Here ya go folks! Chapter Four! Hope you enjoy and thanks to any one who happens to review my work! Luv ya!
Chapter Four: Origins of Evil
The canopy of giant trees blocked out most of the bright afternoon sunlight. "Don't you think we should get a torch?" Jenny whispered.
"No. It'll attract attention," Sirius muttered. They stumbled in the dark for many long minutes. Their footsteps crashed loudly over twigs and leaves. A flock of birds twittered away at the sound. Allison was beginning to think they were walking in circles when Sirius halted.
"There, a clearing." He gestured toward a patch of flat grass dappled with sunlight. The group tiptoed toward it. "Stop!" James hissed. "Get down."
They crouched down swiftly behind a clump of trees. James pointed. A figure walked into the clearing. It moved fluidly about, face and body masked by a long black cloak. A few times, it seemed to stare straight at their hiding place, causing the group to hold their breath until it looked away. It paced slowly for a terrifying eternity, then moved into the very center of the clearing.
"Morsmordre," it said in a clear voice.
A smoky green object materialized from the tip of his extended wand. It writhed in the air before taking the shape of a skull with a snake emerging from its mouth like a repulsive tongue. Jenny smothered a gasp. She wasn't the only one.
Suddenly, another figure, also cloaked, joined the first. The first figure pushed back the sleeve of the other and placed its hand on a mark on the second's forearm.
"Get away!" Sirius whispered frantically. "They're Death Eaters."
James seized Lily's hand.
"Follow me," he urged. "Remus, take Jenny. Sirius, get Allison. Peter, come with us. Meet back at Jenny's house. Now hurry!"
The seven split up. Remus clutched Jenny's elbow, leading her away as quietly as possible. They tripped along in the dark, ears straining to hear the voices in the clearing, which now numbered significantly more than two. Ahead, the McCall house's windows caught the late afternoon sunlight. Its cheery winks appeared so near but Jenny knew they were far from safety. A clear path revealed itself at their feet, providing a clear shot to the house. Jenny squeezed Remus' hand. He nodded. They made a mad dash, hearts pounding, expecting to be seized by the Death Eaters at any moment. Sharp branches clawed out at their faces and clothes.
"Run, run, run," Remus chanted softly.
All at once, they were freed of the forest. Remus pulled Jenny onward toward the house before allowing her to collapse. Both were shaking and Jenny kept mumbling, "Oh my God."
Within moments, Peter, Lily, and James came sprinting over. Lily had a long gash on her arm.
"Allison? Sirius?" Jenny asked.
James shook his head. "I don't know where they are."
Jenny clung to Remus' neck. She was not crying but her face was blotchy.
"Wait here for them," Jenny said. "I'll send an owl to Mum and Dad."
"Right," James said.
Remus put an arm around Jenny's waist, leading her inside. In the kitchen was a cage containing Circe, Jenny's spotted barn owl. Jenny took up a piece of parchment and a quill. With visible effort, she began addressing the letter. Her hands, however, were still trembling. Black ink spilled all over the parchment as her quavering arm knocked over the inkpot.
"Oh dammit!" Jenny sobbed. "Damn it all!"
She found herself crying into Remus' shirt. He smelled faintly of cinnamon and mothballs.
"Shh..." he comforted, patting her back. "I'll write the letter. You calm down."
Remus set Jenny bodily on a chair. She sniffed.
"Thank you," she said.
Remus smiled imperceptibly. "You're welcome."
He quickly dashed off a note to Ministry. This he attached to Circe's leg. The next note was for Jenny's parents. Remus entrusted it to Mrs. McCall's horned owl.
"Do you have any chocolate?" Remus asked Jenny once the owls were off.
"Top cupboard."
In the cupboard was a large bar of Cadbury's chocolate. Remus snapped off a square.
"Eat this," he instructed. "It'll settle your nerves."
"Really?" Much to Jenny's surprise, the sweet chocolate sent warmth to every part of her shock weakened body.
"Feel better?"
"Very much, thanks," Jenny said, indeed feeling much stronger.
Allison and Sirius burst into the kitchen followed by Peter, James, and Lily. Jenny breathed a relieved sigh.
"Is everyone alright?" she asked, scanning their stunned, frightened faces.
"Yeah, just fine," Sirius said breathlessly. "Do you think we were seen?"
"No," said Lily confidently. "We weren't."
"How can you be so certain?"
"I just am."
Allison fell to the floor with a slight groan. She rolled up her pants leg. Crimson blood was seeping through her bandages.
"Ohhh..." she moaned. "Dammit."
Sirius easily picked her up.
"Let's get you cleaned up," he said.
"And you too, Lily," James added.
The four left for the bathroom, leaving Peter at the kitchen table, a sickly shade of green.
"Eat some chocolate," Remus suggested.
