Don't own anything recognisable from JK Rowling's Harry Potter books
Chapter 9
Blood, Sweat, and Dust.
Pat bit her lip as she passed the file to Remus. He had returned that morning covered in bruises and in a very bad temper, and demanded to see the information Roger had brought the night before.
"This is all they have so far?" He asked in a scornful tone.
Pat nodded. "They are doing all they can to help."
Snorting in disgust, Remus said. "They couldn't find a Wand in Olivanders!" He lifted up the artist's impression of the kidnapper, and paled. "Avery." He breathed.
Pat nodded. "Severus recognized him last night."
"Did he tell the Auror?" Remus asked, his eyes blazing anger.
"No. And I think he should have." She put her hand on his. "This is their job."
The anger in Remus' eyes turned to pleasure. "So they haven't identified him yet."
Pat shook her head.
"Good. I want to get to him first."
"Remus…" Pat started in concern, but he cut her off.
"How was her night? And has anyone come up with another plan?" He jutted his jaw stubbornly, and that was the end of the argument.
~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~
Remus was crouched in the abandoned house that had been used as a Death Eater hideout by Evaristus Devlin and, although it had been some time since they were last there, it still smelled of blood, sweat and dust. He stalked through the house, looking up at the full moon every time he passed a window, checking to see how much time he had left. It wasn't much.
As a werewolf he realised he had one gift that could help. His sense of smell.
He reached the overgrown back garden of the house and started to search the area. Going towards the wooden poles in the ground, he couldn't help but remember when Severus and Katrina were tied to them. When he had stood and battled beside his friends. Recalling how Avery had stood near Katrina longest, he bent his neck, and put his nose close to the floor. He picked up the smell of fear and realised this must have been left by Kat. Circling the area warily, he stopped for a moment when the overwhelming smell of fear-tinged excitement hit him. He trailed it back to the house and went towards the stairs. Severus had told him that Avery always had a room around the meeting place. Here the smell was stronger and the wolf howled in relish. It was only a matter of time before he found him.
~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~
It had taken Remus most of the night, but he had made it back to his house before turning. Grateful to find that he was in the middle of the forest in one of the glades he loved most he sank back down to the ground and groaned. Then looked ruefully down at his unclothed state.
"Why I can't remain dressed I have no idea." He grumbled raspingly, he found a bottle of water and a few items of clothing that he hid all over the forest and drank the water gratefully. The constant howling of the wolf often gave him a sore throat for days after the full moon.
He closed his eyes for a moment, and winced in pain as he
moved onto his side.
"Thorns." He grumbled, and stood up. While plucking several thorns that had dug
their way into his skin at some point in the night out of his side, he glanced
over the rest of his body, checking for bruises or something more serious.
Thanking his lucky stars that nothing had happened he got dressed and walked
slowly back to his home, attentively listening for any signs of life to prevent
any awkward questions from his far-off neighbours.
Instead all he could hear was two very familiar voices talking.
"We can't rely on Remus' good manners any longer."
Remus stopped still when he heard his name being spoken. Sirius' voice was serious, which was unusual for the self-proclaimed "joker". Pat's quiet yet commanding voice answered.
"Are you sure it would be okay to move her? Maybe it would put stress upon Lunar if we were to move her at such a critical stage of her treatment."
Sirius snorted, and sarcastically retorted. "Treatment? You've seen her right? She's a shell, and nothing we've done so far has prevented that."
Remus could see them now, Sirius had dark bags under his eyes and stubble covered his chin as if he hadn't bothered to wash when he woke up this morning, that is if he went to sleep at all. This was probably the third night in a row that he had sat in Lunar's room in the rocking chair in the corner just watching her intently for some sign of life.
Pat moved closer to him and hugged him tightly.
"Don't blame yourself Sirius, and don't take out your
anger towards the people who did this to her on anyone else. We're all a bit
highly strung at the moment."
"Exactly my point." Sirius kissed the top of his wife's head and looked into
her eyes. "Remus must be as taut as a tightrope. He put Lunar's illness and her
care on his shoulders, not to mention trying to find a cure and finding us. The
least we can do is offer to take some of the burden off of his hands."
Remus tensed. 'Not Lunar.' He thought savagely. 'Lunar is not going anywhere.'
~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~
Lunar attentively listened to the conversation Sirius and Pat were having outside of her window, and could have cried out in despair, but they wouldn't have heard her.
She had watched Remus caring for her for nearly two months now and she didn't want that to change. Not even for her brother.
She hadn't gotten any closer to knowing Remus, even during the intimate moments when it had just been him and her. She had yearned to speak to him so many times, especially when he had tenderly washed then brushed her long hair. The house elf, Fingers had taken over that particular job as soon as Sirius had been brought to the house.
Her thoughts moved away from the problem of her brother's wishes and drifted to the boy who had snatched her heart away, and the man who still held it.
~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~
Severus and Albus walked out of the fireplace and into a big fight.
"No way!" Remus said crossly. "There is no way that you are moving Lunar from here. She is in the most vital stage and could be severely scarred if you move her now."
Sirius ignored his wife's pleading eyes and yelled. "She's my sister, and my responsibility. We cannot intrude on your life anymore."
"You aren't intruding. I like her being here." Remus muttered angrily.
"But she's my sister. I know you care for her like your own sister, but...."
The argument was stopped by Pat snorting loudly and Albus took that time to intervene.
"I think I might have something that may cure her."
"What…?" Remus asked in disbelief.
"One of my friends in Albania came up with this." Albus held up a small flower in a jar and a small vial of red liquid.
"A red buttercup?" Sirius asked incredulously.
"No." Severus glared at Sirius. "It's a hellebore, a Christmas Rose. It's a relation of the buttercup, but is poisonous."
"You aren't giving that to my sister." Sirius said firmly. Pat gripped his arm and looked at him warningly.
"Not all of it is poisonous." Albus interrupted. "My friend discovered its healing powers. It could help. We have gotten rid of the poisonous aspect, what we have here is a diluted solution."
"It could help." Pat said gently to Sirius.
Remus nodded. "We should try everything."
Sirius jutted out his jaw and thought about it. He turned to Albus. "Are you sure that it won't harm her?"
Albus nodded. "I wouldn't give it to her if I thought it would."
Sirius thought for a moment, and then nodded. "Okay." He put his arms around Pat and hugged her close. "Let's give it to her."
A/N:
Thanks to Annoriel, Princess Story Writer, and Moony Lover for reviewing. Again soory for the shortness of the chapter, but chapters 8 and 9 were originally together, and I lost half of it!!! Luckily I always print a copy off, but I had no time to write it before posting the last chapter!! Normal service should resume next chapter!!!
