Not all of this is mine. In fact Hope asked me how Remus and LaCroix met and I just started mulling that one over for a while (sorry Hope dear, no LaCroix. But I do answer your question, that's something, right?).
JKR invented most of the Wizards and Witches and stuff here, as this is an HP AU but some of it is also from other places. If it's not mine then I am not even trying to make money off of it.
I do not encourage the use of illegal drugs or the abuse of prescription drugs. This is a fanfic.
Now about the House Points… I have yet to get any reviews from anyone who actually told me they were a Ravenclaw or a Huffelpuff As things stood when I posted the Points went:
Gryffindor-40 Points- Frogfoot24 is awarded 10 points for correctly identifying the proper purpose of an Add-Nauseum potion: CapriceAnn is awarded 10 Points for turning her assigned work in on time
Slytherin-80 Points- Sunna is awarded 10 Points for drawing in class (beautiful fic-pics write and I'll send links); RivanKnight is awarded 10 Points for an astute assesment of character (specifically for liking Starch); Hope is awarded 10 points for an insightful paper on the mutability of inactive ingredient substitution; Jemini is awarded 10 Points for an extra credit parchment on the Bottled-fame potion
Ravenclaw-10 Points (Ok so I'm fudging a bit here cause BookofDays didn't leave a note of which House they were affiliated with so I'm just guessing based on the wording of the review) BookofDays is awarded 10 Points for appreciating the delicate art that is fanfic
Huffelpuff- if you reviewed and I didn't count you tell me, or review this chapter and get some points for your House.
Chapter Starts Here:
"Oh." Remus had to take a step to the side to avoid crashing into the man coming down the dungeon stairs, "Sorry, didn't see you there." He had been paying attention to the line of hovering jars that were trying to follow him up the stairs. (Larval Hydras for his Fourth Years to learn the proper methods of detecting and removing the water borne parasites.)
"That's ok," Starch murmured as he passed the slightly distracted man, "it's that time of the month right."
"Excuse me?" Remus stopped again when the words sank in. "What did you say?"
Trying not to laugh he called back, "The name is Starch, and we're only about a week from the next full moon. Is he down here?"
Remus stammered, "Wha- who do you mean?"
"The Other," Starch threw over his shoulder just as he gained the foot of the stairs. "Never mind I'll find him." Looking for a moment at the hall that he shouldn't have been able to see, but could, 'He really has told me this entire place,' the Vampire mused. 'Well the dungeons at least. Obviously I'm only supposed to be able to find my way around down here, he didn't even bother telling me about the Gargoyle door to the Headmaster's office.' Moving with the silence and grace of all Vampires, the occupants of the Potions classroom were unaware of his presence.
"Look," the male sounded less than half-awake, "I have a lot of work to do tonight and unless you can either make sense or keep quiet, I suggest that you find something else to do." He was carefully adding Unicorn tears. One drop at a time, they fell into the murky colored potion and gradually began turning it to a rather cheery yellow.
Watching from the door Starch smiled softly. 'The Human, he calls him Black but I think his given name is Sirius, there was something about him a few years ago…' with a mental shrug at his lack of interest in Wizard news for the past few hundred years, he went back to observing. Both were wearing protective goggles and Dragon-hide smocks, but the Human was wearing a rather annoyed expression while the male was wearing Dragon hide gloves and a look of near catatonic concentration. As though the cauldron he was leaning over couldn't, with a single drop too many, turn the room into a superheated furnace.
"I am being perfectly clear," Sirius rolled his eyes (which looked odd behind the thick goggles,) "I'm just asking how you can be a member of The Order and Snape's lover, he's a Death Eater."
He had decided to work in the classroom instead of his lab because of the spells that were required to properly stabilize the potion. 'It would have ruined every piece of equipment in the lab to have that much framed magic flying about. But having Black talk nonsense while trying to sound like he was being lucid, is enough to make me wish I could rethink my choice.' Even with the sudden bark of a laugh from the doorway and Black's surprised outcry he did not miss a beat in the chant that he was whispering. On some level he was aware of what was going on around him in the room, but his world revolved within the hot vapors that wrapped around him and caused sweat to bead on his exposed skin.
Stepping into the room Starch walked over and sat on the desk next to Sirius', "Sirius Black, am I right?" his tone perfectly friendly.
It took all of three minutes for Sirius to forget that he was talking to an animate dead man. Starch had remembered, from somewhere, that Sirius had a motorcycle and that had started an easy conversation. A conversation that conveniently caused Sirius to forget that he had been interrogating the Garom moments ago.
~
"Nice shades," he commented looking up from the cooling brew. His own blue eyes shone dimly through the protective goggles. "How long are you staying for?"
Starch smirked, "You have no idea how badly you want a beating, do you? Probably just a few hours unless you can find time to get into some trouble…" he trailed off suggestively.