"Ugh...chocolate." Peter rushed upstairs to the second bathroom.
Jenny looked worriedly after him. "Peter looks worse than me."
Remus shook his head. "Don't worry. Peter doesn't handle stress very well."
He gently brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. "You're bleeding," he said. Remus withdrew a handkerchief from his pocket to dab at the cut.
"OW, ow!" Jenny grunted through clenched teeth. The tiny cut stung.
"There, it's stopped."
Remus' hand strayed by her face to shyly caress her brown hair. He blushed at his own audacity. Any further advances were stopped by the Apparation of Jenny's parents.
"Jennifer!" Jenny's mother swept her into a crushing embrace. "Are you well?"
"Fine Mum."
She hugged Remus. "And thank you for your post Remus."
"You're welcome Mrs. McCall."
"Are the Death Eaters still in the forest?" Mr. McCall asked. He was a tall muscular man from whom Jenny had inherited her long face and thin frame. "Are your friends safe?" "We're fine. Lily and Allison are in the bathroom fixing up cuts. And yeah, the Death Eaters are still in the forest as far as we can gather," Jenny answered.
"Explain exactly what happened," ordered Mr. McCall, who was pacing around the kitchen table.
Jenny told him the story of their close encounter, including every detail. Remus listened without interrupting, trying desperately to ignore the longing to kiss her that had knotted itself in his stomach. When Jenny was done speaking, Mr. and Mrs. McCall exchanged dark looks.
"It's not safe here any longer," Mrs. McCall said. "We'll move immediately."
Jenny stood up quickly. "But Mum-"
"No buts Jenny!" she said a bit shrilly. "Get packed. Remus, perhaps you and your father would feel safer elsewhere?"
"School starts soon and Dad won't move away, I'm sure," Remus said. "We'll be fine."
Sirius entered the kitchen jauntily, arm around Allison's waist.
"Oh, hullo Mr. and Mrs. McCall," he said, apparently surprised.
"Hello," Allison greeted.
Lily and James followed, Lily looking distinctly disgruntled. "Hello everyone," Mr. McCall nodded with a sharp tip of the head. "Perhaps you should all go home."
"Surely you won't be staying here!" Lily exclaimed. "It's unsafe."
"No, we're moving," Jenny said glumly.
James tousled his hair with an air of concern. "Where to?"
"Mr. Culvers has a home in London," Mrs. McCall answered, as she busily directed scrolls of parchment into a capacious briefcase.
"Mr. Culvers? Isn't he your boss, Jen?"
"Yeah. He's my great-uncle as well."
"Well, that's nice," Sirius said. "I ought to go. I'm spending the weekend with Mum. See you at Platform 9 3/4?"
Sirius had left home at age 16 to move in with James, whose parents were much more tolerant than Sirius'. Every few months he dropped by the dismal Black house though in his own words, "God knew why."
Jenny kissed Sirius on the cheek and she thanked him for all he had done that day. With a short wave and a warm hug for Allison, he Disapparated.
One by one, Jenny's friends wished her good luck, then vanished home. Peter trudged downstairs shortly after Lily departed. His peaky face was tinged light green, but he managed a goodbye and stumbled out the door to sprint all the way home. Remus was last to go.
"Jen, I'm upstairs to pack," Mrs. McCall said. "Hurry up."
"Right Mum."
Upstairs, the clattering of books could be heard as Mr. McCall hastily packed his favorite Muggle novels.
Jenny wrapped her arms around Remus' shoulders with a deep sigh.
"Thank you so much Remus," she murmured into his hair. "You can't know how much your support means to me. And all..."
"I think I do," Remus replied sincerely.
"I know you said...you could never fall in love because of what you you maybe?" Jenny looked up hopefully, her eyes implying what she had not said.
"Jenny, it would ruin your life. I can never be accepted in the world and I don't wish that isolation on anyone. If you...you'd be labeled as the werewolf's...It would be difficult for you. I couldn't bear to be the source of your unhappiness," Remus said, all the while watching tears fill Jenny's eyes. "I've loved you since fifth year when you helped me study for O.W.L.s and we got almost all 'Outstandings.' You keep me sane even though I'm sure my transformations will drive me crazy. I love you, Jen and that's why we mustn't be together. I'll destroy all you've worked so hard to build."
Jenny was crying harder now.
"Don't you understand?" Jenny wept. "I love you too and I'll let everything I've ever had crumble at my feet just to have you with me. I need you so much, Remus. Forget what you are! It doesn't matter to me. You're a wonderful human being. I love you so, Remus. I love you."
"I wish it didn't matter..."
"It doesn't have to."
Remus held her tightly to him and kissed Jenny's upturned face.
"I love you Jenny," he whispered. "If you're willing to make that sacrifice, then I suppose I am too. Be mine forever."
Jenny smiled, resting her cheek against his. "I always have been."
