son, and the terror running through Remus.
"Sirius?" Mrs. Black questioned, as if her son simply lie upon the floor to stir her up. Immediately her eyes averted to Remus.
"You, boy what happened to Sirius?" Remus was slightly offended that Mrs. Black seemed to ignore him as a person, and more like a possession or toy Sirius owned.
"Well, I awoke after...." Remus blushed. "Well, after I was sleeping, and..."
Luckily for Remus, Mrs. Black ignored his ramblings and viewed her son some more. Mrs. Black's eyes widen slightly upon noticing the Mark that had entranced Remus. Mrs. Black was familiar with the image blazing on her son's limp forearm, but did not convey her knowledge of it in the least bit. Mrs. Black smiled in awe and absolute pride.
"The dark mark!" Mrs. Black said, gasping slightly. "Not a word boy!" Mrs. Black said, making her words perfectly clear to Remus, not to resist against his curious questions to explore the unknown.
"Mrs. Black, is Sirius going to be all right?" Remus replied after nodding in understanding of Mrs. Black's threat.
"Oh, yes, he will be just fine."
Remus looked sadly towards Sirius, his soul mate; his friend, lover, companion he could never live without.
Remus wished Sirius would awaken, attempting to ignore Mrs. Black's glares.
"Get dressed boy!" Mrs. Black stated, and left her son's chambers with a determined mind, though Remus was unsure of what.
Remus carried Sirius to his bed; as best he could, though quite exhausted after he accomplished lifting him and placing him down.
Still, Sirius lie unconsciousness. Remus worried but proceeded to dress, wondering pensively over her Sirius' condition. Once dressed, Remus kissed Sirius, sweetly on the lips and stared once more before finally departing.
Remus made his way down to the first floor and was startled as a housemaid grabbed his wrist forcefully; leading him away from a quick exit. Remus asked about twenty times where he was being taken, but the maid refused to speak. The maid also refused to show him, her face. It was very unsettling to Remus. All Remus saw was the maid's uniform of black and a white apron.
Upon exiting and entering hallways, Remus and the maid stopped in front of a dark entrance, which seemed to have candles as the only light, illuminating the dungeon- like dwelling of muffled voices. As Remus turned to the maid, he was surprised to notice she had vanished, in a snap like lighting.
Remus stood in a large doorway leading into a dark room with great, golden candlesticks aligning the walls. The walls seemed to be navy blue, with wallpaper of dandies and young women enjoying tea. Remus gasped loudly as the dandies and women moved to each other, and drank the tea, shook hands, and made the gestures of laughing at silent jokes.
A long slender table stood in the center of the room, with many more candles to lighten the room. A tea set, soot in color was placed towards the end of the table were two women sat.
Remus' mother sat towards the end of the shimmering table, with Mrs. Black at the head.
"Enchanted wall paper." Mrs. Black replied to Remus' confusion. "Delighted to see you're dressed." Mrs. Black said, hoping to stir Remus up.
Remus said nothing but turned to his mother who tried to hold unto a grin with much doubt.
"Remus sit down." Mrs. Black voiced flatly.
Remus did as he was hold and sat across from his mother, and next to Mrs. Black.
"Remus, Mrs. Black and I have been discussing schooling opportunities for Sirius and yourself."
"Oh." Was all that crawled out from Remus' tense lips.
"Has Sirius informed you of Hogwarts as of yet?" Mrs. Black questioned with an intense glare. Remus nodded no.
"No? All right then we will have to inform you. Would you care for a cup of tea as we explain some things to you?"
Remus watched Mrs. Black pore tea from a porcelain, soot colored teapot and into a matching cup. Remus wasn't sure why but he didn't trust Mrs. Black at the moment. Hesitant, he took the cup of tea and began to drink slowly.
"Mmmm, this is good! Chamomile?" Remus asked.
"It is, Remus, with honey, among other herbs."
"I like it."
"Remus did you spend the night last night?" Mrs. Black asked getting straight to business.
"Yes, we.....well........"
"We what?"
"Sirius and I, well we....."
"Remus, did you sleep with Sirius?"
"Yes." Remus startled at his honestly just then and a bit perplexed at his own reasoning to say yes.
"Did you partake in sexual acts?" Remus choked on his tea.
"I asked you a question, and I demand you answer me."
"Yes." Remus began to sweat and tried very hard not to look into Mrs. Black's eyes, resulting to her chin and twisted smile. Remus noted his mother's disappointment but couldn't help answer honestly to Mrs. Black.
"Are you too lovers?"
Remus nodded.
Mrs. Black smiled slyly at her weapon of choice- and Mrs. Lupin could not look into her son's eyes at the moment.
Remus felt ashamed and wanted to leave but felt compelled to remain, forced.
"Remus, what did Sirius tell you of Hogwarts?"
"He... he said it was a school for magic, for witches and wizards.... He wants to go."
Remus was very frightened indeed. 'Why did I just admit to all of that?' Remus thought.
"Pondering of your outburst of honestly?"
"Yes." Remus felt jumbled and sheer anger, as he knew Mrs. Black was to blame.
"Well, Remus, I have put Veritaserum into your tea, which is an herb that forces the drinker to tell the absolute truth."
Remus gulped.
Mrs. Black's eyes flickered in defeat. "Yes, it does come very useful for moments like this."
Remus felt lost, alone, and ashamed. He wished Sirius was with him, he wished he left the moment he got dressed and he wished he never accepted the tea. He knew from then on that no drink ever given to him from Mrs. Black was to be trusted again.
"Now, to the main issue. I am placing Sirius at Hogwarts, as you well know this summer. He will study with a professor there until classes begin. Then, he will become that professor's apprentice and continue to study privately. Since he has no magic knowledge and is far behind he will need to stay focused and assertive. Every minute is precious.
Our family, Remus is very powerful in the magical community, it was..... Sirius needs to learn everything he can to gain as much knowledge as he is able.
Upon learning that you were indeed a Lupin I knew at once what a great opportunity this would be for you both. You will proceeded with Sirius on the first of June and remain until the following summer."
Remus couldn't help but feel excited. He wondered if unicorns, centaurs, mermaids, gnomes, trolls, dragons- even banshees—if they all existed. And yet, everything seemed possible now that some sort of truth was reveled. All thoughts of anger evaporated.
However, Mrs. Lupin did not show the same enthusiasm as Mrs. Black or Remus. Mrs. Lupin seemed in a distant place.
"Let's go Remus." Mrs. Lupin said.
Remus walked out of the room first, and said his goodbyes to Mrs. Black. He was still concerned about Sirius, but refrained from questioning, as he didn't wish to push is luck.