"Go find her and see if she has time tonight. I've just about spent my monthly allowance, but I think if we pool then a trip to the Raven sounds good. Janet has some local band signed for the next couple of weeks." Brushing back the hair that had fallen into his eyes the male returned his focus to the cauldron before him.
At midnight Remus and Sirius found themselves getting ready to head back to Toronto, this time with a Vampire and a female Garom in addition to their now, usual, escort.
Starch was going as is, Black had transfigured himself a black turtleneck and silvery-grey blazer and slacks. Remus had on a black T-shirt that read ~~~I hate my life, can I have yours?~~~ and a pair of heavily pocketed pants that Sirius called cargo's.
"After all that complaining you did about every Vampire in the place brushing their fingers against your neck," Sirius laughed while putting on his mirrored sunglasses, "now you're fine?"
Remus was fussing with the zippers on the thigh pockets of his pants, "I didn't know it was LaCroix's territory." He looked up, "If I had known he was there- I might not have gone, but I wouldn't have been worried."
One pair of bright blue eyes in the lead and another pair at the end of the line they made their way through the halls tunnels and passages. Without a time limit there was no rush and a few detours were taken to skip the Morlock territory. Everything went as before except that when they appeared in Toronto, instead of the Port-booth on the street corner, Sirius and Remus found themselves in a subway station safely underground.
The only person to notice their arrival was an old bum with a faded knit cap. He was huddled up in a pile of old newspapers and rags, he just rolled over and went back to sleep.
Starch stepped out of the glassy phone booth and paced the platform waiting for the other two to arrive. He listened as Sirius tried explaining the idea of underground trains that ran on electricity. "Get back from the Edge," he grabbed both men by the collars of their shirts and pulled them back. A whispery roaring something rushed past and pulled at bits of litter pant legs and the edges of open jackets. "Would you just stay over by the phone? Describe the tracks and if you need to, get him a bloody postcard! But if either of you gets killed before one of them gets here then it's my fault!"
Remus watched wide-eyed as a train breezed past on its way somewhere else. "How do they get where they want to go? Do they make the tunnels move around the way the KKnight bus moves the road signs and stuff?"
"They're here," Starch announced with obvious relief and pointed to the two figures wrapped in matching nearly floor length midnight-green dusters.
"Ready? Sun's down." The female cocked an eyebrow at the three, then jerked her head toward the male who was already heading up to the street level.
A half block from the Raven Starch drew even with the male. As they passed an alley he made a sudden grab for the front of the green jacket and yanked him into the narrow passage. Lifting him high enough so that his boots weren't even close to the pavement he slammed the Male back against the wall, "What the hell are you pulling?!" he demanded.
He had known that Starch was going to make a move, but hadn't quite expected this, now he submitted to the steely grip, his arms hanging loosely at his sides, his feet dangling. "I have no idea what you are talking about." The lie was smooth off his tongue and too obvious to fool the Vampire.
Starch gave the male a little slack then shoved him back against the bricks rougher than the first time, "What are you after here? You're not going to the Raven because you had nothing better to do tonight. Tell me what your goal is, what are you after?!" The female was watching from the head of the alley, the male was making no effort to even defend himself, and until he gave some signal that she should move in, then she was staying put. 'Wonder what the fool thinks he's doing. It's not like Starch is going to hurt him, and they both know it.' But she clenched her hands into fists anyway The half-gloves covered her palms so her nails couldn't bite into the flesh.
"I don't have a target," he looked away, his blue eyes clouding with suppressed fear, " All I'm doing is trying to find a place to hide- away from him, to think for a while."
Grey eyes gained a dangerous red rim as his Vampire strength came into play. Two fists full of lapel, Starch gave him a violent shake that should have rattled his teeth, "Don't play those pop-psyche games with me," he growled, "I have known you too deeply to buy the lies."
"I swear all I was-"
A second, more violent shake and another slam against the alley wall, "I know you can keep your secrets and you won't talk unless you choose. But I also know that you won't strike against me. I will hold you here until the sun kisses my ashes if I have to… and you know I will, if that's what it takes to have the truth from you."
He took several breathes before lifting his left hand and letting it rest, light as a moth, against one of the pale wrists at his throat. Eyes closed his voice, gossamer in the dank air of the alley, "She is ill. The child has wants. I need money." He opened his eyes slowly and luminous blue disks met gleaming red rings, "I can't let her go public, he'll kill the child just to hurt me. I can't access his bank accounts. All I have isn't worth enough to cover the specialists that she needs…"
"No," Starch shook his own head, then shook the male for good measure, but there was no force behind his actions now.