Review? Please? Thank you!
Chapter Four: Origins of Evil
The canopy of giant trees blocked out most of the bright afternoon sunlight. "Don't you think we should get a torch?" Jenny whispered.
"No. It'll attract attention," Sirius muttered. They stumbled in the dark for many long minutes. Their footsteps crashed loudly over twigs and leaves. A flock of birds twittered away at the sound. Allison was beginning to think they were walking in circles when Sirius halted.
"There, a clearing." He gestured toward a patch of flat grass dappled with sunlight. The group tiptoed toward it. "Stop!" James hissed. "Get down."
They crouched down swiftly behind a clump of trees. James pointed. A figure walked into the clearing. It moved fluidly about, face and body masked by a long black cloak. A few times, it seemed to stare straight at their hiding place, causing the group to hold their breath until it looked away. It paced slowly for a terrifying eternity, then moved into the very center of the clearing.
"Morsmordre," it said in a clear voice.
A smoky green object materialized from the tip of his extended wand. It writhed in the air before taking the shape of a skull with a snake emerging from its mouth like a repulsive tongue. Jenny smothered a gasp. She wasn't the only one.
Suddenly, another figure, also cloaked, joined the first. The first figure pushed back the sleeve of the other and placed its hand on a mark on the second's forearm.
"Get away!" Sirius whispered frantically. "They're Death Eaters."
James seized Lily's hand.
"Follow me," he urged. "Remus, take Jenny. Sirius, get Allison. Peter, come with us. Meet back at Jenny's house. Now hurry!"
The seven split up. Remus clutched Jenny's elbow, leading her away as quietly as possible. They tripped along in the dark, ears straining to hear the voices in the clearing, which now numbered significantly more than two. Ahead, the McCall house's windows caught the late afternoon sunlight. Its cheery winks appeared so near but Jenny knew they were far from safety. A clear path revealed itself at their feet, providing a clear shot to the house. Jenny squeezed Remus' hand. He nodded. They made a mad dash, hearts pounding, expecting to be seized by the Death Eaters at any moment. Sharp branches clawed out at their faces and clothes.
"Run, run, run," Remus chanted softly.
All at once, they were freed of the forest. Remus pulled Jenny onward toward the house before allowing her to collapse. Both were shaking and Jenny kept mumbling, "Oh my God."
Within moments, Peter, Lily, and James came sprinting over. Lily had a long gash on her arm.
"Allison? Sirius?" Jenny asked.
James shook his head. "I don't know where they are."
Jenny clung to Remus' neck. She was not crying but her face was blotchy.
"Wait here for them," Jenny said. "I'll send an owl to Mum and Dad."
"Right," James said.
Remus put an arm around Jenny's waist, leading her inside. In the kitchen was a cage containing Circe, Jenny's spotted barn owl. Jenny took up a piece of parchment and a quill. With visible effort, she began addressing the letter. Her hands, however, were still trembling. Black ink spilled all over the parchment as her quavering arm knocked over the inkpot.
"Oh dammit!" Jenny sobbed. "Damn it all!"
She found herself crying into Remus' shirt. He smelled faintly of cinnamon and mothballs.
"Shh..." he comforted, patting her back. "I'll write the letter. You calm down."
Remus set Jenny bodily on a chair. She sniffed.
"Thank you," she said.
Remus smiled imperceptibly. "You're welcome."
He quickly dashed off a note to Ministry. This he attached to Circe's leg. The next note was for Jenny's parents. Remus entrusted it to Mrs. McCall's horned owl.
"Do you have any chocolate?" Remus asked Jenny once the owls were off.
"Top cupboard."
In the cupboard was a large bar of Cadbury's chocolate. Remus snapped off a square.
"Eat this," he instructed. "It'll settle your nerves."
"Really?" Much to Jenny's surprise, the sweet chocolate sent warmth to every part of her shock weakened body.
"Feel better?"
"Very much, thanks," Jenny said, indeed feeling much stronger.
Allison and Sirius burst into the kitchen followed by Peter, James, and Lily. Jenny breathed a relieved sigh.
"Is everyone alright?" she asked, scanning their stunned, frightened faces.
"Yeah, just fine," Sirius said breathlessly. "Do you think we were seen?"
"No," said Lily confidently. "We weren't."
"How can you be so certain?"
"I just am."
Allison fell to the floor with a slight groan. She rolled up her pants leg. Crimson blood was seeping through her bandages.
"Ohhh..." she moaned. "Dammit."
Sirius easily picked her up.
"Let's get you cleaned up," he said.
"And you too, Lily," James added.
The four left for the bathroom, leaving Peter at the kitchen table, a sickly shade of green.
"Eat some chocolate," Remus suggested.
"Ugh...chocolate." Peter rushed upstairs to the second bathroom.
Jenny looked worriedly after him. "Peter looks worse than me."
Remus shook his head. "Don't worry. Peter doesn't handle stress very well."
He gently brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. "You're bleeding," he said. Remus withdrew a handkerchief from his pocket to dab at the cut.
"OW, ow!" Jenny grunted through clenched teeth. The tiny cut stung.
"There, it's stopped."
Remus' hand strayed by her face to shyly caress her brown hair. He blushed at his own audacity. Any further advances were stopped by the Apparation of Jenny's parents.
"Jennifer!" Jenny's mother swept her into a crushing embrace. "Are you well?"
"Fine Mum."
She hugged Remus. "And thank you for your post Remus."
"You're welcome Mrs. McCall."
"Are the Death Eaters still in the forest?" Mr. McCall asked. He was a tall muscular man from whom Jenny had inherited her long face and thin frame. "Are your friends safe?" "We're fine. Lily and Allison are in the bathroom fixing up cuts. And yeah, the Death Eaters are still in the forest as far as we can gather," Jenny answered.
"Explain exactly what happened," ordered Mr. McCall, who was pacing around the kitchen table.
Jenny told him the story of their close encounter, including every detail. Remus listened without interrupting, trying desperately to ignore the longing to kiss her that had knotted itself in his stomach. When Jenny was done speaking, Mr. and Mrs. McCall exchanged dark looks.
"It's not safe here any longer," Mrs. McCall said. "We'll move immediately."
Jenny stood up quickly. "But Mum-"
"No buts Jenny!" she said a bit shrilly. "Get packed. Remus, perhaps you and your father would feel safer elsewhere?"
"School starts soon and Dad won't move away, I'm sure," Remus said. "We'll be fine."
Sirius entered the kitchen jauntily, arm around Allison's waist.
"Oh, hullo Mr. and Mrs. McCall," he said, apparently surprised.
"Hello," Allison greeted.
Lily and James followed, Lily looking distinctly disgruntled. "Hello everyone," Mr. McCall nodded with a sharp tip of the head. "Perhaps you should all go home."
"Surely you won't be staying here!" Lily exclaimed. "It's unsafe."
"No, we're moving," Jenny said glumly.
James tousled his hair with an air of concern. "Where to?"
"Mr. Culvers has a home in London," Mrs. McCall answered, as she busily directed scrolls of parchment into a capacious briefcase.
"Mr. Culvers? Isn't he your boss, Jen?"
"Yeah. He's my great-uncle as well."
"Well, that's nice," Sirius said. "I ought to go. I'm spending the weekend with Mum. See you at Platform 9 3/4?"
Sirius had left home at age 16 to move in with James, whose parents were much more tolerant than Sirius'. Every few months he dropped by the dismal Black house though in his own words, "God knew why."
Jenny kissed Sirius on the cheek and she thanked him for all he had done that day. With a short wave and a warm hug for Allison, he Disapparated.
One by one, Jenny's friends wished her good luck, then vanished home. Peter trudged downstairs shortly after Lily departed. His peaky face was tinged light green, but he managed a goodbye and stumbled out the door to sprint all the way home. Remus was last to go.
"Jen, I'm upstairs to pack," Mrs. McCall said. "Hurry up."
"Right Mum."
Upstairs, the clattering of books could be heard as Mr. McCall hastily packed his favorite Muggle novels.
Jenny wrapped her arms around Remus' shoulders with a deep sigh.
"Thank you so much Remus," she murmured into his hair. "You can't know how much your support means to me. And all..."
"I think I do," Remus replied sincerely.
"I know you said...you could never fall in love because of what you you maybe?" Jenny looked up hopefully, her eyes implying what she had not said.
"Jenny, it would ruin your life. I can never be accepted in the world and I don't wish that isolation on anyone. If you...you'd be labeled as the werewolf's...It would be difficult for you. I couldn't bear to be the source of your unhappiness," Remus said, all the while watching tears fill Jenny's eyes. "I've loved you since fifth year when you helped me study for O.W.L.s and we got almost all 'Outstandings.' You keep me sane even though I'm sure my transformations will drive me crazy. I love you, Jen and that's why we mustn't be together. I'll destroy all you've worked so hard to build."
Jenny was crying harder now.
"Don't you understand?" Jenny wept. "I love you too and I'll let everything I've ever had crumble at my feet just to have you with me. I need you so much, Remus. Forget what you are! It doesn't matter to me. You're a wonderful human being. I love you so, Remus. I love you."
"I wish it didn't matter..."
"It doesn't have to."
Remus held her tightly to him and kissed Jenny's upturned face.
"I love you Jenny," he whispered. "If you're willing to make that sacrifice, then I suppose I am too. Be mine forever."
Jenny smiled, resting her cheek against his. "I always have been."
Review? Please? Thank you!