"Not if I sold it," he drew his knees up enough to brace his feet against the wall at his back, "but I can rent it for five-hundred dollars an hour. Starch, if you can think of a better way to get twenty-five hundred dollars in one night, then I'll listen. Otherwise, I'm just running out of time."
He had to look up to match the Other's gaze, what he saw sickened him, "You will not do this," he was mildly surprised to hear the tell-tale lisp in his voice, his fangs had dropped.
Closing off the flood of pale blue light the poured from his eyes he waited for Starch to either give him an alternative or set him back on the ground.
The Other Half Of This Chapter:
The small group approached the Raven one member short. Sirius cast a look back over his shoulder and saw the Vampire point his lighted wand at the pavement, summoning a Knight Cab.
"He has a wand," Remus noted aloud.
"Yah," Sirius faced forward in time to avoid running into the edge of the door the male was holding for them, "He was a Medi Wizard, before."
The music was more like audio torture with a light show, to Remus. He didn't even try to reply to Sirius until they pushed their way far enough toward the bar that talking was possible again. "This is supposed to be a band? Like with music?"
Sirius laughed and waved over a passing redhead, who was balancing a tray loaded with empty glasses, some of which had a suspiciously red residue. "Two healthy glasses of Ogden's Old."
"Before you ask," Remus took a seat at a table that was sheltered from the music by one of the columns, "she is Human. And don't ask again, I don't want a repeat of last time."
Sirius shrugged, "Ok, new topic, how do you know LaCroix?"
Their drinks arrived and they watched the Garoms wander over to the two empty seats at the near end of the bar. Remus took several sips and thought before answering, "In India, in Pradesh just outside of Shimla, he had a small private estate. He had a book that one of his children had found, in Germany I think…" Staring into his drink his voice became ever more distant and he seemed to wander from the topic at hand to another, "It had many dangerous and forgotten things within its pages. A full-blooded Were is immortal and born a Were. They have control over their shifting. A half blooded Were has greatly extended longevity after being bitten, but is at the mercy of the moon." He took another sip and turned the glass in his hand, "I knew of the book and what it was rumored to contain. Eventually I found LaCroix. We made a deal." Finishing his drink he glanced over Sirius' shoulder at the nearly comatose pair, "The Atlantean's used a potion that can't be made now because most of the material used was from plants and animals that are extinct. Garom blood was the main ingredient."
The crowd shivered and the music faltered, Starch let the door swing shut behind him. Combing one hand through his spiked hair he scanned the staring audience. He caught sight of Sirius and Remus and headed for their table, "You haven't been thrown out and you seem to still be alive," he smirked, "I guess that's a good sign." Dropping his messenger bag in an empty seat he passed Sirius and Remus moving to stand at the male's side.
They had been coexisting rather peaceably at the bar, then Starch came over and she could tell that now was a very good time to check on the Humans. Sliding from her stool she left it for the Vampire and took the unoccupied seat at the table, across from Starch's bag, "Hey," she called to a Vampiress who was delivering a pitcher of beer to the next table over. "One Black Ice, and what ever they want." Sirius and Remus made their orders and the woman headed off again. "Do you regret your deal with LaCroix?" she didn't stop scanning the crowd as she spoke to Remus.
"How did you-"
She cut Black off, "Reading lips is far easier than most people seem to think."
Remus' brow furrowed slightly, "I don't really know. I think that's why it feels so weird to be in his territory again."
Blue eyes with fat round pupils focused on Lupin for a moment before going back to the dancers and drinkers, "His territory? You have no sense of the social dynamics of a mix-blooded community do you," she loosed a small laugh. "This might be LaCroix's territory, but he is the Golden Boy here," she nodded in the direction of the male. "Not even LaCroix would give him pause."
@--'---,-------------
When the female left, Starch took her stool, "Do you even know why I've never touched you like that?"
The male did not turn to meet his eyes. Instead he brought his elbows back and propped himself against the bar. Watching the people- Human, Were, Vampire, and others that would need more effort to classify. All he really needed to know was what kind of threat they could pose and the swiftest way of eliminating them.
Starch knew his every move to well to misunderstand, "I'm not going to let someone else…" he had had enough time that his emotions were under control again, but not by much. 'What is there to say that he could understand?' "Here," he placed a muggle envelope, that looked ready to burst, on the counter at his elbow then ordered them both drinks.
Turning swiftly he looked at the envelope for a while before picking it up and, with a glance at his friends face, he opened the flap. He swallowed and set it back on the counter. "I can't let you," he choked out past the knot in his throat.
"And I can't let someone else," Starch grunted back and accepted the drinks.
He picked up his tumbler of Black Ice and swirled it slowly, blindly he snatched up the envelope and stuffed it in a pocket. Taking a deep gulp of the cool colorless liquid he nodded mutely.
Starch caught the movement with the corner of his eye, "Do you understand why I've never touched you like that?"
"No." He stood and pushed against the Vampire's shoulder with his gloved palm, forcing Starch to turn and face him. "I am- willing… it is what you paid for."
"No," brushing off the hand on his shoulder, being careful to touch only the jacket sleeve, Starch shook his head, "This is why I haven't. I love Lenore. But in a different way I love you also. If I had touched you-, you would have submitted out of a sense of debit. And that would have hurt our friendship, hurt you, far more than I could live with."
He couldn't understand but Starch seemed to think it was important, "My master loves me like a son, I can see it in his eyes."
"The world got all screwed up the day I drank you in. You are my son and my father and my best friend," tears were gathering in his eyes staining the world red. "Do you understand why I've never touched you like that?"
Still nothing. He reached out and nearly touched one cool alabaster cheek, "I need the money. Is that wrong?" a silent no, "You gave me the money, is that wrong?" another no, "I owe you what I offered for that money, is that wrong?"
"Yes," he closed his eyes and felt the warmth of the hand beside his cheek. "We are beyond debt and payment. The lines are too old and too tangled."
~
"Go ahead and ask," Starch grinned. They were sitting at the table, the Garoms had drifted into the throng on the dance floor. "We have almost four more hours here and if you get it out of your system you'll be able to relax."
"What's with the hair?" Remus cringed, "That wasn't meant as rudely as it sounded."
Starch ran one hand through his retro mop of hair, "My great grandfather was a dapple-grey Satyr, I inherited his spots."
Sirius mimed fluffiness, "And the cut?"
He almost choked on his drink grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth, "My hair is bristly, I didn't get it cut like this, it just grows this way."
Sirius gave a low whistle his eyes wide behind his sunglasses, "So, it really is genetic."
They all laughed for a moment, then Starch held up a hand to flag down Gina, "Another round if you please little one." Remus shook his head and politely refused. "Well another whatever for the Human and another A Lite for me then," he ordered, (Lite referring to platelet free plasma.) Gina smiled sweetly and slipped through the crowd of patrons. "I lost track of the Other two, Sirius you were watching them right?" Worriedly he searched the masses.
"Yah," Sirius pointed to a thick knot of writhing dancers, "He's over there. It looks like he's dancing with three women and at least one man, maybe two, but it gets hard to tell 'cause Muggle dance is so free form."
"Right," Starch sighed, "and where's the female?"
Remus finally found her because of her distinctive gloves. She was holding her hands above her head and twining her fingers through the air as she turned from one partner to another swaying her hips and whipping her spine as though trying to physically meld with the jarring music.
A large white Raven hopped in as someone left. He tilted his head and flew to perch atop a decorative mask hanging on the wall. Spying his target at a table with two other people he gave a quiet, yet satisfied, croak. The especially high ceiling allowed him enough room to swoop down to the table and drop in front of the sandy-grey hared man. "Remus Lupin," his voice was a bit scratchy, like a person with a very sore throat. Tilting his head he peered at the man with first one eye then the other, "If you are going to cross the sea I would appreciate your telling me so I can hold your mail until you get back!" The bird narrowed its eyes for a moment, in obvious disapproval, then reached into the small pack on his back using his beak. "Here," he flung the letter at Lupin, "Will you be wanting to send a reply? I just happen to be heading that way." (Ravens are known for wry humor and he was obviously no exception.)
"Uh," Remus picked up the letter, "I, uh…" he kept fingering the hemp string that tied the letter closed. He tried to explain to Sirius and Starch, "I think I ought to just read this and, uh…".
"Is this about that girl you've been writing?" Sirius gave his already uncomfortable friend and prying look.
Ducking his head for a second Remus blushed slightly, "Her name is Tala."
"And…" Black was enjoying this.
"And we've been writing for a few weeks," his throat was going dry.
"…and… is she pretty?" Sirius was almost leering, much to his friend's discomfort.
Remus laughed nervously, "Yah, she's beautiful. But come on it's not like anything is-" Sirius' reflective sunglasses did nothing to hide the glint in his eyes. "She's a Were Coyote."
Drumming fingernails sounded on the table at the empty fourth seat. "I don't have an inexhaustible supply of patients," the white skinned white hared white clad young man sighed.
Sirius had been so focused on embarrassing Remus that he hadn't seen the stranger take the seat beside him and his surprise showed. 'What happened to that instinct I've worked up over the past few years? That one that's supposed to tell me I'm being watched.'
Turning too-large red-black eyes to Sirius he gave a thin lipped smirk, and continued tapping his black nails on the table, "Are you going to finish that?" he darted a nod at Sirius' drink.
"Mescaline," Remus looked up from his letter, "don't harass Sirius, and yes I'll be sending back a reply. Just give me a minute, and have some nuts," he pushed over the small complementary bowl of nuts that had been provided for their table.